CHAPTER 38 Qin Yan, remember this debt you owe me.

“A-Yan, the Palace Lord is still in the hidden realm.” said Sanggan-Jun, who was sitting on the ground, swallowed the fresh blood that stained the corner of his lips.

Xie Yuqing walked up to him and helped him to his feet, then quietly said, “Is Shifu alright?”

Sanggan-Jun had looked a little pale. Sitting down next to him, Xie Yuqing fed him some medicine. After eating the medicine, Sanggan-Jun explained to everyone else. “Just now, something strayed afoot with the process. The demonic cultivator defended to the death and expelled all of us out of the hidden realm. Presently, the Palace Lord is still in the hidden realm. Should we all go in again?”

Hearing Sanggang-Jun’s explanation, Qin Yan turned to look outside the window, where a branch had slapped off a trunk. He turned his head over and after a moment of pondering, he closed his eyes and scanned the Hidden Realm of Xuanji with his spiritual consciousness, immediately sensing Fu Changling’s presence.

After Sanggan-Jun asked this question, everyone fell silent.

There were a few concerns to enter the Hidden Realm of Xuanji at this moment. Firstly, no one knew whether the Hidden Realm of Xuanji would collapse from harbouring so many people in it and permanently trap them all inside. Secondly, everyone had seen the dangers within the Hidden Realm of Xuanji themselves, so it was no different from betting their life on it.

These six elders and six chiefs exchanged glances. These fourteen people present make the decisions of matters that go on in Yunze, big or small. It would be a great loss to the Heavenly Palace of Hongmeng if either of them were gone.

Seeing that nobody had spoken, Sanggan-Jun swallowed a mouthful of blood and said through gritted teeth, “Why don’t I go in again, elders…”

“Sanggan-Jun,” the Chief of the Sword Sect, Jian Xingzhi coldly said, “You must not be rash. We’d need to discuss with everyone regarding such a grave situation.”

Everyone in the room then began discussing the events since they entered the hidden realm. Xie Yuqing, who stood at the side, furrowed her brows in confusion.

Qin Yan turned and walked to the window, closing his eyes.

*＊✿❀○❀✿＊*

In the hidden realm, Fu Changling as a horrendous flood filled the sky. A disastrous fire descended with boulders. He was the only one bitterly holding up the energy barrier as he stood next to Jiang Yebai while fighting off hordes of demonic cultivators.

His golden core had begun to hurt again because of this taxing battle. He was in a desperate attempt of thinking about what he should do, when he suddenly heard a very familiar voice. “Fu Changling.”

Fu Changling rolled away from where he stood, avoiding the claw of a demonic cultivator. He shockingly replied, “Qin Yan?”

“I’m outside. What’s happening inside?” Qin Yan’s voice was very steady.

Fu Changling lowered his head and saw the jade pendant that Qin Yan had given him flashing. He suddenly understood. The jade pendant that Qin Yan had given him contained his own blood that he’d infused in. So even if they were far apart, this jade pendant could sense his presence.

Exhilaration surged up in Fu Changling’s heart. He quickly slit a person’s throat with the golden fan in his hand. Blood sprayed onto his face as he quickly described the situation they were in now. “Shifu is closing up the seal. It’s about to end. Spiritual air in the hidden realm is descending into madness and there are a few hundred thousands of demonic cultivators surrounding us.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Don’t come in. Now, the Hidden Realm of Xuanji cannot hold so many people.”

Fu Changling eyed the bloody array that he’d made in front of him. There were limits to his spiritual energy, and the array seemed to be almost useless now. It’s light was growing fainter on the ground. After a moment of thought, he said, “Find eight cultivators in their immortalization stage or above. Ask them to sit down in the locations I’ve specified, then place the best grade spiritual stone in an arrangement according to my words.”

Fu Changling tossed out every talisman he could find on his body as he tried avoiding the demonic cultivators that came at him. He was agile and nimble, snaking his way around the crowd.

When a group of demonic cultivators found pursuing him futile, they swarmed over to Jiang Yebai. The blood array Fu Changling made beneath Jiang Yebai’s feet burst into light when the demonic cultivators got close to them. Those demonic cultivators then understood that Fu Changling was the true operator of these arrays. Hence, they all surrounded him again. Fu Changling avoided these demonic cultivators as he maintained the blood array around Jiang Yebai’s feet and the energy barrier that kept the shattering sky and flood out, as well as giving Qin Yan orders.

After getting his orders, Qin Yan turned to the squabbling group of people and said, “There is no need to discuss further. I have already received news from Shifu and I solicit your help.”

Everyone froze, exchanging glances. Qin Yan didn’t bother himself with their thoughts and walked up, pointing towards eight people, he said their names, “Please take a step forward, Sanggan Shishu[7], Fu Shishu, Su Shishu, Patriarch Su, Liu Shishu, Sect Leader Zhang, Sect Leader Mengyang.”

After Qin Yan finished, although everyone had their reserves, they still listened to his orders and took a step forward.

As Fu Changling listened to the movements on Qin Yan’s side, he ordered, “With the Hidden Realm of Xuanji as your center, tell them to stand on the qian, zhen, kan, gen, kun, xun, li[8] positions and place eight high-graded spiritual stones around themselves to form a five elements spiritual energy gathering array.”

Qin Yan followed Fu Changling’s orders and allowed those eight cultivators to stand on their respective places. The moment those eight cultivators went to their assigned locations, the blood array burst into light. A seal formed on Fu Changling’s hand as he avoided the war dagger of a demonic cultivator, and at the same time, recited some incantations.

The demonic cultivator could tell what Fu Changling wanted to do, and was driven into a fury, tossing Fu Changling to the ground with a fist in his carelessness. Fu Changling vomited out a mouthful of blood on the spot. Hearing Fu Changling vomitting, Qin Yan, who was setting up the Soul-gathering Pagoda, froze and lowered his gaze. “What happened?”

Fu Changling heard Qin Yan’s question, and laughed on the spot. He rolled and avoided the next attack as he happily said, “Nothing.”

As he spoke, he cast out the little fan in his hand. Once again, he recited the incantations as the little fan spun around the array. Eight spots on it burst into light and every position the little golden fan passed through, a string of bright light connected them, and then a light pillar would shoot into the air. When the light pillar shot up, the spiritual energy of those eight immortalization stage cultivators delivered themselves to where they stood. At that moment, Fu Changling suddenly showed up at the ‘kan’ position.

The little fan flew to him, landing on Fu Changling’s hand. Fu Changling spun the golden fan once, a hand at his back, and two fingers at his lips.

Almost a hundred demonic cultivators frantically swarmed to him. Standing in the midst of the light, as strong winds billowed his robes and ink-black hair, Fu Changling drew the blood from his blood and poured them into the swirling vortex.

“The Heavens and the earth, lend me your strength,” Fu Changling glanced at the demonic cultivators coming towards him as a clone of him appeared within all eight pillars of light. The voices of eight Fu Changlings sounded at the same time. “Ensure none that passes may live!”

As these words fell, a countless number of daggers shot out from those eight pillars. A howl rose into the air, and at the same time, the spiritual energy of those eight immortalization stage cultivators filled the spot where Jiang Yebai was situated, sinking down with him. At the sound of a massive rang, the blood array beneath Jiang Yebai’s feet sank into the ground, and it was at that same moment, a powerful wave of spiritual energy surged past. Both Fu Changling and Jiang Yebai were abruptly hurled aside.

“Open the hidden realm!” Fu Changling loudly billowed.

He couldn’t hold up the array any longer, and could only watch as the flood waters poured, as flaming embers fell from the skies and into the waters. Fu Changling stomached the pain all over his body as he rose on a sword. Midway, he realized something was amiss: Jiang Yebai was submerged in the midst of the water.

His gaze fell upon Jiang Yebai, who was afloat in the flood waters, and understood that this was the state he was in after he’d thoroughly sealed up the spiritual pulses of the Avici. After being stunned for a moment, Qin Yan’s voice came, “Wait a moment.”

As he spoke, Qin Yan added, “How’s Shifu?”

Hearing this question, Fu Changling pursed his lips and gritted his teeth, “He’s fine.”

After he’d finished speaking, he hurried towards the flood waters.

The falling embers became denser, practically brushing past Fu Changling’s sides. Presently, there was no operator in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji, so there were no incantations to open the Hidden Realm of Xuanji. If one were to open it, it could only be done by someone else from the outside. Those eight immortalization stage cultivators must have already used up all their energy a moment ago, and with those that are left now, it wasn’t so easy for them to open the hidden realm.

Avoiding the falling embers, Fu Changling hurried to Jiang Yebai’s side. He was a little bit afraid.

He couldn’t let Jiang Yebai die.

At the very least, he couldn’t let Jiang Yebai die next to him. Because this would make Qin Yan hate him for the rest of his life.

He reached Jiang Yebai’s side on his sword and reached out to grab him with one hand. Even if Jiang Yebai seemed to be extremely heavy, Fu Changling did not stagger even once.

Jiang Yebai felt Fu Changling’s presence. He opened his eyes wide and urged him with a hoarse voice, “Leave.”

It was at that moment, flaming embers hit Fu Changling’s body. Fu Changling was knocked off his sword and into the water. Quickly, he pulled himself back up with both his hands to prevent himself from being washed away by the flood. Fu Changling was quick with his reflexes. Raising his hand, he held Jiang Yebai’s wrist and swam upwards.

Just as they popped out, another wave of water clasped onto them, hitting Fu Changling’s head and sending him into a state of dizziness. Fu Changling’s mind blanked. At the same moment he almost lost his consciousness, a loud voice resounded in his ears, “Fu Changling!”

Hearing these words, Fu Changling came back to his senses. He lifted his gaze and saw that someone seemed to have cut an opening in the sky, and in that opening, Qin Yan looked down, reaching down towards him.

The flood seemed to have filled the Hidden Realm of Xuanji to the brim. Fu Changling was only one zhang away from the sky. Had it been on usual days, this half a zhang would not have posed difficulty to him, but at this moment, his entire person felt limb as he floated on the water. Even if he used all his strength, he could only barely leap to the entrance on his own.

But he was still carrying Jiang Yebai.

Water lapsed onto his face, as Fu Changling looked up at Qin Yan.

Qin Yan was sprawling at the entrance of the Hidden Realm of Xuanji. At this moment, the Hidden Realm of Xuanji could no longer tolerate anyone entering it. The other elders had only just barely made a small opening that allowed Qin Yan to reach half of his body inside, so that he could see what was happening inside.

When he saw Fu Changling’s state and that Jiang Yebai had already fainted, he knew they weren’t in a good situation. When he was speedily trying to think of an idea, Fu Changling flashed him a smile.

“Qin Yan,” Fu Changling suddenly said, “Between me and your Shifu, pick one.”

As he spoke, Fu Changling sighed, “I’m running out of strength.”

Hearing his words, Qin Yan didn’t say anything. The hand he’d used to hold his sword trembled, as he sent him a message using the jade pendant. “I will pass my sword to you.”

“I wouldn’t be able to hold on.” Fu Changling urged him, “Quick, pick one!”

Flood waters rolled towards Fu Changling and Qin Yan’s direction, almost reaching the spot where Qin Yan had extended his hand. Qin Yan’s gaze incessantly bounced between Fu Changling and Jiang Yebai, but after a brief silence, with one hand clutching his robe, tightly balled into a fist, he roughly said, “Shifu.”

Hearing these words, Fu Changling didn’t feel surprised.

However, those words “Shifu” had stabbed at his heart like a sharp dagger. He deeply questioned whether he was out of his mind for asking when he knew what the results would be.

From the moment they left the cave in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji, Fu Changling used all his strength to toss Jiang Yebai upwards. He lifted his head to take a look, then said, “Qin Yan, remember this debt.”

You and I are not the same. I'm stingy. I want you to remember this debt well.

After he finished speaking, the torrential waves clasped down. Fu Changling could no longer care about his golden core. Concentrating all the energy in his stomach, he sketched a transportation array, and following afterwards, pain from his golden core shattering spread throughout his body.

Qin Yan looked back at the last second before the Hidden Realm of Xuanji closed, and he vaguely saw a transportation array unfolding at the end of those flood waters. It was pitch black inside the transportation array as if there were a few cavernous stones sticking out, white bones that gathered into little mountains, and stalks of blood-coloured flowers sprouting out from them.

When the Hidden Realm of Xuanji closed, his last glimpse of it was Fu Changling’s pale white face looking back at him, flashing him a smile.

When he saw the transportation array, he shouted, “Stay alive and wait for me!”

Fu Changling looked back at him, stunned, as the sky slowly closed. Fu Changling blinked his eyes open and looked at the sky tainted with blood-red, feeling as his body slowly descended.

Stay alive and wait for him.

Fu Changling couldn’t help laughing. In their previous life, when Qin Yan asked him to wait for him in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji, he had waited for him for one entire lifetime.

He waited for him for one entire lifetime, and yet his Yanming never came back again.

“Qin Yan,” Fu Changling quietly mumbled under his breath, “In this life, don’t lie to me anymore.”

Even if Qin Yan couldn’t hear these words, the currents of the water sent Fu Changling down into the transportation array. At the moment a sharp wind beat against his body, Fu Changling took out a protection talisman from his body and clutched onto it with trembling hands.

He cannot die.

Before he lost his consciousness, his last thought was: This world hasn’t ended yet. He still needs to protect Qin Yan. He cannot die.

*＊✿❀○❀✿＊*

After the Hidden Realm of Xuanji thoroughly closed up, Qin Yan was the only one who still knelt on the ground, dazedly looking at the spot where the hidden realm had closed up.

As the people around him hurried to and fro, sending Jiang Yebai for medical attention, Xie Yuqing walked up to his side and after a moment of thought, she said, “Qin Shidi…”

Hearing Xie Yuqing’s call, Qin Yan returned to his senses. He quietly answered as he stood up. “I’m fine.”

As he spoke, he walked after Jiang Yebai, asking Su Zhiyan, the one who was taking a look at him, about his condition. “Su Shishu, how’s my Shifu?”

Taking Jiang Yebai’s pulse, Su Zhiyan lifted his gaze at Qin Yan and said, “All is well. He is only temporarily depleted of strength and should rest a while.”

Qin Yan nodded his head. Su Zhiyan rose to his feet and said, “Everyone else, please go back and take a rest. After Palace Lord Jiang wakes up, you will all be informed.”

Everyone agreed. Qin Yan bowed down to everyone, then respectfully said, “My Shifu is ill, so this humble junior will not be attending to everyone. Today, this humble junior apologizes for his rashness and begs for forgiveness.”

His etiquettes were appropriate and everyone else was also tired themselves. They didn’t have the strength to bother themselves with these miniscule details, and so followed the other disciples that Yun Yu has brought and went back to their respective abodes.

Su Zhiyan waited until everyone else had left while he still remained in the room. Seeing that he was still there, Qin Yan knew that Su Zhiyan had something to say to him in private, so he’d sent everyone back. Soon after, he bowed at Su Zhiyan and asked, “One is curious whether Su Shishu has something to say?”

“In the hidden realm just now, everyone lent a hand while Yebai supervised the process. After that, something went wrong with Yebai and the rest of us were expelled from the Hidden Realm of Xuanji. There’s something I haven’t said just now—your Shifu has actually sustained heavy injuries. These injuries weren’t left behind by the spiritual energy of demonic cultivators. This is the real prescription that he should be using,” Su Zhiyan rewrote another prescription for Qin Yan, “Ensure you prepare the medicine yourself.”

After Qin Yan took the prescription, he lowered his gaze and ghosted across the medicinal herbs listed on it. Then he told Su Zhiyan, “Thank you, Shishu.”

Su Zhiyan nodded his head. He didn’t say more as he turned around and left the room.

Qin Yan could understand the meanings in between the lines of his words. Jiang Yebai’s wounds were not caused by demonic cultivators, then only the possibility of an insider remained.

Qin Yan turned and walked to Jiang Yebai’s side. Jiang Yebai was closing his eyes, his face pale, identical to the last time Qin Yan saw him back in those years.

That scene suffocated Qin Yan. He knelt beside Jiang Yebai and held his hand, placing his forehead against both of his hands.

His intentions were to gain some amount of strength from this gesture, even if Fu Changling’s smile repeatedly flashed across his sea of memories.

“Qin Yan, remember this debt.”

He remembers.

As a person, Qin Yan remembered every single debt he owed.

*＊✿❀○❀✿＊*

When Fu Changling woke up again, half a day had gone by.

The moment he woke up, he realized that he had been curling up from the pain coming from his golden core. He gasped for air as he sprawled on the ground. It was impossible to move.

This sort of pain was familiar. In his previous life, the moment his golden core shattered in the Hidden Realm of Xuanji, it had been this pain he felt. He originally thought that he could protect his golden core in this new life of his, but it was still destroyed in the end.

Trembling, he reached out and poured a handful of Moonlight Pills into his mouth. However, even with not many Moonlight Pills, it could only sooth him a little. Hyperventilating, he laid on the ground and felt like all the insides of his body twisting in agony.

“What’s on your mind?”

The voice of a young child rang. Gripping his golden fan, Fu Changling swiftly lifted his head and barked, “Who?!”

The moment he shouted, Fu Changling began observing his surroundings.

He seemed to be in a cave. The cave was pitch black and there was a little mount of pale white bones surrounding the perimeter of the cave; fresh, blood-red flowers grew from those bones, making them look extremely terrifying.

There was the sound of water pattering, falling drop after drop not far off. The resounding echoes in the cave weren't loud. Fu Changling observed his surroundings in high alertness when that voice sounded again. “Your golden core is already destroyed. What use is there to hold a relic?”

Fu Changling didn’t say anything. He seemed to be searching for the source of the voice.

“Oh, how pitiful,” The child’s voice seemed to see through his intentions as it resounded from all around him, “Even I’ve seen it. He didn’t want you anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Fu Changling’s voice was cold.

That child began giggling, “Heehee, gosh, how undeserved I feel for you! You like that person so much, and yet he doesn’t like you.”

“What makes you think I like him?”

Fu Changling looked around and took out a talisman from his spiritual pouch. The child’s voice seemed to hesitate. “If you didn’t like him, why did you listen to him?”

Fu Changling closed his eyes, and continued to say, “Perhaps… all your life, you’ve never liked anyone, and either did anyone like you.”

“Lies!”

That child was driven into fury. “My master likes me, and I like my master too!”

“Oh?” Fu Changling smiled, “Are you sure your master likes you?”

“Yes!” The child happily said, “My master loves me so much.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do!”

“You don’t even know how it feels for one person to like another, so how would you know that your master likes you? No one would like a little child, especially ones that keep snooping around like you!”

“You’re lying! My master likes me! He…” The little child finally lost its composure.

At that moment, Fu Changling found the direction of the voice. He shot the talisman out of his hand and loudly called, “Come out!”

Author’s Notes:

Fu Changling: Another day of being abandoned by my wife.