My Taoist buddy has practiced surrogacy

Chapter 1421 Rescue
Upon seeing this, the constables rushed forward, but were easily subdued by Zhou Xing.

Zhou Xing and Ling Xue tied up the county magistrate and his yamen runners and locked them in the ancestral hall. That night, the two drank together in the hall. Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue and laughed, "I didn't expect Miss Ling to have this skill."

Ling Xue smiled and said, "I only did this to save Uncle Wu and the others. However, I have offended the magistrate today, and I'm afraid there will be trouble in the future."

Zhou Xing smiled nonchalantly and said, "I'll deal with whatever comes my way. I'd like to see what he can do to me."

A few days later, the villagers were collectively poisoned, with symptoms resembling those of pufferfish poisoning. Zhou Xing immediately realized this was related to the county magistrate. He checked the symptoms from house to house and found traces of poisoning. Ling Xue found the poisonous herb "heartbreak grass" in the dregs of the medicine. Touching the half-eaten fish bone in the medicine bag, she remembered the boots of the county magistrate's guard from that day.

One night, at high tide, water suddenly flooded Zhou Xing's house. Ling Xue heard the noise and rushed over. She saw a wooden box floating in the water and pulled it out. Inside the box was half a roll of border defense map. Ling Xue was shocked; she recognized it as the border place name Zhou Xing had called out when he was unconscious three years ago.

Just then, the pursuers' torches illuminated the coastline. It turned out that the magistrate, having learned that Zhou Xing and Ling Xue had ruined his plans, had sent men to hunt them down. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue were forced to hide in the wreckage of a sunken ship.

Inside the cabin, the atmosphere was tense and oppressive. Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue, took a deep breath, and said, "Miss Ling, there's something I've been keeping from you. Actually, I'm the regent that Yuan Kingdom abandoned. All these years I've been hiding here because I don't want to get involved in the court's conflicts anymore."

Ling Xue looked at Zhou Xing, her eyes showing no surprise, only tenderness. She gently stroked the calluses on Zhou Xing's palm and said, "Sir, there's no need to blame yourself. No matter who you are, you are a good person. I believe you have your own reasons."

Just then, the footsteps of the pursuers grew closer. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue huddled together, bracing themselves for the impending danger.

The magistrate, accompanied by a group of archers, surrounded the sunken ship. He looked at Zhou Xing and Ling Xue triumphantly and said, "Did you think you could escape by hiding in here? Today is your death day."

Zhou Xing looked at the magistrate and sneered, "Do you think you can succeed? There's gunpowder on this ship. I just need to light the fuse, and we'll all perish together."

The magistrate's expression changed, and he said, "You dare? If you light the gunpowder, you won't survive either."

Zhou Xing laughed loudly and said, "I never wanted to live anyway, so it's worth it to die with you now."

Just as the two sides were deadlocked, Ling Xue suddenly cut her wrist and smeared the blood on the tip of the magistrate's arrow, saying, "When you shot and killed the old herbalist, did you ever think that his only granddaughter would inherit the 'Hundred Herbs Poison Classic'?"

The magistrate's face changed drastically, and he said, "You... how do you know about my affairs?"

Ling Xue sneered and said, "I've already investigated you. Do you think you can do whatever you want?"

Just then, a horn sounded from the sea. It turned out that Zhou Xing's former subordinates had disguised themselves as merchant ships to come and meet him. Zhou Xing looked at his former subordinates, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He knew that his identity had been exposed and that he could no longer live in seclusion in this fishing village.

Zhou Xing decided to lead his old troops in a counterattack on the county town. Ling Xue looked at him and said, "Sir, I know you have your ambitions, and I will support you. But please promise me that you will come back alive."

Zhou Xing nodded and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely come back."

The siege was extremely fierce, with Zhou Xing leading his old troops in a desperate battle against the enemy. Ling Xue was also busy, working on an antidote for the plague in the rear. She worked day and night, her eyes bloodshot.

Three days and three nights passed, and Ling Xue finally developed an antidote for the plague. She brought the antidote to the battlefield and treated the wounded soldiers. Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue's exhausted appearance and was deeply moved.

At the victory banquet, Zhou Xing received a secret letter. The letter revealed the emperor's plot to eliminate all those in the know. Zhou Xing read the letter, lost in thought. He knew he could no longer allow Ling Xue to be in danger.

Late at night, Zhou Xing arrived at the prison. He looked at the magistrate and said, "I can give you a way out, as long as you reveal the mastermind behind it all."

The magistrate looked at Zhou Xing, hesitated for a moment, and finally revealed the truth. It turned out that it was all a conspiracy by the emperor. The emperor feared that Zhou Xing would threaten his rule, so he sent men to kill him.

After learning the truth, Zhou Xing decided to fake his death and retire into seclusion. Ling Xue stopped him in front of the mourning hall, tearing off the jade crown that bound Zhou Xing's hair, and said, "How long does Your Highness intend to flee? If you leave, what will become of the people of this world?"

Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue, his heart filled with conflicting emotions. He knew he bore a heavy responsibility, but he couldn't bear to part with Ling Xue.

In the morning mist, the two set sail in a boat. Ling Xue loosened her collar, revealing a brand of disgrace beneath her collarbone. It was the mark of a family disgraced. She looked at Zhou Xing and said, "Now I am the most suitable shadow for you."

Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue, his eyes filled with emotion. He held Ling Xue's hand tightly and said, "With you by my side, I'm not afraid of anything."

At the new emperor's enthronement ceremony, the prime minister's seat remained vacant. Meanwhile, a thousand miles away on the banks of the Canglan River, a bamboo hut adorned with medicinal herbs stood. Zhou Xing and Ling Xue lived a simple and happy life there. They knew that power was nothing but an illusion, and only their present life was real.

The cold pool in Zhongnan Mountain was icy cold, its waters like a deep mirror, reflecting the dark clouds in the sky. Zhou Xing was chained to the pool with heavy iron chains, his body submerged in the frigid water, his lips already frozen purple.

Ling Xue stood by the icy pool, a quenched ice needle in her hand, her eyes cold and resolute. She slowly pierced the needle into Zhou Xing's brow. Zhou Xing's body trembled violently, a flash of pain and anger crossing his eyes. His two souls seemed to be stimulated, and began to fight fiercely.

"Master... do you really intend to remove my golden core?" Zhou Xing's voice was hoarse and low, carrying a hint of despair.

Ling Xue sneered, forcefully twisting the ice-quenching needle in her hand. Zhou Xing's pain intensified; his fingernails dug deep into the cracks in the stone, drawing blood. However, Ling Xue showed no mercy. She coldly said, "If I don't refine your two souls, how can you be worthy to be my scabbard?"

Zhou Xing closed his eyes, tears welling up. Just then, his left eye suddenly turned pitch black, and a powerful force surged from within him. Black mist instantly spread, enveloping Ling Xue. Ling Xue was startled; she tried to break free, but found her body bound by an invisible force.

Zhou Xing's black spirit, like a ravenous beast, clung to Ling Xue's wrist, greedily devouring her spiritual power. Ling Xue felt her strength gradually fading, her consciousness blurring. When the black mist dissipated, Ling Xue was unconscious. Zhou Xing looked at his unconscious master, a hint of tenderness and guilt flashing in his eyes. He gently touched Ling Xue's pale cheek with his bloodied fingertips and whispered, "Since Master has taken in an evil spirit, please don't blame your disciple... for wanting to swallow the Buddha lamp."

That night, Ling Xue combed her long hair in front of a bronze mirror in her room. Her eyes were weary and sad, and the image of Zhou Xing locked in the icy pool kept replaying in her mind. Suddenly, Zhou Xing's figure appeared in the bronze mirror. He was sitting by a candlelight, drawing talismans on the wall with a charcoal pencil.

Ling Xue was startled; she realized this was Zhou Xing's second soul—Xuan Xiao. Xuan Xiao had been reborn in Zhou Xing's body, and his eyes held a sinister and arrogant glint.

"Master, would you be willing to make a bet with me?" Xuanxiao's voice came from the bronze mirror, carrying a hint of provocation.

Ling Xue frowned and asked, "What are we betting on?"

Xuanxiao smiled and said, "If I can break your inner demon array within three days, you will allow me to take Zhou Xing's half-soul, how about it?"

Ling Xue hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded. She wanted to know what abilities this Xuanxiao possessed.

The next day, Xuanxiao began to forcefully charge Zhou Xing's body through the formation. Ling Xue's demonic formation was extremely powerful, conjuring various demonic entities within it to try and stop Xuanxiao's advance. However, Xuanxiao remained unmoved, rampaging through the formation and gradually approaching its core.

Just as Xuanxiao's fingertips were about to touch the array's core, Zhou Xing's true form suddenly awoke. Seeing that Xuanxiao was about to destroy his master's array, he was filled with rage and forcibly regained control of his body. He forced Xuanxiao back into his dantian, but was himself struck by the backlash of the array, his clothes stained with blood.

When Ling Xue arrived, she felt a pang of heartache upon seeing Zhou Xing's injured state. She quickly helped him up and tended to his wounds. Zhou Xing looked at Ling Xue and said weakly, "Master... don't be soft-hearted for him, I'm fine."

To suppress Xuanxiao, Ling Xue decided to use forbidden techniques. She set up a magic array on the Execution Platform and then drove nine Soul-Severing Nails into Zhou Xing's spine. With each nail driven in, Zhou Xing let out a painful scream, his forehead covered in sweat, and his body trembling uncontrollably.

When the ninth nail was driven in, Zhou Xing finally couldn't take it anymore and fainted. Xuan Xiao laughed wildly in his mind's eye: "You can't kill me! Every time he coughs up blood, I take away three-tenths of his soul!"

Ling Xue looked at the unconscious Zhou Xing, feeling a pang of pity. But she knew she had to do this, otherwise both Zhou Xing and Xuan Xiao would be doomed.

Late at night, Zhou Xing negotiated with Xuan Xiao in his dream. He looked at Xuan Xiao and said coldly, "If you harm Master again, I would rather destroy my own primordial spirit."

Xuanxiao smiled disdainfully and said, "You think you can threaten me? Since you're so protective of her, why don't we cooperate? Once we kill her, there will be no more constraints in this world."

Zhou Xing was filled with rage upon hearing Xuan Xiao's words. He suddenly drew his natal sword and pierced his own dantian. He looked at Xuan Xiao and said, "I would rather die than harm my master."

Xuanxiao was shocked by Zhou Xing's actions. He stared at Zhou Xing in horror, but it was too late to stop him. When Lingxue arrived, she was horrified to see Zhou Xing destroying his own primordial spirit. She immediately cast a spell to try and save him.

Just then, Xuanxiao seized the opportunity to devour Zhou Xing's scattered soul. Ling Xue watched all this, her heart filled with regret and self-blame.

After Xuanxiao possessed Zhou Xing's body, he immediately stormed into Ling Xue's secluded cultivation room. Although Ling Xue was still recovering from serious injuries, she forced herself to fight Xuanxiao. Using blood as a medium, she summoned the mountain-protecting spirit and engaged in a fierce duel with Xuanxiao.

However, Xuanxiao's strength was too great, and Ling Xue gradually found herself unable to withstand it. Just as she was about to be defeated, Zhou Xing's remaining soul suddenly appeared. Seeing that Xuanxiao was about to harm his master, a surge of rage ignited in his heart. He dug out his own beating heart with his bare hands and smashed it fiercely against Xuanxiao.

Xuanxiao was hit by Zhou Xing's attack, and his body swayed. Just then, Ling Xue seized the opportunity to launch an attack, temporarily knocking Xuanxiao back.

Zhou Xing's soul was on its last breath. He looked at Ling Xue and said weakly, "Master... I can no longer protect you."

Ling Xue looked at Zhou Xing, tears welling up in her eyes. She hugged Zhou Xing and said, "You'll be alright, I won't let you leave."

To save Zhou Xing, Ling Xue decided to ignite her own primordial spirit, transforming it into a soul-guiding lamp. As his master, she activated a forbidden technique, sealing herself and Zhou Xing in an ice coffin. Looking at Zhou Xing, she softly said, "Foolish child, this time it's my turn to lock you up."

Three hundred years later, a woodcutter passed by a cold pool in Zhongnan Mountain. He saw an ice coffin in the pool, inside which lay two people. Suddenly, one of the people's fingers trembled, and cracks appeared on the ice coffin.

Just then, a bolt of lightning struck, shattering the ice coffin. Zhou Xing flew out of the ice coffin, a double soul mark appearing on his forehead. It turned out that during these three hundred years, Zhou Xing and Xuan Xiao's souls had merged together within the ice coffin.

Zhou Xing looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, his heart filled with doubt. At this moment, the protective jade left behind by Ling Xue transformed into the form of a little girl. The little girl looked at Zhou Xing and said, "Daddy, Mommy said that when the two souls merge, you'll have a headache."

Zhou Xing patted the little girl's head, feeling a warmth in his heart. He looked up at the mountain peak and saw Ling Xue's afterimage standing there, a talisman falling from her sleeve: "Come and take my sword when you can distinguish between good and evil."

Looking at Ling Xue's afterimage, Zhou Xing secretly vowed to distinguish between good and evil and become a person worthy of his master. He took the girl and embarked on a new journey.

In the dead of winter, a decaying and eerie atmosphere permeated the Cold Palace. As usual, Ling Xue carried a food box, traversing the long, winding alley to deliver meals to those imprisoned there. Thick frost blanketed the cracks in the bluestone of the alley; her hurried steps, the hem of her skirt brushing against the ground, kicked up a light cloud of dust.

As she reached the innermost cell, she heard a faint panting sound. Through the small window, she saw the severely wounded Zhou Xing huddled in a corner, blood staining the half-jade pendant in his hand. Ling Xue was startled and instinctively wanted to turn and leave, but after hesitating for a moment, she secretly mixed some medicine into the spoiled porridge and quickly left.

At midnight, Ling Xue was lying on her simple bed when she was suddenly awakened by the sound of tiles tapping. She got up alertly, opened the window, and found that Zhou Xing had carved the words "Save the Emperor" on the window frame with a shard of porcelain. Ling Xue's heart tightened, and without thinking, she hid him in the wooden bucket used for delivering food and took him out of the Cold Palace under the cover of night.

While evading the patrolling imperial guards, Zhou Xing suddenly grabbed Ling Xue's wrist. His gaze was sharp as a knife as he coldly said, "It's a coincidence that a palace maid knows the secret passages of the imperial city." Ling Xue's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to remain calm and said, "I'm just a palace maid who delivers meals. How would I know anything about the secret passages of the imperial city? I only managed to avoid the patrols because of my observations."