Mahayana 133
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Chapter 133: How Do I Prove I’m Still Me? It’s Far Too Hard
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
Part 1
Once was practice, twice was mastery. By now, Xiao Yifeng was thoroughly experienced when it came to dealing with possession. However, Grandmaster Qingxu was not as weak as Mo Tianqing.
Although both were equally weakened, Grandmaster Qingxu was far more proficient in the art of possession. It was clear he had studied it carefully. For a time, Xiao Yifeng and Zhan Xian were unable to gain the upper hand against him.
“Once this old man gets out, I will make you regret it!” Grandmaster Qingxu roared angrily. Knowing he could not gain the upper hand, he swiftly flew outward from Xiao Yifeng’s Sea of Consciousness.
Xiao Yifeng and Zhan Xian intercepted him from behind, cutting off a large portion of red light. Even so, most of his soul body still escaped toward the outside of the Sea of Consciousness. He was about to break free.
Xiao Yifeng panicked. Wouldn’t Su Miaoqing be in danger then? He hurriedly shouted, “Brother Azure Lotus, time to get up and work! Dinner’s ready! Hurry up or he’s getting away!”
As his words fell, the Azure Lotus within the Sea of Consciousness suddenly swelled in size.
Towering waves surged through the Sea of Consciousness. From its depths, several enormous lotus roots shot forth, like gigantic dragons bursting from the sea, winding toward Grandmaster Qingxu.
“What the hell is this thing?!” Qingxu was bound tightly without the slightest ability to resist and dragged straight back down into the depths of the Sea of Consciousness.
Xiao Yifeng and Zhan Xian were both stunned, never expecting that a casual shout would earn such a response. The Azure Lotus had been surprisingly cooperative, swiftly suppressing Grandmaster Qingxu in just a few moves.
Xiao Yifeng could not help saying to Zhan Xian, “Look at that. That’s what you call reliable.”
Zhan Xian rolled her eyes, snorted coldly, and turned away, refusing to pay him any attention.
Seeing that Grandmaster Qingxu could no longer cause any trouble, Xiao Yifeng hurriedly called out to the Azure Lotus, “Brother Azure Lotus, I was the one who tricked him in, you know. At least give me a bite. His memories are useless to you anyway.”
The Azure Lotus rotated impatiently, then spat out part of Qingxu’s soul-light along with his soul memories.
Xiao Yifeng quickly suppressed the soul fragments containing memories, then passed part of the pure soul-light to Zhan Xian. Only then did Zhan Xian reveal a satisfied smile.
Xiao Yifeng thought it was all over. Who would have guessed that the Azure Lotus would spit out a contract, branding it directly onto Xiao Yifeng’s soul and forcibly transferring the contract onto him. No matter how fiercely the contract struggled, it was completely useless.
Xiao Yifeng could even hear Qingxu’s shrill screams echoing up from the depths of the Sea of Consciousness as the signing was forcibly torn away.
Zhan Xian: ?????
Xiao Yifeng: ?????!!!!!
Xiao Yifeng recognised it as a Divine Artefact Contract. It could be forced like this? Zhan Xian felt her scalp prickle. As a fellow divine artifact, she could not help feeling a shared dread.
“Brother Azure Lotus, this really isn’t necessary!”
But the Azure Lotus paid him no heed and still forcibly completed the contract. Xiao Yifeng felt that something extra had appeared within his soul-light.
Shaking his head, Xiao Yifeng digested part of Qingxu’s soul. After searching through the memories, he finally understood what had happened back then.
It turned out that after Qingxu entered the Immortal Palace, he fought fiercely with a group of cultivators at the Mahayana Realm. They all arrived at the core of the Immortal Palace, competing for control of the control stele there.
His soul was unable to leave the Immortal Palace, though he could leave by means of possession. However, he was unwilling to give up refining the Immortal Palace.
In the end, he actually managed to refine part of it, gaining partial control over the Immortal Palace.
All these years, fearing that someone would seize the Book of Destiny, he secretly interfered from the shadows, even reducing the strength of those who entered the Immortal Estate time and again.
It was only recently, when he sensed that his soul was about to dissipate completely, that he guided Su Miaoqing to discover the palace’s stele, intending to obtain the Book of Destiny and, at the same time, possess Su Miaoqing in order to leave the Immortal Estate.
A classic case of greed beyond measure—like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. Xiao Yifeng shook his head and inspected the imprint of the Boundless Horizon Palace inheritance embedded in his soul. Despite the Azure Lotus having erased part of his memories, the imprint of the inheritance remained perfectly intact.
Xiao Yifeng smiled. Was this considered betraying his master and ancestors? Blame Qingxu— he had schemed against the two of them first.
Thinking of Su Miaoqing outside, she must be impatient by now, and outside, the struggle over the Book of Destiny was still ongoing.
Xiao Yifeng no longer hesitated. He sealed the remaining memories to examine later at his leisure.
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At Drifting Snow Palace of the Heaven Inquiry Sect:
Liu Hanyan was not hiding in a secluded chamber as usual, using cultivation as an excuse when she was in fact sleeping.
Today, she sat upright atop the Frostborn Hall of the Drifting Snow Palace, presiding over the palace’s routine affairs and holding the monthly meeting.
After the matters of the palace had been dealt with in an orderly fashion, she asked calmly, “Has anything happened recently within the sect?”
This was a question she asked every time as part of routine procedure. Generally speaking, given the strength and status of the Heaven Inquiry Sect, nothing major ever occurred.
“Reporting to the Palace Master, the Boundless Horizon Palace has been acting strangely. They already had few disciples to begin with, yet they have suddenly sent all of them out,” a disciple reported.
Upon hearing the news from the Boundless Horizon Palace, since it involved the secret plans shared among several palaces of the Heaven Inquiry Sect, and also because of Xiao Yifeng, she unconsciously sat a little straighter and asked in confusion, “What is going on? Have you been able to investigate the matter?”
At that moment, Chu Mo stepped forward, bowed to Liu Hanyan, and said, “It is said that the Boundless Horizon Palace Master’s daughter, Su Miaoqing, and Junior Brother Xiao Yifeng disappeared while travelling together.”
Liu Hanyan froze for a moment, then frowned and asked, “Disappeared? Does that mean not even someone with Su Qianyi's strength could find their whereabout?”
“This matter is hardly a secret,” a female elder said with a smile. “It is said that their soul lamps are about to go out. Presumably, they have fallen into some kind of danger, which was the reason for the Boundless Horizon Palace has mobilised all its forces.”
“After all, Su Miaoqing was their only hope of turning the situation around this time. Her unexpected possible demise may simply be the will of heaven,” another female elder said with a smile.
At this moment, Liu Hanyan did not reply. She simply stood there in a daze, lost in thought.
Had that boy who said he would marry her truly fallen just like that?
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On the other side, Xiao Yifeng slowly withdrew from his own Sea of Consciousness. The body outside gradually opened its eyes, and he smiled. I am still me!
“Senior Sister, don’t be afraid. It’s me, Xiao Feng. I’ve already killed Grandmaster Qingxu. I’ll release your restriction right away,” Xiao Yifeng said with a smile to Su Miaoqing.
“I knew it. I knew you would be fine,” Su Miaoqing said, overcome with joy as she burst into tears.
Xiao Yifeng let out a sigh of relief and removed the restriction from her body. Unexpectedly, Su Miaoqing suddenly burst into countless flames, summoned her immortal sword, and slashed at Xiao Yifeng with a single strike.
“Do you really think I’m a three-year-old?” Su Miaoqing roared furiously. “Die! You old thief, die!”
Xiao Yifeng smiled bitterly. Senior Sister, my acting was too convincing. Even I nearly believed it myself. Now there’s no way to explain this clearly.
He hurriedly shouted, “Senior Sister, it really is me! I only faked my death to lure him out. Grandmaster Qingxu has already had his soul completely destroyed.”
“You’re lying!” Su Miaoqing shouted angrily. “I saw Xiao Feng’s Three Soul scatter with my own eyes! Xiao Feng is only at the Foundation Establishment Realm. How could he possibly be your match? Die! Die!”
Su Miaoqing looked completely unhinged. The long sword in her hand slashed out at great speed, and she was even reigniting the source blood of the Immortal Bird.
This terrified Xiao Yifeng. If she truly reignited that source blood, he would have to expend enormous effort just to suppress her.
And yet, he was now trapped in an absurd dilemma. Before, he had struggled to prove to Liu Hanyan that he was her husband.
Now, he had to prove that he was actually himself. How was anyone supposed to do that?