Chapter 205: Mountain, Sea XI: Refinement
After handing over some information, Gong Fu introduced Malong to his staff. When they finished settling everything, we got ready to head back to Dongfang’s factory.
Our journey back became a problem without Malong. Just as we were considering between taking an airplane or speed rail, Gong Fu suggested that we flew since it was night time.
He led Dongfang while Xiaoai grabbed hold of me. We flew steadily in the air with the help of our GPS.
Gong Fu’s sensing ability far surpassed our imagination; he would warn us of incoming planes even before they could capture us in their radar.
Hearing was more of a problem in the air, but Xiaoai was able to keep up with Gong Fu without a hitch.
Nevertheless, her stamina fell short of Gong Fu’s, so we would find a spot to rest whenever she reached her limit.
After over 6 hours of flight, we were finally entering the Shandong region.
While resting on the ground, Xiaoai spoke up, “Senior Gong Fu, how are your senses so sharp?”
“Well, I catch fishes every day so it’s a necessary skill. Stamina wise, I’ve accumulated it over the years. There’s no shortcut.”
Xiaoai clapped. “How amazing!”
“How long’s Chaos been out for?” Gong Fu questioned.
“One full day when the sun rises,” I answered.
“Trouble…”
“Why do you say that?”
“Chaos’ fighting ability is average but his growth rate is frightening. Two into four, four into eight… He’ll multiply significantly in a day,” Gong Fu shared, rubbing his hands together.
“We’ve seen that. How do we defeat him then?” I asked.
“We’ll have to find a new place to lock him up. It’s easy to fill a bottle with water but to fill it up with spilled water? It’s gonna be tough. We have to hurry,” Gong Fu emphasized.
……
It was daytime when we arrived at the factory region.
Left without a choice, we had to travel on feet for a few kilometers.
Dongfang and Gong Fu took turns carrying me. I was a big burden, there’s no doubt. However, there was nothing I could do to ease their problem.
Xiaoai’s phone rang non-stop and when she finally checked the screen, she yelled, “Chaos! Chaos has started!”
Dongfang and Gong Fu crowded around her as I observed from the side.
It was reported that black figures had been seen attacking respective television stations the night before. The hosts were forced to announce that Chaos had an atomic bomb and would release it soon. It was said that a hundred virgin boys and girls must be sent to Tai Mountain or there will be consequences. Upon the announcement, the figures vanished before the screen, effectively leaving every witness baffled. The nation’s losing time but the experts had yet to comment on it.
An image was attached to the news report. It consisted of nine black figures holding a knife against each host’s photograph.
Among the netizens, some believed it to be television effects while others deemed it a supernatural occurrence.
“Why the virgins?” I asked.
“To split his power into three hundred portions. If he achieves this, we won’t stand a chance against him,” Gong Fu answered.
“Wait, but he stated the location, isn’t it? Tai Mountain,” I recalled.
“Yeah. We’ll have to see if the nine sons can gather there. It’s hard to say who will win or lose then,” Gong Fu replied hopefully.
Pointing in front, Xiaoai urged, “Let’s hurry then. Hopefully, they’re already there.”
We spent yet another half an hour or so to reach the factory.
Kylin and Jiao Tu had already returned, along with Pu Lao and a big black pouch with Tao Tie inside.
Dongfang supported me as I approached Pu Lao. “Did you do anything to my Master when rescuing Senior Tao Tie? My Master was the head of the temple.”
“The compound was sealed. There wasn’t anyone in there,” Pu Lao told me.
“No one? How can that be? Come here, Xiaoai, make a call for me, please,” I requested urgently.
She reached her hand into my pocket for my phone and scrolled through my contacts.
“Bold Chen. Yup, that’s the one,” I prompted.
After a few rings, Xiaoai put it on speakerphone.
“Senior,” I greeted.
“Gou Dan,” the voice on the other end replied.
“What happened to the temple?” I asked anxiously.
“Master’s been caught,” he told me, his voice cracking.
“What exactly happened?”
“He thought that you’d return soon so he continued accepting clients for feng shui reading. 50,000 per person. Slots are booked ’til next year, but because you’ve yet to return, they reported Master to the authorities.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” I asked, frustrated.
“I was unsure of the situation and I didn’t want to alarm you unnecessarily. You could’ve been busy. I heard that the security’s tried calling you a few times but to no avail,” he explained.
It was then that it occurred to me that I had blocked his number, along with other outsiders’, because the feng shui business was getting annoying for me.
“Are you coming back, Junior? He’s been trialed. I’ve found a job and am planning to stay on since Master and even the temple’s been reclaimed. The few of us had managed to gather some money and are hoping to get the temple back. Will you come back after?”
“How much?” I asked.
“It will be up for auction in 4 days. The bid will start at 2,000,000,” he stated.
“I’m still busy right now, but I’ll return in a few days.”
“That’s good. There’s a piece of land in my home town. We can build our temple if all else fails. You can be the head if that happens.”
“We’ll discuss this again. I’ll talk to you soon,” I said before signaling at Xiaoai. She hung up and put the phone back into my pocket.
“Is the temple very important?” Dongfang asked.
I forced a smile and said, “Let’s deal with Chaos first.”
At this point, there were two foreign and big figures sitting inside the room.
Pu Lao grabbed hold of me, saying, “Come, I’ll bring you to meet First and Second Brother and have them transfer a part of their souls into you as well.”
I was thrown onto the table in the room and the two figures gathered around me.
One of them placed his hand on my forehead and smiled. “You must be Gou Dan. I’m First Brother, Bi Xi.”
“My turn. I’m Second Brother, Chi Wen,” the other greeted before putting his hand on my head as well.
I felt my subconscious mind detaching itself; it was like a dream, yet I could hear sounds and voices.
“Ninth Sister, did give him yours, too? Pi’s inside anyway.”
“Have you given yours, Gong Fu?”
“Of course, it’s good fun.”
“All here then?”
“Will there be a problem?”
“No. Plus, he’s absorbed Pi’s soul and Pi will jump in if anything goes wrong.”
I felt my body heating up as a voice sounded inside my head.
“Almost there. Who still remembers how to fuse them?”
“Don’t come over, Old Tao. Why are you trying to join in the fun again?”
“Exactly, Old Tao. You’re squishing me. I do remember how to do it.”
“Forget it, Jiao Tu. Is Bai Ze here?”
“Bai Ze.”
“This fellow… I don’t care,” Bai Ze’s voice sounded from the side.
“Why?”
“My daughter likes this man. If he recovers, I’ll lose my daughter. It’s not worth it.”
“Please help him, Father.”
“You can’t think that way, Bai Ze. If this boy gets well, he’ll be on par with us.”
“Pi’s in his body. He’s mine.”
“This isn’t a market, Sis. Let’s cure him and let him decide.”
“We’ll leave everything until when he’s healed?”
“It’s not that I don’t want to cure him. I just hadn’t thought that things would fall into this state. Two or three souls are fine, but a whole bunch? It’s amazing how paralysis is the only effect he’s experiencing. Any wrong move and things will backfire. That’s the reason why I’ve been delaying any actions. Who would’ve expected you guys to continue joining in?”
“How confident are you?”
“Right now? Not even 10%.”
“What should we do, then?”
“The key is Pi. If he’s willing to help, all will be solved.”
“How so?”
“Pi can swallow and regurgitate all nine souls as one, leaving only two souls again. Things will be easy, then.”
“We don’t have any problem with this.”
“I know, but you need to convince Pi to give up.”
“On?”
“Life.”
“Why so?”
“It seems like he’s hanging on his last thread of energy.”
“He helped us in our first battle with Chaos.”
“No wonder.”
I was listening to these voices but I could not speak up. My eyes were forced shut as well.
“Are you still there, Senior Pi?” I thought.
“What is it?” a voice resonated from deep within my head.
“Why don’t you converge the souls?”
“I have no more strength.”
“No more strength?” I repeated.
“I don’t want to bring trouble to anyone but it just keeps happening. First, Xiu, now you. These souls are gentle by themselves but harsh for you. All I can do now is to resist them. You’ll have to depend on yourself.”
“How do I do that?”
“All they did was place their souls in your body to coexist with you. You’ll need to refine them slowly as I let them in one by one. Don’t rush, you can’t afford the consequences.”
“How long would I need?” I asked.
“No idea. It will depend on the refinement.”
“Come, Senior. It’s better to get it done and over with fast,” I decided.
My consciousness started to fade and I felt myself floating up.
Everything around the room started emitting a fine light spike.
These spikes came toward me as if wanting to pierce through my souls.
“It hurts, it really hurts,” I yelled but no one responded.
The pain intensified before disappearing. Just as I was about to relax, it returned with a vengeance.
The spikes swam above my soul and I could feel that I wasn’t in my body.
My body was beneath me and blue lights beams were securing me in place. It was the only way I wouldn’t get lost. I felt myself further distancing from my body.
Wanting to grab onto something, I reached out for the blue beams.
I didn’t know what state I was in. It wasn’t something humans could explain.
I tried pulling myself downward to get closer to my body. The moment I touched my body, my eyes opened. I could feel myself against the table as everyone crowded around me.
I was aware of my breaths despite not being able to utter a sound.
Everyone was surrounding me but the only thing I could hear was my heartbeat.
*Thump, thump… *
I couldn’t feel anything else.
Everything started turning red.
Something red had wrapped itself around me. I tried to see through it and I was greeted by a man standing in front of me.
He was handsome but he looked unfamiliar.
With his full linen cloth outfit, he looked like a swordsman.
He reminded me of Lin Huchong, except that he was holding a trident.
“I’m the only one left,” the man greeted with a smile.
“And you are?” I asked.
“I’m Pi, but am about to become you.” He ran in my direction, raising the trident toward me.
I immediately tried to block it with my hands, but just as I thought I was going to die, my consciousness cleared up.
Was that a dying flash?
Unable to endure it any longer, I lifted myself up.
Fresh blood spurted out of my mouth.
I was back in reality.
Are you alright?” Xiaoai asked.
She was the only one left beside me, and I was able to move again.
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