Xue Ying'an was in a daze. Xu Ying had warned him several times that his master, Li Xiaoke, might be a beast in human clothing, and that he was very likely using him to harvest immortal dao spiritual roots in the Taiyi Lesser Mysterious Heaven.
Xu Ying had even told him that Li Xiaoke was most likely an angler who fed on human flesh, using immortal dao spiritual roots to refine immortal medicine. Yet Xue Ying'an had never believed it, even willing to fall out with Xu Ying over it.
This time, however, the words had come straight from the Xiaoyao Bell's own mouth. He had no choice but to believe it!
"Why does Master need primordial Dao essence?" Xue Ying'an asked, still struggling within.
The Xiaoyao Bell replied, "Because he has amassed a vast amount of immortal medicine. Relying on orthodox methods alone to refine it all would take until the year of the monkey. Using primordial Dao essence to refine immortal medicine is the easiest shortcut. He has refined many human-shaped great medicines."
"Human-shaped great medicines?"
"That's right, human-shaped great medicines," the Xiaoyao Bell said. "He's a Qi Refiner. By the time he discovered Nuo methods, he was already at the Ascension stage. By then, the Mud Pill Palace among his Six Secret Depositories of the Human Body had turned into a vast Sea of Chaos that could not be opened, and his Crimson Palace was flooded with immortal fire, heavy and difficult to breach. As for the other secret depositories, opening them was completely out of the question. His path to immortality was severed. The only way to make up for it was to refine human-shaped great medicines. Only by consuming human-shaped great medicines can one replenish the six secret depositories, boost one's strength, and have a chance at ascending!"
Xue Ying'an's heart pounded with terror, filled with intense bitterness. "Master said the six secret depositories are crooked, evil paths, and he never taught them to us. He sneered at them..."
The Xiaoyao Bell sneered. "Teach you the six secret depositories so you could cultivate both Qi and Nuo? If you did, once you reached the Ascension stage, wouldn't you be stronger than him? Forget the Ascension stage—at the Third Pass-Breaching stage, he might not even be your match! Why would he groom a bunch of rivals for himself? Stop dreaming."
Xu Ying said softly, "I think Li Xiaoke's purpose in raising disciples is actually to proclaim to the outside world that he is an orthodox Qi Refiner who never practices Nuo methods. That way, he rids himself of any suspicion of consuming human-shaped great medicines."
The Xiaoyao Bell said, "That's likely part of it. In front of others, he always acts upright and noble. He treasures his reputation dearly."
Xue Ying'an steadied his nerves and said, "Senior Xiaoyao, you still haven't explained what a human-shaped great medicine is."
"A human-shaped great medicine is a medicine of the six secret depositories. However, the seeds of this kind of great medicine are planted inside human bodies," the Xiaoyao Bell said. "First, you need to select and breed the seeds. You pick a youth with exceptional natural aptitude and comprehension—adolescents are best, regardless of whether they are male or female. Along the path that youth must take, you set up a grotto-heaven, blessed land, or immortal abode, letting them inadvertently discover it and obtain the secret scriptures you left behind."
Xu Ying could not help but think of Zhou Qiyun's experience. Back then, in the Mud Pill Palace of Qinyan Cave on Mount Wuwang, Zhou Qiyun had inadvertently stumbled upon an ancient heritage of Nuo methods.
The Xiaoyao Bell continued, "They might even prepare spirit pills and miraculous medicines to help the youth break through some vital passes and assist their cultivation. A youth who obtains a secret manual left behind by an ancient immortal, gains comprehension of cultivation methods, and receives various divine abilities and Dao arts—wouldn't they be filled with boundless gratitude? How could they ever be suspicious? That is called selecting and breeding the seeds."
Xue Ying'an's head buzzed.
This reminded him of the conversation between Li Xiaoke and Xu Ying in the chive patch. There seemed to be a chilling correspondence between the two!
Yuan Qi asked curiously, "Breeding chive seeds?"
For some reason, the Xiaoyao Bell felt irritated whenever it saw the great serpent, but it held back and said, "Exactly, breeding chive seeds. Once you select and breed the seeds, you have to choose a good place to cultivate them. The place Li Xiaoke chose wasn't great. His first seed selection was in Lingling, but as it turned out, many people were already breeding seeds there."
It sighed with emotion. "Lingling is a fine place. A hundred thousand mountains revere Jiuyi. Jiuyi is the king of myriad mountains and the burial ground of the Great Emperor, so naturally it attracted the covetous eyes of many old fellows. Fortunately, he also managed to stick a foot in. Chen Mianzhu, the ruler of the Southern Dian Kingdom, was a human-shaped great medicine he meticulously selected and grew. But he realized that selecting seeds and growing the medicine was far too slow, so he switched to a breeding program."
Xu Ying's heart stirred, and he said, "The breeding program refers to the Yuan clan, doesn't it?"
The Xiaoyao Bell praised, "As expected of the ageless immortal—sharp indeed."
Xue Ying'an did not quite understand, his face blank with confusion.
"His breeding program was cultivating six ancient clans," the Xiaoyao Bell said. "The Yuan clan of Shendu was one of them, and there were five other great clans. He planted traps within the Nuo methods, disguised them as ancient immortal art inheritances, and passed them down to youths with exceptional aptitude. Through subtle machinations behind the scenes, he helped those youths build great clans, passing the trapped Nuo methods down to the next generation, century after century. When people of these clans cultivated to the Nuo immortal realm, they couldn't refine the immortal medicines in their bodies and had no way to prolong their lives, so they could only enter Hidden Scenery latent transformation. As soon as a Nuo immortal entered their Hidden Scenery latent transformation ground, they were ready to be harvested."
Hearing this made Xue Ying'an's hair stand on end.
Even though Xu Ying and Yuan Qi already knew how ancient Qi Refiners harvested human-shaped great medicines, hearing the Xiaoyao Bell describe it still sent a chill down their spines.
The Xiaoyao Bell said, "When an ancestor of a clan enters a Hidden Scenery latent transformation ground, and their descendants go looking for them later, all they find is a human skin—usually because their great medicine was harvested. If word of that leaked out, wouldn't it ruin business? That's why legends of feathering ascension, ascension through martial dissolution, and the like had to be created. Telling people they faked their deaths or ascended through feathering or martial dissolution prevented descendants from becoming suspicious, ensuring they kept practicing the trapped Nuo methods. That way, Nuo immortals could be harvested generation after generation. This kind of operation is called cutting chives."
Yuan Qi asked, "What if someone discovers it? What if someone notices the traps in the Nuo methods, tells the public, and everyone learns there are traps and that cultivating them means getting eaten?"
The Xiaoyao Bell sneered, "Think you won't cultivate just because you know? Everyone else is cultivating; if you don't, you won't even qualify to be a chive! You'll be wiped out directly by other people!"
Yuan Qi stood dumbfounded.
The Xiaoyao Bell said, "That is the brilliance of cutting chives. It is what they call sharp, fast, and even. When cutting, it must be sharp, it must be swift, and it must be equal, so the chives being cut won't feel pain and won't feel treated unfairly. They will continue to cultivate as they should, ensuring a never-ending supply of chives."
A sudden wave of realization struck Xue Ying'an. Comparing this to Li Xiaoke's speech about the nature of chives back in the patch, he realized that the philosophy within those words was nothing like what he had imagined—it was dripping with blood and wickedness!
Back then, Li Xiaoke had spoken of breeding seeds, choosing the ground, when to cut the chives, how to cut the chives, nurturing the chives' mood, and how the chives' wounds healed.
At the time, Xue Ying'an had thought it held profound meaning, but he never dreamed it was this kind of profound meaning!
The Xiaoyao Bell said, "You disciples are chives as well. Do you know why, among so many disciples, not a single one of you has ever cultivated a Primordial Spirit?"
Xue Ying'an said, "Master said this world lacks spiritual energy and its primordial energy is too meager to support forming a Primordial Spirit. Only by returning to the Yuanshou world can we form one. And whether one can form a Primordial Spirit also depends on personal aptitude."
The Xiaoyao Bell laughed heartily. "He simply regards you as vessels. Do you know how your Eldest Senior Brother died?"
Xue Ying'an remembered that he once had an Eldest Senior Brother of peerless talent and extraordinary wit who had later traveled abroad and met an unfortunate demise.
"Master said while traveling abroad, he encountered a heavenly demon and was devoured by it," Xue Ying'an whispered, his confidence faltering.
The Xiaoyao Bell said, "The cultivation techniques you practice were all meticulously chosen by him, and you disciples were all meticulously selected by him as well. His purpose is simply to mold you into the shape he desires, making it easy to carry out body seizure."
Xu Ying and Yuan Qi exchanged a glance, recalling Zhu Chanchan's experience. Yuan Qi said, "Patriarch Chanchan never fully opened all six secret depositories, so she didn't dare cultivate a Primordial Spirit."
Xu Ying nodded. "None of Li Xiaoke's disciples formed a Primordial Spirit probably because once a Primordial Spirit is formed, no one can open the Six Secret Depositories of the Human Body. Therefore, Li Xiaoke had to suppress the cultivation realms of these vessels."
The Xiaoyao Bell said, "Your Eldest Senior Brother's death was merely a test to see if body seizure would succeed. The test was perfect, but he didn't need to seize a body back then, so he had no choice but to discard your Eldest Senior Brother's mortal flesh and return to his own vessel."
Xue Ying'an felt the world spinning around him. He staggered and slumped despondently onto the floor.
Yuan Qi asked, "Senior Xiaoyao, what about eating chives?"
He suddenly recalled that Li Xiaoke had once described various ways to eat chives to Xu Ying: first eating them raw, then roasted chives, stir-fried with meat, stir-fried plain, stir-fried with eggs, and chives with glass noodles!
The Xiaoyao Bell sneered, "You wouldn't want to know those ways of eating them. It's too cruel; even I couldn't bear to watch."
After a long silence, Xue Ying'an said bitterly, "Yet you helped him conceal it all along, Senior Xiaoyao. You even helped him cut chives."
The Xiaoyao Bell went quiet for a moment, then said, "I did it for ascension as well. Only by harvesting human-shaped great medicines, obtaining the six secret depositories, and refining the six immortal medicines could he prolong his life, increase his strength, and face the super heavenly tribulation to ascend! By then, what would a trifle like cutting chives matter? When you stand aloft and radiant with glory, who would still remember such things?"
Xue Ying'an was utterly demoralized, his mind blank.
The Xiaoyao Bell said proudly, "Over the past three thousand years, he has harvested enough immortal medicines of the six secret depositories and transplanted countless cave-heavens of the six secret depositories. If he hadn't betrayed me and taken a new favorite, I wouldn't have exposed him either. But since he was heartless first, don't blame me for being unfaithful! He treasures his reputation, so I will ruin it!"
It floated before Xu Ying. "You possess primordial Dao essence in your bodies, which can help him refine the immortal medicines of the six secret depositories. If I want revenge, I'll see to it that all his schemes come to naught!"
Just then, a faint sigh drifted in from outside: "Xiaoyao, laying out everything I intend to do makes things very difficult for me."
That voice belonged to none other than Li Xiaoke!
The Xiaoyao Bell shuddered involuntarily, then laughed aloud. "Difficult? Then don't do it! If you can play the rogue on the first, don't blame me for doing the same on the fifteenth! Today I will overturn this sky of yours and lay bare everything you've done!"
Xue Ying'an rose and moved to Xu Ying's side. Yuan Qi also braced himself, whispering, "Ah Ying, do you have a way for us to escape?"
Xu Ying looked grim. Even with the Xiaoyao Bell turning against Li Xiaoke, their odds of victory in this battle were virtually nonexistent.
Li Xiaoke was simply too powerful, while the Xiaoyao Bell had been severely injured by the bronze bell. It was no match for Li Xiaoke!
Li Xiaoke walked in from outside and entered Mingxiang Courtyard. His gaze swept over Xue Ying'an's face, then landed on Xu Ying. He bowed slightly and sighed, "Fellow Daoist Xu, forgive me for letting you witness my shameful family matters."
Xu Ying returned the courtesy and smiled. "I had already heard of your deeds, Fellow Daoist, so I am hardly surprised."
Li Xiaoke turned his gaze to the Xiaoyao Bell and said with heartfelt sincerity, "Xiaoyao, do you still not understand my intentions? Did I not strike you with that palm for your own good? Seeing you suppressed and sealed by that wretched bell pained my heart, but I didn't know how to unravel those bizarre talisman brandings, so I had to wrong you for a moment. I never expected you to resent me for it!"
The Xiaoyao Bell raged, "You favored that wretched bell! You even said I ambushed it and had no treasure decency!"
Li Xiaoke sighed. "I was only anxious to protect you. Think about it: if I hadn't stabilized that wretched bell, how could I have unraveled the immortal dao runes upon it? Xiaoyao, you and I are the true pair! Did you really think I fancied it? It's made of brass, and its runes aren't even symmetrical!"
The Xiaoyao Bell's tone softened, and it mumbled, "I knew you weren't that kind of person. I was wrong; I shouldn't have doubted you."
Xu Ying was dumbfounded.
Yuan Qi quickly shouted, "Senior Xiaoyao, we're on the same side! Have you forgotten he betrayed you?!"
Li Xiaoke said gently, "We are meant to ascend together, never abandoning one another. Once I understand the immortal dao runes on it, I'll copy them onto you. Isn't that all for your sake?"
Suddenly, the Xiaoyao Bell unleashed its power, instantly suppressing Xu Ying, Yuan Qi, and Xue Ying'an behind it. It said, "Fellow Daoist, how should we deal with these three?"
Xu Ying and the other two were shocked and furious. Yuan Qi raised his head and roared, "Like master, like treasure! Li Xiaoke, Xiaoyao Bell, you shameless pair! Do your worst, kill or flay us as you please! But hand over Lord Bell! Lord Bell! Lord Bell!"
Li Xiaoke summoned the bronze bell and said leisurely, "When I forged this bell back then, I didn't leave many brandings on it. Now that I have imprinted my brandings anew, I finally have full control over it. Do you think it can still escape my grasp?"
He opened his palm. The bronze bell hovered above his hand, struggling to break free of his control, but it could not budge in the slightest.
Xue Ying'an was infuriated. He looked up and yelled, "Li Xiaoke, your true colors will surely be exposed to all our fellow disciples!"
Li Xiaoke smiled. "Foolish disciple, they won't. Will your fellow disciples believe you, or will they believe their master? Besides, I invited Fellow Daoist Xu up the mountain as a guest, yet he harbored wicked intentions and conspired with you to assassinate your master."
Xue Ying'an froze, then argued, "I didn't!"
"If I say you did, then you did."
A gleam of excitement flashed in Li Xiaoke's eyes as he continued, "You conspired with an outsider to plot against your master, seeking to seize Jiulong Mountain and become the supreme sect master. Fortunately, the Xiaoyao Bell discovered your scheme, suppressed you, and saved your master's life. I treated you like my own son, yet you harbored savage ambitions and betrayed your sect. However, out of master-disciple affection, your master will not kill you. Instead, you and Fellow Daoist Xu will be banished together."
The Xiaoyao Bell chimed excitedly, "Banish them from Jiucai Ridge and cast them into the Land of Heaven's Scourge! Then hunt them down, just like we hunted Eldest Senior Brother back then!"
Li Xiaoke grew even more thrilled. "A hunting game. Everyone on Jiulong Mountain will believe your master has merely banished you, when in truth, your master simply doesn't want them to know that you are about to be absorbed by me."
At the summit of Jiucai Ridge on Jiulong Mountain, Xu Ying and Xue Ying'an had chains wrapped around their ankles, while Yuan Qi had chains binding the black-and-white horns atop his head.
All across Jiucai Ridge, Xue Ying'an's fellow disciples glared at them with fierce anger, eager to destroy them.
They all believed that Xue Ying'an had colluded with Xu Ying to assassinate their master; no one was willing to listen to Xue Ying'an's explanations.
Li Xiaoke sighed and said, "Ying'an, you may be heartless, but your master cannot be unrighteous. I treated you like my own son and cannot bear to kill you. Today, I banish you to the Land of Heaven's Scourge. Fend for yourself."
Feigning unbearable sorrow, he covered his face with his sleeve and waved his hand.
The disciples immediately stepped forward and shoved Xu Ying and the other two off Jiucai Ridge, sending them falling toward the Land of Heaven's Scourge below.
Jiulong Mountain's Jiucai Ridge hung inverted in the sky, its peak pointing toward the ground, still more than ten li above the earth.
Without hesitation, Xue Ying'an used his divine sense to retrieve a flying sword stored within his Realm of Xiyi. Gripping the sword, he severed his own left foot!
Enduring the agonizing pain, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, he handed the flying sword to Xu Ying and said, "Brother Xu, these chains carry our sect's seal; once bound by them, you cannot mobilize your cultivation. If we fall, we will certainly plunge to our deaths. Cut off your feet as well..."
Just as he spoke, Xu Ying raised his hand. His entire arm blazed with dazzling radiance as mysterious talisman brandings emerged.
Xu Ying brought his hand down like a blade, slicing right through the chains.
Xue Ying'an froze in shock.
Freeing himself from the chains, Xu Ying explained, "These are Heavenly Dao runes. I comprehended them from Heavenly God Longyuan's arm. Your master's seal cannot shackle the Heavenly Dao."
Xue Ying'an's severed leg was still twitching, blood spurting out.
Xu Ying looked down at his leg and sighed. "Ying'an, you acted too fast. I didn't even have time to stop you."
He slashed through the chains binding Yuan Qi's black-and-white horns. With his cultivation restored, Yuan Qi looked at Xue Ying'an's gushing stump and sighed, "You, ah, you're just too impetuous."
Lowering his voice, he asked, "Ah Ying, should we help heal him?"
Xu Ying whispered back, "A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. Let him learn his lesson first, so he doesn't do it again next time."
Clenching his teeth through the throbbing pain, Xue Ying'an shouted, "Could you keep your voices down when you talk?! I heard every word!"
Chapter 166