Missing

Learning the Hundred Swords Art had gone smoothly. When Chu Liang said goodbye to Jiang Xiaobai, they agreed that he could come back tomorrow to learn a new divine ability.

But the moment he returned to Silver Sword Peak, he found a letter waiting for him, bearing some rather bad news.

The letter had been sent by Estate Master Ming of Xingzhou City. It said that his wife had gone missing.

That was right—the cat demon for whom Chu Liang had petitioned the sect to grant a title not long ago.

"Alas..." Chu Liang sighed softly.

It seemed learning new divine abilities would have to be put on hold for now. He immediately sent Jiang Xiaobai a message, then went to report the matter to his master.

This was precisely the sort of trouble that followed after petitioning for a demon to be granted a title.

Though one might have helped out of kindness, once something happened to that demon, one had to take responsibility for it.

By the rules, Madam Ming was not permitted to remain away from the city where she lived for too long, and she also had to return to Shushan once every few months.

Now that she had vanished without explanation, if someone had harmed her, then harming a demon granted a title by Shushan was undoubtedly a challenge to Shushan's authority. Shushan disciples were duty-bound to seek justice for her.

If she herself had harbored rebellious intentions, then Shushan disciples would have to deal with it as well and minimize the repercussions. If she caused any disaster, it would all ultimately be counted against Chu Liang.

When people were young and hot-blooded, they all had a sense of responsibility and kindness. Perhaps it was only after going through too many such troublesome affairs that they gradually changed.

Chu Liang, however, was not too bothered. He merely found it a pity to miss the chance to learn a divine ability. As for all this trouble... he had already prepared himself for it when he chose to do this.

When he arrived at the little pavilion, Empress Feng was indeed reading picture books again.

Ever since Chu Liang had become her disciple, he had not seen her cultivating for even a quarter of an hour. He had no idea where this fellow had gotten such formidable cultivation.

Though the seventh realm was called Seeking the Dao, with enlightenment as its focus, bitter cultivation was no longer much of a means to increase one's cultivation.

But what Dao could she comprehend by clutching a comic book all day?

The One Book Dao?

Chu Liang could not understand it.

"Master..." He stepped before Empress Feng. "There's been a problem with the Ming family of Xingzhou City, the ones we previously petitioned to grant a title."

"Hm?" Empress Feng sat upright again.

Chu Liang then told her about Estate Master Ming's letter.

"I've seen that little cat demon too. She didn't look like a bad person, so there probably isn't any issue with her. If she has disappeared, she most likely ran into some accident." Empress Feng stroked her chin.

"I think so too." Chu Liang nodded.

"Here, take this." Empress Feng raised a hand and tossed something over.

Chu Liang caught it and found it was a jade talisman engraved with a Tracking Spell.

"That cat demon left behind a Tracking Spell. Hold this jade talisman, and you'll be able to find her," Empress Feng said.

This was why demons were always required to leave behind a Tracking Spell when being granted a title. If something truly unusual happened, there would be no need to expend enormous effort searching for them again.

"Also, keep this jade talisman. If anything unexpected happens, just smash it, and I'll sense it. I can go save you at any time." Empress Feng smiled. "Didn't you say before that you lacked divine ability artifacts? On second thought, that's true. Consider this compensation—a life-saving divine ability."

Now that was something.

A life-saving divine ability... the Great Summoning Art.

Holding it in his hand, Chu Liang immediately felt that this jade talisman had become much heavier.

Being able to summon a seventh-realm powerhouse at any moment was far stronger than countless magical artifacts.

Very few masters in the cultivation world gave their disciples something like this.

One reason was that most masters had serious matters of their own. No one could guarantee they would arrive in time, which robbed it of its meaning as a "life-saving" measure. For instance, if a disciple encountered mortal danger while their master happened to be fighting someone, it would be utterly useless. Or during everyday eating, drinking, relieving oneself, and the like, having to remain ready at all times for a signal to come through before immediately flying off—it sounded miserable just thinking about it.

Another reason was that if disciples could have their elders resolve every problem for them, they would inevitably develop dependence, and it would fail to provide the true effect of training. A master could protect you for a time, but not for a lifetime.

Of course, such rules meant nothing to the great educator Empress Feng.

"Master, can you really arrive at any time?" Chu Liang still asked somewhat uneasily.

"I'll definitely rush over immediately... well, as long as I'm not drunk at the time," Empress Feng added.

"..." Chu Liang fell silent for a moment.

Of course.

He could not expect a drunkard to be reliable forever.

Having obtained the jade talisman containing the Tracking Spell from his master, Chu Liang hurried to Xingzhou City with all the urgency of a wildfire. By the time he landed, it was evening again.

Estate Master Ming once more brought his entire household out to welcome him.

"Greetings, Young Master Chu."

"Greetings, Estate Master Ming."

"Young Master Chu, you've worked hard!"

"At a time like this, let's skip the formalities. Tell me the specifics quickly," Chu Liang said.

"Yes, yes, yes." Estate Master Ming gave a bitter laugh and led Chu Liang back into the main hall before beginning his account.

"Thanks to Young Master Chu petitioning to grant my wife a title, we had thought we could live peacefully from then on. These past few days had indeed been filled with joy. Then, two nights ago, my wife suddenly began weeping in the night. I asked her why..."

"She said she had dreamed of her parents that night. Thinking of how, over the past ten years, she had feared exposing her identity and had not dared return to the mountains to see her parents and elder brother, she..."

"Humans have family ties—how could demons not? After thinking it over, I agreed to let her return home. I even offered to accompany her, but she feared I would be frightened and refused."

"Who could have known that once she left, she never returned..."

Estate Master Ming pleaded earnestly, "Young Master Chu, my wife would never abandon me. She must have encountered some mishap. You must save her!"

"Please rest assured, Estate Master Ming. I will spare no effort in this matter." Chu Liang nodded, then asked, "Where did Madam Ming go to visit her family?"

"East Mountain, just outside Xingzhou City. Her family of mountain cats had cultivated and lived in those mountains before. I went into the mountains to search yesterday, but the vast wilderness held no trace of anything unusual. Alas, we mortals truly are helpless." Estate Master Ming sighed again and again.

Seeing him sighing so heavily, Chu Liang felt somewhat moved as well. Estate Master Ming and Madam Ming truly were a model couple, their love unshaken by all things.

It was only a pity that they had suffered one calamity after another. Good things, it seemed, were destined to be hard-won.

He rose and said, "Estate Master Ming, there is no need to worry. I'll head to East Mountain at once and look for traces of Madam Ming. I have the Tracking Spell she left behind at Shushan, so I should find her soon."

"Young Master Chu... won't you rest for the night before setting out?" Estate Master Ming asked.

At a time like this, stop with the empty politeness. If I truly stayed here for the night, I don't believe you'd be able to sleep.

Chu Liang grumbled inwardly, but smiled. "The situation is urgent, so I cannot concern myself with such things. We're acquaintances now, so Estate Master Ming needn't stand on ceremony with me. I'll set off at once!"