Chapter 23
Ling Xi didn’t participate any longer in the Four Immortals’ Association. Firstly, she didn’t want to provoke the public again. Secondly, she was preparing to go to the netherworld. She didn’t need to know what the immortals have to discuss at the Four Immortals Association.
That day, the moment she left the jacaranda forest, she saw Qing Lian, Qing Nian and Xue Ran waiting for her. They haven’t seen each other for quite some days. So many things had happened that even Qing Lian and Qing Nian who usually didn’t speak much kept asking Ling Xi questions non-stop.
“Ling Xi, where is senior brother Qing Kui?”
“Ling Xi, what did high-tiered deity Donghua talk with you about?”
“Ling Xi, where is the silver mirror?”
“Ling Xi, can eldest senior brother still be saved?”
“Ling Xi…”
Ling Xi’s own mind hasn’t come by yet. Some time, she said that eldest senior brother spoke to her. Another moment, she said that eldest senior brother was still inside the mirror and definitely can be saved. Then, she said that she didn’t know where senior brother Qing Kui was. After that, she said that he would return soon.
“Ling Xi!” In the end, Qing Lian shouted and interrupted Ling Xi’s incoherent words. “You are no longer that unwise child of the past! I ask you to understand your responsibility, be clear of every word you speak and understand everyone’s worries!”
Ling Xi suddenly paused. After being silent for a long time, she calmly told everyone what had happened and only hid Nan Zhi’s part.
“Thus, you have to go to the netherworld to get the Soul-Locking water and then go to the Eastern Sea to get the Soul-Suppressing pearl?” Qing Nian asked worried.
Ling Xi nodded.
“As far as I know, the Soul-Locking water is the fountainhead of the River of Forgetfulness. It has the effect of locking the immortal parts and seizing the mortal parts. Without this Soul-Locking water, the River of Forgetfulness will dry up in less than seven days. A thousand year ago, there was a high-tiered deity that wanted to fetch it and fought the king of hell for seven days and nights, and in the end was still forced out of the netherworld.
Qing Lian’s words made Ling Xi’s heart alarmed and body leaping. She lowered her eyes and was silent.
“Let’s talk about the Soul-Suppressing pearl. Although, the netherworld is where the dark spirits should stay, but most resentful ghost and evil spirits are reluctant to stay in the netherworld. They will do everything possible to escape from the netherworld and commit evil in the mortal realm. The king of hell is always defending them despite knowing that they are in the wrong and turned a blind eye. He won’t ask about anything if it happened outside of the netherworld. In order to keep the peace of the mortal realm, after those resentful ghosts and evil spirits were caught, they will be pressed by the Soul-Suppressing pearl at the bottom of the Eastern Sea. If the Soul-Suppressing pearl is taken away, those resentful ghosts and evil spirits who had been locked for thousands of years will get free. The six realms will no longer have peace.”
Cold sweat appeared on Ling Xi’s forehead. She knew that it wouldn’t be easy to get those two things, but she didn’t expect the impact to be like this if they were taken away…
“Then, eldest senior brother…” Qing Nian looked at Ling Xi who was dejected and then looked at Qing Lian who had a solemn expression. He also frowned.
“Eldest senior brother has to be saved.” Ling Xi’s voice was low but not weak.
When Qing Nian heard that, he looked at Ling Xi. The coldness in his eyes melted a bit and he nodded firmly.
Feng Shu has to be saved even if the six realms will be unpeaceful!
“This way.” Qing Lian said in a low voice, “Qing Nian, you are still injured. Stay here and continue participate in the Four Immortals’ Association. I and Ling Xi will prepare to go to the netherworld to get the Soul-Locking water. At the Four Immortals’ Association, tell the deities the reason and ask them to go to the Eastern Sea to prevent the resentful ghost and evil spirits from creating trouble after the Soul-Suppressing pearl is taken out. Even if they don’t want to help, go immediately to master. He will certainly take care of it.”
Talking about his injuries, Qing Nian inexplicably looked once at Ling Xi, but he didn’t say anything. He only nodded to show that he agreed.
Ling Xi faintly noticed the special affection Qing Lian had for Feng Shu. Although, she (LX) didn’t want to implicate her (QL), but she (LX) didn’t say more and only glanced at her (QL) gratefully.
Like this, Ling Xi didn’t participate in the Four Immortals’ Association. Instead, she followed Qing Lian out of Donghua Mountain and practiced spells for a few days while on the journey.
Qing Lian said that the netherworld is very dangerous. Even if Ling Xi had improved greatly, she would only be able to deal with a few ghosts at most. She taught her some of the most practical and uncomplicated water-repelling spells. She (LX) didn’t seek for a big victory and only wished to be able get away safely.
“Xi er.” When Qing Lian is gentle, her voice was like spring water. “There are still a few things. After entering the netherworld, you must always keep that in mind.”
- Er: term of endearment.
Ling Xi had never been treated so well by Qing Lian. After Feng Shu’s incident, she treated her (LX) even more coldly and would never say a word more to her than necessary. It wasn’t until Qing Lian stepped out for her on the Four Immortals’ Association that Ling Xi realized that this senior sister was soft and kind-hearted. In the past few days, her (QL) attitude towards her had been greatly eased and she kept calling her “Xi er” which made Ling Xi feel that her heart was filled with honey.
“There is a saying in the mortal realm. The lackeys are more difficult to deal with than the king of hell. If you encountered serious trouble in the netherworld, it is better to make such a trouble that will get the attention of the king of hell instead of entangling with the small ghosts. After all, the king of hell is a realm’s leader and wouldn’t do anything to a little girl. It is rumored that he likes young and beautiful women the most and would be more considerate towards them.”
Ling Xi nodded obediently. Qing Lian continued, “Secondly, after you get the Soul-Locking water, put it immediately in your purse of tail feathers. Don’t touch nor smell it. That is water of three lifetimes and can easily confuse people’s memories of their past and present lifetimes.”
Originally, Ling Xi wanted to ask how to get people’s memories. Qing Lian hasn’t finished yet, “The most important thing is, if you weren’t able to get the Soul-Locking water, the most important thing is to come out safely. Don’t hurt yourself. Come out and think about a countermeasure.”
Ling Xi nodded and asked, “Senior sister, how can I find one’s memory and bring it back?”
“After you get the Soul-Locking water, cast a spell. Use the Soul-Locking water as the attraction and focus on calling that person’s name. The memory of that person will naturally merge into the water. Did high-tiered deity Donghua let you fetch someone’s memory?”
Ling Xi said yes. Qing Lian sighed, “It is indeed lonely at the top. The magnificent leader of the high-tiered deities actually took joy in collecting people’s memories.”
Ling Xi didn’t know what to say. Qing Lian asked, “You called him big brother on the Four Immortals’ Association?”
“Haha…senior sister…I was confused at that time.” Ling Xi showed a very ugly smile, but she also couldn’t pretend to have a better smile.
That was right. How could the magnificent leader of all deities be her big brother?”
“No, senior sister.” Ling Xi suddenly thought of something and said puzzled, “You reminded Xi er of those…could it be that senior sister wouldn’t go with me to the netherworld?”
Qing Lian sighed, “If I could, I will definitely go with you. However, the immortal aura on me is too heavy. Presumably, I will be discovered as soon as I set a foot in the netherworld and would be besieged.”
“Then, you followed me down the mountain…”
“Firstly, it was to teach you some useful spells. Secondly, it was too help you find the entrance of the netherworld.”
At this time, it was their fifth day on the mortal realm. Qing Lian took her to the grave where the yin energy is the heaviest. Finally, they found the Black and White Impermanence Guards who came from the netherworld and followed them for two days.
- Black and White Impermanence Guards are two ghosts in charge of leading the souls of the dead to the netherworld. They are subordinates of the king of hell.
Seeing that they hooked the souls of men, women, old and young and as he was getting more deviated, the voice of Qing Lian became lighter, “Are you afraid?”
Ling Xi bit her lips and shook her head.
Qing Lian smiled gratified. She took down the Xinyin hairpin and inserted it in Ling Xi’s hair. “I will lend Xinyin to you and let her be of help to you.”
Xinyin was Qing Lian’s hairpin that could shape-shift into a human. Ling Xi was overwhelmed by the favor and her brain froze. She was afraid that she would accidentally throw away Xinyin.
The group of souls stopped and formed a line as they wept. They slowly walked forward and disappeared one by one.
“That must be the entrance of the netherworld.” Qing Lian grabbed Ling Xi’s hand as if to give her encouragement.
Ling Xi looked at the place where the souls disappeared. Her heartbeat quickened. “Senior sister, although I didn’t cultivate an immortal body but my body is still a mortal body. Would I be discovered the moment…”
“Xi er…” Qing Lian looked at her. The clean eyes seemed to have a thin layer of water flowing. She said clear and tactfully, “You are different from ordinary people after all.”
Having said that, she pushed Ling Xi hard. With the help of that force, Ling Xi disappeared from the mortal realm.
Qing Lian stared at the black entrance and was unable to recover for a long time. In the end, she sighed softly.
She had lied to Ling Xi.
It wasn’t because her immortal aura was too heavy that she couldn’t go to the netherworld, but it was because the alive soul in her.
The netherworld couldn’t perceive any immortal, devilish or demon aura. Only alive souls with living aura couldn’t enter. And Ling Xi…she finally understood why master specially sent Ling Xi to Donghua Mountain and also understood why master specifically told her that Ling Xi’s soul was incomplete. Master must’ve figured out everything that has happened today…only Ling Xi with a damaged soul could enter the netherworld without being easily discovered.
- A complete soul has three immortal parts and seven mortal parts. Ling Xi’s soul lacks some of these parts.
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