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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
Jin Yun was none other than the one who once far surpassed all his peers. No one could go up against him. Thus, he immediately detected something unusual in Lan Yifei’s aura.
Previously, Lan Yifei had not warranted his attention. In Jin Yun’s eyes, Lan Yifei was simply a low-profile young prodigy from the Immortal Dao Alliance, who was courteous and easygoing with others, as well as someone fairly well-versed in music and sound. Thus, he never expected to encounter Lan Yifei under such circumstances.
It was obvious that the other had tailed him for quite some time now. Lan Yifei had simply hidden his presence all along before revealing himself at last.
It was easy enough to deduce what he was after.
“Greetings, Brother Jin Yun.” Lan Yifei had a neutral expression on his face. His long blue robes flickered in the moonlight. There was a sense of detachment in his elegant features that seemed completely natural.
He ignored Jin Yun’s shocked and wary reaction. It was as if he were completely separated from everything around him. It was as if he came here to do something entirely inconsequential.
“It seems to me that we have all underestimated you. You’re the one who stayed the most hidden. It’s no wonder you always kept a low profile.” Jin Yun was no ordinary man. He was soon able to quell his uneasiness and respond in an icy tone. As an ancient monstrosity of Purple Cloud Valley, it goes without saying that he had a guardian with him at all times. However, there was no sign of his Quasi-Nirvana guardian now.
Jin Yun’s heart sank a little. He had a feeling that things would not end well for him today. It would be a miracle if he managed to escape from this cave alive, let alone get to the pill room.
Lan Yifei ignored Jin Yun’s words. “Please don’t take this to heart, Brother Jin Yun. I don’t have a choice either,” he said quietly.
Jin Yun frowned. He did not quite understand what Lan Yifei meant. The latter’s tone was laced with melancholy and a sense of helplessness.
However, now was not the time for him to dwell on this. “If you’re here to take my Source, then by all means, I’d like to see you try,” Jin Yun called out coldly.
Lan Yifei nodded slightly. “You can’t win against me, Brother Jin Yun. It’s best if you don’t engage in any unnecessary attempts at struggling. Why don’t you just hand the Source over to me? Perhaps that would at least ensure that your body remained intact in death.”
His voice was as cool and calm as ever. It was as if all he did was state a simple fact. However, his words sounded like mockery to Jin Yun, whose expression turned nasty.
“That’s enough of your nonsense. Let me see what you, the Successor of Demonic Arts, can do!” With a low growl, two rays of brilliant gold light shot out from Jin Yun’s golden pupils. The rays of light were like divine swords that could destroy everything in their wake.
The overwhelming power of the two cross swords that formed made the void collapse.
If an ordinary young prodigy encountered this attack, his expression would fall as he would have a hard time dealing with it. However, Lan Yifei was not an ordinary young prodigy. He remained perfectly calm. As his sleeves raised and opened, a hazy light spread out. It felt as if heaven and earth was affected, drawing out chaos from before the world was born.
A seemingly never ending stream of energy burst forth to subdue everything from the Nine Heavens above to the Nine Nethers below. He, the one who possessed the True Dao Source Physique, was now exhibiting might beyond imagination.
*Boom*
The terrifying might made Jin Yun’s expression harden. He had to resort to other means of fighting back as he deduced that Lan Yifei possessed an extraordinarily powerful Physique.
Nevertheless, what he was most uneasy about was the fact that Lan Yifei had not used anything related to the Forbidden Demonic Arts yet.
Jin Yun knew how frightening the Forbidden Demonic Arts were. Otherwise, the various Forces would not be so wary of them. Even now, they would pale at the very mention of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.
Soon, the two engaged in a fight deep within the ruins. Their silhouettes flickered like lightning in the wind. It was almost impossible to detect them as they seemed to have melded into the void.
All that could be seen were blurry shadows and flashes of light that collided as runes glimmered vaguely.
The intensity of the fight seemed to throw everything into upheaval.
Jin Yun looked like he was about to burst into flames. His hair glistened like it was made of gold. A piece of golden Dao evolved into a myriad of Principles that floated around him, as it continued to expand and rush forth.
Lan Yifei was prepared for this. “Don’t bother trying to get anyone else’s attention. I’ve sealed this place. No one will be saving you tonight. Naturally, don’t even think about trying to let the fluctuations of our fight get out.”
Upon hearing this, Jin Yun’s heart sank a little more. Still, his experiences with many life-and-death situations made it clear to him that he could not allow even a moment of carelessness right now.
Even though Lan Yifei did not use Forbidden Demonic Arts, he was still an exceedingly threatening opponent. No other young prodigy could compare to him.
The golden light blazed like a scorching sun. It was overwhelming in its majesty as countless tiny rays of golden light shot out like blades that sliced through and destroyed everything in their path until the void collapsed. It was as if Jin Yun had turned into a golden sun.
The aura of Unyielding Yang filled the air to vanquish all evil and darkness.
This was Purple Cloud Valley’s Forbidden Secret Technique. Even the older Seniors might not be able to use it. And yet, Jin Yun was able to wield it to perfection despite his age. He could even harness the Principles of Unyielding Yang to form a great sun that came from above to eviscerate everything beneath it.
Space had turned into a golden ocean as numerous Principles surged together to form a golden-coloured divine net.
Lan Yifei remained unperturbed. His robes flickered as he motioned with his hands and brought forth the power of heaven and earth. Dao combined and connected with the universe before charging forward like a divine entity sweeping over mortal lands. Every move was laden with indescribable might and endless energy.
He wielded a series of daunting Forbidden Secret Techniques and Ancient Arts that could separate Yin and Yang, as well as Heaven and Earth.
Although both of them belonged to the younger generation, the fluctuations from their duel were enough to make older experts tremble and feel shivers down their spines.
All manner of earthshaking and unprecedented feats were on display right now. The universe shuddered and cracked around them.
The commotion would have travelled far and wide if Lan Yifei did not seal off the place in advance.
*Boom!*
A massive golden tower that seemed to be formed out of the universe appeared, and a glaring golden light shot out from the top of the tower, directly straight at Lan Yifei.
Nevertheless, Lan Yifei’s attacks were just as fierce as ever. A huge bell appeared at the snap of his fingers and the loud clang reverberated across the area, driving back the tower.
“Ugh…” After the two exchanged hundreds of blows, Jin Yun could no longer hold out anymore. He was seriously injured and ended up spitting out a mouthful of blood. Even as his hair scattered around him and golden blood trickled out of him, he could not bring himself to accept this outcome.
“Is this the power you possess?” Jin Yun looked at Lan Yifei who was standing in the distance. His golden pupils looked as if they were about to shatter as he roared. He could not resign himself to this.
He never thought Lan Yifei would be able to defeat him even without resorting to the Forbidden Demonic Arts. Though they were of the same realm, he could not put up a fight against Lan Yifei.
At this moment, he felt his Dao Heart, which had been unwavering and invincible all this while, shattering into a million pieces.
Lan Yifei merely had a slight depletion in his aura. He was not injured the way Jin Yun was. He stood calmly in the distance and looked at Jin Yun. “I told you that you won’t win against me, Brother Jin Yun, so why must you try so hard to put up a fight?”
Jin Yun seemed to have come to a realisation as well. He had a tragic smile on his face as he lamented, “Who would’ve thought that after all the years, after leaving behind my old friends, loved ones, family, and Master, I would still come to such a miserable end? I failed to achieve enlightenment and gain Immortality. I failed to live up to their hopes and expectations. If I could turn back time, I wish to return to the ancient times. I want to return to my era…”
“How I want to spend my life with my friends, family, and loved ones, even if that means I will return to dust at some point without ever reaching the Peak or finding the Immortal Path. I am willing to accept it all…”
Jin Yun had been proud in every way. Prior to this, he never thought that there was anyone among the younger generation apart from Gu Changge who could be a worthy opponent for him. He showed no regard for the others like Jun Yao, the King with Six Crowns, or the Phoenix Lady. Alas, he never would have expected the low-profile Chosen One from the Immortal Dao Alliance to possess such startling and frightening power.
Furthermore, Lan Yifei did not even have to resort to using the Forbidden Demonic Arts.
Jin Yun chuckled bitterly with a defeated look on his face. He no longer had any fight left in him.
Although he still had a lot of protective items with him, he could tell there was no point in sacrificing them. Not only had he been defeated, but he had been so well and truly defeated that there was no way he could turn things around.
After hearing Jin Yun’s words, Lan Yifei did not speak. He knew it was a sign that Jin Yun’s Dao Heart was on the verge of crumbling apart. The invincible Dao Heart he had all this time had been destroyed.
He figured that Jin Yun’s thoughts were something that many of the ancient monstrosities, who were still around today, would have.
They thought that reawakening in this glorious era would enable them to rise to the Peak and walk down the Immortal Path to become Immortal and invincible. Alas, who would have known that this resplendent era was a brutal one?
Even the best of the best were nothing more than unimportant pawns in someone else’s chess gane, or grass at the mercy of someone else’s scythe.
No one could say that Jin Yun was not powerful. He once stood peerless above all others in his time and was the object of everyone else’s respect and fear.
“If I had a choice, I would’ve liked to share a pot of tea and discuss Dao with you. We could have had a pleasant time together.” Lan Yifei bore a bitter, melancholic smile at the thought of his predicament.
“What do you mean by that?” Jin Yun was stunned. He thought that Lan Yifei would come forward to take his Source by now. He did not expect Lan Yifei to sport a look of sadness and helplessness. It was as if there were millions of unspeakable reasons behind his actions; as if he never wanted to do any of this. It was as if he had been caught in a difficult situation with no other choice.
Lan Yifei looked at Jin Yun. His expression slowly returned to normal as he said, “I’m just a tiny fish who cannot escape my predetermined path no matter how hard I try. On and on, the water flows ever on, and I cannot turn back…”
He dared not say much else. Due to the Demonic Seed, he could not even say anything that was related to Gu Changge.
Right now, in Lan Yifei’s eyes, Jin Yun was already a dead man. It was not a big deal to divulge a little bit of information to him.
“What?” Jin Yun felt as if he had been struck in the head with a rock. He stood in a daze for a very long time as he could not wrap his head around the revelation. He felt a menacing chill seeping into his skull and even someone like him could not stop himself from shivering. His hair stood on end.
After all, he was no fool. He understood what Lan Yifei meant.
Lan Yifei said he was being controlled by someone else and had to act against his own will.
Yet, who was Lan Yifei?
He was the Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance! An Immortal Force! He was poised to take over it someday, which meant that he would stand above all others with hundreds of millions of territories under his command. He would have power over countless lives.
With such an identity, who could possibly use him and control him?
Jin Yun was too afraid to dwell on this question. He felt shivers down his spine as he realised that things in the Upper Realm were far more complicated than he could have imagined.
“Who is the real Successor of Demonic Arts?” Jin Yun could not resist asking Lan Yifei urgently.
However, Lan Yifei simply shook his head and sighed. “He’s someone… whose name alone is enough to make you despair.”
He could not give any other information, and there was no point in doing so either.
“Does that mean…”
“Could it be him…”
Jin Yun’s golden pupils widened as a silhouette flashed across his mind. It made him quake with fear. He felt as if his soul was being crushed by an invisible hand. He could not breathe.
*Whizz* At the very next second, a wisp of dark light shot out from under Lan Yifei’s sleeve. It looked like a seed of some kind. In just a few moments, it broke into Jin Yun’s abdomen and spread across his skin and organs until it took root inside his Spiritual Sea.
Jin Yun did not even have time to shriek in agony before he withered away. All of his energy had been sucked out of him.
“Just in time.” Lan Yifei had been timing it all this while. Once he saw what happened, he closed his eyes. It seemed as if he could not bear to watch.
Previously, he learnt a bit of the Forbidden Demonic Arts from Su Qingge, but he never tried using it to its full extent. After seeing the full might for himself, he understood just how terrifying it was.
He would not have done this if he had a choice.
In next to no time, the dark light that overtook Jin Yun’s body flew back into Lan Yifei’s sleeve and everything was still once more.
Lan Yifei sighed and turned to leave.
Just then, something occurred to him. He glanced up at the sky with a frown.
[Jin Yun’s guardian never showed up. I guess I was worried for nothing. Since he came up with this plan, he must’ve taken everything into account as well.] This thought only served to make Lan Yifei feel even more helpless.
Even if he were not in the picture, Gu Changge would have made other plans and arrangements.
“All that is required of you is to do as you’re told. Master would have made all other arrangements.” A silhouette in black that was shrouded in black mist suddenly appeared beside Lan Yifei. The voice was cool without any shred of emotion.
It was clear that the newcomer was a True Daoist. He was the one who got rid of Jin Yun’s guardian.
Lan Yifei flashed another bitter smile and said nothing. He followed the silhouette in black and soon, they were gone.
By now, he understood that even if he did nothing, Jin Yun would still meet his doom here today, or perhaps some other young prodigy.
Even though Gu Changge was not physically here, he was still able to control everything.
Meanwhile, not long after Lan Yifei’s departure, Gu Xianer appeared from her hiding spot in total shock. She had used a special artifact to hide her aura. Even now, she could not believe what had just happened before her eyes.
“W-What did I just witness, Hong?” Gu Xianer could not stop herself from mumbling to the big red bird beside her.
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Lol, I wonder how this will complicate things, if at all.