My Taoist buddy has practiced surrogacy

Chapter 1414 Approaching
Their love grew stronger with each tribulation, and their legendary story will continue to be written amidst these endless trials.

Zhou Xing slowly opened his eyes, only to hear the deafening sounds of battle all around him. He found himself in a military camp, dressed in black armor, with a jade token engraved with the words "Tiger Tally" hanging at his waist, emitting a faint, cold light. He was now a general of the Wu Kingdom, shouldering the heavy responsibility of protecting his country.

Just then, a melodious pipa tune drifted over. Ling Xue, carrying a scorched-tail zither, walked barefoot through the blood, half of the silver bells tied to her ankles broken, their sounds clear yet tinged with panic. Behind her, a group of enemy assassins pursued her relentlessly like ghosts.

Zhou Xing's heart tightened. He approached Ling Xue under the guise of patrolling. Just as the enemy assassin's blade was about to fall, the jade token in Zhou Xing's hand suddenly transformed into a streak of light, accurately deflecting the blade. Blood from Ling Xue's hair seeped into the jade token, and in an instant, the inscription "Heaven's Mandate" appeared on it, shimmering with a mysterious light.

In desperation, Zhou Xing tore off the jade pendant from his waist and threw it at the enemy leader. The pendant triggered the military camp's restrictions; a flash of light appeared, the ground cracked open, and the enemy's assassins were swallowed up.

Zhou Xing dared not delay and quickly led Ling Xue into the supply tent. He carefully examined Ling Xue's wound and discovered that she had been struck by a poisoned arrow in the shoulder; the wound was horrifying. Zhou Xing frowned, remembering his status as a general, thinking that perhaps he could mobilize some resources to find an antidote.

He consulted military medical texts and finally discovered that the camp possessed a thousand-year-old antidote herb that might save Ling Xue's life. He left a note informing Ling Xue of his whereabouts and then secretly entered the camp alone to search for the antidote herb.

Ling Xue slowly awoke in the supply tent and saw the note left by Zhou Xing, which filled her with anxiety. Following the trail of blood, she found Zhou Xing. At that moment, Zhou Xing was being ravaged by the poisonous herbs, his body trembling uncontrollably, his face contorted in pain.

Ling Xue was frantic with worry. She gritted her teeth and fed Zhou Xing her heart's blood. Miraculously, the mingling of their blood awakened the spirit of the military camp's array. The spirit slowly emerged and revealed a shocking secret. It turned out that the Wu Kingdom's court was actually controlled by evil spirits, and the true destiny of the nation was sealed within the Imperial Seal. Both of them were incarnations of ascension beings from the outside world.

Just then, a commotion arose outside, and the imperial henchmen surrounded the military camp. Ling Xue remained fearless. Holding her zither strings, she unleashed a demonic technique, instantly freezing half the camp. The henchmen watched in terror, hesitant to advance.

However, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue knew they couldn't remain trapped here indefinitely. To break the deadlock, Zhou Xing decided to consume half a plant of the antidote herb. As the herb entered his body, a powerful force surged within him. His right eye transformed into a spiritual pupil capable of discerning cause and effect; through the wall, he saw the blood-red constellations outside, with nine bolts of tribulation lightning brewing in the clouds.

Zhou Xing and Ling Xue realized they had fallen into a huge conspiracy. In order to escape their predicament, they decided to disguise themselves as the commander and strategist and infiltrate the military conference.

The atmosphere at the meeting was tense and oppressive. The commander-in-chief sat on the high platform, receiving the homage of the crowd. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue exchanged a glance, secretly plotting. Zhou Xing suddenly made his move, using his spiritual eyes to control the soldiers and create chaos. Ling Xue then seized the opportunity to use the antidote herb to destroy the commander's tent.

Instantly, the spiritual energy spiraled out of control, and chaos ensued. Taking advantage of the confusion, the two escaped into an underground chamber. Inside, they discovered a black cauldron with chains piercing its collarbone. The cauldron weakly proclaimed, "The imperial court uses the souls of the people to forge evil artifacts. The true chosen one must sever both the shackles of the nation's destiny and the Heavenly Dao."

Just then, the Imperial Preceptor arrived with the world-destroying lightning tribulation. Zhou Xing knew his time was running out, so he resolutely burned his general's lifespan to activate the ancient restrictions on the military camp. Ling Xue stepped onto the blood-bone steps formed by Zhou Xing and rushed into the thunderclouds. The demonic runes on her forehead and the heavenly runes within the lightning tribulation devoured each other, unleashing a powerful force.

In the fierce battle, the thunderstorm tore open a spatial rift. Seeing Ling Xue in danger, Zhou Xing didn't hesitate to push her back into the real world, while he himself fell into the chaotic sea. In the instant of his fall, he heard Ling Xue's roar, "The Pure Brightness Never Fades!"

After returning to the mortal world, Ling Xue forcibly merged with the Dao to save Zhou Xing. However, her physical body gradually turned to stone. Dragging her mangled body, she slaughtered all the court's henchmen and, using the tiger tally as a medium, infused her divine soul into the lamp left behind by Zhou Xing.

In the chaotic sea, Zhou Xing saw projections of three thousand minor worlds in the void. He frantically searched for Ling Xue's whereabouts. Finally, amidst a flash of lightning, he spotted a lantern interwoven with ice and fire. Overjoyed, he swam vigorously towards the lantern.

The moment Zhou Xing touched the lantern, time rewound. He returned to the moment he first entered the military camp, only this time, Ling Xue's zither strings were stained with blood ahead of time, and the calamity patterns of the Haoqing Sect appeared on both of their palms at the same time.

Having learned from their previous experience, they handled the crisis with greater composure. Zhou Xing deliberately triggered the explosion of the antidote herb, using the shockwave to collapse the core array of the military camp. Ling Xue then seized the opportunity to summon the Nine Heavens Thunderfire to purify the polluted dragon vein.

Amidst the ruins, the two intertwined their fingers. Zhou Xing handed Ling Xue the sword passed down from the general, saying, "This sword can protect the peace of the land." Ling Xue accepted the sword, gazing at Zhou Xing with deep affection. Just then, the four innate Dao patterns "Hao Qing Yong Zhen" quietly appeared on the hilt.

After enduring countless tribulations, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue finally completed their 353rd trial. A guiding light descended from the sky, a signal for their ascension to the upper realm. However, Zhou Xing channeled the light into his sword. Looking at Ling Xue, he resolutely said, "I pledge to endure the remaining tribulations with you, using these 353 tribulations as a contract."

Tears welled in Ling Xue's eyes. She nodded, and together with Zhou Xing, they gave up their chance to ascend immediately. The two of them carried the Netherworld Lamp and wandered through various small worlds. The glow of the Netherworld Lamp gradually turned seven-colored, and the four innate Dao patterns "Haoqing Yongzhen" quietly appeared at the bottom of the lamp base.

In a corner of a border post station, two people covered in dust huddled together. Ling Xue's hair began to frost over, and Zhou Xing smiled as he melted it with his body heat. The faint rumble of the 354th tribulation lightning bolt echoed across the sky. The two smiled at each other and walked hand in hand towards the new ordeal. Their love grew stronger with each trial, and their legendary story would continue to be written amidst these endless tribulations.

The winter in the Yongning Marquis's mansion was exceptionally cold and desolate. Zhou Xing, as a son of a concubine, held a lowly position within the mansion. One day, for reasons unknown, he was pushed into the icy lake by his elder brothers. The frigid water instantly submerged him, and he struggled in the water, his heart filled with despair and anger.

Just when he thought he was about to die, a thin figure appeared on the lakeshore. Ling Xue, a maid in the Marquis's mansion, saw Zhou Xing struggling in the lake and jumped in without hesitation. With all her might, she dragged Zhou Xing to the shore.

However, Ling Xue was ultimately just a frail woman. After soaking in the icy lake water for so long, she exhausted herself and finally collapsed. Looking at her pale face, Zhou Xing felt a surge of inexplicable emotion. He noticed a faded red string around Ling Xue's neck, with half a jade pendant hanging from it. The pendant looked ancient and worn, yet it exuded a mysterious aura.

Zhou Xing brought Ling Xue back to his residence and settled her on the bed. He sat by the bed, quietly watching Ling Xue, his mind filled with countless thoughts. He knew that in this Marquis's mansion, both he and Ling Xue were weaklings trampled underfoot, and this jade pendant seemed to have become the bond connecting their fates. Afterwards, Zhou Xing secretly investigated the origin of the jade pendant. He inquired everywhere and consulted various materials, finally obtaining some clues. It turned out that this half of the jade pendant was related to the Bai family of Jiangzhou, who had been wiped out twenty years ago. The Bai family had once been a prestigious clan, but they were tragically exterminated overnight, leaving only scattered legends and relics.

Meanwhile, the stepmother sent Zhou Xing to manage the dye shop. The manager of the dye shop was embezzling charcoal fees, making the workshop unbearably cold, and the workers were full of complaints. Zhou Xing saw this and had a plan. He deliberately brought up the matter in front of the stepmother, incurring her wrath. In the end, the manager was punished, and Zhou Xing took the opportunity to transfer the charcoal fees to the maid's quarters where Ling Xue worked.

This gesture filled Ling Xue and her maids with gratitude towards Zhou Xing. Ling Xue braved the snow to express her thanks, but when she entered Zhou Xing's room, she found a hand-drawn map of the Marquis's mansion's secret passage spread out on the table. She was startled, wondering what Zhou Xing was planning to do.

Seeing Ling Xue's surprised expression, Zhou Xing smiled slightly and said, "Ling Xue, you'll know some things sooner or later." Looking into his determined eyes, Ling Xue inexplicably believed him. From then on, she decided to explore the secrets behind it all with Zhou Xing.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Marquis's mansion was brightly lit and decorated, a scene of great prosperity. However, no one expected that a disaster was about to strike. For some unknown reason, a poisoning incident suddenly broke out, and guests collapsed one after another, causing chaos in the scene.

Zhou Xing keenly sensed that someone was deliberately framing him. He feigned drunkenness and escaped unscathed. In the chaos, he saw Ling Xue being kidnapped by a man in black, and he was terrified. Without hesitation, he gave chase, pursuing him all the way to a dilapidated temple on the back mountain.

Inside the dilapidated temple, Zhou Xing engaged in a fierce battle with the man in black. Through his wisdom and courage, he finally rescued Ling Xue. At this moment, Ling Xue was unconscious, and Zhou Xing was extremely anxious. He used his internal energy to heal her wounds, and in that instant, he discovered a flame-shaped birthmark on Ling Xue's back. This birthmark bore a striking resemblance to the features of the Bai family's young lady from years ago.

Just as they were preparing to leave the dilapidated temple, a group of masked assassins suddenly appeared and surrounded them. These assassins were clearly well-prepared and came with great force. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue stood back to back, ready for battle. However, the enemy outnumbered them, and they gradually found themselves in a desperate situation.

Just when Zhou Xing felt despair, he suddenly remembered his elder brother saying, "The remnants of the Bai family deserve to die." A thought struck him, and he suspected that these assassins were sent by his elder brother. To protect Ling Xue, he stepped forward and engaged in a desperate battle with the assassins.

Upon returning to the Marquis's residence, the old steward found Zhou Xing and handed him a letter written in blood. The letter was left by his father before his death, and it read, "Protect the white jade disc well." Zhou Xing was startled. After a careful search, he discovered that the jade disc was hidden in a hidden compartment of his birth mother's dressing case.

Meanwhile, while organizing the dye shop's ledgers, Ling Xue discovered a shocking secret. It turned out that her stepmother had colluded with salt merchants to hide military blueprints within the fabric. This was a crime of treason, and if discovered, the Marquis's mansion would be doomed.

Upon learning of this, Zhou Xing decided to set a trap to expose his stepmother's conspiracy. He deliberately let his elder brother "accidentally" discover the secret passage of the dye house, luring his brother into the passage out of curiosity. However, his brother triggered a trap in the passage and was injured by a poisoned arrow.

When the stepmother learned of this, she was furious. She ordered Zhou Xing to be hung in the ancestral hall and whipped. Zhou Xing gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain. Just as he was about to faint, he saw Ling Xue holding a candlestick and saying in a trembling voice, "I am willing to be a witness."

The imperial envoy quickly arrived at the Marquis's residence to investigate the case. In front of everyone, Zhou Xing disassembled the bronze goose-fish lamp left by his father, extracting the Bai family's treasure map from the wick. He used the treasure as bait to lure his stepmother into revealing the salt merchant's contact.

However, the stepmother, driven to desperation, set the house ablaze. Instantly, the Marquis's mansion was engulfed in flames. Zhou Xing, watching the towering flames, had only one thought in his mind: he must rescue Ling Xue. Disregarding his own safety, he rushed into the inferno. Beneath the collapsed beams, he found Ling Xue shivering.

He wrapped Ling Xue in a soaked quilt and ran with her toward the secret passage. However, the passage was blocked. Just as they were in despair, Zhou Xing remembered the hidden door of the ancestral hall. He pushed the door open forcefully and hid inside with Ling Xue.

Inside the ancestral hall, Zhou Xing used the ancestral gold seal to pry open a hidden compartment in his father's coffin and retrieved the tiger tally. Just then, the firelight illuminated half of the jade pendant around Ling Xue's neck. As the two halves of the pendant were put together, the inscription "Direct Descendant of the Bai Family" appeared. It turned out that Ling Xue was actually the direct descendant of the Bai family.

After the new emperor ascended the throne, he thoroughly investigated the Marquis's residence. Zhou Xing, holding the tiger tally, appealed to his former subordinates to overturn the wrongful conviction of the Bai family. After Ling Xue regained her identity, she pinned the imperial gold hairpin to Zhou Xing's lapel and said, "What I want is to stand shoulder to shoulder with you."

Afterwards, Zhou Xing and Ling Xue jointly managed the Chamber of Commerce. In the school converted from the dye house, children sang the folk song "The Twin Jewels of Yongning." Under the moonlight, the two played chess together, with a screen behind them painted with intertwined red ropes and jade pendants.

Time flies, years pass swiftly. Even with his white hair, Zhou Xing still draws Ling Xue's eyebrows. One day, they found the half of the jade pendant stained with blood from years past at the bottom of a box. Plum blossoms fell into their teacups outside the window, just like their first meeting by the cold pond that year. They smiled at each other, as if they had returned to that time filled with hardship and sweetness. They knew that the road ahead was long, but as long as they stayed together, they could weather any storm.

Today, the Marquis's mansion is brightly decorated and bustling with activity. Zhou Xing, the eldest son of the Marquis, is dressed in his wedding attire, preparing to welcome his bride. However, he is unaware that a conspiracy is hidden behind this wedding.

The bridal sedan chair was slowly carried into the Marquis's residence. Zhou Xing stepped forward and kicked the sedan chair door. Just then, a dagger suddenly flew out of the sedan chair, aimed straight for Zhou Xing's throat. In the blink of an eye, a slender figure leaped out of the sedan chair—it was Ling Xue. She caught the blade with her bare hands, her palm instantly bleeding profusely.

Zhou Xing was startled. Upon closer inspection, he noticed a bronze bell tied to the red string on Ling Xue's wrist. The bell looked ancient and worn, yet it exuded a mysterious aura. He reached out and gently stroked the bell, discovering that it was engraved with the totem of the Prime Minister's secret guards.

On their wedding night, Zhou Xing pretended to be drunk to test Ling Xue.

(End of this chapter)