Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 116 - The Celestial Song Vine (1)

She had brought the primordial soul of Yin Li out of the underground imperial mausoleum not for any particular reason, but simply because she did not want that beautiful shark demon to be forgotten by the one he loved. Cultivators place great importance on their cultivation, and some will go to any lengths to advance. Zanxing, however, risked the potential damage to her own cultivation by allowing Yin Li’s primordial soul to attach to her.

For her, it was just a casual act of kindness, but for Yin Li, it was probably the only chance he had.

When he turned into a point of light and disappeared, Zanxing heard a “thank you” whispered in her ear. Later, she found this pale fish scale within herself.

She didn’t know what it was.

“Jiaoren scales are sturdy and can withstand attacks,” Gu Baiying said, looking at the scale in front of her. “Yin Li’s physical body has been dead for many years. This scale, condensed from his primordial spirit, cannot block attacks, but it contains water-based spells.” He added, “Keep it. It’s his gift of gratitude to you.”

Zanxing put the scale away, feeling somewhat silent.

Thinking of Yin Li always brought a sense of melancholy.

After a while, Mu Cengxiao said, “I heard that Princess Lizhu, after waking up, doesn’t remember what happened before.”

That night on Starry Sky Terrace, Yin Li kissed the woman, and then his primordial soul turned into light and disappeared. But when Princess Lizhu woke up, she had no memory of Yin Li or anything that had happened.

“It must have been Yin Li’s doing,” Meng Ying said, looking despondent.

Men Dong took a bite of the grilled fish, finding it undercooked, placed it back over the fire to continue cooking. He wondered aloud, “Why did he erase Princess Lizhu’s memory? He paid such a high price, and in the end, nothing was left behind. Was it worth it?”

“Probably because the truth isn’t something everyone can handle,” Zanxing murmured, recalling the boy with the pure eyes. “He didn’t want the one he loved to suffer, even if it meant being forgotten himself.”

Everyone fell silent for a while. Tian Fangfang sighed, “That’s so noble. I couldn’t do it.”

“What an idiot,” Gu Baiying said coldly.

Zanxing looked at him, “Senior Uncle, don’t you think so?”

“Of course,” Gu Baiying replied without hesitation. “If I love someone, I want her to remember me, even if I die.”

Zanxing retorted, “If you’re dead and she still remembers you, how much hatred must that be?”

“Yang Zanxing!” Gu Baiying glared at her.

“I’m just joking.”

Mu Cengxiao flipped the grilled fish and said in a low voice, “But there’s still something very strange. At that time, Yin Ying said someone gave him demonic power and asked him to enter the secret realm to find a painting. But in the end, he was silenced. We still don’t know who was behind it. For someone to increase Yin Ying’s demonic power so dramatically, that person must be extraordinary.”

The greatly enhanced demonic power of Yin Ying had already troubled the cultivators. The person behind it, likely with even higher cultivation and more ruthless methods, would be even more formidable.

“But how could there be a painting in the secret realm?” Tian Fangfang asked Men Dong. “Did Senior Sister Ziluo ever mention it to you?”

Men Dong shook his head. “Senior Sister Ziluo only said that there are many rare spiritual herbs and fruits on Wudong Mountain. If you can find a spiritual beast, it’s considered good fortune… She never mentioned any painting.”

“If the other side’s plan fails, they’ll definitely try again,” Gu Baiying warned. “Stay alert in the secret realm and don’t fall into anyone’s trap.”

Zanxing was twirling the stick with the fish on it, but her mind was elsewhere. She kept thinking about that day when she asked Yin Ying why he had sneaked into her room. Yin Ying disappeared before finishing his sentence, but the strange look he gave her had always bothered Zanxing.

What could it have been for?

Meanwhile, members of other major sects were also happily grilling meat.

Yin Feng Sect was wealthy, with its own mines. The disciples’ storage bags were larger than those of other sects. Since they had the space, they brought everything they thought might be useful, including various seasonings, ingredients, pots, and pans—much more refined than Men Dong’s medicine pot.

The people from Yin Feng Sect were also very generous. When disciples from other sects came to borrow chopsticks, bowls, or seasonings, they generously shared. This made them quite popular among the other sects.

At this moment, Nie Xinghong sat on a blue stone, his deep blue robe immaculate, and his hair elegantly styled. His entire demeanor exuded refinement and meticulousness, as if he were in a luxurious restaurant rather than a secret realm.

His junior brothers were grilling rabbit meat, and a senior sister from Xiang Ling Sect had just cut up several watermelons brought by Tian Fangfang, distributing them to the various cultivators.

He Ri from Chihua Sect, displeased with the prominence of Yin Feng Sect, deliberately mocked Nie Xinghong, saying, “Fellow Daoist Nie, I heard you took a box of Rejuvenation Pills to curry favor with the Taiyan Sect yesterday, only to be driven away?”

“Rejuvenation Pills?” Upon hearing this, the other cultivators looked at Nie Xinghong with a new perspective. Rejuvenation Pills were not cheap, costing several dozen spirit stones each. That Yin Feng Sect had given a whole box as a gift certainly indicated their wealth.

Nie Xinghong, unbothered by the remark, shook his fan and maintained his graceful demeanor, smiling, “I had good intentions, but Fellow Daoist Gu probably thought I had ulterior motives toward Immortal Yang… Since the two of them are Dao companions, it’s understandable for them to be sensitive about such matters.”

It would have been better if he hadn’t mentioned “Dao companions.” As soon as he did, everyone immediately recalled the scandal involving Yin Ying that had been exposed in the imperial mausoleum.

The cultivators, holding their slices of watermelon, moved closer to him, teasingly asking, “Fellow Daoist Nie, are Gu Baiying and Yang Zanxing really Dao companions? I thought that shark demon was just making it up.”

“It’s as true as it gets,” Nie Xinghong said with a slight smile and a serious tone. “From my years of experience in the affairs of the heart, it’s clear that the two of them are in the most intimate and passionate phase of their relationship.”

Pu Tao from Xiang Ling Sect glanced at Gu Baiying in the distance and retorted, “Impossible! Yang Zanxing still has that large black scar on her face. It would make more sense if Meng Ying were his Dao companion… but Yang Zanxing…” She didn’t finish her sentence, her disdain for Zanxing evident.

Seeing her complicated expression, Nie Xinghong smiled knowingly, “You can’t put it that way. Although Immortal Yang’s appearance has flaws, her character is kind and noble. Not everyone would be willing to let a shark demon’s primordial soul possess them. Besides, from what I’ve observed, it’s clear that Fellow Daoist Gu cares more about Immortal Yang than she does about him.”

“Really?” another cultivator chimed in. “Ignoring a great beauty like Immortal Meng and favoring an ordinary martial niece instead. Fellow Daoist Gu must be quite the gentleman, uninterested in mere physical beauty.”

“A gentleman?” Another person laughed loudly. “More like he has poor taste!”

Pu Tao fell silent, her fingers tightening around the bamboo skewer as she silently grilled the venison in front of her.

In the distance, a bird’s clear call could be heard, fading away at the edge of Wudong Mountain.