Who Stole My Eggs?

“Ah ah ah ah, I’m going to vomit, I’m going to kill him!” Xie Zuo was disgusted, roared, tore off the invisibility charm on his body, and took out a sword from his waist. The soft sword, as thin as a cicada’s wing, heading straight into the back of Master Gou Tian.

Unexpectedly, the demon wanted to protect Master Gou Tian, ​​turning over to shield him.

Xie Zuo’s attack was so fierce that it was too late to stop it. At the critical moment, Huo Yao separated his sword and at the same time shot a sparkling talisman towards Master Gou Tian.

As soon as the spell touched Master Gou Tian, it transformed into strips of thorns flashing with thunder and lightning, binding him tightly.

“Ah—! Ahhh—!” Master Gou Tian writhed on the ground in pain and roared.

The thorns pierced his body, causing him to bleed more as he struggled.

Xie Zuo still harbored intense hatred and was about to deliver the final blow with his sword, but Huo Yao and the demon stopped him simultaneously.

“No.”

“Don’t take his life!”

Xie Zuo’s eyes blazed with anger as he stared at the demon with disdain. “What’s wrong with you? He insulted you so much, yet you still want to protect him. Do you have any sense of self-respect?”

The demon lunged at Master Gou Tian, snatched a small clay pot from his sleeve, and opened it carefully, releasing a sigh of relief.

“What’s in there?” Xie Zuo asked curiously. “Is it your demon core?”

The demon shook his head and said hoarsely, “It’s my son. In order to save his own life, he kidnapped my son and poisoned him with a curse of life and death. My son can only survive if he lives. I’m grateful to you for helping me, but I can’t let you kill him.”

Master Gou Tian glared at Xie Zuo and Huo Yao with resentment. “You two were the troublemakers! Now, let me go, you meddling dogs… ahhhh!”

The thorn strips tightened suddenly, eliciting a more agonized scream from Master Gou Tian.

.

The demon gazed into the jar anxiously. Xie Zuo, curious about why the son was so small despite the demon’s immense size, leaned in for a closer look.

Curled up in the palm-sized clay pot was a white and gold hairball that seemed to be in discomfort, twitching occasionally.

Upon seeing the little fluffy creature, Xie Zuo’s heart softened. “It’s so cute.”

The demon brushed aside the long, greasy hair on its forehead, revealing smooth skin and deep blue eyes. “Thank you.”

Xie Zuo then realized that this demon was remarkably handsome and youthful.

The demon turned to Master Gou Tian with a restrained fury. “This man has been trafficking underage demons, selling them to humans who practice forbidden arts. Unfortunately, my son fell victim to him. By the time I found him, it was too late.”

Xie Zuo frowned: “Is there no solution to this curse of life and death? He’s just a malicious Taoist priest, how can he wield such power?”

The demon nodded, “He tortured and killed many young demons to use as a guide for the curse. Unless he releases them all and then uses the power of thunder to sever the curse thread, it cannot be resolved.”

The demon fell silent for a moment, then smiled self-deprecatingly: “Most of those capable of solving such complicated curses were great cultivators or deities. Who would bother helping an inferior demon? I am incompetent and failed to protect my son.”

Xie Zuo turned to Huo Yao: “Can you do it?”

“Yes.”

A glimmer of hope flickered in the demon’s eyes, but Master Gou Tian’s face turned pale. “No, no, no, I’m a human being, and so are you. You can’t harm me for the sake of a demon bastard!”

The thorns muffled his cries, silencing him.

The demon knelt at Huo Yao’s feet, “As long as you can save my son, I am willing to dedicate my life to you!”

Huo Yao shook his head: “No need.” He signaled to Xie Zuo, “Come and protect me.”

“Okay!”

.

Huo Yao led Xie Zuo to the ground. After ensuring their positions, he sat cross-legged in the center of the evil formation set up by Master Gou Tian.

Huo Yao bit his right index finger and smeared the blood on a pile of yellow paper. The wind gathered in his palm, carrying the yellow paper stained with his blood, and covered it over Master Gou Tian’s evil talisman.

Suddenly, the entire Taoist temple walls crackled with electric light as Huo Yao recited the Rebirth Mantra in a low voice.

The spell flowed from his mouth, materializing into tangible golden strips that swam toward the wall, gently enveloping the dead little demon souls trapped within the spell.

Like a mother’s womb, the strips repaired the broken little bodies of the dead souls.

The dead souls all rushed toward Huo Yao, while Xie Zuo drew a protective circle around him with the tip of his sword.

Instead of attacking Huo Yao, the little dead souls seemed curious, gathering around to observe their benefactor.

Xie Zuo, accustomed to seeing Huo Yao’s fierce side, was surprised by this compassionate aspect.

In this moment, Huo Yao’s entire being was enveloped in brilliant golden Buddha light, his expression exuding compassion, his flowing hair moving without wind, radiating breathtaking beauty.

Seeing Huo Yao in this state, Xie Zuo felt a twinge of fear. He remembered Lao Luo’s teachings about the highest state pursued by deities in cultivation: to become one with Tiandi, to transcend reincarnation, to have no worldly interest and to live in harmony with the laws of the universe.

Huo Yao suddenly opened his eyes, first meeting Xie Zuo’s gaze. Upon their eye contact, Xie Zuo felt reassured, sensing love and care in Huo Yao’s eyes.

Addressing the group of little dead souls, Huo Yao said, “Go.”

The little souls danced around them three times, holding hands before rushing into the sky, transforming into tiny points of light.

At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky, splitting the entire Taoist temple open.

“Ahhhhh-!” Master Gou Tian screamed once more.

“Ji—!” A childish cry echoed from the claypot.

Seeing the spell broken, the demon could no longer contain itself. It let out a deafening roar and lunged toward Master Gou Tian.