Chapter 521: Missing Home

Estimating the protective barrier’s location from a map was bound to have some inaccuracies, but they wouldn’t be significant. Therefore, they didn’t resort to any clever methods; Wu Jinliang simply used the Earth-Escaping Spell to head straight out.

As the two brothers had anticipated, Wu Jinliang, traveling underground, was soon brought to a halt, encountering an obstruction that his Earth-Escaping Spell could not penetrate. After expanding a small space, he held the Sandalwood Golden Flame in one hand for illumination while touching the barrier in front of him with the other. This barrier was a fusion of earth, stone, and an invisible obstructing force, which he surmised was the grand array’s protective shield.

Not daring to forcibly strike and test it, he stepped back a few paces. With a flick of his wrist, he produced the command arrow given by Shi Chun. Under the influence of a spell, a golden light instantly burst forth from the arrow, forming an ethereal wave shield that enveloped him. Holding the light shield, he then advanced. As the lower part of the shield seemed to sink into the ground, the forward-pushing section touched the obstruction. To his surprise, it completely bypassed the formation barrier, effortlessly dissolving into the earth ahead.

This sight made his heart race. He pressed the hand holding the Sandalwood Golden Flame forward and cast the Earth-Escaping Spell once more. Immediately, the previously unyielding earth rapidly dissolved and rolled behind him, allowing him to advance step by step. After walking approximately two zhang, he judged it was far enough. The light from the command arrow in his hand dimmed, and he turned back, using the Earth-Escaping Spell to return the way he came.

Soon, he encountered the invisible obstruction once more. He raised the command arrow, cast the spell again, and with a flash of golden light, the ethereal wave shield reappeared, allowing the Earth-Escaping Spell to continue forward. After passing through again, Wu Jinliang’s face lit up with joyful excitement. He realized that the Boss’s speculation was correct: Jin Zhan’s relics did contain a key for entering and exiting their “home”—and this command arrow was indeed that key. This was precisely why they had chosen to attempt this underground. On the surface, the light from the arrow’s spell would be easily spotted, and if anyone witnessed them freely entering and exiting the grand array, the consequences would be dire. To prevent any misstep, he repeatedly passed through the barrier two more times to confirm before swiftly retreating.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Shi Chun was unhurriedly waiting by a gurgling mountain spring. He had cut a piece of wood and was meticulously peeling and hollowing it out, clearly crafting a simple, large drinking cup. The area was picturesque and serene, with clear waters and verdant hillsides, dotted with various unique herbs. Not far away, hidden deep within the shaded woods, Jiang You’er intently watched Shi Chun’s every move. He still couldn’t believe that Shi Chun had suddenly left the group simply to fetch water.

Shi Chun, who was meticulously shaping the wooden cup, suddenly paused. He felt the parent-child talisman, tucked into his belt and linked to Wu Jinliang, stir—their prearranged signal. He then stopped working on the cup, filled it with water, and took a deep, satisfying gulp. After pouring out the rest, he refilled it with fresh water before turning to walk back. Watching secretly, Jiang You’er’s eyes widened with surprise and doubt. Could it truly have been just for fetching water? Suddenly, he realized something was amiss: someone was no longer in his line of sight. This instantly reminded him of Wu Jinliang’s excuse earlier that day about not being accustomed to many attendants, which led to them bringing no other followers. His heart sank, and he quickly turned, slipping into the mountain forest.

Given his cultivation level as an Earth Immortal, his speed moving through the mountains was naturally astonishing. He quickly ascended the hillside and looked towards the target location. He saw Wu Jinliang standing at the mountain’s edge, hands clasped behind his back, his tall figure commanding as he gazed out at the vast landscape. Although Wu Jinliang was visible, Jiang You’er still instantly flashed over, landing directly in front of him. His wary gaze swiftly scrutinized Wu Jinliang from head to toe, but he found nothing unusual.

“Mr. Jiang…” Wu Jinliang, turning, saw Jiang You’er’s empty hands and hesitated, “The fruit…”

Jiang You’er casually apologized, “Someone must have picked it already; I searched in vain and couldn’t find any. My apologies. I’ll make sure to arrange for some excellent fresh spirit fruits to be picked for you later.”

“It’s no bother, no bother,” Wu Jinliang replied politely, an involuntary chuckle escaping him.

Jiang You’er felt he was being mocked, but he had no proof. Indeed, Wu Jinliang’s smile was quite knowing. The “feint” they had just executed was, in itself, a test. Only those who truly knew the brothers’ identities would focus on Shi Chun and be diverted by him. This unequivocally confirmed their suspicion: the other party was indeed aware of who they were.

The two then turned to look back together and saw Shi Chun approaching, holding the water cup. He presented the mountain spring water with both hands, saying, “Big brother, please drink.” Wu Jinliang grunted in acknowledgment, clearly relishing being served by Shi Chun. He put on a grand air, took the cup, and noisily gulped down the water, only stopping when some trickled down his chin. Handing the cup back, he wiped his chin with his sleeve and declared, “Crisp and sweet, excellent water.” He then resumed his stance with hands behind his back, gazing at the vast green grassland.

Jiang You’er, unsure why he was standing there staring, prompted, “Brother Gao, shall we go explore elsewhere?” Wu Jinliang’s pretense was, in fact, precisely to prompt Jiang You’er to speak. Hearing the suggestion, he shook his head and sighed, “Never mind, I won’t look anymore. Seeing this grassland makes me miss home.”

Jiang You’er was somewhat bewildered, wanting to ask what the grassland had to do with missing home. Fortunately, Wu Jinliang provided his own explanation. He waved his sleeve, pointing, “It’s vast and distant, reminding me of my faraway home. I’ve been away for too long; I suddenly want to go back. Wang Ping, let’s go. We’re done playing; let’s go home.” He then turned to Jiang You’er, cupped his hands, and said, “Thank you, Brother Jiang, for your hospitality these past two days. I won’t bother with pleasantries, but I’ll repay your kindness another time. I must trouble you, Brother Jiang, to escort us out once more.”

Jiang You’er was speechless. No matter how clever he was, he couldn’t follow such erratic behavior. Were they truly leaving or just feigning it? Weren’t they supposed to be heading towards the main mountain range? Were they just not going anymore? This abrupt change of plans made him seriously doubt his previous assessment. After a moment of bewilderment, he quickly said politely, “Since you’ve already come all this way, why not stay a bit longer, explore more? This Sacred Mountain still has many beautiful sights.”

Having already found another way and no longer needing to rely on him, Wu Jinliang couldn’t be bothered with excessive politeness. He simply cut to the chase, pulling out the parent-child talisman he had just used to communicate with Shi Chun. Displaying it, he said, “Everyone likes to have fun, but the crucial thing is to be in the mood. We just received an urgent message from home summoning us back; we truly have no choice but to return.”

The other party’s blunt refusal left Jiang You’er utterly speechless. Now, only one question remained: should he let them leave? While he was still hesitating over what to say, Wu Jinliang produced a two-in-one parent-child talisman, broke off half, and handed it to Jiang You’er. “We feel like old friends at first sight, Mr. Jiang. For someone of your esteemed status to condescend to host us, we are truly grateful. How about we exchange contact information, making it convenient to meet again later?” He knew Shi Chun was interested in Jiang You’er’s demonic essence, but given Shi Chun’s current disguised identity, it was inappropriate for him to say much. Thus, it fell to Wu Jinliang to express their intentions.

This perfectly aligned with the intentions of his superiors to cultivate a friendly relationship. Jiang You’er was naturally delighted and, having made up his mind, smiled as he accepted it, nodding, “I’ll contact Lou Xiu immediately and have him come pick you up.”

Wu Jinliang quickly said, “No, no need. We’re in a hurry and will leave immediately after exiting the mountain gate. There’s no need to trouble Deputy Commissioner Lou further.”

Jiang You’er, however, firmly disagreed. “That won’t do. Brother Lou personally entrusted you to me. If you leave without even a word, I’ll have no way to explain myself. Besides, it won’t delay you; I’ll send a message to Lou Xiu, and he might even arrive at the mountain gate before we do, so it won’t hold you up at all.” With the conversation at this point, Wu Jinliang could no longer delay and could only watch as Jiang You’er sent a message to Lou Xiu.

The Blazing Fire Sect delegation received excellent treatment, directly settling on the main mountain range in the Central District. The Sacred Mountain had provided them with all the pavilions and towers on a small peak for their temporary stay. After settling all the arrangements, Qiu Ben emerged from the hall, his gaze falling upon Po Yuan, who was sipping tea and awaiting orders in a nearby pavilion. Feng Jue, the Central District Lord, had issued an order for Po Yuan to oversee all matters related to the Blazing Fire Sect’s visit.

Qiu Ben walked directly into the pavilion. Po Yuan merely cast a glance at him, continuing to drink his tea without any further reaction. Qiu Ben sat down as well and stated directly, “I intend to observe the mountain’s aura. How about we start with the North Mountain at the entrance?” In reality, he wanted to find Shi Chun and his companion’s lodging. According to reports from his subordinates, the two had entered the mountain seemingly by following people from North Mountain. Furthermore, his previous probing of Po Yuan had revealed that there were no other guests currently in the main mountain range ahead. He believed Shi Chun didn’t know him, so it would be perfectly appropriate for him to personally visit North Mountain and look around.

Po Yuan set down his teacup. “As long as Hall Master Qiu finds it suitable, I have no objections.” The two then rose and departed. Just as they were about to step out of the courtyard gate, they suddenly overheard two women outside chattering.

“Those two guests from the North District only arrived yesterday; why are they in such a hurry to leave today?”

“How would I know? But that tall one, with his thick eyebrows and large eyes, he looked quite imposing.”

“Haha, I heard they’ve already headed towards the exit. You won’t be able to see them even if you wanted to.”

Upon hearing this conversation, if Qiu Ben still couldn’t deduce who the “tall fellow” was, he might as well give up. Those two were leaving? What was the meaning of him going to such lengths, even invoking the Sect Master’s name, just to get in? Could it be that those two secretive individuals weren’t after the Sacred Mountain after all? Hearing people gossip about guests, Po Yuan frowned slightly, also finding it odd that the staff here knew about the guests from the North District.

Qiu Ben, however, abruptly stopped and said, “I just remembered, I still need to procure a few ingredients from the city for observing the mountain’s aura. Please wait a moment.” With that, he turned back, quickly re-entered the room, and summoned a few disciples. He whispered to them, “I just heard a rumor that our targets seem to be leaving. Immediately take your people to the exit and notify those outside to hurry to assist. Stick to the original plan: if it’s not convenient to act, observe them to see what they’re up to. If an opportunity arises to apprehend them without alarming anyone, seize it immediately and force them to talk!”

“Yes,” the disciples acknowledged in unison. Immediately, the group swiftly departed, heading towards the exit.

Po Yuan offered to escort them, but Qiu Ben declined. Po Yuan then insisted that they wouldn’t be able to leave without an escort, so Qiu Ben reluctantly conceded. When Shi Chun and the others arrived at the exit, it was just as Jiang You’er had stated: Lou Xiu had already arrived at the mountain gate with his people, waiting for them.