The Villain Marked the Protagonist's Fiancée (Through the Book) - Chapter 23

Bai Mofeng and Chu Hui were no fools. Faced with such a formidable enemy, they wouldn’t linger in battle. They would almost certainly gather their fellow disciples and flee to safety.

Yun Xiao frowned slightly, recalling the Azure Cloud Sect disciples’ reverent gazes toward her.

Fine, she thought. Once I obtain what the Dragon Egg wants, I’ll join A’Luo in finding them.

Demonic Beasts recovered their spiritual power more slowly than cultivators, and this one was wounded. They should have enough time.

With this thought, the dark clouds in Yun Xiao’s heart dissipated. Together with Fang Zhiluo, she navigated through layers of intricate formations and finally arrived at the Dragon Egg’s destination three days later.

It was a Cave Abode. Judging by the formations guarding its entrance, the occupant possessed profound mastery of formations, likely a great expert in the field.

Yun Xiao tapped the Dragon Egg in her Spirit Beast Pouch. “What’s a Dragon Egg like you doing here?”

Boom! The stone gate slammed shut.

Yun Xiao rushed to the gate and tried every method she could think of, but none could open it.

Her heart sank. We’re trapped. We can’t get out.

The dense Spiritual Energy here made it an ideal place for cultivation, but Yun Xiao knew A’Luo’s heart was with her fellow disciples, and she would never stay here with her.

Just as Yun Xiao was about to search for another exit, a thunderous boom echoed through the chamber.

As the dust settled, four distinct passages materialized before them.

Yun Xiao stepped forward cautiously, peering into each passage. After a long examination, she couldn’t discern any differences. She retreated to Fang Zhiluo’s side and said, “A’Luo, you’re studying Formations—you’re practically a colleague of the Cave Abode’s master. Come take a look. Can you tell if there’s anything different about these four passages?”

Fang Zhiluo had recognized the passages the moment they appeared.

After examining them closely, she spoke with certainty, “These four passages align with the cardinal directions: east, west, north, and south. The inscriptions above the passages are written in ancient script.” She pointed to the space between the passages. “Look, there’s ancient script here too.”

Yun Xiao glanced up and indeed saw characters she couldn’t understand.

She grabbed Fang Zhiluo’s arm, shaking it gently. “Come on, A’Luo, explain it in terms I can understand! Or just tell me which passage to take—I trust you.”

Having suffered so many setbacks in the formations outside, Yun Xiao had developed a lingering fear. Even if she had ten times the courage, she wouldn’t dare rush into another formation without caution.

Who knew if the formation held mountains of blades and seas of fire, or indestructible stone golems?

Fang Zhiluo withdrew her hand and moved to the center of the four passages, carefully recalling the methods for deciphering the Eight Trigrams Formation.

Yun Xiao didn’t dare interrupt Fang Zhiluo’s focus. Bored, she took out the Dragon Egg, intending to give the troublesome thing a proper scolding. But before she could, the Dragon Egg rolled into the stone wall behind her.

Her peach-blossom eyes widened. Pointing at the spot where the Dragon Egg had vanished, she whispered, “A’Luo, what do we do?”

“Follow it,” Fang Zhiluo replied, already striding toward the stone wall.

Yun Xiao couldn’t bear to let Fang Zhiluo lead the way. Summoning Purple Frost, she gritted her teeth and plunged into the wall.

Inside, it was pitch-black, impossible to see anything.

She tore off a Fire Summoning Talisman, revealing a bottomless stone passage with no immediate dangers.

Seeing Fang Zhiluo enter, she immediately followed the trail left by the Dragon Egg on the ground.

It had to be said, this was a wise move. Along the way, they had only encountered one hidden arrow, a mere child’s play compared to the traps outside.

Staring into the seemingly endless passage, Yun Xiao’s frustration grew. “A’Luo,” she asked, “how much further do you think we have to go?”

When no response came, she immediately turned around.

Where was her A’Luo?

Where had her big A’Luo gone?

She called out several times, but there was no reply. She hadn’t heard any movement either.

Damn it, I’ve fallen into the Cave Master’s formation.

Yun Xiao tilted her head. Wait, that’s not right. Formations are practically useless against me. Even if I accidentally entered one, I should have broken free long ago. How can it still seem endless?

She pulled a handful of Low-Grade Spirit Stones from her Storage Pouch and tossed them forward. They neither struck the stone walls nor made a sound upon landing.

Could this formation be specifically designed to target me?

But that raised even more questions: How did the Cave Master know I would come? And how did he know formations wouldn’t work on me?

The questions piled up in her mind, only fueling her anxiety.

No, I can’t panic. A’Luo is skilled in formations. When she realizes I’m missing, she’ll definitely come looking for me.

As she thought this, her heart gradually calmed down. She stopped moving forward, took out a prayer cushion, and sat cross-legged to cultivate.

On the other side of the passage, Fang Zhiluo had already passed the Cave Master’s trial and was now receiving the Cave Master’s Formation inheritance.

The Cave Master was the ancient great cultivator Jade Void Master, whose mastery of Formations had once shaken the entire Immortal Realm. However, due to his reclusive nature and exceptionally high standards for disciples, he had never found a suitable successor.

Tens of thousands of years had passed since Jade Void Master’s death. With his remnant soul on the verge of dissipating, he sensed Fang Zhiluo’s innate talent for Formations and decided to take her as his disciple.

Five days later, Fang Zhiluo finally completed receiving Jade Void Master’s inheritance. Kneeling before the increasingly transparent phantom, she vowed, “This disciple will surely carry on your Formation legacy and strive to bring the art of Formations to greater glory.”

“Then I can finally rest in peace,” Jade Void Master said, waving his hand to summon the Dragon Egg before Fang Zhiluo. “This little creature has absorbed my Jade Marrow Liquid, replenishing its deficiencies. It will hatch soon.”

“Remember your promise well.” With these final words, Jade Void Master’s remnant soul completely vanished.

Fang Zhiluo kowtowed three times in the direction where Jade Void Master had vanished, then turned and left, cradling the half-human-sized Dragon Egg in her arms.

The passageways were intricate and confusing, and she momentarily lost her bearings. Looking down at the Dragon Egg in her arms, she asked, “Can you find Yun Xiao?”

The Dragon Egg wobbled, then leaped from Fang Zhiluo’s embrace and rolled to the left.

Fang Zhiluo followed closely behind.

After forty-five minutes, she spotted Yun Xiao sitting cross-legged in meditation.

The Dragon Egg rolled swiftly to Yun Xiao’s side and, without waiting for her to finish meditating, leaped into her lap.

Yun Xiao had already awakened from her meditative trance the moment Fang Zhiluo appeared.

She raised her hand and slapped the overly familiar Dragon Egg. “Where did you roll off to? And why are you so heavy now?”

Fang Zhiluo approached, smiling. “Master said it has replenished its deficiencies and will hatch soon.”

Yun Xiao’s face twisted in disbelief. “You were crippled before!” She slapped the Dragon Egg again. “All those precious resources I wasted on you—spit them out right now!”

The Dragon Egg nuzzled Yun Xiao’s cheek affectionately, as if begging for attention.

Fang Zhiluo, concerned about the Azure Cloud Sect disciples, reminded her, “We should regroup with our sect members.”

Yun Xiao deftly stuffed the Dragon Egg into her Spirit Beast Pouch, stood up, and clapped her hands. “Let’s go.”

She was also eager to know if the Black Heaven Giant Python had succeeded in its plan.

She didn’t ask Fang Zhiluo about her gains in the Cave Abode, just as Fang Zhiluo never inquired about her own opportunities.

Remembering something, she retrieved a defensive Spirit Treasure she had obtained from the Black Heaven Giant Python from her Storage Pouch and handed it to Fang Zhiluo. “Here.”

Fang Zhiluo immediately recognized the white silk as being beyond Top-Grade and took a step back. “This is too valuable. I can’t accept it.”

Yun Xiao forcefully pressed the silk into Fang Zhiluo’s arms, feigning anger. “Just take it! Don’t be so formal with me.”

Fang Zhiluo lowered her gaze to the silk in her hands, speechless for a long moment.

Top-Grade Magic Artifacts were exceedingly rare, with the few remaining pieces serving as Sect-Protecting Treasures for the Four Great Sects.

This white silk ribbon, surpassing even Top-Grade Magic Artifacts, must be a Spirit Treasure.

Anyone else who obtained such an item would worship it daily, never dream of handing it over to someone else as Yun Xiao had done.

Her heart was enveloped in a warm current, her pulse quickening slightly. Her voice came out hoarse, “I… I don’t deserve this.”

I don’t deserve you being so kind to me.

Yun Xiao took a step toward Fang Zhiluo, her eyes brimming with tenderness. She spoke deliberately, each word weighted with emotion: “You are wonderful. You are the best A’Luo in the world.”

In that moment, as their eyes met, time seemed to freeze. Their breaths intertwined slowly, and emotions swirled in their gazes.

Yun Xiao saw herself reflected in Fang Zhiluo’s eyes, and it confirmed her belief that Fang Zhiluo wasn’t indifferent to her.

Her heart pounded wildly, the love in her heart blossoming. She couldn’t help but open her arms and pull Fang Zhiluo into a tender embrace, whispering, “A’Luo, I love you. I want to see you every day, to walk hand-in-hand with you, to ascend to immortality together, and to grow old with you.”