Chapter 95: Spinning Open, Spinning Fall, Spinning Into Emptiness

"An hour earlier?"

"Yes."

"The divine talisman?"

"It has already been used."

"And Fuchan Fuchan Laozu?" Wei Wei Lingjiang asked.

Chen Heng lightly tapped his own brow with his finger, remaining silent.

The two fell into a strange silence once more for a moment.

Behind Wei Wei Lingjiang.

Seeing Seeing Qingzhi, her breath as faint as a gossamer thread, yawned; listlessly glancing at the pair, she let out a "Heiya!" as she forcefully lifted the water jar filled with Lotus Seed Soup above her head and gulped down several mouthfuls in rapid succession.

"Nothing's even been decided yet, so what is Young Lady rushing for... After we kill this Hatred-Yin-Surpassing Demon, won't we just return to the Chiming Sect to sit in prison inside the 'Nine Emperors Constant Sun Golden Palace' Fan Fan Dongtian! We'll all be serving hard time together!"

Though she grumbled in her heart, her mouth never stopped moving; as her cheeks puffed in and out, the Lotus Seed Soup in the water jar was visibly nearing the bottom.

"And then there's Young Lady's master; she definitely dislikes this little Chen! That clumsy, quiet old Daoist nun! That unapproachable, unloved, withered old madwoman!

Once Seeing Seeing Qingzhi becomes a Great Sage of the Demon Race, she will definitely capture her and throw her into the Return to Void, making her stay inside the Sea Eye every single day!"

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a surge of Yuan Yuan Yangyang pride, a smile inevitably rising to her face.

Yet in the next instant, a lotus seed happened to lodge squarely in her throat, choking her so severely that her eyes rolled back wildly; she coughed with heart-rending intensity, flailing and rolling across the ground.

"With that register in your possession, you will be fine; a mere Heavenly Demon cannot overcome it."

Wei Wei Lingjiang took a deep breath and said.

"Actually, I have always wanted to ask."

Chen Heng raised his eyelids indifferently and suddenly spoke: "Is it not all too coincidental?"

"Coincidental?"

"All of this, from the moment I met Senior Sister until now, everything."

He spoke in a low voice:

"Does Senior Sister not feel... that every single step seems to have been meticulously designed, as if someone is deliberately guiding us along?"

Why did we happen to meet on divergent paths?

Why did Wei Wei Lingjiang obtain the "Scattered Scenery Concealing Form Art," and why does it happen to align perfectly with his "Tai Shi Yuan Zhen"?

Fuchan Fuchan Laozu, the Jin Jin Guang divine talisman, the Heavenly Demon, and Cave Lord Master Huaiwu...

"For Senior Sister's trial method to be considered De Gong, must she eliminate that Hatred-Yin-Surpassing Demon entirely on her own? But am I not considered an external force?"

Chen Heng looked at her quietly and spoke:

"My True Qi, paired with the Scattered Scenery Concealing Form Art, happens to be able to deceive perception... Senior Sister once said that before descending the mountain, you were bestowed only a single 'Ten-Thousand-Li Illuminating Talisman' transformed by Fuchan Fuchan Laozu, and nothing else; it seems not only does Senior Sister harbor the thought of borrowing a knife to kill, using an external force to remove the Heavenly Demon, but your sect's seniors likely thought the same?

But the premise of borrowing an external force is the ability to deceive the Heavenly Demon; if it detected some sophisticated foundation of True Qi, it would surely hesitate for fear of damaging the treasure and would not reveal its true Heavenly Demon form, rendering the matter of borrowing a knife to kill impossible to discuss.

And if Senior Sister had merely sought someone at random to assist, someone with a low True Qi Grade.

Then, due to the limitations of his aptitude and root nature, he would not be valued by Cave Lord Master Huaiwu enough to receive a gifted pill, let alone place in the top three within the Master Huaiwu Cave; thus, that method would also be unfeasible."

Wei Wei Lingjiang stared fixedly at him, her lips moving slightly, yet no words came out.

"Truly coincidental? Is it not?"

Chen Heng remained silent for a long while, then smiled soundlessly:

"If Senior Sister had not encountered me, if I had never known you, relying solely on a single Ten-Thousand-Li Illuminating Talisman, how could you possibly eliminate the Hatred-Yin-Surpassing Demon..."

Clearly only at the Qi Cultivation realm, yet insisting on accomplishing it without relying on others, capturing a Heavenly Demon.

Yet on Wei Wei Lingjiang's person, there mysteriously existed means such as the Jin Jin Guang divine talisman.

The twists and turns within, the winding complexities.

It was just as if.

It was clearly intended to make them meet...

"Coincidental? Indeed, it greatly resembles the usual handiwork of our sect's Tai Wen Miao Cheng Daojun."

A sense of melancholy rose in Wei Wei Lingjiang's heart; meeting Chen Heng's gaze directly, she silently thought:

"There are countless ways to resolve the debt of gratitude for the Ai family's gifted method; why must eliminating the Hatred-Yin-Surpassing Demon refined by Ai Yuan be the only thing that counts? And why must no one else offer aid, requiring me to accomplish this with my spiritual body? What exactly is Daojun's intention, and that opportunity..."

After eliminating the Hatred-Yin-Surpassing Demon.

That opportunity which could help her survive one of the three Pure Yang calamities...

"Junior Brother, is he my opportunity?"

Wei Wei Lingjiang said to herself in her heart.

A continuous, needle-like sting made her eyes flicker, and suddenly she hesitated, as if embarrassed.

"Since you find it suspicious, why not leave?"

It was not until quite some time had passed.

That she finally spoke with a raspy voice.

The scorching summer heat rose like smoke.

Over his shoulder, one could see the distant pavilions covered in a deep golden, shimmering Luli Luli Guangzhao, resembling a fragile glass bubble, dreamlike and illusory, yet so close at hand that a single poke of the finger could shatter it.

"Why not leave this place like that Yuan Yuan Yangyang, and why help me?"

Wei Wei Lingjiang somewhat hoped for his answer, yet feared it would not be the one she desired, and subconsciously lowered her head.

"You could actually leave."

She slowly clenched her slender fingers hanging by her skirt's edge, also gripping tightly the flower branch specially prepared and hidden within her sleeve, her gaze sticking as if glued to the ground, staring blankly at those few fine cracks in the wood.

It felt as though an eternity had passed, time stretching inch by inch through the excruciating wait. Just as Wei Wei Lingjiang thought his silence would stretch on forever, the light and shadow before her suddenly stirred, wavering into a chaotic halo.

A human shadow was cast long by the light onto the wall in the corner, blurred and indistinct.

"Because I care about you."

He said.

Wei Wei Lingjiang looked up in astonishment.

On Chen Heng's face was an expression she had never seen before, one difficult to describe; it seemed like self-mockery, yet also carried a strange, overwhelming irony that surged like a tide.

These myriad emotions flashed across his face so quickly that Wei Wei Lingjiang hadn't even reacted before they all vanished, leaving behind only a profound silence.

Just as Wei Wei Lingjiang began to doubt whether she had heard wrong, her heart pounding in confusion, the person before her spoke again.

"Senior Sister, because I care about you."

Chen Heng repeated it, his eyes gazing quietly at her:

"No one has ever treated me the way you have, whether out of momentary sincerity or feigned affection under the influence of inner demons.

No one has ever treated me the way you have..."

His tone was flat and calm, stirring no waves, yet Wei Wei Lingjiang's heartbeat suddenly quickened; an indescribable sensation hammered within her, as if it would tear her chest open.

"Therefore, there are some words I must speak to you truthfully."

Chen Heng lowered his gaze and spoke lightly:

"In this life, I only—"

"Don't say it!"

Wei Wei Lingjiang rarely interrupted him.

"Senior Sister."

"Don't say it..."

Chen Heng met her gaze; Wei Wei Lingjiang's voice even trembled with a hint of pleading.

"I don't know if this is an inner demon or something else; just wait for me, just not now... alright?"

Chen Heng's throat moved slightly, but under that silence so deep it bordered on desolation, his fingers trembled, and he finally turned his face away, unable to finish the remaining words.

"Do you know what day it is today?"

After another stretch of silence, Wei Wei Lingjiang suddenly asked.

Chen Heng shook his head.

"It is the Fengsi Festival, the sacrificial ceremony of Fengtian; after you return, lanterns will be released along the lakeshore."

Wei Wei Lingjiang stared stubbornly at him: "Do you know the Fengsi Festival?"

After a brief quiet, upon seeing Chen Heng shake his head once more, Wei Wei Lingjiang's tightly clenched fingers finally slowly relaxed, and the curve of her lips stretched wider and wider.

"After you return, let's all go watch the lantern release together."

Blinking her eyes, she gazed at him with a smile and spoke in a tone that brooked no refusal:

"My name is Wei Wei Lingjiang, a true disciple of the Chiming Sect, Wei Wei Lingjiang!"

"Chen Heng."

He gazed at her, raised his hand, sighed deeply in his heart, and finally performed a formal salute with myriad complex emotions:

"Qi Practitioner, Chen Heng."

The sound of footsteps gradually faded, and that fluttering corner of plain white robes vanished from sight a few breaths later.

Only now did Wei Wei Lingjiang's expression finally relax completely; she exhaled a long breath, feeling an absurd sense of having survived a catastrophe, like a little fox that had stolen a chicken, and she excitedly clenched her fist.

Only then did she have the leisure to turn her gaze toward Seeing Seeing Qingzhi.

After a momentary stupor, she quite helplessly grabbed the other by the collar and slapped her back, forcing the lotus seed stuck in her throat out.

Amidst a fit of heart-rending coughing and dry heaving, Seeing Seeing Qingzhi rolled her eyes dramatically, slowly climbed up from the ground, and stared expressionlessly at Wei Wei Lingjiang.

"..."

Wei Wei Lingjiang turned away in some embarrassment, but Seeing Seeing Qingzhi relentlessly pressed close to her face, blinking not even once.

"I didn't mean to—"

"It doesn't matter, Young Lady need not mind me; it doesn't matter if Seeing Seeing Qingzhi dies, since Young Lady doesn't care anyway; Seeing Seeing Qingzhi, a mere bird, can live very well even after death."

Seeing Seeing Qingzhi twisted the corner of her mouth:

"Young Lady should just put all her heart on him from now on; Seeing Seeing Qingzhi will rummage through trash to eat when hungry—it tastes delicious—and dig snow to drink when thirsty. Farewell, Young Lady; Seeing Seeing Qingzhi will take good care of herself. I wish you happiness; in the days without me, you—"

"Once we return to the sect gates, I'll let you out of the Fan Fan Dongtian to play for a month, alright!"

Wei Wei Lingjiang, feeling a headache coming on from listening, scooped her up: "A month! That's enough for you to tour the East Sea!"

"Are you serious?!"

Seeing Seeing Qingzhi instantly beamed with joy, hugged Wei Wei Lingjiang's neck, and began haggling: "Two months!"

"Absolutely impossible; in that case, you'd better not go out at all."

Wei Wei Lingjiang shook her head.

Hearing this, Seeing Seeing Qingzhi's ears, which had been held high, immediately drooped, her face a picture of misery.

"However, Young Lady acted quite convincingly just now, so pitiful... if Seeing Seeing Qingzhi weren't so familiar with you, I almost would have been fooled too!"

She let out a long sigh, then added with some curiosity:

"Just now, you clearly knew Little Chen was about to outright reject you, yet you skillfully feigned pity to soften his heart; while he hesitated, you changed the subject, arranged to watch the lantern release together, and shut his mouth so he couldn't speak further. Well done!

Where did Young Lady learn this tactic of retreating to advance?"

"From you."

"Me?!"

Seeing Qingzhi turned pale with shock, waving her hands in panic: "I'm still just a little bird chick, born not long ago! Don't speak nonsense and ruin my reputation for no reason!"

"I learned it from those human storybooks you treasure; I didn't expect it would actually work."

Wei Wei Lingjiang shook her head:

"It seems the phrase 'Though myriad phenomena are chaotic, the Dao connects all as one' does indeed hold some truth."

"That sounds like something from the Secret Edicts of the Purple Mansion; it refers to the attributes of spiritual energy, not this."

Seeing Qingzhi rolled her eyes: "Young Lady, don't bully me for being uneducated."

"He lied just now."

Wei Wei Lingjiang pretended not to have heard those words.

She simply hugged Seeing Qingzhi tightly, her two eyes curving like crescent moons; the suppressed grief she had shown before Chen Heng had long since vanished.

Two shallow dimples appeared on her bright, beautiful cheeks as she said:

"The Fensi Festival is clearly a celebration of the Rong Kingdom; he lived in the Rong Kingdom for over ten years! How could he not know about the Fensi Festival!"

"... What does that prove?"

Seeing Qingzhi scratched her head.

"His heart is still in turmoil!"

Wei Wei Lingjiang wrinkled her nose slightly, a hint of small triumph in her expression.

"That wasn't his heart moving; it was his heart softening... Seeing the Young Lady looking pitiful, as if about to cry, he softened."

"Shut up!"

Wei Wei Lingjiang did not listen.

After a moment, she hesitated again; after wavering for a long while, her gaze finally hardened, and she made up her mind.

"Seeing Qingzhi, I am going to take Chen Heng back to the Chiming Sect!"

She said.

"Is the Young Lady mad? The Chiming Sect is one of the illustrious Eight Sects and Six Clans, not some Wuguang Sect that one can enter at will!"

"I possess sixty-four types of Dadao Gong, plus the two heavenly relics left behind by True Person Yan Xi; together, these should be enough to exchange for a chance to enter the Lower Courtyard."

Wei Wei Lingjiang spoke calmly: "Once he enters the Lower Courtyard, under my care, his formal induction into the Chiming Sect will be merely a matter of time, sooner or later."

"You're going to give away all the relics?!"

Seeing Qingzhi was truly startled at this moment:

"But what about the Danyuan Assembly? What will we do? If the Young Lady retrieves the items from those two relics, she could surely make a name for herself at the Danyuan Assembly, just like Jun Yao of the Yu Yuchen Sect; she might even contend for first place! If you give them away, what will we do at the Danyuan Assembly?!"

"True Person Yan Xi possessed the fate of the Yin Son of Heaven; those two heavenly relics are also the most precious among all relics, and only someone with the fate of the Yin Son of Heaven can open their dust-sealed contents."

Wei Wei Lingjiang dismissed the concern:

"Yet how rare is the Yin Son of Heaven? My aunt Ai Yuan and the people of the Shangyu Ai clan acted on their own, searching for so long for me, yet found not a trace; how could such a thing be accomplished in haste?

However, they seem to think I need the fate of the Yin Son of Heaven to cultivate the sect's great divine technique 'Tongyou Dongguan,' which is completely missing the mark."

Hearing this, Seeing Qingzhi fell silent for a rare long moment; after a while, she scratched her chin and shook her head, saying:

"Young Lady, is doing this worth it?"

"It is worth it!"

Wei Wei Lingjiang smiled; as her eyes shifted, they seemed to hide ten thousand words and a thousand thoughts:

"Since he seeks immortality, then I, Wei Wei Lingjiang, shall grant him immortality! Once he reaches the Chiming Sect, with the accumulation of days and months, even if Chen Heng is an iron tree impervious to oil and salt, he will sooner or later bloom!"

At this moment.

On a river islet in the center of Daojun Fu Yu Lake.

Two heavenly horses, each over ten zhang tall, pulled a canopied treasure carriage, slowly descending before a towering great gate nearly three hundred zhang in length and width, with four-cornered tower buildings each standing guard with a bronze sculpture of one of the Four Symbols.

Colorful light filled the sky, brilliant and swaying.

In the center of the palace gate stood a purple-patterned coiled dragon pillar nearly reaching the heavens, deeply piercing into the dense clouds and mist; like a divine blade stabilizing the four corners of the world, it was hard for the eye to see its end, inspiring awe.

After delivering Chen Heng to this massive palace gate, Chai Chai Zhonghong did not linger; he merely cupped his hands with a laugh, then drove his carriage away to take his leave.

After watching him depart into the distance, Chen Heng flicked his sleeve and, without hesitation, strode boldly toward the palace gate.

Before he could even step through the main gate, several colorful-clad female attendants standing to the side had already greeted him with a beaming smile and a deep curtsy, guiding him into the depths of the palace.

Corridors winding a hundred turns, water pavilions and flower ponds, jade staircases and high towers, jumping platforms and golden bridges.

Everywhere the eye looked were various magnificent carvings and decorations, overwhelming the senses.

This palace was indeed astonishingly large; it could easily accommodate several hundred residents, and from some side hall far away, the clear notes of sheng flutes, xiao flutes, and jade flutes drifted out, melodious and winding, extremely pleasing to the ear.

After passing through three or five courtyard layers and walking around the floating bridges a few times, not long after, the female attendants suddenly stopped before a palace hall in the southwest; they bowed in unison and said in delicate voices:

"Please, honored guest, bathe and cleanse your body first."

Chen Heng was slightly surprised.

At this moment, the voice of Fuchan Fuchan Laozu sounded in his mind again.

"Rest assured, this is no beauty trap; that damn Heavenly Demon is about to test you! Restrain your qi mechanism, bones, and blood; do not startle the snake and spoil the work at the very last moment!"