Chapter 58: Sesame Opened a Door
“Haven’t we encountered a blessing in disguise, then?” Lu Cha was happy for a moment, then, as though she had suddenly recalled something, her expression was instantly dyed with resentment. “Those senior-martial brothers from Weapon Mountain were really too much. I already told them senior-martial brother Zhao’s death was unrelated to me. Yet, they did not believe it at all, and even acted against us.”
Looking at the cute girl who was in tears, Xiao Yi instantly felt his heart aching. “Little sister Lu, do not be disheartened. Justice lies in the human heart. Why is there a need for you to care about those who could not differentiate the right and wrong?”
“But… I’m very sad about senior-martial brother Zhao’s death as well.” Lu Cha rubbed the corner of her eyes. Although his death is unrelated to me, after all, we were still martial brothers and sisters, why wouldn’t they believe me?”
“Don’t cry, I’m still here. I will definitely not let anyone harm you.”
“Really? Big brother Xiao?”
“Of course, my good little sister.”
Looking at the two people cuddling with each other, Zhu Yao really could not help but roll her eyes. After listening to their conversation, clearly, the two of them fell down here due to the Weapon Mountain disciples’ attempt to exact vengeance. She had already long since understood Xiao Yi’s personality, however, she never thought that Lu Cha would actually be such a disgusting person as well.
Little fatty Zhao was madly in love with her, and even died to save her. It’s fine if she simply did not feel any gratitude towards him, however, she actually turned and flew into Xiao Yi’s embrace, and even said that his death was unrelated to her. Zhu Yao even began to feel a little suspicious, back then, when she was given a name, Zhu Yao wondered if her parents had forgotten to register another word.
“Bitch”
Green Tea Bitch!¹
She instantly began to pity little fatty Zhao, and prayed that in his next life, he would not once again get to know such people.
And at that moment, Zhu Yao no longer had the interest to meet up with the two of them either, and walked into the depths of the palace. If she were to go with them, it might be possible that she would be stabbed in the back by that wonderful duo, and in their eyes, they would even convince themselves that she deserved it.
Yu Yan did not have the slightest of objection towards her decision. He was someone with a cold personality in the first place. Other than his own disciple, he was completely uninterested in everyone else.
Using his divine sense to investigate in an instant, the entire layout of the palace immediately appeared in his mind. It seemed that a certain barrier had been set up at the center of the place, and even he was unable to see it clearly.
“In the most inner area of this palace, something seems to be there.”
Zhu Yao shockingly turned to look at the miniature-sized master on her shoulder. “Master, are you a human-shaped detector?”
Human-shaped detector? What was that?
“This place isn’t big. By using my divine sense to investigate the place for a moment, I was able to know everything.”
“……”
This was not big? Zhu Yao was a little speechless. Although her divine sense allowed her to see a distance of a few kilometers away, currently, what she could see here were just walls. Just how did her master do it?
“Go right!” Yu Yao reminded.
Zhu Yao turned into the right passage, and pondered deeply about the place her master spoke of, which should be where the “Wood Spirit” was located. Although Xiao Yi had the protagonist’s cheat, it could not hold a candle against her own master, who was a human-shaped cheating device. She was even arriving there faster than them as well, so she could definitely be able to take it before them.
When she thought of this point, she could not help but increase her pace by a bit. What was mysterious about this was, throughout the entire way, she actually did not encounter any obstructions, and walked towards the most inner layer smoothly and unhindered.
Yet, she was stopped by a gigantic door.
It was a very unique door. A very strange demonic beast was engraved on it, and looked as though it was alive, swimming continuously above. The entire door was even glowing with a faint silver light. Even though it was a door, it did not have an opening, nor was there anything like a handle, that she could use to push it open with.
“Master?” Zhu Yao could only seek assistance and looked towards her own cheating device.
Yu Yan was also looking at this strange door with a frown. He pointed to the demonic beast on it and said. “An ancient mystic beast is sealed in this door, and it was most probably done by the owner of this palace. So as to protect the things inside this place, the owner purposefully used a formation to trap it within.”
“Then how do we go in?” Zhu Yao was already a hundred percent sure that the Wood Spirit was inside this place.
“This formation is too complicated. Within the formation, there’s still another three thousand lesser formations.” Yu Yan said with a frown. “If one were to casually touch it, that person will activate the mystic beast on the door, which will swallow the trespasser whole. Unless one knows of the password, or if it’s the owner of this formation, this door can then be opened.”
“Then is there really no other way?”
“Unless we were to forcefully dispel this formation. However, from the complications of this formation, dispelling it isn’t something that can be done in a day.” He turned back and looked towards Zhu Yao.
Zhu Yao sighed. She understood her master’s words. By the time they dispel the formation, Xiao Yi and Lu Cha would have arrived. It seemed like it was impossible to not bump into them anymore. Damn protagonist’s cheat.
Since she had to wait for Xiao Yi, Zhu Yao was no longer in a rush. Sitting in front of the door, she inspected the door closely. The mystic beast on the door looked very strange. It had a pale face, sharp teeth, a panther-like figure, yet, it had two pairs of long horns on its head. It’s claws were like that of an eagle’s, yet, it had a rough and stout tail like that of a snake’s. The strangest thing was, it had wings, and even three pairs of them, yet, they were not like that of a bird’s, rather, they looked more like a bat’s. It’s huge figure took up more than half of the door, and it looked extremely clumsy when it swam about.
Zhu Yao stared at the door for six entire hours, and her master, who had been studying the formation, then looked towards the end of the passageway. “They’re here.”
From afar, she could already hear their footsteps. Her piggish party members were running late.
“Yo, long time no see!” Zhu Yao, who was sitting on the ground, supported her head with one of her hands, and greeted them. The moment Yu Yan had discovered them, he had already returned into the jade pendant.
Xiao Yi and Lu Cha was stunned, and various mixed expressions surfaced on their faces at the same time. There were awkwardness, shocked, and, a hint of suppressed unwillingness.
“Why are you here?” Lu Cha spoke up hesitantly, the smile on her face was a little forced.
“Fate, of course!” Zhu Yao waved her hand about with a smile, and said with utmost sincerity. “Back then, when I was chased by that demonic beast, I just knew you people will definitely find me. Haven’t we bumped to each other now?”
Xiao Yi’s and Lu Cha’s expressions became even more awkward. Zhu Yao was saying all these purposefully. Lu Cha no longer cared about little fatty Zhao dying for her, so why would she even think of saving Zhu Yao? In their hearts, they might even be calling her an idiot.
“It’s great that you’re fine.” As expected of the protagonist, Xiao Yi immediately regained his senses. Looking at Zhu Yao from head to toe, he realized she was clean and tidy, and looked as though she were completely free from wounds. Looking back at themselves, when they entered the palace, they encountered many traps and formations along their way here, and had already been especially fatigued. He could not help but grow suspicious.
“Junior-martial niece Bun, how did you manage to escape?”
Your sister’s a bun! Zhu Yao held in her urge to roll her eyes at him, and began to make up a story made out of both truths and lies. “I don’t know either. I was chased into a mountain cave by that demonic beast, and then, I seemed to have stepped on a formation-like thing, when I woke up, I was already outside this palace. The layout of this palace is especially complicated. I have already been trapped here for dozens of days, yet, I was still unable to find a way out.”
So she was already here for many days, it was no wonder why she completely did not look flustered. Xiao Yi then calmed his suspicions.
“Junior-martial niece Bun, do you know what’s behind this door?” Xiao Yi discovered that strange door as well, and asked.
Zhu Yao shook her head. “I don’t know either. But, this door is fully covered with formations, and can’t be opened easily.”
“What a strange door.” Lu Cha’s attention was brought onto the door as well, and with a swing of her hand, she went to touch on the door.
“Don’t touch it!” Zhu Yao shouted out loudly, however, it was already too late. Lu Cha’s hand had already touched on the door.
At that moment, the entire palace began to tremble, as though some sort of mechanism had been activated, that door began to shine with a blinding light. The mystic beast began to struggle strongly as well, and from the looks of it, it was about to break out of the door.
Even Zhu Yao instantly had the thought of destroying Lu Cha, as she stared ruthlessly at the culprit. As expected, she’s a piggish party member!
Lu Cha knew it was her mistake, and weakly hid behind Xiao Yi’s back. She looked at Zhu Yao with an aggrieved face, as though she was the one who was in the wrong.
Accursed Green Tea Bitch!
There was already no point in seeking accountability for this issue. Zhu Yao could only try her best to stabilize her body, while tensely waiting for what was about to happen with bated breath. Hopefully, that mystic beast was not the one being awakened.
Fifteen minutes later, the trembling finally stopped.
And the light emitting out from the door began to slowly dim as well, yet, nothing happened. The three of them heaved sighs of relief.
At this moment, the mystic beast on the door suddenly stretched out its head, as though it had penetrated through from the other end of the door. Opening its huge mouth, it led out a huge roar. It’s roar was very sharp, and it could not be described clearly, however, it carried a heavy air of brutality. When the roar entered their ears, they momentarily felt giddy and their visions were blurred. That mystic beast’s pair of bell-like eyes swept past the three of them, and then, stared right at Zhu Yao, who was the closest. “Password?”
Zhu Yao was startled. Password? What password!? Only a ghost would know! Earlier, she was not the one who knocked the door anyway, so why was it asking her?
Seeing her not answering for a long time, the beast’s head approached closer and closer, with its mouth slowly opening wider and wider. Zhu Yao simply felt a fishy smell was assaulting her from all around, and it looked as though it was about to bite her.
Password, password, obviously, it could never be…
“Open Sesame!” Zhu Yao blurted out.
It would be strange if it worked!
The beast’s head stopped. It stared ruthlessly at her, and then, it’s mouth instantly closed, and it returned back into the door. With a loud bang, that huge door, slowly opened while moving to the left.
The hell!? It really worked!
This mystic beast couldn’t be called Alibaba, right?
Before Zhu Yao could even feel shocked, a huge gust of wind suddenly blew from the other side the door, sucking her straight inside. Zhu Yao had not prepared any defenses, and even Xiao Yi and Lu Cha were swept inside by the wind as well.
Darkness instantly filled her vision. She felt as though she had fallen into a bottomless abyss, and she descended constantly. A humongous pressure engulfed over, and Zhu Yao instantly felt her as though her chest was about to be torn apart and her cinnabar was about to be shattered. The huge strength of that pressure, was simply causing her to be powerless, leaving her with no energy to resist, it really hurt! Even her consciousness was beginning to waver.
“Concentrate, calm your spiritual energy, protect your Dantian.” A cold voice sounded. The pressure on her body suddenly slackened, and she was finally able to relax.
Master……
Zhu Yao immediately circulated her spiritual energy to protect her own cinnabar and keep her consciousness clear. Only after a good long time did she finally heave a sigh of relief.
They were currently in a barren land, and her surroundings were only filled with dim light. Xiao Yi and Lu Cha were laid down beside her. They most probably fainted due to that pressure earlier.
Suddenly, an old, hoarse voice sounded.
“This old man has waited for so many years, and finally, the destined ones are here.”
Turning her head to look, a white ghostly figure was suddenly floating in front of her. That person was an elderly with white hair and brows, and his face was covered entirely by his beard, causing his expression to be invisible. However, his pair of small eyes narrowed into a line, as though he was extremely happy.
¹Lu Cha sounds like Lü Cha, which stands for Green Tea. Green Tea Bitch: An internet slang used to describe a young woman that likes to dress and act in a certain fashion in order to portray herself as pure and innocent (ie: like green tea). However, in reality she is a gold-digging slut that won’t think twice before she sells her own body or steps on someone’s throat to get to a higher place (aka a bitch). First popularized by Chinese netizens when a whole bunch of female models and actresses were revealed to be paid escorts/prostitutes for the rich and powerful during a fashion expo in 2013.