Radiant Blade of the Wilderness

Chapter 154: "Taking Flight"

As the Presence-Absence Myriad Forms Qi surged outward, Seventh Ge’s body dissolved rapidly. It first turned to powder, then vanished without a trace. His residual astral form he had left in the void also quickly dispersed.

Before long, Seventh Ge’s body had returned to primordial unity, leaving no trace in the world.

Ding Songyan then deployed the Chaos Realm and used the Presence-Absence Myriad Forms Qi to erase the bloodstains and the hoe from the surrounding area.

Without a body, no one would suspect him of killing a Grandmaster.

Ding Songyan had originally considered throwing Ji Hanyi’s letter and her handwritten copy of the Mystical Pass True-Nature Preservation Art into the burning mud hut to destroy them before anyone could find them. Before that, he would naturally have to memorize the art quickly and completely using the Celestial Heart Art, but after thinking it over, he abandoned the idea.

He felt that whatever Demoness Ji had given him should be kept. If the day ever came when it mattered, he could produce these items and cling to his undeserved little sister’s leg, saying "I’ve always kept you in my heart, always treating you as my own sister," and see whether "family kinship" could make Ji Hanyi show mercy to him or those around him.

At a moment like that, pride was a luxury he could afford to discard!

He didn’t genuinely believe Ji Hanyi felt any real "family kinship" toward him, but he wanted to lay groundwork wherever there was a chance. Hard training was one front; playing the emotional card was another. What if it actually worked?

After confirming the scene was clear, Ding Songyan deployed the Waxing Moon Phantom Form and ran out of the hollow.

He took a circuitous route the whole way. At times, he went into the mountain, at times skirting the lake. Other times, he concealed himself, leaving a trail of footprints and marks as though evading pursuit. It took three full hours before he entered Immortal Grotto County to report to the authorities.

Just as he reached the county yamen, Ding Songyan spotted Pan Yunzhou holding a horse alongside a steward from Hongxin Trading Company. It was around mid-afternoon and the sky was only slightly dim, the sun still slanting down.

"Junior Brother Ding, what happened?" Pan Yunzhou came forward, visibly startled and concerned at the sight of Ding Songyan’s tattered, burn-marked clothes.

Ding Songyan coughed twice.

"Just a few injuries, nothing serious. Senior Brother Pan, Senior Brother Zhang, come with me to report to the authorities."

Report to the authorities? The Hongxin Trading Company steward, Zhang Yan, and Pan Yunzhou exchanged a glance, both blank and bewildered.

Pan Yunzhou was even more taken aback.

Junior Brother Ding is capable of taking down a third-rank Form Transfigured powerhouse. Who could have left him injured and running to the authorities?

Did he run into some old demon on par with the Orchid Fresh List’s finest?

Neither asked further questions. They handed their horses to the guards at the entrance and followed Ding Songyan into the county yamen, where they were announced and received by County Marshal Wen Shenxing.

Wen Shenxing was a disciple of the Nine Realms School in his mid-thirties. Dressed in the red-and-black county marshal’s uniform, he had a broad, powerful build, white streaks raised across his face like a tiger’s, and thick pads on both palms that seemed to conceal sharp spines within.

As far as Ding Songyan knew, the Nine Realms Sect traced its lineage to Luwu, the divine spirit that guarded the Celestial Thearch’s palace and Kunlun Mountain. Besides its head, Zuo Jingzhe, a Spirit Platform Realm Sage, it had four Heaven-Man Realm Supreme Masters among its ranks, placing it among the very strongest of the top-tier powers.

The Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas recorded: Luwu, a spirit with a tiger’s body, nine tails, a human face, and tiger’s claws. This deity governs Kunlun, wards off demons and evil, overawes all spirits, commands the nine heavens above, and rules the seasons below.

The Nine Realms School’s Twenty-Four Qi Scripture, Nine Realms Seal, and Kunlun Celestial Map all derived from this lineage, and were renowned throughout the world.

"In her day, the Sword of Rectitude broke seven bandit strongholds around Heavenly Lake in succession and made a name for herself across the surrounding prefectures. I didn’t expect her personal disciple to tread this ground again today." Wen Shenxing made small talk with a smile, then turned to ask what had brought Ding Songyan to report.

Ding Songyan’s expression turned serious.

"I once suffered from Soul Departure Sickness and forgot my own origins. After obtaining a lead, I followed it all the way to Immortal Grotto County..."

So the important matter Junior Brother Ding mentioned was tracing his own origins... Pan Yunzhou, listening to one side, suddenly understood.

Ding Songyan then recounted everything steadily: how he had entered Ge Family Village under his senior brother Pan’s name to avoid alerting his target, every word Seventh Ge had said, and everything he had learned about Seventh Ge from inquiring around, omitting only the matter of giving Seventh Ge the huangliang awakening block.

Upon hearing the words "wanted to swap into a new body" and "you wouldn’t happen to be Old Jiang," Wen Shenxing’s expression turned gravely serious and he rose to his feet without realizing it. Pan Yunzhou and Zhang Yan felt their skin crawl.

Is body-seizing rebirth truly possible in this world?

Ding Songyan paused and said with some embarrassment, "Being young and brash, I thought too highly of myself. I actually had the nerve to follow Seventh Ge to that hollow. Sure enough, he attacked me from behind when I pushed open the mud hut door. Fortunately I had been on guard and dodged the blow, or I would have been killed on the spot. Even so, the force of it was beyond what I had anticipated, and I was injured.

"That also made it clear to me that I was no match for Seventh Ge in direct combat, so I fled as fast as I could toward the hollow’s entrance. He nearly caught me, but for some reason he suddenly stopped in place and began muttering things like ’who am I’ and ’if I kill you, I’ll remember.’

"I didn’t dare stop and just kept running. Right after I exited the hollow I heard two explosions from inside. After that I took a long time to make my way back while hiding and dodging. It took me several roundabout routes before I got back to the city to make this report."

"Could Seventh Ge be Old Jiang?" Wen Shenxing murmured, more to himself than anyone.

Pan Yunzhou was thinking the same thing.

No wonder Junior Brother Ding got injured. Seventh Ge was actually some old monster who had seized a body!

"I don’t know," Ding Songyan said, lowering his head, his voice heavy.

Wen Shenxing considered for a moment and looked Ding Songyan over.

"You are in the early Great Proliferation Realm, young man?"

"Yes," Ding Songyan answered openly.

Early Great Proliferation Realm? Hongxin Trading Company steward, Zhang Yan, felt as though he were hearing it in a dream.

As he recalled, Junior Brother Ding had joined the sect only a little more than half a year ago. Even accounting for whatever body-tempering and qi cultivation foundation he’d had before, he should still be in the aperture refinement stage of the Human Realm, a process that typically took two to three years, a year and a half at the very shortest.

How is he already in the early Great Proliferation Realm?

Wasn’t he the storyteller who had suffered from Soul Departure Sickness...

Junior Brother Ding’s talent must be extraordinary. Refining at least two apertures a day? A true martial prodigy!

When I get back to the sect, I’ll have to learn more about how Junior Brother Ding goes about his daily practice. I may not have such talent, but seeing a worthy one might spur me to match him.

Wen Shenxing, meanwhile, was ruminating.

Early Great Proliferation Realm and yet able to escape from Seventh Ge... Granted that he had the advantage of Seventh Ge’s confusion and inner conflict, this still says a great deal... No need to report to the prefecture and request a Grandmaster either. I’m a third-rank Form Transfigured, one step from Grandmaster. Two other constable chiefs should suffice...

Having made his decision, Wen Shenxing instructed his clerk and constables to report the matter to the prefecture yamen, then summoned his two most capable subordinates and had horses prepared.

Ding Songyan naturally went along. Pan Yunzhou felt that Seventh Ge must be formidable since he was capable of injuring and driving off Junior Brother Ding. However, he reasoned that with County Marshal Wen, a third-rank Form Transfigured from a major sect, two highly capable constable chiefs, and himself and the other Brightnight Sect members along, even Seventh Ge’s strength couldn’t hold against so many. He felt reasonably assured and followed along with Zhang Yan.

Without needing to take detours or hide, they reached the hollow while there was still daylight.

At first glance, what met Wen Shenxing, Pan Yunzhou, and the others’ eyes was a stretch of ground charred black in multiple places, two conspicuous shallow craters, and the mud huts that had already collapsed.

Wen Shenxing fell silent.

Seventh Ge did this?

This is not what the Great Proliferation Realm looks like. This is a genuine Dharma Realm Grandmaster, and a formidable one at that!

Pan Yunzhou and Zhang Yan turned their heads in stunned disbelief and looked at Ding Songyan.

Junior Brother Ding escaped from an enemy like this?

An early Great Proliferation Realm warrior managed to escape from a Dharma Realm Grandmaster with his life?

In the wordless silence, Wen Shenxing asked Ding Songyan gravely, "Th-this was all done by Seventh Ge?"

"I don’t know." Ding Songyan shook his head. "When I fled, the place didn’t look like this. But Seventh Ge did carry fire and flame."

He pointed to his tattered, burn-marked clothes as he said this, and let out a relieved breath.

"Fortunately Seventh Ge was lost in confusion and didn’t chase after me on the spot, or I fear I would have met my end here."

Wen Shenxing, Pan Yunzhou, Zhang Yan, and the others all agreed, and accepted the explanation without difficulty.

Indeed, if Seventh Ge hadn’t lost himself, possibly treating the void as his enemy or even fighting himself, no early Great Proliferation Realm warrior would have any business escaping from a Grandmaster that powerful, regardless of how talented he was.

They spread out to search, and after a while one of the constables reported to Wen Shenxing.

"Seventh Ge must have realized his identity was exposed and fled."

There was no reason for him to stay and wait for imperial court Grandmasters to arrive and surround him.

He wasn’t from the Accumulated Evil Way either. There was no reason to gamble that the county marshal would come up the mountain searching before a Grandmaster arrived, set up an ambush here, and try to wipe out every imperial court warrior who came.

"That must be it." Wen Shenxing quietly let out a breath.

Good thing Seventh Ge fled. If he hadn’t, things would have become very troublesome.

Shenxing, Shenxing, Master gave you that name hoping you’d be less reckless. And yet here you are, nearly making a grave mistake...

With that thought, Wen Shenxing turned toward Ding Songyan and spoke with gratitude in his voice, "Young man, we are fortunate that you exposed Seventh Ge ahead of time. Otherwise he would surely have become a scourge on Immortal Grotto County."

If everyone had remained in the dark, and Seventh Ge had one day suddenly lost control or gone berserk, who knows how many people would have died or been injured!

A Dharma Realm Grandmaster was still within the realm of human ability to deal with. With himself and the two constable chiefs working together, supported by more warriors and powerful bows, they could manage. Besides, the military camp outside the city could form up to face the enemy. But even so, Immortal Grotto County would not have made out without losses.

"Pure luck," Ding Songyan replied with a wry smile.

The two constable chiefs then dug up a set of bones behind the mud huts, a sight that let Ding Songyan quietly breathe easier.

That must be Jiang Cheng’s original body. Only one set. Two or none would have been alarming.

On the way back to the city, Wen Shenxing and the two constable chiefs stopped by Ge Family Village, searched Seventh Ge’s home, and inquired about his daily habits, all of which largely confirmed what Ding Songyan had said.

Ding Songyan remained perfectly calm throughout.

Everything he had said was the truth!

"Young man, it is already dark. Why not stay the night at the county yamen? I’ll have someone make inquiries tonight about your time here as a storyteller and see if we can learn anything about your origins." Out of gratitude, Wen Shenxing offered to help.