Legend Management Bureau Chapter 10

[ … words ]

“I see.”

Fan Wujiu watched Xie Bi’an’s series of actions and finally understood his intentions.

Fan Xiaoguo and Du Yu?

A truly excellent match.

An Operator of the Legend Management Bureau. Such a status was more than worthy of Fan Xiaoguo; he would even be a suitable match for the seven sisters guarding the Jade Pond.

If a family had an Operator among their ranks, it was tantamount to holding the power to alter history. It would guarantee the clan’s enduring prosperity.

This was exactly why the Xie and Fan families had tried so hard to curry favor with He Suoyi back in the day.

But Zhan Qisheng…

Fan Wujiu clenched his fists tightly at the mere thought of Zhan Qisheng.

“Knock it off,” Dong Qianqiu interjected. “There is no guarantee Du Yu will even make it back alive. Isn’t it a little too early for you all to be discussing this?”

Xie Bi’an chuckled. “He absolutely has to come back. Otherwise, our dear Xiaoguo will become a widow the moment she crosses the threshold…”

“Seventh Ancestor!” Fan Xiaoguo scolded, her face flushing crimson. “When did I ever agree to marry him?”

…

Du Yu lay on his bed, meticulously reorganizing all of his clues.

His journey to slay Jiuying alongside Da Yi had yielded a wealth of crucial information.

First, Da Yi was no ordinary mortal. He possessed an Immortal Being’s Magical Treasure to protect himself.

Second, Da Yi desperately wanted to shoot down the suns, but he was completely powerless to do so.

Third, if this mission succeeded, it would trigger the inevitable ‘Chang’e Flies to the Moon’ ending. He needed to find a way to satisfy both conditions perfectly.

It was time. Du Yu patted his waist pouch, feeling the weight of the only Soul left inside—the Sleeping Dragon and Chancellor of Han, Zhuge Kongming.

“Sister Qianqiu, how do I use this?” Du Yu asked, holding the Glass Jar and studying the pristine white mist swirling within.

“Swallow it.”

“Swallow it?” Du Yu repeated, slightly taken aback. “Is it really that straightforward?”

“Yes. Ingesting different souls will induce different states, but the one commonality is that the effects only ever last for five minutes.”

“Understood.” Du Yu nodded, placing his hand over the lid.

“Are you going to let Mister Kongming possess you right now?” Dong Qianqiu asked, a hint of unease in her voice. Wasn’t it a bit too early for this?

“If I don’t have someone help me sort through these clues right now, I won’t be able to accomplish anything over the next few days anyway.”

Du Yu twisted the cap open and immediately upended the Glass Jar into his mouth. A freezing, ethereal aura plunged down his throat and into his core. His entire body shuddered violently from the sudden chill.

But once that fleeting moment passed, Du Yu realized absolutely nothing about him had changed.

“That’s it? Am I the living reincarnation of Zhuge Liang now?”

Before he could even finish his sentence, Du Yu’s head snapped back. Blinding white light erupted from his eyes and mouth. He felt exactly like a drunkard violently throwing up, as if his very insides were being hollowed out.

A moment later, a human silhouette was quite literally spewed out of him, materializing right before his eyes.

“So Mister Kongming uses Outer-Soul Projection,” Dong Qianqiu murmured quietly.

Du Yu finally recovered his senses and looked up, stunned to find a man standing in front of him. The figure was gazing out the window, muttering, “Ten suns? What exactly is the meaning of this?”

The man stood over six feet tall, his face as flawless as polished jade. He wore a traditional silk headwrap and a flowing crane-feather cloak, exuding an ethereal aura reminiscent of an Immortal Deity.

“Mister Kongming?” Du Yu blurted out uncontrollably. Weren’t they supposed to merge? Why was Kongming just standing right there?

Kongming turned around. He looked at Du Yu, then down at himself, and asked, “Young friend, this chancellor should have passed away long ago. What is our current situation? And what is the meaning of those ten suns outside the window?”

Du Yu stared at Kongming, nearly moved to tears. Finally, he had found someone reliable.

He gathered his thoughts and rapidly explained their current predicament to Kongming, detailing the Legend Management Bureau, the current state of Da Yi, and everything that had transpired over the past few days.

He spoke so quickly and frantically that even Du Yu himself barely understood what he was saying.

Yet Kongming merely paused for a few seconds before breaking into a smile.

“I see how it is.”

“You actually understood all of that, Mister Kongming?” Du Yu gasped in awe. “You truly are the legendary Sleeping Dragon!”

“You jest, young friend. I am no longer living,” Kongming replied, waving a hand dismissively as he sat down cross-legged.

“M—Mister…” Du Yu stammered, growing even more anxious at Kongming’s utter calmness. “Did I not explain it clearly enough? I need your brilliant mind to help me figure out a way to shoot down those nine suns!”

“Hahaha.” Still chuckling, Kongming picked up a charred stick of wood. “Do not panic, young friend. This chancellor has also heard the legend of Yi Shoots Nine Suns. If we are speaking of a mortal attempting to shoot down the suns with mortal strength alone, that is an absolute impossibility.”

“An impossibility…?” Du Yu slumped to the floor. If the universally acknowledged smartest man in history said so, didn’t that mean it was completely hopeless?

Kongming then picked up the piece of paper containing Du Yu’s hastily scribbled clues and tore it into three long strips.

“Mister Kongming, what are you doing?”

“Patience, patience.” Kongming picked up the carbonized stick and began writing rapidly on the torn strips of paper. “What is this paper called, young friend? Such craftsmanship is simply divine.”

Du Yu sat limply on the ground. “It’s called A4 paper. You can keep it if you like it so much…”

He never should have listened to that old man and brought Zhuge Kongming along. Almost five minutes had passed, and the strategist hadn’t accomplished a single useful thing.

“Gift this fine paper to me?” Zhuge Kongming waved his hand. “No, a gentleman does not take what others cherish. Not only will this chancellor refuse your gift, but I shall bestow three things upon you instead.”

“Bestow three things upon me?”

Zhuge Kongming meticulously folded the three strips of paper and handed them over. “This chancellor gifts you three Silk Pouch strategies.”

Silk Pouch strategies?

Du Yu eagerly reached out and took them. Did Kongming actually have a countermeasure?

“Does this chancellor have very little time left?” Kongming asked, examining his increasingly translucent form.

“Yes, Mister Kongming. We are almost out of time.” Du Yu quickly calculated; there was probably only a little over a minute left.

“Very well, then this chancellor shall leave you with a few final words before departing.” Zhuge Kongming stroked his beard. “Your clues were leading you entirely in the wrong direction, so I took the liberty of tearing them up.”

“The wrong direction?”

“Indeed. If your mind is solely fixated on ‘how to shoot down nine suns’, those suns will never fall from the sky. Starting today, what you truly need to contemplate is—why did nine extra suns appear in the sky in the first place.”

Why did nine extra suns appear?

Du Yu had genuinely never considered that angle before.

Where did these nine suns come from, and why were they born at all?

Kongming continued, “I have heard the legend of Yi Shoots Nine Suns many times. In the tales, there is one specific person who is the most delighted when the suns are finally shot down. Who is that person?”

Before Du Yu could even begin to process the question, Kongming rose to his feet.

“Young friend, when you have fully grasped the meaning behind my words, please open the first Silk Pouch. When you draw near to the ultimate truth, open the second Silk Pouch. And when you find yourself completely out of options, open the third Silk Pouch.”

Du Yu had barely digested Mister Kongming’s instructions when the chancellor’s body began to fade away into nothingness.

“Young friend, this chancellor has one final question.” Kongming turned his head toward Du Yu.

“Please ask, Mister!”

“In your era, have the ravages of war finally come to an end? Do the common people live in peace and work happily? Do the children have enough to eat?”

Despite the heavy ache in his chest, Du Yu forced a gentle smile and reassured him, “Rest easy, Mister Kongming. Where I live, there is no war. The people live in peace and work happily, and no one ever has to worry about having enough food or warm clothes.”

“That is good. That is truly wonderful…”

A soft breeze drifted through the room, and the soul of Zhuge Kongming dissipated before his eyes. The spot where he had stood was completely empty, as if he had never been there at all.

Du Yu clutched the three Silk Pouches tightly in his hand, a bittersweet feeling washing over him.

“Sister Qianqiu, what will happen to Mister Kongming now? Will his soul be entirely scattered and spirit dispersed?”

“No, don’t worry. What he left behind here was merely a wisp of his soul. The real Mister Kongming reincarnated a long time ago.”

“I see.” Du Yu breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

He had to admit, Kongming had pointed him in a crucial direction.

There was one person who was delighted to see Da Yi shoot down the suns.

Who was it?

Was it the common mortals across the world?

No, it couldn’t be that simple.

No matter how overjoyed the common people were, their happiness couldn’t compare to this one individual’s.

Du Yu pulled out the script for the Legends—

“Queen Mother of the West!”

The Queen Mother of the West had been overjoyed upon seeing Da Yi shoot down the nine suns. She rewarded him with the elixir of immortality, Pills that would allow a mere mortal to achieve sanctification in the flesh upon ingestion.

Pills of such an incredible grade had barely appeared in any other legends.

It could spare a mortal a thousand years of grueling cultivation, instantly elevating them to the ranks of the immortals in a single bound.

“But why would the Queen Mother of the West be so happy?”

Combining this fact with what Kongming had just said, Du Yu essentially had his answer. The nine extra suns in the sky were absolutely tied to the Queen Mother of the West.

“So that was what Mister Kongming meant.”

Du Yu glanced down at the three folded strips of paper, recalling Kongming’s parting words: ‘When you have fully grasped the meaning behind my words, please open the first Silk Pouch.’

Without a moment’s hesitation, Du Yu unfolded the first Silk Pouch. A short passage of text boldly stared back at him:

‘Whoever you believe this person to be, you must confront them face-to-face. Only by understanding the cause and effect can you prescribe the right remedy.’

“That is exactly what I plan to do.”

Dong Qianqiu couldn’t sit still any longer. “Du Yu, what are you plotting? We’re talking about the Queen Mother of the West here.”

“Prescribe the right remedy, and the sickness will be cured.” Du Yu tucked the Silk Pouch away. “Sister Qianqiu, since the underworld genuinely exists, then Heaven must exist too, right?”

Dong Qianqiu facepalmed. “Why are you trying to act all cool right now? If you actually manage to survive this, I am giving you remedial lessons. The Queen Mother of the West doesn’t live in Heaven. She resides at the Peak of Kunlun.”

“Uh…” Du Yu winced in embarrassment. “I was just asking if Heaven existed. I never said I was going there…”

“Sure, whatever.” Dong Qianqiu replied dismissively.

“How do I use this Teleportation Talisman?” Du Yu pulled out the paper charm.

“Stick it to your forehead and silently recite the location you wish to travel to.”

Du Yu carefully stuck the Talisman to his forehead and silently chanted his destination a few times.

As soon as he finished chanting ‘Peak of Kunlun’, a howling wind roared in his ears. He felt as though he had been violently launched into the air, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut. A few seconds later, the deafening wind subsided. Du Yu slowly opened his eyes to find the Teleportation Talisman gone from his forehead. He was now standing in a vast, empty expanse shrouded in dense mist, entirely enveloped in pure white.

“So this is the Peak of Kunlun?”

Du Yu hesitantly stepped forward. It didn’t feel much like Kunlun Mountain because the terrain was impossibly flat. However, the thick fog—which limited his visibility to barely fifteen feet—looked exactly like the heavenly realms depicted in television dramas.

He hadn’t walked more than ten steps before a figure slowly emerged from the mist. The man was clad in silver armor, sporting a lean and capable physique, and gripped a long spear. He looked very much like a guard stationed here.

Before Du Yu could even figure out how to greet him, the guard spoke up first.

“Where do you hail from, Rogue Immortal? If you aren’t following the orders of the Queen Mother of the West to search for him, why are you loitering around here?”

Rogue Immortal? Search for someone?

The ‘Rogue Immortal’ part made sense. After all, anyone capable of reaching this place wouldn’t be a mere mortal. But what did he mean by searching for someone?

Du Yu rapidly formulated a plan in his mind.

“Take me to see the Queen Mother of the West at once! I’ve found him!”

“You found him?!”

The guard’s face lit up with absolute joy, his entire demeanor shifting instantly. “Please follow me, High Immortal! I will go report this at once!”

Du Yu offered a faint smile and nodded gracefully.

“Sigh, what ridiculous scheme have you cooked up now?” Dong Qianqiu had grown completely accustomed to his antics and barely even wanted to scold him anymore.

“I have no choice, Sister Qianqiu. If I don’t get to see the Queen Mother of the West, how will I ever figure out who she’s looking for?”

“Alright… But the Queen Mother of the West has a very eccentric temper. Don’t assume she’ll be easily fooled.”

Ignoring Dong Qianqiu’s warning, Du Yu followed the guard down the incredibly vast thoroughfare. There wasn’t another soul in sight.

“Big Brother guard, are you usually the only one stationed out here?” Du Yu probed, trying to strike up a conversation.

“This is the Kunlun Immortal Realm. How could I possibly be the sole guard under normal circumstances?” The guard shook his head, a trace of frantic anxiety lacing his otherwise flat tone. “Everyone has been dispatched to search for him. Now, only one guard is left behind each day to protect the Queen Mother of the West.”

“I see.”

“Thank goodness. Now that you’ve found the Heavenly Venerable, High Immortal, all the immortals can finally return to their posts.”

“Ah, yes, exactly.” Du Yu twitched his lips in a stiff smile. “The Heavenly Venerable… That’s right. The esteemed Heavenly Venerable has quite the appetite and is still as robust as ever.”

“Quite the appetite?” The guard turned around, deeply puzzled. “Does the Heavenly Venerable no longer abstain from mortal food?”

“Don’t worry about the details.” Du Yu coughed awkwardly. “Just hurry up and take me to see your Leader.”

The two men crossed a massive, fog-covered plaza. Du Yu could vaguely make out the colossal silhouettes of pillars towering around them, but the mist was too thick to see them clearly.

It wasn’t long before the sentry led Du Yu to a towering archway. “Please wait here for a moment, High Immortal. I shall go and announce your arrival.”

Du Yu nodded slightly, watching the sentry vanish through the archway.

“This place is actually quite nice. Very ethereal.” Du Yu rubbed his hands together against the chill. “It’s just a bit too damp. I wonder if the Queen Mother of the West suffers from rheumatism.”

After a short wait, the sentry reemerged. He offered a respectful bow and said, “High Immortal, please proceed forward for your audience.”

Du Yu patted the sentry heavily on the shoulder. “Young man, your future is bright.”

The sentry stared at him in utter bewilderment. He had stood guard here for many years, but this was the very first time he had encountered such an incredibly bizarre Rogue Immortal.

Dropping any pretense of politeness, Du Yu eagerly plunged straight through the archway. The interior appeared to be an impossibly massive hall, but the fog inside was so stiflingly dense that he couldn’t see a thing. Who in their right mind would want to live in a place like this?

“Leader… Where are you?” Du Yu probed the mists.

“I am over here. Come forward.”

Du Yu followed the voice and spotted a dark silhouette seated upon a stone bench. When he finally focused his eyes, the sight before him left him utterly stunned.