Embers of Sword

Chapter 701 Perfect World
Xie Xuanyi looked at the unconscious woman in his arms.

Jiang Miaoyin was sleeping soundly, and it was unknown what she was dreaming about. The corners of her lips were slightly upturned, with a faint smile, but the frost between her brows exuded a pitiful sorrow.

"Senior, I don't quite understand."

Xie Xuanyi frowned and said, "This 'spiritual journey' was caused by Jiang Miaoyin's mental tribulation. Now that the mental tribulation has been resolved, why hasn't the spiritual journey ended yet?"

"Thank you, benefactor. Has your inner tribulation truly been resolved?"

The Zen master said meaningfully, "Her inner turmoil is over, so what about yours?"

"I?"

Xie Xuanyi was stunned.

"Ten years ago, you severed your own North Sea, and you were just one step away from attaining the Yang God realm."

The Zen master said softly, "Although Benefactor Xie is now among the 'Ten Heroes,' she is still only at the Yin Spirit Realm... She has not yet overcome the tribulation of the heart. From the moment the 'Forget-Worry' divine power built the bridge, the two of you have been one. Her tribulation and your tribulation are both tribulations of the heart. Now that she has overcome her tribulation, what about you?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi fell into deep thought.

Heart calamity, heart calamity.

He always believed that the biggest bottleneck to his advancement to Yang God lay in the Way of Life.

As for the tribulation of "questioning one's heart," it was never within Xie Xuanyi's consideration, but this conversation has now awakened him.

The Zen master smiled and asked, "If Benefactor Xie has lived a life of 'no regrets,' why did you come to the Ice Soul Cave Heaven, and why did you risk your life to help Benefactor Jiang overcome this hurdle?"

Xie Xuanyi replied without hesitation, "Because... she is my junior sister."

"Is that so? That's all?"

The Zen master smiled again and said gently, "Forgive my bluntness, but the tribulations in your hearts are not so different. Her tribulation is your tribulation. If you want to achieve the Yang God, this tribulation... she cannot escape it, and neither can you."

"Actually, you shouldn't be trapped here."

The Zen master paused, then sighed and said, "Normally, only great cultivators at the peak of the Yang Spirit realm have the opportunity to enter the 'divine journey' state. Benefactor Jiang's divine journey this time was a coincidence... In this long river of destiny, some unexpected events have occurred."

"Accident?"

Xie Xuanyi's expression was solemn.

"Several years ago, a guy tried to manipulate the river and drastically alter cause and effect."

The Zen master solemnly said, "For a thousand years, this river of destiny has remained calm. But because of his reckless actions... the river has become turbulent, and the 'lifelines' of many people have fluctuated. Those who 'wander in spirit' who step into this river will almost never have a good end."

While talking.

With a flick of his sleeve, the Zen master used Buddhist supernatural powers to conjure up an illusory figure.

"Lu Yuzhen?"

Xie Xuanyi's pupils contracted.

Countless golden lights coalesced into a towering figure draped in a paper snow cloak. Although the face was not clearly visible, Xie Xuanyi recognized the person's identity at a glance.

It is indeed the Paper Doll Master!

"His name doesn't matter. He's a madman."

The Zen master said in a heavy tone, "He is willing to pay any price to disrupt the balance of the River of Destiny... Although I prevented the river from shattering, I have no way to restore it..."

In recent years, the Zen master has used "illness" as an excuse to meditate in the inner courtyard of Fanyin Temple and has refused to receive outside guests.

Only a very few highly accomplished Buddhist monks who have attained enlightenment know that the Zen master is in a state of spiritual wandering.

The physical body retreats into seclusion, while the spirit escapes into the long river.

Even his closest disciples didn't know that... the Zen master's "spiritual journey" was not for personal gain, but for the sake of all living beings.

The Zen master attempted to use his own strength to set things right and smooth out the chaotic cause-and-effect threads of fate in the long river of destiny.

Unfortunately... destruction is easy, but repair is difficult.

"Is Lu Yu really disrupting the River of Destiny?"

This statement sounds absurd, but upon closer examination, it makes perfect sense.

People with the surname Lu simply don't belong to this era.

He's a complete madman; nobody knows what he's really up to.

"He constructed many absurd causes and effects within the long river of fate."

The Zen master sighed and said, "This fellow...ignored the secrets of heaven and did many absurd things. Most of these causes and effects will eventually be destroyed, but some will cause irreparable damage. This kind of alteration of the river of destiny will cause great trouble for the wanderer."

"The Thirty-Three Grotto-Heavens are connected to the Dragon Vein of the Great Sui Sword Palace."

The Zen master paused for a moment, then said, "When Jiang Miaoyin went into seclusion, the dragon vein must have experienced considerable fluctuations, right? If I'm not mistaken, it was precisely because of these fluctuations that this 'spiritual journey' occurred... After all, she is only a Yin spirit, trapped in this long river, unable to return. If it weren't for you, this mental tribulation would have been enough for her to sink and lose her way."

"..."

Xie Xuanyi fell into a brief moment of thought.

That's right. During the great battle at the Sword Palace, Jiang Miaoyin was in seclusion in the Thirty-Three Cave Heavens. If I'm not mistaken, it was during this time that she entered a state of spiritual travel.

"senior."

Xie Xuanyi quickly and respectfully asked, "How should I end this 'spiritual journey'?"

"Sever the mental afflictions and cut off distracting thoughts."

The Zen master said earnestly, “The ‘anchor point’ of this river of destiny actually lies in the hearts of all beings. Jiang Miaoyin has severed her distracting thoughts and can already return… but the distracting thoughts in your heart have not yet been eradicated. Thank you, benefactor. Spiritual travel is not a bad thing. If you cannot leave, it is better to travel slowly…”

The last four words carried great weight, settling deep in Xie Xuanyi's heart.

He suddenly remembered that his master had said the same words to him.

In this life, I'll walk a little slower.

On the seabed of the North Sea, countless golden lights surged, the sea roared, and cicadas chirped noisily.

The monk standing in the gap of golden light bowed slightly.

A golden light suddenly appeared.

Xie Xuanyi vaguely caught a glimpse of the Zen master's figure, which seemed somewhat different from the last time they met... The monk standing in front of him now did not seem old; he was quite tall and even looked rather young.

"The time is almost up."

The Zen master softly chanted a Buddhist prayer, raised one palm, and said in a low voice, "Benefactor, please take care... We'll meet again someday..."

……

……

Countless golden rays engulfed Xie Xuanyi.

The ocean waves roared.

The sounds of battle in Beihai gradually faded from his ears, and he felt a chill rise from the depths of his heart.

After that, the world was plunged into darkness.

pitch black.

After an unknown amount of time, Xie Xuanyi opened his eyes. Before him was a sky full of frost and snow, with countless ice shards covering his clothes and shoulders.

"This is... the Ice Soul Cave Heaven?"

Xie Xuanyi was taken aback.

The scene at this moment was almost exactly the same as before he "forgot his worries" and entered his dream: countless frost and snow had condensed into a large cocoon, enveloping him inside.

However, Jiang Miaoyin's figure was not present inside the cocoon at this moment.

I am all alone.

As the divine sense swept across, beyond the frost and snow, there seemed to be a respectful figure kneeling, having been waiting for a long time.

"Snow Mandrill!"

Xie Xuanyi stood up, frowned, and spoke, the ice shards on his body crackling and breaking.

The great demon, who had been waiting for a long time, suddenly appeared before the snow cocoon, knelt on one knee, and said with utmost respect, "My lord, you have finally awakened?"

"How long have I been in this dream?" Xie Xuanyi rubbed his temples, his mind seemingly frozen. He instinctively asked, wanting to inquire about the situation.

"...Entering a dream?"

Snow Demon was clearly taken aback for a moment, and said in a low voice, "My lord, your seclusion this time lasted a total of 685 days."

"Six hundred and eighty-five days?"

Almost two years!

Xie Xuanyi realized something was wrong and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Where is Jiang Miaoyin?"

"Master Jiang is naturally outside."

Xuexiao scratched his head, somewhat puzzled: "The last time Lord Jiang came to see you was about three hundred days ago."

"What did you say?!"

Xie Xuanyi stared intently at Xue Xiao, his gaze sharp as torches.

The frozen memories in the divine sea gradually revived.

The conversation at the bottom of the North Sea gradually came to mind, and Xie Xuanyi realized that he was still in a "spiritual travel" state... However, the current spiritual travel state was really too similar to the "real world", and wisps of the Undying Spring water vapor had actually condensed in his dantian!

It took half an hour.

Xie Xuanyi learned from Xue Xiao that the current timeline is almost in sync with the real world.

Something interesting.

Was I in a dream world... transported back to another timeline parallel to my current one?

Although he didn't have the [Primordial Devouring Sacred Realm] in his dantian, he did possess the Fountain of Immortality!
Xie Xuanyi took a deep breath and carefully examined his body. In this life, he was many times stronger than during the Great Calamity of the North Sea. The Dao of Annihilation had already formed a embryo and was just a little short of perfection. In this life, he had actually forcibly walked out a second sword path and condensed a martial arts divine embryo. The only regret was that he had not been able to comprehend the Dao of Life.

To advance to the Yang God realm, one must condense the Dao at the level of the Dao of Annihilation.

Xie Xuanyi wanted to find out more, but Xuexiao was trapped in the Ice Soul Cave and could not go out, so his knowledge was limited.

Xie Xuanyi immediately set off, riding his sword away from the Thirty-Three Heavens.

The news of his departure from the pass shook the entire Sword Palace.

Lotus Peak, Golden Turtle Peak, Jade Screen Peak, True Hidden Peak, Little Spring Mountain... In addition to the main peaks, many guest elders and seniors came to the Thirty-Three Grotto-Heavens to greet Xie Xuanyi and express their congratulations.

Xie Xuanyi had never seen such a scene before.

He saw many familiar faces...

Even an envoy from the Imperial City Guard came to offer his greetings!
This dream world is simply a perfect world.

The Great Eagle Sword Palace has never waged war against the Imperial City... The tragedy in the Hidden Moon Realm never happened, and I have never been accused of "regicide".

Emperor Chu was still alive and had a very close personal relationship with him, which was why the envoy from the Imperial City Guard sent his congratulations.

In this life, he still exists as a "Yin God" and ranks among the top ten heroes in the world.

The whole world knows that he is only one step away from becoming a Yang God, and this seclusion is to take that final step.

Everyone believed that Xie Xuanyi becoming a Yang God was a foregone conclusion.

"Thank you, Lord Mountain! Congratulations!"

The Imperial City Guard envoy clasped his hands respectfully and said, "After two years of seclusion, I have finally emerged successfully!"

"Brother!"

Qi Lie was equally excited, his expression full of joy: "Two years! You've finally come out of seclusion... I've been waiting to die!"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi looked at these people, his feelings indescribably complicated.

So this is what the Sword Palace looks like before it experienced a great battle... Those collapsed and broken sword peaks, without needing to be rebuilt, are bursting with fortune and shrouded in divine light.

The mountains and rivers are safe and sound, and my old friends are well.

The master of law was unharmed, his sideburns were jet black, and he still looked dignified.

Qi Lie donned the robes of the Golden Turtle Peak Master, indicating that the Law Enforcer had handed over the position of "Mountain Master" to him.

Huang Su and Si Qi stood with their sleeves rolled up, looking every bit like a Daoist couple.

Among these people.

Xie Xuanyi was most surprised by his senior brother...

Zhou Zhiren was still "alive" in this life, and a woman was nestled beside him. The two looked extremely affectionate. He stood in the very center of the crowd, second only to the head of the law enforcement. Everyone was offering their congratulations, but he didn't rush to speak. He simply gazed at his junior brother, his eyes filled with silent satisfaction.

Their eyes met.

Xie Xuanyi was at a loss for words.

"All right."

The Master lowered his voice and slowly said, "Stop congratulating him. Look closely... this kid hasn't 'condensed his Dao' yet."

This statement came out.

The Imperial City Envoy looked somewhat embarrassed.

With his divine sense, how could he possibly discern Xie Xuanyi's cultivation level?

Xie Xuanyi had been in seclusion in the Thirty-Three Grotto-Heavens for two years. Anyone would have thought that his emergence from seclusion would be the attainment of the Yang God realm.

How could he have been in seclusion for two years and still not reached the Dao level?
After the master spoke, the people gathered in the Thirty-Three Heavens gradually dispersed.

"Condensing the Dao is nothing but a trivial matter!"

Many people had dispersed when Si Qi stepped in to smooth things over. He winked and said, "With Senior Brother Xuan Yi's talent, what difficulty would there be in condensing the Dao? Senior Brother, now that you've emerged from seclusion, let's have a good drink! We won't stop until we're drunk!"

"Siqi, don't let playthings distract you from your studies."

Upon hearing this, the Master, who was about to leave, put his hands behind his back and coldly rebuked, "After so many years of cultivation, you've only just condensed the Dao Realm... Instead of drinking, you should cultivate more."

"The law master is right, I'm really not cut out for this."

Si Qi didn't care at all and just responded with a smile.

"..."

Although the master of law looked serious, he didn't say much. He turned and left without taking Qi Lie with him, which clearly meant he had tacitly approved of the brothers' drinking and gathering.

Xie Xuanyi witnessed this scene.

My heart was filled with mixed feelings.

Just like in reality, the "Law Master" in this life appears stern, but harbors a gentle heart.

"Where is Master? Is he alright?"

Once the onlookers had dispersed, Xie Xuanyi couldn't help but ask.

His greatest concern was, of course, his master.

"Master is in seclusion in the Lotus Forbidden Area."

Si Qi sighed and said, "Senior brother has been in seclusion for a long time... but compared to Master, it's nothing."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xuanyi remained calm, but felt somewhat at ease.

This news was within my expectations.

Regardless of how the cause and effect of fate may change, a powerful figure of Master's caliber should be in a state of spiritual wandering and would not encounter "misfortune".

"Then... what about Junior Sister Miaoyin?"

Xie Xuanyi immediately spoke up. This time, after leaving seclusion, he saw almost all the familiar faces from the Sword Palace.

Except for Jiang Miaoyin.

"She went back to Qingzhou."

Zhou Zhiren, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

The eldest brother said softly, "About a year ago, the old man fell seriously ill. Jiang Miaoyin received the message and rushed back to Qingzhou... It has been quite a while since we've heard from her."

(End of this chapter)