Chapter Thirty-Nine: Journey to the Temple of White Bones (Please bookmark and follow!)

“Will my wife be in any danger entering the Soul-Nourishing Array for cultivation? Is there a chance that the locust demon might seize control of her mind again?” Ning Caichen asked anxiously.

“You need not worry about that. The Exorcism Talisman I used earlier has already dealt a heavy blow to the locust demon’s consciousness—she is now in a true slumber. Moreover, I have left a sealing sigil within your wife’s body. Should the locust demon’s mind awaken, the power of the sigil will be instantly triggered,” Su Ye replied with a gentle smile. “Besides, within the Soul-Nourishing Array, I have set additional measures specifically targeting the locust demon’s consciousness. If she dares to stir up any trouble, she will inevitably suffer.”

“Thank you, Friend Su, for your thorough consideration!” Ning Caichen’s face finally eased at Su Ye’s reassurance.

“Friend Ning, now that I’m assisting your wife’s cultivation within the array, isn’t it time for you to fulfill the promise you made to me?” Su Ye smiled.

Before coming to Lanyin Mountain, Su Ye had received further news: all the Su family’s businesses in Jinhua County had fallen under assault from sinister forces, all of which originated from the White Bone Monastery. Su Ye was now certain—the deaths of the Su family’s guards at Baiji Ridge and the theft of their silver were not random acts by the White Bone Monastery, but a deliberate scheme targeting the Su family. It might not have been ordered by the monastery’s two ninth-rank evil cultivators, but the White Bone Monastery had clearly set its sights on the Su family.

Thus, Su Ye regarded the White Bone Monastery as his sworn enemy, and he was determined to eradicate their evil no matter the cost.

“My wife has only just entered the Soul-Nourishing Array for cultivation. I worry that something might go wrong—could we wait another two days?” Ning Caichen said in a low voice.

He seemed to be negotiating, but his tone was resolute. Before he was sure Nie Xiaoqian was truly safe, he would not leave Lanyin Mountain with Su Ye for anything.

“If you’re uneasy, then let’s wait another two days,” Su Ye replied with a helpless smile. Since Ning Caichen refused to set out, there was little he could do—he could hardly force him.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. Nie Xiaoqian remained tranquil within the Soul-Nourishing Array, which slightly calmed Ning Caichen’s heart. But when Su Ye brought up setting out for the White Bone Monastery again, Ning Caichen once more requested a further delay of two days.

Su Ye could see that Ning Caichen wasn’t trying to back out—he was simply too worried about Nie Xiaoqian. Su Ye couldn’t quite fathom Ning Caichen’s mindset: the moment Nie Xiaoqian left his sight, restlessness would gnaw at him, and anxiety about some unforeseen mishap would take hold.

At this point, a flicker of irritation rose in Su Ye’s heart, but he forced it down and decided to wait another two days.

Before those two days were up, however, Little Li arrived at Lanyin Mountain.

“Su Ye, Lord Qu of the City God Temple sent me to tell you: the two evil cultivators from White Bone Monastery are preparing to head for Huoyang Mountain. If the matter at Lanyin Mountain cannot be resolved, you must quickly return to the county town and go with Lord Qu to White Bone Monastery to stop them!” Little Li said urgently.

“Who might this be, Friend Ning?” Ning Caichen asked with an awkward smile as he saw the little fox in Su Ye’s arms.

“Friend Ning, you surely understand the situation by now. Time is of the essence, and I can no longer grant you two more days’ delay,” Su Ye said, his expression grave and his gaze burning into Ning Caichen. “I ask you now for a clear answer: will you accompany me to the White Bone Monastery or not? If your answer is no, I will remove the Soul-Nourishing Array and head to the monastery myself.”

Ning Caichen’s face, which had still carried a trace of regret, instantly darkened with anger at Su Ye’s last words. “Su Ye, are you threatening me?”

Su Ye had revealed the truth of his wife’s condition to him—without the protection of the Soul-Nourishing Array and Su Ye’s aid, and after all she had suffered, the locust demon would likely destroy her consciousness completely.

“I wouldn’t call it a threat,” Su Ye said coldly. “As the saying goes, one should not accept a reward without rendering service. My help depended on your help in subduing the evil of the White Bone Monastery. Since you have not fulfilled your part, I must cease to act on your behalf.”

A cold smile flickered on Su Ye’s lips. He did not wish to fall out with Ning Caichen, but if he didn’t take a hard stance, the man would never agree to leave Lanyin Mountain with him. Gathering spiritual light in his palm, Su Ye struck at the Soul-Nourishing Array on the locust tree.

Seeing Su Ye truly make a move, Ning Caichen’s expression changed drastically. He swept his sleeve, sending forth a burst of yin energy that neutralized Su Ye’s attack.

“I’ll go with you!” Ning Caichen drew a deep breath and spoke in a low, steady voice.

“That’s how it should be,” Su Ye replied softly with a smile. “Rest easy, Friend Ning. With the three of us working together, we’ll soon rid the world of those two evil cultivators at the White Bone Monastery. You won’t be separated from your wife for long.”

Ning Caichen gave a cold snort. He quickly summoned the other spirits of Lanyin Mountain, issued instructions, and then set out with Su Ye at once.

Once they had left Lanyin Mountain, Ning Caichen appeared even more anxious than Su Ye. Wasting no time, the two men bypassed Jinhua County and went straight to Luoxing Mountain, where the City God Temple stood.

Qu Zhang, sensing Su Ye and Ning Caichen’s presence, immediately descended from Luoxing Mountain to greet them. He and Ning Caichen had once been close friends, but a rift had grown between them. Now, seeing the two arrive together, Qu Zhang thought old grievances could be laid to rest.

Yet when Qu Zhang greeted Ning Caichen, the latter completely ignored him.

“Brother Qu, let’s not delay any longer—let us head straight for the White Bone Monastery,” Su Ye said, shaking his head at Qu Zhang and signaling with his eyes not to engage further with Ning Caichen.

Ning Caichen had not come willingly—he was already simmering with anger, and any quarrel with Qu Zhang could only spell trouble.

Understanding the look Su Ye gave him, Qu Zhang realized the matter was more complicated than it seemed. Saying nothing further, he joined the other two in hurrying toward the White Bone Monastery.

The monastery lay far from Jinhua County, but the three were all ninth-rank cultivators. After a little over two hours, they arrived at their destination.

Most of the evil forces in Jinhua County had gathered at the White Bone Monastery, which was guarded by two ninth-rank cultivators and had thus been built to an extravagant scale.

“There it is—White Bone Monastery,” Qu Zhang said quietly as they beheld the towering temple ahead.

But all three wore uneasy expressions. Though now extremely close to the monastery, they could sense nothing of the two ninth-rank evil cultivators within.