Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 149

Hearing what Song Zhicun said, Long Shen nodded slightly without hesitation and turned around, walking towards the tent.

But then He Yu rushed over and called him from behind.

“Boss!” He Yu, excited and no longer wearing a worried expression, said, “I’ve come up with an idea! Since we have the Four Symbols Star-Setting Lamp, what if we arrange a small-scale Eight-Diagram Demon-Suppressing Formation at the pit, similar to the layout of the Eight-Diagram Demon-Suppressing Formation? We can carve demon-sealing runes on eight small stone tablets and use the star lamp as the eye of the formation. It might work! Master also said it’s not a bad idea. What do you think, Boss? Oh, you don’t look well. Is everything okay?”

Long Shen replied softly, “It’s nothing. I just want to rest for a while. Boss Song is going to hold an impromptu meeting later. You can bring it up during the meeting and see what others think.”

He Yu nodded and said, “Then you should rest. Your eyes are bloodshot. I won’t disturb you anymore!”

After saying that, he turned and ran, probably going to find Song Zhicun to discuss his idea.

Long Shen stared at his back for a second before entering the tent.

Through the thin tent, although the sounds from outside couldn’t be completely isolated, the small space provided a certain sense of security.

However, Long Shen’s face was pale, and he was breathing heavily.

No one knew that when He Yu was talking to him just now, he could barely control the urge to strangle He Yu.

He knew it wasn’t normal, but he couldn’t control the surge of murderous intent in his mind.

He wanted to kill them, to watch them writhing on the ground, screaming in pain, to see blood flowing like a river and corpses scattered everywhere. He not only wanted to kill He Yu, but he wanted to kill everyone here because their worried and patriotic faces were extremely annoying.

It was as if there were two Long Shens inside his body. One was like before, upholding responsibility and putting morality first, but the other one was coldly mocking him. He felt that he had been protecting this world for a long time, so why couldn’t he act as he pleased and destroy everything with his own hands?

Without these people, without this world, what would happen? The sun and moon would continue to rise and set, and plants would still exist. Even if a great demon emerged and demonic qi filled the world, it wouldn’t change anything. On the other hand, most humans were hypocritical and ungrateful. If those people disappeared, what would be the loss?

In order to eliminate Otowa, Long Shen chose to enter the lion’s den and voluntarily let some demonic qi enter his body, seizing the opportunity to kill the enemy completely. He thought that the slight amount of demonic qi would have no effect on him, but little did he know that over time, it would slowly infiltrate and increasingly influence him. Aroused by the demonic qi, internally and externally echoing, it became more and more severe.

As the center of the storm, the demonic pressure surrounded him from all sides. Every time Long Shen closed his eyes, he could feel the demonic qi swirling and tempting in his ears, amplifying and spreading the lingering evil thoughts within his consciousness, gradually reaching an uncontrollable state.

Images of bloodshed flashed before his eyes, and whenever he recalled the scene of He Yu’s neck being snapped and blood gushing from his severed throat, Long Shen couldn’t help but breathe heavily. His eyes were bloodshot, and even his cheeks took on a slight flush. Within his consciousness, he continued to struggle against the surging demonic qi, fighting for control over his body.

If someone were to intrude into the tent at this moment, they would only see Long Shen sitting cross-legged on the ground with a calm expression. The only unusual thing would be his feverish breathing, as if he had a high fever. They would never imagine the struggle Long Shen was engaged in with the demonic qi or the critical moment he was experiencing.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

Long Shen trembled slightly, almost allowing the demonic qi to take advantage of his vulnerability and completely occupy his mind.

He opened his eyes and saw the caller ID.

Dong Zhi.

Should he answer or not?

Long Shen didn’t move, watching as the phone screen lit up and the ringtone continued incessantly until the person on the other end received the prompt that no one was answering and reluctantly hung up.

But immediately, the screen lit up again, persistently, as if it were determined to wait for a response.

Finally, Long Shen answered the call and pressed the accept button.

“Master?”

The voice was still familiar, just like the countless times they had spoken face to face.

“It’s me,” Long Shen said.

Dong Zhi’s voice sounded pleasantly surprised, and his speech became faster. “Master, have you returned to the country? I’ve been unable to reach you on your phone. Where are you now?”

Dong Zhi probably didn’t know that his own voice was quite pleasant to listen to. Normally, it carried the composure of an adult male, but when he spoke quickly, it took on a clear youthful quality, making people misjudge his age.

“I just returned. How are things on your end?”

Long Shen’s tone was calm and reassuring, lacking the sense of urgency that He Yu had mentioned. This kind of tone had a comforting power, and Dong Zhi assumed that Long Shen had just returned to Beijing from Japan, without accompanying He Yu to Kunlun. Instantly, he felt relieved and relaxed in his speech.

“It’s been alright, but it’s hard to sum it up in a few words. Has He Yu told you anything?”

“No, is there something going on with you? If there’s nothing urgent, take your time to explain,” Long Shen said.

Dong Zhi became spirited and began recounting his experiences from the haunted hotel they stayed in Los Angeles, their intellectual battles with their competitors, the perilous journey on the island, Zhang Song’s use of forbidden techniques, which he still hadn’t recovered from, and how Dong Zhi himself ended up inside the belly of a sea serpent—he would probably never eat snake meat again in his lifetime.

The signal here was very weak, and Dong Zhi’s voice was intermittent, but Long Shen listened with a slight smile, and his state of mind unknowingly calmed down.

The bloodthirsty ruthlessness had receded like a tide, and he smiled as if sitting by the West Lake in spring, holding a cup of Longjing tea, and listening to a legendary story. It was because the person telling the story was the most important person in his heart.

But he knew that this calmness was temporary. The demonic qi only saw the unfavorable situation and temporarily went into hiding. It hadn’t been eliminated; it would lurk in the dark corners, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack, not letting go of any opening.

“Master, why aren’t you saying anything?” Dong Zhi realized that Long Shen on the other end of the line hadn’t spoken for a long time.

“I’m listening to you. It’s fascinating, and I don’t want to interrupt,” Long Shen said. “Please continue.”

Dong Zhi, feeling delighted, said, “I’ve finished talking. What else would you like to hear? Should I show you the golden apple when I return?”

Long Shen: “Sure.”

Dong Zhi: “But the Exchange Conference isn’t limited to just this time. You must have seen many golden apples before.”

Long Shen: “Yours will be different.”

Dong Zhi’s face blushed, realizing that the fewer words a man spoke, the more deadly his charm became.

At this moment, the ground began to tremble slightly. As Song Zhicun had said, the demonic qi beneath the rift had been trying various methods to break through the temporary seal these past few days. This situation was quite common, but there were still chaotic sounds coming from outside, indicating that everyone was concerned about the seal’s failure and taking reinforcement measures. Dong Zhi, while on the phone, heard some faint noises and couldn’t help but ask, “Master, where are you right now?”

“I’m on Kunlun Mountain,” Long Shen replied.

Dong Zhi paused for a second, then quickly realized. “Did you go with He Yu? But he told me you hadn’t returned to the country yet. Did something happen there? Do you need my help? We’ve already arrived in Los Angeles, and I can take the next available flight back!”

“Listen to me,” Long Shen said.

Dong Zhi stopped speaking, waiting for Long Shen’s words.

Long Shen said, “The eye of the Eight-Diagram Demon-Suppressing Formation is here in Kunlun Mountain. Otowa has been deceiving us. Not all the stone tablets were destroyed; the formation only becomes ineffective when that happens. Although he’s dead, before his death, he sent people to break the eye of the formation. Che Bai and Zong Ling have already sacrificed themselves.”

Dong Zhi’s breath caught in his throat.

He would never forget how he was under a curse and helpless, even when Hainan Chi’s family couldn’t do anything. It was Che Bai who expended his cultivation to give him a chance at survival. Dong Zhi had intended to thank Che Bai after returning to the country, but he never imagined that their first meeting would also be their last.

Now that Long Shen had just returned from Japan and had to rush to Kunlun Mountain, Dong Zhi thought of a more ominous possibility.

“Master, then you…”

“Many people are here: Song Zhicun, the leaders of Longhu Mountain and Maoshan, and also He Yu’s master. Don’t worry.” Long Shen seemed to know what he wanted to ask and answered before he could speak.

Dong Zhi asked, “Is Otowa dead?”

Long Shen: “He is. I killed him with my own hands.”

Dong Zhi breathed a slight sigh of relief, but he still couldn’t completely relax.

“What can I do to help?”

Long Shen said, “There are already many people here, so your presence won’t make a difference. But there’s something I want you to do for me. In the first drawer on the left side of my desk, there’s a notebook with a solution to demonic qi. If you can’t understand it, go to He Yu’s junior brother, Cheng Hui, on Mount Hezao. He is a descendant of a Ghost Master*. Ask him to teach you.”

*A wizard/sorcerer/magician ect.

Dong Zhi’s spirits lifted. “Alright, as soon as I return to the country, I’ll go immediately!”

He now regretted not booking the earliest flight back to his home country.

Long Shen said softly, “The sacrifices made by Zong Lao and the others were not in vain. There are many experts here, and a solution will be found sooner or later. You don’t need to rush here until you understand the contents of the notebook.”

Dong Zhi: “Then you wait for me. We agreed that I would show you the golden apple, so you’re not allowed to go anywhere else.”

Of course, these words weren’t spoken as an apprentice. Even Dong Zhi himself didn’t realize that his tone carried a hint of coquettishness.

Long Shen smiled faintly, and his heart involuntarily softened. “Alright.”

This international long-distance call lasted nearly an hour, and the cost was undoubtedly staggering. But Dong Zhi still felt unsatisfied, and it was only when Long Shen mentioned that he had a meeting to attend that he hung up the phone.

Coincidentally, just after ending the call, He Yu lifted the tent curtain from outside.

“Boss… Oh, Boss, you’re awake?”

Long Shen hummed in acknowledgment.

He Yu carefully observed and noticed that his expression seemed much better. The fatigue between his eyebrows had lessened, and his eyes were no longer bloodshot. He thought that maybe Long Shen had actually taken a nap.

“Boss Song is gathering everyone for a meeting. Do you want to attend, or should I go and relay the message to you after I participate?” He Yu asked.

“Let’s go together,” Long Shen said.

Dong Zhi and the others had originally planned to return to their home country in two days. William wanted to spend more time with Li Han’er, so he privately changed their flight to one week later, saying that he wanted to take them to explore the West Coast. But after Dong Zhi finished his call with Long Shen, he couldn’t wait for even a moment and went to discuss with Liu Qingbo and the others. Once everyone heard about the situation in their home country, they couldn’t sit still either. Li Han’er forced William to change their flight to the same day. William couldn’t resist the lady’s demands and reluctantly followed suit, tearfully seeing off Dong Zhi and the others onto the plane. If it weren’t for his official duties, he really wanted to pack himself up and go with them.

Due to the sudden turn of events, they couldn’t complete the procedures to use the private plane of Team 51 within half a day, so William had to book regular airline tickets for them. As for Meika, who was still in its octopus form, it could only be reluctantly transported as a pet and couldn’t get a proper seat.

Flying back from the United States to China, even on the fastest flight of the day, they would only arrive the next day. Regardless of Dong Zhi’s anxious mood, he had to temporarily restrain himself. Taking advantage of the internet access during the flight, Dong Zhi first searched for the “Ghost Master” that Long Shen had mentioned.

The so-called Ghost Master, as the name implied, was a person who traveled between the Yin and Yang realms and communicated with spirits using special characters. These special characters written specifically for spirits were called ‘Waste Text’.

Coincidentally, He Yu’s junior brother was Cheng Hui, who had lost his soul due to the Archfiend Xu Wan in Guangzhou and was helped by He Yu and Dong Zhi to retrieve it. With this connection, it wouldn’t be difficult for Dong Zhi to seek his help.

However, the meeting on Long Shen’s side didn’t go smoothly.

Due to unexpected circumstances, the demonic qi escaped and the breach widened, resulting in Zong Ling sacrificing herself. The original plan for several defensive lines naturally fell through as well. After Zong Ling’s sacrifice, everyone present tirelessly worked day and night to temporarily seal the passage, and everyone could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

They all looked weary. Whether it was He Yu’s master, Master Xin, or the several Living Buddhas, everyone seemed to require great effort just to speak. Long Shen sat among them, but he didn’t seem out of place.

Song Zhicun showed the first smile he had in days. “Thanks to all of you for your help, the demonic qi didn’t ravage the human realm. You have all worked hard.”

But the expression on everyone’s face didn’t relax because of his words. Master Zhang, Zhang Song’s master and the sect leader of Longhu, said, “The seal is only temporary. Sooner or later, the demonic qi below will break through the seal, and the result will be the same.”

Song Zhicun looked at He Yu, who understood and stood up to explain his idea.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

It wasn’t that these people were being aloof; rather, they were contemplating the feasibility of He Yu’s idea.

The first to speak was Master Zhang. “The talismans on those stone tablets were all made in ancient times. Most of them have been lost, and some of the talismans are unknown even to us. If we were to create a small-scale replica of the Eight-Diagram Demon-Suppressing Formation, we would need to inscribe new talismans on the stone tablets. The effectiveness of those talismans would certainly be inferior to the original ones.”

He Yu hurriedly said, “Although the effect may be diminished, it is not entirely useless. The main purpose of this replica formation is to concentrate all the energy of the demonic qi here and suppress it for a second time, preventing it from escaping. Moreover, due to the replica formation’s ancient design, in principle, it may be more effective in strengthening and sealing the formation compared to the current method.”

Master Zhang frowned and remained silent, seemingly contemplating. A venerable monk with white eyebrows said, “The current method of setting up the formation and sealing it has proven to last a while. When the demonic energy qi breaks through the seal again, we will no longer have Zong Lao’s sacrifice. I think we can give Patron He’s method a try.”

The mention of Zong Ling weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts.

Wu Bingtian’s senior brother, the sect leader of Yuanming Palace on Qingcheng Mountain, said, “There is one problem with this method. Every formation must have an eye, even if it’s a small-scale replica of the Eight-Diagram Demon-Suppressing Formation. The eye would still be located at the current entrance to the passage. So what should be used as the eye? What can suppress the demonic qi and connect with the eight stone tablets to prevent the demonic qi from leaking out again?”

Master Zhang said, “Mount Longhu has a jade medallion left by our ancestor, Dao Ling. After our sect relocated to Mount Longhu, the jade medallion was enshrined in the Sanqing Patriarch Hall, blessed by successive ancestors. Although it hasn’t transformed yet, it is still a rare spiritual treasure. Can it be used as the eye?”

This jade medallion was undoubtedly the treasure of Mount Longhu, and now, for the sake of the overall situation, Master Zhang, the leader of the sect, didn’t hesitate to offer it up. Everyone present knew that Mount Longhu had always had a good relationship with the imperial court, but given Master Zhang’s declaration, it was no wonder that the court valued Mount Longhu.

Master Zhang also added, “Our sect also has a precious sword that is said to have been passed down by our ancestor in the Song Dynasty. It was used to slay demons and suppress evil. This sword is usually too fierce for anyone to dare to use, but if it is used to suppress the demons, it would be most appropriate. If needed, I can send someone to retrieve it immediately.”

Others also proposed various spiritual treasures that could be used as the eye of the formation. At this critical moment, once the demonic qi broke through the seal and the gates of the abyss opened wide, carrying the suppressed ancient demonic qi, it would be difficult for everyone to handle. If even this place became nothing, then they would be completely helpless against the demonic qi outside. So, no one would keep any secrets.

“It’s too late,” Long Shen suddenly said.

Some present knew his identity, while others didn’t, but as soon as he spoke, everyone unconsciously stopped talking and turned to look at him.

Long Shen said, “If we are to replicate the formation, the stone tablets need to be re-customized and inscribed with new talismans. It will take time to transport the spiritual treasures back and forth. The demonic qi here can break through the seal at any time. We don’t have enough time.”

His words made sense—no one knew when the demonic qi would strike back, leaving everyone at a loss for words.

Master Xin said, “Actually, the key lies in the spiritual treasure guarding the eye of the formation. The stone tablet that served as the eye has been shattered, and only by replacing it with a new spiritual treasure that can absorb the demonic qi and seal the gap can we proceed. However…”

The problem was that such a spiritual treasure that could absorb the demonic qi wasn’t easy to find, and if it malfunctioned or lost control later on, it would mean starting all over again, which was quite troublesome.

As everyone contemplated and pondered, they heard Long Shen say, “I’ll do it.”

He Yu was greatly alarmed. “Boss!”

Long Shen said calmly, “When I fought against Otowa Yasuhiko in Japan, I was invaded by the demonic qi. After entering here, the internal and external demonic qi resonated with each other, and the symptoms intensified. But for now, I can still control my own body. I want to try absorbing more demonic qi to see if I can use poison against poison, using it to eliminate the original demonic qi inside me. Before the spiritual treasure is obtained, it will buy you more time.”

“No!” Song Zhicun decisively vetoed. “You absolutely cannot take such a risk. What if you are completely controlled by the demonic qi?”

He met Long Shen’s deep and serene eyes, as calm as a tranquil lake, and couldn’t say anything more.

Because Long Shen said, “Then kill me.”

……

Several hours on a plane were enough to exhaust an ordinary person, but Dong Zhi had concerns on his mind and didn’t feel particularly tired. However, shortly after disembarking from the plane, he received a call from He Yu.

“Xiao Dong Zhi, you need to persuade the Boss quickly!” He Yu sounded flustered and anxious. “He wants to sacrifice himself to guard the formation’s eye, and no matter how I try to convince him, he won’t listen!”

Dong Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean by sacrificing himself?”

“It means—”

On the other end of the phone, Yu Buhui snatched the phone.

“You calm down. I’ll talk to him.”

He spoke to He Yu and then placed the phone back to his ear.

“Hello, Dong Zhi. It’s me, Yu Buhui. I’m Long Shen’s junior brother.”

His tone was noticeably calmer than He Yu’s, but Dong Zhi was still confused by He Yu’s sudden words. Yu Buhui knew that Dong Zhi was listening, so he briefly explained the situation.

“At present, it’s difficult to seal the gap directly, so we need to use a new method. However, it will take time to transport the spiritual treasures and rearrange the stone tablets. Senior Brother wants to sacrifice himself to buy us time, but we think it’s too dangerous and don’t want him to take the risk. However, as you know, once he has decided on something, no one can stop him except for you.”

Dong Zhi regained his composure and was about to speak when he heard voices from the other side of the line. He faintly heard Long Shen’s voice and couldn’t help but say, “Master? Master?”

“It’s me,” Long Shen indeed took the phone and calmly replied.

“Master, what they said—is it all true?” Dong Zhi tried to remain composed.

“Yes.” Long Shen’s tone remained unchanged, as if the person who would take the risk wasn’t him. “When I fought against Otowa Yasuhiko, I was invaded by the demonic qi. Taking this risk now may actually increase the chances of success.”

“I’ll come find you right away!” Dong Zhi blurted out without hesitation.

He didn’t have time to think about it, and he didn’t even know if he had a solution, but he spoke those words without hesitation because, deep down, he felt that as long as he was with Long Shen, even the most dangerous situation could be resolved.

Even if it meant death, there would be one more person to face it together.

If one was not afraid of death, what else in this world was there to fear?

However, Long Shen said, “Don’t come.”

Dong Zhi anxiously replied, “I…”

“Don’t come,” Long Shen repeated, his tone slowing down. “I know you’re not afraid of death, and I know you want to be with me. I miss you too.”

When he said, “I miss you,” his tone was particularly gentle, causing Dong Zhi’s eyes to turn slightly red.

Long Shen: “But if you come, it won’t help, and you won’t be of any assistance. You should remember that I told you before to look for the notebook in my drawer. It contains information about demonic qi that can help me out of this predicament. Do you remember?”

“I remember.” Dong Zhi took a deep breath and suppressed the tears in his eyes. “But if there’s really a solution in there, why don’t you use it directly, and why do I need to find Cheng Hui for translation?”

“Because that method was orally passed down by Zong Lao before I went to Japan. I recorded it myself, but it’s quite complex. Now that I am invaded by demonic qi, I can’t be sure if what I say is truly from my heart. I can’t even trust myself. Only what is written on paper is the most genuine and reliable. I can’t test Zong Lao’s method right now, so I have to rely on you.” Long Shen explained.

Dong Zhi solemnly said, “Wait for me; hold on a little longer. I will find a solution.”

Long Shen: “Okay, I’ll wait for you.”

Since being invaded by demonic qi, he seemed to have become more sensitive, and his emotional fluctuations became more pronounced when facing Dong Zhi.

After hanging up the phone, he met the concerned gazes of He Yu and Yu Buhui. Yu Buhui disagreed, saying, “Are you lying to him?”

He Yu had a stronger reaction. “Boss, how could you do this? Dong Zhi will be furious when he finds out. Don’t underestimate his easygoing nature. If he knows you’re lying to him to buy time, he might come running to join you in sacrificing himself!”

Long Shen shook his head. “I didn’t lie to him.”

He Yu clearly didn’t believe it. He crouched down and said each word carefully, “Boss, I know in your eyes, I’m just a foolish mortal. Back in Group 2, you always looked out for us. Whenever we got into trouble, you were there to cover for us. If you’re not around anymore, with Kan Chaosheng’s temperament, which team would dare to take him in? Without you, is it still Group 2? Even if the higher-ups send someone to take over, I won’t acknowledge it! Even for us, for Xiao Dong Zhi, please don’t sacrifice yourself for some foolish notion of selflessness. We’ve already lost Che Bai and Zong Lao in quick succession; isn’t that enough?!”

Dong Zhi had already contacted Cheng Hui, and after hearing about the situation, Cheng Hui promised to come to Beijing immediately to help. However, even if he hurried down the mountain, took the same day’s train and plane to Beijing, it would still take at least half a day.

Zhang Song’s injuries had not fully healed, and he needed rest. After discussing with Liu Qingbo and the others, they decided to forgo rest and directly rush to Kunlun Mountain. Liu Si stayed behind to assist Dong Zhi.

As for Octopus Meika, everyone was too preoccupied to accommodate it, so they had to leave it at headquarters for now. Kan Chaosheng would take care of it. However, Dong Zhi was worried that the two immature monsters might cause trouble, so he asked Zhong Yuyi to keep an eye on them.

After hastily delegating important matters, Dong Zhi didn’t stop for a moment and headed straight to Long Shen’s office. He used the key he obtained from Kan Chaosheng to open the door and found the notebook Long Shen mentioned in the first drawer on the left side of his desk.

The notebook was covered with a childish and ridiculous children’s book cover titled <365 Fairy Tales>.

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The author has something to say:

Finally, we’ve come to this point. This notebook first appeared in Chapter 4.

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Kinky Thoughts:

For those who forgot, this notebook was lying on the bed when Dong Zhi was in the train car after being rescued by Long Shen. Unable to contain his curiosity, he snooped in it.

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