CH 38

Yang fire wasn’t an extremely rare thing.

It was particularly effective against demonic entities, and major sects inevitably came into contact with demon-slaying affairs, so they possessed spirit weapons capable of generating yang fire. However, the fire produced by spirit weapons was mixed and couldn’t compare to the purity of fire generated from spiritual qi.

Yin Ci once used a spirit weapon to ignite yang fire and burned himself to ashes. Yang fire had extremely destructive power, and he had thought he could die successfully, but he was reborn from the ashes half a month later.

Impure yang fire seemed to be ineffective.

But when it came to generating fire from spiritual qi, there were very few who could do it. Even if someone could be found, normal people had limited spiritual qi from cultivating both internally and externally. Even someone as powerful as Shi Zhongyu could only cover her sword with fire in critical moments. Only extraordinary individuals like Shi Jingzhi could turn themselves into a burning charcoal ball.

If it were Shi Jingzhi, could he leave nothing but ashes?

The identity of his cheap master was a mystery—a once-in-a-century talent who happened to be pursuing the Shirou alongside him. Perhaps this was the answer destiny had given him—the person destined to accompany him on his final journey.

Yin Ci exerted a bit more force, firmly holding onto Shi Jingzhi as a smile grew on his face.

Shi Jingzhi had exceptional abilities but was too young. At this moment, the exhausted and horrified fox was vulnerable, and Yin Ci could take advantage of the opportunity to plant some suggestions in his little master’s mind, playing with him in the palm of his hand.

When a person was in a vulnerable state, they were most easily manipulated. As a former sect leader, Yin Ci was all too familiar with these tactics.

“Shizun.” Yin Ci’s voice was soft, carrying an irresistible coaxing tone.

Finally, Shi Jingzhi’s panic dissipated. He didn’t relax his body, but simply stared fixedly at the healing wounds of the Goddess, forgetting even to tremble.

“Shizun?” Yin Ci’s voice softened, and his grip grew stronger.

Shi Jingzhi still didn’t move.

Finally, the Goddess recovered from the burning pain. The flesh idol sat upright in its original position while the roots around it squirmed violently, shooting out in all directions. Just as Yin Ci was about to defend with his sword, another force suddenly erupted.

Shi Jingzhi took control of the situation. He sidestepped, twisting Yin Ci’s wrist. Then, his sword qi formed a circle, shattering the approaching tree roots. The golden flame flickered on the sword, not as intense as before but emitting a resolute determination of making a desperate gamble.

“Regeneration,” Shi Jingzhi continued to stare at the flesh idol, murmuring.

Yin Ci was caught off guard as he was pulled into Shi Jingzhi’s embrace.

So, that’s how it is. He shouldn’t have spoken too soon. Upon hearing the word “regeneration”, the monster instantly transformed into prey. Shi Jingzhi completely forgot what fear was, and his face showed only focus and determination.

Yin Ci didn’t like being in a position of being controlled. He wanted to break free but found himself firmly pressed against Shi Jingzhi’s chest, unable to move.

“A’Ci, if you want the golden fire, I’ll give it to you. But you have to do it my way.” That dominant aura reemerged.

“We’re just one step away, Shizun. Delay, and things will change.”

“I still have questions to ask her.”

Yin Ci sneered inwardly. The Goddess was unafraid of pain, so this fox might not have the ability to force her to speak. But since his master had made up his mind, he could wait a little longer.

There was no choice. It was because he couldn’t generate fire himself.

Shi Jingzhi tightened his grip on Yin Ci with one hand and quickly drew his sword with the other. As expected, after the golden fire burned, the healing of the flesh idol’s wounds almost stagnated. In her desperation, the Goddess summoned more tree roots, but they were all blocked by Shi Jingzhi’s golden fire.

The air was filled with the scent of burning wood.

Yin Ci still couldn’t break free from his master’s embrace, so he didn’t force it anymore. Either way, he didn’t plan to get injured in front of Shi Jingzhi. This was also a way to handle the situation.

His cold, jade-like fingertips traced Shi Jingzhi’s forearm, occasionally pointing out a better direction for his master’s sword. Their black hair was scattered and entwined together, creating a touch of intimacy.

Yin Ci only wore a white robe, soaked through by the water, wetting Shi Jingzhi’s front as well. The damp fabric, heated by their combined body temperatures, created an illusion of skin contact.

Shi Jingzhi’s heartbeat was strong, and as he overcame his fear, his sword became steadier.

Rays of light flashed, and the flesh of the statue detached from its bones. The delicate folds of clothing changed shape, and the plump limbs twisted together.

Shi Jingzhi displayed great patience as he peeled away layer by layer, like opening a flower bud. He carved the flesh with his hands, his eyes fixated on the newly formed wounds, seemingly observing their healing speed. When he had seen enough, he changed from carving to stabbing and began to probe the Goddess’s reactions.

This playful behavior completely enraged the Goddess. She used the roots as spears and shot them towards Shi Jingzhi. Shi Jingzhi didn’t dodge, and the spear-like root grazed the side of his face, leaving a fine bloodstain.

“You missed.”

The Goddess’s voice was sharp. “Shut up.”

“Do immortals also miss their marks? Ever since you descended, I noticed that your hands have been shaking, just like a true elderly person. The so-called immortals don’t age, but is it only their appearance that is preserved?”

“Shut up!”

“The villagers of Xizhuang have lived nearby for many years, but now you have dragged them here to serve as draft models, but you’ve done it crookedly… When you created the statues before, you didn’t need draft models, did you?”

“You’re an old person with trembling hands, unable to create a proper statue, yet unwilling to give up this position. That’s why you resorted to this scheme, using the incident with Bai Wei and A’Lu to destroy Xizhuang and gain a large number of ordinary people to practice on.”

The Goddess was clearly struck in a sore spot. Her chest heaved violently, and the flesh idol trembled slightly. “You—”

“You’re not an immortal.” Seeing the other party’s reaction, Shi Jingzhi swung his sword and came to a conclusion. “Given this situation, you should only be an ordinary person who frequently drinks immortal wine. Even if your appearance doesn’t age, inside, you’re just slower in aging than the average person. Are you doing all of this for the immortal wine at the Immortal Assembly?”

The Goddess gasped for breath, and for the first time, a complete expression of anger appeared on her face.

Unfortunately, her anger didn’t help her; instead, it disrupted her attacks. Amidst the burning tree roots, the flesh idol was being sliced into more and more fragments by Shi Jingzhi, gradually losing its form.

As the idol shattered, the roots’ offensive weakened.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the Goddess immediately abandoned her idol and attempted to escape. However, her anger clouded her mind, causing her to miss the perfect opportunity. At this point, the Goddess couldn’t mold the lower part of her body in time, and the flesh gradually pulled out, forming a mass of slimy mucus resembling a slug. She desperately clung to the tree roots, intending to climb upward—

The Hanging Shadow Sword mercilessly pierced through her lower back, pinning her to the tree roots.

Finally, Shi Jingzhi released Yin Ci. He casually brushed through his disciple’s long hair with a dim and uncertain gaze. Just as Yin Ci was about to say something, Shi Jingzhi turned around, staggering towards the Goddess alone.

The Goddess had no energy left to be angry. She wore a bitter smile akin to ashes. “Still not satisfied with your questions? With the destruction of the flesh idol, I’ve already resolved to die. Whatever you want to ask… abandon your foolish wish.”

Shi Jingzhi acted as if he hadn’t heard. He approached while supporting himself with the flagpole as he leaned his body forward and whispered a few words to the Goddess. At first, she remained indifferent, but as she listened further, her expression gradually changed.

The anger dissipated, leaving only fear in her gaze.

“What do you want to know?” After a long while, the Goddess trembled and spoke.

Shi Jingzhi asked, “What is this flesh idol, and why can it regenerate?”

“I don’t know what it is. I only follow orders. It requires those with immortal potential as raw materials, refining the coarse and preserving the essence, slowly sculpting it until it takes form. Once it’s complete, someone will come to claim it. As for regeneration… it’s an image of the Imperial Celestial, naturally blessed by it, enjoying boundless power.”

Shi Jingzhi clicked his tongue in disappointment, and the Goddess shivered.

“Although I have been molding idols here for decades, that’s all I know. Connecting my body to it just now was merely to borrow the power of the God.”

Seeing that the Goddess didn’t seem to be lying, Yin Ci’s mood became complicated.

What exactly did Shi Jingzhi say to her?

“What about the gigantic tree-root statue?” Shi Jingzhi asked again.

“It is a divine miracle. It has always been here.”

“You really live in a muddled state… One last question, do you truly possess an elixir that can cure all ailments?”

A glimmer of hope flashed in the Goddess’s eyes. “Yes, I do! Regardless of the illness, it can ensure you a peaceful end. As long as you release me, I swear to bring it to you. I guarantee you won’t suffer any harm within three days, as long as you don’t leave this place…”

“Don’t leave this place?”

“The elixir only works here.” The Goddess gritted her teeth.

Shi Jingzhi shook his head gently. “I understand. Unfortunately, that’s not what I’m looking for.”

He took a step back, revealing a calm that had settled after the dust had settled.

Immediately, he took out his own flag. The flag ignited the last golden fire; the flames burned relentlessly, still scorching hot.

“No!” The Goddess’s face turned pale. “You promised me, you promised! You can’t—”

Shi Jingzhi smiled faintly, burning her body into ashes, leaving only a head silently screaming. Seizing the opportunity before the head died, he casually threw it into the lake.

The entire forbidden area fell silent for a moment.

In the next moment, all the white-clothed creatures on the cave walls trembled. They went mad, breaking free from their chains and plunging into the lake. Yin Ci looked down and saw that those creatures tore off their wrappings and merged into the flesh mucus. The people of Yuanxian Village and Xizhuang fused together, tightly enclosing the severed head.

Shi Jingzhi didn’t look back; he just let go of the flag and stared at the remaining fragments of the flesh idol.

It was burned and fragmented, yet still alive, lying there unconscious and oblivious.

“A’Ci, I know what you want to ask.” Shi Jingzhi fixed his gaze on the flesh statue. “I simply fulfilled her desires in reverse.”

“She didn’t fear the pain of death and was willing to dwell here. What she wanted was not wealth and power for longevity. When I attacked her, she didn’t specifically defend her face, so she didn’t want eternal youth. Finally, she abandoned the statue and tried to escape, which meant she wasn’t devout status… But when people live in this world, they always seek something.”

Shi Jingzhi turned slowly.

“Willing to commit such madness, she must fear aging completely—fear being alive but powerless. Unable to see, unable to taste, easily imprisoned by illness, and unable to move.”

“So I told her that we wouldn’t kill her. I will merge her with the flesh mucus and imprison her at the bottom of the pool. As an immortal, her consciousness will surely last longer than an ordinary person… In this world, seeking death is more painful than being unable to achieve life.”

A chill ran through Yin Ci’s heart.

It turned out all his previous assumptions were just illusions. Shi Jingzhi showed no reaction to his true identity, indicating that he wasn’t the mute he had raised. And judging by Shi Jingzhi’s methods, the cruelty was on par with his own. This person wasn’t easy to control. Although the paper window had been punctured by himself, he couldn’t be careless in the future.

Yin Ci timely changed the subject. “What’s the deal with the abnormality of the white-clothed creatures?”

“When I was down there, I also tried touching the flesh mucus. As your master, I should know what you have encountered, right?” Shi Jingzhi maintained his usual expression. “Afterward, I had contact with Bai Wei.”

Shi Jingzhi rubbed the flagpole in his hand, and his tone became complicated.

“I told him, no, I told everyone with residual consciousness that I would throw down the Goddess. Once they obtained the divine body, they could return to their original state.”

Yin Ci narrowed his eyes. “Did the Goddess tell you that?”

Did this guy already harbor murderous intent before climbing up?

“I made it up; there’s no hope for them.” Shi Jingzhi twisted his lips. “The Goddess experienced a moment of despair, so they can also have a moment of hope. Is that not good? Come, A’Ci. Now we can destroy this place.”

The rhythm was completely disrupted, and Yin Ci’s expression was displeased. “Shizun, destroying the forbidden area is not a problem. However, if the Goddess’ remains are not found, we’ll face a lot of trouble when we leave.”

Repeatedly burned by the golden fire, the Goddess’ recovery became slower and slower. However, before he could fully study her, Shi Jingzhi took matters into his own hands and destroyed her remains. The flesh idol remained, but it was on the verge of collapsing, showing signs of returning to flesh mucus without any trace of regeneration.

It seemed as if she had been abandoned.

While Yin Ci was lost in thought, Shi Jingzhi stared at him intently from the side.

The Ghost Tomb was too dark, and the situation was too chaotic. This was the first time Shi Jingzhi carefully observed his disciple.

The tattered white clothing clung pitifully to Yin Ci’s body, merging with his pale skin. Yin Ci had a cold temperament, but if one only looked at his features, they would be considered refined, impeccable even. At this moment, his brows furrowed slightly, and his disheveled, ink-black hair gave off a strange sense of vulnerability, arousing an irresistible desire to destroy.

But he was surprisingly strong.

He didn’t expect to catch such a perfect prey instead of death during zhuazhou.

Shi Jingzhi smiled again. “The solution is simple—satisfy people’s desires. As for your matter… A’Ci, I’ll ask you about it when we leave here.”

Yin Ci suddenly had a realization, understanding a delayed truth—whenever Shi Jingzhi smiled like this, it was never a good sign.

At the entrance of the forbidden area, dawn was breaking.

Mian Jie had been waiting for her daughter. Yin Deng rushed out of the tree hole with her deformed arm trembling, and threw herself into her mother’s embrace, crying loudly. Most of the villagers crowded near the entrance, waiting for the remaining people to come out.

The Goddess didn’t appear.

However, the enchanting guest did come out, holding another person in his arms. That person, dressed in white, had closed eyes, and their entire being seemed carved from jade, seemingly unconscious.

Shi Jingzhi had a solemn expression. “I am an envoy of the Imperial Celestial, here to save the divine spirit in this place. The Goddess is actually a demon, imprisoning the divine spirit in the forbidden area, occupying another’s nest, and using living beings to perform her evil arts… This place has been controlled by demonic creatures for hundreds of years, and the God couldn’t bear it, so he sent me.”

He smiled at the crowd.

Behind him, golden flames soared into the sky, devouring everything within the forbidden area.

In the depths of the forbidden area, within the flesh mucus, the half-melted head of the Goddess opened its eyes wide, silently cursing.

[Fool, there are gods in this world…]

[Indeed, there are gods in this world. I have seen… a true immortal who can change the colors of heaven and earth and bring calamity upon the living…]

[Disrespecting the ghosts and gods will surely be met with retribution, surely…]

Within the towering flames, the pool water evaporated, and the flesh mucus turned to ashes. The stone lotus shattered into dust, and the withered lotus leaves turned into flying particles. Within the forbidden area, there were no more white-clothed creatures or flesh statues. Only the towering tree root figure stood still, slightly bowing its head, and under its feet, everything turned to ash.

The golden light of the yang fire illuminated its face.

The refined features formed by the entangled tree roots remained serene, without sorrow or joy, without anger or resentment.

The author has something to say:

As for why the goddess didn’t use the elixir to save herself… Aging is not an illness and cannot be treated√

Demonic Lord Yin tried to put a collar on the fox, but ended up being bitten (?

Do you remember that Master wants to teach you a lesson? The lesson is already on its way, awaiting delivery.