Chapter 90 Heartless

The Trailing Seal on the inside of her palm resonated and burned hot. Su Su raised her eyes and met Tantai Jin’s gaze.

She had never seen him like this before.

Tantai Jin had always been arrogant, unruly and gloomy, but right now, he was tightly gripping Zang Hai’s disciple robe. The blood streaming from his body turned his white clothes red.

He looked at her, his gaze filled with a trace of pain.

Su Su pursed the corners of her lips. Why would I feel like a person like him could be sad? Would he even feel bad about harming others?

No one had expected her to hit someone, and the Hengyang Sect disciples surrounded her, “Junior Sister Li, why would you……”

Su Su didn’t intend to cover for Tantai Jin in the slightest and said, “He launched a sneak attack on me and Fuya.”

At her words, the Hengyang Sect disciples all angrily glared at Tantai Jin.

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The scent of pine was like the pure white snow of the mortal realm.

Su Su clenched her fist and suddenly said, “Let’s go.”

“Junior Sister?” the Hengyang Sect members asked.

“Let’s go,” Su Su repeated, and took the lead back towards the flying immortal artifact.

She understood that what Zang Hai said was right. Tantai Jin was a member of the Xiaoyao Sect. Now that the Great War of Immortals and Devils was imminent³一触即发 (yīchù-jífā) – an idiom; may break out at any moment; on the verge, personal grudges shouldn’t escalate to enmity between the two sects.

The others looked at each other and followed Su Su’s steps one after another.

A pale and thin hand abruptly grabbed Su Su’s arm.

“Little Junior Brother!” Zang Hai cried out. The people of Hengyang Sect just decided to let the matter go for now, but Little Junior Brother still wants to chase after them. Does he not want his life anymore!

Su Su turned back, and saw an outstandingly handsome young face.

He ignored Zang Hai’s obstruction and hoarsely said, “Li Su Su, you said you’d take me with you.”

You promised to bring me home. You can hurt me. That’s fine, I’ve already gotten used to the pain. But how can you…… forget what you said?

Su Su stared at his stubborn dark eyes and softly said, “Let go.”

Who is he fooling now? Since he already knows I was Ye Xi Wu, he should understand that Ye Xi Wu would never say such words.

From the night Xiao Lin died, it was no longer possible.

The young man in white was still unwilling to let go, “Before, you said, you said……”

The Heartless Dao silently circulated within her spiritual core, and Su Su said, “Tantai Jin, don’t be ridiculous.”

Her palm stung, and the Trailing Seal emitted a faint light. Su Su frowned, and looked down at the Trailing Seal transforming into a red thread; one end was tied to her little finger, and the other was tied to Tantai Jin’s.

What is…… this?

Tantai Jin looked at the red thread, and his eyes lit up a little. He was about to say something when the young girl in front of him unhesitatingly used her finger as a sword, and blue karmic fire spread, burning the thread clean away.

He frantically grabbed at the thread, but the karmic fire burned his fingers, and all he got was a handful of ashes. Were the ashes so hot that the rims of his eyes turned red?

“Don’t use this kind of despicable method anymore,” Su Su frowned and said.

There was no longer any trust between them. Why would he think she’d believe in such cheap tricks when he’d always been so cunning?

The light in Tantai Jin’s eyes completely died out, and he fell silent.

“Little Junior Sister, let’s go,” the Hengyang Sect members said.

Su Su was worried about Yue Fuya. She looked away from Tantai Jin and turned around to get on the flying immortal artifact.

The immortal artifact turned into a carriage pulled by nine Luan⁴鸾  (luán) 鸾鸟 (luánniǎo) – a mythical bird related to the phoenix; The Luan’s plumage is blue, as opposed to the red or multi-colored plumage of the phoenix.

Image: birds and rose in the air. The Luan birds unfurled their majestic wings and emitted a melodious sound before disappearing into the air.

Zang Hai worriedly looked towards the still and lonely figure, who remained standing in place for a long time. 

“Junior Brother……”

Zang Hai walked forward. He didn’t know what had happened between Junior Sister Li and his Little Junior Brother, but he patted his shoulders comfortingly.

He looked up and saw his Junior Brother’s red eyes.

The young man in white bit the corner of his mouth hard, tightly clenching the Trailing Seal that had turned into ash, and the black residue stained the lines of his palm.

His expression seemed so desperate and vulnerable, like he was about to cry, but in the next moment, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His dark pupils looked at the Luan birds immortal carriage, and he laughed deeply.

His laughter frightened Zang Hai.

“Let’s go,” Tantai Jin said.

Zang Hai glanced at him, he was undoubtedly still his weak and pale Little Junior Brother.

*****

After Su Su got on the nine Luans immortal carriage, she couldn’t help but look at her little finger.

She had a fire spiritual root, and the karmic fire was her origin, so naturally, it didn’t hurt her. There was no trace of where the red thread used to be tied at all, as if nothing had ever happened.

She wouldn’t have said something like that, so Tantai Jin must have been lying to her.                

She had made stupid mistakes. She’d once gone to Tantai Jin’s side wholeheartedly, thinking that she could bring stability to the common people and peace everywhere.

But Xiao Lin’s death told her that she would never grasp Tantai Jin’s thoughts and should never overestimate her weight in his heart.

One moment he could pretend to be pitiful, with gentle smiles and meek words, but in the next, he could shoot a weak water arrow into her shoulder and make her his puppet.

She would never…… underestimate the enemy again.

The inside of the nine Luans immortal carriage was spacious, and it could travel over a thousand miles a day. Su Su walked over to the unconscious Yue Fuya and placed her finger between his brows. She could sense that his injuries were really serious.

Back then…… Tantai Jin really wanted to kill them both.

If it weren’t for the Past Mirror absorbing Su Su’s blood and reflecting Ye Xi Wu’s figure, perhaps she and Yue Fuya would already be dead.

The others advised her, “Don’t worry, Junior Sister. When we return to the sect, Immortal Senior Qu Xuanzi will definitely be able to ensure Junior Brother Yue recovers.”

Su Su nodded and sat back down.

There was a chill around her neck, as if something was moving. Su Su had been so lost in thought that she had only just realized that there was an extra pendant around her neck.

She took it off and looked at it. It looked like a konghou.

Each of the konghou’s strings emitted a dazzling pearlescent light, looking very flashy.

Since when did I…… have this thing?

Chongyu could sense her restlessness, but the disciples of Hengyang Sect were still around, so it didn’t dare to speak. Immortal artifacts couldn’t have a spirit, but divine artifacts could. So all it could do was dance in her palm and draw a heart.

The corners of Su Su’s mouth couldn’t help but curve up.

This pendant is quite cute.

Chongyu was also struggling about how to speak up. Su Su had nurtured her soul in the Thousand Miles Picture Scroll, and when immortals or gods nurtured their souls, they would forget everything that happened during that time. 

It had intended to remind Su Su that the Trailing Seal was indeed made by her. Just now, it couldn’t speak or it would expose itself as a divine artifact, but now, on second thought, the Trailing Seal had already been burned, so what would change if it said it aloud? Why should it make Su Su feel guilty?

Besides, that young man who could use the God Slaying Crossbow was really not a good person!

It was good for Su Su to stay far away from him. Why should she keep such a terrifying existence by her side? Chongyu fell into a dilemma.

The Sound Transmitting Compass on the table suddenly lit up, and everyone looked over.

It’s Gongye Jiwu!

Before Su Su entered the secret realm, Gongye Jiwu was afraid that something would happen to her, so he gave her a sound-transmitting magical tool. Now, the compass had lit up. Why would Gongye Jiwu take the initiative to contact her?

Su Su had a bad premonition, and she hurriedly picked it up, “Eldest Senior Brother?”

There wasn’t any response from the other side.

“Eldest Senior Brother, can you hear me?”

After a long time, a frightened voice came from the other side, “Something happened to Senior Brother Gongye…… help…… ahhh help!”

The Sound Transmitting Compass suddenly shook and fell silent.

The voice that was abruptly cut off sent everyone into a panic. Gongye Jiwu was one of the best among the young disciples. But something had befallen him at such a small mountain like Taixu. What exactly was in there?

It would take two more days to fly to Hengyang Sect, so Su Su quickly decided, “You bring Fuya back to the sect, I’ll go to Taixu to save Senior Brother.”

The Hengyang Sect disciples kept trying to stop her.

 “No, Junior Sister, you should bring Junior Brother Yue back and I’ll go take a look.”

“Yes, I can go too, but Junior Sister, you can’t.”

……

Most of the disciples present had cultivation of Golden Elixir stage, and they were all the future of the Hengyang Sect. Su Su didn’t speak. She made a hand-seal, and a fiery red blue-tailed phoenix flew out of her fingertips. Although the phoenix was still blurry, its red feathers carried a domineering karmic fire as it fluttered around Su Su.

Su Su looked up, “I’ll go rescue Senior Brother.”

Everyone looked at the phoenix with wide eyes, and this time, no one objected.

*****

Meanwhile, Tantai Jin and a worried Zang Hai were sitting on the flying wine gourd.

Zang Hai looked at the quiet young man sitting cross-legged and sighed again. Junior Brother was already a reserved person, but after this trip, he looked even colder and depressed.

He’d already said that their Xiaoyao Sect couldn’t provoke the precious daughter of Hengyang Sect. Their difference in status wasn’t just a generation gap, it was a mountain.

“Junior Brother, did you really injure the immortal friends from Hengyang Sect?” Zang Hai asked.

The young man opened his eyes. His lips were scarlet. Before he could speak, he coughed out a mouthful of blood which frightened Zang Hai, “Alright, alright, Junior Brother, don’t speak. Senior Brother believes you, there must be some misunderstanding.”

After Zang Hai stopped feeling nervous, he saw his Junior Brother looking at him with a faint smile.

“Where are we going?” The young man’s voice was clear and melodious.

The Xiaoyao Sect members were all poor, insensitive straight guys⁵straight guy here means that they are very simple-minded. Eg: When Tantai Jin showed an evil expression, Zang Hai only thought that he was contaminated by devilish Qi and nothing else.. Zang Hai didn’t feel like anything was wrong and answered, “We’re going to Taixu Mountain.”

“Taixu?”

“That’s right.” Speaking of Taixu, Zang Hai was quite embarrassed, “The Xiaoyao Sect can’t really avoid investigating the tragic case of Taixu’s extermination when the entire immortal realm had sent their disciples there, right? I sent a letter to the Master about this matter, and he said he would personally go take a look.”

Immortal Lord Zhao You was one of the two elders in Xiaoyao Sect, and had a great reputation. Xiaoyao Sect had very few people, so at times like this, only Zhao You could act as a representative⁶门面 (ménmian) – keep up appearances; put up a front; facade.

“Mmm, let’s go to Taixu then.”

The wine gourd was wobbly, but fortunately, it flew very fast. When it was about to reach Taixu, Tantai Jin narrowed his eyes.

“Junior Brother, what’s the matter?”

Zang Hai knew that his Little Junior Brother had always been sharp.

Tantai Jin looked at the soaring devilish Qi from Taixu Mountain and raised an eyebrow. He glanced at Zang Hai and said, “Something has happened.”

“What? Where?”

Tantai Jin gestured an incantation and brushed over Zang Hai’s eyes. Zang Hai gazed into the distance and was shocked by what he saw.

The entire Taixu Mountain was shrouded in horrifying devilish Qi, so thick that there wasn’t any spiritual Qi around. The ground was barren⁷寸草不生 (cùncǎobùshēng) – lit. not even a blade of grass grows (idiom), and even the river of the mountain stream had dried up.

Zang Hai fell back on the wine gourd and muttered, “Goodness gracious! I’m afraid such a horrifying sight will only appear when an ancient drought demon is born”

“Maybe it’s really a drought demon,” Tantai Jin said indifferently.

Zang Hai was dumbstruck⁸呆若木鸡 (dāiruòmùjī) – lit. dumb as a wooden chicken (idiom).

The two arrived at Taixu Mountain.  The fear in Zang Hai’s heart urged him to quickly run away, but thinking that their Master was still inside, he couldn’t move.

“Junior Brother, you go back first, Senior Brother will go have a look!”

Tantai Jin glanced at Zang Hai’s legs which were clearly shaking while he pretended to be calm, and said, “Alright, I’m leaving.”

Zang Hai: …… How cold.

An ice-blue light flashed across the horizon. Tantai Jin paused his steps and looked up at the light. His fingers slowly tightened. He bit the inside of his cheek and suddenly coldly said, “Senior Brother, I’ll go with you.”

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Edited by: Gaze

Translator’s Note: Time fliesss…… it has been 2 years since I started translating this novel. Thank you very much for your support all these while ♪(^∇^*)