Chapter 84 - 83: Ascension Platform, Celestial Hunting Bureau

Chapter 84: Chapter 83: Ascension Platform, Celestial Hunting Bureau

For the past few days, Lu Jing’an had been trying to figure out a way to deal with the three Demon Beasts underwater.

The Catfish Demon had already been brought under his control with Mind Control.

As for the Piggy Dragon, he already had a rough plan to deal with it.

It still involved poison, but not by directly poisoning the water.

Lu Jing’an planned to seal a specially made poison into a Wax Pill and feed it to the Catfish Demon.

Then, he would have the Piggy Dragon devour the Catfish Demon.

The poison would activate inside its body, corroding its bones and innards.

No matter how tough its hide was, it would not escape its fate.

Only for the Water Monkey, Lu Jing’an still hadn’t come up with a foolproof plan.

Although it wasn’t large and its shell wasn’t as hard as the Piggy Dragon’s, its movements were phantom-like, zipping through the water in an instant.

Furthermore, its Spiritual Sense was exceptionally sharp, making it the most difficult of the three Demon Beasts to capture.

Lu Jing’an just couldn’t think of a perfect solution.

But now, things had become simpler.

All he had to do was repair this Copper Gong.

Just because the Dragon King couldn’t fix it didn’t mean he couldn’t.

With the Zhengqi Furnace in his possession, Lu Jing’an had yet to encounter something it couldn’t repair.

’Repair.’

With a thought from Lu Jing’an, the Copper Gong silently appeared within the chaotic void of the Zhengqi Furnace.

The furnace’s body trembled slightly, and a message floated into his mind:

Damaged Treasure Instrument: Monkey Gong. Repair requires fifty jin of Crimson Gold Copper and five points of Energy. Repair immediately?

’Crimson Gold Copper?’

Lu Jing’an had never heard of this material before.

But that wouldn’t stop Lu Jing’an.

As long as he knew the name, Lu Jing’an was confident that with the Lu Family’s financial resources, finding it would be easy.

"I’ll have to trouble Second Uncle for this."

Thinking of his second uncle, Lu Huaiyuan, Lu Jing’an’s mind suddenly stirred.

’Thirty years ago... The Lu Family fled to Yin Mountain County. That was thirty years ago, too.’

’Could Father and the others know the truth about the sunken ship from back then?’

Once the thought surfaced, it was difficult to suppress.

He then thought of his master, Chen Xuan.

’Master was saved by Father twenty years ago, but he might not have arrived in Yin Mountain County just twenty years ago. Why would a man of his stature come to a remote little county like this for no reason?’

’Could it... also be related to that sunken ship?’

Outside, the sky had completely brightened. Morning light climbed the window lattice, making the dust motes in the room glitter like gold.

Unable to contain himself, Lu Jing’an got up and headed for his father’s study.

Lu Huaiqian had only rested for two or three hours and was now straightening his standard-issue Public Security Bureau jacket, preparing to leave.

Seeing Lu Jing’an arrive so early, Lu Huaiqian raised a hand to stop his deputy waiting outside the door and turned back into the study.

In the study, Lu Jing’an briefly explained the matter of the ship’s log.

As Lu Huaiqian listened, his brow gradually furrowed.

His fingertips tapped twice on the huanghuali wood desk.

"This matter... I do know a little about it."

His voice was deep:

"Back then, your second and third uncles and I had just fled to Yin Mountain County."

"We heard that a Treasure Ship had sunk in the Canglan River, capsized by a Demon Beast from underwater."

"The ship was said to be filled with gold and silver treasures. After it sank to the riverbed, it attracted many people who risked their lives to salvage it."

"But not even one in ten who salvaged anything made it out alive. Most who went down never came back up."

"Back then, the Qi Family, the most prominent family in Yin Mountain County, was also mixed up in this mess."

"The Qi Family’s decline began right at that time."

Lu Huaiqian sighed softly at this point:

"If not for that chaos, the Lu Family probably would never have had the chance to rise."

"I originally thought it was just a ship transporting treasure. But now that I’ve heard what you have to say... it all makes sense. No wonder the salvagers back then died so horribly, not like typical drowning victims..."

Lu Jing’an waited for his father to finish before asking softly:

"Father, could Master’s arrival here also be related to the sunken ship?"

Lu Huaiqian looked up at him, his gaze profound.

"You suspect Master Chen came here because of that ship?"

Lu Jing’an nodded. "A Great Martial Cultivator like Master wouldn’t come to Yin Mountain County for no reason."

Lu Huaiqian fell silent for a moment.

It wasn’t that he’d never had his suspicions, but a full ten years had passed between the shipwreck and when he saved Chen Xuan.

He had never connected the two events.

Besides, receiving the help of a Great Martial Cultivator like Chen Xuan back then was a stroke of incredible luck.

Chen Xuan was crucial to the Lu Family’s rise. How could he have pried into his past?

"This is something only your master can answer for you."

Lu Huaiqian stood up and patted Lu Jing’an’s shoulder.

"But before you ask, you must think carefully. This might concern a past your master doesn’t want others to know about."

Lu Jing’an pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"I understand."

Lu Huaiqian didn’t press further. He knew Lu Jing’an was someone who understood the gravity of a situation.

He didn’t need any reminders about this matter.

"There is one more thing I’d like to ask for your help with, Father."

Lu Jing’an changed the subject, bringing up the Crimson Gold Copper.

Lu Huaiqian agreed immediately.

"I’ll go find your second uncle later."

"He’s well-connected. For materials used by Cultivators, he should have a way to get them."

When he left the study, morning light was already flooding the courtyard.

Lu Huaiqian stood at the doorway, watching Lu Jing’an’s back disappear around the corner of the corridor, and didn’t move for a long time.

Many vague fragments from the past suddenly became clear after Lu Jing’an’s words today.

The decline of the Qi Family, Chen Xuan’s grievous injuries, the bizarre rumors about the Canglan River that persisted to this day...

In these chaotic times, a single ship could bring down an entire family.

The Lu Family of today was stronger than the Qi Family of the past, but only by a limited margin.

A storm was brewing, and the Lu Family still had a long road ahead.

Lu Huaiqian gathered his thoughts, straightened his collar, and strode toward the Public Security Bureau.

Lu Jing’an didn’t return to his own courtyard but went straight to the Water Patrol Bureau.

He decided to be direct.

Whatever his master’s past was, they were master and disciple now.

Moreover, they were comrades-in-arms, protecting the Lu Family and Yin Mountain County side by side.

Some things were better laid out in the open.

Chen Xuan arrived quickly.

He wore a long robe of black cloth, his figure as straight and tall as a pine tree.

Whether it was the uniform for the Water Patrol Bureau or the Public Security Bureau, Chen Xuan rarely wore either.

"Master, have some tea." Lu Jing’an placed the perfectly warmed tea in front of Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan glanced at it, took the cup, and said, "Thank you, Young Master."

"Master, I had Third Uncle make a trip to the Water Stockade and he found some things. Among them was a box containing records of a shipwreck from thirty years ago."

Hearing Lu Jing’an’s words, Chen Xuan’s fingers tightened slightly, causing the teacup to creak faintly in his grip.

Seeing this, Lu Jing’an no longer hesitated.

He explained everything from beginning to end, including the "Demon Food," the "Monkey Gong," and his own speculations.

He didn’t directly ask if Chen Xuan was involved, but he knew his master would understand.

Chen Xuan listened in silence the entire time.

Only when Lu Jing’an had finished did he loosen his grip on the teacup.

"Your guess is correct."

Chen Xuan’s voice was calm, yet it landed with the heavy thud of a stone dropped into a deep pool:

"I did indeed come to Yin Mountain County for that ship."

"That was a ship from the Celestial Hunting Bureau, escorting ’Demon Food.’"

"But it met with disaster within the borders of Yin Mountain County, and the entire ship’s cargo of demons disappeared."

"The realm was already in chaos back then, and the Imperial Court couldn’t even manage its own affairs, so no one bothered with this incident."

He paused for a long time. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with an almost imperceptible tremor:

"But I couldn’t ignore it."

"My wife and child were on that ship."

Lu Jing’an’s breath hitched slightly.

He had never heard Chen Xuan mention his family.

His master was like a solitary mountain, always walking alone.

"I investigated and found that the matter was related to the Qi Family."

"The Qi Family had gotten wind of it from somewhere and thought it was a Treasure Ship being transported from the Capital City to Yingjing."

"They intercepted the ship and made their move. The ship sank, and the Water Monkey escaped."

"I spent years plotting my revenge, but in the end, I was on the verge of success only to fail, and I ended up grievously wounded."

"You know what happened after that."

A river breeze surged through the window, carrying a damp chill.

Lu Jing’an listened quietly, then suddenly spoke:

"Master, have you ever considered that maybe there really was another Treasure Ship?"

"Could the one your wife was on have just been a Bait..."

"...specifically to lure out all the ill-intentioned people along the route?"

He stopped himself halfway through the sentence.

’Chen Xuan must have thought of it.’

’If he hadn’t, why would he have stayed in Yin Mountain County for twenty years?’

’Even if it was to repay a debt of gratitude, he wouldn’t have needed to completely sever all ties with his past.’

Lu Jing’an didn’t pursue the matter further and changed the subject.

"Master, the Celestial Hunting Bureau. What exactly is it?"

Chen Xuan did not avoid this question either.

He raised his eyes, his gaze seeming to pass through Lu Jing’an.

He looked off into the distance, his voice tinged with a complex sigh of emotion:

"The Celestial Hunting Bureau was subordinate to the former dynasty’s Ascension Platform."

"The Celestial Hunting Bureau was just one of its subordinate departments. Below it were the Astronomical Bureau, the Alchemy Furnace Bureau, and the Immortal Seeking Bureau, each with its own duties."

"The duty of the Celestial Hunting Bureau was to capture, tame, and escort the world’s demons, supplying them to the Ascension Platform for... Alchemy, Observing Phenomena, or other purposes."

Lu Jing’an hadn’t expected the Celestial Hunting Bureau to be just a branch of an even larger organization.

And this Ascension Platform...

...judging by its name, it was inextricably linked to the abstruse concepts of becoming an Immortal and achieving Longevity.

"Master, this Ascension Platform... can it really help the Emperor become an Immortal?"

Chen Xuan shook his head.

"No one knows."

"The Ascension Platform’s heyday was over a hundred years ago. By the time I joined, it was already in pieces, barely holding on."

"Back then, the Ascension Platform was more like a tool in the hands of the nobility. The quest for immortality had become a hollow pursuit, a far cry from its former glory."

The idea of Immortals was too ethereal and elusive, so Lu Jing’an had only asked in passing.

He still had something important to confirm:

"By the way, Master, along with that box, there were several porcelain vials containing some kind of Elixir. Do you know what it is?"