Yanchun sensed something was amiss, immediately pulling Jing Yangyu to stand between him and Yin Yuchen.

Jing Yangyu would never harm Yanchun, so he restrained his imposing aura.

He wasnt intentionally trying to bully anyone, but when Yanchun suddenly befriended this unfamiliar disciple, Jing Yangyu couldnt help but suspect that the outer disciple was aware of Yanchuns identity and was deliberately trying to get close to her.

Although the Yin Yang Fish was not rare among inner disciples, among the outer disciples, it was considered a valuable item. By saving him, it was considered a good karma. Why would he give it to Yanchun?

Moreover, Jing Yangyu understood Yanchuns personality. Although she was lively and kind-hearted, and got along well with others, she rarely formed close relationships with male cultivators, except for Jing Yangyu himself. Yanchun had never shown any signs of closeness to other male disciples.

Just in one day, how did the junior sister become so familiar with this outer disciple? If it wasnt intentional from the other party... could it be that the Cleansing Spirit Pool had been pent up for too long?

Senior Brother, I know you dont care about such trivial matters, but please help me this time. I wont run away again in the future, and I will cooperate with all kinds of treatments!

Upon hearing Yanchuns words, Jing Yangyus eyebrows twitched slightly, and his heavy gaze finally shifted away from Yin Yuchen.

Yin Yuchen was tense all over, eyes cast down, not daring to meet Jing Yangyus eyes. His Adams apple rolled slowly as he swallowed the slight bitterness rising in his throat.

Yin Yuchen knew that in Jing Yangyus eyes, the white cloth covering his face was nothing.

Furthermore... he couldnt expose his left eye, so he always kept his head down, appearing respectful but actually concealing the strangeness in his eyes.

Yanchun observed Jing Yangyus expression. Although he had a poker face, due to her years of observation since childhood, she quickly noticed subtle changes in his expressionless face, indicating a loosening.

Sure enough, Jing Yangyu nodded slightly soon after.

In fact, there were many high-level disciples and even elders in the sect who indulged in consuming the flesh of sentient beings. But in the end, such actions only damaged their own Dao hearts, and the sect turned a blind eye to it.

After all, Hengjue Sect was not like the pure sword sect of Beisong Mountain. Although Hengjue Sect was large, it was a mixed sect with all kinds of practitioners, including many stray cultivators who had joined along the way, and it wasnt easy to enforce every rule strictly.

Jing Yangyu was responsible for major sect matters and didnt usually deal with outer disciples. However, he actually nodded this time. Yanchun knew that he was always meticulous, so once he agreed, he would definitely handle it properly.

Yanchuns face lit up, then she made some teasing gestures towards Yin Yuchen, clearly showing off - Look! I said youd be fine, and you are!

Yin Yuchen just slightly curved his lips in response, never once defending himself. He stood respectfully, waiting for Jing Yangyus decision. When Jing Yangyu nodded, he quickly said, Thank you, Senior Sister, thank you, Senior Brother.

But in reality, he was thinking - forcibly using sentient beings for enlightenment might not work in the future. He needed to quickly come up with another solution as the sects grand competition was less than a month away.

After resolving Yin Yuchens matter, Yanchun completely relaxed, taking Jing Yangyus arm and saying, Senior Brother, lets go back. Mother and Father must be waiting for me.

Jing Yangyu glanced at her, rolled up his sleeve, and directly wrapped the Yin Yang Fish along with some water from the pool into his sleeve.

In the next moment, a flash of light, and Jing Yangyu and Yanchun had disappeared from the spot.

Yin Yuchen instinctively took a step forward, but only an empty, chilly night remained in front of him. The ripples in the pool had not yet settled. Yin Yuchen moved his lips, softly calling out, Sister...

Yin Yuchen stood in the deserted mountains for a long time. Eventually, the night wind carried away all the traces of the banquet of spring. He then slowly made his way to the cave where he usually practiced in the back of the mountain.

Surrounding the cave was a gathering spirit array, along with some hidden and enticing spirit beast formations. Yin Yuchen walked into the pitch-black cave, feeling as if he was being swallowed by a giant beast lurking in the mountains.

The faint light from above only illuminated a white handkerchief clutched in his hand as he stood at the cave entrance.

This encounter, like a dream woven by a mirage, came to a cruel end with the arrival of Jing Yangyu. Uncertain of when they would meet again, Yin Yuchen had to enter the inner sect and force himself into meditation for cultivation.

Meanwhile, Yan Chun, brought back by Jing Yangyu to the side of the Cleansing Spirit Pool, was met with stern gazes from his parents upon landing.

Yan Chuns mother, Fu Tianlan, was an elder of the Hengjue Tianyan Palace, beautiful yet arrogant, who immediately grabbed Yan Chuns ear upon arrival.

His father, Yan Gaohan, a sword cultivator who oversaw the Sword Hall and was also an elder, gazed sternly at Yan Chun as he cried and shouted, urging his wife, Qingmei, put some effort into it, let her learn her lesson properly.

Oh no... I dropped it, Yan Chun grabbed his mothers arm, following her force and shamelessly hugged Fu Tianlan.

Father, mother, please dont be angry. I was just too bored from being cooped up for so long, I didnt mean to run around... Ouch, that hurts...

These two elders were both wandering cultivators who sought refuge at the Hengjue Immortal Mountain, where they met and fell in love. After over a thousand years together, they had this troublesome child.

Unfortunately, this child had been overly protected and spoiled by them since childhood, lacking in cultivation and having a simple temperament. She hadnt learned the arts of deduction from her mother, nor could she grasp her fathers sword intent, growing up as a bit of a fool who couldnt accomplish anything, always getting into trouble.

Even when following a group of disciples to cultivate on the mountain, she managed to crack open the spiritual mansion. She dared to reach out recklessly in front of the demonic cave of raging winds and rain, nearly having her soul shattered by the demonic energy, lucky to survive.

For many years, the couple had put their cultivation on hold, searching everywhere for ways to repair the spiritual mansion. They finally found a method to help her recover after keeping this troublesome child submerged under the Cleansing Spirit Pool for eleven years.

Jing Yangyu watched as Yan Chun tried to appease her parents, everything was ready, waiting for Yan Chun to enter the Cleansing Spirit Pool to attempt to restore her spiritual mansion.

However, Jing Yangyu was hesitant, he... could never truly agree with using this method to repair Yan Chuns spiritual mansion.

Yet, after trying numerous methods over the years, and with the elders cultivation stagnating, if Yan Chun continued to delay, even the Cleansing Spirit Pool wouldnt be able to prolong her life. If one day her spiritual mansion collapsed, leading to her death, Yan Chun would become a demon in the hearts of the three.

Watching Yan Chun grow up, seeing her naive and innocent nature, and allowing her to have her first feelings of love for him, Jing Yangyu naturally cherished and loved her.

If Yan Chuns reckless behavior was a result of the elders indulgence, then the consequences of her actions were always borne by Jing Yangyu.

They all thought they could ensure Yan Chuns worry-free life, even if her cultivation was lacking. Could three people not protect one person?

The world is ever-changing, whether loving her now or blaming her for being presumptuous, its all meaningless.

The methods that could save her go against the right path. Jing Yangyu advised the two elders twice, but they remained stubborn. And Jing Yangyu... has he truly ever decisively refused?

He couldnt bear to watch his junior sisters spiritual mansion collapse and her life extinguish. He could only... try his best to make amends in the future.

With everything prepared, Yanchun and her parents descended into the Cleansing Spirit Pool together.

The mist in the Cleansing Spirit Pool was dense and swirling, every breath was refreshing but suffocating, standing by the pool made one feel weightless, as if in a celestial fairyland.

The moment Yanchun entered, she felt like a frog thrown into a boiling pot, grimacing in pain, struggling to escape, but was held down in the pool by Futing Lan and Yangaohan.

The couples faces showed reluctance, but the momentary heartache was better than watching their precious daughters spiritual mansion collapse and life extinguish.

Yanchun endured with closed eyes, weak and gasping by the pool, her mind buzzing, ears ringing incessantly. She had stayed in the Cleansing Spirit Pool for too long, as soon as she entered, a part of her consciousness was immediately drawn into the mist.

She had to endure, her parents had done too much for her. Yanchun reminded herself to be patient, after all, the Cleansing Spirit Pool was not a place for just anyone to bathe in.

The Cleansing Spirit Pool of the Hengjue Sect was the second treasure of the sect after the Soul Mirror, attracting many wandering cultivators and sects to seek refuge in the Hengjue Sect.

This was because the spiritual energy in the Cleansing Spirit Pool was extremely abundant, surpassing the Gathering Spirit Array set up by high-level cultivators.

Even though the Gathering Spirit Array set up by high-level cultivators would eventually deplete the surrounding spiritual energy, becoming thin, the spiritual energy in the Cleansing Spirit Pool remained pure and abundant, greatly beneficial for cultivation.

Cultivation sects resided on Ling Mountain, but the various Ling Mountains scattered in the mountain ranges were like small rivers. Although there were always fresh waters flowing from unknown sources, they could still run dry due to the extraction by cultivators, turning into mere streams.

Cultivation was a constant struggle against the heavens, often stagnating or regressing. The higher the cultivation level, the purer the spiritual energy required.

As a result, sects often faced a situation where high-level elders monopolized resources, making it difficult for disciples to obtain sufficient spiritual energy, even with layers of Gathering Spirit Arrays.

However, the Cleansing Spirit Pool of the Hengjue Sect was different. If Ling Mountain was a stream, then the Cleansing Spirit Pool of the Hengjue Sect was like a vast sea, an endless resource.

It was said that the Cleansing Spirit Pool was formed by the founding ancestor and elders of the sect using complex arrays. Since its formation, it had been shrouded in mist for years, benefiting the entire Hengjue Sects Longya Mountain and even the villages below.

The Cleansing Spirit Pool was located in the forbidden area of the sects back mountain, not completely off-limits to disciples, but the pure spiritual energy inside was harmful rather than beneficial to their cultivation.

Low-level disciples in front of the Cleansing Spirit Pool were like people unable to receive nourishment, entering the pool recklessly not only failed to absorb spiritual energy but also risked their spiritual mansions being shattered by it.

Therefore, apart from severely injured disciples being allowed to soak for a brief moment, most of the time it was used by the sects elders.

Even so, the Cleansing Spirit Pool was enough to make other sects in the cultivation world envious and eager. Some rumors were even harsh, saying that the reason for the Hengjue Sects growth was due to the sect leaders theft of heavenly opportunities, which would be repaid sooner or later.

Yanchuns ability to nurture her spiritual mansion in the Cleansing Spirit Pool for so many years was not because she was the daughter of the Hengjue Sects dual venerables, but because she was considered a severely injured disciple who had been saved at the time, in accordance with the sects rules.

The most important thing is that her spiritual mansion is cracked, and now she is like a bamboo basket with holes on all sides. No matter how pure the spiritual energy is, it cannot be retained in her body. Naturally, no matter how she is treated, she cannot be supplemented because it cannot be replenished.

At this moment, Yan Chun is sitting in the pool, with one arm held by Fu Tianlan and the other by Yan Gaohan, allowing her parents to guide the spiritual energy from the Cleansing Spirit Pool through her meridians. Beads of sweat appear on her forehead, but she doesnt utter a word of pain.

This kind of restoration has happened not for the first time over the years. Yan Chun peeks into her meridians and sees the pure spiritual energy controlled by her parents flowing gently, nourishing the meridians and closing the cracks in her spiritual mansion.

However, soon after the spiritual energy moves elsewhere, the restored meridians begin to tear again, and the cracks in the spiritual mansion spread like a spider web... Its an unsolvable dead end.

Even if a broken porcelain is glued back together, even if the mending is seamless, it will not withstand any slight impact and will eventually crack again. Its the same principle.

Yan Chun bites her lower lip, the taste of blood filling her mouth. With each repair, she has to endure the pain of her spiritual mansion breaking. If she hadnt experienced it so many times and felt too lazy to cry out, she would have been wailing by now.

Yan Chun is in so much pain that each breath feels like a knife.

She actually wants to tell her parents that its okay to give up; everyone has their fate. If Yama calls for her to die at three, she insists on living until five, isnt that being unreasonable?

Moreover, with her destiny clearly reflected in the Mirror of Fate, its destined for her to suffer alone. Those around her will all meet unfortunate ends. Why force it?

But Yan Chun has never told anyone about seeing her fate in the Mirror of Fate.

She cant bear to see her parents in pain and sorrow, and shes afraid that if she dares to say a word, everything will truly unfold according to the fate in the Mirror of Fate.

Therefore, Yan Chun can only endure, not daring to shatter her parents hopes, nor her own. Its as if she pretends she has never seen the Mirror of Fate, never glimpsed her own destiny, then maybe those so-called futures wont come true.

Uh... Ahh— Yan Chuns mind is in chaos, unable to bear the pain, she cries out.

Blood trickles from the corner of her mouth as she opens it, and at some point, she has bitten her tongue until it bled, showing how she endures the pain.

Fu Tianlan, being a mother, seeing her child in such pain, wishes she could take her place. Seeing the blood dripping from Yan Chuns mouth, she is shaken and almost lets go.

Qing Mei! Yan Gaohans voice, wrapped in a wake-up call, echoes by the poolside, instantly bringing Fu Tianlan back to her senses. Its a critical moment now, she cannot afford to lose focus, otherwise, a slight mistake could lead to failure!

Fu Tianlan immediately focuses again, guiding the spiritual energy to repeatedly cleanse Yan Chuns torn meridians, but she turns her head away, unable to bear watching Yan Chun.

Ah!

Ah—

Ahhh!

Let me go!

Yanchun couldnt bear it any longer and blurted out. The excruciating pain of her entire meridians being torn apart, the constant repair and collapse of her inner palace, made Yanchun wish for death.

However, her parents, who had always cherished her, for some reason refused to let her go this time. Yanchun opened her eyes, her pupils red as blood, because the spiritual energy continuously repairing her shattered spiritual palace prevented her from even fainting.

Mother... Yanchuns eyes were full of pleading.

Father... Yanchuns face was indistinguishable whether it was sweat or tears.

Futian Lans lips trembled, and Yangaohan furrowed his brows, Qingmei, its now!

Futian Lan grabbed Yanchun with one hand and directly took out a necklace from his bosom with the other, activated by spiritual power, and clasped it around Yanchuns neck.

The necklace was exquisitely crafted, not like the simple accessories commonly worn by cultivators in the cultivation world. It was adorned with jade and gold, as thick as Yanchuns finger.

Covered in densely engraved runes, as soon as it was clasped around Yanchuns neck, it absorbed the blood flowing from her mouth to her neck with a click and automatically shrank to a suitable size, firmly fastening around Yanchuns neck.

At the same time, the runes on the necklace suddenly shone brightly, causing Yanchun to see a mix of gold and red before her eyes. With a buzz on her head, it felt like someone had struck her with a hammer, piercing through her skull.

Then something forcibly entered her consciousness through the opening in her skull. Yanchun suddenly froze, her facial expression stiffened, only the eerie red light in her eyes revealed the runes flowing through them.

Yanchun lost consciousness.