Chapter 367-368 On How to Conquer System Fairies and Make Them Your Wives 367-368 |
Desolate Origin Realm.
Chen Yin and Luo Qiaoqiao lounged on chairs in the garden, wearing sunglasses, Luo Luo asleep in his lap, purring contentedly.
“We’ve been here for a while now,” Chen Yin sighed, “but finding Master is proving to be… difficult. We’ve sent messages to all the nearby continents. If she was close by, she would have contacted us.”
“Perhaps she ascended to a more distant location?”
“But the Desolate Origin Realm is so vast. Where do we even begin to look?”
He sighed again. Although he wasn’t worried about her safety, he still felt uneasy without her.
“We can’t just sit here and wait,” he said, stretching languidly. “We need to… cause a scene. Maybe that will attract her attention.”
“What kind of scene?” Luo Qiaoqiao asked, turning to him, her head propped up on her hand.
“I’m not sure yet.”
“It seems we don’t have to wait any longer,” Chen Yin said, looking up at the sky, which had suddenly darkened. The once bright sky was now covered in dark clouds, plunging the continent into an unnatural twilight.
A figure in silver armor materialized in the clouds above.
“I heard there are ascended cultivators from the Lower Realm here,” the soldier’s voice boomed through the sky, reaching every corner of the continent, sending mortals scurrying for cover, “are you the ones?”
Luo Qiaoqiao glanced at Chen Yin, who just shrugged. “We are. Is there a problem?”
“By the decree of the Solitary Dao Venerable,” the soldier’s voice was cold and hard, “all ascended cultivators must report to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Palace. Come with me.”
Although his tone was polite, Chen Yin and Luo Qiaoqiao knew it was a trap.
Luo Qiaoqiao looked at Chen Yin, waiting for his decision.
He shrugged. “Fine.”
He wanted to cause a scene anyway.
And he wanted to know what happened to ascended cultivators.
Seeing their compliance, the soldier snorted and summoned three chains, which wrapped around them.
Luo Qiaoqiao squirmed slightly, but Chen Yin just let the chains bind his hands, his expression calm.
“Follow me.” The soldier waved his hand, and they were enveloped in a swirling mist, their figures disappearing into the clouds.
The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Palace was located at the center of the Desolate Origin Realm, a magnificent tower, its surface shimmering with a radiant light, standing tall amidst the chained continents, a symbol of the Dao Venerable’s power and authority.
“So this is the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Palace,” Chen Yin said, looking around with interest, his voice laced with a playful curiosity. “Hey, what’s your name?”
“…Bing Chen.”
“Is this the Dao Venerable’s palace? Is he here?”
“The Dao Venerable roams the Void. He’s rarely here.”
“Did he give you your names? Are the higher-ranking ones stronger? Where do you rank?”
“…Silence,” the soldier said, annoyed by his incessant questions. He sealed Chen Yin’s acupoints, preventing him from speaking, the chains binding his hands also suppressing his spiritual energy.
But it didn’t matter. The Changming Sword was still in his possession.
And with the Changming Sword, he didn’t need spiritual energy.
As they approached the tower, Chen Yin realized their destination wasn’t the magnificent structure itself, but a deep chasm beneath it, like the mouth of a volcano, its depths radiating an intense heat.
“We’re here,” Bing Chen said.
“What is this place?” Chen Yin asked, peering into the chasm.
“This is Zhuo Yuan. Your new home,” Bing Chen chuckled, a cruel glint in his eyes. He waved his hand, and the chasm was illuminated by a fiery glow, revealing its depths.
Chen Yin’s expression hardened as he saw what lay below.
A molten hellscape, filled with lava, jagged rocks, and strange, dragon-like creatures.
And among them, emaciated figures, barely clothed, their bodies skeletal, their skin stretched taut over their bones, their eyes hollow and lifeless, like walking corpses.
They mined the rocks, fought against the monstrous creatures, their struggles futile, their deaths meaningless.
“Welcome to your new pigsty,” Bing Chen sneered. “No matter how powerful or respected you were in the Lower Realm, from now on, you’re just slaves, livestock. The men will mine the Flame Jade or hunt the Zhuo Yuan Undying Beasts. And the women… well, if you don’t want to work, you can always find a master among the generals, or be sold to one of the wealthy families in the other realms.”
Luo Qiaoqiao’s eyes narrowed, her disgust evident.
Chen Yin’s gaze turned cold.
“That girl is quite pretty,” Bing Chen said, looking Luo Qiaoqiao up and down, a lecherous grin on his face. “I just happen to need a new bed warmer and foot washer. You can be mine.”
Bed warmer and foot washer? Luo Qiaoqiao almost laughed. Even Chen Yin wouldn’t dare ask me to wash his feet. You think you’re better than him?
“As for the little one… she’s too young. Not my type.” Then he noticed Luo Luo’s fox ears, and his eyes lit up. “A Qing Fox? Excellent! I was getting tired of the last one. I never thought I’d find another.”
The last one? Chen Yin’s brow furrowed.
Luo Luo also seemed to have realized something. She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. “You… you harmed one of my kind?”
“Qing Foxes are rare and valuable. Their ability to traverse the Void makes them… interesting playthings. I was lucky to find one in the dimensional passage. They’re not easy to catch. But that one… she was foolish enough to stay by the passage, refusing to leave. But I’m getting tired of her. And now I’ve found another one. My luck is truly exceptional.”
“Where is she?” Chen Yin’s voice was cold and hard.
“Why should I tell you?” Bing Chen sneered. “You can go and rot in Zhuo Yuan now.”
“Where,” Chen Yin’s hands were now free from the chains, his gaze fixed on Bing Chen’s face, “is she?”
Bing Chen stared at the beautiful, translucent sword that had appeared in Chen Yin’s hand, his eyes wide with surprise. He hadn’t even seen him draw it.
He realized he had underestimated his opponent.
“In my palace…” he stammered, his earlier arrogance gone, replaced by a sudden fear.
“Lead the way,” Chen Yin said, his voice cold and indifferent.
Bing Chen, his movements now restricted by Luo Luo, who had silently appeared behind him, her claws pressing against his neck, had no choice but to obey. His palace was located near the chasm, a magnificent structure, its grandeur a stark contrast to the hellish landscape below.
As they approached the palace, Luo Luo’s aura flickered, and she trembled slightly.
The Changming Sword glowed, and Sword Maiden appeared beside Chen Yin, her eyes filled with a strange mix of emotions.
“There’s… a familiar scent…” she whispered.
Chen Yin’s eyes narrowed, and he grabbed Bing Chen, teleporting them to a hidden chamber within the palace.
He kicked the door open, and Luo Luo gasped, her eyes filling with tears.
In the dimly lit room, a fox demon, her body covered in wounds, her fur matted and dirty, was chained to the wall, her eyes dull and lifeless, her lips dry and cracked. Her once beautiful face was now gaunt and pale, only her long eyelashes hinting at her former beauty.
Sword Maiden stared at her, then clutched her head, a confused expression on her face.
Chen Yin already knew who she was.
“…Senior Little Yao?” he asked softly.
“Are you… Senior Little Yao?”
The woman’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked at the person before her, a flicker of recognition in her dull, lifeless eyes. She stared at Sword Maiden, her voice a dry, raspy whisper. “Ming… Mingluan… Sister…”
It was barely a whisper, a name lost in the mists of time, or perhaps just a fragmented memory.
Sword Maiden stared back at her, her usual indifference replaced by a confused and hesitant uncertainty.
Chen Yin cut the chains binding Little Yao, and Luo Luo rushed forward, her arms wrapping around the frail figure, tears streaming down her face as she saw the extent of her injuries, her body covered in wounds and scars.
Little Yao swallowed a few pills from Chen Yin’s System Shop, her eyes regaining some of their light, but her gaze remained fixed on Sword Maiden. After a long silence, she finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. “You’re… not Senior Sister Mingluan…”
Chen Yin hesitated, then said softly, “Sword Maiden… or rather, Gu Mingyue, is the Immortal Venerable and Mingluan’s daughter.”
“Is she…” Little Yao’s eyes lit up slightly at the mention of those familiar names, a faint smile touching her lips. “Gu Mingyue… that’s a beautiful name.”
Sword Maiden looked at her, her lips pressed together tightly, a flicker of emotion in her usually vacant eyes, a hint of the human she had once been, before becoming the sword spirit.
“You… you smell like one of my descendants,” Little Yao said, turning to Luo Luo, “did you find my message?”
“Mother found it,” Luo Luo said, her eyes red-rimmed, “but Senior Little Yao, you were guarding the seal… how…?”
Chen Yin gently placed his hand on her head, silencing her unspoken question.
…Because she was guarding the seal.
Otherwise, with her ability to manipulate the Void, no one could have captured her.
She knew that if she left, there would be no one to protect the Lower Realm.
Little Yao just smiled faintly, her silence speaking volumes. The more she tried to appear calm and composed, the more Chen Yin’s heart ached. He didn’t know how long she had been imprisoned here, how much she had endured.
“I am Chen Yin,” he said, bowing respectfully, “I am indebted to the Immortal Venerable and have a close relationship with the Qing Fox Clan. I know your story, Senior Little Yao. This isn’t a good place for a reunion. Let’s get you out of here first.”
“What about him?” Luo Qiaoqiao said, her gaze fixed on Bing Chen, who was standing nearby, his eyes flickering nervously, his mind racing as he tried to find a way to alert the other generals.
Chen Yin looked at him, his eyes cold and hard, his mind filled with a chilling rage.
He couldn’t imagine a punishment cruel enough for this man.
“Young Master Chen,” Little Yao’s weak voice came from behind him.
He turned and saw her looking at him, her gaze calm and steady. “Give me his life. Please.”
Chen Yin hesitated, then nodded slowly.
Bing Chen, sensing the danger, tried to stand up, but Chen Yin’s sword, the Changming Sword, pierced through his shoulder before he could even react.
“Aaaaagh!” he screamed, the power of the Dao of Life and Death flowing through the sword, draining his immortal energy, his life force. True fear, cold and paralyzing, gripped his heart. Even without moving, the sword was devouring him, sucking away his very essence.
Little Yao, supported by Luo Luo, slowly stood up, her usual gentle smile gone, her eyes cold and distant as she looked at him.
She took a dagger from Chen Yin, then grabbed Bing Chen by the collar and dragged him towards the chains that had once bound her.
“Wh-what are you doing?! Let go of me! You bitch! I should have killed you when I had the chance!”
Chen Yin and the others left the room, giving Little Yao her privacy.
He closed the door, erected a sound barrier to block out Bing Chen’s screams, and pulled Luo Luo into his arms, her body trembling as she sobbed quietly.
After a while, the screams subsided, and silence fell over the palace.
Just as Chen Yin was about to check on Little Yao, he frowned and turned towards the entrance, sensing several powerful auras approaching rapidly.
Luo Qiaoqiao and Luo Luo also tensed, their eyes narrowed.
“…They’re here,” Chen Yin murmured.
The palace was surrounded.
“Who’s in there?! Come out and surrender!”
Chen Yin ignored them and opened the door to the chamber.
Bing Chen’s lifeless body lay on the floor, his skin flayed, his organs scattered, his skeletal frame a gruesome testament to Little Yao’s rage.
She sat there quietly, covered in blood, her gaze calm and serene.
“Senior Little Yao, they’re—”
“I know,” she said, her voice soft but steady, “this is their territory. It won’t be easy to escape. And the little one is still young. Manipulating the Void in the Upper Realm is far more difficult than in the Lower Realm. She can only take one person with her.”
“It’s alright. I can get you out of here,” Chen Yin said.
But Little Yao just smiled at him faintly. “…Thank you, Young Master Chen. But there’s no need. I’m not leaving.”
“Mother!” Luo Luo exclaimed, but Luo Qiaoqiao held her back.
Chen Yin was silent. He had guessed her intentions when she asked for the dagger.
It was her choice.
“Luo Luo,” he said softly, “take Sister Qiaoqiao and leave.”
Luo Luo looked at him, her eyes filled with worry. “Young Master…”
“I’ll find you later.”
Seeing his calm gaze, she nodded and, taking Luo Qiaoqiao’s hand, vanished into the Void.
Only Chen Yin, Little Yao, and Sword Maiden remained.
“Come here,” Little Yao said, her voice gentle, her gaze fixed on Sword Maiden, “let me see you.”
Sword Maiden hesitated, then approached her.
Little Yao gently stroked her hair, her eyes filled with a sad, wistful longing. “…You look just like her…”
Sword Maiden didn’t know what to say and just lowered her head, her silence heavy with unspoken emotions.
“Young Master Chen, can I ask you something?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“What happened to the mortal realm… after Changliu left?”
Chen Yin bowed respectfully. “After the Immortal Venerable’s death, his legacy flourished. Humanity thrived for two thousand years, his name revered, his teachings passed down through generations, countless successors rising to defend against the Triennial Heavenly Tribulation. The Changming Sword he left behind is our greatest weapon against the Upper Realm.” “…He was a true leader.”
Little Yao nodded slowly, a hint of pride and relief in her eyes. “He was always a fool, always putting others before himself, always worrying about the world. He would be happy to know this.”
…It’s a pity he didn’t live to see it. And I won’t either.
A flicker of regret crossed her eyes, but she just smiled faintly and pinched Sword Maiden’s cheek gently. “Live well,” she whispered.
Sword Maiden looked at her, a flicker of recognition in her eyes, as if remembering her own mother’s gentle touch, her whispered words of encouragement, before she died.
Live well.
Chen Yin watched as Little Yao’s body transformed into a lifeless fox, her spirit finally free.
He gently picked up her remains and placed them in the scroll’s space. He and Sword Maiden stood there in silence.
Outside, the palace was surrounded by dozens of powerful auras, some even stronger than Jiazi.
“I think… I’m starting to understand human emotions,” Sword Maiden suddenly said.
“You are human,” Chen Yin said, without looking at her.
She didn’t reply, just looked towards the entrance, her voice quiet and steady. “…Master,” she said, and Chen Yin looked up, surprised. It was the first time she had called him that. And he saw something in her eyes, a flicker of… anger.
“Can I… kill them all?” she murmured, as if to herself.
Chen Yin nodded.
“I am Jia Chou, general of the Solitary Dao Venerable! Surrender now!” a voice boomed from outside.
Chen Yin ignored him.
Just in time.
“Since the Dao Venerable isn’t here,” he murmured, his eyes narrowing dangerously, “then you’ll have to pay for his crimes.” He drew the Changming Sword, its blade humming softly, Sword Maiden’s anger resonating through it.
He stepped out of the palace and looked at the assembled generals, their auras powerful and intimidating.
He grinned, his smile cold and merciless.
“Jiazi is waiting for you in hell.”
“From this day forward,”
“The Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches Palace… ceases to exist.”