Chasing The Moon (Moonlight Mystique) - Chapter 49
Chapter 49
The woman traveled northward, with Nan Wan never leaving her side.
Chong Zhao followed behind them, holding the child, and sticking closely to her was Er Yun.
Strangely enough, Er Yun, who always glared at Bai Shuo with disdain, was unusually quiet this time.
Since Bai Shuo had appeared, Er Yun hadn’t even glanced at her.
With Nan Wan present, Bai Shuo had no chance to talk to Chong Zhao.
For some reason, ever since they left the inn, Chong Zhao hadn’t looked at Bai Shuo once.
Bai Shuo, knowing she had angered Chong Zhao by rashly entering the Yi city, kept her head down, swaying dejectedly as she followed.
Fan Yue walked behind the two, several times wanting to step forward and cheer Bai Shuo up.
But every time he glanced at Chong Zhao, he held back, looking just like a submissive little wife.
Big Iron Flower squinted as he trailed behind the group, looking here and there, giggling to herself as if finding everything amusing.
Soon, the group arrived at the northernmost part of the Yi city.
All the houses in this city were built with mud walls, and the woman’s home was no exception. However, the yard was filled with wine bottles, and the air was thick with the smell of alcohol. Clearly, the woman made her living brewing wine.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, an old man, drunk and bleary-eyed, staggered out from the house, shouting loudly.
“Little Qiugua, why are you only back now? Where’s my wine?”
Little Qiugua? The group glanced at the woman, who was no longer young, surprised that she had such an endearing childhood name.
“Wine, wine, wine, that’s all you ever care about! You old drunkard, you’ll drink yourself to death!”
The woman yelled angrily, but her hands didn’t stop as she picked up a wine jar from the yard and threw it at the old man.
“Take it!”
“Eh, so generous today! Little Qiugua, put it on my tab, okay? Just add it to my account.”
“Your account? It’s been a hundred years! Even if we sold your old coffin, you couldn’t pay it off!”
“You’re still the best, Little Qiugua,” the old man grinned, clutching the wine jar tightly, his messy white hair sticking up like a madman.
“Best, my foot! Huzi’s sick, and I need to take care of him. Now get out of here, scram!”
“Huzi’s sick?” The old man hiccuped as he stumbled closer.
“What’s wrong with the kid?”
“He ate something bad, but thanks to this Taoist here, Huzi’s fine now. Go back to your coffin nest!” The woman waved him off impatiently.
The old man glanced at the child in Chong Zhao’s arms, noting the rosy complexion.
“As long as he’s fine. Thanks for the wine, Little Qiugua.”
The old man didn’t say anything else, tottering away with his wine jar.
From start to finish, he didn’t even spare a glance at Nan Wan and the rest of the group.
Once the old man had gone, the woman placed the child inside the house and came out.
She turned to Bai Shuo and asked, “Taoist, what is it that you want to inquire about? Let me make it clear, if it’s something that threatens my people…”
“No, no, rest assured, madam. You already know we entered the Yi city to find the Wutong Spirit Artifact. I just wanted to ask if you’ve ever heard of a place called Yi Tomb?”
The woman froze.
“Yi Tomb?”
Seeing the confused look on her face, Bai Shuo’s heart sank.
Oh no, it seemed even the people of this city didn’t know of such a place!
“Have you heard of it, madam?”
“No,” the woman shook her head, feeling a little guilty when she saw the disappointment on Bai Shuo’s face.
“It’s alright, it’s alright,” Bai Shuo could feel Nan Wan’s dagger-like gaze on her back without even turning around.
Great, after all that effort, they’d found nothing and wasted half a day.
Yunxiao’s first disciple was probably going to skin her alive!
“If the madam doesn’t know, then we shall take our leave,” Nan Wan said without another word, turning and walking away, barely suppressing his anger.
“Wait, my lord, let’s go together!”
Bai Shuo hurried to catch up with the stern-faced Nan Wan, but after taking two steps, she couldn’t help but turn back to remind the woman: “Oh, madam, please take good care of Huzi. The boy loves to eat, so don’t let him sneak any more Autumn cicada fruits.”
Seeing Bai Shuo turn back nervously, the woman bit her lip and suddenly called out, “Wait.”
The group, who had already started to leave, stopped and looked at her.
The woman looked at Bai Shuo and said, “Taoist, since you’re not of our people, you probably don’t know the customs we follow when sending off the dead.”
Bai Shuo was intrigued. “What custom?”
“When a Yi passes away, their name is always inscribed on their tombstone. So in this city, every tomb has a name—except for one place.”
Bai Shuo’s spirits lifted.
She quickly stepped forward and asked, “What place?”
“The tombs on Nameless Mountain.”
“Nameless Mountain?”
“It’s a desolate mountain, with three tombs on it. The tombstones of those three graves are the only ones in the entire city without names. No one knows when those graves appeared, but ever since the city was built, they’ve been there. No one knows what to call them, so over time, everyone just referred to it as Nameless Mountain. Oh, right, it has another name too…”
“What name?”
“Coffin Nest.”
Coffin Nest? Wait, didn’t the woman tell that old man to go back to…?
“That old man just now?” Bai Shuo suddenly realized and pointed in the direction the old man had gone.
But there was no trace of him outside the courtyard.
“He’s the keeper of the graves on Nameless Mountain. Since the tombstones there are without names, perhaps the Yi Tomb you mentioned is Nameless Mountain.”
“It must be!” Bai Shuo’s face lit up.
“Madam, where is Nameless Mountain?”
“Oh, that’s easy to find,” the woman pointed at the ground.
“Just follow the path of the wine jars the old drunk left behind. When you reach the place with the most wine jars, you’ll be there.”
That simple?
Bai Shuo looked outside the courtyard, and sure enough, the winding path was littered with wine jars, curving toward the distance.
“Thank you, madam!”
“No need. You saved Huzi, so I’ll consider it as repaying a debt,” the woman said.
“But that old drunkard has a bad temper. If you go to Nameless Mountain, don’t provoke him, or you won’t get any information.”
After saying this, the woman didn’t speak further and turned to go inside.
“My lord, I told you there was hope…” Bai Shuo turned around, hoping to show off to Nan Wan, but to her surprise, Nan Wan had already started following the trail of wine jars without even saying a word after hearing the woman’s advice.
Tsk tsk tsk, people can be so practical!
Bai Shuo didn’t even have time to complain before Er Yun leaped up and chased after Nan Wan as well.
“Senior brother, hurry up!”
With Er Yun gone, Chong Zhao didn’t follow but remained in place.
In the blink of an eye, only Bai Shuo, her two companions, and Chong Zhao were left outside the small courtyard.
“Mumu! Quick, you go too!” Bai Shuo rolled her eyes and hurriedly gave her little disciple an order.
Fan Yue, who always obeyed Bai Shuo’s words without question, stood still this time, seeing that Bai Shuo wasn’t moving either.
He shook his head, staring at her.
“No, I want to stay with Master.”
Bai Shuo felt a chill down her spine and didn’t dare look back.
She quickly nudged her disciple.
“Mumu, go play somewhere for a bit. Master needs to talk to your Master Uncle.”
Fan Yue pressed his lips together, casting a wary glance at Chong Zhao, unwilling to move.
“Be good, listen to me!”
Bai Shuo’s voice grew stern, and Fan Yue, pouting, reluctantly walked to the side.
Taking advantage of the situation, Bai Shuo kicked Big Iron Flower in Fan Yue’s direction.
Caught off guard by Bai Shuo’s desperation, Big Iron Flower nearly faceplanted.
“Ah Zhao!” Finally rid of the troublesome apprentice and blacksmith, Bai Shuo turned around to speak, but Chong Zhao’s angry voice interrupted her.
“What’s going on here? How did you end up in the Yi city? Was it because of him?”
“Yes, yes, yes, it was him!” Bai Shuo quickly covered Chong Zhao’s mouth, casting a furtive glance toward Fan Yue, who was sulking with his back to them, glaring at a tree stump.
Bai Shuo let out a sigh of relief.
“Shh,” Bai Shuo lowered her voice.
“It’s too complicated to explain right now. I’ll tell you everything once we get out of here. All you need to know is that he’s my disciple now. Ah Zhao, there’s no time. Listen closely. The first piece of the Wutong Heartfire is in the Yi Tomb, and I think Yi Tomb is Nameless Mountain. We need the first piece to find the other two. Let Nan Wan, that fool, lead the way, and once we’ve gathered all the Heartfire, I’ll help you… Ah Zhao! What are you doing?”
Chong Zhao suddenly unleashed spiritual energy onto Bai Shuo’s shoulder, freezing her in place.
Not far away, Fan Yue abruptly turned and rushed to Bai Shuo’s side, raising his hand to strike at Chong Zhao.
“Mumu, stop!” Bai Shuo shouted angrily.
Fan Yue’s hand stopped mid-air.
Frustrated, he pulled it back and glared at Chong Zhao.
“Ah Zhao, release me now!” Bai Shuo demanded.
“Do you know why I told you to leave Piaomiao?” Chong Zhao asked in a low voice.
“I know.”
Bai Shuo lowered her head.
“If you know, then why did you come?! The Three Realms are full of dangers. You’re half-immortal! How much longer do you think you’ll survive meddling in all this?!”
Chong Zhao could hardly contain his anger.
Thinking of the evil spirits that had appeared in the Yi city the previous night, his heart sank, and his voice grew cold.
“The Wutong Martial Banquet is a fair competition between the two factions of the Three Realms. If I’m going to win, I’ll win honorably. I don’t need your interference.”
Bai Shuo’s eyes turned red, and she mumbled, not knowing what to say.
Chong Zhao’s heart ached.
He knew Bai Shuo too well—if he softened even a little, she would take advantage of it.
“You’ll stay here. In two days, when the Spiritual Seal unlocks, you’ll leave the Yi city. After that, go wherever you want, but don’t return to Piaomiao.”
After speaking, Chong Zhao was about to leave, but he suddenly turned to Fan Yue.
“No matter who you are, since you’re by her side, you must protect her.”
With those words, Chong Zhao flew away.
“Ah Zhao!” Bai Shuo called out, but he didn’t turn back.
“This fool, talking about honor. Even Nan Wan cheated! How can we expect other sects to play fair? Mumu, hurry and release me!”
Bai Shuo anxiously looked at Fan Yue, only to see her disciple staring blankly at her, not moving.
“Hurry up! Why are you just standing there?”
“Oh,” Fan Yue snapped out of it and lightly patted Bai Shuo.
The tap was so gentle, it felt like a feather, and Bai Shuo remained frozen.
“Use more force! Are you tickling me?”
Fan Yue added a bit more strength.
“Three inches to the right! You’re hitting the wrong spot!”
Fan Yue obediently moved three inches to the right, but Bai Shuo still couldn’t move.
“Use spiritual energy, you little ancestor!”
Fan Yue pouted, feeling wronged.
“He’s right. There are monsters in the city, Master. Your spiritual energy isn’t strong enough, so you can’t be involved.”
After saying this, Fan Yue sat down on a nearby stump, turning his back to Bai Shuo.
“Master Uncle also told me to protect you.”
At this crucial moment, Fan Yue surprisingly shared Chong Zhao’s mindset.
Realizing her disciple was determined, Bai Shuo quickly turned to Big Iron Flower.
“Flower…”
“Don’t look at me. This is your family matter, I’m not getting involved.”
Big Iron Flower, with a stalk of wild grass in her mouth, was watching the scene unfold.
Seeing Bai Shuo glance her way, she shrugged her shoulders and turned away as well.
Bai Shuo stared helplessly at the two confident backs, utterly speechless and gaze up to the sky.
As the sky darkened, a flash of light illuminated a desolate mountain.
Nan Wan landed at the foot of the mountain, noticing the path leading up was littered with broken wine jars.
He raised his head to peer at the dark mountain and began walking forward.
Before long, he stood in the center of the mountain, where three solitary graves stood on a patch of barren land.
Not far from the graves was a dilapidated grass hut, barely holding together, its age unknown.
The Yi city was already desolate, but this place was ten times worse—there wasn’t even a single blade of wild grass.
Nan Wan looked around, gathering a pulse of immortal energy in his palm and spreading it out across the area.
Yet, the energy dissipated without detecting even the faintest trace of the Wutong Heartfire.
Wutong is a divine wood.If it is really hidden here, is it impossible that there is no spiritual energy at all?
Nan Wan frowning as his gaze fell on the three graves.
The fortune-teller had said the Wutong was hidden in the Yi Tomb. Could it be inside the graves? Nan Wan leaped toward the tombstones.
Just as he was about to touch one, a powerful sword energy slashed through the air, striking from behind.
Though he dodged, the force still hit him, and he staggered backward several steps.
“Who’s there?!”
The attack was incredibly strong, but the city had long sealed off spiritual energy. With the restrictions in place, how could someone still wield such power?
“Who’s this rat disturbing my sleep?”
A drunk old man staggered out of the grass hut, holding a wine jar in one hand and yawning with the other.
Nan Wan eyed the old drunkard suspiciously.
When they had seen him at the woman’s house earlier, he had no spiritual energy, and now it was the same.
Could that sword attack have really come from him?
“Oh, it’s you, rat.”
The old man squinted at Nan Wan.
“A disciple of Yunxiao, but instead of learning the good stuff, you’re sneaking around like a thief.”
With just one move, the old man had already identified his sect.
Nan Wan’s face stiffened, growing more cautious.
“Senior, are you the guardian of Nameless Mountain?”
“Are you blind? Why ask what you already know?” The old man staggered forward and casually picked up a dead tree branch, brushing it against the tombstone.
Nan Wan bowed again. “Might I ask, are you from our immortal clan?”
“immortal clan, demon clan—who cares? Get lost.”
The old man sat down against the tombstone, not even bothering to open his eyes.
“You…” Nan Wan suppressed his anger.
“Senior, I am Nan Wan of Yunxiao, and I did not come to disturb the spirits of the Yi clan. May I ask, is the Wutong Heartfire hidden here?”
“And if it is? Do you think you can take it?”
“Regardless of who you are, since I’ve come to this Yi city, I won’t leave empty-handed.”
As he spoke, a immortal sword appeared in Nan Wan’s palm, radiating immortal energy.
It was a top-tier spiritual weapon.
The city could suppress the spiritual energy of the two realms but not the quality of weapons.
The old man still didn’t lift his head, mumbling, “So many rats… Can’t an old man guard a grave in peace?”
Suddenly, with a wave of the old man’s hand, two streaks of sword energy shot toward the nearby trees.
With a thud, Er Yun and Chong Zhao were forced out, standing beside Nan Wan.
Seeing the disciples of Yunxiao did not arrive quickly, Nan Wan initially frowned, but then he reconsidered.
The old drunk’s strength is unknown, so let these two from Piaomiao take the lead.
It’ll save him some effort.
“The Wutong Heartfire is in this mountain,” the old man said, looking at the three of them.
“I’ve already made an agreement with Jinyao—if you can beat me, you can take the Heartfire. If not, it’s mine.”
With that, three beams of sword energy flew straight at Nan Wan and the others.
As the moon rose, back in the small courtyard, Fan Yue had built a fire beside Bai Shuo to keep her warm.
Big Iron Flower had somehow found a chicken and was excitedly roasting it with Fan Yue’s help.
“Honestly, what have you been roasting in secret all this time? The scent only travels three miles. Now, when I roast something, the aroma spreads at least ten miles,” Big Iron Flower said, shaking the tree branch she was using as a skewer and licking her lips.
Fan Yue scooted closer to her, staring at her intently without moving.
Big Iron Flower swallowed.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”
“Learning.”
“Learning what?”
“How to roast chicken. I’ll learn it and roast some for Master.”
Fan Yue answered seriously.
Big Iron Flower nearly choked, coughing so hard she almost passed out.
When she looked up and saw the boy’s earnest expression, she swallowed her words and patted him on the shoulder.
“What a dutiful disciple.”
“Good disciple! Mumu, what does Master always teach you? The most important thing is what?” Bai Shuo seized the opportunity.
“Staying alive.”
Fan Yue answered smoothly, looking at Bai Shuo with bright eyes. “Master says survival is most important.”
Bai Shuo was speechless, nearly crying.
After all her constant nagging, her slow-witted disciple had turned her own words against her.
“Not survival—loyalty! Loyalty! Your master uncle is in danger, don’t you know? I have to go help him!”
Fan Yue didn’t seem to hear, his eyes glued to the chicken.
“Ow!”
Suddenly, Bai Shuo cried out in pain.
Fan Yue turned his head to see her face pale.
“Master!”
Fan Yue rushed to her side.
“What’s wrong?”
“It hurts…”
Cold sweat formed on Bai Shuo’s forehead, and her stiff body began to tremble.
“That monster from last night… I think it injured me…”
“Where did it hurt you?”
Fan Yue darted around Bai Shuo, panicking.
“Here…”
Bai Shuo gestured toward her chest.
“Quick, get Master’s storage bag. There’s medicine in it.”
Fan Yue quickly took out Bai Shuo’s storage bag and poured out a pile of pills—red, green, and all kinds of colors.
“Which one?”
“The white one…” Bai Shuo said weakly.
Fan Yue hurriedly fed her the white pill, but as soon as she swallowed it, the spiritual energy within Bai Shuo went wild.
Her expression twisted in pain, and she bit her lip so hard that it bled.
“Master, what’s happening?!” Fan Yue was frantic, watching as the spiritual energy in Bai Shuo’s body rapidly gathered, heading toward her shoulder.
With a loud ‘bang’, the gathered energy exploded on Bai Shuo’s shoulder, breaking the restriction Chong Zhao had placed on her.
Bai Shuo spat out a mouthful of blood that splattered on Fan Yue’s chest.
Before he could react, Bai Shuo grabbed the storage bag, pulled out a flight talisman, and slapped it onto herself.
With a swoosh, Bai Shuo shot up into the sky.
“Good disciple, Master’s going to help your Master Uncle. Wait for me to return!” Bai Shuo said, the entire process so smooth and swift it left even Big Iron Flower staring in disbelief.
What kind of brilliant mind does this half-immortal have to come up with such a method?
Big Iron Flower wondered, watching the dazed Fan Yue holding a handful of pills.
With a sigh, she stood up and patted the boy on the shoulder.
“Mumu, your master—”
Suddenly, Big Iron Flower’s expression froze.
She noticed that the blood Bai Shuo had spat on Fan Yue’s chest had soaked into his clothes and disappeared into his skin.
Big Iron Flower looked up just as the boy suddenly crouched down, dropping the pills from his hands, clutching his head in pain.
“Mu…” Big Iron Flower rushed to support him, but her voice trailed off halfway.
The boy’s eyes shot open, gleaming with a cold, demonic light.
