Fortunately I Have You, Xiao Jia

Mount Jiupan. The Canary's face was pale. When she saw the Gate of Myriad Manifestations vanish, she hitched up her skirts and ran frantically up the mountain. "Blood Bead!" The familiar figure did not appear. The mountain peak stood entirely empty. A strange, hollow sense of loss welled up in her heart. The Gate of Myriad Manifestations had vanished, and the Blood Bead... was gone too. Everything was so bizarre, so impossible to accept. The mountain breeze swept loose strands of black hair across her cheeks as she stared stubbornly up at the sky. "Blood Bead, you couldn't really be the Buddha they keep talking about, could you?" "Am I really... that demoness you killed?" Ever since the origin of the Gate of Myriad Manifestations had come to light, a rumor had begun circulating in secret across Mount Jiupan. It said that the Blood Bead appearing alongside the Gate of Myriad Manifestations was an archdemon, a single drop of the Buddha's blood. And that the Blood Lord imparting the Demon Imprisoning Art was his way of seeking redemption. On Mount Jiupan, many dismissed this claim as utter nonsense, but just as many believed it. The Canary stood alone atop the peak, isolated and forsaken. She hated that story of a great Buddha slaying a demoness. ... A downpour swept over the City of No Return. Clad in a coir raincoat, Yuan Qi looked up toward the Guardian atop the ramparts, a strange flicker of terror rising within his chest. Just moments ago, a host of demonic monstrosities had attacked—a horde over a thousand strong, yet the Guardian had cut them down sword by sword. It should have been an inspiring sight, yet for some reason, when Yuan Qi looked at Qi Yuan, he could not shake the feeling that he was staring at a terrifying fiend straight from hell. Above all, as Qi Yuan sat on the ramparts, Yuan Qi had distinctly seen a blood-red light flickering in his eyes. A single glance into those eyes had sent an involuntary shudder through his soul. It felt as though he was gazing not upon a Guardian, but upon a terrifying demonic monstrosity. "What, are you afraid of me?" Qi Yuan's voice drifted down from the wall. It dropped onto Yuan Qi's heart like a heavy stone. Gritting his teeth, he lowered his head and said, "Guardian, your current state... is a bit strange." He did not dare look at Qi Yuan. "Mm. Dismissed," Qi Yuan said softly, seemingly not minding in the least. At those words, Yuan Qi let out a breath of relief and hurried away. For reasons he couldn't fathom, standing close to the Guardian filled him with an instinctive dread. His heart felt thoroughly stifled and conflicted. Atop the wall, Qi Yuan held his broken sword, blood still dripping from the blade. With a flick of his wrist, the crimson droplets scattered. *After this bout of comprehension, my Monstrosity Origin extraction rate increased tenfold, reaching 10%. I won't end up turning into a creature like a demonic monstrosity, will I?* Qi Yuan mused. Right now, his inner emotions remained exceedingly volatile. Greed, wrath, lust, pride, and the like swirled through him in an endless cycle. This phenomenon was at its worst right after he finished slaughtering demonic monstrosities. "Xiao Jia, are you scared of me?" Qi Yuan turned his head to look at the bright red bridal gown behind him. Xiao Jia seemed anxious and flustered, nearly tumbling over as a wooden plaque slipped from her grasp and hit the ground. Qi Yuan picked it up; carved on it was the word *Snuggle*. Pulling Xiao Jia tightly into his arms, Qi Yuan caught the faint, delicate scent of the fabric, and a look of contentment surfaced on his face. "Fortunately, I have you... Playing a game alone for too long really gets boring sometimes." The crimson hue in Qi Yuan's eyes slowly receded, and that terrifying aura that inspired dread began to dissipate as well. Embracing Xiao Jia, he sat on the ramparts, gazing out over the boundless desert. Unfortunately, the Liufeng Realm had neither a rising sun nor a setting dusk. ... Within the Demon Controller camp, Wu Tong wore an ashen expression. "A tiny City of No Return, and I have to personally take the field?" Enraged, Wu Tong swept his arm across the table, knocking cups and jade platters crashing to the floor, shattering them to pieces. The dozen or so Nation Protectors present kept their heads lowered, not daring to utter a sound. Not long ago, their vanguard commander, Tie Suo, had marched on the City of No Return, only to never return. This had left all of them profoundly shaken. Tie Suo was the strongest in the camp second only to Wu Tong, yet he had vanished without a trace. Before understanding the situation, none of them were willing to go in person; they could only drive demonic monstrosities to lay siege to the City of No Return through routine assaults. Yet every last one of those demonic monstrosities had met the same fate—never to return. "Hmph!" Glaring at his cowardly subordinates, Wu Tong fumed, "If Mi Sang learns of what happened here, who knows how he'll mock me?" The gathered crowd remained silent. After all, if they attacked another city and suffered defeat, as long as there was no blood feud, the defenders would usually accept their surrender. A short old man stepped forward. "Commander Wu Tong, perhaps the name 'City of No Return' carries poor fortune, causing our forces to truly have no return." In any case, none of them dared to go. Hearing this, Wu Tong's anger flared even hotter. "Who among you dares march on the City of No Return? Whoever takes it will be lavishly rewarded—I might even bestow a portion of... the Demon Controlling Origin." The breath of everyone present hitched. The reason they could avoid being attacked by demonic monstrosities and command them was entirely thanks to the Demon Controlling Origin. At present, their control over the monstrosities relied entirely on borrowed origin rather than something truly their own. If they could obtain a complete Demon Controlling Origin, they would not only be able to command more and stronger monstrosities, but it would also provide immense help to their cultivation, potentially allowing them to break through the Nation Protector stage and step into the realm of Terrestrial Myths. Even so, hesitation lingered in their hearts. "Commander Wu Tong, how about... we all swarm them together?" suggested the short old man who had blamed the city's name. "Yes, let us go together and wipe out the City of No Return!" "If Commander Wu Tong personally takes action, the City of No Return will crumble in an instant!" Everyone began chiming in with encouragement. As long as an expert like Wu Tong spearheaded the assault, there would be practically zero risk for so many powerhouses attacking at once. Wu Tong glared at them, his fury simmering beneath shifting expressions. Finally, he declared, "In one month's time, all forces march on the City of No Return!" With that, Wu Tong turned and left the command tent. Before long, he arrived at a lake. Pulling out a small vial of medicinal liquid, he poured it into the water. The clear lake instantly turned blood-red. Immediately afterward, a terrifying phantom projection materialized. "Greetings, Sovereign!" Wu Tong offered a respectful salute toward the image in the lake. "How fare things in Yuzhou?" the projection asked slowly. "Sovereign, your servant has encountered a bit of trouble. Inside the City of No Return, there is a powerhouse defending the entire city alone, suspected to be a disciple of the White Emperor," Wu Tong reported with deep reverence. How could Wu Tong not see through Mi Sang's petty schemes? Having risen to his current standing, he naturally recognized that Mi Sang wished to avoid crossing swords with the City of No Return and had retreated from Yuzhou. Wu Tong, on the other hand, had seized the opportunity to come here under the direct orders of the Sovereign before him. "A disciple of the White Emperor? Could it be..." A flicker of dread arose within the Sovereign, only to be promptly snuffed out. "No, the White Emperor cannot possibly know about this. Otherwise, it would not be a mere disciple who arrived, but the Emperor himself." Toward the White Emperor, this Sovereign felt immense dread. After all, the White Emperor and the Venerable were the two supreme figures of this world. A Sovereign wouldn't dare challenge them. "Thus, it is all a coincidence." Reaching this conclusion, the Sovereign's fear dissipated. "You fear you are no match for this disciple of the White Emperor?" "Indeed. Your servant has no fear of death, but I dread disrupting the master's plans," Wu Tong replied. He knew this Sovereign harbored designs on both the City of No Return and Jialan City. He did not know the exact reason, nor did he dare ask. Yet accomplishing the task would bring unimaginable fortune. Countless emotions flickered across the Sovereign's eyes. Suddenly, the entire lake began to churn violently. A vortex formed at its center, sucking all the water into its swirling depths. Watching this, Wu Tong felt deeply moved. He knew this was the Sovereign's handiwork. About a quarter of an hour later, the vast lake had completely vanished. Not a trace of mud remained, leaving behind only parched, cracked earth. A pale purple water droplet drifted beside Wu Tong. The Sovereign's voice echoed, "Take this object. If you prove no match for that disciple of the White Emperor, unleash it. "It contains a supreme strike of my origin, capable of annihilating a Terrestrial Myth in an instant. "Even an early-stage Sovereign facing this strike would risk falling. "The White Emperor has three thousand disciples; barring the few at the very core, none could survive. "With this in hand, you are guaranteed to claim the City of No Return." Staring at the pale purple droplet, Wu Tong was overwhelmed with excitement. "Thank you, Sovereign! Wu Tong will surely secure the City of No Return for you!" Taking the City of No Return was only the first step. He still had to help the Sovereign locate what he sought. Meanwhile, within an abyss in the Northern Lands. A man cloaked entirely in purple stood before an ancient, profound stone slab. He had possessed this slab for three thousand years. Over those three millennia of relentless study, he had finally unraveled its mystery—a secret chronicle from ancient times. "The City of No Return... the burial ground of the demoness, the wellspring of all Monstrosity Origin. If I can obtain it..." Greed flooded the purple-robed man's eyes. If he obtained it, what would the so-called Venerable and White Emperor amount to? "Unfortunately, I cannot go in person right now, or it would inevitably draw attention from every faction..." The purple-robed man was exceedingly powerful, ranking among the very pinnacle of the Northern Lands. Consequently, any move he made was bound to draw watchful eyes. Going to the City of No Return risked exposing his true objective. Therefore, he had to rely on a minor pawn like Wu Tong to uncover the source of the Monstrosity Origin before he intervened. "The City of No Return is easy enough to handle... but... what about the site where the archdemon fell to darkness?" The purple-robed man hesitated. That place held immense fortune no lesser than the City of No Return. Yet claiming it would undoubtedly prove far more difficult. He needed to devise a scheme to seize it. ... Over Jialan City, dark clouds gathered, casting a heavy, stifling atmosphere. Upon hearing his subordinate's report, Dong Long, the Guardian, wore a resolute expression. "Wu Tong is preparing to lead his entire host to besiege the City of No Return. What are your thoughts?" The Nation Protectors present looked grave. "Compared to Mi Sang, Wu Tong is far more unyielding and powerful. If the City of No Return falls, our Jialan City will likely..." Worry hung over the assembly. Though Mi Sang was strong, he had merely been going through the motions when attacking Jialan City, clearly terrified of losing his life. Wu Tong, however, was aggressively ambitious. "Wentai, what do you think?" Dong Long turned to the Liu siblings. Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei had seen Qi Yuan in person. "The Guardian of the City of No Return is extraordinarily powerful—he might even be... a Terrestrial Myth." Every time Liu Wentai recalled Qi Yuan's breathtaking strike, awe filled his heart. "A Terrestrial Myth is indeed formidable, but Wu Tong is mobilizing nearly a hundred Nation Protectors this time. "Paired with an endless swarm of demonic monstrosities, even a Terrestrial Myth would be worn down and surrounded to death. Therefore, this old man suggests we invite that Guardian to Jialan City once more." Dong Long nodded at this. "If he is willing to come to Jialan City, I am even prepared to yield the seat of Guardian to him." Hearing this, Liu Wentai hurriedly interjected, "Gentlemen, the Guardian of the City of No Return will never agree to come to Jialan City!" He recalled Qi Yuan's sword strike that day, which had already conveyed his unyielding stance. He felt that his repeated urgings had already begun to test the Guardian's patience. "Arrogant fool!" an old man barked. "Does he believe being a Terrestrial Myth gives him license to do whatever he pleases?" Just then, a deep, resonant voice countered, "A Terrestrial Myth truly can do whatever he pleases. If what Liu Wentai says is true, bringing that Guardian to Jialan City would only make our city a burden to him. "With an expert of his caliber, even if Wu Tong's army besieges him, if he cannot win and chooses to leave, could Wu Tong even hope to stop him? "Rather than fretting over the City of No Return, we ought to worry about how Jialan City will protect itself once that expert departs." Everyone present nodded in agreement. That the City of No Return could not hold was already a foregone conclusion. That Guardian would inevitably withdraw. And what they would face next was Wu Tong's entire army. The pressure upon them would be far greater than ever before. Standing on the ramparts, Guardian Dong Long gazed into the distance, his eyes deep and contemplative. "I only hope... before that mythical expert leaves, he can deal Wu Tong's army a devastating blow." If so, Wu Tong would not be able to reorganize his forces to march on Jialan City so quickly, granting them ample time to prepare. "Liu Wentai, Zhao Ju, take some men and observe the City of No Return from afar. "Report any developments back to Jialan immediately," Dong Long ordered. What he wanted to monitor was not news of the City of No Return, but the state of Wu Tong's army. The fate of the City of No Return was already sealed. He only wanted to know how much damage Wu Tong's host suffered once the city fell. "Understood!" Liu Wentai and Zhao Ju accepted the command. ... A month passed in the blink of an eye. Liu Wentai and Zhao Ju concealed their figures amidst the vast desert sands. Behind them, over a dozen cultivators also hid their presence. They were Jialan City's skirmish scouts, excelling in concealment and speed. Buried in the sand, Zhao Ju wore an irreverent smirk. "That Guardian of the City of No Return sure loves acting... cool. "If it were me facing Wu Tong's army, I'd have run straight away. "Yet there he sits on the wall, facing thousands upon thousands of troops without batting an eye. Even if it's just posturing, he really does look the part!" "Is it possible that he genuinely isn't afraid?" Liu Wentai said, recalling Qi Yuan. That Guardian was nothing like what Zhao Ju described. "Don't worry. Once Wu Tong's army arrives, he'll definitely loose a single strike and bolt!" Zhao Ju said with absolute confidence. If he possessed such strength, he would certainly imitate that Guardian. It might completely disregard martial decorum, but damn if it didn't look cool. Liu Wentai gave Zhao Ju a contemptuous look. "Judge not a gentleman's heart with a petty man's mind." Zhao Ju shrugged. "I never judge a man by what he thinks, only by what he does. "If he stands his ground in the City of No Return and manages to wound Wu Tong's army, I'll respect him plenty. "I might say he's acting cool, but he really is impressive. The only shame is that the City of No Return is doomed to fall." A trace of regret colored Zhao Ju's words.