Chapter 110
Night fell, and the moonlight shone brightly.
The Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City has been shrouded in darkness for many years. Now, with such a night view, not only ordinary people but even cultivators from various sects find it extremely novel.
First came the trials of the Thousand Mountains, then the Yin-Yang Blood Array. Despite such tremendous changes, the mortal world was still bustling and noisy.
The streets and alleys were bustling with activity, and even a night market had been set up.
Jin Xianyao stared in disbelief. He nudged the arm of the person next to him and exclaimed, "Are mortals really this powerful?"
Even as a cultivator, he was still somewhat disoriented after such a change, yet these mortals with no cultivation were able to recover so quickly.
Pei Le, who had been poked in the arm, was stunned for a moment and didn't say anything. Ji Qingwu, however, replied without hesitation, "That's because the Sword Master is here!"
The little girl was extremely proud, and when she mentioned the words "Sword Master," she raised her chin as if she were very honored.
Feng Jiutian had just finished his work and was waving to them from afar. As soon as he got closer, he heard these words. Feng Jiutian stepped forward, slightly raised his chin, and said proudly, "Although the Sword Master's contribution is great, I have also helped a lot."
These past few days, as a member of the Phoenix Clan, he also stayed behind to help rebuild the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City. He had a lot of dealings with mortals, and every day he heard mortals calling him "Little Immortal Lord" or "Little Immortal Master." Feng Jiutian's tail was practically wagging in the air.
Especially later, someone heard from somewhere that the young man in front of them was a member of the Phoenix Clan. Now, everyone was calling him "Phoenix Immortal" and "Phoenix Divine Lord," almost making Feng Jiutian lose his bearings.
Not only that, the story of Feng Jiutian saving people had somehow spread, and mortals were even more delighted to see this still-youthful-looking boy.
Who doesn't love the story of the young god? Who doesn't admire that innocent and pure heart of a young boy?
The word spread like wildfire, and regardless of anything else, the name "Feng Jiutian" became widely known.
Chu Le couldn't help but give him a disdainful look and said irritably, "If it weren't for the Sword Master, where would you have the opportunity to show off like this?"
Having experienced the events of the Blood Array, the boy's gloom dissipated considerably, and with friends of the same age by his side, the shadow of his uncle's death gradually faded away.
Feng Jiutian glanced at Chu Le and deliberately said, "Then why me and not someone else? It means that the Sword Master values me."
How could such a noble and proud young man of the Phoenix Clan have become so reckless in just a few days?
Chu Le couldn't stand him any longer and raised her hand to hit him. Chu Yanshu, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but laugh out loud while holding Ji Qingwu's hand. Jin Xianyao rolled his eyes and said to the person not far away, "Senior Brother Yuan, Junior Brother Yao, you've come at the right time! Come and beat up this shameless guy!"
The visitor was none other than Yuan Shuhe and the spirit of medicine.
Yuan Shuhe was reserved by nature and possessed the gentlemanly demeanor that Linghuanwu Yunwang Palace had always upheld. Upon hearing this, he simply smiled with pursed lips, while Yao Youling sighed deeply: "I only missed one visit, how come you all experienced so many interesting things?"
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the mortal world, the crowd laughed and joked for a while. When the surrounding vendors saw that it was the little immortals who had recently been helping them strolling through the night market, they didn't even bother with money and kept stuffing things into their hands.
"Young immortal, try this! I'm not bragging, but within a radius of five hundred miles, no one can make these candy skewers better than me!"
"Our fruits are just as good! If you don't mind, young immortal, please take some with you!"
Everyone was in a flurry of activity when someone said something.
"The Sword Master also ordered this cup of tea at this inn that day!"
The words "Sword Master" seemed to possess an inherent attraction, and in an instant, the mortals swarmed around him.
"Which one? Let me see!"
"Waiter! Quickly, give me a bowl!"
"I want ten cups! And also send twenty boxes of tea to my home!"
"Hey, you! How can you be so unreasonable? The Sword Master won't protect someone like you!"
It's unclear what that last sentence touched on, but the customer who had previously boasted about wanting "twenty boxes" blushed and finally stammered, "Then, I'll just take one box."
Yuan Shuhe and the others were amazed by what they saw.
Under the hazy glow of the lights, the shouts of vendors filled the air, and amidst the rising steam in the restaurants and eateries, the chatter of ordinary people could be heard.
"...The Sword Master was born extraordinary, possessing an extra eye compared to others..."
"What kind of appearance is that? Vulgar! Listen to me, once the Sword Master picks up his sword, you won't be able to see anything else. All you can see is the light of the sword!"
That last sentence was unanimously agreed upon by everyone.
Aspiration, respect, curiosity...
Of all the myriad emotions in the world, they all arise because of her.
As Chu Le watched, he suddenly said, "Only the Sword Master can resolve the matter of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City."
No one but her is acceptable.
It is precisely because of the presence of the Bright Moon Sword Master that these mortals can be protected to the greatest extent possible.
Only with the presence of the Bright Moon Sword Master could the cultivators once again take these mortals seriously.
Chu Le never resented Sheng Ningyu for killing her uncle.
He just... just can't accept it for a while.
The Sword Master he revered killed the person in his family who was the best and closest to him.
Chu Le's gaze fell on Jin Xianyao.
The Xie family of Bodhi was destroyed and its members were killed because of the ambition of his ancestor, the Chu family.
The smile on the boy's face faded again.
"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" Jin Xianyao grabbed Chu Le's neck and pulled him so hard he stumbled.
Seeing Chu Le in such a disheveled state, Chu Yanshu couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Chu Le blushed: "I! Didn't!"
"Hey, this is great news! Great news!"
The boys laughed and joked all the way, their liveliness so great it seemed to set the lights on.
Only in youth can one be so open, honest, and unaware of the ways of the world.
Not far away, Feng Xiaosheng watched all this, remained silent for a moment, then turned his head in disbelief: "In just a few days, Feng Jiutian has become like this?!"
Where is the cultivator's reserved and upright demeanor? Where is the phoenix clan's noble and proud nature?
They've all been burned!
Feng Qingxing was always a man of few words, only saying, "Having friends around always makes a difference."
Feng Xiaosheng snorted softly: "I think he's just gotten carried away."
Feng Qingxing stared at Feng Xiaosheng, her reflection in his eyes, along with the upturned corners of her lips.
Young Master was very happy.
Then Feng Qingxing was also happy.
Therefore, Feng Qingxing said, "This is a good thing."
Feng Xiaosheng seemed to recall something, a hint of nostalgia appearing in his eyes.
“Yes,” she said, “it’s a good thing.”
Those who cultivate immortality live long lives; if they attain enlightenment, they may live for tens of millions of years.
But the days of youth are fleeting.
It was Feng Xiaosheng's arrangement to send the students of Qingyi Academy to Shanhai Never-Sleeping City to help, but it was Xie Qianjing who proposed it.
Yan Wurong is in charge of the Mountain and Sea Never Sleeps City. This former city lord's wife is popular and now she is temporarily serving as the city lord. No one in the city or at the foot of the mountain is dissatisfied with her.
However, the city was in a state of disrepair. After witnessing such a disillusioning and life-or-death situation, some cultivators chose to go into seclusion, while others returned to cultivate diligently. In the end, not many people were left behind.
Just as all things in the world come to an end, so too does every feast must come to a close.
Xie Qianjing, who had always remained aloof from the crowd, surprisingly spoke up to Yan Wurong, saying, "My subordinates are all demon cultivators, and I can control them while I'm here. However, those people are filled with malevolence, which inevitably makes people afraid. They are not as pure and clear as cultivators of immortality, and they are more popular."
Yan Wurong already knew that Jin Xianyao was a member of the Xie family. Upon hearing this, her eyes flickered, and she used an old-fashioned form of address: "What does Bodhi Immortal Lord mean..."
"When Qingyi Academy reopened, I observed that there were quite a few promising talents among them. Although their cultivation was not profound, their pure hearts were rare." Xie Qianjing said calmly, "Now that I am a demonic cultivator, I may need Sect Master Yan to help me eliminate demons and protect the righteous path one day. There is no need to mention those old titles anymore."
Yan Wurong was taken aback and looked at the white-clad youth in front of her.
Dressed in white like flowing moonlight, she exuded a cool and aloof aura, like a Bodhi seed within a lotus.
Oh, the Bodhi Immortal Lord whom the Xie family once cherished so dearly.
Yan Wurong couldn't help but sigh in her heart.
If his identity were not revealed, probably no one would associate him with the "Demon Realm Supreme" who is rumored to have killed millions of demon cultivators.
However, that happened before the Sword Master awoke.
Unexpectedly, Yan Wurong suddenly thought of something. She hesitated for a moment, but still asked directly, "Back then, the Xie family was falsely accused by the various clans of the East Sea of harboring a demonic seed. This matter has been made public. But I remember that the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion also entered the Bodhi Xie Clan. Does Demon Lord Xie know... what exactly did Pavilion Master Xin say back then?"
Yan Wurong, driven by greed, had worried that Sheng Ningyu would become too attached to love and neglect her swordsmanship. However, after spending the last few days with her, she realized that perhaps the person she should be worried about was someone else entirely.
Because of the blood relation with Jin Xianyao, Yan Wurong inevitably paid more attention to Xie Qianjing.
This kid doesn't know his own identity yet, but one day he will.
Having blood relatives or not makes a completely different feeling.
For both emotional and rational reasons, Yan Wurong did not want Xie Qianjing to end up being reviled by everyone and hunted down by the three realms.
Xie Qianjing turned his head and listened patiently to Yan Wurong's words, then nodded slightly: "I should know."
Yan Wurong guessed: "Is it related to the frequent appearances of puppet barriers and demonic seeds?"
Xie Qianjing gently shook his head, and a knowing glint flashed in Yan Wurong's eyes: "But can't I tell you?"
Xie Qianjing said casually, "I knew it back then, but I've forgotten it now."
Yan Wurong: "..."
Whether Yan Wurong believed it or not, Xie Qianjing had not lied in a single word.
When he first met Sheng Ningyu, his demonic energy surged, his heart was filled with boundless hatred, and he still had inner demons to overcome. Under such circumstances, his memories were also in disarray.
Now that he has passed through the most embarrassing part of his memory—the city that never sleeps in the mountains and seas—Xie Qianjing has become much more peaceful.
Even when troubled by inner demons, they rarely take shape again.
yes.
No matter how elegant and otherworldly the Bodhi Immortal Lord was back then, the one standing before her now is a demon.
The road ahead is shrouded in darkness, and the secrets of fate are unpredictable and difficult to discern.
Although there are three thousand great paths, the paths of immortals and demons are ultimately different.
Yan Wurong looked at the person beside her, abandoning the intimacy she had developed earlier because of Jin Xianyao, and maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far: "What does the Demon Lord think of that child, A Yao?"
Xie Qianjing calmly said, "Ayao's parents have long since passed away. It is his good fortune to be able to receive the care of Sect Master Yan."
Xie Qianjing rescued Jin Xianyao, who was stranded, by chance, but at the time he was delirious and had transformed into a demon, so he was unable to take care of a small child.
As he said, it was Jin Xianyao's good fortune to meet Yan Wurong.
Yan Wurong breathed a sigh of relief, and a slight smile appeared on her face: "I would be grateful if the Demon Lord could exchange a few words with Young Master Feng and ask the students of Qingyi Academy to come into the city to help."
Feng Xiaosheng readily agreed. Feng Buqi had important matters to entrust to her, and before leaving, it was Xie Qianjing who asked casually, "Aren't you going to wait for Jiuzhong to wake up?"
Nine layers upon nine layers—it made him seem very capable.
Feng Xiaosheng realized that he still disliked Xie Qianjing.
She almost rolled her eyes, but out of consideration for the younger generation present and for Sheng Ningyu's sake, Feng Xiaosheng refrained from speaking up.
Even so, as the young lord of the Phoenix Clan, this proud little white phoenix wouldn't give much face to anyone other than Sheng Ningyu.
Feng Xiaosheng flicked his sleeve, like a streak of fire rising: "All good things must come to an end. Swords rise and fall, and time will pass. There is no difference between us at this moment."
After he finished speaking, the cultivators felt a gust of wind, like a stream of fire, blow past them, so bright that they dared not look directly at it.
When she opened her eyes again, Feng Shaojun had vanished without a trace.
Isn't it just a matter of a little while?
Xie Qianjing pondered for a moment, then shook his head.
He's bad.
He wanted to spend every moment of this world with her.
...
In the stillness of the night, all things are about to rest.
At that moment, in a secluded courtyard in the city, the sound of stringed instruments suddenly arose.
The zither music drifted in, clear and melodious. The tone was not particularly high, but the timbre was clear and bright. It wafted through the courtyard and the house, softening the cold moonlight in the sky.
The moonlight was like water, and a lone figure sat on a pavilion, dressed in blue robes over a plain white robe. White silk covered his eyes, as if moonlight were flowing through them, and his wide sleeves billowed back in the wind, revealing a section of his fair wrist. The person playing the zither had his eyes slightly lowered, and his fingertips moved slowly across the strings, his posture elegant and serene, as if he were one with the moonlight.
A gentleman, elegant and refined, as if he were a hermit.
Sheng Ningyu followed the sound and stood quietly beside Rong Que.
The last overtone trilled off, its lingering resonance like wisps of smoke dissipating into the air.
Rong Que lightly pressed his fingertips on the strings, silencing all sound.
The white silk covering his eyes also stopped fluttering at the same time.
Sheng Ningyu clapped her hands in a very appropriate manner: "I've never heard you play this piece before, senior brother. I wonder what it's called?"
"Just a few casual strums of the strings." Rong Que raised his head, seemingly "looking," and asked in a gentle voice, "Does Junior Sister like this piece?"
Do you like it?
Sheng Ningyu knew nothing about music, but whenever Rong Que played the zither, she would always say she liked it.
But those "past days" are far, far away.
So long ago, the world has been separated by a thousand layers of snow; so long ago, the people of Jian Ge can no longer be gathered together.
"Junior Sister?" Rong Que's lowered brows fell into the shadows, his voice very soft, as if it were about to melt into the air, "Is your body not fully recovered yet?"
Sheng Ningyu: "I'm fine, I just thought of my junior sister." She paused and said, "My junior sister is more skilled in music than I am. If she were here, she would definitely like this piece very much."
Rong Que paused in wiping the zither: "I am asking about the bright moon, not someone else."
Sheng Ningyu lowered her eyes, watching the moonlight pass through her fingertips.
She said casually, "Does it matter to you what I think, senior brother?"
“Of course.” Rong Que smiled, his voice still carrying a leisurely smile. “If Mingyue thinks it sounds good, then it is a very good piece of music. If Mingyue doesn’t think it sounds good, then this piece of music is worthless.”
The night breeze was a bit cool, carrying the fragrance of hosta flowers.
Sheng Ningyu suddenly sighed.
She casually sat down in the chair opposite Rong Que and picked up a piece of sweet cake from the table: "Unfortunately, I am not good at music and cannot distinguish between good and bad."
Still acting like a child.
Thinking about it this way, Rong Que smiled again.
"Junior sister, do you still remember when I taught you to play the zither in the Sword Pavilion?"
Sheng Ningyu said regretfully, "I didn't learn well, not even a fraction as good as my senior brother."
Rong Que shook his head: "I think Junior Sister played very well."
People say, "Yin Wuque pleases the young master."
However, this young master, who was so skilled in music, always felt that even in music, he was not as good as his junior sister.
Sheng Ningyu thought Rong Que was joking. She had just taken a bite of the pastry when she suddenly stopped.
Rong Que understood: "Junior Sister, can you taste the pastries now?"
Sheng Ningyu nodded hesitantly, and Rong Que smiled and said, "It seems that Junior Sister's health has recovered a lot."
Sheng Ningyu suddenly realized something.
She recalled her aunt's last words when she first met her, and in that instant, she felt both joy and sorrow.
And there's also the second senior brother...
Sheng Ningyu looked at Rong Que, who neither dodged nor avoided her gaze. Because of her gaze, he still smiled with a dignified and gentle demeanor.
Rong Que was always like this; no matter when he appeared, he always seemed calm and composed, as if he were in complete control.
Sheng Ningyu, on the other hand, was quite the opposite.
She has an outspoken personality, and her love and hate are intense, even her tastes. She likes to eat extremely sour plums, or Bodhi honey flower cake that is so sweet that everyone finds it bitter, with five times the amount of honey added.
As a young girl, Sheng Ningyu admired Rong Que's calm and composed demeanor the most. She even thought that her second senior brother was clever and insightful, and had no flaws whatsoever. He was the most perfect person in the world.
Could such a flawless person really not see the change in his junior sister's personality?
The deceased is gone; this was Ning Jiao's own choice. Sheng Ningyu would not hold a grudge, but there were some things she needed to understand.
Sheng Ningyu: "I recently heard an extremely absurd rumor. It's funny to say that Junior Sister is Master's flesh and blood."
Rong Que listened attentively, casually plucked a few strings, and said noncommittally, "I have heard that the various clans of the East Sea possess Yin-Yang Mirrors, which can distinguish bloodlines. This mirror is in the hands of Demon Lord Xie. If Junior Sister is curious, she can try it out that day."
Sheng Ningyu stared into Rong Que's eyes and asked, "Senior Brother, do you think I should try?"
Rong Que sighed, not answering Sheng Ningyu's question, but instead said, "Junior Sister, what are you doubting about me this time?"
Sheng Ningyu: "Why didn't you stop your junior sister, senior brother?"
Rong Que smiled serenely: "There are three thousand great paths, and people have countless ways to choose from. It's all a matter of personal choice."
Sheng Ningyu was furious. It was the first time she had ever seen her second senior brother, Rong Que, be so cold-hearted and indifferent.
She raised her voice, almost sternly, and said, "But Jiaojiao is no ordinary person; she is our junior sister!"
Rong Que let out a short laugh, turned his head, and the white silk covering his eyes fell onto the back of his hand: "Where was the bright moon then?"
Sheng Ningyu: "I'm in the coffin!"
"Yes, you're in the coffin."
Rong Que repeated it lightly with a smile, but the smile vanished as the last word was uttered.
He suddenly rose and stood up, his robes fluttering as if a jade hairpin flower had suddenly fallen from a branch, bringing with it a sense of solitude.
"You're in your coffin, yet you want me to protect the one who put you in that coffin."
Rong Que suddenly quickened his pace, and he walked precisely to Sheng Ningyu. The wind he created as he stood up blew from his body to Sheng Ningyu.
The wind carried the familiar, cool fragrance of hosta flowers.
“Our Mingyue is a saint,” Rong Que sighed softly.
His shadow fell in the moonlight, stretched infinitely by the light, and coupled with his faint, almost sighing tone, it appeared somewhat gloomy in the quiet, cool night.
Sheng Ningyu's hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of the sword at her waist, her knuckles pressing against the cool texture of the hilt.
"But I am not."
Rong Que stepped back, and under the moonlight, the peerless immortal smiled again: "The blood of demons and ghosts flows in my veins."
Sheng Ningyu's pupils suddenly contracted.
Even with Xie Qianjing's prior preparations, Sheng Ningyu's emotions were still turbulent upon hearing Rong Que's admission.
She opened her mouth, but it was as if something was choking her, and she couldn't utter a single word.
Despite the white silk separating them, Rong Que should not have been able to see her, but Sheng Ningyu always felt that Rong Que's gaze was fixed on her.
Just like those melodies, her second senior brother's eyes always carried emotions she couldn't understand.
Rong Que looked at her vaguely, his tone calm to the point of being almost pitying: "The Demon Lord is meticulous, he should have told Junior Sister long ago, shouldn't he?"
Sheng Ningyu stared intently at Rong Que and stubbornly said, "But I want to hear what my senior brother has to say."
His tone was persistent and stubborn, exactly the same as when he was a child.
He is impartial and unbiased, treating everyone equally without exception.
Junior sister.
Rong Que thought, why can't you always be like this?
The bright moon hangs high, unbiased and impartial, so it will not arouse dissatisfaction. But if it shows even the slightest favoritism towards someone, it will give rise to great delusions in the eyes of others.
His mind was clearly churning like mud, but his face remained calm and composed.
Rong Que said, “I am born with the blood of a demon and a ghost, and I am not a person who should exist in this world. Fortunately, my master took pity on me and took me into the Sword Pavilion. He regulated my temperament, calmed my resentment, and sealed all the remaining dirty and twisted emotions in my eyes. He used a jade hairpin as my body to teach me to conceal my aura and cultivate my Dao heart.”
At this point, Rong Que chuckled softly and asked, "Mingyue, do you think I've developed even the slightest hint of demonic or ghostly qualities over the years?"
Sheng Ningyu said, "In my heart, my second senior brother has always been perfect."
Rong Que said, "Yes, I've kept it well hidden all these years." He suddenly changed the subject, "Does Mingyue know why I was discovered?"
Sheng Ningyu was startled and before she could speak, she heard Rong Que's words.
“Because I saw you with the Demon Lord,” Rong Que said. “It’s not that I think the Demon Lord is bad, but Mingyue, I have demon blood, and no one in this world knows better than me how disgusting the thoughts of these demons and monsters are.”
There are countless paths to enlightenment, but the paths of immortals and demons are distinct.
Rong Que said, "Mingyue, I know your sword is sharp and unstoppable. But there are always some things in this world that you cannot change."
The sweet cake she had just eaten should have tasted sweet, but at this moment, Sheng Ningyu only felt waves of bitterness rising in her mouth.
She wouldn't question Xie Qianjing's feelings for her because of these words; on the contrary, Sheng Ningyu had never been more certain than she was now.
Xie Qianjing liked her very much.
Thinking about it this way, Sheng Ningyu suddenly felt a little relieved. She laughed, raised her eyebrows, and said without any restraint, "Who can predict the future? If someone had told me a hundred years ago that I would be locked in a coffin for sixty years, I wouldn't have believed it!"
The hatred that once surged like blood in the coffin can now be used as a joke.
"Second Senior Brother,"
Sheng Ningyu said, "I need to go to the Thousand Poison Cave."
Rong Que's fingertips touched the strings, producing a trembling sound: "Tomorrow?"
"I'll leave after saying goodbye to my second senior brother." Sheng Ningyu's carefree smile vanished, her gaze sharp as a sword. "The things Yu Tanqiu did have already been hinted at in the memories of those women in the snow-covered area... He has many desires, and there may be a great calamity in the Thousand Poison Cave."
Rong Que remained silent for a moment, then lightly brushed his fingertips across the ice strings, producing a very faint sound.
“I will go with you.”
“There’s no need to trouble you, Senior Brother.” Sheng Ningyu declined casually. “Sword Pavilion only has Junior Brother Yang, which is probably not enough. Besides, Senior Brother and Pavilion Master Yu have discussed the art of music many times. If you were here, I would be reluctant to take action out of consideration for your feelings.”
Jian Ge, Jian Ge.
This is the most unique existence in Sheng Ningyu's heart.
Now that Jiaojiao is dead, Sheng Ningyu does not want her second senior brother to be implicated as well.
Ru Xue's figure disappeared into the night, and Rong Que stood alone in the same spot. After a long while, a laugh suddenly came from the night.
Junior sister, junior sister.
Are you finally starting to doubt me?
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Author's Note: Here we are!
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