Chapter 57
Those eight characters were ominous.
What would happen if the Merit Mirror shattered? What would be the consequences of her junior sister revealing her true form? Why was her junior sister so reluctant to show her true form? Was there some hidden secret?
Although she had missed an opportunity to see her junior sister’s true form, Ming Jian Su didn’t regret it. Besides, even under those circumstances, Feng Chiyue might not have actually shown her. Over the next few days, she became even more attentive to Feng Chiyue, rarely letting her out of her sight. Despite not noticing anything unusual, the unease in her heart lingered.
“Karmic fire will incinerate their sins, and the Mandate of Heaven will strip them of their immortality.” This warning from the Heavenly Dao… to what extent would they be “stripped”? Would it only affect the Heavenly Court, or the entire Immortal Realm? Perhaps even the mortal world?
Feng Chiyue was lying in a hammock outside, basking in the sun, a play being broadcast on the Chaos Mirror. She rolled over lazily and, opening her eyes slightly, met Ming Jian Su’s gaze. Ming Jian Su was standing by the window, watching her. She had initially enjoyed this constant attention, but gradually, it became strange. Was her Elder Sister being too clingy? What was she worried about? Feng Chiyue sat up, plucked a peach blossom, and, twirling it before Ming Jian Su’s eyes, said slowly, “You’ve been acting suspiciously lately, Elder Sister.”
Ming Jian Su choked on her words. “I haven’t,” she said, but she couldn’t resist asking, “Junior Sister, what does ‘the Mandate of Heaven will strip them of their immortality’ mean?”
“What Mandate of Heaven?” Feng Chiyue had long forgotten her own words.
Ming Jian Su thought, “As I suspected, her state was off back then. Is it the influence of those memories from before Nirvana? Tu Shan Liusu fell into demonhood. Could the same happen to her junior sister?” Worry gnawed at her heart. Meanwhile, Feng Chiyue, observing her expression, reluctantly searched her memories. “Oh, you mean stripping them of their immortality?” she said, drawing out her words. “It means that those immortals who have lost their virtue, their qualifications, their positions will return to where they belong.”
“What about karmic fire? Your sword is called Karmic Fire,” Ming Jian Su asked. She didn’t care about the fate of those immortals. She only wanted to know how those eight characters would affect her junior sister.
“Perhaps it’s due to being bathed in the pure energy of the Abyss of the Milky Way,” Feng Chiyue said. “After Nirvana, I mastered two divine abilities. One is called ‘All-Consuming Fire,’ and the other is called ‘Shifting Stars.’ But with you here, Elder Sister, I don’t need to use them.”
Ming Jian Su’s heart felt like a bucket being repeatedly raised and lowered. She rested her hand on the windowsill. Finding it too undignified to climb through the window, she transformed into a sword beam and appeared before Feng Chiyue. Taking the peach blossom branch from her hand, she finally asked the question that had been weighing on her mind. “Junior Sister, do you remember anything from before Nirvana?”
“Does it matter?” Feng Chiyue countered.
Ming Jian Su’s heart sank. Her avoidance was a tacit confirmation. The events recorded in history books were already tragic enough, but the chroniclers often embellished the truth. The reality was likely even more brutal, filled with bloodshed and violence. What if she had ascended earlier, no, what if she had been born a few thousand years earlier? Her lips tightened, and her brow furrowed.
Feng Chiyue didn’t like the heaviness she sensed from Ming Jian Su. She picked up a peach blossom petal that had landed on her shoulder and smiled. “It’s all in the past. Why should I remember?” Seeing that Ming Jian Su remained silent, she sighed and beckoned her closer. When Ming Jian Su leaned in, she whispered in her ear, “What? Do you want me to remember everything so you can get rid of me, this troublesome burden?”
“Never!” Ming Jian Su exclaimed, her voice rising. She was already feeling down, and those words only amplified her negative emotions. Even her smile was strained and melancholic. She took Feng Chiyue’s hand, interlacing their fingers, and said slowly and sincerely, “Even if you wanted to leave, I wouldn’t let you go.”
“Everything is perfect in Dong’e Mountain. I would never want to leave,” Feng Chiyue replied.
Ming Jian Su’s smile faltered. “Just because of that?” Those from Phoenix Mountain, upon learning about her junior sister, would do anything to take her away, fulfilling her every desire. What if they actually managed to create a place comparable to Dong’e Mountain? Would her junior sister decide to settle there?
“No,” Feng Chiyue said, raising an eyebrow, her smile radiant, eclipsing even the blooming peach blossoms. She knelt on the hammock, her hands resting on Ming Jian Su’s shoulders to steady the swaying bed. “It’s because the mountain has the one and only Susu.”
Her sweet words warmed Ming Jian Su’s heart, chasing away her anxiety. A blush crept up her cheeks. “Don’t lie to me,” she said, her voice soft. She would eliminate anyone who dared to harm or take away her junior sister.
Feng Chiyue’s eyes sparkled. “I’m not a liar,” she said with a smile.
Ming Jian Su sighed in relief. She preferred it when her junior sister was carefree and oblivious to the world’s troubles. That sudden prophecy had been terrifying. Over the next few days, she relaxed her vigilance, no longer feeling anxious whenever Feng Chiyue was out of her sight. But as she became less clingy, Feng Chiyue became more attached, the hall constantly filled with the words “Junior Sister” or “Susu.” No matter how busy Ming Jian Su was, she would always look up and respond patiently. Everything she did was for her junior sister, but if she neglected her because of it, she would be defeating the purpose.
Feng Chiyue squeezed onto the same chair as Ming Jian Su, pushing aside Undefeated, who was busy with paperwork. She propped her chin on her hand, watching Ming Jian Su, and clicked her tongue. “Feng Yao’s name seal is flashing,” she said.
Ming Jian Su nodded. In her eyes, Phoenix Mountain was now simply trying to steal her junior sister. She had given them a chance, but they had wasted it. Now, they wanted to take Feng Chiyue back? What a delusional dream. She didn’t want to deal with Feng Yao, but seeing her junior sister’s curiosity, she was afraid that Feng Chiyue would contact her herself, giving them a chance to interact. She knew that her junior sister wouldn’t side with Phoenix Mountain, but she was still guarding against it, willing to be the bad guy. She focused her consciousness on the Chaos Mirror and, seeing Feng Yao’s message, her expression changed abruptly.
“What’s wrong?” Feng Chiyue asked, leaning against her.
A sharp glint flashed in Ming Jian Su’s eyes. “There’s a rumor in the Demon Realm about an artifact called ‘Fallen Phoenix,’ crafted by Ming Ji to kill the Phoenix Sovereign,” she said coldly. Seeing Feng Chiyue’s indifference, she added, “Chang Li is still in the Demon Realm.”
Feng Chiyue nodded seriously, but her tone was dismissive. “Oh,” she said. But then, noticing her Elder Sister’s grim expression, she felt a pang of sympathy. Her Elder Sister was working so hard, all because of those troublemakers. She mustered some energy and asked, “What about your little spy in the Demon Realm? What does she say?”
Ming Jian Su was momentarily confused, then realized that “little spy” referred to Tu Shan Xiurong. It was a good thing that fox wasn’t present. She would have been shaking with rage. “She hasn’t sent any messages since her last report about the Phoenix Sovereign’s traces and the new Minor Realm.” Tu Shan Liusu would do anything to save her own skin, but Tu Shan Liusu, the Demon Sovereign, wouldn’t necessarily tell her everything. “We can’t leave that artifact there. We need to find a way to infiltrate the Demon Realm,” Ming Jian Su said.
“Stupid,” Feng Chiyue said, flicking her forehead. “If you just stand there and let them hit you, what weapon couldn’t kill you? The demons forced the Phoenix Sovereign to undergo Nirvana once, and now they’re bragging about having an artifact that can kill her. Or maybe this is a trap set by Chang Li, aiming to lure you to the Demon Realm, accuse you of colluding with the demons, and use your own tactics against you.”
“Did Phoenix Mountain send people to the Demon Realm as soon as they heard about Chang Li? They can’t kill her, and they can’t get any reliable information. They really have nothing better to do,” Feng Chiyue said, mocking Phoenix Mountain mercilessly.
Ming Jian Su: “…” Although she found Feng Chiyue’s words logical, she still contacted Tu Shan Liusu.
In the Kingdom of Qingqiu.
Tu Shan Xiurong was sulking in her cave, lamenting her miserable fate, when she suddenly noticed Ming Jian Su’s name seal flashing. She jumped, startled, and hastily focused her consciousness on the Chaos Mirror, forcing a smile that wasn’t completely filled with resentment.
Ming Jian Su didn’t waste time on pleasantries and asked directly about the “demon artifact.”
Tu Shan Xiurong genuinely didn’t know about its existence and promised to investigate. However, after several unpleasant encounters with Tu Shan Liusu, the Demon Sovereign, she had no desire to interact with her. She withdrew her consciousness and sought out the Kingdom Lord, Tu Shan Bi.
The nine-tailed white fox was curled up on a cloud-like rug. She glanced at Tu Shan Xiurong and, without thinking, said, “There’s nothing I can do. I can’t remove it. Just wait for your death.”
Tu Shan Xiurong’s eye twitched. Judging from the Kingdom Lord’s attitude, her hopes of using Qingqiu’s power to remove the sword energy from her body were clearly a delusion. Suppressing her urge to rebel, she asked, “Are you aware of an artifact in the Demon Realm capable of killing the Phoenix Sovereign?”
Tu Shan Bi, her nine tails swaying lazily, chuckled.
“From the way you’re talking, one would think the Phoenix Sovereign is immortal. Any weapon can be a deadly tool as long as it delivers the final blow,” she said before Tu Shan Xiurong could ask any further questions.
So there wasn’t one.
Having received her answer, Tu Shan Xiurong turned to leave.
But just as she reached the door, a sword beam suddenly appeared, carrying a wave of icy coldness. She instinctively stepped back. A clang echoed through the air as a six-foot long sword embedded itself in the floor, its hilt still vibrating. Her face darkened, and she turned to glare at Tu Shan Bi. “Are you trying to kill me?” she asked through gritted teeth.
Tu Shan Bi smiled sweetly. “It didn’t hit you, did it?”
Tu Shan Xiurong was furious. She stared at the cunning fox and, with a wave of her hand, released a shower of white light, shimmering like falling snow.
Tu Shan Bi’s fluffy tails swayed, brushing away the “snow.” “Let’s talk business,” she said, pretending not to notice Tu Shan Xiurong’s anger. She cleared her throat. “Find an opportunity to deliver that sword to Dong’e Mountain.”
“That’s…”
“It’s Suxin Jianzhu’s ‘Selfless Sword,’” Tu Shan Bi said, her eyes narrowing. “The East Abode Master will understand.”
Tu Shan Xiurong pursed her lips, retrieved the sword, and strode out. At the door, she turned back and said casually, “That was depilatory cream.” Before Tu Shan Bi could curse her, she quickly slipped away. She had initially planned to use it on Tu Shan Liusu, the Demon Sovereign, but Tu Shan Bi was no better! They were both evil.
Ignoring the enraged shouts behind her, she left Qingqiu and, transforming into a beam of light, headed towards Dong’e Mountain, the least hateful place in the Heavenly Court she loathed. The Selfless Sword was a hot potato. She couldn’t keep it. However, upon arriving, she found that both Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue were absent. She was greeted by Ming Jian Su’s registered disciple, Zhu Wan, and two rather unfriendly swords.
Zhu Wan remained silent, her eyes fixed on Tu Shan Xiurong curiously.
The air outside Dong’e Mountain was eerily still.
Tu Shan Xiurong felt a cold sweat break out on her back. She straightened her spine, not wanting to appear weak in front of a junior. “I’ve been instructed to deliver a sword,” she said.
“Instructed by whom?” Zhu Wan asked.
As soon as she finished speaking, a powerful sword hymn resonated through the air, like a tidal wave crashing forward, its sound deafening, shaking her very soul. Tu Shan Xiurong frowned slightly. She didn’t want to stay here for another moment. She took out the Selfless Sword and offered it to Zhu Wan.
“The East Abode Master will understand.”
But Zhu Wan didn’t accept it. She simply looked at her calmly.
A chilling sword intent surged outwards, and two sword beams, like bolts of lightning, shot forward, intercepting the Selfless Sword. Before Zhu Wan could say anything, they vanished into Dong’e Mountain.
Zhu Wan: “…” As expected, her Master’s swords were just as unruly as she was. After a period of training, she was no longer the timid and easily embarrassed disciple she had once been. She pretended that nothing had happened and, meeting Tu Shan Xiurong’s gaze, asked, “Does the person who sent this sword have anything else to say?”
Without those two intimidating swords, Tu Shan Xiurong felt much more at ease. She raised an eyebrow. “No,” she said. After unleashing that depilatory cream, if she had stayed in Qingqiu, she would have been tied to a tree for seven years! How could she have stayed to listen to Tu Shan Bi? She couldn’t return to Qingqiu for now, but she had many other caves. If necessary, she could seek refuge with a fellow Daoist.
That new sword had been taken away by Undefeated and Eternal Sword. With their power, there shouldn’t be any problems.
Relieved, Zhu Wan invited her to stay for a while, but Tu Shan Xiurong’s expression changed drastically. She hastily declined and left. Was she joking? Would she stay and wait for those two terrifying figures, Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue, to return?
Zhu Wan looked at her retreating figure, confused. Dong’e Mountain, with its abundant spiritual energy, was a blessed land. Why was Tu Shan Xiurong acting as if it were a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den?
Only when the moon hung high in the sky did Ming Jian Su and Feng Chiyue return.
Feng Chiyue had remembered the training ground in Danxue Mountain, and Ming Jian Su had accompanied her to inspect it.
Seeing the Feather Guards’ lackluster performance, Feng Chiyue set off a few fireworks as encouragement. As expected, their spirits soared.
“Master, Immortal Monarch,” Zhu Wan greeted them, quickly reporting the day’s events.
“Tu Shan Xiurong sent a sword?” Ming Jian Su was surprised. She wasn’t close enough to that fox to warrant such a gift. Sensing Feng Chiyue’s gaze on her, she smiled faintly and said calmly, “She must be hinting that she wants me to remove that sword energy from her body.”
Feng Chiyue made a noncommittal sound and, her mood brightening, pulled Ming Jian Su into the Dharma Hall.
Undefeated wasn’t working either. It was sparring with Eternal Sword on the sword rack. Seeing Ming Jian Su return, Eternal Sword, eager to please, shot towards her. However, before it could get close, a cluster of red-black flames blocked its path. Undefeated bobbed up and down, seemingly mocking Eternal Sword. It took advantage of Eternal Sword’s momentary hesitation and, at a leisurely pace, approached Feng Chiyue, its light brushing against her affectionately before finally turning to its master, Ming Jian Su.
“Did Undefeated say something bad about the new sword?” Feng Chiyue asked.
“Undefeated said it’s a weakling and needs training,” Ming Jian Su replied. She had a discerning eye. A single glance at the Selfless Sword was enough to tell that it lacked sharpness. She had many good swords now and didn’t bother with it, letting Undefeated and Eternal Sword play.
“Is the sword rack in the hall full?” Feng Chiyue asked.
Ming Jian Su was too lazy to craft a new one. “Isn’t there plenty of space on the floor and the desk?” she said. “If it doesn’t fit, just leave it outside.”
Undefeated: “…” It hadn’t received such treatment in the lower realm! But then it thought about Eternal Sword and Zhenyu Sword, who hadn’t even enjoyed such luxury, and it felt content.
Meanwhile, in the Cold Prison of the Demon Abyss.
Everything was crimson. Rocks, melted by flames, flowed slowly as magma, dark and red, painting the world in a single hue.
A red talisman hung from Chang Li’s waist. As she ventured deeper into the Cold Prison, wisps of red flames flickered on its surface, intertwining with the scorching heat. Her robes remained still, but the residual magic power caused the magma to erupt, sending fiery spray high into the air, a sizzling sound filling the air.
Amidst this endless sea of fire, a chilling aura lurked. Chang Li’s senses heightened, and she summoned her sword, a point of white light appearing amidst the flames. Instead of being consumed by the fire, it grew brighter, splitting the surging flames. She frowned. The Cold Prison was vastly different from the descriptions in ancient texts. There were no glaciers or rivers, only endless flames, like a hellish inferno.
Was this the place where the Phoenix Sovereign had perished? Or the site of her Nirvana?
As she pondered, she suddenly caught a faint, icy scent, a fragrance that shouldn’t exist here! A fierce wind erupted from the sea of fire, forming a swirling vortex, and from its center, a brilliant light, like starlight, burst forth, charging towards her! She was startled. The red talisman on her waist shattered with a crack. She raised her sword, but in an instant, a thunderous crash echoed through the air. Her sword light was shattered by the overwhelming force, and a bloody mist erupted around her.
The faint scent vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Her expression hardened. She looked down and saw several icy blades piercing her protective aura, leaving bloody wounds on her body. One had almost reached her heart. She swallowed an elixir without changing her expression and continued walking through the flames. She was attacked several more times, and by the time she reached her destination, her robes were torn, her crown broken, and her body covered in blood.
Apart from the surrounding flames, there was no trace of the Phoenix Sovereign in the Cold Prison.
However, a sword was embedded in the ground. Chang Li didn’t approach it rashly. She caught that faint scent again. The previous attacks had come from that sword. She extended a sliver of her consciousness, cautiously approaching it. The moment she saw the inscription “Reincarnation,” her consciousness was obliterated by a sudden burst of sword energy. Her expression changed, but before she could retreat, the sword let out a mournful cry and shattered, vanishing into nothingness. A powerful wave of sword intent rippled outwards from its center. She couldn’t dodge in time and was flung back, crashing into the flames.
Clutching her wounded chest, she struggled to her feet and stared at the epicenter of the disturbance. The ground cracked, spewing crimson magma, and a strange energy emerged, forming a large vortex resembling a tunnel. It was the Minor Realm that had previously only emitted a faint aura! It had appeared in the Cold Prison. What did it have to do with the Phoenix Sovereign? Her mind raced. She looked up at the sky. The demons had been alerted by the commotion. Her eyes narrowed, and she waved her hand, releasing several talismans that temporarily concealed the vortex’s aura. Her wounds hadn’t healed, and she had no choice but to hide her presence and leave.
She was lucky. No demon noticed her until she reached the battlefield between gods and demons.
Exhausted and disheveled, she entered Asura City, not alerting the guards, and rented a cave.
Dealing with the demons had been easy, but that sword, “Reincarnation,” had given her a taste of blood she hadn’t experienced in nearly a thousand years. She licked her lips and coughed.
It wasn’t a demon sword, nor was it the Phoenix Sovereign’s. Who had placed it there? She had an answer in mind, but she still took out the Chaos Mirror, searching for information about “Reincarnation.” Amidst the flood of messages, she caught a familiar name: “Suxin.” This reclusive wandering immortal seemed to devote her entire life to crafting swords, creating specific swords for specific targets, never reclaiming them afterwards.
Had Suxin Jianzhu visited the Cold Prison after emerging from seclusion and killing Ming Ji? Had she met the Phoenix Sovereign? Had the demons truly killed her? Even Phoenix Mountain didn’t know. Well, those phoenixes had also been traitors back then. Even if they had repented, they wouldn’t receive the Phoenix Sovereign’s forgiveness.
Countless thoughts raced through her mind.
Blood trickled down her chin. She casually wiped it away with her left hand and, without much thought, sent a message to the Heavenly Emperor:
There’s an artifact in the Demon Realm called “Fallen Phoenix,” rumored to be the weapon that killed the Phoenix Sovereign. Authenticity unknown.
A passage to a Minor Realm has appeared in the Cold Prison, where Ming Ji imprisoned the Phoenix Sovereign. Possible connection to the Phoenix Sovereign.
Suxin Jianzhu visited the Cold Prison. Her relationship with the Phoenix Sovereign is unclear.
The Minor Realm is temporarily sealed but might soon be visible from the Demon Realm. Send officials immediately to secure it.
…
After a moment of contemplation, she added, “Perhaps the East Abode Master would be suitable for this task.” The location of the Minor Realm’s appearance was suspicious. If it was truly related to the “Fall of the Phoenix,” they should destroy it completely! And luring Ming Jian Su there would also allow them to eliminate her. She was now aware of the conflict between Danxue Mountain and the Celestial Feather Ministry. The elders had been too impulsive. But regardless, she wouldn’t let this grudge go unpunished. Ming Jian Su had likely been deliberately suppressing Danxue Mountain for Feng Chiyue’s sake. They were their greatest threat!
In the Heavenly Court.
The Heavenly Emperor had been waiting for Chang Li’s message.
Upon reading it, he froze, a chill running down his spine.
His fingers clenched into fists, his teeth chattering.
After a thousand years, it was still two dead people who threatened him!
Leave a Reply