[June 26, 2019]
...
The sound startled the group of four people walking along the river bank, one of whom had his wrists tied behind his back. His head was covered in a huge scarf. The shape seemed to suggest antlers. Remembering where she was she called out, "Hu Lu?" [deer from ch.15 sent to help heal Xing Yun from the poison babies in Rui Palace]
The person did not reply, but the tremble that shook his entire body at her call confirmed her suspicions.
Though Hu Lu did not have heaven's mandate he was an immortal earth spirit, a minor land G.o.d.
The group holding him captive were clearly not soldiers of heaven, so who were they to dare capture him? They were dressed entirely in black from head to toe, even their faces were covered. Shen Li furrowed her brows and approached to query.
Their leader pulled his sword and attacked before she had could ask.
Shen Li didn't have a chance to show off her spear's fearsome abilities, when from over her shoulder a column of water rushed past. With a "crash" it slammed into the attacking man and drenched him in water. A sudden cold air that sprang from the ground. He was rooted to the spot as ice crystals formed from the combination of chilly air and condensed water.
The other two, upon seeing this, decided to flee. Xing Zhi waved his hand before they could take a single step, and they, like their leader were also rooted in place.
Shen Li raised her brows. "Ice spell?"
"No, water limiting spell."
Shen Li wasn't familiar with all the different types of water spells nor was she impressed by any of them. They all sounded the same to her. She strode over to Hu Lu and pulled the fabric covering his head.
A trail of light wound around his antlers, much of his head, mouth, and neck like a collar.
Shen Li frowned. "What kind of spell is this?"
Xing Zhi looked down in thought. "An immortal binding spell." He formed a ball of light on his fingertips and pressed it lightly against Hu Lu's bindings, breaking the seal.
Freed, Hu Lu bent over at the waist and took a great big gulp of air. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he looked at the two people in front of him. "Thank you! Thank you great immortals for saving my life! I thought for sure I would die! Huu! Huu!"
Shen Li's lip quirked at the corner. This big crybaby hadn't changed one bit.
She and Xing Zhi waited for him to finish crying.
Hu Lu wiped his face with his arm after the flood of tears stopped. He gasped once he got a good look at his saviors, specifically at Shen Li. "You… you're…"
Shen Li nodded. "Yes I am. But don't worry, this time I'm not here to coerce you into doing anything." She pointed a finger at the three men. "What's going on with them?"
"Huuu huuu! It's a long story! It all started when someone from an immortal sect came and started trouble!" Hu Lu sighed. "Three months ago a person named Fu Shengmen came by representing some immortal sages from a school. I guess it was some well-known sect in the martial world. We didn't care who they were but they set up a banquet and invited us to meet with them. A bunch went, but none came back. Another banquet invitation arrived and another group went. They never came back either! By then we were all leery of them. No one accepted the third invitation. Who would have guessed when we said no they would forcefully kidnap us?"
Xing Yun narrowed his eyes. "What you describe is a serious crime. Why have you not reported it to the heavens?"
Hu Lu cried out in grief, "We wanted to! The first messenger we sent was found dead in the woods. The next was also found dead. There were never many of us to begin with so between that and the banquet, there was barely anyone left. Everyone scattered." Hu Lu got teary-eyed just thinking about it.
"The woods around the capital aren't that big. I was afraid I'd be caught if I stayed so I went and hid in the city. I was able to stay hidden until today. That's when they caught me. If it weren't for you two… huuu huuu! Who knows what would have happened to me?!"
Shen Li was confused. "You're a land G.o.d with an immortal body. Your magic isn't strong, but it shouldn't be that weak. Why are you such a pushover? Why is everyone able to do what they please with you?"
Hu Lu gave Shen Li an aggrieved look. "It's not that I didn't resist… there were other immortals with strong magic who tried to resist too. But the other side has some magic that specifically deals with immortal beings like us. We can struggle as much as we like, but we can't break free. I heard from other immortals that the magic this sect uses doesn't resemble normal immortal magic…"
He looked at Shen Li and hesitated for a moment before continuing. "It was like a demonic technique…"
