Yan Budu died tragically. The fish demon eye on the smoking pipe fell into the grass, and the heart sank into darkness.
Then the darkness shattered, and the ground disappeared beneath the two.
The small magic circle ceased to operate, and the desolate graves on the hillside vanished. The scenery in front changed from Zongwu Mountain to Huilian Mountain, with rolling clouds and mist below and an abyss spanning thousands of feet.
The inner demons returned to their place, and the human head lamp lit up, revealing the white thorns once again.
The transparent stone platform shook, on the verge of collapse. Yin Ci borrowed the last bit of strength, clutching Shi Jingzhi, and rolled back to the edge of the cliff. Shi Jingzhi stared blankly into the void, as if desperately trying to recall something.
This time, when the two landed, Yin Ci didn’t treat Shi Jingzhi as a cushion. He intentionally turned his body to the side, and his back hit the stone surface, causing his head to buzz.
On Zongwu Mountain, Yan Budu left behind numerous crucial clues.
For example, he did indeed hide the Shirou; for example, even with countless maps, they still needed a “key”; and furthermore, Yan Budu really had contact with immortals—after all, he was a generational master and wouldn’t mistake a mortal who had drunk immortal wine for an immortal.
But at this moment, Yin Ci couldn’t delve into those clues.
The spider mole the size of a copper coin on Yan Budu’s chest was dark green, identical to the one Shi Jingzhi had.
Both of them were extraordinarily talented, stubborn and ambitious, and they were both afflicted with a rare and consistent disease that was rarely seen in the world. Could this be a coincidence?
And Yin Ci had also seen Yan Budu’s appearance when he was “determined”.
Over twenty years ago, Kushan had gathered in different valleys. Before his Little Mute died, he too had black veins all over his body, with black blood oozing from his mouth and nose, and a persistent high fever. Even a gentle touch would elicit a heart-wrenching scream.
[When I was a child, I had a high fever once, and this thing appeared afterward.]
…Could all of this be a coincidence?
Impossible.
Yin Ci lay at the edge of the cliff, not getting up immediately, nor allowing Shi Jingzhi to rise. He wrapped one arm around Shi Jingzhi’s waist, firmly imprisoning him against his own body.
Shi Jingzhi stared blankly at Yin Ci with an expression that was still dazed and absent-minded.
The shadow hand moved, futilely grasping the white thorns. The thorns, full of sharp spikes, caused piercing pain to assault him from all directions, but Yin Ci had no intention of letting go.
The two spent a month together in their minds, but only a few sticks of incense had passed externally. The sun hadn’t moved much from its position, the sky was clear, the breeze was chilly, and everything remained the same.
Yin Ci coldly observed Kongshi passing away and Yan Budu’s self-destruction. Having witnessed all the myriad phenomena of the world, he thought he had long grown accustomed to being detached from worldly matters. But now, unexpectedly struck by his own past, his throat suddenly felt sour, choking back countless words.
It turned out that his “human heart” hadn’t had a chance to completely rot away.
Indeed, he had considered it before. If his Little Mute had survived, he would be this old. Who could have imagined that his casual thought would now become a reality—a strange illness as the catalyst, fate as the thread, as if he had captured the lingering soul of twenty-four years ago.
However, there were still several doubts. The Little Mute had seen his face, but Shi Jingzhi didn’t recognize him. Yin Ci had witnessed the Little Mute’s bones being devoured, yet Shi Jingzhi stood there unscathed. Yin Ci knew he wouldn’t be easily deceived, and Shi Jingzhi’s mysterious origins and shattered humanity indicated that someone had deliberately orchestrated this.
What exactly did Yan Budu mean by “fixed desire”? And whose shadow lurked behind this “strange illness”?
Yin Ci closed his eyes for a moment, and when he spoke again, his tone returned to its usual state. He painstakingly confirmed the final question—
“You said you had a high fever at the age of three and then developed this strange mole. How much do you remember about the time of the fever?”
Shi Jingzhi frowned. “Not much. I even forgot what happened before the fever. I only know about the fever itself from what others told me.”
Without needing any prompting from Yin Ci, Shi Jingzhi continued on his own.
“Now that I think about it, the symptoms are quite similar to those of Yan Budu… But I’ve never heard of this ‘fixed desire’, and he definitely knows more about this condition than I do.”
Unfortunately, Yan Budu had already been buried in the mountains, and his bones were probably nowhere to be found now.
Shi Jingzhi had likely also thought of this point. Although he was excited by the new clues, he remained calm and didn’t become ecstatic.
“A’Ci, we’re safe now. Let go of me first.” Shi Jingzhi patted Yin Ci’s arm.
But Yin Ci didn’t release his grip.
Even if the clues on Yan Budu’s side had been severed, it didn’t matter. Even if Shi Jingzhi couldn’t remember the past, it didn’t matter.
The person was already by his side, and he would find a way to uncover the truth of that year. Yin Ci’s hand clutched the back of Shi Jingzhi’s head, his fingers deeply buried in the black hair, holding the other person tightly against his chest.
He lay there between heaven and earth, gazing directly at the sky.
To him, the Little Mute wasn’t a game to pass the time. That child was more like a nail, anchoring the last trace of his soul in the mortal realm. Although Yin Ci didn’t consider “living like this” a fortunate event, it was still far better than being deeply engulfed in madness and immersed in killing and calamity.
He had once made an unfulfilled promise to the Little Mute, and now he had a chance for redemption.
In the chaotic mortal world, in the midst of darkness, he once again touched a fragment of destiny. His long-dormant heart contracted, and a dull pain emerged.
Back then, the innocent child could never have had the intention of playing tricks on him. So, no matter who was behind this matter, daring to deceive and snatch someone from him through deceitful means would surely come at a cost.
If it was a mortal, they would be killed. If it was an immortal, he would make sure that immortal fell into the mortal realm.
As he was pressed into Yin Ci’s embrace, Shi Jingzhi finally noticed that something was wrong with Yin Ci. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m thinking about Shizun’s illness,” Yin Ci replied, still gazing at the sky.
“We can talk about that later. If you’re tired, rest here. I need to go check on Su Si and Yan Qing… A’Ci?”
“Yes,” Yin Ci didn’t release his embrace. “With the two of us working together and having clues in hand, we will definitely be able to uncover the mystery behind this strange illness.”
After speaking, Yin Ci lowered his head and lightly brushed his lips against Shi Jingzhi’s forehead. His gaze passed through the person in front of him and looked at the figure from twenty years ago.
[Little Mute, even though you can’t express your wishes, This Seat* promise you a worry-free life and longevity of a hundred years.]
*[Ben zuo] (本座) Term when referring to oneself in a formal and authoritative manner, often used by individuals in positions of power or high authority.
Yin Ci’s lips curled into a smile.
Just as Shi Jingzhi was thinking Yin Ci truly lived up to the title of “the immortal who sends people off for their last journey”—
“…Shi Jingzhi, I promise you a worry-free life and longevity of a hundred years.”
Even if he had to defy destiny once again—he not only wanted him to live a few more years, he wanted him to have a peaceful and natural end.
Shi Jingzhi gasped and pressed his temple.
At the moment he heard those words, his mind was filled with falling red leaves and piercing pain. It seemed like something wanted to break free, but couldn’t find a way, causing his head to ache.
So he could only grin and play it off. “Good disciple, you don’t need to promise me a hundred years of longevity. Ninety-nine is enough.”
Yin Ci’s gaze became complex, and he smiled as he released him. “That works too.”
An hour and a half passed.
The master and disciple treated the injured servants. Their role as healers emerged, finally waking up the two unconscious individuals buried in the snow.
Yan Qing and Su Si’s inner demons hadn’t disappeared, but they had at least returned to normal. However, their wounds were real, adding to the dire situation of the Kushan Sect.
Su Si continued to touch his wounds and grumble. As for Yan Qing, when he woke up and saw the pale thorns all around, he thought he was still dreaming. He simply closed his eyes, turned over, and continued to pretend to be unconscious.
When Shi Jingzhi saw those eerie eyes, his emotions became complicated.
After a while, Shi Jingzhi cleared his throat and spoke with an extremely stern tone. “Yan Qing, if you don’t get up now, I’ll deduct your monthly allowance.”
Yan Qing instantly sat up in shock, looking even more upright than Shi Jingzhi’s flagpole.
As everyone woke up, Shi Jingzhi crossed his arms and put on a show of being self-important. “A’Ci and I have already defeated the Lords of Hatred and Ignorance, so you don’t need to worry anymore. However, the Buddha Heart Formation is quite troublesome. Once you’ve rested well, we should enter the Jianchen Temple as soon as possible to catch our breath.”
Yan Qing nodded obediently, treating Su Si as usual, as if the inner demon ordeal had never happened. Su Si, on the other hand, scratched his cheek and occasionally glanced at Yan Qing, his face turning red.
In the end, his vigilance defeated the idea of “being honest for a while,” and he asked with a serious tone, “Sect Master, what exactly is all this on the ground? Can you please explain?”
Shi Jingzhi appeared amiable and replied without hesitation, “They are the remnants left behind by the Lord of Hatred and the Lord of Ignorance.”
Yin Ci was momentarily stunned but couldn’t help bursting into laughter. He momentarily forgot himself and only thought about the Little Mute. He almost forgot about this person’s fox fur.
How wonderful, he couldn’t help but think.
Although Shi Jingzhi was broken, he didn’t sink into gloom or become reclusive. That vitality remained the same as before, and Yin Ci could still hold his hand, catching a glimpse of that glimmer of light.
There was still time for everything.
The sun gradually set, and the night passed without incident.
The spells left behind by Yan Budu had ceased, and apart from their own inner demons, there was nothing else blocking their path. The mountain road stretched ahead, and Shi Jingzhi took the opportunity to briefly explain the events of the mind realm, providing an account for the purpose of this journey.
The surroundings were calm and peaceful, and his single disciple wasn’t missing, so Sect Master Shi was filled with gratification. However, compared to before, his disciple had undergone some subtle changes—
Since they left the small magic formation, Shi Jingzhi couldn’t help but feel that Yin Ci’s gaze towards him was a little off. The Buddha Heart Formation had once again taken effect, and his disciple’s inner demon hadn’t moved, yet his eyes didn’t darken anymore.
But whenever they set off, Yin Ci would still naturally grab his wrist and hold it neither lightly nor heavily. From this perspective, the “disciple regaining his sight” seemed like his own illusion once again.
However, this feeling was comforting, and Shi Jingzhi didn’t want to ask about it. He allowed Yin Ci to lead him.
Yan Qing hadn’t experienced the mind realm for that month, so he was still accustomed to the current situation. Supporting Su Si, who had a snake tail, he couldn’t help but feel something was amiss. “Since we have clues, why do we still need to go up the mountain?”
“Although A’Ci and I saw the cave and desolate graves, Zongwu Mountain is too vast to search inch by inch.”
Shi Jingzhi spoke cheerfully.
“Venerable Kongshi of the Jianchen Temple was an eminent monk. Over the years, the temple has never given up on searching for his remains. When it comes to the location where Yan Budu and Venerable Kongshi had their final battle, no one knows better than the Jianchen Temple.”
“That’s right,” Yin Ci added, “And there’s something I’m particularly interested in—Yan Budu took away Venerable Kongshi’s sword but didn’t bring it back to the tomb. Yan Budu would never do useless things…”
“…That stone sword probably has some secrets as well. Besides, he arranged the clues at the entrance of the Jianchen Temple. It feels like something is missing if we just get the clues and turn back halfway.”
Shi Jingzhi smiled and continued the conversation.
“When it comes to Yan Budu, even the slightest clue is worth a try.”
Upon hearing this, Su Si’s movement paused. He looked at Shi Jingzhi’s back, and his face showed a pensive expression.
“A’Si?” Yan Qing, who was pulling him up the steps, was the first to sense that something was off.
“I was lost in thought for a moment.” Su Si furrowed his brows slightly. “Let’s go. We should go to the Jianchen Temple first… Don’t worry, I won’t hide anything from you anymore.”
The author has something to say:
Demonic Lord Yin: I was just pretending when I said I was blind.
Fox Shi: ?
