61

Chapter 61

Stunned, Wen Xuan looked at the wall before him, examining the images drawn there. All of these images were of the same person, only one person. Every frown and every smile, every movement and action. As if every single moment from every possible angle were carved here. Astonishingly, they were all images of Wen Xuan.

At this time, even the light from the fire in Wen Xuan's hand unconsciously trembled briefly.

What kind of scenery was this? On this narrow small road, the walls were filled with images of himself, as far as the eye can see. From the endless path where he came from to the endless path where this road was headed. To be honest, Wen Xuan even felt a bit scared.

He steadied the fire in his hand, finally recovering after quite a while. He continued walking forward, following this small road. As

expected, it was all him. No exception. Continuously and endlessly.

Wen Xuan paused his travels again, raising his eyes to look at the drawing on the wall. This image was a picture of Wen Xuan sitting properly at a table, examining a talisman under the candlelight. Although it's carved on the wall, perhaps because it existed in Jian Yi's heart, it was exceptionally clear and crisp. In the picture, the candlelight casted a glow on Wen Xuan's lowered face. It was an image that stirred the heart, and made Wen Xuan look unparalleled in beauty.

Wen Xuan subconsciously touched his own face and questioned briefly if he were really as good looking as in the image. Although Wen Xuan's appearance wasn't bad, undoubtedly, this image clearly made him look a bit more handsome.

Remembering that this was inside Jian Yi's heart, Wen Xuan sighed. Yet the corner of his mouth raised into an uncontrollable smile.

After interacting together for this long, he has long been convinced that Jian Yi really did value him this much. Yet today was the first time he saw this truth so directly. His own value in Jian Yi's heart was much greater than what he had imagined. Much much more.

This amount of value was beyond something even words can describe. This amount made Wen Xuan somewhat astonished and scared, yet even more so happy.

Therefore, wen Xuan just smiled faintly as he continued walking down this road.

But why would it be a road here? And why was this road so narrow and dark?

Wen Xuan suppressed these questions inside his heart, hoping to obtain the answer once he reached the end of this road. He felt like this road definitely had an end. Because he knew, even if Jian Yi placed Wen Xuan in such an important position within his heart, there can't only be him.

At least, there were still several years before Jian Yi met Wen Xuan. In that strange and wondrous sounding world. With that supposedly happy and blessed family that Jian Yi had described before.

Yet no matter how long Wen Xuan walked, the narrow road remained under his feet. And before his eyes were those unrepeated images of Wen Xuan, as if there was really no end in sight.

Wen Xuan finally stopped walking. It was impossible for there to only be this endless road in Jian Yi's heart. There was definitely something not right with this circumstance before him.

He steadied his thoughts, then carefully examined his surroundings again.

What did this road signify exactly? This was the road in Jian Yi's heart. Perhaps the road in Jian Yi's heart was just this narrow and dark. This road only had Wen Xuan. There was no second choice. Not even light. However, no matter what, this can't be everything.

Beyond this road, there must be more.

If this road was endless, then those things must be beyond of this road, behind these walls.

On the wall before him, there was another image of Wen Xuan who was currently dozing against the head of the bed. Wen Xuan looked at this picture, magic gathering in his hand. He wanted to attempt to break down this wall, but he was uncertain if he should really do something like that.

Holding onto this magic, Wen Xuan stared at the wall in consideration. After a moment, he finally decided to put away the magic in his hand again.

He was rather reluctant to really destroy this wall. This was the wall in Jian Yi's heart after all and it was completely filled with his images. If he destroyed this, he didn't know what kind of consequences it'd cause and if it'd affect Jian Yi.

But this didn't mean he was giving up on his current plans. He can sense it. This wasn't an actual stone wall. Rather, it was a barrier that was set up inside Jian Yi's heart.

Since it wasn't a real wall, there's no need to destroy it like it was real.

"Jian shidi," Wen Xuan said quietly: "Let me take a look, please. Let me see your true heart. Let me see those things that you've hidden in the deepest part of you."

Saying this, he reached out and gently touched the wall.

The surface of the wall was very hard, yet Wen Xuan seemed to completely ignore this firmness as he continued to reach out his hand. Pressing against the wall, he pushed hard inward.

Despite being unable to push in, he didn't care and continued to exert his strength.

After a moment, there were practically veins popping out of the back of Wen Xuan's hand. Yet he didn't care and continued regardless. A few moments later again, Wen Xuan's back was drenched in sweat. Yet he clenched his teeth and continued to push with all of his strength.

If this was reality, this action would be considered utterly ridiculous. But this was inside Jian Yi's heart. Wen Xuan knew that this wall definitely wasn't completely solid. There must be soft spots.

Finally, after persevering for a long time, the palm of Wen Xuan's hand sank into the wall. Although it only entered a tiny bit, to Wen Xuan, it was a huge boost in morale.

He practically used all of the strength he accumulated in a lifetime, just to squeeze to beyond this wall.

"Jian shidi....." Wen Xuan clenched his jaw, even his teeth were starting to tremble: "Let me...see..."

He wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about Jian Yi.

Finally, his entire elbow sank into the wall. As expected, he can feel a huge space beyond the wall. His palm can already touch that space. Next was the rest of his body.

After finally squeezing through that wall, Wen Xuan was practically drenched in sweat.

When he opened his eyes from the darkness, what he saw before him was still completely pitch black.

Was it this dark here as well?

Stunned for a moment, Wen Xuan took some time to catch his breath. Then just as before, he lit a fire in his hand. However, this time, the light from the fire remained around the ball, completely unable to penetrate outward.

Why was it like this? Wen Xuan was dumbfounded.

He split the flame in his hand into four sparks and let them fly off in four different directions. Yet as soon as these fire sparks left his palm, they were immediately smothered by the darkness like they were extinguished.

For a second, Wen Xuan didn't know what to do. But since he already spent all that effort squeezing in, he couldn't back down now because of mere darkness.

Taking a deep breath, he started to walk around blindly with his hand out in front of him. Different from that narrow little road, this dark area was extremely spacious and wide. He couldn't find the end no matter which direction he took.

This was actually the largest area inside Jian Yi's heart, yet he had used those walls to divide this area beyond reach.

There should be something in here, but Wen Xuan just couldn't see it.

Wen Xuan knew that he still wasn't able to peek into the deepest part of Jian Yi's heart yet. If he successfully reached the deepest part and really saw everything about Jian Yi, he'd be able to sense the empathy parasite concealed there. However, at the moment, he couldn't sense anything at all. This proved that he was still very far from his target.

The first thing he needed to do was get rid of this area of darkness.

Along the way, Wen Xuan already tossed countless flames outward. However, without exception, they were all smothered in this darkness. Gradually, Wen Xuan felt like perhaps this darkness was tangible.

Thinking this, Wen Xuan lit up another ball of fire in his right hand, then summoned a breeze with his left hand to blow into the darkness to dissipate it. This looked like a ridiculous notion, but after Wen Xuan tried, he was actually able to light up the way a little further.

Like he surmised, this area was actually covered by a black fog that permeated over the entire space.

With a plan, Wen Xuan naturally didn't hesitate any longer. He summoned more and more wind with his hand, gradually building up a strong gale. The fire in his other hand also suddenly lit up brightly, finally shining light onto the view before him.

Wen Xuan felt something white appear in this darkness. However, as he increased his attempt and persisted, another force suddenly came out of the darkness. This force violently swept through the space, like a huge hand squeezing tightly. In a blink of an eye, the strong gale that Wen Xuan summoned was stifled and the flames that finally illuminated the area also extinguished. All of Wen Xuan's previous effort went down the drain.

How could this force suddenly appear here?

After being stunned briefly, Wen Xuan realized. This was inside Jian Yi's heart. This strong force naturally can only be from Jian Yi's heart.

There was a force in Jian Yi's heart that was blocking him. Not letting him dissipate the darkness. Not letting him see clearly. Not letting him step in deeper.

Clenching his jaw, Wen Xuan actually felt extremely upset.

At the same time, a fighting spirit rose inside his heart, ready to face off against this force no matter what. He was ready to reach the target of this trip no matter what, not willing to give up at all.

"Jian shidi," Wen Xuan summoned the wind back again: "Why are you blocking me?"

This time he poured all of his energy in this wind and got well prepared to contest against that mysterious force.

However, when that force rushed over again, it didn't extinguish the power of the wind this time. Wen Xuan only felt like he was flicked head-on by that force. The fire in his hand immediately

swayed and snuffed out. The sight before his eyes turned black and then lit up. In a flash, it actually became bright and clear.

Wen Xuan was stunned. When the view before him changed from fuzzy to distinctive, he saw Jian Yi's eyes at close proximity.

Jian Yi looked like he let out a breath of relief. Then he backed up a bit and gave Wen Xuan a smile.

Wen Xuan remained stunned for quite a while before recovering. He had already returned to reality. That force in Jian Yi's heart actually directly threw him out!

Wen Xuan instantly felt strangely anguished and indignant.

At the same time, he noticed a subtle difference. This difference was hard to describe clearly. It seemed to come from inside his heart, as if there was a string there that connected elsewhere before, but now that string has been severed.

"The empathy parasite...... you......" Wen Xuan very quickly thought about the cause of this feeling, his face color changing.

"That's right," Jian Yi told him happily: "I was successful, Shixiong."

In comparison to Wen Xuan's difficult and frustrating journey inside Jian Yi's heart, on this side, everything went smoothly for Jian Yi. One reason was because Jian Yi already had a deep understanding of Wen Xuan. The other reason was because Wen Xuan was completely unguarded against Jian Yi. Wen Xuan allowed Jian Yi to see his heart thoroughly, completely and utterly.

With what seemed like the energy of taking a breath, Jian Yi reached the deepest part of Wen Xuan's heart and sent the parasite there into dormancy.

"From now on, you will no longer be affected by the empathy parasite." Jian Yi smiled so much his eyes narrowed in contentment.

Yet Wen Xuan couldn't feel even the slightest bit of happiness. His face color was so heavy, it could drip water: "But I failed."

"It's just a loss, Shixiong. Don't worry about it too much." Jian Yi said smiling: "Didn't I say before that this success wouldn't come so easily? Partial success is already enough. This result is very

good."

Wen Xuan looked at him, thinking about his peculiar attitude from before.

That's right. From the very beginning, Jian Yi repeatedly emphasized the possibility of failure, stressing the so-called partial success. At that time, he thought Jian Yi behaved like that because he didn't have much confidence, but Wen Xuan was completely wrong. The reason why Jian Yi acted like that was only because he had already anticipated the current result.

He already knew how many barriers were buried inside his heart. He never planned to let Wen Xuan reach the deepest part of his heart in the first place.

"A failure is a failure." Wen Xuan said in a cold and hard tone that faintly carried a hint of fury: "Partial success doesn't exist."

"Shixiong, why do you have to say it like that?" Jian Yi noticed his fury and tried to console him somewhat helplessly: "Even if we only succeeded partially, from today onwards, you can......"

"From today onwards, regardless if you're dead or alive, it wouldn't affect me at all." Wen Xuan interrupted, completing the rest of his words.

Feeling choked by Wen Xuan's words, Jian Yi felt so awkward he didn't know how to reply at all.

"But if I died,” Wen Xuan continued to say: "I would cause your death as well."

"That's right, Shixiong. That's how it is." Jian Yi looked into Wen Xuan's eyes and asked bluntly: "But so what?"

What do you mean so what? This time it was Wen Xuan who was speechless.

"Your death is no longer connected to mine, isn't that enough?" Jian Yi smiled: "As for me..... Shixiong, even if there wasn't this empathy parasite, did you really think I'd live on in this world by myself if something happened to you?"

These questioning words were even more earth shaking than directly confessing. Wen Xuan recalled the narrow road that he saw and remembered the images of himself that filled the two walls and couldn't say anything for quite a while.

After a moment, when Wen Xuan opened his mouth again, the corner of his eyes actually turned slightly red: "But... this isn't

fair."

"What fair and not fair? This was something I chose to do myse......" Jian Yi only spoke half way when he suddenly saw the redness at the corners of Wen Xuan's eyes. He was immediately shocked into silence.

Ever since he met Wen Xuan, it can be said that he's accompanied Wen Xuan for quite some time. He's seen Wen Xuan experience plenty of painful things. But up until now, he's never seen Wen Xuan reveal this kind of expression before.

Indignance, distress, discontent, and reluctance all interwoven together, almost to the point of crying.

"Jian shidi," Wen Xuan grabbed Jian Yi's wrist, holding it tightly with a strong grip: "This isn't fair."

"No no. It's not like that, Shixiong. Don't think like that." Jian Yi was at a loss, completely not knowing how to comfort the other at this moment: "You...... ...... This kind of thing shouldn't, shouldn't make you......"

But in the end, Wen Xuan didn't actually display that weak side. The redness to the corners of his eyes was very faint and was quickly suppressed back down. He only grabbed onto Jian Yi's wrist and said word by word: "Jian shidi, let me try again."

Jian Yi looked at him stunned, and nodded his head blankly.

The process before had already paved the bridge between these two people's hearts. Logically, as long as they were willing, they could try as many times as they wanted to.

After Jian Yi nodded, Wen Xuan immediately leaned over and pressed his forehead against Jian Yi's forehead again.

It was still the same narrow dark road. The same desperate struggle with all of his might to penetrate through the wall. The same black fog that shrouded everything. The same strong, incontestable force that guarded Jian Yi's heart.

After being bounced out back in reality once more, Wen Xuan didn't even say a word.

Jian Yi also didn't say anything at all and only sighed.

Very quickly, Wen Xuan pressed his forehead against Jian Yi's for a third time. Jian Yi pressed his lips together and only let Wen Xuan do whatever he wanted.

All of the resistance, Jian Yi reserved for inside his heart.

This time, Wen Xuan lasted for slightly longer, almost fighting against that resistive force in Jian Yi's heart like his life depended on it. But how could Wen Xuan win against Jian Yi in his heart? In the end, Wen Xuan only persevered for a little longer before he was bounced back into reality once more.

Jian Yi exhaled, but knew that this was far from the end. Once Wen Xuan became obstinate, he wouldn't concede so easily.

This time, Jian Yi even actively placed his forehead against Wen Xuan's.

Moments later, it was the same result once again.

The same thing, they've lost count of how many times they've tried. Wen Xuan didn't know how many times he had failed. Every time, Jian Yi would seem a bit more tired, but Wen Xuan's exhaustion was even more pronounced. The two people who haven't argued for quite some time, strangely collided over this kind of situation in a relentless manner.

Jian Yi guarded himself tightly, Wen Xuan desperately attempted to break through. No one was willing to surrender and take a step back.

It wasn't until the moon was high up in the sky, and Wen Xuan was bounced back out into reality after some countless number of times that Jian Yi opened his mouth and asked in a slightly hoarse voice: "Shixiong, is this enough?"

Wen Xuan looked at him, not even capable of catching his breath for the moment. Those two narrow walls were only the first barrier that Jian Yi set up. Although Wen Xuan was able to break through it everytime, it would consume a large amount of his mental and physical effort each time, causing his face color to look extraordinarily pale right now.

"Shixiong," Although Jian Yi was also tired right now, the worry he felt for Wen Xuan was the reason he had to speak up: "It's enough, right?"

Yea, it's enough. The original drive to persevere and refuse defeat no matter what, has already been worn down after all of these countless failures. Wen Xuan only felt dejected and disheartened.

He quietly looked at Jian Yi, but did not respond for quite a time.

"Jian shidi,” When he finally opened his mouth, he said: "I can't reach the bottom of your heart at all, right?"

Jian Yi answered very quickly: "You're already deep in my heart. The bottom of my heart is all you."

These words were the truth. The images on those walls were ironclad proof. Yet that was only the outermost layer of Jian Yi's heart. There were even more hidden areas that Jian Yi held onto tightly, areas he'd rather die than let Wen Xuan know.

He'd really rather die before conceding, no exaggerations here. He'd rather achieve a partial success, would rather have his own life continue to be bound to Wen Xuan's fate, than willingly let Wen Xuan see everything in his heart.

Wen Xuan really wanted to ask him: why.

Why are you still blocking me outside when you're already willing to die for me?

But a similar question could be asked back: He was already willing to die for you, why are you so insistent about this?

Wen Xuan smiled, carrying a hint of self-mockery: "Alright. I was being greedy."

He looked like he finally thought this through, but inside his heart, he still was gloomy and unhappy. Jian Yi supported him by the elbow, worried. Wen Xuan shook his head, then looked at Jian Yi for a moment before suddenly asking: "Jian shidi, you said before that you lived very happily in your original world. Actually you were lying to me, right?"

As soon as he said these words, Jian Yi stiffened very visibly.

After a moment, Jian Yi pretended to act natural: "Shixiong, how come you're suddenly asking this?"

"I only suddenly thought about it." Wen Xuan said. Thinking about what Jian Yi would hide in his heart, what could he possibly hide, what exactly was it that made him object to Wen Xuan knowing so much. Then he realized: "Although you said what you said about your past, in actuality, ever since we met, you've never thought about home."

If someone really had a wonderful life with a perfect family, why would they, after arriving in such a distant world, only care about the joy of meeting a character they knew from a novel, and not think about home at all?

Jian Yi opened his mouth, but only felt extremely dry and coarse inside, completely unable to speak at all.

Some things, he had expended all efforts to conceal. Yet it just had to be in this kind of completely unexpected place, where they ended up becoming accidentally exposed.

After a long time, Jian Yi finally squeezed out five words: "It's all in the past."

If it were really all in the past, then it wouldn't be something impossible to face. Wen Xuan understood this logic well, but could only sigh.

So those things that were hidden inside Jian Yi's heart all belonged to things that happened in the previous world. Things that were clearly unhappy but were pretended to be otherwise by him, right? Perhaps this was the truth, or maybe not. Jian Yi refused to let Wen Xuan see, so Wen Xuan didn't know anything. With guessing, there's always the possibility of guessing wrong.

"Shixiong, Regardless of how I was before, it all no longer matters." Jian Yi said hastily to him, expressing rather anxiously: "Ever since we met, I've only been the me that you know. Why still care about those things in the past? Those things are no longer related to me at all. Ever since we met, I only want to be together with you."

"En." Wen Xuan nodded and suddenly said: "Me too."

Jian Yi was stunned.

"I only want to be together with you." Wen Xuan said.

Jian Yi recovered from his shock, face beaming with a red light, unable to contain his joy.

Wen Xuan rubbed his head and expressed with a smile: "Jian shidi, today I was too stubborn and ended up dragging you along and tormenting you for this long. It's already so late, are you tired?"

Jian Yi was naturally tired but he'd never answer that: "Shixiong, don't say it like this. You were only trying to get rid of the empathy parasite, that's all."

"En." Wen Xuan nodded his head and agreed quietly.

After that, the two people chatted casually until Jian Yi finally couldn't handle it. Saying goodbye to Wen Xuan, he returned to his own abode to rest.

Although Wen Xuan prepared a room for him here, ever since Jian Yi returned to the Sect, Qi Jibai acted more or less like a shifu. If Jian Yi stayed out for an entire night, he probably wouldn't be able to avoid being reprimanded by his shifu.

After Jian Yi left, Wen Xuan sat inside his abode. Where was the easy smile he had previously? Even both of his hands unconsciously clenched tightly into fists.

How frustrating. He was still unable to accept.

Grinding his teeth, Wen Xuan spoke his previous complaint again quietly: "......This isn't fair."

There was someone here, that knew everything about you, that accepted everything about you, and repeatedly said that he would stay together with you, forever.

Yet, you knew absolutely nothing about him.

62

Chapter 62

The next morning, Wen Xuan sat inside his abode and finished his morning exercises. Recalling what happened last night, he couldn't help but sigh.

The discontent and obstinance still hovered over his thoughts, but he could only suppress it in his heart, hoping one day he'd find peace. Maybe after they spend more time together, Jian Yi would be willing to tell him more. Right now, he could only wish this.

As he thought about this, a letter flew in from outside. Wen Xuan fetched it to take a look. It was from Jian Yi. In the letter, Jian Yi said that he had to complete the assignment that Qi Jibai gave to him today so he might not have time to come visit Wen Xuan.

This kid, it's only one day of not visiting, yet he felt the need to send a message. If people didn't know, they might even mistaken Jian Yi running over here constantly as official business. Where's his so-called diligence in cultivation? Wen Xuan unconsciously shook his head with a smile.

Nevertheless, with the situation as it is now, without Jian Yi's presence, this place where Wen Xuan lived was really completely without another sign of human life. This reality made Wen Xuan feel a sense of helplessness.

Yet, he didn't even have a chance to lament how lonesome, hollow, and cold this place was, when a spiritual presence cut through the air outside. Someone had arrived on a flying sword and was purposely announcing their presence extremely obnoxiously. People could feel it even 800 meters away.

Feeling this rampant presence actually landing outside of his abode, Wen Xuan really was extremely surprised.

Other than Jian Yi, someone else would actually come here? Wen Xuan headed outside with a silent complaint to take a look. As soon as he saw the person who was arrogantly crossing their arms outside, he immediately 'oh'd and understood.

Who else was he expecting. Of course it's Luo Qingquan.

"Wen Shixiong," Seeing Wen Xuan exit, Luo Qingquan's eyes clearly brightened up as he said with an ambiguously cold smile: "You're finally back. Hmph, and you're finally reached yuan gathering again."

Wen Xuan was already used to his strange hostility and ignored it with ease. In Wen Xuan's eyes, Luo Qingquan was a bratty shidi that really gave him a headache, but his thoughts were simple and not especially hard to deal with. Wen Xuan only needed to learn to disregard him.

Yet at a time like this, for Luo Qingquan to actually still come to find him, this fact made Wen Xuan feel extremely complicated.

In the end, Wen Xuan greeted this rare visitor with a smile and then led Luo Qingquan to a stone seat inside his court yard. Then he asked: "Luo shidi, is there something wrong?"

"What could be wrong with me?" Luo Qingquan didn't actually sit down. His eyes were like knives, a sharp gaze stabbing into Wen Xuan: "Wen shixiong, are you not aware?"

Wen Xuan was stumped by his question. He really wasn't aware. Was Luo Qingquan here to force him to admit that he was colluding with demons? Wen Xuan accidentally overthought by a lot.

Fortunately, before all these random nonsensical guesses left Wen Xuan's mouth, Luo Qingquan already pulled out something from his clothes and slammed it violently on the table with a 'pa', blowing up a layer of dust.

It was a letter of challenge.

What made Wen Xuan surprised was that this letter of challenge was crumpled and wrinkled, looking like it's been carried around for about half a year.

"Wen shixiong, I've been waiting for this day for a long time." Staring at that letter of challenge, Luo Qingquan grinded his teeth, like he was staring at an irreconcilable nemesis: "You've finally returned to yuan gathering!"

Wen Xuan lowered his head and swept his gaze across this letter of challenge, sighing.

"Duel with me again, Wen shixiong!" Luo Qingqyuan yelled loudly: "I will let the entire sect know just which of us is the strongest. Last time you only won against me by luck, but you'll still face defeat by my hands!"

Sometimes when a competitiveness spirit was too strong, it really made people feel exasperated.

appear Tiere.

Wen Xuan shifted his gaze away from the letter of challenge. After looking at Luo Qingquan for a moment, he asked with a complicated expression: "You want the entire sect to come observe the match again?"

"Of course!” Luo Qingquan replied decisively, without any hesitation.

"Are you aware of...... how people in the sect view me nowadays?" Wen Xuan laughed bitterly, expression caring a bit of anguish as he said: "Did they not tell you? That I collude with..."

"Why would I care who you collude or don't collude with!" Luo Qingquan impatiently interrupted his words, slamming his palm heavily on the letter of challenge: "Did you think that just by working with demons, you can avoid fighting me to determine a victor!"

No. Hearing these words, Wen Xuan was only stupefied, completely unable to follow this thought process.

"Even if you work with demons, you still have to face defeat in my hands!" Both eyes red, Luo Qingquan was like a wild beast, staring fixed at Wen Xuan: "I will let everyone in the sect know that in the end, you were beaten by me!"

This discussion really made Wen Xuan not know if he should laugh or cry. Looks like this Luo shidi didn't care at all about what those people in the Sect thought. Nor did he care about the status that he'd gain from fighting a battle with Wen Xuan. Even more so, he didn't care about whether Wen Xuan was good or bad. The only thing he cared about was the result of fighting against Wen Xuan.

Momentarily, Wen Xuan actually felt somewhat touched.

After feeling moved, he seriously looked at Luo Qingquan for a while and considered carefully. Then he said three words. These three, extremely truthful words were the result of a deep reflection.

"You will cry."

These were also three words that could infuriate Luo Qingquan.

"You......" As expected, Luo Qingquan ended up pissed off, practically went mad with fury. His eyes glared wide like copper bells, even carrying blood veins within. Even the finger that he used to point at Wen Xuan shook uncontrollably. He almost couldn't breathe properly: "You...... you little...... you......"

"Don't believe me?" Wen Xuan smiled, actually revealing a rather confident and proud expression: "On the contrary, I find it kind of strange. Just where did you gain the confidence to think you can

still win against me? You even lost against the past me, the me right now is even stronger."

Luo Qingquan's anger completely obliterated his intelligence. With a whoosh he pulled out the sword on his waist: "Watch as I cut you down right now!"

Were they going to fight a match here? This was fine. It's not like there was a third person in this place anyways.

Wen Xuan got up and jumped backwards, watching the light from the blade flash across the front of his nose precariously with a calm expression. He was never the type of person to boast. The reason why he could say such arrogant words was because he was very clear of both his and Luo Qingquan's strength. Luo Qingquan wasn't a match for him at all. Perhaps he was before, but at that time, Wen Xuan was only partially yuan gathering. Ever since he obtained Ye Sheng Ge's cultivation method and finally walked on the correct and proper path, he obtained all of the strength of a true yuan gathering cultivator. Luo Qingquan was no longer capable of becoming his opponent.

Wen Xuan didn't even have much fighting spirit.

He only summoned that divine sword of his and leisurely blocked Luo Qingquan's attack.

Clang, clang, clang!

The first left to right move blocked Luo Qingquan's thrust. The second bottom to up move parried Luo Qingquan's violent swing. The third move, Wen Xuan directly suppressed Luo Qingquan's sword downward and struck at his left side.

This third move was actually a feint. Luo Qingquan was currently casting magic with his left hand, but Wen Xuan interrupted him forcibly, using defense as means of attack. Luo Qingquan was completely caught off guard and got thrown off his momentum instantly.

However, Luo Qingquan was someone who was used to fighting with others. Decisively retreating backwards, he quickly readjusted his stance and regrouped for a comeback.

Yet just at this time, Luo Qingquan suddenly felt a pressure surrounding his body.

This pressure came out of nowhere, pressing down from above. First, it crushed all of the surrounding spiritual energy practically to freezing point. Then, in a mere moment, Luo Qingquan felt so heavy that he couldn't even raise a finger.

"Luo shidi, did you know?" Wen Xuan stood there, the tip of his fingers shining with sword light as if he was a sharp unsheathed sword himself: "Before...... When I reached yuan gathering last time, I didn't obtain any techniques from the enlightenment stage during the breakthrough. That's because, I actually didn't reach enlightenment at all."

Luo Qingquan still couldn't move. He could only feel sweat gathering on the tip of his nose.

He's heard of related rumours about it before. After reaching yuan gathering, Wen Xuan pretty much used all of the same techniques he had in foundation gathering. Luo Qingquan also saw this happening, but he never thought before, how terrifying it

was for that kind of Wen Xuan to still be able to win once, lose once against him in battle.

"Don't use the past me to measure the current me." Wen Xuan gave Luo Qingquan a smile: "Because the difference is pretty much heaven and earth."

Saying this, the sword light in Wen Xuan's hand raised. The pressure that was crushing down on Luo Qingquan finally dissipated.

With a stagger, Luo Qingquan almost fell to the ground. He took a moment to stand steady.

He looked at Wen Xuan, unable to speak even after a good while.

"What do you think?" Wen Xuan asked him: "Want to cry now?"

Luo Qingquan didn't cry in the end. Perhaps it's because the difference was really too big, he actually couldn't feel a bit of discontent or disappointment from the defeat. He only felt incredulous and inconceivable.

"Don't compete with me in the future anymore." Wen Xuan recalled the divine sword back into his sleeve. Turned around, he walked back to his abode: "No matter how much we fight, you'll only be humiliating yourself."

Stunned, Luo Qingquan stared at his back, not moving for quite a while.

It wasn't until Wen Xuan already opened the door and was just about to enter that Luo Qingquan abruptly reacted and yelled

loudly: "Stop! You think you can run just because you won? Don't even think about it!"

Wen Xuan paused, the corner of his lip twitching unconsciously.

Luo Qingquan swiped the letter of challenge off the table swiftly, caught up to Wen Xuan, grabbed Wen Xuan's sleeve, and slammed the letter of challenge in Wen Xuan's hand: "You better save this. Just wait, I will win against you sooner or later! When that time comes, I'll let the entire Sect see!"

"What if I still win?" Wen Xuan asked him: "You want the entire sect to see that also?"

Luo Qingquan choked, and then continued to say: "No matter what the outcome is, there must be an audience to witness it as proof."

"Forget it." Wen Xuan smiled rather exasperatedly. Even for this match today, he only agreed because he saw no one was here. If he really won against Luo Qingquan in front of an audience, who knows what will happen.

His reputation was down the drain right now, but Luo Qingquan's was still high like the midday sun. Why should he make an appearance at this time? If a commotion resulted in the Sect, he didn't want to see that.

"What do you mean forget it!" Luo Qingquan was completely unappreciative and only persisted on asking: "Are you scared!"

"If you really insist on others observing, then I'II......" Saying this, Wen Xuan paused, as if deliberating a good threat.

"You'll what?" Luo Qingquan didn't fall for this and immediately scoffed in return.

Then he heard Wen Xuan say indifferently: "I'll purposely lose to you."

Luo Qingquan's cold smile immediately stiffened on his face.

Wen Xuan pulled his sleeve out of Luo Qingquan's hand, finally able to push open the door, enter inside, and close Luo Qingquan outside.

He heard Luo Qingquan curse under his breath outside.

"If you don't want an audience, then I won't get an audience!" Then Luo Qingquan finally yielded and yelled loudly outside the window: "I will come find you again! I will definitely win against you!"

Wen Xuan couldn't help but rub his forehead.

This kid was hopeless. Really completely hopeless. Was he unable to tell the difference between their strength? What's he so persistent for?

But Luo Qingquan said that he'd come find him again......

At this moment when everyone was alienating Wen Xuan, this one sentence actually made Wen Xuan somewhat happy.

After Luo Qingquan left, Wen Xuan looked at the scenery outside the window. He suddenly felt like walking around the Sect again.

Abruptly he realized that even if the attitudes of all of these people towards him have changed, there were still plenty of things inside the sect that still remained the same.

For example this mountain and river, these grass and trees.

Really quite surprising, after encountering this kind of thing, Wen Xuan would actually still stroll around inside the Sect. He completely ignored the peculiar gazes from the bystanders along his trip and only focused on enjoying the scenery. However, after experiencing those peculiar gazes for a while, in the end, Wen Xuan's mood was still somewhat ruined.

Coincidentally, Wen Xuan was just ready to head back when he passed Qi Jibai's alchemy school. Thinking about how Jian Yi also capitulated to his shifu's pressure nowadays and was currently cultivating earnestly inside, Wen Xuan couldn't help but get an idea. He lifted his foot and started walking inside the alchemy school.

He suddenly really wanted to see what kind of cute, well-behaved appearance Jian Yi had on before his shifu.

The disciples inside the alchemy school saw him, and naturally, just like the others, revealed peculiar expressions. However, Wen Xuan only wanted to see Jian Yi and completely turned a blind eye to these gazes. He asked them to report his arrival. Good thing these people didn't deliberately make things difficult for Wen Xuan. Very quickly, someone went to find Qi Jibai.

At this time, Qi Jibai was currently refining a stove of medicinal pills, carefully guarding the stove fire.

Hearing Wen Xuan's arrival, Qi Jibai raised an elegant eyebrow, clearly somewhat surprised. However, recalling the incorrigible brat in the courtyard, Qi Jibai's surprise quickly turned into understanding. He unconsciously shook his head.

Meanwhile, that messenger disciple saw Qi Jibai was busy and said voluntarily: "This disciple will go reply to Wen shixiong and have him look for Jian shidi himself."

"Don't, please don't." Unexpectedly, Qi Jibai immediately opposed this suggestion.

Still befuddled, that disciple saw Qi Jibai actually get up from before the stove. He stared so hard his eyeballs almost fell out. Who didn't know that when Qi Jibai refined pills, he never left half way. Was the sun rising from the west?

"I will go see this Wen shizhi of mine," Qi Jibai turned a blind eye to this surprise and said calmly: "I'll leave this place for you to manage momentarily. Careful not to let the fire burn too fiercely. Try to keep it steady as is."

Saying this, Qi Jibai walked past that disciple who just received the weight of a mountain, and left the alchemy room.

Wen Xuan only waited a moment in the hall when he saw Qi Jibai come out. Instantly he got up and bowed in greeting.

"Wen shizhi, no need to be so polite." Qi Jibai asked: "What brings you here for a visit?"

With the current situation inside the Water Cloud Sect, it was strange to see Wen Xuan outside. However, Wen Xuan didn't

explain and only said with a smile: "This disciple heard that Jian shidi was currently cultivating studiously so I couldn't resist coming over to take a look."

"You're rather considerate. That brat is really blessed to have a shixiong like you." Qi Jibai said: "Unfortunately, that brat probably has no free time right now.'

Wen Xuan was surprised.

"He's been really too tiring these days. Clearly he's been foundation building for this long, yet his basics are still a hot mess. If it remains this way, the results will be bad." Qi Jibai said with a hint of a cold smile: "If he gets even the slightest distraction today, he probably won't be able to complete the task I have assigned him."

Looks like this shifu was very strict. Wen Xuan unconsciously felt a bit of sweat gathering on his forehead.

But seeing how much Qi Jibai cared about Jian Yi's cultivation, Wen Xuan also couldn't help but feel much more relieved for Jian Yi. He promptly bowed politely to Qi Jibai, then said he won't be bothering Jian Yi's cultivation and bid his farewell.

appear rere.

Before he left, he still couldn't resist saying: "Jian shidi really has great potential, but his thoughts aren't only on cultivation. It's past due for him to make a change. However...... I hope Qi shishu won't be too strict with him. When it's time for rest, please let him get his rest."

Qi Jibai acknowledged his words with a smile, but this smile was extremely complicated.

When Wen Xuan finally left the alchemy school's gates, Qi Jibai furrowed his brows. With a twitch of his lips, Qi Jibai was no longer in the mood to return to the alchemy room and immediately turned to head to the back.

He walked all the way to Jian Yi's room and looked at that tightly closed door.

Jian Yi had placed another magic array that blocked all spiritual presence. Qi Jibai's cultivation was the same level as Wen Xuan at this moment. Because of his previous injury, just in terms of strength, perhaps he was even a little worse. Wen Xuan was unable to feel the spiritual energy through this magical array. Naturally, Qi Jibai was the same. He completely didn't know what Jian Yi was doing inside.

Qi Jibai knocked on the door and stood outside, yelling loudly: "Your shixiong came to see you."

After these words sounded, there was some noisy activity inside the room like Jian Yi was startled.

Qi Jibai waited for a moment, estimated that Jian Yi already got prepared enough and opened the door. Entering inside, he looked around. At the moment, Jian Yi wasn't doing anything strange. He was only lying limp on the bed, looking completely like a dead, dehydrated fish. The noisy movement from before was Jian Yi attempting to get up, but ending up knocking over a table by the bedside.

Seeing Qi Jibai entering, Jian Yi's expression was like he was looking at the end of the world.

Then seeing that the only person who entered was Qi Jibai, Jian Yi instantly let out a breath of relief, as if he escaped from a calamity.

"Don't worry," Qi Jibai said: "I already sent away your Wen shixiong."

Jian Yi nodded: "Many thanks, shifu."

These words sounded extremely weak and hoarse. Qi Jibai unconsciously frowned. He walked closer to Jian Yi and complained: "You still know to call me shifu? You're really something, you brat. In order to not let your Wen shixiong know what you're up to, you actually used me as a shield and even have me acting this play with you, making it seem like I'm such a terrifying teacher or something."

Jian Yi laughed dryly and didn't reply.

At this time, Qi Jibai already walked behind him, grabbed his arm and placed two fingers on his pulse.

After a moment, Qi Jibai furrowed his brows: "What exactly are you doing?"

Facing him, Jian Yi actually answered honestly: "Deciphering what will happen in the next few days and seeing if there will be anything that would hurt Shixiong. Also deciphering a cultivation method that's most suitable for me."

Qi Jibai said this brat was really something. He wasn't wrong at all. Jian Yi actually was decoding the cultivation method he wanted from the Will of Heaven.

For this extraordinary feat, Jian Yi really tormented himself terribly. Before when he was with Wen Xuan, he had restrained himself somewhat in order to act normal during the day. Now that he was here, with Qi Jibai as a shield, he completely released all inhibitions, looking half dead all day long.

"This is only temporary." Jian Yi said: "As long as I can decipher it, I can cultivate at full strength.

63

Chapter 63

After hearing such confident and visionary words from Jian Yi, Qi Jibai was left unable to respond. After quite a while, Qi Jibai sighed: "Gaining a disciple like you must be because of all the sins I've committed in my past life."

"Why would shifu say that?" Jian Yi asked: "Are you afraid I wouldn't be able to do what I promised you before?"

"I'm only afraid you'll die first before you fulfill your promise!" Qi Jibai threw his long sleeve and said in a disgruntled tone.

Jian Yi smiled briefly, but didn't continue to banter with him. Instead, he moved over next to the window and looked outside. From his angle, he could see a little road heading down the mountain. At this moment, Wen Xuan was just heading down this small road.

Jian Yi looked with rapt attention just like this.

During his travels, Wen Xuan looked so solitary, turning a blind eye to the gazes of bystanders. He didn't interact with anyone and others didn't go out of their way to interact with him either, as if they lived in two separate worlds. Jian Yi thought, now that Shixiong has encountered this situation inside the Sect, he must be very lonely. Thinking about Wen Xuan's current loneliness, Jian Yi felt distressed for him. However at the same time, deep inside his heart, he couldn't help but contain a secret joy.

Until Wen Xuan almost walked to the end of this road, a person suddenly appeared and blocked his path.

This sudden appearance was Luo Qingquan who just came from Wen Xuan's place not long ago. Luo Qingquan, this person, could be described as rather bored. He blocked Wen Xuan's path, yet didn't plan to do anything. He just had to stand there and throw down some vicious words before leaving, as if something that simple was enough to complete his day.

This rather juvenile behavior from Luo Qingquan, however, made Wen Xuan a bit happier. Even the expression on his face eased quite a bit.

Jian Yi watched from above, fingers unconsciously digging into the edge of the window frame.

"Don't scratch off the paint." Qi Jibai tapped him on his fingers and warned him.

Fortunately, Luo Qingquan very quickly parted ways with Wen Xuan. Jian Yi also let go of his grip. In the end, the window frame's paint was saved. But the gaze that Jian Yi used to look at Luo Qingquan was heavy and full of hostility.

Qi Jibai gave a moment of silence for that sudden walking disaster, Luo-shizhi. Moreover, he didn't plan to stay here any longer as Jian Yi continued expressing his abnormal possessiveness.

Qi Jibai got up, said his goodbyes, and returned to his alchemy room.

Meanwhile, after Jian Yi's expression remained gloomy for a moment, slowly, he recovered. Although he was displeased, he didn't plan to do anything. In actuality, Jian Yi's hostility towards Luo Qingquan didn't last for too long. Because he knew, this was only temporary.

Then, a few more days passed. Jian Yi desperately deciphered the cultivation method he needed. Finally, he was starting to see success. However, if he wanted to appear before Wen Xuan again, he needed to recover his complexion first.

In these days, Wen Xuan completely became a hermit, not even leaving his place once. Luckily, Luo Qingquan came pretty much everyday to bicker with Wen Xuan, allowing him to relieve a bit of his stuffiness. However, on this day, when it was about time for Luo Qingquan to come searching for a fight, Wen Xuan impulsively stood at the doorway and took a look.

As expected, Luo Qingquan ran over again. But this time, he stopped at the foot of the mountain, conversing with someone blocking his way.

Wen Xuan focused his gaze and took a closer look. The person talking to Luo Qingquan, other than Zhang Xiaoqing, who else

would it be? Thinking about how Zhang Xiaoqing ran away as soon as she saw him, Wen Xuan felt his heart drop.

Luo Qingquan always had a large favorable impression towards Zhang Xiaoqing. Now that he's been stopped like this, his entire person was filled with a bit of excitement and nervousness. Then after Zhang Xiaoqing said some unknown things to him, Luo Qingquan's face gained some astonishment.

With this face of astonishment, he looked towards the direction of Wen Xuan's abode and just happened to see Wen Xuan. Expression becoming somewhat awkward, he very quickly withdrew his gaze.

Zhang Xiaoqing said something else again. Wen Xuan couldn't hear very clearly and can only guess that it was probably some words of warning.

After Zhang Xiaoqing left, Luo Qingquan raised his head again. The gaze that he used to look at Wen Xuan became more complicated. He raised his foot and walked towards Wen Xuan two steps, raising his hand as if he had something to say. Then, he shook his head. In the end, he turned and returned where he came from.

The reason Luo Qingquan bothered Wen Xuan before was completely because of his insuppressible ego.

However in comparison, the on-going affection that he had for Zhang Xiaoqing all this time was far more important than his ego.

From then onward, Luo Qingquan didn't come over to Wen Xuan's place again and became estranged to him just like the other disciples in the sect.

Wen Xuan sat inside his home, laughing deprecatingly at himself. On the table, there was a pile of paper, all letters that Jian Yi sent over in the last few days. Sometimes, there'd be several letters in one day. Occasionally, Wen Xuan would feel like Jian Yi was too sticky, but now, these letters became his only comfort.

However, the next morning, even Jian Yi's letter didn't arrive.

Wen Xuan waited all the way until after lunchtime, looking outside again and again. He was just thinking it was odd when he saw a figure bouncing in from outside, high spirited, coming to a stop right beside him. Jian Yi finally left from Qi Jibai's place.

"Shixiong!" Jian Yi already took the opportunity to fully recover all of his energy in the last few days. As soon as he saw Wen Xuan, he started to cling: "Long time no see, did you miss me?"

Wen Xuan asked him with a smile: "Long time no see?"

Jian Yi held up his fingers and counted, dry laughing twice: "Looks like...... it's been five days."

Five days. So it's only been merely five days. This was really a very short time when counted, yet Wen Xuan felt as if a long time had passed. Seeing Jian Yi again, he was really extremely happy.

Smiling, he rubbed Jian Yi's head and said earnestly: "I missed you a lot."

Jian Yi just started feeling elated when he saw Wen Xuan sigh and hastily asked him what happened.

Wen Xuan explained that thing with Luo Qingquan. Although Jian Yi already predicted this to happen, hearing Wen Xuan talk about it right now, he still listened very closely.

"Shixiong," Done listening, he asked Wen Xuan: "Do you want to know why this happened?"

Wen Xuan thought for a second and nodded his head.

"Zhang Xiaoqing...... that Zhang shijie," Jian Yi told him: "actually had some affection towards you before."

Wen Xuan was faintly surprised, but after thinking about it carefully, this fact wasn't really that unexpected.

"But she is the Sect Leader's disciple. When the Sect Leader had plans for you before, he let it go. Later when you and the Sect Leader pretty much broke off all relations, how could the Sect Leader allow her to keep that kind of intentions?" Jian Yi continued to say: "In order to dispel those intentions she had towards you, the method was very simple."

Hearing this, Wen Xuan actually already understood. Sighing, he leaned against the table, eyes lowered: "In other words, the Sect Leader told her the truth, right?"

Jian Yi pressed his lips together, not replying. However, his eyes already answered everything.

"So it's like that." Wen Xuan sighed repeatedly: "So it's like that. Ultimately, it's still because of my birth history."

No wonder Zhang Xiaoqing used to treat him so well, yet was going out of her way to avoid him now. So what changed her wasn't those rumors but the actual truth.

Then Zhang Xiaoqing stopped Luo Qingquan. It was probably only because she was worried that Luo Qingquan would end up in some terrible situation getting too involved with Wen Xuan. As for whether she told Luo Qingquan the truth as well or if she just used their relationship as a threat to dissuade Luo Qingquan, Wen Xuan didn't know.

"Shixiong, don't be upset. Didn't I say before already? The way that they are right now is only proof that there's no reason for you to care so much about them." Jian Yi held Wen Xuan's hand and lightly patted the back of it: "And plus," Jian Yi then lowered his head and suppressed his voice so quiet it couldn't go any lower: "To be honest, when I saw others spending time with you in the past, I always felt very jealous."

Wen Xuan rapped him on the head: "Oh you."

Jian Yi covered his head and flinched back, pursing his lips.

Yet Wen Xuan's mood strangely became much better. To use the current situation in exchange for a little peace of mind for Jian Yi, after careful consideration, Wen Xuan decided that it was probably worth it.

"You were talking about cultivating in seclusion before," Wen Xuan then asked him: "How's the preparations?"

"Probably in the next few days." Jian Yi answered: "Shifu already found a suitable cultivation method for me."

"Then you should go into seclusion soon. Stop worrying about what's happening with me over here."

"I was just about to talk to you about this." Jian Yi said: "Since your place is pretty empty, how about I go into seclusion over here?"

Hearing this, Wen Xuan put on a serious face: "How outrageous? Jian Shidi, do you plan to focus and go into quiet seclusion at all?"

Being reprimanded, Jian Yi lowered his head and sulked.

Fortunately, Wen Xuan knew deep down that Jian Yi suggested this because he was only worried. Very quickly, Wen Xuan smoothed out his expression and persuaded him with a warm tone: "I know what you're worried about me but you can relax. I'm not as devastated and inconsolable as you think. And plus, after you go into seclusion, I'll be going into seclusion myself."

Speaking of which, Wen Xuan often went into 3-5 years of seclusions before. He passed life fine without seeing anyone every once in a while, without feeling any hints of loneliness. This was enough to prove that everything he felt currently was only a mental thing.

Since the discussion has progressed to this point, Jian Yi can only dispel his original plan and obediently return to Qi Jibai's place to cultivate in seclusion.

Actually from a certain point of view, going into seclusion at Qi Jibai's place was more convenient for Jian Yi to do what he needed.

Nevertheless, when leaving Wen Xuan's abode, Jian Yi still turned his head to look back after every other step, extremely reluctant. Wen Xuan watched his leaving figure, completely not knowing if he should laugh and cry.

After Jian Yi left, Wen Xuan took a deep breath, patted himself on the face, and completely shifted his focus onto his own cultivation.

Therefore, the time flew past. In a blink of an eye, half a year came and went. In this half a year, Wen Xuan was pretty much completely in seclusion, only occasionally heading out for fresh air. His reputation in the Water Cloud Sect still didn't improve for the better. Good thing he no longer cared about that and the disciples in the Sect also became used to his hermitting. The Sect Leader, Jizi Ang, also didn't do anything more, only pretending this person didn't exist in the sect, that's all.

Jizi Ang had even bigger things to worry about nowadays-- the demon that was completely released.

Originally everyone thought, no matter how powerful that demon was, under the combined effort of all of these Nascent Soul cultivators, it definitely won't be able to gain any advantages. However, the real development of the situation was completely out of everyone's expectations.

The demon continued to hide its presence, making all of those Nascent Soul cultivators unable to find it. Yet every once in a while, the demon would reveal its claws from its hiding spot and take the lives of a few or even a dozen cultivators. What really made people terrified was that as the time elapsed, that demon's strength seemed to increase more and more. In the last few months, it even started to attack some smaller sects.

As they continued to hunt down the demon, the nascent soul cultivators gradually discovered that at first the demon was acting on its own, however later on, it seemed to have gained some followers. Those lesser demons who were hiding amongst humans were gathered together by that demon. When these nascent soul cultivators finally realized what was happening and started to search for these overlooked little demons, all of the little demons in the world had already been collected by this demon.

In the very end, the only small demon that those nascent soul cultivators could find was actually the shadow attachment demon in Chu Lian's hands.

"How about we set a trap? And lure it out?"

"Would it take the bait?"

"Can give it a try. It still counts as a follower at least."

Therefore, the nascent soul cultivators decided to do it. However, Chu Lian was prideful. He was unwilling to attack a demon together with all of these nascent soul cultivators. In the end, Chu Lian returned to the Water Cloud Sect. After discussing with Jizi Ang, he used the Sect's strength to set up a magic array.

This magic array was deployed in a desolate and uninhabited mountain. According to Jizi Ang, although this array wasn't as good as the Sect's protection array, it wasn't far off. Chu Lian placed that shadow attachment demon inside the array and patiently waited for that demon to take the bait.

The other nascent soul cultivators wouldn't really hand over this matter to Chu Lian alone, so they all got ready to provide support from the outside.

This looked like a perfect set up. They didn't believe the demon could really flip out and escape. The only thing they were worried about was probably what to do if the demon didn't take the bait.

However, the demon really did appear.

But the development of what followed was completely out of everyone's expectations.

In between Wen Xuan's seclusion this time, he heard an extremely shocking piece of news.

The demon broke through the magic array. Not only did it bring away the shadow attachment demon, it dealt heavy injuries to both Chu Lian, as well as Jizi Ang, who was guarding the array.

64

Chapter 64

"What are you all gathering here for? Get out. All of you get out! Don't be an eyesore here!" Although Chu Lian sustained heavy injuries, his temper did not decrease at all. As soon as people got near his abode, they could hear him inside, cursing loudly in rage.

Not long afterwards, the Sect Elders, who originally wanted to express their goodwill, all started to come out dejected and dispirited. Only the golden core Elder, Ling Xianzi, who was originally Chu Lian's shimei, remained to speak a few more words: "Chu shixiong, you are gravely injured at the moment. Don't try to be too stubborn."

These words were filled with gentle kindness, but Chu Lian was not the type of person who understood how to be nice to women. He also kicked her out without any remorse or courtesy.

After the crowd completely left, Chu Lian looked at the once again emptied room, furrowing his brows even more.

He shouted at a corner in a displeased tone: "What are you still hiding here for?"

Finally, Wen Xuan walked out from behind the door, looking at Chu Lian with a complicated expression. When he heard that Chu Lian had received heavy injuries before, Wen Xuan was naturally scared and astonished. Without thinking too much, he immediately ran over. Yet he didn't even enter the room when he heard Chu Lian's explosive temper. This didn't seem like a guy who had grave injuries at all. After a long time, he finally mumbled: "Shifu."

"I haven't been your shifu for a long time." Chu Lian huffed coldly, remembering this setting randomly again: "There's no outsiders here right now. No need to maintain this appearance."

Wen Xuan sighed and could only agree: "Daoist master Chu."

Chu Lian frowned, appearing rather unused to it. However, he didn't say anything in the end, as if he was satisfied.

Then Wen Xuan walked closer a few steps and looked at Chu Lian who was before him. At first glance, Chu Lian seemed his usual, full with ample spirit. Looking carefully again, however, his face was ghastly white. A black aura exuded faintly from his countenance.

When Wen Xuan wanted to move closer, Chu Lian waved two fingers and a spiritual whip immediately whipped past Wen Xuan's cheek.

"What are you looking at?" Chu Lian was very unhappy.

"Daoist master Chu," Wen Xuan halted his footsteps in exasperation: "Just what happened?"

Chu Lian's brows furrowed further, but he didn't reply.

Wen Xuan continued to ask: "That demon is this powerful?"

"It's only a mouse who enjoys hiding." Chu Lian finally sneered, expression full of disdain. But while saying these words, his fists squeezed tightly, making it clear this wasn't his true opinion.

After a moment passed, Chu Lian waved his hand again: "This time we underestimated the enemy. We knew that its original cultivation might have been higher than ours, yet we assumed that it wouldn't be a match for us since it's been trapped for so many years. Who would have thought it would be this good at hiding, and recovered so speedily."

"Its original cultivation," Wen Xuan was slightly surprised: "is higher than Nascent Soul?"

"Hmph! Just look at your narrow view," Chu Lian said: "You should really leave North Ning and go visit Central Sheng. A mere nascent soul, I can find several for you in one sect. Above Nascent Soul, there's still Dasheng. Beyond Dasheng, now that's the domain that has yet to be reached."

However, Wen Xuan's surprise wasn't actually over this: "You guys... you and the other Nascent Soul cultivators from the other sects, already knew it was this powerful?"

Having this fact pointed out by someone of the younger generation, Chu Lian instantly felt ashamed.

In actuality, the demon casted the bait originally to lure yuan gathering cultivators over. The demon had been buried in that place for too long; its body has long decayed. It needed to find someone to possess and only late stage yuan gathering cultivators, who were just one step away from golden core, could contain its full power while still being unable to resist its possession. Also, the reason why only cultivators with exceptional water roots were able to see that teleportation array was because that's the type of body it wanted.

However, what happened was that Wen Xuan and Qin Shiyu informed this place to their Sects, which caused Nascent Soul cultivators to head over. The Nascent Soul cultivators could naturally see through the trap that was set up. Undoubtedly, there was a powerful demon that might have cultivated to Dasheng many years ago hidden under this wonderful pile of treasure. Although that demon has been trapped for many years, it must be less powerful than before. They just didn't know how much strength it had left.

The bait that the demon had casted was really attractive. Divine weapons, cultivation methods, medicinal pill formulas, anything one can think of, all passed down from ancient times. Even the leaders of the two big Sects found it hard not covet these items. They couldn't abandon this bait and disregard it, yet they were also afraid of really breaking through the last barrier and letting the demon out. That's why they've been in stalemate for so long, waiting until all the surefire plans to be set up properly.

Chu Lian continued to say stubbornly: "We were already careful enough. Who would have thought this would happen?"

The accident that occurred was, a yuan gathering Elder couldn't resist the enticement and passed through the barrier secretly. Immediately, he became possessed by the demon.

Hearing to this point, Wen Xuan couldn't help but sigh.

There's a saying: 'humans die for wealth, birds die for food.' Although this was called an accident, in actuality, it was inevitable.

"This was all because of that idiot." Chu Lian grinded his teeth, just getting ready to curse the main culprit of this disaster to hell when he felt a tickle in his throat. Hastily covering his mouth with the back of his hand, he started coughing violently. When he finally stopped this wave of coughs and moved away his hand, it was completely covered with blood.

Wen Xuan looked at the blood, heart sinking abruptly.

Chu Lian didn't care at all however, only wiping the back of his hand clean. "Another senseless fellow is coming up." Then he ordered: "Go drive them away."

Wen Xuan nodded. He can only follow Chu Lian's instructions.

A mere moment later, that person still remained on Daiyun Peak. Instead, it was Wen Xuan who ran hastily back and said urgently: "Shifu, the person who came is Elder Qi."

"Who cares? Drive..." Saying this, Chu Lian paused and asked back: "Which Elder Qi?"

"Elder Qi from the Alchemy school, Qi Jibai." Wen Xuan answered.

Ordinarily, Chu Lian naturally wouldn't pay attention to any elders. However, Qi Jibai was Water Cloud Sect's most outstanding alchemist.

Chu Lian paused for quite a moment. In the end, he still said: "Drive him away."

"Daoist master!" Wen Xuan said anxiously: "At least let him take a look!"

"Don't waste your breath!" Chu Lian said angrily: "If I have to do this myself, it definitely wouldn't be as courteous as you!"

Words coming to a halt, Wen Xuan couldn't do anything. When he attempted to persuade Chu Lian some more, Chu Lian waved his sleeve and threw him directly out of the room.

After that, Wen Xuan found Qi Jibai and explained Chu Lian's attitude with a bitter and pained expression. Qi Jibai didn't look surprised at all.

"I've also heard of Daoist Master Chu's temper." Qi Jibai said with a smile: "He's really quite an obstinate and prideful man. It's expected he'd act like so. Since it's like this, I'll head over to the Sect Leader to take a look first."

The Sect Leader, Jizi Ang, also received heavy injuries. Qi Jibai naturally had to go visit.

Therefore, Wen Xuan sent Qi Jibai off while explaining the situation he saw just now. Then, he asked carefully: "Daoist...... How is my shifu's state currently?"

"From your descriptions, it doesn't seem good." Qi Jibai said.

Wen Xuan's face color changed.

"But since he's so stubborn, us bystanders really can't do anything." Qi Jibai said, then smiled: "And speaking honestly, I'm not a miracle healer. Perhaps Daoist Master Chu only doesn't trust me enough. Maybe he has his own plans?"

Hearing these words, Wen Xuan felt somewhat comforted. Then, he asked a bit about Jian Yi's cultivation progress. Ever since Jian Yi went into seclusion, it's been months since he came out.

On the other hand, Wen Xuan had no choice but to put his seclusion on hold temporarily.

Then about two months passed. In these two months, there was still unrest outside. The demon continued to breach several small sized Sects. Even some medium sized Sects were also starting to suffer. It seemed like only the seven big Sects were safe in their big protection arrays. Several small and medium sized sects proposed to merge into these seven clans, coming up with all sorts of plans to squeeze into the safety of the big protection arrays.

Because the trap previously failed, many people had criticism towards Chu Lian. However, because of Chu Lian's injury, no one brought forth these criticisms.

Throughout these days, Wen Xuan ran over to Chu Lian's place every few days. Yet Chu Lian wasn't appreciative at all, always throwing him out in the end. Wen Xuan couldn't see any of the

so-called his own plans' and only felt Chu Lian's complexion looked worse and worse by the day.

A day two month later, Wen Xuan walked into Chu Lian's abode once more. He saw Chu Lian sitting by the bedside, one hand falling by his side, clenched into a fist, as if he was thinking about something. He was unusually quiet. Normally, whenever Wen Xuan arrived, it wouldn't take long for Chu Lian to express exasperation. This time, Chu Lian only sat quietly for a long time.

After a long time, Chu Lian sighed: "That Elder Qi you talked about the other day...... call him over."

As he said this, Chu Lian opened his tightly closed fist, revealing a crumpled talisman inside. Wen Xuan could tell, this was a message talisman that hasn't been used yet. This kind of talisman normally had the destination marked already. With a little magic, it'd spontaneously fly to the hands of the targeted person.

This unused talisman, however, was splattered with plenty of bloodstains.

Wen Xuan's heart jumped in alarm. The elation he felt just now because Chu Lian was finally willing to see Qi Jibai instantly dissipated. Hastily turning around, he flew over to the Alchemy School in a rush.

Before he left, Wen Xuan heard Chu Lian laugh at himself.

Chu Lian laughed at himself, saying: "It's already to this point, yet I actually still don't want to go accompany him."

Qi Jibai very quickly came over and helped examine Chu Lian carefully. When he left, Qi Jibai furrowed his brows tightly as he said he can only do his best.

After that day, Wen Xuan would bring over medicinal pills from Qi Jibai daily for Chu Lian to take. He could very clearly feel that as the time elapsed, the amount of medicinal pills grew more and more, the smell became heavier and thicker. Yet, Chu Lian's state didn't really get much better.

Every few days, Qi Jibai would come over himself to look over Chu Lian's injury personally.

Once Wen Xuan just happened to bump into this accidentally. Qi Jibai had opened the front of Chu Lian's robe and was examining the injury on his chest. The sinister and terrifying looking wound was far beyond what Wen Xuan had imagined. The inner flesh flipped outward, like scalding hot water had been poured over it. There were also thin threads of black smoke circling above it.

Wen Xuan had once seen how Murong Feng looked after suffering years of assault from the extreme fire poison. Chu Lian's injury looked even more dreadful than that. No wonder Qi Jibai could only say he can only do his best.

"Actually, the wound is not the most troublesome part. Instead, it's the demonic energy that entered Daoist Master Chu's body." Qi Jibai told Wen Xuan: "That demonic energy is not something I can solve with my cultivation level. I also don't know anyone in North Ning who could do it. However, as long as the demonic energy remains, there's no way for Daoist Master Chu's wound to heal."

Understanding the situation clearly, Wen Xuan knew immediately what this meant. However, this was something that the entire Sect couldn't deal with. Naturally, Wen Xuan was also helpless. He could only pray Chu Lian can neutralize that demonic energy himself.

In comparison, although Jizi Ang also received heavy injuries, treating him was much easier than Chu Lian.

This kind of situation persisted for several more months.

Pretty much all of the small and medium sized Sects found big Sects to rely on. The Water Cloud Sect's strength expanded several times. Jizi Ang also started to show hints of recovery. Because of this, the entire Sect had a slightly cheerful atmosphere. Pretty much no one noticed the heavy clouds over at Daiyun Peak.

Nascent Soul cultivators normally should have been the entire Sect's patron saint. To end up in such a state, Chu Lian was the only one. Occasionally, Wen Xuan recalled his current treatment in the sect, despite being head disciple, and felt that perhaps misery loves company.

He still went to Chu Lian's abode everyday to take care of him, watching the white hair slowly growing out from the top of Chu Lian's head.

Sometimes, other than the white hair on his head, Chu Lian didn't look much different from before. But more often than not, Chu Lian would lay drowsily in bed.

In his sleep, Chu Lian would sleep talk, mumbling Ye Sheng Ge's name in his mouth. When he was awake, Chu Lian would pull out many old objects, spread them out before his eyes and look at them with rapt attention, face full of fond reminiscence.

Occasionally when he looked at Wen Xuan, his face would no longer contain the loathing from before, but carry the same kind of fond remembrance.

"You found that thing already, right?" Chu Lian asked him: "Inside your body."

Wen Xuan immediately thought about that ice block he saw when breaking through yuan gathering and nodded.

"Then you should have already seen him." Chu Lian sighed.

This should be talking about that divine memory left inside Wen Xuan's body. After seeing Ye Sheng Ge's appearance in the illusionary past, Wen Xuan was already able to confirm that the figure created by that divine memory was exactly Ye ShengGe himself.

"How nice." Chu Lian said, his tone even carrying a tiny hint of grievance: "I also want to see him."

For a moment, Wen Xuan didn't know how to answer.

"Are you still going to continue down this path?" Chu Lian asked him.

"Can I stop?" Wen Xuan asked back.

"That's right. It's already too late to stop now. I once prevented you before, but you chose this yourself." Chu Lian smiled somewhat mockingly.

But because of the long period of agony from his wound, Chu Lian's temper wore down somewhat by now. Very quickly, he withdrew that sneer and said with a sigh: "From now on, you can only keep walking. As fast and as urgent as possible, continue onward. Then, you have to pray. Pray when that day comes, you can retain more of your human side. Pray that by that time, the human side of you is strong enough."

Saying this, Chu Lian shook his head.

This meant he was kicking his guest out. Today, for Chu Lian to say all of these words with Wen Xuan in a tranquil and even-tempered manner, it was already a groundbreaking thing.

When Wen Xuan left, his heart felt rather heavy thinking about the words Chu Lian spoke just now.

Suddenly, he saw a message talisman fly past in the sky.

That was a somewhat familiar looking message talisman, looking like it was already very old. Maybe something that's been around for several dozen years. It already had crumpled marks from being held, and even had plenty of bloodstains covering it.

Wen Xuan stood frozen where he was momentarily, dazing off. Suddenly, he violently turned around and dashed off towards Chu Lian's abode.

Inside the abode was already completely deserted, only leaving behind an opened window swaying in the wind.

After this day, no one saw Chu Lian in the Water Cloud Sect ever again.

Some people say that Chu Lian's conceitedness made him unwilling to die in front of others. Other people say that he only wanted to find a chance of survival out there. Wen Xuan felt the latter was more likely. He was willing to believe this because Chu Lian once said, despite his current state, he still wanted to live.

This thing seemed like just another incident in the Water Cloud Sect. After Chu Lian left, everything remained the same.

Wen Xuan also resumed his cultivation in seclusion.

He closed both eyes, mind sinking deep into his own body. Very quickly, he found that ice block. His cultivation was even stronger than before, faintly already reaching midstage yuan gathering. And everytime he came to look at this ice block, he could discover some small cracks along the surface.

This was because of the spiritual energy circulating turbulently in his meridians. No matter how careful he was, it battered against this ice block. As his cultivation became stronger and stronger, this impact also increased in strength. But he couldn't stop just because of this. The moment he chose to continue onward, everything had been set. When he returned back to yuan gathering, he lost the chance to regret. Even if he stopped cultivating, the spiritual energy would continue to batter nonstop. That day will come eventually. Stopping would make him lose the ability to contest when that day came.

Wen Xuan looked at the floating person next to the ice block and softly called: "Daoist Master Ye."

Ye Sheng Ge's divine memory never spoke. He only looked at Wen Xuan with a faint smile. However, Wen Xuan knew that he'd been silently protecting this place all along. That's why everytime Wen Xuan came back once more, the crack that he saw previously would look a bit smoothed out.

Wen Xuan bowed respectfully to this divine memory, then shifted his mind elsewhere to start today's cultivation.

As the matter stands currently, he can only walk faster, and even faster.

At the same time, inside a mountain cave behind the Alchemy school, Jian Yi opened his eyes. In front of him were a lot of spiritual stones that had been shattered to pieces, the dust practically piling up into a small mountain.

Two years, this seclusion of his, lasted a total of two years.

There was a hint of a smile at the corner of Jian Yi's mouth. The cultivation method that he ultimately deciphered was extremely unreasonable and eccentric. However, the advancement speed was also extremely rapid. Everyone usually needed to absorb spiritual energy from heaven and earth. He, however, could absorb them directly from spiritual stones. Why wouldn't it be quick? Even if doing this would bring all sorts of drawbacks, Jian Yi accepted them gladly.

The current him was only one step away from yuan gathering.

This step was frequently the most difficult step. Many people spent a lifetime and were still unable to cross it. However, Jian Yi must cross it. And it has to be as soon as possible.

In order to deal with what's to come, becoming yuan gathering was the easiest threshold he needed to cross.

65

-Chapter 65

To a Sect, was losing a Nascent Soul Daoist Master really not impactful at all?

Only thinking it slightly was enough to know that this wasn't possible. Even if Chu Lian often traveled outside all year round, even if he never got involved with any of the Water Cloud Sect's internal affairs, the worth of a Nascent Soul Daoist Master didn't exist in these aspects. Instead, it depended on his existence.

Many people in the Water Cloud Sect weren't actually aware of this fact. Perhaps it's because they were lucky.

But there's always people who were aware of this. For example, certain disciples who were currently worrying over this; for example, certain Elders who were currently searching for an escape route for themselves; for example, Jian Yi who was currently cultivating as if his life depended on it.

He was only a step away from his goal, but this step wasn't easily at all.

Every breakthrough level up was a difficult threshold to get pass, requiring the right time, place, and circumstances; not a single factor was dispensable. Back then when Jian Yi advanced from qi refining into foundation building, it was because of the pressure from the urgent situation present at that time. However, now that he was trying to advance from foundation building into yuan gathering, he wasn't in the right condition to find that kind of pressure.

The only choice Jian Yi had in the end was... binge.

He obtained many spiritual stones and put them inside his abode, absorbing energy from them nonstop. Even if his meridian had long since stuffed full, even if his ability to tolerate spiritual energy had reached its limit. All the way until if he didn't reach yuan gathering soon, he'd explode from all of this spiritual energy he gathered.

In a blink of an eye, many days passed again. The season was already midsummer. The weather gradually grew worse.

No one was aware when dark clouds started to envelop the skies over the Water Cloud Sect. Torrential rain poured down, stopped, then continued to pour. The moonlight has not shown in the night sky over the Water Cloud Sect for many years.

On a certain moonless night, a black shadow quietly approached the Water Cloud Sect.

Ever since the demon returned to the world, no cultivators dared to remain by themselves. Solidary cultivators looked for support from small Sects. Small Sects merged with large sects. Outside of

the seven large sects, it was very hard for the demon to find prey.

Therefore, sooner or later, it was going to come and bump against these large sects head to head. Right now the Water Cloud Sect was a very wonderful target.

So it approached slowly, stopping at the bottom of the mountain. It looked at the big intimidating protection array for a second. The protection array was like a round dome enveloping the entire Water Cloud Sect inside. Everyone inside the array believed that this was an absolutely reliable safeguard. However, in reality, this magic array only made the demon feel intimidated. It couldn't actually completely obstruct its path.

It wandered around the edges slowly, looking for an area of weakness.

In order for a huge protection array to ward off a demon of this ranking, it needed an extremely vast energy source to maintain it. Although the Water Cloud Sect was large and numerous, the cultivators' strength was not enough. Therefore, the huge protection array before him couldn't possibly cover every square and inch. There must be an area of weakness.

It very quickly made a discovery. Stopping before a verdant mountain peak, it felt the flow of the spiritual energy in the surroundings, mouth splitting open into a faint smile.

Just as it started to march forth a step, suddenly it stopped again. There was a gap in the Water Cloud Sect's big protection array right before its eyes, no doubt. However, inside this hole, someone actually deployed another magic array.

The aura of this magic array was concealed by the huge protection array, dispersed in the air faintly. But if it got closer, it'd discover.

This was a dragon trapping array. A small and delicate but extremely refined and complex magic array. In order to set up this kind of array, the technical and deployment skill must be extremely high. However, it didn't require a very high cultivation level. With a close examination, the demon easily determined that the person who set up this array should be only a yuan gathering cultivator.

Nevertheless, it was unwilling to step in rashly. This dragon trapping array was interwoven with the huge protection array. Even if it can only trap the demon for a short moment, it'd bring plenty of end results that the demon didn't want to see.

"Not very high in cultivation, yet quite the nerve to play this trick before me." It chuckled in amusement: "That's fine by itself, yet you even dare to remain here!"

Just done saying this, a black energy flew out of the demon's sleeve and attacked a corner in the forest of trees.

The leaves in that corner swayed as a figure fell out of the tree. They very quickly retreated backwards. With a flash of the accessories on their waist, they instantly drew back into the big protection array. The black energy instantly stopped its pursuit. Through the protection array, this person and the demon examined each other.

arried a ball of brigathered the la instantly

Behind the demon, it carried a ball of black fog. Inside, it contained all of the small demons it had gathered the last few years. Seeing this current situation, these little demons instantly felt like they were mocked and started to stir restlessly.

However, with only a sideways glance by the head demon, these little demons all quieted down again.

Then it casted its gaze towards the person that set up the array. Looking for a moment, it narrowed its eyes in rumination: "Spiritual energy leaking everywhere...... kid, you're not only bold, but got quite the appetite too. Aren't you afraid you'll burst?"

Hearing these words, the person inside the array couldn't refrain from laughing bitterly.

This person naturally was Jian Yi.

In order to advance into yuan gathering before, he poured who knows how much spiritual energy into his body. So much that even now, it still leaked out uncontrollably. However, in the end, he finally reached yuan gathering. As for this outpouring state, it was only troublesome for a few days, but wouldn't be an issue in the future.

"Worthy of Lao Zu, your insight is sharp as expected." Jian Yi took the chance to give it some flattery.

When the demon across him heard these words, its gaze instantly congealed: "Don't call me that so casually. Unless you know who I am?"

"If I didn't know who Lao Zu is, why would I risk this danger?" Jian Yi said with a smile: "I desperately achieved yuan gathering just to set up this array to hinder your path here."

The demon huffed coldly: "This little trick, did you think it'd really stop me?"

"Of course not, of course not." Jian Yi said hastily: "Only to halt you temporarily, to give you a chance to think highly of me."

These were rather truthful words. The reason this demon was willing to stop here and speak nonsense with him, wasn't because this little trick was anything impressive. Rather, it was more because it felt this little cultivator was somewhat interesting.

In anycase, Jian Yi came alone. The difference in strength of the two sides was huge. The demon also wasn't afraid he'd have some method to call for assistance.

"Lao Zu, you're someone who loves people with talent." Jian Yi smiled charmingly: "I know this."

"Even if I can think highly of you, so what?" The demon asked him lazily: "Do you plan to abandon the way of Dao and join demon cultivation, under my sect?"

Truthfully, Jian Yi personally didn't really reject the idea of joining demon cultivation. However, he knew that Wen Xuan definitely wouldn't accept this thing. Therefore, he also definitely wouldn't agree.

"I only wanted to find an opportunity to speak with Lao Zu, that's all." Jian Yi said: "Honestly speaking, I admire you very much. Recalling back then, when you and Immortal Master Tuo Yue....."

Before he completed these words, the aura surrounding the demon abruptly sank, pressing down so heavily that even behind the big protection array, Jian Yi found it hard to breathe.

"You actually know about Immortal Master Tuo Yue?" The demon asked slowly, pausing after every word, each word like the edge of a knife.

"Since I know you, Lao Zu. Naturally I would also know Immortal Master Tuo Yue." Pressing a hand against his chest, Jian Yi answered with extreme difficulty under the weight of this mountain-like strength: "Recalling back then, what a good relationship you had with Immortal Master Tuo Yue. But Immortal Master Tuo Yue was a scum and actually conspired to harm you behind your back......"

Another unfinished sentence, the demon abruptly withdrew the heavy pressure that made Jian Yi have trouble breathing. Body suddenly released, Jian Yi couldn't stop himself from staggering.

"Enough." When the demon spoke again, his tone was clearly more downcasted: "What happened back then isn't something a youngest like you can evaluate and comment on."

Jian Yi only laughed dryly.

However, the things that happened back then, really have passed far too long ago. Abruptly hearing Jian Yi bringing it up again, the demon couldn't help but recall and reminisce about it.

"How did you learn these things?" The demon asked him.

"Because of my family inheritance, I learn many old things that people do not know about."

"What else do you know?"

"What does Lao Zu want to hear me say?" Jian Yi's eyes instantly lit up as he said hastily: "As long as you can agree to a request of mine, I can talk about them continuously to you for three days and three nights."

The demon huffed coldly: "And here I thought you purely enjoyed looking for trouble. So you actually had a goal."

"Just something trivial. A trivial matter, that's all." Jian Yi said: "I know what you're here to do, Lao Zu. But this mountain has quite the number of people. To eat them all would definitely be too much, right? As long as you're willing to let a few go, I'd be perfectly satisfied."

The demon narrowed his eyes again, not agreeing but not disagreeing either.

Jian Yi already took down the dragon trapping array that he set up and retreated back a few steps, completely revealing the gap in the big protection array. He raised his hand and made a 'welcome' gesture.

"Beside the people you want to save, the others should also be your fellow sect members, right?" The demon looked at him with amusement: "Are you really willing to watch them die?"

"They were meant to die anyways." Jian Yi said smiling: "For me to not kill them myself is treating them fairly enough."

"You got good potential." The demon said: "Demon cultivation has more prospects than immortal cultivating."

Jian Yi only smiled. He didn't reply.

The demon gave him another look and shook the black fog behind him. Carrying the black fog, he slowly walked through the gap.

As Jian Yi watched it passing in front of him, he remained smiling. However, there was still a huge stone pressing down on his heart.

Would he really believe the demon before him? No. He knew. Once this demon started going crazy, it wouldn't even recognize its relatives. Not to mention, at this moment, the demon didn't actually promise him anything.

Although Jian Yi didn't really care about the other people's lives in the Water Cloud Sect, he didn't dare to bet on this chance.

"Oh right." Just as the demon's body was about to step into the mountain peak before his eyes, Jian Yi suddenly spoke again, pretending to ask naturally: "Lao Zu, are you aware of where the Immortal Master Tuo Yue's magic gourd disappeared to nowadays?"

The demon's footstep instantly halted, gaze shooting over like daggers.

"It's in the hand of the Violet Feathers Sect." Jian Yi turned a blind eye to that sharp look, and continued to say with a smile: "I also heard, in order to deal with you, they already moved this divine weapon into their establishment in North Ning, inside that Cerulean Feathers Sect right now."

He just finished speaking when it felt like a hurricane blew past in front of him.

Jian Yi reflexively narrowed his eyes. When he opened them again, where could he find a hint of that demon's figure again? Even the black energy was completely out of sight.

Jian Yi took a deep breath, then walked around inside the big protection array and finally confirmed that the demon really left.

In a flash, it felt like all of the energy was pulled from his body; he immediately fell exhausted to the floor.

When he reached out a hand and touched his back, it was full of cold sweats.

The original novel had described this demon. However, the content wasn't very much. Regarding its specific character and temperament, Jian Yi can only carefully extrapolate from the fragments that appeared here and there in the novel. Because this, naturally, Jian Yi couldn't reach a 100% definite conclusion. The specific plans still had to wait to be adjusted after seeing the demon face to face. Therefore, while Jian Yi looked rather casual and relaxed during the conversation they had, he was actually extremely cautious, as if walking on thin ice.

If he took the wrong step, don't even mention he'd die immediately, he wouldn't even be able to save Wen Xuan either.

Good thing, in the end, he was successful.

Carrying a smile on the corner of his mouth, Jian Yi looked towards the verdant mountain peak behind him. After looking for a moment, the smile on his face slowly drooped down as he started squeezing his fists tightly.

This mountain peak that was currently facing the biggest gap in the protection array was exactly where Wen Xuan lived, Daiyun Peak.

The reason why there'd be a gap here was because originally Chu Lian lived here. When Chu Lian was present, his strength completely filled the gap here. However, now that Chu Lian disappeared off to who knows where, it was impossible that no one realized how dangerous this place had become.

At this moment in time, Wen Xuan was currently cultivating in seclusion in this mountain peak. If that demon barged in, Wen Xuan would have been the first to bear the brunt of its force.

Jian Yi smashed his tightly clenched fists on the ground, then let out a cold laugh as he slowly got up.

He didn't know how those people in the Water Cloud Sect planned to stop that demon from killing off everyone if Wen Xuan really was hurt by this demon here. Jian Yi can only do what he could to stop all of this from happening.

Jian Yi went back to the place where he confronted the demon again. In the forest and grass, he searched for a long time. Sure enough, he found a small mirror hidden in layers of tree leaves.

The water cloud sect had this kind of mirror everywhere. It's for surveillance.

Jian Yi took down the mirror and threw it on the ground, stepping on it viciously a few times. He had instilled spiritual energy to the bottom of his foot, but it still took several tries before he managed to shatter the mirror into pieces.

After that, he wiped away the cold sweat on his forehead, relaxed completely and slowly walked towards his residence in the Alchemy school.

This matter looked like it finally came to an end. A disaster quietly averted by him just like this. No, it's more accurate to say, it was diverted away by him.

Jian Yi laid exhausted in his bed, falling into a deep sleep not long after.

He thought he could rest for a good while. However, not even three days later, one morning, he didn't even have time to open his eyes yet when he was dragged out of his bed and onto the floor.

In a daze and bewildered briefly, Jian Yi finally saw the uninvited guests clearly. It was subordinates of the Elder in charge of enforcing Sect regulations.

"Jian shidi," Someone from the Enforcement school said to him: "Come take a walk with us."

Jian Yi scoffed. For some unknown reason, he actually didn't feel too surprised.

He was led by these people to the big hall that the Sect Leader presided over. As soon as he entered the hall, he saw Jizi Ang, who had pretty much recovered from his heavy injuries, sitting at the head seat. The two sides of the big hall were filled with people, densely seated together as if everyone in the Water Cloud Sect were present. Oh, other than Wen Xuan who was still in seclusion.

Meanwhile, below the head seat, several shattered mirror fragments were placed next to Jizi Ang's foot. Currently, these fragments were pieced together, back to its original appearance.

66

Chapter 66

"Early this morning today, some patrolling disciples discovered that this mirror was destroyed by someone." Jizi Ang said with a raised voice: "Fortunately, the method used to destroy this mirror was extremely rough. Therefore, I summoned all of the Elders and spent quite the effort. Finally we restored a part of this."

As he spoke, Jizi Ang's gaze shifted onto Jian Yi.

Detained in the middle of the big hall, Jian Yi felt everyone's gazes all turn to him.

"Jian shizhi," Jizi Ang laughed coldly and asked in a raised voice: "Three nights ago, where were you and what were you doing?"

Jian Yi stood there, under the collective gaze of the audience, actually exceptionally calm. He said: "This disciple has been cultivating in seclusion all this time. I never left."

"Hmph!" Jizi Ang smacked his palm on his arm rest heavily and stated angrily: "It's already reached this point, yet you still dare to speak such nonsense!"

"What do you mean, Sect Leader?" Jian Yi's expression didn't change at all. It even imitated a hint of bewilderment perfectly: "You said that the mirror was destroyed by someone. But what does this have anything to do with this disciple? Why have you detained this disciple here while speaking so menacingly?"

Jizi Ang's face twitched. After a while, he laughed coldly again and said: "Really refusing to admit unless you're presented with the evidence huh?"

Saying this, he raised both hands and clapped twice.

The sound of the clap just landed when a light emerged from the surface of the broken mirror on the floor. Not long after, a scene appeared in this light.

This was precisely the scene recorded that night before Jian Yi broke this mirror. However, because the mirror has been damaged, no matter how flawlessly it was repaired, this recording played disjointedly, sometimes visible, sometimes not. Even though it could display images, it wasn't very clear and was filled with noise, even shaking nonstop.

However, even with this kind of image, it was enough to let the audience see clearly how Jian Yi stood there conversing with the demon.

Many disciples didn't know why the Sect Leader gathered everyone together here at first. Suddenly seeing this scene, they

were all incomparably shocked. The big hall was instantly filled with an endless clamor.

After the audience finally quieted, Jizi Ang laughed coldly again: "Jian shizhi, what else do you have to say?"

Jian Yi fell silent, not replying as his thoughts spun nonstop.

For the broken mirror to be recovered to this point was extremely detrimental to him, but he couldn't just sit and wait for death. Inside this imperfect recording, there must be something that he could use.

"Jian shizi,” Jizi Ang thought his silence meant he was unable to refute. Jizi Ang couldn't help but huff coldly again, saying impatiently: "Why aren't you explaining yourself yet?"

Jian Yi looked briefly at Jizi Ang. Under this high and mighty display, Jizi Ang's words and attitude carried a hint of anxiety, clearly very flustered internally. Suddenly realizing that this demon actually appeared in such close proximity to the Water Cloud Sect and even conversed with Jian Yi, how could he not be flustered.

This was an area that could be exploited. Jian Yi knew more about the truth of the situation than him. Jian Yi must be more calm and collected than him.

Jian Yi turned his line of sight and looked at the disjointed images above the mirror: "Why is there no sound?"

Of course it's because it was once broken! Hearing this question, Jizi Ang only felt anger and panic striking his heart. He practically couldn't hold back anymore.

"That demon clearly said plenty of words yet no one can hear anything." Jian Yi asked him: "What did it say?"

This was just what Jizi Ang wanted to know! Clenching his jaw, Jizi Ang's face was like the cold frost: "This was just what I wanted to ask you. Wasn't the person chatting with him that night, you?"

Jian Yi fell silent again.

"Unless you want to say, this actually wasn't you? Rather it's someone deliberately pretending to be you?" Jizi Ang said with another cold laugh.

That's right. This was actually another option. However, Jian Yi couldn't use it. First, if someone was really pretending to be him, they wouldn't deliberately break the mirror because no one knew if a damaged mirror could be fixed or not, and if it can be fixed, how much can be recovered. Second, ever since Jian Yi was brought into the big hall, all the way until the mirror projected his image, Jian Yi acted too calmly. This calmness was Jian Yi trying to preserve the advantages he had. However, because of this calmness, it was impossible to pretend he knew nothing.

Now that things have reached this point, he can only acknowledge that he did meet that demon that night.

But with this basis, why he saw the demon and just what exactly they talked about, he can make up whatever he wanted.

"Sect Leader," Jian Yi then asked: "Since you claim that's me, I have to ask. What kind of being is that demon? And what kind of person am I? Why would it speak with me? Under normal circumstances, wouldn't I be directly swallowed up by it, without anything left, as soon as I stepped in front of it?"

After these words, there was another big commotion below.

Those disciples who didn't know the situation originally believed Jizi Ang's words already and were all prepared to criticize Jian Yi alongside Jizi Ang. At this time, they began to sway again and started to discuss spiritedly.

"That's right, what's the reason?"

"Do you have to ask? It's definitely because he was colluding with the demon and selling out the Sect's secrets. Did you guys forget? From the very beginning, he's been following behind Wen shixiong. And Wen shixiong....."

The sound of this conversation wasn't loud but Jian Yi just happened to hear it clearly. His gaze shot over instantly like a sharp blade. He stared at the person who dared to speak those words as he yelled loudly: "What did you say?"

That person was originally whispering. After suddenly being yelled and questioned like this, he was instantly stunned to silence.

"You say I'm colluding with the demon? Selling the Sect's secrets?" Jian Yi said overbearingly, following up each word closely: "And that this was because of Wen shixiong? How extremely hilarious!"

Saying this, he looked at the entire crowd, his voice becoming even more cutting: "Wen shixiong contributed wholeheartedly to the Water Cloud Sect all of these years, yet he still has to suffer these kinds of false accusations from you guys. It really makes one's teeth freeze! Before you say these words, why can't you think with your head? What kind of character is that demon? And what kind of secret is required to save your life from its hands? Do you think shixiong would know this kind of secret!"

Speaking to this point, Jian Yi's gaze landed on Jizi Ang again: "Sect Leader, why don't you tell everyone, does shixiong really know this kind of secret? Ha ha. This rumor has been circulating for quite some time now, right? Even if he really knew some secrets before, so long has passed. The Sect should have changed everything that could have been changed!"

This move to shift the source of calamity caught Jizi Ang completely off guard. Regarding that rumor, Jizi Ang has always been concealed in the background, never saying anything about it openly. Yet facing the question that Jian Yi threw over currently, if he answered there is' and dared to say that the secret hasn't been altered yet, it definitely would make the disciples in the sect extremely dissatisfied. He could only bear down and help clear up Wen Xuan's injustice. However, this clearly can't happen.

After a long time, Jizi Ang finally said with a darkened face: "This thing has nothing to do with Wen shizhi."

He suddenly felt that gathering this many people to observe his questioning of Jian Yi seemed like a mistake.

"That's right. There's no way I'd be able to obtain this kind of secret from shixiong's hands." Jian Yi pulled open the corners of his mouth and revealed a cold smile: "Then Sect Leader, why don't you tell us, in order for me to obtain a secret that would allow the demon to spare my life, who would I have to get it from?"

Hearing these words, Jizi Ang said coldly: "You're finally willing to admit it."

Yes. For Jian Yi to ask this question, it was equivalent to admitting that he really did exchange some kind of secret with that demon. However at this moment in time, Jian Yi already turned the crux of this issue to another level.

Jizi Ang sensed that this turn of events was not good and didn't want to continue bickering with him. He shouted firmly: "Since you already admit it, then no more nonsense. Betraying the sect and colluding with a demon, your crime is unforgivable!"

Saying this, he waved his sleeve. Instantly a ball of spiritual energy flew out of his fingertip and headed directly towards Jian Yi. He didn't want to bother with anything else and just wanted to kill Jian Yi on the spot like this.

But no matter how fast the spiritual energy was, it wasn't faster than Jian Yi's voice. Gaze turning vicious, Jian Yi cursed loudly as he remained unmoving, not dodging or evading: "You're a petty scum who abandons your teammate after achieving your goal!"

These words just completed when a dull thud sounded, and Jizi Ang's ball of energy was blocked by someone.

"What......" Jizi Ang instantly felt a mouthful of blood rushing up his throat. Turning his head, he glowered at the person beside him, both eyes practically filling with blood from how hard he was glaring: "Ling shimei!"

The person who stepped forth and saved Jian Yi was precisely the only female golden core cultivator out of the three in the Water Cloud Sect, Ling-xianzi.

The only reason why she saved Jian Yi was because she was still concerned about the issue Jian Yi brought up. She was still worried about what kind of secret from the Sect was revealed to that demon. Seeing Jizi Ang suddenly giving a killing blow, she jumped in surprise. Here she was thinking Jizi Ang was only being impulsive due to anger, that's why she promptly blocked him.

Even Elder Luo, who was sitting on the other side, started casting a life saving skill as well, but he was just a step slower than her.

At this moment, the two people saw Jizi Ang's furious and flustered appearance, and then heard Jian Yi's 'destroy the bridge after crossing the river' phrase, and couldn't help but freeze in surprise.

Ling-xianzi's complexion instantly turned heavy: "Sect Leader shixiong, just what exactly is going on?"

Jizi Ang's glaring eyes were round and bulging. When he looked at Jian Yi, even his beard was trembling in rage. He was practically unable to breathe properly. He was the kind of person used to sowing discord amongst people. He had a natural insight in this kind of thing, yet unexpectedly, he still fell for Jian Yi's ways.

In the sowing discord aspect, Jian Yi was really not inferior to him at all.

Seeing the current situation, Jian Yi let out a series of raging curses: "Jizi Ang, you shameless scum! Since you dare to take out the mirror and display those images, why deliberately erase the sound? Why don't you also broadcast the voices and let everyone hear just what exactly I said to that demon? Everything I said, was everything you told me to say!"

Jian Yi thought it through very clearly. Right now the evidence was irrefutable. He could no longer get rid of his crime, but he still wouldn't let Jizi Ang do whatever he wanted and planned wholeheartedly to drag Jizi Ang down with him. Because of this, the more that Jizi Ang wanted to eliminate him, the more challenging it became for Jizi Ang.

"Absolute nonsense," Meanwhile, Jizi Ang was so furious that he shook: "Absolute nonsense! This mirror was clearly destroyed by you......"

"Yes, I destroyed it." Jian Yi clenched his teeth and replied back viciously: "Back then when you told me to destroy this mirror, I thought it was because you wanted to protect me. Who would have imagined, you'd use this kind of underhanded tactic to silence me!"

Once these words came out, it was like a rock that stirred up a thousand ripples. The big hall instantly exploded like a pot of boiling oil.

"Are these words true?" Even Ling-xianzi and Elder Luo couldn't help but ask.

"Luo shidi, Ling shimei, you guys definitely can't believe his raving nonsense." Jizi Ang said hastily: "Just listen to his words, it sounds as if I sent him to collude with that demon or something! But as a sect leader, why would I send someone to do something that would put the sect in danger?"

These words sounded reasonable. Inside the hall, the audience unconsciously calmed down slightly.

However, Jian Yi smiled coldly: "Who said I did something to endanger the sect?"

Jizi Ang looked over in surprise, his beard still trembling incessantly. All of these people were present, yet the only person who knew just what happened that night was Jian Yi. Therefore, no matter how eloquent and silver tongued Jizi Ang was normally, currently, he can only follow Jian Yi's tempo.

"Why is it that just because I conversed with that demon before, it must be me endangering the sect or me betraying the sect? You guys clearly don't even know what we talked about!" Jian Yi looked around the crowd, gaze moving across those bewildered and astonished faces, one by one, then finally landing on Jizi Ang: "Sect Leader, why don't you tell them. Has the Sect suffered any harm since that night?"

If possible, Jizi Ang really didn't want to answer him. However, he couldn't not reply under the force of those skeptical gazes in the surrounding: "There's no harm at the time, but this doesn't represent that there won't be in the future."

"Are you trying to say, Sect Leader, that the demon is actually hiding somewhere nearby and can cause harm to the Sect any time it wants?" Jian Yi asked back.

Choking, Jizi Ang intuitively felt that this question was a trap. No matter how he answered, it wouldn't be pretty.

However, Jian Yi didn't even wait for his answer at all and immediately shouted loudly: "Stop pretending! Shouldn't you know exactly where that demon is right now!"

Jizi Ang looked at him with bulging round eyes, cheek twitching. After a long time, he finally calmed back down again and did his best to breathe steadily: "There's a limit to your nonsense. I don't know anything about this at......"

He didn't even finish his sentence when someone suddenly charged in from outside: "Sect Leader! Terrible news!"

Jian Yi calculated with his fingers under the cover of his sleeve, letting out a faint smile uncontrollably. Three days. Calculating the distance between Water Cloud Sect and Cerulean Feathers Sect and calculating the time it required for news to travel over, it was really right on time.

Then that patrolling disciple yelled loudly: "That demon fought a fierce battle with three Nascent Soul Daoist Masters from Cerulean Feathers! It heavily injured two while the last one died immediately!"

The voice just landed. Jizi Ang immediately felt his legs lose all strength, and he directly fell back weakly in his chair.

The other Elders in the Sect also had huge changes to their face colors.

In facing this news, what exactly Jian Yi said to the demon that night was no longer important. Because they already knew the consequences of that conversation.

"Sect Leader shixiong......" Ling-xianzi's beautiful countenance lost color. Even her questioning tone carried a tremble: "Did you...... did you......"

On the other side, Elder Luo also had a faceful of sorrow and lament: "It's already reached this point, Sect Leader shixiong, are you still unwilling to explain clearly to us?"

Jizi Ang looked at the two Elders by his side and then looked at Jian Yi, only feeling like he has never been this hesitant before.

Jian Yi already no longer needed to say anything else. He only stood there with a cold smile.

Meanwhile, that patrolling disciple was unaware of what had happened inside this hall just prior and looked at this situation with complete bewilderment.

After a long time, Jizi Ang asked with difficulty: "Why would the three Daoist Masters of Cerulean Feathers fight head-on with the demon? Did it attack while the three Daoist Masters were outside......"

The patrolling disciple shook his head: "It just directly charged into Cerulean Feathers. Plenty of elders and disciples also died."

As soon as these words were spoken, the astonishment on everyone's faces reached a higher level than before. Directly charged into Cerulean Feathers? Cerulean Feathers wasn't any smaller than the Water Cloud Sect!

"But, but....." Not waiting for Jizi Ang to speak, another Elder couldn't resist asking first: "What about the Cerulean Feather's big protection array? It didn't stop it?"

The patrolling disciple was just about to answer when they suddenly realized the seriousness of this matter. Immediately, their face turned white: "I heard that demon breached through

it."

The crowd was immediately in uproar.

This commotion wasn't like before. No matter how Jizi Ang commanded them to quiet, it was completely useless. What kind of joke was this? Even large protection arrays weren't enough to stop that demon? This was a major news that affected life and death!

Jizi Ang looked at the chaos before him and finally felt helpless. He could only wait for them to calm down on their own. For some inexplicable reason, other than the original shock on his face, Jizi Ang didn't seem to lose his head out of fear like everyone else.

In the middle of this chaos, another patrolling disciple entered: "Sect Leader, I saw a group of people currently flying towards the Sect. From their uniforms, they seem to be from Cerulean Feathers."

Cerulean Feathers! To the current Water Cloud Sect, these words were just like the sound of thunder.

Why would Cerulean Feathers come over this quickly? Did they come over to denounce and criticize the Water Cloud Sect? But how did they know this was something done by a disciple of the Water Cloud Sect? Jizi Ang's train of thought quickly made several turns. Recalling the main culprit of this disaster, he instantly felt so much hatred that even his eyes turned red.

When he raised his eyes to take a look again, he only saw that Jian Yi was actually taking advantage of this chaos and currently retreating outside. In a blink of an eye, he was already at the big hall's exit.

Seeing him trying to escape, how could Jizi Ang hold back? He immediately gave a loud shout and started attacking Jian Yi.

However, Ling-xianzi and Elder Luo who were beside him, saw this scene and only thought he was still trying to silence Jian Yi again, and immediately obstructed his path.

"That despicable brat wants to run!" Jizi Ang was so anxious he wanted to vomit blood: "Can't let him escape!"

Ling-xianzi and Elder Luo naturally also knew that Jian Yi must not be allowed to escape, but they couldn't trust letting Jizi Ang give chase. In their eyes, if they gave Jizi Ang any chance to silence Jian Yi, they'd never learn the truth.

"Qingquan!" Elder Luo yelled, as he continued to block in front of Jizi Ang.

Luo Qingquan heard the order. Like an arrow leaving the bow string, he instantly chased after Jian Yi. Jizi Ang saw this and hastily also called his own disciples, Zhang Xiaoqing and Shi Buhui, to head forth in pursuit.

At this time, Jian Yi also had a few people beside him who wanted to stop him. However, now that he was yuan gathering, normal disciples really weren't strong enough. Yet just as he escaped outside of the hall, Luo Qingquan immediately followed over. Luo Qingquan has been yuan gathering for a long time, and he was someone expert at fighting. For Jian Yi, he was still somewhat hard to handle. Jian Yi's pace couldn't help but slow slightly as he fought and retreated at the same time.

When Zhang Xiaoqing also caught up, she and Luo Qingquan each blocked one of his escape routes. He had to stop amongst the trees in the mountain below the Big Hall and deal with them.

The more they fought, the more anxious Jian Yi felt.

He already determined very clearly. With the current situation, the only chance he had was to take advantage of this chaos and escape without delay. Or else once he landed in the hands of the Water Cloud Sect, he definitely would have to endure dreadful toreture. Then he'd either be secretly murdered or handed over to the Cerulean Feathers Sect to face punishment. In short, there's no chance for survival here.

As for after his escape, he definitely needed to secretly come back once more. He needed to bring Wen Xuan together with him. Even if Wen Xuan was still reluctant to part from the Water Cloud Sect, he still couldn't let Wen Xuan stay here alone. Even if he had the knock the other unconscious to bring him out.

However, if he really did that, he didn't know if Wen Xuan would blame him after waking up.

Thinking here, Jian Yi couldn't help but laugh bitterly. If he couldn't escape successfully right now, everything was moot.

Luckily, in the middle of the fight, Jian Yi became more and more proficient in his control over the yuan gathering strength. The longer they fought, the more confident he became. Zhang Xiaoqing and Luo Qingquan both weren't weak. Yet even with their combined strength at the moment, they were still unable to suppress him and can only tag him tightly, not letting him escape easily.

As for that Shi Buhui, he has long since been left behind, completely unable to keep up with their tempo.

"Jian shidi," In the middle of the fierce fighting, Zhang Xiaoqing asked him: "I don't really want to cross swords with you, but why did you do that kind of thing?"

Jian Yi couldn't help but scoff: "If I didn't do anything then perhaps you wouldn't even have the chance to stand here!"

Zhang Xiaoqing was left speechless by these words. After a long time, she finally said with reddened eyes: "But, the people from Cerulean Feathers are also human lives."

Of course Jian Yi understood this logic, but in his heart, people's lives were not the same. Wen Xuan was in one group. Everyone else was all in another group.

"So what?" Jian Yi asked in reply: "Yes, I was the one who diverted the demon who originally planned to sneak attack the Water Cloud Sect to Cerulean Feathers. I was the one who caused the death of all of those people in Cerulean Feathers. But you better not forget it, the person who ordered me to do this was that shifu of yours!"

"You......" Zhang Xiaoqing glowered at him. She was just about to retort when she suddenly looked behind him, expression changing subtly.

Jian Yi also noticed something was not right. He just got ready to turn around when he heard footsteps walking over and stopping behind him.

At the same time, he also heard that unmistakably familiar voice.

"Jian shidi, is this true?"

Jian Yi's head turning movement unconsciously slowed by a beat. After a moment, he finally saw that figure behind him. The person standing there with an indecipherable face, was precisely Wen Xuan.

Wen Xuan's clothes were somewhat disorderly; his gasps for air were still somewhat urgent. He just heard the news and rushed over, disregarding everything else. Yet he never imagined, this was the scene to greet him upon his arrival.

"Wen shixiong!" In a split second, Zhang Xiaoqing had a myriad of thoughts. However, in her heart, even if Wen Xuan had that kind of unspeakable birth history, he must still be the Wen shixiong she was familiar with: "Quick, help us stop Jian shidi! If

he escaped, the Water Cloud Sect would no longer be able to face Cerulean Feathers on equal grounds anymore!"

In Zhang Xiaoqing's heart, no matter what, Wen Xuan would always be the Wen Xuan who placed the Sect before everything

else.

Jian Yi instantly panicked and almost didn't manage to dodge the swing Luo Qingquan struck at him.

He saw Wen Xuan take out that divine flying sword, holding the handle in his palm.

Just before Jian Yi's heart sank into an ice cold valley, Wen Xuan slowly opened his mouth: "Jian shidi, I'll ask you the specifics of what happened later."

He just finished speaking when he swung his sword.

Jian Yi can clearly see that the hand Wen Xuan used to hold the sword was somewhat trembling.

This swing ultimately landed before the extremely hopeful looking Zhang Xiaoqing and blew her completely backwards.

Left hand grabbing Jian Yi's elbow, and right hand holding his sword horizontally before him, Wen Xuan helped Jian Yi block all of the incoming attacks, saying only: "Let's go!"

67

Chapter 67

At this time, Wen Xuan still didn't know who was right and who was wrong regarding the current situation, the Sect or Jian Yi.

Wen Xuan only knew that although his decision was a painful one, he did it without hesitation.

Jian Yi could feel the warmth from Wen Xuan's hand. An indescribable emotion surfaced in his heart, a sort of pleasant surprise and gratefulness.

Meanwhile, after Zhang Xiaoqing was sent flying by Wen Xuan, her entire person became stupefied, forgetting to even get up. Luo Qingquan saw this scene and promptly seethed in rage, attacking the two like mad.

But he wasn't a match against Wen Xuan from the start. And before when he worked together with Zhang Xiaoqing, he was still unable to completely suppress Jian Yi. At this time, how could he

take on the two people's combine force? Not long after, Luo Qingquan was also sent flying.

Pulling on Jian Yi's hand, Wen Xuan pointed his sharp sword at those fellow Sect disciples that he had once valued heavily. In order to help Jian Yi escape his current plight, Wen Xuan did not regret at all.

After sending Luo Qingquan flying, the forward path instantly opened. There was no longer anyone else who could hinder their steps. They traveled fast as lightning through this mountain forest. In a blink of an eye, the exit of the Water Cloud Sect appeared before them.

Just at this time, someone charged over from the side again and attempted to stop them. It was the left behind Shi Buhui who actually circled around here somehow.

Although Shi Buhui was also the Sect Leader's disciple, had outstanding innate constitution, and even marched into yuan gathering a while ago, for some reason, his strength was much weaker in comparison to Zhang Xiaoqing. With his strength, it was naturally impossible for him to stop Wen Xuan and Jian Yi.

However, just as Wen Xuan prepared to knock him back with a swing, he suddenly discovered the aura Shi Buhui emitted from his body and unconsciously became stunned for quite awhile.

Since he returned to the Water Cloud Sect, this was actually the first time wen Xuan met up with this Shi shidi. Nevertheless, the aura that Shi Buhui emitted was extremely familiar to Wen Xuan.

"This, this is..." The expression on Wen Xuan's face abruptly changed: "Shi shidi, you actually......"

In face of Wen Xuan's peculiar behavior, Shi Buhui was utterly bewildered, not knowing what was happening.

Wen Xuan suddenly let out a wild laugh, face full of a sharp cold smile: "He actually!"

Saying this, he extended his hand and grabbed Shi Buhui's wrist, surprisingly wanting to bring this shidi out of the Water Cloud Sect together as well. Utterly infuriated, Wen Xuan repeatedly turned these words in his heart: The Water Cloud Sect was really not a place where people could stay.

Jizi Ang really wasn't humane!

He originally thought that Jizi Ang decided to exploit him because his shifu, Chu Lian, didn't care about him at all; and even more so, because of his unspeakable birth history. However, he never imagined that the Shi shidi standing before him right now, a talented disciple that Jizi Ang accepted personally, would also suffer the same scheme.

That's right, through the aura emitted from Shi Buhui's body, Wen Xuan could tell immediately that the cultivation method Shi Buhui was using right now was precisely the one Wen Xuan had used before.

No wonder despite his similarly outstanding innate constitution, Shi Buhui's strength after becoming yuan gathering wasn't anything impressive. After Jizi Ang lost Wen Xuan, he settled for the next best thing, and actually started to get ideas over his

very own obedient, sincere and honest, but slow-witted, little disciple.

How could Shi Buhui know this complicated truth? Seeing Wen Xuan wanting to capture him, he was even thinking Wen Xuan wanted to use him as a hostage and started to resist desperately.

"Shi shidi!" Wen Xuan attempted to tell him the truth: "Your cultivation method......"

He didn't finish when a beam of sharp spiritual energy shot through the air, almost hitting Wen Xuan. Luckily Jian Yi was extremely vigilant and quickly moved Wen Xuan to the side.

The three gold core cultivators in the Sect had finally reached an agreement and arrived here, in the skies above this forest. They decided to capture Jian Yi together first, then talk. The spiritual energy just now was because Jizi Ang saw the situation was not good and hastily attacked.

"Wen Xuan!" Jizi Ang yelled furiously: "What do you plan to do to my disciple!"

Seeing him actually shameless enough to take this stance, Wen Xuan felt anger and urgency attacking him internally. What respect towards elders and authority, all completely forgotten. He immediately raised his voice and cursed: "Jiz Ang! That's just what I want to ask you! What do you plan to do with my shidi!"

"Shixiong," Jian Yi saw the three gold core cultivators encircle the two of them and grinded his teeth viciously: "Now is not the time to create more side issues."

How could Wen Xuan not understand this logic? But in this instant, he only felt the many years of frustrations and injustice he suffered completely erupting. He was angry enough to take Jizi Ang down together with himself in mutual destruction. Nevertheless, Wen Xuan still kept a hint of intelligence. Wen Xuan still remembered that what he needed to do right now was to help Jian Yi escape successfully.

However, under the attack of three gold cultivators for all sides, the fate of this sole objective was also uncertain.

"Ling-xianzi, Elder Luo," Wen Xuan asked loudly: "Do you really want to be accomplices to a villain? This Sect Leader did so many things in the back, do you really not know?"

As soon as these words left Wen Xuan's mouth, the two gold core cultivators standing beside Jizi Ang both gained some hesitancy. They weren't like those easily brainwashed disciples. Those rumors about Wen Xuan and where they originated from, even if they didn't know, they'd be able to see some clues. Not to mention, the things Jian Yi said just now. At this moment, Wen Xuan actually seemed more trustworthy than Jizi Ang.

However, hesitation was only hesitation. They knew very well what was priority right, so wouldn't be easily swayed.

"No matter what Sect Leader shixiong did," Ling-xianzi replied: "The people from Cerulean Feathers are almost here. We must give Cerulean Feathers a proper explanation."

Cerulean Feathers? Wen Xuan recalled that Jian Yi admitted just now that he caused the death of numerous lives in Cerulean Feathers, and unconsciously pressed his lips together into a line.

Yet, he still remained blocking in front of Jian Yi with his sword in defensive posture: "Even if you have to give Cerulean Feathers a proper explanation, I definitely won't give Jian shidi to you guys."

"Don't be audacious!" Jizi Ang huffed coldly.

Just now Wen Xuan defeated Zhang Xiaoqing and Luo Qingquan in succession. The strength he displayed was actually quite terrifying. To call him the strongest cultivator in the Water Cloud Sect below gold core wouldn't be a lie. Nevertheless, where did he get the courage to challenge three gold core cultivators?

Actually this has nothing to do with courage, Wen Xuan was only staking everything in one throw.

Hearing Jizi Ang's cold huff of disdain, Wen Xuan didn't actually reply. He only stood there, ramrod straight like a pine. Despite just standing there, his cultivation level was already climbing upward, faintly reaching peak yuan gathering stage and just one step away from marching into gold core.

He was using that secret technique to surge his strength again, completely not considering the consequences at all, like he wasn't afraid to die.

However, even if he wasn't afraid to die, the difference between yuan gathering and gold core was like a gulf. It really wasn't something a surge technique can overcome. The three gold core cultivators saw his deathbed-like struggle with either a cold sneer, or silence and speechlessness. In anycase, none of them had any plans to let them go.

Because the people from Cerulean Feathers were almost here. Before Cerulean Feathers arrived, they must settle this matter so they can save a bit of face for the Water Cloud Sect. As for Wen Xuan's current desperate move, they actually didn't put it to heart.

However, clearly someone said just now that they saw people from Cerulean Feathers, so why was it that up until now, Cerulean Feathers has not sent any messengers forward?

The three gold core cultivators were just considering this question when they saw a few small dot-like figures appearing over the mountains at the main entrance. It was precisely the people from Cerulean Feathers that the disciple had seen before! The three gold core cultivators's expressions turned solemn. They got ready to quickly capture Jian Yi, but then felt something wasn't right.

After seeing the few dots, countless more dots appeared. Each and everyone of them were all people from Cerulean Feathers. This was already not a set up of going to another Sect to pay a visit. This was like relocating half of Cerulean Feathers over!

And also the direction that these Cerulean Feathers was traveling didn't seem right. Although they were heading towards the Water Cloud Sect, they didn't seem to plan to stop at the gate of the Water Cloud Sect.

As the three gold core cultivators from the Water Cloud Sect pondered in bewilderment, those Cerulean Feathers members already flew past the sky above the Water Cloud Sect, and continued to rush away.

They really weren't entering the Sect? All of the three gold core Elders stiffened.

Just what were all of those Cerulean Feathers trying to do? Where were they going? If you must know, past the Water Cloud Sect, there was nothing, only the endless ocean.

"Just what....." Elder Luo opened his mouth blankly. After mumbling these two words, his face color abruptly made a huge change.

The three gold core Elders all saw, behind that group of Cerulean Feathers, a huge black fog was flying in pursuit towards this direction.

The three gold core Elders instantly understood. Those Cerulean Feathers weren't here to visit.

They just happened to be passing by. They were running for their lives!

"It's that, it's that......" Jizi Ang's face color turned. When he spoke, even his hands were trembling: "It's that demon!"

Who could have thought that the demon would do such a terrible thing this time, and fight a fierce battle with three Nascent Soul Daoist Masters. Yet after everything was done, it didn't go back into hiding like it did before. But instead, it was chasing down all of the Cerulean Feathers who were lucky to still be alive!

Watching wide-eyed as that layer of black fog was just about to rush forth to the entrance of the Water Cloud Sect, Lian-xianzi and Elder Luo both felt their limbs turn cold uncontrollably. The

demon was killing its way here, what to do? Expect on the big protection array to save their lives? What a big joke. With Cerulean Feathers as an example, they knew the big protection array couldn't stop the demon at all.

These gold core cultivators who'd usually come out victorious amongst thousands, in face of a demon that can fight against three nascent soul cultivators all at once, were probably not even enough to fill the gaps between its teeth.

"Run for it!" Rather decisive, Jizi Ang hastily shouted as his entire person immediately retreated. Within the blink of an eye, he returned back inside the Big Hall.

As for Wen Xuan and Jian Yi who were encircled by these three people, who cared about them right now. Capture them to give Cerulean Feathers an explanation? Cerulean Feathers has already been decimated, what's an explanation good for!

Before running away, Jizi Ang only waved his hand and pulled Shi Buhui back to his side. Wen Xuan wanted to stop him, but he couldn't do anything at all. On the contrary, he received a blow from Jizi Ang that made his blood boil and almost caused him to spit out a mouthful of blood.

Zhang Xiaoqing, who was in the forest, was also found by Jizi Ang and similarly brought back into the Big Hall.

After that, a strange wave of spiritual activity emitted from the Big Hall.

The two other gold core Sect elders were originally still panicking. When they perceived this peculiar wave of spiritual energy, both

of their face colors changed. How could they not know that this wave indicated that the large teleportation array hidden inside the Big Hall was currently being activated.

No wonder Jizi Ang wasn't as flustered as other people! He had already planned an escape route!

"Run for it!" How could Elder Luo and Ling-xianzi still stand here? They swiftly flew towards the Big Hall as well. They were more kind-hearted than Jizi Ang however. Along their way, they brought all of the inner disciples that they could see to their side. Good thing Jizi Ang had gathered most of inner disciples inside the Big Hall before in order to question Jian Yi. The ones that still remained outside weren't much.

Wen Xuan and Jian Yi were left behind where they stood, no longer bothered by anyone.

The teleportation array very quickly activated. Like a ball of rising sun flaring and extinguishing over at the Big Hall, it let out an extremely brilliant flash of light. After the light dissipated, the Big Hall was completely empty. Everyone were teleported by Jizi Ang to who knows where.

Wen Xuan took a deep breath and turned his head to look at Jian

Yi.

The cultivation level that he had originally pushed to the peak was now slowly dropping back down. Fortunately, after Wen Xuan used the upsurge technique this time, he didn't really use any spiritual energy. Therefore, the current drop of his cultivation was very steady. The backlash was also not as severe as last time.

"Shixiong," Jian Yi, on the other hand, let out a breath of relief. Narrowing his eyes, he said with a smile: "They ran away."

"That's right. They ran away." Wen Xuan made a noise of agreement. Raising his head, he looked at the black enveloping fog that was already getting closer,

Gradually, a huge figure became visible inside the black fog.

This figure was extremely terrifying, about 100 times bigger than a normal human. A pair of sharp blade-like horns grew on its head. Eyes red, it let out roars from its throat continuously.

This was the figure of the demon that Jian Yi saw that other night. However, when Jian Yi saw it that night, its eyes weren't crimson like this.

"It's in a frenzy." Seeing this clearly, Jian Yi's face color suddenly darkened somewhat.

When the demon wasn't in a frenzy, it actually wasn't too difficult to interact with it. Otherwise, it wouldn't have spoken so harmoniously with Jian Yi that night. However, the reason why a demon was a demon was because it'd randomly go crazy. When it was in a frenzy, other than fellow demons who had a similar odor than itself, it wouldn't even recognize its relatives and devoured everyone it encountered.

It was just about to reach the entrance of the Water Cloud Sect.

In the current Water Cloud Sect, the people in charge have all escaped already. And those people who didn't manage to reach the Big Hall in time, they were all abandoned to face the demon's

frenzy alone. Amongst these people were Wen Xuan and Jian Yi, as well as those unlucky inner school disciples and all of the outer school disciples.

68

Chapter 68

The black fog got closer and closer. Very quickly, it appeared in everyone's line of sight. Everyone saw the figure of the demon inside the black fog and realized what was about to happen. Everyone started to lose their head in panic and fear.

The outer disciples ran out of their houses in alarm. After discovering no one knew what to do, they gathered their courage in the end and came to the inner school. Here, however, they discovered that the inner disciples they encountered were just the same, panicking in distress with no leader in charge at all.

They could only rush deeper into the Water Cloud Sect, hoping to find someone who can tell them what to do.

However, it was in vain. Many of the inner disciples have disappeared. They couldn't find any Elders either. In the end, they found their way to the mountain forest near the Big Hall and finally saw Wen Xuan.

At that time, Wen Xuan was currently speaking with Jian Yi: "Did you know the situation would become like this?"

"Somewhat." Jian Yi furrowed his brows: "It was inevitable."

When saying these words, he was a little worried, afraid that the current result would make Wen Xuan unable to accept the choice that Jian Yi had made previously. However, Wen Xuan only smiled in exasperation: "I know you had no better choice than this."

Saying this, he raised his head and looked towards the black fog that was about to collide with the Water Cloud Sect's big protection array. He asked the same question as everyone else: "What should we do now?"

"Hide." Jian Yi answered with one word.

Wen Xuan looked at him.

"Right now, it has no intelligence or reason." Jian Yi pointed at the figure of the demon: "It has no concept of 'seek' or 'intercept.' As long as we hide in a place where it can't sense, we'll be safe."

Wen Xuan nodded. Fortunately, there were only two of them. To find a hiding spot in this already vacuous Water Cloud Sect wasn't hard.

Just as the two prepared to act, those similarly abandoned disciples appeared in their sight. Numerous and crowded together, there were at least 100 people from what they could see.

"Wen shixiong!" When these people saw Wen Xuan, they were all very excited and practically flew over to encircle around him: "It's Wen shixiong! Wen shixiong is still here!"

These disciples naturally have heard of those rumours before and have changed their attitudes towards Wen Xuan before because of those rumours. However, at this moment in time, whether those rumours were true or false, did Wen Xuan really collude with demons, how they had once treated Wen Xuan, were all not important anymore. Since the people in charge of the Water Cloud Sect have completely disappeared, Wen Xuan was the only person they could depend on.

"Da shixiong!" "Shixiong!" "You're still here, that's really great!"

Eyes practically red, those disciples all looked at Wen Xuan, gaze shining with the familiar reverence, admiration, and trust that Wen Xuan was used to. Under this kind of gaze, the previous Wen Xuan considered being the head disciple of the Water Cloud Sect as his greatest accomplishment, and regarded all of these people as his most important responsibility.

In the face of this kind of gaze now, the current Wen Xuan, however, only laughed deprecatingly at himself.

"Shixiong," Jian Yi suddenly grabbed Wen Xuan's elbow, clearly becoming somewhat nervous.

Wen Xuan knew what he was nervous about and shook his head.

Then, he raised his eyes, gaze sweeping past those faces that were full of adoration and admiration, and said: "Please do not call me head disciple anymore."

When he finished speaking, the crowd full of Water Cloud Sect disciples were astonished.

"I'm not your head disciple anymore." Saying this, Wen Xuan shook his head and then led Jian Yi to attempt to find a direction they can exit from being surrounded by all of these people.

"Wen shixiong!" Someone yelled with reddened eyes: "What do you mean by this! Did we misjudge you in the end? You actually want to abandon us in this kind of situation!"

Not waiting for Wen Xuan to answer, Jian Yi already shot a ferocious knife-like glare at this person, scaring this person to shut up immediately.

To the side, someone else gave this person a shove and then said towards Wen Xuan: "Wen shixiong, I know you're very disappointed in us regarding what happened before. We were wrong. We all know our mistakes now. Shixiong, please don't abandon us. I'm begging you......" Speaking here, this person actually started to choke with emotions.

In comparison to the questioning before, this rather soft and sincere begging seemed harder to deal with. Jian Yi gnashed his teeth, not knowing what to say.

Wen Xuan only sighed, gaze turning back and looking towards these people's faces again: "You guys misunderstood one thing. It's not I who abandoned you guys."

The crowd blanked.

"Still don't get it?" Wen Xuan tilted his head and laughed self-deprecatingly: "I'm not the one who abandoned you guys. But rather it's we," He pointed at his own chest, and then pointed at those people: "Me and you guys. Everyone that's still here, have all been abandoned by the Sect."

He said these words very light and casually, pretty much without any emotions. However, it made people's hearts turn cold.

"Therefore, don't call me head disciple anymore. I'm no longer the Water Cloud Sect's head disciple. And you guys are not Water Cloud Sect disciples anymore either." Saying this, he withdrew his finger and walked out with Jian Yi.

This time the people that blocked their path all unconsciously stepped back.

They all knew that what Wen Xuan said was correct. The situation inside the Sect already illustrated everything. The people in charge already brought a portion of the disciples and escaped. Meanwhile, everyone that's left were all people abandoned by the Sect.

Many people's reddened eyes already started to tear up. They watched as Wen Xuan left with Jian Yi in tow. However, as Wen Xuan took a few steps, they still couldn't hold back from following behind.

So what if they've all been abandoned by the Sect? So what if they were no longer Water Cloud Sect disciples? Other than Wen Xuan, they couldn't find anyone else to rely on.

"Wen shixiong," Someone begged in tears: "Please let us follow you! I'm begging you, please save us!"

Ultimately, Wen Xuan slowed down his pace and turned his head, looking at this group of people again. Jian Yi gave a few firm tug on his elbow, but Wen Xuan sighed.

Wen Xuan was very clear. As matters stand, he was no longer responsible for any of these people. Nevertheless, from start to finish, other than being the head disciple of the Water Cloud Sect, Wen Xuan has also been a good person incapable of standing by as innocent people died tragically.

Therefore, no matter how unwilling Jian Yi was, Wen Xuan still nodded in the end: "I'll do my best." How much danger was contained in these four words?

The difficulty level between finding a hiding place for two people versus finding a safe place for all of these people was as different as night and day. Not to mention, it only takes a single moment of inattentiveness from just one person to be discovered by that demon, and possibly leading to the death of everyone else hiding together.

"Jian shidi," Therefore, after saying those words, Wen Xuan looked towards Jian Yi, eyelashes trembling: "Sorry."

Jian Yi scowled. Wen Xuan's gaze told him extremely clearly, Wen Xuan was currently blaming himself for dragging Jian Yi into this risker business. If possible, Wen Xuan hoped Jian Yi could go find a safer location by himself. However, how could Jian Yi possibly separate from Wen Xuan?

"Enough." In the end, Jian Yi only said: "Shixiong, it's not like I don't know what kind of person you are since the first day we

met."

Saying this, Jian Yi even quietly mumbled internally: If you weren't this kind of person, I might not have remembered you so deeply.

Wen Xuan didn't know what he was mumbling about. Seeing him consenting, Wen Xuan instantly gave a happy smile.

Just at this moment, that demon who was surrounded by black fog finally collided with the Water Cloud Sect's big protection array. In a flash, a sizzling sound echoed in everyone's ears, sounding just like a bucket of hot water was being poured on snowy ground.

In this sizzling sound, the originally dome like protection array started to tremble and melt.

The crowd's face color all changed drastically. No wonder this demon can break through Cerulean Feather's protection array. That black fog can actually corrode the barrier! In all likelihood, if doing this didn't cause such a huge noise, and might attract bigger problems, this demon would have done it a long time ago.

"Quick!" Jian Yi grabbed Wen Xuan's elbow: "It's about to enter. We must be quick!"

Wen Xuan nodded and hastily led everyone to escape deeper inward.

"Shixiong, do you already have a location in mind?" Along the way, Jian Yi asked him: "You know Water Cloud Sect better than me. Do you know a suitable place here?"

Wen Xuan was just about to answer when he saw a figure in front of him and suddenly froze.

At this time, they just happened to be near the Alchemy school. And in front of the Alchemy school, just happened to be Qi Jibai. Qi Jibai was looking towards the direction of the black fog, currently watching the cloud and sighing.

"Qi shishu," Wen Xuan quickly headed over, face full of astonishment: "You actually got left behind?"

Jian Yi was even more astonished than Wen Xuan. Jian Yi remembered very clearly. When he was detained in the Big Hall and being questioned, Qi Jibai was definitely present. He was only observing the entire time, however, and didn't speak. Now that everyone in the Big Hall has been transported away, what was Qi Jibai doing here?

However, immediately after Jian Yi asked, Qi Jibai promptly gave him a glare: "You heartless brat. Do you think I'd be as heartless as you?"

So what happened in the Big Hall was that Qi Jibai saw Jian Yi responding smoothly and clearly having a plan in mind; that's why he kept silent the entire time. After that, he saw Jian Yi escape out of the Big Hall, with Luo Qingquan, Zhang Xiaoqing and such people in pursuit, Qi Jibai knew that Jian Yi most likely would encounter trouble. That's why he secretly slipped out of the Big Hall to see if he could lend a bit of help.

As a matter of fact, for Wen Xuan to be able to arrive just in time, it was all thanks to Qi Jibai. If it weren't for Qi Jibai's arrangement, who'd have informed Wen Xuan? However, because of this, Qi Jibai missed the opportunity to be teleported away.

"This is fine anyways," Qi Jibai smiled faintly: "If I left with the teleportation array, when and where would I be able to find you stinking brat again?"

Hearing Qi Jibai's words, Wen Xuan felt very moved, secretly saying, Jian Yi really has a good shifu.

Jian Yi, however, made a face, not in agreement.

"Qi shishu," Then Wen Xuan asked: "Do you have any good plans for the current situation?"

Qi Jibai asked back in return: "What kind of plans can I have? I don't even know what this demon wants to do. On the other hand, since you asked like this, it seems more likely that you already found a path."

Wen Xuan gave an embarrassed smile and didn't delay. He very quickly explained what Jian Yi had said before.

"Hide?" Hearing this, Qi Jibai pondered for a moment, then looked at all of those people behind Wen Xuan, frowning.

He also discovered, hiding wasn't hard, but hiding all of these people wasn't simple.

Wen Xuan asked: "Qi shishu, can you think of a location?"

Qi Jibai shook his head and smiled bitterly: "I'm afraid there's only that place."

69

Chapter 69

Wen Xuan sighed: "Just as I suspect. I'm thinking the same. That's the only place...ai."

"What place?" Jian Yi asked in confusion.

"You actually didn't think of it?" Qi Jibai teased him with an ambiguous smile: "Didn't you stay there for half a day? Forgot it so quickly?"

Stunned, Wen Xuan said: "Did that really happen?"

Jian Yi was still confused at first. Seeing Wen Xuan's puzzlement, and then thinking for a moment, his face color instantly turned white. He finally remembered. What kind of place did he stay at that Wen Xuan wasn't aware of? Naturally it was that time when Wen Xuan was unconscious from falling back down into foundation building, and Jian Yi was captured by Jizi Ang to be locked away in the Cold Wind Tunnel for half a day.

That's right, that cursed Cold Wind Tunnel.

Although at that time, Jian Yi brazenly found a way to cultivate inside that tunnel and spent it better than others who had been locked inside that cave, he still got quite a chill. Even now when he thought about those three words, he had goosebumps all over that won't go away.

"The Cold Wind Tunnel is a very vast area. Most of it is also buried underground, with many intersecting routes. Hiding all of these people shouldn't be a problem." Wen Xuan said: "but the cold air inside actually really isn't something normal people could stand."

When the crowd behind him heard these words, they finally realized that the place Wen Xuan wanted to go was that Cold Wind Tunnel. There was a wave of commotion instantly. After the commotion, people continuously stepped forward to express, in comparison to their lives, they were willing to endure mere coldness.

"Okay." Wen Xuan then nodded and decisively brought them towards the entrance of the Cold Wind Tunnel.

As soon as they entered, the crowd felt a gust of cold air and all shivered uncontrollably. However, in comparison to inside, this entrance's temperature was already very warm. As they walked further in, many people's faces turned purple from the cold.

Good thing Wen Xuan and Qi Jibai took out some protection equipment and gave it to them to protect themselves. However, a few protection equipment definitely couldn't protect this many people. They can only combine efforts, everyone taking out what

they have, and work together to resist against the freezing wind inside the cave.

The moment when they were abandoned by the Sect, logically speaking, they were no longer fellow sect disciples. Nevertheless, right now, they were even more unified than before.

Some people even said reluctantly: "From now on...... are we really not Water Cloud Sect disciples anymore?"

These words triggered many people's sorrows, making them gain tears to their eyes.

Wen Xuan, however, only looked at the back of Qi Jibai who was walking in the front and said indifferently: "My sect has forsaken me, so why shouldn't I forsake my sect?"

The crowd was all stunned.

These were the famous words that Qi Jibai left behind back then when he revolted against the Danxin Sect. Wen Xuan actually brought it up at a time like this.

Then, after careful consideration, bringing Qi Jibai's famous words up here, actually was really rather suitable.

"That's right." Immediately someone ground their teeth and casted away their recent sorrow: " My sect has forsaken me, so why shouldn't I forsake my sect?"

These words spread outwards like a ripple. Many people couldn't resist mouthing it quietly, expression gradually turning staunch.

To them, there was no Sect anymore. In the future, they can only rely on themselves.

"Wen shixiong," A girl with a frozen red face asked: "As long as we can endure this, we will live, right?"

Wen Xuan turned his head and gave her a look, and then looked at all of those people behind her. Smiling, he only said: "This cold Wind Tunnel actually has many exits."

The crowd was stunned.

"When I was still foundation building, I once cultivated in this cave for a period. At that time, I was very curious and unafraid of death. So I ended up exploring all over and accidentally wandering outside several times from other exits. But then remembering that I still had to cultivate, I had no choice but to return. Like this, I found at least a dozen exits."

Saying this, Wen Xuan searchd around in his storage pouch and finally found a jade slip. Taking it out, he handed it over to the people behind him: "You guys should remember this."

What was recorded in this jade slip was naturally the roads that Wen Xuan scouted out back then.

As someone accepted this jade slip dumbfoundedly, a violent wave of earthquake traveled in from outside, shaking the inside of the cave so hard, the crowd's faces all turned white. They all knew, the demon had arrived.

However, Wen Xuan calmly pacified them.

The person who accepted the jade slip swallowed his saliva, calmed down, then took out a jade slip of their own and transferred the information over. Then, they passed on the jade slip to the next person beside them. Passing it around one by one, they circulated this jade slip around. Everyone was serious and focused. They all know that the information inside the jade slip could save their lives.

When the last person returned the jade slip back into Wen Xuan's hand, everyone looked at Wen Xuan with somewhat reddened eyes.

They all know why Wen Xuan would tell them all of these exits.

As expected, when Wen Xuan retrieved that jade slip back, he gave them one last smile and brought Jian Yi with him. He found an intersection and left them.

"Yuan gathering cultivators don't need to be concerned with the cold air inside the cave. Foundation gathering cultivators can withstand it pretty much. Only for qi gathering cultivators, it's somewhat dangerous. Since you guys are able to journey together, it can be considered fate. Seeing that there are people of lower cultivations beside you, you should try to assist each other as much as you can."

In the end, these were the only words Wen Xuan left behind.

It wasn't until they couldn't see the people behind them that Jian Yi finally asked him: "Shixiong, is it really okay like this?"

Wen Xuan said: "I can help for one moment, but I can't help for a lifetime."

Hearing this answer, Jian Yi was very satisfied: "Shixiong, you finally accepted it."

Wen Xuan didn't know if he should laugh or cry. Don't just look at how quiet and accepting Jian Yi has been all this time, seeming like he didn't express any discontent. In actuality, the strength that he used to grasp at Wen Xuan's elbow was really quite terrifying. Wen Xuan's heart was clear like a mirror. He knew how dissatisfied Jian Yi was towards his decision to bring all of those people.

"Let's not talk about this." Wen Xuan then asked: "Shouldn't you tell me just what had happened?"

Jian Yi's pleased face just now stiffened again. After a long time, he finally told Wen Xuan exactly what happened that night.

"Back then, you said that the Sect leader made you do these things?" Wen Xuan gave him a sideways glance.

"That was purposely dragging him in the water." Jian Yi said weakly: "Shixiong, it's not like you don't know. If I didn't say it like that, I probably would have been killed by him already."

Wen Xuan, however, didn't blame him for this little scheme. Instead, he rubbed Jian Yi on the head: "That's good then."

Jian Yi looked at him.

"At first, when I heard you say that the Sect Leader told you to do it, I almost spat blood out of anger." Wen Xuan continued to say: "If it's your own plans, then alright. I trust your judgment."

Finally, Jian Yi understood his meaning. Instantly he felt warm and cozy inside. He couldn't resist rubbing against Wen Xuan's shoulder, lowered voice brushing past Wen Xuan's ear: "Shixiong, I won't betray your trust."

Ear feeling somewhat ticklish from being rubbed against, Wen Xuan unconsciously felt heat in his cheeks. He turned his face, moving his ear away, and then asked: "What is that Immortal Master Tuo Yue's magic gourd all about? Is it related to why the demon is in a frenzy right now?"

"Shouldn't be related. There's no rhythm to its insanity." Jian Yi said: "That magic gourd is just an old item between him and Immortal Master Tuo Yue back then."

Wen Xuan still wanted to ask more but he saw Qi Jibai's figure appear at an intersection ahead. As it turned out, Qi Jibai left a step before them, but was currently waiting for them here.

"After this parting, who knows when we will meet again." Qi Jibai said as he extended a hand in Jian Yi's direction: "There's something you should give me."

Jian Yi then handed him a jade slip: "I was only able to decipher a general idea at this point, perhaps it's not perfect enough."

"It's enough." Qi Jibai took the jade slip in his hand, looked at it for a little while and smiled with a complicated expression. Then, he looked at Jian Yi and said: "Since we were teacher disciple once, please take care of yourself!"

Jian Yi nodded.

Then Qi Jibai waved and separated from them.

Wen Xuan was somewhat astonished. In his heart, Qi Jibai was Jian Yi's shifu. He never imagined the other would leave so straightforwardly.

However, Jian Yi told Wen Xuan that actually, he proposed a while ago that he wanted to use this exchange to break off their teacher disciple relationship. At that time, Qi Jibai still considered Jian Yi his disciple. Hearing this request, he was naturally furious. However, the trade that Jian Yi proposed really was too attractive to Qi Jibai. In the end, Qi Jibai finally agreed.

"I told him I could decipher a plan to help him recover completely." Jian Yi said.

Ever since he was plotted against by the people of Danxin Sect many years ago and suffered damage to his cultivation foundation, Qi Jibai could only halt at yuan gathering, incapable of forming a gold core. This was probably the most irreconcilable thing in Qi Jibai's life. That's why when Jian Yi proposed this trade, he wasn't worried that the other wouldn't agree.

From then onward, they only had a business deal between them, completely lacking the sentiments between a teacher and disciple.

After listening to Jian Yi's narration, Wen Xuan can only feel incredulous: "Didn't Elder Qi treat you very well? Why did you have to do this?"

To this, Jian Yi only smiled.

From the very start, he only wanted to become Qi Jibai's disciple because he wanted Qi Jibai's divine tool and his knowledge. He never thought this would be so troublesome. It wasn't until after he became Qi Jibai's disciple and saw his every word and action, as well as the concern and aid Qi Jibai offered him that he realized there was actually something called sentiments between teacher and student.

Therefore, Jian Yi broke off this relationship.

If he didn't break it off and let it persist, sooner or later he would place Qi Jibai, this shifu, in his heart. However, in this world, he only needed to care about one person in his heart and that was enough.

Thinking here, Jian Yi held onto Wen Xuan's elbow a little tighter.

Luckily. Luckily, from today onward, the only person left for Wen Xuan to care about was also only him.

Yet, just at this time, the two people heard footsteps from behind them.

Wen Xuan turned his head to look and saw a portion of the disciples from before. Many of the people from those disciples before stayed behind. Perhaps, they wanted to stay inside the cave until that demon left. Or perhaps, they went to find some other exit with the roads Wen Xuan pointed out. The portion before them, only about 25%, persisted on chasing Wen Xuan down.

"Wen shixiong!" The person in the front called.

Wen Xuan faintly furrowed his brows.

That person very quickly responded and immediately corrected himself: "Wen-ge!"

What kind of messed up address was this? Wen Xuan instantly didn't know if he should laugh or cry.

However, the other didn't seem to think this address was wrong and felt it sounded very great, so kept saying loudly: "Wen-ge! We discussed briefly just now. Everyone here still wants to follow you!"

Stunned, Wen Xuan unconsciously stopped moving.

Those people finally caught up behind him, standing in a row, a total of 20 or so people.

"You guys......" Wen Xuan swept his gaze across these twenty people, surprised.

"Wen-ge. I already thought about it. If I want to live well in the future, it's still better to follow you!"

"Wen-ge, this time you saved our lives, I must follow you to the end!"

"Wen-ge, actually I've always admired you very much! I only entered the Water Cloud Sect because of you!"

"Wen-ge!" "Wen-ge....."

Wen Xuan listened in surprise to their words coming in rapid succession. Gradually a hint of a smile emerged on his face. The originally already cold and hardened heart also gradually softened and burned.

"Wen-ge! Let us follow you please!"

"Okay." Wen Xuan finally said this word with a smile.

The twenty people first froze. When they finally recovered, they couldn't help but cheer excitedly.

In this instant however, wen Xuan felt a pain on his wrist. Lowering his head to look, he saw Jian Yi was actually clutching onto his wrist firmly, digging in with his fingertips, completely without mercy. It was actually quite painful.

Then he looked at Jian Yi's face. His face was already deathly white. Jian Yi was biting himself so hard his lips were about to bleed.

"Jian shidi?" Wen Xuan was extremely surprised.

He guessed that Jian Yi might be unhappy because of this, but never thought that Jian Yi's response would be this major.

"Shixiong," When Jian Yi said this, he was practically gnashing his teeth: "Just how many more times do you plan to get hurt before you learn to behave?"

Before Jian Yi had always thought there's no need to mind these people following Wen Xuan, because Wen Xuan would eventually learn that actually, Wen Xuan only had him.

Right now Jian Yi felt-- No problem. Eventually, he will let Wen Xuan know: You really only have me.

70

Chapter 70

The Water Cloud Sect overlooked the ocean. The exit that Wen Xuan ultimately decided on was near a coastal area. As soon as they left the cave, they could feel the ocean wind greeting them, carrying in a salty taste from the air in the surrounding.

Before them was the view of the vast blue ocean and waves hitting the rocks, creating countless water foams. Looking behind them, they can still faintly see the silhouette of the Water Cloud Sect. The black fog following that demon enveloped over the entire space above. Separated by the mountain range, momentarily, they didn't have to worry about being discovered.

"We're safe......"

"We're really safe......"

The people following Wen Xuan couldn't resist mumbling to themselves. Then, they looked at each other, seeing the relief

from surviving a calamity on each other's faces and almost started crying tears of joy.

In this kind of moment, the only one not happy was probably Jian Yi.

However, Jian Yi didn't do anything, only watched them with cold eyes: "Don't get too happy. If we continue to stand here without moving, it'll catch up to us eventually."

Hearing these words, the crowd instantly quivered and all looked over.

But Jian Yi didn't bother with them, only found a direction himself and walked off. In a blink of an eye, he left the crowd behind quite a distance.

However, even at a time like this, Wen Xuan only needed to call "Jian shidi," softly from behind him to make him stop and wait obediently.

"You're this unhappy?" Wen Xuan walked beside him again and rubbed him on the head.

"No." Jian Yi awkwardly shook his head: "I only want to leave this place as soon as possible, that's all."

In this brief conversation, the other people managed to catch up. Some of them originally had bad tempers. Because of Jian Yi's unfriendly attitude, at this time, they looked at Jian Yi with quite the hostility. Yet both sides worried about giving Wen Xuan face, so in the end, they didn't fight openly, only looked at each other with mutual detest, that's all.

After that, they followed the coast and continued to walk, actually managing to interact harmoniously throughout the journey.

But where exactly were they headed off to, Wen Xuan didn't have an answer. The Water Cloud Sect could no longer guarantee their safety. However, was there even a safe spot in the entirety of North Ning? Originally, everyone placed high hopes in the big protection arrays. But in front of the demon, it was like paper glue. This was the case for the Water Cloud Sect. This was also the same for the rest of the big sects. No need to even mention other places.

Because of this demon, there was no safe place in the North Ning Continent at the moment.

Wen Xuan clearly wasn't the only one aware of this fact. As they traveled along the coast, they saw plenty of cultivators rushing into the boundless ocean, directly casting behind everything on land in search for survival in the ocean.

"Wen-ge," Someone couldn't help but ask: "What exactly is on the other side of the ocean?"

Wen Xuan sighed: "It's only the ocean."

This ocean was called the Endless Ocean. As the name implied, it was impossible to reach the end. In the past, there had been Elders from the Water Cloud Sect who went exploring in the Endless Ocean. It's reported that the ocean wasn't actually completely empty. There's still many scattered islands. Although the resources weren't as bountiful as compared to the mainland, after careful exploration, it's enough to cultivate. The only

problem was that the Water Clan was cruel and vicious, so it was somewhat troublesome.

With this explanation from Wen Xuan, the people beside him didn't despair. On the contrary, their eyes all brightened up one by one. Hearing this, the ocean seemed like a pretty good destination in comparison to the current North Ning.

"No matter how cruel and vicious the Water Clan is, it can't be worse than the demon!" Someone immediately said.

"But none of us have stayed in the ocean before. Who knows what will happen." Someone else retorted quietly: "To hastily go there without careful consideration isn't really a good idea......"

Just as these words sounded, two beams of light from cultivators flew by and charged into the ocean, making the crowd even more indecisive. Wen Xuan looked over carefully and discovered that one of these beams seemed somewhat familiar.

Wen Xuan promptly flew up and chased after them. As expected, it was someone he knew.

That Cultivator Sun, who had traveled together with him because of that thing with Murong Feng, actually also appeared here.

"Cultivator Wen," When this Cultivator Sun saw Wen Xuan, he could be considered pleasantly surprised: "It's great that you're safe."

Then the two people exchanged information and Wen Xuan learned that this Cultivator Sun wasn't actually trying to escape into the ocean like the other people. Instead, he was sent by

Murong Feng to investigate the territories in the ocean. However, after he arrived, he discovered that such a major thing had occurred in the Water Cloud Sect. Not knowing Wen Xuan's whereabouts, he was just pondering on if he should report to Murong Feng.

"Is Murong-xianzi also considering going off shore?" Wen Xuan asked.

"To be quite honest, Murong-xianzi said that the mainland will face extreme chaos soon." Cultivator Sun sighed: "I once tried to convince her to return to Central Sheng, but xianzi said that Central Sheng won't have peace soon either. She'd rather look off-shores, so that's why I'm here to scout."

As they conversed, the person who was originally traveling together with Cultivator Sun already flew off quite the distance. Cultivator Sun saw this and could only say his goodbyes to Wen Xuan, turn around, and hastily give chase.

Wen Xuan then returned to the group and related this conversation briefly.

Murong Feng's name was pretty well known to everyone. It instantly triggered a commotion. After the commotion, even more people expressed that they agreed with Murong Feng's judgement and wanted to give off-shores a try. Those who refuted before also unconsciously quieted down.

However, Wen Xuan was generally a rather cautious type of person and wouldn't make such a major decision so easily. At a time like this, he normally would ask Jian Yi for his opinion.

Jian Yi only smiled: "If we really have to head into the ocean, shixiong, you can really call this 'different route, same destination."

These words sounded somewhat strange, but Jian Yi didn't explain and only added: "But you can rest assured. I can promise, if you really went off-shores, Shixiong, you can live peacefully for a dozen years no problems."

To Wen Xuan, these words from Jian Yi was a huge anxiety reliever.

This was pretty much decided. However, they didn't immediately start their journey. Instead, they first got ready to set off into the ocean anytime, all the while surveying by the oceanside for a few more days.

The demon occupied the Water Cloud Sect for many times. Then, like it was digesting something, it spent many days unmoving.

"It's swallowing all of the strength accumulated in that huge protection array." Jian Yi said: "It will become even more formidable than before."

When the demon finally became active again, it seemed to have left its frenzy mode and recovered its intellect. For a period of time, there were many Nascent Soul cultivators who came forth to attack it, yet they couldn't even eliminate that black fog. Instead, they received grave injuries from the black fog's counterattack and ended up dying to the demon in their carelessness.

It was pretty much confirmed that Nascent Soul Daoist Masters could no longer do anything about this demon. The crowd guessed that if they really wanted to subdue this demon, perhaps they needed a Dasheng cultivator to step forth. However there were no Dasheng cultivators in North Ning. They probably can only depend on those three outer clans to relocate people from Central Sheng.

Then after that, the people expected to be sent from Central Sheng were nowhere in sight. Instead, the demon used the Water Cloud Sect as its stronghold and spread that black fog further and further, looking like it was about to envelop all of the entire North Ning Continent inside. Wherever the black fog was covering, the cultivators would feel like their spiritual energies were being suppressed. In the black fog, the small demons, however, were like fish back in water and saw everything before them as their own hunting grounds. In a blink of an eye, the land was swarming with disasters. Such a big North Ning Continent unexpectedly became the playground of demons just like this.

More and more people escaped outward to the ocean. Murong Feng also finally left Anfeng City and met up with Wen Xuan by the coast.

Wen Xuan immediately saw the young child in her arms. This child was currently already 3-4 years old and can already walk around on his own. However, he must be tired so he was sleeping soundly in Murong Feng's arms at the moment. The elbow that was exposed outside of his sleeve was no longer white and chubby as before. Instead, it was like rice colored jade, extremely soft. Clearly, he's been very well spoiled.

Wen Xuan couldn't help but smile: "Looks like he'll be a young lord in the future."

"Of course the young child I raised is a young lord." Murong Feng smiled with narrowed eyes, wanting to wake this child up so he could greet Wen Xuan. However, Wen Xuan stopped her.

Wen Xuan then carefully examined the aura on the child's body. Because Murong Feng cleansed him nonstop day and night before, right now, this child was purified to the bones and flesh, without any hints of demonic energy remaining. He even carried a clean, calm feel, surprisingly just like a child born from an influential cultivation family.

"It was really great to have given him to you back then, xianzi." Wen Xuan said with a smile.

Murong Feng wasn't humble at all. Smiling and nodding, she looked at the young child in her arms very tenderly.

She only remained by the coast for an hour, speaking with Wen Xuan. Then, she got on the Thousand Sunshine Trading Company's prized ship and sailed off into the ocean. She actually wanted to invite Wen Xuan to journey together with her. Wen Xuan didn't belong to a Sect at the moment anyways. Joining Thousand Sunshine Trading Company was a great idea. Wen Xuan didn't agree however.

What's worth mentioning was that some of those who originally pledged to follow Wen Xuan to death, saw the Thousand Sunshine Company's prized ship, and became envious, wanting to seek protection under the Thousand Sunshine Company instead. The people who wanted to do this weren't much, only 3 among the

24. They immediately encountered disdain from the other 21 people. Wen Xuan didn't care however. On the contrary, he specifically talked with Murong Feng and asked her to take good care of those three people.

Before she left, Murong Feng left some message talismans so that they could contact each other in the future. Murong Feng also stated clearly that when a suitable time comes, perhaps she could have the child meet Wen Xuan and Jian Yi.

After the Thousand Sunshine Company's prized ship left, Wen Xuan flew up, protected the people behind him, and they all headed out to sea.

Murong Feng sent people to scout out the road before. She also had divine tools to help her distinguish the direction. In comparison, Wen Xuan had nothing over here. However, Wen Xuan's group didn't travel around like headless flies. As long as Jian Yi stepped forward and pointed in a direction, he was more useful than any divine tools.

Every once a while on their travels, Jian Yi would even provide several possible directions and let Wen Xuan choose.

Wen Xuan didn't know if it was his misconception, but every time after he made his choice, Jian Yi's expression would always become somewhat ambiguous.

After traveling this journey without mishap for about 3 days, the crowd finally saw an island that was capable of accommodating all of these people. The island was covered by greenery, with mountains and water. A stream even followed along a cliff and

created a waterfall. When the crowd looked over, they only thought this place was a beautiful paradise.

After touching down on the island, the crowd explored all over and discovered a feeble spiritual vein inside this mountain. This spiritual vein definitely couldn't compare with the mountains of the Water Cloud Temple, but right now, they were only equivalent to a group of sectless cultivators. For sectless cultivators to have a spiritual vein like this was already an extravagant thing.

"This is the place then, Wen-ge!"

"This place is great!"

Buzzing and chirping, the crowd was extremely excited. There were even people who started to plan out the location of their residence here.

With a smile, Wen Xuan looked at them. However, he discovered that at some unknown time Jian Yi had already retreated to the edge of the island and was currently looking at the waves crashing against the shore, dazing off.

Wen Xuan originally thought he had some differing opinions. However, on closer examination, he was really only dazing off.

"What's the matter?" Wen Xuan reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

Jian Yi turned his head, looked at Wen Xuan's hand, then continued to look at the waves. With a sigh, he said: "Different route, same destination."

What? Wen Xuan couldn't help but feel stunned.

Then Wen Xuan turned his head to look behind him. He saw the rest of the people still enthusiastically exploring the island, then bent his knees and sat beside Jian Yi: "Is it...... the story you read before?"

Jian Yi's eyelashes trembled. He also bent his knees and sat down shoulder to shoulder with Wen Xuan: "That story and the current you are already very different.”

"Yet different route, same destination?"

Jian Yi remained silent for a long time, as if deliberating his words.

After a long time, Jian Yi said: "I am unable to tell you a lot of the content in that story. However, one portion of it seems okay now. For example...... do you know, in that story, how you left the Water Cloud Sect?"

Jian Yi has never spoken about that story before. Wen Xuan however, could make a general guess. In that story, he didn't have Jian Yi beside him. Just this one factor can bring endless variation.

For example, at the very beginning, when Wen Xuan had to choose between continuing to cultivate the method that Jizi Ang gave him or simply falling back into foundation building, Jian Yi was the one who told him 'without destruction, there can be no construction. Without Jian Yi, he might not have even discovered that Jizi Ang was that kind of villain. Yet in the end, Jizi Ang didn't get his way? In that story, he also left the Water Cloud Sect?

"Jizi Ang wanted to use you as a pillar to allow him to reach Nascent Soul. However, in the last moment, he failed. Your resistance was beyond his expectations, and directly destroyed his plans. Then......"

Jian Yi patted the ground below him: "You left the Water Cloud Sect and came here."

That's right. Here. No lie. Just this island. Clearly, so much has changed already. The reason for going off-shore was different. The time was different. The method for finding the way was different. Even the number of people arriving on the island was different. But it just had to be this island.

And it was here that Wen Xuan lived through the most peaceful years of his life, until the arrival of that one thing many years later.

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