Jing Yue had left Yi Wang in the mountains.
With this thought in mind, Jing Yue was in no mood to observe how the others were doing. He only took one look at Qin Yanzhi before stepping on the new Forsaken Flower.
He only hoped that he could go back to the original point this time, not a new page like the last time.
Otherwise, he wasn’t sure what would become of Yi Wang.
In the mountains, the wind was icy cold, and silver adorned everything.
On the mountain path, five or six cultivators surrounded a handsome Daoist, and the tallest cultivator said, “Take it out.”
The Daoist ignored him, and the expression on his face was colder than the cold wind.
“Tsk.” The cultivator sneered, “You’re only at level 2 Qi Refining stage, and you want to enter Frostcloud Sect?”
The other cultivators also laughed.
They surrounded the Daoist because of a recommendation letter in the Daoist's hand.
Soon, the Evernorth Frostcloud Sect of the Bipolar World would usher in the opening day of the mountain. Anyone who wanted to enter the mountain had to pass through 18 tests of Frostcloud Sect, but with a letter of recommendation from a noble family, they could avoid the test to enter the mountain and directly participate in the assessment of the Frostcloud Sect.
The Daoist happened to have this recommendation letter in his hand.
If the Daoist came from a noble family, they wouldn’t dare to snatch it from him, of course.
But the Daoist was just a rogue cultivator like them. The reason why he got a letter of recommendation from a noble family was that the Daoist once sold his life for a certain family—by using his flesh and blood to refine medicine for others. It was rumored that in four years, the Daoist was stabbed 3,000 times.
The Daoist was a tenacious person, but unfortunately, his cultivation level wasn’t high. Moreover, the noble family gave him a letter of recommendation, so the score between them was considered even. Even if the Daoist died here, no one would seek revenge for him.
Therefore, for cultivators who wanted to enter the Frostcloud Sect and take shortcuts, the Daoist was seen as easy pickings, and everyone wanted to take advantage of him.
Unfortunately, the Daoist was very vigilant and good at hiding. Unless they were very lucky, it would be difficult to find the Daoist.
But they were lucky, while the Daoist was down on his luck.
“If you know what’s good for you, hand over the letter of recommendation obediently and we’ll spare your life. Otherwise, the sword in my hand will taste blood.”
Before the cultivator finished threatening, the Daoist had already drawn his sword and charged forward. With a long sword in his right hand and the scabbard in his left, both hands moved without hesitation, and the sword's momentum was like a shooting star. Even though the Daoist’s cultivation base was not as high as the few cultivators, he seemed to be born to fight. He could see the opponent's weakness at a glance and never missed a mark.
No matter how many wounds the Daoist suffered, except for avoiding vital points, all his killing moves were always directed at one person.
Until the other party died.
Soon, the Daoist was covered in blood, and four corpses lay on the ground.
The remaining two cultivators were scared senseless. Although they were stronger than the Daoist and didn't suffer any injuries, they were still afraid. They were terrified by the Daoist's cruelty and couldn’t help regretting this.
They finally realized that after meeting someone cruel enough, the most sensible way out was to run away.
Unfortunately, it was too late, and the Daoist would never allow them to escape.
The last cultivator was seriously injured and fell to the ground, watching the Daoist approaching step by step with horror in his eyes.
The Daoist was covered in blood at this time, and there seemed to be a sticky stench when he walked. His clothes were in a mess, and his long hair was partly tied and partly undone. He was clearly disheveled, but he exuded the presence of a killing god from hell.
Especially the long sword dripping with blood in the Daoist's hand, which the blood came from the cultivator and his companions.
“P-Please…”
The cultivator begged for mercy weakly, but he felt a heart-piercing pain in his shoulder. The Daoist's toe was crushing on the wound of his broken arm.
The cultivator was so weak that he couldn't even scream, and could only groan feebly. In a daze, he heard the Daoist say the first and only sentence of the day.
“Do you want to join his sect? Are you worthy?”
Then, the cultivator suddenly felt a pain in his chest, and his eyes were bloodshot.
When Jing Yue arrived, he saw the young Yi Wang standing among the dead bodies. Although it sounded a little exaggerated, the snow before his eyes was indeed dyed the bloody red of death.
He secretly cursed the arrangement of the illusion, and also felt a sense of disbelief. He called out softly, “Yi Wang?”
Not far away, the person who stood sideways paused and turned his head abruptly, staring at him directly.
Immediately, Yi Wang closed his eyes and opened them after a while. “You’re back.”
Jing Yue frowned. Whether it was Yi Wang's current state or his calm reaction, he felt something was wrong. “How did you end up like this?”
The other party looked like he never heard it, and muttered to himself, “Actually, I knew you’d come back.”
Yi Wang smiled with a relaxed certainty in his smile but Jing Yue felt burdened.
“Only you won't lie to me. I guessed right.”
Jing Yue, “…”
Yi Wang took a step in his direction and fell on his face.
“Yi Wang!”
Jing Yue was terrified and rushed forward to support Yi Wang, but saw that Yi Wang had his eyes closed and had fallen unconscious.
With Yi Wang on his back, Jing Yue left the mountains and found the nearest inn to stay. The innkeeper was unwilling at first, but seeing Jing Yue's face, he really didn't dare to refuse.
Yi Wang had developed a high fever at this time. When Jing Yue checked him over, he found countless old wounds on Yi Wang’s body, his meridians were blocked, the spiritual energy was chaotic, and his technique was even more messed up.
In short, Yi Wang's whole body was full of hidden dangers. If he continued to practice, he would only implode or suffer a Qi deviation.
He didn't know where Yi Wang learned the techniques or what experiences he had, and he couldn't ask at this moment. He could only wait for Yi Wang to wake up.
But obviously, Yi Wang had gone through a hard time.
It had been more than ten years since Jing Yue left. Counting Yi Wang's age, he should be 20 by now.
In the previous life, the 20-year-old Yi Wang had followed him back to the Frostcloud Sect and had made some achievements in Daoism, but in the illusion, he obviously saved Yi Wang from the very beginning, so why did Yi Wang waste his life until now, even worse off than his previous life?
Was the illusion playing tricks on him? Did it want him to feel the powerlessness of watching everything get worse despite knowing his fate?
Jing Yue's eyes darkened. He’d leave the illusion in the end. Before leaving, he must lead Yi Wang to the right path.
That night, Yi Wang was half awake, but not fully conscious yet.
He looked at Jing Yue and asked, “Will you leave again?”
Jing Yue wanted to lie to him but recalled Yi Wang saying that Jing Yue would never lie to him, and finally chose to remain silent.
Yi Wang didn’t get a reply so he closed his eyes in disappointment and fell into a deep sleep again.
After three days and nights, Yi Wang finally woke up completely.
The first thing he said to Jing Yue was, “Who are you?”
Jing Yue was startled, and subconsciously said, “I’m Jing Yuan.”
Of course, Yi Wang knew that the Daoist's name was Jing Yuan. When he was a child, he followed the Daoist for several months. How could he be so stupid that he didn't even know the Daoist's name? He was asking for Jing Yue’s identity.
“Are you Jing Yuan from Frostcloud Sect?”
“Frostcloud Sect?”
Jing Yue was stunned. Was there a Frostcloud Sect here too?
When he came here the last time, he wandered in the mortal world but never met even half a cultivator, so he had no idea about the cultivation world in the illusion.
He thought the illusion was small, supported by him and Yi Wang, but it was clear that the illusion was completely beyond his imagination.
But if there was a Frostcloud Sect here, why didn't Jing Yuan in the illusion come to rescue Yi Wang? Or had everything changed because of his actions?
Should he take Yi Wang to the Frostcloud Sect to meet his other self?
Once the thought was formed, Jing Yue suddenly felt his body being pulled by an invisible force, trying to push him out of the illusion. He knew that this matter had exceeded the rules set by the illusion and could not be done.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Yi Wang saw that Jing Yue suddenly turned pale and trembled all over as if he was in great pain.
“I’m fine.” Jing Yue rubbed his forehead and calmed his mind before saying to Yi Wang, “I'm Jing Yuan from Frostcloud Sect.”
If Yi Wang could go to Frostcloud Sect one day, Jing Yue believed that his other self would treat Yi Wang as well as he did at this moment.
Yi Wang, “Back then, did you disappear because you needed to go back for something?”
Jing Yue really wanted to tell him that he was Yi Wang’s master from the future, but just thinking about it, his mind seemed about to collapse.
So, he could only answer vaguely, “Yes.”
However, the place he went back to was not the sect.
Yi Wang suddenly laughed. “It must be something very important so you didn't take me with you.”
Jing Yue, “…”
At that moment, Jing Yue felt as if his heart was ripped to pieces.
Yi Wang's reaction was not within his expectations. Based on his understanding of Yi Wang, if he was abandoned by someone who he trusted on a rare occasion, he would never display such an attitude.
Yi Wang might be resentful, angry, or excessively think that Jing Yue was a liar, and then slowly calm down and accept him again.
But that didn’t happen. Yi Wang didn't ask any questions, but instead thoughtfully helped him figure out all the reasons.
It was as if Yi Wang really hoped that was the case, hoped that he disappeared because he returned to the sect, and hoped that he had something important to abandon him.
Yi Wang’s every remark of ‘I know’ and ‘I believe’ seemed to be saying ‘don’t lie to me’.
Jing Yue took a deep breath and asked, “Tell me what happened over the years.”
Yi Wang, “You disappeared and I can't find you. I only know that your name is Jing Yuan. They said that there’s a Daoist-Master Jing Yuan in Frostcloud Sect, so I wanted to come to the north of Bipolar World to have a look. I got a recommendation letter, but I encountered a few ignorant people who wanted to snatch it from me, so I killed them all.”
He spoke lightly, but Jing Yue discerned a lot from it.
Since he left Snowdrop Village back then until today, the distance was far more than thousands of miles away.
Yi Wang had been looking for him for more than ten years. For a vague and uncertain hope, he came to the extreme north alone.
As for killing people, Yi Wang seemed used to it.
Yi Wang, “Now that I’ve learned Daoism and am no longer a mortal, will you take me back to Frostcloud Sect?”
Jing Yue held back his discomfort, and said after deliberation, “Your technique is wrong.”
Although Yi Wang had reached level 2 of the Qi Refining stage, if he wanted to continue to practice, he had to start all over again. Jing Yue was afraid that Yi Wang couldn’t accept it.
What made him even more powerless was that he couldn't bring Yi Wang back to Frostcloud Sect.
However, Yi Wang didn't take it to heart. Of course, he knew his technique was wrong. In order to learn these techniques, he entered the killing caves and the tombs of the dead and pieced together bits and pieces, many of which he simply figured out on his own.
He had no other choice. If he didn’t learn, how could a mortal join Frostcloud Sect?
Yi Wang, “Just wipe the slate clean. I’ll start from scratch, and you can teach me the correct way.”
Jing Yue, “…Okay.”
Jing Yue had left Yi Wang in the mountains.
With this thought in mind, Jing Yue was in no mood to observe how the others were doing. He only took one look at Qin Yanzhi before stepping on the new Forsaken Flower.
He only hoped that he could go back to the original point this time, not a new page like the last time.
Otherwise, he wasn’t sure what would become of Yi Wang.
In the mountains, the wind was icy cold, and silver adorned everything.
On the mountain path, five or six cultivators surrounded a handsome Daoist, and the tallest cultivator said, “Take it out.”
The Daoist ignored him, and the expression on his face was colder than the cold wind.
“Tsk.” The cultivator sneered, “You’re only at level 2 Qi Refining stage, and you want to enter Frostcloud Sect?”
The other cultivators also laughed.
They surrounded the Daoist because of a recommendation letter in the Daoist's hand.
Soon, the Evernorth Frostcloud Sect of the Bipolar World would usher in the opening day of the mountain. Anyone who wanted to enter the mountain had to pass through 18 tests of Frostcloud Sect, but with a letter of recommendation from a noble family, they could avoid the test to enter the mountain and directly participate in the assessment of the Frostcloud Sect.
The Daoist happened to have this recommendation letter in his hand.
If the Daoist came from a noble family, they wouldn’t dare to snatch it from him, of course.
But the Daoist was just a rogue cultivator like them. The reason why he got a letter of recommendation from a noble family was that the Daoist once sold his life for a certain family—by using his flesh and blood to refine medicine for others. It was rumored that in four years, the Daoist was stabbed 3,000 times.
The Daoist was a tenacious person, but unfortunately, his cultivation level wasn’t high. Moreover, the noble family gave him a letter of recommendation, so the score between them was considered even. Even if the Daoist died here, no one would seek revenge for him.
Therefore, for cultivators who wanted to enter the Frostcloud Sect and take shortcuts, the Daoist was seen as easy pickings, and everyone wanted to take advantage of him.
Unfortunately, the Daoist was very vigilant and good at hiding. Unless they were very lucky, it would be difficult to find the Daoist.
But they were lucky, while the Daoist was down on his luck.
“If you know what’s good for you, hand over the letter of recommendation obediently and we’ll spare your life. Otherwise, the sword in my hand will taste blood.”
Before the cultivator finished threatening, the Daoist had already drawn his sword and charged forward. With a long sword in his right hand and the scabbard in his left, both hands moved without hesitation, and the sword's momentum was like a shooting star. Even though the Daoist’s cultivation base was not as high as the few cultivators, he seemed to be born to fight. He could see the opponent's weakness at a glance and never missed a mark.
No matter how many wounds the Daoist suffered, except for avoiding vital points, all his killing moves were always directed at one person.
Until the other party died.
Soon, the Daoist was covered in blood, and four corpses lay on the ground.
The remaining two cultivators were scared senseless. Although they were stronger than the Daoist and didn't suffer any injuries, they were still afraid. They were terrified by the Daoist's cruelty and couldn’t help regretting this.
They finally realized that after meeting someone cruel enough, the most sensible way out was to run away.
Unfortunately, it was too late, and the Daoist would never allow them to escape.
The last cultivator was seriously injured and fell to the ground, watching the Daoist approaching step by step with horror in his eyes.
The Daoist was covered in blood at this time, and there seemed to be a sticky stench when he walked. His clothes were in a mess, and his long hair was partly tied and partly undone. He was clearly disheveled, but he exuded the presence of a killing god from hell.
Especially the long sword dripping with blood in the Daoist's hand, which the blood came from the cultivator and his companions.
“P-Please…”
The cultivator begged for mercy weakly, but he felt a heart-piercing pain in his shoulder. The Daoist's toe was crushing on the wound of his broken arm.
The cultivator was so weak that he couldn't even scream, and could only groan feebly. In a daze, he heard the Daoist say the first and only sentence of the day.
“Do you want to join his sect? Are you worthy?”
Then, the cultivator suddenly felt a pain in his chest, and his eyes were bloodshot.
When Jing Yue arrived, he saw the young Yi Wang standing among the dead bodies. Although it sounded a little exaggerated, the snow before his eyes was indeed dyed the bloody red of death.
He secretly cursed the arrangement of the illusion, and also felt a sense of disbelief. He called out softly, “Yi Wang?”
Not far away, the person who stood sideways paused and turned his head abruptly, staring at him directly.
Immediately, Yi Wang closed his eyes and opened them after a while. “You’re back.”
Jing Yue frowned. Whether it was Yi Wang's current state or his calm reaction, he felt something was wrong. “How did you end up like this?”
The other party looked like he never heard it, and muttered to himself, “Actually, I knew you’d come back.”
Yi Wang smiled with a relaxed certainty in his smile but Jing Yue felt burdened.
“Only you won't lie to me. I guessed right.”
Jing Yue, “…”
Yi Wang took a step in his direction and fell on his face.
“Yi Wang!”
Jing Yue was terrified and rushed forward to support Yi Wang, but saw that Yi Wang had his eyes closed and had fallen unconscious.
With Yi Wang on his back, Jing Yue left the mountains and found the nearest inn to stay. The innkeeper was unwilling at first, but seeing Jing Yue's face, he really didn't dare to refuse.
Yi Wang had developed a high fever at this time. When Jing Yue checked him over, he found countless old wounds on Yi Wang’s body, his meridians were blocked, the spiritual energy was chaotic, and his technique was even more messed up.
In short, Yi Wang's whole body was full of hidden dangers. If he continued to practice, he would only implode or suffer a Qi deviation.
He didn't know where Yi Wang learned the techniques or what experiences he had, and he couldn't ask at this moment. He could only wait for Yi Wang to wake up.
But obviously, Yi Wang had gone through a hard time.
It had been more than ten years since Jing Yue left. Counting Yi Wang's age, he should be 20 by now.
In the previous life, the 20-year-old Yi Wang had followed him back to the Frostcloud Sect and had made some achievements in Daoism, but in the illusion, he obviously saved Yi Wang from the very beginning, so why did Yi Wang waste his life until now, even worse off than his previous life?
Was the illusion playing tricks on him? Did it want him to feel the powerlessness of watching everything get worse despite knowing his fate?
Jing Yue's eyes darkened. He’d leave the illusion in the end. Before leaving, he must lead Yi Wang to the right path.
That night, Yi Wang was half awake, but not fully conscious yet.
He looked at Jing Yue and asked, “Will you leave again?”
Jing Yue wanted to lie to him but recalled Yi Wang saying that Jing Yue would never lie to him, and finally chose to remain silent.
Yi Wang didn’t get a reply so he closed his eyes in disappointment and fell into a deep sleep again.
After three days and nights, Yi Wang finally woke up completely.
The first thing he said to Jing Yue was, “Who are you?”
Jing Yue was startled, and subconsciously said, “I’m Jing Yuan.”
Of course, Yi Wang knew that the Daoist's name was Jing Yuan. When he was a child, he followed the Daoist for several months. How could he be so stupid that he didn't even know the Daoist's name? He was asking for Jing Yue’s identity.
“Are you Jing Yuan from Frostcloud Sect?”
“Frostcloud Sect?”
Jing Yue was stunned. Was there a Frostcloud Sect here too?
When he came here the last time, he wandered in the mortal world but never met even half a cultivator, so he had no idea about the cultivation world in the illusion.
He thought the illusion was small, supported by him and Yi Wang, but it was clear that the illusion was completely beyond his imagination.
But if there was a Frostcloud Sect here, why didn't Jing Yuan in the illusion come to rescue Yi Wang? Or had everything changed because of his actions?
Should he take Yi Wang to the Frostcloud Sect to meet his other self?
Once the thought was formed, Jing Yue suddenly felt his body being pulled by an invisible force, trying to push him out of the illusion. He knew that this matter had exceeded the rules set by the illusion and could not be done.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Yi Wang saw that Jing Yue suddenly turned pale and trembled all over as if he was in great pain.
“I’m fine.” Jing Yue rubbed his forehead and calmed his mind before saying to Yi Wang, “I'm Jing Yuan from Frostcloud Sect.”
If Yi Wang could go to Frostcloud Sect one day, Jing Yue believed that his other self would treat Yi Wang as well as he did at this moment.
Yi Wang, “Back then, did you disappear because you needed to go back for something?”
Jing Yue really wanted to tell him that he was Yi Wang’s master from the future, but just thinking about it, his mind seemed about to collapse.
So, he could only answer vaguely, “Yes.”
However, the place he went back to was not the sect.
Yi Wang suddenly laughed. “It must be something very important so you didn't take me with you.”
Jing Yue, “…”
At that moment, Jing Yue felt as if his heart was ripped to pieces.
Yi Wang's reaction was not within his expectations. Based on his understanding of Yi Wang, if he was abandoned by someone who he trusted on a rare occasion, he would never display such an attitude.
Yi Wang might be resentful, angry, or excessively think that Jing Yue was a liar, and then slowly calm down and accept him again.
But that didn’t happen. Yi Wang didn't ask any questions, but instead thoughtfully helped him figure out all the reasons.
It was as if Yi Wang really hoped that was the case, hoped that he disappeared because he returned to the sect, and hoped that he had something important to abandon him.
Yi Wang’s every remark of ‘I know’ and ‘I believe’ seemed to be saying ‘don’t lie to me’.
Jing Yue took a deep breath and asked, “Tell me what happened over the years.”
Yi Wang, “You disappeared and I can't find you. I only know that your name is Jing Yuan. They said that there’s a Daoist-Master Jing Yuan in Frostcloud Sect, so I wanted to come to the north of Bipolar World to have a look. I got a recommendation letter, but I encountered a few ignorant people who wanted to snatch it from me, so I killed them all.”
He spoke lightly, but Jing Yue discerned a lot from it.
Since he left Snowdrop Village back then until today, the distance was far more than thousands of miles away.
Yi Wang had been looking for him for more than ten years. For a vague and uncertain hope, he came to the extreme north alone.
As for killing people, Yi Wang seemed used to it.
Yi Wang, “Now that I’ve learned Daoism and am no longer a mortal, will you take me back to Frostcloud Sect?”
Jing Yue held back his discomfort, and said after deliberation, “Your technique is wrong.”
Although Yi Wang had reached level 2 of the Qi Refining stage, if he wanted to continue to practice, he had to start all over again. Jing Yue was afraid that Yi Wang couldn’t accept it.
What made him even more powerless was that he couldn't bring Yi Wang back to Frostcloud Sect.
However, Yi Wang didn't take it to heart. Of course, he knew his technique was wrong. In order to learn these techniques, he entered the killing caves and the tombs of the dead and pieced together bits and pieces, many of which he simply figured out on his own.
He had no other choice. If he didn’t learn, how could a mortal join Frostcloud Sect?
Yi Wang, “Just wipe the slate clean. I’ll start from scratch, and you can teach me the correct way.”
Jing Yue, “…Okay.”
