PID Chapter 82

(5/5) Extra Update

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Two years ago, if they had gotten angry at each other, it would have inevitably escalated into a heated argument. But now things were completely different—neither of them had any intention of venting their frustrations. The matter was quietly smoothed over on the surface, disappearing as if it had never happened.

 

Only Xiao Mo knew about his own plans.

 

News arrived from Yingyue Sect that the main group would reach the Wang family’s territory in three days. During this time, Xiao Mo, Chu Jinglan, and Yue Ming were free to move about as they pleased.

 

The cultivation world had wildly varying climates across regions. This snowfall was the first Xiao Mo had seen since arriving in the cultivation world. After Yue Ming finished his tea and left while muttering about sword techniques, Xiao Mo stared at the snow in the courtyard for a moment before giving in to temptation. He bent down and scooped up a handful.

 

The snow hadn’t frozen into ice yet—it was fresh and soft. Crystalline white flakes sparkled in his hands as he gently pinched and rolled them into a small snowball.

 

Earlier, during Chu Jinglan and Yue Ming’s sparring match, most of the snow in the courtyard had been swept away with spiritual energy. Only some remained near the walls and flowerbeds. Chu Jinglan had intended to clear it all away but stopped when he noticed Xiao Mo’s actions.

 

Xiao Mo crouched down, his fur cloak trailing on the ground. His vivid features were framed by soft fur, making him look like an enchanting snow fox—pure yet inexplicably captivating.

 

Even though he wasn’t wearing red robes today, he somehow seemed even more alluring than the fox spirits depicted in storybooks.

 

With stark contrasts between snowy white fur and jet-black hair, Chu Jinglan initially thought Xiao Mo might have discovered something important. But it turned out he was simply playing with snow—nothing more.

 

Xiao Mo pressed and shaped the snowball carefully before gathering more snow from the ground to build a small pile. He seemed intent on making a snowman.

 

It might seem childish for a three-year-old—but for him? It was just right.

 

Cultivators didn’t fear cold weather; their bodies were unaffected by ordinary temperatures. Such an advantage made playing in the snow irresistible.

 

Xiao Mo’s hands didn’t turn red from the cold; instead, his pale fingers stood out even more against the snowy backdrop. While sipping tea prepared by Xiao Mo had already eased Chu Jinglan’s mind and body, he still hadn’t found an opening for conversation after their silence last night. Sitting at the stone table now, Chu Jinglan opened a sword manual but spent most of his time watching Xiao Mo instead of reading.

 

He kept glancing at him—one look after another—and before long, he realized he hadn’t flipped through any pages at all.

 

When he noticed Xiao Mo straightening up from his crouched position, Chu Jinglan immediately lowered his gaze back to the book as though he’d been focused on it all along.

 

Xiao Mo approached him with quiet steps. Just as Chu Jinglan turned a page in his book, a small snowman was placed right in front of him, blocking his view of the text.

 

Chu Jinglan froze for a moment.

 

The snowman didn’t have facial features but had been shaped with hair styled to resemble Chu Jinglan’s current look. Though simple in design, it was well-crafted—complete with a tiny sword sculpted from snow held in its hands. Even without eyebrows or eyes, Chu Jinglan instantly recognized that it was meant to represent him.

 

Xiao Mo smiled brightly and asked: “Does it look like you?”

 

Chu Jinglan replied softly: “It does.”

 

Xiao Mo placed the snowman on the nearby table. “It’s for you. Let it keep you company while you read. By the way, you’re really not angry anymore, right?”

 

“I’m not,” Chu Jinglan replied.

 

His expression had softened considerably. After a moment’s thought, he reached out and used his spiritual energy to inscribe invisible symbols on the snowman. Xiao Mo initially thought he was adding some details, but upon recognizing the symbols, he was taken aback. “You…”

 

These were clearly preservation runes. As Chu Jinglan finished the final stroke, the snowman could now be kept indefinitely like a doll, with no fear of melting.

 

Chu Jinglan swiftly stored the snowman in his storage device. “If it’s a gift for me, then it’s mine now.”

 

He could keep it however he wanted. It would be a shame for something so fleeting to disappear; if he could preserve it, Chu Jinglan wanted to do so.

 

Xiao Mo chuckled. “Alright, alright. It’s yours.”

 

The tension from yesterday had completely dissipated. Chu Jinglan could now actually focus on reading his sword manual instead of just pretending to.

 

Over the next three days, Chu Jinglan’s aura steadily increased, showing signs of approaching mid-stage Nascent Soul. This development spurred Yue Ming to train even harder. When the main group from Yingyue Sect arrived, led by three Divided Spirit cultivators including Chang Daozi whom Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan had met before, Chang Daozi was pleased to see Yue Ming’s dedication.

 

The Wang family had issued a limited number of Junzi Orders—only 1,500 in total for the entire Upper Realm. Major sects and families typically received allotments for 30-person teams, with the remaining orders distributed among others. Some orders had even found their way to the black market at inflated prices, a situation the Wang family had anticipated.

 

With Junzi Orders available on the black market, the group entering the Nine Secret Treasure Tower would be quite diverse. Not only would there be demonic cultivators, but possibly also those using magical artifacts to conceal their true nature.

 

For the Wang family, as long as someone could retrieve the Golden Thread Diagram and restore their inheritance, they didn’t care about the identity of who accomplished it. Once someone accepted a Junzi Order and entered the tower, they were bound by contract. If a demonic cultivator succeeded in obtaining the inheritance first, how the righteous cultivators present chose to deal with that afterward was a separate matter entirely.

 

Merchants prioritize profit above all else—they’re the most calculating of all.

 

Xiao Mo had adjusted his outward cultivation level to appear as Golden Core stage. If anyone asked, he could claim it was achieved through accumulating precious treasures. But since he was with Chu Jinglan, no one bothered to inquire—perhaps they all assumed there was some explanation, which made things easier.

 

After Chang Daozi and the others arrived, Pine Hill Estate became much livelier. Chang Daozi’s cultivation level hadn’t improved in years; the Moon Lord was his junior but had long surpassed him in power. However, Chang Daozi was content with this and maintained a pleasant demeanor. He often took charge when Divided Spirit cultivators were needed to lead teams, and everyone respected him.

 

Chang Daozi gathered everyone together and, just as Yue Ming had mentioned earlier, reminded them of the precautions they should take upon entering the secret realm. Chu Jinglan and Xiao Mo also received their Junzi Orders, which included corresponding maps of the treasure tower.

 

Xiao Mo was able to obtain a Junzi Order primarily because of Chu Jinglan.

 

Once inside the secret realm, communication with the outside world would be temporarily impossible. Even if the protective measures on Chu Jinglan and the others were triggered, the powerful cultivators in their sect wouldn’t be able to immediately break through space to reach them. To mitigate this, Chang Daozi and the other two Divided Spirit cultivators provided additional protection. If anyone faced a life-threatening danger within the secret realm, these three would rush to their aid.

 

Of course, not everyone received such treatment—resources and manpower were limited, and not everyone could benefit equally.

 

After delivering all necessary warnings, Chang Daozi asked Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan to stay behind.

 

His weathered gaze swept over the two of them, carrying a hint of both sighs and reflection. “So you two are Dao companions. If I had known earlier when you joined the sect, there would have been no need for Mo Lan to enter under the guise of a servant.”

 

At the time, neither of them had considered revealing their Dao companion mark publicly. They hadn’t prioritized their status as Dao companions, so now they could only brush it off casually.

 

“At the time of entry, we only knew that a servant’s status counted as joining the sect formally, while Dao companions could live together but weren’t considered sect members,” Xiao Mo explained.

 

Chang Daozi nodded. “That’s true by standard rules. However, since Mo Lan didn’t belong to any sect, he could have joined alongside you.”

 

Xiao Mo replied lightly: “It’s fine, Senior. This arrangement works well for me—I don’t seek advancement and get to skip cultivation lessons.”

 

If it had been another elder, they might have scolded him for his lack of ambition. But Chang Daozi simply laughed heartily: “Cultivation should follow your heart. You’ve reached Golden Core stage even while taking it easy—it seems you’re far from lazy or idle.”

 

When news of Chu Jinglan and his demonic servant being Dao companions reached Yingyue Sect, several elders were so shocked that they clutched their chests and had to swallow multiple pills just to recover.

 

One elder lamented bitterly: “What a calamity! What a calamity!”

 

Another dismissed it nonchalantly: “I think they make a fine match—handsome and talented on both sides. What’s wrong with that?”

 

“Exactly! And this way we keep talent within our sect rather than losing it to outsiders. Chu Jinglan’s level of genius would be a loss in any marriage alliance—this arrangement is ideal.”

 

The neutral sect master sighed deeply: “The real issue lies in the current complicated relations between humans and demons. If war truly breaks out between the demonic domain and human cultivators one day, Chu Jinglan will undoubtedly be sent to the battlefield. If Mo Lan has relatives fighting on the demonic side, how will he handle himself?”

 

An elder stroked his chin thoughtfully: “Since they’ve chosen to become Dao companions, they must have considered these possibilities. When the time comes, things will naturally work themselves out. For now, we need to make our stance clear.”

 

They couldn’t afford another situation like Moon Lord’s departure from the sect—a unified approach was imperative.

 

Chang Daozi was firmly in favor of supporting them. As long as their character wasn’t questionable, meddling in their romantic ties was out of the question.

 

Moon Lord’s case was still fresh in everyone’s minds as a cautionary tale.

 

What they didn’t know was that Moon Lord merely liked members of the demonic race—a perfectly normal preference. Chu Jinglan’s case was far more extraordinary—he had fallen for his own inner demon. Now that was truly shocking and unprecedented.

 

This revelation absolutely couldn’t be shared; otherwise, someone in the sect might faint on the spot.

 

With an amicable tone, Chang Daozi asked: “Have you held your union ceremony yet? Even if you’ve already done so privately, you could hold another one within the sect—a grand event inviting Immortal Alliance guests would surely make your ceremony magnificent.”

 

Both Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan were caught off guard by this suggestion and froze momentarily before Xiao Mo quickly replied: “No need—really! We don’t plan on holding another ceremony here. Thank you for your kind offer.”

 

Chu Jinglan nodded in agreement.

 

In his plans for the future, once his revenge was complete and he repaid Yingyue Sect for their support and resources, he intended to take Xiao Mo into seclusion with him. Their union ceremony likely wouldn’t be held within Yingyue Sect—it would be something decided together after Xiao Mo fully reciprocated his feelings.

 

Chang Daozi seemed slightly regretful but relented: “Alright then. There are still two days before the tower opens—make sure you prepare thoroughly.”

 

Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan agreed to the instructions.

 

Over the next two days, Xiao Mo gradually recovered scattered fragments of his memories, piecing together bits of his past life. While his primary goal was to extract important information, he found the glimpses of his interactions with Chu Jinglan quite fascinating and enjoyable to watch.

 

What Xiao Mo noticed was that, in his past life, he seemed to have spent less time with Chu Jinglan compared to now. As an inner demon, he was inseparable from Chu Jinglan’s original body in this life. But in the past, he appeared to have been much busier. For example, in one memory, he casually greeted Chu Jinglan: “I’m heading out again for ten days. Just letting you know.”

 

The word “again” clearly indicated that this wasn’t the first time. Chu Jinglan’s expression seemed accustomed to this and simply replied, “Be careful out there.”

 

Though the inner demon identity was initially meant to hinder their bond, it had unexpectedly resulted in them spending far more time together than in the past. The system mentioned that the old Heaven’s Will was likely dormant now. If it were awake and saw how close Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan had become, who knew how furious it might get?

 

—

 

Two days later, it was finally time for the Nine Secret Treasure Tower to open.

 

The Wang family didn’t bother sending anyone inside this time. They could enter the tower for training whenever they wanted and had no need to involve themselves in the chaotic competition among outsiders. Outside the tower, 1,500 people had gathered, waiting for it to open. A Wang family elder came out politely to give a speech, thanking everyone for their help and so on.

 

Those entering the tower would benefit themselves as well—it was a mutually beneficial transaction. The elder’s words were mostly formalities, and few people in the crowd paid much attention.

 

Xiao Mo noticed Wang Yichen among the crowd. However, Wang Yichen stayed at the back and didn’t seem interested in drawing attention to himself. Xiao Mo also observed that Wang Yichen’s gaze swept over the crowd until it lingered on Chu Jinglan for a few seconds longer than anyone else before slowly moving away.

 

The young master of the Wang family had a penchant for stories about extraordinary talents. If Chu Jinglan managed to retrieve the Golden Thread Diagram, it would be an excellent opportunity for them to forge a connection.

 

In Lingxiao Sect’s group, Xiao Mo spotted Mu Jian and Dai Zisheng—both of whom he hadn’t seen in a long time. Su Baimo had also successfully advanced to Golden Core stage, but his aura seemed unusually strong for someone at that level—likely due to some fortuitous encounter that had enhanced his aptitude.

 

Regardless of Su Baimo’s progress, with Xiao Mo by Chu Jinglan’s side this time, there was no way he would allow Chu Jinglan to hand over the diagram to Su Baimo.

 

Chang Daozi reiterated one final instruction: “Remember this—once inside the secret realm, we’ll be scattered. Everyone must regroup at the Plain of Dao on the first floor as quickly as possible.”

 

The disciples responded in unison: “Understood!”

 

Even if people entered holding hands, the secret realm would still separate them upon entry. However, this wasn’t a concern for Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan—they had their own unique way of reuniting.

The Nine Secret Treasure Tower stood a hundred zhang tall, its immense structure making those at its base seem insignificantly small. There were no extraordinary celestial phenomena surrounding it, but the sheer presence of the tower itself was awe-inspiring—a silent, ancient giant standing steadfast.

 

When the gate to the first floor slowly opened, a gust of wind carrying an ancient aura swept out. The Wang family disciples stepped aside and cupped their hands toward the crowd. “Please, everyone!”

 

Immediately, figures darted inside. Chang Daozi nodded to the disciples of Yingyue Sect and led them in.

 

Xiao Mo and Chu Jinglan entered together, but as soon as they passed through the gate, everyone around Xiao Mo disappeared. He found himself standing alone on solid ground. Not far away, another figure appeared—it seemed they had been transported to the same area.

 

The surroundings appeared barren at first glance. The other person gave Xiao Mo a brief look before leaping away without hesitation. Xiao Mo wasn’t in a hurry; he extended his spiritual sense outward and waited patiently. Once he confirmed that no one nearby was observing him, he took a step forward—

 

In an instant, Xiao Mo’s figure vanished from where he stood and reappeared within Chu Jinglan’s sea of consciousness.

 

With another quick movement, he materialized beside Chu Jinglan.

 

At this moment, Xiao Mo remained in his inner demon form. After ensuring that no one was watching Chu Jinglan either, he cautiously used his spiritual energy to condense his physical form.

 

Although the secret realm could separate them upon entry, their reunion was practically instantaneous. The speed at which they regrouped was so fast that it was as if they had never been apart.

 

Chu Jinglan had been transported to a dense forest. As soon as Xiao Mo appeared beside him, a snake that had been lurking silently on a tree branch suddenly struck, aiming for Xiao Mo’s back. Chu Jinglan raised his finger and sent out a wave of sword energy, instantly slicing the venomous snake into two pieces.

 

The sword energy seemed to be heading directly toward Xiao Mo’s front, but Xiao Mo didn’t even blink or dodge. The sound of the snake’s body falling to the ground echoed behind him, yet Xiao Mo didn’t bother turning around to look.

 

He knew that even if Chu Jinglan’s sword intent pointed in his direction, it would never be meant to harm him.

 

This was no longer like their first meeting two years ago in the bamboo forest when Chu Jinglan’s sword had been filled with killing intent as it stabbed toward him.

 

Now, Chu Jinglan’s sword would never pierce his body again—and Xiao Mo trusted him completely.

 

Chu Jinglan released Qiuqiu from his storage device. The little creature quickly grabbed the beast core from the venomous snake and swallowed it whole. A first-tier beast core was nothing more than a snack—not even enough to fill its teeth.

 

After finishing its snack, Qiuqiu landed on Xiao Mo’s shoulder while Xiao Mo moved to stand beside Chu Jinglan.

 

“Let’s go,” Xiao Mo said calmly. “We need to head to the Plain of Dao and regroup with the others.”

 

 

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1 Kofi = 1 Extra Chapter