Chapter 66: Resolving Zi Yue

Chapter 66: Resolving Zi Yue

The mountain hollow where Liu Qishan resided pulsed with the densest spiritual energy. His expression turned chilling, his voice colder than usual.

"Xiao Lan, tell Tian Luo and the others to hide. No matter what sounds they hear, they are not to come out."

"Alright." Shen Junlan stroked Tian Luo's head, soothing it and promising his help, before departing with Liu Qishan.

The deeper they ventured, the sparser the spiritual energy became.

Shen Junlan clutched Huo Yanchi's wrist, vigilantly observing their surroundings.

"Such a familiar scent. Has Grandpa Tree returned?"

"Grandpa Tree, Grandpa Tree!"

Sensing Liu Qishan's aura, the flora responded in unison. A flurry of petals drifted up, enveloping both Liu Qishan and Shen Junlan.

"I have returned."

An ethereal voice resonated across the entire sky. Weary birds took flight, all converging towards their location.

The umbrella in Zi Yun's hand shook violently. He flung it away uncontrollably, and Cui Jie, hidden within, sprang out, landing beneath the tree's shade.

"I can sense he is nearby."

He wouldn't mistake that foul odor—it emanated from Zi Yue.

In an instant, everyone tensed. Zi Yun activated a formation, ready to confront Zi Yue at any moment.

Under normal circumstances, this wasn't Zi Yue's peak. Based on his understanding, Zi Yue should be easier to handle.

"Huo Yanchi, hide behind me later."

Zi Yun had already established formations nearby. Should Zi Yue erupt violently or lose control, they would have the formations for protection.

Turning another corner, Liu Qishan, leading the way, looked up to see a shadowy figure cloaked in black.

It lurked indistinctly beneath a tree.

When Zi Yun looked up, he only caught a glimpse of a massive tree trunk. The tree was so vast it blotted out the sky, its abundant spiritual energy evident at a glance. Zi Yue leaned against it; even through his black robe, his labored breathing was palpable.

"Heh heh heh, long time no see, Senior Brother."

It was the same familiar voice, though tinged with an added hint of age.

Zi Yue's chest ached terribly. Despite absorbing vast amounts of spiritual energy from the plants, he couldn't halt his rapid aging. His fingers and arms had already withered to bone, a horrifying sight.

"You seem unchanged, as spirited as ever."

Zi Yue was consumed by maddening jealousy. He was clearly the child prodigy, so why did everyone later favor Zi Yun? Why? Just because he was the senior brother, did he deserve such treatment?

"You're different. You should have died long ago."

Another cold laugh. Zi Yue's gaze fixed on Huo Yanchi. He scuttled across the ground like a dog, greedily fixating on Huo Yanchi, his desire almost overflowing.

"So fragrant, so fragrant. Huo Yanchi, we finally meet again."

Many years had passed since Zi Yue last saw Huo Yanchi. He inhaled Huo Yanchi's scent—it was even more fragrant than when he was a child.

Huo Yanchi recalled the phantom wails in his mind. Listening to Zi Yue's voice, he felt utterly sickened. He whispered, "Heh, today will be your end."

Someone who should have died long ago, occupying another's body—what right did he have to survive in this world?

"Just by relying on you all? In this world, the one who can stop me hasn't even been born yet. Do you truly think I'm a child? I'm far more powerful than you."

Zi Yue activated the formation, intending to harness the power of the giant tree behind him to absorb the luck of these people.

Midway through the formation's operation, it abruptly stalled. Zi Yue frantically tried to reactivate it, but it remained motionless.

"What's going on? What is this?"

It was just a tree. Why was this happening? It felt as if someone was resisting him—an invisible force preventing any movement.

Zi Yue's gaze swept over the few people present. There were some he didn't recognize. Were they causing trouble?

"Who? Who is it?"

After a long moment, Liu Qishan finally spoke. "It's me."

"You?"

Just him? An unknown young punk—what power did he possess to stop him?

As he spoke, Liu Qishan drew his sword. Having followed the Sword Cultivator for so many years, he had mastered most of the Sword Cultivator's techniques—more than enough to deal with Zi Yue.

"Who are you? Who exactly are you?"

Zi Yue seemed utterly terrified. He retreated incessantly, still attempting to use talismans to block Liu Qishan's sword intent. But the moment Liu Qishan raised his sword, Zi Yue knew defeat was inevitable.

"Ah—"

A blood-curdling scream echoed. Zi Yue had only lost an arm.

He stumbled to his feet, attempting to confront Liu Qishan, but was blocked by Cui Jie.

"Do you remember who I am?"

Cui Jie's rage boiled over. His fingernails gradually lengthened, easily clamping onto Zi Yue's neck. His fingers tightened continuously, choking him.

"How do you plan to repay the lives of the more than hundred people of the Cui family?"

The Cui family—there did seem to be such a matter. It had been too long; how could he possibly remember clearly? He only recalled that it was that Cui fellow's wedding, with exceptionally good fortune. After seizing his body, he had lived comfortably for many years.

"Too many people have died. Do you expect me to remember each one clearly? If they're dead, they're dead. Cough, cough."

Cui Jie increased his grip. If he were to simply strangle Zi Yue, it would be letting him off too easily.

"Daoist Master Zi Yun, is there any way to make him disgorge all the spiritual energy he absorbed before?"

The spirits of Mount Buzhou deserved justice too.

"Yes. Reverse the formation Zi Yue set up and make him the formation's core."

In a flash, Liu Qishan restrained Zi Yue. His sword hadn't tasted blood in a long time and was ravenous.

"Cui Jie, hold him down. Focus on what happened that day. Settle all the karma, one by one."

As the formation activated, Zi Yue struggled with increasing violence. Shen Junlan, seeing the situation escalate, extended a tiny sprout from his palm. It transformed into a vine, pressing Zi Yue down firmly.

Several people joined forces, exerting their full spiritual power, before Zi Yue's struggles began to subside.

His robes burst open, revealing an exposed skeletal frame, with only his face still clinging to flesh—a completely unfamiliar visage, sunken-eyed and terrifyingly grotesque.

"I'm telling you, you can't kill me. As long as my soul remains, you cannot kill me."

As his spiritual power was forcibly expelled, the withered plants and trees around them regained their vitality, swaying gracefully.

The skeletal frame suddenly collapsed. The moment Zi Yue's soul left his body, Cui Jie immediately restrained him.

"Today, I will avenge the Cui family and all those poor souls whose fortunes you stole and whose bodies you seized."

After all, Cui Jie was a centuries-old ghost, more than capable of dealing with Zi Yue. He had no intention of letting Zi Yue die easily—he wanted him to endure torment and die in agony.

He unleashed his most potent methods on Zi Yue, who went from disdainful arrogance to begging on his knees for mercy. But Cui Jie showed no pity, only applying more force.

"Let me go, and I'll tell you how to live. You can become human."

Zi Yue was truly terrified. Every trick he tried was useless against them, as if they were specifically designed to counter him.

"You think I'm like you? Whether as a human or a ghost, I am nothing like you—half-human, half-ghost, neither one nor the other, a sewer insect."

"Mr. Liu Qishan, I need your help."

"Alright." A dense sword aura gathered as Liu Qishan slashed down fiercely toward Zi Yue's soul.

Soul scattered to nothing.

Cui Jie exhaled a turbid breath, his heart feeling much lighter. The resentment that had haunted him for so many years had finally dissipated.

His form grew faint and translucent as he weakly knelt on the ground, a smile spreading across his face. He had taken his revenge—finally, his revenge was complete.

"Leader, I'm afraid... I might not be able to stay with you all any longer."

With the resentment in his heart gone, his ghostly form was on the verge of fading entirely.

"Where... where will you go?" Shen Junlan's voice was very low, fearing that Cui Jie might vanish from the world forever.

"Reincarnation." Cui Jie clutched the jade pendant in his hand, a faint smile curling his lips as he whispered hoarsely, "Yuan has waited for me for three hundred years. I can't keep her waiting any longer."

"Thank you. If it weren't for all of you, I would have lingered in this world, lost and confused, for many more years."

Before Cui Jie reincarnated, Shen Junlan clapped his hands and shared a portion of his own spiritual power with Cui Jie.

"There's not much else I can do to help, but I hope this spiritual power will protect you. May you have a peaceful next life and reunite with Yuan as soon as possible."

"Thank you."

Cui Jie's form faded completely, leaving behind a streak of starlight in the sky. From then on, Cui Jie was gone forever.

Shen Junlan's eyes watered slightly. He leaned into Huo Yanchi's embrace, having long considered Cui Jie a friend.

"Guai Yezi, don't cry. Isn't this a good thing?"

"Yeah."

Dealing with Zi Yue had been much simpler than they had anticipated. Zi Yun dismantled the formation and stared directly at Liu Qishan.

"Senior, if I may ask... what is your true identity?"

Liu Qishan's eyes rested on the sky-blotting locust tree. With a wave of his hand, the tree rustled vigorously. He curved his lips into a faint smile. "Didn't you see?"

No wonder Zi Yue hadn't needed to activate the formation—the formation's core was far more powerful than his own, and it had been turned against him.

"And... Shen Junlan..."

To think that leaves could grow directly from his palm—Zi Yun had truly witnessed it all today. He had seen every manner of strange and bizarre occurrence.

"Yes, a Junzi Lan (Clivia plant)."

Shen Junlan replied softly, his voice still hoarse and low. Given the circumstances, there was nothing left to hide.

"Please, Taoist Master, keep our secret."

"Of course. As far as I'm concerned, today's events never happened." Though shocked, after witnessing Zi Yue's death and revival, nothing could truly astonish Zi Yun anymore.

The supernatural beings of Mount Buzhou came to see them off, clearing a path for them.

"Jun Lan, when will you return?"

"We'll come back often when we have the chance." Shen Junlan gently patted a vibrantly blooming flower, his tone tender.

"Take care, all of you. May nothing threaten you again."

After leaving Mount Buzhou, Shen Junlan clearly felt a Merit blessing enveloping him. He gently pressed Huo Yanchi's wrist and whispered, "Brother, it's Cui Jie's Merit."

Such a good person deserved to be reborn into a better place.

"Guai Yezi, rest assured. He will surely be happy."

By all accounts, Cui Jie had been a person blessed with good fortune—there was no reason his next life should be anything less than good.

It was only when they reached an area with cell service that they finally connected with Lin Hang, who had been calling nonstop.

"What happened? I couldn't get through at all. Are you all okay?"

"Everything's fine." Huo Yanchi clutched the phone tightly and eventually explained the matter of Cui Jie's reincarnation.

"Oh." The atmosphere grew solemn. After a pause, Lin Hang hung up and went to burn more spirit money for Cui Jie.

Little did they know, the Huo family was already in complete chaos.