FIMA Ch174: Not Allowing

Each fortress’s affairs are overseen by five late Nascent Soul stage cultivators, and one of the Nascent Souls in the Third War Zone is the master of Baiqing Mountain from the Taixuan Immortal Sect.

After Gu Siyuan and Xie Xueyi recaptured Ruan Li and brought him back, they went to find the master of Baiqing Mountain.

The master of Ziji Mountain, Ji Hong, who is Ji Jinghuan’s grandfather, had also come over from the Fourth War Zone leading reinforcements and had not yet left, so they happened to meet.

Gu Siyuan, being familiar with the character of the sect’s upper echelons, didn’t bother to hide anything and directly explained the situation to the two masters.

With Ruan Li as a witness, the masters of Ziji Mountain and Baiqing Mountain didn’t hesitate to search his soul, and thus the truth of the matter was mostly revealed.

However, since the master of Ziji Mountain, Ji Hong, was Ji Jinghuan’s own grandfather, out of respect for the elder, they decided to confirm the situation in person.

And thus, the current scene unfolded.

Indeed, Gu Siyuan had set up Ji Jinghuan, but so what?

As long as the truth remained, as long as the facts didn’t change.

Gu Siyuan glanced at him indifferently, without speaking further.

There was no need for him to say anything.

At this moment, there were many who wanted to speak.

Ji Hong looked at Ji Jinghuan, expressionless, and said, “Jinghuan, you have disappointed me.”

“Grandfather! Listen to my explanation…” Ji Jinghuan’s expression changed drastically.

He was the most outstanding descendant of the Ji family. Since childhood, his grandfather had especially doted on him, even more so than his parents. When had he ever looked at him like this, let alone spoken such harsh words?

Most importantly, at this moment, his grandfather was the only one who could save him.

Ji Hong met his eyes and pointed to the listless Ruan Li beside him, saying, “Before coming here, we already conducted a soul search. Do you think you can explain yourself? Can you explain it clearly? Secretly releasing a major criminal, murdering a fellow disciple—everything was done by you, and each act is a grave crime of betrayal to the sect.”

Ji Jinghuan followed his gaze, his expression becoming extremely grim.

And Ruan Li, already pale-faced, trembled upon hearing the words “soul search” and could no longer stand, collapsing to the ground.

Xiao Xinchi immediately showed a look of compassion and instinctively stepped forward to support him. “Cousin, are you alright? What did they do to you?”

Ji Jinghuan shifted his gaze away from Ruan Li. Once a soul search is performed, the truth of the matter can no longer be disputed.

This time, he had indeed fallen directly into Gu Siyuan’s trap.

But this wasn’t important. The key to this matter was never the truth or what really happened.

“Grandfather, I did release Ruan Li and killed a person.”

The more anxious he felt, the clearer his mind and words became. “But we both understand that this actually doesn’t matter. What matters is that I am your grandson. Are you willing to do everything to help me? Grandfather, as long as you follow my earlier suggestion and make Yue Tai the culprit, pretending as if nothing happened just now, there won’t be any problems.”

This is a war zone where countless cultivators die every day. What does the death of a Yue Tai matter? He is just an ordinary disciple of the sect with no backing.

And Ji Jinghuan is a prodigy of the time, the chief senior brother of Ziji Mountain. His grandfather is the master of Ziji Mountain, second only to the sect master, with high status and extraordinary cultivation.

If he wants to cover up this matter and protect him, what difference does it make if the master of Bai Qing Mountain and Gu Siyuan are present? As long as they are willing to pay a sufficient price, would these two really oppose a late Nascent Soul stage cultivator, risking offending Ziji Mountain, and insist on taking him down?

That would be unwise.

In the world of adults, mutual benefit with appropriate concessions is the best outcome.

The courtyard fell into a deep silence.

Until Xie Xueyi blinked his round eyes and slowly raised his hand, saying, “Aren’t your words just now too arrogant, blatantly asking for favoritism? Are you ignoring our presence?”

“Seeing is seeing, not seeing is not seeing. There is no such thing as pretending.” Gu Siyuan also coldly glanced at Ji Jinghuan again, his ghostly cold words showing no hint of compromise or concession.

The master of Baiqing Mountain lightly coughed, making the atmosphere even more awkward and indescribable.

“Gu Siyuan, you despicable person, all of this is your plot against me. What right do you have to speak to me so condescendingly?” Ji Jinghuan sneered, angrily rebuking him.

After cursing, he continued to look at his grandfather, Ji Hong, his tone softening, “Grandfather, you taught me since childhood that we must never lose our spirit when outside, to uphold the prestige of our Taixuan sect. This time, I was foolish and made a mistake, but I fell into Gu Siyuan’s trap. Grandfather, I will learn from this and never again…”

At this point, Ji Hong suddenly interrupted him, “What I taught you should be more than that.”

He looked at the slanting sunlight outside the window, where the low sky merged with the wilderness, filling his view with blood-red, seemingly able to smell the scent of blood and fire on the battlefield.

So stimulating, yet so nauseating.

It reminded him of long, long ago, the days of living in the mundane world before entering the Taixuan Immortal Sect.

“I taught you not to be bullied by outsiders, to uphold the prestige of our Taixuan sect. But beyond that, I also taught you to maintain the sect’s honor with every action, to set an example for your junior brothers and sisters. You have confused priorities.”

Upon hearing this, everyone’s expressions lightened a bit.

Gu Siyuan and the others felt relieved, as if a weight had been lifted.

For Ji Jinghuan, it was like being resigned to fate with a knife at his neck.

Ji Jinghuan stared fixedly at his grandfather.

He could never have imagined that his own grandfather, who had always been protective, would say such things, directly acknowledging his guilt without hesitation!

He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and said, “Grandfather, I’ve only made one mistake. Am I truly unforgivable? Give me another chance, and I will become the Taixuan disciple you are proud of…”

Ji Hong shook his head gently. “Twice, you’ve made two mistakes.”

Ji Jinghuan was stunned, then immediately argued, “Grandfather, but…”

Ji Hong’s expression remained calm, “If you know you’ve made a mistake, you must have the courage to bear the consequences.”

He glanced at Gu Siyuan and the master of Baiqing Mountain, “The affairs of the Third War Zone are managed by you. For matters like this, handle them according to the sect’s rules.”

Having said that, he flicked his robe and was about to turn and leave.

The sect’s rules?

According to the Taixuan Immortal Sect’s rules, those who betray the sect are either directly executed or, at the very least, have their cultivation abolished.

Either way, it was unbearable for him.

Ji Jinghuan, in disbelief and panic, reached out to grab Ji Hong’s robe, “Grandfather, I am your own grandson… Even if you disregard my mistakes, aren’t the deep ties between us real? You’ve always treated me so well, you said you would give me the entire Ji family, Ziji Mountain. Are you now going to watch me become a cripple?”

“Master, Jinghuan admires and respects you deeply, and you must cherish and love him greatly. Now, Jinghuan has only made a small mistake. How can you bear to abandon him like this? If you recalled the deep ties between grandfather and grandson in the future and thought of today, won’t you regret it immensely, perhaps even forming a heart demon in your cultivation?” Xiao Xinchi also disregarded his sickly, foolish cousin and immediately spoke up for Ji Jinghuan.

Hearing their words, Ji Hong paused in his steps, slightly raised his head, and said to Ji Jinghuan, “Do you know how old I am this year?”

Ji Jinghuan was taken aback.

Ji Hong didn’t wait for his answer and quickly continued, “I formed my Nascent Soul at two hundred, and this year I am one thousand two hundred and thirteen. I joined the Taixuan Immortal Sect when I was thirteen, which means I have spent exactly one thousand two hundred years in the sect, from being an outer disciple to a core disciple, then becoming a law enforcement elder, and finally the master of Ziji Mountain.”

“One thousand two hundred years of companionship and togetherness. And you, since birth, have only been connected to me for a few decades. Why should I destroy the millennia-old rules and reputation of the sect for the sake of these mere decades of grandfather-grandson affection? Do you think you are worthy?”

From beginning to end, Ji Hong’s expression remained indifferent. Only at this moment did it show a bit of vivid color, full of vitality.

Even Gu Siyuan, who had been watching coldly from the side, couldn’t help but glance at Ji Hong.

Xie Xueyi’s eyes widened directly, staring at Ji Hong without blinking, as if there was some interesting secret on this old man.

But Ji Jinghuan’s face turned pale, and he clenched his fists tightly.

This answer was simply unbearable for him.

The pride and arrogance he once believed in were so insignificant in his grandfather’s eyes.

…

Ji Hong left.

The courtyard fell into silence.

The master of Baiqing Mountain glanced at Ji Jinghuan, who was lost in confusion and inner turmoil, and said to Gu Siyuan, “Let me carry out the punishment!”

Xie Xueyi immediately said, “Thank you, master.”

The master of Baiqing Mountain smiled and shook his head at him, “What a clever one.”

Then he turned his gaze to Ji Jinghuan.

The pressure of a Nascent Soul cultivator came down, and Ji Jinghuan’s body immediately stiffened. His previously confused and dazed mind became clear in an instant, making the pain even more unbearable.

He twisted his face, pleading bitterly, “Uncle Master, please spare me. I know my mistakes, I truly do…”

The master of Bai Qing Mountain had always been soft-hearted, and Ji Jinghuan was also a junior he had watched grow up.

But the sect rules were as firm as iron and could not be defied by anyone.

“Jinghuan, it will be over soon.” With that, he mercilessly placed his hand gently on the heads of Ji Jinghuan and Xiao Xinchi.

In the next moment, two sharp screams echoed as the dantians and meridians of Ji Jinghuan and Xiao Xinchi trembled violently, feeling the essence of countless brilliant spiritual energies continuously leaving their bodies.

The aura of the Golden Core stage began to drop continuously.

On their once young and handsome faces, a few faint wrinkles appeared. The decline in cultivation also brought a reduction in lifespan.

After an unknown amount of time, the master of Bai Qing Mountain finally lowered his hand, and both of them fell to the ground.

The master of Baiqing Mountain looked at Ji Jinghuan, his voice filled with undeniable regret, “Jinghuan, for such a grave mistake, you should have had your cultivation completely abolished. But considering your contributions to the sect over the years and your diligence in fighting the demonic path in the past year, I have left you with the cultivation of the late Qi Refining stage. With your single spiritual root, it should not be too difficult to build your foundation again. If you have great opportunities and cultivate diligently, you might even form a Golden Core again…”

Sighing lightly, he left.

Ji Jinghuan, however, could not accept this at all.

He was now in the late Golden Core stage. With his talent, forming a Nascent Soul would naturally happen in a few more years.

But now, having fallen to the late Qi Refining stage, aside from the humiliation of having to address those who were once inferior to him as seniors, even if he worked hard to rebuild his foundation, he would be old by then. As for using up resources to form a Golden Core again, the barrier would be a hundred times thicker than before, making it as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

And forming a Nascent Soul would be a complete fantasy, not even worth thinking about…

His life now seemed to have a clear end in sight.

How did he end up like this?

He was Ji Jinghuan, the once most proud prodigy of the Taixuan Immortal Sect, the young hero renowned across the continent!

His life should have been brilliant and dazzling. When did it all start to go wrong?

Thinking this, he bit his lip, his body trembling violently, and couldn’t help but glare at Gu Siyuan.

But Gu Siyuan’s face remained calm, as if he hadn’t seen anything.

As a Nascent Soul elder, how could he pay attention to a mere Qi Refining stage cultivator?

The more Ji Jinghuan’s heart ached, the more he slowly turned his fierce gaze to the collapsed Ruan Li.

Yes, it was because of him. If he hadn’t colluded with the demonic path, and if he hadn’t agreed to save him for Xinchi, none of this would have happened, resulting in such irreversible consequences.

He looked up at Gu Siyuan, his voice sinister, “Gu Siyuan, you’ve tormented me to this extent. I admit defeat. Since that’s the case, can you do me a favor and hand over Ruan Li to me?”

Xiao Xinchi suddenly looked up at Ji Jinghuan, then froze.

Originally, he thought Ji Jinghuan wanted to rescue his cousin, but now, seeing the alarming ferocity on his face, a great unease suddenly rose in Xiao Xinchi’s heart.

“Jinghuan…” he called softly.

Ji Jinghuan also turned to look at him.

Xiao Xinchi was only at the early Golden Core stage, his cultivation far inferior to Ji Jinghuan’s. But he hadn’t killed any fellow disciples, so his punishment was lighter, leaving him with his Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Heh, Xinchi had become his senior…

However, today had already brought enough troubles; his heart was almost numb.

“No,” Gu Siyuan didn’t even consider Ji Jinghuan, flatly refusing and then saying to Xie Xueyi, “Let’s go.”

Xie Xueyi smiled, tilted his chin slightly, signaling Ruan Li to stand up and follow them.

Ji Jinghuan’s expression changed slightly, “Gu Siyuan, you won’t even give me this small favor? Do you really want to push things to the limit?”

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow and sneered, “I thought reducing you to the Qi Refining stage already showed my stance.”

Ji Jinghuan’s face twisted, “You…”

At this moment, Xie Xueyi’s clear, pleasant voice rang out in the room.

“Tsk, Ji Jinghuan, what do you want Ruan Li for? Do you still have lingering feelings for your former fiancé? If so, I should kindly remind you, during the soul search earlier, we found something interesting in Ruan Li’s memories. Do you want to hear it?”

“What do you mean?” Ji Jinghuan coughed lightly, squinting his eyes.

Xiao Xinchi’s face suddenly turned pale, remembering that incident. He hurriedly shouted at Xie Xueyi, “No, don’t say it…”

Xie Xueyi had wanted to speak up for a long time. Before, it wasn’t convenient with the two senior masters present, but now that he had the chance, he wasn’t going to miss it. It was his style to reveal secrets and enjoy others’ reactions.

Playing with his whip, he walked a few steps forward, smiling mischievously, “Ji Jinghuan, you shouldn’t lament losing to my brother. Let’s not even mention how wise and brilliant my brother is. With your brains, it’s normal to lose to anyone. I bet you haven’t even figured out the real names of your fiancé and your beloved junior brother, have you?”

Ji Jinghuan’s pupils contracted sharply. “What did you say?”

Xie Xueyi’s smile grew even brighter. “Let me, the kind-hearted one, enlighten you. Ruan Xinchi and Xiao Li—doesn’t that arrangement of names sound more interesting?”

“Don’t say it, don’t say it… I beg you.” Xiao Xinchi, no, Ruan Xinchi, pleaded bitterly.

But Xie Xueyi was no good person. He was even more excited to tell the story he had long prepared, relishing in the details and occasionally expressing his admiration.

Gu Siyuan, watching Xie Xueyi’s excitement, thought to himself: Perhaps after the war, setting up a theater for him among mortals might be a good idea.

After a while, Xie Xueyi’s voice gradually faded.

Heart-wrenching cries echoed through the scene.

“You lied to me, you all lied to me, you were deceiving me…”

Ji Jinghuan collapsed on the ground, laughing and crying. The emotional turmoil, coupled with the internal injuries from his fallen cultivation, caused him to vomit blood continuously.

“I’m sorry, Jinghuan, I had no choice back then. My aunt and others… I couldn’t forget old ties.” Ruan Xinchi’s heart ached as he rushed forward to apologize, eyes full of regret and pain.

But Ji Jinghuan, as if encountering a poisonous snake, shoved him away violently.

He once thought Ruan Li saved him, had a marriage contract with him, and brought him back to the Tai Xuan Immortal Sect, leading to today’s events.

But now, it was all a lie.

The person he liked most had deceived him, together with the one who brought him to this ruin.

Everything was wrong from the start—the people, the names, the relationships…

His life was completely wrong…

…

Gu Siyuan and Xie Xueyi left Ji Jinghuan’s courtyard and headed to their residence. On the way, they could still hear the drifting sounds of wails and screams.

Xie Xueyi swayed, holding Gu Siyuan’s hand, and sighed, “What a pity…”

Gu Siyuan squeezed his fingertips, raising an eyebrow, “Is that your honest opinion?”

Xie Xueyi chuckled, “How stupid…”

Gu Siyuan smiled, “Now that’s the honest opinion.”

Xie Xueyi felt a bit indignant, “Brother, is that how you see me—as mean and harsh?”

Gu Siyuan frowned and spoke seriously, “Ahem, what are you saying? It’s clearly smart and cute. Even if you’re Xie Xueyi, you can’t judge my dao companion so casually.”

“…” Xie Xueyi’s ears turned slightly red.

This guy.

He rarely speaks, but when he does, it makes your heart race.

They walked in silence for a while.

Xie Xueyi’s fingers moved, interlocking with Gu Siyuan’s, and he suddenly said, “Brother, I won’t be as stupid as them. I like you, and no matter what happens, I’ll make sure you know it. I won’t give you up to anyone else. That would not only belittle myself but also hurt you!”

Gu Siyuan nodded, his voice calm, “Words match actions. Junior Brother Xie is a man of action and wisdom.”

Xie Xueyi stared at Gu Siyuan, his voice cold, “Even if one day it’s impossible, I’d rather destroy everything than let anyone else have you.”

Gu Siyuan continued their play, “Hmm, how terrifying. Luckily, I know and love you.”

Hearing the word ‘love,’ Xie Xueyi immediately laughed and boasted, “Of course, you were so hard to get back then, but now you’re mine…”

Gu Siyuan disagreed, raising an eyebrow, “Hmm? Who got whom?”

“…” Xie Xueyi.

…