Red silk was tied to the Bodhi tree, resembling a bridal gown worn by a new bride.
Ji Rong gazed at the stele beneath the tree.
It was an ordinary stele, its inscription obscured by clouds and mist, making it difficult to discern what was written.
Ji Rong squinted and took a few steps closer.
As the mist dissipated, the text on the stele became clear in an instant.
Few cultivators could even understand the second stele, but there were still some who could decipher its mystery. However, for the past hundred years, no one has been able to understand the third stele.
Even Jiang Fei, after looking at the third stele, laughed heartily and left with a wave of her sleeve, leaving behind a cryptic remark:
"This stele cannot be understood by the people of this place."
Ji Rong looked at the inscription on the stele, her hands trembling slightly.
She finally understood why no one had been able to decipher this stele for the past hundred years.
Because, damn it, this is—
It's written in English and Simplified Chinese!
The English text was beautifully handwritten in cursive, etched with the sharp edge of a sword, elegant yet strong, and neatly arranged. The few lines in Simplified Chinese had a striking, independent style, as though they existed in another world.
No matter how you looked at it, it was a far cry from her own youthful handwriting.
A myriad of thoughts flashed through Ji Rong's mind.
The first possibility: this was a design created by the game developers, specifically to make countless players burst into laughter.
She thought about it and decided that this was unlikely, as the developers had set it so that players would automatically skip the third stele and move on to collect experience points. Adding more drama to the third stele would seem redundant.
The second possibility: Yue Qianqiu was also someone who had entered the game, so she had inscribed the stele with English and Simplified Chinese just to make a joke for all the cultivators.
... Yue Qianqiu must be insane.
Ji Rong thought to herself, even the Sword Saint wouldn't be so reckless as to set traps for future generations.
So, she decided to finish reading the stele before brainstorming further.
She read the first line, entirely in English.
She silently translated it with a fabricated accent:
"My surname is Yue, Yue Qianqiu."
"I have four disciples. The eldest is named Mei He, the second is named Gong Yu, the third is named Chu Changli, and the fourth is named Bai Yushuang."
"My memory is terrible, so I wrote it here so I won't forget."
Ji Rong: "..."
Yue Qianqiu really is crazy.
The second line was in Simplified Chinese, though it was written rather casually, possibly in cursive. It took her a while to decipher what Yue Qianqiu had written.
"I later realized I've done many things wrong, but I've also done many things right."
"I am loyal to the Dao of Heaven, yet the Dao of Heaven has plotted against me."
"I cannot defeat the Dao of Heaven, but you can."
"You can change your fate."
Ji Rong rubbed her nose.
Yue Qianqiu had no idea who would read this stele, and the person she picked to read it was just too random.
With a casual attitude, Ji Rong turned her attention to the third line.
"You think I'm joking? Stop thinking. I'm talking about you."
Ji Rong: "..."
She had the strange feeling that she was being watched.
"Everything has a cause and an effect. When you reach the end, you will naturally understand the cause."
Ji Rong: "?"
What kind of divine logic is this? Knowing the result will make you understand the cause?
She thought about it and realized there was some logic to it.
But still, it felt like saying nothing at all.
If you finish a bowl of rice, you'll know what rice tastes like?
Ji Rong understood.
So, Yue Qianqiu was a riddle master, and a philosopher as well.
As soon as Ji Rong finished reading the line, the text on the stele miraculously disappeared.
The red silk on the Bodhi tree still fluttered in the wind.
Having finished reading the stele, Ji Rong decided to return along the same path.
However, as she turned to take her first step, she found that the scenery ahead was exactly the same as when she arrived.
Vines twisted around, and round stones lay scattered on the ground.
Ji Rong stepped forward, astonished to see her legs pass through a watery barrier, and Gong Yu, dressed in red, stood before her.
"Did you understand the third stele?"
Gong Yu's face looked inexplicably pale. She covered her mouth and coughed before murmuring, "Well, I suppose you should be able to understand..."
[Beep! Congratulations, player. Gong Yu's affection +20.]
Before Ji Rong could react, Gong Yu had already regained her usual composure and said to her, "When Master set up these three steles, she said that if anyone can understand the third one, they wouldn't need to turn back along the path but would walk straight through the barrier."
Gong Yu paused for a moment, then asked, "Changqin, since you can understand the stele, could you tell me what it says?"
Indeed, gossip was human nature.
Ji Rong recalled Gong Yu's actions in the original owner's dreams and the bloodstained corners of the courtyard table.
So she said indifferently, "What the Sword Saint said, the disciple only has a partial understanding, so it can't be considered that I fully understood it."
Gong Yu frowned slightly, her coughs growing more intense.
Her face was an unhealthy white, and the light shone through the thick clouds into her eyes, her pupils pitch-black, without a trace of light.
After a long pause, Gong Yu nodded and softly said, "If that's the case, then it's fine."
Ji Rong looked at Gong Yu's sickly appearance and recalled Yue Qianqiu's casual remark.
"I have four disciples, and my memory is bad, so I wrote it here so I wouldn't forget."
She had the feeling that, with Yue Qianqiu's casual personality, Gong Yu might have been misled.
Just as Ji Rong silently complained, an electronic voice rang in her mind.
[Detection: Player has broken through the Stepping on the Moon realm. A new main quest, "The Bodhi Tree Has No Tree," is now unlocked.]
[Considering Gu Baiyi's affection for the player, the system calculates that the difficulty level of this main quest is Asura-level, with a 70% risk of death.]
[Please proceed with caution.]
Ji Rong: "..."
Is there even a choice with a 70% risk of death?
Can I directly choose death?
[Sorry~ You cannot.]
[Detection: Gong Yu's affection for the player ≥ 30. Gong Yu will now unlock the new main quest for the player.]
Ji Rong frowned. She hadn't fully understood what the system meant by "Gong Yu unlocking the new main quest," but before she could think more on it, Gong Yu spoke to her.
"The double petals of the Blue Lotus of the Bodhi Sect have bloomed. Master Kongji invites heroes from across the world to debate Buddhist doctrine. Changqin, you should go with them."
Though Ji Rong knew this was necessary for the main quest, she was still somewhat confused.
What did debating Buddhist doctrine have to do with her, a sword cultivator?
Ji Rong decided to decline first. "I know very little about Buddhist doctrine..."
"Since you can understand Master's third stele, your understanding should not be lacking," Gong Yu interrupted Ji Rong's words, calmly saying, "It's fine to go to Kongshan and contemplate the Dao. There's no need to decline. This opportunity should go to the most capable."
Ji Rong had the distinct feeling that Gong Yu was giving her a backdoor pass.
But Gong Yu was truly too strange. Since she had poisoned the original owner before, why was she now giving so many benefits to Ji Rong?
She didn't understand.
Gong Yu stared at Ji Rong's face for a long time before speaking.
"Tomorrow, people from the Bodhi Sect will come to the Wanjian Sect. You should prepare early."
"Understood."
As soon as she finished speaking, Gong Yu turned and walked away. After taking only a few steps, she suddenly looked back and said to Ji Rong, "Changqin, be careful on your journey."
Ji Rong looked at Gong Yu's ambiguous expression, feeling a little confused, but still nodded.
The setting sun sank behind the mountain peaks, and light rain began to fall in the forest.
The red figure seemed a little desolate in the wind and rain. Gong Yu walked over the mountain stones and gradually disappeared into the mist.
…
Same day, Western Mountain Demon Sect.
Changqing knelt on the jade tiles of the Demon Hall, her head lowered as she gently played the zither.
The piece she played was Feng Qiu Huang (Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix), its melody rich with lingering notes, expressing deep sorrow.
Gu Baiyi listened to the zither's sound, her gaze drifting to the simple hairband resting on the desk. The stitching on it was exceptionally delicate, and the edges were embroidered with thousand-petal plum blossoms.
She furrowed her brow, reaching for the hairband. She examined it for a while with a neutral expression, then set it down again. A dark flame of magic rose from her palm, burning the delicate silk embroidered with the plum blossoms.
The demonic flame was heavy, the flames curling over the petals and slowly consuming the pure white fabric.
Gu Baiyi's expression remained calm as she watched the hairband turn to ashes, scattering across the desk as if the wind would blow it away at any moment.
However, the next moment, the flame in her hand changed instantly into a clear white fire, and the ash that was about to disperse tightly clumped together.
The ash clung together like wings, forming into a pure white hairband.
The thousand-petal plum blossoms were vividly embroidered on the edges.
Gu Baiyi held the hairband, smiling faintly in the dim light.
But her smile soon faded.
She remembered the origins of the hairband and the words Ji Rong had spoken that day.
"I brought Gu Baiyi here because I didn't want Mei Lixue's death to be a quick one. Stabbing her with a chaotic sword would be too easy. I want her to be torn apart, with no place for her to be buried."
No place for her to be buried?
Senior Sister, do you really hate me that much?
Gu Baiyi quietly stared at the hairband, flames once again rising in her palm.
Meanwhile, Changqing, who was still playing the zither, sneaked a glance at Gu Baiyi's movements, no longer surprised.
This was the eighty-sixth time the Demon Lord had burned this hairband.
The Demon Lord often enjoyed burning things, phoenix flowers, letters sent by the Left Protector, gifts given to her, fingers stained with blood from subordinates, treasures taken from mortals...
After burning these things, the Demon Lord would only smile faintly, her face showing no regret.
Only when it came to this hairband did the Demon Lord show a complex expression, repeatedly burning it, and then using magic to restore it.
Changqing thought to herself, the Demon Lord really is a strange person.
Yet, just as the hairband was half-burned, someone walked into the hall.
The person was covered in blood, with blood on his face, appearing quite disheveled. Yet, he dared not show any sign of disrespect before Gu Baiyi.
He kneeled and spoke, "Demon Lord, my subordinate discovered a sword cultivator near Western Mountain the other day. It seems he had nowhere else to run, and there were pursuers after him, so he fled to Western Mountain. However, judging by his clothes, he should be from the Wanjian Sect."
"Oh? Someone from the Wanjian Sect?"
Gu Baiyi paused her actions, placing the half-burned hair band on the desk. With interest, she asked, "Did you capture him?"
The Demon Sect disciple replied, "Yes, he's outside the hall now."
"Bring him up here."
The disciple acknowledged, getting up and leaving the hall.
After a while, three Demon Sect disciples brought in a man, bound with spiritual chains.
The man wore tattered red clothes, his face pale and drained of blood, covered in mud and blood.
The Demon Sect disciples threw him onto the ground, and a folding fan fell from the man's sleeve, covered in blood, hitting the jade tiles.
The man struggled to raise his head and, through the layers of curtains, looked toward the person seated on the high platform.
At the sight, his already pale face grew even more ashen. Then, he seemed to regain his composure, and surprisingly smiled, saying to Gu Baiyi, "Junior Sister Gu, who would've thought it was you. It seems I am fated to meet you again..."
Gu Baiyi gazed at the man, Xie Bai, lying on the floor but did not speak.
She smiled faintly and slowly descended the steps.
Her steps were slow and light, but each one echoed clearly in the empty hall.
Xie Bai looked up, watching Gu Baiyi approach.
The woman wore a black robe, embroidered with dark silver cloud patterns, giving her an air of nobility and coldness.
Her expression was icy, no longer resembling the person she once was.
Xie Bai sighed almost imperceptibly.
Then, he watched as Gu Baiyi lifted her foot and crushed his finger bones beneath her heel.
A blood-curdling scream reverberated through the Demon Hall.
Changqing and the Demon Sect disciples, standing nearby, looked on with indifference. It seemed like just another routine occurrence.
After all, it was just a few fingers.
They couldn't help but feel that today the Demon Lord seemed particularly merciful.
Xie Bai trembled with pain, his face twisted in agony, but he kept laughing hysterically. "Junior Sister Gu, you're really... you're really something. The one who crushed your finger bones was Ji Rong. Why don't you go pay her back? Why hold it against me..."
"If you insist on holding this against me, you should have stabbed me with your sword, instead of torturing me here."
"Grievances have their source, debts have their debtors. Go and torment your good Senior Sister instead, how about that?"
At these words, Gu Baiyi smiled.
She crouched down, looked into Xie Bai's eyes, and softly said, "I'm keeping you alive because you're still useful. Do you understand?"
...
The next day, Wanjian Sect.
The roads of Bixue Peak were still damp from last night's rain.
Mei He was not there, so Gong Yu had been waiting at the mountain gate early for the people from the Bodhi Sect.
Before long, several sedan chairs slowly descended from the sky.
The curtains lifted, and a few monks clad in kasaya stepped out.
Gong Yu walked closer, smiling. "Gentlemen, I apologize for the lack of hospitality."
The leading monk, dressed in a bright red kasaya, clasped his hands together and replied,
"There is no need for apologies, Master Gong. Our temple is the true host here."
After a long exchange of pleasantries, the conversation eventually stopped.
Gong Yu smiled and glanced toward the mountain gate, where a white figure appeared. The newcomer walked leisurely, holding a snow fox in their arms.
The figure's stature and bearing indicated it was Ji Rong.
Ji Rong hadn't slept well the previous night, troubled by many dreams, so she woke up a little later than usual, arriving somewhat delayed.
Gong Yu didn't mind and introduced her to the monks for a long while.
Ji Rong stood to the side, expressionless, holding the fox, her head aching from the conversation.
It felt like being at a banquet, introduced by elders to distant relatives.
The monks looked at Ji Rong, smiling and nodding. One of them spoke, "I see that the benefactor has a fate with Buddhism."
Ji Rong: "..."
Fine, say whatever you want.
Just as she thought this, Gong Yu had already arranged a flying sedan for her.
The sedan, draped in blue velvet, stood at the mountain gate, looking quite magnificent.
After bidding Gong Yu farewell, Ji Rong, holding the snow fox, lifted the curtain and sat inside.
As soon as she sat down, a sword was pressed against her neck.
She was shocked.
What kind of mission is this, stepping out only to face the risk of death?
Ji Rong instinctively lowered her head to look, and saw familiar cloud patterns carved on the sword's hilt.
Her mind went blank.
This... Heavens.
Just as Ji Rong was stunned, she instinctively moved her body. Her pale neck brushed against the sword, drawing a line of blood.
At that moment, Gu Baiyi, seated in the sedan, held the Hanshui sword to Ji Rong's neck. She reached out, her long fingers lightly tracing the delicate neck.
She licked the blood from her finger and smiled at Ji Rong, saying, "Senior Sister, don't move."
"Otherwise, I'm afraid I might accidentally kill you."