Fifty-one Sound Sects Seeking the Dao
"Have you been to the bottom of the sea?" It was the voice of the man in black.
As soon as the voice rang out, Lu Yinche immediately recognized it. This person was Gong Jue, who had just played the flute. However, when he was outside the illusion, Lu Yinche was still very unfamiliar with his voice and appearance, thinking that he had heard it for the first time. Now that he was in the illusion, it felt very familiar.
He must have heard this man speak many times.
Could it be that Gong Jue is actually the storyteller that he often visits?
"You know something?" The man in white laughed first, then replied, "The mermaids are quite knowledgeable about the ways of the spirit and soul. I took Xiao Yan to have a look and learned a lot."
This voice is even more familiar.
Lu Yinche couldn't help but be shocked. Wasn't it him?
Then I heard myself say, "I'm still worried about his problems. He's still young. If something happens to him, won't it be my responsibility as his guardian?"
The man in black, who looked like Gong Jue, sneered in displeasure and said, "He won't call you father, so what's the point of talking about guardianship? If what you said is true, Yan Yanshu will be a world-renowned sword master. Why bother with so much worry for him?"
Can Yan Yanshu call him dad?
Lu Yinche admitted that his thoughts had wandered for a moment and continued to listen to their conversation.
"I" waved his hands, "I wouldn't dare. Don't try to scare me. I brought him out of the Buddhist sect, and I have to hand him over to the Cheng Xiao sect intact. If something goes wrong along the way, and the great sword master dies mid-way, how can I apologize? The Heavenly Dao will at least give me 180 thunderbolts."
"He just has some old problems. You're really worrying too much. If the Yang family wants to use him, they won't—"
What can't you do?
"I" interrupted Gong Jue: "Don't mention him. What did you call me here for?" He pointed to the sky. "I think it's going to rain, and I don't have an umbrella. Choosing a place like this, where I can't even cast a spell, is it a little too safe?"
Gong Jue laughed: "How could I bear to let you get wet in the rain?"
"That's right. If I catch a cold from being caught in the rain and die instantly, I might even become delirious due to the fever and report you. With what you've done, you're definitely doomed." His voice was also joking.
Gong Jue said, "I don't believe you would really betray me."
"You don't believe me? Then why do you keep monitoring my movements every day? I have to spend my days in the valley, my old bones, staring at the sun, facing the earth and planting flowers for you. Oh, oh, I've met the wrong person."
"Ache is acting again," Gong Jue said helplessly, "Are you trying to plant flowers for me? It's still your plan. I still feel that something is not safe enough. Even if we can successfully collect the four secret treasures, the situation we will face is not that easy."
Lu Yinche was silent for a few moments.
Then he said: "This is the only way. I can only try my best to reduce the sacrifice."
Gong Jue shook his head, "That's not what I meant. I believe in you. If you don't do this, everything will be doomed. You came here for this, and I believe in you."
"I will take full responsibility for whatever happens."
Lu Yinche was keenly aware that his words sounded a bit conceited.
Gong Jue said, "And me, you need me to be with you." He added, "Don't dwell on your future Sword Master. You said he's young, but am I not young? I'm even younger than him. Just look at me more, okay?"
For cultivators, the age gap of several decades is more than just a passing mention. Lu Yinche detected a cautious, tentative tone in the voice. This person's relationship with "him" couldn't be that close, at least not as close as his relationship with Yan Yanshu.
Why does it sound like a scheming concubine in a domestic fighting novel? Then what is Yan Yanshu, the legal wife who was married through a formal matchmaker but arrived a step late?
Lu Yinche was happy again.
The other one seemed to sense a hint of jealousy in his voice, but he didn't take it seriously. He just treated it as a joke and teased him, "I blame myself for neglecting you. It's not easy for Jue to take care of the children. This is all my fault."
"That's the plan, it's part of my job." Gong Jue shook his head. "The dragon blood I got last time wasn't fresh enough, but if I kill one now, it's going to be troublesome, and it'll be contaminated with evil spirits, making it difficult to offer sacrifices to the spirits. It would be a waste of time."
Upon hearing this, Lu Yinche's tone turned serious. "Don't rush this, leave it to me. I'm afraid ordinary dragon blood isn't enough to create a secret treasure like the Guansheng Flute. We only have a few words from ancient records, and there's no precedent to follow. It's better to have other things that are readily available. So, go find the Anling Lantern first. Over at the Yin Sect..."
Before he could finish his words, raindrops suddenly began to fall from the sky. The sun was still shining at dusk, and there were no dark clouds to be seen.
Gong Jue immediately took off his outer robe to shield him from the rain. His movements were familiar, obviously he had done it many times before.
Lu Yinche didn't refuse his move, and complained: "Next time, don't come here to discuss things. Anyway, Yanshu went to Chengxiao Sect..."
The two of them walked away together, leaving only Gong Jue's smiling voice floating over: "I will listen to A Che..."
The sun seemed to be about to set, and the rain picked up, but it didn't fall on Lu Yinche. It only blurred the two figures talking in the illusion. A burst of floral fragrance came from nowhere, and Lu Yinche smelled like the sea of flowers. Before he could distinguish them clearly, another flute sounded, two simple notes. He rubbed the goose bumps on his arms vigorously, feeling his sea of consciousness vibrate again.
How does this make sense? It's true that the flute is a treasure that affects the soul, but does it have such a big impact?
He came back to his senses and saw the same wasteland covered with soul-locking stones in front of him. The two figures were standing closer than before. This time, Lu Yinche could see that Gong Jue seemed to have grown a little taller.
That "self" also mentioned this: "Young people are good. Xiao Yan is growing up very fast. I was wondering if the food in Cheng Xiao Sect is really that good. It makes my previous care for him look so inadequate."
Gong Jue's voice sounded much colder than before. He didn't discuss Yan Yanshu's affairs with him, but only said, "The Guansheng Flute has taken shape. When will the dragon blood arrive?"
Lu Yinche didn't seem to expect him to get straight to the point. He paused and spoke softly, as if addressing a junior: "I've found traces of the Dragon God, but just like the human race, becoming a god is subject to the limitations of Heaven. I have some clues, but I'll wait a little longer."
Gong Jue nodded: "I have already found the sacrifices. I have found 3,000 people first and will take the route of Yin Zong. There are still a few cities left."
Lu Yinche frowned, "There's no need to rush... Perhaps there are other ways to achieve the goal of communicating between life and death, without actually sacrificing human lives."
Gong Jue: "You said it, casualties are inevitable." He added, "Trading a small for a big is worth it."
"That doesn't count. If I go, that's also..."
Gong Jue interrupted him, looking a little anxious: "Then I can't let you fill it. I can't let everything fall on you. You don't owe anyone anything!"
"I understand your good intentions. We now have the Yin Sect, and we can slowly collect the souls of the deceased who are still trapped in the world. We still have time."
"You can't leave me." Gong Jue didn't agree with him, but threw out this sentence.
"Lu Yinche" thought he had given up on the human sacrifice and comforted him: "You are the only one who knows my complete plan. I am also worried about what Gong Jin will do to me if he knows that I kidnapped his brother."
Gong Jue finally smiled: "You really kidnapped me, right? I don't mind taking your surname Lu. It would be nice to marry into your family."
"Nonsense. I don't have any sisters waiting to be married, and if I bring you harm, I'm afraid Gong Jin will really blow my head from Nanjun to the northern border with a fan." The "Lu Yinche" did not take this seriously, nor did he care about Gong Jue's eyes.
He just arranged other things on his own: "Find me two smart ones in the Yin Sect, and take them as disciples or for any other reason. I will teach them a few things and in exchange they will do work for me. The formation of the Tracing World Mirror is really a headache, and it needs to be carefully maintained."
"If you don't break it, there won't be so much trouble."
"You don't understand this, right? If you don't break it, there will only be one mirror. If you break it, there will be dozens of mirrors. If you start searching for souls at the same time, you can still leave one for Xuanji Tower.
"Ache always has his reasons." Gong Jue seemed to be convinced and returned to his quiet and submissive attitude.
Then, Lu Yinche saw him stretch out his hand and try to touch "his" face, but was dodged: "What's wrong? Haven't I been able to wash my face clean these days? You are the same as Yan Yanshu, always touching me."
"Ache, can you let me touch you?"
"No," he answered simply, then laughed. "Work hard, and I'll reward you."
"What reward?"
"How about you give Guan Sheng Di a nickname? After all, he's your biological child."
Gong Jue followed up on his words and asked, "Is it your surname or mine?"
Lu Yinche could tell that "himself" was making something up again: "People take their father's surname even though they came out of their mother's womb. Since I'm made of my own flesh and blood, I'll take your surname."
"It's a deal." He said seriously.
Lu Yinche frowned as he listened. He suddenly felt as though he deserved a beating. What kind of words were these? From an outsider's perspective, the meaning of Gong Jue's eyes couldn't be clearer. But that "self" seemed completely oblivious, like a wooden block.
Am I such a slow-witted scumbag? He sighed.
"I" should treat Gong Jue as a like-minded friend and plan something big together. However, a romance between colleagues is not advisable. If there is any change in the relationship, wouldn't the career also be affected?
Not good, not good.
The sound of the flute rang out again. Lu Yinche thought that his soul would begin to fluctuate with the sound again. Just as he was about to be pulled away by that force, he felt a familiar spiritual power entangled with him. It was Yan Yanshu.
The spiritual power he left in his sea of consciousness finally connected with the main force. The voice from outside the illusion sounded a little gnashing of teeth. Lu Yinche thought that this voice was definitely not angry at him.
"Don't bother him!"
Then came Gong Jue's voice, which sounded very vague through the barrier: "Who is pestering whom? Yan Yanshu, ask yourself, who is the despicable one who did this?"
Lu Yinche tugged at the spiritual energy in his sea of consciousness. Yan Yanshu immediately lifted him up, pulling his consciousness back to reality. Gong Jue still clutched the flute tightly. Yan Yanshu held Lu Yinche's waist and stood behind Gong Jue and Dongfang Yu, his other hand already condensing an invisible sword.
Gong Jue stared at him with a smile on his face: "Look, you don't even dare to take out Qian Yuan. Why, you don't dare? Not everyone can go with A Che. You don't have the courage, nor the ability. You don't deserve to stand by his side."
What you said is that Yan Yanshu doesn’t even have this ability. How can you be the best in the world?
But Lu Yinche's body wasn't quite at his mercy. His legs felt a little weak, as if he'd just walked back and forth from Southern Junction to Northern Territory, exhausted. The Guansheng Flute, drawing souls and surveying all living things, had a surprisingly powerful effect.
"At least," Yan Yanshu said, "I won't kill innocent people indiscriminately under his name."
Gong Jue's eyes were pure and innocent. He tilted his head and questioned, "But I am a demon cultivator? Life and death are determined by fate, and the strong prey on the weak. This is a law permitted by heaven. Can A Che's plan be completed by relying on you? You know in your heart that the sword was to help you, not A Che. You are a burden to him."
Yan Yanshu glanced at Lu Yinche beside him, who looked like he had not yet recovered from his shock.
His expression was indifferent, but his words were powerful: "Since refining a medicine man failed, you took the souls of others to prolong your own life. Building the ghost cave with your own hands, is it also for A Che's plan?"
Gong Jue's face darkened: "He needs me, I can't leave him!"
Yan Yanshu knew his weakness and said mercilessly: "He doesn't need you. He chose me instead of you hundreds of years ago. I am his Taoist partner."
Gong Jue refused to yield, raising the Guansheng Flute in his hand to play again. The sound was ghostly, especially effective for someone as unstable as Lu Yinche. Moreover, it was a magical instrument that was connected to his soul, flesh, and blood. Yan Yanshu would not let him use his old tricks again. He raised his hand and launched a murderous sword move, heading straight for Gong Jue, determined to snatch the Guansheng Flute.
Gong Jue reacted quickly and immediately stepped back, but still let the ruthless sword intent cut off the corner of his robe.
His cultivation was not as good as Yan Yanshu's, but he took a wild path and might not suffer any loss in the open or secret struggles. So he used a magic trick and threw out a few strange egg-shaped black balls from his sleeves. The balls ignited as soon as they touched the ground, and the flames were an ominous black color.
Dongfang Yu shouted, "Master!"
Gong Jue's figure vanished, replaced by a giant three feet tall rising from the flames. The giant lacked facial features, exuding an evil spirit. Its limbs were composed of flames with no clear boundaries. A closer look revealed distorted faces within the flames.
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