Forged through countless trials
Song Qingyun took out a bound fox tail from his spirit pouch. The fox tail had glossy fur, bright red bloodstains at the base, and a smooth wound, indicating that it had been cut off.
Despite the numerous talismans and charms on its tail, it was still uncontrollable; the fox tail struggled incessantly in the hand, trying to break free and return to its master's side.
“This is a fox demon’s tail.” Song Qingyun closed his hands, a hint of solemnity appearing on his usually calm and composed face.
"Your skills are quite impressive, this is interesting." Lin Yueyao suddenly looked her over, a hint of interest in her eyes.
"I just couldn't catch her." The fox's hand kept clenching, and the fox tail, in pain, struggled even more fiercely.
Lin Yueyao remained calm. "The tail is still there; it will come back."
The loss of a fox demon's tail is far more severe than the shattering of bones; losing a tail means losing a hundred years of cultivation. This demon has nine tails, which is enough to prove its formidable power.
So as long as you wait patiently, you will definitely be able to catch it.
"How is your father?" This was the first time Lin Yueyao had mentioned her father in so many days. Song Qingyun forced himself to speak, "He was frightened. The doctor said he needs to rest."
She nodded softly, her other words having little effect, only offering a slight word of comfort, "You should get some rest."
Song Qingyun smiled and said, "With my junior sister's words, I will surely sleep well."
She hummed in response, her expression unchanged.
"Everything is ready. How is Junior Brother?" she asked, thinking back to her junior sister's purpose in coming here for the magic weapon.
"almost."
It roughly means anytime, as soon as it gets dark and night falls.
Rong Yan stood in front of the Hidden Sword Pavilion. Song Qingyun and his attendants stood guard at the door. He opened the door and said to Rong Yan, "There are still many magical artifacts in the pavilion. You need to pass three tests. Junior Brother, your junior sister and I will wait for you outside. Take your time inside and don't be impatient."
After carefully explaining everything, the heavy stone door closed. Benben lay on the ground, his ears drooping, unable to feel happy.
I wonder when the little master will be able to come out. The food at the resort is not good at all. He wants to eat grilled fish.
As midnight passed, Lin Yueyao, having stayed until the very end, also returned to her room to rest.
Within the Hidden Sword Pavilion lies a vast expanse of heaven and earth. Further ahead lies a pond shrouded in white mist, with withered lotus leaves drooping low, their roots pulled up to reveal black, rotten mud.
It was clearly a stagnant pool of water.
The three trials that Song Qingyun mentioned are the spiritual root attribute test, spirit inquiry, and taming the sword spirit.
If one possesses the water attribute, one can wade through the water; otherwise, one's body will feel as heavy as if it were filled with lead, and one will drown in the pool.
Rong Yan tentatively picked up a pebble from the ground. The pebble broke the surface of the water without making a sound, and quietly sank to the bottom.
Another strand of hair was plucked, falling to the bottom of the water like a pebble.
Rong Yan stood on the bank, imitating the technique his senior sister had taught him, gathering spiritual energy in his feet. He lifted his foot and stepped out, walking calmly on the water, each step creating a lotus flower, smoothly crossing the pond.
Could it be water-related? Rong Yan had no idea, so he continued walking forward.
Ahead, flames raged, a stark contrast of fire and ice, with raging fire burning on the flat ground.
The heat intensified, causing fine beads of sweat to appear on Rong Yan's forehead. He wiped the sweat away, enveloped his entire body in spiritual energy, and weathered the storm.
In the spiritual root attribute test, no talismans or magical artifacts were effective. After passing two tests in a row, Rong Yan couldn't help but wonder what his attribute really was.
Logically speaking, water and fire are incompatible, yet they are mutually reinforcing and mutually destructive, and should not coexist.
But they safely crossed the stagnant waters and the raging flames.
Rong Yan was puzzled and could only continue walking.
It was a swamp, bubbling and steaming. Rong Yan stood on the bank, pondering how to get across.
He pondered without moving, then picked up a pebble again and tossed it lightly into the ground. The pebble landed in the soil and was slowly swallowed up.
He picked up another pebble, infused it with spiritual energy, and threw it with all his might. "Pfft—" The pebble bounced back as if it had hit a trampoline, whizzing past his ear.
"Hiss—" Rong Yan covered his earlobe for a while in pain after it was scraped.
Once he found the trick, he channeled his spiritual power into his feet, held his breath, and ran quickly and steadily across the swamp.
After crossing the swamp, Rong Yan encountered a thicket of thorns, with tree roots breaking through the soil and forming huge, gnarled branches.
The branches were covered with sharp thorns and poisonous hooks. The forest was shrouded in mist. He tried to pull out these troublesome plants, but even cutting his hands did not help.
The tree roots were firmly embedded in the ground; he couldn't pull them out at all.
I tried biting with my mouth, but my teeth started to ache, and then I heard a cracking sound—my jaw was dislocated.
Exhausted, Rong Yan collapsed on the ground, cradling his chin and forcefully straightening it as he looked around at the other exits.
The thorns grew so densely that they completely blocked the way; even if one were to dig a tunnel through, it would take forever.
Leaning against a thick tree root, I felt a sharp, uncomfortable sensation.
Apart from a thicket of thorns, there wasn't a soul in sight.
It's one thing to be unpopular, but to grow so thick and strong without sunshine.
I remember when we were in Lanxi Town, my father took me to the fields to plant rice seedlings. He lamented how scorching the sun was, yet he also wished for sunny days every day, so that the seedlings could grow strong under the sunlight.
Exhausted, I felt no heat, but only regretted the long summer days.
Reminiscing about the old days, Rong Yan's bleeding hand touched the vines, and the thorn bushes automatically receded.
Without nutrients, sunlight, or rain, it can only use blood as fertilizer.
Rong Yan instantly understood, took out a small knife and cut his palm. Blood dripped into the ground, and the thorns withered and retreated into the dust.
Holding his bleeding hand, he walked forward step by step, moving nimbly through the thorny thicket.
At the final hurdle, Rong Yan stopped and stood there dumbfounded.
Gold and jewels kept falling from the sky, and even fist-sized gold ingots.
It was like a heavy rain; the golden rainforest was overflowing with money.
Money may be a worldly thing, but for ordinary people, it is omnipotent.
Even when he was still with his parents, he was already worried about making a living and having money.
If it weren't for making a living, who would want to end up battered and bruised?
Rong Yan walked into the rainforest with difficulty. He caught a pearl that fell from the sky; it was incredibly heavy.
I couldn't shake it off no matter what; it was stuck to my palm.
The pearl was so beautiful that he instinctively caught it, but it felt like a heavy burden for an ox.
A dazzling array of flowers can dazzle the eye, and wealth can bewitch the heart.
He frantically peeled the pearls off his palms. The moment he did, his body felt instantly lighter. He no longer lingered and quickly ran across the area.
This completes the first stage of attribute testing.
He has no spiritual root, so his attributes cannot be determined, which is why he was able to pass all the tests of the five elements.
Next, Rong Yan entered a fantastical space that was completely empty.
Above us was a sky shaped like a round hole, filled with a dazzling array of stars.
A strange fragrance wafted over, and Rong Yan, smelling the fragrance, slowly drifted into sleep.
The night passed, and Lin Yueyao received a report from her maid early in the morning.
She rushed to the reception room, where a group of people stood in a row in the courtyard, dressed in brocade robes; they were from the Department of Ill-fated Women.
The Department of Ill-fated Souls has never participated in conflicts between demons. It is not a prestigious sect and is a rather unique entity among the immortal sects.
The disciples under her tutelage were all women, some of whom had suffered heartbreak, while others had seen through the illusions of the world and abandoned worldly affairs.
He was in charge of uncovering the injustice done to women, and at the cost of his soul after death, he would clear their names.
Song Qingyun was unaware of the reason beforehand, and only learned it after meeting with the person.
"Senior brother." Lin Yueyao entered the living room and took her seat among the guests.
"You've come at the right time." Song Qingyun handed her a burnt petition.
Ziru took it; the complaint was incomplete.
We respectfully inform the gods.
On the ninth day of the eighth month of the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Kuining, Du Shaoyou plotted to kill **, intending to destroy **'s family's grain and property...
Fortunately, I was rescued, and in order to save my life...
The plaintiff's name has been erased, and no one knows who wrote the complaint.
Lin Yueyao's gaze fell on the name Du Shaoyou, and she suddenly thought of someone.
"I am the Supervisor of the Department of Ill-fated Men. I wish to see Du Shaoyou. Go and bring him to me immediately." The Supervisor displayed his badge and stood in the hall, ordering Song Qingyun to give the order.
Du Shaoyou is his brother-in-law. Now his father is seriously ill, his cousin has miscarried after being frightened by a fox spirit, and the family is in complete chaos, which has also involved the Department of Ill-fated Women.
Even someone as composed as Song Qingyun was somewhat overwhelmed. Since the Bureau of Ill-fated Men had evidence to back him up, Song Qingyun thought it over again and again before sending someone to invite them.
After an unknown amount of time, Du Shaoyou moved into the living room, looking haggard, and bowed respectfully to the group of people in the hall.
It seemed that his wife's miscarriage had really hit him hard. Song Qingyun felt a pang of anxiety. "Brother-in-law, your cousin is still recovering. Don't be too sad."
He nodded silently, his expression blank, his eyes empty.
"What does my brother want with me?"
Lin Yueyao looked him over and realized it was indeed that person, the one who had tried to break into the Hidden Sword Pavilion to stop her.
"That's right, several celestial envoys wish to meet you," Song Qingyun said.
Du Shaoyou remained calm, then asked in surprise, "I wonder what business the immortal envoy has with me?"
"So you're Du Shaoyou?" The supervisor never gave men a friendly look, and when he met Du Shaoyou's indifferent gaze, his tone turned a little cold.
"Exactly," he replied frankly.
The censor took back the indictment with unclear evidence. "Someone has accused you of plotting murder. Do you have any defense to offer?"
Du Shaoyou smiled calmly, "There are millions of people in the world, and so many people are named Du Shaoyou. How can an immortal be sure it is me?"
The magistrate did not try to argue with him. The moment he received the petition, he knew where it had come from.
Everything should be based on reason and evidence, and the principle of winning people over with virtue should be followed.
"The petitioner's complaint was written on a padded jacket used to wrap an infant. The handwriting on it is hasty and careless, as if written in haste. The ink is bright red, indicating it was written with human blood." The judge looked at him coldly. "As for the material of this jacket, has anyone seen it?"
The jacket was made of snow-white silk, which was expensive and indeed only affordable for wealthy families.
Song Qingyun rarely paid attention to these things, while Lin Yueyao observed from the sidelines, reading his words and expressions.
"Brother-in-law, do you have any of this kind of material at home?" Song Qingyun then asked him instead.
Du Shaoyou replied, "These are all things that girls like. How would I know about these things?"
"Then please ask your wife to come forward; the answer will be clear soon enough," the supervisor pressed.
"My wife is unwell, how can I show up?" Du Shaoyou asked, his face showing displeasure.
“It’s fine if you don’t show up.” Lin Yueyao suddenly interjected. She was never one to meddle in other people’s business, but recalling everything she had overheard in front of the main room that day, she knew there was more to the story.
"What do you think, Senior Brother?" Before Du Shaoyou could reply, Song Qingyun asked first.
Song Qingyun readily agreed, "Alright, I'll go with my brother-in-law to see my cousin."
Even though Du Shaoyou was unwilling, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree.
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