Chapter 35: Hidden Moon Mountain
“Did Young Master Shen suddenly think of some way to capture him—or perhaps, to eliminate him?”
Fu Yuying was a clever woman.
She did not grow angry over Shen Yanzhou’s earlier concealment of information.
The two of them were, after all, merely partners in cooperation.
How could anyone expect mutual trust after only a few brief meetings?
Instead, Shen Yanzhou’s willingness to reveal such vital information now made her feel a trace of gratitude.
If he had chosen to keep it to himself...
Then when the many experts of Luofu Cloud Cavern took action, the losses would surely have been disastrous.
Shen Yanzhou nodded slightly, his expression showing approval as he said, “The Saintess is indeed intelligent as snow. According to my estimation, Shen Tian’s trump card can only be used three times. That means you have three opportunities, and each time you must go all out—force him to use one of them.”
“When those three chances are exhausted, Shen Tian will naturally become fish on the chopping board, ready for you to carve up as you please.”
Fu Yuying looked deeply at Shen Yanzhou.
He called it an estimation, yet his tone was firm and certain.
How exactly did he come by such information?
When he had still been in the capital, one might have said his insight came from his meticulous mind, from piecing together clues and whispers to form conclusions.
But this—this kind of information that bordered on personal secrets—how could he possibly know?
Unless behind him... there existed some unfathomably mysterious power—or perhaps, some hidden being?
“With the Sword Immortal from the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court of the North Sea as his benefactor, if she truly bestowed such a trump card upon Shen Tian, it might be enough to threaten even a low-level Third Rank expert.”
“I’ll have to change my plans.” Fu Yuying’s brows drew together slightly as she sank into thought.
……
Meanwhile, in the capital, within a grand pavilion adorned with soaring eaves and guarded at the gate by two stone qilin—
Rows of Chilin Guards stood sternly in formation, each with a long blade at their side and armor gleaming under the lantern light.
Hundred-household Officer Zhou Yang also stood obediently in the back.
A middle-aged man dressed in crimson gauze official robes paced back and forth with furrowed brows.
His outer robe was embroidered with vibrant brocade, his sleeves lined with intricate patterns, and at his waist hung a braided official sash.
On his collar and cuffs were embroidered qilin and lions—this was none other than Liu Ci, the Pacification Officer in charge of the recent case of Shen Yanzhou’s abduction.
Since its founding, the Chilin Guards had served not only as imperial protectors but also as enforcers of law and order throughout the empire.
Shen Yanzhou’s kidnapping in the capital had caused an uproar—an event that shook the court and unsettled the populace.
Even Emperor Mingde, who had long abstained from daily governance, personally decreed that the Heir of the Demon Suppression King, Shen Yanzhou, must be brought safely home.
The Commander himself had issued orders, summoning the thousand-household and hundred-household officers of all divisions to discuss strategies and devise countermeasures.
It could be said that this incident stirred greater waves than even the attack and fire that struck the Demon Suppression Princess Consort and her newborn son twenty years prior.
The act of the Nether Cult was not only a blatant affront to imperial authority and law but also a direct challenge to the capital’s security.
From that day on, the gates of the capital became far more strictly guarded; endless inspections and interrogations made the traveling merchant caravans suffer bitterly.
The many factions with hidden strongholds within the city were on edge as well, fearful that the Bureau of Immortal Inspection would arrive wielding their Mirror of True Hearts for questioning.
“Everyone who left the capital before dawn has been strictly inspected,” one officer reported.
“The possibility that the Heir is still hidden within the city is minimal.”
“To smuggle a living person out of the capital is no easy matter.
After the city gates were opened, who were the suspicious ones that departed?” asked Liu Ci.
“Reporting, my lord,” said a thousand-household officer.
“According to messages from the gate captains, the only likely suspect would be the wealthy Li Family on Panxi Street. They held a funeral last night, claiming to escort their deceased matron back to her hometown.”
“Investigators have already gone to the Li Residence. The place is empty now. Aside from a few ignorant maids and servants, the rest of the family has vanished without a trace…”
Liu Ci rubbed his temples.
“The Nether Cult truly is like a lingering ghost—its roots run deep.”
“For now, the only course is to gather capable experts and coordinate with the Immortal Officers of the Bureau of Immortal Inspection. The Demon Suppression King is also pressing the matter—he personally sent a letter to the Commander.
The southern frontier is in peril; the winter frost is melting, spring is coming, and that is precisely when the demon clans grow most restless…”
“At such a time, the Demon Suppression King cannot possibly leave his post,” the officer said worriedly.
“The Bureau is already preparing the Moon-Chasing Vessel. At its speed, it should reach Hidden Moon Mountain within a day.”
“But what if the Nether Cult is only using that as a diversion, and never actually took him there?” Liu Ci frowned.
As they discussed the matter, several figures arrived at the Chilin Guards’ training ground—it was the retainers and guest experts from the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion.
Elder Mo, who had often accompanied Shen Yanzhou, was among them.
Most of these men possessed the strength of Sixth Rank, Mountain-moving Realm martial artists.
Among them stood a white-robed Daoist with a clear, sharp face and a long beard.
His aura was refined and flowing; every breath he took seemed to harmonize with the surrounding breeze.
He was clearly a Sixth Rank, Core-condensing Daoist expert.
Liu Ci stepped out of the building, bowed slightly to the group, though inwardly he was startled.
Was this… all they had?
Could it be that the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion in the capital truly had so few experts—that not even a single Fourth Rank stood among them?
Still, he showed none of his doubts on his face.
“Lord Liu Ci.”
At that moment, a crisp and vigorous voice came from outside the training ground.
A woman strode in, her long black hair tied back in a high ponytail.
She wore a suit of silver soft armor and held a red-tasseled spear in hand.
Her whole being resembled an unsheathed sword—sharp and commanding.
“Miss Wu Ruyue? What brings you here?”
Liu Ci was taken aback.
The gathered Chilin Guards also looked on in surprise—why had Wu Ruyue come here?
As the martial champion once personally honored by Emperor Mingde during the palace examinations, Wu Ruyue had nearly joined the Chilin Guards herself.
However, longing for the life of a frontier soldier, she had chosen instead to serve in the border armies for experience, never settling in the capital.
Hundred-household Officer Zhou Yang’s expression grew complicated.
He had once sparred with her, and even when using his full strength, he had been unable to shake her in the slightest.
The encounter left a deep impression.
Though he admired Wu Ruyue, he could only keep such feelings buried deep within his heart.
“I heard that Heir Shen was captured by the Nether Cult and that the Chilin Guards are gathering the city’s experts to plan a rescue. Remembering the Demon Suppression King’s kindness to the southern army, I wish to offer what little aid I can.” Wu Ruyue spoke concisely, her words direct and unadorned.
“Excellent.”
Liu Ci was momentarily stunned, then a smile spread across his face.
This mission might pit them against the countless fiends of the Nether Cult—dangerous beyond measure.
Miss Wu was, as always, warm-hearted and upright, filled with righteous indignation toward evil.
Many of the Chilin Guards looked at her with admiration.
“Many thanks to Miss Wu for lending her aid,” said the retainers of the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion gratefully.
Though Wu Ruyue was still young and not at the highest realm, she was nonetheless a prodigy who had earned fame early—once the imperial martial champion.
With her assistance, their chances would surely increase, even if only slightly.
Wu Ruyue paid no heed to the thoughts around her.
Quietly, she observed the arrangements for the rescue, while her mind turned to the message Shen Yanzhou had left her.
“This move of using oneself as bait may seem perilous, but in truth, it is to lure out the hidden seeds of the Nether Cult—and wipe them out in one sweep.”
“The Nether Cult’s infiltration runs far deeper than anyone can imagine.
I fear that even within the Chilin Guards and the Bureau of Immortal Inspection, there are inside agents among them.
Even within the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion, Father suspects that certain elders may be colluding with them.
Many of the retainers and guest experts appear loyal, but in truth, harbor treacherous hearts.”
“In the capital, there are few I can truly trust—only Miss Wu is worthy of my confidence. I hope that when the time comes, Miss Wu can join the rescue party and secretly inform me of their movements and routes.”
These were Shen Yanzhou’s exact words to her, conveyed through a jade transmission talisman.
At first, Wu Ruyue had found it hard to believe that the Nether Cult could have infiltrated even the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion.
But now, seeing that in the effort to rescue Shen Yanzhou, not even a single Fourth Rank Dragon-Elephant Realm grandmaster had been mobilized—
“I just hope that along the way, these few won’t merely stand by and watch—or worse, intentionally cause trouble.
If that happens, things will become very troublesome indeed…”
Wu Ruyue thought to herself in silence.
……
Not long after, the people from the Bureau of Immortal Inspection also arrived.
A celestial ship that tore through the void descended at great speed, shrouded in faint mist and radiant with flowing light, like a host of immortals traveling across the heavens—its presence awe-inspiring.
The Great Qian’s Bureau of Immortal Inspection, governed by the current National Preceptor, oversaw the registration and supervision of all cultivators within the realm.
Many elders and disciples from immortal sects and Daoist lineages were recorded in their registers as Immortal Officers.
This very vessel was the Bureau’s specially constructed Moon-Chasing Vessel—renowned for its incredible speed.
If nothing went awry, it could reach Yun Prefecture within a single day.
Standing among the crowd, Wu Ruyue carefully observed the gathered Immortal Officers.
Gu Ruoxi and Chu Dao, who had previously participated in the search of Yuxian Pavilion, were both present.
There was also a middle-aged man with a lean face and a long beard.
He wore a purple robe, his expression calm and detached, exuding an air of immortal grace.
With every motion of his hands, faint purple lightning flickered around him—his cultivation clearly profound.
“A Fifth Rank expert of the Thunder Law Realm?”
Wu Ruyue quietly exhaled in relief.
With such a powerful individual joining, Shen Yanzhou’s situation should improve greatly.
But soon after, her brows furrowed slightly—why was she suddenly worrying about him?
“Given how the Heir Shen defiled his own reputation and ventured into danger for the greater good, my concern is only natural,” she told herself inwardly.
Shaking her head slightly, she forced the thought aside.
Meanwhile, the news that the Bureau of Immortal Inspection and the Chilin Guards had jointly dispatched many powerful experts toward Yun Prefecture spread rapidly throughout the capital, picked up by the spies and informants of all factions.
“I should set out as well.”
“At Chuidian’s speed, I should reach Yun Prefecture within half a day.”
At the Wu Residence, upon hearing the news, Shen Tian soon took his leave, using the excuse of visiting friends after seeing that Wu Ruyue had departed.
Though the capital gates were heavily guarded and interrogations strict, Shen Tian—upright and unafraid—chose to leave openly.
Reaching a dense forest beyond the outskirts, he drew from his robes a finely crafted bone whistle and blew toward the sky.
With a piercing cry that split the heavens, a powerful gust rose, rustling the forest canopy.
A vast black shadow spiraled down from above—it was a black roc with wings spanning several zhang, its forehead patterned with golden lightning markings, radiating a majestic and divine aura.
“Chuidian, it’s been a long time.
Luckily, when I left the mountain, I had you follow me.”
Shen Tian smiled with the joy of reuniting with an old friend, reaching out to stroke the roc’s head.
The bird’s eyes gleamed with human-like emotion as it folded its wings and affectionately rubbed against him.
“I need to make a trip to Hidden Moon Mountain in Yun Prefecture…”
“Hidden Moon Mountain—you probably haven’t heard of it, but I have a map. Just follow me.”
Shen Tian leapt lightly onto the black roc’s back, smiling as he spoke.
Their minds were linked; he could sense the creature’s thoughts clearly.
“Caw—”
The black roc nodded once, spreading its wings with a mighty beat.
The air roared, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished into the skies as a streak of black.
As Shen Tian soared through the heavens, a faint melancholy stirred within him.
His mind drifted to his childhood—the days when his master had been cold and distant, emotionless atop that desolate peak where no other humans could be seen.
In those lonely years, the only companion he’d had to speak to was the very creature now carrying him—the Chuidian.
Back then, it had been a weak fledgling, abandoned for its congenital defects.
Though it possessed the bloodline of the ancient fierce beast, the Golden-winged Great Roc, its lineage was impure—it had nearly perished under that tree.
Man and beast, depending on each other for survival…
……
“Shen Tian has already left the capital…”
“After leaving, he went straight toward the outskirts’ forests. Those tailing him feared alerting their target and did not follow closely—but they did hear a cry, like that of a bird yet not quite a bird…”
“After that, Shen Tian vanished without a trace.”
“Could it be that he had some kind of flying mount waiting outside the city?”
In the vast forest, where wind swept through the trees like waves, Fu Yuying sat within the cloud carriage, clutching a jade transmission talisman, a strange light flickering in her eyes.
Shen Yanzhou immediately understood upon hearing this—it was Shen Tian’s childhood companion, Chuidian, a black roc bearing the blood of the Golden-winged Great Roc.
In the original story, this bird had accompanied Shen Tian down the mountain to the southern frontier, always hidden from sight, only revealing itself in times of peril.
Because of its powerful bloodline, its flight speed far surpassed that of any other demonic beast—it had often saved Shen Tian from mortal danger.
Shen Yanzhou paid little mind to this, focusing instead on his personal panel.
【Name: Shen Yanzhou】
【Techniques: None】
【Secret Arts: Selfless Sword Heart (Incomplete, Minor Accomplishment 1/4)】
【Realm: None】
【Available Basic Points: 0 (661.21/100)】
Although he was no longer in the capital, negative emotions still trickled in intermittently.
“By the time we reach Hidden Moon Mountain, I should have nearly seven hundred points saved.”
A faint smile appeared on Shen Yanzhou’s face.
In the face of absolute strength, all schemes and plots were but illusions.
He was already looking forward to the moment he obtained that inheritance—and added all his accumulated points to it.
Seeing that Shen Yanzhou remained silent, Fu Yuying understood that this outcome did not surprise him.
“If it’s merely a flying mount, it’s not much to worry about.”
“But to ensure absolute safety, I’ll still make one more precautionary arrangement,” she thought.
……
The cloud carriage sped through the night, traveling beneath stars and moon without pause.
Shen Yanzhou rested lightly in the carriage throughout the night.
When dawn broke, a pale white glow spread from the distant mountains—and from outside came Chu Xiuer’s slightly excited voice: “We’ve reached Hidden Moon Mountain.”
“We’re here?”
Shen Yanzhou lifted the curtain to look outside.
Even though he had been mentally prepared, he still couldn’t help but marvel softly—this was truly nature’s masterpiece.
The colossal mountain range pierced into the vast sea of clouds, its peak unseen, majestic and boundless.
The sun and moon themselves seemed close enough to touch.
Even from afar, it inspired awe and humility in the heart.
“In the original tale, this was the place where the old Martial God spent his final years in seclusion.”
“But without his inheritance, it would be impossible to activate the restrictions left behind in his cave abode…”
“Therefore, to safely obtain that cultivation method—Wu Ruyue is the key.”
Shen Yanzhou’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The so-called Hidden Moon Mountain should more accurately have been called Concealed Moon Mountain—for from every region of Yun Prefecture, one could faintly see its towering silhouette, rising above all terrain.
Even on a cloudless, windless night beneath the full moon, the mountain’s height could still block the moonlight.
The surrounding mountains, though grand in their own right, seemed to bow before it—like humble servants before a king.
It was no wonder that the old Martial God had chosen this place for his retreat.