The allure of the Sacred Fire is infinitely tempting.
Yun Liu spread his hands, looking like he was at her mercy, flickering in and out of view.
A good Elixir Cultivator can blend spirit materials into a perfect secret medicine. Every medicine has three parts poison; there is no absolute good or evil in the world.
“Hahahaha.”
Yao laughed.
“Shiyu won’t escape either. You and Bingling have long become this venerable one’s cauldrons.”
“If I wanted to enter the Dao with Demonic Arts, Sister Qin would be the first to suffer.”
“Then do you know what the Sacred Fire means? And you’re still in the mood for jokes!”
“Of course I do. That’s why I use it very carefully. Ordinary people can’t even enjoy it.”
“Hmph!”
Gelan wordlessly lay down, pressing onto the quibbling brat, shaking her head and sighing. The truth was indeed so. This child had never abused the Demonic Art, only taking its essence, using dual cultivation to share and complement each other. The effect… was quite good. But the problem was that Yun Liu had secretly cultivated the Sacred Fire and progressed rapidly.
Not only had he coincidentally received the centuries-long inheritance of the Sea of Trees, but he had also accepted the Dragon Core and Divine Tree Fortune. If this continued, he might actually cultivate into a heretical holy son lost outside, rebelling against the sect and becoming the Eight Banners Demon Lord? That would be too ridiculous!
“This matter is over. Are you really not coming back with us?”
Yun Liu probed softly, feeling very melancholy.
Gelan smiled bitterly and shook her head, a look of affection in her eyes as she kissed the young man’s cheek.
“Seeing you all safe and sound, I can leave with peace of mind. Here there is no Head of Qingxia Peak, only Niu Yulan who met by chance.”
“But Aunt Master’s condition is very serious. Without you, what if someone dies?”
“Someone has already died, from a certain perspective—just that the person involved doesn’t know yet~.”
“I can’t manage her. Neither of you master and disciple gives me peace of mind. No, it’s three—even Ji Shiyu has been infected by you. If the daughter of the Celestial Aristocratic Family insists on marrying no one but you, I’d like to see how you handle it.”
Gelan smiled and tapped Yun Liu’s nose. The young man was also troubled.
“Well…”
The silly and adorable adopted daughter was in her rebellious teenage years.
“Moreover, there is a sacred land in my heart that I have longed for. Taking this opportunity, I can once again survey the world as a cultivator and throw off constraints. The last time I received a letter from Liu Ru a few years ago, it was from the Great Snow Mountain in Cangmang Prefecture. The couple found an opportunity to help Aunt Master resolve the Cold Poison. Maybe I can be of help.”
Yun Liu nodded dejectedly. Since Gelan had already decided, he did not try to keep her. All feasts must come to an end.
At their parting, Gelan no longer suppressed her nature and gave herself completely to the Sacred Fire. A tide of desire nearly drowned Yun Liu.
“Little fool, you may not yet know what earth-shattering feat you’ve accomplished.”
“Did I? Just a passerby who happened by. Ancient divine beasts and immortals fighting—what does it have to do with me?”
Yun Liu’s answer made Gelan quite satisfied. His face was full of innocence, without a trace of smugness. This was not something to show off. With a mortal body, he had entrapped and killed the Holy Spirit of the Nine Provinces, used the Great Whirlpool to win yet another Trial of Fate.
Who could have thought that the mastermind behind the Yinglong’s fall was merely a Golden Core Cultivator? Although it was Bingling who went mad first, and the Kunpeng Stirred the Sea later, the seemingly insignificant weak young man had actually dominated everything, bearing the cause and effect. Only by standing aside and witnessing it firsthand would one find it terrifying.
“Isn’t the most terrifying part right here? If you draw the attention of some ancient beings, even Old Shen won’t be able to protect you.”
“I know. This will not happen again.”
“Remember, remember…”
As they chatted, with a stomp on the accelerator, they shot into the sky again. The injured body did not affect high-speed driving. The Divine Tree Borer had silently perished in the Boundless Sea, and the Shrine had completely lost its protection.
By the time the old thief Long Yi notices, it will already be too late; he can only wait for death in the Root Mansion. The junior sister was saved, and thus the Dragon Qi bindings were severed. Gelan and Yan Bingling would not expose Yun Liu. Nuo Nuo, who was quietly making a fortune, even less so. As for the Yushen Clan, they would only know that it was the work of some blonde who liked to steal other people’s wives…
According to the original plan, when Ji Shiyu, disguised as a man, is “accidentally” exposed in Mirage City, the shifting world line would converge. At that time, the Feng Aotian training plan would come to a perfect end and return to the right track. It wasn’t shifting blame, but only the Fallen Mysterious Woman could bear these great karmas.
The last tender moment was a bit too brief. By the time Yun Liu came back to his senses, Gelan had already disappeared. That wild woman was swift and decisive, not even giving a chance to say goodbye. Her trace was gone, only the lingering fragrance in his palm.
“Where’s Aunt Lan?”
Ji Shiyu had finished bathing, plopped down onto the bed, and had also caught a few fish, which she grilled over a fire. She was eating one in her mouth and holding two in her hands, shoving them all to Yun Liu.
“Gone.”
“Gone where? By the way, how did she and Aunt Master end up here?”
“All for your sake.”
Yun Liu stretched his shoulders. After some nourishment, he recovered a bit of vitality. He erased another shadow, and his mood relaxed accordingly.
“True, then I won’t ask.”
“Isn’t it a bit late to ask now?”
Ji Shiyu shrugged and buried her head in chewing fish. As long as she was by her teacher’s side, everything was fine.
“Hey, why is it all wet? Did you wet the bed?”
Yun Liu’s expression stiffened. The fairy maiden of Qingxia Peak was famously moist. Afterwards, he would have to go to Xiang’er and confess his guilt, already prepared to kneel on a washboard.
“It’s hot weather, a bit of sweat is normal.”
“The displacement is quite large.”
Ji Shiyu muttered softly, her buttocks all wet.
At that moment, the Spirit Boat rocked slightly and gradually tilted.
“What now?”
Feng Aotian flew in, flapping:
“Terrible! We’ve been caught in the Great Whirlpool! Is it okay to go down to the sea like this?”
“The boat will straighten itself when it reaches the bridge. Sister Qin should be there too.”
Yun Liu stretched. Returning to the second volume of the main storyline meant getting the Divine Tree Fortune ahead of schedule. Going back to tackle Mirage City would be much easier. Ji Shiyu’s eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. Since we’re here, it would be a shame not to go down and take a look.
“Li Su said that the Mirage Sea Market has many, many fun things, and the salty fish sisters of Qiongxiao Palace are all super pretty!”
“She’s never been there, how does she know?”
“Of course her teacher told her!”
Yun Liu also had his own purpose, and that was the Demon Ancient Hexagram Text. Gelan said she had seen similar strange tortoise shells at the sea market. He looked the golden-haired girl up and down and said with a smile:
“But going down like this won’t do. If we’re acting, we have to go all the way. We can’t lose our identities.”
“Huh?”
“How we came, how we go. I am Yun Liu of the Sea-Severing Alliance. And you?”
Ji Shiyu’s antenna hair stood up, and she suddenly understood, saying:
“I am Ji Shiyu of the Chain Docks! Ah, I know, I know. This is called turning the tables, swapping identities, playing ourselves.”
Yun Liu patted “Big Brother-in-Law’s” shoulder and praised:
“Our Shiyu is getting smarter and smarter.”
“Of course!”
The little blonde wiped her nose, received the praise, and giggled foolishly, seeming a bit more wholesome.
Yun Liu washed up and changed back into a white long robe. Ji Shiyu, on the other hand, transformed into a handsome and elegant young master, with starry eyes full of spirit and shining golden hair.