Stranger Danger

Chapter 939: Tracking The Murderer

Chu Xunxian was a man after his own name. Despite his astounding talent, he was only interested in seeking celestialhood, the Way, and immortality. From a young age, he enjoyed reading Daozang, Buddhist scriptures, and anecdotes regarding celestials and Buddhas. He was obsessed with cultivating qi, consuming pills, studying the stars, befriending all sorts of bizarre or extraordinary characters, practicing Confucianism, and slaying evil.

When he was older, Chu Xunxian relinquished his position as crown prince despite all opposition and left to explore the world. It would be decades before he returned from his Dao seeking journey.

Thirty years ago, the former Chu emperor suddenly passed away, and the former crown prince, Emperor Jin Rui was weak and lacking in preparation. As a result, the imperial court fell into disorder, traitors sprouted like weeds both inside and outside the court, and the people suffered. As if that wasn’t enough, Yan, Wei and Qi were eyeing them hungrily and just waiting for the opportunity to turn the four nations to three. For a time, it looked like Chu would not survive this crisis.

During a time of crisis, Chu Xunxian returned to Chu and cleansed the imperial court of its impurities swiftly and violently with the power of a celestial. Once the internal strife was suppressed, he traveled tens of thousands of kilometers in a single night and appeared at the borders of Yan, Wei and Qi, venturing into the enemy’s camps alone.

Three days later, all three nations withdrew their forces, and Chu’s crisis was resolved just like that.

It should not need to be said, but Chu Xunxian’s godlike deeds shocked the world. Just when everyone thought that Chu Xunxian would seize the momentum to replace Emperor Jin Rui and become the new emperor, he left again with only a letter to Emperor Jin Rui.

After Emperor Jin Rui succeeded the throne, he conferred Chu Xunxian the Pacification King in commemoration of his heroic deeds. The title was meant to signify that Chu Xunxian was a man who pacified the four seas and brought peace back to the realm, and that he was the emperor’s equal.

Although Emperor Jin Rui made him his equal, Chu Xunxian rarely got involved in the matter of the court. He spent most of his time exploring the world and seeking the Dao. The times he appeared in the capital were few and far between.

It was the same this time. Chu Xunxian visited the capital a while ago, and his next destination turned out to be the sea. So, Emperor Jin Rui decided to add him to the Chu embassy. Chu Xunxian could not turn his brother down, and it wasn’t like the task would take him away from his destination. So, he agreed.

Guo Ximian’s remark about Chu Xunxian’s magnetism was because he was exceedingly handsome, of course. Wherever he traveled, he would draw a massive crowd like he was a human magnet, most of them were women. His number of admirers were literally innumerable. There was even a poem that went something like this: “A million people gathers at an empty alley, all to make a connection with a living celestial.”

“Be that as it may, I am getting old.”

Chu Xunxian sighed. “All things in life is vanity except celestialhood. Only a celestial is eternal. If you do not become a celestial, then you will never be more than an ant, a patch of yellow soil.”

“Your Highness? Are you alright?”

Guo Ximian was about to make a comment when suddenly, he noticed that Chu Xunxian’s aura was off.

“Fang Muyun’s Life Jade just broke.”

Chu Xunxian’s voice came from the entrance, and Guo Ximian’s eyes widened. The man was sitting right next to him, and he was certain that he hadn’t left for a second. So, who was the Chu Xunxian standing at the entrance? He was so shocked that he did not even register Chu Xunxian’s statement.

“Worry not, Duke. That too is me.”

It was at this moment the Chu Xunxian sitting beside him reassured him. As he spoke, his doppelganger standing at the entrance walked up to Chu Xunxian, handed him an item, and disappeared into nothing.

“Did you just say that Fang Muyun’s Life Jade is broken?”

It wasn’t until the other Chu Xunxian had disappeared that Guo Ximian finally snapped out of his daze. He blurted, “If his Life Jade is broken, does that mean Muyun is dead?”

The Life Jade was a special Strange Artifact that could be used to detect one’s death. All the owner needed to do was to inject a wisp of their mind and heart’s blood into it. If the owner died, then the wisp would disappear, and the Life Jade would break.

Every single Chu genius attending this Four Seas Summit possessed a Life Jade, and they were all kept by Chu Xunxian just in case.

Every genius was a precious resource of the nation after all, not to mention that most of them boasted outstanding backgrounds. Of course they should be watched carefully.

“Yes, Muyun is dead.”

Chu Xunxian’s eyes flashed with profound light as he brushed his fingers across the broken pieces.

“How is this possible? Who dares to kill a genius of Chu?!”

Guo Ximian shot to his feet, livid. A terrifying amount of bloodthirst washed out of him and dyed the sky red in an instant.

It wasn’t just the people in the Chu Embassy who felt his bloodthirst. Everyone in the Four Seas was feeling it.

Shocked and confused, countless people quaked in fear for a time.

“We’ll know if we head over to check, won’t we?”

Chu Xunxian took one step forward and disappeared after saying that. When he reappeared, he was already standing at the seashore.

Chu Xunxian looked at the sea in front of him, the profound light in his eyes circulating as if he was examining something. He took another step and disappeared again.

As for Guo Ximian, he jumped into the sky and transformed into a beam of bloody light, chasing after his compatriot. The sky above Four Seas would remain red for a very long time.

“Who provoked that blood maniac? Why is he so angry?”

“Chu Xunxian and Guo Ximian both left the city. What happened?”

“How unusual...”

The instant Chu Xunxian and Guo Ximian left the city, the elites and champions of the other nations scattered throughout the Four Seas detected their departure. Driven by curiosity, they decided to follow as well.

......

“Is this where Muyun died?!”

In the sky, Guo Ximian was looking at the gigantic, bottomless whirlpool on the sea surface and sensing the chaotic remnants of energies in the air. He asked with a deep frown on his face, “Is it a Stranger?”

“Strangers. And I sense the presence of a true dragon too.”

Chu Xunxian made a grabbing motion, and an invisible power permeated the air. The calm sea surface began stirring as many Stranger carcasses floated out of the sea and into the sky. The remnant energies on the carcasses marked them as powerful Strangers when they were still alive.

Chu Xunxian’s fingers moved like he was plucking something, and a couple of fist-sized scales flew over to him. They glittered under the sun and crawled with purple lightning.

“Dragon scales?” Guo Ximian grabbed one of the scales and examined it closely.

“It belongs to a Disaster-class dragon-type Stranger, and the thunderous energy within its bloodline is quite pure...”

Chu Xunxian said slowly, “If I remember correctly, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace is a thunder dragon, isn’t he?”

“That’s right.” Guo Ximian nodded. “Are you saying that Muyun’s death had something to do with the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, Your Highness?”

Chu Xunxian remarked, “Considering how pure the bloodline is, it has to be a direct descendant of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace.”

“Hmph! I’ll head there and question that old loach right now! How many heads does he think he has to dare to kill our genius?” Guo Ximian uttered coldly.

“Not yet, Duke.” Chu Xunxian stopped him before he could leave. “First, we must find Muyun’s killer.”

“Do you know where the murderer is, Your Highness?” Guo Ximian asked.

“I cannot find the body of a dragon in the murder scene, so it has probably escaped.”

Chu Xunxian said, “Muyun is strong. Even if the murderer succeeded in killing him, it could not have done it without suffering some serious injuries of its own. The fact that it failed to clean up the scene before escaping proves that.”

“Less than a teatime has passed since Muyun perished. If it is grievously wounded, then it might not have escaped too far. Why don’t we investigate the surrounding region and see if we can get lucky?”

“Makes sense. But the sea is wide and deep, Your Highness. I’m not sure we can cover so much ground with just you and I,” Guo Ximian replied with a frown.

“We’re not alone.”

Chu Xunxian scanned his surroundings and declared, “Hail, friends. I am Chu Xunxian, Pacification King of Chu. I have a request for you all.”

“Our genius and son of the Grand Mentor of Chu, is slain, and we suspect the murderer is a true dragon bearing the bloodline of a thunder dragon. We suspect that it hasn’t escaped so far that we cannot capture it. Can I ask your help to search for the murderer and capture it? This one promises to reward you handsomely after the deed is done!”

“A natural duty.”

“It shall be done.”

A few breaths later, several people appeared in the sky and saluted Chu Xunxian.

“Thank you. This one will not forget this favor,” Chu Xunxian saluted them respectfully.

“You’re welcome, Your Highness.”

The warriors returned the bow and took off in different directions.

Chu Xunxian and Guo Ximian exchanged a glance before starting their search as well.

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