After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 108

“She accepted True Monarch Yue Ying’s things, but she refused your kind offer,” the White Tai Sui added. Her position had always been that of her master’s advocate. After sighing with emotion for a good while, she tacked on, “Sang Buwei is really something else.”
Yuan Chu glanced at the White Tai Sui, not agreeing with her words. She said calmly, “Even if she has broken through the first layer of shackles and accepted the shadows of her past, she still has not recognized her ‘true self.’ She doesn’t know who she is, much less who I am.” The White Tai Sui didn’t ask, but Yuan Chu continued as if to convince herself, “Under these circumstances, she will not fall in love with me.”
The White Tai Sui sighed softly. “How many times must you guide her?”
Yuan Chu smiled. “If there are thousands upon thousands of tribulations, then I will do it thousands upon thousands of times. I have already given rise to a ‘Flaw,’ and the tides of change are ceaseless. I need a constant stream of things to fill the void.”
The White Tai Sui was speechless. She felt a little touched, but mostly worried. She mumbled, “The old you was better. You didn’t know what ‘heartbreak’ was.”
Yuan Chu said, “But I also didn’t know what happiness was. I sent my avatars down to the mortal realm time and time again to live as humans do, but I could never become a real person.”
The White Tai Sui said, “Those five Divine Lords thought you were the closest to the end of the Dao.”
“How can the Dao have an end?” Yuan Chu raised an eyebrow and sneered. “The Dao can transform into all things, but all things cannot transform into the Dao. If they merge into the Dao, they can never become themselves again. The Dao grows unceasingly. The moment we were born from the Great Dao, we were destined to chase it, but we can never catch it. Those five fellow Daoists want to return to the Heavenly Dao, to fix the heavenly order into a constant. But the Great Dao is unwilling, and in its resistance, it produces variables that lean toward the self. Naturally, they have ended up on the opposite side of the Dao.”
The White Tai Sui tilted her head and looked at Yuan Chu, seeming to understand yet not fully comprehending.
Meanwhile, after leaving the Taiqing Blessed Land, Wei Yunshu first went to the Shangong Hall to inquire about her cave dwelling. As Yuan Chu had said, because her dwelling possessed both “Flaw” and “change,” she could continue to reside and cultivate there even as an Upper Immortal without it hindering her progress. Wei Yunshu was not too disappointed. She exchanged her merit points for some Jun Tian Purple Qi and returned to her cave dwelling to cultivate.
A few days later, the Wu Xiang Academy issued an announcement. It was now proven with conclusive evidence that Chen Jiming was a Created Being with Intelligence. As for how he was able to infiltrate the Academy, it was because of a special divine ability, ‘Form and Shadow in Solitude.’ After the original body had died, he had actually become the one and only “Chen Jiming.” If his memories were altered and he no longer leaned toward Xuan Tian Ji, it was possible that as time passed, he could become the real “Chen Jiming.” The announcement did not contain any information about the cause of death of the original Chen Jiming, but instead changed the topic to a major investigation within the Academy. Although “Chen Jiming” had entered the Academy through his own divine ability, what if there were other “Chen Jimings”? The Academy was not willing to take that gamble.
Perhaps because of the major investigation, the Wu Xiang Academy was quiet all around. Most cultivators stayed in their cave dwellings, waiting for the True Immortals to arrive, and Wei Yunshu was no exception. She was relieved to see that the Tian Yuan Sect cultivators did not pursue the cause of Chen Jiming’s death. As for the investigation, she paid it no mind at all. However, a few days later, not only did the turmoil not end with the investigation, but the commotion grew even worse. It turned out that two people had tried to escape the Wu Xiang Academy during the investigation and were spotted by some zealous cultivators. They were quickly apprehended as “Created Beings with Intelligence”!
Yue Ying was the first to get the news. She rushed to find Wei Yunshu to share the gossip, telling her mysteriously, “You’ll never guess what happened.”
Wei Yunshu indeed couldn’t guess. Perhaps an insider would release information on the Merit Record, but she didn’t want to spend her merit points on this matter for now. So, she went along with Yue Ying’s words and asked, “What happened?”
Yue Ying said, “Those two are not Created Beings with Intelligence, and they have nothing to do with Xuan Tian Ji.”
Wei Yunshu raised an eyebrow and replied, “Then aren’t they innocent? The matter should be closed.”
“Innocent? Hardly!” Yue Ying sneered coldly. She ground her teeth and forced out the words, “Those two are actually remnants of the Gan Yuan lineage! They only fled during the investigation because they have a guilty conscience! These followers of a demonic and heretical path actually infiltrated the Wu Xiang Academy. They really get in everywhere! By coming to the Academy, they’ve walked straight through the gates of hell!”
Hearing this, Wei Yunshu’s heart sank. There are still cultivators from the Gan Yuan lineage, and they’ve even entered the Academy—what will happen to them? Wei Yunshu showed no trace of emotion on her face. She merely picked up a cup of steaming spiritual tea and took a light sip to suppress the turmoil and worry deep inside her. “Speaking of which, the Gan Yuan lineage is different from the Created Beings. Their Daoist methods are also based on the divine realm’s Daoist scriptures and are ever-changing. Aside from the Daoists already on the list, how would one investigate the later disciples of the Gan Yuan lineage?” Wei Yunshu asked.
Yue Ying glanced left and right. Seeing no one around, she carefully leaned toward Wei Yunshu and said, “They have a ‘Great Dao Inverse Seal’ on them.”
“Great Dao Inverse Seal?” Wei Yunshu inquired without a change in expression. This was another matter not recorded in books and never discussed by anyone.
“My master told me before that the heavenly order of the divine realm is basically locked. Except for the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain, under the imperial seals of the other five major heavenly domains, every person born in the divine realm will have a ‘Great Dao Inverse Seal’ on their body. As one severs the selves, this inverse seal will gradually disappear. But for those who do not cultivate the Severing of All Selves, the inverse seal will always remain complete.”
“Why would these people listen to the bewitching words of the Gan Yuan lineage and walk that demonic and heretical path?” Yue Ying bit her lip, looking indignant and resentful, as if disappointed in someone who failed to live up to expectations.
Wei Yunshu glanced at her and said, “The Academy will handle it impartially.” After a pause, she added, “Daoist friend’s anger seems a bit excessive.”
Yue Ying was at a loss for words. She looked at Wei Yunshu with a troubled face and sighed. “Daoist Bo, you must not know. The identification records of those two heretics both say Tian Nu Domain. That means they came from my home. How can I not be furious? I thought the heretics in the Tian Nu Domain had all been cleared out, but to think there were still two poisonous insects left.”
“Existences like them are even more hateful than mass murderers. They use incorrect Daoist methods to bewitch people’s hearts, luring them onto a path of evil with no end in sight. Our predecessors have already explored a heavenly path that can lead to self-realization!”
Wei Yunshu asked, “Has Daoist Friend Yue Ying studied the Great Dao of the Gan Yuan lineage?”
“No.” Yue Ying paused for a moment, then revealed a matter-of-fact expression. “But that’s what my master all the great powers of the heavens say. If the Gan Yuan lineage’s heart-cultivating Dao was useful, why would it have fallen into decline? It was they who stirred up trouble, caused turmoil in the divine realm, and even severed the ‘Realm of Ruin,’ making the divine realm incomplete. The Demon-Hiding Cave, Xuan Tian Ji—which of these wasn’t caused by them?”
Wei Yunshu showed a very faint smile. “But the Four Lords of Gan Yuan cultivated to the Supreme Immortal realm with it, second only to the Divine Lords.”
Hearing this, Yue Ying trembled in fear. She stared at Wei Yunshu silently for a long time before saying earnestly, “Daoist Bo, don’t get any funny ideas about researching the heart-cultivating Dao. In the past, some cultivators didn’t fall to the evil path willingly; rather, they were tempted and corrupted while trying to find a way to overcome it. The predecessors have already proven that debating the Dao with them is useless. The most useful and direct method is to kill them, to pull them out by the roots!”
Wei Yunshu said warmly, “Don’t worry, Daoist Friend Yue Ying. I would naturally not do something to destroy my own future. I was just thinking that the Four Lords were exceptionally outstanding in their cultivation. Could that be a tempting factor? Even though Gan Yuan failed, their realm of attainment proved that their path was actually viable.”
“Three of the Four Lords of Gan Yuan came from major sects and were already famous figures before their fall. As for Sang Buwei—” Yue Ying looked up at Wei Yunshu and said, “Wouldn’t anyone who cultivated with the Wu Xiang Emperor benefit immensely? So, their achievements actually had little to do with the heart-cultivating Dao.” To Wei Yunshu, these words were quite illogical, but Yue Ying was deeply convinced. Whether it was Severing All Selves or cultivating the heart, both methods served to stabilize and strengthen one’s own cognition during cultivation. It was just that one method shaved off “non-self thoughts,” while the other suppressed all thoughts and unified them.
The two sat in a high pavilion, looking down upon the clusters of islands floating in and out of the clouds.
In the midst of their conversation, several figures streaked across the sky, leaving deep trails in the clouds. A look of surprise appeared in Yue Ying’s eyes. She called out to a familiar Daoist, asking, “Senior Sister, what are you doing in such a hurry?”
“You don’t know yet?” The Daoist looked back at Yue Ying, her face full of astonishment. She smoothed her sleeve and hurriedly explained, “The Gan Yuan remnants were originally being taken to the Execution Platform, but now they’ve been released. We want to go see what’s going on.”
“What? Don’t tell me the True Immortals of the Academy aren’t going to handle it?” Yue Ying’s expression changed slightly, and she immediately stood up. “I’m going with you.” One had to know that the Wu Xiang Emperor’s Daoist concepts were different from those of the five major heavenly domains. When the incident first occurred, the five heavenly domains immediately began to encircle and suppress the heretics, but the Wu Xiang Emperor remained indifferent, letting things take their own course. She neither intervened to suppress the heart-cultivating Dao nor promoted its spread in her domain. Instead, the cultivators below spontaneously united to drive it out. But because there was no powerful Supreme Immortal to organize them, the traces of the heart-cultivating Dao in the Wu Xiang Heaven were not thoroughly cleaned up. Could it be that he’s going to be indifferent again this time?
Wei Yunshu coughed lightly and immediately said, “I will go with you, Daoist friend.”
The Execution Platform was the Wu Xiang Academy’s execution ground. Even before getting close, one could feel the desolate, fierce gales and terrifying thunder. Seventy-two phoenix-coiled heavenly pillars shot straight into the clouds. Invisible lightning whips cracked in the ethereal mist, producing a series of deafening explosions that shook the soul. Regardless of their cultivation level, the Daoists did not approach the soul-interrogating Execution Platform, but instead formed a wall around the outer perimeter, glaring with cold eyes at the two female cultivators not far away.
“Daoist Ruan, I never thought you were from the Gan Yuan lineage. It is truly regrettable. This humble Daoist was thinking of discussing the Dao with you. Fortunately, you repeatedly declined. Otherwise, if I had been bewitched by your evil words, it would have been disastrous.”
“Yang Yun, and I treated you like a sister! You’re a liar!”
“I don’t know what tricks you two used to get off the Execution Platform. But don’t think you’re safe just because you’re out. We will not tolerate heretics like you living!”
The two female cultivators at the center of the storm showed no fear. The one on the left had a gentle face and was dressed in green, holding a jade ruyi scepter. She stood like a pristine green lotus; this was Ruan You. Standing shoulder to shoulder with her was a spirited female cultivator with long eyebrows that slanted into her temples. Her long ponytail was tied with a red ribbon, and she wore a red, narrow-sleeved robe. Her dangling right hand rested on a long whip at her waist; her Daoist name was Yang Yun. Both were Cavern Heaven cultivators. For them to break through a siege of cultivators whose cultivation levels were higher than theirs was almost impossible.
“Senior Sister.” When she turned to Ruan You, a look of shame appeared on Yang Yun’s face. It was she who, upon seeing the major investigation at the Wu Xiang Academy, had thought that “Created Beings with Intelligence” was just a pretense to search for their Gan Yuan lineage. In the end, they really were just looking for Created Beings, and her “superfluous” action had instead exposed them, dooming herself and her senior sister.
“You don’t need to blame yourself,” Ruan You said softly. For over two hundred years, they had been hiding everywhere like frightened birds, the fear in their hearts beyond measure. It wasn’t just her junior sister; she herself was under immense pressure. “I will hold them off later. You find a chance to leave and return to the cave dwelling to activate the restrictions,” Ruan You transmitted her voice. When she was taken to the Execution Platform, she thought she was doomed. To her surprise, when the True Immortal on the platform confirmed they had nothing to do with the Created Beings and had not violated any Academy rules, he simply waved his hand and released them. The Academy had not taken a stance, but this was an excellent thing for them. As long as they returned to their cave dwelling, others could do nothing to them. As for what came next, they would have to think about it after they were safe.
The stagnant atmosphere was about to explode. Several bright lights blossomed in the sky as more cultivators arrived one after another. Wei Yunshu was among them. Her gaze passed over the sea of heads and fell on the two female cultivators standing ramrod straight, secretly pondering a countermeasure. If she revealed herself to help them, she would expose herself as well. But she couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. These two female cultivators were from Gan Yuan; they were her fellow Daoists. If she could watch a fellow Daoist die today, would she be able to kill a fellow Daoist tomorrow to protect herself? Just as Wei Yunshu was frowning in thought, the people at the very front suddenly made a move. Several rays of spiritual light shot out as fast as lightning, emanating a dreadful might.
Yue Ying couldn’t stand these female cultivators who came from the Tian Nu Domain but cultivated a heretical path. Her eyes turned cold, and she was about to join in the fun. Wei Yunshu was quick to act, grabbing Yue Ying’s arm. When Yue Ying cast a confused look at her, she explained, “Private fights are forbidden in the Academy.” Her voice was not soft, and it spread through the crowd, causing those who were initially eager to move to calm down. But there were some who were unwilling to give up, saying, “These are different times. They are followers of a heretical path. Slaying demons and eliminating evil is our duty.”
“But they came out of the Execution Platform unscathed. Don’t tell me the Academy isn’t going to do anything?” someone else said. This possibility still existed. Because if they were truly going to eliminate evil, the Academy would not have released them. For example, wasn’t that Chen Jiming captured and then never heard from again?
“This is a matter of public justice, how can it be considered a private fight?” The cultivator who said this was very dissatisfied. He unleashed an even fiercer attack, channeling his spiritual energy into a giant, sky-propping hand that clawed toward Ruan You and Yang Yun. Ruan You and Yang Yun would naturally not be captured without a fight. They released their artifacts, and a series of crackling sounds erupted.
But just as the two sides’ attacks collided, sending out a large swath of unusual spiritual energy, the seventy-two heavenly pillars on the Execution Platform twisted with a crack. A dark, mountain-like layer of clouds instantly drifted over, and thick bolts of lightning like roaring dragons swooped down! Amidst the rolling thunder, over a hundred flying swords shot out from the pillars, clashing with the spiritual energy. The giant palm manifested by the attacker was quickly dissipated, but it wasn’t over. The cultivators discovered in horror that cracks were appearing on the face of the cultivator who had attacked first. In the blink of an eye, they covered half his face. When the wind blew, fine debris fell from it. A look of astonishment appeared on the cultivator’s ferocious face. Only after several breaths did he feel the tearing pain. He let out a miserable scream as more and more cracks appeared on his body.
At this moment, this cultivator could no longer be bothered to fight with Ruan You and Yang Yun. He hurriedly channeled all his spiritual energy to resist the pressure from the Execution Platform. Circles of spiritual energy radiated from his body, forming a protective shield several dozen feet wide, deflecting one sword qi after another. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he saw an even faster sword light cleave open his shield. A Daoist completely wreathed in starlight, their face obscured, strode forward with sleeves fluttering, holding a sword. They swung the sword at the cultivator. This cultivator had already reached the Upper Immortal realm, but under the sword intent of the Execution Platform, he had no ability to resist and was instantly decapitated. The spectral form did not dissipate. It stood in the starlight, holding its sword, and said to the horrified cultivators below, “Private fights are forbidden in the Academy. Have you all turned a deaf ear?”
The crowd was silent.
A major sect disciple from another heavenly domain said with great indignation, “These two are disciples of the Gan Yuan lineage, followers of a demonic and heretical path. Are we wrong to kill them?”
The spectral form said indifferently, “What does that have to do with me? Settle your grievances after you leave the Academy.” With that, it couldn’t be bothered with the angry or terrified cultivators and transformed into a stream of light, returning to the Execution Platform, leaving behind a group of indignant cultivators staring at each other. Fearing the other party’s cultivation, they did not say anything nasty, but the gazes they directed at Ruan You and Yang Yun were as if coated in poison, wishing they could tear them apart immediately.
Ruan You and Yang Yun breathed a sigh of relief and bowed toward the Execution Platform. Their hearts were completely at ease. This True Immortal’s attitude showed that they were safe not only in their cave dwelling, but throughout the entire Wu Xiang Academy. As long as they did not leave the Academy, they would not be in danger. Exchanging a glance, they ignored the gathered cultivators, smoothed the wrinkles on their clothes, and transformed into a streak of light to flee.
On the side, Wei Yunshu’s tense nerves also relaxed, and her clenched fists loosened. She turned her head and saw Yue Ying’s face full of bitter smiles.
“As I expected.” Yue Ying let out a big sigh, but she quickly cheered up again. “But they can’t stay in the Academy forever. To get cultivation resources, they have to exchange them for merit points. I don’t believe they won’t go to the Demon-Hiding Cave to slay demons.” She ground her teeth and sneered, “Once they step out of the Academy, they won’t be so lucky!”
Wei Yunshu laughed softly and did not reply. Someone like Yue Ying already had a good attitude. Some cultivators who bitterly hated the Gan Yuan lineage had cold expressions, spat, and said, “So this is all the Wu Xiang Academy amounts to. They shelter cultivators of the Gan Yuan lineage. This is to destroy our Daoist path! I will never associate with such people!” As soon as these words fell, they triggered a series of assenting voices. Wei Yunshu swept her gaze over them; those who said such things were mostly cultivators from the other five heavenly domains. As for the cultivators of the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain, they looked as if they had seen it all before. In their perception, it was only natural for the Wu Xiang Academy to do this. As for eliminating heretics, they would find another way.
The infiltration of a Created Being with Intelligence into the Wu Xiang Academy did not cause much of a stir. On the contrary, the news that cultivators of the Gan Yuan lineage were studying at the Academy quickly spread to all corners of the Shang Qing Divine Realm.
On a vast river of starlight, one after another, manifested forms with surging spiritual energy appeared. They were the sect masters of the major sects of the five great heavenly domains. But this time, the sound of flowing water did not stop when they appeared. At the end of their line of sight, a tall Wutong tree grew out of thin air, followed by a high, clear cry of a phoenix. A female cultivator with white hair and blue eyes manifested her form, sitting under the Wutong tree. Several black and white balls of fluff rolled around her, chirping nonstop. The five sect masters, whether sitting or standing, all rose at this moment with solemn expressions and bowed to the female cultivator, saying, “We greet the White Lord.” Their cultivation was similar to the White Tai Sui’s, but the two words “Imperial Envoy” naturally put them a rank lower.
“Fellow Daoists have sent a letter of request to my Wu Xiang Academy. Is it to discuss the matter of the Gan Yuan lineage disciples in the Academy?” the White Tai Sui said slowly, her words very direct.
While the others were still hesitating, the Sect Master of the Tian Nu Pavilion spoke up, “That is correct.” She looked at the White Tai Sui and asked, “May I know what the White Lord has to say?”
The White Tai Sui smiled and said, “The Wu Xiang Academy was founded by order of the Emperor. It is a place for seeking the Dao and for quiet cultivation, not a battlefield. If those people leave the Academy, whether they live or die, we will not interfere.”
This answer was within everyone’s expectations, but they were now nearing the final step, and they still held a sliver of hope that the Wu Xiang Academy would completely align with their position. After a moment of silence in the field, the Tian Nu Pavilion Sect Master said again, “But when dealing with the Created Beings with Intelligence, the True Immortals of the Academy still took action.”
The White Tai Sui said dismissively, “Created Beings with Intelligence are not of our kind. Their nature is the same as that of demons. The methods of disposal are naturally different. As for the Gan Yuan lineage, that is merely a dispute of the Great Dao.”
The five of them did not like the White Tai Sui’s casual attitude of calling it a “dispute of the Dao,” but they could do nothing about it. They could only suppress their frustration and say, “We have already located the ‘Realm of Ruin.’ Once we dissolve the void’s mystic cave, we will be able to successfully guide it back. During this process, we do not wish for the Gan Yuan lineage to cause trouble. With the Academy’s current attitude, the Gan Yuan remnants will use the Academy as a sanctuary, which will hinder our plans.”
The White Tai Sui smiled slightly and retorted, “What does any of this have to do with my Academy?”
The five sect masters were speechless for a long time, unable to respond. After a good while, someone finally said, “When the Gan Yuan lineage was expelled back then, the disciples of the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain also contributed. How do we know they won’t retaliate upon their return?”
The White Tai Sui did not answer directly, but said lightly, “Are you all so afraid of them? I thought the problem to be solved now is the ‘Xuan Tian Ji’ creations. Our Wu Xiang Heaven Domain did not have Created Beings with Intelligence in the past. Now that they are invading the domain one by one, do you fellow Daoists have anything to say about that?”
The five sect masters were speechless. After the Realm of Ruin disappeared, besides the Demon-Hiding Cave, they could only rely on the Created Beings with Intelligence.
“In the end, this is still their fault for severing the Realm of Ruin,” a Daoist tried to argue.
The White Tai Sui said, “Oh,” and then smiled. “Then when we captured the Created Beings with Intelligence and prepared to send them back to the five great heavenly domains, you refused to accept them. Do you fellow Daoists have anything to say about that? Instead of thinking about other methods, why not seriously consider how to completely erase the traces of the demons? What do you all think?”
“We have already found a way to pull back the ‘Realm of Ruin.’”
The White Tai Sui was noncommittal. She just said, “In six thousand years, the earth qi has changed, and the spiritual energy is turbulent. What if after the Realm of Ruin returns, it can no longer wear away the ‘non-selves’? What do you plan to do then?”
As soon as her voice fell, a rebuttal immediately rang out.
“That’s impossible.” Retrieving the Realm of Ruin was the Divine Lords’ instruction. If this path was not viable, they would have issued a decree long ago.
But looking at the White Tai Sui’s calm smile, the five of them became a little uncertain again. After hesitating for a moment, the Wu Shi Sect Master asked in a low voice, “Did the Wu Xiang Emperor say this?” The Wu Xiang Emperor had not issued a decree for a very long time. Could it be that a change had occurred during this process?