Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

Nangong Yue's gaze was sharp, and her aura was cold.

It was her—Chu Xunzhen, the Holy Maiden of his Gu Sect, who had returned.

I had planned to handle some business at the gate tonight before going to find her, but I never expected that they would meet at this time and in this way.

Chu Xunzhen's gaze fell on the sect leader.

She rarely saw this legendary sect leader. Sect affairs were always decided by the five elders.

I had assumed that with the five elders present, I would need their permission to borrow the Soul-Binding Bell today. Unexpectedly, it was the sect leader himself who was here.

"Why have the Three Holy Maidens come to the gate of the forbidden area?" Nangong Yue's voice was deep and chilling, and her eyes were bloodshot.

Chu Xunzhen felt a chill run down her spine, as if she were being stared at by a ferocious beast. If she didn't answer well, the beast might tear her to pieces in an instant.

"Youming knew he shouldn't have trespassed into the forbidden area. The truth was that his grandfather had been infected with a positioning Gu, and the Gu Soul Bell was needed to expel the Gu worms. He had no choice but to enter the forbidden area."

Nangong Yue was somewhat surprised.

He nodded and said calmly, "Alright. In that case, I'll borrow it for three days. If it's not returned after three days, I, the sect leader, will personally retrieve it."

"That's only right." Chu Xunzhen breathed a sigh of relief and walked forward.

Nangong Yue followed closely behind. He took out a jade token, inserted it into the jade hole on the stone door, and with a clang, the stone door opened.

Chu Xunzhen spotted it immediately: the black bell enshrined on the stone table at the deepest part of the room.

"The forbidden area is extremely dangerous; be careful."

Nangong Yue offered a reminder.

Chu Xunzhen nodded, feeling that this sect leader seemed different from the descriptions given by his fellow disciples.

They said the sect leader was a ruthless killer, insane and terrifying.

But now, his madness and terror are no longer apparent; all that can be seen is that he is a good boss who cares about his subordinates.

The forbidden area of ​​the Gu Sect is extraordinary.

However, as soon as they stepped into the forbidden area, they were caught in a bewildering array.

"Break the illusion."

Chu Xunzhen clasped his hands together, and the Gu worms inside his body suddenly opened their eyes.

Guided by the rhythm of the Gu worms, she escaped the bewitching array in less than ten breaths.

She turned around, only to find the sect leader already standing in front of her.

She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she always felt that the sect leader's position seemed to be protecting her, the weak one.

She must be overthinking it.

The sect leader is bloodthirsty, ruthless, and heartless. How could he possibly protect a mere saintess like her?

After passing through the maze, the two continued on their way.

Suddenly, the forbidden area shook violently.

A black crack appeared on the ground. Countless giant spiders with smiling human faces, as tall as a person, scrambled out and rushed towards Chu Xunzhen.

"It's the guardian Gu worm—the human-faced black hammer spider. Be careful! They are bloodthirsty and eat raw meat." The sect leader's voice rang out.

Chu Xunzhen remained calm, pressed his palms together, and the mother Gu within him opened its eyes and screamed wildly.

From a recess beneath her fox mask, countless protective Gu worms leaped down, blocking the human-faced black hammer spider's path.

His left thumb flicked, and countless red, tortoise-like Gu worms leaped out from his sleeve, vying to attack the human-faced black hammer spider.

This is a bloodthirsty gu.

Nangong Yue stood there, watching Chu Xunzhen's actions, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes.

She truly deserves to be chosen as one of the Three Holy Maidens, the Netherworld Holy Maiden.

"Ding!"

"Ring ring!"

At the deepest part of the passage, the Gu Soul Bell hanging on the jade table suddenly emitted a summoning sound.

Treasures possess spirits.

This is the sound of the Gu Soul Bell protecting oneself and summoning more guards.

Beneath the black crevices, the guardian Gu worms—human-faced black hammer spiders—continued to crawl out, launching attacks towards Chu Xunzhen.

A black hammer spider with a human face leaped towards Chu Xunzhen with a push from its two hind legs.

Chu Xunzhen turned to the side, but in the next instant, the other human-faced black hammer spiders jumped over at the same time.

Chu Xunzhen was startled: Oh no! There aren't enough protective Gu worms.

It’s over.

At the critical moment, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around her waist, and a wide cloak blocked the leaping guardian insect, protecting her behind it.

Caught off guard, Chu Xunzhen's forehead slammed heavily into the man's muscular chest.

Although there was a layer of black cloth between them, the cloth was so thin that Chu Xunzhen could almost feel the scorching heat beneath the black robe.

Thump thump!

The powerful pounding of the other person's heart made Chu Xun's heart skip a beat.

A familiar, pleasant fragrance wafted from him.

Before Chu Xunzhen could even think, he saw the person beside him make a hand seal. The hundreds of human-faced black hammer spiders suddenly stopped, coughed up blood, and lay on their backs, dead beyond any doubt.

"Is it alright?"

He looked down at Chu Xunzhen in his arms and asked casually, as if he had just crushed a few ants.

"Thank you for your help, Sect Leader."

Chu Xunzhen expressed his gratitude, but at the same time he was secretly alarmed.

As expected of the sect leader, he is truly amazing.

If the sect leader hadn't intervened, even if she wanted to take the Gu Soul Bell today, she would probably have had to use all her trump cards and be seriously injured.

"Go and retrieve the Soul-Sealing Bell. You have ten breaths. Otherwise, all mechanisms will reset."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Xunzhen rushed to the deepest part of the forbidden area.

A mysterious black light flickered around the black Gu Soul Bell.

Without the slightest hesitation, Chu Xunzhen picked up the Gu Soul Bell, put it in his sleeve, and turned to rush back.

"Five breaths left," the sect leader reminded them.

"three."

"two."

"one."

Chu Xunzhen arrived just in time, clinging to his last breath.

Click!

On the stone walls on both sides of the forbidden area, the stone bricks moved around, as if an invisible person was piecing together building blocks.

The next instant, arrows flew towards the two of them from the gaps in the stone walls on both sides.

Nangong Yue's pupils contracted. Without thinking, she grabbed Chu Xunzhen's fair wrist and pulled her forward at breakneck speed.

The warmth of his palm soothed the restlessness of the poisonous insects within his body.

Sure enough, being with her calmed the poison in his body, and he remained conscious for longer periods.

A dense rain of arrows shot towards the two of them.

Chu Xunzhen was pulled by the hand and followed the sect leader as they fled forward.

She felt a sense of novelty and exhilaration.

Is this the sect leader's strength?

Half an hour later, they finally broke out of the restricted area.

As soon as she rushed out, Nangong Yue immediately let go of her hand.

Chu Xunzhen didn't mind and clasped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you for your help, Sect Master."

"There's no need for that. You are the Holy Maiden of our sect. It is only right that I, the sect leader, assist you."

After saying that, he darted away and left.

What Chu Xunzhen didn't notice was that the sect leader's earlobes were bright red when he left.

After leaving the Gu Sect, Chu Xunzhen quickly returned to the Ping'an Marquis's residence.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

The full moon hangs high in the sky.

The shadows are heavy and overlapping. Those banyan trees, like giant beasts, have branches that stretch out their fangs and claws.

Chu Xunzhen returned to the room, took off his mask, and put it away.

A knock on the door suddenly rang out.

"Knock knock knock, young lady, it's me—Frost."

Upon hearing this, Chu Xunzhen's gaze darkened, and he tightened the Gu Soul Bell in his sleeve.

Bing Shuang was unaware that she had gone out; only Chun happy and Granny Hua knew.

Why is Frost here so soon after she got back?

Could it be that her every move is being watched by someone else?