“…We discovered Junior Brother Chu Bai’s body near the Yan residence,”
Shen Xi said gravely, “After careful investigation, we found—”
Chu Linyuan glanced at her. “Speak directly, no need to be evasive.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Xi replied seriously, “Yes, I discovered that Junior Brother Chu Bai died from a sword piercing his heart, it appeared to be Venerable Jinghe’s Chiyuan Sword.”
Chu Linyuan asked, “Have you mentioned this to anyone else?”
“At the time, I was only speculating. There were many disciples from the Chongzheng Alliance present, and with so many eyes watching, I didn’t make it known,” Shen Xi looked at him hesitantly. “Master, is the Venerable still alive?”
“The Venerable has his own considerations for his actions, there’s no need to question further,” Chu Linyuan said.
A flash of surprise passed through Shen Xi’s eyes. From Chu Linyuan’s tone, it seemed he had known all along that Venerable Jinghe hadn’t perished, but she still couldn’t help asking, “At that time on Dao Discussion Mountain, the Venerable seemed to be with that demon Ning Buwei…”
“Before the Venerable Zhuozhi ascended, he specifically instructed that the Wushi Sect must not interfere with Venerable Jinghe’s affairs,” Chu Linyuan looked at her and said slowly, “Do you know why?”
Shen Xi frowned in thought for a while. “Did the Venerable Zhuozhi care deeply about him?”
To instruct his disciples before ascending, it showed how much importance he placed on this matter.
Chu Linyuan sighed, “The Venerable cared about the entire Wushi Sect. The Path of Killing isn’t something just anyone can cultivate.”
Upon careful consideration, Shen Xi suddenly felt a chill down her spine.
Venerable Jinghe’s previous cultivation of the Path of Killing had only been a rumor within the Wushi Sect. Chu Linyuan had even specifically issued a ban prohibiting disciples from spreading these unsubstantiated speculations. Yet unexpectedly, it turned out to be true. However, when she recalled the Venerable at Yijian Peak who appeared like an immortal untouched by mortal dust, she felt that he had absolutely no connection to the Path of Killing.
“Among the Venerable Zhuozhi’s nine disciples back then, five died by the Venerable Jinghe’s hand,” Chu Linyuan sighed. “Let alone the Wushi Sect without the Venerable Zhuozhi.”
Shen Xi looked at him in shock, not expecting that this even more unbelievable rumor was also true.
“In the future, if you encounter the Venerable, show the Wushi Sect’s token and stay far away. The old man doesn’t like to meddle in trivial matters. Chu Bai probably violated his taboo…” Chu Linyuan waved his hand. “Well, dying by the Venerable’s hand is somewhat dignified. As for those things he did, there’s no need to mention them anymore.”
“Yes.” Shen Xi composed herself and retreated from the great hall.
Chu Linyuan sighed, “If the Venerable stands on Chengfeng’s side, things will become troublesome.”
A man and a woman emerged from behind the great hall – they were Zen Master Mingsang and Sang Yun.
“The child formed from the Linglong Bone has half of the Venerable’s bloodline. Although the Venerable is indifferent by nature, it’s still his own son,” Sang Yun knelt by the table and said with lowered eyes. “If he learns what you plan to do, he might directly purge his own faction.”
Chu Linyuan’s expression was gloomy. “We waited five hundred years, just one step away, who knew the Linglong Bone would have such an unexpected turn.”
“Amitabha,” Mingsang said unhurriedly. “The matters in the Dark Realm have been arranged properly.”
Chu Linyuan said with a headache, “But we still can’t get our hands on the Linglong Bone. No matter how meticulous the arrangements are, they’re useless.”
“Ning Fan is dead, but the person behind him is still alive. When this person fought arrays with Ning Chengfeng in the tomb, they didn’t use their full power,” Mingsang said. “Even if we get the Linglong Bone, we might end up doing someone else’s work.”
“Mingsang speaks reason,” Sang Yun agreed. “Although the entire Eight Trigrams Array of the seventeen states is already tottering, there’s still some time. We’ve waited five hundred years, so a few more years won’t matter. We might as well use Chengfeng and the Linglong Bone to draw out the person behind this, eliminating future troubles. Then we can think of a perfect solution that allows us to both obtain the Linglong Bone and not harm the child’s life.”
“If it were as easy as you say, that would be wonderful, but where in the world is there such a perfect solution?” Chu Linyuan shook his head. “The Chongzheng Alliance doesn’t know our plans yet. If they found out…”
“Xingyuan wanted us to do this, he must have his reasons,” Sang Yun said. “Moreover, Jinzhou also left us clues.”
“But what if they were all wrong?” Chu Linyuan countered. “No matter how well one or two people can calculate fate, didn’t they still die at others’ hands?”
“Chu Linyuan!” Sang Yun suddenly raised her voice.
Ever since the incident at the Xun mansion, Sang Yun’s health had been poor. Besides basic qi cultivation, she couldn’t even muster much strength to lift her whip like before, and her speech had become soft and slow – she had never lost her temper.
This was the first time in five hundred years that Chu Linyuan had seen her angry, so he was quite stunned. “I apologize, I spoke without thinking… Of course I know Xingyuan and Jinzhou had their own plans, it’s just that sacrificing their lives for this, I just feel it wasn’t worth it.”
Zen Master Mingsang said, “Each person has their own pursuits, they got what they sought, no need to dwell on it.”
Sang Yun took a deep breath, calming herself before speaking, “I need to go to the mortal realm.”
Chu Linyuan and Mingsang both looked at her.
“Jinzhou only traced to the mortal realm before falling in Li City. I know you both went many times but found nothing,” Sang Yun said slowly. “But this time I have a premonition, this time I will meet that person.”
****
Xie Jiu stood quietly at the side, watching as the person lying in the chair gradually began to breathe steadily.
He lowered his head, intently watching Pei Heguang, his eyes reflecting the orange-red sunset, flickering uncertainly.
“Master?” he called softly.
The person lying in the chair showed no response, as if they had truly fallen asleep.
Xie Jiu slowly bent down, holding his breath. That gentle yet pale face became increasingly clear as he drew closer, even the dense, fine eyelashes were clearly visible.
“Ah Ci,” Pei Heguang suddenly spoke.
Xie Jiu quickly withdrew his hand that was about to touch his storage ring, straightened up, and lowered his eyes to conceal their indiscernible expression. “Yes?”
Pei Heguang sighed almost imperceptibly, turning over on the lounge chair to face away from him.
“Go to the mortal realm.”
Xie Jiu pressed his lips together without speaking.
“Since you gave your memories to me early on, yet keep making a fuss about wanting them back, your methods haven’t improved in hundreds of years—” Pei Heguang suddenly began coughing violently.
Xie Jiu hurriedly helped him sit upright and fed him a medicinal pill.
Pei Heguang leaned against the chair, his brows slightly furrowed. The black qi and the cyan Nine-Leaf Lotus at his brow center tangled and tore at each other, both carrying a desperate viciousness, almost seeping out a deep blood color.
Pei Heguang regulated his breathing for a while before recovering, letting out a soft sigh.
“Master, are you feeling better?” Xie Jiu handed him a cup of warm tea.
The young man lying in the chair had his eyes half-closed, wearing a black outer robe. His pale face showed signs of weariness, his lips bloodless – the whole person seemed as if they might be scattered by the wind at any moment.
He reached out to take the cup of tea, took a light sip, but still couldn’t suppress his coughing.
“Master.” Xie Jiu watched him with a tense expression.
Pei Heguang waved his hand, placing the teacup in Xie Jiu’s hands, saying, “I’m not some fragile mortal, I won’t die from coughing. Just don’t bother me too much.”
Xie Jiu pressed his lips together, placed the teacup on the table, then stood quietly to the side, seeming to want to speak but holding back.
“Ah Ci.” Pei Heguang called him with closed eyes.
“Master, I’m here.” Xie Jiu bent slightly, looking down at him.
The young man’s thin inner robes fluttered in the wind, his gentle features carrying an unshakeable sickness. He squinted at the dispersing sunset clouds, the setting sun struggling in the remaining light.
“I still remember when you first came to the Ning mansion, you immediately got into a fight with Chengfeng,” Pei Heguang said with a soft laugh. “Chengfeng appears cold but is actually very soft-hearted. Once you started crying, he wouldn’t fight anymore, resulting in you cutting his neck with a sword. He silently hid away to apply medicine.”
Xie Jiu said solemnly, “Back then, this disciple was ignorant.”
“I’m not blaming you. I actually admire your decisiveness,” Pei Heguang watched as the sunset gradually disappeared into the mountains. “I just find it somewhat emotional that after struggling through the seventeen states for five hundred years, he still hasn’t changed this habit. Look at that string of burdens he’s picked up – just thinking about it gives me a headache for him.”
Xie Jiu kept his head down, a dark light passing through his eyes. “He still has Chu Jun helping him.”
“Chu Jun is that kind of person – cold-blooded and heartless, yet skilled at wearing a human skin,” Pei Heguang sighed. “Chengfeng is bewildered by his sweet talk, I’m afraid he’ll have difficulty achieving the Ruthless Path.”
“Master, I’ll go eliminate him,” Xie Jiu said.
Pei Heguang gave a light laugh: “Ah Ci, do you even believe your own words?”
Xie Jiu: “…This disciple spoke rashly.”
“Back then when he cultivated the Path of Killing and faced his fate tribulation, he split off a thread of life force to let Chengfeng survive, all to use Chengfeng to pass his fate tribulation. Someone who calculates so meticulously and plans every step – you wouldn’t be his match even if you lived another thousand years,” Pei Heguang said, propping up his head. “Perhaps his only miscalculation was the Linglong Bone turning human…..Strange, very strange.”
Xie Jiu asked in confusion, “What does Master mean?”
“I’ve calculated countless times, but could never calculate this accident of the Linglong Bone becoming human,” Pei Heguang smiled unhappily. “Probably no one could have calculated it. It truly shows how human calculations can’t compare to heaven’s plans… But this way, Chengfeng is even less likely to sever his worldly ties.”
“Master, Ning Fan and Chu Bai are already dead. After Wang Bin disappeared, the Wang family fell apart. Ning Chengfeng now only has the last Suzaku knife fragment to find, plus Chu Jun helping him…” Xie Jiu said. “What should we do next?”
“Wait,” Pei Heguang closed his eyes tiredly. “Yan Jinzhou left him clues, he will definitely go to the mortal realm.”
“Should this disciple go make arrangements in advance?” Xie Jiu asked.
“No need, there’s nothing to arrange,” Pei Heguang’s voice grew increasingly low, gradually taking on a lazy sleepiness. “He’ll know eventually. I originally planned to let him know… I’m very much looking forward to his reaction when he learns the truth.”
The courtyard, filled with dim evening light, fell silent. After a long while, as if someone was speaking in their sleep:
“Heaven’s solitary evil star should be alone, and he shouldn’t be an exception.
…No one will love him.”
🥺
Oh~