Chapter 22: Setting Out on the Journey Home

  Ziyan went to the inner room to pack things up, I sat alone on the sofa, just when I felt bored, I found a box of Hustler on the table, not the one sent by Fei, don't know if Ziyan had seen it or not.

  This fat pig, I don't know what he's sent over. The black wooden box is exquisitely crafted, with a red gemstone in the center and various carvings around it. The corners are all wrapped in metal, could it be solid gold? I've searched high and low, but can't find any way to open the box. Dammit, isn't this dead fatso making things difficult for me?!

  I was just about to use my internal energy to crush it, when Zi Yan's voice came from the room: "A Xiang, I've packed up, we can set off now." Along with her voice, Zi Yan walked out carrying a small bundle, which should contain the clothes made by the tailor here and some necessities. "Huh, what are you doing?" Zi Yan asked curiously upon seeing my appearance.

  "I want to see what this fat guy sent over, but no matter how hard I try, I just can't open this box. I'm about to dismantle it."

  Ziyan heard what I said and rushed over, snatching the box away: "You're so stupid, let me open it for you. It's a good box, it would be a pity to ruin it."

  I smiled slightly and said: "Do you like it? I'll give it to you then. Just a few gems, girls like these things the most."

  Ziyan gave me a white eye and said, "Do you think I'm one of those mediocre women? I don't care about gems, I like natural beauty. Look, this kind of box should be opened like this." As she spoke, she gently pressed the red gemstone on top of the box downwards, then turned it to the left and pressed again, with a click, the box split open from the middle.

  The moment the box opened, the entire room was enveloped in a brilliant light, and the dazzling seven-colored rays made my eyes dizzy. Looking at what was inside the box, both I and Ziyuan were completely stunned.

  Inside the box was a blue velvet bottom, with twenty small recesses, each containing a gemstone. I roughly counted them: five black gemstones, three red ones, three blue ones, three yellow ones, three green ones, and three purple ones. I had seen gemstones before, but such brilliance was indeed my first time seeing.

  "Ziyan, how can they be so bright?! It's dazzling me and making my eyes blurry."

  Ziyan gently stroked each gemstone in the box, saying: "That fatty really did cough up blood this time. These are all absolutely top-grade gemstones. Look at this red one - it's a chicken blood stone. Such pure and flawless chicken blood stones are rarely seen even in the Dragon God's imperial palace. It has the effect of refreshing the mind and stunning the spirit."

  "This blue one must have been processed, right? Although I've never seen it before, I've heard that the Demon Clan has an extremely hard gemstone called diamond, and blue diamonds are among the best. I think this should be it."

  "This yellow gemstone is also extraordinary. Look at how its overall shape resembles jelly. This type of Tian Huang stone seems to have another name, but I just can't remember it right now. Let me tell you, the jade seal used by the Dragon God Empire's emperor was also carved from Tian Huang stone, and none of them have a higher purity than these few pieces."

  "The green one is a green tourmaline. I only know its name, but I don't know what effect it has."

  "This purple one is top-grade amethyst, with the effect of storing magical power. It should be the most practical gemstone among these. These three pieces of amethyst can store magical power equivalent to ten times my current total magical power. With them, if I use magic, I wouldn't have to worry about running out of magical energy at all. Although it can't directly increase my magic level, it can allow me to continuously use the magic within my ability range until the stored magical energy is depleted."

  "The only one I don't know the name of is this black gemstone. It's neither crystal nor jade - I have no idea what it's used for. Maybe it's also a Demon Clan specialty."

  I stared blankly at Ziyan, what she said seemed like heavenly scripture to me: "You're really a talented girl, if I were alone, I'm afraid I wouldn't know anything, you can take whatever you like."

  Ziyan smiled and said: "This is what you said, in that case, I'll take two pieces of purple extreme-quality crystal, let's consider it a token of engagement for us sisters, and it can also store magical power."

  I made a welcoming gesture, and Zi Yan excitedly picked out two top-quality crystals, carefully placing them in a small pouch and tucking it into her bosom: "As long as you keep infusing magic power into these crystals, they'll be fine. When you need to use them, just activate them again. Look, aren't they so pure and beautiful?"

  I laughed and said: "You still say you don't love gems, aren't a mediocre woman, but seeing this top-grade crystal reveals your true nature."

  Yan Zi patted me and said, "I don't like it. You can take the rest of these, maybe you'll use them someday." As she spoke, she handed over the box.

  I held the box and looked at those fascinating gems inside, smiling: "These things can't be eaten, what's the use of holding them, I'll give them all to you."

  Ziyan pressed down on the hand I was about to give her, and said seriously: "Don't underestimate these things, they might be the entire fortune of that fat guy and his uncle. In the future, if you're short on money, taking out just one of them can sell for a sky-high price. Conservatively estimating, any one of these could sell for tens or even hundreds of millions of gold coins."

  Hearing this number, I was shocked: "Wh-what? A hundred million gold coins?"

  Ziyan nodded solemnly and said, "So you should take good care of it. After you return the two pearls I gave you, I will make a magic wand with Zixue, which is very beneficial for our magic practice."

  With so much money, doesn't that mean I'm now a wealthy master? It seems that Geyun brothers aren't too clear about this matter either. That fatty really did spare no expense to save his life.

  Actually, what I didn't know was that it wasn't Husite. Fei Zhen didn't want the Gu Yun brothers to help him get rid of this batch of treasure because he was afraid that if the Gu Yun brothers saw it and wanted a share, even if he sold himself by the pound, he wouldn't be able to afford it. And over the years, he had indeed embezzled a lot of money. Money could be earned again, but if his title were really stripped away, the consequences would be even more unbearable.

  He invited the Gu Yun brothers, and his main purpose was to find a weakness in my identity, so that I would die at their hands, and he could save this treasure that was almost all of his family's wealth.

  If the top ten corrupt officials of the Demon Clan were to be evaluated, Xiū Sī Tè and Fēi Zhēn along with his uncle would definitely make the list. This city is the largest transit station for launching an attack on the Dragon God Empire, and many materials are collected and manufactured here. The process in between...

  "Axiong, these gems are basically all beneficial to you, just keep them on your body, the box is too inconvenient. You're so careless and neglectful, it's surprising you haven't lost them yet."

  "Am I that careless? Then how should I put it, can't just stick it on with glue?"

  Ziyan thought for a moment with her hands supporting her cheeks, "Alright, it's still early anyway. You wait here for a bit, I'll be right back." After saying that, she ran out.

  "I shouted: 'Where are you going? This place is unfamiliar, be careful.'"

  "Got it, I'll be back in a while."

  Ziyan left, and I couldn't help but shake my head secretly. Am I still the old Leixiang? In front of Ziyan's sisters, I can no longer be cold at all, but do I regret it? My heart tells me, no. Not only do I not regret it, but I also like this life very much. They have always been warming my heart, making me feel a sense of home for the first time.

  Ziyan was gone for a good while and didn't come back until more than an hour later. She was holding something black in her hands, but it was unclear what it was.

  "How come it's taken so long, it's almost noon already, if we don't go now, we'll be late." I complained.

  Ziyan smiled and said: "What's the hurry, look." As she spoke, she unfolded what was in her hand.

  It was originally a horse jacket with several small pockets on it.

  "It suddenly dawned on me: 'Are you telling me to put the gemstone in here?'"

  Ziyan nodded and said, "You go in and try it on quickly. This is the one that's worn closest to the body. There are six pockets in total, each with five small fixed pockets inside. Even if you put gemstones in them, they won't move around. It was my idea to have the tailor make this. In the future, if you have any other good small things, you can also put them inside. This material is really good stuff, it's made from a type of skin called 'Masiweiqiu'. It's light and thin, but very durable, and feels comfortable against the skin. You can wear it for a lifetime without it getting damaged. I even had him open two seams in the back, so when you transform, it won't get ruined."

  I took the riding jacket from Ziyan's hand, and there was still a lingering warmth on it from her hand. My heart felt warm and fuzzy. Ziyan pushed me into the inner room: "Don't just stand there, hurry up and put it on, didn't you say we're running late?"

  Wearing this hemp armor, I feel comfortable not only on my body but also in my heart. I secretly vowed that for Ziyan's kindness, I will never easily take it off.

  Ziyan looked me up and down: "It fits well, the tailor's craftsmanship is really good. Come on, I'll put the gemstone on for you."

  Ziyan's height only reached my shoulder, which was already considered very tall among human girls. She used her delicate white hands to put a few gems into the vest I was wearing close to my body. Although there was a layer of fabric in between, I could feel my heart beating rapidly.

  "Alright, everything's in place. Isn't my design great? Hmm, why is your face so red? You're not catching a cold, are you? Ah!" Ziyan jumped aside cautiously, puffing out her chest as she glared at me.

  I stared blankly at her, somewhat at a loss. Ziyan pouted and said, "Don't think bad things."

  I foolishly said: "What bad thing, I didn't think of it."

  "Come on, let's get going! I've already asked the innkeeper to prepare some dry rations for us, we can eat them on the road."

  When I went to settle the bill with the innkeeper, he didn't dare take my money and kept kowtowing. In the end, having no choice, I could only throw down a bag of gold coins and leave with Ziyan. As we left, what I saw in the innkeeper's eyes was gratitude and admiration.

  When we arrived at the East City Gate, Gu Yun brothers were already waiting for us. They were quite leisurely, as members of the Fallen Angel Army, yet they didn't even have a single attendant with them. Wearing the same black warrior attire, each of them had a long sword on their back. "Sorry, two elder brothers, I was delayed due to some minor matters," I said apologetically.

  Gu Yun smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, let's hurry up and get on our way."

  I'm still riding a horse with Ziyan, with Heilong's divine steed carrying the two of us. We're not falling behind anyone, easily keeping pace alongside the Gu brothers' mounts. Ziyan is leaning against my chest with her eyes closed, I don't know if she's asleep or not. We're on the official road, which is very flat, and with Heilong running steadily, my chest is definitely a great place to take a nap.

  I stroked Ziyan's light blue long hair indulgently, and asked Guyu, "Brother Guyu, do you know the current situation on the front line? Are you clear about it?"

  Gu Yun sighed and said, "After fighting for so many years, what else can we do? We have our wins and losses. According to the information we obtained in the imperial city, at the beginning of the war, we had some advantages, but this advantage has been taken back by the enemy over time. The Dragon God Empire is really not easy to deal with. I heard that the beastmen killed a dragon knight, but their Bimon army lost nearly a hundred people, which should be the most tragic loss in decades. These brainless guys don't know what they're doing, all of them are brainless waste, sacrificing their own tribesmen in vain."

  Hearing him speak ill of the Beastmen, I felt a twinge of discomfort in my heart and furrowed my brow, saying: "The Beastmen's tribes are too numerous to be completely ruled, and the policies of each place are also different. Although they have the strongest reproductive power, they can never develop fully, only being able to rival the Mongol army."

  He snorted coldly and said, "What's the Mong Military compared to us, the Fallen Angel Army? They're far inferior. If we talk about overall strength, even the Dragon Knights aren't necessarily our match, it's just that they have the help of the Holy Dragons. Just wait until I cultivate into a Four-Winged Fallen Angel, and see if I won't make them suffer a crushing defeat."

  When he mentioned the Four-Winged Fallen Angel, I couldn't help but feel a stir in my heart. All along, I had been practicing the Tian Mo Quan alone, and now that I had such a good opportunity, why not try to get some information from them and see if it could be of any help to me? Thinking of this, I asked: "I wonder how many layers of Tian Mo Quan have you two brothers cultivated?"

  Gu Yun said: "We have all practiced up to the fifth layer initially."

  I let out a sound and said: "At this speed, it won't take too long for the two brothers to cultivate to the Four-Winged Fallen Angel."

  The ancients said that brothers looked at each other with one eye, and Gu Feng frowned: "Are you mocking us?"

  I was taken aback and said, "How can that be? My younger brother spoke from his heart."

  Gu Feng said, "Hmph, what's with the heart-to-heart talk? Don't you know that most of the Fallen Angel Army are at the fifth level, and only a few are at the sixth or fourth level?"

  I shook my head and said, "I'm not sure about this, but I'm currently in the fourth layer realm, and I'm making rapid progress. At this rate, it's only a matter of time before both of you brothers reach four wings."

  Gu Yun shook his head and said, "Didn't His Majesty tell you about the bottleneck of practicing Tianmo Jue?"

  I shook my head in astonishment, "No, Your Majesty just passed on the Tianmo Secret to me and let me practice it myself. Since I was old enough to understand things, I have seen him a total of no more than five times, each time not saying more than ten sentences. He also rarely explained anything to me, only telling me to figure it out for myself."

  Gu Feng let out a sigh of relief and said, "In that case, it's not your fault for saying what you did earlier. The thing is, the Tianmo Jue has a bottleneck at every level starting from the fifth layer. You can only enter the next layer by breaking through this bottleneck. Like us, we've been cultivating up to the fifth layer for four years now, but so far, we're still stuck in the initial stage of the fifth layer. Alas... it's tough! Our father was 67 years old when he successfully broke through the bottleneck of the sixth layer, which is already a rare occurrence in our demonic clan. Your Majesty completed the Four Wings at the age of 54, and in the thousands of years of our demonic clan's history, you are the only one who has achieved this before the age of 60, which is why you receive everyone's admiration and respect."

  I asked in surprise: "Is it really that difficult?"

  Gu Yun smiled and said, "Wait until you reach the fifth floor and you will understand what we are saying. The Four Wings is an unattainable realm! What can the dragon riders of the Dragon God Empire amount to? Without a divine dragon, even if there were three of them, they might not be a match for Your Majesty. How detestable, the dragon tribe only knows how to favor humans."

  Although I haven't seen the Dragon Knights' skills, from the Dragon Knights themselves, you can see how formidable they are. The Demon Emperor was able to take on three Dragon Knights without a dragon, what kind of realm is that? After hearing their words, I yearn for the transformation of the Four-Winged Fallen Angel even more.

  Gufeng continued: "Unfortunately, Your Majesty has been stuck at the seventh level since his training, and he's already over 60 years old. Don't be afraid to hear this, brother, in a few decades, after these elders are gone, I don't know if we can still compete with humans and maintain the current situation."

  "I curiously asked: 'Won't there be one among the next generation who can break through the sixth layer?'"

  Gu Feng slowed down his horse and said, "It's not that there aren't any talented individuals, but after the fifth level, it's not just about having good talent to break through. You also need a certain amount of luck, and luck is something that can be encountered but not sought. However, you're still so young, and you're the youngest person I know, aside from the princess, to have reached the Two-Winged Fallen Angel. In a few decades, who knows, maybe you'll really break through to the sixth level. When that time comes, if you sit on the throne of the Demon Emperor, don't forget about us brothers."

  I feigned a dejected tone: "With this identity of mine, I don't even qualify as an orthodox imperial family member, let alone the Demon Emperor."

  The old man chuckled and said, "Nothing is absolute. If you break through the sixth layer and reach the current state of His Majesty, who cares who gave birth to you? Here, a fallen four-winged angel is equivalent to an emissary of the demon god. Isn't the throne within your grasp?"

  As for the Demon Emperor, I don't have any desire for power, but as for the Four-Winged Fallen Angel's overwhelming strength, I'm extremely tempted. Being an unparalleled strong being has always been my dream.

  I smiled slightly and said, "That's a story for later. Whether or not I get that chance, I won't forget the two of you brothers. By the way, Your Majesty used up two layers of the Heaven Demon Technique to infuse magic into my sister whom I've never met. Who knows when it'll recover? What if those Dragon Knights take action? There won't be anyone who can stop them."

  Listen, I'm telling you this top-secret information that even in the demon clan is of the highest level, both of them already completely trust me.

  Ancient Cloud said, "You don't have to worry about this. The Dragon Riders won't easily take action because their destructive power is too strong. Over a thousand years ago, the three clans made an agreement that once they reached this level, they wouldn't be allowed to participate in ordinary battles and could only command from behind the scenes. Every ten years, the leaders of the three clans would find a deserted place to have a good fight, and I heard there's a wager involved. As for what it is, only those at their level know. I asked my father, but he wouldn't tell us."

  "Fine, don't tell us then. But to call us useless and say we'll never reach that realm in our lifetime... with three fallen angels from one family, he's still not satisfied. I really don't know what he wants us brothers to do."

  "What was the outcome of each trial?"

  Gu Yun shook his head and said, "This is not very clear, it should be more or less a draw. If you have the chance, ask His Majesty yourself, but unless you reach that level, he may not tell you."

  It seems that walking with them was a wise choice, and I learned many secrets of the demon tribe. The sleeping Ziyan suddenly sat up, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and asked me: "Where are we, Ah, Ah Lei?"

  Dizzy, what's this title, I forced myself to hold back a smile and replied: "Specifically where I don't know either, it should be over 200 miles out."

  Gu Yun smiled and said, "Brother, your fiancée is really beautiful. The women of our demon clan have always been known for their figure, but she has a rare beauty that's hard to find even in the imperial palace."

  Ziyan had almost no sleepiness left, and upon hearing this, she smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for your compliment."

  At this moment, I and the Gu brothers simultaneously became alert. On the wide official road, four people suddenly appeared. The official road was lined with tall and dense forests, and since we were already close to the demon tribe border, there were very few travelers. These four people didn't seem to have anything menacing about them, each wearing a black scarf over their face, standing in a line on the official road, holding a horse-slaying knife in their hands. Could they be here to rob us? The three of us almost simultaneously pulled back on the reins, stopping thirty meters away from each other.

  "Halt! This mountain is ours, if you want to pass through here, leave your toll money. If not, heh heh, we'll take care of killing you - and no one will bury you." He intentionally drew out the word 'kill'.

  I exchanged a glance with the Gu brothers, and we burst out laughing simultaneously. It's really laughable that three fallen angels like us were actually stopped by a few robbers. We were laughing at those robbers for being reckless and ignorant of their own fate, running into us was their misfortune.

  I snorted, saying: "Two brothers wait here for a moment, I'll go and collect them." Killing bandits is one of my specialties. In the Beastman Country, countless bandits died at my hands. These few thieves ran into me today, they're just unlucky.

  Gu Yun suddenly stretched out his hand and stopped me: "Younger brother, let me go instead. I still have some questions to ask them. How can there be bandits on the official road? It's not too late to investigate clearly before taking action. Are you afraid they'll run away?"

  Ziyan whispered in my ear, "Don't kill people easily, okay? I don't like bloodshed."

  "I don't think so," I replied, "Killing people isn't what I want to do, but if you don't kill him, he'll kill you. Compared to the battlefield, killing a few bandits doesn't count as bloody, does it?" As I spoke, Gu Yun urged his horse forward towards the group of bandits, and Zi Yan whispered in my arms, "But... never mind, you're just too naive, others are more mature than you, they know to ask about the situation before acting, and not be too impulsive, or you'll end up losing out." Although her voice was very low, Gu Feng should still have heard it from a distance, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

  Ancient Cloud led his horse to a stop ten paces in front of the others, gave a slight smile, and with both hands clasped in a fist, said: "I don't know which mountain stronghold you heroes are from?"

  The leader of the thieves sneered and slung his sword over his shoulder: "What business is it of yours where we came from? Hand over your valuables quickly, and I'll let you pass. Otherwise, today will be your unlucky day next year."

  The ancients said that seeing the other party's behavior, he couldn't help but change his mind and shouted: "Don't you really know life or death? How could our clan produce such a loser like you?"

  A fierce aura burst out from him, instantly enveloping the four opponents at once. Under the overwhelming pressure of his aura, the four robbers suddenly appeared flustered and panicked. Gu Yun let out a hearty laugh, easing the pressure on his opponents, and shouted: "Those who want to live, get lost! Today I don't feel like killing anyone."

  I thought a massacre was about to be avoided, but at this moment, I suddenly discovered that the person on the far left of the four opponents had a flash of cold light in his eyes, which is a divine light that only a master would have. Hurriedly shouting: "Gu Da Ge, be careful, they are not ordinary bandits."

  Ancient Cloud, having experienced a hundred battles, heard my shout and rose into the air without hesitation, his body flying backwards like an arrow. When I shouted, the four opponents also made their move at the same time, four powerful and condensed auras simultaneously bursting forth, four black lights heavily striking the position where Ancient Cloud had just stood, Ancient Cloud's good horse was blown to smithereens in the black light. The scene before his eyes left the normally calm Ancient Wind stunned. Ancient Cloud secretly wiped away a cold sweat, if not for my reminder, with the four opponents having such strength, being ambushed and getting the upper hand would have been unthinkable.

  He scowled and pointed at the other party, saying: "What are you people? What's your purpose?"

  Before the other party could respond, Gu Feng jumped off his horse and grabbed his impulsive brother, saying in a low voice: "You don't have to say it, I already know who you are. How is Princess Su?"

  After hearing Gu Feng's question, the four people simultaneously trembled with fear. The leader burst out laughing and said: "Good, good, good! You two brothers are indeed famous for a reason. I admit that my disguise is already quite good, but how did you manage to determine that I am the king? However, regardless of whether you can recognize our identities today, this will still be your burial ground. You should know that as fallen angels, four against two, you have no chance at all. It's better for you to surrender and take your own lives, and I might spare your corpses."

  My heart skipped a beat as I listened to his tone, and it seemed that the four of them should all be fallen angels, so why would they kill each other?

  The ancient wind disdainfully said: "It's not hard to see through you, now most of the fallen angel army is on the front line killing enemies, only we two brothers and the king's personal guards are left in the inner land. Your attack just now has exposed your identity, putting it all together, I naturally know who you are, don't pretend anymore, Sol."

  The person called Soul by the ancient wind ripped off his veil amidst loud laughter, revealing a pale and ferocious face. He didn't look like a fallen angel, but rather a special breed of the demon clan - a vampire.

  "Suo Er smiled and said: 'If the two of you are willing to abandon your evil ways and join our side, then we will be allies from now on. One is life, one is death, it's up to you.'"

  "Get out of here! You think you can take our lives? That's just a pipe dream."

  At the same time as their conversation, Gu Yun whispered to me: "These four guys are extremely formidable, wait a while and they will make their move, don't get involved with us, take your fiancée and quickly leave. Their target is my brother, when you see His Majesty, just ask him to help us avenge."

  Although I didn't have much good feelings towards Gu Shi brothers, he is now willing to use his own life to cover our escape, which still touches my heart. I blurted out: "Gu big brother, what are you talking about? Since we're together, we should share life and death, it's impossible for me to escape alone. But I really don't understand, why do the fallen angel corps people want to harm you?"