After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 76

An extremely sharp and piercing sound echoed through the sea of clouds. Dark clouds hung heavy, blanketing the entire sky. Lightning streaked like snakes, thunder rumbled, and the sea of clouds churned restlessly like waves.
Yun Yong looked at Cloud Sovereign, whose face was etched with anger, and felt a growing sense of things spiraling out of control. His eyelids twitched, and the anticipation he had felt towards Cloud Sovereign gradually faded, replaced by vigilance and caution. He tilted his head to gaze at the rolling thunder in the sky, a thought flashing through his mind like lightning. Why must Cloud Sovereign choose a side? With her cultivation, couldn’t she have dealt with both? As he hesitated, a rumbling sound came from above. The attack of the One Qi Nine Dominance Heavenly Thunder had arrived, pouring down like a torrent. The lightning struck the green light emanating from the divine wood, creating ripples.
“Wei Yunshu!” Su Lanyin shouted her name in anger. He raised his voice, “Are you going to betray the ancestral teachings and disregard the thousand-year foundation of Cloud City?” His exclamation boomed like spring thunder, subtly overpowering the rumble of the thunder. But in the next moment, countless streaks of purple light rained down from the prepared lightning net in mid-air, the attack even more fierce than before. Masses of purple clouds containing lightning hovered above, their rumbling echoing through the nine heavens. The divine wood could absorb spiritual energy, but what if the incoming spiritual energy exceeded the capacity of its branches and leaves? Su Lanyin could not hold back any longer. He activated his magic artifact, and raging flames erupted. Countless bolts of lightning fell, first crushing his artifact, then the remaining dozens struck the branches. The green light trembled slightly before once again blocking the lightning.
Wei Yunshu didn’t expect to defeat her opponent with just lightning techniques. She held the Taiyi Sword in her right hand and slashed forward. Light flashed, instantly severing several streams of energy. She had been trapped in the cauldron for a year and was unaware of the outside situation. She did not wish to waste time here. A divine light shot from her eyes, and her Cavern Heaven Dharma Manifestation unfolded. The entire Cloud City seemed to have fallen into a deep, dark starry sky. Wei Yunshu stepped upon the river of stars, with constellations arrayed behind her. She gazed intently at the divine wood for a moment, then chuckled softly. Her sword light surged, and the stars transformed into streams of light, condensing into a long sword in mid-air, which then slashed down!
Yun Yong’s eyelids twitched. He muttered a silent “No,” but his attack did not cease. No matter how he attacked, his blows did not land on Wei Yunshu. Instead, they were extinguished by the roving lightning and the surging Abyssal True Water. That’s right. After Wei Yunshu made her move, Luo Lingfeng had ceded the main stage, but that didn’t mean she had done nothing. A waterfall of blood flowed down, gradually dyeing the xirang a bloody hue. The green divine wood that grew from it also had wisps of dark red flowing through its branches and veins, exuding an ominous aura. But Yun Yong had no mood to deal with it. Sensing that the green divine wood was about to be completely damaged, he slapped the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast and shouted, “Senior, save me!”
The Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast reluctantly stepped out from behind him. It opened its mouth and spat out a hazy cloud of mist. This mist looked ordinary, like thin clouds drifting in the sky, but it contained its own universe. It was no less capable than the divine wood’s absorption. Whether it was lightning, sword light, or water surges, everything that entered the mist was teleported to other realms.
Seeing that the green divine wood still stood, Yun Yong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Lanyin’s tone lowered, “Perhaps we should find a way to escape.” Their confidence was built on Cloud Sovereign still caring about Cloud City and the immortal sect. However, the opponent’s unhesitating and indifferent attack clearly showed she had no intention of reconciling with them. When they could not advance, they could only retreat.
Yun Yong did not reply. He could see that Luo Lingfeng’s aura was weak and chaotic, seemingly reaching a critical point. This meant that the person they had to deal with was actually just Cloud Sovereign. With their combined strength and the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast, they might still have a chance. A thought flashed through his mind, and Yun Yong came up with a plan. He replied, “Since Wei Yunshu’s attack is intercepted by the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast, let’s both concentrate our efforts and kill Luo Lingfeng first.” He paused, then added, “I will try to trap Luo Lingfeng with ‘Cloud Sky Sea,’ and then use the ‘Form Fixing Nail’ to sever her energy.”
Su Lanyin hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “As long as I can get a moment’s advantage, I can use ‘Blazing Fire Poisonous Qi’ to deplete her essence.”
Previously, the three hundred and sixty drops of Abyssal True Water were like black ink dragons. The “Cloud Sky Sea” would likely be completely dispersed as soon as it approached, but now Luo Lingfeng’s energy had weakened. To prevent Wei Yunshu from interfering, Su Lanyin preemptively unleashed thousands of fire arrows, which fell towards Wei Yunshu. These spreading flames contained a bit of tainted spiritual energy and poisonous qi. Once it attached, it could erase the spiritual nature of the magic sword.
Wei Yunshu felt a sense of alarm rise within her. A sword cry echoed in her ears, unusually urgent. Without a second thought, Wei Yunshu retracted the Taiyi Sword, and purple light flared in her eyes. Countless lightning bolts struck the tainted fire arrows. Behind her, energy fluctuated, stars interwove, and extremely dazzling flames erupted. Seeing that there were still some residual sparks, she waved her sleeve, and a gust of wind immediately extinguished them. Just as Su Lanyin targeted Wei Yunshu, Yun Yong also launched his attack. His previously contained aura instantly spread out, enveloping Luo Lingfeng. Luo Lingfeng’s eyes were sharp, her gaze flickered. She merely urged the Abyssal True Water to attack randomly, and was then enveloped by the “Cloud Sky Sea.” Her energy surged and suddenly became violent. Seeing that Luo Lingfeng had fallen into the “Cloud Sky Sea,” Yun Yong’s lips curled into a smile. He had control of the situation. He reached forward and pressed down, and with a loud explosion, the cloud mass collapsed, and smoke billowed. A “Form Fixing Nail” quietly mixed into the smoke and flew towards Luo Lingfeng.
This Form Fixing Nail was a method to sever energy. Once hit, no matter how high one’s divine abilities or magic power, as long as they had not reached the Dao Fruit realm, they would experience a moment of stiffness, unable to operate their techniques. The instant the Form Fixing Nail appeared, Luo Lingfeng sensed danger. A cold wind blew towards her. Although she didn’t know what it was, she understood that she could not be hit by it. Her eyes sharpened, and a cold smile appeared on her lips. A clear sword cry sounded, and Luo Lingfeng’s weakened energy seemed to be instantly replenished. She flicked her sleeve, and the Cloud Sky Sea transformed into an endless, blood-colored river. Waves rolled, sword Qi soared, and in an instant, the smoke was sliced away. Luo Lingfeng spotted the “Form Fixing Nail” hidden within and flicked her finger. A beam of sword light proactively met it.
Yun Yong’s expression instantly turned incredibly unsightly.
He trusted his judgment. Luo Lingfeng was definitely at the end of her rope. By what method was she replenishing her energy now?
Luo Lingfeng looked at the blurry figure in the distance and chuckled softly. She said slowly, “Tai Sui Golden Sand, haven’t you heard of it?” In the past, Wu Huan had used Tai Sui Golden Sand as material to refine her heart. She had even considered cutting open her chest and removing that dirty heart. However, she had to rely on that tainted heart to break through. Wu Huan had been right; her body was incapable of cultivating to the Nascent Soul stage. She herself had been confused for a long time until she later discovered that Tai Sui Golden Sand was a more useful nourishment for her than cloud sand. What innate saint? She should have fallen into heresy and descended to the eighteen levels of hell!
With Yun Yong’s astonished gaze, Luo Lingfeng’s smile was unrestrained and gleeful. She pushed her spiritual energy to its limit, and a torrential water surge rushed forward, its momentum so fierce it seemed capable of overturning the entire world. Her hatred was too deep to trace its origin or reach its end. Spiritual energy poured down. Smelling the strong scent of blood, Luo Lingfeng licked her lips, as if only in slaughter could she find a sliver of peace.
Outside the “Cloud Sky Sea” at this moment, Su Lanyin had intended to escape Wei Yunshu to assist Yun Yong, but he had thought too simply. Purple lightning flickered, turning the entire celestial domain into a Dustless Sea of lightning. The lightning had already leaked out from the mist emanating from the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast and was once again striking the green divine wood. Su Lanyin licked his lips, a great fear rising in his heart. Amidst the earth-shattering lightning, his ears buzzed. As he turned towards the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast, a fist-sized ball of black light shot out, bypassing the mist and even penetrating the divine wood’s barrier, forcefully knocking a ball of snow-white cloud beast from a branch! Before Su Lanyin could even look at the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast, he spotted a sword light that made his heart tremble! As this sword fell, a ball of white light suddenly flashed before his eyes. The colors in his vision were stripped away, leaving him seeing only emptiness. His spiritual energy vibrated throughout his body. Fortunately, Su Lanyin had retreated outside the divine wood’s barrier in advance, thus avoiding a tragic fall to the ground.
He stared intently ahead.
Wei Yunshu, dressed in white, held her sword, her demeanor calm and serene. She had been raised by Yun Qingzi, but she was not as passionate in temperament as Yun Qingzi. Instead, she possessed a gentleness and magnanimity that was entirely different from the atmosphere in Cloud City. She continued to implement Yun Qingzi’s policy of managing the Northern Continent’s outpost, not greatly diminishing the power and face of the noble families in Cloud City. Steadily and without haste, perhaps she, seated in the position of Cloud Sovereign, could truly find a way to achieve the best of both worlds. This thought lingered in Su Lanyin’s mind for a moment before he discarded it. After being persuaded by Yun Dan Su, their families had no retreat; they could only push forward.
Seeing his protective light shattered by the lightning sword qi, Su Lanyin showed a tragic smile and lightly chuckled, “It’s been many years. Not only has your strength not diminished at all, it has actually improved considerably.”
Wei Yunshu looked at the person before her, whose energy was flickering and unstable, like a candle in the wind. She finally spoke, “The major noble families intend to align themselves with the Dustless Sea and the demons of the Northern Continent, is that it?” The choices made by the elders in Youluo Mountain clearly indicated their abandonment of this world. This was not the Cloud City her master had wanted.
Su Lanyin gazed deeply at Wei Yunshu, “What is true? What is false? We cultivators only seek ascension. Now, there is an opportunity, why shouldn’t we seize it?”
Wei Yunshu hummed in understanding the noble families’ choice. She sighed, “I cannot let you live.”
Su Lanyin: “So you are going to break your oath and personally erase Cloud City?”
“What are you talking about, True Monarch Su?” Wei Yunshu glanced at Su Lanyin in surprise and said gently, “The true orthodox lineage of Cloud City is at the Great Wall of the Northern Continent.” This era did not allow for ambiguity. The time for choice had finally arrived. If it were any other time, their existence might be tolerated, but with a great enemy at hand, if they could not become an aid, they could only perish. Once Wei Yunshu made up her mind, she was difficult to sway. She urged her lightning and several sword lights also surged out. Her offense was fierce, unparalleled, and continuous, giving Su Lanyin no chance to breathe. Su Lanyin retreated step by step, hoping for Yun Yong and the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast to quickly emerge and assist.
But Yun Yong was still trapped in the “Cloud Sky Sea,” and the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast was pinned down by a little black bird, unable to move. Waves of light burst from Su Lanyin’s body. The magic artifacts he carried were all thrown out, but in the mix of lightning and sword light, they immediately turned into debris that scattered with a clatter. Several hours later, a loud bang sounded. A surging undercurrent violently erupted, stirring up monstrous waves of blood. In that vast river of blood, a corpse whose life force had been completely extinguished bobbed up and down. Upon clearly identifying the corpse, Su Lanyin’s pupils constricted, and his entire aura froze for a moment. At this moment, ten thousand streaks of lightning simultaneously descended. Although Su Lanyin resisted, there was no luck to be had. He was instantly submerged in the Dustless Sea of lightning.
On the vast floating island, the buildings that had originally stood tall had already been leveled by the surging waves of energy. Residual energy still flowed, splitting the massive aerial floating island into dozens of fragments, barely held together by Cloud City’s immense formations, preventing its complete collapse. In the sky, two figures stood in silent confrontation. Wei Yunshu, in white, was surrounded by celestial phenomena, transcendent and unparalleled. On the other side, Luo Lingfeng’s white hair cascaped over her shoulders, her red robe fluttered in the wind, and a vast river of blood flowed beneath her feet, like an inextinguishable fire.
The cultivators in Cloud City’s main city had evacuated immediately, watching from a distance. How could cultivators of the Nascent Soul realm perceive a battle of Cavern Heaven? They only felt surging waves of energy and terrifying spiritual power churning. Finally, when the fierce wind subsided, they peeked towards the heavens. However, the scene caused those in the know from the major noble families’ hearts to plummet! There was an extremely clear boundary between the starlight of the sky and the river of blood, as if sliced by a sword. But neither the madman who killed the Cavern Heavens nor the resurrected Cloud Sovereign were people the elders of the noble families wished to see. Other than praying for them to continue fighting until both were mutually destroyed, the Nascent Soul elders had no other recourse.
Wei Yunshu silently gazed at Luo Lingfeng, whose face looked sickly.
The vast waters had transformed into an encroaching crimson tide. This hatred was deeper than she had imagined.
She saw blood dripping from the hem of her clothes, merging into the sprawling waters. She opened her mouth, but the last word could not be uttered.
What was she to say? Advise Luo Lingfeng to turn back? But if she were willing to turn back, how could she have reached this point? In her daze, the boundless river of blood suddenly disappeared. Luo Lingfeng lightly landed on the ground and walked towards the ruins of the Yulan Hall step by step. She flicked her sleeve, and broken pillars and beams flew up, revealing a vase deformed by the crushing force of immense spiritual energy.
As for the bouquet of flowers inserted into it, they had long since “fallen into mud and turned to dust.”
No longer fragrant.
Luo Lingfeng raised a finger to caress her forehead. A tinge of blood spread across her eyes.
Wei Yunshu retracted her gaze from Luo Lingfeng and turned to beckon the little black bird that was proudly sitting atop the Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast. The little black bird muttered a few words to the cloud-like Heavenly Sea Cloud Beast, then fluttered its wings and flew to Wei Yunshu’s shoulder. It didn’t speak, tilting its head to look at Luo Lingfeng, a hint of instinctive timidity still hidden in its eyes.
Just as Wei Yunshu was about to turn and leave, Luo Lingfeng’s hoarse voice rang out.
“Where are you going?”
Where was she going? Of course, to a place without Luo Lingfeng.
Wei Yunshu did not answer. After the great battle, there was no exhilarating sense of satisfaction.
Her heart, riddled with holes, had been weary for a long time. She never knew how she could truly relax.
In her daze, the golden patterns on her forehead lit up, and a coolness spread from her wrist. The Heavenly Imprisonment Lock had penetrated her body and was a constant presence. Wei Yunshu pursed her lips, and anger suddenly surged. A razor-sharp sword qi slashed backward, but just as it was about to touch Luo Lingfeng, the sword qi split into two, rolling to the left and right.
Wei Yunshu looked at Luo Lingfeng, her brows and eyes also shadowed with despair. “What will it take for you to let me go?” Seeing Luo Lingfeng remain silent, she gave a short, mocking laugh, “How many times do you need to test me? What kind of result will finally satisfy you?”
Luo Lingfeng slowly turned towards Wei Yunshu. A fierce wind blew across her face, stirring the white hair that fell to her shoulders. She looked at Wei Yunshu’s face – that calm and composed demeanor was finally torn apart again. All sorts of emotions mixed, and Wei Yunshu, like her, sank into the abyss of pain. But she felt no joy. Looking at Wei Yunshu, she inexplicably remembered a long time ago, those eyes that sparkled like stars, and the smile filled with vibrant life and passion.
She hadn’t seen Wei Yunshu smile at her in a long time.
Indeed, after experiencing so many things, how could she still smile?
Luo Lingfeng was stunned. The smile in her memory became clearer and clearer, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t integrate it with the face before her. Luo Lingfeng’s entire body felt like it was being pricked by needles. Her mind was filled with “smile,” making it impossible to capture any other thoughts. That’s right, that smile she could no longer touch—before her muddled thoughts had even sorted themselves out, she had already swept towards Wei Yunshu. Her pale fingers touched that face, slowly stroking from the corners of her eyes, and finally landing on her lips.
“You said you loved me. You didn’t want to kill me because of that ridiculous, absurd love? Then why don’t you smile at me now? Why can’t you be like you were before?”
The inexplicable questioning entered her ears. Wei Yunshu raised her eyes and saw Luo Lingfeng’s heart-palpitating, manic gaze. The spiritual energy around her was agitated, and the surging Abyssal True Water leaped out, emitting a low, thunderous hum.
Wei Yunshu gripped Luo Lingfeng’s wrist. She no longer suppressed the “Heavenly Imprisonment Lock.” The exquisite chain on her wrist pressed between her skin and Luo Lingfeng’s, leaving a red indentation.
There was no trace of her former self to be found on Luo Lingfeng now.
She was dead, and Luo Lingfeng was dead too.
“I know you don’t want love, and I no longer wish to love,” Wei Yunshu said slowly, staring intently at Luo Lingfeng.
These words echoed in Luo Lingfeng’s ears like muffled thunder. The Abyssal True Water shot out, striking the ground and leaving a series of rapid, muffled explosions. Smoke billowed, the earth cracked, and a deep ravine hundreds of feet deep spread from one end to the other, further shattering the already fragmented floating island.
Seeing Luo Lingfeng’s reaction again, a ripple still stirred in Wei Yunshu’s heart. She suppressed the feeling that floated like light smoke and released Luo Lingfeng’s wrist. “The matter of the Shang Qing Divine Realm has stirred up an uncontrollable storm. My companions in Buzhou are waiting for me. We part ways here. I wish you well.”
“Part ways?” Luo Lingfeng laughed. She hadn’t brought Wei Yunshu back to Cloud City just to hear the phrase “goodbye.” A formidable aura surged into the sky, instantly permeating the firmament. In the dark, only the obscured, ominous blood light floated in the sky, like a pouring fire.
Suddenly, a clear sword light flashed from afar. With just one sword, it split the crimson flames in half.
“Senior Sister, hey, wait for me!” A clear shout echoed. Outside Cloud City, two sword lights, one after the other, tore through the formation barrier and entered the scattered floating islands. The one shouting loudly was Xie Zhichao. For the past year, to deal with the unwelcome guests from the upper realm, Buzhou had opened its blessed lands and treasure vaults for disciples to cultivate. With the full support of the sect, Xie Zhichao had also successfully advanced to the Nascent Soul realm.
The battle that took place in Cloud City this time was world-shaking. How could all the sects not know? However, the Luoshui Divine Palace and the Dragon Lord were both busy with matters concerning the “Wu Shi Sect” and the “Divine Lords” of the Northern Continent, leaving them no time to interfere in the internal strife of Cloud City. It was at Buzhou that Shi Wufang and Xie Zhichao, knowing Wei Yunshu was there, decided to make a personal visit. However, upon arriving at Cloud City, both of them were startled by the blood-red light. Xie Zhichao covered her mouth and, after a long while, said in surprise, “The aura on that person is too bizarre. Could it be that she has fallen into the demonic path?”
Shi Wufang did not respond. She spotted Wei Yunshu’s location and transformed into a rainbow light, flying over. Upon landing, she bowed to Wei Yunshu and said with a smile, “Congratulations, Fellow Daoist.” Seeing the crimson tide rolling in from a distance, she whispered, “Fellow Daoist’s divine soul has just merged with your physical body, and you have just experienced a battle. If you do not rest, it may damage your Dao foundation in the future. You should return with Junior Sister Xie first. I will stop True Monarch Luo.”
Wei Yunshu raised her sleeve in return. Seeing that Shi Wufang had entered the Cavern Heaven realm, she felt a sudden sense of relief.
At this moment, her cultivation had not yet recovered to its peak. Moreover, with the Heavenly Imprisonment Lock on her, she was restricted in every move, whereas Shi Wufang faced fewer hindrances. Her thoughts raced, and after a moment, she said, “I entrust this to you, Fellow Daoist.”
Shi Wufang nodded. Seeing Luo Lingfeng’s figure approaching, she released her brilliant sword light, instantly blocking the vast crimson water tide. Looking at Luo Lingfeng, whose energy was disordered, Shi Wufang chuckled softly and said lightly, “True Monarch Luo, do you regret it?” Upon seeing Wei Yunshu, she no longer believed the news about Cloud Sovereign fighting demons to her death. Later, after hearing Xie Zhichao’s story about Wei Yunshu’s friend, she understood everything.
The incident in Cloud City many years ago was so tragic!
Luo Lingfeng’s attack halted. She looked at Shi Wufang, whose body was surrounded by swirling sword light and whose energy was abundant, and knew it was impossible to succeed. She smiled and tilted her head, “Regret?”
Shi Wufang saw through Luo Lingfeng’s inner turmoil at a glance. Unlike Wei Yunshu, she spoke without reservation. She said gently and directly, “But you dare not admit that you regret it, because you destroyed the only person in this world who cared about you. You personally destroyed the path back, and you can only walk forward step by step.”
“What supported you was pathetic hatred. Once you regret it, your past beliefs will completely collapse, won’t they? That’s why you can only desperately erase the ‘goodness’ that Cloud Sovereign left on you, understanding all her actions as malicious ‘evil’ with ulterior motives. But can you truly find liberation by denying Cloud Sovereign?”
“You can only make a pure person suffer like you, but you cannot make her tainted with those filthy things.”
“You need to let go not of Cloud Sovereign, but of yourself.”
When a lost person cannot find the meaning of existence, all that remains is death.
As the future sect leader of Buzhou, Shi Wufang wished to uphold the righteousness of heaven and earth. She did not wish for a crazy person like Luo Lingfeng to live, as who knew if she would emerge to cause trouble.
However, if the clear-minded Luoshui Divine Maiden appeared before her, Shi Wufang would be willing to befriend her. As for the final outcome, it would depend on Luo Lingfeng’s choice.