Chapter 53: “Don’t Be Afraid, Come With Me.”
Si Qinglan’s voice was soft, devoid of blame, just a hint of confusion, as if she couldn’t see the path ahead.
“Li Yu, you’re leaving Mount Chao Yao, aren’t you?”
Li Yu opened her mouth but didn’t know how to respond.
“It’s fine. I was surprised when you arrived here.” Si Qinglan said calmly. “Mount Chao Yao’s current state…it’s thanks to you. If you want to leave, I have no right to stop you.”
She stood by the window, looking at the snow, her back to Li Yu.
She seemed sad.
In Li Yu’s impression, Si Qinglan was someone who openly expressed her emotions.
This was the first time she had seen her hide her feelings so quietly.
But she wasn’t very good at hiding them; Li Yu could still see her sadness.
A deep sense of guilt washed over Li Yu.
Every choice came with a price.
The original owner’s choice was to abandon Mu Tao, appease the other immortal sects, and protect the Upper Spirit Lamp and Mount Chao Yao.
Her choice was the opposite.
After she and Mu Tao left, Si Qinglan would have to face many difficult problems alone.
But she had to do this because she knew the consequences of choosing the other path.
The scenes she had once found satisfying in the novel were now things she desperately wanted to avoid.
“Look on the bright side, after I leave, the Upper Spirit Lamp will also be gone, and Mount Chao Yao will be peaceful again.” Li Yu said softly. “When Lingyao Revered One wakes up, who would dare look down on Mount Chao Yao?”
Si Qinglan: “Please, if you’re not here, will he even stay after waking up?”
Li Yu: “…”
Damn, she forgot he was here for the original Li Yu.
Si Qinglan turned around and smiled nonchalantly. “Fine, as you said, after you leave, the Upper Spirit Lamp will also be gone. As long as this big trouble you brought back is gone, I can handle the rest myself.”
“Do what you think is right.” She sighed and looked at Li Yu, her eyes filled with complex emotions. “Take care of yourself after you leave.”
Li Yu nodded slightly and raised her hands.
A blue light flickered in her palms, then faded, revealing the icy blue lotus lamp.
Si Qinglan looked at the familiar lamp, sighed softly after a moment of silence, and then, with a flick of her wrist, made it disappear.
“I can delay the demon-slaying formation for another five days. After that, you’re on your own,” she said, turning and walking out of the room.
Watching Si Qinglan leave, a mix of emotions swirled within Li Yu.
She took a deep breath and walked to the window, her steps slightly unsteady.
She wondered if the flowers and plants Si Qinglan tended could sense her emotions; their colors seemed less vibrant than usual.
Perhaps it was her imagination.
No matter how powerful she was, she was still just an ordinary person, prone to interpreting things through a mortal lens.
Si Qinglan, having lived for so long, surely had a broader perspective.
Even if she felt sad, it would be temporary.
Si Qinglan had said that the demon-slaying formation would be ready in three days at most. Time was running out.
Even if she objected now, it would only strengthen their resolve.
Her condition was much better than before,
But there were many powerful cultivators among those who came to Mount Chao Yao, including immortals; a direct confrontation would be futile.
It seemed that Li Yu, the Exalted Immortal, would have to resort to…less honorable methods.
Thinking this, she raised her right hand and conjured a spiritual butterfly.
The butterfly fluttered its wings, trailing blue light.
She watched as it flew away, towards the distant Lingzhou, against the wind and snow.
The Harmony Bells on her wrist chimed softly; the little girl who couldn’t be by her side was sending her greetings.
The soft chimes comforted her.
With so many outsiders on Mount Chao Yao, rescuing Mu Tao was fraught with uncertainty.
Si Qinglan could only delay them for a few more days; she had to use this time to recover as much strength as possible.
Rescuing someone wasn’t a guaranteed success, and if something went wrong after the formation was completed, Mu Tao would be in grave danger, with no time for escape.
After a brief deliberation, Li Yu gave herself three days.
Three days later, regardless of her condition, she would leave Mount Chao Yao with Mu Tao.
On the third day, Si Qinglan brought her more news about Mu Tao.
“I’ve asked Little Qin Yuan to deliver your message to Mu Tao.” Si Qinglan said. “Don’t worry, I relayed it word for word!”
Her tone sounded strange, a hint of annoyance perhaps.
But Si Qinglan was often moody, so Li Yu just asked curiously, “What did Mu Tao say?”
“She didn’t say anything, just smiled foolishly.”
Si Qinglan sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of hot tea.
Knowing Li Yu’s concern for Mu Tao, she elaborated.
She said Qin Yuan delivered the message that morning.
This was the first time Mu Tao had heard anything about, or from, Li Yu since being imprisoned.
The unexpected message surprised and delighted her.
But the content of the message wasn’t one of concern or comfort, just a simple complaint.
“‘The food at Qianlizhu isn’t very good’?” The little girl blinked, a flicker of worry crossing her face, then replaced by a joyful smile.
Qin Yuan, not understanding Mu Tao’s reaction, assumed the strangely humorous message had amused her.
She didn’t find it funny herself, but to avoid Mu Tao laughing alone, she played along. “The food at Qianlizhu is indeed terrible!”
“Is it that bad?” Mu Tao asked.
“Not that bad, but you’re such a good cook, Master Li Yu is used to your cooking, she’s probably being picky!”
Qin Yuan said that Mu Tao looked incredibly happy at that moment.
She hadn’t seen her so happy since she was imprisoned.
Si Qinglan sighed. “Your little disciple…her world revolves around you.”
Li Yu didn’t ask anything further, just smiled faintly, lowering her gaze.
Si Qinglan looked at the tea in her cup, her gaze unfocused as she watched the steam rise and dissipate.
Everyone on Mount Chao Yao knew about the demon-slaying formation, but Qin Yuan, after much hesitation, hadn’t told Mu Tao.
After returning to Qianlizhu, she seemed slightly dejected.
“Seeing Mu Tao so happy made me feel sad… She has no idea how many people want her dead…” Qin Yuan followed Si Qinglan, her head lowered, and asked softly, “Master, why is Mu Tao a demon?”
Si Qinglan didn’t know how to answer this.
People often talked about cause and effect, but many things in life had no clear explanation.
She only knew that over two hundred years ago, she met Mu Tao in the human realm…
At that time, Mu Tao was just a little wolf demon, unable to transform, unable to even speak.
But this little wolf demon had the purest eyes and the most demonic body.
It had been over four thousand years since the last war between gods and demons; she didn’t know why a Demon Bone, which shouldn’t exist anymore, would appear in such a young spirit.
She could only tell Qin Yuan, “She’s had the Demon Bone ever since I met her.”
Qin Yuan frowned. “Does having a Demon Bone mean she will definitely harm the world?”
Si Qinglan replied softly, “The Demon Bone resonates with demonic souls. If the seal on the Upper Spirit Lamp is ever broken, the demonic soul will immediately seek out the Demon Bone, and when they merge, the Heavenly Demon will be revived.”
Qin Yuan then asked, “Will the Heavenly Demon devour her consciousness?”
“Yes,” Si Qinglan replied firmly.
“What if her will is strong enough?” Qin Yuan asked again.
“Even the heart of an ancient god can’t withstand the Heavenly Demon’s corruption.”
“Then…” Qin Yuan bit her lip and asked softly, “What happens if the Demon Bone is destroyed? If the seal on the Upper Spirit Lamp is broken, will the Heavenly Demon still be revived?”
“Yes, but without a physical vessel, the demonic soul needs time to gather resentment and form a body.”
“Then what’s the point of destroying the Demon Bone?”
“To quell the fear in their hearts.”
Qin Yuan was silent for a moment, then muttered, “That’s not fair to Mu Tao.”
Si Qinglan sighed softly but didn’t answer.
The Demon Bone wasn’t the only vessel for a demonic soul.
Even without it, if the resentment in the human realm exceeded its capacity, the Heavenly Demon would eventually be revived.
Those clamoring for the Demon Bone’s destruction knew this.
They simply feared the Heavenly Demon’s power.
The demonic soul couldn’t be destroyed, but the Demon Bone could.
If destroying it could ease their fear, why wouldn’t they do it?
As Qin Yuan had said, it wasn’t fair to Mu Tao.
But who cared?
Everyone had witnessed the phenomenon in Lingzhou.
The Demon Bone could easily attract and absorb resentment.
If Li Yu hadn’t suppressed Mu Tao’s demonic energy in time, the consequences would have been disastrous.
No one would allow such a dangerous power to exist within a newly transformed demon.
Because no one could guarantee that she would never lose control, never succumb to her desires, never use that power to release the Heavenly Demon Soul Seed.
Even if she never had such intentions, as long as she possessed that power, as long as she could do it, her existence was a threat.
It wasn’t entirely their fault for being selfish; every time the Heavenly Demon was revived, the human realm suffered immensely.
No one could bear such consequences.
They weren’t Li Yu, Qin Yuan, or anyone who knew and trusted Mu Tao; naturally, they couldn’t gamble the future of the human realm on the belief that this little wolf demon would never lose control.
So, fairness didn’t matter, and neither did the little wolf demon’s innocence.
Destroying the Demon Bone would make the Upper Spirit Lamp safer, make the human realm safer, and that was all that mattered.
Si Qinglan put down her teacup and looked at Li Yu, her mind racing, unsure what to say.
After a moment of thought, she conjured a jade token and placed it on the table.
Li Yu’s gaze was drawn to the token.
Si Qinglan: “Although the guards outside the Spirit Restraint Hall aren’t our people, you can open all the barriers inside with this.”
Li Yu: “…”
Si Qinglan: “It will save you some effort.”
Li Yu: “Will they…cause trouble for you because of this?”
Si Qinglan pouted, rested her chin on her hands, and shrugged. “What does it have to do with me? Is Cangming Revered One not worthy of possessing the Spirit Restraint Hall’s token?”
Li Yu couldn’t help but chuckle. “Technically, I didn’t have it before.”
“You used to be cooped up at Chaoxi Pond all day, never leaving your courtyard. Even if you had it, would you have used it?” Si Qinglan looked down at the jade token. “I made three of these, yours even has your name on it. I didn’t give it to you before because I thought you didn’t need it, and you would have just found it annoying…”
Li Yu took the token.
As Si Qinglan had said, the green jade token was engraved with the character “Yu.”
Si Qinglan: “Anyway, I’m not the only one who has this, so if something goes wrong, don’t blame it all on me.”
Li Yu: “Thank you, Si Qinglan.”
Si Qinglan froze, shifting uncomfortably.
After a moment of silence, she stood up, sighed heavily, and said seriously, “The human realm won’t tolerate that girl. Take her to the Demon Realm, far away from the Upper Spirit Lamp. It’s safer for everyone.”
Li Yu: “Alright…”
Si Qinglan: “Those artifacts I gave you before can only fool those with low cultivation. They probably won’t be of much use this time, don’t embarrass yourself with them.”
Li Yu: “Alright.”
Si Qinglan: “By the way, head south when you leave the mountain.”
Li Yu: “Alright.”
Si Qinglan: “This is all I can do for you.”
Li Yu: “Mm.”
Si Qinglan: “You better not let me see you again, or I really will intervene.”
Li Yu: “Mm.”
Si Qinglan left without another word, just like usual.
But this time, as if anticipating something, she removed the barrier that had been around Li Yu’s residence.
Li Yu knew this barrier wasn’t just to keep outsiders away but also to…protect her from herself.
Not to prevent her from doing anything, but to prevent her from acting impulsively at the wrong time.
But now, there was no “right time” left.
She understood, and so did Si Qinglan.
With the barrier gone, their casual chats were also over.
She would miss this colleague, whom she had known for less than a year.
But then she thought that her arrival and her choices had changed Si Qinglan’s fate, saving her from certain death in the original story, and she felt a sense of satisfaction.
After Si Qinglan left, Li Yu sat by the window, meditating and cultivating until nightfall.
She stood up, took a deep breath, and, for the first time since waking up, left her room.
Her feet sank slightly into the snow, a strange sense of unreality washing over her.
She couldn’t believe that she, a law-abiding citizen of the 21st century, who rarely even jaywalked, would one day be breaking someone out of prison.
Hopefully, everything would go smoothly!
Li Yu concealed herself with a spell, exhaled heavily, and said, “System, lead the way!”
【Right away!】
A faint golden line appeared in the snowy night, guiding her towards an unfamiliar direction. She followed, her steps leaving no trace in the snow.
The Spirit Restraint Hall wasn’t too far from Qianlizhu. With the speed-enhancing technique, she soon saw the heavily guarded prison.
It was late, but disciples from various sects were still stationed around the perimeter.
Their seemingly random, yet patterned positions clearly formed a defensive formation.
Having been tricked before, formations now gave Li Yu a headache.
But regardless of her headache, she had to enter.
After taking three deep breaths, she steeled her resolve.
Fortunately, these disciples couldn’t see through her concealment spell. She nervously, cautiously, and stealthily entered the Spirit Restraint Hall.
The security inside was lax; the guards seemed to be Mount Chao Yao disciples.
Li Yu followed the system’s guidance and found Mu Tao’s cell.
Approaching the cell door, she finally saw Mu Tao.
Moonlight, filtering through the high iron bars, fell on the girl’s thin shoulders.
She sat curled up on a bed of straw, her eyes closed.
Three soul-restraining barriers glowed faintly around the cell, silently imprisoning her.
Her clothes were dirty, and her small frame seemed even thinner than before.
Li Yu silently gripped the cold bars.
As if sensing her presence, Mu Tao suddenly opened her eyes.
She sat up and looked towards the cell door, confused.
A flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes, and she hugged her knees, curling up again.
Just as Si Qinglan had said, she was quiet and well-behaved, as always.
Suddenly, the Harmony Bells on her wrist chimed softly.
Mu Tao’s eyes widened.
The sound of the other bells was so close!
“Master?” She scrambled to her feet and rushed to the cell door.
Before her hands could touch the bars, a flash of light, and the barriers around her silently dissipated.
The cell door crumbled into specks of light.
An invisible hand gently grasped her wrist.
The disciples guarding the Hall, alerted by the commotion, rushed towards them.
“Who’s there?! How dare you trespass in the Spirit Restraint Hall!”
Someone shouted, conjuring an unfamiliar artifact.
“Let’s go!”
A familiar voice echoed beside her, and a blinding light enveloped them.
The concealment spell around her dissipated.
She finally saw the person she had been longing for, but tears blurred her vision.
As the spell faded, the guards froze.
They stared at Li Yu, at Mu Tao beside her, unsure whether to bow or attack.
Li Yu took a step forward, and the disciples instinctively took three steps back.
This small victory gave her confidence.
Her expression hardened, and she said coldly, “Move.”
That single word, spoken so coldly, terrified the juniors, who quickly stepped aside, flattening themselves against the wall.
Li Yu, also surprised by their reaction, didn’t waste any time, pulling Mu Tao towards the exit.
The commotion had alerted the guards outside.
The moment they stepped out of the Hall, a formation activated, trapping them in a golden light.
Li Yu felt her already depleted spiritual energy being suppressed.
—System, time to work!
She thought this, raising her hand without hesitation.
A soft blue light emanated from her palm, seemingly weak, yet it distorted the world around them.
The distortion vanished, and the golden light shattered into countless particles, scattering in the wind and snow.
The disciples who created the formation looked on in terror, hesitant to approach.
In that moment of hesitation, Li Yu, guided by the system, ran towards the south with Mu Tao.
Signal flares, like fireworks, bloomed in the night sky, momentarily obscuring the stars and the moon.
Countless lights chased after them, but they were blocked by flashes of blue light.
Li Yu could feel her remaining strength rapidly dwindling—this couldn’t continue; she couldn’t maintain this for long.
Suddenly, a flock of birds appeared, circling and forming a formation in the sky!
Black mist arose from the center of the formation, blocking the pursuing lights.
There were no words exchanged.
Li Yu knew that the Linchi bird demons couldn’t hold them off for long.
She instinctively tried to summon the crane but found that the spiritual energy dissipated before it could take form.
—System! What’s happening?!
【It’s an invisible no-fly zone!】
A no-fly zone?
Since when?!
【The various immortal sects, to prevent the Demon Bone’s escape, created a temporary barrier in the past half month. Within this barrier, no one can fly using spiritual power, and it covers the entire Mount Chao Yao!】
…Seriously?!
This wasn’t in the original story!
【Because in the original story, Li Yu agreed to destroy the Demon Bone.】
So they were guarding against her!
No wonder Si Qinglan told her to head south; she must have prepared something there!
As Li Yu was thinking this, the formation created by the hundreds of Linchi birds began to crumble.
Mu Tao clutched her wrist tightly, her eyes filled with anxiety.
A faint demonic aura flickered around her.
Li Yu, seemingly unfazed, gently patted her head. “Don’t be afraid, come with me.”
The demonic aura vanished instantly.