bookrebus Chapter 727 Xiao Cui's Change
Chapter 727 Xiao Cui's Change
The dim light of dawn filtered through the window lattice of the humble dwelling, casting a shadow over the shabby mess within. Yun Yao slowly awoke from her coma, her head feeling groggy and the stinging pain from the intense collision with the fragments of the Law still lingering deep within her sea of consciousness. She raised her hand and rubbed her temple, trying to dispel the discomfort, her gaze scanning the room, searching for Chu Mochen.
"Princess, you're awake!" Xiao Cui's voice came from the doorway. She hurried in with a bowl of steaming hot medicine, her expression full of concern. "The prince just went out to find some healing herbs and told me to take good care of you. Drink this medicine while it's hot; it will greatly benefit your soul."
Yun Yao nodded slightly, reaching out to take the medicine bowl. Her eyes met Xiao Cui's, and for a split second, a strange, blood-red glint flashed deep within her eyes, fleeting like a ghost. Yun Yao was startled, her previously chaotic thoughts instantly clearing. The sharp intuition honed over years of navigating the perilous world of cultivation now sounded like a warning bell.
The system's emotionless yet terrifying mechanical voice suddenly rang out: "It has been detected that Xiao Cui has demonic influence in her body! She came into contact with the Semi-Immortal Jade Slip in the Wanbao Pavilion and was planted with the 'Possession Curse'!"
Yun Yao, disregarding everything else, braced herself for weakness and grasped Xiao Cui's wrist. Spiritual energy surged through her fingertips, and the Lotus Heart Technique instantly activated, transforming into strands of gentle light that traced Xiao Cui's meridians. As she probed, Yun Yao's expression grew even more solemn. Sure enough, she discovered a blood-red jade slip near Xiao Cui's dantian, engraved with the sinister imprint of the Holy Maiden Youyue. A demonic aura continuously emanated from it, corroding Xiao Cui's vitality and sanity like a maggot on her tarsal bones.
"I'm sorry, Princess..." Xiao Cui seemed to have noticed something was wrong with her. Tears and blood flowed from her eyes, and her voice trembled, filled with pain and guilt. "I couldn't control myself... When we were in the Wanbao Pavilion, the jade slip suddenly emitted a strange power. I felt my head go dark, and then I knew nothing. When I regained consciousness, this terrifying thing was inside me."
Chu Mochen happened to rush back at this moment and saw the solemn atmosphere in the room. Xiao Cui was in tears, and Yun Yao had a stern expression. He immediately knew that something serious had happened. The power of the divine power surged faintly around him. He took a quick step forward, intending to shatter the blood-colored jade slip and completely eliminate the evil spirit.
Yun Yao raised her hand to stop him, shaking her head with a firm gaze. "She is a mortal. If the curse is forcibly removed, she will die. Xiao Cui has been loyal to us all these years, sharing life and death with us. How can I watch her die because of this unprovoked disaster?"
After saying this, Yun Yao took a deep breath. Despite the fact that her own soul had not yet recovered from its severe injuries, she resolutely and carefully separated a strand of her soul. This strand of soul transformed into a crystal-clear silver lotus in her palm, its light flowing, revealing an endless sense of protection. Yun Yao gently raised her hand and slowly placed the silver lotus above Xiao Cui's sea of consciousness. The lotus slowly rotated, casting layer after layer of light curtains, like the most solid fortress, tightly guarding Xiao Cui's sea of consciousness.
"Xiao Cui, don't be afraid. From now on, I will be your amulet." Yun Yao said softly, her eyes full of comfort.
Xiao Cui burst into tears and could only nod her head, her heart filled with gratitude and regret. She was grateful to the princess for saving her without regard for her own safety, and she regretted her own recklessness that brought such a crisis upon everyone.
In the days that followed, Yun Yao, despite her extreme weakness, stayed by Xiao Cui's side daily, using the Lotus Heart Technique to nourish her meridians and purify the subtle, permeating demonic energy. Each time she practiced, Yun Yao felt like she was walking on a tightrope. A single misstep would have dealt a further blow to her already shaky spirit. But she gritted her teeth and persevered, her eyes revealing a resolve she had never before possessed.
Under Yun Yao's meticulous care, Xiao Cui, though still frail, gradually lost the bloodshot in her eyes and regained her clarity of mind. Looking at Yun Yao's increasingly haggard face, she vowed to herself that if she could survive this ordeal, she would repay Yun Yao's life-saving grace with her own death.
However, their plight did not abate the external crisis. Driven madly by the Holy Maiden Youyue, the Blood Demon Sect became increasingly rampant, plundering the souls of cultivators everywhere, leaving the world of cultivation devastated. While the Yuxu Palace and other immortal forces attempted to suppress the sect, internal conflicts hindered progress.
One day, Yun Yao was practicing Qigong on Xiao Cui's injuries when suddenly, the sky shifted, and an overwhelming pressure descended. Yun Yao's expression changed, and she looked up to see twelve beams of immortal light piercing the sky like sharp swords, roaring straight towards their residence.
The leading white-haired elder, dressed in a pristine white robe, bore the air of an immortal, yet his eyes shone with undeniable authority. He noticed the shimmering lotus seal between Yun Yao's brows and immediately bowed, his voice echoing through heaven and earth: "Host Lotus Heart, please follow us back to the Immortal Realm. The Palace Master has something important to discuss with you."
Chu Mochen instantly stood in front of Yun Yao, the Divine Court's essence surging around him like a blazing flame, tightly shielding her behind him. His gaze was as sharp as a torch, staring directly at the white-haired old man. His voice was cold and hard: "The Immortal Realm stood by and watched the Divine Court's destruction back then. What right do you have to meddle in our affairs now? I think you're afraid that Yao'er's restoration of the Heavenly Dao will undermine the foundation of your rule!"
Upon hearing this, the white-haired old man sighed slightly, a trace of guilt flashing across his face. "It was indeed our shortsightedness back then that caused such a disaster. But now the Heavenly Dao is about to collapse, and only the Lotus Heart host can repair it. This concerns the life and death of countless worlds. I hope that Your Highness will prioritize the overall situation."
Yun Yao's thoughts raced, and she suddenly recalled the visions of the future she had seen in Siming Palace, especially the clues related to the Immortal Realm. She gently pressed Chu Mochen's tense arm, her gaze as calm as water. "Perhaps we should go to the Immortal Realm and see how many secrets they truly know. Besides, if we can draw upon the power of the Immortal Realm to fight against the Holy Maiden Youyue, we'll have a better chance of restoring the Heavenly Dao."
Although Chu Mochen was filled with worry, seeing Yun Yao's determined eyes, he finally nodded and stepped aside. Yun Yao slowly stepped forward and nodded slightly to the white-haired old man. "Since that's the case, I will accompany you on this journey. But I hope that the immortal world is truly committed to the Way of Heaven this time, and not to any ulterior motives."
The white-haired old man quickly agreed. As he raised his hand, a ray of immortal light transformed into a cloud ladder, suspended beneath everyone's feet. Yun Yao glanced back at Xiao Cui, then gave Chu Mochen a reassuring look. Then, he stepped onto the cloud ladder and sped towards the Jade Void Palace in the immortal realm.
Atop the cloud ladder, Yun Yao gazed at the mountains and rivers whizzing by below, her heart swirling with emotion. She knew this journey to the immortal realm was fraught with danger, but at this point, to discover the truth of the heavens and save countless lives, she had no other choice. Chu Mochen followed closely beside her, holding her hand and offering her silent yet unwavering support, as if to tell her that no matter what lay ahead, they would face it together.
Soon, the towering and magnificent palace complex of Yuxu Palace came into view. Yun Yao looked out, beholding pavilions and towers scattered in an orderly fashion amidst the shrouded celestial mist, exuding an otherworldly aura. Yet, she felt no admiration for it, for she knew that behind this seemingly peaceful celestial realm lay hidden innumerable hidden plots and struggles.
The Palace Master personally led a group of elders to greet her, a seemingly warm smile on his face, but Yun Yao keenly sensed the distance and wariness behind it. The Palace Master led the way, showing Yun Yao around the various sacred sites of the Yuxu Palace, his words filled with boasting about the glorious past of the immortal world.
When they arrived at the "Tiandao Pavilion", the Palace Master's expression suddenly changed. Taking advantage of Yun Yao's unpreparedness, he suddenly attacked, and a golden seal instantly locked Yun Yao's spiritual power.
"I'm sorry, Host Lianxin." The Palace Master's voice was filled with helplessness, but his eyes were filled with determination. "The Immortal Council is worried that after you restore the Heavenly Dao, it will undermine our rule. Therefore..." He condensed a golden chain at his fingertips, "We can only ask you to stay here temporarily."
Chu Mochen saw this, his eyes wide open with rage. He instantly unleashed the power of the Holy Son, his entire body ablaze with light, and he charged towards the Palace Master and the others like an exploding star. However, the twelve elders of Yuxu Palace had already prepared for this, and they attacked simultaneously. Twelve spiritual energies intertwined into an impenetrable net, trapping Chu Mochen tightly.
Yun Yao looked at the anxiety and anger in Chu Mochen's eyes, but suddenly chuckled. The laughter echoed in the Tiandao Pavilion, revealing a bit of sarcasm: "Do you think that trapping me can prevent the restoration of Tiandao?" As she spoke, the lotus seal between her eyebrows suddenly burst into a dazzling light, resonating strongly with the power of the laws in the Tiandao Pavilion. The whole palace began to tremble violently, as if it was about to be unable to withstand this tremendous force.
"The true host of the Lotus Heart is never a bound pawn." Yun Yao looked directly at the Palace Master with cold eyes and spoke word by word.
The Palace Master's face changed drastically. He had never imagined that Yun Yao could actually draw on such a powerful force even with her spiritual energy sealed. He was filled with regret at this moment, but now that things had come to this, he was in a difficult situation and could only bite the bullet and deal with it.
Yun Yao, taking advantage of this brief moment of confusion, quietly activated the Lotus Heart Technique, attempting to break the golden seal. She knew that if she couldn't escape quickly, not only would her life be in jeopardy, but the restoration of the Heavenly Dao would be hopeless. Each surge of spiritual power felt like hitting an indestructible wall, sending her blood surging, yet she gritted her teeth, determined not to give up.
Under siege by the elders, Chu Mochen also tried his best. The power of the origin of the Divine Court erupted without reservation. Every move and every style carried the momentum of destroying the world. He tried to tear open a gap and rush to Yun Yao.
For a moment, spiritual energy surged within the Tiandao Pavilion, radiating a dazzling light. The situation was plunged into unprecedented tension and chaos. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen, lovers who had come together through countless hardships, now faced a desperate situation but still held onto hope. They fought tenaciously for each other and for the Dao of Heaven. Their fate was like a candle in the wind, uncertain, yet like a raging fire, possessing the power to overturn everything. Their arrival would soon unleash a terrifying storm within the Jade Void Palace of the Immortal Realm, a storm that would engulf the entire world of cultivation and beyond...