Dying Dao Sound

Ling Yao's willow-leaf brows furrowed slightly. For some reason, Qin Yu's stare made her feel flustered. At first, she had thought Qin Yu was captivated by her beauty, but the change in his gaze inexplicably threw her heart into disorder. More than that, though, she was angry.

As a woman, she possessed a keen sixth sense. She was certain that Qin Yu was not looking at her. It was as though, in Qin Yu's eyes, there was another person's shadow. This left Ling Yao faintly disappointed, even making her doubt her own appearance, but it angered her all the more. Raising the Golden Whip in her hand, she cried sweetly, "What are you looking at? Keep looking, and don't blame me for being rude."

Qin Yu came back to his senses, bitterness at the corner of his lips. How could the Ling Yao before him possibly be Zou Xueqing? Though their appearances were seventy percent alike, their temperaments and personalities were worlds apart.

Besides, after so many years, how could she be that person?

At that thought, Qin Yu let out a long sigh. He no longer looked at Ling Yao, instead taking out a medicinal pill he had obtained from Zi Xun'er and sitting down to recover from his injuries.

Ling Yao's face stiffened, and the hand raised in the air slowly lowered. Looking at Qin Yu, whose clothes were tattered and whose body was covered in bloody wounds, she suddenly recalled that Qin Yu had not groaned even once from beginning to end.

Her thoughts were inexplicably tangled. She lightly bit her lip, her clear eyes fixed on Qin Yu. At that moment, Ling Yao realized that she could not see through this minor cultivator who was only at the Eighth Level of the Martial Realm.

Moreover, that hazy, complex gaze from before had branded itself into Ling Yao's heart. The sorrow, desolation, and loneliness Qin Yu inadvertently revealed struck her heart even harder, as though this minor cultivator bore far too many hidden heartaches.

Just as Qin Yu had said, Ling Yao was indeed a daughter favored by heaven, one of the Jade Pool Sect's Saintess Candidates. Because of her Innate Dao Body, her cultivation had been smooth sailing. Though she was barely twenty, she had already reached the Spirit Infant Realm, a realm countless people could never cross. She was praised as the person most likely to become the next generation's Saintess and Sect Master.

Because she possessed both talent and beauty, Ling Yao was usually cherished within the Jade Pool Sect by her master and elders, held in their palms for fear she might fall, kept in their mouths for fear she might melt.

The excessive affection and the adoration of her senior brothers and sisters had gradually caused Ling Yao to lose herself. Yet she did not like that feeling. She always felt that something was missing from her life, and she had long wished to leave the Jade Pool Sect and see the world beyond.

This time, she heard that someone had actually been so audacious as to sneak into the back mountain and peep at her junior sisters bathing, while the disciples sent to capture him had returned empty-handed time and again. Ling Yao saw an opportunity and thus volunteered to capture Xiong Tatian and Li Tianji, leading to the present situation.

A quarter of an hour later.

Most of the bloody wounds on Qin Yu's body had already scabbed over. Qin Yu opened his eyes from meditation and saw Ling Yao standing with her hands behind her back, gazing into the depths of the hills. A breeze drifted past, lifting her white dress and her cascading black hair.

Qin Yu's eyes were filled with complicated emotions. Though he knew this beauty was not that beauty, Ling Yao's appearance still made it impossible for Qin Yu not to associate her with Zou Xueqing.

At that moment, the wolf cub that had been tossed aside seemed to awaken. It let out cries like a puppy's, as though it were hungry.

Ling Yao turned around and happened to catch Qin Yu's complicated gaze. Her willow-leaf brows furrowed, and she gave a cold snort.

Qin Yu withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to normal. He glanced at the howling wolf cub and slowly said, "Help me return the cub to the Wolf King. Let's leave the Land of Beast Burial."

Once he was sure Ling Yao would not attack again, Qin Yu no longer had any desire to remain here. With Ling Yao present, even if the Wolf King bore a grudge, it would not dare do anything to her. After all, it had been frightened by her words earlier.

Still, for safety's sake, it would be best to have Ling Yao return the cub first. Once the Wolf King had left, it would not be too late for them to go.

As for the Dao Mansion... Qin Yu had never truly expected to gain anything from it. Before the cave abode had even opened, Dao Realm cultivators were already watching it. That showed how extraordinary it was. When it truly emerged, who knew how many powerful experts it would attract? Even if he stayed here, he would not obtain any precious treasure, and he might even suffer a calamity brought on by others.

"Do you not have hands? Or feet?" Ling Yao said coldly. She had noticed that ever since Qin Yu saw her face, he seemed like a different person. This infuriated her, because she always felt that when Qin Yu looked at her, he was seeing someone else. As a favored daughter of heaven, Ling Yao could not endure it!

"I have plenty of information about your ancestor Zou Xueqing. If you help me with this, we can talk slowly," Qin Yu said with a helpless smile. Nothing came without profit; with Ling Yao's current attitude, he could only use something to tempt her.

Ling Yao's expression froze. She glared at Qin Yu indignantly. Instinctively, she wanted to refuse, but what Qin Yu said made refusal impossible. Lightly biting her lip, Ling Yao raised her right hand, and the wolf cub flew into it. She directly grabbed the cub and walked toward the Wolf King.

Only after Ling Yao handed the cub over to the Wolf King, and the Wolf King let out a joyful howl before carrying the cub away with the pack, did Qin Yu truly breathe a sigh of relief.

Slowly rising to his feet, Qin Yu planned to wait for half an hour. Once the Wolf King had gone far away, he and Ling Yao would leave this place and return to Tianwu Main City. Although his cultivation had yet to enter the Ninth Level of the Martial Realm, Qin Yu was confident he could break through within the following two months. By then, he was certain he could kill Cui Shuo with a single blow!

Just as Qin Yu watched Ling Yao approach, the space around them suddenly began to tremble for no apparent reason.

Qin Yu abruptly turned to look into the depths of the hills, his expression turning solemn. He vaguely heard an inexplicable sound as well. He could not describe it clearly; it seemed to exist, yet seemed not to exist. But Qin Yu was certain he had definitely heard it before!

"What kind of sound is this? Space is humming, Buddhist chants are echoing..." Qin Yu stared into the depths of the hills, deep in thought. He had absolutely heard this sound before, but for the moment, he could not recall where.

"We should leave first. This place is strange," Qin Yu muttered. As he spoke, he turned around to Ling Yao, who was walking over, and said, "This place is strange. Let's leave first!"

Before his words had even faded, Qin Yu quickly left. After taking a few steps, he abruptly stopped and turned to look at Ling Yao, who was still advancing slowly. "Fellow Daoist Ling?"

Ling Yao turned a deaf ear and continued forward slowly.

Qin Yu frowned slightly and stepped in front of Ling Yao. Only then did he discover that her eyes were somewhat unfocused, while her feet continued moving forward.

Qin Yu's heart jolted, and he vaguely guessed what was happening. Without another word, he grabbed Ling Yao and tried to run, but she swept her left hand. Protective energy burst in all directions, startling Qin Yu into retreating again and again.

"Ling Yao!" Qin Yu shouted in a low voice.

Ling Yao still turned a deaf ear, her steps even and slow as she continued onward!

Suddenly, Qin Yu faintly heard waves of ethereal Buddhist chants emanating from within Ling Yao's body. Seeing her walking corpse-like appearance, his pupils shrank sharply, and he cried out, "Dying Dao Sound!"

"How can this be? There is actually Dying Dao Sound here?" Qin Yu looked toward the depths of the hills in disbelief, his expression changing rapidly. Then, he suddenly looked at Ling Yao and murmured, "That's it. She reached the Spirit Infant Realm at such a young age—she has an Innate Dao Body!"

"Only an Innate Dao Body can resonate with the Dying Dao Sound! This place... is not a Dao Mansion at all, but a trap, a conspiracy!" Qin Yu was terrified.

Back at the Tian Qi Sect, Qin Yu had personally heard the Dying Dao Sound.

It had been the Dying Dao Sound produced when the Tian Qi Sect's Patriarch entered death-seclusion. At the time, the Tian Qi Sect was conducting assessments for new disciples, and a youth with an Innate Dao Body resonated with the Dying Dao Sound. In the end, he walked like a living corpse to the Patriarch's place of seclusion.

As for what happened afterward, Qin Yu did not know.

But the result was that the youth with the Innate Dao Body died miserably, while the Patriarch successfully broke through!

In the end, the matter was quietly dropped within the Tian Qi Sect. However, the youth's family received enormous compensation, and even his younger brother was accepted by the Patriarch as his last disciple.

Though Qin Yu had read tens of thousands of ancient books, the descriptions he had obtained regarding the Dying Dao Sound amounted to only a few scant lines. They merely said it could resonate with an Innate Dao Body; as for everything else, most of it was mere speculation!

Had Qin Yu not heard of it before, he would never have realized at this moment that it was the Dying Dao Sound! Ling Yao's fate would likely have been no different from that youth's.

"Wait, could there still be someone within this Dao Mansion? Or has some powerful existence been sealed here?" Qin Yu pondered gravely. He could not help regretting having returned the wolf cub to the Wolf King so quickly. Otherwise... he could have had the Wolf King help now. But now... with his own strength, it was difficult for him to stop Ling Yao.

Looking at Ling Yao's slowly retreating back, Qin Yu struggled fiercely within his heart.

If this had happened before, Qin Yu would not have hesitated. He would have simply left. In fact, he had come to this forbidden land looking for a chance to shake off Ling Yao. If he had the opportunity, he would certainly have left her here without a moment's hesitation.

But fate made fools of people. Ling Yao resembled Zou Xueqing so greatly that Qin Yu could not simply stand by.

"The same appearance, and both from the Jade Pool Sect... Is this heaven's will working in the shadows, or... have you come to fulfill the promise of the past?" Qin Yu muttered painfully. Watching Ling Yao's figure, he struggled more and more fiercely.

Ling Yao was gradually walking farther away. Qin Yu did not have much time left to hesitate.

Gritting his teeth, Qin Yu slowly closed his eyes. That sweet smile and that voice like a yellow oriole surfaced in his mind.

After a long while, Qin Yu suddenly snapped his eyes open. A faint crimson light bloomed all over his body as he charged toward Ling Yao.