Volume 3 Chapter 78

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Volume 3 Chapter 78: The End (End)

Compared to the evident weakness in Li Xuhan’s expression and tone when he had just regained consciousness, Li Xuhan seemed more spirited at this moment, although still supported by Zhang Hualing. His complexion had become noticeably rosier. Yet, combined with the alarming wound on his chest and the blood still oozing out, it was an undeniably eerie sight.

Zhang Xusheng’s ability to survive without a heart is due to having fused countless vengeful souls and vital blood of mortals and cultivators within his body. As long as these souls and blood remained, Zhang Xusheng would remain immortal. However, it was unclear how Li Xuhan could still survive without his heart and without practicing Zhang Xusheng’s malevolent techniques.

Although Venerable Deaf Mute Blind was puzzled by Li Xuhan’s unusual condition, his embarrassment from failing to capture Zhang Xusheng and the sensitive nature of Jiuhua’s secret techniques restrained him from asking further questions. Instead, he bowed deeply to Li Xuhan and Zhang Hualing and apologized, saying, "This time, Zhang Xusheng’s escape has implicated Layman Li and Sect Master Zhang disproportionately because of me. Not only did I fail to join forces with you to eliminate Zhang Xusheng, but I also caused you considerable concern during the operation. I apologize for failing to live up to your trust."

The voice sounded hoarse and indistinct, as if it hadn’t spoken in a long time.

Hearing Venerable Deaf Mute Blind’s voice and looking at his face as he spoke, both Li Xuhan and Zhang Hualing, as well as the five brothers from Xuanwuxing, were full of astonishment.

Previously, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind could make sounds because he used his internal Spirit Qi to trigger the vibration of the world’s Spirit Qi, simulating a voice with the vibration. But now, when he apologized to Li Xuhan and Zhang Hualing, the sound came directly from his throat.

Everyone was initially surprised that Venerable Deaf Mute Blind wasn’t truly mute, which was different from legends. But upon reconsideration, they understood the reason, and their surprise grew.

It turns out, Penance Valley has a mystical technique called "A Prophecy Comes True," which claims that "once a word is spoken, heaven will respond." Its effects are similar to Jiuhua Mountain’s "Substitute for Heaven," but its mysterious nature is even more profound. However, to master it, one must first practice a "Closed Mouth Zen" for 1,300 years, making it even harder than "Substitute for Heaven." Only those with great willpower and wisdom can learn it.

Since Venerable Deaf Mute Blind is not mute yet has not spoken for millennia, the only possibility is that he is practicing the extraordinary art of "A Prophecy Comes True."

Indeed, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind has been practicing "A Prophecy Comes True" and has adhered to the "Closed Mouth Zen" for years. This time, feeling too guilty towards Jiuhua Mountain, he chose not to use Spirit Qi vibrations but apologized to Li Xuhan and others with his own voice, showing the sincerity of his apology. However, breaking his silence like this might diminish his past thousand years of "Closed Mouth Zen" practice.

Seeing Venerable Deaf Mute Blind’s action, Li Xuhan and Zhang Xusheng could no longer blame him. They just sighed softly, bowed to Venerable Deaf Mute Blind in return, but said nothing more. Jiuhua Mountain had suffered significant losses, and they had no heart for pleasantries.

Seeing Li Xuhan and Zhang Hualing’s silence, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind understood their thoughts, his expression dimming slightly as he continued, "This great loss to Jiuhua Mountain is not unrelated to my Penance Valley. Layman Li and Sect Master Zhang, rest assured that within the next millennium, should Jiuhua Mountain face any calamity, my Penance Valley will certainly come to its aid with full strength."

Although every decision in Penance Valley is made collectively by all the cultivators, the words of Venerable Deaf Mute Blind unquestionably represent the stance of Penance Valley. With the strength of Penance Valley, no other sect would dare to take advantage of Jiuhua Mountain in the short term.

So, upon hearing Venerable Deaf Mute Blind speak thus, Li Xuhan and Zhang Hualing both felt slightly relieved and bowed in gratitude towards Venerable Deaf Mute Blind, saying, "Thank you very much, Venerable One."

Venerable Deaf Mute Blind hurriedly replied, "No need, just glad that you two taoist friends bear no grudge against this old one."

Then Venerable Deaf Mute Blind recounted to Li Xuhan and Zhang Hualing the incident of the purple figure saving Zhang Xusheng. However, neither Li Xuhan nor Zhang Hualing could think of any Mahayana Stage master in the cultivation world who shared such traits and would risk offending Jiuhua Mountain and Penance Valley to aid Zhang Xusheng.

After discussing without reaching a conclusion, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind added, "The matter regarding Zhang Xusheng is strangely complicated and closely linked to Penance Valley. Delaying may lead to changes, so I must not linger any longer and will head back to Penance Valley now. I leave things here in the care of you two taoist friends."

Li Xuhan, knowing Venerable Deaf Mute Blind was eager to return to Penance Valley to identify those cultivators who betrayed Zhang Xusheng, still said, "I’m afraid we need to keep Venerable One a bit longer. Cultivators from various sects are about to arrive at Jiuhua Mountain to hold us accountable for the Huandao Island incident. We may need Venerable One to prove our innocence, as I alone might find it hard to explain and convince them."

Hearing Li Xuhan’s words, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind did not hesitate, nodded, and said, "Very well. Many of the cultivators from Penance Valley who presided over the Newcomer Competition on Huandao Island might have issues. Staying here, I’m not afraid of them escaping."

Li Xuhan smiled slightly at Venerable Deaf Mute Blind’s words, gesturing with a wave, and said to Venerable Deaf Mute Blind, "The young ones might take an incense stick’s time to arrive. Let’s wait for them here at Jiuhua Mountain."

Deaf Mute Blind nodded but did not move, causing Zhang Hualing and Xuanwuxing, who were ready to head deeper into Jiuhua Mountain, to pause slightly in surprise.

Li Xuhan and Venerable Deaf Mute Blind both looked up at the sky, and Li Xuhan loudly said, "Dear Taoist friends, since you’re all here, why not come to Jiuhua Mountain for a visit?"

Although Li Xuhan spoke to the sky, the rare clear skies of Jiuhua showed no signs of any figures.

However, as Li Xuhan’s voice faded, several ancient and unrefined voices followed one after another.

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Taoist friend. I was merely here out of curiosity, and since there’s nothing else, I shall return to my quiet cultivation."

"Thank you for the invitation, Taoist friend, but I prefer the solitude of the mountains."

"I have urgent matters to attend to, so I won’t linger."

…

Zhang Hualing and Xuanwuxing understood that those to whom Li Xuhan and Venerable Deaf Mute Blind extended such a courteous invitation must be Grandmasters of the Mahayana Stage, even though they remained unseen in the sky. The recent clash between Li Xuhan, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind, and Zhang Xusheng must have startled many Grandmasters in seclusion.

In the end, only two Grandmasters stayed behind, one being a tall, rugged-looking middle-aged man with a face full of beard, and the other an elderly woman with ordinary looks but a kind demeanor.

"Jiuhua Mountain suffered a rare catastrophe like never before. The houses and scenery were almost completely destroyed. If there were any shortcomings in hospitality, I ask for the forgiveness of my Taoist friends."

Li Xuhan led the three master-level experts to Jiuhua Mountain, apologetically saying.

But as Li Xuhan spoke, his eyes kept flickering, leaving one to wonder what he was thinking about.

Meanwhile, the Five Holy Lands, alongside Liuhe Gate, Bahuang Point, and dozens of other sects in the cultivation world, from sect leaders and elders to ordinary disciples, thousands of cultivators were marching towards Jiuhua Mountain. Their expressions were either excited or puzzled, all ready to eradicate what they called the "tumor" of the cultivation world.

…

At the waist of Jiuhua Mountain, the wind ceased and the clouds dispersed, revealing the stars gradually.

Watching as Elder Jiuhua unceremoniously took Bai Qingfu and Wang Qingjun away, Xu Qingfan, who was supposed to be a mortal enemy with them, couldn’t help but feel an urge to sigh at their helpless looks.

After being fed a few spiritual pills and guided by a Jiuhua elder to circulate Spirit Qi for several cycles, Xu Qingfan found that the stuffiness in his chest and abdomen had eased significantly, and the flow of Spirit Qi within him had become much smoother, knowing that his internal injuries had temporarily been suppressed.

Though his internal injuries were suppressed, the battle ceased, and the noise returned to calm, Xu Qingfan’s mood only became more confused.

Zhantai, Island Ring, Eight Great Sects, Feng Qingtian, Huang Xie, Gong Qingya, Jiuhua Mountain, Nangong Qingshan, Bai Qingfu, Wang Qingjun…

All of this, from the very beginning to now, has only been less than ten days, yet Xu Qingfan feels as if these events encompass his entire past ten years. So many twists and turns, so many dangers, so many brushes with life and death, that it’s difficult to express all at once. Even if he wanted to speak about it, there are no words or language in the world that can perfectly convey it.

When Bai Qingfu disappeared from Xu Qingfan’s sight, led away by an elder from Jiuhua, Xu Qingfan couldn’t help but sigh softly, shaking his head to dispel the strange emotions, then he stood up, bowed respectfully to the Jiuhua elder who had helped heal him, and said, "Thank you, Martial Uncle, for your assistance."

The elder from Jiuhua Mountain was clearly in a terrible mood, unaware if other Jiuhua elders had ever taken the "Sky Spiritual Pill." He simply patted Xu Qingfan’s shoulder lightly, said "Well done," and then turned to attend to the next wounded Jiuhua disciple.

Xu Qingfan looked around, searching for his comrades who had fought alongside him. Jin Qinghan, Lv Qingshang, Feng Qingtian, Li Yuhan, Sheng Yushan. He noticed that Feng Qingtian, Li Yuhan, and Sheng Yushan, having lighter injuries, were already healed, and Jin Qinghan and Lv Qingshang finished their healing at the same time as Xu Qingfan.

Seeing Xu Qingfan stand up, Jin Qinghan and the other four walked towards him.

Jin Qinghan and the other four, along with Xu Qingfan himself, could be considered the essence of the younger generation of Jiuhua Mountain disciples. During this calamity at Jiuhua Mountain, thousands of Jiuhua disciples gathered in front of Linghua Hall to fight the low-level demons under Zhang Xusheng’s command, yet it was these six who stole the spotlight.

But Xu Qingfan knew that fundamentally, these so-called elite disciples were no different from the ordinary ones, that no matter how hard they fought, their victories or defeats would not alter the larger situation. Rather than fighting for Jiuhua, it was more accurate to say they were fighting for their own temporary survival.

No matter how large an ant may be, in essence, it is still an ant.

Destiny could not be controlled by oneself, and Xu Qingfan hated this feeling of helplessness.

Reflecting on the twists and turns of recent days, the desire to become stronger surged within Xu Qingfan more intensely than ever.

If Xu Qingfan wanted to become stronger in the past out of defiance against Lu Huayan’s judgment and a longing for immortality, now his reason was to protect himself and everyone he cared about.

As he was deep in thought, Jin Qinghan and the others approached Xu Qingfan. Jin Qinghan was the first to ask, "Senior Brother Xu, have your internal injuries improved?"

Xu Qingfan nodded with a smile and said, "Thank you for your concern, I’m feeling much better now."

Once it was confirmed that Xu Qingfan’s injuries had improved, Feng Qingtian said nothing and flew higher up Jiuhua Mountain, towards the direction of the Feng family’s old residence, one of the few places that remained undamaged during the Jiuhua disaster.

Although Feng Qingtian’s attitude seemed indifferent, Xu Qingfan knew that for Feng Qingtian, patiently waiting for him to finish healing was already a sign of significant concern, so he didn’t mind and even felt a bit secretly pleased.

Jin Qinghan silently watched Feng Qingtian’s departing figure with a complex expression. Over the years, he had trained tirelessly to surpass Feng Qingtian, a dedication that even Xu Qingfan, who knew him well, only understood a fraction of. But after Feng Qingtian’s transformation, Jin Qinghan realized the gap between them had widened further, leaving him feeling not only defiant but also a bit bitter.

Lv Qingshang, on the other hand, apologized to Xu Qingfan, saying, "Dear junior brothers, I’m relieved that you are alright. However, I must return to my master now. Let’s stay in touch."

Without waiting for a response, Lv Qingshang quickly flew towards Jiuhua Mountain.

Lv Qingshang’s mentor was none other than Elder Hou, the guardian elder of Jiuhua Mountain, whose status was just below Zhang Hualing and Zhou Huahai. Previously, Elder Hou was controlled by Zhou Huahai using the "Mind Taking Technique" to control the "Nine Pole Array," leading to significant damage to his mind. Even after being freed, it was uncertain if he could recover.

Since learning about his mentor’s condition, Lv Qingshang had been extremely anxious, but due to the dangerous situation they were facing, he kept his emotions in check to avoid affecting others. Now that the situation at Jiuhua Mountain had eased, Lv Qingshang could no longer hold back his worry. After treating his injuries and greeting everyone, he hurried to find his mentor.

After seeing Lv Qingshang and Feng Qingtian leave one after the other, Li Yuhan and Sheng Yushan forced a faint smile at Xu Qingfan and awkwardly stood there, not knowing what to say.

Their position was extremely awkward because their ancestral master, Zhou Huahai, was leading the chaos, and most of their fellow disciples had joined the rebellion. For various reasons, however, they stood on Zhang Hualing’s side, which left them with mixed feelings.

More concerning to them was their master, Bao Qingfang. They were unsure if Bao Qingfang had joined the rebellion. If he had, their position would become even more awkward because they couldn’t imagine how to face their master and fellow disciples in the future.

Originally, the two of them were the undisputed leaders among the "Yu" generation disciples of Jiuhua Mountain and should have been assisting Elder Jiuhua in stabilizing the situation. However, due to their awkward position, they dared not participate at all.

Seeing the trace of helplessness beneath Li Yuhan’s forced smile, Xu Qingfan sighed softly in his heart, instantly understanding what Li Yuhan was thinking.

Before the battle with Bai Qingfu, he mocked Zhou Huahai for never having taken a true disciple, which undoubtedly included Bao Qingfang. Since Bai Qingfu was Zhang Xusheng’s spy, Bao Qingfang’s identity was in question. Li Yuhan was clearly tormented by this thought.

Watching his former companions all frowning, anxious about their own thoughts and ideas, Xu Qingfan sighed inwardly once more, then forced a slight smile on his face and said, "Everyone, even though the demons have been defeated, the front of the mountain is still in chaos. How about everyone comes to my cave in the back mountain to rest and recuperate?"

With the agreement of the three, Xu Qingfan led the way flying towards the back mountain, as the peaceful expression of Ting’er in slumber unexpectedly flashed in his mind.

…

Several miles to the east of Jiuhua Mountain, a vast cloud, spreading for miles as if it could cover the sky and block out the sun, was racing towards Jiuhua Mountain.

On the cloud stood thousands of cultivators, some with flowing white hair looking like immortals, others young and eager, as if half of the cultivation world had gathered here. They were the major sects rushing from Zhantai to Jiuhua Mountain to hold it accountable.

Among them, Qinglingzi, the sect leader of "Qingxu Gate", Master Xu Heng, the abbot of "Mercy Cloud Temple", and Zeng Lianxian, the sect master of "Five Elements Sect", stood silently at the forefront.

In their eyes, the affair on Huandao Island seemed filled with oddities, and since Zhang Hualing was known for being cautious, they suspected someone had framed him. But it was unexpected that Zhou Huahai and others left by Zhang Hualing at Zhantai would admit at the crucial moment that Jiuhua Mountain was responsible, catching the three by surprise.

Initially, they had no intention of using this matter to deal with Jiuhua Mountain, as a weakened Jiuhua Mountain was of no benefit to them. Only someone like Li Tianying, on the verge of Qi deviation, would act on impulse without considering if it truly benefited them.

However, since Zhou Huahai, Jiuhua Mountain’s Supreme Protector, confessed that the affair on Huandao Island was their doing, they couldn’t remain indifferent and had to gather the cultivators from Zhantai to head to Jiuhua Mountain. Despite this, they were puzzled by the actions of Jiuhua Mountain and Zhou Huahai, harboring a vague feeling of being manipulated.

Beside the three Holy Land sect leaders stood Sect Master Taoist Jiuze of the "Six Harmonies" and Grand Hall Master Man Tian of the "Eight Wilderness Hall." Their expressions appeared calm, but a closer look would reveal the deep joy they felt inside.

For both of them, they didn’t care whether Jiuhua Mountain was framed or not. As long as Jiuhua Mountain suffered losses, their sects would benefit, so they didn’t bother to consider if something was amiss.

Behind these major sect leaders stood "Zhou Huahai" and his disciple Bao Qingfang. Compared to "Zhou Huahai," who seemed slightly anxious, Bao Qingfang appeared much colder, as if he didn’t care about anything. The Jiuhua disciples behind them mostly looked confused and lost, as the recent events were hard for them to accept.

As for the other elders and ordinary disciples from various sects, they were either nervous or excited, not worth mentioning further.

In the distance, the majestic sight of Jiuhua Mountain gradually came into view, becoming clearer to everyone.

As the distance to Jiuhua Mountain lessened, "Zhou Huahai’s" expression grew more anxious, with cold sweat faintly appearing. Bao Qingfang, noticing "Zhou Huahai’s" demeanor, snorted coldly, a flicker of disdain passing through his eyes.

Finally, the cloud flew to the front of Jiuhua Mountain. According to what "Zhou Huahai" had said before, Zhang Hualing should have already escaped with all the Jiuhua Mountain cultivators to beyond the Eastern Sea. However, upon reaching the outside of Jiuhua Mountain, they clearly saw Zhang Hualing calmly standing there, his expression relaxed as if he had been waiting for them.

"Dear Taoist friends, didn’t you promise to give Jiuhua a month to investigate the details? Why have you come to Jiuhua Mountain in just a few days?"

Not even glancing at the now trembling "Zhou Huahai," Zhang Hualing instead looked over Bao Qingfang, who was staring coldly at him, then clasped his fists and addressed the gathered cultivators with calm composure.

"Hmph, Zhang Hualing, you old thief, stop pretending to be innocent. The Supreme Protector Zhou Huahai of Jiuhua Gate has already explained the whole situation to us. The incident on Huandao Island was entirely under your control. Now we have both witnesses and evidence. What more do you have to say?"

Before anyone else could respond to Zhang Hualing, Li Tianying, the Mistress of the White Lady Palace, pointed angrily at Zhang Hualing’s nose and shouted.

Facing Li Tianying’s rudeness, Zhang Hualing didn’t get angry. He simply gestured with his right hand and said to everyone, "Dear taoist friends, please come into Jiuhua Mountain. Inside, we have Serpent Crane Immortal, Fairy Xia, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind, and my master waiting for you."

Upon hearing Zhang Hualing’s words, the experienced cultivators present were all suddenly shocked. Serpent Crane Immortal and Fairy Xia were famous cultivators from the Shenzhou Continent, who had reached the Mahayana Stage a thousand years ago. Venerable Deaf Mute Blind was the oldest cultivator, having secluded himself in Penance Valley for over a thousand years. As for Zhang Hualing’s master, Li Xuhan, it was said he passed away five hundred years ago but was a legend in his time. Zhang Hualing’s claim he hadn’t died suggested that previous reports of Li Xuhan’s death were just a Jiuhua Mountain mystery.

Now, could it be true that these four Mahayana Stage experts had gathered at Jiuhua Mountain? If so, what purposes could they have? Could it be related to the changes on Huandao Island?

Seeing Zhang Hualing’s calm expression, Qinglingzi, Master Xu Heng, and Zeng Lianxian grew even more puzzled, while any initial look of joy on Man Tian and Taoist Jiuze’s faces disappeared instantly. On the other hand, Zhou Huahai, the three Jiuhua elders, and some Penance Valley cultivators couldn’t help but display signs of panic.

…

An hour later.

The sky over Jiuhua was completely dark, starlight scattered across the entire sky, and the moon was as cool as water.

Li Xuhan and Zhang Hualing stood outside Jiuhua Mountain, watching as the cultivators from various sects departed.

An hour ago, when the sects’ cultivators entered Jiuhua Mountain, they were shocked to see the ruins and the numerous bodies scattered everywhere. The presence of the strange monster-like corpses made the situation appear even more complicated.

After the sect leaders gathered in Linghua Hall, they saw the four Mahayana Stage master cultivators and heard their testimony. Coupled with the sight of the real Zhou Huahai, the sect leaders finally confirmed that the affair on Huandao Island was not caused by Jiuhua Mountain. Although some, like Taoist Jiuze, Man Tian, and Li Tianying, were unwilling to accept this outcome, they did not dare to doubt it in front of the four masters.

Thus, Jiuhua Mountain’s reputation was restored, and it regained the "Xuanwu Token" that symbolized its status as a Holy Land. Venerable Deaf Mute Blind also publicly declared his support for Jiuhua Mountain. Whether the Snake-Crane Real and Mistress Xia share the same firm support for Jiuhua Mountain as Venerable Deaf Mute Blind was unclear, but the sects that intended to take advantage of Jiuhua Mountain’s weakened state put a hold on their plans for now.

What caught Zhang Hualing and Li Xuhan’s attention was two other events. First, Venerable Deaf Mute Blind immobilized all the Penance Valley cultivators present to identify any traitors who might have sided with Zhang Xusheng and participated in the Huandao Island incident.

The other matter involved a fake Zhou Huahai and Bao Qingfang. The impersonator, a Jiuhua elder missing for years, had either sided with Zhou Huahai or Zhang Xusheng and underwent surgery by Zhang Xusheng to resemble Zhou Huahai. However, his abilities were far weaker than Zhou Huahai’s, so Zhang Xusheng did something to him that greatly amplified his power for a short period. Unfortunately, this led to a rapid decline in his vitality, and he turned into a skeleton in front of everyone shortly after returning to Jiuhua Mountain, creating an eerie scene.

Bao Qingfang, like Bai Qingfu, was one of Zhang Xusheng’s demonic followers. Initially, Bao Qingfang didn’t have much talent, and his strength was always quite weak. But later, he fell under Zhang Xusheng’s influence and was transformed into a high-level demon, far stronger than the Four Great Snake Guard. From then on, he remained utterly loyal to Zhang Xusheng.

When questioned by the sect leaders, unlike the timid fake Zhou Huahai and the two Jiuhua elders, Bao Qingfang, upon learning of Zhang Xusheng’s safe escape, committed suicide in front of everyone.

As the silhouettes of the cultivators from the various sects vanished from view, Zhang Hualing sighed softly, and his previously calm demeanor turned weary and worried.

"What are you worried about?"

Seeing the change in Zhang Hualing’s expression, Li Xuhan turned and asked casually.

Zhang Hualing said, "Master, after this great disaster, Jiuhua’s strength has suffered greatly. I’m afraid if Zhang Xusheng attacks again, Jiuhua won’t be able to resist. Although Venerable Deaf Mute Blind assured us, we can only protect ourselves for so long. With Jiuhua so weakened, it’s hard to withstand Zhang Xusheng, and even harder to keep our place against Liuhe Gate and Eight Wilderness Hall."

Li Xuhan shook his head gently, replying softly, "There’s no need for concern about that. While Zhang Xusheng is powerful, he won’t attack for a few hundred years. Did you think I would let him regain his heart so easily? I know his strength well, and even combined with Venerable Deaf Mute Blind, defeating him could be unlikely. With this in mind, I’ve taken measures with his heart. If it merges within him, he won’t regain his energy for hundreds of years."

After saying this, Li Xuhan seemed a bit tired, pausing to catch his breath before continuing, "As for the threats from Liuhe Gate and Eight Wilderness Hall, you shouldn’t worry. Seeing the four grand masters gather at Jiuhua Mountain, they won’t act rashly without knowing their ties with Jiuhua Mountain. Moreover, if my expectations are correct, the White Lady Palace will soon decline, likely distracting those two, making them forget about Jiuhua."

Hearing Li Xuhan’s words, a hint of joy flashed in Zhang Hualing’s eyes, filled with admiration. He didn’t anticipate Li Xuhan’s foresight, predicting everything, from Zhang Xusheng’s plot to how Jiuhua’s weakened state could intimidate other sects. If Zhang Xusheng hadn’t released his aura, attracting other Mahayana Stage masters to Jiuhua Mountain, Li Xuhan would have acted this way, intimidating other sects afterward.

Though Zhang Hualing prided himself on his intelligence, he couldn’t help but admire Li Xuhan’s plans, feeling inferior.

But seeing the shocking wound on Li Xuhan’s chest, Zhang Hualing’s joy turned to concern, anxiously asking, "But Master, your injury…"

Li Xuhan shook his head, saying calmly, "It’s fine. I’ve used the ‘Soul Annihilation Technique,’ and have nearly a hundred years left, so you needn’t worry."

Upon hearing Li Xuhan say this, Zhang Hualing was slightly shaken, wanting to speak but ultimately remaining silent.

The "Soul Annihilation Technique" exchanges one’s life at the cost of slowly corroding the cultivator’s soul. No matter what injury the cultivator suffers, they can survive. However, once this technique is used, when the cultivator dies, their soul shatters and is irretrievably lost, unlike other cultivators whose souls enter reincarnation. Even while alive, they endure constant soul-tearing pain. It is the most cruel and costly of all techniques for the user. Li Xuhan used this technique to protect Jiuhua Mountain for a little longer.

Seeing Li Xuhan’s seemingly calm face, Zhang Hualing’s heart grew heavier.