Chapter 38: Could it be that storybooks are actually good things?!

His eyes were like glazed glass, and a thin silver mask concealed the better part of his face, accentuating a sharp, exquisite jawline. As his white hair stirred in the breeze, he appeared aloof and ethereal, as if a celestial being had descended to the mortal realm.

Of course, this was only true provided he did not open his mouth.

Luo Chen moved in a blur, flashing to Lingxi’s side in a few strides. He brushed aside her sleeves and reached out to probe her spiritual veins. A few seconds later, a genuine smile bloomed in his eyes, and he finally glanced at the other two wounded figures.

Baili Ze had only superficial wounds and a depletion of spiritual energy; there was nothing significantly wrong with him.

The other old monster, however, was wounded particularly severely, beyond any immediate hope of recovery.

"My thanks; you did well. However, there is no room for your wounds to recover for the time being. Perhaps you should try dying for a while."

Despite his words, Luo Chen reached out, his hand hovering above Zhong Yi’s head.

Spiritual energy, imbued with a golden glow, poured into the crown of Zhong Yi’s head. His complexion visibly improved, the cracks on his skin vanished, and his clenched fists slowly relaxed.

He put away his sword and sat cross-legged.

"Actually, there was no need to waste your spiritual energy. I am well aware of my own condition. Still, I thank you." Zhong Yi cupped his hands in a salute, his tone filled with sincere gratitude.

Luo Chen cast a spell with a wave of his hand. A ripple of spiritual energy swept over Zhong Yi’s clothes, washing away the bloodstains and restoring his black robes to their original state.

"Nothing to thank me for. Since you are going to die anyway, I thought I would grant you a decent exit. Those long cracks on your face were ugly as hell. You might not have felt them, but I found them an eyesore."

Lingxi: "..."

His mouth was beautiful, but his words were like poison.

Zhong Yi replied to Luo Chen with a faint smile, saying nothing more, his eyes lingering longingly upon the village.

He supposed this was his own way of falling leaves returning to their roots.

Intent on distracting Zhong Yi, Lingxi, feeling slightly better, reached out two fingers to tug at Luo Chen’s sleeve.

"Master, have you been standing there watching me the entire time?"

"What? Feeling aggrieved?" Luo Chen poked her forehead, a playful smile curling his lips.

"No, Master must have had his reasons. It’s just that my chest feels tight and a bit hot." Lingxi rubbed her chest, her dark, clear eyes gazing imploringly at Luo Chen.

"You, you... who told you to sneak down the mountain? Consider this a lesson, though it has also given you a chance to strengthen your abilities. In case I am not around one day, you will at least have the capacity to protect yourself." Luo Chen tapped her head lightly.

Lingxi stuck out her tongue. Her peripheral vision swept over the other two men, and the smile on her lips faded.

Noticing Lingxi’s puzzled gaze, Zhong Yi turned his head to glance at her before letting his eyes drift back to the village.

"Little fellow, your relationship with your master is quite good. I once had a good relationship with my own junior brother, too. But in our youthful arrogance, we insisted on competing to see who was superior. I left on a journey, and by the time I returned, my sect was gone, and he was no longer there. Later, I waited for him for a long time. When we finally met again, he asked me for directions, calling me 'elder brother'... and I knew then that there was no going back."

Before Lingxi could offer a retort, Luo Chen spoke first: "Your story is terribly cliché. Even when I write scripts, I don’t use plots like that. Besides, I don’t like stories without happy endings; do be a dear and change it."

Baili Ze nudged Lingxi and leaned toward her ear, lowering his voice. "Is that really your master? You, Junior Sister, look so elegant and dignified, but your master... er... never mind, it is not my place as a junior to gossip."

"What about him? You wouldn't be saying he’s improper, would you?" A languid voice drifted past his ear.

"You think so too!" Baili Ze blurted out, only to find a handsome face inches from his own, staring at him with a mischievous smile.

"A gentleman on the surface, but petty and jealous at heart—it’s quite a decent character archetype." Luo Chen nodded to himself, looking Baili Ze up and down. "A bit weak, but his face is passable."

Lingxi was long accustomed to Luo Chen’s occasional eccentricities. She continued her meditative breathing while responding to him.

The two chatted and laughed; aside from the peculiar topics, it could be described as a scene of a benevolent master and a happy disciple—literally laughing.

Baili Ze secretly pricked up his ears, his mouth twitching into a wavy line.

To think a master-disciple relationship could be like this, where they could say anything to each other. In his own subconscious, speaking with one’s master required poise and decorum; how could one discuss vulgar storybooks with a master?

He glanced at Lingxi, feeling a surge of doubt.

Could it be that there was something wrong with Ningjing Peak?

Could it be that storybooks weren't as exaggerated as the sect claimed, but were actually good things?!

...

Zhang Qi stood before a man-shaped crater as deep as a person, staring at it in a daze. How much power would it take to leave such an impression?

Li Yi approached belatedly and let out a "wow." "There’s no one inside, and yet to be in such a state... can they even still be alive?"

"They aren't alive. It is the aura of a 'Deathbed Flash.' Someone used a forbidden technique; it seems we are dealing with someone from inside our own Immortal Alliance."

"Tsk, tsk—looking at these chaotic signs of battle, the opponent’s swordsmanship was sharp indeed. I wonder what kind of monster they encountered." Li Yi squatted down, wiping away the dirt to examine the marks on the ground in detail.

"There is the aura of the Eye of the Demon God, so that explains it. That thing is usually implanted in the body, isolating one's aura and making it difficult for the Ghost-God Copper Coins to detect. Could that little girl really be a peerless master, perhaps an old crone who has lived for hundreds of years? After all, once one reaches the Golden Core stage, one can choose to freeze their appearance. That would be terrifying strength indeed—to reach the Golden Core stage at twelve or thirteen."

Li Yi counted on his fingers, his eyes wide with shock.

"No, Section Chief, I overheard them—that girl is a direct disciple of Ningjing Peak of the Dingkun Sect this term. If they fail the trial, Section Chief Zhang, should you find an opportunity to fish them out first?"

Zhang Qi glared at him and gave him a sharp flick to the forehead. "What are you thinking? If she were truly that powerful, would she fail the trial? Stop worrying unnecessarily."

"I’m just anxious! Such talent, if placed at the Immortal Alliance headquarters, would be one of a kind. When we see a good sapling, we should act while we have the chance."

Zhang Qi kicked him and tossed him a round white jade pendant, carved with two dragons joined head-to-tail, looking as if they might come to life at any moment.

"Take this Cleansing Jade Pendant. First, wash away the memories of what the villagers saw and heard last night. Make sure you don't miss anything, or if they speak nonsense, release it all so as not to cause unnecessary panic."

Zhang Qi assigned the task to Li Yi while he carefully inspected the entrance of the village, taking the opportunity to report the situation to Qi Zhuiyu.

Before long, a crowd had gathered around them, whispering and discussing the pair.

"A few days ago, I went into town to buy supplies and met two people with mental problems. They were extremely good-looking, though."

"The child might have been abandoned, but that forty-year-old man couldn't have been, could he?"

"You never know, you never know. Not everyone cares for family."

...

Li Yi’s fists, held at his sides, tightened and loosened, tightened and loosened, until he finally retorted loudly, "We are not mentally ill! I ask you all to disperse."

"Chatting about immortality and ghosts—if that isn't a mental problem, what is?"

As Li Yi prepared to say more, his wrist was seized.

Following Zhang Qi’s signal, he quickly pinched the Soul-Restoration Jade and took the opportunity to slip it into the people’s palms.