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墨書 Inktalez
In this dark and narrow space, there was a jolt up and down.
Xu Xiaofei was unable to move. After being fed poison wine by Tang Xuan Zhu, he was restrained with great force, leaving his consciousness in a state of confusion.
A dreamlike illusion suddenly appeared before his eyes...
Dream · Two
The wind blew, and the water swayed.
The icy water of Severe Winter was merely a slight chill to him.
He was half asleep, lying on the water, with the sound of waves crashing in his ears.
The lingering scent of alcohol wrapped around his nose; it seemed he had drunk a lot, and his head throbbed with pain. What year and month was it? Where was he? He did not care.
Perhaps he had drifted closer to the riverbank, as voices floated in with the cool breeze.
"Did that person drown?"
"In this cold, they must have frozen to death long ago."
"Sir, a corpse!"
...
He still kept his eyes closed, lying motionless in the Water Wave, too lazy to get up.
So what if his clothes are soaked? So what if he is recognized as a Corpse? This Water Surface sways unsteadily, feeling softer than the softest bed.
The murmurs coming from the Shore suddenly fell silent.
"Thud."
He seemed to hear someone falling into the water—
Moments later, a hand wrapped around his waist, pulling him against their back, and they desperately waved their arms, swimming back.
His body landed on solid ground, and he was brought to the shore.
Who... is meddling?
Drops of Water Droplets fell from that person's cheeks and hair onto his face.
That person's breathing was heavy.
His whole body trembled in the cold wind, and his heart beat faster and more chaotically.
Clearly, this was such a frail body, and the winter clothing seemed overly thin; this person probably struggled to have a full meal, yet still jumped into the water to retrieve a stranger's Corpse.
The person was mumbling something, but the voice was too faint for him to understand.
He finally opened his eyes.
He had to open his eyes because he could feel that the person who saved him was originally weak. Now, having come out of the icy water, the cold wind blew, and the remaining spark of life was about to extinguish almost immediately. He certainly could not ignore the fact that this person was dying for him.
"…Is it you?"
He sat up and caught the person's swaying body. When he clearly saw the face, he suddenly gasped.
"You came back to life!"
"The person didn't die?"
…
The commotion in the crowd seemed distant; he only heard the person softly say, "You really didn't die, you didn't die." There was a smile on the pale face that showed no color, as if completely unaware of their own situation.
"I knew it was you; you wouldn't die so easily..."
He fainted in his embrace.
Xu Xiaofei woke up, still inside Tang Xuan Zhu's cramped and dark artifact.
He stared blankly for a while.
Although it was a dream, he knew it had truly happened.
The coolness of Water Wave brushed against his body, the trembling hands of that person holding him, and the final smile that was both comforting and tragic—lips already frozen to a bluish-purple—he recalled all of it clearly.
"Such a fool," he murmured in his sleep.
For a moment, he almost forgot the perilous situation he was in... drifting back into a timeless dream.
In the Spirit Serpent Palace, Bai Fei gazed at the unfamiliar visitor before him.
He held the token from his master—who was also the former High Priest, Feng Xi—and brought the "Seven Treasures Lotus Heart" here.
Furrowing his brow, he suddenly asked, "How did my master die?"
He could sense that as soon as this person stepped into the palace, his Puppet master, connected to his mind, awakened from a deep slumber. An uncontrollable tremor resonated from beneath, as if disturbed emotions were surfacing.
In contrast, Tang Xuan Zhu remained calm and unperturbed: "Feng Xi? Why don't you ask him yourself how he died?"
Though he understood in his heart, he didn't want to elaborate. Initially, the formula for Extreme Dan no longer existed; even the Earthly Extreme Pill formula had been destroyed. His master avoided this topic like poison, determined to eradicate the Shen Family completely. How could he have left behind these two formulas? Nevertheless, he managed to uncover some clues and pieced together a fragment of the formula, asking Feng Xi to refine it.
Feng Xi exhausted himself, pouring out his heart and soul; even his once-black hair turned white... Ultimately, he completed the formula for the Earthly Extreme Pill. He died from sheer exhaustion. Before passing away, he used his last bit of spiritual energy to calculate two divinations—one to see if Bai Fei would meet Shen Jinglan again and another seemingly for Feng Xi's own disciple.
Even if he died because of him, it was a choice he willingly made.
Bai Fei gazed deeply at Tang Xuan Zhu and after a long pause said, "Where is your 'Seven Treasures Lotus Heart'?"
Not long after Tang Xuan Zhu left, Spirit Sword Destiny also came seeking an audience. He had originally departed from Miaojiang to head to the Central Continent.
Bai Fei looked at this returning individual without showing much surprise.
"What brings you here?"
Spirit Sword Destiny said, "That friend named Xu Xiaofei, the leader instructed me to take care of him, but my subordinates found that he was captured and brought to Miaojiang. Has the High Priest seen him?"
"He is right here," Bai Fei replied calmly. "He is the missing ingredient for the Earthly Extreme Pill, the 'Seven Treasures Lotus Heart'. I was just about to use him for Alchemy. Do you want to take him away?"
"Is he really?"
"As stated in the formula, the medicinal properties of the Seven Treasures Lotus Heart can turn saffron petals into Azure Light. I have taken his blood for testing, and it is indeed true."
Spirit Sword Destiny nodded, "Then that's a different matter. In that case, I would trouble the High Priest to host me for a few more days. After we refine the Earthly Extreme Pill, we will leave. If there are any deficiencies in the celestial materials, please let me know, and I will have someone deliver them immediately."
"Very well, you may stay a few more days," Bai Fei agreed.
Spirit Sword Destiny was a familiar guest at the Spirit Serpent Palace, so he did not need a priest to guide him and hurriedly walked towards a certain place.
Earlier, Bai Fei mentioned preparing for Alchemy, which did not require him, while Tang Xuan Zhu was conducting preliminary refining on the Seven Treasures Lotus Heart. If he had time, he could go help.
As he reached outside the room where Xu Xiaofei was imprisoned, he already heard voices.
"Is this food for humans? You treat guests with these disgusting things?"
Upon entering the room, he saw a large platter filled with colorful items in front of Xu Xiaofei. Upon closer inspection, it was all snakes, scorpions, spiders, and centipedes entangled and biting each other in a wooden tray, a sight that was quite terrifying.
Tang Xuan Zhu said, "This is indeed not food for humans; it's merely auxiliary materials for refining medicinal herbs."
He instructed the priest beside him, "Give it to him, not a single drop should be left."
The priests complied; one locked Xu Xiaofei's arms, while another pinched his chin, forcing the live poison into his throat, one by one.
The experience must have been extremely unpleasant, as Xu Xiaofei's face instantly turned ghastly. After swallowing the last worm, when the priests released him, he covered his mouth and began to retch.
Tang Xuan Zhu said lightly, "If you like it this way, you can eat like this from now on."
Xu Xiaofei clenched his teeth, anger flashing in his eyes.
The Spirit Serpent Palace Priest stepped forward and whispered something, prompting Tang Xuan Zhu to speak again.
"People from the Evil Sect?"
Spirit Sword Destiny understood that this was directed at him and replied, "Evil Sect Left Guardian, Spirit Sword Destiny. Bai Fei, you need help refining immortal materials, so I came to assist."
Xu Xiaofei also turned to look at him, wearing a complex expression that was hard to describe.
"Left Guardian?" Tang Xuan Zhu asked. "How is your sect leader faring?" Without waiting for Spirit Sword Destiny's response, he continued, "I suppose it's not good. Let me refine this pill for him."
"Yes. Thank you for your help, senior." Spirit Sword Destiny responded politely with a silent smile.
The other party's Divine Consciousness was already in chaos and naturally could not see his smile.
His smile was faint and lacked any warmth, but usually when he smiled like this, his murderous intent was boiling within. Once he had drained Tang Xuan Zhu of all his usefulness, he resolved to make this person die more painfully than anyone else—one hundred times worse.
Tang Xuan Zhu could not be seen, but Xu Xiaofei was fully aware of everything happening.
His eyes flickered, and it was unclear what thoughts were turning in his mind.
"Enough small talk, let's get started," Tang Xuan Zhu said.
He flicked his fingers, sending a beam of azure light towards Spirit Sword Destiny, who caught it in his palm. After a brief inspection, it was revealed to be a simple method for refining.
With a word of "It's ready," both raised their hands simultaneously, and countless thin strands of golden light surged toward Xu Xiaofei, forming a cocoon of light that enveloped him.
Through the translucent cocoon, it was clear that all the ends of the golden threads had pierced into Xu Xiaofei's body, causing him to display an expression of extreme pain in an instant. His mouth opened as if to cry out in agony, yet no sound escaped.
The intense burning pain on his flesh was not something easily endured!
This gruesome scene made the priests of Spirit Serpent Palace turn their eyes away in discomfort. Meanwhile, Tang Xuan Zhu and Spirit Sword Destiny, one invisible and the other with a hardened heart, continued to channel their spiritual energy without a hint of mercy.
When the golden light finally dissipated, Xu Xiaofei gasped heavily, his legs giving way as he collapsed to the ground. There were no visible wounds on his body, but cold sweat had soaked through him.
"Let's go," Tang Xuan Zhu said to the priest guiding him. The refinement was complete, and he did not linger.
They quickly left without a trace.
Spirit Sword Destiny remained behind, looking at the disheveled figure slumped on the ground.
Xu Xiaofei looked up at him and suddenly smiled bitterly: "I thought I was about to make a friend in you."
"Spirit Sword Destiny" said, "I used to think the same way."
"Who would have thought... that 'Alchemy' would need me to save 'Shen Jinglan'? You are from the 'Evil Sect', and you must save your leader, right?"
"Yes."
"Is it absolutely necessary for me?"
"It's not that it has to be you," "Spirit Sword Destiny" replied. "It's just that I don't know if the leader has any other descendants. His body can't hold out much longer and could change at any moment; otherwise, I would give you another chance."
He really didn't want to know how 'Xu Xiaofei' came about. He always felt he knew too little about the leader's past.
"Hahaha," 'Xu Xiaofei' suddenly laughed loudly, shaking his head. "Even if you give me a chance, what do you take me for? In a hurry to find a woman to bear children for your own survival? If 'Shen Jinglan' is the person I met in the cave, I like him very much. Being consumed by him doesn't seem so bad... But have you ever thought, if a hen knows it's eating its own eggs, can it still swallow them?"
"Spirit Sword Destiny" stared at him. For some reason, his heart ached slightly... he truly felt a bit reluctant.
After a while, he slowly said, "No matter whether the hen can swallow it or not, once the elixir is refined, it won't taste anything."
"That's true," 'Xu Xiaofei' sighed.
After exchanging a few words, he finally regained some strength, pushing himself up with one hand and standing. Suddenly, he stumbled and almost fell into "Spirit Sword Destiny's" arms. "Spirit Sword Destiny" reached out and supported him.
'Xu Xiaofei' looked up. He was now so close to "Spirit Sword Destiny" that they could feel each other's breath.
He gazed into "Spirit Sword Destiny's" eyes, deep and profound, and said, "Before I die, I have one wish—just one. Can you promise me? But looking at the situation, I've thought about it over and over again and can't figure out how I can escape death; it seems I'm really doomed."
He was so sincere that Spirit Sword Destiny couldn't bear to refuse, saying, "You, I will decide later."
"Let me see your true self," Xu Xiaofei immediately said. "I don't know why, but I always feel like you should be someone I'm very familiar with and close to. I feel like you are hiding a huge secret..."
This wish was not too demanding.
"Alright, I promise you. But it's not the right time yet," Spirit Sword Destiny replied. "Just before you enter the Dan furnace, I will let you see my true self."
"It's a deal," Xu Xiaofei smiled.
No matter what he felt inside, this smile was incredibly radiant.
Like the brightest sunlight and the flowers blooming under it, it could dazzle anyone.
However, beneath the most brilliant sunlight, darkness accompanied its presence—when Spirit Sword Destiny saw this smile, he also noticed a drop of ice-blue water appearing on Xu Xiaofei's forehead. His body stiffened as a chilling sword energy suddenly emerged, pressing against his back.
Through Divine Consciousness, Spirit Sword Destiny saw that this sword energy was triggered by a sword-shaped treasure hidden in Xu Xiaofei's forehead. It was formless and intangible, yet seemed invincible.
As long as Xu Xiaofei moved his hand slightly, it would be an absolutely lethal strike.
He found himself looking at Xu Xiaofei again—this person carried a strange charm that could make one unknowingly lower their guard... but in reality, Xu Xiaofei's clever adaptability in critical moments definitely surpassed many others.
"What does this mean?" Spirit Sword Destiny asked coldly.
"As you can see."
"You want to threaten me to let you go?" Sound Wave of Spirit Sword Destiny remained unfazed. "Can't you see that even if you kill me, it won't do you any good? I'm not the only one who wants you dead. Tang Xuan Zhu wants to offer you to the Master for Alchemy, and Bai Fei, obsessed with Alchemy, won't miss this opportunity to refine a rare elixir. They will never let you go. The same method can only be used once."
"I understand, so what I ask is not for you to let me go," Xu Xiaofei said. "I want you to let me see 'him'!"
"Him?" Spirit Sword Destiny asked. "Who is he?"
"Shen Jinglan," Xu Xiaofei replied. "Of course it's Shen Jinglan; you must have a way to contact him."
"The Master is thousands of miles away. If you expect him to save you, I'm afraid he won't make it in time."
"He doesn't need to come personally; I just need to hear a word from him." Xu Xiaofei smiled. "You don't have to pretend to be ignorant and stall for time. I know you can sense that this sword energy won't last long; it will dissipate within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, so I don't plan to drag it out that long. I'll count silently to one hundred, starting from this moment."
This sword energy was naturally triggered from the treasure given to him by his senior brother Han Yue. The accumulated sword energy from his daily practice would erupt all at once; although its power was astonishing, it was like water without a source—decreasing with use and unable to last long.
Spirit Sword Destiny sneered, "It won't help you to pressure me. He is gravely ill and urgently needs life-saving pills; do you think he will speak for you?"
"I don't know what he will do," Xu Xiaofei said calmly, "but he is still in the dark about this matter because of you, isn't he? I must make sure he knows about it. Even if he agrees to offer me for Alchemy, I want to hear him admit it in person!"
He had only met Shen Jinglan once, yet he was so certain.
What gave him such confidence?
Could it really be the bond of flesh and blood... a connection unimaginable and unattainable by outsiders?
Xu Xiaofei, who exactly is he, and who is his mother?
Spirit Sword Destiny A surge of extremely complex emotions flooded his heart—resentment, jealousy, unwillingness, anger... yet ultimately transformed into a myriad of helplessness.
"You understand him well. If the leader knew he was consuming your flesh and blood, he likely wouldn't be willing. However, even if you kill me, I will never contact him."
He continued, "I have searched for decades, tried countless methods, and collected millions of spiritual materials, yet I have never been able to cure his illness. This formula is the most promising one I have encountered so far. Should we let my life be the reason for our failure?" He smiled, "You can see whether I am telling the truth."
Xu Xiaofei's resolve was firm, but his was even more resolute.
Xu Xiaofei sighed and murmured, "I can indeed see that you are very loyal to him. Fortunately, I have another method. Since you are one of his important subordinates, he must have left a mark on you. Once you encounter life-threatening danger, it will trigger him to come to your aid, right?"
"He has not left such a mark," Spirit Sword Destiny replied.
"There must be one."
"On what basis do you conclude that? What if there isn't?"
Xu Xiaofei looked deeply at him: "I just know!"
He fell silent for a moment but then opened his mouth again, his lips moving, "Ninety-eight, ninety-nine—" He had been counting silently in his heart without stopping. Just before reaching one hundred, having only counted to ninety-nine, he immediately struck.
The sword energy surged violently, and the killing intent also escalated; this was a counterattack and a fight to the death. He unleashed all the remaining power he had!
The sword light soared up, reaching a dazzling peak. This strike was not only a killing blow but also contained all the essence of his swordsmanship. He was originally an unparalleled sword talent; it was only with this strike that he truly showcased his unmatched genius and gift in the way of the sword.
If he were to do it again, he might not even be able to execute such a strike once more.
Xu Xiaofei's thoughts were calm as he fully immersed himself in this sword strike.
The sword light surged rapidly, breaking through the defenses of Spirit Sword Destiny in an instant. However, in Xu Xiaofei's eyes, this moment became extremely slow, causing him to suddenly recall many things.
He remembered whether it was a dream, a forgotten past, or a prophetic future. He sat alone on a high mountaintop, watching the sun rise and then fall back into the ground. He could even feel the state of mind he had at that time. White passed into black night, and black night passed into white. The present and the future intertwined, and then… the past was a thousand years of loneliness.
In the next scene, he was enduring pain as if all the tortures of an endless purgatory were being inflicted upon him simultaneously. His soul, flesh, spiritual power, and everything he once possessed exploded into nothingness and ashes.
The scene shifted, and he suddenly saw a green expanse under a gentle breeze and clear skies. He walked side by side with the frail young man he had encountered twice in his dreams. He turned his head, smiling, and said something to the young man.
The warmth of this scene instantly dispelled the extreme pain he felt in the previous moment.
Xu Xiaofei slightly widened his eyes.
He clearly saw the young man's face in his dream… warm and handsome. With another glance, it overlapped with the face of Spirit Sword Destiny before him.
Perhaps they did not look exactly alike, but there was still a special resonance that he felt.
Who could that be…
The killing intent suddenly dissipated, and the sword energy collapsed along with it.
Not even a stick of incense had passed; it was he who lost the courage to fight to the death and could no longer maintain it.
He did not dare to truly strike with lethal force.
Even though his resolve was strong, a voice inside him was holding him back, telling him that if he struck down with this sword, the consequences might be something he could not bear. This faint sense of weakness, whose origin he did not know, bound his hand.
At the same time—
No one could tell whether it was a moment too early or a moment too late, but the Spirit Sword Destiny, held captive by Xu Xiaofei, transformed into flowing water, cascading to the ground.
Water Clone!
While speaking with Xu Xiaofei, Spirit Sword Destiny certainly did not sit idly by; it secretly activated this technique and used Water Clone to replace its true body.
Spirit Sword Destiny flashed into view not far away, raising its right hand slightly as an Azure Long Ribbon flew out, wrapping around Xu Xiaofei tightly. With a flash of light, the long ribbon disappeared. Knowing that ordinary restraining methods would not work on Xu Xiaofei, it resorted to advanced water-based secret techniques.
Xu Xiaofei appeared dazed, completely unable to evade.
Some opportunities come only once; he feared he understood that there would never be another chance like this.
Did I… actually let this opportunity slip away?
What Spirit Sword Destiny did not know was that at this moment, the stunned Xu Xiaofei was experiencing a storm of emotions within.
Just moments ago had been a life-and-death struggle; the opponent was someone who wanted nothing more than to take his life. He had thought that he would never hesitate to strike!
I am weaker than I thought… Have I always overestimated myself?
As courage and determination faded from his heart, they took his confidence along with them.
Xu Xiaofei has always known that he is not a cold-hearted person, but the sudden collapse of his murderous intent after he had made up his mind still struck him heavily.
He hesitated for a moment, and the mistake he made could very well be fatal!
Thousands of miles away on Mount Hua, Shen Jinglan, who was resting in a house halfway up the mountain, suddenly opened his eyes.
"What happened?"
The Spirit Sword Destiny quickly responded from the other side, "It's nothing. There was some danger just now, but it has been resolved."
The tone remained very calm.
"Be more careful."
"Yes."
Shen Jinglan fell silent again. Lying on the bed, he turned his gaze and looked through the window, seeing the desolate mountains and withered trees, which inevitably brought his mood down.
Is he hiding something from me again?
Spirit Sword Destiny walked through the winding corridors of Spirit Serpent Palace.
His wide sleeves hung down, concealing his hands. He still felt a slight warmth on one spot of his hand—because he had just received the spiritual power from the leader.
Xu Xiaofei's stunning sword strike had indeed alarmed the leader. Fortunately, there was no follow-up strength to compel the leader to take action. Spirit Sword Destiny also did not wish for the leader to intervene and save him.
The Master is unwell and needs to rest, so he cannot be troubled. If he cannot handle everything properly, the Master will often worry about him, and how can he relax and recuperate?
It is strange that Xu Xiaofei knows he has a mark left by Shen Jinglan. Although it is not difficult to guess, why is he so certain, as if he has seen it with his own eyes?
This mark...
Spirit Sword Destiny can hardly resist the urge to touch the spot on the back of his hand that is still warm.
Then, the Master asked him to extend his hand. Using his index finger as a pen, he drew with the blood forced from his fingertip on the back of his hand, creating a crimson talisman.
Spirit Sword Destiny remembers that the shape of the talisman was neat and orderly, resembling a formation array, round and square, with elements of the five elements and eight trigrams.
The Master looked at this talisman and suddenly smiled again, a smile that was both mysterious and inexplicably joyful. He said, "Wait a moment, it's not finished yet." His slightly larger palm covered his own hand. When he moved his hand away, the orderly talisman on the back of Spirit Sword Destiny's hand had transformed into the character "Shen".
His Dao techniques had reached a profound level, allowing him to grasp the essence and change the appearance of spells. Although the talisman had changed its form, its effect remained completely unchanged.
After a burst of red light, the blood-drawn talisman faded from Spirit Sword Destiny's hand until he encountered a life-threatening crisis when it would reappear. However, under Spirit Sword Destiny's deliberate avoidance, this talisman was rarely activated.
Yet that blood-colored character "Shen" had been forever etched in his heart and would never be forgotten.
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