Chapter Fifty-Four: Treasure Hunting

“I’ve already done my part. Now go find it for me, or don’t blame me for what happens next.” Hu Baisheng’s patience was wearing thin.

“Oh? Are you thinking of killing me? Do you believe I won’t tell the King where the last remnants of the Wuzhang Mountain outlaws are hiding? Or is it that you, Hu Baisheng, want to be the new king of Wuzhang Mountain?” Yang Ta had spent many years at Hu Baisheng’s side and had come to know many of his secrets.

“I’ll make you wish you were dead,” Hu Baisheng snarled, his tiger’s paw closing around Yang Ta’s throat, lifting him high into the air as his grip tightened.

“Are you going to talk?” Hu Baisheng drew out a dozen spiral-bladed knives and drove them one after another into Yang Ta’s body, twisting them cruelly.

Already gravely injured, Yang Ta could hardly withstand such torture.

“I’ll… talk, just stop!” If Yang Ta were to hold out any longer, Hu Baisheng might truly hesitate to kill him, but Yang Ta’s instinct to survive ultimately overpowered his longing for Mao Xue—just as it had in the past.

“Take me there at once.” Hu Baisheng pulled the spiral knives from Yang Ta’s flesh and, carrying him, flew out of the cave. Whether Yang Ta survived depended entirely on Hu Baisheng’s whim—Yang Ta simply knew too much.

For over two centuries, King Yurong had paid little heed to Wuzhang Mountain, and Hei Yue’s own mission had always been about King Yurong. Only the unexpected downfall of Hei Cheng had left Hei Yue uneasy. Thus, nearly all the affairs of Wuzhang Mountain had fallen to Hu Baisheng; whatever schemes he conducted, few knew of them. Both Eagle Vanguard and Dog Vanguard had lost their positions because of Hu Baisheng—they were shells of their former selves.

“Where is Hu Baisheng taking Yang Ta?” Eagle Vanguard muttered as he secretly observed from afar.

On Yuan Wuji’s first day back, he had sought out Eagle Vanguard and Dog Vanguard, but the two monsters had already been hollowed out by Hu Baisheng, and Yuan Wuji had gleaned nothing useful. Only today did Yuan Wuji instruct Eagle Vanguard to tail Hu Baisheng in secret.

Ordinarily, Hu Baisheng would have sensed Eagle Vanguard soaring high above, but today, distracted by Yuan Wuji’s schemes, he failed to notice he was being followed.

Eagle Vanguard dared only to observe from a distance, not daring to get close—if discovered, he might well die at Hu Baisheng’s hands; after all, this was no longer the relative safety of Wuzhang Mountain.

They had already been away from Wuzhang Mountain for quite some time; Hu Baisheng’s patience was nearly exhausted.

“We’re almost there.”

Yang Ta could sense Hu Baisheng’s mounting agitation and finally, when the destination came into view, Yang Ta could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.

It was a small, concealed cave, surrounded by dense shrubs—impossible to find unless one searched with great care.

A foul stench wafted from within, and Hu Baisheng wrinkled his nose in disgust.

“It really is here. I have not deceived you. Years ago, when human cultivators came searching for treasures, they found nothing, but in their conversation, I overheard the very location they described—it matches this place exactly, there can be no mistake,” Yang Ta hastily explained.

“Then why didn’t you take it yourself?”

“The cultivators said the cave was filled with deadly poison—without the cultivation of a great demon, no one could enter. At first, I didn’t believe them, but when I finally found this entrance, I realized they spoke the truth.”

“Then I think you should go in first.”

“What—”

Without warning, Hu Baisheng flung the battered Yang Ta into the cave, then immediately followed him inside.

From his high vantage, Eagle Vanguard could not see what happened next, only that the two demons had rushed inside one after the other.

Eagle Vanguard crouched at the cave mouth for three days and nights, but there was no sign of either Hu Baisheng or Yang Ta. Just as he was about to leave, a disheveled figure stumbled into view.

Hu Baisheng was covered in wounds, his body battered and torn, some places already turning black with rot, but he seemed not to care in the least, his greedy gaze fixed upon the object in his hands.

Eagle Vanguard was too far away to see what it was, especially since the object emitted a black light, obscuring its form.

“Why hasn’t Yang Ta come out? I must hurry back and report to the King,” Eagle Vanguard muttered, then took to the air, flying toward Wuzhang Mountain.

During these three days, Wuzhang Mountain had celebrated a great event: the wedding of Hei Cheng and Mao Xue. The mountain was alive with festivity—even Yuan Wuji had drunk a few cups of wedding wine. The only ones absent were Hu Baisheng, Yang Ta, and Eagle Vanguard.

With neither Yang Ta nor Hu Baisheng in attendance, the other monsters assumed they had lost the duel and were too embarrassed to appear. No one gave it much thought. Eagle Vanguard and Dog Vanguard had been all but forgotten over the years, their absence unremarked.

Mao Xue felt a pang of regret at not seeing Hu Baisheng—after all, they were like siblings. Though not related by blood, their century of shared life had forged a deep bond. But as Hu Baisheng’s power grew, his character had changed, becoming ever more inscrutable to Mao Xue. Yang Ta had begun to follow Hu Baisheng during that period; Mao Xue had always thought Yang Ta meant to protect Hu Baisheng, but as time passed, she sensed something was wrong. The once righteous Brother Yang had become selfish and consumed by desire.

“Hei Cheng, you’ve changed,” Mao Xue murmured.

Hei Cheng’s only response was to hold her close. He was not a man of many words, but Mao Xue could feel the sincerity of his heart. Even the little tricks of Hei Yue were plain to her, but Mao Xue had truly fallen in love with the simple-minded Hei Cheng.

“Xue… I… will always protect you.” Hei Cheng and Mao Xue embraced, unaware that Hei Yue stood nearby.

“Perhaps this is the best ending for Hei Cheng as well,” Hei Yue thought quietly. “It’s time I completed the task my master set for me.” With that, Hei Yue quietly left, heading straight for the central hall of Wuzhang Cave.

At that moment, Yuan Wuji was in the central hall, listening to Eagle Vanguard’s report.

“My lord, this is all the information I have gathered.”

“Very good—you’ve done well. These three Blood Cloud Pills are your reward.”

Yuan Wuji bestowed three Blood Cloud Pills upon Eagle Vanguard, enough for him to attain perfection in his demon core. Whether he could ascend to the realm of great demon would depend on his own efforts.

As for the treasure that emitted black light, this must have been the bargaining chip Yang Ta used to sway Hu Baisheng. Yuan Wuji surmised that Yang Ta had likely perished at Hu Baisheng’s hands.

“Thank you, my lord, thank you!” Eagle Vanguard exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement.

The last time he’d received a Blood Cloud Pill was over two centuries ago; he knew well their value. Now Yuan Wuji had gifted him three—how could he not be overjoyed?

“You may go.” Yuan Wuji sensed Hei Cheng outside the central hall and dismissed Eagle Vanguard—he could not let Hei Yue learn too much.

Sure enough, after Eagle Vanguard withdrew, Hei Yue entered slowly.

“Nothing brings you to the hall of treasures without a purpose. I imagine you have something important to discuss?” Yuan Wuji’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Hei Yue.

“You’re right. I do.”