The woman who walked into the cell was completely out of place with the dark and oppressive surroundings.
Clad in black with a delicate veil, she was slender and graceful, like the fragrant orchid and clear heart reflected in jade.
Her long, pitch-black hair cascaded like a waterfall behind her, her face indistinct, but her eyes were exceptionally beautiful, pure and clean, untouched by the mundane world, yet seemingly sympathetic to the myriad things in life.
Chen Kuang was momentarily stunned.
It was simply because this woman's beauty had exceeded bounds.
Clearly, the bright moon is the precursor, turning back with a smile, cool for thousands of springs.
This poem suddenly flashed in his mind.
Though the woman did not smile, nor could he see her true face, Chen Kuang felt this poem suited her perfectly.
Surely, if she were to smile, it would be immensely cool.
Chu Wen Ruo could be described as a national beauty, yet even she only matches this pair of eyes.
Who knows how unparalleled the beauty beneath the veil might be?
Without a single word, Chen Kuang immediately knew this woman must be one of the two Immortal Masters guarding the Celestial Prison.
Chen Kuang took a deep breath, not speaking immediately, pondering what this Immortal Master's attitude might be, and how he could best stir things up.
The woman slowly walked in, and the door to the Celestial Prison closed accordingly.
"Bang."
The entire Celestial Prison plunged into darkness.
And the woman dressed in black at this moment blended into the darkness, her beautiful, cool eyes incredibly calm, not as though she were surrounded by darkness, but more like... she had dyed everything around her black.
Chen Kuang's heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
Too quiet... he suddenly realized there was no sound at all in the cell.
The wind, snores, insect chirps, the rustle of clothes and straw, all vanished!
Only a soft female voice remained close by.
"You've been waiting for me."
Shen Xingzhu arrived directly in front of Chen Kuang, looking at him with those extremely beautiful eyes, and said softly:
"So I came—"
"To see what kind of divine being could deceive Li Hongling, stir Wei Su without even meeting, all without revealing your face?"
Shen Xingzhu met his gaze, her eyes seeming somewhat curious and disappointed.
Curious about "You're not blind, yet you managed to deceive Li Hongling, making her believe you were blind? Blindness isn't something that can be hidden with mere acting unless you were originally blind, and now you're cured."
Disappointed with "Turns out you're not a mortal but a cultivator, though your skill is rather lacking, your courage is considerable."
Just from these few words, Chen Kuang felt chills down his spine, his jaw clenched tight, with all muscles unnaturally tensed.
Like a rabbit encountering a wolf or leopard, instinctively wanting to flee.
Yet what made him feel even colder, making him dare not move, was...
Beside him, Huo Hengxuan also fell silent.
Since this woman entered, the entire Celestial Prison lost its sound.
Chen Kuang dared not turn to see what had happened to Huo Hengxuan, whether he had fallen asleep or...
"No need to worry."
Shen Xingzhu seemed to discern his thoughts and actually explained:
"I neither kill nor save, the battle of Zhou Liang is unrelated to me, and ought to be resolved by those involved."
Her tone was calm, paired with a soft, gentle voice, seemingly amenable.
But considering she exposed all of Chen Kuang's disguises upon entering, taking her at face value would be a grave mistake.
This woman must be someone who can speak calmly one moment, and stab you in the heart the next.
Chen Kuang paused, and then asked directly:
"Since Immortal Master neither kills nor saves, why appear on this battlefield, guarding the Celestial Prison for General Li?"
Shen Xingzhu lowered her eyes and replied:
"Our Mystic God Daoist Sect cherishes compassion, holding virtue as paramount, only practicing our own path, intending to ferry the world to an early realization of the orchid cause. If the world doesn't heed, I do not implore."
"I came here not to guard, but to quell the war."
Unable to resist, Chen Kuang asked: "Quell the war? How?"
Shen Xingzhu replied softly: "Preach—if fated, they will naturally understand my teachings."
Chen Kuang: "..."
He pulled at the corners of his mouth, unsure what to say.
Though aware the High Martial World would surely harbor all sorts of strange "Dao," this was too outrageous.
What a Mercy Fairy indeed!
Apparently her Dao is just talking to you a bit, letting you comprehend on your own.
Whether you understand, whether you follow her path, none of it concerns her...
Truly lofty.
God-like! Immortal-like!
Absolutely embodying righteous and dignified appearances.
Chen Kuang felt inexplicably angry and asked again:
"Is the Immortal Master's path of compassion merely self-gratifying? Right before you are innocent people suffering from war, can't you save these people if you can't persuade the culprits?"
Shen Xingzhu's gaze fell on his legs, and she said:
"You mean... yourself?"
"I mean the world, the people of Liang Kingdom, millions dead under the iron hooves of the Black Armor Army, does the Immortal Master turn a blind eye!?"
Chen Kuang took a deep breath, feeling an unfamiliar emotion rising from deep within.
This should belong to the original Chen Kuang.
He is from Liang Kingdom.
As a victim, seeing someone capable of preventing Liang Kingdom's demise, yet standing idly by while claiming to advocate compassion above all, he naturally felt indignant.
Shen Xingzhu's expression didn't change much, somewhat contemplative:
"I see, this is why you deceived Li Hongling and stirred Wei Su."
"No."
Chen Kuang exhaled: "I only sought to survive."
National hatred and family grudges were the original persona's concern.
He looked at Shen Xingzhu: "Since the Immortal Master saw through my purpose, why come to see me? To stop me from surviving?"
Shen Xingzhu shook her head:
"Wei Su told me that Li Hongling is torturing a mortal musician, hoping I'd stop her and then save you."
Chen Kuang paused, hearing her continue.
"The premise of preaching is having a path."
"The path is not below, but above. If above there is the path, then pursue it, if above is without path, then eliminate it, thus I do not save nor kill, for cultivators... are not considered human."
"If there are those above deceiving below, that is pathlessness, deserving of execution."
These words were spoken nonchalantly, with a calm tone, carrying a sense of superiority.
This superiority wasn't disdain but indifference.
Chen Kuang understood.
The Mercy Fairy's path doesn't target ordinary people, but cultivators.
If ordinary people do not understand her path, it doesn't matter, if you refuse then you refuse... And ordinary people's entanglements are none of her concern.
But if cultivators do not heed, or even violate, then she'll take action.
Then... wasn't Li Hongling violating?
Chen Kuang's breathing quickened, yet he suddenly remembered a sad fact.
He was already a cultivator.
Therefore, Li Hongling taking action against him doesn't count as a superior deceiving an inferior...
No wonder... no wonder she was disappointed earlier!
Had he inadvertently ruined the chance to escape?
No, Chen Kuang calmed down slightly; it wasn't escape, but rather from Li Hongling's hands to that cultivator named Wei Su's hands.
But strangely, the woman before him seemed unaware of the Elixir of Longevity, never mentioning it.
However, she was entrusted by Wei Su, supposed to be fully aware of the situation.
Chen Kuang probed: "Immortal Master, do you know about the Elixir of Longevity?"
Shen Xingzhu frowned: "Elixir of Longevity? What Elixir of Longevity?"
Chen Kuang was first taken aback, then felt his heart sink to the depths.