Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As the dawn light broke, Xu Xiaofei woke up.
He remembered that at the end of that dream, he was sitting by the shore, dipping his legs into the water, chatting with that young man. After taking off his clothes and soaking in the water, the young man seemed to finally open up a bit.
“You're not saving me, not looking for me, not wanting to seek the Dao…” he joked with the young man, “Is there only the word ‘no’ in your dictionary?”
“...No.” The young man shot him a glare. Then both of them burst into laughter.
Xu Xiaofei sat up.
He knew that once it was bright, someone would come to take him away. Unfortunately, what he was about to soak in was not warm mountain spring water but the scorching flames of a furnace.
He sighed, but there was no despair in his eyes.
Sitting upright on the bed, he closed his eyes again. He needed to rehearse one more time.
In the depths of Spirit Serpent Palace, at the center of the largest Alchemy Room, a bronze ancient cauldron stood over a person’s height, slowly emitting a strange fragrance that resembled both orchid musk and blood. The flames beneath it burned a deep blue-green color and had been burning for a month.
Spirit Sword Destiny, Bai Fei, and Tang Xuan Zhu were all gathered here. They watched as Xu Xiaofei was escorted in by the priest.
Xu Xiaofei immediately looked at Spirit Sword Destiny and suddenly smiled, “You promised me that just before I enter the cauldron, you would let me see your true face.”
Even with his life on the line, he still firmly remembered this sentence.
“Alright, I will show you.” Spirit Sword Destiny did not go back on his word.
Before his voice faded, he revealed his true form.
Compared to his transformed appearance, although his features were not similar, he still exuded an air of elegance and gentleness. If he smiled slightly, anyone who saw him would feel a warmth and tenderness like a spring breeze.
Yet at the end of spring breezes lies unmelting hard ice; behind that smile lurked blades of light.
Xu Xiaofei changed his expression drastically upon seeing that face for the first time.
“It’s you! It really is you…”
There wasn’t much shock; it seemed he had anticipated this outcome long ago. Tears welled up in his eyes, filled with both relief and sorrow.
“Do you know how much you have caused me…” He shook his head, “But it’s fine, at least you’re not dead…”
Reviving someone who has died is incredibly difficult, and many times it left him feeling hopeless. He hated his own powerlessness, wishing he could die immediately in exchange for “Lin Mo’s” rebirth.
Then, he would gather his spirits again and muster hope once more.
Now, he had finally freed himself from this dark abyss.
Spirit Sword Destiny averted its gaze.
He couldn’t bear to meet Xu Xiaofei’s eyes any longer.
The multiple magical artifacts and Curse that had bound Xu Xiaofei’s spiritual power were gradually lifted. The Curse contained the caster's own spiritual power; for instance, Spirit Sword Destiny’s Binding Ribbon carried a trace of water element, which could interfere with Alchemy if it fell into the cauldron.
This was his only chance to escape.
However, with Xu Xiaofei’s strength, even without any restraints, there was no way he could escape from the combined efforts of Spirit Sword Destiny and others.
He remained calm.
After the initial shock of learning the truth about Spirit Sword Destiny, he quickly collected his thoughts.
Taking advantage of this moment, he lowered his gaze and silently recited an incantation.
He recalled the summoning technique of the Dragon Soul after witnessing Shen Jinglan's actions, but the immense spiritual power required to summon the Dragon Soul was beyond his means. However, summoning techniques could be universal, and he could still attempt to summon others.
Who to summon... Shen Jinglan, of course, Shen Jinglan!
This leader of the Demon Sect, deeply connected to him, had left a fragment of spiritual light containing the Divine Celestial True Technique in his Divine Consciousness. With this as a foundation, he could more easily communicate with Shen Jinglan. Moreover, summoning others might not be useful; only summoning Shen Jinglan would have enough power and significance to change the situation.
The mysterious and profound incantation flowed smoothly from his lips, transforming into a word spirit.
The power contained within the words followed the fragment of spiritual light floating in his Divine Consciousness, tracing back along the invisible strings in the void.
It resonated in the heart of the person at the other end of the string.
Shen Jinglan opened his eyes.
He had still been lying in bed, not yet awake. The sunlight was just beginning to climb onto the windowsill.
He heard someone calling him from a distant place...
It did not sound pleading, but it was quite earnest.
Should he respond to this call?
In an instant, he made his choice.
In the Alchemy Room beneath Spirit Serpent Palace, everyone was shocked to discover that Xu Xiaofei's aura had changed!
It was as if a sudden gust of wind had swept through him.
It brought something that did not originally belong here.
His breath became deeper, more vast, and harder to fathom.
Even his originally amber-colored eyes seemed to darken a bit.
These clear eyes, like autumn water, yet shadowed at the bottom, scanned the Alchemy Room and glanced at Spirit Sword Destiny, Tang Xuan Zhu, and others, almost immediately revealing a look of realization.
He had seen the truth and understood the situation of Xu Xiaofei, who had summoned him here.
"Let him go," he said, his voice hoarse.
To those who were unaware of the context, this statement might have sounded vague, but the people present understood his meaning.
The Master!
From the moment Spirit Sword Destiny sensed the change in Xu Xiaofei's aura, he realized something.
A wave of overwhelming despair washed over him.
He stared blankly at the speaker, completely lost.
He had put so much effort into this, invested so much heart and soul...
Many rare materials were not easy to find!
He had kept everything from Shen Jinglan; the Master only needed to see a finished pill placed before him, without needing to know how it was refined.
But now the Master knew everything.
All his efforts and sacrifices had gone to waste.
The pair of overlapping eyes, when looking at him, seemed to carry much more tenderness and sighs.
"Shen Jinglan? It's you, you've finally come?" Even without sight, Tang Xuan Zhu sensed something unusual. With her squinted eyes, she said to herself, "Just watch closely. To make up for my past mistakes, I am refining a life-saving elixir for you."
"No need." The voice was ungrateful. "Tang Xuan Zhu, do not interfere in my matters. Mind your own business."
Tang Xuan Zhu was stung by his words, frowning as she replied, "Are you truly unwilling to accept my apology? It was my fault back then, but I have regretted it for years and am determined to make amends... If you were not concerned about our old feelings, why don't you come and kill me?"
His words drew the attention of the dejected Spirit Sword Destiny, who turned to look at him with a strange expression.
"My mercy in not killing you has nothing to do with you!"
Do not think too highly of yourself!
The tone grew colder, so cold that Xu Xiaofei almost never spoke like this.
"Good, good, good!" Tang Xuan Zhu laughed in anger. "Since you are ungrateful, I have no need to be polite. Once the Earthly Extreme Pill is refined, must I deliver it to you?"
She made a move towards Xu Xiaofei.
Once the refining was complete, even the dead celestial materials could still be used!
A sudden gust of wind swept away all attacks; Xu Xiaofei's figure had already vanished, taking along the still dazed Spirit Sword Destiny.
This wind was wild and unstoppable; no one could hinder it.
The two figures quickly disappeared from sight.
Xu Xiaofei sat on his Spirit Pet, Azure Wind Eagle's back, feeling as if he had been thoroughly beaten and was about to fall apart, along with a lingering weakness rising from deep within his bones.
The will he summoned has already retreated, returning his body to him.
This technique is not something that can be easily used; it places a heavy burden on the body, and there is no way he could use it again in a short time.
However, being able to escape means he has temporarily evaded danger.
He turned his head and looked at the person beside him.
Spirit Sword Destiny remained dazed, lowering his head and not saying a word since earlier.
He seemed both furious and heartbroken.
Xu Xiaofei quietly watched him, pain evident in his eyes as well.
This person named “Lin Mo,” also known as Spirit Sword Destiny, regardless of what he is called, is the one he has hidden deep in his heart. This act of feigned death has caused him so much suffering and torment. He realizes that Spirit Sword Destiny used such a false identity to infiltrate Xiaoyao Sect, undoubtedly with ulterior motives, having designed this situation for him... Lin Mo's tenderness towards him was merely an illusion.
If he held no resentment, then he would hardly be human; he would be a Buddha instead.
Yet when he saw Spirit Sword Destiny's expression, he felt a pang of compassion, and the words of reproach could not escape his lips.
Suddenly, he reached out, fingers spread wide, shaking them in front of Spirit Sword Destiny.
Spirit Sword Destiny finally looked at him.
Xu Xiaofei smiled and said, “Where are you going next? Back to Evil Sect?”
Spirit Sword Destiny seemed to come back to his senses and stared at him, saying, “Where are you going?”
“I’m going back to Xiaoyao Sect to hide for a while,” Xu Xiaofei replied. “That Tang fellow may have a chaotic Divine Consciousness, making it difficult for him to pursue me, but I still feel that he won’t let me off easily.”
"He definitely won't let you go, as for Divine Consciousness," Spirit Sword Destiny sneered, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "No matter how it's destroyed, it can be restored just the same. He destroyed Divine Consciousness simply because he was afraid the Master would seek revenge on him; it was all just an act. Now that the Master has shown interest in addressing this matter, the act no longer needs to be performed. I believe he will immediately start working on the restoration!"
Xu Xiaofei said, "Yeah, so I have to leave. You probably won't come back with me, right?"
The disciple of Xiaoyao Sect, Lin Mo, would never appear again.
However, Spirit Sword Destiny said, "I'm not leaving; you will come with me."
His gaze became clear and stern once more.
He transformed back into the familiar Evil Sect Left Guardian that Xu Xiaofei knew.
"I'm going with you?"
Spirit Sword Destiny nodded: "Tang Xuan Zhu will definitely find a way to track you down. That's good; I was just about to deal with him. This time in Alchemy, I managed to gather some rare celestial materials, though their quality is mediocre. He can provide better ones; I suspect the treasures of the annihilated Medicine King Sect are definitely in his hands. The Medicine King Sect has been around for many years; apart from the Earthly Dan Formula, they must have more gains in Alchemy. Once I capture him alive, I can extract everything."
Xu Xiaofei chuckled: "It seems you've planned everything out. However, I think his skills are not weak; are you confident?"
"In a one-on-one fight, I'm slightly better than him. If he wants to escape, I might not be able to stop him," Spirit Sword Destiny replied coldly, "So I've already sent orders within the sect to mobilize personnel and set up an ambush ahead."
Defeating and capturing alive are indeed two different matters.
"Let's go," he looked down and assessed the direction, "We'll just wander around here for a bit; there's no need to rush away. Let's wait for him to catch up."
Xu Xiaofei sighed with a smile: "Have you noticed that sometimes you're quite domineering? For example, you've deceived me into thinking you were dead for so long, and now you haven't even said 'sorry.'"
Seeing that Spirit Sword Destiny seemed about to speak, she quickly interrupted: "Forget it; I'm magnanimous and won't hold it against you... With your temper, I guess only I can tolerate it." The last sentence was muttered under her breath.
What she didn't want to hear was a polite and distant "I'm sorry"; she'd rather not hear it at all.
Spirit Sword Destiny smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for your high regard, Young Master Xu. I am quite flattered."
Xu Xiaofei took off an item hanging around his neck and handed it to Spirit Sword Destiny: "You should take this back. Inside is probably a fragment of your soul. The separation of the soul can hinder the flow of spiritual energy."
This was something he had vowed to protect at all costs, and now it had finally left him.
Spirit Sword Destiny accepted it.
With the information network of the Evil Sect, Spirit Sword Destiny quickly learned that Tang Xuan Zhu was indeed unwilling to give up and was investigating Xu Xiaofei's whereabouts.
Of course, he himself felt a sense of reluctance, but since the leader was already aware of this matter, there was no way to cover it up any longer. Even if the Earthly Extreme Pill was successfully refined, what significance would it have if the leader refused to consume it?
Spirit Sword Destiny had already dismissed that thought.
They had settled into an inn in Jinping City and had lingered there for two days.
That evening, Xu Xiaofei suddenly took the initiative to find him.
"Today is the Night Moon Festival. Why don't we go out and see the lantern festival?" he said with a cheerful smile.
"Are you a child? Why don't you go by yourself?"
Xu Xiaofei retorted confidently, "Going alone is no fun. Besides, you've arranged everything that needs to be arranged. Since you have nothing else to do, just accompany me for a walk."
He pulled Spirit Sword Destiny along.
Spirit Sword Destiny found it hard to refuse. He had deceived Xu Xiaofei quite badly and had almost turned him into a pill; he felt a twinge of guilt in his heart.
In the night market, the lights began to glow brightly.
Countless lanterns were held by the hands of passing pedestrians, resembling a flowing river of light.
Food stalls emitting fragrant aromas lined the street in a row.
"Do you remember what I love to eat?" Xu Xiaofei asked with a bright smile.
A bag of warm chestnuts was bought by Spirit Sword Destiny and handed to him. Xu Xiaofei's Cosmic Bag had long been taken by Spirit Serpent Palace, and all his silver coins and treasures were lost. Only his Spirit Pet managed to escape when he was captured and had been lingering nearby, which he called back. Xu Xiaofei was now completely broke.
"I don't remember. I just happened to want to eat it too," Spirit Sword Destiny replied.
This statement suddenly reminded Xu Xiaofei of the frail young man in his dream, who seemed to only have the word "no" in his Dictionary... He couldn't help but smile. How insincere.
"Alright," Xu Xiaofei said without minding, "I'll peel it for you."
He indeed peeled one and handed it to Spirit Sword Destiny.
Spirit Sword Destiny awkwardly accepted it and could only say, "You eat it; I can peel it myself."
He vaguely felt that his relationship with Xu Xiaofei was undergoing a strange transformation... It seemed that every time he met this person, something would change.
It became closer, more like long-lost friends finally reunited, rather than enemies who had just fought for their lives not long ago.
"Let's go; there seem to be many good places ahead," Xu Xiaofei suggested while eating the chestnuts.
Walking through the colorful and bustling Lantern Market, he quietly observed the person beside him.
His features were calm and picturesque.
Earlier, Spirit Sword Destiny had bought a blessing lantern from a roadside stall and placed it in the water. He could see that the paper note on the lotus read the character "Shen."
They all knew that lighting the lantern was useless, yet they stood by the shore, watching the light drift away with the current. Perhaps Spirit Sword Destiny just sought some comfort.
He wondered if he was still thinking about Shen Jinglan.
Xu Xiaofei felt a twinge of bitterness in his heart.
He could only vaguely recall some old memories, unable to piece them together and reclaim his past. Yet he knew that Spirit Sword Destiny was an extremely important person to him, and back then, it wasn't unrequited love. But Spirit Sword Destiny no longer remembered him.
If only it aligned with his feelings.
Clearly, you were the one who met me first... why do you only think of him?
He concealed this sense of loss and smiled, inviting Spirit Sword Destiny to see a particularly exquisite double dragon spitting pearls lantern.
Shen Jinglan sat alone in the courtyard.
He had left Mount Hua and arrived in the capital of Chen Kingdom, Purple Gold City. It was said that the Lantern Market by the water in Purple Gold City was the grandest, liveliest, and most worth visiting within a hundred miles.
He had originally made plans with Spirit Sword Destiny, but two days ago, Spirit Sword Destiny suddenly replied that he had matters to attend to and couldn't make it.
Even from the courtyard, he could see fireworks blooming in the distant sky. Below, the lights were bright.
He could hear laughter carried by the wind.
The Lantern Market must be bustling with activity.
He had once wanted to go, but now he had lost interest.
Shen Jinglan remained silent, sitting in the courtyard for a long time since evening.
He had a Lantern resting across his knees, a slender wooden pole with an Azure Koi hanging from the top, along with Apricot Yellow tassels.
The Carp made of fabric was crafted by a skilled artisan, and it was very delicate.
He did not look at it again.
A cold wind blew by, and he coughed lightly, feeling that his legs were a bit numb.
He had inquired about Spirit Sword Destiny's whereabouts and knew that he was with Xu Xiaofei.
Why don't you come?
...Why don't you come see me?
He wanted to ask but ultimately could not voice it.
The moonlight was indifferent, enveloping the courtyard like water, also falling upon him. No matter how lively the world was, the bright moon hanging high above remained untainted.
He suddenly looked up and glanced at it.
The crescent moon shines over the nine provinces.
Comment 0 Comment Count