novelraw Chapter 1106: The Return Journey
Chapter 1106: The Return Journey
Before long, someone returned to the temporarily abandoned camp—a logistics staff member from the Management Bureau.
As it turned out, he had gone out to deal with some “personal needs,” so he’d missed the appearance of Long Xiruo’s group.
This logistics personnel didn’t recognize Kui Qianyi or the others, but he did recognize Xiao Shengmo—who was severely injured and unconscious at the moment.
“I stayed behind specifically to relay information to the seniors returning! My name is—”
“No need for names,” Kui Qianyi shook his head. “Just tell us what happened.”
“…Here’s what happened.” With a resentful expression, the logistics staff began recounting the full story.
It turned out the mission to stop the sixth Jade Dragon Pillar had ended in failure. The situation had grown extremely tense, and all remaining personnel, including the Management Bureau’s research team, were redeployed into the mist.
Their one goal: to locate and strike first against the dangerous group led by the man in the bronze mask before a seventh Jade Dragon Pillar could be established.
As Long Xiruo listened, she didn’t expect that the short time they spent inside the Penglai Vault had equated to nearly half a month in the outside world.
Even the Qian Department of Xuan Yuan Palace had become involved—Su Zijun’s expression darkened.No one knew exactly why this royal princess had left home, but judging from her face, it was clear she still cared deeply about the reputation of Xuanyuan Palace.
The atmosphere grew tense, and everyone instinctively turned to Long Xiruo.
She lowered her head in deep thought.
Though reluctant to admit it, judging by the merchant's behavior in the vault, it seemed that the remaining undeployed pillars posed little immediate danger and might soon emerge on their own.
And based on earlier events, there probably weren’t many left.
Though she was very curious about what happened after they left the vault, the portal was one-way—even she couldn’t re-enter anytime soon.
The pressing matter now was the plan of the 71st generation of Heavenly Heart.
She knew better than anyone what the Jade Dragon Pillars truly were—and what it meant when the dragon of the Dragon Vein was pulled from them.
“Can’t they cause a little less trouble?” Long Xiruo muttered impatiently. “Each one of them acts like they’re bored out of their minds!”
“Lord Long?” Kui Qianyi asked cautiously.
“Kui Qianyi, prepare me a blood-replenishing elixir, and make it quick!” she ordered.
Understanding her intent, Kui Qianyi nodded immediately and instructed Gui Ying to gather the required ingredients.
Although Xuan Yuan Palace rarely appeared publicly, they had many secret industries in the mortal world—after all, how could the vast Qian and Kun Divisions of the palace rely solely on farming?
Operations needed funding—and face!
“Wait—you still haven’t explained why you look like this!” Su Zijun strode up to Long Xiruo and looked down at her, feeling a surprising sense of satisfaction.
After all these years, there was finally a day she could look down on that old hag. The heavens had eyes! That’s what you get for mocking my lack of development!
“Walk and talk,” Long Xiruo said with uncharacteristic seriousness. “This matter involves the internal affairs of Xuanyuan Palace. No matter how willful you are, show some restraint.”
Su Zijun snorted but said nothing more.
Soon, Long Xiruo gave her orders: they would split into two teams. Kui Qianyi and Gui Ying would stay to make medicine and treat Xiao Shengmo, while Long Xiruo, Su Zijun, and Jessica would head into the mist to investigate. They agreed to regroup at the old villa.
The strange mist covered the sky, blocked sunlight, and interfered with all electronics—but to this group, it posed little more than minor inconvenience.
The logistics staff member was left behind to brief anyone else who might return from the portal.
Just before entering the mist, Long Xiruo called out to Su Zijun.
“You bought something from that swindler, didn’t you?”
“What, are you checking how I spent my allowance now?” Su Zijun raised an eyebrow. “If you were a guardian, I’d get it… But you’re not anymore, are you, Dragon Lord?”
“I’m not in the mood for games. Zijun, tell me.”
Su Zijun paused, then said calmly, “I have my reasons. Like I said, you’re not my guardian anymore. Princess Xiru becoming the True Dragon severed all ties with the royal family. I’m only working with you now because this involves the Kun Division—nothing more. What happens in the mortal world has nothing to do with me. From the day I became a Jiangshi, I stopped being human.”
With that, she walked straight into the mist.
…
Inside the mist, everything was deathly silent. Empty. Occasionally, the sound of animals echoed.
At the train platform, thick fog obscured the tracks.
A flash of white light appeared—Gongsun Wuwei emerged.
He looked around and frowned.
He didn’t move but waited. Around 40 minutes later, Gong Fanxing arrived beside him.
“Wuwei, why’d you leave Penglai so fast? What did you run into in there?” Fanxing asked with a frown, glancing at her arm.
Somehow, her sleeve was torn, revealing a faint cut on her snow-white skin—Qin Chuyu had landed a blow as she left.
That sword strike had wounded her.
“I ran into someone using Xuanyuan martial arts. But I’m certain he has no Gongsun blood…” Gongsun Wuwei said grimly. “But his martial arts were the same as mine—stronger, in fact. I couldn’t even throw a single punch.”
Fanxing’s mouth fell open in shock. She looked in disbelief at Gongsun Wuwei, who now seemed shaken and gloomy.
She had witnessed his long-standing feud with Xuan Yuan Palace. She knew how powerful and proud this man was.
For him to admit inferiority—it was unthinkable. Only Taibai had ever been able to shut him down like that.
But now… was there another one?
“Unbelievable… One powerful figure after another keeps showing up,” Fanxing muttered, recalling what had happened outside the Penglai Palace—such as the terrifying punch from Huang Baifu (even if it was kind of goofy).
Not to mention the mysterious Da Zhe, and the pair traveling with him. She couldn’t see through them at all.
Even though her role had been to provoke Qin Chuyu to create cover for Gongsun Wuwei, she had secretly been observing everyone on the plaza the entire time.
“Huang Baifu and the boy Baijie aside, powerful figures have been appearing one after another in this Penglai Treasure Vault,” Gongsun Wuwei frowned. “Jiang Zuo said five hundred years have passed outside… it might be true. This world is no longer the one we knew.”
Gong Fanxing looked around and nodded silently.
The jade slips in their possession were single-use tools that allowed them to exit the Penglai Vault. Once crushed, the white jade slip would return them to the place where they originally entered. Gong Fanxing clearly remembered entering from a secret valley—but when she emerged, the scenery was entirely unfamiliar.
Back in the Treasure Vault, they were skeptical when Jiang Zuo mentioned five centuries had passed. But now, standing in this modern world, they felt utterly out of place.
“What’s wrong with the Heavenly Dao… I feel like I’m being watched every second.”
“Everything has changed…” Gong Fanxing sighed. “I wonder if our Lord already knew the time flow within the Vault was different when he sent us here.”
“This mission was a failure,” Gongsun Wuwei sighed as well. “We must find the Lord quickly. I can faintly sense a trace of his presence nearby.”
As they were speaking, hurried footsteps echoed on the platform.
Someone was shouting from a distance: “You there—hurry and come over! Don’t get separated! We’re starting to move through the mist!”
It was a rescue soldier from the teams dispatched to the fog-covered area, searching for civilians.
Gongsun Wuwei and Gong Fanxing exchanged glances.
Gongsun Wuwei suddenly reached into the void, and a terrified soldier was pulled from the fog straight into his grasp.
The soldier was horrified.
Without a word, Gongsun Wuwei pressed a hand to the soldier’s head and said calmly, “I need to know what happened over these past five hundred years.”
The soldier’s screams gradually faded on the platform…
By the time the rest of the rescue team found him, he was already dead—surrounded by silence.
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After Long Xiruo’s group left, the logistics officer—who never even got to say his name—was left behind, waiting in boredom.
He assumed he’d be waiting a long time again, but just as he was about to nap, the glowing portal reappeared.
A teenage boy of around seventeen or eighteen stepped out… followed closely by a younger boy.
Mo Xiaofei and Windchaser.
The portal vanished again after their emergence.
Based on prior experiences, anyone who came out of that passage was either a top figure in the Daoist or Demon realms, or a powerhouse. So the logistics officer rushed forward with a respectful posture.
Even though they looked young, cultivators and demons often didn’t appear their real age.
“Greetings, seniors! I’m from the Management Bureau’s Logistics Division…” he said with a bow.
“Management Bureau?” Mo Xiaofei immediately interrupted, frowning sharply at the officer.
The man’s heart skipped a beat, and he didn’t dare meet Mo Xiaofei’s gaze. “Yes… Logistics Division…”
“This Lonely Emperor has no intention of associating with the Management Bureau!”
With a wave of his sleeve, Mo Xiaofei soared into the sky and flew off. Windchaser quickly followed.
The logistics officer stared after them. “My name is… Can’t anyone just let me introduce myself properly?”
He shouted angrily and threw a stone in frustration.
But he quickly composed himself. He was stationed here not only to brief those returning from the portal, but also to report to HQ.
Among Long Xiruo’s group, he had already identified Xiao Shengmo from the files and reported that. Now he had to report these two as well.
Suddenly, the portal opened again, and the logistics officer snapped to attention.
This time, a beautiful woman in white robes stepped out, sword in hand… another unfamiliar face. He muttered under his breath and stepped forward, “Hello, I’m from the Management Bureau’s Logistics Division…”
But the woman showed no interest in listening. With a step, she flew into the night like a celestial being.
“My name is… sigh.”
---
Just before dawn, the portal opened again—and this time, Daoist Baijie stepped out.
He was the leading figure of the Divine Land Daoist World, the head of Kunlun, and a pillar of the Daoist Association—a name everyone at the Management Bureau memorized upon joining.
“President Baijie! You’re finally out!”
“You are?” Baijie looked at him in confusion.
“President Baijie, I’m with the Management Bureau Logistics Division…” the man said emotionally.
“Wait… what’s that!” Baijie suddenly interrupted with a frown, staring gravely into the dense fog.
I just wanted to introduce myself…
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In a dimly lit hall, the candles on the wall sconces suddenly flared to life.
The orange glow illuminated the entire space. At the center, a person-sized rift in space twisted—and Luo Qiu slowly stepped out.
Beside him, Luo Ya looked nervous and uneasy, clutching his sleeve tightly as she followed.
“Don’t be afraid. From now on, this will be your home,” Luo Qiu said softly with a smile. “I’ll be here with you… hmm?”
A faint sound came from the back of the hall, catching Luo Qiu’s attention.
“Is someone there?” he instinctively looked toward You Ye.
The maid covered her face playfully, “Ah, Miss Nero is still in the bathroom… I’ll go check. Master, you go rest—I’ll prepare your tea right away.”
Luo Qiu nodded and headed toward the study… Luo Ya still wouldn’t let go of his hand, so he brought her along.
Da Zhe, carrying Tai Yinzi, looked at Luo Qiu heading to the study, then at You Ye walking down the corridor toward the bathroom—and shivered suddenly.
(End of Chapter)