The moment Master finished speaking, I froze where I stood.
Either Senior Brother Zhuang Sheng died, or I died.
Was there really no room to negotiate over this mission?
"Master, is there still any room to negotiate over this mission?"
My voice was heavy. Master did not speak right away on the phone.
Several seconds passed before he let out a long breath.
"Ah! We'll talk when I get back! There are still fifteen days. I'll think of something."
Without waiting for my reply, Master ended the call.
I stared at my phone, my face darkening.
A Yellow Springs mission—a death notice from Yellow Springs.
Was Senior Brother Zhuang Sheng truly doomed this time?
Or would I die as well if I failed to complete the mission?
If it were Master, how would he choose?
Senior Brother Zhuang Sheng and I were both his disciples.
And Master had said that, during the great battle in Kun City more than ten years ago, Senior Brother Zhuang Sheng had taken a fatal blow for him...
Frowning, I made my way upstairs step by step.
When I reached Grandmaster's memorial tablet, I respectfully lit three sticks of incense.
"Grandmaster above, Third Senior Brother was bewitched by an evil Taoist in his early years. He had no choice.
Can't you spare Senior Brother Zhuang Sheng's life and let him remain in the mortal realm, driving out evil and slaying demons to atone for his sins?"
After saying that, I kowtowed three times before Grandmaster.
I believed that since we were the only remaining branch of Grandmaster's lineage, and Grandmaster was a powerful deity of the underworld, perhaps he truly could hear my sincere plea.
But perhaps it was merely a consolation I gave myself.
Returning to my room, I took out the crystal and