Chu Xiaoya looked bewildered at first. Then, hearing what Song Chengfeng said, her eyebrows shot up. Just as she was about to speak, Xu Luo's expression darkened. He frowned at Song Chengfeng and said, "Brother, I was just joking, but you actually took me seriously? Promising to be my slave, to be my beast of burdenā¦ how could you say that! Where does that leave my sister-in-law?"
Song Chengfeng's mouth twitched, but he still asked Xu Luo nervously, "Which part was the jokeā¦?"
At this, even Chu Xiaoya couldn't take it anymore. She rolled her eyes and said, "Are you an idiot? Good heavensā¦ how on earth did I ever fall for you?"
Song Chengfeng could only laugh foolishly. At this moment, where was the slightest hint of the Demon King many believed him to be? He was just like a country boy who had just gotten married!
As he laughed, tears streamed down his face, splashing onto the ground and vanishing into the dust.
Chu Xiaoya couldn't help but weep silently as well.
The beauty of life is that regardless of whether one has past or future lives, one can neither remember the past nor see the future. Therefore, past and future lives are meaningless. People only have this one life; everyone lives in the present.
Chu Xiaoya was a peerless beauty whose power had reached its zenith. If not for the poison, living for several more millennia would have been no issue. She had given up before only because she saw no hope. The Huo Family's poisons had been notorious since the Ancient Era, a reputation that persisted to this day. No one knew exactly how many inherited deadly poisons they still possessed. However, it was a consensus across the entire Ancient Race Continent that the Huo Family's poisons remained terrifying.
This just goes to show how wondrous the connections between people can be. A chance encounter and an act of sincere, mutual trust had given Chu Xiaoya hope for survival.
The Huo Family's ancient poisons were certainly fearsome, but in the presence of the Cyan Dragon, the true progenitor of the poison arts, they were nothing. In fact, to the Cyan Dragon, those toxins were a powerful tonic.
However, to prevent Chu Xiaoya from being repulsed by the sight of the Dragon Pearl emerging from his body, Xu Luo stepped outside for a moment. He first let the Cyan Dragon's Spirit fly out of his Dantian, gave it some instructions, and then had Chu Xiaoya swallow it.
Before long, Chu Xiaoya exclaimed in joyful surprise, "Chengfengā¦ Iā¦ I can feel itā¦ My body feels lighter than ever! The poisonā¦ it's disappearing so fast! Heavens, what is this pearl? It's absorbing all the toxins from my body! Thisā¦ this is incredible!"
While Chu Xiaoya was crying out in excitement, Song Chengfeng was completely stunned. He stood there, practically unable to think, only knowing how to grin like an idiot.
Soon, the deadly poison in Chu Xiaoya's body was completely purged by the Cyan Dragon's Spirit, which even took the opportunity to heal some of the hidden injuries in her meridians.
Afterward, Chu Xiaoya spat out the Cyan Dragon's Spirit and returned it to Xu Luo. Then, she asked him curiously, "What exactly is this pearl?"
Xu Luo grinned, baring his teeth. "A Detoxification Pearl!"
At this, not only did Chu Xiaoya roll her eyes, displeased with Xu Luo's dismissive answer, but even the Cyan Dragon's Spirit was indignant. "Lord Eighth Star Monarch, although I am insignificant before you, to these mortals, I am a lofty, god-like existence!"
"It's a Detoxification Pearl!" Xu Luo said firmly, cutting off the Cyan Dragon's Spirit's noisy complaints.
"Fine, a Detoxification Pearl it is," Chu Xiaoya relented. "Regardless, Xu Luo, I will remember this favor." She didn't offer excessive thanks, as they were unnecessary. At their level, promises were often superfluous; a single look was enough to convey that they would do anything for each other.
"What are your plans now?" Chu Xiaoya asked, looking at Xu Luo once she had fully calmed down. At her side, Song Chengfeng also turned to Xu Luo, eager to hear his answer.
"I want to go to the Huo Family," Xu Luo said.
"What?" Song Chengfeng's eyes went wide as he stared at Xu Luo, as if he were looking at a madman.
Chu Xiaoya looked at Xu Luo in astonishment. "Go to the Huo Family? What are you thinking?"
"Haha, I'm not crazy, of course," Xu Luo said with a relaxed smile, looking at Song Chengfeng. "But let's put that aside. I want to ask you and Sister-in-law something. Brother, back when you fought Huo Wannian, you mentioned that the Huo Family sent ten experts of the Divine Power Realm to the Central Plains Star Continent on a killing mission, but a supreme being there drove them back with a single word?"
"That's right, it happened!" Song Chengfeng said with a grave expression. "I was also very surprised. To think the Central Plains Star Continent is home to such a beingā¦ However, one thing is certain: this supreme being is at least a Saint, and a very high-ranking one at that!"
"And from what we can tell, this supreme being seems to have some sort of connection to you," Chu Xiaoya chimed in. "Because those experts from the Huo Family were targeting you. They were openly shouting your name on the Central Plains Star Continentā¦ and then the supreme being actedā¦ or rather, spoke!"
"As expected of a legendary, forbidden existence," Song Chengfeng said in awe. "A single wordā¦ was enough to make those ten Divine Power Realm experts violently cough up blood and sustain heavy injuries."
Xu Luo was incredibly surprised, but also deeply confused. 'I can't imagine how I could possibly be connected to a being like that.' This was precisely why he wanted to get into the Huo Family. After all, they possessed the most comprehensive information! Going to the Huo Family was the best way to investigate these matters.
"Right, brother, about what you said earlierā¦ Are you insane for wanting to go to the Huo Family?" Song Chengfeng said, looking at Xu Luo with a hint of reproach. "Even if the Huo Family has the most information about the Central Plains Star Continent, it would still be more fitting for us to go than you, wouldn't it?"
"He's right. Worst comes to worst, your brother and I can make a trip there ourselves," Chu Xiaoya said nonchalantly, her ethereal voice still tinged with gentleness. "We can just go to the Huo Family, grab a few of their leaders, and interrogate them to find out what we need to know!"
But if anyone else had heard what she said, their jaws would have dropped to the floor.
To think that the woman once hailed as the goddess of the Ancient Race Continent had a side like thisā¦
Xu Luo just smiled and shook his head. "A wayā¦ I definitely have one! Brother, Sister-in-law, please allow me to keep it a secret for now. Perhaps one day, when we meet again, you two won't recognize me at all! When that happens, I'll just mention the Detoxification Pearlā¦ and you'll understand immediately!"
"Youā¦" Chu Xiaoya gave a wry smile as she looked at Xu Luo. "You childā¦ still being so mysterious! Fine. Since you're this confident, you must have a plan. But if you want to infiltrate the Huo Family, you at least need to have an extremely detailed understanding of them first!"
Over the next few days, Chu Xiaoya and Song Chengfeng took turns telling Xu Luo everything about the Huo Family. They frequently tried to persuade him to give up on the idea of going there, but each time, Xu Luo would simply smile without a word, leaving the couple at a loss.
ćHalf a month later.ć
Xu Luo bid farewell to Song Chengfeng and Chu Xiaoya. Waving goodbye, he left their secluded home and headed straight for the Huo Family.