: Following the Right Person

A difficult beast fight had ended.

Young Yuan Yi and Young Yuan Dasheng walked through a deserted alley.

Yuan Dasheng was covered in several wounds; every step tugged at his injuries, making him grimace in pain.

Yuan Yi touched his pocket, which contained his only three and a half spirit stones.

Gritting his teeth, he finally said, "Dasheng, wait here. I'm going to that medicine shop over there to at least buy you some medicinal patches!"

After Yuan Yi left, Yuan Dasheng staggered and leaned against the cold wall, slowly sliding down to sit on the ground.

He panted heavily, and the act of sitting aggravated his wounds, making his heart race with pain.

The alley was empty, dimly lit, as if he were the only one left between heaven and earth.

Suddenly, a gong sounded.

Yuan Dasheng instinctively looked up; the sound came from beyond the opposite wall.

Then, drums beat for a while, and a host shouted, "Next, Lord Li Leifeng will perform a puppet show for the old family head. The play is titled 'Qin Lie Charges into Battle'!"

The next moment, a mechanical stage slowly rose, adorned with puppets of various shapes and sizes, and the performance began.

Yuan Dasheng looked up, peering through the gaps in the trees, watching the puppets speak and move like real people, fighting and fleeing in a lively spectacle.

Li Leifeng’s manipulation skills were masterful, and amid the gongs, drums, lutes, and bells, Yuan Dasheng gradually forgot his pain, completely captivated.

The play progressed, reaching its climax.

Villains set a trap, falsely accusing Qin Lie of amassing military power and harboring disloyalty. The young ruler issued three decrees, ignoring General Qin Lie’s severe injuries, insisting he charge into battle.

With three battle flags strapped to his back, the old general Qin Lie struggled to his feet, raised his long spear, and marched toward the battlefield, each step as heavy as a mountain.

He sang:

"Since youth, I was raised by the former lord’s grace, a kindness as weighty as a mountain engraved in my heart. He taught me loyalty to protect the land, bestowed upon me wisdom and courage to stand firm between heaven and earth."

"The former lord’s grace, like a father or brother, nurtured me, taught me loyalty and righteousness, endowed me with wisdom and courage..."

The gong sounded steady and powerful, as if proclaiming the gravity and tragedy of the battle.

He sang again:

"The young lord, in his youth, I supported him, exerting all my effort like a father or brother. Though suspected, I hold no resentment, only wishing for the kingdom to stand firm forever."

"Young lord, I supported your ascent to the throne, guarding you like a sapling, hoping you’d grow into a forest. Though suspected, I hold no grudge, only wishing you could restore the nation’s fortune..."

The jinghu emitted a high-pitched, clear sound, sometimes mournful and heart-wrenching, sometimes melodious, expressing Qin Lie’s hopes.

Old General Qin Lie charged into the battlefield, like a lion surveying his domain, cutting down enemies left and right, making the foe tremble with fear.

He sang once more:

"Though my body is aged, my will remains unyielding; I shed blood on the battlefield to repay my country’s grace. The former lord’s spirit laughs in heaven, my heart has no regrets as I march to war."

The hall drum sounded, deep and激昂, like galloping warhorses, majestic and grand. Yuan Dasheng watched, his blood boiling!

Qin Lie fought on relentlessly, but his wounds worsened, his energy depleted, and he eventually fell on the battlefield. No matter how his subordinates charged to rescue him, they couldn’t break through the enemy’s dense formations.

Knowing his fate was sealed, Qin Lie lifted his head and sang loudly:

"The former lord’s grace I will always remember, the young lord’s revival weighs on my heart. Shedding blood on the battlefield is not in vain; my soul returns to my homeland to comfort the former lord."

"Why fear the enemy? Thousands of troops and horses are nothing to dread!"

"My death is not for fame or fortune, but for that sincere loyalty."

"Remembering the former lord’s profound grace, how could I retreat when the nation faces calamity?"

"Young lord, may you know that a loyal subject has no regrets, even if his life is sacrificed. After my death, may you understand this loyal heart guards the rivers and mountains."

The rhythm of the gongs and drums shifted multiple times, capturing both the tension of battle and the tragedy of farewell.

In the end,

Qin Lie and the enemy general perished together.

In his final moments, he faced the capital, knelt on one knee, and saluted: "My lord, your general takes his leave!"

A heavy drumbeat shook the entire stage.

Suddenly, a suona sounded, high-pitched and bright, filled with tragedy, as if piercing through time to strike Yuan Dasheng’s heart.

The suona played for a moment before a flute joined in. The flute’s notes were clear and pleasant, sometimes gentle and low, sometimes high and激昂.

Finally, the sound rose high, like a bluebird soaring into the sky, its faint form gradually disappearing into the vast blue expanse.

Yuan Dasheng looked up, silent for a long time.

This was his first time watching a puppet show. He could understand human speech, and both his mind and body were deeply moved.

"Dasheng, Dasheng!" Yuan Yi ran back, holding several medicinal patches.

He smiled. "Lucky break! The medicine shop was clearing stock, so I got a good deal and grabbed a few extra patches."

"Here, let me apply them for you."

Yuan Dasheng let Yuan Yi tend to his wounds. He glanced at Yuan Yi, then at the puppets on the stage. The lantern light flickered like fire on his face, while the sounds of celebration and applause from beyond the wall lingered in his ears.

"Let’s go, why are you still sitting there dumbfounded?" Yuan Yi stood up and started walking.

Yuan Dasheng reached out and pointed toward the stage across the way.

Yuan Yi glanced back, unconcerned. "Oh, it’s a puppet show."

He took another look. "It’s 'Qin Lie Charges into Battle,' a famous piece."

"Pity, he didn’t follow the right person."

Yuan Yi walked ahead, and Yuan Dasheng followed behind.

As they neared the end of the alley, Yuan Dasheng turned for one last look at the mechanical stage.

The stage was slowly descending, and the puppet portraying Old General Qin Lie remained kneeling on one knee.

Yuan Dasheng looked at Yuan Yi’s back and suddenly made a few sounds, "Ah, ah."

Yuan Yi turned, puzzled, glanced at Yuan Dasheng, not understanding what he meant, and simply waved his hand. "Hurry up, let’s go home, fill our stomachs, and get some sleep!"

Depending on each other for survival, beast fights, the Monkey Head Gang.

"Look, Dasheng, this is my child, he is my child!" Yuan Yi was overjoyed. "I have a child, I have a descendant in this world."

"I named him Yuan Er. Dasheng, my lifespan isn’t as long as yours."

"If one day I’m gone, let Yuan Er take my place and keep you company."

Yuan Er was hungry and cried out.

Yuan Dasheng squeezed juice from a peach the size of a washbasin and poured it over him, drenching Yuan Er completely.

Yuan Er fell ill.

Yuan Dasheng darted through the immortal city like the wind at night, burst into a clinic, grabbed the pharmacist by the neck, and dragged him away, leaping and running. The pharmacist’s screams shattered the moonlit night’s peace.

Yuan Er began to climb.

He clung to Yuan Dasheng’s thick monkey fur, challenging heights. Every time he fell, Yuan Dasheng’s palm would catch him precisely.

Yuan Er learned to walk and jump.

"Uncle Monkey, they’re bullying me!" Yuan Er brought Yuan Dasheng to seek revenge, scaring the other children so much they wet themselves and cried hysterically.

Yuan Er became bold and aggressive, curious about one thing: "Uncle Monkey, who’s stronger, you or my dad? Have you ever fought? I asked Dad, but he never answers."

Yuan Er ran up to Yuan Dasheng, his face full of admiration and excitement. "Uncle Monkey, you’re so amazing, so mighty! When can I be like you?"

"Dad, I heard you’re looking for a demon cultivation technique for Uncle Monkey? Don’t do it!" Yuan Er barged into the study, shouting.

Yuan Yi’s face turned dark with anger. "Shut up! Who’s been filling your head with nonsense again?"

"Dad, Uncle Monkey’s strength is already uncontrollable. Those monkeys of his, called pets, are more accurately the masters. The cultivators are just slaves responsible for feeding them!"

"The situation is already like this. If Uncle Monkey’s power leaps further, it’ll only get worse."

"When that time comes, who will the Monkey Head Gang belong to?" Yuan Er pleaded relentlessly.

Separated by several houses, Yuan Dasheng, possessing demonic skills, heard every word.

His eyebrows drooped, and he stopped lying down, instead趴在地上, lowering his head to look at the ground, whimpering softly.

Monkeys were killed; Yuan Dasheng reached out a finger and lightly tapped Yuan Er’s chest.

An assassination attempt on Yuan Er failed; Yuan Dasheng injured his own soul to protect him.

During the Fire Persimmon Festival explosion, Yuan Dasheng shielded Yuan Er in his embrace.

On his deathbed, Yuan Dasheng pointed his finger again. In a daze, he seemed to hear the tune of "Qin Lie Charges into Battle."

Yuan Er died.

The Monkey Head Gang fell into brief chaos before an elder quickly took power, stabilized the situation, and assumed control.

Yuan Dasheng was dead too!

This was Ning Zhuo’s strongest feeling.

He retrieved the Tree Warrior Ape · Dasheng, repaired the entire mechanism, but found no trace of spirituality, as if it had never existed.

"Old Sun’s secret mark hasn’t changed."

Ning Zhuo clenched his fists. Whenever he considered stepping in personally to investigate Sun Lingtong’s actual situation, the My Buddha Heart Demon Seal in his divine sea would vibrate incessantly, emitting radiant Buddhist light.

My Buddha Saves Himself!

The treasured seal warned him!

Admonishing Ning Zhuo that stepping in would mean falling into someone else’s scheme.

Qi Bai’s face was ashen.

He looked at Sun Lingtong, unable to believe that anyone could withstand his Soul Torture!

Sun Lingtong had coffin nails driven through his hands and legs, pinning him to a pillar.

His brows were furrowed, his eyes rolled back, and he trembled intermittently due to the torment of some spell.

After all this torture, Qi Bai had gained nothing.

To maintain the Investigation Judge, the soul power, magic power, and other resources he expended increased steadily.

Under normal circumstances, he might have stopped torturing Sun Lingtong. After all, torturing Sun Lingtong to extract information about Chuítiáo Kè was merely to facilitate recruiting Han Ming.

It was a complete loss-making venture.

But within the Tiger Fight Luck Arena, Qi Bai’s competitive spirit was ignited, his desire to win particularly fierce.

"Perhaps his breakdown is imminent!" With this hope, Qi Bai growled with a狰狞 expression, "Good, I like tough bones like you."

"Next, you will endure ten times the pain you felt before!"

"Heh heh heh."

"Death would be a mercy for you. Unfortunately, you’ve angered me."

Qi Bai activated a spell, striking Sun Lingtong directly.

Sun Lingtong felt as if crushed by a mountain, the pain so intense he hallucinated his body and mind being ground to dust.

Boundless agony seeped into every inch of his skin, yet he couldn’t faint.

He was like a small boat in a storm, tossed into an endless maelstrom.

Memories of the past shone like a faint, stubborn beam of light, persisting in the boundless darkness.

They were all about Ning Zhuo.

"Others can control the black market, why can’t we?"

"Interesting! Let us brothers join forces and take control of the black market!"

"Xiao Zhuo, don’t reveal your true face; use the Cang Tie Han Armor to disguise yourself. I’m already known to others anyway, so it doesn’t matter."

Ning Zhuo smiled and changed his address: "From now on, I’ll just call you Boss Sun directly!"

"Boss, the goods don’t match."

"Boss Sun, I’m right behind you."

"Boss, charge!"

"Boss Sun, don’t worry, I’ll always follow you."

The excruciating pain, vast as an ocean or abyss, submerged Sun Lingtong.

He opened his eyes; his once lively eyes were now filled with blood.

Sun Lingtong smiled bitterly, knowing the Emptiness Seal’s effect was limited and that he couldn’t hold on much longer.

He resolutely activated his final measure!

Qi Bai敏锐ly detected the abnormality, greatly alarmed: "What? You’re destroying your own soul?!"

Sun Lingtong triggered the Emptiness Seal, targeting his own soul to resist Qi Bai’s soul search.

Qi Bai widened his eyes, full of shock and doubt: "Who exactly is Chuítiáo Kè to you? You’d rather face soul annihilation than betray him?!"

"Are you really from the Bukong Sect? Are you even a demonic cultivator?!"

"Could it be that he’s your sect brother? The Holy Son of your Bukong Sect?"

"Heh heh heh." Sun Lingtong grinned, struggling to emit his final laugh. "He’s not a sect brother; he’s my sworn brother."

"Sworn brother?" Qi Bai was even more confused. "Aren’t sworn brothers meant to be betrayed? You’re willing to die for a bit of information? What exactly do you want?"

Sun Lingtong lowered his eyelids, too weak, his voice very faint: "I... I just want to prove... he... didn’t follow the wrong person."

Qi Bai leaned in to listen, only to hear such words.

"Unreasonable!" Qi Bai was furious beyond measure.

In all his life, he had never been so angry!

He felt deeply violated.

He completely lost his patience.

At that moment, he forgot about recruiting Han Ming, forgot about Chuítiáo Kè.

He pointed his fingers like a sword and viciously stabbed toward Sun Lingtong’s glabella.

This strike would surely pierce through Sun Lingtong’s forehead, killing him for real!

BOOM!!!

An explosion suddenly occurred.

Qi Bai sneered, completely ignoring it, intent on killing Sun Lingtong.

But the next moment, array patterns manifested, firmly protecting Sun Lingtong and blocking the fatal blow.

The violent explosion冲击过来, accompanied by raging flames.

The blast sent Qi Bai flying, then engulfed him.

In contrast, protected by the array patterns, Sun Lingtong was teleported out of the room.

The next moment, he landed beside an old man.

This old man was aged and weathered, with dark purple eye bags and wrinkles deep enough to trap mosquitoes.

His hair was black and messy, spreading from his head down to his shoulders, reaching his feet like a large black cloak.

He leaned on a cane, his back severely hunched, his entire posture curved like a lobster.

He called himself Chuítiáo Kè.

He was Sun Lingtong’s... sworn brother!

(End of )