23 - The Cannon Fodder is Prepared to Divorce

Moon White didn't return to the Sanqing Gate. Instead, she assumed a new identity and found a small inn in Moon Port, where she rented a room. She maintained her body with transformation spells and set up a barrier before letting her spirit float back to the Duke's residence. She had just read Ji He Guang's sea of consciousness and found an unexpected visitor had arrived. Following the marker, Moon White located a secluded part of the Duke's residence where it was quiet. The Duke and a middle-aged man were sitting and having tea, while Ji He Guang stood respectfully aside, attending to them. "Who’s that?" Jiu Yi asked. "The Emperor." "Meow, meow, meow?" Jiu Yi snapped out of his previous slump. "So punctual? Ji Wu Nian will arrive tonight, right?" "Yes." Originally, Moon White had planned to find a way to get Ji Wu Nian to the capital city when she descended the mountain. She hadn't expected the Emperor to come himself. "I do like this kind of NPC," Jiu Yi chuckled. "It feels like progress, and that makes me happy." Sitting on the rooftop, Moon White could hear their conversation clearly. "Now that the flood dragon has retreated, at least the water disaster has been resolved," the Duke said. "Brother, how went your inspection tour?" "Everything is relatively stable," the Emperor replied, his expression calm. "Thanks to the forewarning from Immortal Ji. Without it, a series of disasters would have endangered the entire realm." The Duke agreed, "It's quite rare for Immortal Ji to descend the mountain. If the situation weren’t so dire, I would've loved to show her around…" The Emperor also showed regret. "Yes, this magnificent land owes much to her." "Who could have imagined," the Duke laughed, seemingly trying to lighten the atmosphere, "that the mischievous royal aunt who used to play pranks with us would seek to become an immortal and pursue the Dao…" "Indeed, I thought I'd never see Auntie again," the Emperor said, rather wistfully. "But who would've thought our reunion would be under such circumstances..." "Speaking of which," the Duke seemed bent on keeping the conversation cheerful, "I've heard that Liuli Immortal who got injured is quite close to Auntie. Rumors even say they might become Dao companions. And now another beauty has taken quite good care of him. I wonder what Auntie thinks of it." Hmm? A beauty? Taking good care of him? "...Overthinking," Jiu Yi quipped. "Living as an immortal is often lonely, with a prolonged life and no companion," the Emperor shifted focus. "And if Liuli Immortal really has numerous close relationships, it might suggest he isn’t a suitable match. But affairs of the immortal gates are beyond our influence…" Moon White listened to their conversation for a while longer, but it eventually bored her, so she floated back to the inn. "Moon White, are we leaving?" Jiu Yi moved about, trying to stretch. Moon White opened the window, letting the liveliness from outside filter into the room. "We'll wait until Ji Wu Nian meets the Emperor." Jiu Yi agreed it was wise to check mission progress. "So, what are you going to do now?" "Go out, take a stroll." *** Moon Port was originally the capital of a state. Being a seaport, it boasted a thriving shipping industry and flourishing fisheries. Due to the flood dragon’s recent turmoil, fishing boats couldn't go out to sea, and many commercial ships bound for the open ocean were stuck in the waterways, still unable to depart. Many families had been affected by this uncertainty, with numerous people squatting by the streets with worried faces, sighing deeply. "A ship stuck here for just one night is a night of losses," someone sighed at a tea house near the dock. "This time, I'm afraid we'll be ruined. What kind of monstrous current is this… it’s lethal." A few experienced sailors, who had probably been here for a long time, chimed in, "Now that the weather is calm, old buddy, you might as well get the ship out to make up some of those losses." "Ah, it was calm for a few days before, and then the ferocious waves nearly capsized several ships again the other day," the man sighed deeply. "I'd rather wait a few more days, see how things go. Money isn't more important than life, right?" "True enough," another sailor replied, smiling, "why not take these days to rest? Fishing boats have already begun to go out, and the seafood market is bustling every day. Enjoy the delicacies here." Moon White took note and asked the shop owner where the seafood market was. "The seafood market is where the fishing boats dock, just at the port," the owner said, noticing she was a young lady and smiling. "Fishing boats usually come back in the middle of the night, so the market starts in the late night or early morning. If you want to go, you'll need to get up early." "Thanks for the information." Moon White paid and decided to check out the port. "What are you doing…?" Jiu Yi wanted to roll his eyes. "Are you really checking out the market first?" Moon White hadn't thought much about it. "Just wandering." She wasn't originally from this place and didn't know why she was chosen to come here. This world made her somewhat anxious, forcing her to face it cautiously, uncertain of what lay ahead. And now that the so-called main quest had begun, this place felt like a mission setting, requiring her to spend some inconsequential time with Ji Wu Nian and fulfill some trivial wishes. Decades later, on Ji Wu Nian’s hundredth birthday, she hoped she could complete her mission and leave. The sea breeze blew gently as Moon White found a secluded spot by the shore to sit down. In the distance, some sailing ships rode the wind away, while others with homesick crew members returned. The sea's surface glowed red as the sun set on the other side of the land, casting a reddish hue over the ocean. Red and silver intermingled, the sunset giving way to the moonrise, and the tides rolled in. No matter the world, this alternation of day and night was perpetual. Waves crashed on the shore, each wave higher than the last. A spray of water splashed up only to be swallowed by the next wave. Moonlight scattered, mingling with the waves, spreading across the world. The ships anchored at the harbor constantly rocked, colliding with each other, as if trying to break the anchor's chains and sail towards the land. Sailors returning home teased and joked with the singing girls at the port. With the full moon hanging bright tonight, even the waves seemed to dance. Some sighed deeply, while others reveled under the lights. As if responding to them, the waves truly grew wild, one wave following another like a thousand horses charging towards the narrow harbor entrance. Ships along the shore were pressured together by this immense force, yet they were like small boats, being driven further towards the land by the surging water. "Bang!" A ship's keel struck the shore, the loud noise startling the people nearby. The overflowing seawater quickly submerged half of their bodies before instantly sweeping them into the embrace of the sea. "Moon White!" As Jiu Yi exclaimed, Moon White had already donned her mask and took to the air on her sword. She grabbed the stranded individuals from above the water, throwing them back to the shore before they could even see her, causing them to stagger away in a panic. Floating in mid-air, Moon White stared at the turbulent sea that had already submerged the shore. She looked into the distance, where a white wave glittering with silver lights charged forward, sweeping everything in its path, growing taller and wider. If she did nothing, the entire Moon Port city would be destroyed. "Miss!" Several others approached on their swords—it was High Cloud and his companions. "This… could it be the demon flood dragon returning?" The waves roared, and the city's cries of alarm were quickly drowned by the sound of the water. "You guys, start rescuing people first!" High Cloud shouted. High Cloud's disciples scattered into the city, flying to rescue some of the people being swept away by the flood. However, the number of people caught by the waves was too many, and the disciples were like droplets in the ocean, small points of starlight swallowed by thousands of brilliant lights. Hands forming seals, High Cloud stood with his sword under the moonlight, his spiritual energy shooting along thin lines into several points within the city, connecting with other beams of spiritual energy to form a golden array, pressing down the howling waters from above. The seawater resisted, screaming under the array, trying to rise and break free. Moon White followed the sight. The suppressed wave was already close to the city center, near the Duke's residence. "Miss!" High Cloud's voice wavered. "We are doing our best to hold this down, please help us repel the demon!" The water, with its immense force, was barely held back by them. High Cloud didn’t have the strength left to address the source. Glancing at the white line, Moon White looked at her palm. "I only need to keep Liuli and the Emperor alive, right?" "Uh…" Jiu Yi was stunned. "You're not going to help?" Moon White said, "I'm still injured." Already hurt from an earlier surge of spiritual energy, resolving this situation would require even more effort. Jiu Yi felt a pang of sympathy, "Don't you have anything to control the water more easily?" "I do," Moon White replied, "but it will hurt." Magic treasures required spiritual energy to control, and manipulating mountains and waters was no simple task. "That…" Jiu Yi was about to speak when a 'ding' sounded in his mind. He hesitated, then his urge to persuade Moon White faded. "Forget it, the mission triggered: 'Assist Ji Wu Nian in saving the people of Moon Port.'" What kind of mission is this… it’s forcing Moon White to get hurt… Moon White sighed softly, flipping her hand to produce a silver-white jade talisman with shallow engravings that gave no hint of their purpose. Injecting spiritual energy into the talisman, a gentle white light rose from it. Initially a small circle, like the glow of summer fireflies, it gradually grew, enveloping Moon White, then extending to High Cloud, encompassing him in a warm, gentle aura. In just a few blinks, the light expanded rapidly towards the moon, merging with the linked spiritual energy to encircle the entire Moon Port. Seeing the soft light pass through them, the initial fear of the people was replaced by calm. Looking up, they saw the gentle white light form a hemisphere under the moon, covering their location. Even the resisting seawater seemed tamed by this light, no longer struggling, pressed down by the array, driven back to where it belonged. High Cloud looked up at the figure on the clouds, hands clasped, her silver-white mask glistening in the moonlight. She seemed like a celestial being descended to save the mortals, bringing hope to them. Yet, beyond their sight, the driven-back seawater reverted to its crazed nature as soon as it exited the protective circle. It joined forces with infinite malicious friends, continuously assaulting the protective barrier. Moon White's chest grew heavy with each crashing wave against the barrier, her old wounds not yet healed, making her situation increasingly dire. "Moon... Moon White..." Jiu Yi, a practically useless system, felt his heart ache watching his host suffer. "This wave is being controlled," Moon White loudly informed High Cloud. "It’s not the flood dragon, you need to..." Before she could finish the word "find," the drop of blood belonging to Liuli within her sea of consciousness revealed the identity of the one she sought. A diversion! Liuli's location breached the barrier's perimeter, swiftly flying away over the sea. Damn it! Unrestrained, her immense spirit radiated outwards, covering the sea in an instant. As she caught up with the fleeing figure on the sword, she exuded an intimidating pressure, hoping to subdue the dark shadow and halt its movement. There were two of them. And demonic energy. Moon White gritted her teeth. The white line was now close at hand—a colossal wall of water several tens of feet high rushed towards them, its height even surpassing the barrier. The water wall struck the soft white barrier with tremendous force and overflowed the barrier's higher edges, cascading down on the other side. In an instant, the people of Moon Port were surrounded, only able to glimpse the bright moon hanging in the sky through the gaps in the waterfalls. Her chest tightened sharply, the swelling spiritual energy searing her, and the suppressing force on the two figures waned slightly. They didn't linger, seemingly retreating farther away. Damn it! Soul and spiritual energy surged simultaneously. Just as Moon White was about to suppress it, she sensed a familiar presence. That person emerged from the sea, catching up with the two fleeing figures. Swiftwind unsheathed, striking out lethal moves, dancing under the moonlight, casting a silver glow. Moon White watched from afar. Enveloped by her spirit, Ji Wu Nian’s every move and every flow of spiritual energy was vividly clear to Moon White. Ji Wu Nian fought against two foes with ease, countering their attacks as if familiar with their techniques. Maneuvering with spiritual energy, her moves were graceful yet powerful, weaving a web of sword light that enveloped the two, preventing their escape. Despite having a lower cultivation level, her imposing aura soared, not treating the enemies in front of her with a shred of fear. Bold yet precise. "Miss!" Moon White returned to her senses, following High Cloud's surprised gaze. In the distance, the white line reemerged, seemingly more arrogant than before. Gritting her teeth, Moon White tightened her grip, but then sensed the demonic energy surge near Ji Wu Nian. "Warning! Warning! The task 'Assist Ji Wu Nian in concealing demonic energy' has failed! Host must remediate immediately! Time limit: five minutes!" Damn it! Furious, Moon White extended her right hand, dark currents swirling at her fingertips, even the moonlight seemed distorted. With a swift motion, she clenched her fist, as if grabbing something from thin air. She pulled back forcefully, and cloth became visible in her palm, extending outward. Pure white fabric emerged, followed by black hair fluttering, as the unsuspecting Ji Wu Nian was pulled into her embrace across the sea. With Swiftwind still pointed, Ji Wu Nian instinctively turned her head upon losing balance, seeing the person behind the mask, silent, yet with eyes burning with restrained fury. Demonic energy raged in her chest, and the name stuck in Ji Wu Nian’s throat. Before she could utter it, something was pushed into her hand. The person then struck her dantian and used the force to leap back to the battlefield, disappearing just as suddenly. "Switch." Ji Wu Nian staggered in midair but quickly stabilized, looking at the small jade talisman in her hand emanating a white glow. The dome protecting Moon Port shared the same glow, resisting the rampaging waves outside the boundary. A warmth spread from her dantian, suppressing the rampant energy. Ji Wu Nian glanced towards her former position, concern heavy in her heart. In truth, for Moon White, combat was much more manageable than the pure spiritual energy consumption required to hold back the seawater. Before her were two Nascent Soul-stage demonic cultivators, one carrying Liuli, wielding a saber, while the other brandished a spear with formidable prowess. Moon White's chest ached, the taste of blood at the back of her throat, yet she merely smiled at the two. Drawing Qingshan, she leapt forward, flawlessly replicating Ji Wu Nian’s previous sword techniques. The Milky Way descended, enveloping the two. The spear-wielding opponent, seeing the tight-knit sword web, twirled his spear, spreading demonic energy to corrupt the galaxy, carving a path of darkness. The sabre-user followed closely, his curved blade dancing, forming a triangle with the spear, surging towards a point, seemingly ready to pierce through the silver light. Suddenly, a flash of purple lightning struck, burning the sabre-user’s left arm and leaving a deep wound as if cut by a sharp blade. Gritting with pain, his right arm’s blade movement stalled momentarily, allowing another whip strike to hit his right forearm, leaving a bone-deep laceration. "Watch out!" the sabre-user shouted. Too late. Sword in her right hand and whip in her left, Moon White precisely targeted the sabre-user’s arm amidst the wide sword flurry. Another whip crackled. Purple lightning flickered, severing an arm and the person along with it, as they fell from the air, caught and swiftly spirited away by a figure. The sudden appearance of the figure knelt before Ji Wu Nian, their labored breathing indicating their struggle. Behind them stood High Cloud and others who had just arrived to help. Ji Wu Nian stepped forward. Before she could speak, someone was thrust into her hands. The kneeling figure abruptly stood, their gaze never lingering on Ji Wu Nian but instead focused on the front. There, a towering tsunami wall loomed, and there were still two demonic cultivators who knew about Ji Wu Nian’s demonic presence. Leaving such enemies alive would lead to endless trouble. Now that Liuli was rescued, there were no more concerns. Moon White stepped forward, her left arm slowly rising, her fingers clenching, materializing a longbow in her hand. The bow was ancient and unadorned, seemingly ordinary, but as her right fingers touched the bowstring, it radiated an aura of ancient majesty. Drawing the string, the bow arched like a full moon. Moonlight flowed down, coalescing into two arrows at her fingertips, ready to release. Her rapidly beating heart, pain stabbing through her body, the spiritual energy struggling to gather at her fingertips as starlight scattered, brought a pain that tested her consciousness. "Moon White." A soft call, Moon White ignored it. The familiar presence enveloped her, the person who liked to stick close now standing behind her. One hand assisted her in holding the bow, the other helped pull the string. Familiar threads of energy seeped from his hand, soothing the rampant spiritual energy and calming the tormenting pain. Threads of cold energy spread from her fingers to the arrow, freezing the starlight in place, consolidating it firmly. Her fingers relaxed, releasing two beams of white light, streaking across the sky, scattering pure white crystal light. Crystal light fell into the water, instantly creating a frozen expanse of snow and ice. Moon White exhaled deeply, mist forming in the surrounding chill. Amidst the mist, the white light pierced through the towering water wall, leaving a small hole, which was quickly filled by the water. The emitted cold rapidly consumed the surrounding water flow, restraining it, preventing further chaos and settling it into solid ice. Further ahead were the two demonic cultivators. Even if they were both in the Nascent Soul stage, they couldn’t escape the pursuit of her Stop War Bow. Moon White had confidence in her archery skills. Pressing her aching chest, Moon White took a step forward, freeing herself from Ji Wu Nian’s embrace, storing the bow away. Ji Wu Nian and High Cloud's disciples were behind her, while numerous townsfolk below were gradually realizing and watching them. "Immortals! It's an immortal!" "Thank you, Immortal, for saving us!" "Thank you, Immortal! Thank you!" … It was unclear who knelt first, but soon, the entire town seemed to kneel towards them in gratitude. Who said immortals disregard the mortal realm? Here were immortals who came to save. "Miss," High Cloud approached, eyes glistening with tears, "thank you for reaching out to help." Moon White turned to leave. "No need." Just as she was about to take flight on her sword, she felt her arm being pulled. Trying to shake free, the person tugged back stubbornly. Feeling incredibly unwell physically, Moon White's chest tightened, nearly causing her to cough up blood. Staggering, she found herself back in the embrace she sought to escape. "I see you're exhausted, why not come back with me to rest?" What nonsense!? Exasperated by her body's weakness, Moon White glared diagonally, only to see Ji Wu Nian’s rare stern expression, her usually charming face as cold as the chill she had imbued in her. Growing even more irritated, Moon White shoved Ji Wu Nian away and soared into the sky herself. "No, need." Watching her disappear, a flicker of anger appeared in Ji Wu Nian’s eyes. Injured so badly, and still thinking of running?