Chapter 280: Summoning Spirits

Chapter 280: Calling Back the Spirit

In the emptiness of the departing world, Xie Shu faintly sensed something warm falling onto his face.

Drop after drop—like threaded beads, unceasing.

Summoning the last of his strength, he opened his eyes and saw Xiao Wu.

Lord Pingwu was kneeling before him, half-cradling him in his arms. His normally composed, noble face was disheveled—his brows deeply furrowed, his eyes red and brimming with tears.

Through the haze, Xie Shu thought, *Who’s made you cry this time?*

The Immortal Lord he’d raised with such care in Wuwang Palace—what had brought him to this?

The last time Xiao Wu had worn such a sorrowful expression was when Xie Shu had thrown Song Xiaoyu off the Hundred-Step Pavilion.

Xie Shu tried to lift a hand, wipe the tears from his eyes, and softly say, *"Hush now. Who did this to you? Tell me, and I’ll avenge you."* But his body was limp, too weak to even lift a finger.

As the warmth bled from his chest, Xie Shu’s pupils gradually dilated, and the warmth of his body faded. In his fading consciousness, he seemed to hear an extremely faint voice—faint, muffled as if through layers of fog before reaching his ears.

The voice was thick with tears, calling his name over and over.

The voice said, *"Xie Chunshan… Xie Chunshan… Palace Lord Xie…"*

*"No… don’t do this…"*

*"Xie Chunshan… no… I beg you…"*

Suddenly, Xie Shu was back in the howling winds of the Hundred-Step Pavilion, where Xiao Wu had dug his fingers into the pillars, weeping helplessly. That day, too, he had pleaded like this—begging Xie Chunshan to spare Song Xiaoyu’s life.

And today? What was he begging for now?

In the last instant before losing consciousness, Xie Shu thought: *Perhaps I should tell Xiao Wu that Song Xiaoyu isn’t dead. That boy is alive and well in the village at the foot of Shangling Sect, living an ordinary yet warm life—rising with the sun and resting with its setting. If Xiao Wu wishes to see him, he can go. It’s the busy farming season down the mountain. If he’s inclined, he could even stay awhile in the hills and enjoy the rustic pleasures.*

—*If that would ease his sorrow.*

But in the end, he said nothing. He merely closed his eyes.

On the fifteenth of May, during the Immortal-Demon Grand Tournament, the Palace Lord of Wuwang challenged the leader of Shangling Sect. Blades flashed like falling rain, mountains crumbled, and the battle raged on—so evenly matched that neither could gain the upper hand. After a thousand and seven clashes, both collapsed, lifeless.

The arena went dead silent.

Casualties in the Grand Tournament were common, but for two to die at once—and for those two to be the Mystic Leaders of the immortal and demonic paths—this was anything but ordinary.

Three heartbeats later, chaos broke loose.

The fragile balance between the immortal and demonic paths had always been tenuous. The immortal factions, restrained by honor and duty, held their positions—only the current leader of Shangling Sect, Xiao Xu, lunged forward to reclaim his leader’s corpse. The demonic side, however, had no use for decorum or scruples. Several figures shot forward, streaking toward the center of the arena like shadows.

They were after Xie Chunshan’s spoils.

In the current demonic faction, Xie Chunshan had stood alone at the pinnacle. The rest—whether Xue Sui, Wu Buke, or the other Sovereigns and sect leaders within the palace—were roughly equal in strength. With Xie Chunshan’s death, they all had a claim to the title of the demonic path’s new leader.

Moreover, Xie Chunshan had been Palace Lord of Wuwang for many years. His collection of treasures was beyond counting—his lifebound sword, *Abyss*, was one of the finest weapons in the world, and the fan he carried was no ordinary artifact either. If they could retrieve these two treasures from his corpse, they would gain a decisive advantage.

Behind Wu Buke and Xue Sui, their respective followers leaned in, whispering, *"Sovereign, shall we make our move?"*

The demonic path had no concept of loyalty or honor. A dead lord was just carrion to them—both Xue Sui and Wu Buke had their own futures to consider.

Yet neither stirred, showing not the slightest intention of stepping forward.

Wu Buke and Xue Sui watched the figures darting forward, exchanging a glance that held a trace of pity.

Seeing the sword on the Palace Lord’s corpse about to fall into others' hands, their subordinate grew anxious: "Sovereign, shouldn’t we act? If someone takes the Abyss first..."

Xue Sui’s tone was odd: "Takes the sword first?"

Wu Buke’s was even stranger: "Do you know who that is, crouched over the Palace Lord’s body?"

Subordinate: "?"

Not everyone in the palace knew of the relationship between Palace Lord Xie and Lord Pingwu—after all, no one dared gossip about Lord Wuwang. Only those who served in the main hall were privy to it.

The subordinate was baffled: "Isn’t that just the Palace Lord's pet plaything?"

Though Xiao Wu had shown some skill in the earlier bout, it had been a low-stakes demonstration, hardly revealing his true capabilities. Moreover, the cultivation world knew no notable figure who wore white robes and a veiled hat. Aside from Xue Sui and Wu Buke, who knew the truth, most underestimated him.

By then, the first few figures had already reached the arena. Demonic energy surged as blades and swords flashed like lightning, many aimed straight for Xie Chunshan’s pallid face. These cultivators showed no regard for preserving the Palace Lord’s body—they only sought to seize his treasures.

Xue Sui and Wu Buke averted their eyes in pity.

The next moment, a glacial light flashed across the mountain.

Abyss unsheathed with a resonant chime, its icy sword qi cleaving through the dark clouds overhead. The dew-laden mountain grass instantly dried, mist swirling as the white-robed figure’s sleeves billowed, the twin veils of his hat drifting like clouds. When the fog cleared, he stood with the sword in hand, standing tall beside Xie Chunshan, while the dozen or so demonic cultivators who had attacked lay strewn across the ground, motionless.

Three breaths. Ten defeated.

Everyone was stunned—since when did Wuwang Palace have such a figure?

Xiao Wu knelt on one knee, lifting Xie Chunshan’s limp form to rest against him. Though they were of similar stature, the stiff posture looked awkward, even absurdly comical.

Yet no one dared laugh.

Xiao Wu's gaze swept across the crowd. "The Abyss is in my grasp. Does anyone else desire it?"

His voice rang out: "Who else wishes to try?"

"..."

The would-be challengers broke out in cold sweat, hastily plastering themselves back into their seats, too cowed to move. They sat rigidly upright, better behaved than the Righteous Path disciples.

The righteous side was equally silent. With Daoist Cangshan and Xie Chunshan both dead, the stalemate between the two factions persisted—but this white-robed figure had shattered the fragile equilibrium, yanking the scales of fate decisively toward the demonic cultivators. The elders quickly calculated: were he to act, he could slaughter half their disciples.

Thus, both sides chose to play dumb in perfect unison.

Only Xiao Xu, the Shangling Sect’s leader, took a step forward. "You—"

But Xiao Wu ignored him, instead gently tucking Xie Chunshan’s disheveled hair behind his ear.

It was the demonic cultivators who reacted first, prostrating themselves. One flattered: "The Palace Lord seizes destiny, blessed by immortal fortune."

By demonic custom, whoever killed the previous Lord Wuwang would become the new Palace Lord. Though Xiao Wu hadn’t slain Xie Chunshan, he alone now held that authority.

Every demonic cultivator present, all cunning survivors, instinctively knelt from their pavilions and terraces, demonstrating their fealty.

Xue Sui knelt smoothly, whispering to Wu Buke: "Hey, old Wu, think we should curry favor with the new Palace Lord?"

As Wuwang Palace’s chief guardians, Xiao Wu was now their direct superior.

Wu Buke didn’t answer, but Xue Sui rambled on: "Old Wu, we’ve both wronged him—you force-fed him poison, I locked him in Siyou Pavilion. Sure, it was Palace Lord’s orders, but should Immortal Lord Xiao decide to settle accounts... we’re done for, right? Old Wu? Old Wu!? Where are you?"

Xue Sui looked up, only to see Wu Buke swiftly leaping down the cliff in three strides, dashing to Xiao Wu's side. With a flick of his robe, he knelt decisively and spoke rapidly, "Palace Lord, Lord Xie still has a lingering breath. This humble one was once known as 'Reaper's Bane' on the road, most skilled in treating such injuries. There’s still a chance for recovery within seven days. Would Your Lordship permit this humble one to examine Lord Xie?"

As he spoke, he reached out to take Xie Chunshan’s body from Xiao Wu, laying him gently on the ground. Carefully grasping the ex-Palace Lord’s wrist, he furrowed his brows and closed his eyes, meticulously checking his pulse.

Xue Sui: "..."

He gritted his teeth, dumbfounded.

*For fuck’s sake, he was run clean through the heart—is there even a point to treating him?!*

Yet Wu Buke, after a long moment of contemplation, actually produced a pill and slipped it into Xie Chunshan’s mouth. Then, he bowed and said, "Palace Lord, the mountain winds are strong, and Lord Xie’s body is cold. Might we first return to Wuwang Palace and allow this humble one to plan our next steps?"

Xiao Wu nodded.

He lifted Xie Chunshan, called forth the Black Qilin Chariot, and carefully placed him inside before lowering the carriage curtain.

Behind them, Xiao Xu took a step forward. "Hey, you—"

For some reason, the Shangling Sect’s leader couldn’t shake the feeling that this inexplicably appearing young man seemed familiar. He wanted to approach, but even hidden beneath the veil and within his sleeves, the young man’s fingers trembled uncontrollably, his entire body shrouded in a deathly aura of Withering, as if the demonic Palace Lord were someone of utmost importance. Xiao Xu hesitated, then found himself unable to speak.

He watched as the onyx chariot cut through the heavens, vanishing into the horizon, heading toward Wuwang Palace.

That night, in Wuwang Palace’s main hall.

The hall was aglow with lamplight, attendants bustling back and forth with hot water and medicinal pills. Behind the sheer curtains of the canopy bed, the faint outline of a figure could be seen lying still.

The man was strikingly beautiful, with long, elegant brows and a high, straight nose bridge. Now unconscious, he lay motionless as Wu Buke examined his pulse. Beside him, an Immortal Lord held a towel, carefully wiping the dust from his hair.

The Immortal Lord wiped with utmost care, strand by strand, as if only this mindless, repetitive motion could dispel the unease in his heart.

Meanwhile, Wu Buke spent a long time meticulously checking the pulse, moving from the head to the foot of the bed. The matter concerned his relationship with his new superior for decades to come, so Wu Buke mustered every ounce of his expertise. He carefully recalled every esoteric remedy he had ever studied, deliberating for a long time before finally saying, "Immortal Lord, Lord Xie’s condition is indeed difficult, but..."

Xiao Wu lowered his eyes, which held neither sorrow nor joy, though upon closer inspection, they were already red-rimmed. "Skip the pretense. Speak plainly."

Wu Buke: "Fortunately, Immortal Lord, do you recall that Lord Xie once had you consume the Master-Servant Heartbond Gu?"

Xiao Wu paused in his wiping, then continued, "That did happen."

Though Xie Chunshan had only used it to intimidate him and never actually activated it. As his cultivation grew, the gu had lost its effect.

Wu Buke: "Immortal Lord, this gu was refined and modified by this old man. Its original form was the 'Life-Death Oath Gu,' a secret technique of the Gu Sect, used only between lovers to swear undying devotion. It is said that even if one dies and is reborn, the bonded will recognize their beloved at first sight and their heart will leap again."

Xiao Wu: "Mm. And then?"

Wu Buke: "Though I forcibly altered it into a master-servant contract, some of its original effects remain. Just now, I confirmed that while the pill has sustained Lord Xie’s life force, preventing immediate death, he seems to have lost consciousness—his soul has left his body. But with this gu, if the Immortal Lord is willing to offer a drop of blood from your core and assist with an array, we may call his spirit back for answers."

Xiao Wu’s fingers stilled. "When can the summoning be done?"

Wu Buke: "Give this humble one some time to prepare. It can be done tonight."

Xiao Wu nodded.

Wu Buke bowed and withdrew.

*

At the same time, in the ICU, machines emitted sharp alarms as medical staff hurried about. Xie Shu raised a hand to shield his eyes from a sliver of daylight, his lashes fluttering as he opened his eyes.