Watching the Dharma boat sail farther and farther away were not only the disciples of the Wuji Sect but also Zhan Tianming.
Several times, Zhan Tianming wanted to act and forcibly bring Zhan Tianxiang back, but he was always stopped by Jiao Er.
Even though he had confirmed that Jian Xiaolou had no connection with Bai Lixi and that her actions were merely a strategic ploy, Zhan Tianming was still uneasy about letting Zhan Tianxiang out of his sight. "Why is Jian Xiaolou heading to the Kasyapa Temple?"
"The Red Lotus Buddha Treasure is within her body."
"What?!"
Jiao Er diverted the topic, "Let's go, Ah Ming. Your father is right—you shouldn't interfere excessively in Ah Xiang's matters; it will do him more harm than good."
Zhan Tianming frowned at this. "I'm just concerned about my brother. How can that be excessive interference? Ah Xiang doesn't have a heavenly soul. If we don't watch over him properly, what if he's consumed by his earthly soul or becomes demonized one day?"
Jiao Er replied, "That won't happen for at least fifty years."
"Are you sure?"
Jiao Er nodded slightly. "Let's go. We shouldn't linger too long in the Southern Spirit Continent."
The two turned into streams of spiritual energy and left. Midway, Jiao Er suddenly diverted toward Prison Dragon Mountain in Floating Light City. He stopped at the entrance of a cave, gazing at it in silence.
A vigilant pangolin peeked out of the cave entrance. Upon seeing Jiao Er, its tiny eyes gleamed with excitement, and it tugged at his robe with its small claws.
Jiao Er bent down and knocked on its head. "Is everything alright?"
The pangolin nodded enthusiastically.
Jiao Er followed the narrow tunnel into a deep pit and descended to its bottom. There, his gaze fell on an enormous dragon skeleton. His eyes darkened.
On the Dharma boat, traveling to Yinguang City would take nearly two months. That meant being stuck with the little demons on board for two whole months.
Jian Xiaolou told herself she had no regrets, but that was far from the truth.
The demons were lively and noisy, constantly chattering and causing chaos. Their outfits were flamboyant, their delicate faces enchanting, and their figures alluring. Most irresistible of all were their furry ears and tails—no wonder they fetched a high price in the slave markets.
Even Jian Xiaolou felt tempted to pet and cuddle them.
Surprisingly, the men on board were much calmer.
Master Wisdom meditated in his cabin, unseen most of the time. Chu Fengchen, as stoic as ever, ignored the demons entirely. Zhan Tianxiang was kind and occasionally chatted with them, but after cutting one demon's ear short when annoyed, the others dared not approach him anymore.
As for their benefactor, Li Jianzhao, he scolded anyone who came near him until they fled in tears.
Jian Xiaolou found that to be Li Jianzhao's one redeeming quality. He was despicable but not lecherous.
She approached Bai Lixi's cabin. "Clan Leader, you called for me."
Bai Lixi responded, "I plan to undo the seal. Prepare to absorb my daughter's spiritual body."
Jian Xiaolou frowned. "Weren't we waiting until we reached Kasyapa Temple?"
"I've poured too much spiritual energy into Xiao Ci. Without the masculine energy barrier concealing my gender, my body is faltering. It's better to undo the seal sooner." Bai Lixi sighed lightly.
"Alright." Jian Xiaolou retrieved the double-gourd from her storage pouch.
Bai Lixi caressed her abdomen, summoning a radiant white light to her palm.
The seal was lifted. Jian Xiaolou quickly patted the gourd, drawing out a small, fluttering spiritual body from Bai Lixi's stomach and sealing it within the gourd.
Bai Lixi touched the gourd with a trace of sadness in her serene gaze.
Jian Xiaolou hesitated and handed the gourd back. "This was yours to begin with. You should keep it."
Bai Lixi shook her head. "It's more useful in your hands."
Jian Xiaolou accepted it, knowing the gourd would indeed be helpful. "How do you feel?"
"Fine for now."
"Good."
Several uneventful days passed, and Bai Lixi's condition remained stable, finally putting Jian Xiaolou at ease.
With little else to do on the boat, Jian Xiaolou decided it was time to rescue Night Wanderer.
She first informed Master Wisdom that she intended to meditate in seclusion, asking him to oversee the boat. She also informed Bai Lixi and the others before returning to her cabin to contact Su He.
Using the double-gourd's teleportation ability, Jian Xiaolou embarked on a daring mission into another world, navigating intricate webs of deception, danger, and mysterious connections. From stealing a crucial gourd from Jin Yu's palace to braving icy caverns to reach the imprisoned Night Wanderer, her journey was fraught with challenges and unexpected discoveries.
As Jian Xiaolou faced formidable foes and forged fragile alliances, her resolve deepened. Each step brought her closer to unraveling the threads of a complex fate.