“The first time you disguised yourself as A-Zhao and tricked me into offering my spirit blood, you said something to me. You claimed that, years ago on the island, I once said that I wanted to live and die with you… That phrase, only the real A-Zhao would know. How did Xie Bodhi know it? According to the laws of heaven, only those with connected spirit veins, those who built the foundation together, could glimpse each other’s life memories. In this world, only the Song He who built A-Zhao’s foundation three years ago could know his deepest, most private memories.”
“And the secret?”
“My spirit blood’s secret. Me—myself—I know only three things: First, I fear death; second, I fear death; and third, I fear death. I’m just a half-immortal with no life-preserving skills to speak of. If word spread that my blood is as precious as a top-grade spiritual medicine, it wouldn’t only be the demon realm after me. I’d be quietly refined by big-shot immortals with ill intentions, no doubt. So I live as carefully as a quail, desperate to keep this hidden. Since stepping onto the path of immortality, I’ve only revealed my spirit blood once in these three years—to save someone here on Fire and Ice Island. And that person was you, Song He.”
“So I started to trace everything back to tonight’s events. Entering Fire and Ice Island for spiritual medicine was an impulse, yet the white tiger in the forest and A-Zhao’s illusion were clearly set up in advance. When the Lord of Hao Yue Hall told me this place was long deserted, I guessed that even the treasure map in the library had been placed there by you. Knowing my interest in medicinal arts and my habit of sneaking a look at the library’s hidden books, you knew I’d eventually come across it. That would lead me here to become your sacrificial offering to ascend to godhood.”
Bai Shuo finished speaking with a sigh, exhaling deeply, somewhat helpless. “To go to such lengths for someone as small as a half-immortal like me… Sect Leader Song He, you’ve truly gone through a lot of trouble.”
The water cave fell into an eerie silence. Er Yun still struggled to believe everything unfolding before her.
“Father… is it true? Did you kill our fellow disciples? Did you disguise yourself as Xie Bodhi and do all this? Why? Why?!”
“Why?! I did it for Miao Miao!” Song He, formerly Xie Bodhi, exclaimed. “Three hundred years ago, Miao Miao was one of the six great sects of the immortal world. But when the divine realm opened and the Phoenix Clan rose, the spirit veins of the Eastern Sea all fell into the possession of the Phoenix Clan. Miao Miao has had no place of power to train its disciples except for this single island. How could such a place sustain an entire immortal sect? For a hundred years, Miao Miao has gradually weakened, with no one able to reach the pinnacle of the Upper Lord’s rank, reducing us to the lowest tier of the immortal realm. Ten years ago, I sensed my lightning tribulation approaching. If I failed, I would die and lose any chance to glimpse the divine path. I had already given up hope…”
“But then, heaven’s fire fell into the Eastern Sea, scorching all living things. When I came to investigate, I discovered it was a piece of Bodhi wood imbued with divine power. If I could refine it, I could ascend to godhood in a single step, restoring Miao Miao’s reputation and making it rise again in the three realms!”
“An ant trying to shake a tree. A mere Lower Lord of the immortal realm dares to dream of refining divine wood,” Fan Yue sneered, disgusted that even a fragment of his avatar was tainted by Song He’s ambition.
“I failed,” Song He admitted with a bitter smile, yet with defiance. “But fate has not abandoned Miao Miao. When I was on the verge of death from my failed attempt to refine the divine wood, I encountered two mortals.”
Song He’s gaze fell on Bai Shuo. “One of them had blood that not only healed me but also allowed me to suppress the divine soul within the Bodhi wood.”
Bai Shuo, taken aback, pointed at herself. What?! So all of this today was the unintended consequence of her actions three years ago. Good heavens, what a curse of fate!
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