Little Demon Reversion to Youth

Chapter 17

Zhang Ming stood up and said, "We are grateful for the hospitality of the White Mountain Sect. However, this Taoist has come not to be entertained, but to uncover the identity of the one who impersonated my martial uncle. I would be grateful if you could tell me about the events that have transpired."

Yang Soryeong nodded and then looked at General Manager Ximen and said, "General Manager Ximen knows the most about that matter, so please tell them."

General Manager Ximen was still standing.

"It is a truly strange affair. In fact, even after he died, our sect did not know that he had been impersonating True Man Changshan."

"How did he come here?"

"Actually, the Young Sect Master has fallen gravely ill. So, the Sect Master sent people to Qingcheng to invite True Man Changshan. The one who received the order and went was Butler Zhong."

General Manager Ximen's gaze turned to one person.

"Butler Zhong. Please speak."

Butler Zhong stood up, bowed, and said, "I went to the Qingcheng Sect and was going up the mountain gate when an old Taoist came down and asked me what I had come for. So, when I said I had come to escort True Man Changshan, he said he was the one."

"You didn't even confirm it?"

When Zhang Ming looked at him with suspicious eyes, Butler Zhong became flustered and said, "An old Taoist on Mount Qingcheng revealed his identity, so how could I dare to doubt him? I never thought there would be someone who would impersonate the highly renowned True Man Changshan."

"Umm. In that case, it means he was waiting in advance. He must be someone who knows the situation of the White Mountain Sect."

When Zhang Ming spoke as if to himself, General Manager Ximen clapped his hands as if in admiration.

"As expected, True Man Zhang Ming is wise."

Zhang Ming waved his hand.

"Do not call me True Man. With my martial uncle present, who would dare to impersonate a True Man?"

General Manager Ximen closed his mouth, embarrassed. Zhang Ming was also famous for his blunt speech.

"May I see the place where he stayed?"

"Please enjoy the banquet today, and we will guide you tomorrow."

"I say again, this Taoist did not come to be entertained. What did he do while he stayed at the White Mountain Sect?"

"He built a stone chamber below the cliff in the back and treated the Young Sect Master. He also used a considerable amount of medicinal herbs, saying he was making some kind of spiritual pill."

General Manager Ximen's stomach churned at the thought of the enormous amount of money spent on acquiring the medicine.

At the time, it wasn't his money, but now, it was as good as his.

"So, did he make the spiritual pill?"

"The furnace was empty, so it seems he completed it. It seems the culprit killed True Man Changshan... no, the fake one, and took the spiritual pill."

"Hmph, is there even a culprit? Someone might have just secretly taken it."

Hu Yeonjo snorted and muttered. He said it as if to himself, but everyone heard.

General Manager Ximen looked at Hu Yeonjo with an uncomfortable face and said, "Brigade Leader Hu, watch your words."

He was worried that he might make a mistake by speaking openly in front of everyone.

"I have dispatched seventy members of the Great Light Brigade. The White Temple Brigade is also searching everywhere. But they haven't even found a shadow of the culprit, so I'm just saying."

Hu Yeonjo glared at General Manager Ximen with suspicious eyes.

Zhang Ming sighed. The White Mountain Sect was a sect that had emerged as the new hegemon of Sichuan, but to him, they were just a disorderly mob.

Zhang Ming said, "I heard the Sect Master was hit by the Blood Hand Grand Seal. What does that mean? Was it really the Blood Hand Grand Seal?"

General Manager Ximen bit his lip and then said, "I cannot speak about matters related to the Sect Master in this place. It would be best to enjoy the banquet today and discuss it tomorrow."

Yang Soryeong interjected.

"General Manager Ximen, Taoist Master Zhang Ming clearly said that he did not come to be entertained, but to investigate. The banquet is not important. The brigade leaders, deputy brigade leaders, and cadres gathered here also need to know what happened, so please explain in detail what you have investigated so far. You were the first to see the scene of the incident that day, weren't you, General Manager Ximen? What was the situation like at that time?"

When Yang Soryeong spoke so sharply and Hu Yeonjo and the others stared, even General Manager Ximen had no choice.

"At that time, when I entered the stone chamber, the Sect Master was leaning against the wall, circulating his energy to heal. The fake True Man Changshan was lying dead on the stone coffin where the Young Sect Master was. The Young Sect Master was unconscious."

"Since there are two people who experienced the incident, it should be easy to find out."

When Zhang Ming spoke, General Manager Ximen felt dizzy.

He could not reveal that Bai Renguang and the Young Sect Master, Bai Yandu, were in a state of suspended animation.

Just then. Ah, a groan burst out.

People's gazes turned to one place.

Baekji was clutching his head and suffering.

"Master, what's wrong?"

Baekji, who had been eating, suddenly clutched his head and rolled around, so Ajok and the others were surprised and tried to help him up.

"My head hurts!"

Although no one knew it, this was the one hundred and eighth day since Baekji had eaten the Qingling Huanhun Pill made by the fake True Man Changshan.

The medicinal effect of the Qingling Huanhun Pill was finally beginning to activate.

Neither Baekji himself nor anyone else knew this fact.

"That Baekji is finally going completely mad. Take him away at once."

General Manager Ximen shouted at Ajok and the others.

Although Yang Soryeong was curious about General Manager Ximen's words, Baekji was more important.

She rose from her seat, went to Baekji, and touched his forehead. His forehead was like a ball of fire.

"He seems to be really sick. Physician, please bring a physician."

The physician at the White Mountain Sect was called, but he was someone who could only treat external injuries.

"What should I do?"

As Yang Soryeong stomped her feet, watching the suffering Baekji, Zhang Ming stepped forward.

"Shui Yue, you go and bring my martial uncle."

Shui Yue quickly went out and a moment later brought True Man Changshan.

"Haaam. What are you all doing up at this time of night?"

True Man Changshan seemed to have been sleeping since early evening.

"True Man. My disciple is sick. Please take a look."

Yang Soryeong went in front of True Man Changshan, pulled his sleeve, and led him to Baekji.

"Huh? What's wrong with this one?"

Seeing Baekji rolling around, True Man Changshan asked no one in particular.

"He was eating and suddenly said his head hurts."

Ajok said.

"Indigestion?"

When Senior Oh pressed Baekji's stomach, Baekji pushed him away.

Thwack!

Senior Oh was hit on the back of the hand by Baekji and fell back.

True Man Changshan's eyes sparkled.

"Let's see."

When True Man Changshan tried to grab his hand and take his pulse, Baekji pushed him away again.

"Huh?"

True Man Changshan was surprised and his eyes widened.

It was known to the world that True Man Changshan did not know martial arts and was a medicine Taoist. Even the disciples of Qingcheng knew it that way.

However, he was a master who had mastered the ultimate techniques of Qingcheng. Only a few people on Mount Qingcheng knew that fact.

Although he had grabbed him lightly, for him to push his hand away, True Man Changshan couldn't help but be surprised.

But he didn't want to show his martial arts.

"This won't do. We have to move him first. Zhang Ming, put this child to sleep."

Zhang Ming approached and, like lightning, struck Baekji's sleep point.

Baekji went limp.

"Gasp, the old Taoist killed my master!"

Jang Sam drew his saber like a thunderbolt.

"Calm down! He's just sleeping."

Ajok stopped him.

"Let's move him to the Songhua Hall quickly."

At Yang Soryeong's words, Ajok and the others answered in unison.

"Yes, Grandmaster."

Zhang Ming felt dizzy as he listened to the conversation between Yang Soryeong, Ajok, and the others.

'What's a grandmaster, and who's a master?'

Regardless of what Zhang Ming thought, Jang Sam slung Baekji over his shoulder.

"True Man, please come with us."

Yang Soryeong pulled True Man Changshan and followed Jang Sam.

Ajok and Senior Oh drew their swords and walked backward. They were acting as escorts in their own way.

'They're really playing around. Those brats, really...'

General Manager Ximen's head was about to explode.

Zhang Ming said to General Manager Ximen, "Where is the Sect Master?"

General Manager Ximen played dumb.

"The Sect Master is seriously injured and is recuperating. I can only speak with the permission of the Acting Sect Master. For today, just have dinner."

When General Manager Ximen acted stiffly, citing his authority, even Zhang Ming couldn't press him further.

Since the rules of Qingcheng were strict, he assumed other sects were the same, so he had no choice but to understand General Manager Ximen's position.

Yang Soryeong laid Baekji on her own bed in the Songhua Hall.

"Is he your partner?"

True Man Changshan asked with sparkling eyes.

"No. He's my disciple."

"Ah, that's right. You're the master, and he's the disciple. Then what are they?"

When True Man Changshan looked at Ajok and the others, Senior Oh said, "We are the grand-disciples."

"Hmm. Three generations are moving together."

"Please check Baekji's condition."

True Man Changshan grabbed Baekji's wrist and took his pulse.

As time passed, his face changed strangely.

'How can this be...'

True Man Changshan felt an immense energy from Baekji's body.

'This is almost three jiazi of internal energy. No, that can't be. Three jiazi of internal energy in this world.'

True Man Changshan himself now possessed an internal energy of one and a half jiazi.

It was an internal energy that could only be obtained after ninety years of training, the best internal energy in Qingcheng.

But for the young Baekji to have three jiazi. An internal energy that could only be obtained after one hundred and eighty years of training was difficult to achieve even with all sorts of fortuitous encounters.

For the first time, True Man Changshan doubted his own pulse-taking ability.

When he took the pulse again, this time he felt no energy.

'I must have been mistaken.'

True Man Changshan examined the flow of Baekji's meridians, but there was nothing unusual.

"He's perfectly healthy."

At True Man Changshan's words, Yang Soryeong said, "A physician once said that Baekji's head became strange because he suffered from cultivation insanity. He said he had lost all his memories."

At Yang Soryeong's words, Senior Oh let out a groan.

"Oh dear, how pitiful. To think our master had such a story."

Ajok and Jang Sam also looked at Baekji with solemn expressions.

"Really? If it's cultivation insanity, that could be. Then it could be that the symptoms of cultivation insanity have manifested."

"That's right. He's been overworking himself lately, guiding our training."

Jang Sam nodded.

When Yang Soryeong thought about it, it seemed plausible.

True Man Changshan tilted his head.

"Wait? Just looking at his body, there's no problem. Is there such a case?"

True Man Changshan muttered.

If one suffers from cultivation insanity, the meridians are usually twisted, and the body is also damaged.

However, since the symptoms of cultivation insanity were as diverse as the martial arts in the world, even True Man Changshan couldn't know them all.

"A research subject."

True Man Changshan took out a medicine pouch from his bosom.

He took out a pill wrapped in crumpled paper from the medicine pouch and fed it to Baekji.

"It's a Health and Heart Clearing Pill. It will clear his mind, so after a good night's sleep, he'll feel refreshed."

True Man Changshan said to Yang Soryeong, "Let him sleep today and bring him to me early tomorrow morning. I think I need to ask him directly what happened."

When True Man Changshan returned, Yang Soryeong said to Ajok and the others, "Go and rest."

"No, Grandmaster. We don't know what might happen, so we have to protect our master. Grandmaster, you go and sleep."

"Then I'll be in the next room, so wake me up if anything happens."

Yang Soryeong went to the next room, and Ajok, Senior Oh, and Jang Sam sprawled out and slept in front of the door to the room where Baekji was lying.

Meanwhile, in front of General Manager Ximen, who was returning to his quarters, the White Mountain Brigade Leader, Yu Mungwang, appeared.

"They say the Young Sect Master has woken up."

"What? Is that really true?"

The stone chamber where the Sect Master and the Young Sect Master were was guarded like an iron fortress by the White Mountain Brigade.

General Manager Ximen had blocked anyone from entering and only went in and out himself.

"They say they heard a calling sound from inside."

"I have to go and see."

General Manager Ximen hurriedly went to the stone chamber.

"You wait here."

General Manager Ximen did not completely trust Yu Mungwang either.

Yu Mungwang was a loyal figure who had become a trusted subordinate after Bai Renguang had saved his life.

His original name was Yu Mun, but he was a figure who had even added Bai Renguang's 'Guang' to the end of his own name.

So, General Manager Ximen, who had other intentions, only used Yu Mungwang and did not trust him.

General Manager Ximen entered the stone chamber and went to the stone coffin.

The stone coffin was filled with dark brown water, and Bai Renguang and the Young Sect Master, Bai Yandu, were lying in it.

Baekji had drained all the dark brown water, but General Manager Ximen had refilled it.

"This is truly amazing water. To be alive for over three months without eating."

General Manager Ximen had once complained while acquiring numerous medicinal herbs at True Man Changshan's request.

"What on earth are you using all these medicinal herbs for?"

He had not forgotten what Bai Renguang had said at that time.

"I don't know either. True Man Changshan said that if you soak your body in water boiled with medicinal herbs, you can live without eating or excreting. So, for Yandu's sake, please put in a little more effort."

Remembering those words, General Manager Ximen had been continuously boiling medicinal herbs and pouring the water to keep Bai Renguang alive.

However, he did not think that Bai Renguang, who had been hit by the Blood Hand Grand Seal, would survive.

The Blood Hand Grand Seal was so potent that the bright red palm print on Bai Renguang's chest was still clear.

'Just a brief moment of final radiance, and he just needs to reveal the secret vault. Sect Master, I should at least receive compensation for my efforts all this time, shouldn't I?'

(End of Chapter)