Chapter 145: Temporary Seal

The atmosphere instantly became tense, swords drawn and bows bent. The guards all gripped their weapons tightly; although the opponent was only one person, his unfathomable strength and the possible formations present here put them under immense pressure.

Ruan Xinli's face also turned cold. She could tell this person was likely a gatekeeper or guard under Shen Lingyue's command, ordered to block all visitors. Soft tactics wouldn't work; it seemed she had no choice but to…

Just as she silently gathered her spiritual power, preparing to force her way through or create a disturbance to lure out Shen Lingyue, a calm voice suddenly came from beside her.

"Let me try."

Only then did they see Qi Chengshuang, who had at some point dismounted from the carriage and walked to Ruan Xinli's side. His complexion remained as pale as paper, his steps even somewhat unsteady, but his waist was held ramrod straight, his eyes sharp as a sword, fixed on the black-clad guard.

"Chengshuang, your body…" Ruan Xinli worried.

"It's fine." Qi Chengshuang lightly shook his head, then took a step forward toward the black-clad guard, slowly and with difficulty releasing a wisp of extremely faint sword intent.

Compared to his peak, this sword intent was like a firefly beside the bright moon, and due to the erosion of deathly qi it appeared intermittent and unstable. Yet within this sword intent lay an incomparably pure, resolute, even decisive conviction—his sword heart, which could not be erased even if his cultivation were ruined, his body died, and his Dao vanished.

He did not attack; he merely displayed this thread of sword intent, like a special greeting between swordsmen.

In the black-clad guard's icy eyes, a flash of clear surprise finally appeared. He obviously sensed Qi Chengshuang's severe injuries and the tenacious deathly qi within him, and also perceived that, even in such dire circumstances, his sword heart remained unyielding and brilliantly radiant!

For a true stronghold, sometimes willpower explains things better than temporary strength.

The black-clad guard fell silent for a moment, his gaze lingering long on Qi Chengshuang's resolute face and that faint yet pure sword intent. Finally, his killing intent gradually receded; he turned aside, making way for the stone bridge.

"Beyond this bridge, someone will guide you. Do not trespass into other areas." He remained terse, but his attitude had changed.

Qi Chengshuang gave a slight nod: "Thank you."

He withdrew his sword intent; his body swayed imperceptibly, and Ruan Xinli quickly steadied him.

The party set off again; the carriage slowly crossed the white jade stone bridge that looked ordinary yet concealed unfathomable power. The lake water beneath was clear to the bottom, yet unfathomably deep, with faint spiritual light flowing within.

Having crossed the bridge, amid the misty vapors, a maiden in a pale green dress with delicate features had long been waiting. She bowed slightly: "By the Manor Lord's order, I greet the honored guests. Please follow me."

Her curious gaze swept over the wretched-looking Qi Chengshuang, the anxious Shi Ran, and the solemn Ruan Xinli, but she asked no further questions, turning to lead the way.

The three followed the maiden through the manor that resembled a fairyland. Pavilions, towers, waterside stages and singing platforms—all were exquisitely elegant, spiritual energy abundant far beyond the outside world, yet an intangible, aloof sense of detachment also permeated the air.

Shi Ran's heart pounded wildly, both hopeful and fearful. She hoped to see her master soon, yet feared facing an outcome she did not want to confront.

Finally, the maiden halted before an exquisite waterside pavilion.

"Lord Wanshan is resting here." the maiden whispered, "The Manor Lord has ordered you to enter on your own. He will arrive shortly."

Having spoken, she bowed and withdrew, vanishing into the hazy water mist.

Before the pavilion door there was no further obstruction. Shi Ran took a deep breath, could no longer restrain herself, and was the first to push open the door and rush inside.

"Master!"

Ruan Xinli and Qi Chengshuang exchanged a glance, then immediately followed close behind.

The room was tastefully arranged, filled with a faint medicinal scent and a crisp, cool fragrance. On the inner chamber's bed lay a person silently, face pallid, eyes tightly shut, breathing weak but steady—who else could it be but Ling Xiao?

Although he remained unconscious, he had clearly received excellent treatment; his life was no longer in danger.

"Master!" Shi Ran lunged to the bedside, seeing her master weak yet truly present; all the days of worry, fear, and grievance burst forth, tears rolling like a broken string of pearls. She gently grasped Ling Xiao's cool hand, choking on words she could not utter.

Seeing that Ling Xiao was unharmed, Ruan Xinli and Qi Chengshuang also finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ruan Xinli stepped forward to examine his condition closely, discovering that although his breath was faint, a gentle yet powerful spiritual energy guarded his meridians, slowly repairing his injuries—a technique far surpassing that of Old Master Sun.

"It seems Lord Qinghe indeed intervened to save your master." Ruan Xinli whispered, her feelings toward Shen Lingyue becoming slightly more complicated.

Qi Chengshuang nodded, but his eyes warily swept the room. "Is this place safe? That unfathomable Lord Qinghe is about to arrive." He instinctively clenched his fist; the deathly qi within him, stirred by his subtle emotional fluctuations, began to throb faintly again.

Just then, a voice as clear and cold as jade, with a hint of lazy magnetism, sounded faintly from outside the door:

"People, you have seen them. Now, who can tell me…"

Before the words finished, a tall figure had already appeared at the doorway, backlit by the shimmering light of water ripples outside; his exact features were indistinct, but one could feel his eyes, as if holding the clear radiance of moonlight, sweeping indifferently over those inside, finally resting on the weeping Shi Ran by the bed, his tone slightly teasing, with a hint of almost imperceptible inquiry.

"... What on earth is that thing on her wrist? And is that old monster Shouji really still alive?"

The newcomer wore a robe of deep azure cloud patterns, tall and graceful, his beauty pure and striking; merely standing there, he seemed to absorb all the surrounding light and water hues—who else could he be but Lord Qinghe, Shen Lingyue?

His gaze appeared plain, yet it carried a power to see into hearts, causing the air in the room to instantly congeal.

Shen Lingyue's voice was not loud, yet it possessed a strange penetrance, clearly reaching each ear as if it resonated directly in mind and spirit. He walked slowly into the room; his azure robe stirred without wind, his whole body suffused with a faint clear radiance, making his face—handsome beyond mortal ken—grow ever clearer. His brows were like ink paintings, his eyes like cold stars, his nose bridge high, his lips pale; together they formed an almost perfect cool aloofness, save for a tiny tear‑shaped mole at the corner of his eye, adding an indescribable touch of romantic charm.

His gaze first fell on the unconscious Ling Xiao; that aloof look softened for an instant, then shifted and finally fixed on Shi Ran's wrist—there, a strange red thread flickered in and out of sight, writhing faintly like a living thing.

Under the stare of those eyes that seemed to see through everything, Shi Ran felt the red thread on her wrist suddenly scorch; a sensation of being utterly laid bare, with nowhere to hide, welled up within her, making her instinctively want to draw her hand behind her back.

Ruan Xinli's heart tightened; she stepped forward, half‑shielding Shi Ran behind her, and bowed: "Junior Ruan Xinli of the Tianji Sect of the Fanyin Realm greets you, Senior Lord Qinghe. Thank you for your aid, Senior, in saving my fellow disciple."

Qi Chengshuang also strove against the deathly qi within him, which surged more violently under the opponent's invisible pressure, and with difficulty bowed: "Senior Qi Chengshuang of the Fumeng Sect of the Fanyin Realm returns your gratitude for your assistance."

Shen Lingyue seemed not to hear their thanks; his attention was wholly on the red thread, his brow faintly furrowed: "We have met before, but, junior niece, I was curious back then—where did this thing come from? When did you pick it up?" His tone carried an undeniable authority, aimed directly at Shi Ran.

Shi Ran felt her scalp prickle under his gaze, but regarding her master's safety and her own strange condition, she dared not conceal anything; she hurriedly recounted how the Thousand‑Faced Schemer had lured her to meet Shouji, and how afterward the red thread had flared, even attempting to control her consciousness—though she kept a reservation, omitting her own status as a transmigrant and other entities in her sea of consciousness (such as Fantian and Yun Tingliao).

"... That's how it is. This red thread is extremely stubborn; even some of my own special powers cannot dispel it." Shi Ran's voice grew anxious, "Senior, aside from the Five Direction Immortal Treasures, is there truly no way to remove this red thread? I fear I may die before I manage to gather them all."

"Shouji… indeed it is him." Upon hearing this, Shen Lingyue's eyes flashed with a glint of icy cold; the chill seemed to lower the room's temperature a few degrees, "That old monster is like a toad in a swamp—disgusting and tenacious, and yet he's still not fully dead."

He paced to the window, gazing out at the misty, vast lake, his tone devoid of emotion: "The thing on your wrist, I and your master feel it is not merely a curse or poison, but rather… a mark, or to put it another way, a coordinate, a seed."

"A coordinate? A seed?" Ruan Xinli repeated, puzzled.

"Mm." Shen Lingyue turned, his gaze sweeping once more over the red thread: "Shouji originates from the Heavenly Demon Clan; he is versed in all manner of aberrant sorcery, especially adept at playing with souls and seed‑demon possession. This thing, based on extinction death qi, mingled with some older evil power concerning the origin of the soul, constantly devours the host's vitality and spiritual growth; its ultimate aim is likely to transmute the host completely into a puppet under his control, or… to become a vessel for some beings' descent."

These words caused the three faces to undergo a sudden change!

Especially Shi Ran, at the thought of possibly becoming Shouji's puppet, or even being "descended upon" by someone, felt a chill run down her spine.

"Senior! Please save her!" Ruan Xinli implored urgently, "Her junior sister…"

Shen Lingyue raised a hand to cut her off, his gaze turning to Ling Xiao on the bed, his expression becoming complex and hard to read: "Ling Xiao, to protect this little girl of yours, spared no effort in drawing upon his primordial power, possibly even burning part of his soul source, merely to temporarily suppress the first backlash of this 'soul thread,' but consequently his wounds worsened and he fell into deep coma. Though I have steadied his injury with the 'Bibo Condensing Yuan Technique,' his soul is damaged, beyond the cure of ordinary pills."

His words confirmed the cause of Ling Xiao's grave injury, making Shi Ran's tears well up again, her heart overflowing with guilt and gratitude beyond measure.

Shen Lingyue then turned his gaze to Qi Chengshuang, lingering a moment, especially on the deathly qi ravaging his body: "Your sword bone is fine, your will sufficiently steadfast. Though extinction death qi penetrates marrow and bone, scattering your sword essence, it is rare that you still keep your sword heart unstained. Unfortunately…"

He did not finish his sentence, but the regret was plainly evident. To ordinary eyes, Qi Chengshuang's injuries already meant the end of his martial path, beyond recovery.

Qi Chengshuang's face was pale, yet he kept his spine straight, speaking calmly: "Thank you for your concern, Senior; I know my own limits." His path, he would walk himself, no matter how hard.

Shen Lingyue seemed slightly surprised by his reaction, glanced at him once more, then the corner of his mouth twitched with a faint arc—as if appreciating him, or perhaps something else.

"Senior," Shi Ran summoned her courage, knelt on the ground, "Please save my master! And my second senior brother! This red silk entangles... If you have a way, junior is willing to pay any price!"

Ruan Xinli also closely followed and knelt down: "Please, senior, have mercy!"

Qi Chengshuang pressed their lips, did not kneel, but also gave a deep bow.

Shen Lingyue looked at the two girls kneeling on the ground, then looked at the two injured fellow disciples, and fell silent for a moment. Only the faint sound of water from outside the window remained in the room.

"Get up." After a long while, Shen Lingyue spoke lightly: "Lingxiao and I……are old acquaintances. His injury, I will do my best. As for this kid……"

He turned his gaze to Qi Chengshuang: "The annihilating death qi still remains with that old monster Shouji. Ordinary techniques and medicines can only suppress it, cannot eradicate it. Perhaps……only the utmost yang and rigidity, or a power containing infinite vitality, can completely purify it. But such power is hard to find in the world."

Qi Chengshuang's eyes flickered. Utmost yang and rigidity? His "Silver Soul" sword intent naturally follows a fierce and rigid path; if given the chance……a glimmer of light flashed in his heart.

"What about this red thread?" Shi Ran's main concern was still this time bomb.

Shen Lingyue walked up to her, extended a jade-like slender finger, and tapped her wrist. A stream of cool, gentle spiritual power entered, and the red thread reacted violently, turning scorching hot and crimson, even attempting to invade Shen Lingyue in reverse along that spiritual power!

Shen Lingyue frowned slightly, the light at his fingertips flared, instantly repelling that backlash, but his brow tightened further: "Indeed troublesome. This object is already entwined with your blood and even part of your soul; forcibly removing it would lightly ruin your foundation, or severely could directly explode, damaging your very soul, and possibly affecting nearby people."

Shi Ran's heart sank.

"However," Shen Lingyue changed the subject, "I can still temporarily seal and isolate it so it cannot cause harm; at least I can buy you some time."

After speaking, he pointed like a pen, his fingertip condensing moon-like pure and clear power, quickly tracing intricate ancient runes around the red thread on Shi Ran's wrist. Streams of faintly glowing runes fell, sinking into the skin, forming a delicate circular seal that completely confined the restless red thread within, and its scorching sensation and eerie fluctuations also subsided.

As long as the seal can hold for a while, once we find the Five Directions Immortal Treasures, it will naturally be resolved.