Chapter 779: Ten Thousand Cities Refuge (3)

“That secret land is extremely well Hidden. My son just happened to be passing by, and… he ended up severely injured. He barely managed to escape with his life. After telling me what happened, he fell into a coma and has been unconscious for over three months now.”

‘A secret land?’

Shen Bai stroked his chin. “What kind of secret land is it?”

Shen Bai hadn’t expected Cangnan Dao to have such a place.

After collecting his thoughts, Hao Dao Ling said, “I don’t know the specifics, but my son mentioned that the people in that secret land wore clothes that seemed very different from ours. Their speech also had many different sounds. I sent men to investigate, but they came up with nothing.”

Just as Shen Bai was about to reply, Red Makeup’s voice echoed in his mind.

“Master, those are people from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities.”

Shen Bai raised an eyebrow, asking mentally, ‘Why are you so sure they’re from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities?’

Red Makeup’s words had taken him by surprise. He was puzzled as to why she would immediately mention the Era of Ten Thousand Cities.

Red Makeup replied, “Back then, to escape a great catastrophe, some people from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities used immense power to create unique pockets of Space, which they called Refuges. If that place truly can’t be found, as he said, then it’s highly likely you’ve found people from a Refuge.”

Shen Bai frowned and asked inwardly, ‘The Chaotic Organization would let them escape?’

In the Era of Ten Thousand Cities, many people had been unwilling to fight, but the Chaotic Organization pushed them all to their doom.

‘So how could there still be so-called Refuges?’

Red Makeup explained, “Master, people with Spatial Ability are exceedingly rare. Those who created the Refuges were undoubtedly the greatest masters of this ability. If they were determined to flee and hide, not even the Chaotic Organization could find them.”

“However, each Refuge could only shelter a small number of people, so it was impossible to save everyone who wished to avoid the war. The vast majority still perished.”

With this explanation, Shen Bai understood.

“Master, a Refuge is sure to have valuable items, including no shortage of Deceitful Objects,” Red Makeup explained. “After all, when they fled, they took a great number of treasures with them.”

Her meaning was clear: there were Deceitful Objects inside. Whether he went to get them was entirely up to him.

Shen Bai’s eyes lit up.

If there were Deceitful Objects, then he was interested.

Besides, the people in the Refuge were from the Era of Ten Thousand Cities. He might be able to uncover some secrets from them.

At this thought, Shen Bai turned to Hao Dao Ling and said, “Lord Hao, after the banquet, could you take me to see your son? I’d like to see if I have a way to cure his injuries.”

Hao Dao Ling was taken aback for a moment, then his face lit up with joy. “If Lord Shen can help, that would be wonderful!”

He had been too close to the problem to see clearly.

It hadn’t even occurred to him. The man before him was one of the famed Twelve Unparalleled Young Masters of the Jianghu, known for his many astonishing and powerful techniques. If Shen Bai were to intervene, perhaps his son’s injuries could truly be healed.

“Lord Hao, there’s no need for that.”

Shen Bai said, “I can’t guarantee I’ll succeed. I can only say that I’m willing to see if it’s possible.”

Hao Dao Ling cupped his hands. “Whether it’s possible or not, I am immensely grateful that you’re willing to try, Lord Shen. If you ever need anything in the future, I will do everything in my power to assist you.”

Shen Bai shook his head. “Let’s go have a look first.”

The rest of the banquet proceeded smoothly, with both host and guests thoroughly pleased.

After Shen Bai finished his meal, he exchanged a few words with Yu Li Xuan before heading to the Government Office with Hao Dao Ling.

「…」

Inside the Government Office, it was now pitch-black.

Aside from a few constables on duty, most of the rooms were dark and shuttered.

Shen Bai followed Hao Dao Ling to a room lit by an oil lamp, where he saw a young man lying on a bed.

A terrifying wound marred the young man’s chest. A wisp of black Qi hovered over it, preventing the injury from healing.

In addition, sheets of paper covered in writing were pasted all around the young man’s bed.

Hao Dao Ling explained, “I can only use the methods of a Scholar to keep him alive. I don’t know how much longer it will hold.”

Shen Bai glanced over him. “His Life Energy is still fading. At this rate, he has a month at most.”

A bitter look appeared in Hao Dao Ling’s eyes.

Shen Bai glanced around the room, noticing the extremely simple furnishings.

He had noticed on his way in that the courtyard’s decor was also as spartan as possible.

For a man who lived by such a frugal code, this young man must be everything to Hao Dao Ling.

After a moment of thought, Shen Bai activated his Void-breaking Red Eye and carefully observed the young man’s condition.

He soon spotted the abnormality.

Deep within the young man’s Divine Soul, a wisp of black Qi was coiled.

The wound’s inability to heal was caused entirely by this Qi affecting his Divine Soul.

Unless that Qi was eradicated, the wound would never heal.

Shen Bai turned and said, “It’s a problem with his Divine Soul.”

Hao Dao Ling started, then slapped his palm. “No wonder the physicians couldn’t treat him! The problem was with his Divine Soul all along.”

“Lord Shen, do you have a way to fix it?”

The Divine Soul was an esoteric concept. Few in Cangnan Dao understood it, and even fewer were masters of it.

His only hope now rested on Shen Bai.

Shen Bai nodded. “Not a problem.”

“There’s Black Qi on his Divine Soul. I just need to destroy it.”

Hao Dao Ling hesitated. “But the Divine Soul is hidden within the mind. How can you possibly destroy the Qi there?”

“I have my ways.” Shen Bai drew Cold Moon from his waist.

Hearing this, Hao Dao Ling was overjoyed.

He knew Shen Bai was one of the Twelve Unparalleled Young Masters. If Shen Bai said he could fix it, then he absolutely could.