Chapter Seventy-Two: The Fallen Nascent Soul (Bonus Chapter—Asking for Pink Votes)

Ji Youyun’s Insight Technique? Hong Jian’s heart stirred, and she asked, “Grandmaster, even Elder Jin highly esteems the Insight Technique. Is there any way to resist it?”

Sun Yougong fell silent, pausing for quite some time before finally replying, “Jing Baixi is at the Nascent Soul stage. If there were a way to counter the Insight Technique, he wouldn’t refrain from using it. But who can say for sure? Perhaps someone has already seized upon his weakness, waiting for just such a moment. Aside from Ji Youyun, who truly knows the depths of this Insight Technique?”

“Grandmaster, where is Senior Uncle now?” Since the incident, Hong Jian had not seen Jing Baixi again. Two of his disciples at the Golden Core stage were gone, and the rest had begun their secluded cultivation. Senior Uncle’s branch had fallen into complete silence in the Dan Cliff Sect.

“Elder Shui has already taken him to the Demon Refining Prison. Shui Zongming himself went, and he will surely investigate everything thoroughly.”

Hong Jian understood why Grandmaster spoke so confidently. Elder Shui Zongming, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator of Scarlet Wheel Peak, was Grandmaster’s and Sect Leader Ling Xuzi’s junior brother. Renowned for his fairness and integrity, he had overseen the sect’s laws for centuries. With him personally involved, Grandmaster had good reason to be at ease.

Hong Jian was eager to rid herself of the control that the underwater beast exerted over her soul. She tried method after method, yet could never sense the “island” Grandmaster spoke of. If not for Grandmaster’s profound cultivation, untouched by interference, even his voice might not reach her ears. It reminded her of that two-hundred-year-long dream in the sect’s secret realm, where her soul had been manipulated by external forces—caught within, how could one distinguish reality from illusion?

Seeing her struggle, Sun Yougong advised, “Single-minded and focused, steadfast in the center. The more you hesitate, fearing gain and loss, the harder it is to resist.”

Hong Jian tried to banish her distracting thoughts. Yet this was not the tranquility of meditative cultivation. She saw only emptiness between blue sky and clear water, felt the waves stir beneath her feet, and the cool mist touch her cheeks and arms. With her level of cultivation and experience, merely willing herself to pierce the illusion of a Nascent Soul beast was no easy task.

Sun Yougong recognized her difficulty and sighed, “It seems your ability is not yet enough to break it. It’s all right—do your best, treat it as a valuable lesson. If your senior brother were here, this beast could not beguile him. You are still young; neither broad-minded nor stubborn. Sometimes, being too clever makes you easier to control.”

Obsessions? Of course Hong Jian had them. In the sect’s secret realm, it was her longing for her parents that trapped her in that endless dream. Since then, when she thought of her parents, she no longer felt the desperate thirst of a desert traveler for water. This was a great gain from her trial.

Yet why did Grandmaster say that obsession, so harmful to cultivation, could be used to resist the beast’s spell?

Hong Jian was a keen thinker. She pondered this without needing to ask Sun Yougong, and soon understood.

To draw a metaphor: the beast’s spell was like an invisible hand, steering her soul east or west. If she had senior brother’s Golden Core cultivation and unwavering resolve, she could stand firm no matter how the spell tried to sway her—this was the proper method. But since her cultivation was lacking, another approach was possible. With powerful obsession, she could resist; even if the spell tried to show her mountains and rivers, her mind would be filled with thoughts of gratitude and resentment. This was a makeshift solution, imperfect but workable.

With this realization, she began to focus on memories of her parents sending her to the Dan Cliff Sect, deepening her obsession deliberately. Perhaps Grandmaster had not expected that his casual advice would lead Hong Jian to such an action, contrary to the path of cultivation. But for some reason, Hong Jian felt an urgent, burning need.

Fate whispered in her ear, urging her to find a way—however desperate—to pierce the illusion and regain control of her consciousness.

Time crept by, and Hong Jian felt disappointed. Perhaps her obsession was not strong enough; the method was not as effective as hoped.

Sun Yougong comforted her, “Your cultivation is still too low. Don’t worry. First focus on building your foundation. Now, I will draw the beast up so you can see the island it hides with illusion.”

He began to cast his spell. The distant sea shook violently; as the waters parted with a rush, Sun Yougong’s expression suddenly changed, and he halted midway.

Hong Jian had not given up, still seizing her last chance. Suddenly, her consciousness trembled lightly, as if she had pierced a thin veil. Solid ground appeared beneath her feet, and the illusion before her melted away like snow in fire.

She gasped, and the small island Grandmaster spoke of revealed its true form before her eyes.

Hong Jian exclaimed with joy, “Grandmaster, Grandmaster, I’m out! I see the island!”

Elated, she grabbed Sun Yougong’s arm and shook it. He had only just begun his spell; his power had not yet reached the seabed. Clearly, it was not his intervention that broke the beast’s spell—her own efforts had succeeded.

But Sun Yougong paid no heed to his young disciple’s excitement, letting her tug at his sleeve, his face grave as he stared into the distance Hong Jian could not see. Suddenly, he said, “Something’s happened out there. Just now, turbulent currents struck violently, affecting us here and shattering the beast’s illusion. That’s why you emerged.”

Hong Jian was sobered by his words. Grandmaster’s expression was clearly serious—this was no trivial matter. She caught the key point: “Grandmaster, is it a powerful cultivator casting spells?”

Sun Yougong frowned, “I fear it’s not an ordinary expert.”

Hong Jian’s heart skipped a beat. Grandmaster himself was late-stage Nascent Soul; for him to speak of a ‘master’ in such terms, could it be one of the three Divine Transformation elders?

Just then, a deep rumble sounded from the northeast sea, like thunder. This time, Hong Jian distinctly felt the spiritual energy rushing around her. Her face changed; the force was as overwhelming as the powers of heaven and earth.

Hong Jian looked anxiously at Grandmaster, quickly released his robe, and stood straight. Never before had she seen such solemnity on Sun Yougong’s face.

Sun Yougong had no time for explanations. He hurriedly instructed, “Stay here and be careful. I’ll go take a look.”

With that, he left Hong Jian, not even summoning a flying treasure, but leapt into the sea. He moved swiftly toward the disturbance, soon becoming a tiny black dot atop the waves before vanishing from sight.

Left alone on the island, Hong Jian watched Grandmaster’s departure with growing worry.

She was only a lowly Qi Condensation disciple, not yet established in her cultivation, left alone at the edge of the “Heaven Curtain” in the endless deep sea. Powerful beasts roamed these waters; should any pass by, a flick of their tail would spell her doom.

Yet now, the sea was eerily quiet. Even the beast beneath, as powerful as a Nascent Soul, ceased its tricks. Only the erratic currents remained. Who was fighting in the northeast, that even the beasts were so intimidated?

After some time, with no sign of Sun Yougong returning, Hong Jian grew more anxious. She climbed a tree on the northeast side of the island, shading her eyes to peer toward the source of the disturbance.

Another thunderclap sounded, closer than before, and even the sky grew dim.

From the storm and clouds came a faint, piercing screech. Though distant and indistinct, it cut into Hong Jian’s consciousness like a sharp blade.

Suddenly, her vision went black. She tumbled from the tree, landing hard on the sand.

She did not lose consciousness, but the pain was so intense she could not stand.

Hong Jian struggled, only to fall again, clutching her temples as she rolled on the ground, unable to suppress a groan.

What was happening—could she not withstand it? Hong Jian reached into her pouch, pulled out a “Moonlight Pill,” swallowed it, and wiped her nose, her hand coming away stained with bright blood.

Alarmed, she knew the pill would do little, but still tore two strips from her robe and stuffed them in her ears.

The wind howled, sand and stones flying across the island. The Moonlight Pill began to take effect, easing her nausea. Crawling desperately to the shore, she plunged into the sea.

The spiritual energy underwater had not become as chaotic as on the island, allowing Hong Jian to circulate the nameless technique that healed her mind.

Just then, she seemed to hear a dragon’s roar.

“Dragon Shadow Chariot!” Hong Jian could not remain in the water. Was this deadly power from her own sect’s Divine Transformation elder, Jin Donglou?

Feeling somewhat better, she surfaced to see what was happening. Thunder rolled ceaselessly in the northeast, and the dark horizon suddenly flared with light. Beams streaked across the sky like meteor showers, scattering in all directions.

Hong Jian could not discern their meaning, only that the brilliance was dazzling. One ray came straight toward her, growing ever closer. She vaguely glimpsed the shape of a dragon within it. Suddenly, a massive shadow rose from the sea, blotting out the sky, intercepting the speeding beam.

A surge of murderous intent swept outward, carried by the rushing waters to Hong Jian’s hiding place.

She leapt from the water as if scorched, fleeing ashore. Bitterly, she thought, “Whether or not Jin Donglou is involved, it seems my life is forfeit.”

At that moment, a small, inconspicuous black dot sped across the waves from the site of the disturbance, heading rapidly toward the island. It was Sun Yougong. With clear purpose, he quickly came within a dozen yards of Hong Jian, did not land, but swept his sleeve, pulling her up. Without a word, he released his flying treasure and flew northwest.

Close to Sun Yougong, Hong Jian immediately felt an invisible barrier shielding her, easing the pressure on her wounded mind. She breathed a sigh of relief. Still shaken, she looked back and asked, “Grandmaster, what happened?”

Sun Yougong’s face was grave, his mind fully focused on escape. He said hurriedly, “Uncle Jin fell victim to Xing Wuyai’s trap. He was caught off guard and lost even his Nascent Soul avatar. We must return to the sect at once and report, so the Sect Leader can prepare.”

Hong Jian was thoroughly frightened. The scene she had just witnessed—was it truly the tragic fall of her sect’s Divine Transformation elder, Jin Donglou?