After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 38

The bright moon rose over the mountain, and the stars appeared in the sky.
In the Heavenly Pond at night, the golden fish were much more docile. The mountain wind was sharp, and ripples spread on the water, sparkling and reflecting three figures.
Even when drinking, Wei Yunshu was unhurried, a clear difference from the carefree and heavy-drinking Buzhou disciples. The moonlight, like water, fell on her, making her eyebrows and eyes clear and bright, hiding a gentle and indifferent smile. She sat between the two Buzhou disciples, slightly tipsy, feeling as if she were walking on clouds, floating and sinking.
The female cultivator surnamed Ran was named Ran Xiuyun, a True Disciple under True Monarch Yuan Fu of Buzhou Peak. Wei Yunshu also had a pleasant conversation with her.
In her ears echoed Xie Zhichao’s tipsy voice. She pursed her lips, complaining to Ran Xiuyun on the side, “I say, Senior Sister Ran, why aren’t you helping Senior Sister with sect affairs? What are you doing here?” Not to mention Ran Xiuyun occasionally interrupting their conversation and losing Fellow Daoist Bo’s interest, just thinking about that mess of accounts gave her a terrible headache. Sitting with a creditor, she truly felt incredibly uncomfortable!
“Didn’t I hear that Junior Sister Xie brought friends? Those who come to our Buzhou Peak walk the Sword-Challenging Path. Friends like these are truly rare,” Ran Xiuyun raised her hand to touch her drooping hair. Her fingertip accidentally touched her silver earring, making a soft sound in the silent night. She smiled at the glum-faced Xie Zhichao and said, “And Junior Sister Xie, you’re going to be working for me like a slave for three years, so there’s no hurry to deal with those sect affairs.”
Xie Zhichao let out a wail upon hearing this and drank heavily from her wine gourd.
Ran Xiuyun smiled and shook her head. She turned to the slightly intoxicated Wei Yunshu. She met a pair of exceptionally clear eyes, like the pure snow that didn’t melt on the mountaintop, and also like the sparkling autumn water filled with moonlight. She was stunned for a moment. Propping her chin, she smiled, “Fellow Daoist Bo, what do you think about becoming a guest elder of my Buzhou Peak?” Ran Xiuyun hadn’t come to stop Xie Zhichao from stealing fish. She also hadn’t come just to see Xie Zhichao’s “friend.” She had heard about the matters concerning the Luoshui Divine Palace and felt that the future would not be peaceful. This person was brought back by Senior Sister, she was Junior Sister’s close friend. Her character wouldn’t be bad.
Wei Yunshu tilted her head and looked at Ran Xiuyun. The mountain wind brushed her long hair and sleeves. The wine surged, leaving a thin layer of redness on her fair face.
Silver light spilled onto the ground. It was a rare night when body and mind were at ease. Wei Yunshu’s heart was immersed in the wind, and she almost agreed.
Ran Xiuyun said gently, “Fellow Daoist Bo doesn’t need to rush to answer.” She glanced at Xie Zhichao and smiled, “Tomorrow, let Junior Sister Xie show you around Buzhou Peak and see if our Buzhou Peak is truly worth it.”
Wei Yunshu slowly nodded.
In the Fu Li Immortal Realm, everything about Buzhou Peak was condensed into one word: “sword.” As for what the sect was truly like, no one cared.
Early the next morning.
Xie Zhichao eagerly invited Wei Yunshu to see the scenery of Buzhou Peak.
“It’s time for our Buzhou Peak to open the mountain and accept disciples. Fellow Daoist Bo, do you want to come and see?” Xie Zhichao asked. In a year, Buzhou Peak would open its mountain and accept disciples for two months. Only one in ten thousand could truly walk onto Buzhou Peak.
Wei Yunshu pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement. The rules for selecting disciples in immortal sects were largely the same. Either a True Monarch descended the mountain, saw a spiritual and intelligent child, and brought them back, or they were selected from the bloodline of the elders. As for ordinary mortals without great opportunities, they shouldn’t even think about embarking on the path to heaven. However, there was one difference at Buzhou Peak. When the mountain gate was open, as long as you had the perseverance to pass the trials, your origin would not be questioned. Buzhou cultivated the Dao of the sword and particularly valued disciples’ talent in comprehending the sword, which could not be achieved by piling up external objects.
Xie Zhichao took Wei Yunshu to a steep valley. The mountain peaks on both sides were sheer cliffs, forming a narrow passage. Clouds and mist lingered. Just listening to the mountain wind blowing made one’s hair stand on end. At this moment, on this steep mountain ridge, thousands of people were slowly climbing, most of them teenagers around thirteen or fourteen, and even children aged six or seven. Xie Zhichao’s expression became solemn. She said, “Only by walking through this ‘Heaven’s First Line’ can you be a disciple of our Buzhou Peak. Of course, this is just the first trial.”
Wei Yunshu nodded and followed Xie Zhichao to another peak. At that location, fewer than three hundred people remained. They were no longer just teenagers but also middle-aged people in their thirties and forties. Wei Yunshu gazed intently. Between the two peaks, clouds and mist drifted. There was only a single rope, as thin as a hair, stretching across the clouds. At this moment, a young boy was stepping on the rope, cautiously moving forward.
“This place is a test of the heart. Only those with extremely tenacious willpower can pass through. Once you waver in your path ahead, the rope beneath your feet will break, and you will fall into the abyss, doomed forever,” Xie Zhichao said blandly. This was not an illusion but a real scene. There were no elders to rescue them beneath the cliff, and there was no room for “luck” at all. It was like the perilous trials one encountered on the path of cultivation. You either passed through, or you died.
“The third trial is to test your talent in cultivating the sword,” after passing through the Heart-Forging Cliff, Xie Zhichao’s expression softened. She guided Wei Yunshu to a cliff face covered with sword scars. She said with excitement, “This is the Sword Wall. Every disciple who reaches this place has half a month to comprehend the sword. After that, they must leave their own marks on the Sword Cliff based on the swordsmanship they comprehended from it.” By this point, fewer than twenty people remained. Those who sought immortality either turned back halfway or were buried among the mountains. Xie Zhichao, being familiar with the place, found a scar several inches deep and said with a smile to Wei Yunshu, “That’s what I left back then.”
Wei Yunshu glanced in the direction Xie Zhichao pointed. A hint of Dao intent was still hidden in the scar, making it look as if it had been newly carved. On the other hand, the sword scars nearby, under the erosion of the mountain wind, seemed to be disappearing.
Xie Zhichao added, “When I become a Nascent Soul True Monarch, I can leave another mark on it. That’s the one that disciples can really learn from.”
Wei Yunshu said, “Yes,” and looked up at the Sword Wall covered with intertwined sword scars. The deepest sword intent here was at the very top, invisible to the eyes of mortals. She was not afraid of being injured by the sword energy. However, Wei Yunshu was different. Almost the moment she saw the sword scar, she heard an extremely clear sword cry. And the sword scars throughout the Sword Wall seemed to come alive under the urging of the sword cry, transforming into thousands of sword intents filled with killing intent, as if they would break through the wall the next moment. Under the urging of that sword intent, the Taiyi Sword, which was being nurtured in her aperture, also trembled.
“Fellow Daoist Bo—” Xie Zhichao also vaguely heard the sword cry. Her expression changed slightly, and she suddenly pulled Wei Yunshu, her heart lingering with fear. “The mark at the very top was left by the ancestor. You are not a sword cultivator. If you look at it for too long, your divine sense will be damaged by the sword intent.”
Wei Yunshu rubbed her eyebrows and said, “So that’s how it is.” Among the founding ancestors of the Four Sects, Buzhou Sword Master Sang Buwei’s cultivation was the most refined and profound. However, she did not mingle in worldly affairs, and her method of educating disciples was different from other sects. Thus, Cloud City became the foremost of the Four Sects. Wei Yunshu had seen the ancestor’s records of Sang Buwei in ancient texts, stating that she was exceptionally outstanding, and few in the world could compete with her.
“I wonder how many people will be able to stay this time,” Xie Zhichao changed the subject and sighed emotionally, “In recent years, the most talented has been my junior sister.”
Wei Yunshu asked again, “They’ve made it to this stage. What about the remaining people?”
Xie Zhichao said, “If they are willing, they can stay and start as miscellaneous laborers. When they retire, they can also spend the rest of their lives in Buzhou City at the foot of the mountain.” Buzhou City was an affiliated city at the foot of the mountain, inhabited by the family members of Buzhou disciples. This place was close to the mountain gate, so spiritual energy was naturally abundant. After generations of nurturing, a child with spiritual roots might emerge from a family. Therefore, those who reached this stage and were not accepted as disciples rarely wished to leave. “Fellow Daoist Bo, I’ll take you to another place.”
Xie Zhichao was referring to a tall peak that pierced the sky like a sharp halberd.
A chilling vital energy rushed towards her. The air was filled with extremely fierce and sinister sword intent. Above the sky, dark clouds swirled, and thunder occasionally erupted, illuminating the entire mountain peak with a magnificent purple-red light. There were no formations to protect this place. The thunder struck the mountain peak directly, emitting deafening roars, unlike the other peaks. Xie Zhichao activated a restriction and introduced the place, “This place is called Punishment Peak. It is where some disciples of our Buzhou Peak who have committed crimes not punishable by death are imprisoned.” The power of heavenly thunder was not easy to withstand. Exposed to the thunder, even with some cultivation, one would inevitably be covered in wounds. The most composed person sitting on the punishment pillar was a withered old man, who looked like a wrinkled skin stretched over a withered skeleton, like a corpse. Xie Zhichao frowned, “This person was originally my Martial Uncle. He had one foot in the Cavern Heaven realm. Unfortunately, his conduct was not proper. He even embezzled his disciples’ cultivation resources and forced them to do humiliating things.” Towards the end, Xie Zhichao’s tone turned indignant.
Xie Zhichao smiled coldly, “When he was dealt with back then, several elders wanted to plead for him because a quickly advancing Cavern Heaven elder was more important than a disciple at the Foundation Establishment stage.”
Wei Yunshu nodded silently. Such a situation was even more prevalent in Cloud City. Since she had taken charge of Cloud City, she had also encountered it several times, constantly engaging in feigned amiability with the noble families. Although the issues were eventually resolved, it was ultimately not as satisfying or perfect as she had hoped. For this, she had been often ridiculed. In a place like Cloud City, all she could ensure was as much fairness as possible. As for some dark corners, she was truly powerless. She continued to follow the path of her master, but she also had to ensure that Cloud City would not be completely destroyed in her hands.
“Fortunately, Senior Sister was firm. Such wicked people would only cause trouble if they were left unchecked. Those several deacons, after cultivating to this level, looked down on the lower-level cultivators at the Mortal Transformation and Foundation Establishment stages. But who didn’t start from that realm? If we can’t seek justice for our disciples, who will join our Buzhou Peak in the future?” Xie Zhichao was righteous and indignant. She gazed at Wei Yunshu and said again, “Fellow Daoist Bo, I have a selfish reason for showing you these places. My Senior Sister intends to recruit you.” Xie Zhichao spoke frankly.
“You have just left the mountain and may not be aware of the situation in the Fu Li Immortal Realm. The Dustless Sea is a place for other species and spirits to cultivate in seclusion, so there’s no need to mention it. Among the three major sects of our human race, you have seen the state of the Luoshui Divine Palace. It will sooner or later meet its end. As for Cloud City, if the Cloud Sovereign were still alive, it could have advanced step by step towards its ultimate goal. Unfortunately, the Cloud Sovereign has fallen, and the entire Cloud City has fallen into that person’s hands.” If Xie Zhichao had had some expectations for Luo Lingfeng before, after meeting her several times in the Sunset Burial Mounds, she had long since dispelled such notions. It would be easy for that person to destroy Cloud City, but it would be too difficult to restore Cloud City to its former glory of thousands of years ago!
“Fellow Daoist Bo, you are not someone who will be stuck in a pond. However, besides our Buzhou Peak, there is no other choice,” Xie Zhichao’s words were resounding. Her eyes and eyebrows were filled with lofty aspirations.
She believed in Buzhou Peak, and Buzhou Peak could also be her backing. That was why she possessed such confidence and sharpness.
This was different from the deceptive Cloud City.
If she had joined Buzhou Peak back then, what would have happened? Would she not have suffered such calamity and heartache? No, her master treated her extremely well. For her, a little beggar, being able to join Cloud City was already a great fortune.
Wei Yunshu couldn’t help but laugh at this point.
Xie Zhichao looked at Wei Yunshu blankly. She frowned and pondered for a while, then said, “Fellow Daoist Bo, I’m serious. Don’t laugh. Don’t disregard it.”
“I know,” Wei Yunshu nodded. She raised her eyebrows and asked with her arms crossed, “What if I am an evil person? What if everything is just a pretense?”
“Impossible,” Xie Zhichao shook her head, saying decisively, “I trust my own eyes, and my Senior Sister also recognizes you.”
Wei Yunshu smiled slightly, “Seeing is not always believing.” If a mask is worn for too long, one may not know which “self” is real.
“Fellow Daoist Bo, don’t say such things in the future.” Xie Zhichao frowned tighter. She patted Wei Yunshu’s shoulder, “Fellow Daoist, why do you imagine yourself as a bad person? There is no utterly wicked villain who would let a foolish donkey ride on their head just to get into Buzhou Peak.”
Wei Yunshu: “…” It was extremely dangerous in the Sunset Burial Mounds earlier, so she had put A’mang away. If she let it out this time, she didn’t know how many spiritual pills it would take to coax it back. Thinking this, Wei Yunshu’s expression instantly became subtle.
“Hey? Fellow Daoist Bo, I haven’t seen that foolish donkey for a while. Now that there’s no danger in our Buzhou Peak, why don’t you let it out for a walk?” Xie Zhichao leaned closer to Wei Yunshu. A smile was suppressed on her face. That day, the donkey’s posture of kicking up its heels was truly hilarious.
Wei Yunshu glanced at Xie Zhichao. How could she not see through her intentions? “Wait until we’re down this mountain. Under the thunder, A’mang probably can’t withstand it,” she replied.
Xie Zhichao clapped her hands and laughed loudly. After descending the Punishment Peak, she urged Wei Yunshu to summon A’mang.
Wei Yunshu did as instructed. Her movements were extremely fast, like a flash of lightning. As soon as A’mang landed, she flashed to the side. With a sweep of her right whisk, she pushed back Xie Zhichao, who was preparing to retreat, forcing her to eat a mouth full of sand. Xie Zhichao spat twice, turned around and glared at Wei Yunshu, shouting, “Fellow Daoist Bo, you have no martial ethics!”
Wei Yunshu looked at her with an innocent expression and asked in return, “Do I?”
A’mang was indeed angry. It grunted, pawing the ground with its hind hooves, leaving two deep marks.
Xie Zhichao “tsk-tsk” twice. Looking at A’mang, which didn’t even respond to spiritual pills, she said, “Fellow Daoist Bo, you can’t break its spirit. Otherwise, it will definitely curse you like crazy.”
A’mang’s raised hind hooves responded to Xie Zhichao.
Xie Zhichao laughed loudly as she avoided it and said, “After eating spiritual pills, it has indeed gained some spiritual intelligence, but its temper is too bad. How about this? For now, let’s leave it in our Buzhou’s animal farm so it can curb its temper.”
Wei Yunshu shook her head and said with a smile, “It’s better to be lively to be interesting.”
Buzhou Peak was among the mountains.
Wei Yunshu followed Xie Zhichao around for several days but still hadn’t seen all the towering mountains. Fearing she would delay Xie Zhichao’s cultivation, Wei Yunshu was contemplating also taking a walk on the Sword-Challenging Path when news suddenly arrived. It turned out that above the highest heavens, those several Cavern Heaven True Monarchs had reached a conclusion. Luo Hengjun was defeated by the Cavern Heaven cultivators of the other three families. Not even a single trace of his primal soul escaped. Although the elders of the Luo family were enraged, they could not act out due to Luo Hengjun’s actions against the spiritual vein of the Southern Continent.
Actually, the Cavern Heaven True Monarchs of the three families also found it strange.
They were still concerned about the “sacred heart of a saint,” and Luo Hengjun knew this best. They hadn’t intended to completely eliminate the other party, but were thinking of at least keeping a trace of his primal soul to interrogate. Who knew that after Luo Hengjun’s Cavern Heaven Dharma Manifestation collapsed, as soon as his primal soul escaped, it let out a mournful wail and disappeared without a trace. Even they couldn’t find the culprit. Now, it was fortunate. Luo Hengjun was dead, and the sacred heart of a saint was also missing. Although they were anxious, the Cavern Heaven cultivators of the three families would not openly mention the sacred heart of a saint. Instead, they only brought up the “spiritual vein of the Southern Continent,” using this matter to pressure the Luoshui Divine Palace, demanding an explanation.
“There are four families in the Luoshui Divine Palace, and the position of Palace Lord is held by them in rotation. Now the Luo family is completely excluded. If I were them, I would definitely take the opportunity to swallow the Luo family’s influence and not give them a chance to rise again,” Xie Zhichao sat cross-legged on a stone stool, cracking melon seeds while watching the disciples cultivate. When she had time, she turned to Wei Yunshu and brought up the matter of the Southern Continent. “Originally, I came at the invitation of the Luoshui Divine Palace to deal with demons. Who would have thought that in a blink of an eye, the Luoshui Divine Palace would become the biggest demon? It’s a shame about my merit points; they haven’t been exchanged for resources yet,” Xie Zhichao said with heartache.
Wei Yunshu patiently peeled melon seeds. She pushed the clean melon seed kernels towards A’mang and slowly replied, “The original plan of those families was to support the Luo family members who were closely related to their bloodline to take the throne. Now, they don’t need to bother.”
Xie Zhichao shook her head, “This dispute may not be over yet.”
Wei Yunshu became a little interested, “How so?”
“That person is also surnamed Luo,” Xie Zhichao said sadly. “She probably can’t bear to see the Luoshui Divine Palace completely perish. So, she offered to deal with the Chaos Tree as a condition to preserve the old people and old places of the Luoshui Divine Palace. As for what was privately hidden in the Luo family’s treasury, nothing is left.” Xie Zhichao couldn’t understand Luo Lingfeng’s actions at all. After all, in the spiritual vein, she was ruthless when dealing with Luo Hengjun’s avatar. The scene was bloody and cruel. Even the demons would have been intimidated.
Wei Yunshu was stunned. She frowned and did not agree with Xie Zhichao’s words. Instead of saying she was willing to deal with the Chaos Tree for the Luo family, it was better to say she had been prepared all along. Whether the Luo family had problems or not, she would have acted. She didn’t bother to care about the situation of the Luoshui Divine Palace. Instead, she said, “How did she deal with the Chaos Tree?”
“Blood Thorns,” Xie Zhichao frowned, “I heard Senior Sister say that it was the only tree seed.”
Wei Yunshu’s eyelids twitched, “Didn’t that tree seed lose its vitality a long time ago?”
Xie Zhichao did not ponder Wei Yunshu’s words and continued, “Blood Thorn is a parasitic tree seed that feeds on flesh and blood. Her condition is that after everything in the Luoshui Divine Palace is settled, she will use her Nascent Soul avatar as nourishment to completely activate the Blood Thorn.”
Flesh and blood, to put it simply, were also a form of essence. However, ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators couldn’t compare to the essence of Cavern Heaven cultivators. If they lost their essence, their true body’s Dao cultivation would definitely be affected. The several families of the Luoshui Divine Palace were more than willing. What they were after was a treasure accumulated over thousands of years. As for the empty shell, so be it. Anyway, the Luoshui Divine Palace no longer had the ability to compete with them.
Xie Zhichao scratched her head, truly not understanding. “What in the world is she thinking? Has she really split?”
Wei Yunshu looked up at the clouds rolling and unrolling in the sky. She lowered her eyelids and curled her lips into a smile, “Who knows?”
Luoshui Divine Palace.
Thousands of years of management were destroyed in one fell swoop. How could the elders of the Luo family not be heartbroken and regretful?
However, the Cavern Heaven cultivator they relied on had already been defeated and was no match for the other three families. No! There was still one! That one in Cloud City. She had protected the clan land. She must still feel hatred. With this thought, the elders of the Luo family all went to seek an audience with Luo Lingfeng.
Luo Lingfeng sat on a throne decorated with coral and pearls. Fortunately, the three families had shown some mercy and had not stripped the land bare. The halls of the Luoshui Divine Palace were still presentable on the surface. She crossed her legs and supported her chin with her hand, her eyelids drooping. Listening to the rambling words, a cold smile appeared on her lips. After a moment, she changed the subject, “Have the demons in the Luoshui Divine Palace been cleared out?”
Ever since Luo Hengjun started favoring Jiang Jiuxiao, the Dustless Sea had successively sent many demon cultivators over, almost equal in number to the Luoshui Divine Palace’s own disciples. The first order Luo Lingfeng issued after returning was to execute these demons. However, some of these demons had already become disciples under the Luoshui Divine Palace elders, and the Dustless Sea’s influence was supporting them. These elders were unwilling to act and could only pretend to obey, delaying the matter. At this moment, hearing Luo Lingfeng mention it again, the elders exchanged glances and secretly communicated.
“This person was rejected by the Dustless Sea. She hates demons. It’s probably impossible to save them.”
“What about that young master from the Dustless Sea? Why isn’t he appearing now?”
“How about asking Jiuxiao to plead for them?”
Luo Lingfeng was too lazy to bother with the elders’ whispering. She said slowly, “You are not capable enough to capture those demons. It doesn’t matter. I have already confined them all. You can carry out the execution.” Saying this, the Universal True Form Map flew out from her sleeve. A cloud of smoke spread in the hall, and the sound of thuds echoed. A group of birds and beasts fell to the ground like dumplings, letting out mournful cries. No matter what their cultivation was, these demon cultivators had all been forced back into their original forms and couldn’t even speak.
An elder immediately saw his own disciple and a look of distress flashed in his eyes. Relying on his seniority over Luo Lingfeng, he stepped forward and cupped his hands to Luo Lingfeng, saying, “Even if they are demons, what have they done wrong? Why must True Monarch kill them so ruthlessly?”
Luo Lingfeng said slowly, “Do you need this humble one to explain their faults to you?” Without waiting for the elder’s reply, she abruptly stood up and said sarcastically, “They blocked this humble one’s path, that is their fault.”
The elder was infuriated. His face was as black as if it could wring out ink. He sneered and flicked his sleeve, leaving.
Luo Lingfeng didn’t stop him. She let him go. However, not every elder had such integrity. Under Luo Lingfeng’s sinister and cold gaze, someone made a move, and a fish head flew up, fresh red blood splattering on the ground. Immediately after, others also acted. In an instant, the air was filled with the smell of blood.
After the elder left in a rage, he went directly to Jiang Jiuxiao’s courtyard. After complaining to Jiang Jiuxiao, he raised his voice, “Junior is bullying others too much!”
“Embezzling spiritual pills and elixirs, kidnapping mortals, robbing and killing… All these things, which one is not wrong?” Jiang Jiuxiao’s eyes were filled with melancholy, but she could only use those people and tolerate them. “Uncle Master, why do you think she protected the Luoshui Divine Palace?” Jiang Jiuxiao asked.
The elder said with a black face, as if it were a matter of course, “This is the place where she was born and raised. How could she not protect it?”
Jiang Jiuxiao suddenly turned her head and stared at the elder. After a long while, she said slowly, “The arrogance of the Luo family, it turns out, is inherited.” Meeting the elder’s surprised gaze, she said decisively, “Uncle Master, if you want to save your life, leave the Luoshui Divine Palace immediately.”
The elder’s expression was hesitant. The three families were pressuring them so much. Once they stepped out of the Luoshui Divine Palace’s territory, they would definitely be intercepted and killed by the other party. They were willing to take in some disciples and followers, but those who were from the Luo family like him were not tolerated at all. His lips trembled, and he sighed softly, “It’s not that bad. I remember back then, although she didn’t like to talk to others, she was benevolent and charitable in the mortal world. Her heart was still good.”
Jiang Jiuxiao: “…” Luo Lingfeng didn’t have a good heart at all!