Three Years of Peaceful Days

Three Years of Peaceful Days

A red shadow flashed through the woods. Xiao Tianxing came treading on the wind, and after he landed, the red cloak draped over him unfurled in the wind, strikingly eye-catching.

Zhang Yinjun looked over with a frown, then cried out in shock, "Are you a Gold Zombie or a Silver Zombie?" Panic showed on his face.

Xiao Tianxing ignored Zhang Yinjun and strode up to me. He glanced at the Daoist nun and said, "Little girl, my puppy is very kind. How can you call him a little evil thing?"

Cold sweat poured from the Daoist nun's forehead. Looking at Xiao Tianxing, she stammered, "He raises poisonous Gu insects, commands skeleton zombies, and even captured me. I really can't see how kind he is."

Seeing Xiao Tianxing appear, and sensing that Zhang Yinjun was extremely alarmed, I let go of the Daoist nun and said, "If it were anyone else, they would have killed you long ago. I can only curse the heavens for having no eyes, for not giving me, Xiao Kunlun, a chance to live."

The Daoist nun turned to look at me. After a while, she finally asked, "Did I really kill that life-saving spirit insect of yours?" Moonlight fell across her face, and her face was even paler than the moonlight.

I waved my hand and said, "Zhang Yinjun was right. Even if he hadn't released Skeleton Brother, I still wouldn't have been able to be ruthless with you. Go. I don't want to talk to you anymore."

The Daoist nun bit her lip and said, "Don't worry! I came to Western Hunan to find my Sixth Uncle, Gu Xiucheng. His medical skill is brilliant, and he specializes in restraining extremely poisonous Gu insects. I killed your life-saving spirit insect, so once I find Sixth Uncle, I'll definitely beg him to treat you. I, Gu Mengfu, mean what I say."

Gu Xiucheng. My heart jolted in surprise. So she was Gu Xiucheng's niece. No wonder she acted so overbearing and savage. Back then, Gu Xiucheng had wanted to capture me and Xiao Yudao, but later his Gu insects turned on him, venomous snakes coiled around him, and he had died long ago. How could he save my life?

I smiled and said, "Then we'll talk after you find your Sixth Uncle. Maybe he's hiding in some cave."

I did not reveal Gu Xiucheng's whereabouts.

The Daoist nun, Gu Mengfu, had prejudice against me. She said those words only because she had killed the Earth Egg spirit insect and felt guilty.

If I said that Gu Xiucheng was in Camellia Village's forbidden Gu-refining ground, dead from his Gu insects' backlash and venomous snakes coiling around him, she would definitely blame me for Gu Xiucheng's death.

The young Daoist shouted, "Miss Gu, hurry back to our side. They're the best at bewitching people's hearts. Don't let them trick you."

Gu Mengfu was about to speak again, but I didn't want to listen to her. I immediately shouted, "Miss Gu, go. I really don't want to talk to you anymore."

Gu Mengfu's pitch-black eyes stared at me, carrying a hint of resentment. She shifted her steps and walked over to Zhang Yinjun's side. The young Daoist asked anxiously, "Miss Gu, you haven't been afflicted by Gu, have you?"

Gu Mengfu shook her head and said, "Big Brother Zhang Ben, don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Xiao Tianxing looked at me with a beaming smile and asked, "Good son, puppy, we won't bully little girls. But these two old ox-nosed Daoists are really annoying. Want your godfather to make a move and deal with them?"

I thought that two Daoists had gone after the Five Spirits, and they might return in a while, so I said, "They still have companions. If they meet up then, we'll be in trouble."

Xiao Tianxing laughed loudly and said, "Unless the headmaster of the Celestial Master Mansion comes with the sect master's Dharma seal, I don't put any other small fry in my eyes at all."

Zhang Yinjun gritted his teeth and shouted, "Audacious zombie! You actually look down on us Daoists of Dragon Tiger Mountain. Be careful, or I'll destroy you right now. I, Zhang Yinjun, do not kill nameless nobodies. State your name."

So they were Daoists from the Celestial Master Mansion of Dragon Tiger Mountain in Jiangxi. No wonder they called others "little evil things" at the drop of a hat and kept talking about slaying zombies.

Xiao Tianxing said in a ringing voice, "This one does not change his name whether walking or sitting. I am Xiao Tianxing."

Zhang Yinjun's face went deathly pale, and his body backed away again and again. His eyes bulged as he stared at Xiao Tianxing and cried, "You... you're Xiao Tianxing? Gold Zombie Xiao Tianxing? You were actually hiding in Western Hunan!"

I had heard Ma Huoxin mention before that among zombies, the most powerful was the Purple-Haired Divine Zombie, followed by the Gold Zombie. Gold Zombies were extremely formidable zombies.

Xiao Tianxing hopped forward two steps and shouted, "So you've heard of my name. Tell me, then—just what kind of zombie am I?"

As Xiao Tianxing hopped forward, Zhang Yinjun immediately shouted, "Zhang Ben, Miss Meng Fu, hurry and go. I'll cover you..." Zhang Yinjun pulled out the ink line in his hand and snapped it five times in succession.

Five red lines flew straight over and struck Xiao Tianxing squarely. Xiao Tianxing's movements were not affected; only his speed slowed by a few beats.

Zhang Yinjun protected Zhang Ben and Gu Mengfu as they ran toward the riverbank. Xiao Tianxing chased after them, yelling, "Daoist brother, don't go! Tell me, what kind of zombie am I, exactly?"

The front of Corpse Man Cave quieted down. I stepped forward and supported Skeleton Man. He had been struck by the ink line, leaving an extra red line on his body. I used my sleeve to wipe away the dog blood on the red line, and only then did Skeleton Man feel much better.

Skeleton Man gestured with both hands, telling me he was fine. He reached out and patted my shoulder, telling me not to be sad. The Earth Egg spirit insect had been harmed, but there would be other ways in the end.

I waited in front of Corpse Man Cave for more than an hour before Xiao Tianxing ran back alone and said regretfully, "That Zhang Yinjun ran too fast. The little Daoist nun threw out a few spirit talismans, and they had some skill to them, so I let them get away. It's not like I really wanted to kill them. I only wanted them to tell me about my past!"

I glanced at Xiao Tianxing. "Senior, they have prejudice against both you and me. That old Daoist would definitely describe you as not worth a single copper coin. It's better to slowly remember it yourself. That would be the truth, reliable and real."

Xiao Tianxing slapped his head and cried, "Puppy, why didn't I think of that? Those Daoists from Dragon Tiger Mountain won't even look at us properly. Who knows what ugly things they would say? Forget it. I won't think about him."

Xiao Tianxing looked at Skeleton Man and said in some surprise, "You, Skeleton Man, are a little miraculous. It seems like you were hit with a powerful poison. All the flesh on your body rotted away, leaving only skin and bones. For you to turn into a zombie is simply a miracle."

So that was how Skeleton Man had come to be. Poison had corroded his flesh and blood, leaving only bones and skin. For him to become a skeleton zombie was indeed very miraculous. The skeleton zombie clacked twice and stepped aside to stand there.

Xiao Tianxing said, "Puppy, if I hadn't come out, and Zhang Yinjun was about to kill Skeleton Man again, would you have used the Gu King Insect against that little Daoist nun?"

I pondered for a moment and said, "I wouldn't. She doesn't understand Gu arts, and she didn't hurt my spirit insect on purpose. I can't use the Gu King Insect to kill her. I'm different from those Gu raisers who use Gu insects."

Xiao Tianxing's expression turned solemn. He let out a long sigh, then asked, "Then wouldn't you have had to watch your friend lose his life with your eyes wide open?"

I fell into deep thought. I really could not come up with a good solution. If Xiao Tianxing had not appeared, then right now, Skeleton Man would very likely have died at Zhang Yinjun's hands.

Xiao Tianxing patted my shoulder and said, "A person can be kind. But your kindness absolutely cannot be used by others. Take the situation just now. You could only fight to the end with your life on the line. If Zhang Yinjun refused to release him, then you should have released the Gu to bite the little Daoist nun. You have to shift the pressure onto Zhang Yinjun."

I did not answer Xiao Tianxing right away. This question stirred my head until it felt dizzy and muddled.

"All right, you're still young. You can slowly understand it later. I won't force you." Xiao Tianxing revealed a smile. "I estimated that the Earth Egg insect would hatch tonight, so I specially hurried over to take a look. I didn't expect to run into these stinking Daoists. Hurry and take out the Earth Egg spirit insect for me to see."

I quickly took out the bamboo tube and handed it to Xiao Tianxing.

Xiao Tianxing opened the bamboo tube and looked at it by the moonlight. Only after a long while did he say, "If that thieving Daoist had come ten minutes later, everything would have been fine. The Earth Egg spirit insect lacked only its final breath."

I asked anxiously, "Senior, in your opinion, is there any way to save the Earth Egg spirit insect?"

Xiao Tianxing said, "If the Earth Egg spirit insect had stayed inside the Earth Egg for another ten minutes, it would be healthy and sound right now. Now its body is stiff. It's practically a dead insect. I don't have any good method either."

My heart was like dead ashes. I sighed and said, "Senior, perhaps this is heaven's will. Heaven wouldn't even give me the final ten minutes. I, Xiao Kunlun, blame no one. I only blame the heavens for having no eyes."

Xiao Tianxing paced beneath the moonlight, walking back and forth for several minutes. Suddenly, he said, "The Earth Egg spirit insect was nurtured by feng shui spiritual energy. It won't die that easily. Xiao Kunlun, do you dare swallow it and let it stay inside your body?"

I looked up at Xiao Tianxing, countless thoughts rising in my heart, and said, "There's nothing I wouldn't dare do. If one day it really can come back to life, then that will be my fortune, Xiao Kunlun's."

I tipped the Earth Egg spirit insect into my mouth and swallowed it together with the mud. A chill slid down my throat, followed my esophagus into my stomach, and soon vanished without a trace. There was no discomfort at all.

Xiao said, "Kunlun, the Earth Egg spirit insect entering your body won't harm you. Even if the spirit insect has no way to come back to life, the spiritual energy it carries now will still help you deal with the Innate Insect. As long as no major change occurs, you'll have three peaceful years left. Make good use of the time. Do your best to find a clever and effective way to control the Innate Poison Insect."

A little more hope rose in my heart. I nodded like I was pounding garlic and said, "Three years is enough. Senior, thank you, old sir, for helping me again and again. Your great kindness and virtue, Kunlun will never forget even when my teeth are gone. In this life, I still have a great vengeance yet to repay. In the next life, I'll become an ox or a horse to repay you."

Xiao Tianxing waved his hand and said, "You little whelp, saving you is saving my son. Don't spout those empty, high-sounding ghost words at me. Live well. I need to run. Moving around near Camellia Village, Ma Huoxin's dog nose will definitely sniff out my scent. His eyes are blind and his movements are a little slower, but he'll catch up soon."

"Foster father, your body still hasn't recovered. You need to rest well yourself too. Don't worry about me." Tears burst from my eyes, and a surge of bitterness welled up in my heart. I wiped them away with my sleeve. Xiao Tianxing laughed twice, then leapt away, drawing a streak of red shadow through the air before vanishing into the dense forest.

By Clearwater Creek, sure enough, two more torches had appeared, and the Yin Gong was clanging away. Ma Huoxin shouted, "Xiao Tianxing, don't run! I've smelled your scent. You dared come stir up trouble in my Camellia Village—I'll make sure you come here and never return."