No Longer Pure

Jiang Qi looked toward Xu Ying, feeling a sudden surge of awe toward him! It was a sense of veneration he had rarely ever felt. Even when standing before the Son of Heaven of Zhou, he had never experienced such a feeling. *Something astonishing must have changed within him!* Jiang Qi thought. He abruptly recalled the illusion within Taiyi Lesser Mysterious Heaven, where he had been slain by Xu Ying over a hundred times. The Xu Ying back then bore a striking resemblance to the Xu Ying before him now! Yuan Qi scrambled out of the Realm of Xiyi inside Xu Ying's body, gazing at Xu Ying in shock and uncertainty. Just moments ago, when Heavenly God Longyuan’s roar erupted, Xu Ying had drawn him into his Realm of Xiyi, choosing to face the impact alone. Yuan Qi had barely suffered any shock, but Xu Ying’s soul had taken the full brunt of the blow and fallen unconscious. Yet no sooner had Xu Ying’s soul passed out than Yuan Qi watched it awaken once more. With this awakening, numerous transformations occurred within Xu Ying's Realm of Xiyi, and all manner of wondrous Dao images surged forth! Years ago, Yuan Qi had seen these Dao images before—back when Beichenzi unraveled a corner of Xu Ying’s memory seal, unleashing terrifying phenomena behind Xu Ying! Bronze peaks thrust between heaven and earth; an abyss burying the Great Dao; a colossal tree blanketing the stars; a furnace where suns rose and fell amid flames; a starry ocean rolling with surging waves... Those Dao images had thrown Yuan Qi’s mind into chaos, leaving him unable to concentrate! Back then, Xu Ying had been more sinister than the alien gods in the depths of Cangwu Abyss, and more terrifying than the Tianzhu Sword fully radiating the might of the Heavenly Dao! Just now, Yuan Qi had witnessed those dreadful Dao images within Xu Ying’s Realm of Xiyi once more. He had no choice but to flee to avoid being overwhelmed by their influence. Xu Ying rose to his feet. Behind him, the various magic treasures that made up the golden man's Realm of Xiyi shattered completely with a clatter, crumbling into dust and fragments that spilled across the ground. "All of it trash." His eyes were bright, not sparing a single glance for the shattered debris. At this moment, he possessed only the cultivation of the Cross-Refinement stage. Yet facing a heavenly god whom not even Ascension-stage Qi Refiners could overcome, he showed nothing but absolute composure. He flicked his finger against the blade, and the Tianzhu Sword hummed vibrantly. Across the blade, runes of the Heavenly Dao swirled out with a drone. Instantly, killing intent burst forth from the heavens, throwing the myriad people upon the Fusang tree into chaos as violence erupted everywhere! Yuan Qi and Jiang Qi were frightened out of their wits. The power of the Tianzhu Sword could twist the minds of all present. If this continued, Xu Ying would slaughter everyone upon the Fusang tree before Heavenly God Longyuan even arrived! Xu Ying raised the longsword, sending the Tianzhu Sword soaring into the starry void! Suddenly, lightning flared in the depths of space. A massive thundercloud gathered from nowhere, swirling above the Fusang tree. The Fusang tree had only a thin layer of atmosphere, barely sufficient to sustain migration through space; it was unsuited for prolonged journeys and incapable of naturally forming wind, rain, thunder, or lightning. Yet above this very tree, thunderclouds converged furiously, spreading wider and wider. The dense storm clouds formed a colossal vortex, hurling down bolt after bolt of heavenly lightning to strike Xu Ying. The bronze bell wobbled over. It, too, had witnessed such a scene before: when a portion of Xu Ying's memories had previously revived, thunderclouds like a Heavenly Tribulation had gathered, constantly hurling down lightning to pour energy into him! The only difference was that back then, horrifying Dao images had manifested behind Xu Ying, whereas this time, none appeared. The bronze bell was filled with shock and bewilderment. The Tianzhu Sword summoned the tribulation lightning of the Heavenly Dao, only to fly back the moment Xu Ying beckoned casually. The youth lightly wiped the flat of the blade with his left sword fingers, causing all the runes of the Heavenly Dao to retract back into the metal. The bloodlust vanished at once, and the people who had been fighting one another stopped in confusion, utterly bewildered. "A broken sword, barely usable." Holding Tianzhu, Xu Ying raised the sword and gently patted the bronze bell with the flat of the blade. The bronze bell had earlier been flattened by Heavenly God Longyuan, its walls riddled with startling cracks that looked ready to shatter at any second. Otherwise, it would not have taken so long to fly back to Xu Ying’s side. Yet with Xu Ying's light tap, it immediately felt a wondrous power prop it open, an indescribably soothing sensation spreading through its frame. Its rim returned to its original shape without cracking further, though the fractures remained. Xu Ying lifted the sword, flicking his wrist. Several markings on the bell's surface were erased, and the Tianzhu Sword branded new inscriptions across its body! The bronze bell cried in panic, "Ah Ying, what did you put on me? That was the brand my master left me—you can't just change it! Master Qi, Master Qi! Come look, am I unclean now?!" In a fluster, it flew toward Yuan Qi. Xu Ying sheathed his sword, turned to face the colossal dragons charging toward him, and said languidly, "When I wake up, show me the words on your body." Alone with his sword, he walked forward to meet Longyuan. The bronze bell flew over, saying, "Don't worry, Master Qi, Ah Ying will definitely come back alive. Master Qi, hurry and check for me—what did Ah Ying put on me?" Yuan Qi looked closely. "Ah Ying carved some bird-and-worm seal script on you. It's very intricate. Strange, it looks familiar..." "I'm defiled!" the bronze bell cried in despair, dropping to the ground with a loud *clang*. Bereft of its soul, it wailed, "The brands my master bestowed upon me remained untouched for three thousand years! Even Ancestor Chanchan never altered them! And now, Ah Ying has ruined me!" Yuan Qi carefully examined the runic markings Xu Ying had left. These peculiar characters of bird-and-worm seal script seemed to hold profound, unfathomable truths. He could not comprehend them, nor did he know their meaning. "Strange. I've definitely seen them somewhere." The giant snake circled the bronze bell again and again, studying it from every angle. Suddenly, inspiration struck, and he laughed. "I remember! Ah Ying said before that these eight characters mean 'imprisonment, incarceration, seal, and confinement'! Lord Bell, Ah Ying just carved eight sealing Dao characters on you. Nothing to worry about." The bronze bell remained doubtful. Yuan Qi fetched a mirror. Looking into it, the bronze bell rotated at an even pace, and sure enough, it saw eight strange characters of bird-and-worm seal script carved into its surface. Xu Fu had possessed a golden scroll bearing sixteen characters of bird-and-worm seal script, among which were these very eight! Back then, only Xu Ying had recognized the script. He had understood its meaning, yet had not known how to write it. The bronze bell pondered. *Lord Ying said to show it to him when he wakes up. Could it be that Lord Ying wants Ah Ying to see these eight characters...? But couldn't he just find any random spot to write them down? Why did he have to carve them onto me?* It felt thoroughly vexed. It had intended to preserve a pure body to meet its master again, only to be ruined by Xu Ying. How was it supposed to face Li Xiaoke now? Its surface had originally borne only the brands left by Li Xiaoke. Having another person's runes inscribed upon it meant that, for a magic treasure, it was no longer pure! "Maybe you were never pure to begin with," Yuan Qi said maliciously. "Who knows, maybe Ancestor Chanchan left her mark on you long ago, and you just never noticed." The bronze bell sneered. "I can't say whether Ancestor Chanchan left a mark on me, but she definitely left one on you. How petty is Ancestor Chanchan? Stashing magic treasures in your belly, could she possibly refrain from branding you a few times? Her methods are beyond subtle—even if she stamped a dozen seals on your backside, you wouldn't notice a thing!" Yuan Qi's expression shifted slightly. He quietly lifted his tail end to check, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he found nothing amiss. Longyuan had no head and no arms, but the flesh of his back had split open into a deep chasm of blood and gore, with over a hundred colossal divine dragons serving as his most agile limbs. One of the dragons opened its maw, swallowing the surrounding starry sky as it gulped down Xu Ying in a single bite! Just then, bursts of sword light detonated one after another inside the dragon's neck. Dazzling radiance pierced the massive limb, spinning and slashing as it tore through the creature's thick body, hurtling straight toward the chasm on Heavenly God Longyuan's back! The heavenly god spun around with furious roars as the other dragons surged, opening their gaping maws to tear into the stricken dragon, swiftly ripping its body to shreds! Yet they failed to stop that breathtaking sword light. Whiskers, beards, teeth, and horns were shorn away by the razor-sharp sword qi! Some of the dragons had their tongues severed, others had their snouts sliced off, and still others were blinded in the eyes! The remaining dragons flew into a frenzy, roaring violently at the sword light still tearing through the gore. Their thunderous bellows shattered the unfortunate dragon's remnants into dust! At last, Xu Ying's figure was blasted out, floating before the chasm of flesh and blood. The horde of dragons lunged forward to snap at him, but suddenly, fountains of blood erupted from the necks of every single dragon. With agonizing shrieks, dragon heads severed from their necks and plummeted. Though they had blasted Xu Ying out, his Tianzhu Sword had already severed every one of their necks! Xu Ying drifted forward, sword in hand, flying straight toward the exposed flesh on Heavenly God Longyuan's back. He intended to fight his way into Longyuan's body and slay this heavenly god from the inside out! At that moment, earth-shaking laughter boomed from within the chasm. The flesh peeled back, revealing countless razor-sharp teeth. This chasm of gore was actually a vertical maw grown across Heavenly God Longyuan's back! The dragons Xu Ying had just decapitated were nothing more than his remarkably agile tongues! "Xu Ying, you've finally delivered yourself to my doorstep to be eaten!" Longyuan laughed wildly as the colossal mouth slammed shut with a thunderous crunch, swallowing Xu Ying whole. Longyuan's mouth opened and closed repeatedly, chewing without pause. His teeth were unimaginably hard, interlocking like mountain peaks to crush everything to dust! Jiang Qi, Yuan Qi, and the others felt a chill run through their hearts. Suddenly, Jiang Qi shouted, "Run!" He poured every ounce of his power into propelling the Fusang tree, flying toward the Yuanshou world at top speed. Yuan Qi and the bronze bell stared blankly at the scene. Then Yuan Qi blurted, "That was Lord Ying! There's no way Lord Ying could be eaten! He'll definitely return safe and sound!" The bronze bell chimed in repeatedly, "Right! That's Lord Ying, who casually slayed heavenly fiends! No matter how strong this Longyuan is, he could never defeat Lord Ying!" Jiang Qi's shouts rang out again, and Yuan Qi and the bronze bell hurried forward to help him push the Fusang tree. Behind them, Heavenly God Longyuan's titanic body began to shrink, compressing until he was roughly a thousand zhang tall. He immediately gave chase, striding toward the Fusang tree! "No need to run!" Heavenly God Longyuan's laughter echoed out. "Xu Ying is dead, and none of you can escape. Even if you run, where could you possibly flee?" A chill gripped everyone's heart. Heavenly God Longyuan closed in, moving faster and faster. Jiang Qi's expression flickered between hesitation and resolve before he suddenly halted. "You go first! Just keep moving in this direction, and you'll spot the Yuanshou world soon enough!" Yuan Qi and the bronze bell hesitated for a moment, but ultimately continued pushing the Fusang tree, rushing onward with a whoosh. Jiang Qi turned around to face the approaching Heavenly God Longyuan. Channeling what little cultivation he had left, his tattered Realm of Xiyi manifested behind him. He thought quietly to himself, *If I leave now, I should still make it. Heavenly God Longyuan was grievously wounded by Xu Ying, and combined with the damage I dealt him earlier, his strength is far below what it once was. If I flee with all my might, I can escape his pursuit.* His eyes flickered. In his current state, it was utterly impossible for him to stop Longyuan. His best choice was to abandon the mortals on the Fusang tree and leave immediately. *My Primordial Spirit is on the Fusang tree. All I need to do is recall it and slip away to preserve my life. I am the Grand Preceptor to the Son of Heaven of Zhou, a man of wisdom. I ought to discard human emotion. I have no ties to these people; even if I risk my life to save them, they could never repay my kindness.* Such a transaction went entirely against his principles! What he aspired to be was a god devoid of stray thoughts, unbound by human emotion, incapable of making mistakes. Every decision he made had to be absolute in its wisdom, untainted by personal feeling! Just then, his Primordial Spirit looked toward the people on the Fusang tree. Many clung to one another in silence, watching Heavenly God Longyuan draw ever closer. Some were bowing toward his battered Primordial Spirit, praying for the protection of their ancestors' spirits. Others sat listlessly, their eyes hollow. Floating above the tree, Jiang Qi's Primordial Spirit heard someone weeping softly. He saw people stand up, clutching weapons left behind by their ancestors, swinging them futilely toward the approaching Longyuan. He saw a young mother telling her child not to be afraid. A raspy growl slipped from Jiang Qi's throat, his breathing heavy, likely because his injuries had yet to heal. A burning sensation tore through his chest, as if a surge of blood and breath were rushing upward. "I am the Grand Preceptor to the Son of Heaven of Zhou. I am absolute reason. I know that mortal flesh cannot contend with a heavenly god." He ripped open his robes, letting the heat radiating from his chest vent as quickly as possible! With a loud roar, his battered Primordial Spirit flew from the Fusang tree to stand tall behind him. In this moment, he no longer wished to be an absolutely rational god. He wanted to be human! With a mortal body, he would confront a heavenly god and do battle against the Heavenly Dao! Longyuan’s burly, headless torso charged forward, laughing heartily as the great mouth on his back opened, several dragons darting out. "I've seen far too many pitiful wretches like you, throwing away their lives for others! Mortals know no gratitude and are unworthy of salvation. Let me send you on your way!" Jiang Qi roared, pushing his aura to the absolute limit, preparing for his final battle! Suddenly, countless flashes of sword light flickered within Longyuan's body, crisscrossing in all directions. In an instant, the heavenly god exploded with a loud *bang*, blowing apart before Jiang Qi's very eyes! Jiang Qi stood dazed, drenched from head to toe in violent god blood that even splashed into his eyes! Amid the blood-red glare, Xu Ying walked forward with the Tianzhu Sword held reverse-grip, handing the hilt to him. Jiang Qi accepted the blade in utter bewilderment. "Is there blood on me?" Xu Ying asked, tilting his head. Jiang Qi looked him over and shook his head. Xu Ying was spotless, without a single speck of blood on him. Xu Ying smiled faintly and murmured, "After I pass out, someone will fly by standing on a stone." With that, he collapsed. Jiang Qi hurriedly caught him. Suddenly sensing something, he looked up and indeed saw a young man clad in black robes with a red sash, seated upon a boulder the size of a room, flying past them. The young man held a golden book in his hands. Jiang Qi suddenly remembered Yuan Qi's description, and his heart stirred. He called out loudly, "Xu Fu!"