Chapter 396: The Outlaw Lu Chao Chao
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Chen Yuan had never known a day of peace in his entire existence.
In life, he lived under Lu Chao Chao’s shadow.
In death, he still couldn’t find peace—because Lu Chao Chao’s shadow loomed over him once more.
The young man in black seethed with resentment. He had even changed his name to Chen Yuan—meaning “deep grievance”—and it was fitting.
He was truly, utterly wronged!
At this moment, Lu Chao Chao lay sprawled atop Chen Yuan’s coffin, her tiny feet dangling and swinging leisurely over the edge.
Shi Yun carefully fed her wild fruits.
“Flay the skin, pull the tendons, season well… Then skewer them…”
“Get some spiritual honey and brush a layer on when it’s nearly done…” Lu Chao Chao lay lazily on the coffin, issuing orders to Chen Yuan.
Shi Yun didn’t dare to look at the Ghost King. [Oh heavens, why did I bring this little ancestor back with me?!]
Now, all she could do was cling tightly to Lu Chao Chao’s legs, terrified that the Ghost King would throw her into a sack and take her away.
“Are you deaf? Did you hear me?!” Lu Chao Chao’s stomach rumbled. She had never been this hungry in her life!
Chen Yuan abruptly stood up, glaring at her with murderous intent. In his hand, a bone-cleaving blade still dripped with fresh blood.
“Speak to me with some respect!”
Behind him, the evil spirits rose as one, their sharp gazes fixed on Lu Chao Chao.
She waved a hand dismissively. “Fine, fine! My apologies—are you deaf?! Did you hear me?!”
The only change was switching “you” to the more respectful “you” in formality.
Chen Yuan hesitated, then turned and walked toward the door. “I heard you.”
The evil spirits: ???
A group of them hurriedly followed him down the mountain. At the foot of the peak, a blue-faced, fang-toothed flying corpse finally spoke.
“Have you forgotten our grand plan? We’ve been imprisoned in Grievous Prison for thousands of years. Our sins should have been atoned for long ago!”
“When the Blood Moon rises, the prison’s power weakens. That’s our chance to break the barrier and escape this wretched place!”
“Yet now, you’re stuck here, playing cook for her!”
The prisoners of Grievous Prison were plotting their escape, ready to shatter their seals and flee.
Chen Yuan’s face darkened, his eyes flickering with killing intent. “Spread the word—everyone stay put!”
“Her sword strike alone could flatten Ten-Thousand Souls Mountain!”
“The escape plan is on hold!”
He turned to look at the mountain peak with grave seriousness. “Under no circumstances should she be provoked! We’ll act only after she leaves.”
The flying corpse had no choice but to deliver the command.
On the mountaintop, Lu Chao Chao watched Chen Yuan roast meat with practiced ease, an eerie sense of familiarity creeping in.
In just two days, Ten-Thousand Souls Mountain had undergone a complete transformation.
The once ruthless and ferocious Chen Yuan now had five or six little braids atop his head, with flowers tucked at the ends.
The evil spirits, once menacing, now sat stiffly as Lu Chao Chao toyed with their hair.
Lanterns illuminated the formerly gloomy mountain, casting warm light everywhere.
The spirits meticulously combed their hair, afraid of obstructing her view.
Even the spirit ravens flying overhead had their feathers plucked by her.
Lu Chao Chao’s eyes darted mischievously as she sneakily retrieved a stack of white paper, along with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone from her spatial storage. She turned to the stunned spirits and announced, “Here, this is your homework…”
Before leaving, Chief Minister Yuan had assigned her loads of homework!
“Copy my handwriting exactly—do it carefully, do it well!” She giggled to herself. [Cheating in here? No one can catch me!]
Chen Yuan nearly jumped. “I’ve been dead for thousands of years! I don’t know how to hold a brush!”
Lu Chao Chao didn’t care. She tossed the work to them and left them to figure it out.
She was far more excited to drag Shi Yun off to fish.
“When is she leaving?!”
“I can’t take this anymore!”
“I’d rather die again! I refuse to do homework!” The evil spirits howled in despair.
“Wait! There’s a great demon in the river below. It has always fought us for territory, and even with combined effort, we barely hold it at bay… If Lu Chao Chao falls into its hands…”
Chen Yuan’s heart stirred. He immediately turned his gaze toward the river.
Sure enough, the great demon lurked beneath the waters.
Usually, any vengeful spirit from Ten-Thousand Souls Mountain that approached the river would be devoured.
But at this moment, Lu Chao Chao sat at the riverbank, grasping a cotton thread with a trembling Shi Yun beside her. She tied a grass leaf to the end and tossed it in.
“Wow! A river this long, and no one’s ever fished here? There must be loads of fish!” Lu Chao Chao, having eaten roasted meat for days, was suffering from excessive heat. She craved fresh fish soup.
Shi Yun shivered and glanced around nervously.
“Let’s leave… There’s something in the—”
Before she could finish, Lu Chao Chao suddenly jumped up.
“It’s moving! My cotton thread moved!”
She tugged, and a Flying Silver Fish latched onto the grass, flailing wildly, splashing water all over her face.
“Wow! Fishy! Real fishy!”
And it was the most tender and delicious kind—Flying Silver Fish!
The fish flopped on the grass, while Lu Chao Chao gleefully peeled off her outer robe and hugged it tightly, giggling in delight.
A chubby little doll hugging a chubby little fish—she looked just like a celestial attendant by Guan Yin’s side.
Chen Yuan stood atop the mountain, fuming in rage.
“That shameless beast!”
“I saw it—it hung fish on her line!”
“That cowardly thing! Always fighting us for dominance, yet the moment it sees Lu Chao Chao, it eagerly gifts her fish?! She doesn’t even have a hook!”
As Lu Chao Chao ascended the mountain, Chen Yuan hurriedly returned to his coffin and diligently worked on his homework.
“We’re having fish soup tonight.” She tossed the fish to the ground.
A refined-looking spirit hesitated. “Chao Chao, we’ve been dead for thousands of years. How can we do homework?”
“Why not ask the Evil Dao? They were exiled from the outside world, and I hear there are many scholars among them!”
Lu Chao Chao cupped her cheeks, her tiny tuft of hair bouncing.
“Hmm… Alright. After fish soup, take me there.”
Chen Yuan was overjoyed but dared not show it.
He diligently chopped the fish into fine paste and made exquisite fish balls.
After their meal, he wasted no time. He carried her at full speed and deposited her at the foot of Bone Mountain, home of the Evil Dao.
“Plenty of scholars live up there. Someone will surely do your homework.” He coaxed her up the mountain.
Then, as soon as she stepped forward, he turned and bolted.
By the time he returned to Ten-Thousand Souls Mountain, it was deep night.
“Finally! That little ancestor is gone!”
“The Evil Dao won’t tolerate her like we did… Let her suffer a little…”
But before they could act, a thunderous boom roared in the distance.
The ground trembled violently, stones tumbling down the valley.
“Wait… isn’t that Bone Mountain?!”
They looked up—
Above Bone Mountain, heavenly thunder raged, illuminating the night sky.
Chen Yuan’s heart sank.
[Oh no. I have a bad feeling about this.]
Sure enough—
Before their very eyes, the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation descended upon Bone Mountain.
The entire Grievous Prison trembled.
Beyond the prison, Warden Xiao and his guards felt the earth shake beneath them.
“Quick! Summon His Majesty! Grievous Prison is in turmoil! Killing intent is leaking out!”
Panic spread outside the prison.
Inside, fear ruled.
“It’s gone… Bone Mountain is gone! It was wiped out in mere moments!!” Chen Yuan murmured, dazed.
Eighteen-year-old Lu Chao Chao was a peerless prodigy, shaking the cultivation world.
Three-year-old Lu Chao Chao? A lawless outlaw.
And he had encountered both!