Within the fog, white shadows flickered back and forth, frightening Huang Rong and Mu Nianci badly. Mu Nianci reacted on instinct, flinging the throwing darts hidden at her waist.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh—
The hidden weapons failed to hit the white figure.
"Mu-jiejie, that's a ghost! How can ordinary weapons hit it?"Huang Rong hid behind Chu Yang and complained, "At the very least you should've coated them with black dog's blood or something…"
Throwing those two darts had already used up all of Mu Nianci's courage. She stood stiffly in place, not daring to look around, afraid that a terrifying face would appear before her in the next second.
"Little Chu, hurry up and subdue the demon already! Can't you see Mu-jiejie's scared out of her wits?!"Huang Rong was so anxious she was about to tear Chu Yang's sleeve apart.
"Next time you mock someone, try opening your eyes first. You're about to be scared to death yourself and you're still talking about others."Chu Yang slapped her hand away in disgust and spread out his Observation Haki.
That white shadow had been extremely fast just now. It was understandable for Huang Rong and the others to mistake it for a ghost, but Chu Yang had already locked onto its figure—it was a person. And even if it really were a ghost, that wouldn't matter either. After all, Chu Yang also held the identity of a Shinigami. This was professional overlap.
Observation Haki quickly captured the target. The other party was already turning back at high speed.
The white shadow flashed past once more, scaring Huang Rong and Mu Nianci into hugging each other and trembling.
Chu Yang felt puzzled.The other party didn't seem to have any hostile intent.
Just now, they clearly had the chance to attack, yet only chose to frighten them.
Why?
"It feels like… they're trying to drive us away. Could it be…"
A sharp glint flashed in Chu Yang's eyes as he guessed the identity of the white shadow.
He had been wondering how to find the Living Dead Tomb deep in the mountains. Who would have thought they'd stumble upon a clue by accident?
When the white shadow flew over their heads for the third time, Chu Yang released Conqueror's Haki and directly stunned the other party.
"Mmm…"
The white figure let out a muffled groan, as if someone had punched their head, and fell straight down from midair.
It landed right in front of Mu Nianci and Huang Rong.
"Ahhh!!!"
The two were so frightened they lost all composure, tears spilling from the corners of their eyes.
"I don't get it. Weren't you pretty bold before? You never believed in ghosts or spirits. Why are you so jumpy now?"Chu Yang looked at Huang Rong, both speechless and confused. When he first met her, she had been completely fearless.
"I didn't believe in that stuff before, but after meeting you, I can't help it! There's a living example right in front of me!"Huang Rong explained miserably.
Chu Yang suddenly understood.In Huang Rong's eyes, since Chu Yang could use spells, the existence of ghosts and gods didn't seem strange at all…
"Huang-guniang, this… seems to be a person?"Mu Nianci wiped her slightly swollen eyes and examined the figure carefully several times before confirming it was a young girl dressed in white.
She wasn't very old—perhaps even younger than Huang Rong.
Hearing that it was a person, Huang Rong frowned and walked over. After confirming it really was human, she suddenly lifted her foot, about to kick her hard.
Mu Nianci panicked and pulled her back. "Huang-guniang, what are you doing?!"
"This little brat scared me half to death! I'm kicking her today no matter what!"Huang Rong was furious, baring her teeth like she wanted to eat someone."Don't hold me back, Mu-jiejie!"
Mu Nianci didn't step aside. Instead, she turned back helplessly to look at Chu Yang.
Chu Yang pressed a hand on Huang Rong's head, signaling her to calm down."Bear with it for now. We still need her help to find the Living Dead Tomb."
Huang Rong snorted angrily and turned her head away.
Mu Nianci quickly asked, "Brother Chu, is this little girl the Ancient Tomb Sect successor you mentioned?"
Chu Yang nodded.
Huang Rong coldly snorted again. "How can you be sure? Other than wearing white, she doesn't have any sect token on her."
Chu Yang smiled. "Aside from Quanzhen Taoists, there are no outsiders on this mountain. And she's a girl. If she's not from the Ancient Tomb Sect, who else could she be?"
Huang Rong said nothing, silently engraving the girl's appearance into her memory.
Chu Yang could tell—this girl was quite vengeful. She'd probably look for payback later.
Judging by her age, this girl couldn't possibly be Little Dragon Girl.
Little Dragon Girl would be at most three or four years old right now. This girl looked only a few years younger than Huang Rong.
The answer was already obvious.
"Crimson Serpent Fairy—Li Mochou."
Looking at the cute, delicate girl before him, Chu Yang found it hard to imagine that she would one day grow into a notorious female demon.
"Mu-guniang, please tie her hands and feet, then wake her up."
"Alright, Brother Chu."
Following Chu Yang's instructions, Mu Nianci bound Li Mochou's limbs and gently pinched her philtrum.
With a soft groan, Li Mochou slowly woke up.
The moment she saw Chu Yang, her whole body shuddered and she instantly became fully alert.
"I… how did I…"
Li Mochou spoke incoherently in panic. That eerie sensation from earlier was still vivid—her head felt as if it had been struck hard.
Chu Yang asked, "I have an urgent matter and need to pay a visit to the head of the Ancient Tomb Sect. May I ask whether Miss Li can lead us to the Living Dead Tomb?"
Li Mochou exclaimed in shock, "How do you know my name? And how do you know about the Ancient Tomb Sect and the Living Dead Tomb?"
Chu Yang casually fabricated an excuse."My family has been friends with True Person Wang Chongyang of Quanzhen for generations, so I know a few things others don't."
Huang Rong whispered into his ear, "Didn't you tell Uncle Yang last time that your family were hereditary shamans?"
Chu Yang replied, "Taoists are shamans. Shamans being friends with shamans—isn't that normal?"
Huang Rong nodded seriously. "Makes sense."
Li Mochou had heard her master mention the old stories between their sect founder Lin Chaoying and Wang Chongyang.
She knew that the Living Dead Tomb the Ancient Tomb Sect resided in had originally been built by Wang Chongyang as a secluded retreat.
Chu Yang claimed ties to Wang Chongyang and wanted to go to the Living Dead Tomb. From Li Mochou's perspective, it was hard to verify whether it was true.
The only thing she could be certain of was—
Right now, strength decided everything.
Chu Yang was willing to be polite first. Li Mochou understood that this was only because she hadn't clearly refused yet. It didn't mean his attitude would remain the same later.
After some thought, Li Mochou nodded and agreed to lead them to the Living Dead Tomb.
"They don't know the way. I'll find a chance to shake them off, then go report to Granny Sun."
"Master just passed away, and people already came looking for the Ancient Tomb Sect. They must have bad intentions!"
Li Mochou was only in her teens—her thoughts were written all over her face. How could she fool someone as sharp as Huang Rong?
Huang Rong sneered inwardly but didn't expose her, quietly following behind Li Mochou to see what trick she'd pull.
Once they entered the dense forest and the fog thickened further, Li Mochou seized the chance and leapt straight into the mist.
"Stinking brat! I knew you were up to something!"
Huang Rong shouted and was about to use her lightness skill to chase after her, but Chu Yang pressed a hand on her shoulder.
She turned back at him in confusion.
"We'll just follow from behind. She'll lead us to the Ancient Tomb Sect."
Mu Nianci asked in confusion, "Brother Chu, the fog is so thick, and we're unfamiliar with the terrain. It'd be easy to lose her."
"No need to worry. I know where she is."
Observation Haki had already locked onto Li Mochou. Chu Yang wasn't afraid of losing her—unless she could teleport.
The scenery on both sides blurred backward as Li Mochou ran with all her might.
After living in the Ancient Tomb for so many years, this was the first time she had come into contact with outsiders. Granny Sun had always described people outside as terrifying. Seeing them today, it truly matched her words—just a little more, and she would've fallen into their hands.
"I don't know what kind of evil technique that man used. I lost consciousness in the blink of an eye."
"If he were some lecherous villain, then I'd…"
Running through the cold wind, Li Mochou grew more and more frightened, shuddering repeatedly.
Adolescent girls truly had vivid imaginations—in just a short while, she had already pictured Chu Yang as thoroughly wicked.
Yet while lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice that Chu Yang and the others were right behind her.
The dense fog blocked Chu Yang's vision, but at the same time, it also served as his cover.
After winding through the mountains for a long while, the greenery gradually faded. Chu Yang looked around and saw barren earth mounds everywhere, eerily resembling a mass grave.
Among them, one towering tombstone stood out prominently.
"So the Living Dead Tomb really is a tomb? I thought it was just a special name…"
The creepy surroundings made Huang Rong frown deeply as she and Mu Nianci unconsciously moved closer to Chu Yang.
"That grave is the entrance to the Ancient Tomb Sect. Let's go."
Chu Yang walked over to the tall tombstone, examined it briefly, then pressed his hand against it. The material was astonishingly hard.
Huang Rong followed suit, pressing her hand against it and letting out a light gasp. "It's really hard—doesn't feel like ordinary stone."
Mu Nianci asked, "Brother Chu, if this is the entrance, how do we get in? Shouldn't we greet the owner here first…?"
Chu Yang shook his head with a laugh."I'm here to take something. Put nicely, it's borrowing. Put bluntly, it's robbing. If you were the owner, would you invite me in?"
Mu Nianci's eyes widened, speechless for a long time.In her heart, Chu Yang was practically an immortal. How should she evaluate an immortal robbing mortals?
Huang Rong asked curiously, "Little Chu, what exactly are you taking?"
Only then did Chu Yang explain the reason."Wang Chongyang carved part of the Nine Yin Manual inside the Ancient Tomb. I want to borrow it for a read."
"Nine Yin Manual?!"
Huang Rong and Mu Nianci exclaimed at the same time. Huang Rong, in particular, looked at Chu Yang with a complicated expression.
"No matter how powerful the Nine Yin Manual is, it's still mortal martial arts. You already know spells—why would you still want to read that book?"
"I'm just very curious by nature."
Chu Yang brushed it off casually. There was no way he could say that he was completely clueless about the fundamentals of martial arts and needed the Nine Yin Manual—a veritable encyclopedia—as a reference.
Otherwise, there was a very real chance he wouldn't even be able to understand other martial arts…
Just as Chu Yang finished explaining, and was about to forcibly break the entrance, the tombstone before them suddenly began to tremble.
Chu Yang stepped back a few paces. The tombstone slowly rotated, and a ghostly figure shot out from within.
"Who dares barge in so unreasonably! Not only bullying disciples of my Ancient Tomb Sect, but even daring to come knocking at our door to provoke trouble?!"
That shadow moved like lightning. In the blink of an eye, it had rushed in front of Chu Yang. Huang Rong and Mu Nianci's vision blurred—they didn't even have time to shout "Watch out!"
Back then, in order to defeat Wang Chongyang, Lin Chaoying chose an unorthodox path. Thus, Ancient Tomb martial arts prioritized speed over brute force. Lin Chaoying believed that as long as she could hit Wang Chongyang, she didn't need to strike too hard—it would still count as her victory.
Put bluntly, it was just a girl in love wanting to beat her boyfriend without having the heart to hurt him badly…
Unfortunately, although Wang Chongyang understood Lin Chaoying's feelings back then, he had devoted his entire life to resisting the Jin and Liao, and ultimately failed to accept her.
Pure speed posed no real threat to Chu Yang. With Observation Haki, he could predict an enemy's attack in advance.
The instant the shadow rushed over, Chu Yang had already lifted his foot and kicked out.
Almost as soon as the opening line was finished, that person's face slammed straight into Chu Yang's foot. With a miserable cry of "Ah!", they were sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.
Only then did Huang Rong and Mu Nianci see clearly what had attacked Chu Yang—
It was an elderly woman in her fifties or sixties.
"Oh no! Granny, are you alright?!"Mu Nianci covered her mouth in shock and hurried forward to help the old woman up.
Chu Yang also felt a bit awkward. As he walked over, he scratched his head and said apologetically,"Elder, I really didn't mean it. Please forgive me."
The footprint on the old woman's face was so clear it almost looked like a tattoo at first glance.
That perfectly timed kick not only interrupted her attack but also threw out her lower back. When Mu Nianci went to help her up, the old woman's face twisted as if she were wearing a mask of pain.
"Ow, ow, ow…"
Her miserable cries made Chu Yang feel even more ashamed. He was a fine young man raised under the red flag—when had he ever bullied the elderly like this?
"Huang! Hurry and take a look at her! Why are you staring around blankly?!"Chu Yang shot Huang Rong a look. She was standing there dazed, staring at the tombstone.
"Little Chu, there seems to be a child over there…"
Huang Rong pointed toward the opening behind the tombstone. A pink, delicate little girl was hiding there, secretly poking her head out to peek.
"So cute! She looks like a doll!!!"
Huang Rong's eyes instantly filled with hearts. Like a child spotting her favorite toy, she dashed forward in a flash.
"Long'er, hide quickly!"
The old woman's expression changed drastically as she cried out anxiously.
The little girl seemed frightened. She turned and ran, disappearing into the pitch-black entrance. Huang Rong, feeling uneasy, stopped beside the tombstone.
"Elder, please don't be nervous. I mean no harm to the Ancient Tomb Sect, nor will I hurt any of you. I only wish to see something Patriarch Wang Chongyang left behind. Once I'm done, I'll leave immediately and won't stay."
Chu Yang tried his best to make his smile look gentle.
"I've lived here for over ten years and have never heard of Wang Chongyang leaving anything behind. Don't even think about deceiving this old woman!"
The old woman sucked in cold air from the pain in her waist, yet still glared fiercely at Chu Yang.
Chu Yang smacked his lips. "That was a matter between husband and wife. Why would they explain every little detail to you? You weren't even a dowry maid."
The old woman was so angry she could only glare.
"Granny, calm down a bit. Let me massage your waist."
Mu Nianci placed both hands on the old woman's lower back. The old woman jolted at first, then gradually relaxed—clearly, the massage was working.
She had followed Yang Tiexin around the martial world for years, and whenever he suffered injuries from falls or blows, she was the one who tended to him. Over time, she had developed quite the skill.
Seeing this, Huang Rong also stepped forward to help treat the old woman's back. Her father was Huang Yaoshi, a famed polymath with extraordinary medical skills. Having grown up immersed in it, Huang Rong had learned quite a bit herself.
Under the gentle assault of the two girls, the old woman was quickly disarmed. Her attitude softened considerably. After hesitating for a moment, she introduced herself.
She was Granny Sun.
Granny Sun was not a direct disciple of Lin Chaoying. Lin Chaoying had once saved her by chance, and after persistent pleading, she was allowed to stay in the Ancient Tomb Sect. Nominally, she served as the sect's steward.
Lin Chaoying's true disciple had been her personal maid—also the master of Little Dragon Girl and Li Mochou.
That woman had passed away not long ago, which was why Granny Sun and Li Mochou had been so sensitive and wary.
Huang Rong was exceptionally good at making elderly people happy. Before long, she had coaxed Granny Sun into revealing the Ancient Tomb Sect's current predicament—its lack of successors.
In truth, it wasn't a serious problem at all.
For a reclusive sect like the Ancient Tomb, even if they were short on successors, waiting ten or twenty years would naturally produce a new generation.
Take Li Mochou, for example—within about ten years, she would become the dreaded Crimson Serpent Fairy of the martial world…
Granny Sun's situation was much like Li Mochou's earlier one.
Chu Yang's kick had already made it clear whose fist was harder. Her friendlier attitude was also, in part, a way of gracefully yielding to reality.
The group followed a long stone passage downward. The dark, damp environment gave off a strong horror-movie atmosphere.
Feeling the two hands gripping her arms grow tighter and tighter, Granny Sun chuckled and said,"Don't be afraid, little girls. This stretch is just a bit dark. Once we go further in, it'll be fine."
Just as Granny Sun said, after passing through the narrow stone corridor, the space ahead suddenly opened up.
"This is where Wang Chongyang once carved out his cultivation chamber."
Granny Sun proudly introduced the Ancient Tomb to the two girls.
She had expected them to marvel at the sect's ingenuity, but to her surprise, Huang Rong and Mu Nianci remained calm—almost bored.
Granny Sun froze.
She didn't know that Huang Rong and Mu Nianci had already seen far more astonishing things.
Compared to Chu Yang's miraculous ability to create vast spaces within confined ones, carving out a stone chamber in a mountain simply wasn't that impressive.
Granny Sun awkwardly turned around, coughed lightly, and said,"Ahem… young sir, this is the Ancient Tomb Sect. As for what Wang Chongyang supposedly left behind—what exactly is it? I've lived here for many years and truly never heard the Patriarch mention such a thing."
Chu Yang didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked,"May I ask which chamber enshrines Patriarch Lin Chaoying's tomb?"
Granny Sun replied with some difficulty,"That is sacred ground of our sect. Outsiders are not permitted to enter."
The atmosphere instantly stiffened.
Seeing this, Huang Rong quickly stepped forward, holding Granny Sun's hand and acting cute."Granny, we're not here to cause trouble. The only reason we want to enter Patriarch Lin Chaoying's tomb chamber is because we admire such an extraordinary woman and wish to pay our respects!"
"Little Chu says that Patriarch Lin Chaoying's martial prowess and talent far surpassed Wang Chongyang's. She only fell behind because she was trapped by love. If we truly compare them, she was the real, true number one under heaven!"
Huang Rong launched into a stream of honeyed praise so eloquent that Granny Sun was practically floating with delight. Forget Granny Sun—even if Lin Chaoying herself were resurrected, she probably wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
Chu Yang rolled his eyes nonstop as he listened. He had never said anything like that to Huang Rong, though he did genuinely believe that Lin Chaoying's talent and aptitude surpassed Wang Chongyang's.
The Jade Maiden Heart Manual completely countered all of the Quanzhen Sect's martial arts. Wang Chongyang had no way to reverse-engineer the techniques within it and was forced to give up. Only later, after winning the Nine Yin Manual at Mount Hua, did he draw inspiration from its martial principles and finally devise a method to counter the Jade Maiden techniques, reclaiming some lost ground.
"Young sir, your family being old acquaintances of Wang Chongyang, and you being able to speak so impartially, truly makes this old woman look at you in a new light. Very well—since that is the case, I will take you to pay respects to Patriarch Lin Chaoying."
At this time, neither Little Dragon Girl nor Li Mochou had grown up yet and could not be considered heads of the Ancient Tomb Sect. Granny Sun, as the steward, making this decision on their behalf was not overstepping.
She then led the three of them toward Lin Chaoying's tomb chamber, which was also the resting place of successive heads of the Ancient Tomb Sect.
Li Mochou's master had just been laid to rest here. A hundred years from now, Little Dragon Girl would also be buried in this same place.
After walking for a while, Chu Yang—bringing up the rear—suddenly heard movement behind him. The sound of a sword slicing through the air reached his ears.
"Villain, take my sword!"
"Miss, stop!"
Two voices rang out one after the other.
Chu Yang used Armament Haki to block the sneak attack from behind. However, at the instant the sword tip struck his back, he felt a faint trace of pain.
It was extremely slight—almost negligible—but it proved one thing: the internal energy carried by the sword tip had pierced through his Armament Haki defense!
Chu Yang was surprised.
Unfortunately, Li Mochou's internal energy was too weak. The longsword in her hand shattered with a loud crack, and she herself was sent flying backward.
Granny Sun's expression changed dramatically. Though Li Mochou was young, her internal energy had already reached an entry-level stage. Yet this young man surnamed Chu had sent her flying purely through hardened body cultivation—his external training was truly terrifying!
Li Mochou crashed to the ground in a sprawl, stars dancing in her vision, pain leaving her momentarily speechless.
"Senior Sister!"
In the distance, that same delicate little doll-like child rushed toward Li Mochou. Her steps were unsteady—running looked more like drunken boxing.
As expected, she tripped and landed hard on her bottom, immediately bursting into loud sobs.
Granny Sun hurried forward, helping Li Mochou up before scooping the little girl into her arms and murmuring a few soothing words. She then turned to Li Mochou and said sternly,
"Miss Mochou, Master Chu and the others mean no harm. They only wish to pay respects to Patriarch Lin Chaoying. Do not be rude again!"
Li Mochou glared angrily at Chu Yang. It was all this man's fault—she had fallen hard twice today and felt like her body was about to fall apart!
"Granny, they're clearly bad people—"
"Enough!"
Granny Sun snapped sharply, startling Li Mochou into silence.
Old friends or villains—it didn't matter anymore. To Granny Sun, the most important thing now was that both sides kept the peace. As for what Chu Yang intended to take, she no longer wanted to ask.
If she insisted on probing further, today might very well become the day the Ancient Tomb Sect was wiped out. If anything went wrong, how could she face Patriarch Lin Chaoying in the afterlife?
Seeing the atmosphere turn awkward again, Huang Rong immediately switched into her role as icebreaker extraordinaire. She walked over to Granny Sun and began playing with the little girl. Before long, the softly crying child was laughing happily.
"Granny, what's this little cutie's name?"
"She's called Long'er. She's an orphan adopted by the sect head."
"Long'er? What a lovely name. Long'er, be good, don't be afraid. Big brother and sisters aren't bad people."
Nestled in Granny Sun's arms, Long'er blinked her round eyes as she studied Huang Rong. Then her gaze shifted—and locked onto Chu Yang.
So this really was Little Dragon Girl…
Mu Nianci also stepped forward to tease Little Dragon Girl.
"Hahaha, that tickles—big sister, stop!"
Mu Nianci showed no mercy, relentlessly tickling her soft spots.
Chu Yang took several deep breaths.
I'm not a lolicon, but this really is a bit hard to resist!
Comrade Chu Yang ultimately fell to temptation—his feet moved forward of their own accord.
In the next moment, a figure blocked his path.
Li Mochou snorted angrily.
"You're not allowed to touch!"
After gently pushing the childish Li Mochou aside, Granny Sun led Chu Yang and the others into Lin Chaoying's tomb chamber. She pushed open the stone door, revealing a massive painting as tall as a person.
The painting depicted a peerlessly beautiful woman, her brows sharp with heroic spirit, her eyes alive with brilliance—perfectly embodying the word heroine.
"This is Patriarch Lin Chaoying. If you wish to pay respects, please follow me."
As she spoke, Granny Sun went behind the painting, took out several sticks of incense, handed them to Chu Yang, Huang Rong, and Mu Nianci, and lit them one by one.
Chu Yang truly admired this extraordinary woman. He bent forward in a sincere bow, then placed the incense into the burner on the altar.
Huang Rong and Mu Nianci did the same.
Granny Sun smiled and asked, "You've seen what there is to see, paid your respects, and toured most of the Ancient Tomb. Have you found Wang Chongyang's relic yet?"
Chu Yang pointed upward.
Granny Sun followed his finger and looked up—then froze.
The ceiling of the tomb chamber was covered in engraved text. Reading it carefully, she realized it was the complete Jade Maiden Heart Manual, the Ancient Tomb Sect's supreme art!
After just one glance, Huang Rong and Mu Nianci heard Chu Yang remind them softly, "This is the Ancient Tomb Sect's secret art. It's best we don't look too closely."
Both girls immediately understood and turned their gazes away.
"What we need is in the neighboring tomb chamber. We won't linger…"
Chu Yang turned to leave, but Granny Sun asked from behind,
"May I ask, Master Chu—what is written in the adjacent chamber?"
Chu Yang explained, "Back then, Patriarch Lin Chaoying used the martial arts within the Jade Maiden Heart Manual to counter all of Quanzhen Sect's techniques and carved them here. Wang Chongyang was helpless against it."
"Years later, at Mount Hua's tournament, he obtained the Nine Yin Manual. Drawing upon its martial principles, he finally devised a way to restrain the Jade Maiden Heart Manual—and carved both methods together in the neighboring tomb chamber."
Granny Sun snorted coldly. "Shameless!"
Chu Yang shook his head with a wry smile, offering no further comment. He pushed open the door to the adjacent tomb chamber and immediately saw the Nine Yin Manual engraved across the stone wall above.
He skimmed through it rapidly, memorizing the entire text with ease.
However, the martial principles within were still unfamiliar—he would need time to study them properly.
Granny Sun followed closely behind, her expression complicated as she watched Chu Yang silently recite the Nine Yin Manual. Had it been anyone else, she would never have let them leave this tomb alive.
Even Huang Rong and Mu Nianci.
A treasure like the Nine Yin Manual was enough to drive anyone in the martial world mad. If news leaked out, countless experts would swarm the Living Dead Tomb to seize it.
For them, that would be nothing short of catastrophic.
"Please rest assured, Granny Sun. Today's events will not be spoken of to a third person."
After finishing his recitation, Chu Yang spoke first, dispelling her worries.
"Thank you, Master Chu."
Granny Sun finally let out a breath.
With his objective achieved, Chu Yang prepared to take his leave.
Before departing, Granny Sun gifted him several jars of honey.
Chu Yang had revealed the secret of the tomb chambers yet left the Ancient Tomb Sect with the Nine Yin Manual intact. A few jars of honey were hardly an excessive token.
The Ancient Tomb Sect lived apart from the world and had nothing of equal value to offer.
Granny Sun escorted them out of the tomb. In her arms, Little Dragon Girl began to whimper softly—after half a day together, she had grown attached to the two big sisters and was reluctant to part.
Li Mochou stared at Chu Yang the entire time, her anger still unresolved. She could only toss out a not-so-threatening threat,
"When my martial arts are perfected, I will definitely repay today's humiliation!"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Granny Sun smacked the back of her head, sending her clutching it and fleeing in pain. Her harsh words turned into yelps.
"Ow! Ow! Granny, stop hitting me! I know I was wrong!"
Li Mochou begged for mercy with tears streaming down her face.
Amid her miserable wails, everyone left Mount Zhongnan and headed toward Northern Song territory.
...
Naruto World.
Beneath the Forest of Death in Konoha Village.
Chu Yang's secret research facility was operating in an orderly fashion. The task of extracting Ōtsutsuki bloodline material had reached its final stage. A bloodline factor analyzer nearly ten meters tall stood at the center of the lab, vibrating as it emitted a deep hum.
Numerous shadow clones stared at the machine with tense anticipation.
Beep—beep—beep—
Green indicator lights lit up on the device, signaling that the extraction and synthesis of the bloodline factors had been completed.
Chu Yang took a deep breath and stepped forward, removing a crystal-clear test tube from the machine.
The substance inside was somewhere between liquid and gas—a translucent, mist-like form that shimmered dreamily, dazzling to the eye.
This was the bloodline factor of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
"We finally succeeded!!!"
All the shadow clones cheered. Only Chu Yang himself could truly understand how much effort he had poured into this process.
Moments later, Chu Yang lay down inside a pre-prepared bio-chamber, instructing his clones to begin the follow-up transplantation procedure.
The test tube containing the bloodline factor was placed into a slot at the top of the chamber. As the indicator lights came on, the contents rapidly dissipated, injected directly into Chu Yang's body.
Crystalline gas filled the inside and outside of the chamber. The shadow clones outside seemed to suffer an unknown assault, disappearing one after another.
The laboratory grew eerily empty and silent.
At the same time, the bio-chamber began emitting a shrill alarm, red warning lights flashing wildly.
The mist that had spread outward suddenly turned blood-red.
The alarm blared for an unknown length of time before abruptly cutting off. The red mist was violently drawn back, sucked into the chamber as if by an immense force.
As visibility gradually returned, Chu Yang's figure emerged.
His appearance had changed dramatically—like a boy of fifteen or sixteen who had aged overnight into a man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight.
His black hair had turned white.
His physique was noticeably more robust, an intimidating pressure faintly radiating from him.
The next moment—
Chu Yang snapped his eyes open.
His pupils were no longer black, but pure white, with a faint golden hue at their deepest point.
Then, they changed again—spiraling patterns appeared, rings upon rings, with magatama-shaped black dots flickering in and out of existence.
"Are these eyes Rinnegan… or Tenseigan? Or both?"
Chu Yang was deeply curious. He could feel the immense power contained within his eyes, especially in the realm of space-time.
With the assistance of bloodline factor technology, Chu Yang could be said to possess the purest Ōtsutsuki bloodline in existence—perhaps even surpassing Ōtsutsuki Kaguya herself.
Whatever changes manifested in his kekkei genkai were completely unpredictable.
"No wonder so many people become addicted to power. This feeling—having everything in your grasp—is truly intoxicating."
Chu Yang smiled faintly, then clenched his fists and instantly entered Sage Mode. A golden haori woven from chakra materialized around him, radiating terrifying energy fluctuations.
Because the fusion of the bloodline factor exceeded his expectations, the Six Paths Sage Mode he now wielded was far stronger than anticipated.
"At this point, I might actually be able to compete with the Sage of Six Paths himself…"
Satisfied, Chu Yang dispelled Sage Mode and walked into another room filled with equipment.
At the center stood nine massive glass tanks, each containing a portion of chakra from one of the nine tailed beasts. Sealing arrays were etched at the base of each tank.
This was the Ten-Tails cultivation chamber.
The Ten-Tails was the incarnation of the Divine Tree. If Chu Yang wanted to obtain a Divine Tree Fruit, he had to revive the Ten-Tails. He had no intention of following Kaguya's example and using the planet beneath his feet as nourishment.
He had no desire to become a world enemy—especially not to stand opposed to Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
Chu Yang summoned more shadow clones to continue the work. The laboratory once again became a hive of activity.
...
"This city has detected the presence of a Demon-level monster earlier this morning. All citizens are advised to evacuate immediately and seek refuge in other cities."
Just as Chu Yang was preparing to leave for work, he stopped and stared blankly at the news on the television.
Since arriving in this world, Chu Yang had lived almost every day in a state of fear.
Monster attacks never ceased—today an entire district destroyed, tomorrow a group of civilians slaughtered.
The daily death toll reported on the news constantly stimulated his nerves, reminding him that he could be the next victim.
The darkest moment came one morning when Chu Yang learned that a coworker had died in a monster attack.
She was a girl with a beautiful smile.
They had been drinking together just the night before.
She was gentle and kind, often encouraging Chu Yang when he was feeling pessimistic, urging him to face the world with optimism.
He had even imagined what it might be like if the two of them started dating someday.
And then…
The bad news nearly shattered Chu Yang's final psychological defense.
If only he had encountered the monster with her back then—if only they had left this hateful world together.
That thought etched itself deep into Chu Yang's mind.
Being transported to such a world filled him with a profound sense of exhaustion and helplessness.
I can't do anything. If I keep living like this, what meaning is there?
Chu Yang put down his briefcase—and abandoned the idea of fleeing with the crowd.
After taking one last look at the television and confirming the monster's location, he left his apartment alone.
Rather than live on in constant fear, he would choose how to die.
On the streets, people fled with their families. Those with cars drove; those without walked. Everyone was desperate to get as far away as possible from the monster's location.
Chu Yang was like a reef, moving against the tide of humanity.
A kind passerby mistook him for being frightened out of his wits and grabbed his arm.
"Kid, you're going the wrong way! There's a Demon-level monster over there!"
Chu Yang gently pushed the man's hand away, nodded in thanks, and disappeared back into the crowd.
Watching his retreating figure, the passerby seemed to understand something. His expression darkened.
Gradually, there were fewer and fewer people around Chu Yang.
By the time he reached what had once been the city's busiest park, not a single soul remained.
The surroundings were deathly silent, as if the city itself had died.
"Waaah… waaah… Mommy…"
Crying echoed from ahead. Chu Yang looked closer and saw a small boy standing at the park entrance, his mother collapsed on the ground beside him.
The woman clutched her leg in agony. It was badly bruised—likely broken during the evacuation—leaving her unable to move.
As the crowd faded into the distance, despair filled the woman's eyes.
Chu Yang stopped, stunned.
Should he go find the Demon-level monster… or help this mother and child escape?
"Even if I help them, they won't get far. In the end, they'll still be caught and killed. It's meaningless…"
With that thought, Chu Yang stepped forward, expressionless, walking past the boy and his mother.
"Big brother! Don't go that way! There's a monster there—you'll die!"
The boy saw Chu Yang and ran over, clutching his pant leg, crying so hard he could barely speak.
"You… weren't you asking me for help?"
Chu Yang was surprised.
"Mommy said you can't help us alone. She said not to drag you down, and told me to tell you to leave quickly!"
The boy bit his lip, trying to cry more quietly. His mother had also told him to run—but he didn't want to go.
Instinctively, the boy tightened his grip on Chu Yang's pants. Chu Yang realized then that the child truly wanted to ask for help.
In the end, the boy let go and silently watched Chu Yang walk away.
Just as Chu Yang was about to vanish from the boy's sight, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and walked back. Without a word, he lifted the woman onto his back.
"Move faster—the monster's coming!"
At his words, the boy nodded frantically, overjoyed. The woman clung to Chu Yang's back, thanking him repeatedly.
Chu Yang said nothing, straining every muscle as he ran with all the strength he had in his life.
But…
He was just an ordinary person.
After a short distance, he was gasping for breath, his pace slowing more and more.
Finally—
At an intersection, they encountered the Demon-level monster.
Facing death, Chu Yang was calmer than he had imagined. The woman on his back, however, trembled violently.
The sound of her teeth chattering reached his ears.
The boy stood frozen, utterly at a loss.
Before them stood a monster covered in black chitin, resembling a giant moth. It looked at Chu Yang with mocking amusement.
"I've actually been following you the whole time. I wanted to watch you struggle for survival. Thanks to you, it was quite entertaining. If there's a chance, I'd love to see it again."
Chu Yang set the woman down and said firmly, "I know you're in pain and can't move. But if you want your child to live, you have to move—even if you can't."
With that, Chu Yang walked alone toward the moth monster.
Understanding his intent to buy them time with his life, the woman sobbed as she pulled her child away, fleeing down the opposite street.
The moth monster watched with interest, making no move to stop them.
Instead, it asked curiously, "What's the point of this? Do you really think you can stop me?"
Chu Yang loosened his tie, wrapped it around his hand, then took out a cigarette and lit it before replying,
"I said from the start that it's meaningless. But before I die, I want to ask you something."
"Go ahead," the moth monster grinned. It had been a long time since it met such an interesting human.
"Two months ago… did you encounter a girl around here?"
"A girl? Hmm… oh! I remember. That day I was in a good mood, just wandering around. I felt like I bumped into something—turned out it was a person…"
The moth monster burst into hysterical laughter.
"She was too weak, like an ant. I didn't even notice her. I just brushed past her, and she died. Hahaha!"
"I see."
Chu Yang flicked away the final cigarette butt and crushed it underfoot, then charged straight at the monster.
The moth monster scratched its head and casually waved a hand, sending Chu Yang flying.
Like a discarded doll, Chu Yang smashed into a parked car. The door caved in, glass shattering everywhere.
"Hahaha! You didn't really think you were a hero, did you?"
"Well then… Mr. Hero, I'm off to find that mother and child. You just stay here and wait to die."
As the moth monster mocked him, Chu Yang coughed up blood, the world before his eyes slowly fading to black.
After an unknown amount of time—
He heard someone calling him.
"Hey, newbie, still sleeping here?"
"Get up—we've got a meeting."
(End of Chapter)