Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 732 - 362: Quitting Even

Chapter 732: Chapter 362: Quitting Even

"Deceiving oneself? What do you mean?"

Xiao Lingqiu was utterly perplexed by the elderly woman’s words.

Becoming an Immortal was the ultimate dream of countless cultivators. How could it sound so disdainful coming from the old woman’s mouth?

Carrying a tombstone on her back, the elderly woman chuckled grimly. Her clouded eyes drifted toward the dim and weathered window. She seemed to be muttering to herself, saying:

"To pursue it all your life and finally achieve what you desired, only to discover it was all a lie—how pitiful. You and I, we are both pitiful souls."

"Are you saying... there are no Immortals at all?"

Xiao Lingqiu’s beautiful eyes widened in shock.

It was at this moment that Jiang Shouzhong awoke suddenly.

"What’s going on?"

He rubbed his aching head, glancing around in confusion.

When his gaze landed on the grotesque elderly woman with a tombstone on her back, he startled violently. His body leapt like a spring, drawing the Spirit Water Sword to shield Xiao Lingqiu.

Xiao Lingqiu froze, gazing up at the man who shielded her with a dazed expression.

A ripple stirred in the depths of her heart.

The elderly woman, however, locked her gaze onto Jiang Shouzhong’s face, her expression one of complete disbelief: "Impossible... Impossible... they didn’t kill you!?"

Jiang Shouzhong was utterly bewildered.

Who wanted to kill me?

At that moment, a sudden deafening crash echoed from outside, causing the entire earth and sky to tremble.

"The Heavenly Gate has been destroyed?"

The elderly woman was once again shocked, then turned her gaze to Jiang Shouzhong. "While the Heavenly Gate is destroyed, leave this place at once! Behind this house lies a slumbering snake. Sever its head—it will lead you out!"

Seeing Jiang Shouzhong still standing dumbfounded, the elderly woman roared in frustration:

"Hurry! They’ll sense you soon; don’t let them capture you!"

"Jiang Mo, go quickly!"

For reasons she couldn’t entirely explain, Xiao Lingqiu felt the elderly woman could be trusted.

Unable to make sense of the situation before him, Jiang Shouzhong had no choice but to carry Xiao Lingqiu away from the dilapidated, mysterious little house when he heard her urging him.

As she passed through the door, Xiao Lingqiu turned back to glance at the elderly woman.

She saw the name "Ni Chang" emerge on the tombstone strapped to the old woman’s back.

After the two departed, the elderly woman murmured:

"To think that Haotian, whom the East Emperor has sought tirelessly, would walk right to the doorstep. What an irony."

"It’s a pity, but I won’t be entangled with you any longer. The Wheel told me the truth—we’re all deceiving ourselves. It’s time to confront reality."

The elderly woman heaved a long sigh.

Two years ago, the East Emperor detected Haotian’s existence.

To seize this prey ahead of time, he sent the Eighty-one Immortals of Upper Constellation, sparing no effort or expense. These Immortals forcibly descended from the Netherworld River to the Lower Realm, possessing the bodies of eighty-one mortals and laying in ambush around Haotian.

They had planned to harvest Haotian as soon as this fruit ripened.

But now, Haotian appeared unscathed here, while those eighty-one mortals seemed to have perished.

"When men act selfishly, the heavens condemn and the earth punishes. But when Immortals act selfishly... what difference does it make?"

The elderly woman closed her eyes and returned to her slumber.

"Alas, there are no Immortals."

...

Following the old woman’s instructions, Jiang Shouzhong arrived behind the house.

Sure enough, he found a small crimson snake coiled tightly in a bamboo basket.

The snake was curled up, sound asleep.

Jiang Shouzhong swiftly severed the snake’s head, and the creature’s body began to writhe slowly.

Moments later, the headless snake’s body miraculously levitated into midair, moving in an eerie manner toward a pile of rocks at the back.

Upon seeing this, Jiang Shouzhong hurriedly followed.

The snake’s body slithered smoothly, weaving left and right. After about thirty minutes, the snake’s body abruptly vanished.

What appeared before Jiang Shouzhong was a water well.

"Is this the exit?"

Jiang Shouzhong leaned forward to peer into the well’s mouth. It was pitch-black, utterly impenetrable to sight.

"They’ve caught up."

Xiao Lingqiu suddenly spoke.

"What?"

Jiang Shouzhong instinctively turned his head to look.

He was stunned to see the sky filled densely with countless black flies, swarming toward them.

The flies converged in midair into the shape of a massive skull, its hollow eyes seemingly fixed on them with an eerie malice, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Persistent pests!"

Jiang Shouzhong cursed under his breath. Left with no other choice, he carried Xiao Lingqiu as they leapt into the water well.

Initially expecting the well to be deep, they were surprised to fall only a few meters before splashing into water. Almost immediately, a mysterious force seemed to tug at them, pulling them deeper under.

Jiang Shouzhong reacted quickly, holding his breath tightly.

With the flow of spiritual power in his body, endless energy filled his chest, ensuring he wouldn’t run out of air.

Xiao Lingqiu, on the other hand, was caught off guard. After choking on two mouthfuls of water, she managed to shut her lips.

But she couldn’t endure for long. She instinctively opened her mouth again, freezing cold water rushing down her throat, and a suffocating sensation overwhelmed her.

Xiao Lingqiu hurriedly closed her mouth again, pounding Jiang Shouzhong’s shoulder in distress, her face contorted with pain.

Noticing her struggle, Jiang Shouzhong turned around and clasped her in his arms.

Seeing her intense suffering, unable to hold her breath any longer, Jiang Shouzhong was at a loss. He pointed to his mouth, then her lips, his eyes filled with a question.

Essentially asking, "Can I share my breath with you?"

After all, it was a matter of her dignity—he wanted to make sure she consented.

Xiao Lingqiu was fuming.

At a time like this, why bother pretending to be a gentleman?

Besides, her first kiss was already gone—what was the point of worrying about this now?

Before Jiang Shouzhong could react, Xiao Lingqiu wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in herself.