Chapter 65 Brother, you're not good enough for me
At this critical moment, Gu Zhinan was the first to react.
He stepped forward and placed his hand firmly on Yin Lisheng's back, transferring all his spiritual power to Yin Lisheng: "Junior Uncle, catch!"
Almost simultaneously, Song Wenzhuo sheathed his longsword, formed a hand seal with one hand, and placed the other hand on Yin Lisheng's shoulder, saying, "Count me in."
Chu Yu and Duan Xuan exchanged a glance and stood on either side in tacit agreement. They then transferred all their spiritual power to each other without reservation.
Yin Lisheng felt four distinct streams of spiritual energy surge into his body. These different spiritual energies flowed through his meridians, miraculously merging together for the same purpose, ultimately converging into a powerful force.
He dared not be negligent and activated the Soul Purification Technique with all his might. The previously dim runes suddenly erupted with unprecedented light, which surged outwards like a tidal wave, completely enveloping the crimson monster.
Wherever it passed, the surging resentment melted away like ice and snow, emitting a faint hissing sound, as if it were being released.
"ah--"
Amidst a series of piercing howls, the crimson monster completely disintegrated.
Countless purified souls drifted out of the monster's body. They were no longer grotesque and twisted, but had regained their former appearances—there were soldiers in ancient armor, commoners in plain clothes and straw sandals, and several cultivators dressed in robes from various sects.
These souls bowed to Yin Lisheng and the others, their faces filled with relief and gratitude, before transforming into starlight and dissipating into the world.
When the last soul was delivered from suffering, the entire Blood Maple Forest began to undergo earth-shattering changes.
The dark red maple leaves faded at a visible rate, gradually changing from an unsettling blood red to orange-red and then golden yellow. The nauseating smell of blood in the air was replaced by the fresh scent of grass and trees, and the sticky "swamp" underfoot turned back into a soft layer of fallen leaves.
"We...success?" Duan Xuan looked around in disbelief, her voice trembling slightly from the depletion of her spiritual energy.
Song Wenzhuo withdrew his hand from Yin Lisheng's shoulder, his tone filled with admiration: "Junior Uncle is indeed exceptionally talented; you executed the Soul Purification Technique beautifully."
Although Gu Zhinan did not speak, there was a hint of approval in his gaze toward Yin Lisheng.
Yin Lisheng didn't care about any of that; he only cared about Fu Yunshu's opinion.
He turned to look at Fu Yunshu: "Master, what do you think?"
Although Yin Lisheng was fully focused on using the Soul Purification Technique, he still kept a sliver of his mind on his master's condition.
Fu Yunshu's face was still pale, but her eyes were much brighter than before.
He nodded slightly: "Well done," he paused, then added, "really well, you're already capable of handling things on your own."
This simple sentence filled Yin Lisheng with indescribable joy. He suppressed the upturn of his lips and respectfully said, "It is thanks to Master's excellent guidance."
Just then, in the center of the purified maple forest, a pebble path slowly emerged, winding its way into the depths of the forest. At the end of the path, a shimmering body of water could be faintly seen.
"Is that Mirror Lake?" Duan Xuan looked around curiously.
Fu Yunshu gazed at the body of water, his expression complex: "That must be it."
After catching their breath, the group continued along the path. Unlike the perilous journey they had encountered earlier, this path was remarkably peaceful, with the occasional chirping of birds echoing through the woods, as if this place had always been a serene haven.
The closer they got to Mirror Lake, the richer and purer the spiritual energy in the air became. Chu Yu took a deep breath and exclaimed in surprise, "Such pure spiritual energy! The concentration of spiritual energy here is quite high, at least three times that outside."
Song Wenzhuo frowned and said, "It doesn't make sense that a place surrounded by the Bone Wasteland and the Blood Maple Forest, two places full of malevolent energy, is actually such a blessed land."
As they approached, the entire view of Mirror Lake came into view: the lake water was crystal clear, the surface was as calm as a mirror, reflecting the gloomy sky of Youxu.
However, everyone's expression was not good. Hundreds of transparent bubbles floated in the center of the lake, and each bubble contained an unconscious cultivator—the missing disciples from various sects!
"They're there!" Duan Xuan exclaimed.
The cultivators in the bubbles had their eyes closed and their expressions peaceful, as if they were simply asleep. But a closer look revealed that their spiritual energy was slowly flowing through the fine currents of water towards a glowing spot at the bottom of the lake.
"Is this draining their spiritual power?" Chu Yu exclaimed in horror.
Yin Lisheng observed carefully but did not see Qiu Nan and the others, nor did the sect leaders and elders of the various sects.
"Go down and take a look." Fu Yunshu lowered his voice, his fingertips tracing patterns in the air, and several concealment talismans silently entered the bodies of everyone.
Yin Lisheng followed closely beside Fu Yunshu, while Song Wenzhuo and Gu Zhinan followed behind Chu Yu and Duan Xuan in tacit agreement. After all, they were seniors, and they couldn't let the two children bring up the rear.
The five of them silently slipped into the lake like fish.
Surprisingly, after diving down to about several dozen feet, the lake water seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier, and there was a vacuum below.
Finally, they saw the true face below—
A huge black magic circle lay on the bottom of the lake, its patterns outlined by some kind of dark red substance, and it was greedily absorbing the spiritual energy from the bubbles above.
In the center of the magic circle, a budding flower floated in mid-air, its petals crystal clear and exuding a breathtaking beauty.
Song Wenzhuo's expression changed drastically; he vaguely guessed what it was.
Turning his head, he saw Gu Zhinan staring intently at the flower in the center of the magic circle.
Presumably, that is the Mirror Moon Flower that Gu Zhinan has been searching for for hundreds of years.
However, they did not overlook the several figures beside the magic circle.
Of the two standing, one was dressed in a black robe, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood; the other was Yu Jiangheng's younger brother, Yu Jiangxuan.
The two people on the ground, their hands tied behind their backs and unable to move, were all too familiar to them—it was Yin Simiao and Yu Jiangheng.
Yu Jiangxuan was a completely different person at this moment. His face was as pale as paper, his eyes were sunken, and his eyes were filled with only madness and obsession.
He formed hand seals, continuously pouring the plundered spiritual energy into the Mirror Moon Flower.
“It’s not enough…” Yu Jiangxuan’s voice was hoarse, “We need more…”
The man in black robes let out a low laugh: "What's the rush? Once the Mirror Moon Flower blooms, you'll get everything you want."
Upon hearing this, Yu Jiangxuan turned to the bound Yu Jiangheng, her voice filled with resentment: "My dear brother, do you know how long I've waited for this day?"
Yu Jiangheng seemed to be awakened by these words, slowly opening his eyes, a trace of pain flashing in them: "Jiang Xuan...why are you so stubborn..."
"Stubborn to the end?" Yu Jiangxuan let out a chilling laugh. "Do you know that you've ruined my whole life!"
"Awakening my spiritual root at the age of three is a rare feat in the mortal world! Back then, everyone said I was a genius the Yu family had only seen once in a century, and all the family's resources were poured into me. I originally thought that I must cultivate diligently, support the family in the future, and protect my brother..."
Yu Jiangheng closed his eyes in pain, as if he couldn't bear to listen anymore.
“But who knew,” Yu Jiangxuan’s voice suddenly rose, “that when you were ten years old, you went to Qingyuan Sect to become an apprentice. When your aptitude was tested, the celestial stone shone like the rising sun, and everyone’s eyes turned to you. Those who had praised me before suddenly said that you were the true hope of the Yu family!”
The man in the black robe stood to the side, a playful smile playing on his lips beneath his hood, as if he were enjoying a good show.
"I don't care!" Yu Jiangxuan roared. "I really don't care! You're my brother, you're talented, I should be happy for you. But... but why were you accepted as the eldest disciple by Sect Master Song of Qingyuan Sect? You know perfectly well that I've always wanted to become his disciple, you know that perfectly well!"
“I cultivated desperately, day and night, and even left Qingyuan Sect to return to my family, thinking that I could finally get out of your shadow,” Yu Jiangxuan said with a self-deprecating smile. “Who knew that in other people’s mouths, I gradually became ‘Yu Jiangheng’s younger brother’!”
"Those who once idolized me are now laughing at me behind my back." Yu Jiangxuan's voice choked with sobs. "They say that Yu Jiangxuan is no genius at all, just a piece of trash who stepped on his brother's back!"
"So you colluded with the demons, using other people's lives to gain power?" Yu Jiangheng said with heartache. "Jiang Xuan, you have disappointed me greatly!"
"Disappointed?" Yu Jiangxuan laughed wildly. "What right do you have to be disappointed? Today I will use this Mirror Moon Flower to obtain a power you can never have! Then, I will let everyone see clearly who the true genius of the Yu family is!"
Before Yu Jiangheng could speak, Yin Simiao, who had woken up at some point, sneered, "You really know how to flatter yourself."
Yu Jiangxuan turned his head sharply, his eyes blazing with anger: "Yin Simiao, this is none of your business!"
"It's not my place to speak?" Yin Simiao sneered, her imposing manner undiminished despite being bound. "Then I'd like to ask you, do you know how your brother has been all these years?"
Yu Jiangheng said urgently, "Si Miao, stop talking!"
"Why won't you speak?" Yin Simiao stared directly at Yu Jiangxuan. "Do you think you're the only one who's wronged? Do you think you're the only one living in the shadows? Yu Jiangxuan, you're essentially nothing more than a selfish, cowardly, pathetic wretch!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Yu Jiangxuan roared.
"I'm talking nonsense?" Yin Simiao said, enunciating each word clearly. "Do you really think my master and the others didn't know that you secretly used someone else as a shield during the third trial of the secret realm? Then you're underestimating Qingyuan Sect too much. Back then, my master didn't even intend to let you stay in Qingyuan Sect. It was that fool Yu Jiangheng who knelt in front of my master's door for three days and three nights, begging him to let you stay!"
"Who knew you'd leave on your own in the end? I always said Yu Jiangheng was a complete idiot."
These words were like a thunderclap, stunning not only Yu Jiangxuan but also Song Wenzhuo, who was hiding in the shadows, whose expression shifted slightly and whose thoughts returned to that year.
“No…it’s impossible…” Yu Jiangxuan murmured.
"Why not? With a brain like yours, you think my masters and uncles would even look at you? Dream on."
Yin Simiao closed her eyes. "Ask yourself honestly, when you were still in the Yu family when you were young, were you truly close to Yu Jiangheng, or were you simply enjoying that feeling of being high and mighty?"
Yin Simiao's words were like a sharp dagger, piercing the most hidden corner of Yu Jiangxuan's heart. His face instantly turned ashen, his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a sound.
"What? Did I hit the nail on the head?" Yin Simiao sneered. "You don't care at all about how your brother is doing; you only care that you're no longer the center of attention. When you were young in the Yu family, everyone doted on you and pampered you. You enjoyed that feeling of being the center of attention, so when your brother showed even greater talent, you couldn't stand it, could you?"
Yin Simiao's voice suddenly rose: "Yu Jiangxuan, think carefully, from childhood to adulthood, has your brother ever wronged you in the slightest? In the early days when you were still in Qingyuan Sect, whenever he got something good, the first thing he thought of was sharing it with you; when you encountered a bottleneck in your cultivation, he was the first to come and guide you; even when you finally wanted to leave Qingyuan Sect, he was the only one who respected your choice."
"You don't deserve such a good brother!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
