The Weak Are Beset on All Sides

The cicadas' cries made the forest seem all the quieter; the birds' songs made the mountain seem all the more secluded.

The morning at Wanli Holy Land was especially peaceful and especially beautiful.

The morning sunlight was veiled in a haze of spiritual energy, yet it was not scorching.

After Yun Qingxuan left, Su Li felt deeply dejected.

When Yun Qingxuan asked what they should do if the worst came to pass, Su Li had already realized that no matter how firmly she spoke, and no matter how the system's Life Archive showed that she trusted him wholeheartedly, he could no longer truly trust her without reservation.

While she was choosing a way out for herself, she had no idea that he had already lost the right to choose one for himself.

Still, he hoped that this time Yun Qingxuan would not disappoint him.

Putting his hopes in someone else again was, in truth, hardly wise.

If Yun Qingxuan schemed against him again, he would truly be doomed beyond redemption!

But what other choice did he have?

After crossing into this world, his grand ambitions had rekindled with the return of his past-life memories. But after fifteen years of doing nothing and getting nowhere, he had sunk into gloom and frustration. Truthfully, all he wanted was to coast through life and wait for death.

Even when he first met Mu Yuxi, he had never truly thought about winning her favor, much less about practicing Dual Cultivation with her.

Those things were obviously nothing but pipe dreams!

His wishes were actually very simple—pose as a Heavenly Secrets Master, latch onto a powerful patron, and gain a little status and a few benefits. Maybe even secure a bit of backing, just to make life easier for himself.

After being beaten black and blue several times by his father, that unscrupulous old man, and after a few ordinary cultivators in Lihe Village determined that he had no talent for cultivation and no special constitution, he had already accepted his fate.

In his past life, he hadn't been a top student. He couldn't make glass or soap, nor could he invent things like gunpowder.

Of course, even if he could, those things would be useless in a world where people soared through the skies and burrowed through the earth, wielding all kinds of magical arts.

His wishes were simple: if he could have three wives and four concubines, all the better. If not, he'd find two ordinary women to marry, keep one in each arm, and live out a plain, peaceful life.

He might never achieve anything great, but it wouldn't be hard to live out his days as an ordinary person, comfortable and well-off.

But then the system awakened, and his expectations rose just a little. With them came the thought of setting foot on the path of cultivation.

Even so, it was only a passing thought. If someone treated him with sincerity, he would repay them a hundredfold.

What a pity...

"Have I not shown enough sincerity by saving your lives time and again?"

"Is my ability to divine the future not powerful enough for you to offer me your sincerity and make an effort to befriend me?"

"What great principles? What cataclysm? They're nothing but fig leaves to cover the ugliness in your hearts! You have never truly felt compassion, never cared about anyone else's life!"

"You've only ever lived for yourselves!"

"The only reason you claim to have reservations is that you haven't repaid my kindness, and you're afraid of entangling yourselves in karma and bringing an Inner Demon upon you!"

"I was wrong after all!"

"Want to coast through life and wait for death? In a world like this, you can't coast through life—you can only wait for death!"

"As an ant, having even a few special abilities is a crime. A man carrying jade is bound to invite trouble!"

"Weakness is the original sin. Others can trample your life without even needing a reason."

"Today, I swallowed my pride and plastered on a smile, gave you guidance, and was willing to be your dog, asking only for a little respect and a lifetime of peace and prosperity. Yet you still want to wipe me out!"

"Fine. We'll see who has the last laugh!"

"I may die, but you won't achieve what you're after either!"

"People only become who they are when they're pushed to the brink!"

Su Li paced back and forth across the courtyard on Yunxiu Peak, his emotions surging and crashing before finally settling into calm.

Then he stopped blaming fate and dwelling on the past.

He began to quietly recall what had happened, carefully reviewing everything he had experienced over the past few days.

And then he noticed something.

When he had first divined Fang Yueheng's fate, he had seen Yaolan fail to transform into an infant soul, followed by an upheaval at the Nine Desolations Altar. Then Fang Yueheng's dormant second soul, the Soul of Demise, would awaken and become a peerless fiend, rampaging everywhere and slaughtering people.

But the future he had divined for Yun Qingxuan showed that Yaolan had successfully transformed into an infant soul, only to be suppressed by Yun Qingxuan!

In other words, the peerless fiend who should have emerged when the Soul of Demise awakened had not appeared this time.

Beyond that, the cause of this whole affair was simple: Fang Yueheng and Liu Songquan had been assassinated by Fang Yueyu, setting off the chain of events.

In the end, only Gongcheng Tiansheng had come out on top. Everyone else had been wiped out.

But the fates of the people from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion and Hua Yunxiao's ancestor, Hua Lingshang, had not been revealed.

They had not appeared at all in Yun Qingxuan's future archive.

The changes in Yun Qingxuan's future began at 16:13 three days from now. Before then, her archive was blank—which meant nothing major had happened to her during that period.

So where had Yun Qingxuan gone during those three days?

And what had she done?

"Master Su."

"Master Su."

As Su Li was lost in thought, two streaks of light came flying through the sky.

After two melodious voices rang out, Hua Ziyan and Mu Yuxi landed in the courtyard.

Hua Ziyan was dressed in a gauzy purple skirt today, giving her an especially ethereal air.

A leisurely smile touched the corners of her eyes; she seemed to be in high spirits.

Mu Yuxi, meanwhile, stood prettily in a light pink gauze dress, looking especially delicate and lovely.

When Su Li looked at her, his eyes met her clear, lively gaze, which held a hint of admiration.

She froze for a moment, then two shy blushes rose on her cheeks. She lowered her head in embarrassment, avoiding his gaze.

"Here so early? What, did you miss me, Master?"

Su Li kept his feelings off his face and teased them casually instead.

Soon, he would be doomed beyond redemption. He might not escape death either way, so he had let go and decided to act as he pleased.

"Master Su truly lives up to his reputation as a Heavenly Secrets Master. You even knew that. Little sister Yuxi is about to pine herself sick."

Hua Ziyan teased him.

As she looked at Mu Yuxi, she felt a strange pang of envy.

"Sister Li, you're teasing me again... Master Su, please don't, don't misunderstand."

At Hua Ziyan's words, Mu Yuxi was mortified. Her face grew even redder, and she looked utterly flustered.

Su Li smiled. "But I've already misunderstood. What should I do now?"

At his words, Mu Yuxi's heart skipped a beat, then pounded like a startled deer.

Her lips parted slightly. She looked dazed and adorably blank, as if she wanted to say something but had no idea what.

"Master Su, if you keep teasing Yuxi, she really will pine herself sick."

Hua Ziyan broke into a smile and smoothly came to Mu Yuxi's rescue.

Su Li gave a slight nod. "All right. I was too forward with a lovely young lady. Fairy Li, have you come because of how I helped you successfully transform your Nascent Soul yesterday?"

Hua Ziyan nodded gently, then bowed with the utmost respect and spoke softly. "Yesterday, my cultivation and transformation were at a critical moment, and I had no time to thank you. So I came today especially to express my gratitude for your guidance, Master Su. Without it, I'm afraid I wouldn't have survived more than a few days.

"This is the third time you've saved my life, Master Su. Your kindness is beyond repayment—"

"Sister Li, if you can't repay him, you could always offer yourself to him."

Mu Yuxi seized her chance and turned the tables on her.

Hmph! That's what you get for teasing me earlier!

Hua Ziyan's breath caught, and her face flushed at once.

When she seemed to notice Master Su's gaze falling on her, even her eyes began to dart around in a panic.

"Yuxi, don't be ridiculous! I think you're the one with that idea and you're just pinning it on me. Besides, the Holy Lord said that starting today, you'll be Master Su's 'personal' maid."

Hua Ziyan was flustered, so she emphasized the word "personal."

Then, as if she had thought of something, she added, "Besides, Master Su has saved you several times, too. You can offer yourself to him as well. That way, you can use the Yin Yang Harmony Method to achieve perfect chaos together. Maybe Master Su will be able to solve his... his friend's inability to cultivate!"

Watching the friendship between the two sisters capsize at the drop of a hat, Su Li couldn't help sighing.

It was wonderful to be young.

It was even better to live in blissful ignorance.

In ordinary circumstances, their playful banter would have made for a lovely scene.

But right now, he was about to be butchered, have his body taken over, or even be refined alive. Was it really appropriate for them to be joking around like this?

"Fairies, let's talk about favors, maids, and offering yourselves another time. Right now, there's really... no point. Something major is about to happen today, and it's extremely important."

Su Li did not want to prolong the discussion, so he changed the subject at once.

"Master Su, is something major about to happen again?"

Hua Ziyan immediately stopped teasing Mu Yuxi, her expression turning serious.

"Master Su, is there anything you need us to do?"

Mu Yuxi also asked respectfully.

She had faintly sensed that while she and Sister Li were joking around, Master Su had seemed deeply lonely for an instant.

But when she tried to sense it more carefully, she felt nothing at all, as if she had only imagined it.

Now that Master Su had spoken, she realized the matter was probably serious.

"Fairy Li, go and bring Holy Lord Yun Wanchu and the True Disciple Fang Yueheng here. Tell them I have something I'd like to discuss with them."

Su Li thought it over, then said.

Then he looked at Mu Yuxi and said, "Fairy Yuxi, wait here. There are some things I'd like to discuss with you in detail, too."

Hua Ziyan did not suspect anything. She dipped into a slight curtsy and said, "Please wait a moment, Master Su. I'll be right back. Yuxi, I'll leave Master Su in your hands."

"Go ahead, Sister Li."

Mu Yuxi bid Hua Ziyan farewell. Only after Hua Ziyan had left did she shyly turn back to Su Li and ask softly, "Master Su, what... what did you want to discuss with Yuxi?"

Seeing how shy she was, full of girlish charm, Su Li thought of her tragic fate and couldn't help feeling wistful.

"Six days ago, when I first divined your fate, the result was actually all right. But perhaps because I kept interfering with fate, your destiny changed.

"I just divined it again and saw some new things...

"By the way, are you interested in learning what led to the destruction of your Mu family?"

Su Li did not deliberately lower his voice or set up any kind of barrier.

He was a special existence who could not be divined. And there were no formations here for monitoring people, either, so he was not worried about anyone overhearing.

At his words, Mu Yuxi's body trembled, and her face went pale.

After a moment's silent reflection, she lifted her head. Tears glistened faintly in her eyes.

"Master Su, the more significant the secrets of heaven you divine, the stronger the backlash becomes, and the more dangers and misfortunes befall you, doesn't it?"

Mu Yuxi's sudden question left Su Li momentarily stunned.

Then, like a flash of lightning, he grasped a few threads of cause and effect. Why had he suddenly been dragged into such a complicated crisis?

He feared it truly had a great deal to do with what Mu Yuxi had just said!

He had gotten far too involved! In almost every deadly chain of events, he had been right there, intervening directly!

But that was not the point. The point was, what did Mu Yuxi mean by saying that?

Su Li accessed Mu Yuxi's Life Archive System and took a look.

Then he fell silent.

The fate section of Mu Yuxi's Life Archive had once again changed to: on the verge of death.

And as for what she was thinking right now—Mu Yuxi wasn't thinking of herself at all. She was thinking that if the divination's results were terrifying, she would rather not know, so Master Su wouldn't become entangled in the cause and effect.

That pure thought felt like a ray of sunlight suddenly shining into the depths of Su Li's heart, bringing a glimmer of light to the part of his soul that was about to be swallowed by darkness.

"It's all right, really."

After a long silence, Su Li spoke.

"Then Yuxi isn't interested in finding out. In my memories, the Mu family was very powerful. If even the Mu family was wiped out, then I have no way of dealing with it right now. I'd only be exposing myself.

"If I get the chance, I'll grow stronger and investigate what happened myself...

"More importantly, if you tell me about it, Master Su, you'll get dragged into it. But I don't have the ability to protect you, the way Senior Hua and Holy Lord Yun can.

"So I don't want you to shoulder too much cause and effect or too many calamities."

Mu Yuxi spoke with complete sincerity.

Su Li's heart stirred again.

He drew a deep breath, moved a little closer to Mu Yuxi, and reached out to take her hand.

Mu Yuxi instinctively tried to pull away, but stopped halfway. She suddenly remembered the loneliness hidden behind Master Su's bright smile earlier, and felt a pang of compassion for him.

So she stopped resisting and let Su Li hold her hand.

Mu Yuxi's hand was soft and very cold.

As he took it, Su Li could even feel strands of indescribable, bone-chilling cold flowing through his hands, up his arms, and into every part of his body.

It was an uncomfortable sensation, yet strangely intoxicating—a feeling that was difficult to describe.

"I wasn't planning on hiding this from you. Whether you want to know or not, there are things I'm going to tell you.

"Whether you believe me is your choice.

"If you do believe me, then when Holy Lord Yun opens the forbidden grounds for training later, agree to go. Then, after he leaves, use every means at your disposal to conceal your aura and slip away to the Blazing Wasteland!

"There's an ancient Soul Suppressing Stele there.

"The Soul Suppressing Stele fell from the heavens, but there are also some unusual dangers within it.

"The dangers and opportunities go hand in hand. You might die there, but it's still far better than staying at Wanli Holy Land.

"Because your constitution has already been chosen for use as a 'cauldron.' When the time comes, you'll be sold out, then subjected to every kind of humiliation and abuse. Your end will be miserable..."

"Master Su, then... are you staying here?"

Mu Yuxi's beautiful eyes fixed directly on Su Li's face.

"I... am staying."

Su Li did not deny it.

"Then Yuxi won't leave either. Master Su, I'll stay and protect you. Or I can take you with me and we can sneak away right now!"

Mu Yuxi was innocent, but she wasn't foolish.

She had clearly pieced together a whole series of crises from Su Li's words.

"There's no use. Although I'm not being watched, I'm afraid they've secretly laid a vast net beyond this mountain peak. There's no way I can leave."

As he spoke, Su Li let go of Mu Yuxi's hand and patted her fragrant shoulder. "You're one of the key factors. If you leave, many things won't be able to function as they should."

At this, Mu Yuxi shook her head. "If I'm one of the key factors, then I'm afraid I can't leave now, any more than you can, Master Su. There's only one way to find out."

As she spoke, Mu Yuxi gave Su Li a long look, then took out a Heavenly Escape Talisman on the spot. In an instant, she turned into a streak of light and vanished.

But the distant sky suddenly shuddered violently. The talisman exploded, and Mu Yuxi's figure was flung back.

At the same time, a streak of fresh blood appeared at the corner of her mouth.

Su Li's pupils contracted. Hadn't Mu Yuxi just alerted the enemy?

Mu Yuxi seemed to see his worry and gently reassured him, "Master Su, there's no need to worry. We use Heavenly Escape Talismans when we go out as usual, too. If I try to leave now and get blocked—even if I suffer some backlash—they won't suspect anything.

"Besides, if things really have come to this, whether they're suspicious or not won't make much difference anyway."

Su Li was just about to speak when his heart stirred. He looked toward the direction Mu Yuxi had fled earlier and said gravely, "They're here."

Mu Yuxi nodded lightly. "Master Su, please rest assured. If it weren't for you, I would've died that afternoon five days ago. So I will never let anyone wrong you. My strength may be meager, but that doesn't mean people can bully me as they please!"

Thanks to the reader '9只穿云贱' for the 8,001 Qidian coins! Thank you so, so much~