Chapter Fifty-Six: Guided by the Jade

On that day, the Sage of the Hidden Springs stormed into Xinghuo Hall alone, severely wounding Hongyi and bringing me back to the Moon Shadow Sect. I never thought Qian Qian was so important to him...

But he dispelled this notion with a strange look, a peculiar expression. Placing his hands on my shoulders, he surveyed me as if observing something, then took a deep breath and said, "As I thought, you've returned. I've remembered this aura for quite some time now."

"You?" Surprised by his actions, but even more so by his cold-blooded nature, I stepped back cautiously, watching him.

"How do you feel? Does it hurt? Have you shown any signs these days?" Faced with his barrage of questions, I was somewhat overwhelmed. I recalled that he had indeed forced me to swallow a pill long ago, but I had already changed bodies...

Wait.

I touched my face and looked at the Sage of the Hidden Springs in front of me. The sensation felt different, and my sight was indeed much shorter than before. Could it be that I had turned back into "Qingyue"?

The Sage of the Hidden Springs smiled slightly and whispered, "Qian Qian has done something that gratifies me." Then, with a graceful flick of his folding fan, he turned around and left a final remark, "Remember, you now owe the Moon Shadow Sect you despise a life."

I felt bitterness in my heart. How could I owe just one life to the Moon Shadow Sect?

Qian Qian used her thousand years of ghostly cultivation to save me, yet even now, I couldn't think of a way to save the Great Sage.

If I could still enter dreams, perhaps I could seek help from the blue-clad immortal in my dreams. But it had been a long, long time since I last dreamed of him. Even the pool and the ancient tree no longer appeared in my dreams.

After much contemplation, I decided to search the Sage of the Hidden Springs' library again.

After combing through most of the ancient texts, I finally found a secret method. For inanimate objects like jade and bronze to become human and indistinguishable from ordinary people, they must be transformed by a powerful cultivator. However, such beings lack souls, their bodies cannot be found, and after death, their spirits disperse, leaving only the original item they accompanied. To restore them, one must find the most spiritually rich object in the world to replenish their spiritual power.

Even if I used the spiritual power of my jade pendant, it would be like a drop in the ocean. It was far from enough to restore a human form.

Moreover, the Moon Spirit Jade that the Great Sage depended on had ended up in the hands of the Sage of the Hidden Springs after Hongyi's defeat.

The Sage of the Hidden Springs was unpredictable and difficult to fathom. If I told him truthfully that I wanted the Moon Spirit Jade, he might not only refuse but also use it to threaten me and further his own cultivation.

No, I had to come up with an idea.

I needed a reason that the Moon Shadow Sect would believe.

I knew the Moon Shadow Sect always acted flawlessly, unlike the ostentatious Xinghuo Hall, which left traces everywhere. They were meticulous in observing the behavior of their disciples and eliminated enemies together, leaving no one out.

Within the Moon Shadow Sect, the word that defined their actions was "kill." Every task was based on trimming the boundaries of the Moon Shadow Sect's influence. Today, the expanding Xinghuo Hall had replaced the orthodox factions, becoming a threat and an intrusion into the Moon Shadow Sect's territory.

Having made up my mind, I knelt outside the main hall of the Sage of the Hidden Springs, volunteering to reduce the influence of Xinghuo Hall.

Soon, the Sage of the Hidden Springs summoned me inside. He sat on the main throne, lightly fanning himself, and nodded in satisfaction when he saw me. "Good. Although our Moon Shadow Sect is not considered orthodox by the world, we are by no means heretical. Everything in this world has its order and duties. If one side oversteps, it violates the natural order. The Moon Shadow Sect will not allow such one-sided dominance."

He spoke grandly, but his words were not without reason. I secretly wondered if these rules were set by the current sect leader. Moreover, the Moon Shadow Sect widely accepted spirits and demons as disciples. Its origins were likely deeply intertwined with the orthodox sects.

"Speak." The Sage of the Hidden Springs propped his head with his arm, squinting at me and slightly raising his chin. "What reward do you want for this task?"

"I ask for nothing but the jade that fell from Hongyi."

"Why?"

"Because I am a greedy person." I lifted my face and smiled at him, feeling a surge of anxiety.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay upright. After a moment's thought, I tried to negotiate, "Sage, rest assured I will handle this task. However, since the difficulty has increased, could I also request a thousand-year-old Snow Mountain Lotus?"

He nodded, "Sure."

"Then I will start preparing."

He called out to stop me, "No rush. After this, I need you to do one more thing for me. I've heard that the Qiongyun Sect is planning some kind of demon-slaying event. Find out the details."

"This…" I glanced at the Sage of the Hidden Springs with some hesitation.

He laughed heartily, and when he finished, his fox-like eyes stared directly at me. "What? You can extort a favor from me, but I can't add another task for you?"

I almost got lost in his gaze, and in a flustered state, I waved my hands, "I wouldn't dare."

"Heh, then go ahead. A disciple will give you a map of all the Xinghuo Hall outposts."

"Yes." I responded with my head down, then swiftly exited.

When I got the mission route map, my head instantly throbbed. The red circles marked over ten locations, each city having eight sub-halls, sprawling like a spider web.

It seemed I had to start from the weakest point, taking them down one by one. But how could I deal with so many people? Poison? Or perhaps a spell… Ah, the Frost Condensation Curse had a level that could freeze people without killing them.

However, I wasn't very confident in my current abilities, so I decided to practice the spell beforehand to avoid any mishaps.

I rotated my finger to summon a ghostly blue lotus, holding it gently. As I lifted my hand to cast the spell, the petals scattered, emitting a faint glow, and a wave of extreme cold froze the lamp on the table.

While casting, I didn't feel any stagnation in my energy. On the contrary, my power and cultivation seemed to have increased significantly, becoming more robust. What was going on?

The Nine Nether Ice Lotus was the first gift the Great Sage had given me, though I hadn't used this artifact for a long time.

It feels like… there's something more.

I reached for my waist and found the jade flute. This sight and situation made it seem as if seeing the flute was seeing the person. I couldn't help but hold the jade flute and start playing.

As the melody ended, memories of the past flooded back.

Over the past year and a half, I had indeed delayed many things. I used to practice frequently when I had nothing else to do.

Fortunately, I had found it all again now.

"The flute music I've heard is usually clear and melodious, lively and pleasant. But yours carries a bitterness, a sadness that's hard to listen to." The Sage of the Hidden Springs leaned against the door, sipping from a wine cup.

"Did I disturb your rest, Sage? My apologies."

"It's fine." He gave me a casual glance. His reddened eyes looked like white jade with peach blossom imprints. Anyone who saw it would feel pity. He exhaled a breath of wine and pointed at me. "Prepare well for the task of cleansing Xinghuo Hall. I won't shortchange you."

His drunken eyes were hazy, and his steps were unsteady, almost stumbling into my room. I immediately supported him, steering him out and shutting the door with a snap.

"You! How dare you shut me out! Open the door!" He mumbled, banging on the door before he started knocking. After a while, the noise stopped, and he seemed to have left.

There was no way I could go out tonight. Better to pull up the covers and get some early rest.

The Sage of the Hidden Springs is truly a strange person. I wonder what troubled him to drink himself into such a state. From now on, I should make sure to close the door and put out the lights early.