Chapter 73
Inside the illusion, Immortal Jiaheng stood still, his arm suspended in mid-air as if reaching for something he couldn’t grasp. Yu Wuxia’s figure continued to plummet downward, soon obscured by layers of rolling white clouds.
In the Thirty-Three Heavens, immortal cranes cried incessantly, and the bell chimes echoed mournfully, piercing through the sky…
Sensing an abnormal aura, myriad disciples hurried towards the scene.
Si Lan watched as Immortal Jiaheng slowly withdrew his hand, blood beads lingering on his fingertips, teeth marks deep into the bone. His face betrayed no emotion, eyes lowered as he entered the hall. The fox demon trembled in a corner, covering her mouth in fear, silent.
Ignoring the fox demon, Si Lan walked straight to the white jade stone where Yu Wuxia often meditated, his gaze fixed. After a moment, he noticed an unfinished painting nearby. Walking over, he examined its contents closely. Suddenly, his Qi seemed unstable, his chest subtly rising and falling.
His expression tense, he magically closed the painting, holding it in his palm, fingers tightly clenched around it, lost in thought about what to do with it.
Just then, Buddha Shansi and other Buddhas arrived, and he decided to hand over the painting.
—
Si Lan looked at Immortal Jiaheng, whose complexion had returned to normal, and couldn’t help but ask Haowei, “How do you think Immortal Jiaheng views Yu Wuxia?”
“Hard to tell for now, but…” Haowei recalled how Immortal Jiaheng had just taken the painting and thought back to three thousand years later when Buddha Shansi handed them that controversial painting. It seemed Immortal Jiaheng ultimately chose not to destroy the blatantly disrespectful ‘Palace Crushing’ painting.
“At least, Immortal Jiaheng acted with personal interest.”
Si Lan nodded knowingly, feeling the same way.
After pondering the emotional entanglement between the two disciples for a while, Si Lan also thought about leaving the illusion soon to return to the real world, which gave him a headache.
“Yu Wuxia has made significant progress in cultivation over these three thousand years, probably focusing on building his career through diligent practice.”
“Mm.”
“Though we have him injured and captured, we can neither kill him nor persuade him. So, I’m thinking we should take action against Immortal Jiaheng.”
“I sensed Immortal Jiaheng’s presence within the Pentagram Formation. Yu Wuxia must have hidden him somewhere within the formation.” Haowei estimated that Yu Wuxia planned to activate the formation, reshape the Six Realms, and bring Immortal Jiaheng directly to a new world.
It was a well-thought-out plan.
Apparently, throughout countless reincarnations, Yu Wuxia had relied on this method to secretly imprison the real Immortal Jiaheng.
“So, first we need to find Immortal Jiaheng.”
“Mm.”
After discussing two strategies, the two walked out of the illusion.
Inside the formation, Yu Wuxia was surrounded by dark energy, eyes closed, his face handsome yet devilish.
He had already forced out most of the large black runes from his body. If they had come out a little later, these runes would have been forced out.
Sensing their exit, Yu Wuxia opened his eyes, cold and restrained. “Have you decided how to deal with me?” He had experienced such scenes countless times and was not afraid.
But for Si Lan and the others, it was their first time.
Si Lan smiled and said provocatively, “You from three thousand years ago are much more likable.”
At these words, Yu Wuxia’s brows furrowed slightly, seemingly suppressing his emotions.
Si Lan continued, “Why don’t we cooperate? You give up on reshaping the Six Realms, and I’ll help you chase after Immortal Jiaheng.” As if afraid Yu Wuxia wouldn’t believe him, Si Lan pointed to Haowei beside him. “I’m quite adept in matters of love. Look, even the Divine Emperor Haowei has fallen for me.”
“…Haowei.”
Yu Wuxia smiled faintly. “My master has principles and isn’t as easily fooled as others.”
Haowei felt slightly offended and his face darkened.
“Just talking, why add personal attacks?”
Si Lan chuckled, saying, “Indeed, Immortal Jiaheng has principles, deeply rooted in Buddhism, not easily shaken by you. But Immortal Jiaheng carefully kept the painting ‘Palace Crushing’ that you left in the Thirty-Three Heavens. I think his heart must have wavered for a moment because of you.”
Yu Wuxia seemed incredulous, forgetting his injuries momentarily and asked directly, “Is that true?”
“Of course, Haowei, you take that painting and show it to him.”
Haowei frowned and conjured the painting, then walked to the barrier and opened it for Yu Wuxia to see.
Yu Wuxia looked at the familiar painting, memories of its origin involuntarily flooding his mind.
It was a dream he had on his first return from the human realm, where he had painted the scene from his dream at night. Afraid of being discovered and out of amusement, he intentionally depicted the Immortal Jiaheng as a woman.
He carefully put away the painting, but later fell into the demonic path and didn’t have time to take it with him. He had returned to the Thirty-Three Heavens intending to retrieve it, only to find it missing, assuming the Immortal Jiaheng had destroyed it long ago.
Never did he expect it had been kept by the Immortal Jiaheng himself.
Yu Wuxia chuckled self-deprecatingly, “He kept it. How could there be any confusion in his heart? He probably just feels guilty.” After falling into the demonic path, he had met the Immortal Jiaheng once again, who had shown much more leniency towards him, filled with guilt.
He said that he blamed himself for not educating him well after taking him as a disciple, for always being biased against him, leading to their current situation.
But he never knew that their current situation wasn’t due to his failure to educate, but because of his lack of love.
When he told this to the Immortal Jiaheng, the Immortal Jiaheng’s expression turned strange as he told him a cruel truth.
According to Buddhist scriptures: “In the forest, the Buddha encountered a tiger. The tiger approached with hungry eyes, and the Buddha cut his flesh to feed it. Day after day, the Buddha turned into bones, while the tiger consumed his flesh and became a Buddha.”
The Immortal Jiaheng said that this scripture was not just a story, but something that had actually happened. He said that in his previous life, he was the tiger, and he, as a disciple of the Buddha, ate his flesh, instantly becoming a Buddha. Meanwhile, he turned into bones, entered reincarnation for a thousand lifetimes, and became a disciple of the Buddha again.
Thus, he misunderstood the relationship between the two of them. The first impression he had in his divine consciousness was not the beginning of innocent love, but the continuation of resentment and entanglement.
Realizing that he was the disciple who cut flesh and picked bones in this Buddhist scripture, and the tiger that instantly became a Buddha was the Immortal Jiaheng, he mistakenly regarded resentment as love, and completely lost his mind in this rotten world, having no attachment or reason to exist.
He even wanted to destroy the Immortal Jiaheng together, but whenever he aimed his sword at the Immortal Jiaheng’s forehead, he couldn’t bear to strike.
Seeing Yu Wuxia lost in thought, Si Lan tried hard to find a topic to continue talking to Yu Wuxia. By keeping Yu Wuxia occupied, he was buying time for Haowei, who was secretly searching for the Immortal Jiaheng’s aura within the array.
“He feels guilty because he cares for you,” Si Lan sighed, “You and your master have never truly opened up to each other. He doesn’t even believe in your love. Even if you manage to clear the air later on, he might still think that you never really loved him and that it was just a result of losing your mind and mistaking it for love.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Wuxia tightened his lips, his eyes staring fixedly at Si Lan.
How did Si Lan seem to know the Immortal Jiaheng’s thoughts so well, as if he were a worm in the Immortal Jiaheng’s belly, guessing everything about him?
Si Lan continued, “So instead of thinking he doesn’t love you because he’s devoted to Buddhism and bound by worldly morals, why not think about what actions of yours truly made him feel loved?”
Yu Wuxia’s eyes flickered for a moment, lost in memories once again.
When he first arrived at the Thirty-Three Heavens, he was thrown into a cave by the Immortal Jiaheng, completely ignored. He thought the Immortal Jiaheng disliked him because he simply didn’t want him as a disciple. So he worked hard to cultivate, to prove himself, and eventually earned the qualification to have the Master’s constant company.
But when he truly realized his feelings, he didn’t make an effort for them. Instead, he fell into painful entanglement, unsure how to handle this doomed relationship, and gradually became more and more irritable, until he finally fell into the demonic realm.
Now, hearing Si Lan’s words, he was slightly moved, suddenly thinking, if he hadn’t been so resolute in breaking ties with the Immortal Jiaheng back then, perhaps…
Yu Wuxia restrained his emotions, looked up at Si Lan, “I will believe your words and cooperate with you. So tell me, how do you plan to help me?”
Si Lan was surprised that Yu Wuxia was persuaded, his eyes lighting up, “I will teach you based on my lifelong knowledge and practical experience.”
Yu Wuxia’s mouth twitched, “Oh?”
At that moment, Si Lan was about to say something, but Haowei gestured to him from behind.
Although Haowei sensed the Immortal Jiaheng’s aura, Yu Wuxia seemed to have anticipated their investigation into the Immortal Jiaheng, so he had set up twelve positions within the array, all hiding the Immortal Jiaheng’s aura.
Si Lan immediately gave Haowei a signal with his eyes, indicating they needed to proceed with an alternate plan now.
Si Lan approached Yu Wuxia, separated by a barrier, and said, “For example, even though you’ve imprisoned Immortal Jiaheng, he probably wouldn’t want to talk to you.”
“Indeed.”
“In fact, getting him to speak is quite simple.”
“How so?” Yu Wuxia stepped closer to Si Lan.
“Threaten him. If he doesn’t answer your questions, tell him you’ll kiss him.”
“…” Yu Wuxia.
A strange smile tugged at the corner of Yu Wuxia’s lips. He moved closer to Si Lan until there was barely any space between them across the barrier. “But I’m afraid my master might hurt me.”
“Since you’ve imprisoned him, haven’t you restrained his limbs as well?”
“No.”
“You’re being too straightforward. You…” Before Si Lan could finish, Yu Wuxia suddenly broke through the barrier and grabbed his neck.
During their conversation, Yu Wuxia also forced out the dark symbols within him, though his cultivation hadn’t fully recovered, he was no longer suppressed.
Twisting Si Lan’s neck, Yu Wuxia smirked, “Seems like you’re quite honest too.”
“Yu Wuxia, cough… didn’t we agree to cooperate? I’ll help you pursue Immortal Jiaheng, right?”
“No need. Without people like you, in the new world, I’ll accompany my master for a thousand or even ten thousand years, and he’ll eventually fall in love with me.”
“…”
Madman.
He really was a madman.
Si Lan couldn’t help but silently ridicule Yu Wuxia in his heart, but thankfully, this was all within his and Haowei’s plan.
Yu Wuxia looked across at Haowei. Drawing his longsword, Haowei stared back sharply, “Release him.”
“I can’t bear to release him. He’s my carefully chosen final sacrifice.” Yu Wuxia glanced at the sword in Haowei’s hand, “But unfortunately, I don’t have the chance to duel with you. Otherwise, I’d like to see how strong this ‘variable’ of yours really is.”
With that, Yu Wuxia wasted no time and disappeared from the formation with Si Lan in tow.
Haowei was about to pursue when Yu Wuxia’s voice echoed from mid-air, “If you break through this formation, every cut of your blade will land on him.”
Haowei immediately withdrew his sword, his eyes filled with restrained anger and frustration, standing motionless.
Yu Wuxia brought Si Lan to the second layer of the formation.
The second layer was extraordinarily bizarre, as if they were in a void world. They stood on nothingness, with an abyss beneath their feet. Strange scriptures and beads of various sizes filled the air, part of the formation.
Yu Wuxia released Si Lan’s neck, feeling that Si Lan was already a trapped animal in a cage, not worth being vigilant against. He said, “Junli, you came to help me devise a plan to pursue my master? Heh, then you must come up with a brilliant strategy.”
After mocking Si Lan, Yu Wuxia burst into loud laughter, as if he had heard a hilarious joke.
Si Lan stood behind him with a wooden expression, “If you think this plan won’t work, we can change it without tearing each other apart.”
“I don’t have time to waste with you now. Soon, you’ll either be credited with opening a new world or… be buried with me.”
“…” Si Lan.
A hint of fear crossed Si Lan’s face, but he quickly looked around, assessing the surroundings.
Although the layout here was strange, it wasn’t without order. While the scriptures and beads seemed scattered at first glance, from the right angle, they formed a swastika shape.
He estimated that there were four ‘cells’ in the second layer of the formation, distributed in the shape of a swastika. One housed Si Lan and Yu Wuxia, another detained Quze.
Among the remaining two, one was likely where Immortal Jiaheng was held.
Si Lan secretly conjured a colorful feather from his sleeve and, using it, drew the pattern of the second layer’s formation to convey information to Haowei.
Meanwhile, trapped in the first layer of the formation, Haowei stared at the colorful feather on the ground, which wrote a few words and drew a swastika shape. Instantly, he understood.
“Since I’m about to die, could you release my disciple Quze?”
Now that he knew Quze’s location, determining the other two positions became easier.
“You seem to have a good relationship with this one-armed disciple. After he found out I planned to use you as a sacrifice, he kept urging me to use him instead.” Yu Wuxia sneered, lightly flicking a bead, and Quze’s figure suddenly appeared from the illusory formation ahead.
Seeing Si Lan appear, Quze’s expression changed drastically. He immediately said, “Respected Sir, you don’t need to worry about me. Just run.”
Si Lan sighed and said truthfully, “There’s no escaping now.”
Quze wanted to approach Si Lan, but he was bound by an invisible barrier and couldn’t get through. He grew anxious, his face turning pale. His right arm’s fingers transformed into steel blades, attacking the invisible barrier relentlessly.
Si Lan could only say, “Quze, stop struggling. No matter how hard you try now, it’s too late. At least the two of us, master and disciple, can still die together.”
With a sigh, Si Lan continued, “It’s a pity Xiao Xie doesn’t know where the formation is.”
After hearing this, Quze slowly withdrew his steel blades and fell silent, staring fixedly at Si Lan.
Thinking like this, the three of them, master and disciples, were resigned to dying together.
Yu Wuxia watched the deeply affectionate scene before her, feeling her eyes sting. She waved her hand, and the prayer beads and scriptures emitted a strange light.
Golden lights crisscrossed and connected, forming a vast and eerie formation that enveloped all three of them.
Si Lan’s body floated uncontrollably as four prayer beads fixed his limbs. Just as he was about to struggle, beams of golden light from the formation spread through his body, causing intense pain to surge within him.
He winced, his face pale, lips trembling. Despite the pain, he couldn’t resist teasing Yu Wuxia, “Yu Wuxia, are you really not considering letting me teach you how to please Lord Immortal Jiaheng? I’m quite skilled… Ah…”
Before he could finish his sentence, excruciating pain interrupted him, distorting his features.
What kind of formation was this? It was already enough to take his life, yet it continued to torment him like this.
“Yu Wuxia!”
Just then, a solemn voice echoed from within the formation.
Startled, Yu Wuxia turned around to see the figure of Lord Immortal Jiaheng appearing inexplicably from the cage behind her.
At this moment, Lord Immortal Jiaheng appeared youthful, with delicate features and wearing a saffron robe adorned with black prayer beads. His expression was neither sad nor happy as he calmly looked at Yu Wuxia.
Yu Wuxia, upon seeing Lord Immortal Jiaheng’s appearance, restrained her arrogance and walked towards him. “Master, how did… how did you find your way here?”
The swastika-shaped cages appeared to be close together, but in fact, they were separated by a great distance.
“Yu Wuxia, release him,” Lord Immortal Jiaheng said, then looked at Si Lan with hands clasped in front of his chest, saying, “Amitabha.”
Yu Wuxia hadn’t expected that after imprisoning Lord Immortal Jiaheng for so long, his first words upon appearing would be to ask her to release Si Lan.
Anger surged within Yu Wuxia, her eyes narrowing. The fiery red mark on her forehead became even more striking. She said, “I won’t release him, even if it’s your command. I won’t release him!”
Lord Immortal Jiaheng seemed surprised by Yu Wuxia’s stubbornness, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “Yu Wuxia, are you really not going to release him?”
“Yes.”
Si Lan, now bathed in golden light, felt every inch of his flesh burning under the scorching heat. Not only that, these golden lights felt like knives, scraping against his bones inch by inch.
He could even feel bone fragments being scr4p3d off and melding with the burnt flesh.
“Respected One!”
Quze had already resolved to die with Si Lan, but seeing him in such pain, he attacked the barrier in front of him like a madman.
Unfortunately, no matter how he attacked, the barrier remained impenetrable. Quze turned to look at Yu Wuxia, his voice hoarse, “Yu Wuxia, all you want is someone with the Solitary Phoenix Death Fate. I fit the bill too. Take me as the sacrifice! Release my master! Yu Wuxia!”
However, Yu Wuxia seemed not to hear Quze’s cry. Her gaze remained fixed on Lord Immortal Jiaheng, silent.
Lord Immortal Jiaheng gently performed a spell, layering a barrier. In the next moment, he sat cross-legged on the ground.
Seeing him like this, Yu Wuxia suddenly felt something was wrong, a strange feeling welling up inside her.
“Yu Wuxia, are you really determined to kill him and activate the Pentagram Nine Heavens Formation?” Lord Immortal Jiaheng’s previous calm demeanor was gone, his dark eyes resolute, as if he had made a decision.
Yu Wuxia also sat down on the ground, maintaining eye contact with Lord Immortal Jiaheng. “Master, I must activate the Pentagram Nine Heavens Formation. My disciple has already activated the formation thirty-three times. In the New World, we have spent countless wonderful days together. There are no secular rules or moral norms there anymore. You and I are not master and disciple, but creators. We can do whatever we want.”
“I understand that you may not accept this now, Master, but think about it. When Heaven created the Six Realms, wasn’t it with a similar method? I just want to create a better, fairer, and freer New World.”
“If you stay in the New World for a long time, Master, you will understand your disciple’s intentions. You will approve of my actions, Master.”
Yu Wuxia leaned against the barrier, speaking so many words for the first time in her life, but only to Lord Immortal Jiaheng would she not hesitate to speak.
Lord Immortal Jiaheng didn’t seem moved by her words. “Yu Wuxia, in these thirty-three new worlds, I probably haven’t understood your intentions, nor accepted your… intentions.”
Yu Wuxia seemed struck by his words, her breath momentarily unsteady. She explained earnestly, “It’s because every time a new world is created, Heaven will reverse time and space shortly after, making us return to the past! But this time, Heaven’s calculations will fail! I killed the Son of Heaven and Emperor Haowei. Who else can save the Six Realms?”
After hearing her words, Lord Immortal Jiaheng smiled bitterly. He clasped his hands together again and said, “Amitabha,” before opening his eyes, seemingly reminiscing about the past, replaying the bits and pieces of his and Yu Wuxia’s experiences.
“Yu Wuxia, although you are the one who will bring about the destruction of the world, it is I who have led you to this day. In the first life, because of hunger, I ate your flesh, received Buddha’s grace, and became a Buddha. I was wrong.”
“You came under my tutelage, and I thought you had come to seek revenge on me, so I deliberately ignored you. I judged you with a small-mindedness. I was wrong.”
“Afterward, when you spoke to me about matters of love between men and women, I became curious. Instead of guiding you, I left you alone in the mortal realm to cultivate. This led you to be later ensnared by demons. It was my fault.”
“I misunderstood when you confessed your feelings to me, thinking you were intentionally mocking me. Thus, I hurt you, causing you to develop affection and fall into demonic ways. This too was my fault.”
“All these four incidents, I owe you an apology. I sowed the seeds of evil and reaped its bitter fruit. Now, you no longer heed my guidance. Since I cannot guide you or make amends, all I can do is beg your forgiveness.”
“When Yu Wuxia heard the words ‘beg forgiveness,’ his brows twitched momentarily with fear. He tried to cast a spell to break the formation before Immortal Jiaheng, but unexpectedly, Immortal Jiaheng incorporated the formation into his own body.”
“If he forcefully broke this formation, he would kill Immortal Jiaheng.”
“He never expected to face such a dilemma, identical to the boundless challenges he encountered with Haowei!”
“Master, what are you going to do?” Yu Wuxia asked, his voice trembling as he spoke, fear spreading throughout his body, causing even his fingertips to tremble slightly.
“He sighed lightly, smiling bitterly: ‘We met due to karmic ties from our first life, and thus must face the consequences of that life. I will lessen your burden.'”
“When he heard the words ‘lessen your burden,’ it felt like sharp knives piercing Yu Wuxia’s heart. His face changed drastically, and he reached out towards Immortal Jiaheng, but was blocked by the formation. He could only say, ‘What lessening of burden? Master, do you think this will absolve you?'”
“Yes, it will.”
“No, it won’t!”
Yu Wuxia wanted to say more, but he saw Immortal Jiaheng conjure a long dagger. With a gentle cut, a piece of flesh was sliced from his arm, blood pouring out, yet Immortal Jiaheng remained unchanged.
“This is the first cut. In our past life, I consumed your arm first.”
“No, Master, please stop! I beg you, Master, put down the knife. I never blamed you. Master…”
“This is the second cut. After consuming your arm, I then ate the flesh from your legs.”
“Master, please don’t cut anymore. Master… You can’t repay debts this way!”
“This is the third cut. After consuming your arm and leg flesh, I ate the flesh from your chest.”
“Master!” Yu Wuxia looked at Immortal Jiaheng, now covered in blood, his saffron robe discarded, revealing a blur of flesh and bones underneath.
Yu Wuxia’s heart throbbed in pain, as if each cut was not on Immortal Jiaheng, but on himself. He completely broke down and wept uncontrollably, disregarding his image: “Master, please… stop… don’t do this… I… I was wrong…”
This was the first time Yu Wuxia admitted he was wrong.
He stumbled to his feet and used magic to release Si Lan from the formation.
Si Lan suddenly fell from mid-air to the ground. Although the sacrificial formation stopped, his body still throbbed with pain. If Yu Wuxia delayed any longer, he felt like his entire body would be boiled alive.
Enduring the pain, Si Lan stood up, intending to walk towards Immortal Jiaheng, but after only a few steps, he fell in pain.
In his ears echoed Yu Wuxia’s despairing voice.
“Master, I don’t want to destroy the Six Realms. I don’t want to create a new world anymore. Master, look, I’ve released the people as you requested!”
“Master, please don’t hurt yourself anymore! Master, put down the knife, please! What do you want to punish me for? It was my fault, why do you have to do this, Master?”
The body covered in blood seemed to ignore Yu Wuxia’s words, continuing with one cut after another.
Yu Wuxia cried tears of blood, his voice hoarse: “Master, I was truly wrong… I was wrong…” He didn’t want Master to admit his fault, he didn’t want Master to seek forgiveness; all he ever wanted was Master’s love.
From within the skeleton came the final sentence.
“Yu Wuxia, this is the last cut. From now on, we owe each other nothing.”
Just as Yu Wuxia had said when he fell into demonhood, this lifetime’s master-disciple fate ends here.
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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If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
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How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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