FIMA Ch152: Heartless [Arc 9]

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

“Everyone be careful! It’s an attack from the demonic path!”

“New disciples, hide in the spirit boat, disciples of all mountains, draw your swords and prepare for battle!”

Amidst the vast and silent mountains, clear shouts suddenly echoed.

Countless birds and beasts flew up from the forest, breaking the serene sky.

In the branches of a lush and dense giant tree, a tall figure sitting cross-legged slowly opened his eyes.

Gu Siyuan looked at the sea of green before him, feeling the fresh and unique spiritual energy around him, and raised an eyebrow with great interest.

Perhaps because it was a cultivation world, the sea of consciousness and the soul cultivation place of this body were strong enough. Upon arriving, he absorbed and digested all the information without feeling any discomfort.

Opening his palm, blue spiritual energy flickered, and a snow-white long sword appeared in his hand.

In the next moment, his blue robe fluttered in the wind.

Gu Siyuan landed lightly on the ground below like a descending falcon.

“Disciples of Qingchen Mountain, follow my command and form the Star Formation.”

“Senior Brother!”

Hearing the voice, several young disciples in unified blue robes turned back with surprise.

Gu Siyuan’s expression remained cold, and he used the sword light as a signal: “You, go to Gan Jiu Er…”

“Tun Liu San…”

“…”

“I will support from the outside, move!”

With each of his commands, nearly twenty disciples in blue swiftly moved to their designated positions. Soon, a seamless starry sword formation silently took shape.

Dozens of bright sword lights intertwined, like stars falling into this space, sweeping across the mountains and forests.

The disciples of the demonic path who approached, if they were even slightly slow, were mercilessly cut through by the sharp sword intent that crisscrossed the formation.

Gu Siyuan himself remained outside the formation to provide support.

He constantly directed his junior brothers and sisters to change formation positions according to the enemy’s attack direction while also handling the cunning stragglers with his sword.

As the senior brother, the original body naturally had higher strength than the others. Wherever his sharp sword reached, a demonic path member emitting dark energy would fall immediately.

In a short while, most of the demonic attackers on their Qingchen Mountain side had been slain.

The pressure on everyone greatly reduced, and they breathed a slight sigh of relief.

It was all thanks to Senior Brother…

At this moment, Gu Siyuan’s peripheral vision caught sight of a figure in red being pursued by several demonic disciples not far away.

That figure in red was exhausted and, in an instant, was struck by an enemy’s attack. The slender body was like a fallen leaf in the wind, flying backward.

Gu Siyuan’s feet flashed with spiritual power, stopping abruptly in mid-air, and with a horizontal sweep of his left arm, the extremely frail figure in bright red stopped directly in his arms.

Xie Xueyi gasped for breath and turned his head to look at the face of the person behind him, his eyes widening in astonishment.

…It was this guy?

Gu Siyuan’s expression remained stern, and with a swift sword in his right hand, he slashed out with fierce sword intent, forcing the three pursuing demonic enemies to retreat repeatedly.

He landed steadily on the ground with the person in his arms.

Xie Xueyi steadied his footing, looking at the person in front of him with a peculiar expression: “Thank you, you…”

Gu Siyuan did not look at him but coldly said, “New disciples leaving the spirit boat without permission will face punishment upon returning to the sect.”

With that, he pushed Xie Xueyi into the star formation of Qingchen Mountain.

He himself continued to maneuver outside the formation. In the blink of an eye, several sharp blue sword lights intertwined, and several more attackers fell.

“…” Xie Xueyi.

Confirmed, it was someone he couldn’t fight for now.

Moments later, all their enemies were down.

The disciples of Qingchen Mountain surrounded Gu Siyuan: “Senior Brother, when did you learn formations?”

“Senior Brother, are you alright? I have some pills to replenish spiritual power.”

“Senior Brother, it’s all thanks to you, otherwise, our losses would have been significant…”

“Senior Brother…”

Gu Siyuan glanced at them and coldly said, “Those seriously injured, treat your wounds on the spot. The rest, follow me to support the disciples of Hongling Mountain.”

They were slightly stunned, then firmly nodded: “Alright.”

Since the last Taixuan sect competition, Senior Brother had become incredibly gloomy and terrifying.

But today, it seemed that Senior Brother’s pure heart hadn’t cooled, and somehow, he had also learned formations.

Gu Siyuan utilized his lightness skill, swiftly heading towards the direction of the Hongling Mountain disciples, not glancing at Xie Xueyi beside him.

The other Qingchen disciples followed immediately.

Although the five mountains of the Taixuan sect usually competed fiercely, they were all disciples of the same sect. Especially since Hongling Mountain was all female disciples and had no major conflicts with Qingchen Mountain.

Xie Xueyi watched Gu Siyuan’s cold back, pouted unhappily.

But for some reason, he couldn’t help but feel a stir in his heart and silently followed.

After some time.

When the chiefs of each mountain summoned their sect’s protective holy artifacts, the demonic attackers finally retreated.

The disciples of the five mountains gathered together.

Hongling Mountain’s chief senior sister, Yan Miaomiao, first cupped her hands towards Gu Siyuan: “Thank you, Gu… thank you, Senior Brother, and the disciples of Qingchen Mountain for your help.”

Among the five mountains of the Taixuan sect, Hongling Mountain was considered the weakest. This time, only three people were lost, which spoke volumes about the help they received.

Next to her, Ziji Mountain’s chief senior brother, Ji Jinghuan, glanced at Xie Xueyi leaning against a tree and also said to Gu Siyuan: “Thank you, Senior Brother, for saving Junior Brother Xueyi.”

Gu Siyuan lifted his gaze slightly, looking at him indifferently: “No need.”

Disciples from other mountains stared with wide eyes, watching Gu Siyuan and Ji Jinghuan with interest and thought.

In the last Taixuan sect competition, because Ji Jinghuan from Ziji Mountain was late, Gu Siyuan from Qingchen Mountain won by default, becoming the sect’s senior brother.

This also sparked rumors of an unearned victory.

After all, before that, Ji Jinghuan had always been stronger and more popular among the junior disciples.

Both had gone into seclusion afterward.

Today was their first time standing together since then.

While everyone praised Ji Jinghuan’s charisma, seeing Gu Siyuan’s cold demeanor now, they felt even more intimidated.

Moreover, Senior Brother Gu knew formations and saved so many of them.

“This precise attack by the demonic path suggests an insider’s assistance. But they didn’t know we each carried a holy artifact…” said Ren Jiutian, chief senior brother of Moyun Mountain.

He glanced at Gu Siyuan with interest: “They also didn’t expect Senior Brother to be skilled in formations. Otherwise, we would have suffered greater losses.”

Yi Qianqiu, chief senior brother of Baiqing Mountain, nodded: “Once our junior brothers and sisters are healed, we should return to the sect and report this. The demonic path will pay dearly for ambushing us.”

While speaking, he subconsciously glanced at Gu Siyuan.

Gu Siyuan coldly nodded: “Mm.”

Half an hour later.

A snow-white spirit boat rose from the forest, slicing through clouds and wind, heading southwest.

In mid-air, a soaring falcon watched in shock as this massive object surpassed its speed, then lost sight of it in an instant.

On the spirit boat, Gu Siyuan was meditating with closed eyes, sorting through the information of this world.

This world had a Xianxia (immortal hero) background, but the heroism was secondary. The main focus was on the love-hate entanglement between the protagonist couple, willing to betray the world for love.

Protagonist Gong (top) Ji Jinghuan and protagonist Shou (bottom) Ruan Xinchi both came from cultivation families. Their mothers were close friends and arranged a marriage for them before birth.

However, during Ruan Xinchi’s mother’s labor, demonic cultivators attacked, their city was occupied, and the entire family was destroyed.

Only the newly born Ruan Xinchi was able to escape to his aunt’s house in another place under the desperate protection of a servant.

Years passed, and the two protagonists gradually grew up.

Protagonist Gong Ji Jinghuan had outstanding cultivation talent, exceptional demeanor, and noble birth. He was the direct grandson of the master of Ziji Mountain in the Taixuan Immortal Sect, and his reputation spread throughout the continent, undoubtedly the favored son of heaven.

Once, during an exploration of a secret realm, Ji Jinghuan was attacked by a monster and severely injured. He fled to a remote cave to heal, where he unexpectedly met protagonist Shou Ruan Xinchi.

Ruan Xinchi brought him food and water every day.

At that time, Ji Jinghuan was unable to move and was semi-conscious, so he did not see clearly what his savior looked like. When he woke up, he only saw the person’s hurriedly departing back and a token jade pendant hanging from his waist.

Ji Jinghuan had an identical jade pendant, and his mother had mentioned that he once had a fiancé.

With the marriage contract and the life-saving grace, Ji Jinghuan decided to marry this person once he recovered.

However, things would not be so simple.

Protagonist Shou Ruan Xinchi was living with his uncle’s family, the Xiao family, a small cultivation family.

The Xiao family learned that Ji Jinghuan was looking for someone with a specific token jade pendant and got the details from Ruan Xinchi.

The Xiao family then requested that Ruan Xinchi and his cousin Xiao Li switch surnames, with Ruan Xinchi becoming Xiao Xinchi and Xiao Li becoming Ruan Li, citing their nurturing grace.

When Ji Jinghuan found the Xiao family, his savior and fiancé had become Ruan Li.

However, when Ji Jinghuan took Ruan Li away, he noticed Xiao Xinchi’s spiritual roots were interesting: a conflicting water-fire dual root, perfectly suited for a unique technique from an uncle in Ziji Mountain. So he took Xiao Xinchi along as well.

Upon returning to the Taixuan Immortal Sect.

Due to their past connection, Ji Jinghuan truly cherished Ruan Li for a while.

However, Ji Jinghuan was the chief senior brother of Ziji Mountain, the master’s grandson, a single fire root genius, and even among the five mountains of the sect, he was undoubtedly the foremost young person, the most popular senior brother in the entire sect.

The chiefs of the other four mountains were all slightly inferior to him.

Ruan Li’s cultivation talent was mediocre, being an ordinary triple root, and he was already an impostor, feeling very insecure. He saw all the talented and beautiful disciples in the sect as threats.

Once, just because Ji Jinghuan spoke a few more words to a beautiful maid, Ruan Li had the maid beaten to death.

That maid was the daughter of a trusted expert in the Ji family, and Ji Jinghuan was quite angry about it.

Occasionally, Ji Jinghuan felt that this Ruan Li seemed different from the kind person who carefully took care of him in the cave.

Over time, Ruan Li’s various petty and harsh traits became more apparent.

Although Ji Jinghuan continued to indulge him due to the marriage contract and the grace from the cave, he no longer enjoyed spending time with him.

Instead, he found Xiao Xinchi, Ruan Li’s cousin, to be talented and wise, and his personality was gentler and kinder, more like the person in the cave.

Especially after a mission together where they overcame difficulties, Ji Jinghuan developed a vague fondness for Xiao Xinchi.

All these changes further fueled Ruan Li’s fear and insecurity.

Because of this, he quarreled with Xiao Xinchi, accusing him of false benevolence, pretending to relinquish the marriage but still approaching Ji Jinghuan.

This quarrel was unintentionally overheard by Ji Jinghuan’s younger half-brother, Ji Lingbao.

The next morning, the Ji family found that Ji Lingbao had died from cultivation deviation during the night.

Although Ji Lingbao was an illegitimate child with poor talent and low cultivation, he was raised under Ji Jinghuan’s mother’s care since his concubine mother passed early. He was innocent and had a close relationship with Ji Jinghuan.

He was never someone who loved to practice cultivation diligently. How could he possibly have practiced to the point of deviation?

Ji Jinghuan was furious and ordered a thorough investigation.

The Taixuan Immortal Sect’s prohibitions were strict, making it difficult even for a demon lord to enter unnoticed. The Ji family also had various formations, so it had to be an internal issue.

After severe interrogation, someone mentioned seeing Ruan Li going to Ji Lingbao’s courtyard the previous night.

Ruan Li immediately panicked and denied it, claiming that his cousin Xiao Xinchi came to see him and they talked by candlelight all night, never leaving the room.

Xiao Xinchi knew something was wrong but, seeing Ruan Li’s pleading eyes and thinking of the family’s nurturing grace, still gave false testimony for him.

By this time, Ji Jinghuan had already developed deep feelings for Xiao Xinchi. Hearing his sworn testimony, he ultimately believed him.

However, Ruan Li and Xiao Xinchi’s unnatural behavior still aroused deep suspicion in one of Ji Jinghuan’s trusted followers.

This follower was naturally Xie Xueyi, the target of Gu Siyuan’s current mission.

Xie Xueyi came from an inconspicuous ordinary cultivation family in the mortal world. At ten years old, his special physique awakened, and he was captured by a demonic sect.

He stayed with the demonic sect for a few years, eventually stealing a treasure and escaping.

While fleeing, he encountered the Taixuan Immortal Sect’s five mountains recruiting new disciples and dispersed his demonic power to blend in.

Xie Xueyi’s special physique could be hidden, appearing as an ordinary triple root. Because of this, he was even rejected by his single-root fiancé’s family.

Thus, he greatly admired Ji Jinghuan’s deep affection for Ruan Li, believing that true feelings existed even between a single root and a triple root. Moreover, Ji Jinghuan had saved his life, making him even more fond of Ji Jinghuan, so he decided to follow him.

He envied Ji Jinghuan’s deep affection for Ruan Li, so he loved observing the two of them.

The more he observed, the clearer it became to him as an outsider, and he naturally sensed that there was something fishy about Ruan Li, especially when compared to his cousin Xiao Xinchi, whose conduct was vastly different.

Xie Xueyi suddenly had a shocking guess.

Could it be that Ji Lingbao was killed because he accidentally discovered this truth?

After arriving at the Ji family, Xie Xueyi had a very good relationship with Ji Lingbao, treating him like a younger brother. For someone as harmless and adorable as Ji Lingbao, no one would dare to risk offending the Ji family to harm him unless it was to silence him for accidentally discovering a secret.

Therefore, Xie Xueyi specifically sought out Xiao Xinchi to confirm his suspicions.

Xiao Xinchi was initially shocked, but then stubbornly refused to admit anything.

However, Xie Xueyi, being who he was, knew from Xiao Xinchi’s first reaction that his guess was correct.

When Ruan Li saw Xie Xueyi and Xiao Xinchi meeting privately, he panicked and questioned Xiao Xinchi about what they had discussed.

Xiao Xinchi gently advised him to be more cautious in the future, as his identity had already aroused Xie Xueyi’s suspicion.

Ruan Li was greatly alarmed.

Although he was a talentless, malicious fool, he was still Ji Jinghuan’s fiancée and had some cultivators around him who sought to curry favor or had ulterior motives.

So he decided to go all out and planned to have Xie Xueyi and Xiao Xinchi eliminated, as dead men tell no tales.

During the attack, Xiao Xinchi was saved just in time by protagonist Gong Ji Jinghuan, but Xie Xueyi was seriously injured and died.

After the failed assassination attempt, Ruan Li knew that everything could no longer be kept secret.

He did not dare to stay any longer and fled to seek refuge with the demonic forces.

Because Ruan Li had stayed in the Taixuan Immortal Sect’s Ziji Mountain for a long time, he knew a lot of information about the sect and even had some trusted followers left behind.

Later, during the war between the righteous and demonic forces, the information Ruan Li provided caused significant casualties for the Taixuan Immortal Sect.

However, in the end, evil could not triumph over good.

With the joint efforts of the protagonists Gong and Shou, the righteous ultimately defeated the demonic forces. Ji Jinghuan became the sect master of the Taixuan Immortal Sect and held a Daoist partner ceremony with Ruan Xinchi, who had resumed his original name, in front of everyone.

As for Xiao Li, he was captured and brought before the two. Ji Jinghuan initially intended to grind his bones and scatter his ashes, but in the end, due to Ruan Xinchi’s persistent pleading, he merely destroyed his demonic power.

Finally, Xiao Li and the Xiao family deeply reflected on their mistakes, repented and apologized to Ruan Xinchi, and lived a hard life as ordinary rogue cultivators with the spirit stones and pills Ruan Xinchi secretly gave them.

…

As for the whole story, Gu Siyuan felt as if he were listening to a book from heaven, roughly thinking it was just three lunatics gathered together.

His spiritual energy circulated around his body.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and coldly shouted towards the window: “Come in.”

The window was slowly pushed open to a moderate gap, and a figure in red lightly jumped in.

Gu Siyuan stared at the person and asked, “What is it?”

Xie Xueyi squatted in front of him, pouting, “Why are you so fierce?”

Gu Siyuan’s expression remained cold, “Don’t act coy.”

“Haha…” Xie Xueyi suddenly laughed, supporting his chin with his hand, and said cheerfully, “Oh, so you know what acting coy means. I thought you were just a fool who only knew how to cultivate.”

Gu Siyuan glanced at him indifferently, “Then you still rely on this fool to save your life.”

Xie Xueyi’s smile faded, and he sat cross-legged opposite him, “Gu Siyuan, is this how you talk to your husband?”

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow, “You remember?”

Xie Xueyi’s lips curled up, glaring at him, “So you remember too. Hmph, and yet you’re still so fierce to me. How heartless. You abandoned me after breaking our engagement when we were kids, and now you’re still treating me like this as an adult? When did you recognize me? Did you recognize me at first sight?”

Gu Siyuan remained silent.

Indeed.

In this world, his identity was not only the chief senior brother of the Qingchen Mountain in the Taixuan Immortal Sect but also the heartless fiancé who had broken the engagement with Xie Xueyi due to disdain for his triple spiritual roots.