Chapter 79
Not only Xie Wen, but Jin Huaran's expression also changed. Chu Xianyue's gaze suddenly turned to an unknown void, which was in the direction of Jin Huaran.
Jin Huaran looked back at Chu Xianyue, and the next moment his gaze turned cold and disdainful.
Xie Wen didn't have Jin Huaran's good attitude. She didn't know when Chu Xianyue had noticed that something else had been following her, but she felt very guilty, as if Chu Xianyue had caught her cheating on him. Xie Wen waved her hand in front of Chu Xianyue's eyes and asked, "Can you see him?"
Chu Xianyue turned his gaze to Xie Wen. For some reason, Xie Wen felt a little uneasy under his gaze. After staring at Chu Xianyue for a few seconds, he shook his head and said, "I can't see you. But I can see you. Every move and every reaction of yours is clearly visible to me."
Having spent so much time with Xie Wen, Chu Xianyue noticed even the slightest change in her behavior. He knew that ever since Xie Wen's trip to the Canglan River border, her actions had often been somewhat unusual.
The biggest anomaly was that Xie Wen suddenly seemed to have shed the shadows of Jin Huaran and the nightmare of the white-haired man, becoming remarkably cheerful and happy. This could mean either he had genuinely encountered something wonderful, or that Xie Wen was deliberately putting on an act, a facade of happiness. Chu Xianyue leaned more towards the latter.
What followed was unusual behavior: Xie Wen would always stare at one spot, intentionally or unintentionally, as if someone were actually standing there, and his gaze was truly fixed on that spot. His gaze also carried emotion, with disgust and fear.
He always felt that Xie Wen's occasional reactions were as if someone, who wasn't even there, was constantly talking in Xie Wen's ear. Xie Wen wanted to answer that person, but couldn't because that person was there.
Chu Xianyue asked Xie Wen, "That person is Jin Huaran, right? Ever since we went to Canglan River, he's been pestering you, hasn't he?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Huaran crossed his arms and snorted coldly, seemingly unconcerned that Chu Xianyue had completely discovered his secret. He was just suddenly a little irritated; he hated that an outsider had exposed his and Xie Wen's secret, and now this outsider was even interfering. This was clearly a matter between him and Xie Wen.
Xie Wen didn't know how to answer, so she just nodded. Chu Xianyue said, "Only you can see him and hear his words?"
Xie Wen just kept humming in agreement. Meanwhile, Jin Huaran, the person in question, leaned against a nearby tree, staring at Chu Xianyue with displeasure, as if Chu Xianyue was about to ruin his plans.
"How can we get rid of him?"
Xie Wen shook his head, "You know, right now only I can see him, only I can hear his voice. If I stab him, I'll get the same wound on myself. So..."
Chu Xianyue loosely "grabbed" Xie Wen's arm. Xie Wen's face seemed to turn ashen. He said, "There's always a way."
Where Chu Xianyue couldn't see, Jin Huaran laughed disdainfully, "Ridiculous."
In an instant, the sword sliced through the void and pierced through Jin Huaran's brow.
Chu Xianyue sheathed the Nine Heavens Sword with a backhand and said coldly, "One day I will personally kill you!"
Jin Huaran straightened up, his playful smile vanished, replaced by a fierce killing intent and hatred in his eyes. He said to Xie Wen, "Wen, please tell him for me that if he wants to kill me, he'll have to live to do it!"
Chu Xianyue asked Xie Wen what he had said. How could Xie Wen possibly relay Jin Huaran's words to Chu Xianyue truthfully? She was going crazy. Xie Wen said it was nothing, but Chu Xianyue knew without a doubt that it must have been some kind of provocative remark.
Chu Xianyue then said, "I will make you disappear from this world completely!"
Jin Huaran said, "I will disappear from this world completely, but not because of you."
The two had a conversation across the boundary between Yin and Yang. Although Chu Xianyue couldn't hear what Jin Huaran was saying, he could guess what Jin Huaran was saying based on Xie Wen's reaction.
Xie Wen told the two to stop arguing, since neither could kill the other now, and they should save these things for later. Out of respect for Xie Wen, the two let it go. If they were truly capable of fighting, they probably would have already done so. They were even arguing despite not being in the same realm.
The two of them, one in the mortal realm and the other in the underworld. Jin Huaran is indeed dead, but it's unclear why he's clinging to Xie Wen in this way.
Chu Xianyue thought that the first thing he had to do after he went out was to find a way to get rid of that filthy thing forever!
Ever since exposing Jin Huaran's affair, Chu Xianyue has kept Xie Wen at all times. It was precisely because he couldn't catch Xie Wen in the scroll that Chu Xianyue felt even more uneasy now that Jin Huaran had appeared out of nowhere. He felt that something big was about to happen.
Xie Qingci reappeared after a long time. He had left before because the Feather Clan was in trouble, and he had been leading the Feather Clan to hide and find a place to live. Now he reappeared because the Feather Clan was in trouble.
Xie Qingci led the Feather Clan to temporarily relocate to the vicinity of Panlong Gorge. The mountains there were towering and steep, reaching into the clouds. They were located deep in the forest and rarely visited by people. Because the piled-up rocks on the mountaintop resembled a giant dragon coiled there, people believed that this mountain was the dwelling place of the dragon clan and was extremely sacred. They dared not ever step into it for fear of offending the dragon clan and incurring divine punishment.
After being hunted and hunted by the world, the Feathered People finally found such a good place free from evil spirits and miasma. Apart from the dangerous and steep terrain, there were no other threats.
The mountaintop was sparsely vegetated, and food was scarce; even the grass roots had been eaten by the tribespeople. They were starving, and several children were so thin they were unrecognizable. Xie Qingci couldn't help but tear up at the sight. He had no choice but to return to the world to seek supplies for his people.
Xie Qingci's first thoughts were of Chu Yu and Jiang Boyu. But then, thinking of Jiang Boyu, he let out a cold snort, whether from resentment or something else, it was unclear. He only contacted Chu Yu. By then, Chu Yu had already begun to take over many affairs within the Tianyan Sword Sect and possessed considerable power. Among the various immortal sects, only Chu Yu had ordered the Sword Sect to cease its search for the Feather Clan's whereabouts.
On a stormy night, Xie Qingci, wearing a straw raincoat and hat, stood under the pavilion at the foot of Tianyan Sword Sect Mountain, watching the rain fall fiercely from the eaves, forming an impenetrable curtain of rain. After watching for an unknown amount of time, the curtain of rain was torn apart by a figure in green. For a moment, Xie Qingci saw Chu Xianyue standing under the rain curtain.
But Chu Xianyue was right next to her, and Chu Yu flashed past her eyes.
Upon hearing the news of Xie Qingci, Chu Yu didn't even grab an umbrella or cast a water-repelling spell on himself. He rushed straight into the rain and arrived at Xie Qingci's side, soaking wet.
To be honest, Chu Yu hadn't seen Xie Qingci in a long time. He'd been quite busy at the Sword Sect these past few days, and in his busyness, he'd think of Xie Qingci, wondering where he was now. He'd pray that Xie Qingci and his people wouldn't be discovered by the human race, and he hoped that Xie Qingci would soon find his ideal paradise and lead his people to a better life.
Upon seeing Chu Yu arrive, Xie Qingci looked visibly dejected and said, "Ah Chu, I came to find you because I had no other choice."
Chu Yu said, "Yes, I know. Be sure to come to me if you encounter any difficulties." As he spoke, Chu Yu handed Xie Qingci a storage bag containing a lot of supplies, enough for the Feather Clan to use for a year.
They looked at each other in silence, all their words contained in the tear in Xie Qingci's eye. But the night was too dark and the rain too loud, and no one saw the tear in his eye, no one heard his sob.
Before leaving, Xie Qingci asked Chu Yu, "Where is he?"
Chu Yu immediately understood who Xie Qingci was referring to. Chu Yu said, "I haven't seen him in a long time either. The last time we contacted each other was half a month ago. He should have returned to his Cloud Hidden Divine Mountain, and he told me some good news. He broke through to the Yin-Yang Realm, obtained a divine artifact bestowed by the Heavenly Dao, and is about to ascend to godhood." To ascend to godhood at the age of seventeen—this is a genius that is rare even in thousands of years!
Xie Qingci stared blankly at the rain, his thoughts unreadable, his expression unreadable, though his gaze had darkened somewhat. After a long while, he murmured, "Ascension, ascension is good."
Then, Xie Qingci looked back at Chu Yu again, without saying a word of farewell; all her words were hidden in her eyes.
I dare not say goodbye, because I don't know when the next goodbye will be. Perhaps we will never see each other again, so I treat every parting as if it were the last.
And so, the three who were once the closest of friends gradually drifted apart.
However, Xie Qingci disappeared for only a short time before going to find Chu Yu again.
At that time, Chu Yu was still handling affairs at the Sword Sect. At the same time, he welcomed his old friend, Jiang Boyu, whom he hadn't seen for a long time.
The two sat facing each other, playing chess and exchanging pleasantries. Chu Yu said, "Brother Jiang, it's been a long time since we caught up. You said last time that after you returned to Yunyin Divine Mountain, you probably wouldn't come out of the mountain again, which made me very sad, afraid that I would never see you again. I'm so happy to see you again today. But speaking of which, Brother Jiang, is there something you need to do this time you came out of the mountain?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Boyu placed a chess piece, which led him into a dead end, making his game doomed. Chu Yu jokingly mocked Jiang Boyu, "Your chess skills haven't seemed to have deteriorated these past few days. Brother Jiang, have you encountered any difficulties?"
Jiang Boyu smiled and said, "No. But how has he been lately?"
Chu Yu looked up at Jiang Boyu and instinctively felt that something was wrong with his expression. Chu Yu had been busy taking over various affairs at the Sword Sect these past few days, and had not inquired about the Feather Clan since he last saw Xie Qingci.
Chu Yu had a gut feeling that something must have happened down the mountain, so he asked, "Brother Jiang, do you know something? What happened to A-Ci?"
Jiang Boyu said, "Not long ago, the hiding place of the Feather Clan was discovered, and this time the place was besieged silently. It is said to be Panlong Gorge. He also seems to have been seriously injured, and we don't know where he is now."
Chu Yu's hand trembled as he placed the chess piece, which landed awkwardly in the wrong spot, sealing his fate. He lost all interest in the game, stood up, and paced anxiously, trying to contact Xie Qingci.
Just then, Chu Yu's eyes lit up; he had received a message from Xie Qingci.
Standing on the sidelines, Chu Xianyue saw through it all at a glance. The Winged Clan's whereabouts had been exposed by someone—someone had tipped them off. Or rather, someone had revealed Xie Qingci's identity. Perhaps the secret of the Winged Clan's continued existence was simply revealed accidentally when a member of the clan was seen out and about.
But this time, it was definitely not a coincidence. Someone had tipped them off.
The Feathered Clan has all hidden in Panlong Gorge, making them difficult to find in the short term. Moreover, the people's siege of Panlong Gorge must have been premeditated, based on prior knowledge of the Feathered Clan's location, allowing them to approach silently and attempt to wipe them out in one fell swoop.
This siege occurred after Xie Qingci re-entered the mortal world to search for Chu Yu. It was at this time that Xie Qingci's whereabouts were being monitored. Someone had revealed Xie Qingci's background as a member of the Feather Clan. He should have been wanted long ago. Many people were lurking in the shadows, eager to capture him.
But who exactly betrayed them? At this moment, Chu Xianyue, Xie Wen, and Jin Huaran all looked towards the two people in the main hall.
When Chu Yu received the message from Xie Qingci, his eyes lit up again. "Brother Jiang, A-Ci is alright! He came to find me!" Nothing in this world brings more joy than receiving news that a close friend whose fate was unknown is still alive. At that moment, Xie Qingci sent a message to Chu Yu, saying he was at the foot of Sword Sect Mountain.
Chu Yu immediately descended the mountain and stood at its foot, but he couldn't find Xie Qingci anywhere. Finally, Chu Yu found Xie Qingci deep in a thick patch of grass. He was covered in blood, and the grass beneath him was crimson. Chu Yu felt a pang of heartache upon seeing this and realized that Xie Qingci must have been chased and had nowhere else to go, so he came to find him in his dying moments.
Chu Yu secretly brought the person back to the Sword Sect. At this moment, Jiang Boyu was also at the Sword Sect, and the two inevitably met again. Now that Xie Qingci was so badly injured, it was time to put aside any past grudges and hatred between them.
Under Chu Yu's care, Xie Qingci woke up three days later.
That day, Chu Yu happened to be busy handling other affairs within the Sword Sect, so he asked Jiang Boyu to deliver some medicine to Xie Qingci. The moment Jiang Boyu entered with the medicine, she met Xie Qingci's eyes.
The youthful vigor in Xie Qingci's eyes was gone, replaced by a deep sense of worldly experience.
He had no strength left to argue with Jiang Boyu. Looking into Jiang Boyu's eyes, he couldn't help but shed tears. He hadn't cried when Panlong Gorge was besieged, he hadn't cried when his clansmen died one by one, and he hadn't cried when he was chased and wounded to the brink of death by countless cultivators.
At this moment, a profound sense of powerlessness enveloped him. He had done everything, but nothing he did mattered anymore. Xie Qingci murmured, "Jiang Boyu, I have nothing left. My people truly have nowhere to go this time. What do you want us to do? Must we wipe them all out?"
Jiang Boyu walked over and handed the medicine to Xie Qingci, saying, "Drink it."
"Only by drinking it will you have the strength to resist and save your people."
Xie Qingci's eyes glistened with tears as he looked at Jiang Boyu. He usually hated crying in front of Jiang Boyu, because she only looked down on him and coldly mocked him. But Xie Qingci couldn't care less at this moment. He knew that the secret of the Winged Clan's existence had been revealed by humans when a Winged Clan member was out on an adventure. It wasn't Jiang Boyu who had leaked it.
He had wronged Jiang Boyu, but the ugly scene they had made was still vivid in his mind, and the hurtful words he had spoken still echoed in his ears. Xie Qingci thought Jiang Boyu would never see him again, never speak a word to him again. Now, Jiang Boyu had broken through Xie Qingci's psychological defenses.
He felt guilty and remorseful towards Jiang Boyu. Ever since he realized that he had misunderstood Jiang Boyu, Xie Qingci had been suffering every moment.
Xie Qingci lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly, and said, "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. I'm sorry."
Jiang Boyu didn't react much, but his eyes trembled. He didn't say anything, just looked at Xie Qingci, seemingly somewhat helpless.
Xie Qingci asked him, "Are you going to ascend to immortality?"
Jiang Boyu nodded, "We have already obtained the divine artifact bestowed by the Heavenly Dao. We can ascend after passing the Heavenly Dao's test."
Xie Qingci was lost in thought for a moment, then murmured, "Ascension is good, ascension is good, congratulations in advance. You can ascend to godhood at the age of seventeen."
Jiang Boyu twitched the corners of his mouth, but there was no smile in his eyes. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally said, "I have found a good place to settle down, isolated from the outside world. It can properly accommodate your people. If you don't mind, I will take your people there to settle down."
Xie Qingci's eyes brightened noticeably, and the glistening tears also became brighter, like sparkling snowflakes. He said, "Really?" Xie Qingci stood up, his hand trembling as he grasped Jiang Boyu's hand. Tears welled up in his eyes once again, but this time they were tears of emotion, tears of finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Jiang Boyu nodded, his eyes dark and unfathomable. "Mm."
Xie Qingci immediately got out of bed, changed his outer clothes, and knew he had to lead his people to that secluded "Shangri-La" right now. Every second his remaining people stayed in the outside world increased their danger; Xie Qingci couldn't wait, and neither could his people. They had to leave with them now!
He wanted to lead his people to a better life where they no longer had to wander and hide.
Thinking of this, Xie Qingci's spirits soared, and the bright light of youth shone in his eyes once again.
Xie Qingci said, "Brother Jiang, thank you so much! Please take us to that place now!"
Jiang Boyu said, "Alright, but let's drink the medicine first."
Xie Qingci was so happy that he drank it all in one go. Before leaving, Xie Qingci asked, "By the way, Brother Jiang, I heard that everyone receives a different divine artifact before their ascension. What was the divine artifact that fell from the sky that you received? Was it powerful?"
Jiang Boyu said, "Lotus Reincarnation." As he spoke, he raised his hand, and two crystal-clear, blood-red twin lotuses suddenly appeared in his palm.
"It's a twin lotus reincarnation!" Xie Qingci exclaimed in surprise.
These words suddenly made Chu Xianyue and Xie Wen, who were uninvolved, feel a buzzing in their heads.
If this lotus reincarnation is a twin lotus, and Jin Huaran is now one of them, then what about the other lotus reincarnation?
Then, their conversation could be heard coming from a great distance.
Jiang Boyu: "Yes, the two lotus flowers are connected by their roots. If one of them dies and the other is still alive, the dead flower can be reborn through the living flower."
Xie Qingci: "So amazing? No wonder it's a divine artifact of the Heavenly Dao!"
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