Chapter 121: Am I Shui Qing Yue’s Reincarnation?

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A fierce wind howled through the air, sending Yu Zhao’s hair flying wildly as her exposed skin felt the sting of countless needles piercing into her flesh.

“Run!”

The old merfolk elder’s eyes widened as he reached out to pull Yu Zhao away. However, his arm felt as heavy as a mountain, each movement excruciatingly slow and difficult.

“It’s too late,” he muttered grimly.

As if to confirm his words, a shadowy figure suddenly appeared in front of Yu Zhao and the old merfolk.

The man radiated an imposing aura, his appearance sharp and commanding. Yet, his eyes betrayed an unsettling contradiction, murky and clouded, with fleeting flashes of dark malevolence.

The elder’s body trembled violently at the sight of the man, his eyes filled with unbridled hatred. This was one of the Nascent Soul cultivators who had once slaughtered countless members of the merfolk tribe.

The man cast a dismissive glance at the elder before his gaze locked onto Yu Zhao. A mixture of disdain and mockery painted his expression. “You certainly know how to run,” he sneered. “I almost lost you.”

Yu Zhao remained silent, her thoughts racing. She had underestimated this Nascent Soul cultivator’s obsession. He had pursued her relentlessly, even into the depths of the Endless Sea, thousands of miles away. This time, there was no escape.

The man suddenly narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her more closely. “Why do you look so familiar? It’s as if I’ve seen you before.”

Cultivators who reached the Foundation Establishment stage possessed flawless memories. Anyone they had encountered left an indelible imprint in their minds. But this man had delved into too many souls over the years, making it hard to recall specific details. Yet, he was certain—he had seen her face before.

A realization dawned on him. Not long ago, near Southern Abyss City, he had passed by a sect exclusively for female cultivators and encountered someone who knew him. That stirred memories of another sect, a place he had personally razed to the ground many years ago.

What was its name? Ah… Water Cloud Palace.

The sect leader back then was…

His pupils constricted sharply as the image of the face before him aligned perfectly with that of a defiant woman from his past.

“Shui Qing Yue! You’re Shui Qing Yue!”

A manic fervor overtook his expression as his eyes gleamed with a crazed light.

Yu Zhao felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of Shui Qing Yue’s name. Did this man have a hand in Shui Qing Yue’s death?

“Ha! I see it now! Immortality truly exists! I, Teng Xiao, am destined to survive!” Teng Xiao burst into hysterical laughter, his gaze upon Yu Zhao turning covetous, as though she were the rarest treasure.

Immortality?

Though Yu Zhao didn’t fully grasp his words, a creeping dread began to take hold.

“Shui Qing Yue,” Teng Xiao began, his voice laced with arrogance and glee. “You escaped heavily injured all those years ago. I thought you had perished. Yet here you are, reincarnated through the Water Spirit Jade! And now, you’ve exposed its secret to me, delivering a monumental gift. Hahaha! You never expected to fall into my hands again, did you?”

Yu Zhao’s mind reeled, her blood running cold.

Reincarnation?

She wasn’t Shui Qing Yue’s blood relative? She was Shui Qing Yue’s reincarnation?

The realization struck her like lightning. Her resemblance to Shui Qing Yue wasn’t coincidental—they were one and the same from the very beginning!

Still dazed, Yu Zhao had no time to react before Teng Xiao made his move. With a wave of his hand, she was yanked forward by an overwhelming force, his palm pressing down onto the top of her head.

Teng Xiao’s voice brimmed with excitement. “Once I extract your memories, I’ll uncover the method of reincarnation through the Water Spirit Jade!”

Yu Zhao’s dazed consciousness abruptly snapped awake.

The Soul-Searching Technique was among the most sinister in the cultivation world. Those subjected to it would suffer horrifying consequences: at best, their soul would lose stability, leading to insanity; at worst, their very essence would be scattered, extinguishing their existence entirely.

Neither outcome was something Yu Zhao could accept.

Though she knew she was no match for Teng Xiao, she resolved to fight to the death.

“Realm of Illusion.”

Invisible soul energy radiated outward from Yu Zhao, forming a dense fog-like barrier. The surroundings blurred, and everything became indistinct.

“Overestimating yourself,” Teng Xiao sneered, derision flashing in his eyes. He raised his right foot and stomped heavily.

The illusion shattered instantly. Yu Zhao let out a muffled groan, her expression wilting as her energy drained away.

“Shui Qing Yue,” Teng Xiao said coldly, “since you’ve provided me with the method for eternal life, if you survive the soul search, I will personally grant you a swift end.”

With a boisterous laugh, he sent his soul force into Yu Zhao’s Sea of Consciousness.

The barrier around her mind crumbled almost immediately under Teng Xiao’s overwhelming power. Yu Zhao felt as though a sharp blade had pierced her consciousness, twisting and churning her thoughts. The searing pain was unbearable. She bit down hard on her lip, but whimpers of agony escaped despite her effort.

“Release her!”

The old merfolk elder, unfamiliar with Shui Qing Yue or the Water Spirit Jade, only knew one thing: Yu Zhao was the last hope of the Merfolk Tribe. Her death would mean the end of their revival.

Yu Zhao must not die, and neither could their people.

A phantom flame ignited at the elder’s heart, spreading rapidly across his body. His wrinkled, aged skin smoothed out as his vitality surged. In mere moments, the elder appeared decades younger, rejuvenated and resolute.

With a fierce snap of his tail, he launched himself from the shell he rested upon, striking toward Teng Xiao like an arrow, his sapphire-blue eyes brimming with determination to perish together.

“Begone!” Teng Xiao frowned, striking out with a palm.

A thunderous blast echoed as the elder was struck and flung into the sea, creating an enormous splash. Teng Xiao snorted dismissively, refocusing his soul energy within Yu Zhao’s consciousness, combing through it inch by inch.

He was not interested in her memories but sought traces of the Water Spirit Jade.

This legendary artifact, born from places rich in water-element spiritual energy, was said to absorb the essence of heaven and earth. It was invaluable, especially to cultivators with water-based roots, enhancing the efficiency of spiritual energy absorption. Even those without such affinities could benefit from its calming and nourishing properties.

The rarity of the Water Spirit Jade made it a treasure even the Merfolk Tribe, residing in the Southern Abyss for millennia, had never encountered. Years ago, the revelation that Shui Qing Yue possessed such a jade led Teng Xiao to lead a raid on the Water Cloud Palace. Despite the disparity in power favoring him, the jade unexpectedly tore through space, taking a severely injured Shui Qing Yue with it.

Teng Xiao had lamented that loss for years.

Now, learning that the jade could even enable reincarnation, he vowed not to repeat his past mistake. He had to secure the jade, no matter what.

Yet, despite thoroughly scouring Yu Zhao’s consciousness, Teng Xiao found no sign of the jade. What he did discover was shocking: Yu Zhao’s soul strength rivaled that of a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator. With more years of cultivation, her potential could grow boundless.

The more extraordinary her talent appeared, the more intense Teng Xiao’s desire burned.

In this life, he had stagnated at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. With another life, wouldn’t he ascend to become the cultivation world’s supreme power, surpassing even Master Qing Yan?

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