chapter 35

The girl was shaking like a leaf . Shen Li thought it best to just release her .

In her happiness, Shen Li forgot Xiao He had sacrificed herself for the one she loved, that even if she looked like Xiao He, this was her reincarnated form so she would have no memory of her previous life . Unlike Xing Zhi who retained his memories, she would have lost hers . Without that memory she was freed from the past . In this life, she didn’t know Prince Rui or the heartbreak of that love .

Shen Li was silent for a moment, then she took a step toward the girl and asked, “Your abilities aren’t even that great, yet you dare set up a stall like this to harm others? How brazen . Aren’t you afraid the mountain god will punish you?”

With her head lowered to her chest the girl whispered that the mountain god was gone, captured some time ago .

Xing Zhi and Shen Li shared a glance .

“When? Did you see who did it?” Shen Li probed . Her voice came out unintentionally sterner than she meant it to .

It scared the girl, and though her lips trembled, she refused to say more .

“Really? I didn’t even beat you this time…” Shen Li sighed in disappointment . From her side, Xing Zhi laughed .

The sigh made the older woman exert a great amount of effort to look up from the ground . In a hoarse voice she asked, “Great immortals, you are sparing our lives?” Shen Li had only shaken her twice, but it was enough for her to understand the disparity in their strengths so she was very respectful when she spoke .

“Neither my child nor I wish to engage in such a malicious trade, but we were forced to do so because we had no other choice . We’ve only robbed passersby of their money . We take what we can, but we’ve never physically harmed anyone!”

“When did you put up the stall? And why were you compelled to do so?” Shen Li asked .

Thinking about it made the greened eyed python sigh . “This child’s father is a mortal . Together as a family we used to live in the forest surrounding Yangzhou . It was a hard life but we got by on the food he grew and the game I brought back from the mountain . Then three months ago something strange happened . The trees started withering away and the grass stopped growing . Thick miasma spread everywhere and nothing grew . I’m sure it’s related to the mountain god’s disappearance . ”

It clearly made her anxious just remembering . “The mountain god disappeared… The other supernatural beings said the god was taken away by someone named Fusheng Men . ”[notes]

Shen Li wrinkled her brows, that name again . It seemed, although he was from a small immortal sect, he was a rising power capable of not just kidnapping immortals around the capital, but also using demon magic . Even Shen Li began to doubt her conviction . Did someone from the Demon realm really break through the barrier and enter the Mortal realm?

“I had to take this child and hide here . There wasn’t anything to eat . Out of desperation we came upon the idea of robbing passersby of their money and any food they had with them .

“What about your husband?” Xing Zhi quietly asked, not concerned about Fusheng Men . “He’s not here with you so how is he getting by?”

“He…” The woman hesitated for a moment before fording forward honestly . “He was a Taoist priest before we married . Things were peaceful and we lived together without incident but he never laid down his duties . When the miasma spread down the mountain he had me and our daughter leave the area while he and his disciple went to Yangzhou . He said the miasma would be difficult to deal with and it would affect the city . ”

Shen Li was speechless at the revelation . This woman was in a relationship with a Taoist priest and they had a daughter together . Their identities were so different . It must have been incredibly difficult for them to remain together . She couldn’t help but admire the green snake .

Xing Zhi spoke up in Shen Li’s silence . “Since that’s the case, why don’t we go to Yangzhou? I’ll treat you to a meal another day . ” He smiled slightly at Shen Li as he spoke .

The intimate tone of his voice made Shen Li stare at him . She turned away and coughed .

“Great… great immortal!” The daughter suddenly spoke up . “Won’t you take me along as well?! I miss dad and I miss Brother Yan!”[notes] Her cheeks blushed out of embarrassment she said this .

A girl so young wouldn’t handle the miasma well . Xing Zhi was about to refuse but Shen Li spoke up first .

“OK, let’s go . ” She turned around and glanced at Xing Zhi . “Can you give her a talisman ward?” Though it was phrased as a question, it was clear she wasn’t interested in discussing the matter .

Xing Zhi looked at Shen Li in surprise before laughing out loud . He walked in front of the girl and drew several letters on her forehead . Finished he said, “Let me know if you feel unwell once we enter the city . ”

The girl nodded gratefully . Her body slowly changed into a tiny snake and she crawled into Shen Li’s sleeve . She peeked her head out and looked up at Shen Li .

With a laugh Shen Li said, “OK then, let’s go!”

Though the sun was setting as they reached Yangzhou there was no beautiful sunset to behold . Black miasma fog shrouded the entire city . Shen Li felt like she was stepping into the Demon realm .

According to the girl, Xi, all the immortals around the city had been kidnapped . Miasma flowed out from the forest surrounding the mountains and settled in the city, leaving it in its current shrouded state .

The once vibrant city was a dead shell of its former self . Sickness pervaded, affecting both old and young . There were only a few hardy individuals able to walk the streets .

Shen Li frowned . “Those in the Demon realm have adapted to the miasma but for ordinary mortals, it would be unbearable . ”

The girl in Shen Li’s sleeve trembled in fear .

Shen Li stroked the snake’s head . “Don’t worry . We’ll find your family . ”

After walking along the streets for a bit Shen Li asked, “Is there a way to get rid of the miasma?”

“Yes, however the miasma comes from the mountain . Clearing it here would only address the symptom, not the root of the problem-” Xing Zhi was interrupted before he could finish .

“Fix the symptom first, take care of the cause later,” Shen Li cut in . “Slowing it down is better than nothing . ”

Shen Li barely finished talking when a person rushed out to her . His hair was poofy like he’d been electrocuted, while his entire body, from his clothes to his skin, were completely ashen .

“Finally! Someone came!” He was practically crying tears of joy . “Someone came at last!”

“Who are you?” asked Shen Li .

He wiped his face with one hand, nearly in tears again . “Ah?! I’m Fu Rongjun!” He used his filthy clothes to wipe his grimy face . It didn’t help . He only smeared the grime around more . He pointed to his face . “I’m Fu Rongjun . ”

Shen Li frowned in disgust . “Go away . I don’t have time for you . ”

Fu Rongjun looked around and saw Xing Zhi so he didn’t over do it, only saying, “That’s over line! How can you treat this lord like that?” Fu Rongjun patted his chest . “This lord risked his life to save the city . If it weren’t for this lord hurrying to Yangzhou, everyone here would have fallen to the miasma! This lord did what he could to control the situation and purify the city . How can you treat me like so?!”

Xing Zhi looked up at the sky . “There are traces of purification in the air . ”

The confirmation dissipated Fu Rongjun’s anger, but he still felt wronged . In a sad voice he said, “This lord encountered such a thing while strolling . How could this lord not help? This lord tried to purify the miasma to the best of his abilities, but it wasn’t enough . In less than a day the miasma returned and pervaded the city again . Then at the same time a great number of people fell seriously ill . It was too much to manage the miasma and the sudden eruption of sickness . Those not seriously ill, this lord gathered and brought to the temple in the northside of the city . This lord set up a boundary circle to keep the miasma out but lately the miasma has been so dense this lord has reached his limit . ”

“You could have reported this to heaven . The only reason you didn’t was because you were afraid they would take you back, so you figured you would just try to clean the miasma here on your own . But now that it’s beyond your abilities you’re trying to shove the responsibility onto someone else?” She shot him a glance after laying his motivation bare . “The nerve . To claim you saved the city . ”

Fu Rongjun nearly choked at her words . He was slightly embarrassed at having been called out .

There was a flash of green and a girl suddenly appeared in front of him . Her unstable legs caused her to stumble into Fu Rongjun’s arms . She hastily pulled back and asked . “Great immortal, inside the city, did you see a Taoist priest and his disciple?”

Such a soft sweet voice . Even if his eyes were filled with dust and the city dark and dimly lit, Fu Rongjun could recognize a beauty when he saw one . He gave her a quick once over to confirm .

“Of course . This lord set up the boundary inside the city after all . ”

“Can you bring me over to them please?”

“Of course . ” Fu Rongjun extended his hand toward her . “But the miasma is a hindrance . Take care where you step; it’s hard to see here . ”

Shen Li picked Xi up by the waist and tossed the girl over her shoulder . “Lead the way,” she said to Fu Rongjun .

Fu Rongjun resentfully glared at Shen Li’s cut, but he turned around and did as told .

. . .

Shen Li thought Fu Rongjun was just a useless skirt-chasing fool so she was surprised at the extent of the boundary he created . It was large enough to protect several hundred people . Those inside the boundary welcomed Fu Rongjun with big grateful smiles on their faces .

Fu Rongjun turned around proudly to look at Shen Li as if seeking affirmation of his accomplishment and virtuosity .

She turned her head away, refusing to indulge him .

Xi looked around the encampment distracted as the other people came over and bombarded Fu Rongjun with praise . “Great immortal is amazing! Great immortal is a such a good person!”

It made Fu Rongjun laugh in happiness with his hands on his hip .

Xi spotted two people in the corner of the temple . Running over she yelled, “Dad! Brother Yan!”

Shen Li looked over in their direction and was stumped at what she saw . Xi’s father was indeed an ordinary Taoist priest but Brother Yan bore an uncanny resemblance to King Rui . [notes] Laying prone beside him, was a sleeping sick woman; she looked remarkably like King Rui’s wife . They appeared to be the same people from the previous century .

Xi rushed excitedly over to them .

“Why are you so loud? Can’t you see people are sleeping?” Yan reprimanded her .

Xi stared in silence, feeling like she’d been wronged . She shifted from foot to foot before walking over to her father’s side, lightly tugging at his clothes .

The interaction between the three made Shen Li ask if their fates were bound to repeat .

Xing Zhi shook his head . “It’s just a coincidence . ”

The aggrieved look on Xi’s face reminded Shen Li too much of Xiao He . She couldn’t help but speak out . “I’m sure Prince Rui had many people in his life after he took the throne . What were the chances of him remembering a sharp-tongued woman who sacrificed everything to help him gain his desire?

“Let me think . ” Xing Zhi thought it over before answering . “After he became king and assigned an empress he planted lotus flowers all over the royal garden . ”

Shen Li gave him a quick glance in surprise . She didn’t expect him to answer . It made her sigh . “It’s useless now, but I’m sure Xiao He would have been happy if she knew . ”