AVL Chapter 3

In the backyard of the clinic grew a towering osmanthus tree that blocked out the sky, still lush and green despite the heavy snow.

 

Tiny osmanthus flowers bloomed in full splendor, their fragrance refreshing to the heart.

 

The snow had stopped at some point, and the howling cold wind blew fiercely.

 

Feng Yu was looking for water in the backyard when the cold wind cleared his head, which had been confused by Xi Jianlan’s nonsense.

 

Something was wrong.

 

He had come to kick him while he was down, so how had Xi Jianlan’s few words made him dizzy and confused, using him like a servant?

 

Feng Yu gritted his teeth in hatred, flicked his ghost-patterned ink-white robe, and turned back with murderous intent.

 

Although Xi Jianlan had lost all his cultivation, his ability to spin tall tales had been cultivated to perfection!

 

Feng Yu hurried back, about to curse angrily.

 

But he saw Xi Jianlan leaning weakly against the medicine cabinet, slightly curled up in a small ball. Even with his ink-black hair disheveled all over his body, it couldn’t hide his frail and broken figure.

 

There was still a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. When he turned his head to look over, his eyes were vacant and confused, like a blood lotus about to break in the wind and snow.

 

Feng Yu was stunned for a moment, reluctantly extinguishing the fire.

 

Even though he found it hard to believe, he still pinched his nose and reluctantly accepted Xi Jianlan’s story of rebirth—he was too arrogant, firmly believing that under the “Ghost Sound,” no one would lie.

 

Xi Jianlan weakly asked, “Where’s the water?”

 

Feng Yu roughly dragged Xi Jianlan up from the ground and threw him onto a small couch nearby, coldly saying, “In your broken house, where is there clean water to drink?”

 

Xi Jianlan’s eyelashes drooped slightly, softly saying, “Snow water is fine too, I don’t mind.”

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

Seeing Xi Jianlan’s miserable state, Feng Yu should have been overjoyed, but for some reason, he became even more irritable, frowning as he took out a priceless spirit liquid from his storage ring and handed it over.

 

Xi Jianlan’s ink-black hair dragged on the edge of the couch, maintaining a half-dead posture, weakly saying, “I can’t lift my hand.”

 

Feng Yu ground his back teeth to pieces: “Xi Jue, enough already, don’t push your luck!”

 

Xi Jianlan took the hint and raised his hand to accept it.

 

He seemed like he hadn’t eaten anything good for a long time, like a kitten gently sniffing, then tilted the jade cup to lick a sip of the spirit liquid, sighing, “This top-grade Shuidi Ming—Young Master, I’d have to sell myself at the Southern Territory brothel for ten years to pay it off.”

 

Feng Yu didn’t want to hear his sob story, irritably asking, “What’s wrong with your injury?”

 

“An old illness,” Xi Jianlan took a sip, casually, as if talking about someone else’s matter, “My constitution is special, every year I need to use the Yutan flower to prolong my life. The Xi family is gone, so that Yutan flower worth tens of thousands of spirit stones is naturally impossible to find.”

 

Feng Yu was incredulous: “…So, you, you were literally trapped by a mere few tens of thousands of spirit stones?!”

 

Back when the Xi family controlled the three regions of Central State, even the candies Xi Jianlan snacked on were worth more than tens of thousands of spirit stones.

 

“Spirit stones are one thing,” Xi Jianlan sighed lightly, “Not long after I escaped from Xiezhi Sect, the Yutan flower throughout the entire Thirteen States suddenly stopped being sold overnight.”

 

Feng Yu was stunned, inhaling a cold breath.

 

Someone was deliberately trying to starve Xi Jianlan to death.

 

“But it’s okay,” Xi Jianlan was optimistic, “…Every year there are still one or two stragglers. I opened a clinic to search for the Yutan flower, maybe I’ll get lucky and find one.”

 

No matter how much Feng Yu disliked Xi Jianlan, he still admired his optimism.

 

If he were in Xi Jianlan’s place, falling from grace from a favored son of heaven, he might not be as clear-minded as Xi Jianlan.

 

Feng Yu didn’t say more about this and changed the subject.

 

“What you said about rebirth is indeed strange. So, was your Xi family slaughtered in your previous life as well?”

 

Xi Jianlan calmly shook his head and made up a story.

 

“No, if I had known the Xi family would suffer disaster, I would have found a way to stop it. How could I have just stood by and waited to die?”

 

“Then who was behind the disaster that befell the Xi family?” Feng Yu hesitated, “Did they come for your Xiangwen?”

 

Ordinary cultivators in the Thirteen States are born with spiritual roots, but some prestigious families obtained special Tianyan spiritual veins from unknown sources, allowing cultivators with natural spiritual roots to awaken a spiritual root called “Xiangwen” at the age of twelve.

 

The ancestors called it a gift from the Heavenly Dao.

 

“Xiangwen” is divided into four levels: Mortal, Mysterious, Heavenly, and Spiritual. Most ordinary people only awaken to the Heavenly level.

 

The Spiritual level is extremely rare, with only about a dozen people in the entire Thirteen States historically.

 

—Xi Jianlan is one of them.

 

Students admitted to Tianyan Academy are also cultivators with Xiangwen.

 

Not long after Xi Jianlan awakened his Xiangwen, the Xi family rose from a minor family in the lower Central State to become the rulers of four states, flourishing like the sun at its zenith.

 

No one knew what ability Xi Jianlan’s Xiangwen had, only that the Xi family protected it extremely strictly.

 

Xi Jianlan said lightly, “They came for the Xi family’s Tianyan spiritual vein. My Xiangwen… has been ruined, no need to say more.”

 

Feng Yu stared at him without blinking.

 

Xi Jianlan was a rare Spiritual level Xiangwen. When he first entered Tianyan Academy, his cultivation was already far ahead of others, and he was one of only two in the history of the Thirteen States to form a nascent soul at seventeen.

 

—The other was Sheng Jiao.

 

Such a naturally gifted prodigy destined for ascension was forcibly destroyed.

 

Feng Yu took a deep breath: “What about Sheng Jiao? What exactly happened between you two?”

 

Xi Jianlan’s action of biting the jade cup paused slightly.

 

“I was in seclusion forming my nascent soul when I came out and found the Xi family in trouble,” Feng Yu said in a deep voice, “The entire Xi family was wiped out except for you. Even if they wanted to find the culprit, they shouldn’t have taken you to Xiezhi Sect. At that time, I asked Sheng Jiao… but he said nothing.”

 

Xi Jianlan laughed: “When have you ever seen ‘Lord Heavenly Dao’ speak a word?”

 

Feng Yu thought about it and realized it was true.

 

Sheng Jiao was different from those cultivators who practiced silent meditation. He was like a towering stone covered with frost and snow on a mountain peak, or a jade statue sitting on clouds, indifferent to the mortal world, awe-inspiring.

 

During four years of being classmates, almost no one had ever seen Sheng Jiao open his mouth to speak. Sometimes, when necessary, he wouldn’t speak but use spiritual power to produce sound, as if afraid of tiring his “noble mouth.”

 

Because of this mysterious demeanor, others in Zhuxing Zhai often made fun of him.

 

“So why did Sheng Jiao want to kill you? And why did he issue a bounty order to search for you throughout the Thirteen States?”

 

Xi Jianlan lowered his eyes absentmindedly and said, “He thought I was the culprit who slaughtered the entire Xi family.”

 

Feng Yu was shocked: “Is he crazy?!”

 

It is well known that the entire Xi family was exterminated, and only Xi Jianlan survived because of his Spiritual level Xiangwen.

 

He was clearly the victim.

 

“His Xiangwen…” Xi Jianlan paused and said, “Those 108 Tianyan pearls, when they encounter a guilty person, will display the character ‘Zhu’ (meaning ‘execute’).”

 

Feng Yu frowned: “How many pearls showed you should be executed?”

 

Xi Jianlan raised one finger.

 

“One hundred?” Feng Yu scoffed, “Isn’t it usually all 108 pearls showing ‘execute’ to convict someone?”

 

 

Xi Jianlan burst out laughing with a “puchi”: “…No.”

 

“Then ten?”

 

“One.”

 

Feng Yu inhaled sharply: “One?!”

 

With just one Tianyan pearl, Sheng Jiao determined Xi Jianlan was guilty?!

 

What kind of logic was this?

 

Even Feng Yu found it absurd and cried injustice for Xi Jianlan.

 

“Honestly…” Feng Yu said with difficulty, “Sheng Jiao is famously just, you… did you offend him somewhere?”

 

Xi Jianlan put down the jade cup. He had only taken one sip of the Shuidi Ming spirit liquid before losing his appetite. Lowering his eyes, he suddenly asked a strange question.

 

“Do you believe me, or do you believe Sheng Jiao?”

 

Feng Yu thought to himself: “You’re used to spouting nonsense and spinning tall tales. I’d rather believe Sheng Jiao than you.”

 

But seeing Xi Jianlan’s expression as if he really had something difficult to say, Feng Yu had to swallow his sarcastic words.

 

“I… I reluctantly believe you.”

 

Xi Jianlan suddenly looked up, his beautiful eyes actually misting over with a layer of water vapor, rippling with circles of snow-white light.

 

“Really?”

 

Feng Yu increasingly felt that Xi Jianlan and Sheng Jiao must have a blood feud, and he wanted to know more.

 

“Really, I believe you.”

 

As soon as this reluctant “I believe you” fell, two lines of clear tears suddenly rolled down Xi Jianlan’s face, dropping with a “patter” onto his pale hands.

 

Feng Yu was horrified.

 

This was the first time he had seen the proud Xi Jianlan cry.

 

Xi Jianlan’s face was streaked with tears. His face was full of haggard illness, and when he cried, he looked pitiful beyond measure, almost making Feng Yu forget that this person was a habitual swindler.

 

“I told others, but they all didn’t believe me. They… only believed Sheng Jiao.”

 

Feng Yu held his breath and listened attentively.

 

“He… he he.” Xi Jianlan stammered.

 

Feng Yu was dying of anxiety, wishing he could lend him his own mouth.

 

Finally, Xi Jianlan revealed to his most trustworthy “good brother” Feng Yu the secret he had hidden for many years.

 

“Sheng Jiao! Sheng Wuzhuo! Lord Heavenly Dao! He… he, he couldn’t have me, so love turned to hate!”

 

Feng Yu: “…”

 

Feng Yu: “???”

 

Feng Yu was greatly shocked!

 

***

 

Heavy snow fell on Chang River, and countless plum trees bloomed along the banks.

 

In the early morning, many people were already admiring the snow in groups on the long street. The weeping willows were frozen into tender green crystals, making crisp tinkling sounds when swept by the cold wind.

 

A man in a black cloak walked slowly through the bustling crowd, a sheathed sword hanging at his waist, faintly visible, with what sounded like the collision of chains if one listened carefully.

 

Suddenly, a little girl running happily beside him didn’t watch where she was going and crashed into the man’s thigh.

 

She felt like she had hit a towering snow mountain and sat on the ground, staring blankly at this strange man.

 

Fortunately, the girl’s father quickly caught up, hurriedly helped her up, and angrily shouted at the man: “Don’t you have eyes?!”

 

But as soon as he looked up, he was instantly startled by the man’s aura.

 

The girl’s father obviously saw that this was not someone to mess with. He muttered a few curses under his breath with false bravado, then squatted down to pat the snow off his daughter’s knees.

 

“Nuan Nuan, does it hurt?”

 

The girl obediently shook her head.

 

“Then go ahead.” A rare tenderness appeared on the father’s naturally fierce face. “Don’t run far, Daddy will wait here for you to come back.”

 

The girl nodded happily, clutching two coins as she ran toward the candied hawthorn stall not far away.

 

Tap tap, like a happy running deer.

 

The girl’s father smiled.

 

Suddenly, a voice that seemed to come from the horizon echoed in his ears.

 

“Yang Luo, resident of Queti City in Central State. Five years ago, murdered more than ten brothers and fellow disciples, severely injured Chengshe Academy’s search officer, and fled across the Thirteen States.”

 

That father—Yang Luo’s smile instantly froze, and he looked at the man in horror.

 

“You…”

 

Only then did he see clearly that the black cloak bore the dark gold Xiezhi divine beast pattern he had feared for years.

 

—It was someone from Xiezhi Sect!

 

Yang Luo’s face immediately turned ashen.

 

Xiezhi Sect was called the “Gates of Hell” by the Thirteen States. Every cultivator who could enter Xiezhi Sect was someone with overwhelming cultivation and cold-blooded ruthlessness.

 

They only recognized the laws of the Heavenly Dao—kill and you must pay with your life.

 

No matter where you fled, once caught by someone wearing Xiezhi-patterned robes, it was certain death.

 

Yang Luo trembled like a sieve, staggering as he knelt on the ground: “Immortal, Immortal Lord, spare my life! I acted impulsively back then and committed a grave mistake! I know I was wrong now, please show mercy, I I…”

 

Despite such a commotion, the people around continued admiring the snow as if nothing had happened, as if they couldn’t see at all.

 

The man remained unmoved, his eyes showing no compassion.

 

Yang Luo stared at him blankly, and under great terror, even his body stopped trembling.

 

“You are… Sheng, Sheng…”

 

The man’s black eyes were like ethereal void. His thin lips didn’t move, but an emotionless, ice-cold voice echoed around them.

 

“Execute.”

 

Yang Luo’s whole body went limp as he screamed: “Please spare my life, Immortal Lord, I still have a daughter—”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a slight sound of beads colliding.

 

A pale white thunder broke through the dark clouds and snow mist, striking directly at Yang Luo’s forehead.

 

Despite such a grand display, there was not a trace of thunder sound.

 

The cold wind suddenly swept by.

 

In the blink of an eye, there was no living person on the ground, only a small pile of bone ash melting into the snow.

 

The frozen Chang River seemed touched by spring wind, instantly turning into flowing water. The plum blossoms on the banks withered in an instant, swept up into the air by the fierce wind.

 

The snow-watching crowd cried out in surprise, looking at this strange phenomenon in amazement.

 

The little girl finished buying her candied hawthorn and ran back happily.

 

She looked around in confusion but couldn’t see her daddy waiting for her. After standing there bewildered for a long time, she suddenly fell to the ground and burst into tears.

 

The man’s eyes showed no compassion, only glancing sideways at the lush osmanthus tree nearby.

 

Osmanthus flowers bloomed throughout the city.

 

Suddenly, a person in Xiezhi Sect’s black robes appeared beside the man.

 

 

“…Sect Master, the summer solstice snowfall in Wuyin City is not a snow disaster, but rather seems like someone has awakened their Xiangwen. Juan Xunfang has already gone to investigate.”

 

Sheng Jiao suddenly said: “Xi Jue?”

 

The Xiezhi Sect cultivator looked puzzled, seemingly not understanding why the Sect Master would ask about this person.

 

But he still respectfully said: “Chengshe Academy says there are currently no traces of Xi Jianlan in all of Wuyin City.”

 

Sheng Jiao turned and left.

 

The cultivator hurried to catch up: “Sect Master Sheng, Guchangsi Temple has that kind of spiritual object for sale tomorrow night. Do you want to go there now?”

 

“Mm.”

 

At this moment, a voice came from behind: “Sect Master Sheng, please wait!”

 

Sheng Jiao’s steps paused.

 

The person approaching was the director of Chengshe Academy, his face full of smiles as he respectfully bowed to Sheng Jiao.

 

“I heard last night that Immortal Lord Sheng had arrived, my apologies for not welcoming you properly! This year’s snow disaster has given our city lord a terrible headache. We’ve searched the entire city but can’t find the source. Fortunately, you’ve come.”

 

The Xiezhi Sect cultivator was stunned.

 

Sheng Jiao held a high position and great power, and hadn’t left Xiezhi Sect for several years. This time he came to the northern border of Chang River for special business, with his ultimate destination being the spiritual object at Guchangsi Temple.

 

Except for a few people in Xiezhi Sect, no one knew about this.

 

This person was just from a small Chengshe Academy—how could he know about this?

 

And also…

 

Arrived last night?

 

Sheng Jiao suddenly turned around, his black cloak drawing a half-circle in the air like a cold sword light.

 

The nearest osmanthus tree suddenly trembled, osmanthus flowers falling like rain with crackling sounds, the entire tree’s flowers withering instantly.

 

“Sect, Sect Master Sheng?”

 

Sheng Jiao said coldly: “He is here.”

 

——————–

 

Author’s Note:

 

Feng Yu “Big Wronged Soul & Fun Person”: Crunch crunch eating melons, so exciting!

 

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