Chapter 891: Despite Everything, I Insist

The Tiny Heart of the Cosmos was a Xiantian Divine Weapon.

That meant that, from the moment of its birth, it had an innate source of the Grand Dao, as well as Xiantian Dao Charm. It was profound and inscrutable.

It was similar to the Sahā World Tree of the Wilds’ top Buddhist holy land, the Little Western Paradise. The tree was a Xiantian Divine Lifeform.

They said that “its every branch bore the vestiges of the Grand Dao” and “one leaf, one enlightenment.” It was considered the greatest sacred tree of Buddhism, and it was seventh on the Wilds’ List of Divine Beings!

Traced back to their source, Xiantian Divine Life Forms were grown from Xiantian Dao Seeds, which were born of a world’s source. They were treasures that could only be happened upon?by chance.

Xiantian Dao Seeds could grow into living things like the Sahā World Tree, but they could also develop into Xiantian Divine Weapons.

The most famous of these was the sword Su Yi had wielded in his past life, the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos.

This sword was originally a Xiantian Dao Seed too. It was only after Su Yi used all manner of secret methods and divine martials to cultivate it that it gradually sprouted, ultimately growing into a bottlegourd vine.

After three thousand years, it flowered. Another three thousand years passed before it bore fruit, a single green-skinned gourd.

The gourd’s interior was pervaded by Xiantian Dao Qi, and its Grand Dao source power condensed into a three-inch sword. It was as fleeting and ethereal as the night sky, and it was innately connected to Su Yi’s Dao Heart.

Thus, Su Yi named it the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos.

Su Yi still remembered that, for the sake of growing the gourd that produced his sword, he’d gathered too many heavenly materials and earthly treasures to count, and too much time and effort to measure. Only then did the vine finally bear fruit.

“Fellow Daoist, with your current cultivation, won’t it be difficult for you to wield this treasure?” asked You Xue.

Su Yi nodded. “That’s indeed the case.”

The Tiny Heart of the Cosmos was a top-notch Xiantian Divine Weapon. Never mind displaying its true power now, even if he entered Profound Illumination, he’d at most be able to realize half of its strength.

“It’s a pity. Had you given this treasure the opportunity to develop a sword spirit, you could have relied on it to wield this treasure in your stead. It could have accompanied you and ensured your safety,” sighed You Xue.

She was a treasure spirit herself, and she naturally understood this.

Su Yi said flatly, “My swordsmanship has never required a sword spirit’s protection, nor do I need anyone to assist me in battle.”

As he spoke, he hung the three-inch green gourd from his waist.

Looking at it from the outside, it just looked like an ornament. It was old-fashioned, without any trace of spirituality.

This was what they meant when they said that the truly strong were understated.

You Xue thought for a moment. “If you take it now, aren’t you worried that others will steal it?”

There was no doubt about it: in her eyes, the merely Spiritual Revolution Realm Su Yi was far too weak to protect it.

Su Yi laughed, then looked at You Xue. “Want to try it?”

“Are you sure?” The depths of her gaze shone with a hint of eagerness.

Su Yi laughed dryly. “I promise not to hurt you.”

He smiled with calm composure and carefree ease. He wasn’t simply unafraid. Rather, he had an innate, prideful bearing.

Seeing this, You Xue couldn’t help but hesitate. In the end, she shook her head. “Forget it. Even post-reincarnation, you surely have enough trump cards to threaten me. I naturally won’t fall for it.”

Anyone who’d witnessed Su Xuanjun’s strength understood on a visceral level just how terrifying his abilities were. He was the man whose sword once dominated the heavens, the unsurpassed top expert of his era, the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force!

And it just so happened that You Xue had once seen him in action.

Thus, even though she now faced his reincarnation, she dared not take him the least bit lightly.

After a moment’s thought, she warned him, “But it’s just as I said earlier. If you carry the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos on your person, I’m afraid you’ll provoke unnecessary trouble. Carrying too precious a treasure will only lead to ruin; I’m sure you understand that even better than I do.”

Su Yi patted the three-inch green-skinned gourd. “Those who recognize this sword will naturally take the time to consider whether or not they can withstand its power.”

After a brief daze, You Xue said ruefully, “And here I thought that now that you’d reincarnated, at least while your cultivation was still weak, you’d become a bit more reserved. Seeing you now, it seems you’re the same as ever.”

Su Yi laughed. “If even my personality changed, I wouldn’t be myself anymore.”

You Xue nodded, looking thoughtful.

“Right, can you do me a favor?” Something suddenly occurred to Su Yi. “The old butcher waiting outside the courtyard has a dark shadow over his Dao Heart. To the best of my knowledge, the Tianya Dark Torchlight's power can illuminate a cultivator’s heart and dispel mental barriers and heart demons.”

A faint smile tugged at You Xue’s lips. “So, Su Xuanjun, you actually took it upon yourself to ask for my help? How truly unexpected.”

When she saw that Su Yi was just about to say something, she beat him to the punch. “I’ll do this favor for you. I’ll do it even if you renege on your promise. No matter what, I want you to remember my feelings.”

“...”

In the end, Su Yi nodded and called the old butcher inside.

Meanwhile, he went outside, took out a blank jade slip, and carved it using his divine sense as a knife.

Then, he passed it to Ye Qinghe. “Take it.”

Ye Qinghe was instantly mad?with delight, and he excitedly bowed. “Many thanks, Senior!”

He was naturally well aware that the secrets inscribed in this jade slip would play a critical role when he passed through the Profound Serenity Realm’s Gateway of Life and Death!

“That’s nothing but some of my thoughts and experiences. Whether you can break through this tribulation and condense a Profound Serenity Dao Platform is ultimately up to you,” said Su Yi.

Ye Qinghe nodded solemnly. “This junior won’t forget your guidance!”

Su Yi then looked at Ye Xun. “Your clan’s matters are all but resolved. Tomorrow, I’ll set off for the City of the Wrongfully Dead. You should stay here and go into seclusion. I’ll have Fairy You Xue look after you. She’ll let you out once you’ve fully recovered your cultivation base.”

Ye Xun reacted as if he’d been struck by lightning. “Brother-in-Law, I don’t want to stay here! Cultivating back with the other Ghost Serpents would be much better than that!”

“There’s no room for discussion,” said Su Yi.

Ye Xun was far too flighty and domineering; it was highly likely that he’d cause trouble. With no one around to suppress his bluster, who knew how many disasters he’d cause?

Ye Xun’s expression turned bleak, and his gaze was forlorn.

And here he’d thought that his return to the Ghost Lands was like a dragon returning to the sea; He figured he could freely let loose and enjoy himself for a while.

Who’d have thought Su Yi wouldn’t give him any chance at all?

Ye Qinghe, however, inwardly sighed in relief. He was painfully aware of just how much of a tyrannical, prideful hooligan this uncle of his was.

Having him enter seclusion here would naturally be great.

……

Time slipped by.

About an hour later, the old butcher emerged from the courtyard.

This thin-faced, taciturn old monster was now visibly overcome with delight, and every inch of him radiated relaxation and excitement.

“Your Excellency Su, many thanks!” The old butcher faced Su Yi and bowed.

He’d already fully dispersed the dark shadow over his Dao Heart. This was like breaking fetters that had shackled him for thirty-six thousand years. He felt as if he’d suddenly achieved enlightenment and gotten a new lease on life!

Furthermore, he had a strong premonition that, before long, he’d step smoothly into the late-stage Profound Serenity Realm!

“What do you plan to do next?” asked Su Yi.

The old butcher didn’t even pause to think. “I want to go back to the Sea of Bitterness.”

He’d explored the Sea of Bitterness a long time ago, and he’d even settled in those dangerous, unpredictable waters.

To the world’s cultivators, the Sea of Bitterness was a forbidden danger zone, a place of almost certain doom.

But to the old butcher, it was the perfect place to seek out his particular Grand Dao.

Su Yi said solemnly, “When you go back, do me a favor and investigate that mysterious Netherworld Vessel.”

The old butcher’s eyes narrowed. Although he’d spent the past thirty-six thousand years in Tianya City, he’d naturally heard of the Netherworld Vessel.

“Very well. Leave it to me!” The old butcher didn’t refuse.

“Also, keep an eye out for word of the Peach Haven Mountain Monarch. A few hundred years ago, the old rooster received a secret letter. Afterward, he took an Unsinkable Boat and left for the Sea of Bitterness. I’m a bit worried about him,” said Su YI.

“Got it!” The old butcher straightforwardly agreed.

Su Yi said no more, but in truth, since his return to the Netherworld, he’d discovered that quite a few of his old friends had already gone to the Sea of Bitterness.

Like Cui Longxiang, the old rooster, and both the leader and grand high elder of Meng Po Palace.

Even the Dark Oblivion Yao God and his apprentice, Wang Ting, left for the Sea of Bitterness after acquiring the jade record of the Ten Great Yama Kings. They’d gone to seek out the ruins of the Limitless Palace.

On top of all that, recently, numerous unknown changes had occurred in the far reaches of the Sea of Bitterness. Even the Burial Ground of the Dao, an ancient forbidden ground, had re-entered the world.

All of this told Su Yi that something had undoubtedly undergone a massive shift in the Sea of Bitterness.

If only to uncover Cui Longxiang’s whereabouts, Su Yi would have to go there himself before long.

And that’s disregarding the fact that, in his past life, it was in the far reaches of the Sea of Bitterness that he’d uncovered the secrets of reincarnation!

But before he did any of that, he had to go to the City of the Wrongfully Dead and enter the Dark Capital.

Su Yi then re-entered the courtyard and saw You Xue standing beneath the Cangwu tree.

“It’s time I leave,” Su Yi said softly, gazing at You Xue. “I’ll have to trouble you to keep an eye on that punk Ye Xun. Don’t let him leave until his cultivation base recovers.”

“A trivial matter. Rest assured; I guarantee he won’t be able to take so much as half a step off Torchlit Darkness Mountain,” said You Xue. Her eyes shone with inscrutable light. “Are you planning to go look for Ye Yu?”

“That’s right.” Su Yi nodded. “Not long ago, something changed in the Dark Capital. The Yin-Yang Road has been severely damaged, and Little Lea is trapped inside. I have to go bring her back.”

“Then… might you take me with you?” Her bright eyes were as impenetrable as the night sky. “You understand my personality, and you know I won’t cause trouble for you.”

Su Yi shook his head. “No. Right now, the Ghost Serpents need you.”

You Xue was briefly stunned, but then, her face filled with unconcealable despondency. She sighed, “Su Xuanjun, oh, Su Xuanjun. You obviously know how I feel about you, so why is it that you’ve always refused to accept me? Tell me: I want to know why.”

A hint of resentment appeared on her extraordinarily beautiful face.

Su Yi said calmly, “I said it a long time ago. We were fated to meet, but not to be together. There’s no forcing it.”

You Xue bit her red lips. Finally, she couldn’t hold back. “But I insist on trying anyway. Didn’t you want to know what you’d promised me? Now, I’ll tell you: when you left thirty-six thousand years ago, you said it yourself. Should the day come that I could defeat you, you’d take me with you.”

The young woman shrouded in misty darkness, like an immortal beauty, suddenly looked up, and her bright eyes met Su Yi’d gaze directly as she said solemnly, “But now, I’ve decided to try it!”