Chapter 90: The Affirmed Prophecy

Chapter 90: The Prophecy Affirmed

Chi Yu wasn't as unaffected as he outwardly appeared.

His lingering worldly values told him that what had just transpired was utterly beyond the pale—absolutely, unequivocally wrong.

But he had been immersed in the cultivation world for too long; his values and common sense had already been thoroughly twisted—

This was unavoidable. To cultivate, one naturally had to shed the materialism of the real world, so he had reshaped himself to fit into this new existence.

More importantly, when Xie Xiyi kissed him, his golden eyes never left Chi Yu's face. They were unusually cold, utterly devoid of warmth. It felt less like aggression and more like… punishment? Retaliation?

Chi Yu couldn't precisely describe the emotion, but he felt it had nothing to do with sexual aggression. Moreover, what Xie Xiyi had said were indeed the core principles of Zen cultivation.

For Zen cultivators, these were merely physical forms—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind were but vessels for the six sensory experiences.

So Chi Yu couldn't really hold it against Xie Xiyi.

Even though it was his first kiss… giving it to Senior Brother Xuan Ji wasn't such a bad thing.

When Chi Yu realized he was thinking this way, he couldn’t help but blush a little, secretly chiding himself that he was still thinking like a mortal. This wouldn’t do.

His cultivation level was still too low; he needed to change.

After taking the screen, Chi Yu went and sat on Xie Xiyi’s bed—a large jade bed that was cold and hard to sleep on but overflowing with spiritual energy, making it a precious magical artifact.

Just sitting on it for a while, Chi Yu could feel spiritual energy surging into his meridians, automatically triggering his cultivation method and beginning his practice.

He asked Xie Xiyi in astonishment, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji, this bed is amazing! Why did you leave it here instead of taking it to Luopo?"

Xie Xiyi came back to himself and said somewhat absently, "It’s no longer suitable for me. If you like it, take it."

Chi Yu was clearly tempted. He cleared his throat and feigned hesitation, "Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?"

(Seemingly declining, but secretly opening his bag.)

Xie Xiyi retorted, "What’s inappropriate about it?"

Chi Yu said, "Because it’s very valuable!"

Xie Xiyi laughed nonchalantly, his tone tinged with sarcasm. "You dared to ask me for cultivation methods when we first met, and now you’re telling me it’s too valuable and you don’t dare accept it?"

Chi Yu: "Hahahaha, then I won’t hold back."

Chi Yu took the entire massive bed, justifying himself, "It’s not just for me to sleep on. Senior Brother Xuan Ji, you can sleep with me too. Actually, when you think about it, it’s still your stuff. I’m just the crown prince's porter."

Xie Xiyi said nothing.

Chi Yu happily continued rummaging around, collecting items as if on a shopping spree. He also took a small furnace from Xie Xiyi’s cultivation room, along with some intricate puzzle balls, nine-linked rings, wooden kite decorations, and other knickknacks.

They were all small, seemingly insignificant things, but Chi Yu loved them.

Xie Xiyi sometimes found it puzzling. Chi Yu wasn’t overly concerned with cultivation resources—he casually gave Wu Yunsu precious magical artifacts to wear—yet he often showed great fondness for ordinary objects.

Though puzzled, Xie Xiyi never asked.

Soon, Chi Yu had explored the entire Eastern Palace and taken everything he fancied. He had his own reasoning: "This isn’t just any intricate puzzle ball—it’s a ball Senior Brother Xuan Ji played with as a child. Just imagining a young Senior Brother Xuan Ji, serious and stern, playing with this ball makes me laugh."

As he said this, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

When one likes and cherishes someone, an inappropriate urge to delve into their past, to learn about their growth, inevitably arises.

This was an innate human tendency. Chi Yu firmly believed he was just an ordinary person with many ordinary flaws—a vigorous curiosity and an urge to snoop among them.

Xie Xiyi commented on this: "Pointless."

Chi Yu: "Heh heh."

Naturally, they rested in the Eastern Palace that night. Two meditation cushions were brought out, and they meditated through the night.

It had been a long time since they practiced Spiritual Sense Cultivation. Senior Brother Xuan Ji had said he no longer needed it, but Chi Yu was somewhat addicted to the sensation.

It wasn’t a physical addiction but a deeper longing that welled up.

This craving gnawed at Chi Yu’s spiritual foundation like ants, making him restless and unable to focus.

He secretly opened his eyes to look at Xie Xiyi, who was already deep in meditation.

He could disturb him, but he shouldn’t—it would make him seem weak-willed and lacking in mental fortitude.

Indulgence begets ruin—how could he fully embrace it now?

Chi Yu struggled to steady his mind, trying to sink into cultivation.

But at this hour, it had always been their time for Spiritual Sense Cultivation. It was practically ingrained habit.

A few days ago, on the road, with Little Ball around, he could endure. But now, with just the two of them in this palace, Little Ball and Wu Yunsu asleep in the side room…

No, he had to endure. There was no benefit to Spiritual Sense anymore; there was truly no need to continue. Since it often took three or four hours, that time could be better spent training with his sword.

Thinking this, Chi Yu no longer struggled. He stood up and went outside to train with his sword.

Moving around while practicing sword techniques could somewhat alleviate his craving.

Only after he left did Xie Xiyi open his eyes. He stood up, walked to the window, and gently pushed it open with one hand, watching Chi Yu’s figure moving through sword forms under the moonlight.

Over the past year, Chi Yu’s swordsmanship had improved tremendously. He now carried a strong aura—a sharpness and killing intent born from bloodshed.

Though he still held back, such progress in a year was remarkably rare.

His spiritual roots were ordinary, but his talent and comprehension were unparalleled.

Xie Xiyi gazed at Chi Yu’s figure, his golden eyes revealing a tenderness he didn't even recognize in himself.

This was the Foundation Establishment Cultivator he had nurtured…

*

They had originally planned to stay in Great Xia for three days. Chi Yu had thought it would be lively, but reality was harsh—Xie Xiyi’s words were truer than he had imagined.

Not only were the emperor and empress afraid of him, but every member of the royal family feared Xie Xiyi. Thus, barely anyone visited him.

These three days were utterly quiet.

When Xie Xiyi had told him earlier, Chi Yu couldn’t help but think of the Xie Xiyi from five hundred years later—

If it were that Xie Xiyi, their fear would be entirely justified.

Chi Yu was afraid too, but he shook off those feelings quickly. Perhaps it was a perk of being young—he was bursting with reckless bravery, and fear never stuck around long in his heart.

Just as the meaning of his name suggested, he meant to find joy every day. Fear and sorrow were his greatest enemies.

And he has always come out on top in this regard (lol).

But he is a special case and cannot be generalized, so he understands the feelings of Xie Xiyi's relatives toward him.

To be honest, not finishing Xie Xiyi off completely is truly a testament to their deep familial affection.

What Chi Yu was thinking about now was something else—if what Senior Brother Xuan Ji was like when his Demonic Heart went out of control was the same as Xie Xiyi's...

That would explain everything!!!

He always knew his Senior Brother Xuan Ji couldn’t be that kind of lunatic like Xie Xiyi!!

His acting like such a madman was entirely due to his Demonic Heart losing control!

Thinking this, Chi Yu got so worked up that he reached out to tug on Xie Xiyi’s sleeve, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji!"

Xie Xiyi was admiring the prized flowers and plants in his courtyard. He didn’t mind Chi Yu tugging his sleeve and didn’t even bother turning around, asking, "What is it?"

Chi Yu asked eagerly, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji, if your Demonic Heart loses control, how can you get back to how you are now?"

Xie Xiyi didn’t expect this question. He slowly turned around, looked at Chi Yu, and asked, "Why do you ask?"

Chi Yu said seriously, "We need a plan for that. If your Demonic Heart loses control, I want to see if I can save you."

Xie Xiyi went along with this line of thinking, pondered for a while, and then said, "That time when the Demonic Heart lost control, it was suppressed by Chan Master Ruoku. Now... as long as the Buddha Bone is here, it won’t lose control again."

The Buddha Bone is Xie Xiyi’s reliance for suppressing the Demonic Heart—though due to the Love Poison, his inner cultivation, mental state, and power are fading, his True Sight isn't as keen, and the Buddha Bone is also dimming.

But among these inner cultivation elements, only the Buddha Bone is something he has actually made manifest within his body, making it a treasure.

As a treasure, even if it dims, its nature as such does not change.

Even after he stops practicing as a Zen cultivator, the Buddha Bone will remain in his body, not lost, and will still help him suppress the Demonic Heart.

Of course, the Demonic Heart, this evil thing, though it won’t replace him in slaughter as it did when he was twelve, will always quietly affect his mental state.

Like that Love Poison... when it was still a tangle of strange thoughts, the Demonic Heart quietly seeped a strand into it, imbuing this thread with some of the Demonic Heart’s destructive urges and malice.

"No," Chi Yu said, "that’s not what I mean. I mean, what if you completely lose control?"

Xie Xiyi said, "That's not possible."

Chi Yu: "..."

He angrily said, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji!! Can you not be so rigid! I’m making a hypothesis—what if such a possibility arises? What should I do? How can I save you?"

Xie Xiyi retorted, "In your eyes, am I so weak that I need you to save me?"

"..." Chi Yu was furious, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji!!! It’s a hypothesis! Can you not be so difficult!"

Xie Xiyi looked at his flushed face and found it somewhat amusing—it was rare to see him so enraged. He couldn’t help but laugh, though he didn’t laugh for long before Chi Yu’s wide-eyed stare forced him to stop. He adopted a serious expression and said, "If my Demonic Heart completely loses control, you can only go to Zizai Continent and seek the Buddhist Venerable—Venerable Supreme Good of the Anuttara Buddhist School is my future master. You can go to him."

Chi Yu pressed further, "Will seeking him definitely work?"

Xie Xiyi said, "Perhaps."

"Perhaps? Senior Brother Xuan Ji, don’t use such vague words. This is very important to me," Chi Yu said, looking seriously into Xie Xiyi’s eyes.

Xie Xiyi softened his tone slightly, "I can only say ‘perhaps,’ because Venerable Supreme Good might not actually help."

Chi Yu was puzzled, "Why?"

Xie Xiyi said, "The Buddhist school emphasizes karma. Those who reach the level of Venerable possess unimaginable divine abilities—they can see past tribulations and destinies across lifetimes. If he believes that my Demonic Heart’s complete loss of control is a destined kalpa and fate, he will just stand aside."

Chi Yu’s mouth fell open, finding it hard to comprehend, "But if you lose control, you’ll kill many people, even lay waste to entire cities. Saving you should be an act of great merit, right?"

Xie Xiyi gazed at him thoughtfully, "You seem to know a lot about how I am when my Demonic Heart loses control."

"Uh..." Chi Yu said calmly, "Does it even require understanding? Isn’t it pretty obvious at a glance?"

Xie Xiyi shifted his gaze away from him and continued looking at the fragrant flowers and plants, saying, "Venerables see things differently. Our realm is too low to casually comprehend them. I asked Venerable Supreme Good whether Chan Master Ruoku’s prediction was credible."

Chi Yu: "He didn’t say it was true, did he?"

Xie Xiyi smiled, "Venerable Supreme Good said that whether this world exists or not all comes down to a single thought from me."

"Ah?" Chi Yu was confused, "What does Venerable Supreme Good mean by that?"

Xie Xiyi said, "He affirmed Ruoku’s prophecy."

Chi Yu instinctively said, "Impossible."

Xie Xiyi, seeing his intense reaction, felt a warmth in his heart, and the smile on his lips became more genuine, "I haven’t finished. Though Venerable Supreme Good affirmed Ruoku’s prophecy, he was referring to another life."

Chi Yu: "Huh? What do you mean?"

Xie Xiyi said, "Venerable Supreme Good can see the trials and destinies across many lives. Perhaps I will only fulfill the prophecy in one lifetime."

Chi Yu breathed a sigh of relief and complained, "All this mystical stuff—I almost didn’t understand it."

Then he said firmly, "In any case, Senior Brother Xuan Ji, you couldn’t possibly..."

Well, actually, it’s hard to say. If he hadn’t come, according to the villain Xie Xiyi from five hundred years later, he might indeed have created that demon kingdom they talk about.

Hiss, so he’s here to be the savior?

As his thoughts deepened, Xie Xiyi’s words pulled his attention back, "It’s impossible for me. This is just a hypothesis."

Chi Yu muttered to himself: That’s not necessarily true.

With Senior Brother Xuan Ji’s personally verified approach, Chi Yu felt a little better about things.

*

The three days passed quickly, and it was time for them to return to Zizai Continent.

Xie Xiyi’s father, mother, younger brothers, and younger sisters all came to see them off.

Actually, Chi Yu could tell that Senior Brother Xuan Ji’s parents still cared about him. Their silence now seemed more like cracks from all that fear between them.

Such cracks are hard to mend, but parental love hadn't gone bad—it has just become deeper, more held back, and harder to express.

They no longer know how to repair this relationship.

Xie Xiyi, however, was more open-minded, not obsessed with reconciling with them. He understood their fear and had no expectations.

The closeness brought by blood ties faded and dissolved naturally.

Xie Qingning was very reluctant to part, her eyes welling up with tears. She wanted to hug Xie Xiyi but didn’t dare, especially since she had been chewed out bluntly not long ago.

Chi Yu sensed her thoughts and sent a mental message to Xie Xiyi, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji, go hug your sister. She’s crying."

Xie Xiyi said, "Men and women shouldn't get too close; even if she's my sister, we should keep our distance."

Chi Yu: "..."

Wait, now he cares about boundaries?

That wasn't what you said when your tongue was in his mouth.

Chi Yu transmitted his voice, "The body is just a form—what's the harm in hugging her? Hurry up, Senior Brother Xuan Ji! Making a girl cry is the worst!"

Xie Xiyi keenly picked up on something in his words and responded instinctively, without thinking: "...You sound like you know all about this."

Chi Yu: "What do you mean, experienced? Senior Brother Xuan Ji, hurry up! This is the perfect moment—go hug her, and hug your brother too. Hugs are a gentle force; they can always comfort and encourage them. If possible, go hug your father and mother as well. Hurry up! Go, go, go!!"

Xie Xiyi: "..."

He grudgingly stepped forward, opened his arms, and gave Xie Qingning a light, almost tentative hug.

Xie Qingning was stunned for a moment, then hugged him back tightly. "Big brother! I'll miss you!"

Xie Xiyi suddenly paused, stepped back, lifted a strand of her hair, and rubbed it between his fingers.

Xie Qingning was shocked but delighted. "...Big brother?"

Xie Xiyi looked down at her. "Where have you been?"

Xie Qingning was confused. "What?"

Xie Xiyi slowly moved his hand down, held her arm through her sleeve, and sent his Spiritual Sense into the Spatial Ring on her finger.

His Spiritual Sense swept through a pile of junk and retrieved a pair of arm rings and a jade hairpin—a magical artifact. "...Where did these come from?"

Xie Xiyi's voice turned colder.

Xie Qingning grew uneasy. "Big brother, what's wrong?"

Xie Xiyi sounded impatient. "Answer me."

Xie Qingning said stiffly, "They're gifts from Fu Lang."

Xie Xiyi: "Fu Lang?"

Xie Qingning said, "Fu Ze, the guy I like."

Xie Xiyi laughed coldly, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "The guy you like? Can't you tell the magical artifacts he gave you are tainted with bloody residue?"

Xie Qingning was taken aback but quickly defended Fu Ze instinctively. "Fu Ze is just a rogue cultivator; he's strapped for cash. It's not a big deal if the gifts he gave me have some bloody impurity."

Xie Xiyi said, "The gifts he gave you were stripped from corpses. You don't see a problem with that?"

He laughed, the vibration in his throat tugging at the corners of his mouth mockingly. "A princess of a nation, moved by such a cheap trick—it makes me think all the rare treasures our father and mother spent on you over the years might as well have been fed to dogs."

Though his words were harsh, Xie Qingning wasn't angry. Instead, she felt immense joy—her big brother was angry for her!

Why would he be angry? Naturally, because he was worried about her!

Xie Qingning trembled with excitement. This was still her big brother! He cared about her!!

Her eyes shone with exhilaration, as if sparks had fallen into them. "Big brother, I was wrong. I'll do whatever you say."

Xie Xiyi said, "What to do is for you to figure out."

He tossed the arm rings and jade hairpin back into her Spatial Ring.

"Big brother!" Xie Qingning grabbed his sleeve, her words tumbling out incoherently. "Why don't you go check on Fu Lang for me? You’ve cultivated the True Sight, right? Help me see if he’s okay? Maybe he’s an evil cultivator, lurking around me, waiting for a chance to harm me!"

"Evil cultivator?" Xie Xiyi shook her off dismissively. "With so many people around you, can’t you handle one evil cultivator?"

Xie Qingning said, "It's different! Big brother, you practice Zen—you’re most sensitive to evil cultivators. Please check for me, okay?"

If Fu Ze were still here, he would have realized that his techniques hadn’t failed; they were still firmly entrenched in Xie Qingning's eyes and deep within her spiritual realm, still capable of making her infatuated with him.

However, Xie Qingning's desire for her brother's attention far exceeded her infatuation with Fu Ze, which led to this situation.

Having finally seized Xie Xiyi's attention, Xie Qingning wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip away, so she didn't hesitate to sell out Fu Ze.

Xie Xiyi initially wanted to refuse, but Chi Yu kept nagging in his ear, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji, just check for your sister. What if he's some sketchy guy? That would be infuriating. You're her brother—act like it. If he's a troublemaker, chase him away. Girls are easily swayed by bad boys, and your sister is still young, only fifteen or sixteen. Where I'm from, she'd still be in middle school—this is puppy love, absolutely not okay. She's not fully developed mentally or physically yet..."

Xie Xiyi: "..."

Stop talking.

He couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up, "Take me to him."

Xie Qingning was overjoyed. "Okay! Big brother, follow me!"

At the princess’s residence, Fu Ze, though lacking Dong Sheng's divination abilities, had the intuition and premonition of a top-tier assassin.

He knew the Zen cultivator was leaving Great Xia today—which should have been good news—but he couldn’t shake a nagging pain in his temples.

It was a warning from his intuition and premonition.

Fu Ze grew restless. If he ran now, he might bump into the Zen cultivator, but staying at the princess’s residence made him anxious.

After a few moments, he ultimately trusted his intuition and melted into a faint shadow, hiding himself.

Just after he vanished, Xie Xiyi and the others, led by Xie Qingning, arrived at Fu Ze’s courtyard in the princess’s residence.

"Fu Ze!" Xie Qingning’s voice was brimming with excitement. "Fu Ze! Where are you? Come out!"

Fu Ze didn’t respond as he usually would. Xie Qingning was stunned.

She rushed into the room only to find Fu Ze had disappeared.

Xie Xiyi stepped inside, and the surrounding aura triggered his True Sight to activate automatically—

His powers had weakened too much; there was an evil cultivator here, and he had to come to his residence to discover his identity.

In the past, the arm rings and jade hairpin alone would have been enough for him to discern the identity and background of the person who gave them to Xie Qingning.

Xie Xiyi’s expression turned stern. "He’s an evil cultivator."

Xie Qingning was shocked. "Fu Ze is really an evil cultivator??"

Xie Xiyi glanced at Chi Yu, who looked back at him bewildered. "Senior Brother Xuan Ji, what is it?"

Xie Xiyi averted his gaze and said, "Give her a bottle of Dharma Lotus to take."

Chi Yu: "Oh, oh, oh!"

Chi Yu took out a jade bottle and handed it to Xie Qingning.

Xie Qingning looked at Xie Xiyi, hoping to coax more words from him. "Big brother, what is this?"

Xie Xiyi said, "It clears the mind, breaks through illusions, and dispels charm-based inner demons."

Xie Qingning drank the clear liquid transformed from the Dharma Lotus, and the swirling pink mist deep in her eyes and spiritual realm dissipated.

Xie Xiyi said to Chi Yu, "Share some of the jade bottles with the others."

Chi Yu replied obediently, "Yes, Senior Brother Xuan Ji."

Xie Xiyi drew his sword, "I'll be back later."

Chi Yu: "Yes, Senior Brother Xuan Ji."

After a moment, he added, "Senior Brother Xuan Ji, be careful."

Xie Xiyi smirked faintly, his tone casual, "That evil cultivator should be the one worrying."

With that, he transformed into a beam of light and disappeared.

Author's Note:

While little puppy fish kept chattering, Xie Xiyi: Felt like shutting him up—with his mouth.