Chapter 59

Chapter 58. Is the Young Daoist Really a Daoist? (3)

The demonic aura gathered on Huang Wenyao’s head as if it had a will of its own, preparing to resist.

'This can’t be touched lightly.'

It was a headache.

If he attacked recklessly and a collision occurred in the head, Huang Wenyao would have to greet the Grim Reaper cleanly. Or perhaps, the Grim Reaper might already be wagging his tongue behind Qingming at this moment.

But if he retreated like this?

'That would be even worse.'

Huang Wenyao’s head was purified to perfection. But that wasn’t necessarily good news. A purified body would accept the demonic aura even faster.

It was the same principle as when ink spreads instantly in clear water.

Advance and die, retreat and die.

Trapped in a desperate situation, Qingming hesitated, unable to act.

'What should I do?'

'What should I do?'

He wanted to charge in immediately, but if he did, the outcome was all too obvious.

Qingming, after much deliberation, bit his lip.

'So that’s it.'

Unable to act either way?

Then why not do neither?

Qingming focused his energy to one side. A cornered rat bites the cat, and a cornered army fights to the death. But what if there was a chance to escape? The rat would run, and the army would retreat, abandoning their weapons.

'Here, there’s a place to escape.'

Qingming opened the path.

There was no place for the demonic aura to escape in Huang Wenyao’s body. But there was one place, just one. A single escape hole.

Right into Qingming’s body.

By focusing his energy and applying gentle pressure to the head, the demonic auras predictably began to surge out, finding the empty space. They flowed through Qingming’s hand, which was touching Huang Wenyao’s body. Since Qingming’s body was empty due to sending all his energy to Huang Wenyao, it was the perfect place for the demonic auras to escape.

"Ugh..."

A groan escaped involuntarily.

A tingling sensation rushed up his arm and spread throughout his body in an instant. Horrible pain followed, blurring his vision and fading his consciousness.

"Kuh!"

Qingming withdrew his energy from Huang Wenyao’s body and began to spread it throughout his own.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

It sounded like a waterfall inside his body. The demonic auras, having nowhere else to go, began their desperate resistance. But Qingming’s energy, ruthless and merciless, suppressed them like an occupying army.

His body turned into a battlefield.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions echoed inside his body. Each explosion brought unbearable pain to Qingming. But he gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot.

Lose consciousness here?

'No way.'

The pride of the Plum Sword Immortal wouldn’t allow it.

Qingming stood firm, waiting for the final explosion. The remaining demonic auras were finally overwhelmed by Qingming’s energy.

Boom!

The sound of the heavens collapsing echoed.

His vision turned white, and his consciousness faded. Qingming slowly closed his eyes. The energy, having completely suppressed the demonic auras, began to circulate victoriously throughout his body.

One cycle. Two cycles.

After completing the twelve cycles, the energy finally returned to the dantian, settling down contentedly.

Only then did Qingming open his eyes.

"Ugh. I almost died."

It wasn’t a joke; it was really dangerous.

Originally, such a level of demonic aura was beyond Qingming’s capacity. A slight mistake would have cost either Qingming or Huang Wenyao their life.

'This time was really dangerous. I shouldn’t do this again.'

Qingming gently rubbed the entrance to his dantian.

"But it seems to have grown a bit."

There was no particular reason for it to grow, but his dantian felt full.

"Well, it’s still just a mouse’s tail, anyway."

Though his energy was practicing the saying that small peppers are the spiciest, small is still small. It was hard to imagine when it would fill up like a great river.

Sighing, Qingming turned his head to look at Huang Wenyao. His face was flushed, probably because the poison was gone. He seemed to have regained his health quickly.

Of course.

It wasn’t just the poison that was gone; he had received a thorough cleansing. While it wasn’t a complete transformation, his lifespan had likely increased by at least ten years.

"Tsk."

Thinking he had only done good for others, Qingming clicked his tongue and approached Huang Wenyao.

"Ugh... Ugh."

He was regaining consciousness.

His eyelids trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Huang Wenyao’s unfocused eyes eventually focused on Qingming.

With a weak voice, Huang Wenyao spoke.

"Who... are you?"

Qingming smiled.

"An immortal."

"..."

"Or a young immortal?"

"..."

Huang Wenyao weakly muttered.

"I must be dead and in hell."

"..."

What the hell?

* * *

After Huang Wenyao regained consciousness, the Galaxy Merchant Guild was quickly sorted out.

Fan Zibao, who had attempted to assassinate Huang Wenyao, had apparently planned to kill Huang Zongyi and his children next. If all the Huang family’s bloodline were to slowly die from the same disease, people would believe the family was cursed or afflicted with a strange illness, thus avoiding suspicion.

The plan was well-conceived. If Huang Wenyao had died suddenly, everyone would have been suspicious, but since he had been ill for nearly a year, no one suspected murder.

Even the Tang family had certified that it wasn’t poison.

If Qingming hadn’t appeared, the guild leader’s plan would have succeeded, and the Huang family would have all died, with the guild leader taking their wealth.

During this time, it was revealed that the guild leader, Fan Zibao, was the son of a merchant who had once competed with Huang Wenyao, and he told a tear-jerking story. But that was none of Qingming’s concern.

"Sinners must face their consequences. Who doesn’t have a story?"

The only thing Qingming was interested in was the source of the secret manual. But it was said to have been found on a corpse in a deep mountain during a business trip.

Qingming was disappointed.

'If the demon sect had done it, it wouldn’t have been so sloppy.'

No, they wouldn’t have been so cautious and proper. They would have just eliminated anyone who got in their way.

In any case, the culprit was caught, Huang Wenyao was cured, and it was confirmed that the demon sect was not involved. Everything had gone well.

Thanks to this, Qingming, who had become the benefactor of the Galaxy Merchant Guild, was treated as a distinguished guest.

A very distinguished guest.

"Ugh."

Huang Wenyao sat up lightly.

"Father, you should still be careful. You’ve only been out of bed for a short time."

"I’m fine. Although I was bedridden for a long time, I feel more energetic now than before I fell ill."

"Still..."

"There’s nothing to worry about."

Huang Zongyi looked at Huang Wenyao skeptically.

After all, Huang Wenyao looked like he was on the verge of death. He seemed ready to collapse and leave at any moment, yet he claimed to feel energetic.

"More importantly."

Huang Wenyao looked up at Qingming.

"Are you... Qingming, the young daoist?"

"Yes, didn’t we meet before?"

"You look a bit different from last time."

"Oh, I’ve been eating well."

Qingming scratched the back of his head with his chubby hand.

Everyone’s eyes subtly wavered at the sight.

'He’s doubled in size.'

'How much did he eat in three days to make his clothes almost burst?'

'His face is dripping with oil; he could have become a great monk if he had gone to the Buddhist temple instead of the Daoist temple.'

'No wonder the old man was making dying sounds; there was a reason.'

Seeing Qingming, who had doubled in size in just three days, everyone shook their heads.

Only Huang Wenyao maintained a calm expression, showing his experience as a seasoned merchant.

"Let’s start with the greetings."

Huang Wenyao bowed deeply. Huang Zongyi, startled, tried to lift him up, but he stepped back silently after receiving a stern look from his father.

Huang Wenyao, who had silenced Huang Zongyi with a single glance, bowed again and spoke.

"Thanks to you, young daoist, I have been saved. I have no way to repay this kindness."

"Heh. Please get up, please get up."

There’s no way to repay it? There are too many ways, that’s the problem.

Huang Wenyao slowly straightened up and smiled.

"I’ve heard the story from Zongyi. If it weren’t for you, I would have been dead. Even animals know to repay their saviors, and if a human forgets such kindness, they are worse than an animal."

Oh, well said.

That’s right, that’s right.

Huang Wenyao looked at Qingming and said.

"Though there’s no way to repay the kindness of saving a life, I want to do everything I can. If there’s anything you want, please tell me without hesitation."

"Ah, what do I want?"

"Yes."

"Ha ha. How can a daoist save a life and receive repayment? The sect would be furious if they found out."

"Repayment doesn’t discriminate. If I let the kindness of a daoist who seeks the Dao go unrewarded, people would mock me. And I couldn’t forgive myself."

"I understand, but... the sect wouldn’t allow it. I came here without the sect’s permission."

"Without the sect’s permission?"

"Yes. It was an urgent matter, and I didn’t have time to seek permission."

Huang Wenyao looked at the young daoist in front of him with admiration.

To risk so much to save him, how could he not be moved?

"To that extent!"

"As I said, it was an urgent matter."

Huang Wenyao was moved, and Huang Zongyi narrowed his eyes.

'He looks incredibly relaxed.'

But he couldn’t speak up in front of his father.

Huang Wenyao, nodding repeatedly, said with a pleased expression.

"I will resolve that issue. And, young daoist, I won’t tell the sect, so please tell me what you want. I will do my best..."

"Did you promise?"

Huang Wenyao tilted his head slightly at Qingming’s interruption.

"What?"

"You promised not to tell the sect."

"Ah... of course. I am a merchant, after all, and I wouldn’t break my word..."

Before Huang Wenyao could finish, Qingming pulled out a book from his sleeve and opened it.

Huang Wenyao looked at the book curiously and asked.

"What’s that book?"

"Oh, nothing much. I’m getting old, and my memory is failing."

Getting old?

You?

Qingming smiled and shook the book slightly.

"I wrote it down."

"..."

"What?"

"You said to tell you what I want."

"That’s right."

"So I wrote it down."

Ah.

So.

...That book? All of it?

Qingming, wetting his finger, turned the pages with a smile.

"Shall we start?"

"..."

"Now?"

"..."

Huang Wenyao thought he had made a big mistake.