PID Chapter 105

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By mid-morning, Qiuqiu used its beast contract to send a voice transmission: Yue Ming from Yingyue Sect, Wang Yichen from Jinxiu Pavilion, and Jun Bushu from Lingxiao Sect had come to visit. Chu Jinglan nodded and instructed Qiuqiu to guide them to the main hall of Du-E Peak’s courtyard to wait.

 

After tidying up his attire, Chu Jinglan entered the hall. As soon as he stepped in, Yue Ming remarked: “How unusual. You usually just find us a random peak with a stone table. Today you’re actually letting us into this room?”

 

Chu Jinglan didn’t respond. Instead, he raised his hand and summoned a sword puppet to pour tea for them.

 

As he lifted his hand, a thin golden chain wrapped around his wrist became visible.

 

The moment Chu Jinglan walked in, Wang Yichen had already noticed the chain. It was delicate and looped several times around Chu Jinglan’s wrist before extending outward—trailing behind him with no visible end in sight. If not for the chain’s exquisite craftsmanship and Chu Jinglan’s unmatched cultivation level, Wang Yichen might have committed blasphemy by wondering if Xianzun had been confined or tethered.

 

Yue Ming noticed it too. Following the chain with his eyes, he saw it extended far beyond the doorway. Using spiritual sense to investigate would have been impolite in such a setting—and besides, Du-E Sect’s peaks were riddled with countless restrictions. Unable to resist his curiosity, Yue Ming asked: “What’s tied at the other end?”

 

The chain was thin but clearly a magical artifact. Chu Jinglan picked up his teacup and casually dropped a bombshell: “My Dao companion.”

 

“Pfft!”

 

Both Yue Ming and Wang Yichen choked simultaneously, their faces turning beet red as they hurriedly set down their cups and pressed their hands to their mouths. They stared at Chu Jinglan in shock—but Chu Jinglan seemed entirely unfazed by what he had just said. His expression remained calm as he leisurely sipped his tea.

 

Yue Ming and Wang Yichen’s pupils trembled violently:

 

Is this how far things have gone?

 

Only Jun Bushu remained unaffected, sipping his tea serenely as if nothing unusual had been said.

 

Chu Jinglan absentmindedly stroked the golden chain on his wrist. Whatever thought crossed his mind brought an unexpected warmth to his frost-hardened eyes—visible even through the rising steam of tea.

 

“If I don’t do this,” Chu Jinglan said lightly, “he won’t feel at ease.”

 

Yue Ming and Wang Yichen hadn’t touched the tea snacks on the table but somehow felt inexplicably full.

 

Also, who exactly is the one feeling uneasy here?

 

Moreover, Chu Jinglan now had a night-blooming cereus mark on his forehead—bright and unhidden. The Dao companion mark had already been etched, even though the Dao companion ceremony hadn’t been held yet. And now, there was even a chain tying someone to their bedroom. If that person couldn’t meet guests at the moment, it was hard not to imagine what might have caused them to remain confined to the room.

 

Wang Yichen carefully examined Chu Jinglan’s face. Although it wasn’t obvious, his aura seemed more relaxed, and his complexion looked better. Perhaps this marriage truly was, as Jun Bushu had said, a good thing for him.

 

That was reassuring.

 

While they felt comforted for him, they hadn’t come all this way just to choke on their own emotions.

 

Yue Ming also felt his teeth ache and said, “Let’s get to business.”

 

Chu Jinglan still held the title of honorary guest elder at Yingyue Sect. However, given his status as Xianzun, the sect master should have been the one to handle matters with him. Yet since the sect master rarely managed to converse effectively with Chu Jinglan, these tasks always fell to Yue Ming.

 

The same applied to Jun Bushu.

 

Before their visit, the human factions had already held a round of discussions. This time, Yue Ming represented Yingyue Sect and the Cloud Peak Six Sects; Wang Yichen represented Jinxiu Pavilion; and Jun Bushu represented the Immortal Alliance—all coming together to discuss matters with Xianzun.

 

Wang Yichen folded his fan and began: “After Fenxiu’s capture, there’s been constant infighting among Demon Domain’s demon lords. They’ve swapped leaders several times now. Finally, they’ve settled on one strong enough to hold power. The new demon lord has requested celestial demon blood as part of a goodwill alliance contract with human cultivators.”

 

Yue Ming added: “He’s seeking peace with humans primarily to solidify his position as demon lord.”

 

“The blood can be given,” Chu Jinglan replied calmly. “And we can move Fenxiu elsewhere—there’s no need to keep him imprisoned in Du-E Sect anymore.”

 

Jun Bushu finally set down his teacup and spoke: “That aligns with everyone else’s intentions.”

 

Initially, Fenxiu had been imprisoned at Du-E Sect because, although the war had ended, the situation remained unstable. With Chu Jinglan stationed at Du-E Sect, those remnants loyal to Fenxiu who sought to dominate the cultivation world wouldn’t dare attempt a rescue here.

 

The Demon Domain had gone through several demon lords in quick succession—the shortest reign lasting only a few days. Now that the situation had stabilized, it was time to lure out those remnants and eliminate them once and for all.

 

Fenxiu was the perfect bait.

 

The fact that Fenxiu was alive was known only to major factions; even fewer knew that his cultivation had been crippled. Destroying a Great Perfection stage cultivator’s power wasn’t easy—until Chu Jinglan succeeded, no one believed it could be done. Moreover, Fenxiu’s celestial demon blood still held value—some would come to kill him while others would attempt to save him.

 

Once Fenxiu was moved out of Du-E Sect, some might act during transport. Fenxiu might not even make it to his next prison—he could very well die along the way.

 

“The consensus among major sects is to move him to Yaori Sect,” Wang Yichen said as he used spiritual energy to sketch on the table. “There will be layers of ambushes set along the route. Five days from now, we’ll gather our forces and come to Du-E Sect to pick him up.”

 

The choice of sect didn’t matter much—but what caught Chu Jinglan’s attention was that the Tianyuan Secret Realm was located near Yaori Sect.

 

With most of the serious discussions concluded, Yue Ming and Wang Yichen didn’t immediately bid farewell. Yue Ming nudged Jun Bushu with his elbow and deliberately said loudly: “Didn’t you say you wanted to divine Xianzun’s fate for some good luck before his wedding? Why haven’t you spoken up yet?”

 

This had been agreed upon before their visit—but Jun Bushu hadn’t shown any intention of bringing it up since seeing Chu Jinglan. Now that they were about to leave, Yue Ming couldn’t sit still and threw it out into the open.

 

Despite Jinxiu Pavilion’s resources and methods, they hadn’t managed to uncover Xiao Mo’s background—even with his appearance and name known. The frustration felt eerily familiar—exactly like when they’d tried investigating “Mo Lan” years ago. Left with no other options, they could only pin their hopes on Jun Bushu’s renowned divination skills.

 

Jun Bushu held his teacup and sighed faintly.

 

“There’s no need for it now.”

 

Wang Yichen and Yue Ming both turned to look at him.

 

Jun Bushu spoke slowly: “His Dao companion mark is a Red Luan mark.”

 

While others couldn’t immediately discern the type of Dao companion mark, Jun Bushu’s sharp eyes and mastery of divination had reached unparalleled heights over the years. The moment he entered the room, he had seen through the nature of Chu Jinglan’s mark.

 

The Red Luan mark was unbreakable—binding two people to share life and death. Whether he calculated their fate or not, what difference would it make?

 

“What!?”

 

Yue Ming slammed the table and stood up, completely disregarding Chu Jinglan’s status as Xianzun. Gritting his teeth, he exclaimed: “Chu Jinglan!”

 

“Do you have any idea how many people out there are waiting for you to die? And you went ahead and formed a Red Luan mark with someone at Nascent Soul stage? Are you handing them your weakness on a silver platter? Are you tired of living!?”

 

Even Wang Yichen, who held significant power, wouldn’t dare speak to Chu Jinglan like this. Yue Ming was now the only one who dared glare at Chu Jinglan with such boldness.

 

Just as Yue Ming finished speaking, a surge of spiritual energy rippled through the courtyard. The group turned to see a vortex of spiritual energy—a sign that someone was advancing in cultivation.

 

The vortex dissipated quickly, indicating a smooth breakthrough. Chu Jinglan said calmly: “He’s at Divided Spirit stage now.”

 

It was Xiao Mo’s advancement—from Nascent Soul peak to Divided Spirit stage.

 

Yue Ming: “…”

 

“Divided Spirit? That’s enough? If all the people who want you dead pooled just a fraction of their spiritual energy, they could drown him!” Yue Ming snapped.

 

Though his words were spoken in frustration, they were also true.

 

During the human-demon war, Chu Jinglan hadn’t only killed demon cultivators—he had also eliminated treacherous human cultivators. Yue Ming and the others had done their share as well, but none had drawn as much hatred as Chu Jinglan. Standing tall like a tree in a forest, he became the strongest and most conspicuous Xianzun in existence.

 

No one could match him in cultivation; no one could gain an advantage over him. He didn’t open his sect to disciples or show interest in power. Apart from his deceased Dao companion, he seemed devoid of desires or attachments—leaving no vulnerabilities for others to exploit.

 

Over time, people began to believe that this towering mountain was indestructible. Even his enemies gave up trying to trouble him.

 

But now… with a Dao companion whose life was tied to Chu Jinglan’s own, Xiao Mo became an obvious target. Killing Xiao Mo would mean killing Chu Jinglan too—a perfect weak spot handed over freely.

 

Yet Chu Jinglan remained utterly unconcerned: “The protective seal I placed on him can withstand three strikes from someone at Return to Void stage. If the seal is triggered, I’ll be able to reach him immediately—even within the secret realm.”

 

In today’s world, there was only one Return to Void cultivator—Chu Jinglan himself. In other words, unless someone could match or surpass Chu Jinglan’s power, no one could deliver a fatal blow to Xiao Mo.

 

Yue Ming choked slightly: …If the level of protection is really like this, then it does seem there’s no need to worry.

 

“He’s not my weakness,” Chu Jinglan said. “Anyone who comes to kill him will die by my hand—” He paused briefly before correcting himself, “—our hands.”

 

Wang Yichen unfolded his fan and waved it lightly toward Yue Ming. “In that case, we can rest assured. Calm down. Without Jun Bushu’s sharp eyes, no one else would be able to tell it’s a Red Luan mark. As long as the three of us don’t say anything, how could anyone else know?”

 

Chu Jinglan gestured for them to sit. “Sit down. I have more to say.”

 

Yue Ming huffed but still adjusted his robes and sat back down.

 

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Xiao Mo completed his advancement and exhaled a deep breath of turbid air. His spiritual energy was abundant, and he felt refreshed and invigorated.

 

Earlier in the morning, he had been utterly drained—his Nascent Soul stage body could handle the strain, but his mind couldn’t. After experiencing intimacy for the first time and enduring an entire night of it, the stimulation had left him boneless and weak.

 

However, after advancing to Divided Spirit stage, his spirits were lifted, and he felt ready again.

 

Knowing that Chu Jinglan was discussing matters with others, Xiao Mo thought for a moment before splitting off a thread of his spiritual consciousness to enter the sea of consciousness.

 

Not his own sea of consciousness—but Chu Jinglan’s.

 

With their Red Luan mark now binding them, they could enter each other’s sea of consciousness freely. That morning, when Chu Jinglan woke up and spoke with him, he had mentioned that his spiritual consciousness was unstable and required at least an hour of daily tempering.

 

Instability in spiritual consciousness would reflect in one’s sea of consciousness. Xiao Mo wanted to see what Chu Jinglan’s sea of consciousness looked like now.

 

When Xiao Mo entered Chu Jinglan’s sea of consciousness, the scene before him shifted drastically. From the sunlit room, he was suddenly plunged into a dark and cold space. The stark contrast and oppressive darkness made Xiao Mo instinctively tense up before he managed to calm himself moments later.

 

The place wasn’t entirely devoid of light—there was a source that allowed him to see clearly.

 

A single pale moon hung in the sky, casting a cold glow that seemed lifeless.

 

The towering trees from before were still there, but their leaves had turned pitch black. The trees no longer emitted any spiritual light; though they hadn’t withered completely, they exuded an air of deathly stillness. The pond that had once been filled with blooming red lotuses now held only one half-scorched flower. Along the banks, rows of night-blooming cereus lay wilted and lifeless, drooping weakly.

 

Desolation and death pervaded Chu Jinglan’s sea of consciousness.

 

Xiao Mo gently touched the petals of one wilted night-blooming cereus before exiting the sea of consciousness. When he returned to reality, his eyes were red again.

 

Chu Jinglan walked back into the room just as Xiao Mo smiled at him brightly: “You’re back?”

 

Chu Jinglan nodded. “Mm.”

 

He raised his hand to press lightly against the corners of Xiao Mo’s reddened eyes. Knowing that Xiao Mo had entered his sea of consciousness and that his red eyes were because of what he saw there, Chu Jinglan didn’t comment further. Xiao Mo retracted the golden chain—the artifact under his control transformed back into a bracelet resting on his wrist. “I didn’t leave.”

 

Chu Jinglan kissed his wrist gently. “I know.”

 

Thinking about those lifeless trees and flowers in Chu Jinglan’s sea of consciousness, Xiao Mo said softly: “I won’t go to the Tianyuan Secret Realm anymore.”

 

Chu Jinglan looked up at him silently.

 

“You wanted to lock me away so no one else could see me, right?” Xiao Mo said with a faint smile. “If it eases your heart… then lock me up. I’ll stay with you—I won’t go anywhere.”

 

A dangerous glint flickered in Chu Jinglan’s eyes as he leaned forward and kissed Xiao Mo deeply on the lips. Xiao Mo closed his eyes and accepted everything—both what Chu Jinglan gave him and what he took from him.

 

It wasn’t until tears slipped from Xiao Mo’s eyes again that Chu Jinglan finally released him, allowing him to take deep breaths.

 

“Go,” Chu Jinglan murmured as he held him close. “We’ll go together.”

 

Xiao Mo’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. His gaze shimmered like autumn waves from their earlier kiss as he asked softly: “But you…”

 

Chu Jinglan knew that he couldn’t truly keep Xiao Mo locked away forever. That was just a thought born from his madness—an idea that wasn’t right.

 

Holding Xiao Mo close, Chu Jinglan rested his chin on his shoulder and said softly, “But you said you’d help me walk out of this—I’m willing to try.”

 

Xiao Mo embraced him tightly, his heart aching yet softened by the moment. “Alright.”

 

“But our travel arrangements will change,” Chu Jinglan added.

 

He leaned in and brushed against Xiao Mo’s reddened ear, speaking directly into it—his words carrying both intimacy and playfulness.

 

Xiao Mo blinked in surprise at what he heard but quickly agreed with enthusiasm: “Okay.”

 

Five days later, when disciples from various factions gathered outside Du-E Sect to retrieve Fenxiu, they saw Mo Zhi, the Golden Knife Expert, escorting Fenxiu out of the mountain gates. Behind him were two unfamiliar-looking cultivators wearing Du-E Sect identity tokens at their waists.

 

The two cultivators appeared youthful, their features clean and upright—handsome but not particularly striking in a crowd. Both were at the Divided Spirit stage.

 

Each carried a sword. One wore silver-blue robes, while the other was dressed in vibrant red. A flute hung at the waist of the one in red.

 

Mo Zhi handed Fenxiu over to the others and exchanged greetings. Naturally, someone asked about the identities of the two individuals behind him.

 

Clearing his throat lightly, Mo Zhi answered matter-of-factly: “These two are newly accepted disciples of Du-E Sect. They’re here to contribute to the mission for human cultivators and will also visit the nearby Tianyuan Secret Realm once we reach Yaori Sect.”

 

“You can call them Hong Lan[mfn]Red Lotus[/mfn] and You Yetan[mfn]Night Bloom[/mfn].”

 

Yue Ming’s eyelid twitched as he turned to look. Having grown accustomed to Chu Jinglan’s usual appearance, seeing him disguised like this felt utterly strange—no matter how he looked at it!

 

That’s right—the two individuals were none other than Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan themselves, traveling under false identities.

 

 

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1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter