Chapter 221
A gust of gloomy wind suddenly blew in Fengdu City. The sun had not completely set in the west yet. During the summer season, it’s supposed to be extremely hot, but everyone felt a coldness that seeped out from their bones at this moment, like invisible fierce ghosts passing through their bodies. The wind whirls in the wild, and it’s quiet all around. Everyone is as if facing a great enemy. They placed their hands on their sword and gathered their Qi, only afraid of something dirty catching them off guard. After all, this is the ghost city Fengdu.
The sun is setting, and the road is ending. The blood-colored setting sun dyed half the sky, constantly oppressing the horizon. The only light left in the sky was like a wounded swordsman struggling to shine, yet he was drained from the last drop of blood and the darkness surged in.
The gusts of wind were incessant, sweeping the leaves and debris from the street haphazardly. The sound of rustling was like a blunt knife grinding meat. The closed window lattices and doors were trembling and tittering from the wind one by one. Those unstable debris also made a crunching sound, as if something was going to tear open the barrier of the house, breaking the shells of human beings, tearing and biting the tender and delicious flesh and blood.
Darkness came down completely, but the Fengdu of this day has a light that cannot be extinguished. The moment the sun* set in the west, the bright lamps in Fengdu City lit up one household after another, one lamp after another, as if they were torches held by celestial beings lighting up the Milky Way.
They are the soul guiding lamps that the living left for the dead. The lamp wick needs to be soaked in cow's blood for 49 days. The lamp oil is made from animal corpse oil. It does not ignite during the daytime, and the moment the night falls, it will burn on its own, and will extinguish at sunrise. As long as this lamp is hung in front of the door, the loved ones of the deceased will be able to find their way home. Its flame is orange and red like blood, and the strange red light will turn the empty Fengdu into a gloomy ghost town overnight.
Everyone has heard the story of Fengdu's Hungry Ghost Festival, but no one has seen it before, except for Xie Bi An and Fan Wu She because it is a day when the living should not go out, both for their own protection and in reverence for the ghosts.
Many of the weapons and magical treasures with spirits attached in their hands began to tremble slightly. That is a warning to the increasingly powerful Yin energy.
"The Fengdu boundary is about to open." Xie Bi An murmured worriedly.
Fan Wu She clasped Xie Bi An's shoulder: "Take me in."
Xie Bi An turned and looked at Fan Wu She. His bright eyes reflected the red light of the soul guiding lamp, and coagulated into a drop of blood in the center of his pupil, which added a bit of an evil aura. He suddenly held that hand and said softly, "Xiao Jiu, big brother will take you home."
Fan Wu She’s body shook all over, his eyes suddenly widened.
In this instant, a huge force ferociously "crashed" into Fan Wu She's body!
Fan Wu She’s state of mind was stirred up into chaos by that “Xiao Jiu”. His alertness was a step behind. His body immediately stiffened and numbed. Obviously the five senses were still alive, but they are not under their own control. This feeling is very strange, but he knows very well what is going on. Xie Bi An gave him a dose of his own medicine*. He was possessed.
The one who was able to possess him was not an ordinary evil spirit. It was definitely Night Patrol! Night Patrol is very good at this technique. She used this trick when she helped them escape from Chidi City. Controlling the decent cultivation of the Cangyu Sect’s elder seemed to be effortless.
Fan Wu She concentrated his Qi into his dantian. His spiritual power erupted and followed the spiritual pulse to charge all his limbs and bones. Even if it’s Night Patrol, don’t ever think of causing trouble in his body!
Fan Wu She’s spiritual power is as majestic as the sea, which will be able to inflict serious damage on Night Patrol’s cultivation. Night Patrol naturally didn't dare to stay in Fan Wu She’s body for long, but it’s enough to do a lot of things in an instant.
Fan Wu She couldn’t move under the control of Night Patrol. He watched helplessly as Xie Bi An took away Wuqiongbi and the Shanhe Sheji Map like a dragon flying in the clouds*.
As soon as Xie Bi An got back Wuqiongbi, he forced out the evil spirit buried in Fan Wu She's body.
When Fan Wu She recovered, Xie Bi An had already put the Shanhe Sheji Map into his own qiankun bag.
All these happened in a matter of seconds, but the situation had already been greatly reversed.
Fan Wu She was so angry that his face turned blue and white, and his eyes were filled with hatred: "You never wanted to call me that in the first place… You planned this long ago!"
Xie Bi An said in a free and easy mood: "War isn’t fair. Between you and me, if you always lie to me, it’s boring."
Fan Wu She attacked Xie Bi An with his sword: "Return the Shanhe Sheji Map."
"The Shanhe Sheji Map has been the heirloom of my Daming Zong Clan since ancient times." Xie Bi An drew his sword to ward him off, "You are not of my Zong Clan's bloodline and are not worthy of possessing it. Now it has returned to its rightful owner."
"I will let you know who is the master."
But Xie Bi An was not interested in fighting. He dismantled several moves from Fan Wu She and retreated continuously.
Fan Wu She pressed forward step by step, and Lan Chui Han, as fast as a ghost, appeared in a flash between them and blocked Fan Wu She's sword in time.
Xie Bi An had a chance to catch his breath and took advantage of the opportunity to open the Yin Yang Monument’s entrance with Wuqiongbi: "Night Patrol, go!"
He expected that Fan Wu She would not dare to follow him and barge directly into the Yin Yang Monument, which was guarded by countless Yin servants ---- even if he had the Shanhe Sheji Map in his hand.
He had to return to the underworld. As Official Lord Cui said, whether facing Fan Wu She or Jiang Qu Lian, the underworld was safer than the earth. He had never worried about his own life, death, safety, and danger, but the golden core inside his belly, which could cause a great disaster, must not be obtained by anyone.
Just as he was about to cross the Yin Yang Monument and return to the Underworld, an accident occurred.
Qi Meng Sheng suddenly launched an attack and actually erected an ice wall in front of Xie Bi An. She shouted, "Don’t think of bringing him back to Jiuyou!”
It was not without reason that Qi Meng Sheng was so anxious. The dense Yin energy in the underworld is extremely harmful to the bodies of the living, unless one is a person with strong Yang energy, he or she may be seriously ill, or may suffer from mental disorders or lifelong illness. When Xie Bi An was first brought back to the underworld, he was still a baby in infancy, relying on the boundary laid by Zhong Kui in the Heaven Master Palace to survive. Even then, he had to return to earth from time to time to replenish his Yang energy.
And Cheng Yan Zhi is a living dead person who has to rely on the Seven Star Life-sustaining Lamp to hang on to a breath. The body is extremely fragile, so how can it tolerate the erosion of Yin energy? If this breath is not retained, even the process of collecting the soul is saved in the underworld.
Xie Bi An initially planned to take Cheng Yan Zhi back to Heaven Master Palace, so that there will not be too much impact on this body, but Qi Meng Sheng does not know that.
Qi Meng Sheng had made a move, and the Immortal Alliance naturally could not stand by and watch. Li Bu Yu drew his sword and split the ice wall from the center with a single sword stroke: "Emperor, go quickly." Although Li Bu Yu can be transformed by depending fully on human cores, after all, he has a hundred years of cultivation, and also has the blessings from countless immortal pills and Mount Shu’s cave. Regardless of cultivation and sword techniques, he is worthy of this generation of Immortal Lords. The power of this sword was not aged in the least bit.
However, Fan Wu She has already caught up during this delay. The Ting Mo in his hand turned into silver light as fast as a shadow, and the ferocity of the Zongxuan sword technique was clear under his hand. Xie Bi An has always felt the aggressive and fierce swordplay was not suitable for him, but extremely suitable for the Supreme Demon. That viciousness and eagerness to kill people simply complimented him.
Xie Bi An and Lan Chui Han received the swift and fierce sword attack from Fan Wu She together. The source of the Junlan Sword Technique is Xie Bi An. The two of them worked together flawlessly, forcing Fan Wu She back in one move.
Fan Wu She looked at the two people who had a look of harmonious tacit understanding, and felt growing jealousy. Of course, he knew that they had nothing going on between them and had no improper intentions towards each other, especially after they knew the origin of their past life and present life, but his jealousy is not only originated from the desire to possess his wife, he also cannot tolerate his big brother having another "brother". This brotherhood where they can give their backs to each other at ease and fight side by side was also the deep affection he had once possessed before. Anything between him and his big brother, he is not willing to share with anyone, yet the one he could not get, Lan Chui Han can get it easily!
The three of them fought for dozens of rounds, and it was hard to tell the winner from the loser.
Yet a large number of Yin servants suddenly poured out from the Yin Yang Monument, and Night Patrol came to the rescue.
When only a small number of ghosts appear, the living cannot see them without any assistance, but when a large number of them appear, the sudden increase in Yin energy breaks the balance of Yin and Yang. Under the excess Yin and deficient Yang, it is no better than the underworld, and ghosts are also visible just like the things on the earth.
Not only were the ghosts exposed to the moonlight, but the ghosts who were visiting their relatives on the earth had no place to hide. They were dressed in white and rapidly followed one after the other, chanting words and floated leisurely under the blood-red soul guiding lamps, which made people shudder from seeing it.
Facing an endless number of Yin servants, Fan Wu She took the soul token and was about to control souls, but Night Patrol took the opportunity to pull Xie Bi An into the underworld, and at the same time closed the Yin Yang Monument.
Xie Bi An looked at the huge stone monument towering in front of him and did not move for a long time.
"Impermanence." Night Patrol urged, "Official Lord is waiting for you."
"I'm a little worried ..." Xie Bi An was worried about Lan Chui Han. He had already seen the killing intent for Lan Chui Han in Fan Wu She's eyes several times, and he just returned and hid in the Underworld like this. What about Lan Chui Han? And what will happen to the cultivators of the Immortal Alliance?
"I have ordered 20,000 Yin servants. They can manage for a while. Let's go."
"I'll go back to the Heaven Master Palace. You let Official Lord Cui come to the Heaven Master Palace and find me. Tell him I have a reason to stay in the Heaven Master Palace."
"Official Lord is waiting for you at the Heaven Master Palace. The boundary left by Heaven Master can deal with the Red King."
"Let’s go."
The two of them quickly returned to the Heaven Master Palace.
Bo Zhu was looking from afar at the entrance, and as soon as he saw him, his eyes were tearful, as if he was afraid of never seeing each other again every time he parted.
Xie Bi An hurriedly consoled him with a few words, then entered the house. Cui Jue was pacing back and forth in the main hall. His face did not show obvious impatience, but the quick steps were tapping with uneasiness.
"You're finally back." Cui Jue breathed a sigh of relief, "The Supreme Demon has really been following you. Fortunately, I let Patrol follow you as well."
"Fortunately, there are two Patrols, otherwise it would not only be difficult to get out of trouble this time, but it would also be impossible to get such a magical treasure." Xie Bi An held out the Shanhe Sheji Map.
Cui Jue’s eyes lit up: "Could this be ..."
"That’s right. It's my Daming Zong Clan's Shanhe Sheji Map." Xie Bi An said with emotion, "Finally, it's been returned to its original owner." When the Shanhe Sheji Map was stolen, Zong Ming He was furious. Although no one could control this treasure for three generations, after all, it is the ancestral family treasure. Losing it in their own hands is really a loss of face, so he concealed the news and secretly investigated it. Everyone knows it must have been Zong Zi Xiao who did it, but Zong Ming He also failed to find this family treasure back up until his death. By the time he succeeded to the throne, although he felt slightly regretful, he did not search for it again until his mother’s clan's ancestral tomb was destroyed by the hands of this treasure, he then regretted not finding it back in that year. He often thought if he did not let Zong Zi Xiao have his own way, Zong Zi Xiao may not have had the opportunity to become the Supreme Demon.
"Yes, the item has returned to its original owner." Cui Jue asked with some anticipation, "Bi An, can you use it?"
Xie Bi An felt a pang of uneasiness, "I don't know, I never tried it before."
"There’s no harm in trying."
Xie Bi An hesitated. He was afraid that as the Human Emperor, if he could not control his family's heirloom, he would really lose his face. He was indeed curious, but a subtle avoidance had developed, and he shook his head in the end, "There are more important matters. Official Lord Cui, Hua Xiang Rong has given me Cheng Yan Zhi's body."
"Oh?!"
Xie Bi An released the ice coffin and enlarged it to its original size. Bo Zhu was startled and yelled "What is this?"
Cui Jue was a scholar and had a strong desire to learn before and after his death. Other generals might bring back all kinds of things from the earth, but Cui Jue only wanted books, and most people burned books when they worshiped him, so there were already few things he hadn't seen or heard of in this world. The thing in front of him aroused his curiosity. He walked around the ice coffin three times, shaking his head and nodding, and finally sighed: "Absurd, really absurd. I have been in the underworld for hundreds of years and have seen all kinds of things on earth, but such a thing has never been seen before."
Xie Bi An felt that he should have many emotions, but he was very indifferent at this time. He was used to facing absurdity and ugliness. He was numbed.
"Just leave him in the Heaven Master Palace. It's safe here. With him here, we can pin down Qi Meng Sheng."
"... Qi Meng Sheng is blackmailing me with the Golden Trunk Jade Policy." Xie Bi An frowned, "I have to find a way to get the Golden Trunk Jade Policy back."
"Let Night Patrol try."
"Night Patrol just sneak attacked Fan Wu She, and Qi Meng Sheng is taking precautions. Besides, that is her biggest bargaining chip now. She will be very careful and won’t come off easily."
"I will wait for the opportunity to move." Night Patrol said.
"Thanks a lot, Patrol." Xie Bi An arched his hand, "Also, thank you for helping out just now."
Night Patrol waved her hand.
"I also need the Golden Trunk Jade Policy very much." Cui Jue said gravely, "I'm afraid that only the Golden Trunk Jade Policy can solve the ultimate purpose of Jiang Qu Lian."
Xie Bi An said in surprise, "What does that mean, Official Lord Cui? Could it be that the Red King is also a reincarnation of a celestial being?"
"I only know that his past life and present life cannot be illuminated on the Three Lives Stone." Cui Jue pondered, "But he doesn't look like a reincarnated celestial being. When celestial beings experience calamity, they rarely go astray. Most of them have no merit, or like you, who failed in the calamity. If one is reincarnated in the Human Path, they will rarely fall to the lower three paths even if one deviates."
"Then why can't he be shone on the Three Lives Stone?"
"He came to ask me the same question. I answered him that there were only two possibilities, either he was a reincarnated celestial being, or a reincarnated Asura." Cui Jue said, "With his temperament, the latter is very likely.”
"Asura ..."
The Asura Path belongs to the upper three paths of the six reincarnation paths, second only to the Heaven Path. They don’t die nor get old just like Heavenly Gods and transcend the cycle of reincarnation, but the Asura is like a god but not a god. They have the power of a god but no divinity. They failed to break away from the seven emotions and six sensory pleasures*. They’re arrogant, warlike, and do whatever they want, both good and evil. Most of the Asuras have outstanding talents, but they do not cultivate their hearts in cultivation, and those who cultivate to the extreme become monsters with divine power but no virtue. They stayed on earth for fear of becoming a scourge and they were not accepted by the Heavenly Gods, so the Asura path was born at the right moment. Millions of years ago, those earthly deities who could fight against the Heavenly Gods could only ascend to heaven if they were willing to obey Great Emperor Haotian, and the remaining majority went to the Asura Path, which was like a place of exile for those who were so powerful that they could shake the heavens and move the earth but could not work with the gods. But Asuras are extremely rare and do not easily enter the cycle of reincarnation. Xie Bi An has lived in the underworld for more than twenty years and has never seen one before.
"If his three lifetimes are really recorded on the Golden Trunk Jade Policy, then he has already seen it." Xie Bi An said gravely, "In fact, I originally wanted to think of a way to find out Jiang Qu Lian's past with you. Perhaps only by tracing the origin can we know his true purpose. I didn't mention it before as I was afraid that you would reject me because it was not in accordance with the laws of the Underworld."
Cui Jue said helplessly, "During special times, special plans will be carried out. In order to catch Jiang Qu Lian, using such means is nothing. We really cannot investigate it, that’s all.”
"Then how did Fan Wu She know ..." Xie Bi An said to himself, "He doesn't seem to be making something unnecessarily complicated. He must know something."
"Know what?"
"He knew that Jiang Qu Lian and Lan Chui Han had a deep connection in their previous lives and said they were ..." Xie Bi An was inexplicably a little embarrassed, "star-crossed lovers."
Cui Jue revealed a surprised look, "Really?"
"Fan Wu She and Jiang Qu Lian have probably met and even plotted something during these three years, it’s just that Fan Wu She was hiding and has a plot that we can't guess. Jiang Qu Lian has not shown up so far, which makes me even more worried."
"So Lan Chui Han doesn't know anything?"
Xie Bi An hesitated for a moment: "I think he knows something. He is likely to be like me at the beginning, triggered by the memory of his past life by Jiang Qu Lian, and constantly remembering some fragments that are apparently true but are not, and have virtually indistinguishable from reality over the years. I'm very worried about him."
"If we can't get the Golden Trunk Jade Policy back temporarily, then in order to solve the mystery of Jiang Qu Lian’s origins, we can only rely on Lan Chui Han."
Xie Bi An's heart sank. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Official Lord Cui, there are many people who are unwilling to remember the past. It is a cruel thing to fall into the love-hate relationship of a previous life that is already irrevocable."
"It is cruel, but you must not forget, the calamity between you and the Supreme Demon is most likely in this lifetime. How about Lan Chui Han? No one can say for sure, but it's up to him to decide whether he wants to remember it or not."
Xie Bi An thought of all the pressure on his shoulders, and lowered his head overwhelmingly.
----
the sun*[金乌]---SQC used ‘Jinwu’ here, which means ‘golden-crow’. It represents ‘the sun’
gave him a dose of his own medicine*[以其人之道还治其人之身]--- to use an opponent's own methods to obtain retribution; to get revenge by playing sb back at his own game / to give sb a taste of his own medicine
a dragon flying in the clouds*[飞龙探云]---the skill of stealing things from the enemy
seven emotions and six sensory pleasures*[七情六欲]--- The seven emotions refer to: joy, anger, sorrow, fear, love, evil and desire; but in TCM, the seven emotions refer to joy, anger, worry, thought, grief, fright and fear; the six desires generally refer to life, death, the ears, the eyes, the mouth and the nose.
Chapter 222
During the conversation, there was a sudden earthquake. Although it was very light, several people still tensed their heartstrings.
"Someone is attacking the Fengdu boundary." Cui Jue said, "From the outside. It should be Fan Wu She."
"I'm afraid it's creating a diversion." Night Patrol said, "Even if this is the time when the Fengdu boundary is the weakest, without the Heavenly Secret Talisman, it is impossible for him to destroy the boundary with his own power."
Xie Bi An nodded: "He has the soul-hooking rope in his hand, which is able to open the Yin Yang Monument. Other than the Yin Yang Monument, he has no other way to enter the Underworld. This move must be to weaken the guards of the Yin Yang Monument."
"I'll go check it out." Night Patrol disappeared into thin air in the blink of an eye.
"You took away the Map of Shanhe Sheji and disrupted his plan. Now that he can't enter Jiuyou, he won't pose a threat for now. What really worries me is the Red Ghost King who is nowhere to be found and is planning something."
"No news from all the Yin servants dispatched?"
Cui Jue shook his head: "As he said, Jiuyou is the ghost citizens’ Jiuyou. He is far more familiar with Jiuyou than we are. If he deliberately wants to hide, there is no way to find him in this boundless territory.
"Was the Red Palace extra guarded? He has hidden so many heavenly treasures in the Red Palace, as well as the secret passage to Hell."
"I have sent Ox Head and Horse Face* to personally lead the troops to guard it, and also personally laid down a spiritual sense. If he returns to the Red Palace, I will know immediately."
Xie Bi An couldn't help but ponder, "Now that a large number of ghosts have returned to earth, and there is a battle between the Immortal Alliance and the Cangyu Sect in the city. At such a chaotic time, whatever he wants to do, it's time to make his move."
Cui Jue knitted his brows: "Unless, he doesn't intend to make a move in Jiuyou."
"What do you mean?"
"We have guessed that he would make a move on the day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, and as a Ghost King, he naturally can exert his full strength in the ghost realm and can command more of his men, but what if we’ve guessed wrong?" Cui Jue's face became increasingly ugly, "This person cannot be predicted with common sense. If he also came to create a diversion ..."
Xie Bi An's heart also fell straight down: "Back then in Chidi City, he threatened master with the safety of the people in the city, and now he can do the same trick again and force me to leave the Heaven Master Palace."
The earth trembled again, much more violently than the previous time, Bo Zhu fearfully grabbed Xie Bi An's sleeve: "White Master, we have never had earthquakes here."
Xie Bi An held his hand: "Don’t be afraid."
"Back then, the Demon Supreme tore the Fengdu boundary. Since it’s similar this time, it should be the Demon Supreme who is doing it. If it’s Jiang Qu Lian, perhaps he will directly open the Ghost Gate."
"Opening the Ghost Gate is extremely energy consuming, Jiang Qu Lian wouldn't make a killer move right from the start."
Cui Jue said, "I'll go check it out first. Bi An, you stay at the Heaven Master Palace."
"I will also ..."
"You stay!" Cui Jue scolded, "Don't fall for their scheme." Xie Bi An heaved a heavy breath, "You be careful."
After Cui Jue left, an earthquake came from time to time, and one wave was more violent than the other, as if it could really shake all of Jiuyou.
But Xie Bi An An is not worried about the safety of the boundary. With the Eastern Emperor Bell to guard it, even the former Demon Supreme may not be able to open it. Whether it's Fan Wu She or Jiang Qu Lian, they'll attack the boundary to distract the troops at most. However, the situation is still very dangerous. Once the boundary is unstable and the guards are dispersed, many sinful ghosts and fierce ghosts, who cannot go to earth, may take advantage of the chaos to get out and do evil, posing a threat to the people in Fengdu.
There were noises from outside of the Heaven Master Palace. Xie Bi An ran to the door and saw a large number of Yin servants rushing to the direction of the Yin Yang Monument. Many of the Yin servants were not in human form, but in the form of a human with the face of a beast. These Yin servants specialize in animal souls. They usually don't care about human souls, nor do they do inspections and supervision. Yet, right now they're deployed over here. It's evident that something bad happened outside and there aren't enough guards.
Xie Bi An stopped an Yin servant: "What's going on?" "Return to White Master, we have just received an order from Official Lord Cui that a large number of evil ghosts and grieving souls have crossed the boundary and gone to earth!"
Xie Bi An only felt a blackness in front of his eyes. What he feared most still happened.
"White Master, we have just received an order from Official Lord Cui that a large number of evil ghosts and grieving souls have crossed the boundary and have gone to earth!"
"They are forcing me to go out. If I don't go out, the people will suffer in vain."
Bo Zhu firmly pulled Xie Bi An back inside: "White Master, don't go, please, don't go."
"Bo Zhu ..." Xie Bi An tried to pry open his hand, but found that the boy's hand grip was not weak.
Bo Zhu choked: "Don't go. I'm afraid that you won't come back, like Heaven Master."
Xie Bi An's body trembled. He held Bo Zhu's hand and said softly: "Life and death have a fate. No matter what kind of fate, I have to face it."
Bo Zhu was teary-eyed: "I don't want to be the only one left in this huge Heaven Master Palace."
"If, if I also ...," Xie Bi An touched Bo Zhu's head, "You just go and reincarnate. Official Lord Cui will help you to reincarnate in a good family."
Bo Zhu was pulling Xie Bi An, refusing to let go. Xie Bi An comforted him with a few words, then ruthlessly pushed him away.
-- When Xie Bi An arrived at the Yin Yang Monument, he was almost dumbfounded.
The several feet high Yin Yang Monument had been cut off diagonally, leaving a remnant wall standing in its original spot. The three words "Yin Yang Monument" were already incomplete, and the boundary was constantly under attack. Many ghosts that should not go to earth took advantage of the opportunity to get out. The quantity was huge and hard to guard against. Hence, a large batch of Yin servants had no choice but to proceed to earth to pursue and capture them.
"Who did it?" Xie Bi An said in a stern voice. After he finished asking, he already had an answer. Who else could it be to have the ability to open the Yin Yang Monument and brandish a sword with such power?
The Yin servants said with a trembling voice: "It's the Demon Supreme." The green jade stick in Xie Bi An's hand slashed, and the Yin Yang
Monument slowly receded to the side. A disordered earth reflected in front of his eyes.
Fan Wu She sensed something and slowly turned around, glaring coldly at Xie Bi An. A pair of eyes were filled with blood vessels.
The inside and outside of the Yin Yang Monument, one side is the ghost city, the other side is the earth. One Yin and one Yang, one dead and one alive. They're obviously not far apart, but they seemed to be separated by an insurmountable rift, because the real alienation was the distance between each other's hearts.
Xie Bi An said coldly: "You want me to bring you to Jiuyou. Come ah, walk in here. I can bring you and find the Heavenly Secret Talisman now."
"Hand over the Map of Shanhe Sheji." Fan Wu She walked step by step toward Xie Bi An, as if each step rumbled on the heart.
"You come and snatch it." Fan Wu She held his sword in one hand and with another hand he held a black jade in his palm: "If you're hurt, you asked for it."
"When have you ever cared?" Xie Bi An stared blankly at Fan Wu She.
The black jade soul token emits an ethereal black death aura. Fan Wu She revealed a cold smile: "The Fengdu boundary guarded by the Eastern Emperor Bell is indeed unbreakable, but it has a very weak point, and that is the one that connects the two worlds of humans and ghosts, and is frequented by the Yin servants the Yin Yang Monument."
"Just with the soul token in your hand, you want to defeat thousands of Yin servants?"
Fan Wu She fiercely released his spiritual pressure and injected it into the black jade soul token. The black death aura rose and curled up, followed the evil spiritual pressure and is amplified constantly. Many Yin servants and ghosts that were close by became his pawns instantly, defending him against the attacks of other Yin servants.
Xie Bi An stepped out of the Yin Yang Monument, held his sword and stabbed towards Fan Wu She. The top-notch sword skills confronted once again, and the momentum was like a rolling torrent with an incessant crossing of swords going back and forth.
When fighting against Fan Wu She's sword, one must not neglect a single thing, but Xie Bi An still can't stop thinking about where Jiang Qu Lian is and what he really wants.
SQC’s note: Tomorrow's chapter is very important and will be a bit longer. Xiaohei is about to learn the truth about the past life. I’m getting excited at the thought of finally writing about it
PS: and I’m here getting excited at the thought of finally translating about it
(￣y▽￣)╭ Ohohoho.....
Ox Head and Horse Face*[ ⽜头⻢⾯ ]---These two are underworld guards in chinese mythology. As their name suggests, one has the head of
an ox and the other the face of a horse. They are often depicted as directly escorting the dead to hell and that no soul can escape them.
Chapter 223
The soul lamps flickered, and a large number of houses were shut. On the day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, a hundred ghosts were walking around Fengdu City at night, but unlike the secluded and quiet previous years, Fengdu is sinking into a tangled warfare at this time.
Since that day Qi Meng Sheng went off the rails, there has been no peaceful day in the immortal cultivation world in Jiuzhou. This war has finally reached the homes of ordinary people.
Xie Bi An and Fan Wu She had exchanged a hundred moves. There was no clear winner temporarily. Fan Wu She lost his patience and used his soul token to control a large number of ghosts, which instantly possessed the bodies of dozens of cultivators. With this barrier of living people, the ghosts' fear of Wuqiongbi will be weakened. They turned their weapons to attack Xie Bi An.
The crowd was all astonished that the spiritual power of the reincarnated Demon Supreme had become so deep that he could manipulate so many spirits at the same time. Recalling what he said previously, he must have already planned to use the spirits to manipulate the living, and with the additional support of the Map of Shanhe Sheji, it would not be difficult to invade the Underworld and retrieve the Heavenly Secret Talisman.
Xie Bi An didn't want to hurt anyone, so he was trying to play it safe and was forced to keep dodging. He quickly wandered between the cultivators and used Wuqiongbi to drive out the evil spirits inside them one by one. Fan Wu She emptied his hand, and then pinched a thunderbolt technique to attack the boundary. The vibration of spiritual power loomed in the air, as if water rippled into layers of ripples, and finally disappeared, but this vibration transmitted all the way to the feet, from the earth into the ghost realm, becoming a burst of earthquakes.
Each time the boundary shakes, there are evil spirits taking advantage of the chaos to get into the earth. A large number of Yin servants had no choice but to go all over the city to chase them, and the Underworld’s guards are constantly weakening.
Xie Bi An was burning with anxiety. If this continues, even the guards at the Yin Yang Monument will not be enough. If the Yin Yang Monument falls, anyone can enter Jiuyou freely!
Suddenly, the earth trembled again. This time it’s different from the usual. It trembled at the bottom of the feet for a long time, and there is even a vague tendency to become more and more violent.
At first, they thought that Fan Wu She was still attacking the boundary, but when the earthquake gradually became stronger until even the extremely stable cultivators were shaken into a stumble, they finally realized that something was wrong.
The surrounding Yin energy became denser and denser. This is obviously the earth, but it seems that there is no room for the living. The cold Yin energy was filling the air, poking into every nook and cranny. Even one will feel suffocating discomfort despite having spiritual power to protect one’s body. This kind of feeling is like being thrown into ten thousand corpses!
"There's, there's something."
"Fierce ghost! It's definitely a fierce ghost!"
Xie Bi An’s scalp went numb. A layer of cold sweat seeped out of his forehead. He tightly gripped his sword, gripping until the web between the thumb and forefinger of his hand felt pain. That's right, it's a fierce ghost. Such a strong Yin energy proves that there is more than one. And such strong tremors are obviously not caused by boundary fluctuations, but are truly tremors from the earth beneath the feet, most likely from ... Mount Luofeng.
Where are there fierce ghosts in Mount Luofeng? The answer is --- Hell.
The pupils of Xie Bi An's eyes shrank abruptly, and fear wrapped around his ankles like vines, then climbed up and instantly crawled all over his body. The Junlan sword slashed out the power of the seventh Chongtian with one sword blow, forcing back all the enemies in front of him. He drew his feet and ran towards the Yin Yang Monument: "Night Patrol! Official Lord Cui!"
Xie Bi An had just rushed past the Yin Yang Monument when he was hit by a huge wave of Yin energy. The extremely deep resentment caused Xie Bi An's heart and lungs to swell with pain and his limbs to stiffen and numb in bursts.
What kind of fierce ghosts can emit such resentment!? Xie Bi An had collected countless human souls. Even the cultivators who had their cores dug out have never had grievances this deep.
Accompanied by the sound of crying from far and near, they were gloomy, harsh, and mournful, as if suffering from the world's infinite grievances and death by a thousand cuts, unable to close their eyes and die contented till death.
A dreadfully pale shadow drifted towards him head-on at full speed. Before Xie Bi An could see what it was clearly, Wuqiongbi released a powerful blow with its spiritual pressure. This blow was just in time because the dreadfully pale shadow had already arrived in front of him at that moment, leaving a pulpy, distorted, bloody face in his pupils, and was knocked back by Wuqiongbi before it touched him.
The howling of misery came from the deepest part of the Underworld. It was increasing and getting closer. Accompanied by a tsunami of Yin energy, Xie Bi An watched countless fierce ghosts cross the boundary and climb to the earth. He took a deep breath and watched the irrevocable sight. Even his fingertips were chilled.
Jiang Qu Lian opened the gates of Hell, and released the most powerful, evil, and resentful fierce ghosts of the Underworld!
They had guessed that Jiang Qu Lian would strike on the day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, but they still underestimated his insanity. As an important place in the Underworld, hell was naturally guarded by a large number of troops and a boundary that even the five ghost emperors could not easily shake, but Jiang Qu Lian had been a prison warden for a hundred years, so obviously the secret passage under the Red Palace was not the only loophole he knew. For his own private ends, he released the demons imprisoned in the depths of Hell.
These fierce ghosts are all treacherous and evil people during their lifetimes who have suffered extreme punishment in Hell. Their grievances are as majestic as the mountains and the sea. If they go to the human world, they are all evil things that can cause disasters. They didn’t know how many of them had been released this time.
Cui Jue and Night Patrol came running from the depths of Jiuyou with faces full of fear. They noticed Jiang Qu Lian’s movement, but it was too late.
Xie Bi An's face was as pale as paper. His dark pupils hid deep despair: "Official Lord Cui, I'll collect the fierce ghosts. You go and invite the Five Ghost Emperors to come out of the mountain."
Cui Jue shook his head, "I invited the Ghost Emperors long before the Hungry Ghost Festival. They refused to intervene in the 'internal affairs of the Underworld'."
"The red-clad Ghost King has released the fierce ghosts in Hell, how is this the internal affairs of the Underworld? This is a great disaster that threatens the safety of the human and ghost realms!" Xie Bi An growled. "You still don’t understand?" Cui Jue looked at him gravely, "The five ghost emperors' power was originally in Jiuyou’s ten thousand miles of territory, but the existence of the Underworld took away their power to reward and punish human souls, so they have no other use other than guarding the ghosts citizens. They do not care about the number of deaths and injuries on earth. If the emperor hadn't come out of seclusion a hundred years ago and ordered them to resist the Demon Supreme, they would have been more than happy to see more people die."
Xie Bi An said with hatred, "I understand. Perhaps Jiang Qu Lian's actions are exactly what they want."
Night Patrol looked at the fierce ghosts that kept crawling towards the earth, and said with sorrow: "If only Heaven Master was here."
Xie Bi An’s heart ached and his eyes gradually turned red.
Cui Jue gritted his teeth and said, "I will never let Jiuyou fall. I'll go to Yanluo Hall to dispatch more Yin servants."
"Night Patrol, you protect Official Lord Cui well." Xie Bi An pursed his lips, "I can hold up for now."
"Impermanence ..."
Xie Bi An took out the Map of Shanhe Sheji from his qiankun pouch, "Official Lord Cui, this is my Daming Song Clan's greatest treasure. I didn't dare to try it before because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control it, but I'm going to try."
Cui Jue nodded solemnly, "Bi An, be very careful."
Xie Bi An once again crossed the Yin Yang Monument and returned to earth. The yells of fierce ghosts, the screams of the living, the clashes of blades, the flashing of spiritual talismans. Humans and ghosts are fighting at close quarters inside Fengdu City. Corpses were everywhere, and the flames were rushing to the sky. Perhaps that moment when the Yin Yang Monument was opened, Hell had been connected to the earth. Fan Wu She stood alone on the eaves. With a full moon hanging in the sky, his figure was superimposed in front of him. The black death aura was winding around his silhouette like a masterpiece of combination and contradiction between divinity and demonic nature. In the midst of chaos, he was the only silent black.
He looked at Xie Bi An from above: "Give me the Map of Shanhe Sheji.
I will assist you in collecting souls."
Xie Bi An stretched out his long and slender fingers, and the Map of Shanhe Sheji hovered above his palm, unfolding its scroll slowly.
Fan Wu She's pupils contracted fiercely.
Xie Bi An took in a deep breath, and the rich, spiritual power poured into the Map of Shanhe Sheji. His chest rose and fell violently as he saw the landscape of Fengdu City emerge one by one on the blank scroll.
Fan Wu She revealed a meaningful smile, "Indeed, you’re my big brother. I'll see how long you can last."
"My Song Clan’s greatest treasure should be controlled by me originally." Xie Bi An noticed that his spiritual energy was pouring into the Map of Shanhe Sheji like a collapse of an embankment, no, it should be said this ancient divine treasure was absorbing his spiritual energy like crazy. His eyes were scarlet, blue veins emerged on his forehead, and he roared, "Qiankun first ancestor, a painting to open the sky "
This majestic and raging spiritual power made everyone look sideways, while looking around vigilantly for the arrival of a huge change.
The painting scroll only shook slightly, and the topography of Fengdu City did not change significantly, but all the soul guiding lamps in the city suddenly rose up into the air, like countless fireflies fluttering their wings at the same time, flashing with blood-red light, connecting one by one into a vast Milky Way. This bloody and cruel beauty must be rarely seen in this life. Fan Wu She looked at Xie Bi An in surprise and vaguely guessed what he was going to do.
Xie Bi An knew he couldn't control the Map of Shanhe Sheji for too long. The more complex the application was, the faster it would drain his spiritual power, so he needs to achieve his goal with minimal wastage.
Thousands of soul guiding lamps gathered in the sky, reflecting the whole Fengdu City in strange and beautiful scarlet. The moonlight was completely discolored and the darkness retreated. Everything in the world was colored blood-red, and that red immersed into the depths of everyone's pupils, contrasting finely with the hideous terror on their faces.
Xie Bi An's gaze is like a torch, silently reciting the incantation.
Countless soul guiding lamps began to converge to the center, colliding with each other, and melting. In the endless sound of explosions, a red light suddenly burst out violently and dazzling. That demonic glow was so stinging that everyone turned their heads and closed their eyes. When they opened their eyes again, they instantly saw everything turned red, and in the night sky, a huge soul guiding lamp was hanging alone, boiling like a sea of corpse oil. The lamp wick of cow blood was as thick as a thousand-year-old tree, and the flame was raging and burning, which can compete its shine with the sky and the moon.
Xie Bi An put away the Map of Shanhe Sheji, and shouted: "Huangquan road, the soul lamp leads, all the ghosts and gods, open the mountains and split the sea, obey at once "
The enormous soul guiding lamp was flickering with red light. All the ghosts, whether they were ordinary human souls or angry ghosts or fierce ghosts, lifted their heads as if listening to a holy lecture and gazed at the sky. Those ghosts with deep resentment hesitated a little, but they were still impelled.
A soul guiding lamp can only guide a few lonely souls, but when countless lamps are fused together, it will generate a power that all ghosts can hardly resist. Xie Bi An controls the soul guiding lamp, which leads all the ghosts to retreat slowly towards the Underworld.
Chapter 224
This was a sight that was never seen before in Fengdu during the Hungry Ghost Festival. The night was long. Those ghosts that should have returned to earth from Jiuyou were returning to the Underworld like a tide. The crowd was equally shocked by the impressive sight, and no one noticed that Xie Bi An's face was so white that it was frightening.
He had concentrated numerous soul guiding lamps into a magical treasure. The soul guiding lamp cannot distinguish between ordinary human souls and fierce ghosts, so he manipulated this magical treasure to lead all the ghosts in Fengdu City back to Huangquan Road. Such a tremendous pouring of spiritual power was something he had never experienced before. He did not know how long he could hold on.
Ordinary ghosts have already obediently retreated back to Jiuyou, while those who are extremely desiring for human scent and have deep resentment, their instincts are fighting against the power of the soul guiding lamp. They were also no longer rampaging, mostly frozen in place, hesitating and pacing back and forth. The ghost forks of the Yin servants caught them one by one with accuracy, dragging these evil spirits that should not have come to earth back to the underworld one by one.
Xie Bi An felt his body beginning to weaken, but seeing that the situation was becoming manageable, he could not lose all his efforts. Disregarding the consequences, he continued to pump out spiritual power. The boiling corpse oil in the soul guiding lamp let out a cracking sound. The candle flame was scarlet red like blood, illuminating half of the night sky, as if a Ghost Gate opened above the heavens.
At this time, in the Yin Yang Monument, which is accepting countless Yin servants and ghosts returning to the Huangquan Road, suddenly appeared a blinding touch of red, which rushed out completely against the flow of people, shooting towards Xie Bi An like an arrow.
Fan Wu She's body flashed, and he blocked in front of Xie Bi An in the next instant. Just hearing a "ding" sound, the long sword was across the front, and a strong ghost claw grasped the silver blade. The sharp nails were just a few inches away from Fan Wu She's throat, but can no longer go forward.
Jiang Qu Lian suddenly lifted another ghost claw and grabbed towards Fan Wu She's head. Fan Wu She bounced backward nimbly, and the sword energy shot out at the same time.
Jiang Qu Lian smiled eerily: "This is considered me helping you."
"No matter what you do, you are not allowed to touch my people." Fan Wu She played with the black jade soul token, "Or else I'll let them bite you, no matter how many fierce ghosts you let out from Hell."
"A mere imitated soul token is not as good as a ten-thousandth of the Xuanyuan Heavenly Secret Talisman. What makes you think it can manipulate my ghost citizens?"
Fan Wu She showed an even more evil grin than the evil ghost: "Compared to the Xuanyuan Heavenly Secret Talisman, it is indeed far worse. However, it doesn't need to manipulate so many ghosts. Being able to manipulate one is enough. Don't you think so, Red Ghost King?"
Jiang Qu Lian froze and said angrily, "You want to use it to manipulate me? What a joke!"
"If you dare to touch him." Fan Wu She's extremely charming hanging fox eyes revealed an ominous glint, "I’ll try!"
Without the Shanhe Sheji Map, this soul token is Fan Wu She's greatest reliance, but Jiang Qu Lian still does not doubt that this person will pour out all his madness for Xie Bi An, and he still has a lot of things to do, so he must not entangle with Fan Wu She here. He waved his red sleeve and flew towards the soul guiding lamp.
Xie Bi An's gaze tensed but there was nothing he could do.
At this time, a dark shadow attacked, knocking Jiang Qu Lian away. When he focused his eyes, it was actually Night Patrol who had returned.
Cui Jue was bringing the newly borrowed army of Yin servants from Yanluo Hall and walked out of the Yin Yang Monument. For a short while, the soldiers stood like a forest with an awe-inspiring presence.
Jiang Qu Lian grinned: "Official Lord Cui, Patrol, long time no see ah."
Night Patrol looked at Jiang Qu Lian in silence. There was no extra expression on her beautiful and heroic face. She never had any fear when facing an enemy who is difficult to defeat.
Cui Jue stood with his hands clasped behind his back. His expression was solemn, not angry and powerful: "Jiang Qu Lian, you have repeatedly committed evil. The crimes you've committed are innumerable. You, as a ghost king and an underworld general, have not seen enough of karma's retribution within the last few hundred years? Have you ever thought about what you have to pay for?!”
Jiang Qu Lian let out a series of long laughter: "What Official Lord Cui said is very true. I am extremely evil. My sins are unforgivable. But even if I am thousand times more evil than now, I will only be thrown into the Hell Path and never reincarnate forever." His eyes were scarlet like blood, "I am already in Hell, what can you do to me?"
"I'll send you to the real Hell." With a wave of Cui Jue's broad sleeve, the Yin servants rose up and attacked Jiang Qu Lian.
Jiang Qu Lian emitted a burst of ghostly energy and shouted, "My ghost citizens, my soldiers, follow me to trample the earth flat!"
Those ghosts who had been led back to the underworld by the soul guiding lamp were partially awoken and returned to earth again at Jiang Qu Lian's call.
Xie Bi An gritted his teeth and injected more spiritual power into the soul guiding lamp. The fierce ghosts and evil spirits began to struggle. They were pacing back and forth in front of the Yin Yang Monument like headless flies. Some of them gradually regained their instincts and went back to searching for human scent, while others were pierced through the ribcage by a blow from the Yin servants’ ghost forks, and were dragged back to the hell of the underworld within the sound of misery.
The two fought across the sky. The body of the soul guiding lamp began to shake violently. The corpse oil was overwhelming inside, and the red candlelight was flickering.
Fan Wu She said coolly, "Big brother, if this continues, your spiritual power will be depleted."
Xie Bi An roared loudly. A blazing flame once again ignited in the soul guiding lamp, but its brilliance was like fireworks, and also short-lived like fireworks. With a violent flare, the soul guiding lamp exploded. A huge halo expanded infinitely. The sky is as bright as day. When the halo swelled to its limit and converged suddenly, countless sparks rained down from the sky and flowed everywhere. That is the burning corpse oil.
Whether the corpse oil fell on the bodies of the living or the spiritual bodies of ghosts, they all cried out in misery. For a moment, ghosts cried like cranes, and Fengdu City has turned into an earth’s purgatory.
Once the soul guiding lamp was extinguished, the fierce ghosts and evil spirits were freed from their restraints and headed for the fresh breath of the living once again. The Yin servants chased after them, and the melee resumed.
Xie Bi An pestled the ground with a sword, and supported his weak body, and gently showed his teeth in front of Fan Wu She, who was walking closer to him.
"Without me, you would have already had your heart and core ripped out by Jiang Qu Lian." Fan Wu She stood in front of him and extended his hand, "Hand over the Shanhe Sheji Map. Don't force me to hurt you."
Xie Bi An forced himself to stand up straight. He coughed out a mouthful of blood fiercely, turned his head and spat it out, then pulled out the sword on the ground and pointed it at Fan Wu She. The turmoil at this moment is enough for Fan Wu She to kill his way into Jiuyou to find the Eastern Emperor Bell. Perhaps Fan Wu She and Jiang Qu Lian have broken up three years ago and have not joined forces again, but both are using each other to stir up heaven and earth and topple the two realms to achieve their own goals. Now the Underworld has reached a crisis of life or death. As long as he still has a trace of vitality, he cannot hand over the Shanhe Sheji Map.
"Stubborn." Fan Wu She held back his anger and attacked Xie Bi An.
A ferocious arrow broke through the air, aiming straight at Fan Wu She's head. In an emergency, Fan Wu She had no choice but to keep the move and flipped his body in mid-air using a tough and strange body movement. That arrow brushed past his face, and a string of blood beads floated in the air.
Fan Wu She's two feet landed steadily on the ground, but his temple left a thick bloody scar. His collar and front lapel are red.
The two turned their heads to look, only to see Hua Xiang Rong with ice wings grown on her back, holding an ice crystal longbow, with a delicate cold face and heroic posture. Both of them have fought with Hua Xiang Rong before. Compared to three years ago, her cultivation level can be said to have had a skyrocketing upgrade, even more than her senior sister.
Fan Wu She wiped off the blood splashed into his eyes and sneered, "Not finding your senior sister and coming back to die?"
"I haven't avenged her yet, how can I have the face to go and find her?" Hua Xiang Rong raised her chin towards Xie Bi An, "I don't know what you want, but you can't kill him."
"What, are you afraid I lied to you?"
"No, I believe what you said to me when you set up the formation." Hua Xiang Rong looked at Fan Wu She, "I recognize the look in your eyes, the look in your eyes when you said, 'Begged yet unable to get. You and I are in the same boat'. I believe that what you gave me is the true whereabouts of my senior sister. But he must stay alive. If he dies, who will unmask that man's true face?"
"You think I will kill him?"
Hua Xiang Rong was silent for a moment: "You and I are different. I will do anything for my senior sister, but you have already forced him to die for the sake of his golden core in the previous life."
"You, seek, death." The scar that he could not touch the most in two lifetimes was so irreverently spoken by Hua Xiang Rong. His heart twisted with pain and his killing intent rose.
Xie Bi An secretly clenched his fist tight. He said coldly, "What she said is not false. It is you who are diffident*."
"Shut up! What are you showing an innocent attitude for? All the grudges in the previous life were started by you. It is you who first let me down."
Xie Bi An smiled miserably: "So what?"
"You ..."
Hua Xiang Rong said, "White Immortal, I'll hold him back. You quickly go and stop Qi Meng Sheng."
----
What she said is not false. It is you who are diffident*[“她所言非虚，是你心虚。”]---- this phrase rhymes, but the feel is lost during the translation. 非虚(false)心虚(diffident/guilty)
Chapter 225
Hua Xiang Rong's words immediately reminded Xie Bi An. In the midst of a wretched chaos, he had not seen Lan Chui Han and the others for a long time. The battle between humans and ghosts revolved around the Yin Yang Monument, and so where is the vicious battle between humans?
Xie Bi An asked anxiously: "What did she do? Where's Lan Chui Han? Have you seen him?"
"Those sects that sided with her from the Immortal Alliance were all summoned to Fengdu by her. The Immortal Alliance has lost its power. She will take advantage of the chaos to dig out many people's cores. She can't get your core for a while, so she needs the human core of other high-ranking cultivators to sustain her flesh. This is how she survived in these three years." Hua Xiang Rong stretched out a pair of seemingly slender, but actually has the strength of a thousand pounds, arms. The bow bent into a full moon, and the arrow was pointed directly at Fan Wu She, "Everyone is her prey."
When Xie Bi An saw that Jiang Qu Lian had Cui Jue and Night Patrol holding him back, he swung his sword back at Fan Wu She, forcefully pushing his fatigued body and ran towards the direction where the heavenly thunderbolt had appeared.
Corpses were lying everywhere in Fengdu City, and there’s fire in all directions. Many people who have lived here all their lives thought that people and ghosts will always live together in peace. As long as they let out this day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, it is enough, but they do not know that the balance between the two worlds is due to the existence of the Underworld. Countless underworld generals and Yin servants perform their duties in Fengdu and all over Jiuzhou to stop the ghosts from rising in revolt, otherwise people will become food for the ghosts.
The Fengdu of today has become a real ghost town. It showed the people in Jiuzhou what happens once the underworld gets out of control. This tragic sight will eventually become a nightmare for the residents on earth.
After crossing halfway through the city, Xie Bi An finally found them.
The immortal cultivation world was once unified by the Immortal Alliance. With Wuliang Sect at the helm, Li Bu Yu is entirely worthy of being the most powerful person in this world. But seeing that the Central Plains immortal cultivation world is no match for a demonic girl from outside the Pass, the Immortal Alliance’s vitality was greatly wounded, almost falling apart just like the Daming Zong Clan a hundred years ago. Those sects that used to follow Wuliang Sect’s lead were facing the chaotic and turbulent situation and anxious to find a way out for themselves.
Before today, they are still concerned about Wuliang Sect and other famous sects, but seeing Li Bu Yu is already a withered wood and rotten plant* and the Chunyang Sect lost their sect leader and the treasure of the sect in succession, the sun is sinking in the west*. Although Xianyue Pavilion is young and strong, in the end, its foundation is not stable. Yet under the leadership of Qi Meng Sheng, Cangyu Sect is almost invincible, and they gradually got more fans in the past three years.
Xie Bi An never thought that he would see such a ridiculous and ironic scene in this earth’s purgatory ---- many sects actually supported Qi Meng Sheng as the new leader of the Immortal Alliance by speaking forcefully and with justice*.
And the former powerful alliance leader, Li Bu Yu, is at the point of death. The Immortal Alliance people were dead and wounded, even if Lan Chui Han and Song Chun Gui are still holding their swords to fight, their defeat is probably already doomed.
Xie Bi An looked at Lan Chui Han covered in blood, and looked at the cultivators loyal to the Immortal Alliance with expressions of despair, anger rushed straight into the sky. Li Bu Yu is certainly hateful, but the existence of the Immortal Alliance’s contribution cannot be left unrecognized with regards to the immortal cultivation world’s hundred years of peace and the prosperity of the people, and now it is falling apart in front of his eyes, which is really hard to accept. He looked angrily at the opportunists and growled: "You bunch of villains who see the wind and set the helm. Back then, you all relied on the Immortal Alliance, divided up my Daming Zong Clan completely, filled your bellies and strengthened your family properties. Now that the Cangyu Sect has become rich and powerful, the heretical barbarians outside the Pass, who used to be looked down on by you guys, became an orthodox immortal family again. You guys even wanted to elect a core stealing thief to be the alliance leader. You guys simply have no sense of shame!”
This scolding remark made many people’s faces hot. Immediately, someone jumped to his feet, and mocked loudly: "As for having no sense of shame, who can compare to Emperor Kong Hua who killed his brother and father for the throne? You and the Supreme Demon are both great calamities on earth, and you guys can even be reincarnated as human beings. It is clear that the underworld is not as fair as what the legend says."
"Yes, what karma, good and evil have retribution, there really is retribution, they have long become lonely ghosts, why can still be human."
"I'm afraid it's just to swindle us. It's a rare time to be human, might as well, might as well be like Qi Xianzun this free and clear, anyway, as long as the cultivation is high, down to hell also do not have to be punished."
"Exactly. What karma? Good and evil have retributions. If retribution is real, they would have been lonely and wild ghosts since long ago. How can they still be humans?”
"I'm afraid it's just to deceive us. It's rare to become a human once. Might as well, might as well be free and easy like Immortal Lord Qi. Anyway, as long as the cultivation is profound, we don’t have to be punished if we go to the underworld.”
“Right. What good and evil have retributions? It’s all a lie.”
Under the cover of the flickering firelight, Xie Bi An saw pairs of greedy, cold and ruthless eyes. They were as if possessed by fierce ghosts. Human nature and the heart of Dao all disappeared at this moment. They are ready to pounce at any time to eat the raw meat and drink the blood.
Lan Chui Han spat a mouthful of bloody saliva: "Bi An, no need to talk nonsense with them. The immortal cultivation world died today. From now on, there is no Dao on earth."
"Shameless boast. Who are you to define what is the Dao? You’re just an immature and inexperienced hedonistic son of rich parents.”
"Lan Chui Han, you merely had a good reincarnation and relied on the ancestral cover to have today, but do you know that it is difficult for our small families and businesses to be inherited? Getting involved in this battle for no reason, my younger brother was wronged and driven to death in Chidi City, what the hell is it for?!” The more that man said, the more agitated he became, "Who the leader of the Immortal Alliance is, we don’t care at all!"
"Yes, whoever can lead the immortal cultivation world to continue to prosper will be the new alliance leader."
A faint smile was caught in the corners of Qi Meng Sheng’s mouth. She watched Xie Bi An from above, mocking him undisguised as she spoke, "For a hundred years, the immortal cultivation world has been standing still and ceased to make progress, rejecting many effective cultivation techniques, but only because it is afraid of having its power divided. Otherwise, how is Alliance Leader Li, who also relied on human core consumption to transform his body, more noble than a demonic girl like me?"
"Exactly. I heard that Alliance Leader Li had mediocre qualifications as a child. He must have eaten Zong Ming He’s human core, as Immortal Lord Qi said."
"Yes, he also ate human cores! Sanctimonious. Hypocrite!"
Li Bu Yu covered his heart. Blood was dripping down from the corners of his lips constantly. His gray and cloudy pupils were no longer able to transmit any light.
Facing such a repeating criticism continuously, Xie Bi An was feeling a mixture of emotions. He had always wanted to take revenge on Li Bu Yu, so that Li Bu Yu's reputation would be swept away and he would not have a good end. After all, most of the tragedies in his past life and present life were blamed on this man. Now that his wish had come true, he had no time to be happy, because there was a bigger and more hateful enemy in front of him. He clenched his fists, trembled all over, and then yelled, "Enough!"
Qi Meng Sheng said in a cold voice: "Emperor, Li Bu Yu has harmed you a lot. Are you going to defend him?”
"Li Bu Yu deserves to die, and you deserve to die even more." Xie Bi An stared fiercely at Qi Meng Sheng, hating her so much that he almost gnashed his teeth, "Between you and Li Bu Yu, who is the most hypocritical, the most vicious, and the one who deserves to go to Hell?!”
After Qi Meng Sheng was slightly stunned, she laughed wildly again, "Li Bu Yu should go to hell, and I should not die." She spread out her hands, "Hand him over."
"Never." Xie Bi An saw that the immortal cultivation world was at the end of its rope, and the underworld was equally in danger. The human realm, the ghost realm, how could they fall at the same time?! He no longer cared about his face and the decency of the Daming Zong Clan. He decided to stake it all on one throw* and yelled, "All of you present, do you guys really know what kind of evil monster the person you are following is?!"
Qi Meng Sheng narrowed her eyes.
Xie Bi An pointed his Junlan sword at Qi Meng Sheng. Pain, hate, and bitterness caused his body to tremble uncontrollably, "I never thought that one day I would kill you with this sword you gave me, Xu, Zhi, Nan."
----
PS: when I read the raw chapter back then, I was like ‘the heck?’ There are a few little little signs in the previous chapters ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
PS from Emzie: HOLY-- *the theories start running*
withered wood and rotten plant*[枯木朽株]-- weak and powerless person
the sun is sinking in the west*[日薄西山]--- declining rapidly
speaking forcefully and with justice*[振振有词]--- to argue with the courage of one's convictions
stake it all on one throw*[孤注一掷]--- It is a metaphor for using all one's strength to take one last risk in a critical situation.
Chapter 226
This name, which was once famous in the immortal cultivation world for a hundred years and was respectfully acknowledged in the generation of immortals, was now spoken from the mouth of the reincarnated Human Emperor at this very moment, and the expression of the crowd changed from shock to horror.
Fan Wu She, who had just shaken off from Hua Xiang Rong and was chasing after Xie Bi An, also froze.
On Qi Meng Sheng's old and rugged face, the icy look was as solid as sealed wax. No one could see through her emotions, but everyone felt an awful atmosphere emanating from her.
Lan Chui Han stared at Xie Bi An: "Bi An, you, what are you talking about?"
Xie Bi An looked at Qi Meng Sheng without moving his body: "This person in front of you guys, under the shell of Qi Meng Sheng, is the human soul of Xu Zhi Nan, the previous sect leader of the Chunyang Sect, whose physical body had died."
"How is this ... possible …?" Li Bu Yu let out a raspy sound, then coughed violently twice. His green crow* cultivator's clothes streaked with blood stars.
"It's too ridiculous, do you know what you're saying? Trying to slander Immortal Lord Qi, and not even letting off Immortal Lord Xu, who has passed away?"
"What shell and human soul? You’re probably making things unnecessarily complicated."
Xie Bi An turned a deaf ear to those outraged voices. His gaze swept over those silent yet terrified people, especially the Cangyu Sect's congregation. They could not have failed to notice the change in their own sect leader immortal lord and only defiantly concluded it as going off the rails previously, but what about now?
"Bi An, say it clearly." Lan Chui Han looked at Qi Meng Sheng. He clenched his molars and his face was a bit distorted. He grew up in the Chunyang Sect since childhood. Although he was not Xu Zhi Nan's disciple, he also received Xu Zhi Nan's teachings and praises. Xu Zhi Nan was of noble character and high prestige. Not only the Chunyang Sect disciples worship him like a god, the entire immortal cultivation world and the people of Chu land also revered him.
This kind of person who had a love affair with the demonic girl from the Cangyu Sect is already a stain on his life, and now Xie Bi An actually said that Xu Zhi Nan's soul is in Qi Meng Sheng's body?!
Xie Bi An took a deep breath: "This matter needs to be talked about from more than a hundred years ago. Back then, Chunyang Sect assisted me in capturing the core stealing demonic cultivator, Chen Xing Yong, who once sneak attacked me, and used Chen Xing Yong to lure out the human core buyer behind it. That person is the former Wuyun Sect leader, Yan Shu, also known as Lu Zhao Feng."
Fan Wu She's gaze dimmed.
These resounding names had all appeared in the chronicles of the immortal cultivation world. The vast majority of people sounded distant, but not unfamiliar, and for the few who had experienced everything firsthand a century ago, it was so heavy that it was hard to breathe.
"Lu Zhao Feng laid a Thunderfire Stone trap, and killed many people by blowing them up and injured the Chunyang Sect. Among them was Cheng Yan Zhi, who was also a disciple of the Chunyang Sect. He was seriously injured and was at his last gasp." Xie Bi An continued, "Xu Zhi Nan at that time still appreciated his disciple sincerely, and couldn’t bear to lose this outstanding immortal talent. Coupled with a guilty conscience, the Seven Stars Life-Sustaining Lamp was used to hang onto Cheng Yan Zhi’s life. The outside world thought that Cheng Yan Zhi had died of serious injuries, but in fact he had always been alive. He became a living corpse that could not be separated from the Seven Stars Life-Sustaining Lamp."
When the story was told here, it was frightening enough, and the crowd did not dare to breathe.
Qi Meng Sheng closed her eyes.
Xie Bi An revealed a tragic smile: "Xu Zhi Nan, I believe you really feel sorry and guilty for Cheng Zhen Ren back then, and also only really wanted him to live. You probably did not expect that your relationship would turn out like this. Why? Is it because of your infinitely inflated desire, or is it because you both fell in love with Qi Meng Sheng?"
"This ... Cheng Yan Zhi is already a living corpse, how is this ..."
"Because of the Seven Stars Life-Sustaining Lamp, other than being able to hang onto a person’s life who is going to die, there is a function that the outside world does not know, and that is it can exchange the human souls of people." Xie Bi An looked at Zhao Wen suddenly, "I believe you guys have also heard of it."
Zhao Wen gasped and nodded tremblingly. His gaze was drifting towards Qi Meng Sheng in a cowering manner.
"In the ten years that I was the Emperor Zong, the two exchanged human souls several times with the Seven Stars Life-Sustaining Lamp. Xu Zhi Nan and Cheng Yan Zhi had always been sharing Xu Zhi Nan's body. Not knowing what happened to the three people in the middle of the feud, Qi Meng Sheng wanted to dig my golden core and cure Cheng Yan Zhi's body, but she did not get her way. Five years ago, that night at Luojinwu, the one who died in the aging body of Xu Zhi Nan was actually the human soul of Cheng Yan Zhi. And not knowing what method Xu Zhi Nan used to exchange the human soul with Qi Meng Sheng, now, the real Qi Meng Sheng is actually sleeping in Cheng Yan Zhi's living corpse. That living corpse has always been by his side, and now, is in my hands."
The crowd was in an uproar.
"Qi Meng Sheng", or rather the real Xu Zhi Nan, slowly opened his eyes and stared coldly at Xie Bi An: "When did you know this? In Chidi City?"
"No, after escaping from Chidi City and returning to the Underworld, master had many doubts about the excuses Cheng Yan Zhi said. He settled him down in Yanluo Hall and did not reincarnate. I went to find him and had a long talk with him all night, and gradually found that his life experience was full of loopholes and was very different from what I knew to be the truth. And human souls cannot lie, so the only possibility was that he was also deceived." Xie Bi An said in a chilly voice, "I thought long and hard, and remembered the several times I've had contact with you, your look, what you did, and our conversation, and I gradually had this guess. After that, several points have been confirmed by Hua Xiang Rong. If you are Xu Zhi Nan, many things can be explained."
"Master ..." one of the elders from Cangyu Sect looked up at her Sect Leader with a face full of fear, like praying for a rebuttal.
Xu Zhi Nan said with a fake smile, "Your guess is right. Unfortunately, it's a little late."
Everyone from the Cangyu Sect’s congregation and the Chunyang Sect’s congregation has complicated expressions. Such an absurd truth made them not know how to handle themselves for a while.
"Is it late?" Xie Bi An said lightly, "You've deceived, used, and hurt all of those who've treated you sincerely. Have you achieved your goals?"
Xu Zhi Nan's gaze was apprehensive, "Emperor, you wouldn't understand."
"Why did you do this? Don't tell me you did it for Qi Meng Sheng. How did you treat her? You sealed her in the body of a living dead person, became evil, did evil, and left an everlasting shame on her name." Xie Bi An's chest rose and fell violently, "I trusted you so much once, and treated you as my right-hand man. Everyone betrayed me in my previous life, I thought at least there was you, you! Xu Zhi Nan, why did you do this!?"
Xu Zhi Nan's face was wrinkled. There was pain, and also madness: "I just want a ... perfect body."
"... perfect body."
"I practice the Chunyang Technique. Even though I have reached the peak of my life, the price is that I will never have offspring." Xu Zhi Nan's face became more distorted, "My Xu family are millionaires in Jiangnan. My Chunyang Sect is a big tree with deep roots*. Originally, I was able to build a foundation for generations in my hands. Even if I cannot, it should also be carried forward by the descendants of my Xu family, but ... but once I die, there will be nothing left, once and for all. I can’t cultivate to become an immortal, and can't pass on my family business. I've been working hard all my life for what?!”
"..."
Like cutting open a dry well that has been covered with dust for a hundred years, those shameful unwillingness and desires have been fermenting for too long, and have turned into a stuffy, filthy and stinky poisonous gas. Once it’s released, it can no longer be concealed.
Xu Zhi Nan trembled and said: "And Meng Sheng. I am head over heels for her, yet she likes Cheng Yan Zhi, who only borrowed my body for a short time. Why?! The world sees me as if I have everything, but in fact I have nothing. Nothing will remain."
"So you deceived them at the same time. You made Cheng Yan Zhi think that he had taken your love and felt guilty for you all his life, made him think that Qi Meng Sheng was playing with and manipulating your feelings and wanted to use you guys to take my golden core by force, and made Qi Meng Sheng think that you guys were the same person at first, and after things fell apart, you instilled in her that only my golden core could heal Cheng Yan Zhi's body and wanted to use her to dig up my core." The insidiousness and viciousness of the human heart made Xie Bi An's hair stand on end, "Xu Zhi Nan, this is your 'deep love' for her? You delayed her life, and until the verge of her death, you still want to use her body, her good reputation, her magical treasures, and her disciples to go through water and tread on fire for you. You want to take my golden core, refine it into the Absolute Human Emperor, and exchange your human soul back with Cheng Yan Zhi's body, so that you could get a young body with good roots and bones, and perhaps the Absolute Human Emperor could also free you from the restraints of the Chunyang Technique and let you have offspring, right?"
Xu Zhi Nan said gloomily: "I have a deep love for her, but she ... she is so stubborn. Who is she to like someone else through my body? For the Cangyu Sect to develop and grow to this point, I've secretly helped a lot. Letting me use it at this time is also justified. When I came back from the dead in Cheng Yan Zhi's body, I will naturally also find a young and perfect shell for her."
"Qi Meng Sheng will only despise what you have done." Xie Bi An shook his head, and his expression condensed like frost, "Seems like she is smarter than all of us, only she saw through your despicable nature and hypocritical personality, so she would rather like a living dead person, and will never like you forever."
Xu Zhi Nan's eyes are ferocious: "You are right. You and she may be the type of person living in a self-righteous illusion and adhering to the self-righteous Heart of Dao. Once you find the cruel truth, you would think that the world is collapsing on you. In fact, the world is originally so dirty and rotten, who are you to clear yourself?"
Upon hearing these words, Xie Bi An was stunned for a moment, and then sighed with deep feeling, "I once thought you were a dashing and understanding person, but unfortunately you have cultivated the Dao all your life, and are still mad about worldly merits. You've indeed cultivated in vain." After he had confirmed what Xu Zhi Nan had done, after he knew that in his previous life, from birth to death, he had not gotten a single sincere person, he had been numbed long ago, even he could hardly feel the sadness and indignation. Looking back, he was torn apart by everyone around him swooping up together, then he felt relief. He knew he had fallen into the bottom of the abyss and could never fall again.
Xu Zhi Nan slowly shook his head: "Zi Heng, I originally did not want to harm you, but I am unreconciled ah. You and I are both mortals. Since we can't become immortals, why bother to be bound by conventions?"
"There is one most simple truth in this world, far more important than cultivating the Great Dao and building a career. Do you know what it is?" Xie Bi An was clutching the Junlan sword, and cannot help but recall the friendship when Xu Zhi Nan gifted the sword. He felt sorrowful.
"... What?"
"To be a good person."
Chapter 227
Upon hearing those words, Xu Zhi Nan chuckled a few times. That dark and hoarse voice added a lot of sarcasm: "'Good person'. Zi Heng, you ruined your last life on these two words, how can you still be so foolish? Loyalty, feelings, responsibility and face, you as the Human Emperor can't get any of them and can't even let go of any of them. You can't even be callous to those who are heartless and unrighteous to you. Do you know what I disliked most at first was your indecisiveness?"
Xie Bi An said in a deep voice: "You are right. I am to blame for what happened to me, but what about you?"
"I, Xu Zhi Nan, cannot live this life in vain like you."
Xie Bi An gritted his teeth. Xu Zhi Nan's every sentence of mockery made him feel like a knife was piercing his heart. Even if he was deliberately provoking him, he also stabbed a vital point.
"Actually, I also feel bad for you." Xu Zhi Nan looked disdainfully at Li Bu Yu, "Li Bu Yu pretended to be polite and comply with you, killed your parents, and made you bear the eternal infamy of killing your father the emperor, yet you can't be so pleased as to take revenge. For the sake of the overall situation, not only did you want to keep his rotten life, you can’t even reveal to the public what he really did before."
The faces of the people from Wuliang Sect all became extremely ugly. Even Li Bu Yu's face was ashen, and his foggy eyes could not let out any thoughts.
Li Zhi Qing said with a trembling voice: "You, you repeatedly make false accusations against him, do you have proof!? You made things appropriate for yourself, did all kinds of evil, deceived everyone in the whole world, half of what you've said cannot be believed!"
"And him." Xu Zhi Nan's gaze drifted to Fan Wu She, "How did you treat him, and how did he treat you?”
Xie Bi An's heart thumped.
Fan Wu She looked at Xu Zhi Nan gloomily, "It’s not your place to point out what happened between me and him."
"I'm probably the only one in the world who knows what's going on between you and him." Xu Zhi Nan slightly narrowed his eyes, "Does Your Holiness not want to know the truth of all things?"
"... What truth?"
"Xu Zhi Nan!" Xie Bi An shouted, "The perfect body you want is in my hands. He can't give it to you."
"Will you return it to me?"
"You withdraw from Fengdu and retreat to Kunlun."
Xu Zhi Nan shook his head, "I don't have much time left." He stretched out his withered branch-like hand and placed it in front of his eyes to inspect carefully, "Even with the aid of ice crystal and the Golden Carved Jade Suit, and the Chunyang Technique to protect the body, this is not my physical body after all, and it has aged to its limit ... I must not return without success this time."
"I will also not let your plot succeed either." Xie Bi An didn't dare to imagine what kind of monster Xu Zhi Nan would become if he got Cheng Yan Zhi, a pure Yang body that was young and had excellent roots, with the addition of ice crystal, and also holding two top-notch magical treasures, the Golden Carved Jade Suit and the Ice and Snow Jade.
"So I didn’t count on you either." Xu Zhi Nan looked at Fan Wu She, "Your Holiness, in the Golden Trunk Jade Policy, there is all the truth you want to know. Use Yan Zhi's body to exchange it with me."
Fan Wu She said in a cold voice, "What makes you think I want to know any truth?"
"You don't want to?" Xu Zhi Nan sneered, "Don't you want to know how your big brother, who you can't let go of in two lifetimes, really thinks of you?"
"Xu Zhi Nan!" Xie Bi An said angrily, "No matter how you kick up a cloud of dust, I also ..."
"Dangshanhe." Xu Zhi Nan suddenly recited these three words.
Both of their bodies froze.
"This name is so beautiful. The flower is also beautiful, so I remembered it at once." Xu Zhi Nan said lightly, "It's a pity that Your Holiness has actually forgotten all about it."
"... What are you talking about?" Fan Wu She's chest clamored non-stop. He did not know what Xu Zhi Nan was going to say. He sensed that it would greatly shake his heart.
"The emperor loved orchids when he was young, but he abandoned the orchid garden that he had been managing for several years afterwards. Only one pot remained and was raised in his bedchamber. That was a new variety he raised, which was named 'Dangshanhe’. Why was that the only plant left? Your Holiness doesn't remember anything at all?"
Xie Bi An gritted his teeth and said, "Stop talking."
Fan Wu She quickly traced his past, trying to find an orchid-related fragment of memory among the 100 years of chaos and confusion, but during his 100 years of torture in Hell, it was already difficult to maintain his mind from extinguishing, going mad and getting lost. He desperately tried to remember all kinds of things about his big brother. For this reason, he was bound to lose a lot of less important things. Now whenever "Dangshanhe" is mentioned, he still can only remember that it is given by Lan Chui Han.
"That one plant was when Consort Shen destroyed the orchid garden. You ran back in the rainy night and took away an intact one."
Fan Wu She’s eyes were wide open instantly.
He remembered. There was such an orchid. That was the only one he found in a wrecked orchid garden that still looked alive, but he was afraid it wouldn't live, and was also afraid of being discovered by Shen Shi Yao, so he brought it back to Bailu Pavilion and secretly raised it. He wanted to raise it well until it bloomed, and then take it to big brother. With this one plant, big brother perhaps wouldn’t be too sad.
Later ... Later he experienced the cruelest betrayal in his life. He lost everything he once had. He fled Daming with bitter hatred in a wretched manner, so how could he remember any flower?
Fan Wu She turned his head stiffly, and looked at Xie Bi An in a daze. Between the flow of pupil light, is the obvious doubt and innumerable expectations.
"Is ... that one plant?" Fan Wu She made a subtle sound that even surprised himself.
Xie Bi An’s expression and eyes were cold, remaining unmoved.
"Dangshanhe, was it the one I raised? The only orchid you left behind, which was later given to Zong Zhong Ming and became an heirloom of Xianyue Pavilion." Fan Wu She took a step closer towards Xie Bi An and questioned forcefully, "Is it?"
Lan Chui Han gasped and couldn't help but sigh with emotion that the Creator played with humans. A hundred years of reincarnation, the gap between the past and future, the white clouds transformed into grey dogs*, this flower's offspring still came back to the original owner's hands.
"Dangshanhe was originally my flower. What's so strange about it?" Xie Bi An felt his face tense up in a short period of time. To him, this past is also unbearable to recall because the feelings he once thought he had for Xiao Jiu all turned out to be karmic fires that burned him. He avoided Fan Wu She's gaze and said sternly, "Xu Zhi Nan, Cheng Yan Zhi's body is in the Underworld. No one can get their hands on it except me. No matter how you provoke him, it's useless. Do as I say, otherwise you won't get this body back until you die."
Xu Zhi Nan turned a blind eye to Xie Bi An's threat: "Your Holiness is right, it is that flower. Your big brother has always kept it and it alone." He stared slyly at Fan Wu She, "Everything you want to know about your big brother, all those questions you've been puzzled about for two lifetimes and didn't understand are in the Golden Trunk Jade Policy."
Fan Wu She lowered his eyes and looked at his hands expressionlessly, with one holding a sword, and the other holding a black jade soul token. He raised his eyes and looked at Xie Bi An again. His eyes had a stern and murderous aura.
With just that one aggressive gaze, Xie Bi An knew that Fan Wu She wanted to snatch the Shanhe Sheji Map. He tried his best to mobilize the spiritual energy in his dantian, but found that he had consumed too much and could not hold on to it any longer.
Lan Chui Han also noticed Fan Wu She's intention and crossed his sword in front of Xie Bi An.
At this moment of mutual hostility, Fengdu City shook again. The shake is more violent this time. Even some of the houses started to collapse and crack. A large number of ghosts that were originally led back to the Underworld by Xie Bi An's soul guiding lamp were recaptured by the Yin servants. The Yin energy had already weakened, but it became rich again at this moment, as if there's a physical object expanding quickly to block the light, pressing the air, and finally leaving a gloomy halo and a suffocating pressure.
"... Was this his doing?" Lan Chui Han said in a hoarse voice.
Those who have experienced the vanishing of Fumenghui are not unfamiliar with this feeling. It was Jiang Qu Lian who opened the Ghost Gate.
The Ghost Gate is different from the Yin Yang Monument. It is a gap between the human realm and ghost realm which can be torn apart at any time and anywhere by ghosts with extremely powerful supernatural power, letting the human and ghost realms interconnect. As the king of ghost kings, Jiang Qu Lian has such an ability. Opening the Ghost Gate is very dangerous. Any unauthorized opening of the Ghost Gate by ghosts will be severely punished by the Underworld. At the same time, this action will cause extreme depletion to the caster. Those lonely and wild ghosts in the depths of Jiuyou will follow the Ghost Gate and crawl to earth. They are mostly angry ghosts that were reborn in the Hungry Ghost Path or Hell Path. They don’t have wisdom. They only have instinct. The scent of the living beings is a great temptation to them. When the Ghost Gate opens, the earth will suffer a disaster.
At this time, the defenses of Hell have been destroyed by Jiang Qu Lian. He opened the Ghost Gate again, and all the fiercest monsters of Jiuyou came to the earth under his summons.
It is likely that Jiang Qu Lian is no match for the army of Yin servants, so he broke the caldrons and sank the boats*.
Xie Bi An couldn't manage Xu Zhi Nan anymore and ran in the direction of the Yin Yang Monument.
An enormous empty hole was torn open at the Yin Yang Monument, which has been destroyed beyond recognition. The boundary between the human and ghost realms is extremely blurred. The Yin Yang Monument, which originally had a strong boundary and guarded by many troops, can be gone in and out by anyone at this time.
There were corpses everywhere. Human ones, ghost ones. They were too horrible to look at.
Xie Bi An entered the Underworld, and saw a wretched and tragic scene. The Ghost Willow Forest was full of ghost corpses. There were waves of shrilling cries along with the fluttering of willow leaves. They will eventually become the nourishment of the Ghost Willow, so that the ghost tree, which has stood in Jiuyou ever since the disconnection between heaven and earth, can flourish forever. Compared to them, they are just a flick of dust.
Xie Bi An felt his legs shiver. The great battle between the Supreme Demon and the Great Emperor Beiyin a hundred years ago was rumored to have millions of Yin soldiers. Like everyone else, he had only seen it in history books, not knowing if that war was as horrible as it is today.
When Xie Bi An walked through the Ghost Willow Forest, he actually saw a group of fierce ghosts attacking the boundary of the Heaven Master Palace. He drew out his Wuqiongbi, and knocked them back one by one while shouting angrily. He returned to the Heaven Master Palace and hurriedly put the ice coffin away, then found Bo Zhu hiding in the secret room.
Seeing that Bo Zhu was unharmed, Xie Bi An then heaved a sigh of relief. He instructed Bo Zhu to continue hiding here, and used his remaining spiritual power to add an extra boundary before leaving the Heaven Master Palace despite Bo Zhu's pleas.
The Underworld was already in a state of chaos, with the Yin servants and angry ghosts fighting each other at close quarters. Xie Bi An eventually found Cui Jue and Jiang Qu Lian at the foot of the mountain outside the Red Palace, where not only Night Tour, Ox Head and Horse Face were in the formation, but even Meng Po had no choice but to join the battle.
"Official Lord Cui!" Xie Bi An opened a pathway with one sword and slowly retreated to Cui Jue's side, "Are you injured?"
Cui Jue is a civil official with profound cultivation but he was not good at martial arts, even though the Judge’s Brush in his hand grasps the lives of many people.
Cui Jue's face was pale and he shook his head, "How is it outside?"
"Not good." Xie Bi An said in a deep voice, "Qi Meng Sheng ... no, Xu Zhi Nan, he is digging up human cores in order to sustain his life."
"Where is the Supreme Demon?"
"He ..." Xie Bi An was shocked. If Fan Wu She worms his way into the Underworld at this moment, no one could stop him, but the mortal and ghost realms are on fire, and he is unable to attend to other things at the same time.
Jiang Qu Lian is in the midst of commanding the ghost army. He was badly injured, plus with the depletion caused by opening the Ghost Gate, he must also have been exhausted. This made his expression increasingly distorted and crazy. Through the countless Yin servants and ghost citizens, he said: "Impermanence, you finally came. How can this battle be without you and your core?"
"Jiang Qu Lian, what exactly is your purpose?"
"I have said it before not long ago that I want to be reborn as a human." Jiang Qu Lian wiped off the crimson blood at the corner of his mouth, "Remember what I said before? Jiuyou is the ghost citizens’ Jiuyou. The fate of the ghost citizens should be decided by the ghost citizens themselves, and not the Underworld. The Underworld is only the lapdog of the gods in heaven."
Cui Jue gritted his teeth and said, "You want to take over the Underworld, you’re simply indulging in fantasy and overestimating your capabilities! Think about what happened to Zong Zi Xiao a hundred years ago, are you better than the Supreme Demon who can command millions of Yin soldiers?"
"This time is different from those former days because ..." Jiang Qu Lian let out a wild laugh, "The injuries that the Great Emperor Beiyin got a hundred years ago have not yet healed!"
This statement caused all the Underworld generals to change their expressions.
"How long do you think this secret can be hidden? I know you went to beg the Five Ghost Emperors, but they refused to fight. Without the Great Emperor Beiyin, how can you, a small judge, invite the Five Ghost Emperors?" Jiang Qu Lian laughed sinisterly, "The emperor was seriously hurt by the Supreme Demon. He probably won't be able to recover for a hundred thousand years, otherwise how could he not even be able to repair the Fengdu boundary and still have to rely on the Eastern Emperor Bell? You never expected that, right? The Five Ghost Emperors and I knew all about it. If the Underworld needs an emperor, then we’ll leave an emperor who’s recuperating in seclusion, but the Underworld doesn't need judges and Underworld generals. The rewards and punishments of Yanluo Hall, and the six paths of reincarnation at the end of the Naihe Bridge, should not follow any Heaven Path bullshit. Jiuyou should be returned to the ghost citizens. I want to decide my own next life!"
"Jiang Qu Lian, you're completely insane!" Cui Jue roared, "The six paths of reincarnation under the management of the Underworld have brought peace to the human and ghost worlds for millions of years. If you go against heaven, you will bring disaster. Even if you are reincarnated as a human being, will you be able to live in peace and get what you want!"
"I just know that if I continue to be a ghost king in the Underworld, I won't become an immortal and I won't enter the world, so might as well turn the whole world upside down and let the Heaven Path make way for me!”
Xie Bi An was silent for a moment: "... Jiang Qu Lian, you're doing all of this, is it for Lan Chui Han?"
Jiang Qu Lian's eyes were cold: "He doesn't deserve it."
"Do you want him to remember his previous life, no matter what happened in his previous life?"
"..."
Xie Bi An was about to say something when he suddenly felt a wave of Yin energy pounce on him. He had foreseen the danger but failed to dodge it because of his poor spiritual power. The familiar stiffness struck him again. He was possessed again.
The qiankun bag was untied by his own hands and thrown to the person who appeared behind him at some point and manipulated him --- Fan Wu She.
Xie Bi An forced out the ghost in time, but his qiankun bag had already fallen into Fan Wu She's hands.
The crowd held their breath as they watched Fan Wu She took out the Shanhe Sheji Map. His long fingers played with it frivolously back and forth, and his gaze was sweeping across the scene with a fake smile, and finally ending with a deep, hard-to-understand look at Xie Bi An, as if issuing an imperial decree: "I'm going to get my things back."
----
PS: I've change 'Immortal Alliance Li' to 'Alliance Leader Li' for all chapters related
PS from Emzie: Aaaah I haven't posted edits in awhile. It's finals week for me so I've been busy with that and work. I'll upload the rest of the chapters that I have so far, but I may not upload for the next few days ugh (˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )
white clouds transformed into grey dogs*[白云苍狗]--- The changes in human affairs often take freakish forms
broke the caldrons and sank the boats*[破釜沉舟]---burned the bridges; cut off all means of retreat
Chapter 228
Fan Wu She soared into the sky with his sword and flew in the direction of the Eastern Emperor Bell.
Jiang Qu Lian laughed out loud, "Today the Underworld will die."
Xie Bi An also flew up and chased after Fan Wu She.
The shining golden Eastern Emperor Bell standing between the valleys is already clearly visible. This ancient and powerful magical treasure has been guarding the Fengdu boundary for a hundred years. Without it, the Supreme Demon's destruction of the boundary would have been enough to destroy both the human and ghost realms. Without it, Jiang Qu Lian might have torn open more than just a gap.
Now that Zhong Kui has passed away, the Easter Emperor Bell is masterless and is just left silently in its original place. Once it is shaken, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Fan Wu She landed slowly. His fingertips caressed the warm brass ancient bell, gently gliding over its carved texture.
Xie Bi An stood not far away. His pupils contracted fiercely, and his chest rose and fell violently.
"Why did you keep that flower?" Fan Wu She pursed his lips slightly.
"Don't touch the Eastern Emperor Bell." Xie Bi An took a deep breath, "If the Fengdu boundary is destroyed, the earth will be ruined."
"Why did you keep that flower?." Fan Wu She inclined his head to look at Xie Bi An, stared straight into the depths of his pupils and asked stubbornly.
"... It lived. Why can't I keep it?"
"When you became the Human Emperor, you could have planted orchids all over the Wuji Palace, but you only kept that one." Fan Wu She's gaze grew hotter, "Was it because it was left by me?"
Xie Bi An's heart tightened and he said indifferently, "Don't take yourself too seriously."
"When Zong Zhong Ming left the palace, you gave him enough treasure to start a sect, the Junlan Sword, and the Dangshanhe." Fan Wu She's breath also began to be in disorder, "Is this flower really important in your heart?"
"It has nothing to do with you." He will not forget what kind of feelings he used to have when he took care of this Dangshanhe when he was in Wuji Palace in those years. In the more than 10 years of his and Xiao Jiu's brotherly love, only a flower was left for him in the end. In the ten years when there was no news about Xiao Jiu, he took great care of this flower, just like he once took care of his most beloved younger brother. This flower became his only remaining trust and thoughts. If it bloomed leisurely, perhaps Xiao Jiu was also in some corner of the earth living well.
Even after ten years of waiting and thinking, what he longed for was Xiao Jiu who was full of hatred for him, yet this flower was still important beyond great wealth in his heart, and it even became the last thing he could think about; the last love Xiao Jiu gave him.
When he thought about it, Xie Bi An's heart was twisted in so much pain. This person in front of him and this face reminded him of too many unpleasant past events, so why bother to drag the only clean thing into their disagreement now?
"Nothing to do with me? If Dangshanhe has nothing to do with me, who else can it be related to!?"
Xie Bi An thought: Because you don't deserve to mention it. Because it was left to me by my younger brother. He said with a light tremor, "What do you want to prove? Let me tell you, whatever you want to hear, whatever you want to prove, you will not get what you wish. Between you and me, all of the past no longer needs to be mentioned again. If you dare to move the Eastern Emperor Bell right here and now, you will have to step over my dead body."
Fan Wu She’s pupils contracted fiercely. Resentment and anger surged in his chest: "If our past is not worth mentioning, why are you still standing in front of me? Why did I put my plans on hold for you time and time again? Zong Zi Heng, you've survived until now by relying on that wonderful past we had when we were young."
"I don't want to hear this." Xie Bi An pointed his sword at Fan Wu She, "This is the Eastern Emperor Bell that Master had guarded with his life. Don’t ever think of touching it."
Fan Wu She looked at this ruthless face that he loved and hated extremely, and only felt his heart and lungs were clogged with an agitated and depressed air, even his breathing became difficult: "Did you know, if you said to me that you kept that flower because you always thought of me in your heart, even if it was a lie, then I would…would not have crossed the cycle of life and death in vain and reunite with you."
"Reunite with me, just to cheat me and use me." Xie Bi An’s eyes only had coldness, "Say no more. Stop saying how you can't stop thinking about me and how much you love me. I feel disgusted."
Fan Wu She's pupils darkened. His face suddenly became a little twisted and hideous. He withstood the sharp pain in his heart and nodded, "It’s alright. I just want you to be obedient. Obediently stay by my side, and obediently be fucked by me. This is also your choice." He spread out his hand, and the Shanhe Sheji Map slowly spread out in his palm.
Xie Bi An raised his sword and stabbed towards Fan Wu She. The Underworld was on the verge of losing its defenses, and the Eastern Emperor Bell was the last barrier. No one knew whether the Shanhe Sheji Map could pry the Eastern Emperor Bell away. If the Eastern Emperor Bell is moved, will it lose its maintenance of the Fengdu boundary? As the hub of Jiuyou and the court of all ghosts, the Underworld has ended up in a situation where it will be breached today. How can the earth survive if the Underworld is gone? He can only try his best to stop Fan Wu She.
Fan Wu She blocked with his sword and chanted an incantation under his breath.
"Don't move the Eastern Emperor Bell!" Xie Bi An shouted, "If the Fengdu boundary breaks, the earth will be doomed!"
"When I get back the Heavenly Secret Talisman, millions of ghost citizens will just be soldiers under my command, and the human and ghost realms will be within my grasp." Fan Wu She flashed a sharp sword, spun around and stabbed back, "I want it to be finished, then it can be finished.”
The landscape of the valley gradually appeared on the Shanhe Sheji Map, including the layers upon layers of arrays all around, and the Eastern Emperor Bell, like the enemy's camp on the sand table*, it was "nailed" in the center of the scroll.
The Shanhe Sheji Map flashed with spiritual light. The Eastern Emperor Bell seems to have a response. The totem on the brass bell also shone brightly. This light gradually flowed to the formation under the bell, and the huge and complex talisman formation was like a starry river. With countless tributaries carrying dense spiritual power converging into the sea, they blended with each other, and finally the light grew stronger and stronger, gradually becoming the Milky Way.
The earth beneath his feet trembled, and the Eastern Emperor Bell emitted a low humming sound.
Xie Bi An darted and stabbed out viciously with his sword, interrupting Fan Wu She's release of spiritual power, and the glow of the Eastern Emperor Bell immediately dimmed. Fan Wu She was fighting with Xie Bi An on one hand, and had to withstand the huge spiritual energy consumption of the Shanhe Sheji Map on the other with difficulty. The paler his face is, the more demonically handsome he appears.
The demand for spiritual power from the ancient divine treasure is like a lake that can never be filled up. No matter how the water rushes in, it can't make any ripples when it converges, that's why when Xie Bi An controlled the Shanhe Sheji Map, he had the illusion of having his spiritual power sucked away. That feeling would make people panic from the depths of their souls. He didn't know how Fan Wu She could withstand such spiritual power consumption. This person's talent is really terrifying.
Xie Bi An attacked while disregarding the consequences. He knew that he might not be able to wait for reinforcements even if he continued dragging on. The majority of the Yin servants have been dispatched to deal with Jiang Qu Lian and the fierce ghosts released by him.
Fan Wu She was knocked out by Xie Bi An's sweeping sword energy, and his back fiercely hit the Eastern Emperor Bell with a loud bang. The magical treasure in his hand almost slipped out of his hand. Xie Bi An didn't give him a chance to breathe. His long sword ferociously went after his throat.
Xie Bi An indeed does not like the sinister and vicious Zongxuan sword technique, but this sword technique was also really powerful as a killing move. No wonder it had been able to rule the immortal cultivation world for three hundred years. He had very little spiritual power left and had to end the fight quickly.
Fan Wu She raised his sword to defend and dodge, but the spiritual energy consumed by the Shanhe Sheji Map affected his attack and defense. He was one step faster and also one step slower, and the Juanlan sword grazed his neck.
There was a wave of burning pain. A superficial wound cracked open and blood splashed. His eyes burst with coldness. If he had not dodged that sword in time, he would have been stabbed through the throat. This person really wanted to kill him. Every move was a killing move, wanting to kill him without mercy!
Fan Wu She only felt a pain penetrating through his heart, and his hate could not dissipate. He clenched his sword tightly in his hand, injected spiritual energy, and counterattacked with all his strength. At the same time, the Shanhe Sheji Map glowed again, and the small Eastern Emperor Bell on the scroll shook while the earth trembled.
Both of them are at the end of their rope, and the outcome of the battle depends on this move.
Xie Bi An’s eyes cracked. In two lifetimes, all the grief and anger at this moment attacked his heart, giving him the desire to destroy everything and to end everything. All these ugly hatreds, grudges, sins, evils, let them all disappear, disappear! He recklessly mobilized his spiritual power, and his long sword started to move. The sword moved in a full moon. The eighth Chongtian of the Zongxuan sword attacked Fan Wu She with great force.
Fan Wu She was angered by Xie Bi An’s eagerness to kill him, and all the pain, despair, resentment and unwillingness he had felt for a hundred years attacked his heart. When the eighth Chongtian of the Zongxuan Sword started, that raging murderous aura made the hair stand on his whole body. He instantly recalled the duel between the two of them at Wuji Palace a hundred years ago. In that battle, his big brother also had the intention of dying together with him and used the eighth Chongtian, which he could not fully master.
"Zong, Zi, Heng!" Realizing what Xie Bi An was trying to do, Fan Wu She only felt grief-stricken. His eyes were bloody red. He gathered the Shanhe Sheji Map and poured his spiritual energy into Ting Mo. He had to break this sword move, otherwise both of them would die.
The same starting style, the same sword move, the same strong spiritual pressure collided fiercely between heaven and earth.
It has been 100 years. Back then, that peak of the Zongxuan sword duel destroyed half of Zhengji Hall, which nearly killed the Human Emperor on the spot. This scene is very similar to that year. Will the ending also repeat?
White light flashed with a loud bang, dazzling half of the valley. Under the loud noise, the huge spiritual pressure was like a hurricane sweeping the earth. The sand and stones were flying in the vast world, as if the end of the calamity was arriving at this moment.
Finally, the white light gradually darkened, and everything returned to calmness.
Xie Bi An was half-kneeling on the ground. One hand was supporting the sword, and the other hand was covering his heart. The corners of his mouth cannot help but gush out waves of fresh blood, and his eyes were lax and gray with defeat.
"You were defeated back then, and you're defeated again today." Fan Wu She stood in front of Xie Bi An with difficulty. His body was slightly swaying. He was also seriously injured, "You will always be a defeated general in front of me and be taken advantage of at my convenience.”
Xie Bi An slowly raised his head. Just this one action caused his energy to be exhausted. He opened his mouth only to bleed even more, yet could not make any sound. All his emotions flowed out of his eyes with tears.
"You forced me to do this. Why must you force me to hurt you?" Fan Wu She grasped the Shanhe Sheji Map, turned his head to look at the towering, majestic Eastern Emperor Bell, and muttered, "No one can stop me. Not even you."
The scroll of the Shanhe Sheji Map spread out once again. Fan Wu She released all of his spiritual power, and the massive body of the Eastern Emperor Bell began to tremble enough to shake heaven and earth.
Xie Bi An reached out his hand in despair and grabbed towards the Eastern Emperor Bell in vain.
Master, I'm sorry, this disciple is useless ...
Chapter 229
The tremor of the earth makes it more difficult for Xie Bi An’s already shaking body to support. His eyes are blurred and oscillating. Under the dizziness, he fell to the ground, and the whole world followed and turned upside down. Familiar things reconstruct his vision in an unfamiliar way, and everything seems so absurd.
But what could be more absurd than the truth?
He watched the Eastern Emperor Bell shoot out streaks of grand light. The sacred and ancient bell sound came from the clouds, each sound getting deeper and more distant, resounding through heaven and earth. It is believed that at this moment, whether human, ghost or god, are all shocked by this magnificent divine power and heartfelt fear at the same time because this is the game between an ancient divine treasure and another ancient divine treasure, and the outcome of this game will determine the survival of the human and ghost worlds.
On the picture scroll of the Shanhe Sheji Map, the tiny Eastern Emperor Bell was also shining brightly in gold, yet it was just swaying in place. Fan Wu She's face turned red and veins appeared on his forehead. He roared hard and stretched his body, releasing all his spiritual power in a desperate attempt. For a while, the spiritual pressure was so strong that it could almost knock people down.
Xie Bi An felt that his heart and lungs were going to be crushed flat, and blood gushed out of his mouth again. His internal organs were in unbearable pain, and his consciousness was even more lax.
Finally, the Eastern Emperor Bell was pried up a crack.
If Zhong Kui was still alive, no one or thing in this world could shake the Eastern Emperor Bell. However, he had passed away, and with enough dense spiritual power and the power of the Shanhe Sheji Map, the masterless Eastern Emperor Bell was finally controlled by Fan Wu She, even if it was only moved slightly.
Xie Bi An perceived an extremely strong Yin energy coming from the direction of the Eastern Emperor Bell. His face had already lost its colors, and despair covered his pupils.
"Xuanyuan Heavenly Secret Talisman, do what I command, come forth!" Fan Wu She shouted.
A black shadow practically flew out impatiently from the gap of the Eastern Emperor Bell and flew straight towards Fan Wu She's palm.
With a loud boom, the Eastern Emperor Bell smashed down to earth again. All this happened in a flash, but the world can never go back to the past.
Fan Wu She staggered a few steps, yet his hand clutched the warm, cool jade talisman tightly. He panted heavily. The internal and external injuries combined with the near depletion of spiritual energy made him move towards the edge of collapse, but his gaze shone brightly, like an extremely hungry beast that had finally found its prey.
He gasped and slowly opened his trembling hand. An ancient military talisman was lying on his palm. It is three inches long, one finger thick, green glitter as jade, and written with red blood.
Throughout the four great treasures of the ancient world, Shen Nong Ding is as big as a mountain, the Eastern Emperor Bell can alarm the heavens, and the Shanhe Sheji Map can change everything. Only the Xuanyuan Heavenly Secret Talisman looks the least flamboyant and the most unremarkable, but it is the most sinister and the craziest.
The Heavenly Secret Talisman glittered, faintly at first, but became more and more dazzling later, emitting more and more of a black death aura. Fan Wu She's chest was heaving violently, his eyes were full of excitement, and the color of the red blood vessels spreading over most of his eyes actually became darker and darker, and finally turned into black color. Like the interlocking roots planted in the ground, each vein was supplying a deadly poison.
The majestic surging Yin energy was like tons of Thunderfire Stones detonated in unison, blasting in all directions. The remaining power was full of wildness and doesn't disperse for a long time. Fan Wu She was dressed in black clothes, and was covered by a dense black death aura. He is like a dense fog, gathering all the demons in the dark world here with the ambition to devour the sky and the earth.
That bunch of black death aura viciously converged and diffused again, coloring the large sky. Among the mist, Fan Wu She stood in the void. The Heavenly Secret Talisman was hovering above his palm. His clothes were fluttering, his black hair was disordered, and he stood firmly, just looking at the magical treasure that can give him divine power in his hand. For a moment, he looked up to the sky and let out a long laugh.
The Xuanyuan Heavenly Secret Talisman is born!
The Supreme Demon is born!
He had been tortured in Hell for a hundred years. He had been dragged by countless fierce ghosts into the Wangchuan River. He had endured humiliation, kept a low profile, spent many years planning, finally seized back his magical treasure, and finally got back the power he craved! From now on, the sky and the earth, no one can stop him. He wants to grasp what he wants in his hand again one by one and never let them go again.
Xie Bi An couldn’t stand it anymore. In front of his eyes appeared Zong Zi Xiao, who was surrounded by that black death aura and became a devil back then. It was Zong Zi Xiao’s hatred combined with the erosion of his mind by the Heavenly Secret Talisman which created that cold, evil and hostile Supreme Demon, and there is nothing he can do about it. His rebirth is just a repetition of the past.
If this is fate, why let him go down the same road again?
Xie Bi An closed his eyes. Tears slid down his pale cheeks, and he fell into darkness.
----
Xie Bi An felt immersed in warmth. This warmth awakened his stiff and numb body. He slowly opened his eyes.
Fan Wu She's face burst into view without warning, packed to the brim.
Xie Bi An suddenly didn't know what time it was and who he should treat this face as.
But Fan Wu She did not give him time to think. He perceived there was spiritual energy being injected into his body to help him recover his injuries. His tongue was bitter, presumably being fed a healing elixir. He looked at this face blankly, yet did not return to his senses for a long time.
Fan Wu She swept away the weakness not long ago. The Yin energy injected into him by the Heavenly Secret Talisman made him recover as before, and his eyes also became grimmer.
Seeing that Xie Bi An opened his eyes, Fan Wu She continued to channel his spiritual energy continuously, while lowering his head and kissing that bare forehead.
Such a light action also caused Xie Bi An's body to tremble. As if waking up from a dream, his eyes immediately crawled with panic, despair and resistance. The Heavenly Secret Talisman had been born. The Supreme Demon and that ancient divine treasure which had darkened the entire immortal cultivation world formerly, really came back to the world. He had cultivated for so many years, made a serious vow in front of Zhong Kui's grave, but in the end he could not stop it at all.
That look displeased Fan Wu She, but Xie Bi An’s injuries were quite serious and his spiritual veins were severely damaged. He could not help but regret and feel sorry: "Don't be afraid." His tone can be rated as gentle, but also sufficiently indifferent, "You can't change anything anymore."
Xie Bi An opened his mouth, but he couldn't say a word. His eyes became emptier.
That look of there’s no grief greater than despair caused Fan Wu She to frown, "I have seized back the Heavenly Secret Talisman, do you know what this means? It means that not only you, but everyone will be dominated by me, and you are no exception. It seems that fate is arranged in this way. You are destined to belong only to me."
"... Boundary." Xie Bi An murmured.
"Don't worry, the boundary is still there. If the earth is in chaos, who am I going to rule?" Fan Wu She smoothed Xie Bi An's sweaty forehead hair, "Big brother, stop doing foolish things again. Back then, there was a period of time when you were awake. You know I'm a man of my word. If you’re obedient, I'll be good to you."
He princess carried him and rose into the air with his sword. His burning gaze was staring at the distant front, "Cheng Yan Zhi's body is in Wuji Palace, right?"
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PS: uhhhh…pretty sure Yan Zhi’s body is in Heaven Master Palace…
Chapter 230
Bo Zhu, who had been hiding in the secret room of the Heaven Master Palace, has been hiding for several hours with fear and trepidation. After enduring several earthquakes and loud noises, and the battle between surging Yin energy and spiritual power, he knew that something bad was going on and didn't dare to come out. Fortunately, the boundary of the Heaven Master Palace was laid by Zhong Kui personally. After a night of turmoil, it still manages to stay supportive.
After a burst of the most powerful spiritual power and the impact of the earthquake, everything seemed to return to calmness, and there was no more noise for a long time.
Bo Zhu was still scared witless and didn't dare to go out so easily. He waited for White Master to come and find him, but was afraid that White Master would not return, and could only hide in the darkness wiping tears secretly.
He guessed: I don't know how long has passed, maybe it's almost dawn and the Hungry Ghost Festival is coming to an end. There was movement at the entrance of the secret room. His eyes lit up. He jumped up from the ground and ran over with joy.
The door of the secret room opened. A man stood in the doorway with his back to the light, dressed in black, and it was hard to see his face clearly. His figure was so tall and well-built that it almost cut the light cast in from outside into two uneven beams.
Bo Zhu's heart tightened and he took a step backwards in horror. It was not White Master, it was ...
"Come out." Fan Wu She briefly ordered.
"... Black Master." From the beginning, Bo Zhu hated this outsider who was picked up by Heaven Master on the way. This person is arrogant and conceited, cold and unfeeling, but also has an inexplicable exclusive desire for White Master, as if White Master has become his possession at some point in time. Now Bo Zhu understood that he didn't misjudge him.
Bo Zhu shrank into one corner, even more afraid to move, and he said with a crying voice: "Where is White Master? What have you done to White Master?"
"Come out if you want to see him." Fan Wu She said coldly impatiently.
Bo Zhu hesitated for a while. He was worried about Xie Bi An, and knew he had nowhere to hide, so he could only walk out.
Fan Wu She grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up like a cat or dog.
Bo Zhu was so scared that he was staring at Fan Wu She with his eyes wide open. He didn’t even dare to breathe hard for a while. He still remembers that year when he first met this person, he was only two inches taller than him. Now he is so tall and strong, with that beautiful yet evil hanging fox eyes, and that awe-inspiring power of proudness and arrogance. The person in front of him is not the Black Impermanence Fan Wu She he once thought he knew, but is-----the Supreme Demon?!
Fan Wu She spread out his palm and something came out of Bo Zhu’s body and flew into his hand.
"You!" Bo Zhu looked at Gong Shu Ju and Cheng Yan Zhi’s ice coffin, which Xie Bi An instructed him to protect, being snatched away, and anxiously stretched out his hand to grab them.
Fan Wu She indifferently swept his gaze over the magical treasure on his palm, threw Bo Zhu on the ground, turned on his heel and walked away: "Follow me."
Bo Zhu could only follow, and he soon saw the badly injured Xie Bi An.
"White Master!" Bo Zhu hurriedly ran over. Xie Bi An's white clothes were already utterly dirtied and stained, especially the blood on his chest, stinging his eyes sore and swollen which immediately became blurred.
Xie Bi An slowly opened his eyes: "Bo Zhu ..."
"White Master, how, how are you?" Bo Zhu sat on the edge of the bed and carefully held Xie Bi An's hand. He had little cultivation and could not ascertain Xie Bi An's internal injuries, but just by looking at that miserable face as white as paper, he knew that the injuries were serious.
"Cheng Yan Zhi ..." The minute Xie Bi An saw Bo Zhu, the first thing he asked was his biggest concern.
"In my hands." Fan Wu She said coldly from one side.
Xie Bi An took a deep breath. His body looked even more powerless, as if every bone had been withdrawn, leaving only a flimsy shell.
"White Master, have you taken the immortal pill left behind by Heaven Master ah? There is that, that pill, and ..." Bo Zhu was so nervous that he stuttered. Xie Bi An's weak appearance made him feel extremely sad.
Fan Wu She looked at Xie Bi An’s injury, and felt distressed and angry. Thinking that this person's injury was caused by wanting to kill him, a sentence of sadness has long been unable to depict his millions of pains, even if he has regained the power of his previous life and seemed to be able to control everything, but in the end, the person he wanted to control the most still can’t be controlled.
Everything seems to have fallen into a deadly cycle again.
Fan Wu She clenched his fist, resisted the urge to care, said in a deep voice: "I have fed him the best immortal pill, and also infused spiritual power into him. Go get the medicine and gauze, and change him into a clean set of clothes."
Bo Zhu turned his head and glared angrily at Fan Wu She: "You've already got what you want, why do you still want to hurt him? He treated you so well."
Fan Wu She looked down at Bo Zhu, and a trace of a murderous aura was flowing out of his eyes: "Do as I say. Don't let me hear anything unnecessary."
Bo Zhu's thin shoulders trembled a little. He sniffled and went to get the things.
After Bo Zhu left, Fan Wu She sat on the edge of the bed, drew out his dagger and carefully cut open Xie Bi An's clothes. Compared to Xie Bi An's internal injuries from the Zongxuan sword's eighth Chongtian, the external injuries were relatively less serious, but after a night of fighting, there were more than a dozen large and small wounds. Every time he cut near the bloodstains, Fan Wu She would be extra gentle, but he could still see Xie Bi An's forehead oozing beads of sweat from the pain.
"Back then, during the duel at Wuji Palace, you tried to use this move to die together with me, what was the result?" Fan Wu She threw the blood-soaked strips of cloth beside his feet one by one. They were originally white as jade, but now they are like the remnants of flowers that have splashed down into the mud and have already withered to the extreme.
Xie Bi An was silently looking at Fan Wu She.
"Why didn’t you learn your lesson? You will never have a chance to win in front of me."
"So, in the previous life, did you win?" Xie Bi An said lightly while enduring the pain.
Fan Wu She's gaze was cold, and the movement of his hands stalled.
Xie Bi An lowered his eyes wearily.
"I didn't win, and you lost in a complete mess." Fan Wu She gritted his teeth, "Do you want to repeat the same mistake in this life?"
If not for the fact that he couldn't laugh, this question from Fan Wu She would actually provoke laughter. Does he want to? What would be the consequence of his desperate efforts?
"You already got what you wanted." Xie Bi An asked in a daze, "What else do you want to do?"
"To get what I was not able to get in my previous life." Fan Wu She gazed at Xie Bi An in silence.
"Today is not a hundred years ago. There is Xu Zhi Nan in the human realm and Jiang Qu Lian in the ghost realm. You can no longer cover the sky with one hand*."
"Then it depends on whether they will stand in my way." Fan Wu She's fingers gently slid along Xie Bi An's snow-white skin and flesh, deliberately avoiding the wounds, but when he saw Xie Bi An was still frowning in pain, his heart also seized up. He was also not lightly wounded, but he still infused a large amount of spiritual energy to heal Xie Bi An.
At this time, Bo Zhu ran back while carrying a basin with medicine hanging on it. He said nervously: "White Master, outside the Heaven Master Palace ..."
"Shut up." Fan Wu She glared at Bo Zhu.
Bo Zhu bit his lower lip almost at once. He took out the medicinal liquid that had been warmed in the water to clean Xie Bi An's wounds.
"What happened outside Heaven Master Palace?" Xie Bi An was struggling, wanting to get up.
Fan Wu She pressed on his shoulder with one hand: "Heal your wounds first."
"What's going on outside? Where's Official Lord Cui?" Xie Bi An glared at Fan Wu She.
"It will be dawn soon." Fan Wu She took the medicinal liquid from Bo Zhu's hand, moistened the cotton, and gently wiped over the bloody wounds.
Xie Bi An was in so much pain that he became stiff all over.
"Cui Jue, Night Patrol, Day Patrol and other underworld generals have been imprisoned by Jiang Qu Lian. Without the help of the five ghost emperors, the Underworld no longer has the ability to fight against Jiang Qu Lian."
Xie Bi An clasped Fan Wu She's wrist and said in a stern voice: "Official Lord Cui ..." At the same time, he agitated both his internal and external wounds, and his face was distorted with pain.
Fan Wu She simply touched his acupuncture points and made him lie back on the bed properly: "He won't kill Official Lord Cui. He still needs the Book of Life and Death and the Judge's Brush."
Cold sweat constantly flowed on Xie Bi An’s forehead. He still couldn't believe that the Underworld was defeated by Jiang Qu Lian's hands. Even though several forces had chosen to attack and weaken the Underworld by various means on the day of the Hungry Ghost Festival, he still couldn't accept that Jiang Qu Lian had succeeded. He said in a deep voice: "The Great Emperor Beiyin has never come out of seclusion."
"His injuries probably won't be able to heal within a thousand years." Fan Wu She gave a cold snort. After finishing cleaning patiently, he sprinkled medicinal powder on the wound again, and Bo Zhu bandaged it up with him.
Xie Bi An's body trembled slightly, and he felt burning everywhere. He couldn't even look up to face Bo Zhu. If he saw Bo Zhu, he would inevitably think of Zhong Kui. If his master was here, he would never let the earth and ghost realms fall into such a situation.
Fan Wu She got up and looked at the magical treasure and the ice coffin in his hands: "It's going to be dawn soon."
It’s going to be dawn soon. The Fengdu boundary can only be entered the moment the sun rises and it will repair itself. If no one attacks the boundary anymore, then the boundary will eventually close. Although going back and forth the Yin Yang Monument is no longer an obstacle for the current Fan Wu She, at this time, the Jiuyou is no longer the Jiuyou of the Underworld. He has to prevent Jiang Qu Lian from trapping him in the ghost realm.
Xie Bi An heard what he meant beyond his words. He had to take Cheng Yan Zhi's body before dawn to exchange it for the Golden Trunk Jade Policy.
Fan Wu She once again carried Xie Bi An, who had already changed into clean clothes: "He may not return to the Underworld in the future."
"White Master!" Bo Zhu mustered up his courage to stand in front of Fan Wu She.
Xie Bi An reluctantly raised his head, lightly touched Bo Zhu's hair, and smiled bitterly: "Bo Zhu, go and reincarnate, no need to wait." Master, or him, probably couldn’t come back in the future.
Bo Zhu looked at him with red eyes.
Fan Wu She carried Xie Bi An out of the Heaven Master Palace.
Jiang Qu Lian’s Yin soldiers were standing in great numbers, surrounding the Heaven Master Palace to the fullest.
Fan Wu She swept his eyes over once, and his eyes finally fell on the red-clothed ghost king: "Is this prepared for me?"
"If you compete with me for the Yin soldiers, it's hard to say who will be the champion." Jiang Qu Lian smiled.
"The Underworld no longer has what I want." Fan Wu She rose up with his sword.
"But there is still something I want on earth." Jiang Qu Lian stared straight at Fan Wu She.
"I can make your soul scatter. Not to mention Human Path, you will disappear into the three realms and eight wastelands*, never to exist again." Fan Wu She said in a cold voice, "If you dare touch my things."
Ting Mo flew out with one move and carried the two through the Yin Yang Monument and back to earth.
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PS from Emzie: Aaaaay guess who's back guys. Time to upload a million edits XD
cover the sky with one hand*[一手遮天]--- hide the truth from the masses; hoodwink the public
three realms and eight wastelands*[三界八荒]---3 realms (heaven, earth/human realm, ghost realm), 8 wastelands (equals to 8 directions of the compass: north, south, east, west, southeast, northeast, southwest, northwest)