71-82

 

71

Chapter 71

 

Because this island was in the shape of a curved moon, Wen Xuan named the place Waxing Moon Island.

 

He and Jian Yi, along with those 21 followers, settled in on Waxing Moon Island just like this, living there for over dozens of years.

 

However, from the start of the second year, there weren't only 23 people on the island anymore. A large number of people had escaped North Ning by heading out to sea. However, not everyone was able to find an island as good as this one. Therefore, there's always some people originally only passing by but then became reluctant to leave, and ended up begging Wen Xuan to let them stay.

 

Also, every time Wen Xuan headed out, he would always save one or two people and bring them back.

 

Gradually, the inhabitants on the island grew. Until about the tenth year, there were almost a hundred people. From then

 

onward, Wen Xuan started to deny people from coming onto the island. There was enough space on this island for under 100 people, anymore and it'd be hard to guarantee everyone's benefits.

 

Even though the population increased to a hundred, everyone still considered Wen Xuan as their leader, respectfully calling Wen Xuan the Island's Master. The people living on this island were still some distance away from being gold core cultivators after all. In these people's eyes, Wen Xuan's strength was worthy enough of their respect.

 

As the time passed, their respect also gradually shifted to Wen Xuan himself. Since Wen Xuan was just this kind of person. As long as he recognized you as his follower, he'd take care of you conscientiously. This kindness, anyone could feel it.

 

Although when they first left the Water Cloud Sect, Wen Xuan was still somewhat downhearted, pretty much not wanting to bother with these things again. However, seeing these people, the passion in Wen Xuan's heart reignited again.

 

These people came from a variety of fields. There were alchemists, healers, talisman users, array users, and all. Wen Xuan combined their strengths and placed down a basic protection array around the island. After operating carefully for a while, he'd occasionally led everyone outside to search for more resources and occasionally interacted with the inhabitants of other islands. Setting down a basic law, with the passing of each year, this island actually became a formidable power within a thousand miles.

 

Abundant resources, formidable strength, reliable management, Waxing Moon Island gradually became a place of envy for everyone in the ocean.

 

However, nothing was perfect in this world. The problems for the inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island faced were generally two issues.

 

First was the Water Clan that lived nearby. Back then when Waxing Moon Island was impoverished and poor, they lived in fair harmony with the Water Clan. As Waxing Moon Island became populous and affluent with the years, pretty much every fall and winter, they'd experience a round of plundering.

 

There were a few troublesome figures in the Water Clan. Even with Wen Xuan leading everyone, they wouldn't always come out victorious. Most of the time, they could protect the island, but it didn't stop people from falling to the Water Clan's devious hands traveling outside of the island.

 

The situation at Waxing Moon island was actually considered good when talking about the Water Clan's rampant raiding in the ocean territories. Therefore, everyone only felt slightly gloomy about it. The next time that the Water Clan attacked, they still showed up and followed Wen Xuan to battle.

 

However, the other issue was enough to remain buried in everyone's hearts. This second problem for inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island was that brat, Jian Yi.

 

Jian Yi always followed behind Wen Xuan, practically never leaving. However, he was not at all friendly towards Wen Xuan's followers, and was extremely stubborn and prideful. What really

 

made everyone frustrated was that the usually upright and fair Wen Xuan would always fall in anything related to Jian Yi.

 

Every time someone had a conflict with Jian Yi, if it were discovered to be the other person's fault in the end, Wen Xuan would always punish according to rules. If it were Jian Yi's fault, Wen Xuan would give him a lecture or two at most.

 

When this kind of thing accumulated, even if people didn't say anything out loud, they still felt extremely dissatisfied internally.

 

Fortunately, the amount of interactions Jian Yi had with them was not much. Most of the time, Jian Yi only stood in his abode which occupied the highest mountain peak on Waxing Moon Island and looked at everyone bustling about below, like he was watching a group of ants.

 

Suddenly, Jian Yi's ear twitched. Hastily turning his head to look behind him, he saw a beam of light from a traveling cultivator and instantly lit up with delight. Putting on his shoes and skipping out into the courtyard, he went in greeting. Not waiting for the light to land, he was already calling enthusiastically: "Shixiong, you're finally back!"

 

The traveling light stopped before him, revealing Wen Xuan's figure.

 

Jian Yi jumped over and grabbed Wen Xuan's elbow: "How was it? Was it dangerous? Did you get injured?"

 

Wen Xuan shook his head with a smile: "Much more peaceful than I imagined."

 

This was already the 30th year of their stay on Waxing Moon Island. Wen Xuan just combined forces with other island masters and returned to North Ning for a look.

 

The reason why they went was only to get a general idea of North Ning's current situation in order to make future plans. What they saw, however, exceeded their expectations. Back then, the demon's invasion caused such tragedy in North Ning, practically making it hell on earth. Now that 30 years have passed, North Ning was actually at peace.

 

This peace wasn't because that demon was finally defeated, but rather... that demon had opened a Sect itself and became the leader of North Ning that no one dared to provoke. The entire North Ning was now its backyard. Naturally, it wouldn't greedily gobble everything up as it did before. Instead, it started to cultivate quietly.

 

Narrating this, Wen Xuan had a very strange expression. Fortunately, the demon didn't start its Sect at Water Cloud Sect. Instead, after much deliberation, it settled on the ruins of Cerulean Feathers. Or else, even if Wen Xuan had no connection with the Water Cloud Sect nowadays, he would still feel gloomy enough to spit out a mouthful of blood.

 

"Speaking of that Cerulean Feathers," Wen Xuan sighed: "they're rather unfortunate."

 

Of course he didn't forget that back then, Cerulean feathers became the first to face the demon's evil claws all because of what Jian Yi had done. Therefore, everytime Wen Xuan encountered matters regarding Cerulean Feathers, he'd always feel a bit strange inside, as if there was guilt.

 

Jian Yi, however, wasn't guilty at all. He even smiled coldly: "What's so unfortunate about them. Here I was hoping they'd suffer a bit more. How unfortunate. Just losing a mere Cerulean Feathers. It's really not even a tickle to the Violet Feathers Sect."

 

"What?" Wen Xuan didn't know if he should laugh or cry: "Did they offend you in the past or something?"

 

Jian Yi turned his head to the side, stiffened his neck and didn't reply.

 

Wen Xuan shook his head in exasperation.

 

Just at this time, an inhabitant happened to pass by below Jian Yi's abode. They even raised their head to glower over at this place, and surprisingly discovered that Wen Xuan was here as well. This glower instantly stiffened. After a long time, this person's mouth twisted into an awkward smile, then they ran off gloomily.

 

"When I was not here," Wen Xuan asked Jian Yi in exasperation: "Did you do something again?"

 

"No way." Jian Yi answered innocently: "Shixiong, I've been very well-behaved."

 

That's true. In most occurrences, Jian Yi really didn't need to do anything. He only needed to stand in the crowd and look over with that look of disdain. This was already a natural provocation to most people. If at a time like this, Jian Yi then said some hostile words, the cannons would ignite. The last few conflicts started just like this. Wen Xuan understood very well.

 

Sitting on the stone stool, Wen Xuan leaned his back against the stone table, smiling in fond exasperation.

 

"Shixiong," Jian Yi said feebly: "Am I causing a lot of trouble for you?"

 

"Not too much. I just think sometimes that it'd be good if you guys can get along better." Wen Xuan shrugged.

 

"What if I can't do it?" Jian Yi asked back.

 

Wen Xuan paused.

 

After that, Jian Yi didn't say anymore, only silently returned inside to start today's cultivation practice.

 

Wen Xuan sighed and also returned to his own place.

 

After 30 years of focused cultivation, Jian Yi already reached late stage yuan gathering. Wen Xuan has also long reached peak yuan gathering, only one step away from gold core.

 

This step, however, gave Wen Xuan some trepidation.

 

Wen Xuan let his consciousness sink into his body, swimming past those already majestic and extensive paths for his meridians, then looked at that area in the corner. Back then, when he first saw this place, this block of ice was still extremely solid, as if indestructible. Now, after experiencing the continuous battering from the spiritual energy within his body, the icy surface was already full of blemishes.

 

What made Wen Xuan really anxious was that the divine memory that had been guarding this place was now so faint that he was like a wisp of smoke. It was unknown how much longer he could still withstand the numerous strikes on this icy surface before the divine memory completely disappeared, leaving behind Wen Xuan to face it himself.

 

Wen Xuan placed his palm gently on the surface of the ice. Through the blemishes, he could feel the aura passing through that was currently permeating little by little into his spiritual energy. It was a certain kind of demonic beast energy.

 

This was his sealed divine beast bloodline.

 

Wen Xuan closed his eyes and gave a deep sigh.

 

He had a kind of feeling, that when he finally took this last step and created his gold core, perhaps that would be the day when his demonic beast bloodline returned back into this world. That's why even though he felt like he already reached the final stretch, and he could cross this step anytime, he still didn't dare to cross it.

 

However, escape wasn't the way to resolve this. He must think of a plan.....

 

As he pondered this, Wen Xuan suddenly felt some commotion outside, as if something was happening on the island. He instantly pulled out of his medication and hastily rushed outside.

 

It was Jian Yi causing some kind of trouble again. He was fighting with someone.

 

When Wen Xuan rushed outside, Jian Yi already had the other person pressed on the ground, their teeth broken all over the floor. He even continued to beat the other up extremely eagerly right in front of Wen Xuan, until Wen Xuan ran over and pulled him off personally.

 

"Jian shidi!" Wen Xuan yelled: "What are you doing?"

 

Jian Yi turned his head and looked at Wen Xuan with reddened eyes.

 

In that instant, Wen Xuan suddenly had an image in mind, like if he loosened his grip, Jian Yi would immediately jump on that unfortunate fellow again while waving his sword and gesturing: "Shixiong! Tell me! Are you going to pick me or are you going to pick them!"

 

This fantasy made Wen Xuan feel a mountain like pressure. He hastily restrained Jian Yi securely and dragged him away, all the way back home before letting go.

 

Wen Xuan wiped away the sweat on his forehead. Thinking about the tragic state of the person outside, his face color paled slightly: "Jian shidi, just what exactly happened?"

 

"That bastard," Jian Yi clenched his jaw tightly: "said some disgraceful words."

 

"What did he say?" Wen Xuan immediately asked.

 

Jian Yi pressed his lips together, not answering.

 

"You......ai, you brat!" Wen Xuan couldn't do anything with him and could only leave Jian Yi here, letting him calm down on his own. Then, he rushed outside to see the person that was beat up.

 

That person was beaten so badly that he practically wasn't human shaped anymore. Wen Xuan used magic to heal the injury on his face and finally recognized him. This guy was the one who just passed by under Jian Yi's abode before. The one that raised his head and glowered over. In addition, he also was one of the 21 people who originally left the Water Cloud Sect together with Wen Xuan.

 

"Xiao-Wu,” Wen Xuan asked him: "What happened?"

 

Surprisingly, this guy suddenly flushed red and completely refused to respond.

 

Wen Xuan can only go ask the onlookers at the time. Yet these people only looked at each other in dismay, with awkward expressions. Finally, one answered: "They had a verbal altercation and then just started fighting."

 

As for why they'd have a verbal altercation, no one was willing to say it outloud.

 

Wen Xuan then asked who was the one that started hitting first. The answer was, without a doubt, Jian Yi.

 

Wen Xuan's head immediately started hurting.

 

Although Jian Yi often had conflicts with them before, this was the first time it reached such a physical stage.

 

What should he do?

 

......what else can he do?

 

Wen Xuan comforted the victim, Xiao-Wu, for a while, pulling out one of his own high quality ointment and giving it as an apology. Then he expressed that he will give Jian Yi a good lecture and that's it. When Xiao-Wu accepted the ointment, the corner of his mouth twitched twice, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

 

After the crowd dissipated, Wen Xuan wiped his palms. They were both covered with a thin layer of sweat.

 

This wasn't the only time he's done something like this, however, he still felt guilty every time.

 

Wen Xuan sighed deeply again, turned around and headed back to his abode. He said silently to himself that this time, he definitely needed to have a good talk with Jian Yi. This kind of thing definitely can't happen again. However, when he walked into his room and saw Jian Yi sitting silently in the corner of the room, hugging the Spirit Exchanging Sieve that he got tricked out of Qi Jibai's hands. Enveloped by the slanted light of the setting sun from outside the window, he looked really very lonely.

 

Wen Xuan's original scolding involuntarily softened just like this: "Just what happened? Jian shidi, do you really have things you're unwilling to tell me?"

 

As he said this, he walked over. When he got closer, Wen Xuan felt the vein on his forehead jumping promptly.

 

Jian Yi looked like he was sitting quietly, yet in reality, he was currently holding an iridescent pearl that Wen Xuan pulled out of the ocean a few days ago and feeding it to the Spirit Exchanging Sieve without batting an eye.

 

"Shixiong," Jian Yi looked at him innocently: "Didn't you say you gave it to me?"

 

That's right. At that time, Wen Xuan thought this pearl looked pretty so couldn't resist giving it to Jian Yi. But seeing this scene before him, Wen Xuan still felt extremely complicated.

 

What made Wen Xuan feel even more complicated was that immediately after this, Jian Yi pulled out a jade coral that Wen Xuan gave him before and also fed it to the Spirit Exchanging Sieve. Then the other thing, and the other other thing...... Spirit Exchanging Sieve, this glutton. It was still not satisfied after eating all of this. Just how much did it have to eat to be satisfied?

 

After a while, Wen Xuan finally returned from his thoughts: "Shidi, I didn't come to talk to you about this."

 

"I know, shixiong." Jian Yi patted the Spirit Exchanging Sieve dispiritedly: "I caused trouble for you again."

 

"That's right." Wen Xuan furrowed his brows: "But you have to first tell me what exactly happened. For you to do that kind of thing, it mustn't be without reason."

 

Jian Yi lowered his gaze: "He said some words that are not fit to be heard."

 

"Even if that's the case, you still shouldn't raise your hand."

 

Jian Yi opened his mouth, looking like he was about to argue a little. However, at this time, the Spirit Exchanging Sieve in his arms started vibrating and actually began to shine.

 

Then the Spirit Exchanging Sieve flew out of Jian Yi's arms, landed on the floor and started to spin.

 

Honest speaking, Wen Xuan has been familiar with this thing for a pretty long time. But this was the first time he's seen it act like this. Immediately, Wen Xuan was stupefied.

 

Jian Yi's expression became solemn. He stood up and looked at the air above the Spirit Exchanging Sieve for a long time. Then, he took a deep breath: "Finally......

 

"This glutton," Wen Xuan clicked his tongue in astonishment: "is finally full?"

 

Jian Yi nodded then pulled the Spirit Exchanging Sieve back into his arms: "All thanks to the abundant products in the ocean. Else I really don't know when we'll have to wait until. Shixiong, it already detected the location of a treasure. I have to go find it."

 

Wen Xuan immediately wanted to reply: Alright. Let me make a few arrangements on this island and then go with you.

 

Jian Yi said however: "I will go alone."

 

Wen Xuan abruptly froze.

 

"Shixiong, because of me, you lost many people's hearts." Jian Yi raised his head, expression complicated as he said: "Actually this

 

is a good opportunity. It's time for me to leave for a while and let the fire extinguish from both sides. Shixiong, you have to stay and placate them well. Think about it. If you left together with me at a time like this, what would they think? And plus, searching for treasure isn't something that'd only take a day or two. Leaving them on the island in this kind of situation for some time, who knows what will happen? Perhaps when we come back, we might not even be able to return directly."

 

These words actually sounded somewhat reasonable. Wen Xuan didn't think of a good retort, Jian Yi already opened the window and jumped outside. Taking to the skies in a beam of light, he left.

 

For a second, Wen Xuan wanted to give chase. On second thoughts, he ended up staying.

 

An island this big, he really had no way of just throwing it behind.

 

Wen Xuan sighed. He just wanted to acknowledge that what Jian Yi said was correct, yet, he suddenly remembered something. The things that were fed to the Spirit Exchange Sieve were all things that Wen Xuan gave to Jian Yi a while ago. Yet Jian Yi solely kept them until today to feed them to the sieve. So it's hard to say if it's really a coincidence that the Spirit Exchange Sieve just happened to end up full today.

 

Jian Yi that brat already decided a while ago to head out in search of treasure alone so that both sides could calm down a bit?

 

Thinking this, Wen Xuan made a face as he felt extremely exasperated internally.

 

The next day, he let everyone know about Jian Yi going out to find treasure. The crowd didn't know that this was because of Jian Yi's obstinance. Rather, they only thought that Wen Xuan sent him away- that this was Wen Xuan's punishment to him. Instantly, they became full of joy. The original dissatisfaction that ignited in everyone's heart faded quite a bit.

 

Yet with this departure from Jian Yi, there was no news from him at all for 3-5 months.

 

In a blink of an eye, it was the season for the Water Clan to attack again. The atmosphere on Waxing Moon Island gradually became apprehensive. Everyone all had their weapons drawn and ready. The people responsible for monitoring the coasts were even more diligent, not even blinking their eyes, terrified they'd miss something.

 

However, this year was somewhat strange. In the previous years, the Water Clan would have long arrived. How come this year it was still so calm and quiet?

 

The person monitoring the coasts narrowed their eyes and unconsciously increased their focus.

 

"Xiao-Wu," Someone behind him suddenly asked: "The thing that happened between you and Jian Yi a few months ago, just how did you guys end up fighting?"

 

"How else?" Xiao-Wu's thoughts were still on the coast. Without thinking he answered: "Lao-Zhang was complaining to me, asking what's wrong with Wen-ge's head and why he had to pamper that Jian guy. So I replied, no need to ask. That Jian fellow was clearly just a pretty boy raised by Wen-ge and probably spent all day

 

pillow-talking him. Then, I just happened to be heard by that Jian fellow and he immediately came charging over......"

 

He almost finished his long series of words before he finally realized what was happening. Immediately, he jolted, thoughts halting to a stop as he turned around and saw Wen Xuan standing there, looking at him with a smile.

 

"So that's what happened." Wen Xuan said: "Here I was just wondering why no one was willing to tell me. So it was because of these words."

 

"Wenwenwenwen......" This person was already scared to a stutter: "Wen-ge....."

 

Still smiling, Wen Xuan asked him: "Just now, you said Jian Yi was my what? Repeat it again."

 

"Wen-ge, I was wrong. Wen-ge......" Xiao-Wu was so scared he was about to cry.

 

"What are you afraid of?" Wen Xuan still didn't let him off: "I just want to hear you say it again."

 

Xiao-Wu swallowed his saliva: "I said, he's your... he's your......" Speaking to this point, the rest of the words were right at the tip of his tongue, however, Xiao-Wu really couldn't get it out. Then, he saw Wen Xuan smile again.

 

Xiao-Wu unexpectedly discovered that Wen Xuan wasn't mad at all. In fact, he even seemed a little...... happy?

 

"You really said that?" Wen Xuan asked again.

 

Xiao-Wu nodded blankly.

 

"Does it really seem like it?" Wen Xuan said smiling.

 

Uhh...... Xiao-Wu really didn't know how to answer.

 

Wen Xuan was already nodding internally: As expected. Others can tell already. It was really very apparent.

 

But how come after 30 years, they were still at the 'seem like it' stage? Wen Xuan couldn't help but become worried again. 30 years. How many 30 years did people have in their lives?

 

"Wenwenwenwen-ge......" Over here, Xiao-Wu trembled as he asked: "Are you saying you guys are really...... really......"

 

Wen Xuan was just about to say 'yes' straightforwardly. However, in the end, he still only answered honestly: "Not yet."

 

These words were even more terrifying. Xiao-Wu couldn't help but tremble again.

 

Wen Xuan, however, was thinking. Why would Jian Yi be that angry after hearing these words? Did Jian Yi detest other people describing their relationship like that? Was it because Xiao-Wu's words weren't pleasant enough, or......

 

As Wen Xuan thought about this, he suddenly focused his gaze and stared firmly outward to the ocean before them. Xiao-Wu had completely forgotten the task of monitoring the coast. Seeing Wen Xuan act like this, he hastily recast his focus towards the ocean waters as well. Instantly, he also froze.

 

He saw a few figures appear in that area before them. However, they didn't seem like the Water Clan.

 

The Water Clan always came in a large group. The figures before them were only a few. The Water Clan always liked to hide in the water. The ones before them were floating in the air.

 

These people looked more like cultivators. However, in this season when the Water Clan loved to wreak havoc, why wouldn't these cultivators hide on an island. Why were they wandering around outside?

 

Wen Xuan immediately thought of Jian Yi and felt nervous. He knew Jian Yi's abilities. He felt confident of Jian Yi's safety. Plus, Jian Yi always loved to keep to himself. Other than Wen Xuan, he didn't like to travel together with anyone. The people before them currently clearly weren't Jian Yi returning.

 

When those figures gradually got closer, Wen Xuan saw their uniforms and was stunned briefly.

 

Really too surprising. How many years have passed since he's seen this kind of large sect uniform?

 

To the side, Xiao-Wu was also astonished: "It's actually.... Cerulean Feathers? But wasn't Cerulean Feathers destroyed? Not right, not right. Cerulean Feathers were blue, this is violet......so they're......"

 

"The Violet Feathers Sect." Saying these words, Wen Xuan took in a cold breath.

 

Those figures got closer again. Wen Xuan could already see clearer details. For example, the fact that they held the heads of some people in their hands. Those heads, surprisingly, belonged to those troublesome fellows from the Water Clan that had been bothering Waxing Moon Island recently.

 

Wen Xuan fought with those people from the Water Clan several times and was pretty aware of their strengths. None of them were weaker than Wen Xuan. Yet at this moment, their heads were being carried in the hands of these Violent Feathers.

 

How worthy of Violet Feathers' reputation. Wen Xuan was very familiar with the Three Outer Clans. However, this was the first time he's seen one of the main houses of the Three Outer Clans. He was already surprised by their strength with this first encounter.

 

Moments later, these people stopped outside of Waxing Moon Island's protection arrays and finally explained their reason for coming.

 

So they were actually disciples of Violet Feathers. After hearing the Water Clan wrecking havoc out in the ocean, they became interested and came over specifically to catch demonic beasts. They never imagined that these Water Clan would be exceptionally ferocious, fighting them tooth and nail and forcing them to have no choice but to deal the death blow. They were even heavily injured in the process. Therefore, they had to come to Waxing Moon Island to borrow a place to recuperate.

 

"What?" Xiao-Wu was surprised: "That demon didn't cause them problems? They are still in the mood to capture demonic beasts?"

 

Hearing this, Wen Xuan couldn't help but smile bitterly. That's right. That demon was only tormenting North Ning. It didn't touch Central Sheng at all. Central Sheng was an area overseen by Dasheng cultivators. The demon knew to only bully the weak and avoid the tough.

 

When Wen Xuan returned to scout last time, Wen Xuan also heard about those Dasheng cultivators. Dasheng cultivators really did come from Central Sheng to greet that demon. These Dasheng cultivators, however, didn't come to eliminate demons and eradicate evil. Instead, they signed some kind of contract with that demon that said everyone will mind their own business.

 

As expected, in the eyes of those people from Central Sheng, the tragedy experienced by the people of North Ning was a mere trifle.

 

Therefore, the words said by these Violet Feathers weren't particularly strange. The people on Waxing Moon Island only knew of Cerulean Feathers, they've never seen Violet Feathers before. However, they all knew what kind of people Violet Feathers were. Their greatest pursuit was to capture precious demonic beasts and bring them back home to be raised.

 

In addition, ever since they came out to sea, because they had to work together to fight against the Water Clan, human to human relations were exceptionally good. The people living on Waxing Moon Island had no vigilance against other cultivators. Immediately, someone prepared to open the door.

 

Wen Xuan, however, suddenly had a strange unease in his heart.

 

The sudden appearance of these Violet Feathers made Wen Xuan recall several things.

 

Jian Yi had a strange hostility towards Violet Feathers.

 

Recently, several people said that they thought they saw people hovering around outside the island.

 

Half a year ago, Murong Feng sent a letter saying that Violet Feathers were interested in the heavenly beast horn in her hand. They had offered vast wealth to buy it but she refused.

 

These things didn't seem like they were related at all. Yet when Wen Xuan gathered them together in his heart, it made his strange unease grow even more.

 

He raised his head again and carefully looked at the faces of these Violet Feathers before him.

 

The person standing at the very front was currently looking at Wen Xuan with a smile.

 

With this careful examination, Wen Xuan saw that smile was actually full of obstinate desire, as if they were looking at some precious prey.

 

What was Violet Feathers most interested in? Capturing demonic beasts.

 

Wen Xuan recalled the demonic energy that was permeating slowly into his own meridians and immediately exploded. All of his goosebumps raised all over.

 

"Don't!" He hastily stopped the person who prepared to open the door. Charging over immediately, he snatched away the waist badge that the other had almost raised. He was in such panic that he couldn't even steady his voice: "Don't open the door! Don't let them in!"

 

72

Chapter 72

 

The inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island practically have never seen Wen Xuan so panicked. For a moment, they all felt somewhat flabbergasted.

 

Wen Xuan didn't bother with other's gazes and only repeatedly emphasized that they definitely can't let these Violet Feathers come in. He even flew towards the center of the protection array himself and increased the defense of the island several times.

 

He stared at those Violet Feathers outside as if facing his greatest foes, feeling cold sweats gather all over his body.

 

The gazes that those Violet Feathers used to look at him gained some amusement. The person in the front even smiled again: "Cultivator Wen, what do you mean by this?"

 

"Please return." Wen Xuan said: "Waxing Moon Island does not welcome you guys."

 

After these words were spoken, the inhabitants of the island all became somewhat upset. Although they settled overseas, they still knew the logic of not offending large Sects. For Wen Xuan to suddenly adopt this kind of unyielding attitude, it made them bewildered and nervous.

 

Wen Xuan couldn't think of any words of explanation yet. The leader of those Violet Feathers outside already raised his voice and said: "Looks like Cultivator Wen is very clear about what we're really here for, huh?"

 

"Like I already said, what's the point of making things so complicated?" In the back, another Violet Feathers piped in. This clear and bright voice was actually from a girl: "You should just be direct with this kind of thing."

 

Saying this, the woman walked next to the leader's side and raised her head smiling, revealing her countenance. It was actually somewhat similar to that leader. Clearly they were brother and sister.

 

Moments later, these Violet Feathers all shifted positions and faintly surrounded the entire island.

 

Were they about to attack? Wen Xuan unconsciously increased his vigilance.

 

He knew that with his current strength, he probably wouldn't win against even one of those people. The only thing he could rely on right now was the protection array over this island. However, just how effective this protection array was against these people, he wasn't really sure and can only hope for the best.

 

"Everyone," Wen Xuan said to the inhabitants of the island: "Please aid me."

 

The inhabitants of the island have followed Wen Xuan for a long time. Hearing his words, they didn't hesitate too much and all sent their strength into the magic array.

 

Still, it didn't stop someone from asking: "Island leader, just what is going on?"

 

"After this is over," Wen Xuan felt sweat seeping out of his palms: "I will definitely explain it properly to you guys."

 

After he said these words, the inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island didn't even have a chance to say anything, outside, the Violet Feathers already burst into a wave of laughter: "ahahaha, do you guys really believe he dares to explain this?"

 

Saying this, they raised their hands one by one, all taking out a bamboo flute from their sleeves.

 

This kind of flute was called Beast Controlling Flute. The Cerulean Feathers and Violet Feathers had common origins. Many people could recognize this item.

 

Normally when they pulled out their Beast Controlling Flute, they'd let out the demonic beasts that they controlled. However, the behavior of these Violet Feathers were not ordinary. They didn't release any demonic beast, but instead, just started blowing.

 

"What the heck?" The inhabitants of the island couldn't help but become more perplexed.

 

"I've seen this kind of battle formation before. I conversed with Cerulean Feathers before." Another person said: "They're trying to suppress the demonic beast that they want to capture right

 

now."

 

"But Waxing Moon Island doesn't have any demonic beasts?"

 

After this rather perplexing conversation, finally someone discovered that Wen Xuan's expression was unusually unsightly.

 

"Island leader?"

 

Wen Xuan shook his head, looking like he was about to say something. However, both knees bending, he lost all strength to stand and directly knelt on the ground.

 

"Wen-ge!" Someone immediately ran to his side and wanted to help him up. But they were pushed away by him.

 

Clenching his jaw tightly, Wen Xuan glared at the Violet Feathers outside, both eyes a vivid red. At this moment in time, probably only he knew what was happening.

 

Suppressing demonic beasts? Everyone all guessed wrong. These people weren't suppressing anything right now.

 

On the contrary, they were currently agitating the demonic beast energy inside Wen Xuan's body!

 

Wen Xuan can feel the demonic beast energy that was originally quietly trapped behind the ice block currently stirring restlessly, and frantically striking against the seal that was on the verge of

 

breaking. Relying on his own willpower, Wen Xuan wanted to contest against the sound of these flutes. However the result was miniscule.

 

He was too careless. The opponent's method was not only strength by brute force. They calculated very clearly, on this island that didn't even have a gold core cultivator, no one would be bored enough to set up an array that could block the sound of a flute that only affected demonic beasts.

 

Wen Xuan's heart felt like it had sunk into a river of ice.

 

He looked at the inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island and knew that some things he can no longer remain silent on. Because of his current state, he spoke very slowly, every single word requiring all of his strength: "Very sorry......I...... have something...... I've been concealing from you guys all this time....."

 

How would these people look at him after knowing the truth? How many people would still be willing to follow him? Wen Xuan could no longer deliberate over this question anymore.

 

Yet he never imagined that the Violet Feathers outside didn't even give him a chance to find out this answer.

 

The sound of the flutes abruptly stopped. The agitated demonic energy inside Wen Xuan's body also abruptly reverberated, shocking Wen Xuan into directly spitting out a mouthful of blood.

 

"Island leader!" Even more people ran to his side, looking concerned.

 

Yet just at this time, someone outside laughed and said in a raised voice: "Do you guys really think he's still your island leader?"

 

What did this mean? Many people who extended their hands towards Wen Xuan unconsciously halted.

 

"That's a demonic beast! As for your island leader, he died a long time ago!" That woman's sharp and crisp voice was extremely loud and clear: "He was already devoured into this demonic beast's stomach! And then this demonic beast changed into his appearance so that it can eat all of you guys as well!"

 

The crowd was immediately in uproar.

 

Wen Xuan whipped his head up, eyes instantly becoming bloodshot: "Absolute nonsense!"

 

In face of this retort of his, those Violet Feathers only laughed.

 

Everyone all knew that the Beast Controlling Flute was only effective against demonic beasts. Wen Xuan's current appearance already left a doubt in many people's hearts.

 

However, there were still people willing to echo Wen Xuan's words: "That's right, absolute nonsense! Although we don't know what exactly you guys plan to do, we've followed Wen-ge all these years. If he really got substituted, you think we wouldn't know?"

 

This was someone who followed Wen Xuan since leaving the Water Cloud Sect. Surname Zhang. Back then, the person who led those twenty some people to chase after Wen Xuan was also

 

this person. When he finished speaking, he reached out to support Wen Xuan by the elbow: "Let's go, Wen-ge. I'll take you back inside to rest. Don't worry about this. To actually use this kind of underhanded technique. Clearly, it's because they can't break through the protection array."

 

Saying this, he looked at the people beside him: "What are you guys all frozen for? Come help quickly."

 

However, in these people, there had to be some who were convinced by the Violet Feathers' words: "But...... the island leader...... the Beast Controlling Flute....."

 

"I already said it's only their underhanded technique! Just because it looked like he was affected by the Beast Controlling Flute, does it necessarily mean he definitely got affected by the Beast Controlling Flute? Who knows what they did to Wen-ge!"

 

Hearing these words, those Violet Feathers outside laughed again.

 

The brother and sister in the front placed the Beast Controlling Flute by their lips again and started to play a sharp and intense duet.

 

This sharp tune traveled into Wen Xuan's ears, like it was penetrating his eardrums. Directly stabbing into the deep part of his meridians, it rushed into the area where the demonic beast energy gathered, and ruthlessly struck at the surface of that ice block.

 

In that moment, Ye Sheng Ge's divine memory crumbled with a loud rumble and disappeared without a trace.

 

"No......" Wen Xuan let out a sob.

 

Zhang shidi placed a hand on his shoulder, looking like he was about to comfort Wen Xuan briefly.

 

Yet in this split second, the block of ice that had already endured countless battering from Wen Xuan's spirit energy, finally collapsed completely under the combined force from inside and outside.

 

"No!" Wen Xuan reached out and pushed away the person next to him, wanting to move him away.

 

But just at this moment, his originally well defined fingers actually changed into the sharp claws of a beast all of a sudden.

 

That Zhang shidi looked at this scene, stunned. Unable to respond, he immediately was hit in the chest by the sharp claws, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was violently thrown backwards.

 

No, it shouldn't be like this! Wen Xuan wanted to say something, but what came out of his throat was already the roar of a demonic beast.

 

"Beast......" The people who were originally gathered beside him all backed away in shock: "Demonic beast......"

 

"It's a demonic beast!"

 

"What those people said were correct! This really isn't the island leader. This is a demonic beast!" Several people instantly ran far away in fear.

 

Moments later, some people returned with reddened eyes: "Vile creature, return Wen-ge back to us!"

 

Wen Xuan wanted to explain. He wanted to say that he was Wen Xuan. He wanted to tell them, although he was a demonic beast, he was still Wen Xuan. He's always been like this. He's never transformed before.

 

But it was already too late. Everything was already too late. Right now, he couldn't express a single word. No matter what he wanted to say, he could only let out a roar from his throat.

 

Why would it become like this? He remembered very clearly when he saw his appearance in infancy in that illusory past, he was clearly more or less still human looking. Why did he turn completely into a beast right now?

 

Was it because of the growth of his demonic beast energy? Or because of something those Violet Feathers did?

 

Wen Xuan couldn't figure out the answer. There were already weapons hitting on his body. The source was from all those followers who had once loved and respected him. The more they had loved and respected him before, the harder they struck him right now.

 

He opened his mouth and let out a deafening howl of fury. The demonic beast energy erupted out of his body and abruptly hit the people in the surrounding, freezing them with its coldness.

 

"What a strong demonic beast!" Following the alarmed cries from the inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island, someone finally opened the magic array and allowed those Violet Feathers inside.

 

Both eyes red, Wen Xuan looked at these Violet Feathers and discovered that he was actually having some trouble controlling himself. For example, he never thought about injuring that Zhang shidi, but he couldn't control the strength of his action at all. For example, he didn't want to harm these followers at all, but he couldn't restrain the demonic beast energy flooding out of his body. And also for example, he rarely felt killing intent for anyone, but at the moment, he only wanted to slaughter everyone before him.

 

He can feel the demonic energy flooding his body, but there was still plenty of spiritual energy mixed in together.

 

The Violet Feathers stopped to the center. That brother and sister pulled out a net.

 

Was he going to let them prevail?

 

"Roar!" Wen Xuan bellowed in rage again and did one thing. Taking advantage of the fact that he could still control the spiritual energy in his body, he took that one step.

 

And formed a core.

 

"It formed a core!" Those Violet Feathers sensed this change and cried out in alarm.

 

Endless spiritual energy flooded into Wen Xuan's body from the heaven and earth, but it only strengthened the demonic beast energy. When Xuan finally formed a core, he wasn't able to become a gold core cultivator. Instead, he only became an even more terrifying demonic beast.

 

Wen Xuan snarled, swinging unceasingly with the sharp claws that he was still unused to. He also used the demonic beast energy that he still didn't know how to control to attack frantically, only wanting to kill them all. The leader of those Violet Feathers was actually also a gold core. However, under Wen Xuan's frenzy, even he was somewhat unable to handle it.

 

Then this person turned his head and yelled: "Still not coming to help!? Don't you guys want to get revenge?"

 

Many sorrowful inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island heard these words - unaware of how terrifying Wen Xuan had become right now - and actually really started to gather and attack Wen Xuan once more.

 

What kind of sinister, ill-intent was this? In face of a gold core demonic beast, this group of people would only be throwing away their lives.

 

Just as Wen Xuan's sharp claws were about to land on the heads of these inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island, however, he suddenly recovered his consciousness again and stopped his action with reddened eyes.

 

With this mere moment of hesitation, it was enough for that brother and sister from Violet Feathers to finally cast out the huge net in their hands and trap Wen Xuan inside.

 

This huge net was made from some unknown material that actually managed to suppress all of Wen Xuan's demonic beast energy, pressing him down so he couldn't move at all and leaving him to only howl.

 

The people from Violet Feathers relaxed. The sister from that brother sister duo whistled: "Draw up the net!"

 

With these words, those people started to gather in unison.

 

Wen Xuan struggled with all of his might. He didn't know what kind of future awaited for him once he landed in these people's hands. He can only struggle desperately. However, this huge net suppressed his energy tremendously and made him completely helpless.

 

In the midst of this despair, the rest of the Violet Feathers reached out, each grabbing a corner of this huge net.

 

But there was one person who didn't touch the net. Instead, they reached their hands into the huge net itself and gently stroked the fur on Wen Xuan's sharp claws.

 

"Number 4!" The brother sister leaders yelled in discontent: "What are you doing?"

 

This person completely ignored them. They only raised their head and looked at Wen Xuan. This person had a stranger's face, but an extremely familiar gaze.

 

Pretty much within a split second, Wen Xuan was able to determine that he was looking at a face mask. And under this face mask was a person he knew exceptionally well.

 

73

Chapter 73

 

The person under the mask smiled, palm warmly covering over Wen Xuan's fur, "Shixiong, don't be scared."

 

Yes. Wen Xuan didn't make a mistake. This was Jian Yi. This was his Jian shidi. Wen Xuan let out a happy rumble out of his throat. A spark of hope instantly ignited in his eyes. He didn't even consider how Jian Yi was going to confront all of these people. He also forgot that in the midst of these people there was a gold core cultivator. It was like as long as Jian Yi appeared, it was enough to drag him back from the brink of despair.

 

"Number 4!" The brother sister duo yelled again. Seeing Jian Yi still not responding, they became infuriated and came circling over: "What are you trying to do?"

 

Jian Yi didn't even bother turning his head. A simple and plain stone slate that was hanging on his waist suddenly started to glow faintly red.

 

This was the first time wen Xuan has seen such a stone slate. Presumably, it was the treasure that Jian Yi spent all of these months searching for.

 

That red light carried a dangerous aura. Those Violet Feathers instantly had a bad feeling. But they heard the leader say: "Seize him," and all began attacking Jian Yi. Magic weapons and magic skills flew across the sky, but they were all blocked by the barrier created by that red light.

 

The next second, even the entire Waxing Moon Island started quaking.

 

This dangerous aura was no trivial matter. Even Wen Xuan felt his hackles raise unconsciously.

 

"You're not Number 4. Who the heck are you?" The leader's complexion was extremely unsightly. As a gold core cultivator, he already guessed what kind of thing would occur next. Yet, he was still reluctant to abandon the heavenly beast that was almost within his grasp. He can only remain where he stood and endure stubbornly, still continuously casting magic attacks over, hoping to break this barrier in time.

 

Jian Yi's smile carried a bit of ridicule and condescending. He finally turned his head and coldly looked at these people. Then, he shifted his gaze downwards, sweeping across the faces of the inhabitants of Waxing Moon Island. This look was just as cold.

 

The stone slate on his waist was a treasure that he spent tremendous effort to find. Its strength was so incomparable that it wasn't actually something a yuan gathering cultivator like him

 

could control completely. Once he activated it, it could even annihilate this entire island, as well as everyone on this island.

 

At this moment, Jian Yi really did plan to kill everyone here.

 

Yet Wen Xuan was currently making low growls behind him, clearly distressed.

 

"Shixiong," Jian Yi asked quietly: "You're still worried about those people on the island even now?

 

Wen Xuan roared. Then, afraid Jian Yi would mistake what he was trying to express, Wen Xuan immediately started to sweat in anxiety. In the end, he finally remembered that he can still write words and hastily reached out his claws to start digging at the ground.

 

Actually this was entirely unnecessary. How could Jian Yi not understand what he meant? Not waiting for Wen Xuan to even finish writing the first word on the floor, Jian Yi already sighed. At the same time, the red light at his waist turned and transformed into a faint blue light.

 

"Shixiong, don't be afraid." Jian Yi said: "I'll take you away from here."

 

With the sound of these words, that dangerous feeling instantly disappeared.

 

All of the Violet Feathers couldn't help but celebrate. However, before they made any other movements, that blue light abruptly increased in intensity and shone so brightly that people couldn't open their eyes.

 

When the blue light dissipated, the figures of that person and the demonic beast could no longer be found, only leaving behind a huge empty net.

 

Some unknown distance away, in a deserted mountain forest, Wen Xuan's gigantic demonic beast body appeared in midair. Jian Yi was by his side, tightly holding onto his claws.

 

As soon as they landed, Jian Yi hastily looked around all over. Seeing that there was not a soul in sight, he unconsciously let out a breath of relief. Then, he looked at the stone slate on his waist. Because it was activated, this stone slate was dim and without light now, momentarily unable to be used again.

 

"Shixiong," He patted Wen Xuan's claws and soothed Wen Xuan's unrest: "It's okay. We're completely safe right now. They won't be able to catch up to us. No matter what, they can't chase over here."

 

Wen Xuan also looked at the surrounding, making a rumbling noise from his throat, asking where was this place.

 

"I also don't know. This thing teleports randomly." Jian Yi rapped the stone slate on his waist and then smiled again: "It's pretty far in any case."

 

Normal teleportation skills can only travel about 1000 miles. But this stone slate has formidable strength. Crossing continents wasn't out of consideration. In any case, they were no longer at sea right now. Most likely, they weren't even in North Ning. Perhaps, they've reached some place that hasn't been explored.

 

Saying this, Jian Yi ripped off his face mask and revealed that exceptionally familiar face again.

 

He found a cave inside the forest and let Wen Xuan hide inside. Then, he left momentarily, expressing that he's going to explore further.

 

Wen Xuan was naturally reluctant, however, under this kind of situation, he can only obediently hide himself inside the cave.

 

There was light leaking in from above. The inside of the cave wasn't complete darkness. Wen Xuan could sense that Jian Yi had placed a concealing and protection magic at the entrance of the cave. He wandered around by himself inside the cave, ultimately finding a water puddle and crouching down next to it. He looked at his beastly face that was reflected in the water puddle. Different from the heavenly beast's appearance of what should have been his father in that illusory past, at the moment, Wen Xuan didn't have any scales. Instead, he looked rather like a huge fox that had a sharp horn on its head. The fur on his body was a sort of white-ish blue.

 

This was probably because Wen Xuan was only a pup right now if counting by heavenly beast years.

 

Wen Xuan didn't really like this appearance and couldn't resist smacking the water puddle with his claws, scattering this mirrored image. After that, he looked at his beast claws, mood unconsciously becoming downcasted.

 

He hoped that by the time Jian Yi came back, he already recovered his original form again. Then, he needed to return to

 

Waxing Moon Island and explain everything clearly to the inhabitants on the island.

 

Yet in the end, he was disappointed. When Jian Yi appeared again, it was two hours later. Wen Xuan still remained in his beastly appearance, without any signs of turning back. It was fine even if he was only able to change into something like when he was just born, with a generalized human form? But in the end, he still remained a huge beast.

 

Wen Xuan was somewhat panicky. He used his claws to write words on the ground, asking Jian Yi if he knew how long Wen Xuan had to stay in this form for.

 

Jian Yi looked at the row of words on the floor and remained silent for a while. Then, Jian Yi asked him: "Shixiong, I already asked clearly. Guess where we're at right now? We actually arrived in South Feng."

 

South Feng is southmost of Central Sheng. They came here from the ocean, and actually directly crossed two entire continents, North Ning and Central Sheng, South Feng was actually a rather peculiar place. The spirit energy here was plentiful, spiritual items abundant. Yet the talent of cultivators here couldn't match up to Central Shang. It was only considered Central Sheng's storage house and trade center. To Jian Yi however, this fertile yet cultivator lacking South Feng Continent was really a good hiding spot.

 

Hiding? This word made wen Xuan feel disturbed again. He poked at the row of words on the ground and stubbornly asked that question again.

 

Jian Yi sighed: "Shixiong, don't panic. No matter what, I will always accompany you."

 

Wen Xuan's heart promptly grew cold.

 

Jian Yi's attitude already answered everything. Actually, Wen Xuan already guessed this answer before, He was only unwilling to believe it. The reason he had completely changed into the appearance of a demonic beast wasn't because those Violet Feathers did something to him. Instead, it was merely because of the heavenly beast bloodline that finally resurfaced in his body.

 

The reason why he was generally human shaped when he was an infant was because at that time his demonic beast energy was still very weak. Yet his demonic beast energy grew extremely powerful and was currently suppressing his human bloodline. His many years of cultivation only managed to help him to maintain human intelligence.

 

He could no longer change back. He will remain a demonic beast.

 

Wen Xuan backed away a few steps, body somewhat trembling. He roared quietly twice yet he couldn't stop the trembling.

 

"Shixiong, don't be like this." Jian Yi hastily chased after him and arrived by his side, continuously comforting him: "It's not completely hopeless. Just think about it. Even demonic beasts can change shapeshift, right?"

 

Right. This was true. Wen Xuan instantly felt hope burning again.

 

Even demonic beasts can change shapeshift. Most of the time, after demonic beasts past their first little heavenly trial, which

 

was equivalent to humans forming a core, they were able to change shape. Although it was impossible to completely eliminate beast characteristics, at least he could change into what he originally imagined, with a general human shape.

 

However, heavenly demonic beasts clearly weren't the same. The bloodlines of heavenly demonic beasts are more ancient. Shapeshifting for them was even harder. The proof was in the fact that Wen Xuan had already formed a core, yet he still couldn't change shape at all. Even that already nascent soul father of his never shapeshifted.

 

Thinking this, the hope that Wen Xuan ignited with great difficulty sank back down again. Even if he managed to wait until the day he could shapeshift, how many years would have passed by then? What would Waxing Moon Island be by that time?

 

He used his claws to write down his misgivings.

 

Unexpectedly, when Jian Yi saw these words, his expression dimmed.

 

"You're actually still hoping to return to Waxing Moon Island?" Jian Yi said, grinding his teeth: "Shixiong, I know you're kind-hearted. That's why I listened to you and didn't harm them. But how could you still want to go back? Did you already forget how they treated you? You shouldn't keep thinking about them!"

 

Hearing these words, Wen Xuan was somewhat surprised. Then Wen Xuan furrowed his brows and roared twice. What are you talking about? Although the people of Waxing Moon Island injured him, it was merely because they were tricked by those Violet Feathers. In any case, Wen Xuan never told them anything before

 

either. And he even injured that Zhang shidi when he suddenly transformed into a beast. Honestly speaking, if Wen Xuan encountered this kind of situation himself, he also wouldn't have realized the truth. Since it's like that, how could he blame them?

 

Wen Xuan wanted to dispute with Jian Yi, but he really couldn't express all of these complicated words for the moment.

 

But no problem, Jian Yi understood his meaning.

 

Although he understood, Jian Yi's face only darkened more.

 

"I definitely will return to find them. Even if I can't change back, I can definitely find a way to explain to him." In the end, Wen Xuan wrote on the ground: "Jian shidi, you have to help me. As long as you help me, this will be very easy."

 

Jian Yi looked at these words, not replying for a while.

 

So Wen Xuan got up and headed outside the cave by himself. He definitely couldn't throw away Waxing Moon Island just like this. Even if Jian Yi wasn't willing to help him, he will still think of a plan himself.

 

"Shixiong, wait a second." Jian Yi called out from behind him.

 

Wen Xuan stopped and turned his head back.

 

He thought Jian Yi would tell him how unreasonable his current thought process was. Tell him how much hardship he'd encounter if he went back to Waxing Moon Island right now. For example, how was a huge demonic beast like him supposed to cross two continents. Or how the Violet Feathers might have remained on

 

the island without leaving yet. Then they could sit down and have a good chat so they could think up some proper plans.

 

However, Jian Yi only walked quickly to Wen Xuan's side. Pulling out something from his sleeve, he directly pressed it against Wen Xuan's forehead.

 

It was a jade pearl.

 

Wen Xuan has seen this kind of jade pearl before. Back then, he was able to see the illusory past of his birth history though the same kind of jade pearl. These jade pearls can allow Jian Yi to store some of the images from the original novel.

 

Wen Xuan didn't have a chance to respond when many images started flooding his head.

 

Wen Xuan couldn't help but howl, looking like he was suffering extremely

 

"I originally didn't want you to see these." Jian Yi sighed deeply: "But why are you still not understanding? Even after encountering that kind of thing, are you still incapable of understanding? Shixiong, you forced me to do this."

 

Wen Xun already could no longer hear his words. His consciousness was currently immersed in the illusion.

 

The first image in the illusion was actually Zhang Xiaoqing. Who knew what she was looking at, currently, she was over there screaming. Then, Wen Xuan saw himself. For the Wen Xuan in the illusion, although the seal inside his body had already suffered damage, it hadn't collapsed completely. With a human

 

appearance that had demonic beast energy encircling around him, this Wen Xuan was currently fleeing in panic.

 

Along the way, Wen Xuan could see many people from the Water Cloud Sect who looked like they still resided in the Water Cloud Sect. However, the scenery that he saw along the way was clearly no longer in the Water Cloud Sect. Wen Xuan didn't know exactly where this was. But this wasn't what's important. Everyone that Wen Xuan saw along the way, those familiar fellow Sect members, were all attacking him frantically.

 

Amongst them included those 100 people he once saved from the Water Cloud Sect, and also included the 20 some people who followed him to the Waxing Moon Island. All that appeared showed no mercy towards him. All of them acted like they were insane or something.

 

The inner core disciples raised their weapons even more so. Under the leadership of Zhang Xiaoqing, they pursued him endlessly in an attempt to kill him.

 

Within minutes, Wen Xuan was beaten and injured. However, he finally managed to escape.

 

Wen Xuan ran until he was out to sea, escaped to that Waxing Moon Island and silently curled up on the island, hiding away.

 

Then the scene changed, as if many years passed. Wen Xuan saved a group of people from the Water Clan. He could tell immediately that this group was all Water Cloud Sect disciples. One of them was even that Zhang shidi. At that time, they were already unconscious from being attacked by the Water Clan. Wen Xuan moved them one by one to a safer place.

 

While he was moving that Zhang shidi, Zhang shidi woke up in his arms. Pretty much in the instant he saw Wen Xuan's face, Zhang shidi didn't say anything; he just stabbed a sharp blade into Wen Xuan's chest.

 

Wen Xuan let out a miserable shriek, not only yelling in the illusion but also similarly mournful in reality.

 

Why? In the illusion, Wen Xuan clearly still had his original appearance. Clearly everyone could tell he was Wen Xuan. Yet why would they still treat him like that? Did he make a mistake? Even if no one was tricked by the Violet Feathers, even if no one thought he was only a beast pretending to be Wen Xuan, they'd still attack him regardless?

 

Merely because of his demonic beast energy? Merely because he actually had a demonic beast bloodline?

 

Wen Xuan crouched on the ground, trembling unceasingly, as if he lost all strength to hold up his limbs.

 

The illusion ended. Jian Yi threw away the jade pearl that had turned to dust and then took out another jade pearl. He pressed it against Wen Xuan's forehead like before.

 

Just at this moment, blood seeped out of the corner of Jian Yi's mouth.

 

He wasn't supposed to leak the future to anyone, even if the images Wen Xuan was about to see were no longer the future, but was rather the reality that had already been changed and

 

would no longer happen.' This action still caused him quite the injury.

 

However, Jian Yi still chose to do this. In this jade pearl, he cut out the beginning and end, only taking out the portion that would hurt Wen Xuan the most, in order to let Wen Xuan know how laughable his previous naivety was. That's right. Jian Yi was very clear what kind of harm this action would bring Wen Xuan. That's why he absolutely can't let this kind of harm be without any gains. He needed to achieve a definite result.

 

So inside this jade pearl was the one hundred years after Wen Xuan was captured by Violet Feathers that had occurred in the original novel.

 

In the original novel, Violet Feathers viewed Wen Xuan as their Sect's most valuable treasure. They used iron rope that pierced through his bones to imprison him for a full one hundred years. After the first ten years, everyone in Violet Feathers thought Wen Xuan had already been tamed. They even took him out to guard and protect their Sect.

 

What a devastating one hundred years that was and what a humiliating one hundred years that was. The passing of that one hundred years was enough to whittle down all hope.

 

In reality, Wen Xuan gradually quieted, but what made him quiet wasn't peace, but rather despair.

 

He endured this one hundred years all by his lonesome. No one thought about saving him at all. During the one hundred years he spent in Violet Feathers, he even frequently saw visitors from the Water Cloud Sect and occasionally saw the inhabitants that

 

followed him to Waxing Moon Island. However, no one expressed even a hint of kindness towards him. Some even showed detest. Some would assess him as if they were assessing some rare commodity.

 

Wen Xuan laid on the ground, motionless.

 

This kind of hurt carved into the bones and engraved into the heart. He pretty much couldn't trust in anything anymore. Except, probably, the person who's been by his side all this time and continuously comforting him.

 

"Shixiong, don't worry. You still have me. I will accompany you always. I'll stay by your side no matter what." Right now, Jian Yi was extremely weak and could only lean on Wen Xuan. His palm continuously stroked Wen Xuan's fur as he used his face to rub against Wen Xuan's face: "Shixiong, you should finally know now. You only have me. All this time, you've only had me. In this world, only I can accept you completely. No matter what you change into."

 

He felt Wen Xuan's face was somewhat wet. He knew that Wen Xuan was currently weeping.

 

This was the first time he saw Wen Xuan weep. Before, no matter under what kind of circumstances, even when Wen Xuan discovered that he was deceived by his Sect, even when Wen Xuan just discovered his own birth history, he never shed tears.

 

Jian Yi felt his heart ache, yet he had a smile at the corners of his mouth.

 

Because of his weakened state, he was somewhat unable to maintain the self protection energy surrounding him. Wen Xuan's still uncontrollable demonic beast energy slightly seeped coldness into him.

 

But so what?

 

Jian Yi moved his somewhat frostbitten fingers and continued to press against Wen Xuan's body closely.

 

He thought: from now on, Wen Xuan will really only belong to him. He will protect Wen Xuan always and not let Wen Xuan experience any more harm ever again. This thought made Jian Yi completely forget about the pain from his injuries. He only felt utterly satisfied and content.

 

74

Chapter 74

 

After that day, Jian Yi started hiding Wen Xuan inside that mountain cave, not letting anyone see him. In order to prevent people from entering accidentally, he not only placed down heavy protection arrays at the entrance of the cave, he even moved over mountain rocks.

 

"Shixiong, these are all for your own good. After all, if you were seen by someone right now, who knows what would happen." He stroked the fur on Wen Xuan's body and comforted him gently: "However, don't worry. All of this is only temporary. I will definitely find a way to help you recover your human appearance."

 

The light that originally scattered into the cave was also blocked. Inside the cave fell into darkness, unable to tell day and night.

 

Wen Xuan closed his eyes in the darkness, not giving any opinions and basically not responding at all, as if he didn't hear anything.

 

Jian Yi knew it's because Wen Xuan was hurt too much and sighed. A moment later however, Jian Yi pulled himself together. He trusted in his own abilities to heal this hurt sooner or later.

 

However, in these days, Jian Yi still had many things he needed to do. He built a residence outside of the cave, pretending to be a sectless cultivator living by himself. Everyday, he'd leave to find places where other cultivators gather or a trading house, doing his best to search for the things he needed.

 

However, he never went far, always returning at night to keep Wen Xuan company inside the cave. He spoke for hours, regardless of whether Wen Xuan responded or not. In the first few days, Wen Xuan ignored him most of the time. However, Jian Yi didn't mind. Every time, he'd speak by himself until he was exhausted, then rest quietly by Wen Xuan's side. There was no disappointment or bitterness in his expression. Almost like leaning against Wen Xuan's side like this was enough to fulfill his greatest desire.

 

A few days passed like this. Wen Xuan never responded but he saw and kept everything in mind in the end.

 

One day, Jian Yi traveled far during the day. When he came back at night, he was panting. After forcing a smile and some words, he couldn't endure it anymore and fell into a deep sleep leaning against Wen Xuan's foot.

 

Wen Xuan carefully moved that foot a little so that Jian Yi could feel more comfortable laying on it.

 

After a moment, he couldn't resist moving his head closer and looking carefully at Jian Yi's sleeping face.

 

When Jian Yi wasn't here during the day, he's been doing his best to get used to this demonic beast body. Now he could see easily in the dark. Unfortunately, his control over the demonic beast energy still had not improved much. He was still unable to completely withdraw that demonic energy that was capable of hurting people. Luckly, Jian Yi's cultivation was very strong now. It maintained the self protection spiritual energy even in his sleep so he wasn't afraid to be injured by Wen Xuan again.

 

Wen Xuan stared at Jian Yi's rather exhausted face for a long time, then carefully lowered his head and gently rubbed against Jian Yi's shoulder.

 

He thought he rubbed very lightly, but Jian Yi woke up in a flash.

 

Wen Xuan wanted to evade and pretend he didn't do anything, but it was too late. Jian Yi raised his hands and hooked them around Wen Xuan's neck. Pressing his head against the crook of Wen Xuan's neck, Jian Yi said quietly: "Shixiong, are you finally not angry with me anymore?"

 

Wen Xuan stiffened his neck for a moment, then silently sighed. He couldn't maintain that cold indifference in the end. Instead, he drew his head back and rubbed it once more on Jian Yi's body.

 

In this kind of moment, he wanted to say something. However, no matter how hard he attempted to speak human in the last few days, he could only make some rather unpleasant sounding noises in the end. He really didn't want Jian Yi to hear that. If he wrote on the ground, he can express what he wants, but it'd

 

really kill the atmosphere. In the end, he could only use this kind of method to express his intimacy.

 

"Shixiong, shixiong......" Jian Yi allowed Wen Xuan to nuzzle him, extremely delighted internally and smiling so happily that his eyes practically closed in contentment: "Shixiong, that's wonderful..."

 

After mumbling like this for a bit, he fell back into a deep sleep against Wen Xuan.

 

Not long after, Wen Xuan lowered his head next to Jian Yi's side and went to sleep as well. The night was somewhat cold so Wen Xuan curled up his body and encircled Jian Yi completely in the middle.

 

The next day when Jian Yi opened his eyes, he immediately saw the big fluffy tail covering him. It was really very warm.

 

Unfortunately, he only moved a tiny bit and didn't even have a chance to touch the tail with his hand when Wen Xuan pulled that tail back immediately, clearly already awake for a while.

 

Jian Yi turned his head and saw Wen Xuan crouched there, patting the ground with his paw.

 

There were a few rows of words there, written this morning before Jian Yi woke up.

 

Finally Wen Xuan was willing to communicate. Jian Yi didn't dare to dally, and hastily gathered spiritual energy in his eyes in order to see those words more clearly in the dark. When he read those words clearly, his heart sank again.

 

Wen Xuan asked Jian Yi, was the content he saw before inside that jade pearl the complete truth or was there something hidden.

 

The reason why Wen Xuan would ask this was because the illusory world created by the jade pearl was mostly a conglomeration of fragments, lacking the beginning and end. Even though the truth shown by those mere fragments was enough to cause Wen Xuan deep agony inside his heart, he still wanted to maintain hope, wishing for perhaps a better reason to explain these people's actions.

 

"Shixiong," Jian Yi steadied himself, not answering but asking in return: "Do you not trust me?"

 

Wen Xuan paused and shook his head. Then, he reached out and wiped away the words on the floor with his paw. That's right, what's so skeptical about it. Jian Yi has been the person he's trusted the most all this time. Now, he was also the only person Wen Xuan could trust.

 

After wiping it away, Wen Xuan wrote something else.

 

He told Jian Yi, in the last few days, for some unknown reason, he started to feel unusually hungry. This hunger really came out of nowhere. He has already abstained from meals for many years. It's really been many years since he last experienced the feeling of hunger.

 

Jian Yi furrowed his brows, confused momentarily as well. He can only surmise that it had something to do with changing into a demonic beast.

 

Therefore, from that day onward, Jian Yi started to cook some warm food everyday to bring in front of Wen Xuan in the cave. To be honest, Jian Yi's culinary skills weren't really much. What he made couldn't be considered delicious, but it was enough to choke down.

 

After eating it, the hunger in Wen Xuan's stomach could reluctantly be counted as somewhat relieved. However, another kind of hunger started seeping out of his bones. It urged him to eat something, but he didn't even know what exactly he wanted to eat.

 

Later, Jian Yi probably found a great chef in a nearby town. The food that he brought over tasted much better. However, it was still not enough to satisfy the hunger that poured out of Wen Xuan's bones.

 

Wen Xuan thought, perhaps he's been shut inside the cave for too long and should walk around outside a bit, get some sunlight.

 

However, Jian Yi stopped him with a serious expression: "Shixiong, what if you get seen by someone. What if those villains came to catch you again. Did you forget what would happen?"

 

This made Wen Xuan recall the 100 years of slavery under the Violet Feathers in the illusory world. A chill ran up the back of his spine. He was scared by that 100 years of illusion. Really extremely scared. That was something that he didn't want to experience again, no matter what. Therefore, he listened to Jian Yi's words and retreated back into the world of darkness inside the cave.

 

Other than bringing back warm food these days, Jian Yi was the same as before, coming back at night to accompany Wen Xuan while heading out during the day. Wen Xuan once asked him what he was busy doing. Jian Yi lowered his head and smiled shyly, saying originally he felt too embarrassed to let Wen Xuan know this early. Then, he gave Wen Xuan the formula of a medicinal pill.

 

Wen Xuan immediately remembered that Jian Yi seemed to have been searching for the materials needed for some ancient medicinal formula all this time. After relocating to Waxing Moon island, he temporarily stopped for a while. Now he was clearly searching again, and searching with much more urgency than before.

 

"You want to refine some kind of medicinal pill?" Wen Xuan wrote on the ground.

 

"Shape Shifting Pill."

 

These three words instantly made Wen Xuan stop breathing for a moment.

 

"But these materials are really too hard to find. I already searched for so long and it's still not complete. That's why I didn't dare to tell you before. I was afraid to make you wait too long." At first, Jian Yi spoke somewhat quickly. Later, he gradually calmed down: "However, trust me, shixiong. I will definitely be able to make this shape shifting pill."

 

For a moment, Wen Xuan didn't even know what to say. Shape shift pill, as the name suggested, was a medicinal pill that allowed demonic beasts to change shapes ahead of time. It's one

 

of the pills that has been traded between the Danxing Sect and Violet Feathers for many years. However, the one that Jian Yi was talking about clearly can't be a normal shape shifting pill, because Wen Xuan wasn't a normal demonic beast. The materials for a regular shape shifting pill wouldn't be this hard to find either.

 

Jian Yi already knew a long time ago that Wen Xuan was the descendent of a heavenly beast. Therefore, he's been preparing for this day ahead of time.

 

That's right. He really did start preparing a while ago. When did he first start? At that time, Wen Xuan still thought this was an assignment given to him by Qi Jibai. He never thought that everything Jian Yi was doing was all for his sake. Within this short exchange of words, Wen Xuan's heart practically melted into a puddle of water.

 

Despite running in and out busily, Jian Yi's cultivation didn't slack. Finding that quickest cultivation method for himself was not in vain. Even under this kind of situation, he still increased his cultivation more and more with each passing day. In a blink of an eye, he was already at peak yuan gathering, only a step away from gold core.

 

As the distance of this step grew closer, the strange hunger in Wen Xuan's body became even more intense.

 

Things finally slipped in a direction that no one wanted to see.

 

This night when Jian Yi stepped into the cave again, he saw Wen Xuan crouched on the ground with his paws extending outward completely. Waves of howls came from his throat, clearly in extreme agony.

 

"Shixiong?" In panic, Jian Yi was just about to charge in when Wen Xuan abruptly whipped his head around. Seeing Jian Yi, Wen Xuan roared loudly, not letting him come close.

 

Wen Xuan didn't even know what was wrong with him right now. But just by looking at Jian Yi, that hard to ignore hunger made him feel like there was a wonderful and delicious aroma in the air, like the roasted chicken he ate last night. He's already been hungry for too long. Therefore, he could only use this kind of method to control himself from opening his claws and pouncing Jian Yi like he was hunting prey.

 

Jian Yi stood quietly at the entrance of the cave for a moment. Seeing Wen Xuan's current state, his expression was first dark, then light. After a while, Jian Yi smiled bitterly: "Shixiong, I get it...... Heavenly beasts like to eat the flesh of humans."

 

Like to eat the flesh of humans? Was that why no matter how many other things he ate, he still didn't feel satisfied. These mere words were like enlightenment, as well as a thousand arrows piercing his heart.

 

"Especially the blood and flesh of cultivators." Jian Yi's smile was full of helplessness.

 

Wen Xuan roared nonstop, only wanting to hurry up and chase Jian Yi outside the cave as soon as possible, not letting Jian Yi get close ever again. If he stopped roaring, he didn't know what kind of things he'd end up doing. Perhaps he'd be controlled by this instinct and murder Jian Yi carelessly, creating an aftermath that he'd never be able to accept for the rest of his life. Or perhaps

 

he'd only collapse on the floor and cry bitterly, questioning why he had to change to something like this.

 

Jian Yi continued to stand at the cave's entrance for a while. In the end, he finally complied with Wen Xuan's urging, turned around and left.

 

Wen Xuan waited until he couldn't see Jian Yi's figure again before relaxing all of the muscles of his body. Instantly, he collapsed on the floor. However, he didn't cry bitterly. He practically wanted to laugh wildly at the top of his lungs. Laugh at himself for being reduced to this. Laugh at how unfair fate and destiny was. Laugh at how ridiculous this life has been.

 

Another day and night passed. Wen Xuan wondered if Jian Yi would return. Unsurprisingly, he didn't return in the end.

 

Three days and three nights passed. Wen Xuan continuously slammed his head on the walls inside the cave until he started bleeding, using this method to restrain the impulse brought on by his body's instincts. He was so hungry that he was about to run out of this mountain forest. He knew that not far outside of this mountain forest was a small town. Jian Yi once told him the town was full of people. Wen Xuan definitely couldn't indulge his instincts.

 

Five days and five nights passed. Wen Xuan was practically laying inside the cave, body weary and strength exhausted. A large area of skin on his head had fallen off from hitting it repeated against the walls. It had bled quite a bit. Yet now, it seemed pretty much healed. He finally no longer thought about going to that little town outside. He started to miss Jian Yi, wondering if Jian Yi decided to never come back again.

 

He knew that there's no way Jian Yi would really leave him behind uncaringly. But where was Jian Yi right now?

 

Eight days and eight nights passed. Wen Xuan finally couldn't resist walking to the entrance of the cave. Jian Yi actually left for this long. Wen Xuan didn't believe Jian Yi would really leave and not come back. He started to worry about Jian Yi's safety and started to think about going outside to search for Jian Yi. But just as his front paw reached into the magic array placed by Jian Yi at the cave entrance, Wen Xuan suddenly recalled the 100 years of slavery in the illusory world again. He recalled once more Jian Yi's countless warnings before.

 

Just like the many countless times before when he wanted to go out and get some fresh air.

 

That illusory future was a nightmare that carved a deep fear in his heart. This fear and Jian Yi's warnings twisted together to form a heavy chain that wrapped tightly around Wen Xuan's feet whenever he was awake, and imprisoned him inside this dark world within the cave all this time.

 

Wen Xuan pulled his paw back, then extended it again.

 

Just as he clenched his jaw, got ready to disregard everything and charge out, finally a figure walked over from outside.

 

It was Jian Yi. Jian Yi finally returned.

 

After many days of disappearance, the next time Jian Yi appeared, he was surprisingly already a gold core cultivator. Through the barrier created by the magic array, the presence

 

belonging to a gold core cultivator assaulted Wen Xuan's senses. However, Wen Xuan didn't get a chance to appreciate it when another thick, bloody odor followed closely behind.

 

Jian Yi was injured, practically becoming a mess of blood all over. Who knew what kind of harsh battle he encountered again that forced him to ascend mid battle. It was probably because of this prompt breakthrough that he was able to come back alive.

 

Before even entering the cave, Jian Yi fell to the ground unconscious, not getting back up again.

 

Instantly Wen Xuan forgot his terror. Charging out like the wind, he hastily picked up Jian Yi with his mouth, and moved him into the cave.

 

It wasn't until after placing Jian Yi into the cave that fear came rushing belatedly like the rising tide, making Wen Xuan drip in cold sweat. He continuously prayed that no one saw that scene just now. However, other than terror, Jian Yi's current state made him even more anxious at heart.

 

Through the rippled clothes, Wen Xuan could see injuries all over Jian Yi's body, a ghastly and horrible sight.

 

Wen Xuan lowered his head, extended his tongue and carefully used saliva to clean up those open injuries. This wasn't actually an easy thing. The taste of blood just passed upwards from the top of his tongue, Wen Xuan immediately furrowed.

 

That terrifying impulse brought on by his instincts still remained in his bones. However, it was restrained by his many days of

 

effort. Now that he's tasted Jian Yi's blood with his tongue, this was like pouring a bucket of oil on the fire, extremely arduous.

 

However, Wen Xuan still only merely furrowed his brows.

 

With Jian Yi's current state, there's no way he could drive Jian Yi outside again. Nor could he cast Jian Yi aside unconcerned. He could only continue to rely on his own strength to resist this instinct. However, this actually wasn't as hard as he imagined.

 

That's right. The person laying on the ground right now was his Jian shidi. It's someone that he'd never injure, no matter what circumstance. Therefore, no matter how intensely that terrifying impulse raged, no matter how much his instinct was burning in his bones, he still had to control it. Wen Xuan continued to carefully use his tongue to lick over every injury on Jian Yi's body.

 

Even that originally uncontrollable demonic beast energy was also unprecedentedly, for the first time, withdrawn completely into Wen Xuan's body today and didn't harm the utterly defenseless person on the floor one bit.

 

Wen Xuan's saliva had a very good healing effect. Not even a day passed and Jian Yi's injuries were already much improved. He was also gradually starting to wake up from his unconsciousness.

 

"Shixiong......" Jian Yi looked at Wen Xuan bewildered and dazed, voice hoarse.

 

Wen Xuan lightly rubbed against Jian Yi and allowed Jian Yi's hand to lightly caress his body.

 

"I was really afraid I couldn't see you again." Jian Yi said with a faint smile.

 

Wen Xuan made a rumbling noise, indicating: me too.

 

Then Wen Xuan's rumbles became louder, as if questioning where exactly did Jian Yi go to cause him to end up in such a state.

 

Jian Yi smiled and opened his storage bag. Something fell out from inside. Something covered in blood.

 

It was actually a corpse. The blood was still very fresh, clearly this person just died not long ago.

 

Wen Xuan jumped in alarm. When he stared more closely, he discovered that he actually recognized this corpse. This was the leader that was attacking him that day on Waxing Moon Island. The brother of that brother sister pair. That gold core cultivator!

 

"A few days ago, I discovered they arrived in South Feng." Jian Yi looked at this corpse and said with a cold smile: "Originally I planned to have his sister taste my blade, but was discovered by him. So I ended up catching this big one."

 

No wonder Jian Yi was injured to this extent. No wonder he had to rely on ascending into gold core to preserve his life. To be able to kill this person in that kind of situation... Wen Xuan can only sigh. As expected of Jian shidi.

 

Thinking about how Jian Yi ended up in this state all for the sake of getting revenge for Wen Xuan, Wen Xuan didn't feel great inside. He rumbled some more to tell Jian Yi to not be so reckless in the future.

 

75

Chapter 75

 

This corpse was still left inside the cave in the end and once again silently buried by Wen Xuan.

 

However, some days later, Jian Yi brought him a third corpse, telling him as before that this was a person who deserved death. Once again, Wen Xuan disputed with Jian Yi. And once again, he attempted to tell Jian Yi, he really didn't need this kind of thing. He can endure it. However, no matter what, he was unsuccessful in his attempts.

 

"Shixiong, what are you worried about?" Jian Yi even asked him in a righteous tone: "Are you saying you don't believe my words? Don't believe that this person really deserved death? Is this kind of person really worth such reluctance from you?"

 

Right. To be honest, this was really a rather ironic thing. Wen Xuan finally managed to preserve his self over his instinct and hold onto matters that he should hold onto. But in Jian Yi's eyes, this was only meaningless stubbornness.

 

And if the argument continued further, the words that Jian Yi would say next would be: "Shixiong, I'm doing this for your own good."

 

Jian Yi has said these words countless times within this period of time.

 

These were also words that Wen Xuan was incapable of arguing against.

 

Therefore, ultimately in the end of every dispute, Wen Xuan was always the first to capitulate and comply. Perhaps what Jian Yi said was correct. With how matters stood, there was really nothing to hold onto anymore. Wen Xuan already practically lost everything. Only Jian Yi was the one thing that he couldn't lose.

 

Wen Xuan didn't object to Jian Yi's actions anymore, only hoping that Jian Yi wouldn't harm the innocent. Jian Yi also gladly promised.

 

But those dead bodies continued to be silently buried by Wen Xuan. Sometimes Wen Xuan didn't even know himself, why was it that he clearly already decided to comply, yet in the end, he still continued to hold on. Perhaps it's only because ultimately, he still couldn't step over that boundary in his heart.

 

How many days of this has he passed together with Jian Yi? Wen Xuan couldn't remember very well.

 

Staying in the cave for too long, he slowly lost the sense of time. There wasn't even sunlight in the cave after all. The only thing that allowed him to feel the passage of time was the change in temperature, as well as Jian Yi's return every night. Especially in

 

the long arduous winter days, everytime Jian Yi walked in the cave entrance, it was like he brought along all of the light and warmth in the world, making Wen Xuan unable to resist getting up and moving close. He actively guarded Jian Yi's side and carefully expressed his affections, as if he was guarding the only light he could see.

 

Because he clung to this radiance too much, even though he knew that Jian Yi's thoughts and methods have already gradually moved away from Wen Xuan's original desires, ultimately, he couldn't abandon Jian Yi. He couldn't even resist.

 

If this kind of day continued onward, perhaps one day in the future Wen Xuan would feel that in this world, other than Jian Yi, nothing else mattered?

 

However, before that happened, Wen Xuan encountered a person.

 

That day, Wen Xuan was curled up in the corner resting. Suddenly, something fell from above and hit him on the head. Instantly startled, Wen Xuan opened his eyes to look. He only saw a round bead that was filled with spiritual energy rolling beside his foot.

 

The bead was already covered by a layer of frost because when it fell, it just happened to hit the horn on Wen Xuan's head. That horn also just happened to be where Wen Xuan's demonic beast energy gathered.

 

Wen Xuan nudged the bead with his paw. As he was feeling baffled, he heard a sound above his head.

 

This was the sound of a rock being moved. When the stone was completely removed, a beam of light suddenly fell down. At this time, Wen Xuan finally recalled that, before it was blocked by Jian Yi, there was an opening here where the daylight passed through.

 

Because of this sudden light, Wen Xuan squinted. Then, he saw a figure jump down from above.

 

Wen Xuan instantly felt his hackles raise, unconsciously jumping backwards a step. When he looked more closely, he saw it was only a little girl in the foundation building stage.

 

The little girl reached out both hands and fumbled around on the floor, as if searching for something. After a moment, she sighed and raised her head. Then, she probably discovered Wen Xuan who was hidden in the darkness. A look of surprise flashed across her face. She hastily got up and stated: "Sorry, I didn't know there was someone down here."

 

Wen Xuan narrowed his eyes and carefully examined her.

 

Though the sunlight above his head, he can clearly see, this little girl's eyes were milky white. She was a blind person who couldn't see anything.

 

"I was looking for someone ahead of here. However, when I walked by above, I accidentally dropped something down here." The girl hastily explained: "That's why I moved the stone and came down. Oh right, can I ask if you've seen a......"

 

Not waiting for her to finish speaking, Wen Xuan roared, wanting to chase her away.

 

For some unknown reason, Wen Xuan didn't feel happy to be mistaken as a human. Probably because he couldn't communicate with her like a real human.

 

After hearing this beast roar, the little girl was only a bit more surprised: "Ah? Sorry. So it's actually Mr. Demonic Beast?" After learning that Wen Xuan was a demonic beast, she actually continued to attempt to converse with him: "Mr. Demonic Beast, I really didn't mean to mistake you for a human."

 

The little girl's voice sounded very cute and well-behaved. Just hearing it made people unable to feel angry. Wen Xuan instantly forgave her for suddenly barging in and interrupting his resting time. He only rumbled a bit to make her leave quickly.

 

However, he forgot. The other wasn't Jian Yi. How could she know what every one of his rumbling meant?

 

The little girl thought he was only greeting her and very happily continued to ask: "A round bead fell down just now. Did you see

 

it?"

 

Wen Xuan lowered his head and looked at the thing that fell next to his paw just now and pushed it over.

 

The little girl picked up the bead and very happily instilled her spiritual energy inside. Then, a ball of spiritual energy rose out of the bead and covered over her eyes.

 

Wen Xuan finally realized that this was the magic tool she used in order to see.

 

But because the magic tool was frozen briefly by Wen Xuan's demonic beast energy, the bead was covered by a layer of frost right now, causing the little girl to not see very clearly even with the bead. She bit her lips, obviously looking very distressed because of this. Yet, she still said to Wen Xuan first: "Mr. Demonic Beast, thank you."

 

Wen Xuan extended his paw and pointed to the outside of the cave.

 

The little girl still couldn't see clearly but she can at least make out a general silhouette. This time she didn't mistake Wen Xuan's meaning. Discovering that she was unwelcomed, she was somewhat disappointed. Then, she nodded and obediently said her goodbyes before walking outside holding the bead in her hands.

 

Half-way, she was tripped by a tree root. Getting up and rubbing her knee, she said feebly: "Sorry, Mr. Big Tree.

 

For some reason, Wen Xuan felt his heart soften instantly.

 

The reason why this girl couldn't see the road clearly was partially because of Wen Xuan, no?

 

Thinking this, Wen Xuan couldn't help but quietly follow behind her until he saw the little girl walk out of the cave, going further and further away. Wen Xuan stood at the entrance of the cave for a moment. Since he entered this cave, he's always had a certain fear towards the outside world. However, ever since Jian Yi went out that one time, even though this kind of terror still remained carved into his bone, it wasn't that capable of trapping him anymore.

 

Just as he deliberated, Wen Xuan suddenly discovered that the direction the girl was heading towards was the residence that Jian Yi had built closeby.

 

Jian Yi always left early in the morning and then came back at nightfall. Seeing the time, it was about time for him to return.

 

The little girl waited at that residence for a moment, then heard the sound of footsteps. She raised her head and was just about to say her greetings; Jian Yi already spoke first: "Miss Ye, why are you here?"

 

"I don't know when you'd go to the market place next time. I heard others say you live here so I came searching." As the little girl talked, she took out a wooden box from her storage bag and opened it. There was a green fresh leaf inside.

 

"This is the Water Moon Bodhi Leaf. My cultivation is low so I can only stop it from decomposing for a day after picking it. That's why I needed to give this to you as soon as possible.

 

Hearing this, Jian Yi hastily accepted this wooden box. Using his own gold core spiritual energy to protect it, he let out a breath of relief: "So it's like that, Miss Ye, you're very considerate."

 

"In exchange for 5 thousand spiritual stones." Miss Ye said, extending her hands.

 

Jian Yi counted 5 thousand spiritual stones and gave it to her. The little girl checked the weight and then smiled in satisfaction. Saying goodbye sweetly, she turned and got ready to go.

 

Jian Yi raised his head to look at her figure, then lowered his head again to look carefully at that wooden box before storing it carefully inside his own bag. This Water Moon Bodhi Leaf was one of the materials needed for the ancient Shape Shifting Pill. Extremely hard to find. He didn't know how long he had searched until he discovered that this Miss Ye had some. Good thing this girl was easy to talk to. He only pleaded twice before she agreed to do this trade with him.

 

What Jian Yi forgot at that time -merely because he was very busy running around- was to ask one important question. Where did that girl find this thing?

 

"Miss Ye, what's the hurry?" Jian Yi said: "Since you came all the way here, why not sit for a while and have some tea?"

 

The little girl halted, somewhat hesitant: "...... No need? It's already getting late. I should head back."

 

"Then even more reason to stay." Jian Yi said: "The mountain is deserted with hardly anyone. Wouldn't it be dangerous for you to go alone? Why don't you sit for a moment. Let me tidy up and then send you back."

 

The little girl thought briefly, holding the spiritual bead that still had frost on it, and then finally nodded.

 

Jian Yi led her into the house and pretended to ask carelessly: "When you came here, did you encounter anything special?"

 

"No." The little girl answered.

 

Jian Yi let out a breath of relief: "Really nothing at all?"

 

"If you must ask. In the cave over there, there is a Mr. Demonic Beast."

 

Jian Yi abruptly froze. When he opened his mouth again, his voice lowered by two degrees: "You saw?"

 

"Yea. Although Mr. Demonic Beast looks a bit fearsome, he's actually very friendly." Still completely unaware, the little girl pointed at the cave and asked with a smile: "It's so close to here. Could Mr. Demonic Beast be your friend?"

 

"You can say that," Jian Yi answered vaguely.

 

However, as he answered these words, his expression already became exceptionally dark.

 

"Miss Ye, come walk this way." Jian Yi pointed ahead of him with his left hand, his right already slipping to his waist.

 

Just as the little girl turned around, a cold light suddenly appeared. Jian Yi pulled out the sharp blade at his waist and abruptly swung at her.

 

With the full strength of a gold core cultivator and difference of two cultivation levels, he was determined to take her life.

 

This thing happened too fast, the little girl didn't even have time to respond. However, at the very last moment, a jade amulet on her waist flashed and helped her block this blow. Then the jade amulet broke, unable to be used again. The little girl had a mouthful of blood from being hit with the shock of this blow and

 

finally realized that Jian Yi was actually trying to kill her. She hastily escaped outside.

 

But how could Jian Yi allow her to escape. The second killing blow was already following close behind.

 

This time, there was no second jade amulet to help her block it. Jian Yi's killing blow reached her in a blink of an eye. A huge rumble sounded. She was thrown away by the shockwave. Finally spitting out the mouthful of blood, she fell unconscious to the floor. However, Jian Yi's killing blow actually didn't land on her. Instead, it collided with another force that suddenly appeared.

 

The two sides clashed, blowing up dust and debris all over.

 

Discovering he had once again been blocked, Jian Yi was first surprised and then furious. When the dust and debris finally settled, however, his face color turned white in an instant.

 

The thing that blocked him this time was an icy surface formed from demonic spiritual energy.

 

Behind the icy surface stood Wen Xuan.

 

"Roar......" Wen Xuan called quietly, voice full of sorrow and grief.

 

This sorrow and grief seemed to be asking-- So this is what you promised, to never harm the innocent?

 

76

Chapter 76

 

"Shixiong...... ....... " Jian Yi instantly somewhat panicked, face green one second and white the next. Then, he clenched his jaw: "Shixiong, I don't want to do this either, but she saw you. How can I let her leave here alive?"

 

So this was the reason? Hearing this reason, Wen Xuan roared angrily again, even more furious than before. Just because she saw him briefly, she should die? What kind of reason was this?

 

"Shixiong, I'm doing this for your sake." Jian Yi continued to say: "I'm only trying to protect you."

 

Here it was again. These words again.

 

It's all for your sake. It's for your own good.

 

In these days, how many times has Jian Yi said these words in total? And every time, Wen Xuan had no way to argue back. It

 

was these kinds of words that always led to Wen Xuan's compliance and surrender.

 

However this time, Wen Xuan has finally had enough. He stared fixedly at Jian Yi, not saying anything.

 

In face of this silence, Jian Yi's complexion looked even worse. When he first saw Wen Xuan, Jian Yi naturally felt regret. If he knew beforehand that Wen Xuan was watching on the side, he definitely wouldn't have done this kind of thing in front of Wen Xuan. However, after confronting Wen Xuan, the frustration and grievance in his heart took over.

 

"Shixiong, why would you appear here? Why aren't you inside the cave?" Jian Yi shot a vicious look at the little girl that was protected behind Wen Xuan: "Did she make you come out?"

 

Thinking this, the killing intent in Jian Yi's eyes actually increased, not decreased.

 

"Did you forget what I said before again? Did you forget what would happen if you were seen by people? Shixiong, take advantage of the fact that no one is close right now and return quickly. Just leave the outside things to me. I will definitely protect you well......" Saying this, Jian Yi took a few steps over. He reached out his hands, wanting to stroke Wen Xuan's fur like before to soothe Wen Xuan's mood.

 

Wen Xuan looked at the hand that Jian Yi extended over. He knew what kind of warmth that palm brought and couldn't help but start to tremble.

 

Ah, that was the only light that he could still see right now. He was practically about to surrender once again.

 

But who couldn't tell, Jian Yi was still full of killing intent. He was only waiting to act again after sending Wen Xuan away.

 

If Wen Xuan really yielded, it'd be the death of an innocent-- And it'll be his Jian shidi who will end up killing this innocent, just because of the reason 'it's all for your sake'-- this was something that Wen Xuan couldn't accept no matter what.

 

Ultimately, Wen Xuan didn't let Jian Yi's hand touch him, because that would have crushed all of his resistance. He took a step back and stubbornly guarded in front of the girl.

 

Jian Yi's extended hand stiffened in midair just like that. After a moment, he withdrew his hand. Grinding his teeth, his expression started to twist somewhat: "Shixiong, move out of the way!"

 

Wen Xuan roared lowly, wanting Jian Yi to abandon this murderous plan.

 

"Move!" Jian Yi yelled loudly, infuriated: "Do you have to protect everyone? You clearly learned already that no one in this world is worthy of your protection! In your most desperate moment, no one helped you!"

 

Saying this, Jian Yi's eyes reddened. Countless times before, he thought wen Xuan's world only had him. Yet, there'd always be some careless outsiders intruding. These outsiders, no matter who it was, clearly would only end up hurting Wen Xuan.

 

He started gathering spiritual energy in his palm, and actually wanted to circle around Wen Xuan to kill that girl.

 

He wasn't the same as Wen Xuan. He didn't want to consider if this girl was innocent or not. He didn't want to consider if she needed to die or not. He only knew that this girl was a time bomb. Disregarding the anger Wen Xuan will have for him because of his actions towards her, to Jian Yi currently, a mere time bomb was already enough reason to get rid of her. There's no way he'd let go of anything that could bring danger to Wen Xuan in the future.

 

Even if this will make Wen Xuan extremely angry, he would rather spend more time later to make up for this fissure.

 

However, just as Jian Yi raised his hand, he heard a furious snarl. An upsurge of demonic beast spiritual energy erupted from Wen Xuan's body and headed straight at Jian Yi.

 

Jian Yi was stupefied. He never thought that Wen Xuan would actually choose to attack him. Frozen where he stood, he even forgot to respond, even forgetting his instinct to dodge. He just stood there, dumbfounded. The freezing cold demonic beast energy came at him head on. However, in the end, it didn't injure Jian Yi at all. The demonic beast energy formed a sturdy ice prison around Jian Yi and trapped him securely inside.

 

Wen Xuan gave Jian Yi one last deep look and then turned around to pick up the unconscious girl on the floor. Throwing her onto his back, he carried her and ran off.

 

When Jian Yi finally recovered and broke through that ice prison, he couldn't see Wen Xuan at all.

 

Jian Yi's hands and feet were cold, even somewhat numb. He spent a long time to finally acknowledge the truth that Wen Xuan actually left him because of some unknown girl. Instantly, his eyes turned bloodshot, as he gave chase towards the direction that Wen Xuan headed off to, as if insane.

 

Right now it was already nighttime. Wen Xuan was like the mist in the night, traveling through the clouds at a speed that couldn't be clearly seen. He ran very quickly. He didn't dare to stop. He knew that Jian Yi would definitely give chase. If it happened again, he didn't know if he would still have the courage to make the same decision. At this moment in time, he can only protect the girl on his back and run like his life depended on it.

 

After some unknown time passed, a white line appeared on the horizon. The sky was starting to light up.

 

The cover of the night gradually disappeared. Just as Wen Xuan started to panic, he felt that the girl on his back moved a little, like she was about to wake up.

 

Wen Xuan hastily hid inside a cave and put the girl down.

 

Mere moments later, the girl opened her eyes and struggled to get up. At first she was somewhat confused. Then, she finally remembered what had happened. Instantly, her face turned white. After that, she took off the jade amulet that had broken from blocking Jian Yi's attack from her waist and yelled: how terrible.

 

She held this jade amulet and nervously looked around.

 

Wen Xuan already hid himself behind heavy layers of trees. He originally only wanted to look silently, just making sure that this girl was safe. However, when the girl pulled out the jade amulet, Wen Xuan abruptly took a heavy breath.

 

This subtle movement was very quickly discovered by the girl.

 

The little girl first panicked. Then, discovering Wen Xuan didn't have any bad intentions, she calmed down again: "Mr. Demonic Beast, could it be? You saved me?"

 

Wen Xuan's gaze still remained staring at the jade amulet in her hand, a wave of shock surging in his heart. He was extremely familiar with the style of this jade amulet. Of course, this was because he once saw the same jade amulet countless times before-- in that place that was originally in his body, on the waist of the divine memory of Ye ShengGe!

 

How surprising. This girl that he saved by chance just happened to have the same jade amulet on her waist as Ye Sheng Ge.

 

Wen Xuan then recalled the name that Jian Yi called this girl-- Miss Ye?

 

Wen Xuan made a rumbling sound in his throat, not even knowing how he should be feeling at this moment. Just very complicated. In a flash, he had a whole bunch of questions to ask, yet he didn't know where to start.

 

The little girl, however, already walked in front of him and asked quickly: "Mr. Demonic Beast, just what exactly happened?" Thinking about how Jian Yi suddenly dealt a killing blow at that

 

time, she had lingering fear from the aftermath and also felt quite wronged: "Why did he want to kill me?"

 

Wen Xuan placed his paw on the ground but was very hesitant. After a while, he finally wrote: Can you see clearly now?

 

The little girl nodded. With the passage of time, the frost on the magic bead already melted.

 

However, Wen Xuan didn't continue to write for quite a while.

 

Just as the little girl got ready to ask, Wen Xuan finally moved his claws, almost trembling as he wrote: Please forgive him.

 

The little girl was extremely surprised: "Why? He wanted to kill me!"

 

Please forgive him. Please forgive him...... Wen Xuan still said these words, writing them again and again on the ground. The more he wrote, the more he trembled. In the end, he really couldn't write anymore and laid on the ground, howling sorrowfully.

 

"You...... Ai. Mr. Demonic Beast, don't be like this......" The little girl frantically consoled him.

 

She really wasn't a stone hearted person. Seeing Wen Xuan like this, she couldn't resist nodding her head in the end and softening her voice, saying: "Okay okay. I wasn't too hurt anyways, so......"

 

Saying this, she looked at the broken jade amulet in her hand, face scrunching up like a bitter melon: "However, no...... I still

 

can't pretend nothing happened. The jade amulet broke. Shifu will definitely scold me to death."

 

When Wen Xuan heard 'shifu' this word, he recalled the mysterious relationship she had with Ye Sheng Ge. He hesitantly wrote on the ground: The Little Valley?

 

The little girl made a sound of surprise and looked at Wen Xuan with a completely different gaze: "How did you know?"

 

As expected. This girl came from the same place as Ye Shengge, with the same shifu. Perhaps even related by blood.

 

Ye Sheng Ge-- Because of this name, Wen Xuan felt a bit closer to her.

 

Then, the girl told Wen Xuan. That jade amulet was a token bestowed upon her by her shifu before she left. It could save her life once. However, her shifu also made it clear. As soon as the jade amulet broke, she must return immediately or he would expel her from the apprenticeship.

 

"Of course, shifu wouldn't really expel me." The little girl sighed: "but I might not escape from his fury."

 

Originally there was also a teleportation talisman inside this jade amulet which would teleport her immediately when the amulet broke. However, for some unknown reason, the teleportation talisman didn't work after the amulet broke. The little girl can only head back to the entrance connecting to The Little Valley herself.

 

This entrance wasn't nearby. If she went on foot, it'd take several months. She definitely wouldn't be able to get back before the time limit that her shifu set up.

 

Wen Xuan thought briefly and then volunteered to carry her. The little girl cheerfully agreed.

 

Wen Xuan's flying speed was much faster. It only needed merely three days of traveling. However, he still had to avoid people along the way. Therefore, it took a bit longer. In the end, it took five days to arrive.

 

On the road, the little girl said her name. Surname Ye, first name Qin. Ye Qin.

 

Although Ye Qin agreed to forget that she was almost killed by Jian Yi, she still couldn't resist brooding. Before they reached the Little Valley, she took the opportunity to ask: "Why did you have to plead for mercy for him? Are you guys that close? I once asked him if you guys were friends. He answered very vaguely."

 

Wen Xuan didn't know how to reply so he just remained silent. He can't talk anyways.

 

"Or is he your master?" Ye Qin continued to ask.

 

Wen Xuan stopped abruptly in midair and almost threw her off. These words made him extremely indignant. He roared furiously nonstop.

 

Ye Qin actually didn't mean it in a bad way. She was only deducting logically. Seeing she guessed wrong, she hastily apologized.

 

However, Wen Xuan couldn't resist thinking. That's right. What kind of relationship did he and Jian Yi have currently? After hearing the words Ye Qin said, he was really very angry. He wanted to say loudly that it wasn't like that. He and Jian Yi were equals. However, ever since he turned into a demonic beast, after all this time, the interaction between him and Jian Yi clearly degenerated. He knew that actually, they haven't been equals for a long time.

 

Just as he pondered melancholically, Ye Qin made a delighted noise behind him and said they have finally arrived.

 

Wen Xuan looked at the completely ordinary, barren little hill below him. This was the entrance to the Little Valley? Was there some kind of mistake?

 

Very quickly he discovered, there really wasn't a mistake. This was it.

 

He saw a thing, laying on the withered grass of the little hill. It was an old message talisman that had bloodstains on it.

 

Around 30 years ago, when Wen Xuan was still in the Water Cloud Sect, this talisman was folded into a crane shape and sent out. It must have circled this place countless times, unable to enter. In the end, its spiritual energy exhausted and it fell to the floor to face the rain and wind. Luckly, it was stuck between rocks. That's how Wen Xuan managed to see it at this time.

 

As Ye Qing went to cast magic to open the entrance of the passage, Wen Xuan pulled this message talisman out from the cracks in the rocks and opened it carefully with his claws.

 

There were only these four words written on it-- "I really miss you."

 

Wen Xuan looked at these four words, silent for a long time. He carefully closed the talisman and then turned around to request Ye Qin, please let him come into the Little Valley to visit for a bit.

 

"Daoist master Ye......" Wen Xuan asked her: "Was Daoist master Ye's remains buried inside the Little Valley?"

 

The passage was already opened. A warm white light enveloped Wen Xuan and Ye Qin.

 

Ye Qin answered in the white light: "Yep. You also know shixiong?"

 

The warm light dissipated. Below their feet was green grass. Ye Qin completed her words: "Do you want to sweep his tomb?"

 

Wen Xuan nodded, found out where Ye ShengGe was buried from Ye Qin, and headed off in the direction she told him. There wasn't that much difference between the Little Valley and the outside world. The sky was just bluer and the grass was greener, like an otherworldly paradise.

 

Occasionally, Wen Xuan could see the residents of the Little Valley passing by. They had no cultivation and were only normal mortals, but Wen Xuan couldn't help but feel panic. However, he very quickly discovered that when these residents of the Little Valley saw him, they didn't act any differently than seeing another mortal, as if they weren't surprised just because he was a demonic beast. It wasn't until after he walked a bit more and

 

saw other demonic beasts that Wen Xuan discovered, in this world, humans coexisted with demonic beasts.

 

However, he was ultimately only a guest in the Little Valley. After making a fleeting glance at everything along his trip, he very quickly arrived at Ye Sheng Ge's grave.

 

Wen Xuan placed the message talisman with those four words here.

 

Daoist Master Ye...... Wen Xuan made a rumbling sound from his throat. He wanted to say many words, yet he couldn't even say a single word. He wanted to write something on the ground, yet in the end, he still couldn't write anything. In the end, he bent his front limbs and gave a deep bow. Everything was within this bow.

 

After this bow, Wen Xuan got up and surprisingly discovered someone standing behind him.

 

The person's figure looked hazy, not very distinct, yet he was undoubtedly standing right there. Wen Xuan couldn't feel this person's cultivation level and unconsciously became vigilant.

 

"Don't be so nervous." The figure smiled faintly: "I heard Qin-er brought back a guest and came to take a look, that's all."

 

Saying this, the figure looked at Ye ShengGe's grave and sighed: "But I never thought that you'd have ShengGe's presence on you. My two disciples have such age differences, yet they were both destined to meet you. This is really quite extraordinary."

 

Hearing these words, Wen Xuan jolted.

 

"It looks like you're probably Wen Xuan. ShengGe mentioned you to me back then. He was even the one that gave you this name." This figure thought about the things that happened back then and couldn't resist smiling in reminisce: "Nice to meet you. I'm the master of this Little Valley. I've already forgotten my name but everyone calls me Master of the Little Valley."

 

Master of the Little Valley. Master of the Little Valley. Wen Xuan chewed over these five words countlessly, utterly astonished.

 

Back then Ye ShengGe fell because he was killed by the combined force of some villains. Not even a night had passed, those villains completely disappeared as if they vanished from the face of this world. Back then, there were rumours that the Master of the Little Valley got revenge for his disciple.

 

Those villains were all nascent soul cultivators back then. If the rumours were true, then this Master of the Little Valley was at least a Dasheng cultivator.

 

77

Chapter 77

 

After learning that the person in front of him was the Master of the Little Valley, Wen Xuan instantly gave a huge bow of courtesy. However, since he had a body of a demonic beast, this huge courtesy looked a bit awkward.

 

"You can forget that." The Master of the Little Valley couldn't help but smile: "Back to the main point. Back then, Ye Sheng Ge almost accepted you as his disciple, but unfortunately...... Nevertheless, with this kind of connection, if you encounter any trouble, you can come ask me for help."

 

Saying this, he turned and left.

 

This person didn't have a concrete body. When he walked, he was like smoke.

 

After that, Wen Xuan also left this tomb and found a deserted place to hide away. Even though he knew that the people of this world didn't plan to harm him, he was already not used to

 

appearing in front of other people's view. Everytime someone's gaze landed on him, it always made him strangely terrified and anxious. Even when traveling, Wen Xuan did his very best to hide inside the shadows.

 

When Ye Qin finally found him after expending a whole lot of effort, she expressed extreme displeasure and bewilderment to this habit of his: "Could it be, you're afraid of seeing the sunlight?"

 

Wen Xuan shook his head, unable to hold back from laughing bitterly inside.

 

"Since you managed to come visit, why don't we tour around together for a bit?" Ye Qin then asked him.

 

Wen Xuan continued to shake his head.

 

"Mr. Demonic Beast. You're so strange." Ye Qin can only sigh.

 

Wen Xuan silently stretched his paw outside of the shade and into the sunlight. Quietly adapting for a moment, he finally got up and walked out. However, a little while later, he returned back into the shadows, curled up and crouched there.

 

"Do you want to stay here for a few days to get some rest? I can find you a more comfortable place." After Ye Qin finished speaking, she waited for a moment. Seeing Wen Xuan not responding, she continued to ask: "Or do you want to return?"

 

This question made Wen Xuan feel completely lost. Right now, Wen Xuan didn't even know himself which path to take.

 

Should he return? Return back to Jian Yi's side? That's right. He should return. He already left this long, Jian Yi must be starting to worry. Who knows, Jian Yi might have been searching for him all this time.

 

However...... Wen Xuan once again scooted out of the shade and attempted to stay a little longer under the sunlight. In the end, he still returned back into the shade. ...... Should the current him really return back to Jian Yi's side? If he returned, everything would go back to the beginning. He wanted to do his best to stand under the sunlight again. Jian Yi, however, wouldn't agree.

 

If he didn't return, where else can he go?

 

Wen Xuan deliberated for a long time. Then, he wrote some words on the ground, explaining how he saw the Master of the Little Valley just now.

 

"Shifu really said that? Then you better seize this opportunity. Shifu rarely says things like that." Ye Qin said happily: "Quick quick, tell him all the troubles you've encountered. He can definitely help you."

 

Saying this, she led the way personally and brought Wen Xuan to where the Master of the Little Valley lived.

 

Wen Xuan originally thought that the figure he saw before was only the Master's divine conscience out traveling around. He thought he should be able to see that person's main body here. However, what he didn't imagine was that even here, the only thing he saw was the same hazy vague figure.

 

Ye Qin left Wen Xuan here. Before she left, she leaned into the Master of the Little Valley and whispered something to his ear.

 

After she left, the Master looked at Wen Xuan and said: "This disciple of mine is very worried about you. She's observed your behavior and knows that you are not the same as normal demonic beasts. That you have a shadow in your heart."

 

Wen Xuan lowered his head and said deprecatingly to himself: So even this little girl could tell.

 

"Can you talk to me about it?" The Master asked.

 

Wen Xuan didn't know where to start speaking. Thinking for a long time, he took out something. It's a frozen grain of ice which used to be the jade pearl that Jian Yi used to allow him to see the illusion of the future. After the jade pearl was utilized, it turned into dust. Then Wen Xuan collected the dust and froze it into this grain of ice.

 

Jian Yi knew what he did, only thought Wen Xuan wanted to carve the images of the illusion into his heart, and didn't stop him.

 

"This is......" Now that the Master of the Little Valley saw the ice grain, his expression changed subtly.

 

After a moment, the Master of the Little Valley chuckled: "Who would have imagined. The presence of this object actually seems somewhat familiar to me. Where did you find this?"

 

Hearing this, Wen Xuan was also very surprised. However, he remembered that Jian Yi almost killed Ye Qin before and was

 

afraid that this person might go settle the score with Jian Yi. In the end, he didn't answer at all.

 

Actually, Jian Yi didn't have any connection with the Master of the Little Valley. What was familiar to him was the force supporting Jian Yi.

 

Seeing Wen Xuan wasn't willing to answer, the Master didn't insist. Fiddling around for a moment, he discovered the dust that was hidden inside the ice. Through the ice, he used his divine sense to touch the dust and made a noise of surprise: "This jade dust once held an illusion."

 

"The images inside this jade is the reason for the shadow in your heart?" Then he asked Wen Xuan: "Can I take a look?"

 

Wen Xuan hesitated for a moment and then nodded his head.

 

Actually this ice pearl hasn't been the original jade pearl for a long time. Wen Xuan wasn't even able to collect all of the dust. Through this ice pearl, nothing should have been seen. However, the Master wasn't any normal person. With just a little jade dust, he was able to see everything that Wen Xuan saw before.

 

The more he looked, the more he furrowed his brows. After viewing everything, the Master sighed: "So it's like this. To be able to record the future of another path, what a strange skill."

 

After tracing everything back to the source, the Master then discovered that the images inside the jade pearl weren't actually complete. There were portions that were cut out by someone. He told this discovery to Wen Xuan and asked Wen Xuan if he wanted to recover the portions that's been cut out.

 

Wen Xuan nodded, and wrote "please" on the ground.

 

The Master pulled the hidden scenes little by little out of the jade dust and then carefully recovered their original appearance. A ball of light rose slowly in his palm and gradually condensed into reality. Then, he tossed that ball of light at Wen Xuan.

 

Wen Xuan closed his eyes and allowed that ball of light to shine in his head.

 

The images in that jade pearl were once so agonizing he wished he were dead. He never imagined that he would actually come back to look at them again.

 

The scenes that he saw last time still remained and once again pierced him bloody and painful.

 

However, one thing was different this time. Before everything that happened was another scene. This was something that Wen Xuan didn't see back then. The part that was deliberately concealed by Jian Yi. The start of everything.

 

The center of everything, was the Sect Leader Jizi Ang.

 

Back then, Wen Xuan was also confused. Clearly, everyone in the Water Cloud Sect were all chasing him down and trying to kill him like mad, but why didn't he see Jizi Ang's figure at all? However, with those hurtful images and Jian Yi's relentless and intimate comforting, Wen Xuan ultimately didn't go looking for the bottom of this answer.

 

Now Wen Xuan finally knew the truth.

 

In that world that didn't have Jian Yi, Wen Xuan never saw through Jizi Ang's ill intent and continued to cultivate the method provided by Jizi Ang. Finally, Jizi Ang felt that the opportunity had arrived and wanted to use Wen Xuan in order to reach Nascent Soul. Then......

 

Jian Yi once said, Wen Xuan interrupted Jizi Ang's plans and didn't let him prevail. However, Jian Yi never let Wen Xuan know that the reason he was able to destroy Jizi Ang's plans was because at that time, the demonic beast energy in Wen Xuan's body felt danger and erupted out of his body. This attack on the completely unguarded Jizi Ang directly caused him to lose his life!

 

Zhang Xiaoqing's scream came after that. Then came the hostility of the entire Water Cloud Sect towards him. At that time, there was no Jian Yi to misguide the demon to Cerulean Feathers. Jizi Ang was completely prepared and successfully transported everyone in the Water Cloud Sect to Central Sheng. It was a time when he was most revered and loved by all of the disciples. Yet Wen Xuan ended up killing him during this time. Deceiving the teacher and extinguishing a clan was something that people could not tolerate.

 

That's right. It wasn't completely because of Wen Xuan's demonic beast bloodline. If it was only the demonic beast bloodline, despite a large number of people being unable to tolerate him, there should still be at least someone willing to accept him. But there wasn't.

 

In other words, even though he killed Jizi Ang, if it weren't for the demonic beast energy circling around him at that time, there'd be at least one person willing to hear his explanation. There'd be at

 

least one person who'd discover that Jizi Ang was the first to have ulterior motives. There'd be at least one person who'd be able to understand Wen Xuan's actions.

 

The demonic beast bloodline or the murder of Jizi Ang. If only one of the two happened, no matter which one, it was not enough to make Wen Xuan the enemy of everyone. There might have been a chance for things to turn for the better. However, what happened at that time was a combination of the two. Even though Wen Xuan didn't do anything wrong at that time, in that kind of situation, there was no way for him to explain himself.

 

This was the real truth behind everything.

 

Wen Xuan laid on the ground, motionless for quite a while. After a long time, he finally moved. He laughed. But that sound was even harder to hear than crying.

 

Perhaps in Jian Yi's eyes, this truth wasn't really that important. Since no matter what, the harm that those people caused to Wen Xuan was present and real. However, if Jian Yi really thought that, then why would he deliberately cover up the root cause? This fact already proved that Jian Yi was very clear how greatly this would influence Wen Xuan's judgment.

 

At this moment in time, Wen Xuan felt like his heart turned to ash. So in the end, even his Jian shidi had also deceived him.

 

The Master quietly looked at him from above and waited for him to slowly recover.

 

Finally, Wen Xuan got up from the ground and then kowtowed, thanking him for providing Wen Xuan with the opportunity to know the truth.

 

"Master Lord of Little Valley," Wen Xuan wrote on the ground: "Now that things have reached this point, I only have one request to ask of you."

 

"Go ahead."

 

"I thought my life would be without regret. However, having walked here and looked back, I only feel like everything is absurd and laughable." Wen Xuan continued to write on the ground: "I'm willing to say goodbyes to everything. I only wish to discard the demonic beast blood within my body, and be reborn as a human."

 

The Master of the Little Valley remained silent for a moment, then gave him a deep look: "You want to reincarnate and recultivate?"

 

"Other than this, is there any other way to get rid of the demonic beast blood within my body?"

 

"No."

 

Wen Xuan laughed bitterly and didn't speak anymore, only giving another kowtow.

 

"Since you're determined to reincarnate and recultivate, I can guard you and guarantee that your soul will not be damaged. I can also help you make arrangements to lead your next life back on the way of Dao." The Master of the Little Valley said: "However to say goodbye to everything...... sounds easy. But have you really thought it through?"

 

If there was something that could stop Wen Xuan's plan right now, it'd be the still unresolved empathy parasite in his heart. He explained about this matter and asked if the Master can help him get rid of this parasite first.

 

"If it's only this, you don't need to worry." The Master of the Little Valley said: "This world is not connected to the outside world. If you departed in this world, even with the empathy parasite's connection, it wouldn't affect anyone outside."

 

If this was the case, then what's holding him back?

 

However, at this time, the Master of the Little Valley handed him a disk and told him to go back and reconsider some more: "Reincarnation and recultivation is an extremely important decision. There's no room for regret. This item can reflect your heart. You take it. When you can truly cut off everything in your heart, then come back to find me."

 

Wen Xuan gave his thanks, took the disk and left. He was then led into the guest room by Ye Qin who was waiting outside.

 

It's called a guest room, but because of Wen Xuan's demonic beast body, actually this was only a clean and bright looking cave.

 

After Ye Qin left, Wen Xuan placed that disk on the floor and slowly instilled his divine sense inside. Very quickly, he arrived inside the disk and saw the him that was waiting inside.

 

The Wen Xuan that was created by this disk still had a human appearance. This was expected. Because in Wen Xuan's heart, he's always been human.

 

Wen Xuan walked over and saw many chains and shackles coiling around his other self. These were all the things that bound him to this life. Only by cutting these ties can he prove that he was truly ready to say goodbye to everything, so he can reincarnate and be reborn as a human again.

 

He reached out and touched the first set of chains.

 

He saw his childhood. At that time, Chu Lian was still in the Water Cloud Sect. He threw Wen Xuan a cultivation manual, but was too lazy to bother with him. He left Wen Xuan to survive and perish on his own, left Wen Xuan to figure out how to cultivate on his own. Luckily there were still three gold core elders inside the Sect. As long as Wen Xuan brought the cultivation method to inquire them, they'd seriously give him pointers and advice, sometimes even more patient than treating their own disciples. This was the first feeling of warmth inside Wen Xuan's heart, which gave birth to Wen Xuan's feeling of belonging towards the Water Cloud Sect.

 

However as the matter stood, Jizi Ang's sinister motives were already clear. The other two elders had long distanced from him. Even his shifu Chu Lian has never sent word since he left.

 

This first chain broke just like this, leaving nothing behind.

 

Wen Xuan then touched the second set of chains.

 

When Zhang Xiaoqing entered the sect, she obediently and adorably called 'shixiong' for the first time, making Wen Xuan extremely happy. He grinded his teeth and then immediately gave her the magic weapon that he had found after great difficulty.

 

After that, Zhang Xiaoqing became exceptionally close to him. Even though the magic weapon that Wen Xuan gifted wasn't anything impressive, Zhang Xiaoqing still treasured it all along.

 

As for when Luo Qingquan entered the sect, he was actually also very cute. He called 'shixiong' the loudest and clearest, and the most respectful. Later when Luo Qingquan became undefeated in the Water Cloud Sect, only to lose solely to Wen Xuan, this kid started to gradually become stubborn and willful. Every time he saw Wen Xuan, he'd look at Wen Xuan with reddened eyes and yell loudly, 'I will definitely win. I will never concede defeat." Wen Xuan always felt a bit of a headache towards this shidi, but deep in his heart, they were still close.

 

In terms of Shi Buhui. Because he entered the sect too late and had a rather wooden personality, he didn't really converse much with Wen Xuan. They weren't as familiar as the two before, but he was still a shidi that Wen Xuan looked after a lot.

 

Yet now, these shidis and shimei, even if they didn't count as enemies, they were no different than strangers.

 

Then what's the point of leaving this second chain? It's better to just break it.

 

After that were those other fellow disciples. They weren't the core disciples so didn't have as many interactions with Wen Xuan. Yet they were full of adoration and admiration for Wen Xuan. Once upon a time, Wen Xuan remembered everyone of these people's names.......

 

Just like this, Wen Xuan touched the chains one by one and slowly watched the once treasured memories of his life, then watched as they broke into pieces in his hand one by one.

 

Very quickly, there were only a few left of the originally densely packed chains that coiled there.

 

Then after a moment later, only one last chain remained there.

 

Wen Xuan extended his hand and finally touched this last chain. At this time, Wen Xuan already felt somewhat numb inside. For a second, he didn't even consider what this last chain could be and only wanted to end everything quickly.

 

However, just as he touched that last chain, Wen Xuan abruptly trembled.

 

He closed his eyes, shoulders shaking unceasingly, almost about to shed tears. It was Jian Yi. Of course. The last attachment left in his heart can only be Jian Yi.

 

At the very beginning, Jian Yi was leaning against a door, smiling confidently and arrogantly. Then, they outsmarted a demonic beast together and entered that teleportation array. Jian Yi displayed his own special ability for the first time. In order to help Wen Xuan obtain the divine sword, he exhausted all of his energy and allowed Wen Xuan to see his weak side for the first time. At that time, he laid in Wen Xuan's arms, so nervous and embarrassed. That memory seemed so clear and still right before Wen Xuan's eyes.

 

Then, they experienced a lot together. Jian Yi guarded next to him the entire time and even blocked for him countless times.

 

"Shixiong, I want to treat you well." This was something Jian Yi said a long time ago. At that time, even though Wen Xuan felt somewhat touched, he didn't really take it to heart. However, after many many times, Jian Yi used everything, even his own life, to prove these words.

 

How could Wen Xuan not be moved?

 

Recently, Wen Xuan has heard Jian Yi say "I'm doing this for your own good" so many times. Because of this, he's become silent, obedient and submissive, and even frustrated and discontent. How long has it been since he's recalled that at the very beginning, these words actually had a 'want' inside them?

 

If he remembered earlier, would he have felt differently?

 

But that youth's earnest expression, Wen Xuan has actually never forgotten. Even though Jian Yi hasn't been a youth for a long time; his body has also grown taller than Wen Xuan a while ago.

 

At this time, Wen Xuan wanted to drive the appearance of this youth out of his thoughts. Yet, no matter what he tried, he couldn't do it.

 

Unable to hold back anymore, Wen Xuan sobbed painfully into the ground.

 

However, he knew faintly in his heart that this was going to be the last time he'd display this kind of unsightly behavior. All of his grievances towards this unfair destiny, all of his self pity, all of the resentment and hatred he had towards his bloodline will all pass

 

in this cry and become something that will eventually be forgotten.

 

Wen Xuan knew, he needed to accept his past. He must accept his bloodline.

 

He can no longer continue his dream to exterminate demons and eradicate evil. He can't hope for reincarnation and recultivation. He once considered saying goodbye to everything in his life, and once believed that he could cut off all relations...... However, when he finally touched that last chain, he knew he couldn't do it.

 

Clearly, there was only one chain left, yet he couldn't break it.

 

Even if he discarded everything, he still couldn't forget that youth from before.

 

Wen Xuan didn't know how long he cried. In the end, he got tired from all the crying and fell asleep.

 

The next morning when Ye Qin came over to see him, she saw him sitting next to the disk. He seemed to be very different than before. This difference was extremely subtle, very hard to describe, like he had finally accepted and yielded to his misfortunes, yet at the same time, gained the spirit to continue and live well.

 

Seeing Ye Qin, Wen Xuan wrote a row of words on the floor: I need to apologize to you.

 

Ye Qin was just about to ask in confusion when she saw Wen Xuan write a second row of words: Because of his rude actions towards you.

 

"What are you saying?" Ye Qin asked back in surprise, even somewhat angry: "This clearly was his mistake. Why are you apologizing?"

 

Wen Xuan wrote the third row of words: I'm the one at fault.

 

Ye Qin instantly became speechless. Then she saw Wen Xuan write the fourth row of words.

 

-- I indulged him and allowed him to become like that. I didn't take good care of him. I'm to blame.

 

Ye Qin was suddenly somewhat dumbfounded. She finally vaguely sensed that Wen Xuan and Jian Yi's relationship was very different from what she had thought before.

 

Wen Xuan gave her a smile, got up and swung his tail. Then he went to find the Master of the Little Valley.

 

"You thought it through?" The Master asked him.

 

Wen Xuan returned the disk back and then nodded. Then, he wrote on the floor: The item you bestowed upon me allowed me to see many things clearly.

 

"Oh?"

 

Wen Xuan said: I originally thought I had no attachments to this world anymore and wanted to start over and reincarnate.

 

"But now you've given up on that plan?"

 

-- Yes. Right now, I still feel somewhat puzzled. Yesterday, why did I feel like I have no attachments to this world?

 

The Master smiled: "Then you can no longer start over."

 

Wen Xuan paused for a moment and then continued to write: Rebirth doesn't always require starting over.

 

"Really?"

 

Wen Xuan wrote down these words: Metamorphosis is another kind of rebirth.

 

These were some rather interesting words. The Master couldn't help but laugh out loud. Wen Xuan looked at them himself, also felt that the tone sounded too grand, and ended up laughing as well.

 

Laughing, Wen Xuan turned his head and looked behind him.

 

He still remembered that Jian Yi once told him, even if he didn't want Jian Yi to follow him, even if he escaped to the end of the world, Jian Yi would be able to find him.

 

Wen Xuan knew what Jian Yi was capable of. That's why he never questioned those words. That's why he was in such panic while escaping with Ye Qin and only managed to relax relatively after arriving in the Little Valley.

 

Yet now, he thought internally: Jian shidi. I'm about to head off. When do you plan to catch up?

 

Meanwhile, in the last few days, Jian Yi was actually searching for Wen Xuan the entire time.

 

He has never encountered a situation before where Wen Xuan left deliberately. He was practically going mad. He gave chance in the direction that Wen Xuan went off to for many days. But ultimately, he was one step slower, just a little behind. In the end, Wen Xuan entered the Little Valley, so Jian Yi completely lost all directions. He panicked until his both eyes were bloodshot red, acting like ants on a heated wok.

 

He already didn't care about the thing with Ye Qin and only wanted to find Wen Xuan as soon as possible. Yet no matter what he did, he couldn't find him.

 

In the end, he took a deep breath and finally pulled out that round jade magic tool.

 

Actually there was something that he has never told Wen Xuan before. The magic within this round jade magic tool, which allowed him to accurately decipher the Will of Heaven, actually had a limit. Every time he deciphered the will of Heaven, not only would it consume some of his energy, it would also consume some of the tool's own magic.

 

Before...... probably around the time when Jian Yi left Waxing Moon Island on his own in order to find the treasure that the Spirit Exchanging Sieve pointed to, Jian Yi discovered that the magic left in the round jade tool was already not much. From then on, Jian Yi altered his previous unbridled and squandersome behavior and severely restrained the number of times he read the Will of Heaven, only leaving it to when he needed it the most.

 

And now was when he needed it the most. Unable to find Wen Xuan, why would Jian Yi care about the limit at all?

 

He very quickly pulled out some magic from the round jade tool and activated it, using this strength to question the entire world. However, the world didn't answer him. It didn't know where Wen Xuan went. This strength was actually not enough to find out.

 

Not enough? Then try again! Jian Yi grinded his teeth and pulled out more of the magic.

 

But it was still not enough, actually still not enough!

 

Jian Yi took in a deep breath. Disregarding everything, he pulled out as much as he could, desperate and only wanting to find Wen Xuan. Nevertheless, there always seemed to be a force present in between him and Wen Xuan that he couldn't break though no matter what.

 

Jian Yi has encountered this kind of hindrance before. Back then, he was extremely curious about Ye Sheng Ge and once attempted to decipher the location of the Little Valley. At that time, he also encountered the same interference. Jian Yi already guessed by now that Wen Xuan most likely went to the Little Valley. However Jian Yi wasn't willing to give up and he wasn't willing to believe that he actually couldn't find Wen Xuan. In the end, he went all out and forcefully pulled out all of the magic in the round jade tool.

 

He won't accept it. He won't believe that he'd end up empty handed even after using this much power.

 

But this strength was really too much. Jian Yi has never used such strength before. For a moment, Jian Yi felt his ears buzzing and blood seeping out of his mouth as this strength wrecked havoc like never before on his body. Yet he still didn't care, like he was insane.

 

He thought he'd at least find a little hint, but ultimately, he still slammed into that interference. Fresh blood gushed out of his mouth. He practically fell over directly to the floor.

 

Just at this moment, he heard a sigh. It came from that round jade tool.

 

Jian Yi's eyes instantly lit up, as if coming back from death's door. He swiftly sent his divine sense inside. Very quickly, he saw a figure inside the round jade tool. An old man with a headful of white hair.

 

"I'm begging you! Please lend me some more strength!" Jian Yi pleaded.

 

"Back then when I brought you into this world, I already made a contract with you." The old man said: "There's no reason for me to lend you further aid."

 

"Please!" Jian Yi only said: "I must find shixiong!"

 

"Why be like this?" The old man said with a sigh: "You have already completely used up all of the power you obtained from me. Meanwhile, the thing that I originally used you for...... you've already changed many things in this world. Through you, I have gained a lot more understanding of how much influence an outsider can bring to a world. In other words, your task is already

 

now much inform you, I have

 

a world. In

 

complete and you completed it very well. The only thing that's left... it doesn't matter if you want to return to your original world or reincarnate into a good life, I can help you fulfill it."

 

"I only want to find shixiong....." Jian Yi continued to beg: "Tell me, where exactly is shixiong?"

 

The old man finally lost some of his patience: "The location of the person that you're searching for is related to an old friend of mine. I mind my own business with that place and don't want to get involved. If you continue to haggle me, I will only take it as you still want to remain in this world and leave you be."

 

"Of course I want to continue to stay in this world!” Jian Yi said: "I only beg you......"

 

Jian Yi didn't finish his plea, the old man already huffed coldly in response: "Since it's like that, then our contract has been completed. I will permit you to stay in this world. You're on your own."

 

Saying this, the old man turned into smoke and disappeared. That round jade tool that once helped Jian Yi countless times before also lost its luster and became useless.

 

Jian Yi held this round jade tool in his hand, looking around in all directions vacantly and at a loss.

 

Sometimes along the way, a light rain started falling from the sky. Jian Yi took two steps in the rain, but was utterly aimless. In the end, he tripped over a rock and fell into the mud.

 

Jian Yi sat on his knees inside the mud for a long time and then finally let out a bitter laugh.

 

...... he's been, abandoned?

 

78

Chapter 78

 

After journeying to the Little Valley, it gave Wen Xuan the determination to transform himself. However, what exactly was the cocoon that restrained him? The bloodline of the heavenly beast? Once Wen Xuan thought like this, since that bloodline brought him really too much pain. However, right now he wanted to continue living as himself. There was already no way of escaping his bloodline. It was something he had to accept.

 

Then what exactly was that layer of cocoon that he had to break through? In actuality, it was Wen Xuan's former human identity.

 

Or perhaps the better way of saying it was, his obstinate 'I must live as a human' attitude.

 

Now that Wen Xuan exited the Little Valley. He traveled along that mountain range that was called Luofeng Peak. This mountain range extended several thousands of miles from north to south. The eastern side of the mountain traversed through North Ning, Central Sheng, and South Feng, the three big continents. The

 

western side had a vast land that was only given the name of -- West Ming.

 

The paradise of demonic beasts, West Ming.

 

Wen Xuan stood on top of Luofeng Peak, facing the west, gazing at it for a long time. Then, he turned his head to look at the eastern lands that belonged to the cultivators. Shaking his head, he bid his farewells with a smile.

 

Wen Xuan waved his tail and jumped directly over Luofeng Peak, stepping straight into the territory of demonic beasts.

 

Before him was a road that he's never taken before, full of many terrifying unknowns. However, his gaze was firm and steady.

 

What's the point of being apprehensive all the time? What's the point of causing self harm and being self deprecating all the time?

 

At least he had a gold core cultivation. At least he had the strength to fight for a place where he can belong. More importantly, no matter if he was human or a beast, he knew he was Wen Xuan. His true essence wouldn't change because of that.

 

That's right. Since it was already ordained that he can no longer be purely human, why not attempt to live as a demonic beast?

 

Holding this kind of notion, Wen Xuan stepped resolutely into West Ming. As soon as he passed Luofeng Peak, many demonic beasts that lived in West Ming already noticed this outsider. There were even large beasts that let out menacing roars in order to chase Wen Xuan out of their territory. However, Wen Xuan wasn't intimidated.

 

Since he came, he wouldn't leave so easily. Perhaps some demonic beasts didn't view him pleasantly, but that was something that can be settled with a battle.

 

At the beginning, Wen Xuan only wanted to find a place where he could stay in West Ming. However, after defeating two who wanted to contest territories with him one day, and chasing away two who wanted to devour him into their stomachs the next day, gradually, he made a reputation for himself through all the fighting.

 

Unconsciously, an entire mountain became Wen Xuan's property, along with a group of weaker demonic beast followers.

 

Then after that, those human cultivators to the east of Luofeng Peak started causing trouble again.

 

The Danxin Sect made an alliance with the powerful demon that occupied North Ning and caught the Penglai Sect and Violet Feathers Sect off guard. The Dasheng cultivator in Penglai Sect died as a result. The entire sect immediately collapsed and broke apart. The Violet Feathers was slightly better. The Dasheng cultivator in that sect managed to make a narrow escape. However, he still suffered quite the damage, even his teeth ached in hatred.

 

In a flash, the big Sects began to rip each other apart. North Ning and Central Sheng started to engage in warfare. Not long after, the flames also reached South Feng. The ordinary cultivators all lived in trepidation, pretty much unable to cultivate. Many people escaped to the territories off shores again. Even more cultivators started to enter West Ming.

 

However, the demonic beasts of West Ming weren't actually easier to handle than those cultivators who had entered killing frenzies. Many people who wanted to use West Ming to avoid the battlefield ended up in the stomachs of demonic beasts.

 

So in this kind of situation, a pair of brothers snuck into West Ming, but ran into hardship every step of the way under the presence of demonic beasts all over.

 

"Little brother, don't be scared." The elder brother held the handle of his sword with clenched teeth: "You and I are at least yuan gathering cultivators. Normal demonic beasts can't do anything to

 

us."

 

Despite saying this, they've already been injured in a previous fight. Currently, the elder brother had a wound that bled nonstop on his side. His little brother only had one leg that could stand.

 

"Big brother," That little brother said with a tearful face: "If there's really no other choice, you can just leave me behind. Just save yourself."

 

When that older brother heard these words, he immediately became furious. He was just about to scold vehemently when he saw a flash of green before his eyes and hastily held his breath.

 

There was a grass demon here. Although it's also yuan gathering, grass demons were not good at fighting and were much weaker than other yuan gathering demonic beasts. What's more important was that grass demons were born from the gathering of spiritual energy from the heaven and earth. If they could obtain one and boil it into medicine, not only would it completely

 

heal the injuries on the two brothers' bodies, it would help them recover the spiritual energy they lost in the last few days and make their lives easier in the future.

 

The two brothers' eyes immediately lit up. They hastily grabbed the handles of their swords and decided to risk the danger and give it a try. However, the smell of blood was too strong on their bodies. As soon as they got close, the grass demon immediately retreated.

 

How could the two people let her escape? They both started flying and giving chase relentlessly.

 

The grass demon ran for her life, her speed couldn't be considered slow. However, that pair of brothers clearly had extraordinary skills in flying. Not only can the grass demon not throw them off, they even got closer as the time passed.

 

Very quickly, the grass demon became exhausted, speed clearly slowing down. The elder brother hastily boosted his speed. In a blink of an eye, he caught up by a lot and was just about to act when he heard a cry of alarm behind him.

 

That was his little brother's voice! This person swiftly turned his head. He saw a snake demon who had randomly appeared currently holding his little brother in its hands!

 

appeal here.

 

This person became furious. He was just about to engage this snake demon in a big battle when he heard footsteps appearing all over

 

Then, a few moments later, many demonic beasts came out from behind trees and rocks. Taking in the whole view, there were at

 

least a dozen. Although some of them weren't past foundation building level, there were also some who were yuan gathering. It was definitely not something the two brothers could deal with.

 

"You guys dare to bother people from our Tiger Tooth Mountain?" Those demonic beasts stood guard in front of the grass demon, each and every one of them ferocious looking fiends: "Do you not want to live!"

 

By now, the two brothers finally realized that they poked a hornet's nest. Thinking about how they had arduously survived until now only to fall into the hands of a group of demonic beasts, their hearts felt cold and sorrowful. Not to mention, they already carried injuries. Forcibly flying during the chase also exhausted even more of their strength. At the moment, they were physically and mentally weakened. The little brother felt his view go black and promptly fainted then and there. The older brother was a little stronger. He still attempted one last desperate struggle. But the only response he got in return was to be knocked unconscious as well.

 

Before they fainted, they heard that group of demons converse.

 

"What good timing. Just in time to become a sumptuous meal for

 

me."

 

"Keep dreaming! Since we actually managed to catch some live ones, we should let the Big King have a look first?"

 

So they were going to be gifted to a big demon to fill the cracks between its teeth...... This thought flashed through the two brothers' minds as their hearts turned to dust. They completely lost consciousness.

 

Some unknown time later, these two brothers slowly woke up again, actually opening their eyes once more.

 

They stared at each other's faces, asking the same question inside: We're actually still alive?

 

Then after that, the sound of the outside world slowly transmitted into their ears. They were placed in the middle of a pretty big hall. There were plenty of demonic beasts gathered all around. When the brothers lifted their heads, they could see a slightly raised position directly in front of them. An unknown species of demon was currently sitting above as the centerfold of this group of demons. This was presumably that so-called 'Big King'.

 

Taking a careful look, this 'Big King' actually looked rather human-like. His appearance was even very handsome. It's just that on top of his head was a pair of rather whitish-blue ears. Behind him was a fluffy tail. Both of his eyes were bright, bright blue.

 

Meanwhile, the grass demon who was chased by the brothers previously was standing to the side, glaring at them.

 

Seeing the two people awake, that "Big King' pointed at that grass demon and asked them: "What did she do to offend you guys and make you chase her nonstop?"

 

His voice actually sounded pleasant as well. The two brothers were somewhat surprised. Although many of the demonic beasts of West Ming could speak the human language, they always carried a certain accent. The 'Big King' in front of them, however,

 

didn't have an accent at all, just like he grew up on the east side of Luofeng Peak.

 

Of course, this "Big King" really did grow up on the east side of Luofeng Peak-- this was Wen Xuan.

 

This was a rather strange story. Recall back then, Wen Xuan only wanted to find a place where he could stay. Now after ten years has gone by, unwittingly, somewhere along the way, he became the Big King of a mountain. One can only say that life was full of surprises everywhere.

 

Yet after the initial surprise, the elder brother between the two immediately became angry. He stiffened his neck stubbornly and said: "If you're going to kill us then kill us, if you're going to hurt us then hurt us. What's with all the pointless conversation?"

 

Wen Xuan wasn't annoyed however, and just looked at them with a smile, gaze landing more so on the little brother in the back.

 

This elder brother was reminded by this gaze and felt his heartbeat jump. He remembered that he wasn't some solitary hero right now. He still needed to think of a plan to save his little brother. Instantly he regretted his words.

 

Wen Xuan looked at him for a moment and knew that they couldn't find an excuse. Therefore, he directly said to that grass demon: "Since they were the ones who offended you, Xiao Lu, you can decide what to do with them."

 

The grass demon named Xiao Lu said: "Wouldn't that be too out of place?"

 

"Don't give me all that," Wen Xuan didn't know if he should laugh or cry: "If you didn't impart wisdom on me back then, I wouldn't even know how long it'd take me to learn how to shape shift. You don't need to be courteous with me."

 

Hearing this, Xiao Lu finally put away her fears. In a blink of an eye, she turned to glare at the brothers and say viciously: "Then let's burn them into ashes and feed them to the plants on the mountain."

 

Aiyo, how cruel. Wen Xuan couldn't help but pat himself on the chest. Yet, he didn't raise any objections and only raised a hand to let the group of demonic beasts drag these two people off.

 

"Wait!" The elder brother saw that his little brother was about to die with him as well and instantly forgot his stubbornness. With reddened eyes, he yelled: "Don't kill us! I'm begging you guys, don't kill us! We're very useful! We can be a big help!"

 

However, he also knew that demonic beasts were savage. This kind of vague plea for mercy wasn't enough to persuade them.

 

In order to save his little brother's life, he racked his brains. Both eyes staring at Wen Xuan unblinkingly, he looked and looked and really managed to remember something suddenly. Although this person felt incredulous, but under pressure, he didn't have time to think too much about it. Instantly he yelled loudly: "Cultivator Wen! You're Cultivator Wen from the Water Cloud Sect, right!?

 

Upon hearing these words, the originally rather calm and collected Wen Xuan instantly changed his expression.

 

This person promptly knew that he guessed right. Nevertheless he became even more nervous, terrified he'd say something wrong: "Someone on the east side is urgently searching for you right now!"

 

Wen Xuan couldn't help but stand up from his chair.

 

His first response was thinking that Jian Yi finally found him. But thinking about it for a moment, he immediately knew that this wasn't right. If it were Jian Yi, he definitely wouldn't say 'Cultivator Wen from the Water Cloud Sect.'

 

"Who?" Wen Xuan asked.

 

That person let out a breath of relief: "Let go of my little brother......"

 

"Take them away," Wen Xuan waved a hand, expressing that he didn't plan to haggle.

 

That person panicked and immediately abandoned everything. In quick-fire succession, he explained everything.

 

The person currently searching for Wen Xuan indeed wasn't Jian Yi. To be honest, this person was quite unexpected. It was actually that Qin Shiyu. Back then, after the Penglai Sect collapsed, Qin Shiyu grabbed a bunch of people and established his own sect and even ended up gathering a rather formidable force. Under that kind of situation, one couldn't help but admit that this person had extraordinary ability.

 

A few months ago, Qin Shiyu suddenly started searching for Wen Xuan's trail frantically. He even drew Wen Xuan's image and

 

posted it everywhere. That elder brother was someone who saw the image of Wen Xuan before. That's why he ultimately managed to recognize Wen Xuan.

 

Hearing everything, Wen Xuan fell silent for a long time.

 

Then, he sighed and apologized to Xiao Lu to the side. He had to keep these two people alive. Because he decided to leave West Ming and head back to visit the east side. Bringing two live cultivators by his side can make this trip of his a lot easier.

 

And the reason he decided to take this trip, naturally wasn't because of Qin Shiyu. Rather, it's because he remembered Jian Yi again.

 

Currently even Qin Shiyu can find him in such a manner that everyone knew, what the heck was Jian Yi doing?

 

Recalling back then, when Wen Xuan first arrived in West Ming, he constantly made sure that he couldn't be found by Jian Yi. He constantly felt like Jian Yi would appear before in his eyes any second. This made Wen Xuan feel pressured. He did everything urgently, making every moment count. He needed to get used to his demonic beast identity as soon as possible and learned how a demonic beast protected itself. Even more so, he needed to believe in himself once more. When Jian Yi found him, he definitely couldn't still rely on Jian Yi for everything like before...... However, unwittingly, he had already done everything. Yet Jian Yi still didn't appear.

 

Of course Wen Xuan had once thought, perhaps Jian Yi already abandoned him-- but he subconsciously told himself, that wasn't possible.

 

Therefore, as the matter stood, the Jian Yi who had once promised vehemently that he'd find Wen Xuan even if Wen Xuan went to the ends of the world, now actually needed Wen Xuan to go find him instead? How outrageous.

 

Although outrageous, Wen Xuan still got ready in the shortest time possible, brought those two cultivators and a few small demonic beasts, and flipped over Luofeng Peak majestically, heading towards the east.

 

Because he had no trails, Wen Xuan first went to meet Qin Shiyu who was urgently searching for him.

 

Qin Shiyu currently also had a gold core for a while and was striving towards Nascent Soul. In Central Sheng, this was actually a cultivation level that wasn't particularly impressive. However, Qin Shiyu had a rather vast circle of friends and could even give his opinion in front of many Dasheng cultivators. Therefore, he stubbornly survived in the cracks.

 

And the reason why Qin Shiyu needed to find Wen Xuan, speaking frankly, was because he needed to ask Wen Xuan to do something.

 

As for what he needed to ask Wen Xuan, one has to talk about that shimei, Xue BingEr, who'd been following him all this time.....

 

"Hold on," Wen Xuan held up his hand to express that he still had urgent business at the moment and didn't want to hear all this: "Actually, I'm currently searching for Jian shidi who left Water Cloud Sect together with me back then. Don't know if Cultivator Qin has any clues?"

 

Interrupted like this, Qin Shiyu naturally was unhappy. However, since he needed to ask Wen Xuan something, he had no other choice. Wen Xuan stubbornly wanted to establish this fact that if he couldn't find Jian Yi, he wouldn't hear Qin Shiyu at all. Qin Shiyu immediately saw that force wasn't useful in this case. He could only obediently provide a trail so Wen Xuan can find that person quickly and come back asap so they could discuss what Qin Shiyu needed.

 

According to Qin Shiyu, the last time someone saw Jian Yi was around a mountain southmost of South Feng.

 

The southmost mountains of South Feng was also a very strange and wondrous place. It had mausoleums left by the ancients. However, after all of these years, the items in those mausoleums have already been plundered, leaving behind only empty shells.

 

Of course, there were exceptions. There were always some places that had heavy barriers set outside. However, because the things inside weren't really worthy of making people expend the effort to break through these hindrances, they were left alone. Unless the items in these places were coincidentally something that was specifically needed, very little people would go searching for them.

 

Currently, Jian Yi was trapped in one of these places. Seven years ago, someone saw him enter a mausoleum. No one saw him exit.

 

When he first heard this information, Wen Xuan was extremely surprised. He couldn't understand, just what kind of powerful place was this to be able to trap Jian Yi for this long?

 

Immediately, Wen Xuan journeyed over in search. He found that mausoleum. In an apprehensive mood, he passed the two obelisks at the entrance, walked down a path for a little while, turned and

 

Immediately saw Jian Yi who he had not seen for a long time.

 

Appearance clean and handsome, fine hair and black clothes. Jian Yi was currently sitting beside a rock with eyes closed. There was nothing peculiar about his expression, as if he was sleeping soundly.

 

Meeting once again after such a long time, Wen Xuan originally thought he'd have many sorrows and regrets. Ultimately, he only felt 'long time no see'.

 

When he walked to take a closer look, he finally realized that there was an illusion array placed here. Jian Yi was currently trapped by this illusion.

 

But the question still remained. Just what kind of illusion array was this powerful to trap Jian Yi for seven years?

 

Jian Yi's expression didn't have any pain or suffering. It was even a bit satisfied.

 

With doubt in his heart, Wen Xuan placed his palm on Jian Yi's forehead and sent a strand of his divine sense inside. Very quickly, the illusion that trapped Jian Yi for seven years appeared before his eyes.

 

He only saw a small stream and a wooden house. Inside the illusion, Jian Yi was practicing his sword in front of the house. The

 

illusion also created a Wen Xuan, who was watching from the side with a smile.

 

This simple trick was what had trapped Jian Yi for a total of seven years.

 

Wen Xuan pulled his divine sense out and looked at the youth who was still unable to step out of the illusion. He couldn't help but feel heartache and headache: Is this all you got?

 

79

Chapter 79

 

For a second, Wen Xuan practically wanted to slap Jian Yi awake. However, when he lifted his hand, he thought for a moment and then put it back down again.

 

Because Wen Xuan suddenly remembered one thing. A thing that's been gnawing on his heart for a long time.

 

The empathy parasite.

 

Back then, these two people suffered this empathy parasite together. Then in order to get rid of the parasite, they entered into each other's hearts and attempted to reach the bottom of the other's hearts. Jian Yi was very easily successful in the end. Wen Xuan, however, tried countless times but still failed. Although Wen Xuan didn't talk about this, he still brooded on this internally all this time.

 

He also wanted to resolve the parasite in Jian Yi's heart with his own strength, but even more so, he wanted to know just what that deep hidden place in Jian Yi's heart looked like. However,

 

when they tried last time, no matter what Wen Xuan did, Jian Yi blocked him from going in.

 

Now that Jian Yi was immersed in the illusion, he probably won't have that much strength to stop Wen Xuan. This was really an opportunity bestowed by the Heavens.

 

Therefore, should Wen Xuan take the opportunity and attempt what he couldn't accomplish before? This was undoubtedly taking advantage of Jian Yi. If this was before, Wen Xuan might have deliberated for quite a while. However, today was not the past. Ten years of life as a demonic beast already made Wen Xuan's behavior and conduct change quite a bit from the past. Not to mention, taking advantage of other people was something that Jian Yi did plenty himself back then.

 

Mere moments later, Wen Xuan laughed mockingly at himself, then leaned down and pressed his forehead against Jian Yi's forehead.

 

Back then when they first attempted to resolve the empathy parasite, they spent quite the effort to make the medicine that would make the connection. And back then, that medicine to connect the two was already swallowed into their stomachs. Now, ten years later, no other preparation was necessary. Pressing foreheads together was enough.

 

Very quickly, Wen Xuan felt his vision turn blurry. Then, the light gradually faded and darkness appeared before his eyes. Wen Xuan lit up a light in the darkness, shining on the road before him-- as expected, it was still that narrow and small road he hasn't seen in a long time.

 

This road in Jian Yi's heart was still full of Wen Xuan's images that covered the two walls on the side.

 

After a careful examination, Wen Xuan discovered that this road was subtly different than the last time. The images on the two walls were even more abundant, filled with images of the two people's interactions later. There were images of Wen Xuan's demonic beast appearance mixed in too. However, this road was even narrower and smaller than before. Wen Xuan walked down this path, taking note of every little change in this place as he passed, sighing repeatedly.

 

Then, he finally stopped, turned and faced an image covered wall.

 

Wen Xuan knew that this road and these walls were only the topmost layer of Jian Yi's heart. As for that broad vast space deep inside Jian Yi's heart, it's actually all blocked outside of this path.

 

Wen Xuan reached out a hand, palm caressing the wall.

 

The last time that he came, he once repeatedly recited his desire to see more. This time, however, he didn't say a word. Only silently pressing his palm against the wall. Then silently squeezing inside. Although quiet and calm, the strength that he utilized wasn't any less than before. Clenching his jaw tightly, sweat gradually gathering on his forehead, Wen Xuan's eyes were filled with staunch determination for success.

 

He finally squeezed through the wall once again and reached that vast and deep darkness.

 

This time there won't be anything to stop him. Wen Xuan took a deep breath, one hand summoning light, the other hand

 

summoning the wind. Very quickly, the breeze blew away the black fog before his eyes. The space finally revealed a splash of white.

 

Wen Xuan increased the breeze and dissipated the black fog even more. The white that was revealed spread. However, no matter how much the black fog disappeared, the only thing that Wen Xuan could see ultimately was white all over.

 

Right now, Jian Yi didn't have any strength to interrupt him. The empty and bare whiteness that he saw at the moment could only prove that at the bottom of Jian Yi's heart, this empty whiteness was all that's there to it.

 

A moment later, Wen Xuan put away his surprise and started to walk forward. The space seemed endless and without boundaries. The black fog seemed infinite. Wen Xuan summoned a breeze that followed his side. Wherever he went, the black fog was cleansed to allow him to see the view before his eyes.

 

This black fog wasn't interference placed by Jian Yi. It was something that was present in Jian Yi's heart already.

 

As Wen Xuan walked more and more, he saw even more empty white space. But occasionally, he'd find some other things. For example, the same kind of spotlessly white wall. For example, a red cross sign. For example, a certain kind of hard to describe pungent smell.

 

This pungent smell evoked a tiny corner in Wen Xuan's memories. That was many years ago, when this empathy parasite was just placed into the two people's bodies. Because their hearts were abruptly connected that time, Wen Xuan once saw a certain room

 

in that brief instant. That room was also this same kind of pure white, which contained many of the things that appeared now. The same kind of pungent smell that assaulted his senses. Back then, Wen Xuan once suspected that what he saw was a place that Jian Yi stayed at. Presently, this assumption seemed even more likely.

 

The room that Wen Xuan saw back then wasn't actually this big. Perhaps this was the result of the actual size of that room being expanded countless times in this vast space inside Jian Yi's heart.

 

Although big, it's empty and monotonous.

 

Wen Xuan couldn't even keep track of how long he's been walking. Finally, something else appeared before his eyes out of the black fog.

 

At the same time, Wen Xuan suddenly felt a tiny jolt inside.

 

This was the empathy parasite inside Jian Yi's heart.

 

This pararite hid in the deepest part of Jian Yi's heart. Wen Xuan would only feel a reaction by getting close to it. Now that he felt this feeling, it proved that what Wen Xuan wanted to see was right before his eyes.

 

Wen Xuan unconsciously increased his pace and completely dispersed the black fog before him, revealing clearly the thing that was hidden inside.

 

This was a white colored bed. The appearance of the bed was very strange. The head and foot of the bed were made of metal, like those strange equipment that Wen Xuan saw before.

 

On the bed laid a person.

 

A youth.

 

Wen Xuan's heart unconsciously jumped violently. He had to stand still for a moment to steady his breathing. Then, he finally walked close and shined the light in his hand on the youth's face.

 

The youth's face was very familiar. It was Jian Yi.

 

Although this wasn't the body that Jian Yi was currently using, for Jian Yi to travel here from another world and end up in the body of that other mentally delayed Jian Yi, clearly it wasn't a coincidence. No matter the appearance or name, it was all the same.

 

Wen Xuan looked at the familiar face of this youth, raised a hand, and unconsciously trembled briefly.

 

Because this face was exceptionally pale white, exceptionally thin and emaciated. Really. Although this was a familiar face, Wen Xuan has never seen Jian Yi look so weak. This thin and emaciated appearance was so unfamiliar that Wen Xuan practically didn't dare to acknowledge it.

 

It was hard to believe. Was this really his Jian shidi?

 

But this was the center of Jian Yi's heart. The presence of the parasite emitted from inside the body of the youth before his eyes. This was the deepest part of Jian Yi's heart. There's no way to think otherwise.

 

Both of the youth's eyes opened. However, they didn't see Wen Xuan at all. There was nothing in the youth's eyes, just emptiness. Clearly he was alive, yet he looked as if he were dead.

 

So this was what Jian Yi concealed desperately? A past that he'd rather die than let Wen Xuan see?

 

Wen Xuan touched the youth's body through the blankets. As expected, it was also thin and emaciated, practically a bag of bones. Wen Xuan's heart couldn't help but sink.

 

However, mere moments later, he lifted his hand and touched the youth's forehead. Finally reaching here after all this trouble, no matter what he was going to see, he needed to see more.

 

Sending a strand of divine sense inside, very quickly, many images reflected into Wen Xuan's head.

 

In these images there were many things that Wen Xuan had never seen before and had no way of understanding. However, this didn't prevent him from learning about the youth's life in that world.

 

Jian Yi's family was indeed well off. His father and mother loved each other mutually. In that world, the Jian family was rather reputable, wealthy and powerful locally. Father Jian and Mother Jian both were very capable people. The family business was managed well and became more prosperous with each passing day. Jian Yi who was born in this kind of family background should have lived a life without worries for basic necessities, received a favorable education, and achieved meteoric success in life.

 

However, nothing is perfect in life. Jian Yi had a congenital disease at birth. No matter how much money was spent, it couldn't be cured. Ever since he was little, he lived in the hospital, practically unable to walk on his own two feet and could only look at the outside world through the bedside window.

 

At the beginning of these years, despite all of this, Jian Yi was his parent's precious darling.

 

Even when work was busy, his parents would still accompany him always. They'd sit by the bedside to tell him stories, about all of the wonderful things in the world. They'd comfort him with limitless patience, telling him: he will definitely get better. One day, he'll be able to walk out of that pure white room on his own two feet and see all of the beautiful views of the world.

 

During his birthdays, his parents would both take the day off. No matter what grave and important issues the company faced that day, they wouldn't care. All of this was just to rush to Jian Yi's side, bring a cake, light up candles, sing a birthday song and kiss Jian Yi's face to tell him, papa and mama will love you forever.

 

These kinds of beautiful and warm images were bountiful in Jian Yi's memories, too many to count and easily found. They perfectly depicted a happy and blessed family and a pair of parents that loved their child deeply. However, when Wen Xuan watched these scenes in Jian Yi's heart and felt the emotions transmitted by Jian Yi through all of this, Wen Xuan couldn't feel any warmth or love at all, only hate.

 

Later, Jian Yi gradually grew bigger. His illness still didn't have any hope for treatment. The time that his parents spent to accompany him was also not as frequent as the beginning.

 

However, at this time, Jian Yi still believed that this was only because the company became busier. His parents still loved him.

 

The proof could be seen every year on his birthday, they'd still throw aside everything to rush to his side. Even when they weren't present, they continued to care about Jian Yi, constantly discussing Jian Yi's progress with the doctor. Through those doctors and nurses, they transferred their concerns to Jian Yi.

 

In order to avoid Jian Yi thinking randomly in his boredom, they brought many books for Jian Yi. Also after getting the doctor's permission, they specifically set up a computer for Jian Yi for his entertainment.

 

It was probably around that time that Jian Yi saw a certain cultivation novel and encountered Wen Xuan for the first time. The original novel wasn't actually written with Wen Xuan as the main character, and only mentioned casually about Wen Xuan's experience to set up the plot of a huge event to follow. It criticized Wen Xuan as a person who abandoned righteousness. However, with Jian Yi's special sensitivity, he still noticed how Wen Xuan appeared in full glory at first and gradually landed in such circumstances.

 

At that time, the opinion he had towards Wen Xuan was: Wow, how tragic.

 

Then when Jian Yi was about ten years old, his mother became pregnant with little brother for Jian Yi. At that time, Jian Yi's mother stroked her stomach, smiling happily and glowing in appearance. In his memories, she still remained so dazzling.

 

Jian Yi's parents told Jian Yi. The reason why they're having this little brother was so his little brother can go deal with the exhausting and tiring business of working at the company in the future. Their most precious child ultimately would still be Jian Yi.

 

After that, the little brother was born. He was a healthy and cute infant. The parents carried the little brother over to visit Jian Yi. However, Jian Yi didn't even have a chance to feel delighted over becoming an older brother when he noticed that the gaze that his parents used to look at his little brother was not the same gaze they used to look at him. Such difference. Jian Yi, who had never despaired before because of his illness, for the first time felt his heart turn cold. It was like falling into a river of ice, the coldness penetrating the heart and soul.

 

Sometimes Jian Yi would hate himself for being so sensitive about this kind of thing. Then thinking again, this kind of thing, even if he didn't become aware of it at that time, he would have figured it out eventually. Even though he was his parent's first child, no matter how much his parents loved him before, it still couldn't overcome the fact that this little brother of his was healthy.

 

Jian Yi once held a hope that despite this fact, his place in his parents' heart wouldn't be so easily changed.

 

However the truth was hard to dispute. A newly born infant can always occupy the parent's complete time and energy. Inside the small single room in that hospital, Jian Yi went from being visited on schedule everyday at first to finally become of no interest to anyone.

 

As Jian Yi passed his first birthday alone, he casually picked up that novel and read it again.

 

At this time, his opinion towards Wen Xuan was: tsk tsk, this person was even more tragic than me.

 

That's right. Thinking back, the reason that Jian Yi would remember this character in the first place was only because of how tragic he was. Yet at the same time, that wasn't all. What Jian Yi had discovered was that this kind of thought comforted him a lot. Therefore, he went on to find even more novels and read about many similarly tragic characters. However, none of them were like Wen Xuan who clearly wasn't particularly impressionable at first, yet always managed to pop up randomly in Jian Yi's thoughts.

 

Yet when did his opinion of Wen Xuan change from 'more tragic than me' to 'just as tragic as me'? Jian Yi really couldn't remember.

 

A few days later, Jian Yi's parents asked the doctor to bring him a message. They apologized to Jian Yi, telling him that his little brother had somewhat of a fever because of a cold. That's why they were unable to make it that day. Now that his little brother's fever has gone down, he's still a bit unwell. So they need to spend more time taking care of the little brother.

 

When Jian Yi saw his parents again, it was already two months later. Jian Yi's illness turned for the worse. He took a trip to the gates of death. When he woke up, he heard his parents weeping outside. When the doctor finally let his parents inside, his parents immediately flew to his bedside, crying so hard they couldn't even speak. Jian Yi, however, only looked at the little brother that was carried in his mother's arms and thought rather complacently: my place hasn't been replaced yet.

 

His parents guarded by Jian Yi's bedside for many days, yet it was still only these days. Everything gradually returned to the usual.

 

In order to see his parents more, Jian Yi has pulled out the IV on his arms before and also closed the beeping machines by his side. His illness repeatedly worsened and he laid in critical care again and again. This trick worked for a total of half a year. Then, his parents finally had enough.

 

Finally after Jian Yi came back from the gates of death and saw his parents again, his parent's faces no longer had the usual sorrow and concern and were only filled with impatience and anger.

 

His parents pointed at him and yelled at him severely, then instructed the doctor to restrain both of his hands.

 

From then onward, Jian Yi was not only unable to use his feet, he was unable to use his hands. When his parents finally believed that he'd be obedient, and made a phone call to tell the doctor to undo the restraints, the muscles of Jian Yi's arms had already atrophied. He could no longer lift his arms anymore.

 

Despite all this, Jian Yi's illness continued to worsen. Every year, he'd walk the gates of death 2-3 times. However, ever since then, his parents never came to visit.

 

Until his little brother reached the kindergarten age, remembered he still had an older brother, and took the initiative to come see him.

 

The family of three once again appeared before Jian Yi, full of happiness and bliss, in harmony and peace. His little brother grew up very well. He was lively and cute, very smart and clever. One glance was enough to make people like this good kid. He leaned by Jian Yi's bedside, inquiring about Jian Yi's well-being earnestly. His parents watched on behind him with smiles on their faces, expressions full of pride for this child.

 

Jian Yi looked at his little brother's innocent face and only thought, if he could move his both hands, he would definitely grab this person by the neck and choke him to death.

 

This was really a very terrifying and twisted thought. But who cares?

 

Ultimately, Jian Yi could only lay in this hospital bed for the rest of his life.

 

He has already been completely replaced. No one cared about him. No one had a place in their heart for him. When his little brother left, Jian Yi heard him say to his parents at the door: "Big brother is so unfortunate." Jian Yi only wanted to sneer.

 

Time continued to turn nonstop. Jian Yi laid there, looking at the pure white ceiling. He couldn't even read novels anymore and can only repeatedly recall some segments. Wen Xuan was the character that he reminisced the most. He didn't even know why. Perhaps because Wen Xuan was tragic. Or perhaps Wen Xuan really had characteristics that touched him.

 

It was probably in this repeated remembrance that Wen Xuan became carved more and more deeply into his heart. He started to fill in the complete life of this character according to his

 

analysis of the original content of the novel. This wasn't an easy task. The stories that he made up always had some difference than the truth. Therefore, he asked the nurses to recite that novel next to his ears, confirming incessantly with the original novel, relentlessly altering and fixing the story that he had made up until it was as close as possible to the real thing.

 

Sometimes Jian Yi felt: how foolish, this character was really too foolish.

 

But even more so, Jian Yi felt that for someone to be this foolish really wasn't an easy thing.

 

Clearly Wen Xuan treated everyone genuinely from start to finish, yet ultimately, he was hurt by everyone in return. In the end, no one in the world remembered anything good about this character. This character's past glory and all that he invested were forgotten. His position in everyone's hearts was replaced by the people who came afterwards, with nothing left behind. Passing away all by his lonesome. How similar was this to Jian Yi himself?

 

When Jian Yi finally completed filling in the entire life story of this character, it was right before the last time he entered critical care.

 

After experiencing this two to three times a year, Jian Yi was already used to it. Even as he wandered around before death's door, he still thought about that character and thought about the story that he had completed. He never did anything so diligently before. Even if this thing had absolutely no meaning, it let him feel extraordinarily satisfied.

 

It wasn't until Jian Yi suddenly woke up from his unconsciousness and looked at everything in the world with a clearer view than ever before that he abruptly realized, this was really the very last time. He looked at the numbers on the machinery next to his side and confirmed that he was really about to die. He heard the nurses talking outside, discussing what kind of patient would be admitted into the soon to be emptied room.

 

Just look. Even his place in that tiny little hospital room that he lived all of his life was ultimately going to be replaced by someone else.

 

He should just close his eyes and welcome his end peacefully. This was a long expected thing after all. Something preordained at birth. There was no second option waiting for him. It was only a matter of sooner or later.

 

At a time like this, who knew where his parents were. However, what did that matter? He hasn't been in his parents' hearts for a long time.

 

Despite thinking all this, Jian Yi felt tears roll down the corner of his eyes, wetting the hair next to his ears.

 

He couldn't accept this.

 

This kind of life, he couldn't accept.

 

This kind of unimportant, dispensable life where no matter what, he'd be replaced by others, he couldn't accept.

 

He couldn't accept, he couldn't accept, he couldn't accept, he couldn't accept, he couldn't accept......

 

"Do you want to obtain a new chance at life?" Suddenly an old man's voice appeared out of nowhere.

 

Jian Yi opened his eyes wide, looking at the old man that suddenly appeared before his eyes. He didn't have time to ponder on how the old man entered. The other's words immediately grabbed his attention.

 

"I can travel between time and space. And you can help me complete my experiment." The old man said: "As long as you agree, I can give you a new life. I can even let you choose what world you want to be born in."

 

Obtain a new chance at life? What's the point of obtaining a new chance at life? Would that change anything? No. That person. At least that person would need him. Because that person was the same as him, surrounded by people who can only end up harming them. He wanted to meet that person, wanted to go to that person's side. He wanted to help that person break away from that tragic destiny. Because this was something that only he could do. Other than him, no one else could save that person. The one and only, unable to be replaced.

 

That's right. Unable to be replaced. As long as they remained at each other's sides, neither would be replaced. That person wouldn't be able to find anyone to replace him and he also definitely wouldn't betray him like all those other people.

 

Jian Yi suddenly grabbed onto this thought, like grabbing onto the last saving straw.

 

He agreed to the old man's conditions, impatiently and without regrets.

 

In that instant, Jian Yi's soul completely disappeared from that world. This originally about to extinguished soul was snatched up by the old man and thrown into the world that Jian Yi wanted to

 

go to.

 

Wen Xuan heard the last sound that soul let out. That voice was very loud, filling Jian Yi's entire heart.

 

--I arrived in this world for you. I want to save you.

 

However, what Wen Xuan also heard in the depth of this loud voice was actually a tinier, smaller voice that said something else.

 

--I want. To be saved. By you.

 

80

Chapter 80

 

Was this everything that Jian Yi desperately attempted to conceal?

 

Wen Xuan sighed, his divine sense traveling along with the memories. He finally touched the parasite that slept in the deepest part of Jian Yi's heart. The instant that he found it, the two parasites in the two people's bodies both died and fell out of the center of their chest.

 

The empathy parasite that had been buried for many years was finally resolved.

 

There was a kind of feeling in this instant. Jian Yi instantly woke up in alarm from the illusion because of it. He felt like a certain connection inside his heart was suddenly cut, breaking off the last connection between him and Wen Xuan. Instantly, he panicked and swiftly opened both eyes. What he saw immediately, however, was Wen Xuan standing before him, looking at him at an extremely close proximity.

 

The illusion and reality superimposed and then separated. Jian Yi couldn't even respond for quite some time. He sat there stiffly, eyes still wet with tears.

 

Wen Xuan smiled briefly: "So this was what you were so afraid to let me know?"

 

This smile dazzled Jian Yi's eyes and finally made him believe the reality before his eyes. In comparison to when they parted, Wen Xuan's appearance held a lot of differences. His eyes turned bright blue from the original black, making this smile of his gain a certain indescribable feeling.

 

"Shixiong......" Jian Yi called, reaching out and wanting to touch. However, Wen Xuan took a step back and avoided his hand. Jian Yi's hand just hung there in midair, frozen.

 

"You repeatedly say it was all for me." Wen Xuan said with a smile: "But in the end, it was still for yourself huh?"

 

Jian Yi's heart immediately sank. That's right. He should have thought of it before. Wen Xuan already unraveled the empathy parasite. Wen Xuan already saw everything. He was so terrified of Wen Xuan finding out, but in the end, he still couldn't hide it.

 

"Even though you really did want to save me," Wen Xuan got up, patting the dust that gathered on his clothes: "Ultimately, you wanted to save yourself."

 

Jian Yi opened his mouth, wanting to explain something but didn't know where to begin explaining. He watched Wen Xuan stupefied and only managed to squeeze out after a while: "Shixiong, you can shapeshift......"

 

"That's right." Wen Xuan waved the tail behind him: "And I didn't even need you."

 

Since some unknown time, Wen Xuan also learned to say these hurtful words. These words seemed quite ordinary, yet they accurately stabbed the most painful wound in Jian Yi's heart and injured him dearly. These weren't even all of the hurtful words from Wen Xuan's mouth either.

 

"Even though you helped me a lot before and I was extremely thankful," Wen Xuan said: "unfortunately, the person who made the most impact on me isn't actually you."

 

These words weren't just hurtful, they also made Jian Yi extremely fearful. Instantly, his eyes turned red. An overwhelmingly huge wave of injustice crashed into his heart, almost flooding him away. But the truth was evident. There was clearly no one else beside Wen Xuan now. Jian Yi was just about to spit out 'lies' from his mouth.

 

However, before that he heard Wen Xuan finish the rest of his words: "It's Ye Sheng Ge, Daoist Master Ye."

 

This fact was an indisputable answer. All of Jian Yi's objections were sent back. He almost suffocated holding in a breath of gloom.

 

"If Daoist master Ye was still here, if he didn't die back then, my life right now would be completely different. However, even though he's not here, even though I've never even met him in person, I'm still standing here right now." Wen Xuan's gaze

 

landed on Jian Yi's face, examining his expression: "See, in this world, no one is irreplaceable."

 

If the words before were only hurtful, then this sentence in Jian Yi's eyes was equivalent to being struck by lightning. Jian Yi would have never imagined, after ten years of separation, when Wen Xuan finally appeared before his eyes again, it was just to say this kind of words to him.

 

Jian Yi's face turned colorless. After a long time, he finally managed to breathe properly and asked with trepidation: "Shixiong, are you still blaming me for everything I did before? Is that why you'd say this kind of words......"

 

Wen Xuan, however, shook his head and continued to say: "I can be replaced. You can also be replaced. This kind of thing is a matter of fact."

 

Saying this, Wen Xuan turned around and started walking outside.

 

He didn't bother with Jian Yi. Jian Yi already woke up from the illusion anyways. He can walk by himself.

 

However, after Wen Xuan took a few steps, he turned around to look and saw Jian Yi still frozen in the same place.

 

Wen Xuan frowned and then walked back again.

 

He can admit, when he said those words, he knew Jian Yi would be hurt. He actually didn't feel very pleased and was still upset over Jian Yi's complicated intention back then. After all, he had originally thought that Jian Yi treated him well all this time

 

because he liked him. Wen Xuan had also unwittingly started liking Jian Yi some time ago. Yet now, he learned that the truth wasn't like that at all.

 

However, his aim wasn't actually to hurt. Even though he was unhappy inside, after seeing that kind of life, how could he still willingly hurt Jian Yi?

 

"Do you not understand what I'm saying?" Wen Xuan stopped in front of Jian Yi, reached out and poked him on the forehead: "No one can be completely irreplaceable. Not you, not me, not even your parents!"

 

Jian Yi shook all over. He raised his head and looked over, stunned.

 

"But even if our positions were replaced, so what? You're already no longer the you from that world. That's not the only identity you have anymore. So what if one position has been replaced. Can't you find another one?" Wen Xuan pulled Jian Yi off of the ground: "Look at your feet. You can already walk outside. You can go wherever you want!"

 

That's right. This was the thing he wanted to tell Jian Yi.

 

He thought about the small narrow road that only had himself in Jian Yi's heart. Then, he thought about the vast yet barren white space inside Jian Yi's heart. Clearly Jian Yi's body was already free yet his heart continued to be trapped, restrained by the experiences of his previous life and held down by his own fixation.

 

Wen Xuan pulled Jian Yi into his arms and held him for a while.

 

"Jian shidi," he said: "Go outside and have a look. Take a good look at all the wonders in this world. You're free. Nothing is worth keeping yourself trapped forever for."

 

Then he let go of Jian Yi and took in a deep breath before walking outside once again.

 

Wen Xuan was very clear what kind of rescue Jian Yi wanted. Jian Yi wanted to stay by his side, occupy an irreplaceable spot in his heart, and be codependent on each other for life, neither unable to leave the other. Wen Xuan knew that the solution to this was actually very easy to achieve. He only needed to bring Jian Yi alongside him once more, and head back together hand in hand. But at the same time, Wen Xuan also knew that to Jian Yi, this was no different than drinking poison in hope of quenching one's thirst.

 

Therefore, ultimately, Wen Xuan said those words and left that mausoleum by himself, leaving Jian Yi behind to decide what road he wanted to go himself.

 

Wen Xuan once again walked past the two stone obelisks at the entrance and rendezvoused with his subordinates waiting outside.

 

"Big King." "Big King! There was no danger inside? It's great that you're okay!" The little demons saw him come out and were all very happy. They noisily encircled his side. Wen Xuan scolded them with a smile and then led them down the mountain together.

 

In the end, Wen Xuan turned his head to take a look. He saw Jian Yi already standing outside that door, but not following over. Jian

 

Yi only stood there, meeting his gaze dumbfoundedly. Then, Wen Xuan left.

 

Wen Xuan and the little demons returned together to the residence the two brothers found in South Feng. Wen Xuan silently returned to the room assigned to him.

 

Then, he laid on the bed, hugged his tail, and silently regretted.

 

He specifically came in search of Jian Yi. Yet in the end, he only pulled Jian Yi out of the illusion. He still parted from Jian Yi ultimately. What the heck?

 

After sighing, Wen Xuan used his tail as a pillow and fell asleep.

 

Alright. Alright. Perhaps this decision of his was correct. He and Jian Yi weren't actually like what he had imagined before: mutually in love with each other with only a thin layer in between. Jian Yi's obsession towards him wasn't anything like that. Jian Yi decided himself not to follow. Why should he insist?

 

Despite thinking this, Wen Xuan couldn't help but feel melancholic. Therefore, it wasn't until the next morning when he melancholically opened his eyes that he learned that actually, it wasn't that Jian Yi was unwilling to follow.

 

...... Jian Yi was only too used to being solitary.

 

The little demons resentfully reported to Wen Xuan, there was someone standing outside bright and early in the morning, staring over here nonstop. And this person had a very unfriendly attitude. Everytime the little demons went outside, they'd all receive glares from him.

 

Wen Xuan was originally happily getting dressed. When he heard the last few words, he couldn't help smiling coldly.

 

Had all of the words he said yesterday gone to waste? Jian Yi still didn't fix this broken problem at all?

 

"Oh." Wen Xuan made a noise of acknowledgement. The speed at which he got dressed immediately slowed down: "Ignore him. But also don't bother him. Just let him wait outside."

 

"...... shouldn't we go chase him further away?"

 

"Definitely not. You guys can't win against him."

 

Receiving this kind of reply, the little demo's face twitched. He could only take his leave dejectedly and spread Wen Xuan's instructions. The crowd heard these words and all moved around Jian Yi, pretending this person wasn't there at all. This was a pretty good setup. If no one bothered Jian Yi, Jian Yi couldn't cause any trouble.

 

Meanwhile, Wen Xuan was still taking his time getting dressed.

 

After getting dressed and getting ready to see Jian Yi, Wen Xuan suddenly discovered that his hair was messy.

 

When he finally finished brushing his hair, Wen Xuan suddenly felt like the fur on his tail wasn't fluffy enough.

 

....... Actually, by the end, he wasn't purposely delaying the time. It's only that when he thought about how he was about to see

 

Jian Yi, he just felt like his appearance and dress could look a little more perfect. Therefore, he dillydallied and took even longer.

 

When Wen Xuan was half-way finished fixing his tail, a small demon entered in a hurry and informed him that a snake demon got beaten up by Jian Yi.

 

Wen Xuan's movement froze: "What?"

 

The little demon finally told him, it's because the lascivious snake demon saw that Jian Yi looked handsome and went forward to stroke his chest......

 

The corner of Wen Xuan's mouth twitched. He immediately said: "Well done. They needed a good beating."

 

Then Wen Xuan lowered his head and continued to sort out the fur on his tail.

 

After messing around a long time, Wen Xuan finally finished tidying himself up and leisurely walked out the door.

 

As expected, Jian Yi was still standing outside. His clothes were wet from the morning dew. Seeing Wen Xuan, Jian Yi instantly focused his eyes on Wen Xuan's body, unable to look away for quite some time.

 

"Shixiong," Jian Yi forcibly suppressed his emotions: "Could it be that you didn't want to see me?"

 

Naturally Wen Xuan was too embarrassed to say the truth. He only gave a profound smile: "Did you wait for a long time?"

 

Jian Yi nodded, then glanced at the group of small demons. Perhaps it was because he had been left to dry for too long, the unfriendliness in Jian Yi's gaze already retreated by a lot. There was only a very apparent sulking look: "Why is it that, no matter what time, there's always people around you?"

 

"Because they want to." Wen Xuan answered, and then patted Jian Yi's shoulder: "Don't just stand there. Now that you're finally here, come take a walk with me."

 

The place where they were currently was carefully selected. They didn't need to walk long to see a waterfall. The scenery was very beautiful. Wen Xuan wanted to bring Jian Yi over to let him have a look as well.

 

"Shixiong," Jian Yi, however, didn't have any interest in looking at the scenery and only focused on looking at him: "Are you still angry at the things I did back then?"

 

"A little.” Wen Xuan answered truthfully.

 

Because of this answer, Jian Yi gained a hint of unease and bit his lips viciously.

 

"But I was also wrong back then." Wen Xuan continued to say: "I clearly knew what kind of person you were and how you behaved, but I only knew to depend on you. I even expected you to do things according to my likes and dislikes. At that time, you must have been under a lot of pressure, right?"

 

Hearing Wen Xuan discuss those things so indifferently, Jian Yi didn't feel any relief for the unease in his heart. On the contrary,

 

he felt a kind of despair rising. After all, many times, the reason for indifference was a lack of caring.

 

Wen Xuan once abandoned him for ten years. Now that he has finally appeared before Jian Yi's eyes once again, his attitude was so vague, not close or distant. All of this made Jian Yi feel a sense of despair.

 

After that, Wen Xuan started to tell Jian Yi his experiences in the last ten years, talking about how he went to West Ming, how he conquered Tiger Tooth mountain, how he met that grass demon, and how he encountered......

 

"Shixiong!" Jian Yi got upset by these stories of Wen Xuan and others, finally unable to suppress his mood.

 

He pushed Wen Xuan against the trunk of a tree, pressing down on Wen Xuan's shoulders. With reddened eyes, he said: "You already have all of these people by your side. So it doesn't matter if I'm here or not, right?"

 

Wen Xuan calmly looked at him: "The reason why you needed to stay by my side, wasn't it merely because of your self imposed obsession back then?"

 

Hearing these words, Jian Yi's expression gained some shock.

 

Wen Xuan attempted to remove his hands, but Jian Yi pressed against Wen Xuan's shoulders even harder.

 

"Do you believe..... my feelings towards you are only that?" Jian Yi asked him, stupefied.

 

"Or?" Wen Xuan asked back: "Isn't that what you thought? You remembered me, you cared about me, wasn't it because I was so tragic?"

 

That's right. Back then, Jian Yi really did think this. Back then, Jian Yi believed this was the truth as well. However, when he came to this world, after seeing Wen Xuan in person for the first time, Jian Yi knew that the truth wasn't just that. Jian Yi still remembered the pounding in his heart back then, as if a series of sparks traveled from his tailbone all the way up to the top of his head, making his heart palpitate, making him tremble with unrestrained emotions.

 

Then they spent more days together, Jian Yi saw his own feelings more and more clearly. His feelings towards Wen Xuan were very complicated. That kind of self-imposed obsession was actually a very important part of it. However, there was another part that was definitely the feeling of love. Wen Xuan was that wonderful, how could anyone not like him.

 

Really. Wen Xuan had too many aspects that attracted Jian Yi. Back then, for Jian Yi to only remember Wen Xuan out of all of those numerous characters wasn't a coincidence. Yet despite seeing his previous life's memories and learning about his previous way of thinking, Wen Xuan still managed to misunderstand him like this.

 

"Do you think the feelings I have for you are really that pure and simple?" Jian Yi asked him.

 

Wen Xuan was stunned by this question and looked at Jian Yi with some more hesitance.

 

"I......" Jian Yi wanted to say something. Hee wanted to do something. Then, he lowered his head and flushed red.

 

Wen Xuan couldn't help but laugh forcefully: "What are you so embarrassed about at a time like this?"

 

Embarrassed? Jian Yi laughed self-deprecatingly: "Do you believe I'm only embarrassed? You... You don't understand what I am thinking about right now at all."

 

"Really? Why don't you tell me about it and see." Wen Xuan expressed his doubt: "Recall back then. I saw you didn't have any energy and just carried you a little, your face already turned red......"

 

Oh. That's right. Back then in the mausoleum that the powerful demon set up, Jian Yi's face turned red for the first time in Wen Xuan's arms. But why would his face turn red? Jian Yi extended a hand, and through the clothes, he touched the point on Wen Xuan's chest that his arm bumped into back then.

 

Wen Xuan abruptly froze.

 

Jian Yi pressed there a bit. As a result, even Wen Xuan's face started to turn red.

 

"There's no way you'd know, just what I wanted to do back then because I accidentally touched this." Jian Yi took a deep breath. Although he never left the hospital room in his previous life and didn't have any actual experience, he saw plenty of videos. All different kinds of positions spun around in his head. The reason his face turned red wasn't because of embarrassment, but rather excitement. He shifted his gaze also not because of

 

embarrassment, but because he really couldn't face it at that time.

 

For him to have so many dirty and explicit thoughts, how could he let Wen Xuan know?

 

Yet ultimately, he was actually letting Wen Xuan know right now. It can't be helped. In comparison, he found the misunderstanding Wen Xuan had towards him even more intolerable.

 

Jian Yi couldn't help but laugh self-deprecatingly. He didn't know how Wen Xuan would view him in the future. He wanted to move his hand away, but it was firmly pressed down by Wen Xuan. Then, Jian Yi discovered unexpectedly that Wen Xuan's breathing was rushed. Both hands trembling faintly, he was actually also excited.

 

Using Jian Yi's hands, Wen Xuan pulled open the collar of his own clothes and only said two words: "Come on."

 

In hindsight, Wen Xuan recalled this day countless times, each time feeling incredulous over his own audacity.

 

Jian Yi's enthusiasm far surpassed his imagination. What was even more damaging was that it wasn't until he was pressed down on the floor by Jian Yi, that Wen Xuan shockingly discovered, things were still not quite the same as what he had originally imagined.

 

Alright alright. They finally reached this point after all this trouble. Who cared about that minor detail? It's just that, who

 

would have thought. Wen Xuan lived upright and proper all his life, yet his first time was in the wilderness under a tree in front of a waterfall.....

 

81

Chapter 81

 

People always say that habit is a terrifying thing. For example, back then when Wen Xuan had just become a demonic beast, he couldn't get used to his furry state at all. Even after shapeshifting, he couldn't do anything about his ears and tail. Yet with a mere ten years, he stopped treating these excess fluffy parts any differently than other parts of his body.

 

Especially on cold nights, he practically couldn't fall asleep without hugging his tail anymore.

 

Yet tonight, in his dreams, he absentmindedly hugged and rubbed the thing in his arms and suddenly discovered that this wasn't the familiar fluffy feeling from his memories. Instantly, he woke up in surprise. Opening his eyes, he saw he was hugging a person in his arms. Lowering his head and looking again, he saw his own tail currently wrapped around that person's leg.

 

Wen Xuan's old face turned red. With a whoosh, he swung his tail behind him.

 

But he only moved it halfway when the person in his arms reached out a hand and grabbed the tail. Using his fingers to gently rub the tail, that person asked in a low voice: "Shixiong, how come you're awake?"

 

How could Wen Xuan say it's because he wasn't used to suddenly hugging a person in his arms?

 

Wen Xuan could only cough once, evade the question, and ask: "How come you're awake as well?"

 

"Too happy. I can't sleep." As Jian Yi said this, he nuzzled against the crook of Wen Xuan's neck. Although he couldn't sleep, he didn't dare to move randomly before when Wen Xuan was fast asleep and had been laying here stiffly all this time. Now that Wen Xuan was awake, it was like he escaped his reins and started rubbing without restraint.

 

Wen Xuan felt somewhat ticklish from the rubbing and unconsciously moved back. This movement made all the soreness in his body rise again from his bones, making him groan out loud. His head also recalled the extremely intense scene from before.

 

Really. Really too intense. In the end, when they left from that tree next to the waterfall, Wen Xuan practically couldn't walk and had to be carried back by Jian Yi. Such a long road back, naturally Wen Xuan was seen by his subordinates. Recalling the expressions on those little demons' faces at that time, Wen Xuan almost felt his vision turn dark.

 

Even though he didn't care about his image like before, he still couldn't help but feel his heart palpate thinking about how his subordinates will see him in the future.

 

As his heart thumped, he lowered his head to look and discovered Jian Yi's brows slightly furrowed, clearly also distressed about something currently. Wen Xuan instantly forgot about his little worry and asked in concern: "What are you thinking about?"

 

"I......" Jian Yi found it somewhat hard to speak: "In the future, I might not be... as useful as I was before."

 

This was talking about the fact that he could no longer decipher the Will of Heaven. Because he used up the strength held inside that round jade equipment, Jian Yi had lost his greatest advantage. The only thing left was his understanding of the original novel. However, because of his arrival, this world has already experienced great changes. The benefits of knowing the original novel was limited.

 

Wen Xuan finally understood why Jian Yi couldn't find him. He also learned about how Jian Yi completely exhausted that power in one breath in order to find him. Wen Xuan didn't know if he should laugh or cry. Rubbing Jian Yi's head, he said: "Even without these things, my Jian shidi is the most impressive."

 

Jian Yi lifted his head, the light in his eyes shining bright.

 

"So you searched for me for three days and couldn't find me. That's why you went to stay in the illusion for seven years? How outrageous," Wen Xuan grumbled: "Good thing I couldn't resist coming to find you. Or else who knows when I'd be waiting until."

 

These words made Jian Yi somewhat embarrassed. Then Jian Yi remembered one thing: "Oh right. Shixiong, how did you find me?"

 

"Ah......" Wen Xuan also finally remembered something.

 

Qin Shiyu was the one who told him about Jian Yi's location. Logically, he owed Qin Shiyu a favor. Now that he finally found Jian Yi, he should head back to return this favor.

 

When Jian Yi heard Qin Shiyu's infamous name, his face turned black. He said full of resentfulness: "Like he deserves it?"

 

Wen Xuan stroked the top of Jian Yi's head in exasperation: "No matter what kind of gratitudes and grudges were formed in the other story, you shouldn't keep them to heart right now when nothing has happened yet."

 

That's right. Wen Xuan saw Jian Yi's memories before and also saw some of the stuff that happened in the original novel. He knew his ultimate ending. And that ending was closely related to Qin Shiyu.

 

All of this was related to the thing that Qin Shiyu wanted to ask of him.

 

This story starts with the person that has always been following behind Qin Shiyu, Xue BingEr. This girl's ancestors were from Penglai Sect. Her position in the North Penglai was pretty high, her natural aptitude was also well off. However, her personality was spoiled and unreasonable, as well as shortsighted. She would often do foolish things. This kind of girl, although not lacking in the number of romantic pursuers, speaking honestly, wasn't the

 

type to be liked by Qin Shiyu. However, Qin Shiyu kept her by his side all this time. Even after Penglai Sect collapsed, Xue BingEr continued to be the woman of the highest position in Qin Shiyu's harem.

 

The real reason wasn't because Qin Shiyu felt very favorable towards this woman. Instead, it's because of another woman.

 

In Qin Shiyu's youth, he encountered great catastrophes. His family clan collapsed and everyone died. He himself almost lost his life. Luckily, a female cultivator from Penglai Sect passed by and saved him. That female cultivator managed to save Qin Shiyu's life, but suffered grave injuries and ended up dying not long after. After this, the elders from this female cultivator's family collected her broken soul and used a secret technique to transfer it into a baby for rebirth. This then became Xue Binger later on.

 

However, this reincarnation born from the secret technique was still very different from her previous life. Therefore, Qin Shiyu has been attempting to awaken the female cultivator inside Xue BingEr's body all this time. In the original novel, Qin Shiyu found the cultivation method for extreme water roots inside the powerful demon's trap and eagerly gave it to Xue BingEr to cultivate; because that female cultivator was also an extreme water root. However, Xue BingEr's own root was lacking just a little from an extreme water root. Because of this little difference, Xue BingEr couldn't handle the cultivation method she learned and started to rot from within. The spiritual bones in her body practically all started to crumble to dust.

 

The only method of saving Xue BingEr was to find a set of extreme water root and transplant it to her.

 

In the original novel, Qin Shiyu experienced hundreds and thousands of hardships to finally infiltrate Violet Feathers to find Wen Xuan who had been enslaved there for a hundred years. He made an offer. He can save Wen Xuan out of there, but Wen Xuan needed to give his extreme water root to Xue BingEr.

 

Wen Xuan agreed, because he was too desperate for freedom.

 

Yet after they actually left Violet Feathers, Wen Xuan broke his promise and escaped when Qin Shiyu was careless. This was because Wen Xuan would die if he didn't have his extreme water root.

 

This matter gave Wen Xuan a second crime on top of his first 'betraying his teacher and destroying a clan': Breaking faith and forgetting his promises. The combination of these two crimes caused Wen Xuan to be reviled and cursed by thousands even after his death. Furthermore, the second crime was actually even worse than the first most of the time, because in the end, Qin Shiyu unified the world and became the deserving ruler of the realm.

 

Ultimately, Wen Xuan didn't manage to live anyways. Qin Shiyu ended up finding him later on. He stabbed a sharp blade into Wen Xuan's heart and finally took away his spiritual root forcibly.

 

This plot was written extremely clearly in the original novel. Jian Yi knew about it already. Wen Xuan also knew about it now.

 

"Are you still going to help him?" Jian Yi grinded his teeth: "I already said it before, that woman was a walking disaster. It's a shame I wasn't able to eliminate her back then......"

 

Seeing Jian Yi reveal this kind of vicious expression again, Wen Xuan lightly patted him on the shoulder, calming him down. No matter how many gratitudes and grudges were formed in the original novel, in the end, they were all only in the original, right? The truth right now was that Wen Xuan really did rely on Qin Shiyu's information to find Jian Yi. Not to mention, in order for Wen Xuan to travel freely inside South Feng, Qin Shiyu also gave him a lot of protection.

 

Of course, Wen Xuan already knew what Qin Shiyu wanted to ask because of the original novel; so he was already on guard.

 

The next morning, the soreness that Wen Xuan felt was somewhat better. At least he could move around as usual. Jian Yi, however, still remained by Wen Xuan's side, hands outstretched like he was guarding something to protect him, almost like he was afraid Wen Xuan would suddenly fall over or something.

 

What really made Wen Xuan feel comforted was that the attitudes those little demons had towards him didn't change by much.

 

It's only when they looked at Jian Yi, that those little demons would reveal a look of admiration. That expression was practically like they saw a hero.

 

Wen Xuan rested a little more and returned to moving around as usual. Then he brought the group of little demons and Jian Yi to rendezvous with Qin Shiyu as agreed.

 

Qin Shiyu has been waiting for him in a hurry for a long time. Seeing him arrive, he hastily brought Wen Xuan into the hall and very quickly explained what he needed.

 

Wen Xuan finished listening and couldn't help but exchange gaze with Jian Yi.

 

The message that passed through the two people's eyes was: As expected.

 

In this world, Jian Yi clearly also brought Wen Xuan to the trap placed by that powerful demon. But what resulted was that the two sides had to report the finding to their own sects. Therefore, Qin Shiyu wasn't able to reap the same amount of profit as in the original novel. However, that cultivation method ultimately landed in Qin Shiyu's hands anyways and caused Xue BingEr to end up in the same tragic situation as the original novel.

 

Who would have thought that in order to prevent Wen Xuan from obtaining a suitable cultivation method, the Sect Leader of the Water Cloud Sect, Jizi Ang, directly gave that cultivation method to North Penglai Sect.

 

"Cultivator Wen," Qin Shiyu took a deep breath: "I know we have not interacted much before. We even have conflicted. My request does somewhat put you in a hard position. However, I already don't have any other plans now and can only come beg you."

 

Saying this, he led Wen Xuan and others into a secret room to let them see Xue BingEr.

 

When Wen Xuan saw the figure laying on the ice bed, Wen Xuan immediately froze. Before this, he never had a good impression of Xue Bing Er, yet he still remembered that she was a rather good looking girl. What he saw currently was only a mass of flesh and blood, that's all.

 

All the skin on Xue Bing Er's body has broken down, revealing the flesh underneath. It was impossible to see her original appearance.

 

Right now, she was definitely in pain. Yet that broken body didn't move at all. Moving closer, Wen Xuan could feel the ice cold air surrounding her. In order to preserve her for a longer period of time, Qin Shiyu used magic to freeze her time.

 

Seeing the scene before his eyes, Wen Xuan couldn't help but sigh.

 

"Cultivator Qin," he asked: "Back then, when you gave that cultivation method to her, did you know things would become like this?"

 

Qin Shiyu's face twitched, he didn't answer.

 

Wen Xuan changed his question: "If you knew this would happen ahead of time, would you make the same decision?"

 

"What's the point of thinking about this right now?" Qin Shiyu grinded his teeth: "I'm only begging you to help me......"

 

"How am I supposed to help?" Wen Xuan turned, looking like he was only casually changing his standing posture, yet his right hand already slid down to his waist, ready to grab his flying sword at any given moment: "The thing that you need, I have absolutely no reason to give to you."

 

That's right. In the original novel, Wen Xuan was enslaved by the Violet Feathers for a hundred years. That's why he had no other

 

choice but to agree to Qin Shiyu's condition. Right now, Wen Xuan wasn't at such a disadvantage. Even in the original novel, he knew enough to run away. Right now, he had less reasons to give up his spiritual root.

 

Qin Shiyu naturally knew this as well. There's no way he could make Wen Xuan hand over that spiritual root.

 

Luckily, thanks to the changes brought about by Jian Yi, Qin Shiyu was able to find Wen Xuan several years ahead of the original novel. Xue Bing Er's condition hasn't worsened to the point where she needed an extreme water root with no alternatives. Qin Shiyu still had time to ask for the second best thing right now.

 

"Cultivator Wen, You don't need to be like this. I only want you to lend a hand, that's all." Qin Shiyu compared his own strength with Wen Xuan, then looked at the person standing behind Wen Xuan. Clearly deliberating for a moment, he finally made a decision: "I only want you to write a letter to Murong Feng of the Thousand Sunshine Trading Company......"

 

Qin Shiyu's second best solution was the heavenly demon horn in Murong Feng's hands.

 

Now that Murong Feng's extreme fire poison has been completely cured, that heavenly demon horn was only a decoration in her hands. Many people have begged to purchase that item from her before, some even promising a sky-high price. However, she had declined them all. Murong Feng even announced that unless Wen Xuan asked her for this item, she definitely wouldn't be giving it to anyone else.

 

After hearing Qin Shiyu's explanation, Wen Xuan nodded. If it was only this, it was really not anything complicated at all.

 

Wen Xuan looked at Xue BingEr's rather tragic appearance again: "Is that heavenly demon horn enough to save her though?"

 

Hearing these words, a dark expression flashed across Qin Shiyu's eyes: "Even if it can't save her, it can alleviate her situation and give her some more time. As long as there's time, there's hope."

 

A disturbed expression appeared on Wen Xuan's face: "Then she will have to suffer in pain for even longer."

 

"What else can I do?" Qin Shiyu said in frustration: "In order to save her, this is the only plan."

 

"If you knew this would happen ahead of time......"

 

Here it was again. This question again. When Wen Xuan asked this question before, Qin Shiyu didn't actually answer. For Wen Xuan to ask it again right now, Qin Shiyu only felt a ball of fire stuck in his chest, about to erupt: "So what if I knew ahead of time? The method I gave her to cultivate was for the sake of saving her as well."

 

This 'her' wasn't talking about Xue Bing Er. Rather, he was talking about the female cultivator back then. In Qin Shiyu's eyes, Xue BingEr was only an outer shell. Everything he did was all for 'her.' Presently, Qin Shiyu was already partially successful. The consciousness of that female cultivator was already waking up in Xue BingEr's body. Yet, he never expected for Xue BingEr's body to start breaking down because of it. The 'her' who had been

 

awakened after all this effort would only die together with this body.

 

Hearing these words from Qin Shiyu, Wen Xuan didn't even have time to say anything when Jian Yi abruptly looked up.

 

Ever since Wen Xuan arrived in Qin Shiyu's residence, Jian Yi was either looking at Wen Xuan or looking at his own feet. He has never looked properly at Qin Shiyu once, as if he was using this method to express his detest towards this character. This was the first time his line of sight landed on Qin Shiyu's face.

 

"It's all for her?" Jian Yi repeated and asked back.

 

He knew why these words would grab his attention. It's because he also said something similar once before. He also thought that these words were very powerful. He thought that these words could represent his own selfless devotion. However, in those days that Wen Xuan left him behind, he silently reminisced by himself, silently pondered by himself, silently reflected by himself, and finally discovered how absolutely disgraceful these words were in reality.

 

"You think you're doing this all for her...." Jian Yi looked at Qin Shiyu in the eyes: "But have you ever listened to her opinion?"

 

In the original novel, 'she' had been frozen by magic the entire time, unable to say a word until Qin Shiyu pulled out the extreme water root from Wen Xuan's body and transplanted into Xue BingEr's body. Would 'she', who had once stepped forward bravely for a boy she didn't know, really feel happy for this?

 

82

Chapter 82

 

Jian Yi's question was practically like a slap across Qin Shiyu's face. A nameless flame inside Qin Shiyu's heart instantly ignited, making him glare unconsciously at Jian Yi. However, Wen Xuan blocked in front of Jian Yi and calmly returned that gaze.

 

The two sides faced off in stalemate for a moment. Ultimately, Qin Shiyu was the one with the request, so he was the one who yielded first. Qin Shiyu then gave another glance at the badly mangled figure on the ice bed and suddenly lost all interest in continuing bickering with Wen Xuan and co. He only confirmed that Wen Xuan had agreed to his request and then brought these people out of the secret room and into the hall again to be waited on by maids.

 

However, Qin Shiyu still kept Jian Yi's words in mind. As the maid poured him a cup of tea, he randomly said: "What do you know this time?"

 

Jian Yi didn't bother answering. He only lifted his head and gave Qin Shiyu an ambiguous smile.

 

"Jian shidi," Wen Xuan noticed the situation over here and hastily reached out a hand to squeeze Jian Yi's shoulder, expressing his protection and concern.

 

In that instant, as Qin Shiyu saw the hand that Wen Xuan placed on Jian Yi's shoulder, he suddenly felt like the question that Jian Yi had asked him previously didn't slap across his face, but rather, slapped across his heart.

 

Instantly, Qin Shiyu felt somewhat indignant, somewhat perturbed and somewhat in denial. Fuming silently, he drank the tea in his hand and said his goodbyes, actually abandoning the room of guests and leaving first.

 

"Shixiong," Finally, Jian Yi asked in a shameful tone: "Did I create more trouble again?"

 

Wen Xuan lightly patted him on the top of head, "It's fine. You asked the right question."

 

Jian Yi gave a glance towards the direction Qin Shiyu headed off to and laughed self deprecatingly: "Who cares if I was right or wrong. It's not like he'd listen,"

 

"How can you be sure?" Wen Xuan turned, "I think he's very concerned."

 

Jian Yi still didn't believe it, holding a lot of contempt and disdain towards Qin Shiyu in his tone of voice and wording. He was familiar with the original text. Naturally Jian Yi knew how stubborn this main male protagonist was, always full of confidence towards his own judgment......

 

He didn't even finish saying his words of contempt when an energy ripple suddenly came from the direction of the secret room.

 

He managed to determine that the magic which kept Xue BingEr frozen before seemed to have... defrosted?

 

It really did defrost, but only for a moment. Very quickly, it was refrozen by someone. However, in the mere moment of that defrost and then refrost, another stranger wave of energy transmitted over. This wave was even more intense. Even some of Wen Xuan's subordinates who had just become yuan gathering felt it, revealing surprised expressions.

 

Jian Yi's expression of disdain unconsciously became stupefied on his face.

 

Very quickly, Qin Shiyu returned back to the hall once again. This time, he charged right out, both eyes reddened. A glare landed on Jian Yi unblinkingly, carrying a hatred like he wanted to grind Jian Yi into dust.

 

"Cultivator Qin," This time wen Xuan didn't block in front of Jian Yi, but instead stood by Jian Yi's side: "There's no need to take your anger out on others."

 

These words instantly calmed Qin Shiyu down slightly. He spent quite some time pushing down the hate and pain in his eyes. But then he was flooded with an uncontrollable sorrow that crushed him so hard, both of his shoulders drooped.

 

A moment later, Qin Shiyu waved his hand and sent his guests away.

 

Even at this time, Jian Yi was still mystified and extremely incredulous.

 

"Jian shidi," On the road back, Wen Xuan suddenly asked with curiosity: "In that story, what did she decide after waking up?"

 

The original novel that he saw in Jian Yi's memories was only the portion that Jian Yi repeatedly mulled over, not the plot afterwards. Hearing this question, Jian Yi shook his head: "By that time, the choices she faced were no longer the same."

 

That's right. In the original, 'she never had an opportunity to decide if she wanted to use someone else's life to exchange for her own. When she finally was able to make the choice, that choice had already changed to 'In order to revive you, I've already killed several people. Whether you want to live or die now, it's up to you.'

 

Such a cruel and vicious decision, yet so flawless and indisputable? It was this kind of set up in the original novel that made Jian Yi believe Qin Shiyu was the type of person who couldn't be persuaded, yet......

 

Wen Xuan said with a sigh: "Now she got her chance."

 

For a moment, Jian Yi didn't have a reply. That's right. The strange wave of energy just now only had one explanation.

 

"Jian shidi, the change that people can make under different circumstances is more than you think," Wen Xuan leaned close

 

and patted Jian Yi' shoulder: "The change that you can make with just one sentence is also more than you think."

 

Jian Yi quietly listened to these words. He recalled the extremely sorrowful appearance Qin Shiyu had just now and faintly felt waves of shock in his heart.

 

Wen Xuan brought Jian Yi and that group of little demons back to their residence and went to write a letter to Murong Feng, regarding that heavenly demon horn.

 

Many days later, Qin Shiyu was able to purchase this item from Murong Feng's hands.

 

Even more days passed. Wen Xuan was already planning to return to West Ming when Qin Shiyu suddenly arrived to pay a special visit.

 

This time, Qin Shiyu wasn't alone. He brought a woman with him. Because the weather was cold, this woman wrapped herself tightly at first. It wasn't until after she entered the room, and took over her hood that people could see her appearance clearly.

 

Xue BingEr.

 

From the haughtiness between her brows, it was very easy to tell that this was Xue Binger, and not 'her'.

 

"BingEr," Qin Shiyu pointed at Wen Xuan and said: "You were saved this time all thanks to Cultivator Wen. What are you waiting for? Thank him."

 

Slightly reluctant and somewhat awkward, Xue BingEr still ended up giving her greeting obediently and properly giving thanks.

 

The trouble that this woman caused many years ago was still fresh in Wen Xuan and Jian Yi's memories. Suddenly receiving this courtesy, these two people didn't even know how to respond.

 

However, after Xue BingEr gave thanks, she stood awkwardly for a moment and then stammered: "Back then I was young and inexperienced, arrogant and conceited, and did many wrong things. So please... please....." Ultimately, she wasn't the type of person used to apologizing. The content of her remarks stumbled along for a while, but she still couldn't say 'please forgive me clearly in the end.

 

Wen Xuan and Jian Yi had already been stupefied. Why would they care about such trivial matters? Not to mention, what this woman experienced was tragic enough. Naturally, such a good person like Wen Xuan wouldn't bother with that little disagreement in the past. Jian Yi, on the other hand, still wanted to bicker. Yet with the current circumstances, ultimately, he also wasn't able to throw these words of apology back in Xue BingEr's face and silently accepted them.

 

The reason Qin Shiyu brought her over was specifically to have her give thanks and reconcile with the two. Seeing the current resolution, he instantly became very happy. Then, Qin Shiyu left a floor full of gifts, took Xue BingEr and said their goodbyes.

 

As for the woman that Qin Shiyu originally wanted to save? Well. At that time, Qin Shiyu impulsively released the freezing magic for a second, wanting to converse with her briefly. He really held a hope in his heart that perhaps she could understand his good

 

intentions. If it really didn't work out, he could have refrozen her again anyways. Yet who knew that woman was so decisive and resolute. In that moment of opportunity, she didn't say anything at all, instantly destroying her own soul and returning the body back to Xue BingEr.

 

With only Xue BingEr left, the heavenly demon's horn was enough to save her

 

Qin Shiyu wandered around despondent for several days. In the end, he still accepted the truth. At least Xue BingEr has followed him all of these years. To be able to save her was a good result as well. As for that woman, he once strived for so long, yet in the end, he couldn't win against her own choice. When all was said and done, it was only a series of events through rose-tinted glass.

 

After these two people left, Jian Yi remained where he stood, still feeling quite incredulous.

 

Xue BingEr's awkward apology and Qin Shiyu's extremely sorrowful appearance overlapped each other and gave an irreconcilable feeling to Jian Yi like he just lost to the two people he once detested and disdained the most.

 

With this strange feeling of discontent, he spun around a few times where he stood, then suddenly lifted his head and looked at the sunlight shining in from the doorway.

 

With squinted eyes, Jian Yi looked at this sunlight for a moment, then picked up his foot and walked outside.

 

The cultivation world had been chaotic for several years. Good thing Qin Shiyu threw money and influence all over, bringing benefits to all. This part of the world was a bit more peaceful than other places.

 

Jian Yi flew up in the sky and aimlessly traveled around for a moment. He suddenly saw a cultivator laying in a valley, purple all over, only breathing out and not breathing in.

 

Jian Yi was immediately able to tell they've been poisoned. He flew by along his way, but then ended up floating back anyways. Then he landed next to that cultivator's side, took out the medicine he carried, and placed it into the other's mouth. The medicine was very effective. Not long afterwards, that cultivator woke up moaning and groaning.

 

When Wen Xuan found him, Jian Yi and that cultivator already passed the point of 'thank you' and 'no need for thanks' and were conversing happily.

 

Jian Yi waved his goodbyes at that cultivator and walked back to Wen Xuan's side with a smile.

 

"That's......"

 

"The new friend I made." Jian Yi answered very naturally.

 

Yet he didn't know what kind of shockwave these words created in Wen Xuan's heart. A new friend? Jian Yi only had Wen Xuan in his eyes before and had never made any friends once.

 

When they returned, Wen Xuan noticed even more differences.

 

Jian Yi was actually extremely friendly towards those little demons. It didn't take long for them to integrate together. He even started referring to several familiar ones amongst them as cultivator brothers. If you must know, before, it was already good enough that Jian Yi didn't view those who surrounded Wen Xuan as enemies. How could he be sa amicable?

 

By the time evening came along, Wen Xuan finally couldn't resist asking about it.

 

"There have been some changes...... I want to give it a try." Jian Yi rubbed his head in embarrassment: "I want to try to...... Walk out."

 

So it's like this. The words that Wen Xuan said those many days ago, Jian Yi really did end up listening. Wen Xuan couldn't help but feel reassured.

 

Jian Yi turned his body, looking at the setting sun off in the distance.

 

He was probably thinking about something. After a while, he suddenly said: "Shixiong, I want to go back to Waxing Moon Island to take a look."

 

This shock was no small matter. Waxing Moon Island. Wen Xuan has thought about these three words occasionally in the last few years as well as he silently hugged his tail in the middle of the night. However, he never could have imagined that Jian Yi would actually say these three words and say that kind of words.

 

Wen Xuan nodded his head in gratification: "You should go take a look. You still......"

 

"Owe them an apology." Jian Yi filled in the rest of the sentence himself.

 

Then Jian Yi remembered the things he once did and couldn't help but fall silent. He was once stubborn in his ways, and thought that other than himself, everyone would only hurt Wen Xuan. Yet now he suddenly realized that... he was only deceiving himself. He was obsessed with the original novel only because the original had allowed him to believe that other than himself, Wen Xuan had no one at all.

 

If he didn't take the original novel out of context and deliberately make Wen Xuan misunderstand the origin of all that suffering, who knows, maybe the people on Waxing Moon Island wouldn't have lost their Island Leader?

 

Jian Yi took two steps forwards, like he was about to head into the setting sun.

 

At first, Wen Xuan was looking at Jian Yi in relief. However, seeing the setting sun elongate his back and shadow, Wen Xuan abruptly felt jittery in his heart.

 

His Jian shidi finally walked out, from that narrow small road that only had himself.

 

Will he go far away? Wen Xuan suddenly felt an unease rise in his heart.

 

However, just as this unease appeared, Jian Yi turned his head, held out a hand to Wen Xuan and said with a smile: "Shixiong,

 

why don't you come with me. If they knew you're still alive, they'd definitely feel happy."

 

Wen Xuan rested his hand on Jian Yi's hand. Like he just stepped two feet on firm ground, Wen Xuan immediately felt his heart steady. That's right. No matter how far his Jian shidi went, he will still remain by Wen Xuan's side.

 

The setting sun elongated their shadows together as they stood shoulder to shoulder, just like the many days in the past.

 

However, some things were different than before. A moment later, the two shadows started to merge.

 

Jian Yi embraced Wen Xuan around the shoulder, biting him lightly on the neck.

 

"Shixiong, if I want to travel the world in the future, will you accompany me?"

 

"Of course."

 

Wen Xuan gladly nodded his head, like he was making a lifelong promise.

 

--END--