C21 The Mute and the Deaf Did Not Die

Swords clanged and sabers clashed, and in the blink of an eye, Yue Yang had gained the upper hand, his golden saber pressing down on the female official's sword.

"Little Daoist, what difference does it make if you've found me today? I can leave my body and you won't be able to find me at all," she taunted, trying to undermine Yue Yang with her words, despite being at a disadvantage.

"Have you forgotten? You cannot leave the Imperial Palace. I need only station guards in the snowy mountains, and within three days, your death is certain. I am here to offer you a chance to redeem yourself. Would you be willing to join my sect and serve as a guardian spirit of the mountains?" Yue Yang spoke calmly, confident in his leverage over the female official.

"Spit on that! You depraved Daoist, you think I'm unaware of the filth in your sect? I would only submit if the snows of the Heavenly Mountain melted and the waters of the Kunlun Immortal Pond dried up!" The female official spat out her curses, but Yue Yang had already disarmed her, the point of his saber at her chest, leaving her no room to move.

"Little Daoist, what kind of sword is that? I haven't seen you use it. How can you, a Daoist, use a saber..." The Third Princess was still reeling from the sudden turn of events and only after Yue Yang's victory did she approach with her burning question.

"Perfect opportunity," thought the female official, seeing Yue Yang distracted by the princess. She was about to employ her demonic magic to escape her physical form when a piercing pain shot through her back.

"Little Daoist, attacking from behind? What kind of hero does that make you?" she exclaimed as her powers were sealed, unable to even muster her demonic strength. She turned to see a servant had run her through with a white bone sword.

"Well done, you possess the potential for immortal cultivation," Yue Yang complimented. He had enchanted the white bone sword with a blood curse as a precaution, never expecting the servant to seize such an opportune moment. Without him, the Snow Maiden might have slipped away, and recapturing her would have been a tiresome endeavor.

"Hahaha, what good does capturing me do? I'm not the murderer, nor did I consume the heart and liver. You're nothing but a foolish Daoist."

The Snow Maiden burst into a fit of wild laughter.

"What!"

Le Yang was taken aback, his mind racing. Suddenly, he cried out, "This is bad!"

Just then, a Jade Feather Guard arrived with news.

"The Grand Tutor has just been found dead, his heart and liver completely removed."

"Where is he? Lead me there immediately. And bring the female official with us—the white bone sword must not be removed."

Le Yang, clutching his golden saber, followed the Jade Feather Guard, and they quickly reached the Grand Tutor's body.

The Grand Tutor's face was etched with terror and disbelief. Le Yang hastened to his side, examining the gaping hole in his chest and the bloody cavity where his liver had been.

"Impossible! Why can't I sense any demonic energy?"

A chilling thought struck Le Yang. He turned to face the Snow Maiden.

"Tell me, where is your companion spirit?"

"Hehehe, you're supposed to be so capable, aren't you? Don't you have the Demon-Revealing Mirror? Use it then, use it!" she taunted.

The Snow Maiden's laughter grew as Le Yang struggled to solve the puzzle, her delight increasing with his confusion.

"Immortal Master, what exactly is a half-living spirit? Could the companion spirit be the malevolent entity responsible for these crimes?"

The attendant, having just stabbed the Snow Maiden, seemed to come to a realization and quickly focused on the key issue.

"Spirits can manifest in all things in the world, naturally emerging after being nurtured by the world's essence over time, possessing full consciousness at birth. However, some spirits awaken others that are not yet fully formed by the world's essence. These prematurely awakened spirits are known as half-living spirits."

"So, it's somewhat like a premature birth?"

"Not quite. Spirits possess complete consciousness and often seek to continue absorbing the world's essence, nurturing themselves with the hope of one day transforming into human form and ultimately achieving enlightenment. But companion spirits are flawed; they are aware that no matter what, they cannot achieve human form."

"What do they do then?"

"They bring calamity upon the world! Like this one, feasting on hearts and livers."

Le Yang shook his head in dismay. His clever plan had backfired. He had not anticipated the presence of two demons. Although his senior brother had mentioned only one, he should have realized something was amiss. The Snow Maiden's gentle nature made it inconceivable for her to commit such gruesome acts.

"Immortal Master, please save the King."

The attendant, having witnessed Le Yang capture one demon, surmised that a second would stand little chance against him.

"We can certainly save him. Provide me with all the information you have on these demons."

Le Yang was taking no chances this time. He intended to use every shred of evidence to identify the nature of this half-living demon. However, he never considered intimidating Snowy for information. Despite her delicate and compliant demeanor, Snowy was remarkably resilient. From their brief interaction, Le Yang understood that getting her to divulge anything about the half-living creature was virtually impossible.

"Immortal Master, all the information is in the Recruitment Hall. Would you prefer to visit, or should someone bring the documents to you?"

The attendant inquired, hesitant to make the decision himself.

"The palace is currently unsafe. I must remain here. You fetch the documents."

Le Yang paused to think, and upon hearing 'Recruitment', a name came to mind.

"Hold on, when you go, inquire if there's someone named Feng Buping. Bring him to me; I have important use for him."

Le Yang had someone fetch cinnabar talisman paper, a common tool for the Imperial Advisor, so it was readily available.

"I've drawn some talismans for protection against evil. Go and affix them to each palace door. If any talismans fall, disappear, or fail to stick, report back to me immediately."

Le Yang gave his orders, and the Emerald Feather Guards set out to execute his command.

"What is this? Can't you make it look better? At least make the characters legible, like the Grandmaster Imperial Advisor does."

The Third Princess, who seemed impossible to dismiss, had been watching Le Yang intently as he completed all the talismans.

"Daoist Silver Sword, show me your silver sword, and I'll leave at once."

The Third Princess, noticing Le Yang's impatient gaze, was reluctant to linger beside the man she deemed a fool. She wouldn't have bothered if not for rumors of his silver sword—she'd much rather be honing her own swordsmanship, a skill she was innately passionate about.

"My silver sword is versatile: it can lengthen to pierce the highest heavens or shorten to the size of a mere grain of sand. It can expand to a size the world cannot contain or shrink to a mere speck of dust. It is not for the faint of heart, for it is destined to draw blood upon unsheathing."

Yue Yang recalled a time when Little Yu had rushed over to share a joke she'd overheard, likely from a disciple trying to deceive an unsuspecting new junior sister. Now, as he faced the Third Princess, that very joke seemed like the perfect diversion.

"What? It's that powerful? Could you teach me? Master, I implore you, share with me the secrets of the silver sword."

The Third Princess had only ever heard of the legendary flying sword technique, which could decapitate enemies from a thousand miles away. She had never encountered a sword that could pierce the heavens when large, yet become undetectable when small. Such a technique was the hallmark of a true immortal swordsmanship. Innocent and young, the Third Princess was captivated by the mystical allure of the immortal sword technique, never suspecting that Yue Yang might deceive her.

Yue Yang nearly burst into laughter crafting the joke, but managed to maintain a stern facade as he addressed the Third Princess, "No, this sword technique is traditionally passed down to males only. You cannot learn it."

Upon hearing this, the Third Princess grew desperate, kneeling and refusing to rise. "Master, I have trained in martial arts from a young age. Though I am but fourteen, my swordsmanship is already unmatched by General Chu of the Jade Feather Guards. If you refuse to teach me the silver sword technique, I shall remain kneeling here."

Yue Yang realized he couldn't prolong this charade with the Third Princess and needed to find a way to gently dismiss her. "Very well, since you have addressed me as Master, I cannot allow that to be in vain. If you can master this technique within ten days, it will prove that you are destined to wield it."

He produced a dual cultivation technique from his sect. Though not a top-tier method, it was notoriously challenging even among the mid-grade techniques. Yue Yang had been carrying it to help a senior brother whose progress had been frustratingly slow, hoping to find a way to expedite his breakthrough.

"What is this?"

The Third Princess took the manual, puzzled by the ancient script she couldn't decipher. The knowledge of these ancient characters, passed down from bygone eras, was rare among those who had not pursued the path of cultivation.

"The Heavenly Tome! This tome not only details the methods of cultivating immortality but also contains the sword techniques you wish to learn. If your talent and fortune are sufficient, you might master these arts on your own, without any instruction from me. That... that ultimate immortal art."

Le Yang felt as if he might be overcome with awe.

"Thank you, Master."

The Third Princess treasured the dual cultivation technique as if it were the most precious of gifts, wrapping it carefully and keeping it close.

"Master, you haven't dined yet. Allow me to serve you."

The Third Princess was at a loss for how to express her gratitude to Le Yang. She had heard endless tales of cultivation from the Imperial Advisor, but despite her eagerness to learn, he had always declined to teach her, insisting that her destiny lay elsewhere.

"He is truly the master I was meant to find!"

With great care, the Third Princess, accompanied by her maid, presented the imperial meal to Le Yang, pondering his true age. The Imperial Advisor had mentioned that a cultivator's appearance does not reflect their actual age; his own master was said to be an elder well past fifty.

"The greater the age, the greater the power, they say. My Master must be well over a hundred years old."

The Third Princess mused to herself, her actions brimming with reverence.

So, when Feng Buping was escorted in to greet the Immortal Master, the Third Princess was meticulously peeling the skins from the amethyst grapes, feeding them to Le Yang one by one.