Chapter 112 – The Three Daoists (Second Update)

The three Daoists entered the Bureau of Patrol under the pretense of visiting the Bureau Chief, but they ignored their escort and stopped of their own accord.

The female Daoist formed a hand seal and traced a streak of flowing light. “Four Directions Retrospection!”

The light conjured the scene at the main gate, rewinding from the moment they entered — people coming and going in reverse.

The short-bearded Daoist and the double-pupiled Daoist stared intently at the images, afraid of missing even a moment. “Stop — based on the timing, that should be her.”

“Wait, honored guests, that way is the Hall of Inquiry — outsiders are not permitted to enter!” the attendant called out urgently.

But the three Daoists were too preoccupied to heed him.

Zhan Changfeng sensed a trace of oppressive pressure and looked up to see three people entering. They all wore the common dark-blue Daoist robes without any ornamental accessories. However, the two slightly older Daoists had steady, full auras in a state of perfect containment — impossible to gauge their depth in the slightest. The younger Daoist, on the other hand, made no effort to restrain his temperament. His bearing was arrogant, and he possessed a pair of strange double pupils.

The short-bearded Daoist locked onto Zhan Changfeng and got straight to the point. “I am Shi’er, a disciple of the Shennong Sect. I’ve come specifically to retrieve an item belonging to our sect. Hand over whatever you’ve recently acquired, and our sect will reward you handsomely.”

At the mention of “Shennong,” Zhan Changfeng made her own calculations. “Is the Daoist Master joking? When have I ever had anything of yours?”

The three exchanged varied expressions before the female Daoist spoke first. “Don’t be alarmed, young friend. Senior Brother was just anxious and spoke a bit harshly. Our Shennong Sect is a renowned school of the Shanhai Realm, practicing the healing arts to save the world. Our compassion is well known — we would never covet your belongings. However, our late Master once cast a divination revealing that an item of our sect had been lost to the outside world. Recently the divination stirred again, and so he sent us to search for it. If we’re not mistaken, it should have ended up in your hands. If you could return it intact, the Shennong Sect will not treat you poorly.”

Zhan Changfeng seemed somewhat reassured. “Then first tell me what this item you’re looking for looks like.”

The question was perfectly reasonable — anyone coming to claim lost property should at least be able to describe it. But the three exchanged glances and found they couldn’t say.

The double-pupiled Daoist’s expression was cold. “You know perfectly well what you took. If you know what’s good for you, hand it over without fuss. Some things don’t belong to you, and keeping them by force will only bring mortal danger!”

“Chuanduan,” the female Daoist said sharply in warning, then turned back to Zhan Changfeng with a gentle tone. “Junior Brother’s words were harsh, but he has a point. If we could find you, others can too — it’s only a matter of time. The difference is that we’re here to reclaim what belongs to our sect, while they would truly be seizing your fortune by force, and they won’t be nearly as reasonable. What do you think?”

Zhan Changfeng delayed as if weighing her options for a good while before finally responding. “Very well. I can see that the three of you are willing to identify yourselves openly and can come and go freely in the Bureau of Patrol, so you’re unlikely to be heretical cultivators. I’ll make a deal with you.”

She stated the word “deal” outright, which caught the three somewhat off guard — yet also put them at ease.

Chuanduan thought: At most she’ll want us to take her into the sect. With so many menial disciples already, one more won’t matter.

Shi’er thought: A person from a minor realm can’t think that far ahead. If money or land deeds can buy back the sacred relic, we can give them.

Baizhi — the female Daoist — thought: If the sacred relic really is with her, this person might have some affinity with it. Best to bring her into the sect. We can’t leave her unsupervised.

The three Daoists exchanged several rapid transmissions and reached a general consensus. Then Shi’er spoke. “Bring the item out first. Let us see if it’s what we’re looking for.”

“Of course,” said Zhan Changfeng. “I have nothing particularly noteworthy on me. If I had to say, some time ago I went foraging in the mountains and picked up the broken root of an orchid and a blank book pressed under a stone.”

She produced both items. “Which one are you looking for?”

The feng shui compass in Shi’er’s hand spun wildly twice, its needle pointing straight at the book. The three were instantly overjoyed — it really was here!

“Besides these two things, did you find anything else?” It wasn’t unreasonable for Shi’er to ask this. For one, he didn’t know exactly what the sacred relic looked like or how many pieces there were. For another, the compass had only just now reacted, clearly because the book had previously been stored inside a spatial vessel, blocking detection.

Though Shi’er asked the question, he didn’t actually care about her answer. His divine sense — honed at the Life And Death Realm — had already slipped into her storage pouch to search.

With a matter this important, how could he take someone at their word? He had to verify personally.

Shi’er assumed it was only natural that his Life And Death Realm divine sense could bypass the mark left on the storage pouch by a mere Postnatal realm cultivator.

But Zhan Changfeng was a soul cultivator. She had left a Soul-Mark, and she detected his intent almost instantly — yet she held back and pretended not to notice. “That’s all I found. Believe it or not.”

Shi’er gave a slight nod to his junior disciples, then turned to Zhan Changfeng. “What do you want in exchange?”

“I hear you practice the healing arts. As it happens, I have an ailment,” Zhan Changfeng said bluntly. “I want Flesh-Growing White-Bone — enough to restore vitality.”

“Preposterous!” Chuanduan snapped. “Flesh-Growing White-Bone is a spirit medicine of the highest order — how could we give it to a common nobody like you!”

How presumptuous! If the Bureau of Patrol weren’t standing in the way, who would let her negotiate? They were already being generous by not punishing her for stealing a sacred sect relic!

“Pick something else.” Shi’er’s four words made his position clear.

“Your appetite is far too large.” Baizhi, who had been relatively courteous, dropped “young friend” and switched to a bare “you.”

Zhan Changfeng dropped all pretense as well. “Take it or leave it. I’ll bring this Shennong text to the auction house — plenty of people will want it.”

“Shennong?!” Shi’er’s expression changed violently. “Say that again!”

As he spoke, he actually reached out to snatch the book from Zhan Changfeng’s hand. She moved to dodge, but found her qi locked down by him.

The gap in cultivation between them was simply too vast — she stood no chance. Zhan Changfeng’s eyes darkened. She immediately stowed the book back into her storage pouch and brought the pouch up against her own vital point.

If the blow landed, she would certainly die.

Shi’er instinctively pulled back his hand, but someone was faster — a burst of qi force pushed him back half a step.

A man strode in with a hearty laugh. “The Shennong Sect graces us with their presence and we fail to welcome them properly — and now you want to draw blood in my Bureau the moment you arrive? How embarrassing for us.”

His words dripped with sarcasm delivered smoothly. Rather than a high-level powerhouse, he seemed more like a rogue who’d spent his life in the back alleys — yet he had the dashing good looks to match.

Shi’er’s gaze grew solemn. “And you are?”

“The humble Bureau Adviser of the Bureau of Patrol, Ji Guang.” Ji Guang rubbed his stubbly chin and sized up Shi’er. “If your Shennong Sect wants to find some sect item, go right ahead. If you want to trade, trade away. That’s your private affair and none of my business. But trying to use force inside the Bureau of Patrol? That’s coming here to wreck the place, isn’t it?”

Shi’er was taken aback by this bandit-like manner, but he didn’t dare say much. This man was not only a renowned Life And Death Realm expert, he was also famously listed on the Roster of Extraordinary Persons, known by the title “Iron Brush, Divine Judgment” — said to be able to adjudicate right from wrong, with truth and falsehood alike laid bare beneath his brush.

“The Bureau Adviser makes too much of it. This was merely a misunderstanding.” Shi’er formed a Meridian Seal to express his apology.

But before he could say anything further, Zhan Changfeng spoke first. “This Daoist Master tried to take my property by force when our negotiation failed. I am powerless and have no one to rely on. I ask the Bureau Adviser to preside over this matter.”

She offered up the book as she spoke.

The expressions of all three from the Shennong Sect shifted. Shi’er was especially shocked and furious. Abandoning all decorum, he stepped forward and planted himself between Zhan Changfeng and Ji Guang. “The Bureau Adviser just said this is a sect’s private affair. Please allow us to resolve it ourselves.”

He clearly did not want anyone to see what the book actually was.

Ji Guang assessed the situation and refrained from reaching for it, but said, “A private affair between the parties, yes — but the other party has asked the Bureau of Patrol to mediate. I can hardly ignore that. Unless you can resolve it between yourselves?”

“We’ll resolve it ourselves!” Shi’er said immediately. He then turned to face Zhan Changfeng, his gaze cold. “Young friend, I accept your terms. Give me half a day to request the spirit medicine from the sect.”

“Senior Brother!” Chuanduan protested.

“Not another word.” Shi’er cut him off firmly, then continued, “But how do you prove you haven’t read this book? If you’re not a disciple of our sect and you’ve read it without authorization, I’ll have no choice but to bring you back to face our sect’s judgment!”

“Bureau Adviser — unauthorized study of our sect’s techniques should be dealt with accordingly. That’s not within the Bureau of Patrol’s jurisdiction, is it?”

Ji Guang’s eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at Zhan Changfeng.

Zhan Changfeng was unhurried. “First, whether this item belongs to your sect is still up for debate — after all, half a quarter-hour ago you didn’t even know what it was. Second, I haven’t read it. If you don’t believe me, then let the Bureau Adviser render his judgment.”

Ji Guang smiled and clapped his hands. “Worthy of the name Yi Zhan — you even know what abilities I possess. Fine, fine, fine. I’ll render a judgment for you all.”

“May I ask the three of you—do you trust me?”

The three from the Shennong Sect naturally affirmed that they did. Shi’er said, “With the Bureau Adviser intervening, we are at ease. We trust that the Bureau Adviser will render a fair judgment.”

Ji Guang only smiled without speaking. He produced a brush with a dark-gold body and tiger-fetus bristles, writing golden lines in midair that coalesced into a talisman—its general meaning being a petition to inquire after the truth.

This was neither a forbidden art nor a divine ability, but rather a talent approximating the “Dao” that awakened when his Dao Embryo first formed—much like Zhan Changfeng’s Trivision.

Ji Guang’s talent was the ability to heed the will of heaven and judge truth from falsehood.

He finished writing in a single stroke, and the answer had already risen in his mind. “What she says is true. You may proceed with a fair transaction.”

Zhan Changfeng said, “Thank you, Bureau Adviser, for your judgment.”

The three from the Shennong Sect were somewhat deflated. “Thank you, Bureau Adviser, for your judgment.”

Ji Guang waved his hand, gesturing for them to continue.

With things having come to this point, Shi’er could only say, “Please allow us half a day before we proceed with the transaction.”

“Junior Sister, go contact the sect and report the situation truthfully.”

Baizhi nodded slightly and took her leave.

Chuanduan was deeply displeased and transmitted his voice privately: Senior Brother, how could you agree to give her spiritual medicine? A commoner of lowly birth like her—just bring her into the sect and she’d be so grateful she’d offer everything up willingly.

Shi’er sighed inwardly: Given the current situation, do we even have a choice?

Having lost their geographical advantage, with timing, circumstance, and fortune all gone, this was no longer something that could be resolved by simply promising a favor. Shi’er felt uneasy about it, but there was truly no alternative.

Shi’er glanced at Zhan Changfeng, who sat with her eyes closed in quiet repose. This girl’s luck was truly extraordinary—she just happened to run into them at the Bureau of Patrol.

But he couldn’t deny it: she was clear-headed, remarkably decisive, and even in a position of weakness, she could read the situation and turn it to her advantage.

A thought stirred in Shi’er’s mind. “Young friend, do you have a master? If not, when you ascend to the Cloud-Water Platform someday, you might consider trying the Shennong Sect’s trial assembly.”

The Major Sects from the Upper Realm generally did not recruit outsiders. Their disciples were cultivated from childhood, and legacy disciples underwent even stricter trials of reincarnation. However, they would occasionally hold trials to recruit disciples who had already established their Dao foundation and whose aptitude matched the sect’s cultivation lineage.

The Cloud-Water Platform happened to be the trial ground through which cultivators from Cangyun Ravine could enter the major sects.

Shi’er did not directly offer to bring her up as a menial servant of a proper Daoist sect. Instead, he mentioned the Cloud-Water Platform—an implicit expression of regard. Whether it was mere courtesy or a genuine invitation, it revealed a measure of appreciation for talent beyond the contention over fortune.

Unfortunately, he had already touched Zhan Changfeng’s sore spot—one should never expect goodwill from her toward someone who had encroached upon her sovereignty. Yet Zhan Changfeng’s attitude never showed on the surface. She maintained the poise and courtesy that the occasion demanded. “The Great Dao follows the flow of fate.”

The half-day passed quickly—one meditation session and it was over.

Baizhi returned on time. She turned her palm upward, presenting a porcelain bottle. “This is a Ninth-Grade Rejuvenation Pill. It has the power to raise the dead and regrow flesh upon bare bone.”

Shi’er closed his eyes. Chuanduan’s eyeballs trembled—he could never have imagined that the sect would actually produce a spiritual medicine!

A Ninth-Grade Rejuvenation Pill—that was one of their sect’s most prized treasures! Never mind severed arms and legs; even if all that remained was a Primordial Spirit, it could restore you to a full, living body!

Ji Guang felt this matter had become serious. What exactly were they trading for, that they would produce a Ninth-Grade Rejuvenation Pill?

This pill was something even those old immortals Above would fight over.

Zhan Changfeng observed their expressions, her brow unmoving. “I need to consume it first to verify its effects.”

Chuanduan’s face twisted in anger. “What do you mean by that? As if the Shennong Sect would deceive you!”

“Whether you’d deceive me or not, I don’t know. But if you can have someone verify whether I’m telling the truth, can I not verify the efficacy of your medicine?”

The three were uncomfortable but had no way to refute her—and besides, they were on someone else’s territory.

Shi’er’s thoughts were fixed on the Shennong Codex in her possession. Considering the bigger picture, he said, “Bureau Adviser, may we have a clean room?”

“Granted.”

Before entering the clean room, Zhan Changfeng seemed to remember something and turned back. “The three of you had best ensure that I am not disturbed by outside interference while I refine the pill. Otherwise, should any accident occur, I may choose to self-detonate with it.”

“…” Damn it, just hurry up and go refine your pill.

Shi’er clenched his teeth and layered prohibition after prohibition, ensuring that no aura would leak from within and that no one from outside could enter.

Chuanduan was indignant. “Senior Brother, is it really worth exchanging a Ninth-Grade Rejuvenation Pill for this? And she’s so insolent!”

“Watch your words. Mind your conduct, Chuanduan—you ought to spend some time in the Thorn Cave tempering that temper of yours.” Shi’er assumed the authority of an elder, causing Chuanduan to bow his head in reluctant forbearance.

Though Chuanduan said nothing more, he couldn’t bear to stay. He left and found a wine house, ordered several fine jugs of spiritual wine, and sat there with a dark expression.

What virtue or ability did such an insignificant person possess to warrant such a sacrifice from the sect? That codex had been the sect’s lost property to begin with!

He had originally planned to secretly retrieve the Ninth-Grade Rejuvenation Pill afterward, but who could have expected this person to be so cunning—insisting on refining it on the spot and demanding they stand guard for her!

Chuanduan poured several gulps of wine down his throat, his heart pounding with agitation. From the moment he first laid eyes on her, he had been unusually restless, as if something about her suppressed him. Now that feeling was growing stronger and stronger, as though failing to eliminate her would somehow obstruct his own path.

Cultivators—especially those who had achieved Transcendence of the Mortal—possessed a certain intangible sense regarding matters that concerned them. Chuanduan trusted his intuition.

But given Shi’er’s current attitude, once the transaction was concluded, he would certainly lead them out of this realm without delay. There was no chance he would allow Chuanduan to linger, leaving him no time to act even if he wanted to.

Chuanduan furrowed his brow in deep thought for a moment, then his eyes suddenly blazed. He slammed his palms open against every wine jar, and the intoxicating fragrance of spiritual wine flooded his nostrils.

He sent out a voice-transmission jade talisman, then seized a jar and tipped it straight into his mouth.

Meanwhile, after entering the clean room, Zhan Changfeng took her usual precautions with soul arts, then laid out the talismans from her storage pouch within arm’s reach as a safeguard. Only then did she open the porcelain bottle.

The instant the bottle was unsealed, a wave of pure, vital energy rushed forth to greet her. Zhan Changfeng tipped out the Ninth-Grade Rejuvenation Pill, and its immense aura scoured the impurities from the air, leaving one’s mind refreshed and clear.

It was perfectly round, the size of a pellet, harboring divine light within. Inside that radiance swirled a viridian elixir liquid, and across its surface ran nine mysterious pill-patterns.

It was fortunate she had made them set up protections. If this aura leaked out, who knew how many people would come knocking.

Zhan Changfeng wasted no further thought and swallowed it. The Ninth-Grade Rejuvenation Pill dissolved into liquid the moment it entered her mouth, spreading like an invisible breath through her four limbs and hundred bones.

She promptly withdrew the power of the Ink-Jade Archer’s Ring so as not to impede the generation of new flesh. But in the gap where old strength had receded and new strength had not yet transformed into sinew and muscle, her body entered a brief yet perilous shutdown. Her heart and blood, deprived of any sustaining force, began trending toward cessation.

Zhan Changfeng could not enter the Earth-Soul Form at this moment. She could only desperately endure the agony of having her breath stolen away.

Her breathing quickly grew ragged, then gave way to suffocation. She couldn’t help but curl forward, hands clawing at her throat. In the Earth-Soul Form, with neither breath nor heartbeat, she had never felt anything was wrong. Now, truly tasting death for the first time, she understood what it meant to suffer a fate worse than death itself—like watching herself be torn apart piece by piece, utterly powerless to stop it.

Her heart began to stop.

A buzzing filled her ears. She began to lose her hearing.

Darkness swallowed her vision. She began to lose her sight.

Her body went limp, yet she felt nothing at all.

But fortunately, she was not truly powerless. All of this was merely a certain process on the path toward a predetermined outcome.

(End of Chapter)