Chapter 84: Chapter 75.3: The Completion of the Soul Palace and the Unfortunate Voldemort!
"Don't worry, my lord, I will fulfill your wish."
"Fool!"
With a curse from Voldemort, Quirrell awkwardly ended the conversation, and Chu Yang understood their intentions.
The street grew more crowded, and Quirrell disappeared into Knockturn Alley.
The trio seemed tired after all the fun, so Chu Yang took them to a restaurant he frequented. Once they were seated, he made an excuse and slipped away.
After considering it, Chu Yang decided to deal with Quirrell and Voldemort while they were still weak. If not, Hermione, Ron, or even Ollivander might get dragged into it.
Cloaked in black robes, Chu Yang followed the secret path into Knockturn Alley.
The already eerie Knockturn Alley looked even more sinister under the festive atmosphere.
Various shady figures lurked in the narrow alleys, leering at Quirrell as he passed.
But they had no idea that Quirrell's meekness only existed before Voldemort.
No one noticed Quirrell muttering under his breath.
A flash of magical light shot from his wide sleeves, blasting toward the wizards taunting him.
The spell struck one unlucky wizard and then expanded into a strange circle, sending the rest flying. Only then did the onlookers notice the wand hidden under Quirrell's robes.
Startled, they quickly fled the alley.
In a single move, Quirrell showed these ill-intentioned onlookers his power.
The alley fell eerily silent.
Quirrell tucked away his wand and continued walking.
But after a few steps, he noticed a figure standing at the end of the alley. The figure, cloaked in black, was short and familiar, though Quirrell couldn't place them.
"Who are you?"
Quirrell frowned, his tone almost scolding as his hand reached for his wand.
But the figure moved faster. The moment Quirrell reacted, a flash of magical light illuminated the dark alley.
The spell shot across the narrow space, precisely hitting Quirrell's hidden wand, disarming him.
"Expelliarmus..." Quirrell's face twisted in anger. He had never seen such swift and accurate casting, striking his concealed wand from such a distance.
Damn it, do you have a built-in telescope when casting spells? "Run!" Voldemort's voice suddenly shouted, "He's the one from the Forbidden Forest!"
Quirrell's face changed as he finally recognized the familiar feeling.
"Quick reflexes," Chu Yang sneered.
Then, with a wave of his wand, he cast the Petrificus Totalus spell just as Quirrell turned to flee.
The spell streaked through the air like a falling star, striking Quirrell's back.
Quirrell froze in place.
Chu Yang slowly approached from the other end of the alley.
Just as he was about to reach Quirrell, a mass of grey mist erupted from the top of Quirrell's head.
That was Voldemort in his soul form!
Sensing danger, Voldemort instinctively charged at Chu Yang, hoping to scare him off. However, before he could get close, a burst of red light suddenly erupted from Chu Yang. A fiery aura spewed from Chu Yang's mouth and nose, enveloping him.
In the dark alley, it was as if a sun had risen!
Voldemort's fragmented soul was scorched fiercely by the blazing aura, causing him to scream in agony.
Chu Yang hadn't expected the Sun Breathing technique to inflict such severe damage on a soul.
If this continued, Voldemort's remnant soul would likely be completely incinerated.
However, Voldemort's will was incredibly strong. He endured the pain and forced his way through the flames, escaping into the darkness.
Only Quirrell, frozen by the Petrificus Totalus spell, was left behind, standing in terror. If Chu Yang left him there, he would likely freeze to death in Knockturn Alley by nightfall.
The noise from the battle caused most of the Dark wizards nearby to flee quickly. At least for tonight, they wouldn't dare come near.
"I regret seeing you here, Professor Quirrell."
Chu Yang approached Quirrell, removing his hood and smiling politely.
Quirrell's eyes widened in disbelief, but he was unable to speak a word.
"I actually quite enjoy your Defense Against the Dark Arts class," Chu Yang remarked, smiling as he pointed his wand at the ground near Quirrell's feet and chanted, "Deprimo!"
The spell caused the ground beneath Quirrell to collapse into a deep pit, making him let out muffled grunts of fear.
Chu Yang showed no mercy.
Without hesitation, he kicked Quirrell into the pit and quickly sealed the entrance.
After completing all of this, Chu Yang disappeared into the darkness and left Knockturn Alley.
...
"Chu Yang, where have you been? Ron and the others have nearly finished all the food!"
Hermione complained angrily to Chu Yang, who had been missing for a while. It was clear she had been worried by his sudden disappearance.
"Sorry, Hermione. I wasn't feeling well earlier, and since you were eating, I didn't want to interrupt."
Chu Yang explained with an apologetic expression.
"Oh, I see. Are you feeling better now? The roast chicken might not be good for you. Should I get you something lighter?"
Hermione's temper flared up quickly but faded just as fast. Upon hearing Chu Yang hadn't been well, she immediately expressed concern.
Ron and Harry, who had been feasting, also put down their food and looked at Chu Yang with concern.
Not wanting to dampen their mood, Chu Yang smiled and said, "I'm much better now, don't worry about me."
He then picked up a fork, took a bite of the food on the table, and chewed with a satisfied look.
Seeing this, the three friends finally relaxed and resumed their feast. At this point, Hermione had abandoned her usual ladylike manners. She had barely eaten while worrying about Chu Yang, and her stomach was growling with hunger.
While Chu Yang and his friends enjoyed their Christmas celebration, Voldemort, now without a host, wandered alone in the snow, like a flickering flame on the verge of being extinguished.
The Christmas holiday quickly came to an end. Chu Yang returned to Hogwarts with Hermione and the others. Before departing, Mr. Ollivander once again tried to persuade Chu Yang to temporarily leave the wizarding world to avoid any further trouble.
What Ollivander didn't know was that Voldemort, the root of all the chaos, would find it difficult to make a comeback anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Dumbledore had sensed that Voldemort and Quirrell had left Hogwarts, and the tense atmosphere at the school had eased significantly.
Chu Yang no longer needed to extend his holiday.
Everything was back on track.
However, for one person, their life had fallen from heaven back into hell.
"I prefer the bed by the window, Mr. Malfoy. Could you kindly move your luggage a little?" Chu Yang asked with a gentle tone and a smiling face as he looked at Draco. "Also, don't you think two people in one room is a bit crowded?"
Draco frantically nodded in agreement and, without saying a word, began packing his things.
A few moments later, Draco had returned to the familiar large dormitory, squeezed between Goyle and Crabbe, sleeping "happily."
While Draco remained on edge, Chu Yang's return delighted his fellow students, making the first-year circle lively once again.
After all, who wouldn't like a classmate who helps with studies and even lends homework?
Even the professors were pleased, and even the usually cold and sarcastic Snape refrained from making his usual cutting remarks.
The day after Chu Yang's return, Dumbledore invited him for a private conversation in the headmaster's office. Most of the time, Dumbledore was asking about Chu Yang's experiences and progress over the past few months.
During their chat, Chu Yang used the tools gifted by Mr. Ollivander to craft a beautiful wand right there in the office, which left Dumbledore marveling.
Near the end of the conversation, Dumbledore suddenly asked a question that caught Chu Yang off guard.
"Have you seen Professor Quirrell in Diagon Alley?" Dumbledore subconsciously tried to probe Chu Yang's memories but quickly remembered the palace deep within Chu Yang's mind and immediately abandoned the attempt.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, I haven't seen Professor Quirrell since Halloween." Chu Yang smiled politely, looking completely sincere.
Dumbledore chuckled softly and said, "Maybe I've been too sensitive lately. It's not like you could've seen Quirrell. My apologies, Chu Yang. When you get old and lose sleep, you start thinking strange things."
"Not at all, Headmaster Dumbledore! I know you're just concerned about me." Chu Yang responded earnestly.
"Hm…" Dumbledore nodded and chatted with Chu Yang a little longer before allowing him to return to his dormitory.
Even after Chu Yang closed the office door, Dumbledore continued watching him. Without using Observation Haki, Chu Yang could still feel Dumbledore's gaze.
It seemed the wise old man was suspicious of something...
However, Chu Yang wasn't worried that Dumbledore would change his attitude once he figured out the truth, because Chu Yang had long since proven he would never become another Voldemort.
Not long after, Chu Yang was granted special permission by Dumbledore.
He was allowed to take the OWL exams as a first-year student.
These exams were typically only available to fifth-year students.
If all went well, Chu Yang could also proceed to take the NEWT exams afterward.
Resuming his normal school life, Chu Yang once again immersed himself in the library.
Seasons passed, and time flew by.
...
In the Demon Slayer world.
Since both the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan Kibutsuji's faction had fallen into a lull, the world enjoyed a brief peace.
However, both sides knew this balance would soon be shattered.
And when that day came, one side would be completely eradicated.
Many swordsmen gathered at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters for concentrated training. Kagaya Ubuyashiki hoped they would survive the upcoming final battle.
All the Hashira had now mastered the power of the Demon Slayer Mark.
With Chu Yang helping to replenish their vitality, the mark's drawbacks had become almost negligible.
As for the Transparent World, which comes after mastering the mark, the swordsmen had to push their breathing techniques to their limits while enduring the pain it caused. This was a hurdle Chu Yang couldn't help them overcome.
Among the many swordsmen, only Gyomei Himejima not only mastered the mark but also became the only one to comprehend the Transparent World.
Next was Rengoku Kyojuro, who was very close but still hadn't fully achieved it.
So far, he was the only one showing signs of grasping the Transparent World, while the others were far behind and likely would never attain it.
Noticing this, Chu Yang and Kagaya Ubuyashiki had a long conversation and decided to stop the training after a few more days.
But before the order could be relayed...
Muzan Kibutsuji, along with his army of demons, launched an assault.
Recently, Muzan had been frantically creating more subordinates while having Nakime pinpoint the location of the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
He didn't care about Ubuyashiki or the Hashira at all. His target was singular! Chu Yang!
That night, hordes of demons attacked the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters. Just as Chu Yang prepared to draw his sword and fight alongside the others, he suddenly found himself alone in a strange city.
Here, it seemed that time and space were disjointed.
Clap, clap, clap~~~ A slow clapping echoed from the depths of the city. Muzan Kibutsuji, dressed in a suit, walked toward him.
"Welcome to the Infinity Castle."
Standing beside Muzan were several figures Chu Yang had never seen before. They were neither Kokushibo of the Upper Moons nor any of the other known Upper Moons.
"This is my gift to you."
Muzan smiled and snapped his fingers, and the shadows surrounding him encircled Chu Yang.
A faint smile appeared on Chu Yang's lips.
The killing intent was palpable!