Chapter 63 Demanding the Truth (Part 1)
Qinglong sighed softly and said, "Back then, in the battle of Mingling Peak, the Ghost King Sect was destroyed, and the disciples of various sects of the Demonic Sect were basically all killed by the righteous path. To escape the pursuit, I went to the Northwest Wilderness Holy Temple for refuge. When I got there, I found that Zhou Yixian was also there. Later I learned that Zhou Yixian was the Xuanwu Holy Envoy of the Ghost King Sect who had disappeared for many years!"
Biyao was utterly shocked: "You're saying Zhou Yixian is the Xuanwu Holy Envoy? How is that possible?"
In Biyao's memory, when she was young, she asked her father, the Ghost King, why of the four Holy Envoys—Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise—only Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird remained, while White Tiger and Black Tortoise had vanished without a trace. The Ghost King told her that the righteous and demonic factions had been at war for many years, and the demonic sect had been torn apart. In order to unify the country, he had sent White Tiger to the southwest to find the Heavenly Book, but there had been no news of him for many years.
During a battle with righteous disciples, the Xuanwu Saint Envoy was severely injured while protecting the Ghost King and tragically fell off a cliff. At that time, everyone in the Ghost King Sect believed the Xuanwu Saint Envoy was dead, and the Ghost King grieved for a long time, deliberately leaving the position vacant for many years. She remembered that although the Xuanwu Saint Envoy was more than ten years older than the Azure Dragon, he was still a person of great bearing and elegance, while Zhou Yixian was already over sixty years old and just a charlatan and idle Taoist priest. How could he be the same person as one of the four Saint Envoys of the Ghost King Sect?
Qinglong seemed to have anticipated Biyao's shocked reaction and continued, "The four Holy Envoys all have divine beast patterns engraved on their bodies. When I was healing Zhou Yixian at the Desolate Holy Temple, I discovered that he indeed had the Xuanwu divine beast on his back. Moreover, he knew the location and structure of the Holy Temple perfectly. When I pressed him for details, he confessed to being the true identity of the Xuanwu Holy Envoy. I also learned from him that when he fell off the cliff, he did not die immediately; a couple in the mountains below the cliff saved him."
"Unfortunately, not long after, the couple died at the hands of the Wan Du Sect disciples. He was entrusted by his savior on his deathbed to take care of his four-year-old daughter. Therefore, he and Zhou Xiaohuan were not related by blood. However, he was seriously injured back then, his cultivation was completely destroyed, and his appearance aged considerably all at once."
"Entrusted by his benefactor, he had no intention of returning to the Ghost King Sect, so he took Zhou Xiaohuan with him and pretended to be his grandfather and granddaughter for more than ten years, making a living by fortune telling. Later, when the Qingyun Sect and the Ghost King Sect fought many times, he assisted from the sidelines. Unexpectedly, the Ghost King Sect suffered heavy losses at the Netherworld Peak, and he was hunted down by the righteous path as a disciple of the Ghost King Sect. So he simply took Zhou Xiaohuan to the wilderness to take refuge."
"And then what happened? Why didn't you and the Xuanwu Saint Envoy return to Fox Ridge Mountain?"
Biyao was skeptical of what the person in front of her said. He seemed to know a lot about the Ghost King Sect, and what he said was very likely true. But Biyao was still puzzled. If Qinglong had found the Xuanwu Saint Envoy, there was no reason not to bring him back to Fox Hill to reunite with Qin Wuyan.
Qinglong sighed deeply and said with a sorrowful expression, "We also wanted to return to Fox Hill, but unfortunately the Holy Temple was destroyed. At that time, Xuanwu and I were seriously injured. The righteous sects such as Qingyun Sect and Tianyin Temple relentlessly pursued us, so we simply hid in the deserted Poisonous Snake Valley. There were many poisonous insects and creatures in that valley. Fortunately, both Xuanwu Saint Envoy and I had taken Qin Wuyan's antidote pills, so we stayed in the valley to cultivate in seclusion."
It was only a few years ago that I learned from some villagers that Qin Wuyan had founded a new sect, the Tianli Divine Sect, and had gathered all the scattered disciples of the Demonic Sect back to Fox Ridge Mountain.
"After I learned about it, I originally wanted to have the Xuanwu Saint Envoy bring Zhou Xiaohuan back with me, but Zhou Xiaohuan's parents were killed by the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, and they didn't have any good feelings towards Qin Wuyan, so they were unwilling to travel with me. I had no choice but to separate from them. I didn't expect that not long after I returned to Fox Ridge Mountain, I heard that Qin Wuyan had gone to attack the Qingyun Sect again, so I came to help."
I heard from the Qingyun Sect disciples that you and Qin Wuyan fell off a cliff and were likely in grave danger. I went to investigate at the foot of the cliff but didn't find you. However, I found You Ji, who told me that you had escaped. So I followed the path you had taken and stumbled upon you being attacked by a group of people.
"So that's how it is!"
As the two spoke, the waiter had already served all the wine and dishes. Biyao knew that since the person in front of her dared to impersonate Qinglong, he must have made some preparations, so she decided not to ask any further questions. She poured two cups of wine, her eyes sparkling, and said, "Brother Qinglong, this first cup of wine is to welcome you back today!" After saying that, she drank it all in one gulp.
Qinglong smiled and finished his glass of wine.
Biyao then refilled his cup and said, "Brother Qinglong, you've had such a hard time, yet you still haven't forgotten the Ghost King Sect. This second cup of wine is my way of thanking you on behalf of my father!" She drank it all in one gulp and then shook the empty cup at Qinglong.
Qinglong hesitated for a moment, unsure what to say, before finally raising his cup and drinking. Biyao, beaming, poured herself another cup, saying, "Brother Qinglong, you arrived just in time, saving Wuyan and my lives. This third cup is my way of thanking you for saving our lives!" With that, she drank it all in one gulp.
Qinglong frowned slightly, then quickly broke into a smile, raised his glass and said with a laugh, "What's this about gratitude? This is what I should do."
Biyao gave a bitter smile, trying her best to hold back the tears in her eyes. In her heart, she thought that if the person in front of her was really Brother Qinglong, he would definitely snatch her wine pot, tap her on the head, and frown and say, "You silly girl, why are you thanking me? If you say that again, you are not allowed to call me Brother Qinglong anymore."
However, the man in front of her remained calm and composed throughout, polite yet distant.
A person's appearance and demeanor can be faked, but the affection built up over many years cannot be faked overnight. She knew that although Qinglong was stable and composed, he had always been very close to her, especially at such a long-awaited reunion. Qinglong would never be so calm.
Therefore, the person in front of me is definitely not the real Azure Dragon.
Biyao's face was filled with worry. Where was her Qinglong brother?
Seemingly noticing her unusual behavior, Qinglong asked after finishing his third cup of wine, "What's wrong?"
Biyao snapped out of her daze, shook her head slightly, and decided to pretend to be drunk. She said coquettishly, "Brother Qinglong, do you still recognize my Brother Qinglong?"
"Azure Dragon's" expression changed slightly. Seeing her dazed look, he quickly laughed and said, "Of course I am, Biyao, have you had too much to drink?"
Biyao chuckled: "I... I didn't drink too much! I mean, you... you're not surprised to see me? Why don't you ask me how I survived?" She spoke haltingly, while continuing to pour wine.
“As I just mentioned, before I met you, I had already seen You Ji at the foot of the cliff. She told me everything about her encounter with you and Qin Wuyan. As for how you survived, to be honest, I do know…”
Biyao immediately became alert and regained her composure.
"Azure Dragon" smiled slightly and said, "Actually, back then, Qin Wuyan wanted to save you from the Netherworld, but you insisted on not accepting and remained in the Netherworld. Later, the Underworld Emperor made a deal with Qin Wuyan, asking Qin Wuyan to exchange his next life for your present life."
Biyao's expression changed. Even though she knew that the person in front of her was not the real Azure Dragon and that what he said might not be true, she was still extremely shocked to hear the phrase "exchanging the next life for this one." She remembered the words of the man in black in Xiaochi Town.
Was her current life truly something Qin Wuyan had traded his life for?
"Azure Dragon" continued, "Qin Wuyan is deeply in love with you. The Underworld Emperor was moved by his deep affection, which is why he gave you the chance to be together in this life. But now he has taken it upon himself to use the Soul-Collecting Technique on you. With the backlash worsening, I'm afraid his life is not long!"
He shook his head and sighed, advising, "Biyao, you should cherish the present moment, and I hope you can get rid of the backlash on him as soon as possible."
Biyao forced a smile and said, "I already knew his feelings. I just never expected him to go to such lengths for me..."
She tried her best to suppress the doubts in her heart, but she also knew that she had been disturbed by the fake Qinglong's words. If she continued to ask, she might not be able to remain calm and find out the truth. If she was not careful, she might reveal her flaws.
Since the person in front of us is not Qinglong, his words must be a mixture of truth and falsehood. Therefore, the only way to find out the truth without alerting the enemy is to ask Qin Wuyan.
She quickly finished her meal, exchanged a few pleasantries with Qinglong, and then returned to Qin Wuyan's room. She dismissed Tang Yuan and sat quietly by his side, waiting for Qin Wuyan to wake up.
...
Qin Wuyan had a dream in which he returned to the time when he was still Yan Lie. He stood on the city wall of Yudu, and not far away was a newly built stage. Under the light, the woman on the stage wore a light green dress. In the light and shadow of her flowing clothes, her eyes were bright and her smile was radiant. She was the most beautiful being in the world.
Qin Wuyan couldn't help but call out, "Biyao!"
He leaped down, intending to reach the stage, but the clear sky suddenly plunged into darkness, and the once radiant stage also fell into darkness. Above the stage, a Taoist priest in blue and white robes appeared in an instant, wielding a long sword, and slashed down a beam of sword light!
The Immortal-Slaying Sword!!!
Qin Wuyan was shocked and was about to cast a spell to resist when he heard a clear, almost mournful voice, as if it were lingering in his ears, or perhaps echoing from somewhere: "Nine Netherworld Spirits, all Heavenly Gods and Demons, I offer my blood and body as a sacrifice!..."
It's a curse of infatuation... it's Biyao...
"No..." Qin Wuyan shouted urgently, about to fly forward to stop him, but he only felt his foot trip...
Qin Wuyan suddenly opened his eyes, still in shock and sweating profusely. He sat up and saw Biyao standing in front of the table, coldly watching him, while she held a dagger to her neck.
Qin Wuyan rubbed his eyes, unsure if it was a dream or reality. He hesitated and asked, "Biyao?"
"You're awake."
Biyao looked at Qin Wuyan, whose face was pale and covered in sweat, as if he had had a bad dream.
Qin Wuyan was puzzled when he saw her holding a dagger to her neck. He stepped forward and asked, "Biyao, what are you doing?"
"Don't come any closer!"
Biyao retreated repeatedly, her tone as cold as ice: "Qin Wuyan, you must tell me the truth today. If you try to hide anything from me again, I will make sure you never see me again."
As she spoke, she pushed the dagger in her hand closer to her neck.
"Biyao! Stop!!" Qin Wuyan was afraid that she might accidentally hurt herself, so he said urgently, "I will tell you everything you want to know, why do you have to do this?"
Biyao's voice was filled with sorrow: "Qin Wuyan, since I regained my memories, I know that you love me deeply. To save me, you lied to me many times and kept many things from me. But I care about you too. I don't want to live in a daze, and I don't want you to die so that I can live."
Qin Wuyan froze: "What do you know?"
"What I know is not important. What's most important now is that you promise to answer whatever I ask. I want the truth, or I'll die right here in front of you!"
"Okay, okay!" Qin Wuyan quickly replied, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you everything."
He looked at the gleaming dagger on her neck and was terrified. He knew he couldn't persuade her otherwise, and there were some truths he had to tell her.
Seeing that he agreed, Biyao's tone softened: "Let me ask you first, how did I come back to life?"
She added coldly, "You are not allowed to hide a single word. I need to know everything!"
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