Chapter 36: Winter Night
"Lu Xiu, how are you?" Chen Zhen stood in the snow, looking at Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu breathed a sigh of relief, signaling he was fine.
"Uh, Leader," Jiang Hong said, "Could you turn off the special effects first? My eyes are about to go blind."
Chen Zhen, still in his Lamp-Bearing God form, stood in the snow talking to them. His hair was like flames, and his entire body glowed like a xenon lamp shining closely on everyone.
"It's a bit cold here," Chen Zhen said. "I'll remove the spell once we're indoors, to avoid catching a cold."
The Lamp-Bearing God, speaking earnestly about "catching a cold," was bizarre to say the least.
Cao Bin looked around and said, "Where are the others? This must be Director Dong of the horse farm."
Dong Mang replied, "I've sent my men to look for my brother and the emissary. Let's go inside and talk more. Please, this way."
Jiang Hong returned to their suite, which Dong Mang no longer had locked. They first examined Lu Xiu's wounds. Lian Jiang brought medicine, leaving Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu alone in the room. Lu Xiu was shirtless while Jiang Hong began to apply medicine to his wounds.
"Why do you do this?" Lu Xiu suddenly asked. "This is the second time."
Jiang Hong first disinfected Lu Xiu's wounds. The scratches from the Que were quite deep, and there were abrasions on his face from rolling down the mountain.
"I'm worried about you," Jiang Hong replied.
Lu Xiu said, "Last time in Chongqing, it was the same. Do you realize you're a mortal?"
"I know," Jiang Hong said. "But I haven't been a bother to you."
Lu Xiu fell silent, and Jiang Hong smiled, saying, "I get a bit impulsive every time, sorry."
Jiang Hong gently dabbed Lu Xiu's cheek with cotton wool, causing Lu Xiu to turn his face away.
"You're angry," Jiang Hong observed. "You seem upset, right?"
Finally, Lu Xiu looked at Jiang Hong, who said, "Although I don’t know what you're mad about, things have been off since you received Principal Cao's call."
"You noticed," Lu Xiu said.
"Yeah," Jiang Hong replied, "But if you don't want to talk about it, we won't."
Lu Xiu's gaze on Jiang Hong turned complex. His lips moved slightly but in the end, he chose not to elaborate.
"Okay," Jiang Hong tried to find something else to say. After a pause, he remarked, "When those symbols appeared on your body at the end, you looked really cool."
Lu Xiu: "?"
Lu Xiu, with a slightly swollen corner of his mouth, showed a puzzled expression, then realized what Jiang Hong was referring to.
"That's my seal," Lu Xiu, maintaining his human form, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Complex runes appeared again on his skin. "Principal Xiang Cheng set it to prevent me from losing control and causing too much destruction. It's a magical restraint."
Jiang Hong's mind was filled with the image of Lu Xiu as the black dragon, covered in glowing golden runes. It was a breathtakingly beautiful yet sinister sight, like Lu Xiu had become a great demon king but was acting to protect him.
Jiang Hong chuckled, "Did he say when he'll remove it? It must be temporary, right?"
Lu Xiu, putting on a long-sleeved T-shirt, answered, "Until the day I die."
"Uh..." Jiang Hong said, "I highly doubt that day will come."
Lu Xiu didn’t respond to Jiang Hong’s comment. He stood up, opened the door, and said, "Pack up, we’re going back to school."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong asked, "We're leaving now?"
Lu Xiu: "The principal urgently needs me. I have to go, no matter what. I've been delayed too long. You can stay here if you want."
Staying at Shandan Horse Farm didn't make much sense anymore. It was too cold, and the Que God Altar was thoroughly destroyed. After everyone gathered, they met with Dong Mang. Mu Zong had been captured, and in the final moments, the female emissary escaped. The male emissary captured by Jiang Hong and He Jian was still there and had been handed over to Quwei.
"It's been a full ten years since we last faced an enemy with such a clear target," Chen Zhen remarked.
The students were arranged to have lunch with Cao Bin, Chen Zhen, and Dong Mang. With two big bosses present, Jiang Hong and others dared not interrupt. Lu Xiu seemed distracted throughout and even had a few drinks.
"It's my shame," Dong Mang said, "that I kept this matter hidden for so long."
Chen Zhen was quite polite to Dong Mang, considering the long and venerable history of Shandan Horse Farm, predating even the establishment of the Exorcist Department. Despite the trouble caused by the farm's secrecy, it hadn't led to any major disasters.
"Now that Hyanghuo's existence has been officially confirmed, it means they've moved from the shadows into the open," Chen Zhen said. "We now have sufficient evidence. Once we return to Quwei, we will fully engage them. Don't worry. It's cliché, but Quwei's responsibility is to maintain world peace. It was so in the past, it is now, and it will remain unwaveringly so in the future."
Dong Mang nodded as the group watched videos on their phones—footage shot from various angles. Chen Zhen and Cao Bin each took a copy. Dong Mang also provided a detailed report on the investigation of the Que God Altar over the years, including its historical legacy, enough for their end-of-term project.
After lunch, Chen Zhen's subordinates arrived and took the captured emissaries back to Beijing Quwei for interrogation. Jiang Hong went to bid farewell to Dong Mang. Somehow, he felt a certain friendship had formed with Dong Mang, despite their brief acquaintance, perhaps from riding his horses on the way up the mountain?
"Your brother is ill, right?" Jiang Hong asked.
Walking Jiang Hong to the car through the snow, Dong Mang replied, "Yes, he has a congenital deficiency. He won’t live long."
Dong Mang showed Jiang Hong a photo on his phone of a small gray horse that seemed to have vitiligo. "Mu Zong has been like this since childhood. It’s a genetic disease. He’s not expected to live past thirty."
Jiang Hong looked at the photo with a hint of regret, then at Dong Mang’s eyes, which had become dim and lifeless.
"I understand," Jiang Hong nodded, realizing Dong Mang must have been in a great dilemma all these years.
"If there was even a slight possibility, I'd want to save him. I even thought of waiting to see if the revival of Que God would be successful. Do you have any deceased relatives you hope to revive? Young man?" Dong Mang asked.
"No," Jiang Hong replied, "I'm Jiang Hong. But I think if my parents had a terminal illness, or if they were gone, I'd probably feel the same as you."
"Jiang Hong," Dong Mang stopped in the snow, "Thank you. So you think I did nothing wrong."
"Well..." Jiang Hong said, "If it doesn’t harm others, it's not wrong. But Hyanghuo, they must have other motives, like using this as a bargaining chip, who knows what might happen in the future..."
Dong Mang: "It’s not uncertain. Joining them would definitely mean I'd have to kill people."
Jiang Hong nodded. Dong Mang added, "I also worry that breaking the natural cycle of life and death will bring more suffering."
"So, what's next for you two…" Jiang Hong asked, "Can he go to a human hospital for treatment?"
Avoiding a direct answer, Dong Mang said, "We’ll try to spend as much time together as possible."
Dong Mang escorted Jiang Hong to a Coaster bus, extending his hand for a handshake and farewell.
The road back was covered in snow, and the drive was slow. A sealed van transporting the captured Hyanghuo emissary led the way, followed by the Coaster moving at a leisurely pace.
Inside the car, there was a quiet atmosphere. Everyone leaned back in their seats, resting, or at least pretending to, given Chen Zhen and Cao Bin's presence. It wasn’t appropriate to speak out of turn. Chen Zhen, not only the head of Quwei but also one of the theoretically strongest exorcists, naturally commanded respect and caution.
Jiang Hong didn’t feel particularly affected. After sitting in the car for a while, feeling a bit bored, he asked, "Will Mu Zong be punished?"
No one answered, but He Jian gave him a nervous glance, as if to say, 'You're really speaking so casually to the big boss?'
After a few seconds of silence in the car, Chen Zhen realized and said, "Ah? Are you asking me that question?"
Cao Bin responded, "Who else?"
Chen Zhen hummed and, without turning back, said, "Considering his brother chose to side with us at the last moment, Quwei won’t be too harsh on him. Theoretically, his movements will be restricted, and he’ll stay at his home under his brother’s supervision."
"He’s suffering from a serious illness," Jiang Hong added thoughtfully.
"Yes," Chen Zhen replied. "Dong Mang once sought help from Quwei, but it's a genetic disease, and Quwei doesn’t have a solution."
Jiang Hong felt like pleading for Dong Mang, but knowing Chen Zhen wouldn’t pursue the matter too far, he felt relieved.
Silence returned to the car, and Jiang Hong glanced at Lu Xiu worriedly, while Lu Xiu continued to stare out of the window.
Jiang Hong whispered, "Does it still hurt?"
Lu Xiu didn’t respond, just uncomfortably curled up toward the window, shifting his position to rest his knees against the seat in front.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong noticed Chen Zhen watching them in the rearview mirror. When their eyes met, Chen Zhen broke into a smile.
"Uh, am I talking too much? I feel like a chatterbox while everyone else is so quiet," Jiang Hong thought, feeling a bit awkward to keep the conversation going.
"Zhu Jingling's end-of-term project is quite challenging," Chen Zhen suddenly remarked.
Cao Bin responded, "It might not have been her original intention. After all, no one could have anticipated that it would lead to all this."
Chen Zhen pondered and then asked, "Does she usually use the innate Six Lines divination to assign topics to students?"
Cao Bin inquired, "Lian Jiang?"
Called upon, Lian Jiang promptly replied with seriousness, "Principal, that’s what she said."
Chen Zhen and Cao Bin then stopped talking. Jiang Hong returned to watching the videos on his phone, starting to think about the PPT for their report. Xiao Pi said, "Guys..."
Everyone looked at Xiao Pi, who suddenly became nervous and said, "Ah, don't take it so seriously. I just wanted to say... um... I’ll make the PPT for the report? I feel a bit guilty for not having done much and holding everyone back."
"How could that be?" everyone chorused.
Lian Jiang added, "Didn’t you knock down Dong Mang? Your physical skills are superb."
Xiao Pi sighed sadly. Jiang Hong then said, "Actually, I’m the one who didn't do much... but I have no objections."
Everyone laughed, and Chen Zhen said, "Pi Yunhao, are you adjusting well to your school days?"
Jiang Hong was initially surprised that Chen Zhen seemed quite familiar with Xiao Pi, but then remembered Xiao Pi's father was the head of discipline and an exorcist, so it made sense.
Xiao Pi replied, "The coursework is a bit difficult, but I'm trying my best."
Chen Zhen nodded in response.
The car slowly made its way and finally reached the high-speed train station. Jiang Hong breathed a sigh of relief—finally, they could return to school.
"I'll be leaving first," Chen Zhen said at the entrance.
Cao Bin simply gestured, and Chen Zhen then turned his gaze to Lu Xiu. It seemed that from a certain moment, Lu Xiu had become extremely aloof, hardly initiating conversations even with Jiang Hong.
"Little Hei," Chen Zhen said, "Big Brother has a few words to say to you."
Lu Xiu showed an impatient expression but still walked over.
So gentle. Jiang Hong thought upon hearing these words.
He saw Lu Xiu standing with Chen Zhen outside the snow-filled high-speed train station. Chen Zhen spoke seriously, while Lu Xiu listened indifferently, occasionally dodging when Chen Zhen tried to pat him gently.
"What's wrong with him?" Xiao Pi also sensed the somber mood.
"I don't know," Jiang Hong replied.
Cao Bin said, "Let's go ahead and enter the station."
Jiang Hong agreed verbally, but his feet remained still, watching from a distance as Lu Xiu finished talking. Ten minutes later, Chen Zhen left first, while Lu Xiu still stood outside the train station, lost in thought.
For one minute, then two, Lu Xiu stood motionless like a statue.
What exactly happened? Jiang Hong knew something must have occurred, and the scene frightened him, like hearing news of a relative's death. But Lu Xiu had no family left in this world, so what could have made him so silent?
Jiang Hong longed to share Lu Xiu's troubles, but Lu Xiu was unwilling to speak about them.
After a long wait, Lu Xiu suddenly turned and started walking towards the entrance, but just as he turned, he saw Jiang Hong.
Lu Xiu was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Jiang Hong to have been waiting for him in the snow.
"Look!" Jiang Hong gestured for Lu Xiu to see the snow outside the station. "It's snowing again! Such heavy snowfall!"
Wrapped in scarves, they turned to look outside. In the late afternoon of deep winter, heavy snow fell, with a few crooked snowmen piled up on the square in front of the station. The sky was dim, and somewhere carried the scent of roasted sweet potatoes.
Lu Xiu stood for a while before walking towards Jiang Hong, saying, "Let's go back. It's getting dark."
In the winter, when all is dormant, the earth is like a hibernating giant, lowering its temperature to the minimum. The cycle of yin and yang turns, heralding the coming of an ultimate peace. The power of the earth's veins, like water about to boil, slowly accumulates strength, waiting for the moment of revival in spring.
Deep underground, in the Hall of a Thousand Gods, a man stood before a pool of blood, holding a dagger, floating it in the air.
"My lord," the man said in a steady voice, "I have made a mistake and lost something important."
"The Book of Everything originates from the star child, and my power is repelled by the Book of Everything," said a voice from the blood pool. "Using the Book of Everything, you cannot fully receive my power. It is the will of fate."
The man added, "But overall, this plan was a success."
A drop of golden blood separated from the dagger. "This is the latest sample, the blood of Lu Xiu. I went through great lengths, allowing Zhu Que to set a meticulous trap and finally lured him to Qilian Mountains to obtain this drop of blood. Only Que could tear his skin and obtain the blood of the dragon. I pray to use your power to incubate this warrior. In time, he will become our most powerful arm."
The sinister face in the blood pool emerged, speaking slowly, "Incubating him will require a vast amount of earth's vein power. I can only hope you have not misjudged."
The man said, "After ten years of experimentation, this spell has matured. Quwei will soon face its backlash."
More blood flowed out of the blood pool, converging around the drop of golden blood. Black mist swirled around it, becoming the core. The blood slowly coalesced into a vague human shape, like a clay figure.
The man made another gesture, and the 'clay figure' slowly rose, placed in the most conspicuous cave. Then he cast a spell, redirecting the energy of the earth's veins. Blue light entered the cave, pulsing slowly, nurturing the clay figure with full force.
Another day passed, and the moment Jiang Hong returned to the dormitory, he finally came back to life.
"How did it go?" Jin and Zhang Xiting had already finished their end-of-term project, one lying down reading a book, the other playing a game.
Jiang Hong: "Frozen stupid."
He Jian: "Don't even mention it! No idea what desolate wilderness we went to! It was cold and desolate, and there wasn’t even anything to eat!"
As Jiang Hong started organizing his end-of-term assignments and the things he brought back, Jin asked, "Did you finish it?"
Jiang Hong: "We more than finished. I think we might even get an S."
Zhang Xiting laughed, "Let’s go celebrate, how about a meal in Xi'an?"
He Jian and Jiang Hong in unison: "Spare me!"
Jiang Hong: "No way, I don’t want to step out of the dorm."
He Jian turned the heater up to the max, exclaiming, "The heater is truly a gift from heaven!"
Jin suggested, "How about hot pot in the cafeteria then?"
"That sounds good," Jiang Hong replied while sorting through materials. He had to submit his magical artifact assignment tomorrow morning, followed by Zhu Jingling's Inner World Exploration in the afternoon, and then the Exorcism Practice class's end-of-term evaluation the day after. Lastly, there was Cao Bin's Comprehensive Exorcism Studies, with the exact exam date unknown, just awaiting notification.
Other courses were either already examined or papers submitted. Compared to them, Cao Bin's subject was the easiest, requiring just a narrative of a "feat" accomplished during the semester. Cao Bin's grading depended on how much knowledge from the class was incorporated into the feat.
The most unpredictable was the Magical Artifact class... Jiang Hong remembered the artifact he had bought, which might likely get a "B," but he thought, 'B is fine... as long as I pass.'
First, they reviewed the PPT. Xiao Pi had already prepared the framework and shared it in the group chat. Jiang Hong and other group members gave feedback, adding content to it.
In the evening, Room 903 had a simple dinner in the cafeteria. Jiang Hong, with his hair in a mess, kept editing the PPT, from the cafeteria to the dorm room. After giving feedback, they took turns contributing until it was finally Jiang Hong's turn.
Room 903 agreed to have a gathering in the Xi'an city center after all the courses were done. By 11 pm, everyone was asleep, except for Jiang Hong's desk lamp still on, and the occasional light "click" of the mouse.
In the silent depth of the night, it felt as if Jiang Hong was the only person left in the world. He sipped his coffee, modifying the PPT. Before returning to school, Cao Bin had specifically instructed him not to mention any sensitive information about Hyanghuo in the project, so Jiang Hong had to remove those parts from the PPT, making the events connect smoothly.
The phone screen lit up; it was midnight, and there was a message from Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu: [Are you there?]
This was the first time Lu Xiu had initiated a message to Jiang Hong since returning to school.
Jiang Hong: [Yes, what are you up to?]
Lu Xiu: [Are you ready for the final exams?]
Jiang Hong: [Yeah, almost done. How about you?]
Lu Xiu: [Let's talk sometime.]
Looking out the window at the pitch-black night, Jiang Hong realized it was a cold winter night.
[We can talk now, I'll just put on some clothes and come find you.]
[Not now, I'm in Beijing.]
Jiang Hong was a bit surprised. He had just returned to school, and Lu Xiu had already left again within a day? Recalling that Lu Xiu had been acting unusually since a certain point at Shandan Horse Farm, Jiang Hong wondered if his trip to Beijing was to resolve this issue?
Jiang Hong didn't ask further, knowing that for someone like Lu Xiu, excessive concern was unnecessary. He would speak when he was ready. For Jiang Hong, being available most of the time was enough. Sometimes Lu Xiu's [Are you there?] was a form of emotional expression, not requiring anything to be shared or anyone to console him, just needing a response from afar, telling him [I am here], completing the process.
Lu Xiu: [Have I been acting unusually lately?]
After some thought, Jiang Hong picked up his phone and sat back at his desk.
[Yes, what happened? I’m very worried about you.] This was the third time Jiang Hong had asked this to Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu: [A lot has happened, I'll tell you in detail when I get back. I'll be back tomorrow.]
Reading this, Jiang Hong knew Lu Xiu had sorted things out.
Suddenly, the phone rang again, and the caller was Lu Xiu.
Jiang Hong was startled and answered the phone, but the other end was extremely noisy.
Putting on his headphones and stepping outside the dorm to talk, he said, "Senior, where are you?"
"Outside Quwei," Lu Xiu replied, "I just finished my business and came out."
The wind howled fiercely. Lu Xiu, in a trench coat, stood at the entrance of Lingjing Alley near Quwei. The wind tunnel of the street made his coat billow wildly, almost drowning out Jiang Hong’s words.
Lu Xiu looked up at the thirty-three-story building of Quwei, standing tall in the darkness, like a mysterious obelisk in the inner world. The dark sky emitted a faint light from an unknown source, revealing the winter Milky Way as the clouds gradually dispersed.
Lu Xiu said nothing, and Jiang Hong remained silent on the other end of the phone, just accompanying him.
"I'm going to hang up," Lu Xiu finally said.
"Okay," Jiang Hong replied with a smile over the phone, "I'll wait for your return."
Jiang Hong hung up, stretched lazily, and did a final check on his PPT before sending it to the group.
It was 1 am; his group members were asleep, waiting for tomorrow to review it.
Next, he had to work on his Magical Artifact assignment, writing a simple outline introducing the artifact... Jiang Hong felt he would be up all night.
He carefully took out the lamp, thinking it was a mistake not to start the Magical Artifact assignment earlier. As expected, just as he peeled off the talisman from the bronze lamp, it started screaming.
Lamp: "Hurry, save me! There's not much time left—!"
"Shh! Shh!" Jiang Hong quickly gestured for it to be quiet. The lamp kept screaming until he covered it again with the talisman, and silence returned.
But He Jian was already awakened, the first to jump up.
He Jian: "..."
Zhang Xiting got up, fumbled for his glasses, put them on, and was visibly shaken.
"Sorry... dads," Jiang Hong was almost in tears.
He Jian initially thought it was Jiang Hong calling for help and was quite startled, but neither showed irritation at being woken up. He Jian's sleep was always light anyway.
"It's okay," He Jian yawned, going to heat some milk to drink. "I can sleep and do other things at the same time. I’m actually sleeping right now."
Zhang Xiting said, "I haven't slept yet, I'm texting my girlfriend."
Chapter 36: Winter Night
"Lu Xiu, how are you?" Chen Zhen stood in the snow, looking at Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu breathed a sigh of relief, signaling he was fine.
"Uh, Leader," Jiang Hong said, "Could you turn off the special effects first? My eyes are about to go blind."
Chen Zhen, still in his Lamp-Bearing God form, stood in the snow talking to them. His hair was like flames, and his entire body glowed like a xenon lamp shining closely on everyone.
"It's a bit cold here," Chen Zhen said. "I'll remove the spell once we're indoors, to avoid catching a cold."
The Lamp-Bearing God, speaking earnestly about "catching a cold," was bizarre to say the least.
Cao Bin looked around and said, "Where are the others? This must be Director Dong of the horse farm."
Dong Mang replied, "I've sent my men to look for my brother and the emissary. Let's go inside and talk more. Please, this way."
Jiang Hong returned to their suite, which Dong Mang no longer had locked. They first examined Lu Xiu's wounds. Lian Jiang brought medicine, leaving Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu alone in the room. Lu Xiu was shirtless while Jiang Hong began to apply medicine to his wounds.
"Why do you do this?" Lu Xiu suddenly asked. "This is the second time."
Jiang Hong first disinfected Lu Xiu's wounds. The scratches from the Que were quite deep, and there were abrasions on his face from rolling down the mountain.
"I'm worried about you," Jiang Hong replied.
Lu Xiu said, "Last time in Chongqing, it was the same. Do you realize you're a mortal?"
"I know," Jiang Hong said. "But I haven't been a bother to you."
Lu Xiu fell silent, and Jiang Hong smiled, saying, "I get a bit impulsive every time, sorry."
Jiang Hong gently dabbed Lu Xiu's cheek with cotton wool, causing Lu Xiu to turn his face away.
"You're angry," Jiang Hong observed. "You seem upset, right?"
Finally, Lu Xiu looked at Jiang Hong, who said, "Although I don’t know what you're mad about, things have been off since you received Principal Cao's call."
"You noticed," Lu Xiu said.
"Yeah," Jiang Hong replied, "But if you don't want to talk about it, we won't."
Lu Xiu's gaze on Jiang Hong turned complex. His lips moved slightly but in the end, he chose not to elaborate.
"Okay," Jiang Hong tried to find something else to say. After a pause, he remarked, "When those symbols appeared on your body at the end, you looked really cool."
Lu Xiu: "?"
Lu Xiu, with a slightly swollen corner of his mouth, showed a puzzled expression, then realized what Jiang Hong was referring to.
"That's my seal," Lu Xiu, maintaining his human form, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Complex runes appeared again on his skin. "Principal Xiang Cheng set it to prevent me from losing control and causing too much destruction. It's a magical restraint."
Jiang Hong's mind was filled with the image of Lu Xiu as the black dragon, covered in glowing golden runes. It was a breathtakingly beautiful yet sinister sight, like Lu Xiu had become a great demon king but was acting to protect him.
Jiang Hong chuckled, "Did he say when he'll remove it? It must be temporary, right?"
Lu Xiu, putting on a long-sleeved T-shirt, answered, "Until the day I die."
"Uh..." Jiang Hong said, "I highly doubt that day will come."
Lu Xiu didn’t respond to Jiang Hong’s comment. He stood up, opened the door, and said, "Pack up, we’re going back to school."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong asked, "We're leaving now?"
Lu Xiu: "The principal urgently needs me. I have to go, no matter what. I've been delayed too long. You can stay here if you want."
Staying at Shandan Horse Farm didn't make much sense anymore. It was too cold, and the Que God Altar was thoroughly destroyed. After everyone gathered, they met with Dong Mang. Mu Zong had been captured, and in the final moments, the female emissary escaped. The male emissary captured by Jiang Hong and He Jian was still there and had been handed over to Quwei.
"It's been a full ten years since we last faced an enemy with such a clear target," Chen Zhen remarked.
The students were arranged to have lunch with Cao Bin, Chen Zhen, and Dong Mang. With two big bosses present, Jiang Hong and others dared not interrupt. Lu Xiu seemed distracted throughout and even had a few drinks.
"It's my shame," Dong Mang said, "that I kept this matter hidden for so long."
Chen Zhen was quite polite to Dong Mang, considering the long and venerable history of Shandan Horse Farm, predating even the establishment of the Exorcist Department. Despite the trouble caused by the farm's secrecy, it hadn't led to any major disasters.
"Now that Hyanghuo's existence has been officially confirmed, it means they've moved from the shadows into the open," Chen Zhen said. "We now have sufficient evidence. Once we return to Quwei, we will fully engage them. Don't worry. It's cliché, but Quwei's responsibility is to maintain world peace. It was so in the past, it is now, and it will remain unwaveringly so in the future."
Dong Mang nodded as the group watched videos on their phones—footage shot from various angles. Chen Zhen and Cao Bin each took a copy. Dong Mang also provided a detailed report on the investigation of the Que God Altar over the years, including its historical legacy, enough for their end-of-term project.
After lunch, Chen Zhen's subordinates arrived and took the captured emissaries back to Beijing Quwei for interrogation. Jiang Hong went to bid farewell to Dong Mang. Somehow, he felt a certain friendship had formed with Dong Mang, despite their brief acquaintance, perhaps from riding his horses on the way up the mountain?
"Your brother is ill, right?" Jiang Hong asked.
Walking Jiang Hong to the car through the snow, Dong Mang replied, "Yes, he has a congenital deficiency. He won’t live long."
Dong Mang showed Jiang Hong a photo on his phone of a small gray horse that seemed to have vitiligo. "Mu Zong has been like this since childhood. It’s a genetic disease. He’s not expected to live past thirty."
Jiang Hong looked at the photo with a hint of regret, then at Dong Mang’s eyes, which had become dim and lifeless.
"I understand," Jiang Hong nodded, realizing Dong Mang must have been in a great dilemma all these years.
"If there was even a slight possibility, I'd want to save him. I even thought of waiting to see if the revival of Que God would be successful. Do you have any deceased relatives you hope to revive? Young man?" Dong Mang asked.
"No," Jiang Hong replied, "I'm Jiang Hong. But I think if my parents had a terminal illness, or if they were gone, I'd probably feel the same as you."
"Jiang Hong," Dong Mang stopped in the snow, "Thank you. So you think I did nothing wrong."
"Well..." Jiang Hong said, "If it doesn’t harm others, it's not wrong. But Hyanghuo, they must have other motives, like using this as a bargaining chip, who knows what might happen in the future..."
Dong Mang: "It’s not uncertain. Joining them would definitely mean I'd have to kill people."
Jiang Hong nodded. Dong Mang added, "I also worry that breaking the natural cycle of life and death will bring more suffering."
"So, what's next for you two…" Jiang Hong asked, "Can he go to a human hospital for treatment?"
Avoiding a direct answer, Dong Mang said, "We’ll try to spend as much time together as possible."
Dong Mang escorted Jiang Hong to a Coaster bus, extending his hand for a handshake and farewell.
The road back was covered in snow, and the drive was slow. A sealed van transporting the captured Hyanghuo emissary led the way, followed by the Coaster moving at a leisurely pace.
Inside the car, there was a quiet atmosphere. Everyone leaned back in their seats, resting, or at least pretending to, given Chen Zhen and Cao Bin's presence. It wasn’t appropriate to speak out of turn. Chen Zhen, not only the head of Quwei but also one of the theoretically strongest exorcists, naturally commanded respect and caution.
Jiang Hong didn’t feel particularly affected. After sitting in the car for a while, feeling a bit bored, he asked, "Will Mu Zong be punished?"
No one answered, but He Jian gave him a nervous glance, as if to say, 'You're really speaking so casually to the big boss?'
After a few seconds of silence in the car, Chen Zhen realized and said, "Ah? Are you asking me that question?"
Cao Bin responded, "Who else?"
Chen Zhen hummed and, without turning back, said, "Considering his brother chose to side with us at the last moment, Quwei won’t be too harsh on him. Theoretically, his movements will be restricted, and he’ll stay at his home under his brother’s supervision."
"He’s suffering from a serious illness," Jiang Hong added thoughtfully.
"Yes," Chen Zhen replied. "Dong Mang once sought help from Quwei, but it's a genetic disease, and Quwei doesn’t have a solution."
Jiang Hong felt like pleading for Dong Mang, but knowing Chen Zhen wouldn’t pursue the matter too far, he felt relieved.
Silence returned to the car, and Jiang Hong glanced at Lu Xiu worriedly, while Lu Xiu continued to stare out of the window.
Jiang Hong whispered, "Does it still hurt?"
Lu Xiu didn’t respond, just uncomfortably curled up toward the window, shifting his position to rest his knees against the seat in front.
Suddenly, Jiang Hong noticed Chen Zhen watching them in the rearview mirror. When their eyes met, Chen Zhen broke into a smile.
"Uh, am I talking too much? I feel like a chatterbox while everyone else is so quiet," Jiang Hong thought, feeling a bit awkward to keep the conversation going.
"Zhu Jingling's end-of-term project is quite challenging," Chen Zhen suddenly remarked.
Cao Bin responded, "It might not have been her original intention. After all, no one could have anticipated that it would lead to all this."
Chen Zhen pondered and then asked, "Does she usually use the innate Six Lines divination to assign topics to students?"
Cao Bin inquired, "Lian Jiang?"
Called upon, Lian Jiang promptly replied with seriousness, "Principal, that’s what she said."
Chen Zhen and Cao Bin then stopped talking. Jiang Hong returned to watching the videos on his phone, starting to think about the PPT for their report. Xiao Pi said, "Guys..."
Everyone looked at Xiao Pi, who suddenly became nervous and said, "Ah, don't take it so seriously. I just wanted to say... um... I’ll make the PPT for the report? I feel a bit guilty for not having done much and holding everyone back."
"How could that be?" everyone chorused.
Lian Jiang added, "Didn’t you knock down Dong Mang? Your physical skills are superb."
Xiao Pi sighed sadly. Jiang Hong then said, "Actually, I’m the one who didn't do much... but I have no objections."
Everyone laughed, and Chen Zhen said, "Pi Yunhao, are you adjusting well to your school days?"
Jiang Hong was initially surprised that Chen Zhen seemed quite familiar with Xiao Pi, but then remembered Xiao Pi's father was the head of discipline and an exorcist, so it made sense.
Xiao Pi replied, "The coursework is a bit difficult, but I'm trying my best."
Chen Zhen nodded in response.
The car slowly made its way and finally reached the high-speed train station. Jiang Hong breathed a sigh of relief—finally, they could return to school.
"I'll be leaving first," Chen Zhen said at the entrance.
Cao Bin simply gestured, and Chen Zhen then turned his gaze to Lu Xiu. It seemed that from a certain moment, Lu Xiu had become extremely aloof, hardly initiating conversations even with Jiang Hong.
"Little Hei," Chen Zhen said, "Big Brother has a few words to say to you."
Lu Xiu showed an impatient expression but still walked over.
So gentle. Jiang Hong thought upon hearing these words.
He saw Lu Xiu standing with Chen Zhen outside the snow-filled high-speed train station. Chen Zhen spoke seriously, while Lu Xiu listened indifferently, occasionally dodging when Chen Zhen tried to pat him gently.
"What's wrong with him?" Xiao Pi also sensed the somber mood.
"I don't know," Jiang Hong replied.
Cao Bin said, "Let's go ahead and enter the station."
Jiang Hong agreed verbally, but his feet remained still, watching from a distance as Lu Xiu finished talking. Ten minutes later, Chen Zhen left first, while Lu Xiu still stood outside the train station, lost in thought.
For one minute, then two, Lu Xiu stood motionless like a statue.
What exactly happened? Jiang Hong knew something must have occurred, and the scene frightened him, like hearing news of a relative's death. But Lu Xiu had no family left in this world, so what could have made him so silent?
Jiang Hong longed to share Lu Xiu's troubles, but Lu Xiu was unwilling to speak about them.
After a long wait, Lu Xiu suddenly turned and started walking towards the entrance, but just as he turned, he saw Jiang Hong.
Lu Xiu was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Jiang Hong to have been waiting for him in the snow.
"Look!" Jiang Hong gestured for Lu Xiu to see the snow outside the station. "It's snowing again! Such heavy snowfall!"
Wrapped in scarves, they turned to look outside. In the late afternoon of deep winter, heavy snow fell, with a few crooked snowmen piled up on the square in front of the station. The sky was dim, and somewhere carried the scent of roasted sweet potatoes.
Lu Xiu stood for a while before walking towards Jiang Hong, saying, "Let's go back. It's getting dark."
In the winter, when all is dormant, the earth is like a hibernating giant, lowering its temperature to the minimum. The cycle of yin and yang turns, heralding the coming of an ultimate peace. The power of the earth's veins, like water about to boil, slowly accumulates strength, waiting for the moment of revival in spring.
Deep underground, in the Hall of a Thousand Gods, a man stood before a pool of blood, holding a dagger, floating it in the air.
"My lord," the man said in a steady voice, "I have made a mistake and lost something important."
"The Book of Everything originates from the star child, and my power is repelled by the Book of Everything," said a voice from the blood pool. "Using the Book of Everything, you cannot fully receive my power. It is the will of fate."
The man added, "But overall, this plan was a success."
A drop of golden blood separated from the dagger. "This is the latest sample, the blood of Lu Xiu. I went through great lengths, allowing Zhu Que to set a meticulous trap and finally lured him to Qilian Mountains to obtain this drop of blood. Only Que could tear his skin and obtain the blood of the dragon. I pray to use your power to incubate this warrior. In time, he will become our most powerful arm."
The sinister face in the blood pool emerged, speaking slowly, "Incubating him will require a vast amount of earth's vein power. I can only hope you have not misjudged."
The man said, "After ten years of experimentation, this spell has matured. Quwei will soon face its backlash."
More blood flowed out of the blood pool, converging around the drop of golden blood. Black mist swirled around it, becoming the core. The blood slowly coalesced into a vague human shape, like a clay figure.
The man made another gesture, and the 'clay figure' slowly rose, placed in the most conspicuous cave. Then he cast a spell, redirecting the energy of the earth's veins. Blue light entered the cave, pulsing slowly, nurturing the clay figure with full force.
Another day passed, and the moment Jiang Hong returned to the dormitory, he finally came back to life.
"How did it go?" Jin and Zhang Xiting had already finished their end-of-term project, one lying down reading a book, the other playing a game.
Jiang Hong: "Frozen stupid."
He Jian: "Don't even mention it! No idea what desolate wilderness we went to! It was cold and desolate, and there wasn’t even anything to eat!"
As Jiang Hong started organizing his end-of-term assignments and the things he brought back, Jin asked, "Did you finish it?"
Jiang Hong: "We more than finished. I think we might even get an S."
Zhang Xiting laughed, "Let’s go celebrate, how about a meal in Xi'an?"
He Jian and Jiang Hong in unison: "Spare me!"
Jiang Hong: "No way, I don’t want to step out of the dorm."
He Jian turned the heater up to the max, exclaiming, "The heater is truly a gift from heaven!"
Jin suggested, "How about hot pot in the cafeteria then?"
"That sounds good," Jiang Hong replied while sorting through materials. He had to submit his magical artifact assignment tomorrow morning, followed by Zhu Jingling's Inner World Exploration in the afternoon, and then the Exorcism Practice class's end-of-term evaluation the day after. Lastly, there was Cao Bin's Comprehensive Exorcism Studies, with the exact exam date unknown, just awaiting notification.
Other courses were either already examined or papers submitted. Compared to them, Cao Bin's subject was the easiest, requiring just a narrative of a "feat" accomplished during the semester. Cao Bin's grading depended on how much knowledge from the class was incorporated into the feat.
The most unpredictable was the Magical Artifact class... Jiang Hong remembered the artifact he had bought, which might likely get a "B," but he thought, 'B is fine... as long as I pass.'
First, they reviewed the PPT. Xiao Pi had already prepared the framework and shared it in the group chat. Jiang Hong and other group members gave feedback, adding content to it.
In the evening, Room 903 had a simple dinner in the cafeteria. Jiang Hong, with his hair in a mess, kept editing the PPT, from the cafeteria to the dorm room. After giving feedback, they took turns contributing until it was finally Jiang Hong's turn.
Room 903 agreed to have a gathering in the Xi'an city center after all the courses were done. By 11 pm, everyone was asleep, except for Jiang Hong's desk lamp still on, and the occasional light "click" of the mouse.
In the silent depth of the night, it felt as if Jiang Hong was the only person left in the world. He sipped his coffee, modifying the PPT. Before returning to school, Cao Bin had specifically instructed him not to mention any sensitive information about Hyanghuo in the project, so Jiang Hong had to remove those parts from the PPT, making the events connect smoothly.
The phone screen lit up; it was midnight, and there was a message from Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu: [Are you there?]
This was the first time Lu Xiu had initiated a message to Jiang Hong since returning to school.
Jiang Hong: [Yes, what are you up to?]
Lu Xiu: [Are you ready for the final exams?]
Jiang Hong: [Yeah, almost done. How about you?]
Lu Xiu: [Let's talk sometime.]
Looking out the window at the pitch-black night, Jiang Hong realized it was a cold winter night.
[We can talk now, I'll just put on some clothes and come find you.]
[Not now, I'm in Beijing.]
Jiang Hong was a bit surprised. He had just returned to school, and Lu Xiu had already left again within a day? Recalling that Lu Xiu had been acting unusually since a certain point at Shandan Horse Farm, Jiang Hong wondered if his trip to Beijing was to resolve this issue?
Jiang Hong didn't ask further, knowing that for someone like Lu Xiu, excessive concern was unnecessary. He would speak when he was ready. For Jiang Hong, being available most of the time was enough. Sometimes Lu Xiu's [Are you there?] was a form of emotional expression, not requiring anything to be shared or anyone to console him, just needing a response from afar, telling him [I am here], completing the process.
Lu Xiu: [Have I been acting unusually lately?]
After some thought, Jiang Hong picked up his phone and sat back at his desk.
[Yes, what happened? I’m very worried about you.] This was the third time Jiang Hong had asked this to Lu Xiu.
Lu Xiu: [A lot has happened, I'll tell you in detail when I get back. I'll be back tomorrow.]
Reading this, Jiang Hong knew Lu Xiu had sorted things out.
Suddenly, the phone rang again, and the caller was Lu Xiu.
Jiang Hong was startled and answered the phone, but the other end was extremely noisy.
Putting on his headphones and stepping outside the dorm to talk, he said, "Senior, where are you?"
"Outside Quwei," Lu Xiu replied, "I just finished my business and came out."
The wind howled fiercely. Lu Xiu, in a trench coat, stood at the entrance of Lingjing Alley near Quwei. The wind tunnel of the street made his coat billow wildly, almost drowning out Jiang Hong’s words.
Lu Xiu looked up at the thirty-three-story building of Quwei, standing tall in the darkness, like a mysterious obelisk in the inner world. The dark sky emitted a faint light from an unknown source, revealing the winter Milky Way as the clouds gradually dispersed.
Lu Xiu said nothing, and Jiang Hong remained silent on the other end of the phone, just accompanying him.
"I'm going to hang up," Lu Xiu finally said.
"Okay," Jiang Hong replied with a smile over the phone, "I'll wait for your return."
Jiang Hong hung up, stretched lazily, and did a final check on his PPT before sending it to the group.
It was 1 am; his group members were asleep, waiting for tomorrow to review it.
Next, he had to work on his Magical Artifact assignment, writing a simple outline introducing the artifact... Jiang Hong felt he would be up all night.
He carefully took out the lamp, thinking it was a mistake not to start the Magical Artifact assignment earlier. As expected, just as he peeled off the talisman from the bronze lamp, it started screaming.
Lamp: "Hurry, save me! There's not much time left—!"
"Shh! Shh!" Jiang Hong quickly gestured for it to be quiet. The lamp kept screaming until he covered it again with the talisman, and silence returned.
But He Jian was already awakened, the first to jump up.
He Jian: "..."
Zhang Xiting got up, fumbled for his glasses, put them on, and was visibly shaken.
"Sorry... dads," Jiang Hong was almost in tears.
He Jian initially thought it was Jiang Hong calling for help and was quite startled, but neither showed irritation at being woken up. He Jian's sleep was always light anyway.
"It's okay," He Jian yawned, going to heat some milk to drink. "I can sleep and do other things at the same time. I’m actually sleeping right now."
Zhang Xiting said, "I haven't slept yet, I'm texting my girlfriend."
