23. Unable to Rest in Peace

The sudden voice startled the two of them. When they went over to check, they found a wild-looking man. This wild man was none other than Zhang Danian, with his thick hair and beard. Zhang Danian, sniffling and weeping, pleaded, “Please, both of you, have mercy! I’m not a bad person. I had nothing to do with what happened—I’m a victim myself!”

It turned out that ever since Zhang Danian left the beast pens, he knew he couldn’t go back. After what the Cang Wolf had done to the Golden Dragon, he feared he would be implicated as well, so he decided to leave. He waited for the One-Horned Cang Wolf, but after three days, it still didn’t return, leaving him anxious and desperate. Who would have thought that such a strong man could harbor such a fragile heart?

The three of them gathered together. Xie Wuji took out instant noodles and a portable barbecue stove—supplies he’d purchased during his last trip back with the ancient mirror. The money he’d used in this world was exchanged from silver; one tael of silver was worth five hundred yuan, and he had exchanged ten taels, giving him five thousand yuan to spend. His ring was now filled with all sorts of things, including some kitchenware.

Though it was only instant noodles, Zhang Danian and Yuan Xiao had never tasted anything like it before. They were completely enchanted by the flavor. Yuan Xiao, in particular, grabbed Xie Wuji in excitement, exclaiming, “How much does this cost?”

Startled by Yuan Xiao’s grip and the close proximity of his face, Xie Wuji replied awkwardly, “Sorry, I’m not selling it.”

“What kind of filthy thoughts are you having? I meant your noodles!” Yuan Xiao cursed.

Realizing the misunderstanding, Xie Wuji laughed. “Ah, you mean this… Well…” Suddenly remembering that instant noodles were his unique secret, he declared, “Five taels of silver a bowl! This is a specialty of our Wildman Village—I wouldn’t sell it to just anyone!”

Wiping the soup from his face, Yuan Xiao said, “Brother Wuji, this is truly a delicacy. It’s a pity I don’t have any silver on me. If you took this to the big cities, you could make a fortune, no question about it.”

Prompted by Yuan Xiao’s words, Xie Wuji wondered why he hadn’t thought of it before. Instant noodles might be lacking in nutrition, but the taste was superb, and the recipe was unique in this world. He could use this opportunity to earn some silver. If he accumulated enough wealth, even if he couldn’t return to this world, he’d have a fortune to his name.

“Excellent idea, Brother Yuan. Here, have some more! There’s plenty to go around!” Xie Wuji said generously.

And so, the three of them finished an entire box of instant noodles, with Zhang Danian’s appetite proving insatiable.

After their meal, Yuan Xiao asked, “So, Brother Wuji and Brother Danian, where do you plan to go next?”

Zhang Danian patted his round belly, let out a satisfied burp, and said, “I’m heading to the Myriad Beast Sect. I hear they don’t rely on demon spirits for cultivation, but instead become partners with beasts and fight side by side. I’m not fond of killing, so the Myriad Beast Sect is the best place for me.”

“But the Myriad Beast Sect is one of the top ten sects in the world, and it’s far away in the Western Regions, beyond the borders of the Kingdom of Cloud. It’s not just the distance; even getting accepted there is no small feat,” Yuan Xiao laughed.

Zhang Danian grinned innocently. “I like it there. Worst case, I’ll just be an outer disciple doing chores.”

“Good for you!” Xie Wuji gave him a thumbs-up.

“What about you, Wuji? What are your plans?” Yuan Xiao asked.

“Me? I plan to blaze a new trail, found my own sect, and make myself the head. That way I won’t have to swallow my pride anymore!” Xie Wuji replied.

Both Yuan Xiao and Zhang Danian burst out laughing. Yuan Xiao said, “To be a sect leader, you need to at least reach the Golden Core stage in cultivation. You’re still a long way off! Besides, you’d be founding a sect all on your own—would you be both the master and the sole disciple?”

“And you?” Xie Wuji naturally did not mention anything about the Undying Longevity Sect.

Yuan Xiao sighed deeply, his gaze becoming distant. “Your ambitions are much grander than mine. Mine is simple. My father was killed by that Golden Dragon. I must have revenge, or I won’t be able to face him in the afterlife. The Azure Cloud Sect was originally my Yuan family’s, but that Golden Dragon snatched it away. And I—I’m even worse, for I’ve recognized my father’s killer as my own for all these years.”

As he spoke, Yuan Xiao’s face was clouded with murderous intent.

He composed himself and suddenly remembered something. “By the way, Wuji, there’s something you should know.”

“Oh?” Xie Wuji was sipping his noodle soup.

“When I left, I overheard someone say that Old Huang sent people to Ma Family Stronghold, apparently with some instructions. The Ma Family Stronghold is no better than a den of thieves. You’d best hurry back.”

Xie Wuji was shocked. Concern for Song Xiaoyu and the others weighed on his mind, so he left in haste, not even taking time to bid farewell.

Thanks to Yuan Xiao’s earlier directions, he skillfully avoided the Azure Cloud Sect patrols and took a shortcut back to Wildman Village.

After eating his fill, Zhang Danian also set out. He changed into new clothes and set off for the Myriad Beast Sect, earning travel funds by doing odd jobs along the way. He had wanted to look for the One-Horned Cang Wolf that raised him, but the wolf, possessing its own intelligence, had already crossed a Golden Core cultivator and would surely die if it lingered.

Yuan Xiao, too, began his quest for vengeance.

Let us set aside the tales of Zhang Danian and Yuan Xiao for now, and return to Xie Wuji. He hurried along the road and finally reached Wildman Village at sunset. But upon arrival, he was struck by confusion.

The entire village was deserted. Once a lively place, it had become a village of the dead, with corpses strewn everywhere…

The walls bore the marks of battle, and the battered village gate was riddled with scars from swords and blades.

Bodies lay strewn in heaps, crisscrossing each other in grotesque piles.

The village had been massacred.

Xie Wuji noticed something in the village’s irrigation ditch and ran over, only to find that the narrow channel was clogged with corpses piled atop one another. The bodies blocked the water’s flow, and the river had come to a standstill.

Men, women, and children alike were among the dead. The most brutal part was the women, left barely clothed, clearly subje