Chapter 238

Chapter 238: Reacquaintance as Strangers

The Eternal Calamity Soul Curse was an extremely vile and sinister curse spell. Once planted in a primordial spirit or Dao fruit, it was almost impossible to cleanse. Those afflicted would endure ten thousand life cycles of reincarnation. After ten thousand lifetimes, they would dissipate into smoke and ash.

Yue Lingxi had already lived through nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight cycles, meaning she had a little over two hundred years left. If the Eternal Calamity Soul Curse couldn’t be lifted within those two hundred years, she would inevitably fade away.

Hatred all but spilled from Duobao Daoist’s eyes.

Ye Xian’er hid behind Ye Xu, fearfully staring at Duobao Daoist.

"Daoist friend, the Eternal Calamity Soul Curse is not without solution," Ye Xu said solemnly.

A tremor ran through Duobao Daoist’s body. Surprise flooded his expression, mixed with burgeoning hope as he stared intently at Ye Xu. "Brother Daoist, you have a way?!" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

Just when hope seemed lost, a path appeared amidst the willows and flowers. How could he have forgotten Ye Xu?

"System, what are the methods to break the Eternal Calamity Soul Curse?" Ye Xu thought silently.

Ding!

[One million Heavenly Secrets Points.]

"…"

The corner of Ye Xu’s mouth twitched slightly. This system really had no human warmth.

"Exchange."

The treasures Duobao Daoist had given him converted into one hundred and eighty million Heavenly Secrets Points. Ye Xu naturally wouldn’t ask for this one million in return. Though he considered himself a shrewd merchant, he still held onto some principles inside.

Ding!

[The Eternal Calamity Soul Curse originates from the Dark Emperor. The Dark Emperor was born prior to the creation of the heavens, mastering the Innate Dark Great Dao. The Eternal Calamity Soul Curse was birthed from this Dark Great Dao.]

[There are two methods to break the curse. First: anoint the afflicted primordial spirit with the blood of the Dark Emperor.]

[Second: use the light Great Dao to erode and annihilate the Eternal Calamity Soul Curse.]

"That measly bit of information is worth a million Heavenly Secrets Points?" Ye Xu thought dissatisfied.

[Host, calm down.]

[The Innate Dark Great Dao and Innate Light Great Dao are opposing forces, born in antagonism. Only the Dark Emperor’s nemesis, the White Emperor, possesses sufficient skill to wield it effectively.]

Ye Xu frowned. Duobao Daoist detested innate gods immensely. Getting him to plead with the White Emperor seemed highly unlikely.

[The current plan entails using the light Great Dao, or divine artifacts imbued with its essence, to mitigate the curse’s effects and buy time. There is no other alternative.]

[The Heaven Deficiency Forbidden Land holds a Tree of Light.]

With that, the system fell silent.

Ye Xu’s expression turned grave. Neither the Dark Emperor nor the White Emperor, both Innate Divine Beings, were easy opponents. The first two solutions were clearly beyond Duobao Daoist’s capabilities.

It had to be understood: upon their birth, innate sacred beings possessed strength at least on par with the Immortal King realm. Even at his absolute peak, Duobao Daoist had barely reached the Immortal King realm. His current self was merely a cultivator yet to attain immortality – no different from an ant in the eyes of an innate god.

These two paths were dead ends.

Ye Xu relayed every last bit of the exchanged information to Duobao Daoist.

"The curse-caster is the Dark Emperor, He wouldn’t lend a hand."

"As for the White Emperor… only if I could return to my bygone peak would there be a sliver of hope."

"It seems only the third solution is feasible for me right now."

Ye Xu chuckled, "Within Heaven Deficiency Forbidden Land stands a Tree of Light that can temporarily alleviate your urgent need."

"Heaven Deficiency Forbidden Land?"

Duobao Daoist’s expression flickered slightly, "The one in Tuo Cang Realm?"

Ye Xu nodded.

"That was the Dao sanctuary of an innate god, shattered during the Primordial Era by the Heavenly Emperor, fraught with peril. Even someone like me entering would struggle to emerge alive." Duobao Daoist said gravely.

"Daoist friend, you can join forces with Great Emperor Zixiao."

Ye Xu smiled, "His master is trapped within Heaven Deficiency Forbidden Land. Currently, this land features prominently on the Secret Realm Ranking, and he is rallying friends and gathering treasures right this moment."

"Within three days, he will come to Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

A glint appeared in Duobao Daoist’s eyes, "Three days is sufficient."

"Daoist brother, I take my leave now."

Ye Xu watched as Duobao Daoist departed.

"Another sentimental soul," Ye Xu shook his head with a sigh. Wasn’t attaining the Dao and immortality alluring enough? Why must they all meddle with emotions?

As a lone wolf, Ye Xu found it incomprehensible.

…

Ziyang County, Heavenly Realm Duotian.

A figure stepped out from the void. Opulence greeted his eyes, streets teeming with surging crowds.

Duobao Daoist focused his thoughts, locked onto the location of Seven Stars Academy, and vanished from sight. Within a single breath, he reappeared before the academy’s gates.

Seven Stars Academy was a prestigious institution within Ziyang County, dedicated to enrolling and nurturing young cultivators from the region.

The academy was divided into seven distinct schools, each named after one of the stars of the Northern Dipper.

Yue Lingxi studied within the Northern Dipper Palace.

Before the academy gates stood a disheveled, bald Daoist. Though throngs of people passed by, not a single soul noticed his presence. Duobao Daoist released his Divine Sense, swiftly locking onto a specific figure.

He shifted his stance, preparing to enter the academy.

Abruptly, Duobao Daoist halted. Channeling his magic power, he underwent a great change in appearance.

In mere moments, he transformed from a scruffy Daoist to a youth dressed in rich robes and silks. His gaze was deep yet opaque, an irrepressible joy simmering in the depths of his eyes.

After more than a million years, he could finally see his beloved once more.

Duobao Daoist gazed into a mirror to confirm everything was in perfect order, then strode into Seven Stars Academy.

"Sky Gang Demon Slaying Sword Technique: First Form!"

Northern Dipper Palace, Heart-Calming Abode.

A girl clad in snow-white training robes, a blue steel sword in hand, shouted loudly as she trained her divine techniques, each sword strike precise, her soft cries punctuating forceful breaths that stirred the surrounding air.

She possessed a delicate, oval face free of makeup, her eyes sparkling with youthful liveliness and cunning. Between her elegant brows lay a sharp, concentrated fierceness, testament to her intense dedication to cultivation.

The instant Duobao Daoist entered the training ground, every cultivator present—whether mentor or disciple—was frozen in place, save for the girl.

His silhouette gradually entered her field of vision.

"You… who are you?"

Panicked, the girl gripped her blue steel sword tightly, pointing it at Duobao Daoist, a mix of fear and anger in her voice. "What have you done to the teachers?"

"Lingxi…"

Unable to mask the adoration in his eyes, Duobao Daoist stared at the girl, fighting back tears, and spoke with utmost gentleness. "I am Su Mu."

"Su Mu?"

The girl furrowed her delicate brows, feigning ferocity. "I don’t know you. Release your magic now, or I won’t be polite."

"The you of this lifetime naturally wouldn’t know me, but many years ago, you were my partner, the only true love in my life. We spent millions of years together."

Su Mu carefully retrieved a golden phoenix hairpin and offered it to the bewildered girl.

"This phoenix hairpin… it was our pledge of love."

Su Mu said tenderly.

His gaze fixed intently on the hairpin, yet despite the presence of its former mistress right before him, the hairpin remained utterly inert.

"You lunatic!"

The girl stared at Duobao Daoist as if he were a deranged freak.

Anyone confronted by a stranger suddenly proclaiming a past cultivation partnership would likely find it impossible to believe.

Absurd! Utterly ridiculous!

A sharp pang pierced Duobao Daoist’s heart, twisting it tight.

No matter how deep their past bond, after untold cycles of rebirth, Yue Lingxi’s memories had long been buried by time. She no longer held any recollection of him.

Their reunion was that of complete strangers.

"You release your magic this instant, or I really will attack!" The girl raised her sword, the aura of the True Spirit realm erupting from her as she channeled her spiritual power.

Clang!

She thrust her sword straight at Duobao Daoist, swift and precise—a mark of arduous practice.

Su Mu simply extended two fingers, clamping onto the blue steel sword like iron tongs.

With a faint exertion of force, the blue steel sword shattered.

The girl’s eyes widened in shock; she spun around to flee.

"My purpose today isn’t to recount our past. I am taking you away," Su Mu stated calmly, his composure regained. "Time is short. In these two hundred years, even if it costs me everything, I will help you shatter the Eternal Catastrophe Soul Curse."

As he spoke, his spiritual power surged into the girl’s body, rendering her immobile.

"Let me go… Let me go…"

The girl kicked and struggled wildly, overwhelmed by panic. Sobbing uncontrollably, tears streamed down her face, her voice thick with terror. "I won’t go with you… I want to go home… wuwuwu…"

"…"

For a moment, Su Mu felt utterly at a loss.

This girl before him, so unlike the calm, composed, and mature Yue Lingxi, seemed like an entirely different person.

Taking a deep breath, he ignored her wailing cries. Channeling his power, he and the girl vanished instantly from the training ground.

The moment they disappeared, the frozen disciples and mentors snapped back to awareness, utterly confused as they looked around.

"Hmm?"

A mentor, his temples flecked with grey, scanned the training ground, perplexed. "Where has Shen Yueyi gone?"

"Not sure,"

answered one disciple.

"Mentor, Junior Sister Shen was just practicing the Heavenly Yang Demonic Sword Slaying Art. Could she be resting?"

"Impossible."

Just then, the mentor’s attention was drawn to the fragments of blue steel sword scattered on the ground—Shen Yueyi’s sword.

The shattering of the blue steel sword and Shen Yueyi’s sudden disappearance meant something must have happened.