Can I Give This Opportunity to My Teacher?

The Daoist lowered his head slightly and made no further movement. Little Bug felt his scalp prickle and thought to himself, Nothing's going to happen, is it?

After a long, long while, the Daoist finally said, "You have now broken the Qianli Heart-Refining Trial. So long as you make a great vow to destroy Five Villages Abbey, the Grotto-Heaven Sect, and the Supreme Unity Sect, you may become my successor across generations!"

"Five Villages Abbey? Isn't that the foremost mysterious sect of the orthodox path?"

"Then the other two must be the other two great mysterious sects?"

"Teacher said the three great mysterious sects destroyed the Primordial Unity. This old Daoist wants me to avenge him? I absolutely cannot agree to this."

"How could I possibly destroy Five Villages Abbey, the Grotto-Heaven Sect, and the Supreme Unity Sect?"

Little Bug answered fervently, "Senior, may I give this opportunity to my teacher?"

The Daoist fell silent for a while, then waved his hand. Little Bug immediately came to his senses. A white shadow flashed before his eyes, and Xiao Nan was drawn into the bronze gate by an unseen force.

Little Bug muttered to himself, "So it really is possible?"

After Xiao Nan vanished behind the bronze gate, no sound came from within. Little Bug was rather worried that something might happen to his master. Looking at the six fire serpents on the bronze gate, he did not dare approach.

Little Bug waited for more than half an hour. His master had yet to emerge, but trouble arrived instead.

Outside, Sun Yougui rode his flying yakshas around the mountain in a wild search. Unable to find anyone, he grew increasingly agitated and drove the flying yakshas to spew black qi madly—mountains crumbled wherever they met mountains, forests fell wherever they met forests. They happened to pass by this cliff wall. A yaksha blasted it with a mouthful of black qi, and it vanished without a trace.

Sun Yougui immediately sensed that something was amiss. Thrilled, he drove two flying yakshas to crash into the cliff wall.

That mouthful of black qi had nearly swept away Little Bug, who was hiding inside. Startled, he saw the two yakshas carrying Sun Yougui as they charged in.

He groaned inwardly, thinking, This is bad. Master isn't here, and this old ghost has found us again.

I wonder if I can trick him into entering the Heart-Refining Trial, then stab him with a sword while he stands there like a wooden chicken.

Though Wang Chong was plotting in his heart, he behaved with great obedience. He bowed and said, "Greetings, Elder Sun."

Sun Yougui was beside himself with excitement and shouted, "There really is treasure!"

He ignored Wang Chong entirely. Afraid that Xiao Nan might seize the treasure first, he gave a shout and commanded the two flying yakshas to pounce upon the bronze gate.

Sun Yougui did not recognize the six Qian-Li Fire Serpents. He took them for ordinary fire-element spells. Since Xiao Nan could enter, he believed he could do the same.

What Sun Yougui did not know was that this was not the proper way in. Sensing the aura of evil, the six Qian-Li Fire Serpents immediately erupted. Each swelled to several hundred feet in length and as thick as water jars, blazing with fierce fire as they coiled around the two yakshas.

The two flying yakshas each spewed black qi to contend against the Qian-Li True Fire. They sizzled as they burned and let out shrill, frantic cries.

Three fire serpents trapped the two yakshas, while the other three lunged at Sun Yougui. The fourth elder of the Heavenly Corpse Sect was scared out of his wits. A third yaksha flew out from his shadow, his sleeve wrapped around his face, and with all his strength he leaped away on an escaping light.

After bursting out of the cliff wall, Sun Yougui glanced back at the three flying yakshas, his heart aching beyond measure. He knew these three life-bound flying yakshas could no longer be saved. Had he lingered for even a moment longer, he himself would have been in grave trouble.

"Damn it! You two bastards, I will never let this rest!"

Without those three flying yakshas, seventy percent of Sun Yougui's ferocity was gone. He might not even be Xiao Nan's match anymore. Worse still, if he stayed until Xiao Nan emerged, he might well perish here today. Hurriedly, he summoned a cloud of black smoke and fled.

Though the Qian-Li True Fire restrained flying yakshas, these three flying yakshas possessed truly formidable cultivation. Any one of them could rival a cultivator with three cycles of mana, so they could not be burned away in a short while.

Half a day later, one flying yaksha could no longer hold on. With a boom, it turned into flying ash. With one yaksha gone, the other two could hold out even less. After the time it took an incense stick to burn, they too were scorched into ashes.

Seeing the six fire serpents burn all three flying yakshas into flying ash, Little Bug tried activating the Heaven-Mixing Talisman, resplendent as the sun, shining through the ages, with the force to scorch the eight wilds and sweep across fertile fields.

The six Qian-Li Fire Serpents did not return to the bronze gate. Instead, they descended onto him one after another.

Little Bug had never expected the talisman on the Celestial Stele to be so powerful. Overjoyed, he waited patiently for another day before Xiao Nan finally emerged calmly from the bronze gate, his face unable to conceal his delight.

Little Bug hurried over and called out, "Master, did you obtain some treasure?"

Xiao Nan replied, "I obtained a Daoist scripture and five powerful magical treasures." Having gained the scripture and treasures, he was even warmer toward Wang Chong than before. This disciple was simply a treasure that had fallen from heaven into his lap—not only was he a treasure himself, he could also bring Xiao Nan a great stroke of fortune.

Inside the cliff wall lay nothing but the ashes of the flying yakshas.

Xiao Nan noticed it at once and asked, "Why is there so much ash?"

Little Bug hurriedly replied, "Elder Sun came just now. The fire serpents on the bronze gate burned three of his yakshas, and he left looking terrible."

Xiao Nan thought to himself, Sun Yougui knows about the treasure hidden in the Mystic Mountain. He will always be a hidden danger. He has lost his flying yakshas, while I have newly acquired several magical treasures. I should kill this elder of the Heavenly Corpse Sect and cut off all future trouble.

Only once that Sun fellow truly becomes a ghost will my acquisition of these treasures be secure.

Xiao Nan glanced at Wang Chong again and thought, Old Ghost Sun has been gone for quite some time. I do not know where to pursue him now. I should first send Chong'er back to Egret Academy and settle him there, then go look for Old Ghost Sun. He will surely return to Little Cold Mountain. If he is not at Little Cold Mountain, I will wait for him near the Heavenly Corpse Sect.

He said to Wang Chong, "Disciple, there is no need to remain here any longer. Let us go." Taking Wang Chong with him, he transformed into a streak of clear light and drifted away.

Little Bug had no idea his master's thoughts were so complicated. Xiao Nan took him flying for several days. When he saw White Egret Mountain, his emotions surged, and he wanted to call out for Zhu Ying.

I wonder if Brother Zhu is still there?

Is he really a little Dragon King?

Xiao Nan landed his sword-light at the back of the mountain and stepped once more into his thatched cottage. Seeing that it had been cleaned and held little dust, he smiled faintly and pointed a finger. Several plain slips flew out from the empty brush holder atop the straw couch.

He took them and gave them a glance, then smiled. "So they are not for me after all, but letters for you."

Little Bug had already been thinking of returning to the academy. Hearing that he had letters, he asked, "Are they letters from Brother Zhu Ying?"

Recalling the various displays of the two boys, Xiao Nan could not help but laugh. "Who else could they be from?"

Little Bug hurriedly accepted them. There were five letters in all. He selected the most recent one by date, opened it, and saw written within:

Brother Chong:

Your elder brother was brought home by Second Brother. I do not know when you will return, nor whether you can escape Sun Yougui's demonic clutches.

If misfortune befalls you, I, Zhu Ying, swear here that once I have mastered sword arts, I will surely kill that old ghost and avenge you.

A graceful young Zhu, like the sun in the east...

Your elder brother lives in the East Sea. If you are fortunate enough to open this letter, you must come to the East Sea so we may speak.

I said it would be soon, but I never expected I would still be writing at this point...

My apologies, everyone.