A spirit-locking array was not a soul-pacifying array; it merely bound the souls of the departed to a single location, preventing them from leaving.
Using a spirit-gathering array to lure the dead spirits in, and then using a spirit-locking array to bind them—this was definitely a method that only Duan Junyi would use, because within the Nine Provinces, the spirit-locking array was something known only to the two of them as master and disciple.
The entire town was enclosed within the spirit-locking array, yet Sang Hua had walked through the whole town without seeing even a single trace of a dead spirit.
The Fire-Repelling Pearl, the spirit-locking array…
To have clues revealed to him so easily meant it was not that simple. Sang Hua put away the cloth on which the two youths had sketched the formation, having no intention of continuing to grope blindly for clues.
The two youths were left completely baffled. Nan Su asked Sang Hua, “Immortal Venerable, what does Duan Junyi want with a spirit-locking array?”
“It’s still unclear for now.” Sang Hua gazed at the deserted town, a wave of disappointment welling up in his heart. “A-Yi wouldn’t let me discover the flaws so easily. Seeing this spirit-locking array now, it must be a trace he deliberately left behind. Even if I’ve discovered it, it’s completely useless.”
The two youths had come solely for the Fire-Repelling Pearl. After searching the town all over, they only managed to confirm that Duan Junyi had indeed used the Fire-Repelling Pearl within the town, while all other traces remained completely undiscovered.
Aside from seizing the Fire-Repelling Pearl from the Nanli Yihuo Palace, Duan Junyi must have done other things as well. Sang Hua turned to the two youths and asked, “Aside from the Fire-Repelling Pearl, what else did A-Yi snatch?”
The two youths exchanged a glance, and Zhu Zhen explained to Sang Hua, “Aside from our Fire-Repelling Pearl, it’s said that Duan Junyi also snatched the Myriad Laws Sect’s Phoenix Wood Zither and Black Ice Mirror…” Reaching this point, Zhu Zhen secretly glanced at Sang Hua’s expression before daring to continue, “…and the Demon-Slaying Halberd from the Fuvian Sect’s Demon-Suppressing Pagoda…”
Before his voice had even faded, a curved blade came slashing toward Zhu Zhen in the blink of an eye. Its technique was tricky and vicious, instantly revealing itself as anything but the methods of the immortal sects.
Zhu Zhen reacted with agility, dodging the curved blade’s assault by sidestepping at the very first moment, and immediately lashed back with his long whip. Nan Su wanted to step forward to help with fire talismans, but right beside them, several flying blades came piercing through the wind, and another figure in black instantly became entangled in close combat with Nan Su.
Although the two figures in black moved with fierce and tricky techniques, one could tell they harbored no murderous intent; they looked much more like they wanted to toy with the two junior brothers. Therefore, Sang Hua quietly retreated to the side and watched the four of them fight.
Even though the two figures in black were masked, Sang Hua still recognized their identities from their techniques: they were Jingli and Chonghuai from the summit, who practically remained inseparable from Duan Junyi.
Since they were here, Duan Junyi must be nearby as well.
Sang Hua raised his gaze to look up at the eaves. Duan Junyi was standing beneath the thick, gathering shadows of the night, his black robes almost melting completely into the darkness.
Seeing that Sang Hua was looking at him, Duan Junyi leaped down from the eaves, landing right beside Sang Hua, and murmured in his ear, “Those two are no match for Jingli and Chonghuai. Aren’t you going to go up and help, Immortal Venerable?”
Just as he finished speaking, Zhu Zhen and Nan Su were already forced right in front of Duan Junyi. Zhu Zhen, still utterly unresigned, glared fiercely at Duan Junyi. “Immortal Venerable, why are you siding with this grand arch-devil…”
Before he could finish, he was heavily kicked by Jingli. “It was the two of you last time as well. How is it that after being taught a lesson once, you still haven’t learned? Don’t you know what can be said and what cannot?”
Compelled by the fact that they were currently at the mercy of others, and with the memories of being locked up on the summit still vivid in his mind, Zhu Zhen felt a lingering resentment in his heart, but he obediently shut his mouth and said no more.
Sang Hua swept a glance over Duan Junyi and said calmly, “Your target is me; why capture them? Let them go.”
Since they were merely two minor disciples who posed no threat, Duan Junyi hadn’t intended to make things difficult for them in the first place; letting Jingli and Chonghuai teach them a lesson was enough. Duan Junyi waved his hand, signaling the two aides to take the captives further away before releasing them.
Standing to one side, Sang Hua looked the person before him up and down, raising an eyebrow at him. “You just put on a grand performance to release me, and now you’ve tracked me down again so quickly. What do you want?”
“Naturally, I want to drink some wine and find someone to keep me company.” Duan Junyi smilingly sidled up close to Sang Hua, looking precisely like he used to when he would try to win favor and act coquettishly while hovering around him back on Yujing Peak.
Seeing that Sang Hua remained unmoved, Duan Junyi tugged on Sang Hua’s sleeve once more, calling out softly, “Master.”
Hearing this form of address, Sang Hua’s entire body stiffened. Duan Junyi knew that Sang Hua had been moved by this; he knew that whenever he acted spoiled, Sang Hua typically had no way of dealing with him. Continuing to tug at Sang Hua’s sleeve, he called out over and over again, “Master, Master, Master, won’t Master please accompany me for just one day?”
Sang Hua had no idea what scheme this fellow was plotting this time. When he raised his eyes, he happened to meet Duan Junyi’s exceptionally bright eyes shining beneath the dark shadows. Facing such a pair of eyes, Sang Hua simply could not bring himself to utter a refusal, and in the end, he nodded amidst Duan Junyi’s continuous calls.
His objective achieved, Duan Junyi cheerfully pulled Sang Hua into his embrace. “I knew Master dotes on this disciple the most!”
“You…” Sang Hua bent his fingers, pausing the motion just as he was about to tap Duan Junyi’s forehead. In the past, performing this action had felt entirely natural; doing it now felt somewhat out of place.
Noticing Sang Hua’s hesitation, just as Sang Hua was about to withdraw his hand, Duan Junyi actively leaned his head forward to bump against Sang Hua’s curled knuckles. “Since Master has already made the motion, you might as well come with me to tour the lake in Yuquan City.”
Realizing that Sang Hua would never refuse him, Duan Junyi directly grabbed Sang Hua’s wrist and led him away from the town, which had been reduced to desolation after being massacred and subsequently burned to the ground.
Not to mention the desolation of the Fuyun Mountain town, other cities that hadn’t been massacred were in conditions no better than this ruined town.
The two traveled directly by riding the wind, entering Yuquan City straight away. Spanning nearly half of the Nine Provinces from Fuyun Mountain to Yuquan City, they arrived within the city right at midday.
Even though it was already midday, the number of people walking about the streets was pitifully small.
Standing upon the emerald willow bank, Sang Hua looked across the emerald willow lake at the desolate streets, his gaze gradually shifting back to Duan Junyi as he knitted his brows tightly: “In merely seven years, the mortal world has changed to this extent. This surely can’t be unrelated to you, can it?”
Yuquan City bordered Mount Fuwei. Back when Sang Hua used to take Duan Junyi around the mortal world to banish demons and spirits, knowing that Duan Junyi loved liveliness, every time before returning to the mountain, they would leisurely stroll around Yuquan City for a while.
This city held many memories of theirs. The once bustling streets were now reduced to places where every household simply kept their doors and windows bolted, praying for safety, believing that simply remaining alive was already a supreme blessing.
Duan Junyi stood with his hands clasped behind his back beside Sang Hua, saying placidly, “This seat has placed evil spirits outside every city across the Nine Provinces. At a time like this, no ordinary commoner dares to run around everywhere; hiding inside the city is the safest choice.”
“You cultivate evil spirits, and you even release them out into the open?” Sang Hua’s eyes widened instantly. “You must know that once evil spirits enter a city, the city will turn into a living hell!”
So-called evil spirits were people on the verge of death who, affected by unknown forces, transformed into half-human, half-demon monsters. These monsters would pounce and tear into anyone they saw, and living humans who were scratched or bitten by evil spirits would likewise transform into identical evil spirits in the span of a breath.
Evil spirits were not as powerful as demonic entities that harmed people, and even the most ordinary cultivators could deal with them without much trouble. The difficulty lay entirely in the fact that getting scratched or bitten by one turned you into one as well. If even a single evil spirit was dropped into a city and all the evil spirits weren’t cleared away in time, the entire city would transform into a town of evil spirits.
Just like the village where Sang Hua had first found Duan Junyi it had been wiped out entirely because of evil spirits.
“Of course I know, and no one is clearer on this than I am.” Duan Junyi shrugged, looking utterly unconcerned. “Rest assured, Master, the evil spirits only remain outside the city walls, and there are cultivators from the immortal sects protecting the interior of the city. As long as the common people behave themselves and don’t venture outside the city, they will never be harmed by the evil spirits.”
Duan Junyi turned his head to look at the deeply worried Sang Hua. “Didn’t Master say you came to accompany me? Talking about these matters spoils the scenery too much.”
Sang Hua wanted to say more, but before he could open his mouth, Duan Junyi used two fingers to lightly press against his lips, sealing away whatever words Sang Hua wanted to release. The corners of his mouth curved into a shallow smile, his bright eyes carrying undisguised affection that resembled the winter sun—gorgeous and enchanting yet non-blinding, providing just the right amount of warmth to melt the piercing, bone-chilling cold of winter.
It was truly difficult to imagine that someone with such warm eyes could commit such heinous atrocities as bathing cities in blood and cultivating evil spirits.
Precisely because of this, Sang Hua was all the more determined to uncover the hidden circumstances behind each and every bizarre and unfathomable event.
If it was an endless abyss, he would surely drag his disciple out of it; if it was a karmic debt, he would use this very life to extinguish the endless fires of retribution.
“What’s so fun about standing here? Master, wait for me here.” Taking advantage of the fact that Sang Hua hadn’t yet reacted, Duan Junyi quickly planted a light, dragonfly-water-skimming kiss upon Sang Hua’s soft lips.
Noticing the two patches of crimson quickly blooming across Sang Hua’s fair cheeks, the smile on Duan Junyi’s face grew even more unbridled. Knowing that Sang Hua possessed a thin skin and must be feeling deeply ashamed and angered right now, he didn’t forget to offer a word of explanation: “Rest assured, Master, there aren’t many people walking about on the street; no one saw.”
Sang Hua secretly swept his gaze around their surroundings. Indeed, there were hardly any people nearby, and the emerald willow bank was entirely screened by emerald willows, making it impossible for anyone to see them by the shore. Even so, Sang Hua still couldn’t stop his heartbeat from accelerating.
After leaving for just a brief moment, Duan Junyi returned steering a painted pleasure boat, standing proudly at the bow and waving excitedly toward Sang Hua: “Master, Master, come over quickly!”
Along both banks of the Emerald Willow Lake grew emerald willows, while the clear, emerald-green lake waters revealed schools of swimming fish playing about it was one of the grandest sights in Yuquan City.
In winter one could appreciate the snow, in spring one could enjoy the chorus of birds singing along both banks, in summer one could appreciate the blooming red lotuses in the lake, and in autumn one could appreciate the swirling falling blossoms; truly, every season offered a distinctly unique landscape.
Noticing vast patches of blooming lotuses suddenly appearing across the lake, Sang Hua looked in puzzlement toward the person beside him. “It has only just passed the beginning of spring, and Yuquan City isn’t like the south where spring lasts all year round. How can there be midsummer lotuses blooming right now? Did you tamper with this?”
“Not at all, not at all.” Holding a jar of wine, Duan Junyi leaned lazily against the cabin, drawling lazily, “I haven’t had the leisure to care when lotuses bloom or wither. Since Master just came out of seclusion, you might not have noticed, but for the past two years, leave alone Yuquan City, even the common folk in the surrounding cities haven’t been able to catch sight of a single snowfall.”
Only then did Sang Hua take notice: although it was merely the beginning of spring a time when winters past still retained unceasing snowstorms the scenery before them now resembled the height of midsummer, and the sun hanging at the edge of the sky blazed with an unreasonable intensity.
What appeared to be a simple weather anomaly might not arouse the suspicions of ordinary folk, but Sang Hua was a practitioner of the Dao and deeply understood the principle that abnormal celestial phenomena portended great disasters, let alone such disorder across the four seasons an anomaly that had not occurred even once across the thousands of years of the Nine Provinces’ history.