When the Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Meets the Unbeatable Protagonist | Chapter 67

After the Punishment Division Envoy successfully persuaded the two, he handed each of them a pre-made token as proof of their joining the Punishment Division—one for Lin Ji and one for Lu Xiaobai. The Envoy took the lead to investigate the case, indicating that they could prepare before heading out.

The Sect Leader and the elders below were also aware that Meng Wanqiu had left the mountain, so they called Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai over, reminding them in the name of their master to be cautious. It was all about safety, putting themselves first, running away when in danger, and not being overly brave, among other things.

The Sect Leader looked a bit melancholic: “If the matter with Yunshang Immortal Sect is related to demonic energy, what should we do?”

Lu Xiaobai replied, “Isn’t that a good thing? If we can find the possessed cultivator and observe them closely, it’s better than having no leads at all.”

The Sect Leader looked at them and perked up: “In that case, you should set off as soon as possible.”

After leaving the discussion hall, Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai walked side by side. “Just now, the Sect Leader might have been trying to remind us to be careful not to be eroded by demonic energy,” Lin Ji said.

Theoretically, demonic energy could autonomously seek a host, and any cultivator could become a target. The Sect Leader might be worried about whether they could resist it if they encountered it; the risk was high, and he might not have wanted them to go, but in the end, he still respected their wishes.

Lu Xiaobai looked at him: “Are you worried about me, or are you worried about yourself?”

Lin Ji pulled him closer, a slight smile on his lips: “I have nothing to complain about now, and I don’t seek anything. As long as you’re by my side, I’ll definitely be safe from evil.”

Lu Xiaobai laughed: “So what does that make me, a guardian spirit?”

But Lin Ji genuinely thought this way; currently, demonic energy couldn’t tempt him.

That night, they each returned to prepare, not staying together. After washing up, Lu Xiaobai planned to sleep and recharge. Before lying down, he unconsciously touched the back of his shoulder for some reason. It wasn’t painful or itchy, but it felt like there was some kind of energy flowing within him.

Lu Xiaobai closed his eyes and, as usual, fell asleep within ten breaths.

Once asleep, it felt like he was dreaming of something. He seemed to return to the Snowfield Forbidden Land, lying in the snow, having just been thrown in and feeling a bit disheveled.

As he got up, the air was filled with black mist of demonic energy, but unlike the memories he had, this black mist rushed into his body instead of being driven away as he had told Lin Ji. He slowly stood up, absorbing all the black energy into his body.

The fog in his sea of consciousness grew larger and larger.

“...”

The next day, Lu Xiaobai opened his eyes, sat up, and asked Elder Shuhua, “Did I have any abnormalities last night?”

Elder Shuhua sounded somewhat complainant: “So you still remember me, huh?”

Elder Shuhua was a soul entity, usually appearing only when summoned by Lu Xiaobai, and was typically in a state of slumber. But Elder Shuhua remembered that he had been asleep for many days this time. “You could have just said you didn’t need me instead of locking me away in the cold palace!”

Lu Xiaobai: “...”

He didn’t mean to; it was just that recently he had been getting close to Lin Ji, hugging and flirting... It wasn’t like he could do certain things with a third person present.

Lu Xiaobai: “Don’t be angry; I’m asking you about serious matters.”

Elder Shuhua, awakened last night, thought for a moment and said, “What kind of abnormalities do you expect from a good night’s sleep? Sleeping particularly soundly counts? But good sleep is too common for you.”

Elder Shuhua suddenly felt a bit emotional: “I really envy you. If only I could eat and sleep normally one day.”

The so-called slumber of a spirit body and that of a living person were two different things; he really wanted to relive the feeling of breathing and having a heartbeat.

Lu Xiaobai pondered for a moment, “My physique has changed now. Once I fulfill my long-held wish, perhaps you’ll be able to reincarnate soon.”

Elder Shuhua scoffed at Lu Xiaobai’s casual hope, remaining unfazed: “Let’s hope so.”

After all, the contract had already been signed; when to let him go was up to Lu Xiaobai. His remains had been found and buried by Lu Xiaobai, so logically, Elder Shuhua could have already broken free and reincarnated, but what he would be reborn as was uncertain.

Only by repaying his gratitude and resolving the karma between him and Lu Xiaobai would the blessings he accumulated in his previous life follow him into his next life, and perhaps his cultivation talent could be inherited in the next life.

If he were to be a mediocre person in the next life, even if he could be reborn as a human, he wouldn’t want that; he would rather not reincarnate at all. Even if he didn’t have memories of this life in the next, he still had to be responsible for his future self!

Elder Shuhua also had his own obsessions. His dream of ascending through cultivation in his previous life was cut short by Mo Shangxian, and he could only hope for the next life.

Re-entering the immortal sect to make up for regrets.

Thus, the so-called blood contract was also his own willingness, but it didn’t stop the old man from complaining about Lu Xiaobai neglecting him!

Elder Shuhua was frustrated; he had followed Lu Xiaobai for many years, yet it seemed he hadn’t played much of a role...

But the other party had just reversed his qualifications and had only just stepped into the Golden Core realm. He didn’t believe there wouldn’t be many opportunities to use him in the future, and to say he should be freed early? How could that be possible?

“Take it slow; haste makes waste.”

Elder Shuhua’s calm tone seemed to indicate he had seen through the world.

Lu Xiaobai: “...”

As dawn broke, the two set off hand in hand.

The Yan Yu Beast was home alone with no one to accompany it, so they simply brought it along.

In this life, Lin Ji’s feelings about going to Yunshang Immortal Sect for the second time were completely different.

Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai raced to see who could control their swords faster, while the Yan Yu Beast flapped its wings, panting to keep up.

Lu Xiaobai: “If I let you hang on the tree every day without flying, you’d turn into a ball!”

Yan Yu Beast: ...

It turned into a ball? That fat cat was the real ball!

Lin Ji saw through the Yan Yu Beast’s thoughts and laughed, “A fat cat doesn’t stop you from being fat; you’re both round and plump.”

It was evident how good the food was at Luoxia Peak.

Moments later, the Yan Yu Beast’s cries came: “Wuwu, you’re all bullying me!”

The two laughed even more recklessly; wasn’t a spirit pet raised to be teased?

After two days of travel, they arrived at Yunshang Immortal Sect.

In front of the mountain gate, the two presented their Punishment Division Envoy tokens, but the guarding disciple was quite impatient, stating that he would report inside, and whether they could enter wasn’t up to him to decide.

As for matters within the Yunshang Immortal Sect, the disciples didn’t want outsiders to interfere; they felt it was embarrassing.

However, the Sect Leader, for reasons unknown, had actually taken the initiative to ask the Punishment Division for help, allowing other immortal sects to come and go, watching the spectacle.

While they were suppressing their tempers and waiting, Song Ruoci suddenly appeared: “You finally made it!”

He hurriedly welcomed them and scolded the oblivious guarding disciple: “Since they are Punishment Division Envoys, how can you block them at the door? Do you want to make the sect and the Punishment Division enemies?”

The disciple had no choice but to let others step back, feeling angry but unable to voice it—was it really that serious?

The three entered the mountain gate, and Song Ruoci took the initiative to invite them: “This isn’t a place for conversation; come with me to visit my cave dwelling.”

“The Sect Leader and the Envoy are discussing important matters and won’t summon you for the time being.”

Lu Xiaobai bowed, speaking humbly: “Then I won’t be polite.”

Lin Ji followed suit, putting on a show of respect.

On the way to the cave dwelling, Song Ruoci secretly glanced at the two, trying to see how they were doing now.

Some time had passed since he last heard Lin Ji’s self-revelation, and he was curious if he had succeeded...

Yet the two beside him were serious, and after observing for a long time, he found nothing unusual; they were just like before.

Losing interest, Song Ruoci turned back, and Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai exchanged glances, pulling each other’s hands from behind and quickly letting go.

Yan Yu Beast: ... Suddenly feeling much more balanced inside.

Upon reaching Song Ruoci’s cave dwelling, as soon as he invited the two to sit down, Lu Xiaobai got straight to the point: “You did this, didn’t you?”

Lin Ji added, “The Yunshang Immortal Sect’s principle is to keep family scandals from being aired; even if there are cultivators practicing evil arts and killing people within the sect, they would only seal off the news.”

Or they would push the blame onto one person, just like in the previous life.

Song Ruoci: “Exactly, so when I discovered someone had their spiritual power drained, I reported it anonymously to the Punishment Division, proactively exposing this matter.”

Who told him to be born rebellious? He even found a way to deliberately spread the news, making it known throughout the entire sect, forcing the Sect Leader to publicly reassure everyone and seek the Punishment Division.

Although he didn’t particularly like the fellow disciples of Yunshang Immortal Sect, Song Ruoci hated the act of stealing others’ achievements even more.

He couldn’t stand seeing immortal sect cultivators work hard for years, only to end up being used by others; it was no different from having their exam papers stolen! He couldn’t tolerate it!

Lin Ji: “How has Yunshang Immortal Sect been recently?”

Song Ruoci sighed: “Everyone is on edge, and the atmosphere is gloomy.”

He stated that Yunshang Immortal Sect had closed its doors to guests. Aside from members of the Punishment Division, all interactions were cut off, and other immortal sects, upon hearing about the situation here, wouldn’t come to visit.

Almost all internal affairs of the sect had come to a halt; disciples were closing themselves off in their cave dwellings, and the sect didn’t allow them to contact each other privately, or they would bear the consequences.

However, the disciples had always had a competitive relationship, and now they looked at each other as enemies.

Since the Punishment Division Envoy couldn’t catch the culprit for the time being, they discussed this method with the Sect Leader.

As long as no one went out, whoever appeared would be the suspect, but it certainly wasn’t a long-term solution.

If the mastermind could hold back from doing evil, the Punishment Division and the elder group of Yunshang Immortal Sect couldn’t remain in a stalemate forever. Once the Punishment Division couldn’t hold on and left, the situation wouldn’t change at all.

Lin Ji: “Then why are you still wandering around?”

Song Ruoci’s gaze drifted, and a suspicious blush appeared on his face: “Because I’ve been outside since I reported the news, and I just returned to the sect today; it’s normal not to be informed.”

Lin Ji: “...”

Lu Xiaobai asked, “Is there no suspect?”

Song Ruoci looked at them: “If you’re asking about the Envoy, he wouldn’t arrest someone without evidence; if he has suspicions, he can only keep them to himself.”

“If you’re asking about me... of course I have, but I can’t take them on, so I’ve been waiting for you to come.”

“...”

The three chatted for a while longer before Lu Xiaobai and Lin Ji took their leave.

As Song Ruoci stood at the door to see them off, he happened to run into Xuan Yi Zhenren.

Lin Ji’s heart stirred slightly as he secretly observed him. Xuan Yi Zhenren’s complexion was rosy, and he looked energetic and healthy.

Upon seeing Lin Ji, Xuan Yi Zhenren clearly still held a grudge about being embarrassed last time; he turned his head up and didn’t look at them, glaring fiercely at Song Ruoci: “Where have you been recently? It’s this time, and you’re still running around!”

What kind of shady people were you associating with, bringing them back to the cave dwelling? Didn’t you fear they were dangerous individuals?

Given that Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai were different from before, Xuan Yi Zhenren held back his harsh words.

Xuan Yi Zhenren was very troubled; his disciple Song Ruoci was completely out of place with Yunshang Immortal Sect, and the one he was interested in was from another sect, which he had been harshly rejected!

Song Ruoci crossed his arms, retorting as usual: “In the current sect, I really shouldn’t have come back; it’s much safer outside!”

“Isn’t it because you’re afraid something will happen to me that you came back to take a look? Don’t blame me for being unfilial and disrespectful to my master later.”

Xuan Yi Zhenren was taken aback by this, pausing for a moment before waving his sleeve: “Hmph, sweet words with a dagger behind them; I see you can’t wait for your master to die early.”

Though the words were harsh, his tone was slightly softer than before, but only slightly.

Seeing the two masters still bickering, Lin Ji didn’t want to keep watching the show and exchanged glances with Lu Xiaobai before leaving.

They were still arranged in the same guest room as last time, and soon they were summoned by the Sect Leader and the Punishment Division Envoy.

The current progress and conclusions were similar to what Song Ruoci had said.

They saw the body of the unfortunate disciple, skin stretched over bones, blood and flesh drained, and the organs inside shriveled—definitely a dried corpse.

The reason they could see the organs was that several of the dried corpses had suffered severe injuries before death, dying a tragic death.

“After closing the sect, will such corpses still appear?”

The Punishment Division Envoy rubbed his forehead and sighed: “Not for now.”

As long as they weren’t fools, they wouldn’t commit crimes while the situation was tense; patience was the simplest way to lie low, unless they couldn’t hold back.

“Then have any cultivators from outside the Yunshang Immortal Sect fallen victim to this? Perhaps they escaped.”

“None either.”

That meant they were still within the sect.

After examining the corpses, Lu Xiaobai stood up, shaking his head in regret: “Then we currently have no leads.”

The two bowed and temporarily withdrew.

The Punishment Division Envoy frowned, and the Sect Leader lowered his gaze, suddenly expressing some dissatisfaction: “That Lin Ji, I remember not long ago he was still carrying the burden of a family massacre; while it’s understandable, how could you let him join the Punishment Division so quickly?”

The Punishment Division Envoy bowed: “I can vouch for him; if any incidents occur, I will take full responsibility.”

The Sect Leader sneered: “Heh, people say the Envoy is just and strict, but it’s nothing like that.”

“Have you not heard of the principle of ‘not walking in the melon field and not touching the plums’?”

After saying that, the Sect Leader waved his sleeve and left.

The Punishment Division Envoy certainly knew that, based on his character, even if he understood Lin Ji’s difficulties, he would never quickly employ him as an envoy... but regarding the matter of demonic energy, only he and Lu Xiaobai understood.

In urgent situations, the Punishment Division Envoy didn’t care about his reputation or being controversial; resolving the disaster was always more important than a hollow name.

However, the Punishment Division Envoy raised his eyes, hoping that this matter wouldn’t make the Sect Leader suspect anything.

Back in the guest room, Lin Ji took out the demonic energy bottle, “No reaction at all.”

Whether it was the dried corpses or the Sect Leader, whether they were dead or alive, the demonic energy was hidden so deeply.

It would be very difficult for them to discover anything before the demonic energy actively revealed itself.

Lu Xiaobai said, “No worries, let’s stick to the plan.”

“First, let’s rest well; there might be a tough battle ahead.”

That night, after finishing the food they had brought, it was time to rest.

Lu Xiaobai looked at Lin Ji, “You should go back to your own room; it’s not appropriate to stay here.”

Lin Ji’s cheeks flushed for a moment: “... I didn’t say I wanted to stay in this room.”

He had been lost in thought earlier; he didn’t need to be with Lu Xiaobai every moment, sharing a bed...

As Lin Ji stood up, Lu Xiaobai had just taken off his outer robe, and his undergarment was a bit loose.

Lu Xiaobai suddenly felt Lin Ji’s tall shadow appear behind him, startling him.

“Hey, what are you trying to do?”

What kind of behavior was this in someone else’s house!

But Lin Ji frowned, looking down and brushing Lu Xiaobai’s hair to the side, examining his shoulder: “Isn’t the scar here still not gone?”

Moreover, this bruise seemed to have gotten a bit bigger than before, though not significantly.

Lu Xiaobai felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze and pulled his collar back: “I think it probably won’t go away; it’s just my physique.”

“Then do you feel any discomfort usually?”

“No.”

After a moment, Lin Ji let go and adjusted his clothes: “That’s good.”

He hugged Lu Xiaobai from behind, “Then I’ll go back to sleep first.”

Lu Xiaobai: “...”

After Lin Ji left, Lu Xiaobai touched the goosebumps that had risen on his skin.

Every time A Ji suddenly did this, he would feel a bit... like the other person not only wanted to hug him but also wanted to devour him.

It wasn’t aggressive, but it was filled with a strong sense of possessiveness.

Lin Ji returned to his own room to rest, still thinking about the earlier scene before sleeping.

He wasn’t sure if it was his eyes being dazzled by the candlelight or what, but when Lu Xiaobai’s shoulder revealed that scar, it seemed like that bruise was moving...

For several days, there were no significant gains, but the madman practicing evil arts was on the loose again.

This time, it targeted the Punishment Division Envoy who was patrolling at night.

If it weren’t for Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai arriving in time to let him escape, that fellow cultivator would probably have met a tragic end as well.

The Punishment Division Envoy hurried to check on the disciple: “Are you alright?”

The disciple was carried in, pale-faced, and said, “As long as my cultivation is still intact, that’s good.”

“That person was terrifying! I was just drained a bit, and my essence was sucked away a lot; now I have no strength at all.”

He had lost some spiritual power, but fortunately, he could recover; it would just take a long time.

The Punishment Division Envoy frowned: “But didn’t I tell you to patrol in pairs? You must never act alone?”

The disciple felt wronged: “I was following! But halfway through, I found they were all gone; no matter how I walked, I kept returning to the starting point.”

“And then, I felt extremely dizzy and suddenly collapsed without knowing anything.”

After saying that, he looked at Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai, feeling grateful they found him; otherwise, he would have become a dried corpse!

Lu Xiaobai said, “It’s not necessarily that you got lost; that person is skilled in strange escape techniques, deliberately trapping you.”

Lin Ji said, “It’s a pity we didn’t see clearly; we only saw a shadow, wearing a cloak and a mask.”

Lu Xiaobai looked at him: “So what? The Punishment Division is still here, which means that person is addicted to practicing evil arts and can’t hold back; or he would suffer backlash if he doesn’t absorb spiritual power for a while.”

“This time he failed, so the next time he acts, the interval won’t be long; we’ll just wear him down!”

The Punishment Division Envoy agreed: “If he comes out, we’ll set a trap to catch him; if he doesn’t come out, he’ll probably show some unusual characteristics, and we’ll check one by one to see who’s cultivation has increased abnormally or looks different, and we’ll detain them first.”

Lu Xiaobai paused, suddenly bowing to the Sect Leader: “I have something to say; I’m not sure if it’s appropriate.”

The Sect Leader seemed a bit distracted and asked, “What do you want to say?”

Lu Xiaobai said, “I believe the culprit is very likely one of the elders, including you, Sect Leader.”

Lin Ji raised his arm and poked him: “Don’t be rude!”

The Sect Leader sneered: “Oh? What makes you think that?”

Lu Xiaobai said, “At first, the disciples had their spiritual power drained but managed to survive. The first to die was a certain steward, and after that, the disciples faced misfortune and died.”

“How could a steward with low cultivation be killed? I’m more inclined to think that person didn’t intend to kill the steward but had to silence him after being discovered.”

The Sect Leader: “How do you know it wasn’t the disciples practicing evil arts outside, draining others first, and then returning with increased cultivation to drain the steward? Perhaps the steward didn’t guard against the disciples.”

Lu Xiaobai: “At least for now, we haven’t found any evidence that what I said couldn’t happen.”

The Sect Leader slammed the table: “You little brat, how dare you slander the elders of Yunshang Immortal Sect!”

The Punishment Division Envoy said: “It’s not impossible; our division investigates matters, and regardless of status, anyone with suspicion should be checked. We ask for the Sect Leader’s cooperation.”

The Sect Leader’s expression darkened, his fists gradually tightening: “Alright, I invited you here, and you’re actually being aggressive and taking the initiative.”

“I want to see what you can uncover.”

The next night.

Xuan Yi Zhenren walked to the back mountain of Yunshang Immortal Sect, gazing at the scenery around him.

Suddenly, a figure approached; he turned around to find it was the Sect Leader.

Xuan Yi Zhenren quickly cupped his hands in greeting.

The Sect Leader walked past him, standing in front: “Xuan Yi, you’re here.”

Xuan Yi Zhenren respectfully said: “Sect Leader summoned me; what’s the matter?”

The Sect Leader clasped his hands behind his back: “That group from the Punishment Division is really annoying; it’s better to send them away as soon as possible.”

The Zhenren hesitated: “But the wrongdoers within the sect haven’t been eradicated yet…”

The Sect Leader suddenly waved his sleeve angrily, shouting: “Who gave them the right to manage this!”

Xuan Yi Zhenren didn’t dare to speak; he wanted to ask why they had actively sought the Punishment Division if they didn’t want to be involved, but he knew the Sect Leader was always strong-willed and disliked being questioned, so he had to suppress it.

The Sect Leader seemed to see through his doubts, snorting coldly: “If it weren’t for the leak of information, would I have to be like this? If I find out who is secretly causing trouble, I will definitely tear them to pieces!”

Xuan Yi Zhenren didn’t respond; he knew the Sect Leader could complain, but he couldn’t join in. The Sect Leader had called him to help relieve his worries.

Xuan Yi Zhenren took a few steps forward, tentatively asking: “Does the Sect Leader have a good plan to drive away the people from the Punishment Division?”

The Sect Leader suddenly smiled slightly, “I do; I called you here to discuss this matter with you.”

He turned and slowly approached: “Xuan Yi, haven’t you been stuck at the bottleneck for many years, unable to advance in your cultivation?”

“If I were to teach you a quick success method, would you like to learn?”

Xuan Yi Zhenren’s whole body trembled, suddenly realizing something, and he quickly retreated: “Sect Leader, there’s no need... Such a great favor, I truly cannot repay!”

The Sect Leader laughed heartily: “Who said that? You’ll be able to repay me soon…”

As he spoke, he struck a palm towards Xuan Yi Zhenren, not knowing if he intended to pass on power or to hit him directly, with black energy spilling from his palm.

Xuan Yi Zhenren suddenly sneered: “You want me to take the blame for you? Finally showing your true colors.”

The Sect Leader was stunned, his palm slightly sluggish, and Xuan Yi Zhenren quickly used a magical artifact to create a barrier and flew back.

The Sect Leader was furious, feeling a surge of powerful spiritual energy from behind; when he turned around, he saw Lu Xiaobai slashing down with his sword, and he hurriedly dodged.

Lin Ji also withdrew his transformation technique, revealing his true appearance.

The Sect Leader was shocked: “You’re not Xuan Yi?”

He had followed him all the way in; if he wasn’t Xuan Yi, how could he know the terrain of Yunshang Immortal Sect so well? Moreover, the Xuan Yi he impersonated had the same tone and demeanor as the real Xuan Yi Zhenren!

Lin Ji raised his hand, transforming it into a sword: “I don’t need to explain myself to you!”

Seeing that he had been exposed, the Sect Leader didn’t bother to pretend anymore, “With just you two, you’re overestimating yourselves!”

The Sect Leader was a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator, and they couldn’t defeat him in the Golden Core realm.

But the Sect Leader discovered that when he released his pressure, these two actually weren’t affected much!

Lu Xiaobai gathered the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to form a formation, while Lin Ji transformed his life sword into thousands, striking towards him.

Lu Xiaobai: “Gathering spirit to form a formation, all methods return to one!”

Lin Ji: “Unity of man and sword, for my use!”

The Sect Leader suddenly understood their intentions; he raised his palm to unleash spiritual power to escape, but the spiritual energy Lu Xiaobai gathered was incredibly strong, trapping him!

Combined with Lin Ji’s sword energy, which had the force of ten thousand jun and could disrupt his vision, the two formed a sword formation.

It took the Sect Leader a quarter of an hour to break the sword formation; it was a short time, but it was enough for the Punishment Division Envoy to arrive with reinforcements.

However, the Sect Leader had absorbed a lot of spiritual energy using evil arts and had already reached the peak of the Nascent Soul realm.

The Punishment Division Envoy was also at the Nascent Soul level, barely able to fight back, but gradually finding it difficult.

Fortunately, the Sect Leader of Peifeng Sect also arrived in time; with two Nascent Soul cultivators and several Yuanying elders, they gradually regained the advantage.

To avoid expanding the battlefield, they set up a barrier in the air, but there were still spiritual energy shockwaves that destroyed more than half of the buildings in Yunshang Immortal Sect.

The sect was almost being torn down, and the disciples and elders couldn’t sit still, rushing over, all wide-eyed.

They were witnessing powerful cultivators fighting! And it was their own Sect Leader!

One disciple with sharp eyes exclaimed: “Why is the Sect Leader surrounded by black energy! Could it be... he is the mastermind behind this!”

An elder reacted first and hurried to help—helping the powerful cultivator suppress the Sect Leader.

After all, if they could pull down the former Sect Leader, they could take his place!

Moreover, since he was the one who practiced evil arts, even if they acted, they would gain the reputation of righteousness for eliminating a relative, with no issues at all!

As everyone suppressed him, the Sect Leader gradually showed signs of decline.

The black energy around him grew more rampant, and the Sect Leader, unwilling, roared, appearing mad: “I want to ascend! Anyone who obstructs me must die!”

“As long as I can gain power, what’s killing? You’re all my nourishment!”

“I’ve been stuck at the Nascent Soul realm for two hundred years! When can I step into the Great Ascension and see the supreme glory of the Immortal Realm?”

“Don’t you all want that?”

Still, the same words; there were many potential Mo Shangxians in the world, and when conditions were right, it was easy to lose oneself and follow the old path of predecessors.

Sticking to one’s principles became especially precious.

Lin Ji and Lu Xiaobai stood aside, watching, no longer involved.

At this moment, Xuan Yi Zhenren arrived late, stunned by the scene before him, asking the question everyone wanted to know: “What on earth is going on?”

Song Ruoci came along, acting as the narrator to explain the ins and outs, causing everyone to gasp in shock.

Xuan Yi Zhenren was stunned, taking a small step forward, and Song Ruoci flew in front of him: “What are you trying to do?”

“Whether you want to save the Sect Leader or take advantage of the chaos, I won’t let you succeed.”

Xuan Yi Zhenren was too dazed and leaned forward a bit; he actually had no plans, but Song Ruoci’s malicious speculation made him lose face: “You rebellious disciple, what nonsense are you talking about!”

“What I want to do is not something you can stop!”

Song Ruoci sneered: “You still have the nerve to say that! At this time, the Sect Leader calls for you, and you just go without a hint of vigilance!”

“If they hadn’t reminded me to stop you, you might have become a dried corpse by now!”

Xuan Yi Zhenren: “Shut up!”

The powerful cultivators in the air were fighting fiercely, and these two masters below were actually arguing.

Lin Ji stood at the mountain top, watching them, his gaze fixed on Xuan Yi Zhenren.

At this point, the mysteries of the previous life seemed to unravel.

Beside him, Wen Ling disguised as Lingguang appeared, confirming his suspicions.

The Sect Leader had practiced evil arts in his previous life, wanting to absorb people’s spiritual power to break through his realm and become a Great Ascension cultivator.

The first one he targeted was Lin Ji, a promising talent, but during one of his training sessions, he was seen by Xuan Yi Zhenren.

He simply stopped pretending, letting Xuan Yi Zhenren trick Lin Ji over, and then let him go.

“But... Lin Ji is the most talented disciple of Yunshang Immortal Sect, and he works hard, progressing rapidly. Having such a disciple would benefit the sect in time!”

“Why would it be better for others to be strong than for oneself to be strong? Don’t you understand this principle?”

“Your disciple’s life and your life can only leave one; choose wisely.”

Xuan Yi Zhenren wasn’t a fool; he knew that once he exposed the Sect Leader’s practice of evil arts, he wouldn’t be able to survive. After all, he couldn’t defeat the other party.

What he truly had to choose was whether to drag Lin Ji down with him to die or to die alone.

“...”

No wonder Xuan Yi Zhenren was so unreasonable and harsh; he had gone mad that night.

Upon learning that his master in the previous life had feelings for him, Lin Ji felt an indescribable emotion in his heart.

What shocked him even more was that, behind the scenes, Xuan Yi Zhenren had also acknowledged his excellence.

But why did he have to treat him this way? In the end, why did he force him away using the most hurtful method? Was there no other way?

If he had told him, he would have fought desperately to protect his master and leave.

Xuan Yi Zhenren hadn’t expected that even after driving Lin Ji down the mountain, the Sect Leader would still chase after him, draining half of Lin Ji’s cultivation.

Xuan Yi Zhenren might have died while trying to stop the other party; Lin Ji didn’t know.

Now, the Sect Leader had fallen into a trap due to his transformed identity and voice, which could be considered a karmic retribution.

Lin Ji looked down.

Xuan Yi Zhenren had already lost his rationality due to anger, insisting on competing with Song Ruoci, wanting to push past him.

He was also cursing Song Ruoci for being unambitious, unable to compare with others, just like how he had treated Lin Ji before.

But Song Ruoci was completely unaffected, directly drawing his sword and placing it against his neck, “Alright, go ahead!”

“Since I’m so terrible in your eyes, then I’ll just die now! Let’s see if you can find a disciple with better talent than me in the future!”

Xuan Yi Zhenren’s blood surged, turning red with anger: “You dare threaten me! If you’re so afraid of death, do you dare?”

Song Ruoci made a small cut: “Come on!”

Xuan Yi Zhenren trembled, pointing at his hand, his eyes darkening as he rolled his eyes and fainted.

Finally, the scene below quieted down.

Lu Xiaobai exclaimed in excitement, his eyes darting around, while Lin Ji was greatly enlightened.

When Lu Xiaobai reached over to hold his hand, Lin Ji suddenly felt relieved.

Even if he had to interact with Xuan Yi Zhenren again, it would still be like in the previous life, torturing each other to the bitter end.

Only someone like Song Ruoci could restrain him; it was a case of one thing overcoming another.

It turned out that relationships between people also depended on fate and suitability.

Lin Ji tightly grasped Lu Xiaobai’s hand, looking at him with a smile, feeling immensely grateful.

As he looked down again, his emotions returned to calmness.