Chapter 53

While Cheng Qian runs aimlessly around looking for Fuyao Mountain, Puddle has arrived nearby. She helplessly looks at the thick forest on the mountain and the vast plain, not knowing where to start looking, something itchy is rubbing at her sleeve.

Puddle looks down. A leaf is stuck on the wrist of her sleeve for some unknown time. Then that leaf turns into a hairy caterpillar with green and yellow stripes.

The girl part of Puddle is disgusted, but her bird part wants to eat the caterpillar. While she is torn between the contradictory sentiments, the hairy caterpillar raises its head and speaks in Li Yun’s voice, “Where have you gone?”

...Her Second Brother just keeps getting more and more ridiculous.

As Puddle has been crying and chasing after Cheng Qian, her mind is full of fog. She answers without thinking, “I’m near Fuyao Mountain.”

As soon as she says that, she wants to bite the tip of her tongue off. Shit, how could I let it slip like that? How am I going to explain to them?

As expected, the aura around the caterpillar changes when it hears her answer. Its jelly-like body “stands” up. Although it can’t straighten itself all the way, it still looks pretty menacing.

The person on the other end becomes her most senior brother. Yan Zhengming asks, “Why do you want to go back to Fuyao Mountain? It is still sealed off.”

Long story short, during one hundred years, they tried to sneak back home a couple of times. However, besides a few suspicious-looking figures in the surrounding villages, they simply couldn’t find Fuyao Mountain where it should have been.

When Yan Zhengming managed to form his primordial spirit, he discovered that only a primordial spirit could enter the sect leader seal, and the sect leader seal was a key.

As it turns out, it’s no coincidence that Fuyao Mountain is connected to the Valley of the Yao. The entire mountain is a natural mystic site. If the sect leader in charge seals off the mountain and brings the seal with him, no one can enter the mountain on their own. That explains why a small sect with limited power, who didn’t even have guards on the way in, could survive in peace in a corner for such a long time.

Hearing his question, Puddle can’t find the answer. After an awkward moment, she stammers. “I- I- I suddenly got homesick, so I came back to visit.”

Unfortunately, her sect leader and senior brother isn’t that easy to fool. Yan Zhengming says, “Homesick? Stop talking nonsense. When we left Fuyao Mountain, you were still chewing on your diaper in my carriage. Can you really remember anything? Tell the truth.”

Puddle: “…”

From her childhood, she doesn’t know how to lie. Her disciple brothers are all much older than her. In general, they spoil her a lot. Besides the assignments that she has to do, they will get her everything she wants. Even if she does something wrong, she isn’t punished harshly.

However, she chases after Cheng Qian based on a faintest hope that she can’t give up. If she tells the truth, what would it achieve besides giving her disciple brothers the same stubborn hope, only to make them all disappointed later?

Puddle grits her teeth and decides to make something up to get by. Thinking so hard it makes her sweat, she stammers. “W- When we were waiting for you, I flew up and saw a cloud of blood energy in a village from afar. I thought that was the demonic cultivator we were looking for this time, so I chased after that one. Second Brother was there too, but I was too impatient to tell him. And, uhm, I follow it all the way to Fuyao Mountain. Most senior brother, do you think that is… Fourth Brother?”

As she lies, her heart beats like mad, making her words rather dispirited.

That hairy caterpillar gives no reaction for a long while. Then Yan Zhengming says conversationally, “Your Second Brother says, it was too far away, he couldn’t sense the bloody energy.”

It was already bad enough that she couldn’t lie smoothly; she is sabotaged too!

In the end, Puddle risks everything and says, “Fine, I’ll tell the truth. You’re so annoying! Through Second Brother’s Golden Thread Cicada, I saw a very handsome guy, so I followed him.”

Yan Zhengming: “Hmm?”

With a spark of inspiration, Puddle adds, “It’s true! That brother is much more handsome than you!”

Those words accurately hit the fatal weak point of her sect leader and most senior brother. As expected, Yan Zhengming doesn’t bother to talk to her anymore. The hairy caterpillar slumps down like a piece of jelly. Li Yun hastily says, “Stop causing trouble. Come back, quick!”

Afterwards, as if it has used up its energy, the caterpillar turns back to a leaf, then curls up and falls off her body.

Seeing that she has escaped, Puddle breathes out in relief. She turns into a fist-size bird and flies into the forest, focusing on searching for Cheng Qian.

At that moment in Shuzhong, Yan Zhengming says to Li Yun, “When I arrived here, there was some bloody energy, but it’s gone now. Most likely someone from Mingming Valley has dealt with it. That brat Puddle is very shameless. No way I’d believe that she would stammer like that just because she saw some boy. Something must have happened. Let’s follow her before she makes a mess.”

Those words sound convincing enough to Li Yun. However, right after that, Yan Zhengming annoyedly says, “She dared say ‘much more handsome than I’. Such an ungrateful brat! She has no taste at all. Hphm, I really want to have a look at whoever that is.”

Li Yun sighs. Their little sister’s petty tricks really hurt more than help. With just a line, she ensured that their most senior brother would come.

On the other side, Cheng Qian can’t find Fuyao Mountain. He has to hide his sword and withdraws his frost-like spiritual energy, then pretends to be a mortal and walks into a nearby village.

Things have really gone from bad to worse in the world outside. Cheng Qian still remembers back then, when their Master took them travelling to Eastern Sea, the villages and towns along the way were much more prosperous.

He randomly chooses an inn and calls for a pot of tea. Putting the steaming tea aside, he calls for the waiter and asks, “My friend, I’d like to ask about a place.”

Seeing that he is both handsome and well-dressed, the waiter naturally wants to be in his good graces. He bows and says, “Please feel free to ask me anything.”

Cheng Qian says, “I heard that there is a mountain where immortals live about thirty miles away from here, so I’d like to visit it. But I can’t find it anywhere, so I’d like to ask you locals for direction.”

Hearing that, the waiter’s face becomes more solemn. He looks at Cheng Qian closely from head to toe, then asks with some reservation, “Are you one of those cultivating immortals?”

“Nah,” Cheng Qian smiles. “I’ve only done some energy cultivation at home. Even now I can’t manage to enter the Way yet. How dare I claim to be a cultivator? From what you said, are there many people asking about that mountain?”

Putting the towel on his shoulder, the waiter laughs. “Indeed, someone asked me about it just two days ago. To tell the truth, I’m a local here. There has been some legend about that mountain of the immortals from the time of my grandfather’s, but no one has seen it yet. How can our mortal eyes see the place the immortals live?”

Cheng Qian says, “From what you said, it seems many immortals have come here too. Couldn’t they find that mountain too?”

The waiter smiled. “If they could find it, it wouldn’t be a legend, would it? The scenery there is pretty decent though. If you wish to, a walk in the area may be good for you.”

Having said that, the waiter moves to leave. Cheng Qian hastily calls him back. “Wait, my friend, you said two days ago someone asked about the mountain too. Where did that person go? If I’m fast enough to catch up with them, maybe I can find a companion.”

The waiter says, “I saw them on the main road. But, young master, they looked pretty aggressive. I don’t think you should get involved with them.”

Cheng Qian is startled to hear that. A group of people… who want something from Fuyao Mountain. What exactly are they up to?

Not bothering to wait for the tea to cool, he stands up and leaves. Cheng Qian has travelled on this road only once before, that year when they left Fuyao Mountain.

Because the carriages that were like a wedding procession of his most senior brother couldn’t run on smaller trails, they had to take their time on the main road. Back then, forget riding the sword, he couldn’t even ride a horse. He also obsessively wished to focus on improving his energy base, forcing his Master to keep an eye on him the entire way.

Cheng Qian turns into a cloud of frost and quietly surfs over the main road, feeling that every tree, every blade of grass there is full of memories.

After he crossed about twenty miles, he suddenly stops and withdraws his leg, which has been preparing to make a step. On a narrow path, there are two rocks opposite each other, which seems to have been intentionally set up by someone. There are spells on the rocks, which can be easily missed.

These two spells, which stand opposite each other, form a net that cross the main road. If someone walks by, the creator will be alerted.

Frowning, Cheng Qian concentrates spiritual energy in his eyes and looks. Someone has set up a complex web of spells within spells here. The rocks by the wayside, the ground, even the uneven branches between the thick shades of the trees, traps wait at every step.

As he glances at all directions, a fire erupts in his heart. Who dares to do mischief around Fuyao Mountain?

Nevertheless, Cheng Qian doesn’t recklessly release his awareness, despite his anger. He cautiously walks around the spells. The more he sees of them, the more on edge he is. Although he hasn’t released his awareness, he can sense that the creator of the spells isn’t weak. Furthermore, the connecting points of those spells give off some bloody scent, which shows that this person doesn’t follow the proper path in his energy cultivation.

In general, cultivators aren’t forbidden to kill. However, they don’t kill randomly, nor do they like killing. Even if they have blood on their hands, they won’t leave behind bloody energy. It’s different for demonic cultivators. Back then, when Cheng Qian began his cultivation career, he ignorantly read on the three thousand paths of demonic cultivation in the Nine-Floor Library Tower. He thought that those paths weren’t different from the righteous path, and even asked his Master about the topic. It isn’t until now that he finally understands that, despite some similarities at first glances, the two sides are different as day and night.

Practitioners of the righteous path begin their cultivation journey by connecting with heaven and earth. They focus on exchanging pure energy with nature to build their energy base. The nature of the demonic path is to conquer everything, all take and no give. There is no discrimination between the pure and the polluted. Although it helps the practitioner become powerful very quickly, in the long run, the impure energy will build up. Even if the practitioner never sheds blood, the spells created by them will have a bit of bloody energy.

Once a demonic cultivator breaks the discipline and sheds blood, there is no way to take it back. No one can help them either. Therefore, from ancient times, very, very few demonic cultivators ever reach the highest level.

The one that takes this path must have the willingness to go to the very end, which even death can’t shake.

Even Cheng Qian has to work hard to cross this dangerous web of spells. However, he doesn’t see ‘the group’ the waiter mentioned. As Cheng Qian carefully crosses the traps and sneaks into the array, he sees a tall man standing with his back to him in a clearing.

That man emanates a sphere of strong awareness, which is full of a defiant pride that acknowledges nothing but himself. Because of that sphere, the place is covered with bloody energy. Because he doesn’t yet know what this man is like, Cheng Qian hides behind a great tree and again withdraws all of his living aura, turning himself to a dead object.

The man, who is turning his back to Cheng Qian, seems to be creating an array. As he is halfway through, something strange happens.

Tensing up like he were encountering many enemies, he mutters in a low voice like monologuing. Then, he seems to be angry with the void and slams his hand on the ground, shouting like going mad, “You dare!”

Having shouted that, the man acts a bit like a marionette whose strings are pulled. He stiffens for a second and stops struggling. Giving out a low laugh that sounds like an owl, he replies to himself, “Why dare I not, you useless trash?”

Cheng Qian frowns. Nian Dada asked and replied to himself too, but it just looked funny. When this demonic cultivator does that, it gives one the creeps.

Right after that, the man roars, opens his palm, and hits himself in the chest. The hit makes a sound like thunder, showing that he doesn’t hold back at all. A cloud of black energy rises from his chest and attacks his palm. Whether the hit from the palm hurts the chest, or the black energy injures the palm, it is still an act of serious self-harm.

That man stumbles and spits out a mouthful of blood.

Cheng Qian thinks, What’s wrong with him?

At that moment, a fearful scream comes from a nearby spot. Around the periphery of the spells created by this demonic cultivator, fireworks erupts. Within seconds, countless bony claws rise from the ground and turn into cold chains. The chains go through the air and wrap around their target, brutally dragging the person down to the ground.

This unlucky sod is none other than Puddle.

She didn’t expect Cheng Qian to mix in with the mortals, so she searched for him in the nearby forest for a long time in her bird form. As time went on, her disappointment mounting, she became tired both physically and mentally. That is how she carelessly fell into the palm of this demonic cultivator.

Being suddenly captured, she turns to human form, wishing to fight back. However, she realises her cultivation has been suppressed by the demonic energy.

Fallen into a heap on the ground, Puddle wants to scream out insults, but she manages to hold it in and avoid pissing off her enemy. Knowing that she is carrying various protective artifacts her disciple brothers pressed on her, she keeps silent and curls up to pretend to be dead on the ground, as she concentrates on preventing the demonic energy from getting in her body.

Puddle is completely right. As the chains bind her tightly, a ribbon in her hair immediately breaks. It contains a puppet charm made by Yan Zhengming. That same charm has saved her from being stabbed through by the chains.

A puppet charm made by a cultivator who has formed the primordial mind is a totally different league from the amateurish work Cheng Qian gifted Xue Qing back then. Yan Zhengming and Li Yun have already been closeby. As soon as the charm breaks, Yan Zhengming immediately concentrates to locate her, and rushes with Li Yun to where she is.

Cheng Qian, who is hiding nearby, doesn’t recognise Puddle at all. Her appearance has completely changed, as she grew from a small child to a young lady. Furthermore, she is keeping her wings hidden.

Not knowing her identity, Cheng Qian doesn’t emerge from his hiding place, but keeps watching how the incident unfolds.

At this moment, Puddle suddenly feels the chains on her body loosen. The demonic cultivator calls out agitatedly. “Young lady, go! Quickly!”

Puddle is surprised. Before she can be happy, however, the chains tighten again. The demonic cultivator changes his tone and says coolly, “Just a little century-old yao… Fuck!”

That demonic cultivator stretches out his left arm and curls his fingers, about to pull at the chains. However, his right hand grasps the left wrist, as if to stop himself. The first voice shouts, “Stop pretending to be dead! Run! Quickly! I can’t stop this for long!”

This is the first time Puddle encounters a demonic cultivator who acts incomprehensibly like this. Out of curiosity, she can’t resist a peek at him.

As soon as she looks up, she forgets to run.

She confusedly calls out. “Fourth Brother?”

That demonic cultivator has blood-shot eyes. His features are distorted by the aggressive expression. However, she can still immediately recognise him. That person is Han Yuan, whom they roam the Nine Provinces to search for in vain.

Han Yuan seems stunned by her words. His face softens, as his gaze lingers on Puddle’s face. He looks incredulous, panicking, and ready to bolt at the same time. It takes a while for him to ask softly, his lips quivering, “You, can’t it be that you’re… little… Argh!”

Before he finishes, the demonic energy on his body surges, seemingly turning him into a cloud of black fog.

The chilly voice as if from the underworld speaks again, “Oh, you’re Han Tan. My effort isn’t wasted then!”

As soon as he hears ‘Han Tan’, Cheng Qian’s pupils constrict, and he doesn’t think about anything else. Before he even fully comes out, his frost-like sword flash already cuts off the chains that bind Puddle. At the same time, there is a long whistling sound. The ground shakes, as Han Yuan’s spells on the periphery are destroyed by a brutal sword energy.

Right after that, a shadow charges in like an arrow. That sword energy aims at Han Yuan like a falling mountain.

Puddle yells. “Don’t! Fourth Brother…”

Everything is happening so fast that Cheng Qian can’t even think about sect etiquette. In the chaos, he instinctively protects Han Yuan and blocks the incoming attack.

“Waning Moon of Decline from the Peak” meets “Rising Cloud of The Roc Crosses Ten Thousand Miles”.

There is a chip on the blade of the newcomer, which causes the two swords to entangle with each other.

At that moment, everyone is stunned on the spot.