Ye Huaiyao, naturally, had no idea that the other party involved was listening nearby. What had happened between him and the Beicang Demon Lord was truly both absurd and humiliating. In all his two lifetimes combined, he had never experienced anything like it, and he did not even want to mention it.
More importantly, immediately after that incident, he had encountered danger, been reduced in size and lost his memory, leaving him unable to investigate in time. Even now, he was still completely at a loss as to the reasons behind it, and had no idea how much Rong Wang had known of the circumstances at the time.
Hearing his fellow disciples discussing the matter, he tried his best to appear as though nothing was amiss and pondered aloud, “Rong Wang, that person—”
Rong Wang quietly held his breath, one hand unconsciously smoothing down his clothes.
Ye Huaiyao gathered his thoughts before saying, “He has never acted according to convention. His moods are unpredictable. Sometimes he is cold and ruthless, sometimes gentle and soft-spoken. He certainly cannot be considered a good person, but neither is he the irredeemable villain described in the rumours. Even before we fell out, I never managed to fathom his temperament.”
He paused, then summed it up. “In short, Rong Wang does many things as he pleases, but he would never resort to underhanded attacks. This accident should have nothing to do with him.”
He Zhanyang had always been on the front line when it came to criticising Rong Wang, so he immediately said, “From the way you describe him, he really does sound completely unhinged. How do you know he did not suddenly lose his head, deciding to harm you and then save you at the same time, for no reason whatsoever…”
Rong Wang rolled his eyes at him from behind.
Sometimes he even wondered whether this dragon was, in fact, a rope that had gained sentience. He was that stupid.
Before He Zhanyang could finish speaking, he inexplicably choked on his own words. He therefore stopped, glanced around, and picked up the teacup from Ye Huaiyao’s bedside table.
Seeing that he seemed to want a drink, Ye Huaiyao reached for the teapot and said, “That’s what I left over. There should still be fresh tea in the pot.”
He Zhanyang laughed. “What’s there to worry about? I ate plenty of your leftovers when we were children.”
Carefree as ever, he simply tipped the remaining half-cup of tea down his throat. But Ye Huaiyao’s fingertips also touched the teapot. The brief contact made him pause slightly, though only for an instant, and his expression soon returned to normal.
He continued from where He Zhanyang had left off. “Rong Wang is an extremely proud man. Even if he wanted to kill me, he would not resort to this sort of covert scheming. Of that much, I am certain.”
Rong Wang’s gaze also withdrew from the teapot. The thoughtful look in his eyes shifted, and the faint trace of hostility that had just begun to gather dissipated in an instant at Ye Huaiyao’s words.
He Zhanyang was very willing to listen to Ye Huaiyao, so he no longer argued. “Although you are safe now, we still need to investigate thoroughly who tampered with things and what means they used. We must track them down, so that they do not become a hidden danger.”
Ye Huaiyao sighed. “Yes. Eighteen years have passed. I wonder whether there are any clues left.”
Yan Chen patted Ye Huaiyao on the head and asked, “Are you feeling unwell anywhere else?”
Ye Huaiyao had just shaken his head when Guan Wanqiong chimed in as well. “That’s right, Shixiong. You only said that you suddenly felt unwell at the time, but where exactly were you unwell? A sudden surge of qi, accelerated blood flow, or pain in your waist, head or legs? There must have been something specific. Tell us in more detail.”
Ye Huaiyao: “…”
He already had a guilty conscience. If Guan Wanqiong had not mentioned waist pain, headaches and leg pain, it would have been one thing, but hearing her say it only brought some rather unpleasant memories to mind. He waved a hand and said, “No, really. I have forgotten everything.”
Ye Huaiyao had always had an exceptionally good temper. His shidis and shimeis had never once seen him fly into a rage. Only Yan Chen vaguely sensed his shidi’s reluctance.
Naturally, he could never imagine that anything else had happened between the two of them. He merely guessed that Ye Huaiyao had suffered such a rare and humiliating defeat that he was too ashamed to talk about it.
Yan Chen said, “All right, Wanqiong. Stop pestering your shixiong with all these questions. I have something else to say.”
As soon as he spoke, the others naturally fell silent. Ye Huaiyao quietly breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Yan Chen say, “I was thinking, now that A-Yao has returned safely, what about the Beicang Demon Lord?”
He continued slowly, “That man is unfathomable, and his origins are shrouded in mystery. Could it be that he has not actually died either?”
Yan Chen had been trying to extricate Ye Huaiyao from an awkward situation, but what he said was indeed a crucial question.
Ye Huaiyao also felt that this possibility was very high. He was just about to answer when the light around them suddenly dimmed, and in an instant, broad daylight turned into night.
Only moments ago, the sun had been shining brightly. The sudden change caught everyone by surprise, and they all froze. Ye Huaiyao was the first to react, his voice low and grave. “It’s demonic energy!”
This was truly beyond anyone’s expectations. This was a branch headquarters of the Xuantian Tower. Although it could not compare with the abundant spiritual energy of Xieyu Mountain, the site itself had been painstakingly selected as a place of exceptional geomantic power. Not to mention that protective formations had been established all around it. It could be said to have layer upon layer of safeguards.
If demonic energy could still penetrate under such circumstances, one could only imagine just how immense the force behind it was.
—What on earth had happened outside?
Yan Chen’s gaze sharpened. With a sidestep, he moved in front of Ye Huaiyao, his right palm held flat as a beam of white light shot forth and raised a protective barrier around them.
At the same time, He Zhanyang and Guan Wanqiong both drew their long swords. They were of one mind, concerned about Ye Huaiyao’s poor health and determined to protect him first should anything happen.
Yet Ye Huaiyao had already risen from the bedside. He placed one hand on He Zhanyang’s shoulder and said quickly:
“Don’t worry about me. This demonic energy is not here to attack. Zhanyang, Wanqiong, the two of you go outside and see what is happening. Have the guards at every part of the branch headquarters perform their respective duties. No rash action. Shijie, Zhao-shixiong, Wu-shixiong, please take some people and inspect all the surrounding formations to see whether there are any breaks. Be sure to travel in groups.”
He paused briefly before adding, “The rest of you, take more people and hurry into the city to investigate the extent of the demonic energy’s spread. Make absolutely certain that the ordinary people are safe.”
The Xuantian Tower was not particularly strict in its day-to-day rules, and the brothers and sisters had long been accustomed to treating one another without much regard for seniority. But when it came to serious matters, an order was an order. Hearing the Illustrious Sage’s instructions, everyone answered in unison and went out to get to work.
Yan Chen remained silent, concentrating his strength as he expanded the barrier once more, using the immense power of a Law Sage to protect everyone within it. Having finished giving his instructions, Ye Huaiyao swept his gaze around the room and once again saw Rong Wang standing by the window. He called to him, “A-Nan, don’t stand there. It’s not safe beneath the window. Come over here.”
The moment Ye Huaiyao spoke, Rong Wang glanced at him and immediately strode over. This time, he did not hesitate at all. He took Ye Huaiyao’s hand in one firm grasp, steadying him as he asked, “Where are you feeling unwell?”
His voice sounded as though he were extremely anxious and concerned. That strange, inexplicable feeling rose in Ye Huaiyao’s heart once more, and he turned his eyes towards Rong Wang.
He saw that the tips of the other’s ears were faintly red, and his eyes were filled with concern. Yet when their gazes met, he obediently looked away.
Seen this way, the man seemed almost no different from the shy and timid child he had been before. At the very least, these minute emotions he displayed were absolutely impossible to fake.
Ye Huaiyao’s thoughts raced through countless possibilities, but in the end, all he said was, “It’s nothing.”
On the other side, Yan Chen had heard Rong Wang’s question and was likewise concerned, so he immediately came over.
Without paying attention to anything else, he went straight to check Ye Huaiyao’s condition.
Rong Wang immediately sensed Yan Chen’s hand reaching towards him, intending to take Ye Huaiyao from his arms. His hands tightened, and a fierce glint flashed through his eyes. For that instant, he looked like a ravenous wolf whose prey was being snatched away, as though the next moment he would lunge forward and tear out his opponent’s throat.
But it lasted only an instant. His innate ferocity and wildness had long since been tempered into a hypocritical smoothness by countless years of restraint. In the blink of an eye, he silently loosened his grip, took a step back, and revealed not the slightest sign that anything was amiss.
Yan Chen put an arm around Ye Huaiyao and helped him sit down, sending a little spiritual energy into him. Frowning, he asked, “Were you affected by the demonic energy?”
Ye Huaiyao smiled. “I’m fine. I was simply unlucky with where I happened to be sitting.”
Of all the people in the room just now, he alone had been sitting on the bed. As luck would have it, the demonic energy had first burst in through the window behind the bed, so Ye Huaiyao had naturally borne the brunt of it.
He had been afraid that if he showed any sign of discomfort, everyone would become alarmed and fuss over him unnecessarily, so he had endured it without saying anything. His attempt to conceal his discomfort had fooled everyone else, but Rong Wang had seen through it at a glance.
Yan Chen thought the young man was remarkably perceptive. After confirming that Ye Huaiyao was unharmed, he thanked Rong Wang.
Rong Wang replied softly, “You are too kind,” then found himself a place to sit. His eyelashes hung slightly lowered, his expression calm and composed.
To call him timid and shy, yet he dared to sit there calmly in the presence of the Illustrious Sage and the Law Sage, seemingly taking it entirely for granted. To call him arrogant and ignorant, yet his words and actions were so often perfectly judged.
This man was truly the sort who became more intriguing the more closely one examined him.
Before long, there was a knock at the door from outside. Yan Chen said, “Come in,” and He Zhanyang strode in hurriedly.
After hastily saluting Yan Chen and Ye Huaiyao, he went straight to the point. “My two shixiongs, the Beicang Demon Lord is about to be resurrected!”
Rong Wang remained seated, as steady and silent as a shadow.
Ye Huaiyao and Yan Chen exchanged a glance. Neither had expected that, having only just mentioned the matter, the Beicang Demon Lord would appear so quickly.
However, now that the Illustrious Sage had already returned, the Demon Lord’s resurrection did not seem particularly surprising.
Ye Huaiyao asked, “What do you mean by ‘about to’ be resurrected?”
He Zhanyang replied, “Just now, an urgent report came through from the branch in the Western Desert. It said that the demonic zheng* in Youmeng Palace suddenly began playing by itself, and ten thousand flowers bloomed. It is a spectacle that has never occurred since Beicang’s death. As for what is happening inside Youmeng Palace, it is difficult to find out for the time being, but Han-shixiong just cast a divination. The hexagram showed that on the sixth day of next month, a great demon will descend upon the world.”
(*TN: also known as “guzheng”, it is a type of Chinese zither with 21 strings)
There was no greater demon in this world than Rong Wang. What was more, Youmeng Palace was located within the Li Hentian domain, precisely where the Beicang Demon Lord resided. It seemed that the matter was now set in stone, beyond all doubt.
Because of Yan Chen’s barrier, the demonic energy could no longer brazenly invade and assail them, but all of them could sense the profound and terrifying power contained within it.
Rong Wang cast a glance out of the window, while Ye Huaiyao finally smiled and said, “What a grand entrance.”
He Zhanyang said, “But if he is to be resurrected, he still needs a body. Back then, Master Xuanyi was able to find Shixiong in the snow, so why was Beicang nowhere to be found?”
Ye Huaiyao gave a brief explanation. “He is a demon. His body can be formed from demonic energy, which is different from a true body of flesh and blood.”
Yan Chen listened to the exchange between the two and was just about to speak when a sudden, shrill whistle came from outside the window.
It was the warning signal of a magical artefact belonging to the Xuantian Tower. Everyone in the room immediately tensed and rushed outside.
Amid the confusion, Ye Huaiyao reached out and patted Rong Wang on the shoulder, instructing him, “Stay here and hide properly. Don’t wander about, and don’t be afraid.”
Rong Wang obediently nodded without saying anything. Ye Huaiyao’s figure flickered, and he too had already left the room.
The three of them left the courtyard where they were staying, turned through two corridors and arrived behind a pavilion in the middle of a lake. In the open space before the pavilion, a huge silver lotus scripture wheel with twelve pillars was spinning brilliantly.
As the scripture wheel turned, Buddhist chanting rang out, golden light burst forth, and images of lotus blossoms bloomed in mid-air, dispelling the continuous stream of demonic energy pouring in from the surroundings.
Golden shadows and demonic light intertwined in combat. From time to time, specks of light came fluttering down. Had one been unaware of the danger concealed within, it would have seemed an extraordinarily beautiful and wondrous sight.
This scripture wheel was the core of the formation, as well as the most prized treasure guarding the entrance of this branch headquarters. The shrill whistle just now had also come from here.
The formation core was already teetering on the verge of collapse, so naturally the surrounding protective formations were in no better condition. Ye Huaiyao arrived a little later than the others. Seeing Yan Chen repairing the formation, he went straight to the front of the scripture wheel to inspect the situation.
Several disciples from the branch were startled by his sudden appearance and hurried over to stop him. The leader, his face covered in sweat, said, “Illustrious Sage, please be careful. If there is anything you need done, please give the order to your subordinates.”
Ye Huaiyao asked, “What happened?”
The man bowed and said, “I deserve death for my failure. I mishandled the formation, causing demonic energy to invade the formation core. It has become entangled around… the scripture pillars.”
The silver lotus scripture wheel kept turning, drawing forth a continuous radiance of holy light to drive away the demonic energy. As the core of the formation, it should never have come into direct contact with demonic energy.
Yet, following the subordinate’s indication, Ye Huaiyao discovered that several wisps of demonic energy had somehow become entangled around the scripture pillars, and cracks had already appeared on the scripture wheel.
In a formation, it did not matter if some other part was damaged. But if something went wrong with the formation core, that was a matter of life and death. Had Yan Chen not possessed such exquisite cultivation and used a barrier to support it from the side, the entire silver lotus scripture wheel would likely have exploded.
Ye Huaiyao saw that several people in front were still channelling spiritual energy, attempting to dissolve the few wisps of demonic energy. However, they were caught between a rock and a hard place, afraid that they might instead damage the scripture wheel, so they did not dare exert too much force. Naturally, their efforts were extremely inefficient.
Ye Huaiyao understood the situation, walked over and patted the shoulder of one of the people who looked to be struggling the most, saying, “Step back. Let me handle this.”
The man was already bearing an immense amount of pressure, to the extent that he was probably on the verge of vomiting blood if he opened his mouth to speak. Yet when Ye Huaiyao gave him what seemed like a light, casual pat, he felt an incomparably gentle surge of spiritual energy pass through his shoulder, instantly clearing the suffocating pressure in his chest.
Immediately afterwards, a burst of force issued from Ye Huaiyao’s palm, and the man was sent stumbling backwards.
The man turned around and, seeing that it was the Illustrious Sage who had come to his aid, was both terrified and honoured. He hurriedly said, “Thank you, Illustrious Sage.”
The others also released their grip at Ye Huaiyao’s indication, but seeing his slight and delicate appearance, they were still somewhat uneasy. “Illustrious Sage, it’s dangerous here…”
Ye Huaiyao smiled. “I’m here. It’s fine.”
He was still smiling and speaking with easy composure, but in the very next instant, as everyone withdrew simultaneously, Ye Huaiyao flicked his fingers, his folding fan unfurling as a rainbow-like sword light shot through the air.
His folding fan was the transformed form of the Illustrious Sage’s sword, Floating Rainbow. True to its name, the moment it revealed its true form, light shifted and shadows moved, its radiance flowing and exquisite, giving one the fleeting impression of time rushing onwards and the boundless vastness of heaven and earth.
The sword’s edge was like the first cherry blossom to bloom upon a tender green branch in February, precise and graceful as it pierced through the scripture wheel, striking squarely at the black aura that refused to disperse. In an instant, brilliance erupted and the demonic aura was completely dispelled.
The scripture wheel began turning once more. Faint Buddhist chanting drifted through the air, lotus petals fluttered down, and one by one, all beings were delivered towards enlightenment.
This sword was one of the techniques Ye Huaiyao had created himself, named “A Sigh in the Spring Breeze”.
Ye Huaiyao’s move caused everyone around him to look on in astonishment. Seeing his elegant bearing and graceful composure, they had originally assumed that the Law Sage and the Illustrious Sage were perhaps one adept at civil matters and the other at martial ones, and that the Illustrious Sage’s strengths lay in strategy, while his martial prowess might not necessarily be anything remarkable.
Yet this sword strike was both beautiful and powerful, breathtaking in every respect.
The crisis had passed, and there was no need for Ye Huaiyao to concern himself with what remained. He casually instructed his subordinates to continue repairing the formation, then turned and returned to his room to meditate and recover his strength.
Before long, his fellow senior and junior disciples also returned one after another.
Guan Wanqiong entered last and immediately said, “Something isn’t right.”
Han Caiheng said, “Shimei, do you mean that the demonic energy was too powerful?”
Guan Wanqiong said, “Just now, Snake-shixiong and I…”
He Zhanyang snapped angrily, “You little brat, I’m a dragon!”
Guan Wanqiong ignored him. “Snake-shixiong and I took people out to check on the ordinary people in the city, and we found absolutely nothing unusual. This demonic energy came directly for the branch headquarters. Yet it didn’t attack anyone. Why would that be?”
Han Caiheng also said, “Shimei has a point. Li Hentian is a thousand li from our side. No matter how overwhelmingly powerful the Beicang Demon Lord is, he couldn’t possibly sweep across the entire area within a thousand li with demonic energy before he had even been resurrected. If he could, the people in this city would probably already be dead.”
Yan Chen said, “There must be something here that has attracted the demonic energy.”
Han Caiheng said, “My two shixiongs, should we conduct a thorough inspection of everyone at the entire branch headquarters and see whether anyone is showing any unusual signs?”
He was not suggesting that any particular brother was suspicious. He was merely concerned that a demonic creature might have infiltrated their midst, and such an inspection was necessary.
