บท 49: Truth of the Matter
"Nan Zhe, you bastard!" Hua Ruoying stood in the muddy pit, angrily shouting.
It turned out that hiding from Tianzhong meant catching poisonous toads in the dark, muddy undergrowth.
Nan Zhe sat on a tree branch, his legs dangling gently in the air as he looked down at Hua Ruoying. She was nervously trying to trap a toad with a broken bamboo basket.
"Miss Ruoying, the monsters of The Flatland usually hide during the Tianzhong Festival, fearing they will be captured by immortals on their way to the Dragon King's birthday celebration. However, no one knows that the Tianzhong Festival is when the toads are most toxic and potent. As a fellow poison master, you must understand the allure of the best toad poison," Nan Zhe said.
"Shut up. If I could defeat you, do you think I'd willingly catch these toads for you?" Hua Ruoying screamed, frightened by the toads jumping out of the undergrowth.
"Don't say I didn't warn you. If you don't catch a hundred before dawn, I don't mind using your little demon friend to test my new elixir," Nan Zhe said.
At Wuming Demon Mountain, Li Minghan controlled Mi Xingzhe and brought him back to the Demon Lord's hall.
"Master." Hua Qiuyuan stepped forward to greet him, taking Li Minghan's cloak.
"Lock him up," Li Minghan ordered casually, waving his hand as a bell made of black iron appeared in Hua Qiuyuan's hand.
"Yes." Hua Qiuyuan nodded, taking the bell and ringing it near Mi Xingzhe's ear.
Mi Xingzhe followed Hua Qiuyuan out of the hall without resistance.
Li Minghan, not bothering to look at them, loosened his neck and headed to his private quarters.
In the secret chamber, Shentu Zhajia was meditating as usual. Hearing the secret door slowly open, he opened his eyes and looked towards the entrance.
"The Demon Lord is really busy," Shentu Zhajia remarked, knowing Li Minghan was always plotting something.
"Brother, did you miss me?" Li Minghan walked in unhurriedly, removing his mask and placing it gently aside.
"No one knows you better than I do. I've prepared fine wine for you." Li Minghan smiled faintly, taking out a wine jug.
"Mountain Delicacy?" Shentu Zhajia immediately recognized the jug in Li Minghan's hand.
"You have a good memory, brother. When we were young, we often stole this Mountain Delicacy from our foster father. I didn't know then that it was a cold wine from the deep sea. After drinking, I always had to soak in the mountain spring with you to sober up." Li Minghan reminisced as he poured wine for Shentu Zhajia.
"If you're here about Kunlun Hill, I suggest you forget it," Shentu Zhajia said, knowing Li Minghan's temper well. Such kindness usually meant he needed a favor.
Li Minghan ignored Shentu Zhajia's words, poured himself a glass of wine, and continued, "Every year during the Tianzhong Festival, you always go to great lengths to find rare treasures for our foster father. Last year, you found the Soul Gathering Lamp. It must have taken you a long time to find it."
Seeing Shentu Zhajia down the wine in one gulp, Li Minghan glanced at his own glass, closed his eyes, and drank slowly.
"Brother, you've known me for many years but never asked about my past," Li Minghan said softly.
Shentu Zhajia was taken aback, scrutinizing Li Minghan, unsure of what he was planning.
"You know that I once cut out my bones to return them to my father, but you never asked why," Li Minghan continued.
"Did you know that our foster father sometimes summons a physician?"
Shentu Zhajia recalled that whenever the Yanding Dragon King was unwell, a physician from The Liao Yin Immortal Realm would come to treat him. He had always assumed it was just a disciple of the Medicine King and never paid much attention.
"What if I do know?" Shentu Zhajia replied, remembering that in all these years, he had never actually seen this physician.
"Brother, have you ever wondered why our foster father always dismissed everyone whenever this physician visited?"
Shentu Zhajia ignored him, merely glancing at Li Minghan and letting him continue.
"His name is Li, and he's my twin brother," Li Minghan's casual statement shocked Shentu Zhajia, who immediately grabbed Li Minghan's hand as he was pouring wine.
"Your twin brother?"
Shentu Zhajia's eyes widened in surprise. He had never known that Li Minghan had a twin brother. No wonder the Yanding Dragon King never allowed anyone else to be present during the physician's visits and always declined visitors.
"My biological father, Li Shen, was a close friend of your father and our foster father. The Li family perished in a fire, and it's said that only he survived, eventually being taken in by Liao Yin." Li Minghan spoke calmly, as if recounting a story unrelated to himself.
"Our foster father discovered the truth from a letter among the Li family's belongings."
"So, that's why he took you in as his adopted son?" Shentu Zhajia asked.
Li Minghan sneered, his dark eyes flashing with disdain. "My twin brother and I have been rivals since birth. To protect him, my father abandoned me in the wilderness."
Li Minghan's grip tightened on his wine cup, his voice growing harsh. "I remember countless nights surviving on insects and toads, chased by wolves, sleeping in cold caves, and huddling with animals. When I was finally taken to the dragon palace, I thought I had found a place to call home."
His voice trembled, and he clenched his robe tightly.
Shentu Zhajia's expression softened, a mix of surprise and pity in his eyes.
"I was grateful for our foster father's care, despite his distant demeanor. But one day, I overheard a conversation between him and your father..." Li Minghan took a deep swig of his wine, his eyes filled with cold anger.
"There is a legend: 'When the moonlight wanes and the shadows are obscured, the dawn will break with a golden seal, uniting the three realms.' My twin brother and I are the legendary Twin Cores." Li Minghan emphasized the last words, watching Shentu Zhajia's reaction.
"So, you killed my father because he knew about the Twin Cores?" Shentu Zhajia's voice was hoarse.
"You think I'm cold-blooded and ungrateful?" Li Minghan's eyebrow arched as he asked.
"Isn't it true? I saw it with my own eyes," Shentu Zhajia insisted.
Li Minghan lowered his head, suddenly laughing bitterly. His shoulders shook uncontrollably, and he burst into maniacal laughter. "Cold-blooded? Ungrateful? Do you know the real truth?"
Li Minghan's voice rose as he tore open his robe.
"This!" Shentu Zhajia gasped, seeing deep scars on Li Minghan's chest. He reached out to examine them, but Li Minghan pushed his hand away, glaring at him.
"While traveling in the mortal world, your father's men captured me and imprisoned me at Kunlun Hill. To extract the Moon Shadow Core from me, your father used the Thousand Claw Chains to keep me awake through excruciating pain, torturing me repeatedly to force me to give up the core."
Shentu Zhajia closed his eyes, unable to bear the details. He knew the horror of the Thousand Claw Chains, which embedded into the collarbone and extended to the spine, causing excruciating pain.
"If I hadn't been rescued, I would have been reduced to an inner core in your father's body," Li Minghan's anger was palpable as he recalled the torment.
Shentu Zhajia remembered seeing Li Minghan covered in wounds after he had killed the old Demon Lord, thinking they were battle scars. Now, he realized those injuries were from torture.
"If you escaped, why did you kill my father?" Shentu Zhajia asked.
"Kill him? He relentlessly pursued me, even unleashing Kunlun Hill's beasts to hunt me down. He threatened to flatten the dragon palace if I didn't surrender the core. He forced me to fight back. He wanted my core, or he would reveal my identity as a carrier of the Yin Core to the world, condemning me to a life of persecution. How could I not fight back? What would you have done?" Li Minghan's voice was hysterical.
"So, you absorbed all his demonic energy and took over the demon realm?"
"Your father said the Moon Shadow Core thrives on impure energy. There's no better place than Wuming Demon Mountain. Your father's betrayal justifies my actions."
Li Minghan leaned in, his eyes burning with madness, and laughed maniacally. "Brother, is this the first time you've seen my madness?"
Then he threw Shentu Zhajia aside, straightening his clothes.
"Don't worry. The position of Demon Lord will return to you eventually. I'm just borrowing it for a while," Li Minghan said nonchalantly.
"Aren't you afraid that when I reclaim the Demon Lord's position, you'll be the first I kill?" Shentu Zhajia asked fiercely.
Li Minghan's movements paused as he turned to look at Shentu Zhajia, his eyes reflecting a knowing expression.
"Afraid? Of course, I'm afraid. I'm just worried that when the time comes, brother won't be able to bring himself to do it." Li Minghan said, bending down and tapping the mouth of the Mountain Delicacy bottle with his slender fingers, a playful expression on his face. He then turned to leave.
Shentu Zhajia immediately felt something was wrong and quickly tried to use his inner strength to expel the wine he had just consumed.
"This poison is called Qi-Kuo, life and death intertwined, inseparable," Li Minghan coldly remarked, shutting the secret room door behind him.
Meanwhile, Li Luoning, Yun Qingyi, and Mu Han finally arrived in the city within The Flatland.
"Luoning, why are you so certain he was brought to The Flatland?" Mu Han asked.
"I'm not entirely sure, but if Hua Ruoying truly kidnapped Xingzhe under the Demon Lord's orders, it would be unwise to go directly to Wuming Demon Mountain. From what I know, there's a man here named Nan Zhe. He has close ties with Wuming Demon Mountain. I plan to gather some information from him before making further plans," Li Luoning explained.
"That's wise. However, the Immortal Lord gave you only three days. One day was already spent trapped in the cave, leaving us with just two days. Will that be enough to rescue Yun Wan Nian?"
"I'll need your help with that, Brother," Li Luoning said with a smile.
"Oh? You want me to divert the attention of the Qingyuan War God?" Mu Han understood immediately.
"If you can buy me three more days, I would be eternally grateful," Li Luoning said.
"Very well, I'll send you a message as soon as I manage it," Mu Han agreed.
"Brother, there's one more thing I need your help with," Li Luoning handed over a small embroidered pouch.
As Li Minghan exited the secret room, Hua Qiuyuan approached with news.
"Master, someone from the dragon palace has sent a letter."
"Bring it in."
Hua Qiuyuan entered, holding the letter with both hands and presenting it to Li Minghan.
Li Minghan took the letter, not bothering to acknowledge Hua Qiuyuan, who glanced around and noticed a candlestick that had been moved.
It was almost dusk. Li Minghan lounged alone in a lakeside pavilion, resting his head on one hand, his eyes half-closed. The black and gold folding fan in his hand moved slowly, as if he were waiting for someone.
"This Red-flame Dragon Candle is yours. Return the Soul Gathering Lamp to me," Ying De Kangchen threw a red glow towards Li Minghan, barely suppressing his anger.
Li Minghan caught it with one hand, sat up straight, and casually glanced at the Red-flame Dragon Candle in his palm.
"Did you call me here just for this, foster father?"
"Enough nonsense. Hand over the Soul Gathering Lamp."
"Why ask for it back after we've already exchanged it?" Li Minghan's tone was deliberately obtuse.
"Did you seriously injure the Medicine King? You planned this all along and took the Soul Gathering Lamp from me early on."
"Why would I harm the Medicine King? I have no grudge against him. Besides, if I really wanted someone's life, would they just be seriously injured?"
"If it wasn't you, then return the Soul Gathering Lamp," Ying De Kangchen demanded.
"Your temper hasn't changed a bit, foster father. Even when asking for something, you're not polite," Li Minghan responded nonchalantly, putting away the Red-flame Dragon Candle and summoning a blue light to hover over his palm.
"I don't have time to waste with you. If you don't hand over the Soul Gathering Lamp, don't blame me for being rude," Ying De Kangchen said sternly.
Hearing this, Li Minghan smiled, stood up, and walked slowly towards him.
"If you want it, I'll give it back. No need to get so angry," he said, extending his hand.
Seeing this, Ying De Kangchen let his guard down and reached out to take it.
Just as their hands were about to meet, Li Minghan tilted his hand, letting the Soul Gathering Lamp fall to the ground.
"Oh no, it broke."
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