Chapter One Hundred and Seven – Tracing Back: Crushing the Heart

“Good… very good. The Vermilion Emperor, Dragon Lord, Dragon Mother, and even the Dao Lord are dead. I underestimated you. You truly are the most outstanding disciple the elders have ever seen.”

“You won’t kill me? Just seal my memories of Ji Ming… Should I kowtow three times and nine bows to thank you for your mercy?”

“So what do you plan to do after sealing my memories? Pretend none of this happened? Doesn’t that make you sick?”

“Yes, I can’t do anything to you… but Nan Rao has never been one to be manipulated.”

“Nan Rao swears with her three hun and seven po souls, and her primordial spirit of life and death: In this life, between Nan Rao and Ying Zewei, if either develops feelings for the other, they shall be struck by lightning, their bones will rot, and their flesh will decay. When I recall my father’s vengeance in the future, if I show even a moment’s hesitation, may the flames of nirvana not grant me rebirth, but let me perish along with the demon heart, ceasing to exist in this world!”

…

“Xuanzai? Xuanzai?”

In the quiet night at Daosheng Tian, beneath the flickering Soul River Waterfall, a Daosheng Tian cultivator was reporting recent important investigations to Ying Zewei.

Ying Zewei seemed to have just regained his senses and said softly, “Continue.”

“We fear the Buddhist Confessional Master has tricked us. After entering the Yellow Springs River, he used some unknown method to drag the other hells into the Void Path along with his position as the strongest in the nine springs. We can’t track them… Currently, under Daosheng Tian’s control, we only have the Soul River Waterfall of Zi State and the Feng Spring River of the Mountain Sea Prohibition.”

Ying Zewei hummed in acknowledgment and said, “The Master has chosen a path of no return. The Yellow Springs is the realm of the underworld officials. Living people who stay there too long will inevitably turn into evil spirits. He probably can never return to the mortal world.”

“But Daosheng Tian interfering with the cycle of life and death?”

“For the Dao Lord’s grand plan, the elders have exhausted their energy, some even damaging their lifespan. It’s a good time for them to rest and recuperate. During this period, some people to confirm that the Buddhist Confessional Master ascended along with the other lords. Don’t leave room for gossip.”

“Yes, but Mr. Yi Gu and the Dragon Lord keep asking about the Southern Fragrant Lord, whom Xuanzai rescued…”

“Don’t worry about that. I have my plans.”

After speaking, Ying Zewei continued to stare absent-mindedly at the wine cup before him. The wine emitted a familiar fragrance of moon epiphyllum, reminiscent of a quiet reading night when someone climbed over the wall into his courtyard and plucked the moon epiphyllum he had nurtured for so long… The next time they met, she gifted him with wine she had brewed herself.

Lost in thought, the cultivator beside him looked surprised at something behind Ying Zewei. A stumbling figure emerged from around the corner of the bamboo grove and, swaying, hugged Ying Zewei from behind.

The crisp scent of wine and the searing pain of lightning strike and flesh decay hit him simultaneously. Ying Zewei’s entire body stiffened.

“…I followed the scent of wine, but why couldn’t I find you?” Nan Rao murmured confusedly, leaning against his back. But soon, she felt something odd.

She had heard that after her father broke through the barrier and ascended, evil spirits from beyond entered the world. In the fierce battle, she fell into the deep sea and was eventually rescued by Ying Zewei and brought back to Daosheng Tian to recover.

However, the medicine at Daosheng Tian was bitter, and she didn’t want to stay. Once her wounds healed, remembering that the Vermilion Emperor had fulfilled his wish to ascend, she became quite happy. Though no one accompanied her, she drank to her heart’s content. Afterward, feeling a bit embarrassed, she went looking for Ying Zewei to express her gratitude.

…But where did this inexplicable hatred and bitterness in her heart come from?

Thinking this, she released him and sat half-drunk on the table beside him. She picked up his wine cup, brought it to her nose, and sniffed lightly. “Huh? When did I give you this wine?”

“…Last spring.”

A moment of confusion flashed in Nan Rao’s eyes before she put the wine back down and said casually, “This moon epiphyllum is unique to your place. I must have brewed it for you.”

“…I’m very fond of this wine. Does it have a name?”

For an instant, a cold light flashed in Nan Rao’s eyes, but she couldn’t recall why. She said, “This wine was initially brewed with dew from cicada wings in late autumn, so it’s called ‘Cicada Dew Sorrow.’ The other ingredients are all ordinary things. Thinking about it now, it’s a shame about the moon epiphyllum in your courtyard. It must not have been easy to cultivate.”

Only then did Nan Rao notice the cultivator standing nearby with an odd expression. She jumped down from the table and said:

“Well, I’ve bothered you for too long. I should return to Yin State to handle some affairs. Next time, when the moon epiphyllum blooms and I’m in the mood for wine, I’ll come to raid your cellar again. Just don’t lock me out then.”

The cultivator’s eyes flickered slightly as he said, “The Southern Fragrant Lord is too kind. Zi State and Yin State will be one family in the future. The Southern Fragrant Lord can come whenever she wishes.”

One family…

Only then did Nan Rao remember that before the Dao Lord ascended, he had made a verbal marriage agreement with the Vermilion Emperor regarding her. However, seeing Ying Zewei’s consistently cold and indifferent manner, she felt somewhat dispirited. “Let’s talk about it after I reach the Nascent Soul stage. Farewell.”

“Take care.”

After Nan Rao left, the Daosheng Tian cultivator said to Ying Zewei, “It would be more appropriate for Xuanzai to marry the Southern Fragrant Lord to Zi State sooner. After all, even if we lose the bet on this world, the Dao Lord hoped that Xuanzai could gather the power of the three hearts to break through the barrier… Xuanzai? What’s wrong with your back?”

Ying Zewei stared at Nan Rao’s retreating figure, completely unaware that where she had touched his back, a large bloodstain had seeped through, drenching his cyan robe.

“That night, before I sealed her memories, she made a blood oath and curse…”

The cultivator’s face paled slightly as he heard Ying Zewei murmur Nan Rao’s curse from that day.

“Why didn’t Xuanzai push her away?”

Yes, if he had pushed her away, nothing would have happened. As long as he followed the Dao Lord’s will, becoming an immortal or a god would be within reach.

But why did the thought of pushing her far away hurt more than being struck by lightning, having his bones rot, and his flesh decay?

“She knows full well that I spared her life because I have intentions for her… She understands this better than anyone,” Ying Zewei wiped the blood from his lips and said, “Let’s hold off on the matter of the Vermilion Emperor’s demon heart for now.”

After the Lords ascended, most of the elite young disciples of Nan Rao’s generation became busy. The new blood rushed to the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage, officially taking up positions as rulers of their respective States.

Especially in the populous and prosperous Chen State, Ao Guanghan was busy for an entire year before finding time to cultivate for the Nascent Soul stage. Like Nan Rao, he was one of those prodigies with extremely strong bloodline talents who could advance while lying down. After enlightenment at the Ancestral Dragon Tomb for seven months, he achieved Nascent Soul in one go. Upon emerging, he heard that Nan Yi was also on the verge of Nascent Soul, so he brought gifts and went to Yin State to find her.

Upon arriving in Yin State, he saw Nan Rao outside Nan Yi’s cultivation cave, pacing like an expectant family member. When she saw an attendant coming out of the cave with incense for advancing spirits, she grabbed him and interrogated him.

“Has she advanced? Has she?”

The attendant was terrified. “Not yet. The Young Lord has only been in enlightenment for ten days.”

Nan Rao was very worried. “When I was reaching Nascent Soul and passing the heart demon barrier, suddenly over forty burly men surrounded me. I’m just worried that Yi Gu might…”

Ao Guanghan angrily said, “Yi Gu’s mind is pure and clean. The heart demon barrier won’t have such ghostly things for her. You should reflect on why you had over forty burly men during your heart demon barrier!”

Nan Rao had no time to argue with him. After sighing for a while, a sudden fluctuation of elemental energy came from where Nan Yi was in seclusion. The energy was unstable, trembling continuously, causing Nan Rao’s face to change slightly.

“Last time, that person from Shen State failed to advance to Nascent Soul due to misdirected spiritual energy and took three years to recover. Yi Gu…”

Ao Guanghan said, “It’s only been ten days. Everyone goes through this when reaching Nascent Soul. What’s the use of you being anxious? Where’s the Cloud Empress Dowager?”

Nan Rao said, “The Empress Dowager came, but I asked her to go back first. If something goes wrong, do you think I should release my demon heart?”

Ao Guanghan: “Have you lost your mind? Last time you played dead, it took you half a year to recover. You want to do it a second time?”

As they argued, a cultivator from Daosheng Tian arrived on a crane. He first bowed to Nan Rao and Ao Guanghan, then explained his purpose. Xuanzai had heard that Nan Yi was attempting to reach Nascent Soul and had brought a relic from the Dao Lord that could lower the difficulty of the heart demon barrier.

“I’ve never heard of such a good thing. Why?” Nan Rao asked.

“The Dao Lord had unique insights into the great Dao. Many of the relics he left behind are related to the great Dao. When the Southern Fragrant Lord marries into our Zi State, she can understand them one by one.”

Daosheng Tian seemed eager for her to marry over, but in her several encounters with Ying Zewei, he never mentioned this matter. Nan Rao had long been confused about this, but since it concerned Nan Yi’s advancement to Nascent Soul, she dared not delay.

The Dao Lord’s relic indeed proved useful. In just a few days, the elemental energy around Nan Yi’s secluded cave became very active. On the fifteenth day, the sun, thick clouds, and snow appeared in succession above the cave. Finally, when they transformed into a descending rainbow, a wave of Nascent Soul energy spread out.

“She’s done it!”

Nan Rao’s heart finally relaxed. After sending off the Daosheng Tian cultivator, she saw Ao Guanghan looking gloomy on the side. She crouched down in front of him and asked:

“What’s wrong now?”

“Do you want to marry Ying Zewei?”

This matter also confused Nan Rao for a long time. She said, “The old guys have all ascended, and no one’s managing us anymore. He probably wants to maintain his purity and just muddle through this matter.”

Ao Guanghan looked displeased and said, “Is that so?”

“The people of Daosheng Tian care about face. How about this, I’ll find an excuse to decline this matter, as a way to repay his kindness for saving my life.”

Ao Guanghan was very skeptical of Nan Rao’s words at the time until he returned to Chen State and heard people anxiously saying that something had happened in Yin State.

“Meng Xiaolou from Wei State just successfully reached Nascent Soul and sought people to test his sword. He fought undefeated through three States. Yesterday he went to Yin State, apparently to challenge the Southern Fragrant Lord.”

“…Did they fight?”

“They did fight, but after the fight, they didn’t go their separate ways. I heard that when people from Zi State came to discuss marriage, the Southern Fragrant Lord eloped with Meng Xiaolou!!!”

…

The entire Upper State was waiting for news of the Southern Fragrant Lord marrying into Zi State. Unexpectedly, Meng Xiaolou appeared out of nowhere. It was said that the two agreed to duel west of the Western Emperor Mountain. As they were fighting, Nan Rao heard from a confidant that two Daotian Masters from Zi State had personally brought betrothal gifts to urge the marriage. Frightened, her hand slipped, and Meng Xiaolou accidentally cut a small gash on her face with his sword.

Although this small cut wasn’t obvious, it was caused by a Nascent Soul cultivator’s sword energy and would take at least several months to heal. Nan Rao didn’t care, but Meng Xiaolou was terrified, thinking he had ruined a young lady’s life.

Nan Rao indeed didn’t want to face the two Daotian Masters from Daosheng Tian nagging about her marriage. Her mouth was also quite loose, so she sighed and said that she never really wanted to marry Daosheng Tian and was originally planning to break off the engagement. But if she were to meet the Daosheng Tian people with her current appearance, the outside world might criticize Daosheng Tian broke off the engagement because of her disfigurement, unfairly sullying Ying Zewei’s reputation. It would be better to take her to another State to avoid the storm for now.

It was springtime, with flowers and moonlight. The beauty was like a flower, and Meng Xiaolou felt this might be destiny. Whatever determination he had to “cut off emotional ties with one sword” before coming had vanished with the wind.

“F-Southern Fragrant Lord, do you want to return to Wei State with me?”

“That year in Daosheng Tian, there were many misunderstandings between us. You didn’t mind my rashness and returned that hairband to me in the night. I think you must be a good person. Now, with this sword energy difficult to dispel, where else can I go if not back to Wei State with you? By the way, we’re of the same generation, you can just call me Nao Niang.”

“Ah? But that’s not proper…”

“What’s so hard about saying it? Your skin is too thin. If you don’t want to, I’ll just go back.” Nan Rao turned to leave. Meng Xiaolou panicked, his face turning red as he shouted:

“…Niang! Don’t go!”

Nan Rao: “???”