Chapter 76: In the Depths of Darkness

Though his time in Luyang had been short, and though not everyone in the Luyang Institute was likable, at Yuzhen Pavilion, he still had his little mother and Chongchong waiting for him. Was he to raise his blade and kill them as he had killed so many others—for the sake of Hu Xian, whom he had never met? For the sake of the two peaks, names that existed only in the stories told by a handful of people? That was impossible.

Changsheng’s expression remained calm; Gu Yi could discern nothing from his face, but he tried anyway. “Who are you, truly? How do you know all of this?”

Changsheng replied without concealment. “Sir, have you ever heard of the Spirits of the Tidal Sea?”

“I’ve only heard of the Spirits of the Abyss.”

“That is what outsiders call us. In truth, the ancient records left by our ancestors refer to us as the Spirits of the Tidal Sea. Or simply, the Spirits.”

“Like the two peaks, the Spirits were wiped out during the war three hundred years ago. Now, only seven of us remain. The people of the two peaks are searching for us, but we refuse to join them. The two peaks of today are not the peaks we remember. In their quest for revival, they have become obsessive, ruthless, and unscrupulous.”

“Some descendants of illustrious sects, once found, are willing to join—these are those who, like them, are willing to do anything for vengeance against Xu’s nation. Others refuse for their own reasons. As for us Spirits, we simply dislike their methods.”

Gu Yi asked, “So that’s why you want to enter Xiaoyuan Mountain? Otherwise, they’ll kill you just as they killed He Yu.”

Changsheng did not answer, which amounted to tacit agreement.

Gu Yi thought that the person before him likely had no idea of his own connection to the two peaks. Even Hu Xian, as he was now, did not know that there were still people in the world who had learned the techniques of the two peaks. But this could not last forever; as soon as he used his skills, someone would eventually find out.

“What are you thinking, sir?”

“Oh,” Gu Yi covered up, “I was just wondering—who is Hu Xian?”

A trace of bitterness darkened Changsheng’s smile. “The two peaks act in secret. To this day, we know only that they have appointed four peak masters. Hu Xian is the only one who has ever shown his face; the other three remain unidentified.”

In other words, they could be anyone.

“What is Hu Xian’s cultivation?” Gu Yi pressed.

“That’s the strange part. Hu Xian is only at the Returning to Simplicity stage, yet he killed He Yu, who had reached Unity with the Dao.” Changsheng said cautiously, “…perhaps Xie Yiyi is helping him?”

That must be it. Otherwise, there was no way to explain that manner of death.

Still, Gu Yi could not simply turn back on Changsheng’s word. Besides, if the two peaks could kill He Yu, they could kill him as well—or even his little mother, who had learned the “Ten Bends of Clear Water.”

He had to investigate, lest the enemy came for him one day and he remained oblivious.

The Guqing River gradually narrowed, and more houses lined its banks. Occasionally, waves rippled across the water with a soft splash, yet otherwise, all was quiet.

“Is Hu Xian still by the Guqing River at this moment?” Gu Yi asked.

Changsheng shook his head. “That I do not know. The peak masters of the two peaks move unpredictably.”

“And He Yu’s body?”

“It’s by the Guqing River. From what I’ve heard, after taking He Yu’s body away, they brought it back. Very strange—I don’t know what they intend.”

Gu Yi needed no time to deduce the answer. “There’s nothing strange about it. I think I understand why the two peaks killed He Yu, and what they plan to do with his body…”

…

…

The room was dark. In the moonlight, only a few strands of incense smoke could be seen, curling upward.

“Have the people from Luyang Institute arrived?”

The voice was hoarse, low, only half-illuminated by the moonlight glancing off a black mask. The rest of the man’s head was hidden within his robe, entirely obscured.

A young man stood beside him, easily recognizable. He held a folding fan, his eyes so narrow they were almost invisible, yet always smiling. His voice was unexpectedly gentle.

“They arrived today—two women and three men. One is Shu Le from Luyang Institute, at the Returning to Simplicity stage. He seems rather formidable.”

“Returning to Simplicity is still worthless.” The man in the robe looked at the youth with disgust. “Wipe that smile off your face in my presence. It sickens me.”

“How could I do that? I only wish to show my respect to the peak master.”

The youth’s answer changed nothing—he kept smiling.

“No matter. Now that they’re here, our plan is set. Tomorrow, you’ll return to the banks of the Guqing River.”

The youth folded his arms across his chest. “Of course. Qingfeng understands.”

…

…

“Are you saying the two peaks intend to incite war between Xu and Li?” Changsheng asked.

“It’s obvious.” Gu Yi was no stranger to such schemes. “Killing He Yu was not just about his defiance. There’s another reason—his unique status.”

“He was the Pavilion Master of Dayu Palace, and a traitor to his own palace. By killing him, Xu’s nation cannot remain indifferent, for it might be seen as an act by Li’s nation. That would imply Li has another Saint-level expert besides the Palace Lord himself.”

“But Dayu Palace knows it wasn’t their doing. Yet if someone dares kill their former Pavilion Master, they certainly won’t ignore it.”

“And bringing the body back makes their intention even clearer… Even in death, a Unity with the Dao expert’s body holds many secrets. Dayu Palace won’t let it fall into Xu’s hands, and Xu won’t give it up easily. Matters are about to become very complicated…”

The identity of the murderer, at this point, was almost secondary.

The more Changsheng listened, the more astonished he became. So, the tides of the world were being manipulated by unseen hands.

Gu Yi himself had only just realized all this, thanks to Changsheng’s revelations. If not for him, Gu Yi would never have suspected such malice at work. Fortunately, he had stopped Shu Le earlier that day.

“What should we do now?” Changsheng asked.

“There’s always a way.”

Hu Xian had released something that neither side would willingly relinquish, hoping to provoke a struggle between Xu and Li.

The solution was simple enough: set fire to the wretched corpse and destroy it. But nothing was ever that easy—the enemy would surely guard against it.

So, a more gradual approach was needed.

Gu Yi stood up. “Changsheng, it’s thanks to you that I know so much tonight. You said you are called the Spirits of the Tidal Surge?”

Changsheng smiled. “Sir, it’s the Spirits of the Tidal Sea. I am one of the seven. I hope I will be fortunate enough to meet the immortals of Xiaoyuan Mountain.”

“Very well. But I must go to the Guqing River now. Another time—next time, for certain.”

“Sir,” Changsheng called to him, “…is it true that an immortal from Xiaoyuan Mountain reached the Saint’s realm in only three years?”

Gu Yi considered for a moment. “It wasn’t three years. It was only one. I’ll be going now. Do as you wish.”

In the first years of the Peaceful Era, the little fox Zhihua’s mother had pleaded for her daughter, and Gu Yi broke through to the Saint’s realm. Afterward, he could no longer enter the mortal world, no matter what he tried.

One year? Changsheng repeated the answer to himself, at a loss for words. It only strengthened his resolve to meet the immortals of Xiaoyuan Mountain.

He stared after Gu Yi’s departing figure, then hurried to catch up.

~~~

After dawn, the city built along the river began to bustle. Streets crisscrossed, merchants and vendors moved to and fro. Upon a bridge spanning the houses and the ancient Guqing River, Gu Yi’s figure appeared.

Though this place belonged to Xu’s nation, there were even more enemies here. Gu Yi had to watch out for the two peaks, and for Dayu Palace.

Standing on the bridge, Gu Yi surveyed the city in the morning light, closed his eyes, and felt the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Changsheng followed quietly behind.

Suddenly,

A thunderous boom echoed from the distance.

Was that where He Yu’s body was being kept?