Wei Li's complete trust in Gu Junshi at this moment was perhaps due to a certain imprinted chick complex from her beast-humanoid form, coupled with her evidently insufficient intelligence, which led her to be persuaded by Gu Junshi's cajoling and advice.
However, after that, the little fox secretly developed a hobby: he would often send his fox tribe's little scouts to guard near Mohe Chan, watching for when Dan Ya would be released, and then rush over to capture her.
How could Gu Junshi not know about this? She merely turned a blind eye and let him have his way. This ill-tempered fox, with his petty nature, would never be satisfied unless he got his revenge.
—
Fengdu Ghost City was perpetually shrouded in gloom, without sun, moon, or stars. Along the streets and alleys, besides the everlasting lamps fueled by merman oil for basic illumination, the ghost city resembled an underground city, always dim and cold.
But on this seventh day of the seventh month, the four ghost cities, usually so deserted and chilly, were instead brilliantly lit, their radiance as dazzling as broad daylight.
Everyone knew that this was the day the sole master of Fengdu Ghost City, the Human Emperor, was to marry his Queen.
The Human Emperor decreed that the Queen should feel as though she had returned home, so a day and night were to be carved out within Fengdu. This was a formidable task, but the subordinates, fearing his might, had no choice but to rack their brains to accomplish it.
The Human Emperor demanded it be incredibly grand, so everyone in the city participated, arranging the venues day and night without rest.
The Human Emperor stated that Queen Gu Junshi was of the human race, thus all the wedding customs in the ghost city were to follow those of the mortal realm.
Therefore, they specially went to the human realm to understand these customs, seeking auspicious signs, and then presenting gifts, betrothal cakes, presents, and offerings, decorating everything with lanterns and banners to make it exceptionally lively.
While preparations for the wedding were in full swing below, high atop the pagoda, a place of solitude and ethereal mist, Gu Junshi, clad in a thin red gown, her shoulders slender and her waist delicate, her black hair flowing, stood before Lang Gan, quietly gazing at the ant-like flow of people below.
"Have you found him?"
Cang Yu Yao, folding his wings as he landed, bowed to her and shook his head. "He returned to Fengdu once before, but after that, he vanished completely."
Gu Junshi curved her lips into a faint smile. "Is that so?"
"The Sky Tribe is fully prepared. As long as Your Majesty gives the order, we will search every corner of the Twenty-Eight Heavens to find him."
Gu Junshi, however, said, "There's no need. I can find out where he went."
She turned, flicked her sleeve, and a mirror-like image appeared, displaying a scene.
The perspective was that of a pair of eyes observing their surroundings. "He" was walking through a place with peculiar and beautiful scenery, a flower realm. Ordinarily, such a place, saturated with spiritual energy, should no longer exist in the Twenty-Eight Heavens. "He" seemed to sense someone watching and abruptly turned his head, but found nothing, only seeing the environment behind him.
Cang Yu Yao exclaimed, "What is this?"
"The eyes."
It was a gift she gave him, and also a chain to guide the beast back to its nest.
She asked, "Do you recognize this place?"
Cang Yu Yao deduced, "It shouldn't be the Twenty-Eight Heavens… could it be the mortal realm?"
The mortal realm?
Why would he go to the mortal realm?
And this place, for some reason, made Gu Junshi feel a sense of unease…
But soon, she shifted to another matter. "What is the status of the war between the Demon race and the Immortal Alliance?"
Meanwhile, within a spiral passage, Ji Du Mo opened the stone gate and arrived. He spoke with a tone of schadenfreude, "The cultivation world is now experiencing a depletion of spiritual energy. The Demon race, with their superior strategies, has completely seized the initiative."
This meant that the Demon race was unstoppable.
Gu Junshi dispersed the image and casually remarked, "The Demon race, it's no wonder, after all, they have the Heavenly Demon as their backing."
"If you ask me, the righteous path strictly adheres to rules. If a Heavenly Demon can wreak havoc in one realm, why don't the gods and immortals in the world descend to save them?" Kai Shan Gui tore himself from the wall and rumbled, his voice deep and coarse.
Gu Junshi glanced at him. She saw him twitch his flat body a few times before inflating like a balloon into a giant nearly three meters tall.
"If they were to descend, it's possible these Twenty-Eight Heavens would collapse even faster."
Tian Shan Gui was bewildered. "Why?"
Gu Junshi smiled. "Do you truly believe that the gods and immortals in the upper realms are all righteous crusaders? They too ascended from the lower realms. There are all kinds of people and temperaments among them. Even the Heavenly Dao, which is indifferent to all things and treats them as mere straw dogs, is subject to the governance of Da Luo Tian. Do you understand what that implies?"
The three were stunned by this secret history.
Gu Junshi did not continue this topic with them, but instead suddenly thought seriously. "You say, to resolve a Heavenly Demon, and to exchange it for battle merits, how much good karma would that be?"
This startled them.
Kai Shan Gui trembled. "Ruler, please, don't joke. A Heavenly Demon? That is an existence comparable to ancient demon gods. And we are fundamentally beings from the Three Thousand Worlds. Even if the entire Three Thousand Worlds were used to fill it, it wouldn't be enough to mend the hole caused by a Heavenly Demon's destruction."
Cang Yu Yao's face stiffened. "Yes. Besides, a Heavenly Demon might not necessarily be able to reach the Three Thousand Lesser Worlds. After all, the Heavenly Dao and the Upper Realm cannot simply stand by and do nothing about such a matter."
Ji Du Mo gave a bitter smile. "When the sky falls, there are saviors to prop it up. For us, who have done few good deeds in our lives, there's no need to join such a commotion."
As if persuaded by their words, Gu Junshi nodded in agreement. "Indeed."
This topic came to an end. Seeing the vibrant attire she was wearing, though not yet fully adorned, it was still recognizable as a wedding dress.
"Ruler, you truly intend to marry that Human Emperor?" Cang Yu Yao's pale face held no hint of joy.
Gu Junshi smiled, neither confirming nor denying. "Have you brought the thing I asked you to find?"
"Your subordinate carries it with him."
Gu Junshi reached out. "Give it to me."
Cang Yu Yao did not hesitate and immediately presented the box.
Gu Junshi took it, did not open it, but simply stared at the surface of the box for a moment. "Tell everyone to stay outside the city walls of Fengdu. Once I give the order to hold fast, not even a flying mosquito shall be allowed to leave the city."
Though the three did not understand her command, they obeyed absolutely. The three stood in unison, their expressions serious. "Yes."
At this moment, Gu Junshi left them with a parting sentence.
"Sometimes, death is not truly frightening."
Her footsteps, faint as smoke, led her into the inner chamber, leaving the three behind.
At this point, a dozen or so attending young maidens came forward in quick steps, intending to help her change clothes and style her hair. However, one of them behaved rather unusually. Not only did she not move, but she stared blankly at Gu Junshi.
Gu Junshi glanced at her, her eyes shimmering with a subtle light, then she grabbed the woman and dragged her all the way to a side chamber.
Biting her lower lip, the woman did not resist, following along unsteadily.
Upon reaching a secluded spot, Gu Junshi released her. She turned, raising an eyebrow. "How did you manage to sneak in?"
"Gu Yi, is that really you, Gu Junshi?"
Fang Rui, however, was staring at her with a complicated expression.
Gu Junshi leaned close to her face, and the scent of warm lotus filled her nostrils. "Let me guess, did someone send you here?"