Chapter 921: Chapter 337: Following the Clues, On the Run

This was way more fulfilling than taking Wudang disciples from scoring sixty to seventy.

"Yes! There’s more! Just wait, I’ll send it to you right away."

"Then many thanks, Taoist priest. If it’s suitable, please do let me borrow it for a read."

"Suitable, more than suitable!"

"Both digital and photocopied versions are fine. To absorb the wisdom of our predecessors, the medium doesn’t really matter."

"Alright, alright, alright, I’ll go send it to you right now!"

Li Qixue bustled about like a whirlwind, walking so fast he kicked up wind, and quickly grabbed a junior from Wudang, one who was very handy with electronics, to help send Wen Yan the files.

Everything related to Immortal Zhang, all records about Demon Slaying, and then the records on demons and so on—he just dumped everything in one go and sent it all to Wen Yan.

After sending all the digital files, he went on to dig through the books, personally picking them out while a disciple followed behind, holding a box to catch them.

He picked out another three boxes of books, then even took the book list over to the Sect Master for a look, taking the opportunity to show off that his idea was actually useful.

Once he got the Sect Master’s confirmation that nothing major was missing from the list, Taoist Li mailed the books out to Wen Yan that very day.

Meanwhile, Wen Yan first received a chunk of the digital files. There were so many that there was no way he could finish reading them in a day or two, so he fed the e-books into the Black Box and had it start searching for relevant content based on the parameters he’d set.

Very soon, new sections were pulled out.

But this time, what it pulled out wasn’t just from the e-books; it also came from the Scorching Sun Department’s database—records from an era earlier than Immortal Zhang’s time.

Among them was an entry from Old Zhao’s Family’s era. The record said that someone had suddenly become disinterested in everything—wouldn’t even bend down to pick up gold dropped right in front of them—but their mind remained normal, and their memory was intact.

Back then, this condition was called "heart-loss syndrome," and there was no record of any treatment.

Because this record didn’t appear as a medical case on its own, but as part of a somewhat positive anecdote.

It said that at the time there was a gambler with a bad temper who liked to beat his wife. One day he lost all his money and even staked his fields; when he ended up losing everything...

When he went home, his wife was ready to divorce him, and her family had all come over. As her brother was leading people away, this gambler shouted from behind that he would definitely change this time, that he’d never gamble again, and if he did, may the Five Thunders Bombardment strike him dead.

Then, after saying that, he collapsed headfirst to the ground. When he woke up, his temperament had completely changed. He had no interest in gambling anymore, and seemed somewhat muddleheaded overall, but his intelligence was normal, his memory was normal, and whatever you told him to do, he would methodically finish it.

As a model example of a prodigal son turning over a new leaf, this incident was taken by the local magistrate as proof of his excellent moral governance and was recorded verbatim in the county annals—it was not some fabricated tale.

From the names of the people involved down to the name of the magistrate, everything was real.

Following Wen Yan’s continually refined parameters, the Black Box dug this entry out of the Scorching Sun Department’s vast database as something that matched the current conditions.

Wen Yan read it carefully and had the Black Box confirm it repeatedly; it was indeed a true case.

The story even had a follow-up, where the magistrate used this as bragging material and reported it up the chain, only for his superiors to think he was full of nonsense—everyone knew how things really worked, so what was he boasting about his moral teachings for.

The magistrate’s superior sent people down to investigate. After repeated verification, they found the matter was actually true.

And this episode of being doubted was also recorded verbatim by that magistrate, who held a grudge over it.

After Wen Yan had confirmed its credibility several times, he had the Black Box continue searching for similar "heart-loss syndrome" cases.

And this was where the benefit of having records from ancient times to the present really showed.

After a few minutes, the Black Box produced over twenty entries—highly similar cases with clear, distinctive markers.

The earliest one was from fourteen hundred years ago, and the latest was from seven hundred years ago, spanning seven centuries.

Wen Yan calculated the time of the last recorded case; it basically lined up with when Immortal Zhang began the Demon-Sweeping Jiazi.

At that point, he more or less had a picture in his mind.

Just then, Feng Yao called.

"Over in Xiao Xiang commandery, it’s been confirmed: that auntie used to love growing flowers and treasured them like crazy.

She once even quarreled with a neighbor because their kid picked a flower that had grown out past her fence. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Now she doesn’t care about the flowers at all. Ever since that day, she doesn’t even pay attention to how she dresses anymore.

It’s like she suddenly lost interest in everything."

"Got it."

After hanging up, Wen Yan packed up his things and got ready to head out.

The Black Box sent him a new message.

The hiker he’d been monitoring had just been taken to the hospital by his family, scheduled for an MRI. The medical report described a sudden personality change by self-report, with suspected brain injury.

Wen Yan’s expression changed. Had that Great Demon that possessed him run off? Changed hosts again?

"When did he start becoming like this?"

The Black Box paused for over ten seconds before giving an answer.

"Unable to provide a precise time point. After loosening the parameters, it should be within six hours before or after the time when flames ignited on your body."

Wen Yan fell silent for a moment.

He had a bad feeling. This thing had run away and might be about to go into hiding again.

Could it be that, even from a great distance, this thing had sensed that intent directed at it?

No wonder the Old Celestial Master said he basically couldn’t make a move—if he failed to kill it in one strike, the other side would never show itself again.