Chapter 139: Manifesting the Yin Spirit in Such a Manner

What grand hall?

The old Taoist in white robes shifted his gaze evasively and said, What grand hall? Your master doesn't see any grand hall.

Second Master, you promised me!

Chen Huangpi said in exasperation, You said that if I brought you something delicious, you would tell me. You can't go back on your word.

Your master did promise you,

The old Taoist replied with a sly expression. But look at your master's belly—it's completely flat. If I had eaten, it would be bulging out. Since it's not bulging, it means I haven't eaten. And since I haven't eaten, why should I tell you?

While speaking, the old Taoist began to push Chen Huangpi toward the exit. Huangpi-er, it's almost dawn. You should be heading back. Don't come to the Old Temple anymore.

That's right, that's right!

The brass oil lamp hurriedly chimed in. Isn't it just like the grand hall outside? It's no big deal.

I'm not leaving.

Chen Huangpi said angrily, Huang Er, don't try to persuade me. The Old Temple is an area that vanished from the Pure Immortal Temple, yet this grand hall is completely intact. Why has one more appeared here? And Master's portrait is completely blank. There is definitely a secret hidden in this place.

If the old Taoist had never made the promise, it would be one thing. But having promised and now refusing to fulfill it, he was clearly just playing tricks.

Chen Huangpi had a stubborn temperament, so naturally he was unwilling to leave just like that.

Seeing this, the old Taoist spoke earnestly, Huang-er, there really are no secrets in this grand hall. Even if there were, your master wouldn't tell you that a terrifying monstrosity is suppressed right here.

A monstrosity?

Chen Huangpi asked in bewilderment, There is a monstrosity suppressed here?

What kind of monstrosity could possibly need to be suppressed inside the grand hall of the Old Temple?

What other monstrosity could it be?

The face of the brass oil lamp turned green. The Second Temple Master had clearly stated during a lucid moment that the Old Temple suppressed the corpse of the mutated azure heavens.

Don't ask anymore, stop asking!

The brass oil lamp trembled as it spoke. Chen Huangpi, let's be obedient and leave right now. If you don't go, I'm leaving first—I'm not waiting for you.

With that, the brass oil lamp shivered and began crawling toward the outside of the grand hall. It wasn't that it didn't want to fly; it was simply that all the lamp oil inside it had been completely digested by the Second Temple Master, and it would take a full day of rest to recover.

Seeing this, Chen Huangpi couldn't help muttering to himself inwardly: There is an array formation hidden within the Old Temple, and all of Master's supreme treasures are merely parts of that formation. Now, with this additional grand hall, its original location inside is precisely where the Painting of Ascending Immortals used to rest. Perhaps this place is the core of the formation itself. Yes, it must be the array core.

The old Taoist hurriedly shoved Chen Huangpi out of the grand hall and instructed him, Do not come to the Old Temple ever again. Also, diligently practice the Yin-Yang Harmony God-Transforming Art I taught you, and stop practicing the wicked techniques your First Master gave you.

Watching his Second Master make a gesture to close the doors of the grand hall, Chen Huangpi quickly asked, Second Master, I wanted to ask you—I have clearly already cultivated the Six Yin Spirits, but they remain in a state of slumber. How on earth am I supposed to project my Yin Spirit?

Go to the yin-extreme place where the moon sets, and you will be able to project it. Remember to bring a coffin.

Isn't that right here inside the Old Temple?

Chen Huangpi was thoroughly puzzled. The sun was his master's Yang Spirit, and the moon was his master's Yin Spirit. Both the sun and the moon would sink into the Old Temple and then rise in alternating cycles. Could there possibly be any place in the Hundred Thousand Mountains that deserved the title of a yin-extreme location more than the Old Temple?

The old Taoist waved his hand dismissively. The Hundred Thousand Mountains do not possess a sun and moon. Alright, your master is going to close the doors now. There are simply too few monstrosities in this Old Temple—not enough for me to eat. I'll go out later and catch a few more to bring back inside. Oh, and don't bring the old ones; bring the new ones. The new ones have better flesh and a purer flavor.

With that, he slammed the doors of the grand hall shut with a heavy crash.

Chen Huangpi felt a lingering reluctance and was about to ask whether he should bring some seasonings, but the grand hall before his eyes suddenly vanished like a dream or a phantom bubble. It was as if his Second Master was deliberately avoiding him, unwilling to let him see that grand hall any longer.

Stop dwelling on it.

The brass oil lamp urged anxiously. Look at what time it is now! If we don't leave immediately, dawn will break.

Chen Huangpi looked up. He saw that more than half of the crimson moon hanging in the sky had already sunk into the darkness.

Moonset and sunrise. This meant that the sun, formed from his master's Yang Spirit, was about to rise from within the Old Temple.

Chen Huangpi took a deep breath. Then, without the slightest hesitation, he picked up the brass oil lamp and hurried toward the nearest path leading out of the Old Temple. He had already memorized the direction. Perhaps that very direction was where the grand hall inside the Old Temple truly stood. His cultivation was extraordinary now. Although he lacked the effortless mastery over all Daoist techniques that he possessed when consumed by demonic obsession, simply channeling his power into the brass oil lamp was enough for him to unleash the Escaping One Divine Light.

Outside the Scripture Pavilion...

Clatter, clatter...

Silver Horn lay on the ground, pawing at the bronze chain forged from Shou Mountain copper that had previously bound Gold Horn. Aside from the period when three gigantic suns had vied with one another for brilliance within the Old Temple and everything had floated up into the sky, Silver Horn's life recently had been fairly decent. At the very least, it hadn't gone hungry.

I wonder when Big Brother and Dad Huangpi will come to take me out of here.

Silver Horn's eight eyes were filled with worry as it whimpered pitifully, The Old Temple is far too terrifying. The crucial point is that Big Brother is running out. I only eat one bite a day, and at most, I can only last another half a month. Starving is terrifying. And Big Brother is so unreasonable—he didn't even grow a bit larger before leaving, forcing me to ration my meals.

Grumbling to itself, Silver Horn hugged Gold Horn's bones and let out a yawn. When it said it only ate one bite a day, it meant that Gold Horn's flesh and skin had already been entirely consumed by it; the remaining bones were extremely tough, difficult to digest once swallowed, and very effective at keeping one full. And once it was full, it easily grew drowsy. As Silver Horn drifted off to sleep, a faint golden sheen gradually began to emerge across its silver body, as if consuming Gold Horn's physical form had triggered some wondrous transformation within it.

At that moment, a streak of golden light swept past rapidly above the Scripture Pavilion. But the soundly sleeping Silver Horn remained completely oblivious to it.

It was not until they were nearly at the courtyard gates leading out of the Old Temple that Chen Huangpi felt a sudden intuition and muttered, Huang Er, do you feel like we've forgotten something?

The brass oil lamp replied, We're missing lamp oil.

Not the lamp oil.

Chen Huangpi scratched his head. It feels like I forgot about a certain matter.

The brass oil lamp said, You came to the Old Temple first to retrieve the Daoist robe, and second to see the Second Temple Master. Now that both tasks are done, what else could there be? It must be some trivial thing.

However, no sooner had it spoken than Chen Huangpi froze. The brass oil lamp froze as well. The two of them exchanged a glance and cried out in unison: Scarlet Evil!

How could I have completely forgotten about it?!

Chen Huangpi said with vexation, Although my liver temple hasn't been successfully formed yet, once it is, I definitely intended to take it inside and properly torment it. Besides, I killed it, yet I didn't even bring it along with me.

How could you possibly bring it along?

The brass oil lamp reasoned, You destroyed the Scarlet Evil's divine soul, but its innate life fire would never simply extinguish. That fire is exceedingly bizarre—it can ignite a person's thoughts. If you went back right now, leaving aside whether you'd even have enough time, what would you do if your demonic obsession flared up again?

That's true.

Chen Huangpi pondered for a moment and said, Then I'll wait until my liver temple is forged before I come back to collect it. In any case, it can't run away from the Old Temple.

Moonset and sunrise. Outside the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the sun appeared much earlier. The warm sunlight poured down across the earth, chasing away the chilling dark of night. Yet it could not dispel the freezing cold in Wang Taiyu's heart.

At this moment, inside the study of the imperial traveling lodge, a man clad in black robes and wearing a mask stood before Wang Taiyu.

The man said coldly, Grand Tutor, His Majesty has spoken: you have performed admirably this time, and His Majesty is exceedingly satisfied. Starting today, you should pack your belongings and return to the capital to report on your duties. His Majesty will bestow further rewards upon your arrival.

This was an imperial envoy dispatched directly from the imperial palace. What imperial envoys truly represented was something Wang Taiyu knew all too well. Yet he kept his lips tightly sealed about the matter, refusing to divulge a single word even to his only son, Wang Mingdao.

Yet at this moment, the imperial envoy's cold words brought an indescribable pain to Wang Taiyu's heart. Still, a radiant smile bloomed across his face as he bowed deeply toward the direction of the capital, speaking with overwhelming gratitude: His Majesty's boundless grace leaves this subject with no way to repay him. I can only do my utmost, offering my very heart and soul, to share His Majesty's burdens. At present, both within and beyond the borders of the Great Kang Empire, tensions run high, and the Buddhist kingdoms of the Western Regions grow restless time and again. Since this subject partakes of the sovereign's emoluments...

The imperial envoy interrupted him, Grand Tutor, His Majesty commands that you depart today.

Before coming here, he was well aware of what Wang Taiyu was doing in Xuzhou City—ordering local officials to assist the common people with farming and setting a strict three-day deadline, after which those local officials would all be publicly beheaded and their estates confiscated. But none of that mattered anymore.

Wang Taiyu feigned astonishment and said, Is it truly so urgent? Yet this old official still has numerous vital matters to attend to; could I be granted a little more time?

The imperial envoy considered this before replying, At the very latest, Grand Tutor, you must depart before sunset.

This old official understands.

As soon as Wang Taiyu finished speaking, the imperial envoy vanished without a trace.

Left alone in the study, Wang Taiyu calmly and deliberately brewed a pot of tea. First he added the tea leaves, then poured the boiling water. The first brew of tea was too bitter and astringent, difficult to swallow, and had to be discarded. The second brew, while not strictly bitter, tasted wrong on the palate, so he chose not to drink it either. The third brew offered a sweet aftertaste upon entering the mouth—a tea of superior grade—but at that moment, he felt no thirst. The fourth brew... was bland and devoid of flavor, better left undrinkable.

Gradually, the pot of tea cooled completely.

The shadow behind Wang Taiyu detached itself from the floor, poured away the remaining tea leaves and water, and began brewing a fresh pot.

Xuzhou City is already doomed. Before sunset, you and I must leave.

The shadow monstrosity was none other than Uncle Yang. He was also the imperial envoy, but before transforming into a monstrosity, he had shared a profound bond of friendship with Wang Taiyu, bound by oath as brothers of the same mind. Therefore, he was unwilling to watch Wang Taiyu walk foolishly into destruction.

Brother Wang, you have not reached this position easily.

The shadow monstrosity handed over a cup of tea. Forget about those common people. Let things unfold as they will.

Wang Taiyu took the cup and drained it in a single gulp. Then, feeling a profound bitterness spread through his mouth, he said with displeasure, Brother Yang, why did you give me the first brew?

This is already the third brew. Once this pot of tea is finished, your heart must settle down.

My heart is already in turmoil; how can it settle?

Wang Taiyu said in agony, How could His Majesty stoop to this? Are the common folk of Xuzhou City not subjects of the Great Kang Empire as well?

The shadow monstrosity replied, His Majesty resides deep within the capital for long periods, while Xuzhou City is tucked away in a remote corner—it simply fails to catch His Majesty's eye.

I want to disperse the common people.

You must not. Panic gives rise to chaos, and that imperial envoy is not me; he will report the truth to His Majesty. You must find another pretext.

Farming!

Wang Taiyu's eyes lit up. The common folk leaving the city to farm—this pretext...

The shadow monstrosity finished the thought for him: This pretext is secure. But since the people of Xuzhou City are not all farmers, you can only manage to save perhaps one-tenth of them by this means. Any more than that would overstep the boundary. Drink some more hot tea; it will warm your blood.

Today's update ends here. I need to adjust my state of mind; I wrote way too late last night—past two in my time—and my head is still aching.