Chapter 60: “Mu Tao… There’s No Turning Back…”
Excellent, ambitious, and full of presence!
Truly worthy of being the founder of Mount Chao Yao, Qingxuan Revered One, blessed by an ancient god!
For a moment, Li Yu saw her own boss in Si Qinglan.
And Weisheng Xuanzhu resembled that overworked colleague, on the verge of collapse after three all-nighters, forced to take a half-hour nap and then dragged back to work.
Now, the boss wanted to do something big, and the colleague didn’t seem to object.
But Li Yu felt that “the three of us” was a bit of a stretch.
With her damaged meridians and depleted spiritual energy, even sitting for too long was tiring. She had to rely on a formation to open the Heavenly Gate; she wasn’t exactly a powerful force.
Although she could still fight while weakened, she didn’t want to risk her life unless absolutely necessary.
Besides, how powerful was the black-robed figure?
He could easily manipulate the human realm, and even the unruly demons obeyed him; he was clearly a far greater threat than anything she had encountered before.
If she faced him directly, she didn’t know how many moves she could last in her current state.
As for Si Qinglan, she wasn’t much better off, struggling even against the demons who attacked the mountain gate. Against the black-robed figure, she would probably only be able to cheer from the sidelines.
Could this truly be considered “the three of us”?
The black-robed figure’s identity and power were still unknown.
Li Yu only knew that he could easily break the seal on Suiqiong Cave, and a sliver of his power could kill an Eighth-rank cultivator, meaning even a thousand-year-old demon wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
And according to Xiang Hanyu, he might even be that ancient god who fell into darkness four thousand years ago.
Even if they could lure him out, could Weisheng Xuanzhu defeat him alone?
Li Yu was skeptical.
Although she had witnessed Weisheng Xuanzhu’s power earlier, she still didn’t have much faith in this character, who barely appeared in the original story and essentially slept until his death.
Li Yu sighed inwardly.
Si Qinglan, oblivious to her worries, was excitedly discussing the feasibility of their plan.
She clearly had great faith in Weisheng Xuanzhu’s abilities.
After listening for a while, Li Yu couldn’t help but remind her, “That black-robed figure can control the power of the stars.”
“So?” Si Qinglan asked, turning to her.
Li Yu: “As far as I know, only the ancient god who fell into darkness four thousand years ago could wield that power. If he truly is that ancient god, can we handle him in our current state?”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “…”
Si Qinglan frowned, then shook her head after a moment of thought. “That’s impossible!”
Li Yu: “Are you so certain?”
“Of course!” Si Qinglan said firmly. “Long before we were born, the ancient gods had already entered their ‘burning candle’ phase, their power fading until nothing remained.”
“Four thousand years ago, wasn’t it because that ancient god, unwilling to accept his fate, coveted the Heavenly Demon’s power, that led to that battle?”
She took a sip of tea and continued, “Not only was the Heavenly Demon slain by the gods in that battle, but even if he somehow survived, after so many years, he would have been completely burned out!”
Li Yu bit her lip.
She understood Si Qinglan’s reasoning, but she also knew that there was one particularly unreasonable entity in this world—the author.
She suspected that the black-robed figure was a plot hole in the author’s outline, the hidden final boss, but because his power exceeded what the protagonists could handle, he was conveniently killed off to avoid further complications for the protagonist.
If that were true, then the black-robed figure being that ancient god wasn’t entirely impossible.
Si Qinglan: “Li Yu, don’t overthink it. You were also there in that battle. We might not know what truly happened, but you do, don’t you?”
Li Yu: “…”
Coincidentally, she didn’t know at all.
Si Qinglan: “As long as it’s a power within this world, someone can wield it. The Three Realms are vast; there are countless people and things we haven’t encountered. Why can’t there be another person who can control the power of the stars?”
Li Yu nodded absently.
Seeing her disbelief, Si Qinglan sighed and turned to Weisheng Xuanzhu. “Weisheng, what do you think?”
“…”
“Is someone spacing out?” Si Qinglan slapped the table like a teacher scolding a student. “Didn’t you sleep well? Can’t you focus?!”
Weisheng Xuanzhu snapped back to attention and replied with a noncommittal “mm.”
No one knew what he meant.
Perhaps he was agreeing with her previous statement, or perhaps he was admitting to his lack of focus.
Regardless, there was a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
Whether this displeasure was related to Si Qinglan’s sharp tone was unclear.
Si Qinglan took a deep breath, gave up on communicating with him, put down her teacup, and muttered, “I’m just worried. That guy has been hiding in the shadows. He acted as soon as Weisheng went into hibernation, clearly wary of him.”
She frowned. “We did retrieve the Upper Spirit Lamp, but Li Yu was severely injured. That guy isn’t afraid of us; if he dared to attack once, he’ll dare to again… We finally have a fighting chance now that Weisheng is awake. If we don’t take this opportunity to find and eliminate him, how can we ever live in peace?!”
Li Yu: “But the black-robed figure isn’t stupid either. He knows how to choose his moments. Now that everyone knows…Lingyao Revered One is awake, why would he appear?”
Si Qinglan: “That’s why we need a plan! If we put our minds to it, we can surely come up with something!”
Li Yu: “Mm…”
Although she agreed, thinking, planning, it all sounded so tiring.
Especially when, after all that effort, the system might just force her down a predetermined path. Just the thought made her entire being resist.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “I’m not tired yet. We can discuss this after Cangming Revered One recovers.”
Si Qinglan nodded. “Alright…”
She looked at Li Yu, guilt in her eyes. “I was being too hasty. The most important thing now is for you to recover.”
She stood up and walked to the door. “I’ll go check on the new herbs.”
Li Yu’s gaze followed her, but the green figure disappeared before she could even react.
So impulsive, and so quick to act…
With Si Qinglan gone, only she and Weisheng Xuanzhu remained in the room.
Perhaps because of their previous unpleasant encounter, Li Yu felt uncomfortable alone with him, a sense of guilt even in silence.
So what now?
Si Qinglan only said she was checking on the herbs, not that she was leaving. Would she return?
Would it be rude if she left now?
Even if Si Qinglan didn’t mind, Weisheng Xuanzhu had just helped her avoid the heavens’ punishment; leaving abruptly seemed ungrateful.
Li Yu hesitated, her mind in turmoil.
An awkward silence filled the room.
The silence stretched, and just as Li Yu thought Si Qinglan might return,
Weisheng Xuanzhu spoke.
His cold voice made Li Yu’s breath catch.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Don’t you have any questions for me, Cangming Revered One?”
Li Yu: “…”
His question was confusing.
Was he seeking concern, or did he have ulterior motives?
With others, she could try to read their expressions.
But this guy, with his perpetually icy face and emotionless tone, was impossible to decipher.
So, what was she supposed to ask?
To avoid seeming dismissive, Li Yu considered his question seriously.
And thinking, even for a moment, sparked countless questions.
Why had Weisheng Xuanzhu suddenly awakened?
Wasn’t he supposed to either stay awake or sleep for centuries?
Was he truly awakened by the noise?
If so, the commotion from opening the Heavenly Gate was far less than the attack on the mountain.
He hadn’t woken up in the original story, yet this time, he awakened at this specific moment.
Was it related to the Heavenly Gate?
After all, the Gate wasn’t opened in the original story…
And about the Heavenly Gate,
She couldn’t sense its presence anymore; had he truly destroyed it?
If so, was it intentional or accidental?
Finally, about Mu Tao…
What were his thoughts on the Demon Bone?
If Mu Tao returned one day, would he try to kill her?
Li Yu decided to ask the most important question first.
“If one day, Mu Tao returns, will you…try to kill her?”
If possible, she didn’t want Mount Chao Yao and Mu Tao to be enemies.
She knew Si Qinglan’s stance, but Weisheng Xuanzhu’s opinion was also crucial for Mount Chao Yao.
“Why would I kill her?” he asked in return.
“You questioned Si Qinglan so much earlier, I thought you were unhappy about us taking her in.”
“Just surprised…” A flicker of emotion crossed his eyes. “…and a bit…ironic, being kept in the dark.”
Li Yu sighed.
Working together, yet two of them formed a secret group, anyone would feel slighted.
She understood.
Li Yu picked up her teacup, staring at the liquid, lost in thought.
She didn’t know what she was thinking.
Perhaps about Mu Tao, how she was doing, what she was like when she was still here.
Mu Tao hadn’t been gone long, yet it felt like an eternity, as if she had grown accustomed to her absence, yet also like she was struggling through each day without her.
She had never felt like this before.
Life was long, people drifted apart, she had close friends, but it was always temporary, she was used to it.
But she couldn’t get used to Mu Tao’s absence.
Was it because of the guilt and regret?
She couldn’t understand, yet she couldn’t stop thinking about it…
Just like now, completely out of control.
Li Yu took a sip of tea, trying to regain her composure.
The tea at Qianlizhu was brewed with flowers, leaves, and fruits.
Unlike the slightly bitter tea at Chaoxi Pond, these flower teas were fragrant and sweet.
She quite liked the taste.
Perhaps she should ask Si Qinglan for some.
It was a pity Mu Tao never tried it; she would have liked it, their tastes were similar.
She would ask later; now, back to business.
“About the Heavenly Gate, there’s something I need to confirm…” Li Yu said directly. “I can no longer sense its presence. Was this your intention, or did you…lose control?”
“The Heavenly Gate can only be destroyed when it’s open. I didn’t arrive at the right time, so I simply waited.” Weisheng Xuanzhu’s voice was calm, as if it were an ordinary event.
“You could have simply stopped them, why destroy it?”
“It’s a matter of the human realm; why let those who abandoned this realm interfere? They haven’t done anything; they have no right to judge you.”
“…”
“As long as the Heavenly Gate exists, they will try to open it, and you wouldn’t be able to withstand the pressure.” Weisheng Xuanzhu said. “Now that it’s severed, even if the Heavenly Realm wants to repair it, it will take time, granting you some peace.”
Li Yu took a deep breath.
Please, tone down the protectiveness, she wasn’t the original owner.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Besides that, I also have…ulterior motives.”
Li Yu: “Ulterior motives?”
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “I still want…the truth.”
Li Yu: “…?”
That sounded ominous.
Why was he suddenly mentioning “the truth”?
As Li Yu wondered, Weisheng Xuanzhu’s gaze changed slightly.
“Li Yu,” he asked softly, a persistent note in his voice, “Even now, are you still hiding the truth from me?”
That “matter from the past” again…
Three encounters, and he had asked twice.
What exactly happened back then? Why was he so persistent?
Even if she had read the novel carefully, it wouldn’t have helped; there were too many things the original story didn’t explain.
So, how should she answer?
Should she just brush it off like last time?
Or was there a way to get him to reveal what he wanted to know?
Li Yu: “I don’t understand what answer you’re looking for.”
Would this work?
Would he tell her, or at least give her a hint?
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “How long do you intend to deceive me?”
Li Yu: “…”
She didn’t know how to respond; talking to a cryptic person was exhausting.
Weisheng Xuanzhu: “All I want is the truth. Is that so difficult for you?”
Li Yu: “…”
Yes, it was incredibly difficult!
Li Yu swore she had never encountered such a difficult question in her life!
It wasn’t intellectually challenging, just…directionless, leaving her completely clueless.
Perhaps out of desperation, she dared to look into his dark eyes.
She usually avoided his gaze, afraid of being exposed, but hoping to find a clue, she tried.
It felt like staring into an abyss.
And within that abyss, only a single, unwavering obsession.
This was the second time she hadn’t seen any “love” in his eyes.
Although she had no proof, she suddenly felt that perhaps his feelings for the original owner weren’t as deep as the novel described.
He seemed fixated on an answer that only the original Li Yu could provide.
But what was that answer?
And what did it mean to him?
As Li Yu was lost in thought, Si Qinglan’s voice came from outside.
“I’m back!” Si Qinglan entered, her steps as light as a breeze. “The new herbs are growing well. I’ll bring you some in a couple of days.”
Weisheng Xuanzhu quickly looked away, his expression returning to its usual indifference, as if nothing had happened.
Li Yu frowned slightly and finished her tea.
Si Qinglan insisted they stay for dinner.
The atmosphere at the table was relatively normal, mainly thanks to Si Qinglan’s constant chatter.
As if afraid they weren’t fully aware of the current situation, she talked nonstop, like a one-person stand-up comedy show, the silence never lasting more than three minutes.
After dinner, Weisheng Xuanzhu left, saying to Li Yu before leaving, “I’ll deal with those…unpleasant voices. You just focus on recovering.”
Li Yu didn’t respond, avoiding his gaze.
She felt something was off, but she couldn’t pinpoint it.
As soon as he left, Si Qinglan sat beside Li Yu, a gossipy glint in her eyes.
“He really cares about you.”
“…Yes, but for what reason was unclear.
“He arrived so timely, perhaps he sensed your danger in his sleep and forced himself to wake up to help you.”
“…Unfortunately, his feelings were misplaced. She still couldn’t answer his question.
“He’s been here for over three thousand years, and you haven’t given him any response, yet he’s still so patient…” Si Qinglan rested her chin on her hands and asked, “I’m increasingly curious, how did you two meet?”
“…Coincidentally, Li Yu was also very curious.
She wasn’t just curious about how they met, but also about what happened back then, what lie the original owner told him, or what misunderstanding existed between them.
Si Qinglan winked at her. “I didn’t dare ask before, but now that we’re so close, tell me!”
Li Yu sighed deeply.
Tell her what? She knew nothing.
Li Yu: “I don’t want to talk about that.”
Si Qinglan: “…”
After a brief silence, Si Qinglan sighed. “Fine, fine, I know, you only want to talk about your little disciple who went to the Demon Realm.”
Li Yu: “…Do I?”
Si Qinglan: “She’s the only thing on your mind now.”
That statement seemed accurate, yet it sounded…strange.
Si Qinglan: “Don’t even deny it, you’re still wearing your Harmony Bell, even though the other one is broken.”
Li Yu instinctively touched the bells hidden beneath her sleeve.
She had only destroyed Mu Tao’s bells at the entrance to the Demon Realm; hers remained intact.
Without its counterpart, it was now just an ordinary trinket, no longer chiming on its own, no longer allowing her to sense Mu Tao’s location.
Yet, she hadn’t removed it.
She didn’t know why.
Si Qinglan: “I’m really curious, you were so reluctant, what could possibly be so important that you had to abandon her?”
Li Yu: “…”
Si Qinglan: “I know you won’t tell me, so I’m just curious, is it…very difficult?”
Li Yu: “Perhaps.”
Si Qinglan thought for a moment. “How long will it take?”
Li Yu: “Maybe three years…”
Si Qinglan: “Then, after three years, will you go to the Demon Realm and bring her back?”
Li Yu opened her mouth but didn’t answer.
She knew that after three years, she wouldn’t have to go to the Demon Realm; Mu Tao would return on her own.
But three years seemed like such a long time.
She wasn’t an immortal of this world; she couldn’t perceive time as they did, decades passing in the blink of an eye.
Before leaving, Li Yu asked Si Qinglan for some flower tea and returned to Chaoxi Pond.
Her days returned to their usual tranquility.
The mountain gate was repaired, and once the outsiders left, they wouldn’t be able to find their way back.
Yet, some still lingered, refusing to leave.
Si Qinglan said that they were still hoping for the Heavenly Gate to open, waiting for Weisheng Xuanzhu to return to his slumber.
Although their persistence was ridiculous, they were no longer as arrogant.
Days turned into months; the seemingly unbearable wait passed surprisingly quickly.
From spring to autumn.
But Li Yu felt a sense of detachment, the passing time unreal.
Perhaps wary, the black-robed figure hadn’t appeared again.
Mount Chao Yao was as peaceful as before, just…missing someone.
The outsiders who had insisted on staying gradually gave up and left.
Her injuries were healing, the physical discomfort lessening, her spiritual energy slowly returning, but she still hadn’t fully recovered to her pre-Lingzhou state.
Even that state was already considered weak for the original owner, but for the current her, it was a milestone.
During her recuperation, she practiced various spells she hadn’t tried before.
It wasn’t her imagination; she had access to memories she didn’t possess before.
These memories weren’t detailed, just vague impressions guiding her as she cast spells.
It was more like instinct than memory.
She had gained this instinct after her last severe injury.
This was reassuring; at least she no longer had to rely on the unreliable system assistance for combat.
Li Yu had thought these peaceful days would continue.
Until one day, she heard news about Mu Tao from Si Qinglan.
The girl had killed someone in the Demon Realm; word had spread.
In that ruthless world, killing for survival was normal.
But she had killed the current Demon Lord, the revered leader of countless demons.
“Mu Tao… There’s no turning back…” Si Qinglan’s voice was filled with worry.
She said something else, but Li Yu couldn’t hear, her mind reeling from the news.
Mu Tao had killed the Demon Lord.
It was a plot point from the original story; she shouldn’t be so surprised.
But how long had it been?
Just half a year, and the protagonist had accomplished what took her three years in the original story?!
This efficiency was terrifying!
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