Chapter 112: Exorcising Demons III

Chapter 112: Exorcising Demons III

"My school uniform! And the things inside are mine too!!" Shen Yuan desperately tugged on one sleeve of the Peng Lai Island uniform, pulling it towards him with all his might while planting his feet on Chizi'e's waist.

"How can you say the uniform is yours, and the things inside belong to you? Do you understand the concept of 'finders keepers'??!" Chizi'e's body arched into a semicircle under the force of Shen Yuan's tug, his hands clung tenaciously to the other sleeve.

The uniform, subjected to an unbearable strain, stretched into a thin black cloth, precariously close to tearing apart at any moment.

Worried that Shen Yuan's injured hand would start bleeding again, Wang Pan conjured a white feather, which he hurled at the center of the uniform, hoping to hasten its liberation.

In the next second, a "riiiip" echoed as the uniform ripped apart before their eyes. It was finally free.

Shen Yuan and Chizi'e rolled on the ground with the halves of the shredded uniform, wrapping themselves in a black cocoon.

"Wang Pan, help me out first."

"Little Pan, let the teacher go."

Both Shen Yuan and Chizi'e spoke in unison to Wang Pan.

Wang Pan observed the two cocoons on the ground and said coldly, "Get out of there by yourself."

Chi Zi'e exclaimed anxiously, "The uniforms of Peng Lai Island are woven with Yushan Ice Silk, incredibly tough. With empty hands, how could I possibly break free?"

Wang Pan was resolute, "Then lie there until you can break free, that's when you'll be released."

Shen Yuan was closest to Wang Pan. He rolled to Wang Pan's leg, nudging it slightly as he pleaded, "Wang Pan, can you help me get out of this? Chi Zi'e snatched my Lantian Jade—"

Chi Zi'e wished he could roll to Wang Pan's leg too, but such behavior would be unbecoming of his status as Yi Shujun, so he could only call from the side, "Little Pan, the missing ingredient in Xiamo's formula is the Lantian Jade!"

Wang Pan ignored Chi Zi'e and asked Shen Yuan, "What do you need the Lantian Jade for?"

Shen Yuan replied, "He Mengfang's father was injured while hunting a fox clan that was causing havoc. No rare treasures could heal him, so he started learning medicine from Chu Yun while also practicing the sword techniques of the Island Lord. I think Mengfang has been working too hard, so I wanted to use the Lantian Jade to see if it could help cure him."

Wang Pan asked again, "Lantian Jade is scarce in the world, where did you obtain it?"

Shen Yuan recalled, "I found it by chance while washing my hands at the Scarlet Water River."

Wang Pan nodded, "The source of the Scarlet Water is Yushan, where Lantian Jade is produced. When the ice glaciers on Yushan melt, it's possible that the jade could be washed downstream to the Scarlet Water."

Shen Yuan boastfully declared, "All thanks to me. Back then, a fat catfish was about to swallow Lantian Jade. In my panic, I threw out the Thunderfire Fan to fend off the fish, but unintentionally sent the Scarlet Water River flying."

"Hey, boy! I thought that 'Water from the Yellow River Descends from Heaven' was your move! Turns out it's the Thunderfire Fan!" Chi Zi'e exclaimed. "I was wondering what could manipulate the entire Scarlet Water River, hoping to witness something extraordinary. Didn't expect..."

"Bam! Bam bam!..."

Before Chi Zi'e could finish his sentence, a series of loud crashes echoed, as if something was forcefully carving its way through the mountains and caves, drawing closer and faster.

Reacting belatedly, he cried out in alarm, "Little Pan! Quickly move away!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a powerful gust of wind approached Wang Pan from behind. He pushed off the ground, leaping into the air. Before he could identify the approaching object, it whizzed past the soles of his shoes.

Wang Pan landed, only to hear a sharp sound. Shen Yuan stood up on his own, now holding a pure white feather fan.

Recognizing the fan, Wang Pan exclaimed in surprise, "Ling Chi!"

"It's not Ling Chi," Shen Yuan corrected, having just come up with a name for the fan. "I call it Life in Hand."

Wang Pan was intrigued. "Life in Hand?"

"Indeed." Shen Yuan nodded. "The island lord's Wind-Thunder Fan is called Lingci, while my Thunder-Fire Fan is named Womeng. A gentleman faces Lingci, a petty man grasps Womeng. A humble name is easier to nurture."

"My Cloud Terrace Pavilion…" Scarlet Water gazed at the large hole in the wall caused by the fan. He was not calm; instead, he felt a mix of sorrow, indignation, envy, and other complicated emotions upon seeing his home destroyed. "The Thunder-Fire Fan was clearly given to me by my master. For thousands of years, I've been unable to control it. How can you… Brat, who exactly are you?! What method did you use?!"

"I go by the same name and surname, Prince Jiu Li, Shen Yuan. Yes, it's a spell from Peng Lai Island," Shen Yuan said nonchalantly with a smile.

"Clack!" – Something dropped to the ground as he spoke.

Shen Yuan's smile instantly froze.

Wang Pan saw the Spirit Binding Rope at Shen Yuan's feet. However, since he already knew that Shen Yuan had it, he was unconcerned and simply said, "Hand it over."

"Oh—" Shen Yuan acknowledged, obediently bending down to pick up the rope.

The palpitation he had experienced earlier was still fresh in his mind, so he didn't dare get too close to Wang Pan. Instead, he threw it to him from a distance.

"I didn't use the Spirit Binding Rope for any indecent purposes…" For some reason, Shen Yuan found himself explaining, "I suspected that the red-clothed woman was related to Xun Wu's plague, so I wanted to bind her and question her. When I asked you for the rope and you refused, I had no choice but to intoxicate you first. But when we arrived at Yuewei Hall, Miss Jiang Yue told me that the red-clothed woman's name was Mu Shi and that she had nothing to do with the plague. Then… Miss Jiang Yue mentioned that there might be a cure for the plague, but it required Yi Shujun's tears as an ingredient. Just before I left for Yuewei Hall, I received a message from Dream Visit, saying they 'might not make it'… So, so, I came to Scarlet Water to look for Yi Shujun… I didn't mean to steal the Spirit Binding Rope, nor did I intend to keep it. I was afraid that you would report me to the island lord, and I'm a bit scared of being punished… I wanted to return it when you weren't paying attention…"

Shen Yuan wasn't sure why, but he was genuinely afraid of disappointing Wang Pan. Thus, he softly added, "I'm not lazy or disobedient…"

Wang Pan listened patiently to the end. After a moment's thought, he said, "You can explain your reasons, and we can act together."

Shen Yuan scratched the back of his neck and replied, "I have a feeling you won't agree with my approach... Our paths diverge, so we cannot walk together..."

"Not on the same path." It was that phrase again.

Wang Pan felt immense pain, but his facial expression remained largely unchanged, his features still set in a composed manner, as if nothing was amiss.

"Let me out!" Chi Zi'e called weakly.

Shen Yuan didn't want to continue this conversation with Wang Pan. Turning to Chi Zi'e, he said, "I found this Lantian Jade. If you want it, go find your own."

"I'm Yi Shujun! What rare medicinal herbs don't I have access to? If I could find Lantian Jade, I wouldn't have to compete with juniors; it would be beneath me."

Shen Yuan nodded, acknowledging with an "oh," and continued, "Not to mention losing face, the esteemed Yi Shujun has never even tried to snatch anything from a junior like me, right?"

Chi Zi'e hissed in response.

Seizing the opportunity, Shen Yuan promptly interrupted, "Are you going to say, 'It was Little Pan who suddenly appeared, tearing my school uniform, and I wasn't paying attention, so it doesn't count,' correct?"

Childlike Eel performed a jackknife flip, but as soon as his head rose, he was hindered by the Peng Lai Island school uniform, which wrapped tightly around him. Despite his great effort, he couldn't arch his body very high. It was quite comical. Thus, he gave up and lay flat on the ground. He said calmly, "Yes, that's right. I was thinking of saying something along those lines."

Shen Yuan sighed, shaking his head. "In truth, even if Wang Pan hadn't come, you wouldn't have had a chance to outbid me, for I have the Life Hold to protect me."

Infuriated, Chi Zai's eyes widened in a glare. "You little rascal, are you deliberately provoking me?!"

Shen Yuan acknowledged with a scholar's poise, "Yes, I was indeed planning to do so."

With a flush of anger, the infant's face turned bright red, only to fade away moments later. He chuckled and said, "I think I understand why they're always on guard against you. You exude an air of malevolence."

For Shen Yuan, there was no such distinction as moral righteousness in superficial actions. "One should joyfully do good deeds without concerning oneself with right or wrong. Why must we differentiate the doer as black or white? Can't a villain do something righteous, or can't a virtuous person commit an evil act?"

Chi Zi'e gazed at Shen Yuan. "Don't be too naive, boy. If one doesn't distinguish between right and wrong, then there would be no such concepts as prosperity and decline, gain and loss, good and evil, heavenly and earthly ranks, or simply black and white. The line between Chu and Han has always been distinct, and if you dare to stand on the opposing side, you will... die."

"Teacher!!" Wang Pan suddenly shouted.

Shen Yuan was startled, not because of Chi Zi'e's words, but by Wang Pan's sudden outburst. He turned his head, looking at Wang Pan in confusion.

Wang Pan composed himself and didn't bother to explain. He walked over to Shen Yuan, grabbed him by the collar, dragged him out of the room, and slammed the door shut with a loud "bang."

...

Wang Pan returned to Chi Zi'e's side and asked, "Teacher is certain that Shen Yuan's malevolence can be removed?"

Chi Zi'e turned away. "Esteemed Yi Shujun doesn't like being looked down upon."

Wang Pan said calmly, "Teacher can only be released if you answer your student's question."

Reluctantly, with a favor to ask, Chi Zi'e replied, "Yes. It can be removed."

"How can you prove it?" Wang Pan's eyes lit up, but she remained cautious.

Chi Zi'e said, "Two ways. Either dig out my eyes and put them on you. Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving, so you can see for yourself. Or, you can ask Chu Yun."

Wang Pan was puzzled. "Master?"

"Indeed. 'Dispel Demon' was something Chu Yun requested me to refine," Chi Zi'e suddenly became serious and spoke in a deep voice. "He said he wants to atone for his sins towards someone."

"Towards Shen Yuan?" Wang Pan's voice trembled slightly.

He sensed a thick veil of mystery shrouding the older generation, concealing their intentions within.

"Certainly," Chi Zuo said solemnly. "As you know, I don't interfere in matters concerning humans, deities, or monsters. Before Chu Yun mentioned Shen Yuan to me, I had only heard a bit about him, but I didn't know him personally. There's no need for me to forge a pill for someone I've never met. It would have been a great loss to me. However, after meeting him yesterday, I found the lad quite intriguing, so I changed my mind."

Wang Pan gazed at Chi Zuo's face, which was both strong and gentle, beautiful without being feminine, yet with a hint of laziness. She asked anxiously, "Deputy Island Lord, did you tell Master why you're forging the Demonic Dissipation Pill?"

Chi Zuo curled his lips into a smile. "If you pry too much, you can't be an idle deity."

Wang Pan felt a sense of relief.

Chi Zuo continued, "Chu Yun mentioned something briefly: 'Erasing demonic obstructions, restoring purity; don't regret your choices when it's too late.' He speaks in such flowery language that I can't understand. You'll have to interpret it yourself. But I can assure you that Shen Yuan's animosity can be dissipated."

After that, he added, "I've said what needed to be said. Shouldn't you let me out now?..."

True to his nature as Yi Shujun, Chi Zuo had said just enough without revealing too much. Wang Pan seemed to have understood, but also not quite. Regardless, she had no choice but to free him.

After emerging, Chi Zuo brushed off the footprint Shen Yuan had left on his waist. "Lantian Jade..."

"I will help Master acquire it, but can Master do a favor for this student?"

"Please share your thoughts."

"Can you refine more 'Dispel Demons' pills?"

After some contemplation, Chi Zuo E replied, "More? How many?"

"Three."

Recalling the size of the Lantian Jade, Chi Zuo E nodded. "Alchemy requires ingredients. The Lantian Jade isn't too small nor too big, it should be ample for three pills."

"That's excellent."

Chi Zuo E's mind wandered, and he chuckled. "The golden cauldron I use for alchemy is called—Mutual Benefit."

Wang Pan had long heard his master Chu Yun mention Chi Zuo E's cauldron. "Mutually beneficial, an exchange of one for one."

Chi Zuo E took the cue. "I don't often use Mutual Benefit to refine pills. Although there has never been a mistake with its usage, it necessitates exchanging what you have for what you desire."

"What benefit does Master seek?"

"My master isn't that mundane... I have a particular fondness for collecting rare herbs and medicinal ingredients," Child Misfortune began with a chuckle, before abruptly turning serious. "For a long time, I've wanted to add Island Lord Wang's skeleton to my collection..."

Wang Pan seemed to have misheard. He glared at Child Misfortune fiercely.

"Sorry, sorry..." Child Misfortune quickly explained with a smile. "I just want you to measure Island Lord Wang like a tailor would, so I can create a replica of his skeleton for research and... preservation."

Wang Pan disagreed with Child Misfortune's hobby. "Are you serious, Master?"

Child Misfortune replied, "Of course. There are currently three Ancient Gods: the Heavenly Emperor Dixiu, Lady Jiaomiao, and Island Lord Wang Wanhe of Peng Lai Island. The first two were born from Pan Gu's pure and turbid qi, governing heaven and earth. Island Lord Wang, on the other hand, was created from Pan Gu's spine, wielding the power of life and death over all deities except the Ancient Gods. It's rumored that his bones can defeat gods. I wish to study them and perhaps keep them as a charm against evil... No! Against gods! So I won't be disturbed by thieves!"

Wang Pan frowned slightly, sensing an ominous tone in Child Misfortune's words. "How could Master know something even Island Lord himself doesn't... about his bones defeating gods?" He tactfully omitted the word "skeleton."

Child Misfortune continued, "Doesn't Island Lord Wang lack a little finger on his right hand?"

Wang Pan nodded.

Child Misfortune went on, "Back in the mortal realm, humans and foxes conspired against Island Lord, resulting in the loss of his right pinky. Island Lord was unaware of the power of his bones, not caring about that finger, which eventually fell into the hands of the foxes. They discovered its true purpose and used it to rebel, attempting to invade Heng Yao and Jiu Li. Your father, Emperor He Mengfang, was injured during that incident and has yet to fully recover..."

As Wang Pan listened, he grew more horrified. "Island Lord and I had no idea about the foxes!"

Crimson Child spoke calmly, "These incidents occurred before you were born, and we deliberately kept them from Island Master Wang. He is an upright man, and even more so when it concerns something that originated from himself. Though he was in no way at fault, he couldn't tolerate even the smallest imperfection, especially if it was within himself. Strength can lead to brittleness, and he was prone to extremism."

Wang Pan was well aware of his father's temperament. He gave in without protest.

"Let's not dwell on that," Chi Zi'e interjected, redirecting the conversation. "Hasten and retrieve Lantian Jade. The sooner this matter is attended to, the better; delay is not advised."

Wang Pan replied, "Agreed. However, this matter still requires Master's assistance."

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