OLTFMD | Chapter 18

Chapter 18

◎Go or stay, this seat leaves it to you.◎

Even Yun Lang did not have any extra immortal realm scrolls on hand, it seemed this thing was rarer than expected.

Shen Ji asked, “You said the immortal realm would send scrolls over again, when you say this less than a month, how many days exactly do you mean?”

Yun Lang replied, “In another twenty-six or seven days, it will be the congratulatory banquet for the immortal emperor’s son Xuan Chen’s promotion to emperor. If nothing unexpected happens, the immortal realm will deliver the scroll a day before the banquet begins.”

That meant at the very least twenty-five days.

Shen Ji frowned slightly.

He remembered System had once said that after Xie Fu shattered the seal, he would go to the immortal realm for a banquet one month later, and it matched the date Yun Lang gave. But if it were this day, it would happen to be the day before Perfect Disguise ran out.

In other words.

At least for one full day, he would remove the disguise and remain in the demon realm under Shen Ji’s identity.

Then he could no longer keep staying in Minghuang City.

While he was thinking about the journey ahead, Yun Lang said, “Young master, do not worry. If there are leftovers in His Majesty’s place, I will go and ask for one back for you right away.”

Shen Ji raised a hand to stop him. “Forget it.”

From these past three days of Yun Lang’s experience, it was obvious that he and Xie Fu were not on good terms.

The guards at Jianchi Terrace had not said much, but they had also mentioned the blood feud between Yun Lang and Xie Fu.

To let Yun Lang, just after suffering grief, go find Xie Fu and lower himself in plea, he was not cruel enough to that extent.

Yun Lang, however, smiled and said, “Young master once saved my life in the mortal realm, and in the Three Spirit Realm you also helped me several times. I should always have a chance to repay you.”

In these past few days of getting along, he could see that Li Chenyin’s temperament was casual and easygoing, but every time matters of importance were mentioned, those deep, cold, stern eyes did not match that harmless face at all.

With Li Chenyin’s kind of personality, asking after the immortal realm scroll several times already showed that this matter was definitely no ordinary one.

He owed him a life-saving kindness, and in both reason and feeling, he should not stand by and do nothing.

So after saying that, he gently pressed down Shen Ji’s arm in front of him, flashed away in a streak of light, and returned toward Shudian Tower.

He took the initiative to think so considerately for the host, so sincere, it was hard not to move people’s hearts.

System secretly checked the mission progress again.

Yun Lang’s favorability: 8

System: “……”

Such a good person.

How did he just not have any sense of caution at all!!

—

Golden Pavilion.

Shudian Tower.

“Your Highness.”

Yun Lang nodded to the steward in the tower. “Is His Majesty here?”

The steward respectfully replied, “His Majesty is still on the thirteenth floor.”

Shudian Tower had thirteen floors in total, and the top floor had always been reserved exclusively for the phoenix emperor, so as to avoid disturbance.

Yun Lang said, “Good, you go back to your work.”

“Yes.”

The steward bowed and withdrew.

Yun Lang looked up once, flew up, and landed before the restriction on the thirteenth floor.

He first saluted, then said softly, “Your Majesty, Yun Lang has come to request an audience for something.”

The restriction, flowing with silver flame, quietly extinguished.

Yun Lang stepped through the door, and behind him the silver flame suddenly closed again.

He turned back to look, then went around the extremely tall semicircular golden rack and walked deeper inside.

Xie Fu, behind the desk, did not look at him once, only closing his eyes to examine a jade slip in his hand.

Yun Lang walked up to the desk and waited quietly.

Only after the silver light in Xie Fu’s palm faded did he step forward and salute. “Your Majesty.”

Xie Fu flicked his sleeve to return the jade slip to its place, then said flatly, “What is it.”

Having known each other for nine thousand years, Yun Lang knew very well that Xie Fu was not someone who liked beating around the bush, so he explained his purpose directly. “This time I request an audience because I want to ask Your Majesty to grant me an immortal realm scroll.”

Xie Fu’s gaze lifted slightly.

Yun Lang understood and explained the reason. “It is not that I want to enter the immortal realm, but that I mistakenly brought Li Chenyin from the mortal realm into the Three Spirit Realm. Your Majesty has sealed off the passage between the demon and mortal realms, and he cannot return, so I wanted to beg Your Majesty to show mercy beyond the law and allow him to be sent down from the immortal realm instead.”

After listening to him, Xie Fu slowly stood up. “You came here on behalf of a mortal?”

Yun Lang said, “Li Chenyin did not dare disturb Your Majesty, I made the decision on my own.”

Xie Fu walked to the window, and a familiar face flashed through his mind.

He closed his eyes, his voice turning slightly cold. “This seat does not reward the incapable. If he has something to ask for, then let him come to find this seat.”

Yun Lang froze.

Could Xie Fu mean to have Li Chenyin come personally to ask? But how would he lower himself to specifically meet a mortal?

“Your Majesty——”

“Go down.”

Yun Lang opened his mouth, looking at Xie Fu’s back by the window.

He did not know whether it was only his illusion, but after Xie Fu returned from his tribulation in the mortal realm this time, he seemed somewhat different from before.

But Xie Fu’s command could not be disputed, so he could only sigh inwardly, “Yes.”

After returning from Shudian Tower to Yujin Palace, Yun Lang found Shen Ji and faithfully relayed Xie Fu’s meaning.

After listening, Shen Ji could not help but be surprised. “He wants to see me?”

“That’s right.”

Yun Lang looked at him. “Are you willing to try?”

If Li Chenyin were unwilling, that was actually normal.

In Minghuang City, there were absolutely not many demon race members who dared to meet Xie Fu, much less ask Xie Fu for a reward, let alone a mortal.

Shen Ji pinched the jade slip at his waist, and quickly decided, “I can.”

He had already met Xie Fu up close twice, and Xie Fu still had not discovered his disguise. The most important part did not need worrying about, and that alone was worth taking the risk.

Yun Lang smiled slightly.

Shen Ji did not seem like a timid or fearful person. This answer was exactly what he had guessed.

He looked at Shen Ji and first reminded him, “Xie Fu has long held a high position, when you see him, you must not lose your manners.”

Shen Ji nodded.

Yun Lang added, “Also, he dislikes others disobeying him the most. If he has no intention of agreeing, you must not force it. Remember that well.”

Shen Ji’s expression did not change. “Mm.”

“……” System said, “Host, no wonder the great villain hates you so much. You have never been polite to him, and you always try to force【beep——】him.”

Shen Ji ignored its hindsight and flew into Shudian Tower with Yun Lang, arriving at the restriction on the thirteenth floor.

Yun Lang habitually stepped forward and saluted. “Your Majesty, Li Chenyin has arrived.”

Shen Ji stepped forward, just about to salute with him, when the silver flame in front of him opened silently.

Yun Lang wanted to go in first, but the silver flame closed again.

He looked inside the restriction and immediately understood Xie Fu’s meaning, then turned to Shen Ji. “Your Majesty wants to see you alone.”

Shen Ji said to him, “Thanks.”

Yun Lang smiled, using his eyes to indicate the door inside.

So Shen Ji lifted a foot and went in.

The silver flame gathered behind him, and he did not look back.

Inside was like a small library, with shelves arranged neatly and reaching up to the ceiling.

Only the things placed on the shelves were not ordinary books, but storage treasures and jade slips of all sizes and shapes.

He went around the long rack by the door, and at a glance saw Xie Fu standing by the window.

Xie Fu had his back to him. In front of him, a mass of silver light wrapped around something black, longish, and somewhat familiar-looking.

But before he could look carefully again, the silver light flickered, and Xie Fu turned back to the desk.

Shen Ji remembered Yun Lang’s reminder and saluted. “Your Majesty.”

Xie Fu said, “You want to go to the immortal realm?”

In order to avoid saying more and making more mistakes, Shen Ji only replied, “Yes.”

Xie Fu said coldly, “Do you think that, with you, what could be exchanged for an immortal realm scroll.”

Shen Ji could not understand Xie Fu’s thoughts.

If he truly thought he was not worth a scroll, he could have simply refused Yun Lang directly. Why make him run over in vain.

Could it be that Xie Fu had some bad habit of finding people to insult?

Shen Ji thought about it, then replied, “If Your Majesty has any orders, I will definitely carry them out.”

Xie Fu looked coldly at the mortal in front of him.

He also could not say clearly why he had met this Li Chenyin.

For no reason at all, every time he sensed a familiar aura from this person, it made him inexplicably remember Shen Ji.

But this face was gentle more than enough, and lacking in toughness, worlds apart from Shen Ji.

That cautiously careful manner made him even harder to compare with Shen Ji.

A person like this, why see him again.

“You were born in the mortal realm, you should have seen this item.”

Shen Ji looked up.

Between him and Xie Fu, an eye-familiar black monocular telescope floated in midair.

Xie Fu had been looking at this just now?

Xie Fu said, “Do you know where it came from in the mortal realm.”

Shen Ji did not hesitate. “I do not know.”

Hearing that he did not even think for a moment before answering so perfunctorily, Xie Fu’s gaze turned cold. He had originally only intended to send the person away, but unexpectedly changed course and asked again, “Are you sure this item is not a mortal realm magical artifact?”

Shen Ji said, “I am not sure.”

The hand Xie Fu held behind his back quietly tightened.

System: “……”

It did not know whether to remind the host.

Even it could hear that Yun Lang clearly wanted the host to go along with the great villain ah!!

As a result, the host had not learned from the previous lesson at all. How was he still this willful and self-assertive, this is really deadly……

Shen Ji also quickly noticed that Xie Fu’s gaze was not very friendly, and added, “Because I have never seen this thing before, but I am not sure whether there are any in other places in the mortal realm.”

The coldness in Xie Fu’s eyes lessened a little.

To dispel his suspicion, Shen Ji lifted a hand and pretended to reach for the telescope. “It could also be that I did not look clearly——”

Before the words were finished, a wave of heat suddenly surged toward him in front of him!

Silver flame, carrying killing intent, whirled back in midair, and the lingering burning heat still forced Shen Ji back two steps.

Watching Xie Fu put away the telescope, Shen Ji also brushed away the sparks on his shoulder.

After his cultivation recovered, Xie Fu’s temper, snapping to a bad mood whenever he wanted, had also grown.

A telescope, after all, did touching it once really make it dirty?

After being startled, System asked, “Host, what exactly does the great villain want to do?”

Shen Ji said, “Find my whereabouts.”

From when he was suddenly targeted by Xie Fu in Minghuang City before, he had guessed that Xie Fu was suspicious he had not really “died.”

Now it seemed Xie Fu’s suspicion that he had not “died” was even deeper than he had expected, to the point of wanting to use this telescope to investigate his background.

What a pity he had chosen the wrong object for reference.

Using a telescope to investigate, Xie Fu would never have results even if he lived another ten thousand years.

But since he could not help with this matter, he could not let Xie Fu be completely disappointed in him.

When Shen Ji stepped forward again, he said to System, “Can you identify the jade slips on the desk?”

He had already noticed this long table when he came in.

This was Xie Fu’s work area, and the contents on his desk would help narrow down his target.

“Yes!”

System perked up, and after identifying them it replied, “Host, they are all materials about the Snow Realm Seal.”

Shen Ji glanced at the desk.

Snow Realm Seal?

So Xie Fu was not here just to put on a show, but was really seriously looking through materials.

“Go down——”

“Your Majesty,” Shen Ji interrupted Xie Fu’s voice, “I do not recognize this magical artifact, but I know a little about all the other things in the mortal realm.”

System was still introducing it to him. “The four realm seals are divided into two places in the mortal realm, but the seals are connected. The principle itself is actually about the same. The great villain needs to shatter all four realm seals before he can complete his ultimate goal. Right now he has only shattered the immortal realm seal, and still has no way with the other three. As a qualified great villain, he definitely is working very hard to investigate!”

Shen Ji understood.

He looked at Xie Fu and continued, “I heard that Your Majesty, at the immortal emperor’s request, is investigating the matter of the Snow Realm Seal being broken. I do not know whether the mortal realm’s records of the Snow Realm Seal can help Your Majesty.”

Xie Fu’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. “Your information is quite well informed.”

Shen Ji kept firmly in mind Yun Lang’s reminder, and did not disobey Xie Fu at all. “Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty.”

System: “……”

Host, stop provoking him, I’m scared.

Xie Fu looked at him coldly, then said, “What do you know about the Snow Realm Seal.”

Shen Ji said, “Too much time has passed, I do not remember clearly. If Your Majesty can send me back to the mortal realm, I can go back and look through the ancient texts.”

Since he could not get the scroll from Xie Fu here, he could also find another way if he went to the mortal realm.

Hearing this, Xie Fu looked at him more closely. “You can understand ancient texts about seals?”

Shen Ji heard that this “ancient texts about seals” was not an ordinary book, but the words were already out, so he could not take them back. “Yes.”

“Then there is no need to go down to the mortal realm.”

Xie Fu moved a jade slip from the lower left corner of the desk to in front of him. “Repeat what is recorded inside.”

Shen Ji: “……”

System comforted him. “It’s okay, host, I can translate these materials.”

Seeing him not move, Xie Fu said coldly, “What are you waiting for.”

Shen Ji had no choice but to take the jade slip.

Xie Fu really changed unpredictably sometimes.

The telescope just now could not be touched, but now the jade slip could be taken casually.

However, with the road down to the mortal realm blocked, only Xie Fu’s immortal realm scroll remained. He had no other choice, so he followed the instruction, opened the panel, and read the contents on it to Xie Fu sentence by sentence.

After only a few lines, Xie Fu said, “Enough. Go down. Before tomorrow, transcribe this scroll.”

Shen Ji asked, “Then the scroll?”

Xie Fu was looking at the brocade cloth in his hand, and said lightly, “Once the matter is finished, this seat will naturally give it to you.”

Shen Ji rubbed the jade slip in his hand, and before leaving said with very proper manners, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Xie Fu caught that movement from the corner of his eye, and his brow furrowed slightly.

Such a habit was a little similar to Shen Ji.

He looked toward Shen Ji’s departing back.

But what appeared before his eyes was another person’s figure.

Xie Fu’s five fingers suddenly clenched.

He closed his eyes.

After a while, when he looked again toward the front of him, the familiar shadow was already gone.

—

When Shen Ji returned to Yujin Palace, Yun Lang noticed it immediately and came forward to meet him.

He asked, “How was it?”

Shen Ji raised the jade slip in his hand to show him. “Before tomorrow, copy the contents inside once and give it to him.”

Yun Lang took the jade slip and glanced through it once, then smiled in surprise. “You understand ancient divine runes? In that case, the matter of the scroll need not be worried about.”

Shen Ji also smiled lightly. “Then I’ll borrow your good words.”

Yun Lang handed him another empty jade slip. “Since His Majesty has limited you to deliver it before tomorrow, the matter should not be delayed. Hurry and copy it.”

Shen Ji also had this idea.

Xie Fu’s mood was good one moment and bad the next. He had to deliver the thing before the next time it turned bad, so as to avoid any unforeseen trouble if the delay dragged on.

So after parting from Yun Lang, he directly returned to the sleeping hall, and facing the full-text translation on the panel, used spiritual power to record sentence by sentence into the jade slip.

Fortunately, this was much more worry-free and labor-saving than copying by hand, and before the sky went dark, the last sentence was already finished.

System let out a long breath. “Great, finally finished writing. Host, let’s hurry and take it to exchange for the immortal realm scroll with the great villain!”

Yun Lang’s favorability did not budge at all, and it had now completely lost confidence in the side mission.

Rather than wasting time here with that heartless and unfeeling male supporting character, it would be better to cooperate with the host and go to the immortal realm early to meet up with the male and female leads.

While it was speaking, Shen Ji had already opened the door and gone out.

He flew up to Shudian Tower, and along the route he had taken before arrived at the thirteenth floor.

Just in time, a red-clothed old woman came down from above. When she saw him, she paused slightly as they brushed past, then turned in midair to look at Shen Ji’s back as he continued forward, a flicker of interest passing through her eyes.

Another mortal.

After Xie Fu, even Yun Lang was regarding a mere mortal so highly.

And now this mortal was actually able to enter Shudian Tower, and go to Xie Fu’s exclusive place, could it be that he was tied to Xie Fu again?

This was truly an odd thing.

Su Xi’s reddish-brown eyes followed the mortal’s back until it disappeared, and only then did she turn into a streak of light and leave.

Shen Ji, meanwhile, came to the restriction with practiced ease.

System was simply telling him the old woman’s identity. “That is Red Phoenix Venerable Su Xi, her cultivation is higher than Red Phoenix Venerable, second only to the phoenix clan’s number two Yun Lang. She is also the real power elder of the phoenix clan’s Golden Pavilion, and her status in the phoenix clan is quite high... but we’re about to leave the demon realm, there will still be time to remember these people later!”

When Shen Ji landed, probably sensing someone approaching, the silver flame flowing through the restriction was like a parted curtain of water, leaving him a channel to enter.

A voice followed from inside the door.

“Your Majesty, recently the demon realm has been rampant, and there are many spies appearing in Minghuang City. The phoenix guard reported that more than ten Red Phoenixes have already been stained by demon blood, countless Colored Phoenixes and Green Phoenixes have——Who!”

Before the words were finished, a brilliant glow of light arrived in an instant!

Shen Ji sidestepped to borrow the golden rack to avoid it, and was just about to strike when he remembered his two months of getting along with Xie Fu. The other side knew his fighting style very well, so he withdrew his hand and retreated quickly instead.

However, the other side also failed to continue the attack.

Xie Fu’s silver spiritual power blocked in front of Shen Ji, firmly protecting his entire body, and the other side did not dare move again after seeing it.

“This subordinate did not know this person was personally summoned by Your Majesty, I ask Your Majesty to forgive me.”

Shen Ji walked out from beyond the golden rack, and saw an exquisitely handsome man in gold armor facing Xie Fu and kneeling on one knee.

Xie Fu slightly waved a hand, and the man stood up, then faced Shen Ji and dutifully saluted. “There was much offense just now, please do not take offense, Your Excellency.”

Shen Ji said, “It’s fine.”

He looked at Xie Fu and raised a hand to send the two jade slips to the desk.

Xie Fu pressed two fingers together and pointed to the new one, roughly flipping through it once.

After Shen Ji waited for him to finish checking, he politely reminded, “Your Majesty, the scroll.”

Xie Fu said, “The matter I assigned you has not yet been completed, where would the scroll come from.”

Shen Ji raised an eyebrow.

Fine, so not only turning hostile without mercy, he also wanted to cut off the bridge after crossing the river?

He stepped forward.

Beside him, the gold-armored man turned his hand and drew a sword, slowly unsheathing it, his eyes with multicolored pupils fixed tightly on him, the warning meaning very obvious.

Xie Fu said again, “These are the first batch of seal ancient texts sent over, transcribe them all.”

Hearing this, the gold-armored man returned the sword to its sheath.

Shen Ji looked at the full box of jade slips piled on the desk. “First batch?”

Xie Fu said, “If you are unwilling, you can go back.”

The gold-armored man drew his sword again with a clang.

“……” System could not help but complain, “Is this phoenix a robot?”

Shen Ji only looked at Xie Fu. “I want to know, how many batches are there in total?”

The gold-armored man said, “Under His Majesty’s phoenix decree, do not question it.”

Only after seeing Xie Fu raise a hand slightly did he move to one side and stand with hands lowered.

Xie Fu swept the gold box in front of him to a side long table. “Go or stay, this seat leaves it to you.”

Choose?

Shen Ji understood there was not much room for refusal in these words.

He also did not refuse. “Write here?”

There were still twenty-four days left. No matter how many ancient texts Xie Fu had, there would be a time when they would all be translated. He could wait.

Xie Fu said, “Write here.”

As soon as the words fell, he watched Shen Ji walk behind the desk and sit down, watching him use spiritual power to transcribe the sentences.

But the aura within the spiritual power was completely unfamiliar, with not a trace of familiarity.

Xie Fu withdrew his gaze.

Suddenly.

An unnamed blaze suddenly ignited in his chest, sweeping away the patience he had worn down over these past days.

A layer of suppressed chill was hidden at the deepest part.

A few scattered stabs of pain flashed by in an instant, hard to detect.

He casually threw the jade slip, which he had unconsciously clenched in his hand, back onto the desk, and his expression once again was covered with its usual frost.

Author’s note:

Thanks to everyone who supported me with霸王票 or nutrient solution during 2022-08-15 35:57:44~2022-08-17 00:08:05.

Thanks to the little angels who threw hand grenades, Jiu Su and Fu Wang Sui Han, one each.

Thanks to the little angels who threw land mines, Feng Bushengxing, Tian Ding Ban Yue Ming, and Buddhist-style lying flat..., one each.

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: Zhe Wu 40 bottles; www 35 bottles; ORDINARY, Dongjiang Yue, Cannot Be a Pigeon, Song Nian 20 bottles; Hua Ze 85 bottles; Qing Shang, Wei Guang, Yan Xi, Wen Zhu, S., Qing Shan Zhuang Ru Huai, Jiu Ci Gu Diao, Bai Jia Zi, Yue Shen Yuan, Emperfan, Fu Wang Sui Han 10 bottles; Su Yun 8 bottles; 54539057, Su Yi Chen 5 bottles; Deng Nan, Luo Mu Xiao Xiao Xia, 50295485, Xiu Xiu You Shi Xiu Xiu 5 bottles; 50759485 4 bottles; Ruiii, Mao Mao 11, Enj. 3 bottles; Zai Qu Mai Kuai Bai Yu Gao 2 bottles; ..., Mu Shao Ai, Shi Guang Wei Yang, 37921127, San Miao Zhong Sheng Ming, Sha Mo Mo Hai, Guai Guai Guang Zai, Ye Ying (N&D), Yue Min Su 1 bottle each.

Thank you very much everyone for your support, I will continue to work hard!