Chapter 61: Sacrifice

Chapter 61: The Sacrifice

That person wasn't so much lying on the ground as hovering just above it.

Elder Yang stood before them, head lowered, gazing at the figure on the ground, her eyes calm and unreadable as a still, deep pool.

She watched for a long while before reaching out, her fingertips seemingly about to gently brush the person's cheek—then, for some reason, she paused mid-air and withdrew her hand.

She kept staring at the figure below.

Not far away, Su Hang and Immortal Venerable Lingqing watched for so long that Su Hang's eyes grew sore and dry—yet Elder Yang ahead showed no sign of stopping.

"It's been so long since we last met. I still... can't quite let you go."

A cool, even voice drifted over from the distance. Whether it was the illusion or not, Su Hang heard it with remarkable clarity.

He could even clearly see every small movement Elder Yang made—her gaze fixed unblinkingly on the person before her, her eyes revealing emotions too complicated to decipher, too heavy to bear.

Su Hang stared at Elder Yang and the figure beneath her, confusion creeping into his eyes. He thought to himself—Elder Yang had lived in the Upper Realm for thousands of years. Could she still have ties in the Lower Realm?

"She does come from the Lower Realm. Back when chaos engulfed the world, people from the Beyond Heavens went out to save it. They came upon a pitiful young girl, took her back to the Beyond Heavens, and taught her artifact cultivation."

Immortal Venerable Lingqing seemed to have perceived Su Hang's confusion and explained in a low voice.

Su Hang's pupils widened slightly. He couldn't shake the feeling that the Immortal Venerable could read his mind—how did the Venerable know everything he was thinking?

But he didn't dwell on it for long, simply turning back to watch Elder Yang and the person silently floating above the ground.

Could this person be Elder Yang's tie to the Lower Realm?

But—but Elder Yang had already lived in the Beyond Heavens for thousands of years. Even if she truly had such a tie, that person would have long turned to dust and ash, fallen into reincarnation.

Those who fall into reincarnation—their appearance differs from their past life, their memories are lost, and you can't even know if they're still human. Does that still count as the same person?

Immortal Venerable Lingqing watched Su Hang lost in thought, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

The Venerable didn't care what Elder Yang had done, nor what she intended to do in the Lower Realm. He only cared whether Su Hang was safe, whether Su Hang had gotten the so-called trial he sought.

So he wouldn't interfere with Elder Yang's actions.

The moonlight remained tranquil as still water.

Elder Yang stood ahead, and her deep-pool eyes finally showed a trace of ripples. Her gaze darkened slightly before she spoke: "I miss you so much."

With that, she straightened up, her breathing heavier than before, as if a stone were lodged in her chest. Yet her gaze grew ever more resolute, shining especially bright under the moonlight.

"By my life, by my fourfold body, I swear this oath! The bright moon bears witness, flesh and blood as offering, heaven and earth as witness—"

Upon hearing this, Su Hang's body stiffened at first, then he looked at Elder Yang in disbelief.

Su Hang had seen this technique before while reading books to pass the time on Falling Snow Peak—it was one of the Four Directions Forbidden Arts, using half of one's own life force and the flesh and blood of surrounding mortals as the price, to exchange for a fate blessed with immortal affinity for the one the spell was cast on.

No wonder, no wonder they'd all been thrown into the illusion...

Before Su Hang could think further, his feet had already moved, sprinting at nearly full speed to Elder Yang's side: "Wait! Elder Yang!"

Elder Yang's incantation was interrupted by Su Hang. A rare flash of anger appeared in her eyes, and she turned to face him with a hint of ferocity, her voice hoarse and sharp: "Don't get in the way! This is none of your business!"

Before Elder Yang's words had even faded, a figure in white robes gradually came into view—it was Immortal Venerable Lingqing, strolling toward them as if on a leisurely walk.

The Venerable walked with unhurried grace, finally stopping behind Su Hang. His peach-blossom eyes half-lidded, brows slightly raised, that faint smile perpetually on his face—though a trace of coldness flickered in his gaze.

"You wish to lead your kin onto the immortal path?" Immortal Venerable Lingqing's tone was flat, as if discussing everyday matters. "But what comes after? There's still a long road ahead."

The days were still long—the Venerable had ten thousand ways to make them both die unnatural deaths. Forget entering the immortal path; the Venerable wouldn't even give her kin a chance to set foot on the immortal mountain.

Elder Yang let go of all her tension, weariness seeping into her eyes. She stepped forward, shielding the person behind her completely.

"Venerable, you are burdened with a thousand affairs. Why bother with me?"

Immortal Venerable Lingqing placed both hands on Su Hang's shoulders and said, "And why snap at him? He interrupted your incantation—you can simply start over."

Hearing this, Elder Yang laughed, the smile barely concealing her exhaustion. She seemed so tired. She sat down where she stood, the bright moonlight making her face appear deathly pale, drained of all color.

She looked at Immortal Venerable Lingqing and Su Hang, then spoke calmly: "Some people are born fortunate—born as young masters of noble houses, standing where many mortals could never reach in a lifetime, born within the immortal mountains. Some people, though, have lives too cheap. They can never climb those so-called immortal gates in their entire lives, and in their next life, who knows if they'll be reborn as humans, or as cats, or dogs."

At this, her gaze flickered. "Venerable, I know my sister's fate is lowly, but... I still want to fight for her."

Immortal Venerable Lingqing gave a slight nod. Of course he wouldn't stop her. Who Elder Yang wanted to lead into the immortal gates, who she wanted to use as sacrifices—what did that have to do with him?

It was just that, for some reason, Su Hang had suddenly run out earlier and gotten snapped at by that woman. Otherwise, he would've just enjoyed the show.

Wasn't it nice that the little one, bored out of his mind on Falling Snow Peak these past days, could come down the mountain for some entertainment?

Su Hang, listening to their exchange, blinked, growing increasingly incredulous. Watching Elder Yang rise, still seemingly intent on completing the spell, his scalp went numb and his voice turned urgent: "No! How can you use this forbidden spell? Its sacrifice isn't just half your own life force—it's also the flesh and blood of the surrounding villagers!"

Su Hang didn't understand what had gotten into Elder Yang, how she could speak so openly about harming people.

He looked at Elder Yang in disbelief, then turned back to Immortal Venerable Lingqing. The Venerable first showed a puzzled expression, then noticing Su Hang looking at him, quickly put on a more serious face and said, "Indeed. This is absolutely forbidden for immortal disciples."

Elder Yang was momentarily stunned by Immortal Venerable Lingqing's words, then said: "Their souls won't dissipate. I'll send them into reincarnation. In their next life, they'll be born into an age of prosperity, no longer suffering the bitterness of troubled times.

I trapped you all in this illusion because I didn't want you to know about this, didn't want you to see the suffering of these chaotic times."

As she spoke, a flicker of emotion passed through her eyes, as if she were reminiscing about something.

But Su Hang beside her still frowned: "Elder, you don't know whether those people want to die or not. How can you make decisions for others on your own?"

Elder Yang shook her head, helplessness showing in her eyes: "Child, you were born in the Upper Realm. You've never seen it—never seen war and chaos, never seen people trading their children for food, never seen famine and plague strike together. Today they might be alive, but tomorrow they might not even know where their corpses lie. But I can give them a promise—in their next life, they will surely be officials and ministers, born into wealth and nobility."

"Only if they're willing! Elder, you can go ask them—you absolutely can't take away people's right to choose!"

Elder Yang's gaze remained calm and unruffled, her expression serene: "And what if, after I ask, they don't agree?"

The moment those words were spoken, the air went silent.

"Huh?" Su Hang was dumbfounded, his mind spinning.

Immortal Venerable Lingqing watched Su Hang's bewildered expression and couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

It took Su Hang quite a while to snap back to his senses, saying in disbelief: "If they don't agree, then of course you don't do it!"

"Oh." Elder Yang said coldly.

Hearing this, Su Hang let out a breath of relief. Elder Yang was, after all, his favorite elder in the Beyond Heavens besides Immortal Venerable Lingqing—he didn't want her to make a grave mistake.

"Oh, right!" Su Hang looked up at the full moon in the sky, seemingly struck by a thought, and turned back to say: "Elder, when will this illusion be lifted?"

"When the time comes, the illusion will lift on its own. It's just... perhaps my cultivation isn't sufficient." Elder Yang let out a self-deprecating laugh. "It takes a distinguished disciple of the Venerable's school to see through the illusion so easily."

Su Hang's mouth twitched at that, as if he could already envision how rigorous Qu Wenshan's training would be from now on.

Beside him, Immortal Venerable Lingqing shot a strange look at Elder Yang and said flatly, "No, Su Hang doesn't quite cut it in this area either. It's just that your illusion was so poorly crafted that anyone could spot the flaws at a glance."

Elder Yang said nothing, only lowering her head with her brows slightly furrowed, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Su Hang's mouth twitched again as he stole a sidelong glance at the utterly serious Immortal Venerable Lingqing, his feelings were complicated.

He knew the Immortal Venerable had a vicious tongue, but he hadn't expected that kind of skill.

One remark could take down four people in a single breath—criticizing Elder Yang's lack of skill, pointing out his own illusion was flawed, and taking jabs at Ji Chuan and Qu Wenshan for failing to see through it, all while mocking Elder Yang's poor teaching.

What a vicious tongue.

Even so, since the other was his beloved, seeing the Immortal Venerable wield his words so fiercely, he felt a weird flicker of delight.

He couldn't quite figure out where that joy came from.

*

After the three of them talked it over, they decided to return to the small hut they had temporarily settled in earlier, since Elder Yang wanted to keep an eye on Qu Wenshan and Ji Chuan.

She wouldn't let any of her disciples get hurt.

Elder Yang had known from the start that Immortal Venerable Lingqing would come as well. She had planned to leave the three disciples there, hoping the Immortal Venerable would secretly watch over the hut for Su Hang's sake. But now that everyone had come out, she feared trouble.

She lifted her sister's body and followed Su Hang and Immortal Venerable Lingqing with steady, unhurried steps.

Up ahead, Immortal Venerable Lingqing lowered his gaze to Su Hang, his eyes full of tenderness. "Little Heng, did you notice anything?"

Su Hang, who had been watching the path, froze at the question, his eyes full of confusion. "What? Has something not been resolved?"

Immortal Venerable Lingqing shook his head. "Elder Yang's illusion this time was far too poorly constructed."

==========Author's Note:==========

Thank you to all the dear readers who've followed this far! I love you all so much!

Some have asked before about Immortal Venerable Lingqing's name—it may appear in later chapters or side stories. It hasn't come up earlier because the Immortal Venerable himself feels it no longer matters.