Chapter 176: The Continuing War

Chapter 176 -173: The Continuing War

Niu Lang said with a bitter smile,

“Back then, I was like a fool, wandering the Human World, searching for Zhi Nv’s reincarnation.

Mr. Fan saw how devoted I was and spared me. He also told me his story.

He was originally an ordinary mortal, a laborer tasked with repairing the Great Wall.

The origin of Mr. Fan’s late wife, however, is quite peculiar.”

As Niu Lang mentioned Mr. Fan’s late wife, a look of wonder filled his eyes.

“There was a family with the surname Meng who planted a gourd.

The vine climbed over the wall and bore fruit in the yard of the Jiang family.

When the Meng and Jiang Families cut the gourd open, they found a baby girl inside.

The two families named the girl Meng Jiangnu.”

The corner of Jiang Chaosheng’s eye twitched.

He didn’t need Niu Lang to tell him the rest of the story.

Meng Jiangnu married Fan Xiliang, who died while working on the Great Wall.

Meng Jiangnu traveled a thousand miles to bring him winter clothes, but couldn’t find his body. She wept at the foot of the Great Wall.

The Great Wall collapsed, revealing Fan Xiliang’s body buried beneath it.

But how did Fan Xiliang become the first Manager?

Niu Lang sighed.

“Mr. Fan said that Meng Jiangnu was a Fairy born of heaven and earth.

She used a breath of Immortal Energy to grant her lifespan to Mr. Fan, but died herself as a result.

After Meng Jiangnu passed away, she became a Yin God in the Underworld, known as Meng Po.

Mr. Fan spent his entire life desperately searching for a way to meet Meng Po again.”

Jiang Chaosheng felt like he was getting a bit too much juicy gossip today.

He wasn’t one for gossip.

But hearing such a bizarre version of the story… well, this particular bit of gossip was rather tempting.

Niu Lang said,

“Perhaps it was a case of misery loving company, but Mr. Fan and I became close friends after that.

I was searching for Zhi Nv, and he was searching for Meng Po. Along the way, we collected Taboo Items together.

In truth, all those Taboo Items were relics of those who died in that great war.

Mr. Fan and I talked about everything, including the Curse on Antique Shop Zero.”

As he spoke, Niu Lang shook his head and gave another bitter smile.

“Unfortunately, my Divine Soul was injured in that war, and I’ve been losing my memories far too quickly.

I’ll recall bits and pieces of what Mr. Fan told me from time to time, but I can’t remember everything.”

Jiang Chaosheng thought,

‘Isn’t this just a symptom of battle trauma?

Severe amnesia.’

Jiang Chaosheng asked,

“What kind of war was it?”

A trace of lingering fear appeared in Niu Lang’s eyes.

“I can’t remember it all. I only know that a peerlessly talented individual declared war on All Gods.

After that war, the gods vanished, the demons vanished, and the age of the supernatural completely withered away.”

Niu Lang finished, his voice melancholic.

“What we cared about most was the Underworld.

Because information about Zhi Nv, and information about Meng Jiangnu, was all in the Underworld.

It wasn’t until the Tang Dynasty that we learned the war hadn’t ended. It had merely moved from the Human World to the Underworld.

Three of the four great domains of the Underworld were destroyed.

The Underworld, the Land of the Yellow Springs, the Nine Netherworld, were all gone.

Only Eternal Hell remained.”

Jiang Chaosheng’s heart suddenly began to pound.

Based on Niu Lang and Fan Xiliang’s timeline,

that war took place during the Qin Dynasty.

‘It raged from the Qin Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, lasting for over a thousand years. The war actually went on for more than a millennium?

The battlefield moved from the Human World to the Underworld?

Could it be possible that the war is still ongoing in Eternal Hell, even now?’

A sense of crisis rose in Jiang Chaosheng’s heart.

It was a feeling like…

…you think the danger has long passed, but in reality, it’s been right beside you all along, and you just never knew it!

Of course, the war might have ended long ago.

After all, a great deal of time has passed since the Tang Dynasty.

Niu Lang continued,

“When Mr. Fan learned that the Underworld had been destroyed, he completely lost the will to live.

He told me that once he found a certain Crow and fulfilled a promise, he would leave Antique Shop Zero.

Mr. Fan was a kind man. He was afraid the next Manager would try to contain me, so he had me leave early.”

Jiang Chaosheng frowned.

‘A Crow?

Could he have been talking about the Evil Crow?’

Just then, Jiang Chaosheng felt an intense wave of resentment.

He turned his head.

The venomous hatred in the Jing River Dragon King’s eyes was about to overflow.

Jiang Chaosheng remembered.

The Jing River Dragon King had also died during the Tang Dynasty.

Jiang Chaosheng gave the Jing River Dragon King a reassuring look.

He hadn’t forgotten his promise to the Dragon King.

He would definitely find the culprit who had reduced the Jing River Dragon King to this state.

Receiving the message in Jiang Chaosheng’s eyes, the Jing River Dragon King slowly calmed down.

Jiang Chaosheng suddenly thought of something and stared at Niu Lang.

“The reason you’re willing to help Taiping Dao is that you’ve found Zhi Nv, isn’t it?”

Niu Lang was taken aback for a moment, then a sweet expression appeared on his old face.

“Nothing escapes you, sir. Zhi Nv was reincarnated as a concubine during the Qing Dynasty.

I used the Corpse Ancestor Armor I found to resurrect her.”

Jiang Chaosheng smiled.

“So, the Taiping Plan is… to ‘restore the Qing’?”

Niu Lang nodded, his expression grave.

“I know it’s unfair to the Xia Kingdom, but for Zhi Nv’s sake, I’ll do anything, no matter how wicked.”

Jiang Chaosheng stood up and stretched lazily.

“Alright, I’ve heard enough stories. It’s time for me to head back to the South Sea.”

Niu Lang quickly stood up as well, bowing deeply.

“Are you returning to the South Sea to contain the Spear of Destiny, sir?

That item is no small matter!

If there’s anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask!”

Jiang Chaosheng glanced at Niu Lang, his tone dismissive.

“It’s just one Taboo Item. I don’t give it a second thought.”

With that said, Jiang Chaosheng activated the power of the Dragon Pearl.

He rose with the rain into the dark clouds and resettled on his jet-black throne.

The clouds closed, obscuring Jiang Chaosheng’s face.

A Fox Demon and a Dragon King flanked the clouds on the left and right as they headed toward the South Sea.

Niu Lang bowed again and called out in a loud voice,

“Farewell, sir!”

Niu Lang held his bow for a long time. Only after the dark clouds had drifted far away and the downpour had ceased did he straighten up, his gaze profound.

Niu Lang spoke slowly.

“How much of that do you think he believed?”

A head rolled out from his sleeve.

Prince Heng’s head asked cautiously,

“National Preceptor, what are you referring to?”

Niu Lang said,

“The story about Mr. Fan, Zhi Nv, and me.”

Prince Heng averted his gaze.

“He probably… believed all of it, right?”

Niu Lang snorted coldly.

“He didn’t believe a single word of it!

He even threatened me before he left.”

Prince Heng thought back.

Before leaving, Jiang Chaosheng had said,

“It’s just one Taboo Item. I don’t give it a second thought.”

Prince Heng had originally thought the Taboo Item Mr. Dusk was talking about was the Spear of Destiny.

Now it seemed he had actually been referring to the National Preceptor.

Niu Lang looked down at Prince Heng’s head, a cold glint in his eyes.

“You will take what happened today to your grave.

On no account are you to let the Lady know that she is the reincarnation of Zhi Nv.”

Prince Heng said hurriedly,

“I understand, I understand! Please rest assured, National Preceptor!

I will always be on your side!”

Only then did the killing intent in Niu Lang’s eyes recede.

Prince Heng thought for a moment before speaking cautiously,

“National Preceptor, you gave Mr. Dusk a Taboo Item to save me. Wasn’t that… not worth it?”

Niu Lang sneered.

“As I said, Taboo Items are the relics of Immortals, Demons, and Monsters.

To put it bluntly, they’re all just battle-damaged Dharma Artifacts.

No matter how many of these I give him, his power will always remain beneath that of the Deities.”

Prince Heng immediately pressed,

“Can’t he repair them?

If he managed to fix even one, wouldn’t he have the potential to become a god?”

Niu Lang shook his head.

“He can’t. Antique Shop Zero has no such rule.”

A mocking smile touched the corner of Niu Lang’s lips.

“That Mr. Fan… he really did treat me as his closest friend back then, telling me absolutely everything.”

Prince Heng shut his mouth.

Niu Lang gazed south, where the dark clouds were disappearing, and muttered to himself,

“Protected by the rules as he is, he’s the being I fear most in the Human World.

Although my power may surpass his slightly, his advantage is his immortality. Neither of us can truly do anything to the other.

Prince Heng, as long as you do as I say and proceed step by step, you will eventually make Mr. Dusk fall into the Curse.

You absolutely must not listen to others’ words again, rushing ahead recklessly out of greed for glory and making rash decisions.”

Prince Heng suddenly narrowed his eyes and said hatefully,

“National Preceptor, I can’t shake the feeling that the Evil Qilin was setting me up, but I’m not entirely sure.”

A vein throbbed on Niu Lang’s forehead.

“You… you idiot!”

‘Had this fool really not realized he was being used as a pawn by the Evil Qilin this whole time?’

Niu Lang calmed himself and quickly reviewed the situation. The apprehension in his eyes grew even stronger.

“This Manager is different from all the previous ones.

I originally thought the Immunity Token in your possession would help you escape.

I never expected this Manager to be unafraid of an Emperor’s might!

Could it be that he’s the reincarnation of some Emperor?

I just feel… that this new Manager is a wild card.”