Samuel Young shook his fan, smiling as he leaned against the gourd.
"That was truly breathtaking. You actually managed to create a Starshard Radiance that could fool Xu Fu."
"Indeed."
But at this moment, John Chou remained silent. Then he took out another Starshard Radiance from his pocket, slightly different in shape from the one I saw before.
"It wasn't manufactured. What I gave him was real, but I used the last remnants of my power to destroy the Starshard Radiance in an instant."
Samuel Young's eyes widened. He immediately stood up, then produced a golden talisman. After forming seals and chanting for a while, he hooked his fingers, and a stream of water erupted from the ground. The golden talisman instantly dissolved into particles, drifting into the misty water in the air.
Gradually, we saw a scene: inside the Nine Yin Seal, Xu Fu sat on the ground, silent, his fists clenched and eyes wide with rage. In his hand, I saw a glimmer of white light.
Samuel Young immediately spoke in alarm.
"It's a fragment of the Starshard Radiance. This is bad."
John Chou smiled contentedly and shook his head.
"Just that tiny bit isn't enough to open the passage. At the time, I split the Starshard Radiance into three parts; I kept two small pieces, just enough to unlock the seal."
"And the remaining piece? Can you tell us where it is?"
Samuel Young immediately asked. I knew very well that although John Chou hadn't said it outright, the last piece should be inside the Human Soul.
John Chou smiled, and Samuel Young did not press further.
"This time, we can finally deal with the huge problem that is Xu Fu."
As I spoke, Samuel Young nodded. If you're trapped in this kind of seal, it's basically impossible to get out without a key. Even the Wraithlord's immense power can't break the seal, let alone Xu Fu.
But John Chou still stared at Xu Fu with a grave expression.
"Just now, to fool him, I already told him the correct way to unlock it. I hope it doesn't plant any hidden dangers."
"Without the Starshard Radiance, it's absolutely impossible to unlock the array. Although we've occasionally claimed that the formation is unstable and weakening, that's actually false. In fact, it's more secure than ever. There are quite a few people in our Taoist order who have contact with the Immortality Society, so this core secret is what we've deliberately leaked. That's why those in the Immortality Society and Old Hell believe the time is ripe, thinking they just need to use overwhelming force to break it. But without the Starshard Radiance, there's no way to open the seal."
I stared in astonishment, eyes wide.
"Are you planning to join the war too?"
I quietly watched Samuel Young, and he nodded.
"But it's not the war of the underworld. It's a war in the living world. If war really breaks out, Old Hell absolutely won't spare the living world, since it's connected to the underworld."
I nodded, but looked at Samuel Young with disbelief.
"Brother Zhang, you might think we're weak, but in the world of the living, Taoists like us are far from powerless."
I nodded. Thinking carefully, it makes sense; otherwise, how could the Supreme Sage have trapped the Wraithlord? After all, the power of the Arcane Society is naturally able to restrain ghosts.
At this moment, I noticed Xu Fu in the vision trying something. He held the fragment of Starshard Radiance, no bigger than a fingernail, and was suddenly enveloped in a white glow. He sneered, but it was as if something pushed him away, and he landed squarely on the ground. After more than ten failed attempts, Xu Fu finally gave up and put away the fragment.
"Brother Chou, may I ask you something? Was the Starshard Radiance truly entrusted to you by Master Zhiqing?"
Samuel Young asked, and John Chou nodded.
"That's good. If only we'd listened to Master Zhiqing earlier, set aside our arrogance and prejudice, maybe the Immortality Society wouldn't be so powerful now. Unfortunately, it's too late for regrets."
John Chou stared silently at Xu Fu. At this moment, I noticed the Wraithlord had awakened, twisting his body and walking toward Xu Fu.
"Hey, you there—who are you? How did you end up here?"
I couldn't remember. I stared wide-eyed at the Wraithlord; every time he woke up, all memories from before were wiped clean. It's likely done to prevent him from thinking, keeping his memory frozen at the moment of his promise to Mother Goddess Nuwa. Whenever he wakes up, he remembers nothing.
"It's such a cruel arrangement. Maybe if mother and son had talked things through, this tragedy could have been avoided."
John Chou smiled.
"One is a supreme ancient god, the other merely a creation of the gods, only just beginning to feel the faintest emotions. Gods, perhaps, are incapable of feeling, so they can never truly sit down and talk as mother and son. Fate toys with us all, heh."
At this moment, the Wraithlord glared angrily at Xu Fu, but also showed interest in him.
"Get up and fight me."
Xu Fu lay flat on the ground, eyes closed, unmoved no matter what the Wraithlord said. Eventually, the Wraithlord ignored Xu Fu and continued toward the pillar formed by light and shadow.
At this moment, I sensed another presence. Turning my head, I saw a Taoist with a mustache approaching—it was Elder Arthur Young. I recognized him.
"How's the situation?"
Samuel Young asked as soon as he arrived, and Elder Arthur Young shook his head.
"It's dire. Although we've trapped the Golden Mask Man from the Immortality Society with the Soul Avatar Demon-Slaying Array, I doubt we can hold out much longer. The Underworld Marshals and Judges who've come up can't use their full power; we have to wait for the Ghost Sovereigns to arrive."
As Elder Arthur Young spoke, he glanced at John Chou and then at me. He walked up to the giant gourd, reached out and stroked its surface, sighing with nostalgia.
"Old friend, it's been so many years. Lately, I often think of those days at Sourcewell Monastery."
At this moment, Elder Arthur Young turned around, looked solemnly at John Chou, and bowed with his fists clasped.
"Lord Bloodbane, may I ask if you could return our Taoist order's Starshard Radiance?"
John Chou stared coldly at Elder Arthur Young.
"It's already gone. How could I return it?"
As he spoke, Marcus Yin produced a small piece of Starshard Radiance. Qingyangzi’s eyes flickered with emotion as he gazed at it for a moment, then continued.
"Lord Bloodshade, I know it’s inappropriate to make such a request now, but if we want to move these items to the rift where Buddhism and Taoism converge, the Starshard Radiance is essential. The Buddhist faction has already prepared two statues of the Buddha; now all we’re missing is our Taoist Starshard Radiance."
Marcus Yin broke into a delighted smile, then handed the Starshard Radiance to Qingyangzi. The tension in his face immediately eased.
"Once we’re done, I will personally return the Starshard Radiance to you, Lord Bloodshade. Please do not take offense."
Marcus Yin looked at Qingyangzi in mild surprise, then smiled.
"After all, this isn’t something we’re qualified to possess. Only the True One has the right to hold it, and the artifact itself has already chosen. We lost our say a long time ago."
I asked, puzzled.
"Marcus Yin, you look troubled. Has something happened?"
Marcus Yin grunted in response and said:
"Zhang Qingyuan has already found the Way, and through him, the distance between Buddhism and Taoism has shortened. In that darkness, as this Taoist just said, the rift where Buddhism and Taoism converge—with the ultimate power of both—should be enough to fully suppress the Earthly Soul of the Wraithlord, and that unlucky soul as well."
I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, glancing up at Xu Fu in the swirling mist overhead. He was now sitting upright, expressionless, staring into the pitch-black night sky—shaken by the Wraithlord’s blow against the pillar of light.
"Taoist, may I ask you something? You clearly had the power to seize the Starshard Radiance back then—why did you let it go?"
Marcus Yin suddenly asked. Qingyangzi shook his head.
"Maybe I sensed it then—the special nature of Master Zhiqing. All these years, he still hasn’t returned to the Taoist fold, but he’s a true guardian of the Way. We’re all ashamed in comparison, no matter how we cultivate or seek the Dao. Some things are innate—a pure, untainted heart can’t be achieved through cultivation. Desirelessness doesn’t mean purity of mind. Most hearts will always have shades of black, white, and gray, but Master Zhiqing was always pure white, even at the moment of his death."
I couldn’t help but grow curious about this Taoist named Zhang Zhiqing, and asked:
"What exactly happened back then?"
"What happened back then may be the shame of our Taoist order for generations. We let a man with a burning, selfless heart die, and in the end, he had to turn to the wraiths for help—or perhaps died to fulfill the Wraith Sovereigns’ plan. Such ambition—admirable, yet tragic."
Xiaoyaozi smiled as he spoke.
"Let’s not dwell on the past, Qingyangzi. Everything Master Zhiqing did wasn’t to earn anyone’s recognition or seek repayment. Even now, though this world remains filthy, it is still bright with sunlight. That’s enough."
With a thunderous boom, just as Xiaoyaozi finished speaking, a mass of flesh suddenly burst in, shaking the ground and mountains. We all turned to look—it was a towering Golden Mask Man, over two meters tall, with a mask shaped like a gaping mouth. It was Ada.
"Afu, where are you? I’m here—don’t worry, we’ll break through soon. Where are you?"
"Brother, I’m counting on you—stop that guy. His strength isn’t great, but he’s got something special. Taoists, hurry and fix the breach! If more Golden Mask Men get in, things will turn ugly."
With a whoosh, I was already wielding Endbringer, flying to Ada’s side and striking out with my sword. There was a bang—Ada grinned, his mouth wide, sizzling as the power of Endbringer instantly charred his entire arm black.
"Where did you hide Afu? Hand him over, now!"
In an instant, Ada’s entire face twisted into a hideous snarl.