After the black bird ate the golden light from Qin Suyun’s soul, Qin Suyun remained unconscious for a long time.

Chu Xinghui and Xie Liufeng waited for two days. When they saw that he still showed no signs of waking, they temporarily handed him over to Fang Yan and set off for Changyang Mountain.

The scenery in Changyang Mountain was much the same as it had been in their memories.

The only notable change was that since Xie Liufeng had destroyed all the vicious blades last time, the environment in Changyang Mountain had improved significantly, and the spiritual energy density had gradually increased.

It was winter, and the vegetation in the mountains had withered, presenting a desolate scene.

Chu Xinghui pulled out the map he had prepared earlier, and, at the same time, released the black bird that he had brought along, letting it scout ahead.

However, after finding its true form, the black bird clearly had no interest in this somewhat ordinary forest. Every time it scouted ahead, it looked listless, only becoming lively when chasing wild dogs or rabbits.

The two of them wandered around the mountain for half a month. Aside from encountering a few groups of formation cultivators mining spiritual sand, they still found nothing.

In the end, they returned to the cave where the vicious blades had been sealed.

After they left the last time, many cultivators who came to Changyang Mountain had noticed something unusual and came to investigate. There were many chaotic footprints on the ground, and some inconsiderate cultivators even left trash behind.

But clearly, the place was now empty, and nothing remained.

Chu Xinghui found the half-broken stone tablet amid the abandoned items.

This thing was just a piece of ordinary stone, useless, and it took up space, so no cultivator wanted to take it away.

[…Tempted by profit… Fate book… Deeply feeling the weight of their sins, thus collecting 9,999 vicious blades and seeking this divine sword, to seal it here, hoping to eliminate the killing intent and slightly alleviate their sins…]

Xie Liufeng read the words again.

When they came last time, they hadn’t experienced so much, so he hadn’t paid much attention to the meaning of these words.

The “Fate Book” had appeared in this realm a long time ago. Though it only resurfaced five hundred years ago, in the era when the Taoist Fu Guan was active, even if few knew the details of the “Fate Book,” people had still heard of the term “Fate Book.”

He briefly guessed based on the context: “The original owner here was tempted by profit and made mistakes, but through some channel, saw their bad fate in the Fate Book, so they chose to collect vicious blades to alleviate their sins?”

This sounded like the logic of an ordinary person who had used the Fate Book.

But recalling that this time Yue Yao had specifically asked them to bring a token from Bihai Taohua Island, Chu Xinghui thought it could be more sinister: “Maybe they were tempted by profit and sold the Fate Book to the Upper Realm.”

Xie Liufeng: “…”

It seemed his thinking wasn’t devious enough.

The two exchanged a glance and both felt that guessing randomly about a few lines of text wasn’t very clever.

At any rate, Chu Xinghui still put the stone tablet away.

Although the meaning of the words wasn’t clear, the inscription on the stone was handwritten.

It had been years, and the chance of finding the exact owner based on handwriting was slim. Moreover, the original owner of this place might not have had anything to do with the Fate Book. They could be an ordinary passerby who had seen their tragic fate through the Fate Book… but it wouldn’t hurt to keep it.

After all, this was their only seemingly useful find after wandering around for nearly half a month.

After putting away the stone tablet, the two of them turned around the cave again.

But since Xie Liufeng had cleaned the place thoroughly, the cave was now empty.

With nothing useful left, they had no choice but to leave the cave again.

As they walked, Chu Xinghui suddenly stopped.

He recalled something from the past: “This place…”

Xie Liufeng, walking behind him and absentmindedly playing with his hair, raised his head when he heard his voice.

He felt this place looked familiar but couldn’t see anything particularly special. He asked Chu Xinghui: “What’s wrong with this place?”

Chu Xinghui’s gaze darkened as he looked at him: “You tricked me into coming here before, to fight the black mist.”

Xie Liufeng also remembered.

He struck a weak pose and smiled at Chu Xinghui: “What’s the matter, little Immortal Master, bringing up old accounts?”

Chu Xinghui: “…”

He hadn’t decided whether to bring up the old account, but suddenly his expression turned serious, and he quickly changed the topic: “There’s another problem.”

Xie Liufeng thought he had discovered something and became serious as well: “Hmm?”

Chu Xinghui closed his eyes for a moment, and spiritual energy began to surge around him: “I’m about to break through, to the Nascent Soul stage.”

It was unclear whether it was because of revisiting the place or some sudden realization.

After all, breakthroughs were mysterious moments, and not every one had a logical reason.

*

The breakthrough couldn’t be delayed.

Xie Liufeng, bringing Chu Xinghui back, placed him in the cave they had used during his last breakthrough to the Golden Core stage.

Chu Xinghui was in a hurry to break through, so Xie Liufeng didn’t say much but simply told him: “I’ll be guarding outside, don’t worry about anything.”

Chu Xinghui stuck his head out from the door and seriously reminded him: “Wait for me.”

Xie Liufeng rubbed his head and responded: “Alright.”

Only then did Chu Xinghui obediently enter the cave.

Seeing that Chu Xinghui had entered, Xie Liufeng was about to seal the cave’s restriction when he saw Chu Xinghui quickly run out again.

Xie Liufeng thought he had forgotten something: “What’s wrong…?”

Chu Xinghui didn’t say anything. He quickly grabbed Xie Liufeng, kissed him on the cheek in a hurry, then turned back into the cave, finally satisfied.

Xie Liufeng couldn’t help but laugh.

He found a nearby spot to sit down and began protecting his partner’s breakthrough.

Chu Xinghui’s breakthrough proceeded smoothly.

The spiritual energy within him had long been sufficient, he had only been waiting for an opportunity. Now that the opportunity had arrived, the abundant spiritual energy quickly shattered the golden core in his dantian and formed a small Nascent Soul.

Dark clouds slowly gathered around the cave.

Chu Xinghui faintly heard the sound of thunder.

He suddenly remembered something crucial during his breakthrough.

The Nascent Soul breakthrough would come with a heavenly tribulation.

This cave was considered a property. He would be heartbroken if it got struck by lightning.

With that thought, Chu Xinghui immediately stood up and swiftly darted out of the cave.

Xie Liufeng, guarding outside, watched in confusion as his partner, halfway through his breakthrough, suddenly ran off. He froze for a moment, then quickly followed him.

Chu Xinghui stopped on a flat, open space nearby.

At the same time, the thunderstorm that had been brewing in the air finally descended.

The first ten bolts were relatively simple.

When the twentieth bolt came, Chu Xinghui began to feel pain.

By the time the thirtieth bolt struck, Chu Xinghui felt as though his whole body was filled with the burnt smell of charred flesh.

His bones felt as though they had been torn apart by the tribulation lightning, and his meridians and flesh were filled with the electric light left behind by the lightning.

… Finally, after the forty-ninth bolt of lightning, Chu Xinghui felt a sense of lightness.

The remaining power of the lightning began to slowly repair his body and widen his meridians.

The tribulation clouds in the air slowly dispersed.

Chu Xinghui sat cross-legged, continuing to use the residual power of the lightning to temper his entire body.

He immersed himself in cultivation, not letting his guard down.

After all, his trial with his inner demons was not yet over.

Soon, he found himself standing before an illusory door.

Chu Xinghui had already gone through this inner demon trial once before during a previous breakthrough, so he was very familiar with the feeling.

Just like last time, this door held no allure for him. He didn’t feel the slightest temptation or the pull of his inner demons trying to confuse his mind.

Since he was pressed for time, he didn’t plan to open the door. He turned around and tried to leave.

He walked out of the area where the inner demon trial was taking place, and when he opened his eyes again, he expected to find himself back in his body, having successfully completed the breakthrough.

Chu Xinghui opened his eyes—

The surroundings were a misty blur, with nothing recognizable in sight… He had not returned to his body. Instead, he was still in an illusory space.

Something was off.

Chu Xinghui immediately became alert.

He closed his eyes and tried to connect with his body.

As expected… he couldn’t reach his body.

Chu Xinghui didn’t act rashly. He extended his divine sense and circled the misty surroundings.

It seemed like there was something hidden within the mist.

Then, he heard a familiar bird call.

Chu Xinghui looked down and saw the black bird hopping around at his feet, trying to get his attention.

The black bird looked perfectly normal, almost lifelike, and it felt out of place in the eerie scene.

When it saw him looking, the black bird flapped its wings and chirped.

He bent down, grabbed its wings, and lifted the bird, confirming something.

This place was definitely not the inner demon realm during his Nascent Soul breakthrough.

His inner demon could not possibly be a bird.

The black bird, feeling uncomfortable, struggled to free itself from Chu Xinghui’s grasp and stood on his hand, spitting something out.

Chu Xinghui caught what it had spat out.

— A white jade fan pendant.

The token that Yue Yao had specifically asked him to bring, from Bihai Taohua Island.

The pendant was faintly glowing, seemingly resonating with something.

Chu Xinghui thought for a moment, then walked a few steps in different directions.

The light from the pendant changed with each shift, dimming and brightening. When he walked in a particular direction, the light from the pendant suddenly became extremely bright.

Chu Xinghui gripped the pendant and looked toward the direction where the light had intensified.

He roughly understood what was happening now.

No wonder they had searched Changyang Mountain for so long and found nothing.

Because the place they were looking for… didn’t exist in the real world, but was in a space that only the soul could access.

Chu Xinghui didn’t immediately follow the pendant’s guidance. He first grabbed the black bird’s wings and lifted it again.

He spoke to the bird: “Can you transform into your true form?”

After all, for a sword cultivator, having a sword in hand was crucial.

The black bird tilted its head, understanding his request, and transformed into a sword identical to its true form.

Chu Xinghui reached out and grasped the familiar hilt, feeling a sense of security settle in his heart.

He began walking toward the direction the pendant indicated.

Sitting and waiting was not an option. It was better to see what lay ahead.

*

At the same time, Xie Liufeng was still guarding Chu Xinghui’s body.

After the thunder tribulation ended, Chu Xinghui stood motionless in place.

Xie Liufeng knew that after the thunder tribulation, there would still be the inner demon trial, and that cultivators were particularly vulnerable during a breakthrough. Any external interference could potentially lead to failure.

He didn’t disturb Chu Xinghui, instead choosing a spot not too far from him to keep watch.

He waited for a long time, and when he estimated the time was about right, but Chu Xinghui still showed no signs of waking up, Xie Liufeng sensed something was wrong. He quickly walked over to check on Chu Xinghui.

Chu Xinghui’s breakthrough was already complete. Apart from his outer robes being slightly tattered from the lightning, his meridians were wide, his spiritual power was flowing smoothly, and his Nascent Soul was flawless.

But Chu Xinghui was missing.

His body was still there, but his soul was gone.

 

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