Undying Life

Chapter 249: The Return of the Mud Buddha

After Zhong Shan and Princess Qianyou had left, and all the other people had also departed, Xuan Yuan suddenly opened his silver-grey eyes.

"Alright, everyone's gone now. Come out," Xuan Yuan said calmly.

Although the surroundings appeared empty, soon, on the terrace halfway up the mountain where Xuan Yuan sat, a figure slowly emerged, materializing in an eerie manner.

A man in a black robe appeared, his entire body shrouded in the robe, rendering his face completely obscured.

"You're not him. Who are you?" Xuan Yuan frowned slightly.

"My master is dead. You can call me 'Mud Buddha'," the black-robed man replied calmly.

Mud Buddha. The same Mud Buddha whom Zhong Shan had once sought out in the Wolf Domain. Unexpectedly, he appeared here.

"Mud Buddha?" Xuan Yuan questioned, puzzled.

"Yes, Mud Buddha. My lineage has always passed down this name," the black-robed man responded evenly.

"What do you want?" Xuan Yuan asked.

"I'm here to inform you that no one is coming to replace you. This seal has existed for ten thousand years, and the limit of its lifespan has been reached. It will inevitably break. The entire Fengling City was established for the sake of this seal, and arrangements have already been made. We have held it for ten thousand years, and now whether it brings fortune or disaster, our lineage is no longer entangled with it," Mud Buddha explained calmly.

"What exactly is sealed down there?" Xuan Yuan looked at Mud Buddha, seeking answers.

"Something that should not exist in this world. If you're interested, you can stay and watch. If not, you are free to leave anytime," Mud Buddha replied.

"Are you not going to stay after four months?" Xuan Yuan stared at Mud Buddha.

"Our lineage has spent ten thousand years to cleanse ourselves of any connection to it. Naturally, I don't want to provoke it again. I'm just here to inform you that you are no longer bound by your old promise and can leave anytime," Mud Buddha said nonchalantly.

"I promised your master I would stay for a thousand years. How could I abandon this commitment in the last four months? I will leave after four months, but until then, I will keep my promise," Xuan Yuan said with a faint smile. He then gently closed his eyes, ignoring Mud Buddha.

"As you wish," Mud Buddha said softly. Then, his form flickered and vanished from the spot.

In Fengling City, inside a large mansion.

Xie Yan sat in the main hall, his right hand's index and middle fingers slowly placed on his forehead. With his eyes slightly closed, he appeared to be concentrating on something.

Chu Ba Mo Luo stood nearby, frowning as he stared at Xie Yan's fingertips.

Suddenly, from Xie Yan's forehead, a wisp of black smoke slowly emerged, coalescing and dispersing intermittently. Within the black smoke, there was a small black core, about the size of a fingernail, resembling a seed and emitting a dark, glossy sheen.

The black core hovered at Xie Yan's fingertips, radiating a faint, eerie black aura.

Xie Yan opened his eyes gently, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

"Young Master, is that the demon seed?" Chu Ba Mo Luo asked, his gaze fixed on the black core.

"Yes. Every demon seed carrier has one of these. Some use it to accelerate their cultivation, while others plant it in others. Once it's planted in someone else, it won't be long before it controls their thoughts, enslaving them and turning them into my female slaves," Xie Yan replied with a sinister grin.

"Does Young Master intend to plant this demon seed in Nian Youyou?" Chu Ba Mo Luo asked.

"Exactly. Nian Youyou, a true immortal from the Eternal Life Realm, possessing a Qian Ding body. If I don't plant it in her, it would be a waste of my only demon seed. She dared to mock me; once she becomes my slave, I will make her beg on her knees, pleading for my favor. Hahaha," Xie Yan laughed with excitement.

"Although you only have one demon seed, using it on Nian Youyou wouldn't disgrace it," Chu Ba Mo Luo nodded in agreement.

"Disgrace? Actually, the one I most want to plant it on is Nian Youyou's master. It's just that her master is too strong. But it doesn't matter; with my guidance, Nian Youyou will sooner or later become just like her master," Xie Yan said with a sinister grin—

Inside Fengling City, within a grand hall.

Prince Hanzue sat at the head, with Mr. Left and Mr. Right on either side, and several officials reporting to Prince Hanzue.

"Your Highness, our men saw Princess Qianyou yesterday," one official said.

"Princess Qianyou?" Prince Hanzue raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, she just arrived, probably also here for the Feng Shui array," the official replied.

"Also here for that thing? Heh, for now, let's not bother with her," Prince Hanzue decided.

"Understood," the official replied.

"Have you found out?" Prince Hanzue asked.

"Not yet. It seems that the Feng Shui array has been here since the establishment of the Great Light Dynasty, and His Majesty ordered that no city lord should disturb it," another official explained.

"At the founding of the Great Light, there was a person named 'Mud Buddha' who helped subdue ten cities for the Great Light. His only condition was that the forbidden area not be disturbed for two thousand three hundred years. Now that time has come. I want to see what's buried under this Feng Shui array," Prince Hanzue frowned.

"Report——"

Suddenly, a voice from outside the grand hall interrupted them. Everyone looked towards the entrance.

Soon, an official rushed in, holding a black paper in his hand.

"Reporting to Your Highness, a black-robed man calling himself 'Mud Buddha' suddenly appeared outside. He asked me to deliver this paper to you. I felt something strange about him, so I brought the paper here immediately," the official reported.

"Hm——" Prince Hanzue quickly stood up. Mud Buddha?

"Where is he?" Prince Hanzue immediately asked.

"He left. The moment I gave him the paper, he disappeared," the official replied.

"Give it to me," Prince Hanzue ordered.

The official quickly handed it to the prince.

Prince Hanzue looked at the paper, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with suspicion.

"Your Highness, what's going on?" Mr. Left asked immediately.

Prince Hanzue handed the paper to Mr. Left. The paper read:—

"In the Feng Shui array, the seal of the 'Eight Extremities Heavenly Tail', a calamity unparalleled in heaven and earth, sealed for ten thousand years. The entire Fengling City serves as the array's seal. Four months later, the Eight Extremities Heavenly Tail will emerge, causing devastation to all living beings. Within four months, everyone must leave the city to accumulate merit. This is a warning. To act or not is up to your heart——"

Prince Hanzue's expression became uncertain, and Mr. Right also walked over to Mr. Left to examine the paper carefully. Both of them frowned.

"Your Highness!" the two gentlemen looked at Prince Hanzue after putting down the paper.

"How do you two see it?" Prince Hanzue frowned.

"It should be announced. Whether people stay or leave should be left to fate," Mr. Left suggested.

"It should be announced a few days before the end. Announcing it now might cause unnecessary panic and actions from those with ulterior motives," Mr. Right advised.

"Alright, then we'll wait until the last few days," Prince Hanzue nodded.

"Understood," the two gentlemen replied—

One Month Later, Inside a Hall in Fengling City's Valley.

Princess Qianyou was dressed in men's clothing, holding a paper fan, and smiling slightly. "Sir, do you think Nian Youyou will come to see you again today?"

Upon hearing Princess Qianyou's question, Zhongshan smiled bitterly. Every few days, Nian Youyou would come again, and Zhongshan could guess why. Nian Youyou wanted to prove her charm, or rather, she saw him merely as a tool for firming her resolve. But her charms always seemed to fail in his presence, leaving Nian Youyou frustrated. For such a confident and strong-willed woman, this kind of frustration was unbearable. It wasn't just a feeling of defeat but also a questioning of her past beliefs. She wanted to indulge herself to prove that she had been right all along and to reaffirm her resolve.

However, with the Red Phoenix Tianjing within him, how could he possibly indulge? That was the puzzle that left Nian Youyou perplexed.

"Princess, what's the deal with that Feng Shui fish?" Zhongshan quickly changed the subject. It was never wise to talk extensively about one woman in front of another.

Seeing Zhongshan diverting the topic, Princess Qianyou smiled faintly and didn't pursue further. "The Feng Shui fish is actually a part of the Feng Shui array. As for why it left Fengling City, it indicates a change in the Feng Shui array. However, regardless of the changes, the Feng Shui fish originates from the Feng Shui array and carries the imprint of the array within. The Feng Shui array is ever-changing, and sometimes the Feng Shui fish can play a crucial role in activating the array. It can even reverse danger into safety and turn calamity into fortune."

"In that case, we don't have enough Feng Shui fish. We need to find more," Zhongshan said.

"But with millions of people in Fengling City, where can we find them? Last time, I and Ada were lucky to find one. And now, those who have Feng Shui fish would surely keep them well hidden," Second Senior expressed concern.

"No, I know someone who definitely has one," Princess Qianyou said confidently.

"Nian Youyou?" Second Senior asked incredulously. Rarely did anyone challenge her.

"No, Xiao Qiushui!" Princess Qianyou said.

"Xiao Qiushui?" Second Senior raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Yes, I'll give you his portrait right away. You can search for him in Fengling City. If he caught a Feng Shui fish, he will definitely come to Fengling City. Perhaps he's already lurking in some corner by now," Princess Qianyou said confidently.

"Understood," Second Senior replied promptly.

"Sir, Nian Youyou is here again," Ada walked in from outside the hall and reported.

"Princess, describe Xiao Qiushui to Second Senior. I'll go take a look," Zhongshan said.

"Alright," Princess Qianyou nodded, but her brow furrowed slightly, indicating her unfriendliness towards Nian Youyou's arrival.

Outside the hall, upon seeing Nian Youyou, Zhongshan was momentarily stunned. Why was Nian Youyou dressed like this?