Chapter 25: Stand-in Part 1

In the short few days since arriving in Kaifeng, Chaosheng truly experienced the essence of “the myriad layers of the mortal world,” to the point where he nearly forgot about Pi Changge waiting for him at home. Traveling through the human realm, everything he saw and heard consisted of novel matters he had never imagined in his previous dozen-plus years, and with Wu Yingzong by his side exerting every gentle effort to please him, how could he not be enamored?

He now understood why the Divine Servants of the White Jade Palace willingly abandoned eternal life to venture into the mortal dust.

Yet, whenever he occasionally thought of Pi Changge waiting at home, Chaosheng felt a faint twinge of guilt.

“Missing home?” Wu Yingzong noticed the occasional flicker of loneliness in Chaosheng’s eyes.

Chaosheng and Wu Yingzong strolled through the streets and returned along the main road outside Yuwang Platform, gazing at the lamp-lit Kaifeng City as the New Year festivities reached their peak, with streets great and small ablaze with lights.

“A little.” Chaosheng smiled sheepishly and asked, “Do you miss home?”

Wu Yingzong said, “My parents died long ago. I cultivated alone at home and haven’t returned to Baidi City in many years. Everything has changed; there’s no longer any sense of ‘home.’ Chaosheng, Big Brother has to remind you of something.”

“Hm?” Chaosheng looked at him with a smile.

Wu Yingzong said gravely, “Although we know the truth in our hearts and might occasionally mention the White Jade Palace to outsiders, remember never to speak of the secret of immortality held by Kunlun Mountain, got it?”

“Brother Kun said the same,” Chaosheng replied. “I know, I won’t tell anyone outside.”

Wu Yingzong was a white ape from the Ba Region. From a young age, his temperament had been extremely gentle. Over two hundred and seventy years ago, during the Daizong era of Great Tang in Shenzhou, Wu Yingzong drew on Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy and, with his heaven-blessed aptitude, cultivated an Inner Elixir. Afterward, his parents and kin all aged and died in the flow of time, so he transformed into human form and wandered the human world in pursuit of immortality.

Over the span of a hundred years, Great Tang declined, warlords rose in various provinces and counties, and chaos erupted. Wu Yingzong witnessed much suffering in Shenzhou and often sighed over the woes of sentient beings. Later, by fateful chance, he befriended a certain Jia Pin, who called himself the “Dan Immortal” and practiced alchemy. Deceived and credulous, Wu Yingzong became Jia Pin’s assistant and followed him on travels across the land.

Jia Pin presented himself publicly as an itinerant physician but secretly collected human souls to refine heaven-defying golden pills.

Gradually, Wu Yingzong discovered the ruthless and venomous heart hidden beneath Jia Pin’s facade of benevolent healing. Just as he roared in fury, prepared to fight to the death, Jia Pin revealed his true face, triggered the poison within Wu Yingzong’s body, and imprisoned him on Penglai.

For a full seventy years, Jia Pin ultimately failed to achieve eternal life and transformed into a Pill Demon. Only after Shen Kuo and Xiang Xian tracked him down and slew him did Wu Yingzong finally regain his freedom.

Wu Yingzong knew how mad the Human Race could become in pursuit of longevity. If they learned Chaosheng hailed from Kunlun Mountain, countless people would plot against him—overt enemies were easy to guard against, but hidden arrows were hard to defend.

“The mortal world is beautiful,” Wu Yingzong said, “but it also has very wicked people, wicked beyond your imagination.”

Chaosheng nodded as if he half-understood and said, “But there are also many good people, like today’s Zhao Gou?”

During today’s cuju match, Chaosheng had chatted amiably with Zhao Gou. Zhao Gou was quite curious about Chaosheng’s background and origins, but whenever the topic arose, Wu Yingzong subtly steered it away.

This was something Xiang Xian had specifically warned about—otherwise, if the Emperor found out, it would cause major trouble. For now, the secret of Chaosheng’s origins remained confined to the four people in the Exorcism Division. Before he returned to Kunlun Mountain, Xiao Kun did not want any other mortals to know. Since Chaosheng was close to Wu Yingzong, their public story was that Chaosheng was Wu Yingzong’s junior brother.

Wu Yingzong grunted in acknowledgment, one hand carrying wine and dishes, the other holding Chaosheng’s, and said, “Probably there are still more good people than bad.”

They walked along a side path outside Yuwang Platform when they saw a carriage approaching leisurely.

Wu Yingzong recognized it as a vehicle from the Gold Stone Bureau and stepped aside with Chaosheng to let it pass.

Inside the carriage sat Guo Jing, who had just left the Exorcism Division. When they crossed paths, the curtain lifted, and Guo Jing glanced out.

“Huh?” Chaosheng suddenly said softly.

“Lord Guo,” Wu Yingzong greeted.

“Mm.” Guo Jing merely glanced over, his gaze casually sweeping across Chaosheng before the curtain dropped again.

Wu Yingzong bowed, then led Chaosheng into a dark alley.

“Why was he different from before?” Chaosheng asked.

“What?” Wu Yingzong did not understand and asked, “Different? How so?”

Chaosheng was somewhat surprised. “He became very strange! His Pulse Wheels turned all black! Has he fallen to the demonic path?”

Wu Yingzong: “…………”

Back at the Division, Xiao Kun and Xiang Xian waited for dinner. Wu Yingzong laid out the evening meal and recounted Chaosheng’s words in detail. Both men stared in shock.

“What?!” Xiang Xian found it hard to believe.

Chaosheng said, “I… I just glanced at him, but I felt it was true.”

Xiao Kun thought of the Demonic Qi from the previous night and immediately had an ominous premonition.

“Guo Jing has fallen to the demonic path?” Xiao Kun said. “Why?”

Xiang Xian: “No way. That guy spends his days gorging himself and drinking with his little wives at home. Where would his obsession come from? Doesn’t make sense.”

Xiao Kun: “I believe Chaosheng.”

Chaosheng looked quite bewildered, but Xiang Xian quickly calmed down.

“When Guo Jing came by earlier, why didn’t your bell ring?” Xiao Kun asked.

Xiang Xian: “The Demon Shaking Bell only rings when Demonic Qi is released. If he doesn’t release it for spellcasting, it can’t detect it. Chaosheng, how did you spot it?”