Chasing The Moon (Moonlight Mystique) - Chapter 45
Chapter 45
(T/N: Sorry…I forgot to translate chapter 45..huhu)
The surroundings were pitch-black, with the evening star hanging in the mid-sky.
A flash of light passed by, and a dozen or so people tumbled to the ground in disarray, groans echoing one after another.
Bai Shuo landed softly on the ground, like cotton, protected in Fan Yue’s arms.
Though dizzy and disoriented, she managed not to fall.
Suddenly, as Nan Wan turned his head, Bai Shuo reacted swiftly, pulling Fan Yue down to the ground with an exaggerated groan.
She almost forgot that Mumu was a big demon, unaffected by the Huajian Stone formation!
Nan Wan glanced back, staring at Bai Shuo and her disciple with a slight frown.
Was it just his imagination, or had that Taoist just pushed the young man?
All of Yunxiao’s disciples struggled to withstand the spiritual energy’s impact from the Huajian Stone as it tore through space, yet this youth seemed perfectly fine…
“As expected of the Huajian Stone. Luckily, my Lord had us protect our spiritual platform beforehand…” Bai Shuo shakily climbed up, her eyes vacant, her face showing lingering fear.
Fan Yue stood behind her, his complexion pale.
Where others couldn’t see, Bai Shuo used all her strength to pinch Fan Yue’s palm.
The young disciple finally understood, circulating his spiritual energy and turning his face deathly white.
Nan Wan’s suspicions eased, and he cast a glance at the disciples.
“Why are you all still lying around? Get up!”
The disciples awkwardly scrambled to their feet.
Just as they were about to speak, a rough female voice suddenly rang out, loud and boisterous.
“What’s going on? Where is this?”
Everyone looked down and saw a face peeking out from the corner—thick green eyebrows, a white-pink face, and a wide-open red mouth.
The disciples gasped, and even Nan Wan took two steps back.
But Big Iron Flower’s eyes were only fixed on Bai Shuo.
With a single leap, she bounced in front of Bai Shuo and roared, “Alright, you damned Taoist! What did you say to me last night? You lied to me, and now you’re trying to run?!”
Bai Shuo frantically winked at Hua Hong.
Hua Hong glared back, “Why are you winking? Feeling guilty, now you’re cross-eyed?”
Bai Shuo was speechless, and from behind her, Nan Wan’s cold voice sounded.
“Who exactly are you? How dare you enter my Yunxiao formation?”
All the disciples simultaneously drew their swords and pointed them at Hua Hong.
Only then did Hua Hong slowly turn her head.
Seeing the ten immortal swords aimed at her, her burly body shuddered.
“D-d-damned Taoist, w-w-what’s going on now?”
“Wait, everyone, this is a misunderstanding!”
Bai Shuo hurriedly broke free of Hua Hong’s grasp and waved her hand toward the others.
“This is little sister Hua, she’s not a bad person.”
Little sister Hua? The Yunxiao disciples stared speechlessly at the mountain-sized woman in front of them.
Nan Wan squinted.
“Taoist Bai, do you know her?”
“Yes, yes! This is little sister Hua, my neighbor, a famous blacksmith from Nanhai City.”
Bai Shuo quickly explained, “Last night, we had a little misunderstanding, and she accidentally entered the Huajian Stone formation while searching for me.”
“Last night? Misunderstanding?” Ming Xin, standing nearby, muttered, glancing between Bai Shuo and Hua Hong.
“She’s not your…?”
“No, no, no, she’s not…”
“Oh yes, I am! I’m him!” Before Bai Shuo could deny it, Hua Hong grabbed her hand and shot her a flirtatious look.
Her hands, as strong as iron clamps, held Bai Shuo firmly.
Although Hua Hong was brash, she wasn’t stupid.
She realized the people in front of her weren’t to be trifled with, yet they were showing Bai Shuo respect.
Survival came first, after all.
“Taoist Bai, is what Miss Hua says true?” Nan Wan paused slightly.
“Yes.”
Bai Shuo sucked in a cold breath, turning stiffly, “My lord, my little sister means no harm. She only entered the formation by mistake. Please, send her back to Nanhai City.”
“We can’t go back.” Nan Wan’s voice was heavy as he looked into the distance.
“We’ve arrived, and this city is sealed.”
Bai Shuo froze.
The disciples gathered their spiritual energy, only to realize it was stagnant within them.
They now had only the strength of a lower-rank immortal, just barely stronger than a semi-immortal.
Bai Shuo suddenly felt a gust of wind sweep by—cold and dry.
When she looked up, she saw a clear night sky, filled with countless stars.
They stood at the edge of a city, and on the city wall, the large character ‘Yi’ loomed wild and fierce, exuding a sense of desolation.
Is this the isolated Yi City?
It was far too desolate.
The disciples of the three realms—immortals and demons alike—had gathered here, so it should have been bustling with activity.
Yunxiao, being one of the three great mountains of the Immortal Realm, should at least have someone welcoming them at the city gate, right?
Yet, the city was sealed without a word.
“Let’s go,” Nan Wan frowned slightly but said no more, leading the group into the city.
The Yunxiao disciples followed closely, and Bai Shuo hurriedly pulled Fan Yue and Hua Hong along with them.
The city was pitch black and incredibly eerie.
It was best to stick with Nan Wan, figure out the situation, and then look for any news of Ah Zhao.
The bright moon hung high over Wutong Phoenix Island.
Last night, at midnight, Jinyao activated the Spiritual-Locking Seal Formation left behind by Mu Guang, sealing off the Yi City.
The heads of the various palaces and mountains had all returned to their courtyards, waiting for the outcome in three days—one day had already passed.
In the Phoenix Perch Pavilion, Jinyao was playing chess with Feng Xian, the Great Elder of the Phoenix Clan.
“Yi City has been isolated from the three realms for a long time, and the Yi King harbors deep resentment toward both the Immortal and Demon Clans. Why did my lord choose to hold the Martial Banquet in Yi City? And why did the Yi King agree?” Feng Xian stroked his beard, clearly curious.
The Martial Banquet of Wutong had been held on Phoenix Island for thousands of years.
Although Cold Spring Palace had suggested a different type of competition this time, it was Jinyao who had chosen the location and the method.
“The Yi King sent a letter to the Heavenly Palace a month ago,” Jinyao said slowly.
“Oh?” Feng Xian was surprised.
“What did the Yi King request?”
“He wishes for the Yi people to form friendly relations with the two clans and be able to move freely within the three realms.”
Feng Xian was even more astonished.
The Yi King had always been reclusive and cold, guarding his city alone for a thousand years, always keeping a respectful distance from both immortals and demons.
Why had his temperament suddenly changed?
It must be for the sake of his people…
The Phoenix Clan was known for its kindness, and thinking of the Yi’s situation, Feng Xian sighed but also shook his head.
“The two clans have deep prejudices against the Yi. The Yi King’s wish may be difficult to achieve.”
“That’s why I chose to hold the competition in Yi City. Although the Yi people have a fierce temperament, their customs are simple and honest. This time, the participants are the rising stars of both the Immortal and Demon Clans. If they can get along with the Yi people, it will make it easier for the Yi people to travel through the three realms in the future,” Jinyao sighed.
“My lord has a kind heart. Let’s hope these younger generations can gain some insight,” Feng Xian smiled and placed a chess piece.
Jinyao waved his hand, and an image of Yi City appeared in the water mirror beside them.
The city was lit up with bonfires, and the Yi people were singing and dancing, while the immortal and demon disciples who had entered the city wandered around, seemingly at ease with the Yi people.
Seeing this, the two smiled at each other, their brows relaxing slightly.
Jinyao waved his hand again, and the water mirror dissipated as they resumed their game.
Meanwhile, in the distant Yi City, Bai Shuo clutched Fan Yue’s hand.
The further they walked, the more uneasy she felt.
Her legs started trembling more with each step.
The city was deathly quiet.
Though a few lights were still on here and there, apart from the sound of their own footsteps, there wasn’t a trace of any other noise. It was like a ghost town.
Even if the Yi people hated the Immortal and Demon Clans and stayed behind closed doors, where were all the disciples who had come to Yi City?
There should have been hundreds of them, all here to search for the Heart of the Wutong Tree, and they only had three days.
They should be scouring the place for spiritual artifacts—how could it be this silent?
And where was Ah Zhao?
Bai Shuo felt a pang of anxiety.
“Senior Brother, something’s wrong.”
Before Bai Shuo could speak up, she heard Ming Xin whisper to Nan Wan.
The Yunxiao disciples had clearly sensed the strangeness as well, gripping their immortal swords tightly.
They had just reached an inn, one of the few places in the city still lit up.
“Let’s go inside and take a look,” Nan Wan said.
Ming Xin immediately raised his sword and pushed the inn door open. With a creak, the lights inside the hall flickered, but it was completely empty. A cold wind blew through, and the red lanterns at the entrance swayed precariously.
The Yunxiao disciples swallowed nervously and huddled closer together. Entering Yi City, they had been reduced to having only a sliver of spiritual energy left.
These normally arrogant disciples were now feeling quite uneasy.
A chill ran down Bai Shuo’s spine, and she shivered.
Fan Yue held her hand, and when Bai Shuo met the young man’s gentle gaze, her heart steadied.
Big Iron Flower, standing beside them, looked at the two, her expression odd.
Suddenly, she squeezed herself between them, looking left and right before shouting in a high-pitched voice, “You damned scoundrel! Where the hell have you brought me? There’s no one here! Are they all dead?”
The tension in the group was somewhat relieved by Big Iron Flower’s loud outburst.
Nan Wan frowned at the three of them, and Bai Shuo quickly pinched the blacksmith, whispering, “Shut up! Say less!” She turned to Nan Wan.
“My lord, something is definitely off in this city. There’s not a single person around—”
Before Bai Shuo could finish, a flash of sword light shot out from the second floor. The light split into a dozen beams as it reached the group, striking directly at the Yunxiao disciples.
“Oh dear heaven!” Bai Shuo screamed.
“Oh dear heavens!” Big Iron Flower also let out a strange cry.
The two of them reacted in perfect unison.
Bai Shuo tried to pull Fan Yue as a human shield, but he was much faster, instantly scooping her into his arms and shielding her from the sword light with his back.
The dozen beams of sword light were incredibly fast.
Big Iron Flower grabbed at nothing and, wailing in panic, clutched her head.
With a clang, Nan Wan’s immortal sword flew out, blocking all the sword beams and scattering them in the air.
The three of them had barely escaped with their lives, and Bai Shuo quickly pulled Fan Yue and Big Iron Flower behind the Yunxiao group.
Nan Wan stood in front of everyone, his hand trembling slightly.
He coldly looked up at the second floor.
“Which immortal sect people dare to attack secretly?”
The sword light from before was unmistakably from an immortal. Under the spiritual seal of Yi City, only one person could have unleashed that sword strike.
A figure slowly stepped out onto the second floor.
The man had an utterly unremarkable face, dressed in white robes with a white sword, showing no expression at all.
As he appeared, the doors along the second-floor corridor creaked open, and disciples from various immortal sects stepped out, their swords pointed directly at the Yunxiao group.
As soon as he stepped out, the tightly shut doors on the second floor opened one after another, and disciples from various immortal sects emerged, their swords all pointed at the Yunxiao group.
Nan Wan narrowed his eyes, staring at the white-clad Immortal Lord, barely able to conceal his anger.
“The Wutong Martial Banquet hasn’t even started yet, and Kunlun has already joined forces with the other sects to try and eliminate Yunxiao?”
The disciples of the various sects all turned to Beichen, who moved swiftly, landing in front of Nan Wan.
“Yunxiao’s Nan Wan?” Beichen spoke coolly.
“Indeed.”
Nan Wan snorted lightly, “I’ve always heard that Kunlun’s Beichen is fair and honorable in battle, but it seems this is your version of fairness?”
Hearing this, Bai Shuo quickly poked her head out from behind Fan Yue, glancing at the disciples who had descended from above.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Where was Ah Zhao? Her gaze landed on Beichen, and she raised an eyebrow.
The first disciple of Kunlun, with his simple clothes and sword, looked much more modest compared to the disciples of Yunxiao.
“How did you get in?”
Beichen swept his gaze over the Yunxiao group, finally settling on Nan Wan, and slowly spoke.
Nan Wan was startled and then enraged.
“Beichen, Yunxiao is one of the Three Great Mountains. I represent our sect in the Wutong Martial Banquet—why wouldn’t we be allowed to enter?”
“The Wutong Martial Banquet has already started. Yi City was sealed yesterday,” Beichen replied gravely.
“Today is already the second day of the banquet. The Spiritual-Locking Seal, laid by Lord Mu Guang, prevents anyone below godhood from entering or leaving.”
No wonder the other sects had attacked the Yunxiao disciples—Yi City had been sealed, so anyone still able to enter must have done so through some strange or dangerous means.
Who knew if these people, claiming to be from Yunxiao, were actually using some kind of dark art?
“What?!” Nan Wan’s face changed.
“That’s impossible! Today is clearly the first day of the Wutong Martial Banquet. How could I be mistaken?”
Bai Shuo was also shocked.
She had traveled with Nan Wan and knew he wasn’t lying.
But Beichen and the other disciples wouldn’t just make things up either.
How could there be a full day’s difference between their timelines?
If the Yunxiao disciples hadn’t entered Yi City, why would the heads of Wutong Island have sealed the city?
And if it had been sealed, how had they gotten in?
Could it have something to do with the HuajianStones…?
Beichen stared at Nan Wan, as if assessing the truth of his words, frowning.
“Then how did you break through the Spirit-Locking Seal to enter the city?”
Before Nan Wan could respond, someone from the Yunxiao group timidly raised a hand and spoke up, “I might know what happened?”
Everyone turned to see a scruffy-looking Taoist poking his head out from behind a young boy.
“Lord Beichen, we entered the city using Huajian Stones.”
“Huajian Stones?” Beichen paused and looked at Nan Wan.
Nan Wan, understanding the situation, calmly explained, “That’s right. To prepare for the Wutong Martial Banquet, I had been in seclusion at Yunxiao. My master gave me the Huajian Stone so our sect wouldn’t have to endure the fatigue of flying on swords. This is the first time I’ve used a Huajian Stone, and it seems it might have distorted time.”
Upon hearing that the Yunxiao group had used Huajian Stones to travel thousands of miles in an instant, the other disciples were speechless.
Yi City was located in the wilderness of the Three Realms, and they had all flown for several days to get there.
Not only had they exhausted their spiritual energy, but upon entering the city, their spiritual energys were also sealed, leaving them utterly fatigued.
Meanwhile, the Yunxiao disciples all looked fresh and full of energy.
This Yunxiao sect leader was too cunning!
They’d clearly used their wealth to take shortcuts.
The disciples of the various sects pouted but didn’t dare voice their complaints.
Yunxiao was a powerful sect with vast resources, famously wealthy, whereas Kunlun consisted of mostly ascetic cultivators.
The other poorer sects could only feel envious—what more could they say?
Compared to the murmurs of the other sect disciples, Beichen remained calm, his gaze briefly resting on Bai Shuo and the other two.
“You three aren’t Yunxiao disciples? Who are you?” he asked.
The three stood out too much, especially Big Iron Flower, who practically had the words “common and gaudy” written on her face.
“They’re guest members from Yunxiao’s outer sect. What, does Kunlun have the audacity to interfere with Yunxiao’s affairs now?” Nan Wan’s eyebrow twitched as he spoke.
He wanted nothing more than to send that blacksmith away, but now was not the time for Beichen to discern Bai Shuo’s true identity.
He had no choice but to defend them.
Like anyone would believe that.
The disciples of the various sects exchanged skeptical glances.
Yunxiao disciples were notoriously proud, and Nan Wan was famous for looking down on half-immortals.
The Wutong Martial Banquet was such an important event; there was no way he would bring three such odd people along with him.
These three clearly weren’t simple.
But Yunxiao’s influence was too great, and no one dared to call him out.
Beichen gave Bai Shuo and the others a brief glance but said nothing more.
Kunlun disciples were known to act with their swords rather than words.
Since he had already verified Nan Wan’s identity with his sword, the rest was none of his concern.
“If that’s the case, Yunxiao may go about its business,” Beichen said, disappearing without another word.
A door on the second floor opened and closed again, and the light went out.
That’s it? Bai Shuo looked at Nan Wan, whose face had turned icy, and almost burst out laughing.
She’d heard countless times that Kunlun’s Beichen was a man of few words who preferred actions over talk, but seeing it in person was something else entirely.
Nan Wan’s expression was stiff.
Beichen had drawn his sword without a word and then left just as suddenly.
Wasn’t this a blatant insult to Yunxiao’s honor?
Seeing Nan Wan’s grim face, one of the disciples who had drawn their sword earlier stepped forward to smooth things over, fearing Yunxiao might cause trouble later.
“Immortal Nan Wan, Immortal Beichen can be a bit brash. Please don’t take it to heart. This isn’t the kind of place where we can let our guard down, which is why we were being cautious.”
“This immortal friend, I am Yunxiao’s Ming xin. Can you tell us what’s going on in Yi City? We didn’t see anyone as we came here. Have any of you encountered the Yi King?” Ming xin spoke up since Nan Wan remained silent.
As the head disciple of Yunxiao, Nan Wan considered only Beichen his equal. But Beichen was as unyielding as a rock. Being mysteriously delayed by a whole day and knowing nothing about the situation in Yi City made Nan Wan willing to sit through an explanation from this ragged disciple.
“So it’s Taoist Ming xin,” the disciple said with a bow, then sighed heavily, his face full of worry.
“Taoist Ming xin, you may not know this, but since entering the city, none of us have seen the Yi King.”
“Haven’t seen him?” Ming xin was surprised.
“That’s right. We thought that since the Yi King had agreed to host the Wutong Martial Banquet, he would at least show us some hospitality. But after entering the city yesterday, we were only greeted by Wuzhao, the deputy under the king. He told us that the Immortal Realm’s order had been issued, and Yi City had no choice but to comply. However, the Yi King had already entered seclusion for cultivation and would not be receiving the guests from the Immortal and Demon realms. The Wutong artifact is already in the city, and we are to search for it on our own. He also conveyed the king’s decree: while the Immortals and Demons may enter Yi City, no harm must come to any of the Yi citizens, or we will be expelled from the city.”
Nan Wan frowned.
The Yi King had agreed to host the Immortals, yet such behavior was extremely disrespectful.
“The King’s indifference toward us only reflects the attitude of the rest of the Yi. As you know, the Yi people are fierce and harbor much resentment toward both the Immortals and the Demons. When we entered the city yesterday, we nearly got into a fight with them. If the royal palace hadn’t intervened, we would have been thrown out of the city by now. It’s not even night yet, and the citizens of Yi City already consider us an eyesore. They’ve locked their doors and won’t even acknowledge our presence. These inns that are empty were specifically reserved for the Immortals and Demons by the Yi King. This one is the most spacious, so we invited Immortal Beichen here. The other sects have found their own places to stay. As for the Demons, I’ve heard that Mu Jiu of the Fox Tribe hasn’t shown up; only a few rabble are around. There’s no need to worry about them.”
No wonder the city was so dark and deserted—the Yi clearly wanted nothing to do with the Immortals and Demons and had withdrawn to avoid the conflict. The Piaomiao Sect was just a small, third-rate sect, so naturally, they couldn’t stay where Beichen of Kunlun was.
Bai Shuo was silently wondering to herself. If the Yi King was so averse to both the Immortals and Demons, why did he agree to the request of the Immortal Jinyao in the first place? It just didn’t make sense.
“Mu Jiu of the Fox Tribe hasn’t come?” Ming xin was surprised.
He had assumed Yunxiao was the last to arrive, but now it seemed that the person with the best chance of obtaining the Wutong artifact from the Demon side hadn’t even entered the city.
“The Fox Tribe is cunning. It’s possible he’s already in the city,” Nan Wan said in a low voice.
“The Yi have sealed themselves off from the world for thousands of years. Their behavior, though rude, is understandable. If they don’t get involved, then we can fight the Demons without concern, and there’s less chance of accidentally harming the Yi, which would be hard to explain to their king.”
Perhaps it was because Yi City was neutral that the Immortal Jinyao had chosen this place for such a special competition.
“It’s getting late. Rest well, everyone. Tomorrow we’ll continue searching for the artifact. No matter which sect claims the Wutong artifact, as long as it doesn’t fall into the hands of the Demons, it will be a blessing for the Immortal realm.”
His words were lofty and proper, but everyone knew that only Kunlun could compete with Yunxiao.
With a simple remark, Nan Wan had already set the Immortals and Demons at odds.
After saying this, Nan Wan turned and headed upstairs.
His gaze lingered on Bai Shuo for a moment, and Ming xin got the hint, dismissing the other sect disciples and taking Bai Shuo upstairs with him.
Fan Yue refused to stay behind, and Bai Shuo couldn’t argue with him, so she brought him along.
Big Iron Flower, still terrified from earlier, clung to her hammer and refused to leave Bai Shuo’s side, guarding the door with all her might. Ming xin was so frustrated with the two nuisances that he wished he could toss them out of the inn, but he couldn’t.
Even Beichen of Kunlun had spent a full day in Yi City without any success.
This eccentric fortune teller was Yunxiao’s only remaining backup plan.
“Let’s begin,” Ming xin said as he closed the door.
Nan Wan produced a withered branch of a Wutong tree from his palm and looked at Bai Shuo.
“Taoist Bai, let me see how much of your true ability you really possess.”
