Chapter Ten: A Temporary Escape from the Tiger's Jaw

Xiaoying gave a charming smile. “My sister told me to keep an eye on you! If you try to escape, you’ll put me in a difficult spot.”

“Chirp, chirp!” The little creature leapt from Xiaoying’s arms and landed steadily atop Li Chengzhu’s hair, tangled and wild as a bird’s nest, clutching tightly.

After tossing Li Chengzhu back onto the bed, Xiaoying, with the little creature in tow, strode out without a backward glance.

Li Chengzhu pushed open the door but could not leave. He stood at the threshold, shouting loudly, “I protest! I demand preferential treatment as a prisoner of war! I am a disciple of the Celestial Envoy of Reception—you cannot confine me!”

He shouted for ages, but no one replied. Breathing heavily, he walked to the bedside and sat down.

“Those two damned women—just wait till I have my day of glory, you’ll see who has the last laugh,” Li Chengzhu cursed.

For a full half month, Li Chengzhu was imprisoned within the City Lord’s mansion, not stepping outside his room. Aside from Xiaoying’s occasional visits to check if he was still alive, he never saw Gu Linglong again. Even the little creature grew increasingly attached to Xiaoying, that seductive woman.

Li Chengzhu spent his days in the chamber, either cursing loudly or leaning out the window to whistle at the immortal beauties walking or flying past below, shamelessly singing, “Hey, pretty girl across the way, look over here, look over here, look over here…” He couldn’t even smash anything, for his hands found nothing at all.

In just a few days, almost the entire city knew there was a mentally unstable man inside the City Lord’s mansion.

Idle folk congregated outside the mansion, eager for a glimpse of Li Chengzhu’s visage.

Li Chengzhu grew ever more outrageous—his earlier antics were no longer enough to satisfy the crowd. He began singing infamous songs like “Lust is the root of all evil, desire is a blade hanging overhead,” and others. Thanks to his influence, nearly every man in the city could hum a tune or two, and the songs enjoyed a period of wild popularity.

Never before had the Immortal Realm been so lively. The City Lord’s mansion was surrounded daily, layer upon layer.

Li Chengzhu was even honored with the title “God of Song.”

At last, Gu Linglong erupted.

On this day, just as Li Chengzhu was belting out, “Touch your legs, so much water…” Gu Linglong burst in, seized him with a powerful grip, and slammed him to the floor.

The crowd below, seeing the City Lord’s fury, hastily mounted their flying swords and scattered like birds and beasts.

Gu Linglong glared coldly at Li Chengzhu as he struggled to his feet. “Seems you’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you?”

Li Chengzhu smoothed his slightly disheveled hair and replied slowly, “Thanks to your generosity!”

Gu Linglong snorted viciously. “From now on, you are forbidden from singing those filthy songs. Or I’ll cut out your tongue.”

Li Chengzhu stared at her in rage. “Damn it, who are you to say so? I’ll do as I please!”

Gu Linglong, enraged, formed a spell, preparing to attack. Li Chengzhu remained calm and threatened, “Don’t push me. If you push me too far, I’ll self-destruct my nascent soul, and your celestial energy will be gone for good.”

Gu Linglong sneered. “Do you really think that’s possible? Your nascent soul is already bound by me. You can’t even gather spiritual energy, so how could you self-destruct?”

Seeing that Gu Linglong wasn’t attacking, Li Chengzhu relaxed inwardly and asserted, “I have my ways. You think only gathering spiritual energy can trigger self-destruction? That’s just your ignorance showing.” Sensing she might lose her temper again, he hurriedly added, “If you agree to my conditions, I’ll cooperate and help you recover your celestial energy.”

Gu Linglong was indeed tempted. After a moment’s thought, she said, “First, I won’t lift your seal. Second, you can’t leave this city.”

Li Chengzhu laughed. “Of course, I only want to go out for a walk. Don’t keep me locked up here. After all, I am a disciple of the Celestial Envoy of Reception! If word gets out, my master’s reputation will be ruined.”

Gu Linglong looked somewhat puzzled. “Was that method of self-destruction taught by the Celestial Envoy?”

Li Chengzhu dodged the question. “That’s not important. What matters is, even with my nascent soul bound, I can still self-destruct. So, how about it? It’s a fair deal.”

Gu Linglong’s expression eased. “Speak. What are your conditions?”

Li Chengzhu brushed imaginary dust from his clothes and raised his fingers. “First, I want to go out, though I won’t leave the city. Second, my cultivation is weak—you must provide me a bodyguard.” He appraised Gu Linglong up and down, shook his head, and said, “Let’s have Xiaoying. Having a beauty by my side is always uplifting, unlike certain people.”

Gu Linglong stayed silent. Li Chengzhu secretly chuckled and continued, “Third, I need to buy some things. Give me a hundred top-grade stones!”

“You’re dreaming!” Gu Linglong snapped. “As City Lord, I only receive a hundred top-grade stones a year from the Celestial Emperor. Why should I give them all to you?”

Li Chengzhu smiled. “It’s up to you. But if I go out penniless, I might just requisition whatever catches my eye on behalf of the City Lord.”

Gu Linglong stared at Li Chengzhu’s earnest expression, then finally spat out, “Shameless!”

Li Chengzhu clapped his hands. “All right, those are my three conditions! If you agree, I’ll leave now!” He gestured for Gu Linglong to remove the barrier at the door.

Gu Linglong’s petite form trembled for a long time, but in the end, she could not resist the lure of recovering her celestial energy. With a wave, she dissolved the barrier.

Li Chengzhu gave a cocky grin, about to leave, when he suddenly turned and asked, “Can you tell me how you found me? And knew I’d escaped the Heavenly Covering Array?”

Gu Linglong smiled disdainfully, unhurried. “Don’t you know there’s a spell called Tracking?”

Li Chengzhu’s lips twitched. He ignored the madwoman, darted out the door, and grabbed Xiaoying, who was standing by the threshold, heading for the gates.

The little creature zipped from Xiaoying’s arms and perched on Li Chengzhu’s shoulder.

The feeling of regaining freedom was indescribably wonderful!

Li Chengzhu swaggered down the main street, full of bravado.

Xiaoying followed behind, slightly displeased. The prisoner she’d been guarding was suddenly her charge—a bodyguard’s assignment, and she struggled to adjust. She’d overheard every word of Gu Linglong and Li Chengzhu’s negotiation, but never expected her sister to actually yield in the end. She had underestimated her sister’s attachment to the lost celestial energy.

Xiaoying sighed softly, and Li Chengzhu heard it. He turned and smiled at her. “What’s wrong? Feeling blue?”

Xiaoying shot him a glance. “How do you think I feel, being someone else’s bodyguard?”

Li Chengzhu almost lost his soul to that glance, full of allure. He quickly calmed himself and whispered, “My dear, I’m just an ordinary person now, unable to use any spiritual power. Please don’t throw those deadly seductive looks at me. Who knows, maybe one day my soul will really be taken by you.”

Xiaoying gave a charming smile. “I’ve never met such a glib-tongued cultivator.”

Li Chengzhu maintained his thick-skinned composure. “I’m just telling the truth.”

Xiaoying grew even happier, as if her earlier displeasure had vanished into thin air.

Li Chengzhu chuckled inwardly. Women really do love sweet words.

“Let’s go buy a flying sword!” Li Chengzhu suggested.

“You don’t have a flying sword?” Xiaoying was surprised.

“It’s for you. If I’m not mistaken, yours is a mid-grade sword, right? Let’s buy a top-grade one—after all, we have someone footing the bill.” Li Chengzhu declared shamelessly.

Xiaoying pouted. “Bought swords aren’t always suitable for oneself. If I had the materials, I could forge a top-grade sword myself.”

Li Chengzhu’s eyes widened. He’d always assumed others were as inept as himself, having learned nothing from his master’s lessons in artifact forging. He never expected Xiaoying to actually have the ability to craft a top-grade flying sword. His mind spun with schemes. “What materials do you need? Let’s buy them, then forge dozens to sell.”