Chapter 97: Master Zhang, are we going to Yumen Pass?
Of course, Lu Yibei knew Nanling Yaohua, not only knew her but was also very familiar with her.
When Xing Yuan mentioned the name Nanling Yaohua, a flood of images flashed through her mind almost reflexively.
There was the little girl with a small backpack, holding her hand while going to and from school.
There was the mysterious girl who brought interesting snacks every time they met at the stone tower.
And there was also the girl who cautiously hid her feelings but always inadvertently revealed her youthful innocence through her gaze.
She and that almost fiancée lady were not only food enthusiasts but also shared an eighteen-year false “life” together in the God Realm Prototype.
If it weren’t for Wang Ying’s flesh and bl**d causing destruction to the God Realm Prototype, impacting Huacheng, and triggering a series of events, who knows, in a few more years in the God Realm Prototype, that almost fiancée lady might have become her wife.
For a moment, Lu Yibei even questioned whether Nanling Yaohua might also be her destined partner, but she quickly shook her head, dismissing that thought.
What a lunatic! Does every person have to be a destined partner?
After a brief silence, Lu Yibei returned to her thoughts and looked at Xing Yuan, asking, “I do know Nanling Yaohua, but how did she suddenly become the current head of the Yumen Sands Sea Branch?”
“It’s not so sudden…” Xing Yuan said with a curl of her lips, “This story goes back a few months.”
“A few months ago, members of the Miracle Cult from outside infiltrated Z Country and caused damage to Yumen Pass while passing through. This led to big problems at Yumen Pass, and the previous head of the Yumen Sands Sea Branch went to remedy the situation, but ended up disappearing without a trace.”
“This Miss Nanling Yaohua is the granddaughter of the former head. As one of the last remaining capable candidates to succeed the head of the Yumen Sands Sea Branch, she had no choice but to take on heavy responsibilities!”
“Tsk! So young, yet destined to spend her whole life in that godforsaken place. It’s quite pitiful when you think about it.”
“For a lifetime?” Lu Yibei’s heart skipped a beat, and her breath caught.
Hearing that Nanling Yaohua had taken over the head of Yumen Sands Sea Branch and was destined to stay in the Gobi Desert her whole life, she suddenly remembered her discovery at Qing Ji’s former residence, the small Taoist temple.
It seemed that Qing Ji’s four masters also came out from Yumen Sands Sea Branch, and those relics they left behind vaguely revealed a feeling that one could never escape from Yumen Pass, even in d*ath.
Could there be some connection?
Thinking about this, Lu Yibei asked confusedly, “What exactly is Yumen Pass? What is it for? Why would someone have to spend their entire life there?”
She often heard people mention Yumen Pass and had gradually gathered some information.
But aside from knowing that it seemed to be a godly realm with a sinister aura, she knew nothing beyond that.
Xing Yuan pondered for a moment and suddenly asked with seriousness, “Have you heard the legends of Yumen Pass?”
Lu Yibei shook her head expressionlessly.
“In the legend, if someone accidentally dies in the desert, the corpse cannot be found because that yellow sand is alive, part of Yumen Pass. At night, the sands move to bring corpses into Yumen Pass…”
“So, that place is a free graveyard?” Lu Yibei interjected. Seeing Xing Yuan glare at her, she obediently shut her mouth and waited for her to continue.
“This legend is, to some extent, true. According to the internal records of the Siye Society, it should be a large-scale godly realm. From the moment it was established, it has been continuously absorbing entities suspected of being urban legends from hundreds and thousands of kilometers around and converting them into spirit energy to maintain the operation of the godly realm.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Yibei was taken aback and hurriedly exclaimed, “Ah! So if I go there, wouldn’t I also be sucked in?”
“Don’t worry!” Xing Yuan reassured, “That godly realm has no owner anymore. Although it still functions today, its effectiveness has long diminished.”
“And the responsibility of the Yumen Sands Sea Branch is to guard this godly realm, preventing those urban legends inside from escaping during the times when the realm’s suppression is weakened every few years, while also hunting down powerful urban legends that appear in the vicinity and sealing them within Yumen Pass.”
“Since the Tang Dynasty, the Yumen Sands Sea Branch has been passed down for twenty-three generations. If it weren’t for some recent issues with the last one or two generations, it wouldn’t fall upon little Nanling Yaohua to suffer!”
After a pause, Xing Yuan rolled her eyes and added irritably, “And all of this is your father’s fault!”
Lu Yibei, “???”
What the heck? How did this involve my father?
“How does this relate to my old man?”
So, every time something happens, it’s Lu Ming’s fault now?
Though I agree with this reasoning, could it be a bit hasty?
Seeing that Lu Yibei was unaware of the troublesome things her father did when he was young, Xing Yuan was momentarily taken aback before explaining, “How can it not be related?”
“The Yumen Sands Sea Branch has always had a small population, and each head can take in at most five disciples. Then, through some rituals I’m not aware of, it creates a subtle connection between these five disciples and Yumen Pass, from which the most outstanding one is chosen to succeed in guarding Yumen.”
The information about Yumen Pass, Xing Yuan obtained from the Siye Society’s internal records, and she could only share what she knew in general.
“Of course, if the chosen disciple encounters an accident, the remaining disciples automatically take over his responsibilities. Although this sounds somewhat cruel, who knows how many urban legends would emerge each year in Z Country without Yumen Pass?”
At this point, Lu Yibei furrowed her brow. Five disciples? How many masters did the Ancestor have? It seems like four?
From the things she discovered in that small Taoist temple, she felt justified in suspecting that Qing Ji’s four masters were four of those five disciples, and the remaining one might not be the best but the most unfortunate.
It’s as if they were all playing games together, torturing an innocent passerby.
“Lu Ming and Bai Kai are both disciples of the former head. Logically speaking, if the former head is missing, one of them should have taken over, not Nanling Yaohua.”
“However, that guy Lu Ming found a way to escape the duty of guarding Yumen Pass while training outside over twenty years ago and succeeded. As for what the method was, I don’t know.”
“So, I see.” Lu Yibei nodded thoughtfully, “In simple terms, it’s because my old man threw in the towel that Nanling Yaohua had to take the blame, right?”
“What about Water Brother? Isn’t there also Water Brother? Just send him there, letting him calm down and stop doing those shady things outside.”
Hearing this, Xing Yuan’s expression darkened, and she gave Lu Yibei a vicious glare as if she had just lost her husband.
So, your father doesn’t have to go, but you want my husband to go instead?
Lu Ming knows how to figure things out. Don’t I also know how to secretly help Bai Kai? Xing Yuan thought.
Seeing the situation, Lu Yibei hurriedly changed the subject, “Uh, well, I’ve understood the situation about my godmother. I believe I don’t need additional training for my proficiency in the techniques of Dachunyang Palace. When do you think it’s suitable for me to set off?”
“Anytime.” Xing Yuan glanced toward the door, coldly saying, “If you want, you can leave right now.”
“Now?” Lu Yibei tilted her head and said weakly, “Isn’t that a bit too rushed?”
“Then you can stay and chat with me a little more?” Xing Yuan said with a dark face, “For example, discuss what you’ve specifically done in Shancheng this time?”
Avoiding her intense gaze, Lu Yibei shook her head, “No, no, I’m leaving right now!”
With that, she stood up and dashed out the door.
How could she dare to tell Xing Yuan about the things she did in Shancheng?
Should she tell her that she impersonated a confidant of the Solar Eclipse Elders’ Council and enlisted hundreds of members from the Solar Eclipse Society?
Should she tell her that she accepted a new dependent, a mid-level member sent by the Solar Eclipse President?
Wasn’t that just asking for trouble?
If she confessed everything, it wouldn’t be a conversation but rather a suspect’s confession.
———
Moments later.
Leaving Bai Kai’s residence and standing quietly in front of the entrance of Mansion No. 3, Lu Yibei began to ponder the information she just obtained from Xing Yuan.
Unexpectedly, her old man turned out to be a descendant of the Yumen Sands Sea Branch, but what was he doing over there?
Logically, her great-grandfather Yue Bo learned skills from the Ancestor and passed them to her grandfather, and then to her father, so it shouldn’t be a problem. There must be some hidden story here; perhaps her grandfather never taught her father, just like he never taught her.
Now it’s like her father has put Nanling Yaohua in a terrible situation at that godforsaken place…
Wait a minute! Nanling Yaohua can’t also be one of my destined partners, right?
When her father was looking for a destined partner, did he let a little beauty right in front of him slip by?
In that case, what about the fiancé that Nanling Yaohua mentioned before…
Thinking of this, Lu Yibei’s expression changed.
Darn, Stinky Sister has returned to Peach Source and can’t help verify anything. Arbitrarily recognizing a destined partner would lead to an incredibly awkward situation of epic proportions.
But even if she isn’t a destined partner, her father still caused her immense trouble, so if they meet at Yumen Pass and there’s any way to help, she should do her best, right? A debt of the father is repaid by the child!
Hmm, provided she can first rescue Miaomiao Sauce…
As Lu Yibei considered this, a familiar face, accompanied by the sound of tires rolling over the asphalt road, caught her eye.
Then, the other party showed her a slightly lewd and meaningful smile, and she gathered her thoughts, skillfully opened the car door, and got in.
As soon as Lu Yibei settled in and fastened her seatbelt, Uncle Zhang Shan raised an eyebrow at her, “Where to today?”
Lu Yibei thought for a moment and, with a serious expression, said, “Master Zhang, are we going to Yumen Pass?”
Uncle Zhang Shan, “???”
