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CH 53 – Things Look Quite Odd

Flowing along with the wind, practicing Wind Steps, Zhu Furong ran during the day while working on his perception skills and meditated during the night to restore his Spiritual Body.

Having an injured Spiritual Body always makes Zhu Furong feel weak inside and he gets tired quite easily compared to before.

The 5 days of journey took 8 days to cover.

At noon, Zhu Furong arrived at a restaurant in Shila Town which is closest to the Sunlight Sect.

"Hey, have you heard the young prodigy of our Ming Dynasty is hurt?" Suddenly Zhu Furong heard the people on the next table talking about something interesting.

"You mean the second prince Ming Zen?" Another man in the group asked in surprise.

"Hmm..." The first man answered.

'That's some interesting news.' With this thought, Zhu Furong walked to the table and put a small bag full of silvers on the table.

"Do you mind if I join? My treat." Zhu Furong smiled.

The four men on the table were overjoyed looking at the small bag full of silvers. One of the men pulled the bag of silvers towards him, "Of course little brother, we don't mind at all, please have a seat." The man offered his own seat and pulled out a chair from the adjacent table for himself.

The 5 men sat on the same table enjoying their food.

The four men understand the rules of trade. So they didn't hold back on information.

The first man continued from where he left, "It is said that two days ago Prince Ming Zen clashed with the prodigy of the Thousand Arms Sect, Ryujin. In the fight Ryujin used some special art to injure Ming Zen's soul. At the peculiar moment, Lady Zhu Ling jumped into the rescue while Princess Ming Lan along with her Beast Bond provided back up."

"Siii... There is such a prodigy in the Thousand Arms Sect? What is his background? This Ryujin?" One of the three men asked.

The first man shook his head, "No one knows. Someday he just appeared out of nowhere and joined the Thousand Arms Sect. Within a year he beat all the senior disciples and rose to the peak— It is said that he is only 20 years old and is already at the mid stages of the Open Ascension rank."

"Wow!" The three men exclaimed in shock. Zhu Furong was also amazed, but he didn't show it on his face. He kept listening.

"So where is Prince Ming Zen now?" One of the men asked.

The first man chugged a bowl of wine, wiped his mouth, "The Thousand Arms Sect has sealed an area of 1000 miles towards Dafan City with their sext as the center, there is no way Prince Ming Zen can escape with his injuries. He must be hiding somewhere in the southern part of the continent."

"Well, it's all good till he is safe. If something happens to him, there definitely will be a war between the Royal Palace and Thousand Arms Sect." One of the men sighed with relief.

"I doubt that. I don't think the palace wants to get involved. If they wanted to, wouldn't they have already provided support to Prince Ming Zen?" One of the men presented his doubts.

"That's true. But who knows? Maybe the palace is already involved in secret—You know how much the Emperor adores his only daughter. There's no way he won't take measures for her safety." One of the men commented.

"Hmm..." The other men agreed.

After that it was a tale of Prince Ming Zen and Lady Zhu Ling's great adventures for justice, along with Princess Ming Lan who hunts perverts along with her large, white tiger spiritual beast.

After listening to all the valiant tales of the three gems of the empire, Zhu Furong took his leave in the evening.

He booked an inn and Cultivated till next morning. By now the misty arm of his Spiritual Body has somewhat taken a shape. At this speed, it will take about a month for his Spiritual Body to heal completely. It would have taken longer if not for the Soul Lotus Zhu Furong consumed earlier.

Since there are no Soul Battles in the lower realm, it doesn't hinder his battle prowess.

Next day morning, Zhu Furong arrived at Sunlight Town. As he ventured through the market towards the sect he noticed some people who look like disciples from another sect.

As he reached the Sunlight Sect's gate he noticed something odd. The sect gate which is always guarded by the outer sect disciples of the sect, wearing cyan hanfu is now guarded by some disciples in black hanfu.

Upon Zhu Furong's arrival, he was stopped by one of the guards and asked for his name. After that he was escorted to a temporary tent built nearby.

Inside the tent, a middle aged man is resting on a chair with his legs on the table.

The escort stepped forward, cupping his hands in salute, "Senior, this inner disciple of Sunlight Sect has not been investigated yet."

The middle aged man slowly opened his eyes, stretched his body, yawning. Bobbing his hand, he told the escort to leave. Inside the tent only Zhu Furong and the middle aged man in black hanfu remain.

The man looked at Zhu Furong from head to toe then he pulled out a fat register before asking, "Name? Pavilion? Where have you been?"

Zhu Furong hesitated to answer a stranger but when he saw the register which belongs to the Sunlight Sect he decided to answer honestly.

"Zuo Rong, Martial Arts Pavilion. I am returning from home." Zhu Furong answered calmly.

The man checked the register and frowned, "The last registry says you went on a beast hunting quest." The man suspiciously looked at Zhu Furong.

"Huh?" Zhu Furong took a step forward peeking at the register, "The guard must have forgotten to update the register. As I remember, when I left the guards were changing their shifts." Zhu Furong quickly made up a lie without even batting an eye.

The man still looked with doubt at Zhu Furong.

"You can ask Elder Wu Hao of Martial Arts Pavilion, he can testify." Zhu Furong calmly replied.

Hearing this the man called one of the disciples guarding the tent and sent him to ask Elder Wu Hao about Zhu Furong's claim.

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In the meantime he pulled out another register which belongs to the Mission Hall of Sunlight Sect.

"Where were you on the 24th of last month?" The man asked.

"24th? Hmm..." Hearing the date Zhu Furong is startled inside. It's the same date he killed Lin Kai.

'Is it a coincidence?' He thought.

Looking at the register from the Mission Hall he can't lie this time. "That was the day I took the beast hunting quest at the Forest of Gehna." Zhu Furong replied honestly.

The man focused his gaze on Zhu Furong's face, "Did you meet Lin Kai that day?"

"Lin Kai? The inner disciple of our Sunlight Sect?" Zhu Furong asked.

"Yes." The man answered.

Zhu Furong acted like he was thinking deeply, after a minute he shook his head, "No, I don't remember seeing Senior Brother Lin Kai that day." He acted completely normal.

"Tch!" The man clicked his tongue with disappointment.

He then pulled out a meter square sheet of parchment with an array symbol printed on it. He laid the parchment on the floor and put four pitch black, supposedly 'high grade Spirit Crystals' at the four corners of the parchment.

"Stand in the middle." He gestured to Zhu Furong.

"This..." Zhu Furong acted hesitant and confused.

"It's nothing to worry about. I won't harm you inside your own sect will I?" The man snorted.

'Who knows? Are you my dad that I should believe you?' Zhu Furong didn't agree and scrutinized the array symbol on the parchment.

"What are you waiting for? Do you want me to help you?" The man glared at Zhu Furong.

Zhu Furong walked forward and stood at the center of the parchment. With his knowledge on arrays, he is at least sure that this is some sort of detection array.

The man made a few hand seals, activating the array.

Zhu Furong felt as if every nook and corner of his body was being examined. He creeped out.

The man walked around Zhu Furong slowly looking at his body. After two minutes the array got deactivated and the man put it back inside with a disappointed look.

At this moment the guard disciple returned and confirmed that Zhu Furong indeed went home.

The man dismissed Zhu Furong after this. But his gaze still pierced Zhu Furong's back till Zhu Furong was out of his vision.

After Zhu Furong left, the man sat back on his chair, muttering. "This lad was also in the list of enemies Lin Kai had, but even this guy doesn't have the Ghost Mark on his body. Then who killed the Young Master? Was it really not someone from the Sunlight Sect? But then who? Sunlight Sect doesn't seem to have any enemies who will go as far as to kill their disciples—Tch! This case has become quite troublesome." He clicked his tongue in frustration.

Walking towards the top of the Martial Arts Pavilion hill, Zhu Furong noticed more disciples of this mysterious sect.

"That was indeed a detection array." Zhu Xingzuo confirmed.

Zhu Furong slightly nodded, "Yes, they were probably checking for some marks left after I killed Lin Kai. I remember the large families and sects in the upper realm used to have such techniques. But..."

Zhu Furong frowned, "Several questions— Why didn't they find any mark on my body? And who is Lin Kai for another sect to invade the Sunlight Sect and on top of that the Sunlight Sect let them do as they want in their area?"

"Well, my knowledge of Lin Kai is the same as yours. As for the mark, I erased it as soon as it hit your body." Zhu Xingzuo replied.

"What? Why didn't you tell me if there was such a thing?" Zhu Furong was taken aback.

Zhu Xingzuo snorted, "It was the same as blowing dust. The mark was too weak to even make me consider. Not my fault."

Zhu Furong opened and closed his mouth wanting to scold Zhu Xingzuo but in the end he just shook his head.

He sighed, "Next time let me know even if it is the smallest thing— Even the smallest spark can cause a fire."

Zhu Xingzuo yawned, "Yeh, whatever."

Chatting with Zhu Xingzuo, Zhu Furong arrived at the Pavilion Master's residence.

As he entered the gate he noticed a young beautiful woman feeding the fishes. Her serenity made Zhu Furong forget about the discomfort he was feeling due to an injured Spiritual Body.

With slow and steady steps Zhu Furong walked to Chu Dongmei and gave a salute. "Senior Sister, is the Pavilion Master inside?" He asked in a gentle tone so as not to disturb Chu Dongmei. He did it subconsciously.

Chu Dongmei turned her head to look at Zhu Furong and then she nodded, "Master is inside. Let me escort you." Saying this, Chu Dongmei led the way. Zhu Furong followed.

In the hall, Fan Xin is meditating on the luohan bed. Hearing the footsteps she slowly opened her eyes.

Zhu Furong took out a small vial and threw it to Fan Xin. She caught it with a frown.

"Inside are 4 Flowing Qi pills." Zhu Furong spoke with a smile, then he threw another vial at her.

"This one contains a special medical liquid. There are twenty drops of it. Ten for each of you. Boil it in 200 milliliters of Morning Dew before consuming. It will help you temper your internal organs— A small gift from me." He added at the end.

Fan Xin popped the cork on the vial and took a sniff. It's a sharp pungent smell. But the heat that entered her body from that single sniff shook her insides. Her eyes instantly turned round.

It is indeed the Burn and Churn Liquid. For humans Cultivators who usually protect their internal organs with Essence Qi, this Burn and Churn Liquid is a treasure only heard in legends. Even in the upper realm, the recipe for the Burn and Churn Liquid is hard to find.

Fan Xin bloomed a smile, "I was informed that you have been truanting from the sect and was thinking how to punish you but it seems you went home."

Zhu Furong made a dry smile when he heard about the punishment.

Fan Xin opened the bottle of pills and stood up, yelping with surprise. "4 middle grade rank 3 pills? Are you sure? I only asked for one, if you sell these..." She couldn't think of a price.

Looking at her master's delight, Chu Dongmei realized how important these things that Zhu Furong passes to her.

Looking at the boy, who she only thought is a wimpy disciple without any backbone, she doesn't know what to think about him right now.

She instantly cupped her hands in salute and bowed, "Junior Brother, you have my gratitude."

Zhu Furong accepted with a slight nod before saluting to Fan Xin, "Since I have fulfilled my promise, I would like to return to my family."

Fan Xin instantly returned back to her dignified self, taking her seat she puckered her brows, "Didn't you just return to the sect from your family?" She suddenly realized, "You want to leave the sect?"

"Yes." Zhu Furong nodded in agreement.

Fan Xin looked at Zhu Furong with hesitation, "Is there nothing you want to learn at our sect? I can help you with any request you have. I can even teach you some of my secret techniques."

Zhu Furong smiles gently, "Thanks, Pavilion Master for your consideration, but the disciple has to return to his home." He humbly declined.

He then took out the token Fan Xin had passed him, "This..." He held it to return.

"Keep it. Even if you are no longer a disciple of the sect, my token can still help out in the martial world. After all this Pavilion Master is not some ordinary Cultivator." She puffed her chest.

Zhu Furong didn't argue and kept the token. If he denied, it would have been the same as insulting Fan Xin.

"Then I will take my leave." Zhu Furong slightly bowed.

Fan Xin sighed and threw a Spatial Bag at Zhu Furong. Inside is a mountain of gold and hundreds of mid grade Spirit Crystals. "I am ashamed that this is all I can give to you."

"What matters is the gesture, not the contents." Turning back, Zhu Furong walked to the door before stopping. He spoke without turning back, "Please, contact Elder Wu Hao if you ever need me, I still have to fulfill my oath." Saying this he left.

"What a diligent man. It's quite unfortunate that he focuses on Body Cultivation else I would have loved to tutor him." Fan Xin shook her head helplessly.

She suddenly frowned, muttering "Now that I think about it, he behaved quite mature this time. He didn't joke around like last time. Did something happen at his home?"

"Mei'er." She called Chu Dongmei.

"Yes Master?" Chu Dongmei replied.

Fan Xin opened her mouth but didn't say anything— "Leave it." She uttered after a while.

She then passed the vials to Chu Dongmei and took her to practice in a private room.

'Since he didn't ask for help, I shouldn't interfere unnecessarily. It may do more harm than good. Since Elder Wu Hao is acquainted with him, I can ask him later.' This was the thought that went through Fan Xin's mind.

She felt indebted to Zhu Furong, after all she is the type who repays tenfold for the favors she receives.