Chapter 43 Confession, and Farewell: Because I love you, I am unwilling to...
How to provoke Xiao Huaiyuan in just the right way?
Fu Ming was carefully considering his lines.
Although he knew the outcome in advance, he still had to honestly complete the process.
As everyone knows, Xiao Huaiyuan, as the leader of a sect, possesses an emotional stability that is beyond the reach of ordinary people.
Since returning to the Tianyan Sect, Fu Ming has only encountered him with a displeased expression on a handful of occasions. Once was when Fu Ming was in a dangerous situation and deliberately sought death, and the other time was when Fu Ming mistook him for a woman after being drugged and took the initiative to express his love.
The combination of seeking death and expressing love would be even more effective. Adding some obscene words that violate human ethics would surely make Xiao Huaiyuan greatly disappointed with "Ming Chen".
Given his current condition, facing death would be quite simple. Fu Ming looked out of the Golden Bell Shield.
The pure white phantom and the blackened remains faced each other from afar, one attacking and the other defending, locked in a stalemate.
The slender sword blade slashed across the Golden Bell Shield countless times, but it was like trying to cut water with a knife, not even leaving a scratch. However, the good times didn't last long. The phantom of the remnant soul gradually faded, and the barrier began to sway slightly.
The remnant body and the remnant soul were originally one, both belonging to the avatars left behind by the Immortal Venerable Qian Yuan before his ascension to watch over the five immortal islands. However, as time passed and the soul and body, each with its own function, gradually separated, causing the remnant body to change.
As for the specific reason, the remnant soul only retains memories of the Great Ascension stage of True Immortal and earlier, so it is not very clear. It is only said that it is related to the decline of the spiritual power of the Immortal Island and the extinction of the demons.
"There's still an incense stick's time left," the remnant soul of the True Immortal reminded him.
"Okay, I'll wait a bit longer."
Fu Ming meditated and regulated his breathing, making the most of every second to recover his spiritual power, not in a hurry to go out and fight. In his left hand, which was not holding a sword, the pea-green jade slip emitted a soft glow, which meant that the other side was sending him a request to contact him.
Strangely, the jade slip was always cool to the touch, but he found it somewhat hot.
He wasn't ready to face Xiao Huaiyuan.
The remnant soul of the True Immortal saw his dilemma and said in a low voice with his hands behind his back, "It is extremely dangerous for a clone to be separated from its main body for a long time. It is easy for the cloned soul to develop its own consciousness. You couldn't possibly not know this."
Fu Ming glanced at him sideways: "You knew all along that this body of mine was just a clone, so you had the fox lure me here to my death."
He really hates people who speak in riddles and circumlocutions.
The white-robed remnant soul waved his sleeve to reinforce the barrier: "I just realized that you need me, and you need this opportunity to advance. There are also my notes from the Mahayana stage in the cave. You will grant me this unreasonable request."
He tapped the side of his head and said casually, "Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, there should be something outside of cause and effect residing within your consciousness."
Fu Ming was horrified.
He carries many secrets, but he remains deeply entangled in them, unaware of the full picture and unable to discern who is friend or foe.
Although he had personally killed the old Demon Lord, there were still many more people who wanted to harm him hiding in the mist, making it hard for him to breathe.
Fu Ming's index finger was between the hilt and the scabbard. The sword given to him by Xiao Huaiyuan was much wider than his own knife, and the hilt was engraved with rough, deep lines that stung to the touch.
Using pain to stay awake was so typical of Xiao Huaiyuan, instantly pulling him out of his suppressed emotions.
Xiao Huaiyuan, Xiao Huaiyuan, the most urgent task is to resolve this matter.
Seeing Fu Ming grab the jade slip at the critical moment of hesitation, the remnant soul still had the mood to sarcastically ask, "Saying goodbye to your Daoist partner?"
Fu Ming corrected: "What Daoist partner? It's Master."
The remnant soul smiled, piercing through his disguise: "Actually, I heard everything you said in the Fox Palace."
This old bastard has the nerve to eavesdrop! Fu Ming was furious at the thought of his cheesy words being overheard. He chuckled coldly, raised an eyebrow, and offered his sincere blessings.
"Eavesdropping is not a good habit. I think it would be better for you to be buried sooner rather than later, so you won't have time to play matchmaker for the younger generation."
A bell rang out, and the Golden Bell Shield withstood the impact head-on, causing the entire space to tremble. Only the young man sitting cross-legged remained unmoved.
Fu Ming held the jade slip to his cheek and called out softly.
"Master."
"I have something to tell you in private. Please dismiss the others and don't let them hear."
The situation was urgent, but the call quality of this special celestial telephone was really poor. Xiao Huaiyuan's response came much slowly and intermittently.
"Where are you...? Are you... alright?"
The tortoise-shell-like Golden Bell Shield shrank a bit, and Fu Ming pulled his legs back, curling himself into a ball, still calm and unhurried.
"I'm fine. The problem is with this celestial palace. The remains of a true immortal are causing a riot. I've already locked them in the trial space. They can last for about a quarter of an hour."
"Get out quickly... Staying alive is the most important thing."
As if afraid he wouldn't hear clearly, the volume was raised considerably this time, as if Xiao Huaiyuan himself was roaring in his ear. He had never heard Xiao Huaiyuan's voice so hoarse before. Well, his junior brother did care about this disciple after all.
"However, you don't need to be sad for me. After you hear what I'm about to say, you might wish you were dead right now—ugh, what a face is plastered on the barrier."
The mutilated body, finding it unable to break through the Golden Bell Shield, simply pressed itself against it and sniffed. It was a truly ashen face, neither breathing nor speaking, merely approaching its prey like the lowest of flies.
I never expected that even an immortal's avatar would fall into such a state. It seems that as long as one does not transcend the cycle of the five elements and break through this realm, one cannot truly live a long and carefree life.
Xiao Huaiyuan continued to coax him patiently: "In any case, let's save our own lives first, okay?"
But junior brother, how could I bear to cut off your path to ascension?
Fu Ming used his sword as a pen, carving a magic array on the cramped ground beneath his feet while reciting his prepared statement: "Firstly, I am actually an undercover agent from the Demon Realm. I infiltrated the Tianyan Sect specifically to gather intelligence. Even if I die, you don't need to worry about me. This is called eliminating a scourge for the people."
While his array-setting techniques weren't as refined as Xiao Huaiyuan's, they were still adequate. Moreover, learning is endless, and he had just managed to steal some minor tricks from the remnant soul of a True Immortal.
The time to delay had run out, and the remnant soul shrouded in the protective shield was as faint as a reflection in water, forced to retreat back into the Xuanyuan Mirror.
With a crack, the Golden Bell Shield began to shatter from the point where the sword marks were concentrated at the top, like an eggshell being cracked open from the outside in, revealing the fragile interior, which was the talismanic chirping that was curled up like a chick.
A fierce sword light slashed down, but Fu Ming was prepared. He rolled to the side, revealing the rough array patterns he had just carved.
The Mount Tai Formation applies immense weight to those who enter it.
It seems that Newton still has some explanatory power regarding the cultivation world. The flying remains were pulled unsteadily by gravity, and the gray-red flames took advantage of this brief opening to entangle and lick and absorb the spiritual power in his body.
Combining attack and control, it's a perfect tactic.
Just as Fu Ming was about to boast about his stolen technique, he suddenly remembered that he was going to break with Xiao Huaiyuan, so he changed his words abruptly: "It's better not to put Xiao Huaiyuan's sincerity on a heartless villain like me."
Unfortunately, Xiao Huaiyuan remained calm: "Let's talk about it when we get back to the sect. Don't be impulsive."
Xiao Huaiyuan, aren't you the most upright person? What does this mean? Even if he's an undercover agent, are you going to cover for him?
Fu Ming decided to administer another drastic measure.
"But you don't care that I harbor malicious intentions towards the Tianyan Sect?"
Bang!
The sword shadow flew over, slashing three arcs of light in quick succession. Fu Ming hurriedly dodged the first two, but was knocked away by the following upward slash.
How did it break free so quickly?
With just that one strike, Fu Ming was slashed open, a gruesome gash stretching from his collarbone to his shoulder. Had the angle been any worse, he would have been decapitated on the spot. After leaping back, he spat out a mouthful of blood, beckoned back the life-giving fire that had been devouring spiritual energy, and the jade slip he was clutching was still vibrating.
Xiao Huaiyuan said, "...No matter what, I believe in you."
"You're such a stubborn blockhead who won't listen to reason."
Fu Ming was both angry and amused, his heart filled with mixed feelings.
Junior brother, how could you be so foolish? What do you have to believe in me? You've been fooled so many times and you still fall for it.
However, the battle situation did not allow him to be distracted. The broken body created a huge wave, and the infinitely extending corridor was collapsing. Just as the wave was about to bite his clothes, a huge force suddenly pushed him outward!
"Be careful, this space is about to shatter. I'll send you out." The remnant soul of the True Immortal acted first and informed the other party later.
When he was forcibly expelled from the space, Fu Ming shared the remnant soul's vision for that instant. The rooms in the Fox Palace were not arranged in parallel like ordinary buildings, but were nested and interwoven like a Luban lock, changing at any time.
He understood the remnant soul's intention: he needed to engage in a chase with the remaining body inside the palace. Fortunately, he had already cleared out most of the monsters inside.
Xiao Huaiyuan on the other end of the jade slip was still urging him to teleport away.
But Fu Ming couldn't; this farce should have ended long ago.
Since neither suicide nor defection is an option, we have no choice but to turn to the second option.
As the doors opened one after another, Fu Ming ran across the rotating pink wall, dodging various spiritual artifacts that attacked from time to time, while taking the time to tell Xiao Huaiyuan, "Actually... there's something else I've been keeping from you."
He didn't care whether Xiao Huaiyuan wanted to listen or not, and just continued talking on his own.
"Master, I love you."
“Every moment I spend in the Tianyan Sect, I think about how I can have a night with you.”
"Whether you feel disgusted or angry, it is this illicit feeling that allows me to endure being with you."
...
Xiao Huaiyuan, why aren't you saying anything?
He's about to unleash his fury!
He's so shameless and disgusting!
That way, he could face death without any worries.
Fu Ming forced himself to add a few more words: "It's precisely because I love you that I don't want to go back. To see you hate me to the core, I'd rather be dead!"
The lithe figure, as agile as a leopard, darted across the water mirror, and the man's straightforward declaration of love ignited a great fire in Xiao Huaiyuan's heart.
Xiao Huaiyuan had been practicing the art of severing emotions since childhood, which weakened his senses. Any emotion he felt was just a pain, whether mild or severe. Only his senior brother, only his senior brother could make him feel such deep pain. Whether it was love or hate, he just wanted to... chase after the fire that made him feel alive.
He felt his chest tremble uncontrollably, losing all the reason he was so proud of. He heard himself say:
No, I don't hate you.
"I mean, I really like it."
"Senior brother, when you come back, shall we hold the sworn brotherhood ceremony at the sect leader's peak?"
"Xiao Huaiyuan, when did you discover... my true identity?"
Fu Ming felt a chill run through his body, as if he had fallen into an abyss.
From a window sill he hadn't noticed, the mangled body burst in through a different path, arriving with icy sword intent, unleashing a barrage of swords.
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