Longevity, starting from traveling and telling stories

Chapter 233 Fate Turns Again
Tian Sui Palace, inside the majestic and towering main hall.

A figure, sealed by a cassock and willow branches, sat beneath the Seven Star Array, surrounded by a blood-red aura, as if it might break free of the seal at any moment.

"Your Majesty, how can we cure the poison of the Blood God Child?" Mu Jingtian felt a slight pang of sorrow as he looked at his longtime friend's suffering.

The Empress frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "The Blood God Child's poison is extremely difficult to deal with. Zhi Qiu has been poisoned for a long time, and I'm afraid the Seven Star Formation alone will not be enough to completely eradicate it."

"What should we do then? Please enlighten me, Your Majesty. I will give my all and never back down." Mu Jingtian bowed with his hands clasped, his tone unwavering.

The Empress turned to Mu Jingtian and said, "After you return, immediately initiate the Soul-Severing Valley Trial of your sect."

"A trial?" Mu Jingtian looked puzzled. "Your Majesty, Zhi Qiu is in grave danger. After all, he is still your disciple..."

Before Mu Jingtian could finish speaking, the Empress interrupted him: "I know."

Then she sighed helplessly, "There is a Soul-Scattering Spring in the Valley of Broken Souls. If we can find it, perhaps we can save Zhi Qiu."

Mu Jingtian was taken aback. The Soul-Scattering Spring? Could it be that it's going to scatter Zhi Qiu's three souls and seven spirits, forcibly expel the Blood God Child, and then reassemble the three souls and seven spirits?
So he respectfully said, "If Your Majesty needs the Soul-Dispersing Spring, I am willing to go and obtain it myself. Why rely on those disciples? What if they fail to find it?"

The Empress sighed softly and said slowly, "It's not that I'm unwilling to go in person, but the identity of the spies is still unknown, and it would be easy for us to be exposed if we went in person."

"If the other side makes the first move and forcibly destroys the spring, Zhi Qiu's life will be in danger."

Upon hearing this, Mu Jingtian was immediately startled, realizing that the Empress was indeed very thoughtful.

They are likely under surveillance now, and if they go to Broken Soul Valley without a reason, they will arouse suspicion and their motives will be easily exposed.

Moreover, the location of the Soul Scattering Spring is hidden and extremely difficult to find, so using the trial as a pretext to carry out the mission is indeed much more convenient.

He then smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will return to the Divine Willow Palace to arrange the trial. As for Zhi Qiu, I will trouble Your Majesty to suppress the Blood God Child within him for the time being."

The Empress nodded, her tone indifferent: "You will also take the disciples of the Heavenly Palace with you to the trial. In this way, you can take the opportunity to accompany and look after them during the trial."

"Yes." Mu Jingtian bowed and withdrew.

Normally, he would never accept a disciple of Tian Sui Palace, but the Empress is different. Everyone in the Immortal Realm knows that the Empress and Ye Suifeng have been lovers for many years, and her influence is even greater than that of Ye Zhi Qiu.

the other side.

Beside the dark green, icy pool lay a patch of scorched earth. The dragon crocodile's highly venomous blood began to take effect, seeping into the soil and causing waves of heat to rise.

Not far from this poisonous land, a pale-faced girl was tending to a young man whose injuries were extremely serious.

Not far away, another young man was rapidly flying towards them on his sword; it was Ye Beixuan.

Seeing Ye Xiaofan's face swollen like a pig's head, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. This guy has always been very concerned about his image, so he had to help him get better, otherwise who knows what kind of trouble he might cause again.

Ye Yaoyao was already severely injured and her spiritual energy was greatly depleted. At this moment, she was using the little spiritual energy she had left to transfer to Ye Xiaofan, which made her face even paler.

Suddenly, a warm hand pressed against her back, and a stream of pure spiritual energy, though not powerful, flowed into her, instantly relieving her pressure.

She immediately realized that Junior Brother Ye was helping her. Feeling Ye Beixuan's warm hand, the image of him saving her kept flashing through her mind, and her heart started racing involuntarily.

What's wrong with me? Why am I so nervous!

After a while, noticing that Ye Xiaofan's breathing was becoming more and more stable, Ye Beixuan and Ye Yaoyao stopped their practice at the same time.

"Senior Sister Ye, this is a Qi-Nourishing Pill. I refined a bottle before leaving the Tianyan Sect. Take one to recover!"

"Thank you, junior brother." Ye Yaoyao's pupils shrank slightly as she looked at the pill in Ye Beixuan's hand, which was radiating a pure aura. Could this be another top-grade pill? Without hesitation, she reached out and took the pill. The pill melted instantly in her mouth, and its medicinal power flowed from her heart to her limbs and bones.

After she recovered from her shock, Ye Beixuan had already given Ye Xiaofan another Qi-Nourishing Pill. Ye Xiaofan's injuries were visibly healing rapidly, and the scabs on her wounds began to fall off, revealing perfectly healthy skin underneath.

After finishing all this, Ye Beixuan said with a wry smile, "Senior Sister, the Dragon Crocodile's eyes were blown off this time. What should we do? This is all that's left."

As he spoke, he took out his eyeball, which had been blown into four or five pieces, and handed it to Ye Yaoyao to examine.

"Junior brother, how was this dragon crocodile defeated?" After finishing everything, Ye Yaoyao finally remembered to ask.

Logically speaking, she and Ye Xiaofan, two celestial immortals, were defeated by the dragon crocodile in an instant, while Ye Beixuan, an earth immortal, not only did not die, but also seemed to be unharmed.

I knew this problem would arise once I arrived. In fact, on the way back, Ye Beixuan had already prepared his explanation, and he would have to make that headless guy take the blame.

So, as if telling a story, he fabricated a tale about how, when he was about to die, a headless man appeared with overwhelming power and smashed a giant crocodile with an axe, leaving Ye Yaoyao stunned.

"I never expected that we would be able to escape from such a desperate situation. I don't know why this headless man has helped us time and time again."

Ye Beixuan sighed inwardly. That headless man had long since turned to ashes. Why? It was all because you saved me.

But he still changed the subject at the right time: "Senior sister, now that the trial is over, let's hurry back!"

"Hmm..." Ye Yaoyao nodded gently. Ye Xiaofan was currently unconscious, and this place was fraught with danger, so it would be safer to go back.

The journey back was relatively smooth, without any obstacles.

As dusk fell, two beams of light pierced through the mountains and headed straight for the mountain gate.

A magnificent palace stood tall in the clouds, and on the plaza below, Ye Beixuan helped Ye Xiaofan land.

Ye Beixuan originally planned to carry Ye Xiaofan home, but the guy woke up halfway there and kept complaining that Ye Beixuan was pressing on his lungs.

They've just returned and haven't quite settled in yet.

clang……

A bronze bell rang out, its sound causing the leaves of the surrounding trees to rustle.

Ye Xiaofan's pupils contracted, and he said in a serious tone, "There is an emergency. I need to summon the disciples to the main hall. I will have to trouble you, Junior Brother Ye, to help me to the main hall."

Ye Beixuan helped Ye Xiaofan and Ye Yaoyao, the two injured people, into the main hall amidst the strange looks from the crowd.

Inside the main hall, seven star lamps hung from the ten-zhang-high roof, their light casting flickering shadows on the expressions of everyone present.

Above the main hall, Mu Jingtian stood with his hands behind his back in the position of palace master, the throne behind him radiating starlight.

"Seven days from now, the most elite disciples from the ten sects of the Southern Region will participate in the Soul-Severing Valley Trial." Ye Xiaofan looked puzzled. Where was his master? Why was it Uncle-Master Mu who was in charge of this matter? He knew very well that Mu Jingtian and Ye Zhi Qiu were inseparable; in their youth, they had even switched identities to become the senior disciples in each other's sects. But how could such an important and meticulous matter be handled so hastily?

Ye Beixuan frowned slightly, noticing that Mu Jingtian exuded the same aura as the willow tree. After a moment's thought, he realized that Mu Jingtian was probably the disciple of Fu Liu Tianjun.

"Sect Master Mu, there are many heroic spirits who died in the Valley of Broken Souls. They deserve respect, but they have lost their minds. These disciples are the future of the sect. If they encounter danger..." An elder from Tian Sui Palace stepped forward and asked with his hands clasped.

Mu Jingtian had anticipated this question. He remained calm and said in a nonchalant tone, "It's alright. I will personally lead the team in this trial. If there is any danger, I will take action."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone was immediately excited. You must know that this is the Palace Master of Shenliu Palace, a peak Great Luo Golden Immortal, only half a step away from stepping into the Saint Realm, and one of the most powerful figures in the Immortal Realm.

Midnight.

Ye Xiaofan was calmly adjusting his breathing in his room to stabilize his injuries. After a long while, he let out a heavy breath, his heart filled with amazement! The pills that Junior Sister Ye had given him were so effective; at this rate, his injuries would surely be healed in a few days.

Just as he was secretly pleased that his junior sister was willing to save him, a figure flashed like a ghost and appeared in front of him in an instant.

"Uncle-Master Mu?" Ye Xiaofan looked surprised and asked Mu Jingtian, who had a serious expression, "What brings you here so late at night?"

"Sigh..." Mu Jingtian sighed softly, his tone tinged with sorrow, and said, "Xiao Fan, do you know why I personally led this trial?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaofan shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum.

"Sigh..." Mu Jingtian sighed again, and then told Ye Zhi Qiu's situation in detail.

"What?" Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaofan's expression changed drastically, and he became so excited that he couldn't speak coherently: "Uncle Mu, how is my master? Where is he?"

Seeing Ye Xiaofan's excited expression, Mu Jingtian briefly recounted the situation again, and then slowly said, "Come with me."

Before long, Ye Xiaofan was led into a rather secluded underground palace chamber.

The blue light emanating from the Seven Star Array illuminated the transparent ice coffin.

The figure sitting cross-legged inside the coffin was wrapped in a cassock and bound by willow branches, with a faint blood-red light swirling around him. Whenever the blood-red light suddenly intensified, staining the entire ice coffin red, the person inside would begin to struggle violently, each struggle causing the runes on the ice coffin to explode.

"What is this...?" A sense of foreboding welled up in Ye Xiaofan's heart. He seemed to have guessed something, but he dared not believe it.

"This is your master..." Mu Jingtian's answer made Ye Xiaofan's heart sink completely, and his eyes couldn't help but sting.

"Uncle Mu, who on earth harmed my master like this?"

Mu Jingtian sighed helplessly, his tone wistful, "It's still unclear. By the way, do you know if your master has shown any unusual behavior lately?"

“Something unusual? It doesn’t seem different at all!” Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaofan immediately fell into deep thought.

After a while, he suddenly muttered to himself, "Master seems to be particularly eager to obtain the Heavenly Sword lately. Oh! Also, he instructed us to bring back the eyes of the dragon crocodile in the Misty Swamp. It's just a pity that the eyes were shattered."

“He must have sensed something, but he wasn’t sure…” A cold voice interrupted Ye Xiaofan’s thoughts.

He subconsciously turned his head to look, and saw a woman with a white light condensed on her fingertip. She gently touched the ice coffin and suppressed the surging blood inside.

"The Soul-Scattering Spring is in the Ghost Howling Abyss." She casually waved her hand, and her wide sleeves swept across the void, where maps materialized and slowly flew into Mu Jingtian's hand.

Ye Xiaofan stared at the stunningly beautiful woman, trying to remember her appearance, but strangely, despite seeing her clearly, he couldn't recall her features at all.

Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound rang out as three willow branches snapped instantly inside the ice coffin. Then, with a crack, cracks began to appear in the coffin. With a series of crisp sounds of shattering glass, the cracks spread rapidly throughout the entire ice coffin like a spiderweb.

The Empress frowned, then pressed her palm heavily onto the ice coffin. Instantly, the surface of the ice coffin became transparent and colorless again, returning to its original state.

"Such terrifying cultivation..." Ye Xiaofan's pupils contracted sharply. This woman was even stronger than his master. Who exactly was she?

Seeing that the ice coffin had returned to its original state, Mu Jingtian breathed a sigh of relief, lightly kicked Ye Xiaofan in the buttocks, and teased, "Why don't you hurry up and kneel down to pay homage to your grandmaster?"

"Huh?..." Ye Xiaofan was astonished, but he still quickly knelt down and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Grandmaster Mother."

"No need for formalities..." The Empress's expression remained aloof, and she said in a calm tone, "Jingtian, I'll leave this place to you for now. I'll go out for a bit."

"Yes, senior."

the other side.

As soon as Ye Beixuan returned to his cave, he couldn't wait to begin cultivating, not wanting to waste a single moment. This trial made him deeply aware that the outside world was fraught with danger, and he secretly resolved that he would never leave the mountain until he had cultivated to the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm.

Just like last time, he sat cross-legged at the bottom of the cold pool inside the cave.

As he circulated the Chaos Technique, the liquid spiritual energy at the bottom of the pool seemed to boil, causing the surface to churn violently. The spiritual energy at the bottom of the cold pool, like birds returning to their nests, continuously flowed into his meridians.

Suddenly, a book radiating seven-colored light appeared in his dantian, instantly devouring all the surging and violent spiritual energy.

"Boom!"

The water in the pool suddenly surged into the sky, and a figure stood in mid-air. Ye Beixuan flashed and arrived at the open space outside the cave entrance, where he began to practice the sword moves he had seen Ye Xiaofan practice earlier.

the other side.

For the past few days, the Empress has remained in Tian Sui Palace, not venturing out unnecessarily. She harbors a sense of dread, fearing that the sights and sounds might trigger painful memories of the past.

However, for some reason, she ended up here again as she walked. Looking at everything before her, it seemed familiar, yet everything felt different.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of sword practice, and a question arose in her mind: who could be practicing swordsmanship so late at night?

With this question in mind, she flashed and instantly arrived before the cave that haunted her dreams. The scene before her seemed to transport her back ten thousand years—it was him!

Once, right here, she gently strummed the strings to accompany him, while he danced with his sword and drank wine; that beautiful scene seems like it was just yesterday.

Ye Beixuan, who was engrossed in practicing his sword moves, suddenly sensed someone approaching. He immediately stopped and turned to look.

A peerless, independent figure stood quietly watching him practice his swordsmanship, his eyes sparkling with starlight.

This woman…so beautiful… Ye Beixuan’s heart suddenly started racing. Oh no! This is the feeling of being smitten. What’s going on? Why do I always lose control when I see a beautiful woman…?

There is no reason!
(End of this chapter)