I Have a Golden Crow

Du Yu: ”Another mission? Spiritual Artifacts are appearing this often?”

”More often than you think. Team Two is already on a mission.”

”Huh?” Du Yu was startled inside, ”Are we going to support Team Two again?”

Li Jing explained, ”No, we’re on a different Spiritual Artifact mission.”

Du Yu felt relieved; he thought the big brothers and sisters of Team Two had gotten trapped again.

It seemed that what Senior Brother Li said was true.

It’s only been two and a half months since the team last explored the Mountain and Sea Bell, and now two more Spiritual Artifacts have emerged in succession?

As expected, everyone is living in a truly extraordinary year.

Those Spiritual Artifacts that fell into ruin due to lack of Spiritual Qi, after centuries of accumulating energy, are one after another rising up again in this era, seeing the light of day once more.

If nothing unexpected happens, as time goes on, the appearances of Spiritual Artifacts will probably become even more frequent!

Great Xia Calendar 997—not exactly a peaceful time...

If this pace of missions keeps up, I honestly don’t know if I’ll live to see the new millennium.

Li Jing continued, ”I can’t reach Master Qing. The Mountain Fire Saber team said you took her away?”

”Yeah.” Du Yu quickly replied, ”Master Qing is with me... uh, with me right now.”

”Good. You and Master Qing head to the East City Camp now. I’ll contact the others. The military has already arranged a private plane, so don’t waste any time—the sooner the better.”

Hearing Li Jing’s rather stern tone, Du Yu responded softly and immediately hung up the phone.

He absorbed Xiaoyan into his body, then with a turn of his palm, the Mountain and Sea Bell flashed and was gone.

Standing again atop the sea reef of the Sea Realm, Du Yu wiped his temple with one hand and forcefully yanked out a Demon Soldier Bow.

As he drew the bow and nocked an arrow, Du Yu felt a little heavy-hearted.

It’s the military camp again, another military plane.

This is just like last time when we went to support the Mountain and Sea Bell.

You have to know, when Du Yu took down the Shadow Gu Tower or the Jade Gourd, even when resolving the West Xia’s Flute crisis, he never took a military plane.

This way of traveling is a clear sign things are extra urgent.

”Whoosh~”

Ancient Yan·Shadow-Luring Fire Fox.

A long Fire Arrow sliced through the Longbow, swept over the lush begonia forest, and shot straight to the center of the island.

Du Yu flickered twice in a row, and his figure appeared right above Shatang Mansion.

With a thought, the Demon Soul inside Du Yu’s Forehead Acupoint released Xiaoyan and dashed downward, rampaging headlong through the Ren Meridian.

In a moment, Demon Soul Du Yu plunged into the Qi Sea Acupoint below his navel, scooping up Bai Yujing in one go.

”Nai~” Bai Yujing hopped happily, welcoming Du Yu home.

But Du Yu had only been away for a little over ten seconds...

”Wind Dance.” Demon Soul Du Yu hugged the deer head and spoke softly.

Meanwhile, above Shatang Mansion.

Du Yu really felt like a ”battle-damaged Iron Man,” wobbling as he fell from the air.

The breeze and sparks at his feet seemed only half reliable, making his body sway and finally stagger clumsily to the ground.

”Phew~” Du Yu let out a breath—still need more training!

Being an Immortal, really isn’t easy~

”Master Qing.” Another swirl of breeze wrapped Du Yu’s feet, sparks crackling.

In a single stride he covered five or six meters, landing right in front of the main house door, giving a firm but not too hard knock: ”Master Qing?”

”Click~”

The door split in two, and the Jinping Vine, like a beaded curtain, parted to both sides.

”What is it?” a woman’s voice called from afar.

Du Yu stepped inside, gazing toward the inner chamber: ”Senior Brother Li Jing called—he needs us for a mission. It sounds urgent, the East City Camp already has a plane ready.”

”Okay.”

”Master Qing, you tidy up a bit. I’ll go out back and put the Desolate Silver Lynx into my Acupoint Home.” Saying this, Du Yu turned to leave immediately.

But just as he turned and stepped forward, his foot landed on a huge beastly skull.

Desolate Silver Lynx: ”Meow!”

”Eh?” Du Yu quickly stepped back two paces, just as the Desolate Silver Lynx’s figure emerged out of nowhere through the floor.

She gave Du Yu no time to react, diving at him like she was hunting: ”Meow!”

With a thud, Du Yu was knocked over in the hall, pinned to the floor by a giant cat’s paw on his chest.

Just then, the bedroom door happened to open.

Yang Qingqing stood there, looking a bit bemused, staring at her student being pinned by a Demon Pet.

So much for being a dignified master...

”Cut it out, we have a mission—an urgent one, like the one for the Mountain and Sea Bell last time.” Du Yu hugged the beast’s paw with both hands, squeezing the cat’s two thick toes.

With a thought, the huge body of the Desolate Silver Lynx turned into dense Demon Breath and merged into his Acupoint Home.

”She’s got a temper?” Yang Qingqing stepped over.

No matter what, as long as the Demon General is willing to enter the owner’s body, it means there’s nothing seriously wrong.

Yang Qingqing pointed to the floor, and at once the Jinping Vine lowered, coiling around Du Yu and helping him up.

Du Yu gave an awkward smile: ”I never came back after leaving last night—guess she got impatient waiting.”

”Let’s go,” Yang Qingqing said softly.

”Mm...”

The master and student returned inside. Du Yu grabbed his Demon Soldier Bow, said farewell to the Golden Leaf, and quickly followed Master Qing to the underground parking lot.

On the way to the East Camp District, Yang Qingqing spoke with Li Jing on the phone and also requested a file on the Spiritual Artifact.

Du Yu kept glancing at the rearview mirror, watching the woman in the back seat reading intently.

He finally couldn’t hold back and asked, ”Master Qing, where exactly is the mission site?”

”Jihua Village.”

Du Yu: ”Where’s that?”

”Nanyue Province.” Yang Qingqing frowned slightly and, after giving the province name, didn’t say anything more.

Du Yu started imagining all sorts of things.

In both this life and the last, Nanyue has always held a pivotal role in Huaxia—its economic and cultural status truly befits a major province.

Now I get to light up another province on my map.

Too bad this mission doesn’t give me time to savor the local vibes.

Wherever the Spiritual Artifact rises, that’s where we go, no time to waste.

Jihua Village... sounds like a small rural village?

Du Yu pondered for a while. When he glanced at the rearview mirror again, he noticed the woman in it looked extremely grave.

Du Yu couldn’t help tensing up: ”Master Qing, what’s wrong?”

”It’s not good,” Yang Qingqing said, scrolling down her phone, ”A white robe has covered several blocks of Jihua Village.”

Du Yu: ???

He quickly asked, ”Are the blocks big? Are a lot of people affected?”

Yang Qingqing hummed in response, then said, ”Jihua Village is an Earth Level City—a Megapolis.”

Du Yu’s mouth dropped open; he realized he had it completely wrong.

How massive does this ’robe’ have to be?

Yang Qingqing: ”The Demon Spirit Military Police are evacuating civilians, but many people are still trapped inside.”

She frowned even deeper as she went on, ”There are lots of graves appearing in the streets, and it seems there are wandering souls. Some low-level Demon Beasts have had their minds bewitched and are under control.”

Hearing this, Du Yu felt a little dazed.

What kind of terrifying Spiritual Artifact is this!

This thing’s abilities are totally shameless...

No matter how powerful the Shadow Gu Tower was, it could only snatch away souls.

But this white robe can control the minds of Demon Beasts directly?

Good thing it only controls low-level Demon Beasts; if it controlled Spirit Level or General Level ones, we’d be screwed!

By now, with Great Xia’s development, all kinds of functional Demon Pets are everywhere in society.

Which means, cities are packed with Demon Beasts.

Even the weakest Mortal-level Demon Beast is a deadly threat to ordinary people!

Du Yu steadied himself and asked in a low voice, ”What’s the white robe after? What does it want?”

Yang Qingqing set down her phone: ”No idea yet. The Great Xia Faction is still trying to communicate with it. Step on it.”

”Yes!” Du Yu nodded, though to be honest, he was already driving flat out...

The master and student reached the East Camp District, boarded under the soldiers’ guidance, and sure enough, a few Senior Brothers and Sisters were already waiting in the cabin.

”Master Qing.”

”Master Qing,” they all stood, bowed respectfully, and greeted her.

”Mm.” Yang Qingqing’s gaze swept over the three disciples, finally landing on Fu Jianzhou.

As the plane’s engines roared for takeoff, Yang Qingqing said, ”You’ve read the brief, right?”

Fu Jianzhou nodded. ”I have.”

Yang Qingqing: ”Get ready. You and your West Xia’s Flute may be able to control the situation.”

”Yes!” Fu Jianzhou replied, voice steady and powerful. As the plane tilted for takeoff, he gripped the seat back with one hand.

Du Yu watched Senior Brother Fu closely, somehow feeling he’d changed.

It seemed... his spirits had lifted?

That’s good news!

Fu Jianzhou obviously sensed Du Yu’s stare. He turned to look at Du Yu and nodded with a smile.

”Senior Brother’s looking good, not as worn out as before,” Du Yu tested the waters, saying.

Fu Jianzhou kept smiling, but didn’t say more.

Not until the plane leveled off did Du Yu move closer and ask, ”Senior Brother, things are going well with West Xia’s Flute?”

This time, Fu Jianzhou’s smile turned a bit resigned: ”It’s alright—just, we had a fight.”

Du Yu was surprised. ”A fight?”

Well, that’s not normal.

Spiritual Artifacts are basically another form of Demon Pet, and a Spirit Contract is like a Demon Pet Contract.

If a Demon Pet and its Demon Tamer have a falling out, that’s definitely a bad sign.

If it’s serious, even the contract can be torn apart.

”I can’t keep living like before. I have to change.” Fu Jianzhou sighed, a bitterness flickering in his eyes that made Du Yu’s heart ache a little.

No one knows what Senior Brother Fu’s been through lately.

And indeed, Du Yu had no idea about Fu Jianzhou’s pains.

In fact... being able to see Fu Jianzhou again today was a happy surprise for Du Yu and the whole team.

If the Pear Blossom Fox hadn’t awakened Fu Jianzhou at the last moment, it might have been...

”Find some time and help talk to Bai Lan for me,” Fu Jianzhou said, raising an arm to sling around Du Yu’s shoulders.

”What’s going on with you two? What’s up with her?”

Fu Jianzhou let a layer of his Demon Soul rise in his palm, saying, ”Bai Lan’s will to exist is fading.”

Du Yu was alarmed. ”Like the Shadow Gu Tower before—she doesn’t want to go on?”

”Yeah. She’s very... very lonely, lonelier than ever.”