Chapter 146: The Disappearance of Xu Changqing! Fengdu!
While Tang Xuejian was away, Xu Changqing took the opportunity to extract the Thunder Spirit Pearl from Yun Ting's body and sealed it away for safekeeping.
Having lost the Thunder Spirit Pearl—a spiritual item that had accompanied him since childhood—Yun Ting appeared somewhat dispirited. Its sudden removal had clearly taken a toll on him.
Seeing this, Chu Yang quickly fed him a Blood Bodhi. Yun Ting's complexion soon returned to normal.
"At last, I'm free of this curse. I, Yun Ting, am finally a free man."
Yun Ting's smile carried a trace of bitterness as he recalled the beloved wife who had died on their wedding night. If only Xu Changqing and the others had arrived sooner, perhaps the tragedy could have been avoided.
But fate had other plans.
Chu Yang said softly, "Young Master Yun, the road ahead is long. There's still much for you to experience. The dead are gone, but the living must continue on."
Yun Ting clasped his hands in a respectful salute. "I shall take the Daoist's teaching to heart."
"Why don't you all stay here for the night and wait for Brother Jing and Miss Tang to return? The storm has passed, and Thunder Prefecture is bustling again. Why not enjoy yourselves a bit before heading out?"
Xu Changqing shook his head. "The situation is urgent. We don't have time to rest. Every moment we delay puts Shu Mountain in greater danger."
Lin Yueru tried to persuade him. "Daoist Xu, let's wait a bit. Xuejian needs time to stabilize her emotions. We can't just leave her behind, can we? She's just a young girl—what if something happens to her on the way?"
Li Xiaoyao quickly nodded. "That's right, Brother Xu. That girl clearly isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. If someone tricks her and sells her halfway, we'd never forgive ourselves."
Xu Changqing gave a wry smile. "What kind of things are you all saying…"
Chu Yang patted Xu Changqing on the shoulder. "Senior Brother, we've already found both the Earth Spirit Pearl and the Thunder Spirit Pearl—things have gone incredibly smoothly. Let's not get greedy and invite disaster."
"…Fine. We've been rushing these past two days, and you're all probably exhausted. Let's take a short break."
With that, Xu Changqing walked out of the Yun residence alone. "I'm going to look around nearby. No need to come find me."
"Sigh! Brother Xu…"
Li Xiaoyao was about to go after him, but Chu Yang stopped him.
"He's probably out hunting demons. With so many demon spirits having escaped from the Demon-Sealing Tower, it's been on his mind constantly. Forcing him to rest would be more painful than death."
Li Xiaoyao let out a sigh.
Lin Yueru was moved. "Daoist Xu truly has the heart of a hero. I admire him."
Of course—he was Shu Mountain's next designated sect master, approved by Qingwei and the others for his character.
Night fell.
Jing Tian and Tang Xuejian had yet to return.
Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru went out to explore the streets, though each did their own thing. Given the current situation, it didn't seem like their paths would cross again.
Chu Yang stayed behind in the Yun residence, feeling like a lonely old man in an empty nest. He decided to slip into the Soul Palace instead.
Inside, as usual, the three alternate Chu Yangs were tirelessly working: Magic Chu Yang, Pirate Chu Yang, and Marvel Chu Yang.
The Golden Silkworm Gu had only reached the stage of extracting bloodline factors—it hadn't yet progressed to replication experiments.
The three of them wanted to tackle the challenge of the Devouring Demon Gu first before continuing their research on the Golden Silkworm Gu.
After all, you have to take one bite at a time.
Xianxia Chu Yang brought some exciting news: they might be able to obtain the bloodline of the Demon Lord Chonglou in the future.
The other three were instantly invigorated.
The Demon Lord's bloodline far surpassed even that of the Otsutsuki Clan.
There were two reasons Chu Yang hadn't added any new bloodline factors to himself.
First, he hadn't broken through the limiter yet, and recklessly merging new bloodlines could result in conflict. The One Punch World had already proven this.
Second, none of the available bloodlines had shown power clearly superior to the Otsutsuki lineage—there was no point in making the attempt.
But the Demon Lord's bloodline was a different story.
Magic Chu Yang teased, "If the Soul Palace can one day truly connect to all realms, we could turn it into something like the Main God Space—use bloodline factors as rewards to build our own forces."
Marvel Chu Yang seriously considered the idea and nodded. "In theory, it's doable. I've already been nurturing Hydra to create superhumans using bloodline factors."
Pirate Chu Yang spread his hands and said lazily, "You go ahead. I'm done with my grand plans—I've already cleared my game."
Marvel Chu Yang shot him a glare.
Show-off.
Xianxia Chu Yang leaned in curiously. "How's Vegapunk's research into infinite energy coming along?"
Pirate Chu Yang looked pained. "Last time, I barely stopped him from dismantling Pluton's power core. Progress is slow, but steady."
Marvel Chu Yang suddenly asked, "Did you put the artificial Devil Fruit research on hold? That stuff could be really useful in other worlds."
"Caesar, Queen, and Judge are still working on it. I expect a breakthrough soon."
Sensing Marvel Chu Yang's intentions, Pirate Chu Yang exposed him, "You're thinking of doing a Professor X, right? Start a school for superhumans?"
"Use fake powers from bloodline factors to lure real superhumans, then steal their bloodline data?"
Marvel Chu Yang snapped, "Don't make it sound so shady! This is science!"
Magic Chu Yang clicked his tongue. "You sound just like Confucian pedant Kong Yiji."
Xianxia Chu Yang suddenly realized something. "Hey… what if the backdoors you left in the bloodline factors stop working? What if our host gains enough power to turn on us?"
Magic Chu Yang flipped his hair and flashed a confident smile. "Relax. If the host wants to escape our control, he'll have to master magic, ninjutsu, sorcery, ghost arts—and I'll probably throw in spellcraft too."
Xianxia Chu Yang shivered. "You're kind of scary sometimes, you know that?"
Magic Chu Yang sighed. "If only we had another Hōgyoku—it would make integrating all these abilities so much easier."
Pirate Chu Yang took a deep breath. "That incomplete Hōgyoku in Aizen's hands—we have to get it. If he keeps dragging his feet on attacking the Soul Society, we might need to make the first move."
Magic Chu Yang nodded. "Let's wait until Bleach Chu Yang shows up again."
They chatted a bit longer before Xianxia Chu Yang returned to the xianxia world.
…
Yun residence.
An entire night passed.
Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru were the first to return, and they each went straight to sleep in their rooms.
Jing Tian and Tang Xuejian arrived a bit later, seeming slightly more intimate than before.
But Xu Changqing…
Never came back.
"Something's not right. That big-browed, square-jawed guy has never spent a night away. He's definitely in trouble."
Chu Yang was worried, but then remembered: the Demon Lord hadn't shown up for their second duel, which meant Xu Changqing probably wasn't in mortal danger.
"I'd better go look for him…"
"Everyone up! Get out here—how can you sleep like rocks at your age?!"
Early in the morning, Chu Yang violently banged on everyone's doors.
Four bleary-eyed figures—with dark circles under their eyes—shuffled out, looking like a gaming squad who'd just finished an all-night LAN session.
They glared at Chu Yang with murder in their eyes.
But Chu Yang's next words made them all freeze.
"Senior Brother is missing. Get moving—we're going to find him!"
An entire day passed.
Everyone searched every corner of Thunder Prefecture and its surroundings, but Xu Changqing was nowhere to be found.
Even if he'd walked all night, he couldn't have left the region.
Yet he was gone.
Even Observation Haki couldn't detect him.
There were two possible explanations: either Xu Changqing had truly left Thunder Prefecture, or there was someone near him—like Zhao Ling'er—who constantly released spiritual energy and disrupted Observation Haki's perception.
A certain person suddenly flashed across Chu Yang's mind.
Zi Xuan.
There was a very good chance that Xu Changqing and Zi Xuan had met last night. And considering he hadn't returned since…
A sly smile crept onto Chu Yang's face.
So that big-browed, upright Shu Mountain disciple was off playing behind their backs, huh?
Just as Chu Yang was about to call off the search, the magic sword on Jing Tian's back suddenly flew out and began circling in the air.
After spending a night together, Jing Tian and Tang Xuejian already knew about Long Kui. They waved their arms and shouted toward the sky, "Long Kui, come down!"
Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru looked totally confused.
But Long Kui's unusual behavior set off alarm bells in Chu Yang's head. He reached out and pulled the magic sword down with Universal Pull.
Jing Tian rushed up to catch it, and Chu Yang handed it over with a serious look. "Ask her what's going on."
Jing Tian gripped the sword and asked Long Kui in his heart. Her response made his face change.
"She says… she smells resentment. A massive resentment! One that had been sealed in the Demon-Sealing Tower for decades, and escaped along with her."
His voice was trembling.
"Could it be… that thing Xu Changqing told us about?!" Lin Yueru asked in alarm. "The dark thoughts of the Shu Mountain Sect Master and the Four Elders?"
Chu Yang took a deep breath. "It's the Evil Sword Immortal."
Li Xiaoyao asked anxiously, "Did the Evil Sword Immortal kidnap Brother Xu? Is he after the Five Spirit Pearls?"
"I was too focused on Bai Yue and forgot all about that bastard…"
Chu Yang was getting a headache.
Xu Changqing had probably been ambushed by the Evil Sword Immortal while hunting demons, then rescued by Zi Xuan.
But who knew where Zi Xuan had taken him?
Jing Tian asked, "Daoist Chu, what should we do now? Should we head back to Shu Mountain and report this to the sect master?"
Tang Xuejian chimed in. "Yeah! Maybe one of the Shu Mountain elders can locate him! It's better than running around like headless chickens!"
Chu Yang raised a hand to calm them.
"No need to worry about my Senior Brother. The Demon Lord promised he'd appear if danger struck—he won't go back on his word. Let's focus on tracking down Senior Brother's whereabouts."
Everyone had questions, but finding Xu Changqing was the priority now. Chu Yang had a vague sense that his situation wasn't looking good.
There are worse things than death in this world.
The others stopped asking and resumed their aimless search. Meanwhile, sensing the growing urgency, Chu Yang secretly released a Shadow Clone to help.
Thousands of Shadow Clones left Thunder Prefecture and scoured distant lands in search of Xu Changqing.
By the end of the day, they returned with news.
Xu Changqing was no longer in Thunder Prefecture—he had turned up somewhere Chu Yang hadn't expected.
Fengdu.
Upon learning his location, Chu Yang immediately gathered everyone and left Thunder Prefecture. This time, he didn't hold back—he used Sword Flight to carry everyone straight toward the Ghost City of Fengdu.
The moment they entered the city, Chu Yang felt a stirring in the depths of his soul.
In the world of Chinese Paladin, the city of Fengdu connects directly to the underworld, and for Chu Yang, whose cultivation includes [Fengdu], the wandering souls and ghosts of that realm are nothing short of nourishment.
"Wow! Why is it so dark and creepy here? It feels terrifying..."
Tang Xuejian's hair stood on end as she quietly hid behind Jing Tian, a constant sense of being watched gnawing at her nerves.
Jing Tian shielded her with his arm, only to have his hand smacked by the Demon Sword. He let out a cry of pain, followed by Long Kui's light laughter.
"So she can be this mischievous too?"
Jing Tian thought helplessly to himself.
Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru, on the other hand, were far more fearless. Not only were they not scared, they looked around with curiosity. If they weren't concerned about Xu Changqing's safety, the two would probably have already dashed off to explore.
From a pure traveler's perspective, Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru were indeed a perfect team.
Tang Xuejian pointed timidly at a spot in the distance and muttered, "Daoist Chu, can we please hurry up and find Daoist Xu? That person over there is looking at us really strangely."
Everyone turned in the direction she was pointing and saw a hunched, scrawny middle-aged man with a shifty, lecherous look.
The man locked eyes with Chu Yang and the group, but rather than being intimidated, he swaggered boldly over to them.
"I am Zhao Wuyan. Judging by your looks, this must be your first time in Fengdu. If there's anything you need, just ask. In this place, there's nothing I can't arrange."
Zhao Wuyan looked them over with a grin, his eyes darting lewdly between Tang Xuejian and Lin Yueru.
His disgusting demeanor immediately drew looks of revulsion from both women.
"Take us to Aunt Ma's inn," Chu Yang said coldly.
Zhao Wuyan's eyes flickered craftily as he replied in a furtive tone, "Are you noble guests here for sightseeing? Or is there something important you've come to do? Perhaps... interested in a little excursion to the underworld? I have something quite special—only a very small fee and—"
Before he could finish, a surge of sword energy pierced through his shoulder, and he let out a wretched scream in the middle of the street.
Passersby only spared a glance before hastily quickening their pace, afraid to get caught up in the matter.
"I know you're a ghost envoy, one who walks between the realms of yin and yang. I know the tricks you pull—passing off soul-severing soup as herbal tea to fool others."
"Don't try any of those petty games with me. I might lose patience and send you down for real. This time, you won't be coming back."
Chu Yang's icy tone was so chilling it could freeze the marrow.
Realizing this stranger knew all his secrets, Zhao Wuyan instantly understood he'd messed with someone far beyond his league. Without another word, he obediently led them toward the inn.
No sooner had Chu Yang stepped inside than Zhao Wuyan started mouthing off again.
"You'd better pray we don't meet down below! Or you're dead meat!"
With that threat tossed out, Zhao Wuyan vanished from sight.
Lin Yueru and Tang Xuejian were furious, stomping their feet in anger.
"That scumbag! You better pray you don't run into me down there!" Tang Xuejian shouted. "Or I'll beat your teeth out!"
Lin Yueru joined in, shouting her own insults.
Their loud voices drew the attention of the innkeeper, Aunt Ma—a chubby, cheerful woman who walked over with a smile.
"From the sound of it, I'm guessing Zhao Wuyan didn't manage to swindle anything from you folks. That man's conned more than a few guests in years past!"
Aunt Ma sighed. "Most of the people who want to go to the underworld are pitiful souls who just can't let go—especially love-struck fools and heartsick women. Just hearing their stories is enough to make your heart ache. I don't know how that bastard Zhao Wuyan can stomach preying on them!"
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