Journey to the West: Treasure Vase of the Great Dao-Chapter 660 - 327 Master
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A glint of green light flashed by, and the hideous Ferocious Ghosts began to weaken, as if these lights were plundering their vitality. Soon, the Ferocious Ghosts dissipated into nothingness as if they had never appeared in the cave.
And those vines seemed to have completed their mission, gradually withering away after the disappearance of the Ferocious Ghosts.
"Old Man Huang, you're getting more proficient with your spells," the Crow remarked with a sense of awe.
Old Man Huang gently shook his head and said, "What's the use of being proficient when, at my realm, I have to flee from even slightly powerful demons?"
For creatures like them, small Little Demons, attaching themselves to the strong, seeking good fortune and avoiding calamity had become an instinct ingrained in their bones. Yet deep in his heart lurked an ambition that was difficult to express; otherwise, why would he ever lay a hand on Chenxiang?
"We should hurry and send them on their way, lest the Great King finds out and blames us," Old Man Huang said with a somewhat diminished spirit.
The Crow said no more. Old Man Huang's predicament was no different from his own, and compared to the more mature and staid Old Man Huang, he harbored even stronger ambitions; he simply didn't dare to show them due to his low strength.
As Chenxiang gradually came to, the first things he saw were the stars filling the sky and the resplendent Milky Way. He gently touched his head, dispelling the lingering dizziness, looked around carefully and found not a single one of his little companions missing, which quietly relieved him.
At the same time, a suspicion in his heart grew clearer. Ever since he was little, Chenxiang had felt that an inexplicable force seemed to protect him. Whenever he was in danger, things would mysteriously turn out well in the end, which also explained his frequent brushes with death.
The orphan Chenxiang possessed a maturity beyond his years, yet he was even better at concealing himself, still pretending to be naive and lovable.
"It's like this again; it seems that someone is indeed secretly protecting me," Chenxiang murmured to himself.
It should have been a good thing, but he could feel an intense malice constantly lingering around him.
While Chenxiang was lost in thought, noisy voices arose from not far away, and a Fire Dragon appeared in the dark night. Familiar calls reached his ears—people from the village were looking for these audacious children.
When they saw Chenxiang's figure, excited voices echoed across the fields, and those who rushed over also found Chenxiang and the other children lying on the ground, fast asleep.
The people could finally breathe a sigh of relief, seeing the children unharmed; they could now sleep peacefully.
The children, still groggy with sleep, opened their blurry eyes to find their parents' fierce and angry faces. Cries of pain echoed across the fields, enlivening what had been a tranquilly silent night.
Chenxiang looked on blankly at the scene, his expression neither sad nor happy, as if he were an outsider. At times like these, he always felt out of place, as if he were always alone. Whenever he returned home, his father would only glance at him quietly and then say, "You're back," without another word—let alone the kind of attention other parents gave their children.
When he got back home, the small thatched cottage was still lit. Liu Yanchang sat quietly on a chair and simply asked the uneasy Chenxiang, "You're back, are the other kids alright?"
Chenxiang showed an expression of 'as expected,' and replied softly, "They're all fine, and have already gone home."
"That's good. It's late; you should rest up," Liu Yanchang said, gently returning to his own room, leaving Chenxiang standing alone in the house, his father remaining as he always was.
That night, Chenxiang had a strange dream. He dreamt he fell from the Nine Heavens, passing through myriad barriers to a place filled with lava. At the center of the lava, there was a gargantuan demon with a ferocious appearance, shackled with huge chains, emitting terrifying roars. The lava surged with his roars, crashing against the surrounding rock walls, yet mysterious runic inscriptions would light up, holding back the raging lava.
At that moment, the demon raised its head and looked at Chenxiang, shouting a name loudly, fear evident in its eyes.
And Chenxiang heard the few words it uttered very clearly; they were: Precious Lotus Lantern.
At the same time, Old Man Huang and the Crow were reporting to their Great King, respectfully recounting what had happened.
"Chenxiang is already nine years old, and the trouble he causes is growing. If this continues, with our strength, we cannot ensure his safety," Old Man Huang said dejectedly.
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The Demon listened quietly to the two Little Demons' report, its brow gradually furrowing. Whenever Chenxiang encountered danger, the Precious Lotus Lantern within him would be activated. The more often this happened, the closer Chenxiang's connection to the Precious Lotus Lantern would become, and eventually, he might learn the true nature of things.
"It seems we can't delay any longer; we must start executing the plan," the Demon said, waving the two Little Demons away and murmuring to himself while sitting on a stone seat.
The next day, Chenxiang slept in. Last night's events had drained much of his energy, and he felt an unprecedented fatigue, while the dream from deep in the night left his mind full of speculation. The image of the demon trapped in the lava remained vividly etched in his mind.
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