Chapter 29: Chang’an Part 6

That day when Wu Yingzong and Chaosheng were trapped in the Qingyu Golden Chalice by Mr. Qin, it reminded him of being caged by the Pill Demon, awakening his feral fear.

“It’s a tribulation.” Chaosheng thought for a moment and said, “Chang Ge told me everyone has their own tribulation to pass. I have one too, it just hasn’t come yet. Once passed, it’ll be fine. You’re already strong, Big Brother. Don’t dwell on it.”

Wu Yingzong said seriously, “Master always says there’s heaven beyond heaven, people beyond people, not to obsess over cultivation but let it come naturally. But now it seems I was too lazy and didn’t do enough.”

“When we get back to Kunlun,” Chaosheng said happily, “I’ll find some Immortal Pills for you. Then you’ll be even stronger.”

Wu Yingzong laughed. “No need. Now I’m scared just hearing ‘Immortal Pills.’”

Chaosheng had recently heard from Xiang Xian that Wu Yingzong had a honest and gentle temperament. Though his aptitude was top-tier, he lacked ambition to become a great monster, which was why Xiang Xian kept him around—he could see Wu Yingzong’s true nature, free of ulterior motives.

Of course, the flip side was his lack of drive. Since failing to protect Chaosheng, Wu Yingzong had reflected the whole way, wondering if he had neglected his cultivation and needed to work harder.

“Want me to teach you some Kunlun cultivation spells?” Chaosheng said.

“Is it a secret art?” Wu Yingzong asked. “If it’s not for outsiders, don’t.”

“No, no,” Chaosheng said. “It’s fine. Chang Ge would be happy if you learned it.”

Chaosheng received daily care from Wu Yingzong but didn’t know how to repay him. Magic treasures? Wu Yingzong wouldn’t take them, and he had nothing else to offer. Wu Yingzong was tall and handsome too, growing on Chaosheng the more he looked. Teaching him basic Kunlun Daoist arts was something he eagerly wanted to do. He immediately sketched a simple meridians diagram on paper and taught him the Green Leaf Heart Method from the White Jade Palace.

Elsewhere in Chang’an City:

“I suspect the demon is still following us,” Xiao Kun said as he rode toward the north of the city with Xiang Xian. “Without the Demon Shaking Bell, it’s hard to detect its trail.”

“What then?” Xiang Xian said. “You’re the one who left it in Kaifeng.”

Xiao Kun glanced at Xiang Xian.

Xiang Xian: “?”

Xiao Kun: “Deputy Emissary, I’ve noticed you say ‘what then’ the most.”

Xiang Xian was baffled. “What else?”

Xiao Kun: “When a superior asks, it’s to solve the problem. You just push the trouble back to me?”

Xiang Xian got lectured first thing in the morning. “Ah, you’re pointing at me? Now I know, but little old me can’t do it either, Lord Xiao!”

“Were you like this before?” Xiao Kun thought to himself that it was because he’d arrived that Xiang Xian happily became hands-off. “You can definitely make another Demon Shaking Bell. You’re just lazy.”

“The materials are hard to find,” Xiang Xian said. “Don’t hassle me.”

“I’ll help you find them.” Xiao Kun said. “Write a note.”

Xiang Xian had no choice. “I’ll try.”

Xiao Kun: “See? There’s the solution.”

Now that they were familiar, Xiao Kun knew how to handle Xiang Xian. Unless the sky fell, nothing was urgent—Xiang Xian never took initiative. Xiao Kun had to prod him to move, and to make full use, keep prodding.

Outside the former prefect’s residence, the courtyard walls stood ten feet high, covering several acres.

“The city’s so poor, but the prefect’s house is lavish,” Xiao Kun said. “Your Great Song court officials sure know not to shortchange themselves.”

“Birds of a feather the world over,” Xiang Xian replied casually. “Your Great Liao’s no better.”

They bickered as they looked for the back gate, but the deep walls were plastered with Talisman Papers. After two loops without finding an obvious side door, Xiao Kun lost patience. “Let’s climb over.”

A ten-foot wall was nothing to them. Xiang Xian dismounted to tie the horses while Xiao Kun leaped up first and suddenly went silent.

“What?” Xiang Xian asked.

Xiao Kun reached out to him. Xiang Xian took a few running steps, stepped onto the wall, and they clasped hands, pulling each other up.

Faint black qi wafted everywhere in the courtyard. With the Demon Shaking Bell, it would have rung the moment they neared the Wang residence.

“We must get to the bottom of this before leaving.” Xiang Xian said.

“Yes.” Xiao Kun scanned around.

Xiao Kun jumped into the Wang back courtyard and saw the main hall plastered with ghost-warding Talisman Charms—likely posted by local Daoists at the new prefect’s request after the massacre for peace of mind.

Xiao Kun headed to the front courtyard, pushed forward with one hand, and the hall doors slowly creaked open.

Inside was congealed black bloodstains on walls, floor, pillars—extremely gruesome. The ground, snow-covered for days, hid the marks. Xiao Kun turned, cast a spell, and a gale swept the snow away.

Bloodstains spread to the front veranda and into remote corners.

Xiao Kun: “Three died here.”

Xiang Xian: “Yes.”

“Six here.”

“Killed while fleeing.”

“Here…”

Xiang Xian and Xiao Kun pieced together the slaughter scene from the bloodstains.

“The monster was very fast,” Xiao Kun said. “Strangely, no footprints.”

“No footprints.” Xiang Xian murmured.

This was unreasonable. For wolf demons or fox demons, claw marks would remain even under snow—in garden soil or room floors.

No footprints suggested another possibility—a bird.

“What did the coroner’s report say?” Xiang Xian said.

“Tear wounds,” Xiao Kun said. “Couldn’t identify the demon beast. Where’s A Huang?”