20demayo Chapter 239 Collecting Masks
Chapter 239 Collecting Masks
It was just an ordinary banyan tree, with no spiritual roots and no potential to become a demon. Even if it lived for a thousand years, it would only be a spirit.
[A spirit?] Ning Xiaoxi remembered the word "fairy." [Isn't a spirit a demon? Can a spirit reach the eighth level of the mid-tier?]
[You can only be considered a spirit, not a demon. You have some spirituality, but you haven't developed intelligence and can't take human form. So what if you're only at the eighth level of the intermediate stage? Even if you cultivated for a thousand years, you'd only reach the eighth level of the intermediate stage. Do you want that?]
[Wow, that's terrifying!] To cultivate for a thousand years and only reach the eighth level of the intermediate stage—how incredibly dull-witted must one be to do something like that! [So, monsters and fairies aren't really demons?]
[Where did you get all these weird words? A demon is a demon; 'monster' or 'elf' doesn't mean anything.]
[This Western Trial is truly unconventional! Anyone who isn't human can be sent here for the Celestial Masters to test their skills.]
[On the path of a celestial master slaying demons and monsters, who knows what kind of creatures he might encounter? Relying solely on the records of his predecessors is too narrow-minded; the evolution of demons and monsters is ever-changing. Now, without sufficient spiritual energy to support them, many demons are developing into monsters, requiring less spiritual energy and able to survive for a long time—why not?]
Ning Xiaoxi laughed. Okay, okay, she was being naive.
Then she saw the three blank masks. With both hands and one foot, once all ten masks were collected, would she be able to create a complete Nüba? She was somewhat looking forward to it.
When I touched the surface of the mask with my fingers, it wasn't cold; it felt warm and smooth, like warm jade.
Even if you collect them all, it will only be an illusion; you can't even solidify a form. Tuanzi looked down on the mask. Its physical body had been eaten, and its soul was gone. Even if you used the mask to reshape its body, it would only be an empty puppet, not even a real doll.
I have no interest in waking up the demons, but these ten are too pitiful, and to prevent them from continuing to harm people, it's best to get rid of them as soon as possible.
The night breeze was a bit chilly, and the fire pit wasn't hot enough to warm up more areas.
The oasis, which had been bustling for several days, has quieted down. After tomorrow, it will truly fall silent, waiting for demons to be thrown in again and for the next trial to begin.
As the sun rose early in the morning, Jian Xingyun led the way to the edge of the barrier. Looking outwards, they couldn't see anything. Before they even entered, she knew Elder He had already shielded the barrier; those outside couldn't see in, and those inside couldn't see out. Call it burying your head in the sand, call it self-deception, whatever—he didn't want to see the process, only the result. That's why she dared to so blatantly slack off and launch a full-blown attack!
Jian Xingyun placed his hand on the barrier and channeled his spiritual power into it. Soon, a ripple of light appeared on the barrier, and the white curtain covering it automatically receded, revealing the thin barrier as transparent as glass, through which one could see the group of people, led by Elder He, standing outside.
Jian Xingyun stepped back and stood with the others, bowing respectfully towards Elder He's position.
Elder He's smile was obvious. He thought the entire army was going to be wiped out, but he never expected that there would still be more than a dozen people left!
As Elder He gestured, the edge of the barrier slowly parted, revealing a crack that gradually widened and spread until the entire barrier began to dissipate. Amidst the flickering light and shadow, the azure sky gradually expanded.
When the barrier opened, everyone filed out, with Ning Xiaoxi blending in the middle, neither standing out nor falling behind. The crowd intentionally or unintentionally shielded her, her slender figure hidden among the many tall Celestial Masters; if one wasn't paying attention, they would naturally miss her.
"Good, good!" Elder He looked at everyone with a kind smile. "Go and register first. Your families are getting impatient. You can go home and rest. New positions will be waiting for you soon."
Jian Xingyun once again led the way, bowing to Elder He once more before guiding everyone toward the registration desk set up by the Celestial Master Pavilion.
Elder He smiled as he looked at Jian Xingyun. Although Yizhou was a bit far, now that he had become a Celestial Master, he would naturally prioritize the Celestial Master's Pavilion, with his family playing a secondary role. Wasn't Di An also stationed in Bingzhou back then? That's how everyone got there!
Ning Xiaoxi, sandwiched between tall people, spotted Sui Lanting and Su Yu hiding in the crowd behind them. She pulled down her veil, gave them a big smile, and then went into the registration area.
After they went inside, a huge sound erupted from the crowd outside. There were excited celebrations and sorrowful wailing. A trial, some were happy and some were sad!
Inside the registration office, there were two tables, each with a Heavenly Rank official sitting there to register people.
After recording the name, age, and place of origin, a bronze plaque is issued.
Ning Xiaoxi looked at the bronze plaque. There was nothing on it except for the character "西" (west), which was really concise!
After everyone came out, Jian Xingyun and Jian Xingzhi walked up to Ning Xiaoxi and said, “Young lady, my brother will be returning to Yizhou soon. If you have the opportunity to visit Yizhou, please let my brother do his best to be a good host.”
Ning Xiaoxi smiled, then, remembering that she was still wearing a veil, nodded without saying anything.
Jing Lei and his three companions didn't come over. They smiled sincerely at Ning Xiaoxi and waved goodbye. Ning Xiaoxi nodded in return, not caring whether they could see her or not.
There weren't many people left in the chaotic crowd behind; what was lost was lost, and those who remained were there to pick up others.
"Xiao Xi!" Sui Lanting's excited voice rang out.
Ning Xiaoxi turned her head and saw Sui Lanting and Su Yu running towards her quickly.
"Sister Sui, the official in charge of the night."
"Oh dear, this official position is so awkward. Why don't you just call me Brother Su?" Su Yu said with a hint of disdain, but the smile on his face didn't disappear.
Ning Xiaoxi rolled her eyes at Su Yu. How could she possibly call him "brother"? She only had one brother.
Sui Lanting took Ning Xiaoxi's hand. "Come on, the adults are at the beach. Let's go together."
Ning Xiaoxi then realized that there was a vast sea in the distance. Oh, this must be the west coast that Li Jia mentioned!
The sand underfoot began to become finer and harder to walk on. It looked soft but had enough firmness to support a person walking on it. This must be what they mean by soft yet firm!
But the surging, crashing waves were not blue or green, but red.
Red Sea?
Ning Xiaoxi looked at the red line along the coastline with curiosity. In the distance where the water and sky met, a clear dividing line could be seen, with red on one side and blue on the other.
The coastline is very long, stretching as far as the eye can see, with only undulating sand dunes and not a single patch of green.
In stark contrast to the dramatic events on the east coast, this place is remarkably calm, with no sea creatures or fish in sight, and the red seawater seems devoid of life.