The fragrance is faint, as sweet as honey. Kellen, in her slumber, felt as if a soft, silky quilt had been laid down on her soft back. But the blanket was so cool, so fragrant, so enchanting. It is the scent of flowers, the strange fragrance of flowers. Kellen knew that this fragrance wasn't everywhere, unless one was lying in the Fragrant Valley. Or, sleep beside Ningxiang.
Ningxiang was right beside her, because Kellen had already heard Ningxiang's choking sobs. The sobs were low and the sobs were faint. But Kellen still heard it very clearly. For Kellen, the image of Ningxiang was already deeply imprinted in her mind. Even a piece of clothing, a breath, a glance, a scent, Kellen could recognize Ningxiang at once.
The same is true of this moment.
"Ningxiang, why are you crying again? What are you crying about?" In a daze, Kellen saw Ningxiang, saw the cool, morning dewdrops of tears on Ningxiang's little face, which had quietly dropped onto her own face. Kellen moved her hand a little...
"Grandpa, he's awake! Listen, he's awake!" The cheerful scream made Kellen certain that Ningxiang was right beside her, and very close, very tight.
When Kellen opened her eyes, she was refreshed, calm and cheerful. The first thing she saw was a pair of small hands, white and tender, like fat and jade, tightly hugging her neck. She rested her head on her delicate calves, which were soft and fluffy. Kellen immediately realized that the legs were fragrant!
Suddenly, Kellen sat up, giving Ningxiang a big fright. When Ningxiang came to her senses, her little body was already curled up in Kellen's arms. Kellen herself was sitting on a large carpet of flowers.
"I don't see you being crushed, does it hurt?" Kellen had no time to greet anyone else, and in fact didn't even look at anyone beside her. Gently rubbing Ningxiang's little leg, she was heartbroken.
Ningxiang, with glistening tears in her eyes, stared blankly at Kellen, seemingly terrified by Kellen's sudden impulse just now.
"Mischievous, what's wrong with you? Why are you suddenly silent?" Kellen gently wiped away the tears from the corner of Ningxiang's eyes and said with a smile, "Are you naughty again? Otherwise, how could there be tears? How about it? Does it still hurt?" "Kellen said, rubbing gently.
"Hey!" Suddenly, Ningxiang stretched out her little arm, clung tightly to Kellen's neck, pressed her little face against Kellen's handsome face, and said softly, "You scared me to death! It's okay, it's okay. I'm still alive and you're still alive. Giggle..." Ningxiang's hearty laughter, like the melodious chirping of a nightingale, always brings a pleasant feeling.
"Little rascal, you hold too tightly, brother can hardly breathe! Let go quickly! Cough cough..." Kellen couldn't stand Ningxiang's wild and unrestrained nature. Even though Feng and Ning have known each other for quite some time, Kellen still can't figure out Ningxiang's mischievous thoughts.
Ningxiang loosened her little arms as she said, but her little hands still clung to Kellen's neck. A pair of big, lively eyes, shining like crystal, giggled at Kellen. Suddenly, the tender little mouth left a deep kiss on Kellen's cheek, and then let go of her hand with great joy. Sitting on Kellen's lap, he laughed:
"It scared us to death! I thought you were bewitched to death, and I made you shed a lot of tears. Now it's fine, you're alive again, now pay me your tears! Let's not owe each other either!"
Kellen, upon hearing Ningxiang's words, was too naive and clearly childish. Laughing: "Nonsense. How can tears keep coming and going? Besides, tears are not an object on me. How can they just flow? You little fellow, can't you gouge out my eyes just to shed tears?"
Ningxiang was stunned for a moment and said, "Gouging out my eyes? No, no! Even if you are willing, I will not! Forget it. Anyway, there's still plenty of time ahead. Just give me back my tears slowly! So many tears, I will remember for you. In the future, I will count drop by drop until you pay it back!" Ningxiang said solemnly, as if Kellen really had to pay back all those tears.
"Hehe..." Just then, the loud laughter of the Fire Root Ancestor came. "Brother Kellen, you have made us wait so long! Are you feeling better now that you're awake?" On the open robe that was as bright as fire, the Eight Trigrams Fire Seal shone brightly, and the red-haired and bearded Fire Root Ancestor, riding the fire, followed and listened, had already reached Kellen.
Kellen hurriedly released the incense and rose to pay his respects. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I apologize to you, Kellen," he said with shame.
"Excuse me? What crime? It's just a little longer to wait!" The Fire Root Ancestor laughed, "You little brother are being too polite. How are you feeling?
Just now you were surrounded by demonic energy and suddenly fainted. Diting and I have cast spells twice, but your true essence is so strong that it has no effect at all. Instead, it has forced out our spells. I have no choice but to protect your body and disperse the demonic energy to prevent it from being sucked into your body while you are sleeping.
But Ningxiang, this little rascal, has the ability. With the flower carpet spread out, she woke up in no time. Come on, tell grandpa, you little rascal, what skill are you using?" As the Fire Root Ancestor spoke, he had already taken Ningxiang's little hand.
"Skill? My ability is just one word!" Ningxiang had a mysterious, sly smile on her face.
"Oh? What words?" The Fire Root Ancestor was very curious.
"The word sounds unseemly, but it's better not to say it." Ningxiang sneered and seemed reluctant to reveal the secret technique.
The Fire Root Ancestor was always straightforward. The more he concealed it, the more he wanted to know. Blurting out, "You little rascal, what do you know about elegance and indecency? But it doesn't matter if you don't say that grandpa's heart is always itchy, just say it and it won't itch anymore."
"Must you listen?" Ningxiang blinked her big eyes and laughed.
"Be sure to listen!" The Fire Root Ancestor was full of curiosity.
"Will you not regret hearing that?" Ningxiang laughed, a strange smile.
"Hehe! You little rascal, isn't it just one word? How could you regret hearing it? Which word, come on, Grandpa's heart itches!" The Fire Root Ancestor couldn't wait.
"Ha ha! Since Grandpa insisted on listening, I'll say it, but let's make it clear first: Only listen, no learn!
Giggle! None of you could have imagined it would be a 'steal'!" Ningxiang laughed her head off and was smug this time.
To say "stealing" is what others consider "stealing", but to Ningxiang it is "borrowing". When it comes to the word "steal" and "borrow", no one in the three realms dares to provoke Ningxiang. As Ningxiang said before, there is nothing she can't borrow in the three realms and five domains! In front of Eyeba, there is a magic sword to eliminate the demons and a divine beast to listen, all of which Ningxiang "borrowed". To others, that's not the case.
As soon as Ningxiang mentioned the word "steal", everyone fell silent. But the Fire Root Ancestor still couldn't help asking, "Hehe! You little rascals have turned the word "steal" into a peculiar technique! Tell me how you 'steal' so skillfully this time that you can 'steal' the dead back to life?"
"Hehe... In fact, it's not really clever, but just now I stole Kellen's heart and soul, and now I'm giving it back to him, so he's alive again!" So it was, but not a word was mentioned about Kellen absorbing the spirit of the flower valley in Ningxiang Valley. Everyone was confused and thought Ningxiang was telling a joke. But the silent listener, who had already seen through Ningxiang's shrewdness, just didn't want to speak out to sweep Ningxiang's joy.
"Blushing! You little rascal, don't say this nonsense anymore. You'll be laughed at if you do! Do you know?" The Fire Root Ancestor kindly stroked Ningxiang's little head. He said to the crowd:
"You all have seen the demonic and ghostly aura in this hall that washes the spirits. Even Kellen, a highly accomplished immortal body, is not immune to the demonic aura. The disciples were at ease guarding outside the hall, while Diting and I went in to see what kind of net of demons and devilish array was set up inside the great hall. Little Kellen, look after Ningxiang and wait for us to come out."
From the doors and Windows of the grand and imposing Xiling Hall, wisps of black mist, a demonic aura, slowly and gently spread through the cracks and edges of the hall's doors and Windows. The white mist of the dead, entwined in the dark veil full of demonic energy, was faint and indistinct. A grand hall that was once bright and open has now become dark and eerie.
The chill of the forest, mingled with the demonic aura of the black mist, permeated with the stench of blood. At the four floor-to-ceiling doors at the entrance of the main hall, hideous and terrifying demonic spirits with green faces and fangs were faintly floating. Long, bone-gnawing mouthwaters, black, blood-stinking and sticky, hung on both sides of the fangs, making one feel sick and nauseous. The wailing of ghosts and the howling of wolves could be faintly heard through the crack of the door.
The bones are thick and white, with ghostly claws and sharp needles. Under the eyes of pairs of skeletons, there are chilling ghostly claws that chill the heart. With fixed eyes, the evil spirit is still clear. The ghostly robe is like paper, the pale face is like frost, and the cold claws are like snow. Drifting in and out. Floating between doors and Windows, hiding within the demonic aura.
Kellen gazed at the monstrous hall, lost in thought. She had just lost consciousness, though it was related to her own mind. But if it weren't for the demonic aura invading the body, how could all these thoughts arise? From this, it seems that in this grand hall, there is indeed a profound sorcery that devours the heart and soul. Kellen had a sudden urge, an urge to destroy the demons and transform the Dao. Out of the way:
"I'm going in too."
"No." The Fire Root Ancestor immediately refused. His refusal was, of course, justified: This is the palace of the King of Hell, where the King of Hell who washes the spirit and his ministers live. Since the palace of the King of Hell has been occupied, presumably the King of Hell and his ministers have suffered. In this way, it is evident that the demonic and ghostly sorcery is extremely powerful. Tunnel:
"You just woke up and need a break. With me and listen in, with you and your disciples protecting the Dharma outside, and without any worries, isn't it a perfect way to have both? The situation is urgent. You'd better stay outside the hall."
"Grandpa Fire Root, Kellen is fine, please rest assured. Besides, one more person means one more helper. After all, Kellen is confident that she still has some brute force and a demon-slaying sword in her hand. It should be no problem for her to slay some demons and clowns." At this moment, Kellen did have some confidence.
In fact, after a good night's sleep, Kellen was even more energetic. She had been in a coma for a long time, and it was not a demonic aura. It was after the use of the Xuantian Thunderbolt Sword array that the true essence of the body was inevitably severely depleted and needed time to rest and recover.
Once the true essence is depleted, the body becomes weak and begins to fall into coma and hallucinations. These hallucinations are nothing but daily thoughts, and they are also the prelude to a person's sleep. Usually, before going to sleep, people tend to lie in bed and think about something, and as they think, they fall asleep. Of course, there are people who fall asleep while standing. Even, they can fall asleep with their eyes open. So it is not surprising that someone like Kellen, who was overworked, would suddenly faint while standing.