For these five days, life was as peaceful as a paradise. Every morning, I was woken by birdsong, washed my face by the stream, ate food brought by Sha Qian Mo from the Demon Emperor Palace, and basked in the sun while holding Tang Bao's egg.
The cracks on the eggshell were already like a dense spiderweb, and the green light was so strong that it could be seen even during the day. Tang Bao could hatch at any moment.
But in Hua Qian Gu's heart, a stone was always hanging.
Bai Zi Hua.
He knew she was here. Although they had passed each other, he had already sensed the existence of the Life and Death Tribulation. With his personality, he would not give up easily.
"What are you thinking about?" Sha Qian Mo walked over and sat down beside her.
"I'm thinking about when we can leave," Hua Qian Gu said. "We can't hide here forever."
"We'll leave when Bai Zi Hua is gone."
"What if he doesn't leave for three months?"
"Then we'll wait for three months."
"What about three years?"
Sha Qian Mo glanced at her. "Then we'll wait for three years. I said I wouldn't let anyone touch you."
Hua Qian Gu sighed and said no more.
She knew Sha Qian Mo was serious. This fool waited two hundred years for her in his previous life; in this life, let alone three years, he could wait thirty.
But she couldn't wait.
She still had many things to do—protect her father, hatch Tang Bao, awaken her Godhead, and deal with Ni Mantian. She couldn't spend her life hiding in the deep mountains and old forests.
Just as she was thinking about how to persuade Sha Qian Mo, a black paper crane flew in from the direction of the secret passage and landed on Sha Qian Mo's shoulder.
Sha Qian Mo picked up the paper crane and unfolded it. The content inside was only one sentence—
"Mo Yan has joined forces with the Seven Sects to pressure the Demon Realm, demanding the handover of Hua Qian Gu."
Sha Qian Mo's expression instantly turned cold.
"What's wrong?" Hua Qian Gu leaned over to look.
Sha Qian Mo handed her the note.
After Hua Qian Gu finished reading, her fingers tightened.
Ni Mantian had made her move.
Faster and more ruthless than in her previous life.
In her previous life, Ni Mantian only started dealing with her after she became a disciple of Chang Liu. In this life, Ni Mantian skipped all the steps and attacked from the root—creating opposition between the Immortal Realm and the Demon Realm, putting her on the spot.
"Mo Yan, using the excuse of 'the Demon Realm harboring a traitor from the Immortal Realm,' has joined forces with the Seven Great Immortal Sects to issue an ultimatum to the Demon Realm," Sha Qian Mo stood up, his purple eyes surging with anger. "Within three days, you must be handed over, or else—"
"Or else war," Hua Qian Gu finished his sentence.
Sha Qian Mo didn't speak, but he tacitly agreed.
Hua Qian Gu closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
War.
In her previous life, how many people died in the War of the Five Realms? Countless. From the Immortal Realm, the Demon Realm, and the Human Realm, countless living beings suffered. And the cause of it all was her.
In this life, she was reborn, avoided Chang Liu, avoided becoming a disciple, and avoided all the paths she could. Yet Ni Mantian still found a way to push her into the same desperate situation.
"I won't let them go to war," Hua Qian Gu opened her eyes, her voice calm but firm.
"What will you use to stop them?" Sha Qian Mo looked at her. "Mo Yan has already identified you as a demoness, and the Seven Great Immortal Sects are all on his side. You, a mortal, will be walking to your death."
"So I won't go to my death," Hua Qian Gu stood up. "I'll go find someone who can stop them."
"Who?"
"Bai Zi Hua."
Sha Qian Mo's pupils contracted sharply. "No."
"Sha Qian Mo, listen to me—"
"I said no!" Sha Qian Mo's voice rose, his purple eyes full of anger. "He is your Life and Death Tribulation! What's the difference between going to him and walking to your death?"
"He won't kill me," Hua Qian Gu said. "In my previous life, he killed me because I became the Demon God and threatened all living beings. In this life, I am just a mortal; he has no reason to kill me."
"How do you know he won't?" Sha Qian Mo grabbed her wrist. "Hua Qian Gu, don't gamble with your life."
Hua Qian Gu looked into his eyes and didn't break free from his hand.
"I'm not gambling," she said. "I'm calculating. Bai Zi Hua, this person, values rules the most, reasons the most, and cares about all living beings the most. If Mo Yan wants to start a war, he will definitely disagree. As long as he stands up to oppose it, Mo Yan won't be able to suppress those immortal sects."
Sha Qian Mo stared at her for a long time, and the strength in his hand slowly loosened.
"You know him quite well," his voice was a little hoarse.
Hua Qian Gu heard the sourness in his tone but didn't explain.
"Three days," she said. "Give me three days. If I don't come back after three days, you can do whatever you want."
"Hua Qian Gu—"
"Sha Qian Mo." She called his name, looking at him seriously. "Trust me."
Sha Qian Mo was silent for a long time.
Finally, he let go of her hand.
"Three days," he said. "If you don't come back in three days, I'll flatten Chang Liu."
Hua Qian Gu smiled. "Okay."
She turned and walked towards the secret passage.
"Hua Qian Gu," Sha Qian Mo called out to her from behind.
She turned around.
"Take Tang Bao's egg with you," Sha Qian Mo handed the egg to her. "It's about to hatch. If you're not here, it won't come out."
Hua Qian Gu took the egg and held it in her embrace.
The green light on the eggshell flickered, as if saying, "Mother, cheer on."
"I'll be back," she said.
By the time Hua Qian Gu walked out of the secret passage, it was already evening.
The Demon Emperor Palace was empty—most of the demon soldiers had been transferred to the border. She walked through the corridor, out of the gate, and stood on the wasteland outside the Demon Emperor Palace.
The night wind blew, carrying sand.
She looked south—that was the direction of Chang Liu.
"Bai Zi Hua," she whispered. "We're going to meet again."
In her previous life, she went to Chang Liu to become a disciple, to be closer to him.
In this life, she went to Chang Liu to prevent war, to protect the people she wanted to protect.
It was different now.
She was no longer that little disciple looking up at him.
Hua Qian Gu took a deep breath and strode south.
After walking less than a hundred steps, she saw someone.
Green robe, wooden hairpin, amber eyes.
Dongfang Yuqing was leaning against a large stone by the roadside, holding a bamboo slip, as if waiting for her.
"Why are you here?" Hua Qian Gu was stunned for a moment.
"Waiting for you," Dongfang Yuqing closed the bamboo slip and walked over. "I heard you're going to Chang Liu?"
"Your news is quite well-informed."
"I said, the intelligence network of Yi Xiu Pavilion is not just for show." Dongfang Yuqing stood in front of her and looked down at her. "Hua Qian Gu, do you know what this trip means?"
"I know."
"And you're still going?"
"I have to."
Dongfang Yuqing looked at her determined gaze and sighed.
"Alright," he took out a jade pendant from his sleeve and handed it to her. "Take this with you. The protective mountain array of Chang Liu is not guarded against people from Yi Xiu Pavilion. With this, you can enter and exit freely."
Hua Qian Gu took the jade pendant; it was warm to the touch.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it," Dongfang Yuqing said. "I'll go with you."
"No need—"
"Not to protect you," Dongfang Yuqing interrupted her. "I'm going to watch the show. The Asura Field between the Chang Liu Immortal and the Demon King is a rare sight in a thousand years; it would be a shame not to see it."
Hua Qian Gu looked at his "I'm here to watch the play" expression and couldn't help but smile.
"Let's go," she said.
The two walked south shoulder to shoulder.
Behind them, on the rooftop of the Demon Emperor Palace, Sha Qian Mo stood there, watching Hua Qian Gu's figure recede into the distance.
His fingers tightened, his nails digging into his palm.
"Three days," he murmured. "I'll wait for you for three days."
The night wind blew his white hair, and his purple eyes surged with indescribable emotions.
【 End of Chapter · Comment Section Discussion: Which side do you think Bai Zi Hua will take?】
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