Chapter Fifty-Six: Contacting Headquarters

"Uncle Xu, where do we go next? Do we head straight north? What about entering the border? Will the people from the Mingyue Empire try something again?" Having escaped to safety, Chen Mu hurriedly turned to Xu Changye for guidance on their next steps.

Xu Changye pondered for a moment. "We go north first and figure things out when we reach the border. The imperial family of the Mingyue Empire will certainly have men stationed there to intercept us. We must contact the headquarters of the Nine Nether Sacred Land; only then will we have a sliver of hope. I remember there's an inn not far ahead, which serves as one of our strongholds. Once there, we can use the communication device to reach headquarters."

"Then let's head to that inn first—just in time to wait for my secret trump card to return," Chen Mu nodded.

"???" Xu Changye was puzzled. A trump card that could come back after being used? What kind of trump card was this? Was Chen Mu's trump card not a one-time thing?

With that, Chen Mu and the group flew toward the inn disguised as a stronghold. The staff at the inn grew highly vigilant as soon as they saw the military's Swift Eagle Beast approaching, but their tension eased upon recognizing Xu Changye, the leader of the Nightshade Organization.

This inn was situated to the northeast, on a route different from the one Chen Mu had previously taken, and its location subtly leaned toward the territory of the Yellow Sands Empire.

Upon seeing Xu Changye arrive, a staff member immediately went to fetch the innkeeper. The short, thin innkeeper emerged and, standing before Xu Changye, knelt on one knee and declared, "Nine Nether in our hearts, Sacred Land eternal!"

Xu Changye returned the formal greeting of their order, "Nine Nether in our hearts, Sacred Land eternal!"

The innkeeper rose, shared a knowing smile with Xu Changye, and invited him and the others inside to speak.

"I am Hou Yiliu. You may call me Manager Hou. It is my greatest fortune to meet Lord Xu, leader of the Nightshade, in person today." Hou Yiliu's wrinkled face creased into a smile that made him rather resemble a monkey.

He then glanced at the Swift Eagle Beast outside. "If I recall, the military only keeps a scant few Swift Eagle Beasts. How did you arrive here on one, Lord Xu? Are you on a mission?"

"Manager Hou, it's a long story. I was originally escorting the young master out of the border to gather the Seven Dream Sal Tree flowers, but we were intercepted by the Mingyue Empire’s military. They tried to capture us, but thanks to the help of young brother Chen Mu here, we managed to escape. As for the Swift Eagle Beast, that too was subdued by Chen Mu using special means," Xu Changye explained as he sipped the tea poured by a servant.

After paying his respects to Gongsun Lin, Hou Yiliu looked at Chen Mu, then continued questioning Xu Changye, "I see... So your purpose here is...?"

"They later ambushed us at Mount Qin Xiao, but miscalculated, and we escaped again. I suspect the Mingyue Empire will block us at the border, so I came to this stronghold to contact headquarters for reinforcements. If our people come, the Mingyue Empire won’t dare act openly."

"Very well, come with me. I'll take you to the communication altar."

"I’m not a member of your order," Chen Mu interjected. "It’s probably best if I stay here and have some tea. The communication altar must be a Nine Nether Sacred Land secret, so I’ll refrain from going."

Hou Yiliu nodded without insisting. He unlocked a restriction near the counter and led the others down a hidden passage.

In the underground chamber, aside from a table and a chair, stood the communication altar Xu Changye needed to contact Nine Nether headquarters.

Xu Changye stepped before the altar, drew a small knife, and made a shallow cut on his finger, letting drops of blood fall onto the altar. He closed his eyes and waited.

Suddenly, the altar glowed blood-red, and a shadowy projection, emanating baleful energy, took shape, looking at Xu Changye. "Nine Nether in our hearts, Sacred Land eternal!"

Xu Changye responded, "Nine Nether in our hearts, Sacred Land eternal!"

"What business brings you to headquarters? Wait, aren’t you Xu Changye? Weren’t you accompanying the young master to gather the Seven Dream Sal Tree flowers? How have you ended up at this stronghold contacting me via the altar?"

"Reporting to Elder Song, we encountered complications. The Mingyue Empire’s military discovered our trail and tried to capture us to use as leverage against the master. We only escaped thanks to a young man we met on the road…" Xu Changye recounted their ordeal with the Mingyue blockade and how Chen Mu had saved them more than once.

"Hmph! Outrageous! Do they think the Nine Nether Sacred Land is a sick cat to be bullied at will? Rest assured, I will report this to the Master, and he will see justice done for you."

"The pressing issue is that if we try to cross the border, the Mingyue imperial family will undoubtedly dispatch troops to block us. I'm worried they’ll concoct false charges against us, especially Chen Mu. He’s made a mortal enemy of their military this time. I wish to draw him into the Nine Nether Sacred Land. Despite his unassuming appearance, he can fight at the early Core Formation stage and even tamed a military-bred Swift Eagle Beast—a rare talent indeed."

"Since he is so gifted, we should recruit him. You did well; we’ll help resolve his situation."

"Thank you, Elder," Xu Changye said gratefully.

The elder waved a hand. "I’ll dispatch a War Demon Priest to escort you. We’ll see who dares lay a finger on you."

After discussing further matters, the elder turned to Gongsun Lin, who had just arrived. "Young Master, the Mistress’s injuries are worsening, and the inner alchemists have repeatedly urged us to obtain the Seven Dream Sal Tree flower. Now that you’ve gathered it, please return as soon as possible. The War Demon Priest will likely reach the border to meet you within five days. Please set out soon. Your father hasn’t eaten or slept, neglecting all affairs—do spend more time with him when you return, so he doesn’t worry himself sick."

"Uncle Song, please look after my father while I’m away. Since mother was injured, he’s been at a loss. To see him growing thinner each day… how could his child not be heartbroken…" Gongsun Lin’s eyes glistened with tears.

"Don’t worry. Your uncles and I are sharing the Master’s burdens. The Nine Nether Sacred Land will not fall. Enough talk—I'll instruct the War Demon Priest to meet you at the border. Your safety is what matters." With that, the shadow of baleful energy faded, and the altar grew still.

Gongsun Lin wiped her tears and said to the others, "Let’s head back upstairs."

Chen Mu, bored in the inn, sipped his tea. Seeing Gongsun Lin and the others return, he asked, "Everything settled?"

Gongsun Lin nodded. "Yes, all arranged. The Nine Nether headquarters will send a War Demon Priest and an escort to meet us at the border within five days."

"Then let’s rest here tonight. It’s gotten late, and I still need to retrieve the secret trump card I threw out the other day," Chen Mu said, stretching.

Gongsun Lin’s curiosity was piqued. "What exactly was that trump card you tossed?"

"Guess," Chen Mu replied lazily.

"Stingy! Fine, keep your secrets. How could I possibly guess? All I saw was a white ball of fluff falling… covered in fur? Was it alive? A spirit beast?" Gongsun Lin’s frown deepened as she pondered, then suddenly her face lit up.

"Do you have another spirit beast with you?" she asked, shaking Chen Mu’s arm.

Chen Mu feigned sleep, ignoring her, which made her grind her teeth in frustration.

That night, Chen Mu sensed Rou’er approaching and quietly slipped out of the inn to meet her.

What he didn’t know was that someone else had sneaked out as well—Gongsun Lin, who was following him.

Gongsun Lin was deeply curious about the fluffy white thing Chen Mu had thrown out days before. She had a hunch that if she could only hold it, it would feel wonderful.

Just as Chen Mu was about to meet Rou’er, Rou’er sent him a mental message, warning him that he was being followed.

Chen Mu sighed, stopped, and called out, "Come out, Gongsun Lin. I know you’ve been following me."

Gongsun Lin’s heart skipped a beat at being discovered, but she replied, "How did you know?"

Chen Mu didn’t answer, but spoke sternly instead. "Are you so desperate to know what my trump card is?"

"I’m just curious… Please, let me see it! I know it must be an adorable spirit beast, right? Even though I only glimpsed it for a moment, its white fur and tiny form… Hehe… I am a girl, after all. I can’t resist cute things," Gongsun Lin admitted shyly, fidgeting with her skirt.

"Ah… so you guessed it. But you have to swear not to tell anyone, or I’ll never let you see Rou’er."

"Is its name Rou’er? I knew it! Even the name sounds adorable!" Gongsun Lin exclaimed excitedly.

"Heh, once you sense Rou’er’s cultivation, you might not think so. She really is cute and gentle—but only to me. As for you, who knows." Chen Mu shrugged.

"So where is Rou’er?" Gongsun Lin asked, her eyes sparkling.

Unable to refuse her, Chen Mu called up into a tree, "Come down, Rou’er."

A small dragon-fox leapt down from the branches. Little Rou’er, the dragon-fox, looked quite displeased. "You blockhead, have you lost your mind over a pretty face? Bringing an outsider to see me—selling out your adorable Rou’er for a woman!"

Chen Mu scratched his head. "Don’t make it sound like that. She guessed who you were and followed me here. Am I supposed to kill her to keep the secret?"

The stars in Gongsun Lin’s eyes grew brighter, her girlish heart surging as she dashed toward Rou’er. "So cute! I want to hold her!"

Rou’er, annoyed, hopped onto Chen Mu’s head and glared at Gongsun Lin. "If you keep treating me like a pet, don’t blame me for being rude!"