CHAPTER 364: CHAPTER 242: THE SECRET OF THE QUEEN MOTHER OF THE WEST

"I’ve heard of him, but never met him," Sun Yan replied.

Regarding Xu Fu as a person, that’s precisely his situation.

The last time he learned about him from Yang Shengsi’s words, it turned out Xu Fu had been alive all these years.

"You’re not Master Xu’s disciple?" Zhu Yunwen asked in surprise.

"Ancestor, he’s the helper I brought from Beiyang City, specifically to help us solve the troubles in Zhu Family Town." Zhu Honggao hastily explained.

"What’s really going on, why would your family attract these people?" Sun Yan sheathed the Three-Pointed Double-Edged Blade, frowned, and asked.

"They’re just some rogues." Zhu Yunwen replied calmly.

Since Sun Yan was not an insider, there was no need to share too much with him.

"Stop joking, even the White Crane Child and Thousand-Year Bird were used by these people, and you say they’re just rogues?"

Sun Yan glanced at the Glazed Coffin, suddenly moved, and couldn’t help but look shocked.

The man in that Glazed Coffin looked exactly like Yang Shengsi!

How could there be such a coincidence in this world!

"Brother Sun, it’s not good to know too much about certain things. Since you’re not Master Xu’s disciple, it’s inappropriate for me to tell you more about these people, so please don’t ask further. Your help in coming to Zhu Family Town is greatly appreciated and won’t go unnoticed by me," Zhu Yunwen said.

Zhu Yunwen took out a Gold Medal from his chest and threw it: "You may carry this with you, and should you ever find yourself involved, it might help you escape trouble."

With those words, Zhu Yunwen shouldered the Glazed Coffin on the ground and left swiftly with a confused Zhu Honggao.

"Ancestor, what about my wives and children? They need to come with me!"

"We can’t care about that much right now, just leave first."

Watching Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Honggao’s figures quickly vanish into the night, Sun Yan looked at the Gold Medal in his hand, frowned in deep thought, and put it in his pocket.

"Brother Sun!"

At this moment, the belated Daoist Li ran into the Zhu Residence gate and, seeing the courtyard full of alien corpses, couldn’t help but show alarm.

"This is bad, how could Zhu Family Town have any connection to Kunlun? This is really troublesome now. Had we known it involved Kunlun, Daoist Chen and I shouldn’t have been so arrogant; we should have called more brothers from our sect to help," Daoist Li said remorsefully.

"Daoist Li, you know Kunlun? What is Kunlun’s origin exactly?" Sun Yan hurriedly asked when he heard this.

Just now, Zhu Yunwen had mentioned Kunlun, but he was so cryptic and mysterious, making it impossible for Sun Yan to make sense of it.

Now that someone seems to know the truth, Sun Yan naturally wanted to inquire further.

"I actually don’t know much either, only that I’ve heard there existed such a terrifying tribe on the Divine Land. The tribe was composed of ancient aliens with human heads and animal bodies, or animal heads and human bodies, ruled by the ’Queen Mother of the West’,

and the tribe under the Queen Mother’s rule also influenced the Human World. From the Shang and Zhou Dynasties onwards, emperors of each era received the blessing of the Queen Mother of the West. Only an emperor granted permission by the Queen Mother of the West was deemed appointed by heaven, destined for prosperity and longevity," Daoist Li slowly explained.

"Queen Mother of the West? I have indeed heard of that, but I always thought it was a myth—is it real?" Sun Yan exclaimed.

The Queen Mother of the West, also known as Wangmu, Golden Mother, Yaochi Mother, and Golden Mother Primordial Monarch, was initially depicted as half-human, half-beast and terrifying, wielding plagues and punishment in early records.

Later she became known as the Mother Goddess of Immortals, who possessed the Elixir of Immortality, and if observed carefully, one would find that different dynasties had different depictions of the Queen Mother of the West.

From initially being half-human, half-beast, she gradually took on a human appearance, as if someone were deliberately concealing and beautifying something in history.

According to the "Inner West Scripture", Kunlun Mountain was the residence of the Queen Mother of the West, and the ancient tribe’s habitation was located in the upper and middle reaches of the Jing, Wei, and Luo Three Rivers, with their ancestral temple in the same region.

The "Comprehensive Collection of Ancient and Modern Books" notes on Pingliang Mansion’s ancient relics: "Return to Zhong Mountain, three miles west of the state, with veins coming from Kunlun, above is Queen Mother’s Palace, below overlooks Jing River, also known as Palace Mountain. King Mu of Zhou and Emperor Wu of Han once visited this place."

It involved an ancient ambiguous matter, according to "The Annals of Emperor Mu", three thousand years ago, King Mu of Zhou once led a group of seven elite warriors, riding noble steeds like the red steed and the green-eared horse, departing from Zongzhou, crossing the Zhang River, through the River Sect, Yangyu Mountain, and Qunyu Mountain, reaching the Western Queen Mother’s Country and feasting with the Queen Mother of the West.

When the Western Zhou Emperor King Mu arrived with his entourage, the Queen Mother of the West, dressed grandly, stood by the Jasper Pool to receive the honorable guest with the most solemn tribal rites. The Jasper Pool was like a mirror, lush with green grass, and people ’played the flute and drum, soaring in the center’. King Mu brought with him an abundance of silk fabrics and rare jade artifacts as gifts for the Queen Mother of the West, while the host offered a lavish feast of exotic Western dishes, special yogurt wines, and grape wines. The extraordinary scenery of the Jasper Pool, ’a divine pool vast, like a heavenly mirror floating in the sky’, enchanted King Mu, making him forget to return, but eventually, he had to return eastward. The Queen Mother of the West hosted a grand farewell banquet, where she elegantly danced, singing with a voice as fluid as flowing clouds: White clouds in the sky, mountains naturally rise, the path stretches far, amidst mountains and rivers, may you live on, yet can you come again? King Mu lifted his cup and sang in response, We return east, harmonious with all of Xia, may I see you again within three years, let us part with a three-year promise of meeting again. Thus, with reluctance, the Queen Mother of the West and King Mu of Zhou bid each other farewell. Before leaving, King Mu planted a locust tree and erected a stone monument, inscribing the words ’Mountain of the Queen Mother of the West’.

Interestingly, "The Annals of Emperor Mu" is not a collection of anecdotes, but a biography, meaning that the events recorded in the book actually happened.

King Mu of Zhou indeed visited the Kunlun Jade Pool and met the Queen Mother of the West.

Moreover, in the "Story of Emperor Wu of Han", there is also a description of the Queen Mother of the West: "Perfect balance of height and beauty, heavenly charm and grace, unparalleled appearance", stating that the Queen Mother of the West gave the immortal peaches that ripen once every three thousand years to the talented and brilliant Emperor Wu of Han, demonstrating her deep and earnest affection.

Once, Sun Yan was in a state of disbelief about these matters, but now, hearing Daoist Li speak, things have become not so simple.

He has already come into contact with Kunlun and encountered the undead Xu Fu.

This is enough to prove that the Queen Mother of the West truly exists, and she might be inextricably linked to the strange events Sun Yan is currently facing.

These deceased aliens come from Kunlun.

"However, the existence of Kunlun is something I’ve only heard of and never truly seen, but tonight’s circumstances likely indicate Kunlun’s intervention." Daoist Li’s expression was serious: "But why they would do such things in Zhu Family Town is beyond me."

Sun Yan then recounted what he had just seen.

"Glazed coffin, a man..."

Daoist Li stroked his chin hesitantly and said, "I’m not quite sure, it seems I need to return to the sect to thoroughly inspect the ancient texts and investigate. Young brother, I’ll take my leave for now, perhaps you could leave a contact; when I find the answers, I can have a disciple convey the truth to you."

"No need, I have no fixed abode, and others can’t find me; Daoist Li, please take care of your own safety." Sun Yan said.

Sun Yan did not belong to the same era as these people; after completing this mission, it would be impossible to meet Daoist Li again, so what was the point of conveying the truth.

It would be better to investigate slowly himself.

"Alright, see you again if fate allows." Daoist Li clasped his hands in salute, then turned and left.

Looking at the Zhu Family servants in the courtyard who had returned to normal, Sun Yan stepped forward and asked, "Master Zhu is gone, who among you can take charge of things here? Let them come out and take control of the situation. Now that the calamity in Zhu Family Town has been resolved, you won’t encounter strange occurrences again."

The next day, at dawn.

The great battle of last night did not affect many villagers; the hanged corpses had all been slain and burned by Sun Yan, not a trace remained.

With everything in disarray but ready to spring back, it would only take a while for Zhu Family Town to fully recover.

Center of Zhu Family Town.

"Mr. Sun, this is the place you were looking for."

A bespectacled man in Western attire led Sun Yan to a temple and spoke with great respect.

This person was Zhu Honggao’s eldest son, Zhu Xiongcai. After Zhu Honggao was taken by Zhu Yunwen last night, Zhu Xiongcai naturally became the manager of the entire Zhu Residence.

As someone aware of Sun Yan’s capabilities, even the disappearance of Zhu Honggao did not diminish Zhu Xiongcai’s necessary respect for Sun Yan.

Without this exalted figure, Zhu Family Town might have truly faced devastation this time.

Being able to achieve stability while making sacrifices was already a blessing in misfortune, something Zhu Xiongcai was quite pleased with.

With his father gone, he rose to power.

Everything of the Zhu Family would be inherited by him, it was almost perfect.

Sun Yan quietly gazed at the ancient temple before him, the words ’Three Altars Sea Assembly Grand Temple’ were clearly visible on the plaque.

This was the place where generations of Zhu Family Town had worshiped the Three Altar Sea Assembly Great God.

And in Sun Yan’s mind, the mark left by the Three Altar Sea Assembly Great God was clearly resonant. The item he sought in Zhu Family Town was inside this temple.

"So close." Sun Yan sighed quietly and strided into the temple.

Inside the temple, a stone statue of Nezha with three heads and six arms was enshrined, and in one of his hands, he held a broken long spear.

Although it was worn, it exuded a mysterious and powerful aura. It was indeed the Fire-tipped Spear!

"Come!"

Sun Yan shouted, reaching out, and the Fire-tipped Spear in the statue’s hand began to buzz, showing a trace of resistance.

But Sun Yan was at least a demigod Immortal, and how could the Fire-tipped Spear withstand his power?

Instantly, it flew out of the statue’s hand and landed precisely in Sun Yan’s palm.

Beside him, Zhu Xiongcai was utterly shocked by what he witnessed.

This Mr. Sun is truly an exceptional person! For the sake of the Zhu Family, he must establish a good connection with him.