Xie Shuci was somewhat puzzled, as he had never heard of the Dao of Transformation.
"What is the Dao of Transformation into a Divine Being?" Xie Shuci asked, puzzled.
Liu Dazhuang was equally puzzled, "How come I've never heard of this?"
Chu Guiyi explained, "The Path of Transformation is the most difficult path to cultivate in the world."
"Does that mean once you've cultivated to the point of being like the Heavenly Dao?" Xie Shuci asked in surprise.
Sikong Xin looked solemn and said, "That's not the case. The Path of Transformation can be said to be the one that is closest to the Heavenly Path among all the paths in the world, but it is still worlds apart from the Heavenly Path."
"Then what are they repairing?"
"They cultivate the natural world."
"Human nature?" Xie Shuci murmured in confusion.
Sikong Xin shook his head and said, "I overheard my brother mention it by chance, but I don't know the truth behind it."
Xie Shuci then looked at Chu Guiyi, who said helplessly, "As far as I know, there are very few cultivators who have cultivated the Divine Transformation Path from ancient times to the present, and those who have succeeded are even rarer. I have only learned a little bit from ancient books."
Ban Xiayin lowered his eyes and looked at the golden water surface, his expression blank, and said, "Xiaoxi and I are cultivating the path of Nascent Soul."
Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished and turned their gazes toward Ban Xiayin.
Ban Xiayin turned to look at the group, "The Ban Xia clan all cultivate the Nascent Soul path."
Sikong Xin was greatly alarmed: "Could it be that 'nature in the human world' refers to mountains and rivers?"
"Moreover, all things nurtured by heaven and earth, except for the living beings in the world, can cultivate the path of divinity."
"Xiaoxi has cultivated into a water god... Could he be a fully accomplished Divine Transformation cultivator?" Xie Shuci asked incredulously.
Ban Xiayin smiled bitterly, "Yes, I once thought that Xiaoxi was not suitable for cultivation, but I never expected that he would actually cultivate to the level of Nascent Soul. If he is willing to live, after ascending, he can become a water god, control a water source, escape the cycle of reincarnation, and live forever."
"But Bixie was born from the calamities of the world. From the moment he was born, he was an existence driven away by the laws of heaven and earth. Why would he cultivate to the level of a god?" Chu Guiyi's expression was extremely solemn. He had an extremely keen intuition that Ban Xiayin's next words would allow them to glimpse the secrets of heaven.
Ban Xia Yin lowered her long eyelashes, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "The birth of the Bixie was merely to bear the malice of the world, just an excuse left by Heaven for the evil of humanity. How many people still remember that in this world, calamities came first, and then the Bixie?"
These words had a tremendous impact on Sikong Xin and Chu Guiyi, who had been practicing Taoist arts for decades. Their faces turned pale, and they were speechless for a long time.
Xie An gave a cold laugh, his tone not without mockery, "People used evil to bring about the birth of Bixie, yet they blame Bixie for bringing disaster upon itself, and instead regard it as a calamity."
"What about Luo Jingyu and Xiao Xun? Why were they born? They were born with twelve Jingyu birds by their side. What is the significance of their birth?" Sikong Xin asked in a daze.
Luo Jingyu was a Heavenly Saint Child born seven thousand years ago with the Jingyu Bird, while Xiao Xun was a Heavenly Saint Child born seven thousand years later with the Jingyu Bird. If the birth of Bixie was to bear the malice of the world, then what was the reason for their birth?
Ban Xiayin's silver eyes gleamed with a faint light, filled with a touch of sorrow. "They are merely tools used by Heaven to appease the world."
Heaven allows the Exorcist to bear the evil of the world and the Holy Son to bear the hopes of the world, so that they can each perform their duties to maintain the balance of the world.
One side can only be evil, and the other side can only be good.
Unfortunately, Luo Jingyu, who lived seven thousand years ago, refused to be controlled by the Heavenly Dao and was struck by heavenly lightning, resulting in his complete destruction and the loss of his body. Meanwhile, Xiao Xun, seven thousand years later, cultivated the most evil and ruthless path of slaughter in the world.
They defied the will of Heaven, and in the end, their only path was to be shattered to pieces and perish completely.
After hearing Ban Xiayin's words, Sikong Xin's face drained of color, and he murmured, "Bixie has cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, Xiao Xun..."
At this point, he looked up at Xie An, who was calm on the other side, and a chilling fear welled up in his heart, "yet you cultivated the Path of Slaughter?"
Chu Guiyi was also very shocked. "The evil spirit that should have been the embodiment of calamity attained godhood; Xiao Xun that should have been the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao chose to become calamity? This... is too unbelievable."
Upon hearing their words, Xie Shuci's heart suddenly sank.
They fled the path laid out for them by Heaven, which is a blatant challenge to destiny!
That's terrifying...it's absolutely terrifying!
"My goodness!" Liu Dazhuang gasped upon hearing this, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "These people actually possess such courage; it's truly admirable!"
Chu Wenfeng, holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, nodded in agreement, "Truly admirable."
The others: "..."
Concealing his shock, Chu Guiyi continued to ask, "Then what is this Samsara Array that you mentioned, senior?"
Ban Xiayin looked stunned. "This is an array that Bixie created after he cultivated to the Divine Transformation Path. The Frightened Feather Bird symbolizes the Heavenly Dao and the cycle of cause and effect. Some people are banished by Heaven and Earth after death, their souls are scattered, forming an invisible wind in the human world, which disappears without a trace after it blows by. This array that Bixie spent thousands of years cultivating is completely opposite to the Heavenly Dao. He needs to sacrifice twelve beings banished by the Heavenly Dao to reassemble twelve Frightened Feather Birds. On the day the array is completed, it will give birth to a Book of Reincarnation."
"The Book of Reincarnation?!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise.
Ban Xiayin nodded and said, "Yes. Once the Book of Reincarnation appears in the world, the cycle of heaven and earth will be divided in two. One half will be the cycle of ordinary people controlled by the Frightened Feather Bird; the other half will be the cycle of souls banished by heaven and earth, obtained by sacrificing twelve offerings that are not accepted by the Heavenly Dao. Those whom Heaven does not wish to save will be saved by the Book of Reincarnation."
The sea was calm, but Ban Xiayin's words struck everyone's hearts like a boulder.
"Bixie actually..." Xie Shuci was completely stunned. He never expected that what Bixie wanted to do was to forcibly take half of the power from the Heavenly Dao.
Why?
Xie Shuci suddenly recalled the words the storyteller had spoken in Luofang City, and he immediately shuddered.
Sikong Xin and the other man were also shocked. "Why would he do this?!"
Xie Shuci and Chu Guiyi exchanged a glance, and the three of them simultaneously thought of the storyteller in Luofang City, and said in unison, "He wants to revive Luo Jingyu!"
Ban Xiayin was taken aback. "How did you know?"
“We once heard a mysterious storyteller mention it.”
Sikong Xin's pupils dilated upon hearing this, and his hands and feet turned ice-cold. "Is what they're saying true?"
Ban Xiayin nodded, "Yes. Bixie cultivates this Book of Reincarnation in order to revive Luo Jingyu."
He spent thousands of years cultivating a formation, even defying the heavens, just to revive Luo Jingyu, whose soul had been scattered seven thousand years ago.
This is unbelievable...
Sikong Xin was even more shocked, and he couldn't help but fix his gaze on Xie An, who remained silent.
Xie An remained indifferent, as if their conversation had nothing to do with him. However, among everyone present, only Sikong Xin knew that the matter of the reversal of destiny was of great importance to him!
If Bixie was to save Luo Jingyu, then what about Xiao Xun? What was his motivation? Was it for himself? Did he want reincarnation and immortality? But why? He was born with the potential for reincarnation and immortality, so why go through all the trouble of using a Book of Reincarnation to achieve it?
Sikong Xin couldn't understand him; he couldn't see through this person.
It can be said that no one in this world can see through what Xiao Xun really wants to do.
The events of these past few days have far exceeded Xie Shuci's comprehension. He cannot imagine, nor can he believe, that something born from a calamity in the world would spend thousands of years cultivating this Book of Reincarnation in order to save a person who is the embodiment of the Heavenly Dao. This is too shocking.
Chu Guiyi quickly calmed down. "So, seven thousand years ago, Luo Jingyu really did die to save Bixie?"
Ban Xiayin nodded, "That's right. Back then, the immortals used Luo Jingyu to lure Bixie to the Ascension Tournament, intending to kill him on the spot. That was originally the Ascension Tournament for Luo Jingyu, the leader of a hundred sects. However, he exhausted all his power to break Bixie's seal, but he himself was cleaved into ashes by the Heavenly Dao."
Chu Guiyi's expression was somber. "No wonder not many immortal elders survived the Ascension Tournament back then. They were probably all killed by the Evil-Repelling Sword after its seal was broken."
"That's right."
The amount of information conveyed in those few words was overwhelming. Xie Shuci couldn't comprehend the complexities involved, and Liu Dazhuang, not being very bright, was completely bewildered, unable to connect the dots. They simply found it terrifying, utterly terrifying.
This kind of thing was very far removed from Xie Shuci's past, something he would never have dared to imagine during his teenage years. It was both terrifying and cruel, but in this world, it actually happened.
Liu Dazhuang probably couldn't figure it out, so he gave up and asked directly, "Doesn't the Heavenly Dao do anything about it? Does it just let him cultivate this Book of Reincarnation?"
For some reason, Xie Shuci blurted out, "Heaven only recognizes the result, not the cause and effect."
Ban Xiayin nodded, "Cultivating the Book of Reincarnation requires paying a price, but this price will probably only be known to the world when the Book of Reincarnation appears."
Xie Shuci suddenly shouted, "Ah!"
Everyone turned to look, and Xie An asked, "What is it?"
Xie Shuci couldn't hide his excitement and said, "If we cultivate the Book of Reincarnation, can Xiaoxi and the other people who were sacrificed come back to life?"
But after hearing his words, Ban Xiayin's face did not show the slightest sign of joy.
Xie An froze. He opened his mouth as if to explain something, but then felt that the answer was too cruel for Xie Shuci.
Xie Shuci noticed that their expressions didn't lighten at all; even Liu Dazhuang and Chu Wenfeng had heavy expressions.
Finally, Chu Guiyi hesitated before speaking: "Shu Ci, the sacrifice requires offering one's own soul. Once the Book of Reincarnation appears in the world, it means that their sacrifice has been successful, and they... will be the only ones in the Book of Reincarnation who cannot be sent into reincarnation."
Upon hearing this, Xie Shuci froze, his expression instantly turning cold.
What...?
Is this what they have to give to Bixie?
Xie An pursed his thin lips and pulled Xie Shuci to his side. "This is the price they are willing to pay."
But……
Xie Shuci's body trembled involuntarily.
He knew that nothing in this world was perfect, but when the Book of Reincarnation appeared, all living beings in the world could enter the cycle of reincarnation, except for a few of them...
Xie Shuci is selfish; he has his own agenda. Rather than having Ban Xiaxi and the others sacrifice themselves, he would prefer that those who are truly wicked be sacrificed, such as the head of the Helian family or those villagers. But why are the people sacrificed precisely those whom Xie Shuci feels should not disappear?
Ban Xiayin looked at Xie Shuci, as if guessing what he was thinking, and comforted him, "Shuci, don't feel sorry for Xiaoxi, and don't hope that it wasn't them who were sacrificed. You know, those who are willing to be sacrificed are not truly heinous; they just became those who were banished by the Heavenly Dao by a twist of fate. And those who should truly be banished, how could they agree to the conditions of exorcising evil at the cost of their own disappearance?"
His words stunned Xie Shuci.
Yes, besides these few people, who else would be willing to be sacrificed?
The dog demon wants its dead clan dogs to be reincarnated as humans;
Helian Zhu probably wanted those who died at his hands to be reincarnated;
Chu Yezhao also granted freedom to the souls trapped in the Immortal's Tomb;
Xu Yi used her disappearance to make amends for Tang Xianxiao and her own mistakes;
Banxiaxi wants to take those people away and let the Banxia clan be reincarnated.
They each had their own desires, so they made a deal with the warding-off evil spirit and became sacrifices.
Because Heaven only recognizes results and not cause and effect, Bixie sacrificed several people who were banished by Heaven to cultivate a Book of Reincarnation, dividing the cycle of Heaven and Earth in two and seizing half of the power from Heaven.
This... is actually quite absurd.
Xie Shuci lowered his head, his feelings were very complicated.
He couldn't tell whether what Bixie was doing was right or wrong. It had nothing to do with him, so why was he being dragged into these things one after another?
Is it fate, or is someone pulling the strings behind the scenes?
Why?
Dog demon...
The dog demon once said that warding off evil spirits could help him. Why is that?
Does he need any help to ward off evil spirits?
Xie Shuci felt somewhat confused, yet couldn't figure out why.
"Senior, what are your plans for the future?" Sikong Xin asked, clasping his hands in greeting.
Ban Xiayin stared blankly at the shimmering water on the sea, feeling an emptiness and an unprecedented sense of bewilderment.
"I don't know, it seems like I have nowhere to go," Ban Xiayin murmured.
Sikong said, "We were ordered to go down to the border to investigate the matter of the rebellion against Heaven's Mandate. Senior knows the inside story, why don't you come back to the Floating Pagoda Realm with us?"
Ban Xiayin turned to look at him, "Are you trying to stop Bixie?"
Sikong Xin pursed his lips and lowered his head, saying, "The appearance of the Book of Reincarnation is not a good thing for the cultivation world; it will disrupt the balance among all living beings..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ban Xiayin looked away. “No need. Bixie was kind to me, and I don’t want to hinder him or let Xiaoxi sacrifice herself in vain. Besides, if Xiaoxi hadn’t made the sacrifice, I was planning to ask him to save Xiaoxi’s life. If he refused, then I would cultivate a Book of Reincarnation myself.”
Sikong Xin didn't press the matter after hearing this, nodded, and then looked at Xie Shuci and the others, "Those gentlemen..."
Xie Shuci shook his head, "I don't know, I'm not capable, I don't know anything about balance."
Chu Guiyi also said, "Shu Ci is right. Even if we know, there's nothing we can do about it."
Liu Dazhuang sighed, "I actually admire him quite a bit."
"Shut up." Sikong Xin glared at him. Had this guy forgotten why they came down to this realm?
Sikong Xin bowed to the group and said, "Since that's the case, I won't force you. Regardless of right or wrong, I'm just following orders. Seniors, please open your sea of consciousness and release the cultivator trapped inside."
Chu Guiyi said, "We are on the border of Huaizhou, with no land around us. It would be best not to open it here."
Ban Xiayin said, "Let's wait for the boat to dock."
Sikong Xin didn't say anything more, and nodded slightly, "Yes."
After this trip and learning so much, everyone was a bit tired and found a place on the boat to rest.
Ban Xiayin sat quietly at the bow of the boat, looking at the water below, lost in thought.
Sikong Xin and Liu Dazhuang rested on the deck, while Chu Guiyi and the other two stayed in the cabin with Xie Shuci.
"What's your relationship with those two?" Chu Wenfeng asked casually, sitting at the table with one foot on the stool.
Xie Shuci slumped listlessly on the table and said, "Just some casual acquaintances, we met in Tianzhu City."
Chu Guiyi smiled and said, "You saw the Startling Feather Flower?"
"I saw it!" Xie Shuci perked up at the mention of this.
"How is it? Do you like it?"
"Beautiful, so beautiful! I love it!"
Xie An pursed his lips and placed his hand on the king's neck. The king dared not move in his arms, afraid that Xie An would crush his bones if he tightened his fingers.
Chu Wenfeng asked, "How did you get to know them?"
"How did you meet? Are you interrogating a criminal?" Xie Shuci glared at him irritably.
Chu Wenfeng said awkwardly, "Tell me if you want, or don't."
"I'm not going to say anything, and besides, what's it to you?"
Chu Wenfeng pursed his lips, "I just asked casually, I didn't mean to know."
Chu Guiyi couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this, and said, "Wen Feng, don't you always talk about that game that Shu Ci mentioned? Why don't you ask him about it?"
Chu Wenfeng's face fell. "Senior Brother! I was just saying it offhand. What's so great about a stupid game?"
"A crappy game? Don't be ungrateful. In my hometown, it's a game that's all the rage across the country."
Chu Wenfeng didn't take it seriously, saying, "That's something only kids play with."
"Hey, that's not it!"
Chu Guiyi couldn't help but laugh as she listened to their bickering.
He glanced at Xie An beside him and, seeing his tightly pursed lips, couldn't help but smile and ask, "Young Master Xie, are you feeling unwell? Why is your face so pale?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Shuci's attention was immediately drawn to it. "Let me see?"
Xie Shuci unconsciously frowned, cupped Xie An's cheeks and examined him closely. His face was indeed a little pale. "Could it be that you caught a cold? Oh! I forgot, the water is so damp, how can you stand it? Quick, go back to bed and lie down."
"Cough..." Xie An coughed lightly and said, "It's alright, I'll sit with you for a while longer."
"Why are you still sitting? What if your condition worsens? Go back and lie down right now! I'll stay with you."
Xie An grabbed his hand. "No rush, shall we chat a little longer?"
Xie Shuci: "..."
He paused, stared at the little blind man suspiciously, and felt that his words were sarcastic.
Chu Wenfeng pouted and said, "Don't you have medicine? Just give him one."
Chu Guiyi looked at the two of them casually, a hint of mockery in her eyes. "Every medicine has its side effects, and some illnesses can't be cured by medicine, but by the heart. Wen Feng, let's go out."
Chu Wenfeng raised an eyebrow, puzzled, but still agreed.
The two left the cabin and closed the door.
Xie Shuci looked at the little blind boy and asked suspiciously, "Did he really catch a cold?"
The blind man said nonchalantly, "Can't you tell?"
"I can't believe it! Your acting is so good, I couldn't tell at all."
"Then take your time guessing."
Xie Shuci pouted. Oh well, he almost forgot this was an ancestor; he had to coax him.
He took Xie An's hand and was about to put it on his leg when the latter pulled it back without changing his expression.
"What's wrong? What did I do to upset you this time?"
Xie Shuci nuzzled his shoulder, "Don't you really like Guiyi?"
Xie An raised an eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying.
Xie Shuci said, "But he's a good guy. He's good to me, and he's good to you. He's good-looking, and he has a great physique..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw the little blind man's lips tighten into a straight line.
Xie Shuci couldn't help but laugh, thinking to himself, "Aren't you quite easy to manipulate?"
"Aww!"
The next moment, Xie An suddenly threw the king out of his hand, pushed Xie Shuci aside, and turned to walk towards the bed.
Xie Shuci wanted to laugh as he watched his retreating figure, but he was afraid of really angering him, so he told the king to lie down to the side and followed him.
The little blind man took off his outer clothes, sat on the bed, and looked displeased.
Xie Shuci casually kicked off his shoes, took off his shirt, and climbed inside. "Are you really angry?"
Xie An remained silent, his face cold.
"Oh my, even the best intentions can't compare to you! Look at you, you're so adorable even when you're angry. Come here, give your brother a kiss!"
After saying that, Xie Shuci hugged his neck and gave him a quick kiss.
Xie An frowned and wiped the drool off his face in disgust. "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"I'm not lying." Xie Shuci leaned in and kissed him again, his body wrapped around Xie An's neck, squinting at him.
Just looking at the little blind boy's face made Xie Shuci feel much better, and he said with a smile, "My little blind boy is the best."
Xie An pursed his lips. "You won't always think that way."
Why?
Xie An paused for a moment, then said, "You don't know my past. Perhaps you wouldn't like the past me."
“I don’t need to know about your past,” Xie Shuci said.
Xie An pulled his hands off his shoulders and said seriously, "If my past is something you absolutely cannot accept, what would you do?"
His tone was very serious, which made Xie Shuci feel uneasy.
Xie Shuci asked suspiciously, "You wouldn't... be engaged and then try to seduce a respectable married man like me, would you?"
Xie An: "..."
He pinched Xie Shuci's neck. "I'm being serious with you."
"I'm being very serious. Just don't tell me you have a young wife waiting for you at home. If you dare to deceive my feelings, I'll have the King bite you to death!"
Xie An replied helplessly, "No."
"Then why can't I accept your past?" Xie Shuci asked, puzzled.
After a moment of silence, Xie An said, "I am very bad."
Xie Shuci said innocently, "I can see that you are indeed very bad."
Xie An: "..."
"You're bad, so what?" Xie Shuci looked at him with a smile.
Judging from his expression, he probably didn't take Xie An's words seriously at all.
Xie An gritted his teeth, knowing that it was useless to talk to him about this now, but warned, "I am very bad. You can be afraid of me, but you can't hide from me."
Xie Shuci didn't take it seriously. "Why should I be afraid of you? Would you hurt me?"
"Won't."
"That's right. I'm not even afraid of ghosts now, so why would I be afraid of a blind man like you?"
Xie An raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you afraid of anything anymore?"
"yes."
"Xiao Xun?"
"..."
Xie Shuci muttered, "He's different. If I die one day, it will definitely be because of him."
Upon hearing this, Xie An froze.
Xie Shuci sensed that the little blind man was acting strangely. He swayed his body and said, "What's wrong with you? Don't hide it from me, I'm warning you."
Xie An clenched his teeth, as if the most unpleasant thing in his heart had been brought up, causing him a strange sense of panic.
"Damn! You can't..."
Before Xie Shuci could finish speaking, Xie An suddenly reached out and pressed his back, urgently sealing his lips with his.
His movements were extremely forceful, like conquering a city or seizing territory, eagerly stealing away the aura that belonged to Xie Shuci.
A moment later, he released Xie Shuci, panting heavily, and pressed his forehead against hers, saying in a deep voice, "Don't be afraid of me, don't leave me, otherwise I... don't know what I will do."
Xie Shuci was so overwhelmed by his kiss that she was almost suffocating, and it took her a long time to recover before she could say, haltingly:
"I fucking think...you're going to fuck me to death."
Xie An: "?"
Xie Shuci rolled her eyes. "Don't you know... this kind of line... often appears in plots involving forceful acquisition?"
Xie An: "..."
"You're clearly a good-for-nothing, so stop talking nonsense." Xie Shuci pinched him.
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