Chapter 117

Lan Chui Han was sealed in the ice for a few days, and when he woke up, he was not seriously hurt except for his weak body. When he learned that Zhong Kui had handed over his Qingfeng Sword because of him, he was very ashamed and said with an ashen face, "Junior is incompetent and held back Heaven Master."

"Your defeat at the hands of Qi Meng Sheng is no disgrace." Zhong Kui said soothingly, "She hasn't been in the Central Plains for twenty or thirty years, but I didn't expect she was this powerful already."

Xie Bi An looked at Lan Chui Han's sickly pale face. Apart from the physical discomfort, it should be more of humiliation and unwillingness. Lan Chui Han came from a privileged background and has natural great talents, even his appearance is outstanding. Winning the championship at Jiaolong Assembly at the age of fifteen, and before twenty years old, he had a divine sword forged by the Shen Nong Ding that everyone aspires to have. He is a person with outstanding talent among his peers, not to mention the fact that many people who have devoted their entire lives to cultivation may not be as good as him. He had a smooth life and never suffered such a defeat since he was a child, and to be frozen in ice like an object as a hostage was simply a lifelong shame.

But being defeated by Qi Meng Sheng, indeed cannot be called incompetent.

Everyone in the world respects Zhong Kui as the "Number One Man in the World" because of the Eastern Emperor's Bell. Other than their reverence for this divine object, which was the first of the four ancient magical treasures, it’s also because of their respect for his contribution to the peace of the mortal and ghost realms by giving up his selfish desires. In terms of cultivation, Zhong Kui indeed has top-notch roots, but in the path of immortality cultivation, there are no shortcuts if one follows the right path. What kind of genius is not backed by year after year, day after day of sweat? Great natural talent means higher enlightenment, which also determines the upper limit of a cultivator, but it doesn’t allow one to soar to the sky. The other three people who were also ranked as Immortal Lords had all trained for decades longer than Zhong Kui, and without the Eastern Emperor's Bell, it would have been surprising if Zhong Kui could have tied with them in a match.

Zhong Kui was still like this, let alone Lan Chui Han.

Xie Bi An couldn't bear to see him like this, so he spoke warmly and comforted him, "Brother Lan, Qi Meng Sheng's flesh is augmented by ice crystals, and her spiritual power is inexhaustible. I’m afraid in the whole immortal cultivation world, no one can defeat her. The most important thing is that you came back safely. Evil will not prevail, and with the combined efforts of all of us, we will be able to stop her.”

"But, from what father said, she has already obtained the Golden Trunk Jade Policy." Lan Chui Han glanced at his father.

Lan Zi Zhen sighed heavily.

"Mm, but that doesn't mean she can get the Absolute Human Emperor." Zhong Kui said, "Her flesh body has reached the end of its life, and now it's all relying on the ice crystal to hold her up. These two battles have worn her out a lot, so maybe she'll die first before she gets her way."

"That's why she wants to snatch the Seven Star Life-Sustaining Lamp." Lan Chui Han said in a deep voice, "And indirectly killed Immortal Xu."

At the mention of the Seven Star Life-Sustaining Lamp, the expressions of several people in the room were all a little odd.

Lan Zi Zhen looked at Zhong Kui for a moment, wanting to say something but then stopped.

Zhong Kui said, "There are no outsiders here, so if Pavilion Master Lan wants to ask, just ask."

Only Lan Zi Zhen saw that although he had taken Yun Xiang Yi and Hua Xiang Rong up to Mount Tai in exchange for hostages, it was Gong Shu Ju and something else that had actually exchanged his son back. That "something" was the same as the ice coffin that had sealed Lan Chui Han, but Gong Shu Ju had turned it into the size of the palm of his hand, with a person inside and seven tiny candle flames. Because the object was so small, he could barely make out that it was a man sealed inside, along with the Seven Star Life-Sustaining Lamp.

Qi Meng Sheng had gone to great lengths to have her disciple steal the Seven Star Lamp from Luojinwu. Instead of using it on her own ageing body, she had used it to sustain the life of a man.

Zhong Kui knew that he could not hide it from him, and he was afraid that he would become suspicious because of his concealment. At the same time, considering that the father and son of Xianyue Pavilion were the only force in the Immortal Alliance that he could rely on and trust, and that he still needed their assistance in many matters, he decided to confess to them.

After listening to the cause and effect, the Lan family’s father and son were really shocked.

"This ... this ..." Lan Zi Zhen said in dismay, "is too absurd."

"So, that person, although it is Cheng Yan Zhi's body, it is inhabited by Immortal Xu’s human soul?" Lan Chui Han said with some effort, "What died was Immortal Xu’s body, but was Cheng Yan Zhi's human soul."

"That’s right."

"Has such a thing ever happened in the Underworld?" Lan Chui Han frowned deeply, "Wouldn't that mess up the Book of Life and Death?"

"It is unheard of. From the Book of Life and Death, both of these people are actually dead."

Lan Zi Zhen lamented, "Zhu Ge Kong Ming* is worthy of being a once-in-a-thousand-year wonder to have created such a magical treasure. How could he have manipulated life and death if he hadn't calculated the mysterious principles of the heavenly path?"

"No one can truly manipulate life and death, otherwise he wouldn't have left behind the Wuzhang Plains*." Zhong Kui said, "But he did take a glimpse of the mysterious principles, even able to deceive the Book of Life and Death, which is truly terrifying."

"Why did Qi Meng Sheng do this? Does she still have feelings for Xu Zhi Nan?" Lan Zi Zhen was confused, "No ah, did she even know that the person in that body was Xu Zhi Nan? Is it Xu Zhi Nan or Cheng Yan Zhi that she wants to keep?"

Zhong Kui smiled bitterly, "I don't know. Cheng Yan Zhi said that Qi Meng Sheng was caught between the two, and that he didn't know who Qi Meng Sheng loved, or who she didn't care about. She only wanted to use them to obtain Emperor Kong Hua's golden core. Xu Zhi Nan told him that Qi Meng Sheng tried to assassinate Emperor Kong Hua once, but Xu Zhi Nan found out and stopped her. For the past hundred years, Qi Meng Sheng had been waiting for the reincarnation of the Human Emperor."

"Then I'm afraid her intention for keeping that body is not pure. It must be that he still can be utilized."

"We think so too." Xie Bi An said, "Whatever the purpose is, he is important to Qi Meng Sheng."

Lan Chui Han said in a deep voice, "We lost an important hostage, all because of me."

"Brother Lan, you should stop blaming yourself." Xie Bi An gripped his shoulders and exerted slight force, "It will be a great help to us if you can come back!"

Fan Wu She looked askance at Xie Bi An's hand, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.

After his reincarnation, because this body had not been immersed for a long time in the concentrated Yin energy brought about by the Heavenly Secret Talisman, his mind was clear, but his desire for exclusivity over this person had not diminished in the slightest, which meant that the person in front of him was his true demon in his heart.

"I will do my best to repay Heaven Master for saving my life." Lan Chui Han arched his hand towards Zhong Kui.

Zhong Kui said solemnly, "Not for me, but for the sake of the people."

Lan Chui Han nodded solemnly, "For the sake of the people."

"Then, what does the Heaven Master plan to do next?" Lan Zi Zhen unconsciously lowered his voice, "Alliance Master Li doesn't know about this yet, does he?"

"I don't know, and at the same time I hope you two can keep it a secret."

"Is it because ... Alliance Master Li has really eaten Emperor Ning Hua's core as Qi Meng Sheng said?" Lan Zi Zhen had a hesitant look on his face, "What if she is the one stirring up trouble?"

"Pavilion Master Lan, you should know that we were at Luojinwu when Immortal Xu died."

"I know."

"We went to Jingzhou because of this walking corpse’s matter at Diancang Peak." Zhong Kui briefly recounted what had happened, "The one who most likely had the motive to seal Emperor Ning Hua in Diancang Peak and dig up his core was Li Bu Yu, and now Qi Meng Sheng has confirmed our analysis."

Lan Zi Zhen gasped and fell silent.

Lan Chui Han is accommodating and thoughtful, a point he had inherited entirely from his own father. Xianyue Pavilion was founded by the grandfather of Lan Chui Han, the old Pavilion Master who started the Junlan Sword Technique, which rose rapidly in the post-Emperor Zong era. Though Lan Zi Zhen’s talent was not that great, he was extremely smart. He’s knowledgeable about the external and lawful about internal management. The Junlan Sword Technique built a solid foundation for Xianyue Pavilion. The wealth, connections and disciples that Lan Zi Zhen had accumulated for Xianyue Pavilion were the reasons why this new sect had become a famous sect in the immortal cultivation world in just a few decades. How could such a person choose the latter between Li Bu Yu and Zhong Kui if he did not have sufficient reasons to do so?

"Pavilion Master Lan, first, what I said is true. Zhao Wen and several elders of Chunyang Sect were present at that time. Second, I understand your concerns. How Emperor Ning Hua died, whether or not his core was eaten by Li Bu Yu cannot shake Li Bu Yu's position today. He is still the head of Wuliang Sect and the leader of the Immortal Alliance." Zhong Kui said in a deep voice, "But a person who ate a human core once will experience the transformation and taste the sweetness of greatly increasing one's cultivation level, will develop an addiction."

There was silence in the room.

Asking Dao and cultivating is a difficult, boring, lonely and painful journey. The vast majority of people gain very little rewards despite devoting their lives to it. It is like walking alone on a road with no visible end. Not knowing whether you will reach the other end of your heart's desire in this lifetime. At this time, if there is a fork in the road that can save years or even decades of time, who would not be tempted?

Having taken the shortcut, how could one go back to carry the weight?

According to what they knew about Core Stealing Demonic Cultivators, having eaten one human core, it was impossible to eat just one.

"Pavilion Master Lan, this is why we can't trust Li Bu Yu." Xie Bi An said softly, "Moreover, from Qi Meng Sheng’s words, in the era of Emperor Zong, they still share a secret. No one knows what conspiracy is behind it, so I hope that you and Brother Lan will keep today's matter a secret."

"Li Bu Yu drove the Zong clan to extinction at first, saying that he wanted to eradicate the remnants of the Supreme Demon's party, and now it seems that if he has also consumed the human core. He might have something to do with the Supreme Demon's biological father, so he wants to silence them."

"Han Er!" Lan Zi Zhen shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting without evidence?"

Lan Chui Han knew that he had slipped his tongue and lowered his head.

Fan Wu She said coldly, "Nonsense, Zong Zi Xiao never recognized Lu Zhao Feng as his father. Li Bu Yu killed the members of Zong Clan, what does it have to do with Lu Zhao Feng?"

Lan Chui Han was upright and frustrated, and would normally not argue with Fan Wu She, but at this moment he could not help but choke out, "What do you know? As if you have met Zong Zi Xiao."

Fan Wu She narrowed his eyes. If it’s in his previous life, just the fact that Xie Bi An and Lan Chui Han had a good friendship was enough for him to cut Lan Chui Han to pieces.

"Han Er, stop talking." Lan Zi Zhen said, "Heaven Master, I am grateful to you for the trust you have given us. I also swear here that what has been said in this room today will never be passed on. However, without solid evidence, we cannot casually convict Alliance Master Li. I will go and find Elder Zhao Wen and also keep an eye on Alliance Master Li and continue to look for evidence. If he is really a demonic cultivator who eats human cores, the immortal cultivation world will never tolerate him."

Zhong Kui arched his hand and said, "Pavilion Master Lan is a sensible man. I am going to take my disciples back to the Underworld to see if there is a way to find the reincarnation of the Human Emperor before Qi Meng Sheng. You guys wait for my news, I will be back as soon as possible."  

 

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Zhu Ge Kong Ming* [诸葛孔明] ---- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuge_Liang

Wuzhang Plains*[五丈原]--- are plateaus near the Wei River in China.

 

Edited on 21 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

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