AVL Chapter 71.2

Lezheng Jiu said incredulously: “You like it?”

 

Xi Jue nodded.

 

Lezheng Jiu looked at him in disbelief, thinking Xi Jue was simply too good at pretending. Outside he was wild and unruly, but here before his mother he acted so obedient and sensible. Didn’t that just make himself look picky and difficult?

 

Lady Wan genuinely adored Xi Jue. Before they left, she sent him a pile of spiritual medicine.

 

Xi Jue took it in a daze.

 

Lezheng Jiu peeked over and quickly glanced at them before pausing.

 

The spiritual medicine Mother gave Xi Jue should help cultivation, so why were they all for repairing damaged spiritual meridians and pain relief?

 

This pampered Xi Jue—when would he ever need pain relief?

 

Xi Jue silently accepted them in his hands, politely offering thanks with some restraint.

 

Lezheng Jiu had never seen Xi Jue so well-behaved and found it truly remarkable. Upon returning to Zhuxing Zhai, he gossiped at length about Xi Jue’s surprisingly obedient demeanor.

 

Next holiday, half of Zhuxing Zhai followed Lezheng Jiu to Medicine Sect, clamoring to see Xi Jue’s shameful obedient behavior.

 

Another thread of causation silently appeared, but immediately another followed—vague and obscure, flickering in and out of view.

 

Sheng Jiao looked carefully before discovering it seemed to be Ying Zhuo’s dream.

 

Sheng Jiao: “………..”

 

This person had no presence even in dreams.

 

Ying Zhuo’s dream was very brief. It was just Zhuxing Zhai class dismissal when Xi Jue actively came to Ying Zhuo’s desk to ask him about a magical artifact.

 

The first person to speak to him, Ying Zhuo became excited, slapping the desk enthusiastically with glowing eyes: “I can make any magical artifact. Even flying vessels that soar through the sky, I can construct…”

 

“Oh.” Xi Jue lay on the desk with a grin. “Actually no need for such elaborate artifacts.”

 

Ying Zhuo was floating from the praise, wishing he could pour out all his knowledge: “Then what do you need?”

 

Xi Jue gave him a wink and gently parted his lips.

 

Sheng Jiao made out his lip movements and his pupils contracted sharply.

 

Xi Jue said: “…A magical artifact that helps hear all things.”

 

How old was Xi Jue then? Only seventeen, not yet graduated from Tianyan Academy. Why would he suddenly want such an artifact?

 

Did he know then that his ears would be damaged?

 

Sheng Jiao’s five fingers gripped tightly.

 

He’d always assumed that once Xi Jue recovered his spiritual power, his hearing could be healed. But at this moment, he suddenly considered another possibility.

 

—Perhaps Xi Jianlan’s xiangwen was related to his ears.

 

Another thread of causation appeared quietly.

 

When Rang Chen hadn’t yet ended his vow of silence, his hands seemed to be forming seals, speaking to Xi Jue: 「Don’t do this.」

 

Xi Jue looked at him coldly, golden pupils flashing with chill.

 

Rang Chen’s face showed obvious anxiety for the first time: 「No matter what you plan to do, stop!」

 

“No.” Xi Jue said coldly. “I’ve endured for so many years. The arrow is on the string—I cannot stop now.”

 

Rang Chen: 「Even if you will die?」

 

Xi Jue actually smiled: “Do you think I’ve been alive these years?”

 

Rang Chen didn’t understand the meaning of these words, but vaguely sensed the Xi family might not be as benevolent toward their spiritual-grade xiangwen as surface appearances suggested.

 

Leaving these words, Xi Jue turned without hesitation and walked away.

 

Rang Chen’s pupils contracted. Originally he could only see the unstoppable red ominous aura covering Xi Jue’s body. The moment he turned his head, Rang Chen actually witnessed 108 Tianyan Pearls descending in thunder punishment, Xi Jue’s soul scattering—his death.

 

Rang Chen suddenly stepped forward, grabbing Xi Jue’s wrist as he desperately tried to convince him.

 

「Xi Jue, abandon all your schemes! What you want to do may not end as you wish! You will…」

 

Xi Jue looked at him indifferently: “What will happen?”

 

He feared neither life nor death. Even if his soul scattered, he would have no regrets.

 

Rang Chen’s hand made small gestures.

 

「…You will die under Sheng Jiao’s Tianyan Way.」

 

***

 

The final thread of “Karma’s Course” was like snow-white spider silk.

 

Months ago, Ying Zhuo went to the Evil Qi Road black market to buy scattered materials for making puppets. Among the crowded stalls, there was a man in black robes crouching in a corner, lazily eating pastries.

 

A black hood covered him completely. In the night’s shadows, you could only see pastry pieces disappearing into the hood one after another, vanishing like a bottomless pit.

 

For no particular reason, Ying Zhuo walked over and lowered his gaze to look at what was on the stall.

 

Several ugly, grotesque scroll paintings that looked like tree roots.

 

The man eating pastries mumbled: “Buy paintings?”

 

Ying Zhuo raised an eyebrow: “Which master’s masterpiece is this?”

 

The man chuckled and leaned forward slightly. You could faintly smell the scent of osmanthus cake on him: “The Xi family’s Tianyan masterpiece, oh.”

 

Ying Zhuo’s expression immediately darkened. Looking down expressionlessly, he suddenly realized these several sprawling paintings were actually violently flayed xiangwen.

 

“Buy?” The man, seeing his hesitation, pushed further: “If this painting goes to Gusong Temple, one would fetch tens of thousands of spiritual stones. It might even cause an uproar across the Thirteen States.”

 

Ying Zhuo looked at him with an ambiguous smile: “Then why don’t you sell it directly to Gusong Temple? Wouldn’t you make more money?”

 

The man laughed: “I can’t expose myself, ah. I need someone to do my dirty work for me. You seem perfect for it.”

 

Ying Zhuo: “…”

 

He’d never seen someone so blunt.

 

But harboring selfish motives, Ying Zhuo bought those paintings anyway, willingly becoming another’s blade.

 

After receiving the scrolls, the black-robed figure instantly dispersed, leaving only a ground of pastry crumbs.

 

Ying Zhuo was about to stand when he noticed what seemed to be a slip of paper tucked in one scroll.

 

「Xi Minghuai, Southern Territory Red Dust Recognition Pavilion.」

 

Ying Zhuo didn’t discover anything special about himself, but Sheng Jiao perceived it immediately.

 

The handwriting was Xi Jue’s, written with his left hand.

 

***

 

As Sheng Jiao was stunned, eight threads of causation were drawn together, intertwining in an instant, converging into a glowing golden—”Fruit.”

 

Simultaneously, the scattered Tianyan Pearls suddenly spun rapidly.

 

In less than three breaths, they abruptly stopped. All 107 were blood-red “Execute.”

 

The Tianyan Pearls had never made an error in judgment.

 

—The source of the Xi family slaughter was indeed Xi Jue.

 

The moment the Tianyan Pearls stopped, “Karma’s Course’s” banyan tree instantly transformed into butterflies and dispersed. The surrounding spiritual power surged violently as if clouds parted to reveal the sky.

 

Sheng Jiao completely returned from the yellow millet dream to the original secret realm.

 

The Tianyan Pearls still rotated in the sky.

 

Sheng Jiao’s expression darkened as he raised his hand to summon back the Tianyan Pearls. But his natal magical artifact, having confirmed the verdict, was completely beyond his control, trembling violently with streams of deep blue lightning patterns. These pulled together countless clouds overhead, forming a tribulation thundercloud.

 

Rumble, rumble.

 

Thunder roared through the secret realm.

 

Xi Jianlan didn’t heed any persuasion and truly schemed his way into the secret realm.

 

Sheng Jiao was not surprised. If Xi Jianlan had truly stayed obediently at Zhuxing Zhai, he wouldn’t be Xi Jianlan.

 

Sheng Jiao completely ignored the 107 Tianyan Pearls. He raised his hand to place a restriction on the peacefully sleeping Qin Banban, then gripped the Winter Snow sword and coldly headed toward the thunder.

 

Not long after his departure, the Tianyan Pearls seemed to sense something and reluctantly ceased their lightning patterns.

 

But the distant thunder continued on.

 

***

 

Xi Jianlan and Wen Gubai were too close. After entering the butterfly dream, they found each other in mere moments.

 

Wen Gubai didn’t want to kill Xi Jianlan now. He was waiting for the Tianyan Pearls to descend their tribulation and make Xi Jianlan bear all the guilt.

 

The Xi Jue of Tianyan Academy back then was merely a young boy. Even if clever, he couldn’t match an old fox who’d lived hundreds of years. Aside from those words spoken at the very beginning to win Xi Jue’s trust, Wen Gubai had been cautious ever since, leaving no handle for anyone to grasp.

 

Even on the day of the Xi family slaughter, after he personally committed the murders, he even expunged the memories of killing from his own mind.

 

Wen Gubai had spent years with the owner of the “Karma’s Course” xiangwen and naturally knew how to exploit loopholes in causation.

 

From the very beginning, he had planned his escape route.

 

Xi Jianlan gripped the Spring Rain sword, hearing the spiritual power of “Kan Tianyan” brewing overhead. He raised an eyebrow slightly: “Dean Wen, the Tianyan Pearls have judged you guilty.”

 

Wen Gubai smiled enigmatically: “Do you not think it’s yourself?”

 

Xi Jianlan laughed: “Why would it be me?”

 

Wen Gubai said lightly: “Whatever this body does is counted in your karma.”

 

Xi Jianlan slightly raised his head, looking toward the tribulation thunder in the sky.

 

Rumble, rumble, deafening.

 

But he showed no signs of his soul being scattered.

 

“Your physical form…” Wen Gubai hinted meaningfully, “is indeed easy to possess.”

 

Xi Jianlan showed no fear: “Really?”

 

Wen Gubai looked at him with pity.

 

But found that Xi Jianlan’s gaze on him was even more pitying, almost excessive, like looking at a cold, lifeless corpse.

 

“Then guess for yourself.” Wen Gubai’s pupils chilled at this junior’s look, speaking unhurriedly: “Which body will the Tianyan Pearls’ tribulation ultimately strike?”

 

Xi Jianlan smiled and said: “Certainly not mine.”

 

The Spring Rain sword gleamed coldly. As his words fell, Xi Jianlan’s figure moved like lightning, carrying a blade of frost light as he slashed fiercely toward Wen Gubai.

 

Wen Gubai had no natal sword. His cultivation had reached the Void Return stage. Spiritual power instantly condensed into a phantom spiritual sword shaped like a swallow, blocking the sharp blade light without blinking.

 

“Clang—”

 

Xi Jianlan had only recently recovered his cultivation, yet his form showed no stiffness in combat.

 

Tianyan spiritual power swirled around him, dyeing his pupils in beautiful, eerie gold.

 

Wen Gubai was startled, finally realizing.

 

Xi Jianlan was the most accomplished student in Wen Gubai’s centuries-long teaching career. This child’s talent was truly demonic. In a thousand years across all the Thirteen States, one would be hard-pressed to find even one person of comparable power.

 

The Xi family had feared his terrifying talent and brilliant mind, unable to kill him, forced to trap him with “Endless Period.”

 

Xi Jianlan, using just recently recovered Spirit Transformation stage cultivation, held his own against Void Return stage Wen Gubai without falling behind.

 

The Spring Rain sword hummed under the tremendous spiritual power, shaking his hand until it went numb. It felt like his delicate bones would shatter.

 

Xi Jianlan seemed unaware of pain. His form moved like a swimming dragon, sword intent advancing inch by inch toward Wen Gubai’s vital points.

 

“Cling—”

 

Frost and chill gleamed coldly. Layers of frost and snow now blanketed the ground.

 

Though Wen Gubai didn’t wish to kill Xi Jianlan, seeing him press forward relentlessly, backing him toward a dead end, his expression darkened. He released Void Return stage power in overwhelming waves, fiercely pressing down on Xi Jianlan’s frail body.

 

Xi Jianlan’s form froze for an instant.

 

Simultaneously, Wen Gubai’s killing blade descended.

 

Xi Jianlan’s eyes didn’t even blink. He even smiled gently, seemingly certain Wen Gubai wouldn’t dare kill him.

 

A strand of spiritual power suddenly tore through the void, a single sword strike blooming like spring flowers across ten thousand blossoms. It completely shattered the dream confining the two.

 

The surrounding phantom scene transformed into dancing butterflies.

 

Xi Jianlan was startled and instinctively retreated, landing silently on a stone after several leaps, then turned to look.

 

Sheng Jiao came forward expressionlessly with sword in hand. Wherever Winter Snow passed, phantom flower clusters bloomed.

 

He stood with sword upright, coldly gazing at Xi Jianlan.

 

Xi Jianlan touched the now-silent gold bell on his wrist, incredulous.

 

Sheng Jiao had discovered the bell’s secret and intentionally left Banban behind?

 

Xi Jianlan stared at Sheng Jiao’s blade-sharp gaze, feeling inexplicably guilty as he lowered his head.

 

At least Sheng Jiao didn’t lose his temper at this moment. Speaking coldly as frost, he commanded: “Come.”

 

Xi Jianlan was still confused about what this “come” meant when suddenly the thunderclouds overhead condensed into a neat circular ring, enveloping the three of them.

 

Rumble—!

 

Xi Jianlan was startled and shivered.

 

Wen Gubai smiled enigmatically as he dissipated his spiritual sword. He seemed confident the thunder punishment was only for Xi Jianlan, turning to leave.

 

Sheng Jiao drew his sword again, saying coldly: “Dean Wen, the Xi family slaughter—you also share responsibility.”

 

Wen Gubai said with a light smile: “Did the Tianyan Pearls judge me guilty?”

 

Sheng Jiao’s eyes turned icy.

 

“Or,” Wen Gubai continued, “does Sect Master Sheng intend to bend the law for private gain, trying to make your dao companion bear the guilt for you?”

 

Facing the provocation, Sheng Jiao was unmoved: “The Tianyan Pearls have only 107 ‘Execute’ verdicts. Whether or not you left evidence, you are certainly not innocent.”

 

After all, two of the threads from “Karma’s Course” showed Wen Gubai’s participation.

 

Wen Gubai made no defense, only smiled and said: “Then after the Tianyan tribulation punishes the true culprit, I will cooperate with Xiezhi Sect and allow you to investigate for evidence.”

 

Sheng Jiao’s eyes grew colder.

 

Xi Jianlan asked in confusion: “107 are ‘Execute’—whose? Mine?”

 

Sheng Jiao looked at him, frowning as if recognizing this person playing dumb again. That familiar expression appeared—”I’m saving face for you since outsiders are watching.”

 

Xi Jianlan was about to ask more when the thunder punishment overhead finally formed into thick, massive cloud rings, pressing down inch by inch from above the secret realm.

 

—If one looked carefully, the tribulation was indeed descending directly toward Xi Jianlan’s head.

 

Wen Gubai had already transformed into a flying swallow and departed gracefully. Sheng Jiao didn’t pursue, but instead grabbed Xi Jianlan expressionlessly and said coldly: “Don’t move.”

 

Xi Jianlan saw his intention and his heart suddenly clenched: “Are you insane? A tribulation’s power is no small matter. If it really strikes, even one bolt would pulverize us both into dust!”

 

Sheng Jiao didn’t want to hear more of his nonsense. Great Ascension stage spiritual power continuously poured from his meridians, seeming to pit himself against the heavenly way.

 

Xi Jianlan stared at him blankly.

 

In the thunder’s hum, Sheng Jiao’s voice was icy, his bearing strong as an immovable, towering mountain.

 

“I said I wouldn’t.”

 

**

 

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