Chapter 33: Gathering of the Demonic Sect
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Originally, a close-up shot was nothing remarkable. But coupled with Xiao Lin’s somewhat abrupt remark, it immediately made many viewers sense that something was being foreshadowed.
“Don’t be so sensitive. It’s obvious Xiao Lin is expressing his resolve, isn’t it?”
“Besides, Junior Brother is so popular. How stupid would the production team have to be to write a character like him out?”
“If Shen Wuya hadn’t died so cleanly, I might actually have believed that…”
The moment this barrage appeared, the Haji viewers reacted explosively.
“We love romance, and we love satisfying battles too. Can’t the two coexist?”
“Production team, don’t force me to send you razor blades!”
“Let me make this clear: if Xiao Lin is written out, I’m done watching.”
“…”
Unexpectedly, Gu Jianyao gently shook her head at his words and said calmly, “Without your cultivation, you’re no match for me.”
Xiao Lin: “…”
Never mind. He had already received more than enough feedback.
“Now that I’ve reached Foundation Establishment, I ought to learn a few suitable techniques.” Xiao Lin bade her farewell. “Junior Brother will take his leave.”
Xiao Lin rose into the air and headed for the Sutra Repository.
It was here that he had found the Asura Heaven-Suppressing Art.
As expected, an old man was sitting at the entrance. He was neither an elder nor possessed of any air of power; at first glance, he seemed utterly ordinary.
But Xiao Lin did not need to think twice to know that this was certainly one of those sweeping-monk-type figures.
In any case, Xiao Lin could not afford to slight him. He clasped his hands and smiled. “Old Song.”
“Reached Foundation Establishment?”
“By sheer luck.”
“By sheer luck?” Old Song seemed amused by the phrase. “Heavenly Foundation Establishment, accompanied by three auspicious manifestations. If everyone could achieve that through sheer luck, the cultivation world would have descended into chaos long ago.”
Xiao Lin smiled without replying.
It was merely a clumsy imitation of Brother Luck, after all.
Old Song’s smile faded. He slowly produced a token. “With Heavenly Foundation Establishment, there are no more restrictions in the Sutra Repository. You may enter and leave as you please and read anything you wish.”
Xiao Lin did not take the token. “Old Song, why don’t you recommend something for me?”
“I’m just a decrepit old man. What do I know about cultivation arts and divine techniques? If I make a careless recommendation and mislead you, wouldn’t that make me a corrupting teacher? No, no.” Old Song turned his head away, waving his hands repeatedly.
After waiting for a long while, Xiao Lin received no response.
“Hm?”
Old Song raised his eyes in confusion, only to find Xiao Lin staring straight at him. His face appeared expressionless, yet the corners of his mouth were slowly, uncontrollably curling upward.
Under Xiao Lin’s influence, Old Song gradually lost his composure as well.
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At last, Old Song coughed twice before finally allowing himself to laugh naturally. “Then I’ll recommend one. But if you fail to master it, don’t blame me.”
Xiao Lin laughed too. “Of course.”
Exactly. Why play the famous Sun Ce and Zhou Yu routine with him?
“Come with me.”
Old Song rose leisurely and walked upstairs, with Xiao Lin following close behind.
Only when they reached the fourth floor did Old Song, while passing a certain spot, casually reach out and pull out a book before handing it to Xiao Lin.
Xiao Lin accepted it.
Five ancient, dignified characters were written on its cover:
The Scripture of Nirvana and Reincarnation.
Xiao Lin’s eyes suddenly narrowed.
Even though he had prepared himself mentally, Old Song’s move still shocked him.
Could he truly foresee the future?
As if aware of what Xiao Lin was thinking, Old Song said calmly, “The future? I merely see the present clearly. I don’t know why you need this right now, but I still advise you not to descend the mountain for the next few years, lest you come to regret it.”
Xiao Lin shook his head. “Disciples in the early stage of Foundation Establishment are required by sect rules to lead a team on a mission.”
Old Song nevertheless caught the meaning behind his words. His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared deeply at Xiao Lin. “The Scripture of Nirvana and Reincarnation gives those dissatisfied with their own cultivation a chance to start over and cultivate anew. Yet since ancient times, almost no one has succeeded.”
“Rather, it offers a faint glimmer of hope to those who have become cripples in cultivation, so they will not abandon their lives and let their souls descend into the underworld. Such cases cannot truly be counted as successes.”
“Knowing this, are you still certain you will not regret it?”
“What does regret have to do with anything?” Xiao Lin smiled. “I trust you, Old Song. The fact that you chose this technique tells me that I may face a calamity in the future. That alone is enough. The future is called the future precisely because nothing has yet been settled. With this warning, I have every confidence that I can change such a disastrous future.”
“Thank you, Old Song. This disciple will take his leave.”
With that, Xiao Lin turned and departed.
Only Old Song remained, watching his retreating figure.
After a long silence, he sighed.
“I hope you do not end up like me, reduced to this state and regretting it for the rest of your life…”
…
The next day, Xiao Lin accepted the mission to travel alongside Qu Ziyao, Tang Qianxue, and the others. He remained one step behind them, slowly riding his sword through the air.
Heroes were meant to make their entrance at the very end.
More importantly, no one—not even the audience—yet knew that the Fallen Sword Immortal had been resurrected.
The Fallen Sword Immortal should have been hidden in the shadows, while they remained in the light.
But after reading the early spoilers, the situation had been instantly reversed.
He was in the light. The enemy was in the shadows.
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Thus, following the main group and deliberately exposing himself would undoubtedly be a foolish choice.
What a pity.
“I won’t get to watch the women fight,” Xiao Lin thought. He chuckled, then took out the Scripture of Nirvana and Reincarnation.
This technique was genuinely useful to him.
Once the nirvana succeeded, not only could his cultivation be restored, but he could even leap across two minor realms in one bound.
He felt that this was precisely why successfully undergoing nirvana was so difficult.
One was clearly a cripple who could barely absorb spiritual energy anymore, yet after recovering one’s cultivation, one could forcibly advance by two minor realms…
Even taking divine pills would not be this outrageous.
But with the System and the Heaven-Seizing Creation Tribulation Pill, he had more than enough.
Thus, Xiao Lin sat cross-legged atop Immortal Annihilation and slowly entered meditation.
…
At the same time, deep within a forest, more than a dozen figures had gathered together.
Although the sun shone brightly overhead, this place was shrouded in gloom.
It was not caused by the dense foliage and the mottled shadows cast by the leaves.
It was the atmosphere.
Their auras were restrained and not a word was spoken, yet neither birds nor beasts dared approach.
It was not the stench of blood emanating from their bodies, but an intangible coldness and sinister menace.
The most unusual among them was a certain shadow.
It wore a purple-black cloak, but beneath it was nothing resembling a human form. It was not even a skeleton, but a mass of pure black mist.
Let alone ordinary people—even members of the righteous path would attack the moment they saw such a thing.
The others, however, seemed entirely accustomed to it. Their affiliations and identities were therefore obvious.
They were all members of the demonic path, belonging to the same demonic sect.
The Fallen Sword Immortal spoke in a voice that sounded neither wholly male nor wholly female. “The thing I require is somewhere in this forest. Search every inch of the ground if necessary. You must find it.”
Suddenly, someone let out a strange laugh. “I thought Senior intended to find the corpse of some ancient powerhouse and refine it into a corpse puppet. In the end, you merely summoned us to search for materials to set up an array?”
The Fallen Sword Immortal turned toward him. He was a disciple of the Corpse Puppet Sect.
The Fallen Sword Immortal said indifferently, “Once the array is complete, even a Golden Core expert will be unable to break it. Is that not more formidable than a corpse puppet?”
“A Golden Core expert may be unable to break it, but that does not mean he cannot do anything to it.”
“Who said our target was a Golden Core expert?”
The Fallen Sword Immortal’s voice suddenly became hollow and distant, yet the bone-deep hatred within it could not be restrained.
“The person I intend to kill is a mere Qi Refining cultivator…”
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