After the trial ended, Wen Jian did not spare a moment to rest. With True Person Yu Qing's instructions weighing on his mind, he registered with the elder in charge of trials the moment he returned to the Profound Heaven Sect, then raced nonstop toward Misty Spirit Peak.
Upon seeing True Person Yu Qing, before he could even speak, True Person Yu Qing questioned him first, a faint urgency in his voice. "The malevolent spirits you encountered during this trial—there were two of them?"
Wen Jian froze slightly, then hurriedly answered, "Yes."
True Person Yu Qing immediately asked again, "They were a loving couple?"
Wen Jian was even more astonished, yet he still answered honestly, "Yes."
True Person Yu Qing's gaze burned as he pressed on. "They became evil ghosts because of a man-made calamity?"
"Yes." The more Wen Jian answered, the more surprised he became, and doubts rose in his heart. The Sect Master was indeed profoundly cultivated and knew every affair, great and small, within the sect, but surely he would not go to such lengths over a tiny Sunset Glow Village.
He recalled the Second Senior Brother's prediction before they had departed, one that had sounded absurd yet came true. Judging by this, the Sect Master Uncle knew the details of this trial so well that it was likely connected to the Second Senior Brother.
Thus, he recounted the trial in full detail. From the origins of the evil ghosts—how that ill-fated pair had been torn apart by their difference in status, how they had died bearing injustice and become evil ghosts—to the battle against them, every perilous instant, and finally how they had resolved the matter and laid a trap to bring the truth to light, he told it all without concealing a thing.
After listening, True Person Yu Qing slowly closed his eyes and sighed deeply. The faint suspicions in his heart had finally been confirmed, yet he was not surprised in the slightest.
No matter the reason, his beloved disciple Shen Yuxi truly possessed some ability to foresee the future. The significance of this was self-evident.
As he sighed, he could not help but feel relieved. If Shen Yuxi's ability truly came from the influence of the Heaven-Peeking Treasure, perhaps they really could find a way to save the Profound Heaven Sect from crisis. At that thought, a barely perceptible glimmer of hope flashed through True Person Yu Qing's eyes.
Wen Jian stepped forward and respectfully said, "Reporting to Sect Master, this disciple still has something he does not understand."
True Person Yu Qing's expression remained calm as he nodded faintly. "Speak freely."
Wen Jian frowned slightly, carefully recalling everything that had occurred in Sunset Glow Village. The doubt his junior brother had raised at the inn surfaced in his mind once more. At the time, his senior sister had said that the two ghosts had become so powerful after turning into ghosts because their feelings had been so sincere, but Wen Jian had always felt something was amiss.
One had to know that Golden Core stage cultivators were not roadside weeds that could be found everywhere. Even among sect disciples, one had to at least be an inner disciple—or even a personal disciple—to reach the Golden Core stage.
Yet these two ghosts had not even been cultivators in life. They had merely been ordinary mortals.
The resentment in Sunset Glow Village was indeed dense, but upon careful thought, rather than emanating from the two ghosts, it seemed more like it had come from the girls who had died unjustly in that dried-up well.
Therefore, it was truly difficult to explain how these two ghosts had possessed Golden Core strength the moment they took form.
Moreover, cultivators gathered in the Lingshu Heaven Domain. Even merely to preserve surface-level stability, the various powers would never allow Ghost Cultivators the chance to commit evil unchecked.
Compared to the other eight domains, the Lingshu Heaven Domain suppressed Ghost Cultivators even more severely. Ghost Cultivators found it difficult to gain a foothold here in the first place, so how could two evil ghosts with Golden Core strength suddenly appear?
Wen Jian's face was full of confusion, utterly at a loss.
Yet True Person Yu Qing had vaguely formed a guess. Both he and Xuanji Zi had divined that the Nine Domains would soon face a great calamity. Such a disaster would surely not descend without cause; there had to be omens beforehand. What had occurred in Sunset Glow Village might well be one of many such signs.
With that thought, True Person Yu Qing's expression settled. He slowly said, "I already know of this matter." With that, he gestured for Wen Jian to withdraw.
Immediately afterward, he summoned a disciple under his tutelage who lacked outstanding talent but was extremely sensitive to intelligence. After explaining the general situation, he instructed him sternly, "Watch Sunset Glow Village closely. Investigate in secret. Report every detail, and if there is the slightest stir in the grass or rustle in the wind, come report at once."
The disciple accepted the order and left.
After this incident, True Person Yu Qing realized that the Heaven-Peeking Treasure merging into his disciple's body had affected him in far more ways than merely causing his Heart Voice to leak out.
To thoroughly clarify the situation, firmly grasp the circumstances, and prevent the sect from falling into an unknown crisis, he decided to quietly conduct a series of tests.
True Person Yu Qing first began by observing the range of people involved. He discovered that not everyone had the chance to hear Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice.
This "special treatment" seemed to have a specific threshold. Only inner disciples, personal disciples, and elders could hear it. Outer disciples, servants, and even people from other sects noticed nothing at all. In their eyes, Shen Yuxi remained the same aloof and taciturn Second Senior Brother as usual.
Furthermore, the transmission of this Heart Voice seemed to have a clear range limit. The sound was crisp and real, as though it were spoken directly aloud. Once one moved farther away, it gradually became indistinct and difficult to hear, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.
Even more peculiar was that the more agitated Shen Yuxi became, the louder his Heart Voice grew, carrying ever more clearly into the ears of those nearby.
What shocked True Person Yu Qing even more was that among the occasional Heart Voices spilling from Shen Yuxi, he had caught fragments concerning not only the future of the Profound Heaven Sect, but even the future course of the entire Nine Domains. Those unclear words faintly hinted at a future picture capable of changing the whole board.
As Sect Master, True Person Yu Qing knew how grave this matter was. It was like standing at the edge of a cliff—one misstep could trigger an immeasurable calamity and drag the entire Profound Heaven Sect, even the Nine Domains, into an abyss of eternal damnation.
He understood that this matter would ultimately be difficult to conceal for long. Paper could never wrap fire forever. Thus, he swiftly weighed the pros and cons and made his decision: conceal the matter of the Heaven-Peeking Treasure, and only announce internally that Shen Yuxi had encountered a fortunate opportunity while away and obtained a wondrous ability that allowed him to observe the future to a certain extent.
So as not to affect Shen Yuxi's cultivation, he secretly used his authority as Sect Master to strictly order everyone who knew of the matter to behave exactly as usual in Shen Yuxi's presence. They absolutely could not reveal the slightest abnormality. When interacting with Shen Yuxi, they had to remain as natural as before and could not let him notice even a trace.
As for Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice, they were to keep it tightly sealed and not spread a single word. Otherwise, they would face the sect's harshest punishment.
During this time, he reshaped the Silencing Spell several times in accordance with the situation, but as more and more people heard the Heart Voice, the weakening of its effectiveness was nearly inevitable.
True Person Yu Qing had no choice but to directly imprint the Silencing Spell onto the sect-protecting grand formation. Once outside the sect, or when facing outsiders, the spell's power would strengthen and strictly restrain the disciples. As for among fellow sect disciples... he could only rely on their self-restraint.
They still did not know what side effects might arise, so True Person Yu Qing did not dare act rashly. He could only continue closely observing Shen Yuxi without revealing anything.
Every day, he appeared to converse with him casually, but his gaze was always watching Shen Yuxi's every movement and word, attempting to excavate more clues about the future from those minute details.
After learning of this, everyone initially found it extraordinarily novel. In the past, the Second Senior Brother had been as cold as an iceberg, always giving people the sense that he was difficult to approach. Yet now, they could "hear" all sorts of amusing complaints in his heart. It truly felt fresh beyond measure.
Everyone could not help exclaiming, "So this is what you're like, Second Senior Brother."
The few personal disciples who knew of this were even more restless with curiosity. Their curiosity grew like wild grass breaking through the soil, spreading madly, and all of them longed to hear Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice with their own ears and experience this unprecedented sensation. Yet every time, True Person Yu Qing stopped them.
After all, few people ordinarily dared approach Shen Yuxi casually. His aloof aura was like an invisible barrier that made people instinctively stop at a distance.
If everyone swarmed him now like hungry wolves pouncing on food just to hear their Second Senior Brother's Heart Voice, it would definitely arouse Shen Yuxi's suspicion and shatter this surface calm.
Left with no choice, everyone could only suppress the cat-scratching curiosity in their hearts and secretly exchange word behind the scenes about who had "casually" overheard what the Second Senior Brother was pondering this time.
Although Shen Yuxi noticed that his senior and junior brothers seemed to care for him somewhat more than usual after his injury, constantly asking after his well-being and tending to him with great concern, warmth still filled his heart. He simply assumed it was because their bond as fellow disciples ran deep.
Once his injuries healed, he returned to Spirit Pool Peak, where he lived alone. This action left all his senior and junior brothers stunned.
At Misty Spirit Peak, where the Sect Master resided, they could still use seeing the Sect Master as an excuse and "casually" listen in on their Second Senior Brother's Heart Voice. Though they had to be careful not to let him discover them, at least they still had a chance.
But only the Second Senior Brother lived on Spirit Pool Peak. Unless they truly had important business with him, there was no opportunity to "happen upon" him. And where were they supposed to find so many matters that only the Second Senior Brother could handle?
Thus, everyone could only gaze toward Spirit Pool Peak from afar, secretly hoping that they would have another chance to hear their Second Senior Brother's wonderfully entertaining Heart Voice.
Some racked their brains to see Shen Yuxi just so they could hear his Heart Voice. Naturally, others avoided him as if he were a plague, wishing to stay a hundred thousand miles away from him. Wen Jian was one of them.
Heaven knew what bizarre and strange thoughts filled the Second Senior Brother's head all day long!
When he returned from the Sunset Glow Village trial, Wen Jian had naturally paid Shen Yuxi a visit on the way, out of fellowship between sect members.
The moment he stepped into Shen Yuxi's residence, this Second Senior Brother still wore his usual indifferent expression and merely said flatly, "You're back."
Yet in his heart, it was like floodwaters bursting through a dam, pouring forth without end. Looks like the trial went pretty smoothly. In that case, his relationship with Third Junior Brother must have progressed rather well, right? Ah, in the midst of desperate straits, descending like a divine weapon from heaven, a hero saving a beauty, pulling him into his arms by the waist—and the beauty was even dressed in wedding robes. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I can't look, I can't look!
The moment Wen Jian entered and heard those words, his eyes flew wide open.
?? Second Senior Brother??
What in the world was he talking about? It had happened so suddenly. Before the trial, Wen Jian had felt awkward and harbored some small emotions, but when the real danger came, who had time to care about women's clothing or wedding robes? There had only been the matter at hand.
Wen Jian had originally felt there was nothing improper about this trial, but after the Second Senior Brother described it like that, the more he thought about it, the more every part of it felt unbearably awkward. Right! There was nothing wrong with the incident itself. The problem was the Second Senior Brother's brain, which was far too good at wild fantasies!
Before Wen Jian could recover from his shock, Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice burst forth again like a string of firecrackers. Not to mention that scene in the bridal chamber where he lifted the veil. That line, "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. I will never let that evil ghost have the slightest chance to harm you"—so affectionate and resolute, it was devastatingly swoon-worthy.
And with the Substitute Spell on top of that, wasn't that plainly one life for another? I refuse to believe Ninth Junior Brother wasn't moved. I! Absolutely! Refuse! To! Believe!
He not only repeated what Feng Yue had said to Wen Jian, but even deliberately imitated his tone to perfection. His rising and falling cadence seemed determined to magnify the nonexistent affection in Feng Yue's words without limit.
Second Senior Brother!!
Wen Jian was on the verge of tears. The Second Senior Brother's imagination was far too abundant! Things were not like that at all!
Don't explain. Explaining means covering up, and covering up means making up stories. I understand everything.
You understand an unborn salted egg!
Wen Jian was about to go mad, yet Shen Yuxi's Heart Voice continued. As expected of Third Junior Brother. An action-oriented man's ability to act is first-rate even when it comes to flirting with his wife. No wonder you brat have a wife.
Wen Jian's face instantly darkened. After remaining silent for a long while, he inwardly roared, *...*
Wen Jian had never imagined that he could feel such a powerful urge to slap the Second Senior Brother's exquisitely beautiful face—the kind that seemed untouched by mortal dust, like that of an immortal—twice, hard.
This person! What utterly bizarre, outrageously ridiculous things was he thinking about all day long?! Could he not be serious for once?!
Shen Yuxi, meanwhile, was completely unaware that his Heart Voice had been exposed. Still full of confusion, he tilted his head. "Ninth Junior Brother?"
Why are you just staring at me without speaking? Oh my~ What a fiery gaze. I'm not into that. Keep looking at me and I'm going to get shy.
Wen Jian... Wen Jian finally could not endure it any longer and flicked his sleeve as he left.
Watching Wen Jian's furious departing figure, Shen Yuxi wondered, What happened? There shouldn't have been anything wrong with what I said. Why did Ninth Junior Brother suddenly leave with such a dark face? Wasn't he here to examine me again? He didn't even take my pulse or ask how my injuries were recovering, and he left in such a hurry?
The Second Senior Brother felt wronged, but the Second Senior Brother said nothing. He even thought his junior brother's face turning red and then green was because he had recalled what had happened during the trial and was feeling shy.
Well, adolescents experiencing their first stirrings of love are like this. Their emotions are unstable. Understandable, understandable. The Second Senior Brother was magnanimous. The Second Senior Brother did not hold grudges.
As for Feng Yue, the other protagonist of this story, he was the absolute king of grindset cultivators.
Compared to the Eldest Senior Brother, whose talent was so extraordinary and strength so overwhelming that people felt inferior and could not even summon the desire to compare themselves to him, Feng Yue had always regarded the Second Senior Brother as the target he desperately sought to catch up to, cultivating with all his life on the line.
Sure enough, as soon as the trial ended, he immediately threw himself into secluded cultivation. With both ears shut to all affairs beyond his window and his heart fixed solely on cultivation, he naturally had no way of learning about this toe-curlingly awkward matter.
Meanwhile, Shen Yuxi's thoughts had always been like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins, galloping freely and drifting wherever they pleased. In the end, only Wen Jian knew of these fantasies from Shen Yuxi that were so embarrassing they could make one wish to burrow into the ground, and he alone silently endured this inexplicable torment.
After this, Wen Jian avoided the Second Senior Brother as far as he could. As for any gossip that came from the Second Senior Brother's mouth, he treated it with half belief and half doubt. Do not ask. If asked, the answer was: I don't believe the Second Senior Brother.
Nine Domains Encyclopedia:
○Heart Voice Rules
Only disciples of the [Profound Heaven Sect] [inner disciples and above] [utterly loyal to the sect, with no divided loyalties] could hear it.
Bonus Scene:
True Person Yu Qing: Treasure, oh treasure, I want people who can carry on the sect.
Heaven-Peeking Treasure: Understood. Everyone among the inner disciples who cannot hear the Heart Voice can be driven away.
True Person Yu Qing: Are all those who remain good people?
Heaven-Peeking Treasure: I don't know whether they're good or not, but they truly are willing to lay down their lives for your sect. Even if there are some extremists mixed in, they're willing to die for the sect. Why not tolerate their crooked values a little?
Before you continue