With the formation shattered, the trapped cultivators and demon beasts simultaneously broke free from its control. Under the massive backlash, Guan Su’s body rapidly withered and shriveled.
Devoid of physical support, the soul hidden within Guan Su was instantly forced out, transforming into a mass of black mist that drifted in the air.
Yuan Ji’s expression turned sharp. She strode forward and reached out to seize that soul.
The moment her fingertips touched the black mist, a decaying, aged face appeared before Yuan Ji’s eyes, as if layered from piles of tree bark.
It swiftly opened its enormous maw and let out a furious roar, attempting to devour Yuan Ji.
“Tch.” A flash of disgust quickly crossed Yuan Ji’s face. She withdrew her hand, maintaining a certain distance from that face.
Just how many living beings had he devoured for his soul to be so foul?
“Yuan Ji, the weight of his sins is too great.” A’Tong suddenly spoke up to remind her. “This person cannot be spared.”
Yuan Ji gave a slight nod. She pierced her fingertip and raised her hand, coalescing a long arrow. A feathered arrow imbued with the golden flames of dragon blood was the purest weapon in this world.
Whoosh.
The arrow pierced through the air, instantly incinerating the black mist upon contact.
Listening to the mournful, piercing shriek, Yuan Ji’s face did not show excessive delight. Suppressing the doubts in her heart, she turned her head to look at the crowd that had suddenly fallen into slumber.
The formation was broken, yet they had once again lost consciousness.
“Yuan Ji, their spiritual power is being rapidly depleted.” Qi Guan Shang spoke with grave concern, informing Yuan Ji of his discovery. “The formation is broken. Something else is draining their life force.”
“The gu worms!” Yuan Ji tilted her head, giving the crowd a deep look. The elixir she obtained from Lan Wusi could only suppress the gu worms, not truly expel them.
She raised her eyes to the gradually dispersing soul. This person’s soul was actually just a fragment. “Let’s pursue. That person might have a solution on him.”
Yuan Ji flashed forward, chasing after the soul, only to realize she had arrived at the mountain cave in the back hills.
The dark, damp cave was filled with moisture. Bats hanging upside down occasionally flew by, stirring up currents of air. The foul, stinking smell grew heavier as Yuan Ji ventured deeper, making her cough several times.
“Yuan Ji, wearing this will help.” Qi Guan Shang handed over a veil. Worried, he took Yuan Ji’s hand, applying a barrier around her to isolate the strange aura.
Just as Yuan Ji reached out to take it, a faint, drawn-in breath suddenly echoed from the darkness.
The two exchanged a glance and moved towards the source of the sound.
In the dark, narrow passageway, a swollen figure resembling a silkworm chrysalis lay crosswise in a puddle, emitting labored, hissing gasps.
A name flashed in Yuan Ji’s mind. She quickly stepped forward, conjuring a point of white light from her fingertip.
The sudden light disturbed the gloom of the cave. Instantly, bats scattered in chaos, and dust filled the air.
It took Yuan Ji a good while to barely recognize him.
Yuan Ji’s tone was cold. “Xuan Changsheng.”
“Heh.” Xuan Changsheng’s form stiffened, suddenly letting out a sound of laughter. Yet, with the shaking of his chest, the wounds covering his body were torn open even more severely, the pain cutting short his laughter and forcing him to gasp for breath.
“Riv—River God.”
Xuan Changsheng looked up at Yuan Ji and Qi Guan Shang, his eyes filled with resentment. Why? Why is it always you?
“Qi Guan Shang… or perhaps, Qi Yan.”
“Qi Guan Shang, why? Why is it always you!”
Qi Guan Shang looked at him coldly, then wrapped an arm around Yuan Ji’s shoulder as if to lead her away.
“You’re so fortunate, it makes me jealous.” Xuan Changsheng suddenly seemed to go mad, questioning sharply. His voice was hoarse, yet he cried out again and again as if unaware of pain.
“My luck was supposed to be the best. So why is it always me who fails?”
Yuan Ji muttered the word “always” suspiciously in her mind twice. She fixed her gaze on Xuan Changsheng, and a thought suddenly surfaced.
Could this person… also carry memories of past lives?
Yuan Ji suddenly crouched down, her sharp eyes locking onto Xuan Changsheng. “What do you know? Tell me.”
Xuan Changsheng pulled a provocative smile. “Why should I tell you? Helping you means helping him. Why should I let him have it easy?”
“Because of your grandfather.” Qi Guan Shang suddenly spoke. He lowered his gaze, his tone calm and steady. “He’s been searching for you for a long time. I imagine he wouldn’t wish to see you in this state.”
Since Xuan Changsheng arrived at the River God Temple, he had never managed to see his grandfather. Now, seeing him like this, his spiritual power nearly depleted, it seemed unlikely he could hold on until Xuan Chengren arrived.
Qi Guan Shang, observing Xuan Changsheng’s suddenly stunned expression, paused before continuing, “The day I fought you, I contacted him. I believe he should arrive before long.”
Xuan Changsheng’s pupils trembled. He stared blankly at the massive rock before him, murmuring, “Grandfather… Grandfather…”
After a long moment, as if having made a decision, he lifted his eyes to Yuan Ji and Qi Guan Shang. A pair of resentful eyes slowly shed two lines of bloody tears.
“That person… Qi Guan Shang, you should know him. He is the founding ancestor of the Tianji Sect—Long Mengzhi.”
Word by word, Xuan Changsheng recounted his encounter with Long Mengzhi and their interactions over the years.
That year, after leaving the protection of his family, he was found by Long Mengzhi. For some reason, the latter had been searching everywhere for children with talent in recent years.
Long Mengzhi took a very few back to the Tianji Sect to nurture, while the rest were sent to various places as chess pieces embedded in different locations.
Like Mu Danchen from the second branch of the Mu family, the outer disciple Guan Su, or himself, who was sent to the demon clan—all became pawns in his hands.
Yuan Ji and Qi Guan Shang exchanged a glance, immediately understanding why those people all felt somewhat familiar.
“He adopted many people. Today, he managed to cling to life by absorbing the spiritual power of these very individuals.”
Xuan Changsheng gave a bitter smile.
Due to his exceptional luck, Long Mengzhi quickly took him under his personal tutelage. After Xuan Changsheng mastered various skills, he was sent out to gather all kinds of heavenly and earthly treasures to help Long Mengzhi cultivate the method of “longevity.”
“Master… no, Long Mengzhi, he liked my name very much. He said my name was auspicious, so he kept me by his side.”
“At first, I thought the spiritual plants I gathered could help him maintain his ‘longevity.’ Later, I learned his longevity was bought by draining the lives of others.”
Xuan Changsheng let out a long sigh. “In the previous cycles, I died miserably under your sword, so I never learned the truth.”
“This time, I accidentally discovered it. Long Mengzhi has lived for tens of thousands of years. He has changed countless skins, assumed countless names.”
“And he has been searching all along for a vessel that could grant him true longevity.” Xuan Changsheng suddenly shifted his gaze to Yuan Ji. “Dragon bones.”
He collected fragmented dragon bones, horns, and blood from various places, all to piece together the last remaining dragon skeleton in the world.
But Long Mengzhi never expected that after gathering these, he couldn’t possess it. He could only take over something that housed a soul.
Therefore, he painstakingly calculated the person who could awaken the dragon bones—Yuan Ji.
“He sent me to the River God Temple to draw you into the Blood-Drinking Glass. That was just one part of the plan.” Xuan Changsheng’s expression suddenly turned bitter.
He never imagined his grandfather had been searching for him all along. Yet they never got to meet, and likely never would again.
Xuan Changsheng felt intensely cold. Figures swayed before his eyes, countless apparitions appearing and disappearing.
“Long Mengzhi is severely injured. He drained all my vitality. If you want to eliminate him, you must be quick.”
“He’s in the formation up ahead.”
Xuan Changsheng trembled as he raised a hand, pointing towards the deeper hollow.
As his words fell, his hand could no longer support itself and dropped heavily into the puddle. The icy water instantly submerged it.
Yuan Ji silently looked at him for a moment, then slowly released a wisp of divine power from her fingertip.
“Yuan Ji?” A’Tong looked at her, puzzled, seemingly deep in thought.
“It’s fine.” Yuan Ji shook her head. “His vitality has already scattered. It’s beyond saving.”
“This bit of vitality is enough for him to hold on until Xuan Chengren arrives.”
Everyone must take responsibility for their own choices. Once Xuan Changsheng agreed to work for Long Mengzhi, his fate was sealed.
Yuan Ji did this only so that the old man wouldn’t have his hopes raised in vain.
At least… let them meet once.
“Mhm.” A’Tong responded ambiguously, gazing at Yuan Ji in a daze.
It’s good. Yuan Ji is becoming more and more like a River God.
“Let’s go. It’s time to settle accounts with Long Mengzhi.”
Yuan Ji strode towards the depths of the cave.
Resolute. Without hesitation.
