Chapter 11: You Have Another Reason to Live

Chapter 11: You Have Another Reason to Live Now

Wangxian Continent, Tianyan Sect.

Ling Tian descended swiftly from Lingyun Peak, his face a mask of sternness. A young attendant hurried after him, his voice urgent: "Senior Brother, Elder Hua sent word that Yan Dongchen from the Xuanxiao Immortal Sect is looking for you. It seems to be a very urgent matter, related to that Ghost-Faced Cultivator you mentioned."

Ling Tian paused, his steps halting. He took the message talisman from the attendant, confirmed its contents, and then soared away on his sword.

He soon arrived at the grand hall of Tianyan Sect, where guests were received.

Several elders were seated in the hall. Upon Ling Tian's arrival, they introduced him: "Ling Tian, come here. This is Yan Dongchen, the direct disciple of the Xuanxiao Immortal Sect Leader. He's here to discuss the matter of that Ghost-Faced Cultivator with you."

Ling Tian had been tirelessly pursuing this matter for days, leaving him utterly exhausted. Sect Leader Ling was in secluded cultivation and could not be disturbed easily. Moreover, the Tianyan Sect was not a paragon of unity or compassion. Regarding Ling Hezhou's death, only the disciples of the main peak, Lingyun Peak, truly cared and clamored for revenge. The other peaks remained aloof, observing with cold indifference.

Ling Tian had no choice but to use his accumulated resources as a bounty, widely recruiting cultivators from across the land to hunt down the Ghost-Faced Cultivator.

But then another tragedy struck: every cultivator who encountered the Ghost-Faced Cultivator perished, including Yu Liuxin from the Jiyue Tower.

Yu Liuxin was but one step away from Golden Core perfection. She had mastered exquisite illusion techniques since childhood and was being groomed by the Jiyue Tower Master as his successor. Their bond was profound. The Sect Leader had even intended to arrange a marriage between them, hoping they would become cultivation partners.

However, Ling Tian privately believed that Yu Liuxin's water spirit root was better suited to nourish Ling Hezhou's dual wood and metal spirit roots, rather than his own heavenly spirit root. Thus, he had repeatedly declined the arrangement and had long since agreed with Yu Liuxin that once Ling Hezhou's cultivation advanced further, she would become his cultivation partner.

After Ling Hezhou's demise, Yu Liuxin declared it her responsibility to seek vengeance and descended the mountain with the hunting party to pursue the Ghost-Faced Cultivator.

Not long after, her life tablet shattered, and she perished.

When this news spread, Ling Tian became the target of widespread blame, and the relationship between Jiyue Tower and Tianyan Sect subtly soured.

Unable to swallow this indignity, Ling Tian meticulously handled all affairs for Lingyun Peak and prepared to lead a new team of disciples down the mountain to avenge Ling Hezhou.

Now, hearing that someone from the Xuanxiao Immortal Sect had arrived, he naturally divulged everything he knew. He retrieved a Memory Orb and showed the recording of Ling Hezhou's death to the Xuanxiao Immortal Sect disciples.

The elders of Tianyan Sect had seen the Memory Orb's recording several times. For personal reasons, they had no intention of intervening, but with outsiders present, they had to make a stance. Otherwise, they feared others might speculate that the sect was fragmented, which would be unfavorable. Thus, they solemnly declared, "This matter is no longer merely a grudge of Tianyan Sect. This individual possesses secret techniques never before seen or heard of, and his brutality is unparalleled. If left unchecked, he will soon bring calamity to the Nine Provinces."

The Xuanxiao Immortal Sect disciples, led by Yan Dongchen, watched the recording with flickering eyes. Ignoring the Tianyan Sect elder's words, they communicated through secret sound transmission: "Is it him?"

"Doesn't look like it. The figure in the recording Master gave us wasn't this tall."

"But his cultivation is also at the Golden Core realm."

"We need to check the seal in Dongjing Continent."

"If it really is him, what should we do?"

"First, check the seal. If it is him, a mere Golden Core cultivator, we can easily capture him. If not, we'll kill him anyway. A fiend like him deserves to be slain by all."

After their discussion, Yan Dongchen spoke: "Junior Brother Ling, rest assured. Xuanxiao Immortal Sect and Tianyan Sect have been brother sects for five hundred years. Sect Leader Ling was even our Sect Leader's fellow student. Now that Junior Brother Ling Hezhou has suffered such a tragedy, Xuanxiao Immortal Sect cannot stand idly by! There's no time like the present—let us set out for Dongjing Continent today to confront this fiend."

Ling Tian was surprised, his stern expression softening immediately. "In that case, I will go with you!"

Yan Dongchen naturally agreed with a smile.

Soon, Ling Tian led the disciples of Lingyun Peak and the Xuanxiao Immortal Sect group as they set out for Dongjing Continent.

On the flying boat, the Tianyan Sect disciples whispered among themselves: "I never thought Xuanxiao Immortal Sect would intervene. You know, in recent Immortal Alliance competitions, Xuanxiao disciples have beaten our Tianyan Sect disciples half to death."

Although Tianyan Sect was one of the Eight Great Immortal Sects of Wangxian Continent, it ranked at the bottom. Xuanxiao Immortal Sect, on the other hand, was not only the leader of the Eight Great Immortal Sects but its Sect Leader was also the head of the Immortal Alliance, ruling over Dongjing Continent, Wangxian Continent, and the Untamed Lands. Their influence was immense, to say the least.

This had fostered arrogant and domineering attitudes among Xuanxiao disciples. In competitions or disputes over secret realms, they never held back, often severely injuring or crippling disciples from other sects.

As a lower-ranked sect, Tianyan Sect endured much disdain and bullying.

No one expected Xuanxiao Immortal Sect to be the first to offer help this time.

"Senior Brother Yan Dongchen is different from those others. At least, I've never heard any bad rumors about him. In competitions, he always knows when to stop and never takes lives. It makes sense that he's willing to help."

"That's true. Senior Brother Yan is unlike other Xuanxiao disciples. He's a true prodigy—he reached the Golden Core realm at thirty-six and entered the Nascent Soul realm by one hundred twenty. Unlike us... take Ling Hezhou, for example. Even with all those natural treasures, he only reached Golden Core in his fifties."

Mentioning Ling Hezhou, the disciples grew somber. "Even though Senior Brother Ling was a bit lacking, he was truly kind."

As a second-generation immortal, Ling Hezhou had excellent conduct. He never looked down on anyone, patiently guiding new disciples and generously helping junior disciples in need.

Though his talent was mediocre and his cultivation shallow, because of him, the disciples of Lingyun Peak were united and the atmosphere was warm.

This was also why, after Ling Hezhou's death, the main peak disciples were the most determined to seek revenge. This time, aside from those at the Qi Refining Stage and newly entered disciples, all Foundation Establishment and Golden Core disciples had come.

Ling Tian's cultivation was only at the peak of Golden Core, just one step away from Nascent Soul.

Compared to them, Xuanxiao Immortal Sect's lineup was far more impressive—nine Nascent Soul cultivators and one Golden Core disciple.

Such was the depth of a top immortal sect—sending nine Nascent Soul cultivators in one move.

Ling Tian had wondered about Xuanxiao Immortal Sect's unusual attention to this matter, but his hatred for the Ghost-Faced Cultivator made him overlook any inconsistencies. As long as their goal aligned, nothing else mattered.

Soon, they arrived in Dongjing Continent. Yan Dongchen and his group excused themselves from the team and went to a secluded dead land.

Yes, a dead land.

Five hundred years ago, this place was a lush treasure land teeming with spirit beasts and demonic creatures. But after a secret pursuit, it had become a dead zone, with a bottomless abyss at its center.

This abyss connected to the underworld river of the Netherworld. It was a place where the living should not approach—only the dead could rest here forever.

Though many had witnessed that person cleave a path and leap into the abyss, no one believed he had died. Thus, the place was sealed layer upon layer, accessible only with a key.

"The outer seal is intact," one disciple reported to Yan Dongchen.

"The inner seal is also untouched."

"The Seven-Star Absolute Kill Formation shows no signs of activation."

"The Dragon Binding Formation is also undisturbed."

...

They checked layer by layer until they reached the edge of the abyss.

Just approaching it, the nether death energy emanating from the abyss seeped into their bones, making spiritual energy circulation sluggish.

"It's hard to believe any cultivator could survive here," someone murmured.

"That person had profound Buddhist arts. His very bones were tempered into Buddha bones, inherently countering the underworld river."

"But no matter how profound his Buddhist arts, he was only at the Golden Core realm. Once his spiritual energy depleted, corrosion by the dark river was only a matter of time. And it's been five hundred years now."

"Five hundred years may be an instant to cultivators, but we must not underestimate him. He was..." The speaker trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Yan Dongchen said, "Since the seals are intact, there's no way he could have escaped. Jin Yuan, send word back."

"Yes."

Not long after they left, a snow-white snake hissed forth from the edge of the abyss, coiling into a ball where Yan Dongchen had stood, then transformed into a dark, eerie Spell Seal and sank into the ground.

On the inner walls of the abyss, unseen by any of them, one after another black palm prints snaked upward like serpents.

*

On the other side, Chi Yu waited for quite a while but Xie Xiyi didn't remove the curse. He simply stared him down—the fiery red demon eyes on the sinister ghost mask were lifeless, even icy cold, yet Chi Yu could've sworn he sensed a flicker of displeasure from them.

Hahaha, Chi Yu thought inwardly, did he feel embarrassed because I found Xie Xiyi too quickly?

Chi Yu got a kick out of it, but after his amusement faded, he felt he was tempting fate and shouldn’t have deliberately humiliated him like that.

But he did it because he wanted to, sometimes not caring about the consequences, just seeking instant gratification.

No way, no way, could Xie Xiyi really be that tasteless?

Just as he was speculating, Xie Xiyi suddenly reached out his hand. His fingers were long, with distinct joints, very pale and devoid of color, but undeniably, it was a beautiful hand.

After he extended his hand, a small snow-white snake suddenly burst forth from the ground, flew into his palm, and transformed into a runic chain that crawled over his pale skin, merging with the chains already coiling and slithering across his body.

Xie Xiyi suddenly laughed—a somewhat mad, unhinged, ecstatic laughter, completely lost control from excitement, trembling slightly at the end.

Chi Yu: ???

Chi Yu couldn’t help but take a few steps back.

Xie Xiyi reached out and stroked the mask on his face, his laughter gradually fading, though his voice still carried a pleased undertone. "Come here, I’ll remove the curse for you."

Chi Yu hesitated for a moment but still walked over. Mist coiled around Xie Xiyi’s hand, forming black gloves. He tapped lightly Chi Yu’s chest with his finger, and a black Spell Seal flew out from Chi Yu’s chest, vanishing into Xie Xiyi’s sleeve.

"What’s your name?" Xie Xiyi asked with a smile.

"..." Chi Yu felt that he was seriously unhinged but answered obediently, "My name is Chi Yu."

Xie Xiyi repeated, "Chi Yu?"

When he said the name, it was as if he were savoring it on his tongue, carrying a subtly teasing lilt.

"A very good name," Xie Xiyi said with a seductive chuckle. "Big fish eat Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu eats rice. Whether big fish or Xiao Yu, both are food to be eaten."

Chi Yu corrected him earnestly, "It’s the 'Yu' for 'pleasure.' My grandfather gave me this name, meaning I should live a happy life. It’s not the 'Yu' for 'fish,' and it’s not about being eaten."

Xie Xiyi gave a low chuckle. "No one cares about the meaning of this name except you. However, you are my Sword Servant. From now on, the only one who can 'eat' you is me."

Chi Yu: "..."

Eh, does that mean... he’s going to protect him?

Did he really become Xie Xiyi’s subordinate?

Xie Xiyi hummed a tune—light, cheerful, perfectly matching his current mood.

The Phantom Lightning in Chi Yu’s embrace broke free and flew in front of Xie Xiyi. Xie Xiyi reached out and grasped the sword, saying to Chi Yu with a voice full of laughter, "Sword Servant, I need a witness. Happy? You have another reason to live now."

Chi Yu muttered, "To witness you going mad, is that it?"

The Phantom Lightning hummed in response. Xie Xiyi asked, "Do you want to die?"

Chi Yu immediately forced a smile and said, "... Boss, I understand! I’ll be a good witness!"

System, you’ve come in handy again. Camera, activate (x

"But what do you want me to witness?" Chi Yu asked.

Xie Xiyi paused thoughtfully, then said, voice bright with amusement, "Witness me going mad."

Chi Yu: "..."

Author’s Note:

Xie Xiyi: You are my Xiao Yu

Chi Yu: You’re the 1 (x