PID Chapter 75

(5/5)

(ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡

Edited (thanks to yuyu and stella koga)

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After the stone slabs on the ground collapsed, the space below was indeed deeper than they had imagined.

 

Today, Xiao Mo was dressed in a scarlet robe. The wind lifted his wide sleeves, fluttering like a butterfly spreading its wings. Xiao Mo nestled in Chu Jinglan’s arms; after adjusting his posture, his body was no longer tense, but he still couldn’t help wondering—why haven’t they reached the bottom yet?

 

Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, reminding him of that long fall through water when he first transmigrated to the cultivation world.

 

But this time was different: now he was in Chu Jinglan’s embrace. Even as they fell, there was no sense of helpless suffocation—only a feeling of security.

 

When bricks fell from above, Chu Jinglan maneuvered in midair with Xiao Mo, dodging the debris. Xiao Mo instinctively raised his hand and hooked it around Chu Jinglan’s neck to steady himself.

 

The cold sensation brushed against the side of his face; his neck was suddenly encircled. If, earlier, holding Xiao Mo was just Chu Jinglan helping on his own initiative, now that Xiao Mo actively drew closer, Chu Jinglan finally felt needed and relied upon.

 

Chu Jinglan opened his eyes slightly, his gaze shifting.

 

His expression didn’t change, but in Xiao Mo’s ear, the system’s notification sounded.

 

【Ding, mental attack successful, points +100!】

 

Xiao Mo’s hand paused as it hooked around Chu Jinglan’s neck.

 

Xiao Mo: ?

 

His thoughts spun quickly. With a hint of realization, he looked up from Chu Jinglan’s arms, giving him a subtle, searching look.

 

Chu Jinglan caught the complexity in Xiao Mo’s gaze; his heart skipped a beat, and his shoulders tensed. “…What is it?”

 

Did he notice something? Or did Xiao Mo hear his heartbeat?

 

If Xiao Mo really did notice something, that wouldn’t be a bad thing.

 

Whenever Chu Jinglan felt tense, he habitually pressed his knuckles, but with Xiao Mo in his arms, he didn’t dare move his fingers at all, holding him in a very proper, gentlemanly way.

 

Xiao Mo scrutinized him, making Chu Jinglan’s shoulders tense even more. After a moment, Xiao Mo finally squeezed out a sentence: “Honestly, are you—”

 

Chu Jinglan’s breathing lightened, holding his breath to listen.

 

“—are you actually not used to close physical contact with people?”

 

Chu Jinglan: ?

 

Chu Jinglan: “……”

 

He nearly lost control of his breath, but fortunately, his talent was real—his flying remained steady and smooth. Xiao Mo sat securely in his arms, pondering their interactions. This wasn’t the first or second time they’d been this close. He thought to himself, “Hm, maybe that’s not quite right either.”

 

Xiao Mo carefully corrected himself: “So, you can approach others, but you can’t accept others actively getting close to you?”

 

Could those inexplicable point increases before have come from this too?

 

Although that time with the infinite points is still a mystery, some situations could be explained this way—when he unconsciously got close to Chu Jinglan, Chu Jinglan never said anything, but his emotions must have fluctuated.

 

Xiao Mo: Makes perfect sense.

 

Chu Jinglan muttered, “No.”

 

Xiao Mo: “Really?”

 

Chu Jinglan: “Mm-hmm.”

 

Xiao Mo: “Then what were you thinking when I hooked my hand around you just now?”

 

Chu Jinglan honestly replied: “I wasn’t thinking anything.”

 

He truly wasn’t thinking anything—it was just that when Xiao Mo actively moved closer, his heartbeat uncontrollably intensified.

 

Xiao Mo, suspicious, patted with the hand that circled Chu Jinglan’s neck: “No discomfort? Not even like this?”

 

Chu Jinglan: “Really, none at all.”

 

There was a hint of helplessness in his tone. As Xiao Mo leaned against him, the system’s point-adding notification didn’t sound, remaining silent.

 

Xiao Mo: Was I wrong?

 

While he was still pondering this, suddenly, a coughing sound came from Yue Ming ahead of them.

 

Xiao Mo turned his head to look and only then realized that they had already landed on the ground, with the others watching them from not far away.

 

Yue Ming wore a “look at you two” expression; Jun Bushu was very polite, keeping his eyes lowered; Xi Tie stood beside the puppet, feeling embarrassed on their behalf.

 

Meanwhile, Xiao Mo was still maintaining the posture of being held in Chu Jinglan’s arms, with his hand appearing to actively hook around Chu Jinglan’s neck.

 

Xiao Mo: “……”

 

Xiao Mo immediately let go, jumped out of Chu Jinglan’s arms, straightened his clothes, and pretended nothing had happened.

 

Yue Ming said softly: “You two, although I understand—”

 

“No, you don’t understand,” Xiao Mo cut him off decisively, pushing back his words and indicating he was focused solely on the matter at hand. “Let’s observe our surroundings instead and be careful.”

 

Yue Ming: “I’m glad you can still think that way.”

 

To avoid alarming potential enemies, Chu Jinglan adjusted the light source’s intensity, though the little spirit bird continued hovering around Xiao Mo, ensuring visibility in his immediate surroundings.

 

When the floor collapsed, Qiu Qiu naturally flapped its wings and flew on its own. Now that they had landed, it perched back on Xiao Mo’s shoulder, quietly scanning the surroundings with its small eyes.

 

Beneath the stone tower, the walls were damp soil with scattered small weeds growing on them and white butterfly cocoons hanging above. Compared to the indistinguishable aura above ground, after extending their divine consciousness here, even though obstructions prevented them from fully discerning things, they could already vaguely sense the demonic beasts’ aura.

 

After walking another hundred meters, the perception of several Nascent Souls became increasingly clear. Yue Ming stopped at a certain spot and transmitted a message to Xi Tie: “Let your puppet go ahead and take a look. I estimate the demonic beast is nearby.”

 

Xi Tie nodded, controlling the puppet to move forward. After the group waited for a moment, a violent gale suddenly swept in from the depths. Everyone immediately exerted their power to resist. The wind tore through the dust on the walls and even blew away the darkness, causing the shadows to instantly recede and revealing the situation in the deepest part.

 

A giant butterfly with wings spanning ten meters when fully extended trembled its wings. Its massive form stood in the air, though it hadn’t fully stretched out its entire body. Looking closely, there was a faint halo in its abdomen. The butterfly’s antennae hummed, emitting a human-like voice: “Humans…”

 

A seventh-rank demonic beast, the Fortune Spirit Butterfly.

 

Fortune Spirit Butterflies are harmless to humans. In fact, when sects with medicinal fields need butterflies, they prefer Fortune Spirit Butterflies when available because they harmonize well with nature. Those of fifth rank or above can enhance human abilities during battle. Some Fortune Spirit Butterflies can even bestow “blessings,” which help slightly refresh one’s spirit or purify impurities from the body.

 

Fortunately, these effects are only slight. If they were too remarkable, the butterflies’ situation would likely be quite different, regardless of whether dealing with demonic beasts or humans.

 

Moreover, the abdomen of this Fortune Spirit Butterfly before them appeared to be pregnant.

 

Although these creatures were usually friendly toward humans, pregnancy was when they were most cautious. The Fortune Spirit Butterfly spread its wings, and a faint light appeared around it—its defensive formation. It buzzed: “Humans, why have you intruded upon this place?”

 

The area beneath where the Fortune Spirit Butterfly resided was filled with various flowers and grasses, some of which had been gathered, resembling a nest. Xi Tie’s compass pointed in that direction, and even without it, he could see the butterfly scales around the nest. He instantly became excited. Though usually shy when speaking, he immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

 

“We mean no disturbance. We only wish to collect some butterfly scales that are over three hundred years old. Would you be so kind as to allow this?”

 

Butterfly scales were of no use to butterflies themselves, just something they played with for amusement. A glimmer of light flashed through the Fortune Spirit Butterfly’s large black eyes, as if judging the goodness and trustworthiness of the people before it.

 

It was said some Fortune Spirit Butterflies could see into human souls. Could this one be such a butterfly?

 

After a moment, the Fortune Spirit Butterfly stared with its pitch-black eyes and fluttered its wings slightly. “Very well, but you must help me with something in return.”

 

Xi Tie was about to agree immediately, stepping forward excitedly, but Yue Ming and Chu Jinglan simultaneously reached out, grabbed him by the collar, and pulled him back, making him stumble.

 

Xi Tie looked back, and Xiao Mo gave him a pat on the back. “Don’t be hasty.”

 

Xi Tie’s face flushed red again. “Uh, sorry.”

 

Yue Ming sighed and shook his head, then addressed the Fortune Spirit Butterfly, “Tell us first what help you need.”

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly buzzed, “As you can see, I am pregnant. My power must be shared with the butterfly eggs in my abdomen. There is a seventh-rank Corrosive Poison Spider in this area that will surely attack me during my weakness. If you help me kill it, I will share the butterfly scales with you and also bestow some blessings. What do you say?”

 

It cautiously added, “If you intend to take them by force, I will destroy these butterfly scales immediately.”

 

Xi Tie hurriedly raised his hands. “No, no! Let’s talk this through properly!”

 

After listening, Yue Ming looked at Chu Jinglan. “What do you think? We have three Nascent Soul cultivators, one puppet with decent combat ability, and with some help from the Fortune Spirit Butterfly, killing a seventh-rank Corrosive Poison Spider shouldn’t be a problem.”

 

Jun Bushu thought to himself that Yue Ming had counted him in without hesitation, but after glancing at Chu Jinglan, he didn’t voice any objection. As he had said before, he was willing to show goodwill toward the two who might help him overcome his tribulation in the future.

 

Since the purpose of this journey was to obtain butterfly scales, Chu Jinglan nodded. Xi Tie was overjoyed. “Thank you, senior brothers! Oh, no, thank you, senior brother and little martial uncle! And you too, Senior Brother Jun!”

 

Indeed, both Xi Tie and Yue Ming should address Chu Jinglan as “little martial uncle,” but Yue Ming refused to do so. Looking at Chu Jinglan’s youthful face, and with Yue Ming’s own competitive nature that led him to challenge Chu Jinglan daily, calling him that would make himself seem notably inferior. That simply wouldn’t do.

 

In any case, Chu Jinglan didn’t mind.

 

Yue Ming said to Xi Tie: “If I have to address him like that, I’d rather endure the discomfort of watching him and Mo Lan being all lovey-dovey.”

 

Xiao Mo tapped the flute he was holding: “Please refrain from making baseless assumptions, thank you.”

 

Chu Jinglan also added: “There is no lovey-dovey behavior.”

 

It truly wasn’t there. The interaction between them was still just like a gentle breeze passing by, nothing as thick as lacquer.

 

They had reached an agreement with the Fortune Spirit Butterfly. As thanks for their help, the butterfly first gave them a piece of butterfly scales just over a hundred years old as a deposit. It showed sincerity but remained cautious—knowing that Xi Tie wanted three-hundred-year-old scales, it first offered one just over a hundred years old, keeping the rest within its control. If they broke their promise, it would destroy the butterfly scales.

 

The flash of light that had crossed its eyes earlier probably revealed to it that Xi Tie had a pure soul, which was why it dared to make the trade. With a child in its abdomen, it couldn’t afford not to be careful.

 

The darkness underground had been dispelled, and everyone sat at a distance from the Fortune Spirit Butterfly. According to the butterfly, the Corrosive Poison Spider should arrive within the next couple of days, so they needed to wait there for now.

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly slowly descended onto its nest. The underground was filled with the fragrance of soil, flowers, and grass. Everyone sat in a circle, remaining vigilant while discussing their plans.

 

“The most troublesome things about the Corrosive Poison Spider are its web and venom,” said Yue Ming. “Let’s all change into our magical robes first.”

 

Chu Jinglan nodded and said to Xiao Mo and Xi Tie: “You two should wait in a safe place when the time comes.”

 

Although Xi Tie was at the Golden Core stage, most equipment refiners weren’t skilled in actual combat. When fighting a seventh-rank demonic beast, it would be better for him to keep his distance.

 

However, the puppet could help the others and would be a combat asset.

 

As a talisman cultivator, although Jun Bushu could use spiritual energy to draw talismans in the air during battle, it still took some time. Therefore, he had prepared some talismans drawn on paper in advance. After their discussion, he stood up and began setting up formations inside the cave.

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly quietly lay in its nest, watching them.

 

When Jun Bushu was halfway through setting up the formation, a deep, eerie aura approached rapidly along the path they had taken to get there.

 

Everyone’s expression turned solemn: “It’s here.”

 

That was quite quick.

 

With the formation half-drawn, Jun Bushu temporarily modified it into a smaller formation to use for now.

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly flapped its wings and rose, telling Xiao Mo and Xi Tie to come towards it: “You two come closer, it’s safer.”

 

Perhaps feeling that a small Foundation Establishment cultivator and a small Golden Core cultivator didn’t pose much threat, Xiao Mo and Xi Tie moved closer as instructed. At times like this, those without enough strength should protect themselves to avoid causing trouble for their companions—that’s what makes good teammates.

 

A huge dark green spider with eight exceptionally long legs rustled as it darted in at extreme speed. It was so green it appeared almost black, with eight compound eyes arranged in a row on top of its head. From the fangs in front of its mouth dripped thick, dark green venom that made the soil sizzle with corrosion when it landed.

 

The Corrosive Poison Spider nimbly halted and perched on the wall.

 

Its eyes moved slightly as it hissed: “Humans, you even managed to find humans.”

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly flapped its wings, and fragments of light like scales fell upon Chu Jinglan and the other two, temporarily enhancing their abilities.

 

The one who felt the most obvious effect was probably Jun Bushu, whose sickly body instantly improved significantly.

 

The Corrosive Poison Spider emitted a hoarse laugh: “Very well, it’s been a long time since humans have come here, perfect to turn all of you into food!”

 

As soon as the words fell, Chu Jinglan’s sword light arrived first.

 

Yue Ming and Jun Bushu immediately followed. As a talisman cultivator, Jun Bushu naturally had a comprehensive view of the situation. Yue Ming had sparred with Chu Jinglan for a long time and knew his moves well. The two coordinated quite well with each other. Their interweaving sword lights, overwhelming and cold with killing intent, pressed toward the Corrosive Poison Spider.

 

Xi Tie controlled the puppet, while Xiao Mo watched without blinking, suddenly saying: “Be careful, there are small spiders!”

 

It turned out that at some point, the Corrosive Poison Spider had quietly released small creatures. There were tiny black spiders on the wall, silently crawling out under the protection of the wall’s coloration. Looking carefully, they were densely packed.

 

Chu Jinglan’s sword intent materialized, cold white ice swords floating around him. He raised his hand in a sweeping motion, and the sword light collided with the wall. A bone-chilling frost rapidly spread in large patches, instantly freezing the wall and the spiders on it completely.

 

Seeing this, the Corrosive Poison Spider became furious, emitting hissing roars from its voice.

 

As for the missed small spiders that had been crawling bit by bit on the ground toward the Fortune Spirit Butterfly and Xiao Mo’s group, without anyone else having to act, Qiu Qiu spread its wings and spat out several golden flames, immediately burning the spiders clean.

 

After burning them, the fire went out, without igniting any of the surrounding flowers and grasses.

 

It was still small and couldn’t fight the big spider, but dealing with small spiders was definitely no problem.

 

Qiu Qiu proudly puffed up its chest: “Jiu jiu!”

 

Praise me, praise me quickly!

 

Xiao Mo rubbed its feathers: “Impressive, impressive.”

 

Yue Ming glanced over when he had a moment and was surprised: “What, that’s a Golden Flame Phoenix chick? I thought you just picked up some second or third-rank demonic beast to keep as a pet for fun!”

 

Qiu Qiu shook its feathers, becoming even more proud.

 

Now that they had entered Yingyue Sect, Qiu Qiu’s identity no longer needed to be hidden. Everyone knew that Chu Jinglan surely had plenty of good things in his possession, so having a Golden Flame Phoenix wasn’t particularly noteworthy.

 

The venom sprayed by the Corrosive Poison Spider would be frozen by sword intent before it could get close to Chu Jinglan, falling to the ground. The three people’s coordination was masterful, making it seem that killing the Corrosive Poison Spider was just a matter of time. Xiao Mo and Xi Tie felt relieved, and the Fortune Spirit Butterfly’s antennae also quivered, relaxing considerably.

 

Xiao Mo’s gaze fell on Chu Jinglan, while diverting some attention to speak with the Fortune Spirit Butterfly. However, he used voice transmission: “I’ve heard that some Fortune Spirit Butterflies have the ability to see through a person’s soul?”

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly’s antennae moved slightly. Realizing that Xiao Mo was transmitting a message specifically to it, it responded in the same manner.

 

[Yes]

 

Xiao Mo: “From me, what can you see?”

 

[A very peculiar soul]

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly paused before continuing: [You have one and a half soul marks. People have a mark when they are born, representing this life. If you were reincarnated, you should theoretically have two marks, but the second mark is half blurred. How strange.]

 

Xiao Mo was stunned.

 

One mark represents one life, but he has one and a half?

 

Is the half due to him currently being an inner demon? But the remaining one overturns Xiao Mo’s original conjecture.

In the modern world, he had genuinely grown up from childhood, absolutely counting as one life. Xiao Mo’s thoughts raced as he pondered for a moment, then mentally addressed the system: “System.”

 

The system, sensing his tone, cautiously emerged: “Yes.”

 

“You said I was already dead when I transmigrated here?”

 

System: “What I said at the time was that you were confirmed dead in that world.”

 

…That’s right, the system had indeed said so, but because he hadn’t expected to have more than one life, Xiao Mo hadn’t given it much thought then.

 

Xiao Mo laughed with frustration: “Playing word games with me?”

 

The system weakly replied: “This was also to avoid causing you greater confusion at the time. You directly transmigrated into your current identity, being transformed into an inner demon. But the inner demon identity wasn’t supposed to fall upon you, which is why the Fortune Spirit Butterfly sees only half a soul mark.”

 

By that calculation, his current life still counted from the modern world, but regarding his previous life’s experiences, Xiao Mo suddenly thought of another possibility.

 

After all, in his dreams, he had seen modern buildings that were vastly different from the welfare institute where he had lived, not something he had seen in this life.

 

Xiao Mo proposed another conjecture: “I was never a person from the cultivation world. In my previous life, was I also born somewhere else before transmigrating into the cultivation world?”

 

The system gave a definite answer: “Yes.”

 

Xiao Mo rubbed the jade flute in his hand, accepting the system’s word games, because it seemed that gradually guiding him to discover after he had integrated into this world was indeed better than telling him everything when he first arrived.

 

So Chu Jinglan and Su Baimo had been characters in the book all along, while Xiao Mo had lived twice, both times coming into the book for some reason.

 

He looked up at Chu Jinglan fighting in the distance, his figure striking, his sword energy fierce and unstoppable. He asked the Fortune Spirit Butterfly: “Then, look at that person in the field, wearing silver clothes, the most handsome one—how many soul marks does he have?”

 

[One. Everyone else has one. They are souls of the current life, living in the present. Only you are special.]

 

Xiao Mo’s hand stopped as he rubbed the flute.

 

Chu Jinglan, Xi Tie, Yue Ming, and Jun Bushu were all people from the book, all in their current life. Yet he and Chu Jinglan had clearly met before—he had lost a life, but Chu Jinglan’s soul was still new…

 

Chu Jinglan hadn’t reincarnated or experienced the same thing as him. Could there be other possibilities? Perhaps time had been reversed? Or more boldly, had the world been reset?

 

Accomplishing such a feat was definitely beyond human capability.

 

The system knew so much about him; he must have transmigrated with the system in his previous life too. Since the inner demon identity wasn’t supposed to be his, then the original purpose for his coming to this world… Xiao Mo looked up, but the underground was too deep. Looking upward, he could see nothing—just pitch blackness in the far heights.

 

Xiao Mo felt a chill spreading up from the soles of his feet.

 

Had he, perhaps, offended some enormous entity?

 

Just as Xiao Mo was lost in his thoughts, the darkness above began to tremble slightly in his vision. Xiao Mo almost thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but suddenly he froze: something’s wrong!

 

He immediately looked back to see thick, dark green energy frantically swirling around the Corrosive Poison Spider, like a deep vortex. The invisible and terrifying gale it created was formidable. Chu Jinglan quickly dodged an invisible wind, which struck the wall behind him and corroded a large hole directly into it.

 

Without any visible venom, even the air had somehow become poisonous!

 

The Fortune Spirit Butterfly abruptly rose, flapping its wings: “This is bad, it’s about to advance in rank! Quickly, we can’t let it successfully rise to the eighth rank!”

 

Yue Ming was sent flying, tumbling through the air before landing and barely managing to steady himself. Gritting his teeth, he knew they absolutely couldn’t allow the Corrosive Poison Spider to advance, but that was easier said than done. The pressure from a demonic beast approaching the eighth rank was almost suffocating, significantly slowing their movements.

 

The puppet instantly retreated to Xi Tie and Xiao Mo’s side. The Fortune Spirit Butterfly also struggled to join the battle. They had to be quick, absolutely quick!

 

Without the slightest hesitation, Chu Jinglan pushed his speed to the limit, attacking with astonishing sword intent.

 

He appeared completely unaffected by the spider’s terrifying aura, but a closer look at the veins on his neck and the back of his hands revealed the strain. The Corrosive Poison Spider, covered in wounds—the most severe ones inflicted by Chu Jinglan—harbored boundless hatred toward him. Seeing him charge forward, it directed double the pressure and poison mist solely at Chu Jinglan.

 

“Human, die!”

 

Chu Jinglan condensed his energy into a sword, fearlessly colliding with the murky green energy. Taking the lead to tear open a gap, he shouted: “Yue Ming, Falling Moon First Form!”

 

This was a sword technique from the Moon Lord’s Sword Manual. After Chu Jinglan handed the manual to Yingyue Sect, Yue Ming qualified to practice it, though he had never performed this move particularly well. However, at this critical moment, especially seeing Chu Jinglan’s fearless demeanor, Yue Ming gritted his teeth and executed the most beautiful move in his life, delivering a backhanded sword strike.

 

Ice and snow reflected the night, the falling moon illuminated the sky. Chu Jinglan had somehow incorporated another’s sword energy into his own. This brilliant strike not only broke through the poison mist but also cleanly severed two of the Corrosive Poison Spider’s long legs.

 

The Corrosive Poison Spider wailed in agony. The dense energy preceding its advancement began to grow chaotic. A massive spider web dropped from above, but a sound wave leaped from behind Chu Jinglan, colliding with the web and halting it. Chu Jinglan seized the opportunity without hesitation, slicing apart the web that had attempted to trap him.

 

It was the sound of Xiao Mo’s flute.

 

Xiao Mo held his flute horizontally. Although he couldn’t take life, blocking spider webs and venom wasn’t a problem.

 

However, the magical robe on Chu Jinglan’s arm had been corroded by a large patch during the previous exchange, revealing the similarly corroded flesh beneath.

 

His fair, healthy skin had changed color, rotting and turning green.

 

It was horrifying to behold.

 

Chu Jinglan had already taken detoxification pills in advance. Without even blinking, he raised his sword and cut away the rotting flesh from his arm. Crimson blood immediately gushed out. He pressed an acupuncture point and temporarily covered the wound with spiritual energy to prevent further blood loss.

 

He had always been ruthless with himself, acting without hesitation. While doing these things, he didn’t even blink, let alone show any particular expression.

 

Xiao Mo watched with his heart pounding, instinctively stepping forward. At that moment, Chu Jinglan looked up, the fierce sword intent in his eyes not directed at Xiao Mo in the slightest. He merely looked at Xiao Mo and gently shook his head.

 

Xiao Mo suddenly gripped his flute tightly.

 

He felt a terrible ache in his chest. In that place without a heart, even the Phantom Moon Heart couldn’t fill the void of missing flesh. Yet he genuinely possessed human emotions and knew exactly for whom he was feeling distressed.

 

The flute in his hand even made a sound, startling Xiao Mo back to his senses. He loosened his grip slightly—he couldn’t afford to break the flute.

 

At the same time, another scene flashed in Xiao Mo’s mind.

 

He and Chu Jinglan were beside a huge rock, surrounded by dense vegetation providing cover—a hidden spot. Both their clothes were stained with blood. Neither had wounds; the blood must have belonged to others. Both looked extremely exhausted.

 

Judging by Chu Jinglan’s appearance, he was at least in his twenties or older, completely shed of youthfulness, leaving only handsome features.

 

In the memory, he stared at Chu Jinglan for a while, raised his hand, used a cleaning technique to remove the bloodstains from him, then said: “Chu Jinglan, you should go.”

 

His voice was hoarse with fatigue, making even Xiao Mo himself frown as he heard it.

 

Chu Jinglan, who had been meditating with closed eyes, opened them to look at him upon hearing this.

 

“Su Baimo and the Heavenly Dao want to kill me the most right now.” Xiao Mo looked away, avoiding Chu Jinglan’s eyes. “I might manage better alone. I still have many powerful methods. After I finish what needs to be done, I’ll come find you.”

 

“Xiao Mo,” Chu Jinglan said, “even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe that.”

 

Xiao Mo closed his eyes briefly, his voice choked and husky: “I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t apologize.”

 

“After my mother passed, I lived only for revenge. With my vengeance fulfilled, if you weren’t here, I would probably just live without purpose, passing each day coldly and quietly. I’ve learned much from you.”

 

Xiao Mo smiled with difficulty: “Me too. After leaving the orphanage, without the grandmother who took me in, though I seemed to push forward, I was actually empty and lost inside, just quietly comforting myself. You’re my first friend… We’re close friends, aren’t we, Chu Jinglan?”

 

Chu Jinglan didn’t answer directly, instead saying: “I have few ties with friends and family. Those who place me in their hearts, those I can place in my heart—there aren’t many. Xiao Mo, you are one of them.”

 

He sidestepped defining their relationship and asked instead: “Are you giving up?”

 

Xiao Mo straightened: “How could I?”

 

Chu Jinglan reached out his hand, and Xiao Mo gave him his own. Supporting each other, they stood up.

 

Chu Jinglan’s palm was warm, and so was his own.

 

The memory scene ended there. Inner demon Xiao Mo lowered his head, looking at his own ice-cold palm, devoid of warmth.

 

This brief memory gave him considerable information.

 

In his previous life, he had also been an orphan but seemed to have met someone kind who took him in. And then there were the Heavenly Dao and Su Baimo.

 

The Heavenly Dao, Xiao Mo silently repeated, tightening his cold fingers.

 

Meanwhile, following Chu Jinglan’s unstoppable strike, the Fortune Spirit Butterfly seized the opportunity to release its charged wind blade. The Corrosive Poison Spider’s advancement aura was finally disrupted. What had been a surging energy suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon. Green blood splattered as the spider tried to escape, but it was too late.

 

Jun Bushu released a lightning talisman, and Chu Jinglan controlled his sword, piercing the dying Corrosive Poison Spider in midair and pinning it firmly to the ground.

 

The remaining legs of the Corrosive Poison Spider twitched a few more times before sprawling out, moving no more.

 

Chu Jinglan recalled Dawn, his sword. Truly worthy of being a heaven-grade weapon, the blade remained perfectly clean without a trace of blood.

 

Yue Ming breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed on the ground. Only after everything was over did his hands begin to shake. Recalling his execution of the Falling Moon First Form, though he hadn’t thought at all while performing it, reflecting on it now gave him a peculiar sense of satisfaction. Just as he was about to discuss it with Chu Jinglan, he noticed that Chu Jinglan’s concentrated aura was gradually relaxing, though still somewhat denser than before.

 

Yue Ming paused, then realized something, his eyes nearly popping out: “…No way, you’re not going to reach mid-stage Nascent Soul before me, are you?”

 

He had reached Nascent Soul before Chu Jinglan, but now Chu Jinglan’s aura was clearly progressing ahead of his.

 

After checking the Corrosive Poison Spider’s corpse to confirm it was indeed dead, Chu Jinglan gave Yue Ming a look. Though he said nothing, his expression clearly conveyed: Is there a problem?

 

Yue Ming: “…”

 

Yue Ming gritted his teeth: “Just wait, you haven’t reached it yet. Don’t be arrogant—the outcome is still uncertain. I’ll intensify my cultivation once we return and definitely reach mid-stage Nascent Soul before you!”

 

As Yue Ming made his bold declaration, Chu Jinglan had no time to bother with him. He still needed to treat his wound. Although recovery of flesh wounds was much faster at the Nascent Soul stage, he had directly cut away the rotting flesh, and even with medicine, it would take two or three days to heal.

 

Just as Chu Jinglan took out a medicine bottle, his injured arm was gently lifted.

 

It was Xiao Mo, who had silently walked to his side.

 

Chu Jinglan’s hand holding the medicine bottle froze. Xiao Mo took the medicine from him: “Sit down.”

 

The previously imposing Chu Jinglan immediately shed his frost-like aura and quietly sat down as instructed.

 

The frost on the walls had not yet melted, and the entire cave was chilly from Chu Jinglan’s spiritual energy and sword intent. Xiao Mo lowered his eyes as he applied medicine to Chu Jinglan’s wound, not saying a word. Yet precisely because of his silence, there was a kind of wordless pressure.

 

Chu Jinglan couldn’t clearly see Xiao Mo’s expression or understand his thoughts, feeling like he should say something.

 

After thinking for a moment, he tried softly: “Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt.”

 

Xiao Mo was wrapping the bandage when he heard this claim. He was tempted to tighten the bandage to see if Chu Jinglan truly had no sense of pain, but in reality, Xiao Mo’s touch was very gentle. He carefully wrapped the bandage—neither too loose nor too tight—then looked up and said softly: “Chu Jinglan, even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe that.”

 

After saying this, Xiao Mo himself was startled.

 

…Wasn’t this exactly what Chu Jinglan had said to him in the memory scene earlier?

 

Xiao Mo returned the treated arm to Chu Jinglan’s side. He stared at the snow-white bandage, his thoughts about his own situation interrupted by Chu Jinglan’s wound.

 

Xiao Mo thought to himself that the cultivation world was filled with countless dangers. Setting other matters aside, Chu Jinglan’s cultivation in the future couldn’t stop at the Divided Spirit stage. Since he had the potential to become stronger, he naturally needed to continue advancing to become invincible, so that no one could harm him again.

 

Even if not for the cornerstone plot, the inner demon tribulation still needed to be overcome.

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