Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 372 : Demon Trap (5)

Chapter 372: Chapter 372 : Demon Trap (5)

The spider demoness hissed in rage and agony as flames engulfed her limbs. She thrashed and writhed, desperate to escape the searing heat, but the blaze clung to her like a vengeful predator.

The fire roared, scorching the earth and raining embers on the trembling villagers below. Only when a sudden downpour lashed the village, quenching the inferno and leaving everyone soaked to the bone, did the flames finally surrender.

In the end, what remained was a lump of smoldering coal.

Zhang Fengxi had a waterproof barrier around him and Qiao Wei to protect them from the heavy rain. Once they landed on the ground, all villagers including Village Head Chen were on their knees.

"Venerable God, Master Qiao Wei, our entire village is indebted to the both of you.

Please tell us your name, oh, esteemed God, so that we can erect a shrine in your name."

Zhang Fengxi gave a chuckle instead of an answer.

"I am no God."

The villagers gaped at him.

Was he a demon, then?

The burning question teetered on Qiao Wei’s tongue, but he kept his mouth shut.

"You might want to do something about the two shidis we left behind at the old temple," Zhang Fengxi reminded Qiao Wei.

"Oh, that’s right!"

"Master Qiao Wei, you look like you could use some rest. Please allow my men to go over there to fetch the two cultivators."

Qiao Wei and Zhang Fengxi were invited to the Village Head’s house to recuperate. Outside, the villagers moved about diligently to remove traces of the spider demoness’ attack.

Although Qiao Wei did not get wet at all, the chill of the fight just now still clung around him like threads of spider silk. Only after he finally had a cup of tea to warm his hands with, did he feel a lot more comfortable.

"Many thanks for your help, Sir," Qiao Wei raised his cup in Zhang Fengxi’s direction. "Thank you for saving our lives and getting rid of the spider demoness."

The latter regarded him with a curt nod.

"Take it as a repayment for saving my boys’ lives. And also as my apology for hurting you."

A sunbeam bloomed in Qiao Wei’s chest, its warmth spreading through him like honey melting on his tongue.

The man was not an ice statue after all.

He was still the same man he remembered, the one who held him in his dying moments many, many times.

"It’s... It was nothing. I was happy I could help," Qiao Wei stammered. "Are they doing fine?"

"They are."

"..."

"..."

The two men stared at each other.

Qiao Wei could feel heat climbing to his cheeks.

Back when they were merely passing acquaintances, Qiao Wei often thought about spending some time with the man alone. He wanted to have a lengthy chat with the man, maybe get to know him.

And yet, once the opportunity came, Qiao Wei’s tongue was tied by invisible threads and his mind was as blank as a clear canvas.

He did not know what to talk about. The atmosphere between them was beyond awkward.

"Oh, I..."

Qiao Wei rummaged inside his qiankun pouch and quickly found the item he stashed away for safekeeping.

"This here..."

He held out a jianzi with both hands.

"I found this on that same day. I believe this was what your sons were looking for."

Zhang Fengxi arched an eyebrow at the ugly toy in Qiao Wei’s hands.

He took it and weighed it on one hand.

His little boys were so silly. To think that they brazenly went through the danger of crossing realms just to retrieve this worthless item.

"... Thank you."

The man did not look too happy after receiving the jianzi.

Oh, no.

Qiao Wei felt bad.

Maybe he should have kept it for when he came across the children again.

But he also didn’t think that he would see them again...

"What’s your name?" Zhang Fengxi asked him so suddenly.

"I... Uh, my name is Qiao Wei."

Zhang Fengxi nodded in acknowledgment. "I will remember that."

With all the courage he had, Qiao Wei blurted out, "Esteemed Sir, how may I address you?"

Zhang Fengxi pinned him with a silent stare for a while before he replied, "Zhang Fengxi."

Zhang Fengxi.

His name was Zhang Fengxi.

The happiness after learning the man’s name was akin to having a firework bursting before his eyes, steeping him into a momentary, yet endlessly beautiful kaleidoscope of color.

"I will also remember that," he mumbled. Not that it mattered to Zhang Fengxi, of course.

Zhang Fengxi rode back to Fuxi Palace soon after.

The day was another disappointing day because he failed to locate Xie Jianyu’s soul, but at least he got to repay a life debt.

In Fuxi Palace, the twin boys were still serving their punishment at the ancestral hall.

Kneeling before a lavish altar full of wooden plaques that watched over them like silent guardians, the two boys were focused on their daily tasks.

Their tiny hands moved deftly across a stack of blank papers to produce fifty copies of the Fuxi Palace rules.

Xie Junjie was always the more diligent one between the two, while Zhang Mingrui liked to complain about their punishment.

"Ah~ I can’t take it anymore, I will let Daddy beat my butt instead~!" The tiger boy put down his brush and wailed out loud.

Xie Junjie looked up from his copies and gave his twin brother a stern look.

"Mingrui, Daddy has a thick leather belt with a lot of metal decorations. You won’t be able to sit on your butt when he’s done with your punishment."

Zhang Mingrui swallowed hard.

"D-Daddy wouldn’t hit me hard, would he?"

"Even if he didn’t, you will still get hurt. Come on, how many more copies do you need to write?"

Zhang Mingrui crawled back to his spot and counted the finished copies.

"Nine."

"Nine more?"

"Nine finished."

"..."

Xie Junjie glared at Zhang Mingrui.

"Mingrui, it is almost dinner time!" he exclaimed. "What have you been doing for the past three hours???"

Zhang Mingrui grinned at his twin brother. He pulled out a sheet of paper and showed it to Xie Junjie.

"Look, look, I made a painting. Does it look like Mommy?"

Xie Junjie barely had time to take a good look before it was snatched off with a cold remark, "Why, Mingrui, it is not half bad."