Chapter 2: Spring Breeze Warms the Threshold
On that list, aside from Madam Mu, Chu Su was the strongest in terms of cultivation level. Moreover, this monster who cultivated the Yellow Springs Art possessed formidable escape techniques, kept his whereabouts secret, employed unpredictable methods, and was extremely cunning and treacherous. Although Xu Yourong had severed his arm and gravely wounded him in White Emperor City, he remained exceedingly difficult to kill.
Presumably, this monster had now hidden himself deep within the vast, dense mountains. How could they possibly find him?
"Perhaps I can guess where he might go."
The blind zither master of the Tang family suddenly spoke: "If His Holiness the Pope does not object, let me handle this matter."
The others then recalled that this blind zither master was the former Grand Elder of the Longevity Sect, while that monster called Chu Su was the vessel for a lingering remnant soul of the former Longevity Sect Sect Master.
King of Linghai looked at Chen Changsheng, clearly tempted by the idea.
Chen Changsheng did not agree, because the blind zither master had been severely wounded in the battle against the Holy Light Angel and could not recover in a short time. Besides, he was ultimately a retainer of the Tang family.
Xu Yourong understood his meaning and said, "Then let me go."
When it came to hunting down Chu Su, she was undoubtedly the most suitable—even the only—choice.
Her Dao techniques were mutually counteractive to Chu Su's Yellow Springs Art, and she could use her speed to forcibly break his escape techniques.
Aside from her, no one present could likely catch up to Chu Su. Even if they did, they might not be able to kill him—Chen Changsheng himself was not confident of that.
Chen Changsheng still did not agree, and his reasoning won everyone's approval.
He would soon return to the capital. In that city, more important matters and truly troublesome problems awaited him.
At such a time, Xu Yourong could not leave his side.
King of Linghai asked, "What then? Shall we set this aside for now?"
The camp fell silent again, the atmosphere somewhat oppressive.
"I'll think of something."
Chen Changsheng glanced at Xu Yourong and walked out of the camp. Xu Yourong understood and followed him.
King of Linghai and the others grew worried and looked at Tang Thirty-Six.
Tang Thirty-Six waved his hand, indicating he would not involve himself in this matter.
"I'll go take a look."
As the most junior Archbishop, Hu Thirty-Two sighed helplessly and also walked out of the camp.
Beneath a pine tree on the cliffside, Chen Changsheng and Xu Yourong stopped.
He knew Hu Thirty-Two was following behind but did not stop him.
If he didn't let these Archbishops know his method, they would likely find it hard to rest easy.
A gentle breeze stirred the branches, and pine needles rustled down.
Some yellowish pine needles fell onto a patchy yellow fur, seeming to blend in, making them hard to distinguish.
It was a creature that looked like a mongrel dog, its fur a messy mix of colors, somewhat nauseating to behold.
Its two hind legs seemed broken, dragging limply on the ground, looking rather pitiful.
Seeing Chen Changsheng, its eyes flashed with an excited, eerie light. It used its forelimbs to prop itself up, crawling to him with difficulty but speed, and kept licking the back of his foot.
Xu Yourong tilted her head, watching this scene, finding it quite amusing.
Although this wasn't the first time she had seen such a sight, every time she watched this demonic beast play the part of a fawning sycophant, she still wanted to laugh.
Hu Thirty-Two did not find it amusing. Looking at those two sinister little eyes, he felt a chill run through his body.
Suddenly, he recalled the origin of this demonic beast. His face changed drastically, and he stammered, "Is this a Earth Monkey?"
Yes, this was the Earth Monkey that had lived for centuries in the Zhou Garden.
It was also the most sinister, shameless, cunning, and bloodthirsty demonic beast recorded in the Daoist scriptures.
Even enormous demonic beasts like the Mountain-Toppling Tusker and the Jian Beast, ranked very high on the Hundred Beasts List, were unwilling to offend the Earth Monkey. On the battlefield, they even had to follow its orders.
Confirming that this creature, like a mangy yellow dog, was the legendary, terrifying demonic beast, and recalling the bloody stories in the rumors, Hu Thirty-Two felt even colder.
If this Earth Monkey had not been summoned by Chen Changsheng and was not behaving so humbly and obediently, he would have risked his life to kill it on the spot.
The Earth Monkey sensed the hostility and faint trace of fear emanating from Hu Thirty-Two.
Having been away from the real world for so many years, humans still remembered its fearsome reputation. This made it somewhat proud, but it quickly snapped back to alertness.
Unlike the demonic beasts that were content to live peacefully in the Zhou Garden, the Earth Monkey had always longed to return to the world it once inhabited and see it again.
To that end, it had begged Chen Changsheng many times, but Chen Changsheng, mindful of its fearsome name and the evil deeds in the rumors, naturally refused. But today, since Chen Changsheng had summoned it from the Zhou Garden into the real world, it meant the situation had changed. Perhaps it might actually get its wish.
At such a critical moment, the Earth Monkey would not make a mistake. Its eyes became even more innocent, its demeanor more humble, its body crouched lower, its two crippled hind legs trembling slightly, its tail rapidly patting the ground, yet so carefully that it didn't stir up a speck of dust. It was as pitiful as could be.
Hu Thirty-Two remained vigilant, not fooled by this pretense, but Xu Yourong couldn't help laughing out loud.
Chen Changsheng said, "Stop pretending. Get up now."
Hearing this, the Earth Monkey quickly straightened up, not daring to make any extra moves.
Its two crippled hind legs had long since been healed.
But over the years in the Zhou Garden, it had still been accustomed to dragging its hind legs as it crawled across the grasslands. No other demonic beast knew this except the Mountain-Toppling Tusker and the Jian Beast.
Chen Changsheng said, "Do something for me."
The Earth Monkey's eyes rolled around, its thoughts unknown.
Chen Changsheng took a pill from his bosom and fed it into the Earth Monkey's mouth.
The Earth Monkey's eyes immediately lit up. It sat down on its rump like a cultivator, closed its eyes, and began to meditate.
Thin mist continuously seeped from its mouth and nose. The remaining internal injuries were completely healed.
This pill was not a Cinnabar Pill; it was refined from the waste materials of Cinnabar Pills, but it also contained some of Chen Changsheng's blood.
After an unknown amount of time, the Earth Monkey opened its eyes and looked at Chen Changsheng with deep gratitude.
Chen Changsheng took the portrait of Chu Su from Hu Thirty-Two's hand, opened it before the Earth Monkey, and said, "This man."
The Earth Monkey looked at the oddly shaped fellow in the portrait, thinking that there was actually someone in the world uglier than itself, and felt somewhat curious.
Chen Changsheng continued, "Kill him."
The Earth Monkey immediately snapped to attention, whimpering softly a few times, using a bloodthirsty murderous intent to prove its loyalty.
Only then did Hu Thirty-Two understand what Chen Changsheng planned to do.
Logically, the Earth Monkey was naturally adept at earth escape (dun), extremely ferocious and cunning, making it the best choice to hunt down Chu Su.
But Chu Su was also a true monster. The Earth Monkey might not be able to kill him either.
"I have an idea."
Hu Thirty-Two knew that after he voiced this suggestion, the Pope's assessment of him might change, perhaps even become wary.
But as the most loyal subordinate, he had to speak his mind, and he could not hide anything.
After hearing that idea, Chen Changsheng's gaze toward him indeed changed.
Even the Earth Monkey's look at Hu Thirty-Two became different, as if it considered him a kindred spirit.
Xu Yourong merely shook her head.
...
...
The Earth Monkey left the cliffside, heading into the mountains, to seek its lost world and Chu Su.
No one knew about this except Chen Changsheng, Xu Yourong, and Hu Thirty-Two. Even fewer knew how the Earth Monkey would present itself before Chu Su.
Shortly after the Earth Monkey left, the grand procession of the State Religion also set out again, heading toward the capital.
Everyone knew that Chen Changsheng was returning to the capital because he had received a letter.
But was it really just because of that letter?
Of course not, because the young Emperor was still in the capital, and Shang Xingzhou was also in the capital.
Most importantly, the Li Palace was also in the capital. (To be continued.)