Chapter 1262

Blood stream ripples, flowing through the abode, sunlight diffused.

You want — truly to be alive?

To be alive —

Elder Fish hazy in light and shadow, expression dim and unclear, voice echoing in the abode. Lao Yingtian's heart pounded, throat bobbed, swallowed saliva, chest rose and fall, mind swiftly pulled back to that unnamed afternoon.

He came.

If it were anyone else, suddenly faced with this question, they'd surely be at a loss.

Lao Yingtian is different.

Because this is already Elder Fish's second time asking him!

A year ago, the two stood before Dragon King's Cave, a single word "alive", fleeting like a dragonfly skimming water, lifted a corner of the Blood River World, shocking yet giving an unreal feeling, like a dream, like an illusion.

Reincarnation Seal, Blood Treasure, God, survival or death —

Is the world born like this?

Born with a Blood River? Born with nine tributaries? Born with a Heaven Fire Sect?

The Great Li God — is he, she, or it?

Lao Yingtian had countless nights clutching the Blood Treasure, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, pondering these unanswerable questions, ultimately out of some thought he himself couldn't comprehend or articulate, never once using this sole super-grade Blood Treasure.

But this time, Lao Yingtian can sense the difference.

His upcoming answer may very well become the most crucial crossroads on his life's path!

Fingers trembled, hairs stood on end.

He licked his lips, opened his mouth —

"Congratulations Elder Fish on leaving seclusion, congratulations Elder Fish on leaving seclusion!"

The sudden voice interrupted speech.

Disciples outside the abode greeted.

"Don't rush, you sit here and think slowly, I am the Preparatory River Spirit of the Heaven Fire Sect", closed seclusion for a year, they estimated they were a bit anxious, good to show face in the Heaven Fire Sect, come back and tell you in detail." He patted Lao Yingtian's shoulder, Liang Qu turned and left the abode, saw the guiding disciple, headed to meet the Heaven Fire Sect core elders Wu Lingxu and Fei Taiyu.

Clear spring water sounds.

Peaks and turns, winding path.

The abode empty and bare.

Tables, chairs, shore stones spotless, clean enough to emit white light.

Elder Fish assigned to guard Shuyu Pavilion, overseeing the peach forest producing Blood Treasures, the Heaven Fire Sect's abode naturally uninhabited, yet disciples still come daily to clean.

He exhaled a breath.

Lao Yingtian plopped down onto the streambank stone, mind dazed, heart fearful, as if the blood surge after squatting and standing, he fumbled his clothes pocket, pulled out an exquisite sandalwood small box, twisted it open, blood light flowed, rich treasure aura gushed forth — precisely that super-grade Blood Treasure.

Inferior-grade Blood Treasures are like black stones, first-grade Blood Treasures crystal clear and translucent, exceptionally pure, super-grade Blood Treasures indeed transformed into a mass of red light.

In the Heaven Fire Sect, trembling with fear, working diligently for so many years, from an unknown nobody, step by step becoming a second-rank disciple, taking an elder as master, entering the Ministry of Revenue. Lao Yingtian poured countless efforts into this, he would never, nor dare to dream, that one day he could possess a super-grade Blood Treasure of his own.

This is a supreme treasure even elders cannot easily obtain.

But Lao Yingtian has!

Three years ago, the River God Sect descended the Blood River Stele, surged upstream, defeated the second-grade Heaven Gate Sect, a small sect overturned a great sect, becoming a sensational event, still talked about to this day.

According to the sect's laws and rituals, the Heaven Fire Sect bestowed the Reverse Flow Award precisely for this super-grade Blood Treasure in his hand. Under normal circumstances, such a treasure should have had nothing to do with Lao Yingtian, yet Elder Fish sought him out.

Thus, by ghostly contrivance, during the Blood Treasure replenishment in the treasury, Lao Yingtian schemed to distract the three elders, concealed it from disciples Bao Jiaxiang and Kuang Chen, assisted Elder Fish in misappropriating the Blood Treasure. After a roundabout journey, as remuneration, the super-grade Blood Treasure ultimately fell into Lao Yingtian's hands; even now recalling it still breaks him into a cold sweat.

Since then, Lao Yingtian has always carried it; such a supreme treasure, wherever placed, makes people unable to rest or eat, drains thought and energy; only on his own person is it safest.

"Truly — alive — "

Lao Yingtian pinched his brow, silently counted the ripples in the blood stream, the fear in his heart gradually faded —

"Sorry sorry, came back late."

When Lao Yingtian returned to his senses, it was already three hours later.

The sky dimmed, Liang Qu arrived late, his body carrying a faint scent of alcohol and food, obviously having just gone out to eat with the other elders.

"Elder!"

Lao Yingtian stood up, three hours, he had already made sufficient mental preparations.

"It's fine, not urgent, you sit your own." Liang Qu grabbed his shoulder, pressed Lao Yingtian back down, the two sat face to face by the blood stream, 【Vortex God Armor】 silently enveloped, the marshland spread and covered, "I know you have many questions — one by one, before explaining, let me first tell you a story; after hearing it, understanding will be much easier."

Lao Yingtian took a deep breath: "Elder, please speak."

"Over a decade ago, beside a great marsh, there was a small market, few people, two or three hundred households, over a thousand souls, half relied on farming, the other half on fishing, no other industry, and besides daily consumption, each year another two grain taxes had to be paid, once in summer, once in autumn, one person once a shi of grain, about 150-160 catties, if the household was healthy and no major illness, there was no problem, even able to eat meat occasionally."

Just a plain, unremarkable beginning, yet it shocked Lao Yingtian greatly.

Grain tax?

Tax of 150-160 catties of grain?

How many mu of the Inspector Bian flowers would that take? One mu of Inspector Bian flowers, damp weight still sufficient, but after drying and storage, basically only a few catties, one hundred fifty catties, even if worked to death —

Wait.

Lao Yingtian quickly realized.

Elder Fish said life had no problems, thus proving this tax burden most people could actually bear, originally major illness wasn't in ordinary people's considerations, combined with cause and effect, he realized something.

This grain is not that grain, not the Inspector Bian flower!

What is it?

The story gradually deepened.

A youth, targeted for his good looks, deliberately set up by people, village steward misunderstood his family's patriarch, bribed the land's ruffians, seized the boat and grain, but no one expected this youth had astonishing martial talent, caught the eye of a martial hall, his status rose, directly broke this calamity — but the village steward was not entirely so, behind him lay a greater conspiracy.

Guimu Sect, Fetal Pearl Pill —

Lao Yingtian's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

It's not because of the story, but because of the details in the story.

Too many details make it hard to fathom.

Government office? What is a government office? What is the structure of a martial hall? Can you just pay money to get in? Shouldn't ordinary people learning martial arts go to a local sect to become disciples, serve as menial labor for three years, then strive to become outer disciples, then inner disciples, then core disciples, and gradually ascend to true transmission?

From the four passes to galloping horses, with talent, how could cultivation progress so quickly in just a few short years? To become a strong cultivator of the four realms in one's twenties or thirties? Shouldn't it take one or two hundred years?

All sorts of things, too many, too many.

From Lao Ying Tian's perspective, the entire story lacks any sense of reality, merely being self-consistent, with every detail corresponding before and after; as a pure story, it is flawless, and the more he listened, the more silent he became, the more he listened, the more fearful he grew.

Until the truth of the Fetal Pearl Pill was uncovered — not to cultivate martial masters, but to sacrifice to the Ghost Mother!

Lao Ying Tian's heart sank.

He sensed something, yet dared not confirm it, until Liang Qu spoke of observing heavenly and earthly phenomena on the Cloud-Spirit Island.

The dust settled.

The youth asked about the Governor of Great Li, the Taizu, the Mirage Dragon, and the Dream Dynasty — same titles, same experiences, two utterly different worlds, and in an instant, they intertwined.

Dream Dynasty!

Goosebumps erupted from his back, coiling around his spine like icy, poisonous snakes.

Lao Ying Tian shuddered violently, a brutal thought cleaving his skull.

Who am I?

Liang Qu took a sip of tea, buying time for the other to compose himself, meanwhile mentally revising the story in his draft — simplifying, omitting what should be omitted, intending to continue speaking after observing the heavenly and earthly phenomena.

"Is this — the world of Elder Yu?" Lao Ying Tian strained to speak, "The people in the story — are they Elder Yu?"

Liang Qu startled, then nodded: "Yes, one can understand it that way; we are two sides of one entity, our fates intertwined — to say so is not wrong."

"Ah, I see, ah, I see — "

Lao Ying Tian murmured.

"You've figured it all out — do you want me to continue?"

Lao Ying Tian did not answer; he clutched his head, veins twitching on the back of his hand, unable to accept that everything he had understood since childhood was completely wrong, entirely dependent on another world — that feeling —

Like riding a rocket into space, standing on the moon watching Earth shrink into a tiny blue ball, with nothing around him and endless darkness behind —

Liang Qu thought, he fully understood Lao Ying Tian's feeling; he himself had to take that path back then, without so much emotional entanglement, just charging forward head-down; Lao Ying Tian could still choose, having a retreat — those with an escape route often find it harder to take that leap into the void.

Breathing in and out repeatedly, Lao Ying Tian kept swallowing saliva, mouth dry and tongue parched, hoarsely asking: "Can Elder Yu let me go to — the real world?"

"No."

"?"

All fear and unknown dissipated like smoke, leaving only bewilderment.

Lao Ying Tian looked up, feeling as if his repeatedly tangled emotions were being fed to a dog — a sense of dislocation.

Cannot go — ask him if he wants to truly live?

"Hey, I don't have that kind of power — saying I can send someone back to life just like that, immortals, immortals all need nine-turn golden elixir." Liang Qu spread his hands, leaning against the rock, "But right now, we happen to have an opportunity — we can try."

"Originally, I don't know whether it was the Dream Dynasty leaking or something else, but an overseas island nation, Qiu Jin, had a sixth-realm powerhouse die and come back to life."

After he died again, the Great Qian took action, obtained his remains, joined forces with the Lotus Sect people, and crafted the Ghost Mother Sect's resurrection ritual — I don't know if the Lotus Sect left a backdoor, but now there is someone — "

The identity of the Sick Tiger, the Sick Tiger's expedition, the Sick Tiger's death, the Sick Tiger's soul drifting in the wind.

"The process is just like this — I suspect the Lotus Sect is trying to revive the Sick Tiger; this is an opportunity; do you understand?"

Lao Ying Tian suddenly understood.

A trial.

"My idea is simply to come ask you: do you want to seize the opportunity to go over, take over the magpie's nest, replace the peach with the apricot — if you want, while they still have patience, let's try together, study and research.

The benefits are many — the Sick Tiger is a contemporary pinnacle of Entering Zhen Xiang, overwhelmingly strong, only one step away from breaking the Heavenly Gate to reach the Sixth Realm. He cannot break the Heavenly Gate due to heart-demons from past experiences; inside the Heavenly Gate is a perverse Sixth Realm master — but you are not him; if you directly restart" success, your Heavenly Gate won't be this thing.

If successful, you directly become Sixth Realm — don't even say Sixth Realm, just reaching Fifth Realm, with your background and experience, in the Heaven Fire Sect, wouldn't you be directly promoted to Elder?

Elder!

Lao Ying Tian breathed heavily.

Clutching the Supreme Blood Treasure, unwilling to let go, unable to find a way through the door, he has still been striving to become a first-class disciple —

"Of course! Don't assume." Liang Qu raised his index finger.

A turning point appeared.

"What I'm saying now is all under ideal conditions — I'll clarify the problems first.

First, can you successfully occupy? I don't know — after all, you're not the Sick Tiger, so there will inevitably be rejection; this might be the most difficult part.

Second, even if you succeed in possession and resurrection, the configuration may not remain unchanged; essence, energy, spirit united as one — for example, the special realm of Heaven-Man Unity — is highly related to the soul's degree; you going there might cause you to dissipate; likewise, Heaven-Bound Earth-Abyss — you might merely become an upper-realm Heaven-Man.

Third, you must face a completely unfamiliar environment, and you have no memory of the Sick Tiger.

Fourth, once you go over, you cannot simply return if you want to — because it's hostile territory, I cannot constantly follow you, pull you back and forth — too dangerous; everything in the Heaven Fire Sect, you must figure out how to handle on your own.

These are roughly the four difficulties I can think of now; I'll add more if I think of them later; the soul-summoning on the other side — I don't know how long it will last, how long patience can hold — before dawn tomorrow, try or not, you must give me an answer. If you try, I'll give you half a day to prepare — by noon, we — "

"Try!"

Lao Ying Tian declared firmly, clenching his fists.

Now it was Liang Qu's turn to be surprised: "Not thinking it over more?"

"No thinking it over, Elder — I want to go out and see, I want to know who I really am, I want to know — the truth of the world!" Lao Ying Tian took a deep breath.

"The truth of the world — " Liang Qu nodded slowly, "Although I also don't know exactly what the truth of the world is — however —

Excellent! Full of spirit!

Then, time speeds up — before dawn, you settle your affairs, follow me!"

"Elder, before leaving, I want to visit the Jade Dew Pavilion to see my younger sister."

"No problem — once you free yourself, I'll take you via the water route — by the way, I have a question for you."

"Elder, please ask."

"During the year-plus I was in seclusion, did you hear anything about the Shuimu Sect or the Guimu Sect? Or any bandit organizations?"

"Guimu Sect?" Lao Ying Tian was startled. Wasn't that the remnant organization from the Elder's stories? How did it end up here? He hid his confusion. "I've never heard of any Guimu Sect. Bandits—

That, there is. I've heard that in a region in the northwest, bandit troubles have been rampant over the past year. Several sects' treasuries have been robbed. The thieves are powerful; even the blood-stone tax owed to the superior sect cannot be collected. People are being dispatched to handle it. If it goes further down, it might affect Third Rank sects.

"

"Understood. Go on."

Leaving the cave dwelling, his shadow stretched long and slanting.

Green grass stubbornly bored out from under the stones, twisting and standing tall.

Lao Ying Tian breathed in the air beneath the twilight, clutching the treasure box in his bosom, feeling the blood treasure's warm smoothness, and couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.

"Huh, Senior Brother Lao? Something good happen? You're this happy?" A passing disciple asked curiously.

"Nothing." Lao Ying Tian waved his hand, his smile brimming. "Recently my cultivation has made some gains. My realm is about to break through. I plan to request some time off to focus on seclusion."

"Wow, good news! Senior Brother Lao is reaching the Fifth Realm? You have to treat us to a meal."

"Right, right, right, treat us to a meal."

"Good! When I emerge from seclusion, I'll definitely treat everyone."

While instilling the impression of seclusion into the disciple, he headed toward the Finance Bureau. Lao Ying Tian's steps were light; his heart was actually excited, thrilled!

He thought of the treasury, thought of Kuang Chen, thought of the tension and thrill before the dust settled.

Lao Ying Tian had always thought his loud laughter in the treasury was a violent emotional release under high pressure. Only now did he understand: it was Elder Yu's appearance that brought change to his unchanging life, that brought a certain longing!

Could it be he had been waiting for this moment all along!?

"Chu Wang Qian's doing pretty well."

Liang Qu could be certain: the "bandit troubles" in the northwest were Chu Wang Qian leading people to do their old trade—robbing homes and plundering, right up their alley. The timing was too tight this time; since nothing went wrong, there was temporarily no need to meet. He needed to stay in a more precious place.

Wandering a circle inside the Heavenly Fire Sect, deepening his impression of being active, and incidentally collecting a year's salary. He still didn't know what use the blood treasure had, but just for luring the Han Mei, the more the better.

Within the marsh country, the sick tiger's soul still drifted swaying in the wind.

Time was tight, the task heavy. Liang Qu leapt into the Blood River, 【Water Travel Thousand Li】, and headed straight for the Dragon King's Lair.

—

Hugging the 【Pillar That Props Up Heaven】, he slid down hanging upside down.

Blood light reflected the ape's image, calm and waveless.

The dragon corpse lay across the blood pool, without much change.

"Cheep cheep! Old Dragon Lord, how's the recovery?"

The voice echoed emptily. After it stopped, wild thunder suddenly roared. The blood water shook, huge waves surging, covering heaven and earth.

Liang Qu's pupils dilated. He hurriedly grabbed the Pillar That Props Up Heaven and scrambled upward.

Right at this moment, another blood bead surfaced.

Sensing the Qi mechanism.

Liang Qu twitched his nostrils, eyes widening.

Dragon Lord's essence blood!

"Consider it a thank-you gift. Also—" Dragon light gathered, forming a dragon shape on the water surface. "Seeing you're pressed for time, I'll tell you a piece of good news first: Yong Fruit is in a First Rank sect under the Heavenly Fire Sect's banner."