Chapter 69: The Return of the Dead

Yue Buping’s final choice was as Sang Zhiyi had wished.

After all, regarding how poor her physical condition had become, how weak and vulnerable a cripple she now was, Yue Buping, as the culprit who had orchestrated it all, knew best.

To be safe, Yue Buping specifically used his divine sense to probe Sang Zhiyi’s meridians, confirming that all her cultivation was long gone, and that her meridians had deteriorated to an extent that was completely irreparable, before finally relaxing.

Given the gap in their cultivation levels, Sang Zhiyi simply could not deceive him, so Yue Buping was quite reassured.

The fact that Sang Zhiyi could no longer pose any substantive threat to him was the most critical reason Yue Buping was willing to spare her.

Even though Sang Zhiyi had pulled off the trick of reversing the formation he had set up, which made Yue Buping quite wary, the actual effect she could achieve was very limited.

Back when Yi Jinghong had not yet become a cripple, the spiritual energy Yue Buping extracted through this formation was like an endless stream, continuously flowing into his meridians.

Even recently, after Yi Jinghong had completely become a cripple, the spiritual energy she could transmit to him was still like a series of thin springs, with a certain weight and quite stable.

Unlike the spiritual energy Sang Zhiyi had drawn from his body after reversing the formation, which was so weak that it was imperceptible without careful inspection.

If Yue Buping hadn’t been so cautious and meticulous, it wouldn’t have alarmed him at all.

Not to mention that this spiritual energy backflow was not only very subtle but also intermittent and discontinuous, and even stopped completely not long after Yue Buping set out for this far northern region.

Yue Buping could easily guess how reluctantly and with what difficulty Sang Zhiyi had managed to produce this slight change.

Combined with his later observation of Sang Zhiyi’s behavior, he could basically determine that Sang Zhiyi had used this method simply to get his attention, to find an opportunity to show weakness to him and seek his protection.

This also allowed Yue Buping to be assured that Sang Zhiyi would remain under his control.

Since that was the case, Yue Buping naturally saw no need to make a more radical choice.

Sang Zhiyi said she was prepared for a fight to the death, which Yue Buping somewhat believed.

How Sang Zhiyi had reversed the formation was still rather baffling to Yue Buping.

Even though he could already determine that Sang Zhiyi could not pose a real threat or harm to him, more trouble was worse than less, and avoiding it was best if possible.

The current stakes between them, Sang Zhiyi had already made clear with the most straightforward truths.

Their interests were aligned; Sang Zhiyi had no choice, and she could indeed bring him certain benefits.

Therefore, Yue Buping did not mind taking Sang Zhiyi in.

He summoned his spirit boat from his storage pouch, glanced at Sang Zhiyi, who was thin of clothing and swaying perilously in the freezing northern wind, and still raised his hand to cast a small spell on her, forming a barrier around her to block the wind and provide warmth, sparing her from the snow and cold.

At the same time, Yue Buping lowered the spirit boat closer to Sang Zhiyi.

“Get on.”

Sang Zhiyi seemed not to have expected such thoughtfulness from Yue Buping.

She looked back at him with a slightly stunned expression, then showed a grateful smile.

“Thank you.”

Moving lightly, Sang Zhiyi slowly boarded the spirit boat, her posture weak yet graceful.

Yue Buping: “…”

He stared at Sang Zhiyi’s retreating figure for several long moments before finally looking away.

In the more hidden recesses of his mind, Yue Buping was also glad to bring Sang Zhiyi back to the Tianhuan Sect with him.

This woman, who had become as enchantingly captivating as a seductress, would from now on be nothing but a clinging vine, a caged bird that could only depend on him, completely under his control—how could that not be a joy?

***

As the sole protagonist of this world, the son of fortune with numerous golden fingers, the spirit boat Yue Buping used was naturally extraordinary, of outstanding quality.

But even with this spirit boat, Yue Buping still spent several months to bring Sang Zhiyi to the Tianhuan Sect’s domain.

There was no help for it; the geographical map of the cultivation world was usually astonishingly vast, and the barren glacier of the far north where Yue Buping had imprisoned Sang Zhiyi was simply too far from the Tianhuan Sect’s location.

As Sang Zhiyi had seen from Yi Jinghong’s memories, Yue Buping was truly not enthusiastic about beautiful women.

Even though he was clearly somewhat interested in her, during the months when they were the only two on the spirit boat, Yue Buping remained absorbed in cultivation and rarely sought Sang Zhiyi out.

This saved Sang Zhiyi a lot of trouble.

In terms of volume, this spirit boat was actually not small.

From Sang Zhiyi’s rough observations and estimates, it had at least several separate rooms and could carry a considerable number of people.

After asking Yue Buping, Sang Zhiyi casually picked an inconspicuous room to stay in, never going out unless necessary, to avoid disturbing Yue Buping and also to avoid causing herself any trouble.

With a relatively safe environment to be alone, Sang Zhiyi also had the leisure to test System Sir.

The results were not particularly surprising.

System Sir’s reactions were no different from those of the past many years, as if the jealousy he had shown after she teasingly called Yue Buping “husband” in the ice prison had not been him at all, but merely an illusion on Sang Zhiyi’s part.

However, unsurprising as it was, Sang Zhiyi still felt a little disappointed.

Looking at the drifting clouds outside her room window, Sang Zhiyi sighed deeply.

It had been so long, yet still no effective progress, no clear clues…

Not letting these heavy emotions trap her for too long, Sang Zhiyi had another matter to confirm.

“System Sir,” Sang Zhiyi continued inquiring in her mind, “when I met Yue Buping earlier, did that beast use his system to inspect me?”

Given Yue Buping’s suspicious nature, the moment he noticed she was not quite the same as Yi Jinghong, he would certainly use his golden finger, the “Baixiao Kuimi” system, to identify what was going on with her.

Sang Zhiyi had felt nothing of the sort throughout the process, but the disparity in their cultivation levels was too great; it would be normal for her not to detect such a minor move.

“This won’t affect you, will it?”

Sang Zhiyi asked very seriously.

That she was bound to System Sir was also one of her current situations.

If Yue Buping could hear Sang Zhiyi speaking to System Sir in her mind, he would certainly be greatly shocked.

Because she was far too gentle.

When Yue Buping had interacted with Sang Zhiyi earlier, he had already found her gentle and tactful enough, her every smile and gesture a genuine sincerity without any flaws, which he quite appreciated.

But if one were to compare Sang Zhiyi’s current demeanor toward System Sir, those tender affections were all covered with a thick mask, obvious at a glance as deliberately performed acting.

With the genuine article present, one could see how many flaws and loopholes the fake had.

The contrast was extremely stark.

With System Sir, Sang Zhiyi wore no disguises at all.

She was simply her most authentic self, offering her purest concern.

Sang Zhiyi continued, “I know that you are so powerful and strong that no matter how Yue Buping’s system inspects me, it could never discover your existence.

But mosquitoes and flies buzzing in one’s ear are still annoying.”

Sang Zhiyi genuinely was not worried that her System Sir would be unable to handle Yue Buping’s investigations.

System Sir was a talent whom even the Main God valued highly, wanting him as a successor, and had opened countless big and small shortcuts for her along the way.

What was that beast Yue Buping’s system compared to that?

Of course, deliberately speaking warmly and softly to praise System Sir after mentioning Yue Buping was also a small consideration on Sang Zhiyi’s part, to prevent System Sir from having another reaction like “jealousy.”

Including the matter of her own identity as a transmigrator, Sang Zhiyi was also not worried about exposure.

But she was worried that System Sir would once again silently bear all the costs, no matter how small.

[No,] the system’s voice was magnetic and clear, sounding even more like a real person, with even a hint of softness.

[Miss Sang, Yue Buping has not yet used the ‘Baixiao Kuimi’ system to inspect you.]

“Oh?”

Sang Zhiyi was startled, completely not expecting such an answer.

How could that be?

The difference between her and Yi Jinghong was so great.

Even if she had long since found a reasonable explanation for all of it, Yue Buping, who was habitually suspicious, how could he not use an appraisal technique on her to confirm the situation?

At most, he would find nothing unusual after using the appraisal technique.

Her thoughts turning, Sang Zhiyi quickly realized something.

[Yue Buping and his system cannot detect my existence,] the system stated the facts in its methodical manner.

[Due to the rank difference between the two parties, the other party will subconsciously overlook various anomalies related to me.]

[Unless the other party is extremely alert and encounters a highly vigilant situation, they will only then notice these anomalies.]

Just as she thought.

This was completely consistent with Sang Zhiyi’s thinking.

Between her and Yue Buping was a vast gap like a chasm, and likewise, between Yue Buping and his system and System Sir was an insurmountable gap.

[If the above situation occurs,] the system continued, [I will proactively take appropriate action to ensure the other party cannot detect your true identity.]

***

System Sir was reassuringly reliable, giving Sang Zhiyi a considerable sense of security.

After confirming and arranging the two matters that concerned her, Sang Zhiyi quickly began investigating and organizing the information she could obtain from her surroundings, as well as nurturing and repairing her meridians.

When reversing the forbidden formation, to avoid completely provoking Yue Buping, Sang Zhiyi had not drawn too much spiritual energy from his body.

But even the tiny bit she did draw was already quite sufficient for her current self.

There was no help for it.

After being stabbed in the heart vein nearly killing her, then imprisoned in an ice prison and subjected to a hundred years of extraction and torment, Yi Jinghong’s body was truly a candle flickering in the wind, liable to shatter at the slightest touch.

If Sang Zhiyi had absorbed more spiritual energy, her meridians would not have been able to withstand it.

As a sword cultivator renowned throughout the Lingyun Continent, Yi Jinghong was no stranger to injury, including damage to her meridians.

Therefore, Sang Zhiyi had ample experience to reference.

When she began repairing her meridians, she encountered no insurmountable thresholds.

This was destined to be a long-term project, but Sang Zhiyi never lacked care and patience.

Apart from some initial awkwardness, without spending much effort, she became increasingly skilled.

In less than a month, Sang Zhiyi went from a beginner all the way to a master-level skill, surpassing even Yi Jinghong’s most adept moments.

After all, although Yi Jinghong had quite a bit of experience, she had always adhered to the principle of “good enough” and had not spent much extra effort or thought studying it.

Sang Zhiyi, on the other hand, had a mental strength not on the same level as Yi Jinghong’s, and was also highly talented in this kind of meticulous work, gradually becoming more and more proficient.

After slightly stabilizing her meridians, Sang Zhiyi emerged from that completely selfless, single-minded cultivation state.

Looking again at the drifting clouds outside the spirit boat window, they seemed not much different from last time.

In a daze, Sang Zhiyi felt she could not judge the passage of time, as if she had merely blinked.

“System Sir,” Sang Zhiyi inquired in her mind, “how long has it been since I started meditating to repair my meridians?”

The familiar faint static sound passed, and System Sir immediately gave his answer.

[Twenty-four days and three hours have passed.]

“It’s been that long already.”

Sang Zhiyi was a bit wistful.

“No wonder in those xianxia works, the passage of years is often mentioned.

Cultivation truly makes one oblivious to time.”

It could be foreseen that she would be staying in this world for a very long time.

Certainly not like the previous two worlds, where she could complete her mission in just a few years and still achieve a high score.

However, although Yi Jinghong’s cultivation was completely destroyed and her meridians were riddled with holes, she was still, after all, a cultivator’s body, not needing sustenance like a mortal, and could directly practice inedia.

Just like when she was trapped in the ice prison for a hundred winters and summers, Yi Jinghong had not only been unable to absorb any energy but had also been continuously drained as a blood bag for Yue Buping, yet she had still managed to hold on.

Otherwise, Sang Zhiyi’s cultivation would have faced many additional problems.

[Miss Sang, if you need timed reminders, you can let me know at any time,] the system was as thoughtful as ever.

“Alright,” Sang Zhiyi curved her eyes.

“I’ll definitely come to you if I need to.”

***

With only Sang Zhiyi and Yue Buping on the entire spirit boat, it was impossible to have no interaction at all.

Sang Zhiyi was well aware that her current positioning was that of Yue Buping’s nominal partner and wife, but in reality his subordinate and dependant.

Without disturbing Yue Buping’s daily cultivation, Sang Zhiyi would also very occasionally emerge from her room and proactively seek out Yue Buping to ask questions.

Being alone trapped in an ice prison for a hundred years was a very useful excuse.

Sang Zhiyi had already indicated to Yue Buping that her brain had also been damaged and she could no longer remember many things.

To make his public claims of their loving relationship more convincing, she needed to re-understand various situations.

This not only allowed her to continue showing weakness to Yue Buping, giving him the feeling that he could control everything about her, but also enabled Sang Zhiyi to very conveniently learn all kinds of information about this world.

Yue Buping’s several hundred years of accumulation in the Lingyun Continent were not to be underestimated.

Much knowledge that Sang Zhiyi would not have the authority to obtain even if she returned to the Tianhuan Sect could be easily gotten from Yue Buping.

Seeing Sang Zhiyi wanting to read all sorts of miscellaneous books, like a young child visiting a market who wants to buy everything, Yue Buping couldn’t help but find it somewhat amusing.

In fact, when Sang Zhiyi first tentatively asked him for books that Yi Jinghong would never have looked at before, Yue Buping did clearly sense something amiss, even breaking through System Sir’s natural suppression of rank and starting to use his “Baixiao Kuimi” system to identify Sang Zhiyi.

During the appraisal process, Yue Buping also vaguely felt that it was quite unusual for him to have gone this long without using his system on Sang Zhiyi.

But under System Sir’s suppression, he ultimately could not truly suspect Sang Zhiyi’s true identity.

The appraisal result also showed no abnormality.

Yue Buping frowned.

Although he always felt that something was being overlooked, he had used his “Baixiao Kuimi” system for centuries, countless times, and it had never erred, so he ultimately accepted the result.

After no longer viewing Sang Zhiyi with suspicion, Yue Buping could also understand the many changes in her personality and habits after experiencing such a huge and lengthy ordeal.

When Sang Zhiyi encountered something she didn’t understand, she would also come to him for explanation, her attitude courteous and respectful.

After learning the answer from him, she would look at him with those sparkling, watery eyes full of tenderness and admiration, giving Yue Buping a considerable sense of accomplishment.

He was also willing to casually toss her all those dust-gathering books from his storage pouch.

They were nothing valuable anyway, their contents either too ordinary or too obscure.

The truly precious classics, of course, Yue Buping would not bring out.

And these things happened to be exactly what Sang Zhiyi needed most at the moment.

She could not follow the normal path of cultivation anyway.

Even if Yue Buping had a brain fart and threw valuable classics at her, she could only read them, not do anything with them.

By the time the spirit boat reached the Tianhuan Sect’s domain, Sang Zhiyi had thoroughly familiarized herself with the common knowledge of this world.

Based on those obscure books, she refined and adapted, and after a small test on her own body, she created some techniques and methods that could help repair her meridians.

Stepping out of her room, Sang Zhiyi looked at the familiar scenery of the Tianhuan Sect from Yi Jinghong’s memories and felt a little wistful.

It had been a hundred years since Yi Jinghong had last seen this view.

A hundred years was enough for a mortal to live an entire lifetime, but for the Tianhuan Sect, it was imperceptible.

Yue Buping was also looking down upon the Tianhuan Sect from the edge of the spirit boat.

Since killing his wife to attain enlightenment, to cover up the truth, Yue Buping had publicly announced that he was traveling with his partner, and later revealed that he and Yi Jinghong had encountered a calamity and their souls had been destroyed.

He had not returned to the Tianhuan Sect since.

All in all, Yue Buping had been in the Lingyun Continent for only two or three hundred years.

The Tianhuan Sect was indeed a significant memory for him.

Returning here again, Yue Buping felt a slight sense of settling down.

Learning that his most beloved little disciple had finally returned to the sect, Songya Zhenren was quite pleased.

Before the spirit boat even reached Songya Hall, Songya Zhenren could not wait to come out personally to greet them.

Master and disciple met.

Yue Buping’s face no longer bore the arrogance he had shown the city lord of Fenglu City, nor the control he showed toward Sang Zhiyi.

Instead, his face was full of adoration and joy.

As soon as they came face to face, Yue Buping heavily knelt before Songya Zhenren, respectfully and solemnly performing a grand kowtow.

“Disciple greets Master!”

Yue Buping’s pace was something Sang Zhiyi simply could not match.

Although during the months on the spirit boat, Sang Zhiyi had, under the pretext of prolonging her life, asked Yue Buping for a few heavenly treasures, they were all very ordinary goods.

Even with full utilization, they could only ensure that she now possessed a physique roughly similar to an average mortal, not as fragile and broken as when she had first transmigrated.

To show his excitement and joy, Yue Buping also ran quite fast.

Sang Zhiyi, following behind, could not keep up at all, only able to watch Yue Buping prostrate himself solidly before Songya Zhenren.

Tsk.

Sang Zhiyi narrowed her eyes almost imperceptibly.

Such insincere acting was truly an eyesore.

Yue Buping was, to put it mildly, well-versed in social graces, able to bend and stretch; to put it bluntly, he bullied the weak and feared the strong, fawning on superiors and being arrogant to inferiors.

But Songya Zhenren, who had raised this little disciple from childhood, was particularly doting.

Seeing this, he quickly helped Yue Buping up with his own hands and scolded him.

“You child, you’re already a Nascent Soul great power.

Why are you still acting like when you were little?

Aren’t you embarrassed to be seen like this?”

Yue Buping just smiled cheerfully, looking pure of heart, his words quite straightforward.

“Kneeling to you is only right and proper.

How could it be embarrassing?!”

“Oh, you!”

Songya Zhenren couldn’t help but clap his hands and laugh, clearly more pleased than bothered.

It was at this moment that Sang Zhiyi finally got a clear look at Songya Zhenren.

The number of times Yi Jinghong had seen Songya Zhenren could be counted on the fingers of one hand, most of them after she had been noticed by Yue Buping and brought to Songya Hall.

Just as in Yi Jinghong’s few memories, Songya Zhenren was an immortal of exceptional style, his features handsome and upright, his hair and beard completely white.

Even wearing the simplest robes, he could not hide his extraordinary bearing.

He was the spitting image of the “immortal” as depicted in mortal tales.

Master and disciple had not seen each other for a full hundred years, and Songya Zhenren, like the most ordinary elder, was quite concerned about Yue Buping’s experiences over that time.

Yue Buping, naturally, answered all questions, and from time to time even made Songya Zhenren laugh heartily.

The atmosphere between them was one of familial joy and harmony.

And just as Sang Zhiyi caught up, coincidentally, Songya Zhenren asked about his little disciple’s marital situation.

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