Almost instinctively, he mouthed the words that surfaced within his consciousness.
Zhongli's eyes trembled ever so slightly as he turned his gaze.
"This is… my senior brother?"
The crowd fell silent.
After reading those words, everyone finally understood the identity of the skeleton before them.
He was Mo Yixi, the Wine Sword Immortal's third disciple—Xuanxing.
Back then, to save his junior sister, he had ventured deep into the Nine Nether Secret Realm in search of the Soul-Congealing Grass. In the end, he was ambushed by a demon king and perished.
Such loyalty and sacrifice stirred genuine admiration.
His tragic fate weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.
A true direct disciple of the Wine Sword Immortal, a heaven's favored child by all standards…
Yet he had fallen in a place where he should never have stopped.
Such an ending was truly heartbreaking.
"First Seat…"
Xiao looked at the skeleton with complicated feelings.
Zhongli remained silent for a long while, before finally letting out a deep sigh.
"Though I have never met Master Mo Yixi, nor this Senior Brother Xuanxing…
In the end, we share the same lineage. He is also a predecessor of our Longshou Peak."
"Collect his remains. Later, I shall consult with the Sect Master to see if we may bring him back to Mount Shu for a proper burial."
Sensing Zhongli's sorrow, Xiao only nodded without a word and walked forward.
He carefully lifted the skeleton.
But as he shifted it aside, something strange caught his eye—a hidden compartment beneath where Xuanxing had been sitting.
"First Seat! There seems to be something here!"
At his shout, the others hurriedly gathered around.
On the ground was a perfectly square hollow, shaped as though it was meant to hold a single token.
But… a token?
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, their hands instinctively reaching to the disciple tokens hanging from their waists.
Zhongli hesitated, then removed his token and placed it into the hollow.
In that instant, a faint glimmer of light resonated between his token and Xuanxing's.
Immediately afterward, a finely crafted jade box rose slowly from the earth.
For a moment, none of them dared to touch it.
Suddenly, Jiang Yan's sigh broke the silence.
"Junior Brother Xuanxing… you were painstakingly meticulous."
Everyone was stunned. Quickly, they bowed.
"Sect Master."
Jiang Yan's projection appeared, his gaze complex as it rested on the jade box.
"Sect Master, this is…?" Zhongli asked uncertainly.
Jiang Yan spoke softly.
"This is a mechanism forged with Junior Brother Xuanxing's final soul force.
When a future Mount Shu disciple found him, placing their token here would resonate with his, unlocking the mechanism."
"If demons found him instead and used his token, the jade box would self-destruct, leaving nothing but ashes."
"Junior Brother Xuanxing went to such lengths, even at the cost of soul and spirit scattering to forge this device. One can imagine how important the contents must be."
"First Seat Zhongli, open it."
Zhongli stood silently for a moment before nodding.
He pressed his palm gently onto the seamless jade box and infused it with true essence.
In the next moment, the box unfurled like a blooming flower.
Inside, a small flying sword revealed itself.
At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a hairpin—yet the spiritual aura and razor-sharp edge radiating from it made everyone's hearts tighten.
"So that's how it is…"
Jiang Yan sighed, shaking his head.
"This is what Uncle-Master Mo Yixi left for his true disciples—a flying sword condensed from his own sword intent."
"This sword carries one strike of his will. Once unleashed, even a peak Nascent Soul cultivator would be slain with ease. But it is a single-use treasure."
"Junior Brother Xuanxing… if only you had used this sword, how could you have ended up like this?"
Zhongli carefully lifted the flying sword, frowning.
"If that was the case, why didn't Senior Brother Xuanxing use it?"
Jiang Yan's gaze grew heavy. Strange fragments of memory surfaced in his mind.
"Back then, Uncle-Master Mo Yixi broke sect rules for the sake of love. He was imprisoned within the Demon-Sealing Tower by the Seven Elders for a hundred years of reflection."
"If Junior Brother Xuanxing had used this sword, Uncle-Master Mo would have sensed it. He would have broken free to save him, which would mean committing an even graver violation. He would have been stripped of his position and suppressed for eternity."
"Junior Brother Xuanxing must have considered this. Thus, he chose to die rather than allow Uncle-Master Mo to break the sect rules again."
At those words, sorrow swept through the group.
They looked at Xuanxing's remains, their hearts aching.
A master who would defy rules and break free to save his disciple.
A disciple who would rather die than cause his master to break the rules again.
Whatever the case, Xuanxing was a man of deep feeling and loyalty.
For the sake of saving his junior sister, he entered peril alone.
For the sake of protecting his master, he refused to use the one chance that could have saved his own life.
" Sect Master, may we bring Senior Brother Xuanxing back to Mount Shu for a proper burial?" Zhongli asked quietly.
Jiang Yan nodded slightly.
"Yes. Let him be buried on Longshou Peak. As for this sword… it is what Junior Brother Xuanxing left for future disciples. You, as the acting First Seat of Longshou Peak, may keep it."
"If I am not mistaken, there should also be other belongings of Junior Brother Xuanxing. The cultivation methods of Longshou Peak should be among them. Gather them all."
The crowd's eyes fell upon the spatial ring clutched in the skeleton's hand, as well as a nearby bundle.
By strict measure, this was a great fortune… yet no one felt joy.
Jiang Yan glanced at them, his voice gentle.
"You've encountered many great events on this journey into the Nine Nether Secret Realm , and gained much. But the Abyss is in turmoil. Best return for now. Come again in a week."
No one objected. They nodded.
Indeed, their harvest had been considerable.
Zhongli's group had slain two demon kings and acquired the treasures within their spatial rings.
Ganyu had bonded with the Qingluan.
And under its guidance, they had gathered many rare herbs.
All in all, the gains were immense.
But Zhongli and the others were still gravely wounded, their recovery slow.
The Seven Kings of the Nine Nether Secret Realm were scouring the land for them.
And now they carried both Xuanxing's remains and the Qingluan.
It was not the time to linger.
Too much greed would only lead to disaster. Even this harvest would take a long time to digest once back at Mount Shu.
They began to tidy up the cavern.
Xuanxing's belongings were few: some spirit stones, the bundle filled with herbs long since drained of vitality, a few bottles of pills whose efficacy was uncertain after so many years, a top-grade spiritual sword, and a jade talisman.
The spirit stones could be used directly, but the sword Zhongli refused to claim it.
It was Xuanxing's final relic.
Though Xuanxing himself might not have minded if future generations drew strength from what he left behind, Zhongli could not pass that barrier in his heart.
He intended to bury the sword alongside him at Longshou Peak, together with the flying sword Mo Yixi had given him—so that at least, these remnants could accompany him in eternal rest.
Before long, everything was packed.
Though their gains were abundant, none felt much joy.
Finding Xuanxing's remains had left their hearts heavy.
Jiang Yan did not speak further. When he saw that everyone was ready and Ganyu was holding the Qingluan, he spoke softly:
"Use your disciple tokens to link with the Nine Nether Secret Realm passage. You may leave now."
No one hesitated. With the Abyss in chaos, every extra moment carried danger. Best to leave quickly.
Though their stay had been brief, their journey was more than worthwhile.
A dark and ancient door soon opened before them.
Zhongli personally carried the box holding Xuanxing's remains, his eyes burning with flame.
"When I break through to the peak of Nascent Soul and return to the Nine Nether Secret Realm , I will annihilate the Seven Kings, slay Greenwind Ox, and avenge Senior Brother Xuanxing and all the elders who fell here!"
With that vow, he strode through the abyssal gate.
One by one, the others followed.
At the end, Ganyu paused, glancing uncertainly at Jiang Yan.
"Sect Master, aren't you coming with us?"
Jiang Yan only smiled and shook his head.
"This wisp of divine sense is nearly exhausted. There is no need for me to return."
"I have one last matter to settle—someone I've been waiting for."
Even as his words faded, Jiang Yan turned his head slightly, his voice soft.
"Go on, Ganyu. The one I've been waiting for has arrived…"
Biting her lip, Ganyu clutched the Qingluan and stepped through the gate.
Jiang Yan's divine sense had long since been transferred into several high-grade spirit stones. Sustained by their energy, he could still act for a little while longer.
Enough time.
When the gate closed, footsteps echoed from outside the cave.
Moments later, an aged sigh rang out.
"It seems this old one is still a step too late…"
Jiang Yan's lips curved faintly.
"Not too late at all. I've been waiting for you."
He fixed his gaze upon the white-haired elder at the cave's mouth.
At the sight of Jiang Yan, the man grew visibly uneasy, unconsciously gathering his aura.
Had Venti and the others been present, they would have recognized at once—the aura of this elder was even stronger than the Snow Mastiff they had fought before.
It was condensed and sharp, like a steel needle.
"No need to be nervous. I only require your cooperation for a few simple questions. You will comply, won't you, Qingfeng?"
Jiang Yan stepped forward, his illusory figure manifesting before the ox demon.
Qingfeng instinctively retreated a step, his eyes wary.
Though he could tell at a glance that Jiang Yan was only a wisp of divine sense…
That depended on the level of the divine sense.
The man before him was clearly at the Spirit Refining and Returning to Void realm—and not merely at the initial stage.
A chill of unease swept through Qingfeng's heart.
According to his understanding, the cultivation world had only just revived. How could such a level of cultivator possibly exist?
It made no sense!
"Who are you?" Qingfeng narrowed his eyes, feigning calm.
"I am nothing more than an ordinary Mount Shu cultivator," Jiang Yan replied evenly. "I have answered you. Now, it is your turn to answer me."
Qingfeng was silent for a moment before speaking coldly:
"And if I refuse?"
Jiang Yan laughed softly, his gaze carrying a trace of mockery.
With the lift of his hand, the entire Nine Nether Secret Realm shuddered.
"Oh, you will answer. I have more than enough means to make you speak."
"You are but half a step into the Void. After living so long, do you still not understand the absolute dominion high-level cultivators hold over those below them?"
"Even though I am only a wisp of divine sense, killing you would hardly take effort."
"If you refuse, the other Seven Kings will be more than willing to answer me instead."
"Listen well, Greenwind Ox—I do not yet wish to kill you. You are the trial I leave for others."
His gaze grew sharp as ice.
"I also know the Soulsearching Art…"
"And you should know what will become of you once your soul has been searched."
"So behave yourself. I will ask. You will answer."
"If even half a word is false—I will let you taste the agony that Junior Brother Xuanxing once endured."
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