Chapter 231: The Authorities Are Perplexed

Almost in an instant, my eye sockets turned red.

When Fengli Shu died, I did not follow her in death; I still retained a sliver of luck in my heart.

Now it seems, it's merely a matter of time.

At this moment, the despair brought by these white hairs is stronger than ever before.

"I'll send you back first." Liu Junyan placed a large hand on my cheek and said, "Return to Verdant Paulownia Mountain; you cannot go directly through the Feng Clan, better to enter via Hu Shan. I'll go to Hu Shan to talk with them, striving to send you back to Verdant Paulownia Mountain as soon as possible."

Verdant Paulownia Mountain is definitely a place I must return to see.

Although I don't feel that returning to Verdant Paulownia Mountain will bring me much change.

But since so many people urge me to go see it, there must be a reason to do so.

But right now, this matter has suddenly become urgent.

Liu Junyan has been to Verdant Paulownia Mountain; he knows the path entering the Feng Clan from the front, then proceeding to Verdant Paulownia Mountain.

But times have changed; I cannot return to the Feng Clan.

We can only enter from the back of Verdant Paulownia Mountain.

Pass through that piece of utopia.

But that person from Hu Shan... we need to figure out how to communicate, after all, that's their territory.

I buried my face in Liu Junyan's chest, holding him like that for a while; after my emotions gradually calmed, I then let go and said, "Okay, let's go back first."

During this leg of the journey, the atmosphere inside the carriage was very oppressive.

I leaned against the seat back, gazing out the window, thinking a great deal.

I even wondered what impact my soul scattering would have on Dang Pu.

Would it affect Liu Junyan?

Could the calamity mentioned by the Empty Silence Abbott be related to me?

Before we knew it, we had already returned to Dang Pu.

After getting off the carriage, I first looked up at the hexagonal palace lamp on the west side beneath the corridor.

Inside, the golden light of merit was abundant.

Li Qingying came out to meet me; she opened her mouth to say something, then suddenly stopped.

She also saw my white hair, and her expression changed instantly: "Xiao Jiu... what happened to you? How did things get worse after a trip to the Great Dharma King Temple?"

I didn't know how to answer her, so I changed the subject: "How is Snow Phoenix?"

Li Qingying also couldn't say for sure; she could only go with me to check the side rooms of the main courtyard.

Liu Junyan parked the carriage and followed us up.

Li Qingying said, "Seventh Lord, you shouldn't come in together; it's inconvenient."

Earlier on the phone, Li Qingying had said Snow Phoenix was about to take human form.

When she said it was inconvenient, we all understood; Liu Junyan then said he would first return to the West Wing to have a look.

Li Qingying and I went to see Snow Phoenix.

That room was still freezing cold.

Several large basins of snow-white snowflakes were placed on the ground; in one of the large basins, a delicate little face emerged from beneath the snowflakes, resting on the basin's rim.

She closed her eyes, her features beautiful, exactly as when I first met her in the utopia.

Her complexion was also good; her little face was rosy, the snowflakes buried up to below her collarbone, hiding her lower body and feet.

Li Qingying said, "I asked Uncle Huo; Uncle Huo said she should wake up soon, but whether she'll still be the same after waking is uncertain."

Uncle Huo feared that Snow Phoenix had been controlled by the Ice Silkworm.

But the Ice Silkworm was given to me by Gu Yan, so I don't worry it would attack us for no reason.

Li Qingying asked, "Xiao Jiu, do you want to try contacting the boss lady? If we could get through, maybe we could ask her…"

"'No,' I said firmly. 'Even if we could reach her, she couldn't possibly come from Xiangxi at this time; Sister Qingying, she's in hibernation, which is dangerous.'"

Li Qingying scratched her head and said, "We still know too few people versed in witchcraft and gu."

"Witch... gu?"

I don't know why, but when Li Qingying mentioned the word 'witch,' something flashed through my mind.

It seemed like the incantations chanted by the Great Witch.

Unfortunately, I couldn't catch any of it.

After Li Qingying and I left the room, I asked, "What about the Fifth Lord? Did he go out again to handle affairs?"

Li Qingying said with some frustration, "Forget it; last time, who knows who was angered by Hui Shuchen into swearing oaths, and now no one cares about Hui Shuchen anymore—brothers meeting become enemies, showing no mercy. As a result, early this morning, when that Flower Rat came to deliver a message, he hurriedly followed them."

I furrowed my brows, feeling that Hui Moqiong is not such an indecisive person.

However, the authorities are perplexed.

Brotherly familial ties are hard to sever, which I can also understand.

Some things cannot be easily changed unless you hit a wall or fight to the death.

We went to the West Wing.

Upon entering, I happened to see Liu Junyan standing before the divine altar, in front of the Copper Coin Person.

He stood tall, one hand holding prayer beads, the other behind his back.

He just silently gazed at the Copper Coin Person, unknown what he was thinking.

We didn't disturb him; upon entering the West Wing, we sat on the futon.

After waiting two or three minutes, Liu Junyan finally came to his senses and turned to look at us.

His first words were also asking about Hui Moqiong.

Li Qingying then repeated to Liu Junyan what she had just told me.

Liu Junyan immediately said, "It must be that something happened; otherwise, given Mo Qiong's temperament, it's impossible for him to be so easily manipulated by Hui Shuchen."

Li Qingying didn't understand: "Now, among the Grey Immortal lineage, who else could control Grey Old Fifth? Or is he himself not resolute enough?"

Hearing Li Qingying's words, my heart gave a sudden thump.

Besides Hui Shuchen, who else in the Grey Immortal lineage could control Hui Moqiong?

"There's still one person." I said thoughtfully, "Grey Fifth Lord once said that when he was born, his mother gave birth to fifteen in one litter; besides him and Hui Shuchen, there was also a little sister whose whereabouts are unknown, alive or dead."

Li Qingying couldn't believe it: "You mean... Hui Shuchen is using that little sister to threaten Grey Old Fifth?"

Is that possible?

I also dare not be certain.

I subconsciously lifted my gaze to look at Liu Junyan.

I saw Liu Junyan's expression grow even uglier, and he asked, "Do you know which way he went?"

Li Qingying said, "It seems to be toward Huicheng."

Huicheng...

Liu Junyan said, "I happen to also need to go to Huicheng; I will contact his subordinates and try to meet up with him in Huicheng. Qingying, take good care of Xiao Jiu."

Li Qingying became anxious: "I... we shouldn't go together?"

Li Qingying obviously wanted to go, she gestured with her eyes at me.

"Sister Qingying, you go with Ah Yan." I said, "I'll stay behind to guard the shop and the Snow Phoenix."

My soul is incomplete.

The mana of Dahui Chan Master's relics is continually leaking; if I now follow them to Huicheng, once discovered by someone with ill intent, it will be very dangerous.

It will implicate them.

Li Qingying thought it over and finally decided: "Seventh Lord, you should go instead; I'll stay behind to keep Xiao Jiu company, Grey Old Fifth has some skills of his own, he won't die."

That's how it was settled.

Liu Junyan immediately set off for Huicheng.

Li Qingying went to cook, and I began tidying up inside and out.

I wanted, before going to Cangwu Mountain, to thoroughly tidy up the shop inside and out, making sure everything that needed to be arranged was arranged.

Just in case this trip... I might not be able to return...