Chen Yu hung up the call and booked herself a flight to Qingmang Mountain right after. Anyway, regardless of whether Lou Ming agreed or not, she would not give up this opportunity.
The Lou courtyard.
Lou Ming got on the phone with Master Mao: “Master Mao?”
“Lou Ming, I will go to Qingmang Mountain tomorrow,” Master Mao said.
Lou Ming was entirely shocked: “You’re going too?”
Master Mao wondered, “What? Are there others going?”
Lou Ming: “Shishi said that Elder Wu asked her to go to Qingmang Mountain.”
Master Mao Mao: “Perfected Lou He asked Little Friend Chen to go to Qingmang Mountain? Just now, Elder Yan also specifically called to ask me to go there tomorrow. It seems that something is happening at Qingmang Mountain.”
Lou Ming guessed: “Will it be related to the spiritual artifact?”
Master Mao: “We don’t know yet. Maybe it’s related to the reason why Qingmang Mountain is classified as a restricted area for Metaphysics. I will not know exactly what the reason is until I arrive at Qingmang Mountain tomorrow.”
Lou Ming said worriedly, “Master Mao, I feel that things are too coincidental.”
They only discussed how to get to Qingmang Mountain in the afternoon. Why could something suddenly happen at Qingmang Mountain?
Master Mao knew why Lou Ming was so worried. During this period, Lou Ming’s memory was constantly revived. He had even remembered some of the Metaphysics techniques that he had learned in his previous life, and could be partly considered a member of the Metaphysics community. For people in the community, such subtle premonitions would often come true.
Master Mao: “In any case, let’s wait and figure out what happened before we make a decision.”
Lou Ming: “That’s our last resort.”
After ending the call, Lou Ming fished out the map that Master Mao had brought over from the desk drawer, and spread it on the desk. He studied the five storage points of spiritual artifacts marked on it, and finally fixed his eyes on the Qingmang Mountain icon.
Qingmang Mountain was desolate and uninhabited. The weather was dusty all year round, and the feng shui in the place was terrible. It was really not a good place, but from the Metaphysics perspective, what would such a place be suitable for?
Lou Ming closed his eyes. He had this feeling that something had crossed his mind, but he failed to catch it. Nevertheless, he believed that this place must be related to his past life.
The appearance of each spiritual artifact was accompanied by a memory recovery. Lou Ming thought that he could not remember Qingmang Mountain because the fifth spiritual artifact was not recovered.
But… What was this vague, inexplicable anxiety and uneasiness he was feeling?
Lou Ming remained distracted for a while before he made another phone call to Chen Yu.
Chen Yu: “Third Brother, are you done talking with Master Mao?”
Lou Ming: “Yeah. Master Mao will also go to Qingmang Mountain tomorrow.”
Chen Yu was surprised. “Master Mao is also going? That’s right. It’s an S-Class mission after all.” Chen Yu thought that Master Mao had also taken the mission.
“Shishi.” Lou Ming’s eyes were still firmly fixed on the coordinate point on the map that represented Qingmang Mountain. “Regardless whether you can get the spiritual artifact or not, and no matter whether you can complete the S-Class mission or not, I just want you to come back safely.”
“Why are you speaking so cautiously? It sounds weird.” Chen Yu replied with a gentle laughter, trying to shatter the inexplicably solemn atmosphere at the other end of the phone with her laughter.
Lou Ming also felt that he was too nervous. He looked away, walked to the window, looked in the direction of Imperial Capital University, and said softly, “I know you will be fine.”
“That’s for sure. My master always said since I was a kid that I have shit luck that others don’t have,” Chen Yu said with some complacency.
Lou Ming chuckled, and the gloomy atmosphere dispersed a bit: “Shishi, I can’t accompany you again.”
“It’s okay, I’ll be back soon. When I find the fifth spiritual artifact, I can find the sixth one, and then I can solve the evil spirit in your body. By then, you can go with me when I go somewhere again in the future,” Chen Yu said.
“Then promise me that you will come back safely, okay?”
“Okay!” As long as Lou Ming asked her ‘Okay’ in such a gentle tone, Chen Yu’s mouth would not be able to help but answer affirmatively every time.
The next morning, Chen Yu flew to Hanjiang City on the same flight as Master Mao and the head of the Liang family. Afterward, they took an eight-hour car ride before arriving at the Shen family villa at the foot of Qingmang Mountain at 8 p.m.
When Chen Yu walked into the house, she swept a glance at Elder Wu, who was sitting on a chair and munching on melon seeds. She ran to him in several steps: “Old Man.”
“Hmm, eat melon seeds.” Elder Wu casually grabbed a handful of melon seeds and handed it to Chen Yu.
Chen Yu grabbed it in her hand and didn’t move. Just then, Yan Chongming, who once encountered Chen Yu, was rattled: “The disciple you mentioned is her?”
“Yeah. Isn’t she outstanding?” Elder Wu bragged.
Bah! Yan Chongming had never seen such a shameless person: “How old is she? Yet you let her come?”
Wu Li’s apprentice was actually such a young girl, so the faces of several bigwigs who knew the truth showed worried and disappointed expressions.
How could this fledgling doll who was just starting out support the Nine Cycle Profound Gate Array?
“Tell him how old you are?” Elder Wu gestured to Chen Yu.
“Eighteen. I will turn nineteen in a few months,” Chen Yu answered.
“Only eighteen? What can she do?” Yan Chongming expressed angrily.
“What’s wrong with being eighteen? My eighteen-year-old apprentice can already catch millennium-old zombies. You were still being chased by zombies when you were eighteen, weren’t you?” Elder Wu retorted sarcastically.
“You…” Yan Chongming was reminded of his black history long ago and was so angry that he almost lunged at Elder Wu for a fight.
The two were almost at their burial age, yet it seemed that they were uncomfortable if they didn’t annoy each other several times in a day. Shen Qingzhu had a headache stopping the two. After everyone exchanged pleasantries for a while, Shen Qingzhu asked Grand Master Ci Hai to step forward again and tell the new four people about the Qingmang Mountain matter in detail.
Master Ku Hai, Master Mao, Celestial Master Liang, and Chen Yu were incomparably shocked that a drought demon was actually sealed inside Qingmang Mountain. Obviously, they didn’t expect to see this kind of creature that only existed in legends with their own eyes in their lifetime.
“Whether the drought demon will awaken or not is still unknown, but we have to prepare for the worst.” Shen Qingzhu added, “The Nine Cycle Profound Gate Array requires nine celestial masters with high cultivation and abundant spiritual power to be able to operate, and you are the most suitable candidates we can think of.”
When Shen Qingzhu swept a glance across the crowd and fell on Chen Yu, the corners of his eyes couldn’t help twitching. Obviously, he also had doubts about Chen Yu’s strength.
“They few of you have had a tiring trip today, so rest well tonight first. We will go up to Qingmang Mountain tomorrow.” It was also a good opportunity for them to test the cultivation level of Wu Li’s disciple. If she was incapable, they’d have to find another person.
Chen Yu’s room was arranged next to Elder Wu. As Chen Yu and Elder Wu walked towards the guest rooms, she asked curiously, “It seems that the reason Qingmang Mountain was classified as a restricted area is because of the drought demon. But Qingmang Mountain was restricted twenty years ago. It was not classified before, which means no one knew that the drought demon was sealed here before.”
“The birth of a drought demon must be accompanied by a heavenly phenomenon. How come no one outside seems to know about it? Even Master Mao and the others only heard about it today.”
“Twenty years ago, before the drought demon fully awakened, we sealed it again. Thus, it did not cause any heavenly phenomenon,” Elder Wu explained.
“I see. Otherwise how else could a mere Nine Cycle Profound Gate Array seal a drought demon so easily,” Chen Yu revealed a look of understanding.
Elder Wu abruptly stopped in his tracks. Chen Yu was not paying attention and almost bumped into him. “Why did you suddenly stop?”
“Can’t the Nine Cycle Profound Gate Array seal an awakened drought demon?” Elder Wu suddenly asked.
“Of course. A drought demon is not that easy to seal.” After Chen Yu finished speaking, she froze. “Old Man, don’t you know?”
“…” Elder Wu shook his head with a complicated expression.
“Old man, something is strange with me lately.” Chen Yu frowned, “A lot more things seem to be popping in my head. And… My cultivation has also been refined a lot.”
The old man looked at his stupid apprentice with a grave expression. For a moment, he seemed to see the ancient woman who had briefly appeared on the Soul Gathering Platform behind his stupid disciple.
The author has something to say:
The relationship between Young Wu and Young Yan has always been bad, so bad that the entire Metaphysics community knew that the two were at odds.
But at Young Yan’s wedding, Young Wu traveled thousands of miles to give a big gift.
Young Yan: What the hell are you playing at?
Young Wu: I am sincerely happy for you, ah.
Young Yan: Do you think I will believe you?
Young Wu: Young man, be simple. Being too suspicious is a heart disease.