Zhang Zongnian gave Laifu a general overview of how he had used Soul Possession on a mouse to rescue Lin Xue from danger, how Shu Da’s attempt at Soul Possession on him had failed, and how he had serendipitously cultivated into a Rat Demon.
As he listened to the story, a look of pure shock was plastered across Laifu’s canine face.
It was the first time he had ever heard of a method like Soul Possession, which allowed one to seize the body of another living being.
Even more unexpected was that Zhang Zongnian had actually turned a disaster into a blessing, growing from a mere mouse into a Rat Demon capable of Transformation in less than ten days.
Next, Zhang Zongnian brought up more of their previous conversations and recalled several instances of their time spent together.
Laifu was finally convinced of Zhang Zongnian’s identity.
These were things he had only said to Zhang Zongnian in private; it was impossible for a third person to know them.
The suspicion in Laifu’s eyes turned into pleasant surprise.
Reaching through the bars, he grabbed Zhang Zongnian’s shoulders and said with a face full of excitement, “Brother, is it really you?”
Then, he bared his dog teeth and gave Zhang Zongnian a heavy punch, cursing angrily, “Damn you! So that is how you fucking died. Do you have any idea how much misery you put this old dog through these past few days? I have been fucking blaming myself for days. Every time I closed my eyes, I remembered you dying in my cell. I couldn’t even fucking sleep soundly, always thinking that I hadn’t taken good care of you. After all that, it turns out you just ditched that body yourself!”
Zhang Zongnian gave Laifu a bitter smile and said, “The situation was urgent back then. My little sister, Lin Xue, was about to be forcibly claimed by Shu Er to be his wife. To save her, I had no choice but to resort to such a desperate measure. I didn’t have time to coordinate with you beforehand, Chief. Please forgive me.”
Laifu extended a paw and patted him on the shoulder, saying, “Alright, alright. As long as you’re alive, it’s fine. It’s enough that you’re alive.”
He sighed and continued, “That Shu Da dying at your hands can be considered reaping what he sowed. I thought that once he became the Master of the Cave, he might treat the brothers on the mountain a little better. In the end, he was no different from Hong Lao San, only giving preferential treatment to his own nest in the Mouse Family. It’s just as well that he’s dead, just as well!”
Seeing that Laifu had confirmed his identity, Zhang Zongnian let out a sigh of relief.
Only then did he ask the question he had been concerned about for a long time with an expectant expression, “Chief, how is my sister Lin Xue doing now? Is she still in the cave?”
He watched Laifu tensely, waiting for an answer.
Laifu’s brow furrowed, and he shook his head, saying, “Brother, you’re too late. Miss Lin is no longer in the cave.”
Zhang Zongnian’s heart immediately sank, and a look of disappointment appeared on his face.
Seeing the odd expression on Laifu’s face, he asked urgently, “What’s wrong? Did something happen to her?”
Laifu sighed and informed Zhang Zongnian about how Zong Biao Yao Jiang from Erlong Mountain had come to Xixia Mountain that day to select a Yao-Fei for Hei Pi Yao Wang, taking Lin Xue, Hong Yanzhi, and several other Yaojing with him to Erlong Mountain.
Hearing the news was like a bolt of lightning striking Zhang Zongnian’s head.
For the past few days, all he had thought about day and night was seeing Lin Xue as soon as possible to tell her that he had survived, that he was now a Demon, and that he had successfully achieved Transformation so she wouldn’t have to worry anymore.
He never expected that Lin Xue would have already been forcibly taken away and was no longer on the mountain.
Zhang Zongche felt immense disappointment, while simultaneously feeling an incomparable rage toward Hei Pi Yao Wang.
For a dignified Yao Wang to actually send his Demon General everywhere to scout for Yaojing to serve as his Yao-Fei.
Such unbridled debauchery was simply intolerable by the laws of heaven!
Hei Pi Yao Wang’s behavior was no different from the Yang Family who rode roughshod over the Bai Xing of Xichuan County.
It seemed that humans and Demons were the same; there was no difference. Once they had power and influence, they sought to play the tyrant.
Zhang Zongche’s hands gripped the bars of the cell tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.
The one who had snatched Lin Xue this time was a Yao Wang, equivalent to a Golden Core Stage powerhouse among Human Cultivators.
Right now, he was nothing more than a Lesser Beast at the Body Tempering Middle Stage.
The gap in strength between him and a Yao Wang could be described as the distance between heaven and earth.
If he relied on Wan Shu Chao Yuan to absorb Heaven and Earth Essence to cultivate, who knew how long it would take to reach the level of a Yao Wang.
How could he possibly rescue Lin Xue this time?
Seeing him like this, Laifu offered sympathetic advice, “Brother, I know you’re hurting inside. Try to look on the bright side. Never mind you, even a Grand Demon like Young Master Lang Buping was prepared to marry the Demon Princess Hong Yanzhi. Half the wedding preparations were done, but then that Demon General took a liking to the eldest Miss and forcibly took her away to be the Yao Wang’s Yao-Fei.”
“Young Master Lang asked his father, First Lord Lang Qianxing of Yellow Wind Mountain, for help, but even the First Lord had no options. Who could help it when the other side has a Yao Wang? Our arms are too thin to wrestle with their thick legs; we can only swallow our resentment.”
“Young Master Lang is quite the romantic, too. He is deeply devoted to the eldest Miss. These past few days, you could say he has been washing his face with tears every day, constantly muttering about how to get her back.”
“Brother, look, even a dignified Grand Demon is helpless. What can we Lesser Beasts do? You should just accept your fate.”
Listening to Laifu’s words, Zhang Zongnian lowered his head and remained silent.
He was silent for a long time, seemingly having made some kind of resolution. He looked up and asked, “Chief, are you saying that Young Master Lang also wants to rescue people from Erlong Mountain?”
Laifu nodded and said, “That’s exactly it. This Young Master Lang is also an eccentric. To put it bluntly, almost all the brothers in the cave had a go at the eldest Miss, yet Young Master Lang doesn’t mind at all and is still hell-bent on marrying her. To be honest, I even admire his deep affection a little bit. But no matter how deep the affection is, it’s useless. When a Yao Wang demands someone, no one has a choice.”
Zhang Zongnian took a deep breath and said solemnly to Laifu, “Chief, I would like to trouble you with something.”
Laifu was taken aback by his solemnity and said, “What is it? Just say the word. There’s no need for talk of trouble between us brothers.”
Zhang Zongnian looked up toward the Upper Level and said, “Please help me pass a message to Young Master Lang. Tell him that I have a way that might rescue the eldest Miss, my sister, and the six Yaojing who were forcibly taken from Xixia Mountain, but I need his help. Ask him to meet with me.”
Laifu thought he had misheard.
His dog eyes widened in shock as he asked, “What did you say?”
Zhang Zongnian repeated solemnly, “I have a way that might rescue the eldest Miss, my sister Lin Xue, and the six Yaojing who were forcibly taken from Xixia Mountain from the hands of that Yao Wang. It is only a possibility, there is no guarantee of success, and I need his help. Ask him to meet with me.”
Laifu was stunned. He confirmed, “You’re saying you have a way to rescue Miss Lin, the eldest Miss, and the others from a Yao Wang?”
Zhang Zongnian nodded.
Laifu looked at Zhang Zongnian, extended a paw to feel his forehead, and said, “You don’t have a fever, so why are you talking nonsense?”
Zhang Zongnian pushed his paw away and said with the utmost seriousness, “I am serious.”
Laifu looked into his eyes and saw that his gaze was firm, not at all like he was talking nonsense.
He bared his dog teeth and said, “Fine. Brother, you wait here. I’ll go report to Young Master Lang right now.”
He patted Zhang Zongnian on the shoulder, turned around, and walked out of the Di Lao.