CHAPTER 16 If we put in more effort, who knows perhaps we might make it by just the two of us?

A slight warning glowered from his eyes when Qin Yan said those words. Fu Changling jumped and quickly said, “Wrap him up, I’m wrapping him up now.”

Speaking, Fu Changling fished out an Immortal-binding Rope and carefully told Yanming, “Young Master Yan, please don’t be mad. Actually, we are all good people. We just want to have a talk with you.”

He was tying Yanming up at the same time he was speaking while Qin Yan pointed the tip of his sword at Yanming; the latter glared at him dead in the eye, anguish filling a pair of clear white and blacks.

Qin Yan only kept the sword after Fu Changling had properly tied him up. He turned to Fu Changling and said, “Carry him back.”

Finishing his words, Qin Yan walked forwards. Fu Changling turned his head around and as he stared at the seething anguish from those eyes, at Yanming who seemed like he was about to bite down on his tongue and commit suicide, Fu Changling sighed and mumbled his explanation, “Trust me. I really am a good person. Trust m…Ah!!”

Qin Yan rented a horse carriage outside of the inn, and it was now waiting for them outside. Fu Changling, using a physique disguising spell on him, carried Yanming over and tossed him inside, then he sat down next to Qin Yan before slowly revealing his original physique.

There were teeth marks on his arm. He lowered his head and blew at his wound, looking incredibly whetted down. Yanming filled a corner and this time, even his mouth was gagged. They truly did intend to ‘wrap him up’.

As Fu Changling blew at his wound, he said, “Tsk… This little fella really is ruthless.”

Anguish filled Yanming’s gaze when he heard this. He edged in closer as if he still wanted to give him another fitting bite. Qin Yan lifted his gaze at Fu Changling and warned, “Watch your words.”

“Alright, alright, alright.” Fu Changling quickly apologized, “It was my fault. I was wrong. But, fellow cultivator,” he said, turning.“Even if you want to bite someone else, you should get matters straight first. You refused even a little bit of communication; how did you make your way around the Immortal Realm usually? Haven’t you got beaten into obedience yet after having lived for so long?”

“Not like you were.”

Qin Yan expressionlessly parted his lips. Fu Changling turned and looked at him, and wanted to cuss at him, but when he met Qin Yan’s ice-cold gaze and the sword in his hand, he held himself back and finally, all he said was, “Communication is my specialization!”

Moreover, in most circumstances, nobody dared to beat him up.

Qin Yan said nothing and his silence implied disagreement.

The three of them sat in the horse carriage and rocked their way back to the Wu Manor. Upon their return, Fu Changling carried Yanming into the room and put him in a kneeling position[11] opposite of the table; the three of them sat facing each other. After a very long time, Fu Changling spoke first, “That, uh, fellow cultivator, let me introduce ourselves. My name is Fu Changling, he is called Qin Yan. You should be able to tell that we are in a similar situation like you are—cultivators who have mistakenly fallen into the Hidden Realm of Xuanji.”

The main differences between cultivators who had mistakenly fallen into the Hidden Realm of Xuanji and the original townspeople of the hidden realm lay in their eyes. People originally from the Hidden Realm of Xuanji had no pupils, but the three of them had clear blacks in their eyes, so it wasn’t difficult to tell their identities.

“I know.” Yanming glared at them. “What do you people want to do?”

“We have found a way to leave this hidden realm, but we need this pagoda that you are in possession of. If you’re willing to, please give the pagoda to us and we could work together to leave this hidden realm.” Fu Changling put all his efforts into making his tone sound gentle and warm to give Yanming a good impression.

But after listening to his words, the suspicions in Yanming’s gaze didn’t decrease or increase. From sitting at the side, Qin Yan instantly added, “Or we could kill you and leave the Linglong Pagoda behind. That is also workable.”

Yanming gave a mocking laugh. “Is this a choice?”

“Yes.” Qin Yan lifted his gaze at him. “You can choose to just die.”

Fu Changling clasped a hand to his head listening to this and buried his face into his hands.

He thought that he was done for, that Yanming’s impression of him was done for.

But strangely, after a momentary pause, Yanming surprisingly nodded his head and said, “Alright.”

With this conformation, Qin Yan turned to Fu Changling. “Untie.”

Fu Changling quickly did a gesture and the Immortal-binding Rope on Yanming recoiled. After Yanming was freed, Qin Yan watched him adjust his attire and bowed. “May I inquire the name of your venerable one?”

Yanming lifted his gaze at him and bowed back. “Yanming.”

Qin Yan’s gaze wavered. He rarely repeated someone else’s words. “Yanming?”

Yanming nodded his head. Qin Yan studied his gaze and said, “Pray tell, where did you take your apprenticeship?”

“My shifu lived in isolation in the mountains,” Yanming easily replied to Qin Yan’s inquiries. “I’m not in a place to say.”

These words were identical to what he’d told Fu Changling back then. Fu Changling watched as Qin Yan pinned his gaze on Yanming and realized that the atmosphere had turned tense. He lightly coughed and quickly said, “That, uh, Brother Qin, why don’t you go look for Young Mistress Wu and discuss our next steps?”

Qin Yan turned to Fu Changling upon hearing these words. He observed Fu Changling for a while, then something flashed in his eyes as if he recalled something. He nodded and got to his feet, then headed outside.

After Qin Yan left, leaving behind Fu Changling and Yanming in the room, after hesitating for a while, Fu Changling slowly said, “About that uh… He doesn’t speak too pleasantly, he… might not even be a good person. But now, he is one, so don’t you let it bother you too much.”

Yanming said nothing. Fu Changling poured a cup of tea for him and pushed it over, then for a moment, he didn’t know what else to say.

The person in front of him was Yanming, but it wasn’t the Yanming he had remembered. He had suddenly forgotten how to chat with him. They remained silent as some time passed before he heard Yanming say, “You seem like you know me.”

Fu Changling curiously lifted his head. Yanming was quietly looking at him as if he noticed the questions on his mind and calmly said, “Your gaze is very obvious. Have we met?”

Fu Changling sank into silence and after a while, he mustered with great difficulty, “Very long ago… We met.”

Speaking, he smiled, “You saved my life.”

“I don’t remember.” Yanming furrowed his eyebrows as Fu Changling poured himself a cup of tea.

“It’s a very long time ago. It’s normal that you don’t remember.”

Yanming remained in silence as if he was earnestly trying to recall. Fu Changling lightly coughed and waved his fan. “How did you fall into the hidden realm?”

“I was carrying out a task for my sect,” Yanming calmly replied, “and mistakenly fell into it.”

Fu Changling nodded his head as he listened. That was exactly what he’d said last time. They chatted for a while. Yanming was careful with his words and what he said was not much different from back then. After verifying this person really was the same person he met in his last life, Fu Changling let out a breath of relief.

But after he’d confirmed it, he was a little bit lost—so what if this person really was Yanming?

His feelings for Yanming were feelings he had for his past self instead of Yanming himself. After all, it’s already been forty-two years. He knew Qin Yan more than he knew Yanming.

Fu Changling couldn’t think it through, so he didn’t. As he chatted with Yanming to and fro, Qin Yan brought Wu Sisi inside.

Once Wu Sisi entered, she set up an energy barrier to prevent other people from eavesdropping. Her gaze fell upon the table, onto the ebony wooden box sitting on it, and she happily said, “You’ve brought it back?”

Speaking, he walked forwards and quickly opened the wooden box to reveal the item inside.

Inside was an extremely ancient-looking copper pagoda. At a single glance, Fu Changling knew immediately that this Linglong Pagoda was in reality the Soul-gathering Pagoda that they’d taken in their last lives before.

Going around in circles, he couldn’t have guessed that it all went back to getting the Soul-gathering Pagoda. It seems like this was fate, after all.

Just like the Hidden Realm of Xuanji. If he had to fall into it, he would have to, eventually.

Fu Changling watched as Wu Sisi happily fumbled with the Soul-gathering Pagoda. She propped her chin on her palm and lightly knuckled the surface of the table. After she verified that this Soul-gathering Pagoda was the real deal, she finally said, “Since the Linglong… uh, no. Actually, this item is called the Soul-gathering Pagoda. Due to its name grabbing too much attention, everyone called it the Linglong Pagoda. However, we’re all comrades, so I will tell you honestly. This relic was originally my master’s. The user could use it to gather the spiritual energy of all around within a brief amount of time and turn it into their own to use as long as the user’s golden core or nascent soul was capable enough to purify all the spiritual energy and use it for themselves. Consider it having an infinite supply of spiritual energy. That would also mean that,” Wu Sisi lifted her gaze at Fu Changling, “Even if you are only a core formation, you could possess the spiritual energy of an ascension stage.”

As Fu Changling listened to Wu Sisi’s words, he felt that there were some other meanings between the lines.

Wu Sisi wasn’t lying.

But regardless of a core formation stage or a nascent soul stage, they all had their own limits. If a cultivator in their core formation stage forcibly used spiritual energy that only an ascension stage cultivator was capable of, then they would not be able to keep their golden core. This was what happened to him in his last life, the reason his golden core had cracked.

“So, the reason we got this item was to solicit your help. Fellow Cultivator Fu.” Wu Sisi pushed the Soul-gathering Pagoda towards Fu Changling and said, “You’re skilled in arrays, is that correct?”

Fu Changling nodded his head. Surrounded by three sword cultivators and being the only spell cultivator, naturally he was the only one there who was skilled in the art of arrays.

“I have something called the God’s Massacre Array[12], but you might need to lend the Soul-gathering Pagoda to command it.” As Wu Sisi spoke, she pulled a scroll towards Fu Changling, who stiffened upon hearing the name of the array. He accepted the scroll and heard Wu Sisi say, “Back then, Le Yan himself gave my master this array and said that it was meant to be used during punishing times. I don’t know how to use an array so I can only entrust it to Fellow Cultivator Fu. To kick start this array, we need three people. In a few days, the day of the sacrificial ritual will arrive. This ‘Venerable One’ would come to the sacrificial altar to accept worship. When that time comes, I will distract him so the rest of you can set up the array.”

Fu Changling said nothing. He took a look at the array and instantly understood that this was a great array left behind by the ancients. It was not an easy task to kick start this array.

“You might have to form a golden core first.”

Wu Sisi furrowed her brows as if she was concerned about it. Fu Changling gave it some thought and understood what had made Wu Sisi concerned, so he said, “You’re concerned that if I formed a core here and now, it would alert the Venerable One?”

Wu Sisi nodded.

“Spiritual energy is thin in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji. If you want to form a core, you might need to lend the Soul-gathering Pagoda but once it is used, he would notice it. Then, all our work would be for nought.”

“Then let’s not form it now.” Fu Changling resolutely said. “Let us prepare what we need for the array.”

“Without a golden core,” Wu Sisi spoke in concern, “how will you set into motion such a huge array when the time comes?”

“It’s just a golden core.” Fu Changling waved his fan, a face full of nonchalance. “I could form it when that time comes.”

Everyone, “...”

Wu Sisi turned to Qin Yan, “Fellow Cultivator Qin, why don’t we discuss in private? If we put in more effort, who knows perhaps we might make it with just the two of us?”