Chapter 152 Discussing the Matter of Reporting to the King

Master Xuanzhe said, "My child, you need not blame yourself. When Xiaofan was abducted, both of you were still very young, and furthermore, the culprit possessed invisible soul-snatching arts. It is not your fault; if anyone is to be blamed, it is the utter shamelessness of the enemy!"

Huang Xianlin also chimed in, "Uncle-Master is right! The blame lies entirely with the utterly shameless scoundrel who abducted Junior-Brother Xiaofan. Junior-Brother Xiaopai, do not be too hard on yourself! Instead, let us analyze the abductor's purpose in taking Xiaofan, and think of ways to track down his whereabouts!"

Wei Xiaoping replied, "Indeed, that is the very question that has always baffled me. What could be his purpose in abducting my younger brother?"

Master Xuanzhe sighed, "Ever since the day of Xiaofan's mishap, I have pondered this question endlessly. I began thinking about it the very day he was taken, yet to this day, I remain clueless. Not only am I unable to fathom it, but even your Grand-Master could not make heads or tails of it! Since none of us can figure it out, we should dwell on it no longer. The most pressing matter before us is to track down Xiaofan's whereabouts! Through this recent battle with the Shihui Kingdom, the enemy now knows we have discovered Xiaofan is there. To evade our search, they will likely relocate him elsewhere. This is merely my speculation, but regardless, our first step must begin in the Shihui Kingdom!"

Wei Xiaoping said, "Master, didn't you say that when you crossed paths with Xiaofan on the battlefield, that invisible person struck you with a blow and then flew away? Right before fleeing, didn't he leave behind some words, saying he was merely borrowing Xiaofan temporarily and would return him once he had achieved greatness and success?"

Master Xuanzhe mused, "I, too, wondered what that soul-snatching practitioner meant by those words. Analyzing his statement, it seems as though Wei Xiaofan could be of immense help to him in some grand enterprise, which is why he abducted him. Yet, I still cannot imagine what kind of assistance Xiaofan could possibly provide to such an invisible practitioner of soul-snatching arts."

Huang Xianlin said, "If Junior-Brother Xiaofan could truly be of such monumental help to this soul-snatching practitioner's cause, then Junior-Brother Xiaoping—since you and Xiaofan are twin brothers, your physical constitutions and traits are identical..."

Hearing this, Wei Xiaoping interrupted, "That's right! My younger brother's physical traits are identical to mine. Back when the soul-snatching practitioner abducted him, I was also nearby. Why did he choose my brother instead of me? Furthermore, by that time, both my brother and I had been training under Master for over a decade, and our cultivation in martial arts and Daoist magic had reached a certain level. Yet, when the culprit took my brother away, I remained completely unaware! Because we are twins, we share a mutual telepathic resonance. Whenever either of us wishes to sense the other or perceive what the other is thinking, we simply need to project that resonance to capture those thoughts. Yet when he was abducted, I felt nothing at all, nor could I capture any mental activity from him. Could it be that my brother offered no resistance whatsoever when he was taken? This shows that the abductor's mastery in both martial arts and Daoist sorcery must have been unfathomably profound!"

Master Xuanzhe explained, "It is likely that the soul-snatching practitioner resorted to a sneak attack, rendering Wei Xiaofan unconscious instantly. Therefore, when he was carried away, Xiaofan was completely insensible and in a deep faint, causing his mental activities to cease. That is why you were unable to capture any resonance from him."

Huang Xianlin agreed, "It is very likely as Uncle-Master says. Junior-Brother Xiaofan must have been knocked unconscious, halting all his senses, which is why your telepathic connection failed to capture him."

Wei Xiaoping said, "Master, now that we have some faint clues regarding my brother's whereabouts, I intend to spend the coming period following these leads to search for him. I wonder what your thoughts are on this, Master?"

Hearing this, Huang Xianlin suddenly remembered something and said, "Junior-Brother Xiaoping, I support your plan entirely. However, judging by the information we currently possess, tracking down our junior brother immediately may not be so simple and could take a considerable amount of time. If that is the case, should you inform the King before you depart? If you are gone for too long and His Majesty has need of you but cannot find you, what will happen?"

Wei Xiaoping replied, "It was precisely because I considered this that I asked you and Master to give me some advice on whether I should explain the reason to the King. After all, my brother is currently serving as a general in the enemy state; if His Majesty were to find out, who knows what he might think!"

Master Xuanzhe fell into deep contemplation before saying, "My child, you are thinking along the right lines! On the day you returned injured, once I learned that Wei Xiaofan was serving as a general in the Shihui Kingdom, I instructed Junior-Brother Xuanwu to have Huang Xianlin temporarily ensure that others kept this news under wraps, lest it reach the royal court and arouse the King's suspicion against you. Now that you have decided on this course of action, I suggest you go to the royal palace first. Explain the whole story to the King—how you and Xiaofan were separated and how you encountered each other on the battlefield. By taking the initiative to explain everything yourself, he is less likely to harbor suspicions. Afterward, tell him of your intention to go to the Shihui Kingdom to search for Wei Xiaofan, and see what his reaction is. If he approves, ask him to assign a few trustworthy men to accompany you. If he disapproves, you must temporarily set aside the search for Xiaofan. Based on the intelligence we have at present, Xiaofan is in no immediate danger, for the soul-snatching practitioner stated that he would return Xiaofan once his enterprise had succeeded. This proves that the culprit dares not harm him for now."

Huang Xianlin added, "Uncle-Master's advice is brilliant! Junior-Brother Xiaoping, follow Uncle-Master's instructions. I believe you should inform the King about Junior-Brother Xiaofan serving as a general in the Shihui Kingdom as soon as possible, before someone else leaks the news to him. The outcome will be entirely different if you report it first!"

Master Xuanzhe nodded in agreement, "Indeed, Nephew Xianlin is right. You must preempt the King finding out from other sources by reporting it to him yourself! Otherwise, if someone else accuses you first and you report it afterward, it will inevitably cause the King some degree of displeasure."

Upon hearing this, Wei Xiaoping thought to himself that the analyses of his master and senior brother were indeed correct. He should go at once, lest someone else inform the King first, which would surely cause His Majesty to feel resentment if he arrived late!

Wei Xiaoping said, "Very well! I shall go immediately! Senior-Brother Xianlin, later please help me look after the two Netherworld Hounds so they won't panic, wondering where I have gone!" With that, he immediately stood up to retrieve a change of clothes, preparing to change his attire before heading to the royal palace to make his report to the King.

Master Xuanzhe instructed, "Xiaoping, while you are reporting the matter regarding Xiaofan to the King, remember to also mention the two Netherworld Hounds you brought back from the Underworld, so His Majesty does not mistake them for demonic creatures! Make sure your explanations for both matters are as detailed as possible to prevent any misunderstandings regarding the finer points."

Xiaoping replied, "Thank you, Master! If you hadn't reminded me, I almost would have forgotten about the two Netherworld Hounds!"