txolops Chapter 98 Baoxiang Kingdom - Jihuazi's Infiltration of Wanzishan
Chapter 98 Baoxiang Kingdom - Jihuazi's Infiltration of Wanzishan
Meanwhile, Li Fa and Baili Bo transformed into jade maidens, escorting two carts of children, and headed towards Wanzishan.
That Bowl Mountain was indeed precipitous. But as one could see:
Towering and majestic, the peaks rise steeply. Towering and majestic, they pierce the heavens, their sheer cliffs obstructing the azure sky. Strange rocks pile up like a reclining tiger, ancient pines hang askew like coiled dragons. Streams murmur and flow from caves, wildflowers sway and attract bees. Layer upon layer of ravines, rumbling and murmuring. It is a time when demonic energy soars to the heavens, and evil clouds thicken over the earth.
The two followed the mountain path and arrived at the front of the Wave Moon Cave.
The cave entrance was three zhang high and wide, with several small demons standing on the left and right, holding knives and spears, looking imposing.
Seeing two carriages approaching, a little demon stepped forward and shouted, "Who goes there?"
Li Yingying bowed and said, "Brothers, I am a Jade Maiden under the Jade Lady of Yanghan Town. I have come to deliver offerings to Your Majesty on the Lady's orders."
Upon hearing this, the little demon looked them up and down. Seeing that they were indeed beautiful maidens and that a group of children were sitting in the carriage, she believed them and waved her hand, saying, "Go in, the king is waiting."
The two drove into the cave.
The cave was extremely deep; it took the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to finally arrive at a grand hall. Inside the hall:
A golden furnace filled with beast-shaped charcoal, and jade cups brimming with fine wine. A tiger-skin rug lay on the stone bed, and a human bone spear hung on the wall. Dozens of lesser demons lined up on either side, each with a ferocious expression; in the center sat a demon with a true blue-green face, white fangs, a blood-red mouth, and two lantern-like eyes.
It was the Yellow Robe Monster!
Li Fa glanced over and saw that the demon was indeed looking at them as well.
The two women hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we are your humble servants!"
The man in the yellow robe waved his hand and said, "Get up. Why are you here so early today? I haven't even combed my hair yet!"
Li Fa said, "Her Majesty was afraid that His Majesty would become anxious if he waited too long, so she asked us to come early today."
The man in the yellow robe nodded and asked, "How much did Yu Niang send this time?"
Li Fa said, "Your Majesty, it's still twenty, all of the best quality."
Upon hearing this, the Yellow-Robed Monster laughed heartily and said, "Good! Jade Maiden is always efficient in her work."
He stood up, walked to the front of the car, and lifted the curtain to look inside.
Upon looking at it, he suddenly frowned.
Li Fa's heart skipped a beat.
The yellow-robed monster pointed at one of the children and said, "How come this one is so strong?"
Li Fa followed his finger and looked down, inwardly groaning.
It turned out that the child he transformed from the stone looked exactly like a real person, but his body was two sizes larger than that of an ordinary child.
Back then, the focus was solely on increasing quantity, neglecting to change the details of the body shape, which unexpectedly left a flaw!
Fortunately, Li Fa quickly came up with a clever idea and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, you may not know this, but this child was captured just a few days ago. His mother ate well while pregnant with him, so he was born stronger than other children. Lady Yu said that such children have firmer flesh, which will make Your Majesty's cultivation more effective."
Upon hearing this, the Yellow-Robed Monster nodded, seemingly believing him.
He then pointed to another one and said, "What about this one? Why is its face turning pale?"
Li Fa, his forehead beaded with sweat, said, "This...this child got carsick on the way and vomited several times, which is why he looks so pale. Your Majesty, don't worry, he'll be fine after a couple of days of rest."
The yellow-robed monster glanced around a few more times, about to speak, when suddenly a little demon rushed in, reporting, "Your Majesty! Two monks have come to the cave, one with a long snout and big ears, the other with a gloomy face, shouting and cursing, saying they are looking for their master!"
The Yellow-Robed Monster was taken aback, then laughed and said, "It must be those two disciples of Tang Sanzang who have come looking for us! Very well, let's deal with them first, then we can come and see these children."
He turned and pointed to about ten of the cave's lesser demons, saying, "You, you, and you... take these children to the backyard and keep a close watch on them. I'll go out and deal with those two bald monks before I come back to check."
The demons immediately responded.
The Yellow-Robed Monster then summoned other monsters, opened the cave door, and went out to fight, but that's another story.
Li Fa and Baili Bo exchanged a glance, and Li Fa felt somewhat reassured.
But then the little demons stepped forward and took the child, and when they did, the child didn't move an inch!
A little demon exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? Why is this child so heavy today?"
Upon hearing this, another person said, "Perhaps you're feeling weak today. Let me help you."
So they stepped forward and together lifted the child, but the child was a large stone transformed, and how could this little demon move it even an inch?
Even if two people try to lift one, they still can't lift it.
Li Fa's mind raced, and he quickly said, "Brothers, you don't know this, but this child ate too much this morning, and his belly is round, so he's naturally heavier. If one more person comes, we can definitely lift him."
The little demons were skeptical, so they added another person, making it three to lift one, and only then could they barely manage to lift it.
Li Fa breathed a sigh of relief and watched the little demons head towards the backyard.
After the little demon left, Li Fa whispered, "Brother, that old monster has become suspicious. We need to act quickly."
Baili retorted, "Brother, how should we proceed?"
Li Fa said, "We must find even a single hair of his before we can perform the spell. You stay here and keep watch while I go in to search."
He turned and went into the cave, summoning the Seven Star Whip in his hand, which turned into a broom. He pretended to sweep the ground and looked around.
After walking through several stone chambers, he discovered that the cave was surprisingly clean!
There wasn't a single weed on the ground, not a single cobweb on the wall, and even the stone bed was polished to a shine.
He quietly crept into the Yellow Robe Monster's bedroom, lifted the covers, and found the bed spotless, without a single hair, let alone any hair on it.
Li Fa inwardly groaned.
Just as he was feeling troubled, he suddenly saw a woman, about thirty years old, carrying a basin of water, coming in from outside.
The woman was slightly taken aback when she saw Li Fa, and asked, "Are you new here?"
Li Fa quickly bowed and said, "This servant is a Jade Maiden under the Jade Lady of Yanghan Town, and I have been ordered to deliver offerings."
Baihua Xiu nodded without speaking, and simply lowered her head to wipe the table.
Li Fa looked at her, and suddenly a thought struck him.
In the original story, there was a Princess Baihua Xiu in Kui Mulang Cave, who was around thirty years old. Could this person in front of me be her?
Thinking of this, Li Fa came up with a plan. He stepped forward and lowered his voice, asking, "Is the princess alright?"
The woman's body stiffened, and she looked up at him, saying, "You...how did you know I was a princess?"
Li Fa felt reassured and laughed, "Princess, don't be afraid, I am not a monster."
Baihua Xiu was shocked and took two steps back, stammering, "You...you are..."
Li Fa made a hand seal, first revealing the appearance of Ji Huazi, then transforming back into the Jade Maiden.
He said, "I am Ji Huazi, a man from beyond the mundane world, who has wandered here. I heard that the Third Princess of Baoxiang Kingdom disappeared thirteen years ago, and I have come here on the king's orders to search for her."
Upon hearing this, tears welled up in the woman's eyes, and she knelt down with a thud, sobbing, "Immortal Master, save me! I am the Third Princess of Baoxiang Kingdom! My childhood name is Baihuaxiu. Thirteen years ago, I was abducted by this demon and forced to marry him! Please, Immortal Master, save me from this sea of suffering!"
Li Fa quickly helped her up, saying, "Please rise, Princess. However, this humble Taoist needs a single hair from that demon in order to cast a spell to kill him. But he has cleaned this cave spotlessly, and I have searched for half a day without finding anything."
Upon hearing this, Baihuaxiu pondered for a moment and said, "Immortal, you may not know this. That demon is extremely clean and makes me clean his cave every day. I haven't seen a single hair of his."