The chill of the cold pool spread everywhere.
Jian Zhen sat by the shore, looking at the person in the pool. After his words fell, before he could speak again, a very low humming sound suddenly came from the distant mountains. The sound seemed to come from afar. The light of the red moon cast down somewhat eerily. For a moment, Jian Zhen at the shore even felt his legs go weak, almost falling into the pool.
Ye Jisheng caught him in one swift motion.
The instant their skin touched, Jian Zhen felt the scorching heat of Ye Jisheng’s entire body.
Water splashed up in the pool, circle after circle, ripples spreading outward.
The red moon’s light fell from outside the window onto the ground. When the distant rumbling came again, Jian Zhen felt a somewhat familiar headache, just like the night he had taken form.
Ye Jisheng said in a low voice, “Wanmie Mountain is stirring.”
Jian Zhen looked up at him and asked, “Why?”
The ancient divine mountain Wanmie Mountain had not stirred for tens of thousands of years, how could it have been frequently restless in these past one or two years?
Ye Jisheng’s eyes were red like blood gemstones. His brows always carried a trace of wickedness, making him appear extremely dangerous. He said lightly, “Because my Heavenly Tribulation is approaching. Wanmie Mountain sealed half of my power and is closely tied to me.”
Jian Zhen saw that the curse marks at Ye Jisheng’s neck were crimson as if glowing with blood. He said, “How are you?”
Ye Jisheng did not answer.
But Jian Zhen saw blood slide down from the corner of his lips, and he did not care at all. The crimson blood dripped into the pool like blooming red lotuses. Ye Jisheng was calm; only Jian Zhen in his arms was anxious. He wanted to help Ye Jisheng but could not. In his urgency, inspiration struck, he discovered that wherever he touched, the red glow of the curse marks dimmed somewhat, looking less painful.
Jian Zhen thought of the way Ye Jisheng had once transferred a divine soul to him.
Maybe that would also work.
Jian Zhen called out, “Ye Jisheng.”
The Demon God raised his head. Before he could speak, ripples spread across the surface of the pool. The person in his arms pressed lips and teeth against his; the taste of blood melted between them as Jian Zhen’s breath enveloped him.
Jian Zhen’s posture made it easy for him to slip down. Ye Jisheng immediately wrapped an arm around his waist.
When the kiss ended, Jian Zhen gasped heavily, feeling his legs go weak. His eyes were misty as he looked at Ye Jisheng and said, “The curse marks on you seem to have faded a little. Is it really useful? Can I absorb the curse of Heavenly Punishment? I…”
Before he could finish speaking,
Ye Jisheng lifted him up. Water from the cold pool rolled down along his robe, and Jian Zhen from the pool was also carried up by him. The man placed Jian Zhen on the shore. His tall figure, clad in black robes soaked with chill, stood there. His red eyes were like the most crystal-clear gemstones, holding burning madness, yet also an extreme cold rationality.
“Stay here,” he said. “I don’t need you to absorb it.”
After speaking, Ye Jisheng turned around. Behind the cold pool was the cave for seclusion. With every step he took, water trailed on the ground in clear marks, accompanied by specks of crimson blood.
Jian Zhen’s legs inexplicably went weak. The restless energy of Wanmie Mountain seemed to have a great effect on him. His head ached fiercely, yet Ye Jisheng had used some unknown method to stop the pain. Even so, he had no strength left and could only watch his back with his own eyes as he was about to enter the sealed formation for seclusion.
“Ye Jisheng.”
Outside, the red moonlight carried a chill. The person by the cold pool weakly sat up, his whole body disheveled.
Jian Zhen said, “You have to live well.”
Ye Jisheng’s steps paused for a moment, then without turning back, he stepped into the formation.
When his figure disappeared, it was as if all of Jian Zhen’s strength had been drained away as well. He collapsed onto the ground, his heart pounding wildly, his fingertips seeming to still retain that scorching, painful sensation.
Just for that short while, he had already felt such pain, how much more had Ye Jisheng endured?
Heavenly Punishment…
Tribulation…
Jian Zhen’s pitch-black eyes looked at the red moon outside. What exactly had happened back then? Why had half of Ye Jisheng’s power been sealed? And why had he been branded with curse marks?
The eerie red moon hung in the sky, silent and offering no answer.
Jian Zhen slowly stood up from the ground, walked out of the cold pool, and descended the steps. His pace was slow, yet firm.
Until he reached the lowest platform and saw the person who had long been waiting there.
The High Priest lowered his head. “Your Excellency.”
Jian Zhen said, “High Priest, did you guess that I would come to find you?”
The High Priest’s head full of white hair was gently stirred by the night wind. He said with emotion, “This old servant could not guess. I only thought that if I waited here, whether it be you or His Excellency, one of you would eventually wish to see me.”
Jian Zhen said, “He has gone into seclusion.”
The High Priest replied, “Wanmie Mountain suddenly stirred, affecting all Three Realms. His Excellency is originally the Heaven-and-Earth Demon God, so the impact on him is naturally profound. His Heavenly Tribulation approaches, and he is already severely injured. I fear…”
Jian Zhen asked, “Do you have a way to save him?”
The High Priest said, “Your Excellency, His Excellency likely only wishes for you and the young prince to be safe, and would not want you to risk yourself in this matter.”
Jian Zhen’s face was calm. He said gently, “He has already protected me for a long time. From the moment I sprouted awareness, I was on the windowsill of the Demon Hall. He sheltered me from wind and rain. After I took form, no matter what difficulties or dangers arose, he would walk ahead of me. He has done more than enough for me. Now it’s my turn to protect him.”
The High Priest said, “Your Excellency, Heavenly Tribulation and the Heavenly Dao, this is fate. Since ancient times, anyone who has tried to defy Heaven and change destiny has had to pay a tremendous price. Have you truly thought it through?”
Jian Zhen said, “If I do nothing, he will certainly die, right?”
The High Priest fell silent.
Jian Zhen said softly, “High Priest, may I ask you to help me with something?”
The High Priest said, “Please speak.”
“No matter what happens in the future, please do your utmost to ensure that I can live at least ten more years,” Jian Zhen said. “My child has not yet grown up. I cannot leave him.”
For the Demon Clan and even for the Three Realms.
Thousands of years were like flowing water, gone in the blink of an eye.
And a mere ten years was but a drop in the long river of time, an extremely insignificant thing. To others, perhaps. But to Jian Zhen, it was very important.
After a moment of silence, the High Priest bent in salute and said, “Even if this old servant must stake this life, I will accomplish it.”
Jian Zhen felt reassured. He said, “Then please tell me, how can he be saved?”
The night wind blew past.
The High Priest looked into Jian Zhen’s clear eyes. For a moment, he felt that this one was not as naive as he usually appeared. He never flaunted himself. Perhaps it was not because he could not see through things, but because he was too clear-headed and unwilling to meddle in those matters. Yet when it came to major right and wrong, this one was exceptionally intelligent.
He did not know.
For Lord Demon God, whether such intelligence was fortune, or pain.
The High Priest lowered his eyes and said, “Please follow me.”
The two of them walked up a long stretch of steps and finally arrived at the High Priest’s divine hall in the rear palace. Dark-patterned floor tiles stretched throughout. A cool breeze blew into the great hall. At the very center stood a square furnace. Intricate and complex patterns were carved upon it, like ancient sacrificial totems, carrying a sense of mystery and solemn authority.
Jian Zhen said, “What is this?”
The High Priest explained, “This is the Recollection Furnace passed down by our Demon Clan since ancient times. This furnace communicates with the spirit and draws the soul. In this world, aside from the Time Mirror, it is the only object capable of breaking the cycle of time.”
Jian Zhen grasped the key point. “Time?”
The High Priest nodded. “Time.”
Jian Zhen’s eyes lit up. “This furnace can let someone travel through time?”
The High Priest smiled. “Yes. However, for tens of thousands of years, no one has been able to activate it. Once activated, the furnace binds to Your Excellency’s divine soul. This is extremely dangerous. If you are injured or die in the past, your soul will suffer the same injury. If you die in the past…”
Jian Zhen said, “Then I will also die, right?”
The High Priest nodded.
Any act of defying Heaven and changing fate required paying a tremendous price and bearing severe consequences.
Jian Zhen said, “What do you wish for me to do when I return to the past?”
The High Priest walked to the side and opened a scroll. Under the illumination of the red moon, the scroll rose into the air and slowly unfurled. Upon it were records of the Demon Clan’s history through the years.
“Your Excellency, look,” the High Priest said. “Thousands of years ago, when Lord Demon God passed the Soul Transformation stage, he was originally at the height of his power. But at that time, he was schemed against by the Immortal Clan and went alone to Wanmie Mountain. Only then did he fall into the conspiracy of those two clans and have half his power sealed. As long as you can find a way to stop Lord Demon God from being ensnared by their plot, and prevent him from going to Wanmie Mountain…”
Jian Zhen said, “Then he won’t have half of his power sealed, and he won’t die.”
The High Priest bowed and said, “Exactly.”
Jian Zhen thought of a long time ago, when Ye Jisheng had said that he had lost all his memories from before becoming a god. He also remembered that when speaking of past memories, Ye Jisheng had once said that in his childhood both his parents died and he was sold as a slave.
All of this had happened ten million years ago.
If he could return to the past…
If he could stop all of this…
Jian Zhen said, “Priest, if I enter the furnace, how long will I stay there? If it takes one or two years…”
The High Priest hurriedly said, “Your Highness can rest assured. The flow of time inside the furnace is different from that of reality. Even if you stay in the past for a hundred years, for the outside world it will only have been a quarter of an hour.”
Only then did Jian Zhen feel relieved. He said, “Then if I fail…”
The High Priest’s expression turned solemn. “This old minister will use my entire life to sacrifice to the furnace. No matter what, I will forcibly send Your Highness back, preserve your remnant soul, so that you may accompany the young prince as he grows up.”
The ten-year agreement, the High Priest had promised it, and he would certainly fulfill it.
Jian Zhen then no longer had any worries.
Outside the window, the red moon hung high in the sky, casting down a somewhat cold light. He turned his head to look toward the towering mountain of the Demon Realm not far away. Up there were his child, and his Ye Jisheng.
The High Priest said, “Your Highness, entering this furnace is extremely dangerous. Ten million years ago was the most chaotic period of the Three Realms, and it involves karma. Even this old minister cannot easily interfere to help you. Have you truly thought it through?”
Jian Zhen turned back to look at him and said softly, “But there is also a chance of success, right?”
If he succeeded, Ye Jisheng would live.
“You all say that defying fate requires paying a great price, but who decided what fate is?” Jian Zhen said gently. “You always speak of karma. Ye Jisheng lost both his parents at birth. At that time he was only a child. What did he do wrong to deserve bearing all that? Some people are born able to have whatever they wish, while others must exhaust all their strength just to stay alive.”
“If this is fate, if this is the Heavenly Dao, you may accept it, but I do not,” Jian Zhen said. “In the past Ye Jisheng said he was a god. When people of the world want salvation, they can pray to the gods, but he cannot.”
No one would save him, so he did not believe in gods, did not believe in fate, did not believe in the Heavenly Dao. He was sensitive and suspicious, lonely and cold.
Jian Zhen stood before the furnace. Behind him, moonlight lay scattered across the ground. He smiled lightly, his eyes clear and bright, as if no shadow or darkness could leave any trace upon him.
“Then let me do it.”
The furnace smoke drifted lightly.
As if separated by a lifetime.
Within the faint mist he lost consciousness, as if his whole body were immersed in warm water, taking a long and gentle journey.
Jian Zhen suddenly opened his eyes.
Morning light abruptly poured in, passing through the bed curtains and scattering down. His heart was heaving violently as he looked at the unfamiliar green canopy, still recovering from the weightless sensation of his soul leaving his body in the furnace.
Until a voice came from outside.
“Young master, are you awake? We still have to go up the mountain today.”
Jian Zhen slowly sat up. Hearing the form of address from outside left him somewhat dazed. He could only say, “I’m awake.”
The person outside then pushed the door open and entered.
The servant wearing coarse clothes said, “Young master, you’re finally awake. A few days ago a message came down from the mountain saying we should set off. This is good fortune that ordinary people couldn’t cultivate in eight lifetimes!”
Jian Zhen looked somewhat blankly at the unfamiliar servant. While washing up, he looked at the blurred face in the bronze mirror but could not see it clearly, and he could not even figure out which point in time ten million years ago he had returned to.
The servant helped him put on his clothes and said, “There, that’s done. Young master, let’s get ready and head up the mountain. The Grandmaster Ancestor will surely like you. Perhaps he’ll even take you as a disciple!”
Jian Zhen caught the key word and asked, “Grandmaster Ancestor?”
The servant nodded and said, “Yes, the Grandmaster Ancestor. Young master, did your fever make you muddle-headed? You even forgot this. The master and madam died subduing demons. This time Spirit Mountain’s disciple selection assembly made a special exception to invite you to participate. You don’t even need to go through the disciple trials, you’ll directly enter the final selection. This year the Immortal Venerable will also be choosing disciples. Young master, you’re truly blessed.”
Spirit Mountain.
Immortal Venerable.
Jian Zhen hurriedly asked, “Who is the Immortal Venerable of Spirit Mountain now?”
The servant wore an expression of how could you ask such a question and replied, “Of course the Immortal Venerable of Spirit Mountain is the only god in the Three Realms today, Lord Xianyang!”
Jian Zhen’s mind went blank for a moment with a buzzing sound.
He had truly arrived ten million years in the past. Even the Immortal Venerable of the Immortal Clan of today’s Three Realms was no longer Immortal Lord Wanyou. This was no longer the Three Realms he had once known.
Jian Zhen hesitated and asked, “Then… then the Demon Clan’s Demon Venerable…”
The servant smiled and said, “Young master, what are you talking about? Isn’t the Demon Clan a lowly race of the Three Realms, slaves of our Immortal Clan? How could they possibly have any Demon Venerable?”
Jian Zhen’s hand at his side suddenly clenched tight.
He had read through the history of the Demon Clan at the High Priest’s place. The records about Ye Jisheng were very, very few. The only thing recorded was his background, once sold as a slave, and there were no other clues at all.
In the vast Three Realms, where was he supposed to find him?
Seeing him not speak, the servant grew somewhat nervous. “Young master, young master, what’s wrong? Could it be that your fever from a few days ago really hasn’t cleared, and it burned your brain?”
Jian Zhen came back to his senses and said gently, “I’m fine.”
Since his soul could arrive in the original body, it seemed the original owner had likely truly lost his soul due to the high fever, yet had not expected to let him, this outsider, pick up the advantage.
The little grass felt somewhat complicated.
The servant, however, pulled him and said, “If you’re fine then let’s hurry! Don’t miss the final disciple selection!”
Jian Zhen was dragged by the servant and ran wildly outside.
They were probably staying at an inn at the foot of Spirit Mountain. The road up the mountain had to be traveled by riding immortal cranes. When they reached the foot of Spirit Mountain, seeing the towering trees, lush and verdant, the tall and majestic mountain stretching beyond sight, he was momentarily dazed. He had grown used to snow-covered mountains blanketed in heavy snow; at first glance, seeing Spirit Mountain full of greenery and vibrant life, he actually almost could not recognize it.
The servant said, “Young master, don’t keep marveling. After you take a master at Spirit Mountain in the future, you’ll surely have the chance to see it every day. I’ve heard that Spirit Mountain’s Grandmaster Ancestor is the only god in the world. Even Spirit Mountain’s senior brother is the current leader of the Heartless Dao in the Three Realms, a genius who entered the Soul Transformation stage at a young age!”
Jian Zhen was curious. “Senior brother?”
The servant scratched his head and said, “Yes, but I’ve never been to Spirit Mountain myself, so I’ve never seen senior brother’s appearance.”
Jian Zhen could only let it go.
When they rode the immortal crane up the mountain, Jian Zhen glanced downward. Across the entire Spirit Mountain were countless pavilions and towers scattered in layers. The mountain ranges stretched endlessly for thousands of miles, filled with innumerable temples and halls. The scale of these peaks and buildings was several times greater than ten million years later. It was clear how glorious and magnificent the Immortal Clan of Spirit Mountain was today.
The only god in the world…
Jian Zhen looked toward the palace atop Spirit Mountain’s highest peak and thought of the man in golden robes he had seen before the Time Mirror that day. Could it be that one?
The immortal crane landed at the summit.
Countless selected disciples were already waiting in the square. Jian Zhen walked over wearing ordinary clothes. The original owner of this body was only in his teens, very youthful, and dressed in the most common garments, completely out of place among the group of aristocratic disciples in the square.
He had barely stood still when someone’s gaze fell over.
Someone laughed lightly and said, “Riding an immortal crane and arriving this late, I thought it would be someone impressive. How is it just someone who’s only established foundation?”
“How did he pass the preliminary selection?”
“Can someone like this even enter Spirit Mountain?”
“Hey kid, how did you get in?”
Not far away, a group of newly admitted disciples gathered together asked with unfriendly expressions. Jian Zhen had not a single magical artifact on him, dressed in coarse cloth, at a glance he had no background. Bullying him required no hesitation.
Jian Zhen pointed behind him and said calmly, “I rode an immortal crane in.”
There was silence all around.
No one knew who started laughing first, but the other disciples followed.
“Where did this fool come from?”
“Probably no peak master will choose him.”
“Hurry back.”
Just as they were speaking, not far away came a surge of spiritual energy carrying wind force. With just a simple move, all the disciples were forced back several steps.
Someone from within scolded, “What are you all doing? This is Spirit Mountain, not a theater. How can the disciple selection ceremony at Spirit Mountain tolerate such recklessness from you?!”
After the voice fell, a calm and steady voice sounded, asking, “What’s going on?”
There was an inexplicable sense of familiarity in this voice, yet Jian Zhen did not react at once.
The person said, “Senior brother, you’ve come. These new disciples were making noise just now, so I reprimanded them a few words. This time it’s rare for the Immortal Venerable to select disciples again, yet I didn’t expect them all to be so lacking in composure.”
A snow-white figure walked down from the palace steps.
Like the cleanest wisp of cloud in the sky, originally suspended high above, untouched by dust.
When he appeared, the disciples said with both respect and fear, “Greetings, senior brother!”
Jian Zhen also followed somewhat blankly in saluting. When the salute ended, he raised his face curiously and finally saw the appearance of the person on the platform. His eyes widened slightly, and he froze in place, almost unable to move.
The wind brushed through the great hall, carrying a faint floral fragrance.
The person standing on the highest step seemed to notice this gaze and lowered his eyes to look down.
Jian Zhen wanted to withdraw his gaze, but it was already too late. He lowered his head, yet he could hear footsteps slowly approaching. In the gentle wind, he heard a cold voice say, “You are a newly admitted disciple?”
“Mm…”
“What is your name?”
“My name is Jian…” Jian Zhen almost instinctively said his own name. The word “Zhen” was already on his lips. In urgency, he could only pronounce a sound close to “Zhen”: “Zhu.”
“Good name.”
Jian Zhen felt somewhat guilty.
“Are your parents the cultivators who perished together with that demon race devil seed?”
Jian Zhen had some impression and nodded lightly. “Yes.”
“Then that is correct. The Immortal Venerable instructed today that he calculated a destined master-disciple relationship with you and asked me to bring you up Spirit Mountain to enter under his seat. You need not participate in the disciple ceremony. Come with me.”
Jian Zhen looked up at him in astonishment, never expecting that he was actually going to take the Immortal Venerable as his master?
Wait.
He had returned ten million years to the past through the furnace. His purpose was only to stop Ye Jisheng from being lured into the Sealing Formation. How had he inexplicably become the Grandmaster Ancestor’s disciple?
Now he had not only failed to see Ye Jisheng,
He was instead about to become the Immortal Venerable Grandmaster Ancestor’s disciple?
Seeing him stunned, the man in snow robes in front of him thought he was frightened and said, “You need not be afraid. I am Spirit Mountain’s chief disciple, Fu Changhuan. In the future I will also be your senior brother.”
Jian Zhen’s eyes trembled slightly, as if struck by lightning, standing frozen in place.
Looking at the young-faced man before him, cold between the brows and without the slightest smile, aloof and proud, he could not connect him at all with the gentle and serene Immortal Venerable of later generations.
In his memory, didn’t the Immortal Lord have a junior brother? Where was that junior brother? How, how had it become him?
Jian Zhen remembered that the High Priest had said everything he did inside the furnace was real and would affect the real world. In that case, did it mean that…
The Immortal Lord’s junior brother had actually already died of fever before entering Spirit Mountain?
Then, then who was the one who later entered Spirit Mountain?
Could it be…
From the very beginning, it was him?!
