The Family Head of This Generation (Girls' Love) - Chapter 19

The two walked carefully, afraid of being attacked by the vines again. Zhao Ziyan once again ignited the black giant sword attached with the Three-Flavored True Fire and warily headed towards the depths of the forest.

As far as the eye could see, there was a banyan tree large enough for two people to embrace and a Vampire Vine parasitic on the banyan tree. The banyan tree was barely alive, strangled by the Vampire Vine, while the Vampire Vine was thriving vigorously.

Although the leaves of the banyan tree were yellow, the huge banyan tree canopy could still block the sky and the sun, blocking all the light on the crown, making the area quite gloomy. Zhao Ziyan circled the banyan tree and found that the banyan tree’s situation was not optimistic. The vine, more ruthless than a vampire, wrapped around the banyan tree in circles. The vines were strangling into the banyan tree’s trunk one layer after another. The originally dark green bark was turning yellow from the Vampire Vine’s strangulation. If another ten years passed, this old banyan tree, which had grown for tens of thousands of years, would probably be sucked dry of all nutrients by the Vampire Vine and wither to death.

“Auntie, the vine that attacked us earlier has been severely weakened. We can solve the problem by just burning the Vampire Vine with a fire. However, this large banyan tree probably won’t be saved. The roots of the Vampire Vine have all grown into the trunk of the large banyan tree. Separating them is impossible. If we forcibly separate them, it might provoke a counterattack from the Vampire Vine, and then it will be another tough fight.” Zhao Ziyan tried to pull the vine out of the tree trunk little by little with her palm, but even with great force, it was useless. The large banyan tree and the Vampire Vine had already become one. Having no idea, Zhao Ziyan looked at her aunt, who was pondering alone, and asked for advice.

“Wait, Ziyan, look, are those corpses entangled by the Vampire Vine familiar? The group of people who were chasing the Eldest Princess seemed to be dressed in black hoods and masks.” Recovering from her contemplation, Zhao Wenxiu pointed at the corpses with some confusion. These corpses did not look like they were strangled by the Vampire Vine, but rather seemed to have been killed with a sword and then dumped here.

“Auntie, someone went to the eighth floor before us. We must also speed up.” Before she finished speaking, Zhao Ziyan took out several Spirit Stones from her space and arranged a “Blazing Fire Array” around the banyan tree, preparing to burn the Vampire Vine to death in one fell swoop.

“Mhm,” Zhao Wenxiu responded absentmindedly, and then retreated with Zhao Ziyan to a place where the fire wouldn’t reach.

Seeing that everything was ready, Zhao Ziyan threw the black giant sword attached with the Three-Flavored True Fire onto the root of the Vampire Vine. The black giant sword steadily stabbed into the vine. The flames on the black giant sword and the “Blazing Fire Array” under the tree interchanged, and a huge fire burned fiercely. The sap of the banyan tree crackled as it was burned by the fire, and the Vampire Vine became even more frantic. In the raging fire, the Vampire Vine danced its giant vines, trying to extinguish the flames, but how could the Three-Flavored True Fire be easily put out? It spread like a clinging ghost to the vines flying everywhere.

A quarter of an hour passed in the blink of an eye. The Blazing Fire Array also collapsed as the spiritual energy in the Spirit Stones was exhausted. The place where a huge banyan tree once stood was now replaced by a pile of ashes. The originally arrogant Vampire Vine, which had entangled the huge banyan tree, was also burned to ashes before it could react.

“Auntie, let’s go! Without the Vampire Vine, the people who enter this forest are no longer in danger. The passage to the eighth floor has appeared.” Zhao Ziyan took Zhao Wenxiu’s soft little hand and entered the eighth floor.

The eighth floor was in a large palace that looked like a maze. Pushing open a stone door revealed eight small paths. Zhao Ziyan chose the third path. Two teams had already passed through the first two paths, so the stone doors for those two paths were already closed.

“Shh, it’s your old lover. Are you still thinking of meeting your old lover?” Zhao Wenxiu’s finger fiercely scratched Zhao Ziyan’s palm, and her face turned dark.

“…”

Zhao Ziyan was speechless, ignoring the woman who seemed to be jealous. Her eyes were fixed on the martial artists gathered on the ninth floor. Those who could enter the ninth floor were undoubtedly one-in-a-thousand experts. Besides the powerful experts, there were young disciples with great luck. And the Eldest Princess, whom Zhao Wenxiu disliked, was prominently among them.

The Eldest Princess at this time was no longer as disheveled as when she was rescued. She was wearing a luxurious white gown with gold trim, and a completely dark green jade pendant hung from her waist. Her body was held straight, and her black hair was tied up with a hairpin symbolizing the Imperial Princess. Her cold and composed demeanor further highlighted the Eldest Princess’s extraordinary status. The man conversing with the Eldest Princess was also no ordinary person. His appearance was handsome and not inferior to the Eldest Princess. Except for his arrogant and overbearing attitude, which was annoying, the man was also an outstanding talent among men.

In addition to the Old Pharmacist, the Eldest Princess was followed by a team of ten people. The Star Sect’s cultivation technique could check an opponent’s cultivation by two levels, and Zhao Ziyan guessed that those ten people had at least Martial General cultivation, or even Martial King or Martial Saint, since those who were going to seize the Martial Venerable’s legacy would have been killed by enemies before they could even walk halfway if their cultivation was too low.

“You still say she’s not your old lover? If she’s not your old lover, why are you staring at her so intently?” The slightly sour tone was exactly like a little woman who was jealous. Seeing Zhao Ziyan’s awkward look made Zhao Wenxiu enjoy this posture even more.

“I told you, I have nothing to do with the Eldest Princess, and she’s not the lover you’re teasing me about. Although the Eldest Princess is excellent, she’s not my preferred type.”

Zhao Ziyan rolled her eyes at Zhao Wenxiu. The only people who posed a threat to her on the ninth floor were the team led by the Eldest Princess. Why would I look at her? Should I look at those old men with ragged clothes and severely damaged cultivation instead?

“The Eldest Princess is so excellent, and you don’t like her. Then what type do you like?” Zhao Wenxiu asked gossipy.

Zhao Ziyan refocused her attention on the palace, remaining silent and no longer engaging with Zhao Wenxiu. Several more groups of people had arrived, all from the Empire’s super aristocratic families. The Zhao family’s Grand Elder also brought people. The more people, the greater the pressure of competition. The Spring of Life—Zhao Ziyan no longer had extravagant hopes for it. After all, no one knew if the Spring of Life still existed in the Haotian Secret Realm, as it had been three thousand years since someone took the Spring of Life away from the Haotian Secret Realm. Perhaps the Spring of Life had already dried up.

“Hmph, your old lover is truly hypocritical. She clearly wants to kill the First Prince immediately, yet she is still pretending to have deep sibling affection with the First Prince.” Zhao Wenxiu looked disdainfully at Feng Qinyue in the palace who was showing deep sibling affection with the First Prince. Royal people were just hypocritical. They all wanted the other to die, but on the surface, they had to pretend to be harmonious. Fortunately, Zhao Ziyan didn’t like Feng Qinyue.

“We should go in.” Zhao Ziyan was the first to leave their hiding place. Zhao Wenxiu closely followed behind. The palace was empty. It seemed that the scene of martial artists fighting each other for treasures and both sides being injured would not be seen. Zhao Ziyan also did not harbor the idea of benefiting from others’ conflict. After all, no one who had cultivated to this level was a fool.

Feng Qinyue looked with surprise at Zhao Ziyan approaching, but her face immediately turned cold. She stopped her steps, which were originally prepared to go find Zhao Ziyan, and looked at Zhao Wenxiu, who was walking hand-in-hand with Zhao Ziyan, with hostility.

Sure enough, that woman who stole Zhao Ziyan was also here. Zhao Ziyan was truly unappreciative. She had clearly expressed her affection and wanted to marry her as her Queen Consort, yet she was still flirting with Zhao Wenxiu. Moreover, Zhao Wenxiu clearly didn’t look like a good woman—she was enchanting and seductive. Even if she was powerful, she was not suitable for Zhao Ziyan. She must marry Zhao Ziyan back. Even if she didn’t genuinely like Zhao Ziyan, for the strong support of the Zhao family’s power, Zhao Ziyan could only belong to her. Furthermore, she did feel very differently about Zhao Ziyan in her heart. Whether for the Zhao family’s power or Zhao Ziyan herself, she must possess her.

“Your old lover is looking at you with resentment. Why don’t you hurry and comfort her?” Zhao Wenxiu was also resentful. That Eldest Princess was truly haunting them. My niece has clearly stated she doesn’t like her, yet she is so shameless.

“Stop pinching me, okay? You’re not eighteen, you’re thirty-eight. Please, be gentler, be more mature.” Zhao Ziyan helplessly grabbed Zhao Wenxiu’s hand, which was fiercely pinching her waist, only to see the Eldest Princess’s expression growing angrier.

Caught between the two women, Zhao Ziyan was in a dilemma. Neither woman was easy to deal with; both were insidious and scheming. Offending either one of them would make her life difficult in the future. What exactly did I do that made the Eldest Princess like me? I can change, can’t I? Could it be the damned hero-saves-the-beauty complex? The Eldest Princess, who had gone through all sorts of storms, wouldn’t be so maidenly, would she? Being rescued once means having to commit oneself to the savior—that’s such a melodramatic plot! As for Zhao Wenxiu, Zhao Ziyan truly couldn’t imagine her falling in love with her. She had been steadfastly in love with Shang Luo for more than ten years; how could she transfer her affection? She was probably mostly teasing her. After returning, she must immediately go into seclusion. She never wanted to have anything to do with Zhao Wenxiu again; it was too torturous.

“Head of the Family!”

The Grand Elder walked towards Zhao Ziyan’s direction with some surprise. Why did the Head of the Family also come? Isn’t this nonsense? The Haotian Secret Realm is so dangerous. What is the Head of the Family doing here? If the Head of the Family wants something, all she has to do is give an order, and wouldn’t we old bones immediately find it?

“Ahem, Grand Elder, I came to find some materials for alchemy. You don’t have to worry. With Auntie protecting me, my life is safe.” Zhao Ziyan cleared her throat and put on the demeanor of the Head of the Family. Being constantly oppressed by Zhao Wenxiu these days, and unable to fight back, she had forgotten that she also had the CEO-like status of the Head of the Zhao Family.

“Head of the Family, this is truly nonsense! Leave the alchemy materials to us old bones. How can the Head of the Family personally take such a risk?” Zhao Xie was calm at first, but then he heard that Zhao Ziyan only came to find a few herbs, and he immediately showed profound anguish. This made Zhao Ziyan stunned. Zhao Xie was overreacting, wasn’t he?

“Grand Elder, don’t worry. Everyone’s cultivation is suppressed to the Transcendence Realm. I am invincible at the same level. Even if I run into the older generation, I can still run away if I can’t beat them.” Zhao Ziyan chuckled, preparing to gloss over it. Wasn’t she wearing a human skin mask? Why did her beautiful mother recognize her, and why would the Grand Elder, this old undying person, also recognize her? It seemed that the human skin mask left by Wuchenzi was not as amazing as described.

“Clang—Crack—”

The doors of the palace slammed shut completely, blocking all paths of retreat. The people in the palace were briefly panicked, but then they quieted down. Cultivators, after all, were not ordinary people and would not be so unstable. A few powerful martial artists tried to attack the closed palace doors with swords and knives, but it was all in vain. No one knew what the palace doors were made of; they were incredibly sturdy.