Chapter 85: The Collapse of a Legend
After a moment, Chen Yan spoke again. “You recognize my grandmother as well. Did you never think to ask her?”
“I am but a fox demon who fled the Domain Realm. It was sheer fortune that allowed me to meet the Venerable One of the Ghost Clan in this world. How could I dare inquire about such earth-shaking secrets?” You Su Yi shook her head, then gave Chen Yan a deep look. [You are her grandson—why don’t you ask her yourself?]
Chen Yan chuckled. “Then how did you come to know my grandmother? And I heard you even called her ‘Sister Shun Ying’?”
“That title was but an act for the mortals present at the time,” You Su Yi rolled her eyes. “That day, I was out with my daughter-in-law, Sun Chen, along with two of He Family’s younger members. They were my drivers, and all were present when we encountered the Venerable One. I could hardly kneel before her in broad daylight, could I? That would have been too absurd and only brought unnecessary trouble upon the Venerable One.”
She paused before continuing. “Before I met the Venerable One, I did not know who she truly was. At the time, I was seeking a wife for my son. Though I hail from the Fox Clan, I followed the path of the sword and never studied the arts of divination. Thus, I spent a great sum hiring various renowned mystics of this world—shamans, so-called masters—more than a dozen of them. Yet, most were mere charlatans. Then, through an introduction, I was told of an old woman named Huang, said to be quite skilled in such matters. So, I paid for a consultation.”
She sighed, her expression turning odd. “But the moment I laid eyes upon her, when I used my Qi Observation technique…”
A bitter smile spread across You Su Yi’s face. “I nearly blinded myself on the spot. To gaze upon the fate of a Saint is not something a mere mortal like me could withstand. Though the Venerable One was unable to wield her power in this world, her sheer presence alone was enough to overwhelm me. I nearly lost my sight then and there.”
A trace of confusion flickered in her eyes. “To have met the Venerable One that day was nothing short of a great shock. Yet, she treated me with extraordinary kindness. Not only did she divine my son’s fate, but she also guided me to seek out the descendants of the Sun family. She personally accompanied me to meet Sun Chen, and after she nodded in approval, I made the decision to take Sun Chen as my daughter-in-law.”
Finishing her tale, You Su Yi hesitated for a moment before voicing her lingering doubt. “Fellow Daoist… I have always wondered—there exists a rule within the Domain Realm that Venerables must not cross the realm’s boundary. So why did such an esteemed elder choose to come to this world?”
[That’s what I want to know, too…] Chen Yan sighed inwardly.
[You’re asking me? Who should I ask?]
His expression, however, remained unchanged. He merely replied with a calm, detached tone, “My grandmother acts according to her own reasons. The will of a Venerable Saint is not something that mere mortals can fathom. Not just you—even I would not dare to question her.”
You Su Yi’s expression grew solemn as she nodded quickly. “You are right, Fellow Daoist. It is not our place to discuss the affairs of Saints.”
With a deep sigh, the old fox clasped her hands in respect. “Fellow Daoist, I have shared all I know about Chen Jue without reservation. I have kept my word.”
Chen Yan nodded. “You are a fox of honor. My thanks, Fellow Daoist You Su.”
You Su Yi then spoke slowly. “I have fulfilled my promise regarding Chen Jue. As for the remaining matters—gold, silver, and worldly wealth—I shall have my son deliver another sum to you in your dreams. And as for my inner core… give me three days. I wish to bid farewell to my son one last time before I return to present my core to you.”
Chen Yan studied her for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head. “Fellow Daoist You Su, we have fought side by side. Let us speak plainly. Spare me the pretense.”
“When I slew the white fox, you were the first to extract her inner core before her body turned to ash. You intended for her core to serve as payment in place of your own, did you not?”
He smiled knowingly. “I am well aware of your intentions. There is no need to test me further with your words. Besides… I am no heartless villain. We have battled together, I have received ample wealth from your son, and I do not demand your inner core so ruthlessly.”
You Su Yi’s face flushed as her scheme was exposed. She let out an awkward chuckle. “I… I was overthinking it. I should not have played such tricks on you, Fellow Daoist. I apologize.”
After some thought, the old fox picked up a gourd Chen Yan had retrieved from a stone cabinet earlier, offering it with both hands. “The pills in this gourd were a gift from my honored master long ago. They are highly effective in treating internal and external wounds. Originally, there were thirty-six pills. Over the years, I have used many, and today, I consumed another two. Now, only four remain. I offer them all to you, Fellow Daoist.”
“These pills are called White Bone Pills—named for their ability to ‘restore flesh to white bones.’ Though the name is an exaggeration, they are indeed miraculous. Though they cannot truly bring back the dead, their restorative power is undeniable…”
Some wounds, both internal and external, yield miraculous effects when treated with this elixir. Even a mortal injury—so long as breath remains—can be held at bay for several hours with a single pill.”
Chen Yan accepted the gourd with steady hands, listening as the Old Fox sighed. “You must understand, Fellow Daoist. This White Bone Pill is effective only for injuries. It holds no power against illnesses. My husband perished from sickness, and even this could not save him.”
Chen Yan nodded solemnly. “My gratitude to you, You Su Daoist, for this gift.”
You Su Yi gestured for him to retrieve the White Fox Inner Core. Her gaze lingered on it, complex emotions shifting behind her eyes. She spoke in a low voice, “She was once my sectmate. We both served the Exalted One beneath the Ten Thousand Demon Terrace, growing up as disciples under the same master.
“But she was more gifted than I. Skilled in both pill refinement and the sword, her talents far surpassed mine. When we fled to this realm together, we established this Cave Abode. This very Pill Chamber and Alchemical Furnace—they were prepared for her.”
The Old Fox did not elaborate further on the enmity between them. Another tale, buried within the dust of the past.
Chen Yan refrained from asking more.
“A Demon Core such as this has two purposes. One, you may absorb its demonic qi to refine and enhance your own Qi Cultivation, though I suspect, with an Exalted One as your elder, you have no need for such external aid.
“Second, it may be used in alchemy, to craft powerful pills. However…” She hesitated before continuing. “I would advise against it. A family of the Exalted One’s lineage surely lacks no medicinal treasures.”
Chen Yan knew she had more to say, so he simply watched her, waiting.
Indeed, You Su Yi went on. “This White Fox had an Innate Divine Ability—a power etched into the very essence of her being. Though she has perished, that ability remains imprinted within this Demon Core. If you refine it, you will inherit her gift.”
Chen Yan’s mind turned, piecing together the possibilities. A smile flickered across his lips. “Ah… is it her Art of Transformation?”
“Precisely!” You Su Yi nodded. “Her Innate Divine Ability allowed her to shift forms at will—one person, a thousand faces; a thousand faces, one person.
“Do not underestimate this skill. While high-level cultivators can grasp transformation arts, most such techniques are easily unraveled by those with strong qi perception.
“But the White Fox’s Art of Transformation is unique. Because it was her Innate Divine Ability, no external force can unravel it… Below the level of a Saint, none can pierce its illusion.”
Oh? Now that was intriguing—an ability so profound that even powerful cultivators could not perceive its truth?
Chen Yan’s interest deepened.
Following You Su Yi’s guidance, he activated his Qi Circulation Technique, refining the Demon Core. Within moments, a phantom flame surged around it, burning away residual bloodstains. What remained was a pearl-like essence, round and luminous as fresh-fallen snow.
“You need only wear this upon your person. When the time comes, channel your qi into it, and you will manifest the transformation. As for what forms you can take—that depends on the strength of your cultivation.”
Having said this, the Old Fox hesitated, then gritted her teeth and pulled out a small handful of silvered fur.
“This is from my Fox Tail, my Lifebound Fur. In our Fox Clan, our cultivation is bound to our tails… I see you cultivate Talismanic Arts, so I offer these to you. Use them to craft a Fox-Hair Brush—a fine tool for drawing talismans. It will serve you well.”
Chen Yan accepted it with due reverence, offering a formal bow. “Many thanks, You Su Daoist.”
“Now that matters in the mountains have been settled, and your great adversary has perished, surely you need not remain in isolation?” Chen Yan asked.
You Su Yi laughed. “I have already feigned death. The entire He Family believes me gone—I cannot return so easily. I will remain in the mountains, tending to my wounds. When I have healed, I will find a way to reunite with my son and his kin.”
With their affairs concluded, Chen Yan had gained all he sought.
He noticed the weariness overtaking You Su Yi—her grave injuries had drained her strength. Seeing this, he rose and took his leave.
At the entrance of the Cave Abode, You Su Yi gave him a deep bow. “I will remain here for three to five years to recover. Should you require anything in that time, do not hesitate to seek me out. You have aided me greatly—I will not refuse you if it is within my power.”
With those words, she waved her hand, and a great boulder shifted into place, sealing the cave as though it were part of the mountain itself—flawless and imperceptible.
Chen Yan took a deep breath, then turned and made his way down the mountain.
—
At the mountain’s base, beside a sleek business car, Chu Ke Qing had been standing for who knew how long, eyes fixed on the mountain’s direction.
A sudden gust stirred the air. She narrowed her eyes against the wind. When she turned back, she gasped—
A figure moved as if borne upon the very breeze, sweeping forth in a single bound.
Her heart leaped!
She exhaled sharply, relief settling into her features. “Senior! You have returned!”
Chen Yan gave a slight nod, then regarded her with curiosity. “You stood here waiting all this time?”
Chu Ke Qing lowered her voice. “When you ascended the mountain, your expression was heavy… There was a glint of battle-will in your eyes. I feared for you, so I remained here, watching.”
Her gaze suddenly landed on his chest.
A faint stain of blood marred his robes.
Her breath caught. The expression on his face before he left—the way he carried himself—
“Senior…” Her voice trembled. “You… You didn’t… kill Old Madam He, did you?”
“…”
Chen Yan rolled his eyes. “Do I look like someone who kills so readily?”
He waved a hand. “I ascended the mountain to slay a Spirit Monster that plagued Old Madam He.”
Slaying a Spirit Monster!
Chu Ke Qing swallowed hard—this senior was truly unfathomable!
To dispatch a mountain spirit with such ease—what kind of terrifying cultivation was this?
Her respect for Chen Yan deepened further. She quickly invited him into the car, willingly taking the driver’s seat, guiding the vehicle onto the path back to Jin Ling Prefecture.
Along the way, Chen Yan sat with his eyes half-lidded, immersed in quiet contemplation, while Chu Ke Qing focused intently on the road, not daring to interrupt his thoughts.
Chen Yan mulled over the spoils of slaying the White Fox. Wealth? That was no longer of concern to him. The Art of Transformation, embedded within the White Fox’s inner core, was an unexpected gain. The four White Bone Pills, a means of preserving his life in dire moments, were an equally valuable addition—though he had no intention of engaging in reckless battles, it never hurt to have another safeguard.
But the most crucial reward—was knowledge of his father, Chen Jue.
And, perhaps, a glimpse into a grand conspiracy!
Chen Jue was a peerless genius, unruly and unrestrained. He had once cleaved through forty-seven thousand foes with a single stroke of his sword and sworn to eradicate the very Heavenly Dao of the Domain Realm.
Then—he vanished.
A Great Heavenly Venerable intervened, tampering with fate, shrouding destiny, and turning Chen Jue into a notorious villain in the Domain Realm.
Perhaps he was already dead.
And then there was his grandmother—a revered figure of the Ghost Race—who shattered the rule of Venerables never crossing worlds, arriving in this realm to raise him for twenty years!
Tying these threads together—
[This feels like a colossal secret,] Chen Yan mused, sighing inwardly. [Why does it reek of a third-rate, melodramatic revenge plot? Am I truly the tragic protagonist burdened with my father’s blood feud?]
No! Absolutely not!
In this lifetime, he would never set foot in the Domain Realm!
Never!
Even disregarding the fact that Chen Jue was universally condemned as the ultimate demon lord, what would become of his demon lord’s son if he entered that world?
More importantly, this tangled web involved the Great Heavenly Venerables—supreme existences beyond mortal comprehension.
One of them had personally intervened to obscure fate. Clearly, they saw Chen Jue as a threat.
And if Chen Jue’s foes were Great Heavenly Venerables, then logically speaking—
[His enemies would become my enemies?!]
The very thought sent chills down his spine. He, a mere mortal cultivator, entering the Domain Realm?
A single flick of a Great Heavenly Venerable’s finger would be enough to reduce him to dust!
Absolutely not!
Even if he were beaten to death, he would never step foot in the Domain Realm!
Fortunately, the boundary rule ensured that even a Great Heavenly Venerable could not cross into this world.
And even if they did, their strength would be shackled, no different from an ordinary mortal.
Staying in this world—was the safest path!
The journey home was swift, and soon, Chu Ke Qing pulled up in front of Chen Yan’s villa in Jin Ling Prefecture.
The sun had tilted past its zenith; it was now well past three in the afternoon.
Chu Ke Qing parked just outside the courtyard gates. After stepping out, she respectfully bade farewell to Chen Yan before departing.
Chen Yan unlatched the gate and stepped into the courtyard, his steps steady as he approached the villa’s entrance. As he pressed his fingertip against the biometric scanner, unlocking the door, his gaze landed upon the scene in the living room—and he froze in place, his eyes widening in shock!
The house was warm, thanks to the underfloor heating, making it as comfortable as a spring day. And standing in the center of the living room was Little Madam Gu.
She was clad in nothing but a thin sweater, her slender figure outlined in soft curves. She held her phone in one hand, utterly engrossed in the music playing through its speakers.
With a swaying head and light, rhythmic movements, she was completely lost in her own world.
“Ah-pa-tsi, ah-pa-tsi, ah-pa-tsi, ah-pa-tsi~…”
With a dull thud, Chen Yan’s backpack slipped from his grasp, hitting the floor.
Cold-faced Little Madam Gu—
Your persona is in ruins!
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