Chapter 52
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Due to Ling Buyan’s appearance and his words, Li Fenglan’s heart slowly calmed down.
However, Meng Linzhou, who was also staying there, was completely different.
What is Ling Buyan doing? Let go of my master!!!
My master has invincible cultivation and is the number one expert in the Three Realms. What face does Ling Buyan have to hold him like this?
Meng Linzhou felt like the whole world was falling apart.
He stared at Ling Buyan with wide eyes, but being inexperienced in dealing with such situations, he couldn’t say a word for a long time. After struggling for a while, he finally managed to utter one word: “You–“
“Cough cough…” Li Fenglan finally pushed Ling Buyan gently, and the person who was half kneeling on the ground stood up.
Ling Buyan turned to look at where he came from and then said to Li Fenglan, “By the way, Fenglan, there is someone else who wants to see you today.” After speaking, he turned his gaze to Meng Linzhou.
Although Ling Buyan didn’t say a word, Meng Linzhou inexplicably felt… like he shouldn’t continue staying here?
No, this is my master. How could I not look at him?
However, at the next moment, Li Fenglan also looked over, and then Meng Linzhou got up in a very spineless manner. He frowned slightly and said to Li Fenglan, “Well then… shall I leave first?”
Master, please hurry and stop me.
However, Meng Linzhou’s expectations were dashed. After hearing his words, Li Fenglan just nodded slightly.
Meng Linzhou: “…”
Why does it feel like he’s been abandoned by his master?
Although there was no light in the dark cell of Tianmian Palace, it was clean. Moreover, Jiang Yichang, who had just brought him here, had found the room with the best environment. So for Li Fenglan, staying here was only uncomfortable without a table and chair, and he didn’t feel anything else.
After saying those words, Li Fenglan leaned towards the wall again. Seeing this, Ling Buyan half-knelt on the ground and gently treated the wound on his arm.
“Master, you don’t have to bother…” Li Fenglan wanted to retract his hand.
Ling Buyan didn’t speak, he just shook his head gently and said, “Don’t move. What if the wound tears open again?”
And at this moment, a vermilion figure finally appeared here.
Feeling the fluctuation of spiritual power, Li Fenglan swallowed the words he hadn’t said yet and looked forward.
“… It’s you?” Seeing the person who came, Li Fenglan couldn’t help but be surprised. He had almost gone through everyone he knew in Tianmian Palace just now, even Jiang Yichang’s disciple Zhuang Zhixia came to mind, but he didn’t expect that she would be the one to appear here today.
The person who just walked into the dark cell was wearing a long dress in imperial color, with all her black hair tied behind her head and decorated with gold and jade hair ornaments, looking very luxurious.
—The newcomer was both familiar and unfamiliar to Li Fenglan.
She was the Immortal Master Mu Hantao who brought Li Fenglan to Tianmian Palace years ago.
The last time Li Fenglan saw Mu Hantao was in the forbidden area of Tianmian Palace.
“Your Excellency Lord Immortal Master.” After recognizing the person, Li Fenglan slowly leaned on the wall of the dark cell and stood up.
Then, Ling Buyan also stood up with him.
Perhaps because of the poor lighting in the dark cell, Li Fenglan felt that Mu Hantao’s expression was a bit strange when she saw Ling Buyan and himself standing up together. She even silently took two steps back.
This change was very subtle, and Li Fenglan was not sure if he had misinterpreted it.
However, Li Fenglan’s observation was not wrong.
At the moment she saw Ling Buyan, Mu Hantao remembered what had happened earlier…
A few hours ago, outside the Sword Forest of Tianmian Palace.
After the Ningchao Formation was activated, the spiritual energy of half of the Tianmian Palace became chaotic, with the Sword Forest as the center. Despite numerous disciples wondering what had happened here, no cultivator dared to come here for half a day due to the overwhelming spiritual energy.
Except for Ling Buyan and Mu Hantao.
In fact, Ling Buyan arrived at the outskirts of the sword forest before Mu Hantao.
At that time, the wind blades formed by the spiritual energy inside the sword forest had already begun to fly around. Ling Buyan’s dark protective true qi emitted a shiny light, blocking all the wind blades outside.
He stood outside the sword forest, staring intently inside.
Mu Hantao, who hurriedly arrived, was startled when she saw Ling Buyan. Before she could do anything, Ling Buyan spoke first: “Don’t go in, just stand here.”
If there were other people outside the sword forest now and they heard the tone in which Ling Buyan spoke to Mu Hantao, they would be surprised.
He was just a somewhat famous Immortal Lord in the Tianmian Palace, how dare he speak so impolitely to Mu Hantao, a true immortal?
What was even more shocking was that Mu Hantao really stopped beside him after hearing Ling Buyan’s words.
She even lightly placed her hands on her forehead as if to bow to him… But as soon as she lifted her hands, Ling Buyan turned around.
“Stay here,” he said.
“But…” Mu Hantao bit her lip as she lowered her hand. “This is the Ningchao Formation. If something unexpected happens…”
Ling Buyan shook his head. “What will you do if something does happen?”
“I’ll disrupt the Ningchao Formation, or…” Mu Hantao gritted her teeth. “I’ll tell Qiu Wanyou who Li Fenglan really is, and let’s see if he still dares to make a move.” Her eyes were full of hatred.
At these words, Ling Buyan laughed and said, “No need. Fenglan will handle it himself.”
“But…” Mu Hantao wanted to say something more, but Ling Buyan interrupted her.
“Qiu Wanyou owes Fenglan a debt of gratitude as a master to disciple. Even if he took out the Yaozheng Bell as the core of the Fushen Formation, from the perspective of the world, he didn’t do anything wrong.”
Yes, every cultivator who falls into qi deviation eventually accumulates countless sins. Before Li Fenglan, there was no exception. The previous Immortal Lord of the Tianmian Palace ordered him to be killed, which was not only the personal choice of the Immortal Lord, but also the choice of all beings in the three realms.
Qiu Wanyou’s actions could only be seen as conforming to that choice.
Mu Hantao understood Ling Buyan’s words, and fell silent.
At this time, under the influence of the Ningchao Formation, every flying sword in the Sword Forest was attacking Li Fenglan. Ling Buyan frowned slightly, looking a bit nervous, but he still stood still and said, “So even now, Fenglan still owes Qiu Wanyou the karma of master and disciple. Only when Qiu Wanyou develops the intention to kill him and tries his best to kill him can this karma be completely resolved.”
Qiu Wanyou taught Li Fenglan cultivation and gave him a second life as an “immortal”. Finally, he tried his best to kill him and take back that second life.
At this point, karma would be finally resolved.
Ling Buyan didn’t refuse to help Li Fenglan, but wanted him to resolve this karma by himself.
…
In the secret prison of Tianmian Palace, the three of them remained silent for a while. Finally, Mu Hantao, as if making a great determination, spoke up.
“Fenglan, do you know that my cultivation has been stuck at the immortalization stage for thousands of years?” said Mu Hantao.
Why did Mu Hantao suddenly mention this to me?
Although Li Fenglan was a bit puzzled, he still nodded lightly after hearing her words.
Tianmian Palace’s Mu Hantao, the Chi Zhen Immortal, as well as the Chi Jie Immortal, have been in the immortalization stage for many years, but there has never been any sign of ascension, and everyone knows this.
“I know,” Li Fenglan said.
Due to his serious injuries, Li Fenglan’s body was a little unstable. Just as he was about to lean against the wall, Ling Buyan suddenly took a step to the side and supported him.
After saying that, Mu Hantao sighed, “In fact, my cultivation level has been enough for a long time, but my state of mind has not progressed for many years. Because of my deep obsession, my state of mind has shown signs of decline. Now, my last chance is coming…”
If her state of mind falls and she misses the last chance to ascend, Mu Hantao may really end up like the Chi Jie Immortal, with a cultivation level in the immortalization stage but never be able to ascend.
“So that’s how it is…” Li Fenglan said softly.
Many people in the cultivation world were speculating about Mu Hantao’s situation, but they did not expect that her state of mind was really the problem.
However, even if the other party explicitly said so, Li Fenglan still did not understand why Mu Hantao was telling him this. This matter seemed to have little to do with him.
But just as Li Fenglan was thinking about this, he heard Mu Hantao continue, “This matter is also related to you.”
Li Fenglan: ???
“Huh?” This time he was really confused.
If Li Fenglan remembered correctly, Mu Hantao was already an Immortal when he entered the Tianmian Palace. Except for the fact that he was brought into the Tianmian Palace by her back then, there seemed to be no other relationship between them.
No, wait a minute, he is now “Li Fenglan”, he has nothing to do with Mu Hantao.
“You can’t just throw this blame around,” thought Li Fenglan.
Seeing that Li Fenglan was lost in thought, Mu Hantao suddenly smiled and said, “Since I came to find you today, I won’t beat around the bush.”
“Hmm!” Li Fenglan looked at her obediently.
At this moment, he was completely unprepared for what he was about to hear.
And then, three words suddenly entered Li Fenglan’s ears.
“Li Fuyue.”
“……!”
Wait, did I just hear what I thought I heard?
Holy cr*p! How does she know me?
Seeing Li Fenglan’s nervousness, Ling Buyan suddenly placed a hand on his shoulder and gently patted it twice.
Realizing that his master was beside him, Li Fenglan relaxed a little.
Perhaps it was because he had fallen off his horse several times these days, Li Fenglan had become somewhat numb. This time, he was not too shocked for too long. In fact, in just a few breaths, Li Fenglan had begun to analyze rationally– the Soul-Condensing Tower in the restricted area of the sect was problematic, and Mu Hantao’s intentional actions to bring their group there were also suspicious.
In retrospect, it seemed that she intentionally brought him to the Soul-Condensing Tower and restored his cultivation.
“Did you deliberately take me to the Soul Condensing Tower last time?” Li Fenglan asked Mu Hantao while quickly recalling in his mind.
As expected, the woman nodded and said, “Yes.”
Li Fenglan gently bit his lip and didn’t say anything.
He had many questions to ask Mu Hantao, but his mind was still a bit chaotic at the moment. After getting the first answer, he asked unconsciously, “Then why did Lord Immortal Mu say that your frame of mind is related to myself?”
“Don’t misunderstand, Fenglan,” this time the speaker became Ling Buyan. He looked at Li Fenglan and said, “In fact, there are still people of the Li Fuyue clan alive.”
“What?!” This time, Li Fenglan was really surprised.
He felt like being struck by a thunderbolt, standing still and looking at Ling Buyan unable to move.
“Master, what do you mean?” Li Fenglan’s mind went blank. He shook his head involuntarily and said, “The Li family was wiped out, and only I survived…”
His voice was very light, but everyone here heard it.
“Did you intentionally bring me to talk about Soul Condensing tower last time?” Li Fenglan asked while recalling in his mind, looking at Mu Hantao.
As expected, the woman nodded and said, “Yes.”
Li Fenglan bit his lip lightly and didn’t say anything.
He had many questions to ask Mu Hantao, but now his mind was still a bit confused after getting the first answer. He asked unconsciously, “Then why did Immortal Lord Mu say that my and your state of mind was related to the fall?”
“Don’t misunderstand, Fenglan,” this time it was Ling Buyan who spoke. He looked at Li Fenglan and said, “In fact, there are still people from the ‘Li Fu Yue’ clan alive.”
“What?!” This time, Li Fenglan was really shocked.
He was like being hit by a thunderbolt, standing still and looking at Ling Buyan, unable to move.
“Master, what do you mean?” Li Fenglan’s mind went blank, and he couldn’t help but shake his head. “The Li family was slaughtered, and I was the only one who survived…”
His voice was very soft, but everyone here heard it.
“Think back to the day when I rescued you from the Li family. Aren’t you suspicious why I went to the Li family,” Mu Hantao said.
“Someone sent you there?” Li Fenglan’s heart was in chaos, and he began to guess randomly.
“Of course not,” Mu Hantao shook her head when she saw that Li Fenglan couldn’t remember.
In fact, what happened that day was too chaotic, and combined with Li Fenglan’s overly stimulated mood, even his memories were fragmented.
The Li family did not know what they did wrong. The emperor suddenly became furious and declared their extermination without any warning.
There was a distance between the capital and Xihou City, so the news of the deaths of the Li family members in the capital and the emperor’s order to immediately execute other members of the Li family in Xihou City actually reached Li Fenglan’s ears at the same time.
Just as Li Fenglan was trying to remember, Mu Hantao finally gave the answer.
“I am also a member of the Li family,” she took a deep breath and finally said the answer.
Li Fenglan: !!!
“What?” Mu Hantao was also a member of the Li family?
This answer was something he hadn’t thought of no matter how he thought about it.
Yes… If there were really people from the Li family in this world, why couldn’t she be older than him?
But this answer was too shocking.
Li Fenglan subconsciously stepped back half a step, and didn’t stop until he hit the wall.
Upon seeing this, Ling Buyan spoke softly, “The Li family is the maternal clan of Lord Immortal Mu Hantao. She is several generations older than you, so it’s normal if you didn’t know.”
Li Fenglan saw a few teardrops in the eyes of the immortal in front of him who said, “Yes… I became a monk many years ago and came to the Tianmian Palace.”
In fact, the cultivators of the Tianmian Palace don’t need to “become a monk.” This can be seen from the fact that they all use secular names instead of titled names.
However, Mu Hantao was different in her early years of cultivation. She became a monk first and practiced in a small sect for hundreds of years before her master passed away. She was then recommended to the Tianmian Palace.
At this moment, Li Fenglan tried to remember when he was at home, he seemed to have heard about an elder in his family who became a cultivator. However, the era was too long ago, and the person who told the story used the words “become a monk,” so Li Fenglan never thought that this person would be Mu Hantao!
However, upon further reflection, Mu Hantao being a member of his own family, it wasn’t that difficult to imagine.
The reason why there were cultivation families in the world of cultivation is that talented cultivators often appear in the same family. Li Fenglan was so talented, so the Li family having several powerful cultivators wasn’t difficult to imagine.
Mu Hantao continued, “Although I stopped using my dharma name and resumed using my real name after I came to the Tianmian Palace, I, who became a monk before I entered the dao, still cannot have too much involvement with the secular world.”
It was only a few years ago when Mu Hantao was traveling in the mortal world that she heard the news that the Li family was going to be exterminated.
Although she became a cultivator, Mu Hantao didn’t cultivate the heartless dao. She had feelings for her mortal relatives. Upon hearing the news, she immediately reacted, the Li family had always been loyal and righteous, and would never have any rebellious or disloyal thoughts.
There must be some misunderstanding among them.
Upon hearing about the incident, she immediately rushed to Xihou City. However, Mu Hantao did not expect that the current emperor did not follow the usual routine.
He did not even gather the members of the Li family together. Instead, he announced the execution of the entire family and killed those Li family members who were in the capital at the same time.
So when Mu Hantao arrived in Xihou City, she only saw Li Fenglan and a few members of the branch family.
… At that time, she was already an immortal in the Tianmian Palace, with a high-level cultivation level and the possibility of transcending the tribulation at any time. As such, she could not get too involved in worldly affairs.
However, she could not bear it. Mu Hantao secretly replaced them with puppets, saved several younger members of the branch family, and sent these people thousands of miles away.
In the end, she also took Li Fenglan, a talented younger member of the Li family.
This was already the limit of what Mu Hantao, as a cultivator, could do.
It turned out to be like this… After a thousand years, Li Fenglan finally understood how he had come to the Tianmian Palace. Even more pleasing to him was that if what Mu Hantao said was correct, then some of his distant relatives who were far away at the time had not died!
Li Fenglan had always felt that he had few attachments in this world, but now, after hearing Mu Hantao’s words, he realized that he still had family members living in the corner of this world…
It turned out he was not as lonely as he had imagined.
Mu Hantao closed her eyes and recalled what had happened back then. Li Fenglan saw a clear tear slide down the woman’s cheek and quickly disappear into the darkness.
Recalling this, Mu Hantao slowly opened her eyes, took a deep breath and said, “I saw all the achievements you made back then. I… am very proud of you.”
Having said that, Mu Hantao fell silent for a moment. After a while, she suddenly said to Li Fenglan, “I’m sorry.”
“I also knew about your demonic possession back then… but I vaguely sensed that you had a chance to break through, so I kept it to myself and didn’t come to help you… I was too selfish.” Mu Hantao’s words were full of regret.
It was clear that she really blamed herself for this.
“It’s okay, I understand.” Li Fenglan quickly shook his head and said, “For a cultivator, ascension is a top priority. Besides, you saved my life already. If you had come to my side back then, you might have been dragged down by me.”
Li Fenglan didn’t realize how emotional he sounded until Ling Buyan, who was standing next to him, reached out and gently stroked his back.
After experiencing various betrayals and mistrust, Li Fenglan had grown up. He knew how difficult it was for someone to help him in his time of need. Although Mu Hantao was also a member of the Li family, they had barely met each other. The fact that she was able to bring him here was enough for him to feel grateful.
In fact, Mu Hantao was probably the only powerful cultivator in the entire cultivation world who did not kick someone when they were down…
Mu Hantao continued with a bitter smile, “At that time, I deliberately did not want to think about the affairs of the Li family for the sake of my own path. After all, rescuing you all was already disturbing the mortal world. But I did not expect that although I did not receive any punishment from the heavens for disrupting the order of the mortal world, I have been haunted by the memory of the massacre of the Li family, and my mind has been affected until now.”
“I see,” thought Li Fenglan, “so this matter is indeed related to me… After all, we are both from the Li family.”
Finally breaking his silence, Li Fenglan said, “Since Immortal Lord Mu’s state of mind has been affected by this matter, it is necessary to resolve it and put an end to this obsession in order to break through the bottleneck.”
“Yes,” nodded Mu Hantao.
“In that case, may I ask, does Immortal Lord Mu have any leads on this matter today?” Li Fenglan asked cautiously. “But the dynasty back then has already been overthrown, how can this obsession be resolved?”
“To be honest, I came to you today precisely because I have a lead,” Mu Hantao said, her expression becoming serious.
“What is it?” asked Li Fenglan.
“Do you remember the name ‘Lou Yuanwei’?” Mu Hantao asked.
“Lou Yuanwei?” Li Fenglan pronounced the name, feeling that it was very familiar, but couldn’t quite remember who he was.
In the end, Ling Buyan, who had been standing beside him all this time, reminded him, “Lou is the former imperial surname.”
Li Fenglan remembered now!
“Lou Yuanwei was the emperor who ordered the execution of our entire Li family back then?”
“Yes,” gritted her teeth, Mu Hantao replied, “it was him!”
But Lou Yuanwei was a mortal, and over thousands of years, he had probably lived through many reincarnations. If Mu Hantao’s way of resolving her obsession was to kill Lou Yuanwei’s reincarnation, she would likely create the karma of killing an innocent person, and that would set her back in her quest for ascension.
Seemingly aware of what Li Fenglan was thinking, Mu Hantao said to him, “Lou Yuanwei hasn’t reincarnated. I only found out recently…he was a mortal with no spiritual roots, but he has somehow managed to live until now.”
“Did he cultivate?” Li Fenglan’s heart began to race.
He remembered that every member of the imperial family would receive divination at birth, and if they had any spiritual roots, they would be forced to take pills to build a foundation.
But Lou Yuanwei had none; he was a complete mortal.
How did a mortal manage to live until now?
“He never cultivated, that’s the problem,” Mu Hantao clenched her fists and said, “so I suspect that there is a high-level figure behind him.”
Having finished speaking, she looked at Li Fenglan and let out a sigh, saying earnestly, “And I already know where he is now, that’s why I came to find you.”
Can’t wait until next week to see more? Want to show your support? Come to my Patreon where you can get up to 5 more chapters of The Whole Cultivation World Wants To Revive The Venerable right away or get access to early chapters of all the available BL novels! Or go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Thank You for the new chapter (๑╹ڡ╹)╭ ～ ♡