Chapter 245: Reunion Again

Chapter 245: Reunion Again

"As you wish."

Xinian did not refuse Lu Yan’s request for reasons unknown. He slowly raised his right hand, and the power of time flowed out. The surrounding illusion began to change rapidly—the valley rose, mountains descended, rivers turned into plains, and fallen leaves returned to their branches, all following the direction of time's old course.

"However, Lu Yan, you must not alter his fate; otherwise, I will immediately terminate the energy."

When Lu Yan first met Ying Wujiu, he was already unrecognizable, wearing red robes and suffering from a grave illness, with eyes that always held a dark, sharp glint. If time were to flow backward seven hundred years, what would he look like then?

Perhaps back then, humanity thrived, and the connection to immortals remained unbroken.

The favored son of heaven sat high on the altar, the white bone sword furnace burning eternally.

"Huh..."

A cold wind carrying mountain rain swept through, making the verdant pine forest hidden in mist appear even more majestic. The morning light illuminated the Nine-Story Sword Palace atop the mountain, revealing the coiled dragon pillars and thousand-year-old halls, showcasing the grandeur of the world's premier sword sect.

Lu Yan slowly opened his eyes and found himself on a muddy path at the foot of the mountain. It seemed as if it had just rained. Not knowing where he was, he saw a golden palace atop the mountain and instinctively headed in that direction.

"Help! The wolf demon is coming!"

"Run! Run!"

"Save me! Don’t leave me behind!"

Suddenly, a chaotic sound of fighting and cries for help came from behind. A dozen ragged people were fleeing in this direction, not even looking at Lu Yan, focused only on escaping as if something terrifying was chasing them.

"Roar—!!"

A gust of foul wind brought forth seven or eight bloodthirsty wolf demons, each as tall as two men, with black fur, long fangs, and a bloody human leg in their mouths. No wonder those people were so panicked.

Judging by the winding trail of blood, they might have just slaughtered an entire village.

"To dare harm civilians within the territory of the Wuwang Sect, you truly seek death!"

A cold rebuke echoed from the mountaintop, followed by the appearance of dozens of men and women in white robes. They drew their swords, leaping down from all directions to block the path. Their swords shimmered with golden light, forming the True Wu Killing Formation, a hallmark of the Wuwang Sect’s cultivators.

"Initiate the formation! Attack!"

They activated the formation, and a spiritual net appeared above, descending to envelop the wolf demons. As the wolf demons roared in anger, all the disciples charged forward, their swords gleaming with lethal intent. One of the largest wolf demons, the wolf king, was struck in the eye and, in agony, broke free from the net, charging forward recklessly.

Lu Yan stood in the middle of the road, but for some reason, he did not move, watching the wolf demon charge towards him. One of the white-robed disciples shouted in alarm:

"You fool! Move quickly!"

In desperation, he threw his sword, but the wolf king dodged nimbly, causing the blade to embed itself in the mountain wall. In the blink of an eye, the wolf demon pounced on Lu Yan, ready to attack upon smelling human flesh.

Finally, Lu Yan moved. With a gesture, the wolf demon froze in mid-air. Then, with a wave of his sleeve, the wolf demon disintegrated into dust and smoke.

Everyone was stunned by this display. These young disciples, barely fifteen or sixteen years old, were inexperienced and had struggled to kill a few low-level wolf demons. Seeing Lu Yan effortlessly dispatch the wolf demon left them in awe.

After settling the situation and leaving some to comfort the civilians, they approached Lu Yan and bowed respectfully:

"I am Nan Tuo, the senior disciple under Li Gu Ran, the Hidden Compassionate Sword Immortal. May I ask your name, fellow Daoist? Which sect do you belong to?"

Reversing time is an intriguing experience, as you may encounter people who once outranked you now addressing you as an equal, those you once killed standing before you alive, and those with whom you had past entanglements standing calmly aside, their gazes entirely unfamiliar.

"I am Lu Yan, traveling without affiliation."

Lu Yan’s demeanor was neither overly warm nor impolite. He pulled the sword from the mountain wall, glanced around, and finally fixed his gaze on one of the white-robed youths. This person had outstanding looks, a cool demeanor, slightly upturned eyes, and a rebellious air. He was now crossing his arms, frowning at Lu Yan, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

Almost instantly, Lu Yan recognized him as Ying Wujiu, though his expression was livelier and his gaze clearer, momentarily disorienting.

Lu Yan stepped forward and returned the sword, his voice calm and slightly amused: "Thank you for saving me earlier. May I ask your name?"

The youth sneered, taking back the sword: "You didn’t need my help. What’s there to thank?"

He was somewhat displeased, having encountered someone more skilled than himself during his prime. Sneaking a glance at Lu Yan, he inwardly scoffed: _Pretty boy, actually more handsome than me!_

"Sixth Junior Brother, show respect!"

A man nearby frowned and lightly reprimanded him. Despite his gentle features, he had a contradictory, isolated aura. He apologized to Lu Yan: "Fellow Daoist, please forgive him. I am Tan Yue, the second disciple under the Hidden Compassionate Sword Immortal. This is my sixth junior brother, Fuguang."

Though they were the Wuwang Sect’s top disciples of this generation, they were still young and could easily encounter powerful cultivators while traveling. If they offended someone capable of killing and disposing of bodies, it would be difficult for their sect to trace the incident. Lu Yan clearly had exceptional strength, so why offend him?

Lu Yan looked deeply at Tan Yue but saw nothing unusual: "Do you have any important matters for coming down the mountain?"

Tan Yue nodded: "No, we were simply ordered to escort several junior sisters back to the Tianyu Sect and to travel and eliminate demons."

The Wuwang Sect specializes in sword cultivation, while the Tianyu Sect practices sound-killing techniques. The two sects share a deep friendship, often sending disciples to spar and compete. This time, they were escorting several Tianyu Sect disciples back home after their training.

Lu Yan nodded: "I see."

At that moment, a commotion arose from afar. One of the wolf demons was about to give birth and had just delivered two wolf pups before dying. The villagers wanted to kill the pups, but some compassionate disciples intervened, leading to an argument.

"Wolf demons are not inherently evil; their fate depends on different circumstances. Some become spirit beasts, others become demonic beasts. These pups have just been born and have done no wrong. Why kill them?"

"I don’t care! These wolf demons eat people, and the pups will grow up to do the same! Kill them! You’re disciples of the Wuwang Sect, why are you stopping us from eliminating these demons? Are you siding with evil?"

"You!"

A female disciple holding the two bewildered wolf pups was flushed with anger. She stomped her foot and ran to Tan Yue, pleading: "Brother Tan Yue, these pups just came into the world. It’s cruel to kill them!"

Tan Yue frowned at her: "Demons are demons, beasts are beasts. How can you guarantee they won’t harm civilians when they grow up? Don’t meddle; just kill them."

These villagers lived in the town at the foot of the Wuwang Sect’s mountain. If this reached the elders, it would damage the sect’s reputation and make them seem indecisive.

The female disciple was scolded by Tan Yue and, upon hearing this, lowered her head with tears in her eyes. She held the whimpering wolf cub in her arms and remained silent. Her appearance was only slightly delicate, her skin as clear as snow, and her long hair was a rare frosty color, adding an unconventional charm.

The other disciples, intimidated by Tan Yue's authority, dared not say much. They exchanged glances, creating an awkward silence.

Fu Guang stepped forward and lifted the wolf cub from her arms. Finding it quite plump, he smiled, "This little wolf is pretty cute. Unfortunately, we can't keep it. We might as well release it back into the forest. Its fate will be determined by its own luck, Yin Chan. What do you think?"

These wolf cubs were born of a cunning wolf demon and carried some spiritual energy, making them stronger than ordinary animal cubs. If they were lucky, they could survive without milk.

Hearing this, Yin Chan finally stopped crying and nodded vigorously with red eyes: "I'll listen to Sixth Brother."

A villager nearby couldn't stand it and shouted loudly, "Why should we! The wolf demon has eaten many of our people. Why should we let it go? I don't agree!"

Fu Guang, who had no particular sense of right or wrong, acted on instinct. He raised an eyebrow at the villager and said nonchalantly, "If you don't agree, fight me. Whoever wins gets to decide. How about that?"

The villager's bravado immediately diminished: "Y-you...you've learned immortal arts. How can I beat you!"

"Since you can't beat me, shut up!"

Fu Guang originally wanted to throw the wolf cubs into the woods but feared the villagers might follow and harm them. After thinking for a moment, he simply put them in his arms and pushed Yin Chan gently, "Junior Sister, let's go!"

Yin Chan, like a victorious general, hummed lightly and raised her head proudly, "Let's go!"

Tan Yue didn't say anything, and the group continued down the mountain. As night fell, they rested by a stream and started a fire to spend the night.

Lu Qian had been quietly following them without arousing suspicion, as there was only one path down the mountain. He sat by a fire he had lit about seven or eight meters away from the group. He took out paper and a pen from the unlocked system store and began writing.

"Activate modification mode, supplement character background."

"Ding! Please select a novel character!"

"Ying Wujiu."

"Ding! Selection successful! You can modify the existing text of the novel character without affecting the final outcome!"

"Confirm."

Lu Qian held the pen and carefully wrote the first line under the warm glow of the fire:

"Ying Wujiu's youth was quite glorious. According to the junior brothers and sisters, he was the most talented disciple of Wuwang Sect in this generation. However, he was still mischievous at the time and not as formidable as he would become later. A dozen low-level wolf demons were enough to give him a headache."

"I finally met this woman, Yin Chan. She is the beloved disciple of Elder Yin Huan of Tianyu Sect. She usually follows Tan Yue around, but Tan Yue doesn't seem to like her much. In my previous life, Tan Yue seemed to fall into madness because of her death."

Lu Qian wrote intently, unaware that he had become a captivating sight for others. Several female disciples gathered together, whispering and giggling while watching him. They were curious about Lu Qian, mostly because of his striking appearance, which added a touch of maturity and poise, making him even more handsome than the Sixth Brother Fu Guang.

Yin Chan baked some hot sugar cakes. Although cultivators in the fasting stage could go months without eating, she didn't care about such things. She always kept many sweets in her portable pouch. She distributed some to the younger sisters who were eager for treats, then offered some to Tan Yue, who refused. She then gave them to Fu Guang, who gladly accepted and ate them in a few bites.

"Sixth Brother, should we give him one too? He looks so covered in blood; it's hard to bear."

Yin Chan blew on a golden, hot sugar cake she had roasted over the fire and wrapped it in oil paper before handing it to Fu Guang. Fu Guang frowned, "Why are you so nosy? If you want to give it to him, do it yourself. Why involve me?"

Yin Chan tilted her head, "I thought you two were close."

Fu Guang was taken aback, "I don't even know him. How can we be close?!"

Yin Chan was puzzled, "Senior Brother Nanto and Senior Brother Tan Yue talked to him before, and he was indifferent. But when he spoke to you, he smiled. Aren't you two close?"

Fu Guang felt bewildered and unconsciously touched his face, wondering if he attracted both women and men.

Yin Chan urged, "Sixth Brother, are you going or not? If not, I'll go."

Fu Guang snatched the cake from her hand, muttered something about trouble, and walked straight toward Lu Qian. Despite his good intentions, his attitude was rather aggressive, making it seem like a challenge: "Hey, do you want a cake?"

Lu Qian hadn't expected Ying Wujiu to approach him. He put away the paper and pen, a faint smile appearing in his eyes. The warm firelight made his face appear somewhat blurry, and his voice was clear and magnetic:

"Have you eaten?"

Fu Guang subconsciously wiped the sugar crumbs from his mouth, feeling a bit embarrassed by the question: "Why do you care if I've eaten or not?"

Lu Qian took the sugar cake and finally looked away from Ying Wujiu. This person had a thin skin; staring any longer might truly annoy him: "Thank you."

Now it was Fu Guang's turn to stare, his gaze strange and curious. After a while, he asked, "Are you injured? Why is your clothes covered in blood?"

As he spoke, he unconsciously touched the pouch at his waist, remembering the healing medicine his master had given him.

Lu Qian shook his head slightly and whispered, "It's not my blood."

The night stretched endlessly around them. He silently gazed at Ying Wujiu as the fire crackled softly.

It's your blood.