Chapter 23

Until the heavens shattered and the earth split apart, black mist drilled out from cracks in the sky and fissures in the ground, rampaging with bared fangs and claws through every corner of the world.

Until blazing fires scorched the plains, red flames rained down from the sky, burning everything in sight to nothingness.

Only then did Lian Yunzhi truly understand the Cyan-Clothed Person’s words: “When that time comes, we will all die.”

He ran desperately, but the flames had already surrounded him completely.

He wanted to soar into the air with Imperial Sword Flight, but the black mist had sealed every acupoint in his body.

As for Mu Cheng?

Ha!

That culprit had vanished the instant the world collapsed!

With no way to escape or hide, his heart dead like ashes, in the moment he wrapped himself layer upon layer in his Lifebound Vine, Lian Yunzhi cursed Mu Cheng ten thousand times in his heart.

Of course, the Cyan-Clothed Person who had given him that damned Book of Truth without any prior explanation earned ten thousand and one curses from Lian Yunzhi.

The firelight closed in on Lian Yunzhi’s “vine cocoon.” Lian Yunzhi closed his eyes, lay down flat and proper, clasped his hands over his abdomen, and prepared to face the impending pain and death with the most dignified posture.

The firelight burned over.

Lian Yunzhi gritted his teeth, his eyelashes trembling wildly, and cursed Mu Cheng once more.

The firelight burned past.

…

Lian Yunzhi: “???”

Hm?

Lian Yunzhi opened his eyes.

His eyes widened bit by bit.

The eerie flames had incinerated everything around him, yet his vine cocoon remained utterly unscathed.

Well, not entirely unscathed—the green leaves on the vines had been burned away, but the vine branches themselves seemed even more verdant and tough, faintly gleaming with luster, like the most indestructible shield in the world, firmly protecting Lian Yunzhi within.

Impressive.

Lian Yunzhi touched his Lifebound Vine, let out a light sigh of relief, and couldn’t help but curve his lips.

But in the next instant.

A vast emptiness and exhaustion suddenly welled up in his chest. He powerlessly lowered his head, closed his eyes, and fell into an endless, insensate slumber.

.

Lian Yunzhi awoke in springtime.

He opened his eyes and discovered that the vine cocoon had wrapped him tightly like a true coffin and sunk into the earth. He could clearly hear the wind, the chirping of insects, and the rustle of grass, smell the scent of wildly growing plants in the soil.

He cleared away the surrounding dirt and retracted the vines, finding himself standing in the courtyard of an unfamiliar, abandoned little yard. The yard was square and neat, with a narrow patch of sky overhead, and the sky was very blue.

Had the world not been destroyed? Had everything before been a dream?

Lian Yunzhi’s head felt dizzy.

He examined his body and found his cultivation still at the Golden Core Initial Stage—this was good—but all his acupoints were sealed, and he couldn’t mobilize even a thread of spiritual power.

Lian Yunzhi faintly heard voices. He pushed open the dilapidated wooden door of the abandoned yard and walked toward the source of the sounds.

The further he walked, the faster his steps became; the further he walked, the more urgent his heartbeat grew; the further he walked, the more familiar the surrounding scenery felt.

His heart in turmoil, he stopped and lifted his head.

A Qi Refining Layer 7 little cultivator stood on the platform specially built for him, talking animatedly. His face was round, his eyes bright and sparkling.

“I? I’m still only at Qi Refining Layer 7… Because Xiaoze State has restrictions that only allow cultivators below Foundation Establishment to enter, but with the Spiritual Energy Revival, these restrictions will loosen…”

Lian Yunzhi froze.

At the same time, another line of text he had read flashed in his mind.

[The current Xiaoze State and even the extended outer world are merely a Reincarnation Illusion imprisoning him…]

Reincarnation Illusion.

So it wasn’t that the world hadn’t been destroyed—it was that after the world’s destruction, it had fallen into a new cycle of reincarnation.

…

The Little Immortal Lord was still speaking on the platform.

He spoke of Spirit Veins, secret realms, Demon Beasts. He said that as long as one had a Spiritual Root, they could cultivate; he said cultivation brought longevity without worry, leading to Ascension…

As he listened, Lian Yunzhi’s heart gradually calmed.

He crossed his arms over his chest, leaned obliquely against a tree behind him, and his lips curved up slightly.

An illusion? Reincarnation?

What did it matter?

His cultivation was always real. As long as he kept cultivating, he could achieve the Dao and ascend. Once he ascended to immortality, he could shatter the void. And in the moment he shattered the void, any illusion or reincarnation would be crushed beneath his foot!

“…Do… do you like Demon Beasts?”

A childish voice suddenly sounded from beside him.

Lian Yunzhi looked down.

And was stunned for a moment.

A little boy in a treasure-blue robe was looking at him with feigned composure, holding a Cricket Cage in his hand: “This… this is Little Gold, it’s a Demon Beast, very spiritual. I can give it to you.”

Nine-year-old Mu Cheng!

Ha!

Sure enough, fortune’s wheel turned, and now it was his turn!

Lian Yunzhi’s palms itched; he itched to immediately pinch this person’s nose, squeeze this person’s cheeks, and thoroughly tease the guy who had made him suffer so much!

He held back.

“Demon Beast?”

Lian Yunzhi’s gaze shifted to the Cricket Cage in Mu Cheng’s hand, and as he looked, his eyes couldn’t move away.

This was actually a real Demon Beast!

Though a Low-Tier Demon Beast, it was extremely rare—there were even rumors it was extinct—and it was a Treasure-Hunting Armored Insect, very useful for finding treasures.

“Here, for you.” Mu Cheng handed the Demon Beast to him.

Lian Yunzhi was stunned.

So generous.

If Mu Cheng had been this generous in the previous reincarnation, he might not have hit him.

Wait… In the previous reincarnation, Mu Cheng had also proactively shown him “Little Gold”…

Lian Yunzhi took the Cricket Cage and fell into contemplation.

Whoosh!

But at that moment, countless arrows slicing through the air suddenly rang out!

Lian Yunzhi jerked his head up.

He saw the Little Immortal Lord on the platform—the one who had brought him countless joys, happiness, and fantasies, who had woven his dreams of cultivation and led him onto the path of immortality—now shot full of holes like a porcupine.

His round eyes were wide open, his young face full of shock and terror.

This was not the end.

The guards around Mu Kunrong leaped onto the platform and chopped off the Little Immortal Lord’s head with a single stroke.

Gurgle, gurgle.

…

A small hand suddenly grasped Lian Yunzhi’s trembling fingertip. Lian Yunzhi came back to his senses.

“Don’t look, don’t be afraid.”

Lian Yunzhi’s hand was still trembling. He closed his eyes and opened them again. He placed the Cricket Cage back into Mu Cheng’s hand, then walked step by step toward the platform.

The Mu Family Family Head stood on the high platform, before the headless corpse, raising his cup to invite others to drink with him.

“A Qi Refining Layer 7 cultivator is nothing more. Everyone, rest assured—the Spiritual Energy Revival changes nothing—”

His words did not finish.

Because a massive vine instantly pierced through his heart.

Lian Yunzhi truly couldn’t mobilize any spiritual power, but he was still a Golden Core cultivator—and one with a Lifebound Vine at that.

The Lifebound Vine split into branch after branch, forming shields, forming swords, slaughtering the charging Mu Family guards one after another.

Finally, the Lifebound Vine turned into fine needles and thread, sewing the Little Immortal Lord’s head back onto his body. It then wove an indestructible wooden vine coffin for him and sank him deep into the earth.

Someone screamed, someone trembled. All the Mu Family members looked on in disbelief at the upheaval, but most seemed throttled, not daring to make a sound.

The killer, covered in blood, walked step by step to the Mu Family Family Head’s most beloved grandson, took the Cricket Cage from his hand, and extended his hand toward him.

“—Will you come with me?”