Chapter 68 Determined

Ye Yunlan.

When Elder Chu said the name, he sat on the high seat with one hand supporting his chin. His expression was not happy nor angry. There was only a little bit of interest in his heart.

A person with a ruined face wears a mask all year round and does not show his true colors?

..Seems somewhat similar to him.

He swallowed too many monsters and souls at the bottom of the Demon Abyss. Demonic energy infested his body, and his body had an inexplicable abnormality.

When he first crawled out of the Demon Abyss, all the humans who looked directly at him turned white from fright. They fell to the ground, and some were scared to death.

Of course, this was not only because of his weird appearance. It was also because of the excessive darkness and evil thoughts condensed on him. That darkness affected others.

A mortal without a cultivation base couldn’t bear the price it took to look at him directly.

Even if he had no intention of killing those people.

Later, after he wandered around the world for a while, he had a slightly human form. He put on a mask, so one could no longer see the monster’s appearance while his deliberate control restrained the filthy, unknown powers.

He became the Demon Lord and commanded the Demonic Sect. The mask on his face was never off.

No one knew his true face, and he had no interest in letting anyone know. Many people had said that he looked ugly, like a ghost. In a certain sense, it was not a lie.

He lifted his lips and sneered from the bottom of his heart.

Human beings are really creatures used to judging people by their appearances. It was clearly just a physical body with a skin covering. It was an external thing, yet they are often used to determine everything a person had.

His world was blood-red.

All appearances were the same once he had seen them all; dull and boring. He stared at the demonic palace, stared at the entire world, but all he saw was huge darkness enveloped by the evil thoughts lingering in everyone.

It was like turbulent clouds covering the sun.

The world called him a demon.

But where was there no evil? Who wasn’t a demon?

Nowhere is clean.

No one was an exception.

Above the banquet, the voices of talk and laughter mixed. The enchanting dancers twisted like snakes, the flying tulle wrapped around the fragrance of wine, and darkness hid deep in the shadows.

He drank the wine in his glass and felt a little bored.

His knuckles rested on the seat’s armrest, and his eyes flashed scarlet. He took the Shura sword on the table and laid it flat on his knees. He pulled it out inch by inch.

He placed the long sword in front of his eyes, and the sword’s cold light reflected half his face wearing the ghost mask.

The Shura sword made a low humming sound. “Don’t worry,” he said, “This Lord will soon let you.. drink some blood.”

Lifting the sword and getting up, he walked a few steps when he felt something pull his heart.

It was like a feather fluttering by, slightly itchy.

Surprised, he looked inside his heart palace. He saw a little jade man sitting in the middle of the heart palace, eyes open, looking up at him.

STOP!!!!

He was startled. The surrounding still life shattered like a phantom image. The place where he stood was no longer a cold demonic palace but a quiet and peaceful bamboo building.

Shen Shu returned to reality.

His gaze fell on the letter at the bottom.

A corner of the letter paper was exposed, and on it was a signature elegantly written in pen and ink.

His pupils became extremely dark. He could hardly restrain his violent anger and desire to tear up the letter.

If the memories he had were real, or if these memories were as he guessed, then they may be a part of his own “future.” Did this mean his Master will someday become Chen Weiyuan’s future dao companion?

What a joke!

Behind him, he heard the sound of Ye Yunlan putting down the bamboo bowl after drinking the soup.

Shen Shu retracted the expression on his face. He picked up the stack of letters, turned around, then used the table’s edge to support himself with one hand. A little smile appeared on his face: “It seems that since Disciple has been in retreat for two years, Master’s life hasn’t been peaceful.”

Ye Yunlan looked at the stack of letters in Shen Shu’s hand, a slightly uncomfortable expression passing over his face. He said in a low voice: “Those things, don’t look at them.”

After the Tianchi Mountain dao conference was over, the rumors about his injury spread, becoming more and more distorted.

Although He Lanze warned and stopped others, not many disturbances came to him, but they sent more and more letters to his residence.

In the beginning, only the Sky Sect disciples knew where he lived. Later, he didn’t know who had leaked where he lived, but various sects of the cultivation world began to send letters, and even some elixirs, magic weapons, and treasures.

He could return gifts with a signature on the letter, but he could only stack gifts without a signature in one place. After so many times, although most of the rejected people were reluctant to withdraw, many people would erase their signature and continue to send a letter to him.. Not only this, but the letter’s contents were becoming more and more straightforward and unsightly.

Ye Yunlan stood up and wanted to take the letters back but didn’t notice Shen Shu’s dark eyes.

He stretched out his hand to get the letter, but Shen Shu grasped his wrist.

“It’s just a few love letters. Why does Master have to view them with such great importance? Could it be that some tempted Master?” Shen Shu said jokingly.

Ye Yunlan was startled, his eyebrows pale and tired. “Your Master has already said that I have a dao companion, and I won’t be moved again in this life. I won’t make a bond contract with anyone again. You don’t have to ask me that anymore.”

“..And Master was ready to burn these letters.”

Shen Shu slightly frowned, carefully observing Ye Yunlan’s expression. He didn’t notice any trace from his indifferent expression that showed interest in those letters, only his usual tired and fed-up appearance.

It was just the things he saw in his memory that made him feel like there was a fishbone lodged in his throat.

“In that case, it doesn’t matter if this pile of letters is dealt with by Disciple, right?” Shen Shu asked.

Ye Yunlan pursed his lips and turned his head: “Up to you.”

Shen Shu looked at him deeply, then snapped a finger in his left hand. He used a magic technique to trigger a spiritual fire.

The flame began to burn the corner of the letter and then gradually swallowed it up until it finally disappeared into the air, leaving no ashes.

Ye Yunlan’s complexion was always pale and indifferent. He looked out the window without looking back at the pile of letters.

After personally burning the letter, Shen Shu calmed down a bit.

He looked at Ye Yunlan’s always indifferent expression, then realized that the other party was a little angry. He said: “This time, Disciple has forgotten what Master once said and lost his composure. I won’t do it in the future.”

He saw that Ye Yunlan was still silent and felt a little sour in his heart.

“Actually, I’m very curious about what kind of character Master’s dao companion was that caused Master to keep him in his mind until now.”

Shen Shu paused, then continued: “Will Master tell Disciple his name? In the future, every time during the Qingming Festival (tomb sweeping day), Disciple can also go to worship him.”

Ye Yunlan said indifferently: “He is proud by nature and left free and unfettered. He once told me that no one needs to worship him after death. So, you don’t need to know his name.”

Hearing this, Shen Shu pursed his lips.

He won’t even tell him his name?

Ye Yunlan didn’t want to continue this subject: “After half a month, you can go to a place with Master.”

Shen Shu nodded without thinking, “Where?”

Ye Yunlan: “Netherworld secret realm.”

Shen Shu: “Netherworld secret realm?” He pondered for a moment, “Is it the legendary ancient place that Master once mentioned? The secret cave where the Great Emperor Netherworld left his possessions before he planned to ascend?”

Ye Yunlan gave a faint “en”: “There has been news from Zhanxing City at the Eastern Continent’s junction and Southern border that the Netherworld Secret Realm is about to appear in the world. It will open in half a month. If you want to resolve the puppet mark on your body, you need the soul-attracting flower. It’s just that the soul-attracting flower has long been extinct in this world. Only in the ancient ruins could there be remnants of it.”

Shen Shu frowned: “Emperor Netherworld is not a good person in ancient records. The secret realm of that cave he left behind is bound to be sinister with countless risks. Since this matter is related to Disciple, Disciple should go himself, why is it necessary for Master to take risks with your body?”

Ye Yunlan said: “For this matter, your Master has his plan.”

Shen Shu suddenly held his thin and pale hand: “Master, you know you have injuries on your body. Moreover, your injuries have worsened over the past two years. Your heart cannot be turbulent at this time, becoming tired from running around. What should I do if you suddenly suffer an injury in the secret realm? The puppet seal is related to Disciple’s freedom, but if it affects Master.. Disciple is willing to be forever controlled by the seal.”

“Don’t speak nonsense.” Ye Yunlan frowned slightly, disagreeing with his words.

He closed his eyes again, “I have decided. You don’t have to say anything anymore.”

After that, no matter what Shen Shu said, he could not persuade him.

Shen Shu saw that persuading him did not work, so he looked at him for a long time. Then, he cleared the bamboo bowl on the table and closed the door.

When the sound of his footsteps drifted away, Ye Yunlan opened his eyes and looked at the closed door quietly.

He could not tell Shen Shu that he had experienced going to the Netherworld Secret Realm.

He also knew where one could most likely find soul-attracting flowers in the secret realm.

——Netherworld secret realm. It was the secret realm where he was framed for killing the disciple of his sect in his previous life. It was why he was abolished of his Golden Core and expelled from the sect.

Reliving a lifetime, he didn’t know if the people behind those things would do it again, but he knew that the secret realm was indeed dangerous. Amongst ten cultivators, it is likely only one would survive. Even with Shen Shu’s Nascent Soul realm cultivation, it may not be safe.

If he was there, he could guide the way. At least it would prevent Shen Shu from stepping into some dangerous traps, causing him to have no remains left. If life and death were at stake, he would use a forbidden technique to return to the void tracing realm as long as he could protect Shen Shu’s life.

As for himself..

Living in the world is like the wind and rain that comes. When it is time, he will return to dust.

There is not much to love and regret.

And in this life, he had no so-called starting point or endpoint in this world. He was just a lone boat, wandering in the world.

Even if it drifts far away, it was just fallen leaves returning to their roots.

..

Sky Sect, Medicine Peak.

In the middle of the mountain, there was a hidden cave on a rugged wall.

The cave was so deep that it was difficult to see the end from the outside world.

At this moment, there was laughter coming out of the cave.

The ghostly laughter resembled ghosts laughing and crying. It contained the hint of madness, shocking the perched birds on the cliffs.

The cave was extremely deep, difficult to see the sky. Rong Ran’s clothes were scattered against a rocky bulge as he held a blood-stained blade in his hand.

The blade dripped blood.

Compared with two years ago, his face was much more haggard. Even white hair grew on his head, his eyes containing a burning, crazy look.

In front of him, there was a huge cavity filled with Gu worm corpses and a sticky rotten smell.

Carefully placed between his knees were two blood-red, cicada-like Gu worms. One of them was slightly larger, the other smaller.

“It’s been five years, He Huan Gu..it’s finally been refined.. Ha ha ha ha..”

Rong Ran stared at the two Gu worms feverishly.

After five long years, investing countless treasures, nourishing them with his heart’s blood, and suffering from the pain, finally, according to the formula given by his father, he has refined this pair that can completely change a person’s mind. It will allow the person to completely fall in love with the person who gives the He Huan Gu.

But it was worth it.

He took off the clothes on his upper body, and the blade cut open his pale chest. He pressed the big He Huan Gu into the knife mark in his heart inch by inch. His eyes were sometimes focused and sometimes relaxed. His lips wore a weird smile as his hoarse voice called out a name.

“Ah Lan..”

..

WangYun Peak, Yuntian Palace.

Qiyun Jun stood in the peach forest with his eyes closed, like a silent stone sculpture.

The gorgeous color of the peach blossoms was incompatible with his snow-white appearance.

The breeze blew, and the peach blossoms covered his snow-white clothes, brushing his slender sword-holding hand.

A black jade hung quietly on the hilt, a simple, dark scabbard engraved with a beautiful peach blossom.

After a while, he opened his eyes. His glazed eyes reflected the clear blue sky and peach blossoms.

In the past few years, he has continued to practice the heartless dao. His dao became more and more complete. The phantom in his mind, transformed by the demons, had gradually faded.

He thought of it, and it was time to resolve it.

The Taiqing Duer Sword slowly unsheathed, and the sword body reflected his long frost-colored eyelashes and cold eyebrows.

He swung his sword indifferently.

The peach blossom fell like a shower, and the sword qi crushed it into the void.

Wind and snow invaded the air, filling the sky. It fell onto Qiyun Jun’s clothes and hair, assimilating the only bright color in the originally cold and merciless white of Yuntian Palace.

The heart demons have disappeared.

The heartless dao had improved another step.

Maybe in a hundred years, he could touch the steps of void tracing.

He thought indifferently, but suddenly a person’s face passed in his mind.

The person’s face seemed detached from the mundane world, while the spirit of heaven and earth seemed to be poured into the other party, with a little red dot at the end of his eyes, like blood and tears.

Even if he cultivated the heartless dao, it was hard for him to ignore this thrilling beauty.

He retracted the Taiqing Duer Sword into its sheath, then turned and walked out of this ice and snow.

Passing through the corridor and stepping into the palace, he saw a person waiting there. His white clothes and black hair faced him.

Qiyun Jun’s heart moved.

But when the person heard a sound, he turned his head, revealing an elegant and beautiful face. When he looked at him, his expression was supple and respectful.

“Rong Ran greets Master.”

Qiyun Jun frowned and said quietly: “What did you come here for?”

“Coming here, Disciple has a request.” Rong Ran said softly.

Qiyun Jun: “Speak.”

Rong Ran: “The disciples stationed in Zhanxing City heard the news that the Netherworld Secret Realm is about to be open. The Netherworld Secret Realm was left by the Great Emperor Netherworld that year. There is a great chance that his remains will be there. Various sects are all gearing up and getting ready to explore the secret realm; our Sky Sect disciples are no exception.”

“It’s just that the Senior Brother He Lan, who is most qualified to lead this secret realm, suddenly went into retreat a few days ago. The remaining disciples qualified to lead this secret realm have insufficient strength, and it would be difficult to convince the crowd. If they lead the people there, the people’s hearts will scatter, and it will be detrimental to our sect.”

Rong Ran paused, bowing in salute.

“Therefore, Disciple wants to ask Master to spread the decree and let Disciple lead this trip to the secret realm.”