Feng Yao and Qingluan carried Xu Ying as they plunged downward, finally making it down from the Jade Pool. When they set him down, no sword qi pursued them.
Looking up, they saw immense immortal swords hanging high in the sky, sword light raining down incessantly. Yet it was not hunting them; it was aimed at the Queen Mother of the West. The immortal sword formation had been laid to prevent her resurrection, and its foremost priority was to obliterate her divine sense and divine power. It had no attention to spare for them.
The two girls breathed a sigh of relief, only now finding time to examine Xu Ying. After "dying" in rapid succession so many times, his cultivation had been depleted to the point of utter collapse, leaving him unconscious.
Feng Yao produced a vermilion berry and prepared to feed it to him mouth-to-mouth.
Qingluan hurriedly said, "Miss, that’s how we birds feed our young. Do you humans do it that way too?"
Feng Yao’s face blushed slightly, and she defended herself, "I saw that he fainted from exhaustion and feared he wouldn't be able to swallow on his own. I only meant to chew the Elixir Immortal Fruit and pass it to him with my saliva so he could swallow it down. I don't harbor any improper thoughts!"
Qingluan replied aggrievedly, "I never said you harbored improper thoughts."
Blushing deeply, Feng Yao snapped in mild annoyance, "You keep talking! Why don't you feed him then!"
"Fine, I'll feed him!" Qingluan took the Elixir Immortal Fruit and held it in her mouth. With a shake of her body, she assumed her true form as a qingluan. Gripping Xu Ying’s mouth with a bird talon, she forced it open, leaving him no choice but to part his lips.
Clutching the berry in her beak, Qingluan shoved it straight down his throat, then jabbed and pestled her beak deeper inside. "See? It's in! No saliva needed!"
"Pestling him like that, you'll kill him!" Feng Yao complained.
Qingluan said, "That's how my parents fed me back then."
Feng Yao replied, "That was when you were awake, but he’s unconscious. Look at you—jabbing him like that won't release the medicinal efficacy of the Elixir Immortal Fruit. Let me do it."
She produced another Elixir Immortal Fruit, held it between her teeth, gently pried Xu Ying’s lips open, and tenderly passed it over. When she looked up and saw Qingluan staring at her with wide-eyed curiosity, her face flushed red once more.
"What does it taste like?" Qingluan asked eagerly.
Feng Yao said, "A bit wet, and a bit soft."
Qingluan was completely baffled. "Does an Elixir Immortal Fruit really taste like that? Next time my cultivation is heavily depleted, I must have a taste as well."
Feng Yao’s heart fluttered wildly; only then did she realize Qingluan had been asking about the fruit.
As his cultivation gradually recovered, Xu Ying slowly drifted awake, only to find the two young women staring tensely at him. Feng Yao asked with concern, "How do you feel, Uncle Ying?"
Xu Ying sat up and massaged his forehead. "My head aches a bit, and every spot struck by a sword burns like fire. My throat hurts terribly, too."
Unconvinced, Qingluan argued, "Why would only your throat hurt? Doesn't your mouth hurt?"
Xu Ying answered honestly, "Strange to say, my mouth tastes quite fragrant."
Qingluan stepped forward, reached out to pinch his mouth, and leaned in close, huffing indignantly, "I don't believe it! Let me smell! They were the exact same Elixir Immortal Fruit! Why did it hurt when I fed him mouth-to-mouth, but when she—mmph, mmph, mmph..."
Feng Yao hastily clamped a hand over Qingluan's mouth and dragged her away, laughing nervously. "Uncle Ying is fine now, so let's not dwell on it!"
Xu Ying had no idea what had happened. He said, "I managed to gather quite a bit of Jade Pool immortal water. Just like before, we'll divide it into three shares."
With a flick of his mind, the Jade Pool immortal water flew out from his Realm of Xiyi, turning into a sphere of shimmering light so brilliant it stung the eyes. This immortal water had condensed from the cave-heaven suspended above the Jade Pool that connected to the Immortal Realm. Even though the other end of the cave-heaven had been plugged, tens of thousands of years had still yielded an immense accumulation of Jade Pool immortal water.
This time, Xu Ying had scooped up most of what had pooled over those tens of thousands of years—enough to recreate a miniature Jade Pool within his Realm of Xiyi.
"Wait, something's not right. The Jade Pool immortal water I scooped was far more than this. It seems to have shrunk considerably," Xu Ying said in surprise.
Feng Yao stepped forward, retrieved a jade bottle, and carefully gathered a portion of the water. "This immortal dew is energy from the Immortal Realm. It can transform one's bones and marrow, remaking not just the physical body, but the Primordial Spirit as well. I don't need much—just enough will suffice."
Qingluan also stepped forward and gathered enough for herself, saying, "We didn't risk our lives like you did, so we'd feel embarrassed taking an equal share. Besides, we already took advantage of you back when you shared the spiritual rice."
Xu Ying needed to reserve shares of this Jade Pool immortal water for Dongyue and Xu Fu, a ladle each, and Jin Buyi, Yuan Qi, and the others would also require it.
However, as soon as he drew the Jade Pool immortal water back into his Realm of Xiyi, he noticed it continuing to diminish, as if constantly evaporating.
Xu Ying immediately searched for where the evaporating water was going. To his astonishment, he found immortal qi steaming and immortal light billowing across his own Jade Pool—the water was being drawn into and absorbed by the Jade Pool within his Realm of Xiyi!
Lacking spare vessels, Xu Ying hurriedly borrowed several jade bottles from Feng Yao and sealed a portion of the Jade Pool immortal water inside them.
The rest of the immortal water gradually evaporated away, while his own Jade Pool grew increasingly suffused with immortal grace.
Xu Ying could not tell whether this development was a blessing or a curse.
They walked out of the vast ocean of the Queen Mother of the West's divine power. Xu Ying looked back to see her divine sense and divine power still locked in a ferocious struggle with the array suppressing her.
Against the two great formations holding the Queen Mother of the West down, Xu Ying was powerless to help. He thought to himself, *Queen Mother of the West, all I could do was awaken you. Whether you can break free depends on your own efforts.*
He turned and descended the mountain. As he passed the southern slopes, a square immortal mountain rose steadily from the abyss below, coming to a halt before him. Xu Fu stood atop the mountain, a faint smile on his face.
Xu Ying took out a jade bottle and tossed it into his hands. "The Jade Pool immortal water is here."
Xu Fu caught the bottle, brought it to his nose, and took a whiff. Delighted, he said, "Lord Xu is a man of his word, so naturally I will not renege on mine. There are sixteen characters in the immortal talisman sealing you. Which one would you like deciphered?"
Xu Ying hesitated, carefully weighing the immortal Dao scripts he knew. After a moment, he said, "I choose the character 'Yu' for prison."
Xu Fu was deeply astonished. "It seems Lord Xu has indeed come to understand much about your seal. The character 'Yu' is indeed the linchpin for breaking the memory seal. However, according to my understanding, it only seals your memories across successive lifetimes; your most critical first life is not contained within it. Lord Xu, you may choose again."
Xu Ying hesitated briefly, recalling Yuan Qi—who was brilliant one moment and bewildered the next, his past memories likewise locked away by the character 'Yu'. His resolve hardened. "I still choose 'Yu'."
Xu Fu tossed over a jade slip of Dao scripture. "This is the method for breaking the character 'Yu'. Over the past two thousand years, I expended immense effort to decipher those sixteen characters."
Xu Ying caught the jade slip and walked forward, smiling. "Xu Fu, your visit to Kunlun surely wasn't just for the Jade Pool immortal water, was it?"
Standing on Mount Fangzhang, the mountain drifted backward of its own accord as Xu Fu chuckled. "Naturally not. The Jade Pool immortal water can only heal my Dao injuries and remake my bones and marrow; it cannot fulfill my ambition."
Xu Ying’s eyes flickered, and he continued stepping forward with a smile. "And what is your ambition?"
Seeing this, Feng Yao and Qingluan quietly moved out to the left and right, flanking Xu Fu from both sides.
Xu Fu said in surprise, "Has Lord Xu forgotten? I told you of my three wishes before. The first was to resurrect Emperor Zulong, which I have accomplished. The second is the restoration of the Qi Refiners."
Suddenly, rounds of bright moons flew out from behind Xu Ying, instantly transforming into a Heavenly Dao domain that descended like a cage!
Xu Ying stepped forward as the Heavenly Dao avatar behind him expanded to colossal proportions. As he drove the Dao Convergence Seal Method, the surrounding worldly vitality and worldly Great Daos resonated in unison! At the same time, the Heavenly Dao avatar behind him also executed the Dao Convergence Seal Method, striking toward Xu Fu!
Feng Yao and Qingluan struck simultaneously as well. Six great cave-heavens manifested behind each of the two women, branding the sky and warping space, bestowing them with terrifying combat power! Xu Ying was like a supreme deity treading upon the Heavenly Dao world, while they were like immortal maidens of the Immortal Realm possessing the realm of the six immortals!
Standing upon Mount Fangzhang, Xu Fu faced their onslaught with a calm smile, his voice ringing clearly in their ears: "My preparations over these years are complete. The Hidden Sceneries tucked away across Shenzhou have emerged one after another, and the surviving powers of the various sects and factions have revealed themselves."
Behind him, an utterly terrifying phenomenon abruptly materialized—a Heavenly Abyss that twisted everything, swallowed everything, and buried the heavens and the Great Daos!
Seeing this Heavenly Abyss, Xu Ying’s heart jolted. That was the Dao phenomenon he had once unleashed when in the state of Master Ying!
*What he’s using is my divine ability!*
The Dao Convergence Seal Method executed by Xu Ying’s Heavenly Dao avatar crashed in, the lines of its palm rumbling with ten thousand Daos, resounding with magnificent Dao resonance. But in the next instant, the Dao Convergence Seal Method was abruptly drained of all power!
Xu Ying clearly sensed the force of his strike being swallowed by that Heavenly Abyss that buried the Great Daos. All Daos fell into silence; not a whisper remained!
At the same time, the attacks from Feng Yao and Qingluan arrived in close pursuit.
They wielded immortal Dao arts and immortal divine abilities handed down in Kunlun. Although the death of most Undying People had left no one to interpret the heritage, their comprehension over the years had refined their divine abilities to an exquisite, miraculous level!
Yet the moment their strikes touched the Heavenly Abyss, all intricate variations vanished, leaving even the most sublime immortal Dao arts completely powerless!
Xu Fu’s body swayed slightly, taking a step back on the immortal mountain. He glanced at the two women in surprise before continuing, "Now, the leaders of all under heaven have gathered at Kunlun: the Son of Heaven of Zhou, Zulong, the anglers, the Nuo immortals of the great clans, and the rising leaders of every sect and faction—all are gathered here."
Xu Ying struck once more, this time unleashing the Tenth Method comprehended by the Martial Dao Great Emperor: the Other Shore Seal Method. With this blow, the Heavenly Dao avatar transformed into a ray of immortal light aimed straight for the other shore of the Martial Dao, seemingly about to bypass the Heavenly Abyss and strike Mount Fangzhang directly!
"Could there be a better moment than now for the restoration of Qi Refinement?"
Xu Fu smiled faintly. The Heavenly Abyss behind him dissipated, replaced by a divine tree that enfolded the stars, draped in thousands of auspicious vapors and ten thousand rays of immortal light. This, too, was a Dao phenomenon Xu Ying had displayed as Master Ying!
*Damn it! How many divine abilities did I teach him?* Xu Ying was furious.
Thousands of rays of immortal light spun around the divine tree, sweeping the Other Shore Seal Method aside.
Mount Fangzhang suddenly sank, plunging down toward the Cangwu Abyss. Looking up at the receding figure of Xu Ying, Xu Fu laughed heartily. "Lord Xu, I went to great pains to make the Hidden Sceneries hidden by the sects resurface and bring Kunlun into the open, drawing everyone here to create this very situation. Here on Kunlun, you will witness the renaissance of the Qi Refiners!"
Qingluan let out a shrill cry, transforming into a green phoenix silhouette that dove forward. Feng Yao flew alongside her, the two striking from above and below with relentless bursts of divine abilities. The arts of Kunlun were breathtakingly exquisite, yet the myriad branches of the divine tree danced in an impenetrable web, forcing them back in shock and bewilderment.
"Who on earth is this Xu Fu? How can his divine abilities be so formidable?"
Indignant, Feng Yao’s chest heaved with fury. "Even joining forces as the Twin Green-Robed Rakshasas, we couldn't take him down!"
Xu Ying was stunned. *They really go by the name Twin Green-Robed Rakshasas?*
He had assumed Qingluan was only trying to frighten him before, but now Feng Yao said it too. It seemed the two really did roam the myriad worlds under that moniker.
*Since they call themselves Twin Rakshasas, they must be fierce indeed. Best not to tell them Xu Fu was using my divine abilities.*
A surge of anticipation welled within his heart. If Xu Fu could unleash such immense power merely by using his techniques, how terrifying would he be once his own memories of Master Ying were fully awakened?
"Xu Fu said Kunlun is the prime ground for the restoration of Qi Refiners, since all the top experts will gather here. So what must he do to succeed in restoring Qi Refinement?"
Xu Ying asked Feng Yao and Qingluan, "How do you think he plans to do it?"
Steadying her emotions, Feng Yao said, "His cultivation may not necessarily exceed mine, but he commands horrifying divine abilities and possesses tremendous strength. Since he wants to restore Qi Refinement and preserve its purity, striking at the six great Nuo ancestors would be his best course."
Qingluan listened, understanding only half of it.
Xu Ying understood immediately, his eyes lighting up. "In the minds of the world, the six Nuo ancestors are the fountainhead of all Nuo methods. They govern the other shores of the six secrets and possess the immortal medicines. Xu Fu must intend to defeat the six Nuo ancestors before the various sects, the great clans, and even the Son of Heaven of Zhou and Zulong. In doing so, he would prove that Qi Refinement is the true orthodox path, restoring the world's faith in it!"
Feng Yao nodded. "Perhaps he intends to defeat everyone—including those... anglers!"
She knew little of the term "angler," having never lived through that dark, chaotic period of Shenzhou's history.
"As a pure Qi Refiner, he will defeat the six Nuo ancestors and crush everyone who practices both Nuo and Qi, thereby reclaiming the world's belief in Qi Refinement. For an extremist like him, this is indeed the ideal opportunity," Feng Yao deduced.
Xu Ying found her reasoning compelling, yet for some reason, he felt Xu Fu's true goal could not be so simple.
*Xu Fu summoned the Plague God in the Kingdom of Zhudu, slaughtering countless lives to divert the Nai River. Through that, he engineered a collision between the Netherworld and the mortal realm, bringing on the Netherworld invasion and making the Cangwu Abyss resurface in the world,*
he thought silently, gazing down toward the Cangwu Abyss below. *Afterward, he sought out chive-growers like Li Xiaoke, compelling them to return the mountains and rivers they had sealed and taken away to the Yuanshou world, prompting the return of countless peaks to Shenzhou. The lands swallowed into the Cangwu Abyss reemerged, and the various sects and factions awakened from their dormancy.*
Then came the revelation of Kunlun, accompanied by rumors that the six Nuo ancestors and Mount Kunlun possessed immortal medicines capable of granting ascension.
*Amidst all this was the resurrection of Zulong and the Son of Heaven of Zhou's return from the other shore. Xu Fu has acted like a single thread tying all these people and events together,* Xu Ying pondered. *If I were him... no, if he is imitating me, what would I do?*
*Someone copying me would surely imitate me in this matter as well!*
Xu Ying lowered his head and paced, murmuring, "Merely defeating the six Nuo ancestors, besting each angler, beating those who cultivate both Nuo and Qi, and overcoming the Undying People of Kunlun would not be enough to prove the superiority of Qi Refinement. What would I—Master Ying—do to utterly destroy the world's faith and conviction in Nuo methods?"
He raised his head. "So... what would I do?"
Chapter 242