Chapter 228.2: Painted-Skin Demon and Changgui
Ming Moyu had no idea what the couple was thinking. She simply rubbed the ashes of the burned talisman onto her forehead and the area above her eyes.
Her face had already been smeared with chicken blood. Now, she looked even more monstrous than an actual ghost.
Ming Moyu didn’t mind in the slightest, though. When traveling outside, safety came first. One couldn’t exactly eat one’s pride.
Only when she felt a faint burning sensation between her eyebrows and above her eyes did she slowly open them and focus her gaze on the two people standing before her.
Well, well!
They really did have completely different appearances!
There was no need to mention the Crown Princess Consort, Luo Shuqing. But the Crown Prince-to-be, Yun Xiangyi, was surprisingly a burly, heavily built man. At that moment, in Ming Moyu’s eyes, he was wearing a woman’s dress, making for an utterly jarring sight.
Even when Ming Moyu had smeared talisman ash around her own eyes, she hadn’t found anything nearly so painful to look at.
She quickly turned her head and nodded at Second Brother Xiu.
“Sure enough, they’ve both been given different faces. One man and one woman.”
This made it much more likely that what the couple had said was true.
More importantly, since even cultivators of Fenglu Mountain’s younger generation could use the truth-verification method to see their real appearances, surely if they could find an even more powerful senior cultivator, there was a chance that person might be able to break the demonic spell.
Hearing the cultivator’s words, the two members of the imperial family burst into tears of joy.
At last, someone could see what they really looked like!
Wait!!
Ming Moyu suddenly remembered what the head of the escort agency had said about official aura weakening and no longer working. She hurriedly turned back to ask the couple:
“You two have been fleeing for quite some time. Approximately how long has it been?”
The Crown Prince-to-be, Yun Xiangyi, cried as he answered, “It’s been over a month.”
Second Brother Xiu did some quick calculations.
“Prince An’s fiefdom isn’t that far from the imperial capital. And since they were traveling under imperial orders, the journey should have been relatively smooth. I’m afraid those evil beings have already entered the capital using your faces.”
Ming Moyu’s expression darkened.
“While traveling, we heard reports from various places that official aura was weakening. It seems this matter is connected to what happened to you.”
Second Brother Xiu nodded.
“I’m afraid the new emperor has already appointed a Crown Prince. It’s just that the news hasn’t reached this area yet.”
In a country, if the emperor bore the fortune of the entire realm, then the Crown Prince, as the designated heir to the throne, would bear at least half of that fortune.
If the emperor had formally appointed Yun Xiangyi as Crown Prince early on, with half the nation’s fortune resting upon him, those evil beings probably wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere near him.
Unfortunately, these demons and evil spirits were quite cunning. They had deliberately chosen to strike just after the new emperor ascended the throne, while Yun Xiangyi was still merely the heir to a prince’s title and had yet to reach the imperial capital.
At this point, Yun Xiangyi might have possessed a little of the nation’s fortune, but it wasn’t particularly strong. This had been the perfect moment for the demons to strike.
By now, the new emperor had probably already been deceived into appointing an evil creature as Crown Prince. With that creature now bearing half the nation’s fortune, the country’s fortune had become tainted by demonic influence. Naturally, the official aura throughout the various regions would suffer as a result.
“So that’s what happened.”
Ming Moyu suddenly understood.
“If that fake Crown Prince manages to kill the new emperor and ascend the throne himself…”
Second Brother Xiu finished her sentence.
“Then the Yun Kingdom is finished.”
Yun Xiangyi grew even more frantic upon hearing this. He hurriedly bowed deeply to them once again.
“I beg all of you, Daoist masters, please help us return to the imperial capital!”
Of course they had to help.
This was no longer simply a matter of drawing one’s sword to help someone in trouble. The fate of an entire nation, and whether it could safely weather this calamity, was at stake.
“Please rest assured. Yuantian Sect will certainly do everything in its power to help you.”
Second Brother Xiu agreed without hesitation.
At that moment, he couldn’t help wishing that a cultivator from Huxuan Sect were here.
Huxuan Sect excelled at gathering and organizing intelligence from various regions. They also possessed a technique for transmitting messages over long distances. Unlike Yuantian Sect and Fenglu Sect, who had no choice but to travel on foot whenever they wanted to deliver a message, Huxuan Sect had a much more convenient way of doing things.
Second Brother Xiu had only spoken on behalf of Yuantian Sect and hadn’t mentioned Fenglu Sect. Nevertheless, he was certain that any Daoist cultivator who encountered something like this would naturally feel obligated to intervene.
When Ming Moyu remained silent, he glanced over at her in confusion, only to find the First Senior Sister of Fenglu Sect deep in thought, seemingly weighing something in her mind.
Second Brother Xiu smiled at the two members of the imperial family, then pulled Ming Moyu aside and quietly asked:
“Fellow Daoist, is there something you’re still concerned about?”
Ming Moyu shook her head.
“Not exactly. I just feel that this is more than young cultivators like us can handle.”
Second Brother Xiu wholeheartedly agreed.
Regardless of which Daoist sect they belonged to, the most frequent advice their elders gave young cultivators before sending them down the mountain was always the same:
Fight if you can. If you can’t win, run. Whatever you do, don’t let a moment of reckless courage make you stay behind and throw your life away.
Whenever they encountered some major problem that was difficult to handle, they had to send word back to the sect immediately. Under no circumstances were they to shoulder the burden alone. Otherwise, there was a very real possibility that the mission would remain unfinished, the young cultivators would lose their lives, and no message would ever make it back to the sect. In the end, the sect wouldn’t even know what had happened.
But wasn’t it just that they had no way to send a message?
Ming Moyu said, “I have a technique that can transmit a message directly to the senior members of my sect. However, it requires the assistance of an evil ghost.”
Second Brother Xiu immediately regarded her with newfound respect.
He had long heard that Fenglu Sect specialized in exorcising ghosts and evil spirits. He’d never imagined that even their message transmission required sacrificing an evil ghost!
But if a ghost had become an evil ghost, it was naturally because it had already harmed at least three people. Second Brother Xiu had no qualms about it and immediately said:
“Then let’s go catch an evil ghost! My Tianyuan Sect can help you with that, too!”
Ming Moyu gave an awkward, dry laugh.
They had only recently received their Youdu tokens, and they were all young people, still excited by the novelty of it all. Along the way, they had been enthusiastically hunting down evil ghosts wherever they could find them. By now, where were they supposed to find another evil ghost to help open the Ghost Gate?
“Well… We’ve already cleared out all the evil ghosts along the way.”
Second Brother Xiu: “?”
Wasn’t it supposed to be extremely difficult to kill evil ghosts?
Was Fenglu Sect really that powerful?
He felt that he had gained an entirely new understanding of Fenglu Sect.
“Then… why don’t we go a little farther and see if we get lucky?”
Perhaps they might run into another evil ghost or something.
Ming Moyu nodded. “I suppose that’s our only option.”
She added, “Qing Tong Prefecture is just ahead. If someone in the prefecture happens to have passed away recently, my technique could still come in handy.”
When someone died, Black and White Impermanence would come to collect their soul. If they waited nearby, couldn’t they simply ask the two deities to help deliver their message?
It was just that dawn was approaching, and the ghost officials who went out at night to collect wandering souls were about to finish their shifts. Otherwise, perhaps they could summon a ghost official right now.
Second Brother Xiu didn’t know the details. Hearing Ming Moyu say this, he assumed it was some powerful secret technique of Fenglu Sect. Without hesitation, he called everyone together, and they set off for Qing Tong Prefecture.
“That works out perfectly. Several of our cultivators are injured, so we need to go to Qing Tong Prefecture to find a doctor anyway.”
Cultivators were generally capable of treating their own injuries. But when their wounds were too severe, there was little they could do. They still had to seek proper medical attention.
Everyone made their preparations once more, then set off toward Qing Tong Prefecture.
Now that they had a carriage, some of the Fenglu Sect cultivators squeezed into it, while others crowded onto the horses belonging to Tianyuan Sect. Packed tightly together, they made their way toward Qing Tong Prefecture.
Naturally, they brought along the coachman who had been pretending to be unconscious all this time. They were in the middle of nowhere. If they left him behind, the wild animals would probably devour him before dawn.
“Once we reach Qing Tong Prefecture, we’ll let the coachman go on his way.”
Yun Xiangyi and Luo Shuqing naturally agreed at once. They even took out a piece of gold, explaining that it was extra payment for the coachman.
The coachman, who had been pretending to be unconscious inside the carriage, secretly opened one eye. Seeing that the gold was roughly the size of a child’s fist, he was instantly overjoyed.
He stopped pretending to sleep and sprang up cheerfully, ready to drive.
“Honored sirs, you’ve all had a tiring journey. Let this humble fellow drive the carriage. It’s almost daylight, and I promise I won’t drive it into a ditch this time!”
With the money dangling before his eyes, the coachman proved remarkably skilled at handling the carriage. The ride was smooth and steady.
Yet not a single person inside the carriage or riding alongside it dared to relax. Everyone remained on high alert, frequently scanning their surroundings.
After all, this imperial family of three was still being hunted by evil creatures.
Perhaps it was because dawn had broken, or perhaps because the group escorting the couple now included so many cultivators, but the evil creatures never appeared again throughout the journey.
The only person in the group who was thoroughly enjoying himself was the coachman. Gazing ahead, he called out loudly:
“Honored sirs! We’ve arrived at Qing Tong Prefecture!”
—Qing Tong Prefecture, one of the three great prefectures of the Yun Kingdom.
This place was the center of the salt trade, its importance comparable to that of the imperial court’s own treasury.
Not only did it have a dedicated Salt Transport Administration, but that office also reported directly to the Ministry of Revenue. Its official rank was higher than that of the local prefect, and its officials had the authority to submit memorials directly to the emperor.
Furthermore, Qing Tong Prefecture had its own garrison.
This was one of the reasons Yun Xiangyi and the others had originally decided to flee here. As long as they could win the trust of the Salt Commissioner of Qing Tong Prefecture, they would effectively have an army of twenty thousand at their disposal. Not only could they evade the pursuit of the evil creatures, but the Salt Commissioner could also submit their message directly to the emperor.
The group entered the prefectural city. As expected, it was far more prosperous than the other places they had passed through. The people here didn’t seem to have been affected by the evil creatures at all. Everywhere they looked, the streets were bustling with activity.
“Flowers for sale! The finest flowers!”
“Ah, honored guests! Looking for an inn? Come stay at ours! We have attendants who bring hot water to our guests every day!”
“Wontons! Fresh wontons for sale!”
As the group made their way along the streets, numerous small-time vendors called out to them, all smiles and brimming with enthusiasm. One couldn’t help but marvel: a major prefectural city really was something else.
There were even street performers along the way. Some breathed fire, others walked on high wires, while still others led monkeys around and had them perform all sorts of tricks.
The streets were lively and bustling everywhere they looked. The cultivators, who had spent the entire night on edge, couldn’t help relaxing. Some were already considering which shop to visit for breakfast.
Although the two members of the imperial family had escaped disguised as female physicians, the captain of the prince’s guards had made sure to stuff them with plenty of money before they fled. Clearly, the pair would be able to treat their group of cultivators to a rather comfortable journey for some time.
Second Brother Xiu formed a hand seal and nodded at Ming Moyu.
“There are no traces of demonic energy nearby.”
Ming Moyu acknowledged him. “Let’s hurry and find out whether anyone has died recently.”
Remembering that pursuers might still be on their trail, the cultivators discussed it and decided that it would be best to stay at a cheap inn.
Since those evil pursuers were clever enough to think things through, it was entirely possible they’d assume the Crown Prince-to-be and his wife would stay at a high-end inn.
When they arrived at the little inn, they found that, despite its modest size, the place was indeed spotless. The doors and windows had been cleaned, and even the floor had been scrubbed until it gleamed.
There were only two attendants working in the establishment, but both were exceptionally friendly. They hurried over to help take the group’s luggage and then showed everyone the guest rooms.
The cultivators didn’t dare split up. Including the Crown Prince-to-be and his wife, there were more than twenty of them, and they ended up cramming themselves into a single large dormitory-style room.
The attendant merely laughed cheerfully.
“Travelers have every reason to be cautious when they’re away from home. You folks must be from out of town, right? It must have been a tiring journey. I’ll go fetch some hot water for you. Once you’ve washed up, you’ll feel much more refreshed.”
He stepped out of the room. Meanwhile, Yun Xiangyi and Luo Shuqing, holding their baby, sat down on the bed and finally let their bodies relax.
All they wanted now was to get a good, long sleep.
But just as they had settled down, they noticed that every cultivator in the room had suddenly grown solemn.
The couple immediately tensed up again.
“Daoist masters, what’s wrong?”
“Something’s not right.”
Ming Moyu said, “There’s something off about that attendant’s behavior.”
The Crown Prince-to-be and his wife, who had been doted on by everyone around them since birth, thought it over carefully.
“Nothing seemed wrong to us. He was very friendly, and even offered to bring us hot water.”
“That’s exactly what’s wrong.”
Second Brother Xiu picked up where she left off. “We didn’t give him any extra money, and we’re staying in a shared dormitory, yet he’s going out of his way to fetch hot water for us. That’s highly suspicious.”
The other cultivators chimed in one after another.
“He saw all of us cramming into this big dormitory and didn’t even roll his eyes. Suspicious.”
“He volunteered to help feed our horses. Suspicious.”
“The room is so clean, and even the bedding has been aired out. Suspicious.”
To put it bluntly, for the little money they’d paid, it would have been perfectly reasonable for the inn to give them nothing more than some straw to sleep on.
Freshly aired bedding? That was the kind of treatment reserved for private guest rooms.
“This place isn’t safe. We need to leave immediately.”
The cultivators hurriedly gathered their belongings.
“While he’s gone fetching water, get out through the window! Then make for the back entrance!”
Nobody wasted time arguing. Whether this was a predatory inn that robbed and killed its guests or the work of some evil creature, they had agreed on one thing: they needed to escape, and they needed to do it now.
Once they got outside, the Crown Prince-to-be and his wife assumed they would simply find another inn.
Instead, the cultivators led them straight toward the city gates.
“Why… why are we heading out of the city?”
Ming Moyu, who was holding onto the Crown Princess Consort, explained, “Something was wrong with that attendant, yet none of us noticed it. Either this is a predatory inn, or there’s some evil creature here whose presence our techniques can’t detect.”
Second Brother Xiu, who was pulling the Crown Prince-to-be along, picked up the explanation.
“Exactly. Since we couldn’t determine what was going on with that attendant, if there are other people like him in this city, we won’t be able to identify them either.”
“At this point, any person in the city could be an evil creature in disguise. We have to get out as quickly as possible.”
They hurried toward the city gates. But despite it being broad daylight, the gates had already slammed shut with a resounding crash.
The soldiers guarding the entrance stared at them expressionlessly.
The group hurriedly retreated. But when they turned around, they discovered that the bustling street behind them had somehow fallen silent.
The people who had been manning stalls, performing street acts, and selling food had all stopped what they were doing. Without a single expression on their faces, they began closing in on the group.
Suddenly, they parted to make way.
A gigantic tiger, a full ten meters tall and wreathed in black mist, came prowling forward, baring its fangs in a sinister grin.
“Ha! Look what I’ve caught!”
“The Crown Prince and Crown Princess of the Yun Kingdom, huh? Ah. And your little Crown Prince’s heir, too!”
Second Brother Xiu let out a helpless sigh.
“Ah… A changgui.”
Ming Moyu took a step back as well.
“This is bad.”
Second Brother Xiu gave a bitter smile.
“Shouldn’t you say we’re as good as dead?”
When a giant tiger devoured a person, that person’s soul would become a changgui, a ghostly servant under the tiger’s control. The more powerful the tiger’s cultivation, the greater the number of changgui it could command.
Looking at all the people lining the streets, now turned into changgui, it was obvious that Qing Tong Prefecture was hardly free of evil creatures. If anything, the entire prefecture had probably already fallen.
“Good heavens! Just look at the size of that giant tiger and all the changgui filling the streets! Forget us—even our elders, who’ve lived for a hundred or two hundred years, probably wouldn’t be able to handle this!”
Second Brother Xiu gritted his teeth and drew his sword.
“I’ll hold it off for as long as I can. You take the Crown Prince and Crown Princess and see if you can escape. If you can’t, then use our corpses as the medium and employ your Fenglu Sect technique to send a message back.”
“Help me get a message back, too. Ask the others to look after Huahua for me.”
Ming Moyu: “Who’s Huahua?”
“My cat.”
Second Brother Xiu suddenly charged forward.
“All Tianyuan Sect cultivators, with me!!!”
“Get out of here!!!”
But he hadn’t even made it a step before someone grabbed his arm.
Ming Moyu stared fixedly at the enormous demonic tiger ahead. Her hands began forming hand seals as she assumed the opening stance.
“Elders who’ve lived for one or two hundred years can’t defeat it…”
“But what about elders who’ve cultivated for more than six hundred years, counting both their lifetimes and their years after death?”
—Blue Star—
Early that morning, people were still fast asleep in their beds when they sensed that a new divine-link channel to Fallen Heaven Star was opening.
The great Creator God of Blue Sea, as well as the acting Heavenly Dao of Fallen Heaven Star, Cheng Qisheng, opened her eyes.
