Estranged

“I remember vaguely that three years ago someone from the Wanjian Immortal Clan paid us a visit, inviting our clan master to participate in a meeting of some kind. The clan master didn’t respond, and even refused to receive them, ordering subordinates to show them a way out…”

The well concealed more than it seemed to. To get to Fang Suihan’s treasures, Xu Jingxian had to go down, while holding him, with her ears still being tortured.

His voice hit against the well walls and echoed back multiple times, buzzing in Xu Jingxian’s ears.

To gain some useful information about the changes in the Jianxue Clan over the last three years from his rambling, she had to endure, and did not make him shut up.

“I remember now. It should have been the Qianlin Assembly. Back then, that person from the Wanjian Immortal Clan said that every famous sect master always comes to the Qianlin Assemblies. There are many demonic cultivators, but only our Jianxue Clan doesn’t show up. The Wanjian Immortal Clan hosted the assembly that year, so they sent people to invite us in hope that our clan master would find some time to attend it.”

“What did the clan master say?”

“He said he might consider it if the old man Jiang Li asks him personally.”

The corners of Xu Jingxian’s mouth twitched.

“Sounds like him indeed.”

The fact that no one else in the Jianxue Clan except for them two seemed to survive greatly shook Fang Suihan. He struggled to remember every detail pertaining to this matter.

Because any detail could clarify the situation.

Fang Suihan questioned, with brows furrowed: “Could it be that Jiang Li massacred the whole Jianxue Clan because the clan master gave him no face? Even our clan master is not that audacious.”

Xu Jingxian was silent for a moment: “I don’t think that he is not audacious enough, rather he is unable to destroy the Wanjian Immortal Clan without help.”

Fang Suihan: …

When demonic sects were pressed into a tight corner, they tended to go to extremes and were bloodthirsty and unruly, so other sects had no respect for them, seeing demonic cultivators as a disgrace. But, facing a tremendous power, the dissident voices dissipated completely. Just like it was with Zhou Keyi: he harassed the small sects that had vowed to be his vassals, taking both men and women from the sects as cultivation furnaces, but other sects never dared to oppose this openly.

Yet, their moody demonic clan master still had a clear mind and never randomly said he wanted to massacre a sect.

Since the Wanjian Immortal Clan and the Jianxue Clan had no grievances in the past, why would Jiang Li attack them?

Beginning with the Nine Layers of the Abyss and ending with the Jianxue Clan—his traces could be seen everywhere, as if he had been plotting it for a long time. Even her entering the Nine Layers of the Abyss together with Changming was calculated in advance.

Xu Jingxian said suddenly: “I’ve heard that the Wanjian Clan’s candidate for legacy wasn’t Jiang Li, but his shixiong, Yan Xing.”

Candidate for legacy: lit. candidate for taking over the cassock and alms bowl of a Buddhist master passed on to his favorite disciple. In our case, the next clan master position

Fang Suihan: “Sounds right.”

Xu Jingxian: “Later, something happened with him, and Yan Xing was seriously wounded, his legs disabled; let alone cultivation, he wasn’t even as strong as a mortal. Naturally, he lost the qualifications to take over the mantle. So, Jiang Li took over the position, finally becoming the Wanjian Immortal’s clan master as of today.”

Fang Suihan: “What does that have to do with the Jianxue Clan being slaughtered?”

Xu Jingxian sneered: “Everything needs to be traced back to its origins, but of course your head is too empty to understand it! How can you be sure Jiang Li has no one behind his back, or whether he wants to pull off something even larger in scale? Why did he ask the clan master’s shifu to come to the Wanlian Buddhist Temple on the fifteenth of the seventh month? Obviously, Buddhist sects joined hands with Daoist sects with the reason of defeating Demonic sects! You tell me, is this matter important or is it not? If we don’t solve our inner conflicts, we will all be destroyed one by one! Moreover, you said the Zhenling Clan and the Twenty Four Mountain Slopes were wiped out overnight. They have no connection with Demonic sects, and aren’t related to the Wanjian Immortal Clan at all. They are just small inconspicuous sects. This means that the enemy’s target wasn’t specifically the Jianxue Clan, they decided to start the invasion by weeding out the insignificant sects!”

The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became, until she couldn’t bear it anymore and gasped.

“The clan master’s shifu wasn’t mistaken. The Wanjian Immortal Clan began the preparations for the Liuhe Zhutian Formation several decades ago, and that scheme was very ambitious. They won’t stop even after they have become the largest Daoist sect. Since they even dared to plot against the clan master’s shifu, they are afraid of no man!”

The title she used for him finally attracted Fang Suihan’s attention.

“You’re mentioning this clan master’s shifu with each breath, but where did he come from? Is it a distant relative you dug out of nowhere?”

Xu Jingxian: “Have you heard of Jiufang Changming?”

Fang Suihan: “Sounds a bit familiar.”

If they weren’t going through a long tunnel in the well, Xu Jingxian would have dropped him to the ground.

“Do you know anything apart from refining pills?”

Fang Suihan ah-ed: “Is he that Jiufang Changming who colluded with demons and destroyed the Liuhe Zhutian Formation?”

Xu Jingxian: “I think it’s best if you don’t repeat these words in front of him, because I won’t rescue you.”

Fang Suihan was angry: “Isn’t this matter well-known anyways… Wait, even if he is the clan master’s shifu, why are you calling him so intimately? Could it be that you want him to accept you as a disciple?”

He wasn’t particularly impressed with Changming’s identity because the massacre of the Jianxue Clan was more important to him. No matter how dramatic an incident was, it was hard to impress Fang Suihan, who was obsessed with refining pills. His interest in this name, Jiufang Changming, was not as deep as that towards the peerless elixir in front of him.

“Anyways, the clan master’s shifu treats me well. If he wants to accept me as a disciple, I’ll be glad. If he accepts me, my seniority status will be equal to the clan master’s, and you will have to call me the clan master’s shimei. Ah, it sounds irresistible!”

Her voice sounded leisurely, and although she tried to look calm, Fang Suihan could hear the pride in it clearly.

Owing to the fact that she was carrying him on her back, he couldn’t say anything, and only sneered silently.

Being proud can’t kill you!

Being proud can’t kill you: laughing at someone who is being too proud, while being a bit jealous

…

The Sifei Sword and the Chunzhao Sword were floating in the air, slowly flying around in circles and illuminating the person sitting in the center.

A blue starlight, as if formed by myriads of Milky Way stars, was slowly flowing down, entering his head through the Bohui acupoint.

Bohui acupoint: located right at the top of one’s head, alleviates headache

The Supreme yin and yang were repeating in circles.

Supreme: of the beginning of times

His expression was hidden under his long scattered hair, but his pale complexion gradually turned better with the two swords’ nourishment.

Not far away, Yun Weisi was looking at the ground, drawing something with a stick and pondering deeply.

Several decades ago, an unusual event happened on the Sacred Mountain Wan. Demonic qi leaked into the Human World; Changming noticed this and initiated an investigation.

The news of demons appearing on the Sacred Mountain Wan soon reached the ears of every large sect. Thus, Ren Haishan of the Kunlun Jian Sect found Changming and proposed that he participate in setting up a Liuhe Zhutian Formation which was supposed to seal the gap completely.

This formation was organized by Chi Bijiang of the Wanxiang Palace. Changming was proficient in setting formations as well, but he noticed nothing unusual when he was checking it.

But even though Jiufang Changming was very confident in his abilities, the formation failed. Everyone, including those who were protecting the formation, except for Jiang Li of the Wanjian Immortal Clan, Dugu Chong, and Fu Dongyuan of the Celestial Abode Shenxiao, lost their lives there. After that, the three survivors declared that Jiufang Changming had betrayed them halfway and colluded with demons, leading to the collapse of the formation.

To prevent the Sacred Mountain Wan from being utterly destroyed, Chi Bijiang, Jiang Li and others established the Nine Layers of the Abyss. Because chaotic spiritual powers mixed with demonic qi there, they could calculate the positions of auspicious stars to create this barrier, the Nine Layers of the Abyss.

Yun Weisi protected the Nine Layers of the Abyss not because he wanted the best for the Human World, but because he wanted to know the truth.

The truth about the formation’s failure and his shifu’s death.

That was what the flood dragon of the Penglai Lake told him. Yun Weisi didn’t remember much of it, and only after meeting Jiufang Changming and investigating the matter with him, did he gradually start to recall the vague details of what happened that year.

Yun Weisi drew one mountain in the west.

The Sacred Mountain Wan.

On the opposite side, he drew another mountain, the Zhongfa Mountain Range.

The Sacred Mountain Wan had the Nine Layers of the Abyss, and when they were near the Shesheng Peak of the Zhongfa Mountain Range, they found traces of beasts trapped under the earth.

There was also that flood dragon confined in the Yellow Springs.

With the stick, he drew a circle in the south-western part.

The flow of his spiritual powers burned into a white glowing circle that represented the Yellow Springs.

In the east, the Zhongfa Mountain Range and trapped beasts.

In the west, the Sacred Mountain Wan and the Nine Layers of the Abyss.

In the south-west, the Yellow Springs.

On the opposite side, to the north-east, the Jianxue Clan was located.

He snapped his fingers, and the four locations were connected by rays of light, intersecting in the middle.

Mountains and rivers, streams and nine provinces of the lands faintly emerged from the image, and the four drawn places seemed very similar to the ones that appeared.

According to the distances, the other two directions, the southeastern and the northwestern, should be…

His long sleeve gently fluttered, following his fingers, and a shocking guess gradually formed in his thoughts. Even Yun Weisi, who was unmoved by honor and disgrace, could not help but show a surprised expression.

This is—?!

“A new Liuhe Zhutian Formation.”

A hoarse voice said his guess aloud.

At some point, Changming came to his senses. He was holding his forehead, brows furrowed.

“They want to include everything in the world in it, merge into one every place of the nine provinces and the Darkest Abyss of demons. The Liuhe Zhutian Formation of the Sacred Mountain Wan alone was not enough, so they decided to use the whole world as the chessboard for setting a formation. The Nine Layers of the Abyss is to become one of its pillars.”

Before, he thought that after the defeat on the Sacred Mountain Wan fifty years ago, the Nine Layers of the Abyss was their new goal. Jiang Li used an incarnation to disguise as a disciple of the Wanjian Immortal Clan, entered the Nine Layers of the Abyss and followed them to destroy it completely, breaking the last barrier and releasing the demons.

But he was wrong. Their enemies’ plan was more ambitious, and it was never limited to the Nine Layers of the Abyss.

In other words, the Nine Layers of the Abyss was only the starting point.

What they wanted was to use the Nine Layers of the Abyss as one of the strategic points, and to link six places of the world in the east, west, southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest, setting a larger Liuhe Zhutian formation.

The world was the chessboard, and cultivators, sects, beasts and other creatures were the chess pieces.

Scattered all over like stars in the sky, yet arranged like the chess pieces, a formation like this required mountains of corpses and seas of blood, but what would be forged, would be something that people would not have imagined in a millenium.

Although he realised that he was only a chess piece used by others, when Changming was looking at the map of the nine provinces drawn by Yun Weisi, he couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“What a clever and bold idea, even an immortal would be afraid of it!”

If this plan was actually carried out by Jiang Li, he was truly a formidable and worthy enemy.

“The layout was probably arranged fifty years ago, when that accident took place,” Yun Weisi said.

The mystery was uncovered, and the truth turned out to be harsh and terrifying, far worse beyond what they had originally anticipated.

Xu Jingxian rushed over excitedly with the Xiangyang Pills, having pocketed two of them for herself in secret, and was ready to give them the rest of the pills while claiming the credit. But she suddenly heard the dialogue between the two, and her breathing slowed down subconsciously. She stood by and listened in a daze, not daring to interrupt Yun Weisi. Even though she had countless questions in her heart, she listened patiently.

Changming hummed: “They had calculated the failure of the Liuhe Zhutian Formation, and created the Nine Layers of the Abyss on the pretext of sealing the gap, luring you out to guard it, and finally use it as a pillar of the formation.”

They were extremely careful, but still made a mistake when they left him alive. After wandering through the Yellow Springs for many years, he managed to escape it. And so, they decided to mend the fold after the sheep was lost, and assumed that he would be killed by Yun Weisi in the Nine Layers of the Abyss; unexpectedly, that fallen-out master and disciple duet not only did not harm each other, but even reached a tacit agreement.

Although, this tacit agreement was only temporary—Yun Weisi never said he dropped the persistent idea of killing his teacher. He just did not want to be a chess piece led by his nose by others, so he agreed to cooperate with Changming for the time being.

The enemies probably did not rejoice at seeing them working together.

Having heard this, Xu Jingxian could not hold back any longer.

She asked a question as well.

“Although the Jianxue Clan is a big Demonic sect, it’s not even worth mentioning in contrast to the Nine Layers of the Abyss or the Zhongfa Mountains. Why would they use it as a position for the formation?”

“Because of time.”

Changming said indifferently, answering Xu Jingxian’s question. “First of all, the Jianxue Clan is a Demonic sect that never had any reputation in the eyes of others. Even if it’s wiped out, for a while, few will find it strange. Secondly, there is not only the Jianxue Clan, but also sects like the Qixian Sect and villages under the mountains. With all these souls gathered, it is no less than the massacre of Yuru Town. Moreover, there were many cultivator souls that were more useful than the commoner souls of Yuru Town, so the refined Gathering Souls Pearl will be able to support one corner of the formation. Thirdly, and most importantly, they couldn’t wait anymore. The more time passes, the higher the chances of a mishap.”

His voice was getting weaker, and finally disappeared, his head dropping down.

“Changming?” Xu Jingxian was startled.

The other person was faster than her. He grabbed Changming’s chin and looked at him carefully.

He did not faint, but simply fell asleep from being tired.

He slept until daybreak.

Right before dawn, a dim light shone through the half-open door and windows, painting patterns of light and shadow on the floor.

Yun Weisi was looking at these patterns, lost in thought, with the Chunzhao Sword in his hand, when his sleeve was tugged at.

Changming was still not completely awake, and his mind was hazy.

“After you were obsessed, you became Yun Weisi.”

Yun Weisi: “Mm-hmm.”

Changming: “The sky is still dark, why is it you?”

Him and Yun Hai, one belonged to the daytime, the other belonged to the night, and they replaced each other accordingly. Somehow, Changming was already used to it.

Yun Weisi: “He was too emotional, so it is hard to control the demonic heart and not cause trouble.”

Yun Weisi and Yun Hai seemed to be two different people, but in fact they were one—one consciousness separated into two parts. Actually, they could communicate in their sea of consciousness. Yun Hai could not control the situation, and simply handed the initiative to Yun Weisi, because Yun Weisi cultivated the Heartless Dao, and had some ways of controlling the obsessed heart.

Changming rolled his sleeve up, but Yun Weisi didn’t object.

The red line was winding and turning, having reached the wrist, about to go down to the palm.

“Don’t worry, your teacher won’t let you get possessed.”

Changming grabbed his hand firmly and yawned.

Yun Weisi looked at him sideways. Changming finished saying this sentence and fell asleep again.

The early sunlight lit up the east, and the rays fell on Changming gently. For some reason, Yun Weisi recalled the Milky Way he saw on the Void Shore.

The sun was rising and falling, blue seas turned into mulberry fields, and only the stars were always accompanying him.

Blue seas turned into mulberry fields: great changes in the course of time

Unchanging through day and night, silent and devoted.

The half of the red rope was still on Changming’s wrist, tied in a dead knot.

Yun Weisi raised his hand and loosened it.

“I remember vaguely that three years ago someone from the Wanjian Immortal Clan paid us a visit, inviting our clan master to participate in a meeting of some kind. The clan master didn’t respond, and even refused to receive them, ordering subordinates to show them a way out…”

The well concealed more than it seemed to. To get to Fang Suihan’s treasures, Xu Jingxian had to go down, while holding him, with her ears still being tortured.

His voice hit against the well walls and echoed back multiple times, buzzing in Xu Jingxian’s ears.

To gain some useful information about the changes in the Jianxue Clan over the last three years from his rambling, she had to endure, and did not make him shut up.

“I remember now. It should have been the Qianlin Assembly. Back then, that person from the Wanjian Immortal Clan said that every famous sect master always comes to the Qianlin Assemblies. There are many demonic cultivators, but only our Jianxue Clan doesn’t show up. The Wanjian Immortal Clan hosted the assembly that year, so they sent people to invite us in hope that our clan master would find some time to attend it.”

“What did the clan master say?”

“He said he might consider it if the old man Jiang Li asks him personally.”

The corners of Xu Jingxian’s mouth twitched.

“Sounds like him indeed.”

The fact that no one else in the Jianxue Clan except for them two seemed to survive greatly shook Fang Suihan. He struggled to remember every detail pertaining to this matter.

Because any detail could clarify the situation.

Fang Suihan questioned, with brows furrowed: “Could it be that Jiang Li massacred the whole Jianxue Clan because the clan master gave him no face? Even our clan master is not that audacious.”

Xu Jingxian was silent for a moment: “I don’t think that he is not audacious enough, rather he is unable to destroy the Wanjian Immortal Clan without help.”

Fang Suihan: …

When demonic sects were pressed into a tight corner, they tended to go to extremes and were bloodthirsty and unruly, so other sects had no respect for them, seeing demonic cultivators as a disgrace. But, facing a tremendous power, the dissident voices dissipated completely. Just like it was with Zhou Keyi: he harassed the small sects that had vowed to be his vassals, taking both men and women from the sects as cultivation furnaces, but other sects never dared to oppose this openly.

Yet, their moody demonic clan master still had a clear mind and never randomly said he wanted to massacre a sect.

Since the Wanjian Immortal Clan and the Jianxue Clan had no grievances in the past, why would Jiang Li attack them?

Beginning with the Nine Layers of the Abyss and ending with the Jianxue Clan—his traces could be seen everywhere, as if he had been plotting it for a long time. Even her entering the Nine Layers of the Abyss together with Changming was calculated in advance.

Xu Jingxian said suddenly: “I’ve heard that the Wanjian Clan’s candidate for legacy wasn’t Jiang Li, but his shixiong, Yan Xing.”

Candidate for legacy: lit. candidate for taking over the cassock and alms bowl of a Buddhist master passed on to his favorite disciple. In our case, the next clan master position

Fang Suihan: “Sounds right.”

Xu Jingxian: “Later, something happened with him, and Yan Xing was seriously wounded, his legs disabled; let alone cultivation, he wasn’t even as strong as a mortal. Naturally, he lost the qualifications to take over the mantle. So, Jiang Li took over the position, finally becoming the Wanjian Immortal’s clan master as of today.”

Fang Suihan: “What does that have to do with the Jianxue Clan being slaughtered?”

Xu Jingxian sneered: “Everything needs to be traced back to its origins, but of course your head is too empty to understand it! How can you be sure Jiang Li has no one behind his back, or whether he wants to pull off something even larger in scale? Why did he ask the clan master’s shifu to come to the Wanlian Buddhist Temple on the fifteenth of the seventh month? Obviously, Buddhist sects joined hands with Daoist sects with the reason of defeating Demonic sects! You tell me, is this matter important or is it not? If we don’t solve our inner conflicts, we will all be destroyed one by one! Moreover, you said the Zhenling Clan and the Twenty Four Mountain Slopes were wiped out overnight. They have no connection with Demonic sects, and aren’t related to the Wanjian Immortal Clan at all. They are just small inconspicuous sects. This means that the enemy’s target wasn’t specifically the Jianxue Clan, they decided to start the invasion by weeding out the insignificant sects!”

The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became, until she couldn’t bear it anymore and gasped.

“The clan master’s shifu wasn’t mistaken. The Wanjian Immortal Clan began the preparations for the Liuhe Zhutian Formation several decades ago, and that scheme was very ambitious. They won’t stop even after they have become the largest Daoist sect. Since they even dared to plot against the clan master’s shifu, they are afraid of no man!”

The title she used for him finally attracted Fang Suihan’s attention.

“You’re mentioning this clan master’s shifu with each breath, but where did he come from? Is it a distant relative you dug out of nowhere?”

Xu Jingxian: “Have you heard of Jiufang Changming?”

Fang Suihan: “Sounds a bit familiar.”

If they weren’t going through a long tunnel in the well, Xu Jingxian would have dropped him to the ground.

“Do you know anything apart from refining pills?”

Fang Suihan ah-ed: “Is he that Jiufang Changming who colluded with demons and destroyed the Liuhe Zhutian Formation?”

Xu Jingxian: “I think it’s best if you don’t repeat these words in front of him, because I won’t rescue you.”

Fang Suihan was angry: “Isn’t this matter well-known anyways… Wait, even if he is the clan master’s shifu, why are you calling him so intimately? Could it be that you want him to accept you as a disciple?”

He wasn’t particularly impressed with Changming’s identity because the massacre of the Jianxue Clan was more important to him. No matter how dramatic an incident was, it was hard to impress Fang Suihan, who was obsessed with refining pills. His interest in this name, Jiufang Changming, was not as deep as that towards the peerless elixir in front of him.

“Anyways, the clan master’s shifu treats me well. If he wants to accept me as a disciple, I’ll be glad. If he accepts me, my seniority status will be equal to the clan master’s, and you will have to call me the clan master’s shimei. Ah, it sounds irresistible!”

Her voice sounded leisurely, and although she tried to look calm, Fang Suihan could hear the pride in it clearly.

Owing to the fact that she was carrying him on her back, he couldn’t say anything, and only sneered silently.

Being proud can’t kill you!

Being proud can’t kill you: laughing at someone who is being too proud, while being a bit jealous

…

The Sifei Sword and the Chunzhao Sword were floating in the air, slowly flying around in circles and illuminating the person sitting in the center.

A blue starlight, as if formed by myriads of Milky Way stars, was slowly flowing down, entering his head through the Bohui acupoint.

Bohui acupoint: located right at the top of one’s head, alleviates headache

The Supreme yin and yang were repeating in circles.

Supreme: of the beginning of times

His expression was hidden under his long scattered hair, but his pale complexion gradually turned better with the two swords’ nourishment.

Not far away, Yun Weisi was looking at the ground, drawing something with a stick and pondering deeply.

Several decades ago, an unusual event happened on the Sacred Mountain Wan. Demonic qi leaked into the Human World; Changming noticed this and initiated an investigation.

The news of demons appearing on the Sacred Mountain Wan soon reached the ears of every large sect. Thus, Ren Haishan of the Kunlun Jian Sect found Changming and proposed that he participate in setting up a Liuhe Zhutian Formation which was supposed to seal the gap completely.

This formation was organized by Chi Bijiang of the Wanxiang Palace. Changming was proficient in setting formations as well, but he noticed nothing unusual when he was checking it.

But even though Jiufang Changming was very confident in his abilities, the formation failed. Everyone, including those who were protecting the formation, except for Jiang Li of the Wanjian Immortal Clan, Dugu Chong, and Fu Dongyuan of the Celestial Abode Shenxiao, lost their lives there. After that, the three survivors declared that Jiufang Changming had betrayed them halfway and colluded with demons, leading to the collapse of the formation.

To prevent the Sacred Mountain Wan from being utterly destroyed, Chi Bijiang, Jiang Li and others established the Nine Layers of the Abyss. Because chaotic spiritual powers mixed with demonic qi there, they could calculate the positions of auspicious stars to create this barrier, the Nine Layers of the Abyss.

Yun Weisi protected the Nine Layers of the Abyss not because he wanted the best for the Human World, but because he wanted to know the truth.

The truth about the formation’s failure and his shifu’s death.

That was what the flood dragon of the Penglai Lake told him. Yun Weisi didn’t remember much of it, and only after meeting Jiufang Changming and investigating the matter with him, did he gradually start to recall the vague details of what happened that year.

Yun Weisi drew one mountain in the west.

The Sacred Mountain Wan.

On the opposite side, he drew another mountain, the Zhongfa Mountain Range.

The Sacred Mountain Wan had the Nine Layers of the Abyss, and when they were near the Shesheng Peak of the Zhongfa Mountain Range, they found traces of beasts trapped under the earth.

There was also that flood dragon confined in the Yellow Springs.

With the stick, he drew a circle in the south-western part.

The flow of his spiritual powers burned into a white glowing circle that represented the Yellow Springs.

In the east, the Zhongfa Mountain Range and trapped beasts.

In the west, the Sacred Mountain Wan and the Nine Layers of the Abyss.

In the south-west, the Yellow Springs.

On the opposite side, to the north-east, the Jianxue Clan was located.

He snapped his fingers, and the four locations were connected by rays of light, intersecting in the middle.

Mountains and rivers, streams and nine provinces of the lands faintly emerged from the image, and the four drawn places seemed very similar to the ones that appeared.

According to the distances, the other two directions, the southeastern and the northwestern, should be…

His long sleeve gently fluttered, following his fingers, and a shocking guess gradually formed in his thoughts. Even Yun Weisi, who was unmoved by honor and disgrace, could not help but show a surprised expression.

This is—?!

“A new Liuhe Zhutian Formation.”

A hoarse voice said his guess aloud.

At some point, Changming came to his senses. He was holding his forehead, brows furrowed.

“They want to include everything in the world in it, merge into one every place of the nine provinces and the Darkest Abyss of demons. The Liuhe Zhutian Formation of the Sacred Mountain Wan alone was not enough, so they decided to use the whole world as the chessboard for setting a formation. The Nine Layers of the Abyss is to become one of its pillars.”

Before, he thought that after the defeat on the Sacred Mountain Wan fifty years ago, the Nine Layers of the Abyss was their new goal. Jiang Li used an incarnation to disguise as a disciple of the Wanjian Immortal Clan, entered the Nine Layers of the Abyss and followed them to destroy it completely, breaking the last barrier and releasing the demons.

But he was wrong. Their enemies’ plan was more ambitious, and it was never limited to the Nine Layers of the Abyss.

In other words, the Nine Layers of the Abyss was only the starting point.

What they wanted was to use the Nine Layers of the Abyss as one of the strategic points, and to link six places of the world in the east, west, southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest, setting a larger Liuhe Zhutian formation.

The world was the chessboard, and cultivators, sects, beasts and other creatures were the chess pieces.

Scattered all over like stars in the sky, yet arranged like the chess pieces, a formation like this required mountains of corpses and seas of blood, but what would be forged, would be something that people would not have imagined in a millenium.

Although he realised that he was only a chess piece used by others, when Changming was looking at the map of the nine provinces drawn by Yun Weisi, he couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.

“What a clever and bold idea, even an immortal would be afraid of it!”

If this plan was actually carried out by Jiang Li, he was truly a formidable and worthy enemy.

“The layout was probably arranged fifty years ago, when that accident took place,” Yun Weisi said.

The mystery was uncovered, and the truth turned out to be harsh and terrifying, far worse beyond what they had originally anticipated.

Xu Jingxian rushed over excitedly with the Xiangyang Pills, having pocketed two of them for herself in secret, and was ready to give them the rest of the pills while claiming the credit. But she suddenly heard the dialogue between the two, and her breathing slowed down subconsciously. She stood by and listened in a daze, not daring to interrupt Yun Weisi. Even though she had countless questions in her heart, she listened patiently.

Changming hummed: “They had calculated the failure of the Liuhe Zhutian Formation, and created the Nine Layers of the Abyss on the pretext of sealing the gap, luring you out to guard it, and finally use it as a pillar of the formation.”

They were extremely careful, but still made a mistake when they left him alive. After wandering through the Yellow Springs for many years, he managed to escape it. And so, they decided to mend the fold after the sheep was lost, and assumed that he would be killed by Yun Weisi in the Nine Layers of the Abyss; unexpectedly, that fallen-out master and disciple duet not only did not harm each other, but even reached a tacit agreement.

Although, this tacit agreement was only temporary—Yun Weisi never said he dropped the persistent idea of killing his teacher. He just did not want to be a chess piece led by his nose by others, so he agreed to cooperate with Changming for the time being.

The enemies probably did not rejoice at seeing them working together.

Having heard this, Xu Jingxian could not hold back any longer.

She asked a question as well.

“Although the Jianxue Clan is a big Demonic sect, it’s not even worth mentioning in contrast to the Nine Layers of the Abyss or the Zhongfa Mountains. Why would they use it as a position for the formation?”

“Because of time.”

Changming said indifferently, answering Xu Jingxian’s question. “First of all, the Jianxue Clan is a Demonic sect that never had any reputation in the eyes of others. Even if it’s wiped out, for a while, few will find it strange. Secondly, there is not only the Jianxue Clan, but also sects like the Qixian Sect and villages under the mountains. With all these souls gathered, it is no less than the massacre of Yuru Town. Moreover, there were many cultivator souls that were more useful than the commoner souls of Yuru Town, so the refined Gathering Souls Pearl will be able to support one corner of the formation. Thirdly, and most importantly, they couldn’t wait anymore. The more time passes, the higher the chances of a mishap.”

His voice was getting weaker, and finally disappeared, his head dropping down.

“Changming?” Xu Jingxian was startled.

The other person was faster than her. He grabbed Changming’s chin and looked at him carefully.

He did not faint, but simply fell asleep from being tired.

He slept until daybreak.

Right before dawn, a dim light shone through the half-open door and windows, painting patterns of light and shadow on the floor.

Yun Weisi was looking at these patterns, lost in thought, with the Chunzhao Sword in his hand, when his sleeve was tugged at.

Changming was still not completely awake, and his mind was hazy.

“After you were obsessed, you became Yun Weisi.”

Yun Weisi: “Mm-hmm.”

Changming: “The sky is still dark, why is it you?”

Him and Yun Hai, one belonged to the daytime, the other belonged to the night, and they replaced each other accordingly. Somehow, Changming was already used to it.

Yun Weisi: “He was too emotional, so it is hard to control the demonic heart and not cause trouble.”

Yun Weisi and Yun Hai seemed to be two different people, but in fact they were one—one consciousness separated into two parts. Actually, they could communicate in their sea of consciousness. Yun Hai could not control the situation, and simply handed the initiative to Yun Weisi, because Yun Weisi cultivated the Heartless Dao, and had some ways of controlling the obsessed heart.

Changming rolled his sleeve up, but Yun Weisi didn’t object.

The red line was winding and turning, having reached the wrist, about to go down to the palm.

“Don’t worry, your teacher won’t let you get possessed.”

Changming grabbed his hand firmly and yawned.

Yun Weisi looked at him sideways. Changming finished saying this sentence and fell asleep again.

The early sunlight lit up the east, and the rays fell on Changming gently. For some reason, Yun Weisi recalled the Milky Way he saw on the Void Shore.

The sun was rising and falling, blue seas turned into mulberry fields, and only the stars were always accompanying him.

Blue seas turned into mulberry fields: great changes in the course of time

Unchanging through day and night, silent and devoted.

The half of the red rope was still on Changming’s wrist, tied in a dead knot.

Yun Weisi raised his hand and loosened it.