Chapter 62: Aren’t you going to explain this?
At 10:08 PM, Dachunyang Palace.
The night was deep, the light of the crescent moon was pouring through the clouds, cascading over the rolling mountains, accompanied by the thin mist like blue smoke.
It spread to the cliffs, the dense treetops, and the antique architecture, dyeing everything with a touch of coolness. In the distance, the sound of the mountain guardian beast bathing in the moonlight echoed softly over the water’s surface.
At this time, there were almost no disciples left in Dachunyang Palace. On the mountain path behind Chi Li Hall, the illuminated stone lanterns emitted a dim yellow light, forming a line leading towards the back mountain.
Fu Xinyi walked along the quiet and serene mountain path, stepping carefully up the stairs, occasionally glancing back with a tense expression.
After a long while, she climbed to the mountain peak, arriving at a cliffside near the back mountain. She stopped, carefully took out the Zhipianxian from her bosom, and threw it into the cliff with all her might.
…
Earlier, after being attacked by Zhipianxian in Qing Hui Hall and harboring doubts about Luxianbei’s identity, she did not follow Luxianbei’s instructions to dispose of Zhipianxian in an uninhabited place. Instead, she temporarily stored it away and immediately contacted her master.
In her view, if Luxianbei was indeed an impersonator of the Chief Priest’s senior sister, then the Zhipianxian in her hand could potentially serve as a clue and evidence to capture the impersonator.
However, when she told Qing Xiazi the situation in detail and anxiously waited for a response, she received an unexpected answer.
Qing Xiazi said to her, “The Chief Priest did not say that Jujuzi Senior is his senior sister, nor did he say she isn’t. But after I informed the Chief Priest, he seemed quite excited, his face flushed, and he even asked me to tell you to treat Jujuzi Senior with respect if you meet her again next time.”
“Surely even if Jujuzi Senior isn’t the Chief Priest’s senior sister, she must have a deep relationship with him. Xinyi, she is someone from the same generation as the Chief Priest; next time you meet her, you should learn from her well. This is an opportunity that many people can’t even ask for!”
…
Thus, the impersonator became Jujuzi Senior without Fu Xinyi’s defenses, and the Zhipianxian, which she had originally intended to use as evidence, became a hot potato. After sending away her master, she hurriedly made her way to the back mountain.
She watched as the Zhipianxian traced a parabolic arc in the air, continuously falling until it turned into a small white dot, finally swallowed by the clouds and fog, disappearing from sight. She let out a sigh of relief.
“Whoosh——!”
If there was a place in Dachunyang Palace that was the most remote with the fewest people, it would definitely be the back mountain.
Throwing the Zhipianxian here could be considered fulfilling the senior’s request, right?
Next time she encounters Jujuzi Senior, she would just ask her about her cultivation methods!
Fu Xinyi thought, stretching lazily and happily turning around, leisurely walking down the mountain path towards Qing Hui Hall.
In the long, dark night, who needs sleep?!
It was still early; she had to hurry back to Qing Hui Hall to continue her studies.
…
Not long after Fu Xinyi turned to leave, below the cliff, a small, palm-sized white figure, like a ghost, flew up along the steep mountain wall and soon climbed up.
Accompanied by a soft “whoosh,” a pale little paper figure landed steadily on the open ground at the cliff’s edge. Looking at the dense woods ahead, it raised its short and stout little hand and scratched its large round head.
Its expression of bewilderment seemed like a child lost from its parents.
After a moment, as if finally making a decision, it let out a “ji!” and began to run deep into the woods…
————
Pain!
Intense pain!
Wu Yutang did not know how long he had been asleep; after waking up in a dark, damp alley, he felt a wave of pain that almost made him faint again.
It was an intense pain, as if his body had been crushed by something.
His gaze fell downward towards his body, and his pupils instantly contracted.
He was horrified to discover that his body had disappeared, leaving only a head and an arm connected by a thick, pale mucus.
Then, seeing the damaged folding fan in his hand, he finally came to his senses, dazedly looking around in the oppressive silence. He closed his eyes and revealed a bitter smile.
So it turns out, I have become a monster… As this thought flashed through his mind, he suddenly felt something imperceptible to the eye breaking apart in front of him.
A surreal and chaotic whisper suddenly rang in his ears, carrying an irresistible allure, compelling his gaze to inadvertently look at that arm, which he didn’t know if still belonged to him.
The air around him seemed to stop moving, becoming thick and strange.
The whispering voice came from the damaged folding fan, and a black vortex suddenly appeared atop the fan, from which countless illusory and distorted limbs extended out.
Those illusory limbs climbed onto his head, burrowing into his body, sinking into his consciousness, then pulling at his soul, dragging him into the deepest part of the black vortex. He could resist nothing and could only let his awareness gradually dissipate.
Gradually, a bizarre thought emerged in his heart.
That broken folding fan was the master of this broken body, while he was merely a vassal of the fan, perhaps just a tool for it.
Although he realized that this thought was extremely bizarre and abnormal, the power emanating from those illusory limbs relentlessly wore down his will to resist, making that idea root deeply into his soul.
The spark in his eyes gradually dimmed, until finally, darkness prevailed.
In the darkness, it seemed there was a warm and benevolent light waiting ahead…
“Who are you? Why did you want to k*ll my senior brother?”
Just as Wu Yutang’s consciousness was about to fully fall, a cry reached his ears, and his numb, lifeless eyes suddenly regained some clarity.
Turning towards the sound, he saw Huasang’s back. He was momentarily stunned, recalling many things.
He remembered when he first entered Dachunyang Palace, his master touched his head and said to him, “From today on, you are my disciple, my first disciple! As the big brother, you must work hard and set a good example for your junior brothers and sisters.”
He remembered when other disciples bullied Huasang, and he was reprimanded by his master for watching coldly, “I know Huasang might be a bit abnormal, but she is your junior sister! As the big brother, you should protect her! Not just Huasang, but all the younger brothers and sisters you should protect well!”
He remembered when Huasang cut off the head of the statue of the first chief priest and came to him for help to hide it. He smiled and agreed, then discovered Huasang secretly pushed the blame onto Fu Xinyi and he helped plead for Fu Xinyi…
…
I really want to protect them well, to be a model for them, just like a true elder brother.
But they are too excellent. No matter how hard I try, I can only watch them catch up and surpass me, ultimately leaving me far behind.
Master, did I really do something wrong?
But I have limited talent. To continue protecting them and to grow stronger, I can only rely on external things, right?
Wu Yutang thought, using his last bit of clarity to control his body, slowly raising his arm and waving it towards Huasang.
————
Seeing that the monster, which only had a head and an arm, floated up and lifted its arm towards Huasang’s back, Luxianbei’s pupils slightly contracted, and she exclaimed, “Be careful!”
Just as her voice fell, that monster’s arm swept out with a terrifying wind pressure, sending Huasang flying.
That strike looked grand, yet it actually knocked Huasang away without hurting her.
Huasang flew backward, crashing into the wall of the alley, and her ruler fell to the ground with a clatter.
After knocking Huasang away, the monster did not stop and quickly surged toward Luxianbei.
Is it coming for me? Luxianbei’s heart tightened, and she instinctively lifted Ling Tai Purification to protect herself.
The monster stopped in front of her and suddenly raised its arm, striking the damaged folding fan forcefully against the edge of Ling Tai Purification’s sword.
“Clang!”
The first strike.
Cracks appeared on the ribs of the folding fan, and the tainted spirit energy fluctuations spread out.
Seeing this, Luxianbei was slightly stunned; she couldn’t comprehend the monster’s actions at all.
“Clang!”
The second strike.
The folding fan shattered, sending wood chips flying.
Something invisible to the n*ked eye exploded with the shattering of the folding fan, producing a muffled sound of “poof,” with a pale, viscous liquid splattering everywhere.
Luxianbei, “!!!”
Is this monster committing s*icide? Does that folding fan represent its true body?
So earlier, when I almost completely destroyed its body, its spirit energy fluctuations didn’t diminish much?
In this moment, Luxianbei suddenly believed Huasang’s claim that this monster was her senior brother.
“Clang!”
The third strike.
The now-empty arm struck down, but Ling Tai Purification’s sword edge felt as if it had struck something extremely hard, causing the sword body to tremble violently. Luxianbei felt her tiger’s mouth numb.
Then, accompanied by a slight heat in her eyes, something dreamlike broke apart in her vision.
In a hallucinatory manner, she heard a whispering voice.
“He knows all secrets, for He observes, from wind, from water, from every molecule; there is no way to conceal, no way to hide, bl**d and flesh perish, yet He shall endure forever…”
In the next moment, the exceptional spirit energy fluctuations emanating from the monster dissipated quietly like a candle flame blown out.
“Thud! Thud thud——!”
Wu Yutang’s head fell to the ground and rolled toward the dark corner.
Seeing this, Huasang snapped back to reality, scrambling forward to embrace the bloody, mangled head in her arms, then turned sharply to look at Luxianbei, her eyes filled with rage.
Luxianbei, “…” Why are you looking at me so fiercely? Your senior brother committed s*icide!
Isn’t this like someone rushing into the road to commit s*icide, and as a result really getting hit by a car?
Though I can somewhat understand your feelings, if you really want to blame me for this, it seems a bit too much, Luxianbei thought.
The humidity in the air suddenly thickened, making it suffocating.
Huasang fixed her gaze on Luxianbei, holding Wu Yutang’s head, slowly standing up, preparing to advance. Just then, a voice faintly emanated from Wu Yutang in her arms.
“Junior sister… this… it’s not her fault, it was my own…”
Upon hearing this, Huasang paused, not immediately understanding her senior brother’s meaning.
She looked down and saw that a faint smile was forced onto the bl**d-dyed face.
“I… I can’t go back anymore. Continuing like this will only… only harm others and myself. Strictly speaking, I still want to thank… thank her…”
“Senior brother, you…” Huasang frowned, her anger gradually extinguishing, and as her emotions calmed down, she recalled her brother’s horrific condition and the chaotic, tainted spirit energy fluctuations surrounding him, seemingly realizing something.
Could it be that I really misunderstood that girl?
“I’m sorry. I failed to set a good example for you; I shouldn’t have gotten involved with the Secret Society. They said… using external things to enhance strength is not considered lazy, but I was wrong. Relying on things and depending on them… are not the same…”
The Secret Society again? Luxianbei frowned upon hearing this.
Is there really no one managing this kind of evil organization hidden within Dachunyang Palace?
Is it possible that the Chief Priest is just the evil cult leader’s ruse? Wouldn’t Fang Ji be doomed to investigate this?
“…”
The Secret Society?
What is that?
Huasang pondered in confusion, opening her mouth to ask something else, only to find that Wu Yutang had exhausted his last bit of spiritual energy, his life completely drained, breath gone.
His eyes were wide open, dying without closing.
Watching her senior brother, who had been lively just a moment ago, turn into this, Huasang fell into a long silence.
At that moment, Luxianbei stepped forward a couple of steps, breaking the silence, saying, “Well! Did you hear that? Your senior brother’s d*ath has nothing to do with me!”
“I just happened to be passing by here and saw him attacking that fainted girl over there, so I stepped in. To put it strictly, I can still be considered a well-meaning bystander!”
Huasang glanced at Luxianbei, pondering for a few seconds, and calmly replied, “Sorry, I was impulsive earlier…”
Though she spoke these words, she did not fully believe Luxianbei’s words in her heart.
If this girl had merely been passing by, how could she have witnessed those bizarre events? There must be something amiss!
“It’s normal! It’s very normal for young people to be impulsive and understandable.” Luxianbei waved her hand in a magnanimous manner, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving first.”
No matter whether she believed it or not, she had to make a quick exit.
With her kind of bizarre “frequency hopping” phenomenon, she didn’t know when it might appear, and being this close would definitely expose her!
As for the Ling Tai Purification fragments, she’d have to plan that later. Since she already knew it was with her, the difficulty of obtaining it had decreased significantly compared to searching blindly in Dachunyang Palace, Luxianbei thought.
Seeing Luxianbei turning to leave, Huasang suddenly remembered something, “Wait a moment!”
“Hmm? Is there something else?”
“May I ask why you used our Dachunyang Palace’s sword techniques? The move you just used was from Taihe Gentleman Sword, Inviting Heaven’s Flower, right?”
She had seen it from afar when Luxianbei struck out with her last sword.
What the hell Inviting Heaven’s Flower! That’s Jun Tian’s performance, alright? Luxianbei tilted her head, contemplating how to answer Huasang’s question, just then a humming sound suddenly entered her ears.
Ling Tai Purification and the ruler beside Huasang began to tremble simultaneously.
Luxianbei pressed down on the sword of Ling Tai Purification, desperately trying to suppress its tremors.
However…
She couldn’t control it at all!
She felt that the broken sword in her hand was like a male peacock in mating season, desperately trying to entice the last remaining fragment to merge with itself.
Huasang looked at the ruler beside her, then at Luxianbei, tilting her head and asking, “Well-meaning bystander miss, your sword seems to be enticing my ruler. Aren’t you going to explain this?”
Luxianbei, “…”
