Chapter 48: The Demon Stirs Up Chaos

Gu Changqing cautiously edged toward the boundary of the mist, able now to hear the distant sounds of constables rushing about. This Rooting Mist was indeed formidable—no sound from within could escape, and nothing from outside could penetrate. It was deep night, after all; no one knew the extent of the fog, much less its uncanny nature. Thus, some within the mist held their ground, others waited for elders to arrive, all the while precious time slipped away. Gu Changqing exploited this delay, so that even when Yu Wentao received word and hurried over, he was already too late.

The One-Eared ability proved especially useful in the Rooting Mist, allowing him to hear even the beating of human hearts. Gu Changqing was well aware that next time would not be so easy.

He lingered at the mist’s edge, listening for a moment; the sounds of Yu family disciples running about reached him, and someone stood atop a rooftop barely twenty meters away. Yet the mist enveloped an area five hundred meters in diameter—a circle with a radius of half a mile, far too vast for the remaining Yu disciples to guard thoroughly.

Gu Changqing circled the perimeter for several minutes before finding a spot to slip away, vanishing swiftly into the night. Deep into the night, aided by his One-Eared ability, he could clearly hear everything around him. After making a loop, he found himself near Li Youling’s courtyard, then ducked into a corner, summoned his will, and passed through the portal back home.

The Rooting Mist dissipated after a full hour, leaving chaos within its bounds. All that remained were scattered white bones, tattered fragments of clothing, and broken weapons. Even Yu Xuan Zheng was reduced to a few bones with faint jade-like sheen, strewn across a courtyard. Everything else before and behind the courtyard had been pulverized into dust.

“That’s Senior Brother Yu’s Biluo Blade…” Other Yu disciples instantly recognized the traces left by the Biluo Blade technique. The blade was stored in the Yu family library, and even Yu Xuan Zheng had only mastered three strikes, yet its power was astonishing. Now, only the marks of the Biluo Blade and Yu Xuan Zheng’s bones remained, instilling a fearful uncertainty among the Yu disciples.

Meanwhile, farther from the Yu residence, many citizens lost their lives in their sleep. In a fit of rage, Yu Wentao swept through the mist with a magical artifact, silently piercing anyone he heard. Now, with the fog gone, houses bore holes throughout their roofs, and families lay dead within, blood staining the floors. Those who awoke found their loved ones already gone and broke into wails of grief.

Yu Wentao, seeing this, merely waved his sleeve, his expression cold. “This is the work of that fiend! He spares not even ordinary folk—truly bloodthirsty and vile!” With that, he departed, spending the rest of the night searching the city with Daoist Xu, but Gu Changqing’s trail eluded them. Both found the situation increasingly difficult.

At dawn, Yu Wentao personally visited the local magistrate, who was furious—such a fiend must be brought to justice.

…

The next morning, Li Youling ventured out with her maid, Ayue, to gather news. She did not tell Ayue that Gu Changqing had already left, behaving as she had the past few days. Even breakfast was carried upstairs, and no one else was allowed near the small building.

“Have you heard? A demonic disaster has struck the city!” As they rested at a teahouse, voices floated from nearby.

“Hasn’t it been going on for days now?”

“This is different! Last night, hundreds died in the east part of town… whole families perished in their sleep… it was horrific…”

“No one knows when they’ll catch that fiend…”

Ayue listened, terrified, and when they left the teahouse, she clutched Li Youling’s sleeve. “Miss, let’s leave this place!”

“Ayue, you don’t understand,” Li Youling shook her head.

“Miss, that man isn’t good! Didn’t you hear what they said…” Ayue protested anxiously.

“It’s nothing,” Li Youling smiled. Although Gu Changqing was half coercive, he had given her a chance to touch another world. She had dreamed of joining the immortal sects, becoming a lady immortal like those in the tales. Now, though things had taken a strange turn… even if she became a fiend, even if she died on the spot, it was better than living a life without purpose or meaning.

After last night’s events, she guessed that Young Lord Gu wouldn’t stay long. She had to find a way to make him take her along.

After pondering for a moment, Li Youling bit her lip. “Go find out which girl in the brothel dances best…”

…

Gu Changqing returned home and threw himself onto the sofa, beginning to mull things over. “Next time I go back, I’ll have to run… Otherwise, the Yu family will send more experts, and if they catch my trail, escape would be impossible! And then there’s Daoist Xu and that wretch named You!”

He was annoyed, but knew the Yu family was powerful and deeply rooted. To avenge oneself, even a day’s delay feels too long; if revenge cannot be taken, waiting a few days more isn’t unreasonable. One must be flexible.

Gu Changqing emptied his bag: some gold sheets and silver ingots, a wooden box, a jade box, three small porcelain bottles, a set of Yu disciple’s robes, and a booklet.

Delighted, he picked up the booklet and raised his brows. It was only half a book, containing two fist techniques: Eight Desolate Fist!

He had thought it would be the blade technique Yu Xuan Zheng used, but found only fist techniques—and just two moves. It was somewhat disappointing, but then again, who carries secret manuals around?

He tossed the booklet aside and opened the jade box, finding a palm-sized red herb, its leaves traced with flame patterns and faint heat radiating from it. He guessed it wasn’t cheap; after all, Yu Xuan Zheng was a Qi-refining cultivator and kept it carefully, so it must be valuable.

But probably not too precious. Perhaps, like the half booklet, it was taken from somewhere.

Next, he opened the wooden box, revealing five crystals the size of pinky fingernails, each containing cloudy, cotton-like mist and emitting faint spiritual energy.

“Spirit stones?” Gu Changqing surmised, likely resources for cultivation and currency for practitioners.

“Is that all? Truly a pauper!” He looked at the small spirit stones in disdain.

Finally, he examined the three bottles. Opening the largest, a medicinal fragrance filled the air. Inside were seven vermilion pills, each just a bit larger than the spirit stones. He poured one into his palm; the pill was patterned with fine lines, and wisps of spiritual energy seeped out, purer than those in Qi-moving pills.

He figured these pills were also used to aid cultivation, like Qi-moving pills. But Gu Changqing cultivated relying solely on himself, needing no external aids; even the Qi-moving pills, he had only tried one out of curiosity before tossing them aside.

“These should be useful for trading with cultivators later.”

He opened the other two bottles: one contained white powder, the other red pills. Gu Changqing planned to test them on someone later.

After inventorying the items, he packed them away. Checking the time, he switched on his phone and saw a slew of missed calls, most from the department head.

Gu Changqing ignored them, called Meng Xi, then headed out to the hotel.

As he descended the stairs, he paused, sensing something amiss. The spiritual energy in the air seemed richer…

He hadn’t noticed upon returning, as the other world’s spiritual energy was so dense; now, after acclimating, he realized the change.

“Not my imagination, surely?” His eyes flickered—something must have happened while he was gone these past days.

He considered calling Gao Wenxin, or just going to the department tomorrow, when his phone rang.

“Hello?” Gu Changqing answered casually.

“Where have you been these days? Where are you?” Gao Wenxin’s voice was fierce the moment the call connected.

Gu Changqing held the phone away from his ear. “What? Poor signal, can’t hear you.”

He promptly hung up.

Half a minute later, the phone rang again.

“Where are you? Come to the department now!” Gao Wenxin growled through clenched teeth.