Volume 1, Chapter 122: A Sense of Ritual
Another snow fell in Boji Gully, marking the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month.
Li Ying had bought "stove provisions" early, asking Zhang Weidong to come to her dormitory that evening to offer sacrifices to the Kitchen God and share a meal, rather than going to Old Yangpi’s water-pouring stall.
"Shadow, Optimus Prime has been grumbling the entire way. I suggest you go and prepare quickly; Yanran and I came here on empty stomachs as well." Ouyang Jue waved his hand at me, signaling me to hurry up with the food and wine. What on earth were these two up to?
Only a short while ago, the Heavenly Divine Swords had been brimming with confidence, striking the poses of victors as if the resurgent Demon Race were nothing more than small fry that could be wiped out in a casual conversation. Now, they were battered and bruised, telling themselves that the great battle had been lost!?
As these words were spoken, a round of applause erupted in the council chamber; Shang Miaoyu seemed to have become the heroine of Green Lotus.
He never imagined that after all these years, he would once again have to face that same fear, only this time, he was completely incapable of escaping it.
The Three Pure Primordial Lords had departed early this morning, as they had to return to the heavens to report for duty. They had been in such a rush that, seeing Yan Wu dead drunk, they naturally could not find time to say goodbye.
"These ghosts, are they finally going to make their move?" Meanwhile, above the plaza, on the bench where Jiang Han and Zhu Miao had sat earlier, an old man sat alone, whispering to himself.
After a moment, Qin Hai opened his eyes. Despite his complexion being terrifyingly pale, he wore his familiar smile.
Having successfully passed through the Witches' Demon Peril—the Barrier of Hurricanes—everyone slumped down in unison onto the corridor paved with blue soft carpets, gasping for breath. Even Ouyang Jue, who possessed the highest agility, looked ghastly; it seemed the blue whirlwind pillars had taken quite a toll on him.
"That makes perfect sense. Let’s wait here for them to emerge." After hearing my thoughts, little sister Ziling nodded thoughtfully, then slowly sat down on a rock, her eyes fixed intently on the several exits still shrouded by water curtains.
"To obtain the coding model of this primal world is to explore these passages and the power that sustains them. Just like computer coding, we need to understand exactly what is hidden behind it all." Hearing this, a smile tugged at the corners of Xiao Yi's mouth.
"Ascending to the Secret Realm of Supernatural Powers—what a spectacle." Hou Shaobai, standing beside Ye Qi, exclaimed in admiration.
They had no choice but to keep walking and test their luck. If they couldn't count on the heavens, perhaps the local deities would manifest and allow them to stumble upon something.
The once pristine night sky remained intact only within the massive circle above the snow-capped mountain, and within visible range, the dark red hues at the edges were still relentlessly encroaching inward.
In an instant, two explosions rang out. Chen Yuan and his companion, looking somewhat disheveled, continued their pursuit of Xuanyu.
As the words fell, the Gate of Senluo soared into the sky and crashed down heavily toward Long Aotian’s forehead. Since Long Aotian did not dodge, Ye Qi saw no need to waste effort on suppression; this move was aimed directly at the crown of Long Aotian’s head.
When the group ahead turned at the sound, Li Shiji had already silently flipped himself up, a bruise forming on his forehead.
"Is the Prince planning to return?" Hulü Fenghan asked with slight surprise; he had expected to meet him at the ancestral temple.
"Of course, we can use the rules here directly, but before that, we must know what this place is actually for." Hearing this, Xiao Yi and Lu Xuexin both grunted in agreement.
How he longed to hold her hand and grow old together, yet even seeing her one more time had become a luxury.