Chapter 164 The Realm of Trials (Fifteen)
"It was nothing," Song Suitongjiang returned the bow, "No need to take it to heart."
He was kind-hearted and always reciprocated kindness. Jiang Gu's gesture of respect dispelled most of his initial resistance, making it difficult for him to remain cold towards Jiang Gu.
"Why did Young Master Song Sui end up here?" Jiang Gu asked naturally when he saw that Song Sui's attitude had softened.
Upon hearing this, Song Sui's expression turned somewhat grim. "My essence and soul have long since merged with Song Sui Lou, leaving only a remnant of my soul and spirit. The people of Wang Yue wanted to use this remnant of my soul and spirit to nurture my primordial spirit, but I refused. After I had some primordial spirit, I tried every means to escape, but there were people of Wang Yue everywhere, and I had no other choice but to escape into this Refining Heart Realm, which only has primordial spirits of mortals."
As he said this, his gaze fell on the remnant spirit of the Spirit Realm Princess. "I never thought I would see her again."
The remnant spirit of the Spirit Realm Princess smiled gently at him.
The remnant spirit had no memories, only inheriting a trace of the original body's consciousness and meager magical power, as if all the past love and hatred between them had ended with this smile.
Song Sui sighed and gave her a faint smile in return.
Wei Feng wasn't interested in what happened between them; he was more concerned about why Jiang Gu was forcing Song Sui to show up.
"You mean, the people who gaze at the moon can't trace back to the second level of the realm?" Jiang Gu paused, "...because there are too many mortal spirits here?"
“Yes.” Song Sui nodded. “The mortal’s primordial spirit is mixed and the aura is turbid. Moreover, the second level requires constant replenishment of the mortal’s primordial spirit, which is time-consuming and laborious to investigate. The people of Wangyue will not do a losing business, and besides, I am no longer important to them.”
His gaze fell on Wei Feng. "I am just a remnant soul of the previous Jade of Calamity. They have already found a new Jade of Calamity."
The three people present all understood what he meant, but they all tacitly refrained from revealing the final unspoken meaning.
Wei Feng noticed Jiang Gu's gaze and didn't dare to look up and meet his eyes. Instead, he changed the subject and said, "Don't worry about other things for now. The village banquet will begin in half an hour. If you don't devour these primordial spirits of Wu Family Village, they will drain you clean."
Jiang Gu did not respond.
Previously, in the Blood Sea Barrier, he and Wei Feng did not communicate much. He had his own plans, and Wei Feng had his own schemes. After several years, their reunion was not as natural and one-sided as it had been outside the Boundary Village. Wei Feng's subconscious wariness and distance would not disappear just because of a few words from him.
Wei Feng is a Tribulation Jade, and he is most likely a so-called "Jade Rank". Moreover, Wei Feng had previously removed the seal on his scar, which reminded him of the tribulation and ascension. Wang Yue's intention to use Wei Feng to trap him is self-evident.
If he wants to ascend, he will inevitably have to use the Tribulation Jade to prove his Dao. After all the twists and turns, Wei Feng will still be unable to escape the calamity of death, not to mention Xiao Qingyan himself, a being with many suspicious points who is half true and half false.
Jiang Gu deliberately avoided thinking about these things, but Song Sui's words had already made them clear. The irritation he had been suppressing surged through his body like a burst dam, but he forcefully suppressed it back down.
“Once a mortal’s primordial spirit leaves the body, it is difficult for them to survive independently. If they rely on the primordial spirits of trial cultivators for sustenance, they cannot exist for long. There must be something else in the Second Realm that is supporting the operation of the entire small world.” Jiang Gu flipped his wrist, and two communication talismans appeared in his palm. He looked up at Wei Feng, “Song Sui is the person they found who can cultivate a Tribulation Jade primordial spirit. The damaged soul essence and blood can only sustain the people of this one Wu Family Village. Whose essence and blood sustains the mortal primordial spirits in this vast Second Realm?”
Wei Feng was startled. He instinctively wanted to deny it, but Jiang Gu stopped him with a look.
"The snow in the first realm is formed from fragments of your primordial spirit. The mortal primordial spirit in the second realm is sustained by your essence and blood. Since that's the case, you were sealed in the Bodhi Blood Sea. Presumably, your entire primordial spirit was providing nourishment for the Trial Realm. You have already merged with the Trial Realm, so you could only sever a small part of your primordial spirit and take your body out of the Boundary Realm to test me." Jiang Gu pointed out mercilessly, "If you want freedom, do as I say."
After only a few brief interactions, Jiang Gu was able to deduce the whole truth from some clues. Wei Feng's gaze towards him unconsciously carried a sense of admiration and fervent excitement, which he carefully concealed. He tried his best to calm himself down and looked at Jiang Gu.
Jiang Gu has never been a talkative person. He never bothered to explain his plans to others, let alone go to the trouble of explaining the cause and effect. As a result, in the eyes of others, he always did things decisively and prudently. He killed the people he wanted to kill and did the things he wanted to do. People with poor brains couldn't even understand why. But now he has explained so much for the first time, all for the sake of the last sentence.
To Wei Feng, it sounded even more powerful than the thunderbolts that filled the sky during his tribulation.
Just now in the sea of blood, he took Jiang Gu's words "I'll take you away" as Jiang Gu's way of comforting him. After all, Jiang Gu was the best at manipulating people's hearts, and he just happened to be the best at deceiving himself. He was already satisfied with getting a hug by taking advantage of the situation, and it would seem too naive of him to take it seriously.
But now Jiang Gu repeated it to him again.
He found it unbelievable, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, his throat dry and burning, "Do you... know how difficult this is?"
Jiang Gu glanced at him coldly, and the two talismans in his hand were completely burned.
Wei Feng inexplicably realized that he wanted to call him an idiot, but for some reason he was so restrained. The scoundrel couldn't resist his tactless spiel, "If you're really that capable, why didn't you come sooner—"
Jiang Gu's expression remained unchanged, but the low pressure around him revealed his bad mood. Wei Feng shut his mouth in annoyance and hurriedly chased after him when he saw him turn to leave.
Jiang Gu left the Spirit Realm scroll in the outer hall. The remnant spirit of the Spirit Realm Princess bowed to Song Sui and returned to the Spirit Realm. Song Sui hesitated for a moment, then put away the paintings in the Spirit Realm and the outer hall and followed.
Jiang Xiangyun arrived quickly, and Yao Li, who was following behind him, looked extremely pale and was also seriously injured.
"It was such a rush, I had to jump through dozens of teleportation arrays to find this place," Jiang Xiangyun said as he applied a talisman to his wounds.
"Injured?" Consultant Jiang.
Jiang Xiangyun didn't miss the schadenfreude in his eyes, and said with some annoyance, "Those things like Wangyue are inhuman. They use the primordial spirits of mortals to make us establish our Dao state of mind. Although we of the Slaughter Dao don't mind this, it still feels a bit uncomfortable."
"They will be punished by heaven sooner or later," Yao Li said coldly.
He cultivates the Mountain and Sea Dao, and apart from fighting and killing to protect Jiang Xiangyun, he rarely gets involved with other cultivators, let alone kill defenseless mortals. The way he passed the second realm is really challenging his bottom line.
The scene was truly bizarre. Whether in Pingze or Wangyue, they were ruthless cultivators who killed without blinking an eye, reaping lives without hesitation. Yet now they seemed to be standing on a moral high ground, condemning the evil deeds of another group of even more outrageous people.
Or perhaps, they were simply disgusted by Mochizuki's condescending and self-righteous arrangements.
"I want to see Lu Liyu," Jiang Gu said.
Jiang Xiangyun raised an eyebrow in surprise, "What do you want with Lu Liyu?"
"Let's talk business," Jiang Gu said.
Wei Feng, who had been silent to the side, subconsciously clenched his fist.
Jiang Xiangyun laughed and said, "I can't get in touch with him, Seventh Brother. If you called me all this way just for this, then I really—"
"After it's done, half of the trial realm will be completed," Jiang Gu said.
Jiang Xiangyun wondered if he had misheard, or if Jiang Gu had been possessed by some ghost. He said with a blank face, "Do you want to hear what you're saying?"
"Are you content to keep the Jiang family holed up in Pingze Continent?" Jiang Gu stared back at him without a care in the world.
Compared to Jiang Xiangyun's tactful approach, Jiang Gu's terms were straightforward and blunt, and Jiang Xiangyun was surprisingly receptive to his tactics. He crossed his arms and said, "I didn't intend to drag the Jiang family into this right now. As you said, it's like an ant trying to shake a tree. I have some self-awareness."
The trials of these two realms may be disgusting, but it's really not worth risking your life for the sake of the primordial spirits of mortals. They don't cultivate the path of compassion for all living beings, so they don't have that much kindness to spare.
Jiang Gu is even less likely to be involved.
"Seventh Brother, you don't seem like the type to act so impulsively." Jiang Xiangyun smiled casually. "It's not really for your little apprentice, is it?"
Jiang Gu's face remained expressionless. "Since the decision has been made, it's best to strike first. Besides, no one wants to struggle in Wangyue while holding the title of Jade Rank."
"With people from the Burning Platform Hall present, what business is it of the Jiang family?"
A thoughtful look flashed in Jiang Xiangyun's eyes, followed by an eager expression. "Seventh Brother is right."
Jiang Xiangyun and Jiang Gu entered a separate spatial barrier. Yao Li dutifully guarded the entrance, and Wei Feng had no chance to approach. He could only wait outside with a cold face.
Song Sui walked up to him with the Spirit Realm Scroll in her hand.
“Back then, Princess Lingjing was undergoing a tribulation of love.” He turned to look at Wei Feng, smiling gently. “At the time, I didn’t know she was a cultivator, let alone that she was a fairy from the upper realm who had descended to the mortal world to undergo a tribulation. But the people of Wangyue knew and kept a close watch on her. However, she escaped and, by some twist of fate, met me. I always thought that after we got married, we would grow old together like ordinary people, experiencing birth, aging, sickness, and death. A hundred years would be a perfect life. Unfortunately, she had to undergo a tribulation, and I was her tribulation.”
Wei Feng's jaw was clenched as he stared intently at the spatial artifact in the distance. His brows were lowered, and his dark eyes, which looked as if they had been soaked in a pool of water, were filled with an overwhelming sense of malevolence.
“When we were brought to the Moon Gazing Continent, I had not completely separated from Song Sui Tower and still had a sense of the illusion within.” Song Sui’s clothes fluttered in the wind as he looked at the young man in front of him, seemingly unable to find any trace of the boy from back then. “Initially, your primordial spirit was shattered, and some parts were thrown into the vortex formed by the fragments of the illusion. The people of Moon Gazing wanted to use your primordial spirit to replace me in guarding Song Sui Tower, but in fact you were controlling your ghostly runes to secretly collect those primordial spirits back.”
Wei Feng's expression remained unchanged. "Those idiots."
Song Sui sighed, "During that time, there was actually a primordial spirit that would enter the illusion vortex every few days. At first, I wondered what he wanted to do. Later, I found out that he was looking for fragments of your primordial spirit. But your primordial spirit was too fragmented, and you had to avoid Song Sui Tower's refining. Even I couldn't find it. At that time, his cultivation was still shallow, so naturally he couldn't find it either. Every time, he was seriously injured and returned empty-handed. The last time, his primordial spirit was almost completely annihilated. He was seriously injured and only found one withered ghost mark on you. Since then, he has never come again. I thought he was dead. I didn't expect to see him again today."
Wei Feng finally turned his head slowly. He looked somewhat bewildered and doubtful, but still firmly said, "He is not that kind of person."
Even if he has great value, Jiang Gu would not do such unnecessary things for him. Jiang Gu is already the best he could ever hope for. This kind of thing would not and should not happen to his master.
His master should always be a cold-hearted, aloof immortal who would never go to such lengths for anyone.
Besides, it's something as filthy and despicable as him.
"No matter how well one cultivates the Way of Ruthlessness, one is still just a human being." Song Sui said, "Humans have seven emotions and six desires, though some may have more and some less."
Wei Feng's hand, hanging limply at his side, twitched involuntarily. He stared intently at the exit of the magical artifact, watching Jiang Gu emerge expressionlessly, seemingly indifferent to everything around him—or perhaps not entirely indifferent, for in that brief moment of his exit—
He looked up at himself.
It moved away in the blink of an eye, so fast that it seemed like Wei Feng's illusion.
Perhaps it was just to confirm that he was still there, or perhaps it was to arrange his next move... Wei Feng made countless excuses for him in his mind, but his body involuntarily strode towards him.
When Wei Feng stood beside him, he subconsciously leaned his body towards Wei Feng, and his divine sense silently drifted over, shielding Wei Feng behind him.
It's a posture of complete possession and protection.
Wei Feng heard the sound of his own primordial spirit surging. He looked at Jiang Gu's cold profile and found it hard to imagine that such a person would do such a crazy and bold thing for him, as Song Sui had described. This was completely contrary to his ruthless and merciless style of prioritizing interests above all else.
Wei Feng warned himself not to foolishly step into the trap of the other party's manipulation, and not to be presumptuous and self-righteous, lest he end up being just a clown.
"Everyone has seven emotions and six desires." Song Sui's words echoed in his ears.
"Jiang Gu," he called out casually.
The person listening to Jiang Xiangyun's words naturally turned around, gave him a questioning look, and then his gaze swept over Jiang Xiangyun's entire body. His divine sense surrounded Jiang Xiangyun, completely enveloping him and concealing his aura.
Wei Feng tentatively grabbed his hand that was hanging by his side.
Jiang Gu didn't pay any attention and turned his attention back to Jiang Xiangyun, saying calmly, "That's feasible."
Jiang Xiangyun glanced meaningfully at their clasped hands, clapped his hands, and laughed, "Then let's do it this way, Seventh Brother. I won't bother you any longer."
He dragged Yao Li back into the teleportation array.
Jiang Gu then looked at Wei Feng, frowning slightly, "What do you want?"
Wei Feng grinned and said out of the blue, "I think Song Sui is right."
Jiang Gu was puzzled and was about to ask again when Wei Feng suddenly leaned in and said with a smile, "Six hours are almost up, I'm going crazy missing you."
His words were ambiguous, and his fingertips brushed against Jiang Gu's hand as if by accident. When Jiang Gu's expression turned cold, his voice suddenly softened, "Master."
Then he saw Jiang Gu's cold expression soften slightly, and his eyelashes trembled involuntarily.
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