Chapter 388: Sound of All Things, What Else Do You Want?

Fu Juemin was silent for a long time.

A moment later, when he looked up at the mural again, his initial calm was restored.

‘Setting aside the question of whether the mural’s contents were true or not… even if they were, and so-called Western “gods” truly existed…’

‘Emperor Qianming learned this “truth” a century ago. As the ruler of a nation, upon discovering a rival power, he didn’t focus on strengthening his country or rallying its resources to compete, overcome, and surpass them. Instead, he lost his nerve before the fight even began. He ran off to pursue martial arts, Cultivation, and even the ethereal path to ascension.’

‘He squandered decades of the nation’s resources, all for his own personal “transcendence.”‘

‘Such an incredibly selfish act had absolutely nothing to do with being a “wise ruler.”‘

‘They can’t even whitewash him properly…’

Before, Fu Juemin had thought the remnants of the Nine Banners were merely stupid, unable to grasp the current state of the world and dreaming all day of restoring their old dynasty.

Now he realized they weren’t just stupid; they were malicious.

‘It wasn’t that they couldn’t see the truth. They were just using the restoration as an excuse. It was all so a small clique among them could achieve their goal: to be like Emperor Qianming, ascend to the Immortal Realm, and enjoy eternal life.’

‘If it weren’t for Emperor Qianming’s machinations, the previous dynasty wouldn’t have collapsed so quickly. He deserves to be nailed to the pillar of shame. Yet the Nine Banners worship him as a wise and brilliant idol. It’s utterly laughable…’

Fu Juemin’s gaze shifted back to the murals depicting the “gods from beyond the heavens,” painted by the Western missionary. He couldn’t help but frown slightly.

‘He had little desire to get involved in saving this chaotic world. Aside from his usual principle of looking out for himself, the main reason was likely that he knew the history of his previous life. Because this world’s setting was so similar to the Republic era he knew, he had subconsciously assumed its timeline would follow the same course.’

‘He believed the current turmoil was just an unavoidable, painful period as the torrent of history washed over everything. The land would eventually be reunified, and the great powers of the Western World would be driven out…’

But.

‘This world has Demon Fiends and other evils, and now some so-called “god from beyond the heavens” has popped up in the West…’

‘With these Extraordinary variables in play, could this world’s history lead to a completely different outcome than that of my past life?’

A grave feeling inexplicably rose in Fu Juemin’s heart, his gaze flickering.

‘If that day truly comes, no one will be safe when the nest falls. I’m afraid I won’t be able to just look out for myself anymore…’

Fu Juemin shook his head, temporarily casting this worry aside.

He carefully examined all the murals again from top to bottom, afraid of missing any crucial information.

Although the murals were the work of the Nine Banners, and he couldn’t be sure about the so-called “truth” regarding Emperor Qianming, some of the information they contained was still useful to him.

For example, the section about the twelve Heirloom Magical Artifacts.

The murals detailed the names and appearances of the twelve Heirloom Magical Artifacts, and even the Unsealing Technique for each.

Fu Juemin checked them one by one, confirming that what Xie Mingzhi had told him about the Exorcism Saber’s Unsealing Technique was correct.

He also learned the Unsealing Technique for the Bi Fangyu: it had to be nourished simultaneously with Great Fortune and the aura of a Fire-attribute Demon Fiend.

The greater the fortune and the stronger the aura of the Fire-attribute Demon Fiend used to nourish it, the faster it would unseal.

This explained perfectly why the Bi Fangyu had grown redder and brighter the longer Xu Xinyi wore it.

During that time, Fu Juemin and Xu Xinyi had been inseparable. Their relationship was intimate, and they shared a room almost every night. Xu Xinyi had absorbed enough of Fu Juemin’s aura—one that possessed both “Great Fortune” and the essence of the Hundred-legged Fire Centipede, a Fire-attribute Demon Fiend. As a result, she had unintentionally been nourishing the Bi Fangyu.

Furthermore, Fu Juemin learned that the Small Bell he had just acquired in front of Emperor Qianming’s portrait was one of the twelve Heirloom Magical Artifacts: the Emperor Jiang Bell.

The murals didn’t describe its specific powers, but they did state the condition for unsealing it: the “Sound of All Things”!

Fu Juemin had no idea what this so-called “Sound of All Things” actually was, so he simply committed it to memory for later.

He did the same for the appearances and Unsealing Techniques of the other Magical Artifacts.

‘If I can, I’ll gather all twelve Heirloom Magical Artifacts and unseal them… Just like Emperor Qianming did, I’ll go to Jiwei Mountain and summon the legendary “Immortal Realm Gate” to see for myself…’

‘Then the truth…’

‘…will be revealed!’

Fu Juemin took a quiet breath, his face calm. He activated [Earth Travel] and, without a backward glance, slowly withdrew from the tenth chamber.

……

「Tomb Pill Hall.」

The Nine Banner Prodigals were sprawled everywhere in disarray, lying amidst overturned cauldrons, toppled stone racks, and Demon Hide Pill Formulas scattered across the floor.

Everyone was drenched in sweat, lying or sitting on the ground like dogs, panting listlessly.

The novelty and excitement they felt upon first entering were long gone.

Wei Jie sat on an overturned Four-sided Bronze Cauldron, using it as a chair. He casually toyed with an antique Golden Jade Pill Box in his hand as he listened to a subordinate’s report.

“…The way in is blocked. It’s probably impossible to return the way we came.”

“I figured those swine wouldn’t play fair, but I didn’t expect them to be so impatient. They blew up the entrance right after we got in…”

Wei Jie sneered.

Overhearing their conversation, one of the Nine Banner Prodigals nearby couldn’t help but cry out, “What are we going to do? We didn’t even bring water! Are we supposed to be trapped in this damn tomb until we starve or die of thirst?!”

“Yeah! Think of something!”

His words immediately sparked a chorus of complaints and agreement.

“What’s there to panic about?!”

Wei Jie was utterly fed up with these useless Nine Banner Prodigals who did nothing but hold him back.

If he didn’t need the support of the Banner Races behind them to rise through the ranks of the Purple Banner, he would never have associated with such trash.

“That’s not the only way out. There are plenty of other exits.”

Wei Jie subconsciously glanced toward a massive, grooved stone gate in the distance before his eyes fell back on a bloody figure nearby. He sneered, “And don’t forget, there’s someone else who… hasn’t gotten out either.”

With that, Wei Jie rose from the cauldron and walked slowly, step by step, until he stood before Hong Huan.

Having been tortured for the better part of the day, Hong Huan was now unrecognizable. Every bone in his body had been shattered, the tendons in his limbs were severed, and his entire form was caked in a thick layer of half-congealed blood.

His breathing was so faint it seemed ready to give out at any moment, yet it persisted.

“You’ve knocked out all his teeth and still haven’t gotten anything out of him?”

Wei Jie asked coolly, glancing at Hong Huan’s mouth, which frothed with blood.

The Martial Tributor in charge of the torture shook his head.

Wei Jie said nothing, but a dangerous light flickered in his eyes.

He had already accomplished half of his goal for this trip; he’d found both the Demon-Controlling Pill Formula and the Demon-Controlling Pills themselves. All that remained was the Heirloom Magical Artifact that the Wangqi Elders desired.

This was why he still refused to leave.

“The Magical Artifact should be hidden in the Dragon Head Secret Chamber up there.”

The Martial Tributor beside him pointed to the ceiling and whispered, “But the mechanism to open it has been destroyed. We can’t get in, even though we have the key.”

“But someone else might have already gotten in.”

A cold glint flashed in Wei Jie’s eyes. He stared down at the half-dead Hong Huan at his feet and said coldly, “Apply some more pressure. We’ll get it out of him eventually…”

Just then, Hong Huan, who had been a mangled, bloody heap on the floor, suddenly sat bolt upright as if in a final resurgence of energy. He faced a specific direction and mumbled, “Ma… Mas… ter…”

At the same moment, Elder Deer Horn, who had been sitting silently in meditation nearby, snapped his eyes open. A sharp glint shone within them.

The light from the Luminous Pearls filling the Pill Hall began to ripple, as if it were water.

The strange play of light and shadow captured everyone’s attention.

The Nine Banner Prodigals on the floor scrambled to their feet, staring up at the vaulted ceiling as a series of gasps erupted.

High up on the ceiling, the solid stone began to ripple like water. At the center of the countless ripples, at the very source of the Luminous Pearls’ glow, a figure slowly descended into view.

First came the feet.

Then the body…

And finally, the entire person.

When that familiar, impassive face came fully into view, Wei Jie froze for a second before reacting. “Quick!” he roared. “Seize him!”

SWOOSH—

At Wei Jie’s command, several Purple Banner Martial Tributors lunged forward in unison.

A moment later, they were sent flying back even faster, the motion seamless and without the slightest pause.

It was as if they hadn’t lunged at a person, but at an invisible, intangible wall.

The figure moved like a phantom, appearing before Wei Jie without any warning.

Stunned, Wei Jie subconsciously stumbled back two steps.

The next second, another figure moved to block Wei Jie, raising a palm to strike the newcomer with an air of casual indifference.

“Master Mao!”

Recognizing the man, Wei Jie was overjoyed and burst into laughter. “Master Mao, don’t kill him in one blow! I still need to—”

BANG!!

A shockwave erupted. The violent blast of air whipped Wei Jie’s black braid around. His pupils contracted as he caught a glimpse of Elder Deer Horn’s body being swatted away like a rag doll by some immense force.

The figure walked slowly to stand before Wei Jie. His tranquil gaze fell upon him as he asked calmly, “You still needed to… what?”

Wei Jie’s expression froze. The rest of his sentence was caught in his throat, his mouth hanging slightly ajar.

Staring at the handsome, indifferent face before him, he found himself unable to utter a single word.