Chapter 269 Imprinting the Bamboo Heart (Supplement) "She wants me to come and retrieve her..."
At that moment, Zhang Siwo and the others woke up from their dream and saw the faint spiritual body that appeared in the room, as well as that smile that belonged only to their master. Even though they had seen many storms, they were all shocked and speechless for a moment.
After hearing his purpose for coming and Lin Feiran's life-or-death ordeal, the shock was tinged with a shadow.
Zhang Siwo couldn't help but ask, "Grandmaster, the calamity is uncertain, the world is uncertain, and everything can change. Why are you so convinced that her death calamity will definitely come true?"
The master did not speak directly, but said only: "The only variable in the world is her. I can see it, and I believe that the Taoist master of the Tantric sect can also see it. Based on this alone, they will not let go of this legitimate opportunity."
The crowd seemed to understand but not quite. The grandmaster smiled and said gently, "But for us, this is also an opportunity."
The way my grandmaster speaks is so cryptic that Zhang Siwo can't quite understand it. So he gathers his sleeves and looks at Murong Qiudi. This official, dressed in white dragon robes, has been in the officialdom for many years and has his own way of interpreting such words.
She pondered for a while, then suddenly asked, "What Grandmaster said is an opportunity for 'change'?"
The Grandmaster nodded, his eyes full of approval: "If Fei Ran's death is an inevitable calamity, then escaping from it is another 'transformation.' If it can truly be accomplished, then from now on, she will still be Lin Fei Ran, but she will no longer be Lin Fei Ran."
Xie Kanhua's thoughts were actually pure; she didn't like to think about these complicated matters. She simply said, "If we are all here, surely we can protect Lin Feiran?"
"If only it were that simple."
The grandmaster stood up, his gaze blank: "You are all outstanding individuals, so protecting a young person would not be difficult, but that would not be a 'change'. Lin Feiran is not dead, so how can we say that he has survived the tribulation of life and death?"
He stood in the center of everyone's gaze, turned around and said: "The reason I came here is not only to discuss the object of heavenly punishment with you all, but more importantly, to brainstorm and ask how to 'come back to life'."
At this point, the Grandmaster paused, then smiled with a frank embarrassment: "To be honest, we pride ourselves on our extensive knowledge, but even after discussing it together for a long time, we still couldn't come up with any way to bring someone back to life."
“We did consider using a substitute, but those are inanimate objects; even if they break, they can never replace you.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Feiran had another question: "Grandmaster, why is it necessary to 'change'?"
The master said, "For a stagnant pool that is about to decay, only change can bring it back to life."
Lin Feiran pondered the meaning behind those words, recalling what he had just said: "So, that person came to our door? Is this person male or female? And how did he know you were looking for a way to bring the dead back to life?"
She seemed to be thinking about something, and asked three questions in a row, quite urgently.
The grandmaster recalled, "The person who came was very well covered up, wearing a cloak and a rough mask, but judging from his figure and voice, he should be a male cultivator."
Lin Feiran asked, "Shouldn't? Even you didn't see through his true colors?"
The grandmaster paused, rubbing his fingertips, and shook his head: "Because what came was not his true self, but another body that he had imprinted. No matter how high my cultivation is, I cannot see through a sculpted face."
At this point, Lin Feiran thought of someone she wasn't familiar with, but had met many times before.
Lin Feiran's doubts deepened. She had felt that this person was strange before. Not only did he not go all out when he fought her, but now he actually turned his back on the secret sect and came to help her.
Why did he help me?
"Let's talk inside."
Seeing that Lin Feiran looked tired, the grandmaster led her back to the room, waved his hand, and the hexagonal skylight above the room suddenly closed, leaving only a quiet room.
The sword spirit led Lin Feiran to sit at the table, manipulated its energy to flick the lamp wick, and with a crackling sound, only Lin Feiran's shadow flickered.
The grandmaster did not sit down, but stood to the side, and just like last time, used his spiritual power to create a figure wearing a hood, and raised his chin to point at the person.
He said that not all people in Tantric Buddhism are loyal, at least he doesn't like it. The reason he helps us is purely to cause trouble for Tantric Buddhism. It would be better if we could bring down Tantric Buddhism.
At this point, the grandmaster chuckled: "This person is very clever. He doesn't care whether his reasons are convincing or not, as if he's just giving a perfunctory answer, but his actions are quite adept."
The robe of the sculpted figure moved with it.
He said, "I'm giving this body to you; he can take Lin Feiran's place in the calamity."
Beneath the hood was a face exactly like Lin Feiran's, with a torso and figure that were identical to his, and even the calluses on his palms were exactly the same.
The sword spirit, sensing something amiss, spoke first: "How did he know about the Tribulation of Life and Death?"
He said he overheard it in a cult.
The grandmaster couldn't help but shake his head and smile.
"The matter of life and death should only be known to us, and only Zhang Siwo and others know about it. Even if someone colluded with him, he wouldn't know so quickly. Therefore, I will choose to believe him for now."
After all, his method did work.
Lin Feiran rubbed his fingertips, seemingly lost in thought, and for a moment he didn't ask a question.
The sword spirit was also restless, and got up to pace behind Lin Fei: "What exactly is this method? I've lived for so long, how come I've never heard of the method of imprinting?"
If it's a mannequin, how could it possibly replace a person's inevitable fate?
The grandmaster actually smiled and said, "There are many mysterious things in this world. Even I dare not claim to be omniscient and omnipotent. How long have you lived? How could you possibly know?"
"According to this person, the so-called imprinting technique is a secret technique of their clan, which is enough to create a person who is exactly the same, or even has the same fate, and use it to replace Fei Ran so that he can overcome the calamity."
At this point, the grandmaster said meaningfully, "I'm afraid it was precisely because of this secret technique that he was recruited into the secret sect and became one of the Nine Swords, second only to the First Person."
Lin Feiran remained silent, but the frequency of her fingertips rubbing together increased.
“I am not familiar with the art of rubbing, so I left this body behind and spent a long time researching before I found a record of it in a book. The record was not comprehensive, but combined with the other information I knew, it was enough to explain it.”
The spiritual energy in the master's palm changed, and an infant with both hands clenched into fists appeared.
"Among the myriad demon races, this one is particularly unique."
Every part of their bodies can be severed and transformed into a human, making them extremely difficult to kill.
However, for this group, everyone is born with a common desire, just as lions are born with a desire to hunt, they all yearn to have a heart.
A heart that could become their complete weakness.
The sword spirit was puzzled: "The demon race is truly bizarre and varied. What does the heart have to do with the imprint?"
The grandmaster glanced at Lin Feiran and continued, "Their bodies can transform into human form, but they are no different from puppets. This is not a secret technique. The true art of imprinting requires cultivating one's heart."
Because a truly living body needs to be created with care.
By shaping the form with flesh and blood, connecting it with the heart's veins, and then mixing it with the sculptor's own blood and sweat, a lifelike replica is created.
Upon hearing the words "cultivating the mind," Lin Feiran immediately paused and looked up.
Sword Spirit, however, keenly grasped the key point and immediately frowned, saying, "This person has painstakingly put in the effort?"
The grandmaster nodded, his gaze fixed on Lin Feiran: "This method can completely solve our immediate problem, but as for him being able to so easily produce your hard work, I think there might be some history between you two."
Lin Feiran pursed her lips, but asked another question: "Grandmaster, is the clan you mentioned the Spirit Bamboo lineage of the Demon Realm?"
The Grandmaster nodded: "Yes, you have someone in mind?"
Lin Feiran fell silent again, her eyelashes casting shadows in the lamplight, making it impossible to see her gaze.
The sword spirit answered for her: "I also have an impression of the Lingzhu lineage. If I remember correctly, it is difficult for their people to be born, and they are very rare, but there happens to be one in the Demon Capital."
It was obvious who they were referring to, but none of the three revealed it.
The grandmaster only said, "Back in the Demon Capital, I spent most of my time cultivating in books, so I wasn't really familiar with them. These are just speculations, and I won't draw any conclusions without concrete evidence."
Regardless of who this person is, he did provide a body for imprinting and even personally sculpted Lin Feiran to send over. Even if he had ulterior motives, we have no choice but to agree to this at the moment.
"While you sank to the bottom of the lake, we secretly switched places. Lin Feiran did indeed die as he was destined to perish, but at the same time, he is still alive."
Lin Feiran's gaze shifted, his eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight, while his hand on the table tightened slightly.
Whether that person was Qingzhu or not was not important. After making a brief guess in his mind, the sword spirit put it out of his mind and asked a more important question.
"Nowadays, everyone in the Tantric sect believes that they will die slowly. After the tribulation, what will they do? Master, please forgive my bluntness, but we cannot hide for long."
The grandmaster looked at Lin Feiran and said, "That depends on what Feiran plans to do next. When I was helping you repair your body, I sensed a gray heart-wrenching lock. The other end of the lock was a cloud of mist. You saw it, didn't you?"
Upon hearing this, the sword spirit was startled and immediately stepped forward: "You saw that cunning old fox?! Were you injured? What oath did you make?"
“Yes, I saw him.” Lin Feiran looked up. “We made a bet, with our lives on the line.”
The grandmaster's expression changed several times before finally settling down: "It really is your destiny."
Lin Feiran was still preoccupied with the matter of the Spirit Bamboo and couldn't calm down, so he simply asked, "Grandmaster, if it were another version of myself who died, what about this Dao Heart Oath?"
“It’s still there,” the Grandmaster immediately said. “He really did have a backup plan. But your situation is special right now. Before your spiritual power recovers, you must not swear to do it again…”
He paused, then turned and asked, "Feiran, you still haven't answered what you plan to do next?"
Lin Feiran asked, puzzled: "Is my answer that important?"
The Grandmaster nodded: "Feiran, you need to remember that you are the 'change'. Your behavior, thoughts, and movements are all 'change'. You don't need to refer to anyone's opinions. Just follow your heart and do whatever you want."
She was acting on impulse again, but now Lin Feiran knew exactly what she wanted.
The gamble has begun, the cold has spread, the crack in the sky has not yet been healed, the mother died at their hands, and the darkness that has not yet faded is also closely related to Tantric Buddhism. All of this is tied to Tantric Buddhism and the so-called leader of the sect.
After pondering for a long time, she said, "Grandmaster, next, I want to decipher the Iron Khitan Scripture."
This item had been kept in the hands of her master for hundreds of years, waiting for hundreds of years, before finally coming into her possession. She was not in a hurry to unravel its secrets, but the events that had occurred now forced her to turn her attention to this ancient object.
The Grandmaster's lack of surprise, the Holy Spirits' alterations to the Flying Flower Society, and the approaching night in Kunming perfectly reflecting the boundless darkness of the night...
She thought that something must be hidden inside this treasure.
The grandmaster was somewhat surprised, but quickly remembered: "I had forgotten that after you killed Aoxue that day, you took the Rootless Fire from her... Of the three items needed to unlock the Iron Khitan Book, two are now available."
Lin Feiran nodded, and the two wanted to continue talking, but the sword spirit spoke up at the right time: "Let's talk about it tomorrow, you look very tired."
The Grandmaster agreed: "Now that the divine punishment object has been destroyed and the esoteric sect is in chaos, we still have time. There's no need to rush. You should rest and recuperate first."
Lin Feiran had been holding on for a long time, and was indeed a little strained at this moment. She looked at the sword spirit and couldn't help but smile. She always felt that if Ru Xian were here, she would say the same thing as her.
"We'll discuss this tomorrow. If snow comes, be sure to wake me."
The sword spirit couldn't help but tap her head with his finger: "Even if I don't wake you, he'll definitely come by himself. Go to sleep, I'll watch over you."
Startled by the sudden knock, Lin Feiran paused and looked up at her. The sword spirit had no eyes, so they couldn't meet each other's gazes. But after a moment, Lin Feiran looked away and lay back down on the bed.
A moment later, the candles in the room went out, leaving only the two of them. The night was pitch black, but the lamp under the eaves reflected the snow and shone into the room, appearing as bright as moonlight.
A soft, dim light shone through the bed curtains and fell between the two of them.
Lin Feiran hadn't closed her eyes yet when she suddenly spoke up: "Senior, I have a question I'd like to ask."
The sword spirit also lay down beside him. Although spirits don't need rest, she still lay down, her body close to Lin Feiran's. She asked, "What's the problem?"
Lin Feiran fell silent again. In the silence, the faint sound of her lips opening and closing could be heard, but she eventually closed them again. She pulled the blanket over her head, and her voice came through in a muffled tone.
"...Nothing, sweet dreams."
The sword spirit glanced at the bundle of blankets with a puzzled look, then chuckled slightly in his voice, "Sweet dreams."
...
As rain fell in the city, an unfamiliar, uninvited guest suddenly appeared.
Now both realms are shrouded in night, with only a crack of light remaining in the east. Xie Kanhua was already used to such darkness, so when he suddenly entered Yuluo City and saw this city of shimmering glass, his eyes were pierced and he was momentarily blinded.
He held the pipa, steadied himself, and only opened his eyes after he had become familiar with the blinding light.
He looked up and saw a group of water-transformed spirits gathered around him. Behind them were a group of cultivators in long robes, most of them covered in wounds, and they looked at him with extreme wariness. In the very center stood a male cultivator covered in runes.
Their eyes met, but neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere became somewhat tense.
A disciple of the Goddess Sect whispered to Gu Yu, "City Lord, this is a guardian of the realm. Can you defeat him?"
Gu Yu's hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly: "It's hard to say. I'm not good at fighting. Look at his expressionless face and tense shoulders; he doesn't seem to have any good intentions..."
Before the two could finish their whispered conversation, Xie Kanhua blinked rapidly, and then, under everyone's gaze, turned to the side and spat out a mouthful of water, his tense shoulders immediately relaxing.
He muttered to himself, "Finally, she got it out. Why didn't she say that she would inhale a mouthful of rainwater when entering the city and almost choked on it?"
Gu Yu paused, having heard about Xie Kanhua's temperament before, and stepped forward, getting straight to the point: "May I ask what brings Fellow Daoist Xie into the city? And how did you come to know the method of entering the city?"
Xie Kanhua wiped her mouth, showing no interest in pleasantries, and spoke bluntly in the tense atmosphere: "That's what Lin Feiran said before he died."
Before Gu Yu and the other members of the Goddess Sect could react, he continued, "Is Ru Xian here? There are some relics for him."
"You!" Gu Yu subconsciously looked around, then suddenly remembered that the person was not here today, and said, "If there are any belongings, I can pass them on."
Now, who would dare mention the word "death" in front of Ru Xian? They could only say "sleep."
Xie Kanhua glanced at him, then sat down on the railing of the water bridge with a blank expression. She pulled out something from somewhere and casually tossed it down the bridge.
"It can only be handed over to him personally. I'll trouble Lord Yuluo to contact him. I'll wait for him here. I'll leave whenever he arrives."
Gu Yu waved his hand, and the surrounding water droplets instantly dissipated. He rolled up his sleeves and strode forward in a few steps: "What are you throwing! How dare you poison my Rainfall City?"
He was furious. This water was meant to wash the wounds of the giant Kun, how could it be contaminated?
Fish food.
Gu Yu was taken aback: "Look closely, there's no fish!"
Xie Kanhua paused for a moment, then widened her eyes and looked. After adjusting to the light, she could see that they were fish carved from crystal.
"..."
He turned his head and said, "These materials are very expensive, but I won't pick them up. I'll trouble the city lord to go find Ru Xian."
Gu Yu suddenly understood why everyone said Xie Kanhua was difficult to deal with; this person was just too strange.
He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Please, Fellow Daoist Xie, don't wander around. I'll go look for someone, but let me make this clear first: you'd better really have some belongings, otherwise..."
Otherwise, if Xue and he were to fight, Yuluo City would be lost.
Gu Yu left in a hurry. Xie Kanhua watched for a while, then actually sat down on the ground, looked up at the other members of the Goddess Sect, and suddenly said.
"I'm bored for a while, so I'll play a tune to relieve my boredom. I'll make a fool of myself."
He then began to play the pipa again, the stunning sound echoing throughout Rainfall City. Many of the guards frowned and grimaced, but the next moment, the surrounding mist began to condense, echoing the mocking music and silently soothing the wounds on everyone's bodies.
He lowered his eyes and said only, "Fish feed is really expensive, so it is very effective in healing wounds. I also want to thank you all for stopping the icicle that day."
The melodious piano music repeated itself endlessly, cutting into people's ears like a saw. Those who had been trying their best to guard the area were now all lying on the ground, immersed in the medicinal mist.
This wasn't because he knocked me down, but because I was truly out of options.
After an unknown amount of time, the surrounding spiritual energy changed, and the people who had fallen immediately got up, their eyes wandering to other places. They took a few steps back, and a figure slowly walked out from the other end of the bridge.
Xie Kanhua's fingertips kept moving, but he slightly raised his eyebrows and looked up.
A tall figure appeared in the misty fog. He walked up to Xie Kanhua and paused slightly in his boots.
Beyond the gold and white robes, a long strip of black satin was worn diagonally from left to right. The satin was tucked into a waistband and then hung down softly. The loose sleeve of the left hand was the same black color, while the tight sleeve of the right hand was the usual gold and white.
The person before me was clearly like hailstones, with the same slanted red marks, indifferent expression, arrogant gaze, and slightly lowered eyelashes, yet there was a very obvious, but indescribable, difference between them.
Perhaps it was because of the black satin that looked like it was worn in mourning, or perhaps it was because of his occasional absent-minded expression.
"What else does she have with you?" Even the words that came out of her mouth were so hesitant.
Xie Kanhua originally intended to make something up, but seeing his current appearance, she felt a little sorry for him.
"Her sword was left behind on the battlefield."
Ru Xian lowered her eyes slightly: "The Golden Wave Sword? I went back to look for it, but I couldn't find it. It turns out it's with you. Give it to me, and I'll handle it."
Xie Kanhua stood up and continued speaking amidst the deafening music that could make even ghosts wail.
"I didn't bring it. You'll need to come with me to get it. Also, there's something else."
"What?"
"She wants me to retrieve her sword sheath."
...
A silence suddenly spread, a gust of wind blew by, and his disheveled hair obscured his eyebrows and eyes, concealing his changing expression. After an unknown amount of time, he finally spoke, his lips parting slightly.
"...Who said that?"
"She said it herself."
Not far away came the sound of a giant Kun diving into the water. With a loud boom, the water waterfall shook and hummed, instantly drowning out the chaotic, trembling, and hoarse sound of the zither.
A misty fog enveloped his cold hands, and the damp moisture touched them, gradually condensing into droplets that then slid down to his fingertips, gathering into a single drop before falling.
He finally spoke: "Okay, I'll go with you."
Author's Note: Like Scattered Snow [The Self-Important Widow Version, But Actually His Wife Is Still Alive] (X)
P.S.: Since you've already seen the final volume, please keep dropping red envelopes!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
