Lin Suci’s heart slightly tightened and his voice was unclear, “Mas….ter?”
What are you talking about? Lin Suci opened his mouth, but unexpectedly, his mouth could not even ask that question.
What… What on earth is going on?!
What do you mean ‘can’t go back anymore’? Corpses were on the ground, and the small courtyard was burned down by the fire. However, in the midst of the cold lake, his master was motionless.
Lin Suci was dizzy and his head hurt. He supported his temple and tried hard to clearly see the person, who had slight regrets, through the cold mist.
What really happened?!
Lin Suci heaved a big sigh in panic. He suddenly squatted down and turned over the stiff body of white-robed corpse.
The corpse was a cultivator who seemed to be in his thirties or forties.
He looked quite unfamiliar, so the person was not someone he knew. After flipping the body, he found that the white sleeve, stained with dirt and blood, was embroidered with a pattern that was very familiar to Lin Suci.
His eyes were filled with emotion, “…Are they the people from Mysterious Heart Sect?”
Qing Fou looked regretful in the distance after noticing Lin Suci’s discovery. He said, “Your master made a mistake. I want to abide by the entrustment of my master before his death, but I forgot the reason why I left all those years.”
“Suci. After this departure, I’m afraid it will last forever. Aren’t you most curious about why I left Mysterious Heart Sect? Also, the birth of Cardinal Sect? Since Master is still in a clear conscious mind, I’ll tell you everything, is this alright?”
Qing Fou had never shown the dignity and aura as a master. He usually blended well with his disciples. Furthermore, he also showed good character and a conscience of guilt whenever Yan Boshen was around.
However, at that moment, in the midst of the cold lake, covered by the chilly mist, he lost his usual personality and behaviour. What came to light was his dignity and aura as a master.
Lin Suci was anxious instead, “Master, please come ashore first, let us return and discuss slowly.”
Qing Fou just smiled, “My little Suci, avoiding is not the way.”
Lin Suci squatted on the ground and he could not take another look at the corpse within reach. His eyes were fixed on Qing Fou and he was unsure what to do.
“Three hundred years, your Master, at that time, was the most talented disciple of the whole sect. However, in the sect, nobody appeared to aid me in my cultivation journey, unlike other helpful sects. Some even exploited my Master and senior brothers to restrain me, preventing me from ascending ahead.”
There was a slight smile at the corner of Qing Fou’s mouth as he recalled his memories. He was not cherishing, but ridiculing it.
“At that time, I received a lot of thrust, discrimination and even evil schemes behind my back. The most unacceptable thing to me was when I isolated myself to aim for the golden core, my master took my junior brothers out on a tour. At that moment, one of the senior brothers collaborated with the leader and elders to prevent me from achieving the core formation. They went as far as to inject demonic energy inside my cave.”
Lin Suci was taken aback for a moment and he muttered, “Demonic energy?”
He clearly knew the consequences when the spiritual energy of a cultivator, who cultivated the path to immortality in a cave of core formation, was interfused with demonic energy.
After all that, what came was a blast of raging anger.
What were they thinking? They were disciples under the same sect, how could they use that kind of lowly tactic to bully others? There was no conscience in them at all!
“That time, I almost lost my life because of this.”
Qing Fou did not have as much anger as Lin Suci. Perhaps after he looked back three hundred years later, the uncontrollable anger back then had faded over time.
“Fortunately, I had my Master’s meditation mirror by my side at that time, so I barely saved my life.” Qing Fou continued as he thought of those difficult years of struggle. The corner of his mouth twitched, “Naturally, I failed to achieve core formation at that time.”
“When my core formation failed, they pretended to comfort me. I was not aware at the time why I continued staying at the Mysterious Heart Sect. Aside from my Master and senior brothers, was there anything else that gives me reason to stay in that hideous evil place? That day, I finally thought clearly.”
Qing Fou relaxingly said, “I killed those people with my own hands, and rebelled against the Mysterious Heart Sect.”
Lin Suci shared the same hatred of the enemy, “It’s good to rebel! This kind of sect is not even compared to an enemy!”
He smiled slightly when he saw Lin Suci clenching his fist and was furious for him.
Three hundred years was too far away from the present. His master, who left Mysterious Heart Sect in frustration at the beginning, after not knowing what he had experienced, before Qing Fou’s master’s death, accepted the last words of taking care of the descendants of Mysterious Heart Sect.
Lin Suci did not know what happened in the past. All he knew about was that those Mysterious Heart Sect corpses were lying next to the cold lake and his Master’s ‘can’t go back anymore’.
“Then, now…” Lin Suci’s voice was hoarse. There were many thoughts in his head, but no matter how he thought of it, he felt that it was all unnecessary.
Since Qing Fou’s Master called him back, and they coexisted peacefully for so many years, what was the cause of that incident now?
“Greediness of mankind…” Qing Fou seemed to sigh.
“They wanted to snatch the territory of Cardinal Sect.”
Lin Suci was taken aback, “What?”
The Cardinal Sect had barely any traces in the mountains. The Mysterious Heart Sect had been around for hundreds of years, and it was much bigger than Cardinal Sect. How could they still covet such a small place?
Lin Suci recalled the series of events that had happened with Mysterious Heart Sect back then. He did not know how the matter in the secret realm was solved. At that time, His Fourth Senior Sister said that Yan Boshen had settled it, and there would be no more problems. He thought that from then on, Mysterious Heart Sect would part ways with Cardinal Sect, and when their entire sect was destroyed, the Cardinal Sect would be able to take care of itself and escape the big demon’s hands.
However, the Mysterious Heart Sect did not stop their footsteps. Instead, they brought along fire to their sect!
“When I came back, I judged my own cultivation base.” Qing Fou explained briefly, “They all thought that I was a useless person from then on, and assumed that a hundred years later, I would be a piece of loess land. However, I re-entered the Tao route, and I have successfully achieved core formation.”
Lin Suci could not help but sincerely praised, “Master, you are really amazing.”
He judged his own cultivation base, and returned to the golden core in just a hundred years. That was not something ordinary people could do.
Lin Suci quickly caught the keypoint.
“So, they thought it was related to our sect’s Feng Shui?”
Qing Fou nodded, “I think so.”
Lin Suci thought about it, but he did not expect it to be because of that.
Mysterious Heart Sect and Cardinal Sect had torn apart, so they wanted to take away the territory of Cardinal Sect to find out the secret of Qing Fou’s re-entry to the Tao route from being a waste person?
“They are intolerable…” Lin Suci clenched his teeth.
After a while, he took a deep breath, “Even so, they have already been killed by you. There is nothing wrong with you staying here. Why don’t we go back and send a message to Boshen? We’ll let everyone come back and bring down Mysterious Heart Sect!”
Lin Suci’s heart was full of heroic passion. Cardinal Sect was bullied so much, he could not simply let them go
He just did not know where the big demon head was. If he knew, he would quietly push the flames and let the sect annihilate earlier.
“Silly boy…” Qing Fou laughed helplessly, “Haven’t you noticed till now that your master has been imprisoned?”
Lin Suci was startled. His gazes fell on Qing Fou.
In the cold lake, the cold mist rose in spirals, and Qing Fou was standing upright in it, motionless in the water. The surface of the water was rippling frequently, and there were waves in the calm lake all-year-round. If he listened carefully, he could even hear buzzes in the water.
Lin Suci looked straight. He knew that there was something he was clueless about in that seemingly peaceful cold lake.
“What do we do, Master? What kind of imprisonment is this, what plan can we come up with?” Lin Suci stepped forward.
“Stop!” Qing Fou ordered immediately, “Don’t come forward! Go back!”
Lin Suci’s raised foot hung in the air, hesitated for a moment, and obeyed his master’s instructions, and stood still.
“Master, don’t be embarrassed, let’s not talk about anything else. First, I have to get you out of the lake, otherwise it will be even more embarrassing to wait for Big Senior and Fourth Senior Sister to come back and see you like this.”
Lin Suci earnestly gave well-meaning persuasion.
Qing Fou grinded his teeth and had several headaches. It was just his own disciple, no matter what, he had to endure it himself.
“Suci, don’t waste your effort here. Before the people of Mysterious Heart Sect arrive, you have to leave quickly.” Qing Fou urged, “Both you and Boshen’s cave have restrictions, so they can’t break through them. You have to gather all your important things and go to your seniors. Remember, leave as far as you can go.”
“Master, let’s talk about your imprisonment first.” Lin Suci thought for a while, and felt that he could not listen to Qing Fou’s words, so he rolled up his sleeves and ran forward.
“Go back!” Qing Fou’s expression changed suddenly, “Don’t go next to the lake water!”
Lin Suci was scolded for the second time, no matter how slow his reactions were, he also noticed the problem within.
“Is something wrong with the cold lake?”
Qing Fou hesitated for a moment, “They want a pure spiritual, treasured cultivation setting.”
Lin Suci pointed at the cold lake, “Isn’t this the pure spiritual, treasured setting!? Our whole sect is cultivated here.”
“They don’t think it’s enough.”
Qing Fou faintly interrupted Lin Suci’s words. His eyes were serene.
Lin Suci seemed to have caught some clues between the hesitations.
“Master, what did they do to you?”
His voice sounded dry and he felt something off.
Qing Fou did not look like he cared much about it, “They just got jealous when they found that I have returned to the golden core, so they casually used a method that was even worse than before, using my master’s spirit beam ring to trap me here, letting me deliver spiritual energy to nourish this place.”
Deliver spiritual energy… Nourish…
Lin Suci suddenly understood what had happened.
His heart skipped a beat.
“Master, how do we get this spirit ring off?” Lin Suci took out all the talisman and magical tools from his cloth pouch in one breath, and arranged them in a row.
Qing Fou looked at him with slight joy, “Firstly, this is my master’s magic tool, and it is at the Nascent Soul Stage. Not to mention you, even I can’t break free from this. Secondly…”
“You’ve been here for so long. Haven’t you noticed that there’s a magic circle laid beneath?”
Being reminded like that, Lin Suci gathered his attention and carefully distinguished the spiritual energy remained by the formation in the atmosphere.
After a while, he slumped, “No, I can’t find any residues.”
“That’s because your cultivation base is not enough.” Qing Fou took the opportunity to teach Lin Suci, “You are consciously talented, but after all, you are just at the state of foundation establishment. A fusion, a golden core, or a person with a higher cultivation base than you, even if they set up traps everywhere, it’s still difficult for you to find out with your current cultivation base. If you leave home in the future, your life will be at stake.”
Lin Suci pursed his lips and said nothing.
His master was right. He was indeed too weak.
So weak that he could not even detect his Master being trapped, not to mention, save him.
“Then, I’ll wait till Big Senior comes back…” Lin Suci suddenly thought of that, and hurriedly took out the paper crane that Yan Boshen left him. He hurriedly flicked it and anticipated his return.
Qing Fou smiled and shook his head, “When he comes back, your Master must have turned into loess.”
In other words, that formation was very domineering, that even Master could not support for long?
In this case…
Lin Suci asked abruptly, “Master, they trapped you here. Did they use formations to absorb your spiritual energy?”
“Yes,” Qing Fou could not move, “Isn’t it inconceivable, can’t believe this is their ‘decent’ immortal method.”
Lin Suci was in deep thought.
Which meant that the formation was absorbing spiritual energy to nourish the cold lake, and his master was forced and trapped by the spirit ring…?
Lin Suci clearly thought of the keypoints and without saying anything else, he strode ahead.
“Suci, back away!” Qing Fou’s expression changed.
For three consecutive times, Qing Fou never allowed Lin Suci to approach half a step forward. From that, Lin Suci vaguely caught a glimpse of what was happening at the moment.
He did not back away that time but instead strode into the cold lake with Qing Fou’s reproached scolding.
Lin Suci rolled up his sleeves and stepped gradually into the lake towards Qing Fou until the water was waist-deep.
“Master, don’t they just want spiritual energy to nourish this place? I can supply that too.”
Lin Suci recalled seeing the dispersal of spiritual energy before. He walked to Qing Fou and faintly smiled, “Master, with both of us here, we should be able to brace until Big Senior returns.”
“Nonsense! Absolute nonsense!” Qing Fou jumped into a rage, “You think you are powerful? With your spiritual energy, you would be turned into a human jerky right away! Get ashore and immediately stay far away!”
“I’m not leaving,” Lin Suci began to diffuse spiritual energy similar to what he had imagined. The formation in the cold lake seemed like a giant shark attracted to blood that quickly surrounded him. From initiative to being forced, the spiritual energy inside him was forcibly absorbed away in a gust.
His face paled, “What if I leave to find that you were gone when I come back? Master, I don’t want my lifetime to entirely hold on to you in my heart.”
Even if Qing Fou knew that his disciple talked glibly, he was not quite relieved at all. Instead with a gloomy face, he said angrily, “Are you foolish? If one can leave, then let it be. Why do you insist on staying behind to be buried together? Don’t you know what Mysterious Heart Sect is? How about their dignity that cost our lives!”
“That’s why…” Lin Suci discovered that he was standing next to Qing Fou as the water ripples surrounded him. However, Qing Fou’s side was calm, which proved that his conjecture was correct. Lin Suci revealed a smile, “Master, you must by all means not to die otherwise we will be at a huge loss.”
“Lin Suci, you little brat! How dare you?!”
No matter how angry Qing Fou was, his body remained still. He watched the formation under the cold lake, passing by him and all gathered on Lin Suci.
Lin Suci closed his eyes and his whole body could not fight back. All he could do was let out his spiritual energy as much as he wanted.
That formation was originally used to deal with Qing Fou. Mysterious Heart Sect was most afraid that they did not know he was back from a faraway flower field. In Cardinal Sect, there was only one person, Qing Fou, so Mysterious Heart Sect would definitely create that magic circle to absorb one person’s spiritual energy only.
But, they did not confirm which one to be absorbed from.
Qing Fou was absorbed because of the spirit ring. Now that Lin Suci arrived and forcibly took the formation’s attention, it started absorbing him right away. It could no longer absorb Qing Fou’s energy.
Lin Suci’s whole body seemed to have entered an ice cellar. His whole body was absorbed with too much spiritual energy, so his inner spiritual energy was uneven and restless. The energy kept bouncing around in his body, finding a way to survive.
That formation was truly violent.
Lin Suci clenched his hands and relaxed his body to let the formation absorb his energy casually. Only with that way could he satisfy the formation, so his master would be safe and sound.
“Little cat, have you hurt your brain! I am your master! At this time…”
“At this time, the apprentice should share his master’s worries.” Lin Suci still had the strength to show a smile, “As you know, Master, I have no ability, but I am born with a natural spirit body. I have a lot of spiritual energy in my body, so I’m not afraid. I will surely stay up a long time.”
Lin Suci was full of expectations, “As long as I stay till Senior returns, we won’t have to give our lives to Mysterious Heart Sect.”
“Nonsense!” Qing Fou was so angry that his heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys got hurt altogether. But, he could not move, and his face was flushed, “Do you even know? Boshen and Linggu went thousands of miles away! When they come back, all they have to do is collect the bodies of a master and an apprentice!”
Lin Suci’s heart skipped a beat.
“Maybe it wasn’t them. What if Third Senior Brother, or Fifth Senior Brother, comes back?”
He was stubborn with his thoughts.
In a short period of time, Lin Suci only felt that the forcibly deprived spiritual energy in his body was making him nauseous.
There was unexpected dizziness.
Did he just last for a quarter of an hour?
“Master, how long have you been kept here before I came?”
Lin Suci dissipated Qing Fou’s anger with a small chat.
“How long? Two hours!” Qing Fou was angry with that mention, but looking at the pale apprentice close in front of him, he became even more furious, “Your master is a golden core. How about you? You’re just at foundation establishment. Two blows and it will kill you! Will you stop it!”
Two hours… Lin Suci sighed and forcibly stood firm.
“Master, I can hold on for two hours too.”
“Nonsense!” Qing Fou’s face was distorted, “You can’t even hold on for three quarters! Do you know what this formation is? It swallows gathered spiritual energy! Nascent Soul Stage! A hundred you can’t hold on for two hours either! ”
Nascent Soul Stage… Lin Suci was not convinced, “What’s the matter? Anyway, I have a little brother who will also be at the Nascent Soul Stage. He will slash that spirit-gathering tool with his sword!”
“Then, you should make sure you stay alive until that time.”
Qing Fou fixed his gaze at Lin Suci, “Suci, I know you are kind, but please end your nonsense here. That’s enough. Your master lived long enough. If I die, so be it. Look, you’re only a little older, so you have to stay alive.”
“That won’t work.”
Lin Suci gritted his teeth, his head was already groggy. He bit his tongue, so that he was a little awake, and reluctantly said, “Master, don’t snatch with me. I’m not even two years old. I can be reborn if I die. Maybe I’ll come back again.”
As he said, he still maintained his smile, “This time, I’m a cat. Next time, I’ll probably be a rabbit, a fox, a wolf, or a leopard. Oh, Master, do pay attention to the little green worms on the vegetable leaves. One of them might be me too.”
Lin Suci’s words made Qing Fou burst into tears.
“You brat…”
Lin Suci gritted his teeth while talking nonsense with Qing Fou, forcing him to hold on for another three quarters of an hour. Having a natural spirit body, his energy storage in his body was already abundant. However, at that time, he realized that the storage for foundation establishment was not enough.
Lin Suci could no longer see everything in front of him, everything was black. The only thing he could do was to try his best to deduce his spiritual energy and not let the overbearing formation bug Qing Fou.
His body was almost squeezed dry. Lin Suci finally felt that when the death line came, it was so cold that he could feel the warmth of his whole body. Even his cheeks became warm.
That time, he was afraid that he really had to go back and reincarnate.
The nonsense in Lin Suci’s mouth remained unspoken after a long time. He panted slowly, and spoke with slow breaths, “Master… Boshen…”
He thought for a long time and did not know what to say.
Boshen is really strong. He thought about anything, but even his last words were meaningless.
He’s so powerful anyways. He will definitely have a good life.
I’m finally at ease.
Lin Suci felt drowsy.
Qing Fou had been checking on his apprentice’s condition by relying on his nonsense. His impatient heart was barely soothed for a while. But at that moment, he waited a long time for Lin Suci’s words, but there was none. Qing Fou suddenly asked in shock, “Suci?! My little kitten?!!”
Lin Suci heard the sound, blinked, and wanted to speak, but he had no strength. His body was completely emptied, his eyes were looking at the darkness, and his body shrank into a ball.
Water splashed, and the black kitten stayed motionless as he slowly sank to the bottom.
“Suci!”
Lin Suci was lying in the water. The kitten was light and fluttering. He slowly went to the end and could no longer breathe on his own. Hearing the screams of his master, he barely opened his eyes in the water.
The eyes of the beast soaked in the cold lake were green like emeralds, but they lost their vitality. They were dim but vague.
Master… Can you live well…
Lin Suci barely opened his eyes. Across the clear water, he saw the immovable Qing Fou not far away, who was imprisoned within the spirit ring. Qing Fou looked aghast. He was frowning and speaking but Lin Suci did not know what he was saying.
Forget about it.
Lin Suci had no strength to lift his paw. He thought vaguely, how much time did he buy for his master?
Was that formation going back to his master again?
He felt really useless.
If there was another rebirth, he was determined not to be so weak…
Lin Suci blinked slowly.
The palm-sized little cat continued sinking.
His last gaze stayed on Qing Fou reluctantly. Looking at his painful Master, he found himself helpless.
That life was too short for him, yet he could not even give a proper farewell.
He was unsure whether Boshen and his senior brothers and sisters would be sad if he died.
Boshen would probably be the saddest. He usually took care of him so much…
It was pitch-black before Lin Suci’s eyes.
In a momentary shift, golden light suddenly flashed before him.
He could feel the dazzling heat when he closed his eyes.
What…
Lin Suci struggled desperately, exhausted all his strength, and opened his eyes again.
Across the layers of water, under the refraction of the golden light, he saw the golden light that was emitted from Qing Fou’s body gradually blackened.
The next moment, the rupturing of water sounded.
At that moment, his white-haired master had jet-black hair, scarlet pupils, and a face covered with totem tattoos. He swam towards him with an evil energy all over his body.
Lin Suci’s eyes protruded slightly. However, the next moment, he could only exhale a weak bubble as he completely lost his consciousness in the water…
Lin Suci’s heart slightly tightened and his voice was unclear, “Mas….ter?”
What are you talking about? Lin Suci opened his mouth, but unexpectedly, his mouth could not even ask that question.
What… What on earth is going on?!
What do you mean ‘can’t go back anymore’? Corpses were on the ground, and the small courtyard was burned down by the fire. However, in the midst of the cold lake, his master was motionless.
Lin Suci was dizzy and his head hurt. He supported his temple and tried hard to clearly see the person, who had slight regrets, through the cold mist.
What really happened?!
Lin Suci heaved a big sigh in panic. He suddenly squatted down and turned over the stiff body of white-robed corpse.
The corpse was a cultivator who seemed to be in his thirties or forties.
He looked quite unfamiliar, so the person was not someone he knew. After flipping the body, he found that the white sleeve, stained with dirt and blood, was embroidered with a pattern that was very familiar to Lin Suci.
His eyes were filled with emotion, “…Are they the people from Mysterious Heart Sect?”
Qing Fou looked regretful in the distance after noticing Lin Suci’s discovery. He said, “Your master made a mistake. I want to abide by the entrustment of my master before his death, but I forgot the reason why I left all those years.”
“Suci. After this departure, I’m afraid it will last forever. Aren’t you most curious about why I left Mysterious Heart Sect? Also, the birth of Cardinal Sect? Since Master is still in a clear conscious mind, I’ll tell you everything, is this alright?”
Qing Fou had never shown the dignity and aura as a master. He usually blended well with his disciples. Furthermore, he also showed good character and a conscience of guilt whenever Yan Boshen was around.
However, at that moment, in the midst of the cold lake, covered by the chilly mist, he lost his usual personality and behaviour. What came to light was his dignity and aura as a master.
Lin Suci was anxious instead, “Master, please come ashore first, let us return and discuss slowly.”
Qing Fou just smiled, “My little Suci, avoiding is not the way.”
Lin Suci squatted on the ground and he could not take another look at the corpse within reach. His eyes were fixed on Qing Fou and he was unsure what to do.
“Three hundred years, your Master, at that time, was the most talented disciple of the whole sect. However, in the sect, nobody appeared to aid me in my cultivation journey, unlike other helpful sects. Some even exploited my Master and senior brothers to restrain me, preventing me from ascending ahead.”
There was a slight smile at the corner of Qing Fou’s mouth as he recalled his memories. He was not cherishing, but ridiculing it.
“At that time, I received a lot of thrust, discrimination and even evil schemes behind my back. The most unacceptable thing to me was when I isolated myself to aim for the golden core, my master took my junior brothers out on a tour. At that moment, one of the senior brothers collaborated with the leader and elders to prevent me from achieving the core formation. They went as far as to inject demonic energy inside my cave.”
Lin Suci was taken aback for a moment and he muttered, “Demonic energy?”
He clearly knew the consequences when the spiritual energy of a cultivator, who cultivated the path to immortality in a cave of core formation, was interfused with demonic energy.
After all that, what came was a blast of raging anger.
What were they thinking? They were disciples under the same sect, how could they use that kind of lowly tactic to bully others? There was no conscience in them at all!
“That time, I almost lost my life because of this.”
Qing Fou did not have as much anger as Lin Suci. Perhaps after he looked back three hundred years later, the uncontrollable anger back then had faded over time.
“Fortunately, I had my Master’s meditation mirror by my side at that time, so I barely saved my life.” Qing Fou continued as he thought of those difficult years of struggle. The corner of his mouth twitched, “Naturally, I failed to achieve core formation at that time.”
“When my core formation failed, they pretended to comfort me. I was not aware at the time why I continued staying at the Mysterious Heart Sect. Aside from my Master and senior brothers, was there anything else that gives me reason to stay in that hideous evil place? That day, I finally thought clearly.”
Qing Fou relaxingly said, “I killed those people with my own hands, and rebelled against the Mysterious Heart Sect.”
Lin Suci shared the same hatred of the enemy, “It’s good to rebel! This kind of sect is not even compared to an enemy!”
He smiled slightly when he saw Lin Suci clenching his fist and was furious for him.
Three hundred years was too far away from the present. His master, who left Mysterious Heart Sect in frustration at the beginning, after not knowing what he had experienced, before Qing Fou’s master’s death, accepted the last words of taking care of the descendants of Mysterious Heart Sect.
Lin Suci did not know what happened in the past. All he knew about was that those Mysterious Heart Sect corpses were lying next to the cold lake and his Master’s ‘can’t go back anymore’.
“Then, now…” Lin Suci’s voice was hoarse. There were many thoughts in his head, but no matter how he thought of it, he felt that it was all unnecessary.
Since Qing Fou’s Master called him back, and they coexisted peacefully for so many years, what was the cause of that incident now?
“Greediness of mankind…” Qing Fou seemed to sigh.
“They wanted to snatch the territory of Cardinal Sect.”
Lin Suci was taken aback, “What?”
The Cardinal Sect had barely any traces in the mountains. The Mysterious Heart Sect had been around for hundreds of years, and it was much bigger than Cardinal Sect. How could they still covet such a small place?
Lin Suci recalled the series of events that had happened with Mysterious Heart Sect back then. He did not know how the matter in the secret realm was solved. At that time, His Fourth Senior Sister said that Yan Boshen had settled it, and there would be no more problems. He thought that from then on, Mysterious Heart Sect would part ways with Cardinal Sect, and when their entire sect was destroyed, the Cardinal Sect would be able to take care of itself and escape the big demon’s hands.
However, the Mysterious Heart Sect did not stop their footsteps. Instead, they brought along fire to their sect!
“When I came back, I judged my own cultivation base.” Qing Fou explained briefly, “They all thought that I was a useless person from then on, and assumed that a hundred years later, I would be a piece of loess land. However, I re-entered the Tao route, and I have successfully achieved core formation.”
Lin Suci could not help but sincerely praised, “Master, you are really amazing.”
He judged his own cultivation base, and returned to the golden core in just a hundred years. That was not something ordinary people could do.
Lin Suci quickly caught the keypoint.
“So, they thought it was related to our sect’s Feng Shui?”
Qing Fou nodded, “I think so.”
Lin Suci thought about it, but he did not expect it to be because of that.
Mysterious Heart Sect and Cardinal Sect had torn apart, so they wanted to take away the territory of Cardinal Sect to find out the secret of Qing Fou’s re-entry to the Tao route from being a waste person?
“They are intolerable…” Lin Suci clenched his teeth.
After a while, he took a deep breath, “Even so, they have already been killed by you. There is nothing wrong with you staying here. Why don’t we go back and send a message to Boshen? We’ll let everyone come back and bring down Mysterious Heart Sect!”
Lin Suci’s heart was full of heroic passion. Cardinal Sect was bullied so much, he could not simply let them go
He just did not know where the big demon head was. If he knew, he would quietly push the flames and let the sect annihilate earlier.
“Silly boy…” Qing Fou laughed helplessly, “Haven’t you noticed till now that your master has been imprisoned?”
Lin Suci was startled. His gazes fell on Qing Fou.
In the cold lake, the cold mist rose in spirals, and Qing Fou was standing upright in it, motionless in the water. The surface of the water was rippling frequently, and there were waves in the calm lake all-year-round. If he listened carefully, he could even hear buzzes in the water.
Lin Suci looked straight. He knew that there was something he was clueless about in that seemingly peaceful cold lake.
“What do we do, Master? What kind of imprisonment is this, what plan can we come up with?” Lin Suci stepped forward.
“Stop!” Qing Fou ordered immediately, “Don’t come forward! Go back!”
Lin Suci’s raised foot hung in the air, hesitated for a moment, and obeyed his master’s instructions, and stood still.
“Master, don’t be embarrassed, let’s not talk about anything else. First, I have to get you out of the lake, otherwise it will be even more embarrassing to wait for Big Senior and Fourth Senior Sister to come back and see you like this.”
Lin Suci earnestly gave well-meaning persuasion.
Qing Fou grinded his teeth and had several headaches. It was just his own disciple, no matter what, he had to endure it himself.
“Suci, don’t waste your effort here. Before the people of Mysterious Heart Sect arrive, you have to leave quickly.” Qing Fou urged, “Both you and Boshen’s cave have restrictions, so they can’t break through them. You have to gather all your important things and go to your seniors. Remember, leave as far as you can go.”
“Master, let’s talk about your imprisonment first.” Lin Suci thought for a while, and felt that he could not listen to Qing Fou’s words, so he rolled up his sleeves and ran forward.
“Go back!” Qing Fou’s expression changed suddenly, “Don’t go next to the lake water!”
Lin Suci was scolded for the second time, no matter how slow his reactions were, he also noticed the problem within.
“Is something wrong with the cold lake?”
Qing Fou hesitated for a moment, “They want a pure spiritual, treasured cultivation setting.”
Lin Suci pointed at the cold lake, “Isn’t this the pure spiritual, treasured setting!? Our whole sect is cultivated here.”
“They don’t think it’s enough.”
Qing Fou faintly interrupted Lin Suci’s words. His eyes were serene.
Lin Suci seemed to have caught some clues between the hesitations.
“Master, what did they do to you?”
His voice sounded dry and he felt something off.
Qing Fou did not look like he cared much about it, “They just got jealous when they found that I have returned to the golden core, so they casually used a method that was even worse than before, using my master’s spirit beam ring to trap me here, letting me deliver spiritual energy to nourish this place.”
Deliver spiritual energy… Nourish…
Lin Suci suddenly understood what had happened.
His heart skipped a beat.
“Master, how do we get this spirit ring off?” Lin Suci took out all the talisman and magical tools from his cloth pouch in one breath, and arranged them in a row.
Qing Fou looked at him with slight joy, “Firstly, this is my master’s magic tool, and it is at the Nascent Soul Stage. Not to mention you, even I can’t break free from this. Secondly…”
“You’ve been here for so long. Haven’t you noticed that there’s a magic circle laid beneath?”
Being reminded like that, Lin Suci gathered his attention and carefully distinguished the spiritual energy remained by the formation in the atmosphere.
After a while, he slumped, “No, I can’t find any residues.”
“That’s because your cultivation base is not enough.” Qing Fou took the opportunity to teach Lin Suci, “You are consciously talented, but after all, you are just at the state of foundation establishment. A fusion, a golden core, or a person with a higher cultivation base than you, even if they set up traps everywhere, it’s still difficult for you to find out with your current cultivation base. If you leave home in the future, your life will be at stake.”
Lin Suci pursed his lips and said nothing.
His master was right. He was indeed too weak.
So weak that he could not even detect his Master being trapped, not to mention, save him.
“Then, I’ll wait till Big Senior comes back…” Lin Suci suddenly thought of that, and hurriedly took out the paper crane that Yan Boshen left him. He hurriedly flicked it and anticipated his return.
Qing Fou smiled and shook his head, “When he comes back, your Master must have turned into loess.”
In other words, that formation was very domineering, that even Master could not support for long?
In this case…
Lin Suci asked abruptly, “Master, they trapped you here. Did they use formations to absorb your spiritual energy?”
“Yes,” Qing Fou could not move, “Isn’t it inconceivable, can’t believe this is their ‘decent’ immortal method.”
Lin Suci was in deep thought.
Which meant that the formation was absorbing spiritual energy to nourish the cold lake, and his master was forced and trapped by the spirit ring…?
Lin Suci clearly thought of the keypoints and without saying anything else, he strode ahead.
“Suci, back away!” Qing Fou’s expression changed.
For three consecutive times, Qing Fou never allowed Lin Suci to approach half a step forward. From that, Lin Suci vaguely caught a glimpse of what was happening at the moment.
He did not back away that time but instead strode into the cold lake with Qing Fou’s reproached scolding.
Lin Suci rolled up his sleeves and stepped gradually into the lake towards Qing Fou until the water was waist-deep.
“Master, don’t they just want spiritual energy to nourish this place? I can supply that too.”
Lin Suci recalled seeing the dispersal of spiritual energy before. He walked to Qing Fou and faintly smiled, “Master, with both of us here, we should be able to brace until Big Senior returns.”
“Nonsense! Absolute nonsense!” Qing Fou jumped into a rage, “You think you are powerful? With your spiritual energy, you would be turned into a human jerky right away! Get ashore and immediately stay far away!”
“I’m not leaving,” Lin Suci began to diffuse spiritual energy similar to what he had imagined. The formation in the cold lake seemed like a giant shark attracted to blood that quickly surrounded him. From initiative to being forced, the spiritual energy inside him was forcibly absorbed away in a gust.
His face paled, “What if I leave to find that you were gone when I come back? Master, I don’t want my lifetime to entirely hold on to you in my heart.”
Even if Qing Fou knew that his disciple talked glibly, he was not quite relieved at all. Instead with a gloomy face, he said angrily, “Are you foolish? If one can leave, then let it be. Why do you insist on staying behind to be buried together? Don’t you know what Mysterious Heart Sect is? How about their dignity that cost our lives!”
“That’s why…” Lin Suci discovered that he was standing next to Qing Fou as the water ripples surrounded him. However, Qing Fou’s side was calm, which proved that his conjecture was correct. Lin Suci revealed a smile, “Master, you must by all means not to die otherwise we will be at a huge loss.”
“Lin Suci, you little brat! How dare you?!”
No matter how angry Qing Fou was, his body remained still. He watched the formation under the cold lake, passing by him and all gathered on Lin Suci.
Lin Suci closed his eyes and his whole body could not fight back. All he could do was let out his spiritual energy as much as he wanted.
That formation was originally used to deal with Qing Fou. Mysterious Heart Sect was most afraid that they did not know he was back from a faraway flower field. In Cardinal Sect, there was only one person, Qing Fou, so Mysterious Heart Sect would definitely create that magic circle to absorb one person’s spiritual energy only.
But, they did not confirm which one to be absorbed from.
Qing Fou was absorbed because of the spirit ring. Now that Lin Suci arrived and forcibly took the formation’s attention, it started absorbing him right away. It could no longer absorb Qing Fou’s energy.
Lin Suci’s whole body seemed to have entered an ice cellar. His whole body was absorbed with too much spiritual energy, so his inner spiritual energy was uneven and restless. The energy kept bouncing around in his body, finding a way to survive.
That formation was truly violent.
Lin Suci clenched his hands and relaxed his body to let the formation absorb his energy casually. Only with that way could he satisfy the formation, so his master would be safe and sound.
“Little cat, have you hurt your brain! I am your master! At this time…”
“At this time, the apprentice should share his master’s worries.” Lin Suci still had the strength to show a smile, “As you know, Master, I have no ability, but I am born with a natural spirit body. I have a lot of spiritual energy in my body, so I’m not afraid. I will surely stay up a long time.”
Lin Suci was full of expectations, “As long as I stay till Senior returns, we won’t have to give our lives to Mysterious Heart Sect.”
“Nonsense!” Qing Fou was so angry that his heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys got hurt altogether. But, he could not move, and his face was flushed, “Do you even know? Boshen and Linggu went thousands of miles away! When they come back, all they have to do is collect the bodies of a master and an apprentice!”
Lin Suci’s heart skipped a beat.
“Maybe it wasn’t them. What if Third Senior Brother, or Fifth Senior Brother, comes back?”
He was stubborn with his thoughts.
In a short period of time, Lin Suci only felt that the forcibly deprived spiritual energy in his body was making him nauseous.
There was unexpected dizziness.
Did he just last for a quarter of an hour?
“Master, how long have you been kept here before I came?”
Lin Suci dissipated Qing Fou’s anger with a small chat.
“How long? Two hours!” Qing Fou was angry with that mention, but looking at the pale apprentice close in front of him, he became even more furious, “Your master is a golden core. How about you? You’re just at foundation establishment. Two blows and it will kill you! Will you stop it!”
Two hours… Lin Suci sighed and forcibly stood firm.
“Master, I can hold on for two hours too.”
“Nonsense!” Qing Fou’s face was distorted, “You can’t even hold on for three quarters! Do you know what this formation is? It swallows gathered spiritual energy! Nascent Soul Stage! A hundred you can’t hold on for two hours either! ”
Nascent Soul Stage… Lin Suci was not convinced, “What’s the matter? Anyway, I have a little brother who will also be at the Nascent Soul Stage. He will slash that spirit-gathering tool with his sword!”
“Then, you should make sure you stay alive until that time.”
Qing Fou fixed his gaze at Lin Suci, “Suci, I know you are kind, but please end your nonsense here. That’s enough. Your master lived long enough. If I die, so be it. Look, you’re only a little older, so you have to stay alive.”
“That won’t work.”
Lin Suci gritted his teeth, his head was already groggy. He bit his tongue, so that he was a little awake, and reluctantly said, “Master, don’t snatch with me. I’m not even two years old. I can be reborn if I die. Maybe I’ll come back again.”
As he said, he still maintained his smile, “This time, I’m a cat. Next time, I’ll probably be a rabbit, a fox, a wolf, or a leopard. Oh, Master, do pay attention to the little green worms on the vegetable leaves. One of them might be me too.”
Lin Suci’s words made Qing Fou burst into tears.
“You brat…”
Lin Suci gritted his teeth while talking nonsense with Qing Fou, forcing him to hold on for another three quarters of an hour. Having a natural spirit body, his energy storage in his body was already abundant. However, at that time, he realized that the storage for foundation establishment was not enough.
Lin Suci could no longer see everything in front of him, everything was black. The only thing he could do was to try his best to deduce his spiritual energy and not let the overbearing formation bug Qing Fou.
His body was almost squeezed dry. Lin Suci finally felt that when the death line came, it was so cold that he could feel the warmth of his whole body. Even his cheeks became warm.
That time, he was afraid that he really had to go back and reincarnate.
The nonsense in Lin Suci’s mouth remained unspoken after a long time. He panted slowly, and spoke with slow breaths, “Master… Boshen…”
He thought for a long time and did not know what to say.
Boshen is really strong. He thought about anything, but even his last words were meaningless.
He’s so powerful anyways. He will definitely have a good life.
I’m finally at ease.
Lin Suci felt drowsy.
Qing Fou had been checking on his apprentice’s condition by relying on his nonsense. His impatient heart was barely soothed for a while. But at that moment, he waited a long time for Lin Suci’s words, but there was none. Qing Fou suddenly asked in shock, “Suci?! My little kitten?!!”
Lin Suci heard the sound, blinked, and wanted to speak, but he had no strength. His body was completely emptied, his eyes were looking at the darkness, and his body shrank into a ball.
Water splashed, and the black kitten stayed motionless as he slowly sank to the bottom.
“Suci!”
Lin Suci was lying in the water. The kitten was light and fluttering. He slowly went to the end and could no longer breathe on his own. Hearing the screams of his master, he barely opened his eyes in the water.
The eyes of the beast soaked in the cold lake were green like emeralds, but they lost their vitality. They were dim but vague.
Master… Can you live well…
Lin Suci barely opened his eyes. Across the clear water, he saw the immovable Qing Fou not far away, who was imprisoned within the spirit ring. Qing Fou looked aghast. He was frowning and speaking but Lin Suci did not know what he was saying.
Forget about it.
Lin Suci had no strength to lift his paw. He thought vaguely, how much time did he buy for his master?
Was that formation going back to his master again?
He felt really useless.
If there was another rebirth, he was determined not to be so weak…
Lin Suci blinked slowly.
The palm-sized little cat continued sinking.
His last gaze stayed on Qing Fou reluctantly. Looking at his painful Master, he found himself helpless.
That life was too short for him, yet he could not even give a proper farewell.
He was unsure whether Boshen and his senior brothers and sisters would be sad if he died.
Boshen would probably be the saddest. He usually took care of him so much…
It was pitch-black before Lin Suci’s eyes.
In a momentary shift, golden light suddenly flashed before him.
He could feel the dazzling heat when he closed his eyes.
What…
Lin Suci struggled desperately, exhausted all his strength, and opened his eyes again.
Across the layers of water, under the refraction of the golden light, he saw the golden light that was emitted from Qing Fou’s body gradually blackened.
The next moment, the rupturing of water sounded.
At that moment, his white-haired master had jet-black hair, scarlet pupils, and a face covered with totem tattoos. He swam towards him with an evil energy all over his body.
Lin Suci’s eyes protruded slightly. However, the next moment, he could only exhale a weak bubble as he completely lost his consciousness in the water…
