He and It Chapter 186: Inquire Here (14)

Chapter 186: Inquire Here (14)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: GaeaTiamat

 

Catching his breath, Liu Fuguang gestured weakly for Sun Yinian and Xue Li to come closer.

“After such an incident, I’m afraid I won’t be able to accompany you to your sect.” He smiled apologetically at Sun Yinian first. “After you go back, don’t mention anything about the painting, and certainly don’t mention knowing me. That would only invite trouble.”

The two exchanged a glance at his words, their expressions unreadable. Sun Yinian turned his head, lowered his voice, and asked Liu Fuguang, “May I ask you a question, sir?”

Liu Fuguang already knew what they wanted to ask, so he nodded.

“Are you…,” Sun Yinian hesitated, unsure how to phrase it, “connected to Ghost Dragon in some way?”

To say “connected in some way” was an understatement. From the majestic tomb that resembled a realm of the netherworld, to the actions and words of the nascent soul demonic cultivator, to how Liu Fuguang purified a ghost beast general, then how the painting diverted the attention of the ghost Kui…It was all too clear. It was almost like writing “I have a deep attachment with Ghost Dragon in my past” on his forehead. Only a fool wouldn’t notice the connection involved.

Liu Fuguang revealed a bitter smile. He remained silent for a while before he lifted his head and said, “Yes, there is something between us.”

When they heard that affirmative answer, Sun Yinian and Xue Li fell silent.

There was no need to pursue questions like “Is the Ghost Dragon looking for you?” Everyone was smart enough to know where to draw the line. They were just small cultivators who hadn’t even reached the core formation stage yet. Even though they were backed by two powerful sects, what was worldly human power in front of the Sun Carrying Ghost Dragon? Knowing too much would only lead to a quicker death.

“…We understand,” Sun Yinian said regretfully. “It’s just…not being able to sit and discuss Dao with you in the academy, to taste the peach blossom wine of the New Year…is truly regrettable.”

Liu Fuguang’s lips moved slightly, and he gave him a pale smile. “There will be opportunities in the future. Human fate is not so fragile and shallow.”

“Thank you for your help in the tomb,” Xue Li also bowed to him. “I will remember that kindness forever.”

As a swordsman, he spoke sparingly but placed great weight on his promises. Liu Fuguang smiled faintly. Zhou Yi seized the moment and approached, saying, “Fellow Daoists, if you’re ready to leave, it’s best to go now. Look, the ghost beasts outside have already retreated.”

“Let’s go,” Liu Fuguang said. “Let’s not waste any more time.”

The group prepared themselves and set off again. They saw a desolate scene around them, empty and deserted except for the cities and communities protected by true immortals. The earth emitted a pungent purple light, and the forests and plains seemed like churned flesh and oils; unsettling to behold.

“With the ghost beasts covering the world, the maps have also malfunctioned…” Meng Xiaotang shook a jade slip in frustration. “Where should we go?”

In front of them, Zhou Yi handed over a leather map with dark spots on it.

“Take a look at this, young fellow Daoist,” he smiled. “In critical times, old relics still come in handy.”

Meng Xiaotang expressed her thanks, took the animal skin map, and unfolded it. As she looked at it, she couldn’t help but be stunned. “How…have we traveled so far already?”

After having traversed through tomb teleportations and months of fleeing for their lives, they had covered a vast distance that spanned both land and sea between their respective sects. Xue Li scanned the map with his divine sense and pondered, “Let’s first head towards Ninefold Palace. It’s on the way and relatively close.”

“Agreed,” Sun Yinian said. “Safety is our top priority.”

Sword-light and cloud radiance pierced the sky as Zhou Yi summoned a peculiar looking azure ox to pull the cloud carriage. The azure ox steadied the carriage and significantly reduced the turbulence caused by cosmic winds.

The six of them traveled day and night. Liu Fuguang’s body was already frail, sustained only by the pills Zhou Yi provided. Zhou Yi watched with pity in his eyes. If only the true Immortals could truly revive the dead. Now, fairy medicines that barely extended his life by a fraction were the only hope left. In the current world, perhaps only one person, or god, remained capable of saving him.

As they neared Ninefold Palace, the expressions on Xue Li and Zhen Yue’s faces grew increasingly grim. They had traveled all that way, but when they looked at the state of the place they were unable to speak.

Major immortal sects like Ninefold Palace and the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect typically played the role of leading figures in supporting a region. Just a single mountain gate could stretch tens of thousands of miles in length, and surpassed the kingdoms of the mortal world. Thus, whether for seeking immortality or seeking shelter, many large and small countries often surrounded them. As long as a certain number of disciples from among the citizens joined the sect and paid a certain amount of cultivation resources, they could be protected within the sect’s grand protective array, safe from the light of the dragon days and the onslaught of ghost beasts.

However, as they flew towards the Ninefold Palace, the array set up by countless immortals seemed to have vanished into thin air, like a series of burst bubbles that left only spiritual energy which dazzled the earth. Fortunately, the ordinary people in the countries were not targets of the ghost beasts and were still living well for the time being.

The azure ox let out a loud snort, and stopped quietly in the clouds.

Xue Li’s face turned pale, his Dao-heart unstable. His body trembled for a moment, and he almost fell to the ground. On the other side, Sun Yinian quickly pulled Zhen Yue back, and prevented him from tumbling out.

“Ninefold Palace…Ninefold Palace!” Zhen Yue’s teeth chattered as tears streamed down his face. He hoarsely cried out, “Our sect…it’s gone!”

Before them, a colossal crater, too vast to describe with words, silently traversed the land and the broken mountains. It resembled a mute and resentful eye, that questioned the bloated and diseased sky.

All eighty-one Sword Peak Mountains were gone; the nearly flat Scripture Pavilion was nowhere to be seen; the Wash Sword Pool where disciples sparred was gone; the nine-thousand-year-old Fanciful Golden Apricot Tree planted by the Dragon Spring Immortal was gone; and the main hall of cloud radiance, acclaimed as “Silver Crystal Gate With Turning Fish and Dragon Dance, Stars Moving Above the Purple Gold Mountain,” had disappeared. The sword-energy rainbow bridge where the Immortal Snow Sword once traversed had also vanished…Everything had departed, like wheat cut off by farmers on the day of autumn harvest, leaving only short stubble, while the mountains, stripped of their skin, stood bare and rough, so that it hurt the eyes.

Meng Xiaotang was shocked and bewildered as she murmured incessantly, “How…how could this happen…?”

Zhou Yi quickly turned back, and glanced at Liu Fuguang. When he saw that scene, his blood surged, and Liu Fuguang coughed incessantly.

“Quick, quick…,” he pressed them. “There’s no time to hesitate. Go to the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect. There’s still time…!”

Sun Yinian snapped out of his silent shock. There was no doubt. This had to be the work of the Ghost Dragon. Only divine power could make a sect with  true immortals vanish without a trace in such a short time.

Since the Ghost Dragon had already visited the Ninefold Palace, the next target must be the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect!

When he realized that, his face turned paler than paper. Without further discussion, he stuffed Zhen Yue into the cloud carriage and dragged Xue Li in the direction of their sect.

“Don’t just stand there dumbfounded, hurry to the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect!” he shouted sternly. “We can still make it!”

Make it to what, exactly? Actually, he wasn’t sure what they could possibly catch up to. Faced with the Ghost Dragon, mortal strength was insignificant. Whether they resisted or not, they were as insignificant as dust.

But…

A gust of wind cut across his cheek, and in his dazed consciousness, Sun Yinian couldn’t help but glance back at the cloud carriage behind him. With the young master with them, there might be a way, just like when they faced the nascent soul demonic cultivator in the tomb and the ensuing ghost beast general. If he said “there’s still time,” then there must still be time.

“We’re here, young friends.” Zhou Yi extended a hand and pressed the cloud carriage they were in down to the ground. “Look. There are already ghost beasts ahead. It’s too risky to fly in the sky. Let’s go on foot.”

In the past, using such an ability would have revealed his cultivation base was more than just  merely a foundation establishment cultivator. However now, all four were distracted and bewildered, and paid him no attention.

So, they changed to traveling on foot. The further they went, the more ghost beasts filled the sky and ground, until they were densely packed like in the Underworld on the road of the Yellow Springs. 

Meng Xiaotang’s heart twisted in pain. She couldn’t bear the despairing pressure and couldn’t help but sob quietly on Liu Fuguang’s shoulder.

“It’ll be fine,” Liu Fuguang said softly, as he held Meng Xiaotang and gently stroked her hair, with lowered brows and a heart already set on death. “Trust me, it will all be fine…”

Zhou Yi sighed again and whispered, “Immortal Lord, don’t do anything foolish. When we get there, let’s assess the situation before acting. Your safety comes first.”

That was his sincere advice. Liu Fuguang was currently the only ace they had against the Ghost Dragon. Good and evil were irreconcilable, and he was so weak now that any slight mistake could destroy six thousand years of waiting.

The Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect had gathered various sects of miscellaneous studies in the world, which made it a versatile sect among the Immortals. They excelled in everything, and thus had numerous talents and far more practitioners than the Ninefold Palace.

But now, hundreds of thousands of cultivators, all closed-mouthed, gathered in the Square of the Infinite Void, exposed to the ominous black light of the mysterious sun, unable even to lift their heads.

—The Supreme Ghost Dragon, a deity vividly depicted only in legends and myths, now stood high above, and coldly overlooked them.

At that moment, the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect’s sole true Immortal struggled to protect the sect’s disciples from the blind and terrifying Dragon God. His sword-wielding hand trembled, as if bearing the weight of ten thousand tons on his shoulders.

“Master Hold Ying” Sun Yinian gritted his teeth, fists clenched so tightly his nails dug deep into his palms.

“Lord Immortal.” Across from him, a Mahayana stage demonic cultivator mockingly bowed, his eyes and brows filled with indescribable smugness. “It’s been a hundred years since we last parted.”

The surrounding demonic cultivators chuckled maliciously. Master Hold Ying’s once gentle demeanor was gone, and his eyes flashed with killing intent as sharp as a sword. The demonic cultivator wasn’t afraid because directly behind him stood the essence of the Ghost Dragon, vacant-eyed but focused on the scroll cradled in his arms.

“Tell me, according to what I’ve seen, aren’t these two your sect’s little disciples?” The demonic cultivator grinned. “A young man and a young woman. So tender and fresh! Now the Supreme desires those two. Will you give them to me?”

Hidden within Zhou Yi’s formation, Meng Xiaotang stared wide-eyed, as she fearfully watched the tiny figure in the sky.

She couldn’t see the person high in the sky, but the demonic cultivator’s voice echoed ominously for miles around, and made her immediately recognize herself.

“…Our sect doesn’t have those two!” Master Hold Ying shouted sternly. “Dragon God, even if you ask me a hundred or a thousand times, if we don’t have them, we don’t!”

The demonic cultivator’s face darkened as he sneered, “Lord Immortal, you haven’t seen the fate of the Ninefold Palace. In the current Ninefold Palace there’s not a soul to be found, not even a single hair! Your sect’s achievements today are remarkable indeed. It would be a pity if they were all devoured as blood sacrifices to sustain our cultivation.” 

Sun Yinian’s anger surged, and he was ready to rush out, but Zhou Yi restrained him with a firm hand. “Young man, where do you think you’re going?”

“I must save my sect!” Sun Yinian gritted his teeth. “Even if it costs me my life, I cannot let them suffer!”

“You stepping out now would be futile!” Zhou Yi’s voice was low and commanding. “Don’t listen to that demon’s deceitful words. If you leave, the Ghost Dragon will use the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect as leverage. If you run out now, instead of sacrificing yourself to save others, the Ghost Dragon could rip your soul out, plunder your memories, and leave you to die in vain!”

As they argued, Liu Fuguang stared blankly at the sky, then glanced in Yan Huan’s direction.

The sea of ghost beasts, mountains covered with demon cultivators, and that terrifying black sun in the sky…Yan Huan, have you truly thrown all caution to the wind?

High above, engrossed in his own world, Yan Huan suddenly felt something. His eyes blazed with intensity as he swept his gaze over the land. Alarmed, Zhou Yi quickly released Sun Yinian, and hurried to stand in front of Liu Fuguang as he used his immortal body to shield him.

“Oh, ancestor!” Zhou Yi gritted his teeth. “Stop looking. He’ll really notice. How will I protect you then?”

Confused, Yan Huan scanned the area but couldn’t detect the gaze that had caused ripples in his consciousness. He frowned, and caressed the painting in his arms, feeling increasingly impatient with the humans’ delay.

In fact, at his current level of obsession, a mere thought would have brought the four insignificant human cultivators before him, and allow him to probe their memories until he found the origin of the painting. However, inexplicably, there seemed to be a strong barrier hindering Yan Huan’s intentions, one that prevented him from fulfilling his desires.

Unaware that Liu Fuguang had already awakened and assumed protection over the four, he was perplexed and could only resort to the simplest method: personally visiting the enemy’s lair to search for their whereabouts.

The Dragon God lazily raised his eyes, and gazed at the steadfast true Immortal before him. The demonic cultivator obstructed his view.

That idea merely flickered through his mind, then the dozens of high-ranking demonic cultivators who’d gathered in that place, including the arrogantly speaking Mahayana stage demonic cultivator, felt their bodies tremble for an instant before they exploded into translucent ashes that floated lightly in the air.

When he saw that scene, Zhou Yi’s heart turned cold. The Dragon God’s state of mind was too unstable, and with his reckless behavior there, he didn’t dare let Liu Fuguang reveal himself.

“If you don’t speak, that’s fine,” Yan Huan nodded wearily. “But you all will be under my thumb until they come to me or I find them.”

Before Master Hold Ying could respond, the sky darkened.

Yes, the sky turned as black as it was at the beginning, as dark as a night without a fire, as dark as an endless abyss. The sun, moon, and stars all twinkled outside the abyss.

Zhou Yi was taken aback, and instantly shifted thousands of miles away. When the group of ghost beasts dispersed, the surroundings brightened again. As they slowly moved closer to the area, it was just the same as with the Ninefold Palace before, the Heavenly Yin and Yang Sect had also been seized by Yan Huan, and an empty expanse left behind, as if it had been scraped clean several times over.

Muttering curses under his breath, Zhou Yi grumbled, “Damn it, he struck too fast. Almost didn’t dodge that…”

“My sect…my home!” Sun Yinian was distraught, and Meng Xiaotang screamed, bursting into tears. “Fuguang, what do we do? How did I suddenly lose my home?”

Liu Fuguang stared ahead, his face pale. He was silent for a long time.

“The Dragon God should have returned to Tang Valley,” Zhou Yi breathed a sigh of relief after narrowly escaping disaster, and advised carefully, “Lord Immortal, let’s proceed cautiously. First, focus on recovering your health…”

“What’s the use in recovering my health now?” Liu Fuguang interrupted softly. “We rushed around, yet he still managed to take so many…”

He bit his lip, grabbed a lock of his own hair, drew a small knife from Zhou Yi’s waist, and decisively cut off that piece of hair. Slowly, he divided it into four strands, then distributed them to the four people who were currently at their wit’s end.

“Take these,” Liu Fuguang said. “You can use them as talismans for protection. It’s the least I can do for you.”

Seeing the four’s puzzled expressions, Liu Fuguang smiled bitterly. “He and I will take you to Tang Valley…It’s the land of sunrise, and also my hometown. When we get there, I’ll draw Yan Huan’s attention away. You follow Zhou Yi and save your fellow sect members and family.”

Who is Yan Huan? And Zhou Yi…wait, why did that name sound so familiar?

When he saw that there was no longer any need to conceal the truth, Zhou Yi reluctantly dispelled his illusions and appeared in his normal form before the four.

“Lord Immortal, are you really going to act alone like this?”

“Didn’t you say,” Liu Fuguang said calmly. “That he feels guilty towards me?”

Zhou Yi was speechless, stunned for a long time.

All those eloquent judgments had been made before he had personally seen Yan Huan. Now, having seen Yan Huan today, Zhou Yi realized with a shock that Yan Huan’s guilt and remorse were genuine. However, the emotions and actions of the Dragon God, the embodiment of ultimate evil, would never align with those of a normal person.

Considering Liu Fuguang’s current health condition, to meet Yan Huan alone would be tantamount to suicide.

He looked at Liu Fuguang, and Zhou Yi couldn’t help but smile bitterly, “I saved you many years ago, but not just to send you to your death.”