Seen before?

Indeed, seen before.

Jian Chou looked at him without speaking.

Years ago, when the Xie mansion hadn’t fallen yet, Jian Chou had delivered something to the Xie family, but was kept by Xie’s mother to copy Buddhist scriptures in the stone pavilion. This lord had walked past the path near the stone pavilion wearing official robes.

One encounter, just at that time.

Jian Chou could remember this person entirely because he was an official and had distinctive eyes.

Just now, Jian Chou had already recalled his name.

The youngest powerful harsh official in court, Court Justice Zhang Tang.

However, regarding Zhang Tang, Jian Chou believed he only felt she looked familiar.

What was Jian Chou of that time anyway?

Fate was truly a wonderful thing.

Though her thoughts seemed complex and numerous, it was actually just a brief instant.

Jian Chou’s gaze remained on her opponent as she said lightly: “Lord Court Justice has a good memory, but so what?”

At that instant, Zhang Tang’s pupils contracted violently!

An extreme sense of danger spread.

However, it was in his heart.

He indeed only remembered seeing Jian Chou but didn’t know where exactly, what occasion, and certainly didn’t know Jian Chou’s name. Yet the opponent could easily state his identity!

This inequality made Zhang Tang, who was used to controlling the overall situation, very uncomfortable.

He instinctively wanted to ask something more, but unexpectedly, the wind from Ye Pianpian’s sleeve finally arrived—

Whoosh.

A great wind. Zhang Tang had no power to resist, as if struck by a wall, instantly swept from the lotus leaf by this wind, disappearing from the spot as if passing through a void!

Gone.

Opposite Jian Chou was now empty.

“Loser eliminated.”

Ye Pianpian’s voice, containing laughter, came from beside.

She straightened up slightly, like a little girl making an innocent gesture, clapping her hands with a crisp “clap”: “Good, the last nagging fellow has also been cleared away. Congratulations to you four who remain. Now—let’s enter the true Jade-Green City!”

In the void, three other people should still be standing, but Jian Chou couldn’t see them at all.

She could only watch Ye Pianpian, seeing her gaze sweep in all directions.

However, one of Ye Pianpian’s movements instantly drew all her attention back—

Her water-snake-like waist began to twist, snow-white long legs glimpsed between the emerald dress, simply like green mountains and white snow, with lonely and lofty beauty amid clarity.

Long hair fell like a waterfall, lifted by the wind as she slowly rose.

Her fair hands raised, five fingers slender.

However, the instant these five fingers tensed, a terrible aura suddenly enveloped everything!

“Jade-green, overwhelming city!”

The voice emerged from between Ye Pianpian’s lips and teeth, flicking from her tongue tip.

Slow, gentle, yet like a sigh from ancient times!

Jade-Green City!

Ye Pianpian’s arms slowly raised. Below the lotus leaves was this vast, boundless lake. The calm water surface suddenly surged with waves, and endless billows were awakened by her slowly rising fingers!

The lake water was rising!

Violently rising!

Billows roared up, instantly tearing apart all tranquility!

With this gesture, Ye Pianpian seemed to lift the entire lake’s water!

The lotus leaves on the lake surface were about to be submerged by water.

Jian Chou and others standing on lotus leaves instantly felt instability.

What exactly was Jade-Green City?

No one knew.

Eyes becoming incomparably bright, hair dancing wildly, Ye Pianpian stood on the lotus leaf like a blooming azure lotus!

Seeing the lake water had surged up in an instant, she unhesitatingly swept forward!

Like a gale rolling giant waves, like a shore suddenly blocking the billows’ advance, before Ye Pianpian, massive waves immediately rose, crashing toward the several people standing unsteadily on lotus leaves!

Everything happened extremely fast. Though Jian Chou reacted quickly, she only managed to rise into the air.

However, the waves were too high!

One wave head directly surged toward Jian Chou, who was still before it!

The fierce giant wave immediately struck down Jian Chou, who was floating without support!

Boom!

The lake water directly submerged Jian Chou, immersing her in endless waves.

“Wu wu wu!”

A panicked cry.

Jian Chou had been knocked over by this wave containing tremendous force, feeling her whole body weak, only able to follow these mad giant waves in some direction. Hearing this sound, she was immediately startled.

Little Marten?

Since entering Flower Withering Crimson境, Little Marten had been very quiet. If not paying special attention, Jian Chou could hardly sense its presence. Also, because she had been clearing trials, trapped in illusions, then in cultivation…

It seemed from some point, it had made no sound.

Now, suddenly hearing this somewhat familiar cry, Jian Chou immediately became worried.

She looked around desperately, finally seeing Little Marten’s small shadow in the undulating waves!

Its originally soft fur was completely soaked by lake water.

The little thing frantically paddled the water surface. Just as its head emerged, it was pressed down by an incoming wave, swallowing mouthfuls of water, making “wu wu wu” sounds from its throat, seeming extremely distressed.

Jian Chou hurriedly moved toward it. The heavy Ghost Axe had been stored away by now. She scooped up Little Marten and held it in her arms.

Little Marten shivered, raising its head in her arms, looking at the azure-green sky with near terror, eyes rolling. Then it looked behind Jian Chou and immediately cried: “Ji!”

This was a warning!

Without any sign, Jian Chou couldn’t even sense any abnormality, but a fierce giant wave had already appeared behind her!

“Boom!”

The instant Jian Chou tried to dodge, the wave’s head had already crashed down!

Like a blow to the head!

Jian Chou, who had just stabilized and emerged not long ago, was immediately struck down by this giant wave, once again swept forward by the billows.

On the vast lake surface, waves receded into the distance.

The entire lake seemed to become a giant river, blooming wave after wave, sending these several entrants to distant places.

The green lotus leaf under Ye Pianpian’s feet wasn’t overturned by these giant waves, nor submerged by the surging lake water, floating on the water surface like a small boat carrying her.

The four entrants to Jade-Green City had disappeared, vanishing in the torrential tide.

Ye Pianpian squinted and smiled slightly: “Opportunity, opportunity, it all depends on opportunity…”

Those who remained were all fortunate ones.

Those who didn’t remain weren’t necessarily all unfortunate.

At this moment, somewhere on a reef by the Western Sea of Shijiu Zhou.

Qian Que, holding a golden spear in his arms, showed an indescribable expression toward the sky.

Everything in the Killing Red Small Realm had disappeared. He had been defeated by Gu Qingmei…

“Kunwu cultivators are actually this strong…”

Murmuring sounds emerged from Qian Que’s mouth.

Splash splash.

Waves struck the reef.

Qian Que looked down at the golden spear in his arms, then snorted coldly: “Hmph, that dead woman just knows how to bully people! Kunwu? What’s so great about Kunwu? Under your Abacus Grandpa’s extraordinary disguise, you understand nothing! Weren’t you still fooled by me!”

Meng Xizhou?

I’m not any Meng Xizhou!

Thinking that Gu Qingmei had been deceived by him, Qian Que immediately burst into laughter.

“Hahaha…”

Arrogant laughter mixed with waves rippling across the entire sea.

Nearby passing cultivators all looked over in surprise.

However, Qian Que showed no restraint.

He opened his mouth wide, holding the spear, laughing toward the sky, swaying back and forth, unable to contain himself.

Gu Qingmei’s arrogant appearance was still carved in his mind, impossible to erase.

He just didn’t know if the real Meng Xizhou had been eliminated. If eliminated, naturally, all was well; if not eliminated, if Gu Qingmei, who entered, discovered the real Meng Xizhou was still there, what would her expression be?

“Hahaha…”

Another bout of laughter.

Thinking he had toyed with a lofty Kunwu cultivator, Qian Que felt an unprecedented thrill.

Awesome!

Fucking awesome!

But…

It also hurt!

So painful…

“Ha—”

Qian Que’s laughter abruptly stopped.

The golden spear was glaringly bright, its sharp appearance like a spear tip piercing Qian Que’s heart.

His flying sword, his spirit stones, the countless energy he had expended…

This trip to the Killing Red Small Realm not only gained no harvest but left him half-dead, even making an enemy of Kunwu… If Gu Qingmei learned he was disguised, he’d probably have hard days ahead.

Qian Que immediately became dejected, clutching his chest in heartache, beginning to seriously consider a question: Would stabbing himself to death with a spear prevent this heartache?

Mortal Lonely Island, Great Xia, the Great Prison.

Zhang Tang, who had mysteriously disappeared for over ten days, finally sat behind the Great Prison’s long desk exactly as before.

The cold Great Prison was unusually free of any wails or screams today.

A jailer walked over with drunken-like, lazy steps.

Lord Court Justice wasn’t here today either. The Emperor had been asking for many days. The entire Great Xia officialdom was like it had exploded—an official could vanish into thin air, truly ghostly.

Some said Zhang Tang had done too much evil and was finally taken by evil spirits; others said Zhang Tang punished evil and promoted good, achieving enlightenment in one day and ascending directly; of course, more speculation was that Zhang Tang had committed crimes and fled in fear, disappearing without a trace…

The jailer’s ears hadn’t been quiet these days.

During Lord Court Justice’s absence, the prisoners in jail finally welcomed the most leisurely and happy life since imprisonment.

Just like now, no boiling oil pots, no red-hot branding irons, no taut iron whips, no sharpened thin blades…

The entire Great Prison was quiet as a mourning hall.

Inexplicably, the jailer felt somewhat chilled.

He carried a simple blade at his waist, slowly walking over, yawning, slowly passing the long desk, preparing to patrol the prison once.

However, just three steps later…

Was something wrong?

The jailer suddenly felt his neck getting cold.

He turned around and was immediately scared to sit on the ground!

“My my my my, my lord!”

Zhang Tang, deep in thought, finally slowly raised his head, glanced at the jailer, showing no particular expression.

During his time in the Killing Red Small Realm, the court must have had considerable turmoil. There would certainly be many thorny matters to handle. Just in this period, he had thought of much.

However, what lingered in his mind was still that woman carrying the giant axe.

A woman he had seen but couldn’t remember where.

Exactly where…

Zhang Tang thought while looking at the jailer, casually saying: “Get up, go find recent case files for this official…”

“My my my my my lord, when when when when when did you re-return…”

The jailer was so scared that his legs went weak, unable to get up.

Zhang Tang’s expression was slightly strange, carrying coldness.

Frowning slightly, a suspicion suddenly arose.

However…

He was somewhat uncertain.

The jailer’s reaction wasn’t noticed by him. His finger tapped the desk surface, lightly knocking “dong dong.” Zhang Tang suddenly changed his words: “No, go find the case files of the Xie family!”

The Xie family?

The jailer was about to cry.

“My lord, what time is this? Everyone’s going crazy looking, and you’re still thinking about cases!”

Killing Red Small Realm.

Water sounds gradually became babbling.

“Splash!”

A lotus leaf spread on the water’s surface suddenly flipped up.

“Hu!”

Waves splashed on the water’s surface. Jian Chou finally emerged from underwater, soaked all over, holding poor Little Marten by the neck, directly spinning and jumping onto the lotus leaf.

This movement seemed heavy, but landed light as a feather.

“Pat pat…”

Only water drops from Jian Chou’s body and hair fell like mercury, rolling off the lotus leaf surface.

“Hu.”

Finally breathing relief, Jian Chou glanced beside her. The stone disc still floated nearby, but the original light rays had all changed—

The light rays were originally in eight directions, now completely disrupted, only four directions total, and she had moved from due east to due south. Four light rays represented four people. Besides Jian Chou, the others’ rays were still red!

The instant she saw the stone disc’s pattern clearly, Jian Chou’s mouth twitched hard.

This Killing disc…

Sometimes it was quite problematic.

From her green light’s position change, Jian Chou could accurately deduce that the original pattern had been disrupted, meaning the original knowledge was overturned.

According to Ye Pianpian, after the losers were eliminated, the stone disc’s voice transmission would activate.

But until now, no one had spoken; obviously, everyone didn’t want to expose their identity.

One battle, one victory or defeat, equivalent to washing away the original pattern.

They didn’t know who remained or who was eliminated.

But Jian Chou was an exception.

Because she had always been the only green light on this Killing disc!

She couldn’t determine who was eliminated or not, but others could certainly know she hadn’t been eliminated.

This feeling was like having thorns in her back.

However, now there seemed to be no better solution.

Jian Chou simply didn’t bother looking. Her palm felt wet, “wu wu wu,” weak cries like dying breath sounded. Looking down, Jian Chou saw Little Marten with its tongue out, looking about to collapse.

Finding it amusing, she crouched down and placed Little Marten on the lotus leaf.

Little Marten’s soft fur, after being soaked, stuck together. The originally fluffy little marten suddenly became thin and dry, like being shaved.

Now it shivered, legs weak, lying on the lotus leaf, even touching its chest with paws, looking completely traumatized.

Tsk tsk, look at that cowardly appearance—was it that scary?

Jian Chou reached out, slowly stroking Little Marten’s head.

“Wu wu wu…”

More exhaling than inhaling, truly scared to death, such big water!

Little Marten, still shaken, raised its paw and wiped its face, removing facial water.

Seeing this action, Jian Chou felt this little marten had become a spirit—this action was clearly like frantically wiping cold sweat!

Little Marten seemed to sense Jian Chou’s surprise, directly turning to give her an eye roll.

Jian Chou was even more astonished.

If she could speak now, she’d grab this little thing and ask: Have you become a spirit?

Unfortunately, she couldn’t.

Water flowed past the lotus leaf edge.

Jian Chou slowly turned, looking around, but suddenly had an “eh” in her heart.

The giant waves on the lake earlier had carried her somewhere unknown.

Looking around, the water surface was vast, with some broken lotus leaves and water grass floating on the surface, and fish shadows visible underwater. However, this water area had shores—long green shores.

The water under her feet was flowing, mighty and forward!

This was a great river!

Jian Chou could see that though the green embankments on both sides changed little, there were indeed slight changes, proving she was going downstream along this great river.

Great river…

There was a great river in this Killing Red Small Realm.

Jian Chou was truly surprised.

Countless strange things existed in the cultivation world, but this experience truly broadened Jian Chou’s horizons.

Standing bewildered on the lotus leaf floating in the great river’s center, Jian Chou’s water-soaked robes fluttered in the river wind, momentarily giving a carefree feeling of boating on the river.

However, looking down.

Many things floated on the river surface, all seeming broken by that recent giant wave.

Not only lotus leaves, but also some broken wood, tree leaves, even some tattered clothes…

Jian Chou couldn’t help sighing: Where was this “boating and drinking on the river”? This was post-flood, sitting on a broken boat, watching strange things drift by in the water…

She wondered what the others’ situations were like.

Another pile of debris drifted by. Jian Chou glanced and withdrew her gaze.

Ye Pianpian’s earlier gesture, creating waves from a calm lake, was truly stunning, making Jian Chou suffer greatly, but now recovered, her body was unharmed.

Floating on the river surface wasn’t good. Jian Chou thought flying again would be safer.

She turned to lift Little Marten from the lotus leaf.

Unexpectedly, just then, Little Marten, who was shaking water drops off, trying to restore its dry, beautiful fur, suddenly stared fixedly in a direction on the lake surface with its bright little eyes!

Next moment—

“Wu wu wu wu!”

Before Jian Chou could react, Little Marten rushed toward the river!

What was it doing?

Hadn’t it just been half-drowned by this flood?!

Jian Chou instinctively tried to stop it, but unexpectedly, Little Marten’s figure became a gray lightning bolt, passing inches from her fingertips before she could touch it, flying away!

“Splash…”

The sound of Little Marten finally entering the water.

Little Marten, who had just been nearly drowned, shot through water like a dart!

Directly ahead was that pile of drifting debris!

At one glance, Jian Chou understood.

Was there something in that pile?

Suddenly, Jian Chou recalled her first meeting with this little marten…

That pile of junk at her feet, and the Killing disc that finally appeared.

It was this little marten that made her Killing Red Small Realm journey possible.

Uh…

Suddenly, remembering Yashan’s new disciple recruitment.

Jian Chou helplessly slapped her forehead. Finished…

She had completely forgotten this matter.

She didn’t know what Yashan looked like now, or how they reacted to her disappearance…

Thinking of Fudao Shanren eating chicken legs while sinisterly grinning at her, Jian Chou felt her spine chill.

While she was distracted, Little Marten had reached that pile of drifting debris.

It dove around, sometimes jumping on top, sometimes underneath, sometimes suddenly emerging from the mess.

“Pop.”

Left paw swept, throwing a broken wooden piece onto the water surface.

“Splash.”

Right paw swept, flinging out a soaked rag.

“Thud.”

Both hind legs kicked, and a half-rotten stone seal fell into the water.

Crash bang, a chaotic rummaging!

The entire river center was like it had rained debris!

Jian Chou, finally coming to her senses, was simply dumbfounded.

This little thing…

Probably had a hoarding habit.

Remembering its original pile of so-called “treasures,” Jian Chou couldn’t help feeling her teeth ache. She directly touched her brow, and Ghost Axe appeared, ready to fly over and catch the troublemaker back.

“Wu wu wu!”

Little Marten suddenly dove head-first into the still-drifting debris pile, head down, biting something below, hind legs braced against a rotten wood piece behind, front paws pressed forward, as if using all its nursing strength, then—

Pulled hard!

Splash!

The debris pile finally lost its most stable structure, scattering across the river surface.

Whoosh!

Little Marten’s fluffy tail flicked, borrowing force from the last rotten wood piece, actually kicking off and shooting toward Jian Chou’s lotus leaf!

Its little black eyes were bright, like finding treasure!

It landed beside Jian Chou’s feet, lowered its head, released its mouth, and placed down its discovered treasure.

“Ao wu wu wu wu wu!”

Like showing off its outstanding achievement, Little Marten howled like a wolf again.

Jian Chou’s eye twitched, an indescribable feeling arising.

Forcibly suppressing the urge to catch and beat Little Marten, she looked down at her feet—

This was a silver spoon, already spotted and tarnished, looking no different from that debris pile. The only eye-catching feature was this spoon’s bowl part, actually shaped like a human tongue…

What kind of person would use such a disgusting spoon…

Little Marten proudly paced around the silver spoon with an arrogant feeling, as if its face read “Master, praise me quickly.”

After pacing for a while, suddenly finding Jian Chou very silent, and it finally couldn’t help but stop.

Extending a paw, Little Marten pointed at the silver spoon.

Jian Chou didn’t move, gazing at it with deep eyes.

Little Marten got anxious, pointing harder, then stuck out its tongue.

Jian Chou still just watched it, as if looking at someone mentally impaired.

“Wu wu wu!”

As if finally unable to bear Jian Chou’s such slight, Little Marten directly walked forward, tongue stretched out, and licked!

The flesh-colored tongue licked together with the spoon’s tongue-shaped bowl…

Buzz—

Jian Chou’s scalp tingled, the string in her mind snapping.

Collecting junk was a bad habit she could tolerate, but…

This couldn’t be!

Jian Chou’s forehead veins throbbed, directly grabbing its neck and pulling it away from the silver spoon, separating its tongue from the spoon.

“Wu wu wu!”

Little Marten’s accusatory gaze immediately fell on Jian Chou!

“Wu wu wu wu!”

Why won’t you let me lick?

“Wu wu wu wu!”

Put me down, is there no justice?

“Wu wu wu wu!”

You even bully such a cute marten!

“Wu wu wu wu!”

You have no humanity at all!

“Wu wu wu wu!”

You’re worse than a marten or dog!

Jian Chou looked at it coolly: “…”

“Wu…”

Little Marten shrank its neck, voice immediately weakening, becoming cowardly, being held like a rag by Jian Chou, not daring to move.

Seeing it behave, Jian Chou was finally satisfied.

She directly gave it a look: Following me, your good days are over.

Little Marten seemed to understand this look, immediately feeling its marten heart turn cold…

This silver spoon was truly disgustingly challenging. Jian Chou had never seen such a spoon testing human patience…

She held Little Marten with one hand, preventing it from touching the spoon again, while bending down, carefully taking the handle without touching Little Marten’s saliva on the spoon, casually glancing before preparing to throw the silver spoon away—

Unexpectedly, this glance let Jian Chou see several characters on the handle.

“Heaven and Earth in One Spoon.”