novelzi Chapter 35
Chapter 35
Feng Hanying was unaware that he had been discovered. With his level of cultivation, unless someone at the peak of Divine Transformation realm came, no one should have been able to detect him.
The flame rabbit crouched in the grass by the stream, its red eyes thoughtfully fixed on the spiritual mist floating above the water. This spiritual energy, so dense it was visible to the naked eye, had emerged from nowhere, enveloping the surrounding area in fog. Yet beneath this stream, there was no spiritual vein.
Clearly, it was his master's doing again.
Gu Jiang's demonic energy was being dissolved.
This wasn't good news for Feng Hanying. Gu Jiang was to him what spiritual veins were to orthodox cultivators - while orthodox cultivators drew in spiritual energy to refine into their own true essence, Feng Hanying drew in the "Blood Moon Shadow" to cultivate. Once he refined the demonic energy, it became his to use, and not even Gu Jiang could take it back.
There were five types of demonic energy in this world. After over two thousand years of consumption, the other four Demon Ancestors' energy had scattered everywhere, presumably nearing their end. Demon cultivators fought endlessly among themselves for these remnants.
However, Gu Jiang maintained strict control over his demonic energy. While countless people coveted the "Blood Moon Shadow," to this day, Feng Hanying remained its sole inheritor - equivalent to having exclusive access to an entire spiritual mountain.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Yet even a spiritual mountain would eventually be depleted if continuously dissolved like this. Moreover, while spiritual mountains were free for all to draw from, Demon Ancestors certainly weren't so generous.
Nie Yinzhi was truly a menace.
The dense spiritual energy in the woods had naturally caught another person's attention. A stealth butterfly danced through the spiritual mist, eventually landing on a fingertip covered by an ice silkworm silk glove.
Yu Yaoqing addressed the cultivator controlling the stealth butterfly with great respect, asking, "Elder Luo, what should we do now?"
This Elder Luo was none other than Luo Sheng, the master of the Earth Character Gate of Taixin Gate.
Luo Sheng was wrapped head to toe, revealing only a paper-like face with expressionless features. Though his lips didn't move, his voice could be heard: "Proceed according to plan. We're here to bring the 'Mountain of Blades and Forest of Swords' back to the mortal realm, not to fight with Gu Jiang. Unless he attacks first, we must not provoke him."
Everyone nodded in agreement. After speaking, Luo Sheng waved his long sleeve, removing the concealment barrier. Several beams of light scattered in different directions.
Yan Yi and several members of the Cloud Scripture Sect landed on the cliff outside the Sword Forest - the same cliff where Nie Yinzhi and Gu Jiang had been earlier. It was the only notable landing spot outside the forest.
"Go," Yan Yi said.
After paying their respects, An Huai and Xiao Ling jumped into the Sword Forest together.
The sword energy swirling above the valley wrapped around the two, accepting them. Different types of sword energy showed varying degrees of friendliness or rejection. The two had clear objectives and didn't hesitate, heading straight for the central platform.
The sword resonance in An Huai's mind felt like a death knell. Though this was his first visit, he moved as if he'd been here countless times, pulled forward by the sword energy like a marionette.
Xiao Ling followed behind him, protecting a small white bird in her palm while looking around.
The spiritual swords here were indeed unmatched in the current cultivation world. The swords of those Divine Transformation realm elders who entered today might be comparable, but those were the result of cultivators tempering their sword energy day after day for many years to develop their own spirit.
But the spiritual swords here were born with sword spirits. Their benefit to cultivators was obvious - if successfully bonded, it could surely return her to the Golden Core realm.
An Huai, holding his spiritual sword, stood up, hesitated for a moment, then unexpectedly fell to the ground as well.
-
As Xiao Ling gradually regained consciousness, the pain that seemed to seep through her bone marrow awakened with her. She groaned in agony, and immediately someone supported her, holding her in their arms and channeling spiritual power through her wrist to ease her pain.
A familiar voice spoke softly by her ear: "Lingling, does it hurt?"
Upon hearing this voice, Xiao Ling felt no comfort. Instead, she was startled and wanted to push him away immediately, but her body was completely without strength. Even moving a finger was agonizing. Without the small white bird by her side, she could neither see nor extend her divine sense.
The bone-eating pain of the miasma easily pulled her back into her past nightmare.
Why? Just a moment ago, she had been bonding with her destined sword, with that crimson sword energy flowing through her meridians like new blood being injected into her body. Xiao Ling's heart had been full of joy at the prospect of rebirth, so why had she suddenly returned here? Back to this time when she was full of miasma and in unbearable pain?
Which reality was real? Xiao Ling's thoughts were in chaos. Whatever Sang Wumian was saying by her ear, she couldn't hear a single word. In her heart, she called out desperately: "Zhuxian... Zhuxian... come out, where are you?"
Sang Wumian noticed the tear stains seeping through the white gauze and carefully drew her into his embrace, gently stroking her delicate back. "Ling, we've found a way to treat you. You'll get better soon."
Xiao Ling quieted down and asked in a whisper as faint as silk, "A way? What kind of way?"
"You needn't worry about these details. Just hold on for a few more days," Sang Wumian held her wrist. "Your master will stay by your side. Get some more rest."
Xiao Ling was gently laid back onto the soft bed as Sang Wumian's spiritual energy flowed through her shattered meridians, gradually soothing her pain. But Xiao Ling couldn't sleep at all.
Was this a dream? Or were her previous experiences the dream, and this was reality?
Xiao Ling truly couldn't tell anymore. The pain she felt before was real, and the pain she felt now was equally real.
She remained silent for a long while, her tears soaking through the white gauze. Sang Wumian sighed, his fingertips touching her eyes as he intended to change the gauze. Suddenly, Xiao Ling spoke, "Master, how is Junior Master Xiang?"
Sang Wumian paused for a moment before responding in a cool voice, "When I brought you back to the sect today, I found him in a state of qi deviation. He has been executed."
"Master, I'm fine. I've grown used to the pain from the miasma poison," Xiao Ling mustered all her strength to grasp his fingertips. "With evil energy infiltrating the Cloud Scripture Sect, you, as the sect leader, should be investigating thoroughly and nipping problems in the bud. You shouldn't be neglecting important matters because of me."
Sang Wumian gently squeezed her hand in return. "Alright, I'll do as you say."
Xiao Ling spoke softly, "Junior Sister Nie..."
Sang Wumian frowned, "Ling, your body is too weak right now. Don't waste energy on trivial matters."
Xiao Ling stubbornly shook her head, "Master, if even I can hear the rumors, surely Junior Sister Nie can hear them too." A weak smile tugged at her lips. "Please go see her, don't let her misunderstand. I'm begging you."
Yin Yin: If I call him brother, he'll definitely get flustered and evaporate. I can't call him that.
Gu Jiang: So affected and pretentious, it makes my skin crawl.