Chapter 206: Tribulation Crossing

Precious books and jade silks, rosy mists radiating brilliance.

In this elegantly appointed tea room.

Sitting across the table from Master Du Xie Yu was a Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi with a face like a full moon and crystal-clear eyes.

He wore a Shanhe crown, a green robe of plain cloth, and at his waist hung a small golden arrow, about three inches in length.

The arrowhead took the form of a swallow's wings in flight, its tip fine as a needle, nearly imperceptible, while the shaft was exquisitely crafted, its entire body glowing with light that spilled forth like water, shrouding the ground in mist.

"Didn't I say so? Just obey the clan obediently, and there will absolutely be no threat to your life; rest assured, this seat will stake my life to protect you!"

Facing Xie Yu's angry glare.

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi didn't even blink, merely tilting his head back to drain the tea from his cup, pursing his lips to savor the lingering fragrance in detail, and only after several breaths did he speak with a beaming smile.

"If I were to make a move... I fear there would be no place for me to stand anywhere in this Eastern Mi Province."

Hearing this, the sharpness in Xie Yu's eyes eased slightly, yet his face remained as grim as still water:

"And where does the clan intend to send me? To the Western Erzhou or Northern Moyu Luzhou? Or, to be even more extreme, directly relocate me to some landmass or realm-space beyond the heavens!

What difference is there between such salvation and exile? Is the clan determined to sever my Dao path entirely before they will be satisfied?!"

"Northern Moyu Luzhou is indeed somewhat desolate due to that battle with Lu Lu Yusheng years ago; its earth qi has yet to be straightened out, its spiritual energy is too chaotic, and it is not yet a dwelling suitable for cultivators, but the Western Erzhou are treasure lands, so what is wrong with them? As for landmasses and realm-spaces, you must not..."

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi had just perked up his spirits, gaining some interest, intending to explain everything clearly one by one.

But seeing Xie Yu's gaze grow increasingly fierce and hostile.

As if just one more verbose word from him.

Would cause this man to draw his sword at any moment and fight to the death.

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi sighed with regret, shaking his head and saying:

"Very well, I won't tease you anymore; Xie Gong is advanced in years, his old eyes are dim, and he has become imprudent regarding current affairs, provoking widespread complaints among his subordinates; the Clan Lord has issued an order: if you can kill Chen Heng, Xie Gong's duties will be transferred to you.

With such great favor as this, are you not pleased?"

"Transfer Xie Gong's duties to me?"

Hearing this, Xie Yu was first startled, and joy involuntarily spread across his face.

But then, as if recalling something, his heart suddenly grew cold with alarm.

"It seems the clan has been fighting fiercely lately; during my time away from Changyou, I don't know how many magnificent dramas I have missed, that even Clan Uncle Xie Gong has fallen, interesting! Interesting!"

After a long pause.

He sneered coldly.

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi waved his hand dismissively, sighing: "The Clan Lord is brilliant and martial, brave and daring, possessing the legacy style of Xuanji Xuanji Tianzun! Mere Bai Bai Xiaoxiao rats, unaware of heavenly timing and ignorant of practical affairs, how great a storm could they possibly stir up? With just one setback, they all surrendered at the first sign of trouble.

If not for the Clan Lord's consideration of blood kinship, exiling these people beyond the heavens to live as savages in the wilds would not be excessive at all; if you ask me, the Clan Lord's holy virtue is truly benevolent!"

"With the person not even present, whom exactly are you trying to impress with such strenuous flattery and fawning? Is it not only I who am listening..."

Xie Yu silently cursed in his heart.

But he had no choice but to agree against his true feelings.

His upper and lower lips barely touched before he too began to offer praise.

"However, where exactly does the clan intend to hide me? Killing a Chen Heng is an easy matter, achievable with a flip of the hand, but if I kill him, it will surely invite great trouble."

Forcing down that inexplicable feeling of suffocation, Xie Yu did not forget to inquire about the main affair at the end, asking once more:

"What exactly is the clan's plan? After killing Chen Heng, how do you intend to settle me?"

"Plan?"

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi chuckled darkly, deliberately pausing to create suspense.

Only when Xie Yu grew increasingly anxious did he slowly open his mouth:

"You need not go anywhere."

"What?"

"After killing Chen Heng, you simply stay hidden in Changyou for a while, remain there for a few years, diligently study the Great Dao of the Primordial Spirit, and once the storm has passed, change your appearance and come back to serve the Clan Lord!"

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi clapped his hands and laughed.

"Are you mad? After killing Chen Heng, the clan still wants me to stay in Eastern Mi Province?"

"No matter if I flee to the heavens or dive into the earth, Master Junyao will drag me out and kill me! Have you forgotten how Master Junyao killed people after Chen Yi and Chen Chen Yangsu died?!"

Hearing this, Xie Yu was greatly terrified, sweat faintly appearing on his temples, his body beneath his feather robe trembling slightly.

He was unwilling to go to the Western Erzhou or Northern Moyu Luzhou.

The former could be described as a gathering of myriad Daoists, chaotic and disorderly.

Demonic fiends, external Daoists, martial artists, divine beings, demonic spawns, heavenly humans, Buddhist monks, and Confucian scholars of the Human Dao were trapped in one corner, having fought endlessly for years; relying solely on Lei Ting Prefecture, the foremost of the heterodox schools, and the Tangting Sima family of Tangting, it was absolutely impossible to suppress this situation.

Thus, even for a Jin Dan True Person, these Western Erzhou were a rather hostile and dangerous land.

As for Northern Moyu Luzhou.

That "Zhong Langzhou Catastrophe" unleashed by Lu Lu Yusheng back then not only caused Zhong Langzhou to break away from Xudu Xudu Tianyu, changing the landscape from the former Ten Provinces and Four Seas to today's Nine Provinces and Four Seas, but also resulted in Northern Moyu Luzhou being shattered, no longer whole.

Even though later, the Northern Pole Old Immortal of the Northern Pole Garden exerted great effort to reassemble the form of the landmass.

The scar left by that killing sword still caused the qi of death in Northern Moyu Luzhou to overwhelm the qi of life, preventing the pure yang from emerging.

At least for now.

It could not yet serve as a superior dwelling for cultivators to settle their precious bodies...

And as for those so-called landmasses and realm-spaces beneath Xudu Xudu Tianyu, in the void of the universe, there was no need to speak further of them.

Xie Yu had cultivated within this great heaven of Xudu Xudu Tianyu, growing up here; he did not even deign to look upon ordinary streams of Xudu Xudu Tianyu, let alone landmasses, which were even more inferior...

But his unwillingness to go to the Western Erzhou and Northern Moyu Luzhou, and his refusal to flee far away to dwell in landmasses or realm-spaces beyond the heavens.

Was simply because none of these regions were pure Dao fields suitable for practitioners of the Immortal Dao to absorb qi and cultivate.

He had already reached the Jin Dan cultivation; if he wished to advance further and achieve the Primordial Spirit, the character "Earth" was absolutely indispensable!

But according to what the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi said, having him stay in Dongmi Province without moving about certainly spared him the hardship of rushing around,

yet such an arrangement

was no different than closing one's eyes and waiting for death!

After Chen Yang Yi and Chen Su died, he recalled all too clearly how Master Junyao had erupted, how he had used Yu Yuchen to apply pressure, and how those aristocratic families had sliced off their own flesh and bled, scrambling to push out their pawns...

Xie Yu, who had been an observer at the time, remembered it vividly and could not forget!

Even several elders holding heavy authority, before whom he himself had to bow in salute, were ruthlessly dragged out; with a single sword strike, their heads fell to the ground!

Only out of concern for family reputation and face were rumors spread that they had exhausted their lifespan and ascended or suddenly met external calamity, hastily covering up the news of their deaths so as not to invite ridicule from outsiders.

Recalling that scene occasionally made Xie Yu's heart tremble with lingering fear and his brows twitch wildly.

For the sake of the clan, forced by the situation...

He, Xie Yu, was indeed capable of abandoning everything regarding the Yu Yuchen Sect, disregarding his life to take a dangerous gamble, strangling the calamity Chen Heng between his palm and fingers, and eliminating a future great enemy for his clan.

But if, as the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi said, he remained in Dongmi Province after killing Chen Heng,

that would undoubtedly be like washing the head on his neck clean and presenting it before the Yu Yuchen Sect.

This point

was something Xie Yu absolutely could not endure!

Even if he must die, he ought to die magnificently, not be slaughtered ineffectively like a pig or a dog!

"The Dao Son of Yu Yuchen is about to die; he can no longer lift his sword, nor can he kill anyone."

At this moment,

the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi shook his head.

Xie Yu, in the midst of his horror, suddenly froze; the fiercely burning rage in his heart stalled slightly, as if a basin of cold water had been splashed over his head, leaving him at a loss.

"What?"

A few breaths later,

he asked again:

"What do you mean?"

"Within seven days, Master Junyao will surely die! This is the result jointly calculated by several great elders of our aristocratic families; we even mobilized the Gu Xue Xuan Banner, so the result is certainly accurate!"

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi clicked his tongue, filled with emotion:

"And after Master Junyao dies, in this vast Yu Yuchen, in this vast Four Seas and Nine Provinces, who else will truly stand up for Chen Heng? Mi Mi Jingshi, Xun Bing, or those Gongshu brothers?

These people might stand up for him, but they would absolutely not risk their lives for him! At that time, even if you kill Chen Heng and stir up some turmoil, it will not matter, after all..."

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi smiled and said:

"By then, Master Junyao will already have exhausted his lifespan and sat in meditation to pass away."

Xie Yu's pupils suddenly contracted.

He fell silent for a long while.

The rumor that Master Junyao was about to exhaust his lifespan and sit in meditation to pass away was widespread; anyone with some knowledge knew it, and he, Xie Yu, had certainly not been kept in the dark.

It was just that he had not expected

this day

to arrive so swiftly.

Upon suddenly hearing this news, even he, a member of an aristocratic family, could not help but feel startled...

"The Gu Xue Xuan Banner—isn't that the immortal treasure personally refined by Xuanji Xuanji Tianzun back then? He has always been unruly and hard to tame; would he actually help calculate Master Junyao's life and death this time?"

After suppressing the shock in the depths of his heart, Xie Yu asked.

"We are all of the Xuanji Xuanji Tianzun lineage; since this concerns the grand strategy of survival or extinction, how could the Gu Xue Xuan Banner stand aside?"

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi countered, then laughed once before adding:

"How about it? Now that I have told you Master Junyao is about to die, are you reassured? After killing Chen Heng, you can rest assured staying in Changyou; the Clan Master still has important matters to entrust to you!"

Within seven days,

Master Junyao would surely exhaust his lifespan...

Xie Yu calculated in his heart for a moment.

At that time, it would likely be just before the disciples departed for the Liuhuo Liuhuo Honghua Fan Fan Dongtian; once they left the sect gates, it would be convenient to make a move along the way.

Thus, he nodded slightly and agreed.

"I understand."

He took a deep breath and bowed respectfully as he spoke.

"Do not kill someone immediately upon leaving the sect gates; that would be too conspicuous... You only need to give a push at the critical moment; if possible, the Clan Master still hopes this matter will not implicate you, nor implicate the aristocratic families."

Seeing Xie Yu's submissive, bowing posture,

a trace of satisfaction finally appeared faintly in the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi's eyes, as if his objective had been achieved.

Meanwhile, Xie Yu, as the listener, was utterly stunned; he frowned, quite unable to believe what he had just heard.

The next moment,

the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi took a letter from his sleeve, slapped it heavily onto the table, and shouted:

"Read it yourself!"

Xie Yu hesitated for a moment, then still took the letter into his hand.

He glanced through it briefly, and his expression shifted slightly.

Upon finishing reading, his gaze instantly became complex, and he spoke slowly:

"So the clan had long made its calculations; it only required that I not be an obstacle? I actually thought..."

"You actually thought the clan would truly order you to kill Chen Heng? Hahahaha, rest assured, Xie Yu, for a subordinate like you who is willing to exert effort for great affairs and remains utterly loyal, the Clan Master would not so easily discard!"

Seeing this scene.

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi finally burst into loud laughter, his face brimming with triumph.

Amidst this laughter, Xie Yu remained silent, shaking his head.

When this Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi had previously sought him out, his words inside and out were all hinting that Xie Yu should remove Chen Heng as a future threat; and since Xie Yu already deeply feared Chen Heng, after merely pondering for a moment, he gritted his teeth and agreed.

And the dispute between him and the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi afterward was nothing more than discussing matters of cleanup, specifically where he ought to go into hiding.

From beginning to end.

Regarding the matter of removing Chen Heng, Xie Yu had never wavered even the slightest bit.

And such firm resolve.

Instead, through a strange twist of fate, it caused the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi to regard Xie Yu as one of his own, thus sparing him from disaster...

"If you had hedged and resisted regarding the clan's order for you to kill Chen Heng, then you would truly deserve death; even if you were unwilling to go, you would have had no choice but to go!"

At this moment.

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi spoke: "However, very good; we people of the noble clans must ultimately not forget our roots, and in this aspect, you are indeed very good!"

"It is merely what should be expected."

Xie Yu sighed inwardly and said.

The Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi smiled slightly, offered no reply, cupped his hands in salute, and took his leave.

Xie Yu hastily rose to see him off; after returning to his room, he hesitated for a few breaths before finally gathering up the letter left by the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi and hiding it within his sleeve pouch.

"Within seven days, Master Junyao's lifespan will end and he must die... Once he is dead, it will be as though a heavy stone pressing upon us noble clans has been removed, which is truly a good thing, but who can succeed to Master Junyao's position?"

Recalling the words the Wusheng Wusheng Tongzi had spoken earlier.

Xie Yu knitted his brows tightly, thinking silently:

"Zhang Zhang Taichu, Fu Fu Yankang... or is it that Zhang Shou? As for this great position of the Dao Son, upon whom will it ultimately fall? The various Hall Masters and Upper Truths are likely all watching closely, I fear? The winds and clouds are truly difficult to predict..."

Another five days passed.

Jin Tingshan, Lingyin Peak.

Chen Heng watched as the final wisp of "Three Pure Qi" slowly vanished between his palm and fingers, lingering to emit a bright color like rosy mist, then laughed once and lifted his eyelids.

At this time, surrounding him was no longer the eighty-one drops of Yin-Yin Shi Hong Shui.

Instead, there were fully three hundred and sixty-five drops, secretly matching the number of the Great Zhou Tian!

These drops of red water hung suspended in mid-air, their glamorous light sorrowful and bleak, illuminating the four walls with a dark red ripple, gloomy, terrifying, and desolate, just like the calamitous scenery within the Red Lotus Hell.

And Chen Heng, guarded in the center by the three hundred and sixty-five drops of red water, also gained several degrees of yin-cold aura.

A pair of crimson eyes, brilliant as if dyed in blood, scarlet and dripping.

Yin-Yin Shi Hong Shui—

Medium Completion Realm!

He flicked his sleeve, formed a hand seal, and slowly captured those three hundred and sixty-five drops of Yin-Yin Shi Hong Shui into his acupoints, thinking silently:

"In the end, I managed to cultivate the Yin-Yin Shi Hong Shui to the Medium Completion Realm before departing for the Liuhuo Liuhuo Honghua Fan Fan Dongtian... Next, it is time to proceed with the Tribulation Crossing, cultivate the Purple Mansion, and become a true Xian Dao Gao Gong!"

Upon this thought, Chen Heng walked out of the room, summoned Tu Shan Ge, gave him a few instructions, then leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of white light that soared skyward and vanished toward the clouds.

Not long after.

He landed upon a small hilltop.

Here, vegetation was lush and green vines spread everywhere.

Deep within the thickets, one could occasionally hear the rustling movements of insects and beasts; there were no traces of human habitation or palaces, making it indeed a fine place for Tribulation Crossing.

After releasing his qi mechanism to drive away all the insects and birds occupying this area.

Chen Heng casually took a meditation cushion from his Qiankun Bag, sat upright upon it, suddenly circulated his qi mechanism, and lifted his mind into concentration.

(End of Chapter)