Red Skeleton and Cloud Dwelling Temple

"Hehe~ Little brother and I really are in sync."

The Great Demon in the attic froze for a moment, then spoke in a teasing tone.

"Indeed."

Chu Yang nodded and smashed the attic’s wooden door to pieces with a punch. A skyful of pink mist rushed toward him, and he immediately focused his senses and held his breath.

With his current Qi Refining level, he could enter Fetal Breathing at any time, breathing without his nose or mouth. Holding his breath for days and nights was no problem.

"Little brother is so fierce. This attic took me such great effort to build. Since you broke my door, you must compensate me properly!"

The woman’s sweet voice gradually turned cold.

"Oh? How?"

Chu Yang strode toward the direction the voice had come from within the mist.

"Compensate me with all that fine flesh and blood of yours!"

A startling crimson light erupted from the pink mist, and the Great Demon’s voice suddenly turned shrill!

"Come and take it if you want it!"

Chu Yang thrust out a fierce punch. Hundred Dragons Hundred Elephants Power poured forth, twisting the space ahead and producing a thunderous boom.

The flowing mist suddenly stalled before being blasted apart by the pressure of his fist, revealing the panicked Great Demon deep within.

It was a skeleton that had condensed part of its flesh and blood!

Red and pink muscles clung to its body like a gauze dress sewn from flesh.

"Ahhh!"

The skeleton let out a shriek, seemingly terrified of others seeing her like this. A breath later, she transformed into human form and concealed her true body.

She was a mature woman who still possessed her charm. By Chu Yang’s standards, her face was a seven out of ten, while her figure was a perfect ten.

"Haha, what a red skeleton! You poor demon, having to steal someone else’s skin to hide your ugliness!"

Chu Yang mocked her without giving her the slightest face.

"This was what I looked like before!"

Red Skeleton’s voice became frantic. Chu Yang’s words seemed to have struck some taboo!

She reached out and grabbed the surrounding pink mist, turning it into a long whip that lashed viciously at Chu Yang, humming as it tore through the air.

Chu Yang’s figure abruptly vanished, and the whip struck the stone wall beside him instead!

Crack!

The stone wall exploded, splitting open with a long, narrow fissure as though it had been struck by an iron hammer. That strike carried the force of ten thousand jin, comparable to a first-rate Jianghu expert who practiced external martial arts.

"You’re quick!"

The rouge-covered skeleton said resentfully, then lashed out with another whip.

"Running?"

A disdainful smile appeared on Chu Yang’s lips. He actually stood still, watching as the whip came at him.

"Such a stubborn fellow. I like brainless brutes like you best!"

Red Skeleton’s shrill laughter echoed through the attic.

Suddenly!

Dazzling light blossomed from Chu Yang’s body, like a blazing sun hanging in the sky, illuminating countless mountains and rivers. Both the whip in Red Skeleton’s hand and the pink mist around her melted away in an instant.

Then another bright moon rose.

The phenomenon of sun and moon sharing the sky slowly unfolded behind him like a painted scroll, blotting out the heavens and covering the earth. It was terrifying beyond measure. As soon as it appeared, the entire Paradise Pavilion shook violently.

Even Red Skeleton, a Great Demon, changed expression!

When had she ever encountered such a terrifying human expert?

Chu Yang thrust both palms forward, and the light of the sun and moon transformed into millstones that crushed forward with savage force.

Red Skeleton screeched. No longer caring about preserving her "beauty," she transformed back into her skeletal form. Within her pure white body, thirty-six bones shone with pale violet light.

Each bone was crystal-clear like a gemstone. The purple light connected into a single mass, forming a violet curtain of light that actually withstood the crushing force of the sun and moon.

"Relics?" Chu Yang said, rather surprised. "A demon like you actually possesses relics left behind by an eminent monk upon his passing. Thirty-six of them, no less—and you refined them into a unified magical treasure."

"Buddhist Light should have been golden, yet your Demon Qi polluted it into purple. What a waste."

Countless rays of light clashed violently within the tiny attic, and the space before them was nearly torn apart by the immense power!

Chu Yang summoned Fengdu, ready to bring this battle to an end.

Yomi surged forth from the void, like boundless water without root or source, pouring toward the violet curtain of light.

Have you not seen the waters of the Yellow River descend from the heavens!

Just as Yomi recklessly flooded the attic, Red Skeleton vanished without anyone knowing when, leaving only shattered bones scattered across the floor!

"She really runs fast. But she won’t live much longer."

Chu Yang continued upward and found Lu Xiaofeng barely clinging to life in a small compartment at the top of the attic. Then he found Hua Manlou in another compartment.

Compared to Lu Xiaofeng, Hua Manlou looked much better. Aside from his pale complexion and somewhat weak appearance, he seemed unharmed.

Lu Xiaofeng, however, had darkened eyes and faint breaths. More than half the vital essence within him had been drained away. If they had arrived any later, he would probably have truly died here!

"Big Spender, what are you doing here?"

In his daze, Lu Xiaofeng saw a familiar face.

"Little Chicken Lu, Daddy’s here to collect your wine debt."

Chu Yang’s face was dark. This bastard actually called him Big Spender. He had originally intended to treat him, but on second thought, he decided to let him suffer a while longer!

"Thank you for saving us, sir. May I ask if you are Lu Xiaofeng’s friend?"

Hua Manlou was blind and could not see Chu Yang. He could only turn slightly and listen to the movements around him. He could hear the roaring sound of rushing water, yet had no idea where so much water had come from.

"Not a friend! A creditor! This guy owes me a pile of wine money!"

Chu Yang said irritably.

The more he looked at Lu Xiaofeng, the angrier he became. He truly wanted to kick him to death right there!

"Then that makes you friends." Hua Manlou smiled faintly. "There are not many friends these days who can owe each other wine money, especially in his case."

Lu Xiaofeng had not heard what the two were saying. He rolled his eyes and fainted.

"Can you still walk?"

"Yes."

Chu Yang lifted Lu Xiaofeng with one hand, turned, and headed downstairs. Then he had Fengdu withdraw Yomi.

Yomi came from the void and returned to the void.

Hua Manlou, with his sharp hearing, wore a stunned expression. Feeling as though he had imagined it all, he silently followed behind Chu Yang.

By the time the two returned to the first floor, not a single person could be seen in the once-packed gambling hall.

Li Gexiao rushed in from outside in a panic. When he saw Chu Yang, he shouted, "Your Highness! Paradise Pavilion was shaking nonstop just now. I thought the whole place was about to collapse!"

As he spoke, he noticed Lu Xiaofeng dangling from Chu Yang’s hand and exclaimed, "Little Chicken Lu? Why isn’t he moving? Don’t tell me he’s dead?"

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly twitched and made a barely audible sound.

"I can still be saved."

"Where’s Manager Qian?"

"I saw him trying to run just now, so I finished him off with one slash. I dealt with those masked thugs too."

"Good work."

"What kind of demon was in Paradise Pavilion?"

"It was a skeleton formed from a dead person that became a demon. It also had Buddha Relics from an eminent monk. I have no idea where she got them."

Chu Yang explained the true origins of the Great Demon in the attic, then pushed Lu Xiaofeng toward Li Gexiao, who hurriedly supported him.

Li Gexiao asked, "Where is that Great Demon?"

Chu Yang shrugged. "She ran! Those Buddha Relics on her body were indeed powerful. She actually managed to escape alive from my hands."

"But she won’t survive the night…"

Li Gexiao scratched his head. "Then should we keep chasing her?"

"Of course. Why wouldn’t we? Buddha Relics are rare treasures." Chu Yang smacked his lips. "Enlightened monks are a rare breed these days."

Hua Manlou’s brows furrowed slightly as he asked softly, "I may know where that demon came from…"

Chu Yang and Li Gexiao turned to look at him.

Hua Manlou said, "Before Lu Xiaofeng and I came to Paradise Pavilion, I visited a temple called Cloud Dwelling Temple. The nearby villages had all suffered from Demon Qi disturbances, but that place alone was peaceful. At the time, I only thought its abbot possessed profound Buddhist teachings. Thinking back now, though, the entire temple seemed somewhat strange."

"A temple large enough to house a hundred or so novice monks had only one abbot and a young girl who had become vegetarian and devoted herself to Buddha for her mother."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Xiaofeng’s weak voice sounded again.

"Go to Cloud Dwelling Temple…"

Seeing that even speaking was difficult for him, Chu Yang feared he might truly die there and sent some life force into him.

Li Gexiao teased, "You’ve only got one breath left, and you’re still thinking about solving cases? How about I write you a letter of recommendation someday and send you to apply at Six Doors?"

Lu Xiaofeng chuckled and said between ragged breaths, "I’m afraid they’d beat me out with sticks the moment they heard you recommended me. Your reputation as a drunkard isn’t much better than mine."

"Hahaha!!!"

Li Gexiao and Chu Yang burst into laughter.

Listening to their bold laughter, Hua Manlou could not help feeling fondness for them. He felt that the two had dared to storm a Great Demon’s lair for Lu Xiaofeng. Not only were they extraordinarily courageous and righteous, their martial cultivation was also exceptional.

He wished to befriend them.

"I am Hua Manlou. May I ask how I should address you two?"

Lu Xiaofeng coughed and cut in with a smile, "One of them is a penniless rotten drunkard, and the other is a rich young master who’s mastered all Five Poisons: eating, drinking, whoring, gambling, and more."

"You can just call them Drunkard and Young Master!"

Hua Manlou shook his head. "You two saved us, and we have only just met. How could I speak nonsense like you?"

Lu Xiaofeng rolled his eyes.

Li Gexiao said, "Just call me Li Gexiao. This man beside me is Young Master Chu Yang."

"Hero Li and Young Master Chu?" Hua Manlou tilted his head, as though recalling something, then asked doubtfully, "But just now, I seemed to hear someone call out ‘Your Highness’?"

Lu Xiaofeng snorted. "Which one of them looks like a prince to you?"

"If either of them really is a prince, then from today onward, I, Lu Xiaofeng, will truly change my name to Little Chicken Lu!"

Li Gexiao patted his shoulder and said meaningfully, "A gentleman’s word cannot be taken back by four horses."

Lu Xiaofeng froze, his expression changing drastically. "Don’t tell me it’s true?!"

Chu Yang laughed loudly. "He’s just scaring you, idiot!"

Li Gexiao grinned and laughed.

"You scared the hell out of me. Drunkard, if you do that again, I’ll piss in your wine next time." Lu Xiaofeng clutched his chest and let out a long breath.

The three bickered as they left Paradise Pavilion.

The moment they stepped outside Paradise Pavilion, a thunderous crash rang out, and the entire mountain collapsed, burying Paradise Pavilion beneath it.

The mountain’s interior had already been riddled with openings. Once Yomi flooded it, those openings could no longer support the massive Paradise Pavilion.

Once they reached the wilderness, Li Gexiao let out a whistle.

"What are you doing? Don’t tell me you have an ambush waiting outside?"

Lu Xiaofeng said sarcastically.

The next moment, a huge wolfhound, even more robust than a tiger, leaped from the dark forest, making Lu Xiaofeng’s entire body shudder in fright.

"Looks like you were right!" Li Gexiao stroked the dog’s head and said, "This is my Wangcai. Say hello."

The wolfhound looked at Li Gexiao in confusion. Hadn’t they agreed to call him Xiaofeng before? They had not seen each other for long, yet his name had already changed?

The wolfhound shook his head, seemingly displeased with the name.

Lu Xiaofeng seized the chance to laugh and curse, "Even the dog hates the name you gave it. You really don’t have a shred of learning in that belly of yours. You’re mud that can’t be plastered onto a wall."

Chu Yang suddenly said, "I think it sounds pretty good."

Lu Xiaofeng said, "Good my ass!"

Hua Manlou discreetly tugged at Lu Xiaofeng’s sleeve.

"What?"

"Young Master Chu seems to be in a bad mood. I’m afraid you’ll get beaten up."

"I didn’t curse him. Why would he beat me up?"

"What if Young Master Chu named the dog?"

"Uh…"

Lu Xiaofeng suddenly realized the seriousness of the situation.

The huge wolfhound also realized the seriousness of the matter. Its intelligence was nearly that of a Spirit Demon, so naturally it could understand Chu Yang and the others.

The wolfhound hurriedly wagged its tail and moved close to Chu Yang, whining softly as if to show that it actually liked the name very much.

"Is it too late for me to apologize now?"

Lu Xiaofeng said sincerely to Chu Yang.

Chu Yang shook his head. Regardless of Lu Xiaofeng’s injuries, he kicked him flying, then placed a hand on the wolfhound’s head.

Wangcai stuck out its tongue and wore a fawning grin.

"I had you wait outside in advance. If you can’t find that skeleton, I’m making dog meat hotpot tonight."

With a howl, Wangcai sprinted off, using its excellent sense of smell to track the Demon Qi on Red Skeleton’s body and lead the group onward.

The group traveled through the night toward the Cloud Dwelling Temple Hua Manlou had mentioned.

In the original story, Yue Qing, who was responsible for making counterfeit silver notes, had been hiding in Cloud Dwelling Temple. He had been coerced by Manager Qian and a constable named Luo Ma into producing large quantities of counterfeit notes for their profit.

In order to successfully wash their hands of the matter, the two had used Paradise Pavilion to divert everyone’s attention and planned to fake their deaths and escape, only for Lu Xiaofeng to see through them at a glance.

Constable Luo Ma did not exist in this world. Only Manager Qian had spread those silver notes tainted with demon power.

The one in Paradise Pavilion was also a red skeleton demon, specializing in feeding on those who had fallen into desire. Its connection to Cloud Dwelling Temple had become increasingly baffling.

With the plot having gone off the rails to this extent, what Chu Yang knew no longer had any value as reference. He was also curious about the connection between Cloud Dwelling Temple and Red Skeleton.

The night chill gradually thickened. When they arrived at Cloud Dwelling Temple without stopping, they found that the Buddhist temple, which should have been solemn and majestic, had become gloomy and sinister, like a hell of ghosts.