Young Master Xu Invites You for Tea

The Underworld, beside the River of Oblivion, was suddenly filled with a rather chilling sight.

Xu Ying raised his guard, slowed his pace, and as he passed the willow tree, the person beneath it beckoned, saying, "Young Master Xu, why not sit for a while?"

Yuan Qi grew alert and whispered, "A Ying, this one means no good!"

Xu Ying nodded slightly and replied, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since they've set up here, they've clearly been waiting for a long time and won't let us leave easily."

He walked opposite the man, offered an apology, and sat down. The several Bull Demons stood behind him, not on the ground, but within swirling masses of Yin wind, their feet not touching anything, exuding an eerie terror.

This was Xu Ying's confidence.

Although he didn't know why these Bull Demons were following him, with them and the White Bone Soul Striking Whip, he figured he could handle any danger.

The man opposite was a perpetually worried old man, his age impossible to discern. All that could be seen were wrinkles carved into his skin like knives, so deep they seemed to reach his bones.

He was so old that his eyes were sunken deep into their sockets. Sitting under a dim lamp, his eyes resembled two points of red incense smoke hidden within his eye sockets.

He also carried a peculiar scent of incense, but judging by his appearance, he didn't seem like a Deity.

The sorrowful old man poured tea for Xu Ying. Despite being thirsty, Xu Ying didn't drink and asked, "Old sir, do you recognize me?"

Yuan Qi stared at the teacup, swallowing hard, but there were only two stools and two cups, no share for him.

The sorrowful old man chuckled, "I do. I even held you when you were a child."

Xu Ying looked at him in surprise, trying hard to recall his childhood. "Why don't I remember you, old sir? My family lives in Xu Family Village. Everyone in Xu Family Village is surnamed Xu. My father was third in line, named Xu Sanlang. My mother is from the next village, named Luo Yinghua. I was second in line at home, and I have an elder sister... Wait!"

His eyes gradually turned red, and the scene at the Hometown Gazing Platform flashed through his mind. He remembered the little boy who bumped his leg, and the couple whose faces he couldn't see clearly.

Yuan Qi and the Great Bell tensed up. "Oh no, A Ying is going to have an episode again!"

The sorrowful old man gestured for him to drink tea. "You've had headaches since you were a child, and they still haven't gone away. It's truly pitiful."

Xu Ying's head felt like it was splitting open. He picked up the teacup, then put it down, and chuckled, "Since you held me when I was a child, old sir, you must know many things about my childhood, right?"

Seeing that he hadn't drunk the tea, the sorrowful old man's frown deepened. Suddenly, lightning flashed and thunder roared in the sky. A great temple flew through the air, and the voice of the White-robed Nuo Immortal called out, "Hey, little brat who raised that big snake, where are you hiding? No need to hide, come out! Show me those two sword moves again!"

Xu Ying and Yuan Qi's expressions changed drastically. The Great Bell let out a clang. Only the Bull Demons remained calm, snorting in the Yin wind.

Xu Ying immediately prepared to leave, but the sorrowful old man said, "You can rest assured, he won't find me here. Soon, Ling Youdao, the Prefect of the Yongzhou Ghost Prefecture, will pass by and lead him away."

Xu Ying's eyes flickered. He quietly activated his Heavenly Eye to observe the old man and said with a smile, "What do you call yourself, old sir?"

He manipulated his divine sense at his glabella, opening his Heavenly Eye to gaze upon the sorrowful old man.

Xu Ying's heart trembled. Behind the sorrowful old man, he saw an immeasurably vast Deity seated in the void, radiating myriad rays of light, impossible to look at directly!

"Qi Refiner!"

Xu Ying's heart grew solemn. He quickly deactivated his Heavenly Eye, focused his gaze, and remained still, not daring to show any abnormality.

This sorrowful old man, like the Maiden in the Coffin, was a Qi Refiner!

But didn't the Maiden in the Coffin say that Qi Refiners were extinct? Where did this sorrowful old man come from?

The sorrowful old man sensed a slight anomaly, as if he had been spied upon, but the feeling of strangeness soon vanished. He looked around in surprise. Nearby, only the ghosts and spirits of a ruined temple were wandering, and the White-robed Nuo Immortal was circling in his great temple, searching for Xu Ying and his companions. No other powerful figures were present.

"Could there be a hidden expert nearby?"

Unable to find the person who had spied on him, he became slightly wary and said, "The Nuo Immortal from the Shuikou Temple is surnamed Chen, named Mianzhu. He was once the Emperor of the Southern Dian Kingdom. He admired the culture of the Divine Land and came to study here. This person is indeed astonishingly talented and blessed with great fortune. After inheriting the Nu Master tradition, he opened the Yu Jing secret treasury and received a mysterious inheritance. Upon returning to his country, his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. In just a hundred years, he reached the realm of Nuo Immortal."

Xu Ying listened intently as the old man spoke of the White-robed Nuo Immortal's origins.

The sorrowful old man continued, "Chen Mianzhu lived for 367 years. When he became a Nuo Immortal, he felt his lifespan was limited, so he prepared for his afterlife. He gathered the national strength of the Southern Dian Kingdom, had his people worship Deities, and crafted numerous divine statues. By the time of his death, he had finally built the Shuikou Temple, connecting the Mortal Realm at one end and the Underworld at the other. He hid his Hidden Scenery Sublimation place in the Underworld, wishing to become an immortal and indestructible Nuo Immortal, existing in both the Yin and Yang realms. He enslaved gods to refine elixirs for him and attend to his daily needs, allowing him to continue living like an emperor. The so-called immortal life was nothing more than this. Until one day..."

Xu Ying interjected, "Until one day, a sword strike came, cleaving his Hidden Scenery Sublimation place! An unparalleled expert entered his sublimation place and killed him!"

The sorrowful old man's expression was peculiar. "The person who broke into his Hidden Scenery Sublimation place with a sword didn't kill him, but ate him."

A chill ran down Xu Ying's spine, from the base of his tailbone to the back of his head. His voice was hoarse, "Ate him?"

He unconsciously took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.

Yuan Qi and the Great Bell were engrossed in the story and didn't notice this at all.

The sorrowful old man said, "He ate him clean, leaving only a skin, even his soul was completely consumed. The being that ate him ate very carefully, as if savoring a delicacy it had cooked itself, truly not wasting a single bit."

As he spoke, his throat involuntarily moved up and down, as if swallowing saliva, making it seem as though the Nuo Immortal was a mouth-watering delicacy.

The sorrowful old man picked up the teapot and poured more tea for Xu Ying, continuing, "If it were an ordinary death, Chen Mianzhu wouldn't have such deep resentment. It was because he was eaten bit by bit while alive, leaving only his skin, that his resentment became so immense. He actually only had a sliver of residual consciousness left."

Xu Ying suddenly understood and took another sip of tea. "No wonder his strength seemed formidable, yet not that strong."

The sorrowful old man said, "He was completely eaten, leaving only his skin. How much strength could he have? He's just a paper tiger, good for bullying Great Nu Masters, but he'd suffer against a true expert. Alright, the Ghost Prefecture Prefect has led him away."

Just then, Ling Tongpan's startled cry echoed from the sky, followed by the White-robed Nuo Immortal's hearty laughter, "You wooden statue of a god, with barely any flesh on you, dare to cause trouble here?"

Ling Tongpan's voice came through, "I am the Prefect of the Underworld Court. What can you do to me? Killing me would be violating heavenly law, and you'll face the consequences!"

"What is the Underworld Court? I'll storm the Underworld Court another day and become its Emperor!"

Their voices gradually faded. Xu Ying breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Thank you, old sir."

The sorrowful old man said, "Young Master Xu, please proceed on your way."

Xu Ying stood up, his vision blurring slightly. He shook his head, then cleared his mind. With Yuan Qi and the Bull Demons, he walked into the vast night, his figure gradually disappearing.

The sorrowful old man stared blankly, speechless for a long time.

A moment later, the worried old man exclaimed, "Meng Po, did you really water down this tea! It's more like tea watered down with water, isn't it?"

He trembled with anger. The renowned Meng Po's Soup, the Soul-Confusing Soup, had only made Xu Ying a little groggy before he sobered up as if nothing had happened.

He was certain Meng Po had gone easy on him!

"No, I have to find Meng Po and get an explanation!"

The worried old man stood up, tidied the stone table, and put away the tea set. He reached for the green paper umbrella leaning against the table, but his hand met empty air.

He reached again, still not finding the umbrella, and roared, "Where's my umbrella? Which bastard stole my umbrella?"

A chill went down his spine. Could it be that expert who glanced at me earlier? He was spying on me from the shadows and then silently stole my umbrella. Is he trying to provoke me?

He cautiously scanned his surroundings and announced loudly, "Which friend is playing a joke on this old man? Please show yourself!"

He waited for a long time, but there was still no movement around him. He began to retreat step by step, guarding himself vigilantly against any surprise attack.

He suddenly leaped up, transforming into a stream of light that vanished into the azure sky. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief. "Even if he's a master, he won't find any weakness in me!"

"Finally, we're at Mount Wu Wang!"

Xu Ying and the others returned to Qin Yan Cave on Mount Wu Wang. Upon entering the Ni Wan Palace, Yuan Qi couldn't help but weep with joy. "Both times I left the cave, I almost died. I'm never leaving again!"

The Great Bell flew out from the back of Xu Ying's head, carrying a green paper umbrella. It asked curiously, "What happened last time you almost died?"

"I ran into a snake catcher and he chased me for three days and three nights."

Yuan Qi examined the green paper umbrella and asked doubtfully, "Grandpa Bell, what's with this umbrella?"

The Great Bell said smugly, "I saw it leaning by the table leg and thought it was quite pleasing. I took it while the old man was distracted. He really didn't notice."

Yuan Qi's tail tip curled the green paper umbrella, and with a 'bang,' he opened it and held it over his head, like a small mushroom perched on his head. "It's too small."

The green paper umbrella suddenly expanded significantly, just enough to cover his large head. Yuan Qi clicked his tongue in amazement. "It's actually a magic artifact!" He didn't return it to the Great Bell.

A Ying has Grandpa Bell, so this umbrella naturally belongs to the second boss of Qin Yan Cave! he thought to himself.

Xu Ying picked up the white bone whip and examined it carefully. The skull at the tip of the whip swayed back and forth, looking smug and emitting a rattling laugh.

This whip could strike souls. It could hit the souls of the living, the dead, and even deities. However, it couldn't hit Xu Ying, which made him quite curious.

Why am I immune to this whip?

Xu Ying was puzzled. He handed the whip to Yuan Qi and said, "Whip me."

Yuan Qi grasped the whip, his courage instantly bolstered. "A Ying, you told me to whip you, so don't go back on your word!"

Xu Ying urged, "Hurry!"

Yuan Qi swung the whip down and shouted, "With this whip, I'll avenge being chased by you! From now on, we brothers are even, owing each other nothing!"

"Crack!"

He whipped Xu Ying, but Xu Ying only felt a slight tremor in his soul, nothing else.

The Bull Demons, who had followed Xu Ying into Qin Yan Cave, saw Yuan Qi whipping Xu Ying and became enraged. They all raised their whips and struck at Yuan Qi.

Yuan Qi hastily cried out, "He told me to whip him, it wasn't me... Ah! It hurts!"

He was struck by a whip and fell to the ground in agony. The bulls immediately surrounded him, whipping him relentlessly. The sounds of his screams and the cracking of whips filled the air.

Xu Ying quickly stepped forward to stop the bulls, managing to rescue Yuan Qi. The great snake was foaming at the mouth, barely alive, and weakly said, "A Ying, you still owe me..."

Xu Ying was confused. "Why is Little Qi screaming so miserably when he's whipped, but I feel nothing?"

The Great Bell was also somewhat puzzled. "The Soul Striking Whip specifically strikes souls. Could your soul be different? Wait a moment, I'll knock your soul out and take a look!"

Before Xu Ying could respond, there was a loud 'clang.' Xu Ying was dazed, and when he opened his eyes, he saw another him standing in front of him.

The Great Bell said, "Stop looking. That's your physical body. You are the soul."

"I am the soul?" Xu Ying exclaimed in surprise.

The Great Bell examined him up and down. "A Ying, tell me honestly, how many Myriad Spirit Pills have you eaten?"

It said with heartache, "Your soul is almost turning solid!"

Hometown Gazing Platform.

Yuan Tian Gang stroked his beard and looked curiously at the short old man walking unhurriedly towards the River of Oblivion with his hands behind his back. The old man looked deeply troubled, as if burdened by some worry.

"But where is his green paper umbrella?" Yuan Tian Gang wondered.