The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

"You know Senior Brother Chu?"

The man smiled but did not answer, only looking at Jiang Chuan meaningfully.

Just as Jiang Chuan was about to ask further questions, a chill suddenly ran down his spine—he turned around abruptly and saw that Hong Luan was already standing three steps behind them!

Hongluan's red dress was still dripping with water, and her long, wet hair was draped over her shoulders, making her look particularly eerie in the moonlight.

A kind smile played on her lips.

"Young Master Ye, what refined taste you have."

Hongluan spoke softly, her gaze shifting between the two men.

"In the bamboo forest late at night, what intimate words will you share with my little Taoist priest?"

Jiang Chuan then realized that the man in front of him was surnamed Ye, and he secretly made a mental note of it.

Ye Liangchen—which was clearly the man's name—showed no sign of panic, but instead smiled and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Miss Hongluan is bathing and changing clothes. I dare not disturb her, so I can only discuss the philosophy of life with the young Taoist priest here."

"Oh?"

Hongluan raised an eyebrow.

"I wonder what principles you've discovered?"

"this one"

Ye Liangchen pretended to be deep in thought.

For example, "Don't look at what is improper," and "Beauty is pleasing to the eye."

Jiang Chuan felt a chill run down his spine; Ye Liangchen was clearly adding fuel to the fire!
He quietly took a half step back, only to find that the bamboo forest around them was now teeming with colorful venomous snakes, their tongues flicking as they surrounded them.

"I surrender!"

Jiang Chuan suddenly raised his hands and pointed at Ye Liangchen.

"He forced me to watch it!"

Ye Liangchen's eyes widened.

"Little Taoist priest, that's not very kind of you!"

Jiang Chuan recalled his third uncle's teachings and spoke with righteous indignation.

"Teammates are meant to be sacrificed!"

Hongluan covered her mouth and chuckled softly, her eyes flashing with even colder light.

"Young Master Ye has seen my body; I'm afraid this matter cannot be resolved peacefully."

Ye Liangchen scratched his head.

"How about I take responsibility?"

"Responsible?"

Hongluan sneered.

"Very well, then please leave your eyes open, Young Master Ye."

Jiang Chuan's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Just then, a clear and melodious Buddhist chant suddenly came from deep within the bamboo forest.

"Amitabha."

The sound, like a clear spring flowing over stones, instantly dispelled the tense atmosphere in the room.

Jiang Chuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a white-robed monk walking slowly towards him, followed by a young monk.

The monk was tall and handsome, with a dot of vermilion between his eyebrows that added to his otherworldly air.

"Master Kongchan!"

Jiang Chuan exclaimed with delight, as if he had seen a savior.

This Kongchan is a highly accomplished Buddhist monk with unfathomable cultivation; Hongluan is no match for him.

Kong Chan clasped his hands together and calmly swept his gaze over the three of them.

"What brings you three benefactors to the bamboo forest so late at night?"

Hongluan was somewhat wary, but quickly regained her smile.

"Master, you've come at the right time! These two lecherous men were peeping at me while I was bathing. I beg you, Master, to uphold justice."

Jiang Chuan hurriedly tried to explain.

"Master, you are wise! It is Ye Liangchen."

Before he could finish speaking, Kong Chan suddenly reached out and grabbed Jiang Chuan's wrist.

Jiang Chuan felt a gentle yet irresistible force coming towards him, and he involuntarily staggered forward a few steps.

"His-"

With a tearing sound, Jiang Chuan found himself holding a soft piece of fabric.

He looked down and was instantly terrified—it was a pink undergarment embroidered with twin lotus flowers!

"This is not me."

Jiang Chuan stammered his explanation, only to find that Kong Chan and the little monk Kong Kong's eyes were both fixed on the undergarment in his hand.

Kong Chan chanted a Buddhist prayer.

"Amitabha, sin, sin, sin."

The little monk blinked his innocent big eyes.

"Senior brother, what is this?"

Hongluan chuckled, her eyes full of mockery.

"Is Young Master Jiang so affectionate towards me that he even keeps my personal belongings?"

Jiang Chuan blushed and threw his undergarments on the ground.

"Witch! You!"

He suddenly realized something, looked around, but there was no sign of Ye Liangchen anywhere.
That guy has already made his escape!

"Oh dear, Lord Jiangchuan is so heartless."

When Hongluan saw Jiang Chuan throw the pink undergarment on the ground, she pretended to be heartbroken and covered her face.

"Just a few days ago you were saying you'd protect me, and now you're showing such disdain?"

Jiang Chuan blushed and hurriedly tried to explain himself.

"Stop talking nonsense! These past few days, you have clearly held me hostage. We are completely innocent!"

The white-robed monk Kongchan clasped his hands together, and the vermilion mark between his eyebrows gleamed faintly in the moonlight.

"Benefactor Jiang, could you please tell this humble monk what has happened?"

Jiang Chuan felt as if he had seen a savior and quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

"Master, please see the truth! This witch has been controlling me with evil magic for many days. I beg you to save me!"

Kong Chan nodded slightly, his right hand forming a lotus mudra, and gently pressed it against Jiang Chuan's brow.

A gentle Buddhist power surged into his meridians, and Jiang Chuan felt the cold, yin energy that had been imprisoning his true qi melt away like ice and snow, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

"Thank you, Master!"

Jiang Chuan circulated his inner energy and, upon confirming that there were no further obstructions, was overjoyed.

Seeing this, Hongluan was somewhat wary and let out a soft snort.

"The eminent Buddhist monks are indeed remarkable."

With a gentle wave of her hand, the venomous snakes lurking around retreated and disappeared into the depths of the bamboo forest in the blink of an eye.

Kong Chan watched Hong Luan leave without stopping her, only chanting a Buddhist prayer softly.

The young monk Kongkong looked up and asked.

"Master, why did you let that female benefactor leave? She is clearly not a good person."

Kong Chan gently stroked his disciple's head.

"The beginning and end of a relationship are predetermined. Her karmic ties with Benefactor Jiang are not yet severed, and forcing her to stay will be of no use."

Jiang Chuan moved his wrists, and the Mountain Ghost Seal regained its blue light.

He looked in the direction where Hongluan had disappeared, his heart filled with doubts—why did this demoness suddenly retreat?
What is her purpose in holding me hostage for so many days?

"What are your plans next, Benefactor Jiang?"

Kong Chan's voice pulled Jiang Chuan back to reality.

Jiang Chuan's expression turned solemn.

"I must go to the Liang Prince's residence immediately to check on the safety of Liang Shiyu and the others."

Kong Chan was somewhat surprised.

"The Liang Prince's Mansion? Could it be the Liang family of Longhai County?"

"Exactly."

Jiang Chuan nodded.

"Does the master also know about the Liang family?"

Kong Chan pondered for a moment.

"The Liang family has some connection with Buddhism. In that case, this humble monk is also going to the county seat of Longhai Prefecture. Why don't we travel together?"

Jiangchuan was overjoyed.

"To have a master by my side is something I could never ask for!"

The three returned to the dilapidated temple and rested for the night.

The next morning, as the sun rose, they set off for the city of Longhai County.

On the mountaintop east of the dilapidated temple, two figures stood in the morning light, gazing in the direction where Jiang Chuan and the other two had left.

Why is Kongchan here?

Ye Liangchen frowned slightly.

"This is no coincidence."

Hongluan played with a strand of hair.

"You suspect that Buddhism has also intervened?"

Ye Liangchen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"War is about to break out in the seven kingdoms of the North, and all the major sects are reshuffling. The Cloud Sea Immortal Sect, the Azure Nether Sword Sect, the Great Compassion Temple, and now even the Buddhist sect, which has never been involved in worldly affairs, have appeared in Longhai County. There must be something fishy going on behind this."

Hongluan seemed lost in thought.

"If what you say is true, why don't the alien races attack Jiang Chuan? He is the direct descendant of Zuowang Peak of the Yunhai Immortal Sect."

"madness!"

Ye Liangchen sneered.

"If Jiang Chuan dies, the Yunhai Immortal Sect will surely come out in full force. At that time, not to mention the alien races, even the royal families of the seven kingdoms will have to think twice."

"I always feel that someone is playing a big game, but I just can't see through it."

Hongluan sighed softly.

"A situation that even you and Chu Yang can't see through."

"Chu Yang?"

Ye Liangchen scoffed. "That guy only knows how to think with his sword."

As he spoke, his expression grew increasingly somber.

"But this time, I'm afraid even his sword won't be able to cut through this fog."

Hongluan looked towards Jiang Chuan and his group, who had already turned into black dots in the distance.

"So what do we do now?"

Ye Liangchen pondered for a moment.

"Jiang Chuan is actually safer in Kong Chan's hands. Let's wait and see, and first find out the purpose of Kong Chan's trip."

The Immortal Gate of Cloud Sea, the Sword-Holding Hall of Judgment Peak.

Zhuang Yan slammed her hand on the table, making the teacups clink.

"Xue Xing! Jiang Chuan has been missing for five days, and you say he's unharmed?"

Xue Xing, dressed in a black robe, had an indifferent expression.

"I said there's no problem, and that's it. Ye Qiu has already taken him away, and Blood Shadow Tower dares not confront Cloud Sea Immortal Sect head-on."

"Ye Qiu?"

Zhuang Yan narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly.

"Is that Ye Liangchen who always appears and disappears like a ghost? What gives him the right to interfere in the affairs of my immortal sect?"

Xue Xing played with the jade slip in his hand.

"Junior Sister Zhuang, do you know where Lin Xiao and Lu Chen are right now?"

Zhuang Yan was taken aback.

They're not going.

"Azure Nether Sword Sect".

Xue Xing sneered.

"Have you considered the consequences if something goes wrong regarding Dong Xiaowan's three corpses?"

Zhuang Yan's expression changed slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Xue Xing stood up, his black robe fluttering even without wind.

"What do I mean? I want to ask Junior Sister Zhuang, what is your attitude towards Dong Xiaowan's matter?"

"Xue Xing!"

Zhuang Yan shouted angrily.

"Do you have any humanity left? Senior Sister Dong, she..."

"She has become possessed by a demon."

Xue Xing interrupted him coldly.

"Acting on emotions will only harm more people. Junior Sister Zhuang, you have disappointed me greatly."

Zhuang Yan was so angry that she trembled all over.

"Yes, I acted on emotion! Unlike you, cold-blooded and ruthless, willing to sacrifice even your fellow disciples for the so-called greater good!"

Xue Xing's eyes were filled with pain.

"It wasn't that I chose to stand on the side of the shadow, but that the shadow chose me."

He took a step forward, as if to explain something.

Zhuang Yan, however, stepped back alertly, placing her delicate hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Farewell!"

Xue Xing's outstretched hand froze in mid-air before slowly lowering itself.

".Take care of yourself."

Zhuang Yan left the Sword Hall without looking back.

As dusk settled, three streaks of light pierced the sky and slowly descended fifty miles from Longhai County.

Jiang Chuan sheathed the Qingfeng sword beneath his feet, the blade emitting a clear, resonant sound as it returned to its sheath.

"Qingshui Town is just ahead."

Kong Chan shook off non-existent dust from his monk's robe, and the moonlight shone on his bald head, casting a hazy halo around it.

"We'll rest here tonight and enter the city tomorrow."

The little monk Kongkong stood on tiptoe and peered out, pointing to the lights in the distance.

"Master, that Drunken Immortal Pavilion looks lively!"

Jiang Chuan looked in that direction and saw a three-story wooden building at the end of the long street, decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, with wine flags fluttering in front of the door, and the faint sound of string and wind instruments could be heard.

His heart suddenly skipped a beat—the scene of drinking and chatting with Sun Qi and Jiang Wei two years ago was still vivid in his mind.

At that time, they had just passed the selection of the immortal sect and were in high spirits, drinking and reveling for three days. They climbed the Stork Tower to watch the sunset over the Yellow River and comprehended the sword intent of "Sunset over the Long River".

"Benefactor Jiang?"

Kong Chan's voice pulled him back to reality.

"Sorry, lost my mind."

Jiang Chuan shook his head and chuckled.

"It brings back some old memories."

The waiter's eyes lit up when the three stepped into Zuixianlou. This combination was truly eye-catching.

A handsome and dashing young man with a sword, a dignified middle-aged monk, and a delicately beautiful young novice.

"Would you like to have a meal or stay at the inn, gentlemen?"

"Two upper rooms."

Kong Chan handed over a piece of broken silver.

"Prepare some more vegetarian food."

Jiang Chuan added.

"Give me a pot of 'Drunken Spring Breeze' and a plate of braised beef."

Seeing Kongkong staring at him expectantly, he smiled and patted the little monk's head.

I'll buy you candied hawthorns.

After a hearty meal, Jiang Chuan leaned against the window, drinking alone. The moonlight was like water, and he lightly tapped his sword sheath with his fingertips, his inner energy flowing continuously.

Three years ago, he first entered the Purple Mansion, and now he has reached the peak of the Knowledge Realm.

If he hadn't taken three blows from the Ghost Emperor in the Kunlun Secret Realm to save his fellow disciples, he would probably have already broken through to the fourth realm of supreme beings.

"Knock knock"—the sound of knocking on the door rang out.

Kong Chan stood outside the door, his brows unusually solemn.

“Someone is following us.”

Jiang Chuan's pupils contracted slightly. For this unfathomable Zen master to be so wary, the newcomer was clearly no ordinary person.

"When will it begin?"

"It's there once you leave the Kunlun Mountains."

Kong Chan twisted the prayer beads.

"Strangely, it appears and disappears intermittently, seemingly there yet not there."

Jiang Chuan's mind flashed back to the white-clad swordsman in the bamboo forest who called himself Ye Liangchen.

The man's sword intent was as sharp as frost, yet he inexplicably showed him kindness.

Could it be Ye Liangchen?

Kong Chan shook his head.

"If it were him, this humble monk would have noticed long ago."

He suddenly lowered his voice.

"The opponent's cultivation level is no lower than mine."

These words sent a chill down Jiang Chuan's spine.

Kong Chan's "Formless Chan Skill" has reached a state of perfection, and there are only about five people in the entire Northern Territory who can compare with him.

"I'm going to town to gather information."

Jiang Chuan grabbed his sword.

"Senior Sister and the others should have arrived at the Liang Prince's Mansion by now."

Kong Chan handed over a jade talisman.

"If anything seems amiss, crush it."

The town of Qingshui is more bustling at night than during the day.

The long street was lined with vendors, and sugar figurines, masks, and cosmetics gleamed warmly under the lanterns.

Jiang Chuan walked through the crowd and ordered a pot of Biluochun tea from a tea stall.

"Have you heard? An assassin broke into the Liang Prince's mansion last night!"

The vendor at the next table lowered his voice.

Jiang Chuan paused, his teacup still in his hand.

"That's right! It's said that the Emperor's brother-in-law's old illness has flared up, and he's lying unconscious in bed."

His companion chimed in.

"The assassin came and went like the wind; the guards didn't even catch a glimpse of him!"

"My nephew works in the Prince's palace. He said the assassin was a woman who wielded two short swords."

Jiang Chuan put down the tea money and stood up. With the Prince of Liang assassinated, it's no wonder he had no time to worry about the princess's safety.

As he was pondering, he suddenly heard a silvery laugh coming from ahead.

"How much does this white fox mask cost?"

That sound—!
Jiang Chuan felt as if his blood had frozen.

He turned around abruptly and saw a girl in black paying the bill about 30 feet away.

She was slender, her face veiled in black, revealing only a pair of bright, almond-shaped eyes.

"Ghost?!"

The girl's back visibly stiffened. The next second, she grabbed the mask, put it on her face, and shot off like an arrow towards the alleyway!
"and many more!"

Jiang Chuan gave chase. Two years ago, the Ghost Emperor's Heart possessed A Gui, who vanished without a trace in the spacetime turbulence.

Everyone said that her soul had been destroyed, but Jiang Chuan never believed it.

How could the girl who would shield him from a fatal blow die so easily?

The girl in black ignored her, her crimson eyes beneath the white fox mask gleaming coldly.

Her figure was like a ghost, and with each step she took, she left a faint black mist on the ground that vanished in an instant.

"The spirit of mountains and rivers!"

Jiang Chuan gritted his teeth, formed a hand seal, and frantically circulated his innate pure Yang true energy, taking a single step that covered more than ten zhang. (End of this chapter)