Chapter 21: The Soul of the Devouring Serpent King

The flickering candlelight cast a trembling glow, the Purple Phoenix’s chime resonating softly, its twin eyes shimmering with twin sparks of orange light.

Ye Ziyan, worn with exhaustion, suddenly sprang up, her violet pupils rippling like water, stunned beyond belief. “How is this possible?”

The Purple Phoenix was bound by the Dark Ice Curse. To restore the Seven-Star Constellation, it needed to advance through the Spirit Serpent Encircling the Moon stage.

Ling Xuan had secretly investigated the Grand Historian’s office at night, examining the purple bronze lamp solely to confirm the orange needle information. How could he have suddenly caused the Spirit Serpent Encircling the Moon to advance?

From just a wall away, the clamor from the Grand Historian’s office drifted faintly.

Listening closely, the cries of “The Soul of the Devouring King Python has been stolen!” reached her ears.

Still weak from residual poison, sweat beaded on Ye Ziyan’s palm. She clenched her fingers into her palm, pacing nervously, silently praying, “Father, if your spirit truly watches from heaven, please protect Ling Xuan. Don’t let anything happen to him.”

In the secret chamber of the Prince of Yue’s Mansion, the bronze head of the Qilin oozed a drop of fresh blood—the very blood Ye Ziyan had expelled when she first opened her Qi Sea.

The blood pulsed, sketching the Purple Phoenix’s ethereal silhouette, its eyes flashing twin starlight.

Yang Xuangan furrowed his brow slightly. “Why would the Purple Phoenix break free from its two-star bondage at such a moment?”

Urgent footsteps approached outside the door. “Your Highness, Grand Historian Yuan requests your immediate presence at the Grand Historian’s office. The Soul of the Devouring King Python has been stolen.”

The Soul of the Devouring King Python stolen?

Yang Xuangan muttered to himself, Could this be connected to the Purple Phoenix’s release?

Yet no matter how he thought about it, the Purple Phoenix seemed unrelated to the Devouring King Python.

A glimpse of the “Demon Soul Source Theory” crossed his mind, recalling Ling Xuan’s little white snake. The Soul of the Devouring King Python was precisely what the White Chi needed to activate its bloodline. A faint smile crept upon Yang Xuangan’s lips. “If the White Chi can assist the Purple Phoenix’s unsealing, this drama just keeps getting more intriguing.”

The Grand Historian’s office bustled with shadows, torches illuminating seven small buildings as brightly as daylight.

Grand Historian Yuan hurried in, spotting among the crowd a bald youth clad in an embroidered cloud-patterned robe, carrying the Zi Xiao Divine Flute, standing out starkly from the others. He demanded loudly, “Who are you?”

“Just here for the spectacle,” Ling Xuan replied with a mischievous grin.

Seeing more and more Grand Historian’s personnel arriving, torches converging, and knowing he couldn’t hide under the eaves for long, Ling Xuan’s eyes darted about. Employing the Smoke Veil Cold Moon technique, he slipped quietly into the crowd.

The others at the Grand Historian’s office, anxious over the stolen Soul of the Devouring King Python, all focused their eyes on the purple bronze lamp, paying no attention to him.

Still, he couldn’t just leave. After all, everyone had gathered here, and departing now would only raise suspicion.

Who would have guessed that Grand Historian Yuan would spot him immediately?

“Interlopers trespassing the Grand Historian’s office, seize him at once!” Yuan ordered without hesitation.

Between the seven small buildings, an invisible pressure lingered. Even the Smoke Veil Cold Moon held little effect. Any sudden move would cause trouble. Ling Xuan revealed his identity. “Lord Yuan, don’t be so harsh. This young lord is merely here to watch the excitement.”

“A young lord? What young lord?” Yuan was taken aback.

Yang Xuangan, arriving hastily, called out, “Brother, I’m here.”

“Little brother, what are you doing here?” Yang Xuangan was slightly surprised.

Ling Xuan smiled faintly. “The Grand Historian’s office was attacked, Yuwen Chenglong led troops to raid my Changping Prince’s Mansion. After sending them off, I checked the walls for residual poisonous corpse worms and happened to hear the commotion at the Grand Historian’s office. Curiosity got the better of me, so I climbed over the wall.”

Climbed over the wall?

Yang Xuangan struggled to suppress a laugh. This country bumpkin really had such a curiosity. Even as a minor prince, he lacked the bearing of a noble scion.

Grand Historian Yuan was stunned. “Prince of Yue, is this the young lord recently found by Old Prince Qiu?”

“Little brother, come greet Lord Yuan,” Yang Xuangan beckoned. “You’ll have many dealings with him in the Imperial Medical Department.”

The Imperial Medical Department and the Grand Historian’s office often worked closely together?

Recalling that Chief Medical Officer Chao had mentioned the search for the twelve major Shikigami hosts required both the Grand Historian’s observations and the four diagnostic techniques of the Imperial Medical Department, Ling Xuan understood and smiled broadly. He bowed. “Greetings, Lord Yuan. Please pardon me for climbing over the wall.”

“Imperial Medical Department’s chief physician?”

Waving his dust whisk lightly, Yuan squinted. “This young lord has mastered the four diagnostic methods?”

Quickly shaking his head, Ling Xuan leaned toward Yang Xuangan. “Brother, you have to vouch for me. With my current small Zhou Tian cultivation, could I really have grasped them?”

“Have you read the Demon Soul Source Theory?” Yang Xuangan countered.

A test? To see if I know that the Soul of the Devouring King Python aids in activating the White Chi bloodline?

Ling Xuan feigned a bitter expression. “Brother, I’m terribly busy. Chief Chao asked me to better understand the unity of spirit and body in the capital, so I went to the Celestial Pivot Observatory to observe. Unexpectedly, I encountered Yuwen Chengxiang, then on the way back ran into Yuwen Chenglong. I haven’t even had time to read it.”

“Is that so?”

A cold snort was heard as Yuwen Chenglong, leading the patrol, arrived. “Outside the Changping Prince’s Mansion, the young lord’s story doesn’t match.”

“Sigh,” Ling Xuan sighed helplessly, turning to Chief Physician Cui. “Chief Cui, since we are both from the Imperial Medical Department, please bear witness—what kind of corpse worms were those in the underground chamber?”

“Young lord, those weren’t poisonous corpse worms,” Chief Cui said with a smirk.

“Exactly,” Ling Xuan spread his hands, shrugging. “That’s why I specifically asked Chief Chao and received the Demon Soul Source Theory as a gift.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he looked at Yang Xuangan again. “Brother, you must confirm that I am Chief Chao’s assistant and can consult him anytime.”

“The Soul of the Devouring King Python was stolen. Though you haven’t yet mastered the four diagnostic techniques, as Chief Chao’s assistant, you may offer some advice,” Yang Xuangan considered. “In half a month, you must go to Zhuo Commandery.”

Is he really forcing me to go to Zhuo Commandery?

Ling Xuan grew even more puzzled by Yang Xuangan’s intentions.

Activating the White Chi bloodline of the little white snake required going to Zhuo Commandery.

Joining the Imperial Medical Department as Chief Chao’s assistant also required going to Zhuo Commandery.

Now, with the matter of the stolen Soul of the Devouring King Python, he was again reminded to go there.

Could it be that Zhuo Commandery hid some secret, and they needed me involved to facilitate whatever Yang Xuangan planned?

In his memory, even if Yang Xuangan rebelled against the Sui dynasty, it was during the second campaign against Goguryeo—not this time.

Smiling wryly, Ling Xuan responded quickly, “Brother, rest assured. When the time comes, Sun Tianxin and I will set out for Zhuo Commandery immediately.”

Yang Xuangan nodded, then turned to the patrol. “Yuwen Chenglong, the Soul of the Devouring King Python was stolen. What does your city defense patrol think?”

“Your Highness, it must be the work of the same group,” Yuwen Chenglong responded quickly. “Among those spying, one was pursued by a Gray Hawk and infected with poisonous corpse worms.”

“Has the area around the Grand Historian’s office been thoroughly searched?” Yang Xuangan chuckled.

“The Changping Prince’s Mansion hasn’t been searched,” Yuwen Chenglong provocatively glanced at Ling Xuan. “The young lord demands the divine emperor’s decree before allowing us in.”

“Who gave you the audacity to search the prince’s mansion?” Yang Xuangan snorted coldly. “Old Prince Qiu is highly esteemed by the divine emperor, commanding the Bear Banners as his elite guards, stationed at the Western Camp of Demon Suppression Abyss. What is wrong with the Changping Prince’s son acting this way?”

“Uh…”

Yuwen Chenglong was momentarily speechless. He knew all too well, which was why he had deliberately held a banquet at the Luoshui Tavern to probe Ling Xuan’s background.

Who would have thought that before meeting him, Ling Xuan was intercepted halfway by Prince Yue, Yang Xuangan?

“Since the poison corpse worm is involved, search every medical hall and find the spy,” Yang Xuangan tapped his fingers thoughtfully. “The Soul of the Devouring King Python is of great significance. The Yuwen family controls city defense patrols and must give me an explanation. Lord Yuan, your thoughts?”

“Everything is up to Your Highness,” Grand Historian Yuan bowed. “The stolen Soul of the Devouring King Python means the purple bronze lamp needs another treasure to fuse with, or the nation’s fortune cannot suppress the great Shikigami’s advancement to the seven-star purple light.”

“What?”

Ling Xuan almost couldn’t believe his ears. The Soul of the Devouring King Python had such a purpose? Could his unintentional action have triggered the bronze seven-star lamp’s seal?

Out of the corner of his eye, Ling Xuan noticed Yang Xuangan’s grave expression. “Lord Yuan, the aura of the Soul of the Devouring King Python still lingers. Can it be tracked to discover its whereabouts?”

Tracked? Using residual aura to track it?

His heart leapt to his throat. Ling Xuan’s brow twitched as he struggled to remain calm. He needed to leave quickly. His eyes darted, a playful smile blooming on his lips. “Brother, shall I ask Chief Medical Officer Chao for assistance?”

Grand Historian Yuan calmly waved his dust whisk. “Young lord, with the Seven-Star Lamp activated, aura tracking—do you underestimate the Grand Historian’s office?”