Chapter 559

Chapter 559: Blocking Every Path

Lu Chao Chao felt an intense pain coursing through her entire body.

It was just like the time she had sacrificed herself—the sensation of being torn apart, as though every bone, every inch of skin, and even her very soul were being crushed. The pain made her curl into a tight ball.

But soon, warmth enveloped her, as if she were soaking in hot water, slowly easing away the agony.

She was so exhausted that she could barely open her eyes.

She had no idea how long she had been asleep, only that she was mumbling in her dreams, drooling slightly: “Roast chicken… braised pig trotters… lamb skewers…”

A young man lay beside her, listening carefully. When he finished, his face darkened.

“You’ve turned the Celestial Realm upside down, slaughtered gods, and yet braised pig trotters are still more important to you?” He couldn’t help but laugh.

Reaching out, he wiped away the drool at the corner of her lips.

The little girl had bright red lips, white teeth, soft pink cheeks, thick and long eyelashes, and jet-black, silky hair. Two small dimples adorned her face.

The young man suddenly remembered—the necklace he had given Chao Chao, he had never checked if it fit.

Seeing her fast asleep, he stood up, looking down at her from above. Slowly, he reached toward her neck with both hands.

His fingers circled her throat, estimating the precise length of the chain.

But before he could withdraw his hands, her long lashes fluttered.

And in the next moment, she opened her eyes.

The boy’s lips curled up in excitement and surprise.

Before he could say anything, Lu Chao Chao clenched her fist and slammed it into his head.

Her punch was so fast that it left a blur in the air. Of course, he had not put up any guard against her.

A tremendous force sent him stumbling back three steps.

Her fist landed directly on his eye, which swelled up instantly.

“Owwww…” he yelped.

Covering his eye, the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao looked at her with a mixture of grievance and shock.

Lu Chao Chao stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him furiously. “I thought we were friends! You actually tried to strangle me?!”

When she had opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was his face looming over hers.

And his hands were around her throat—how terrifying was that?!

His eye was now an ugly shade of purple. He pointed at her, his voice full of injustice, “You… you…” His eyes glistened, almost as if he were about to cry.

“If I wanted to kill you, why would I save you?” He turned away, sulking like a scolded child.

Lu Chao Chao felt as if she had been asleep for ages, so long that she had lost track of time.

She froze for a moment before recalling the god-slaying incident.

Scratching her head awkwardly, she admitted, “That was my fault, my fault! But seriously, if you woke up to someone with their mouth wide open, grabbing your throat, wouldn’t you be scared too?”

His eyes remained red-rimmed. “Do you really know you were wrong?”

Lu Chao Chao nodded earnestly. “I was wrong. But why were you grabbing my throat?”

The young man cleared his throat, suddenly smiling. “I have a gift for you. I’ll bring it in a few days. You know, I’m not easily appeased.”

Lu Chao Chao grabbed a lock of her hair, blinking in surprise. “Did my hair grow this much while I slept?”

Before, she could barely tie two little pigtails. Now, she could actually braid it.

The Heavenly Dao gave her a sour look.

“What do you mean ‘just a nap’? You’ve been sleeping for half a year!”

Lu Chao Chao jumped up instantly. “Half a year?!”

Oh no! Her parents must be worried sick!

“I sent a dream to Madam Xu, telling her not to worry,” the young man explained, seeing her panicked expression.

Lu Chao Chao secretly sighed in relief.

“Are my disciples still alive?”

He hesitated for a moment before nodding.

“The Execution Platform was strange. The energy inside was identical to that of the Desolate Realm. I’ve spent a thousand years in the Desolate Realm, so I was already accustomed to the violent winds. I wasn’t harmed.”

“The Desolate Realm and the Execution Platform were once a single entity. When the Celestial Realm was first established, a part of it was deliberately separated to restrain the gods.”

The Desolate Realm was like a self-contained little world, existing outside the Three Realms, untouchable by others.

“Did you separate it?” Lu Chao Chao sat cross-legged on the ground, scooping up a handful of mud.

The young man hesitated. “No. It was an old acquaintance.”

The little girl earnestly shaped the mud in her hands. In an instant, she molded a lifelike little clay figurine.

Blowing on it lightly, she let it fall to the ground, where it transformed into a diligent little Daoist attendant.

“There’s someone more powerful than you?” she asked absentmindedly, grabbing another handful of mud and tossing it.

The mud landed and turned into a person, though with an ordinary face.

The young man pursed his lips but did not answer.

“I never asked before, but were you born here? Were you always the Heavenly Dao?” Lu Chao Chao looked at him curiously.

The young man smiled slightly. “Of course not.”

“I live only for one person.”

As he spoke, he gently gathered her loose hair and tied it up, tucking a flower into it.

“Chao Chao, men in this world are dangerous. You must always be on guard, understand?”

“Men who act overly nice for no reason are either scheming or up to no good. You must never fall for the tricks of sweet-talking men.”

“When a man gives gifts, money, or flowers, it’s never out of sincerity. They are only after your beauty or your family status. All of them are liars.”

“Remember this?” He warned her earnestly, determined to block every path.

Lu Chao Chao blinked, tilting her head in thought. “Alright, alright! I’ll remember! All men are no good! Anyone who acts overly nice must have ulterior motives.”

“Sweet talkers get beaten up.”

“Men are all bad!”

Hands on her hips, she nodded resolutely.

The young man beamed with satisfaction. Though he felt something was off, he didn’t dwell on it.

Blocking every path, leaving no room to escape.

With a flick of his sleeve, he sent Lu Chao Chao back to the Mortal Realm.

She found herself standing outside the Lu Manor.

The gates were tightly shut, and the little maids who had gone out to buy supplies were whispering anxiously.

“I heard the little princess is gone…”

“She hasn’t been seen for half a year. The entire Lu Manor looks like a funeral parlor, and Madam Xu has wept many times.”

“General Rong’s face is constantly filled with worry. He has gone to the National Temple several times to pray.”

“Even His Majesty no longer shows joy. It seems the little princess has met an ill fate.”

Lu Chao Chao raised an eyebrow.

The entire capital thinks I’m dead?!

She stomped up the steps and banged loudly on the door.

“Open up! Open up! I, Lu Chao Chao, am back!”

Inside, the gatekeeper scrambled to open the doors.

Seeing Lu Chao Chao’s slightly rounder face, he burst into tears and ran inside, shouting, “She’s back! Our little ancestor has returned!”

Lu Chao Chao sniffed the air and turned toward the corner.

A congealed scent of blood lingered there, along with a few stray feathers.

She kicked at the mud and quickly unearthed the corpses of chickens and ducks.

Each had two small puncture wounds on the neck, as if bitten.

She frowned.

What kind of person only has two teeth?

Who turned into a zombie and crawled out of the ground?!