"Lord Consort Xue Jing!"
They've yelled out the name of the person on the video. Most Celestial Masters had shown astonishment on their old faces. There were even some who had cried. This is a figure they've been missing for countless hundreds of years.
The first celestial elder had awakened from his surprise and ran out to report immediately to their master.
"I will report to the master!"
"Stop! I would report it instead!"
"You old fogies! jumping above this senior brother's head for benefits! It's my duty to report to the master."
"Hahaha~ First come, first serve~"
What they didn't know is that the first elder who noticed the boy's presence had already sent the link to his master's account. His phone rang once as a notification sound of him receiving a message.
Lin Xia: Leave the rest to me. Pick one thing in my treasure house as your reward.
He replied: Thank you, Master!
The elder grinned evilly after getting confirmation from his master. He isn't unlike his other senior brothers, he knows that master hates noise the most. Lin Xia would like it more if you just message him the report instead of coming over personally.
He didn't inform his brothers about this as this is a secret advantage over them. He is the youngest among the master's disciples and was mostly treated as an errand boy by his senior brothers but he is smarter and easily adaptable to situations like this.
The Master's orders were to report everything that might have a connection to the Lord Consort. He had always done his report through the mobile phone and his master didn't scold him over this. Instead, praise him for being versatile.
—
Maple University
South Yard's Abandoned Building
When Xue Luli opened her eyes the first thing she saw was her boyfriend's sleeping face. It was the handsome and serene face of Fu Lian. Once he looked down he could see her little brother's adorable fat cheeks, he was chewing something even in his sleep obviously eating happily in his dream.
Munch. munch. Munch.
Xue Luli couldn't stop her playful fingers from poking at those marshmallow-like cheeks.
"Nuh~ Munch…"
Giggles~
Xue Luli silently laughs seeing her little brother's silly sleeping appearance. When she turned around to check on their other friend she noticed that the surrounding area had changed. From a ruined old building to a cleaned library with yellowed paper books, few tables and chairs scattered in the room. The structure of this place is obviously clear for her, it's the place Pen Fairy said to be the safest place in this whole haunted building.
"This is… a library? But how did we?" murmured Xue Luli.
Feeling things were getting strange all around her, Xue Luli immediately woke up her boyfriend, Fu Lian, and their friend, Ye Lou. Fu Lian, who was shaken awake, heard his girlfriend's panicking voice and instantly woke up. He held his throbbing forehead from suddenly seating up from his sleep.
Fu Lian asked, "Lili, what's wrong?"
"L-Look… Look around! Did you guys bring us here!?" asked Xue Luli in alarm.
Her boyfriend's expression turned serious the moment he realized that they were no longer on the ground floor of the building where they last stayed. He instantly woke up Ye Lou with vigilance in his whole being.
"Old Ye! Wake up!" yelled Fu Lian.
With this sudden shout, even Xue Jing woke up from his slumber.
Ye Lou who was jolted awake by Fu Lian's yell. "Hah! What's wrong?! This… are we in the library? But when…"
"It wasn't you and Lian who brought us here?" asked Xue Luli as she grabbed her half-awake sibling.
"Big brother? Why are you shouting?" asked Xue Jing groggily while rubbing his eyes.
"We're in the library but how?" asked Fu Lian as he felt his deep thoughts.
Meanwhile in the boundary forest before entering the south yard abandoned building. Few apprentices led by a Celestial Disciple surnamed Wen tried countless things to try breaking the crimson barrier surrounding the whole south yard.
An apprentice said, "Senior Brother Wen. It is no use. This barrier is too hard. We've done everything but not even a scratch was left."
"Senior Brother Wen what should we do next?"
"Let's just report to the masters."
"This place really feels creepy! Hih~"
The disciple called Wen had observed the whole time and saw that things won't change no matter how much they've tried hard to break this barrier. Clearly, the one who created this barrier is a mighty being.
"For now let's…"
Before he could issue an order, Senior Brother Wen heard the collective gasped from behind him. When he turned around he saw the most esteemed being of their organization. He's the reincarnated immortal, Immortal Master Lin Xia.
Looking around his surroundings he noticed that the other apprentices didn't dare to raise their heads in front of the man before them. Of course, even him isn't willing to do so but as the only disciple in the area, he must be the one to greet and report to this esteemed master.
"Esteemed Lord. Greetings this little disciple is called Wen."
Lin Xia glanced at him and said, "Report the current situation."
Disciple Wen saluted and respectfully informed Lin Xia what they'd done as soon as they'd arrived in the area.
"As soon as we had arrived in this place, we did as we're told to and scouted the area but unfortunately this barrier had been blocking our way. We've been stuck outside for an hour. Tried all means to destroy the barrier but unable to do so. End of report." said Disciple Wen.
Lin Xia replied, "I see. Retreat for now. I will do the rest. When your masters come tell them not to break the barrier. This barrier is the only thing preventing all those evil creatures outside from reaching the surface world. The caster of this formation has formidable cultivation; it is mostly impossible for those weaker than the caster to enter much less break it. Stay outside. Wait for me to come out."
"As you wish Esteemed Lord!" The disciple and apprentices responded.
Then they all watched Lin Xia walk gracefully towards the scarlet barrier, covering his whole body with his qi he slowly entered the interior of the protected area, disappearing from the area of sight those youngsters could see.
Inside the barrier, at the moment Lin Xia had completely entered what welcomed him is a vast forest of dead trees. There are few scattered human bones upon his line of sight. There are traces of blood on the ground and those were clearly fresh as it hasn't turned black in color yet. Once Lin Xia noticed the demonic qi within the lands that he was finally convinced where he is.
Lin Xia whispered on his own, "This is the Abyss. So the hidden location was protected by a huge formation that hides it from the outsider's eyes. But… because some amateur tried putting up another barrier that a clash between two different types of energy weakened the formation. Making the defensive formation that sealed this land collapsed. This barrier wouldn't last for long."
SCREAAMMS~~
"Hm~ Mortals?" murmured Lin Xia while looking at the distance.
While thinking what he should do next Lin Xia heard shrieking not far from him. With his unique eyes, he could see the ruined building even with the distance. Seeing countless evil spirits and creatures feasting on humans made him sick. He instantly uses his qi to move fast and heads to the place where survivors are still alive.
Back to the library.
Fu Lian who was in silence just now thinks of things they've experienced. Every time something weird happens there will always be Xue Jing involved in it. During this time they've summoned the Pen Fairy. That notorious evil spirit had wrongly written before.
At first, Fu Lian thought that Pen Fairy made a mistake but looking back at it, the pen shook weird by then as if something controlled it. Then every time Xue Jing asked Pen Fairy the spirit was oddly replying in a weird respectful manner as if he was afraid of him.
Then that time when Yaoguai appeared intending to take Xue Luli suddenly disappearing when Xue Jing appeared to save his sister instead felt weird. Yaoguai is an evil creature. A mere salt should be able to frighten it enough to run away.
Then this sudden situation where they woke up in the library when none of them remembered walking into if he remembered it right. It was Xue Jing who said that the library is safe. How did he know that the library is safe when even the Pen Fairy didn't know where that beautiful ghost he is talking about, had gone out.
A short earthquake was felt just now. It was made when Lin Xia forcefully entered the formation. That split moment made all hypnotism Xue Jing had done lose effect. The three students instantly distance themselves from Xue Jing as if waking up from a long dream.
"Kyaa! No… No!!!" Xue Luli started panicking after remembering how long Xue Jing had stayed by her and Fu Lian's side.
Fu Lian moved to Xue Luli's side and supported her. He was looking weirdly at Xue Jing with a frown on his handsome face. Ye Lou on the other hand had crawled backward in fear and panic. They've finally remembered one truth. Xue Luli is an only child.
Ye Lou asked with a voice full of nervousness. "Y-Y-You… who are you? Are you a ghost? Xue Luli never had a brother. She is an orphan!"
Fu Lian stared at the boy called Xue Jing with a vigilant gaze. "Are you… the spirit Pen fairy is talking about? The special ghost that could help us leave this place in exchange for something?" he asked but his guard was up the whole time.
Xue Luli murmured, "Jingjing? My Jingjing doesn't exist!? No… he doesn't I'm… an only… child."
Then she looked at the young boy whom she treated as her most important little brother this whole time. It might just have been hours for him but she had longed accepted the young boy named Xue Jing as her little brother. She couldn't believe that Xue Jing would harm them. Somewhere in her heart, something is telling her to believe the boy in front of them.
Fu Lian asked, "Who are you?"
The beautiful young boy called Xue Jing lost his former innocent expression instead it turned into a mischievous but captivating smile. They've watched the adorable young man in front of them transform into an adult man that looks like in his twenties.
The young boy had transfigured into an adult man. Wearing a crimson ancient robe on him. A pitch-black short hair turning long and dyed in golden color with its length that could even reach the floor.
Obsidian phoenix-shaped eyes fading into a dull shade of silver and exquisite features that made me think an immortal had descended. This man before them looks so gorgeous that even Xue Luli's natural beauty fails in comparison to this enthralling man.
Those cerise lips curled in amusement. "My name is still the same. Xue which means snow and Jing with the meaning quiet. I am a Ghost King that resides in this land, Xue Jing."
