Chapter 64 My Child Seems to Have Grown Up
After a short rest, the group continued their journey. The deeper they went into the maple forest, the more bizarre the surrounding scenery became. The maple leaves grew darker and darker, and the heavy smell of blood seemed to solidify into a tangible substance. It was no longer drifting in the wind, but had transformed into an invisible, deep red swamp. With each step forward, they felt their steps were sticky, and a suffocating feeling pressed in from all directions.
“These patterns…” Chu Yu carefully examined a maple leaf, “I feel like I’ve seen them in some ancient book.”
Fu Yunshu, lying on Yin Lisheng's back, raised his eyes slightly upon hearing this, examined him carefully for a while, and said, "It's a spirit-binding spell. It seems that this maple forest is not only dangerous, but also a huge prison."
Duan Xuan looked around uneasily: "Who are we being imprisoned? Us?"
“I’m afraid so,” Fu Yunshu said solemnly. “Have you seen any disciples from other sects along the way?”
The group then realized something was amiss. There were at least several hundred cultivators who had entered the Netherworld, but apart from each other and Lu Yanci, the elusive head of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, they had not encountered anyone else along the way.
“The strongest grandmaster was teleported to the very edge of the Bone Wasteland from the very beginning. I have a feeling this is not a coincidence,” Song Wenzhuo said thoughtfully.
Gu Zhinan nodded seriously.
Chu Yu: "Immortal Venerable Huaiwei and Pavilion Master Lu are the two strongest beings in the world. The mastermind behind the scenes teleported them to the Bone Wasteland, the farthest place from Mirror Lake. It's understandable that Sect Master Song and Peak Master Gu, who are powerful figures, were sent to the Blood Maple Forest. But why are my junior sister and I also in the Bone Wasteland?"
Her words stumped everyone. Fu Yunshu thought it might be related to Duan Xuan being the female lead in the original book, but nothing was clear yet, and it couldn't be confirmed.
"Alright, stop overthinking," Fu Yunshu raised his hand to interrupt everyone's thoughts, "In any case, let's go to Mirror Lake first."
Hearing this, although everyone still had doubts, they knew that Fu Yunshu's words made sense. The most urgent task was to get to Mirror Lake as soon as possible and find out the truth.
“Let’s go,” Yin Lisheng lifted Fu Yunshu up a little higher on his back and said in a deep voice, “This forest is strange, everyone be careful.”
The group proceeded with increasing caution. The fallen leaves beneath their feet were layered, but instead of feeling soft, they felt sticky as if they were stepping on something solid and heavy. Each step was accompanied by a faint, almost inaudible "sizzling" sound, as if they were walking on something slowly wriggling rather than dead leaves.
"This place is too eerie." Duan Xuan couldn't help but shiver and subconsciously moved closer to Chu Yu.
Yin Lisheng carried Fu Yunshu on his back, each step exceptionally steady. Fu Yunshu's breath sprayed behind his ear, very light, carrying the unique weakness of post-injury, yet like tiny hooks, scratching at the tip of Yin Lisheng's heart.
That warm breath was the only thing that made him feel real and at ease in this strange and bloody environment.
He could clearly feel the weight of the person on his back, as well as their slightly lower body temperature transmitted through the thin fabric.
His master remained quietly prostrate most of the time, his chin occasionally brushing unintentionally against Yin Lisheng's shoulder and neck, sending a shiver down his spine. Yin Lisheng's back involuntarily tensed, not from the strain of carrying a heavy load, but from a tension mixed with tenderness, worry, and a secret longing.
Yin Lisheng unconsciously tightened his arm around Fu Yunshu's knees, controlling the force perfectly so as not to hurt her while bringing them closer together, like a silent enclosure and protection.
The suffocating feeling of the surrounding blood-red swamp seemed to lessen somewhat due to the weight on his back. Although the nauseatingly strong stench of blood still lingered around his nose, Yin Lisheng could still keenly detect the clear, faint herbal scent emanating from Fu Yunshu, a scent that strangely calmed his chaotic mind.
Suddenly, the maple forest ahead began to twist violently, the trees moving and shifting as if they had come alive, instantly surrounding the group. Crimson mist rose from the ground, coalescing into blurry human figures.
"Watch out!" Song Wenzhu shouted sharply, his longsword already in his hand.
The blood-red figures let out shrill screams and lunged at the group. Gu Zhinan immediately stepped forward, drawing his longsword and instantly shattering several figures. However, the shattered figures quickly reformed, seemingly without end.
"They can't be killed!" Chu Yu's sonic attack only temporarily dispersed the figures; it couldn't completely eliminate them.
Yin Lisheng used one hand to protect Fu Yunshu on his back, and the other hand to defend with the Broken Abyss Sword. The sword's edge sliced through the figure, but it was like slicing through water, only creating a ripple, and the figure quickly solidified again.
The group was locked in a fierce battle. The blood-red figures seemed endless, and each time they were scattered, they would quickly reform, and their numbers would only increase.
"This can't go on!" Chu Yu looked at Duan Xuan anxiously.
Duan Xuan, after all, had the lowest cultivation level among them, and was already starting to struggle.
Yin Lisheng shielded Fu Yunshu on his back, his Duanyuan Sword wielding with impenetrable force, yet he could only barely parry. Just as a figure was about to touch Fu Yunshu, a fierce glint flashed in Yin Lisheng's eyes, and a blinding golden light suddenly erupted from the blade of his sword as he swung it towards the blood-red figure.
"careful!"
Fu Yunshu's voice suddenly rang out, carrying an undeniable authority. Yin Lisheng subconsciously turned around and saw that Fu Yunshu had opened his eyes at some point, his eyes flashing with an unusual light.
“These are not ordinary vengeful spirits,” Fu Yunshu’s voice was soft, yet it clearly reached everyone’s ears. “They are the souls of the ancient battlefield imprisoned on this land for tens of thousands of years. Nourished by the Blood Maple Forest and eroded by the demonic energy of the Netherworld, they have become immortal and indestructible monsters.”
As he spoke, everyone finally saw the true faces of those figures—each blood-red figure contained a twisted soul, their faces contorted with the agony of millennia, their eyes burning with the flames of revenge.
“No wonder they can’t be killed…” Duan Xuan gasped. “These souls have accumulated resentment for ten thousand years, and they can’t be dealt with by ordinary methods.”
Song Wenzhuo's expression also turned grim: "Then what should we do?"
Fu Yunshu left Yin Lisheng's body. Although his steps were still a little unsteady, his body began to emit a soft white light: "Since I can't kill him, then I'll purify him."
He formed hand seals and chanted incantations. As the incantation was recited, the white light around him grew stronger and stronger, eventually transforming into countless tiny specks of light that drifted towards the blood-red figures like fireflies.
When the light touched the figure, an astonishing scene unfolded—the crimson color began to fade, the distorted figure gradually became transparent, the soul encased within stopped roaring, and the ferocity on its face slowly transformed into calm.
"This is... the Soul Purification Technique?"
Fu Yunshu has cultivated for many years and has created many of his own techniques. The Soul Purification Technique is one of them, which can purify various evil energies on a large scale.
Song Wenzhuo began to worry, "But the Soul Purification Technique requires a large amount of the caster's cultivation, and your current body..."
“It’s alright,” Fu Yunshu gently shook his head, “This is the fastest way.”
Just as he was about to continue chanting the incantation, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Yin Lisheng looked at Fu Yunshu with an unquestionable gaze, "Master, may I do it?"
Fu Yunshu shook his head, about to refuse, when Yin Lisheng spoke again.
“Master,” he raised his voice slightly, “I am no longer the child who could only be protected by you.”
"You taught me the Soul Purification Technique, and I've learned it quite well. Master, please believe me this once?" Yin Lisheng's eyes held a hint of pleading.
Fu Yunshu looked into Yin Lisheng's determined eyes. Those usually calm and clear eyes were now filled with an unquestionable resolve, and a hint of an almost obsessive yearning that he had never seen before.
The force coming from his wrist was warm and firm, no longer the slender hand that he used to protect constantly in my memory.
At this moment, Fu Yunshu suddenly realized that Yin Lisheng had indeed grown up. He was no longer the somewhat timid child he had first met at Qingyuan Sect.
Now, Yin Lisheng is not only capable of standing on her own, but even wants to protect him.
This realization was like a sudden gust of wind, sweeping across his usually calm heart—it brought ripples of relief that the fledgling eagle had finally spread its wings, but also a sense of loss that he no longer needed his protection.
"Master?" Yin Lisheng asked, his voice tinged with apprehension as he saw Fu Yunshu remain silent for a long time.
Fu Yunshu sighed softly and grasped Yin Lisheng's wrist with his other hand: "The Soul Purification Technique consumes a great deal of energy. Your cultivation is still shallow, so you cannot force yourself."
Yin Lisheng felt the warmth and was overjoyed, knowing that his master had tacitly approved. He nodded emphatically: "Disciple understands."
Releasing his grip, Fu Yunshu took a half-step back to make room for Yin Lisheng, while secretly circulating his spiritual energy, preparing to lend a helping hand if necessary.
Yin Lisheng took a deep breath, recalling the essentials of the Soul Purification Technique taught by Fu Yunshu.
He formed hand seals and chanted incantations, his body beginning to emit a slightly weaker, yet still pure, white light than when Fu Yunshu had used it earlier.
As the incantation was chanted, the white light surrounding Yin Lisheng grew stronger and stronger, eventually transforming into countless tiny specks of light that drifted toward the blood-red figures. When the specks of light touched the figures, a scene similar to the one before occurred—the blood-red color began to fade, and the distorted figures gradually became transparent.
However, unlike when Fu Yunshu performed the purification, Yin Lisheng's purification process was much more difficult. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his face began to turn pale, clearly indicating that he had exhausted himself greatly.
"Can Fellow Daoist Yin hold on?" Duan Xuan asked in a worried whisper.
Fu Yunshu stared intently at Yin Lisheng's retreating figure, his hands unconsciously clenching in his sleeves. He saw Yin Lisheng's body trembling slightly, yet he persisted in chanting the incantation. That stubbornness and tenacity stirred an indescribable emotion within him.
Just then, something unexpected happened!
The unpurified souls seemed to sense the threat and suddenly gathered together, forming a huge blood-red monster that pounced on Yin Lisheng.
"Watch out!" everyone exclaimed, and was about to rush to help, but Yin Lisheng remained calm. He bit his fingertip and drew a complex rune in the air.
"With my blood, I draw upon the righteous energy of heaven and earth to purify!"
The runes erupted with dazzling light, enveloping the entire crimson monster. Within the light, the monster let out a shrill scream, and its massive body began to disintegrate.
However, unlike Fu Yunshu, Yin Lisheng's cultivation level was limited, having only just entered the Nascent Soul stage.
The light of the runes in the sky began to dim rapidly, but the monster had not yet been completely purified.
"Oh no!" Song Wenzhuo exclaimed, "Junior Uncle is about to collapse!"
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Author's note: It's amazing that there are still people reading after so long, and even familiar readers at that. Thank you so much! I was prepared to just quietly write until the end.
The couple's picture I ordered is ready, but it seems the character card didn't pass the review. I'll check it in a couple of days. The picture is also on Weibo. [cat paw emoji]
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