The sky was dim, the wind sparse, and the rain had ceased.
“Tomorrow, you must come with Sister Qingyan to my place, so it’s not good to stay here tonight,” Shen Ying said softly. “After dinner, you should return early.”
Tch, tch, look at this, where can one find such a confidante?
“No matter, I’ll return at midnight,” Lu Zheng replied.
Shen Ying was somewhat moved but still shook her head. “Don’t jest, Lu Lang. Return early to rest.”
Lu Zheng caressed a smooth piece in his hand. “We are both accomplished cultivators. Not to mention two days, we could go ten days without sleep and still manage. I say I’ll return at midnight, and I will.”
Shen Ying bit her lower lip lightly, no longer persuading, only pressing her body closer.
…
At the hour of You, Shen Ying helped Lu Zheng rise and dress. After dinner, they returned to the rear courtyard to play chess.
“Hm?” Shen Ying suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with delight.
“What is it?” Lu Zheng asked.
“I didn’t expect the incense at Peach Blossom Shrine to be so prosperous today, surpassing half of last year. The other gift I prepared for you is ready.”
“Another gift?” Lu Zheng blinked. “What is it?”
The matter of the folding fan was within Lu Zheng’s expectations. That day, when Shen Ying took the fan from his hand without a word, he knew she feared his soft-hearted nature would lead him to give it to the City God.
But what other gift?
From Shen Ying’s words, it seemed related to the shrine’s incense.
Lu Zheng frowned. “Didn’t I say you don’t need to give me incense energy? Focus on improving your own strength first, at least enough to leave Peach Blossom Flat for a distance.”
Seeing Lu Zheng scold her, Shen Ying showed no annoyance, instead comforting him. “Rest assured, Lu Lang. My strength is improving quickly. If it grows any faster, my foundation will be unstable. With *Peach Blossom* and the shrine, I have no worries, so you can be at ease.”
As she spoke, Shen Ying waved her hand, and Lu Zheng saw the chamber door open without wind. A dark yellow light shot in with a whoosh.
The light hovered before Shen Ying, revealing a wooden sword, three feet three inches long.
“This is…”
“Made from one of the oldest branches of the ancient peach tree, infused with its essence and the power of incense, it is most effective against evil spirits,” Shen Ying explained. “Your Seven Star Sword is sharp and sturdy, a fine weapon for slaying humans and demons. But for exorcising evil and capturing spirits, this century-old peach wood sword far surpasses it.”
Lu Zheng’s eyes gleamed as he grasped the sword, channeling his true energy. He shook his head with a sigh. “You’re giving me too much credit. It’s not just far surpassing; they’re not even comparable.”
Shen Ying covered her mouth, chuckling.
Lu Zheng’s Seven Star Sword, forged with modern techniques, was merely a mortal weapon, capable of channeling true energy but little else. Its advantage was its sharpness and durability, effective for breaking defences and harming humans or demons without specialised physical cultivation.
This suggested his master’s cultivation wasn’t particularly high, likely similar to Duan Changzai of the Anomaly Suppression Bureau, with two to three hundred years of practice. Their life-or-death tribulations involved either humans or demons.
Shen Ying’s peach wood sword, however, was crafted from a centuries-old peach tree branch that had gained sentience, absorbing spiritual energy and refined by incense. It was highly effective against spirits, so much so that even an ordinary person wielding it could keep wandering ghosts at bay.
Had Lu Zheng wielded this sword against the white-clad youth that night, the battle might have been halved in duration.
Shen Ying leaned closer, smiling coyly. “Are you pleased, Lu Lang?”
“Very pleased!” Lu Zheng nodded repeatedly.
Shen Ying nestled closer, her voice soft. “Lu Lang, shall I test your swordsmanship?”
…
At the third quarter of Xu, the sword was sheathed.
By now, Lu Zheng was thoroughly familiar with the peach wood sword, wielding it as an extension of his arm.
“I’m heading back,” he said.
Shen Ying nodded, adjusting his clothes. “Take care on the way.”
Lu Zheng raised his sword with a grin. “With this peach wood sword, even if the Night King comes, I could put up a fight.”
Shen Ying nodded solemnly. “Exactly. My Lu Lang is the most formidable.”
The next moment, a clear, eerie voice echoed into the chamber. “Is that so?”
The room’s temperature plummeted.
Shen Ying’s eyes narrowed, and with a wave, the chamber door opened without wind.
Lu Zheng applied a Golden Light Charm to himself, holding the sword in his right hand and forming a seal with his left.
Together, they stepped out and saw a figure floating atop the rear courtyard’s wall.
The figure seemed both real and illusory, clad in black, robes fluttering in the wind.
Hands clasped behind their back, their face obscured by mist, only long hair flowing over their shoulders was visible, swaying in the breeze.
“Night King?” Shen Ying asked sternly.
“Peach Blossom Fairy, Night King offers greetings!” The Night King nodded slightly.
Shen Ying’s expression remained calm. “What brings the Night King here in the dead of night?”
The Night King chuckled softly. “I’ve long heard of the Peach Blossom Fairy, lovelier than flowers, serene as an immortal. Seeing you today, your reputation is well-earned. I came to retrieve the Nether Heart, but upon seeing you, my heart is delighted. So, let the Nether Heart be a betrothal gift. Would you join me in the Netherworld as the Night King’s consort?”
“Supreme Command, expel evil, slay spirits, swiftly!”
A green light shot towards the Night King.
He waved his sleeve, and a thin black curtain appeared. The green light struck it, bursting into a green firework before silently dissipating.
“White Cloud Temple’s nosy priest,” the Night King sneered. “You killed my general. Today is your end.”
So arrogant…
Lu Zheng tightened his grip on the peach wood sword and glanced at Shen Ying. “I’ll go in, you cover me!”
Shen Ying shook her head. “I’ll hold him off. You fetch the City God.”
Lu Zheng shook his head. “According to the City God, he’d know if the Night King left the Netherworld. This guy evaded the City God’s senses, likely at some cost.”
Lu Zheng looked up at the Night King, a smile tugging at his lips. “Just posing without attacking, probably waiting for me to leave so he can focus on you. He’s confident he can defeat you before the City God reacts. Does he have some hidden trick?”
Shen Ying paused, half-convinced.
On the wall, the Night King scoffed. “Ignorant youth!”
Lu Zheng brandished his sword. “If you want to fight, fight. Stop talking.”
“Wait!” Lu Zheng suddenly turned to Shen Ying. “Where’s the Nether Heart? Don’t keep it too close to the old peach tree’s core!”
Shen Ying started, instinctively following his words, then glanced at the Night King.
“Damn you, little priest!” the Night King roared, diving down.
The next moment, Shen Ying grunted, her face paling.
Lu Zheng stepped forward, the peach wood sword weaving clouds of mist, forming a dense net that clashed with the Night King.
The mist was endless, thread-like. Lu Zheng retreated three steps but still blocked the Night King’s assault.
Turning back, he asked, “Are you alright?”
Shen Ying, still shaken, replied, “I’ve refined eighty percent of the Nether Heart’s power. I didn’t expect he’d hidden a trap inside. Thanks to your warning, Lu Lang, or I’d have struggled alone if he ambushed me under the main peach tree.”
