Chapter 104: Fluorescent Illusions and the White Jade Stone Gate

Xin Yi had been on the verge of death, yet suddenly, streams of dark energy surged into his body; he was actually absorbing the Spirit Qi from all around him.

Those dark streams coiled like branches and drifted like silk, flying in from all directions. Looking closely, the surrounding houses were slowly disintegrating, turning into fine dust and converging into the dark streams.

Suddenly, Xin Yi's noble brows furrowed slightly, then his eyes widened in anger, and he let out a sudden shout. The thin streams immediately scattered and dissipated, and the disintegrating gravel seemed as if blown away by the wind, but in just an instant, it froze in place. The surrounding scene was like a shattered mirror, with cracks continuously spreading and shifting, before instantly breaking apart.

He had actually returned to that dimness, only now the dimness contained fragments of the previous illusion, either drifting or spinning. And at the end of the dimness, it seemed as if streaks of firelight were mixed in, accompanied by bursts of piercing wails, just as when he had first fallen into the illusion.

Xin Yi still followed the sound to grope his way forward, but this time the wooden door from before was gone. Replacing it were two White Jade Stone Gates, as huge as mountains, glowing with a fluorescent light. Strange patterns were carved upon the stone gates, winding and twisting like Curse Seals.

He reached out to touch the curse patterns on the gate, and for some reason, a violent grief suddenly welled up in his heart, tearing at his soul.

Just as Xin Yi was wondering why, he heard a "knock-knock" sound, and before long, a deer appeared from the darkness.

The deer had sleek black fur with golden spots, a heroic and upright bearing, and eyes like torches. Its antlers were as sturdy as ebony, with a faint, brilliant light that drew one's gaze.

It stared at Xin Yi without moving, and Xin Yi felt as if he were being gazed upon by an elder, an elder who had already seen through the darkness in his heart.

After a long while, the deer let out a long cry and actually began to speak.

"Behind this stone gate lies a purgatory, yet it is the truth you seek. But if it is opened, it will tear open a person's heart-wound, causing her heart-defenses to collapse, never to recover. Do you wish to open it?"

Heart-wound? Heart-defenses? Who was it talking about?

Xin Yi was deeply confused, but the old deer seemed to see through his thoughts. It turned its head to look at the White Jade Stone Gate, and as the curse patterns on the gate twisted and changed, in a moment, they transformed into three oracle bone script characters—

Cheng Gui...

Guining!

Xin Yi was greatly alarmed. What exactly was behind this gate? Why would it make her sad!?

And just as he was filled with shock and suspicion, the shifting patterns suddenly stopped, and the final character "Ning" was missing its last vertical stroke.

That vertical stroke slowly crept closer like an ant, and the White Jade Stone Gate actually loosened slightly. On the other side of the gate, the wailing sounds became increasingly clear.

Xin Yi seemed to hear some familiar voices from within, yet they were not very distinct.

"... Ning... take... quickly..."

"Guining... quickly..."

"Run quickly!"

Fuyin Zhenren was meditating in the hall. Today, the various senior brothers had taken the newly recruited disciples to Xuancang Cave to select divine weapons and artifacts, and the two junior brothers, Danzhu and Danyang, were unable to get away due to the monster affairs on Yinyu Peak. It was a rare moment of leisure, so he should properly sit in meditation and contemplate the Dao.

It was fortunate that when he had closed the mountain in previous years, his fellow senior brothers had repeatedly urged him otherwise, but thinking about it now, if not for that, how could he have obtained this day of leisure? What he did back then was truly a wise move! Although the matter of the Outer Disciples being murdered had not yet been investigated, after all, this matter still required Qianyuan to arrange all the affairs. Even if he had the heart to assist him, Qianyuan was currently unavailable, so he had no place to exert his strength, did he?

Leisure!

Very good, very good!

Just as Fuyin Zhenren was closing his eyes to calm his mind, he saw someone crawling and rolling as they ran in. It was none other than his second disciple, Guanyue.

Guanyue was rolling while shouting, "Master! Master!" His face was full of anxiety.

Sigh... even like this, there is no leisure...

Fuyin Zhenren did not open his eyes, but simply coughed lightly, then said in a deep voice: "Guanyue, you have practiced with your master for a long time. Is this how I taught you? One must be steady when encountering matters; what kind of decorum is it to be flustered and making such a scene!"

Upon hearing this, Guanyue returned a Daoist salute and then stood still, though the look of worry on his face did not diminish.

Seeing Guanyue like this, Fuyin Zhenren seemed extremely satisfied and waited a moment before asking: "What matter is so alarming?"

Guanyue immediately burst into tears, yet he restrained himself as he performed a Daoist salute and replied: "Reporting to Master, Little Junior Sister suddenly spat blood just now, and now she is rolling on the ground clutching her head, not knowing why."

"What!?" Fuyin Zhenren was greatly shocked upon hearing this and hurriedly stood up to rush out of the hall. "Why didn't you say so earlier, to be so calm about this!?"

Guanyue felt aggrieved, but with his heart tied to Maidong, he could only hurriedly follow.

Fuyin Zhenren could hear Maidong's crying and screaming from far away. He stepped into the courtyard with rapid strides. The disciples in the courtyard were gathered in front of Maidong's door, their faces full of sorrow.

Guanyue shouted that Master had arrived and to make way quickly. The crowd hurriedly cleared a path. At this moment, someone came out of the room; it was Fuyin Zhenren's Head Disciple, Guanchen.

Seeing Fuyin Zhenren, Guanchen did not wait for him to ask. While bowing, he said: "Just now, we were sitting in meditation in the courtyard when Little Junior Sister suddenly screamed, spat blood, and began rolling on the ground. We have already wrapped her tightly in a quilt to prevent her from hurting herself." As he spoke, he entered the room with Fuyin Zhenren.

Maidong's hair was now completely disheveled, her face was covered in dust, her complexion was sallow, and she had some abrasions; she looked extremely terrifying. Fuyin Zhenren hurriedly pinched his fingers and stepped forward, intending to press her forehead, but she continued to cry and scream, struggling incessantly even though she was bound.

"Guanchen, go get the Silver Needle!" Fuyin Zhenren hurriedly ordered, then delivered a hand-blade strike, actually knocking the incessantly rolling Maidong unconscious.

Guanchen received the order and left, returning in no time to offer the Silver Needle. Fuyin Zhenren immediately performed a series of lifting, thrusting, and twisting motions on Maidong's head. Before long, the sallow color on Maidong's face faded slightly, though she was still sweating profusely.

"Mother... Mother..." At this moment, Maidong muttered in her sleep.

"Mother... Ning'er won't leave... Mother..."

"Mother... Mother..."

Guanchen and Guanyue looked at each other upon seeing Maidong like this, then looked at Fuyin Zhenren. Fuyin Zhenren's brows were also tightly furrowed. Could Maidong becoming like this be related to her background?

"Master, could it be that Junior Sister has remembered something?" Guanyue asked uneasily.

Fuyin Zhenren did not answer, but stared at Maidong. After a long while, he finally sighed.

Everything is destiny!

Although Fuyin Zhenren did not know what Maidong's true origins were, she was certainly related to the Youlu Lu Clan that had been wiped out many years ago. After all, when he had picked her up, the girl was holding the Lu Family's heirloom divine weapon—

Deer Horn Twin Blades.

If not for the resentment of these Deer Horn Twin Blades back then, he would not have encountered the dying Maidong. Thinking of Maidong's pitiful appearance at that time, he could not help but let out another long sigh.