Chapter 156: Waiting for Many Years

The old man examined the painting for a long time, his fingers tracing every scale of the black snake before finally reaching the top of its green head, where his wrinkled fingers gently caressed its sharp fangs.

This period wasn't long, but the old man's eyes seemed to gaze across vast stretches of time.

He rolled up the painting, tucked it into a box, and walked out, carrying the wooden box on his back.

The townsfolk of Liantian had gradually calmed down from their panic. The friendly demons had also returned to their posts, though instinctively, they kept their distance from strange calligraphy and paintings.

The lotus pond was clear and round, lotuses swayed in the breeze, and the midday sun, aided by the wind, created shimmering silver ripples. It was a scene of perfect tranquility.

The old man bent down, untied the rope mooring the boat to the shore, stepped onto the lotus boat, and sailed towards the heart of the lotus leaves.

The small boat quickly drifted far from the shore.

Shi'erqiu stood on the boat, his gaze following the ripples on the water. Then, his fingers, hidden in his sleeve, pressed against the thin sword held in his palm.

"Don't be nervous," Zhang Qieyu said calmly.

How could Shi'erqiu not be nervous? Even though he had watched the enormous skeleton of Jiuying being pieced together bit by bit, that was ultimately an inanimate object. Now, a living behemoth was slowly rising from the bottom of the water; his fear was almost instinctual.

He stared at the huge shadow beneath the lotus boat. Compared to this, Jiuying's other eight necks were like loaches encountering a true great serpent.

Zhang Qieyu took out his brush and gave a light flick. A chill spread across the water ahead. Soon, the previously shimmering pond froze into hard, thick ice. The lotus leaves, frozen in the ice, were as beautiful as crystal carvings.

The giant python raised its greenish head, placed it on the ice, then its entire body slowly climbed out of the water onto the ice.

The lotus boat also stopped at the edge of the ice.

Zhang Qieyu stepped ashore, took out more than a dozen scrolls depicting Jiuying, unfurled them in front of him, and then released his grip.

The space before them seemed to have many invisible walls, and the scrolls hung suspended in mid-air on these walls.

In the center of the scrolls, the massive skeleton of Jiuying gradually materialized, revealing its ferocious form.

Shi'erqiu was horrified by this sight. He couldn't imagine what kind of power of law it was that could draw the true Jiuying skeleton into a mere few paintings. And at this moment, in the forbidden area of the Purple Heaven Daoist Sect, the bones they had painstakingly assembled for so many years must have unknowingly become a fake.

If this were to...

As if knowing his thoughts, Zhang Qieyu spoke to allay his concerns: "Don't worry, living beings are very difficult to draw; every detail and expression must match perfectly. Bones are inanimate, infinitely simpler."

As he spoke, on the ice of the lotus pond, the dozen-plus paintings spontaneously combusted in the cold wind, turning to ash. After Jiuying's bones appeared, their immense weight caused the thick ice surface to sink slightly.

The docile large black snake also crawled out of the pond. Its conical head swayed on the ice, examining the massive, exquisitely formed skeleton, as if carved by a divine axe, seeming to ponder its origin.

Shi'erqiu suddenly turned around, glanced south, and frowned, saying: "Why aren't they back yet? Is a Heavenly Sect without its Sect Master worth such an immense effort?"

Zhang Qieyu didn't speak. He opened the box and took out the paintings inside, all depicting ferocious demon beasts.

Shi'erqiu murmured to himself: "The Sky Soul Lamp is crucial for stabilizing Jiuying's soul; it's indispensable..."

Zhang Qieyu still didn't respond.

Shi'erqiu felt something was amiss. He frowned, looked at the old man, and said: "Elder, you seem not to care about the resurrection of your old friend?"

Zhang Qieyu rummaged through the box filled with paintings and said: "There's no use rushing. Don't we still have to wait for your Sect Master's news?"

Shi'erqiu grunted in acknowledgment. His gaze fell on Zhang Qieyu's hands, and he frowned, asking: "What... are these?"

Zhang Qieyu replied concisely: "Paintings. Useful."

Shi'erqiu didn't press further.

The giant python slowly climbed up. It seemed to dislike the cold, and its movements became increasingly sluggish.

Shi'erqiu exclaimed in surprise. He suddenly noticed that a large section in the middle of the giant python looked as if it had been turned over hundreds of times by a meat grinder, its bones shattered, and its flesh mangled. It resembled a huge, soft club made of two segments of flesh connected by a chain of vertebrae.

"How did it get such severe injuries?" Shi'erqiu asked. This was something the Purple Heaven Daoist Sect had not known before.

Zhang Qieyu said: "Injuries don't matter, as long as it's alive."

Shi'erqiu vaguely felt something was wrong.

The giant python finally crawled onto the ice, revealing its complete body. Its tail end was also broken, and it looked as though it could perfectly fit Jiuying's neck.

The giant python stared intently at Jiuying's bones. Its upper body gradually rose, and a pair of serpentine eyes scrutinized it from every angle.

Zhang Qieyu picked up the paintings in his hand, preparing to paste them one by one onto the giant python's body.

"That's not right..." Shi'erqiu suddenly said.

"Hm? What's not right?" Zhang Qieyu asked.

Shi'erqiu asked: "It... why is it so big?"

After the giant python fully revealed its body, its body was almost longer than Jiuying's skeletal remains.

Zhang Qieyu explained: "Although Jiuying is named 'Nine Infants,' in reality, it only has one true head. The other eight heads... you could even understand them as its arms and legs."

Shi'erqiu nodded, half-believing, half-doubting. Yet, as he looked at the naive and benevolent giant python, a sense of dread still crept into his heart.

The python slowly coiled itself around Jiuying's bones.

Zhang Qieyu pasted these paintings one by one onto its body. The ferocious faces, juxtaposed with Jiuying and the giant python, looked like many benevolent smiles.

Shi'erqiu watched the giant python nervously. The old man's slow movements exuded an indescribable sense of age.

A moment later, Shi'erqiu suddenly roared: "What is it doing?!"

The old man didn't answer. He flicked the brush in his hand, and the paintings pasted on the giant python's body burst into flames simultaneously.

Inside the Peach Curtain, the Four Peaks were already in disarray.

The broken mountain-protecting formation glowed faintly with spiritual energy under the equally fragmented skylight. It was like a dim light still shining through a shattered glass lampshade.

The black-clad youth clutched his head. His anguished screams echoed throughout the Four Peaks.

Shiwu's face changed dramatically. He didn't know what exactly had happened in Liantian Town, but he was certain that something had happened to Jiuying's true body.

He had to rush there.

But at the moment, he might not be able to get away.

Jing Yangxia had arrived on his sword. His Bixiao Sword fiercely cut through the sea of clouds, carrying an aura of relentless determination.

Shiwu's expression was grim. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have given the Peak Master of Shouxiao Peak a second thought. But at this moment, with all four Peak Masters attacking together, he truly might perish here.

"What are you still waiting for?!" Shiwu suddenly roared at the Four Peaks.

When the Bixiao Sword arrived, he didn't choose to meet its sharp edge head-on. Instead, he directly used an invisibility spell to vanish into the shadows.

Shisanyuchen also had no intention of fighting further. She grabbed the screaming black-clad youth and swiftly fled with him outside the Peach Curtain.

The other purple-robed figures who had come with them drew their swords as commanded, forming an impenetrable net of blades to block the pursuers and create a path of retreat for them.

And within the Four Peaks, with Shiwu's roar, a sudden change also occurred.

Many dark figures emerged from the Four Peaks. They were like water-like specters, flowing across the ground, drawing their swords and blades, and striking at the other people within the peaks.

Qiyi could infiltrate the hidden peak of Sky Cave Peak. Of course, others also had opportunities to sneak in.

It was just that they had held back their forces earlier, intending to completely control the Four Peaks with a single command after truly gaining control of the Four Peak Masters.

But now the situation was out of control, and they couldn't wait for that moment.

Shiwu needed to create chaos to stall the pursuers. So he had no choice but to use those who had infiltrated the peaks as pawns. However, he felt no guilt, as they weren't truly human anyway.

Ning Changjiu also recognized their identities: "Painted people."

These were all Zhang Qieyu's paintings. They must have taken considerable effort to infiltrate the Four Peaks, and were supposed to appear only at the end of today's battle.

Unfortunately, their trump cards had now become sacrificial pawns. No matter how exquisite these painted people were, they were not figures of the same caliber as the true Qiyi, and thus couldn't cause much trouble.

Lu Jiajia didn't follow Jing Yangxia to pursue Shiwu. The remaining matters no longer required her intervention. The other two Peak Masters could easily handle the remaining scattered forces. She only needed to stabilize the peace of one peak and prevent further accidents.

She landed beside Ning Changjiu and, with a hint of regret in her voice, said: "Uncle-Master's last sword strike should not have been wasted on Shisiyi."

Ning Changjiu smiled and said: "It's all the same whom he kills."

Lu Jiajia didn't refute. Her eyes darted between him and Ning Xiaoling for a moment, then she asked: "What exactly is going on between you two, brother and sister?"

Ning Changjiu was about to speak, but Ning Xiaoling quickly interjected: "Master! That's a secret between my senior brother and me."

Ning Changjiu smiled and nodded: "Yes, a secret."

Ning Xiaoling said: "So, senior brother, you can never abandon me. Xiaoling has secrets, you know."

Ning Changjiu patted her head and said: "A hero roaming the jianghu might not need swords, but they can't do without a money pouch."

Ning Xiaoling proudly waved her fist.

Lu Jiajia looked at Ning Xiaoling's charming and lively appearance. Her heavy heart finally lightened a little. She suddenly looked at Ning Changjiu and whispered: "Come with me for a moment."

Ning Xiaoling, who had just found a brief moment of peace with her senior brother, complained: "Master is taking people away again..."

Lu Jiajia pretended not to hear. Ning Changjiu followed.

Lu Jiajia led him aside and, projecting her voice directly to him, said: "There's something I want to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Um... that day in the imperial city, was it you who saved me?"

Ning Changjiu frowned and asked: "Which time?"

Yes, many times... Lu Jiajia instinctively recalled the very first time she had collapsed in their courtyard. Back then, it was clearly Ning Changjiu who had changed her clothes and bandaged her wounds. He actually thought she would be petty and even hid this matter.

Her earlobes turned slightly red. She knew she owed Ning Changjiu too much, but she couldn't help but feel a little sulky. She pressed her cherry lips together, too embarrassed to continue.

Ning Changjiu guessed what she was referring to and simply smiled without speaking.

Lu Jiajia suddenly said: "From now on, you don't have to call me Master... We can be friends, treat each other as equals."

Ning Changjiu feigned innocence and said: "Is Master abandoning me?"

His words carried a hint of teasing.

"Suit yourself." Lu Jiajia wasn't falling for his act of feigned pitifulness.

Ning Changjiu said: "Master, why do you become so ruthless once it's daytime?"

Lu Jiajia simply pretended not to hear.

Ning Changjiu also knew this was not the time for playful banter. He immediately got to the point, saying: "There's something hidden beneath Sky Cave Peak."

Lu Jiajia's expression also became serious, and she said: "I know, it contains some artifacts brought from the Southern Wilderness, and inside are..."

"No!" Ning Changjiu interrupted: "Inside are snake bones, and... a person! That person said the snake bones belonged to the Bashe."

"A person hidden?!" Lu Jiajia's heart went cold. She immediately asked: "Did you see this after you went down the peak before? Why didn't you tell me then?"

Ning Changjiu said: "The person at the bottom of the peak erased my memory. I only remembered all this today."

"Erase memory..." Lu Jiajia murmured softly.

"Yes," Ning Changjiu said, "that day when you, Xiaoling, and I were in the room, you said that the spell for erasing memories was a forbidden art of this peak."

"Yes! This is a forbidden spell that has been banned for many years. Why does that person know it? Which generation do they belong to? What do they intend to do...?" More heavy doubts clouded her mind, and Lu Jiajia's brows furrowed in confusion.

Ning Changjiu continued to speculate: "The Sky Soul Lamp might also be in his hands now."

Lu Jiajia understood a little better and said: "He wants to resurrect the Bashe?"

Ning Changjiu said: "That's what I think."

Lu Jiajia said: "Then we should go stop him immediately..."

Ning Changjiu said: "But Jiuying is also reviving."

Lu Jiajia asked: "Which is more powerful, Jiuying or Bashe?"

Ning Changjiu replied without hesitation: "Jiuying."

Both fell silent. Yet, the pace of their steps was surprisingly uniform.

"Then we should first... Hm? Where are you going?" Lu Jiajia stopped walking.

Ning Changjiu said: "I won the sword competition earlier, so I'll go get the item first."

Lu Jiajia walked to his side and said coldly: "Preparing to please your fiancée?"

Ning Changjiu smiled: "I just don't want to owe her anything."

"What do you owe her?" Lu Jiajia asked, puzzled.

Ning Changjiu didn't answer the question. He suddenly said: "I also have something to give you."

Lu Jiajia said: "You should keep the Sky River Si and the Heavy Fire Casket for yourself. One can enhance cultivation, and the other helps upgrade the quality of weapons. Both are rare treasures."

Ning Changjiu shook his head. He took a white mask from his bosom and handed it to her: "It's for you."

Lu Jiajia looked at the jagged, broken edges of the mask and said coldly: "This was originally mine."

That day in the imperial city, Lu Jiajia had given this to them. And when Ning Changjiu fought the demon fox, this mask had blocked a fatal attack for him.

Ning Changjiu tucked it into Lu Jiajia's arms.

Lu Jiajia frowned and turned the mask over. On the lips of the white mask, she saw a crescent-shaped smile drawn with a brush. The cold white mask suddenly seemed to carry a gentle emotion.

"Do you like it?" Ning Changjiu smiled.

"Boring." Lu Jiajia quickly turned the mask back over.

After the tumultuous storm, a moment of tranquility felt incredibly precious.

Soon after, Jing Yangxia returned on his sword.

The siblings from Sun-Suspended Peak and Rejuvenation Peak also quelled the disturbances in their respective peaks.

The Purple Heaven Daoist Sect had retreated, and the Heavenly Edict Sword Scripture was re-sealed. This should have been a very good ending, but everyone's faces were still filled with solemnity.

"Who exactly are you?" Xue Xunxue's first question was directed at Ning Changjiu.

In the hidden peak of Sky Cave Peak, there was a deathly silence.

Water dripped steadily from the stalactites, and the faint sound felt incredibly real in the current environment.

On the wall connecting the cold dungeon and the hidden peak, a door, as if painted by a brush, appeared.

An elderly prisoner walked out from the door. As he walked, he tore away his ugly disguise. After ten steps, he had transformed into a handsome man dressed in pale purple robes.

His name was Shiyici. He was one of the four Daoist Lords of the Purple Heaven Daoist Sect, and the youngest among them.

He was not skilled in combat, but excelled in Daoist formations, disguise, astronomy and calendrical calculations, and many other mystical arts and knowledge. Therefore, he was arranged to infiltrate this place, serving as the final pawn in the plan to reclaim the Sky Soul Lamp.

Infiltrating the peak valley alone was a last resort.

They knew that something extremely terrifying was hidden in the peak valley. Things that could drive any cultivator insane...

The previous Peak Master of Sky Cave Peak had gone mad in that manner. This was a secret unknown to many within the peaks.

Shiyici sighed deeply and walked towards the center of the hidden peak. Although he possessed extraordinary skills, he wasn't confident in escaping unscathed. But the Daoist Sect had planned for this day for too long, leaving him no other choice.

As he neared the center of the hidden peak, he suddenly stopped.

"Who are you?" Shiyici looked at the man half-lying on the ground before him, his confusion tinged with hostility.

The man looked to be in his thirties, with somewhat coarse skin. His clothes were disheveled, his hair was combed back with only a single strand hanging over his forehead. He was twirling a wine gourd in his hand, and a broad-bladed sword lay in front of him.

"My name is Lu Yuanbai, I've been waiting for you for a long time, no... that's not right, I've been waiting for you for many years." Lu Yuanbai grinned. He patted the sword box on the ground, a relieved smile on his face, as if he was about to conclude a long-standing matter.