Witch God Abyss (Lily) - Chapter 11

Outside the city.

Wilderness.

On a tree.

Shen Yuan looked at the booklet.

It contained requests from local officials for the court to send troops to eradicate a sect called the Immortal Divine Sect.

The booklet detailed how, over the past decade, the National Master’s Immortal Divine Sect had been recruiting disciples locally.

In the last three years, it began demanding monthly tributes from locals to ensure good weather and harvests.

Refusal led to demons being released to ruin fields or even eat people…

To live in peace, villagers had to offer tributes at the temple every first of the month.

Recently, the temple started demanding human sacrifices, requiring a child under ten every odd month, whose head was severed and placed in a bronze cauldron to worship heaven…

Shen Yuan read the locations.

Recalling her master’s whereabouts over the years, he had indeed visited these places, but only briefly.

The Divine Sect only had a temple and disciples in Wubei’s Nianqing Mountain, never building temples elsewhere.

And the Divine Sect was never called the “Immortal Divine Sect.”

Shen Yuan burned one of Wen Li’s talismans.

After waiting the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, there was no response.

She burned one of Bujian Tian’s talismans and squatted on the tree, waiting.

Bujian Tian’s voice came from above.

“Squatting in this wilderness for what?”

“Bujian Tian!” Shen Yuan looked up, searching.

“Only a few days apart, and you’re this excited? Missed me.”

Bujian Tian landed beside Shen Yuan, squatting on the branch.

Shen Yuan handed him the booklet. “Master’s in trouble.”

“What trouble could he have? Everyone who could kill him is dead…”

Bujian Tian’s gray eyes quickly scanned the booklet’s contents.

Shen Yuan said, “Gossip is fearsome. It’s the crowd’s words killing him…”

After reading, Bujian Tian rolled his eyes skyward.

“The Holy Lord always warned us: don’t get involved in court factions, don’t get involved in court factions, don’t get involved in court factions… Yet here we are, same old nonsense…”

Sighing, Bujian Tian said, “No matter. They can’t touch Wen Li. At worst, he quits being this nonsense National Master and returns to Wubei. Like thirty years ago, let Demao seal Xiliang Pass! We’ll live freely in Wubei, who cares about the Central Plains.”

Shen Yuan wasn’t worried about her master’s safety—she knew his skills.

She said, “But don’t you think these demonic tales don’t seem baseless? Temples even local officials can’t control? I want to see them for myself.”

“See what? Just villagers spreading rumors, ‘reviving the dead, fleshing bones.’ That Canranzi, a nine-thousand-year-old snake demon, ascended to immortality and still couldn’t ‘revive the dead, flesh bones.’”

“That’s why we need to investigate.”

Bujian Tian laughed. “I see you, finally out of Wubei, now fleeing Zhongdu, just wanting to play!”

“Heh heh heh. Don’t call it out if you see through it. If I were a demon, you exposing me like that would drain my powers.”

Bujian Tian handed her more talismans. “Go make trouble for yourself. I’m heading back to Wubei.”

Shen Yuan looked at the various talismans, stuffed them into her pouch.

“Oh, right. Check on Little Princess Zhou and Lady Huiyi in the city. Will His Majesty take it out on them? If he’s jailing them, take them all back to Wubei! Seal Xiliang Pass!”

“Alright, I’ll check.” Bujian Tian smiled.

“We Wubei folks really have no regard for imperial law.”

“I’ll wait here for you.”

“Didn’t expect you to come with me. You’d just slow me down.”

“If convenient, bring me some of Old Liu’s meat buns…”

Bujian Tian was already gone.

Shen Yuan stood, stretched, and finally relaxed.

Oh, she forgot to tell Bujian Tian her master didn’t respond to her talisman.

But Bujian Tian knows everything. It’ll be fine…

Two hours later…

Shen Yuan, leaning on a tree fork, fell asleep, dreaming of the aroma of buns…

“Old Liu’s meat buns…”

She opened her eyes, and there were indeed meat buns.

Sitting up, she took the oiled paper package from Bujian Tian.

“Had time to buy buns? Looks like Lady Huiyi and Little Princess Zhou are fine.”

Bujian Tian said, “His Majesty ordered Huiyi to leave Zhongdu within three days, or face execution.”

“Kicked out of Zhongdu? No matter, back to Wubei then. What about Little Princess Zhou?”

“Still in the palace, but no longer in her own quarters. She’s eating and living with the two empress dowagers.”

“His Majesty and Immortal Master Muxue’s mother?”

“Yes.”

“I heard both empress dowagers were fierce warriors in their tribes.”

“Indeed, their archery and riding rival men’s.”

“Perfect. Maybe they’ll toughen up Little Princess Zhou’s delicate nature.”

Bujian Tian said, “It’s just surveillance and soft confinement, with better food and drink, but every move watched.”

Shen Yuan, eating a bun, shrugged.

“At least she’s safe. I think it’s fine. I can leave with peace of mind.”

“Go. I’ll escort Huiyi back to Wubei.”

“Oh! Right.”

Shen Yuan remembered the medicine Zhou Yizhi took daily.

“Lady Huiyi had Little Princess Zhou drink a decoction every day, saying she must wait until sixteen… What now?”

“Little Princess Zhou’s is healthy. Why take medicine?”

“Don’t know. Master knew about it, didn’t he tell you? He only said it might be for strengthening her foundation.”

“Who cares about her medicine now?”

“True.”

Shen Yuan finished the buns.

“One more thing. I need to go back.”

“For what?”

“Don’t tell the Master, promise.”

“Tell me first.”

Shen Yuan, hearing his tone, knew Bujian Tian wouldn’t blindly cover for her.

Pouting, “Knew you two were on the same side!”

“I’m on your side, of course. But if it threatens your safety, that’s another matter.”

“Safe, safe. Very safe. It’s Juanjuan and Zhanzhan, I’ve been keeping them in the mansion’s woodshed. Master scared me saying they eat human hearts. But I tried—they eat rats, centipedes, earthworms, frogs. I need to take them with me. And that seed, I’ve decided where to plant it, but I’ve been too busy in the palace.”

“Juanjuan and Zhanzhan?”

Shen Yuan said, “The gu insects from the three princesses. Juanjuan is Princess Jin’s white snake, pearl-colored, super pretty. She’s always curled, so Juanjuan. Zhanzhan is Princess Zhou’s moth, always spreading her wings, so Zhanzhan. And that seed…”

“You named them?!”

Bujian Tian cut her off.

“No, too dangerous. They must be destroyed, not kept.”

“They’re fine, fine. I’ve tested them recently—they understand me. I put Juanjuan on my hand, told her not to bite, and she didn’t! Really, come with me, I’ll show you.”

Bujian Tian recalled years ago when Wen Li caught bugs all over the mountain to feed a hedgehog, saving Little General.

Sighing, “Like master, like disciple.”

Shen Yuan said, “You guys are funny. Master says I grew up like you. You say I’m Master’s disciple, so like him…”

“I’ll go with you. If they’re not as you say, I’ll destroy them immediately.”

“Good!”