Chapter 354

Chapter 354: Attack on the Divine Weapon Island

After listening to the children’s account, Lou Yun’s sensory perception probed into their bodies. He discovered faint wisps of black evil energy swirling within their dantians, and a small short sword enveloped within the gloom. It had truly condensed into an evil weapon!

Lou Yun couldn’t help but furrow his brows. He knew these two children were adopted by Yi Jin Guan specifically because, much like himself before turning fifteen, they couldn’t condense a magical weapon within their bodies. At best, they could only become common weapons masters or remain ordinary mortals.

Yet, after being forcibly taken back by Tang Qianqiu and taught an obscure cultivation method, they’d condensed evil weapons within their bodies!

Lou Yun could not understand the reason for this, no matter how he pondered.

Regardless, Lou Yun didn’t want these children to become evil weapons masters like Tang Qianqiu. Doing so would make it nearly impossible for them to survive on the Spirit Weapon Star, leaving them vulnerable to ruthless pursuit by other magical weapons masters.

Though Lou Yun was confident he could destroy their newly formed evil weapons, the result would still leave them unable to condense a magical weapon. They might not even achieve the level of a common weapons master, merely ending their lives as powerless mortals.

The children sat quietly on either side of Lou Yun, nestled against him. Seeing his pensive expression, they remained silent.

Resolving the problem posed by these two children felt like an impossible dilemma. The best solution would allow him to both neutralize the forming evil weapons within them and help them condense magical weapons.

But that seemed nearly out of reach. After all, countless citizens of the Spirit Weapon Star never condensed a magical weapon in their lifetime—a problem that baffled everyone. Though various factions researched solutions relentlessly, it fundamentally relied on innate constitution; no solution had yet been found.

After deep contemplation, an unusual idea surfaced in Lou Yun’s mind: could he absorb the children’s evil energy and, in the process, infuse spiritual energy until all traces—even from within the evil weapons—vanished? This method would transform the celestial energy inside them, replacing malevolence with spiritual purity—without destroying the evil weapons themselves.

Such a thought could only occur to someone like Lou Yun, who was capable of sensing and absorbing celestial energy. No one else could absorb both spiritual and evil energies, and merging them together seemed unthinkable. But for Lou Yun, both energies came from the heavens, neither superior nor inferior.

Though he believed his idea might work, this wasn’t the time to try. Chang Feng and Mo Bingju were present; besides, the process required extensive time and undivided patience.

Relieved at having conceived a solution for the children, Lou Yun broke from his thoughts. He gently placed his hands on their heads. "Yi Xuan, Yi Ru, you’ve suffered much. But I promise, I won’t let any further harm or neglect touch your lives."

"Teacher!"

The children nuzzled tightly against his embrace. Teacher and students held each other steadfastly, bonded in unspoken understanding.

After a while, Lou Yun asked about Zuo Mingyang and Yi Jin Guan’s whereabouts. But the children had been taken to Ghostly Valley, so they knew nothing.

Lou Yun didn’t feel overly concerned for their safety. Though less advanced in skill, both his friends possessed abundant wisdom and life experience. As long as they avoided targeted attacks like those from Tang Qianqiu, survival seemed assured.

He then inquired about the children’s time in Ghostly Valley. Thankfully, they hadn’t been abused, but on the very first day, two pills were forced upon them. Tang Qianqiu claimed the substance would aid in condensing an evil weapon. Unable to refuse under duress, they swallowed the pills. Soon after, Tang Qianqiu instructed them in cultivating evil weapons, until both, within half a month of each other, successfully condensed the weapons.

Upon learning of these pills, Lou Yun anxiously assessed their bodies with his spiritual perception. Relieved to find no lingering abnormalities, he relaxed.

Teacher and disciples, reunited after years apart, felt endless words left unspoken—especially the children. Chitchat and bubbling questions flew endlessly, all of which Lou Yun answered patiently and warmly.

Finally, Lou Yun raised a hand, signaling them to pause. Shifting his gaze upward, he met the eyes of Chang Feng.

Exactly at that moment, Chang Feng awakened, meeting Lou Yun’s unwavering stare. A silent understanding passed between them as their eyes locked; Chang Feng needed no words for Lou Yun to sense his recovery.

Chang Feng rose and bowed deeply. "Brother Lou, I owe you my life."

Lou Yun extended a wave of celestial energy, gently halting Chang Feng before his bow could complete—as if an invisible hand held him firm.

Chang Feng exerted force but recognized his own power was no match for Lou Yun’s. He settled for a half-bow and straightened up.

"Too kind, Brother Chang. We consider each other family—helping should be natural, not repaid as life-debt," Lou Yun answered earnestly.

As Chang Feng began replying, Lou Yun suddenly turned to Mo Bingju and grinned. "Miss Mo has also finished her meditation."

With that cue, her eyes fluttered open. Chang Feng’s admiration grew: despite traveling together constantly and knowing her abilities intimately, he hadn’t detected her meditative completion—yet Lou Yun anticipated it instantly.

Just like Chang Feng, Mo Bingju rose immediately to express gratitude. Again, Lou Yun kindly refused her thanks.

Now that everyone had recovered, Lou Yun voiced a question he’d held for long. "Why did you two find yourselves in Ghostly Valley?"

The question made Chang Feng and Mo Bingju glance at each other. Chang Feng returned confusion for confusion. "Brother Lou…do you truly not know?"

Lou Yun froze at the counter-question. "Know what?"

Mo Bingju gestured toward Yi Xuan and Yi Ru. "We went for these two children."

The three bewildered disciples stared in turns, then turned back to Mo Bingju. Lou Yun rubbed his head. "Miss Mo, for over a year I secluded myself, deep in the oceans. Truly, I know nothing. Tell me everything."

Only now did Chang Feng and Mo Bingju believe Lou Yun was truly unaware.

Chang Feng proceeded. "I’ll tell the story. Over a year ago, the Divine Weapon Island—that is, yours—announced an enormous bounty. The commission was to find four people across the whole Spirit Weapon Star. Besides these children, two men were sought: Zuo Mingyang and Yi Jin Guan."

"Ah!" Comprehension filled Lou Yun’s expression.

When leaving Yulu Mountain Manor for the Huangfu Family alongside Gui You Quan, Lou Yun had parted instructions: first, relocate the Yulu community to the Divine Weapon Island using the aid of Zuo Mingyang and Yi Jin Guan; second, investigate any clue about Yi Jin Guan’s group. Apparently, his people had indeed migrated to the Divine Weapon Island before promptly announcing the bounty afterward.

Lou Yun nodded thoughtfully. "You likely came upon its call, which led you to Ghostly Valley."

Mo Bingju picked up the narrative. "The bounty was announced under the name of Beichen Ming. Brother Zhuge discerned it had to be linked to you. He informed us: others’ affairs might wait, but we must commit to yours without question. He dispatched us to search separately."

Those words filled Lou Yun with genuine warmth and humility.

"Later, Brother Zhuge traced clues to Ghostly Valley, so he summoned us both for the rescue. Meanwhile, the two adults, having learned of the bounty, directly contacted Divine Weapon Island and were escorted there. The rest…you know."

Lou Yun finally understood the entire chain of events. Though the journey felt rocky, the ending brought comfort: Yi Jin Guan and Zuo Mingyang settled securely at the Divine Weapon Island, and almost by chance himself had plucked the children from the abyss.

Relief barely surfaced on Lou Yun’s face before Chang Feng added, hesitantly, "Brother Lou…given you’ve been absent over a year, I gather you know nothing of Divine Weapon Island facing repeated, unidentified attacks?"

"Attacks?" Color drained from Lou Yun’s face. “I don’t. What happened?”

"It started half a year ago. Strange happenings began emerging: anyone leaving the Divine Weapon Island simply vanished. At first, no one took it to heart. Then more followed. Witnesses found fragments of their belongings, and one miraculously returned to speak the truth: victims were ambushed on their route. These attackers possessed frighteningly advanced cultivation techniques and struck without mercy. Many who departed perished in their assault."

A piercing chill flashed within Lou Yun’s sharpened eyes. Unwittingly, his aura surged like billowing waves as he stated coldly: "Among those who left the island…were any part of the Lou Family?"