"It was in this place that the Netherflower Fairy planted the seed of the Netherflower within me. This seed has both advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage is that the Netherflower, as the foremost of plants, makes me immune to all poisons. Its Wood element attribute also significantly aids my alchemy.
The disadvantage is that this Netherflower seed is planted upon my soul, feeding on it. When I ascend to immortality, it will possess me, and I will cease to be myself."
"That Netherflower Fairy is truly wicked."
Wan Lei chimed in with agreement.
"Heh, she resides in the Sacred Hall. You can say that to her face. However, she is also a person of great misfortune."
"Squirrel rescued us, and after we arrived in the outside world, we discovered the mountain had collapsed. It turned out Squirrel had broken the sealing formation, revealing a chasm.
This chasm is a passage connecting the Immortal Realm to the Ghost Realm. You must have heard of it. The ancient Dragon clan resides within the Ghost Realm's chasm.
Within this chasm also lived a young dragon from the Dragon clan who had run away from home. However, he had not yet fully transformed into a dragon, still appearing as a large black python.
That large black python intended to eat us. But due to the immense spiritual energy of the Immortal Realm it had absorbed, it needed to break through its cultivation.
At that time, Southern疆 was shattered, and spiritual energy was scarce. This area, being the southernmost part of Southern疆, lacked sufficient spiritual energy for its breakthrough.
Xiao Yu was kind. Despite its intention to eat us, she still persuaded us to help it.
We set up a spirit gathering formation, resisted powerful enemies, and protected it during its breakthrough. Thus, we became acquainted.
It told us its name was Fengyun."
"Fengyun departed, venturing to vaster realms. Xiao Yu, Hu Youzi, and I went to investigate the secrets of the Cloud Peak Sect."
The scene shifted again, and they arrived above a prosperous sect.
This sect comprised at least a million people. Upon a flat-topped mountain in the center stood five statues.
The statues of the Five Immortal Venerables.
"This is the New Cold Sect. However, it was formerly the Cloud Peak Sect. Where we just were, was the old site of the Cold Sect."
Wan Lei nodded in understanding. He had been puzzled earlier, wondering how the ancestral sect of an Immortal Venerable could have fallen into such disrepair. It turned out they had relocated.
"There, we discovered the Cloud Peak Sect's grand formation for cultivating through blood sacrifices of living people. We barely escaped with our lives back to the Cold Sect and managed to send out this information.
The Cold Sect immediately went on high alert. Within two days, the Cloud Peak Sect attacked with their grand formation.
The Cloud Peak Sect had three Core Formation cultivators, while we only had one. We were steadily pushed back in the battle.
I was severely injured and fell unconscious during that battle. To save me, Xiao Yu…
Sacrificed herself."
"At that moment, I ceased to conceal myself and publicly used my clone, killing one Core Formation cultivator.
Both sects were exhausted and incapable of further combat, so they ceased fighting. The Cloud Peak Sect retreated. I collected Xiao Yu's body and left as well.
I had two tasks: one was to avenge her, and the other was to resurrect her.
To avenge her, not only I but also the Cold Sect needed strength. Thus, my gaze turned towards the Purple Sun Sect.
I wanted to learn alchemy."
"You mean the kind of pill that causes diarrhea after eating it?"
"At a black market auction, while bidding for a pharmacist's apprentice position at the Purple Sun Sect, I encountered Ziyan again. She also recognized me.
Naturally, we fought upon meeting. I fought and fled, eventually escaping above a lake.
The lake suddenly exerted a strong suction, pulling both Ziyan and me in. There, we discovered an underground world.
It was very dangerous at that time. We, as enemies, had no choice but to join forces to combat the dangers. After many shared trials, we gradually lowered our guard and became open with each other.
We didn't have any deep-seated enmity in the first place, merely a clash of youthful pride. Once our relationship improved, the animosity vanished.
Ziyan and I eventually escaped and returned to the surface. She then brought me to the Purple Sun Sect, and I became a humble medicine boy.
However, because our relationship was close, Ziyan took great care of me, leading to much gossip. Furthermore, in the underground world, Ziyan lost her storage bag and her clothes were torn, forcing her to wear mine. This scene was witnessed by others.
Thus, I was branded an adulterer, and she was labeled a promiscuous woman who broke her vows.
Only I knew how much suffering she endured in her heart. Her engagement was merely a political alliance."
"But she didn't say anything. She only helped me silently from behind the scenes. You must have also heard that during the battle in the Lost Realm, she traded her life for mine, saving me, but falling into an eternal slumber herself."
Wan Lei sighed upon hearing this.
"Senior Ziyan was also a woman of great misfortune."
"Therefore, I failed her. But I do not wish for you to fail your Qi Man Yao. If all else fails, you should just accept her."
Wan Lei's face flushed, and he stammered,
"But that would be unfair to Xiao Yu, and unfair to her as well. I believe this matter should ultimately be decided by her own will.
Of course, once she is resurrected, I am willing to protect her for the rest of my life, ensuring she suffers no harm."
"Alas, in these past tens of thousands of years, I faced similar difficult choices as you. In the end, I also gave the choice to her.
After I became an Immortal Venerable, I awakened her and presented her with two options. One was that I would help her stabilize her dreams, condense a clone, and accompany her forever within the dreamscape, where it would be just the two of us. Da Feng Novel Network.
The other was for her to awaken and return to the real world, where we three could live happily together."
"Damn, Immortal Venerable, you're quite shameless."
"Then what did Sister Ziyan choose in the end?"
"She chose to awaken and then told me to get lost and live properly with Xiao Yu… Xia Xiaoyu, and not to disturb her."
"Uh… she has character."
"Heh, which woman doesn't wish for her beloved to love only her? If their love cannot be realized, they would rather silently bless from afar and then forget each other in the vast sea of people, mutually undisturbed.
The scenarios where several women love one man and share him are mostly products of fantasy and lustful imagination. While such situations exist in reality, they are often forced unions through power and wealth, driven by mutual needs."
Wan Lei nodded upon hearing this and began to contemplate the possibility of forcibly keeping Qi Man Yao by his side.
Then he realized the low probability of success. Xia Da Yu could forcibly keep Ziyan in the Five Elements Hall because Xia Xiaoyu lacked assertiveness. If he dared to use force against Qi Man Yao, with Fang Xiaoyu's combat power and personality, wouldn't she tear him apart in an instant?
Following this, Xia Da Yu led Wan Lei northward once more.
"After I learned alchemy and became a top-grade alchemist, I refined a large batch of Xuan Yuan Pills, helping many in the Cold Sect break through to the Core Formation stage and aiding the ancestor in reaching the Nascent Soul stage.
At that time, we could crush the Cloud Peak Sect. We went for revenge.
After the Cloud Peak Sect was annihilated, I left the Cold Sect again and headed north alone, searching for a path to the Ghost Realm, wanting to find her."