Chapter 304: She’s No Commoner

Panic gripped the people of the ancient martial arts world. Those who were once loyal to Jiang Tong were starting to lose their minds. However, Jiang Shuxuan and Gu Xiqiao had already left this place. The elders paid Shu Chen a visit but they were briefly turned away when she saw their pale faces.

“These people have too high hopes.” Shu Chen put down her teacup. A sneer appeared on her face. “It was only a few days ago that they accused my daughter-in-law of being the source of calamity for our world. Now they’re here to beg for her mercy? Do they seriously think her forgiveness is of such a low value?!”

The butler, standing not far away, put down the phone. “Madam, Master’s on the line.”

“Jiang Han?” Shu Chen immediately got up from her seat and hurried over to pick up the phone.

Upon realizing that their plan involving Shu Chen had failed miserably, the elders headed for the Elders Pavilion, in search of advice from the great elder. “O Great Elder, Mister Zhu has told us that the only person who could save our grandchildren is Miss Gu! Please, we are in dire need of your help!”

The elders have been running around in search of help for the past few days. Exhausted, tears continued streaming down their cheeks no matter how embarrassing the situation seemed.

The great elder felt conflicted about this. He didn’t care about the affairs Gu Xiqiao was involved in and Jiang Shuxuan was still pissed off about the ancient martial arts world. “You’re saying that Miss Gu can help heal your grandchildren? Didn’t the healer from yesterday say that the evil aura has already been compressed their organs? That even the Saint Healer Daluo couldn’t improve their condition?”

“Mister Zhu is a disciple of Divine Doctor Rong. His words are not to be doubted.” The possible outcomes didn’t matter to them. Gu Xiqiao had already become the last straw of hope which these elders were clinging onto.

Dubhe, who had just paid Jiang Tong a “visit”, came walking in. He pulled out a pure white handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains off his hands. He glanced at the elders, who were in the middle of a discussion. “You’re saying that she can save your grandchildren?” Since the dreaded evil aura had already merged with their regular chi, even he couldn’t do anything to help the poor souls.

And these people were saying that Gu Xiqiao could save their lives?

The great elder bowed his head and endured the heavy pressure. “Master Dubhe, that was what we heard from Mister Zhu.”

“Very well, I will help look for her.” Dubhe glanced at these elders one final time before leaving the Elders’ Pavilion.

Everyone at the Elders’ Pavilion let out a sigh of relief when Dubhe finally left the place. “I hope Master Dubhe can persuade Miss Gu into helping us.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.” The great elder responded bluntly. “Do not forget the things that you lot have done.”

He left the place immediately upon reminding them of that. The rest of the elders remained standing there, with the same dumbfounded look on their faces. Again, the feeling of regret overwhelmed them. It felt as if someone had plunged a knife into their heart and twisted it around. Oh how much they wanted to dig up Jiang Tong, who was incarcerated in her underground prison cell, and tear her flesh off her bones!

***

In the Capital, in the little district next to A University.

Gu Xiqiao was analyzing a map on the sofa. Cheng Zhou had called and told her that the movie screening was happening tonight. He had even sent ten movie tickets over, for a viewing session at midnight.

Jiji was pacing around in the living room. After having lived here for the past few days, it had completed its remodeling of the house and was now busy with admiring the end result.

Jiang Shuxuan was speaking to Yi Bing over the phone.

Murong Feiye and Baili Bin were sitting on the other side, staring at the ten movie tickets Murong Feiye seemed to be particularly excited about these tickets. The duo moved back from the ancient martial arts world alongside Gu Xiqiao and Jiang Shuxuan. In fact, they were staying to have dinner with them later in the evening.

Suddenly, both Gu Xiqiao and Jiang Shuxuan turned around simultaneously toward the same corner of the living room.

Murong Feiye and Baili Bin both saw the odd occurrence and they too followed their gazes.

The heating wasn’t turned on and yet the air mysteriously seemed to be heating up. In the blink of the eye, the air warped, and out came the figure of a man.

Mrs. Zhang was carrying out a plate of fruits when she saw Dubhe appear out of nowhere.

The ambient temperature suddenly dropped below the freezing point.

Gu Xiqiao, Jiang Shuxuan, and Jiji turned toward Mrs. Zhang, who didn’t seem to be fazed by this ghastly phenomenon. As if she had seen nothing particularly out of the ordinary, she set the plate of fresh-cut fruits on the table and generously offered them to Dubhe. “Would you like some tea, mister?”

“…”

Even Dubhe was surprised by how calm her response was. ‘Did you not see how ominous I was when appearing in your abode? No?! Why the lack of surprise?!’

Gu Xiqiao and Jiang Shuxuan looked at each other for a second. Mrs. Zhang was a regular human being through and through; they thought she’d jump out of her skin from the shock of seeing Dubhe materialize out of nowhere like a ghostly apparition.

“Miss Gu, are you willing to save the people of the ancient martial arts world?” Dubhe waited until Mrs. Zhang went beyond earshot before shifting his focus over to Jiang Shuxuan and Gu Xiqiao. However, it was clear that he was avoiding direct eye contact with the latter. The way he spoke sounded much more sincere than when they met him initially.

Jiang Shuxuan stared back at him with ink-dark eyes. All of a sudden, the Seven-Frosted Blade appeared in front of him.

Baili Bin’s gentle face was expressionless. Standing to the left of Gu Xiqiao, his cold eyes remained fixated on Dubhe. Murong Feiye on the other hand was munching away on Mrs. Zhang’s fruits while watching the play unfold from the corner of the room.

“Of course,” Gu Xiqiao replied while shooting Jiang Shuxuan and Baili Bin a glance. “Let’s head over now.”

Jiang Shuxuan silently stared at the ground for a second before returning his blade to its sheath. Though, there was no doubt about the hidden danger he sensed from Dubhe’s eyes.

“Mister Jiang! It’s snowing outside, so bring an umbrella with you alright?!” Realizing that these people were about to leave, Mrs. Zhang hurriedly prepared umbrellas for each of them.

Jiji was busy fiddling with the remote control and did not follow Gu Xiqiao out. It looked up at Mrs. Zhang for a moment before finally caving in. “Mrs. Zhang, don’t you feel something off about that man from before?”

Mrs. Zhang was wiping the table clean when she responded: “What felt off?”

“The way he appeared isn’t how a normal human enters someone’s place.” Jiji was reminded of how odd the people around Gu Xiqiao were.

“I’ve gotten used to such sights?”

Jiji was stunned. “Just what on earth did you see?”

“A little while ago, there was a period where Little Hua used to order Xixi to transform and spit fire on a daily basis. There’d be times when I am absolutely positive that Mister Jiang was upstairs and he would appear right before me downstairs at the snap of the finger. And Dog Feed too. That day, I was wiping down its vase when it suddenly vanished into thin air. I mean, you too. How can a normal robot even be able to digest food?” Mrs. Zhang put down the piece of cloth she was holding. In a stern manner, she advised Jiji, “If you guys continue on like this, I’m afraid that you all would be taken away if the outside world was to know about these incidents.” Sometimes, thinking about it worried her.

Jiji silently put down the piece of fruit it was about to put in its mouth.

A bird who could expand and spit fire, a flower and its owner that could appear and reappear like a magician, sounds like you have a lot of interesting stories to tell, Mrs. Zhang.

***

In the ancient martial arts world.

The people who had been infected by the evil aura were all tied up. Their eyes were all the color of fresh blood. Most of them have already started losing their sanity. The shaman of the Lisu tribe sighed and shook his head in disappointment after doing checks on them. “Elder, there is no end to this peril. It’s better to finish them off humanely with a clean slice from the blade. The decision remains in your hands but I still urge you to make your call as soon as possible. If we discovered this sooner, there is still the chance that they’d be saved. But in their current condition…I doubt that even our saint can do anything to save them.”

The families bawled their eyes out when they heard him say that. Nearly every one of them uttered curses under their breaths at Jiang Tong, who was the cause of their misery.

All of a sudden, the atmospheric pressure spiked, which prompted the people to look in a specific direction. As expected, a group of people was slowly heading in their direction.

It shocked them when they discovered that it was Dubhe, Jiang Shuxuan, Gu Xiqiao, Murong Feiye, and Baili Bin that were approaching them. These were all the elites of the ancient martial arts world. Walking in a group together, could their presence be any more imposing?

Murong Feiye stood next to Gu Xiqiao. He glanced at the crying people and proceeded to snigger at them. “It’s only some evil aura. Is there even the need to cry your heart out like this?”

“Young Master Murong.” The people of the Lisu tribe bowed down respectfully at Murong Feiye. Although they respected him, they were still confused as to what he was saying. “Perhaps you don’t know this but, the evil aura has already permeated their organs, no medicine can help…”

“If you can’t do it, then admit it. Why beat around the bush?” Murong Feiye then spun toward Gu Xiqiao. “Miss Gu, carry on.”

Gu Xiqiao’s finger twitched. “Here I was, thinking that the healer was you.”

Murong Feiye rubbed his nose and smirked. He was just acting like a professional for fun.

“Move these people indoors.” Gu Xiqiao scanned her surroundings and arrived at the door closest to her. She lifted her arm and pointed her finger in that direction.

The elders did as told, without questioning her orders.

Gu Xiqiao strode into the building.

“Great Elder, is there really not a problem with this?” The families of the victims all gathered around outside the locked door. “Miss Gu, s-she…” She wouldn’t kill their sons off, right?

“Silence!” The elders knew what they were implying and with great anger, they ordered for them to hold their tongues. They knew how powerful Gu Xiqiao was. If she wanted to, she could’ve struck their children down right in front of them; there was no need to do so behind closed doors.

The way the elders responded was way too harsh, which was a signal for them to shut up.

Half an hour later, the door was pushed open with Gu Xiqiao walking out. She raised her head and announced to the families, “It’s done. You can head in and take a look if you want to.”

These families rushed right into the building and following a brief silence, came their euphoric cheering. When they re-emerged, each of them thanked Gu Xiqiao gratefully.

Missions that involved evil aura were right up the system’s alley.

Jiang Shuxuan and Gu Xiqiao left the place after her job was done.

The observers all looked at each other with unconcealed expressions of shock. S-She, really pulled it off, just like that?

They exhaled a lungful of cold air. There were once rumors that Jiang Tong was the descendant of god whereas Gu Xiqiao was the bringer of disasters. Looking back, the truth could never have been any more different. In the end, it was the bringer of disasters that saved their asses!

Looks like they had traded titles overnight!

The masses then shifted their attention over to Dubhe, who was looking down at both of his hands. They could not make out clearly his facial expression though.

“Miss Gu had managed to bring them back to life! Not to mention the fact that they were the very people who were going for her head!”

“Miss Gu is the ally of righteousness! I think she’s the real descendant of god!”

“To think that I supported the idea of locking her away. Now that I think about it, I feel really ashamed of what I have said!”

“…”

The entire ancient martial arts world was starting to regret its initial stance against Gu Xiqiao, all while singing praise for how selfless she was when treating the people and setting aside what happened between them in the past. They reminded the families who received Gu Xiqiao’s aid to be grateful for what she did.

“She managed to cure them?” The shaman of the Lisu tribe, who had been erased from their minds was shocked. He remained standing at the edge of the crowd, unwilling to leave the scene. “How did she pull that off? How is this even possible?!”

It was until he met the elder of the tribe that he was given an explanation of how these people were saved. “Nothing’s impossible. After all, the one doing the healing was Miss Gu. Do you have any idea who Miss Gu is? She’s that young lady from the desert wastelands a while back. She did God’s work, helping out people. And you’re still doubting her? Don’t you ever say such things again, else you’d get an earful from the people of our tribe!”

The elder continued lecturing him on their way back home.

Dubhe stood behind the two of them, watching the elder. Thinking back to when he had accused Gu Xiqiao of being the source of disaster, feelings of self-doubt started to set in. He stared down at his hands. If he really did take Gu Xiqiao’s life back then, and if Jiang Shuxuan were to let it happen, perhaps these people would wage a war against him with all their might?

This pair of hands almost took someone’s innocent life.

“Master, what you said was true. I am indeed, not suited for being a Dubhe.”

The great elder sent Gu Xiqiao off merrily. His attitude toward Gu Xiqiao was no different from how Jiang Shuxuan treated her. In fact, he was more prepared to pamper her than the young master.

The second elder couldn’t help but scratch his head at this phenomenon. Yes, Gu Xiqiao was a brilliant character but was there a need to treat her with such reverence?

The great elder looked up at the falling snowflakes. He shook his head slightly. “Ever since this rumor of her being the source of calamities started spreading, she had not uttered a word in protest. She didn’t seem to mind being despised by the masses. Perhaps this was what compelled Jiang Tong into plotting against her actively. However, when these people were backstabbed by Jiang Tong, she was the first to stand up against her actions, by providing us with a pile of evidence. I don’t think the evidence provided was collected over the course of mere days. And those people, who were skeptics and wanted to burn her at the stake, in the end, they were the ones being saved on their deathbeds by her! Not only did she manage to wash away the suspicions about her, but she had also even managed to earn their reverence. Tell me, how could this person possibly be a commoner?”