The Snow Mountain Incident

Let alone a pot of tea, Yan Yanshu had been collecting fine tea for so many years, all for his own stock. He was generous with everything else, even indifferent, but he was extremely stingy with this. Even when the head master came to visit, he wouldn't even offer him a few cups of good tea.

This is also due to the swordsman who likes to recruit disciples. He is really a rough man who drinks water like a cow.

Another visitor, an old acquaintance specially invited by Yan Yanshu, was treated better than him. Lu Yinche expressed his understanding. Doctors deserve respect, and doctors who braved the snow to treat patients deserve even more respect.

However, Wei Qi's face did not look good.

"It's too cold outside!" he yelled as he entered. "The wind and snow in the north are really strange. This cold wave came suddenly and was so strong that ordinary protective arrays couldn't stop it. Half of the glass grass in my herb garden has withered. Fortunately, Yang Qingmei is protecting it. If I were alone, I'm afraid not a single blade of grass would grow."

It was snowing outside. Lu Yinche glanced toward the window. He was unfamiliar with Ranchuan's climate and didn't know if it was normal. It took him a moment to realize that Yang Qingmei was the young lady from Yaocheng.

So he asked casually, "How is Zhang Ri'an?"

Wei Qi became interested and introduced happily: "I was just about to tell you that the medicine I made with glass grass is working. I call it the Glass Resurrection Pill. Can you guess what its effect is?"

Lu Yinche was puzzled. "From the name, could it be that Doctor Wei has transcended life and death and can even bring back dissipated souls? This is too powerful."

Wei Qi waved his hand. "How could it come to this? But it was beyond my expectation. I used this elixir, combined with the Mother-Child Gu, to divide half of Yang Qingmei's soul into Zhang Ri'an."

"How can this be done! The two of them, let alone the Nascent Soul's soul-splitting technique, don't even have a Golden Core." Not only was Lu Yinche surprised, but even Yan Yanshu, who was quietly standing aside, cast a glance at him.

Wei Qi explained the pharmacology. The Liuli grass has unique properties and grows on the soul-locking stone. The two complement each other and can keep a person's soul in a certain healthy state even if it is incomplete. The mother-child Gu he feeds becomes a bridge for sharing souls.

"I originally thought a person couldn't survive without a soul, but I didn't expect □□'s remaining willpower was enough. With just nurturing, it could gradually assimilate the foreign soul and eventually regain consciousness. This was only possible thanks to their genuine connection. Otherwise, the rejection and backlash alone would have been enough to cause serious consequences."

Lu Yinche was amazed. This was indeed a miracle.

Then he asked, "What does glass grass look like? I have never heard of such a wonderful thing before."

Wei Qi touched his storage magic weapon and spread his hands. "I didn't bring the raw materials. It's a plant that blooms pink and purple flowers. It can grow to be more than a person's height. It's very delicate before it blooms. If you're not careful, it will die in front of you. But I brought the finished medicine, for you to eat. Don't forget it, you're still a broken basket after all the messing around."

Lu Yinche felt that the words sounded familiar. He took the white porcelain bottle containing the Glazed Resurrection Pill from his hand and poured out a pill. It had a familiar fragrance.

"Don't say that. With you and Yan Yanshu watching over me, how could I dare to act rashly?" He laughed. "With the Anling Lantern, I'm feeling better now."

Wei Qi didn't believe it and just urged him to take the medicine obediently.

Yan Yanshu's voice transmission spirit stone lit up at this moment. It was the Sect Master's voice. He said he had been delayed organizing the sect to clear the snow, and would soon come up to Kuxue Peak. Lu Yinche laughed at him for being such a big Sect Master and doing it himself, but he heard him say that he had brought another guest with him.

It’s Gong Jin who’s here.

"What is he here for?" Wei Qi frowned.

"You told me last time that your conflict with him was because of the family division?"

"Not entirely. This man's temperament is getting more and more weird. Maybe the strong wind after Tianmu has damaged his brain." Wei Qi briefly talked about the story of the Gong brothers. It was nothing more than that the second son had grown powerful and wanted to split up the family, while the eldest son Chengzuo completely disregarded the feelings between brothers and pursued him relentlessly all the way.

Wei Qi didn't know the connection between Gong Jue and Yin Zong, and Lu Yinche heard it but didn't tell him.

He pressed his brow, feeling that this matter was a mess. Gong Jue's cultivation had gone awry. Was it a problem with his technique or his body? If possible, he still wanted to lend a hand.

For those old friendships. For the responsibilities he should bear.

Wei Qi thought he was unwell: "What's wrong? And you have a headache? You can't be angry with Gong Jin, right? Are you also unhappy with him? I said he has a bad heart. He clearly only liked to stare at you before. Hey, your first friend, he's only here now..."

Yan Yanshu suddenly spoke up, doubting Wei Qi's words: "He likes to stare at A Che?"

"Yes, Tianmu was especially like that before. He loved him like the apple of his eye, afraid that someone would snatch his good brother away. Don't you know, they practically grew up together?" Wei Qi relaxed when he saw that Lu Yinche didn't look like he was having an attack, and joked, "Sword Saint Feng Ling should be thankful. Even my childhood sweetheart couldn't get a single leg of pants from them."

Lu Yinche shook his head: "Come on, you have a good brother who always asks me to cover for him when he gets into trouble? You don't go out with us often, just ask Ding Zhu and you'll know. Besides, if Yanshu wants my pants, I won't wear them, so I'll give them to him, right?"

Yan Yanshu smiled helplessly.

During the time when he and Lu Yinche were most familiar with each other, there were two Lu Yinches at the same time. One was the savior from the future who was by his side, and the other was the Lu Yinche who seemed to have no connection with him when he was a teenager.

He thought of the pen pal connections that Lu Yinche seemed to have not discovered yet. He had long understood that he would inevitably be attracted to every Lu Yinche. Perhaps it was some key his mother had left deep in his soul.

Gong Jin is such a lucky person, yet he is still not satisfied.

At this moment, Lu Yinche suddenly moved his lips and said, "He hates me."

Wei Qi was shocked by his words: "That kid is not good enough, but, but it's not to this extent."

Lu Yinche didn't have time to explain. Yan Yanshu's head brother walked through the door. He was a cheerful, good-natured man, especially on the surface, but in reality, he was a shrewd man who was used to taking advantage of troublesome situations. It was easy to be tricked by him when you were around him. Lu Yinche knew his reputation in the underworld, but he had a good impression of him in his past memories. If you round it up, he could be considered a brother-in-law, right?

As soon as the headmaster came in, he clamored for something hot to warm himself up, and talked about his profound cultivation as if it were nothing. Gong Jin behind him was just as unassuming, and he found a seat at the tea table where they were sitting, and picked up his teacup.

The tea was brewed by Yan Yanshu himself, and the steam was so thick that it blurred the faces of those present.

The Sect Master spoke first. "I've temporarily detained the spies the Yang family had infiltrated the sect. A few of the children weren't doing this intentionally, and they were kept in the dark by the family's orders. After all, it's not a legitimate thing to do. However, these formations have penetrated deep into the mountain, so I asked Master Gonggu to come and take a look. Now that Sword Master Mingye is here, we've been friends for a long time. If you can't cooperate, could you please give us a look?"

Gong Jin sneered first, "There's no need to discuss our friendship. Let's focus on business. Don't let Sword Saint Feng Ling truly become a puppet in the hands of the Yang family. Few people in this world can withstand his sword."

After some investigation, I found nothing definitive. I did find the thread of the formation, but I didn't know who designed it, whether it was a failed product or an unfinished product. Spiritual energy couldn't flow through it, and there were dead ends everywhere. It was so strange and bizarre that it was incomprehensible.

So I had to give up.

Lu Yinche said, "The scenery of Kuxue Peak is quite nice. Look at these pavilions and terraces, they are also quite impressive. No wonder you have occupied such a hilltop. You really know how to enjoy yourself, Master Sword Saint?"

Yan Yanshu straightened his clothes and explained, "It was built after you and I became Taoist companions. Originally, it was just a pile of rocks. Nothing much to look at. It was just far away."

"So I'm the one with the good taste." Lu Yinche smiled, then said seriously, "I wonder how many cards the Yang family has in their hands right now. You don't seem to be affected much, but it's not a good idea to stay here for long. How about moving out first? I'll design a new courtyard for you."

Yan Yanshu didn't have any requirements for the living environment. When Lu Yinche was not around, he rarely stayed here. It was fine. Just as he was about to discuss the site selection with him, he heard a deafening roar in the distance. The wind and snow were howling, and the ghostly aura was rising into the sky. Even the sky of Ranchuan became gloomy and gray. He looked up and saw that it was the northwest.

He immediately activated his spiritual sense and probed in that direction, his expression solemn. Lu Yinche didn't dare to interrupt him, and after a few breaths, he asked what had happened.

"There's a problem at the prison. My brother has gone over there, so I'll go check it out too. You stay here first, to prevent anyone from getting caught in the act."

What could Lu Yinche, with his injuries, do to the mess they couldn't handle? He wasn't the type to join in the fun, so he quickly nodded and agreed. He thought, "They said the Cheng Xiao Sect didn't have a dungeon, so that's exactly what happened." He didn't know who would dare to cause trouble here, but considering the Yang family members were able to slap abacus beads right in Yan Yanshu's face, who knew how many clever ideas a fool could have? It was hard to guard against them. So, he gave a few more warnings.

Yan Yanshu squeezed his hand and nodded: "Well, Ache, take care of yourself. Call me if you need anything."

Wei Qi tutted loudly, "Pay attention to the lives of others, you two! What's with all this drama about deep love?" Even Gong Jin laughed out loud, though it was a cold sneer. Lu Yinche, however, was incredibly cheeky and suggested they get used to it.

But as soon as Yan Yanshu left, the expressions of several people changed.

"It looked like Gong Jue had run out again." Lu Yinche glanced at Gong Jin.

The latter replied swiftly, "Don't worry about it. He's in such a state that he can't break free no matter what. You'd better worry about your good disciple, Master Shang Jiao."

Lu Yinche pressed on, "What went wrong with Gong Jue's technique? Why did he end up on this path?"

"How can I know what an evil cultivator is thinking?"

"He's your brother!"

"Look at that face. How can he still be considered my brother? My brother is already dead. His soul lamp is out. It's all because he followed you, because—" Gong Jin's voice stopped abruptly. He took a few seconds to catch his breath before speaking as usual, "It's his own fault. Being devoured by ghosts is the sin he deserves."

Silence fell between the two.

Affected by the celestial phenomena, snow also began to fall on Kuxue Peak. The cold, hard sand hit the eaves, a gray-black color, and it was unclear what kind of dirt had mixed in with it. Lu Yinche was a little upset, he had a bad feeling. Looking at the sky in the distance, it was dark and eerie, and the sun had disappeared.

Wei Qi sighed, "This reminds me of the year of Tianmu. It was the same thing. The sun sank into the mountains and rivers. Fortunately, there is no other Tianmen to explode, so the tragedy of that year will not be repeated."

"Thanks to you, Lu Yinche," Gong Jin suddenly said, "When you destroyed the Heavenly Gate, didn't you consider that some people's skills, no, their meridians, could never withstand the invading energy from the upper realm?"

"I don't have a better way. I can't let this world be destroyed, right?" Lu Yinche smiled bitterly.

Gong Jin stopped sneering and instead tilted his head slightly, looking intently into Lu Yinche's eyes, just like when they were drinking and talking about Taoism together many years ago. He said softly, "You knew there were problems with his technique, but why didn't you think about the same with mine?"

"You..." Lu Yinche was stunned.

Yes, Gong Jue and Gong Jin are both direct descendants of Chenhua Valley, the largest sect in Nanjun. How could he forget that the martial arts these two people originally practiced were passed down from generation to generation?

They were a sect that practiced formations. He had seen Gong Jin's unguarded book of mental skills, which said that external forces could be used as a formation to draw spirits into the flow, and also - and also, one could use the body as a formation to resonate inside and outside.

Without unimpeded access to external energy, cultivation would see no improvement. Their bodies, unlike those of other cultivators, lacked the barrier to block the inner energy, meaning those sharp blades would constantly pierce their limbs and bones. If Gong Jue was already in dire straits, forced to resort to the inferior method of stealing souls to prolong his life, then what about Gong Jin? What about Gong Jin, who had cultivated this path even more profoundly, inheriting the ultimate power of Shenhua Valley?

Lu Yinche found himself suddenly speechless.

He made this choice. He chose to sacrifice some people in exchange for the future of all.

But he didn't ask for everyone's consent after all. It was impossible for him to ask for everyone's consent.

Being on the scale, every smile and every thought will cause it to tilt.

But Gong Jin laughed out loud at Lu Yinche's stunned expression. He tapped Lu Yinche's shoulder with the handle of his fan. "Are you serious? It has nothing to do with this. It's not that you didn't leave us a way out. You actually taught Gong Jue the soul-renewal method. It works, but it requires the giver to be willing. Then the Qi will be filtered through the sea of ​​consciousness, and there won't be such serious side effects. It's just that he went astray and was too eager."

"Me?" Lu Yinche was greatly shocked. Thinking about the things his two disciples were dealing with, if it was a method he came up with, it could be considered a legacy passed down from his master.

He was still taken aback by Gong Jin's words and shook his head: "You, in that case, it's still my responsibility. I should pay more attention to your brother."

"Yes." Gong Jin put away the smile on his face. "This is where I can't forgive you. You took him away, but didn't bring him back properly. Lu Yinche, I can't forgive you as Gong Jue's eldest brother."

"I know."

Lu Yinche didn't say anything more.

He didn't even dare to ask, "Will you forgive me in other identities? For example, as me, as Lu Yinche's friend?"

Will you forgive me?

Lu Yinche despised himself in his heart. Was he worthy of forgiveness? But even if he went back once, or even a hundred times, he would still do the same thing. So he could only bear Gong Jin's resentment.

He deserves it.

But what he didn't know was another thing.