CH 48

Just as that “Yes” came out, Feng Huiming was stunned.  

Why did I say “yes”?

Feng Huiming’s expression went momentarily blank. Immediately hence, he wet his dry lips, wanting to shake his head and clarify: No! You must disregard what I just said, it wasn’t my sect who assembled them!  

However, his neck seemed to have been clamped down by someone, unable to move. The tip of his tongue seemed to have been set on a spell by someone, so he couldn’t even spit out a “No.”

Standing in his sect’s Hundred Treasures Library and meeting the vast ocean-like oppression of that strange young master’s gaze, he was actually unable to let out even a word of explanation.

Feng Huiming was so nervous his whole body broke out in a sweat. His eyeballs reddened under the exertion.  

His mouth opened and closed a few times. The fingers dangling at his sides clenched into fists, and at last, he managed to squeeze out: “My… My Feng Sect had no such intention.” 

Fuck me.

This was the first time in his life that Feng Huiming had cursed intentionally.

On one hand, it was aimed at his fruitless struggle.

On the other hand, it was because he sensed that something was really off about himself, as though when he spoke, his lips and tongue wouldn’t obey his commands, and would utter words he fundamentally didn’t want to say.  

If he was a commoner, he’d surely think that he was possessed.

But he wasn’t an ordinary commoner, he was second only in the Feng Sect to the Sect Leader himself. Who’d be able to mess with his head, who’d dare mess with his head?  

Feng Huiming’s eyeballs bulged slightly, staring at that strange young master before him. For a moment, he nearly thought the other person had done it. 

For someone with such boundless might, close as this, it likely wouldn’t be hard for him to control him if he so desired.  

But he rapidly realized this wasn’t right. 

This person had obviously come to ask questions. These were the very things he wanted to understand, so why would he control how he answered? It didn’t make sense.  

So it was another person.  

Feng Huiming looked at that young master, trying to convey to him: All the words I just said are false, that wasn’t what I wanted to say; there’s someone who tampered with me, you mustn’t believe what you hear!  

But this statement, he still couldn’t voice.  

And that young master’s gaze was on his face the entire time, as though seeing through his entire struggle. The other party frowned slightly, then relaxed again.  

After a moment, that person asked: “How about this, I’ll change the question.”  

When he heard these words, Feng Huiming nearly broke into tears.  

He sensed that the other must have noticed that struggle hidden beneath his expression and words, but couldn’t determine what was real and what was fake. 

The young master then asked: “What is the connection between your Feng Sect and the sealed ground in Falling Flower Mountain Market?” 

There’s no connection! 

Feng Huiming hollered himself hoarse on the inside. 

He prepared himself entirely for not being able to speak again, but saw that young master narrowing his eyes and repeating softly: “There’s no connection?”  

It wasn’t until this that Feng Huiming found that this time he’d actually spoken, and moreover without any alteration, issuing out the exact same words.  

At first he was overjoyed, thinking to himself that at long last he’d spoken some truth. But in a wink, he was again alarmed…  

Because he realized another problem— 

Were he to have said the opposite words this time, said “A very deep connection,” he believed that the young master would have definitely been able to see through his issue with one hundred percent certainty.  

But on the contrary, he spoke the truth this time. 

In the other man’s eyes, the “being controlled” hypothesis was now rather shaky. 

If he were really being controlled, why would he tell the truth one moment and lie the next?  

On the contrary, this sort of half-true, not-false speech made one think that he was the one weaving lies.  

Feng Huiming froze on the spot. This time he really did break out in a full-body cold sweat.  

He dearly hadn’t said much at all, but felt a buzzing in his head, and it all went fuzzy. He began trying to give that young master an explanation: “All those spirits in Falling Flower Mountain Market who are bound, my sect does indeed know. That the spirits are suppressed in the sealed ground, we also have indeed heard of it. After all, my sect looks after all of Falling Flower Mountain Market. But why those spirits were chosen, and whence they were assembled together, my… my Feng Sect truly has no idea.” 

He spoke rapidly.

To explain this much, he had no choice but to start from the very beginning.  

“It’s a long story. Back when I was still young, most of these things are what I learned from fath… from the Sect Leader…” 

***

An hour or so ago, that young master’s skin-deep smile was still before him. Now, Feng Huiming saw the same smile on Wu Xingxue’s face, and his panic and dread doubled. 

He no longer struggled. Sweeping a glance at the gathered Feng Sect disciples and then at Feng Shulan, clenching his fingers and taking a long breath, he finally resolved: “Okay… Okay, I’ll say it again, I’ll say it again.”  

However, he found that his mind was completely blank, a total mess, and he could only recall the merest fragments. But under Xiao Fuxuan and Wu Xingxue’s gazes, he might not have been able to come up for another breath were he to remain silent any longer. Thus, he could only follow those mere fragments to say: “My father… The Sect Leader had said, back then the divine arbor was often used by those with skewed intentions, which led to all sorts of disasters on end. It got to the point that some innocents died tragically, and some got dragged in. Although those crooked schemers ultimately met with no kind end themselves, along with divine retribution, under their myriad perturbations, everyone knew that it was indeed unsuitable for the divine arbor to live on in the mortal realm. It had to be concealed in a place the people couldn’t reach. This is the origin of the seal.

“And originally my Feng Sect was not in fact surnamed ‘Feng.’ According to the Sect Leader, the previous sect’s name was changed. The reason for the change was the divine arbor… 

“Because the divine arbor was sealed in the Falling Flower Terrace, our sect was entrusted to look after this region, to keep people from mistakenly charging into the divine arbor’s forbidden ground and causing disasters on end. So it was that our sect changed its surname to ‘Feng’.1Feng: Literal definition – to seal Although it is unlike the heavenly granting a name for ascended immortals, it can be considered somewhat similar. 

“So, as for Falling Flower Mountain Market’s people… we do indeed know. And the sealed ground’s location as well, we do indeed know. But this is the extent of our involvement. As for anything else, it truly has nothing to do with us.” 

Feng Huiming then said: “As for the spirits…”

He subconsciously glanced toward the innkeeper, as though harboring misgivings, not wanting to bring this up right in front of “the bound.” But in the end, gritting his teeth, he still continued: “Why those spirits have been gathered and imprisoned here, you’d have to ask the real one behind the sealing of the divine arbor.” 

The way he said “the one behind the sealing of the divine arbor” completely lacked hesitation, as though he knew who’d laid down the seal.  

If what he said was true, that the Feng Sect had been appointed as caretakers of the forbidden ground and thus changed their surname to ‘Feng,’ then they could be considered closely bound with the divine arbor, and in all probability know more than the various immortals of Immortal Capital. 

Wu Xingxue thought it over, and asked: “Who was the one who sealed the divine arbor? Lingtai?” 

“No.” Feng Huiming shook his head, speaking in a deep voice: “The first one who resolved to seal the divine arbor was the divine arbor itself.”  

Hearing this, Wu Xingxue’s eyes stirred: “The divine arbor itself?”  

Feng Huiming paused, and looked at him with a trace of shock: “Yes…”  

Before in the Hundred Treasures Library, when this young master had heard this statement, he hadn’t had this sort of reaction, just listened, tranquil as water. 

The second reaction being different, Feng Huiming was somewhat uneasy. He thought: They’re playing with me again!  

“It really was the divine arbor itself, I’m not making anything up!” Feng Huiming nearly swore an oath to heaven, but then thought, all this information was from the Sect Leader; he hadn’t seen it for himself. Hence, after a moment’s hesitation, he didn’t swear an oath. 

“What I heard was indeed as such,” Feng Huiming said, “Sealing away the divine arbor was indeed the divine arbor’s own handiwork. The forbidden ground was drawn up by him, and the blade arrays, fire arrays, and mystic lightning within the forbidden ground were also set by him. Everything within the forbidden ground, the divine arbor is aware of. 

“Seeing that the divine arbor had been sealed tight and could no longer be exploited by anyone, he left the Falling Flower Terrace and went to Immortal Capital,” Feng Huiming said with deep import.  

After speaking, he raised his head to see Wu Xingxue’s complicated expression.  

Feng Huiming: “…”

He hesitated a moment. At last, unable to bother with whether he’d seen it with his own eyes or heard it with his own ears, he stuck two fingers up to say: “I swear to heaven, not one word was false. It is indeed as such.” 

After saying this, a long time passed before he heard the other party softly asking: “You say you swear to heaven. I can make this oath a dozen times on the spot as well, and what use would it be? I don’t believe it. Why don’t you just tell me who can vouch for you?” 

Who knew that after being momentarily taken aback, Feng Huiming would actually nod his head to say: “There’s proof.”  

Wu Xingxue: “?”

This time, it really provoked Wu Xingxue’s infinite curiosity.  

Not only him, but all the people present stared fixedly at Feng Huiming, including Feng Shulan. She pursed her lips to say: “What did you say just now?”  

In a single day, Feng Huiming had been worn down twice. The first time he’d still been able to rely on sleight of tongue. The second time he just felt exhausted, and lost his persuasive ability. 

He opened his mouth, but couldn’t say what he wanted. After a long while, he seemed to have made an incredibly difficult decision. 

He lowered his eyes awhile, then said to Wu Xingxue and Xiao Fuxuan: “I know, since you keep asking over and over again, even if I were eloquent and could repeat it dozens of times over, you would still find it difficult to believe in its entirety. How about this instead…”  

He said: “Return with me to the Feng Sect and I’ll take you to see. After all… seeing is believing.” 

Wu Xingxue was stunned.

He truly hadn’t expected that Feng Huiming would take the initiative to invite them to the Feng Sect. Hence, he subconsciously glanced over at Xiao Fuxuan. 

Before, based on various things, he’d come to the conclusion that this Falling Flower Mountain Market wasn’t in fact an illusion realm, but the real past.  

But no matter how certain he was, it was still a guess. If he’d guessed wrong, then the moment they stepped out of Falling Flower Mountain Market, the illusion realm would shatter and crumble away.

Whether Feng Sect or forbidden ground, all would disappear into the fog with the illusion realm.  

Thinking on this point, Wu Xingxue did in fact have some doubts. 

But through some sword aura fastened upon him, he heard Xiao Fuxuan say mildly: “There’s no harm even if it is an illusion realm. I went into the forbidden ground once and I can go in again. Since you’ve made inquiries of the Feng Sect twice, you can ask for the third time as well.”

Wu Xingxue was taken aback. He began to smile. 

He suddenly felt, at present, with the devilish energy entwined in his body, the chains binding his form, he could employ nothing more than killing moves. Originally, he ought to have faced layer upon layer of obstacles, each step forward sullying his hands with blood.

But because of a certain someone’s presence, he could actually come and go freely, no holds barred.