Chapter 992: Skeleton Divine Cult!

Once masks were donned, Lu Yang and his companion underwent a total transformation in both visage and aura, blending into the crowd completely unnoticed.

"Two bowls of paste, please."

Intrigued by this novelty, Lu Yang watched the street chef brewing something unknown. It was an enormous pot of a highly viscous substance, bubbling away with low thuds. Given that similar shops dotted almost every corner, this was presumably a hallmark delicacy of the Buddhist Kingdom.

"Right away!"

The chef ladled two dollops of the paste over a bed of rice, creating a sight that did little to stir the appetite.

Lu Yang took a taste and could not decide whether to laugh or cry; the flavor was beyond description.

Having previously taken his meals of vegetarian fare at the Kaihuang Temple or at the residence of the Kind Master Cui, the quality had been so exquisite that he had mistakenly believed the culinary arts of the Buddhist Kingdom were of a superior standard.

"No wonder one never sees this sold in the Great Xia. Who on earth would eat this stuff?" Meng Jingzhou could not help but remark after a couple of mouthfuls.

Had this paste truly been a delicacy, merchants from the Buddhist Kingdom would have brought it to the Great Xia long ago. It had failed to spread after three hundred thousand years, which spoke volumes about how mediocre it truly was.

At the very least, it did not suit the palate of Great Xia folk.

Their outing thus thwarted, the two men ate the paste with slow, reluctant deliberation.

To leave it would be a waste of food, yet to eat it felt worse than wasting it altogether.

"Old Meng, do you happen to know any spell that isolates taste?"

"If I did, I would have used it by now."

"The two masters?" A faintly familiar voice rang out, seemingly addressing Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

Instinctively looking up, the pair recognized the newcomer. "Miss Cui?"

Concealed as they were, none should have been able to recognize them save for the Cui family.

It was precisely this false guise they had worn during their previous visit to the Kind Master Cui's estate.

"It truly is the two masters." Cui Que'er had scarcely expected to cross paths with them at such a grime-slicked stall; moments prior, she had fancied her eyes were playing tricks on her.

After all, few cultivators cared to frequent such places.

"What brings Miss Cui here as well?"

Cui Que'er pointed toward a queue holding bowls not far off. "On the fifth, fifteenth, and twenty-fifth of every month, Father comes here to distribute porridge. Today happens to be the fifth day of the fifth month."

Enlightenment dawned upon Lu Yang. No wonder the man was hailed as the Kind Master Cui; Lu Yang had initially assumed it was merely due to hefty donations of incense money to the Kaihuang Temple, never suspecting he performed genuine acts of charity.

"By the way, Miss Cui, do you have engagements shortly? We are strangers to this locality and unfamiliar with the terrain. Could you perhaps show us around this City of Kaihuang?" Lu Yang inquired with some embarrassment.

They had initially intended to wander about at their leisure without troubling the monks of the Kaihuang Temple, but the very first meal of their excursion had proved so unreliable. Should they continue to roam blindly, there was no telling what bizarre things they might encounter.

Cui Que'er agreed readily. "Of course. Though, I had originally planned to meet a friend. Would the two masters mind if we brought her along? She is rather fond of lively company."

Lu Yang raised a hand with a smile. "That fits perfectly. The two of us are quite fond of lively company as well."

"Then I shall attend to my duties first. See you shortly!" Noting that the porridge distribution was growing somewhat hectic, Cui Que'er felt it improper to idle and hurried back to assist the Kind Master Cui.

After nearly half an hour, the two men finally concluded that arduous meal, just as Cui Que'er finished her labors.

"Forgive me for keeping the two masters waiting."

"The timing is just right. Let us depart, and we may well acquaint ourselves with that friend of yours."

"Let us go."

High in spirits, Cui Que'er led the way. The two men had presumed her friend would be a young lady from some grand household, yet to their surprise, the path grew increasingly remote, winding deep into the heart of the slums.

Sensing their perplexity, Cui Que'er turned her head to explain with an apologetic air, "She is a friend I met when I snuck out during my childhood."

A peculiar expression flickered across Lu Yang's features. Why did this path seem so oddly familiar?

At last, Cui Que'er knocked upon the door of a residence. "Qiaoqiao, I have arrived. Open up."

"Sister Que'er, you are here."

The door was opened by none other than Tang Qiaoqiao, who had previously visited the Kaihuang Temple.

"And these two are...?" Tang Qiaoqiao had opened the door with excitement, but the sight of Lu Yang and his companion caught her quite unawares.

To her recollection, Sister Que'er had never brought strangers to their home.

"Allow me to introduce them. This is Master Lu, and this is Master Meng." Seeing the two in disguise, Cui Que'er surmised they wished to remain inconspicuous and withheld their full names. Yet upon hearing the surnames, Tang Qiaoqiao's countenance filled with astonishment.

Recalling the recent events at Sister Que'er's estate and the pervasive rumors, it required little wit to deduce their identities. Her small face flushed with excitement.

"Please, do come in."

"Brother, guests have arrived."

"If Que'er is here, then she is here. Why shout that guests have arrived... Oh, there truly are guests."

Tang Qiaoqiao discreetly nudged Tang Chuanwu twice with her elbow. "These two are genuine masters—one is Master Lu, and the other is Master Meng. Mind your speech."

Tang Chuanwu's pupils constricted as he vaguely guessed who the two men were.

"Greetings," Lu Yang said, feigning that this was their first meeting.

"Greetings, my name is Tang Chuanwu." For reasons unknown, Tang Chuanwu felt an inexplicable constraint upon meeting Lu Yang, as though the secret he held most dear might be pierced through.

Impossible. It was utterly impossible. Even the legendary figures of renown could not possibly pierce his secret. The power of time reversal was known to him alone, and he alone retained his memories within the turning back of time.

"Are you studying pharmacology?" Meng Jingzhou noted an open tome resting upon the table, which cataloged various common herbs.

"Yes, my brother is an apprentice at a medicine shop," Tang Qiaoqiao introduced her brother with pride.

"He is literate?" Meng Jingzhou expressed slight surprise. Generally, literacy among children of the slums was remarkably low.

"Que'er taught him."

Cui Que'er tapped the back of Tang Chuanwu's head. "How many times must I tell you? Call me 'Sister'."

Tang Chuanwu pulled a look of disdain, stubborn in his refusal.

Lu Yang let slip a knowing smile. It appeared young Tang Chuanwu harbored a secret affection for Cui Que'er.

It stood to reason; they had known each other since childhood, and Cui Que'er was both comely and kind-hearted. Such an affection was entirely natural.

Just as Lu Yang was about to offer a few teasing jests, a resounding crash shattered the peace. The wooden door splintered, and several mysterious figures clad in black robes burst into Tang Qiaoqiao's home.

Upon the brims of their hoods was painted the insignia of a pink skull.

Recognizing the skull emblem, Tang Chuanwu's countenance changed violently. "Men of the Skull Sacred Sect!"

The leader let loose a laugh that sounded scarcely human. Throwing back his hood, he revealed a bloated visage that looked as though it had been submerged in water.

"Boy, I am Guardian Jiao, one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations of the Sacred Sect. Did you truly believe you could conceal what you stole from us by hiding here?"

Guardian Jiao licked his lips, his gaze sweeping over Lu Yang and the others, viewing them as nothing more than frail, weak mortals.

"Speak. Will you surrender it willingly so we may leave your corpse intact, or shall I slaughter them all before you hand it over?"

Tang Chuanwu cursed his misfortune inwardly. Despite his utmost caution, he had nonetheless been discovered by the Skull Sacred Sect.

Cultivators possessed indeed all manner of inconceivable divine arts!

Lu Yang's mind was filled with questions. What sort of thing was this Skull Sacred Sect? He had never heard of it. Could someone merely at the peak of the Qi Condensation stage serve as a Guardian nowadays?