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Chapter 230 Cleansing Spring

Chen Guangrui, Mao Ri Xing Guan, Nezha, and Tang Sheng landed in a secluded mountain valley in Pan Si Ling. After walking a short distance, they indeed saw the outline of a house vaguely revealed among the green trees, which seemed to be a mountain family.

Upon seeing this, the Pleiades Star Lord immediately took two quick steps, his official robes fluttering slightly, raised his hand in a gesture of obstruction, and spoke with his usual caution.

"Marshal, Third Prince, Young Master, please wait. The situation here is unclear. According to Heavenly Court regulations and for the sake of safety, it is only right that I, your humble servant, first investigate the situation..."

Before he could finish speaking, Nezha impatiently waved his hand, and the Wind Fire Wheels scraped the ground, leaving a few sparks.
"Enough with the chit-chat. You have to go check a door? I'll go myself." His golden eyes gleamed with eager anticipation.

"If there are any ignorant monsters lurking around, it's perfect for me to loosen up my muscles and kill them all at once."

Upon hearing the word "fight and kill," the Pleiades Star Lord's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly gave instructions.
"Third Prince, please calm down. You must not act rashly. If those inside are just ordinary woodcutters and hunters, it would be disrespectful to Heaven if we disturb or even harm them. As immortals, we should be compassionate and use courtesy before resorting to force."

As he spoke, he subconsciously straightened the seven-inch-high crown on his head, and the pearl on the crown swayed with his movement.

Chen Guangrui glanced at the Pleiades Star Lord. Was it a bit too abrupt that this old fox from the Heavenly Court had suddenly become so compassionate?
Pleiades Star Lord pretended not to see Chen Guangrui's questioning look, or said that as an immortal, one cannot kill indiscriminately.

Just then, a clear, bell-like laugh from a woman, mixed with the sound of splashing water, suddenly drifted from the direction of the houses in the distance, ethereal and with a hint of allure.

"Huh?" Tang Sheng's shiny little ears immediately perked up, and he sniffed the air. Then his eyes lit up, and he pointed at Nezha and started shouting.
"You little brat, Third Prince, you think your nose is sharper than a dog's? As soon as you hear the sound of water and laughter, you know there's something to be gained. You think you can leave us behind and eat it all by yourself? No way!"

He turned to Chen Guangrui, his little face full of righteousness, "Dad, I have to go with Nezha to do this important task of gathering intelligence. I have good eyesight and a keen mind, I will definitely see everything clearly and make sure he doesn't do anything reckless."

When Pleiades Star Lord heard this, he was completely bewildered. How could these two little devils possibly get along?
He quickly stepped in front of Tang Sheng and said urgently.
“Young Master, no, you and the Third Prince… cough, you two look like you’ve never lost your childlike innocence. This kind of thing should be left to someone as steady as me…”

He couldn't bring himself to say something like "He clearly has ill intentions," and in his anxiety, he even started to flick his official robe sleeves.

Nezha didn't care about any of that, and scoffed.
"Enough with the nonsense! I, the Crown Prince, know my place. You, a rooster, have no need to worry about me."

He shoved aside the Pleiades Star Lord blocking his way, grabbed the still-shouting Sugar Boy, and with a whoosh, the Wind and Fire Wheels beneath his feet burst into flames. He shouted, "Let's go!" and transformed into a streak of red light, shooting swiftly toward the direction from which the sounds of water and laughter came.

"Oh, Third Prince, Young Master, Marshal, this..."

The Pleiades star official stumbled from the push, his tall hat nearly falling askew. By the time he hurriedly straightened it, Nezha and Tang Sheng were long gone. He looked anxiously at Chen Guangrui, his face filled with "What should we do?"

Chen Guangrui, however, remained calm, gazing in the direction the two had disappeared, and said indifferently,
“Star Official, there’s no need to worry. Let them go and explore. Although Nezha is reckless, with Tang Sheng with him, he can keep an eye on things. Besides… this place does seem a bit strange, so it’s appropriate for them to lead the way.”

His tone was calm, as if he had everything under control.

The Pleiades Star Lord could only sigh helplessly, shaking his head repeatedly. While straightening his clothes and cuffs, which had been disheveled by Nezha's shoving, he muttered to himself, "What kind of mess is this..."

……

Carrying the candy, Nezha followed the sound of water and laughter, and in a few leaps, he bypassed a dense bamboo forest. Suddenly, the view opened up before him—a natural hot spring pool! The water was crystal clear, steaming with wisps of white vapor, and filled with a strange, warm fragrance.

The sight in the pool made the two uninvited guests freeze in shock.

Seven women were bathing and playing in the pool. Their skin was as white as snow, and their black hair cascaded down like waterfalls, appearing and disappearing in the water. Some were splashing and playing with each other, their silvery laughter ringing out; others leaned lazily against the smooth pool stones, closing their eyes to rest; still others hummed little tunes and combed their wet hair.

Tang Sheng was being held by the back of her collar by Nezha, her little mouth slightly open, her eyes wide with amazement. She subconsciously swallowed and muttered softly, "Wow... one, two, three... seven! A dazzling expanse of white, like freshly made white porcelain bowls..."

All that remained in his little mind was the vibrant and enticing scene before him.

Nezha, being a young boy at heart, showed a fleeting awkwardness upon first seeing this vibrant scene, but it was quickly replaced by another feeling. His golden eyes swept over the woman in the pool, his nostrils flaring as if he were searching for something in the air.

"Hey, little bald guy," Nezha said in a low voice, with a hint of excitement at spotting prey, "See them? They're all female demons!"

Upon hearing this, Tang Sheng also stopped his playful grin, sniffed hard with his little nose, and frowned.
"Hmm? It seems... a little too fragrant?" He was young, so his description wasn't very accurate, but his senses were sharp. However, his eyes remained fixed on the pool of water.

Nezha's gaze lingered on the women, his Adam's apple bobbing almost imperceptibly, but his tone remained defiant, "Hmph, well hidden! Where did so many women come from bathing in this desolate wilderness? They must be female demons! Wait for me..."

Before he could finish speaking, a woman in the pool seemed to feel an itch on her back and lazily raised her delicate arm to scratch it. The movement rippled the water, making her figure appear even more graceful.

Tang Sheng watched with even greater interest, muttering to himself, "It's deep! Hey! It moved...tsk tsk, this vixen is really something else!"

Nezha tightened his grip on his Fire-Tipped Spear, and the flames on his Wind-Fire Wheels silently surged higher, whether out of vigilance or for some other reason, it was unclear. He snorted.
"Whether she's exciting or not, she's a wicked vixen! Just wait, I'll definitely..."

Tang Sheng immediately interrupted him, his little eyes shining, "Don't be in such a hurry, Third Prince, watch a little longer, just a little longer! Such a beautiful fairy... uh, such a beautiful fairy taking a bath, wouldn't it be a huge loss if we didn't take a few more glances!"

He completely forgot that he had come to "gather intelligence".

Nezha glared at him, but didn't say anything more. His gaze involuntarily drifted back to the scene of steam rising from the hot spring.

The water in the pool rippled, and seven women laughed and played, completely unaware that two peeping tom were hiding in the woods on the bank.

Nezha watched for a while, then got a little bored. His eyes darted around, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. He patted Tang Sheng, who was still staring wide-eyed, and said in a low voice, "Hey, little bald guy, have you had enough? What's the point of just watching?"

Tang Sheng was engrossed in the watch and was a little annoyed at being interrupted. He muttered, "Let me watch a little longer, it's so good..." "You're so pathetic!" Nezha scoffed, his tone tinged with mischievous excitement. "Watch me!"

Before he finished speaking, a faint red light rose around his body, which quickly receded and distorted. In the blink of an eye, a magnificent eagle with sharp eyes appeared where Tang Sheng had just been, its talons gripping a branch tightly.

The eagle was none other than Nezha in disguise. Its sharp golden eyes swept over the scattered, colorful women's garments on the grass by the pond. Suddenly, it flapped its wings and glided down silently, its speed as fast as a gray lightning bolt.

It glided precisely across the grass, its two iron-hook-like claws reaching out, grabbing and grabbing again! Those few light and soft gauze dresses and skirts, like clouds swept up by the wind, were instantly and firmly grasped by the eagle. Without lingering, the eagle, its claws tightly gripping the brightly colored garments, flapped its wings fiercely, creating a strong gust of wind, and quickly soared into the air, flying swiftly towards the direction where Chen Guangrui and the Pleiades Star Lord were, leaving only a few fallen leaves swirling in the air currents.

The women playing in the pond were splashing each other with water. One of them had just wiped the water droplets from her face when she seemed to catch a glimpse of a shadow passing by out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head in confusion to look at the grassy bank, and her eyes widened instantly.

"Ah!" A sharp, distorted scream shattered the tranquility of the valley. "Our clothes...our clothes are gone!"

The scream was like cold water poured into a boiling oil pan. The other six women followed her gaze and saw that the grass where the clothes had been piled up was now empty, with only a few blades of grass swaying in the wind.

"My skirt!"

"My hairpin!"

"Who! Who stole our clothes?"

"Quick, quick, find it!"

Fear, shame, and panic instantly replaced the previous comfort. The seven women turned pale and frantically splashed in the water. Some looked around anxiously, some tried to sink to the bottom with only their heads above water, and some instinctively hugged their chests with their arms. The scene was chaotic, with screams rising and falling.

Tang Sheng was startled by this turn of events, then his little eyes darted around, a sly glint in them. Looking at the women in disarray in the pool, his face showed no fear, but rather an eager expression.

"Hmph, Nezha is all about grabbing clothes, he's boring!" Tang Sheng pouted, her mind racing with calculations.

"These female monsters are all naked and soaking in the water. Who knows what their true forms are? Maybe there are some treasures hidden at the bottom of the water."

The more he thought about it, the more he felt he couldn't miss this opportunity. He took a deep breath, his lower abdomen bulged, he muttered incantations, and a faint, almost invisible glow appeared on his body.

"Pfft!"

A soft splash. On the bank where Tang Sheng had been squatting, only a few swaying blades of grass remained. A small, silvery-white fish with shimmering scales, looking quite agile, leaped into the water, splashing a small spray. It quickly flicked its tail and nimbly swam towards the group of panicked women in the depths of the pool.

……

In the distance, on the hillside where Chen Guangrui and the Pleiades Star Lord were located.

The Pleiades Star Lord was somewhat restless. He would sometimes stand on tiptoe and crane his neck to look in the direction where Nezha and Tang Sheng had disappeared, and sometimes he would unconsciously tidy up his already meticulous pheasant-patterned official robes, occasionally straightening the seven-inch-high crown on his head. His movements seemed rather frequent.

Chen Guangrui stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly fixed on the depths of the valley, as if admiring the scenery. He noticed the subtle restlessness in the Pleiades Star Lord beside him, and without turning his head, spoke in a steady voice.

"Star Lord, there's no need to be impatient. Although Nezha is reckless, he is quite capable and knows his limits. Tang Sheng is clever and won't suffer any losses."

The Pleiades Star Lord, his thoughts exposed, paused slightly, then immediately put on his usual respectful smile and said repeatedly,
"Yes, yes, the Marshal is right. I'm just worried that the two young masters are too hot-blooded and might disturb the creatures that are cultivating here. That would not be good."

He said "yes" aloud, but his eyes couldn't help but glance again in the direction of the dense forest, and his Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.

Chen Guangrui's gaze slowly swept over the Pleiades Star Lord's face, which was trying to remain calm. Suddenly, he changed the subject, his tone still calm, but with a hint of probing.

"Having spent so long in the Heavenly Court, you must be quite knowledgeable. Seeing the beautiful and spiritual landscape of this place, I wonder if you know what kind of spirits dwell here? Judging from your expression, things seem somewhat unusual."

"Ah?" The Pleiades star official's body trembled almost imperceptibly, the smile on his face froze for a moment, then became even more enthusiastic and forceful, waving his hands repeatedly.

"No, no! Marshal, you misunderstand! This humble official is only accompanying you to the mortal realm to subdue demons for the first time, and I am naturally a little apprehensive, fearing that I may fail in my duties and let you down. As for what kind of monsters are here, this humble official truly has no idea and is completely unaware of them!"

He vehemently denied it, his tone resolute, but his eyes subconsciously avoided Chen Guangrui's gaze.

Chen Guangrui gave him a deep look, but didn't press further, only giving a soft "Oh," as if it were just a casual question. He turned his gaze back to the depths of the valley, towards the Cleansing Spring, and remained silent for a moment.

Just as the silence made Pleiades Star Lord feel increasingly uncomfortable, Chen Guangrui spoke again, his voice lowered, with a casual, heartfelt tone, "To be honest, besides patrolling the demonic atmosphere, I actually have a little selfish reason for descending to the mortal realm this time."

The Pleiades star lord immediately perked up his ears, his face showing an attentive expression of "I'd love to hear more." "Marshal, please speak."

Chen Guangrui sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness and a barely perceptible probing: "I've heard that the Bodhisattva Pilanpo seems to have some connection with this place? It seems that she has some unresolved issues. I was thinking that if this trip could help her resolve some of her worries, it would be a meritorious deed. I just don't know if it will be possible."

"Pilamba?" Upon hearing this name, the Pleiades Star Lord's expression changed momentarily, almost imperceptibly, but a strong sense of panic clearly flashed deep in his eyes. He immediately lowered his head, as if to conceal something, using his long sleeve to wipe away non-existent dust from his robe, his voice slightly more hurried than before.
"This, I know even less. Bodhisattva Pilanpo is a great Buddhist master who lives a secluded life. How could we, mere mortals, presume to know her thoughts? Marshal, your concern for the Bodhisattva and your compassionate heart are truly admirable."

As he offered compliments, he subconsciously straightened the crown on his head, his fingers tightening slightly.

Chen Guangrui, standing to the side, burst out laughing. "Star Official, if you don't even know the Bodhisattva's thoughts, then no one in the Three Realms knows."

(End of this chapter)