After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 65

Relief washed over Wei Yunshu upon hearing this.
A vast surge of spiritual energy churned and rolled, countless brilliant rays of light dancing in the air. Amidst the howling Youluo Astral Winds, the sound of ten thousand thunders rumbled, grand and immense, like a tidal wave approaching. Wei Yunshu stabilized her spiritual energy, sword in hand, and stood firm in the void. She gazed at the figures encircling her ahead and calmly spoke their names.
Yun Kuan, Su Jinling, Yue Chengyuan, as well as Chu Bian and Wu Gou. An elder from each of the five great families of Cloud City had arrived. These five were quite wary of Wei Yunshu. From her appearance, her cultivation was only at the Nascent Soul stage, but no one knew if there had been any changes, especially since three years ago, Wei Yunshu was already in the Cavern Heaven Realm. Yun Kuan, among the five, stepped forward first. Without calling out her name, he simply produced his magic sword, bowed, and said, “I ask for your grace.”
Yue Chengyuan declared, “The Taiyi Sword is a treasured artifact of our Cloud City; it must be returned to Cloud City.”
Yun Kuan glanced at Yue Chengyuan and remained silent.
Wei Yunshu chuckled softly. Since the calamity three years ago, even though she wished to let go of the past, whenever she encountered cultivators from the Five Surnames, it could only end in a fight to the death. After all, they feared her seeking revenge, didn’t they? She sighed, her sword light swirling around her, the stars flowing and then suddenly shattering, transforming into countless faint, flickering flames that scattered forward. Yun Kuan and the others dared not be careless. They channeled their spiritual energy into a shield of protective light, and brandishing their magic artifacts, they attacked Wei Yunshu.
Though the five acted in concert, each harbored their own intentions. Yun Kuan and Su Jinling, knowing the capabilities of the Cloud Sovereign, struck fiercely with no room for mercy. Chu Bian and Wu Gou, on the other hand, were rather cautious, prioritizing their own protection. After all, these two clans no longer had Cavern Heaven Realm cultivators presiding over them; Nascent Soul Daoists were the peak power of their families and the hope for future ascension to the Cavern Heaven Realm, so any loss was unacceptable. As for Yue Chengyuan, having been defeated by Chi Fengchao earlier, he harbored a deep resentment and wished to seize this opportunity to re-establish his reputation, thus his attacks were purely seeking speed. Consequently, though the five attacked together, their coordination was not optimal. From Wei Yunshu’s perspective, their assaults were a mix of fast and slow.
Wei Yunshu sneered and unleashed two streams of sword light directly at Chu Bian and Wu Gou’s faces. The two were greatly alarmed and hastily manipulated their magic artifacts to defend themselves. The seemingly explosive assault was thus reduced to only three. Wei Yunshu ignored Yun Kuan and Su Jinling and raised her hand, producing the Three Lights Dragon Capturing Seal and striking towards Yue Chengyuan. The three lights descended, brilliant and resplendent, their power fierce. With the fall of this seal, the Youluo wind was instantly torn apart, and the seal continued its momentum, targeting Yue Chengyuan directly. Yue Chengyuan was greatly shocked. He channeled his spiritual energy, formed a hand seal, and prepared to attack again. However, halfway through circulating his spiritual energy, a cold, stern word, “Suppress!” echoed in his ears. Yue Chengyuan, unable to evade, froze instantly and took a direct hit from the Three Lights Dragon Capturing Seal, spitting out blood.
Though all this seemed slow, it happened in an instant. The sound of swords ringing grew louder and louder, unceasingly. As Yun Kuan and Su Jinling’s attacks arrived, the Taiyi Sword flashed with light, unleashing ten thousand feet of brilliance, soaring and spinning, breaking through the oncoming assaults one by one. This outcome was within Yun Kuan’s expectations. However—he turned his head to look at Chu Bian and Wu Gou and called out loudly, “What are you two worrying about? Why did you not attack just now?”
Chu Bian and Wu Gou did not answer, merely glancing indifferently at Yue Chengyuan, a hint of worry flashing in their eyes.
“Thank you for your assistance, fellow Daoist,” Wei Yunshu turned her head and said softly.
Chi Fengchao nodded to Wei Yunshu as a return courtesy. She had already escaped her previous opponent and was now free to focus on the cultivators of Cloud City, especially Yue Chengyuan.
Not far away, Yue Chengyuan, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips, looked extremely displeased.
At this moment, the Youluo Mountain was buffeted by fierce winds. Although one of the peaks had been shattered by Wei Yunshu, the Youluo Astral Winds there was extremely violent, making it difficult for ordinary people to escape. The only passage was the “One-Line Sky.” However, that area was now firmly held by the Dustless Sea’s demon soldiers, clearly allowing no one to pass.
Water swirled, and the originally clear and tranquil great marsh slowly reflected a bloody hue.
Beyond the One-Line Sky, several sword lights crisscrossed, flashing suddenly. With each sweep, they brought with them large swathes of blood and erupted with thunderous booms, the rumbling continuous. Since the cultivators of various sects had gathered at Youluo Mountain, Xiang Jun had also mobilized the demon soldiers from all sides, preparing to deal with the group of cultivators who held different Daoist intentions. They blocked the only entrance and exit of the One-Line Sky, like a halberd thrust into Youluo Mountain. At this sudden onslaught, they were momentarily unable to react. By the time the demon generals retreated to the rear, the water surface was covered with floating corpses, dyeing the river water a deep red.
“They’ve arrived faster than we anticipated,” the demon general’s expression was grim. He glanced at the several figures in front of him and sneered, “However, with just you few, do you think you can slay the ten thousand troops of my Dustless Sea?” He threw eight banners in various directions, raised his voice, and roared, “Soldiers, form ranks!” At his command, the demon soldiers who had not yet entered Youluo Mountain immediately turned their heads and formed a vast formation. The auras of numerous demon soldiers and generals connected, instantly igniting their momentum and charging towards the nine heavens.
“Dustless Sea does have some skills,” a sword cultivator with a high ponytail and dressed in black praised. His gaze was deep and dim, and he threw his head back and laughed, “It’s been a long time since such a thrilling battle! Let me see how powerful the Dustless Sea’s formation is!”
“Junior Brother Ning, don’t mess around,” the female cultivator at the head gently brushed aside a strand of hair, smiling, “Fortunately, our Senior Sister explained the Dustless Sea’s military formations to us before we came, otherwise, if we ran into them unprepared, who knows when we would be able to break through.”
In the Dustless Sea, cultivators either lived in seclusion on their own islands or pledged allegiance to the Dragon Palace or other Cavern Heaven Realm powers. Unlike humans, demon races, lacking the talent for spiritual energy cultivation, relied on potent medicinal elixirs to strengthen their bodies. However, if their innate talent was insufficient, they could never find the great Dao. Those demon races became laborers, becoming the soldiers of the Dustless Sea. When a large number of soldiers gathered together through formations, even highly skilled cultivators, if they did not find the proper method, would be trapped and killed within the formation.
“Understood, understood,” the sword cultivator replied full of agreement.
The cultivators who had arrived here were the disciples of Buzhou, led by Ran Xiuyun. Even though there were only five of them, they possessed the strength to destroy an entire mountain.
On the northern border, the Great Wall.
Yan Danwo was in quiet cultivation when she suddenly heard the news of the chaotic sword fighting tournament in Youluo Mountain, and her brow furrowed deeply. She knew that the various sects had chosen Youluo Mountain as the location for the sword fighting, and although she disliked such behavior, she did not speak out against it nor did she try to restrain her disciples. If the sword fighting proceeded normally, the impact on the border would generally be negligible. However, if a true battle to the death occurred, it was inevitable that rogue cultivators from the Corridor of Sins would take the opportunity to cross the border. After much thought, she finally issued an order: “Everyone guard all passes, and do not concern yourselves with matters in Youluo Mountain.” She paused, then bowed to the void and said gently, “True Monarch, I will trouble you to keep an eye on this place.”
The room was silent for a moment before a childish voice replied, “This is my duty.”
Yan Danwo nodded. She was preparing to go to Youluo Mountain herself, but just as she was about to leave, she sensed the spiritual energy emanating from Cavern Heaven Realm cultivators. Her expression shifted, and she had to temporarily set aside the matter of Youluo Mountain, instead heading towards the direction where the several Cavern Heaven Realm energies converged. Are these families feeling that fighting in the Immortal Realm was not enough, and now they are extending the war to the Northern Continent? Yan Danwo thought to herself, her expression immediately turning cold and stern.
By the border wall.
Jiang Jiuxiao stood tall and graceful, calmly watching the beam of light disappear. When she and the elders of Luoshui Divine Palace successfully reached the Northern Continent, their numbers had already decreased by a quarter. After fighting with rogue cultivators in the Northern Continent, another quarter was lost. Those pampered elders, despite possessing powerful cultivation, had extremely poor combat skills. Fortunately, there were still descendants of the Luo family in the Northern Continent. Although their influence could not be consolidated, at least they could unite to fight.
Her initial plan was to expand her own forces, restore the Luoshui Divine Palace, and ultimately seize control of the Luoshui Divine Palace. However, when Su Yuntian appeared at the border, her resolve began to waver. Fueled by her hatred for Luo Lingfeng, she quickly formed an alliance with Su Yuntian and learned from him about the matters concerning the Shang Qing Divine Realm in the secret realm. Just as she was contemplating whether her stance was wrong, Xiang Jun from the Dustless Sea, who had been silent since returning, suddenly contacted her, intending to seize the northern border. However, for someone who had never engaged in border skirmishes or fought with rogue cultivators, it was difficult to gain a foothold, let alone directly seize power. Achieving her goal peacefully was simply impossible. If it were only Xiang Jun, Jiang Jiuxiao would not have been willing to help, but this time the Dragon Lord himself had made a move, and the northern border was definitely a must-have.
Now the situation in Youluo Mountain was indeed chaotic, and the Cavern Heaven Realm cultivators had all come to the border. How could she seize greater benefits from this? Jiang Jiuxiao pondered with a furrowed brow, and suddenly, she felt an inexplicable palpitation. At this level of cultivation, even a twitch of the eye or a tremor of the heart was a warning sign. Without hesitation, she moved, and a radiant aura shield, like glass, suddenly appeared around her. She raised her hand and slapped out, sending several streams of profound light outwards! A muffled thunderous roar sounded, the profound light shattered in an instant, and cracks appeared on the glass aura shield. A drop of dark, abyssal heavy water suspended itself in front of Jiang Jiuxiao, emitting a dangerous aura.
Jiang Jiuxiao muttered an expletive, twisted her stiff neck, and turned towards the person who stepped out of the void. She forced an awkward smile and raised her sleeve in a salute, saying, “True Monarch Luo.”
Luo Lingfeng curled her lips and smiled, “Your efforts in the Northern Continent for several months have yielded more results than a century of busyness at Luoshui Divine Palace.”
Jiang Jiuxiao could not discern the joy or anger in her words and was very concerned for her own life. For a moment, she had no time to consider her future plans, focusing entirely on dealing with Luo Lingfeng. She replied, “After arriving in the Northern Continent, I realized that to gather like-minded individuals, the only thing one can offer is sincerity.”
“Mhm,” Luo Lingfeng nodded, nonchalantly. “Your sincerity was selling Su Yuntian’s information to the Dustless Sea, and passing Luo Yuanshu’s whereabouts in the Northern Continent to Wen Danhua, thereby causing the destruction of the Youluo Mountain sword fighting grand assembly, and also using that opportunity to capture Wen Danhua, luring Wen Xianren to the border to meet with the Dragon Lord and discuss defecting to the demons.”
Jiang Jiuxiao: “…” She felt that Luo Lingfeng’s words were not right, yet she did not know how to refute them, as those two matters were indeed her doing. As for the current outcome—it had nothing to do with her. After pondering with a furrowed brow for a while, just as Jiang Jiuxiao was about to retort, she met Luo Lingfeng’s deep and treacherous eyes. It was as if she had fallen into an abyss, and she felt intensely cold. The words she had constructed crumbled instantly, her fragmented thoughts swirling. She only managed to grasp a fleeting thought that flashed like lightning and exclaimed, “You know? It was actually you?”
Luo Lingfeng gazed at Jiang Jiuxiao leisurely and said slowly, “What do I know?”
“You—” under that chilling gaze, Jiang Jiuxiao instantly lost the courage to continue speaking. She took a deep breath, avoided Luo Lingfeng’s gaze, and said sternly, “Youluo Mountain is in chaos right now, why are you at the border, True Monarch?”
Luo Lingfeng smiled, raising an eyebrow and saying slowly, “I heard that my aunt has been imprisoned for colluding with demons. How could I not come to see?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Jiuxiao showed a hint of pity. Within Luoshui Divine Palace, the struggles between her siblings were endless, but the reason boiled down to “power.” However, Luo Lingfeng was different. She carried hatred and a deep-seated blood feud. She and Wen Danhua should have been close, but the current situation was not so. In Luoshui Divine Palace, there was probably no one else who hated Wen Danhua as much as Luo Lingfeng did. Compared to betrayal by outsiders, being stabbed by a loved one was the most painful.
Just as Jiang Jiuxiao was contemplating past events, the abyssal heavy water suddenly rained down, stirring up a large tide of spiritual energy. Jiang Jiuxiao’s expression changed greatly, and she shot out several streams of profound light. However, in the face of the overwhelming momentum of the abyssal heavy water, her profound light scattered, and she herself was blasted away by the fierce energy, falling from the city wall and creating a deep pit on the ground. Jiang Jiuxiao’s spirit was shaken, and she was dizzy. In a daze, she heard a contemptuous, mocking scoff in her ear.
“Jiang Jiuxiao, shouldn’t you be pitying yourself?”
Jiang Jiuxiao bit her lip. Before she could reply, she was lifted by a force, and a spiritual pill was suddenly stuffed into her mouth.
Luo Lingfeng did not want to waste any more words with her. She said coldly, “Lead the way to see Wen Danhua!”
On the northern border, there was a prison platform called “Lichen Prison,” built from Lichen Stone from the Abyssal Vortex. In addition to the spirit-binding array, it also contained multiple formations such as the “Mind Clarification Array” and the “True Suchness One Thought Array,” which suppressed the cultivation of the prisoners and used spells and formations to cleanse the mind, eliminating evil thoughts. After all, this place bordered the Corridor of Sins, and beyond the Great Wall was a desolate land filled with demonic aura. Cultivators walking in this area would naturally be stained by demonic energy. If these fallen demon cultivators had not committed evil deeds, they were temporarily detained in “Lichen Prison” and released only after their demonic nature had completely receded.
There were many cultivators guarding the entrance of Lichen Prison, and the leader was Yan Danwo’s direct disciple. Ordinary people could not approach Lichen Prison, but Luo Lingfeng was currently acting in the capacity of “Cloud Sovereign,” so after verifying her identity, the disciples naturally did not stop her.
Within the prison, there were many prisoners, but their spirits were better than Luo Lingfeng had imagined.
Jiang Jiuxiao followed behind Luo Lingfeng and couldn’t help but say, “Those who can persevere through trials in the Northern Continent and survive, even if their cultivation hasn’t improved much, their state of mind is not bad. They are unwilling to fall into the demonic path, so they will strive to eliminate their inner demons.”
Luo Lingfeng said lazily, “Are you praising yourself?”
Jiang Jiuxiao immediately closed her mouth.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the somber and steep prison until they reached the end, finally arriving at Wen Danhua’s cell. Although her status was not low, in Lichen Prison, she was like everyone else. Furthermore, because she showed no remorse, shackles were added to her limbs, and her movements produced the sound of heavy chains dragging.
Luo Lingfeng smiled and observed Wen Danhua in the prison, “It’s been many years, Auntie, why are you so downcast?”
Wen Danhua’s face was contorted with intense hatred. She had already guessed from Wen Xianren that Luo Lingfeng knew the truth of the past, so she no longer pretended to be a kind elder. Instead, she glared at Luo Lingfeng with jealousy and hissed, “At least I’m better off than your current state of being neither human, nor demon, nor ghost!”
Luo Lingfeng did not get angry and smiled, “It seems Auntie wants to be a ghost like Luo Yuankun. My poor brother was begging for mercy even as he died, but who could he blame except for his mother?”
Upon hearing Luo Lingfeng mention her deceased son, Wen Danhua became hysterical. She shouted, “It was you! It was you! That’s why Luo Yuanshu made a move! He and his mother are both cowards! You ordered him!”
Luo Lingfeng did not refute.
Jiang Jiuxiao looked at Luo Lingfeng in surprise. After all, if Luo Lingfeng wanted to kill Luo Yuankun, it would be as easy as crushing an ant. Was there any need for her to order Luo Yuanshu? What purpose did she have for going through such great lengths? If she had killed Luo Yuankun herself, with Wen Danhua’s abilities, she probably wouldn’t have dared to go to Cloud City to seek revenge. Luo Lingfeng had gone in circles, perhaps she just wanted to lure Wen Danhua out? Or perhaps she simply enjoyed sibling strife?
Wen Danhua laughed, her sharp voice interrupting Jiang Jiuxiao’s thoughts.
“You don’t dare to kill me, Wen Xianren won’t let you kill me!”
What could Luo Lingfeng not dare to do? Jiang Jiuxiao, regaining her senses, scoffed at Wen Danhua’s words. What reservations could a heartless madwoman have? She did whatever she pleased. What could please Luo Lingfeng, besides the death of one person, was probably the death of a group of people.
Luo Lingfeng smiled and said, “Let me guess, Auntie is so confident because of the Dao artifact of Luoshui Divine Palace?”
As soon as the words “Dao artifact” were spoken, the madness on Wen Danhua’s face subsided. She looked at Luo Lingfeng expressionlessly, her eyes icy. Jiang Jiuxiao’s heart tightened, filled with both tension and fear. She had not obtained any information about the Dao artifact from Luo Hengjun, and perhaps she could glean something from this conversation. However, in her current state, knowing these things was more detrimental than beneficial. Her thoughts raced, and Jiang Jiuxiao quickly suppressed her greed and made a decision.
“You two haven’t seen each other in a long time, so I won’t disturb your reunion,” Jiang Jiuxiao said, finding a casual excuse. However, before she could leave, a hand landed on her shoulder. Jiang Jiuxiao’s peripheral vision caught sight of those slender, white fingers.
Luo Lingfeng said lightly, “Why leave? Don’t you want to listen?”
At this point, Jiang Jiuxiao’s heart settled back down. What “reunion”? Only a fool would come up with such an excuse. She said sincerely, “It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I can’t.”
“You are very sensible,” Luo Lingfeng praised, and then added, “But why should I let you have your way?”
Jiang Jiuxiao pursed her lips. The unpleasant memories of the past resurfaced, and her fear of Luo Lingfeng was etched into her bones. She was like a ridiculous and pitiable startled bird. Luo Lingfeng was right, how could she pity someone without a heart? In the other’s eyes, she herself was the pitiable one.
“Wen Xianren has already arrived at the northern border,” Luo Lingfeng threw out “good news” that made Wen Danhua smile. She continued, “Grandfather doted on you and taught you the cultivation incantations for operating the Dao artifact, expecting you to be united with Wen Xianren’s siblings in the future, right? But unfortunately, no amount of blood ties or affection can compare to immense power. You willingly attached yourself to Luo Hengjun, thinking that the two of you working together would be equivalent to half of the control over the Dao artifact?”
“There is one thing you definitely do not know.”
Wen Danhua bit her lip tightly, refusing to answer.
Jiang Jiuxiao, quick to speak, blurted out, “What?”
Luo Lingfeng glanced at the sheepish Jiang Jiuxiao and replied, “Perhaps the Old Master of the Wen family had a moment of clarity before his death and passed the Dao cultivation incantations to my mother. Coincidentally, the Old Master of the Luo family also knew that Luo Hengjun was useless and had long passed on the method of operating the Dao artifact to my mother.” She smiled as she gazed at Wen Danhua and added another sentence, “Tell me, if I want you dead, what will Wen Xianren choose?”
“You, you—” Wen Danhua’s mind was shaken. After a long time, she managed to squeeze out a sentence, “Impossible!”
Luo Lingfeng smiled and said, “Why not try and find out?” She recited the incantations as if no one else were present.
Wen Danhua’s expression changed drastically, and she dragged the chains with a clatter. Her eyes red, she glared at Luo Lingfeng and shouted, “Stop! Stop!” She was clearly furious, her chest heaving violently, only thinking of roaring to drown out Luo Lingfeng’s voice. In her emotional turmoil, she did not notice the flow of her own spiritual energy. By the time she realized it, a golden light had gathered on her forehead. Wen Danhua felt a sharp pain and reached out to grasp the light, whatever it was. Luo Lingfeng watched her coldly, her incantations reaching the final words. Her tone suddenly turned cold, like ice.
Wen Danhua shrieked, “No, the last two sentences are not like this, they are not the incantations for controlling the Dao artifact.”
Luo Lingfeng reached out and grabbed the separated golden light, holding it in her palm. Seeing it transform into a “Heavenly Mandate Talisman,” Luo Lingfeng flicked her sleeve and said in a good mood, “Of course not. Do you think the Dao incantations are the most important? Your Dao incantations actually activate this Heavenly Mandate Talisman.” The methods for operating the talisman differed among the four families, and the location of the “Heavenly Mandate Talisman” also varied. The Luo family had refined it entirely into Luoshui Divine Palace, while the Wen family—the Old Master had implanted it into the body of his youngest daughter.
Watching Wen Danhua’s collapsing expression, Luo Lingfeng cruelly mocked, “If not for Luo Yuankun’s death, I really wouldn’t have found an opportunity to meet Auntie.”
“Wen Xianren coming to the northern border to save you means he might truly be cooperating with demons. I wonder how he will react when he finds out that he’s rescuing a useless body.”
Wen Danhua was enraged and vomited a mouthful of blood.
Luo Lingfeng turned to Jiang Jiuxiao and said with a smile, “My dear sister, do you want to tell the Dustless Sea about this news? After all, the Guardian Dao artifact of Luoshui Divine Palace is just an empty shell.”
Jiang Jiuxiao felt an inexplicable chill run down her spine, a sense of danger suddenly arising.
Luo Lingfeng’s voice was neither loud nor soft, her smile was placid, and her spirit was serene, just like the praised Luoshui Divine Maiden from many years ago.
But Jiang Jiuxiao was even more afraid.
The enmity with Luo Lingfeng was not limited to Xiaohan Mountain; the Dustless Sea was also an adversary. If she had schemed against Xiaohan Mountain, would she not scheme against the Dustless Sea?
Her mind buzzed, and Jiang Jiuxiao immediately made a decision, stating with unwavering conviction, “I have no relationship with the Dustless Sea!”