Chapter 317 Many Paths (Part 4) Luring the Snake Out of its Hole Before midnight, I need to...
The wind whistled through the wilderness, scattering the words "talk" and leaving only a mournful sound.
As soon as he finished speaking, the cloud pattern on his palm stopped at the moment when his eyes were half open. You could see that his eyes were blank and unfilled, like a stone statue without eyes, giving people a sense of emptiness and lifelessness.
Wei Changzai was somewhat surprised to hear this, as apart from himself, Zhang Chunhe, and Lin Feiran, almost no one knew this name.
“Wei Yun?” Lin Feiran also noticed something amiss. “How would he know? What could he possibly have to talk to you about if we met at midnight?”
Wei Changzai paused, his gaze quickly shifting between his palm and her, afraid that Lin Feiran might suspect something, and immediately explained.
“I am not familiar with him and have never had any contact with him. My master has reincarnated with him several times, so perhaps he knew about it during that time.”
As if weighing the truthfulness of those words, her eyebrows slightly raised.
"A midnight meeting?" He hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly, "Zhang Si and the others also arranged to meet tonight. Does he want to enter the dreams of so many people all by himself?"
"It doesn't necessarily have to be together. The Grandmaster can also enter a dream. If he doesn't have a physical body, it wouldn't be surprising to meet him through the method of entering a dream."
Lin Feiran didn't dwell on the dream, but instead keenly noticed another suspicious point: "Wei Changzai, he's not just somewhat familiar with you, he should know you very well."
The two of them looked at her together.
Lin Feiran rubbed his fingertips, turned to look at the grass covering the wilderness, and paced back and forth, saying, "In this life, Zhang Chunhe deceived everyone and switched you with another person. Now that person is 'Wei Yun,' and you are just Consort Wei."
Before this life, you were always the real Wei Yun. It was only after Zhang Chunhe brought you into Daohe Palace that you became Consort Wei.
"Zhang Chunhe's wish to the Daoist Master is to revitalize the Daohe Palace, and you are just one part of that."
Regardless of the fact that Zhang Chunhe and he rarely meet, and that the two of them would never have a casual chat, even if Zhang Chunhe had mentioned you, he would always have referred to Wei Changzai. He had no need to mention the name Wei Yun.
The fact that the Dao Lord knows this name means that he has paid special attention to you and is very clear about your origins. He knows that "Changzai" is just a Daoist title, so he habitually calls you by your real name.
Why? "
She turned around and looked at the two of them.
Wei Chang shook his head at first, but then suddenly remembered something, and his cold expression changed slightly. He looked at Lin Feiran, hesitant to speak, but still opened his mouth.
"...I've read those kinds of stories before, and no matter what kinship we have, I won't betray him."
Lin Feiran paused, then chuckled, "It's not that we're that familiar with each other."
As Xian pondered, "I don't know why, but people always tend to use the names they are more familiar with."
Lin Feiran nodded: "That's right, that's the logic. The fact that he can call out this name means that he is more familiar with it than Zhang Chunhe. Moreover, he must have known Wei Yun first and been familiar with Wei Yun before he knew Wei Changzai."
Wei Changzai also realized what was going on, his dark eyes pausing slightly: "You mean, he's familiar with the old me?"
“No, to be more precise, he is familiar with you as Wei Yun when you were a child.” Lin Feiran turned to Wei Changzai and continued to explain.
"Human habits are a very subtle thing. Ordinary people are right-handed, and when doing things, they will first extend their right hand. The same is true for how people are addressed."
Just like you're used to calling me Manman, Ruxian prefers to call me Lin Feiran.
There's no difference between the two; they're the same person. But you're more familiar with the past me, and he's more familiar with the present me, so there's a subtle difference.
Lin Feiran was simply explaining the differences, even giving a very easy-to-understand example, but both of them couldn't help but change their expressions slightly and frown at the distinction in her words.
One frowned because he hadn't been a part of Lin Feiran's past, and the other furrowed his brow because he couldn't step into her future.
At this moment, their thoughts subtly coincided.
But they quickly regained their composure and continued listening to her analysis.
Lin Feiran said, "When the Daoist Master appeared in my dream before, he mentioned that his Heavenly Eye could observe all people in the world, so when I was very young, he would often glance at me from afar."
I used to think he was watching me, and he did say that, but now I don't think so anymore.
He didn't notice anything unusual about me, especially my escape from Sanqing Mountain, something that had never happened in previous lives, and he hadn't paid any attention to it either. This shows that his concern for me was withdrawn shortly after I went up the mountain.
At this point, Lin Feiran paused, but still continued, "Judging from some subtle signs in the past, he might just be looking at me incidentally..."
In this respect, Ru Xian was much more perceptive than her: "You mean, he used to only see your mother, and you were just incidental?"
Lin Feiran was silent for a moment: "Yes, after my mother passed away, Zhang Chunhe took me to Sanqing Mountain. After that, he withdrew his attention, so he didn't notice anything unusual about me."
She had not yet sorted out the entanglement between the Dao Master and her mother, and her mother was unaware of it, so Lin Feiran did not mention it further.
She then said, “The Dao Lord has the ability to observe, so seeing you as a child is not difficult for him. But what’s strange is why he’s looking at you like this and why he’s so familiar with you.”
She looked up at the cloud pattern in his palm.
“Wei Changzai, at midnight tonight, you must meet him in your dreams to see where he will make this move. This is also closely related to you.”
Wei Changzai looked into his palm: "Even if it has nothing to do with me, I will do it as long as you say so."
Lin Feiran withdrew her gaze and asked in a low voice, "Are we going to wait until midnight?"
She shook her head: "We can't wait. We know too little. When we fight him, we must unravel the mystery step by step. We can't wait until he makes his move before we act."
Before midnight, I must make my move before him.
Lin Feiran stood quietly in place, deep in thought. After a few moments, she had an idea. She opened the mustard seed bag at her waist and took out a palm-sized wooden puppet.
This is a wooden puppet that Fuyin gave her, made by Ji Changying, which contains the soul of Fuxia.
She looked at the puppet and said softly, "Now that we've come this far, every piece on the board is not a sacrifice. I will use every move I've made in the past."
She looked at the two of them: "Let's go, come with me to awaken this spirit."
...
Lin Feiran and his two companions reappeared in a certain city. Just a few days ago, Fu Yin was summoned back here. When he returned to that rooftop, he could still see scattered traces of blood.
Perhaps those were road signs he left for his sister.
Beneath the road sign, all four rooms were brightly lit, and faint sobbing sounds came from the courtyard; the stench of death and decay had long permeated this small town.
Looking through the window, the girl who had already passed away lay in the room, just like the other children, silently and fragilely departing in the endless night.
That was the body that Fuyin had chosen for his sister. For the girl's family, death might be painful, but for the two siblings, it was another kind of dawn.
He waited here for a long time, but was recalled before dawn, and his fate is now unknown.
The mourning inside the house did not last long. In this day and age, when colds are rampant and life is as cheap as grass, death has long since numbed people. After crying, they took the children out and placed them on the woodpile in the yard, and silently lit a fire.
Everyone in the courtyard watched, their eyes devoid of light. The remaining children huddled together, staring blankly at the fire, which failed to ignite their sorrowful, numb eyes.
Thick smoke billowed from the burning, and with a gust of wind, Lin Feiran took one of them away.
The three stopped in the dense forest. Wei Changzai looked at the wooden puppet in her hand and asked, "What is this for?"
Lin Feiran said, "This is something I promised Fu Yin. He revealed the secret, and I helped her settle her sister properly."
Ru Xian pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized something: "These two souls have been intertwined for a long time and are inseparable. You want to find Fu Yin's whereabouts and locate the Heavenly Palace on the Cloud Top through Fu Xia's resurrection?"
"No, I just want to know if Fuyin is alive or dead right now."
Lin Feiran used the same method to seal the acupoints with needles, then suspended the puppet and extracted its soul using the extraction method. In a short while, a faint golden light flew away from the puppet, and Fu Xia glanced at her sideways.
This was the most suitable body that Fuyin found. With their souls and bodies united, Fuxia was incorporated into it. The spiritual power in her soul gradually seeped out and seeped into her somewhat decaying flesh, and the two gradually merged together.
They didn't have to wait long before the girl lying on the ground opened her eyes. Her eyes weren't blank; instead, they held a look of pain and fierceness.
This is Fu Xia.
She struggled to sit up, her gaze fixed on Lin Feiran's face, and said in a hoarse voice, "Why did you agree to my brother's request? If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have broken the curse..."
She was so weak that such ruthlessness seemed feeble and powerless.
Lin Feiran felt some pity for the brother and sister, but that was all; they were by no means kind people.
“I promised your brother that I would take good care of you and look after you for a while. My business with him is over, but my business with you is over.”
I'd like to ask you for a favor, and in return, I can promise you something.
Fu Xia, supporting herself on the ground, breathed softly: "He has already died for this..."
“He didn’t,” Lin Feiran suddenly said.
Not only Fu Xia, but also Ru Xian and Wei Changzai were somewhat surprised. They all looked over, and Fu Xia immediately closed her eyes to sense it for a moment. Then she suddenly opened her eyes, looked at Lin Feiran, and was somewhat incredulous. Her voice was even hoarse.
"He's not dead... How do you know?!"
Lin Feiran stood up, offering no further explanation, only saying, "It was just a gut feeling."
“Fuyin’s curse wasn’t completely broken; he’s still half-dead. I think that since the Dao Lord spared Zhang Chunhe, he will also spare your brother. So, if he doesn’t act rashly after being captured, the only person who might kill him is Bi Sheng.”
Lin Feiran was unaware of the Dao Master's identity, so he could only speculate about his behavior and intentions from the slightest clues.
In the Daohe Palace, when Zhang Chunhe recounted his rebirth, Lin Feiran saw a wisp of mist, and now he realized that the mist was the Dao Lord.
He could have intervened first, but he didn't. Instead, he listened quietly under the eaves, which shows that this person's mind is not simply about right and wrong, nor is he indiscriminate in killing. He at least has his own set of beliefs and logic.
Fu Xia immediately interrupted, "The Holy Maiden could not possibly kill my brother!"
Lin Feiran did not argue with her: "Your brother has revealed some secrets of the Dao Lord. I think, given Bi Sheng's character, he will definitely handle this impartially."
Fu Xia was speechless for a moment, and her face turned even paler.
Lin Feiran didn't look at her expression. Now that he was certain that Fu Yin was not dead, it actually confirmed her description of him.
But that's not the most important thing right now.
Seeing Fu Xia struggling to get up, Lin Feiran paused, then reached out to help her up, and explained to the other two.
"Before Fuyin was recalled, the wind was too strong to carry a message, so I used my spiritual power to take form and write a sentence in his hand."
Firstly, it was to prevent Bi Sheng from taking her anger out on him because of the broken curse.
Secondly, because he could see Bi Sheng, and I wanted to lure him out, I planned to use him to force Bi Sheng out of the Cloud Palace.
She withdrew her hand and turned to look at Ru Xian and the other person.
"Although the current situation is different from my initial idea of luring the snake out of its hole, fortunately, we have the same goal."
She walked up to Fu Xia and said, "I know that now that your souls are separated, the connection between you is weakening and you can only communicate with each other a little. But you can still transmit a word or two."
I want you to ask Fu Yin where Bi Sheng is going.
Fu Xia immediately glared at her: "You want the Saintess's whereabouts? I can't possibly tell you!"
The brother and sister are similar in temperament and are both very devout believers in Tantric Buddhism. However, they also have a weakness that is more important than their faith.
Lin Feiran said, "If you want your siblings to meet, you'd better tell me. Bi Sheng let him go once because of something I said, but that doesn't mean she'll let him go a second time."
Fu Xia got up, still feeling a little dizzy. She was still unfamiliar with her body, and her movements were sluggish as she held onto a nearby branch for support.
Lin Feiran said, "Go ahead and ask."
This was the first move she intended to make.
...
Inside the snow-covered side hall, two people stood facing each other, one with a strong presence and the other with a gentle one, creating a tense atmosphere.
On the left, standing with hands clasped in front of him, was Fu Yin; on the other side stood Bi Sheng, his face ashen.
She sized up the bowed young man before her, her eyes narrowing slightly, and asked again, "What, did Lin Feiran tell you about that? I didn't know you were that familiar with her."
Even the side hall where the saintess usually rested was very spacious. When she spoke, her voice echoed faintly all around, making her seem even more majestic.
Fu Yin replied in a deep voice, "Yes."
After he woke up, he found himself in this side hall brought by Bi Sheng.
Even now, Fu Yin was still somewhat dazed. He never expected that even though he had already betrayed the Dao, the Dao Lord would show mercy, remove his curse, and spare him from this excruciating pain, and even let him go.
However, he had anticipated Bi Sheng's actions.
She was almost the most devout follower of the Dao Lord, but sometimes she wasn't so obedient. For example, she brought him here to punish him for his crime of betrayal.
Therefore, he wasn't too surprised when she told herself how forgiving and benevolent the Lord was, while raising a dagger and pointing it at his forehead.
He was guilty of leaking secrets and was willing to die, but he couldn't help but think of Fu Xia.
Although Lin Feiran promised to take care of her for a while, that time was ultimately too short. After having a body, how would Fu Xia, with her naive nature, survive in this world?
He cannot die yet.
With this thought in mind, he still uttered those words during this life-or-death crisis.
This was a sentence Lin Feiran left in his palm just before he was about to be recalled. The moment he saw it, he knew that Bi Sheng would not kill him for the time being.
“Holy Maiden, Jinlan is waiting for you outside the realm. In her hand... there is an old item given to her by the Dao Lord.”
This statement is almost entirely false, and if it were anyone else, they would probably dismiss it as a bait-and-switch tactic. But for Bi Sheng, as long as there is even a sliver of truth to it, she would never sit still.
Moreover, Fu Yin had been following Bi Sheng for a long time and was very clear about the entanglement between them.
If there's anything in the world that could make Bi Sheng lose his composure, just two people need to be mentioned: the Dao Lord and Jin Lan.
He knew that no matter what, she would go.
As expected, upon hearing these words, Bi Sheng lost her calm and inscrutable expression, and her whole being seemed to be ignited by a hidden flame.
She stood opposite Fuyin for a long time before finally taking a few steps forward and asking, "Where?"
Fu Yin knew Lin Feiran's intentions. Since she couldn't see Bi Sheng, she wanted to use him as a mouthpiece. If he didn't speak, Bi Sheng wouldn't know anything. But he did speak, and he had become bait to lure the snake out of its hole.
He lowered his eyes and said, "I'll take you there."
Upon hearing this, Bi Sheng couldn't help but sneer. What a delaying tactic! Did she really think she could kill Fu Yin with a single blow?
She didn't agree immediately, but turned to look at the pure white wall and began to think to herself.
...
In the dense forest, the little girl leaning against the tree trunk finally opened her eyes and stopped being silent.
She looked at Lin Feiran, her brows furrowed, and finally gave the answer she had been waiting for.
"The Holy Maiden is going to Luoyang."
Author's Note: [It's melted]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
