FIMA Ch172: Accusation

Northwest Canglan Continent, Blood-colored Wilderness.

This area belongs to the territory of one of the three major forces of the demonic sect, the Demon Sect, and thousands of miles ahead borders the Bright Light Immortal Sect of the righteous path.

Therefore, it can be considered a bustling area with many mountain strongholds, taverns, bandits, and more.

But since the spring of this year, after the official start of the war between the righteous and demonic paths, most of the Demon Sect cultivators and many other demonic forces and wanderers under their control have been drawn to the northern frontlines.

What was once chaotic and filled with debauchery and laughter now exuded a desolate and quiet atmosphere.

However, not far away on the plains, a fierce battle was still raging.

A team of righteous path cultivators led by two Nascent Soul stage cultivators silently infiltrated, but they were unexpectedly surrounded by the stationed forces left by the Demon Sect. The Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators in the team suffered heavy losses, and even the two Nascent Soul cultivators could only defend with great difficulty.

On the vast plains, dust and smoke billowed, and blood splattered everywhere.

In a short period of time, countless righteous path cultivators fell, and their bodies were torn to pieces in the fierce battles among their comrades, scattered by the wind.

This team could see themselves facing total annihilation.

The two Nascent Soul cultivators who were fighting fiercely in mid-air felt a chill in their hearts. Immediately, they ordered a Golden Core cultivator below them, “Abandon this mission. We will do our best to evacuate you.”

For two Nascent Soul cultivators to risk their lives to protect someone, how important and how prestigious could this person’s identity be?

Regardless of what others might think, for many elders and disciples of the Taixuan Immortal Sect, this person was undoubtedly of utmost importance.

Because he was Gu Siyuan’s Dao companion, the future Sect Master of the Taixuan Immortal Sect.

At this moment, Gu Siyuan was in secluded cultivation to overcome the Heavenly Tribulation of forming the Nascent Soul. If something happened to his Dao companion, it would inevitably cause a backlash in their spiritual connection. If this led to a failed breakthrough or even demonic possession, the losses to the Taixuan Immortal Sect would be immeasurable.

Xie Xueyi’s long whip claimed another life, and the thunder and fire bombs in his spatial ring were about to be exhausted. Gu Siyuan had specially prepared nearly twenty thousand of them before entering seclusion. However, in the meat grinder of this battlefield involving hundreds of thousands of cultivators from both sides, if they were not used sparingly, they could be depleted in just one frontal clash.

Watching the figures of his comrades falling continuously, he began to miss Gu Siyuan immensely.

If Gu Siyuan were here, things wouldn’t be so difficult, and the situation wouldn’t have deteriorated to this extent.

The demonic cultivators also seemed to sense the special nature of this person from the slight movements of their opponents, subconsciously directing most of their attacks towards Xie Xueyi.

Under such intense attacks, despite Xie Xueyi’s exceptional talent and combat prowess, he quickly suffered serious injuries, his face pale.

The leader of the demonic sect looked at the increasingly anxious expressions of the righteous path cultivators and knew that his speculation was correct. He immediately ordered loudly, “Capture this little pretty boy alive and bring him back for soul-searching. There must be some interesting discoveries.”

Everyone’s hearts tightened.

Just then, a strong wind suddenly rose on the wilderness.

No one knew where the wind came from, but in an instant, almost all the cultivators’ minds swayed, making them unstable on their feet.

After the wind, a dazzling stream of light swiftly swept over from a distance. It was moving at an astonishing speed, visible only to the four Nascent Soul cultivators who were fighting. In that light was a person.

Accompanied by the howling wind, the stream of light soon arrived before them. Simultaneously, a sword intent carrying the might of heaven and earth, as if experiencing a meteor explosion, split into countless strands of starlight sword intent, mercilessly sprinkling down below.

All the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators panicked. If this starlight sword intent landed on them, where would they have any chance of survival?

However, they soon realized that this starlight sword intent seemed to have eyes, specifically targeting those demonic sect cultivators.

Moments later, on the wilderness, there lay countless bodies of Foundation Establishment and Golden Core stage demonic sect cultivators.

Everyone watched this scene, utterly shocked.

Later on, unable to help himself, he shifted his gaze towards the streak of light and the slender figure within it.

Perhaps because he had just mastered this move, the figure hadn’t yet achieved perfect control. At this moment, he seemed like a sharp sword, surrounded by sword intent all over his body, freely displaying his sharp edge. It was so overwhelming that people couldn’t look directly at him, their eyes stinging painfully.

But Xie Xueyi couldn’t bear to look away from this figure, no matter how much his eyes reddened…

“So fixed on staring, after a year apart, don’t you recognize me?” 

A familiar clear male voice sounded in Xie Xueyi’s ears.

A figure stepped out from within that light.

As he walked step by step towards Xie Xueyi, the intimidating sword intent surrounding his body gradually receded. In the end, there was not even a trace left, only a slim figure in green clothes and a familiar stern face.

Xie Xueyi blinked, and a brilliant light flashed deep in his eyes. Before the man had completely approached, he pounced directly towards him, “Brother!”

“Mm.” Gu Siyuan embraced him tightly, letting out a long sigh, “I missed you so much.”

Xie Xueyi trembled, his eyes turning red almost instantly.

After a moment, Gu Siyuan released him and said softly, “We’ll continue hugging later. I need to go help the two elders deal with those two old fellows in the sky.”

After that, he flashed his figure and rushed up with his sword.

Xie Xueyi was about to say something.

Those in the sky are all Nascent Soul, it’s too dangerous…

However, suddenly widening his eyes, Gu Siyuan came out, just as that shocking sword had caused the earth to cry out.

So, Gu Siyuan is also a Nascent Soul cultivator now.

His good brother is also a Nascent Soul, truly standing at the peak of this continent. It’s not about talent potential or background, but purely about cultivation strength.

Gu Siyuan always does things thoroughly.

After a while, the wasteland returned to silence.

A group of circling scavenger vultures came here, but found no corpses or bloodstains on the ground, and they left angrily.

After Gu Siyuan and his group left the wasteland, they found a hidden place to rest for a while.

The two Nascent Soul elders of the Taixuan Immortal Sect finally had the opportunity to speak, “Siyuan, everyone did not misjudge you. Successfully forming the Nascent Soul, your combat power has truly turned things upside down.”

In the recent battle, Gu Siyuan alone killed both Nascent Soul cultivators of the demonic path.

As someone who had just finished seclusion and entered the Nascent Soul stage, his performance in battle was comparable to those in the later stages. It’s simply beyond words to describe his extraordinary talent.

Both of them showed visible excitement and pride on their faces.

Gu Siyuan remained unchanged in expression, just nodding, “These days, the two elders have worked hard.”

“It’s what we should do.” The two smiled and shook their heads lightly.

After exchanging a few casual greetings, Gu Siyuan and Xie Xueyi returned to the temporary cave they had opened.

Being outside, things were inconvenient.

After a simple cultivation session,

Xie Xueyi still clung tightly to Gu Siyuan, lazily lying on him, resting his head against his shoulder, and drawing patterns on his sturdy chest and abdomen with his delicate white fingers.

Gu Siyuan endured for a while, grabbing his fingers, “That’s enough.”

Xie Xueyi lifted his chin, leaned close to Gu Siyuan’s ear, and exhaled gently like orchids, “Brother, why are you so unromantic?”

Gu Siyuan pinched his chin and chuckled, “Who’s unromantic? Who was just biting their teeth and dare not make a sound earlier? Afraid the elders nearby would hear?”

Xie Xueyi pouted, disgruntled, “That’s because you deliberately bully people.”

Gu Siyuan’s voice deepened, “So, behave yourself now.”

“Oh…” Xie Xueyi’s heart fluttered from his teasing tone, softly humming.

But after a while, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “By the way, brother, why did you happen to come today?”

Gu Siyuan stroked his slightly sweaty black hair and whispered, “I asked the elders of the sect and found out you were on a confidential mission, so I followed the trail here.”

Speaking of this, Xie Xueyi nodded in frustration, “It’s a confidential mission, but the progress isn’t great…”

“Now that I’m here, let’s get straight to the point,” Gu Siyuan asked directly, “Is your mission to find the Lingting Secret Realm where the Xiao family from the Spirit Realm is located?”

Xie Xueyi widened his eyes, “Brother, you know?”

“I could guess,” Gu Siyuan pondered.

If not for this, considering Xie Xueyi as his Dao companion, the Taixuan Immortal Sect wouldn’t have placed him in such a perilous situation before he successfully formed his Yuanying.

Besides being critically important, this mission was uniquely suited to him.

The battle between good and evil had led to heavy losses on both sides.

But for both parties, this was a battle for life and future. Neither side was willing to end it prematurely, fearing future consequences or compromise for millennia.

To end the conflict swiftly, capturing the leaders was the best approach.

The path currently explored by the righteous faction was to directly destroy the Lingting Secret Realm, wiping out the Xiao family from the Spirit Realm completely.

Xie Xueyi hailed from the Lingting Secret Realm, making him the most knowledgeable about this faction among the righteous.

Moreover, due to his special constitution and having practiced some techniques from Lingting, he could sense things inexplicably when near the secret realm.

Therefore, a small team was formed around him, specifically targeting the enemy’s stronghold.

However, the secret realm was located in the void and its position constantly shifted.

Just like immortal realms, the entrance appeared in different locations each time it manifested in the mortal realm, covering all directions of the continent.

Thus, for these past few months, they had achieved nothing.

Xie Xueyi’s pointed chin knocked against Gu Siyuan’s body, his small head shaking with dismay.

“Although progress hasn’t been great, you must have gathered and prepared a lot of relevant information about the Lingting Secret Realm, right? Let me see,” Gu Siyuan pinched his chin, saying calmly.

Xie Xueyi’s eyes brightened, “Brother, do you have a way to find it?”

Gu Siyuan replied, “I can try.”

“Good, it’s all in my spatial ring, I’ll give it to you now,” Xie Xueyi said excitedly.

Xie Xueyi initially thought Gu Siyuan had crafted some special artifact or talisman for tracking.

However, in the following days and nights, Gu Siyuan merely looked at those jade slips, images, and data, scribbling on paper with symbols that Xie Xueyi didn’t recognize, not resembling any script from their Canglan Continent, but a bunch of strange and weird symbols like tadpoles.

“Brother, can this really help find it?” Xie Xueyi lay beside Gu Siyuan, nibbling on a spiritual fruit as he asked.

Gu Siyuan looked at his lips, tinted red from the fruit’s juice, and whispered softly, “You’re in luck. I’ve just pinpointed the general area.”

Xie Xueyi immediately sat up straight, staring at the pile of papers on the stone table.

After a while, he leisurely asked, “Is it this pile of paper? And these weird symbols, strange little drawings?”

Gu Siyuan pinched his face, “Ignorant little one.”

These are physical formulas.

Through the data provided by Xie Xueyi, Gu Siyuan could roughly determine the geographical environment inside the secret realm, as well as the volume, weight, and other aspects of the realm’s space.

Combined with the historical locations where the secret realm had previously hidden over the years, he gradually mapped out the approximate trajectory of the realm’s movement. He also tried to deduce a formula for its movement, allowing them to calculate in advance their next location.

Although this formula might not be entirely precise due to various factors, as cultivators, their fast flying speed meant slight deviations were inconsequential. It was still better than wandering aimlessly across the continent and possibly into enemy traps.

Thinking this, Gu Siyuan asked Xie Xueyi again, “When I emerged from seclusion, I noticed the place where Ruan Li was imprisoned was empty. Did you bring him to the frontline?”

Xie Xueyi immediately replied, “Yes. Since you mentioned he might still have utility, although everyone now knows about his connection with the evil faction, Ji Jinghuan and his group are not thinking straight. I was afraid that after you closed off, and I came to the frontline again, they might release Ruan Li. So, I brought him along. Currently, he’s detained in the closest Fortress No. 3.”

Gu Siyuan nodded lightly, “Hmm, then let’s make a trip back. Although you can sense the secret realm, ultimately making the realm visible will likely require his bloodline.”

“Bloodline? Wait, isn’t it only the Xiao family bloodline within the secret realm that can make the gate visible?” Xie Xueyi furrowed his brow, puzzled for a moment, then pulled Gu Siyuan’s arm, “Hey, I remember… Jijing Huan’s lover’s junior apprentice is named Xiao Xinch, surnamed Xiao? Could he have some connection to the Lingting Secret Realm? He’s Ruan Li’s cousin, right?”

Gu Siyuan pinched his cheek, “You’re thinking fast.”

Xie Xueyi widened his eyes, “Oh my, that’s true! I was wondering why those spies from the evil faction singled him out.”

Gu Siyuan remained silent.

Previously, Xie Xueyi had shared a lot of information about Lingting with him, including an anecdote that had left a deep impression.

The Xiao clan members in Lingting had been in the mortal world for nearly ten thousand years.

In the mortal world, it was impossible to achieve Godhood; without reaching the Yuanying stage, their lifespan would not exceed two thousand years, at most three thousand years.

In other words, except for the ancient creature he had absorbed, the current Xiao clan members in the secret realm were not the original group who had descended, but rather their descendants carrying on their mission.

However, even for cultivators, there was no guarantee that their offspring would necessarily have spiritual roots.

It was the same for the Xiao clan members, and according to their madness, those who couldn’t harness the spiritual energy in the secret realm were considered useless trash.

If it were an ordinary clan, they might have expelled these individuals to deal with the matter.

However, in the Lingting Secret Realm, such individuals would be directly killed because absolute secrecy must be maintained to prevent the realm’s existence from being exposed.

However, there were always one or two parents who had rare parental affection.

The ancestors of Ruan Li and Xiao Xinch were such cases. Their lineage had twin brothers, where the elder had spiritual roots and the younger did not. Therefore, their parents concealed the younger child without spiritual roots, secretly sending him away to save him from being killed.

This was also one of the reasons why, in the original plot, after decades of great war, the protagonists teamed up to defeat evil, saving the continent and becoming the ultimate victors.

After all, hatred and destiny intertwine.

…

Gu Siyuan’s group each used their methods, rushing towards a huge city in the northwest direction.

After the battles between righteousness and evil, the territories were divided into four major war zones along the frontline. To facilitate their own replenishment and command, the righteous side had constructed fortresses in corresponding areas.

Xie Xueyi was currently under the jurisdiction of the third war zone and had to return to Fortress No. 3 for this mission, whether it was for reporting back or for recuperation.

The massive fortress city lay sprawled over the land, surrounded by endless plains. As the sun set, the dim yellowish light cast a sense of vast loneliness across the horizon.

At the city gate, five teams of fully armed cultivators stood, checking the identities of those coming and going. Led by a Golden Core stage leader, Foundation Establishment cultivators assisted. Deep within the gate, an Soul Transformation stage ancestor sat with closed eyes.

Gu Siyuan and his group approached, submitting their identities for verification.

“Gu Siyuan, disciple of Taixuan Sect’s Qingchen Mountain. Identity confirmed,” nodded the leader of the Golden Core team, then suddenly widened his eyes, “Gu… Gu Siyuan, you’ve emerged from seclusion.”

The battles between righteousness and evil were disasters for ordinary cultivators.

But for those exceptional talents, it was somewhat an opportunity.

To enable cultivators to fully engage in battle, the major righteous sects had practically brought out all the treasures accumulated over thousands of years as rewards for their heroes.

During these battles, numerous young talents had emerged, rapidly advancing in cultivation and strength.

Among those of Gu Siyuan’s generation were prodigies like Yin Xiaojue, Ji nghuan, Zhao Tianzong, each renowned for their achievements and rewarded with abundant resources.

At this moment, people naturally thought of Gu Siyuan, the peerless among peers who had yet to join the battle or achieve significant deeds, prompting some to question.

It wasn’t until Taixuan Sect announced that Gu Siyuan was in seclusion to undergo Soul Transformation that the voices gradually subsided, replaced by profound astonishment. Gu Siyuan was still in his twenties; to achieve Soul Transformation at such a young age was unimaginable. If successful, he would likely be the first in the history of Canglan Continent…

And now, Gu Siyuan stood before them.

Just then, a calm voice resounded by the ear of the Golden Core team leader, “Clueless fool, dare you be so disrespectful? You should address him as Senior Gu.”

The leader of the Golden Core team was stunned.

This was the voice of his senior fellow apprentice stationed deep within the city gate.

Senior?

Does this mean Gu Siyuan has really succeeded in Soul Transformation so quickly…

His mind was still reeling from shock, but his body reacted faster. He immediately handed back his name card with both hands and respectfully bowed, “Senior Gu, please.”

Gu Siyuan nodded slightly and led Xie Xueyi into the city.

At that moment, several people emerged from the fortress, dressed in special hooded robes that concealed their aura completely, making their forms and faces indistinguishable.

As they passed by Gu Siyuan and Xie Xueyi, it seemed they intentionally quickened their pace.

Gu Siyuan squinted his eyes.

Xie Xueyi, however, tightened his grip on his hand and actively pulled him forward as if nothing had happened.

Gu Siyuan understood tacitly, maintaining his composure and continuing forward without stopping.

A moment later, after those people had completely disappeared from his spiritual perception, he stopped and gripped Xie Xueyi’s chin with his large hand, “What just happened? Those people were clearly suspicious.”

Xie Xueyi extended his bright red tongue to lick his the space between his forefinger and thumb, “That was Ruan Li.”

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow and said, “He actually escaped. It seems bringing him here wasn’t safe after all.”

“Yeah, it’s really frustrating.” Xie Xueyi shrugged his shoulders, then smiled brightly at him, “But, brother, fortunately I have you. The tracking device you refined before is very sophisticated and useful. So, before bringing that guy Ruan Li to the frontline, I secretly implanted it into him. No one can detect it. Now, it has really caught him red-handed.”

A smirk curved at the corner of Gu Siyuan’s lips as he pinched his cheek, “Clever little one.”

Xie Xueyi was stunned, his ears instantly turning as red as blood.

How did he become so talkative right after coming out of seclusion…

Gu Siyuan continued leading his forward, asking, “Why didn’t you expose Ruan Li earlier and let him leave on purpose? What are you planning?”

Xie Xueyi snorted heavily, “I want revenge.”

Upon hearing this, Gu Siyuan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his aura instantly turning cold, “During my seclusion, did someone bully you? Was it Ji Jinghuan?”

“Yeah, it was him, along with that Xiao Xinchi, who I don’t know if he’s his junior brother or lover.”

Xie Xueyi immediately started complaining with a pout, “Although I’m not afraid of fighting, I can’t argue with them two against one… But I’m all alone, and they always appear together in front of me. It’s obviously to flaunt their relationship in front of me. Can you imagine how frustrating this is for me?”

“…” Gu Siyuan