Chapter 149: Chapter 148: Recruiting More Star Officials: Golden Sheep of Ghost, Zhang Yuelu

Wisps of Evil Qi were absorbed by the Five Thunders Order. Some of it coalesced into Thunder Seeds, while the rest replenished his own energy.

Gu Zhao waved away the thunderclouds, and Yunyang sheathed his longsword.

The Silk Embroideress dispersed the Great Dragon-locking Talisman, and Zhuo Qingyan reached out, recalling the Token into her hand.

The man in blue and the man in white stood frozen in place. Only when they saw the massive, turquoise snake lying motionless on the ground did they realize what had happened. The Banshee that had nearly killed them moments ago had been slain by these newcomers.

The man in white raised his longsword. The man in blue took a cautious stance, his eyes wary as he looked at the group.

Then they saw the leader, a man in a green shirt, cup his hands in a salute. "There’s no need to be alarmed," he said. "We only eliminate evil demons, not harm Spirit Monarchs."

Another young man had already sheathed his longsword. He walked over to the turquoise snake and remarked with admiration, "What a huge snake! Its gallbladder would make for some potent wine. A great tonic!"

The man in blue and the man in white exchanged a look and visibly relaxed.

"Thank you all for your help. I am Yang Chi," the man in blue said, cupping his hands again.

The man in white sheathed his longsword. "And I am Lu Yue."

Gu Zhao and Yunyang gave their names in return. They learned that this Gorge was the secluded cultivation spot of Lu Yue, whose true form was a sika deer. A little over a month ago, the woman had followed a mountain stream upstream, found this place, and taken a liking to the Gorge’s environment. She then drove him out and claimed it for herself.

Naturally, Lu Yue was unwilling to give it up, so he sought help from his friend, Yang Chi, whose true form was a mountain goat. But to their surprise, the woman was even stronger than before and wielded a Token-type Magical Treasure. If Gu Zhao and his group hadn’t intervened, the two of them would have been done for.

Hearing about their true forms, Gu Zhao’s eyes lit up.

"She mentioned the Chang River earlier, so she must be from Bian Palace," Yunyang said to Gu Zhao. "Was she a Water Division Commander?"

Gu Zhao shook his head. "The Water Division Commanders aren’t that powerful, nor do they possess such a potent Magical Treasure."

"She was likely someone close to the Bian Ancestor. After hearing of the Ancestor’s death, she must have fled with treasures from the palace. She probably hadn’t finished refining them yet."

Zhuo Qingyan walked over to Gu Zhao and handed him the Token. "From how she cast her techniques just now, it has a Water Control Ability and can also amplify power."

Gu Zhao took the Token. It felt cool to the touch, and it was neither metal, nor wood, nor stone. He raised an eyebrow. ’I can’t tell what material this is. Another treasure?’

Hearing Gu Zhao’s words, Yang Chi and Lu Yue looked over as well.

"So it’s a Dragon Scale," Yang Chi said with sudden realization. "No wonder that woman could conjure a Water Dragon."

"A Dragon Scale?" Gu Zhao examined the Token again. The front was engraved with swirling water patterns, while the back had natural lines inherent to the material itself. It did indeed look like some kind of scale.

"The Dragon King of Wanling River?" Gu Zhao asked.

"That’s right, a Dragon Scale from the Dragon King of Wanling River," Yang Chi said. "Thirty years ago, the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits fought a great battle with the Court. His blood rained down upon the Wanling River, and many of his scales and drops of his blood flowed into Jiangnan."

Lu Yue continued, "The Dragon King’s Dao Practice is profound. His blood and scales are all rich with Demon Power. They can be absorbed for cultivation or refined into treasures. Though their strength varies, they are all extraordinary."

"If we use this Dragon Scale Magical Treasure, will we attract the attention of the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits?" Gu Zhao asked.

Yang Chi and Lu Yue exchanged a glance and shook their heads. "We’ve seen a few others use them and haven’t heard of the Dragon King coming after them. But we’re just Little Demons from the wilderness; we can’t possibly know the thoughts of the Dragon King of Ten Thousand Spirits."

Gu Zhao understood. He handed the Token to Zhuo Qingyan. "Refine it for now. But it’s best not to use it unless you have to."

Zhuo Qingyan didn’t stand on ceremony with Gu Zhao and accepted the Token.

Meanwhile, Yunyang had already skinned and gutted the turquoise snake, removing its gallbladder. He asked the Silk Embroideress, "I hear you’ve learned how to make snake soup?"

The Silk Embroideress nodded. "I have, but the seasonings are still back on the carriage."

Yunyang laughed. "Of course we’re taking it back to eat! We don’t have any utensils, so we can’t have a picnic!"

Gu Zhao was speechless. He turned and invited Yang Chi and Lu Yue, "Why don’t you two join us? I have a few questions I’d like to ask."

...

Back in Chongguang County, the Silk Embroideress borrowed the inn’s kitchen to cook, with Zhuo Qingyan helping out. Gu Zhao invited Yang Chi and Lu Yue to a private room on the second floor.

"So there are Spirit Monarchs in Wanling Jiangnan after all, but most of them are in the wilderness."

"But some Spirit Monarchs enjoy human life, so they live incognito in the Prefecture Cities and rarely reveal their presence."

Gu Zhao understood. Spirit Monarchs didn’t carry Evil Qi. If Wang Yue, who was in Harmony with an Orchid, hadn’t killed a few thugs who’d tried to assault her, they would never have even discovered her existence.

That was why when they moved through the county, they could only detect Demons and Ghosts that carried Evil Qi, but not the hidden Spirit Monarchs and Mages.

"Are there also evil Demons and Ghosts in the wilderness?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Of course there are. Wasn’t that giant snake one of them?" Lu Yue replied with a bitter smile.

Yang Chi said, "Some Fierce Ghosts and Demons normally live in seclusion deep in the mountains, but they’ll occasionally venture into villages or Prefecture Cities for Soul-Searching and Soul-Catching, for the Cultivation and Refining of Magical Artifacts, or to capture humans for bloody feasts to entertain guests."

Gu Zhao got it now. Three Extremes Mountain and Bian Palace were organized powers, whereas these other Demons and Ghosts were solitary operators, or perhaps small groups of two or three.

’These individuals are hard to find, but they’re still a source of Evil Qi. I can’t let them be.’

Gu Zhao smiled. "As Spirit Monarchs, I assume you two don’t associate with them?"

Yang Chi shook his head. "We brothers live freely in the wilderness and try not to cause trouble, so no one really bothers us..."

His voice trailed off at that point. He couldn’t continue and took a sip of tea to hide his embarrassment.

"Actually, your Magical Power is considerable. If you were to join Three Extremes Mountain or Biyou Palace, you could easily become a general or a Commander," Gu Zhao said pointedly. "When you’re out in the world, you can’t always control your own fate. Whether or not you get dragged into conflict isn’t up to you."

The two of them both had one or two hundred years of Dao Practice. If the woman hadn’t possessed the Dragon Scale Token, she truly wouldn’t have been a match for them combined.

Yang Chi and Lu Yue were left speechless.

The near-death experience was still fresh in their minds. They couldn’t help but sigh. The phrase "When you’re out in the world, you can’t always control your own fate" struck a deep chord with them.

"Daluo Palace has opened its gates wide. We walk the path of heaven, punishing evil and promoting good. Since you are both Spirit Monarchs, you are welcome to join us."

Gu Zhao raised his cup in invitation. "You don’t have to decide right away. We don’t force anyone to join. If you have the time, why not visit Daluo Palace as our guests? Get to know the place. In the future, if you run into powerful enemies, you’ll have a place to seek shelter."

Yang Chi and Lu Yue exchanged a look.

’The Court’s influence doesn’t reach here now, and Wanling Jiangnan is becoming more chaotic. Spirit Monarchs stay hidden while Demon Ghosts run rampant. We’ll definitely face danger again in the future, and we might not be as lucky next time.’

’Considering how profound Gu Zhao’s group’s Dao Practice is, and how kind they are to others... isn’t this the perfect fit for us brothers?’

’Since he’s extending such a kind invitation, if we act coy and indecisive, we’ll only make them look down on us.’

Lu Yue nodded. Yang Chi cupped his hands in a formal gesture. "A life-saving debt is hard to repay. We were just thinking that with our meager Cultivation, we wouldn’t be worthy of your notice. If you would have us, my lord, we brothers are willing to enter Daluo Palace and serve."

"Of course I would have you," Gu Zhao said with a nod and a smile. "The seats of the Twenty-Eight Star Officials of Daluo Palace await."

Ever since he unexpectedly recruited The Golden Dog of Bond, Gu Zhao had a clear role in mind for the Star Officials. Guardians were, naturally, meant to guard the dharma succession and watch over the gates.

’Although their Cultivation isn’t particularly high—they would certainly struggle with shattering mountains and felling temples—they are more than adequate for guarding the gates. Besides, I don’t need them for proactively hunting down Evil Qi, do I?’

And so, the Golden Sheep of Ghost and Zhang Yuelu took their places.

"The food is ready!" the Silk Embroideress and Zhuo Qingyan announced as they entered the room.

Braised tofu, blanched bok choy, scallion-scented shredded pork, sweet and sour fish fillets, and, as the main course, a large pot of creamy white snake soup. The rich aroma filled the air, and even Demons like Yang Chi and Lu Yue, who were usually vegetarians, couldn’t help but feel their mouths water.

As the host, Gu Zhao picked up his chopsticks first. "Please, eat!"