Chapter 25

The surrounding space-time suddenly twisted, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived in another dimension.

In the memories of Immortal Lang Yin, Xu Manman found herself in a cave. Immortal Lang Yin stood with his back to her, conversing with another tall, elegant man.

“This is a meteorite crystal from beyond the sky, extremely rare, and impervious to evil. It took me two thousand years to gather just this piece. If you take it all, what will I do?” the man complained.

Immortal Lang Yin responded calmly, “You can just spend another two thousand years to gather more. You have plenty of time.”

The man was strikingly handsome, with a flame-like mark between his brows that added a godly aura to his appearance.

“Lang Yin, you also have an endless lifespan. Why don’t you wait another two thousand years?” The man held tightly onto the crystal, unwilling to let go.

Immortal Lang Yin pried open the man’s fingers and said seriously, “But she can’t wait.”

The man was momentarily stunned; his grip unconsciously loosened. Coming back to his senses, he hurriedly asked, “You’re refining an artifact for someone else? Who is it? A man or a woman? A human or a spirit? Wait, no, spirits have long lifespans, so it must be a human! Could it be… that you have someone you care for?”

Immortal Lang Yin raised the crystal and examined it carefully, absentmindedly responding with a quiet “hmm.”

The man stared in disbelief, scrutinizing Immortal Lang Yin.

“You… Are you really Langyin? You’re not supposed to have feelings, so how could you care for someone?”

Immortal Lang Yin put the crystal away and frowned slightly, “It’s just one piece of meteorite crystal. Why do you have so many questions?”

The man let out a breath, his brows twitching with the flickering flame, and he said resentfully, “What do you mean ‘just’? You’ve lived for three thousand years and still don’t know how to speak properly. You took a huge piece of meteorite crystal, and I only asked you one question. That’s how you should phrase it!”

Immortal Lang Yin glanced at him and said, “But I’ve already answered your question, so you should be satisfied. I’m going to refine an artifact here. If you’re so idle, then help me with your Nine Nether Hellfire.”

The man clutched his chest, clearly frustrated, “If I didn’t know you so well… I’d consider ending our friendship. You really don’t value your only friend!”

The man turned to leave but, after taking a step, turned back, gritting his teeth, “I want to see what you’re going to refine.”

The man’s eyes closed and opened again, and the flame between his brows suddenly burst into a bright light.

A blazing fire appeared in midair, and Immortal Lang Yin threw the meteorite crystal into the fire.

In an instant, the crystal erupted with countless starlike rays, making the walls of the cave shine like a vast galaxy.

Immortal Lang Yin closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then suddenly moved his fingers rapidly, forming complex hand seals. A phantom image of a hibiscus flower appeared in his palm.

After a moment, the phantom solidified, and three petals fell into his palm.

Immortal Lang Yin then sent the petals into the meteorite crystal.

The man was shocked and cried out, “You’re refining your heart’s three petals into the artifact! Your cultivation will be severely diminished!”

Immortal Lang Yin’s face turned pale, but he seemed unconcerned with himself, focusing instead on the crystal gradually taking shape in the flames.

“She will soon embark on a journey, and I cannot accompany her. This is the only way I can stay by her side. These three petals can save her life in a crisis and allow me to know her whereabouts. If she is in danger, I can reach her in time.”

The man stared at Immortal Lang Yin’s bright, handsome face illuminated by the fire and sighed after a long while, “Who is this person that makes you sacrifice so much?”

Immortal Lang Yin seemed not to understand the man’s sentiment, thinking it was another question.

He tilted his head in thought and then seriously said, “She is my heart and my life.”

Suddenly, the meteorite crystal emitted a dazzling light, forcing Xu Manman to close her eyes.

Moments later, the light receded into the artifact, and the cave returned to its previous calm.

Xu Manman opened her eyes and looked at the artifact in Immortal Lang Yin’s hand. It was so radiant, unique in the world, and mesmerizingly familiar.

“What is this artifact?” the man asked.

Immortal Lang Yin smiled slightly and said, “Lian Yue Crown.”

Xu Manman’s heart trembled at that moment.

After a brief moment of darkness, the scene before her brightened suddenly, revealing Immortal Lang Yin’s serene, handsome face with his eyes closed.

Xu Manman’s heart tightened, and she instinctively recoiled, noticing something even more shocking—the originally murky medicinal water had been drained of all its potency by the Immortal Lang Yin, leaving only the sediment at the bottom and a bucket of crystal-clear water.

She could see everything clearly…

Xu Manman closed her eyes tightly, exhaled deeply, and thought to herself, “Thank goodness the Immortal Lord can’t see me.”

The sights and sounds in the dream had left her shocked and confused.

So, the Immortal Lang Yin had also been troubled by love, and the person he held in his heart… was her?

Xu Manman suddenly felt a wave of bittersweet emotion, her eyes growing hot, and tears almost welled up.

Choking on her words, she whispered, “Immortal Lord, you’ve been so good to me… I won’t be able to bear using you…”

Xu Manman had been told since childhood that she wasn’t attractive and shouldn’t entertain any fantasies. Characters like the immortal Lang Yin, who seemed divine, were not to be desired.

Many stories and dramas warned that relationships across different paths would inevitably lead to tragedy.

Her master had repeatedly reminded her of this, telling her never to harbor any inappropriate thoughts about the Immortal Lang Yin. He was a being without a heart, and no matter how well he treated her, she shouldn’t take it to heart.

She didn’t know if her master had misjudged or deliberately deceived her. The Immortal Lord was not entirely heartless.

He had given her half of his life force—wasn’t that love?

She remembered the day she had just formed her golden core. Her master had told her that there was nothing more the Siyi Sect could teach her and that she needed to experience the world on her own. Only by seeing the mountains, rivers, and her own heart could she understand her true path.

At that time, Immortal Lang Yin had also mentioned that he wanted to accompany her down the mountain to protect her, but her master had refused. The master said that if the Immortal Lord protected her, she would never grow up and would never be able to understand the Dao. Upon hearing this, the Immortal Lord didn’t insist and instead left the Siyi Sect. That departure lasted a long time…

On the day of Xu Manman’s departure, she hesitated at the mountain gate for a long time until the sun began to set, when she finally saw the figure of Immortal Lang Yin.

He solemnly placed the Lian Yue Crown on her head.

Perhaps her ordinary face would look a bit more radiant thanks to its brilliance.

“Manman, during this journey of thousands of miles, through sunny days and snowy nights, I won’t be by your side. This Lian Yue Crown will protect you on my behalf.”

“Thank you, Immortal Lord, for your kind intentions. I will take care of myself and hope that you will always be joyful and worry-free.”

At that time, she did not understand the deep meaning behind the Lian Yue Crown, thinking it was just a protective artifact gifted by Immortal Lang Yin, like her master would have done.

She was deeply touched.

Immortal Lang Yin lowered his eyes, and his usually cold voice seemed to carry a warmth typical of mortals.

“I understand your feelings as well, but only when I see you happy can I be at peace.”

He said softly, lifting his slender fingers to gently flick the meteorite crystal tassel that hung by her ear.

“I’ve heard that among mortals, they exchange precious items as tokens of affection. This Lian Yue Crown is the token I’ve crafted for you, Manman.”

Her heart skipped a few beats but quickly regained its calm.

Smiling, she asked, “Did my master tell you to say this?”

Immortal Lang Yin averted his gaze and vaguely nodded.

She didn’t think much of it at the time, assuming her master had once again tricked Immortal Lang Yin into giving his precious artifact to his disciple as a blessing for her journey.

She naturally believed that the so-called token of affection was just an expression of their simple master-disciple relationship.

Immortal Lang Yin had always been concise with his words, which often led to misunderstandings, so she had become accustomed to it.

She couldn’t expose her master’s little scheme, so she merely nodded with a forced smile and accepted Immortal Lang Yin’s gift.

Only now does she understand that it wasn’t Immortal Lang Yin who misunderstood her, but she who misunderstood him. She never fully grasped the deep emotions hidden within the Lian Yue Crown.

To him, it was a promise made between two hearts in harmony, a commitment for which he sacrificed half his life’s cultivation.

But she had always assumed it was just a distant, platonic friendship.

Xu Manman lowered her gaze, suddenly feeling a wave of sorrow and regret.

She had spent her life seeking and practicing the Dao, always striving to live without guilt or regrets, and had believed she had never wronged anyone.

Yet, she had failed the one person who treated her the best in this world.

She couldn’t help but reach out, wanting to touch the heart beating within his chest.

Could an immortal, pure and untouched by the world, have a heartbeat like that of a mortal…?

Her fingertips brushed against Immortal Lang Yin’s firm, alabaster chest, but they passed right through him.

Just then, she heard a slightly cold voice.

“What are you doing?”

Xu Manman quickly looked up, only to see Immortal Lang Yin staring at her with a cold, sharp gaze.

She froze completely, stammering, “Immortal, Immortal Lord, you can see me?”

Immortal Lang Yin replied coldly, “I can also hear you.”

Xu Manman felt as though a fire had burned through her soul.

“Immortal Lord, I… I can explain…”

Immortal Langyin interrupted her, “I’m not Immortal Lang Yin.”

Xu Manman was stunned, feeling both relieved and tense at the same time. “Brother, you weren’t wearing clothes, so I didn’t recognize you at first!”

Demon Lord Lang Yin: “…”

Under the murderous glare of Demon Lord Lang Yin, Xu Manman nervously turned her back to him.

Hearing the rustling behind her, she knew he was getting dressed.

She twisted her fingers, her mind racing, trying to figure out how she could plead for mercy to avoid the impending punishment.

Before she could think of anything, the room suddenly darkened.

Demon Lord Lang Yin was already standing in front of her.

Xu Manman immediately kneeled down.

“Brother, I know I was wrong!”

Oh no, she is going to develop a habit of kneeling every time it gets dark…?

Demon Lord Lang Yin, clad in his purple robe, folded his arms and looked down at her from above, a cold smile playing on his lips.

“Do you even know what you did wrong this time?”

“I was wrong in every way possible. Repeating it would only hurt you again,” Xu Manman humbly confessed.

“I’ve been unconscious for days, yet you didn’t take the opportunity to kill me. This shows your magnanimity and that you’re not holding a grudge against me.”

She cautiously looked up to gauge his expression, swallowed hard, and added, “Brother, you should just hit me.”

Her apology was somewhat sincere.

She felt guilty for betraying Immortal Lang Yin’s deep affection and for using his love.

He had sacrificed half his cultivation for her, sustained heavy injuries while eliminating the Burning Heaven Division, and she had even tricked him into destroying the Blood Sect…

—Xu Manman! You’re truly despicable! You’ve let down your master’s spirit in the afterlife!

“You know you deserve to be punished.”

Demon Lord Lang Yin’s expression was cold as he snorted, then he asked suspiciously, “But I haven’t even hit you yet, so why are you crying?”

Xu Manman sniffled, looked up with slightly reddened eyes, and pitifully said, “My soul is fragile; I can’t endure a casual blow from you. You should strike my physical body instead.”

After thinking for a moment, she added, “But don’t hit too hard; just a light punishment to serve as a warning. I promise I won’t do it again!”

Demon Lord Lang Yin’s lips curled into a mocking smile.

“Since when do I need you to tell me what to do?”

Xu Manman lowered her head.

“I wouldn’t dare. This is just a humble plea from someone insignificant. You can take it as a reference, but considering that I might still be of some use, it wouldn’t be good to kill or seriously injure me…”

“And what use do you have?”

Demon Lord Lang Yin snorted disdainfully, his wide sleeves fluttering as he sat on the couch, looking down at Xu Manman with contempt.

“You’re so weak that you couldn’t even withstand a single move from the soul-reaping envoy.”

He scrutinized her, then suddenly leaned forward slightly, beckoning her with a finger as if calling a pet dog, and said, “Come here.”

Xu Manman felt a tug in her thoughts, and her kneeling body floated forward.

Demon Lord Lang Yin extended his hand and reached forward, his long arm passing right through Xu Manman’s soul, brushing past her face.

Xu Manman only felt a faint breeze pass over her head, bringing a slight tingling sensation but no discomfort.

Demon Lord Lang Yin was puzzled.

“How is it that your soul is so solid for a mere golden core cultivator? Ordinarily, a golden core cultivator’s soul would have been scattered by now after such a touch from me.”

Xu Manman gave a dry laugh.

“It might be because my cultivation method is rather unique.”

She speculated that it could be due to the fact that she had fused with half of the original owner’s golden core. The golden core is the anchor of the soul, so having the soul of one and a half people, making hers more substantial than others, was reasonable. However, she couldn’t tell the Demon Lord Lang Yin this.

Demon Lord Lang Yin mused, “A technique that can solidify the spirit… Are you from the Soul Sect?”

Soul Sect?

These two words seemed to stir something deep within her soul, causing an inexplicable throb in her chest, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall anything.

She could only shake her head sincerely and say, “I’ve never heard of the Soul Sect.”

Demon Lord Lang Yin explained, “The Soul Sect, like the Blood Sect, is another heretical sect that pursues the path to immortality. Cultivators generally see the soul as their essence and the body as a vessel. The Blood Sect believes that the soul is fragile and depends on the body for survival; as long as the body remains undying, one can achieve immortality. The Soul Sect, however, takes the opposite approach, believing that cultivating the soul is the true path to immortality. As long as the soul remains intact, one will neither age nor die, becoming almost like a god.”

Xu Manman had only lived for a bit over 300 years and thus lacked extensive knowledge, so it was normal for her to hear about the Soul Sect for the first time now.

However, she had merged with half of this body’s golden core and possessed part of the original owner’s soul, so perhaps there was a connection between the original owner and the Soul Sect, which was why the mention of the Soul Sect triggered something within her.

“Has the Soul Sect vanished over the past few centuries?” Xu Manman asked, puzzled.

She had lived for 300 years and served as a Daozun for a hundred years, yet she had never heard of the Soul Sect in the Daoist Alliance.

Demon Lord Lang Yin replied, “I’ve only heard about it in passing. It wasn’t until you mentioned a technique that cultivates the soul that I recalled this sect. Rumor has it that the Soul Sect had such a technique. Are you sure you’re not from the Soul Sect?”

Demon Lord Lang Yin took a step closer, his scrutinizing gaze intense, making Xu Manman feel pressured and causing her to instinctively shrink back.

“I really don’t know…” Xu Manman’s eyes flickered as she quickly concocted an explanation.

“I was saved by Manman after falling off a cliff, and I lost my memory. I can’t even remember my own name… Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m starting to suspect that my identity might be connected to the Soul Sect. Brother, do you recall where you heard about the Soul Sect?”

Xu Manman conveniently blamed everything on amnesia, which wasn’t entirely a lie since she genuinely didn’t have those memories.

“I heard it mentioned by a friend, but you won’t be able to find him,” Demon Lord Lang Yin replied vaguely, seemingly unwilling to tell the truth.

“If you’re interested in the Soul Sect, you could try visiting the Tianlu Palace in Tiandu. Apart from the Daoist Alliance, it’s the place with the most comprehensive records of rumors and histories in the world.”

The Daxing Dynasty, the last unified empire on the continent, had maintained a 3,000-year reign, leaving behind an extensive collection of historical documents, all stored in the Tianlu Palace.

It was said that the Tianlu Palace had twelve halls, containing everything from astronomy and geography to local customs, official and unofficial histories, and even records of strange tales and rumors.

However, most of these were classified documents, and since the empire had split into seven kingdoms, the kings had restricted access to the palace’s records, fearing that others might uncover secrets about their territories.

If Xu Manman were still Lian Yue Daozun, her status would have allowed her to come and go freely in the Tianlu Palace and throughout the entire Tiandu. But now, as an unknown figure, she would have to resort to less conventional methods.

Xu Manman’s eyes sparkled as she smiled.

“Thank you for the guidance, Brother. Now that I’m in a soul form, I could sneak in and browse the records.”

Demon Lord Lang Yin glanced at her seriously and then sneered.

“How do you plan to turn the pages?”

Xu Manman froze for a moment and couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

“I forgot about that…”

It seemed that being in a soul form came with many inconveniences.

“Or perhaps I could ask Ming Xiao Fazun for a favor. He’s half a Daozun now, and the kings of the seven kingdoms would probably give him face,” Xu Manman mused, rubbing her chin.

Demon Lord Lang Yin was unimpressed.

“He might be able to enter on his own, but bringing in someone of unknown origin won’t be so easy.”

“I could just exit my body,” Xu Manman blurted out.

Demon Lord Lang Yin stared at her suspiciously.

“Since when were you so close to Ming Xiao Fazun, trusting him so much?”