Catching Monsters

Chapter 570 The New Apostle
In the evening, inside the palace, Xiao Yuzheng was taking a stroll in the Imperial Garden, with Qin Hong and Feng Yu following beside him.

Qin Hong also reported that Shan Tiangang had disappeared without a trace. Xiao Yuzheng frowned, his face clearly showing some dissatisfaction, and said in a deep voice, "If other experts saw Shan Tiangang causing a scene in front of the imperial city, would they still be unharmed?"

Qin Hong lowered his head and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, rest assured, Shan Tiangang can only escape for a while. Our Tongyou Guard will not let him go easily."

“These are turbulent times.” Xiao Yuzheng took a deep breath and casually sat down on a stone chair in the Imperial Garden. His face showed some weariness. Then he looked at Feng Yu and Qin Hong and said slowly, “I have really been quite tired these past few years. The First Prince and the Eighth Prince are now fighting openly and secretly for the position of Crown Prince.”

"In my opinion, the matter of the Crown Prince must be decided as soon as possible." Xiao Yuzheng said, looking at the two men, "Tell me your thoughts."

Upon hearing this, Qin Hong and Feng Yu both lowered their heads and dared not utter a word. How could they possibly express their opinions on this matter?

Seeing this, Xiao Yuzheng knew that the two men's identities were sensitive, so he waved his hand and let it go.

Deep down, Xiao Yuzheng naturally preferred Xiao Jingqing.

When he was bedridden, Xiao Jingqing was always there to take care of him.

However, it would be inappropriate to rashly pass the position of crown prince to Xiao Jingqing at this moment.

Firstly, Xiao Jingqing is too young, even though Xiao Yuzheng has secretly instructed many military officers and nobles to come into contact with him.

But the time was still too short.

If the position of crown prince were rashly given to Xiao Jingqing, there would be tremendous resistance from both inside and outside the court.

Xiao Yuzheng could only shake his head helplessly, and then said, "Feng Yu, go and inform Li Wangxin to investigate the whereabouts of those rebels of the Demon Spirit Sect as soon as possible. Within a month, I want the Demon Spirit Sect to be wiped out in one fell swoop."

"Yes." Feng Yu nodded respectfully.

……

In a dream.

Feng Beier was in complete darkness, where she couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.

"Brother Jiang!"

"Brother Jiang!"

At that moment, Feng Beier subconsciously called out Jiang Yun's name, and soon, one by one, the blood-red eyes around them slowly opened.

Feng Beier was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground. Suddenly, a dark shadow slowly appeared in front of her, its eyes bloodshot, and it slowly said, "Feng Beier..."

"I can give you what you want."

Startled, Feng Beier fell to the ground, staring in panic at the 'monster' before her. She asked, "Who are you? What do you want?"

The shadowy figure stared intently into Feng Beier's eyes, and soon, a red light began to flicker in Feng Beier's eyes as well.

Soon, Feng Beier's eyes seemed to lose their luster, like a puppet.

……

Outside the Jiang residence, Xu Suwen, accompanied by the people who had come from the Marquis of Wei's residence to fetch Feng Beier, arrived at the door. She pushed the door open, intending to see if Feng Beier had woken up.

Unexpectedly, Feng Beier, who was sleeping soundly in the house, disappeared without a trace.

"Miss Feng." Xu Suwen was somewhat puzzled, and then quickly asked the servants in the mansion about Feng Beier's whereabouts.

But no one has ever seen Feng Beier.

Xu Suwen realized something was wrong. If Feng Beier woke up, given her personality, she would definitely want to see Jiang Yun, not leave without saying goodbye.

The person from the Marquis of Weiwu's residence was Feng Huan, Feng Beier's brother.

Upon hearing that Feng Beier was missing, their faces grew anxious. Soon, the servants of the Jiang family quickly searched the area, but they were unable to find Feng Beier.

Feng Beier was of noble birth, being the young lady of the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion. Xu Suwen hurriedly sent her servants to the Eastern Garrison Office of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to meet Jiang Yun.

Meanwhile, outside the archives of the Eastern Garrison, it was already getting late. Jiang Yun sat at the door, keeping Qu Wushang company as they drank some wine.

"Lord Jiang, I heard that something happened at your residence. Commander Qi is leading our Eastern Garrison to search the whole city. And you, on the other hand, have the leisure to come and sit here with me."

Hearing Qu Wushang's words, Jiang Yun smiled and slowly said, "Senior Qu, I just wanted to ask you a question."

As he spoke, Jiang Yun politely poured him a glass of wine and said, "Back then, Senior Qu was almost at the Saint Realm, but he failed. Did he fail to break through on his own, or was someone preventing him?"

Hearing Jiang Yun's question, Qu Wushang narrowed his eyes slightly and slowly asked, "What do you think?"

“I guess it’s the latter.” Jiang Yun’s expression became more serious: “Someone is preventing you from reaching the Saint Realm, but your strength below the Saint Realm is already at its peak…”

"What's the use of reaching the pinnacle below the Saint Realm?" Qu Wushang took a sip of his wine, sighing slowly, his thoughts drifting back to more than twenty years ago when he wanted to break through...

Back then, Qu Wushang was not as depressed as he is now. He was exceptionally talented, and his swordsmanship was unparalleled among all masters.

No one could even withstand his sword strike.

He had no doubt that he could become a saint.

but……

"Below the sage, all are ants." Qu Wushang closed his eyes and said slowly.

Jiang Yun sat down next to Qu Wushang and asked, "Is this specifically targeting you? Or is it targeting everyone who wants to become a Saint?"

Qu Wushang suddenly opened his eyes and stared straight at Jiang Yun, who calmly said, "Because, in this world, there are too few saints..."

“Look, there were twenty or thirty first-grade realm experts who entered the Holy Tomb back then, not counting the others who failed to enter the Holy Tomb.”

"Even if no one in this generation has the talent to reach the Saint Realm, what about the decades before? What about the centuries before?"

Jiang Yun slowly said, "According to my understanding, after the first sage of Confucianism two or three thousand years ago, several sages appeared in just a few hundred years."

"As it has developed to this point, the techniques have become more refined, the population has increased, and there are more and more talented people."

“Normally, it should be better for a sacred realm to appear.”

"It takes at least one or two hundred years, maybe one every two or three hundred years, that's not surprising."

"But there wasn't a single one, which defies common sense."

Qu Wushang suddenly smiled and slowly said, "Lord Jiang is indeed a clever man."

After saying that, he picked up the wine jug and took a swig of strong liquor. His words indirectly confirmed Jiang Yun's conjecture.

Is someone preventing others from becoming saints?

Moreover, this person's strength is probably at the Saint Realm level.

After having this conjecture, Jiang Yun's expression turned somewhat unpleasant, because, according to what Bai Wuchang said...

With only two or three years left to live, he must either become a saint or collect all seven meteorites.

If a saintly being obstructs one's path, then the possibility of becoming a saint is already extremely slim.

Our only hope is to collect all the meteorites.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yun couldn't help but smile wryly, but also asked curiously, "Senior Qu, who is that sage? He is hidden in the world, so mysterious?"

Qu Wushang glanced at Jiang Yun slowly and said only, "It cannot be spoken, it cannot be spoken."

After saying that, Qu Wushang picked up the wine pot and continued drinking in silence.

This is why he became depressed...

His swordsmanship had reached its peak, and he clearly had the opportunity to break through to the Saint Realm, but due to other reasons, he was forcibly crippled.

Jiang Yun sat down next to him and took a sip of the strong liquor in his hand, the meteorite.

He quickly thought of Ye Xiuyuan.

We need to find a way to get that meteorite back into our hands from Ye Xiuyuan.

Just then, a servant from the Jiang family rushed in: "Master Jiang, something terrible has happened! Miss Feng has disappeared."

"Miss Feng has disappeared?" Jiang Yun frowned deeply upon hearing this. "How could such a living person just vanish?"

Soon, the servants explained the situation in detail.

After listening, Jiang Yun said, "Didn't Qi Da lead a group of men to my house, pretending to look for members of the Demonic Sect? Perfect, let him hurry up and find Miss Feng."

The person was lost at the Jiang residence. If they are not found, the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion will probably not let the matter rest.

Jiang Yun also turned to Qu Wushang and said, "Senior Qu, I'll take my leave."

"Go, go." Qu Wushang waved his hand, watching Jiang Yun's figure gradually disappear into the distance.

Soon, Qu Wushang stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said in a deep voice, "In this world, who doesn't want to become a saint? What a pity..."

The servants of the Jiang family and the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion, including the Imperial Guards of the Eastern Garrison, searched the inner city for a long time. Later, they even had the constables of the Jingzhao Prefecture search the outer city, but they still couldn't find Feng Beier.

No matter what, Feng Beier saved Jiang Yun's life. When she suddenly disappeared, Jiang Yun personally led a search party that lasted all night.

However, there were no clues. At dawn, as the sky gradually brightened, Qi Da led his men to a street in the outer city, where Jiang Yun was already searching with his men.

"Any news?" Jiang Yun asked Qi Da.

Zidane shook his head and said in a deep voice, "Sir, we have found nothing. This matter is quite strange. Based on my experience..."

At this point, Zidane paused before continuing, "It's possible that Miss Feng left on her own."

“If she had been kidnapped, it just so happened that something had happened at your residence. I was searching the area with the Imperial Guards, and I questioned anyone who appeared suspiciously, let alone kidnapping a living person like Miss Feng.”

"Not just anyone would dare to visit your residence easily."

“Judging from all these signs…” Zidane paused, then stopped speaking.

Jiang Yun frowned, turned to Qi Da and said, "You mean, I should go to the Marquis of Weiwu's residence and just tell them this?"

"Have the men below withdraw first, I'm going to the Marquis of Weiwu's residence."

Since the person was lost in his own home, he should at least be informed of the outcome, no matter what.

Qi Da, accompanied by a group of Imperial Guards, slowly said, "Sir, I'll come along. In case the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion is unreasonable, we outnumber them, so they won't have to resort to violence."

Soon, Jiang Yun personally led his men to the Marquis of Weiwu's residence. Inside the hall, Feng Huan, who had been searching all night, looked exhausted.

Feng Beier's mother, meanwhile, held a white handkerchief in her hand, her eyes red from crying.

After hearing Jiang Yun's words and his claim that he couldn't find Feng Beier, Feng Huan clenched his fists, stood up, and grabbed Jiang Yun's collar: "Jiang Yun, do you know how much my sister likes you! She opened that bookstore in front of your Jiang residence just to catch a few more glimpses of you?"

"You yourself said that she was injured because of you and was recuperating at your residence."

"And now that the person is missing, you're telling me they can't be found?"

"Oh dear, it's my fault for not being able to find him." Qi Da hurriedly stepped forward with a smile and said, "This has nothing to do with Lord Jiang, it's all my fault."

Jiang Yun remained calm and slowly said, "Don't worry, Young Master Feng, I will find a way to locate Miss Feng and send her back to your residence."

"You!" Feng Huan gritted his teeth, wanting to punch Jiang Yun in the face, but he held back. Mainly because there were many Imperial Guards behind Jiang Yun, and they saw that he was holding Jiang Yun by the collar and his hand was already on the hilt of his sword.

If I really hit Jiang Yun, who knows what those Imperial Guards would do?

Jiang Yun remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Miss Feng saved me, and she was lost in my residence. No matter what, I will find her."

……

On a hillside fifty miles outside the capital, Ye Xiuyuan wore a bamboo hat and a black long robe, while two figures stood behind him.

Shan Tiangang and Feng Beier.

Dan Tiangang was puzzled. Why bring Feng Beier along? This woman was useless except for her pretty face.

Feng Beier, on the other hand, had a blank look in her eyes, as if she were being controlled.

“Mr. Ye, I believe you and am willing to go with you, but this woman would be a complete burden if we brought her along,” Shan Tiangang said calmly.

Ye Xiuyuan shook his head and slowly said, "You two are very important to what I need to do later. I will also be able to improve her abilities soon."

"What do you want us to do?" Shan Tiangang asked in a deep voice.

"Both of you will be my new apostles."

(End of this chapter)