Chapter 46
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Chapter 46
At that moment, everyone from Moonfire Valley looked towards Tu Xuixin.
The young-looking Tu Xuixin stood frozen in place, his expression utterly out of control.
He had remained calm while explaining to his sect that his brother might not be dead, and his tone had still held some steadiness.
It seemed he had already drawn a line, understanding the difference between good and evil.
But Tu Xuisheng had truly arrived.
And with the Abyss Master’s command, they were now poised to ensnare them.
In that instant, Tu Xuixin’s face turned pale, his lips drained of color.
He genuinely thought he was dead.
He had seen himself die in the wild grass, soul extinguished.
How could this be—how could this happen?!
Before the words from High Up could fall, a shadow in black robes stepped through the clouds, letting out a sharp whistle.
At the same time, binding ropes aimed at the Immortal Sects’ leaders surged forth from all directions, while poisonous smoke spewed from the Abyss Master’s vehicle.
"Poison! Get away!"
"The Southern Abyss’s demonic minions are so arrogant!" Qin Cuohua shouted, drawing her sword. "To dare invade my Satin Red Workshop, they truly must not care about their lives!"
Before she finished speaking, her Junior Sister quickly pushed her aside.
"Master Fang! What are you doing?!"
The Uncle protecting her from Satin Red Workshop glared angrily at the rushing lord of Ba Jing Tower, saying, "Look closely, this is—"
Unexpectedly, that lord ignored him entirely, his eyes faintly swirling with Demonic Energy.
"This is bad!" Qin Cuohua shouted sharply. "There’s a traitor; stay away from the people of Ba Jing Tower!!"
She reacted swiftly, predicting that the Demon Realm had not only infiltrated Jin Yan Tuo but also aimed to seize power from many Immortal Sects.
The parasitic eye disease had already spread north; how could they allow Ba Jing Tower, which had entered Jin Yan Tuo, to escape unscathed?
At that moment, the lord remained silent, as if refusing to put on any disguise, stepping forward with his sword, taking one life with each step, causing many disciples at the scene to scream in fear, afraid to confront him.
That was Master Fang, who had reached the Heavenly Authority realm; how could they possibly fight back!?
Ji Yang immediately held Gong Wu down, as if recalling her impending death.
"You are now Du Ju," he said with an unusually serious gaze. "If there’s trouble, I’ll handle it."
Tu Xuixin and Yan Fangji both quickly stepped forward to shield Gong Wu, but Tu Xuixin remained fixated on capturing Tu Xuisheng, who was high above, his teeth chattering in anxiety.
"Master, forgive me for being bold," Gong Wu whispered. "How did your brother die back then?"
Yan Fangji frowned and glanced toward the sky, hesitating to speak.
Tu Xuixin, sensing his brother’s defense, finally spoke, his tone tinged with resignation.
"He strayed onto the wrong path."
"My brother and I once studied under the same master. I was an alchemist, and he was a talisman practitioner."
"My talents are ordinary, but he was a genius, even surpassing Ji Yang."
"He achieved success at a young age, but ultimately became stuck in the Heavenly Authority realm for too long. In the end, inner demons consumed him, driving him to desperately seek that final step to ascend to immortality."
Gong Wu immediately thought of Tu Xuixin’s current predicament and murmured, "Those who ascend are always few and far between… He had already reached the Heavenly Authority realm."
"And what of it?" Tu Xuixin laughed bitterly. "If one remains unable to ascend for too long, there’s no difference between the Heavenly Authority realm and the Insight realm."
"My brother, desperate to ascend, rushed to the widely renowned Rebirth Temple to seek the secrets of immortality."
"The Rebirth Temple could answer such a question?!"
Every time Tu Xuixin mentioned those three words, his expression turned icy.
It was as if an overwhelming tide of hatred and sarcasm threatened to spill over.
"The Rebirth Temple claimed there was a way for him to ascend to immortality in a single night."
"But the price was to carve out the heart of a baby girl from a wealthy family."
At these words, even Yan Fangji covered his face, sighing quietly.
"The Rebirth Temple, aware of his concerns, laid out the threads of fate. They said this wealthy family had committed countless evils—the mistress had harmed four or five maidservants, and the young master had lived recklessly, leaving a poor maid with child."
"But the maid’s child was born with an incurable disease; the baby’s heart was weak, and without a healthy heart, it would soon perish."
"The Rebirth Temple said that in five days, the maid would come weeping, bound by fate, and they would accept only a single reed in exchange for returning a lively child to her."
"As for the fate of the wealthy family’s daughter, it was said to be repayment for the sins of her parents and ancestors."
The Rebirth Temple was like a cog in an endless cycle, every detail cruel, every word true.
And Tu Xuisheng sat through the night, ultimately deciding to act.
"When Master Ancestor brought us there, the baby’s corpse lay in his arms, a heart still beating in his hand."
"Master Ancestor, enraged, demanded he pay with his life and destroy all his cultivation."
"During the struggle, the baby’s corpse fell, and the heart was utterly destroyed."
Seeing his last hope shattered, Tu Xuisheng lost his mind. He drew his sword and ended his life, scattering his divine consciousness in the process.
"How could this happen—" Gong Wu’s heart ached with sorrow. "He had already reached the Heavenly Authority realm; was that not enough?!"
How many in this world struggle even to begin their cultivation? How many mediocre disciples leave Moonfire Valley each year, and how few ever reach the Heavenly Authority realm?!
Even without achieving eternal life or a divine role, the Heavenly Authority realm is still a realm of immense power, worthy of great respect!
Her face was a mixture of sorrow and rage, but Yan Fangji firmly grasped her wrist and shook his head with deep conviction.
"Little Wu, if fate decrees that you cannot remain in Moonfire Valley and you must watch as you are sent away, would you resign yourself to it?"
"At that time, even if everyone lauded your sweeping skills and envied your fluency in recitation, would you truly be content?"
Only the Path of Emotionless can utterly sever all desires, purifying one’s heart to a state of crystalline clarity.
Even Yan Fangji, with his stern and disciplined nature, would drown his sorrows in strong liquor upon hearing of another palace lord’s Ascension. How much more so for Tu Xuisheng, who remained stagnant in the Heavenly Authority realm?
Ji Yang had remained silent throughout, but as the tale concluded, he finally spoke in a low voice, “Master, when did you visit the Rebirth Temple?”
“After Tu Xuisheng’s death, even the mention of nuns would make his eyes burn with fury, let alone a visit to the Rebirth Temple,” Hua Tingxiao said. “It took another ten years, as if he had finally come to terms with it, before he was willing to open the palace and take on disciples.”
Whether the Rebirth Temple bore any responsibility for this, or if it was all the result of the madness born from human desires, is difficult to judge.
“And the situation with that wealthy family… was it truly as the Rebirth Temple claimed?”
“I don’t know,” Tu Xuixin said, closing his eyes. “I refused to return there afterward.”
Hua Tingxiao hesitated for a moment before whispering, “It’s true.”
“After your brother left, I secretly went there and found that landlord.”
“Not long after, a maid lost her daughter, and soon after, the maid herself hanged herself.”
Four lives were lost in this cycle, a tragedy that evokes nothing but sorrow.
Gong Wu felt a pang of grief and was about to offer words of comfort when she looked up to see the dark red binding ropes already descending upon them.
“Oh, so Moonfire Valley hides in such a remote place?” the Abyss Master chuckled, riding atop his feathered serpent. “Xuisheng, would you like to see your brother?”
The figure in black robes turned to look, his voice as calm as a still well.
“There are more pressing matters.”
“Oh?” the Abyss Master feigned ignorance. “And what might those be?”
“To capture Gong Wu, of course.”
The masked man’s gaze fixed on the two girls, one inside the formation and one outside, as he continued without hesitation, “Then the Abyss Master can refine the Fallen Heaven Elixir and unify the Three Realms.”
The Old Man laughed heartily from atop his feathered serpent. “A fine general! A loyal general! My splendid demon general!”
Before his laughter faded, a thunderous crash echoed as the masked man led hundreds of guards into the fray.
Yan Fangji and Hua Tingxiao moved in unison to confront the threat, while Tu Xuixin waved his hand, summoning spells to shield the four disciples within layers of barriers.
The binding ropes rained down, but Ji Yang countered with a swift motion, reducing them to ashes with a burst of flame.
“Break their formation!” the Old Abyss Master bellowed. “Bind everyone from Moonfire Valley! I refuse to believe that indestructible little disciple of his will remain hidden!”
“Capture them all—leave none behind!”
Dozens of attackers encircled the three masters, with the fallen quickly replaced by fresh waves of reinforcements, like a relentless swarm of ants indifferent to life or death.
Though many among them possessed only modest abilities, the spells they wielded were far beyond their expected skill level.
Ji Yang leapt from the barrier to join the fight, immediately noticing the murky yellow eyes of many demonic soldiers, likely a result of absorbing the essence and blood of plague victims.
Du Ren, timid and unskilled in combat, clung tightly to Gong Wu’s hand, struggling to hold back her tears.
“I must be strong; I can’t falter,” she muttered, pulling out a handful of poisoned needles to bolster her courage. Stamping her foot, she declared, “If it comes to it, I’ll fight them! If I die, so be it!”
But now, there was no choice left.
Numerous demonic soldiers were already hacking at the heavy barrier with sheer brute force, their flesh burning and becoming unrecognizable, yet they remained oblivious to the unbearable stench of charred flesh.
Tu Xuixin defended against the relentless attacks from all sides while continuously reinforcing the barrier.
Ji Kai also did his utmost to repair the barrier, gritting his teeth and pouring the little remaining spiritual energy he had into the cracks.
Gong Wu felt a surge of blood rush to her head.
“Senior Brother,” she called out, “Do you truly believe I can hide behind you for the rest of my life?”
Ji Yang turned to look at her, his face and shoulders stained with blood.
“Come,” he extended his hand to her. “I’ll stand by your side.”
She stepped out of the barrier and opened the umbrella.
With the umbrella and the fan, light emerged amidst the dark, heavy clouds, and suddenly, brilliant starlight erupted!
“Fourth move of the Nine Radiance Sword Technique,” he said calmly in her ear. “Observe the Fallen Moon.”
Crimson flame and frost gathered to form a single wave of spiritual energy, violently cleaving through dozens of attacking soldiers!
“Twelfth move, Step of the Returning Swallow.”
Countless icy blades shot forth like hail from the umbrella, with razor-sharp force following closely behind!
With just these two moves, they immediately broke through the dense formation of soldiers like a tidal wave, toppling them all over!
Their spiritual energy surged forward in unison, as if a mighty river had broken free, directly shattering the mask of Tu Xuisheng.
The two brothers truly looked as if they were carved from the same mold, the only difference being a mole.
Tu Xuixin was struck on his right shoulder, and now he pressed his hand against the bleeding wound, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
“Are you happy?” he gazed at Ji Yang’s face, half-smiling, half-crying. “Brother, is all of this your doing?”
Though Tu Xuisheng bore completely identical features, he had long since lost much of his human essence.
He did not answer but instead fixed his gaze on the two before him.
“Where is Gong Wu?”
Gong Wu did not respond, but the voice of her senior brother resonated in her mind.
“Let’s go. We’re going to kill the Abyss Master.”
