Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 630 - Chapter 630 Chapter 16 3 Extraordinary Nobles

Chapter 630: Chapter 16: 3 Extraordinary Nobles? Chapter 630: Chapter 16: 3 Extraordinary Nobles? “`

“Over the years, I have sought help from some friends skilled in the Dao, and some advised me to leave Hong Kong. They said, if I stayed in places where Buddhism flourishes, or beside those of high status and unspoken nobility, perhaps I could be saved, but even then, not for long. I have visited famous mountains and ancient temples to no avail; even if I fled to the ends of the earth, these Mingzha Masks would not leave me be. On every first and fifteenth of the lunar month, they come to gnaw at my flesh. A year ago, I went to Beijing and had an all-night talk with Mr. Zhao. That day was the fifteenth, and I was rare to be safe and unharmed. Yet the three Mingzha targeted my eldest son in Hong Kong…”

Jin Boqing sighed, “I am of this age now and do not fear death, but the curse of the Mingzha is passed down through generations. After my death, these three Mingzha will inevitably seek the flesh of my descendants. From then on, my Jin family will never know peace, and may even face the disaster of extinction.”

He then said solemnly, “Both of you comrades are so young to be working with Mr. Zhao and were able to easily break the curse of Jin Lu and Jin Zhong’s Mingzha; that’s what moved me to consider asking for your help. This is a personal request. If you have any concerns, feel free to speak them. If needed, I can also make a call to Mr. Zhao.”

Ren Ni scratched his head, “There’s no need for a call. Are you asking us to destroy these three Mingzha?”

“Exactly.”

Jin Boqing showed a hint of desolate resignation: “To destroy a lineage’s inherited Mingzha by my own hand, I indeed owe a great debt to my ancestors. But now, to preserve the continuity of my Jin family’s offspring, there is no other choice. To tell the truth, these years of suffering from the gnawing of my flesh have left me not wanting to live, and I don’t have much longer. It is only the thought of my descendants that has kept me going. If you comrades can help me with this matter, the thousand-year-old Ganoderma will be my token of gratitude. Beyond that, should you have any requests, I will certainly not refuse.”

Li Yan gazed thoughtfully at the photo album, “I can try.”

“That’s wonderful. When are you two available?”

“How about the 30th of this month, before my shift rotation.”

“Good, then I will disturb you again at that time.”

Having said this, Jin Boqing stood up and left without dawdling.

As Jin Boqing left, Ren Ni asked Li Yan, “Big Yan, we’re actually quite free now.”

Li Yan shook his head, “If we truly destroy the three Mingzha, Jin Boqing won’t live much longer. He should be given time to settle his affairs.”

——————————–

A few days later, in central Thailand, Chonburi Province.

A temple with red pillars and blue tile roofs, impressive and grand. In the deepest part of the main hall, where incense is offered, stands a red wall decorated with gilt dragons at the four corners. A carved white dragon wraps around the wall, with a Daoist–white-bearded and with a high bun, draped in prayer beads, holding a banana fan and a wood staff–sitting atop the dragon’s tail, beneath the name ‘White Dragon King’ inscribed in both Thai and Chinese. Fresh flowers are placed on either side.

In front of the White Dragon King stands a bowl of clear water with two or three lotus flowers. An elderly man is sitting on a meditation cushion facing the lotus flowers, seemingly in a trance.

Suddenly, the man’s eyes snap open as the lotus flowers before him swiftly wither, and a pool of blood starts to bubble from the basin. Startled, he calls out urgently,

“Qing, Qing.”

A handsome boy of about fourteen or fifteen runs into the hall, “The Master, did you call for me?”

“Who came to offer incense today?”

Qing answered without hesitation, “Today, there was only one person, Mr. Xue Wenhai from Hong Kong.”

“And his Eight Characters?”

Qing hurriedly handed over a blue-covered thread-bound book to the old man.

The old man glanced through it briefly before saying decisively, “This person’s fate does not align with mine. I cannot see him today, tell him to leave.”

“But he has been waiting outside for half an hour.”

“If there is no fate, even waiting a lifetime would be in vain. Convey my words exactly,”

the old man said coldly.

About ten minutes passed, and Qing came running back, “The Master, the person insisted that I give this to you.”

As he spoke, the boy presented a check to the old man. The figure on it was so large that it shook even the old man, who was accustomed to wealth.

“Return it and tell him to leave.”

“Yes.”

About five minutes later, Qing rushed back again, “The Master, he refuses to leave and insists that I show you this item.”

In his hands, he carried a partially melted block of ice.

The old man took one look and his expression dramatically changed, “Take it away! Take it away!”

Qing was startled and turned to leave but was stopped by the old man,

“Wait, Qing.” The old man’s expression was grim, “Tell him to come in.”

“`

“Yes…”

The iron gate split apart to the left and right, and Xue Wenhai, clad in a white suit, stepped into the temple with an air of composure, with Vivian closely following behind. A dark-skinned dwarf, holding a water-drenched twig, gently slapped the bodies of both individuals.

“Disciple Wenhai, pays respects to the White Dragon King.”

Xue Wenhai knelt on both knees, pressed his hands together in salute, and bowed to the elder who had his back turned to him.

“I dare not claim to be Master to Mr. Xue,” the White Dragon King said with a grave expression. “Mr. Xue, the burden of killing on you is indeed heavy.”

Xue Wenhai listened and smiled lightly, “The deeds of killing, enduring through eons, are wholly found in the act of murder. A heavy burden of killing isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

“Let’s cut the idle talk. What do you want to ask me?”

“Very well, I would like to know, where is the Sanqi Noble?”

The White Dragon King shook his head, “Great fortune, great peril, a mind of outstanding caliber, erudite and multifaceted, emerging to transform the era, do you think these are times of old? The Sanqi Noble no longer exists in this world.”

“My junior brother said there is one, he is not one to speak without evidence. Please, White Dragon King, divine it for me.”

Xue Wenhai stood his ground.

“…”

The White Dragon King fell silent for a while, then looked down at the basin of blood water in front of him and called out, “Qing, bring a fresh basin of water.”

The little boy ran into the house, grabbed the copper basin and headed out. Xue Wenhai caught a glimpse of the withered Lotus and the blood water inside the basin, frowning slightly.

In a moment, the boy returned with a basin of clear water and set it before the White Dragon King.

The White Dragon King extended his right hand into the basin, his eyes nearly closed, and from it emerged a bud ready to bloom, quickly bursting into full flower rapidly filling the basin with lotuses.

Sweat beaded the White Dragon King’s forehead, and bloom after bloom unfurled, reaching toward the white dragon painted on the red wall.

The basin’s ripples continued unabated, and the White Dragon King opened his eyes in disbelief, murmuring to himself, “There really is one…”

Xue Wenhai’s heart twitched, and he couldn’t resist stepping forward to sneak a peek, “Where?”

Without waiting for the White Dragon King to answer, a curtain of water swept across the red wall, within which a blurry figure could be seen. As the ripples passed, the image on the water curtain transformed into a young man wearing a Blue Scarf, holding a cigarette and talking and laughing loudly about something.

“Who is he? Where is he?”

Xue Wenhai stared intently at the face in the water curtain.

“His name is Yang Zheng, he’s in Hong Kong’s Kowloon, Cheung Sha Wan, Qingshan Road, at the Yongji Building.”

The White Dragon King uttered a muffled sound that was unlike a human’s.

Xue Wenhai took a deep breath, bowed his head again out of respect, and placed a cheque on the cushion before rising to his feet, “Thank you, White Dragon King, for clearing my doubts.”

The White Dragon King was breathing heavily, apparently too drained to respond to Xue Wenhai’s words.

Xue Wenhai didn’t mind, and left in a hurry with Vivian.

Qing watched the two depart from the temple, and with some concern, approached the White Dragon King, asking softly, “Master?”

Unexpectedly, as soon as his words fell, the lotuses in the basin surged again, changing the water curtain once more–this time into a sophisticated and attractive mature woman.

“This…”

Qing blinked.

In about a dozen breaths, the water curtain changed again, now showing a tall, slender young man, shoulders hugged, standing off against a group of policemen.

Nearly every dozen breaths, the water curtain would transform, displaying various individuals: a malevolent-looking street biker, a gracefully acting beautiful woman, a young man forever wearing headphones absorbed in games, a middle school girl smirking with folded arms, even a lewdly smiling, stout and chubby man. Including the initial Blue Scarf, Yang Zheng, a total of nine people had flashed across the screen.

Nine Sanqi Nobles!

This wasn’t the end. The lotuses nearly spread from the basin to the roof, the water curtain twisted violently, and a piercing purple light shone through, outlining what seemed to be a tenth figure.

Suddenly, the burgeoning lotuses paused, and with a loud bang turned into a sky filled with flames. The white dragon statue crumbled bit by bit on the red wall, which cracked into palm-sized rubble. The little boy’s Master, known as the reincarnation of the White Dragon King, coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and groaned before fainting.