Chapter 102: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (XVIII)

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Chapter 102: Xuanhuan Cultivation BL (XVIII)

Spirits were neither inherently righteous nor evil. Among them were divine beasts like the phoenix, as well as creatures like the Phantom that dwelled at the pinnacle of darkness. They could be considered a race that existed between cultivators and demonic cultivators. Their greatest distinction from either path was that they possessed inherited techniques and even inherited memories. Their unique racial talents were passed down only within their own kind, such as the phoenix’s flames.

Yan Yangxi advanced toward the place with the strongest fire attribute. For a demonic cultivator, who naturally gravitated toward darkness, the blazing radiance was far too scorching and instinctively repelled him. Yet the moment he saw that person’s face, none of it seemed to matter anymore.

Red maple leaves drifted gently through the forest, occasionally settling upon Miao Lichen’s shoulders, though he paid them no mind. His long robes danced in the breeze, making him resemble the phantom image of a phoenix. Legend claimed that the sight of a phoenix in flight could cause enemies to freeze in battle, though it remained nothing more than a legend. The phoenix had vanished from the world for thousands of years, let alone the elusive Phoenix Dance.

Only after approaching Miao Lichen did Yan Yangxi realize that he was not simply admiring the scenery. Beneath the falling maple leaves lay an enormous formation, its intricate patterns formed from spirit stones that glittered brilliantly beneath the sunlight, reflecting against Miao Lichen’s exquisite features and making him appear like a figure from a painting. Still… with Miao Lichen’s strength in the Spirit Realm, why would he need such a massive Spirit Gathering Formation? If it were for cultivation, why place it outside his cave dwelling instead of within?

“A’chen.” Yan Yangxi spoke, and the man who had been contemplating something within the formation slowly opened his eyes. Those red pupils matched the ones belonging to the demonic cultivator he had just slain. Yet although the color was identical, they inspired entirely different feelings. The demonic loose immortal’s eyes had resembled a lake fouled by blood, while Miao Lichen’s were like flawless red gemstones. They seemed transparent enough to see through at a glance, yet revealed nothing at all.

“Yan Yangxi, it’s been a long time.” Miao Lichen looked up. Yan Yangxi still wore white robes, but the crisp purity he once possessed had given way to a ghostly aura. The same coldness remained, yet it felt entirely different. This faintly sinister appearance only made him more captivating. Like a phantom freed from countless restraints, he seemed to have returned to his true nature. “Congratulations. The demonic path suits you far better than the righteous one.”

“I think so too.” A faint smile curved Yan Yangxi’s lips. The demonic path truly suited him better. It was only because he had been raised within the Heavenly Sword Sect for so many years that a sword immortal devoted to eliminating evil had been unwilling to fall into darkness. Hearing those words from Miao Lichen made all those years of persistence and struggle seem laughable. If it had been Miao Lichen, he would have made his choice from the very beginning. Who said only sword immortals could eliminate evil? Just as demonic cultivators did not necessarily pave their paths with bloodshed.

“So where do you intend to go now? The Heavenly Sword Sect can no longer keep you. Are you planning to join a demonic sect instead? With your cultivation, plenty of people would welcome you.” Miao Lichen took out another spirit stone and placed it at a certain point within the formation. The placement appeared random, yet faintly connected to the surrounding stones. Formations were another remarkable discipline within the cultivation world, essential for constructing cave dwellings, alchemy, and artifact forging alike.

“I want to stay by your side.” Yan Yangxi carefully avoided the spirit stones beneath his feet as he walked toward Miao Lichen. Surrounded by the immense Spirit Gathering Formation, the abundant spiritual energy entered his body and was converted into demonic energy before slowly seeping back out, making his figure appear faintly blurred. “I want to remain with you. Right now, that is my greatest desire.”

Demonic cultivators were far more honest about their desires than righteous cultivators. They were not restrained by morality, nor did they seek respectable excuses for their actions. If they wished to act, they simply did. A demonic cultivator could slaughter an entire city to satisfy bloodlust, or destroy the lives of innocent young women in pursuit of lust. They placed conscience behind desire.

Yan Yangxi was not a conventional demonic cultivator. Everything he had learned had come from the righteous Heavenly Sword Sect. Yet the soul and power he had absorbed from the loose immortal belonged to an utterly pure demonic cultivator. Along with that power came fragments of shallow memories. It was impossible for them not to influence him.

Had Miao Lichen and the transmigrators never existed, had the world continued along its original course, Yan Yangxi would have massacred an entire city to satisfy his desires, using blood to begin his true path as the Demon King and carving his name into both the Cultivation Realm and the Demon Realm. But now, his only desire was to remain beside Miao Lichen. Although the phoenix possessed an aura of holiness completely opposed to his own nature, standing beside him brought only warmth instead of burning pain.

“They say demonic cultivators are faithful to their desires. I’m afraid that even if I refused, you still wouldn’t leave. Besides, it’s inconvenient for me to fight you right now.” Miao Lichen stepped before Yan Yangxi, his fingers brushing lightly across the man’s slightly darkened lips. Feeling Yan Yangxi’s body tremble beneath his touch, a smile appeared on Miao Lichen’s lips. “Still… even if I wanted to keep you by my side, I wouldn’t be able to for much longer.”

“Why?” Darkness flashed across Yan Yangxi’s eyes, and the dazed tenderness from moments before vanished completely. He would not accept rejection without reason. Though he had only recently recognized his feelings for Miao Lichen, they had quietly lingered within his heart for far longer. Perhaps from the moment Miao Lichen had saved him, his figure had already been etched into Yan Yangxi’s heart. He simply had never dared to think about it, much less act upon it.

He had always lived by rules, using them to restrain himself. Now that he had left the Heavenly Sword Sect, his actions represented only himself. He no longer needed to implicate the sect or care about the opinions of other cultivators. Yet what he received was only an ambiguous refusal. How could he possibly accept it peacefully? At this moment, his attachment to Miao Lichen surpassed everyone else in his life, even his pursuit of the Dao.

∇ Capture Target Yan Yangxi Favorability: 85.

“My Heavenly Tribulation is approaching. After it ends, whether I live or die, I won’t be able to remain in this world.” Miao Lichen rested a hand upon Yan Yangxi’s shoulder, his gaze lowering as his pale lips seemed even redder than before. “Still, staying with me for a while isn’t a bad idea. You can witness a Heavenly Tribulation in advance, and it should make your own much easier when the time comes.”

“Heavenly Tribulation? You’ve only been in the Spirit Realm for a few months. How could you possibly be facing one already?” Yan Yangxi’s hands clenched tightly, unease swelling within him at the mention of Heavenly Tribulation. He did not know what had happened to the phoenix race, but he knew they had vanished almost overnight. If nothing catastrophic had occurred, how could a divine beast race disappear without reason? Miao Lichen was undoubtedly a genius, yet Heavenly Tribulations never spared geniuses. If anything, the more gifted one was, the more terrifying the tribulation became.

A dull ache spread through his heart at the thought of losing him. His fingers tightened so violently that the sharpened nails, which had appeared without him noticing, pierced his palm, drawing red blood. The droplets landed upon the red maple leaves below, their color concealed by the leaves themselves and difficult to notice. Yet the scent of blood spread uncontrollably through the air around them. He would use every ounce of his strength to help Miao Lichen survive the Heavenly Tribulation, and afterward continue following in his footsteps.

∇ Capture Target Yan Yangxi Favorability: 90.

“I underwent my first phoenix nirvana before I ever entered the Heavenly Sword Sect. Everything afterward was merely the period of weakness following rebirth. Once that period ended, the phoenix’s cultivation speed naturally lived up to its reputation as a divine beast. Did you truly think I was talented enough to reach the Golden Core stage in the same amount of time it took you over a century? Or that I could reach the Tribulation stage in the single month we spent within the secret realm?”

Yan Yangxi fell silent. He really had believed exactly that. Ever since Miao Lichen had saved him, he had unconsciously thought there was nothing the man could not accomplish, completely forgetting his age. Miao Lichen had never deliberately hidden anything, yet they had all insisted on interpreting everything through their own assumptions, overlooking countless obvious truths.

A faint sound of someone cutting through the air echoed from the distance. Miao Lichen flicked his wrist, and the spirit stones floating upon the ground vanished. Even with Yan Yangxi’s perception, he could not tell where they had been concealed. Not only were they hidden, but even the formation beneath his feet became completely undetectable. It was as though they truly had been standing here admiring the scenery all along. The maple trees of the Spirit Realm were naturally no ordinary maples, and the scenery was uniquely beautiful. Besides, spirits were creatures naturally close to nature, so no one would find it strange if they admired the landscape.

“Your Majesty.” Once the last speck of dust settled, Hè Liancheng appeared. The golden phoenix tail feather mark upon his neck shimmered faintly the moment he approached Miao Lichen. That tiny glimmer lent the seductive Scarlet Serpent an unexpected trace of holiness. “The entire Spirit Clan has already pledged allegiance. Whatever Your Majesty commands, even if it means overturning the entire cultivation world, we will carry it out without hesitation.”

“There is no need for that. No cultivator dares look down upon the Spirit Realm anymore. That alone is enough.” Miao Lichen placed a hand upon Hè Liancheng’s shoulder.

Hè Liancheng froze slightly. To him, allowing the phoenix to soar through the nine heavens meant displaying the phoenix’s majesty before every cultivator, forcing them to fear its power and submit beneath its feet. Yet… the man before him clearly thought otherwise.

Miao Lichen tightened his grip upon Hè Liancheng’s shoulder, the pressure enough to cause a faint sting. “Don’t lose yourself because of this. Making slaughter your path is the lowest form of cultivation. Right now, what we need most is to give the Spirit Clan a sense of unity, loyalty to the Spirit Clan itself rather than to their own narrow tribes. The Spirit Clan cannot fall into disunity the moment it loses its emperor.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Hè Liancheng steadied himself and met Miao Lichen’s gaze. Within those eyes, he thought he glimpsed a fleeting trace of gentleness. He firmly believed that every decision his emperor made was for the sake of the Spirit Realm. The phoenix was the ruler of the Spirit Clan, and the Spirit Realm itself was the phoenix’s responsibility.

Standing nearby, Yan Yangxi watched everything unfold. His concealment technique was so refined that Hè Liancheng never noticed his presence. His lips pressed together slightly. Even on the verge of Heavenly Tribulation, Miao Lichen was still thinking about the Spirit Realm. He had only been here for less than a year. Yet remembering how Miao Lichen had once saved a complete stranger like himself, such a choice suited him perfectly.

Colder than anyone else, yet kinder than anyone else.  He was grateful that the side of Miao Lichen he had come to know was not the cold one.

∇ Capture Target Yan Yangxi Favorability: 95.

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