Chapter 499: He is the One
"Achoo—" Chu Liang sneezed, lifted the White Bear Cloak, and stood up.
This treasure was indeed powerful, allowing him to merge seamlessly with the snow. When he was testing it, he was worried that Guo Zhanfeng's spirit dog might sniff him out, but the cloak even concealed his scent.
Guo Zhanfeng had clung to him like a leech. While he couldn't reveal his righteous divine techniques and could only fight with his physical strength, it became all the more challenging to rid himself of this relentless presence.
When the tide of yin entities swept over them, he took the chance to hide himself under the White Bear Cloak.
As he draped himself in this layer of white cloth, it felt as though the world outside had nothing to do with him.
He kept himself hidden for another hour, just in case Guo Zhanfeng decided to come back. It wasn’t until he was confident it was safe that he finally revealed himself.
However, in doing so, he had failed his task of intercepting the tide of yin entities. He hurried back to the earlier gathering point, only to discover that Ghost Face and his two companions were nowhere in sight.
Using the enchanted messaging tool, he quickly contacted the Mount Shu Sect to inquire about the current situation. The response arrived almost immediately. It turned out that the black fog and tide of yin entities had surged in with such intensity that many diabolical cultivators failed to block it. The master of the White-Bone Hall commanded all to retreat to the surroundings of Fengya Mountain to strengthen their defense line.
If Granny Meng was carrying the Breath of the Yellow Springs, she would surely be emanating a dense aura of death, which meant that she would likely hide herself near the dark tide of yin entities as she approached Fengya Mountain.
And so, the members of the diabolical sect were determined to block this tide.The leader of the Dark King Sect was likely waiting in the shadows on Fengya Mountain. Upon finding Granny Meng, he would probably seize the opportunity to strike without delay.
The righteous sects and the powerful cultivators of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau were also watching closely. As soon as the Breath of the Yellow Springs came into view, they would strike like a flash of lightning.
At this point in time, all eyes were locked onto Fengya Mountain.
The black snow that had settled on the surrounding peaks began to cluster toward that direction. They appeared dense and resembled an extraordinary phenomenon when seen from a distance.
Due to the delay caused by Guo Zhanfeng, Chu Liang had already fallen far behind.
Upon learning this, Chu Liang immediately flew towards Fengya Mountain. Just as he flew out of the mountain's range, a voice suddenly rang in his ear.
"Oh? It's you?"
The voice sounded very familiar. Instantly, he remembered the last time he had heard it.
"Mr. Whale-Riding Immortal?"
As soon as he heard the voice, he began to trace its source, arriving at the northern ridge of a glacier, where he indeed spotted two familiar figures.
A middle-aged man with a conical hat and a ruggedly handsome, weathered face was accompanied by a little girl who appeared somewhat dim-witted.
Upon seeing Chu Liang, the little girl's eyes lit up immediately. "Berry…berry..."
Even Tuntun was able to utter many words just a few days after birth, not to mention Chu Yi, who was already Chu Liang's most trusted accountant.
As Chu Liang looked at the child, he couldn't help but make a mental comparison.
It seems like this Mr. Whale-Riding Immortal is not the best caretaker here. After all this time, she still has trouble speaking in full sentences, Chu Liang thought.
"Esteemed senior, it's been a long time!" He stepped forward and greeted him with a bow of respect.
"Hehe, since we last met at the Mount Shu Summit, you've gained quite the reputation worldwide," the Whale-Riding Immortal said with a hearty laugh as he stared at Chu Liang.
The northern wind roared, billowing his robe, and making him appear even more heroic.
"It’s entirely thanks to your help. I have always appreciated it," Chu Liang remarked.
As Chu Liang looked at the middle-aged man in front of him, he could not shake off a nagging question that he felt too embarrassed to ask.
The burning question was: Is he really Senior Sister Jiang’s father?
If he is... then I have to make a good impression.
"Well then, it's time for you to return the favor," the Whale-Riding Immortal suddenly said.
"Huh?" Chu Liang glanced up and asked, "Esteemed Senior, is there something you need me to do?"
"Not quite, just... I just need to borrow your face," the Whale-Riding Immortal said with a grin.
"Esteemed Senior, you’re planning to go to Fengya Mountain?" Chu Liang immediately guessed what he was trying to do.
"Fengya Mountain is currently packed with diabolical sect members, and with the black snow everywhere, I can't sneak in easily," the Whale-Riding Immortal said. "I have to borrow your identity."
"But I..." Chu Liang hesitated, as he had the task of being an undercover agent.
"You can inform the Mount Shu people about this; they'll agree," the Whale-Riding Immortal replied, looking resolutely toward Fengya Mountain. "To be honest, I am determined to seize the Breath of the Yellow Springs."
As he spoke, he gave the little girl a gentle pat on her head.
Chu Liang didn't ask how he knew about the Breath of the Yellow Springs and simply said, "Senior, what do you want me to do?"
Chu Liang could tell that the Whale-Riding Immortal was waiting here with the clear intention of ambushing a lone diabolical cultivator.
It just so happened that he encountered Chu Liang, which was why he decided to explain politely. With the cultivation level of the Whale-Riding Immortal, even if Chu Liang objected to his request, it would not change anything.
"Just watch the child for me here; I'll handle the rest," the Whale-Riding Immortal said. "Leave everything else to me."
After saying this, he turned, and in a flash of light, transformed into a figure cloaked in a black robe. He appeared exactly the same as Chu Liang with just a few strands of hair falling by the face.
"Esteemed Senior, this..."
At first glance, Chu Liang thought it was an illusion technique. He doubted this would not be enough to fool the diabolical sect's detection.
"This isn't just an ordinary illusion; it's the immortal art known as Spirit Fox Illusory Transformation," the Whale-Riding Immortal chuckled. "Did you really think the woman from the Celestial Charm Sect disguised herself as you and fooled the Imperial Supervisory Bureau with something simple?"
He knows about this too? Chu Liang was slightly surprised. Mr. Whale-Riding Immortal clearly had access to a vast array of information.
As for the Spirit Fox Illusory Transformation, he had only heard of it in legends. It was said to stem from the Fox Clan’s divine ability to transform, which was how it got its name.
The best thing about this immortal art was how exceptionally hard it was to perceive the transformed camouflage as fake. This was a secret technique that was incredibly hard to master, with only a select few in the world capable of using it.
Given the circumstances, he had no choice but to take on the responsibility of watching the child while relaying the information.
The Whale-Riding Immortal, now disguised as Chu Liang, swiftly vanished into the vast, dark expanse of snow.
…
At the same time, the teacher-disciple duo of Scarlet-Robe Hall arrived at Fengya Mountain.
The slopes of Fengya Mountain were crowded with shadowy figures, diabolical sect members coming and going. Against the backdrop of the snow-covered peaks, their black robes were starkly visible. Meanwhile, the vivid attire of the two from the Scarlet-Robe Hall attracted even more attention.
The master of Scarlet-Robe Hall donned a crimson mask that concealed her face. At the same time, no one dared to look right at her face. Her red robe fluttered in the wind as she arrived at a mountaintop.
"Esteemed Teacher, if Granny Meng is caught by the sect leader later..." Yi Qiushui was worried. If her teacher helped Granny Meng in front of the sect leader, it could lead to serious trouble.
"I've already helped her once; that repays my debt," the Scarlet-Robe Hall’s master said calmly. "You don't need to worry about anything else."
Only then did Yi Qiushui let out a sigh of relief.
As she glanced around, she suddenly saw a somewhat familiar figure.
She frowned, puzzled for a moment, then widened her eyes—it was him!
"Stop!" Yi Qiushui shouted, immediately flying forward to catch up. "You there, stop!"
The one she called out to was none other than the Whale-Riding Immortal, who had transformed into Chu Liang. Chu Liang had mentioned a bit about the Bone Palace Hall and Ghost-Face Chamber affairs, but he had no idea of any connection between Chu Liang and the Scarlet-Robe Hall.
In order to avoid exposing his disguise, the Whale-Riding Immortal had to stop and ask in a low, serious voice, "What is it?"
"Heh." Seeing him act as though he didn't recognize her, Yi Qiushui laughed angrily. "I didn't expect you to be a disciple of our sect. Even so, you had the audacity to trick me."
Chu Liang did what? The Whale-Riding Immortal blinked. Chu Liang appears so serious and proper. I never knew he liked to trick young girls.
Just as he was about to unleash a divine ability against Yi Qiushui, he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her say, "What's happening?"
As Yi Qiushui called out to a Dark King Sect disciple, the master of Scarlet-Robe Hall had no desire to intervene. She never intended to ask any questions.
However, when she looked at the person, her heart unexpectedly skipped a beat, which was why she flew forward and asked the question.
"Esteemed Teacher!" Yi Qiushui pointed at the Whale-Riding Immortal, her voice filled with anger. "He’s the one who goes by Dugu Qiubai. He pretended to be that senior you know and deceived me out of... that precious item. This time, he must be punished!"
With so many people nearby, she dared not mention the Divine Ruins' scroll.
The Whale-Riding Immortal looked at the master of Scarlet-Robe Hall, his gaze momentarily wavering before he hastily looked away. It was already too late.
With her gaze fixed firmly on his, the master of Scarlet-Robe Hall remained still, her shoulders quivering slightly. After what felt like an eternity, she said, "He is..."
"That's right!" Yi Qiushui said. "He is that imposter!"
"No..." The Scarlet-Robe Hall’s master shook her head. "He is the one."
GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts
Translator: GT