Chapter 226: Chapter 102: Family Letter, Supreme Solitude, Incense Crossing a Path

This scene was almost identical to the ghost.

But while ghosts fear fire, this Drought Demon’s demon technique clearly dries all things, not a drop of water falls, and it walks through fire unharmed.

This Drought Demon has too many secrets.

And at this moment, the Drought Demon’s flesh and blood had already reattached.

A White Bone Demon jumped into the air, gripping an axe from who knows where, and struck fiercely at the Drought Demon.

Clang!

The sound of metal and stone rang out.

This was the manifestation of a ghost’s skin temporarily hardening after resurrection.

All of this indicated that the Drought Demon was not a monster, but a ghost.

But Li Xuan had never seen this kind of ghost.

Who is its master?

Why is it not afraid of fire?

Why does it keep saying "go home"?

So many enigmas.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind as Li Xuan grasped a spear again, stretched his right arm, and suddenly threw it!

Boom!!!

The spear followed the Incense and Candle Path and once again nailed the Drought Demon into the deep pit.

No matter how ghostly skin hardens post-resurrection, in front of Li Xuan’s formidable strength, it was nothing.

The Drought Demon was shattered once again, the flesh and blood beginning to wriggle anew.

Li Xuan watched the flesh and blood, and suddenly his expression changed as he recalled the previous plague.

Although the plague wasn’t brought by the Drought Demon, it faded in cold.

’The Drought Demon isn’t afraid of fire, but what if it’s afraid of ice?’

In the heat of summer, ice would ordinarily be absent. But the cellars of the nobles in the capital stored ice to beat the heat, as Li Xuan knew.

Thus, he busily retrieved several large jars of ice from a noble’s cellar and tossed them onto the fragmented flesh of the Drought Demon.

Bang!

Bang bang!

The solid chunks of ice pressed down on the decomposing flesh with a sizzle.

The ice was melting rapidly...

Just as Li Xuan sighed "it’s futile," the rate of melting suddenly slowed, and continued to slow, until it stopped.

The decaying flesh turned into a puff of green smoke, dissipating in the pit.

Wave after wave, the Drought Demon and its green robe vanished completely.

This sight left Li Xuan astonished.

’Did that really work?’

However, killing the Drought Demon without acquiring magic blood felt quite unsatisfying.

’Nevermind, the task is done,’ Li Xuan thought, as his gaze swept back to the original location of the Drought Demon in the pit.

In the pit, the Drought Demon had vanished into thin air, but amidst the soil lay a peculiar blue jade object.

A White Bone Demon jumped into the pit and grabbed it.

Upon examining, it appeared to be a broken jade bead.

Upon closer inspection, it may not be a jade bead, but rather half of a gourd.

The whole gourd should fit in a fingertip, the lower half completely shattered, the upper half cracked all over with fresh fissures, barely holding together.

Inside the gourd was a roll of thin unknown metal.

Li Xuan controlled the White Bone Demon to extract the metal, unfolded it, and saw the words on it all identifiable to him.

Li Xuan temporarily put it away and continued searching, but apart from the green jade gourd, the Drought Demon left nothing else.

Now, at least one thing was clear to him.

"Dream" wasn’t likely an ability of the Drought Demon, but a power hidden within the peculiar green jade gourd, which crumbled upon eruption.

Soon, the green jade gourd and the sheet of metal with words landed in Li Xuan’s hand.

He repeatedly examined it; the jade, albeit exquisite, wasn’t rare, making it hard to believe it once held formidable power.

As for the sheet of metal with writing, it was of a material Li Xuan had never seen.

Neither gold nor iron, nor any material he recognized, yet it was extraordinarily tough.

Clearly, the metal was stuffed inside the green jade gourd.

Li Xuan then unfolded it, reading.

The sheet contained a simple letter.

’Father said the human world has demons, so I’m here to train. I inquired around and found out this place is called the Great Yin dynasty, during the Year of the Heavenly Dragon, the thirteenth.’

’I easily dealt with the demon, but can’t find my way home.

No matter, it doesn’t daunt me.’

’I finally found the path, along the riverside, Bailang Province, Zhang Family Village. I went.’

Subsequent entries became disorganized and urgent.

’That’s no path, that’s not home, I’m about to die.

If anyone finds this letter, remember it belongs to the Celestial Palace and hence carrying it allows return.’

’Since you’ve taken this, please take me home, my father will greatly reward you.’

Signed: Celestial Maiden Xue.

Li Xuan gripped the piece of metal with text.

Such simple words directly drew him into a mystical and terrifying world.

’The Year of the Heavenly Dragon, the thirteenth... If I’m right, that’s about a hundred and twelve years ago, right? So, Great Yin had demons back then?’

Nonetheless, he also understood that the Drought Demon wasn’t a demon when alive, but a Celestial Maiden named "Xue," who came from the Celestial Palace to exterminate demons in the human world.

She succeeded in vanquishing the demon, only to find herself unable to return, eventually finding a possible path home, but disaster struck.

Probably she didn’t even know she’d turn into this wretched form before dying, still hoping someone would return her remains home.

Understandable, a young lady out on her first quest, ready to report back after success, only to find she couldn’t go home... who wouldn’t panic?

Li Xuan clutched the golden letter tightly.

Coming from the Celestial Palace, hence carrying it would lead back.

Li Xuan glanced at the Drought Demon, now completely dissipated, muttering, "Isn’t any place restful, just rest in the human world."

Still, that Riverside, Bailang Province, Zhang Family Village, might be worth a visit if given a chance.