Ch29 - I’m here

Inside the pagoda was a whole new other world.

Feng Ci opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the boundless forest of a serene snowy mountain. Above his head was the dense canopy of cedar trees. Beneath his feet was soft accumulated snow. The air that he breathed was the fresh, chilling air after a snow storm. 

Sure enough, the interior of this pagoda was an independently existing secret realm that someone had created.

Feng Ci turned to speak to the person behind him: “Xiao—”

 

 

His voice spontaneously stopped as it began.

Pei QianYue wasn’t next to him. 

Just now, they had clearly stepped into the pagoda together. He arrived in this forest, but Pei QianYue vanished without a trace.

 

Feng Ci closed his eyes and tried to extend his spirit senses to scout around; however, he wasn’t able to do as he wished.

His spiritual power was gone.

Feng Ci looked down at his hands and frowned slightly.

 

Secret realms. As soon as they’re created, they have their own individual “rules”. No matter how high your cultivation, as long as you step inside, you’re limited by the “rules” inside.

Scattering people that enter the realm together, limiting spiritual powers, leaving you to face dangers alone. These were common tactics used in a lot of secret realms.

Feng Ci subconsciously glanced at his right hand.

 

Out of freak coincidence, this time Pei QianYue had actually managed to guess accurately that this secret realm might separate the two of them and gave Feng Ci an item to maintain contact. 

The magic item has not been activated yet. Currently, Feng Ci’s right hand was bare; nothing could be seen.

This magic item, however, was not limited by area or spirit energy. He only needed to touch it briefly and this red string would connect with Pei QianYue. Regardless of how far they’re separated, they’d be able to feel each other’s location.

Even inside a secret realm, it was not affected.

“Oh Xiao Hei, you have the heart of Sima Zhao……” Feng Ci sighed ambiguously and put his hand down. He didn’t plan to contact Pei QianYue so quickly. 

Suddenly, there was a gust of wind next to his ear.

Feng Ci nimble turned sideways. A long blade fell from above and landed closely in front of him. With a boom, it slammed into the snowy ground.

The new arrival was 9 meters in height— tall, big and sturdy. He wore monk robes that were tattered and faded-yellow. The scarring on top of his head were bright red.

He raised his head, revealing a twisted and sinister, ill-defined face. 

Feng Ci: “……fck.”

That face was ashen white. His complexion looked like it was covered under a layer of white gauze, hard to see clearly. With no pupils, he stared straight at Feng Ci with a pair of empty vacant eyes.

 

Seeing this face at such a close distance, and without any preparation, Feng Ci was taken aback. However, the new arrival didn’t give him any time to react and pulled that huge blade out of the ground.

“—Die!” 

The silence of the forest was broken. That monk with undefined features charged at Feng Ci once again, attacking quickly and violently. Currently without any spiritual powers, Feng Ci was forced to back up repeatedly.

“Oh great master, this disciple had unintentionally intruded here. There’s no need to be this angry, right?” As Feng Ci retreated, he attempted to converse with this half living, half dead monk: “Why don’t we sit down and have a chat? For example, where is this place? How do I leave? And also, when I came inside, I lost a little snake. Did you see him? He’s very beautiful, but doesn’t have the greatest temper.”

The huge knife swung at him horizontally. Feng Ci turned sideways and evaded. The blade of the knife sank deep into the trunk of the tree behind him.

Feng Ci: “As a disciple of Buddha, how can you be so violent and irascible?” 

The monk pulled the huge knife out and slashed at Feng Ci once again.

“Looks like there’s no awareness here.” Feng Ci shook his head: “Apologies.”

Feng Ci was bestowed the title of Saint Sovereign by the cultivation world back then. Naturally, he didn’t rely solely on spiritual powers and cultivation level to establish this title. In terms of physical strength and martial arts, he has never lost to anyone either.

As soon as he spoke these words, he nimbly dodged a strike. Before the other recovered from the momentum, he grabbed the monk by the neck. 

With a brief low shout, Feng Ci exerted force on the grip he had around the monk’s neck and slammed the man to the ground.

Boom—

The ground shook violently. Even the snow was shaken off the treetops and sprinkled on top of Feng Ci.

With a crack. 

Feng Ci snapped the monk’s neck.

Quiet returned to the forest.

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

Feng Ci stood up and patted his hands off: “I recognized this place now. Many thanks.”

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However, it was late at night back then, yet right now it was daytime in this secret realm. Therefore, he wasn’t able to recognize it immediately.

Feng Ci looked up and into the distance. His view was blocked by layers upon layers of cedar trees. Only a gray foggy horizon was visible. He couldn’t even figure out the time. 

Many secret realms change according to the human heart, altering the appearance of different locations. Knowing the location of this place wasn’t too much help for him.

So where exactly was the exit of this secret realm?

Feng Ci was busy pondering this and didn’t notice, next to his feet, the monk’s fingers moved slightly.

The huge blade that the monk was using had landed right next to his hand. He slowly lifted his right hand and reached for the handle of the knife. 

Right at this moment, a black figure flashed by.

The handle of the knife was picked up by a slender hand. Flipping the knife around and swinging downwards, the figure chopped off the monk’s head cleanly.

All of this happened too quickly. When Feng Ci turned his head, he only saw the beheaded monk, whose right hand was still half raised in the air. The monk’s body gradually blurred and in the end, it transformed into sand and dispersed into the snow.

“In this secret realm, the monsters have the ability to regenerate. You must cut off their heads to kill them completely.” Pei QianYue tossed away the long blade in his hand. The long blade landed on the ground and also turned into sand and dissipated. Afterwards, he gave Feng Ci a smile: “Sorry Master, I arrived late.” 

“This pagoda is called the Endless Tower. In Buddhism, there are Six Paths of Reincarnation. Hell is the lowest and worst realm. It’s also known as Avīci.” Pei QianYue led Feng Ci through the cedar forest and explained to him: “It’s inevitable that there are Buddhist disciples incapable of achieving purity of the Six Senses. Thus, Great Master Hui Kong created this pagoda and the secret realm to extract the disciples’ sinful desires and distracting thoughts, then seal them beneath this tower.”

“Over time, this pagoda became a place where evil intentions gather. It’s an extremely dangerous place.”

When Pei QianYue spoke these words, his voice was gentle and considerate, not too fast nor too slow. Following behind him, Feng Ci couldn’t help but take a few more glances at him than usual.

As if noticing his gaze, Pei QianYue asked warmly: “Does Master have something to say to me?” 

“…….” Feng Ci withdrew his gaze: “It’s nothing.”

He thought briefly and then asked: “So how do we leave here?”

Feng Ci pretty much asked a pointless question, but Pei QianYue was still very patient: “Need to find the center of the array.”

“This secret realm was formed according to Master’s mind. The center of the array should also be at the most important place in your heart.” 

After walking in this forest for so long, it’s unavoidable that some snow fell on Feng Ci’s head. Pei QianYue raised his hand, gently brushed off the fine snow on his temples, and said warmly: “The cavern where you lived in seclusion back then.”

Feng Ci: “…….”

 

Feng Ci’s expression was slightly strange, but he didn’t say anything. He only silently backed up half a step and then used a similarly courteous tone to answer: “Alright. Lead the way.”

3000 years of vicissitudes. The grass and trees on this LingWu mountain have already changed from that of the past. Putting Feng Ci in here while he’s completely lacking in spiritual powers…… it actually wouldn’t be easy for him to find the cave where he lived back then. 

Pei QianYue nodded and guided Feng Ci forward.

Along the way, there were still plenty half alive, half undead monsters attacking them. Most of them were in the appearance of monks. A small portion were monsters and demons. However, no matter what they were, they all lost their spiritual powers upon entering this Endless Tower and could only rely on physical strength to do battle.

With Pei QianYue present, Feng Ci was happy to idle away. He generously handed over all the monsters for Pei QianYue to deal with.

The closer they walked towards the center of the secret realm, the more frequently the monsters appeared. However, what made Feng Ci feel somewhat surprised was that Pei QianYue’s martial arts and physical abilities seemed better than he had expected. In these 3000 years, Pei QianYue has been cultivating using the mystic texts that Feng Ci had left behind. Therefore, his martial art techniques should belong to the same school of practice. The skills that Feng Ci left behind was naturally the one that he was best at, the Orthodox Art of Swordsmanship. 

But Pei QianYue’s martial arts were much more eccentric and unpredictable than Feng Ci’s.

Feng Ci watched for a while before finally realizing that Pei QianYue had amassed the best of many schools of practice.

Before this, Pei QianYue rarely displayed his combat skills. As a result, Feng Ci has never inquired where he had learned these techniques. Yet now that he has seen them, the question that Feng Ci was most curious about was actually: If he and Pei QianYue were to have a fight, who would win?

Comparing cultivation, Pei QianYue definitely couldn’t win against Feng Ci. However, in a battle of pure physical strength, who would win and who would lose might truly be up for grabs. 

After all, if Pei QianYue were to join a cultivation sect as an apprentice, he’d be the type that’s most diligent in his studies, the type that gets up early everyday to practice swordsmanship without even a day of rest in between.

Meanwhile Feng Ci…… well, he hasn’t drawn his sword in 3000 years.

As Feng Ci thought idly to himself, 4-5 monks surrounded Pei QianYue not too far away.

“Need my help?” Feng Ci asked. 

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Like Feng Ci, Pei QianYue also didn’t carry any weapons on him. In his hand, he held a long blade that he had snatched from somewhere. Robes fluttering with his movement, he firmly chopped off a monk’s head.

Then he turned around and said in a soft and gentle voice: “No need. Master can just rest on the side.”

Feng Ci has hardly ever heard Pei QianYue speak to him in such a tone. Instantly, he felt a layer of goosebumps.

He smiled exasperatedly, then suddenly felt a sharp gust of wind approaching him directly. 

Even without spiritual powers right now, the many years of physical training kept his intuition keen and sharp. Feng Ci instinctively leaned backwards, his slender figure bending in a beautiful arc.

Immediately afterwards, he heard a sharp blade sweep through the air and swing past right in front of his eyes.

 

Feng Ci straightened up again and frowned slightly, sensing the abnormality here.

Pei QianYue was still dealing with those monsters in the distance. Feng Ci stood alone in this small forest area, which was clearly completely empty. 

That sharp invisible blade returned with a vengeance again. Feng Ci couldn’t sense the new attacker and had no choice but to dodge and evade the attacks on pure instincts.

One.

Two.

Three. 

Feng Ci half knelt on the ground, a long thin cut sliced open on the side of his face.

“Master!” Pei QianYue’s voice traveled over. He quickly walked over to Feng Ci: “What’s wrong?”

“……It’s nothing.”

There was actually still a smile on the corners of Feng Ci’s mouth. As soon as he finished speaking, there was a chill to his left arm. The disciple’s uniform that he wore suddenly ripped open and fresh blood seeped from the area. 

Pei QianYue: “Just what exactly—”

“Pei QianYue.” Feng Ci interrupted him. He lowered his head, looked at the injury on his arm, and said calmly: “Suddenly, I began thinking about a question just now.”

Pei QianYue: “What?”

Feng Ci looked up at him and smiled faintly: “I was thinking….. when ‘you’ entered this secret realm, did you encounter the same thing as me?” 

Inside the cavern, there was not even a hint of light. The chaotic sounds of footsteps and clashing blades echoed within the cave.

With a swing of his sword, Pei QianYue sliced open the other person’s shirt. A faint odor of blood slowly permeated inside the mountain cavern.

“You’d actually injure me?” In front of Pei QianYue, the youth held a sword in his hand while covering his profusely bleeding right arm. His eyes were filled with hurt and grievance: “Xiao Hei, how could you injure me?”

“Shut up.” Pei QianYue’s voice was ice-cold. He raised the sword in his hand and pointed it at the other’s throat: “Trying to imitate him? You’re not worthy.” 

The youth’s expression changed slightly.

But it was only for a split second. Then he returned to normal. There was even a smile on his face. That pair of clever eyes spun tactfully and revealed a hint of seduction: “Am I not better than him, Xiao Hei?”

 

‘Feng Ci’ walked half a step towards that long sword and allowed the tip of the sword to cut his throat.

He raised his hand and slid his fingertips down the blade of the sword until he grasped the back of Pei QianYue’s hand: “Don’t you want me, Xiao Hei?” 

Pei QianYue swallowed hard.

‘Feng Ci’ held Pei QianYue’s hand, his fingertips rubbing bit by bit against the back of Pei QianYue’s hand: “So what if you figured it out? What’s the difference between real and fake? Inside this secret realm, I am the real Feng Ci. Wouldn’t staying here with me… be very nice?”

Pei QianYue didn’t answer.

The youth only saw a black blur in front of him. The next second, the sharp edge of a sword pressed against his neck. 

Behind him, Pei QianYue’s aura engulfed him.

“Physical body, Divine Consciousness. You possess neither, yet you think you can entice me?” Pei QianYue scoffed and said mockingly: “Who do you think you are.”

He raised the sword, ready to end this youth; however, the ring finger of his right hand suddenly felt hot.

A clear cool voice entered his head: “If you kill him, then don’t expect to see me again.” 

Inside the forest, Feng Ci leaned against the trunk of a tree. He clearly couldn’t touch anything in front of him, but still felt a cold sharp blade placed horizontally against his neck. With an exasperated and bitter smile, he said through the voice transmission: “Have mercy, City Master sir.”

This secret realm wasn’t actually as simple as Feng Ci had originally imagined. It had separated Pei QianYue and Feng Ci into two different spaces and then duplicated each other respectfully, creating counterparts in the two spaces. The replicate and the real person shared experiences. The damage received by the duplicate would instantly shift onto the real person’s body as well.

After Feng Ci said this, he felt the blade pressed against his neck ease up. Pei QianYue’s voice spoke up in his head: “Master is injured?”

Low and ice-cold, but with a hint of worry. 

It’s the normal Pei QianYue no doubt.

Feng Ci glanced at the other ‘Pei QianYue’ who was kneeling next to him and bandaging him up.

As soon as this person appeared, he sensed that something was wrong.

Pei QianYue definitely wouldn’t speak to him in that kind of tone. A Pei QianYue who spoke in such a gentle and refined manner while behaved so restrained and courteous— If he wasn’t being possessed, then it was bound to be a counterfeit. 

‘Pei QianYue’ was still unaware of Feng Ci’s thoughts. After he finished bandaging Feng Ci’s arm, he looked up and asked gently: “Master, does it still hurt?”

Feng Ci gave him a faint smile: “Not anymore. Thank you.”

 

Such a gentle and obedient little black snake was really a rare sight. Therefore, Feng Ci didn’t expose him immediately, and instead allowed him to follow along.

He just never imagined that Pei QianYue also encountered the same situation as well. On that side, he had exposed the fake Feng Ci and even almost killed him. 

Luckily, Feng Ci had Pei QianYue’s communication item. Otherwise, the awe-inspiring Grandmaster QianQiu might have just died here today.

Died to his own beloved little pet.

“It’s nothing. A small wound.” Feng Ci asked through the voice transmission: “Where are you right now?”

Pei QianYue: “The cavern.” 

Feng Ci: “The cavern where I lived in seclusion?”

Pei QianYue: “Correct.”

Feng Ci didn’t plan to unravel the game yet, so he said: “I’m heading over there right now. Let’s figure it out once I get there.”

Pei QianYue didn’t answer. 

Feng Ci cut the chit chat with him as well and got up to continue his journey with the fake little black snake next to him.

This secret realm was most likely a mirrored space. The replicated little black snake was both naïve and easy to trick. Completely lacking in suspicions, he even thoughtfully supported Feng Ci as they advanced forward.

Feng Ci hid his right hand inside his sleeve. The base of his ring finger flashed from time to time.

Pei QianYue: “Master, is your injury heavy?” 

Feng Ci: “I already said, it’s a small wound. It’s no hindrance.”

Pei QianYue: “How did Master discover the trick to this secret realm?”

“Your martial art techniques.” Feng Ci said: ” Your duplicate used the same moves defending against the enemies just now.”

It was exactly the same moves Feng Ci encountered when he was attacked. 

Pei QianYue: “So it’s like that. Good thing Master discovered it.”

This seemed a bit like making a conversation out of nothing.

 

Feng Ci frowned and vaguely sensed that something was wrong: “What’s the matter with you?”

Pei QianYue seemed to speak a bit quicker than usual. Occasionally, Feng Ci could even hear a slightly rushed breathing. 

There was a brief pause on the other side before Pei QianYue answered: “…… It’s nothing.”

Feng Ci turned his head to look at the fake Pei QianYue next to him.

This person had no injuries, which proved that the real Pei QianYue was also uninjured. Then why was he…….

Feng Ci shifted his gaze up and landed on the black silk covering Pei QianYue’s eyes. 

Feng Ci halted in his steps abruptly.

Inside this secret realm, no one had spiritual powers. Pei QianYue was also the same.

Therefore, he was incapable of using spirit energy to see things.

He couldn’t see anything at all. 

Right now, he could only wait by himself in that empty cave, enduring the darkness alone.

The person beside Feng Ci turned to ask what’s wrong, but Feng Ci ignored him.

He gently caressed that faint red mark on his ring finger and called out quietly in his head: “Pei QianYue.”

The other replied very quickly: “En?” 

“Don’t worry.” Feng Ci lowered his eyes and said warmly: “I’m here.”

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