Chapter 3

After a while, the hall was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Finally, Qing Xiong said, "I want you to go to the human world to do three things. Hongjun, your father has raised you for twelve years. Can you fulfill your father's wish for these three things?"

Hongjun looked at Chong Ming, then at Qing Xiong, and then at Chong Ming. Finally, he nodded and said, "If you say so, I will go."

Qing Xiong handed over a letter and said, "Di Renjie had an official office called the Exorcism Department of the Tang Dynasty. Take this letter and report to the Exorcism Department. In the future, slowly investigate the enemy who killed your father, Kong Xuan. This is the first thing."

Hongjun thought for a while and asked, "Who is the enemy?"

"I don't know." Qing Xiong stood up and a peacock plume made of jasper appeared between her fingers. She handed it to Hongjun and said, "What kind of person was your father? What kind of life did he spend in Chang 'an? Who did he hate? Who did he love? Who did he owe a favor to? Who did he hate? Who did he hate? Who did he hate? Who did he owe a favor to? Who did he hate? Only you can find the answer to all these. "

Hongjun hesitated for a moment and took the peacock plume.

"The Four Immortal Flying Daggers were passed to you when you were young." Chong Ming raised his hand and threw out a map. He said, "Now, Chang 'an is full of demons. You can kill all the demons on the map."

"Oh." Hongjun caught it and flipped open the map. He did not know a single word about the demons on it.

"You are holding it upside down." Chong Ming reminded him.

Hongjun immediately turned the map over and pretended to look at it seriously. However, his eyes kept stealing glances at Chong Ming. Chong Ming did not look at him.

"Who is Di Renjie?" Hongjun saw that Chong Ming's expression had eased a little and asked.

"Just one person," Chong Ming answered. "Your father's former friend is long dead."

"The Exorcism Division specializes in collecting demons and exorcising devils." Qing Xiong explained, "The current Chang 'an demons are mortal enemies with the Dazzling Gold Palace. After you join the Division, just listen to them. If we can expel the demon king occupying Chang 'an, in the future your father and I may return to the human world to accompany you. "

"Really?" Hongjun suddenly raised his head.

"When did I say that?" Chong Ming frowned and said coldly to Qing Xiong.

"Two hundred years ago." Qing Xiong paced around the hall and said slowly, "There was a war between the Dazzling Gold Palace and the Tianma Sacred Land. It lasted for a long time, and in the end …"

"You don't have to tell him," Chong Ming interrupted. "He can't do it."

Qing Xiong answered, "He's your son too. He's from the Dazzling Gold Palace!"

"Say no more!" Chong Ming's anger flared.

"I'll defeat the demon king." A smile appeared on Hong Jun's face in an instant as he replied, "That's the second thing. It's a deal!"

"Even if I tear that Hei Jiao into a thousand pieces." Chong Ming gritted his teeth and said, "I won't return to the human world either. Don't waste your efforts and throw your life away!"

Hongjun: "…"

"And this pendant too." Qing Xiong promptly added and placed the pendant in Hongjun's hand and explained, "When you reach Chang 'an, find someone called Chen Zi' ang and tell him that this is Randeng … Forget it, you don't have to tell him anything. Just open it in front of him …"

With that said, Qing Xiong pinched the pendant with his slender fingers. The golden hoop under the pendant lit up with the light of an incantation and automatically separated. The crystal slowly flew up.

"… Then crush the crystal in front of him."

Hongjun looked surprised and asked, "Why?"

"This is the heart lamp that the Kun King of Xuandu gave me." Qing Xiong said, "The successor should be the Chen family of the human world. However, there was a small accident two hundred years ago. The power of the heart lamp could not enter the Chen family's body … It's time to return it to its owner. When the crystal is crushed, the heart lamp will automatically enter the body."

"It's hard to say if that mortal is still alive," Chong Ming scoffed.

"It doesn't matter if he's dead. Any descendant of the Chen family can inherit it." Qing Xiong said, "In short, Hongjun, you have to find the successor of the heart lamp and hand the light inside to him. Then, make friends with him. This is the third thing. After doing these three things, you can return to the Dazzling Gold Palace. Your father will naturally not chase you down the mountain. "

"Okay." Hongjun put it away carefully and answered, "I'll finish these three things in a year and return home."

Chong Ming scoffed.

"You have Kong Xuan's Five-colored Divine Light in your body." Chong Ming could not help but say, "It's enough to protect yourself. With the Immortal-Slaying Flying Saber in your hand, killing people and demons will not be a problem. I've raised you for twelve years. You and I are fated. If I don't ask you this, I'm sure Qing Xiong will blame me for being heartless again … Now, think carefully …"

Hongjun opened his mouth slightly and looked straight at Chong Ming. Chong Ming finally turned his gaze to him and said word by word,

"In the Dazzling Gold Palace, you can choose anything you want. As long as you can say it, I'll give it to you."

Sunlight shone into the hall and sprinkled between the two. Outside the skylight, white clouds were white and the blue sky was clear.

After a long time, Hongjun finally answered, "I want Father … Can you accompany me down the mountain?"

Chong Ming was silent for a long time. He got up and walked to the side.

"No." He turned his back to Hongjun and did not turn around.

"You said you'll give me anything I choose." Hongjun laughed. "I'll choose you."

"Don't mess around." Qing Xiong said, "Hongjun, this is for you."

Qing Xiong handed Hongjun a bundle. Hongjun took it and slung it over his back. He slowly walked towards Chong Ming. Chong Ming was unwilling to look back at him. He turned and walked to the platform at the side of the hall. Hongjun could only stop in his tracks. Chong Ming said, "If you don't say it, you can leave now."

Hongjun was silent for a while before saying, "That's all."

Hongjun turned around and walked out of the hall in disappointment.

"You're exactly the same as Kong Xuan." Qing Xiong sighed.

Chong Ming's voice was hoarse for a long time. His shoulders trembled slightly. He said, "He is him. Kong Xuan is Kong Xuan. It's been so many years. I've let it go, but you haven't."

Qing Xiong was startled.

Hongjun carried a small bundle and slowly walked down the winding path of Taihang Mountain. The carp behind him jumped and chased after him.

"Your Highness! Your Highness –! "The carp was panting." Why didn't you wait for me and leave? "

Hongjun suddenly turned around. He just remembered that he had forgotten about it.

"Why are you here?" Hongjun said, "Go back! Go back! Father said the world is too dangerous … "

"Lord Qing Xiong asked me to follow you." The carp sat down on a rock, wagged its tail, and asked, "Do you know where Chang 'an is?"

Hongjun scratched his head.

"Do you know how many coins one tael of silver can be exchanged for?"

"Do you know where to buy a horse?"

"Do you know how to buy a meal and stay in a hotel? Do you know how to greet a human? Do you know that the more good-looking a man is, the more deceitful he is? Do you know … "

"Okay, okay, stop talking!" Hongjun replied. He put down his bundle and sat down.

The Carp Demon said again, "Wash your hands before eating. Wear more clothes when the weather is cold. There are four seasons in the human world. It's not like the Dazzling Gold Palace …"

In the distance, on the peak of Mount Taihang, the sound of birds chirping could be heard. The golden wheel shone brightly, setting off the sea of clouds and the sun.

The Carp Demon's nagging gradually disappeared in Hongjun's ears. He remembered that he had never left his father's side during his twelve years in the Dazzling Gold Palace. Although he longed to go down the mountain and live in the human world, now that he was away from home, he remembered that the Chong Ming wanted to say goodbye. He was terrified and could not help but feel sad.

"You can go home after you finish these three things," the Carp Demon said. "Don't cry."

"I'm not crying!" Hongjun said angrily.

"Then let's go," the Carp Demon said. "My feet hurt when I walk on the mountain road."

Hongjun had no choice but to grab the Carp Demon. The carp Demon's hands and feet instinctively moved backward. Hongjun stuffed it into his bag. He could not help but look back at the peak of the mountain. At this moment, his heart was filled with complicated and inexplicable emotions.

"Let's go," the Carp Demon said. "It's going to be dark if we don't go now."

Hongjun: "…"

Hongjun had no choice but to turn around and stride along the mountain road.

Three days later, in the Dazzling Golden Palace.

"Why haven't we made it out of Taihang Mountains after three days and three nights?"

Chong Ming stood in the courtyard, facing the pond with an impatient look on his face. His reflection appeared in the pond — Hongjun was squatting beside a small stream, drinking from it. His clothes were unkempt, and his face was unkempt.

"I told you not to drink unboiled water. If you drink it after it's boiled, you'll get diarrhea. Why is he so unruly as soon as he leaves the mountain?!" Chong Ming was furious.

"He's probably lost his way," Qing Xiong replied.

"I told you earlier that carp was unruly!" Chong Ming said irritably. "Forget it, forget it. You go down and send him out of the mountain."

"I'm not going," Qing Xiong said. "If you want to go, go by yourself."

Chong Ming glanced at Qing Xiong. Qing Xiong suddenly said, "We've almost found the way. Look, we can go out by following the path on the right."

Chong Ming and Qing Xiong looked at the pond together. In the reflection, Hongjun stood at a fork in the road, looking left and right.

"The path on the right! The one on the right! "Chong Ming and Qing Xiong urged anxiously.

In the end, Hongjun lived up to their expectations and chose the right path. The two of them finally heaved a sigh of relief. Qing Xiong said, "We're going out now. Take the official road in the human world. We'll reach Chang 'an in a month."

Hongjun finally walked out of the pond's reflection and disappeared beyond the last canyon of Taihang Mountains. Chong Ming could no longer see him and could only turn around and leave alone.