野荷塘

[Host: justreads . net]

[July 7, 2019]

. . .

The man in Shen Li’s grasp was so scared by the sight of her red eyes that he almost fainted . The immortal next to him was like-wise really frightened . He quickly apologized to Shen Li, urging her to release his friend, however Shen Li was too angry to hear his pleas .

Instead the guy she was holding turned blue as her grip tightened .

This was not good so Xing Zhi called out to her .

Shen Li glanced at Xing Zhi . Although she didn’t release her grip, she did loosen it enough for the man to breathe .

“Cruel . . . bar . . . baric . . . savage . . . ” As soon as he got some air, he commenced talking again .

Shen Li turned to him and gave him a cold smile . “I wasn’t going to kill you, but since you’ve worked so hard to convince me, I’ll do you the favor . Aren’t you lucky?”

Shen Li tightened her grip further causing his color to change from blue to purple as he foamed at the mouth . Out of fright, the other immortals cried out in alarm .

Xing Zhi reached out to her and touched her hand but he didn’t force her to let go . All he said was, “Hurting him will make things more difficult for the people of the Demon realm . ”

Shen Li gnashed her teeth . “This person is full of venom, spewing slander against my people and insulting my emperor . Now I can’t even maim or kill him . It’s hard for me to settle the anger in my heart . ”

“Shen Li . . . ” Xing Zhi sighed helplessly .

Shen Li didn’t understand why it was bad to give vent to her anger by hurting the immortal in front of her . He and his kind constantly bad-mouthed her people with malicious gossip . It was frustrating to constantly be told to endure .

She roughly tossed the immortal onto the ground then walked away, kicking the shrubs in her path as she did so .

The other immortals rushed to aide their fallen comrade . He was dizzy and slightly bruised, but otherwise unhurt . They still felt the need to complain .

“He only said a few words, such uncalled-for anger . The demon people really have no empathy, so unforgiving!”

Shen Li was amazed at the irony of the words coming from the group of immortals . “Empathy?” She laughed a laughter filled with qi . The force shocked the immortals and shook their hearts, forcing them to cover their ears from the power . “Isn’t it because I empathized with you that I came and rescued you?”

In a fit of anger, she had continued speaking with qi in her voice and she would have continued some more had a hand not swiftly covered her mouth . All the qi was pushed back inside, making her take a step back in surprise .

She bumped into Xing Zhi when she did so . His chest was warm and his aura wrapped all around her . It was like a cool breeze had blown in and dispersed her resentment . All that remained was a stuffed up feeling in her chest that left her feeling flustered .

“My friends, just because those who captured you used demon magic doesn’t mean someone from the demon race is involved . This could be a deliberate attempt to undermine the relationship between the two realms . My friends, I hope you do not listen to idle gossip and assist the villain inadvertently . ”

Shen Li felt the vibrations in Xing Zhi’s chest as he talked . It had a lulling effect on her and she zoned out without realizing it, but her annoyance came back upon seeing the immortals in front of her nodding along to what he was saying . She pushed his hand away from her mouth and struggled out of his embrace . Once successful, she turned around and gave him a glare before walking away and kicking the rocks and grasses underfoot like an angry child .

Xing Zhi shook his head lightly and smiled as he watched her walk away . He continued, “I won’t keep you all in the dark . I stayed in the Demon realm with the demon people for several days not too long ago . They are not a bloodthirsty race . The people are straightforward and direct . If the act of kidnapping immortals in the Mortal realm was meant to start a war, then they would have prepared for it with the appropriate military preparations . I saw no evidence of this at their military camps while I was there . ”

The gathered immortals mulled over what he said . A white-haired old man of the group touched his beard and spoke . ”As far as I know, the only immortal who visited the Demon realm recently was the Heavenly Emperor’s grandson, Fu Rongjun, who is wedded to a person in the demon world . Could it be the woman who just now proclaimed herself to be the Azure Sky King is Fu Rongjun’s wife, from that rumored married couple?”

Xing Zhi’s brow twitched slightly and he glanced over at Shen Li .

Shen Li had not heard the old immortal . She was some distance away from them leaning against a tree and looking at the waterfall . The corner of Xing Zhi’s mouth arched up slightly . It was incorrect to call Shen Li and Fu Rongjun a married couple . “Fu Rongjun and the Azure Sky King are not yet wed . ”[notes]

“Ah, if great immortal says so then it must be the case . ”

“The Azure Sky King is deeply dedicated to the Demon people and can not stand anyone speaking poorly of them . What happened just now was simply because she is short-tempered . I hope everyone can forgive her . ” Xing Zhi smiled as he continued . “She is a very direct and honest person with a righteous nature who approaches matters with a sincere heart . That kind of conviction and morality... even I can not beat . ”

The old immortal tugged at his beard . “Great immortal is very good to the king... unlike in the rumors... hahaha . ” His sentence trailed off in awkward laughter . [notes]

Xing Zhi’s smile drooped a little but he remained silent . “Well she is worth it . ”[notes]

Xing Zhi asked the group of immortals some more questions about their kidnapping before letting them disperse and return to their respective territories . It was unlikely their kidnappers would appear again so soon so they wanted to use the opportunity to report to heaven .

Xing Zhi walked to Shen Li after everyone left . He didn’t have to say anything; she knew he was there .

She glanced quickly over at him and asked, “Are they gone?”

Xing Zhi nodded . “It seems like there is still another group that needs to be rescued . I don’t know the specific location, but it should be somewhere in the south . ”

“This is your business . It doesn’t have anything to do with me . Go and save your people by yourself . I’m going to Yangzhou . ” Immediately after saying her piece she walked away .

Xing Zhi trailed behind her .

“Stop following me . ”

Xing Zhi gave a helpless smile and shrugged . “Yangzhou is also in the south . We’re heading in the same direction . ”

Shen Li was silent for a moment, but eventually resumed her walking . There was still lingering resentment in her heart but her pace wasn’t as fast as it was before . The distance between them kept getting smaller and smaller until finally they were walking side by side .

Xing Zhi shot a glance at her . “Hungry?”

Shen Li was reluctant to admit it, instead she said, “No,” just before her belly betrayed her with a low rumble . It made her frown and Xing Zhi smirk . Now she was even more annoyed!

She called forth a cloud to ride away but he grabbed her wrist and interrupted her .

“There’s a small family run restaurant down the mountain . Why don’t we go there? It’s been a while since I’ve had any of the Five Grains . I miss them . ” Perhaps Xing Zhi’s mortal life as Xing Yun influenced his immortal preferences .

Shen Li eyed him dubiously . “You do?”

“I do . ” Xing Zhi nodded with a smile .

“Alright, let’s go then . ”

The restaurant really was in fact just a stall by the side of the mountain . The sign in front read, “Tea . ” It was a good resting place for travelers; there were even a few tables and stools outside for people to sit and enjoy a drink .

Shen Li barely sat down when a middle-aged woman approached .

“Would the two of you like tea? Please sit, sit . ”

“Auntie, we’ve had a long journey and we’re hungry . Can we borrow your kitchen to make something to eat?”

The woman blinked, a bit taken aback . “What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you . ”

Xing Zhi laughed . “This sister here has really picky tastes . It’s difficult to please her . We’ll pay you for the use of course . ”

The lady silently thought it over for a moment before replying . “Let me clean up a little first . Here, in the meantime have some tea . ” She poured them both a cup before hurrying back inside .

“This is a suspicious shop . ” Shen Li stroked the cup as she said this .

“Is Your Highness afraid?”

Shen Li raised her head and drank the tea in one gulp . [text omitted]

Upon returning the woman was surprised to find her new customers still sitting upright in their chairs . She pushed the flicker of hesitation that went through her mind aside and put a smile on her face as she approached them . “Everything is in order young master . Please, this way . ” She picked up the teapot and was shocked at how light it was . It had to be at least half empty . She looked at Shen Li and Xing Zhi in astonishment .

This made Shen Li ask her if something was wrong .

“Nothing, nothing . I was just surprised you weren’t tired after walking around the mountain . You must have a lot of stamina . ”

“I’m fine . It wasn’t anything much, just killing a bunch of monsters . ”

Something flickered in the woman’s dark green eyes . “My goodness, young miss enjoys joking a lot I see . ”

Shen Li wasn’t as patient or as calm as Xing Zhi . She reached over the table and grabbed the woman by the neck . “I’m not one to joke . ” She reached for the tea pot with her other hand and poured the liquid into the woman’s mouth .

The woman only succeeded in swallowing more liquid in her desperate struggle to break free .

Shen Li was relentless . She raised the woman higher and shook her harder until her limbs shortened and a tail sprouted behind her . It dragged to the ground as her skin smoothed into a different kind of flesh . The woman resembled a python .

Shen Li tossed her to the ground and shouted in a cold voice, “All of you come out at once, otherwise I will kill her . ”

A girl crawled frantically from out of a haystack as soon as Shen Li said this .

“I’m coming! I’m coming! Please don’t kill her!” yelled the girl in a fuzzy voice . Her lower half kept transforming, alternating between a snake tail and human legs . It made her gait unsteady and she kept falling and smashing her face into the dirt .

Xing Zhi smiled . He was about to speak when Shen Li stepped forward and helped the girl up . She patted the girl’s dirty cheeks, not at all minding the dust . In a happy voice she said, “Xiao He!”

The girl looked at Shen Li confused . Her voice shook, and she stuttered because she was so afraid . “I’m... n – n – not Xiao He . I’m... I’m sorry . ”