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墨書 Inktalez
As midnight approached, the faint sound of Flute Music drifted into the air.
Xu Xiaofei was still staying at the Tang residence. This time, when they went to the Spirit Serpent Palace, the Xiaoyao Sect seemed to have seen through the Tang family's intentions. To avoid competition for credit, they only sent an elder and three disciples. Elder Gu deliberately protected his disciples during the battle, so Xu Xiaofei was hardly injured. However, his friend Tang Huaiying was not so fortunate; he was severely injured and needed to rest for a while.
Xu Xiaofei originally planned to set off for Mount Hua to catch the final excitement of the Discussion Conference. However, Tang Huaiying insisted that he stay a little longer and take him around the outskirts of the Tang residence. Seeing his friend's pitiful state, Xu Xiaofei agreed.
At this moment, he lay in bed, listening to the soft and melodious Flute Music.
It felt familiar. Not from a few nights ago, but from a much more distant past.
Before the tune finished, he had already dressed, put on his shoes and socks, and rushed out of the room, flying outside.
Following the Flute Music, he gracefully landed on the wall of a secluded courtyard at the Tang residence. The Flute Music was emanating from within the wall. Although he didn't want to peek inside like a thief, this seemingly familiar Flute Music compelled him to find out more.
The moonlight was bright.
The fragrance of flowers floated in the wind.
In the courtyard stood a slender figure playing the flute, exuding an air of ethereal detachment.
The Flute Music suddenly stopped.
A voice as enchanting as the music yet carrying a hint of aloofness said, "Since you are here, why not come in?"
Xu Xiaofei was startled. In the next moment, a golden Talisman appeared on the courtyard wall, and a powerful force surged forth, pushing him into the courtyard.
The flutist had lowered their hand that held the flute and stood tall without turning to look at him but faced the desolate night instead.
Xu Xiaofei cupped his hands in salute and said, "I am Xu Xiaofei, a disciple of Xiaoyao Sect. I am temporarily staying at the Tang residence at Tang Huaiying's invitation. I apologize for intruding upon you, senior; I hope you can forgive me."
After a long silence, the person finally spoke: "You are not him?"
"Who is 'he'?" Xu Xiaofei asked in confusion. "Are you waiting for someone, senior?"
Before receiving an answer, he saw White Shadow move swiftly, attacking him with a Jade Flute as a weapon. The strikes were fierce, and Xu Xiaofei quickly raised his sword to defend himself.
After managing to counter ten moves, the flute shadow suddenly vanished, and the opponent had withdrawn.
"You are indeed not him. Sixty years ago, he was already stronger than you. In today's world, he would not possess such skills as yours."
Xu Xiaofei grew even more curious: "Who exactly are you, senior?"
The other person did not answer and continued to speak to himself: "You are the Carefree Disciple. Yet the sword technique you just used is certainly not from the Xiaoyao Sect. Who taught you this sword technique?"
"I learned this sword technique from an ancient Sword Manual. I do not know who wrote the Sword Manual; do you perhaps know?"
"Is that so," the person sighed softly. "Your voice is also very similar to his."
His tone gradually became more desolate: "I have waited for many years, only to see you... Am I destined never to see him?"
Xu Xiaofei truly did not know how to respond to his words.
He could only ask in confusion: "May I ask who you are, senior?"
This time, the other person did not evade the question: "Just now, you mentioned that you are a friend of Huaiying? I am his Second Uncle."
Second Uncle? Xu Xiaofei was taken aback.
This seemed to be the senior that Tang Huaiying had mentioned.
The young man gained fame, winning second place at that year's Discussion Conference, just one step behind Shen Jinglan, but then he suddenly withdrew from the public eye and vanished—
Xu Xiaofei still remembered his name: Tang Xuan Zhu.
From the few moves he demonstrated earlier, it seemed that even after his retreat, he had not given up on his cultivation.
“Tang Huaiying mentioned you to me,” Xu Xiaofei said. “He said you are a remarkable figure; even your master admires you.”
“His master, Tang Zixin?” Tang Xuan Zhu shook his head. “Just an insignificant talent, only in the newly brewed tea can one detect a hint of spirit.”
He suddenly added, “Friend, can you see how many flowers the Mugua Rose has bloomed?” He explained, “My eyes have dimmed; even my Divine Consciousness is shrouded in a haze of White Mist. Earlier, when I fought against you, I was merely listening for sounds to discern positions.”
Indeed, there was a floral fragrance in the air. A Mugua Rose stood in the flowerbed of the courtyard, its large pink-white Mallow petals scattered among the leaves.
He was actually blind? Xu Xiaofei was taken aback again. The moonlight shone on Tang Xuan Zhu's face, reflecting in his clear pupils.
This was originally a rather handsome face and those were quite captivating eyes. Xu Xiaofei couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.
“Six flowers have bloomed; three more are yet to open,” Xu Xiaofei replied.
“Good.” Tang Xuan Zhu nodded. “Friend, you remind me of an old acquaintance. Come again tomorrow night; I will teach you some cultivation insights until the hibiscus begins to wither.”
Xu Xiaofei thought for a moment and agreed.
He had jokingly complained to Senior Sister Qi Yan about why people always pressed him to receive secret manuals and teach him techniques. But when opportunities arose, he would never miss them.
As before, Xu Xiaofei flew down into the courtyard. Each night he came to consult Tang Xuan Zhu, feeling increasingly fatigued. Later, even Tang Huaiying, who would come by to hang out with him, mysteriously asked, “Xu, what are you sneaking off to do at night? If you're going out for fun or to drink flower wine, you could invite me! Even though I'm injured, I'm still capable!” Xu Xiaofei rolled his eyes at him.
Tang Xuan Zhu was already waiting in the courtyard. He stood under the hibiscus tree, slightly tilting his head as if trying to count how many flowers had bloomed.
"Have you arrived?" he said. "Has the Mallow started to wither?"
"One has begun to wither," Xu Xiaofei replied after taking a careful look.
Tang Xuan Zhu remained silent for a long time.
"It seems he will not come."
He turned again and sat down at a stone table in a corner of the courtyard, calling out, "Come over here. I won't teach you today; I've prepared some light wine, so let's have a few drinks together."
Although his eyes were blind, he was very familiar with the layout of the courtyard.
With a flick of his sleeve, he set down a jug of wine and two porcelain cups on the table.
Xu Xiaofei also walked over and sat in front of him. Over these past few days, this eccentric senior had indeed taught him quite a bit, and he still wanted to drink.
Tang Xuan Zhu picked up the wine jug and poured the clear blue liquid into both cups. His hands were precise and steady, not spilling a single drop.
The two of them drank several cups together. Although Xu Xiaofei wanted to take the initiative to say something, no matter what he tried, the other person just listened quietly without responding. In the end, he poured more wine with a simple "Drink more."
After three or five cups, Tang Xuan Zhu finally spoke up.
"It seems you have many doubts in your heart; it appears you don't know the situation. Well, since I have nothing to do today, I'll clarify some things for you. Don't you know who we are waiting for?"
"I don't know," Xu Xiaofei admitted honestly.
"We are waiting for Absolute Cult Leader, Shen Jinglan."
Shen Jinglan? Xu Xiaofei listened to him and felt no surprise at all.
He had never seen this person before, but in his mind, the figure from the incident at the White Tiger Stronghold suddenly emerged—the one he had encountered twice in the streams and caves, with a sickly appearance yet possessing an unfathomable strength.
Could it be him?
"Did you already arrange to meet him here?" Xu Xiaofei asked.
"I did not make any arrangements," Tang Xuan Zhu shook his head. "Many years ago, someone read my fortune and predicted whether I would see him again. The diviner saw an illusion: the bright moon hanging high, and the Mugua Roses blooming all over the courtyard. I was here, and he stood before me."
He sighed lightly. "It seems he ultimately miscalculated; it is not him who has come, but you. However, although this prediction is incorrect, there must still be some aspects that align."
Xu Xiaofei said, "You don't mean I..."
"You have a considerable connection with him!" Tang Xuan Zhu asserted.
A considerable connection?
Xu Xiaofei pondered this. He felt an inexplicable bond with that person; he could empathize with their pain. Standing beside that individual felt as if their heartbeats and breathing rhythms gradually synchronized... He indeed believed there was some truth to this.
He asked again, "What are you waiting for? If there’s anything you want to say, I can find a way to convey it for you."
"No need," Tang Xuan Zhu replied indifferently. "You probably misunderstood something. Back then, although he and I were close friends, we have long since become enemies. If he were to come again, there would be no old stories to recount—only blades drawn against each other."
Suddenly, he asked, "Do you know how I became blind?"
"Was it... him who caused it?"
"Indeed." Tang Xuan Zhu nodded. "It could have been healed; I chose not to heal it. A cultivator can still perceive things without eyes through divine consciousness, so I destroyed my divine consciousness as well. I did all of this because I knew I would see him again, yet I had no face to meet him."
"What exactly happened?"
"To make a long story short," Tang Xuan Zhu poured himself another cup of wine, downed it in one gulp, and slowly said, "Since I promised to clarify your doubts, I'll share this with you. However, this matter dates back several hundred years."
Xu Xiaofei looked at him in disbelief. Shen Jinglan and Tang Xuan Zhu were figures who had only been active over sixty years ago; how could this relate to events from hundreds of years prior?
Let's hear what he has to say.
Tang Xuan Zhu continued, "Since you've entered the immortal sect, you must know that the path of cultivation becomes increasingly difficult as one progresses. The final stage before ascending to immortality is called the Great Zhou, where countless powerful beings get stuck, desperately seeking opportunities but to no avail. Back then, a senior from the Great Zhou accidentally obtained a fragment of an immortal pill recipe and couldn't help but wonder—could it be possible to refine a type of elixir that would allow one to ascend to immortality upon consumption?" He seemed to guess what Xu Xiaofei was thinking and nodded, "That's right; this is indeed an unorthodox path. However, that senior had long reached the Great Zhou realm and was no longer swayed by worldly matters; the desire for ascension was his only obsession. With this fragment of the immortal pill recipe, he also involved three other powerful beings he was familiar with. Among them were experts in Alchemy and those who possessed various rare spiritual materials. Together they deduced and actually completed the recipe for this immortal pill, naming it Extreme Dan."
"To refine Extreme Dan requires numerous steps and a vast amount of celestial materials, including the extremely rare Seven Treasures Spirit Mushroom and Moliang Huang. They gathered resources separately and borrowed manpower from their respective sects for materials. Once everything was prepared, the most skilled Alchemist among them personally opened the furnace. After three months of effort, they finally produced a golden pill. However, this golden pill was not a finished product; it was merely a pseudo-pill. According to their deductions, the golden pill needed to be further refined using a human's mortal body as a furnace to gradually transform it into its true form. Naturally, the four seniors could not use themselves as the furnace; they chose the most talented newcomer in the cultivation world at that time and secretly implanted the golden pill within him. That person was Shen Hanting," Tang Xuan Zhu said slowly, "who is also Shen Jinglan's ancestor."
Xu Xiaofei gasped softly. At this point, he began to see the outline of the story Tang Xuan Zhu was telling.
"Shen Hanting's wife died during childbirth, leaving behind two children who appeared completely normal. One child had mediocre talent while the other displayed astonishing potential at a young age, quickly surpassing many skilled practitioners. Unfortunately, he suffered from illness and passed away young. In subsequent generations of the Shen Family, every few decades would emerge such a remarkably talented yet doomed individual; indeed, this is well-known as the 'True Martial' physique—Shen Jinglan... he is no exception."
Xu Xiaofei murmured, "So this physique was artificially created."
Tang Xuan Zhu replied, "There are indeed cultivation physiques that surpass ordinary ones in this world; for example, the Yin Sha Body that aligns with ghostly paths or the Yang Yan Body that aligns with fire and metal paths. However, the drawbacks of Yin Sha Body are merely an inability to endure sunlight for long periods; Yang Yan Body's drawback is susceptibility to frost-type techniques. None of these physiques have flaws as significant as that of True Martial Physique. Once someone with True Martial Physique begins cultivating, it's as if they are running downhill from a mountain top—there's no need for a fast horse; their power increases exponentially day by day at an ever-accelerating rate... until their spiritual energy goes out of control and their flesh collapses. This flaw arises from human intervention—seeking quick success. The golden pill can immediately grant one a pseudo-immortal body; ascending to immortality means transforming falsehood into truth, which is much easier than building up from nothing like an ordinary person. Yet humans are born with mortal bodies; how can they withstand an immortal body—even if it's just a pseudo-immortal body?"
Xu Xiaofei snorted coldly: "These seniors from Great Zhou are nothing but evil beings."
Tang Xuan Zhu said lightly: "In their eyes, mortals are mere ants. What value do ant lives hold? After planting the golden pill within the Shen Family member, they patiently waited five generations until they felt the time was ripe and captured someone to reopen the Alchemy process. This time they used a living person as an alchemical catalyst... and indeed refined what they sought—the Elixir."
"They succeeded?"
"On that day, amidst thunder and lightning, the Alchemy Room collapsed, and from the rubble shot forth a beam of golden light with six golden dragon phantoms swirling above—it truly had an aura of immortality about it. The one responsible for Alchemy vanished without a trace; no one ever saw him again." Tang Xuan Zhu continued, "Perhaps he was caught in the explosion and turned to ashes or perhaps he was killed by someone who rushed over nearby before he could escape—his body destroyed without a trace. The other two arrived slightly later; when they got there, the first person had already consumed the formed Extreme Dan."
"The two couldn't stop him and watched helplessly as it happened. Immortal energy surged forth; purple clouds gathered while golden flowers fell like rain—this person truly began undergoing transformation from mortal to immortal; however—"
"At the last critical moment, it seemed he had not overcome his heart's tribulation; his mind faltered with a terrible scream before their eyes—his form swelled grotesquely as black energy erupted around him, transforming into a foul demonic creature that fled in panic under their pursuit. The final outcome seemed to be that he was suppressed by some Mountain Deity."
"Suppressed by the Mountain Deity?" Xu Xiaofei was taken aback, could it be...
Tang Xuan Zhu continued, "The remaining two would naturally not be willing to give up. To conveniently carry out their plans under a pretext, they even recruited disciples skilled in Alchemy from their respective sects, gathering them together to establish a sect called the Medicine King Sect, dedicated to devising pill formulas and collecting celestial materials. They regrouped and attempted multiple times. Unfortunately, although they managed to refine a few pills that could rejuvenate the body and repair Flesh, they were of no use for their desire to ascend to immortality. After more than a hundred years, one person's lifespan was exhausted and he died, leaving the last person to finally decide to give up. He had discovered that the Shen Family had long harbored suspicions about the peculiar True Martial Physique, and after generations of dedicated research, they even made some progress... Decades ago, the book "Divine Celestial True Technique," which caused a stir in the martial world, was derived from the Shen Family's calculations, providing a remedy for the flaws of the True Martial Physique. The Shen Family was also investigating the truth; once confirmed, they would surely be at odds with him."
"You can probably guess that this last remaining person is my master. In his later years, he fell into Inner Demon, often muttering to himself in a secluded cave while staring at an empty wall. This is how I learned about these matters. At that time, he had already lost hope in refining Extreme Dan and was worried about retaliation from the Shen Family. Mixed in with this were concerns for the Tang family and the cultivation world. Resources in the cultivation world are limited; for instance, Kunlun Cold Jade takes a thousand years to form a cluster, and Golden Leaf Bodhi bears only five fruits after eight hundred years. If the Shen Family grew powerful, how could others find a foothold? He resolved to eradicate the Shen Family completely. Although the Shen Family produced many talents, most had short lifespans and were not a match for his long-standing predecessors from Da Zhou; they were wiped out overnight. However, the Shen Family was not without defenses; two generations prior, they had split off a branch and placed heavy seals on their bloodline—this was Shen Jinglan's grandfather. By coincidence, Shen Jinglan was sent to Shattered Star Sect by his uncle after losing his parents at a young age. The seal in his bloodline had already weakened; once he began cultivating, he shocked the sect. At that time, no one connected him with the long-extinct Shen Family until his youth when his power surged and symptoms of True Martial Physique began to manifest in his body—only then was his identity clarified."
"At that time, I became very close with him. He had a carefree personality and was quite loyal. If there was a flaw, perhaps it was that he was too pampered by those who supported him in Shattered Star Sect; he had a bit of a young master attitude—just a little bit. Whoever treated him well would be targeted by him for mischief, but he did so with restraint and wasn't annoying." Tang Xuan Zhu's voice carried a hint of nostalgia as he seemed to smile slightly.
Xu Xiaofei rarely saw him smile.
"The first time I met him, he was drawn in by my Flute Music just like you and came uninvited. I still remember how he arrived under the moonlight, standing on the wall and smiling at me. At that Discussion Conference, I lost to him and only placed second; I initially held resentment towards him. However, his true energy was remarkable enough that I couldn't feel angry at all—instead, I felt close to him. It's just a pity..."
"When my master accepted me as his disciple, he made one request: anyone associated with the Shen Family must be killed! After exterminating the Shen Family, he seemed to have divined that they were not completely eradicated but could not pinpoint where any survivors might be due to their arrangements. I knelt before him and swore an oath that if I discovered any trace of someone from the Shen Family, I would definitely kill them."
"Now that I've discovered Shen Jinglan's identity, I have no choice but to deal with him. My master had already passed away by then; before dying, he left me the token of command for Medicine King Sect so that I could mobilize this power."
"It was you who forced him into Youzhou?" Xu Xiaofei asked.
"I also failed. Using 'Divine Celestial True Technique' as bait, I designed a plan to lure him into Medicine King Sect and activated our sect's protective formation but still couldn't kill him. I held the sect leader's token and could control everyone in Medicine King Sect; yet unexpectedly, someone dared to defy me... all for Shen Jinglan! Not only did he exchange the fake 'Divine Celestial True Technique' for the real one, but he also secretly sabotaged our protective formation. Moreover, Shen Jinglan's power was truly terrifying—much more so than what he displayed at the Discussion Conference. He also possessed a forbidden technique that could significantly boost his cultivation in a short time; despite being surrounded by us at that moment, he ultimately managed to slay us one by one."
"And you survived."
"Yes. At that time, he was killing with reckless abandon, drenched in blood and looking deranged... I nearly died under his sword but at the last moment, he spared me. I'll never forget the look in his eyes then..."
Tang Xuan Zhu paused for quite some time as if recalling that moment.
After a long while, his voice finally resumed: "Perhaps at that time he still didn't understand the truth and thought I was merely there to help. However, I can't say it was a complete defeat; although he survived this battle, using forbidden techniques drained his physical foundation completely—even if he immediately dispersed his energy to re-cultivate 'Divine Celestial True Technique,' it wouldn't save him now. Though he's still alive now, his condition is likely quite dire."
Neither of them noticed that outside in the darkness of the courtyard stood someone silently listening to every word they said.
The wind stirred the corners of his clothes, and his body trembled slightly as if he were cold.
For this secret, Tang Xuan Zhu had isolated himself from the outside world with a barrier, but such means could not block his perception.
After hearing all this, Xu Xiaofei fell silent for a moment before finally smiling, "If I were him, I would definitely regret having you as a friend."
He then looked at Tang Xuan Zhu's vacant eyes—he originally felt it was quite a pity and added, "Perhaps he has already uncovered the truth, but seeing you self-destructing your Divine Consciousness and hiding away, it seems he is deeply remorseful and somewhat embarrassed to come and kill you." He nodded, "This method is quite good; if it were me, I would feel a bit embarrassed too."
"Sharp-tongued," Tang Xuan Zhu sneered. At this point, he seemed to have finally shed his serene and elegant facade. "You know, you are very much like Shen Jinglan, but there is one aspect where you fall far short of him."
"What aspect?"
"Your cultivation is too weak. Back then, he was too impressive; even some peers couldn't stand him but had no way to deal with him, while the elders held themselves in high regard and couldn't act against their juniors," Tang Xuan Zhu said. "If I were you and found myself in a predicament, I would also obediently keep my mouth shut."
Xu Xiaofei was taken aback and suddenly stood up, but his legs went weak.
"What did you make me drink?"
Tang Xuan Zhu replied, "It's not poison; it just prevents you from moving."
"What do you want?" Xu Xiaofei asked. "Even if you kill me, you won't be able to force Shen Jinglan to appear!"
"Who said I wanted to kill him?" Tang Xuan Zhu said lightly. "After I drove him into Youzhou, for some reason, the more I thought about it, the more regretful I became. He is a very good friend and has treated me well... My destruction of Divine Consciousness was also for this reason. Now, I only want to make amends for him. When I first saw you, I was quite surprised, but I immediately understood that this was a gift from above."
"What do you mean?" Xu Xiaofei suddenly gasped. "You don't mean... alchemy..."
"You are quite clever," Tang Xuan Zhu smiled, seemingly somewhat approving. "Indeed, although the elixir that the predecessors of Dazhou desired has not been refined yet, the Earthly Extreme Pill that strengthens the body and cures all ailments can truly be refined using the bloodline of someone from the Shen Family. With you, I can refine the Earthly Extreme Pill and save Shen Jinglan's life to make up for my past mistakes."
Xu Xiaofei remained silent.
He was secretly cultivating his internal energy, trying to break free from the restraints, but his body felt weak, and he couldn't muster even a trace of spiritual power.
"So this is the hidden truth of the matter; he has harmed the leader to such an extent..."
The person standing outside the courtyard slowly raised his head, his face pale, his eyes cold, glimmering with unshed tears. "The leader does not care to settle scores with him, but I cannot let him go. Since this person wants to refine pills for the leader, I will spare his life for now."
"When the pill is completed—this debt will be settled!"
His emotions gradually calmed down, and he began to ponder.
"The leader must have sent someone to investigate; he knows in his heart but has kept it hidden from me."
"He might also know the formula for the Earthly Extreme Pill, especially that ingredient, the Seven Treasures Lotus Heart, which originally belongs to those of the Shen Family bloodline. But he has no intention of doing so; perhaps he doesn't want to listen to my advice... Is it also for this reason that he does not acknowledge Xu Xiaofei?"
As he contemplated, he quietly withdrew his control over the two people in front of him.
The dazed expressions in their eyes faded as they exchanged glances. One of them softly said, "Is it ahead?"
The other replied, "Yes, what the High Priest referred to is indeed here."
It turned out they were from the Spirit Serpent Palace. They had been controlled by Spirit Sword Destiny and were completely unaware.
Spirit Sword Destiny had long since concealed its presence.
These two individuals were too low in cultivation level, including Xu Xiaofei in the courtyard; none were capable of sensing his aura. As for Tang Xuan Zhu, given his cultivation level, if he were careless, he might also be discovered by him. However, Tang Xuan Zhu's Divine Consciousness was already muddled, lacking perception even compared to Xu Xiaofei.
The envoy from Spirit Serpent Palace lightly knocked on the courtyard door, which opened and admitted them inside.
Spirit Sword Destiny observed all of this.
Bai Fei had always been wary, yet he was still ensnared by the hidden stakes laid by the Spirit Serpent Palace. This time, it was the hidden stakes that signaled a disturbance within the Spirit Serpent Palace that prompted him to quietly follow here.
The Spirit Serpent Palace remained entrenched in Miaojiang and rarely ventured out. This time, however, it was unusual for them to step into the Tang family's territory, which made him suspicious and compelled him to investigate personally.
He did not expect to uncover such a significant secret.
"You finally arrived; you are quite slow."
In the courtyard, Tang Xuan Zhu had already risen.
"Lead the way, let's go."
A thread as fine as a spider's silk wrapped around his wrist, and he followed the messenger of the Spirit Serpent Palace, guided by this thread.
Xu Xiaofei did not follow; he had already been stuffed into some kind of magical artifact by Tang Xuan Zhu.
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