Chereads / The Prospectors Quest / Chapter 43 - Episode Forty Three

Chapter 43 - Episode Forty Three

The answers you are looking for might be right in front of you. You just have to have patience to find it, and never jumped to a quick conclusion that the right answer is not there.

"If Zong Mo was the only one that saw Hu Delun after he went missing for a month, after going to fight Fong Woo. That means-" Wang Kai stopped talking, and a look of horror flooded his face, as Qing Yuan's look mirrored his own.

What is it?" King Huang Bao asked again.

"We need to get to the cultivation school right this instant." Qing Yuan hurried away from the group, taking Kai's hand and pulling him along behind him.

"What could be so urgent, that we had to teleport here?" King Huang Bao grit his teeth impatiently when he was yet again ignored by his son and Kai.

They hurried along down the hill and burst through the gates of the school, ignoring the questioning disciples that guards the gate. Qing Yuan and Kai run about, looking around the courtyard and in different buildings. The king and Feng-Huang trailing behind them with a confused look on their faces.

"I don't see him anywhere." Kai murmured disappointedly, standing on his tip toe, trying to see if he can get a better look.

"He has to be around here, somewhere." Qing Yuan places a comforting hand on Kai's shoulder, before they continue to walk again.

Fifteen minutes more of trailing behind the teenage boys, king Huang Bao and Wang Feng-Huang is a panting mess. The king, not as fast as he used to be, and Feng-Huang, well he is not as great as he was because of the whole reincarnated thing. Slow down with their hands on their knees, trying to catch their breaths.

"Qing Yuan." Huang Bao called out to his son, but Qing Yuan didn't seem to hear. "Qing Yuan!" He called again, but this time a bit louder. But Qing Yuan still didn't answer. "Shui!" Huang Bao practically shouted, using a whip made out of pure white energy, wrapping it around his son's waist and pulling him back into his chest. "Slow down, and tell me what you guys have found out." He said looking down at his son who looked back up at him with his mouth ajar.

"Well," Shui breaks free from his father's arm, and straightens out his clothes. "If Zong Mo is in alliance with Fong Woo, and he was the one that confirmed that he saw Hu Delun come back for his invitation after going missing for over a month now, then Hu Delun isn't really Hu Delun." Qing Yuan explained.

"But the cultivation council did a check on Hu Delun, and he checked out." Huang Bao said.

"But the Prospecting council sensed that something was off with him." 

"I even sense that something isn't right with him." Kai chimed in, causing the two older men to look at him.

"How did you feel?" Wang Feng-Huang asks, rubbing under his chin and slightly pinching it. An action that made Kai smile inwardly. He also has that habit, especially when he is trying to figure something out.

"Ah, there is this dark feeling whenever I look at Hu Delun. And I suddenly become cold, and clammy. Most times, it's like he doesn't even have a soul."

"Like he is just a hollow empty shell?" Feng-Huang ask again, his facial expressions changing to one of terror with every word that came out of Kai's mouth.

"Yes. A hollow shell filled with darkness." Kai spaced out as he remembered the feeling he got when he was around Hu Delun.

Feng-Huang and Huang Bao look at one another with a knowing look, causing the two younger boys to be the ones now that are confused.

"What?" Qing Yuan asks, and his father looks at him. His eyes wide and fearful. "We need to find Hu Delun, and we need to do it now!"

"W-why?" This is the first time that Kai ever heard Qing Yuan stutter.

"Did he have a certain interest when he first arrived?" Wang Feng-Huang asked.

Qing Yuan scratched his head, before he suddenly realised something. "Yes, he got here. He has always wanted to get close to Kai. I even caught him one time watching Kai as he bathed under the falls at the…nevermind." Qing Yuan caught up on what he was saying when he saw three pairs of curious eyes look at him. "What I am saying is that he had an interest in Kai. Do you think that Kai was the reason that he came here?"

"Why would I be the reason? And why would Hu Delun do Fong Woo's bidding?" Kai asks, everything not making any sense to him.

Feng-Huang sighs, he walks towards Kai and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Kai, is there something that you are keeping from us?" He asked.

"No."

"You answered too quickly." Qing Yuan narrowed his eyes on him. "Which means that you are lying. I spend so much time with you, that I know your habits, your likes and dislikes. I know how you program Kai, so please. Tell us if he knows why Hu Delun has such an interest in you." 

"I told you that I don't know. He always said that he wants to meet Master Wang's son, so maybe because I am…" He pauses as he looks at Feng-Huang. "Maybe because I'm your son, he finds me interesting." There is no way that Kai is going to tell them about the lotus aura. If his own father didn't remember and he is the one that gave it to him, then why should he mention it? 'Hu Delun might be working for Fong Woo, and because he knows that I am the biological son of Feng-Huang. So he sent Hu Delun there to spy and see if I am the one that holds-oh…crap.' Kai thought to himself.

"Come on Lei, tell me." Feng-Huang begged. "You don't have to lie, because Prospectors don't fib. And I already know that you found the lotus aura." Kai's head snapped up at him quicker than a lightning ready to strike. "I can sense it just by standing close to you."

Kai looked over at Qing Yuan, and just as he thought. Qing Yuan had a stern disappointed look on his face. "S-Shui i-i was going to tell you. Even after I brought that little boy back, I just couldn't bother with the questions, extra training and the observations that would come my way. I already feel like a science discovery." Kai held his head down.

"Y-you already pull someone back from the spirit world? It took me a few months to master that ability." Feng-Huang laughed excitedly, for getting the matter at hand for a bit. But Qing Yuan was far from excited over the matter. He felt betrayed, he always ensured that Kai was safe and he also started to put his trust in him. But Kai didn't feel the same way, because he didn't even trust him with the biggest discovery of his life.