There is Still Such A Good Thing? - Chapter 4

Chen She was mercurial; even someone as meticulous as Jiang Zhengliu could not fathom his thoughts.

“Clean out the Danjiu Palace and invite the Young Lord to stay there,” Chen She commanded.

Xun Ye was stunned. Had they not previously agreed to find a dilapidated courtyard to keep the boy under house arrest and out of trouble? Why, after just one meeting, was he being moved into the Danjiu Palace? The surrounding elders also paled, stepping forward to protest.

“How can he stay in the Danjiu Palace?” “The Young Lord is of noble status! How can he live in that place? It would be better for him to stay with Elder Jiang for easier care!”

Chen She replied indifferently, “The Danjiu Palace was the Young Lord’s residence during his childhood. Why can he not stay there?”

The expressions of the crowd turned grim. They thought to themselves, Precisely because of you! Do you have no sense of the situation?

The Bihan Terrace was extremely close to the Danjiu Palace, separated only by a suspension bridge. By placing Wu Lingchan right under Chen She’s nose, they feared this unpredictable tyrant might slaughter the Young Lord the moment he became displeased.

Chen She arched an eyebrow. “And what is the Young Lord’s opinion?”

Wu Lingchan vaguely understood the word “stay.” Since he did not know better, he replied obediently, “Everything is as Elder Brother decides.”

“Very well,” Chen She said.

No one could change the decision of this killing god. The crowd looked as if they were attending a funeral. They had not expected that instead of tripping up Chen She, they would “lose” the Young Lord to him.

Wu Lingchan took two steps, then seemed to remember something. He turned back and asked, “Elder Brother, can I have someone to protect me?”

Hearing that the Demon Race was dangerous, and knowing he had no cultivation while the spirit of the Governor of Dark Fragrance was shattered, Wu Lingchan knew he needed to restore his Golden Core as quickly as possible. During this recovery period, finding a high-level cultivator to guard him was the only way he could feel at ease.

Wu Lingchan was thinking seriously, unaware of the varying expressions on the faces of those present. Jiang Zhengliu’s heart leaped. He had thought this Little Young Lord was a soft person to be manipulated at will, but he had not expected the boy to be so calculating. The boy knew how to weigh pros and cons; he had surrendered his claim to the throne to please Chen She, yet knowing the danger of being under Chen She’s control, he sought a protector so he would not die silently.

Xun Ye sneered repeatedly. He thought, You are already a bird in a cage, and you still want to collude with Jiang Zhengliu?

Chen She’s expression remained unreadable as he said pleasantly, “Certainly. So, whom do you wish to choose for protection?”

Jiang Zhengliu prepared to step forward. However, Wu Lingchan extended a finger and pointed. “Him.”

Jiang Zhengliu choked. Where Wu Lingchan’s finger pointed, the gloating expression on Xun Ye’s face instantly froze.

Who?

Jiang Zhengliu silently gasped, unsure if it was for Wu Lingchan’s stupidity or his audacity. Xun Ye was so angry he laughed, staring at the boy with a ferocious expression, waiting only for Lord Chen’s command to take the boy’s head.

After a few moments, Chen She laughed again.

“Though there are many demonic beasts in Kunfu, none dare to run wild in the Danjiu Palace.” The Lord took a golden bell from his sleeve and handed it over. The red string swayed slightly, jingling crisply. His tone was gentle as he said, “If you are afraid, this golden bell can withstand a strike from a Deity Transformation expert. Keep it well.”

Xun Ye’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Wu Lingchan loved all things beautiful. He took the bell, gave it a shake, and then looked hesitantly at Xun Ye. He thought that the man was very obedient and it would have been nice to have him. Since Chen She had politely declined, Wu Lingchan did not push further. “Thank you, Elder Brother.”

Chen She asked, “Is there anything else you want?” “No more.” “Good child, go then.”

Clutching the bell, Wu Lingchan followed Jiang Zhengliu out, the bell jingling with every step. The crowd filed out, holding their breath. Once they left the Bihan Terrace, they immediately swarmed around Wu Lingchan.

Wu Lingchan gripped the golden bell tightly, fearing an ambush. To his surprise, the elders looked at him with immense pity, sighing one after another as if looking at a foolish child with little time left to live. After a round of sighing, everyone began stuffing magical artifacts into Wu Lingchan’s arms.

“This is the Xuanji Mirror. If you encounter danger, it can summon a falling star to crush the enemy, taking them down with you.” “Four Jade Pieces. If you are unmatched, you can shift the stars to flee ten thousand miles away, though it might cost you half your life force. Use it cautiously.” “The Silent Crow Garment. Wearing this protects you from water and fire.”

Wu Lingchan was dazed as he was handed a mountain of items. Amidst the suppressed sobs of the crowd, he followed Jiang Zhengliu into the Danjiu Palace. Looking at the scene, one would think he was entering the gates of hell.

The commotion outside gradually faded. Chen She walked slowly behind the screen, his fingertips carelessly brushing against the zither.

Fearing that Lord Chen might play another demonic tune on a whim, Xun Ye hurried to speak. “Jiang Zhengliu used the Young Lord’s bloodline as a pretext today. His motives are clearly not simple. Lord Chen should not be soft-hearted; we should kill them quickly to eliminate future troubles.”

“Jiang Zhengliu is no fool,” Chen She said calmly. “He knows a Young Lord with no cultivation cannot shake my position. He caused this scene to stall for time, hoping to delay my acquisition of the Demon Sovereign Seal.”

Xun Ye was stunned. “He is still after the demonic energy of the Wanglao Graveyard?”

There were tens of millions of beasts in the graveyard, and the demonic energy was born from the Sea of Blood at its center, sealed alongside the beasts by the laws of heaven. However, in recent decades, the seal had loosened. Gaps in the void appeared throughout the Three Realms, allowing vicious beasts and demonic energy to crawl out and ravage the world.

After the previous Demon Sovereign was injured, Chen She acted as the regent, using his spiritual power to mend the cracks. But that was only a temporary fix. To truly stabilize the seal, one had to obtain the Demon Sovereign Seal.

Chen She wanted to seal the graveyard completely; Jiang Zhengliu wanted to seek wealth amidst the danger. By using Wu Lingchan’s bloodline to challenge Chen She, Jiang Zhengliu hoped to delay the sealing process so he could harvest more demonic energy from the cracks.

Xun Ye frowned. “Lord Chen has already killed the elders of the ten domains. What is one more Jiang Zhengliu?”

Chen She plucked a string and let it go, creating a discordant snap. He did not answer the question, asking coldly instead, “Go investigate why he suddenly returned to the Demon Ruins.”

Xun Ye obeyed, though he was curious. Since Wu Lingchan was unprotected, if he caused trouble, they could just kill him. Why bother investigating? After a moment of thought, Xun Ye had a realization. “Is Lord Chen wary that the Young Lord is ambitious and will collude with Jiang Zhengliu?”

Chen She arched an eyebrow. “Ambitious?” “Exactly,” Xun Ye said. “At our first meeting today, he tried to intimidate me. Just now in the hall, he acted like a fool. Returning at this juncture, he must have ulterior motives.”

Chen She laughed. “He is a clumsy child raised by those weak and incompetent sects of the human race. How much ambition could he have? You give him too much credit.”

As for ulterior motives, Chen She’s finger hooked a string, and with a snap, the zither string broke. He wanted to see exactly what this Little Young Lord hoped to achieve with his calculated displays of acting cute and coquettish.

The Danjiu Palace was separated from the Bihan Terrace by only a long corridor. One side was a winter bamboo forest covered in heavy snow, while the other was filled with the vibrant red of autumn maples. The sight of the crimson maples stung Wu Lingchan’s eyes. The surroundings were both strange and familiar, and he wandered about curiously.

Jiang Zhengliu removed his cloak, looking at the Little Young Lord with hesitation. Eleven years had passed. His memories before the age of five were like a fleeting dream, yet the scent of late autumn and the setting sun in the Danjiu Palace seemed etched into his bones. His memory was sparse, but his heart felt at peace.

No one had lived in the Danjiu Palace, but several Dust-Warding Beads hung in the lamps, keeping the place spotless for eleven years. The inner hall was exquisitely decorated, showing much care. Large floor-to-ceiling wooden windows were open. Before a small desk were two mats, one large and one small. A palm-sized scroll lay on the desk, with a pile of small children’s toys scattered on the floor. Just looking at the clutter on the small table showed how much the child had been indulged.

Wu Lingchan sat at the desk, following a blurred memory. In a daze, he felt as if someone were sitting behind him, holding his hand to write on the scroll. Looking toward where the memory pointed, he saw the character “Chen” written in a flowing, powerful style. Beside it was the paw-print of a child.

Wu Lingchan tilted his head curiously. He wondered if Chen She and he were this close when they were young.

Jiang Zhengliu replaced the Dust-Warding Beads in the hall. Only after taking the old ones down did he realize they had been replaced recently. Lord Jufu was under house arrest by Chen She, and Lord Wu had fallen. Who else would care if the Young Lord’s residence gathered dust? Jiang Zhengliu lowered his eyes to hide his complex emotions.

Wu Lingchan rested his chin on his palm and looked curiously at Jiang Zhengliu. “Elder, when we were young, were my brother and I very close?”

Jiang Zhengliu was taken aback. He smiled and said, “When the Young Lord was born, Lord Jufu and Lord Wu were busy dealing with the beast tides and did not return for years. It was Lord Chen who raised you. Naturally, you were close.”

Wu Lingchan half-understood. It was no wonder he taught him how to write personally.

Jiang Zhengliu said gently, “Chen She is not Lord Jufu’s biological son. His bloodline is not pure. When he fell on hard times, he only survived because of Lord Jufu’s grace. He cannot be compared to the Young Lord.”

Wu Lingchan blinked, looking utterly bewildered. “Ah? What?”

Seeing him playing dumb, Jiang Zhengliu sighed silently. What was done was done; there was no point in saying more. He raised his hand and produced three jade slips. “The Young Lord has returned home. From now on, your ties with the human race are severed. Naturally, your name must be changed. These are the characters chosen for you by the Great Elder and the Ancestral Spirits at your birth.”

Wu Lingchan asked, “Ah?”

Jiang Zhengliu felt the child was strange, as if he could not understand human speech. He explained briefly, “The Great Elder chose one character for your name, and the Ancestral Spirit chose the other.”

Wu Lingchan asked, “Oh! Why did my father or mother not choose them?”

Jiang Zhengliu wanted to lecture him on bloodlines again, but seeing Wu Lingchan prepare another “Ah?”, he simply said, “It is the custom of Kunfu Ruins. Those with pure bloodlines are named by the Great Elder and the Ancestral Spirits.”

Wu Lingchan understood and looked curiously at the two golden characters on the jade slips. “How do you read them?”

Jiang Zhengliu tapped them. The golden light of the deep-blue jade slip floated in the air, outlining a character. “The Young Lord was born on the day the beasts of the graveyard were resealed. Auspicious omens descended from heaven. The Great Elder chose the character ‘Kun’, symbolizing that even when trapped by circumstances, one remains unruffled, cautious, and self-disciplined.”

Wu Lingchan nodded. Wu Kun. No matter what the next character was, it sounded quite majestic, which was better than his current name.

He looked at the other crimson jade slip. When he saw the character on it, his eyelid twitched. He did not know many characters, but he could recognize that the characters on the crimson and blue slips were the same.

Wu Lingchan’s lips twitched. Wu Kunkun?

So, when Chen She called him by a repetitive name today, he was not saying “brother,” but calling him “Kunkun”?

Wu Lingchan thought, That is not majestic at all.

After the two “Kun” characters merged into his sea of consciousness, a powerful yet hidden protective spiritual energy suddenly took root in his mortal body. It seemed the characters bestowed by the elders and spirits did indeed have benefits. Wu Lingchan did not really want to be called by such a name, but for the sake of the protective energy, he swallowed his protest.

He looked at the third jade slip. “What is this one?” “This was left for you by Lord Jufu. I do not know what is inside.”

Wu Lingchan was stunned for a moment, realizing Lord Jufu was his biological father. Since his son had returned, yet Lord Jufu only had Jiang Zhengliu deliver a dull-looking jade slip, he clearly did not care much for his own flesh and blood. No wonder he had left the young child to be raised by Chen She.

Thinking of Chen She, Wu Lingchan asked curiously, “What about my brother’s name? Who bestowed it?”

When he asked this, Jiang Zhengliu’s expression shifted. He coughed and warned, “Do not ask that in front of Lord Chen.”

Wu Lingchan was puzzled but nodded obediently. After a few more gentle reminders, Jiang Zhengliu left.

Night fell. The vast Danjiu Palace was quiet and peaceful. After a busy day, Wu Lingchan finally had a moment to himself. He immediately sat in meditation, using his connected soul to check on the status of the Governor of Dark Fragrance on his wrist.

To save him, Xuan Xiang had taken a direct hit to his spiritual body. Wisps of ink marks floated in his sea of consciousness; the injuries were clearly severe. Fortunately, the two “Kun” characters were providing spiritual energy, slowly re-coalescing Xuan Xiang’s soul.

“Moba?”

The wisp of ink shifted slightly, but there was no further reaction. After a moment of thought, Wu Lingchan sat cross-legged on the couch and took out the Bamboo Cicada Grass. The best course of action was to restore his Golden Core as soon as possible. He flicked his finger to produce a wisp of spiritual fire, refining a single drop of essence from the flower. He expertly placed it into his inner residence and attempted to condense his spiritual power for the eighth time.

Wu Lingchan was already extremely skilled at this. He quickly drew energy into his body, carefully guiding it toward his inner residence. The shattered Golden Core gathered slowly under the guidance of the spiritual energy. Each fragment was drawn toward the center.

Wu Lingchan centered his breathing, his youthful face showing no emotion as he observed his internal core. Finally, at the moment of convergence, the spiritual energy suddenly dispersed. Wu Lingchan’s face changed. The Golden Core exploded within his inner residence with a boom. His body jolted violently, and his blood surged as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The eighth attempt at core formation had ended in failure.

Wu Lingchan’s face was deathly pale. He slumped against the couch, panting heavily. The blood on his robes looked like a dark red flower. After the previous seven failures, Wu Lingchan had thought he was just incredibly unlucky. But now that he was back with the Demon Race, he finally realized that the source of his cultivation might be the problem. As a pure-blooded demon cultivator trying to form a core using human cultivation methods, it was no wonder it shattered.

He wiped the blood from his lips and began to ponder. He needed to find a demon cultivator to ask how to practice correctly.

He rose from the couch, unfastening his belt as he headed for the inner room. After a few steps, he froze. The Governor of Dark Fragrance emitted a faint light, and an instinctive fear of being watched by a predator washed over him.

Wu Lingchan held his breath and looked to the side. The surroundings were pitch black; the lamps had been extinguished at some unknown point. A crack seemed to have opened in the void, emitting a strange purple mist that twinkled like fireflies.

Several crimson spots lit up within the purple mist. Accompanied by suppressed low growls, dozens of red spots appeared, flickering as they stared directly at Wu Lingchan.

Those were eyes. The eyes of demonic beasts.