Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Desert Oasis, Camel Bell Marketplace.

The annual Pastoral Festival had arrived in the frontier, adorned with lanterns and festoons. Miniature windmills, shimmering in the breeze, connected houses and trees, casting a city of twinkling lights.

The dwellings here were constructed from clay, with yellowish-white walls and flat roofs. Most were only two stories high. The Oasis Town was nestled by a vast water source, with a lush green expanse in its center. Buildings lined the banks, while thousands of tents encircled them, forming a festive encampment for the festival.

Merchant caravans from the western regions flocked here to resupply and celebrate this grand occasion akin to the New Year. The marketplace was even more bustling than the largest city in the land.

"Let's find a place to stay first," Long Jianlu suggested. "We need to focus on our mission."

Yaoguang realized that his obsession with money seemed foolish to Long Jianlu, who could effortlessly conjure gold leaves with a mere gesture. Accommodation and meals were unnecessary expenses for him.

"What mission?" Yaoguang inquired. "Are we practicing dual cultivation again? Ah! Should we go... alright... um..."

The lodgings in Desert Oasis could be described as "luxurious." Long Jianlu requested the finest room, which resembled a palace with its carpeted floors and abundance of cushions. However, the inns were semi-open, similar to those in the Western Regions, with only sheer curtains for privacy.

Long Jianlu and Yaoguang embraced on a bed of cushions and soft mats.

The dual cultivation technique required sessions in the morning, during the afternoon nap, and before bedtime at night. Initially, Yaoguang was greatly affected, but he gradually grew accustomed to it and even became more proactive, no longer resisting Long Jianlu's kisses.

Long Jianlu seemed to be in a particularly good mood. He held Yaoguang tightly, continuously kissing him. Whenever Yaoguang attempted to say something, Long Jianlu sealed his lips, preventing him from speaking.

"Focus on sensing," Long Jianlu panted, his breath uneven. "Can you feel it?"

This was Yaoguang's favorite moment. He surrendered himself entirely to Long Jianlu, feeling his immense power. At that instant, thoughts of leaving vanished, replaced solely by reluctance to part.

On the other side of the sandbank, Dai Ye and Shan Rong rode their swords to the marketplace.

"You can only wait for them to show up," Dai Ye said solemnly.

Shan Rong stood outside the inn for a moment, then turned silently and headed for the market.

The two brothers-in-arms sat in a food stall within the marketplace, silently facing each other.

"We need to inform the sect," Dai Ye said.

Shan Rong replied, "Rumor has it that Long Jianlu was already at the Great Achievement Realm back then, just one step away from ascending to immortality. After being imprisoned for ninety-nine years, even our sect's full might would be powerless against him."

Dai Ye: "Since we managed to seal him back then, we can do it again now."

Shan Rong: "I doubt he'd make the same mistake twice. From his treatment of Junior Brother Yaoguang, I sense that he's not an irrational or utterly destructive person."

Dai Ye: "How can we trust someone from the Demon Sect?"

Shan Rong's brows furrowed deeply. "What choice do we have? We can't defeat him, so negotiation is our only option."

At that moment, Long Jianlu, the world's number one cultivator at the Great Achievement realm, concluded their dual cultivation session with Yaoguang. Gazing at Yaoguang, he began to kiss him and channel his energy, assisting in the harmonization of his vital energy.

Yaoguang's stomach rumbled in protest.

Long Jianlu: "..."

"I'm going to eat!" Yaoguang declared.

Long Jianlu then reached out to pull him up, embracing him as he called for clothing to be brought to the door. The two donned attire typical of the Western regions and descended to dine.

In the heart of the marketplace, the air was filled with the enticing aromas of roasted meats and delectable dishes. Large pots simmered at the entrance of food stalls, containing creamy white bone-in mutton soup, while elsewhere, flatbreads were sizzling on charcoal grills alongside scallions. Marvelous!

"Take a seat here, huh?" Yaoguang noticed the two bitter Sky Sword Sect seniors. "Senior Brother Shan Rong, Eldest Senior Brother Dai Ye, why are you here? Aren't you returning to the sect?"

Long Jianlu commented, "Your sect is quite amusing. You were just shouting for a fight, and now you're expressing deep affection for your fellow sect members, reconciling over a handshake."

"It's my duty!"

Dai Ye seemed poised to react, but Shan Rong silenced him with a glance.

"Yaoguang," Shan Rong said calmly, "I have a few words I wish to speak with you."

Yaoguang was in high spirits, especially since Long Jianlu had ordered quite a spread from nearby shops.

"You should eat too," Yaoguang offered. "Aren't you hungry?"

Shan Rong nodded. "Thank you."

Long Jianlu called for more wine and sat aside, enjoying his drink.

Shan Rong continued, "Though I'm unsure how you came to know about this Brother Long – the location of the Demon Sovereign – I can only imagine that your journey must have been fraught with challenges."

Dai Ye suddenly said, "Junior Apprentice Brother Yan Guang, was your true purpose for joining our Sky Sword Sect back then solely to rescue this devil king?"

"Ah, no, no," Yaoguang hurriedly replied. "Don't misunderstand, Senior Apprentice Brother. It really wasn't."

Long Jianlu smiled but didn't intervene in the conversation.

Shan Rong glanced at Long Jianlu and then asked, "I wonder what plans the Devil Sovereign has now that he's free?"

"None of your business," Long Jianlu taunted. "Sometimes, I truly marvel at the audacity of you lowly minions. You have little cultivation yet concern yourselves with so much."

Dai Ye: "The welfare of the world concerns us all, even the lowliest mortals bear a responsibility. Is it not arrogance that led to our misfortune nearly a century ago? And yet, we remain just as foolish today?"

Long Jianlu's face darkened as he set down his wine cup. Promptly, Yaoguang said, "Try this, it's delicious."

Saying this, Yaoguang stuffed the scallion beef pancake into Long Jianlu's hand. To avoid being silenced, Long Jianlu had no choice but to accept it.

"Senior Brother should try some too," Yaoguang said, using his chopsticks to pick up another vegetarian cake and offering it to Dai Ye.

San Rong continued, "How wondrous and delightful is the mortal world, so alluring that even those who cultivate immortality occasionally find themselves yearning for it. With Junior Brother around, I presume Lord Dragon would not wish to reduce the Central Plains into a barren wasteland. This is but a simple-minded speculation from someone like me."

Shan Rong's intentions were clear. Based on his observations, it was unlikely that Long Jianlu, after all the effort and turmoil he had gone through to rescue him from imprisonment, would not be grateful. Moreover, the path of demonic cultivation did not reject emotions; judging by their current affectionate demeanor, they seemed to be deeply engrossed in their newfound love, enjoying a honeymoon-like phase. It was improbable that they would resort to destroying the world.

Long Jianlu laughed heartily, looking at Yaoguang, who understood Shan Rong's implications. Yaoguang paused his eating and pondered for a moment.

Shan Rong continued with the most crucial point, "With numerous sects of cultivators across the world, it was once a ruthless battle for survival among us. Even if there were old grudges, why should innocent mortals suffer? I believe the Demon Sovereign wouldn't harm the uninvolved. Of course, if you're willing to show mercy on account of Junior Brother Yaoguang, that would be even better."

"You don't have to worry," Yaoguang assured. "He won't seek revenge on the Sky Sword Sect, as long as the Headmaster doesn't provoke trouble... Senior Brother, you should still try to reason with them when you return." Yaoguang gave Long Jianlu a meaningful glance, who remained silent but, given Yaoguang's approval, saw no issue with the situation.

Dai Ye said nothing, his face a mix of anger and frustration. The truth was, he simply couldn't defeat Long Jianlu, and there was no denying that.

Long Jianlu spoke, "Are we done with pleading? The two of you can leave now."

Shan Rong replied, "There's one more thing."

Yaoguang raised an eyebrow, questioning, "What is it?"

Shan Rong continued, "During this period, I've been searching for a way to take you away from our sect. Through a series of fortunate encounters, I found the Heaven Seal."

Yaoguang recalled the incident. When Shan Rong was transcending his tribulation and battling the thunderclouds, he had relied on the Heaven Seal Sword, the highest-grade divine weapon in the world.

"I'll take a look?" Yaoguang offered. "Is it a fragment?"

"Yes," Shan Rong replied openly, aware that Long Jianlu, with his high status, would never snatch his magical artifact. He placed the fragment of Heaven-Blocking on the table, revealing a sharp piece of metal.

"After you were taken back to the sect by Senior Martial Brother," Shan Rong continued, "I crossed the Central Plains and entered the Black Valley."

Long Jianlu was surprised, his expression changing. "What were you doing in the Black Valley?"

Dai Ye also turned to look at Shan Rong.

There was a moment of silence from Shan Rong before he spoke again, avoiding the question. "The deepest part of the Black Valley is not as depicted in ancient texts."

Dai Ye asked, "How did you resist the evil aura and enter the valley?"

Shan Rong replied, "Someone had already preceded me and removed the suppressive treasure sealing the innermost layer."

Half a month ago, Shan Rong had flown on his sword beyond the Great Wall, entering the sealed region of the Black Valley where the malevolent deity lay. The journey had been through a landscape of dead trees, their branches fossilized, and an endless expanse of flames and lava surrounding the barrier around the deity.

Deeper still were the remains of a great battle from a thousand years ago. At the heart of the volcano lay the slumbering place of the evil god.

Yet Shan Rong discovered that within the dark valley, the immense heart of the Evil Deity was pulsating, and a shattered seal had appeared around it!

The seal was slowly fading with time, and the artifact-like object that had once guarded the array's core was now gone. Someone had beaten them to the punch, retrieving the treasure that sealed the deity. Now, the Evil Deity was absorbing the power of the earth, biding its time until the seal completely crumbled and it could be resurrected!

"I've been watching the Evil Deity for quite some time," Shan Rong said. "Its heartbeat is slow but steady. Judging from my estimation, the seal will hold for another month or so."

Yaoguang watched Shan Rong, barely daring to breathe.

Shan Rong continued, "While I was there, I also deciphered a message left by the Celestial Maiden on the seal. Perhaps she foresaw the Evil Deity breaking free after a thousand years and thus left guidance for future generations on how to defeat it once more."

It was all new to Dai Ye, and Long Jianlu asked, "Reforging the Heaven-Blocking Sword?"

"Yes," Shan Rong replied.

Long Jianlu nodded. "That much is obvious. It's the only way."

Shan Rong: "After the first Immortal-Demon War, the Heaven-Blocking Sword shattered into three pieces. One piece fell into the hands of Thunder General Qiuxing, who later became Chou Xin, ruler of the mortal realm."

"The other piece was given to Hu Yan Qiuyue, who established the prestigious Cloud Heaven Sect, the precursor to the Sky Sword Sect."

Long Jianlu spoke in a solemn tone, "After a hundred years, with Hu Yanqiu's whereabouts unknown, some speculated that he had ascended to immortality. Thus, Cloudsky Sect was besieged by our own teachings."

Shan Rong added, "Indeed, that marked the second Immortal-Demon War. Following that, Cloudsky Sect migrated to Azure Gorge Peak and was reestablished under the name 'Heavenly Sword'."

Dai Ye chimed in, "Which was the precursor to our current order."

Shan Rong continued, "Despite the passing of many years, it's possible that the second fragment of the Heaven Sealing Sword still remains within the sect. Eldest Senior Brother, as I am now an expelled disciple, it's up to you to carry on this task."

Yaoguang glanced at Long Jianlu, unsure if he should speak.

But Long Jianlu asked, "What about the third piece?"

Shan Rong replied, "The third piece is likely the artifact that guards the focal point of the array sealing the evil deity. Whoever unlocked the seal might have taken it with them. My mission now is to find that third piece and reforging the Heaven Sealing Sword."

"Then what?" Long Jianlu asked casually. "What do you plan to do?"

Shan Rong looked at Long Jianlu and said, "For now, our goals align. None of us wish for the evil deity to awaken and bring havoc upon living beings. Demon Sovereign, we need your assistance."

Long Jianlu harrumphed and said, "Don't forget what my identity is."

"I think this is great!" Yaoguang suddenly changed his mind and said to Long Jianlu, "You don't need to awaken the Evil God anymore. Let's change our direction and eliminate It completely!"

Long Jianlu replied, "Are you insane?!"

Yaoguang hurriedly waved his hand, asking them to calm down. However, Long Jianlu continued, "This morning, you wanted me to awaken the Evil God, but now you want to kill It? Are you the one with a problem or am I?"

Shan Rong responded with confusion, "????"

Dai Ye remained silent, "..............."

Yaoguang explained, "I was just joking back then. Circumstances have changed. Don't look at me like that; I'm just neutral in chaos..."

Dai Ye said, "Did you really ask the Demon Sovereign to resurrect the Evil God? Did I misunderstand?"

Shan Rong asked, "What deep grudge do you hold against this world?"

Even Yaoguang began to doubt his own sanity. He couldn't provide a detailed explanation, so he stood up, leaving the three in the market, and walked away.

Long Jianlu called out, "Hey."

Yaoguang stood before the oasis lake, his sheer garment billowing in the wind.

"Hey!" Long Jianlu was utterly baffled by Yaoguang.

Yaoguang turned his head and gave him a glance. Long Jianlu froze, overwhelmed by a sense of déjà vu as he met Yaoguang's gaze, which held a hint of melancholy and unease. It was as if they had locked eyes like this before, a long time ago.

Was it merely an illusion, or a memory from a past life?

Yet, Yaoguang's mind was preoccupied with another matter—how to reconcile the conflicting narrative?

"I should explain," Yaoguang stammered.

But Long Jianlu countered, "We've met before."

"?"

"At another lake, you were shirtless, taking a bath?" Long Jianlu furrowed his brow, continuing, "I was watching from the shore. What's going on? Why do I remember this? In... in..."

Long Jianlu struggled to sift through his memories, seeking any connection that might validate his recollection. However, this particular image stood alone, making it all the more perplexing.

Why would he remember the events from the previous book?

Was it because I wrote about the same character and used the same name? So he retained memories from the previous story? How much does he recall?

Yaoguang was startled as well. He didn't have time to ponder and quickly said, "Actually, it's like this. Aren't you going to let me explain?"

Long Jianlu now appeared quite perplexed. The sudden emergence of these scenes had utterly disoriented him, something unprecedented in his powerful and omnipotent life, causing even a slight waver in his resolve.

He simply stared at Yaoguang for a long while, until Yaoguang felt that his gaze was somewhat menacing.

"You speak," Long Jianlu gradually regained his composure.

Yaoguang gathered his thoughts and offered what he believed to be the most plausible explanation.

"Well... don't laugh at me," Yaoguang averted his eyes from Long Jianlu, "I've had a wish since I was young, to... completely defeat the Evil God. After all, humanity has suffered under its tyranny for far too long, and that creature could awaken at any moment, bringing about the destruction of the entire world."

Long Jianlu's expression turned odd. He seemed to be struggling to expose Yaoguang's lie, as his expression was too obvious to hide.

"So?" Long Jianlu asked.

"So... I had an idea. I thought we could awaken It first and then completely eliminate It."

"Do you think that's reasonable?"

"Reasonable, indeed."

"That's anything but reasonable!" Long Jianlu was on the verge of losing his temper. "Tell me, after you awaken the Evil Deity, how do you plan to get rid of It?"

"There is the Heaven Sealing Sword, isn't there?" Yaoguang suddenly thought of something. "Shan Rong found one piece, and with ours, we have two. If we reforged the Heaven Sealing Sword, wouldn't that be enough to destroy the Evil Deity? Hey, what's wrong with you?"

Supporting himself against a tree, Long Jianlu felt for the first time that even being the world's number one at the Great Accomplishment Realm, he might still have to admit defeat before a mortal.

"This is just a naive thought of mine," Yaoguang said. "My goal has always been to eliminate the Evil Deity. Perhaps I haven't expressed it clearly, causing misunderstandings."

Long Jianlu: "I never would've guessed your ambition was so grandiose. As early as when you were an anonymous Qi Nourishing disciple of the Sky Sword Sect, you already had the aspiration to eradicate the Evil Deity!"

Yaoguang: "That's right."

Long Jianlu: "Do you really think that's possible? Do you think the Demon Sovereign will believe your inconsistent explanations?! Do I look like a three-year-old to you?!"

Yaoguang: "Believe it or not, that's how it is."

After that day, Long Jianlu didn't bring up the matter again.

For Yaoguang, he felt that he had somehow managed to navigate through the situation. The story was unfolding in a peculiar way, as if he was scripting his own life, or rather, the characters he had created were coming to life, carrying out their actions in various corners of the world, and in turn, driving the plot forward.

However, Long Jianlu's focus shifted elsewhere. He began to harbor suspicions about Yaoguang, though these doubts were not born out of animosity.

"What exactly is this?"

During their dual cultivation practice, Long Jianlu held Yaoguang in his arms, gazing down at the hexagonal crystal pendant hanging from his neck.

"I don't know…" Yaoguang looked into Long Jianlu's eyes, his voice barely above a whisper.

But Long Jianlu seized Yaoguang's hand, causing him to cry out in surprise.

His attention diverted to the crystal, Long Jianlu tried to examine Yaoguang, but could discern no abnormalities.

After the Business Harvest Festival, the travelers who had gathered on the sandbar vanished overnight, leaving the border town to return to its usual state.

Long Jianlu escorted Yaoguang away from Sandbar Town amidst a sandstorm. Yaoguang said, "I'll ride my sword and take you wherever you want to go."

Long Jianlu had a rather complicated feeling towards Yaoguang. Sometimes he felt that the young man's background and identity were not as simple as they seemed on the surface. However, when he observed his speech and mannerisms, Yaoguang appeared innocent.

Standing atop a sand dune, Long Jianlu signaled Yaoguang to wait for a moment. Then, he placed his fingers to his lips and whistled loudly. The sound echoed for miles, and a black aura rose from the ground in front of them, spreading out to form a massive magical array. Within the array, it was like a pool of black water rippling with waves.

What is he summoning? This is too sinister. It was the first time Yaoguang had seen Long Jianlu using his powers in such a way. In truth, since his appearance, the devil lord had employed various demonic spells, be it the scorching black fire meteors or the blood-red-eyed, blood aura-emitting sound waves, or even this dark magic array...

...No matter how evil or environmentally destructive, Yaoguang found them strangely appealing.

Then, within the spinning, blood-colored pool of the black array, an extraordinary beast emerged. It had four legs, a single horn, and its body was covered in shimmering scales, radiating a subtle divine glow.

This was too incongruous! A holy beast summoned from a magic array filled with demonic flames?

"It's called Piexie," Long Jianlu said. "It's my mount."

Piexie let out a mighty roar towards the sky before lowering its head obediently in front of Long Jianlu. The latter then mounted the beast and extended a hand to Yaoguang.

Yaoguang climbed onto Piexie's back, wrapping his arms around Long Jianlu's waist. With a few steps in the air, Piexie spread its wings and soared into the sky!

"Where are we headed?"

"Back to the Demon Realm," Long Jianlu said. "I have a question that's been bothering me for a long time. I need to get to the bottom of it, or I won't be able to rest easy."