Chapter 97

Wealth, Companions, Dharma, Land.

Because Ruan Ci held the Dew-Catching Plate to close the illusion array, the Eternal Dao City was gradually extinguishing. She had never been to Hengze Heaven and didn't know how the cultivators still in the array got out when the past illusions extinguished. Would the Nirvana Dao Ancestor manipulate the illusion array to keep those Langhuan cultivators who were deeply integrated with the array? With her ability, she could only stop the illusion array completely, but hide the Dao foundation jade pool part. At this time, the surroundings were already pure white, just like when several people climbed to the Golden Core Dao foundation. The place was not big, and thousands of cultivators were mixed in it, chaotic and very noisy. No one noticed Ruan Ci appearing. Even the six people including Li Pingyan were waiting under the high platform of the Dao foundation, and because they were familiar with Ruan Ci’s aura, they were able to capture her figure.

The crowd reunited after a long separation and couldn't help but recount their experiences. It turned out that Ruan Ci had disappeared in the illusion for more than four months. Counting on her fingers, Hengze Heaven had been open for nearly ten months. Not only should the Hengze Jade Dew have been born, but the spiritual power tide returning to Langhuan Heaven should have also begun to surge. However, the Eternal Dao City had not changed at all. At this point, everyone finally discovered that the eight city gates no longer had the function of crossing back to the shore. Even if they walked out from the eight city gates, they would only reach the battlefield outside the city, not the market outside the city where everyone had stayed for a while a few months ago.

This shock was naturally no small matter. Except for those cultivators whose precious medicines had taken effect and who had already regarded themselves as locals without reservation, all the cultivators were panicked and tried every means to find their way home. Some even had whimsical ideas, wanting to help the Yin-Yang Dao Ancestor kill local cultivators, reverse the war situation, and break the illusion array. Of course, such crazy actions were immediately killed by the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Eternal Dao City. Because cultivators here could be reincarnated infinitely, punishments had always been severe. For example, that Senior Brother Xu who coveted the silver hairpin at the beginning was sent to the Land of Absolute Spirit, and because he didn't bring enough spirit jade, he had already died inside when his sentence was served. The Shadow Residents were also accustomed to this.

"I heard that the heaviest torture here is to chase the soul and capture the spirit, and only after killing nine times can the sin be pardoned."

Li Pingyan and the other six waited for Ruan Ci in the Dao City for four months and couldn't do anything else, so they inquired about a lot of local anecdotes. Junior Brother Fan clicked his tongue and said, "Although I am ruthless, I also feel that since death clears debts, what kind of hatred is there to chase and kill nine times? It seems that constant reincarnation is not good after all."

Speaking of this, everyone couldn't help but laugh. Someone in the distance shouted, "Eight city gates! The eight city gates are out! Everyone, run!"

Immediately, two bold cultivators jumped into the Qing City Gate. A moment later, they returned and said, "Outside is the market. The illusion array is broken. Run, run!"

Upon hearing this, how could everyone hold back? They scrambled to pass through the gate. Senior Brother Pu’s eyes also lit up, but seeing that the others were not in a hurry, he calmed down and listened to Junior Brother Fan continue, "Of course, all these methods are ineffective. In the past few days, the uneasy atmosphere in the city has reached its peak. Many people are even desperate, preparing to ask for some precious medicine to take, so as to integrate into the Dao City and become citizens of the Dao City, no longer wanting to return to Langhuan Zhou Heaven."

Hearing this, Ruan Ci couldn't help but smile, "If someone is impatient and rushes to take the medicine and integrate into this place, wouldn't that be throwing away their life in vain? Just now I was paying attention to the surroundings. Those cultivators we know who have completely integrated into this place have all disappeared with the illusion array. This time the illusion array has different changes, but it didn't give them the opportunity to pass through the city gates in a daze and return to the shore."

Senior Brother Pu also said, "That’s right. In the past, when everyone crossed, the illusion array had not extinguished, giving them a chance to leave. But this time the illusion array’s changes were very different from the beginning. If it weren't for Senior... Junior Sister breaking the array, I’m afraid we would really have folded here."

He paused slightly when he said the words "Junior Sister," but in the cultivation world, there is actually no difference between men and women. Many cultivators don't care about men or women when they simulate their split spirits. In the secret realm, changing appearance and gender is common, so everyone just joked a few times and didn't take Ruan Ci’s gender secret to heart.

While talking, everyone returned to the outside of the city with the flow of people. Because Ruan Ci wanted to find Qin Fengyu, and there were people outside the Qing City Gate, and Li Pingyan, Little Su, and Junior Brother Fan still had some tail ends of their injuries that needed to be cleared, they needed to use some water-grinding work from time to time. Because the city was chaotic in the past few days, they didn't practice, and now they had to find a quiet place to make up for their homework. Everyone agreed to meet again in the future, so they parted outside the city and went to their respective places.

At this time, the outside of the Qing City Gate was very lively. Everyone was very happy, looking for relatives and friends. There were also many cultivators doing business with the small cultivators staying outside the city. However, in such a complex aura, Qin Fengyu’s aura was still as bright as a light. Ruan Ci released her own aura, and the two sensed each other and met in a moment. Qin Fengyu was all well, just very bored outside the city and anxious from waiting. She simply closed her door for a few months to comprehend a supernatural power in her cultivation technique, and actually gained quite a bit. It wasn't until more than ten days ago, because the spiritual power tide had already begun but no one had returned from the city gate, that she felt uneasy. Because of the rise and fall of the spiritual tide, she gave up practicing the technique and focused on waiting for Ruan Ci here.

Ruan Ci returned to her place with her. At this time, she no longer had the silver hairpin. Even if she carried the Dew-Catching Plate, it was difficult to talk to the waiter, she couldn't sit on the chair, and she couldn't sleep on the bed. Thinking that Qin Fengyu had waited for nine months under such circumstances and had even practiced a supernatural power, she couldn't help but admire her. She also told Qin Fengyu about her experience in the city, except for the last part related to the Dao Ancestor. As for what happened after she finally obtained the Hengze Jade Dew, she was unable to speak, just like hearing the true name of the Heavenly Record, but because the Heavenly Record held the Mouth-Cleansing Mantra, she couldn't tell others even if she wanted to.

Qin Fengyu was not surprised by this and said, "You finally obtained the Hengze Jade Dew on the Cave Heaven battlefield. There are many taboos in Cave Heaven disputes, and you are only at the Foundation Establishment cultivation level, so you are naturally restricted. It is natural that you cannot speak it out."

Ruan Ci said, "That’s right. I am gradually realizing that many taboos and mantras are only useful among the same realm, or they have strong constraints on cultivators of the next realm. Just like after holding the Mouth-Cleansing Mantra to protect the true name, the records of the true name in the mortal world gradually disappear. That is the cultivator’s constraint on mortals. And the true face of the Dao Ancestor cannot be remembered, and the true name of the fallen Dao Ancestor will be forgotten by people. These are all invisible constraints of higher-level cultivators on us. And the three major mantras we hold in the Foundation Establishment realm often fail around high-level people in the higher realm, which is also because of the comprehensive suppression of lower-level cultivators by higher-level cultivators."

Qin Fengyu smiled, "It seems you have really gained a lot of knowledge in the Dao City. In fact, the lower the realm, the weaker the realm suppression. For example, although you are now at Foundation Establishment, you may not be unable to fight some lower-grade Golden Cores, but the gap between Golden Core and Nascent Soul is huge, and the gap between Nascent Soul and Cave Heaven is almost insurmountable. As for Cave Heaven and Dao Ancestor... this is not something we can know."

She was very interested in the Dao contention and asked many questions, almost using up the thousand-sentence agreement. Just as several people came to visit, Qin Fengyu had to sit silently beside Ruan Ci, looking cold and obedient.

Among the five, Li Pingyan lived next to the two women. Senior Brother Pu had a junior sister with lower cultivation waiting outside the city, and now he went to meet her. The remaining three stayed next to the two women’s courtyard. At this time, everything was arranged, so they came to visit. Little Su took out a human bag and handed it to Ruan Ci, coughing a few times before he could speak.

Among the five, his injuries were the heaviest. Shen Qi used the secret method of the Green Lotus Sword Sect to heal him. Although he recovered quickly, he left many sequelae and looked a bit pale. But this Little Su was very clever. In fact, his injuries were so heavy, which had a lot to do with Ruan Ci forcing him to be a medium. Little Su didn't mention this to sell favors, but only said, "Monk Xiu has been in meditation and hasn't come out. I don't know what he is like now. Junior Sister Ci has the highest cultivation and has high-level people protecting the Dao. Why don't you protect the Dao for Junior Brother Monk Xiu, and send him back to the Wugou Sect after going out, which can be considered as not wasting our friendship."

Ruan Ci had a good impression of Monk Xiu, so she nodded and agreed. She released Monk Xiu from the human bag and moved him to a corner of the hall. Monk Xiu still had no breath. The two palms faced each other, and everyone couldn't tell who was the Heart Demon and who was Monk Xiu’s body. It is said that not breathing spiritual energy for four months and running the secret method, the spiritual liquid of a Foundation Establishment cultivator could not withstand such consumption and should have fallen, but without untying the monk’s robe, no one could draw a conclusion.

Just as she wanted to sigh about the magic of the Wugou Sect’s cultivation technique, Junior Brother Fan couldn't wait to shout, "Senior Sister Ci, it was not easy to ask this, but you have such a high-level dead soldier protecting you, so I asked it—Hengze Jade Dew, did you get it?"

His eyes were bright, looking very curious, "I won't fight with you, nor will I tell anyone. If you are still worried, then wait until the last moment before going out of Hengze Heaven to tell me."

After going out of Hengze Heaven, the ownership of the Jade Dew would be determined and would not cause disputes again. Ruan Ci couldn't help but smile, "Then why not wait until after going out of Hengze Heaven to tell you?"

Junior Brother Fan pouted and said unhappily, "Then it’s better to wait another two years. Just look at the changes in the Spirit Mountain, and you will know whether you have obtained the Jade Dew."

The Spirit Mountain changes its sect according to the Jade Dew. If no sect wins the Jade Dew this time when Hengze Heaven opens, it will be postponed for another thousand years. However, the previous sect has no benefits. If the Jade Dew does not drip, the Spirit Mountain does not seem to produce spiritual medicine.

Seeing Junior Brother Fan’s willful appearance, and thinking of his generous gift of jade, Ruan Ci felt his affection, so she smiled, "There is nothing that cannot be said. Are you afraid that you will grab it? I have obtained the Jade Dew, but you have already said that if I obtain the Jade Dew, you don't want my benefits, so I don't have any good things for you here."

Seeing Ruan Ci loosen her mouth, Junior Brother Fan was very happy and clapped his hands, "I naturally don't want Senior Sister’s things. I am the most practical person. Senior Sister values me so much, so I should return the precious medicine and spiritual materials."

Little Su smiled from the side, "Isn't it? You once said that if you were a girl, even if you killed all your love rivals, you would marry Senior Brother Ci. Now that Senior Brother has become Senior Sister, I think you should not only return precious materials, but also send yourself to Senior Sister Ci."

Hearing this, Qin Fengyu’s phoenix eyes couldn't help but look at Ruan Ci, her cold and beautiful face showing a hint of doubt. Ruan Ci sighed in her heart, knowing that probably five hundred of the thousand sentences tomorrow would be about this. Junior Brother Fan was blushed by Little Su, and said angrily, "Senior Brother Su, if you say this, do you want me to give you a medicine to turn you into a girl and marry you to Senior Sister Ci?"

He had always been smart, but at this time, his anger went to his head, and he started talking nonsense. This was very illogical, and everyone was stunned and laughed. Even Qin Fengyu had a slight smile in her eyes. Little Su said, "Why do I need to take medicine? I am a man now. Whether it is marrying into the family or marrying, it is just right for Junior Sister Ci."

Junior Brother Fan snorted and forced Ruan Ci, "Senior Sister Ci, then are you going to marry Senior Brother Su?"

Ruan Ci said, "What does it have to do with me if you two want to quarrel? Spare me. If you continue to arrange it, everyone here will be my husband or wife."

The two stopped. Junior Brother Fan’s previous words were just spoken casually when he was excited, and everyone didn't take it seriously. If he really liked Ruan Ci, it wouldn't matter if both sides were men. Little Su made a joke at this time, which happened to explain this point. After midnight that night, Qin Fengyu came to find Ruan Ci. The first sentence was not to ask about those peach-colored jokes, but to say, "The Junior Brother Fan you just made friends with is a disciple of the Poison Sect?"

This was a association from Junior Brother Fan’s threat of poisoning. Ruan Ci nodded and said, "It wasn't broken, but it should be him. When we were watching the battle from the high building, Little Su said he was a disciple of the Taiwei Gate, protecting the Dao for his junior brother, but the main person died on the boat of the Poison Sect disciple. He also said that Junior Brother Fan was a disciple of Yanshan. Junior Brother Fan was very excited at the time, and later he was even more hesitant to speak to me. I guessed that he was actually a disciple of the Poison Sect, and had more ways to distinguish the true identity of people who died under his poison. He knew Little Su was lying, but couldn't expose it. Because the Yanshan disciple was only hostile to me, the Poison Sect disciple was the one who really couldn't see the light. He killed so many people. If his identity was exposed, after walking out of Hengze Heaven, I’m afraid he wouldn't live for three days."

Thinking about it, she added, "However, his words were so careless today, I’m afraid he didn't intend to hide from us anymore. We have experienced dangers together, and after all, we have some friendship. Even if we know his true identity, we won't harm his life. We cultivators all pay attention to wealth, companions, dharma, and land. Even if he is a disciple of the Poison Sect, he needs to make a few like-minded Dao companions."

Qin Fengyu didn't comment on Ruan Ci’s making friends, but only said, "That Little Su, since he said he was from the Taiwei Gate, and said Little Fan was a high disciple of Yanshan, looking at it this way, maybe he was from Yanshan, pretending to be a disciple of the Taiwei Gate. The two cultivators who really came to the Taiwei Gate to do errands and protect the Dao should have been intercepted and killed by him on the way. He wanted Junior Brother Fan to admit that he was a Yanshan disciple and the owner of the fairy painting, also to further clear himself and reduce your suspicion."

Because what happened in the fifth layer of the Dao foundation was related to Qing Jun, Ruan Ci did not explain it to Qin Fengyu. Qin Fengyu could deduce this step based on her few words, which showed her agility. Ruan Ci nodded, "I know what Yu Niang wants to say. Yanshan cultivators are my great enemies, but—"

Just as she was about to say her agreement with Little Su, the magic array outside the door was touched, and the other party touched and retracted it. For cultivators, this was like knocking on the door, and they could distinguish the visitor by aura. Ruan Ci made a grimace and smiled, "Speak of him and he arrives. With Yu Niang here, if I want to kill him now, it’s as simple as killing a chicken. This person pretends to be very calm in front of people, but in his heart, he must be scared to death, right?"

As she said this, she walked out of the door and smiled, "Senior Brother Su, I expected you to come to find me."

She deliberately made a profound and mysterious appearance, wanting to scare Little Su. Little Su raised his hand to his lips and coughed hard a few times, looking like he was exhausted, but he had no fear at all. Instead, he deliberately made Ruan Ci think of the reason why his injuries were so heavy, and said weakly, "Yes, I came here to say goodbye to Junior Sister. My Dao foundation is damaged, and the Great Dao is hopeless. I am disheartened and decided to quit the world, entrust my feelings to the mountains and seas, and end this remaining life."

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Updated, sorry for the wait, everyone. This chapter sends red envelopes to everyone. The rhythm of this chapter is a bit slower, just a transition~

I don't know what I'm eating for lunch yet, but it smells so good~~~~ I'm going to eat!

(Still in a book shortage, sigh)

I read the *Road of the Sect Master of the Cultivation Sect* recommended by a friend a long time ago.

Ah, finally, I want to clarify that the old universe has nothing to do with Cthulhu. The old ones of Cthulhu all come from the Great Old Ones. The old universe in *Borrowing the Sword* is the previous universe where the Creation Dao Ancestor stayed before. I originally wanted to call it the past universe, but the word "past" is sometimes easy to overlap, so I just changed the word. I searched yesterday, and *Yi Shi Zhi Zun* also has this concept, but it seems I didn't see that part and abandoned the text. This is truly a coincidence.

. Thanks to the little angels who cast overlord votes or irrigated nutrient solution for me between 2020-09-25 12:08:21 and 2020-09-26 12:07:59~

Thanks to the little angel who cast a grenade: Ming Ji (1).

Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: Shao Xia (2); Feng Guang, Wu Mingya, Wan Tang, Shen Nie, Xiangri Xiaotian, Yicun Suge, Yu Wanyao (1 each).

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated nutrient solution: m (68 bottles); Pie Wan De Zi Chuan (46 bottles); Ren Xia Xin, Grass-dwelling Six-tone Sauce, zw, Eland, Fitzgerald, jane (30 bottles each); seleces, Yangyang Da, Fu Lu, Zhuang Sheng Xiao Meng (20 bottles each); bear (19 bottles); Orange Yellow Tangerine Green, Light Blue, July, Smiling Face, Tuanzi, Sun~Sun, lhhhl, Feng Sha Du, Zhou Zhou, hilde hygiene, Tailisha Xiongxiong (10 bottles each); Wu Mu, Ji Le, myadam11, Shou Yi Shi Fen Hua Luo Jin (5 bottles each); Marie Maria (3 bottles); doris7788, Wooden Bowl, 13hades (2 bottles each); 18205385, Cheng Bi, Yisheng's Big Bacteria, oliverfi (1 bottle each).

Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!