73: The wicked disciple bared his fangs
Achan Pu was quietly taken away by Wu Yuanshan's people, like a stone thrown into a deep pool; after causing a few ripples, the surface quickly returned to calm.
The official level did not release any public news, but in certain specific circles, the news of a Nanyang Sorcerer suffering a major defeat in Jin Province and being crippled by a mysterious force spread like wildfire, triggering quite a bit of hidden shock and speculation.
The rescued elderly couple and the child in Shiquan Town, having been soothed by Li Muchen's True Essence, only had blurry fragments of that night's terrifying experience. They only remembered seemingly encountering bad people and being saved by a 'kind person,' unable to recall any details. When the case was reported at the local police station, it was handled as an ordinary attempted robbery and did not cause much of a stir.
Li Muchen returned to Qingfeng Temple, and his life continued as usual. However, his Spiritual Sense's monitoring of the surroundings became even more meticulous. He knew very well that Achan Pu was merely the first chess piece placed in the open. Cutting off this tentacle might cause the opponent to go into hiding temporarily, but it might also... provoke or alarm a deeper existence behind them.
Especially that Greeter Monk of Lotus Temple, Release Void.
If this person truly colluded with a Nanyang evil sorcerer to commit such a wicked deed, his Heart-Nature had long since deviated from the Buddhist Righteous Path and might even have fallen into the Demonic Path.
Master Huiming's worry and plea that day now seemed more like a helpless premonition. Once such a Disciple realized the matter had been exposed, what kind of actions would he take?
Sure enough, a few days later, news quietly leaked from within Lotus Temple and, through Zhao Desheng's relatives in Lianhua County, eventually reached Yuntai Mountain.
Release Void had disappeared.
On the very night Achan Pu was captured, Release Void left Lotus Temple under the pretext of going out on business. Since then, he had not returned, and there was no news of him. The monks in the temple initially thought he had left in a fit of pique; after all, Master Huiming's discipline of him had become increasingly strict lately, and the two had many heated arguments in the meditation room.
But as time passed and there was still no word from Release Void—and even some personal belongings and a small amount of money were missing from his room—Master Huiming realized something was wrong. He secretly sent people to search for him, but they found nothing.
"I heard Master Huiming was so angry he spat blood on the spot and fell ill," Zhao Desheng recounted the news he had heard, sighing incessantly. "Sigh, such a good eminent monk, how did he end up teaching such an evil Disciple..."
Li Muchen stood quietly under the ancient cypress tree, gazing at the distant mountains in silence.
Release Void's disappearance was by no means a simple departure in a fit of pique. It was more likely that he had detected Achan Pu's failure, or perhaps even learned of Achan Pu's fate through some channel, and fled out of fear or the realization that the conspiracy had been exposed.
Where would he flee? And what would he do?
How dangerous would a madman be once he lost all restraint—one who was full of resentment toward his Master, harbored hostility toward Qingfeng Temple, and had already colluded with the Evil Path?
"Temple Master, do you think that Release Void might still be unrepentant and want to come back to harm us?" Zhao Desheng asked worriedly.
"Perhaps." Li Muchen withdrew his gaze, his tone calm. "But this man has an extreme Heart-Nature and acts carelessly. Having suffered this setback and fled, he shouldn't dare return to Jin Province in the short term. It's just..."
He paused and looked at Zhao Desheng. "Layman Zhao, please tell the villagers of Zhaojiaao Village that if there is no urgent business, they should avoid walking in the mountains after dark, especially near the secluded areas of the back mountain. If they see any suspicious strangers or hear or see any unusual movement, they must not approach to investigate; inform me immediately."
Zhao Desheng felt a chill in his heart and nodded quickly. "Yes, Temple Master, I'll go tell them right away!"
Watching Zhao Desheng's back as he hurried down the mountain, Li Muchen frowned slightly. Warning the villagers was just a precaution; what he truly cared about was where Release Void might have chosen to go and what actions he might take next.
If Release Void had simply fled into hiding, that would be one thing. The fear was that he would be unwilling to accept defeat, still seeking revenge, or even... looking for more dangerous powers to make a comeback.
A Nanyang Sorcerer like Achan Pu might seem like an 'expert' to Release Void, but Li Muchen knew that was merely a heterodox sect from a remote corner, playing with yin spirits and resentful energy.
The true land of Huaxia had very deep waters. The hidden extraordinary people, ancient Legacies, and even certain unknown and eerie existences were by no means comparable to a Nanyang Sorcerer. If Release Void truly set his mind to it, he might not be unable to find 'helpers.'
"Western Hunan... Corpse Driving... Corpse Refining..."
These words suddenly flashed through Li Muchen's mind. They were scattered memory fragments from his past life, combined with what he had read in this life from miscellaneous Daoist records about various regional occult techniques.
The Western Hunan Corpse Driver lineage had a long history, rumored to be a product of ancient Miao shamanic culture combined with Daoist Talismans and Transportation Techniques, mysterious and unpredictable. The orthodox branch had long since declined and retreated from the world, but it was inevitable that there were offshoots or those with impure hearts who used corpse techniques for illegal deeds.
Nanyang Sorcerers like Achan Pu and Western Hunan Corpse Drivers, though from different schools, both involved yin souls and corpses and the control of dead things; in certain secretive 'underground' circles, there might be channels of communication. If Release Void wanted to find a stronger and more eerie power to deal with him, would Western Hunan... be one of his choices?
Once this thought arose, it took root in Li Muchen's heart like a seed.
He was not being paranoid. A practitioner has sharp Spiritual Senses and often has vague premonitions of potential crises. Release Void's existence was like a poisonous thorn stuck in the side of Yuntai Mountain; if it wasn't pulled out, it would always be a hidden danger.
"It seems I must take the initiative to investigate," Li Muchen whispered.
However, before setting off for Western Hunan, he had two things to do.
First, further consolidate the protection of Yuntai Mountain's Earth Pulse. Having experienced the benefits of borrowing that trace of Earth Pulse energy in Shiquan Town, he increasingly realized the importance of geographical advantage. If he could construct a more stable defensive line at his doorstep, he would have no worries about the future.
Second, understand the current situation of the Western Hunan Corpse Driver lineage. His past life memories were blurry, and in this life, he had only seen a few words in ancient books. Rashly barging into a strange and potentially dangerous Legacy territory was by no means a wise move. He needed more accurate intelligence.
For the first matter, he had his own plan. For the second... Li Muchen thought of Wu Yuanshan. That director of the special office clearly possessed much unknown and secret information. Regarding extraordinary people and abnormal phenomena across the country, he might have relevant files or intelligence.
He returned to the quiet room and took out that business card with only an internal number.