Scripture of Days Past

”Jade Face Mountain is situated in the southern part of Spirit Province, roughly two hundred kilometers away from Azure Sun County,” Qiao Zhi said. ”With Chitter and Chatter, you should be able to go back and forth frequently, so you don’t have to worry about being cut off from Azure Sun County.”

”Good,” Chu Qiguang said. ”What does this selection trial entail?”

”The Demon Vanquishing Department falls under the Heavenly Guard, and its leader is the Demon Vanquishing Envoy,” Qiao Zhi introduced. ”Below him are the two assistant envoys and the fifteen thousand-man commanders. The selection trials are held to unearth elite talents capable of inheriting the Demon Vanquishing Department’s four orthodox arts.”

”The Demon Vanquishing Department has four of the twenty-five orthodox arts?” Chu Qiguang asked.

”There are four factions within the Demon Vanquishing Department, and they specialize in dealing with beast fiends, spirit fiends, ghosts, and demons. Each of the four factions has an orthodox art,” Qiao Zhi explained. ”The Hunter Hand Faction has the orthodox martial art, the Sumeru Strength Scripture, and they specialize in dealing with large beast fiends. The Fiend Assassin Faction has the orthodox martial art, Thunder Screech, and they specialize in dealing with spirit fiends. The Spiritualist Faction has the orthodox Dao art, the Myriad Ghost Journal, and they specialize in dealing with ghostly entities.

”Finally, there’s the Dao Soldier Faction, which has the orthodox Dao art, the Silent Shadow Step, and they specialize in killing demons and evil deities. You’re already familiar with the Sumeru Strength Scripture. It’s just an incomplete version of your Sumeru King Scripture. As for the Myriad Ghost Journal and the Silent Shadow Step, they both come with severe side effects, just like the Elixir of Undying, so I suggest that you stay far away from them. That leaves only the Fiend Assassin Faction’s Thunder Screech.”

Chu Qiguang nodded thoughtfully after hearing Qiao Zhi’s analysis.

”Now that I think about it, I recall that something happened to this batch of trainees on Jade Face Mountain,” Qiao Zhi continued. ”There was a terrible mishap, and in the end, everyone on the mountain died.”

”What? How did that happen?” Chu Qiguang exclaimed.

”I don’t know the exact details,” Qiao Zhi replied. ”All I know is that Jade Face Mountain was attacked by someone at the time, but I don’t know how, or by whom.”

”Roughly when does the attack take place?” Chu Qiguang asked.

Qiao Zhi did his best to recall the details, then replied hesitantly, ”Maybe in a year or so? Ten months? I can’t remember.”

”I’ve been ordered to go to Jade Face Mountain in three months. Right now, it’s October of the fifteenth year of the Yong’an Reign, which means that the training and selection trials begin in the first month of the sixteenth year of the Yong’an Era. If the attack happens in ten months or a year, then it’ll either happen in August or October of the sixteenth year of the Yong’an Era,” Chu Qiguang said with tightly furrowed brows.

”What I’m certain of is that nothing happens before August,” Qiao Zhi said. ”I remember that trade relations were officially established at the end of July next year, and the attack happened after that.”

”So if I take the worst-case scenario and assume the attack happens in August next year, then I only have ten months to prepare,” Chu Qiguang said with a grim expression.

What if I just don’t go? No, that’ll only get me killed even faster. The Demon Vanquishing Department is directly tied to the emperor, so this invitation was clearly sent at the emperor’s behest. If I refuse, it’ll be seen as an act of insubordination against the emperor, which is equivalent to treason.

On the other hand, entering the Demon Vanquishing Department had its benefits. The Demon Vanquishing Department existed outside of the conventional political system, and that suited Chu Qiguang just fine. If he were to embark on a more conventional political career, then political progression would surely be slow and difficult to come by. In contrast, the Demon Vanquishing Department presented many more opportunities for a rapid climb up the ranks.

We can find a way around this, Chu Qiguang thought to himself. I’m only going to continue to grow stronger over the next ten months, and even after I get to Jade Face Mountain, I can still find ways to investigate this matter and prevent the attack from happening.

Even if worse comes to worst, I’ll just get myself eliminated from the selection trials in July of next year, and I’ll already be off the mountain by the time the attack happens. Right now, my top priority is to reach the fifth state in martial arts as soon as possible. If I want to do that, then I’m going to need more money to buy Seven Treasure Pills.

With his mind made up, Chu Qiguang began paying daily visits to the textile manufactory to check on the progress of the twelve workers. Before long, he had hired five more blacksmiths and five more carpenters to work on the spindles, bobbins, gears, and other intricate parts that were to go in the machines.

Of course,exorcisms had also been performed on these ten skilled workers by Daoist Master Law Origin, following which they had been secretly put through the Heavenly Fiend Foundation Establishment Technique. As a result, they became convinced that the Profound Origin Dao Lord had blessed them with good health, and they eagerly began their work.

Now that everything’s in place, the machines should be ready in two to three more months.

At night, Chu Qiguang would return to his courtyard from the manufactory and continue his cultivation.

***

One morning, near the end of October of the fifteenth year of the Yong’an Era, two figures were locked in a fierce battle in a courtyard.

Chen Gang attacked Chu Qiguang with all his might, but all of his attacks were deflected with ease, and some were almost redirected back at him.

As usual, Chu Qiguang was using Chen Gang to cultivate the Undying Seal. Of course, Chen Gang was still no match for Chu Qiguang, but he had reached the first state.

Chen Gang possessed a high level of martial arts aptitude, and he was also very diligent in his cultivation. Additionally, Chu Qiguang had finally bought him three batches of Hundred Refinement Ointment, and that allowed him to successfully reach the first state.

As the sparring continued, Chu Qiguang thought to himself, Chen Gang makes for a much better punching bag now that he’s reached the first state. Before this, I had to be really careful not to cause him serious injuries.

Meanwhile, Qiao Zhi was sitting on the rooftop in a foul mood.

There goes another ninety taels of silver on Hundred Refinement Ointment. After buying those Seven Treasure Pills and spending so much on Hidden Fiend Village, there are only nine hundred and sixty-five taels of silver left!

The thought of their rapidly dwindling finances left Qiao Zhi feeling very disgruntled, and there was even a hint of panic in him at the prospect of running out of money.

***

Nearby, Lulu was rushing toward the courtyard with an excited look on his face, but he was intercepted by White Rice midway.

”What’s going on, Lulu? You need to see Brother Chu for something?” White Rice asked.

”Something just happened in the Wang Clan!” Lulu reported excitedly. ”Wang Cailiang ran away after undergoing fiendification! I’m here to tell our teacher the news!”

White Rice’s eyes instantly lit up. This was precisely the news that Chu Qiguang had been waiting for. With that in mind, he put on a stern expression and said, ”Alright, I’ll relay the message to our teacher. You can go now.”

At the same time, all of White Rice’s cat fiend subordinates circled around and glowered at Lulu with menacing expressions.

White Rice rushed excitedly toward the courtyard, while Lulu was kept outside and forced to scurry away with his tail between his legs, feeling very disgruntled.

That bastard has taken over the entire cat faction! I can’t even get a chance to meet our teacher anymore these days!

All of a sudden, his eyes lit up, and he began making his way toward the Wang Clan Village.

If I can’t get to Brother Chu, then I’ll pledge my servitude to Zhou Yujiao instead. I can easily boot Fine Silk and Fish Egg down the pecking order and take their place!

Meanwhile, White Rice had been stopped in his tracks by Qiao Zhi right before entering the courtyard.

”I have some good news for our teacher, Brother Qiao,” White Rice reported with a fawning expression.

”Chu Qiguang’s busy right now. What’s the news? You can tell me first,” Qiao Zhi said.

If it’s good news, then I’ll deliver it myself. If it’s bad news, then I’ll get you to do the honors.

White Rice reluctantly relayed the news to Qiao Zhi, and the latter’s eyes instantly lit up.

”Alright, I’ll report the news to Chu Qiguang when he’s not busy anymore. You can go now.”

With that, Qiao Zhi turned and leaped over the wall into the courtyard. Staring after him, White Rice felt as if the wall may as well have been some impregnable fortress.

How can he do this? He’s monopolizing our teacher’s adoration! Aside from during his lessons in Hidden Fiend Village, it’s been close to a month since I last saw our teacher!

White Rice shook his head in dismay as he prepared to leave, but his eyes suddenly lit up with an idea.

Our teacher is definitely going to fetch Wang Cailiang from the Wang Clan Village, so why don’t I do that now? Surely our teacher will be pleased!

With that in mind, he immediately set off for the Wang Clan Village.

Not long after White Rice left, a black dog emerged from the shadows, panting with excitement.

This is a brilliant opportunity! I’m going to tell Brother Big Head about what happened to Wang Cailiang right away! I’m sure we’ll be able to find him ahead of those cat fiends!