A Dying Entrustment

“No wonder you managed to stand out on the Ascension Path and leave everyone in the dust. That calm composure under pressure is truly rare.”

“Senior, you flatter me…”

“A gentleman is judged by his deeds, not his heart. But my actions on the Ascension Path were hardly honorable.”

Zhuang Xun wasn’t really unfazed; he simply hadn’t encountered anything that could surprise him yet.

Xuanyuan Luoshui’s rebellious behavior, for example, had caught him off guard.

And thoroughly shocked him, at that.

“Throughout history, many have committed heinous acts on the Ascension Path in pursuit of ascension—acts that outrage both gods and men…”

“What you did was relatively normal. At worst, it could be called cunning and roguish.”

“Senior, you seem quite reasonable. Not at all like Ziyin described.”

Speaking of Ziyin, Lingxu Zhenren let out a long sigh. “That child is pure in heart. She doesn’t overcomplicate things. She takes everything at face value and never considers the deeper meaning…”

“So naturally, she thinks I’ve become eccentric because of what happened back then.”

It seemed this senior wasn’t as unreasonable or hot-tempered as imagined.

Rather, he was an easygoing and reasonable elder.

“But, Senior… how did you know I was Mu Chongyang?”

“The hundred cycles of reincarnation marks on you—you can’t hide those no matter what.”

“And since I once completed the Cycle Realm Trial, I know how to recognize such marks.”

“Besides… that girl Xianli often speaks of you in front of me, so naturally I paid closer attention.”

“So it was her…”

“No wonder you’re so familiar with my deeds.”

Since it was her, Zhuang Xun wasn’t surprised.

After all, during their time in the Cycle Realm on the Ascension Path, they had come to know each other inside out over a long period.

“Meeting here means your fate with Xianli isn’t over yet.”

“But she possesses a Heavenly Dao Physique, with boundless potential. She’s destined to suppress her emotions in pursuit of the Great Path, focusing solely on the Dao…”

“And I won’t disturb her anymore. Please rest assured, Senior.”

“I think, compared to cultivating the Dao, she would rather see you again.”

“The past is gone. There’s no need.”

The fewer entanglements, the better…

That was best for both of them.

“Well, children have their own fortunes.”

Seeing that Zhuang Xun intended to forget each other like rivers and lakes, Lingxu Zhenren didn’t dwell on the topic.

“I kept you here today to say just one thing…”

“Take care of Xianli and Ziyin. Don’t let the Demon Seeds harm them.”

“Both of them—one with a Heavenly Dao Physique, the other with a companion Dao artifact—possess the power of the Great Path. Essentially…”

“Let me finish,” Lingxu Zhenren interrupted. “I want you to take care of them not because of the Demon Seeds, but because of the covetous eyes of certain beings.”

His gaze gradually dimmed. “The Demon Seed is constantly eroding my mind. I could become a mindless walking corpse at any moment…”

“Even though that girl Xianli suppresses it for me from time to time…”

“The Demon Seed has already embedded itself deep within my spiritual platform. Her help is merely a drop in the bucket…”

“Perhaps in three or four years, I will enter the cycle of reincarnation.”

“……”

“So, while I still have my sanity and life, I want to arrange the affairs a master should leave behind.”

“You understand, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.”

Zhuang Xun felt no hint of lightness or amusement.

He knew that this dying entrustment was bound to be weighty.

“Good…”

“Then next… I will tell you…”

“Why, back on the Ascension Path, I was the only one who fell…”

“Why… I had to seal myself in such a small world…”

“Willingly degenerating…”

Zhuang Xun listened quietly.

This matter was of great importance; he dared not take it lightly.

…..

Days turned to nights.

Ziyin paced back and forth on the boundless sea of clouds before the Heavenly Spirit Peak, her expression gloomy.

“Just who is Luoshui’s master…”

“He’s been in there so long…”

Suddenly, a thought struck her. “Could it be that my master suddenly changed temperament and obliterated his soul?!”

“No!”

“I have to go down and see! I can’t let anything happen to him!”

“Otherwise, when Luoshui comes out, she’ll definitely want to kill me out of spite!”

Hum!

Ziyin summoned her spirit boat and leaped aboard.

She was about to see what had happened beneath the sea of clouds.

But on the distant horizon of the clouds, a pure white spiritual light appeared…

Accompanied by a steady voice drawing near: “Looks like you do understand the consequences.”

Zhuang Xun, riding his sword, arrived at the edge of the cloud sea. His eyes were practically brimming with reproach.

“You left me with that dangerous senior and didn’t even give me a means to protect myself…”

“Sect Leader, you sure know how to set people up.”

“Uh…”

“I didn’t expect my master’s reaction to be so strong, insisting on keeping you alone.”

Ziyin had thought at most he’d just respond to Zhuang Xun, not cause much trouble.

But she never expected to be shooed away, leaving him alone…

At least nothing happened to him…

No missing limbs or anything.

“By the way, what did my master talk to you about when he kept you behind?”

“He said…”

Ziyin looked at Zhuang Xun expectantly.

“Heaven’s secrets must not be revealed.”

“…..”

Ziyin’s expression froze instantly.

Was he doing this on purpose?

That was the phrase she hated hearing the most.

“Are you going to tell me or not?”

“Senior specifically instructed me not to tell anyone, especially you.”

Zhuang Xun didn’t bother with her anymore. He strode away from the edge of the cloud sea.

“If you don’t tell me, I’ll divine it!”

“If you want to shorten your lifespan, bleed from all seven orifices, and face a life-and-death calamity, go ahead and divine,” he warned, waving his hand before leaping onto his sword and flying off.

“…..”

“Are the consequences really that severe?”

…..

Back at Xianluo Peak.

Zhuang Xun leaped onto a tall, straight green tree and lay down on a thick branch.

Staring at the endless blue sky and clear waters, feeling the gentle breeze brush against his face…

He let out a long sigh. “Sigh…”

“Isn’t this making things difficult for me…”

His eyes closed slightly, as if he had fallen into a light sleep.

[“Do you remember the first trial on the Ascension Path?”]

[“Yes. In a shattered world where ancient immortals and demons once fought, pure combat strength was tested.”]

[A look of recollection appeared on Lingxu Zhenren’s face. “Back then… I was far ahead in that trial, but I accidentally fell into the ruins of a spatial fragment…”]

[“Inside, there were countless demon corpses, each as large as a star…”]

[“I was nothing but a speck of dust among them…”]

[“At that time, I wanted to find a way to break through this strange space… but I inadvertently discovered a tiny spatial rift…”]

[“That rift seemed to communicate with the outside world, transmitting a substance as thick as black smoke…”]

[Zhuang Xun seemed to understand something. “You mean, Senior, you accidentally came into contact with the Demon Seed while trying to escape?”]

[Lingxu Zhenren shook his head. “No. After learning the effects of the Demon Seed, I actively absorbed it.”]

[“Because it not only brings madness and loss of control, but also violently stimulates one’s potential, pushing power to its limits…”]

[“So I thought…”]

[“If this thing continues to spread, who knows how many people will go mad…”]

[“And how many wars and chaos it would cause, plunging the world into misery…”]

[“So, after much deliberation… I absorbed all the black substance in that ruin into my body…”]

[“Sealing it within myself…”]

[“But the result… I think you can see…”]

[“……”]

[After hearing this, Zhuang Xun pieced together the whole story. “So that’s how it is. No wonder you’re willing to stay in this small world, reluctant to contact the outside…”]

[“It seems you don’t want to give the Demon Seed a chance to spread further.”]

[“I pay no heed to worldly criticism. Others’ opinions are like passing clouds to me.”]

[“This action of mine… I just thought… what more could I do for the people…”]

[“As for becoming an immortal…”]

[Lingxu Zhenren sighed again. “Sigh… born in this world, how can one forget their roots.”]

[“Senior, you are truly a man of great righteousness. I admire you.”]

[He had originally thought this senior had accidentally contracted the Demon Seed, never expecting such a reason.]

[What a twist.]

[“Then do you agree to take care of them for me?”]

[Zhuang Xun’s face showed difficulty. “But… with my current strength, it would be a relief if they didn’t take special care of me.”]

[“Don’t worry… I only ask that you give them advice and guidance when necessary…”]

[“It won’t cost you your life.”]

“……”

“Sigh…”

Zhuang Xun let out another long sigh. “Take care of them? That’s practically asking for my death…”

“Just the ancient Forgetting River Mystic Realm alone is enough to torment me…”

“But this is a dying wish…”

This world really knows how to throw problems at me.

…….