“Might as well just die,” Shi Qing thought self-abandonedly.
In the center of the Qingyun Hall, the high-hanging Flowing Cloud Jade Crystal Palace Lantern emitted a brilliant radiance. Beneath its light, the leaders of the Three Sects and Four Gates gathered, with Gu Yan at the head.
There were originally five gates, but with the fall of the Lord of Linhai City, only four remained.
“The Demon God’s divine sense is causing chaos? Is that truly what Aowu Pavilion claims?” Leng Yingzhao, the female sect master of the Northern Border’s Firmament Sword Sect, asked the head seat. Her presence was heroic, and her eyes were like cold stars.
“It is more accurate to say the Heavenly Dao claims it. Aowu Pavilion possesses the Divination South-Pointing Compass, an embodiment of the Heavenly Dao. It only appears when a global catastrophe is imminent. Since even Immortal Master Ciyou has been stirred, it must be true.” The speaker was the Long-Browed Elder of the West Zhou Wu Xiang Sect. True to his name, his long brows and beard drifted down, giving him a benevolent look, though his bald head gleamed brightly under the palace lamps.
A cold snort echoed through the hall. “You still trust Xie Ciyou? Have you forgotten who severely injured us back then? Or because of whom the sealing of the Immortal-Demon Passage nearly ended in total failure? The heads of several major families were present; do you not remember?”
The speaker was a robust, middle-aged man in a purple short-suit. His tight-fitting robes struggled to contain his exaggerated muscular frame. This was Xiao Zixiao of the Northwest Dragon-Elephant Gate, a sect primarily composed of body cultivators.
Silence fell over the room. At the very end of the seating, a woman in plain clothes sat quietly, looking slightly awkward as she curiously observed the crowd. Her face, though free of makeup, was beautiful enough to be called bewitching, yet her simple attire suppressed that allure, adding a touch of dignified elegance. She was Nan宮 Wangyue, the Island Master of Penglai.
Over thirty years ago, the master of the Five Poisons Sect, then one of the five gates, was possessed. The disciples were slaughtered and refined into venom-men. Immortal Master Shuangyu moved to annihilate them, and the Five Poisons Sect ceased to exist.
Penglai Island had managed to take that place among the five gates. While its strength was not weak, it was better known as the “Mother-in-law of the Hundred Sects.”
As the Heavenly Dao weakened and spiritual veins dried up, most ancient sects fell and vanished, leaving only a few surviving branches. Penglai Island was a remnant of the ancient He Huan Sect.
Although disciples with the “Cauldron” physique no longer appeared and their Dual Cultivation methods could not compare to the original sect’s core arts, cultivating with a Penglai disciple was still beneficial. Furthermore, since the disciples were all beautiful, many sects sought them in marriage. Penglai’s influence reached into the inner chambers of various sects, allowing it to grow over the last thirty years and replace the Five Poisons Sect.
Seeing the shift in the room’s atmosphere after Gate Master Xiao’s words, she could not help but feel curious. Looking at Xiao, she smiled and said, “Pardon me; Penglai is remote and has not meddled in worldly affairs for a long time. Might I ask what Gate Master Xiao refers to?”
Her voice was crisp and pleasant, humble but not subservient. Even Gate Master Xiao felt his gloom lift slightly upon hearing it, though he hesitated to answer.
“Island Master Nan宮, do not mind him. Gate Master Xiao simply finds it embarrassing to talk about,” the Long-Browed Elder said with a comforting smile. “Immortal Master Ciyou is a peerless genius and was the leader of the Immortal Alliance. There is no shame in the fact that several of us could not beat him.”
The Elder turned back to Nan宮 Wangyue. “During the Great Immortal-Demon War, the plan was to set an array at the Void Abyss to completely seal the passage. However, just as the array was nearly complete, the world shook. Black energy surged within the demonic realm. Before we could react, Immortal Master Shuangyu entered the demonic realm alone. Before entering, he sent a message telling us to ignore him and proceed with the seal according to plan.”
“And you actually sealed it?” Island Master Nan宮 was shocked. The world knew that thirty years ago, the Demon-Suppressing Array weakened, and Immortal Master Shuangyu sacrificed himself to mend it, preventing the Demon God’s descent. After the war, Xie Ciyou disbanded the Alliance and went into seclusion.
She had no idea such a secret existed.
“We,” the Long-Browed Elder began, but a light cough interrupted him. He looked toward Sect Leader Bai Ye, who was winking and signaling toward the person at the head seat.
Gu Yan sat there, solemn and majestic. The light from the glass lamps cast sharp lines across his face, lending him an air of natural authority.
The Long-Browed Elder immediately understood. “Ahem. Old stories are best left unmentioned. If there is a chance, I will tell Island Master Nan宮 another time.”
Nan宮 Wangyue glanced at the head seat and remembered that Immortal Master Shuangyu and Immortal Master Zhanyue had been betrothed. Realizing she should not bring up painful memories in front of Gu Yan, she nodded quickly.
Sect Leader Bai Ye then addressed Gu Yan. “Then let us discuss the Immortal Sect Grand Competition. The rules of the matches…”
Somewhere in the plum grove of Aowu Pavilion’s back mountain, a figure in white stood silently, merging with the vast world beyond the red blossoms. On the summit, snow fell and stopped, but the spring breeze that could melt the drifts never seemed to arrive.
Shi Qing woke up again. Staring at the canopy above, his light-colored eyes were vacant. He had become numb to the multiple faints he had endured over the past month.
“You’re awake?” a youth called out with a hint of cheer.
Shi Qing lay flat on the bed and turned his head. The bed curtains had been rolled up. Standing by the dining table nearby was a youth in white.
A familiar face, but a completely different aura. It seemed this was the real Xia Chan.
Shi Qing did not move. He was mentally exhausted.
His body, however, felt much better. It seemed that every time he absorbed demonic energy, his physical condition improved slightly; the energy was mending his internal injuries.
When he absorbed the energy before, he had felt a familiar aura. This time, because the concentration was so high, he finally remembered: it matched the energy that used to thrash beneath the Demon-Suppressing Array.
It was the Demon God!
The light in Shi Qing’s eyes died.
The Demon God, who was supposed to have been completely sealed by him at the bottom of the Void Abyss thirty years ago, was somehow still lingering and causing chaos. And it happened to choose the exact time of his rebirth. In the dark, Shi Qing felt everything was inextricably linked to him.
He could not stand by. It seemed this rebirth would not allow him the peaceful, carefree life he wanted.
Growl. His stomach, which had been empty for days, finally gave up waiting for that roast chicken.
“Might as well just die,” Shi Qing thought self-abandonedly.
Xia Chan saw the youth on the bed lying motionless with a look of utter despair. He had heard that this person had undergone an interrogation by the Pavilion Master before falling unconscious.
Knowing the Pavilion Master’s methods, Xia Chan felt a surge of pity. He reached out and opened a food box on the table. “You must be hungry, right?”
A savory aroma wafted out of the box, exploding in Shi Qing’s nostrils.
The person who had been lying half-dead on the bed suddenly sprang up, rushing to the table with lightning speed.
Shi Qing leaned over the box. Inside sat a roast chicken, charred on the outside and tender on the inside. Before reaching out, he managed to restrain himself enough to ask Xia Chan, “For me?”
As soon as Xia Chan nodded, Shi Qing could not wait to tear off a drumstick. Truly, fine food was the best medicine for the soul. Shi Qing suddenly felt his mind clear and the shadows in his heart dissipate.
Live one day at a time, regardless of Demon Gods or Xie Ciyou. Thinking of Xie Ciyou, Shi Qing frowned again. Xie Ciyou’s behavior was strange; had he recognized him?
If he had, this should not be the reaction. He should have been treated as a demon or a monster, locked up and interrogated with the Immortal Gate Token, rather than having a sect treasure planted in his body to share the burden of the demonic energy.
Forget it. Shi Qing lowered his head and bit into the chicken. If the enemy does not move, I will not move. After devouring the entire chicken, he asked tentatively, “Where is your Pavilion Master?”
“He went out,” Xia Chan replied. “You should rest well in his room.”
Shi Qing froze. This was Xie Ciyou’s room? He could not help but look around carefully. The room was not large; the decor was simple and elegant, nearly identical to the room he had stayed in years ago at Aowu Pavilion, though it now had more bookshelves and many more books.
“Is this appropriate?” Shi Qing asked.
Xia Chan laughed brightly. “The Pavilion Master told you to stay, so stay. He has not come back yet anyway.”
Xia Chan was handsome and delicate, with eyes that suggested a lively and cheerful child, a world away from the ascetic, expressionless Xie Ciyou. How did Xie Ciyou have the nerve to impersonate him?
Shi Qing asked again, “How long was I asleep?”
“Seven days. Actually, you were already asleep when I got back. Before he left, the Pavilion Master said you would wake up on the seventh day.” He then remembered something. “The roast chicken Zhong Ling bought was eaten by me. This one is what the Pavilion Master told me to buy before he left.”
“The roast chicken was,” Shi Qing said in disbelief, “ordered by your Pavilion Master?”
Xia Chan smiled. “Yes. Zhong Ling already sent a message to the Pavilion Master saying you’re awake. He’s on his way back and should be here soon.”
Is he rushing back to interrogate me? It cannot possibly be to visit me.
Looking at the skeletal remains of the chicken, he felt a bit lost.
Shi Qing asked, “What has your Pavilion Master been busy with? Has anything happened outside?”
From Xia Chan, Shi Qing learned about recent events in the immortal world.
First was the follow-up to the illusion that Shi Qing wanted to know most: Dongfang Yuqing had self-destructed. However, the order to kill the Demon God’s divine sense remained on the South-Pointing Compass, proving that Dongfang Yuqing’s fragment was not the only one. Unfortunately, the clues had become difficult to track after his death. Xie Ciyou was likely busy with this.
The second news: the Immortal Sect Grand Competition was officially set. It would take place in one month at the Qingyun Sect. The rules required participants to be at least at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. Additionally, the Qingyun Secret Realm would be opened for contestants to enter for trials.
The Qingyun Secret Realm, Shi Qing mused.
He checked his current cultivation. Because he had absorbed a large amount of demonic energy, he had suddenly leaped to the late stage of Foundation Establishment. With one month left…
Xia Chan added, “Aowu Pavilion will also participate in this Grand Competition.”
Shi Qing knew that new Aowu Pavilion disciples were sent out for experience. Years ago, Xie Ciyou had taken the top spot and amazed everyone. It seemed Xia Chan would also participate.
After Xia Chan left, Shi Qing fell into thought. Dongfang Yuqing had self-destructed; Xie Ciyou should have been able to stop him, but he had not. The only possibility was that Xie Ciyou was too busy helping Shi Qing plant the Immortal Gate Token to spare any attention for the dying man.
If he could have stopped him and performed a soul-search, they would have clues about the Demon God.
I have messed things up!
Shi Qing could not help but feel frustrated. If he had known the person in the well was Xie Ciyou, he would not have panicked and jumped back in.
As for the Grand Competition, with the Demon God’s sense causing chaos in the shadows, gathering a large crowd was unwise. But if the enemy’s goal was to break into the Qingyun Sect’s forbidden grounds as they tried before, then the competition would be the perfect opportunity for them to cause trouble amidst the chaos.
As he thought, his gaze inadvertently fell on the desk by the couch. The book Xie Ciyou had been reading that day was still there.
Recalling Xie Ciyou’s focused, serious look, he could not help but walk toward the desk out of curiosity.