Poles Apart! . . .
Realization struck Zhan Yunfei, but it had already been four hours since he lost Cha Chongxiao. He hurried back to the large tree and, with determined frustration, uprooted it. Behind the tree, he discovered a sizable hole.
Within that cavity, a letter awaited him.
"In truth, when you departed, I remained concealed here. However, I anticipate that you won't discover me until much later. You must have been searching in various directions for a considerable amount of time. It's time to give up now, Brother Zhan. Seriously, farewell, brother!"
Zhan Yunfei seethed with rage, a feeling that had become all too familiar.
He resumed his exhaustive search throughout the area, but once more, he found nothing. Over the following two weeks, Zhan Yunfei scoured a radius of fifty kilometers with unwavering determination, expanding his search with each passing day.
Yet, Cha Chongxiao remained as elusive as ever. Even the soul mark he had placed on Cha Chongxiao had inexplicably disappeared, as if by magic.
Zhan Yunfei eventually conceded defeat and returned to the sect, his frustration palpable. He understood he needed to report his failure to the Prime Master. Upon hearing the news, Yue Changtian promptly informed the three venerable grandmasters.
Lei Dadi, Feng Wuying, Yun Piaoliu, and Yue Changtian gazed at Zhan Yunfei with a strange mix of expressions. He appeared downtrodden and despondent, and no one uttered a word.
After an extended silence, Lei Dadi could no longer contain his fury. He launched into an unrelenting tirade.
"You fool! You're even dumber than a pig! Calling you a pig would insult pigs! You, an eighth-level Dao Origin Stage cultivator, couldn't even track a level two Dream Origin Stage young man, and you had the audacity to return to us. Why didn't you just perish out there?"
Feng Wuying looked at Zhan Yunfei in disbelief, then unleashed his own torrent of scathing remarks. "You utter imbecile! Tell me, who is your mentor? I'll light incense in his honor and tell him how unlucky he was to have you as his disciple. Your incompetence is truly impressive!"
Zhan Yunfei, who was usually bold and daring, now stood in silence, his face as crimson as a monkey's buttocks. He felt profoundly ashamed.
"Zhan Yunfei, you should consider changing your name," Yun Piaoliu remarked, rolling his eyes. "You don't deserve the 'fei' [1] in your name. How about Zhan Yunzhu? [2] You're even more foolish than a pig, but I can't think of anything stupider than a pig right now. Let the pig bear the disgrace."
Yue Changtian initially considered defending his disciple brother, who looked so pitiable at that moment. However, after careful reflection, he sighed and uttered, "In reality, it's not entirely Brother Zhan's fault... No one could have known that he's even more foolish than a pig..."
Zhan Yunfei felt a mix of emotions, from disbelief to humiliation. He longed for support but instead received another round of scolding. Lei Dadi had no mercy. "What are you waiting for? Get out of here and find Chongxiao! Do you enjoy flaunting your foolishness? You think you look good standing here with that pig-like nose of yours?"
Zhan Yunfei swallowed his pride and left the hall, exiting the sect with a heavy heart.
[This is infuriating!]
[When I catch Cha Chongxiao, I'll tear his skin off!]
[I've never been humiliated like this in my entire life. Even my master never scolded me like that...]
"Yunfei, you can't go after him alone. Your judgment might not be the sharpest. How about this, I'll allow Zhu Jiutian to accompany you," Yue Changtian suggested after Zhan Yunfei had walked away.
It had been a close call—a situation so near that Zhan Yunfei had almost spat out blood and met his demise. Now, he was en route with Zhu Jiutian.
Zhu Jiutian couldn't contain his laughter, which had been echoing all day. He kept casting side-glances at Zhan Yunfei, chuckling, "Tell me the details again. He actually toyed with you like that? He was hidden behind a tree? You pursued him endlessly, as if you were chasing him to the ends of the earth? Hahahaha... Prime Master was right. You lack the necessary acumen. I can attest to that..."
- Bang! -
Without uttering a word, Zhan Yunfei landed a punch squarely on Zhu Jiutian's nose. He delivered a stern warning, "I might be unable to do anything to Cha Chongxiao, the Prime Master, or the three venerable grandmasters... but I can certainly pummel you to death! Make no mistake, you're here to bear the brunt of my frustration this time! Keep that in mind!"
His face bore a ferocious expression that sent shivers down one's spine.
Zhu Jiutian received a blow to the nose, but it didn't quell his laughter. He clutched his stomach, gasping for breath. "Oh, I can't... can't... Even if you beat me to death, I have to laugh... Damn... This will be a source of eternal joy in my afterlife... It's absolutely hilarious. I never thought I'd witness you being disgraced like this. I haven't had anything to live for in a long time, and you've given me something to brighten my existence. How kind of you... You're a kind-hearted fool... Hmmm... I suppose I shouldn't call you Zhan Yunfei anymore... They must've given you a new name, right? What is it? Oh! Zhan Yunzhu! Excellent name! Brilliant! Astute!"
Zhan Yunfei was on the brink of losing his composure. "You rascal! Can you please stop? If you keep this up, consider this: if we can't find him this time, I won't be the only one labeled a fool. I'll be Zhan Yunzhu, and you'll be Zhu Jiuzhu. Think about it... Yours sounds worse. Can you please stop rejoicing?"
"I couldn't find him because I'm intelligent. I'll find him, of that I'm sure!" Zhu Jiutian exuded confidence.
Zhan Yunfei regarded Zhu Jiutian as though he were pitying a wretched soul. [You'll regret this, I promise you will!]
[I guarantee it!]
[Zhu Jiuzhu will soon be your name!]
...
As Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian departed from the sect, Cha Chongxiao was leisurely strolling across the Discord Plains, a mere five hundred miles from Cold Moon Palace.
The distance was not substantial, and if Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian headed in the right direction, they might have spotted him in no time. However, circumstances did not align with their expectations.
Cha Chongxiao was moving southward, while Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian journeyed north. Cha Chongxiao had been heading north before his vanishing act.
Thus, with their paths diverging so significantly, a rendezvous with Cha Chongxiao in the near future would require nothing short of a miracle. Cha Chongxiao found himself five hundred miles to the south, while Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian had traversed a minimum of four thousand miles to the north.