Chapter 153

Manzhi was getting anxious, but Chu Feng remained calm and even chuckled.

“…” Manzhi ground her teeth, expressionless. Seeing Chu Feng’s strange yet attractive smile, she decided not to get angry. If she got angry, Qin Yi would get her wish.

While Manzhi was swallowing her anger, Chu Feng’s eyes were full of amusement. She raised her lips slightly and said:

“Qiong Ling said that after you killed the patriarch of the Lingyun Sect, in order to let my dispersed soul return to the immortal realm, you used a secret technique of changing destinies.”

“From then on, you only pass through the gates of the underworld, without crossing the Yellow Springs, without drinking from the Lethe, without stepping on the Naihe Bridge. You cannot enter the underworld, nor can you be reincarnated as a human. In the immortal realm, you only exist as a soul, unable to reshape your physical body.”

Manzhi looked at Chu Feng suspiciously.

According to Chu Feng’s logic, instead of committing suicide after killing the cultivator, she used a secret technique… It wasn’t impossible given her personality.

After all, she was about to die, so it wasn’t unreasonable to make use of resources.

Most importantly, Manzhi knew a thing or two about exchanging lives. It seemed quite unreliable and the results were ambiguous, with almost no guarantees. Manzhi took it for amusement and never took it seriously.

If what Chu Feng said was true, then at that time, how much she must have wished for Chu Feng to come back to life in order to choose to believe in such a thing.

Did she have such deep feelings? Manzhi was scared by this possibility, shivering, feeling eerie.

She was scared of herself in the story, and as she looked up, she saw Chu Feng’s slightly roguish smile. Manzhi could even see the sharp poisonous fangs on both sides of her crimson lips, beautiful yet dangerous.

Manzhi quickly looked away, sounding displeased:

“I don’t even have a physical body anymore, and you’re so happy? Is that even appropriate?” It’s simply outrageous! Chu Feng, you have no heart.

Chu Feng leisurely responded:

“Sorry, but I’m actually quite happy.”

When Qiong Ling told her about it, she was stunned and bewildered, unable to believe that the person Qiong Ling described, who would die for her, was the carefree and heartless demon queen Qin Yi she knew.

As time passed slowly, everything unfolded as Qiong Ling predicted. While she recovered her demonic body and memories, she saw Qin Yi’s soul inhabiting a furry monster.

Now, as Chu Feng recounted this to the fox Manzhi, she felt oddly content in addition to being relieved.

Manzhi was willing to sacrifice herself for her.

“… I’ll let it slide this time because you haven’t experienced being human. Now, let me go.”

Chu Feng raised her hand.

The silver fox quickly rolled away with its fur all ruffled, running to sit on a stack of soft blankets across from her, shaking its fur.

Previously, when Chu Feng relayed her conversation with Qiong Ling, although she inevitably mentioned the romantic subplot between them, her narration was very reserved and indifferent. She spoke lightly, while the fox opposite her was probably shocked by the plot development, listening with wide-eyed astonishment, probably still not fully comprehending.

Who knows how long it will take for her to come back to her senses.

Once she does, she’ll probably act like nothing happened and try to avoid the subject. Look, she’s already about to run away, starting to regain her senses.

Chu Feng didn’t plan to give her a chance to react, and went straight on:

“Qiong Ling also told me that although I’m reincarnated, my heart is still that of the demon king from a thousand years ago, destined to repeat the same mistakes. The solution she devised was to seal my memories, and after a hundred years, there will be a resolution.”

Chu Feng never trusted easily, but at that moment, Qiong Ling gave her a faint yet wonderful hope, and she willingly took the gamble, even feeling exhilarated.

“Then I followed Qiong Ling. After taking the transformation grass to become human, my memories were sealed. I only remember being entrusted to the former head of the Buddhist sect due to my Buddhist affinity.”

Chu Feng paused. “Yin Bi was also entrusted to me by Qiong Ling. Looking back now, Yin Bi was also part of the reason we met.”

The silver fox showed a look of admiration on its face. “Yin Bi was also used. Your story still has some details in it.”

Chu Feng raised an eyebrow, ignoring her, and continued, “It’s the same reason. When Qiong Ling entered the small realm of knowledge, she found you still sleeping and took away that memory of yours.”

“Is it okay to keep that memory?”

“According to Qiong Ling, these are unnecessary ‘distractions’ that need to be cleared away for safety.”

Is it true or not? Manzhi found it hard to imagine that someone had secretly entered her cave without her knowledge, intruded into her consciousness, and took away a memory.

Manzhi suddenly asked, “What did Qiong Ling use to take away memories?”

“Her rarely seen ancestral artifact, the writing brush.”

Chu Feng replied calmly and naturally. Manzhi fell silent. Even this kind of detail was answered, showing that the whole story was consistent. Even if this matter was fabricated, she had no doubt that Chu Feng’s mind had already concocted a complete fantasy.

Moreover, Chu Feng recalled her past memories after transforming, which happened right before her eyes…

“You don’t need to rack your brain to guess its authenticity.”

In the extremely quiet palace chamber, Chu Feng’s chilly voice slowly echoed, carrying a hint of temptation.

“Qiong Ling said your memory is still waiting for you to retrieve it.”

Manzhi looked up, her gaze sliding from Chu Feng’s swaying slender waist covered in fine white scales to her face.

“Where is it?”

Chu Feng narrowed her eyes and smiled.

“Do you still remember… that snake-mouthed lotus?”

From seeing the buildings between the mountains to arriving at the foot of the mountain, it took Yu Yi half an hour.

Only now could it be seen clearly that this was a dilapidated palace, made of an unknown material, completely black. It seemed that once light shone in, it was swallowed up completely. Amidst the carved beams and painted pillars, traces of past luxury could be vaguely discerned. However, now it seemed to be enveloped in the aura of long neglect, silent and still.

Yu Yi stepped forward, carefully examining the dilapidated palace. Because there were no demon cultivators on the barren plain, but countless demonic energies and demon cultivators gathered in this palace, it was indeed strange.

Just looking at it, nothing unusual could be seen. The wind blew through the hills, rustling the treetops. Amidst the rustling leaves, there was a low whine, causing the cloak behind Yu Yi to flutter in the wind. Yu Yi adjusted her cloak and was about to enter—

Wait, Yu Yi stretched her neck to look ahead.

The grass and trees outside the palace were swaying endlessly in the wind, while inside the palace, tall trees stood quietly, silent and motionless.

From the snowy cold jade cave, to the barren plain, and now to the palace, they seemed like three unrelated fragments pieced together.

Yu Yi calmly weighed the jade token in her hand, pondered for a moment, raised her eyebrows, and stepped into the palace.

As soon as she stepped in, the space in front of her seemed to expand infinitely. The palace doors and walls that were just behind and beside her were now stretched open by infinite space. Yu Yi glanced around and found herself back in the mountains.

This place looked like a hillside covered with silky green grass and unknown white flowers blooming. Yu Yi looked up and saw no sun overhead, just a white light.

Where she stood was the top of the hill, a scene of springtime beauty. Yu Yi took out the jade token and saw herself standing in a pile of demon cultivators. She raised an eyebrow, clenched the token tightly, and looked down.

Below the hillside was hell.

An invisible barrier divided the hillside into two sections.

Above the barrier was a graceful and beautiful small hill.

Below the barrier, countless demon cultivators looked greedy, their eyes burning red, staring straight at the lake on the protruding mountain wall halfway up the mountain. They climbed up on the bodies of their own kind, even ruthlessly killing each other.

Occasionally, one or two demon cultivators managed to climb halfway up the mountain, but they convulsed all over as soon as they touched the barrier. Before they could attack the barrier, they were restrained by the demon cultivators beside them, or even killed directly.

And those killed demon cultivators would melt into a black mass on the spot, absorbed by the transparent barrier. In no time, only a faint gray remained on the barrier, spreading out like ink on the water’s surface, and in the blink of an eye, it completely merged into the barrier, disappearing without a trace. Only scattered light, with a whoosh, merged into the lake.

Every time this happened, the demon cultivators’ gaze towards the lake became even more fervent. It was as if the death of their kind did not make them retreat, but instead intensified their desire for victory.

After glancing at the demon cultivators for a few moments, Yu Yi turned her gaze to the lake:

“The Demon Lake.”

A lake formed by the purest demonic energy. This pool alone was enough for demon cultivators to break through several major realms, no wonder each of them was so frenzied.

Unfortunately, these were prepared for her by Manzhi. Even their appearance here was probably “summoned” by Manzhi.

From the foot of the mountain to the mountain waist, one would be hindered by the barrier, but descending from the mountaintop, one could effortlessly descend with the wind.

Yu Yi’s footwork was light as a feather, but in the eyes of the demon cultivators, it was like a heavy hammer striking their heads, causing all of them to suddenly stiffen.

Damn, how come there’s someone here who doesn’t follow the rules?

Why do we all have to climb from the foot of the mountain, but she can come down from the mountaintop?

Is she cheating?

Question marks covered the faces of the demon cultivators.

But Yu Yi had long since stopped paying attention to them. She put away her cloak and walked to the edge of the Demon Lake.

Yu Yi had long since put away the little cat. At this moment, she was already a Yuan Ying. Not only had her appearance changed greatly, but even her figure was much taller than before. She vaguely glimpsed her own reflection in the Demon Lake, bearing three points of resemblance to Song Pianxian. She couldn’t help but secretly anticipate whether the self who would leave from here would become more like Big Sister.

She reached out her hand, circulated her techniques, and stirred the Demon Lake. The demonic energy rushed eagerly towards her. Yu Yi smirked slightly, no longer delaying, and plunged into the lake, focusing on manipulating the demonic energy.

After absorbing the demonic energy first, then using up these demon cultivators, she could go back and find Big Sister…

The Seven-Star Twin Phoenix Blade brought out a bright blade light in the air, accompanied by the black blood from the necks of the demon cultivators.

Song Pianxian held the handle of the blade, her brows and eyes calm and composed, showing neither joy nor anger. She remained unmoved by the wind, her red clothes vibrant.

Behind her, lay a path of corpses.

All were the bodies of demon cultivators, lying scattered in groups of three or two on the barren plain, piecing together a winding path.

Yu Yi’s jade token was still intact, while Song Pianxian was searching for someone. She noticed that the demon cultivators she encountered were all rushing in one direction. She thought for a moment, realizing that the destination of the demon cultivators must be peculiar, so she decided to investigate.

At this moment, the path she had come on, stepping on the bodies of demon cultivators, finally reached its end. Song Pianxian stood in mid-air, looking down at the dilapidated and silent palace below her.

Why had so many demon cultivators been drawn here? It seemed that she would have to enter to understand. Song Pianxian made up her mind, formed a concealment technique, and entered from above the palace.

After entering the palace, the sky and the earth continuously expanded, and the space expanded infinitely. Song Pianxian landed in a garden.

Although it was called a garden, there were hardly any living creatures left. However, judging from the withered and dead vines and trees, it was clear that they were plants not found in the cultivation world, dark in color. Song Pianxian could almost conclude that this was a palace of demon cultivators.

Being able to possess a palace and attract demon cultivators must be a demon leader with some status among them, possibly the person behind ordering the demon cultivators to attack them.

There was no one around, eerily quiet. While carefully concealing herself, Song Pianxian released her divine sense.

Soon, she discovered that not far from her, there was a place where countless demon cultivators were gathered.

With a cold expression, Song Pianxian immediately headed towards it—

Coming out of the garden, she stepped onto a hillside that only existed in spring, almost making Song Pianxian think she had stepped into some kind of formation inside the palace.

After confirming that there was no trickery, Song Pianxian became even more relaxed and discreet, retracting her easily detectable divine sense, and began to explore the area herself.

The top of the slope was only a small space, behind her was the garden she had passed through, and as she moved forward, she looked down—

Under the slope, shrouded in clouds and mist, was filled with faint gray demonic energy, like semi-transparent gauze, layered upon layer.

Through the misty cover, Song Pianxian faintly glimpsed a female cultivator lying on the half mountainside.

A female demon cultivator.

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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Ruu

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