In the Songshan villa of the Wang family, Ning Buwei lounged on a couch, leisurely browsing through Wang Zizhuo’s private collection of picture books.
“Young Master, Young Master Xie’s accommodations have been arranged. We will depart for Lundao Mountain early tomorrow morning,” Wang Zizhuo’s servant reported from outside the door. “The Seventeenth Young Master wishes to see you.”
Ning Buwei lazily yawned and casually flipped the indecent picture book face-down on the table. “Let him in.”
To his surprise, this Seventeenth Young Master turned out to be Wang Haoxuan, who had previously tried to snatch the Purple Flame Knife in the Yumian Mountain secret realm.
This Wang Haoxuan was the seventeenth son of the Wang family patriarch, Wang Bin. His cultivation was not low, but due to his concubine-born status, he had always been overshadowed by Wang Zizhuo. Upon closer inspection, this person bore a five or six-tenths resemblance to Wang Zizhuo, with sharp features and sunken eyes, exuding an air of malice from within.
“Elder Brother, Ning Buwei stole the Zhenlong Chess and Heavenly Wave Ruler from the Purple Mansion Secret Realm in Yumian Mountain. Even the Purple Flame Knife has gone missing. He even fell out with the Canghai Tower, and even killed Yirong…” Wang Haoxuan observed his expression carefully. “Somehow the news leaked, and now the Cui family has suddenly interfered. When we go to the Dao Discussion Conference, how shall we explain this to Father?”
Ning Buwei gave him an indifferent glance. “Naturally, we’ll report the truth – that you lot are a bunch of useless failures who can’t accomplish anything but can ruin everything.”
A flash of resentment crossed Wang Haoxuan’s face, but he forcibly suppressed it. “I’m afraid this might implicate Elder Brother—”
“Is there anything else?” Ning Buwei impatiently interrupted him.
Wang Haoxuan probed, “Is that Young Master Xie sent by the ‘Respected Lord’?”
Ning Buwei narrowed his eyes and countered, “What do you think?”
Wang Haoxuan stepped closer and asked, “Does Elder Brother remember the green worm given by the ‘Respected Lord’?”
Ning Buwei had no idea but just stared at him with an ambiguous expression. Sure enough, Wang Haoxuan continued, “Two days ago, the Wanxuan Academy and Chongzheng Alliance jointly issued a notice to all major sects and families in the seventeen states. They said they discovered an unknown type of parasitic worm. From ordinary people to minor and major cultivators, once infected by this worm, they remain completely unaware. It can drain one’s cultivation and even lurk in the sea of consciousness, inducing demon hearts…”
“The worm described in that notice looks very similar to the green worm left by that ‘Respected Lord’. Elder Brother should be careful,” Wang Haoxuan warned.
Ning Buwei waved his hand impatiently. “I know.”
Wang Haoxuan smiled, “Then I’ll take my leave.”
After closing the door, the smile disappeared from Wang Haoxuan’s face. Wang Zizhuo was such a coward and fool. With a little sowing of discord, he would surely cause a big scene. When he angered Father, he could take the opportunity to connect with that Respected Lord…
Inside the room, Ning Buwei pulled the half-dead Wang Zizhuo out of the Heavenly Wave Ruler. “Where is the green worm that person gave you?”
Wang Zizhuo obediently took out a transparent bottle from his storage ring. Inside was a fingernail-sized green worm, looking weak and listless. “He gave this to me half a year ago, saying it could be used to save my life at a critical moment.”
Ning Buwei picked up the bottle and examined it carefully. “How do you use it?”
Here is the English translation of the continuation:
“Of course it’s—” Wang Zizhuo suddenly sprang up, smashing the bottle. The green worm inside instantly transformed into a beam of light, trying to burrow into Ning Buwei’s brow. However, it was swiftly smacked onto the table by a lustrous jade ruler.
Ning Buwei picked up the half-dead green worm and walked over to the ashen-faced Wang Zizhuo. “Since you’re so eager to tell me, why don’t you try it yourself?”
Wang Zizhuo retreated abruptly, his expression terrified. “No, no! Please don’t!”
Ning Buwei smiled, curling his lip. “Don’t worry. It merely enters your sea of consciousness, spreads countless eggs throughout your flesh, drains your cultivation, then burrows out from under your skin, countless and dense, the pain of ten thousand ants gnawing at your heart—”
With his cultivation sealed by Chu Jun, Wang Zizhuo was powerless to resist. As he watched the green worm gradually approach, he gasped and fainted.
Ning Buwei: “……”
He tossed Wang Zizhuo back into the Heavenly Wave Ruler and lowered his gaze to the green worm pinched between his fingers. This must be the parasitic worm Chu Jun had mentioned earlier. It was perfect for a thorough study tonight, as he had nothing else to do.
He drew an array on the table with blood and tossed the little green worm inside. He took out a piece of the Suzaku knife and sharpened it, then swiftly dissected the worm. Surprisingly, the worm’s body contained over a hundred large and small arrays, all interconnected like a maze, incredibly intricate.
Ning Buwei’s interest was immediately piqued. He abandoned the mildly interesting dual cultivation picture book and began studying how to unravel the hundred arrays within the worm.
Candle tears fell as the night passed sleeplessly.
As dawn broke outside, a servant came to knock on the door. “Young Master, it’s time for us to depart for Lundao Mountain.”
Ning Buwei copied down the one-third of the array he had deciphered and placed it, along with the worm’s corpse, into a porcelain bottle. He casually wiped away the blood array on the table. His gaze swept over the face-down picture book, and after a moment’s hesitation, he stuffed it into his sleeve. “Is Young Master Xie awake?”
“Young Master Xie is already waiting by the carriage.”
The Wang family, being extremely wealthy and influential, along with the Sang family of the Canghai Tower, almost monopolized all profitable businesses across the seventeen states. Naturally, their travel accommodations were nothing short of extravagant.
As soon as Ning Buwei stepped out, he saw three silver fire phoenix-drawn chariots. These mature silver fire phoenixes were large and powerful, with sleek bodies and fire-red feathers that shimmered brilliantly. Their phoenix tails trailed in the air like falling silver stars, a spectacular sight. The carriage was adorned with colorful ribbons and jade stones that clinked melodiously, surrounded by wisps of spiritual energy and auspicious clouds. A massive night pearl was embedded in the front of the carriage, emitting a soft, lustrous glow.
It was as flamboyant as could be, almost blinding Ning Buwei’s sleepless eyes.
Xie Jiu was standing in front of the carriage. Seeing him emerge, he nodded slightly. “Young Master Wang has excellent taste.”
Ning Buwei’s mouth twitched, but he managed to put on a proud expression and smiled. “You flatter me. Please, Young Master Xie.”
The glittering phoenix-drawn carriage soared into the clouds.
Seated opposite him, Xie Jiu said, “Young Master Wang didn’t sleep well last night?”
Ning Buwei replied sheepishly, “The affair at the Yumian Mountain secret realm wasn’t handled well. I fear Father will hold me accountable. I tossed and turned all night, unable to come up with a good explanation.”
“Young Master Wang need not worry,” Xie Jiu looked at him. “As long as the matters at the Dao Discussion Conference are handled well, the Wang family patriarch naturally won’t blame you.”
Ning Buwei sighed, “Young Master Xie is tight-lipped, but I can’t help feeling unsure.”
Seeing his distracted state, Xie Jiu assumed he was being overly cautious and said, “Has Young Master Wang heard of the Soul-Calming Flowing Clouds of the Sang family from Canghai Tower?”
Ning Buwei recalled the waist token Sang Yun had given him and his eyebrows twitched slightly. “I’ve heard of it, but never seen it.”
“With Canghai Tower hosting the Dao Discussion Conference on Lundao Mountain, gathering disciples from all major sects and families, and Sang Xuanqing of Canghai Tower still recovering from severe injuries, the disciples below are openly and secretly vying for power while managing the conference. This is when their defenses are at their weakest,” Xie Jiu said. “Your most important task this time is to get your hands on the Soul-Calming Flowing Clouds.”
Ning Buwei nodded, “Is there anything else you want me to do?”
Xie Jiu’s eyes narrowed slightly, “I have my own arrangements for other matters.”
Ning Buwei agreed verbally, but inwardly he had his own considerations.
Clearly, Xie Jiu didn’t trust Wang Zizhuo much, or rather, that “Respected Lord” didn’t trust the Wang family much. Their relationship with the Wang family seemed more like a mutually beneficial cooperation.
As for what Xie Jiu really wanted to do, he could only wait until they reached Lundao Mountain to observe quietly. However—
Ning Buwei was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Does Young Master Xie know anyone from the Cui family?”
Xie Jiu opened his eyes and looked at him, his expression unreadable. “People from the Cui family?”
“Ah, the Yumian Mountain secret realm was originally only to be shared between our Wang family and the Sang family of Canghai Tower. But the Cui family suddenly appeared and interfered. I’m really upset about it,” Ning Buwei appeared angry on the surface, but his gaze didn’t miss a single reaction from Xie Jiu. “If Young Master Xie knows anyone from the Cui family, I’d trouble you to help make a connection. I want to see who exactly leaked the information.”
Xie Jiu replied calmly, “I don’t know anyone from the Cui family.”
“That’s truly a shame,” Ning Buwei sighed. “Yesterday, I saw Young Master Xie so engrossed in the story, I thought you might know them.”
Xie Jiu smiled slightly, “As Young Master Wang said, it’s just a story.”
****
Yumian Mountain.
Cui Yuanbai, holding Chu Jun’s hand as they walked forward, suddenly said, “Father, there’s a lot of black energy on your shoulders.”
“Mm.” Chu Jun looked down at him. “Are you scared?”
“I’m not scared,” Cui Yuanbai shook his head. “But it looks very painful.”
“It doesn’t hurt,” Chu Jun said nonchalantly.
Cui Yuanbai looked worried, “This black energy is dirty. Father, let me burn it off for you?”
Chu Jun: “…No need.”
The Purple Flame True Fire could incinerate flesh, dissolve bones, and destroy souls. It could burn his shell to ashes.
After the father and son walked for another quarter of an hour, Chu Jun stopped and looked at the flying ship hovering in mid-air at the foot of the mountain.
This flying ship was over twenty zhang long and over ten zhang wide, with three levels, six masts with six sails, powered by thousands of spirit stones, and led by a red-crowned crane piercing through clouds. The ship was carved with the emblem of Wanxuan Academy, and the laughter of young people could be heard from aboard.
A mystic staircase extended down from the ship, and a person wearing deep red elder robes came down to greet Chu Jun. “Venerable, the Academy Head is waiting for you upstairs.”
Chu Jun brought Cui Yuanbai onto the flying ship. The lower two levels were filled with students wearing vermilion disciple robes. The adolescents, at the peak of their curiosity, stared at them inquisitively, only to be glared back into place by the elders nearby, creating quite a commotion.
Arriving at the topmost level, the doors slowly opened. The elder who led the way said, “Venerable, please enter.”
Cui Yuanbai tightly grasped his hand and looked into the room. He saw a young man in a moon-white robe with a jade crown brewing tea. By the window was a small cradle, and a girl who looked about eighteen or nineteen was holding a wooden puppet, bending over the cradle and saying something, eliciting joyful laughter from the child inside.
On a couch on the other side, two people were playing chess. One had a beard and a calm demeanor, while the other— Cui Yuanbai’s eyes widened as he looked at the Chu Jun holding his hand, then at the white-robed immortal playing chess. “Father, that person looks exactly like you!”
The door behind them slammed shut with a “bang”, and the person holding his hand fell silent, even his breathing disappearing.
As the divine consciousness merged back into one, Chu Jun placed a chess piece and looked at Cui Yuanbai, who was so shocked he was about to transform into a knife. “Yuanbai, come here.”
He waved his sleeve, storing the white-robed shell in his storage ring.
Cui Yuanbai looked terrified.
Hao Zheng laughed heartily, “See? I told you it would scare him.”
Feng Zizhang put the teapot on the table and walked over to Cui Yuanbai, smiling. “Don’t be afraid. The one who’s been with you was the Venerable’s divided body shell.”
Cui Yuanbai looked at him warily.
Jiang Yizheng carried Ning Xiu over to him. “You must be Huanhuan, right? The Venerable told us about you. From now on, you’re our little brother. This is Xiao Shan.”
She waved Ning Xiu’s little hand at Cui Yuanbai.
Ning Xiu had just woken up and wasn’t fully alert yet. He nestled into Jiang Yizheng’s arms, making baby noises. “Ah~ Wu~”
Sister~ Sleepy~
He was completely uninterested in the new family member.
Hao Zheng stroked his beard and said slowly, “You didn’t tell Yuanbai there were three more children at home?”
Chu Jun: “……”
He had been busy suppressing the evil energy all the way, only thinking about quickly returning to seal that body shell. He had completely forgotten about this.
Chu Jun rose from the couch and walked over to Cui Yuanbai, extending his hand. “I didn’t consider everything thoroughly and forgot to tell you. They are your older brother and sister, and your younger brother.”
Seeing Chu Jun’s familiar expression, Cui Yuanbai grabbed his hand and hid behind him.
“Ah~” Ning Xiu, held by Jiang Yizheng, reached out towards Chu Jun. “Ah!”
Mother~ Hold!
Chu Jun stretched out his hand to hug him. Ning Xiu kicked his legs, “Huh? Ah~ Oh!”
Where’s Father? I miss Father so much~ Mother, take me to find Father!
He had laboriously said a long string of words, but Chu Jun just smiled faintly, “Hungry?”
Ning Xiu angrily clenched his little fists, “Ah!”
I want Father!
Cui Yuanbai hugged Chu Jun’s leg, hiding behind his wide robe. Suddenly, something tugged at the back of his clothes. He looked down and saw a chubby, round yellow puppy wagging its tail at him, “Woof!”
Cui Yuanbai’s face turned pale. He quickly jumped up and clung to Chu Jun’s belt, his voice trembling. “Father! There’s a dog!”
“Wah!” Ning Xiu heard “father” and turned around in circles but still couldn’t find Ning Buwei. He got so upset that he burst into tears with a “Wah!”
I want Father!
“Woof woof!” Big Yellow stuck out its tongue and barked at Cui Yuanbai who was hanging on Chu Jun, its tail wagging furiously, “Woof woof!”
Feng Zizhang hurriedly picked up the puppy and said kindly, “Don’t be afraid, Huanhuan. It doesn’t bite.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the puppy’s head suddenly grew large and engulfed his head.
Cui Yuanbai: “!!”
Feng Zizhang, while pulling at the dog’s head, spoke muffledly from inside its mouth, “Unexpected…mmph, it might be particularly excited to see you today—”
Jiang Yizheng frantically grabbed Big Yellow by the scruff of its neck, using great force but afraid of pulling off Feng Zizhang’s head as well. She gritted her teeth and said, “Big Yellow, be good! Turn back quickly!”
Venerable Jinghe was holding a loudly crying baby in his arms, with a panicked and trembling child hanging on his waist, and his foot had just been stepped on by Feng Zizhang who was pulling at the dog’s head. Amidst the unceasing cries, shouts, and barks, he woodenly snapped his fingers, and suddenly both the dog and the people froze.
The entire room fell silent in an instant.
Hao Zheng unhurriedly placed a piece on the chessboard, smiling at him, “Oh my, I’ve won this round.”
Chu Jun: “……”
Hao Zheng teased, “Is the path of tranquility easy to cultivate?”
Chu Jun looked at the group of children and the dog hair all over the floor, and let out a long sigh.
