“Something’s not right,” Yu Yixiang whispered.
At this point, it would be too slow-witted not to notice.
“The appearance is born from the heart,” Shen Yezhen said with a stone in his mouth, “Don’t be afraid. It’s just that the Family manages things strictly.”
“Creak,” the city gate slowly opened, and a tall, gray-robed youth holding a lantern walked out. The lamplight hit the ground, reflecting a hazy reddish-yellow glow, but the youth’s face was unclear. Only his shadow stretched long and blue on the snow.
“Three visitors, is there something you need?”
A cold wind carried the youth’s hoarse voice over.
Qian Duoduo popped a Qi Return Pill into his mouth, enveloped himself in the protective light of his jade pendant, and kept his right hand ready to draw his Golden Rooster Sword.
Shen Yezhen cupped his hands to him, “Disciple of Refining Spirit Sect, I have come to the He Lou Family with an important matter to inquire about.”
“Disciple of Refining Spirit Sect—” The youth seemed to think for a moment, his tone lacking the expected respect and reverence. The lantern swayed a few times, its light illuminating each of their three faces.
Qian Duoduo now saw his face, as pale as a blank sheet of paper, without a trace of blood, his eyes hollow, his pupils seemingly unmoving.
“Then please come in.” With his dry invitation, the city gate opened completely, and the lantern cast a red shadow on the ground.
The youth turned sideways, his head twisted towards the gate, showing them the back of his head.
Shen Yezhen lifted one leg, then put it down again. He glanced at Qian Duoduo, then lifted his leg again and walked inside. He had insisted on entering the He Lou Family, and at this moment, he couldn’t show weakness in front of Qian Duoduo and Yu Yixiang.
Yu Yixiang looked around, following behind. Her hands, like Qian Duoduo’s, never left her Storage Pouch for a moment.
“Clap, clap, clap…” Footsteps echoed between the castle walls.
Qian Duoduo suddenly stopped. The snow on the path between the castle courtyards hadn’t been cleared, and there wasn’t a single footprint on it!
“Thump,” a cold wind struck from behind. Qian Duoduo turned his head, and the two city gates had already closed.
“Thump,” although prepared, Qian Duoduo’s heart still skipped a beat.
The youth turned back, chuckled twice, “Please come this way. The Family Head is waiting in the mansion; we can discuss it inside.”
The lantern pointed towards a large mansion not far from the city gate, with two stone lions crouching in front of it. Under the lantern’s illumination, the stone lions’ eyes slowly turned red. The five-inch-high threshold emitted a cold light, like a blade.
The courtyard ground was paved with bluestone, swept clean without a single snowflake. In the courtyard was a rockery, with the four characters “Loyalty and Righteousness He Lou” written on it. Around the rockery were three tall Spirit Pomegranate trees, their bare branches laden with countless red Spirit Pomegranates.
This peaceful and harmonious scene slightly relaxed Shen Yezhen and Yu Yixiang.
However, Qian Duoduo’s heart became even more anxious. “There’s no snow on those Spirit Pomegranates, is that normal?” He tried to communicate with the Spirit Pomegranate tree using his Spiritual Awareness, but it gave no response, which was also abnormal.
With a pounding heart, Qian Duoduo stepped over the threshold and walked into the mansion behind Shen Yezhen and Yu Yixiang.
The youth lifted the lantern and walked towards the rockery. There was a large hole in the middle of the rockery, with a bluestone path running through it, leading to the main house of the mansion at its end.
Suddenly, Qian Duoduo caught sight of a Spirit Pomegranate splitting open, and an eye secretly peeking at them from inside!
He shivered all over, just about to speak, when all the Spirit Pomegranates on the Spirit Pomegranate tree suddenly exploded, and Spirit Pomegranates rained down on them like red hail.
Shen Yezhen and Yu Yixiang instinctively retreated, hiding inside the rockery’s hole. However, they didn’t notice that the rockery entrance was trembling slightly, like a large mouth waiting for them.
Qian Duoduo suddenly squeezed his jade pendant, fully activating its protective spiritual power, and affixed a Divine Movement Talisman to his leg, walking towards the threshold.
Yu Yixiang suddenly stopped, two silver swords in her hands, and sharply demanded, “What do you mean by this?”
The youth, hidden deep within the hole, illuminated the hole like the throat of a fierce beast, “Hehe, just a welcome. Please come in—”
Shen Yezhen took a deep breath, “We still won’t go in. Two months ago, did any Disciple from our Refining Spirit Sect come to your esteemed place?”
The Spirit Pomegranates fell to the ground, making “plop, plop, plop” sounds, their juice splashing everywhere.
The youth pondered for a moment before replying, “No.”
“Where are the members of the He Lou Family?” Yu Yixiang’s silver swords floated in her hands, ready to strike.
“They, haha, went out.” The youth’s face was almost dripping blood. That was the light from the lantern.
“Since that’s the case, we’ll take our leave.” Shen Yezhen retreated.
“Take your leave? Can you?” The youth threw the lantern against the cave wall, and the rockery cave transformed into a gaping, blood-red mouth, swallowing them. The four characters “Loyalty and Righteousness He Lou” turned into four fangs.
A suction force arose from the ground, dragging all three of them into the hole. The youth’s body hovered in the air, his hands reaching out of the hole to grab them.
“Hmph!” Shen Yezhen snorted coldly, a golden sword appearing in his hand. With a swing, a flash of Sword Qi shot out, striking the gaping mouth. The Sword Qi directly hit the youth’s arms. The youth, instead of retreating, advanced, opening his mouth and biting directly. A large mouth enveloped a smaller one, looking exceptionally terrifying.
The Spirit Pomegranates that fell to the ground turned into puddles of blood, filling the gaps between the bluestones, and then slowly rising. In the blood, ugly worms were rapidly moving, trying to entwine around Qian Duoduo and the others’ feet.
“Run!” Shen Yezhen reached out and supported Yu Yixiang’s lower back. The two of them leaped over Qian Duoduo and flashed to the threshold of the mansion’s gate. Although he wanted to get rid of Qian Duoduo, he didn’t want to risk his own life.
“Trying to run?” The three Spirit Pomegranate trees shook their branches, blocking the courtyard gate, and branches with cannonball-like Spirit Pomegranates attacked them.
The blue light on the threshold transformed into a stone wall. They could no longer see the scene outside the courtyard.
“Formation.” Shen Yezhen waved his fingers, throwing out several Formation diagrams, while simultaneously unleashing Sword Qi to block the incoming Spirit Pomegranates.
The Sword Qi broke through Spirit Pomegranates one by one, striking the trees. The Spirit Pomegranate trees let out low, mournful cries, and red blood oozed from their bark.
Yu Yixiang took the opportunity to stab her silver swords into the trunk of the tree in front of her. With a “bang” as her twin swords fell, the upper half of the Spirit Pomegranate tree exploded.
Shen Yezhen channeled his spiritual power, sweeping his golden sword horizontally, turning another Spirit Pomegranate tree into a wooden stake.
The fallen section, surprisingly, flew in front of Qian Duoduo, becoming an obstacle to his escape from the courtyard.
The Formation diagrams thrown by Shen Yezhen now also took effect, and blue light flickered at the threshold, revealing the scene outside.
“Junior Sister, quickly leave.” Shen Yezhen threw out two flagpoles.
Qian Duoduo recognized these flagpoles. They were Magic Treasures specifically designed to break evil Formations, called the “True Yang Banner,” a high-grade artisan artifact.
The flagpoles stood firm on either side of the courtyard gate, the blue light on the threshold receded, and fresh air wafted in from outside.
“You two follow as well.” Yu Yixiang kicked away the Spirit Pomegranate tree directly in front of her and leaped out of the courtyard.
“No one is leaving.” From inside the rockery, the youth’s buzzing voice echoed.
No sooner had he spoken than Yu Yixiang retreated back into the courtyard. The two stone lions outside the courtyard, with their glowing red eyes, completely blocked the courtyard gate.
Behind them, the youth sneered coldly, “Refining Spirit Sect, all of you die.”