Why is the Demon Venerable Like That? - Chapter 8

“Chief Lu,” Lin Jiangxue suddenly called his name with professional solemnity.

Lu Yuan stared at her, feeling a spark of tension. The effect of Lin Jiangxue calling him Chief Lu was roughly equivalent to Lingchuan Du calling him Senior Brother.

At moments like this, he genuinely missed the version of Lin Jiangxue who was still relatively simple and introverted.

Lin Jiangxue asked, “Are you skilled at flattery?”

Though bewildered by the question, Lu Yuan answered seriously, “I suspect I am not.”

Lin Jiangxue gave an elegant smile. “Then Chief Lu had better start learning now.”

For some reason, Lu Yuan detected a hint of schadenfreude in her smile. “Why?”

“Because right now, Lingchuan Du could fight you with both hands tied behind his back and you still would not be his match.”

What did this have to do with Lingchuan Du?

Knowing what Lu Yuan wanted to ask, Lin Jiangxue explained, “Do you remember a painting you gave to Emperor Yinwen a hundred years ago?”

At the mention of that painting, Lu Yuan’s face fell. The brilliant and mighty Chief Lu was not skilled at painting. In fact, he was remarkably bad at it.

He could paint mandarin ducks that looked like wild ducks, fine bamboo that looked like rotten shoots, and slender hands that resembled boneless chicken feet. Yet, if one squinted long enough, one could eventually discern what he was trying to depict, which was a talent in its own right.

Originally, Lu Yuan had intended to give a piece of calligraphy as a birthday gift to Emperor Yinwen. However, Lin Jiangxue had claimed his writing was too sharp and filled with killing intent, making it unsuitable for a gift.

In truth, he had wanted to give nothing at all because he was too lazy to put effort into interpersonal relationships. He only yielded after Lin Jiangxue, who had just become the Great National Preceptor, spent six months pestering him. Finally, he produced a painting of an unrecognizable subject and sent it off.

Lin Jiangxue was clearly recalling that abstract masterpiece as well. Her lips twitched before she regained her composure. “What you painted is not the point; the materials you used are. Back then, you used divine blood as ink and divine consciousness as your brush. That painting is brimming with spiritual energy. If we can retrieve it, it will be highly effective for repairing your soul.”

“Half a month ago, the current Crown Prince fell into a coma, reportedly due to some kind of plague. The Emperor has ordered a thorough investigation into the plague that struck Heaven Capital City ten years ago. Whoever solves the mystery will be rewarded with that painting from Emperor Yinwen’s burial goods.”

“Originally, I planned to have Lingchuan Du investigate this with me. I thought repairing his soul might make the puppet a bit more flexible so he would stop being so stubborn. But since you are breathing again, this task falls to you. If you unfortunately annoy Lingchuan Du and he kills you, it only proves,”

Lu Yuan interrupted, “Proves that I am unlucky?”

Lin Jiangxue smiled. “It proves you have a big mouth.”

She added as an afterthought, “That is why I told you to learn how to be charming and helpful.”

Lu Yuan remained confused. “But how did you convince him to help you?”

Lin Jiangxue continued to smile. “Because I promised him that once the job is done, I will take him to dig up your grave.”

Lu Yuan was silent. He wondered what kind of god-offending deeds he had committed in his past life to make Lingchuan Du want to desecrate his grave so many years after his death.

Regardless, if he could find his own remains, he could attach his divine power to them and perform illusions to recreate the past. This would allow him to discover who had actually killed him. Consequently, Lu Yuan did not mind having his bones dug up. He even asked with a hint of excitement, “So, you know where my grave is?”

Lin Jiangxue replied candidly, “Of course I do not know. I was counting on you to tell me once you recovered your memories.”

She spoke of her scheme with righteous conviction.

Lu Yuan was stunned by her sheer composure. “Are you not afraid he will settle the score with you?”

Lin Jiangxue countered with a strange look. “I do not know where your grave is, but I know where you are.”

After saying this, she laughed brightly, her joy appearing entirely sincere.

Lin Jiangxue watched Lu Yuan’s defeated expression with satisfaction. For the first time in history, she had both of these senior and junior brothers under her thumb. She felt as though a long-suppressed grudge had finally been settled. If not for her public image, she would have liked to put her hands on her hips and laugh toward the sky.

The cheerily independent Lin Jiangxue drifted out of the room. Before leaving, she did not forget to snap her fingers to wake Zhang Chafu from his slumber.

“Ah! Senior Brother Lu, you are awake!” Zhang Chafu scrambled up in a daze. Upon seeing Lu Yuan, he shouted the exact same greeting as before with joy. “Do you know? I just dreamed that you woke up, and then you actually did. Senior Brother Lu, do you think my prophetic abilities have strengthened lately?”

Lu Yuan looked at Zhang Chafu in genuine amazement. He wondered what kind of sheer density of mind was required to create such a talent. Perhaps people truly were happier when they were lighthearted and oblivious.

Twelve divine pillars carved from spirit stones supported a sprawling complex of buildings that reached into the clouds. These structures were free of impurities, glowing with radiant light and the dustless gleam of white jade.

Dazzling gauzes hung outside several pavilions, adorned with sparkles and gold dust that shimmered in the breeze like the waist of a skilled dancer.

This was the Immortal Alliance, “Haotian.”

Since Lu Yuan’s death, there had been endless arguments regarding who should take the seat of the Chief. Some argued that the Leader of White Jade Capital, Xiao Shuchen, should take the role. Others disagreed, believing Lin Jiangxue, the Sect Leader of Fengchi Sect, possessed deeper cultivation and should hold the position.

Then others objected, saying that while Sect Leader Lin was the foremost figure of the righteous path, she spent all her time in secluded meditation. She had not been seen for over a decade. If a major crisis occurred, by the time they found her, the opportunity would be lost, and she would only be useful for collecting bodies and ordering coffins.

Finally, someone suggested they take turns serving as the Chief. This resulted in yet another massive argument over who should be the first to serve.

Today, the ongoing shouting in the main hall was not about the leadership.

As dawn broke, the leaders of the various sects had taken their seats, with the usual exception of Lin Jiangxue.

Xiao Shuchen was currently nursing a headache as he watched his son, who was shouting at the top of his lungs.

Xiao Yunqi looked gray and haggard as he cursed at the heavens. The target of his vitriol, who he claimed deserved to be struck by a hundred bolts of heavenly lightning, was Lingchuan Du.

He cried out miserably, “That man’s actions are becoming increasingly erratic! He dared to kidnap someone right in front of everyone! If Sect Leader Lin had not intervened, I shudder to think what would have happened to my son! Furthermore, Lingchuan Du dared to kill Lu Lingyue a hundred years ago. Is there anything he is not capable of?”

His voice was tight, as if the name he spoke might bite his tongue. “Lingchuan Du is a madman.”

A hundred years ago, Lingchuan Du had slain his senior brother in the floating city of Jiu Cang. Lu Yuan’s body had ultimately fallen into the mortal realm. According to witnesses, he had fallen with such force that he was scattered into pieces, a sight too gruesome to behold.

Since Lu Yuan’s death, Lingchuan Du would occasionally travel to Jiu Cang City to have a breakdown.

The other day, he had shouted for Lu Yuan to come out and fight him. Naturally, a dead man cannot jump out to fight. Dissatisfied, he beat the Elders of Jiu Cang City until they were black and blue before leaving sullenly.

On another occasion, he seemed to remember Lu Yuan was dead and demanded that Jiu Cang City hand over the body. When they predictably could not comply, Lingchuan Du blew up the sect’s main gate.

No one in Jiu Cang City dared to complain about his behavior. They were terrified of this temperamental, unpredictable tyrant. Exhausted both physically and mentally, they eventually began moving their floating city from place to place. They stopped publicly recruiting disciples and became a nearly invisible sect in the cultivation world.

If you asked if the Jiu Cang Sect still existed, the answer would be: maybe. Or maybe not. If it did, it was only because they had fled quickly half a month ago when the Demon Sovereign found them during one of his routine fits of madness. He reportedly tore down their main hall, and they only barely escaped with their lives.

Xiao Shuchen had entered the path of cultivation later in life than those who began as children, which meant his youthful appearance was not as perfectly preserved. Fine lines marked the corners of his eyes.

He rubbed his forehead and signaled for Xiao Yunqi to stand up. Crying and wailing in the Haotian Alliance was undignified.

Xiao Yunqi wanted to argue further, but seeing his father’s expression, he realized that continuing would only make him a laughingstock. He stood to the side sullenly.

“Fellow Daoist Xiao, we understand your situation, but the matter in Lin’an Town might be more pressing.” Someone nearby tried to play peacemaker, adopting a posture of “I know you are anxious, but please wait.”

Xiao Yunqi could not help but shout, “What could be more pressing than my situation!”

Who knew if Lingchuan Du would take a sudden whim to kidnap his precious son again? The people in Lin’an Town were already dead. Were the living not more important than the dead?

“It is indeed more pressing than your situation.” The speaker was a young man who appeared to be smiling. Despite his polite demeanor, his words gave Xiao Yunqi no face at all.

This young man was Chun Jiangwan, the manager of the Shuangjian Book Bureau.

The Shuangjian Book Bureau had more editors than it had actual cultivators. The reason it held a seat in Haotian was purely because they were incredibly wealthy. Building maintenance, cleaning, mission funding, every single thing required money.

The Shuangjian Book Bureau might not have been skilled at much else, but they were unparalleled at writing gossip novels. Eight or nine out of every ten secrets about cultivators circulating in the market were compiled by them.

They had also struck while the iron was hot, releasing portraits of prominent figures in the cultivation world and selling life-sized replicas of their weapons and treasures. These ventures had made them immensely rich.

Even if some of their stories strayed from the truth, no one cared. The common people loved these tragic and romantic tales of immortal lords.

Chun Jiangwan clapped his hands, and his subordinates brought in a wrapped object. Once Xiao Yunqi realized what it was, he covered his nose and mouth in disgust. It was the corpse of an evil spirit from Lin’an Town.

“Fellow Daoist Xiao, please look at how this evil spirit is different.”

Enduring the stench, Xiao Yunqi gave it a casual glance. “Is this not just a living corpse?”

Chun Jiangwan wore an expression that said he knew Xiao Yunqi was useless. He prompted, “If it were a simple living corpse, the young disciples of the Fengchi Sect would have recognized it.”

Xiao Yunqi kicked the spirit over to examine the front. The skin was withered, the blood was thick and black, and deathly aura swirled around its wounds. It was indeed a living corpse. However, to drink and stay at an inn while under the gaze of such a creature would require a remarkably thick-skinned or oblivious mind.

“So, when the people of the Fengchi Sect were at the inn, these creatures appeared to be normal humans?”

Xiao Shuchen sighed and suddenly remarked that it was a pity. “No. Yunqi, do you know what a Jian is?”

When a human dies, they become a ghost. When a ghost dies, they become a Jian.

A Jian has no physical form and can only possess a ghost. Once it wears down the ghost’s consciousness, it can completely replace it and inhabit the ghost’s body.

“Everyone in Lin’an Town had already been possessed by Jian. While their own consciousness remained, they were no different from ordinary people. But once their consciousness was consumed by the Jian, they took on the appearance of living corpses.” Xiao Shuchen rubbed his head. “Furthermore, according to the accounts of the disciples from both sects, these spirits possessed their own consciousness.”

A living corpse was simply a mutated body; it could not have its own thoughts.

Xiao Yunqi felt a chill in his heart. “Everyone in Lin’an Town was killed just to serve as containers for the Jian?”

“That is the most baffling part.” Chun Jiangwan took action himself. Acting as if he could not smell the stench, he pulled back the shredded clothing on the spirit’s neck. “Once a Jian possesses and completely replaces a ghost, it gradually transforms the ghost’s body into its own likeness.”

When Chun Jiangwan fully pulled back the fabric, a prominent crimson tattoo on the spirit’s neck was exposed to everyone.

“More than five hundred years ago, the late King of the Yin Dynasty was incompetent, and King Zhaowu rose in rebellion. His personal soldiers all had crimson tattoos on their necks to signify their resolve to die for the cause, swearing to level Heaven Capital City.”

“King Zhaowu’s army swept across a thousand miles, heading straight for the Imperial City with nothing to stand in its way. It was said that the reason he never tasted defeat was because,”

Chun Jiangwan stared at the tattoo and said eerily, “he possessed an army of a million ghost soldiers.”

“They knew no fatigue and feared no pain. They were born toward death and were invincible.”