Chapter 179 Yu Yu Travels Alone, Taking Each Step Carefully

Ji Mingran calmly observed the newcomer.

She activated the wooden dice, taking herself and Chongjue inside. The dice fell outside on their own, and anyone who entered the dice's range was also sucked in.

She is the owner of the wooden dice, and the space inside is her domain. The spiritual energy stored within the dice over a long period of time serves as her constant replenishment.

Whenever an outsider enters, the wooden dice will automatically lock the intruder until the intruder breaks free or she orders them to leave.

This is why she was able to stay calm and not turn back during the tense battle just now; the attacker only had time to throw a sword before being trapped by the wooden dice again.

The tightly interwoven layers of heavy, dark wooden frames moved to the sides, revealing a space of about ten feet, whereupon the newcomer appeared.

The cultivator remained calm and composed. Faint lines appeared between her brows from years of gentle frowning, giving her beautiful face a touch of majesty. She stepped forward slowly, raised her hand, and the ivory longsword, firmly nailed to human skin, flew back. The faded blue and red tassel on the hilt swayed slightly.

The one who pinned the mutated Chongjue firmly to the ground, preventing it from escaping, and was ultimately subdued by her was none other than Fu Yin.

A look of surprise flashed across Ji Mingran's eyes.

Wasn't she outside besieging Yu Tianxing with the other elders of the Hongqi Sect? How did she end up here?

Yu Tianxing was defeated? That's impossible.

Moreover, even if Yu Tianxing were to lose, she wouldn't be the only one here.

Ji Mingran thought for a moment and realized something was wrong.

The thrown sword struck Chongjue squarely, without missing a beat. A swordsman at the Nascent Soul Realm would never make a mistake.

Fu Yin's target is Chong Jue.

She came here specifically to kill Chongjue.

“You know he has been possessed by an evil entity.”

Fu Yin lowered her head and wiped the sword stained with Chong Jue's blood: "Hmm. Your arrival tonight with Yu Tianxing is exactly what I wanted. Yu Tianxing's willingness to act with you shows that you are at least different from those evil beings."

Sheathing her sword, Fu Yin looked up at Ji Mingran and said, "You are extraordinary. I was worried that you might not be able to do it on your own, so I came here, but you actually managed to kill him."

Ji Mingran: "Where is Yu Tianxing?"

"Without me, the other ten elders won't last long and will probably die soon," Fu Yin said calmly.

Ji Mingran understood the hidden meaning in her words: "Are all the elders of Hongqi Sect evil beings?"

"Yes." Fu Yin looked at her quietly: "Yes, of the twelve elders of Hongqi Sect, I am the only one who remains conscious."

Ji Mingran frowned. If what Fu Yin said was true, and almost all the elders of Hongqi Sect had been wiped out, then that meant...

Fu Yin's next words confirmed her speculation: "Yu Tianxing's sword can identify and kill those evil creatures. After dealing with the elders who are possessed by evil creatures, he should take care of the remaining evil creatures lurking in Hongqi Sect."

The nine-story pagoda shone brightly, its soft orange light cascading down, enveloped in the sounds of runes. In its calm eyes, a hint of relief could be seen in the feeling of having finally reached one's destination after a long and arduous journey.

Ji Mingran realized: "You deliberately used us to eliminate all the evil things within the Hongqi Sect for you."

"Yes." Fu Yin always admitted it readily. She looked up at the top of the pavilion, her gaze seemingly piercing through the space separated by the wooden dice, looking out at Hong Qizong: "How many are there? Hong Qizong should be bleeding tonight. I can finally get rid of them completely."

All of this seemed to be within her expectations. "There are many ways to store the divination sword. I persuaded them that the Treasure Pavilion was the best place. It was also I who sent people to retrieve the sword when Yu Tianxing appeared."

"Also, I accidentally told Meng Yingyang the location of the divination sword in the Treasures Pavilion."

Ji Mingran looked at Fu Yin, who had meticulously planned and arranged everything step by step, but asked, "How do you know we would definitely come?"

"The first thing I did after acquiring the divination sword was to inquire about my karma. I glimpsed today's events, so I decided to play along," Fu Yin said softly. "After all, who wouldn't want to know their own karma?"

Answering this question seemed to be quite challenging for Fu Yin. She tried hard to recall and said frankly, "How many years has it been? I can't remember, but it was probably at the beginning. After Chong Jue started chasing Yu Tianxing, his temperament changed. Actually, the change wasn't that big; he just became more easily angered."

"He tried to impersonate a highly respected and powerful figure, but his tricks were rather clumsy." Recalling the past, Fu Yin's taut lips curled into a smile.

But the smile was full of bitterness: "Indeed, even if something born of intelligence erodes a person's soul, it can only clumsily disguise itself."

“I am familiar with the eleven elders and my disciples, and I know that their souls were switched overnight, but I am not familiar with the other disciples, so it is difficult to tell whether the bodies in their bodies are filled with evil spirits or their own selves.”

"Those who cannot be distinguished include the ten cultivators of the Daoist sect, as well as other cultivators in the spiritual cultivation world."

"Until I find a solution, I can only keep this secret to myself. Fortunately, my disguise is more sophisticated than theirs. They just think I'm a blockhead and don't understand human nature, and at the same time, they don't notice anything unusual about them."

Ji Mingran: "Didn't they have even the slightest suspicion?"

Fu Yin smiled slightly and said, "They suspected and tested me, but they had no solid evidence. Chong Jue entrusted me with an important task, which was also one of the tests. Just like when I accepted their request and pointed out to everyone that you are the destroyer of the world."

Ji Mingran always felt a little confused about Fu Yin's actions. When she exposed herself, she was resolute and decisive, not only to gain the trust of the mutated creatures of Hongqi Sect, but also because she herself believed it, since she had indeed seen herself and those evil beings come from the same place.

She could have used the power of the mutated species in the Hongqi Sect to kill herself first, and then deal with the mutated species within the sect.

The spiritual community is now aware of the existence of mutant species, and soon practitioners will find ways to identify them. The talismanic sounds will no longer be without choice as before.

The most urgent task should be to resolve the issue of oneself as the destroyer of the world.

Therefore, Ji Mingran speculated: "You don't entirely believe that I am the destroyer of the world?"

"Whether the world will be destroyed or not, who knows? The divination sword has revealed a lot of information, but who knows if it's true or false, or if it will really come true. From the divination, the only thing I can be sure of," Fu Yin revealed a genuine smile, "is that it's afraid of you."

“No wonder it’s afraid; you really can kill it.” Fu Yin asked, “You seem to know a lot about them? Then tell me, what is the key to their corruption of human souls?”

“Weak consciousness and wavering mindset are the opportunities they can take advantage of.”

“I see.” Fu Yin sighed softly. “They used to say I was rigid, old-fashioned, and stubborn. Who would have thought that this would become my lifeline.”

"What kind of person was the Venerable Chongjue in the past?" Ji Mingran couldn't help but wonder. Fu Yin was resolute, but Chongjue was already at the Mahayana Realm; he shouldn't have been so easily devoured by the mutated species.

Fu Yin lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the faded tassel on the sword hilt, and slowly said, "He is fierce in appearance but weak in reality, cautious and meticulous but not suspicious or violent, and he would never shoot himself in the foot."

Ji Mingran recalled the "Chong Jue" she had seen. The Chong Jue that the mutated species played after fusing with the Yuan Soul was very similar to what Fu Yin had described, but just as Fu Yin had said, there was a hint of recklessness in his behavior.

“The most obvious thing is that he is introverted and not good at socializing.” Fu Yin raised her eyes again and glanced at Ji Mingran. “He would never compete to be the head of any spiritual cultivation competition.”

The latter frowned, clearly comparing the senior brother she mentioned to the "Chongjue" she had met.

Fu Yin slowly exhaled.

It had been a long, long time since I had mentioned my senior brother, but now that I did, the memories that I had deliberately suppressed deep in my heart surged up like a tide.

She remembered that sweltering summer day, beneath the waterfall, the person who shook her awake.

At that time, he was a young man, his temples not yet gray.

He broke through to the Mahayana realm and immediately traversed mountains and seas to find the secret realm where she was in seclusion. He woke her up and asked her a question that seemed utterly foolish to her.

"Fu Yin, Master said he would pass the position of sect leader to me. Do you think I am capable of taking it on?"

"..." Fu Yin took a deep breath, suppressing her anger that made her want to punch someone.

First, his seclusion was interrupted, then he opened his eyes and saw his senior brother who had broken through before him, and then he heard him ask a ridiculous question.

This person is deliberately looking for trouble!

Fu Yin glared angrily at the newcomer, really wanting to beat him up.

But... When Fu Yin met those clear eyes that showed a hint of anxiety, her heart softened a little. She was puzzled. He had already become a Mahayana cultivator, so why was he still the same as before?

Shedding all pretense, no longer forcing himself to maintain an aura of great power and cold indifference, he would still honestly reveal his true self—hesitant, timid, and uneasy.

This is a side that is unknown to outsiders.

The powerful Mahayana cultivators who commanded respect and influence outside were as cautious as inexperienced beginners in front of her, nervously waiting for her answer with their hands clasped together.

Fu Yin withdrew her fist, her tone hard: "Hard to say!"

"Fu Yin." Although there was clearly no one around in this secluded place, Chong Jue deliberately lowered his voice, as if he wanted to say something that no one else could hear, "I want Hongqi Sect to become a renowned sect and one of the top ten Dao Sects!"

After recounting his grand vision, Chongjue nervously glanced around, as if he were terrified that someone would suddenly jump out and say he was overestimating himself or laughing at his wishful thinking.

Although he was afraid of being laughed at, he still wanted to ask Fu Yin's opinion: "Do you think it's possible?"

Chong Jue's expression and actions did not escape Fu Yin's notice. Fu Yin kept a straight face, thinking to herself, how could someone like this have become a Mahayana cultivator and a sect leader before her? How could he lead his sect to join the top ten Daoist sects!

This is her dream!

No, she needs to break through her cultivation level quickly and then force him to abdicate!

Thinking this, Fu Yin said, "Why is it impossible?"

Upon hearing her answer, Chongjue's worries vanished, and he laughed heartily: "Yes, if you say it's possible, it definitely is! As long as you're here, Hongqi Sect will definitely succeed."

Just as he finished reassuring himself, he became uneasy again, "You'll be there, won't you?"

Fu Yin said irritably, "Where else can I go if I'm not in Hongqi Sect? If you're not up to the task, then step down and let me take over! Hurry up and leave, I'm going into seclusion."

Chongjue chuckled foolishly, "That's right, that's right. Junior sister, you should cultivate well. I'll wait for you to come out of seclusion."

"Here, as compensation for disturbing your seclusion." He handed over an item, and Fu Yin looked down to see a strikingly colored sword tassel, a mix of blue and red.

"I made it up." The handsome cultivator scratched his head shyly. Seeing the obvious disgust in Fu Yin's eyes, he hurriedly said, "There is also a full-force attack hidden in this. You can use it if you are in danger."

He repeatedly urged, "If you encounter a formidable opponent or predicament, don't try to tough it out; remember to use this."

"Alright." Fu Yin accepted the gift, then took out her life sword, tied it to the hilt, and then urged the guest to leave, "Go quickly."

"Okay, okay." Chongjue replied as he swept the dust from her cave. He left behind a hundred kinds of rare natural materials and carefully set up defenses for her again. He thought and looked again and again, making sure that what he left behind was enough for her to safely overcome the tribulation, before leaving.

It was all done so meticulously that even Fu Yin, with her heart of stone, felt a pang of annoyance. Her tone towards her senior brother was indeed harsh; she should have congratulated him on his breakthrough.

We'll finish it after she breaks through to the next level.

That's what Fu Yin was thinking at the time.

Who knew that after she went out, her senior brother was gone.

Taking on the responsibilities of a sect is far too heavy a burden for someone who only wants to live a carefree life.

Her words of comfort might soothe his momentary unease, but not for long.

Handling the sect's complicated affairs and competing with major sects for resources... there were too many moments that could shake his will and make him doubt himself, and she was not by his side during those moments.

Fu Yin closed her eyes, calming her chaotic thoughts, and gripped the sword in her hand tightly: "I told you, the position of sect leader should be mine, and perhaps this would have prevented this mishap."

Ji Mingran looked at her quietly.

If I'm not mistaken, the Hongqi Sect has probably been largely parasitized by the parasitic mutants. Fu Yin sensed something was wrong long ago, yet she persisted until now, even handling sect affairs alongside the mutants for so many years.

They might even teach their parasitic disciples how to use a sword, stroke by stroke.

After a long pause, Ji Mingran asked, "How did you manage to coexist with them for a hundred years?"

The sentence was spoken very softly, as if asking a question to a talisman, or as if talking to oneself.

“I promised that I would stay in Hongqi Sect.” The sorrow in Fu Yin’s eyes dissipated, and she said slowly, “Moreover, I grew up in Hongqi Sect, and I will not abandon it.”

Ji Mingran: "Is that so?" Fu Yin's persistence was based on the complex emotions unique to humans.

All doubts have been answered; now it's time to focus on the present. "I will use the divination sword to explore the cause and effect."

After a fight, the divination sword was nowhere to be found, perhaps tossed aside somewhere. The wooden dice had a large interior space, making it quite difficult to find even a small object within it.

Fu Yin glanced at him, then spread her five fingers upwards: "Sword, come."

A black sword whistled through the air and landed in his hand.

“Although it is not my destined sword, I still have a way to find it.” Fu Yin said, “Let me see if your divination is really as those things show.”

He raised his palm, revealing a black sword inscribed with runes, and handed it to her.

"Shall we go out?" Fu Yin asked her.

Ji Mingran weighed the divination sword in his hand, then lowered his eyes in thought.

This is a secluded little world, isolated from external causes and effects. To use the divination sword means to leave the wooden dice. Once she leaves the wooden dice, she will lose the protection of this space and be unable to maximize her advantages.

Fu Yin is about to break through to the Mahayana stage. She is resolute, courageous, and resourceful, making her an extremely difficult opponent. She had just exhausted herself dealing with that mutated creature. If Fu Yin were to attack her after they left, escape would be difficult.

Even though it's not easy, she still wants an answer.

As the nine-story pagoda receded further into the ethereal realm, in the blink of an eye, a serene atmosphere filled the air, and the magnificent Treasure Pavilion reappeared in the surrounding night sky, occasionally illuminated by sword light.

Ji Mingran retrieved the wooden dice, twisted his sword, and slashed it with his backhand.

The sword's blade sliced ​​across her arm, staining it with fresh blood. She whispered, "What is my past?"

One by one, the runes on the sword lit up, and at the same time, the cold blade pressed against her neck.

Ji Mingran met Fu Yin's gaze.

Fu Yin's voice was calm: "I'm sorry, this may not be fair to you, but if you really are the one who will lead to the destruction of spiritual cultivation, I must fulfill my mission."

"I expected that." Ji Mingran stopped looking at her.

The air around him swirled rapidly with the changing spiritual energy of the divination sword, and his vision suddenly shifted.

I see the end times again.