novelraw Chapter 46 : Who Am I
Chapter 46 : Who Am I
Chapter 46: Who Am I?
When the first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon, the debate between the two palaces had already begun.
True Person Han Yi quickly ascended a broken cliff.
The Jade Palace was situated among mountain ranges, and between these mountains lay a sheer cliff.
Looking down from the summit, the first thing that came into view were two massive iron chains.
These chains, gleaming with a chilling light, dangled down into unfathomable depths.
It was just like the fateful cliffs described in certain storybooks, where if the male and female protagonists fell, they would obtain supreme cultivation methods and greatly increase their powers.
But in reality, it was not so.
If someone truly fell from here, their bones would be reduced to dust without a trace.
These two chains were part of the mountain-guarding array, their purpose being to continuously extract the Heaven-Purifying Dao Lotus below in order to stabilize the grand formation.
And the environment below, because of this Heaven-Purifying Dao Lotus, had already turned into a terrifying abyss of cold. If one were to fall into it, they would become nothing but an ice sculpture.
Xian Qingqiu took out an object, hexagonal in shape, yet exuding pitch-black demonic energy. She said: “The Eight Sufferings Corpse-Refining Array, forged from ten thousand resentful souls of the Corpse Puppet Sect.”
She tossed the hexagon into the sky.
The tiny six-pointed star expanded as it caught the wind, then unfurled. Black energy surged into the heavens, carried by the cold wind, pouring into the cold prison.
Xian Qingqiu laughed: “With this array to obstruct the Heaven-Purifying Dao Lotus, the Jade Palace’s formation can be temporarily cut off.”
“Shut your mouth!” True Person Han Yi’s expression was like frost.
But Xian Qingqiu still continued: “Does True Person Han Yi know that Xia Lianxue, left behind by that True Person Hanshui you detest so much, seems to have returned to the Dao Realm? When I went to the Corpse Puppet Sect to obtain this array, I had intended to kill her on the side. Unfortunately, when I observed her aura, she had already reached the Fifth Stage, so I had no choice but to let her go.”
That day when Lu Changyuan and Xia Lianxue encountered Xian Qingqiu while pursuing the Corpse Puppet Sect, it was no accident.
There had never been any story of Xian Qingqiu chasing after the Corpse Puppet Sect.
Xian Qingqiu had appeared only to cover the escape of that Fifth Stage elder of the Corpse Puppet Sect, and it was then that she met Lu Changyuan and Xia Lianxue.
“That Xia Lianxue may already be climbing the mountain by now, coming to seek revenge on True Person.”
True Person Han Yi said coldly: “After today, no matter what, she will die.”
The Moon of Reflection rose behind her.
True Person Han Yi drew out a broken sword and swung it at the iron chains.
Ka-bang!
The chains quivered, rippling the air.
The broken sword and one of the chains were shattered together.
True Person Han Yi let out a muffled groan.
Blood spilled from the corner of her lips, but her expression did not change. “Only by severing these two chains can the binding of the Heaven-Purifying Dao Lotus be undone. This key of mine can only cut through one chain.”
She intended to destroy the very foundation of the Jade Palace, plunging it into chaos.
Hatred flickered in the depths of True Person Han Yi’s eyes.
Five years.
She had spent five whole years using the Moon of Reflection method to forge this broken key.
Only by combining the Jade Palace’s cultivation method with the power of the Sixth Stage had she been able to sever one chain.
Yet even so, she was still shaken severely by the grand array connected through the chains.
In broad daylight, a muffled thunderclap resounded.
The mountain-guarding array flickered, as though the heavens themselves were about to collapse.
Ignoring her own injuries, True Person Han Yi leapt again, turning into a shooting star. She soon arrived at the place where she had spoken with True Person Zhu Lu the previous night.
This was the weakest node of the grand array.
The Moon of Reflection rose once more.
A cold moon ascended behind Han Yi, then crashed violently against the gap.
Boom!
The impenetrable array was forcibly smashed open, creating a breach.
True Person Han Yi spat another mouthful of blood.
The backlash from severing the chain and striking the formation, she had endured fully.
“You’ve worked hard, Daoist Han Yi.”
A wisp of blood energy seeped through the fissure, slowly condensing into four figures.
Blood Demon Palace, True Person Qingxue, Sixth Stage — Dawning Sun!
Among the remaining figures, one had only one hand and one foot — none other than Elder Zhen. Looking at the other two, they too were Fifth Stage, Jade Balance.
“Enough chatter. Where’s the rest?”
“Daoist Han Yi, you are truly impatient.”
A hoarse, withered voice rang out.
From the crack emerged another man, his figure like a dead tree, skin and bones.
Corpse Puppet Sect, True Person Withered Corpse, Sixth Stage — Dawning Sun!
The aged, bloodless skin of True Person Withered Corpse split open, revealing a ghastly smile. “Qingxue, Zhu Lu, and I — that makes three against three.”
Suddenly, a coffin appeared in his hand.
In the blink of an eye, the coffin expanded and split in two.
From within emerged two more Fifth Stage elders of the Corpse Puppet Sect.
True Person Han Yi’s voice was icy: “Don’t count me in.”
True Person Withered Corpse replied: “Even better then, three against two. A few years ago when the Food-Buddha Sect was destroyed, our demonic path lost face. Now we finally have a chance to regain it.”
Back then, the Daoist Sects, allied with three other sects, had shattered the mountain gate of the Food-Buddha Sect.
Since then, the demonic path had lain dormant for several years.
Now that the opportunity had come, they naturally sought revenge.
“Then as agreed from the start — the Canglan Sect takes the mountain gate, my Corpse Puppet Sect takes the Heaven-Purifying Dao Lotus, and your Blood Demon Palace takes the Jade Palace’s treasury.”
True Person Qingxue smiled faintly and said: “Good.”
…..
“It’s time to climb the mountain, Fairy.”
Xia Lianxue slowly opened her eyes in confusion, only to see Lu Changyuan already seated nearby, drinking tea.
Last night… she had a pleasant dream, and even learned some valuable things.
At Lu Changyuan’s side, she always slept well.
In fact, it had always been this way.
Beside him, it was as if she could forget all her troubles.
The Young Master always had the power to bring calm to everything.
“Young Master?”
“I am here.”
“Who am I?”
Lu Changyuan squinted his eyes, then said: “You are Xia Lianxue.”
Xia Lianxue suddenly woke as if from a dream. “Yes, I am Xia Lianxue. Young Master, we should climb the mountain.”
“Were you so drowsy that you forgot who you were?”
The Fairy shook her head, her brows and eyes soft, looking like a morning water lily still bearing dew, charming and fresh.
“I was just thinking… once I avenge myself on True Person Han Yi, will Young Master leave?”
Lu Changyuan turned his back, opening the window to let the morning wind blow away the indolence of the night.
“Why say such a thing suddenly?”
Xia Lianxue gazed at his back, but her eyes suddenly seemed to double. It was as if she saw Lu Changyuan in a white robe.
“Young Master has always helped me, but I have nothing I can give in return.”
Lu Changyuan laughed: “When your cultivation is accomplished, then I’ll be the one clinging to your thigh.”
“I will.” Xia Lianxue patted her cheeks, then got out of bed. “Let’s go, Young Master, it’s time to climb the mountain.”
Lu Changyuan still did not answer whether he would leave once the Jade Palace affair ended.
But silence often was its own answer.
Xia Lianxue seemed to smile as she said: “Young Master, if we are returning to the palace, we can only walk there. My disciple token is no longer valid. If we approach rashly, we’ll be attacked by the grand formation.”
“Then we’ll walk.”
For disciples of the Jade Palace, it was enough to hold a token when entering the mountains.
The mountain-guarding array would directly transport them to the entrance of the Immortal Palace. But Xia Lianxue’s True Disciple token had already lost its effectiveness, so the two could only ascend on foot.
That meant taking the path of mortals.
First crossing a thousand mountains, then climbing ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps.
Lu Changyuan paused for a moment: “Was the Jade Palace’s mountain-guarding array always this domineering?”
“It wasn’t before, Young Master. But they say that many years ago, someone shattered the array alive, so the sect reinforced it.”