Yao Ji slowly sat up, her slender hand resting on her chest. She focused her mind and looked inward, and when she realized that there was still a heart inside her body, her beautiful face was filled with surprise and doubt.
"Wasn't my heart shattered by the Three-Headed Flood Dragon? Why...?"
She turned her head and her gaze fell on the unconscious man beside her. The man was dressed in coarse hunting clothes, with delicate features, but his brows were furrowed, as if he were enduring some kind of pain.
Yao Ji reached out and gently touched his wrist pulse, her brows furrowing slightly as she examined it. "Human? Earth Immortal cultivation... Hmm?"
A strange energy surged from her heart—the half of her heart was connected to the mortal man's energy channels, subtly resonating with each beat.
"Could it be... that he saved me?" Yao Ji stared at Liu Yanchang's young face, her thoughts a complex mix of emotions.
She is a princess of the Heavenly Court, the younger sister of Haotian, and the Fairy Yao Ji who governs the four heavens of the Desire Realm.
He was of noble birth and had reached the mid-stage of the Mystic Immortal, yet now, his life was intertwined with that of a human in the Body Tempering Realm, sharing life and death...
Yao Ji stood up, her colorful Rainbow Feather Robe fluttering lightly in the wind.
She tried to calculate with her fingers to find out the cause and effect, but found that the secrets of heaven Chaos, as if they were obscured by an invisible force.
"Someone has interfered with Karma ..." she muttered to herself, a hint of vigilance flashing in her eyes.
On the banks of the Heavenly River, Marshal Tian Peng was strolling side by side with the spirit of the Weak Water when he suddenly felt a strange unease and stopped in his tracks.
"Marshal, what's wrong?" Weak Water asked softly.
Tian Peng shook his head. "I don't know why, but I suddenly feel uneasy, as if something big is about to happen."
The West, Mount Ling.
A streak of light flashed across the sky and fell straight into the depths of the main hall.
As the light faded, the figure of an elderly man with white hair was revealed; it was the one who had previously healed Yao Ji.
The old man entered the main hall, his body enveloped in Buddha Light, and his appearance changed accordingly.
His white hair turned black, and he transformed into a sallow-faced and emaciated Daoist priest, none other than Zhunti, one of the Two Sages of the West.
"Senior brother, I'm back." Zhunti to the lotus platform in the hall.
On the lotus platform, the Daoist Jieyin slowly opened his eyes. " Amitabha. Junior brother, was the trip smooth?"
With Zhunti of his sleeve, Zhunti sent dozens of figures crashing into the hall.
These people included men and women, young and old, dressed in various styles, clearly from Primordial Wilderness tribes.
At this moment, some of them were unconscious, while others were bewildered.
"Not many people were saved this time, we'll continue next time," Zhunti calmly, then changed the subject, "By the way, Senior Brother, on my way back I encountered Haotian's sister Yao Ji. She was chasing Three-Headed Flood Dragon, but was no match for it and had her heart shattered. I foresaw that she would have a karmic Karma with my Western Teachings in the future, so I intervened and saved her."
Upon hearing Jieyin, Jieyin raised his finger to calculate.
A moment later, a glint flashed in his eyes. "So that's how it is... Junior Brother's actions could add a protector to our sect for the future."
Zhunti laughed and said, "That's exactly what I meant. Although Haotian is the Heavenly Emperor, he is only a Quasi-Saint and not worth worrying about."
Jieyin nodded and then asked, "Where is Ksitigarbha now?"
Zhunti's face darkened. "He's still lingering outside the Netherworld, negotiating with the Witch Clan every day, hoping to enter and deliver the souls from suffering. I've sent him messages many times urging him to return, but he stubbornly refuses."
Jieyin sighed softly, " Ksitigarbha's heart is devoted to the Western Teachings, and his dedication to saving the dead is commendable. However, with Dao Venerable Lin Tian backing him up in the Netherworld, it cannot be forced."
"What a stubborn fool!" Zhunti snorted angrily.
At this moment, those who had been abducted in the hall gradually awoke.
A Demon Race with a tiger's head and a human body was the first to regain consciousness. Upon seeing the scene in the hall, he immediately realized that he had been abducted by the Western Teachings. He immediately knelt down and pleaded, "Two saints, have mercy and let this lowly demon go back! This lowly demon still has an elderly mother to care for at home and has no desire to ascend to some Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss!"
Another cultivator cursed, "A sage, how could he commit such a heinous act of abduction? Is this the behavior of a sage?"
"Insolence!" Zhunti ashen, and with a wave of his sleeve, Buddha Light.
He formed a mudra with his hands and chanted Sanskrit Mantra.
Golden runes appeared out of thin air and entered the bodies of those people.
Before long, the pleas and curses gradually subsided, and the crowd's eyes became empty and blank, muttering repeatedly, " Amitabha... Amitabha..."
Zhunti snorted coldly before stopping.
The Jieyin stood to the side, hands clasped together, his expression compassionate. "The sea of suffering is boundless, but turning back is the shore. Now that you have entered my gate, you will surely be liberated."
The Lingxiao Treasure Hall is shrouded in celestial aura.
Haotian sat on the imperial throne, with Yaochi by his side.
Below, celestial officials and generals stood on both sides, discussing matters of the Heavenly Court.
"Little sister, will you be alright chasing after the Three-Headed Flood Dragon alone?" Yaochi frowned slightly, her tone filled with worry.
Haotian smiled calmly, his imperial robes fluttering slightly. " Yao Ji will be fine. She has ruled the Desire Mystic Immortal, and she possesses two Spiritual Treasure: the Slaying Emotion Sword and the Rainbow Feather Robe. Furthermore, I bestowed upon her the Heavenly Eye. How could a mere Three-Headed Flood Dragon be a match for her?"
He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. "This is a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the majesty of my Heavenly Court to the Primordial Wilderness. Let those people see that although my Heavenly Court is newly established, it is not to be trifled with."
Upon hearing this, Yaochi still felt a slight unease in her heart.
In the desolate mountains, Liu Yanchang slowly awoke.
He sat up, clutching his chest, but there was nothing unusual there.
"We really have encountered an immortal!"
Looking up, he saw a stunningly beautiful woman dressed in a rainbow-colored dress standing not far away, her back to him, gazing at the sky.
"Miss... young lady..." Liu Yanchang struggled to his feet, "Are you alright?"
Yao Ji turned around, looking at him with a complicated expression. "You saved me?"
Liu Yanchang scratched his head. "I met a white-haired immortal who said he would give you half of my heart in order to save your life. I agreed, and then I don't know anything else."
"Half a heart..." Yao Ji gently touched her chest, feeling the human heart beating within her. "Do you know what this means? From now on, our lives are intertwined, we will live and die together."
Liu Yanchang paused for a moment, then solemnly said, "When I saved the young lady, I didn't think much about it. I just felt that it was not the act of a gentleman to stand by and watch someone die. Now that things have come to this, Liu Yanchang has no regrets."
Yao Ji gazed into his eyes, a slight stirring in her heart.
Although this human's cultivation level is low, their nature is pure and kind.
"My name is Yao Ji," she suddenly said, "And I come from the Heavenly Court."
Liu Yanchang was taken aback. "Heavens? The Heavenly Court? You are a fairy?"
Yao Ji nodded. "My elder brother is the Heavenly Emperor Haotian. He descended to the mortal realm this time to pursue the fugitive Three-Headed Flood Dragon, and was seriously injured in the process. You saved my life, and I will remember this kindness."
She paused, then added, "However, the matter of our hearts being connected must not be mentioned to outsiders for the time being. The Heavenly Court has its rules, and immortals are not equal. If this matter gets out, it may cause trouble."
Liu Yanchang nodded quickly. "Don't worry, Fairy, Yanchang understands."
"Come with me to find a place to heal your wounds first." Yao Ji withdrew her gaze. "We'll make further plans after I've recovered my cultivation."
Liu Yanchang naturally had no objections. The two of them disappeared into the depths of the desolate mountains, one after the other.
Meanwhile, outside the Netherworld.
Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha sits cross-legged at the entrance to the Yellow Springs Road, with Golden Lotus blooming beneath him and his whole body Buddha Light.
Holding a tin staff, he continuously chanted scriptures, guiding the wandering souls that had escaped from the Netherworld.
Not far away, several Witch Clan warriors watched coldly.
The leader was the Great Witch Xing Tian, who coldly snorted, "This bald monk has quite the perseverance; he's been sitting here for a hundred years and still refuses to leave."
Jiu Feng, standing to the side, said calmly, "He wants to enter the Netherworld to deliver the souls of the dead, but the Netherworld is the foundation of our Witch Clan, and outsiders are not allowed to interfere. No matter how long he sits there, it will be in vain."
Regardless of anything else, Ksitigarbha remained focused on reciting scriptures.
Behind him, hundreds of wandering souls, whose souls had been liberated, had gathered, each with a peaceful expression, and they were bowing with their hands clasped in prayer.
Suddenly, a beam of Buddha Light shot from the west, transforming into the Zhunti image of Cundi.
" Ksitigarbha, why aren't you returning to Mount Ling?" Zhunti's voice was filled with anger.
Ksitigarbha his eyes, clasped his hands in prayer, and said, "Master, the Netherworld is filled with countless spirits, their resentment reaching the heavens. This disciple has made a great vow: I will not become a Buddha until hell is emptied. I beg Master to grant my wish."
Zhunti roared, "Stubborn fool! With Lin Tian backing you up, how could the Witch Clan allow you to enter? Come back with me at once!"
Ksitigarbha shook his head. "This disciple's mind is made up. Even if I cannot enter, performing rituals to guide the scattered souls here is still a meritorious act."
"You!" Zhunti figure rippled, then finally turned into a long sigh and vanished.
Ksitigarbha closed his eyes again and continued chanting the sutra.
On the Yellow Springs Road, the Shore Flower are in full bloom.
In the depths of the netherworld, Houtu sat before the Six Paths of Reincarnation, sensing the aura of Ksitigarbha the realm, and gently shook her head.
" Western Teachings... are quite persistent."