After I Died My Dao Companion Drowns in Endless Regret Chapter 81

Thud.
A distant, muffled thunderclap echoed from not too far away.
Phoenix Lord suppressed her chaotic thoughts and looked in the direction of the sound. Surging spiritual energy, like a tide, shot out countless brilliant lights, causing the ground to tremble slightly. Small stones on the rockery were dislodged and scattered down.
Thud—
Another deep, drawn-out tremor began, cracking the treasure hall enveloped in spiritual energy and rapidly spreading towards their feet. A weight settled on her shoulder; it was Little Tai Sui, who had flown out of her bag and was looking forward with serious intent. With a booming sound, Phoenix Lord finally snapped back to reality. If this magnificent display continued, her Phoenix Mountain would be destroyed. But just as Phoenix Lord prepared to step forward, the vibrations were suddenly halted by some power. In an instant, the stars and myriad phenomena appeared as if the starry river had overturned.
“What’s going on? Could something have gone wrong?” Phoenix Lord murmured with a frown. A moment later, a figure flashed out of the hall like lightning—it was Wei Yunshu.
When the “Sacred Heart” was returned to its place, Luo Lingfeng’s spiritual energy had surged, creating a massive spiritual tide that nearly overwhelmed the runes Wei Yunshu had etched. If she were still relying on her puppet body and her cultivation had not yet recovered to the Cavern Heaven realm, it would have been impossible to suppress Luo Lingfeng. Fortunately, her Primordial Spirit had returned to its place, finally bringing the anomaly under control.
Despite completing the final stroke, Wei Yunshu’s face showed no sign of relief. The mountain wind blew, outlining her sharp, sword-like eyebrows. Her piercing gaze, so different from her usual demeanor, was daunting.
“Is it done?” Phoenix Lord asked Wei Yunshu.
Little Tai Sui, clutching a spiritual fruit in its claws, flew onto Wei Yunshu’s shoulder and pecked gently. Splattered juice landed on Wei Yunshu’s shoulder. Little Tai Sui’s eyes darted around, and it let out a guilty chirp. Wei Yunshu ignored it, only saying to Phoenix Lord, “It’s done.” After a pause, she added, “Regarding the earlier matter, can I have an answer now?”
Phoenix Lord looked at Wei Yunshu in confusion, then suddenly understood. Buzhou needed her Dustless Sea’s assistance. She still did not give an answer, but instead unfolded the silk scroll she had taken from the box and handed it to Wei Yunshu, saying, “There are some dusty past events. You can see for yourself.”
Wei Yunshu received the silk scroll with a serious expression and her gaze swept over it. Her expression changed abruptly. The past events of the Shang Qing Divine Realm—some she had heard from the True Nature Sword, others spread by those from the Wu Shi Sect… but most were fragments of uncertain truth. The True Nature Sword only spoke of the merits of the four Grand Ancestors, while those from the Shang Qing Divine Realm called them “traitors” at every turn. The records in the silk scroll, viewed through the perspective of the Phoenix Mountain Ancestor, might also be biased, but in a sense, the Wu Shi Sect people were not entirely wrong. The four Grand Ancestors were indeed traitors who had betrayed their masters and ancestors.
After a long time, Wei Yunshu returned the silk scroll to Phoenix Lord. Her heart was tumultuous, but she soon calmed herself. She said solemnly, “Regardless of whether the four Grand Ancestors’ actions were right or wrong, we should not hand over the Fu Li Immortal Realm. Their ambition is to return the Immortal Realm to the Divine realm, to continue being the Realm of Ruin that erodes the ‘Severed-Self.’ If that happens, how are we cultivators of the Fu Li Immortal Realm to position ourselves? Moreover, the Shang Qing Divine Realm deliberately equated the severed ‘Severed-Self’ with the five Primordial Demons, which must have a sinister intention!”
Phoenix Lord replied indifferently, “Perhaps.”
Wei Yunshu continued, “The Daoists of the Wu Shi Sect are building altars and establishing rituals in the Southern Continent, intending to disrupt the spiritual energy in the spiritual veins. After thousands of years of evolution, the Fu Li Immortal Realm has tended towards self-perfection. If they want the Immortal Realm to return, they must allow the complete and perfect Primordial Energy to become chaotic again, reverting it to that state of ‘imperfection.'” The four Grand Ancestors had opened the spiritual veins not only to support cultivators.
Phoenix Lord had vaguely heard about the Wu Shi Sect’s actions in the Southern Continent, but as they had not yet reached the Dustless Sea, she was too lazy to care. She gazed at Wei Yunshu pensively and asked, “What do you think about the Black Tai Sui matter? How did it become your spirit beast? What are your thoughts?”
“None,” Wei Yunshu shook her head. After a moment, she added with confusion, “The silk scroll recorded that your Phoenix Mountain lineage was waiting for the Black Tai Sui, so why did the Phoenix Fire ignite because of Luo Lingfeng?”
Phoenix Lord looked helpless. She didn’t know where the problem lay either. She spread her hands and sighed wistfully, “Perhaps something went wrong in the process.” Seeing Wei Yunshu’s skeptical expression, she made a wild guess, “Do you know that True Monarch Luo has Tai Sui Golden Sand on her? Since this golden sand is named ‘Tai Sui,’ it likely has a connection to the mysterious Emperor Venerable of the Wu Xiang Heaven Domain. Could it be that True Monarch Luo can wield the Tai Sui Golden Sand without falling into demonic ways because she is an avatar of that being?”
If the Black Tai Sui could enter the Fu Li Immortal Realm to protect Sang Buwei, then why couldn’t an avatar of the Emperor Wu Xiang descend to the mortal realm? Without the Sacred Heart, achieving the Cavern Heaven realm in two hundred years was utterly inconceivable; it was likely the avatar of a great power. Speaking of which, Wei Yunshu was about the same age as Luo Lingfeng, and her cultivation speed also surpassed that of ordinary people.
“What about you? Have you had any strange dreams? Or any abnormalities on your body?” Phoenix Lord blurted out.
Wei Yunshu was still immersed in Phoenix Lord’s earlier speculation, her face flushing and paling. After the haziness in her mind dissipated, she frowned and looked at Phoenix Lord suspiciously, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Phoenix Lord replied, “I was just thinking, if you are Sang Buwei’s avatar and True Monarch Luo is the Emperor Wu Xiang’s avatar, then how will you view her in the future?”
Wei Yunshu’s breath hitched. The chaotic thoughts in her mind were swept away like by a gale, vanishing instantly. After a long moment, she sneered, “Preposterous!”
Phoenix Lord shrugged. She was just guessing and it wasn’t to be taken seriously.
Wei Yunshu then said, “I’ll go see her.” Without waiting for Phoenix Lord’s reply, she turned and flew towards the treasure hall. Heavy curtains fell, enveloping the small space. Wei Yunshu lifted the curtain and stood to the side, silently watching the sleeping figure on the couch. In the narrow space, their breaths gradually became clearly audible. Luo Lingfeng was wearing only a sleeping gown with a loosely tied collar. Red patterns, glinting with golden light, spread down from her collarbone, forming a cage and a protective heart-guarding formation, shielding her scarred and battered heart.
Once Luo Lingfeng awoke, she would know which path to take.
But could a “Sacred Heart” that had already been detached truly save someone?
Wei Yunshu’s expression became complex. She gazed at Luo Lingfeng quietly, her eyes filled with emotions she couldn’t even explain to herself.
Her steady, long breaths suddenly became disordered. The person on the couch seemed to be waking from a chaotic dream. Wei Yunshu came back to her senses and suddenly became vigilant, but the person nestled in the soft bedding did not open her eyes. Instead, the fingers of her hand, pressed to the side, twitched, as if in some futile struggle. “Don’t…” a hoarse voice whispered, fading away soon after. Wei Yunshu looked down at Luo Lingfeng, hesitated for a moment, then leaned down and moved closer. As if from a scorching fire within her soul, her hoarse voice began to tremble, and a low murmur held a hint of pleading, but it returned to composure in an instant, as if the person in the dream was desperately trying to control herself.
Wei Yunshu finally heard the broken words from Luo Lingfeng’s mouth clearly.
“Don’t cry.”
Who was she telling not to cry?
Wei Yunshu lowered her eyelashes, her peripheral vision catching sight of her hand moving restlessly on the couch. Without thinking, she pressed down on the other’s wrist, pinning her back to the bed, leaving only faint and futile struggles.
“Yunshu? Wei Yunshu? Where are you?”
Those two words gradually transformed into her own name, uttered in panic.
Wei Yunshu didn’t know what Luo Lingfeng was dreaming of. She simply pressed Luo Lingfeng against the bed, her dark eyes fixed on her, filled with cold indifference.
The Sacred Heart did carry old memories, and upon returning to its shell, it would merge with a century of time. But how much impact could a brief past have on her? Wei Yunshu felt uncertain. After a long pause, she finally released Luo Lingfeng. Her fingertips touched her brow and slowly moved downwards, finally sweeping over her moist eyelashes, as dark as crow feathers. She sighed softly.
In Wei Yunshu’s estimation, Luo Lingfeng would awaken from her dreams in a day or two. However, the waiting time was much longer than she had anticipated. Luo Lingfeng remained drowsy, as if caught in countless dreams, deeply immersed within them. In her sleep, she exuded an unexplainable fear, suppression, and anxiety. A rare fragility emanated from her.
Let alone the impatient Phoenix Lord, even Wei Yunshu became uneasy after receiving countless scrutinizing glances filled with doubt. She paced back and forth in the hall, repeatedly pondering the process, trying to find any flaws. But no matter how she recalled it, she felt the process had been flawless.
“Could you be using this opportunity to get rid of her?” Phoenix Lord spoke quite directly, a strong wave of anger mixed with her words. Although the silk scroll said that the Phoenix Mountain lineage should revere the Black Tai Sui as their master, looking at the little fat black bird that knew how to eat, she had no interest whatsoever and decided to ignore the instructions left by her ancestor.
Wei Yunshu frowned, “What are you implying, Phoenix Lord? Why would I do that?”
“She killed you before. It would be natural for you to seek revenge, wouldn’t it?” Phoenix Lord glanced at Wei Yunshu with a smile that was not a smile. After pondering for a moment, she slowly added, “However, after you revived, you chose to remain anonymous and didn’t even reveal the truth of what happened back then. It seems you didn’t want to pursue this personal vendetta. Therefore, your only reason for taking action now would be righteousness. The Fu Li Immortal Realm is in chaos, and you fear that True Monarch Luo will cause further disruption, especially since she has tampered with the spiritual veins of the Luoshui Divine Palace. No one knows what she intends to do.”
Wei Yunshu no longer denied Phoenix Lord’s words. She lowered her eyelids and said calmly, “Even if it comes to a point where we must fight, I will not resort to such methods.”
Phoenix Lord chuckled, a hint of mockery on her face. “It’s fine if you do this. Even if she dies by your schemes, she won’t regret it. Perhaps in the underworld, she would happily say, ‘The stubborn blockhead Cloud Sovereign finally opened her mind.’ When has she ever not tested you with her life? She never cared about life or death.”
Upon hearing this, Wei Yunshu felt a sudden surge of annoyance. Of course, she knew this was Luo Lingfeng’s test, but the thought of those false words of ‘regret’ caused a peculiar dissatisfaction deep within her. She flicked her sleeve and said, “It is inconvenient for me to stay in the Dustless Sea for long.”
Phoenix Lord was not surprised by Wei Yunshu’s statement. Her gaze swept over Little Tai Sui, and she pouted, “The box has been opened. You can take that little black ball with you. My Phoenix Mountain will not be entertaining guests any longer.”
Wei Yunshu said, “I’m taking Luo Lingfeng too.”
Phoenix Lord: “…” She gave Wei Yunshu a deep look, her expression unreadable, revealing none of her true thoughts.
Wei Yunshu pursed her lips. Regardless of what Phoenix Lord thought, she could not leave Luo Lingfeng behind. At worst, they would fight, and she would simply leave the Dustless Sea. Just as she was calculating this, Phoenix Lord’s voice finally rang out.
“Alright.” After a pause, Phoenix Lord added, “She is Cloud Sovereign’s Dao companion. Where she goes is naturally up to Cloud Sovereign.”
The word “Dao companion” pricked Wei Yunshu’s heart like a thorn. Aside from that wedding, there were no traces of a Dao companion between her and Luo Lingfeng. “No,” Wei Yunshu uttered two words, denying their once longed-for relationship. Phoenix Lord merely chuckled, her wings swaying with her body, shimmering with iridescent light, looking exceptionally radiant.
“Earlier, that Daoist Wan Ling was carrying a ascension talisman and preparing to come to the Dustless Sea, but he was driven away,” Wei Yunshu said to Phoenix Lord after some thought.
“Is that so?” Phoenix Lord’s expression was one of surprise. She looked at Wei Yunshu and said sincerely, “While I might not necessarily help you, I certainly won’t side with the Daoist Wan Ling.”
Wei Yunshu replied with a hum, “Thank you.” Her purpose in coming to Dustless Sea was only half fulfilled, but at least the situation had not worsened.
Buzhou.
Shi Wufang sat behind the desk, her face gloomy.
The current generation of true disciples, Xie Zhichao, Ran Xiuyun, Ying Yue, and others, were all seated in the hall.
“There are scattered individuals setting up rituals in the Western Continent, but they have been discovered and cleared by fellow disciples. The Southern Continent is the territory of the Luoshui Divine Palace, so it is inconvenient for Buzhou disciples to penetrate deeply. The results of destroying altars and rituals are not ideal,” Ran Xiuyun said, her brow furrowed, her low voice laced with bitterness.
“In the Northern Continent, a disciple of True Monarch Yan sent a letter,” Xie Zhichao’s expression was also grim. She fiddled with her wine gourd for a moment, but ultimately suppressed the urge to drown herself in drink. She took a deep breath and said, “The Primordial Demons of the Northern Continent have killed the evil cultivators in the Corridor of Sins, showing a positive side. Many are speaking in their favor, wanting to remove the checkpoints in the Northern Continent and allow them to cross the Great Wall! Even more have secretly attacked the disciples stationed at the city gates.”
Shi Wufang remained silent for a long time, then asked, “How many people have cultivated the ‘Severing all selves’ Dao technique?”
Xie Zhichao said with a bitter smile, “Innumerable. Although we have collected the Daoist scriptures from the secret realm, how could people like the Daoist Wan Ling and Wen Baixian, who came from the Shang Qing Divine Realm, not bring the methods with them? After establishing their sects, they set up ‘Dao Transmission Stones’ within the sect, allowing anyone who ascended to the Wu Shi Sect to view them. The events in Mount Youluo were spread long ago, along with Jiang Xuan’s experience of suddenly ascending from Foundation Establishment to Nascent Soul, which was widely publicized. Many people felt yearning. Although no one has made such a sudden leap across several major realms like Jiang Xuan, those who are troubled by their inner demons when reaching a bottleneck can sever their burdens and successfully enter a new realm.”
Ran Xiuyun said, “Senior Sister, we must resolve the Wu Shi Sect before those five Primordial Demons cross the Northern Continent’s defenses.”
Xie Zhichao said with lingering fear, “Fortunately, the Great Wall has become a Dao artifact. Otherwise, True Monarch Yan alone probably couldn’t hold on.”
But even with a Dao artifact, how long could Yan Danwo hold on?
Shi Wufang said gently, “Continue to roam with the cultivators of the Southern Continent, and secretly disrupt the altars and rituals. As for dealing with the Wu Shi Sect, we will wait until Fellow Daoist Bo returns.” If they could persuade Phoenix Lord of Dustless Sea, their chances of victory would be even greater.
Xie Zhichao grumbled, “Looking at it this way, the fall of those several Cavern Heaven experts in Cloud City is a good thing. Otherwise, if their stance shifted, the battle situation would definitely be affected.” She actually admired Luo Lingfeng immensely. In the Fu Li Immortal Realm, perhaps no one had a greater killing intent or had killed more Cavern Heaven experts than her. Such a person, devoid of heart and emotion, was truly unsuitable as Fellow Daoist Bo’s Dao companion.
Shi Wufang exhaled a breath of turbid air, neither confirming nor denying Xie Zhichao’s words. She couldn’t deny the advantage Luo Lingfeng’s madness had brought them, but she also didn’t want to bear the potential crisis that her madness might cause. Deep in her heart, there was a sliver of guilt, but the thought of the calamity unfolding in the Fu Li Immortal Realm made that guilt vanish like smoke. What she had to do was to make Buzhou, like in the time of her ancestor, a pillar supporting the heavens!
Several days later.
Buzhou welcomed back Wei Yunshu.
However, the situation was not good. From the Dustless Sea, Phoenix Lord had not given a definite answer.
As for Luo Lingfeng… she was still in a deep sleep, and the outcome of whether to “kill” or “save” her had not yet been determined.
Wei Yunshu was gambling on a possibility.
Regardless of her inner thoughts, Shi Wufang could not bring herself to “take advantage of someone’s misfortune.” She tacitly allowed Wei Yunshu to bring Luo Lingfeng back to the treasure hall. Wei Yunshu, who brought Luo Lingfeng back to Buzhou, did not want to make things difficult for Shi Wufang. Countless talismans descended, and golden incantations intertwined to form a vast confinement formation, as if bathed in sunlight, magnificent and beautiful.
In the courtyard of the Xuan Zhen Grand Hall.
Shi Wufang sat by the stone table, a wine pot placed to her right, and the glowing Dan Xin Sword pressed to her left. She frowned, and only when she heard approaching footsteps did she look up at Wei Yunshu and smile, “Fellow Daoist Bo, you’ve arrived.”
Wei Yunshu responded softly, her expression somewhat complicated. She quickly walked to the stone table and sat down, sighing, “She has a lot of Tai Sui Golden Sand on her body.” Seeing Shi Wufang look at her in confusion, Wei Yunshu explained, “After her heart was gouged out, Luo Hengjun had Wu Huan implant a heart forged with Tai Sui Golden Sand for her. Now, those substances have already spread along her meridians to her limbs and bones. And she—” Wei Yunshu suddenly paused, unsure how to continue.
“What about her?” Shi Wufang asked. She raised her hand to pour a cup of wine and pushed it towards Wei Yunshu.
The courtyard was quite serene, with lush greenery as far as the eye could see. A gentle breeze blew, causing a few petals to twirl in mid-air and gently fall onto the stone table. Wei Yunshu picked up the wine cup, and only after drinking it all did she set down the empty cup, saying with a bitter smile, “Her avatar is hidden within the Chaos Tree, forging a heart with Tai Sui Golden Sand.”
Even the usually gentle and placid Shi Wufang could not help but show surprise upon hearing this. Her eyes flickered slightly. “There were rumors before that she used her avatar to cultivate Blood Thorns. Could it be that there is another avatar? If she didn’t use her own essence to nurture the Blood Thorns, how would they have grown?”
“Southern Continent spiritual veins,” Wei Yunshu uttered four words after a moment.
Shi Wufang said, “Just having spiritual energy alone probably wouldn’t be enough, right?”
Wei Yunshu replied, “I suspect that the true nurturer of the Blood Thorns is actually Luo Hengjun’s primordial spirit.” After hearing about the “Sacred Heart,” the three families would not have been unmoved. And Luo Lingfeng, being an insider, would have benefited the most from capturing and interrogating the other’s primordial spirit. Moreover, the four families of the Luoshui Divine Palace were united. No matter how many faults Luo Hengjun had, she should not have annihilated his primordial spirit. Acting to completely destroy someone would only chill people’s hearts. But Luo Lingfeng was different; she wished she could grind Luo Hengjun into ashes.
After saying this, the two fell into silence simultaneously. The courtyard was utterly quiet. Wei Yunshu sighed and poured another cup of wine. “After knowing that she has Tai Sui Golden Sand on her, the possibility of saving her is even lower, perhaps less than one percent.”
“Not necessarily,” Shi Wufang said slowly. “Tai Sui Golden Sand is something that evil cultivators in the Corridor of Sins use for cultivation. Logically, with Tai Sui Golden Sand as her heart, she should have long since fallen into the demonic path, but she hasn’t. At least this indicates that her will is exceptionally tenacious, and she hasn’t reached a point of being completely uncontrollable.”
Wei Yunshu shook her head, her clear and bright eyes clouded with a hint of gloom. “Isn’t her conduct already evil and treacherous enough?”
Shi Wufang spoke a word of fairness for Luo Lingfeng. “At least she hasn’t indiscriminately killed innocent mortals.”
Wei Yunshu was silent for a long time, then looked at Shi Wufang and said, “I thought you didn’t want her to live.”
Shi Wufang said seriously, “I just hope the situation doesn’t become more chaotic.” After a pause, she added softly, “If it doesn’t affect the overall situation, Buzhou will not interfere with your choice.”
The air gradually became stagnant, and invisible pressure built up between the two. Wei Yunshu met Shi Wufang’s gaze and asked calmly, “What did you say to her?”
Shi Wufang replied gently, “Oh, I said she regretted it.” Before Wei Yunshu could respond, Shi Wufang continued, “Her obsession is you, yet she doesn’t want to kill you. She has even gone to great lengths to push for your Primordial Spirit to return to its Dao body. What do you think she is trying to achieve?”
Wei Yunshu picked up the wine cup and brought it to her lips for a long time, then slowly put it down. She said slowly, “She wants to create a perfect opportunity to be killed by me. If I make a move against her, she will be satisfied.”
Shi Wufang said lightly, “She is gambling with her life just to negate you. Why is that? Does she truly not know what kind of person you are? Or does she not dare to admit it?”
“Do people in despair not yearn for light? But when they find that sliver of possible light extinguished by their own hands, what can they do other than fall into even deeper madness?”
Wei Yunshu was speechless for a long time.
Shi Wufang glanced at the pale face opposite her and suddenly said, “Fellow Daoist Bo, what I am about to say may be a bit cruel.”
Wei Yunshu steadied herself and said softly, “Please speak.”
“If she truly regrets it, then her past beliefs will surely collapse, and her realm might even fall. In this predicament, we are actually in great need of her combat power. So, before she falls off the cliff, Fellow Daoist Bo, I hope you can pull her back.” Shi Wufang’s attitude was very gentle. She gently raised her wine cup, took a sip, and then slowly said, “Of course, it’s fine if you are unwilling.”