**** Sorry for the delay, been busy ****
Zhu Ran poked an acupuncture point on Hua Qian Gu's body and she fell fast asleep.
"This seal was placed by Bai Zhi Hua?"
Dou Lan Gan was shocked as he looked at the mark in Hua Qian Gu’s underarm.
"Yes, this seal is suppressing the Demon God's power. If we're able to remove it, not only can we leave the savage wilderness, even if it's to destroy this whole savage wilderness, it is as easy as the snap of a finger."
"Why not let the girl know about the seal, what exactly are you planning?"
"Senior, you have misunderstood me, I’m also being considerate of Qian Gu. Do you know who she has in her heart that caused her to suffer the Jue Qing pool water to this extent?"
"How would I know?" He arrived at the savage wilderness hundreds of years ago, this girl was only a child.
"It's Bai Zhi Hua."
"What?" Dou Lan Gan suddenly said in a high-pitched voice.” Isn’t he her Teacher?"
"Yes, what happened to them was excessively complex, perhaps only when we leave will we find out. Zun Shang has always followed rules by the books, but yet he banished her to the savage wilderness instead of killing her. When I first met Hua Qian Gu, she didn’t even know she had the Demon God's power, only after I tested her did she find out."
Dou Lan Gan furrowed his eyebrows, what is Bai Zhi Hua’s meaning in doing this?
"Hua Qian Gu also said she has to leave quickly to save a child named Na Mo Yue, she said Bai Zhi Hua had mistaken the child as the Demon God, in a few months they'll execute him. But the thing is the Demon God's power was sealed by Bai Zhi Hua…how can he not distinguish who the Demon God is?"
"You’re saying Bai Zhi Hua and her had an affair and deliberately covered it up by finding a person to substitute his disciple's punishment? That can't be possible, that is absolutely impossible!"Dou Lan Gan repeatedly shook his head, if it were anyone else he would believe it but he could guarantee with his head, Bai Zhi Hua absolutely would not.
Zhu Ran smirked and nodded: "All those years I spent at Chang Liu, with my understanding of Zun Shang's personality, naturally I also believe he wouldn't, besides if that were true, there is no reason Zun Shang needed to conceal it from her. Zun Shang probably has his reasons, in order to not affect his reputation, let's temporary keep this to ourselves. Furthermore, he didn't even tell Hua Qian Gu, we've best for the time being not let her know."
Dou Lan Gan laughed coldly: "You hate your own Teacher so much, but still treat Zun Shang with such respect."
"The entire immortal realm admires and praises Zun Shang's personality. Back then if it wasn't for him, I would have long been put to death by my Teacher. Zun Shang's mercifulness… I will never forget, just like how he protected Senior back then when you were on trial."
"Snort, you sure are clear about the past." Dou Lan Gan and Bai Zhi Hua were barely considered friends, on the contrary, he was much closer to Mo Yan. But now that he thought about it, in the entire immortal realm there isn't anyone Bai Zhi Hua is close with, with his distant temper, even if you wanted to warm up to him, you couldn't.
"At the moment I don't even have the slightest power, I can't remove this seal."
"It doesn’t matter, we just need to undo a little. Before when she ran into danger, enough of the Demon God's power broke through to save her life. It's clear that the Demon God's power in the savage wilderness is not restricted. If we can restore a small portion, our chance of returning is even greater."
"I'll try." Dou Lan Gan nodded.
So the next few days, despite the wind and snow, in the bitter cold, pitiful Hua Qian Gu received intense training from Dou Lan Gan. While everyone ate, she could only sit on the side and salivate watching them. He forbade Snorting Beast from sneaking food to her. During the night, he had her sleep at the front of the cave. In the morning with an empty stomach, she had to run far to the top of the mountain and dig for black ice, using her bare hands to cut the ice into pieces, enabling her to practice gathering her internal energy.
On top of that, Dou Lan Gan would help her with acupuncture treatments every day, wanting to break through the seal little by little that restricted her. Dou Lan Gan might have an cold exterior but he was warm on the inside. Watching Hua Qian Gu repeatedly collapsing pained him, unlike Zhu Ran, who was willing to use any method to acquire his goals.
Time passed quickly, they had stayed an additional half a month. Dou Lan Gan intentionally chose some beneficial sword techniques to teach her, seeing Hua Qian Gu haggard yet insisted on continuing without complaining, clever and quick-witted, he couldn't help but grow increasingly fond of her, regretting never taking a disciple. He urged Hua Qian Gu to become his disciple but she repeatedly shook her head. Although her Teacher disliked her, he still hadn't expelled her out of the sect.
As Hua Qian Gu trained on, she discovered her speed increased and became sharper. But the most important part was she was able use a portion of her power and fly on a sword at a low altitude slowly.
Dou Lan Gan was satisfied and nodded: "It's almost enough to deal with what we have ahead of us, tomorrow we will set off to the seaside."
…
Facing Immortal Ming Fan and persuading him to help them was much easier compared to what Hua Qian Gu had thought.
A man with long hair like snow stood in the middle of a bamboo forest. Between his brows was a dark red mark of a fallen immortal. In general, fallen immortals wouldn't have that kind of seal unless they did something terrible. Hua Qian Gu had only seen it on Zi Xun Qian Xia before.
Zhu Ran said he was a High Immortal before, but she never heard of this person's name when she was studying at Chang Lui, even the Book of the Six Realms never mentioned him.
"He was banished to the savage wilderness about 500 years ago. At that time Qing Xu Taoist wasn't even born yet. He is the immortal realm's disgrace. After his banishment, anything related to him was written off, naturally there isn't record of him left behind."
—— What crime did he commit to be banished here?
Zhu Ran furrowed his brows: "He fell in love with a man."
Hua Qian Gu was shocked.
—— Falling in love with a man is such a terrible crime he had to be banished to the savage wilderness?
"At that time, the immortal realm was unlike now, the immortal rules were stricter and harsher. Immortals were not allowed to fall in love… furthermore he fell in love with his own blood brother."
Hua Qian Gu eyes widened.
Zhu Ran forced a smile and shook his head: "Legend says his elder brother's cultivation was not as high as him, only like a low immortal, wholeheartedly toward Taoism, unwilling to love him back, Immortal Ming Fan was enraged out of humiliation, he killed him and ate him, not even a strand of hair remained."
Hua Qian Gu's body shivered, she had to hold back the sensation of wanting to vomit.
"So banishing him to the savage wilderness is reasonable. That fallen immortal mark represents his violation of Heaven's laws, like how the Three Life Pool water leaves behind a scar, evidence of my greed, and you, your wishful thinking, hahahaha."
Zhu Ran burst out in laughter, it was unclear if he was laughing at Immortal Ming Fan, Hua Qian Gu or at himself.
—— Violation of Heaven's laws.
Those words pounded in Hua Qian Gu's eardrums. She touched her face for the first time since the incident, her heart ached so much she was unable to breathe, the imprint of disgrace toward her Teacher.
Dou Lan Gan gave Zhu Ran a quick glare, leaned on his staff, pulled the hand Hua Qian Gu had on her face down and they walked into the bamboo forest.
They told Immortal Ming Fan about their alliance and their plan to leave the savage wilderness. Immortal Ming Fan listened with a somewhat absent-minded expression.
He suddenly extended his hand to touch Hua Qian Gu's face: "You are the Demon God?"
Hua Qian Gu hurriedly retreated back a step, looking at him and recalling what Zhu Ran said a moment ago, she felt bad for him but was also a bit afraid of him.
"The Demon God is born, the savage wilderness falls, the six realms end. Has the time finally arrived?…" He lowered his head and muttered to himself.
Dou Lan Gan had chills, the thousand year-old prophecy… don't tell me it will come true…
Hua Qian Gu was confused, looking into Immortal Ming Fan's eyes, which were filled with despair and loneliness.
"You can slowly think of a plan, if there is anyone who refuses to comply, come talk to me again." His footsteps were light as he departed.
With Immortal Ming Fan's nod of approval, the scale of power became unbalanced. Ghost Fu Mu saw that Dou Lan Gan and Immortal Ming Fan had already accepted the Demon God as their superior, thousands of demon beasts pledged allegiance to her, and she was capable of flying on a sword in the savage wilderness… he did not dare to argue, could only temporary comply, as long as he could leave, nothing else mattered.
After a grand ceremony for the Demon God, the savage wilderness was finally unified. Hua Qian Gu rode on Ya Zi Beast's back, receiving thousands of people's kneeling and worshipping. She knew she was no more than a puppet but so long as she could leave, she didn't care, even though she knew everyone here has an ulterior motive.
Hua Qian Gu looked at Zhu Ran on the side with confidence written on his face. Although she still didn't know what Zhu Ran's plan is, she knew he has absolute certainty toward leaving this place. But she was afraid that bringing all those that had been banished with grievances and hatred to return would bring on the destruction of the six realms … and she wouldn't be able to control it.
But she had already deeply experienced the savage wilderness's terror, if she could leave, she didn't have the heart to let other people to stay here. This kind of hell on earth, no matter how noble and virtuous an immortal, would force anyone to become barbaric.
As the time to leave approached, she became increasingly worried.