He and It Chapter 200: Inquire Here (28)

Chapter 200: Inquire Here (28)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Gaea_Tiamat

 

Yan Huan wasn’t too pleased with the fear and chaos he’d created overnight. Although time was abundant and as a dragon god, he had access to vast resources, he devoted himself entirely to Liu Fuguang, and managed to spare only a sliver of his energy. Despite his small maneuvers, which had already made the entire city tremble in fear and drown under the shadow of death, his insatiable greed didn’t know when to stop.

It was a trait ingrained in Yan Huan’s character since childhood. While the Immortals were painstakingly teaching him the principle of “you reap what you sow,” he had already sworn in his heart to trample such nonsense underfoot.

The two disguised themselves as ordinary travelers and weren’t subjected to much questioning when they entered the city. The city’s inhabitants were gripped by the fear of an unknown, brutal ghost, and preferred to lock their doors and stay safe at home rather than venture out and cause trouble.

Liu Fuguang glanced at Yan Huan. “You did this.”

“I did.” Yan Huan smiled slightly. Those who hadn’t seen it with their own eyes would never believe that the evil dragon god could show such a gentle and serene expression. “Rest assured, no one died. It was merely an illusion.”

To the gods, illusion or reality made little difference, but since he had made the effort, Liu Fuguang chose not to say more.

“The people in the city are the same.” Liu Fuguang observed the few faces on the street. “Exhausted in appearance, but their spirits are intact.”

Yan Huan remarked, “Nourishing the spirit and softening the muscles. These people look as if they’ve been drained of their yang energy, yet their souls are unharmed. Interesting.”

“Let’s go,” Liu Fuguang said. “Let’s see the city lord.”

With a gruesome incident as their backdrop, they boldly entered the government offices, calmly recommending themselves to the officials there. Liu Fuguang explained the doubts and unusual aspects of the murder case to the advisor, then claimed to be a wandering Taoist who, upon arriving in Wancheng, noticed the unusual atmosphere enveloping the place.

“There are many deceivers in the mortal world,” Liu Fuguang said, then demonstrated his identity with a small spell. “I hope the Lord will believe me.”

Actually, he didn’t need the spell. His presence alone already earned the advisor’s admiration, and once he spoke, the advisor was utterly convinced. Words were an invisible weapon. For the listener, the most virtuous words were like flowers to bees or meat to starving ghosts. With his speech, kingdoms could be won or lost in an instant.

“Commander Lord,” the advisor hurriedly went to see his frustrated superior and entered the inner room. “Two wandering Taoists outside claim they can solve this hanging corpse case..”

The commander, who oversaw the city’s troops and handled all city affairs, was exasperated by the rumors and disruptions caused by the unsolved murder. To him, the death was a minor issue, but the manner of the death was too horrific and might incite a chain reaction in neighboring cities, something that was beyond his control.

He couldn’t afford to attract attention from the capital…

“No!” The commander’s thick eyelids trembled with anger as he snapped back to reality. “Two foreign drifters? What abilities could they have? Who vouched for them and brought them to me? They should be driven out with sticks!”

The advisor dripped with sweat as he quickly replied, “Lord, in my humble opinion, these two are far from ordinary. They possess real skills…”

“If you appreciate them so much, why don’t you go serve them!” The commander flung a stack of documents at the advisor. “You work for me, but can’t alleviate my troubles. What use are you?”

Caught in the line of fire, the advisor could only bow his head deeply and retreat.

Driving them away with sticks was out of the question. The advisor thought it over, then personally conveyed the commander’s attitude to the two “talented individuals.” After they received that blunt dismissal, Liu Fuguang was not surprised.

“Did the Lord explain the situation?” he asked.

The advisor sighed, “The commander is furious and won’t listen to anyone right now…”

Yan Huan’s face had already darkened.

“Officials are always suspicious and arrogant,” Liu Fuguang whispered. “They despise the advice of inferiors and value the scolding of superiors. It’s their way of extending their political lives.”

Yan Huan sneered, “I see there haven’t been enough deaths.”

He glanced at the commander’s residence, unleashing a surge of the earth’s energy, instantly stirring the thick resentment that had lingered there for days, altering the fates of hundreds within, and almost sending them to their deaths—but that’s another story.

Before they left, Liu Fuguang sighed and told the advisor, “Given the current situation, more people will die in the city. When that happens, come find us at the inn.”

He brushed the dust off the advisor’s shoulder, and dispelled the lingering negative energy.

As they walked along the street, Liu Fuguang said, “You were too harsh.”

Yan Huan immediately slouched and whined behind him, “It was just a minor punishment, not harsh at all. I didn’t take their lives…how could I tolerate their disrespect towards you?”

Liu Fuguang shook his head. “I’m not an extraordinary person. Offending me isn’t a grave crime.”

Of all his words, Yan Huan agreed with a thousand of them, but this statement, he would not accept.

They returned to the inn where Liu Fuguang rented a private room. It wasn’t because he wanted to stay in the same room as Yan Huan, but he knew that even if he rented out the entire inn, Yan Huan would still sneak under his bed, so it was better to deal with it straightforwardly.

Yan Huan was overjoyed because of that.

That night, Yan Huan suggested, “Why don’t I directly capture the city lord? He’ll spill everything directly.”

Liu Fuguang rejected that simple plan, and pondered, “In the past, during my travels, I encountered many complex and mysterious situations. Sometimes, even the people involved didn’t know what happened. Their testimonies often complicated matters. I need…natural reactions to find the clues myself.”

Yan Huan understood his meaning.

The Dragon God then commanded a golden figure. This time, it shed its guise as a wealthy foreign merchant, knocked out a victim, and took on the appearance of a local resident, then leaped to its death at the city lord’s front gate.

The city lord’s residence, surrounded by high red walls, was like a city within the city at the heart of Wancheng, with guards patrolling in greater numbers than ants in an ant nest. Ordinary citizens and even small animals couldn’t get inside. Now, a bloody corpse hung from its grand gate, terrifying several adult men into losing control on the spot.

Three days after the first murder, soldiers surrounded the inn, searching for the “man in white and man in black.”

Liu Fuguang, calm and composed, restrained a smiling Yan Huan as they went to meet the commander.

Though the soldiers were aggressive, the commander’s demeanor quickly changed upon questioning. After only a few words, he was deeply impressed by the other man’s knowledge and spirit, and lamented his own lack of perception.

“Master! Please, Master, come with me to the city lord’s residence. With your help, this murder case will be easily solved!”

The commander, looking at Liu Fuguang, felt the black-clad man’s presence was intimidating, while the plain-faced youth in white, though seemingly ordinary, exuded a noble aura and an approachable demeanor. His words were like a gentle spring breeze, making people want to offer their hearts to show their sincerity.

Yan Huan coldly watched the man, nearly in tears, as he displayed the nature of being near the supreme good, which greatly displeased him.

Liu Fuguang smiled slightly and said, “That’s wonderful. Please trouble the captain to introduce us.”

When they saw the lord of Wancheng, even Yan Huan, who rarely lost his focus, glanced at the lord in amusement.

“Looks like a tuberculosis ghost,” Yan Huan said softly. “And not an ordinary tuberculosis ghost, but one that has been drained by eight hundred wild foxes.”

Liu Fuguang ignored him. In his sight, the lord who sat languidly in a splendid palace adorned with crystal mirrors, resembled a withered corpse in a golden coffin. The lord’s loose skin hung from his bones, giving the impression of fragile old paper that might crumble into dust at a touch. His face was shrouded in dark mist, which obscured his features.

The hall was luxurious, with exquisite large mirrors hanging on all sides, yet it was filled with a ghastly atmosphere.

“The captain recommended two gentlemen to me,” the lord said slowly. His tone was like sleep-talking but with a courteous attitude. “If one of you can solve this serial murder case, all of Wancheng will be grateful, and I will reward you handsomely.”

Liu Fuguang carefully observed his face. The hall was full of attendants, and their reflections could be seen in the mirrors, except for the lord of Wancheng, who seemed like a black hole at the center.

“Does the gentleman have any leads?” the lord asked.

Liu Fuguang replied, “In this world, there are many strange and inexplicable things beyond human capability. These two murders were not committed by humans.”

Yes, they indeed weren’t committed by humans. It was the supreme evil terrifying you all.

The lord nodded in agreement. “You are right…Murders are happening frequently now, and the acts are extremely cold-blooded and inhumane, making us all shiver in fear…”

After a moment of silence, he asked, “In your opinion, what kind of creature could commit such atrocities?”

Liu Fuguang smiled helplessly and said, “It could be demons, fierce ghosts, or monstrous creatures born from the earth’s veins, enlightened by the yin and yang of heaven and earth…All are possible.”

The lord was curious. “But Wancheng has been stable for many years, and under the rule of the Holy Ancestor, the years have been prosperous. From what I’ve seen, there haven’t been any wrongful cases. In such a peaceful era, how could demons or monsters find a place to stay?”

Yan Huan had a mocking expression and was afraid he might laugh out loud, so he quietly touched the intricate patterns on Liu Fuguang’s sleeve from behind. For a moment, joy filled his heart again, turning him back into a satisfied man willing to treat everything with tolerance.

Liu Fuguang’s heart stirred slightly. He looked directly into the lord’s eyes and said, “Even if the sea appears calm, waves can still form in the smallest places. Peace in the world does not necessarily mean eternal calm.”

Looking into Liu Fuguang’s eyes, the lord’s trance-like expression froze.

After a long while, the mortal suddenly laughed, clapped his hands loudly, and said, “Set up a banquet in the hall. I want to invite the two gentlemen for a drink!”

The servants moved swiftly like a flowing stream, and in an instant, the table was surrounded by exquisite cups, golden plates, and silver bowls. The lord invited a few scholars to join, and each seat had a shallow jade cup filled with fine wine that reflected the dazzling lights of the hall like  clear crystal or a bright round mirror.

The scene, though not celestial, was the epitome of earthly splendor. However, Liu Fuguang was indifferent to material desires, and Yan Huan had already gathered all the world’s wealth, so their attitudes were merely polite.

The lord noticed and took it into account.

He stood up to toast and said to Liu Fuguang, “Pardon my boldness, but may I ask if you are an immortal practicing from beyond the heavens?”

Liu Fuguang thought for a moment and said, “Actually, we are not practitioners.”

“Oh…” The lord nodded without any expression of disappointment and said, “I observed that you seem very knowledgeable about things beyond the world, hence my question.”

After a pause, he continued, “You must have traveled extensively and seen many things. Have you ever heard of anything incredible?”

“In such a vast world, there are many incredible things,” Liu Fuguang said calmly. “There are differences even among the incredible.”

The lord slowly sat down, smiled wearily, and said, “If we are to really talk about it, isn’t the most incredible and yet mundane thing in the world immortality?”

For the first time, Yan Huan laughed.

His voice was neither too high nor too low. It hovered between amusement and derision. Except for Liu Fuguang, everyone present felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, with a chilling sensation spreading from within, that made their insides crawl with goosebumps.

Liu Fuguang held him back and calmly asked, “Do you also seek immortality?”

The lord glanced fearfully at Yan Huan then stammered, “N-no, just curious, just curious…”

Liu Fuguang thought for a moment and said, “Taoists say one must be calm and clear, not laboring the body or shaking the spirit, to achieve longevity. This longevity does not mean immortality, but merely extending one’s life as much as possible.”

He dipped his finger in his wine and drew symbols of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches on the table. The lord, intrigued by his words, leaned forward from his seat to take a closer look.

“As for another kind of immortality, it is the ‘heaven and earth can be long and everlasting because they do not live for themselves, hence they can be long-lasting’ kind of immortality,” Liu Fuguang said seriously. “It means selflessness leads to longevity. Heaven and earth encompass all things, so they are eternal. However, such a state is not attainable by individuals.”

The lord stared at the symbols in a daze for a long time. The wine in his cup reflected his face, and Liu Fuguang was surprised to see that the reflection was not a dark, decayed corpse but an ordinary middle-aged man with fair skin.

Yan Huan also saw this anomaly. He frowned slightly but quickly relaxed, and whispered to Liu Fuguang, “It looks like an obsession.”

“An obsession?”

“An obsession is a curse. Many people’s obsessions create a powerful ‘aura,'” Yan Huan explained. “They believe in everything they see, so mirrors and water surfaces only reflect what they think they look like, not the truth.”

Having tumbled through dreams for over six thousand years, no one knew the power of obsession better than the evil Dragon God.

The lord was stunned for a moment and quickly glanced at Yan Huan again. Finally, he mustered up the courage to ask respectfully, “What does the other gentleman think about immortality?”

Yan Huan raised his eyes, and although his appearance was ordinary, this glance made the lord tremble with fear, so that he covered his face with a wine cup, and didn’t dare look at him directly.

“—Everyone else is dead,” Yan Huan said lazily. Because Liu Fuguang was by his side, he answered the human’s question casually. “But I alone remain.”

Listening to the answers of the supreme good and supreme evil, the lord held his wine cup in silence for a long time.

Liu Fuguang keenly sensed something was amiss, as if they had awakened a bedridden patient. The lord’s eyes showed a rare, clear light.

“Your insights are profound, but not complete,” the lord murmured. “There are indeed immortals in this world.”

Liu Fuguang smiled wryly, “There are many practitioners with thousand-year lifespans…”

“No, not that kind of immortality,” the Lord interrupted him, as he muttered, “I mean, eternal life, living as long as heaven—such immortal beings do exist.”

Liu Fuguang looked at him, but after he said that, the Lord fell silent. Liu Fuguang had a feeling, that in his state between sleep and wakefulness, that the Lord was trying hard to reveal something to them.

At the banquet, the faces of the literati had already changed. The lights blazed and illuminated several faces as lifeless as zombies.

One of them decisively said, “The matter of immortality is too illusory.”

“Lord, don’t be misled by sweet words. Whether this person has real skills remains to be seen.”

“Lord is tired, it’s best to rest early. As for the murder case, the royal city will send special envoys to assist. Lord, please discern and do not listen to the words of opportunists.”

Liu Fuguang and Yan Huan exchanged a glance. These literati were like guard dogs, baring their true hostile nature when strangers stepped into their yard, which they found intriguing.

Yan Huan was itching to act. Regardless of whether the people in front of him were fragile mortals, the pleasure of doing evil was always the same. He had long wanted to stretch his muscles, but Liu Fuguang stopped him and shook his head.

It was not yet time.

At that moment, the Lord raised his wine cup, and seemingly muttered to himself, “The ancients said, ‘Don’t think about endless matters beyond oneself, just enjoy the limited cup of life.’ But, I always feel, no matter how much I drink, that this cup never empties, just like the people under heaven.”

He tilted his neck and drank the wine in one gulp.

“See the guests out,” the Lord said, as his eyes drooped with exhaustion. He suddenly aged ten years, as a line of liquid trickled down the corner of his mouth—whether it was spilled wine or drool was unclear. “I’m…tired.”

The night wind was cold, and two shadows walked one behind the other on the street.

Liu Fuguang hadn’t touched a drop of wine, yet his clothes still carried an indelible scent of it. Yan Huan walked behind him as he whispered, “That man brought up the matter of immortality voluntarily. It was not by chance.”

He knew that if he mentioned something else, Liu Fuguang wouldn’t pay much attention, but if it concerned the mystery here, Liu Fuguang would not only respond but also actively discuss it with him.

In just a few days, Yan Huan felt as if he was in paradise, and almost forgot his own surname out of joy.

“Yes.” After a moment’s hesitation, Liu Fuguang nodded a little. “He showed a glimmer of clarity, and his last words were quite meaningful.”

He stopped in his tracks, almost blending into the shadows at the base of the wall. Yan Huan followed closely, and they turned back towards the Lord’s mansion.

The night was deep, and after two consecutive brutal murders, the vast city of Wancheng was quiet. Whether it was the noble City Lord or the beggar living under the bridge, everyone was asleep. The former slept in luxurious piles of marten fur, while the latter made do in piles of straw.

Liu Fuguang entered the Lord’s room. Like a lotus leaf holding water, he and Yan Huan emerged from the darkness. The Lord lay on the bed, but his eyes were open.

“A gentleman has indeed come,” the Lord mumbled, his words garbled as if he had several pieces of meat in his mouth.

In a way, riddles are invitations. The one who poses the riddle will eventually meet the one who solves it—it’s just a matter of time. The Lord had said many obscure words at the banquet, deliberately drawing the solver to his door.

“Please enlighten us, Lord,” Liu Fuguang said simply.

The Lord lay on the bed, more like a corpse. Instead of answering directly, he started another topic, “Sir, look at this. The mirror is for reflection. It is said that a mirror can show a person’s true face. Is this true?”

Liu Fuguang was silent for a moment, then answered softly, “When the heart is clear, the eyes are bright. A person with an honest heart does not need a mirror to see the true nature of all things.”

As he spoke, many thoughts crossed his mind. From the Lord’s words, it seemed he too wanted to break through the “charm” and see his “true face.” Is that why he had so many mirrors installed there?

The Lord coughed twice, and said hoarsely, “It’s strange…Meeting you two gentlemen, I feel reborn. The past decades were like living as a zombie. Muddling through life.”

Liu Fuguang didn’t answer. After all, the supreme evil and supreme good were the two extremes on the balance of the great Dao. When they appeared together, it signified the ultimate principle of yin and yang balance. Otherwise, why would those almost eternal true Immortals risk life and death to pair him and Yan Huan together?

For that reason, that human, deeply shrouded in delusions, felt a sense of breaking through his delusions after just a few words with them.

“…Every day I look in the mirror, feeling healthy and vigorous, but until today, after a few words with you, I feel a clarity in my heart…” the Lord continued, his tone pleading.

“Just a day ago, I was worried about my son. But now, worldly affairs seem as burdensome as dust, becoming so insignificant…Sir, please tell me, in your eyes, what have I become?”

Language is the shortest spell. Just as Internal Demon questioned Yan Huan, expecting the answer “The dragon cannot live without a heart,” the Lord threw out that question and placed the final judgment in the hands of those strangers.

Yan Huan, bored, counted his fingers and said, “Why don’t you answer our question first? Who are you referring to as the immortal?”

The Lord’s eyes were confused for a moment, as he unconsciously repeated, “Immortal…”

“Is it the Holy Emperor?” Unable to rise, Liu Fuguang crouched by the bed, and guessed, “The immortal you mentioned, is it the Emperor of Wuping?”

Without warning, hearing the word “Holy Emperor,” the Lord seemed to have a red-hot iron rod pierced into his ear. His back arched, and he grabbed his face, struggling wildly on the bed.

“No, not the Holy Emperor! The Holy Emperor is meritorious and eternal, not the Holy Emperor, no!”

Liu Fuguang’s eyelid twitched, and he pressed down with his spiritual power, trying to calm the Lord’s violent reaction. But something unexpected happened. His spiritual power, upon touching the Lord’s body, was absorbed like a drop of water into a dry sponge. Instead of soothing, it intensified the Lord’s movements. The Lord, who had been merely thrashing around, now screamed and howled madly.

This response was as good as a confession. Yan Huan decisively cut off Liu Fuguang’s spiritual connection. His demonic energy swept through the entire palace in an instant, fortunately holding back from killing the frail corpse instantly.

“So it is the Holy Emperor,” Yan Huan sneered. “What did he do to you? Did he draw your life force to extend his own, or sacrifice the people to gain so-called immortality?”

Enveloped in demonic energy, a normal person would feel like they were enduring unbearable torture, yet the Lord was oblivious. He shook his head frantically, making inhuman sounds—gurgling wails and hysterical screams, as if he wanted to tear his vocal cords apart.

However, amidst these inhuman cries, there were still many words praising the “Holy Emperor,” even though he could no longer articulate clearly, he tried to express it through changing tones.

Ignoring everything else, since spiritual power was useless, Liu Fuguang quickly bent over, pressing down on the Lord’s throat. If this continued, the demonic energy was secondary. The Lord might die from spasms and suffocation first.

He raised his eyes, staring at the Lord’s twisted, frenzied face.

“Calm down, you…!”

At this close range, the Lord saw his true face reflected in Liu Fuguang’s eyes.

So that’s…how it is…

I should have…

At that moment, an immense sorrow, hatred, relief, and joy erupted from the mortal. The mixed five energies soared to the sky, the wind blew, and the luxurious brocade and radiant clouds intertwined with the rapidly disintegrating body, like flying serpents.

Black hair turned into withered strands, arms crumbled into sand, and a pair of eyes dissipated into mist, while empty eye sockets spewed forth burgeoning clouds of auspicious mist.

Liu Fuguang instantly realized something. He should have closed his eyes and tilted his head back to interrupt the Lord’s dissolution process, but he just lightly pressed the sunken chest.

His gaze was solemn and dignified, tinged with a hint of reluctant compassion. This bit of pity dispelled the rampant demonic energy in the hall, transforming it into a warm, drifting starlight.

“Sir, I am in such pain…such pain…” the half-dissolved corpse mumbled. “Why can’t it end…? I’m so tired, even breathing is hard, but I just can’t die…such pain, such pain…”

“It’s okay. It’s all over now.” Liu Fuguang gently held the evaporating fingers, and whispered, “See, you’ve seen your true self and chosen your ‘path.'”

“I can’t repay your great kindness…” The corpse cried black tears, as he struggled to touch Liu Fuguang’s hand. “Beware…the Holy Emperor…his Prime Guards are extremely…terrifying…”

He died.

In unparalleled joy and satisfaction, amidst relaxation and freedom, the City Lord’s body completely dissipated into the air. The three souls and seven spirits, which should have ascended to the heavens and descended to the earth, disappeared without a trace, leaving only faint black marks on the bed.

Liu Fuguang maintained a half-squatting posture, silent for a moment, then slowly stood up. Throughout the process, Yan Huan remained silent. When the demonic energy burned out, he reached out and gathered those sparks into his embrace, as if substituting for a warm hug.

“Saint Sect, Prime Guard.” Liu Fuguang sighed. “Apart from these two key words, I didn’t get anything else.” He lowered his head, his tone tinged with imperceptible guilt.

The soul of benevolence was gathered in the hearts and souls of all living beings, and he nurtured them with his own self. He was not a god of ancient times, but to all mortals in the world, they could all be considered his family. Facing ordinary people, he always had an uncontrollable soft spot.

Yan Huan said softly, “It’s alright. Opportunities are plentiful, not just this one.” His gaze was complex and nostalgic, as he recalled events of the distant past. This gentle and tender Liu Fuguang was indeed the most precious love of his life, but at that time he was too foolish, too dismissive of such tenderness and gentleness, unaware of its significance, which could have cost him his life.

That warmth lasted only a moment, and was followed by a cold and ruthless look in his eyes. He suddenly turned around. Yan Huan’s five fingers clenched together, and black tentacles burst out from his skin and coiled into blades over ten feet long, while sparks flew in the air, the sound of metal clashing echoed throughout the hall and caused a shiver to go down people’s spines.

At that point, he could be described as “both sane and losing his mind.” After having stripped away his true dragon body and losing another dragon heart, Yan Huan’s abilities were now at their weakest. However, as both the supreme evil and a genuine deity, anyone attempting to ambush him was akin to a newborn lamb walking into a tiger’s den.

In the empty air, the shadow of the “lambs” gradually appeared. Golden black robes, eerie bronze masks, and a crimson glow on the weapons all undulated like ink, as they silently appeared before them.

“Who dares to damage the great cause of the Saint Sect!” The dozen or so people roared in unison, as if sharing the same brain and mouth.

The bronze masks resonated, emitting a resounding hum like the sound of a lion’s roar. Soundwaves shot out and smashed everything in the hall—tables, chairs, screens, golden and jade ornaments, even the columns embedded with gemstones—all shattered into pieces!

The shock wave surged, and with one roar, half of the Lord’s mansion collapsed in an instant. Yan Huan didn’t say a word, as he stubbornly endured that blow to protect Liu Fuguang without fail.

The dust slowly settled. Yan Huan’s face was extremely ugly. His nine eyes bulged madly, and an immense killing intent overflowed from him like an uncontrollable flood, soon to wreak havoc on the Mortal Realm, and cause suffering to all living beings.

“Just a mere golden core…” The face of supreme evil twisted grotesquely with a moment of fear greater than the anger of being offended by ants.

Fuguang’s injuries hadn’t healed, and Yan Huan’s strength wasn’t what it used to be. If he couldn’t protect his lover and let these despicable people harm him, what would he do? The thought burned in him like fire, and he wished he could tear everything tangible to shreds.

“Control yourself!” Liu Fuguang said. “I’ll go evacuate the surrounding mortals. As for these…” His gaze swept over the pursuers in front of him, guessing that they should be the “Prime Guards” mentioned by the Lord. However, he didn’t know how they managed to track them so quickly.

“…these Prime Guards here, I’ll leave them to you for now.”

The commotion in the Lord’s mansion had already awakened everyone inside. Liu Fuguang rushed to the open space, his thoughts spinning rapidly. He changed his mind, realizing that evacuating the mortals would be too time-consuming. Instead, he decided to set up a barrier to confine the battlefield.

“Go!” He shouted in a low voice, and dozens of translucent flying swords flew out of his bag, and surrounded the hall in multiple circles. The blades vibrated and emitted a bright and clear light.

He mobilized the spiritual energy in every part of his body, but his lost dantian greatly hindered the casting of spells. Just as Liu Fuguang focused on creating the barrier, a fierce wind suddenly attacked him from behind, and made him shiver. He quickly dodged forward to avoid it.

As he turned around, he saw it was a Prime Guard wielding a long red blade, like a tempered poisonous fang who lashed out at him coldly.

Liu Fuguang was extremely surprised. He knew how weakened Yan Huan’s divine power had become and that he no longer possessed the physical and spiritual strength he once did. He couldn’t afford to be as destructive as before. Yet even with diminished divine power, it was still far beyond what ordinary mortals could compare to. The Prime Guards, though they might have golden core cultivation bases, how could they approach Yan Huan and get so close to him?

Liu Fuguang remained silent, as he pulled out the shining Sun Pearl from his pocket and raised it towards the Prime Guard.

The pearl suddenly radiated with brilliance as it collided sharply with the blade’s edge. It instantly illuminated like sunlight on a golden mountain, and burst into thousands of brilliant rays.

Never before had such a bright light shone in that world. The pearl was merely a mirror used for focusing and refracting. Through it, the light of supreme goodness increased tenfold, as did its power.

In past years, many true immortals had curiously or diligently explored the power of supreme goodness. They had already witnessed the power of supreme evil when Yan Huan was born. His cry had summoned endless wars and calamities, caused chaos, induced destruction, led every intelligent life to self-annihilation…that was what supreme evil could do at will. But what about supreme goodness? Compared to supreme evil, was supreme goodness merely about creation?

Just as the great sun illuminated everything, it also contained the fire of destruction. If Liu Fuguang wished, he too could become extremely terrifying.

The dazzling golden light created waves almost like shockwaves. The wave not only shattered the long blade into millions of fragments, but even the nearby Prime Guards, caught off guard, had no time to react. They collapsed like snow under hot soup, instantly melting in the intense sea of light, which nearly knocked down Yan Huan nearby.

As if it was the beginning of heaven and earth, the extremely pure goodness swept through every corner of the city. It cleared away the heavy delusions, fanatical desires, and greedy cravings. The night air suddenly became astonishingly fresh.

After feigning death for six thousand years, this was Liu Fuguang’s first time using his power so freely, without worrying about exhausting himself.

“Seems like…I overdid it a bit?” He put away the pearl, and rubbed the back of his head in confusion.

However, he understood why the Prime Guards were able to bypass Yan Huan’s defenses and ambush him from behind.

From their breath, these attackers with bronze masks could indeed be considered to have golden core cultivation bases. However, their condensed and pure spiritual power was like a sword that had been tempered a thousand times over. A single one of them could rival dozens of cultivators of the same level. They were indeed at the peak of their cultivation.

Seeing them take action, Yan Huan no longer cared about inflicting pain and torture. He hurriedly killed the remaining dozen or so, stuffing them into his mouth, which led to somewhere he didn’t know, then stumbled over to check on Liu Fuguang.

“My—Fuguang, are you alright?” Yan Huan pulled him over, then checked him up and down dozens of times. “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault for being negligent. I…I didn’t…”

“Shh,” Liu Fuguang hushed him. If he let Yan Huan continue self-criticizing like that, it would never end. “Did you leave any survivors? Interrogating the Saint Sect’s guards might be more effective than questioning a city lord.”

Yan Huan paused. Then, with a guilty look, he reached into his stomach, and pulled out a half-eaten, sticky, squirming figure.

He only pulled out half of it. He lacked the courage to take it all out and show Liu Fuguang his unseemly eating habits. He hastily stuffed it back in and said, “Let me handle the questioning.” Then he slipped away to the side, and hid in the shadows to employ his interrogation skills.