CH 66

“He’s Grandmaster QianQiu!” 

Outside of the secret realm, someone in the crowd suddenly exclaimed with a shout. 

The mirror near that desert oasis was not damaged. As a result, everyone in LingXiao Gates right now were able to see the scene occurring inside the secret realm.

—Feng Ci drawing that peerless Divine Weapon from the void.

—The QianQiu Sword.

Sitting upright in one of the seats for the Six Sect Leaders, Wen HuaiYu stared unblinkingly at the image present in the mirror, not saying a word amidst the surrounding cacophony. 

He had already experienced Grandmaster QianQiu’s strength back then on LinXian Terrace. However, at that time, Feng Ci had only broken off some random branch casually and obtained victory with a wave of his hand.

At this moment, he had drawn his true weapon; just how much stronger was he now?

Inside the mirror, the powerful spirit energy swept up the wind and sand, twisting into a tornado that rushed straight into the sky. Every swing of the sword from the young man seemed to carry the strength of ten thousand volts of thunder and lightning. That pure and refined sword aura was like molten golden flames, practically engulfing the two figures completely.

That was the true strength of the Saint Sovereign who had saved the world.

The power that single-handedly exterminated the demonic(魔) forces 3000 years ago. 

No one can escape under this kind of sword aura. This was the thought inside Wen HuaiYu’s head. The hundreds of cultivators present also felt exactly the same way.

However.

Facing such a powerful offensive attack, the young man in white actually didn’t even dodge or evade. Colliding with the overwhelming molten flames, he also brandished a sword. 

Boom—

“—What is that?!”

“That murderer, he’s actually holding……”

“That’s…… That’s also the QianQiu Sword!” 

Two QianQiu Swords.

The same limitless Divine strength. The same swordsmanship techniques. Even…… an extremely similar presence.

“A puppet.” Wen HuaiYu said coolly.

“That’s right. It’s a puppet.” A voice spoke up from below the high platform. 

Everyone turned their heads to look over. The WanFa Pavilion Master, YuChi Chu, finally arrived belatedly. Wen HuaiYu got up: “Pavilion Master YuChi, you… this… What exactly happened to you here?”

YuChi Chu’s complexion was extremely pale white. He sat in a wooden wheelchair. Elder Ji Yun stood behind him and was slowly pushing him in front of everyone.

“It was Xuan YangZi-Shixiong.” Ji Yun sighed and answered: “Xuan YangZi-Shixiong seemed to have altered something inside this magic realm. He was worried that Pavilion Master YuChi might notice. Therefore, he drugged Pavilion Master YuChi and knocked him out, trapping him in the back mountains.”

“……This Daoist Master spent quite the effort to rescue him just now.” 

“He even took away my legs!” YuChi Chu said indignantly.

Wen HuaiYu’s gaze shifted downward. It’s only now that he saw the pants dangling in front of YuChi Chu’s wheelchair were vacant; the prosthesis that were there originally have already vanished without a trace.

“……” Wen HuaiYu mumbled to himself: “Sect Leader Xuan YangZi, he……”

Wen HuaiYu was quite an intelligent person. As soon as Ji Yun spoke those words, he immediately guessed that this should be related to the peculiarities occurring inside the secret realm just now. First of all, the LangFeng City and LingXiao Gates Sect Leaders and disciples both entered the secret realm together. Yet right now, only Pei QianYue and Feng Ci appeared in the oasis; meanwhile Xuan YangZi and the LingXiao Gates disciples were nowhere in sight. 

Although it’s still unknown what had happened, most likely at this point, Xuan YangZi…… has already encountered misfortune.

However, Wen HuaiYu didn’t say anything about it and instead asked: “Pavilion Master YuChi, you mentioned puppet just now. Do you know some inside information here?”

YuChi Chu finally looked up towards the mirror.

“Look at that one, you guys. That’s also QianQiu, however, it’s QianQiu’s physical body, which has been turned into a puppet.” YuChi Chu said slowly: “That’s the criminal, who has been exterminating the cultivation sects in the last six months.” 

“What?” A cultivator exclaimed in shock within the crowd: “The criminal who’s been exterminating the cultivation sects is Grandmaster QianQiu?”

As soon as they finished speaking, they were smacked in the head by a piece of metal pulled out of YuChi Chu’s sleeve: “What the hell are you saying?! I already said it’s a puppet. The physical body, which is a puppet, is the true criminal! If you dare to disrespect the Grand Founder again, I’ll flay you alive!”

That person grudgingly shut up.

Wen HuaiYu then asked: “But who is the person secretly controlling Grandmaster QianQiu’s physical body? And why are they doing this?” 

YuChi Chu fell silent.

His eyes, which were hidden behind his monocle, flitted around all over as he mumbled: “Don’t know.”

Wen HuaiYu frowned skeptically.

“If you want to ask, go ask Pei QianYue.” YuChi Chu seemed almost impatient: “He only told me a few things because he needed my help. How the hell would I know all that?!” 

Eyebrow raising, Wen HuaiYu grasped the key point: “Help?”

YuChi Chu’s expression alleviated slightly, revealing a secretive smile.

He didn’t actually answer, but returned his gaze to the mirror. Under the glow of the dazzling spirit energy, his eyes shined faintly: “Just wait and see, you guys. The excitement has yet to come.” 

Inside the secret realm. 

Feng Ci swung his sword downwards. The blade of the QianQiu Sword sank deeply into the young man’s shoulder.

Bright red blood instantly poured out of the wound. The young man pushed back against Feng Ci’s sword, a slight surprise showing in his eyes: “Your physical body……”

Feng Ci ignored him.

Expression heavy like the water, he said softly: “This strike is for TianXuan Sect.” 

Feng Ci swiftly withdrew his sword and brandished it in the air again. His technique was cold and ruthless, but his expression was actually very calm and collected. There was even a trace of pity in his eyes: “…… QingYang Sect, WuChang Sect, the Endless Valley…… and HanShan Temple—”

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The young man’s appearance was in an unprecedented state of disarray. There was barely any intact skin on his body. His mangled and mutilated chest heaved heavily. As he breathed, he coughed up mouthfuls of fresh blood.

“How, how can this be…..” The young man said, panting.

They were clearly the same person. Even if Feng Ci had cleansed his current body and cultivated, completely merging it fully with his soul, he still shouldn’t be too much stronger in comparison. 

“Are you still unable to feel it?” Feng Ci’s face was also splattered with drops of blood. He was expressionless, but he seemed completely like a blood-soaked Asura: “It’s the departed spirits.”

“Because right now, this Venerable One is battling for the lives of all living beings, while you—”

“View the world as enemy, and thus, are forsaken by the world.”

“I’m not the one stopping you. It’s the 16 cultivation sects that died under your sword, the hundreds of innocent souls that you slaughtered.” 

The young man’s pupils constricted.

Feng Ci suddenly exerted force. The QianQiu sword drew an arc in the air and shoved the young man’s body back ruthlessly. The young man fell out of the sky, sending a monstrous wave of sand into the air as he left a bloody drag mark on the ground that was a dozen meters long. 

Most of the cultivators present were of the younger generation. Where would they have seen such a savage and brutal style of fighting? Even Meng ChangQing stood dumbfounded in place.

Until Feng Ci flew over and landed next to them. 

Feng Ci moved directly past him and said to Pei QianYue: “Take them to hide for a moment.”

After the battle just now, he naturally didn’t come out completely unscathed. The young man’s plain white robes were stained by a large spot of blood. It’s unclear if it belonged to himself or his enemy.

“Wait a minute. Why do we have to hide?” Meng ChangQing didn’t understand: “Aren’t you fighting for the lives of all living beings, unyielding and unstoppable in your advance?”

Feng Ci: “……” 

Feng Ci looked at Meng ChangQing with a complicated expression. The latter was utterly baffled: “Ah?”

“I made that up.” 

There was a bloody cut on Feng Ci’s forehead. The fresh blood flowed into his eyes. He wiped it away casually with his hand: “You don’t really believe there are some kind of departed spirits helping me right?”

Meng ChangQing: “Of course I believe it!” 

Feng Ci fell silent for a moment and shifted his gaze, not really wanting to explain this matter.

Pei QianYue raised his hand and wiped away the bloodstain around the tail of Feng Ci’s eyes for him. He said quietly: “It’s because the physical body sensed the heart of compassion and benevolence from its own soul that its convictions swayed.”

Although Feng Ci never talked about it, the Saint Sovereign QianQiu has never abandoned his heart, which felt compassion and benevolence for the fate of the world and all its living beings.

He cared more about the dawn of life more than anyone else in the world.  

The physical body’s compassion and benevolence had been forcibly erased by the Heavenly Principles’ commands. However, at this moment, under Feng Ci’s extreme fury and anguish, it rekindled once again. 

As a result, the puppet of the physical body was no longer a match for Feng Ci.

Because… between All Living Beings or the Will of Heaven, the real Saint Sovereign QianQiu will always choose the former.

The fine sand in the distance moved slightly. The young man slowly got up. He staggered over, step by step, the wounds on his body healing rapidly as he walked. 

Feng Ci took a quick step forward and smacked the ground with his palm: “Activate!”

A raging inferno started burning beneath the young man’s feet.

The young man’s body instantly ignited. A charred and rotten smell slowly permeated the air, but it still couldn’t stop the young man’s advancement.

Eyes reflecting the light of the blazing fire inside the magic array, Feng Ci calculated swiftly inside his head. 

The puppet had an immortal body. It’s very difficult to subdue it fully using normal methods. However, even the Heavenly Principles wasn’t completely without a weakness, much less a manufactured puppet.

There was an extremely simple way……

“Pei……” Feng Ci was just about to turn his head and call Pei QianYue when a slightly cold body suddenly pressed up against his back.

Pei QianYue embraced him from behind and asked quietly: “What do you want me to do?” 

Even under such an urgent situation, this embrace still made Feng Ci lose focus for a moment.

He closed his eyes, steadied his thoughts, and said rapidly: “Open the secret realm’s exit right now and take everyone out of here immediately. Then seal the secret realm from the outside—”

“What about you?” Pei QianYue interrupted him.

Feng Ci’s voice came to an abrupt stop. 

Pei QianYue said: “I won’t leave you here all by yourself.”

Feng Ci’s heart trembled briefly.

Shifting his gaze and no longer looking at Pei QianYue, Feng Ci said calmly: “I need to stay here to block him. You behave and bring the other cultivation disciples out of here first…..”

Pei QianYue gently grasped Feng Ci’s hands. 

The magic gathering in Feng Ci’s palms dissipated under Pei QianYue’s touch. In the distance, the flames that enveloped the young man’s body vanished. That scorched and charred skin returned to its original state at a speed that was visible to the naked eye.

“No need to be that complicated.” Pei QianYue said: “Didn’t Master want to know, what other plans I have in preparation?”

He straightened up and quietly recited an incantation.

Feng Ci has never heard of this incantation before, but he instantly pinpointed what it was. 

—The Art of Enchanted Mechanics.

Accompanying the recitation of this incantation, Feng Ci keenly heard the clear clicking sound of machinery. He raised his head and found the source of the sound very quickly.

It was actually from the puppet’s wrist.

From the tracking device that WanFa Pavilion prepared before they entered the secret realm. 

The puppet had entered the secret realm under the identity of a patrolling disciple. Naturally, he would possess such a thing as well. Not to mention, this tracking device can scout out the location of all the disciples testing inside the secret realm, making it easier for the puppet to find his targets.

As a result, it was logical for him to keep this item nearby.

But he never could have imagined that this item had other functions as well.

With the clicking sound of machinery, the shape of the tracking device on the young man’s wrist transformed swiftly. As if regenerating, a thin silver shell expanded, layer by layer, and enveloped half of the young man’s arm in an instant. 

The young man couldn’t get free. Raising the QianQiu Sword in his right hand, he actually wanted to chop this arm off directly.

Clang!

Another slender immortal sword, which was exactly the same in appearance, flew over and ruthlessly blocked off the sword in the young man’s hand.

Holding his sword, Feng Ci stared into those extremely familiar eyes up close and said quietly: “Time to end this.” 

He abruptly exerted force and flicked the other’s long sword into the air.

Simultaneously, more clicking sounds of machinery sounded in this oasis.

The tracking devices on all of the disciples’ wrists left, one after another. Transforming into pieces of silver, they flew towards the young man.

Those silver pieces lengthened, changed shape on their own, and fastened around the young man’s four limbs and neck, connecting to each other inseparately. 

Pei QianYue: “—Seal!”

The last piece fastened on top of the young man’s head, wrapping him up fully.

Feng Ci slowly landed.

The oasis was silent. 

Under the utter silence and stillness, Feng Ci looked up at the thing in the air. It was wrapped up so much like an iron barrel that it was impossible to discern any human shape. He asked incredulously: “……What the heck is that?”

Pei QianYue remained silent for a moment as well and said with a slight hint of uncertainty: “Pavilion Master YuChi seemed to have called it…… All-Restoration Device.”

“……” Feng Ci coughed softly: “Then that iron barrel, no I mean, All-Restoration Device… What is it used for?”

Pei QianYue said: “It removes the Heavenly Principles’ control on the physical body and allows it to return to its original state.” 

Feng Ci was somewhat surprised: “Can it really do that?”

“Theoretically speaking.” Pei QianYue said: “The puppet is actually being controlled mentally by some kind of technique, causing it to lose its natural instincts and only obey the orders of the magic user. As long as it’s possible to enter the depths of its consciousness and erase the traces of the spell that remain there, naturally the magic can be broken.”

Feng Ci noticed his wording: “Theoretically?”

Pei QianYue nodded: “Pavilion Master YuChi has already tested this item many times to ensure that it can eliminate the spell casted on puppets. However, there are still two areas of uncertainty.” 

“First, the power used to control Grandmaster QianQiu’s physical body is beyond the limits of human capacity. When creating this item, it was impossible to find something equally strong to test on. As such, no one knows how successful it will be in the end.”

“Secondly……”

Outside of the secret realm, the WanFa Pavilion Master, YuChi Chu, gazed at the mirror and said darkly: “This puppet has absorbed too much spirit energy.”

That spirit energy was stored inside the puppet’s body. In this kind of situation, it will become the last line of defense for the puppet. 

Sure enough, as soon he finished speaking, that originally calm device gradually started to stir.

The All-Restoration Device can temporarily block the flow of spirit energy and trap someone within it. However, it was only temporary. If it’s too slow at eliminating the magic placed within the depths of the puppet’s consciousness, this All-Restoration Device can’t last too long.

Over the oasis, the ground suddenly started to quake.

The earth’s surface collapsed, and hundreds of thick chains sprang out from deep beneath the sands, instantly binding the young man still enveloped inside that device securely.  

The fine sand rolled off, revealing the true appearance beneath the ground.

It was the golem soldiers that Pei QianYue had utilized during the Immortal Alliance rebellion.

Through the chains, waves of spirit energy funneled downwards, into the golem soldiers. Pei QianYue said: “The soldiers can absorb the spirit energy within the puppet’s body and conduct it into the ground with their bodies, returning the spirit energy back to the Heaven and Earth.”

“This is the true reason why I chose the Heavenly Spirit Ruins.”  

He had calculated every single step from the beginning.

In the air, the young man trapped by the device seemed to have sensed the loss of spirit energy and started to struggle frantically. However, under the double restraints of the device and the soldiers, his struggles were futile.

Feng Ci silently observed all of this. A moment later, he said exasperatedly: “It’s only been three months. How much did you do exactly……”

What happened to the agreement of behaving and not doing anything?! 

Pei QianYue gave a faint smile, but he very quickly curbed himself. Even though he had calculated everything extremely carefully, he still didn’t look very relaxed.

This scheme wasn’t actually foolproof.

Just like how YuChi Chu wasn’t certain if his device could fully erase the magic left behind by the Heavenly Principles, Pei QianYue was also not sure if his golem soldiers could completely draw out all of the spirit energy within the puppet’s body.

Feng Ci learned of the answer to this very quickly. 

Bang—

One of the chains finally couldn’t endure the conduction of such powerful spirit energy and snapped off in the middle.

Feng Ci’s expression fell.

Too difficult. 

The puppet’s body not only contained magic left behind by the Heavenly Principles, but also the spirit energy he absorbed from the cultivation world within the last 6 months. How could the spirit energy of hundreds of people’s cultivations be so easily withstood.

There was another bang from somewhere; another chain had snapped off.

However, before Feng Ci could react, a black shadow suddenly flashed by in front of him.

Pei QianYue moved past Feng Ci, jumped up, and grabbed the broken end of that chain. He was dragged along on the sand for a moment by the chain. Pulling out the Lone Shadow sword with his free hand, he stabbed it viciously into the ground. 

The spirit energy transmission was reconnected.

Waves of spirit energy struck the depths of Pei QianYue’s meridians like an electric current, feeling as if they were washing over all of his internal organs. Pei QianYue furrowed his brows, instantly tasting the sharp flavor of blood in his mouth.

A cultivator’s meridians were extremely fragile. When enduring a spirit energy that surpassed one’s body, even a slight inattentiveness can risk the danger of death by explosion.

“Pei QianYue, are you insane?!” Feng Ci hastily went to tug at him: “Let go!” 

Even Grandmaster QianQiu’s physical body, which had been blessed by the Heavenly Principles, has never faced such a powerful spirit energy head on.

How could he withstand that?

Pei QianYue’s complexion turned pale rapidly. Upon hearing Feng Ci’s words, however, he even diverted energy to turn his head and give Feng Ci a smile: “I promised that I’d take back Master’s physical body.”

Feng Ci practically laughed in anger because of him. 

Once the spirit energy transmission was established, interrupting forcibly would only risk the safety of the conductor. Feng Ci gave up on trying to stop him and placed his hand on the back of Pei QianYue’s hand.

All of his meridians instantly relayed an intense pain from the pressure of the powerful spirit energy.

Pei QianYue: “You—”

“You what?” This wasn’t the first time Feng Ci damaged his meridians due to excessive spirit energy; he was actually somewhat used to this kind of pain already. He embraced Pei QianYue from behind. Because of their height difference, he could only press his face against Pei QianYue’s back: “Are you expecting me to just stand around and watch?” 

Pei QianYue stopped talking.

Feng Ci was soon unable to speak as well.

Before this, he had already strengthened this physical body to its extreme limits. It’s already not easy for the body to withstand the power of his soul.

Now the fragile meridians were on the verge of collapse under the flow of the spirit energy. Feng Ci clenched his teeth together tightly. The intense pain gave him a kind misconception like he was about to die. He buried his head into Pei QianYue’s back and smelled the unique sandalwood on the other’s clothes as his vision started to blur. 

If it’s truly possible to die together with him like this……

The spirit energy that flowed through his meridians lessened gradually.

It took Feng Ci quite a while to realize that this wasn’t actually his imagination. He raised his head to look and froze.

At some point, quite a number of people had appeared behind them. 

Nearby, Meng ChangQing and several young cultivators pulled on a chain together. Their pale white faces were covered in cold sweat. Not only them, the cultivators, who were originally hiding in the back, all stepped forth one after another. In twos and threes, they grabbed onto the chains and helped Feng Ci and Pei QianYue share the burden of the spirit energy transmission. 

No, not only them.

In the distance, beams of spirit energy transformed into ropes and tied onto that eccentric and ridiculous device. Feng Ci followed the path and looked towards the ends of those ropes. He saw countless of familiar faces.

Wen HuaiYu, Xiao Guo, Li Jiu….. 

It was the crowd that had been observing the fight outside of the secret realm.

The descendants of the Six Sects, the members of the Immortal Alliance, as well as the hundreds of cultivation sects of various sizes that were attending the Immortal Alliance evaluation. Unknowingly, they had entered this secret realm some time ago, just to lend them a helping hand.

Feng Ci took a deep breath and looked up towards the heavens.

“Do you see this?” Feng Ci murmured, almost as if speaking to himself: “The fate of humankind… shouldn’t be held in the hands of others.” 

Time passed unaware. Long after the setting of the moon, the horizon turned hazy white. The last trace of spirit energy inside the puppet’s body was finally siphoned away completely. The body within Feng Ci’s arms shook suddenly and almost fell over.

Feng Ci hastily steadied Pei QianYue and carefully loosened Pei QianYue’s hands from the chain.

The surrounding cultivators were also severed from the magic connection one after another.

Someone asked tentatively: “……Did it work?” 

The reply was another person’s excited shout.

A mirror flew in front of the crowd. YuChi Chu’s enlarged face appeared inside the mirror: “It worked!!!”

Slowly in hindsight, the crowd burst into delighted cheers and joyous shouts.

But Feng Ci ignored the commotion. 

He only cupped Pei QianYue’s hands in heartache and distress.

The flesh on the other’s palms was scorched black. The blood had already run dry. His white bones were faintly visible. Seeing his previously favorite pair of hands in this state, Feng Ci couldn’t even feel happy about recovering his physical body. Only heartache remained in his eyes: “Does it hurt?”

“No it……” Pei QianYue altered his words at the last minute: “It hurts.”

“I told you not to act tough and show off.” An injury left behind by such powerful spirit energy, even he couldn’t remove immediately. Feng Ci cupped Pei QianYue’s hands and blew on them softly, sighing: “Hopefully no scarring.” 

Pei QianYue started laughing: “It won’t.”

“How could it not, you—” As Feng Ci spoke, he looked up and froze.

Pei QianYue noticed his abnormality and asked: “What’s the matter?”

Feng Ci looked at him in silence. After a moment, he shook his head: “It’s nothing.” 

Just now he saw… a faint red light flashing across the center of Pei QianYue’s brows.

The inner demon.