After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 39

With a thunderous roar, a muffled thunder rolled, and a rainstorm poured down without warning.
The rain fell like a torrent, pouring from beneath the eaves and landing on the floor tiles with a crackling sound.
A lightning bolt struck, casting a pale light on the elder’s face. From the elder’s expression, Jiang Jiuxiao knew he was unwilling and unable to leave the Luoshui Divine Palace. She could only hide a sigh in her heart. This matter was unexpected. She could no longer remedy it; it was beyond her power. She had considered returning to the Dustless Sea, but quickly dismissed that thought.
“Wouldn’t they know that the other disciples of the Luoshui Divine Palace are innocent?” The elder took a deep breath. His eyelids drooped, and his expression was unusually solemn. Meeting Jiang Jiuxiao’s gaze, he said forcefully, “Those three families just want to find an excuse to eliminate us. If we leave the Luoshui Divine Palace, I dare not imagine what the outcome will be.” A dignified Cavern Heaven cultivator, and the three families were related by blood. But to directly kill their primal souls, leaving no chance of reincarnation, how cruel could they be?
“Although people from other sects have not appeared, they are still watching here. If those three families still have any shame, they would not do such a thing,” Jiang Jiuxiao said, but she had no confidence when she said this. Because Luo Yuankun and Luo Yuanshu were taken back by the Wen family and Tang family respectively. The people of the three families did not show their faces, but these two brothers could stand on the side of the “Luo family” and eliminate “traitors.”
The wind blew, and the heavy rain roared.
Jiang Jiuxiao’s face became increasingly grim. She eagerly took a few steps outwards. The sparse, cold rain brushed against her eyelashes. “I’ll go see her,” she said, as if she had made a decision, her expression unusually solemn.
Behind her, the elder secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His tense nerves relaxed.
In the exquisitely decorated Crystal Palace, a thick smell of blood permeated the air. The heavy rain outside pressed down the sky, making it extremely dark, while the palace was illuminated by various precious pearls, as bright as the moon.
Many demon corpses were piled on the ground. To one side were the Luoshui Divine Palace elders, trembling like sieves. These originally formidable Nascent Soul True Monarchs had no dignity in the palace, in front of Luo Lingfeng. They bowed their heads and hunched their backs, like quails. After looking around the palace, Jiang Jiuxiao finally looked up at Luo Lingfeng, who was sitting at the head.
She propped her chin, her eyes and eyebrows curved in an enchanting smile. Her sleeves hung down, the folds in her clothes stacked like spreading water ripples, elegant and ethereal. Her face was a little pale. Anyone could see that she was not in a good state, but no one dared to try her strength again.
“Why aren’t you returning to the Dustless Sea?” Luo Lingfeng looked at Jiang Jiuxiao. How benevolent was she? She had allowed her two younger brothers to leave as they wished. If Jiang Jiuxiao wanted to return to the demon territory, she would not stop her either.
Jiang Jiuxiao met Luo Lingfeng’s gaze, and a chill ran down her spine. This “letting go” now was probably for “killing” later. This good elder sister of hers had always been cruel and cold, but in the past, everything was hidden behind her ice-like, untouched beauty. “What do you want?” Jiang Jiuxiao asked.
“This is the Luoshui Divine Palace,” Luo Lingfeng’s expression was somewhat complex. She lowered her eyelids, as if lost in thought. Her mother had been quite famous in the Fu Li Immortal Realm. She had also entered the Cavern Heaven realm at that time. How could she have died of anger due to Luo Hengjun and her sister’s betrayal? If it weren’t for her, how could this have happened? Her mother wished for her to leave, but where could she go?
It’s power, and perhaps there are other purposes. Jiang Jiuxiao silently added in her heart. She did not believe that Luo Lingfeng would find a sense of home here.
“Are you afraid that if you return to the Dustless Sea, you won’t have a reason to return?” Luo Lingfeng’s words suddenly reached her ears, startling Jiang Jiuxiao back to her senses. She looked up at Luo Lingfeng. Her deep eyes were like an icy arrow, seemingly piercing through everything. Jiang Jiuxiao did indeed think so, but she did not want to answer.
And Luo Lingfeng was not very interested in Jiang Jiuxiao’s true thoughts. She carelessly stroked her hanging white hair and brought up the matter of the Corridor of Sins defense line. “Although most of the Luoshui Divine Palace disciples are stationed on the Sunset Floating Island, there are still some in the Northern Continent, the real location of the Corridor of Sins. What do you think will happen if they find out about the Luoshui Divine Palace matter?”
Jiang Jiuxiao’s pupils abruptly contracted. There were also some Luo family descendants there. Compared to the elders who lived a life of ease in the Luoshui Divine Palace, they were like a sharp sword, eager to cut through the dust left by the years.
“Cloud City also has disciples there. I have already taken care of them. I won’t let those clan members be killed by the three families,” Luo Lingfeng said with a smile.
Jiang Jiuxiao’s face was taut. Was she worried about the three families? She was clearly afraid that Luo Lingfeng would make a move?! She dared to cooperate with Zhou Yuxiao because since ancient times, many people had done so. They each had their own selfish motives, but it did not affect the overall situation at all. And Luo Lingfeng? If she went mad, would she disregard the lives of her fellow immortal sect cultivators?
“What do you want?” Jiang Jiuxiao repeated again. This sentence was a little cold, as if squeezed out from between her teeth. She had hurried through the rain. Her brocade clothes and draped shawl were wet with rain. Her damp hair clung to her skin, and she looked a little disheveled. At this moment, she looked even more sorrowful and innocent. She had come in a hurry, but she hadn’t even dispelled her protective spiritual energy.
Luo Lingfeng laughed at her and, after a while, said blandly, “My good sister, it’s not what I want, but what you should do.” She abruptly stood up. The jade pendants decorating her clothes swayed, making a clear and melodious sound. She walked to Jiang Jiuxiao’s side and, taking out a jade Ruyi from somewhere, lifted Jiang Jiuxiao’s chin. “I want the Luoshui Divine Palace. I only want the Luoshui Divine Palace!” A chilling hostility suddenly erupted from her eyes.
Jiang Jiuxiao understood her meaning in an instant.
She wanted the Luoshui Divine Palace because this was the place where she grew up, where her mother perished. As for the disciples in the palace, they were all dust that should be swept away. The reason they didn’t end up like those demon cultivators was not because Luo Lingfeng felt compassion for her own kind, but because the mistakes they made were not punishable by death. Despite this, they should not expect to live in the Luoshui Divine Palace.
“Haven’t you always wanted to cultivate your own power? When Luo Hengjun was here, you were just borrowing his prestige. You can follow me, or you can follow any of Luo Yuankun or Luo Yuanshu.” Luo Lingfeng paused for a moment, and undisguised disgust surfaced in her eyes. “Take them and leave. As for how you leave, my good sister, you shouldn’t need me to teach you.”
The jade Ruyi was cold and hard, without any warmth. Her jawbone was pressed against it. A faint pain traveled through her limbs, but even more so, it was a sense of unwillingness, of humiliation. Jiang Jiuxiao’s eyes turned into cold, golden vertical pupils. Her aura fluctuated, as if she would leap up and break the jade Ruyi in the next moment. But she endured it. She slowly lowered her head and said coldly, “I will take them to the Northern Continent!”
Luo Lingfeng showed a satisfied smile because of Jiang Jiuxiao’s obedience.
However, the people standing in the hall were struck by a thunderbolt. Their faces were filled with shock and panic. Those who could sit in the position of elder had at least Golden Core cultivation. But cultivation alone was not enough. They also had to circulate and distribute resources… Anyway, this position was not obtained through fighting in the Northern Continent.
These elders, let alone facing the cruelty of the Northern Continent directly, had not even been to the Sunset Burial Mounds.
“I refuse!” When it came to their own survival, an elder finally mustered his courage and said loudly with a grim face, “According to the rules of my Luoshui Divine Palace, we are free to choose whether or not to patrol the border!”
Jiang Jiuxiao turned to look at the audacious elder.
The next moment, the jade Ruyi that was originally pressing against Jiang Jiuxiao’s chin shot out like a green light. At the same time, Luo Lingfeng’s laughter echoed, along with words that sounded chillingly cold.
“Then go to hell!”
Jiang Jiuxiao intended to recruit these elders, so she couldn’t just watch them being killed in front of her. Almost the instant the jade Ruyi shot out, she extended her palm and grasped the jade Ruyi, squeezing it so hard that it almost turned into powder. Before Luo Lingfeng could cause trouble, Jiang Jiuxiao reprimanded the elder, “Exterminating demons and upholding justice is our responsibility.”
As her words fell, a mocking chuckle came from behind her.
Someone who had colluded with demons could say such righteous words.
“Go back and pack your bags. If all else fails, you can prepare a coffin in advance,” Luo Lingfeng’s words were arrogant and indifferent.
Intimidated by Luo Lingfeng’s power, even if they were unwilling, the elders still retreated from the hall. One of them, with some foresight, also carried away the piled-up demon corpses in the hall.
In the blink of an eye, only the two sisters remained in the hall.
“You know I want to kill you,” Jiang Jiuxiao looked at Luo Lingfeng with an expressionless face. After a moment, she suddenly laughed, “To be fair, there is no deep hatred between us sisters. But I want the Luoshui Divine Palace to live, and you want the Luoshui Divine Palace to die. This means we are destined to be on different paths.” There were many people she wanted to kill, not because they deserved to die, but because on this path, it was a life-and-death struggle. Right and wrong were meaningless.
“Then what?” Luo Lingfeng asked with a smile. Her expression was calm, and her tone was indifferent, as if she were speaking of something unrelated to herself, in a carefree manner.
She didn’t take herself seriously. It was just like when she saw her kill someone back then. She would only glance lightly, not at all afraid of her reporting her. This kind of disregard for others made Jiang Jiuxiao’s heart burn with a crimson fire. She raised her voice and said angrily, “If I have a chance, I will still do it.”
Luo Lingfeng uttered an “Mm,” and said, “Then I wish you, on that cruel battlefield, a life of survival?”
Her life was destined to be one of betrayal and separation. Then let them fight to the death!
The torrential rain fell for a day and a night.
The long night was nearing its end. A greyish-white cloud smeared the sky, and the edges were tinged with a faint golden hue, illuminated by the sunlight that was still hidden in the mountains.
The Luoshui Divine Palace disciples cleared their names and were willing to patrol the border of the Northern Continent. The Jiang family, Wen family, and Tang family could not stop them, nor could they hinder them. While they were worried about these people returning for revenge, they also had their own people guarding the border. On that cruel battlefield, it would be even more undetectable to make a move.
“They have finally escaped this predicament,” Xie Zhichao said slowly to Wei Yunshu at Buzhou Peak, talking about the matters of the Luoshui Divine Palace. Her eyes were sparkling, and she said happily, “But this is also good. At least they have some ability. It’s better than being confined in the Luoshui Divine Palace doing nothing. If they accumulate enough merit points, they might even be able to rise again one day.”
“I just fear that those three families won’t let them live,” Xie Zhichao added a moment later.
“After the elders left, that person also went to the Sunset Burial Mounds and planted the Blood Thorn as promised. And her avatar also disappeared like smoke. But I feel that this matter won’t pass so easily. Does she really disregard her own essence and abandon her avatar?”
Wei Yunshu listened seriously, just as before. The matter of the Luoshui Divine Palace seemed to be resolved, but there was still a hidden thread.
She no longer heard anyone mention the “sacred heart of a saint,” but could she really pretend it didn’t exist?
“Life in the future is likely to be restless,” Xie Zhichao concluded. Cultivators who reached the Cavern Heaven realm rarely perished in battle. In the past few hundred years, only Cavern Heaven True Monarchs from the Luoshui Divine Palace and Cloud City had died in battle. It was like a beginning, a heavy door that had been silently pushed open.
Wei Yunshu was silent. She nodded.
Xie Zhichao stretched, and the deep sorrow and bitterness in her eyes only lingered for a moment before they became spirited again, “It’s also an opportunity to compete.”
But the gate to heaven was closed. Above the Cavern Heaven realm, there was no hope.
Wei Yunshu thought to herself.
When her master, Yun Qingzi, tried to break through the barrier, she had said something to her. She said that entering the Cavern Heaven realm in two hundred years was truly unfathomable. She hoped that Wei Yunshu would suppress her cultivation. Because after reaching the third realm of Cavern Heaven, a strong sensation would arise at a certain moment. Only at that time would it be possible to cross that barrier.
At that time, she thought the sooner she achieved Dao Fruit, the better.
But her master just shook her head, her face covered with an indescribable sadness.
She had once thought that with her master’s level of cultivation, she would definitely be able to find the answer. But now, it seemed there was no hope at all.
Time flew by like a white horse passing through a gap in the wall. Several months passed in the blink of an eye.
Buzhou Peak was peaceful. Besides spending some time wandering with Xie Zhichao at the beginning, the remaining time, Wei Yunshu sat in her cave, slowly absorbing the energy of the sun, moon, and stars, little by little, healing the wounds on her divine soul. She had originally wanted to take a walk on the Sword-Challenging Path, but Shi Wufang sent her a flying message, asking her to adjust her state so that she could better fit the puppet body being forged in the earth fire and heavenly furnace.
Perhaps it was because she was in a sword Dao sect, the Taiyi Sword in her aperture also became active, wanting to rush out every now and then.
This day, just as Wei Yunshu had suppressed the Taiyi Sword, she received a flying message from Xie Zhichao. She glanced at it and immediately flew towards the mountain gate.
“It’s one of our affiliated immortal cities of Buzhou Peak. The annual rent collection has been postponed for two months. Senior Sister Ran asked me to go check the situation,” Xie Zhichao explained in a low voice. Every sect had affiliated forces. Those cities needed their protection and would inevitably pay a corresponding price. However, small matters like collecting rent would not be assigned to a True Disciple under a Cavern Heaven cultivator like Xie Zhichao.
Meeting Wei Yunshu’s puzzled gaze, Xie Zhichao smiled and said, “Alright, that city is called Liubo City, and it’s known for brewing wine. Thirty percent of Buzhou Peak’s spiritual wine comes from that city.” She hadn’t earned a single penny on this trip and was in a dire situation, unable to pay off her debt to Senior Sister Ran. If it weren’t for Junior Sister giving her a few jars of wine, she would have been forced to quit drinking! Thinking this, Xie Zhichao touched the wine gourd hanging from her waist, her expression filled with lament.
Xie Zhichao said again, “Fellow Daoist Bo, you must go there and taste the wine. Although the wine sold in the streets is mortal wine without spiritual energy, I always feel that it is the true wine.”
Wei Yunshu smiled and nodded.
Liubo City was not far from Buzhou Peak. It only took half a day to travel by flying boat.
Leaving around noon, upon arriving at Liubo City, they saw the sunset over the rivers, the sky a beautiful golden color.
Xie Zhichao inhaled the fragrance of wine coming from all directions, suppressing the desire to “drink until she’s drunk.” She frowned slightly and turned to Wei Yunshu, “The formations around the city are complete, and our Buzhou Peak disciples are in the city. Everything seems fine.” She didn’t go to the city lord’s mansion. Instead, she grabbed a Buzhou disciple on the city wall and inquired.
The disciple was stunned for a moment, then honestly cupped his hands and said, “The Liubo wine was already escorted back to the sect three months ago. We haven’t received any flying messages from the sect recently.”
Xie Zhichao’s face turned grim. “Where did the wine go? Who dared to intercept my Buzhou Peak’s things?”
The Buzhou disciples also realized that something was wrong. They took out a slender bamboo tube from their sleeves. With a surge of spiritual energy, a brilliant flame rose in the air. A moment later, several rainbows streaked across the sky, all landing at this location. Xie Zhichao asked them the same question, and the answer was consistent. They nervously contacted the disciples who had escorted the Liubo wine back to the sect, but received no response.
After looking at each other for a while, the Buzhou disciple standing in front immediately bowed and apologized, “Senior Sister, we were negligent.” It was because they had not encountered any problems with delivering the wine in the past. And not returning for three months was not a big deal for Buzhou disciples. After all, Buzhou sword cultivators were warlike and might have postponed their return if they encountered a formidable opponent.
Xie Zhichao was not very happy.
Although Buzhou disciples drank alcohol, there were few who loved drinking as much as she did. In the end, all that wine was prepared for her.
As a result, all her wine was missing!
Xie Zhichao asked again, “How much Liubo wine is left in the city?”
After a while, the disciple smiled wryly and held up five fingers.
Xie Zhichao said, “Fifty jars?”
The Buzhou disciple gave Xie Zhichao a mournful look and explained, “No, it’s five jars.” Liubo wine was a spiritual wine, and mortals should not drink too much of it. Of course, not too much was left in the city. These disciples occasionally drank for entertainment, so the remaining wine was also consumed.
Xie Zhichao said, “Buy it all.” She touched her storage pouch, but then she suddenly remembered her current predicament: her hands were empty. She immediately turned to look at Wei Yunshu.
Wei Yunshu was a little amused by Xie Zhichao’s expression. She took out a lot of spiritual pills and jade and handed them to the Buzhou disciple in front of her.
If it were their own wine, the Buzhou disciples would never accept these spiritual pills and jade. But this belonged to Liubo City. He said, “Thank you,” and then looked at the rather unfamiliar Wei Yunshu with curiosity, asking, “Senior Sister Xie, who is this?”
“She is our guest elder, surnamed Bo. You can call her Elder Bo. Wait—” Xie Zhichao flicked her sleeve and said again, “That’s a bit too formal. You can call her Senior Sister Bo.”
The Buzhou disciples greeted her and then dispersed.
Wei Yunshu looked at Xie Zhichao. A thought flickered in her mind. She said, “Are you preparing to lure the snake out of its hole?”
“Let’s try,” Xie Zhichao was not holding much hope. Her mind was heavy. She said again, “The wine was stolen without anyone noticing. What if it’s a kidnapping next time?” She didn’t want such a danger to lurk within Buzhou’s territory. As a disciple of Buzhou, she had to find a way to remove this dangerous thorn.
Outside Liubo City.
The twilight gradually deepened. The city walls cast a vast and grotesque shadow, like a ferocious beast with claws and fangs.
Xie Zhichao didn’t know where she had found a cow. She flipped onto its back. After taking a sip of the fine wine, she urged Wei Yunshu to quickly bring out A’mang.
Wei Yunshu looked at her, a little amused.
Xie Zhichao said assertively, “I saw a painting in the Ancestral Hall. The Ancestor, in a hemp robe, rode a cow and drifted away. I think that’s excellent. I also want to become a figure like the Ancestor in the future, so I’ll start by learning to ride a cow.”
Wei Yunshu said, “Very polite,” and rode her little donkey, holding her whisk. Her figure was graceful, her demeanor spirited. Her white robe fluttered in the night wind, adding a touch of otherworldly charm. However, the braying of the donkey pulled her back to the mortal world.
Originally, they were just walking slowly on the road, but A’mang, for some reason, became agitated. It kicked up its hooves and galloped forward rapidly, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Xie Zhichao slapped the green ox beneath her, urging it forward. However, the ox had no spiritual intelligence whatsoever and continued to move slowly and leisurely. By the time Xie Zhichao caught up, A’mang suddenly turned its head, its eyes rolling, and grinned, its donkey mouth open, smiling strangely under the moonlight.
Xie Zhichao was startled. She actually saw mockery and contempt on a donkey’s furry face.
“Fellow Daoist Bo, has this foolish donkey become a spirit?”
Hearing Xie Zhichao’s words, A’mang raised its hoof and kicked, hitting the green ox’s front leg squarely. With a crack, the green ox fell to its knees, tilting forward. Xie Zhichao moved extremely fast, landing lightly on the ground. She glared angrily at the mischievous A’mang.
Wei Yunshu covered her eyes.
She flicked her finger, and a stream of spiritual energy struck the green ox’s leg, healing its injury. Then she took out several pills. However, before she could feed them to the green ox, she saw a flash of light, darker than the night, streak past. Wei Yunshu reached out and grabbed, leaving only a wisp of black, fine hair between her fingers.
Xie Zhichao’s expression suddenly changed, and she asked, “What was that?”
“Perhaps some kind of exotic beast?” Wei Yunshu said softly, looking at the thing curled up in her palm. She exchanged a look with Xie Zhichao. Xie Zhichao understood and slowly retreated. She took out a new formation disk from her sleeve.
Wei Yunshu lowered her eyelids and took out another spiritual pill.
Almost the instant the spiritual fragrance of the pill spread, the black shadow lunged forward again. The formation disk was placed, and Wei Yunshu’s right whisk simultaneously struck the black shadow! With a bang, the black shadow was thrown backward. Its form finally became clear. It was a long-tailed Mountain sparrow with silver throat, but its color was very strange, as if it had been soaked in ink. It was as black as a lump of coal.
Wei Yunshu looked at the black little creature. She had held back her strength in that strike, but it was still something that this seemingly fragile little Mountain sparrow could not withstand. However, besides being dizzy at first, it was perfectly fine. After two “chirps,” it spread its wings and flew up. It lightly pecked forward, and the formation array, like paper pasted together, instantly shattered.
Xie Zhichao couldn’t help but frown, and alarm bells rang in her heart.
Although this formation disk was not as powerful as the previous one, even a Nascent Soul True Monarch could not break it so easily.
“Is it the artifact spirit of a True Artifact used to break formations?” Xie Zhichao looked up at Wei Yunshu, her mind constantly churning. If it was an artifact spirit, where was the True Artifact’s owner? And what was their cultivation level? The sharp saber light illuminated a silver frost-like white under the clear moonlight. The tip of the saber flowed with a sharp brilliance, pointing directly at the little black bird.
“No,” Wei Yunshu shook her head. She turned to Xie Zhichao and said seriously, “Throw a jar of wine.”
Xie Zhichao didn’t understand, but she still followed the instruction.
With a bang, the wine jar shattered.
The fragrance of wine permeated the air.
The little black bird opened its mouth and sharply inhaled. The wine that was about to fall to the ground instantly changed trajectory, like a rainbow bridge, flowing with sparkling light under the moonlight.
A moment later.
This palm-sized little black bird let out a burp. It hopped onto the green ox’s back, spread its wings, and arrogantly spoke in human language.
“Where is the sake offered to this Divine Lord? Why hasn’t it been presented yet?”