Chapter 27 Meet again
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The snow covered a thousand mountains, and only one person remained in the vastness of the world. The deep sadness was so overwhelming that even Pei Jing, as an outsider, felt a wave of sorrow.
A swordsman in white clothes leaned his head against the blue stone, his pale hair hanging down.
The young man’s youthful spirit faded away, leaving only barrenness and coldness. A soft sigh could be heard on the suspension bridge, lamenting the final fate of Yunxiao after thousands of years.
Pei Jing really wanted to reach out his hand, to wipe away his tears or lend him support, but all he could touch was the cold wall.
He stared blankly at his own hand, thinking: Was this the ending of Pei Yuzhi in the novel?
Only a silent green stone remained from the once majestic sect, serving as the final tombstone, burying the past.
Pei Jing’s gaze also became sorrowful, and what lay ahead was so cruel that he didn’t even dare to look.
The fierce battle in front of Wentian Peak ended with his tragic defeat in front of everyone.
Seeing him, once so proud, amidst the curses of the crowd, being crippled and tormented, falling into the Abyss of Ten Thousand Ghosts. Watching his final gaze as he descended into the depths, his eyes gleaming crimson, a fierce and vengeful hatred and killing intent gathering, like an evil spirit reborn.
Bloodstains marred the surface of Wentian Peak.
The wind and snow ceased.
However, Pei Jing couldn’t snap out of it for a long time, remaining silent for a while before whispering, “Pei Yuzhi…”
There were few descriptions of Pei Yuzhi in “Executioner’s Sword.” After finishing it, Pei Jing could only recall him as a selfish hypocrite who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, harming his sect and showing no remorse for his actions.
It was completely different from the person depicted in the book.
Therefore, this wasn’t the Pei Yuzhi from the novel.
“This must be me,” Pei Jing murmured, “It’s the fear deep within me, the fear that in the end, I’ll tread the same path as the original character.
“Will it really come to this point, where the Sect falls, loved ones perish, meridians severed, and eternal darkness awaits?”
The Chamber of Inner Demons left behind by the ancestors of Yunxiao was indeed not without reason.
Even an imagined future saddened him.
However, the last time he walked this path, it wasn’t like this. There were only memories of the past, without any imagined future. Did growing up bring more worries? It even gave rise to an inner demon.
At the moment Pei Yuzhi fell into the Abyss of Ten Thousand Ghosts, the marks on the walls vanished into thin air, plunging the entire world back into darkness.
The bells inside the Chamber of Inner Demons rang again, and cold water trickled beneath his feet.
Pei Jing felt the space ahead gradually expanding. He must be nearing the exit of the Chamber of Inner Demons. Beyond the corridor was a cave, which served as another entrance to the Futu Hall.
Chu Junyu had entered ahead of him. He must have already made it out. Did the creature not harm him?
Speaking of which, where did that creature go?
Just as Pei Jing pondered its whereabouts, he suddenly sensed a tremendous surge of resentment and killing intent. He froze, lifted his head, and widened his eyes.
Once outside.
It was not a mountain chamber but rather hell itself.
Blood-red light filled his vision.
Ghostly spirits lurked within the gusts of wind, howling and frenzied. The wind swept across the land as if it wanted to tear people apart.
Endless mist of blood, obscuring the daylight.
The flickering blood-red light occasionally revealed a few scenes that left Pei Jing trembling with fear.
Ghastly and vicious ghosts and monsters surrounded him from all directions, their faces twisted and their mouths filled with sharp, menacing teeth. In one spot, a venomous snake lurked in the darkness, its numerous coils twisted together in a tangled mess. Beneath them, a mountain of corpses, each torn apart and reduced to mere fragments clinging to the bones.
Various thick and eerie smells blended together, a foul and putrid stench that made one nauseous.
Pei Jing could barely stand a single glance. The atmosphere inside was too dangerously horrifying. He had never seen a place similar to a demonic purgatory like this before. It must be an illusion created by the creature, but… could such a place truly exist in the world?
Nevertheless, he had to move forward.
The wind howled in his ears, tormenting him, while the piercing laughter of the ghosts grated against his eardrums, threatening to shatter them. Gradually, he also heard the sounds of scales rubbing against each other between the snakes, viscous and uncanny.
The image of the snake mountain suddenly flashed through his mind.
Pei Jing cursed inwardly and quickly lowered his head, closing his eyes, forcing himself to overcome the tingling sensation on his scalp.
Once the fear of a certain creature had deeply ingrained itself in one’s marrow, it became difficult to change.
No matter how powerful one became, even a harmless small green snake could scare the living daylights out of them. In the center of the darkness, the howling wind seemed to diminish.
He heard another kind of sound.
Ambiguous gender, neither fully male nor female.
With a sinister and eerie laughter, it spoke to an unknown recipient.
“Do you think you can kill me? The moment you entered this secret realm, I knew. Coming here was merely a ploy to lure you in. How does it feel to experience Yunxiao Ancestor’s Chamber of Inner Demons? Hahahaha! After this journey, your soul will be shattered. What do you have left to challenge me?
“Initially, I only wanted to kill Pei Yuzhi. But now, killing you as well wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Pei Jing’s eyes snapped open and he looked ahead.
In the center of the hellish realm, where space was torn apart and time twisted, the swirling crimson clouds and blood mist formed the shape of a smiling face. The curve of the cracked lips was eerie and menacing, positioned high above in the air.
Gazing at it from a distance was a silver-haired young man, his black robe as dark as concentrated blood. He stood tall and proud, almost blending with the chaotic and ferocious surroundings. In a cold and mocking tone, the young man said, “Merely a Chamber of Inner Demons. You place your hopes in it rather than considering how to save your own life.”
The smile on the face slowly froze, followed by grinding teeth and a loud shout, “Why are you pretending! We are of the same kind. I refuse to believe you emerged unscathed from that Chamber of Inner Demons!”
It suddenly laughed in a peculiar manner, “Take a good look at your surroundings. Do they seem familiar? I delved into your innermost thoughts and fabricated your most fearful memories. You claim your spiritual consciousness is intact, but today, you will unquestionably meet your demise!”
After uttering those words, the face protruded forward, transforming into a long serpent with horned scales. It opened its bloodthirsty maw, descending from the sky to consume him.
The young man’s blood-red eyes turned icy cold, his tone indifferent as he said, “With your abilities?”
He extended his hand, curling his fingers slightly in the air.
The enormous serpent formed from clouds and mist writhed and twisted as if it were suffering unbearable pain. Its blood-red form gradually faded and, just as it was about to dissipate completely, it reformed into a face. With a shout filled with resentment and extreme astonishment, its eyes wide, it exclaimed, “Impossible! How could you remain unaffected by the inner demon?”
The young man smirked playfully, “My inner demon? Even I don’t know.”
Panic appeared on the face, a rare sight, as it said, “I entered this realm only to kill Pei Yuzhi. I never intended harm towards you. There was no need for you to go to such extremes.”
The young man stated, “I don’t have to kill you. Instead, lead me to your master.”
The face contorted in a violent and vicious manner, glancing at him with fury. It turned to flee but hadn’t taken a single step before an unknown force crushed its soul. After a painful howl of agony, it exploded and vanished into dust and smoke.
The creature that created the illusion was eliminated. However, the illusion still persisted.
Pei Jing stood at a distant place, watching, and probably knew who this person was. The man who accompanied him to the cave on that night in the Yunlan Mountain Range, where the red leaves danced like silk. He had mentioned meeting again, but Pei Jing didn’t expect it to be now.
Suddenly, the silver-haired young man’s figure flickered, bending down and coughing up blood.
Pei Jing furrowed his brow, hesitating for a moment, contemplating whether he should step out or not. However, he heard the young man’s cold and somewhat hoarse voice say, “Come out.”
Pei Jing: …Yes, this person’s cultivation was far superior to his own, so he must have known he was nearby.
Emerging from the darkness, a young man clad in pure white garments stepped forward, his attire as translucent as jade. His black hair was tied with a grass rope, and as his eyes met Pei Jing’s, there was a hint of hesitation and probing in his gaze. “Are you alright?”
The silver-haired man in black raised his head, looking back.
Through the depths of the infernal darkness, it felt as if he crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, transcending life and death.
Pei Jing was struck by the indiscernible emotions in his eyes, unsure whether he should approach.
The silver-haired man wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, his eyes hiding their cold gleam. He sheathed his sword and slowly stood up.
Seeing the man’s silence and glancing around, Pei Jing thought for a moment and said, “I know this place better than you do. Let me lead you out. Consider it repayment for your previous kindness.” This man’s cultivation surpassed his own, and he could see through Pei Jing’s disguise at a glance, so there was no need to conceal anything.
Pei Jing approached, wanting to offer support, but unsurprisingly, his offer was declined.
Pei Jing thought to himself, “Alright, then.”
The silver-haired young man walked forward with an air of indifference, exuding a volatile mood that was far less amiable than their previous encounter in the Yunlan Mountain Range.
Pei Jing was youthful in appearance, and his legs were relatively short. When the young man picked up the pace, he had to hop and skip to keep up. He had many questions, but he only asked the most crucial and pressing one, the one he most wanted to know. Perhaps because he had become smaller, he no longer cared about his image as much. There was a sense of not personally losing face.
Pei Jing asked directly, “Why did that creature want to kill me? I don’t think I’ve made such formidable enemies in all these years.”
The silver-haired young man lowered his gaze and replied indifferently, “Who knows.”
“Will he come looking for me again?”
“He will.”
Pei Jing tugged at the corner of his mouth. It seemed necessary to request some life-saving items from the Institute of Celestial Ascension. He turned his head, his dark and clear eyes filled with confusion. Sincerely, he said, “In that case, I have to thank you again for saving me.”
The silver-haired young man’s steps faltered, and thousands of snow-like strands fell onto his somber black robe. He looked down at Pei Jing and asked, “Reducing your bone structure, transforming into a youth, infiltrating Outer Peaks disguised as a new disciple—does that bring you joy?”
Pei Jing choked, unable to understand why he asked such a question, as if he had some peculiar preference. “I have my reasons for doing so.”
Emotions of detachment flickered in the depths of the silver-haired young man’s eyes, and he chuckled mockingly, “Have you broken through the Nascent Soul stage? You seem quite leisurely.”
Pei Jing: “…” Fortunately, he wasn’t facing him in his true form. In his current youthful appearance, the situation was not particularly awkward. He decided to be honest and said, “I joined Outer Peaks for the sake of cultivation. My Master wanted me to return to basics, so I entered Outer Peaks to experience a different life. Besides, as the temporary Sect Master of Yunxiao, I have a responsibility to cultivate outstanding disciples.”
The silver-haired young man asked, “Is it necessary for the Sect Master himself to personally cultivate outstanding disciples? Has Yunxiao fallen so far?”
Pei Jing: “…” Can’t you just keep quiet, Brother?
Pei Jing: “I placed that person in Outer Peaks, so naturally, I have a responsibility to nurture him. If that young man can turn away from evil and change for the better, he might even become the next Sect Master of Yunxiao in the future.”
The silver-haired young man’s fingers slightly tightened, as he tilted his head, wearing a smile that seemed both genuine and insincere. “I see. Are you thinking of taking him as your disciple?”
“…Not exactly.” Pei Jing didn’t want to discuss internal Yunxiao matters with an outsider. He glanced around and sighed. “That young man also entered this Illusion Chamber. I came in hoping to save him. I haven’t seen him for a while now, and the best outcome would be if he has already left. Otherwise…” Pausing for a moment, Pei Jing asked, “Have you seen him? A youth in a pale blue robe, looking cold and aloof.”
The silver-haired young man replied without hesitation, “No.”
Pei Jing lowered his head. “That’s strange.”
As they walked, the familiar rustling sound made Pei Jing freeze in place. The illusion had yet to dissipate completely. The vengeful and murderous intent that could materialize had disappeared, but the snake-infested bone mound remained. Hissing sounds came from the exit, precisely where the mound of snakes lay.
Pei Jing halted his steps and said to him, “Continue forward. There’s a mountain path ahead that leads to Futu Hall. You go ahead, and I’ll go back to look for him. I’m afraid he’s still inside.”
A hint of playful and mocking curve appeared at the corner of the silver-haired young man’s lips, but it was hidden within the shadows, unseen by Pei Jing.
“You don’t need to go back and search. That young man isn’t inside. The exit through the mountain path is rugged and chaotic. There’s a higher chance he’s lost.”
Pei Jing: “…” It makes some sense, but just to be safe, I still want to go back and take a look. With so many exits from the Futu Hall, missing this one wouldn’t make much of a difference.
The silver-haired young man said, “That earlier presence was just a fragment of Shu Yan’s consciousness. When he entered this Changtian Realm, he likely left more than just that strand of divine awareness. If you delay a bit longer, your young disciple will be in greater danger.”
Pei Jing: “…”
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