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Chapter 383 Bloodstained Chamber

From the Infant Elixir to Qiling, then to the ascension of the Zheng family patriarch, and finally to the opening of the ruins by the six major immortal sects, bringing about disaster, the entire timeline appears complete to outsiders.

However, from the perspective of the Danzong school, this complete route may not be without its doubts.

Because if the method by which the Zheng family patriarch refined all living beings during his time in the heavens originated from searching Yuan Caiwei's soul, then what about before that?

Ji You said that Chu Xian told him before he died that when they first used the Immortal Fate, they discovered that they could no longer escape the ruins after absorbing the relic fruit.

However, after solving this problem by using infants as containers, it was discovered that once the boundary was broken, they still could not escape annihilation.

So they used people to test drugs, reduced the dosage, and repeatedly absorbed the drugs through human purification. The problem is, where did they come up with these horrifying methods?

It's important to understand that some things are much easier to do from beginning to end, but some require a long time to figure out.

How they confirmed the human body's response and how they chose the better approach based on different responses cannot be explained simply by saying "accidental discovery".

When Danyangzi heard Ji You recount this story, he was astonished that when they tried to use the Immortal Fate of the Ruins, they were incredibly lucky to be able to solve any problems they encountered without taking too many detours. They completed everything in just a few years and even marveled at the unpredictability of fate.

Only now did he realize that things were not so simple.

Indeed, realistically speaking, excluding the element of luck, only the Dan Sect could complete a whole series of drug experiments within a few years.

Because only the alchemical techniques and alchemical light of the Dan Sect can clearly see the effects of external substances on the human body and distinguish between their beneficial use and their harmful effects.

"Master, what exactly is going on..."

"This is a story from a long time ago."

Yuan Li looked at the memorial tablet placed at the highest position: "Have you ever heard of a person named Chu Ran?"

Danyangzi and Danxunzi exchanged a glance: "Is he the fifth-generation Chu family ancestor who was dissected by the Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion after his death to study the Seven Apertures Exquisite Body?"

"It was him, but not after death, it was dissected while he was still alive."

"Live dissection? The Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion actually dares to do such an outrageous thing! Aren't they afraid of divine retribution?!"

Yuan Li raised his eyes upon hearing Danyangzi's words: "When has there ever been retribution? Where is the justice of Heaven?"

Danyangzi was speechless for a moment.

Yes, no matter how the situation changes, before the ancient families joined forces to commit calamities, the immortal sects that wielded sacred artifacts remained high and mighty, and never suffered any retribution.

"Then what does this matter have to do with my Dan Sect?" Dan Xunzi couldn't help but ask.

Yuan Li looked out at the darkness of the night: "What does the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion know about dissection? They're only good at killing. Even if they could dissect Chu Ran's body, how could they possibly understand his constitution?"

Dan Xunzi's eyes trembled violently: "Master, are you saying that Chu Ran was dissected by us...?"

"To be precise, it was my father, who was the sect leader at the time, who dissected me. I was taken away as a hostage, and Chu Yu, the son of Chu Ran, was also present..."

Yuan Li's thoughts seemed to instantly return to that night more than a hundred years ago, and his eyes seemed to be shrouded in blood.

He was very young then, even younger than Yuan Li is now. Their Dan Sect had only emerged from the darkness and turmoil a hundred years ago, and its vitality had just recovered.

On a dark and windy spring night, he and his father were taken back to the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion.

He saw the Xuan Yuan Sect Leader, as well as the envoys from the Mountain and Sea Pavilion, the Dao Seeking Sect, and the Chen Clan Immortal Clan.

Then they were led into a secret room, a secret room located at the very bottom of the Xuan Yuan Mountains.

Lying on the stone bed was a powerful cultivator, but his meridians had been pierced through, leaving him powerless to resist. He could only stare with lifeless eyes and gasp for breath.

Yuan Li was still young at the time and did not understand what was happening, but his young age made it easy for him to see his father's trembling hands.

Besides the people on the stone bed, besides his father and himself, he also saw countless iron cages.

The iron cages were filled with people, dressed in rags and covered in wounds.

What Yuan Li remembered most vividly was a man whose eyes were like those of a hungry wolf, staring intently at him.

He watched intently as his father raised the knife in his hand and cleaved open the cultivator on the stone bed, watching the blood splatter and stain the stone bed crimson.

Young Yuan Li was so frightened that he fell down in the secret room. It was the man in the iron cage who helped him up.

Young Yuan Li tried to cover his eyes with his hands, but the man forcibly pried them open.

Look, this is the lofty and supreme Immortal Sect.

He still remembers the man's words in his ear, and the thought still makes him tremble.

For the next six months, he and his father stayed in that secret room, and he spent countless days and nights with the man in the cage.

What alarmed him most was that even when the man was locked in a cage, he would still find gaps when no one was watching him to cultivate.

Until one day, the aura of his breakthrough attracted the attention of the guards.

The guards glared at him with ferocious expressions, asking him everywhere if he was cultivating. Yuan Li was also captured and questioned.

At that moment, the man in the cage was looking at him with a look of utter despair, and for some reason, he shook his head, suppressing his fear.

Later, many people came to the secret chamber. Many of them were very excited, saying that the Seven Apertures Exquisite Body was really mysterious, and that it could allow one to advance in realms while sitting down, as if they had obtained a rare treasure.

Meanwhile, the father's autopsy was still ongoing, but the powerful cultivator on the stone platform had lost his original form.

Later, it seemed that Lingjian Mountain and Tianshu Academy discovered something and sent people one after another, which allowed Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion to release the main family's disciples, but secretly they still left many people locked in the dungeon.

"Is that Chu Yu in the cage?"

"It's him."

After a long silence, Yuan Li spoke: "My father came from a dark and turbulent past. He said that seeing the Chu family was like seeing himself back then, and this became a nightmare for him throughout his life, tormented by nightmares until his death."

Danyangzi and Danxunzi remained silent for a long time, never expecting that the Chu family and the Dan Sect, who had never had any contact before, would have such an unknown interaction: "And then what happened?"

"Later, the Chu family was allowed to rebuild their aristocratic family, but because their power was too weak, they could only rely on the Heavenly Academy for the time being. Meanwhile, my Dan Sect was also constantly in contact with the Spirit Sword Mountain and the Heavenly Academy, and by the way, they formed marriage alliances to strengthen their own power."

"Not long after, Chu Yu achieved some success in his cultivation and returned to Youzhou to establish his family. My father felt guilty and secretly gave them a lot of help, hoping that they could become strong as soon as possible. But in reality, our two families did not have any actual communication after that."

"When I took over as the leader, the world seemed to be much more peaceful. There was very little open killing. The Chu family was also developing rapidly and was showing the potential to become the number one family in the world."

"But I know the Chu family won't give up, because I still remember Chu Yu's eyes. I know he will definitely take revenge, revenge on the Immortal Sect, and revenge on the world."

"As expected, the Chu family subsequently began to attach themselves to the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion, which had slaughtered their clansmen."

"The outside world thinks it's because Youzhou is too close to Xuanyuan Immortal Mansion, and the Chu family had no choice but to do it, but I've always felt that they would do something else, they definitely would."

"This idea lingered in my mind for a long time until one autumn day more than ten years ago, when Chu Xiong suddenly visited the Dan Sect and brought a personal letter from Chu Yu. In the letter, he asked me many questions, saying that they had discovered the opportunity to become immortal, but it could not be accepted by the Heavenly Dao and what should they do."

“I didn’t tell him; instead, I wanted him to come see me in person and tell me what he was going to do.”

"Perhaps because I did not betray his trust when I was a child, he told me his plan. He wanted to destroy the Immortal Sect and hoped that my Pill Sect would join in. He said he would make the Pill Sect no longer afraid of the Immortal Sect."

Dan Xunzi remained silent for a long time before asking, "You've agreed?"

Yuan Li nodded: "Actually, our Dan Sect is not an immortal sect. We are just a family that is coveted by others, just like the Chu family."

"That was also taught by the headmaster to use infants to make medicine?!"

"No, I just told them that if they really wanted to bring out something that Heaven forbade, they had to find a container that Heaven dared not destroy, but I didn't know that the container was actually the new life."

After Yuan Li finished speaking, he turned to look at the three memorial tablets.

He was scammed; he had never learned what had happened.

He only knew that Chu Yu was filled with rage and wanted revenge, and he also deeply believed that there should be such deformed creatures as the Immortal Sect in this world. However, he never considered that in the endless days and nights in the secret chamber, he had long lost his humanity.

"And then what happened? How deeply were we involved?" Danyangzi asked Yuanli.

"Later, Chuxiong brought many inhuman and ghostly things and asked me to find a solution for them, so we became very deeply involved."

"Didn't the sect leader consider that this would lead to the utter destruction of the Pill Sect?"

Yuan Li revealed a cold, clear look in his eyes: "Think back to that night when the Immortal Sect besieged the mountain. What's the difference between constantly worrying about utter annihilation and actually experiencing utter annihilation?"

As Dan Xunzi met his gaze, he spoke again: "What about Caiwei? If that's the case, why would they need to capture Caiwei again? Or is it that the headmaster did it on purpose, just like the Chu family, to use the Zheng family's ancestor's matter to distance themselves?"

"The Chu family did inform me that they wanted to use the Zheng family patriarch's matter to erase the traces that had been exposed and clear their name. I am also making preparations, but it is not Caiwei. In fact, I still do not know who captured Caiwei, and I don't even know how Yuan Chen escaped from Danshan to Qiling."

"You mean someone secretly helped the Dan Sect, kidnapped Caiwei to cover for us in Qiling, and pinned everything on her having her soul searched?"

Yuan Li shook his head with a fixed gaze: "I don't know, but the fact that Yuan Chen, as a direct disciple, almost died in Qiling has indeed made the six major immortal sects never doubt us again."

Dan Xunzi frowned: "Have you asked Yuan Chen?" "He couldn't explain it clearly either. He only said that he came down the mountain alone and arrived at Qiling safely all the way."

"This doesn't make sense. Who would be so patient as to plot and secretly help my Dan Sect escape its predicament?"

Yuan Li looked up at the three memorial tablets again: "Although there are many things I don't understand, the Qiling incident made me more vigilant. Later, they changed their plans and came to ask me for the origin of the sacred artifact, which I refused outright. Who knew they would still take the final step."

Danyangzi looked puzzled: "When were these divine positions established?"

“When the black light of the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice broke, I knew they had failed, and I also knew that the Immortal Sect would not spare their lives. So, after my father set up a divine tablet for Chu Ran, I set up divine tablets for Chu Yu and Chu Xiong, originally just to mourn them.”

Dan Xunzi stared intently: "Did the sect leader think this was a revenge story of enduring hardship and biding one's time until Ji You came up the mountain?"

Yuan Li murmured, "Indeed, I've always believed that this was Brother Chu Yu's heroic act of resisting oppression and wanting to change the world..."

"The sect leader is confused. After the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice was successful, the sacred artifact lost its power. If their goal had been to destroy the sacred artifact, they would have succeeded. However, they chose to kill the wielder of the artifact instead. This shows that they did not want to slay the dragon, but rather wanted to become the evil dragon themselves."

"However, since the involvement of the Pill Sect is unknown to anyone, it must not be revealed. In any case, this matter is over and no one knows about the past. All we need to do is burn these three divine positions!"

Dan Xunzi stood in the dimly lit sacrificial hall and spoke in a deep voice.

After hearing this, Yuan Li stared at the altar in the shrine again: "But there should be another person in this story."

Dan Xunzi and Dan Yangzi both showed expressions of surprise, "Who else is there?"

“A very young person who was following Chu Xiong.”

"?"

As Yuan Li met the two bewildered gazes, the rainy night after the Qiling incident came to mind.

Chu Xiong did not come alone; he was followed by another young man carrying a black and gold longsword. The young man had a good relationship with Chu Xiong, but they did not seem to be in a superior-subordinate relationship.

The person who can participate in the connection between the Chu family and the Dan Sect must be at the center of the entire scheme.

Yuan Li was also afraid that things would be exposed, so he secretly sent people to investigate the person's identity, but they found nothing.

However, in Ji You's story, there seems to be no such person.

"This person is probably like my Dan Sect, who did not participate in the actual fighting, which is why he was not exposed to the Immortal Sect's sight. Now he has also chosen to bury everything in his heart. The existence of such a person is not a big problem. After all, it is related to life and death, so he would not say it."

Dan Xunzi's rational analysis relieved Dan Yangzi, who was standing beside him: "Then what should we do about the matter of the sacred site of the ancient sages?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Li raised his eyes and said, "Sins must be repaid. The Dan Sect has committed sins against them and has been involved in countless killings. It is our responsibility to restore the sacred land of our ancestors."

"Headmaster..."

"No need to say more, go down now."

Dan Xunzi and Dan Yangzi exchanged a glance, and seeing the sect leader's tired eyes, they bowed and withdrew.

As they left the ancestral hall, Yu Guang caught a glimpse of the sect leader kneeling silently before the altar of their ancestors.

They knew that after learning the whole story from Ji You, the sect leader's mind was in turmoil.

I always thought I was on the side of justice, but in the end I found myself burdened with sins of killing, and no one could withstand my power.

Under the cover of night, the lights in the shrine burned brightly all night long, flickering until dawn.

In the bamboo house in the backyard, a pair of snow-white little feet hovered in the air, swaying gently. The pink toes, like jade beads, curled and stretched, as if they were in great discomfort.

My husband, my husband...

Yuan Caiwei kept whimpering, and finally bit her red lips with a soft groan.

They slept very well last night, and woke up with the morning light after a night of sweet dreams, feeling refreshed and in high spirits.

During this process, Ji You discovered that Yuan Caiwei really liked calling him "husband." She wouldn't call him that before he was allowed to, but after he was allowed to, she kept calling him that. She was nothing like Yan Shuyi, that stubborn girl.

As the dew began to spill, Ji You restrained himself and walked slowly, waiting until the east was white and the dawn broke.

After resting for a while, he turned to look to the side and saw Yuan Caiwei staring blankly at him, her eyelashes trembling slightly, wet with tears.

When she noticed Ji You's gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she shyly looked away.

"Sister, brother-in-law!"

"?"

As the sunlight gradually warmed the air, a shout soon rang out in the courtyard.

Ji You and Yuan Caiwei both knew that Yuan Chen would come in the morning, and they had already gotten up. However, to their surprise, the voice did not belong to Yuan Chen, but to Yuan Bingqing.

"Caiwei is unwell, please open the door, sir."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Caiwei couldn't help but look at Ji You, her cheeks flushed as she spoke softly.

Although she called him "husband" all night, this girl still liked to call him "young master" after getting out of bed. Ji You reached out and pinched her cheek, then got up and opened the door.

Where is Yuan Chen?

Upon hearing this, Yuan Bingqing spoke up: "Yuan Chen met a man named Gongshu Chou yesterday and they chatted until very late. He hasn't gotten up yet. I'm here to inform my brother-in-law that the Master Master will be summoning everyone at Chen Shi (7-9 AM)."

Ji You glanced at the sun: "If that's the case, it'll be Chen Shi (7-9 AM) soon."

"In about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the immortal sect disciples living in the backyard of the Jade Balance Hall have also been summoned and are on their way."

"I need to see Sect Leader Yuan." Ji You turned to look at Yuan Caiwei.

Yuan Caiwei nodded gently, obediently watching him leave. Then, feeling as if Ji You was still there, she slowly leaned down on the table.

I'm a little scared, I definitely need to have some girlfriends...

The sunlight was warm at Chenshi (7-9 AM), and the golden morning light spread across the mountain peaks.

The group, who had spent the night in the backyard of the Jade Balance Hall, had arrived at the Ninth Step and were heading towards the Sect Leader's bedroom.

They soon spotted Ji You coming from the back of the mountain, and their expressions became somewhat complicated.

After seeing the statue yesterday, they all remained silent for a long time, whether they were disciples of Lingjian Mountain, disciples of Tianshu Academy, or disciples of other sects.

The so-called establishment of the statue here to eternally guard the mountains and rivers is not only about guarding the Dan Mountain, but also about guarding their hearts.

Some of the unmarried female cultivators, in particular, had trouble sleeping last night.

The marriage alliances in Qingyun Tianxia have always been based on family interests, with the idea that a strong alliance would lead to greater prosperity. However, in reality, there are quite a few cases where marriage alliances have turned into conflicts.

So yesterday they were all asking themselves the same question: if they really found a suitable partner with a powerful background and a wealthy family, would they really be protected at the cost of their lives when disaster struck?

The answer is self-evident, because marriage alliances between prominent families are merely icing on the cake, never a true act of helping someone in dire need.

He Lingxiu looked at Ji You and watched him walk towards the sect leader's palace.

At 1:15 AM, the disciples of the five major immortal sects gathered together. Yuan Li was already inside the hall, while the elders stood on both sides, their eyes mostly focused on Ji You.

They all knew that the five major immortal sects allowed them to send disciples to their own sects to cultivate immortality every year, and their expressions were very complicated.

For so many years, they have been trying to develop the ability to protect themselves, but they have never seen the Immortal Sect make any concessions.

As the disciples of the Immortal Sect have been discussing, it is only natural that the five major Immortal Sects would make a promise to the Pill Sect, given the current situation. But how many times in recent years have the Immortal Sects made requests of the Pill Sect?

Disciples of various sects break through to higher realms, and sect leaders ascend to immortality, all requiring a great many elixirs. But have they ever made any concessions to allow them to cultivate the Dao?

This requires someone to step forward, and that person needs to have sufficient ability to negotiate terms on behalf of the Pill Sect and the Immortal Sect.

There are very few people in this world who are not affiliated with any immortal sect, yet have the ability to sit at the same table as the immortal sect.

After a brief encounter, amidst the hushed whispers, Dan Xunzi, standing beside Yuan Li, slowly spoke.

"Yesterday, I heard from the sect that you all spontaneously went to the Martyrs' Monument to mourn. So I'm sure you all know what our Dan Sect has gone through."

"Now that the sacred land of the sages has cracked, the five great immortal sects are deeply worried and have come to ask my Pill Sect for help, putting my Pill Sect in a position of being summoned and dismissed at will. My Pill Sect should not have agreed."

“In fact, we shouldn’t have even opened the mountain gate.”

"But the fate of the human race is related to the entire race, and the Dan Sect cannot stand idly by and watch the entire race fall into a predicament."

"Our sect leader discussed this with us for a long time yesterday and decided to agree. But this is not just for the sake of the Pill Sect, but for the stability of the human race."

(End of this chapter)