Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 47: Darkness

The group wandered outside Huilian Mountain for a long time, watching as the sun began to set and night approached. The towering mountain was bathed in the lingering sunlight, transforming into a daunting giant shadow.

Due to Yin Ci’s abnormal inner demon, the group didn’t dare to venture deep into Huilian Mountain immediately.

Yan Qing covered Lord Bai with clothes and half-dragged, half-supported Su Si. Yin Ci stood still for a long time and took the initiative to hold onto Shi Jingzhi’s hand.

Although the situation was abnormal, staying in one place wasn’t an option. Apart from Yin Ci, everyone suddenly lost their inner force, feeling even colder than usual. If they continued to stand there alone, they were afraid they would all freeze.

The four members of the Kushan Sect climbed up the steps and stopped in front of a pavilion near the mountainside.

There were peculiar rocks erected on both sides of the pavilion, and a robust welcoming pine tree grew nearby, dispersing the cold wind outside the pavilion. Yan Qing made a concerted effort to ignore the immense human headlamp and skillfully lit a fire.

The orange flames flickered, spreading a bit of warmth and somewhat diminishing the fear.

No one suggested leaving. Since they had decided to enter the mountain, they needed to adapt to their physical condition and these strange inner demons as soon as possible.

“The wind-blocking effect of A’Ci’s inner demon is quite good.” After a while, Shi Jingzhi broke the silence.

More than just blocking the wind, they could all take shelter inside it. However, Yin Ci was still considered the eldest disciple, so Yan Qing obediently swallowed his thoughts.

The headlamp was too immense, and the pavilion was right next to its edge, like a fragile paper-cut scenery. Countless shadow hands occasionally struggled and got caught between the pillars, creating two “hand walls”.

Fortunately, Yan Qing and Su Si had seen the world and gradually got used to it as they looked on.

“If it had just taken the form of an illusion, that would have been fine. Who could have thought it would be a physical entity?” Su Si lamented as he pounded his snake tail. The scales were ice-cold, and the touch was metallic. He couldn’t help but suspect that his legs had frozen.

But this snake tail had an annoyingly sharp sensitivity, several times more sensitive than the soles of his feet.

Shi Jingzhi forced a dry laugh. He let his disciple pull him along, but he couldn’t think of any encouraging words for a while.

Yan Qing’s martial arts were mediocre, and in terms of external martial arts alone, Shi Jingzhi’s couldn’t be considered elegant. This trip to Huilian Mountain relied on Yin Ci and Su Si—both of them excelled in external martial arts and qinggong, so even without their inner force, the impact wouldn’t be significant.

As a result, instead of relying on them, just halfway into the formation, one went blind and the other became disabled.

Fortunately, Yin Ci’s inner demon produced countless ghost hands that could move independently, disperse, and converge when encountering obstacles. Otherwise, not only would he be unable to help, Yin Ci would either be immobilized or leave a trail of chaos in Huilian Mountain.

No wonder the Jianchen Temple dared to use the Buddha Heart Formation to drive people away. This formation was truly formidable.

Yin Ci maintained a calm appearance as he tightly held his master’s hand, fingers interlocking. Other than that, there were no visible abnormalities. However, his slender fingers exerted a considerable amount of strength, and without his inner force, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t break free.

But Shi Jingzhi didn’t try to break free either.

Yin Ci had no choice but to rely on himself, and this feeling made his hair stand on end, giving rise to an indescribable sensation.

Since taking on this disciple, he had always relied on the other more. Now that their roles were reversed—Shi Jingzhi was left with a multitude of emotions and unfamiliar worries. The fear of the headlamp dissipated like rootless fluff, scattering with the cold wind.

This bittersweet emotion wasn’t something Shi Jingzhi enjoyed. However, it drew a sense of control from the depths of his bones, quieting the burgeoning desires that were no longer in chaos.

It was a strange feeling.

Just as Shi Jingzhi was digesting these emotions, Yin Ci spoke up.

“The Buddha Heart Formation hasn’t completely repelled us, which is good. When we successfully arrive at the Jianchen Temple, we won’t appear too offensive.”

Yin Ci spoke in a casual tone, without a hint of pressure.

Su Si disagreed. “…This isn’t repelling? I’ve heard that Huilian Mountain is inhabited by three powerful guardian demons—Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance. Now that the Buddha Heart Formation is active, they won’t be able to rest. If we’ve reached this state, let alone monsters, even a slightly larger wild boar could send us flying.”

Yin Ci opened his eyes slightly, and his unfocused black pupils stared into the air. “Actually, Shizun is somewhat correct. After all, the Buddha Heart Formation is a formation from a Buddhist sect. Brother Su, you can think of it like this—what if the visitors were desperate and helpless children?”

With low martial skills and insignificant inner demons, their desires and aspirations wouldn’t deviate from righteousness and human emotions. Whether the Buddha Heart Formation existed or not, it made no difference. The three demons representing “Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance” were able to remain behind due to the monks, and they undoubtedly possessed intelligence, not indiscriminately harming others.

Being both guilt-free and not drawing the attention of the three mountain demons of Greed, Hatred, and Ignorance, individuals like this couldn’t be stopped by the Buddha Heart Formation, and the monks wouldn’t mind them coming up the mountain.

The sealing of the Jianchen Temple was more about avoiding the dangers of the martial world rather than avoiding the world itself.

After hearing Yin Ci’s response, Su Si seemed to understand something. He no longer spoke much and merely silently caressed his own tail.

Shi Jingzhi squeezed out a smile. “Well said, A’Ci. We have no ill intentions in this journey. Once we pass through the formation, the masters will definitely not shut their doors to us… Let’s spend the night here tonight and take a rest.”

As he spoke, he regained some of the grandeur of a sect leader. “Su Si, familiarize yourself with your physical condition. Don’t let Yan Qing continue to support you. If a monster really attacks, it wouldn’t be safe.”

“Understood. I already planned to do that.”

“Yan Qing, go help him. A’Ci and I… I’ll prepare the food.” Shi Jingzhi looked at his disciple’s lifeless eyes and changed his words halfway.

Su Si couldn’t remain obedient for more than three seconds. He let go of his tail, and his gaze followed the movements of Lord Bai’s inner demon, unable to hold it in any longer. “Can we eat this roasted goose?”

Lord Bai immediately stood up and twisted the tip of Su Si’s tail.

Su Si had scales, so he wasn’t afraid of a goose’s beak. He struggled to prop himself up, grabbed the floating roasted goose, and prepared himself for disappointment as soon as he held it.

It was too light.

Although the warmth from the inner demon was comforting, it felt as light as cotton.

Su Si tried to tear at the goose leg, causing Lord Bai to honk in pain and bend its leg, causing him to collapse to the ground.

Yan Qing sighed, pried open Su Si’s hand, and put down the roasted goose. “This inner demon is probably ethereal. I tried to break the meat shackle just now, and it hurt… A’Si, let it go.”

The oil-dripping roasted goose began floating freely again, and Su Si’s eyes were filled with regret. Even as he was carried away by Yan Qing, his gaze remained fixated on the goose leg.

Only two people were left in the pavilion.

Yin Ci’s enormous inner demon still blocked the edge of the pavilion, with pairs of shadowy hands extending from Yin Ci’s neck to his waist, resembling a black suit of armor. Yin Ci sat on the stone bench, not saying a word. The sun had already set, casting a dim light on the snowy landscape, creating a scene reminiscent of an ink painting of eerie beauty.

Shi Jingzhi gently pulled apart Yin Ci’s fingers. “A’Ci, let go. I need to prepare the food.”

Yin Ci furrowed his brows and took a while before releasing his grip. “Shizun, are you sure?”

“I can’t guarantee the taste, but it’s definitely edible. It’s so cold, so I’ll make a random stew.” Shi Jingzhi’s tone was uncertain.

Yin Ci: “……” He strongly suspected that this fox only knew how to cook indiscriminately.

Unfortunately, going from frugality to extravagance was easy, but going from extravagance to frugality was difficult. Shi Jingzhi, holding a kitchen knife, had lost the courage to make do as he usually did. He gestured in the air for a while and then turned to Yin Ci. “A’Ci, when making stew, how should I slice the radish?”

Yin Ci struggled to stand up and reached out to touch Shi Jingzhi. Upon touching his master, he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

He pressed against Shi Jingzhi’s side and let his fingers brush against the blade and ingredients, then reached for Shi Jingzhi’s hand, guiding it gently. “Shizun usually prefers this thickness,” he gestured.

“You remember all these details?”

“Naturally.”

Shi Jingzhi was momentarily stunned, then silently lowered his head and began chopping vegetables. Yin Ci remained close by his side, not moving an inch.

Shi Jingzhi wanted to ask, “Are you afraid?” but he felt that if he tried to embellish the tranquility of this person, he might just turn and leave. He swallowed all his doubts and obediently continued chopping the radish.

The radish was finished, and tofu took its place. In the cold weather, the tofu froze into a solid block. Without inner force to assist, it was hard and slippery to cut. Countless ghostly hands swayed nearby, but Shi Jingzhi’s mind was elsewhere, and soon he received retribution—his knife slipped and cut the pad of his left index finger.

Blood gushed out, and Shi Jingzhi quickly withdrew his hand to reach for the medicine box.

…On any other day, A’Ci would have already handed him the medicine, he thought absentmindedly.

Habit was truly a dreadful thing.

However, this time he didn’t find the medicine box, but instead felt a warm hand. That hand accurately grasped his injured finger and gently lifted it. In the next moment, the injured fingertip was embraced by a warm sensation.

Yin Ci licked the blood from Shi Jingzhi’s fingertip with movements that were incredibly natural, as if everything was going according to plan.

His soft lips lightly pressed against the finger pad, and his tongue wrapped around the wound, making it feel scorching hot. Shi Jingzhi pulled his hand back as if struck by lightning. “You—”

“Shizun was just careless.” Yin Ci wiped the blood off his lips. “I couldn’t find the medicine box, and we can’t just let the blood drip onto the food.”

The touch of the other person’s lips and tongue still lingered on his fingertip, and it took Shi Jingzhi a while to collect his thoughts. “You’re blind, so be honest. I-I can take care of it myself.”

Yin Ci stopped moving upon hearing this. “Mm.”

Even after putting the pot on the stove, Shi Jingzhi’s heart continued to race erratically. He exerted all his energy to sort out his thoughts and silently started cooking rice.

On the other hand, Yin Ci seemed to have made a decision. He spoke up again, taking the initiative, “Thank you.”

The thanks came out of nowhere, but it touched Shi Jingzhi’s heart. He guessed a little bit—perhaps because he hadn’t forced this person to reveal their past, or perhaps because he hadn’t avoided Yin Ci’s deliberate closeness.

…Or maybe it was because he hadn’t asked the question, “Are you afraid?”.

Yan Qing and Su Si were training vigorously in the distance, and Shi Jingzhi greeted them from afar before starting to eat. The stewed dish was steaming hot, the taste was not too bad but also mediocre. The soup was slightly salty, and the smell of tofu was apparent. The radish was slightly overcooked and fell apart with a gentle touch of the chopsticks.

Shi Jingzhi frowned as he ate, unable to help but apologize to Yin Ci.

Yin Ci held his bowl, carefully eating spoonfuls without spilling a drop of soup. He didn’t show any particular expression, just as he would during a regular meal. However, his every movement felt stiff, suppressed, and filled with an unprecedented sense of suffocation.

The meal passed without any awkwardness, but in absolute silence.

After putting down their bowls and chopsticks, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t bear it anymore. He pulled Yin Ci and immediately walked out of the pavilion.

Yin Ci’s mood wasn’t particularly good either.

He glanced at the scene in the formation, but when the inner demon took shape, his vision gradually plunged into darkness. Although everyone believed he was blind, Yin Ci was well aware that “pitch-black before the eyes” wasn’t a thing for someone who had truly lost their sight. It should be the loss of vision itself.

He could still see, but all he could see was darkness.

Countless cold hands grabbed him from behind, binding him in an icy chill. Yin Ci had no idea what his inner demon looked like, nor did he have the leisure to speculate. He was on the verge of being overwhelmed by the thick and endless darkness.

Truly deserving of being a test of the human heart, the Buddha Heart Formation accurately exposed his deepest fears.

He was not familiar with Yan Qing and Su Si, so Shi Jingzhi became his only anchor.

Yin Ci couldn’t help but hold onto him tightly, almost losing control of his strength. Feeling the warmth and pulse of the other person, he gradually calmed down and regained his clarity of mind.

As for whether Shi Jingzhi would be suspicious or uncomfortable, it was not within his consideration at the moment.

He had no other choice.

Shi Jingzhi remained quiet throughout, allowing Yin Ci to cling to him, without questioning his seemingly extraordinary inner demon. Just as everyone was settling down from the chaos, the first question his master asked was how to cut the radish.

Even though the darkness enveloped Yin Ci, making his head dizzy and his anger rise, he almost couldn’t help but laugh at his master’s question.

However, Shi Jingzhi remained silent the whole time. Unable to see his expression, whatever he said seemed like he was pretending nothing was wrong. After the meal, the atmosphere between the two of them finally eased, only to slowly become tense again.

Yin Ci tried to calm his mind, and amidst the madness, a hint of regret emerged.

After dinner, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t hold back anymore. He dragged Yin Ci a few steps out of the pavilion. The winter night was cold, and the wind was dry and chilly. Shi Jingzhi deliberately set this atmosphere, seemingly preparing for a serious conversation.

Yin Ci was filled with anger, ready to burst forth. On any other day, he would have enjoyed teasing the fox. But now he just hoped his master would calm down, giving him a chance to catch his breath and suppress the chaos within his heart.

With that in mind, he immediately spoke up. “It’s cold outside at night. Let’s go back to the pavilion.”

Shi Jingzhi: “No.”

“Shizun, I have my own troubles, forgive me—I can’t—”

“Who asked about your troubles? I just don’t like seeing you in such a half-dead state.”

Shi Jingzhi stopped in his tracks and sat down. Yin Ci felt around for a moment and found a fallen dry tree on the ground. He brushed off the snow and resignedly sat down beside his master.

“Let me show you the scenery,” Shi Jingzhi declared.

Yin Ci: “…” What’s going on? Why is this fox acting crazy again?

“I can’t see.”

“I’ll describe it to you. I’ll narrate everything around us, so you don’t have to worry anymore. I don’t know where your mind has wandered, A’Ci, but you’re not there anymore.”

Without waiting for his response, Shi Jingzhi cleared his throat and began on his own. “Five feet to your left, there’s a crooked-neck pine tree. I know you can sense it… but there’s a peculiarly long pinecone hanging from its branches. It’s covered in a mound of snow, like the egg-white pastries sold at the Qizhou Restaurant…”

Shi Jingzhi didn’t let go of Yin Ci’s hand; instead, he made gestures in his palm, vividly depicting the intricate details of the surroundings.

However, the air grew colder, and the night seemed to darken. The mountain was dim, and no matter how good one’s eyesight was, it wouldn’t reach far.

But Shi Jingzhi continued.

“On the mountaintop over there, there’s a large tree with leaves that glow red. You can see it from here. It’s a pity, A’Ci, you can’t see it and have missed out on such a beautiful sight.”

Yin Ci thought to himself, ‘The seasons are all wrong. It’s winter now. Where would red leaves come from?’

Yet, he listened quietly, not exposing the deception.

Yin Ci suspected that Shi Jingzhi had emptied his memories, gathering all the beautiful things from his recollections and transposing them onto Huilian Mountain. He listened as Shi Jingzhi vividly recounted the fluttering of red leaves, the sprouting of willow branches, and the description of ice flowers hanging from trees and mist dissipating in the forest.

This person was young, yet it seemed like he had seen more beautiful sights than Yin Ci himself.

Shi Jingzhi’s voice was clear and pleasant to listen to. As Yin Ci listened, he slowly closed his eyes and leaned against the other’s shoulder.

He shifted their intertwined fingers towards their legs, using their body heat to warm them—without inner force, Shi Jingzhi’s fingers were icy cold, and his voice trembled slightly in the night breeze.

Time passed, and the moon rose gradually, the darkness flowing like a tide at their feet. Shi Jingzhi ran out of things to describe and finally fell silent.

He turned his head and noticed that Yin Ci had closed his eyes, sleeping soundly on his shoulder. Their black hair intertwined, slipping down his shoulder, emitting a gentle shimmer. Yin Ci’s eyebrows were still slightly furrowed, but his expression was much more relaxed than before.

The sky in the mountains was clear, with stars scattered all over. The two of them sat alone in the midst of heaven and earth, with their only source of warmth being each other’s body heat, creating a faint sense of reliance.

Suddenly, Shi Jingzhi didn’t feel like returning to the pavilion.

He handed a cloak to Yin Ci, leaving the inner demon headlamp behind as it melted into the dark shadows of the mountains.

For over twenty years, his thoughts and desires had always been suspended in emptiness. Now, they drifted down like snowflakes, settling on the ground. Perhaps his encounter with Yin Ci wasn’t a coincidence. Over the years, he had been searching, and for the first time, he had found someone like this—

Someone who shared a similar level of pain as himself.

“I am sitting beside you.”

Shi Jingzhi began to whisper again.

“I am smiling now. I am… happy.”

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The author has something to say:

After finishing the last chapter, I couldn’t help but eat Lord Bai’s inner demon for lunch. Tasty! (…

Unfortunately, Lord Bai’s inner demon can’t be eaten, and everyone can only eat the fox’s hand-made stew with white rice.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 46: Entering the Formation

Winter was coming to an end, yet the chill of spring was biting.

The main altar of the Chigou Sect was located near the northwest sand dunes, facing the desert. The weather there was even more severe than in other places. Even the powerful Matron Wuxue was willing to hold a hot soup bowl to warm her hands.

She looked at the bleak snowy scenery outside the window and absentmindedly stroked a copper water jug as if she were holding a living creature. The table was filled with snacks and hot tea, all untouched.

“Matriarch, there is news. The Prince of Rong has reached an agreement with the Taiheng Sect and exchanged map fragments. Now both sides possess eight fragments, aligning with our Divine Sect.”

A few days ago, the Chigou Sect had just engaged in a bloody battle with the Ling Sect. The Ling Sect, fueled by unknown anger, counterattacked like a mad dog. The Red Scorpion Team suffered a third of their forces before obtaining the exclusive Buddha bead map fragment of the Ling Sect.

As a result, the Chigou Sect now possessed eight out of the fourteen fragments. They were still leading, but the Prince of Rong’s move had brought the three parties back to a tie.

Matron Wuxue showed no surprise. “The Taiheng Sect has deep ties with the imperial court. It’s only a matter of time. Xu Jingming is incapable of suppressing his ambitions; he’s probably waiting to reap the benefits of the Taiheng Sect… Inform the spies from the Rong Palace to redirect their focus on Jiang Youyue.”

“Monitor the Imperial Teacher?! Matriarch, please reconsider. If the imperial court blames us, we…”

The old woman coldly interrupted, “Forget about the Shirou; the current emperor hasn’t even tasted immortal wine. If he has any intention of intervening, what role can we, mere martial world wanderers, play? If the Emperor doesn’t care, and Jiang Youyue, a charlatan, remains a bystander, there must be hidden motives. Perhaps he’s scheming somewhere, waiting to strike from behind.”

“But—”

“My Divine Sect never touches the Imperial Tombs. Even if Jiang Youyue were to die, I would dig up his grave. If he’s alive, I’ll dare to offend him even more.”

“Yes.”

After digesting the shocking command for a while, the subordinate continued, “There’s another matter. Five days ago, in Qiwu City, Zheng Fengdao was killed by Shi Jingzhi of the Kushan Sect. It seems the Kushan Sect has no intention of collecting the map fragments and is heading back to Huilian Mountain.”

“Zheng Fengdao is dead? That boy surnamed Shi is indeed exceptional.”

Matron Wuxue chuckled. Zheng Fengdao was cunning and cautious, never overestimating himself. Killing him was no simple task; it couldn’t have been a lucky strike by Shi Jingzhi.

“Matriarch, should we not interfere with the Kushan Sect? That person…”

“No need to bother with him.” Matron Wuxue finally turned her head. “He belongs to the Chigou Sect; he can’t escape.”

“I understand, Matriarch.”

“Since that one surnamed Shi is in a hurry to return to Huilian Mountain, he probably found some clues. The Buddha Heart Formation is something I haven’t seen yet. If only I were twenty years younger…”

As she spoke, she suddenly fell silent and gazed out the window.

A thousand li away, at the foot of Huilian Mountain.

The four members of the Kushan Sect were on edge as they deliberately bypassed Yongsheng and finally made their way to Huilian Mountain.

Sect Master Shi Jingzhi indeed had a knack for medicine. Su Si, who had been the loudest in protesting, was now completely healed with no hindrance. Shi Jingzhi himself was in good health, bouncing back to life.

This time, when they infiltrated the Buddha Heart Formation, Shi Jingzhi’s state of mind was calm.

After all, Huilian Mountain was the stronghold of a reputable orthodox sect. It lacked the gloom of the Ghost Tomb and the disharmony of Yuanxian Village. It was merely a tall and simple mountain, covered in pure white snow, backed by the light blue sky. The wind was calm, the rocks were solid, and the snow rested on the green pines. At a distance, the imposing grandeur would hit one’s face, suppressing any wandering thoughts.

Even though the Buddha Heart Formation covered it, this mountain gave an indescribable sense of security.

Shi Jingzhi looked at the comforting mountain, slowly opened his arms, and let out a deep breath, as if embracing it.

Since joining the Kushan Sect, Su Si had been worried about the mental state of the master and disciple. “…What is the Sect Master doing?”

Yin Ci glanced at the desolate figure of his cheap master and couldn’t help but smile. “I guess he’s thanking the heavens that he no longer has to deal with those evil and sinister things.”

Having passed through the Ghost Tomb and the forbidden area, even Yin Ci himself wanted to change his mood.

Su Si didn’t see the forbidden area of Yuanxian Village, so he couldn’t understand for a moment. “Is that so? I’ve heard people say that Huilian Mountain is vast and harbors many monsters. We’ve lost our inner force, and if we encounter inner demons, we’ll definitely have a hard time.”

Shi Jingzhi turned around upon hearing this. “I have said before, the Buddha Heart Formation was created by the monks. Even if it’s mysterious, it probably can’t be that mysterious. Besides, inner demons, which are invisible and intangible, at most torment one’s spirit. There’s no need to worry excessively.”

His words carried weight and depth, but Yin Ci could detect a hint of self-comfort in them.

As they approached the foot of the mountain, it became increasingly clear that the Jianchen Temple was sealed off. A row of arhat stone sculptures, half a person tall, sat around the mountain, exuding a threatening aura. The stone statues were seven steps apart, each with a unique shape and vivid expression, without a trace of snow on them.

Colorful Buddhist banners were placed between the gaps of the stone statues. The banners swayed with the cold wind, making a rustling sound that induced drowsiness.

With angry eyes, the arhats faced outward, while the Buddhist banners fluttered. The two complemented each other, forming a fence that rejected everything, encircling the entire mountain.

The group didn’t recklessly cross the boundary; they circled cautiously around Huilian Mountain and finally found an entrance. The monks didn’t seal off the mountain completely but placed two large stones in front of a dangerous area in the back, creating a conspicuous stone gate for the enclosure.

The two massive stones stood solemnly, with the left one inscribed with “No Bodhi Tree¹” and the right one with “The clear mirror is not a stand²“. The characters were powerful, and the sense of rejection was even stronger than that of the arhat Buddhist banners—as if an unseen giant stone hung at the top, bearing the words “Do Not Act Recklessly”.

¹This is a line from the poem “Bodhi” by Huineng. It refers to the concept that the state of enlightenment or awakening (represented by the Bodhi tree) is not confined or limited to any specific form or object. It signifies the idea that the ultimate truth or realization transcends materiality and can be attained regardless of external conditions.
²Another line from the poem “Bodhi” by Huineng. It refers to the mind or consciousness is like a clear mirror that reflects reality without distortion. It emphasizes that the mind itself is not a fixed or substantial entity but rather a dynamic and illuminating faculty that can perceive the world as it truly is.

On the other side of the gate, the majestic mountain scenery remained.

Being in the shadow of the mountain, the view inside the formation became clearer. The stone steps were covered with a thin layer of snow, leading deep into the mountain. The stone pavilions were meticulously designed and perfectly placed. However, there were some peculiarities that differed from the ordinary—headless stone statues stood in the mountains, covered in vibrant green moss, contrasting greatly with the desolate winter scenery and appearing particularly out of place.

The stone statues were exquisitely crafted, depicting people of all ages and genders. Despite lacking heads, their movements still conveyed a festive atmosphere.

The four members of the Kushan Sect hesitated for a long time in front of the stone entrance, rather unkindly pushing forward the weakest member.

Lord Bai, being prodded by Shi Jingzhi with a flag, swayed and shook as it crossed the massive stones. Every two steps, it would turn its gaze back to intimidate the others.

Entering the Buddha Heart Formation for the first time, Lord Bai didn’t show any abnormalities. However, after half an incense stick, its two antennae slowly stood up. Suddenly, as if it had seen something incredibly terrifying, the whole goose collapsed into the snow, playing dead.

This was perhaps the legendary inner demon.

But the goose itself was unharmed, and it didn’t struggle violently to break free. This formation was likely safe.

Yan Qing pondered. “My experience is the simplest. I’ll go and test it out first.”

Shi Jingzhi nodded, giving way. Yan Qing looked at the two massive stones on both sides and cautiously stepped into the formation. As soon as he entered, Yan Qing looked around, then glanced at Lord Bai, his expression gradually becoming strange.

Su Si’s heart tightened. “San Zi, what did you see?”

Yan Qing: “Well… I’ll stay for a while and then tell you.”

Another half of an incense stick passed, and suddenly Yan Qing looked at his own hands, revealing a bitter smile. Then he took a step forward, walked out of the stone entrance, and immediately returned to the formation.

“I probably understand what’s going on. You can only see the anomalies once you’re inside the formation. It’s hard to explain it all at once. Why don’t we all come in and take a look?”

Seeing that Yan Qing was in a normal state and could come and go freely, Su Si followed suit, followed by Shi Jingzhi. Yin Ci observed from the outside for a moment before finally joining them.

Upon entering the formation, they instantly felt a chilling sensation, as if a bucket of ice-cold water was poured over them. Unfortunately, they didn’t have time to savor it, as their attention was completely drawn to the strange sights before them—

After a hundred years, the legendary Buddha Heart Formation unfolded once again before the visitors, revealing its full appearance.

The headless stone statues remained in the distance, covered in vibrant green moss. However, near the stone statues, there were peculiar “bare branches”. They were dimly grayish red in color, with a texture that resembled both wood and flesh. They were so thick that three people couldn’t wrap their arms around them. These strange objects pierced straight into the depths of the sky, with no visible end. The only thing known was that the higher they went, the thinner these objects became, swaying gently with the wind.

Thousands upon thousands of these “bare branches” covered the entire Huilian Mountain, stretching endlessly. Looking up, the group seemed to be surrounded by a grayish-flesh-colored towering forest.

Yin Ci repeated his master’s words leisurely. “The Buddha Heart Formation was created by the monks, so it probably can’t be too sinister.”

Shi Jingzhi was sweating profusely. “…Maybe we should first confront our inner demons.”

The situation with Lord Bai was also quite eye-catching.

A roasted goose floated behind the dejected Lord Bai. Its skin was brightly colored and translucent, with juices mixed with dripping fat, emitting a steaming heat that dispersed with the wind.

Could this be considered an inner demon? If it truly was an inner demon, this inner demon looked rather delicious. No wonder Yan Qing hesitated to describe it directly—it was a bit amusing.

Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Yan Qing said calmly, “The Buddha Heart Formation not only seals off our inner force but also allows our inner demons to take form. However, it’s difficult to express the phenomenon of ‘inner demons taking form’ in words.”

“Your ‘inner demons’ need time to manifest. First, let’s focus on what I’ve experienced. My mind is still clear, without any strange emotions. I can only… see these things, nothing more.”

The contrast of white snow and grayish branches made the orange-roasted goose particularly conspicuous, but the other three people only noticed Yan Qing now.

Unlike outside the formation, Yan Qing had many wounds on his body. Those injuries didn’t look like they were caused by sharp weapons but rather like they were inflicted by fists, kicks, and burns.

Yan Qing noticed the gazes of the others and smiled indifferently. “My father loved alcohol. Those were just trivial matters from my childhood. Don’t mind them.”

He raised his wrist to let everyone see the main point.

A blurry and fleshy handcuff dangled from Yan Qing’s wrist. The handcuff seemed to be made of someone’s tendons, bloodily twisted into a single strand. Scattered eyeballs were hanging from it, arranged in an intricate manner, resembling berries growing on a vine. Each eyeball had a crimson pupil that occasionally rotated, looking around in all directions.

Shi Jingzhi: “…”

He quickly stepped out of the stone gate and took a few breaths outside the formation. When he returned, there was a change in Sect Master Shi’s eyes. He looked towards Huilian Mountain with a tinge of resentment, as if what stood before him wasn’t a lifeless mountain but a faithless person who had deceived his heartfelt emotions.

“Perhaps it’s just my own peculiar inner demon,” Yan Qing said, covering the eyeball handcuff with his sleeve, trying to comfort the others. “Look, Su Si doesn’t have something as extreme as this.”

“Isn’t this extreme?!” Su Si nearly screamed.

Compared to the delicious roasted goose and the eyeball handcuff, Su Si’s inner demon was relatively straightforward, ordinary to the point of being somewhat incomprehensible—half an incense stick had passed, and Su Si suddenly fell to the snowy ground. His lower body twisted together, transforming into a thick, black snake tail.

With his facial features and tear mole, he looked exactly like a snake demon from a storybook.

Poor Su Si, who had been a two-legged human for twenty-one years, had no idea how to move like a snake. He lay paralyzed next to Lord Bai with his tail extended straight out, resembling a frozen dead snake.

So far, although the transformations were strange, the group could still barely accept them.

According to the order in which they entered the formation, it was now Shi Jingzhi’s turn for his “inner demon to take form”.

Shi Jingzhi stood still, his eyes tightly closed, not daring to move a muscle. After a while, he opened one eye and scanned the surroundings—no floating objects, no strange flesh handcuffs, his limbs were still the same, and there were no signs of any distortion.

Upon receiving this result, Shi Jingzhi’s expression changed dramatically from his usual demeanor. He planted his flag and frantically searched his body with his hands, but found no changes.

…How is this possible?

His inner force had been sealed. How could the Buddha Heart Formation only be half effective?

Shi Jingzhi’s face turned grim. He had long harbored the intention of using the Buddha Heart Formation. If this formation could truly draw out his inner demon, he might have discovered the cause of his abnormality. But the Buddha Heart Formation didn’t show any reaction, and Yan Qing’s inner demon was more alarming than his.

In an instant, the cold wind around him seemed to lose its temperature. Shi Jingzhi placed a hand on his chest, feeling his heart pounding.

Could his uncontrollable desires simply be his “true nature”?

First, his emperor father, then his emperor brother. He had been so successfully confined, like a wild beast with its fangs removed, raised on crushed flesh until now. One couldn’t truly say whether they were suffering or not if they were someone who hadn’t truly lived.

It made sense. What could someone who hasn’t truly lived understand about inner demons?

For some reason, Shi Jingzhi instinctively looked at Yin Ci, as if trying to grasp something. However, upon seeing his disciple’s condition for the first time, Shi Jingzhi’s heart trembled once again, overwhelmed with a profound sense of sadness.

Yin Ci stood at the entrance of the stone gate, gazing vacantly into the depths of Huilian Mountain. Several translucent shadow arms embraced him from behind, resembling malevolent spirits from stories.

Those palms interlocked with each other on Yin Ci’s chest, while the ends of the arms twisted together behind him, forming an exceptionally thick “chain”. The other end of the shadow chain was hidden at the edge of the grand formation, without revealing its complete form.

Looking at Yin Ci’s expression, he seemed completely indifferent to his own inner demon. “If Brother Su can still move, we might as well venture a little deeper. There’s a pavilion up ahead, which would be a better place to rest.”

Yin Ci ignored the dense cluster of arms on his body and took a few steps forward. He moved away from the entrance, and a portion of the ghostly chain was dragged along with him.

Su Si and Yan Qing both took a breath almost simultaneously, while Shi Jingzhi remained silent; his heart slowly growing colder.

“A’Ci, come here. Your hairband is a bit crooked. Let me fix it for you,” Shi Jingzhi said softly, suppressing the tremor in his voice.

Sect Master Shi’s eyes stared fixedly at Yin Ci, stepping back as he spoke, gradually moving further away from the entrance of the grand formation. Yin Ci seemed accustomed to Shi Jingzhi’s occasional outbursts of concern. He couldn’t be bothered to refuse and calmly walked over to Shi Jingzhi’s side.

As Yin Ci approached, Su Si hugged Lord Bai, struggling to roll away, and even Yan Qing took a few steps back.

However, Shi Jingzhi stopped his retreat.

When Yin Ci stood in front of him, Shi Jingzhi lifted a lock of Yin Ci’s black hair and looked into his dim pupils.

For the first time, Shi Jingzhi had this feeling—he should have focused on his own emptiness, but seeing the scene in front of him, he couldn’t help but want to restrain Yin Ci, to force his disciple’s past out at that very moment.

His heart was torn between himself and others, nearly splitting into two.

After what seemed like an eternity, Shi Jingzhi spoke again. Surprisingly, he found that the more bizarre the situation became, the more his voice steadied on its own.

Shi Jingzhi carefully adjusted Yin Ci’s white jade hairband, and his words were filled with heartache. “A’Ci… You can’t see. Why didn’t you say anything?”

This person’s expression remained indifferent, walking as usual, perhaps understanding the path through the flow of air. There was only one flaw in Yin Ci’s behavior, a flaw that was truly fatal and couldn’t be concealed no matter how he disguised it.

Yin Ci’s inner demon wasn’t just those chain-like ghostly hands.

They had initially only seen those hands because Yin Ci’s inner demon was too massive—so massive that it only revealed its complete form when Yin Ci was ten zhang away.

The ghostly hands were connected, forming a chain of shadows. The further back it went, the more translucent shadow hands there were. Eventually, they intertwined and slid like the belly of a slug, appearing in an opaque black color. Looking further up, an immensely huge, half-decayed human head came into view.

Not including the base of the ghostly hands, the height of the fragmented human head was about nine zhang, comparable to three layers of city walls stacked together. The head was inverted with no lower jaw, and the facial features had all decayed into enormous cavities, revealing empty interiors.

Overall, the massive inner demon resembled a peculiar, ever-burning lamp; the kind that was unearthed from a ghost tomb.

In half of the skull, there was indeed a cluster of fire.

That flame was the opposite of any ordinary fire in the world—pure black and chilling. It flickered gently, absorbing all surrounding light. The nearby “bare branches” seemed to respond to it, swaying more noticeably.

Perhaps this thing shouldn’t be called a “lamp”—”a perpetual dark lamp” would be more accurate. Su Si and Yan Qing’s hair stood on end, and they retreated further away—just approaching this colossal entity was enough to make one feel extremely uncomfortable.

In comparison, the ghostly hands and shadow chains were like strands of hair. As Yin Ci moved, the shadow chains slowly dragged the headlamp along. It seemed as if Yin Ci was dragging a mountain with his own body, which was somewhat comical at first glance.

Under such an inner demon, Yin Ci still maintained a calm and composed expression, which could only mean “unable to see”.

Shi Jingzhi repeated the question once again, his throat dry and painful. “You can’t see, right?”

Everyone’s reactions were strange. Even if Yin Ci couldn’t guess with complete certainty, he could still figure out a good portion of it. He lowered his eyes for a moment and gave out a “Mm”, then responded in a disciplined manner. “Indeed, I can’t see. It must be the interference of the Buddha Heart Formation. It doesn’t hinder my movements, and my sight will return after leaving the formation… That’s all. I don’t want to trouble Shizun.”

He paused for a moment. “It seems that my inner demon is much more prominent than others.”

More than just prominent, this inner demon was exceptionally abnormal. In terms of size alone, it could be seen from the peak of the mountain. If it weren’t for the fact that the monks weren’t in the formation, they probably would have tried to suppress it by now.

Shi Jingzhi gazed at his disciple before him with a thousand words trapped in his chest. He had always been skilled in social interactions, but at this moment, he couldn’t find any words to say.

Yan Qing and Su Si were both twenty-one years old. Leaving Yan Qing aside, Su Si had already experienced some of the most challenging hardships. Yet all he grew was a snake tail.

His own disciple was only twenty years old. Could it be that since Yin Ci came of age, he had been living in the eighteen layers of hell? Shi Jingzhi looked at the immensely huge human headlamp, not feeling fear for the moment but only an icy sense of trance.

What kind of experiences must a person go through to develop such an inner demon?

Shi Jingzhi had always believed that as long as they maintained a good relationship, Yin Ci would eventually open up to him—between a master and disciple, they would definitely confide in each other. It was only a matter of time.

Now, he was no longer certain.

There was a moment when Shi Jingzhi had a cold intuition.

What stood before him seemed to be not a human being but a lightless abyss.

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The author has something to say:

Inner Demon (Physical)

…Of course, I wouldn’t write about normal inner demons (^ρ^)/

Shi Jingzhi: ??? How is it possible the only normal person is me?

Our inner force has been sealed, and Yin Ci, as the village’s hope, had to go blind (…

Adventures, well, they can never go smoothly.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 45: Chest Mole

The master and disciple sat on the rooftop of the abandoned house.

Zheng Fengdao’s body was kicked off the roof by Yin Ci who claimed it was “obstructing the view”, leaving only patches of blood remaining on the roof. The dark red blood trickled over the blue tiles, reflecting a pitch-black color in the moonlight.

Yin Ci urgently attended to the wounds on Shi Jingzhi’s limbs. After stopping the bleeding, he bit his sleeve and ripped off a large piece of cloth. “Take off your shirt. Let me see the injuries.”

Shi Jingzhi blinked.

His shirt was torn to shreds by the sword wind and soaked in blood, making it difficult to remove. In the darkness, his disciple furrowed his eyebrows slightly, patiently waiting.

The image of Yin Ci saying, “I prefer someone like you,” lingered in Shi Jingzhi’s mind.

When he said those words, Yin Ci didn’t resemble those people from before—those who were deceived by his disguise, even if they looked serious, were gazing at someone who didn’t exist. However, his disciple looked straight into his eyes, pinning his three souls and seven spirits* in place.

*In Chinese mythology, it’s believed that humans have three souls and seven spirits. The three souls are believed to be responsible for different aspects of the person’s being, while the seven spirits are manifestations of the seven emotions or state of being. See more in my Kinky Thoughts.

A strange and wonderful sense of satisfaction arose.

The only regret was that he couldn’t see through Yin Ci. Shi Jingzhi observed him meticulously, but only found a few tiny flaws.

Yin Ci’s decision to hide his identity as a descendant of the Su Family by infiltrating a small sect wasn’t strange in itself. However, he had exceptional martial arts skills, yet he took on a young master. He should act perfunctory, but there were unnecessary forms of intimacy.

In Qizhou, it was common for them to stay in a dilapidated house and share a bed. But now that they were living in a decent inn, Yin Ci still naturally shared a bed with him—Yan Qing and Su Si both knew this and took turns sleeping on the floor.

However, Yin Ci behaved remarkably well when he fell asleep, never moving around. At most, he would extend his hand when waking up to ensure there was a living person breathing beside him, with no hint of familiarity.

It was only in those moments that his disciple revealed a trace of genuine emotion.

What is hidden in this person’s heart?

“Afterward, we’ll burn the body, so your swordsmanship won’t leave any traces,” Shi Jingzhi said with deliberation. “But with the eyes of the city watching, news of me killing Zheng Fengdao will eventually spread. Will you be fine with the attention on the Kushan Sect?”

“No problem,” Yin Ci replied softly, keeping his head down and continuing to clean Shi Jingzhi’s wounds, never lifting his gaze.

Shi Jingzhi held his breath and concentrated, but the continuation of the conversation never came. Yin Ci remained as lifeless as ever, unable to produce any meaningful response.

…It was absolutely vexing.

While Shi Jingzhi was thinking, his disciple had placed a hand on his bare chest. The warmth of the fingertips made him instinctively shrink back.

“Shizun, what is this?”

Yin Ci pointed to a peculiar mole on his chest.

The mole on Shi Jingzhi’s chest was about the size of a copper coin and had a dark bluish color. Blood vessel-like patterns extended from its edges, spreading out densely. Against his fair skin, it appeared particularly eerie.

“Hmm? Oh… I had a high fever when I was a child, and this thing appeared after the fever. Perhaps it’s related to my peculiar illness, but I haven’t found any relevant clues,” Shi Jingzhi replied, sounding nonchalant as he had long grown accustomed to this mole that neither hurt nor itched.

Yin Ci wiped away the bloodstains on Shi Jingzhi’s chest and examined it closely. His eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter.

After a moment, he sighed. “…I haven’t seen it before either, but it feels somewhat familiar.”

“Well, people with liver diseases can also develop spider moles, but those are red. Perhaps A’Ci misremembered.”

“Mm.” Yin Ci withdrew his gaze and wrapped up another wound.

After attending to his master’s injuries, Yin Ci dragged the corpses into the derelict courtyard, hacked them into pieces with his sword, and then skillfully set them ablaze.

Finally, he carried Shi Jingzhi on his back and left the vigilant night watchmen trailing behind.

The master and disciple plunged into a dark alley. The narrow starry sky above them was dimly lit, devoid of the stench of blood and flesh. Even the pain from their wounds diminished somewhat.

“Speaking of which, now that the Ling Sect has discovered us, do you think Yan Qing and Su Si might…” Shi Jingzhi rested on his disciple’s back, toying with the white jade hairpin, casually asking.

“Nine out of ten.”

Shi Jingzhi stiffened. “Then what should we do?”

“Nothing.” Yin Ci’s tone was flat. “I only take care of you. Yan Qing has Su Si and Lord Bai. If nothing goes wrong, they’ll come back on their own. If something does happen, they’re probably long gone.”

Shi Jingzhi: “…”

Shi Jingzhi: “A’Ci, the Kushan Sect still needs to uphold some sense of righteousness.”

Without turning his head, Yin Ci replied, “Since Shizun said so, I’ll go look for them later.”

Once they arrived at the inn, Yin Ci casually tossed the fox dumpling, covered in strips of cloth, onto the bed and leisurely brewed a pot of hot sugar water. “Shizun, tend to your wounds. I’ll be right back.”

“Be careful.”

“I will.”

As Yin Ci left, Shi Jingzhi slowly sipped the sugar water, feeling some strength return to his cold hands and feet. Instead of immediately applying medicine, he ignited some medicinal powder and summoned sparrows.

Perhaps because he had been out of touch for too long, this time, three sparrows arrived in quick succession.

Shi Jingzhi glanced at his bloody right arm and sighed. “Writing things down is such a hassle… You birds, go deliver the message and say that I’m fine.”

Three plump birds lined up at the window, tilting their heads in unison.

“I’m… fine… Ah, forget it,” Shi Jingzhi murmured as he trembled and slowly peeled off a thin piece of silk. After reading the letter, instead of using vermilion ink, he dipped the pen in blood and began to write a reply.

A few streets away.

Yin Ci, too, was watching birds, but not sparrows. He was observing a top-grade homing pigeon used for delivering messages.

Having lived for so many years, Yin Ci had accumulated a considerable amount of silver coins in various cities, so he had no trouble affording carrier pigeons. Relying on his accumulated status, even if his ghostskin robe was damaged, it was effortless for him to inquire about news in the martial world.

Shi Jingzhi was far from being a simple herbalist’s son.

Sun Huaijin had never feared the authorities, and now his influence was waning. If Sun Huaijin dared to lie to his face, there could only be one reason—Shi Jingzhi had intricate ties to him.

When Sun Huaijin was young, his only vice was his promiscuity. He had numerous sons and daughters, totaling around forty or fifty. Now that he had reached the age of great-grandfather, he likely had several hundred descendants.

After experiencing numerous deaths, Yin Ci rarely invested too much emotion in those around him, let alone concerning himself with such a vast family tree. However, given the current circumstances, he had no choice but to care.

After delivering the message, Yin Ci dusted off the ashes from his body and went to find Yan Qing and Su Si.

At the same time.

“A’Si, should we take action?” Yan Qing said in a deep voice.

If it weren’t for the large vegetable basket they were carrying and the cramped space they squeezed into at the bottom of a ditch, the atmosphere would have been more solemn.

As an expert in escaping for his life, Su Si had noticed the Ling Sect followers from the start. Utilizing their advantage of being childhood friends, Su Si and Yan Qing didn’t need words to communicate. They coordinated silently, never losing sight of each other. They circled around with Lord Bai in tow, evading around seventy to eighty percent of their pursuers. Only two of them proved to be persistent, sticking to them like sticky toffee.

“The Corpse Retrieval Team. I really…” Su Si plucked the vegetable leaf off his head and forcefully swallowed his profanity. “I really find it strange. First, the Chigou Sect’s Scorpion Legs, and now the Ling Sect’s Corpse Retrieval Team. Am I cursed by demonic sects in this lifetime?”

“The Corpse Retrieval Team?”

“They’re similar to the Scorpion Legs, both being highly formidable assassins. However, the Corpse Retrieval Team only takes orders from the Ling Sect Patriarch and doesn’t engage in hired killings.”

Yan Qing: “…Alright, then let’s not take action. They must be after our sect leader; they won’t confront us directly.”

Lord Bai nodded in agreement.

Su Si sneered. “San Zi, are you still thinking you’re in the Taiheng Sect? The demonic sect doesn’t have the concept of ‘letting someone off lightly’. It’s like a mangy dog; neither scaring nor running away will work. You have to make it see its own blood before it considers retreating.”

The implication was clear—they were in for a fierce battle.

Yan Qing pondered for a moment. “Then I’ll go out and distract them while you escape. You can run faster than me and hide better. It’s better for one person to die than both of us.”

Even in the dark vegetable basket, the shadows couldn’t conceal Su Si’s frustrated gaze. “You’ve really become useless after being raised in the Taiheng Sect. It was so difficult for me to find you again. How could I just leave you behind?”

“Do you have any other ideas?”

“Attack them. Even if we can’t kill them, we’ll at least take a chunk out of them. With our lives on the line, there might be a glimmer of hope.”

Yan Qing frowned, clearly not considering this idea to be particularly brilliant.

But Su Si would rather die than run away, and he wouldn’t be foolish enough to walk into death alone. After some deliberation between the two of them, they decided on a surprise attack from the vegetable basket.

Finally, the two members of the Corpse Retrieval Team discovered the ditch.

A large white goose soared into the air and landed on the face of one of the men. The other man was about to draw his sword when Su Si swiftly kicked him aside. Yan Qing, less proficient in wielding a longsword, dealt with the assassin with the goose perched on his head, temporarily scattering their enemies.

Yan Qing only needed to buy time until Su Si finished off the other man, and then they could team up on this one.

Unfortunately, his stolen martial arts skills were unstable at best, making it impossible for him to compete against the skilled members of the Corpse Retrieval Team. The opponent easily threw Lord Bai against the earthen wall, causing it to honk in agony and immediately pretend to be dead by lying face down. Yan Qing clenched his teeth, repeatedly using several Taiheng sword techniques, but his opponent saw through them completely.

The assassin easily dismantled his moves, clearly seeing through Yan Qing’s lackluster skill. Seeing his comrade locked in a fierce battle, the assassin was about to dispose of Yan Qing first and then focus on the more threatening Su Si.

Unable to hold off his opponent any longer, Yan Qing angrily shouted and opened his eyes.

The sky was dim, but not dark enough to conceal his Ghost Eyes. A pair of crimson eyes faintly reflected in the night making it particularly striking.

The assassin froze in place, and just as Yan Qing felt some relief, a surge of killing intent sent him stumbling.

“Who’s this little bastard daring to impersonate the bloodline of our Hierarch?!”

Yan Qing: “…” Indeed, it was the demonic sect, and their reaction was just as unreasonable.

He thought of his father’s crippled leg and wasn’t surprised—within the Ling Sect where lunatics gathered, weakness was the gravest sin.

The assassin’s attention had indeed shifted away from Su Si, but under the immense killing intent, Yan Qing couldn’t even stand upright, let alone defend himself with a sword. He instinctively took a half-step backward, his feet stepping on the blood-soaked wet mud, and fell into the bottom of the ditch in a sorry state.

He didn’t even have the chance to escape.

‘That’s fine,’ Yan Qing thought. If he died, at least Su Si could escape.

After all, the difference between them was like an insurmountable chasm. No matter how angry or fearful he was, he couldn’t conjure strength out of thin air, let alone create reinforcements from beans*.

*Sowing beans into soldiers (撒豆成兵) Idiom referring to mobilizing a large number of people or recruited quickly, often with little training or preparation. It comes from a historical story in ancient China where the emperor ordered his soldiers to throw beans on the ground as a means of recruiting soldiers and miraculously, the beans sprouted into an army.

The situation was impossible. He, like a weed, had been struggling alone for survival. For so many years, he has lacked ambition, so his death would certainly be insignificant. Now, dying at the hands of a formidable enemy, he could at least relieve his friend of a burden, which could be considered a fitting end.

As the assassin’s sword stabbed forward, Yan Qing couldn’t help but close his eyes.

In an instant, warm blood splattered on Yan Qing’s eyelids.

“You idiot. What are you doing?!” Su Si angrily roared.

He had flashed over without Yan Qing realizing, and the assassin’s short sword pierced through his palm. Instead of letting go, Su Si instinctively grasped the hilt, restraining the assassin’s movements.

“Stand up!” Su Si’s voice was slightly hoarse.

Yan Qing was momentarily stunned. “I…”

“Stand up for me and die standing up!”

Su Si forcefully took the assassin’s dagger, pulling it out of his palm, causing a splatter of blood. He shielded Yan Qing behind him, keeping a sharp eye on the two assassins in front with a gaze filled with hostility.

The blood-stained dagger was thrown to Yan Qing’s side, grazing his palm, and slanting into the soil.

The two assassins regrouped, forming their formation once again. Their naive ambush had ultimately been in vain. Yan Qing slowly gripped the dagger with his heart filled with mixed emotions.

“A’Si, I’m sorry.”

“…It’s good that you’re awake.” Su Si briefly smiled.

“What do we do next?”

“We must separate them. You… San Zi?!”

Yan Qing charged forward once more.

He wasn’t recklessly charging without a plan. His crimson eyes seemed to be burning. The two assassins had just gained the upper hand, causing them to relax for a moment. Yan Qing targeted the one who had already been injured by Su Si, gathering all his strength into one strike and directly knocking the person back several zhang away.

He hadn’t guessed wrong; the other assassin, seeing the ghost eyes, also froze for a moment.

This was the moment he wanted—regardless of whether it would be followed by rage or killing intent, it didn’t matter.

Yan Qing opened his arms and embraced the assassin. His hands were covered in blood and wounds, slippery and weak, so he forcefully wedged the dagger into his left arm, between the two bones of his forearm. His right hand tightly gripped the rough hilt, firmly locking it.

By the time the assassin reacted, his entire body was trapped between Yan Qing’s two arms, unable to exert any force. Yan Qing saw the assassin struggling, lunged at his neck, and bit down, causing blood to spray all over his face.

He didn’t possess powerful martial arts skills—only a remaining ounce of strength, along with a heart full of bitterness and astonishment.

It turned out he couldn’t die so easily anymore.

Ignoring the pain in his jaws, Yan Qing clamped down his teeth. No matter how the assassin struggled, he refused to let go. The taste of human flesh and blood filled his mouth, accompanied by a repugnant stench.

In this way, although the restraint was effective, Yan Qing’s back was completely exposed, leaving him vulnerable to a sword through the heart at any moment.

But the other person couldn’t do it.

Watching Yan Qing and the enemy being thrown apart, Su Si let out a long sigh. His gaze was filled with self-mockery.

“At this point, I’m still keeping it from him.” He gritted his teeth. “There’s no other way. I have to make sure that none of you can escape…”

The remaining assassin was furious, paying no attention to the muttering kid in front of him. He drew another dagger and attacked directly.

Su Si remained in place, but his presence suddenly disappeared.

The sinister aura in his eyes vanished without a trace, leaving only an empty and expressionless look. Faced with a deadly strike, Su Si even put away his butcher’s cleaver. He stood there with empty hands, swiftly evading every attack. The assassin’s strikes were deadly, but they seemed to hit cotton, unable to harm Su Si in the slightest.

In the moment of confusion and sluggishness from the assassin, Su Si closed in and clawed at the enemy’s throat.

This move was twisted and cunning, making it extremely difficult to defend against. The assassin forcefully twisted his joints and used the dagger to defend himself. In an instant, there was a light metallic sound as the dagger touched flesh and snapped in Su Si’s five fingers.

Flesh and blood scattered, followed by a body hitting the ground.

With a delicate closing and releasing of his five fingers, Su Si hollowed out the assassin’s throat.

“It’s all your fault. If you hadn’t come to kill us, I wouldn’t have to keep it from him… It’s even more uncomfortable than I thought.” Su Si flicked the blood off his hand and spoke with a cold tone.

“That… You…” The assassin whimpered silently as the light in his eyes quickly faded away.

Su Si mercilessly lifted his foot and stomped on the assassin’s neck, forcefully crushing it into a mass of minced meat. Then, he picked up the butcher’s cleaver, grabbed the assassin held by Yan Qing, and hacked it into the back of the assassin’s head.

Blood mixed with the muddy ground, and the stench became even more prominent. Yan Qing had lost a large amount of blood. Su Si carefully released his arm, but he had already lost consciousness, his pair of red eyes devoid of focus.

Su Si’s lips turned pale as he threw the dagger far away. “San Zi, you’ve worked hard.”

“Mmm…”

“Let’s go home.”

Dawn was approaching, and the two of them were covered in blood and mud. They even brought along a feigned dead goose. If they hadn’t encountered Yin Ci on the way, they might not have made it back to the inn before daybreak.

Shi Jingzhi had just finished bandaging himself when he had to take care of the two servants. The medicine box that had just been filled was now nearly empty, causing blood to slowly flow from Sect Master Shi’s mouth.

Fortunately, everyone was young and strong, without any serious injuries.

The three injured individuals spent the whole day lying in the room but were able to get out of bed the next day. The Ling Sect suffered losses and didn’t send anyone else. This pursuit and chase could be considered temporarily over.

However, after waking up, Yan Qing was distracted, as if contemplating some major life decision. Su Si, on the other hand, remained the same old self, being just as noisy as Lord Bai.

“Set off tomorrow? Sect Master, are we really going to charge ahead like this? Won’t there be any problems? San Zi’s arm injury won’t heal anytime soon, and I’m in pain all over… How about resting for a couple more days? Three days?”

“Time waits for no one.” Shi Jingzhi hugged the medicine box tightly, expressing his cold determination. “The Buddha Heart Formation was created by the Jianchen Temple and is not a dangerous formation. These minor injuries are nothing to worry about… Stop complaining. The injuries of this Sect Master are much more severe than yours.”

Yin Ci echoed, “Yes, the Buddha Heart Formation has been in existence since the completion of the Jianchen Temple, and it hasn’t gained a bad reputation in nearly a thousand years. Although it’s difficult to break through, it’s not all death traps.”

Upon hearing this, even Yan Qing, who had been in a daze, couldn’t help but glance over—

Is this even human language? What does “it’s not all death traps” even mean?

Su Si, resembling a dead fish, lay flat on the floor and decided to skip the nonsense of this eccentric senior disciple. “Great Sect Master, can’t we at least wait for our martial arts to recover…”

Shi Jingzhi shook his head. “Continuing to rest is meaningless. I’ve investigated the Buddha Heart Formation—no matter how strong one’s inner force is, once they step into this array, it will be sealed off completely. Once we enter the mountains, we will be no different from ordinary people, relying solely on our external martial arts. Staying here will only lead to more dreams in the long night. It’s better to enter the array and rest there.”

Su Si: “Wait a minute, is the Buddha Heart Formation really that simple? I don’t believe it.”

Shi Jingzhi hesitated for a moment. “Well… there is indeed another theory. However, the Buddha Heart Formation only opens once every hundred years, and there are very few clues related to it. I’m also unclear about the details.”

“What is the other theory?”

“The essence of the Buddha Heart Formation lies in examining one’s own heart. Once you enter the array, you will inevitably face your inner demons.”

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The author has something to say:

The watchman refers to those people in ancient times who patrolled the city at night, shouting “It’s dry, be cautious with the candles”. They were responsible for patrolling the city at night, and whenever a fire broke out, they would definitely show up.

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Kinky Thoughts:

The three souls refer to:

1. “Hún” (魂): The Ethereal Soul or the Yang Soul. It is associated with consciousness, thinking, and the higher mental faculties.
2. “Pò” (魄): The Corporeal Soul or the Yin Soul. It represents the physical body, vitality, and the sensory and emotional aspects of a person.
3. “Shén” (神): The Spirit or the Divine Soul. It is considered the most sacred and divine part of a person, associated with spiritual and supernatural abilities, intuition, and connection to the divine.

The seven spirits coincide with the seven emotions:

1. Joy
2. Anger
3. Sorrow
4. Fear
5. Love
6. Hate
7. Desire

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 44: Counterattack

“The Jianchen Temple is planning a ‘Sutra Cleansing Session’. They intend to take out all the sutras for maintenance and celebrate the return of the precious <Woodless Sutra> to the temple. It’s probably those bald donkeys, ahem, masters dislike the smell of the Ghost Tomb, so they’re taking the opportunity to dispel some bad luck.”

Su Si spoke while eating; the plate of pastries was quickly disappearing. Sect Master Shi, with quick eyes and hands, swiftly snatched the last one and put it in his mouth.

As the three senior members of the Kushan Sect weren’t available for a meeting, Su Si, being the unfamiliar face, was kicked out early in the morning to gather intelligence. Nonetheless, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t let his guard down. Su Si had debts trailing behind him, and though he might not attract attention from the Ling Sect, if the Chigou Sect discovered him, the outcome would be similar.

Fortunately, Su Si showed some spirit and managed to return even without taking Lord Bai.

“Anyway, Jianchen Temple has been overshadowed by Yan Budu. To protect their precious sutras, they have sealed the entire Huilian Mountain. The masters are as stubborn as donkeys. Don’t talk about small sects like ours; even if Heavenly King Laozi* came, they wouldn’t let him in.”

*A semi-legendary ancient Chinese Taoist philosopher. In some sects of Taoism, he is seen as an immortal hermit or a God.

Yan Qing: “At the very least, the <Woodless Sutra> was returned under the leadership of Sect Master Shi. It’s only fair that they give him some face, right?”

Su Si sneered. “Forget it. The Jianchen Temple is different from the Taiheng Sect. The Taiheng Sect understands social interactions, while the monks there emphasize detachment from worldly affairs. They distinguish between gratitude and grudges, and if they say you can’t come, you won’t be allowed in.”

After he finished, he realized something. “The <Woodless Sutra> was returned by that fox… Sect Master Shi himself?! That thing is priceless, and he’s… ahem… our sect is so poor. Can he really return it just like that?”

Yan Qing became spirited. “Let me tell you, below the Ghost Tomb—”

“How long will this ‘Sutra Cleansing Session’ last?” Shi Jingzhi finally finished swallowing the pastry and rudely interrupted the chattering servants.

Su Si: “At least three months. During this time, they will be self-sufficient in food and compensate the contracted farmers for breaching their agreements.”

Shi Jingzhi froze on the spot.

Three months—in three months, the day lily would grow cold*.

*Idiom referring to a considerable amount of time has passed often implying that an opportunity or situation has been missed or lost.

The Jianchen Temple was the largest temple in the world, and if it was sealed, there would be only one way to get there—break through the Buddha Heart Formation guarding Huilian Mountain. Yan Qing’s words were quite right. In the name of returning the <Woodless Sutra> to them, the masters would give them some thin face and not throw them out of the temple.

Provided they could break through the formation and meet with them.

Yin Ci calmly set down his plate, and the freshly cooked pastries emitted a steaming heat. “Let’s give it a try.”

The Jianchen Temple rarely sealed itself. The last time was for a special event for an eminent monk. Yin Ci wasn’t in the Central Plains at that time and missed it. Now, with the grand formation right under their noses, they couldn’t just ignore it.

Shi Jingzhi took another pastry and looked at his disciple. He probably understood this person’s temperament.

Whenever there was a point where one could court death, Yin Ci would undoubtedly be the first to rush in, spreading his wings on the edge of death. This could no longer be considered seeking excitement; it was more like a mild symptom of misanthropy. No wonder Yin Ci showed no fear or terror in the Ghost Tomb; this person wasn’t just abnormally brave but also didn’t know the value of life.

Shi Jingzhi carefully chewed the pastry, and the heart of a strict master rose within him again—he had to get rid of this annoying trait.

…Moreover, the pastries were so delicious. How could someone who could create such delicacies be so disgusted with the world?

What a pity.

In this way, Shi Jingzhi pondered for a while. “A’Ci is right; we don’t have any other options. Let’s go and give it a try. Maybe we won’t even be able to get past the outer perimeter. If we can’t break the array, we’ll go to Yongsheng and continue searching for clues.”

Since the sect master gave his order, the rest of them spent the whole day systematically preparing their luggage. The surroundings remained peaceful, and it seemed that the Ling Sect’s pursuit had been a false alarm.

However, calmness was often the calm before the storm. The false alarm turned into a real one that night, as Zheng Fengdao proved to be one of the most formidable elders of the Ling Sect and had a knack for pursuing others.

That night, the four members of the Kushan Sect split into two groups—Su Si and Yan Qing went to the market to buy food. Only Yin Ci accompanied Shi Jingzhi, and the two secretly replenished other essential supplies.

When they finished their purchases, Shi Jingzhi took his disciple to an herbal shop to replenish their stock. In order to avoid suspicion, he specifically asked a waiter from a nearby inn to make the purchases. Unexpectedly, the waiter was caught by the Ling Sect’s lackeys and immediately exposed Shi Jingzhi’s identity.

Realizing that a fight was about to break out, the master and disciple had to flee, leading the pursuers to a relatively dilapidated corner of the city.

“Well, well, well, isn’t this the disobedient little brat with no offspring?”

Zheng Fengdao, holding his nine-ringed saber, coldly smirked with his triangular eyes. He stood on the roof of a dilapidated house, looking down on the two of them. The moon, without a cloud in sight, cast a pale light, and the crumbling walls seemed to be covered in a layer of frost.

“On the first day you left Zongwu Mountain, I had people watching all the nearby herbal shops, and it seems I finally caught you. Shameful, Sect Master Shi. I had a clear view of the contents of that box of medicine in the Ghost Tomb.”

Since they knew the categories, it was easy to spot the rarest ones and find the people.

Yin Ci wasn’t particularly surprised. They were about to break through a formation, so they definitely needed to replenish their medicines. But little did they know that the Ling Sect had caught on tightly, leaving them no room for luck.

Now, he didn’t have to pretend to be weak anymore. But if he really killed Zheng Fengdao, using Shi Jingzhi as a shield would be pointless—

This was the city, with countless people watching. By that night, the information from the Yueshui Pavilion would spread far and wide. It would be big news if a newly recruited disciple from a small sect killed a well-known elder from a demonic sect. Tomorrow, before dawn, he would become the most eye-catching figure in the entire martial world.

Yin Ci looked around, pondering how to safely get the fox out without drawing too much attention.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t move.

Last time when facing Zheng Fengdao, Shi Jingzhi was completely overwhelmed and had no power to resist. But after several days had passed, he was no longer the trembling figure, and his gaze held no fear, only a faint calculation. “Upon closer inspection, Elder Zheng is quite good-looking.”

Zheng Fengdao: “…”

Zheng Fengdao glanced at Shi Jingzhi, then at Yin Ci by his side. “Kid, did you just insult me?”

Shi Jingzhi: “How could I dare? I was just reminded of my previous opponent and spoke my mind.”

In the midst of their conversation, there was no hint of weakness.

Zheng Fengdao clicked his tongue and raised an eyebrow. “Sect Leader Shi, you have quite a sharp tongue, and now that I look closely, you have a handsome face… No wonder you were all about ‘no offspring’ in the past. It seems the Kushan Sect is full of… rabbits*, destined to have ‘no offspring’.”

*Clarity: He’s referring to Tu’er Shen, which is the Chinese deity who manages love and sex between men. In late imperial China, it was a slang term used to refer to homosexuals. Ironically, his name means Rabbit Deity, but he actually has nothing to do with rabbits. You can read the legend in my Kinky Thoughts.

He paused for a moment and scanned the two with ill intentions. “It’s quite a coincidence. I happen to have a friend who enjoys handsome men. How about I cripple your limbs and give you to him for some fun?”

Before Zheng Fengdao could finish his words, he swiftly descended from the roof, slashing his blade toward Yin Ci.

This young man, with such a face, dared to kiss Shi Jingzhi at the city gates. He was definitely not a serious person.

The demonic sect’s way of doing things had always been to kill the ones they considered most threatening. There was no sense of chivalry or righteousness in the martial world. They were as vicious as they could be.

Unfortunately, Zheng Fengdao’s target knew this too well.

The clash of swords produced a harsh sound. Yin Ci calmly drew his own sword, deflecting the majority of Zheng Fengdao’s strength with a single strike.

Zheng Fengdao was undoubtedly a master, having survived until now not solely by luck. At the moment their blades collided, he sensed something was wrong—his kick had undoubtedly hit an iron plate*.

*Idiom that refers to unexpectedly encountering resistance or finding oneself in a difficult situation after attempting to take advantage of someone or engage in an unfavorable confrontation.

Elder Zheng didn’t try to show off his strength. He concentrated all his power and immediately retreated several zhang.

Yin Ci’s sword sliced through the night sky. “I think Elder Zheng resembles a rabbit even more, hopping quite far away.”

He glanced around the surrounding streets and alleys; his calculations running even faster in his mind. Zheng Fengdao was cautious enough; he probably wouldn’t relentlessly pursue them. If he could capture Shi Jingzhi and leave now…

“A’Ci, stop. I’ll deal with him.” Shi Jingzhi unfurled the flag that had been rolled up for days, and a faint golden light appeared on the flag’s surface.

Yin Ci’s smile disappeared.

Shi Jingzhi had indeed made progress in these days, but it was limited. In terms of strength alone, Zheng Fengdao used to be able to fight five Shi Jingzhis, and even now, he could handle more than two.

Zheng Fengdao was neither a sinister creature lurking in a narrow cave nor an aging goddess within. The streets of the city were intricate, with no overhead cover. Even if Shi Jingzhi were to use his old tricks and set everything on fire with full force, it wouldn’t necessarily reach Zheng Fengdao. In fact, it might end up harming a large number of innocent people and attracting the attention of the authorities.

It was true that his cheap master possessed astonishing power, but if pure strength could solve everything, then Yin Ci, a “powerless” individual, could summon the spirits of the dead to curse the streets.

Has this kid started floating around without fully mastering his qinggong?

Yin Ci shook his head inwardly, issuing a warning in his words. “Shizun.”

“I know what you’re thinking; I have an idea,” Shi Jingzhi responded.

Though Zheng Fengdao was cautious, he wasn’t someone who feared death. He let out an unpleasant whistle, and more than a dozen Ling Sect disciples emerged from the shadows, gradually surrounding the two.

Shi Jingzhi remained calm. “If I deal with Zheng Fengdao, could you handle those people for me?”

Seizing the opportunity, Zheng Fengdao applied pressure. “Handle those people? Sect Leader Shi, my pursuit of you is not just a personal grudge. Our Patriarch is very interested in the Buddha beads you have that he even lent me his Corpse Retrieval Team. Your little lover will soon be separated from his head.”

Yin Ci’s tone grew impatient. “Fine, I’ll clear the way. If Shizun wants to fight, then fight. If we truly can’t defeat them, we’ll escape together.”

Shi Jingzhi agreed with a smile. “Mm.”

Zheng Fengdao, who was ignored: “……”

Elder Zheng spat and stopped wasting words. He turned his attention towards Shi Jingzhi and launched an attack. Shi Jingzhi swiftly countered and led Zheng Fengdao to the dead corner of a rooftop, creating distance from the rest of the Ling Sect disciples.

Yin Ci sighed and leaped onto the eaves of a nearby house, creating a separation of ten or more lackeys from Shi Jingzhi.

Yin Ci’s small appearance made it easy for people to underestimate him. The Corpse Retrieval Team was skilled in martial arts, and there were a few arrogant individuals among them. They felt that with their superior numbers, it would be a waste to deal with just one person. The three of them were the first to pass Yin Ci and rush toward Shi Jingzhi, intending to assist their elder.

However, they were unable to truly pass Yin Ci.

In an instant, as they brushed past, the clothes of the three individuals burst open, revealing a bloody mess of bones. The three sets of blood-soaked skeletons fell from the air, rolling down the eaves.

“Shizun asked me to guard him,” Yin Ci said indifferently.

“The Sweeping Bones Sword Technique…”

The members of the Corpse Retrieval Team instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

It wasn’t the Sweeping Bones Sword Technique itself that terrified them; it was the fact that this person had revealed the Sweeping Bones Sword Technique which clearly meant he had no intention of leaving any survivors. After a brief moment of fear, a near-frenzy of killing intent took over. The remaining ten-plus people attacked together, their sword blades flickering like a dense spider web in the moonlight.

Yin Ci bathed in the heavy atmosphere of killing intent and let out a breath.

The Hanging Shadow Sword rose. Its dark blade merged with the night, swift as a startled swan, leaving no lingering hesitation.

The Ling Sect disciples once again felt fear. The figure before them was like a faint ghostly shadow—a fish swimming in dark water. He had no inner force, wandering among the crowd, leaving only emptiness in his wake. They truly felt trapped, like flies caught in a spider’s web, suffocating slowly.

Whether the opponent was strong or weak, he exuded neither a sense of oppression nor a desire for battle. He seemed untouched despite their attempts to harm him.

It was like he was playing games with them.

What is the true origin of the Kushan Sect?

…The same question was swirling in Zheng Fengdao’s mind.

Compared to their last encounter, Shi Jingzhi hadn’t grown much stronger. Zheng Fengdao was certain that he had struck him hard with several blows, but unexpectedly, the person across from him remained silent, and his eyes were filled with fanaticism.

The two engaged in a fierce battle, leaving countless bloodstains on rooftops, stone paths, and walls. The pale moonlight took on tinges of crimson. At first, Zheng Fengdao thought he might be exaggerating the situation—based solely on technique, Shi Jingzhi wasn’t his match.

However, Zheng Fengdao didn’t relax because of this; instead, he unleashed an overwhelming battle intent, intending to end the fight swiftly. Little did he know that the opponent’s qinggong became increasingly unpredictable, and his movements became more difficult to deal with.

Every move seemed to be specifically targeted at him.

Zheng Fengdao inexplicably thought of the precious battle puppet he used to train with when he was young. It would always strike at his weaknesses and stay one step ahead… never to fall.

Although Zheng Fengdao held the upper hand, his movements grew hesitant. In the dark night, his opponent’s clothes were stained dark red with blood; their exotic facial features were expressionless, with only intense battle intent. Compared to a person, the “thing” opposite him resembled some kind of beast. The more they fought, the more focused and less human they seemed.

He couldn’t help but recall the Human Shaped Coffin in the ancient tomb.

If it weren’t for the hundred-year gap between Yan Budu and Shi Jingzhi, Zheng Fengdao would almost suspect that the two had come from the same sect.

The gap between the two narrowed, and the pace of the battle accelerated. Elder Zheng couldn’t determine if Shi Jingzhi had increased his speed or if he himself had slowed down. All he knew was that his swordsmanship gradually became passive, and he felt as if he were being pulled into a mass of sticky mud.

Shi Jingzhi moved around him, weaving in and out, with his hair and clothing fluttering like butterfly wings. His qinggong carried a hint of ghostly feeling.

Every time Shi Jingzhi flashed past him, Zheng Fengdao inevitably received a new wound. It wasn’t until the coldness of blood loss spread across his back that Zheng Fengdao realized his opponent’s strategy—

Shi Jingzhi intended to wear him down until death. This person, covered in sword wounds and possessing only half-mastered qinggong, actually planned to wear him down with most of his life force.

It seemed as though Shi Jingzhi had planned everything from the beginning, patiently calculating his wounds and waiting for every mistake he made. It sounded absurd, but terrifyingly enough, his opponent was close to succeeding.

No, this person was too abnormal; he had to escape. Regardless of the Buddha beads and his reputation, his life was more important.

Zheng Fengdao bit his fingertip, smearing blood on his headband. The white jade headband emitted a faint glow, creating a thin protective barrier around him. Although the barrier was somewhat weak, it had the potential to disrupt the rhythm of the battle and create vulnerabilities at a crucial moment.

Shi Jingzhi’s eyes brightened, and for the first time, he showed a human-like expression on his face. “Nice headband. Where did you buy it?”

…This person must be sick. Zheng Fengdao turned around, intensifying his efforts to escape. However, before he could take a few steps, an overwhelming pressure that almost obliterated his senses exploded. His mind trembled, and he involuntarily stopped in his tracks.

In that moment of hesitation, Zheng Fengdao’s mind went blank.

It’s over.

Unfortunately, he no longer had a chance. As the thought crossed his mind, a flagpole pierced through the back of his neck, protruding from his mouth, directly puncturing his throat.

Shi Jingzhi severed his spine, delivering a non-lethal blow. Lowering his head, Shi Jingzhi’s cascading black hair hung down from his shoulders, and a smile that was almost genuine appeared on his face.

“Thank you for the lesson, senior.”

That smile sent shivers down Zheng Fengdao’s spine. Fearfully, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Shi Jingzhi swung the bloodstained flagpole, pressing it against Zheng Fengdao’s forehead.

“A’Ci is really powerful. I once used this pressure to scare him, and he was only surprised. But you—you nearly wet your pants. Although I don’t know why he’s avoiding the major sects… Well, as long as I treat him well, he will surely tell me, don’t you think?”

The flagpole ignited with golden flames and pierced down once again.

While Shi Jingzhi finished his battle, Yin Ci also stopped being perfunctory. Sword qi surged, and the entire Corpse Retrieval Team was annihilated.

When Yin Ci approached, Shi Jingzhi instinctively raised his sleeve, attempting to hide the twisted smile that hadn’t faded from his lips. Unexpectedly, as he raised his arm, Yin Ci grabbed his wrist.

Yin Ci looked at him with a half-smile. “You look quite lovely when you smile. What are you trying to hide?”

“…Everyone prefers a more approachable master.”

“Is that so? I prefer someone like you.” Yin Ci couldn’t help but feel that this person’s inner conflicts were incredibly strange. The Medicine Cures Illness flag was still lodged in Zheng Fengdao’s forehead. How could he be afraid to smile?

Yin Ci released his grip on Shi Jingzhi’s wrist as if complying with his request. Shi Jingzhi stood still for a moment, then mysteriously leaned closer. “A’Ci, come closer.”

“What are you fussing about? Look at your own injuries first—there’s no need to push yourself too hard.”

“Just come a bit closer.”

Yin Ci sheathed his sword and reluctantly approached. Shi Jingzhi pulled out the bloodstained white jade headband, smiling with a twinkle in his eyes. He raised both arms, hands crossing over the side of Yin Ci’s face, and carefully tied up his disciple’s loose black hair.

His movements were incredibly gentle, like touching the rising smoke of a burning incense.

“Mm, I felt it suited you earlier… and indeed, it suits you well. Wear it.”

The faint scent of medicine mixed with the strong smell of blood, and for a moment, Yin Ci had the illusion of being embraced. He instinctively lightened his breath, feeling a hint of bitterness in his mouth.

The next moment, the embrace became a reality. Shi Jingzhi let out a few grunts and directly collapsed, nearly smashing Yin Ci to the ground.

Alright, the logic of dog education surfaced once again. Seeing Shi Jingzhi casually handing over something, Yin Ci thought he had reserved some strength. But after several days, it turned out that this person still hadn’t learned to distinguish between urgency and nonchalance.

Yin Ci was annoyed. He swiftly pressed a point on Shi Jingzhi’s body, viciously bandaging his wounds without holding back any strength. He tightly bound his master, causing him to yelp in pain.

“A’Ci! I knew I could win… Ah, you’re choking me to death—”

“You knew? Did you also consider that later we’ll have to dispose of the corpses? Am I the only one who’s responsible for cleaning up the bodies scattered all over the place?”

“…”

“You really thought it through?”

“…Next time, for sure.”

---

The author has something to say:

Demonic Lord Yin: Huh? You still want a next time.

————

-In the beginning-

Shi Jingzhi: My things.

Yin Ci: My things.

-Nowadays-

Shi Jingzhi: My disciple.

Yin Ci: My fox (?

Both gentlemen, please strive towards the direction of “my man”!

---

Kinky Thoughts:

According to legends, Tu’er Shen was a man named Hu Tianbao who fell in love with a very handsome imperial inspector of Fujian Province. One day he was caught peeping on the inspector through a bathroom wall, at which point he confessed his reluctant affections for the other man. The imperial inspector had Hu Tianbao sentenced to death by beating. One month after his death, he appeared to a man from his hometown in a dream, claiming that since his crime was one of love, the underworld officials decided to right the injustice by appointing him the god and safeguarder of homosexual affections.

After his dream, the man erected a shrine to Hu Tianbao, which became very popular in Fujian, so much so that in late Qing times, the cult of Hu Tianbao was targeted for extermination by the Qing government.

——

Well, I certainly hope they bang like rabbits…

——

A note on the title of this arc, it’s an idiom (高处不胜寒) that expresses the idea that those in high positions or with great responsibilities often face more challenges, difficulties, or pressure, just like how it’s colder at higher altitude (AKA it’s lonely to be in a high position/at the top).

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 43: Bloodstains

Qiwu was a small town located on the east side of Yongsheng, adjacent to the Zhongwu Mountain. Yongsheng was prosperous, thus Qiwu benefited as well. Small merchant caravans often took a rest in Qiwu to save on accommodation costs.

Since the Ghost Tomb was breached, regardless of its authenticity, there were plenty of goods bearing the name of the Ghost Tomb. The merchants were afraid of missing out on the opportunity and ran more diligently than usual. People from all walks of life also increased in number.

For example, today, four peculiar individuals arrived at the city gate.

The four of them were dressed plainly, with their faces covered by veiled hats, which made them look suspicious no matter how you looked at them.

The city guards were diligent in their duties. “Present your route permits*.”

*[Luyin] (路引) A pass during the Ming Dynasty that one must have if they were to leave their place of residence for hundreds of miles away. This is issued by the local government and serves as basically a letter of introduction or permit/pass.

One of them took off his veiled hat, smiling brightly. “Sir, we are just four wanderers. We don’t have the official route permits anymore.”

He held a limp and pitiful large goose in his arms, looking odd, but not like ruthless villains.

Seeing his remarkable appearance, the guard’s attitude softened slightly. “Take off your hats and report the name of your sect. Show me the sect certificate.”

A gentle voice sounded. “Shizun, were they always this strict before?”

This person’s voice was as clear as tea, very pleasant to the ears, making people unable to help but drop their guard. The guard shook his head, trying to hold his ground. “You martial people have caused a lot of chaos recently. The higher-ups have said that facial identification is necessary. We can’t overlook any missing documents.”

The person addressed as “Shizun” spoke up. Compared to his disciple from earlier, his voice carried a natural charm. He took off his hat while speaking slowly. “We are just passing through this place on official business…”

“The Hehuan Sect,” the young man holding the goose continued the conversation.

The “Shizun” trembled slightly, almost dropping his veiled hat. Without the veil, he revealed a pair of amber-colored phoenix eyes that were filled with a complicated gaze. “Su Si!”

“Come on, Senior, we are next to Yongsheng. These military men have seen and known all sorts of people. Although the Sect Master likes shy individuals like you, there’s no need to overdo it,” Su Si said with a cheerful smile.

The “Shizun” looked blank, speechless, and his words turned into a fit of coughing.

The guards were indeed well informed, but seeing the faces of the master and disciple, they were stunned on the spot. The disciple was more relaxed than the master and spoke with a playful tone. “Sir, can you let us pass?”

“Oh, uh… no, that’s not right. The sect certificate? Even if it’s the Hehuan Sect, we still need to see the seal…” The guard’s voice gradually faded away.

Just by looking at their faces, if they weren’t from the Hehuan Sect, they could only be from the legendary Immortal Sect. However, it was only the Hehuan Sect that compared itself to the Immortal Sect. They had never heard of any immortal sect calling itself the Hehuan Sect.

The disciple, with a polite and courteous manner, said, “We were involved in a melee earlier, and we lost our identification seals. However, we do have our proof of identity. Please take a look, sir.”

Then he turned to the person beside him. “Shizun, come.”

The veil was raised, and the white fabric fluttered slightly. The disciple grabbed his master and, with the veil partially covering their faces, took the initiative to kiss him.

However, Yin Ci didn’t really kiss Shi Jingzhi.

While using the veil to cover his face, Yin Ci angled himself. Their breaths intertwined, their lips almost touching, but still maintaining a hint of ambiguity. Shi Jingzhi, being deep-minded as he was, didn’t reveal any flaws and closed his eyes to cooperate.

For a moment, silence fell around them.

Even the notorious Hehuan Sect rarely engaged in such behavior in public. Their appearances weren’t like ordinary people’s, and their impact was particularly significant. The mere “proof of identity” caused people’s hearts to beat irregularly. The guards didn’t ask any further questions and silently made way for them.

After entering the city, Shi Jingzhi put his veil back on and spoke in a solemn tone. “Su Si…”

“Just based on your faces, regardless of which minor sect you borrowed the name from, it would still attract attention,” Su Si confidently stated. “It’s better to call ourselves the Hehuan Sect and divert their attention. Sect Master, life is more important than face!”

Shi Jingzhi: “No, I just wanted to praise you for being clever.”

Su Si: “…” He underestimated the average thickness of the faces in the Kushan Sect.

Yan Qing, who had his eyes closed pretending to be blind, was about to ask a question when Su Si shook his head with a pained expression, stopping him.

In recent days, they hadn’t been leading peaceful lives.

Thanks to Yin Ci hiding his true strength and the addition of Su Si, who had decent martial arts skills, Zheng Fengdao underestimated their speed and was left behind on Zongwu Mountain. However, after this battle, the Kushan Sect’s supplies were depleted, and they were completely unaware of the news outside. They had no choice but to mix in the city for a while.

There were certainly spies from the Ling Sect here, but being cautious wasn’t a bad thing. Pulling the delicate tiger skin of the Hehuan Sect made their actions much more convenient*.

*Clarity: This is referring to the idiom “asking a tiger for its skin”, which refers to seeking help or favor from someone powerful or dangerous, often with little chance of success.

For example, at the inn—the innkeeper silently arranged the most secluded rooms for them, to prevent any guest from being disturbed in the middle of the night.

Shi Jingzhi booked two rooms and hurriedly entered his own. He laid out a series of tools with a serious expression, intending to examine the failed spiritual medicine. Yin Ci felt that since the incident in Yuanxian Village, this fox had become inexplicably calm and not as easily teased.

Unlike when they first met, relying on that incident at the city gate, he could still enjoy a glimpse of the blushing tomato surnamed Shi.

However, the current Shi Jingzhi was much less interesting. He stood stiffly in front of the table like a statue, as if someone had taken possession of him. Several hours passed, and Yin Ci, feeling mischievous, decided to play a little trick. Taking advantage of Shi Jingzhi’s focused attention, he used qinggong to approach him and blew a cool breath on his master’s neck.

Shi Jingzhi trembled on the spot, and goosebumps ran from head to toe.

He couldn’t help but feel sorrow in his heart.

His disciple had been with him for quite some time, but he hadn’t seen much respect from him. Instead, his disciple’s ability to shamelessly thicken his skin had improved by leaps and bounds, wasting his beautiful and delicate appearance. However, when he thought about the blood dripping on his face during the fight, Shi Jingzhi felt that he couldn’t bring himself to get angry.

Since the incident at the Ghost Tomb, Yin Ci liked to come close, intentionally or unintentionally. At this moment, when this person tore off a mask of weakness and approached him once again, Shi Jingzhi sensed a faint taste of mutual reliance.

In life, everyone had their own motives. Perhaps Yin Ci hadn’t yet realized his own desires.

Whenever this thought came to mind, Shi Jingzhi would develop a strange sense of closeness, which also made him more tolerant.

“This elixir is most likely made from the sap of a certain plant, and it smells a bit like immortal wine. However, while elixirs heal injuries and immortal wine prolongs life, they share a similar origin but have distinct differences.”

Shi Jingzhi dipped his finger in the murky yellow liquid and cautiously licked it with the tip of his tongue.

“Now it seems that the elixir can only be used within Yuanxian Village and deteriorates once taken out. Furthermore, it can only treat acquired injuries… A’Ci, your meridian is congenitally defective, right?”

“Yes,” Yin Ci calmly lied without changing his expression.

His meridians weren’t congenitally defective. He had once wielded his inner force, killing countless people effortlessly. It was just that his body had inexplicably deteriorated for several hundred years, so using the term “congenital” wasn’t entirely wrong if he compared several hundred years of time to that of an ordinary person.

“No wonder the elixir has no effect on your meridians. If it were me, I would probably have to stay in the village and drink it every day to stabilize my condition.” Shi Jingzhi shook his head. “Judging from the attitude of that Goddess, this item isn’t as valuable as immortal wine.”

Implying that this thing wasn’t very useful, they still had to continue searching for the Shirou.

After tasting the elixir, Yin Ci’s interest diminished. The elixir had a mild taste, and its effects were short-lived. It couldn’t possibly be used to produce a highly toxic substance. However, since the elixir and immortal wine were vaguely related and had similar effects when it came to the Shirou, it was like a vine with three fruits. Yan Budu had handed over the “Yuanxian Village” vine to them, and it would be a waste not to give it a tug.

“Shizun, I remember there is a shrine of the Imperial Celestial in Yongsheng. After this ordeal, we might as well pay a visit?”

“Yes, but let’s first follow Yan Budu’s lead.” Shi Jingzhi put down the elixir and pounded his stiff waist.

Shi Jingzhi had been busy with bottles and jars for several hours, making him as stiff as a bench. Seeing his blurry state of mind, Yin Ci’s remaining sense of being an elder resurfaced. “Take it easy. I’ll go get two bowls of pear porridge.”

Unexpectedly, the fox deviated from his usual behavior and didn’t indulge in gluttony. He grabbed Yin Ci’s sleeve and said with a firm tone, “Don’t leave just yet.”

“Why?”

“Teach me qinggong.”

Yin Ci raised an eyebrow. “Shizun, it’s already late at night. Zheng Fengdao isn’t King Yama*. He won’t suddenly appear out of nowhere to take our lives.”

*One of the Kings of Hell that judges the dead.

The fox’s grip was still firm, and Shi Jingzhi’ tone became solemn. “Teach me.”

Yin Ci couldn’t resist him, yet he didn’t want to budge either. “What you lack is not comprehension but practice. I can teach you now, but you’ll need to practice for some time to fully grasp it.”

“I understand, but everyone’s life is one moment less with each passing moment, so it’s better to seize the opportunity.”

Yin Ci hesitated for a moment, but he didn’t refuse. He taught the most basic footwork. In any case, he gave this fox a taste, allowing him to ponder the theory on his own. As for formal practice, it wouldn’t be too late to start tomorrow.

Footwork was the foundation of qinggong and wasn’t complicated. However, for a novice like Shi Jingzhi, who lacked practical experience, it was still a significant challenge. No matter how talented one was, there were always things that couldn’t be rushed.

Shi Jingzhi himself understood this well. He didn’t expect to master it instantly, but he watched Yin Ci’s movements attentively, afraid to miss any details.

In the end, he let out a breath and spoke with a touch of emotion. “Thank you. I’ll practice for a while before sleeping… A’Ci, I still want to eat pear porridge.”

Yin Ci: “…”

He had gained an advantage on the front foot, but now Shi Jingzhi was acting coy and skillful on the back foot. Quite the master at taking advantage of a situation.

That night, Yin Ci cooked sweet porridge on a low fire, pondering for a long time—was it he who had been too lenient towards his cheap master or if Shi Jingzhi was just too clever and had accurately gauged his reluctance to refuse?

Shi Jingzhi always seemed to raise ambiguous questions in his mind. The porridge finished cooking, but Yin Ci still couldn’t come up with an answer.

Well, it was just a small favor. The porridge was ready.

The next day, around the hour of the tiger, Yin Ci turned over but couldn’t feel the warmth of his master. He instantly woke up and sat up.

Shi Jingzhi was still in the room. His cheap master was well-groomed, clearly having been up for a while. At the moment, Shi Jingzhi wore a long robe that billowed around him, but his feet were bare, with sporadic bloodstains on the soles.

He repeated Yin Ci’s movements over and over again, gradually shedding the stiffness of the footwork. The ground was cold, and the blood was slippery, but Shi Jingzhi didn’t make a sound as he moved back and forth.

The night before, Yin Ci had watched Shi Jingzhi practice before going to sleep. At that time, his movements were rough, and his steps were heavy. He could only be said to resemble the form but not the spirit. But this morning, he had already grasped seven parts of the spirit, still charging forward with determination.

Yin Ci focused his gaze and observed closely. Shi Jingzhi had secretly made some modifications to his footwork, precisely adjusting it to suit his own situation even better.

Shi Jingzhi was extremely focused and didn’t notice Yin Ci getting up. He remained expressionless, like a machine, constantly shuttling back and forth in the pool of blood, sending chills down anyone’s spine.

Perhaps there was no one in this world more suited to the label of “Monster Material” than Shi Jingzhi.

Yin Ci didn’t disturb his master and slowly lay back down, turning over and closing his eyes once again.

…When dawn arrived, he would teach him more attentively.

Unfortunately, things didn’t always go as desired. Demonic Lord Yin’s troublesome matters had coincidentally stuck to him just at this crucial moment.

At this juncture, the Jianchen Temple had closed its doors.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 42: Undiscovered Place

The master and disciple woke up Yan Qing and Su Si, then walked out of the ruins. As soon as the four of them appeared, they were surrounded by the villagers, making it impossible to move.

In order to verify the authenticity of the Twin Roots, someone took out their blood bottle and tried to test it with wine. As soon as the wine entered the blood bottle, the person fell down with a thud, emitting a strong smell of alcohol.

With the living example as evidence, as well as Mian Jie and Yin Deng as witnesses, Shi Jingzhi patiently and earnestly calmed the villagers for most of the night, finally soothing their hearts.

The commotion subsided as the sun rose.

The fox was anxious to get away, so he came up with a distraction by pushing Yan Qing to draw the villagers’ attention to “Yan Qing saving all the blood bottles”. Poor Yan Qing, who had been cautious for many years, had never seen such a situation before. He was instantly regarded as a blushing oaf by the villagers, with his face almost the same color as his eyes.

The people of Yuanxian Village were unaware of Yan Budu’s notoriety and were deceived by Shi Jingzhi, launching an exceptionally fierce attack. Yan Qing couldn’t resist and had to use Su Si as a shield. Su Si, who was used to the ways of the market, immediately got into character and started deceiving people with gusto.

While the villagers were distracted by the two servants, Shi Jingzhi took the opportunity to escape, leaving in a hurry.

The two of them headed straight for the demon tree in the forbidden area.

They didn’t find any information about Yan Budu in the Goddess’ bedroom. According to the records, Yan Budu was “hated by the villagers for deliberately destroying the demon tree”, but the demon tree was still there, which was the only remaining clue.

With no one watching, Shi Jingzhi dropped his pretense of being an immortal. He rolled up his sleeves and climbed up the tree haphazardly. Yin Ci couldn’t stand it anymore, and with a light step, he jumped onto the demon tree and lifted his monkey-like master to a higher place.

Shi Jingzhi couldn’t hide the envy in his eyes and said, “A’Ci, your qinggong is impressive. Teach me.”

Yin Ci didn’t want this person to die easily, so he had a few thoughts of teaching him. However, whether Shi Jingzhi was willing or not was another matter. But before he had a chance to speak, Shi Jingzhi brought it up himself.

Yin Ci smiled and said, “Shizun, should you call me Shizun instead?”

Shi Jingzhi raised an eyebrow and said confidently, “They say a master imparts knowledge and solves doubts. Even if I’m not good at imparting knowledge, I can still solve doubts. Besides, there’s a saying, ‘do not be ashamed to ask for advice’…”

Yin Ci felt the urge to kick the fox off the tree, but he restrained himself.

“Imparting knowledge and solving doubts?” He couldn’t hide the teasing tone in his voice.

Shi Jingzhi looked at him, and that not-so-serious look gradually disappeared. “Yes, imparting knowledge and solving doubts.”

Yin Ci also stopped smiling.

Seeing Shi Jingzhi’s expression, he thought of the phrase “I won’t let you down” again.

Under the Ghost Tomb, Shi Jingzhi had also said, “I won’t let you down.” At that time, Yin Ci felt that this person was sincere but baseless, extremely suspicious, and his words seemed like he was saying them to himself.

As the gust of wind subsided, there was a slight fading of emotion in Shi Jingzhi’s words, making it sound more like a promise.

The demon tree was wide, and the two of them stood steady. The scent of the forbidden area mixed with the fresh aroma of the tree leaves, vaguely reminiscent of the fragrance of incense burning in a shrine.

When Yin Ci spoke again, all traces of jest disappeared, and genuine curiosity arose within him. “Shizun, do you think I have some doubts that require an outsider to resolve?”

“As a master, I am skilled at reading people. The seven emotions and six desires of mortals* are written on their faces, with three parts manifested in their actions. I took in Yan Qing because of his pure and modest heart. I kept Su Si… Although he vacillates between good and evil, he holds on to emotions and righteousness.”

*Generally, the seven emotions are: Joy, Anger, Sorrow, Fear, Love, Hate, Desire. The six desires are: Desire for wealth and possessions, sex and pleasure, fame and recognition, food and drink, sleep and rest, survival and self-preservation. These emotions and desires are considered inherent aspects of human nature and are seen as influential forces that impact one’s thoughts, actions, and relationships.

Shi Jingzhi took a few steps forward, genuinely revealing some qualities of a master.

“A’Ci, I still believe you are an upright person, but why do you not desire anything?”

Yin Ci’s heart tightened slightly, not because of Shi Jingzhi’s imposing “inhuman” demeanor, but because of the earnest tone. In just a few words, it struck a chord and evoked a sense of pain.

A hundred years had passed, filled with changing tides and unresolved love and hate. Besides the desire to die, he couldn’t think of any other wishes.

“Perhaps I am just bored. I envy you, Shizun—always finding amusement by saying you can’t be saved.”

Yin Ci said this in a sarcastic tone, but Shi Jingzhi laughed. Once again, he assumed the demeanor of a wise person and embraced a higher branch, beckoning to Yin Ci with his finger. “A’Ci, come up.”

Yin Ci: “……” For the first time, he realized that his cheap master had an uncanny ability to render him speechless.

This person not only possessed exceptional talent but also an inexplicable degree of uniqueness. The branches were narrow and crowded, and if he went up, the two of them would resemble monkeys hanging from the tree branches. Was Shi Jingzhi’s peculiar behavior finally affecting his sanity?

“Come up.” Shi Jingzhi beckoned again.

“No.”

“This is an order from your Master.”

Yin Ci took a deep breath and reluctantly climbed up the branch. Unlike Shi Jingzhi, who clung to the tree like a sloth, he stood lightly on the branch, resembling a flying bird.

The branch wasn’t thick, and it bent dangerously under the weight of two adult men.

“Enough. What’s the next order?” Yin Ci poked at Shi Jingzhi, who was clinging to the branch.

Shi Jingzhi raised an eyebrow. “If A’Ci leaves Yuanxian Village, will you never come back? Even if you do, you won’t come to this specific location.”

“What if I do?”

“If I hadn’t called you up here, ‘this place’ would have been a place you would never reach in your lifetime. Even if you live for a hundred years, it would still be the case.”

Shi Jingzhi carefully adjusted his position and sat on the branch, swaying back and forth.

“Isn’t it interesting? Most people take such small corners for granted, even if they are within arm’s reach. But no matter how ordinary the scenery is here, it can still be considered one-of-a-kind in the world.”

The morning sun rose, casting a golden glow that spread everywhere. Shi Jingzhi gazed at the rising sun, with a joyful expression that was beyond words.

For some reason, Yin Ci’s hostility suddenly dissipated. He stared at Shi Jingzhi, feeling a tinge of bittersweet longing in his heart.

Some people possessed such talent that even when submerged in the depths of despair, they could dig out unrealistic hopes. Yin Ci almost resented this innocence, yet he also wanted to embrace it, preventing it from falling into the mud too soon.

As if by doing so, he could borrow a glimmer of that light and not endure a painful difficult existence.

Yin Ci stood silently for a while, then sat down next to Shi Jingzhi.

Shi Jingzhi’s tone became more cheerful. “They say Yan Budu acquired the ‘Shirou’ before his disappearance, and he happened to have been here. With the miraculous healing medicine and tales of immortals associated with this place, how can it not be related to the Shirou?”

Yin Ci simply looked at him. “Mm.”

“And since I arrived here, I haven’t coughed up any blood, and my pulse is similar to the locals’. This strange illness of mine must undoubtedly be connected to this place of immortals. Ancient arrays, the purpose of the flesh idols, traces of real immortals. There are so many puzzles to solve. If you continue to follow me, I guarantee you won’t be bored… Perhaps, as we travel, you might discover what you truly desire.”

“Mm.”

In reality, he desired Shi Jingzhi’s golden fire, but it required Shi Jingzhi’s cooperation, and he couldn’t rush into it hastily.

Unaware of his disciple’s thoughts, Shi Jingzhi continued on his own, “So, does this count as resolving your… oh!”

His balance was unstable, and in the end, his backside slipped, nearly causing him to fall from the tree branch. Yin Ci instinctively caught his master, sighing. “Let’s consider it a partial resolution, a one or two percent resolution.”

“A’Ci, don’t move.”

“Why?”

“Lend me the Hanging Shadow Sword.”

Fox Shi swayed in mid-air, pointing the sword at the tree bark. Twisted and cracked bark was shaved away, revealing a row of bold characters—

[Saw this? If you did, go find the bald donkeys.]

Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci: “…”

Shi Jingzhi said, somewhat impatiently, “It’s Yan Budu’s handwriting, just like the one in the Ghost Tomb.” He lacked elegance in his tone.

Yin Ci: “Jianchen Temple is to the west of Yongsheng. It’s not strange to pass by here if you’re traveling directly from Lingjiao.”

With the emergence of a new clue, Yin Ci’s faint melancholy vanished without a trace, and his tone grew firm again.

Shi Jingzhi had an epiphany. “If there’s any sect least interested in the Shirou, it would be the Jianchen Temple. Yet, he hid the clue there. Yan Budu’s really… tsk.”

Immediately, he became spirited. “I have something to do at Jianchen Temple, so it’s killing two birds with one stone. After a short rest, we’ll hit the road.”

The two finally descended from the tree and landed in front of the tree gate. The residual golden glow of the sun still lingered, and a burnt smell wafted from within the tree gate. Shi Jingzhi turned around and, inexplicably, said, “Bai Wei didn’t have to die.”

Yin Ci halted his steps.

“He clearly said he wouldn’t give up his life, but in the end, he threw himself into the flesh statue. Even if he did it to protect Yin Deng, when he made that initial decision, he probably didn’t know how long he could hold on.”

“Perhaps he just couldn’t bear to see his loved one suffer and didn’t know what else to do,” Yin Ci replied smoothly.

He had witnessed this kind of situation too many times. However, Shi Jingzhi’s circumstances were unique, and Yin Ci didn’t expect his master to understand it fully.

Sure enough, Shi Jingzhi shook his head. “If I were him, I would never act so rashly.”

With that, he no longer glanced at the forbidden area and turned to walk away. Yin Ci, however, still stared at the tree gate, not immediately following.

He thought of that eerie dream again.

Perhaps the fragmented and agonizing pain was unconsciously emitted by the flesh idol. After that intense fire, did those weeping voices cease?

And in the dream, what was that thing he had become, losing his human face?

Shi Jingzhi was right. The further they traveled on this path, the darker and more mysterious it became. It was definitely not going to be boring.

A few more days passed, and the people of Yuanxian Village silently packed their belongings and marched in a grand procession towards the small bridge at the entrance. They each carried their blood bottles, carefully sealed and treasured, hanging from their chests.

Yin Deng’s arm remained injured, but she held the dog demon with her other hand and walked, constantly looking back.

“Why do we have to move?”

“The Immortal said we must leave this place early and establish relations with people outside the mountains. That way, even if bad people come for revenge, they won’t dare to do it so blatantly.” Mian Jie squatted down and whispered to comfort her.

“But Sister only left for three days and died outside.” Yin Deng couldn’t comprehend complicated matters. Equating “ascending to immortality” with “death” alone took all of her energy.

“It’s okay. You’ll be accompanied by mom and dad.”

“Can I still see Sister?”

Yin Deng raised her head, her eyes swollen like peaches.

“I dreamt of her yesterday. She waved at me. Does that mean I won’t see her again?”

Mian Jie didn’t answer. She lifted the little girl onto the dog’s back and gently patted her head.

“Let’s go,” she said, “Xizhuang is close to Yuanxian Village. We’ll move there, and if A’Lu wants to see you, she won’t have trouble finding you.”

“Un!”

The four members of the Kushan Sect stood at the forefront, with Su Si still carrying Lord Bai, who had lost quite a few feathers. Despite the keen intuition of the goose demon, it had suffered greatly under the wind blades—countless goose feathers were mangled.

In the end, they departed.

The warm breeze and blooming flowers were left behind as the people performed their ancestral rituals, silently entering the bridge cave and emerging from the divine shrine. The mountain was desolate, with snowflakes gently falling, resembling the scene when they had arrived.

As soon as the four members of the Kushan Sect left the divine shrine, Yan Qing seemed to be concerned, occasionally looking back and almost getting strangled by Su Si. The master and disciple endured the cold, not wearing their robes and instead relying on their white garments, emitting an ethereal aura.

Once out of sight of the crowd, Shi Jingzhi felt better, but Yin Ci’s lips had turned blue.

Shi Jingzhi wrapped his disciple in a cotton robe and exhaled a large puff of white vapor. “Damn it, I forgot it’s winter outside.”

“Just now, I saw a man and a woman waving at us near the forest.” Yan Qing rubbed his reddened nose. “Didn’t everyone from Yuanxian Village leave?”

Su Si shrugged nonchalantly. “You must have mistaken something.”

“…Maybe.”

“Shh, don’t talk about these strange and chaotic things.” Shi Jingzhi couldn’t sit still any longer. “Anyway, let’s descend the mountain first. I need to find something to store the elixir. It’s freezing cold that even the jade vials will crack.”

He took out a piece of emerald-colored elixir from his chest and carefully examined it—

Immediately, he let out a wail of despair.

The verdant liquid inside the jade turned murky and muddy, transforming the emerald into a lump of mud. Shi Jingzhi was furious, spewing out a mouthful of blood.

The illusion was shattered, and everything returned to normal.

Yin Ci sympathetically patted his master’s back, attempting to comfort him. But it wasn’t just his master who was as usual—

In the distance, a signal flare from the Ling Sect suddenly shot up, exploding into a crimson mist.

Shi Jingzhi wiped the blood from his mouth and said in a bitter voice, “…Yan Qing, your family has arrived.”

The people from the Ling Sect truly had sharp eyes. It seemed that Zheng Fengdao had made up his mind to use them as bedposts. And now, with the addition of Su Si, they could serve as all four corners of the bed.

Well, they could only run away.

Yin Ci picked up his master while Su Si held onto Yan Qing. The two who were better at qinggong rose on the snow, skillfully running for their lives—

At least the Jianchen Temple was a safe destination. Hopefully, Yan Budu had truly hidden a clue there, rather than using his inexplicable attachment to monks to deceive them.

---

The author has something to say:

Yan Budu, everyone has discovered your monk complex. What should we do about it?

…And upon careful consideration, it seems that cats are indeed less resistant to the cold than foxes (?

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 41: Worldly Bonds

Yin Ci tidied up the remaining materials, made two vegetable egg pancakes for his master, and cooked a stir-fry. When he brought the food out, Yan Qing was eating steamed cake at high speed, looking like he was going to choke himself. Su Si was half-kneeling on the ground, while Shi Jingzhi had a serious expression, seemingly contemplating something.

Shi Jingzhi, with his naturally sinister face, looked quite intimidating when he turned serious.

“An assassin from the Chigou Sect?” Shi Jingzhi asked slowly.

“Yes. I promised San Zi to be frank about it. When you were entering the forbidden area, I intended to take him and escape.”

There were quite a few people who deliberately learned their techniques and concealed their identities, and Yin Ci wasn’t sure before. But now, looking at Su Si, he didn’t seem to be lying. Was he really a member of the Chigou Sect?

So naive.

The Chigou Sect’s ancestor shook his head and placed the food in front of Shi Jingzhi. Instantly, the serious expression on Shi Jingzhi’s face started to crumble, but he managed to hold it together.

“You betrayed the sect even before joining it. You have quite a temper. It’s still too early to talk about recruiting you. Let’s see how you perform first by escaping.” Shi Jingzhi waved his hand, not putting up too much of a facade. “A’Ci has returned, so let’s first talk about Yan Budu’s matter.”

Su Si raised an eyebrow. “As a defector, I don’t fall under the Chigou Sect’s ‘three killing principles’. The Chigou Sect will continuously hunt me down if you take me in. With that, you’re still ‘seeing how I perform’?”

“A’Si!”

“It’s alright, San Zi. Let’s be completely honest. I won’t take advantage of you, Sect Master.”

“Not that. Just be more mindful of your tone. Haa…”

Shi Jingzhi took a bite of the vegetable egg pancake and calmly turned his head. “It doesn’t matter. I offended Matron Wuxue in the Ghost Tomb. She wishes to send me to the 18th level of Hell. Even if she finds out that I took you in, she would have to dig out a 19th level first.”

Su Si had a complicated expression. Was this sect reliable? It felt like they could be annihilated by the Chigou Sect at any moment. As someone who had to hide from the Chigou Sect, was it wise for him to join now?

Shi Jingzhi seemed to see through his thoughts and continued in a low voice, “So, if we’re talking about who wants to avoid the Chigou Sect the most, it would undoubtedly be me. You just defected and ran away, but I’ve been trampling all over their Matriarch’s face.”

Su Si: “…”

No wonder Yan Qing’s expression was so subtle when he heard that he was being pursued by the Chigou Sect. The sect he wanted to join wasn’t the Kushan Sect, but a rat’s nest in the gutter.

Well, it actually seemed suitable.

Seeing the discussion veering off, Yin Ci picked up a bite of food and fed it to his master. Shi Jingzhi had a large appetite and was quite hungry. Now that he had delicious food, he ate it up in no time.

With Shi Jingzhi silent, both of them looked at Yin Ci again.

“The forbidden area destroyed my disguise treasure,” Yin Ci casually explained.

Seeing his uncovered faces, both Su Si and Yan Qing didn’t ask further questions. One leader was enough to attract attention, and his eldest disciple had the same demeanor, so it was better to keep them hidden.

However, the sight of the master and disciple sitting together with their faces fully exposed made people’s heads spin.

Yan Qing asked, “Sect Master, what should we do next?” As he spoke, he stared firmly at Lord Bai, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

Shi Jingzhi replied, “Wait until nightfall. Then I’ll go to the residence of the Goddess. As for A’Ci…”

Yin Ci revealed only half of his identity, which made things much more convenient. “I’ll go with him and also take a look at the protection array. When I encounter the villagers, I’ll just pretend to be mute and let Shizun explain everything.”

Now there were two people who needed to pretend to be mysterious. Su Si even found some white cloth to wrap around their sundries, creating two “immortals” dressed in flowing white robes.

Under the cover of night, the two “immortals” held their heads high and walked towards the residence of the Goddess, looking quite authentic. To enhance the atmosphere, Shi Jingzhi constantly displayed flames, ensuring that the surroundings were filled with a radiant golden light.

Unfortunately, they were followed by Lord Bai, who swaggered along, instantly diminishing the immortality aura.

The villagers hesitated and pushed each other, none of them daring to step forward and ask questions. They could only choose Mian Jie as their representative to inquire first.

“Yin Deng, it’s much better now. Thank you for your divine intervention.” Her eyes were still red from crying. “I heard that Friend Yin met his end down there, and I…”

Fox Shi also put on a sorrowful expression. “We came here to rescue the divine spirit, and it was destined that we met that child. Rescuing Yin Deng was an insignificant matter. If A’Ci has awareness in the afterlife, he would also find solace.”

Yin Ci followed behind them, expressionless.

Mian Jie wiped her tears. “From now on, on this day each year, I will definitely offer incense to Yin Ci. Divine One, is the Goddess really a demon? I heard that ascending to immortality is fake. What’s the truth…”

Shi Jingzhi shook his head mysteriously. “Since you’re here, you can see it for yourself.”

The Goddess was gone, but her influence remained. The courtyard was in disarray due to Su Si and Yan Qing’s actions, and no one dared to tidy it up.

The night was cool, with flickering shadows and a somewhat eerie atmosphere in the spacious courtyard.

The Goddess had set up a powerful protective array near her bedroom. It was a formidable array that Su Si and Yan Qing couldn’t break. Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci exchanged a glance, and the two of them formed an unlikely alliance.

When Mian Jie wasn’t paying attention, Yin Ci pulled his master closer, and whispered, “My grandfather…”

“Your grandfather taught you how to break arrays, but breaking this array requires inner force, which you lack.” Shi Jingzhi cut to the chase. “Come on.”

Yin Ci nodded in satisfaction. The master and disciple each held the flag, and Yin Ci placed his hand on Shi Jingzhi’s back while his other hand lightly grasped Shi Jingzhi’s waist. After the battle in the forbidden area, their cooperation was almost perfect. Their footwork synchronized like a dance.

Golden flames twirled and scattered radiant light, piercing through the eye of the array. Chaotic wind blades dispersed, devoid of any blood color; only white clothes fluttering in the wind and black hair flowing like silk.

The night transformed into a bright scene like poetry, and nothing was more convincing proof of the existence of “immortals”.

The villagers remained silent, with Yan Qing and Su Si wearing blank expressions, one looking at the sky and the other at the ground. Su Si intentionally held Lord Bai tightly, pinching its mouth, fearing it would ruin the atmosphere with its high-spirited outbursts.

Lord Bai angrily stretched its neck, and its fleshy antennae stretched taut.

Before long, the array was broken. The master and disciple finally separated, and Lord Bai regained its freedom. It tightly clamped onto Su Si’s trousers, not letting go even after the four of them entered the Goddess’ bedroom.

The bedroom was filled with elegant incense, but upon closer sniffing, a faint scent of decay typical of an elderly person could still be detected. The room was tidy, adorned with numerous calligraphy and paintings that appeared ordinary at first glance.

The bedroom was quite spacious, with a shrine dedicated to the Imperial Celestial placed at one end. The wall behind the shrine was painted crimson red and adorned with intricate reliefs.

Shi Jingzhi sniffed around and repeatedly rubbed his palm against the wall’s surface. After a while, the wall made a light clicking sound and receded to both sides.

Mian Jie immediately took two steps back, nearly collapsing to the ground.

It was blood.

Behind the wall was emptiness, with several layers of wooden shelves inside, each crowded with glass bottles filled with blood. Without the wall obstructing the view, even an ordinary person could detect the faint smell of blood.

Each bottle was hung with a wooden plaque bearing the names of the villagers written neatly. Shi Jingzhi didn’t tremble this time; he furrowed his brow and picked out two empty bottles.

The wooden plaques already hanging on them read “Su Si” and “Shi Jingzhi”, and the bottles still had a lingering scent of blood, indicating they were recently emptied.

“The Goddess took your blood?” Shi Jingzhi inspected them and then put the empty bottles back.

Mian Jie looked at the hundreds of blood-filled bottles, her scalp tingling. “Y-Yes. During the village initiation ceremony, they take your blood, and you consume the celestial herb…”

“Is this the celestial herb?” Shi Jingzhi randomly selected a blood-filled bottle, pulled out the stopper, and handed it to Mian Jie.

Inside the bottle, besides blood, there were clusters of root-like substances immersed in the blood. It swelled slightly from being soaked in blood, emitting a strange, pungent-sweet smell.

Mian Jie nodded, and her face got paler, as if she was about to vomit at any moment.

“It’s the Twin Roots.” This time it was Su Si who spoke, elongating his face. He was no longer pretending to speak with a woman’s voice.

Yan Qing looked at him in confusion.

“It’s normal for San Zi not to recognize it. It’s something only members of the demonic sect would use—similar to the acacia beans. Both require blood as a catalyst. However, while the acacia beans are only used to observe someone’s condition, this root can kill.”

Su Si took a few steps forward, carefully examining the cluster of root-like substances.

“The Twin Roots divides into two. One cluster floats in the blood outside the body, while the other is consumed by the blood host. Once the blood is used as a catalyst, the two roots become connected, sharing the same fate.”

“If I were to poison this blood bottle and kill this cluster of roots, the blood host would also die from the poison. If I were to take this cluster of roots and burn them with fire, the blood host would also perish in flames. This thing is a curse that controls people, and it’s quite precious. Even in the demonic sect, it is only used to control top-level masters.”

Although mentally prepared for it to be different from “ascending into immortality”, Mian Jie was still stunned upon hearing these words.

Shi Jingzhi took over the conversation, trying to reassure everyone. “Don’t worry, this isn’t something related to immortals. There must be a way to break its power.”

Yan Qing was still pondering. “So, whether it’s the ‘death within three days’ or the so-called ‘three-day injury’, it’s all caused by the Goddess herself?”

“It’s probably that when the time comes, she mixes some demonic substance into the corresponding blood bottle. For example…” Su Si scanned the blood bottles nearby and retrieved a wooden box. “For example, this cluster of Threads of Worry or similar things? Do any of you recognize this? Threads of Worry don’t have a physical form, right?”

Inside the box writhed a cluster of emerald-green threads, attempting to climb onto Su Si’s hand, but he covered the box and stopped them.

“Regardless of what it is, take it with us. It’s better to keep them away from the blood bottles.” Shi Jingzhi made a decisive decision.

Su Si obediently picked up the box and put it in his pocket.

Shi Jingzhi lowered his gaze for a moment and quickly understood the situation. “Yan Qing’s guess is correct. The Goddess uses the twin roots to corrupt human bodies and create her idols from living flesh. But her need for live subjects is unpredictable, giving rise to the concept of the ‘three-day injury’. As long as she intentionally injures a few people, she can successfully obtain the materials without causing panic.”

As long as the villagers believed that “it’s the fault of the deceased themselves”, they could avoid it by living cautiously. Who would question anything else?

“The so-called ‘children and women who give birth can obtain the elixir’ are exempt from the three-day injury. It’s probably because children have less flesh, and women are needed to bear offspring, so she refrains from harming them with demonic substances… Mian Jie, you weren’t ‘doomed to die within three days’, but rather ‘the Goddess wanted you to die and used the three-day injury as a cover-up’. The sequence was wrong.”

Mian Jie was speechless.

“Judging by the age of the houses in the village, it seems that the population has remained relatively constant over time.” Shi Jingzhi looked at the rows of shelves, and his tone gradually became more complicated. “Uncle Liu and Auntie Liu would have died because Su Si and I have immortal potential and we are young enough to replace them.”

“But… the Goddess has only been here for a little over fifty years.” Mian Jie stuttered. “The concept of the three-day injury has always existed and has been passed down for hundreds of years!”

Shi Jingzhi put on that mysterious, unfathomable look again. “Yes, there is more than one demonic being here. That’s why the Imperial Celestial sent us…”

Yin Ci let the fox, who was pretending to be divine and babbling, search around on its own.

Joking aside, where was the elixir?

Even if the three-day injury was false, according to the Goddess’ words, the elixir that could cure all ailments did exist. Since there was an elixir, it might also possess extraordinary toxicity. On the path to self-destruction, Yin Ci was always enthusiastic and full of zeal.

Unfortunately, the Goddess was cunning. Demonic Lord Yin searched for a while but couldn’t find anything. After contemplating for a moment, his sinister hand reached out for Lord Bai. Taking advantage of everyone distracting Mian Jie, Yin Ci grabbed the big goose by the neck, lifting it up.

Since there was a convenient tool, why not use it?

Lord Bai let out a resentful honk. Trapped in Yin Ci’s grasp, its eyes filled with anger that was almost tangible.

“If you refuse the toast, you’ll only drink a forfeit*. I have no other choice.” Yin Ci revealed a cold smile, trying to intimidate the goose in his hand. “The elixir is crucial to me. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll cook you as a side dish sooner or later.”

*(敬酒不吃吃罚酒) Idiom referring to submitting to pressure after first turning down a request.

The intimidating aura from three hundred years of experience wasn’t fake. Although Lord Bai was unwilling to yield, it could still bend. Yin Ci wondered what expression a goose could make and caught a glimpse of a taste of “this goose will seek revenge, no matter how long it takes” on its face.

After being released, Lord Bai reluctantly strolled to the bed of the Goddess and then sat down on the ground, looking at Yin Ci with hatred.

This goose demon naturally sought good fortune and avoided calamity. Although it couldn’t pinpoint the exact location, a general direction would suffice.

The mantle of the Goddess’ bed was adorned with a large amount of jade. Yin Ci focused his gaze and noticed something suspicious—the Goddess had wrapped emerald-green liquid in translucent jade, making fake jade ornaments, boldly hiding it right under everyone’s noses.

Yin Ci took off the fake jade and hesitated for a moment before taking a few more pieces.

His master didn’t want to stay here forever. By studying this elixir, perhaps they could find a glimmer of hope.

…Although it was because the golden fire missed this person. Having been accustomed to solitude for so long, Yin Ci wasn’t used to the state of always thinking about another person.

Well, one must be prepared to pay the price. It was just a fleeting moment.

This trip could be considered extremely successful, with substantial gains. However, Shi Jingzhi hadn’t been able to relax the entire time, his face filled with worry.

“A’Ci, everything went too smoothly.” Shi Jingzhi took the elixir and muttered to himself. “It went way too smoothly. There must be trouble ahead.”

Yin Ci: “……” Why is he becoming anxious too? If I had known, I would have left him outside.

Unfortunately, Shi Jingzhi’s premonition was correct.

Mian Jie stepped out of the Goddess’ bedroom first, and everything seemed normal. But the moment Shi Jingzhi stepped out of the room, a sudden change occurred.

A demonic wind erupted from under everyone’s feet. The calligraphy and paintings inside the room instantly fell and shattered. The windstorm rapidly expanded, and the air pressure made it almost impossible to breathe. Countless wind blades poured down, and spiritual qi surged from all directions. The four members of the Kushan Sect were firmly held in place, like sinking into a quagmire, unable to move a step.

The array appeared without any warning that even Yin Ci couldn’t detect it. It seemed to be connected to a large array outside the village, ancient and incredibly powerful.

‘Indeed,’ Yin Ci thought. They took away the elixir and those Threads of Worry. Moreover, they were outsiders, so no matter how one looked at it, they seemed to be up to no good.

This was a matter of silencing them.

Anyone who saw through the truth of the village couldn’t leave this room alive. The large and small arrays outside the Goddess’ house were just bait to confuse the enemy. Yin Ci had been wary of this move long ago. Before entering the house, he had carefully investigated the surroundings but failed to detect this excessively massive array.

This could only prove one thing: The one who set up the array was more powerful than him and more knowledgeable.

…Perhaps they have lived longer than him.

However, Yin Ci was prepared. He grabbed the fox who had an “I knew it” expression all over his face, and pinned him down. Then he crushed a piece of jade filled with the ‘presumed elixir’ and drank half of it, pouring the rest behind him.

Finally, he pressed down on Shi Jingzhi’s head and said, “Shizun, use yang fire!”

Among the people present, only Shi Jingzhi’s inner force was strong enough to resist the suppression of spiritual qi. However, the surrounding wind blades were too strong. If Shi Jingzhi broke free, the entrance would undoubtedly be wide open, and he would either suffer serious injuries or die on the spot.

His cheap master was too young and had a strong will to survive. In an instant, he was bound to make a wrong judgment.

Yin Ci had to keep an eye on him.

Shi Jingzhi had always been quick to react. He unleashed the yang fire to counter the spiritual qi of the wind blades. However, he had initially planned to escape together with Yin Ci but ended up being suppressed by Yin Ci instead, struggling instinctively.

Shi Jingzhi had abundant and powerful inner force. The wind blades were densely packed around them, making it difficult for Yin Ci to hit his acupoints, so Yin Ci bit down on Shi Jingzhi’s earlobe forcefully and said, “Behave, I just drank the elixir. It’s a waste if you don’t use it.”

His bite exerted some force, causing Shi Jingzhi to gasp. “You—”

“I’m fine. It really was the elixir in the jade.”

Yin Ci was already accustomed to the pain of separating from his loved ones. He supported himself with both hands and had a calm expression. With Shi Jingzhi protected beneath him, his bloody back, with its torn flesh, was out of sight.

“Shizun, just use the fire to drive away the wind. I will protect you.”

Yin Ci’s white clothes were soaked in blood, dripping down his shoulders and neck, only to be dispersed by the wind blades and splattered on Shi Jingzhi’s face. Shi Jingzhi stared fixedly at Yin Ci for a while, then raised his hand and wiped away the bloodstains on his own face.

Is human blood really this scorching?

The golden fire silently rose a bit higher.

Seven or eight steps away.

Yan Qing and Su Si walked behind them, not yet leaving the shrine. Yan Qing did something foolish—he tore down the shrine’s curtain while the wind blades were still contained. He quickly wrapped up all the blood bottles on the shelves and stuffed them into his arms.

Su Si cursed loudly.

He was much more cunning than Yan Qing. Seeing the situation wasn’t good, he immediately grabbed the Goddess’ “jade” mantle and covered both of them, like a blanket.

Su Si took all the Goddess’ stock of elixirs in one pot. The supply of elixirs here was quite abundant. However, the two young men lacked sufficient skills and were seriously wounded by the wind blades. They were both bathing in the rain of elixir while crying out in agony.

Fortunately, the two of them had some foundation in martial arts and couldn’t be considered weak. If it were ordinary civilians like Mian Jie, their bones would have been shattered by now.

As the only person who hadn’t suffered, Shi Jingzhi gathered his strength, and the golden flames of the yang fire engulfed half the sky. He forcefully collided with the wind blades using pure power.

Dark clouds pressed down, and earth and stones shattered. The golden flames created a whirlwind, turning everything into hellfire.

Shi Jingzhi couldn’t express his feelings.

A disciple sacrificing himself to protect his master was indeed one of the manifestations of “the bondage of fate”. In theory, he should feel satisfied or moved, but he was not happy at all.

It was said that the bondage of fate brings peace and contentment, yet his first taste left a bitter and astringent feeling in his mouth.

Even though Yin Ci acted as if everything was normal, Shi Jingzhi heard the sound of the wind blades cutting into flesh and smelled the scent of blood filling his nostrils. For a moment, he even felt a sense of confusion.

The world was vast, and he only sought a corner of it. The weak water* had three thousand paths, and he only desired a sip.

*Has different interpretations depending on the context. In terms of mythology, it refers to a mythical river or body of water that represents the boundary between the mortal realm and the afterlife. Metaphorically, it symbolizes the transience and impermanence of life, highlighting the fleeting nature of human existence.

This was the case for all living beings. He followed the path of the mundane, and his thoughts and desires were nothing extraordinary. For over twenty years, he had never doubted this—despite only seeking a glimmer of hope, even if he couldn’t obtain it, he still wanted to taste the various aspects of human life.

So where did he go wrong?

Was what he wanted still not little enough?

This was clearly what he desired, so why, when it was within his grasp, did he feel no satisfaction?

Shi Jingzhi felt a faint pain in his brain, as if something was struggling to break free. He groaned, curled his body, and focused all his consciousness on resisting the wind blades.

This wasn’t the time for wandering thoughts; Shi Jingzhi clenched his teeth.

The time of two incense sticks passed, and the wind blade finally dissipated. The Goddess’ residence had lost its roof, and the surroundings were in complete disarray. The onlooking villagers had disappeared without a trace.

Those two incense sticks seemed as long as two lifetimes. Not to mention Yan Qing, even Su Si had never experienced such hardship. The two young men were hugging each other in a bloody ball, looking quite miserable. Yin Ci let out a long sigh of relief and released Shi Jingzhi.

“That was a ruthless move. If it weren’t for Yan Qing’s quick reaction in protecting the blood bottles, the entire village would have turned to dust.” Yin Ci shook the unconscious young men.

“A’Ci.”

“Su Si also has some skills. He timely snatched the mantle of elixirs. Otherwise, it would have been just the two of us left in the Kushan Sect… Now, there are only a few elixirs left in Shizun’s hands. Shizun, please take good care of them.”

“A’Ci!”

“Hmm?”

“Although you’ve changed your appearance and kept many things from me, there is something I still want to say.”

Shi Jingzhi’s tone was exceptionally serious, even more so than in the Ghost Tomb.

“…Listen well. As your Master, I will never let you down.”

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The author has something to say:

Composition of the Kushan Sect: One sect leader who opposes the Chigou Sect, a descendant of the Ling Sect’s Hierarch, a deserter from the Chigou Sect, and another descendant of the Chigou Sect’s Patriarch (on the surface).

Matron Wuxue: What kind of strange composition is this? Call the police.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 40: Clue

When washing his disciple vigorously, Shi Jingzhi’s mood was quite complex.

It was false to say that he had no intention of teaching a lesson. Shi Jingzhi controlled the strength well, neither really hurting Yin Ci nor being too gentle like a back-scrubbing service. The disciple seemed like a shrimp in a pot, gradually turning pink as he was scrubbed.

While washing, Shi Jingzhi was also searching for any injuries.

In the forbidden area, Shi Jingzhi had touched living flesh mud with his fingertips. The flesh mud was sticky like glue, instantly sticking to his fingers. Shi Jingzhi managed to remove it in time, but he still lost a layer of skin.

Yin Ci had fallen into it completely, so he should have left some wounds. However, his disciple’s back was intact and smooth, without even any old scars. After scrubbing for a while, Shi Jingzhi only found some strange thin skin with flesh mud stuck to it.

According to Yin Ci’s explanation, these were probably remnants of the ghostskin robe.

Yin Ci had previously stripped down in the Ghost Tomb to prove himself, and it must have covered a considerable area. His disciple couldn’t possibly possess absurd regenerative abilities. If such a convenient technique existed, Yin Ci’s meridians wouldn’t have been damaged.

Yin Ci remained unharmed, most likely due to the ghostskin robe.

Indeed, it was worthy of a family heirloom. Aside from its incredibly realistic disguise effect, it even protected against the flesh mud. It was a pity that it was no longer available. If it weren’t so rare, Shi Jingzhi would have wanted one for himself. This item sounded much more impressive than the “Nuo” masks.

Lost in his thoughts, Shi Jingzhi was brought back to reality by Yin Ci’s words.

“And I am a living person, not an object. Shizun, you don’t need to be blindly attached.”

Was there a difference? Shi Jingzhi was stunned.

Humans were nothing more than objects that could speak and move. Others were like that, and so was he. Sensing his confusion, Yin Ci turned around, grabbed Shi Jingzhi’s long hair, and pulled his face closer.

Amidst the mist of water vapor, the other person’s eyes were like two cold stars. Shi Jingzhi didn’t like being observed like this, and he had a fleeting feeling of being pierced through.

So he probed back.

Through this probing, Shi Jingzhi realized that something wasn’t right.

Originally, his plan was clear and perfect—to capture a disciple and pretend to be the person he expected. As long as the disciple genuinely respected and admired him from the bottom of his heart, he would have tasted the bonds of worldly connections.

To prevent Yin Ci from suspecting, Shi Jingzhi hadn’t initially catered to his preferences. He had intended to take it slowly and gradually, but now he couldn’t see Yin Ci’s desires at all.

Despite being a young person in his twenties, Yin Ci’s eyes were like dried wells, lacking sharpness and anticipation. It was as if he didn’t like anything and didn’t want anything.

With no expectations, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t play the role of the “ideal master” in Yin Ci’s heart, so he had no choice but to continue being himself.

But he didn’t even know what “himself” looked like or how to gain Yin Ci’s affection.

Suddenly, Shi Jingzhi felt a bit panicked.

He was all excited about cultivating a disciple and preparing to reap the bonds of worldly connections. Who would have known that just after watering a few times, he discovered that the seed was dead. Oh heavens, he had just finished washing the person, and now he had to deal with his rebelliousness!

“As your Master…”

Shi Jingzhi wanted to say a few soft words to salvage the image of a gentle master. However, without the other person’s expectations as a reference, his mind felt rusty and completely blank.

Indeed, good things didn’t fall from the sky. The disciple he casually grabbed had a good appearance and excelled in both the martial arts and cooking. It was inevitable that he would be more difficult to handle than an ordinary person.

Fortunately, Yan Qing appeared in time and helped him out.

Upon hearing that it was related to Yan Budu, Shi Jingzhi had no interest in lingering on other matters. He pressed Yin Ci down a bit and rinsed him twice in the medicinal soup, considering it the end of this treatment and lesson.

Yin Ci was washed to the point of losing his temper. He silently put on his clothes and followed behind.

The sun was setting, casting an orange-red hue over the courtyard. Yin Ci, in his pinkish state, was no longer as eye-catching under the radiant sunlight. There was a small stone table set up in the courtyard, and Su Si was placing dishes on it one after another.

Among them were either leftovers that had been reheated or dishes that looked like a mess. Near the table, Lord Bai walked with its head held high, patrolling the courtyard, and the environment was relatively quiet.

“You’re here?” Su Si placed the final dish on the table and wiped his hands on his clothes. He still gave Yin Ci a sideway glance, more vigilant than appreciative.

Compared to Su Si’s attitude, Yin Ci was more concerned about the eerie scene—how did they discover Yan Budu? Not only that, these two brats were setting up a proper gathering. Su Si was one thing, but Yan Qing had been staring at his own toes the whole time, emitting a strong sense of guilt.

After sleeping for a whole day, they were genuinely hungry. The fox found it difficult to treat his disciple. He trembled as he picked up a piece of overcooked vegetable leaf with eyes filled with a hint of despair.

He turned his head and looked pitifully at Yin Ci.

The gaze of his master was fixed on him, Su Si was intermittently scrutinizing, and Yan Qing was secretly observing. Yin Ci was annoyed by the stares of the crowd and stood up directly.

“You two can take some time to think about it. This is not enough to eat. I’ll go add a couple more dishes.”

Shi Jingzhi slowly put down his chopsticks with a calm expression on his face. “Mm, we’ll wait for Yin Ci to come back before we eat.”

For some reason, there was a commotion at the table, but Yan Qing gradually calmed down. He silently nibbled on a steamed cake and went over last night’s events in his mind. Yin Ci hadn’t guessed wrong; it was indeed difficult to explain things clearly in just a few words.

Time reversed to the previous night.

Outside the forbidden area.

Seeing the master and disciple enter the forbidden area one after another, Yan Qing was a bit stunned. “A’Si, do you know where the Goddess resides?”

Su Si, rarely not smiling, pondered for a moment with his head down. “I know. Come with me for a moment. I’ll bring Lord Bai along.”

Su Si’s residence was a distance away from the forbidden area. At this moment, there was no one in the house, but the sound of Lord Bai eating vegetables could be heard from outside the window. Yan Qing walked ahead, glancing around, and just as he opened the door—

“Snap.”

Taking advantage of Yan Qing looking into the room, Su Si swiftly brought down his hand with a chop. Unexpectedly, Yan Qing was prepared and caught his wrist, and their hands froze in mid-air.

Time seemed to stand still.

“…You’ve improved.” Su Si smiled, as if he had only intended to pat Yan Qing’s shoulder.

Yan Qing didn’t buy into his act. “So, you wanted to knock me out, and then what?”

“Since you’ve guessed it, why bother asking me?”

In the dim night, Su Si’s face hid in the shadows, and his smile became somewhat eerie.

Yan Qing released his hand. “A’Si, I’ve been meaning to say this before. We’re not nine years old anymore. You don’t have to treat me as if I’m still nine.”

Su Si’s enthusiastic expression faded a bit, and he looked steadily at Yan Qing. “If we miss this opportunity, it’ll be too late. Even if they get out of the forbidden area, there’s no guarantee they’ll find any clues. They might not even be able to make it out… Let them attract the attention of the Goddess, and I’ll interrogate a villager to find a way out.”

He paused. “Given your character, you naturally wouldn’t agree, so I’ll have to knock you out first.”

“Sect Master Shi saved my life.” Yan Qing stood calmly in place. “If they, master and disciple, have such thoughts, they can simply send me into the forbidden area as bait and find a way to escape.”

Whether through coercion or enticement, they could always find a suitable guide, especially a child like Yin Deng, who was easily fooled, or Mian Jie, a gentle woman who cherished her family. As for what would happen to the guide after they left, that wasn’t a concern for the escapees.

Indeed, it was the simplest approach.

Su Si casually said, “They would be foolish to do so. Regardless of whether the villagers are aware or not, we were the ones who were deceived from the beginning.”

Yan Qing asked, “Then why didn’t you run earlier?”

Su Si was momentarily stunned, without an answer.

Yan Qing sighed softly. No matter how warm and familiar Su Si acted, the past was already gone. They escaped twelve years ago and separated ten years ago. How many ten-year periods did a mortal have in their lifetime?

Long ago, they had stood beneath the starry sky in the same manner.

[Look, I said we could escape! I don’t want the name “Su Sigou” anymore. You’re literate. Help me come up with a new one.]

[Su Si.]

[That’s hardly any change at all!]

[It’s not the “Si (四)” from “four dogs”, it’s “Si (肆)” as in “unrestrained”*. By the way, I also want to change my name… I want to change it to “Yan Qing”. A’Si, put me down. I’ll write it for you to see.]

*Clarity: This was explained before. The new [Si] (肆) is from unrestrained/reckless/wanton (肆意). His old name is four [Si] (四) + dog [Gou] (狗).

Su Si wiped the sweat off his face, crouched down, and let go of the skinny child on his back. Yan Qing picked up a tree branch and solemnly gestured on the ground.

Su Si didn’t know many characters. When he saw the character “Si (肆)” he was taken aback. [Why are there so many strokes? I don’t want this!*]

*Clarity: 13 (肆) vs 5 (四)… Though it’s still the same if you count 8 [gou] (狗).

Yan Qing ignored him and continued drawing on the ground. [I want to change it to this “Yan (闫)” character. It’s pronounced the same as “Yan (阎)”, so you won’t pronounce it wrong.]

Su Si looked left and right, up and down, and only recognized the “three (三)” character in “Yan (闫).” His eyes lit up with mischief. [I can change to Su Si, and you can call me A’Si, then I’ll call you San Zi. Doesn’t that sound like we’re brothers?*]

*Clarity: So this is where we find out why Su Si calls Yan Qing San Zi (Three Son)… It’s a bit cheeky because Su Si is the fourth son in his family (which is why he was named Su Sigou). Generally, among a group of friends or within a family, they can be referred to as First Son/Brother, Second Son/Brother, ect. || In this context, it makes it sound like they are brothers in terms of both friendship and familial.

After saying that, Su Si seemed amused by this idea and burst into laughter.

After laughing enough, his eyes sparkled. [San Zi, if we manage to escape today, no one will bother us anymore. Tell me, what do you want to do from now on?]

[I don’t know… To be honest, I want to live a stable life without being controlled because of these eyes of mine.]

Su Si: [Hmph, how unambitious! I want to become a hero—a hero riding a great horse and wielding a long sword. It would be even better if I could be from the Taiheng Sect; their attire looks the best.]

[Great horses are expensive, and so are long swords.] Yan Qing honestly pointed out. [The Taiheng Sect is filled with rich kids. It takes a lot of money to wander the rivers and lakes.]

Su Si couldn’t finish his grandiose declaration when it was choked by this chicken-like little companion. He thought for a while but couldn’t come up with a good idea to make money. He could only grumble with a stubborn pout. [I don’t care. I still want to become a hero.]

Yan Qing pondered with a furrowed brow. [Then, when I find a good job, I’ll help you save money. It’s… It’s a way to repay the debt from all these years.]

Su Si was very pleased but couldn’t resist teasing a little more. [Why do you always go on about debts? You’re so stingy.]

[Because others have no reason to be good to me. If someone is good to me, I should remember it.]

[Ah, San Zi. If you continue like this, you’ll be easily deceived sooner or later.]

……

Who would have thought that after ten years, the first person to deceive him would be Su Si himself.

Yan Qing clearly understood Su Si’s move to save Yin Deng. As a former member of the Taiheng Sect, he saw through it. He didn’t know if the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect had noticed, but he remained silent and didn’t expose it publicly.

Even now, Yan Qing didn’t know if keeping it a secret was right or wrong.

Su Si probably realized the flaw as well. Now that it was only the two of them left, there were things that reached the tip of their tongues, but neither of them was willing to speak first.

They had once been the closest people to each other in the world, and that closeness was too precious. Even if it was fake, no one wanted to break it.

In that fleeting moment, Yan Qing suddenly understood Su Si’s behavior. If they hadn’t reunited in this crisis-ridden place, both of them might have concealed their wounds and pretended that time hadn’t passed.

Even though they knew that the hearts of old friends could change easily, there were plenty of performances in the mortal world. But even if it was fake, it was still good. They could both pretend that they still had a home.

“Fine. I can take my time by myself, but I don’t want you to die here. That’s all.”

Finally, Su Si sighed. He stopped looking at Yan Qing and went to grab Lord Bai. “I admit, I’m not a good person and can’t become a hero. After wandering in the martial world for so long, I’ve learned at least one thing. You were right when you said that great horses and long swords are expensive… The desire to become a hero, especially so.”

“Sixty-seven taels of silver.”

“What?”

“I’ve saved up sixty-seven taels of silver,” Yan Qing said calmly. “In these years at Taiheng, I waited for you while saving up. When we get out of here, you can use it to buy a horse and a sword.”

Su Si tightened his grip, causing Lord Bai to honk out in discomfort. “Are you crazy?”

“I don’t know what happened to you in these ten years, but based on your move to save Yin Deng, I trust you.”

Yan Qing spoke seriously, so seriously that it was hard to argue with him. “Besides, if you had really become a heartless scoundrel, you wouldn’t be considering any other way to leave after being trapped for so long.”

This time, Su Si was stunned for a long time.

He seemed like he wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but it was difficult for him to say it. Gradually, his pretense of enthusiasm faded, revealing a faint but sincere nostalgia.

Finally, he burst into laughter, showing glimpses of his past self.

Su Si smacked his lips and sounded much lighter. “You haven’t changed at all—still so foolish. Fine, sixty-seven taels of silver. Let’s consider it as you hiring me, and I’ll go with you.”

“Okay. But A’Si, you have to tell me… When did you join the Chigou Sect, and why did you have to hide everywhere?”

Su Si’s smile froze.

After a while, he sighed deeply, looking up to the sky. “You’ve truly figured it out, San Zi. Can’t you be a little more foolish?”

“Taiheng still has control over the Chigou Sect. Even as a servant, I’ve witnessed the Chigou Sect’s techniques.”

“Let’s make it clear first, I’m not part of the Chigou Sect now. They said I had good talent, and since I have no parents, they forced me to become some damn assassin. I secretly learned their skills and escaped. They hate me to death, which is why they’re chasing me everywhere.”

As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes, hiding all the bloody twists and turns beneath his smile.

Yan Qing: “…”

He suddenly felt that the Kushan Sect and the Chigou Sect were in conflict, and if Su Si were to encounter them, it meant that they were not unrelated.

“Take me to the Goddess first.”

“Alright. Sixty-seven taels, as you said.”

“Yeah, about your identity, you also have to explain it to Sect Master Shi,” Yan Qing said earnestly, adding a comforting remark, “Don’t worry, Sect Master Shi has offended Matron Wuxue quite a bit, so one more thing won’t matter.”

“…Tsk, that old hag is really persistent.” Su Si clearly wasn’t comforted.

The Goddess’ house was located in the center of the village. It had a large courtyard and an elegant appearance, making it quite conspicuous.

As they continued their conversation, Su Si no longer had any scruples. He acted ruthlessly, swiftly knocking down the villagers guarding the gate. Unfortunately, their stroke of luck ended there. The Goddess had set up various arrays of different sizes around, and they could only break the smaller ones. When they finally reached the Goddess’ bedroom, the two of them stared at each other, hesitating to take another step.

Even Lord Bai raised its voice and let out two warning honks.

The two of them couldn’t just retreat without achieving anything, so they had to rummage around the outer hall. Unexpectedly, during their search, they actually found something.

Yuanxian Village had records of outsiders, and they were mixed with the records of ordinary villagers. Since there weren’t many outsiders, the records were only a thin volume. Yan Qing cautiously opened it with the mentality of “it won’t hurt to look at it”.

A certain entry from 107 years ago jumped right under his nose.

[During late autumn, a true immortal arrived here with an outsider. The outsider’s name was Yan Budu, with an exceptional immortal potential and naturally red eyes. The person is obstinate and cruel, making him very difficult to get along with. Due to deliberately destroying the demonic tree, the villagers detest him.]

[Yan Budu resided here for three days, then left with the true immortal, never to return.]

107 years ago was the year when Yan Budu disappeared.

---

The author has something to say:

The seed surname Yin refuses to sprout, while the old farmer surname Shi sheds bitter tears.

Fox: How could this happen? I knew that good things never last; there must be something bad happening, wuwu.

Demonic Lord: Lying peacefully in the earth, not even bothering to turn over.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 39: Master and Disciple

Half an hour ago, the forbidden area.

“You want me to pretend to be an immortal?” Yin Ci was somewhat surprised.

“Yes. I’ll just say my disciple died down there. Your previous disguise is too convincing, making it difficult to explain to the outside world. It’s better to abandon it.”

Shi Jingzhi regained some strength and prepared to set fires around.

“Of course, you don’t need to perform any magic tricks. Just pretend to be unconscious. I can use the excuse of ‘treating the divine spirit’ and close the door to visitors. Your face is convincing enough, and they already believe in immortal potential nonsense, so they won’t suspect for now.”

‘It’s also a way,’ Yin Ci thought to himself.

The villagers’ feelings towards the Goddess couldn’t disappear immediately, no matter how they explained it. The matter of the “Goddess’s remains being nonexistent” would raise suspicions. It would be better to establish a new deity and stabilize the villagers first. With the testimony of Yin Deng, this absurd plan seemed feasible.

After a chaotic night, although the two had countless words, they held back and didn’t speak of them and instead silently tidied themselves up, barely restoring their appearance as normal people. They then pulled up the unconscious Yin Deng from the corner.

The plan officially began.

The master and disciple stayed in the forbidden area for a night. Now that they were out, the air was so fresh that it made people teary-eyed.

Considering the previous eruption before entering the forbidden area, Shi Jingzhi had been going all out the whole way—first holding back, then exploding, and finally exhausting himself completely. His disciple had a sturdy physique and was quite heavy. He was so tired that his legs trembled, yet he had to pretend to be a deity and put on a superior demeanor.

Yin Ci didn’t fare any better.

He continued to close his eyes, pretending to be an unconscious and distressed deity. Shi Jingzhi walked unsteadily, which made his heart also fluctuate with worry, afraid that his cheap master, who had taken advantage of him, would stumble and fall on him, shattering their carefully planned scheme in front of everyone.

When facing the Goddess in battle, Yin Ci had never been this nervous.

Fortunately, Shi Jingzhi had some backbone after all, and his luck was also good. He hadn’t taken a few steps when Yan Qing rushed up.

Yan Qing frowned at the “stranger” Yin Ci but didn’t ask a single question. Shi Jingzhi breathed a sigh of relief and adjusted his hold to a supporting stance. The two of them carried Yin Ci, one on each side, back to the room.

Su Si followed behind with an expressionless face, blocking a few people who wanted to ask questions. Fortunately, most of the villagers didn’t realize what was happening and were left dumbfounded as they were left behind.

Once inside the room, Shi Jingzhi suddenly weakened. He fell to the ground with a thud and instantly fell into a deep sleep. Yin Ci tried to stand up but found that his sleeve was tightly gripped by Shi Jingzhi.

On the other side, Yan Qing attempted to remove the flag from Shi Jingzhi but experienced the firmness of a fox’s claws—Shi Jingzhi slept soundly, grabbing everything that needed to be grabbed.

After thinking for a moment, Yin Ci obediently laid down on one side and fell asleep on the spot.

After a night of intense battle, his energy was equally depleted, and replenishing his physical strength was a priority.

Yan Qing, Su Si: “…”

Su Si tapped Yin Ci with his toe. “No, who are you?”

Yin Ci turned over and said, “I’m the senior disciple of the Kushan Sect.”

Su Si: “…San Zi, I told you this sect is suspicious. Setting aside the face-changing thing, just look at how the master and disciple look. Which one of them resembles a normal person?”

Yan Qing’s gaze swept back and forth between the two and finally settled on Su Si’s face. After a moment of silence, he sighed softly. “Let’s lend a hand and move them to the inner room.”

The master and disciple went to sleep in the early morning to evening.

Shi Jingzhi guessed right. He gave himself the title of “Envoy of the Imperial Celestial”, and the villagers didn’t dare to visit him. Yin Deng became the only witness, and people flocked to Mian Jie’s house, trying to dig up some information. The young girl was greatly shocked, and she only mentioned that there was indeed something strange about “ascending to immortality,” but she didn’t want to say too much, leaving people helpless.

For now, they managed to get through this day.

When Yin Ci woke up again, Shi Jingzhi was nowhere to be seen. Only Yan Qing was staring at him with a face that expressed “unbelievable” on the right side and “how could this be” on the left.

Yin Ci wasn’t in the mood to explain one by one. He got straight to the point. “Where is Shizun?”

“Sect Master Shi is in the innermost room in the backyard. He said to let you go there when you wake up.”

Here it is. Many things occurred in the forbidden area, and they couldn’t avoid a long conversation. Yin Ci went over the lines he had thought of in his mind and calmly proceeded.

The room in the backyard wasn’t large, and the door was slightly ajar. A strong medicinal smell mixed with a hint of hostility wafted out, hitting him in the face.

Is Shi Jingzhi going to settle the score with him? Well, he would meet him head-on.

However, after taking a good look at the situation inside the room, Yin Ci froze at the doorway.

There was an additional folding screen in the innermost room of the backyard, and behind it, there was a bathtub filled to the brim with terrifyingly colored medicinal liquid. Shi Jingzhi had clearly taken a bath in advance, as his hair was still damp.

Upon seeing Yin Ci enter, Shi Jingzhi had an expressionless face. While exuding a fierce aura, he lifted a hairbrush towards his disciple.

Yin Ci turned and walked away.

Shi Jingzhi flicked his sleeve, and two surges of true qi shot out, slamming the door shut. “Yin Ci, come here.”

Oh, now he’s using his full name. Yin Ci turned his head, no longer pretending to be an obedient disciple. “What? Shizun wants to have another go?”

Shi Jingzhi’s momentum was overwhelming. “I need to talk to you.”

“Then put down the brush first.”

“If you’re uncomfortable, you can go into the water with your undergarments. I need to confirm your physical condition since you fell into the pool.” Shi Jingzhi swung the brush, displaying an aura as if he were wielding an ancient weapon.

Fine, he couldn’t escape from the inevitable*. Let him brush then, unless Shi Jingzhi intended to peel off his skin. Yin Ci kept his pants on and entered the bathtub shirtless.

*Can avoid the first day of school but not the fifteenth (躲过初一，躲不过十五) Idiom referring to you can avoid for a while but in the end you can’t escape.

As it turned out, Shi Jingzhi didn’t actually intend to peel off his skin, but the force he applied was almost there…

Not long after, Yin Ci gritted his teeth and said, “Shizun, stop scrubbing. I really was only wearing a ghostskin robe.”

He highly suspected that Shi Jingzhi was using this opportunity to teach him a lesson, as his skin was about to be scrubbed off. Even if the ghostskin robe was still intact, it could be brushed to tatters by his master.

Shi Jingzhi raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so that thing is called a ghostskin robe. It’s quite convenient. When I saw you in the Ghost Tomb last time, I really thought I was seeing a ghost.”

Immediately, he gave the brush a flick. “Is your name really ‘Yin Ci’? Who exactly are you?”

Yin Ci turned his head and looked at Shi Jingzhi, who had a stern and murderous expression. The pre-prepared lie came out smoothly.

“I am the great-grandson of the former Patriarch of the Chigou Sect, Su Zhi. My name is indeed Yin Ci. The Su lineage has congenital meridian damage, unable to cultivate inner force. Unwilling to get involved in the affairs of the martial world, my grandfather changed his name and went into seclusion in the mountains, passing down only one magic treasure and a set of sword techniques…”

“The ghostskin robe and Bone Sweeping Sword technique?” Shi Jingzhi interrupted.

“That’s right. I have an unusually distinctive appearance, so my grandfather had me wear the ghostskin robe to avoid drawing attention.”

“Why did you hide it from me?”

Yin Ci told the truth. “I found it interesting.”

Shi Jingzhi immediately gave him a brush stroke. “You deceived me in the Ghost Tomb, and that was interesting?”

“Because I wanted to know what kind of person Shizun is. The situation of the Su clan has special circumstances, so if I’m going to follow you in the future, I must first explore the truth. When you said you wanted to take me in, I couldn’t simply believe it. Offending people in the Ghost Tomb was unexpected… Ah, be gentler!”

“You didn’t expect me to be so insane, huh?” Shi Jingzhi lowered his gaze.

Yin Ci was taken aback. After spending so much time together, it was the first time he heard Shi Jingzhi voluntarily talk about this matter.

“Now that you’re willing to open up, there should be give and take. I have a slight heart condition, and occasionally I lose control. In the future, when we travel the martial world, I hope you can bear with me a bit more… As for this time, for deceiving your elder, I will deduct half a year’s stipend.”

Yin Ci: “……”

The good news was that Shi Jingzhi didn’t intend to kick him out of the Kushan Sect.

The bad news was that he was working for free.

Fortunately, Yin Ci only momentarily lost focus. He grasped onto the topic and wouldn’t let the fox sidestep it. “A slight heart condition?”

Was it referring to the “heart condition” of going crazy for a half-stranger or the “heart condition” of being able to quickly calm down and kill the Goddess? He finally had the chance to understand Shi Jingzhi’s ghostly logic and wouldn’t let it slip by.

Shi Jingzhi stopped his actions, and that obscure and mysterious gaze from the forbidden ground appeared once again.

With peace now surrounding them, Yin Ci could discern the meaning behind that gaze—it wasn’t protection or lingering affection. It was pure evaluation.

It seemed that Shi Jingzhi had realized that his disciple truly had no inner force, and compared to when they first left the Ghost Tomb, his attitude was no longer as cautious and meticulous. His master’s aura was like a handful of deadly weeds—whether it was suppressed by a stubborn rock or mud, as long as there was a slight crack, it would grow wildly, attempting to stand on equal ground with heaven and earth.

By willingly stepping into the bathtub and engaging in this conversation, Yin Ci had already embraced Shi Jingzhi’s path. He knew that if he wanted to stay, then his master would still be his master, and he would still be the disciple.

“Shizun, what kind of heart condition?” Seeing that Shi Jingzhi remained silent for a long time, Yin Ci asked again.

Shi Jingzhi sighed and said, “A’Ci, have you heard of ‘object addiction’?”

“Object addiction?”

“Ordinary people may develop addictions to alcohol or gambling, but for me, I have an object addiction. I become particularly attached to things related to myself, whether it’s possessions, weapons, or disciples. Among them, the thing I can least part with is my own life.”

“Ordinary people don’t want to die either.”

“For ordinary people, preserving their lives is like how a person who loves wine feels about fine wine. However, there’s a difference between a ‘wine lover’ and a ‘drunkard’. Even if the wine is excellent, if it’s mixed with poison, most people wouldn’t drink it, but a drunkard is another story… In any case, when this impulse arises, I also have trouble controlling it.”

Yin Ci completely lost focus and let his master scrub his shoulders.

Whether it was his attitude toward his disciple or his attitude toward the Goddess, this explanation made sense. However, Yin Ci always felt that something was off—Shi Jingzhi’s explanation was too smooth, as if it had been prepared in advance.

Furthermore, having traveled the world for over three hundred years, Yin Ci had never heard of such a peculiar addiction. “Object addiction” was probably similar to his “great-grandson” identity, a mixture of truth and falsehood that was difficult to discern.

They weren’t close friends, and it was impossible for them to reveal such intimate matters.

But that was fine. With just a bit of truth in his fabricated story, they could both release a bit of their true nature. He still needed this fox as there was a long road ahead. It was hard to say who would expose the other first.

So he stopped at this point. “So what you’re saying is, if I were completely wiped out, you would go insane. If you were to discover a clue to staying alive, you would go insane. Shizun, you’re quite peculiar when you go mad.”

Shi Jingzhi snorted coldly and applied a bit more force with the brush.

Yin Ci chuckled softly. “And I am a living person, not an object. Shizun, you don’t need to be blindly attached.”

As soon as his words fell, Shi Jingzhi stopped brushing, and his expression gradually became strange. Seeing his reaction, Yin Ci’s scalp tingled for a moment.

Judging from Shi Jingzhi’s expression, it didn’t seem like he was thinking, “What nonsense are you talking about?” but rather, “There’s something to this? This is the first time I’ve realized it.”

Yin Ci sat in the hot water, but a chill slowly crept up his spine.

Object addiction.

Shi Jingzhi’s care, anger, madness, and scrutiny toward himself suddenly had another interpretation.

Like a child receiving their first gift, he carefully tucked it into his embrace. Once lost or damaged, it would undoubtedly bring both grief and anger. Now that the shell of this object had been peeled off, he discovered that the interior was more exquisite and intriguing than he imagined, and it must be carefully examined.

Will it hurt me? How should I play with it to make myself happiest? Does it have any other secrets?

Regardless, it belongs to me.

When Shi Jingzhi’s past displays of affection and care were recalled now, they seemed as if they were separated by a thin veil, yet they made perfect sense.

…What bullshit Shi family. Normal families couldn’t produce children like this.

Even if a child was abused from a young age, they would still have a concept of “interacting with others”, even if it was a distorted concept filled with resentment. However, judging from Shi Jingzhi’s condition, he had only a vague understanding of this.

There was something wrong with this person’s background.

Yin Ci turned completely, locking eyes with Shi Jingzhi. Shi Jingzhi still had a strange and vacant expression, as if he were desperately trying to recall something, and the brush in his hand was still dripping water.

Yin Ci grabbed the drooping ends of Shi Jingzhi’s hair and pulled him closer. For the first time, he concentrated all his attention and looked directly at that bewitching face.

Until now, Yin Ci had always considered himself superior. He knew that Shi Jingzhi was somewhat special, but he had never seriously observed his master. After all, it was just a temporary plaything that would eventually be discarded. This person was usually lively and energetic, occasionally going mad at most, but not to the extent that it required special attention.

It turned out that swimming could drown a good swimmer. He had completely misjudged.

Through Shi Jingzhi’s amber eyes, Yin Ci couldn’t find a complete “human heart”.

At the depths of Shi Jingzhi’s gaze, there were only scattered fragments. He had a full range of emotions, yet he was like a child, in an extremely primitive state, unable to form a normal human being.

His obsession with life was more akin to that of a thirsty plant than to the ordinary human condition.

‘…It seems that I need to correct a thought,’ Yin Ci thought to himself.

To him, Shi Jingzhi was no longer a simple source of amusement. His master was wrapped in numerous mysteries and entangled in countless fates. Yin Ci insisted on piecing together those fragments, carefully examining what exactly was hidden within this shell.

“A’Ci?” Shi Jingzhi brushed his disciple like a cow for a while, but seeing that Yin Ci was really just skin and bones now, he let out a sigh. Feeling the intense gaze upon him, his heart tightened, fearing that he would provoke a rebellious response from his disciple.

Yin Ci slowly smiled and released Shi Jingzhi’s hair. “As a living person, I can take care of myself. It’s better for Shizun to have fewer fits of madness, as anger damages the liver.”

Shi Jingzhi’s expression relaxed a bit. “Master…”

He couldn’t finish his sentence.

Perhaps Shi Jingzhi had been brushing his disciple for too long, but Yan Qing, unable to bear it any longer, came knocking on the door. “Sect Master, I have something to discuss about the Goddess. We found her residence and discovered some… strange things.”

Shi Jingzhi’s attention immediately shifted. “Strange things?”

“Yes. Yan Budu seems to have been here.”

---

The author has something to say:

Demonic Lord Yin: I take off this vest and put it on a different side.

This wave, this wave is to retreat in order to advance (?

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 38: A Real Immortal

Yang fire wasn’t an extremely rare thing.

It was particularly effective against demonic entities, and major sects inevitably came into contact with demon-slaying affairs, so they possessed spirit weapons capable of generating yang fire. However, the fire produced by spirit weapons was mixed and couldn’t compare to the purity of fire generated from spiritual qi.

Yin Ci once used a spirit weapon to ignite yang fire and burned himself to ashes. Yang fire had extremely destructive power, and he had thought he could die successfully, but he was reborn from the ashes half a month later.

Impure yang fire seemed to be ineffective.

But when it came to generating fire from spiritual qi, there were very few who could do it. Even if someone could be found, normal people had limited spiritual qi from cultivating both internally and externally. Even someone as powerful as Shi Zhongyu could only cover her sword with fire in critical moments. Only extraordinary individuals like Shi Jingzhi could turn themselves into a burning charcoal ball.

If it were Shi Jingzhi, could he leave nothing but ashes?

The identity of his cheap master was a mystery—a once-in-a-century talent who happened to be pursuing the Shirou alongside him. Perhaps this was the answer destiny had given him—the person destined to accompany him on his final journey.

Yin Ci exerted a bit more force, firmly holding onto Shi Jingzhi as a smile grew on his face.

Shi Jingzhi had exceptional abilities but was too young. At this moment, the exhausted and horrified fox was vulnerable, and Yin Ci could take advantage of the opportunity to plant some suggestions in his little master’s mind, playing with him in the palm of his hand.

When a person was in a vulnerable state, they were most easily manipulated. As a former sect leader, Yin Ci was all too familiar with these tactics.

“Shizun.” Yin Ci’s voice was soft, carrying an irresistible coaxing tone.

Finally, Shi Jingzhi’s panic dissipated. He didn’t relax his body, but simply stared fixedly at the healing wounds of the Goddess, forgetting even to tremble.

“Shizun?” Yin Ci’s voice softened, and his grip grew stronger.

Shi Jingzhi still didn’t move.

Finally, the Goddess recovered from the burning pain. The flesh idol sat upright in its original position while the roots around it squirmed violently, shooting out in all directions. Just as Yin Ci was about to defend with his sword, another force suddenly erupted.

Shi Jingzhi took control of the situation. He sidestepped, twisting Yin Ci’s wrist. Then, his sword qi formed a circle, shattering the approaching tree roots. The golden flame flickered on the sword, not as intense as before but emitting a resolute determination of making a desperate gamble.

“Regeneration,” Shi Jingzhi continued to stare at the flesh idol, murmuring.

Yin Ci was caught off guard as he was pulled into Shi Jingzhi’s embrace.

So, that’s how it is. He shouldn’t have spoken too soon. Upon hearing the word “regeneration”, the monster instantly transformed into prey. Shi Jingzhi completely forgot what fear was, and his face showed only focus and determination.

Yin Ci didn’t like being in a position of being controlled. He wanted to break free but found himself firmly pressed against Shi Jingzhi’s chest, unable to move.

“A’Ci, if you want the golden fire, I’ll give it to you. But you have to do it my way.” That dominant aura reemerged.

“We’re just one step away, Shizun. Delay, and things will change.”

“I still have questions to ask her.”

Yin Ci sneered inwardly. The Goddess was unafraid of pain, so this fox might not have the ability to force her to speak. But since his master had made up his mind, he could wait a little longer.

There was no choice. It was because he couldn’t generate fire himself.

Shi Jingzhi tightened his grip on Yin Ci with one hand and quickly drew his sword with the other. As expected, after the golden fire burned, the healing of the flesh idol’s wounds almost stagnated. In her desperation, the Goddess summoned more tree roots, but they were all blocked by Shi Jingzhi’s golden fire.

The air was filled with the scent of burning wood.

Yin Ci still couldn’t break free from his master’s embrace, so he didn’t force it anymore. Either way, he didn’t plan to get injured in front of Shi Jingzhi. This was also a way to handle the situation.

His cold, jade-like fingertips traced Shi Jingzhi’s forearm, occasionally pointing out a better direction for his master’s sword. Their black hair was scattered and entwined together, creating a touch of intimacy.

Yin Ci only wore a white robe, soaked through by the water, wetting Shi Jingzhi’s front as well. The damp fabric, heated by their combined body temperatures, created an illusion of skin contact.

Shi Jingzhi’s heartbeat was strong, and as he overcame his fear, his sword became steadier.

Rays of light flashed, and the flesh of the statue detached from its bones. The delicate folds of clothing changed shape, and the plump limbs twisted together.

Shi Jingzhi displayed great patience as he peeled away layer by layer, like opening a flower bud. He carved the flesh with his hands, his eyes fixated on the newly formed wounds, seemingly observing their healing speed. When he had seen enough, he changed from carving to stabbing and began to probe the Goddess’s reactions.

This playful behavior completely enraged the Goddess. She used the roots as spears and shot them towards Shi Jingzhi. Shi Jingzhi didn’t dodge, and the spear-like root grazed the side of his face, leaving a fine bloodstain.

“You missed.”

The Goddess’s voice was sharp. “Shut up.”

“Do immortals also miss their marks? Ever since you descended, I noticed that your hands have been shaking, just like a true elderly person. The so-called immortals don’t age, but is it only their appearance that is preserved?”

“Shut up!”

“The villagers of Xizhuang have lived nearby for many years, but now you have dragged them here to serve as draft models, but you’ve done it crookedly… When you created the statues before, you didn’t need draft models, did you?”

“You’re an old person with trembling hands, unable to create a proper statue, yet unwilling to give up this position. That’s why you resorted to this scheme, using the incident with Bai Wei and A’Lu to destroy Xizhuang and gain a large number of ordinary people to practice on.”

The Goddess was clearly struck in a sore spot. Her chest heaved violently, and the flesh idol trembled slightly. “You—”

“You’re not an immortal.” Seeing the other party’s reaction, Shi Jingzhi swung his sword and came to a conclusion. “Given this situation, you should only be an ordinary person who frequently drinks immortal wine. Even if your appearance doesn’t age, inside, you’re just slower in aging than the average person. Are you doing all of this for the immortal wine at the Immortal Assembly?”

The Goddess gasped for breath, and for the first time, a complete expression of anger appeared on her face.

Unfortunately, her anger didn’t help her; instead, it disrupted her attacks. Amidst the burning tree roots, the flesh idol was being sliced into more and more fragments by Shi Jingzhi, gradually losing its form.

As the idol shattered, the roots’ offensive weakened.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the Goddess immediately abandoned her idol and attempted to escape. However, her anger clouded her mind, causing her to miss the perfect opportunity. At this point, the Goddess couldn’t mold the lower part of her body in time, and the flesh gradually pulled out, forming a mass of slimy mucus resembling a slug. She desperately clung to the tree roots, intending to climb upward—

The Hanging Shadow Sword mercilessly pierced through her lower back, pinning her to the tree roots.

Finally, Shi Jingzhi released Yin Ci. He casually brushed through his disciple’s long hair with a dim and uncertain gaze. Just as Yin Ci was about to say something, Shi Jingzhi turned around, staggering towards the Goddess alone.

The Goddess had no energy left to be angry. She wore a bitter smile akin to ashes. “Still not satisfied with your questions? With the destruction of the flesh idol, I’ve already resolved to die. Whatever you want to ask… abandon your foolish wish.”

Shi Jingzhi acted as if he hadn’t heard. He approached while supporting himself with the flagpole as he leaned his body forward and whispered a few words to the Goddess. At first, she remained indifferent, but as she listened further, her expression gradually changed.

The anger dissipated, leaving only fear in her gaze.

“What do you want to know?” After a long while, the Goddess trembled and spoke.

Shi Jingzhi asked, “What is this flesh idol, and why can it regenerate?”

“I don’t know what it is. I only follow orders. It requires those with immortal potential as raw materials, refining the coarse and preserving the essence, slowly sculpting it until it takes form. Once it’s complete, someone will come to claim it. As for regeneration… it’s an image of the Imperial Celestial, naturally blessed by it, enjoying boundless power.”

Shi Jingzhi clicked his tongue in disappointment, and the Goddess shivered.

“Although I have been molding idols here for decades, that’s all I know. Connecting my body to it just now was merely to borrow the power of the God.”

Seeing that the Goddess didn’t seem to be lying, Yin Ci’s mood became complicated.

What exactly did Shi Jingzhi say to her?

“What about the gigantic tree-root statue?” Shi Jingzhi asked again.

“It is a divine miracle. It has always been here.”

“You really live in a muddled state… One last question, do you truly possess an elixir that can cure all ailments?”

A glimmer of hope flashed in the Goddess’s eyes. “Yes, I do! Regardless of the illness, it can ensure you a peaceful end. As long as you release me, I swear to bring it to you. I guarantee you won’t suffer any harm within three days, as long as you don’t leave this place…”

“Don’t leave this place?”

“The elixir only works here.” The Goddess gritted her teeth.

Shi Jingzhi shook his head gently. “I understand. Unfortunately, that’s not what I’m looking for.”

He took a step back, revealing a calm that had settled after the dust had settled.

Immediately, he took out his own flag. The flag ignited the last golden fire; the flames burned relentlessly, still scorching hot.

“No!” The Goddess’s face turned pale. “You promised me, you promised! You can’t—”

Shi Jingzhi smiled faintly, burning her body into ashes, leaving only a head silently screaming. Seizing the opportunity before the head died, he casually threw it into the lake.

The entire forbidden area fell silent for a moment.

In the next moment, all the white-clothed creatures on the cave walls trembled. They went mad, breaking free from their chains and plunging into the lake. Yin Ci looked down and saw that those creatures tore off their wrappings and merged into the flesh mucus. The people of Yuanxian Village and Xizhuang fused together, tightly enclosing the severed head.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t look back; he just let go of the flag and stared at the remaining fragments of the flesh idol.

It was burned and fragmented, yet still alive, lying there unconscious and oblivious.

“A’Ci, I know what you want to ask.” Shi Jingzhi fixed his gaze on the flesh statue. “I simply fulfilled her desires in reverse.”

“She didn’t fear the pain of death and was willing to dwell here. What she wanted was not wealth and power for longevity. When I attacked her, she didn’t specifically defend her face, so she didn’t want eternal youth. Finally, she abandoned the statue and tried to escape, which meant she wasn’t devout status… But when people live in this world, they always seek something.”

Shi Jingzhi turned slowly.

“Willing to commit such madness, she must fear aging completely—fear being alive but powerless. Unable to see, unable to taste, easily imprisoned by illness, and unable to move.”

“So I told her that we wouldn’t kill her. I will merge her with the flesh mucus and imprison her at the bottom of the pool. As an immortal, her consciousness will surely last longer than an ordinary person… In this world, seeking death is more painful than being unable to achieve life.”

A chill ran through Yin Ci’s heart.

It turned out all his previous assumptions were just illusions. Shi Jingzhi showed no reaction to his true identity, indicating that he wasn’t the mute he had raised. And judging by Shi Jingzhi’s methods, the cruelty was on par with his own. This person wasn’t easy to control. Although the paper window had been punctured by himself, he couldn’t be careless in the future.

Yin Ci timely changed the subject. “What’s the deal with the abnormality of the white-clothed creatures?”

“When I was down there, I also tried touching the flesh mucus. As your master, I should know what you have encountered, right?” Shi Jingzhi maintained his usual expression. “Afterward, I had contact with Bai Wei.”

Shi Jingzhi rubbed the flagpole in his hand, and his tone became complicated.

“I told him, no, I told everyone with residual consciousness that I would throw down the Goddess. Once they obtained the divine body, they could return to their original state.”

Yin Ci narrowed his eyes. “Did the Goddess tell you that?”

Did this guy already harbor murderous intent before climbing up?

“I made it up; there’s no hope for them.” Shi Jingzhi twisted his lips. “The Goddess experienced a moment of despair, so they can also have a moment of hope. Is that not good? Come, A’Ci. Now we can destroy this place.”

The rhythm was completely disrupted, and Yin Ci’s expression was displeased. “Shizun, destroying the forbidden area is not a problem. However, if the Goddess’ remains are not found, we’ll face a lot of trouble when we leave.”

Repeatedly burned by the golden fire, the Goddess’ recovery became slower and slower. However, before he could fully study her, Shi Jingzhi took matters into his own hands and destroyed her remains. The flesh idol remained, but it was on the verge of collapsing, showing signs of returning to flesh mucus without any trace of regeneration.

It seemed as if she had been abandoned.

While Yin Ci was lost in thought, Shi Jingzhi stared at him intently from the side.

The Ghost Tomb was too dark, and the situation was too chaotic. This was the first time Shi Jingzhi carefully observed his disciple.

The tattered white clothing clung pitifully to Yin Ci’s body, merging with his pale skin. Yin Ci had a cold temperament, but if one only looked at his features, they would be considered refined, impeccable even. At this moment, his brows furrowed slightly, and his disheveled, ink-black hair gave off a strange sense of vulnerability, arousing an irresistible desire to destroy.

But he was surprisingly strong.

He didn’t expect to catch such a perfect prey instead of death during zhuazhou.

Shi Jingzhi smiled again. “The solution is simple—satisfy people’s desires. As for your matter… A’Ci, I’ll ask you about it when we leave here.”

Yin Ci suddenly had a realization, understanding a delayed truth—whenever Shi Jingzhi smiled like this, it was never a good sign.

At the entrance of the forbidden area, dawn was breaking.

Mian Jie had been waiting for her daughter. Yin Deng rushed out of the tree hole with her deformed arm trembling, and threw herself into her mother’s embrace, crying loudly. Most of the villagers crowded near the entrance, waiting for the remaining people to come out.

The Goddess didn’t appear.

However, the enchanting guest did come out, holding another person in his arms. That person, dressed in white, had closed eyes, and their entire being seemed carved from jade, seemingly unconscious.

Shi Jingzhi had a solemn expression. “I am an envoy of the Imperial Celestial, here to save the divine spirit in this place. The Goddess is actually a demon, imprisoning the divine spirit in the forbidden area, occupying another’s nest, and using living beings to perform her evil arts… This place has been controlled by demonic creatures for hundreds of years, and the God couldn’t bear it, so he sent me.”

He smiled at the crowd.

Behind him, golden flames soared into the sky, devouring everything within the forbidden area.

In the depths of the forbidden area, within the flesh mucus, the half-melted head of the Goddess opened its eyes wide, silently cursing.

[Fool, there are gods in this world…]

[Indeed, there are gods in this world. I have seen… a true immortal who can change the colors of heaven and earth and bring calamity upon the living…]

[Disrespecting the ghosts and gods will surely be met with retribution, surely…]

Within the towering flames, the pool water evaporated, and the flesh mucus turned to ashes. The stone lotus shattered into dust, and the withered lotus leaves turned into flying particles. Within the forbidden area, there were no more white-clothed creatures or flesh statues. Only the towering tree root figure stood still, slightly bowing its head, and under its feet, everything turned to ash.

The golden light of the yang fire illuminated its face.

The refined features formed by the entangled tree roots remained serene, without sorrow or joy, without anger or resentment.

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The author has something to say:

As for why the goddess didn’t use the elixir to save herself… Aging is not an illness and cannot be treated√

Demonic Lord Yin tried to put a collar on the fox, but ended up being bitten (?

Do you remember that Master wants to teach you a lesson? The lesson is already on its way, awaiting delivery.

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