Chapter 1503: Pupils Like Crops, Saint Like a Person; Bright White Snow Covers the Dust

She certainly has the Lei family bloodline!

Beyond the nine heavens, a stern voice suddenly echoed, carrying a chill colder than wind and snow.

"Who is speaking?"

"Someone dares to come here? This is the battlefield of the Lei family, the Yu clan, and Xuanji Palace Master!"

"This voice... Hmm, I don't recognize it."

The spirit refiners throughout Yu Jing Cheng looked up, but they couldn't find the source of the voice.

In mid-air, Ye Xiaotian sensed something and reached into his robes, pulling out a Tianji Array Disk that glowed faintly with holy light.

This came from Xuan Wuji, after he and that so-called Wuji Old Ancestor were pursued by the Wang Ze Sheng Emperor and hid together in the Sheng Palace for refuge.

At the time, it was said it might be useful later...

Was this the moment?

With Xuan Wuji's call, Ye Xiaotian didn't hesitate. He infused it with holy power and threw the Tianji Array Disk far away.

Void patterns of the Tianji Dao emerged, quickly forming a hazy spatial gate.

From behind the gate, two blurry figures stepped out, one after the other.

Leading was a young man in black robes, leaning on a cane. As he walked, he removed the hat from his head, revealing a face with white hair.

His appearance was strikingly odd; his eyes were covered with a black cloth, making him look like a blind man.

Following him was a white-haired elder holding a Tianji Disk.

This old man had an extremely low presence, deliberately concealing his aura to avoid drawing attention.

The spirit refiners in Yu Jing Cheng paid no mind to the elder at the back; their eyes were fixed on the blind young man's face.

Soon, someone exclaimed:

"Lei Shuangxing?"

"He's the Sheng Nu Lei Shuangxing, and that in his hand is the famous sword, Chou Shen Staff!"

The identity of the newcomer was immediately clear.

If the name "Sheng Nu Shou Ye" had risen to fame recently, then "Sheng Nu Lei Shuangxing" had been renowned for much longer.

In the years before Shou Ye appeared, he was hailed as the top of the younger generation in the dark world.

In recent years, though his prominence was overshadowed by someone else and he rarely took on major tasks, back then, he was rumored to be the successor to the Sheng Nu.

Later, when Ba Zun An's identity was revealed, there was a period when Lei Shuangxing was said to be Ba Zun An's direct disciple.

This direct disciple, always by the side of the Eighth Sword Immortal, was far more prestigious than some nominal disciple like Xiao Kongdong—and much luckier.

Back then, countless people envied him.

Now, looking back...

Lei Xier, Lei Shuangxing, Yu Zhiwen of the Lei family pupils, and Dao Xuanji, the destroyer of the Lei family—this was all one big circle!

This circle should have closed more than a decade ago, but because of someone named Ba Zun An, it still hadn't reached its end.

In Yu Jing Cheng, people were already frowning and whispering:

"I heard that when Ba Zun An was young, he wandered with his sword, offending many and making friends with others. He seemed to have some connection with the Lei family head of that generation."

"So, when the Lei family was destroyed, Lei Shuangxing was actually saved by Ba Zun An, the Sheng Nu leader, which is why he later joined the Sheng Nu?"

"Who should I ask about that?"

"Ah, we're all brainstorming here... By the way, what was the reason the Lei family was wiped out? I can't remember."

"It seems they were colluding with ghost beasts..."

"Hmm, then I guess I should forget that... So, his sister Lei Xier, also known as Xu Xiaoshou's junior sister Mu Zixi, joined the Tian Sang Ling Palace and was raised under the care of Sheng Nu Wu Xiu?"

"I know a bit about that. It seems Mu Zixi didn't join the Eastern Domain's Tian Sang Ling Palace for very long..."

"That's not important! What's important is they were raised separately, brother! Like not putting all your eggs in one basket, just for this return? Damn, I'm getting fired up..."

"So, is Xuanji Palace Master the real sinner? After all, Shou Ye just proved that contracting ghost beasts doesn't cause problems!"

"How can you speak ill of Xuanji Palace Master? Are you with the Sheng Nu?"

"Don't spread lies, I'm not! But if Xuanji Palace Master isn't the sinner, how could her disciple Yu Zhiwen confront her master like this at such a delicate moment? Why not talk about it later?"

"Ah, my Yu Zhiwen..."

The whispers throughout Yu Jing Cheng circled back, landing on the figure who was the distant, untouchable white moonlight for countless young people in the Central Domain.

At this moment, everyone felt the situation was twisting in circles.

Some pitied Yu Zhiwen.

Others thought her pity was an act and not worth sympathy.

The fact was, she had used the Lei family's Zhuji Xingtong as an outsider.

As for the "bloodline" issue...

The tangled matters still needed to be explained by the people involved.

Yu Zhiwen, the center of attention, wasn't focused on the outsiders at all.

She turned at the sound and saw the tall, slender figure of the young man with white hair and blurred features, walking out with his staff from the light gate.

As he approached, through the black cloth over his eyes and the barriers of light and dark...

Their gazes from different times intersected, sparking fragmented memories long buried in Yu Zhiwen's mind.

In the scene, it was a sunny afternoon by a osmanthus tree with flowers and birdsong, on the bank of a spiritual pool...

A little girl, bored while waiting for fish to bite, looked back and saw a boy holding another little girl like a porcelain doll.

"I guess your surname is Lei, and you're here with your family elders? Wow, is that your sister? She's so cute..."

"Don't touch her; she's asleep."

"Oh, what's her name?"

"Lei Xier."

"I'm learning to fish from my Yu Grandpa; he's gone into the water again... Oh, right, my name is Yu Zhiwen, like the fish in late summer and early autumn."

"Hmm."

"What's your name?"

"Me? I’m..."

The memory shattered abruptly.

That childhood companion, whom she had met and played with a few times, had become a stranger in adulthood.

If not for their encounter in Tian Sang Ling Palace earlier, Yu Zhiwen might not have recognized him so quickly.

Gazing into the distance.

The sound of the void staff grew sharper.

Yet Yu Zhiwen's thoughts remained fragmented.

In an instant, her mind buzzed blank, just like during their accidental meeting in Tian Sang Ling Palace. As Lei Shuangxing drew closer, the cold, resolute words from her master echoed deep in her soul:

"The Lei family secretly plotted for Void Island and was exterminated!"

With a flash, the memory turned bloody and unclear.

Yu Zhiwen trembled violently, but apart from the beginning and end, she couldn't recall the childhood experiences she should have shared with Lei Shuangxing.

Lei Shuangxing advanced step by step.

Yu Zhiwen trembled uneasily.

Instinct told her to retreat, to stay away, or something bad would happen...

But Yu Zhiwen stood firm, not stepping back.

She was here for the truth.

"Uh!"

Suddenly, her head throbbed painfully, as if her soul was convulsing. Yu Zhiwen clutched her head and let out a muffled groan.

But this time, unlike in Tian Sang Ling Palace, she didn't fall from the sky.

She gritted her teeth and endured the inexplicable pain, forcing out words:

"Lei Shuangxing..."

Lei Shuangxing approached with his staff.

Facing the gazes around him, his expression remained emotionless.

Without even glancing at Lei Xier, he strode directly toward Yu Zhiwen, his target clear, and spoke coldly:

"As your master said, you certainly have the Lei family bloodline."

"If you didn't have the Lei family bloodline, how could the Lei family pupils remain stably activated?"

"If you didn't have the Lei family bloodline, how could you use the Lei family pupils to gain such great convenience in Tianji techniques and become famous in the Dao Department at a young age?"

What did that mean?

Xu Xiaoshou furrowed his brow involuntarily.

So, was Yu Zhiwen really half Lei family?

But if so, how could Dao Xuanji take her as a disciple? Wasn't that raising a tiger that could turn on her?

Dao Xuanji grew agitated, seeming to want to speak, even harboring killing intent—directed at Lei Shuangxing.

Xu Xiaoshou quickly controlled her, driving the old woman mad to prevent her from acting.

"You all continue."

He looked at Lei Shuangxing, whom he hadn't seen in a while, and nodded in greeting to the unobtrusive Xuan Wuji behind him.

But Lei Shuangxing didn't turn to look.

He had long lost the ability to "see"; he simply declared to all around, as if proclaiming to the world, in an indifferent tone:

"The Lei family pupils obtained through soul seizure can be used, but they have limits. Overuse will cause harm, and prolonged use will lead to ruin."

"Only with the Lei family bloodline, using your own origin blood to activate the origin Lei family pupils, could you, Yu Zhiwen, become the Dao Department leader you are today."

Origin blood?

Origin Lei family pupils?

Xu Xiaoshou's brow remained furrowed as he looked back at Yu Zhiwen.

Yu Zhiwen's eyelashes trembled slightly, but her Zhuji Xingtong still held calm. After glancing at her speechless master, she stared intently at Lei Shuangxing:

"So, my master didn't deceive me!"

Turning her gaze, she looked at her poised Grandpa Yu on the side, as if seeking confirmation or affirming herself:

"I have the Lei family bloodline!"

"The Zhuji Xingtong wasn't seized!"

Yu Lao's eyelids twitched, and he opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Yu Zhiwen waited a long time without a response, and the light in her eyes gradually faded.

"Heh!"

Lei Shuangxing shook his head with a cold laugh. "Your revered master certainly wouldn't lie, but a truth taken out of context isn't a lie?"

Yu Zhiwen was speechless, just staring blankly.

Lei Shuangxing's voice deepened, laced with hidden grief, as he broadcast to all:

"How simple it is to have the Lei family bloodline!"

"Back when the Lei family blood flowed like rivers and bodies piled up, replacing blood with Tianji techniques—wasn't that effortless?"

Yu Zhiwen's body shook, her pupils dilating, but Lei Shuangxing didn't stop:

"The Zhuji Xingtong is even more yours, which is perfectly normal."

"Because in your master's eyes, the Lei family pupils belong to no one in the Lei family!"

"They grow in the bodies of us Lei clan members, like crops in the fields. Crops don't belong to the earth; once the Lei family pupils are ripe, they should naturally be harvested!"

Pausing, Lei Shuangxing suddenly lifted his head.

In that moment, through the black cloth over his eyes, everyone in Yu Jing Cheng seemed to see him gaining visible eyes, staring fixedly at the Zhuji Xingtong as he roared:

"Into the bodies of you lofty saints!"

Yu Zhiwen staggered, nearly falling.

Yu Jing Cheng erupted in an uproar, the spirit refiners inside hardly believing their ears.

"So, Yu... the Dao Department leader, was it borrowed—no, stolen?"

"The Zhuji Xingtong isn't Yu Zhiwen's; it's something her master dug out from some Lei family member's body? Damn!"

"Then her whole pretense... Ugh, she must have known, right? She's used the Zhuji Xingtong for so many years?"

"Impossible! Lei Shuangxing is with the Sheng Nu; he's lying! Yu Zhiwen couldn't possibly do that; she's my..."

"How's that impossible? Xuanji Palace Master destroyed the Lei family—that's fact. Though the process wasn't widely known, the results speak for themselves... Oh, now I know why the middle of the Lei family destruction was never detailed!"

"My heavens, if Lei Shuangxing is telling the truth, then Xuanji Palace Master is a great evil... Uh."

"I don't believe it! I still don't believe it! Yu Zhiwen is so gentle, so kind; how could she..."

"Stop licking, buddy. Don't you know your own eyes? Gentle and kind? That's all an act!"

"Impossible! Shut your mouth!"

"Wake up, kid; the dream's over!"

The entire Yu Jing Cheng, even after Xu Xiaoshou's earlier domain explosion, had never seen such chaos.

The surrounding discussions grew louder and sharper, like knives and swords slashing at the heart.

Yu Zhiwen's mind went blank.

She didn't even know who was standing before her or what he was saying.

She felt isolated from the world, her body turning ice-cold, her Zhuji Xingtong throbbing with pain, and the colors around her fading...

"I'm not!"

"I didn't!"

"The Zhuji Xingtong, is—isn't like that!"

Yu Zhiwen gasped for air, tears streaming uncontrollably, blurring her eyes and the world.

She felt suffocated, like a drowning fish, her worldview collapsing.

"Master..."

She looked toward her master.

Her master was enveloped in demonic energy, suddenly transforming into a bloody nightmare ghost lunging through the air.

"Xu..."

Yu Zhiwen dodged awkwardly, like a drowning person grasping at a straw, turning to Xu Xiaoshou.

But in that moment, she saw shock and horror in his eyes.

The way he looked at her was full of doubt, disbelief, and finally turned to coldness, hostility, and hatred...

"No!!!"

Yu Zhiwen clutched her head and screamed.

A red light flashed in her Zhuji Xingtong, and cracking sounds echoed around.

Demonic energy overflowed from her seven orifices, and soon her whole body was tainted with a faint evil aura.

"Wake up!"

"Little Fish, wake up!"

"Yu Zhiwen, wake up!"

Yu Lao had appeared beside Yu Zhiwen at some point, grabbing his great-granddaughter's stiff shoulders and shaking her relentlessly.

But after Lei Shuangxing's words, Yu Zhiwen was like a statue, unmoving.

No matter how he shook, she wouldn't wake.

Crack—

A dao sound shattered.

Demonic energy enveloped Yu Zhiwen.

In that instant, Yu Lao felt a chill from his feet to his heart. Had her dao foundation collapsed?

"Yu Zhiwen!"

He shouted, but Yu Zhiwen was like a soulless shell, unable to awaken.

By now, the criticisms in Yu Jing Cheng had escalated.

"The Lei family pupils were seized by Xuanji Palace Master..."

"No, maybe Yu Zhiwen specifically wanted the Zhuji Xingtong, so Dao Xuanji went to get it. Given how close they are as master and disciple, it's not hard to see."

"Damn! You might be right, but destroying an entire family for one Zhuji Xingtong—is that overkill?"

"Overkill? Taking one is taking; taking all is taking. If you don't uproot the grass, it grows back... Just like now!"

The gossip throughout the city swirled into an invisible storm, strong enough to overturn the flying snow and shake the dao heart.

Xu Xiaoshou sighed deeply, unable to stand by any longer.

He went to Yu Lao's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Move aside."

"Get lost!"

Yu Lao turned with red eyes and roared.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned, his own eyes turning red as he roared back:

"Shut up!"

He struck with a palm.

Ancestral Source power combined with the spatial dao disk blasted the obstructive old man thousands of miles away.

Then, he leaned down, focused his energy, and shouted angrily:

"All of you, shut up!!!"

The sound wave swept through the snow, swallowing mountains and rivers.

This roar pierced through the Xuanji Great Array, rampaging through Yu Jing Cheng.

"Ah—"

Cries of pain followed.

Bang, bang, bang...

In an instant, ninety percent of the people in Yu Jing Cheng collapsed.

The rest clutched their splitting heads, crouching on the ground and trembling, not daring to make a sound.

"Swallow!"

Yu Lao returned, but before he could act,

He saw Xu Xiaoshou press a finger to Little Fish's forehead, and the demonic energy that had escaped was being absorbed thread by thread.

Yu Lao rubbed his chest, took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and felt some relief in his tension, muttering to himself:

"Good, good..."

Outside Yu Jing Cheng, in the unnoticed southern area, Tianren Five Decays was slightly distracted.

On the city wall, with the help of the Devouring Body, Yu Zhiwen showed slight improvement, her eyes gradually regaining clarity.

Dao Xuanji, shrouded in demonic energy, trembled slightly, her eyes shifting from complex emotions back to emptiness.

Lei Shuangxing didn't stop Xu Xiaoshou's actions.

He knew Yu Zhiwen needed to wake up; there was too much to confront, too much past to clear.

Fainting wouldn't let her escape...

Behind him,

The silent Lei Xier glanced slightly with her Shenmo Pupils.

From Xu Xiaoshou's focused expression and steady hand, her gaze extended to Yu Zhiwen's delicate, pitiful face.

"Heh."