Chapter 59
Just as Ah Yi finished speaking, a cold aura instantly pervaded the cave, pressing towards Ju Zhu. Ju Zhu’s face immediately turned pale, her body trembling uncontrollably as she knelt down on the ground, her knees weak and unable to support her.
Her complexion was pale, fear seeping through her delicate features as she pleaded with Ah Yi, “My lord, the Divine Array was passed down to me from my aunt, who inherited it from Princess Fang Yi. Therefore, I… I am not fully aware of the Divine Array’s secrets. Please forgive me, my lord.”
With these words, Ju Zhu presented herself as completely innocent, though in reality, she understood everything. She believed that the secrets of the Divine Phoenix Clan were unknown to anyone else.
Haowei casually remarked, “I heard that Princess Fang Yi’s body was like a dried corpse when she died, with her blood inexplicably vanished.”
Ju Zhu’s eyes widened instantly. Embarrassed and ashamed, she looked up at Haowei. Just a second ago, she had been relieved that no one knew about this, but now Haowei had exposed it.
How could Haowei know about this?
Her lips trembled, wanting to refute Haowei, but facing his condescending gaze, a sudden fear surged through her heart, paralyzing her tongue.
Accustomed to pride and nobility, she had never felt so humble and timid before. For a moment, she couldn’t find the words to say.
The divine array set by Ah Yi was formed from his obsession, integrated into Princess Fang Yi’s body, only guarding her.
If they wanted to obtain the divine array, they could only do so after Princess Fang Yi’s death by drinking her blood, or perhaps they had killed her by drinking her blood while she was still alive.
With this thought, the hostility in the cave intensified, pressing down on Ju Zhu. Black winds rose suddenly like agile serpents, wrapping around Ju Zhu’s body. She felt as if under attack and suddenly vomited blood.
After the black aura dispersed, Ju Zhu transformed back into her original form as a divine phoenix, collapsing on the ground.
A dense formation woven like a golden net slowly emerged from her body, flying towards Ah Yi. She passed out directly from the pain, the divine array forcibly stripped from her body.
Ah Yi withdrew the formation and glanced at the unconscious Ju Zhu, ultimately deciding not to punish her.
She was Princess Fang Yi’s relative, and hurting her would displease Princess Fang Yi.
Ah Yi extended his hand, and the formation gradually shrank, landing in his palm before returning to his body.
His lips moved slightly, his voice echoing in the cave, “Emperor Haowei, my divine array was used by someone to commit murder?”
Haowei looked at Si Lan and nodded.
“In that case, it is my fault. I did not consider it thoroughly,” Ah Yi said, lowering his head. His breathing weakened, almost imperceptible within his cloak.
Si Lan withdrew his gaze from the unconscious Ju Zhu. Originally, he had many reproaches in his heart and had intended to hold Ah Yi accountable, even obtaining a fragment of the divine will. Unexpectedly, it was resolved so lightly.
From Ah Yi’s words, it seemed he had also been deceived by the Divine Phoenix Clan.
Forget it. Ah Yi was now weak and on the brink of godly death. There was nothing to argue about with a “dying” man.
Si Lan didn’t want to disturb Ah Yi’s final moments. After exchanging a glance with Haowei, they decided to bid farewell to Ah Yi. “My lord, we shall take our leave.”
Ah Yi nodded faintly. He still didn’t know that in this lifetime, due to his mistake, Si Lan had lost his mother early.
As Haowei and Si Lan left, they also cast a spell to take the unconscious Ju Zhu with them.
But as soon as they flew out of Mount Gushou, a group of divine phoenixes flew over. Sensing something wrong with Ju Zhu, they had come to rescue her.
After bowing to Emperor Haowei, the divine phoenixes turned their gaze to the unconscious Ju Zhu, surrounding her. They then warily looked at Si Lan, as if worried he might do something wrong.
“Emperor Haowei, what happened to the princess?” one of them asked.
Haowei replied calmly, “Lord Ah Yi has withdrawn the divine array from Ju Zhu.”
—
“What? How could this happen?”
“Did your demon do something?” This was directed at Si Lan.
The divine phoenixes glared fiercely at Si Lan, gripping their weapons, ready to fight.
Si Lan reluctantly restrained the Xuanxin Whip, prepared to face the consequences if the Divine Phoenix Clan sought retribution. At that moment, he heard Haowei’s voice.
“Jaheng Immortal has entered Nirvana.”
Si Lan couldn’t believe it. “Really?”
“Yes.” Through his divine knowledge, Yu Wudao informed Haowei about the matters of the Thirty-Three Heavens. Jaheng Immortal had been severely injured and recovering in Ling Mountain Cave since the last attack. Unexpectedly, within a few days, he had entered Nirvana.
Jaheng Immortal was second only to Shanshi among the Immortals of the Thirty-Three Heavens. His sudden Nirvana shocked the Six Realms. Yu Wudao hurriedly informed Haowei, who needed to return to oversee the aftermath.
Knowing that Haowei would probably return to the heavenly realm, Si Lan said, “In that case, I will accompany you back.” Jaheng’s sudden Nirvana likely hid some secrets.
Furthermore, by seeing Jaheng Immortal’s body, he could cast the Purification Curse to witness his memories from the year before his death. He had used this method to uncover the deep-seated enmity between Lou Yu and Zhong Li.
Haowei nodded slightly. Immediately, Si Lan transformed into a “wild chicken,” a small form hiding in Haowei’s embrace.
He couldn’t walk openly in the heavenly realm with his true identity, to avoid arousing suspicion.
On the side of Mount Gushou, even though the divine phoenixes were discontented, they didn’t dare to stop the two from leaving, only glaring angrily at Si Lan.
Si Lan didn’t look back but could feel those solidifying gazes piercing through Haowei’s body, pinning him down.
He smirked coldly. He had no intention of letting Ju Zhu off easily. Knowing her vengeful nature, she would blame him for stripping the divine array from her, likely adding old grievances to new ones.
He needed an opportunity—a moment to kill Ju Zhu and leave the Divine Phoenix Clan helpless and unable to retaliate.
He pondered aimlessly, unaware that he had followed Haowei all the way to the Thirty-Three Heavens.
Apparently conscious of his status, Haowei had swapped his black martial attire for a white robe trimmed with gold threads. His waist was adorned with a cloud-patterned belt of the same color, his black hair tied up with an ink jade crown, every strand neat and tidy.
The celestial horse seemed to have been waiting outside the Thirty-Three Heavens for Haowei, swiftly approaching with a carriage upon his appearance. Haowei gracefully entered the sedan chair.
Although the sedan appeared modest from the outside, inside it revealed a hidden world, resembling a palace with spacious elegance, wisps of clouds lingering. Within the grand hall, tea and refreshments were already laid out on the table.
Si Lan looked around like someone new to the city, his dark eyes scanning the surroundings. Haowei placed him on the table, realizing he hadn’t eaten for some time.
“Are you hungry?”
Si Lan nodded, folding his wings and sipping water from the cup’s edge, then pecking at a few pastries. He was indeed hungry, but his mind wasn’t on eating much at the moment.
Every word spoken by Supreme Youshen seemed like thunder in his mind, resonating loudly. Though the thunder had ceased, it left his mind pitted and unsettled.
He noticed Haowei was far calmer than him, only showing emotion when he recalled the moment Yuwuxia pierced his heart with a sword. Now, he appeared composed, his expression serene.
Haowei lifted a cup of hot tea from the table and drank, Si Lan realizing it was the same cup he had just used.
Transformed into a “wild chicken” appearance, his sharp beak had been in the cup while drinking, feeling somewhat embarrassed at the thought.
How could Haowei be so careless…
Clearly, his cup of tea was right there; he couldn’t understand how it got mixed up.
Just as he was about to remind him, greetings sounded from outside the carriage.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Passing Buddhist disciples respectfully saluted Haowei’s carriage. The celestial horse pulled the carriage to the center of the Thirty-Three Heavens before stopping.
Si Lan was interrupted by the noise outside and turned to see Haowei had finished his tea. Haowei had also eaten the pastry Si Lan had pecked holes into with his sharp beak.
His lips twitched, but he didn’t say a word.
Haowei tucked him into his arms, lifting the curtain and stepping out of the carriage.
Feeling uncomfortable, he flew onto Haowei’s shoulder, noticing a group of celestial beings following the carriage, a dense crowd that made Haowei appear prominent.
Standing on Haowei’s shoulder, he couldn’t help but mock Haowei for being so particular; everywhere they went in the heavenly realm, he rode in a carriage with a group of heavenly soldiers and generals trailing behind, quite imposing.
Yet Haowei never seemed to put on airs around him, sometimes even making him feel like Haowei’s shadow, silently accompanying him through thick and thin.
Haowei glanced at him with a slight tilt of his head, instantly halting his random thoughts and looking ahead.
Countless Buddhist disciples knelt beneath the bright altar, chanting sutras. Above the altar, the Great Eternal Immortal sat on a lotus throne, his back leaning forward, one hand in a gesture of blessing, his face indistinct.
Behind him, a circle of gentle golden light shimmered, solemn and dignified.
Cranes circled above the sky, their mournful cries echoing. Below the sky, Buddhist disciples stood with hands clasped together, eyes closed, reciting sutras for the salvation of the Great Eternal Immortal.
Following the protocol, Haowei led the hundred celestials in completing the sutra recitation for the Great Eternal Immortal, then approached to offer incense. After these rituals, he conversed with the Immortal of the Perfect Nirvana.
“Some days ago, I came to listen to the Great Eternal Immortal’s teachings, but I never expected that in just a few days, he would attain parinirvana,” Haowei remarked.
The Immortal of the Perfect Nirvana explained, “Your Majesty, the Great Eternal planted a cause a thousand years ago, and now he has reaped its fruit. For him, this is also a form of atonement.”
Haowei asked again, “Was it because of his injury that Jia Heng attained parinirvana?”
“Yes,” replied Shanshi, clasping his hands together. “Amitabha.”
Haowei bowed respectfully to Shanshi in farewell, then spoke quietly to both Shilan and him, “After Jia Heng Immortal’s parinirvana, these Buddhist disciples will perform a forty-nine day ritual of salvation in front of the altar.”
“Why is it so long?” Shilan had intended to approach Jia Heng Immortal to use the Purification Curse, hoping to uncover memories from before his death. He found it peculiar that Jia Heng Immortal passed away before the activation of the Five-Star Nine-Sky Formation in each life.
Haowei lowered his gaze. “It’s the rule of the Thirty-Three Heavens.”
“Can we find a way to approach Jia Heng Immortal’s physical body?” Shilan glanced at the people around the altar.
“Yes.”
Night fell, shrouding the Thirty-Three Heavens in a hazy moonlight. The Immortal light above the altar remained, illuminating the scene below clearly.
Devout disciples continued to chant with folded hands, their chanting echoing softly throughout the high heavens. Though not loud, their voices carried across the entire Thirty-Three Heavens.
Strange fireflies seemed drawn by the chanting, converging towards the altar. The disciples, eyes closed in prayer, were unaware of the anomaly until they slipped into dreams woven by the fireflies.
The chanting abruptly ceased, and for a moment, the world seemed to freeze.
Shilan transformed into human form and flew with Haowei towards the altar, landing before the physical form of Jia Heng Immortal.
Even in parinirvana, his body resembled an uncorrupted sculpture, head lowered with indistinct features visible only from the side. Hanging from his chest were 1080 superior prayer beads, reflecting starlight under the Immortal’s glow.
Shilan clasped his hands in front of his chest, murmured an apology, and then touched the brow of Jia Heng Immortal to activate the Purification Curse. After completing the incantation, the surroundings suddenly changed, but the images that appeared were nothing but emptiness.
Haowei followed Shilan into the illusion and, seeing the situation, asked with a stern gaze, “What’s going on?”
“This… it means Jia Heng Immortal has been dead for a long time, at least a year,” Shilan explained.
The Purification Curse allows one to see the memories of the deceased from the year before their death. Yet the memories of the Great Eternal Immortal for that year are void, indicating that the Great Eternal Immortal before them had long since passed away.
But how could this be possible? They had just seen the Great Eternal Immortal not long ago!
The two realized something was amiss and immediately withdrew from the illusion.
Si Lan bent down to inspect the flesh of the Great Eternal Immortal. He hadn’t carefully observed him before and couldn’t see any differences. Judging from appearances alone, the face, skeleton, and aura of this flesh body seemed normal.
Haowei reached out to touch the 1080 yellow prayer beads on the chest of the Great Eternal Immortal. He had seen the Great Eternal Immortal several times before but had never seen him wear this item.
He picked up the beads, but at that moment of contact, he sensed something wrong. Each yellow bead was densely inscribed with tiny runes. However, these runes were too small to see clearly.
Si Lan also picked up a bead and examined it in his palm. “Could there be something wrong with these runes?”
Haowei nodded and forcefully broke the string of beads. The yellow beads instantly fell down, and the flesh body collapsed with a bang, gradually transforming into a skeleton.
There was still a trace of the Great Eternal Immortal’s essence and blood on the bones. That’s why Si Lan hadn’t noticed anything unusual when it first took the form of the Great Eternal Immortal.
Si Lan stared in shock, still holding a bead in his hand. He looked at the skeleton, then at the bead, murmuring, “This skeleton has been dead for over a year. It’s not the Great Eternal Immortal.”
“Hmm.” Haowei gathered the remaining essence from the skeleton, his expression growing solemn.
The Great Eternal Immortal would never fake his own death. Therefore, someone must be using this skeleton to impersonate the Great Eternal Immortal’s deceased flesh, likely having already controlled his freedom and actions.
Undoubtedly, this person was Yu Wuxia.
Si Lan couldn’t understand why Yu Wuxia would use a skeleton to impersonate the Great Eternal Immortal’s flesh.
If Yu Wuxia harbored resentment toward the Great Eternal Immortal, why not just kill him outright? Why go to such lengths?
Haowei restored the prayer beads with magic and hung them back on the skeleton. The skeleton instantly reverted to the appearance of the Great Eternal Immortal.
Looking at the “Great Eternal Immortal” before them, Si Lan murmured, “In this life, the Great Eternal Immortal faked his death. Did he also fake his death in the previous world?”
“Hmm.” Haowei’s gaze hardened. “I’m afraid there are many entanglements between master and disciple that we don’t know.”
As they were talking, footsteps suddenly approached from the side of the sacred altar. The two instinctively turned around and saw the Immortal of Benevolent Passing walking slowly towards them.
Benevolent Passing had a gentle and kind expression, dr4p3d in a yellow kasaya. He approached them and clasped his hands together, saying, “Namo Amitabha.”
Si Lan hadn’t expected to be caught off guard. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, he glanced at Haowei, who remained composed. Si Lan quietly moved behind Haowei, intending to become invisible.
“Immortal of Benevolent Passing.”
“Your Majesty, I’ve already seen everything just now.” Benevolent Passing looked at the skeleton transformed into the “Great Eternal Immortal” and sighed softly.
“Lord Immortal, you previously mentioned that the Great Eternal Immortal sowed a seed many years ago, which has now borne fruit. Could you tell us what seed the Great Eternal Immortal sowed back then?”
Benevolent Passing’s calm face showed a hint of sorrow. “Regarding the matter of the Great Eternal Immortal, I originally did not wish to speak, but I never imagined that this sinner would dare to commit such a deception. It seems that the Great Eternal Immortal is now in an unavoidable situation…”
Benevolent Passing closed his eyes, unable to hold back, and quietly said, “Namo Amitabha.”
Gaheng was a disciple of Benevolent Passing, making Yu Wuxia Benevolent Passing’s grand-disciple. When Yu Wuxia achieved Immortalhood due to his reputation of goodness across a hundred lifetimes, all Immortals wished to take him as their disciple. However, Yu Wuxia chose Gaheng.
At that time, Gaheng firmly refused Yu Wuxia, and it was Benevolent Passing’s persuasion that convinced Yu Wuxia to stay.
Sowing the seed leads to fruition. Back then, cutting flesh was the cause, and taking disciples was the effect.
Benevolent Passing had thought that under Gaheng’s guidance, this karmic effect would surely be nullified, but unexpectedly, it ended up harming Gaheng instead.
Benevolent Passing recounted all the details from the flesh-cutting in the forest to taking disciples, and concluded, “After that sinner achieved Immortalhood and worshipped under Gaheng’s seat, everything remained quiet for thousands of years. I had thought the karmic effects between them had been resolved. Yet when he performed acts of charity in the human realm, he somehow learned of his previous life as a disciple of the forest Immortal and saw Gaheng as a tiger in the forest. This led to conflict, and upon his return, he became entangled in love affairs. Gaheng finally couldn’t bear it and cast him into the demon path.”
This was not far from what they had learned, but both felt that Benevolent Passing was hiding something. Like Gaheng, he was unwilling to reveal everything.
What exactly happened that even the Immortals of the Thirty-Three Heavens remained silent about it?
After a moment of silence, Haowei spoke up, “Lord Immortal, Yu Wuxia has used his spirit as a catalyst to lay down the Five Elements Nine Heavens Formation across the Six Realms, intending to reshape them. If we want to stop Yu Wuxia, we must find his weakness. We are at a loss after reaching the Thirty-Three Heavens. We seek your guidance.”
Upon hearing “Five Elements Nine Heavens Formation,” Benevolent Passing’s expression subtly changed. He clasped his hands together and murmured, “Namo Amitabha.” After a while, he raised his head and pointed his fingertip into the void, conjuring a scroll.
It was a painting he had unexpectedly found in the hall while cleaning up “relics” left by Gaheng.
Without elaborating, he handed the painting to them. “Your Majesty, this is all I know.”
With that, Benevolent Passing departed.
Haowei took the painting and watched Benevolent Passing leave. “Thank you, Lord Immortal.”
Only then did Si Lan emerge from behind Haowei. It seemed Benevolent Passing either didn’t notice him or chose not to intervene. He sighed in relief.
Haowei unrolled the scroll, and Si Lan held his breath, observing quietly. As the scroll slowly unfolded, revealing its contents, their expressions changed dramatically.
They had expected the scroll to conceal some secret, but it turned out to be a… erotic painting of a man and a woman.
Why would Benevolent Passing Immortal give them this?
On the yellowed canvas, a woman leaned against a peach blossom tree. Her black hair was disheveled, a red mole at the corner of her eye dripping blood. Her clothes had all slipped away, revealing slender, fair legs, one foot resting on the tree trunk while the other was held by a man.
The man leaned slightly to cover the upper body of the woman, whose back was turned, so his face couldn’t be seen. His grey kasaya was half-off, barely covering his lower body, prayer beads hanging from the peach blossom branch.
From the man’s attire, one could deduce he was Yu Wuxia. As for this woman…
Si Lan glanced at the woman’s face—almond eyes teary like a clear pond, cherry lips gently holding a petal, a mix of shyness and allure. She was undeniably beautiful.
He was about to lean in closer for a better look when Haowei shot him a sideways glance and closed the scroll.
“Do you not think…” Si Lan paused as Haowei closed the scroll, “…that the woman in the painting… bears some resemblance to that fox demon?”
“Hmm.” Haowei replied in a low voice, contemplating releasing the fox demon to inquire further.
He cast a spell and conjured a demon-suppressing gourd, lifted the lid, and with a startled cry, the fox demon fell out, unprepared and stumbled to the ground.
Even so, the fox demon didn’t forget to strike a pose, slowly raising her bright face with a mix of annoyance and grievance towards Haowei, “Why are you so unappreciative of beauty?”
Haowei remained expressionless as he opened the scroll and questioned her, “Are these people your sisters?”
Seeing he wasn’t taken in, the fox demon flicked nonexistent dust off her, stood up, and with narrowed eyes, looked at the woman in the painting, “She resembles me somewhat, and also my sisters, but it’s not us.”
“Have you seen her before?”
“No,” lazily replied the fox demon, just about to look away when she noticed the crimson mole at the corner of the woman’s eye, pausing as she mused, “This… she… this mole looks like someone…”
“Who?” Haowei and Si Lan couldn’t help but ask in unison.
“Like that bald donkey.”
The Great Eternal Immortal once caught her and her little sisters, leaving a bit of an impression on her.
“…” Haowei and Si Lan.
They had both seen the Great Eternal Immortal. Although he was kind and loving, with deep wrinkles and an aged face, there was no mole at the corner of his eye. How could this woman resemble the Great Eternal Immortal?
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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