“..I have heard about this medicine before. It is a kind of medicinal herb called Blood Lotus Fungi1. It has extremely strong spiritual power and is used by demons to promote cultivation. If a normal immortal were to take it, the pure immortal energy within one’s body would be repelled, bearing no effect and be completely undetectable. It’s just..”

Ah Tao paused for a while, and looked at Ji Chaoyun thoughtfully.

Ji Chaoyun immediately understood the deeper meaning in her words.

It’s just that he had a half-immortal and half-demon body. Hence, his immortal power was inherently impure, causing him to be stimulated by the Blood Lotus Fungi and losing control of his demonic power.

Feng Qi noticed something. “This person.. knows his physique very well?”

“That’s right,” agreed Ah Tao. “Although this little?gongzi?is half-immortal and half-demon, he hides it very well. If it wasn’t for the pulse diagnosis, I wouldn’t have even seen it. But the person who prescribed the medicine seems to know?gongzi?very well, even his weaknesses, hence using the Blood Lotus Fungi in the end.”

Ji Chaoyun’s eyes trembled. He asked, “Blood Lotus Fungi.. Where can one find it?”

”Nearly impossible to find.” Ah Tao shook her head. “Blood Lotus Fungi is extremely difficult to cultivate, and requires a large supply of magical energy to grow. Once the source of supply is lost, it will die within three days. Other than on the Demon Realm’s soil, there’s nowhere else the Blood Lotus Fungi can grow.”

“Demon Realm?” Feng Qi asked with a frown. “You mean, someone brought the Blood Lotus Fungi out of the Demon Realm? How is this possible?”

“Indeed, how could this be possible..” Ah Tao tapped the table with her fingertips, and said softly, “Three hundred years ago, the demons had launched an aggressive invasion and had almost conquered the Immortal Realm. The Immortal Realm was forced to plead to the gods for help. Thus they came into the world and fought a hard battle with the demons. The demons were defeated, and completely sealed away. Thereafter, not one demon could take half a step out of their realm.”

“..It’s been three hundred years. How could the Blood Lotus Fungi suddenly appear in the Immortal Realm?”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became solemn, and only Ji Chaoyun was sitting quietly at the table. His eyes gazed low, his expression unclear.

After a long while, Feng Qi opened his mouth, his voice harsh. “Could it be that the seal on the Demon Realm has been loosened?”

Ah Tao raised her head, and there was no humour in her eyes. “If that is the case, the Immortal Realm will suffer a catastrophe. I’m afraid none of us will be spared should that ever happen.”

Because the God’s Realm had been closed three hundred years ago. This time, there would be no one to help them.

If so, it would really be a catastrophe.

Feng Qi and Ah Tao stared at each other. After a while, he took out two things from the storage ring and put them on the table.

Feng Qi said, “Since you’re knowledgeable about this, please help me find out if the smell of blood lotus fungi lingers in these two items. “

“Alright.”

Ah Tao put away those two things, and said, “But what I said just now is merely guesswork, it may not be accurate. If there is someone who is truly idle and has nothing to do, it is not impossible to cultivate the Blood Lotus Fungi using a magical artefact. “

Ji Chaoyun suddenly asked, “Do you know someone with such an ability?”

Ah Tao obviously didn’t expect him to be so keen. Her expression changed a little as she answered, “There is a half-demon race in the Sea Market. During the melee, that person was left in the Immortal Realm and with nowhere to go, he hid in the Nameless Sea. That guy can’t let go of his homeland, and spends all day tinkering with some messy magic tools and magic arrays. You may find something to gain by finding him.”

Ah Tao pointed out a place for them. Ji Chaoyun stood up and saluted Ah Tao. “Thank you, Lady Ah Tao.”

Ah Tao nodded. The latter turned around and went straight out the door. Feng Qi was about to follow when he heard Ah Tao say behind him, “Your little beauty doesn’t seem to be a simple person.”

Feng Qi glanced at Ji Chaoyun who had already walked out of the room, and turned back to Ah Tao with a smug smile. “How’s he? Isn’t the person I’m attracted to rather good?”

Ah Tao snorted with a sour expression. “Bearing a half demonic and half immortal body, one should better be cautious. If you are so unrestrained, are you not afraid that he will drain your essence?”

Feng Qi was startled, and the strange feeling that had been haunting him ever since he’d woken up was finally vaguely answered.

He only felt enlightened and smiled. “Thank you, Ah Tao. If there is a chance another day, I will introduce you to a beauty.”

“Scram!?Laoniang?doesn’t need it!”2

Feng Qi smiled, turned around and walked out the door.

The three of them went out of the Luo Huan Building and followed Ah Tao’s guidance to look for the place where the half-demon lived. On the way, Feng Qi briefly recounted what Ah Tao said to Jiang Cheng. While he was talking, he focused all his attention on Ji Chaoyun.

Ever since meeting Ah Tao, Ji Chaoyun looked haunted, seeming to have other thoughts in his mind.

After listening to Feng Qi’s words, Jiang Cheng pondered, “So, the person who started it is not just trying to frame Ji Chaoyun for cheating? Then he should be.. Hey, you dead Phoenix, are you listening to me?!”

Feng Qi looked away from Ji Chaoyun and asked, “Are you talking to me?”

Jiang Cheng gritted his teeth in anger, and icily forced out, “..No. Scram.”

Ji Chaoyun listened to the two arguing behind him while his thoughts drifted away.

Why was it the Demon race?

Has the seal on the Demon Domain really weakened? Or.. was there actually someone else behind the scene?

“The demons came well prepared this time. They know our plan well. I think there may be inner spies in the Immortal Realm.

The Immortal Realm is at stake, no one can be trusted. Little Dragon, wait obediently for me in the mortal world. I will come back to pick you up when I seal the Demon Realm.”

“..I will definitely return.”

Ji Chaoyun raised his hand subconsciously. The moment he touched the familiar purse through his clothes, like lightning, he immediately released his hand.

This action was purely instinctive, and he was taken aback for a moment. Before he could understand why he did this, a dangerous strangeness suddenly flashed in his heart.

Ji Chaoyun took a step and stopped the two behind him. “Wait, something is not right.”

Feng Qi and Jiang Cheng were currently arguing with each other. Hearing his words, they stopped and noticed something strange. They now reached a remote and narrow alley. This alley extended in all directions with many twists and turns. This was where the half-demon dwelled.

The three of them raised their heads together as several black-clothed shadows fell from above the roof ridge, surrounding the three of them.

Black clothes, long sword on a rainy night.

Ji Chaoyun’s pupils shrank, and his gaze passed over several men in black, ending at the back of the alley, where a faint shadow flashed by.

“I will leave these to you both!”

Ji Chaoyun quickly explained, and with a swing of his sword, its intent ripped open the encirclement. Without any hesitation, he flashed into the distance.

His sword was too fast, and the men in black who attacked them had no time to react. As they prepared to chase, a slender figure blocked his way. Feng Qi flicked his golden whip and neatly threw those people in front of Jiang Cheng. Only then did he look back at Ji Chaoyun’s departing back, a tiny smile in his eyes.

The little dragon didn’t realise that his spiritual power had increased a lot overnight.

“Fuck, Feng Qi, why are you in a daze. Help me!” Jiang Cheng shouted angrily, the only one left in the narrow alley fighting the enemies.

Feng Qi retracted his gaze, and his tone was unhurried. “I’m injured, so I can’t use force. Island Master Jiang is strong and awesome. Can’t you beat these little bastards?”

While speaking, someone attempted to stab Feng Qi. Feng Qi dodged and kicked the person to the front of Jiang Cheng, the two almost colliding head-on.

As Jiang Cheng scolded him, Feng Qi calmly replied, “You fight first. I’ll find Chaoyun.”

“You dead Phoenix—”

He ignored Jiang Cheng and turned to chase in the direction of Ji Chaoyun.

At the other end, Ji Chaoyun was chasing after the shadow. He did not know how many corners he had turned before his steps suddenly stopped.

In front of him was a house with a courtyard. The outdated door was shut, and it was impossible to see what was inside. Ji Chaoyun considered his options for a moment before raising his hand and pushing open the door. Blood flashed in the courtyard right then.

The man who was pierced by a sword slumped to the ground, his unextinguished eyes passing over the man in black before him. He was caught off guard by Ji Chaoyun’s gaze outside the upper courtyard door.

The blood on Ji Chaoyun’s face faded, and the memory of his previous life’s death made a comeback.

“Heaven’s Realm is already closed, and it cannot be opened in a thousand years. What’s the use of keeping the golden phoenix feather? Do you think he will come back?!”

“No one will know even if we kill you now. Hand over the item!”

The bloody, broken memories finally merged into a complete scene at this moment. Ji Chaoyun raised his head— the past and the reality overlapping in front of him.

The back of the man in black turned around, and a string of blood beads rolled from the sword edge at his feet. Ji Chaoyun finally saw at once— what was hidden under the black hood was a pure white mask with only the eyes showing.

“..It’s really you.”

Ji Chaoyun was breathless. His voice was so low that he could hardly hear it.

The man in black didn’t hear what he’d said, and only smiled softly. “If I were you, I would never chase someone alone.”

Ji Chaoyun: “Who are you?”

“..The one who will kill you.”

As soon as the man in black finished speaking, he raised his sword and made to strike Ji Chaoyun. It was only then that Ji Chaoyun realised the long sword in his hand was covered by a layer of black mist; he couldn’t see it clearly.

Ji Chaoyun subconsciously retreated. The familiar sight of the interlaced past and present left him in a trance, and his movements couldn’t help but slow down by half a minute.

The sword edge was coming in an instant, it was too late to escape. Ji Chaoyun only had time to protect his vital point, prepared to suffer an injury.

血莲芝Xue Lianzhi

Laoniang = female way of saying Laozi.