Chapter 80: The Golden Cage Traps the White Phoenix (3)
Drifting downstream, beneath the steep cliffs, there was a stretch of flat land. Bai Chunsheng swam all the way to the fertile land of the Southern Region, and when he saw that the water flow had eased considerably, he finally dared to step onto the soft earth.
Heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that Shen Yuying had not noticed him along the way. Bai Chunsheng knew that Yan Yi must have stopped everyone, creating an opportunity for him to escape. His mood, however, was unexplainably heavy. His thoughts involuntarily turned to Yan Jingqiu.
For the first time today, Bai Chunsheng felt a sense of regret. He would have preferred that Yan Jingqiu had regained his memories. After all, such a legendary Sword Sovereign, renowned throughout the world, would be invincible to anyone.
But now, regret was pointless.
Bai Chunsheng had barely taken a few steps after landing when he thought of something else. Yan Yi had said he would use his Yuan Ying to hold off the pursuers, believing that Bai Chunsheng was merely a small sword cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage. However, Bai Chunsheng knew better. Yan Yi was Yan Jingqiu, the peerless Yan Jingqiu.
The worst outcome would be if Bo Yan recognized Yan Jingqiu. Both of them were among the most powerful cultivators in the immortal realm.
It would not be surprising for them to have met, but this would lead to two possible outcomes.
First, Bo Yan might want to win favor with the most likely candidate to break through the final barrier of immortality in the last millennia. Thus, he could help Yan Jingqiu restore his memory.
If this happened, Yan Jingqiu would likely discover that Bai Chunsheng had deceived him. Although this outcome was distressing, given the urgency of the situation, it would still be the best possible outcome.
The second possibility was that Bo Yan, wary of Yan Jingqiu’s formidable power, might seek to kill him while he was vulnerable, having lost his memory.
If it were the second outcome, Yan Jingqiu might die.
Just thinking about this possibility made Bai Chunsheng remember how he had felt when he first heard of Yan Jingqiu’s death.
Yan Jingqiu was dead? How was that a good thing?
He had finally rid himself of the constant pressure of living in Yan Jingqiu’s shadow. How could that not be good?
But then Bai Chunsheng was immediately struck with an overwhelming sense of confusion. Surpassing Yan Jingqiu had been his life goal for as long as he could remember.
Yan Jingqiu was dead?
Just like that? So suddenly, so quietly? It didn’t even feel like Yan Jingqiu.
He had not yet had the chance to stand alongside Yan Jingqiu. He hadn’t surpassed him yet.
How could Yan Jingqiu die? Was that what Bai Chunsheng truly wanted?
Bai Chunsheng muttered to himself, repeating that it was what he had wanted. Even if he truly felt that way later, he could never forget the panic he had felt back then.
And it was precisely because of this that he was now determined to leave the Ten Thousand Demon Sect and see the one who could surpass Yan Jingqiu, “Yan Yi,” to understand what kind of person he was and why he could stand above Yan Jingqiu.
And so, he set off, until he finally met Yan Yi at the Zhanbi Riverbank. And now, this confusion washed over him again, dragging him up and then throwing him down, making him dizzy and uncertain of his own actions.
No, Yan Jingqiu could not die. Not even the slightest possibility of death could be allowed.
He had not yet truly surpassed Yan Jingqiu, how could Yan Jingqiu die?!
With this thought, Bai Chunsheng involuntarily changed direction, stepping back a few paces.
No, Yan Jingqiu must not die.
Besides, if Yan Yi were captured, there would be nowhere for Bai Chunsheng to go. He was already without options.
It would be better… better to exchange himself and let Yan Yi escape.
Yan Jingqiu was powerful even without his memory, so Yan Yi, after losing his memory, must be formidable as well. Rather than let Yan Jingqiu’s true identity be discovered by Bo Yan, Bai Chunsheng decided it would be better to let himself be captured, allowing Yan Yi to escape.
If he were captured, he might not necessarily die. Once Yan Yi broke through the Dao stage, he could come to save him.
Yan Yi would likely not let him suffer for long in a cold prison. One or two hundred years of hardship, Bai Chunsheng believed he could endure.
Bai Chunsheng had barely gone a few miles on his return journey when he spotted a silver light flying toward him from the distance. He barely had time to avoid it. The silver light came straight at him— it was a chain, and as it got closer, it quickly shrank and locked Bai Chunsheng’s hands. The chain seemed capable of sealing the cultivator’s spiritual power, rendering Bai Chunsheng completely immobile and unable to exert any strength.
Almost simultaneously, a golden cage descended from the sky, trapping Bai Chunsheng tightly inside.
The golden cage slowly shrank, forcing Bai Chunsheng to curl up within it until he was forced to revert to his original form. Finally, when the cage reached its normal size, Shen Yuying picked it up and looked at the pitiful creature huddling inside. She smiled and said, “Finally caught you.”
Behind Shen Yuying, there were many people, all at least at the Dao stage, who had clearly come prepared to capture Bai Chunsheng.
She handed the cage to Shen Qing beside her. “Aunt, please take this disobedient bird back to the Lord. Don’t let it escape on the way.”
Bai Chunsheng’s spiritual power was sealed, and at that moment, he felt completely like an ordinary duck from the mortal realm, unable to utter a single word.
He had known that the pursuers from the Water Abyss Realm would not be slow, but why were Shen Yuying and Shen Qing here? Where was Yan Yi?
Where was Yan Jingqiu?
Thinking of this, Bai Chunsheng felt a chill all over his body.
Shen Yuying saw Bai Chunsheng in the cage, his body stiff, and mistook it for him being stunned. She even playfully taunted him, “Tonight, I’ll pluck your feathers and cook lotus seeds in soup with you, you little troublemaker.”
Shen Qing didn’t pay attention to Shen Yuying. After taking the golden cage, he said, “Finish the last thing quickly and come back early. After all, this is the Southern Region. We’ve managed to enter the Middle Realm only by exploiting a loophole in our identities. If people from the Tianqing Sect find out we’re here, it could cause misunderstandings, which would be troublesome.”
“Daoist Changping has fallen, and Shen Fangxing is dead. The remaining bunch of useless people won’t be able to stir up much trouble.” Shen Yuying said dismissively.
Shen Qing furrowed his brows. “Don’t be careless.”
Shen Yuying waved her hand casually. “Alright, alright. I’ll finish the last thing and return immediately. The Lord will definitely have something to say to us tonight. I know my limits. By then, don’t be caught by me.”
The teleportation array at the cliff had been rendered useless due to Bo Yan forcibly reversing its use. Of course, even if Bo Yan hadn’t come earlier, Shen Qing wouldn’t dare to leave from here.
To return, they still had to go through Lumen City.
Once Shen Qing and the others had walked far away, Shen Yuying lightly leaped up and landed on the mountaintop.
In her hand, she still held a Qiankun bag, the one that had absorbed all the glorious light of the Wutong Tree Sea earlier. In other words, the entire Wutong Tree Sea secret realm had been confined within this Qiankun bag.
This was the last thing Shen Yuying had to do. Months ago, before Bo Yan entered seclusion, he had instructed her that after capturing Bai Chunsheng, she must complete this final task.
Yes, from the very beginning, during the operation to capture Bai Chunsheng in the Ancient Forest Spirit Realm, neither Shen Yuying nor anyone involved in the mission had planned to directly capture Bai Chunsheng within the Ancient Forest Spirit Realm.
This was why Bai Chunsheng had managed to escape, and why Shen Yuying and the others had preemptively inscribed their soul lamps with their divine souls. At the time, Shen Yuying had done this simply as a precaution; the loss of their physical bodies was something they would have to bear themselves.
Thinking back now, it was truly terrifying. She never expected that Yan Yi would turn out to be the Lord. Now that she was still alive, she considered herself fortunate.
Shen Yuying raised her hands, and similar radiant light to what had appeared before the Wutong Tree Sea opened up. Enduring great pain, she slowly began to open the tightly sealed Qiankun bag. The brilliant light inside was as thick as water, flowing slowly within. Shen Yuying reached into the Qiankun bag and fumbled for a long time before finally pulling out a letter amidst the brilliant light.
The letter had no envelope, and when Shen Yuying took it out, she had unintentionally glanced at the contents.
It read:
To my grandson, Bai Chunsheng,
Beware of Yan Jingqiu.
No matter what happens, never get close to this man with ulterior motives, and never leave him any leverage against you. He and Yan Jianhang are nearly cut from the same cloth.
After my death, you will undoubtedly face many hardships, but don’t be afraid. If the Ten Thousand Demon Sect cannot protect you, go to the Tianqing Sect and ask Daoist Changping for help. I once saved his life, and he will never leave you to die. My friend, Fairy Hongtao, is also someone you can trust; she will help you.
Be sure to avoid the Shattered Stone Mortal Realm. When Yan Jingxing and the Dragon Maiden from the Bipo Spirit Realm eloped, they stole the fixed light sword once used by Yan Jianhang. A sword nurtured by a sword cultivator for a lifetime is their most important possession. Even if they reach the highest level of cultivation and no longer need the sword, it remains the same—it is their beginning.
The reason Yan Jianhang has been stuck at the tribulation stage, unable to take the final step, is because he has been searching for the fixed light sword and his brother Yan Jingxing. Be cautious, be cautious…
There was a lot more to the letter, but Shen Yuying remembered what the Lord had instructed her before he entered seclusion. She didn’t read further and used True Fire to burn the letter completely. The ashes, carried by the wind from the distant mountains, scattered into the valley, leaving no trace.
Suddenly, Shen Yuying remembered what Bo Yan had said when he instructed her to do this task: “When I return, I might forget about this matter. Don’t remind me.”
Author’s Note:
Bai Chunsheng steps into one pit after another.
The sword of a sword cultivator is the very essence of their practice.
Ciacia/N: Damn i just realized this novel is so damn confusing, it’s like a trap within a trap
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
