Spatial fluctuations spread in the area, signaling the activation of a teleportation array. Lin Mu's eyes popped open as he stood up and looked at the glowing circle.
"Someone's arriving!" Daoist Chu also looked at it, while the two women woke up from their cultivation state.
~SHUA~SHUA~
They quickly stored their Immortal tools away and walked up to the Teleportation circle.
"Lady Kang, perhaps we should be proactive this time." Lin Mu spoke in preparation.
"Definitely." Lady Kang responded before immediately starting to make hand seals as an illusory figure started to manifest above her.
~SHUA~SHUA~
Lin Mu also took out his Rune Shaping Brush Dao Embryo and began writing runes in the air, preparing a few formations that would be beneficial in dispelling foreign Qi and assist in healing.
Having seen how injured Daoist Chu and Min Ju were, Lin Mu and Lady Kang knew that others were highly likely to be injured too. They also didn't know the extent of their injuries.
If they were in a worse condition than Daoist Chu and Min Ju, they might not have much time to help them. Thus it was best that they kept their skills ready and heal them immediately once they arrived.
Of course, the exact kind of care they needed would only be known after they checked the others, but they knew what could be the possible issues.
Lin Mu activated his Spatial Perception to check who was about to arrive, and quickly spotted the two figures that became clear at the very edge of the Teleportation channel.
~HONG~
The teleportation was completed and two figures manifested in front of them. At the same time a foul rotting smell filled the area, as if someone had crushed a hundred corpses, rotten eggs and beast dung together and let it ferment for a decade.
"I FUCKING HATE THAT PLACE!" A woman's angry voice was heard. "Amithabha! Buddha be blessed for guiding us out of that foul place." A man's helpless voice was heard next.
"Crown Princess Shang! Monk Hushu!" Daoist Chu spotted his companions, calling out to them.
~SHUA~SHUA~
The immortal sense of Lin Mu and Lady Kang quickly swept over the two, checking them for any injuries. At the same time, the two got to observe their condition, which wasn't exactly pristine.
The regal appearance of the Crown Princess was long gone, as a look of disgust was present on her face while her body was covered with questionable fluids and materials.
The same could be said for Monk Hushu, whose yellow Kasaya had been stained dark brown. His bald head had a layer of mud on it… or at least that's what it looked like to Lin Mu.
Daoist Chu, who finally finished observing his two companions from top to bottom, was left dumbfounded.
"What… What happened to you two?" Daoist Chu couldn't help but question.
"Hell… Hell happened." Monk Hushu expressed with deep sorrow on his face. "I need a bath with Six Blessed Stream water from Abbot's mountain after this," He spoke, digest clear in his voice.
"Whoever designed that trial is an insane bitch!" Inelegant words spewed out of the mouth of normally dignified princess. Lady Kang and Min Ju couldn't help but raise a brow seeing the state of the Crown Princess. Being someone of her standing, she would normally try to keep a composed persona, but her current state seemed to be like that of some common washerwoman going to bargain in a fish market. It didn't help that the foul odor oozing from her also contained some fishy stench, matching the idea in their minds.
"Perhaps it is best we let them clean up first." Lin Mu suggested, after knowing that their moods were fouled. "At least it seems like Crown Princess Shang and Monk Hushu aren't particularly injured." He added.
"It does seem like it," Lady Kang agreed. Her immortal sense had picked up on some injuries, but they didn't seem to be that bad. At the very least, it wouldn't need her intervention to heal them. The two would be more than capable of restoring themselves.
Other than that, the only thing that was not optimum was their immortal Qi fluctuations that were erratic. It was hard to tell how much of it was due to the fact that they had been through a long trial that had tested their minds with disgust or whether it was just from the sheer consumption of their immortal Qi.
Whatever it might be, the two should be able to manage it on their own.
"Yeah, I need to wash this MUCK off me," Crown Princess Shang said before walking to a corner of the area.
~THUD~
She then threw out what looked like a large seed of some kind.
~RUSTLE~
The seed sprouted and hundreds of vines burst out of it quickly, covering an area of a few meters. The vines formed a circular wall around Crown Princess Shang before rising up and hiding her entirely inside it. Nothing could be seen through the vines and Lin Mu couldn't even feel any Immortal Qi fluctuations anymore.
~Sigh~
Monk Hushu looked at himself and didn't even know where to begin.
"Daoist Chu… Could you burn me?" He suddenly asked, turning to his old companion.
"Burn you?" The man was surprised.
"Yes… I don't think washing this filth off is an option. It is best to be erased entirely." Monk Hushu replied. "Are you sure?" Daoist Chu narrowed his eyes. "You're skin will be burned too."
"Yes… that's what I want. Make sure to burn off the top layer of my skin." Monk Hushu stated. "I want no trace of that filth lingering on my being." He said firmly, showing just how serious he was.
Daoist Chu was a bit confused, but decided to go with the will of his companion. At the very least, he knew that even if he burned the man, Monk Hushu would be able to recover quickly.
~BLAZE~
In the next second, Daoist Chu chanted something before thrusting out with his palm that let out a large stream of flames.
