After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 69

Trapped within the formation, Yue Qingtan and Su Lancheng found themselves surrounded by dancing array flags wherever they looked. Their understanding of array formations was insufficient, forcing them to charge forward blindly. However, no matter their actions, the minor demons they could usually crush with a single palm were now protected by true artifacts within the array flags, appearing indestructible.
Flames rained down, bathing everything in a crimson hue. Sparks danced on their robes, impossible to extinguish. Initially, they had harbored the desire to kill Luo Lingfeng completely, but now that thought had vanished, replaced by a desperate wish to find a way to escape. Once back in Cloud City, Luo Lingfeng might hesitate to act further, considering the five great families.
Calming himself, Yue Qingtan transmitted his voice to Su Lancheng, “I have a talisman, the ‘Spatial Tear Talisman.’ It can tear open a rift in space. Daoist Brother, seize the opportunity to escape and fetch reinforcements from Cloud City!” After the battle in the Dustless Sea, Luo Lingfeng still possessed such formidable spiritual energy; they had underestimated her cultivation. To reach this level in a mere two hundred years… there was another Wei Yunshu in this world! How unjust was the Heavenly Dao!
At this point, Su Lancheng did not refuse Yue Qingtan. He brushed the flames from his sleeves, exhaled, and said, “Good.” Besides the endless flames, he also had to contend with sword energies that flickered in the air, ceaselessly regenerating. As Yue Qingtan’s spiritual energy surged, he suddenly threw out a seven-colored stone resembling a rainbow. This seven-colored stone was called a “Meta-Magnetic Stone,” capable of momentarily fixing sword energies in place. At this moment, Yue Qingtan seized the opportunity and released the Spatial Tear Talisman. A fierce energy tore through the sky, and Su Lancheng unleashed his divine ability, escaping immediately.
However, just as his figure moved, a zither melody suddenly echoed in his ears. Luo Lingfeng, seeing that the Meta-Magnetic Stone could impede the sword energies, had put away her sword and begun to play the “Juexian Zither.” She cultivated the “Twenty-Four Chapters of Heavenly Scripture,” an ultimate divine method that could directly lead to the Great Dao. The zither’s music surged like a tide, and within the sonic wave, the dancing Abyssal True Water hummed, condensing into twenty-four luminous orbs of profound light, hurtling towards Su Lancheng.
Su Lancheng frantically erected a spiritual energy shield. Several light sounds echoed, and the shield wavered but held firm, not shattering under the impact of the Abyssal True Water. Su Lancheng rejoiced, but then a tearing pain shot through his consciousness, prolonged and sharp, as if struck by a strange force. His gaze immediately grew unfocused. By the time his senses recovered, the fierce energy that had torn through the sky was gone.
Not far away, Luo Lingfeng cradled her zither, casually plucking the strings and playing an unharmonious melody. His consciousness felt as if it were being plucked by a hand, trembling and throbbing, his head splitting with pain. Only now did he realize that Luo Lingfeng’s previous displays had not been her true strength. When they had treated the Abyssal True Water as her fundamental method, they had overlooked her mastery of the zither! She had cultivated her zither melodies to the peak of perfection, capable of attacking divine consciousness. How had she achieved this?!
Su Lancheng looked at Luo Lingfeng and said hatefully, “Does True Monarch Luo truly intend to be so heartless?” He paused, then added, “When this matter is reported back to Cloud City, my elder brother and Senior Brother Yun will not let you off.”
“Hasn’t Yun Yong gone to Northern Continent? When the Dragon Lord learns that the Dustless Sea has been broken by me, how do you think he will view Cloud City?” Luo Lingfeng smiled faintly and said, “It was you who harbored killing intent first today, so how could you have ended up in this state?”
Su Lancheng retorted angrily, “It was clearly you who laid the trap!”
“Was it me who bound you and dragged you out?” Luo Lingfeng raised an eyebrow and smiled, “True Monarch Su, do not be so shameless. Your current predicament is, in the end, self-inflicted.”
Su Lancheng cursed, “You are a cultivator, yet you collude with the demon race and willingly degrade yourself!”
Luo Lingfeng looked at the furious Su Lancheng, her smile unwavering. When Su Lancheng’s voice quieted down, she said slowly, “Are you finished speaking? If you are, please, fellow Daoist, descend into the abyss.”
The conflict between the Cavern Heaven cultivators stirred extremely powerful spiritual tides, waves of energy rippling outwards, almost covering the entire Fu Li Immortal Realm. This was a situation unseen for three thousand years. However, the cultivators of this era, struck by the “truth,” were momentarily disoriented and unable to ponder such matters. In Youluo Mountain, after the majority of the demon cultivators withdrew, the turbulent winds and clouds gradually subsided. The swordsmen from Buzhou, after sweeping away the demonic aura, brought a moment of clarity to the world.
Xie Zhichao frowned, “Many of the rogue cultivators who stood at the Dustless Sea have fled.”
Ran Xiuyun brushed her hair from her temples and shook her head, “They cannot all be killed.” With the mountains collapsing and the ground shaking, the Youluo Astral Winds, carrying fierce energy, blew towards them. This mountain could no longer be stayed in.
Xie Zhichao asked again, “Shall we return to Buzhou Peak?”
Ran Xiuyun’s brow furrowed slightly, and she said gently, “Let’s go to the Great Wall of Northern Continent.” Then, turning to Wei Yunshu, she asked, “Fellow Daoist Bo, what do you think?”
Wei Yunshu nodded slowly. Her divine consciousness had long since reached the Cavern Heaven realm, and she felt the turbulent Cavern Heaven battle more deeply than ordinary cultivators. The ferocious aura that seemed to sweep away everything, though appearing distant in the extreme heavens, could, if a cultivator wished, descend upon the mortal realm in an instant, destroying earth veins and mountain ranges.
Yu Changfeng suddenly spoke, “With things having reached this state, it’s very strange that the demons and evil cultivators from the Northern Continent’s Corridor of Sins have not brought their forces.” As these words fell, silence descended upon the four. At this point, what they feared least was evil cultivators attacking them, but the abnormal behavior of the evil cultivators… always made one uneasy.
“The intention from the Dustless Sea is to portray the five Primordial Demons as innocent divine lords whose reputations have been tarnished by the evil cultivators of the Corridor of Sins.” Wei Yunshu’s thoughts raced. With a grim expression, under everyone’s scrutinizing gaze, she revealed her guess, “And those five Primordial Demons might play along, sacrificing the evil cultivators of the Corridor of Sins to gain fame in the Fu Li Immortal Realm.” The lands of the Northern Continent were the “Severed-Self” severed by the cultivators of the Shang Qing Divine Realm, a place where “evil thoughts” gathered. Those evil cultivators were cultivators possessed by evil thoughts, not the same kind as the Primordial Demons. The Primordial Demons naturally wouldn’t care about their lives or deaths. As long as they spread evil thoughts to the mortal world, they could gain countless new followers.
Ran Xiuyun took up the conversation, “It is too easy for them to cast aside everything from the past. With just a small sacrifice, insignificant in their eyes, they can convince countless people.” The five Primordial Demons were indeed related to the Shang Qing Divine Realm, and the secret to plucking the Dao fruit and ascending to the upper realm was within reach. Countless cultivators would already rationalize their actions, finding an excuse that aligned with the prevailing sentiment, and they would surely cling to it!
“This is truly troublesome,” Xie Zhichao weighed his empty wine flask, unwilling to think further.
“In the Northern Continent, it is likely that the Cavern Heavens of various families are already present.” Wei Yunshu sighed. How this boundary line would turn out still depended on the battle above the extreme heavens. “However, the boundary was previously guarded by True Monarch Yan Danwo. With her presence, the situation would not be so dire.”
Ran Xiuyun mused thoughtfully. After a long while, she said, “If it truly comes to that level, the Cavern Heavens of our Buzhou will also draw their swords.”
“In any case, do not overthink things now; just do what you ought to do.” Xun Huan retracted her sword energy and gazed at Wei Yunshu, “Fellow Daoist, you are not lightly injured. This puppet body may not be able to support you for long.” Her gaze was sharp, and she immediately saw Wei Yunshu’s abnormality.
“It’s nothing,” Wei Yunshu’s expression remained unchanged. “When the time comes, I will have to trouble Fellow Daoist Shi to help me refine another puppet body.”
Xun Huan said with a sigh, “If it were ordinary times, it would be fine, but in a true moment of life and death, this puppet body has many limitations.” She had seen through Wei Yunshu’s identity but, like many Buzhou cultivators, did not expose it. Three years ago, when news of Cloud Sovereign’s death in tribulation spread, many lamented, while also praising his noble righteousness. But now, there were many doubts. The person before them, regardless of their relationship with Cloud City or Luo Lingfeng, exuded a strange aura. One did not know what had truly transpired back then.
Wei Yunshu smiled without replying.
Outside Youluo Mountain, hurricane-like winds surged.
Xiang Jun, Chao Ya, and others led the demon cultivators in rapid flight, finding a water mansion overgrown with aquatic plants. With the Dustless Sea army mobilized, they naturally had to evade the notice of various sect cultivators. Besides the mirage effect, they also utilized a true artifact called “River and Sea Passage,” which allowed them to traverse through major waterways. The water routes along the way were divided into five landing points, and they could return to the Dustless Sea in just half a day. But as the army reached the first landing point, a wave of sword light suddenly severed the river flow. The demon soldiers in front of them shuddered as if being shredded by countless sword lights, instantly shattering into pieces, scattering a rain of blood. All this happened in the blink of an eye. By the time Xiang Jun and Chao Ya reacted, the army ahead had already been torn apart by sword energy!
Xiang Jun’s expression suddenly changed, and he muttered, “Not good!” He urged his spiritual power, intending to activate the true artifact “River and Sea Passage” again. It wasn’t that he was afraid, but that the Dustless Sea was in a critical moment and could not afford further delays! However, as spiritual light flashed on the true artifact, the entire army remained stationary. Xiang Jun’s hand trembled as he finally looked up to see the person standing calmly in mid-air with his hands behind his back. Her appearance was elegant and otherworldly, with several sword lights swirling around her. She stood alone, and the entire space was filled with the resonance of swords. Xiang Jun felt as if he were trapped within a sword formation.
“Shi Wufang,” Xiang Jun spat out the two words coldly. This senior sister of Buzhou, the future head of Buzhou, rarely left Buzhou Peak to appear before others. She was renowned throughout the world by the title “Heavenly Forger.” However, Buzhou was a top-tier sword sect in the Immortal Realm. Simply being an artifact refiner would never allow her to stand out among the disciples of this generation and ascend to the position of “Chief.”
Xiang Jun sneered, “With just yourself, do you think you can stop the ten million troops of my Dustless Sea?”
Shi Wufang said gently, “I wouldn’t dare.” With that, she flicked her sleeve, releasing nine mysterious pillars exuding bone-chilling cold. She made a hand seal, and sword lights sprouted from the pillars, instantly transforming the area into a sea of sword energy. These mysterious pillars were sword pillars that had been steeped in Buzhou sword energy for thousands of years, originally nurtured in the sword pool. Once activated, they could release the absorbed sword energy without end. However, being mere artifacts, the sword lights they released, though capable of splitting mountains and shattering the earth, were too rigid to kill Nascent Soul cultivators. But when facing groups of demon soldiers, they were an effective weapon.
The sword energy flowed endlessly, like a meteor shower, bringing forth streams of light with endless rustling sounds. In just one encounter, several screams could be heard, as demon soldiers, unable to resist the power of the sword energy, were cut into pieces. Xiang Jun looked at the demure and elegant Shi Wufang, and a chill rose in his heart. He took the banner from a demon general, released the aura of his dragon lineage, and shouted loudly, “Form the array!” He took a step forward, intending to personally command the formation.
“Return Dragon Shocking Cricket Array, activate!” With a command, the remaining demon soldiers moved, like a coiled dragon lying dormant. A dragon phantom gradually materialized in mid-air. The returning dragon’s tail swept away the sword energy that fell like a starry rain. And as the dragon’s head turned, it let out a roar, and countless flames and poisonous gases surged forward.
Shi Wufang calmly watched the approaching army formation. Artifact refiners were naturally proficient in array formations. She flicked her finger, and a plume of flame rushed forward, attaching itself to the sword light, instantly burning the poisonous smoke away. She leaped forward, weaving through the great formation as if in no man’s land. In moments, she broke several flag gates, slicing the dragon phantom into several segments. And as the army formation was broken, the demon soldiers were once again exposed to the sword pillars, with nowhere to escape.
“This person is skilled in array formations; the army formation cannot stop her.” Chao Ya’s brows were filled with anxiety. He could no longer hold back, and turning to Xiang Jun, he said, “I will go and face her! You find a way to break the sword momentum that is blocking the river and activate the true artifact to escape!”
Xiang Jun nodded, saying heavily, “Be careful!” The Dustless Sea, by having Su Yuntian reveal the truth about the Shang Qing Divine Realm and the five Divine Lords at the Sword Fighting Convention, had indeed attracted many cultivators as they had hoped. Their plan was to eliminate the rebels in Youluo Mountain and then push their forces towards the Great Wall at the Northern Continent’s border. They had predicted that the Buzhou disciples stationed at the Northern Continent’s border would provide reinforcements, and they speculated that the Cavern Heavens of Buzhou Peak would appear… They had made all sorts of predictions, but they had never imagined that the Phoenix Lord would betray them, nor that Luo Lingfeng would attack the Dustless Sea without regard for anything! This move of “Attack your enemy’s home base to force them to abandon their attack.” had ruined their plans, and they could only place their hope in the Dragon Lord.
In the end, the true victors were decided by the Cavern Heaven True Monarchs.
Chao Ya’s expression was gloomy, and his heart was filled with anger. He was a disciple of the Qilin Lord, as well as his blood descendant, and their master-disciple relationship was exceptionally good. Therefore, upon receiving the news, he wanted to quickly return to the Dustless Sea. He roared, his entire body enveloped in an impenetrable aura of essence, and took a step towards Shi Wufang, shouting in anger, “Fellow Daoist, must you be like this?”
Shi Wufang stood with her hands behind her back in mid-air, a faint, elegant smile lingering on her lips. She looked at the indignant Chao Ya and said unhurriedly, “Our Daoist thoughts differ, thus we shall not rest until one dies.” Seeing that Chao Ya was not afraid of the myriad feet of sword light emanating from the sword pillars and was stepping forward, Shi Wufang reached out her right hand towards the front, retrieving a sword from the void, its radiance flowing like flames. She activated it and slashed forward.
Chao Ya roared, and a thick earth shield suddenly appeared before him, accompanied by dim, hazy yellow smoke. He stared at the sword light and punched out. Repeated explosions rang out, and the immense force stirred the tides, causing them to surge. The surrounding mountains, agitated by the spiritual tides, also began to shake as if the earth dragon had turned over. The cultivation method he practiced was extremely fierce, but Shi Wufang’s sword light was infinitely variable. The yellow dust was instantly swept away by the sword light. Chao Ya’s gaze suddenly sank, and he shouted, channeling his spiritual energy again to condense a giant yellow claw, reaching towards Shi Wufang. To buy time for Xiang Jun to activate the true artifact, he no longer cared about his spiritual energy, using only his most powerful divine abilities.
A hint of surprise appeared on Shi Wufang’s calm face. She urged her sword light forward, and her entire being shot out like a swift light from beneath the giant claw. However, as she moved, the yellow giant claw pressed down fiercely onto the sword pillars. Countless sword lights tore at the giant claw, and strands of yellow light rolled about. The giant claw exploded with a deafening roar, but the sword pillars could no longer withstand the immense force, and one by one, they began to break.
Chao Ya’s face turned red, and his chest heaved violently. He lowered his gaze to his palm, where blood was flowing profusely, having been invaded by the sword energy. His sharp eyes glared at Shi Wufang, who was surrounded by sword light, and he suddenly flicked his sleeve.
“Fellow Daoist, your cultivation method is quite impressive,” Shi Wufang said gently. She did not pay much attention to the broken sword pillars and urged her sword energy forward again, attacking Chao Ya. As they fought, they moved further and further away from the river. Xiang Jun, seeing the rustling sword lights disappear, let out a sigh of relief and focused entirely on dispelling the sword energy that was blocking the river. After an incense stick’s time, the water tides churned wildly, and immense waves surged. The true artifact finally responded. Looking up at the sky, Xiang Jun transmitted to Chao Ya, “Return quickly!”
Chao Ya’s objective was to obstruct Shi Wufang, allowing Xiang Jun the chance to activate the true artifact. Hearing the call, he immediately harbored thoughts of retreat. The essence aura on his body had been largely worn away by the sword light, and continuing to fight would not be beneficial for him. His eyes sharpened slightly, and he channeled all his spiritual energy, forcefully forging a path through the endless sword light.
Shi Wufang let out a faint smile as she watched Chao Ya, saying gently, “Fellow Daoist, it will not be easy to escape.” As her voice fell, countless sword lights rose again, far more ferocious than before. As the sword light flowed and shifted, the surrounding spiritual energy was completely seized by the sword intent, transforming into fierce sword energy that instantly permeated the entire world. Chao Ya did not notice the change; he was busy fleeing and, as before, resisted the sword intent by channeling his essence aura. Who knew that his essence aura would be as fragile as paper at this moment? In a single breath, it was pierced by the sword light! The hundreds of sword lights slashed onto his body, and blood splattered everywhere. Chao Ya, suddenly suffering such a heavy blow, let out a wail and plummeted straight towards the ground. He crashed into the ground, creating a deep pit. Chao Ya staggered to his feet and spat out a mouthful of blood. He turned to look at Shi Wufang, surrounded by sword light, and his eyes immediately turned scarlet.
Xiang Jun saw Chao Ya’s miserable state and fell silent. He could go to Chao Ya’s aid, but doing so would mean the army would be held back. If more Buzhou disciples arrived, the losses would likely be even greater. But if he ignored Chao Ya, he might die at Shi Wufang’s hands. Xiang Jun pursed his lips, looked at the charging, continuous sword light, and silently channeled his divine abilities, extending a finger to throw out a token. The token pulsed with light, and in an instant, the spirits of several birds and beasts appeared. These spirits, in their previous lives, were all Nascent Soul demon cultivators who had defied the Dustless Sea’s control. Even as spirits, they retained six or seven tenths of their abilities. After throwing out the token, Xiang Jun did not look at Chao Ya’s situation again, urged the true artifact, and fled with the army through the water.
Shi Wufang sensed several unusual spiritual energies infiltrating. She pointed her left hand, and a burst of heavenly fire leaped out. Under the wind’s influence, it instantly transformed into a long river of flame, directly engulfing those spirits. She did not pursue the fleeing demon cultivators but lowered her gaze to the defiant Chao Ya, her sword energy growing stronger with each strike. Finally, ten thousand sword lights converged into a single point and fiercely struck towards Chao Ya. As the sword momentum was unleashed, the power erupted, and the heavens and earth seemed to shatter.
Chao Ya knew he could not escape death. He glared at Shi Wufang and laughed loudly, “Even if you win against me, what of it? In a few days, all the cultivators in the Immortal Realm will be prisoners! Frog in a well, arrogant and self-important, unaware that beyond the heavens, there are other heavens!”
Shi Wufang ignored Chao Ya’s words, urged her sword light forward, and severed Chao Ya’s head. As for his escaping primordial spirit, it was completely annihilated by the sword light. She flicked her sleeve, took out an incense burner, and faint smoke curled upwards in the wind, gradually dispersing the bloody stench from all directions. Shi Wufang’s gaze was focused and steady as she looked at the flowing river.
Xiang Jun wished to lead his army back to the Dustless Sea? It would be harder than climbing to heaven!
Northwest direction.
Sword energy flowed through the extreme heavens, light and shadow intertwined. Within that violent aura, beastly shadows shattered and reappeared, densely covering the entire world. At one end stood a Taoist wearing a bamboo hat and holding a sword. At the other end was a spirited, rosy-cheeked youth riding a crane. The Taoist was, of course, Buzhou’s True Monarch Yuan Fu, but this youth was not truly a youth. His portrait had been widely circulated throughout the Fu Li Immortal Realm, and he was one of the most talented individuals in the Immortal Realm to have ascended in thousands of years, bearing the Dao title “Wan Ling.”
The astonishment on True Monarch Yuan Fu’s face had completely subsided. His eyes were filled with surging battle intent, and the sword resonance around him was fervent and agitated, becoming increasingly sharp and cold as time flowed.
Daoist Wan Ling did not wish to continue fighting True Monarch Yuan Fu. He smiled slightly and said, “Junior, seeing this Venerable, your astonishment flashed and vanished. You must have already understood the secrets of this realm, haven’t you? If so, why do you still draw your sword?”
True Monarch Yuan Fu remained silent.
Daoist Wan Ling did not mind. He merely said lightly, “The four Ancestral Masters of the Four Sects, for the Fu Li Immortal Realm, transmitted the Dao and established lineages, their merits immeasurable. However, for the Shang Qing Divine Realm, they are truly treacherous disciples who have betrayed their ancestors! They severed the earthly land, causing the Shang Qing Divine Realm’s territory to be incomplete, and thereafter, ten thousand evils grew, making peace difficult. Truly a heinous crime, do you know this?”
True Monarch Yuan Fu frowned and said coldly, “There is no need to say more.”
Daoist Wan Ling shook his head, raised his eyebrows, and smiled, “It is only right to let everyone know the truth behind the Fu Li Immortal Realm’s three thousand years without ascenders! After all, misfortune should not extend to the descendants. You are all being deceived.”
Daoist Wan Ling was originally from the Dustless Sea in the Fu Li Immortal Realm. Upon returning to his homeland, he learned much about the Immortal Realm from others. When the secret realm was mentioned, he understood even more, recognizing at a glance what the Buzhou cultivators cared about. To dismantle the Buzhou cultivators’ resistance, he had to start from that point. He steadied himself and smiled, “I presume you also saw the ‘Severing All Selves’ method in the secret realm and considered it a wicked art, is that not so?” Before True Monarch Yuan Fu could respond, he continued, “The Divine Realm has six Divine Lords, beings who existed from the creation of heaven and earth. Severing All Selves was passed down by them. Because of this, they gained the favor of the Heavenly Dao, achieved Divine Lordship, and became the supreme divine beings between heaven and earth. How could they be wrong?”
“Ridiculous! Is the Dao something that never changes?” True Monarch Yuan Fu scoffed coldly. “Furthermore, where did the severed ‘Severed-Self’ fall?”
Daoist Wan Ling also sneered coldly, raising his voice, “Speaking of which, this must be blamed on those four Ancestral Masters. The Heavenly Dao is inherently complete. If not for their single thought of severing the earthly land, how would the Fu Li Immortal Realm have separated from the Divine Realm? How would both the Immortal Realm and the Divine Realm be incomplete? In the end, those four Ancestral Masters are the beginning of the calamity!”