Chapter 42: Sudden Change Part 2

“Hey!” Xiang Xian knew Chaosheng must have been terribly worried. He casually ruffled his hair. Wu Yingzong watched from nearby. Xiang Xian smiled. “The water’s too cold, Chaosheng. Get out.”

Xiang Xian nodded to Wu Yingzong, who bowed slightly. No more words passed between them.

“Master!” Hulü Guang hurried over, wading into the water in his toe-clip sandals. As he approached Xiang Xian to say something, Xiang Xian laughed and pulled him into a hug.

“Thanks,” Xiang Xian said, patting his face casually. Hulü Guang was clearly a few years older, yet Xiang Xian treated him like a little brother. He marveled at the man’s courage—truly “fearless.” To save him, Hulü Guang had grabbed the Demon Spear with one hand, heedless of his own life.

Xiao Kun sat resting on one side of the camp. The great battle had drained him, but compared to before, his spirits were much lighter now that Xiang Xian was back—meaning they could discuss everything together.

After changing into clean clothes, Xiang Xian returned and sat beside Xiao Kun. He reached out, parted the clothes torn by the Demon Spear, and checked his wounds.

The injuries had fully healed, but Xiang Xian’s warm fingers brought a strange sensation to both as they touched Xiao Kun’s skin.

Xiao Kun blocked Xiang Xian’s hand. Xiang Xian said nothing. The two simply sat quietly on the edge of the camp.

The wind gradually died down, leaving heaven and earth in utter silence. In that silence, Xiao Kun finally spoke.

“I didn’t get the Heart Lamp,” Xiao Kun said. “It rejected me. Maybe it thinks I’m a demon, unworthy of it.”

“No big deal,” Xiang Xian replied offhandedly. “The Wisdom Sword hasn’t acknowledged me either.”

Xiao Kun’s emotions were complicated, but the moment he met Xiang Xian’s eyes, his heart finally settled.

“It chose Brother Hulü in the end,” Xiao Kun said.

Xiang Xian nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I saw.”

He remembered the moment when he and Xiao Kun were about to be impaled by the Demon Spear and die together—Hulü Guang had burst with strong light, saving them. Now, Hulü Guang sat meditating on a nearby rock, guided by Wu Yingzong. Chaosheng had tried several times to approach but was held back by Wu Yingzong—probably thinking they needed this time alone.

Xiang Xian didn’t call Hulü Guang over for details. Instead, he watched Xiao Kun for a while before taking out several damaged dark red metal rings and trying to repair them.

“What’s this?” Xiao Kun asked.

“The thing that locked my neck,” Xiang Xian said. “I picked them up. Let’s see if I can fix them.”

Xiao Kun: “You want to get locked again?”

“Maybe useful against enemies,” Xiang Xian said casually. “Not as strong as the Thousand Mechanism Chain—divine weapons can cut it—but still a rare powerful Magic Treasure.”

Xiao Kun watched Xiang Xian repair the rings. When he used the Wisdom Sword, golden light had erupted, snapping the five copper rings on his wrists, ankles, and neck. Xiang Xian pulled a strange metal fragment from his Qiankun Bag, unleashed Blazing Flame to melt it, and welded it to the broken treasure.

“I read in an ancient book that the Drought Fiend was once imprisoned in the Earth Abyss by the Red Blood Gold Rings,” Xiang Xian said. “Maybe this is that set, but it’s too ancient now.”

“Yeah,” Xiao Kun said. “It tightens whenever Magical Power is used.”

Xiang Xian took out a small hammer and tink-tink-tinked away on a stone.

“It can also expand,” Xiang Xian said. “Guess what happens if I reverse a few rings and connect them? They enlarge—perfect for smashing people.”

Xiao Kun sometimes truly admired Xiang Xian’s thought process. No normal person would think that way.

“So what’s the deal with your dad?”

“Brace yourself,” Xiao Kun said. “I’m about to tell you something huge.”

Xiang Xian dusted off his sleeves and said seriously, “Yes! Lord Xiao! This humble one is all ears!”

Xiao Kun laughed, then quickly grew serious again. He recounted everything that had happened since they parted, sparing no detail.

Xiang Xian started out listening casually, but halfway through, he was utterly shocked—just as Xiao Kun had been when he first learned. It felt like a dream, so he understood.

When Xiang Xian stood up in disbelief and paced around the camp before returning,

“That’s it,” Xiao Kun concluded. “What do you think?”

“I need… to think,” Xiang Xian said. He truly couldn’t accept it.

Xiao Kun said, “Take your time. I’m exhausted. Gonna sleep.”

With that, Xiao Kun lay down fully clothed and fell asleep right there.

Xiang Xian stared into the campfire, then glanced at the other three. Hulü Guang was still meditating per Wu Yingzong’s instructions, trying to circulate True Qi. Chaosheng had crawled into his tent.

At dawn, Xiao Kun woke to find Xiang Xian leaning against him, asleep.

“What time is it?” Xiang Xian mumbled sleepily.

“What time is it?” Xiao Kun said. “How can you even sleep?”

Xiao Kun was speechless. Xiang Xian replied, “I’ve been captured and hung up for so long—I’m beat too!”

A Huang woke up. “He was only hung up at the end.”

“Don’t undermine me,” Xiang Xian said. “Go find some birds and have them follow the direction Mr. Liu fled in his Demonic Qi.”

Xiao Kun’s energy and stamina had recovered; his skin showed its natural pallid white. Covered in blood, he went to bathe and change at dawn.

Xiang Xian followed to the stream to wash up.