Chapter 102: The Mutation of the Forgotten Dust Pearl

He was afraid that Baili Xiao would forget him, and eventually even Ink Elder would forget him.

Although he didn’t have many relatives, each of them was crucially important to him.

"Teacher, do you think there will ever come a day when you also won’t remember me," Chu Yang stood by the window, looking out at the gradually darkening sky, he asked.

"No, since the Forgetful Taoist was able to leave behind the Yin Pearl, it means he had a way to extract the Yin Pearl from his own body," Ink Elder consoled, "There must be a way, we just haven’t found it yet. Don’t worry."

Chu Yang nodded, but the worry on his face became even more evident.

...…

The next day, early in the morning, Chu Yang got out of bed, finished washing up, and walked toward the Painting Palace, hoping he could blend in with the crowd and enter.

At this time, the western district of Purple Sun City was almost completely occupied and congested with a dense throng of people. As Chu Yang arrived underneath the Painting Palace, looking up at that somewhat surreal building, his expression turned awkward.

Because at the entrance of the Painting Palace, three Saint Vein Realm elders stood guard on both sides.

As the main force moved towards the inside of the Painting Palace, no one could escape their eyes.

"Teacher, what should we do?" Chu Yang asked anxiously.

"It’s impossible to enter the Painting Palace now, losing some opportunities is a minor issue, but if they discover you, with three Saint Vein Realm experts there, you won’t stand a chance of escape," Ink Elder replied helplessly.

"So we’re just going to leave like this?" Chu Yang asked reluctantly.

"Forget it, opportunities can be forsaken, but life is critical," Ink Elder responded.

Chu Yang nodded in resignation and, taking advantage of the fact that everyone was surging toward the Painting Palace, he quietly withdrew.

With all the disciples of Purple Sun City entering the Painting Palace, the initially bustling city instantly grew much quieter.

Walking down the somewhat deserted street, Chu Yang felt that everything was going against him— the threat of the Forgotten Dust Pearl inside his body was still unresolved, and his painstaking effort to get to the Painting Palace had been in vain.

"Young master, would you care to take a look at my collection?" Just as Chu Yang was about to leave Purple Sun City, a vendor by the roadside suddenly pulled on his sleeve.

The vendor said with a smile, "My items can ward off evil and bring luck; they bring blessings and can change one’s fortune. I see you sighing and looking troubled, you must have encountered some misfortune, right? How about buying one to change your luck?"

"Sorry, I don’t need it," Chu Yang shook his head and glanced at the small stall next to him.

The stall was filled with all kinds of odd items, including statues with deer heads and human bodies, monsters with eight claws, and many others that Chu Yang had never seen before.

He casually looked over them and realized they were all ordinary ceramics, clearly intended to deceive people.

Just as he was about to look away, a book on the stall caught Chu Yang’s attention.

To Chu Yang’s senses, it was just an ordinary book, yet for some reason, when his gaze swept over the book, he felt an inexplicable sense of affinity, and even the Forgotten Dust Pearl within him began to tremble.

"Young master, these are collections I’ve amassed over decades; perhaps there are some good items among them," the vendor hurriedly continued, seeing Chu Yang’s interest, "Previously, someone bought a sealed jar from me, and when they opened it, it was filled with Dust Blood Stones.

If you don’t believe me, you can ask around— there’s risk, but also the chance of a windfall."

"Chen Laosan, are you tricking these newcomers again?" A man nearby saw this and teased with a laugh.

"Old Wu, cut it out with your slander," Chen Laosan’s expression changed, and he quickly retorted, "Wasn’t it real, the time someone found Dust Blood Stones at my stall?"

"It was real, but you, Chen Laosan, have been in business for decades and you’ve only been ’looted’ once," aren’t the odds a bit too low?" the man said, chuckling.

"They just don’t have the luck. This young brother here is different from ordinary people; he’s certain to find something," Chen Laosan replied with a huff.

Chu Yang squatted in front of the vendor’s stall and casually picked up a few strangely shaped ceramic pieces to look over.

Although his target was that book, he knew he couldn’t be too obvious, to prevent the vendor from raising the price on the spot.

"How much for this?" Chu Yang asked, pointing to the monster with the head of a deer and the body of a human in his hands.

"Young brother, you really have a keen eye," Chen Laosan smiled and replied hastily, "This statue has some legends associated with it.

It is said that deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, live some Half-Beast People whose tribes take the appearance of their ancestors as their totem.

This statue was obtained from the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it might be related to the heritage of the Half-Beast Race.

A fixed price, ten thousand Spirit Crystals."

"Do you think I’m a fool?" Chu Yang asked with a light smile.

Chen Laosan chuckled awkwardly, then said, "Of course, this price might be a bit inflated, after all, it’s not confirmed.

I’ll give you a sincere price, one thousand Spirit Crystals, but if you haggle again, that would be unreasonable."

"I’ll offer you two hundred Spirit Crystals for two items from here, how’s that?" Chu Yang said with a smile.

He could tell that the ceramics were forged by the vendor himself and weren’t worth much at all.

"Add a bit more, it’s not easy for us either, we are all small businesses," Chen Laosan said with a smile.

"Alright, I’ll give you two hundred fifty Spirit Crystals, if that’s not okay, then I won’t take it," Chu Yang said as he took out Spirit Crystals from his Storage Ring and handed them to Chen Laosan.

He first took the statue with the deer head and human body, which he had intended to pick up along with another octopus-like monster statue.

However, after pondering for a while, Chu Yang shook his head and said softly, "Your statue looks quite new, seemingly fresh out of the kiln, I’d rather pick something else that’s safer."

Chen Laosan laughed awkwardly on the side, some of the items on his stall were purchased at low prices, and some were indeed fired by him.

In fact, the cost was no more than ten Spirit Crystals.

After thinking it over, Chu Yang still took away the yellowed book next to him.

Watching Chu Yang’s departing figure, Chen Laosan hummed a tune cheerfully.

...…

After returning to the inn, Chu Yang tossed the statue aside and quickly took out the yellowed book.

When he held the book in his palms, the Forgotten Dust Pearl inside of him shook even more fiercely.

Chu Yang flipped through the book and discovered it was just an ordinary vernacular novel, with a story that lacked substance.

After reading it several times without any clue, Chu Yang suddenly felt as if there was something inside the cover’s compartment of the book.

The compartment in the cover was a bit thick. He used his sword to cut through the compartment and found a piece of paper hidden inside.

Chu Yang was certain the object making the Forgotten Dust Pearl inside of him tremble was this piece of paper.

When he took the paper in his hands, the Forgotten Dust Pearl inside of him suddenly emitted a warm flow.

The warm flow, beyond his control, flew out of his body, and merged with that piece of paper.

In an instant, the paper emitted ten thousand rays of light that merged into the warm flow and then flew back into Chu Yang’s body.