Chapter 28: Domestic Violence

When Huo Zhi saw Linlang, the heart that had been lodged in her throat finally dropped, but a nameless fire shot straight to her head.

Linlang didn’t know how much Yin Baleful Qi Huo Zhi had absorbed. She only saw her panicked expression, her whole body in a sorry state, the surface tainted with quite a bit of Yin Baleful Qi. She first brought her to higher ground, landing on a large, thick dead tree. She had just carefully set Huo Zhi down, before she could even absorb the Yin Baleful Qi from Huo Zhi’s body, Linlang felt a smack on her bird head, and the feathers on both sides of her neck were seized!

Linlang raised her eyes to look at Huo Zhi, only to see her face full of tears, yet her eyes burning with fury.

“Linlang, do you know how dangerous this place is? Don’t you know you could die? Did you not hear me calling? It was all a misunderstanding! Can’t you just talk it out with me? Is your anger more important than your life?!” Huo Zhi practically roared the words. Her throat, already sore from shouting, hurt even more, the sound coming out hoarse and broken.

Linlang stared blankly at Huo Zhi.

Such an intense expression of emotion—this was the first time she had seen it.

She remembered a time when she had gone out to play without telling her Mother. When her Mother finally found her after searching for most of the day, she had looked just like this: angry, frustrated, and heartbroken.

Was she really this worried about her?

Knowing this place was dangerous, yet she came in herself!

After Huo Zhi finished speaking, she gasped for breath. Tears, beyond her control, streamed down even more. When her raised, trembling hand moved to hit Linlang again, it didn’t land on her head, but on her neck. Her two arms looped around Linlang’s neck, embracing her. Her face buried into the crook of Linlang’s neck, the torrent of tears soaking that spot.

“If something happened to you… what am I supposed to do… I’m sorry, I was wrong too. I didn’t teach you well. I didn’t make you trust me, didn’t give you a sense of security. I’m sorry…” Huo Zhi hugged Linlang, saying. She wanted to be angry, but then thought that Linlang, in this godforsaken place, was probably very scared too, and couldn’t bear to be angry at her anymore.

The two of them had shared hardships for so long. Even without the mission system, Huo Zhi had genuine feelings for Linlang. At this moment, her heart was a mess. For a moment, her emotions surged and she couldn’t control it.

Being hugged by Huo Zhi’s cold body, Linlang felt her previous anger as if doused by a bucket of water.

This woman, how could she be like this!

On one hand, saying the two of them were impossible, and on the other, acting like this, ready to follow her to death!

Hateful!

She couldn’t let this woman stir a single thread of her emotions anymore!

As Linlang thought this, she felt something furry brush against her face. Looking closely, it was one of Huo Zhi’s tails that had popped out. Looking down at the spot where the tail connected, everything was in plain sight: a stretch of snow-white skin on her back, a startling curve at the dimples of her lower back…

The clothes Huo Zhi wore were still the inner garments from soaking in the Spirit Spring Pool. Though considered Talisman Robes, they weren’t very sturdy. The Demon Wolf had torn off more than half, ripped starting from her lower back. Coupled with the tail sprouting out, stretching the clothes open.

Linlang just took one glance and felt the Love Poison Talisman in her Sea of Consciousness begin to flicker.

Back in Sky Mist Sect, after enduring over ten days, occasionally receiving Ice-Type Spiritual Qi from Huo Zhi, the heat period triggered by the Love Poison Talisman had already ended. She hadn’t expected…

“I don’t know what you misunderstood. I’ll explain it clearly first. Moyi Guihua called me to the Spirit Spring Pool to remove the Location Tracking Seal mark. Regarding the Guest Elder matter, she said she would get me an Examination Token for the Immortal Talisman Sect, so I agreed. Being a Guest Elder isn’t joining; it’s just a relatively close relationship. Our master-disciple relationship supersedes that. It’s the most solid relationship I have in this world. With the Immortal Talisman Sect’s Examination Token, I can take you with me to the Immortal Talisman Sect.” Huo Zhi continued.

Linlang was silent, roughly understanding the general outline of the scene she had witnessed.

It wasn’t the worst-case scenario she had imagined.

Huo Zhi didn’t have some special relationship with Moyi Guihua.

It was all a misunderstanding.

But Huo Zhi had personally admitted that the two of them couldn’t be together, yet she could soak in a Spirit Spring with Moyi Guihua and was so close with Ji Shuling. Just like Mo Zhenfeng in her previous life, dallying everywhere.

That pain from just now—Linlang never wanted to experience it again.

“Linlang, I’ve made it clear. Don’t be angry anymore. We need to get out now. It’s too dangerous here.” Seeing Linlang didn’t react, and 006 didn’t mention her Happiness Value increasing, Huo Zhi grew anxious and didn’t say more. They could talk in detail once they were out.

“Let go of me, retract your tail, then we’ll go out!” Linlang sent a sound transmission to Huo Zhi. Her voice was restrained and icy.

Hearing Linlang’s voice, Huo Zhi released Linlang. Her tears stopped abruptly. She felt she had socially died—again.

Her back was freezing. Her sash had slipped, the torn parts of her clothes hanging limply to one side, her tail sticking out. She was a complete mess, a wretched sight beyond words, and here she was lecturing Linlang!

Huo Zhi sniffed, found her Storage Bag, took out a Dust-Clearing Talisman to clean the filth off her body. She stripped off her dirty clothes, leaving herself bare, then took out clean clothes to wear.

Linlang stood to the side, turning her head to look elsewhere, but in her mind, Huo Zhi’s back still appeared, the dimples at her waist, the spot where the tail grew. As these images rolled through her mind, the Love Poison Talisman flickered incessantly.

This feeling was extremely uncomfortable for Linlang.

She didn’t want to be controlled, yet she couldn’t control it.

She once again attributed this all to the Love Poison Talisman.

Before Huo Zhi could finish dressing, she saw something floating up. A jet-black, fluid mass, squirming, opening a mouth full of jagged teeth, drifting towards them. Huo Zhi hurriedly pulled Linlang behind her to shield her, swatting at it with the clothes in her hands.

“Linlang, watch out! Something’s there! Scram, scram!” Enduring her fear, Huo Zhi tried to drive the ghost away. The tail she had just retracted popped out again.

Linlang had stopped the technique for absorbing Yin Baleful Qi earlier, sinking into some train of thought. She hadn’t noticed anything approaching. Being pulled into Huo Zhi’s embrace brought her back to her senses.

Watching Huo Zhi swat at the ghost in terror, Linlang knew that Huo Zhi could now see ghosts, meaning Huo Zhi had already inhaled a significant amount of Yin Baleful Qi.

Still the same as before: clearly so scared, yet insisting on protecting her.

This ghost was the lowest grade, completely harmless.

Only, using physical things to hit an intangible thing wouldn’t drive it away.

Linlang sighed inwardly and activated her technique, absorbing the Yin Baleful Qi from Huo Zhi’s body.

The ghost sensed the pressure emitted by Linlang—a pressure only other ghost-path entities could feel—and was so scared it fled in a puff of smoke.

Huo Zhi was thoroughly frightened again.

“We have to get out of here, fast.” Huo Zhi said to Linlang, trembling, as she reactivated the technique she had stopped.

Linlang looked at Huo Zhi and knew she was extremely afraid, but she hadn’t absorbed enough Yin Baleful Qi yet.

“Wait.” Linlang said to Huo Zhi. She absorbed almost all the Yin Baleful Qi from Huo Zhi, then began absorbing the surrounding Yin Baleful Qi.

“…Are you tired? Here are some Spirit Stones. Take them and absorb them. Are you hurt anywhere? I brought Healing Talismans.” Huo Zhi took out Spirit Stones and offered them to Linlang.

“…No need.” Linlang was stuffed with Spirit Stones. She just felt that the Huo Zhi beside her was really too nagging and annoying. She ignored her, closed her eyes, and focused on cultivating to absorb.

Huo Zhi didn’t enter deep meditation. After activating her own technique, she held Spirit Stones to recover her Spiritual Qi while vigilantly watching their surroundings, acting as a Protector for Linlang.

Linlang had just absorbed quite a bit of Yin Baleful Qi from her, but right now, Huo Zhi was forced to absorb some more, allowing her to see the surrounding ghosts.

“Host, don’t be afraid. These ghosts are all low-level ghosts. They can’t hurt you two.” 006 said to Huo Zhi.

“Even if they can’t hurt me, I’m still scared! Don’t you get scared watching horror movies?” Huo Zhi shivered.

006 fell silent.

In this gloomy, damp environment, the temperature around Linlang was slightly warmer, making Huo Zhi unconsciously draw closer. Without realizing it, she pressed up against Linlang, finally feeling a bit safer.

Linlang sensed Huo Zhi’s closeness and did her utmost to ignore it. She continued absorbing Yin Baleful Qi, also absorbing the Yin Baleful Qi from Huo Zhi.

Although Yin Baleful Qi couldn’t affect Linlang’s mind, making her go berserk like the Demon Beasts and cultivators who accidentally wandered in here, absorbing too much accumulated in her Sea of Consciousness, lightly tainting her Origin Soul with a chill and bloodlust. The more she absorbed, it had an effect similar to running a Dao of Ruthlessness technique—various feelings grew cold. The difference was, other emotions, like anger, flared up.

“Linlang, are you done? Can we go now?” Huo Zhi sent a quiet sound transmission to Linlang. Getting closer to Linlang made the ghosts invisible, which made Huo Zhi press even tighter.

“Done.” Hearing the cautious tone in Huo Zhi’s voice, Linlang still responded. She had absorbed enough Yin Baleful Qi.

Her original plan was to remove the Love Poison Talisman in the Black Marsh. With Huo Zhi here, she couldn’t linger any longer.

She had to send her out first.

When she focused entirely on removing the Love Poison Talisman, she wouldn’t have time to absorb the Yin Baleful Qi from Huo Zhi.

For an ordinary cultivator, Yin Baleful Qi was like a slow-acting poison.

Linlang opened her eyes, spread her wings again, and carried Huo Zhi, flying outward.

Huo Zhi looked at Linlang. She didn’t know if it was an illusion, but she always felt Linlang’s body had grown a little larger.

As they flew into the air, Huo Zhi suddenly remembered the ribbon Moyi Guihua had tied around her arm, so she tugged it.

“Linlang, Moyi Guihua is waiting for us outside. Fly in the direction this ribbon pulls.” Huo Zhi told Linlang.

“…” Linlang felt fire rise in her just hearing Moyi Guihua’s name.

She didn’t want to bring Huo Zhi to meet Moyi Guihua. She didn’t want Moyi Guihua to see Huo Zhi.

But Huo Zhi had also just said that Moyi Guihua would give her an Examination Token for the Immortal Talisman Sect.

With Huo Zhi’s talisman-drawing talent, having an Examination Token meant she should be able to enter the Immortal Talisman Sect.

Entering the Immortal Talisman Sect, leaving this place far behind, Huo Zhi’s status would change. She could also completely get rid of Qin Ceyi.

“Our stuff is still with her. We paid to stay at her place. That Profound-Grade Talisman Artifact we got from the Secret Realm—you risked the magma’s high heat to get it. You don’t want to just give it to her for nothing, right, Linlang?” Huo Zhi said seeing Linlang’s hesitation.

Linlang silently flew outward.

She suppressed the restlessness rising in her heart.

Since she was going to remove the Love Poison Talisman and no longer have those feelings for Huo Zhi, why bother about what happened between Huo Zhi and Moyi Guihua?

Just toss Huo Zhi to Moyi Guihua. Whatever they wanted to do, it had nothing to do with her!

Linlang flew Huo Zhi out of the Black Marsh in one breath.

At the edge of the Black Marsh, Moyi Guihua stood outside her Flying Talisman Artifact, looking inside with some worry. Seeing the two emerge, she finally let out a sigh of relief.

“You two finally came out. Quick, come in and activate your arts. Expel as much of the Yin Baleful Qi from your bodies as possible.” Moyi Guihua said upon seeing them.

“Many thanks, Sister Moyi!” Huo Zhi bowed to Moyi Guihua. She wanted to pull Linlang to thank her too, but saw Linlang drop her and spread her wings, about to fly off again.

“Shizun, this is the last time I’ll call you that. I’m going to the Demon Race territory. That’s my home. There won’t be danger there. Let us just…” Linlang sent a sound transmission to Huo Zhi. Before she could finish, her tail feather was seized.