Chapter 481 - 480: The Busy Parties

Chapter 481: Chapter 480: The Busy Parties

"You know about hibernation, don’t you? Many living beings fall into a deep slumber when their external environment changes drastically in order to lower their physical toll. Throughout the entire Middle Ages, it’s very likely Second Madam Zhu just slept her way through. Many of Beiga’s Great Demons are also in long-term hibernation, only waking up occasionally."

"Her other ability is molting," Helian Chen said with a smile. "Didn’t you see her Relic Shells?"

"Yes, there were six." ’Now only four remain.’

"This must be her Innate Divine Technique. I believe each molting is equivalent to a new birth, similar to an Immortal’s Possession." Helian Chen stroked his beard. "That means everything starts over. She may look like the same Second Madam Zhu, but she has actually been reborn several times. A method like this can’t be perfect. I presume there must be side effects."

Hee Lingchuan nodded. "Yes, she said so herself. After molting too many times, she lost a good deal of her past memories."

"Exactly!" Helian Chen slapped the table lightly. "The ordeal of the womb! That’s the proof!"

For a Cultivator, using Possession to be reborn goes against the laws of heaven. Thus, when entering a womb, they must pass through an Illusion Barrier. If they make it through, they might remain themselves. If they fail, their past memories are completely wiped away, and they become a new, blank and ignorant soul.

But the cost of passing this trial is immense. No matter how resilient the Divine Soul, it will inevitably be damaged and diminished. It’s impossible to use Possession to be "reborn" time and time again, because the ordeal of the womb grows stronger with each attempt. After just two or three more tries, the original memories would be completely lost.

Losing all your memories is not much different from death.

The fact that Second Madam Zhu loses memories every time she molts is proof that her method is not so different from Possession.

Having understood the gist of it, Hee Lingchuan stood and bowed to Helian Chen. "I have learned a great deal from our conversation, Master."

Helian Chen stroked his beard and smiled. "You’re a good lad. If you need anything in the future, just have Aluo bring you to me."

Coming from a Great Alchemist of his stature, this was a clear sign of his high esteem for Hee Lingchuan. The young man immediately expressed his gratitude.

「The northern Twilight Plateau, at Chiyan Pass.」

This was the same inn where Hee Lingchuan and Lil Qingge had once stayed. A few other guests had also been lodging here for quite some time.

A man in green robes sat on the second-floor veranda, gazing at the distant mountains.

They had the entire second floor to themselves, without a single outsider in sight. It was the perfect place to listen to the rain drumming against the thatched eaves.

Here, at the border between the Chiyan Kingdom and the Twilight Plateau, the mountains were still half-bare and the trees listless. Flowers and grass were sparse, painting a desolate picture even in the height of summer.

Without the vegetation to cover its nakedness, the immediate landscape looked bleak and desolate, which only made the distant mountains seem all the more vast.

A subordinate approached from behind to report.

"Bai Capital Envoy, the locals report another anomaly at the Thousand Star City ruins twenty days ago," the subordinate said. "A sandstorm swept across the plateau that day, followed by a torrential downpour. Several merchant caravans mistakenly wandered into the ruins. Late that night, the rain ceased and the clouds parted. The Moonlight was brilliant, and then the Illusion Realm manifested."

"I’ve heard the ruins sometimes produce harmless Illusion Realms, occasionally showing phantoms of past events," the Bai Capital Envoy said. "Was there anything special this time?"

"Witnesses claim that two Illusion Realms appeared that night. Everyone is familiar with the first one: the fall of the Yuanl Kingdom and the death of the traitorous king. But about a double-hour later, a second one appeared, something no one had ever seen."

"Oh?" The Bai Capital Envoy’s interest was piqued. "What was the second one about?"

"It was Thousand Star City before it was ravaged by war. The buildings were all intact, it was very peaceful under the moonlit night, and there were basically no people. It seemed to be a snippet of an ordinary night in the city."

"Ordinary?" The Bai Capital Envoy chuckled. "If it were truly so ordinary, how could it have triggered a disturbance in the Celestial Net?"

"You believe that was the cause of the disturbance in the Celestial Net, Lord Capital Envoy?"

"The timing fits—twenty days ago. It’s worth looking into. Besides, the Thousand Star City ruins have always held a special place in history; any anomaly there is to be expected," the Bai Capital Envoy said. "Furthermore, the Du Yun Envoy has designated a large area for us, two hundred li north from the pass. This entire region requires a thorough investigation."

"I’ve also learned that a few demons and several officials have recently disappeared from within Chiyan Pass, also on a rainy night."

"When?"

"About seventeen or eighteen days ago. The Government Office investigated the scenes a few times but found no leads, so they dropped it."

"Hmm, this place seems a bit chaotic." The Bai Capital Envoy waved his hand. "Go. Find a way to gather more clues."

...

「Chiyan Capital.」

Fushan Yue was examining military reports from the Eastern Front.

On the fifth day after he returned from the Twilight Plateau to the Capital City, the Monarch proclaimed him Crown Prince.

Without Fushan Ji to compete with him, the Chiyan Kingdom could only follow the divine will. So, from now on, Fushan Yue had to fulfill the duties of the Crown Prince, sharing the Monarch’s burdens and worries.

’The situation on the Eastern Battlefield is rather unexpected.’

While he was lost in thought, a voice announced from outside:

"A verbal edict from His Majesty the King!"

’Hm?’ Fushan Yue glanced at the sky; it was already very late. ’My old man has something to say at this hour?’

Since returning to the Capital City, he had received several edicts from the Monarch, but every time he tried to visit the palace, his birth father’s response was always the same two words:

"No audience!"

The King of Chiyan had made him Crown Prince only out of helplessness, but the resentment in his heart had not faded in the slightest.

Fushan Yue knew he couldn’t push his luck after getting his way. These past few days, he had been diligently trying to make a good impression. In addition to providing regular progress reports on the White-shouldered Eagle Messenger Case, he had been constantly sending treasures and beautiful women to his royal father—anything to get back in his good graces.

’He’s the only son left. What can the old man do to me? His attitude will soften sooner or later.’

The Palace Envoy entered and relayed the verbal edict.

It turned out that the Lingxu City Inspection Envoy had written a letter of complaint to the King of Chiyan, stating that the Crown Prince Envoy dispatched by Fushan Yue was crude in speech, acted with impunity, and had even threatened the Upper Envoy.

And so, the King of Chiyan’s edict to his son was a reprimand for his reckless appointment of an outsider, who acted arrogantly and had committed the offense of barging in on the Upper Envoy.

"Tell that man you sent to be more polite to the Upper Envoy! Don’t disgrace the Fushan Family!"

After the Palace Envoy left, Fushan Yue gazed at the bright moon outside the window and couldn’t help but burst into wild laughter.

The Guard at his side stammered, "...Your Highness?"

"Zhongsun Mou thought complaining to my old man would be useful, AHAHAHA!" Fushan Yue laughed heartily, grabbing the Eastern Front report and slamming it on the table. "Naive! Do you think *I’m* the one who’s after him?"

"It is Chiyan that is after him!"

’Otherwise, why would the King of Chiyan only give me a half-hearted, verbal scolding? He didn’t even order me to stop the investigation. If he didn’t say no, then it’s tacit approval.’

Fushan Yue felt a wave of reassurance. ’I have truly made the right move.’

...

Zhongsun Mou had already been busy in Baisha Jue for three days.

The account books Mr. Mai left behind contained many clues that pointed directly here. By unraveling them one by one, he was slowly beginning to see the full picture.

He even found Mr. Mai’s residence in Baisha Jue—

The East City Inn.

This inn prided itself on comfort. Mr. Mai had kept a room here year-round; this was his third year. The inn’s Shopkeeper had a deep impression of this guest because he was generous, paying the entire year’s room fee in advance and often giving large tips.

But Mr. Mai himself was still missing.

The inn staff said he hadn’t been back in more than ten days.

On his third day in Baisha Jue, as Zhongsun Mou was about to go out, he was changing clothes when he happened to glance down and caught sight of a tiny shadow flitting past.

’Huh? What was that?’

As a Merfolk, Zhongsun Mou actually had two sets of eyelids. The outer layer was no different from a human’s, but the inner layer was a specialized, transparent membrane that allowed him to see underwater. This membrane also had a powerful light-gathering ability, enabling him to see clearly even in the murky depths.

The light in the room was poor, but Zhongsun Mou could still see it clearly. It was a tiny spider!

As he changed, the spider leaped from his old clothes to the hem of his new ones.

’How long has this thing been following me?’

Zhongsun Mou reached out to grab it, but the spider shot away and leaped under the bed.

’It’s absurdly agile. This is a demon!’

"That spider is a spy!" Zhongsun Mou shouted. "Get it out!"

The Guards surged forward. One flipped the bed over, while another, more quick-witted, rushed to shut the door and windows.

"There’s a crack in the wall by the bed!"

"Dig it open!"

A Guard reversed his blade and struck the wall a few times with the hilt, causing plaster to flake and fall.

The bricks inside were exposed, but there was no sign of the spider.

After digging out a few more bricks, they discovered a hollow space within the wall. The spider had probably escaped into the next room through there.

"Enough." They wouldn’t catch it now. Zhongsun Mou signaled for them to stop, his expression grim.

’Who could have sent it?’

Beiga is a Demon Kingdom; methods of espionage like this are common.

’Was it that punk under Fushan Yue? But these kinds of creatures usually can’t stray too far from their master. Could it be? Have I been watched since the moment I arrived in Baisha Jue?’

The commotion from flipping the bed and gouging the wall, a series of CRASHES and BANGS, naturally alerted the Shopkeeper, who hurried over to inquire.

The Guards had just sent him away, and Zhongsun Mou was about to head out himself, when another visitor unexpectedly arrived.

’Who could be so clueless?’

They claimed to be an old acquaintance from Lingxu City.

The person who walked in was in his early thirties, with a round face and thick eyebrows, but Zhongsun Mou didn’t recognize him.

’Hardly an old acquaintance. He’s a liar.’ Zhongsun Mou frowned, about to have the man thrown out, when the visitor bowed deeply. "This humble servant greets the Inspector! My master’s surname is Cen."

"Chen?" It was a common surname, and there were countless officials in Lingxu City named Chen. "Who, exactly?" ’What right does this nobody have to play games with me?’

"Cen, as in Lord Cen Boqing, the eldest son-in-law of our Beiga Kingdom’s Chief Agriculturist."

The Chief Agriculturist managed the finances and provisions of the entire vast Empire and could be called Beiga’s grand steward. His position was extremely important.

"What’s Cen Boqing doing here?" Zhongsun Mou was greatly surprised. He had indeed dealt with this person several times. "He’s not a Chiyan person."

"Lord Cen has a villa in Baisha Jue. He brings his family here to rest every year."

But Zhongsun Mou snorted. "I’ve only been here three days. How did you find me so quickly? Did someone in my retinue inform you?"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, the Guards behind him all knelt and said, "Your humble servants would not dare!"

"No, no, it has nothing to do with the men at your side."

"Then who?" ’This is the Chiyan Kingdom. How many people could possibly recognize me here?’

"It was one of Lord Cen’s attendants," the man said with a smile. "Lord Cen is an old acquaintance of yours from Lingxu City, and his attendants have seen you many times. This morning, when you were having tea in Wangzhuang, one of them recognized you."

He continued, "Lord Cen would like to invite you to the Celestial Fragrance Building to catch up. He implores you to make time in your busy schedule."