“Given Sister Yu’s abilities, I don’t believe those people would cause you any trouble,” Ji Hongye said after a moment of deliberation, her tone sincere.
Ji Ruohan let out a sigh of relief.
When she heard her own master was about to side with the “Demoness” and stand against the Righteous Faction, she had been terrified.
Ji Hongye’s actions would essentially bury all the glory the Sword Pavilion had accumulated over centuries beneath her own hands.
Not only would they lose the world’s respect, but the Sword Pavilion might even be branded as a villainous faction “in league with the Demonic Path” from now on.
Although Ji Ruohan had come to realize that the “Demoness” wasn’t as evil as the legends claimed, people were ultimately selfish creatures. In this black-and-white world, she didn’t want her beloved Sword Pavilion to be stained black.
“When Ling’er said we had trouble, it wasn’t because this Grandmaster fears someone coming to find us. I’m worried those uninvited guests will delay my plans,” Yu Yi said gracefully, her demeanor calm and composed.
“This Grandmaster intends to take Ling’er to suppress the rampaging monsters. With some luck, we might obtain a few soul essences.”
“Those beasts that have appeared in the rampage have been hiding in mysterious corners, absorbing the Sky and Earth’s lingqi every day. Without me elaborating, you should be able to imagine how much essence is contained in the soul essences they drop.”
Ji Ruohan was puzzled by this.
“I dare ask, Senior, do you know that those monster beasts have been corrupted by a tainted aura? The soul essences they drop have actually become filthy and impure.”
Yu Yi said faintly, “Junior Ruohan hunted the sea beasts. Naturally, this Grandmaster is aware of that tainted aura’s intelligence.”
After speaking, she shot a glance at Blue Ling’er.
Blue Ling’er stepped forward. “Previously, deep within the outskirts of Yunzhou’s dense forest, I hunted a monster beast. The aura it emitted corrupted a vast stretch of the forest. It’s a Rot Qi that can drain all life force.”
“I see…” Ji Ruohan murmured thoughtfully.
While the Rot Qi was undoubtedly powerful, corrupting the entire Qiongzhou Sea Area would likely be quite difficult.
That was why Ji Ruohan hadn’t fully witnessed the Rot Qi’s destructive power at the time.
Now, learning that the “corrupting aura” was Rot Qi, Ji Ruohan suddenly thought of something.
She asked, “This Rot Qi… doesn’t it seem just like the Everlasting Tribulation Sword? Both are existences that absorb life force.”
If even Ji Ruohan, who was slower to react, had caught on, how could Yu Yi possibly be unaware?
“This Grandmaster has another goal besides suppressing the beast rampage and obtaining soul essences.”
Yu Yi looked at Ji Hongye and said in a low voice, “I want to ask Senior if you know where the Everlasting Tribulation Sword was first discovered.”
If one wanted to know the history of the Everlasting Tribulation Sword, no one in this world would be more familiar with it than the Sword Pavilion.
This meant that from the moment Yu Yi laid eyes on Ji Hongye, she had already intended to ask her about “two locations.”
The first was a place suitable for Ye Qingluan to perform, ideally a forest.
There were countless forests under heaven, but not every forest was suitable for cultivation or could maximize the power of the Azure Wood Jade.
The second was the location where the Everlasting Tribulation Sword was found.
If the Rot Qi truly shared the same origin as the Everlasting Tribulation Sword, then Yu Yi might be able to follow the thread and drag out the one who released the Rot Qi, having a nice “chat” with them.
That person had made Yizhou a “target,” and Yu Yi had inexplicably become the prime suspect for everyone. Could she not be angry about that?
“As for the Everlasting Tribulation Sword… let me think…” Ji Hongye closed her eyes, her two cute brows furrowing as she sank into deep thought.
“Master, if you can’t remember, your disciple can go back now and retrieve the scrolls,” Ji Ruohan said.
Since its founding, the Sword Pavilion had recorded all major events related to them on scrolls, including the investigation into the Everlasting Tribulation Sword.
Aside from failing to find a suitable Sword Bearer, all other intelligence was available.
A quick look would reveal the Everlasting Tribulation Sword’s origin.
“No need. I remember now.”
Despite not having the scrolls on hand, Ji Hongye relied on pure memory to recall the Everlasting Tribulation Sword’s origin from among hundreds of major events.
She then said to Yu Yi, “The Everlasting Tribulation Sword was first picked up by a fisherman by a riverbank.”
Yu Yi asked, “What river was that?”
Ji Hongye’s expression suddenly turned serious. “That river was called the ‘Wangchuan.'”
Wangchuan River, Nai River, Santu River.
As these words entered Yu Yi’s mind, another scene from her memories surfaced.
By the riverbank, Yu Yi stood face-to-face with a young girl.
The girl was petite, barely reaching Yu Yi’s chest.
Yu Yi couldn’t make out the girl’s face, but from her upward gaze, she seemed to hold considerable respect for Yu Yi.
Yu Yi couldn’t hear what the girl said to her, but from the atmosphere between them, she felt a poignant sadness of separation.
***
After speaking, the girl stepped onto a lone boat and sailed alone into the eerie, blood-yellow river water.
It was an uncomfortable, dangerous image.
Yet above the murky river, the girl’s short, shoulder-length, light purple hair stood out strikingly, so beautiful that it captivated Yu Yi’s eyes.
As the girl’s figure grew distant, fading from Yu Yi’s sight, she snapped back to reality.
Before her, Blue Ling’er and Ji Hongye both cast concerned glances at her.
“Master, are you alright? You were staring off into space for a while,” Blue Ling’er said, holding Yu Yi’s hand with some worry.
“Your master is fine.”
Yu Yi replied, placing her jade hand over Blue Ling’er’s to reassure her.
That recent memory bothered Yu Yi deeply.
Legend had it that the Wangchuan River’s waters were blood-yellow, filled with restless souls unable to be reincarnated, swarming with snakes and insects, and reeking of a foul wind.
In such an unpleasant place, who would be idle enough to cross the river?
That purple-haired girl—no, to be precise, a purple-haired loli—had resolutely taken a boat to cross the river after parting ways with Yu Yi.
She seemed burdened with some mission, as if she were quite familiar with Yu Yi.
‘Could it be that she is…’
As Yu Yi pondered, Ji Hongye spoke up, “Sister Yu, is there anything else you want to ask me?”
Yu Yi snapped back to reality and asked Ji Hongye, “Senior, do you know which forest is most suitable for cultivation?”
Ji Hongye found it a bit odd. “This kind of thing, you should know better than I do.”
The implication was that the Grass and Wood Attribute techniques Yu Yi had mastered were cultivated in some lingqi-rich forest, so she should know better than Ji Hongye.
But in reality, Yu Yi couldn’t remember any of it.
She could only hedge, “After so many years, the forest that was most suitable for cultivation back then might have been damaged in the cultivators’ conflicts.”
“Mentioning that forest’s name now might not mean it’s still the best place for cultivation, right?”
“Hmm… Sister Yu has a point.”
Ji Hongye fell into thought again. “After much consideration, I think there’s only one place that can be called the most suitable forest for cultivation. However…”
Ji Hongye’s words cut off, as if she had something difficult to say and wasn’t sure whether to continue telling Yu Yi.
“However what?”
“That forest is called Yunyin Forest.”
Ji Hongye paused, then added, “It’s the Emperor’s summer and winter retreat.”