A Mad Thought

“That ghost willow was forged into a saber by Tianye.” “The willow ghost sword?” “A saber.” “Close enough. Like the one I had in the illusion?” “Mm.” With his questions answered, Xu Yuan’s thoughts drifted once more. The trunk of the Thousand-Thorns Ghost Willow, having grown over countless ages, was undoubtedly an exceptional material for refining artifacts—not to mention that the Thousand-Thorns Ghost Willow itself existed as something between a yin ghost and a spiritual essence spirit. As long as it underwent certain specialized sacrificial refining processes, its soul could be directly turned into an artifact spirit possessing full consciousness. Yet all of this had one prerequisite: having the strength to defeat and capture that Saint Tier yin ghost alive. In the Charm God Illusion realm, Xu Yuan had relied on the Meishen Dao Charm and the Charm God cherry poison to control the Thousand-Thorns Ghost Willow, forcing it to forge itself into a sword. Historically, however, Tianye obviously would not have possessed such unique circumstances. At that thought, Xu Yuan raised his eyes toward the girl across the tea table. Faint, hazy light filtering through the curtain of rain fell across her cheeks, and the long black hair falling behind her swayed gently in the breeze. “Did that woman Tianye go into the Valley of Swords alone and slaughter the ghost willow?” “Perhaps.” Tianyan neither confirmed nor denied the speculation. “Like the Holy Sons and Saintesses who were sacrificed in the ‘Heavenly Sacrifice’ during the Pavilion Master’s ascension ceremony, Tianye left behind only a few scant lines in the Heaven Pavilion’s historical records.” Having said that, Tianyan gracefully lifted the porcelain cup before her and took a delicate sip of the fragrant tea. “Still, given that woman’s natural talent, she likely broke through to the Saint Tier long before Tianrui’s ascension ceremony.” “...” Xu Yuan showed no surprise. Though his memories from the illusion remained fragmented due to his fractured soul, those disjointed flashes were already enough to give him plenty of insight into the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion’s inner workings. Even Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Masters were not created equal. The disparity between them was greater even than that between a Transcendent Realm cultivator and a Saint. How could a Pavilion Master who had mastered only Two Heaven-Deducing Chapters possibly hold a candle to a ‘Tianyan’ Pavilion Master who had mastered the Five Heaven-Deducing Chapters? As the ‘Tianyan’ of twenty thousand years ago, Tianye could not have cultivated any slower than that Tianrui. Still, Xu Yuan did not chime in, merely looking expectantly at Tianyan to continue. And Tianyan had never been one to speak in riddles; her explanation was concise and direct as always: “Moreover, I suspect Yuchu’s descent into madness is related to Tianye.” “...” A moment of quiet followed, and the relaxed demeanor Xu Yuan held while sipping tea and listening to the rain vanished into solemnity. In Cangyuan, Yuchu had been designed as a madwoman. Yet having encountered her in reality, Xu Yuan had pondered the reason for her madness more than once. Because of incomplete information, however, he had only managed to form two rather unreliable theories. First, time. Twenty thousand years was simply so long that it had driven her insane. Second, someone had placed a “collar” on her. Between the two guesses, Xu Yuan had actually leaned toward the former. After all, she had wiped out the leadership of every prominent major sect twenty thousand years ago; Xu Yuan really could not imagine who could have put such a “collar” on her. And that line of thought had spawned a series of deductions. For instance, that Yuchu chose to remain in the Qionghua secret realm because she had let go of her hatred, sealing herself within the realm so the Meishen Calamity would not spill out into the wider world. Yet now that Tianyan had mentioned this... A cog slipped into a different groove, pivoting his previous deductions down an entirely different path! At this point, Xu Yuan suddenly recalled another matter. His mature adoptive younger sister, Luo Xiran, had once mentioned that during the aberrant ghost calamity ten thousand years ago, the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master of that era had also borne the name Tianyan. And then, they had successfully resolved that great calamity. Now, ten thousand years later, a great calamity was once again approaching, and before him sat this washboard Saintess. Then twenty thousand years ago... When the Meishen Calamity descended, had Tianye—a Saintess gifted with the talent of a “Tianyan”—slacking off and giving up been the reason the entire realm collapsed? With his thoughts racing, Xu Yuan suddenly spoke up: “Are you saying Tianye drove Yuchu mad and ultimately trapped her in the Qionghua secret realm?” “Perhaps...” Tianyan’s voice carried a faint sigh. With a soft clink, she set her porcelain cup back onto the tea tray and murmured, “Regardless of her disposition, as a Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion, Tianye would inevitably contribute when faced with a calamity concerning the survival of mankind.” Xu Yuan rubbed his chin, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes. “Using a decapitation strike to successfully bind Yuchu and confine the Meishen Calamity strictly to the Qionghua secret realm... Going by that, that temptress Tianye was actually quite formidable?” “She was indeed very strong.” Tianyan did not deny it. “Although the descent of the Meishen Calamity was more or less enabled by her inaction, her deeds could still be considered propping up the crumbling mansion.” The corners of Xu Yuan’s lips curved. Gazing at the calm, golden-eyed girl before him, he asked out of the blue, “Then how does she compare to you?” “What?” Tianyan lifted her gaze, her voice even. Xu Yuan propped his chin on his hand and said with a grin, “Didn’t your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion say that a realm-wide calamity is at hand? “Ten thousand years ago, the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion Master ‘Tianyan’ commanded the realm and personally ventured into the depths of the Great Desolation to slay the invincible Aberrant Ghost King. Twenty thousand years ago, Tianye single-handedly ‘sealed’ Yuchu, the Meishen tree spirit who was the genesis of the calamity. “In this coming calamity, what role will you, this generation’s ‘Tianyan,’ play?” “...” Tianyan pursed her lips and stared at Xu Yuan without speaking. One breath. Five breaths. Ten breaths. Xu Yuan grew uncomfortable under her gaze and clicked his tongue. “Hey, you don’t think I’m this realm’s calamity, do you?” “A certain someone said it himself in the illusion—that he was the beginning of the calamity...” “I was bluffing Tianye back then!” Xu Yuan cut her off immediately. He had no desire to shoulder such an overpowering title for no good reason—especially when he was still only in the Soul Condensation Realm. “Is that so...” Tianyan gave a noncommittal response, her eyes smiling, though that smile carried an inscrutable nuance of emotion. Xu Yuan sensed an impending sense of foreboding, coughed lightly, and steered the conversation away: “You said earlier that the real Tianye refined that Thousand-Thorns Ghost Willow into a ghost saber?” “Yes.” Tianyan did not dwell on the previous topic, nodding. “A demonic saber reeking of sinister ghost qi.” “How did you all find out about this? Did you find it?” “Naturally.” “What?” Xu Yuan’s brow furrowed at once. Due to his uncle’s survey of the Qionghua secret realm, the Chancellor’s Manor had chosen not to invest resources in exploring and developing it. The Qionghua secret realm was barren. Twenty thousand years had reduced almost everything valuable inside to rot, and the returns from extracting what little remained would hardly exceed the investment. More importantly, the space of the Qionghua secret realm was unstable and liable to collapse at any moment, making it impossible to even establish as a secret stronghold. Thus, after obtaining that batch of damaged Sumeru rings back then, his uncle had unleashed the full might of a Sword Saint, sweeping uncontested through the Qionghua secret realm on a looting spree before leaving directly. Now, however, it seemed his uncle had missed such a treasure. Yet there was no helping that; after all, who could blame him when he hadn’t had his memories from the illusion back then? Thinking this, Xu Yuan looked expectantly at the golden-eyed girl sitting upright across from him. He had been quite fond of that willow ghost sword in the illusion; at the very least, it was vastly superior to the Qingyu sword Feng Jiuxuan had given him. Although that enchantress wielded a saber, to Xu Yuan, the difference between a saber and a sword was negligible; he had no stubborn obsession with any single weapon. A sword, a saber, or any other weapon was merely an instrument to slay enemies. As for sword arts and secret techniques? Aside from a few extremely peculiar exceptions, executing them with a saber or a sword yielded the exact same result. Hence, he was not picky about weapons. Naturally, as the Third Young Master of the Chancellor’s Manor, he certainly wasn’t trying to freeload off a woman... “Hmph.” Under his eager stare, how could Tianyan not know what this shameless scoundrel was thinking? With a flip of her fair hand, an archaic wooden saber appeared in her palm. Xu Yuan’s eyes instantly lit up. Indeed, no one in this world treated him better than the washboard Saintess~ Another day to appreciate Tianyan. Thud! She slammed the wooden saber down onto the tea table before them. A generous splash of fragrant tea spilled from the porcelain cups, scattering across the lustrous, precious tray. “...” Xu Yuan stared at the sword before him—no, to be precise, the saber. It resembled a straight ceremonial saber: its blade was straight and slender, lacking a handguard, three chi in length, and entirely a dark brownish-black. Though it had only just been taken out, the temperature inside the chamber, already damp and languid from the endless autumn rain, dropped perceptibly once more. Beyond that, an irritable, violent surge of emotion gradually crept into Xu Yuan’s heart... As he frowned, Tianyan seemingly pushed the willow ghost saber toward him on purpose, letting the hilt brush lightly against his wrist through his sleeve. Buzz— A ringing buzzed in his ears. Slaughter, savagery, lust—a tempest of emotions instantly erupted in his chest. The Blood Yuan Heart Calamity Art activated at once. Clarity returned to Xu Yuan’s eyes, and he sheepishly shifted his rear back, putting some distance between himself and this ghost blade. The fragmented memories of the illusion had made him forget one crucial fact: He was no longer an Origin Realm expert, but a mere cultivator in the Soul Condensation Realm. He had no way of enduring the boundless malice dwelling within a weapon forged from a Saint Tier ghost willow. “Cough... what are you doing?” Tianyan rolled her eyes at him, her voice laced with mockery: “Didn’t you want Tianye’s ghost blade?” Xu Yuan assumed a solemn, sanctimonious expression: “Such a precious artifact—how could I possibly take it from you?” “Really... you don’t want it?” Tianyan’s bright eyes curved. As she spoke, she picked up the willow ghost blade and gave it a casual flourish. Instantly, a wail of weeping souls resonated through the entire chamber! Holy shit! Vigilance flared in Xu Yuan’s eyes. Touching this demonic blade had nearly broken his concentration—waving it around like that, wasn’t she going to take his life? Fortunately, Tianyan exercised restraint. The ghastly shrieks merely echoed within the room, without harming him in the slightest. After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan shifted his rear back even further. “Cough... I-I was just curious.” Click. Sheath in place, Tianyan set the ghost blade back onto the tea table, smiling with curving eyes: “As if I don’t know your nature. I brought this ghost blade intending to give it to you in the first place—after all, you used it for nearly ten years in the illusion. But...” At this, Tianyan sighed, her limpid golden eyes showing a hint of disdain: “You’re too weak right now, so I’ll just have to keep it for you for the time being.” “Actually, we could have Lou Ji keep it—” Xu Yuan suggested instinctively, but under Tianyan’s frosty glare, he swallowed the rest of his words. Uh-oh, he’d put his foot in his mouth again. Clumsy though she was with words, the girl before him had always possessed delicate sensitivities. Silence fell after his words, leaving only the gentle breeze swirling around the beams. She glared at him, her tone far from friendly: “Xu Yuan, what do you mean by that? You think I’m making empty promises?” Xu Yuan answered self-righteously with a grave expression: “No, don’t let your imagination run wild. How could I possibly think that?” Saying so, he suddenly let out a soft laugh. “It’s mainly your master. If she confiscates this ghost blade, wouldn’t that...” “She doesn’t know about this.” Tianyan’s small face remained sulky as she shot him a cold glare. “I didn’t mention much about the illusion to her either, only telling her briefly about you and me.” “...” Xu Yuan stood up from his prayer mat, stepped around the tea tray, and sat down beside the girl, leaning his face close: “Are you ang—” Before he could finish, Tianyan pressed her small hand against his cheek to shove him away, her voice clear and disdainful: “Don’t pull that on me.” “Pull what?” Xu Yuan murmured softly, reaching out to draw down her soft hand—which hadn’t exerted any force at all—and effortlessly held her tender, smooth hand in his palm. No resistance... Amusement flashed through his heart. Though the girl said one thing, deep down she was perfectly happy to be coaxed by him like this. A washboard whose words said no while her body said yes~ Xu Yuan traced his fingertips lightly over the girl’s palm and chuckled softly. “Aren’t I apologizing to you right now?” Feeling his touch, Tianyan looked back and glared at him: “You just don’t trust me. You never have.” “Don’t be angry...” Xu Yuan clasped her small hand in one of his, while his other hand draped with familiar ease over her opposite shoulder. “If I didn’t trust you, how could I have kept you by my side in that illusion?” Drawn into his embrace, the icy look on Tianyan’s small face softened visibly, yet she still turned her gaze aside and spoke coldly: “You’re just faking it right now, aren’t you?” “Faking?” “You said earlier that you only have fragmented memories like looking through a thick cloth, with no feelings attached.” “...” Xu Yuan fell silent. Soon, however, he said softly, “You’re not wrong to put it that way—hiss, gently!” Before he finished speaking, the small hand he held tightened its grip slightly, causing his Soul Condensation Realm hand bones to creak instantly. Yet the pain lasted only an instant. Realizing she had lost her temper, the girl immediately relaxed her grip, pouting: “I knew it...” “What are you sad about?” Seeing her look like an aggrieved little victim, a strange wave of tenderness welled up in Xu Yuan’s heart. He chuckled and said, “Now that my Heavenly Yan divine soul has begun to take shape, comprehending the soul secret technique you left in my mind won’t be difficult.” With that, Xu Yuan intentionally let out a sigh: “When that time comes, I’ll naturally remember everything from the illusion. But what about you? You can’t even wait that little bit of time?” “...” A strange anxiety gripped Tianyan’s heart. She looked up with her picturesque, dazzling golden eyes, her thin lips pressed tight: “I-I didn’t mean that. It’s just... I was just a little disappointed, that’s all.” “Alright.” Xu Yuan abandoned the urge to keep teasing the girl in his arms, patted her head, and said softly, “I was only teasing. Put the ghost blade away for now.” “Oh, okay.” Tianyan nodded obediently and reached out to take it, but Xu Yuan immediately called out, “Wait.” Tianyan’s slender hand paused midair as she looked up in slight confusion. Xu Yuan stared at the archaic ancient willow ghost blade on the tea table, a rather mad thought beginning to linger in his mind. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, “Tianyan, has the Thousand-Thorns Ghost Willow’s source intent-soul within this ghost blade dissipated?” “Um... no,” Tianyan blinked, somewhat puzzled, but answered nonetheless, “However, its consciousness has already been wiped clean.” Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Because of that possession attempt in the Valley of Swords?” Tianyan nodded. “Most likely. But why are you asking this?” “...” Xu Yuan didn’t reply. Releasing Tianyan from his arms, he stood up and paced back and forth across the bedchamber several times. Then, he glanced sidelong at the ghost blade on the tea table, licking his lips: “Tianyan, I want to devour a portion of this Saint Tier yin ghost’s intent-soul source to obtain the traits of a Saint Tier yin ghost.”