Chapter 1011 - 735: The Divide Between Immortal and Mortal

Chen Hua’s voice was calm and slowly descended:

"Their sins are great and unforgivable."

"Yet you have a sliver of hope."

After speaking, he raised his hand and gestured in the air. The mother gu, whose Divine Sense of the Celestial Peak Daoist had been erased and only the pure gu essence remained, slowly floated mid-air.

The mother gu gently flapped its wings and spewed a wisp of crimson mist-like spirit light, flowing silkily.

Chen Hua casually pointed, and the giant bronze pill furnace shrank as desired, landing in his palm.

The crimson mist entirely gathered in the furnace, instantly transforming into a clear and transparent red spiritual liquid, quietly contained within.

"Go!"

With another gentle toss, the furnace body instantly restored, landing steadily on the ground.

The spiritual liquid inside flowed with a faint light and misty life force; it appeared eerie but could cleanse gu poison and soften evil qi, profoundly mysterious.

"This water can remove the gu poison from all the tribespeople in the stronghold."

Chen Hua instructed:

"Disperse this water; save the tribespeople everywhere. Thereafter, you may go freely, carefree and unrestrained."

"The gu poison within you is sealed by me; behave yourselves in future, refrain from evil, and the gu poison will remain dormant for life."

"If you defy—"

With a slight pause, the mother gu in his palm buzzed softly, a tiny trembling gu sound spreading.

The remaining disciples instantly felt splitting headaches and their Divine Souls tingle, faces as pale as paper, hastily bowing repeatedly:

"We dare not!"

"We shall never commit evil deeds again in this life! We solemnly adhere to the decree of our predecessor!"

Chen Hua’s eyes were clear and cold, he snorted lightly, making no remark.

In an instant, his figure gradually faded and dispersed into the air, leaving no trace, only the tranquil hall behind.

The people in the hall did not dare to stand for a long time. Only after confirming the predecessor had completely left did they slowly raise their heads, exchanging glances filled with overwhelming joy and disbelief.

They survived!

They were finally free!

An older disciple restrained his excitement, speaking solemnly:

"Fellow disciples, do not slack off. First, heed the predecessor’s decree and heal all the tribespeople!"

"Indeed as senior brother said!"

"We will set off immediately!"

The few quickly tidied themselves, jointly lifting the bronze great cauldron filled with red spiritual liquid, walking towards the village at the foot of the mountain.

Along the way, on the mountain path, they occasionally encountered tribespeople returning from labor or medicine gathering.

In the past,

these Immortal Sect disciples were all lofty, treating the tribespeople like ants and grass, frequently berating, abusing, and driving them at will.

But today, the few walked upright, without a trace of arrogance, attracting surprised looks from the mountain people along the way.

Before the crowd could whisper amongst themselves, the leading disciple took a deep breath and spoke loudly, his voice echoing in all directions:

"Dear villagers!"

"The Celestial Peak Daoist has committed evil for years, raising poisonous gu, harming countless tribespeople. Today, thanks to the righteousness of a passing immortal elder, the evil Daoist was slain, and the calamity cleaned, we are now free from the demon’s grasp!"

"The benevolent immortal elder left behind gu-cleansing spiritual liquid, and today we will eradicate the gu poison for all tribespeople!"

Upon this remark, the entire Celestial Ridge Immortal Stronghold was in an uproar.

Countless mountain people paused their work and gathered around, faces written with disbelief and astonishment.

Decades had passed.

The oppression of the Celestial Peak Daoist and the shackles of the gu insects within had already etched into several generations’ bones.

Tribespeople were bound by gu poison from birth, enslaved through generations, having long accepted this fate.

No one dared to believe that the high and mighty Immortal Masters who controlled the life and death of the entire stronghold would be slain, or that the internal gu poison could be eradicated one day.

The crowd stirred with doubt, yet no one dared to approach easily.

However, among the tribes were insightful, experienced, wise individuals, who now abruptly realized, their hearts intensely shocked.

"It’s true! It must be true!"

"If the evil Daoist were unharmed, these disciples would never dare to defame even a little!"

"It must be that passing immortal elder truly slew the evil Daoist and left us a chance!"

Soon, people flocked round the cauldron, orderly collecting the red spiritual liquid and drinking it down.

The spiritual liquid entered the throat, warm and gentle, descending into the abdomen along the esophagus.

Within moments, everyone’s chest and belly felt subtly itchy and vaguely restless.

Soon, countless tiny black larvae crept out from the corners of people’s mouths. After struggling momentarily upon landing, they became completely rigid and motionless.

Several disciples, upon seeing this, immediately stepped forward, scooping up nearby yellow earth to carefully bury all the gu insect corpses.

"Everyone, you may rest assured and bury it deeply."

The leading disciple explained:

"This Gu is sinister and fears the earth. Once buried, the Evil Qi dissipates completely, leaving no chance of resurrection or chaos. From now on, everyone will be free from the torment of Gu poison."

Watching the earth completely seal the Gu insects, feeling light and transparent throughout, countless villagers wept with joy, kneeling and bowing to the empty sky:

"Grateful for the Immortal Master’s compassion and benevolence."

"Grateful for the Immortal Master’s compassion and benevolence!!"

"Do we know the Immortal Master’s name? We shall build a shrine in his honor!!"

...

Celestial Ridge Immortal Stronghold bursts with the sound of drums!

Laughs and cheers flow through the streets; everyone is celebrating!!

In a corner of the Chen Clan, a quaint courtyard of bluestone where Chen Ling’Er, with delicate steps and a hurried gait, moves across the stone path, her brows filled with anxious joy.

She is Uncle Chen Si’s youngest daughter, having grown up clinging to Chen Hua, and long since placed this second brother in her heart.

Just now, upon hearing that the entire stronghold’s Gu poison could be cured, she hurried to find him, intending to pull Chen Hua along to receive the antidote.

"Second Brother!"

"Come out quickly! Everyone in the stronghold is going to remove the Gu poison!"

Chen Ling’Er arrived at the door of the solitary wooden house, softly calling twice, and gently pushed the wooden door open.

Inside, the table and benches are arranged neatly, the floor pristine, but the familiar figure is nowhere to be seen.

"Not here?"

While she was quietly puzzled, her gaze suddenly fell on the central table with a letter sealed with fire wax lying there peacefully.

Her heart grew cold, and she swiftly stepped forward to open the letter, familiar handwriting came into view.

The letter contained just a few words.

Chen Hua narrated that he bore a hidden celestial bone, and by chance was chosen by a wandering Immortal Master, thus joined the Immortal Sect and traveled afar to the Immortal Mountain for cultivation.

Upon departure, he left the complete cultivation technique of the Cold Centipede Undying Body, along with a bottle of healing and longevity Immortal Pills, urging strict secrecy, and caution not to disclose them.

Rustling~

The letter slipped leisurely from her fingertips.

Chen Ling’Er stood frozen in place; her frail shoulders slightly tensed, and the excitement in her brows and eyes instantly lost its luster, the joy in her eyes faded away bit by bit.

"Second Brother, he’s gone to seek immortality!"

"Second Brother is so heartless, he didn’t even see me one last time!"

At this moment.

Footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard, Uncle Chen Si walked inside slowly.

He loved Chen Hua very much; this child was orphaned from an early age yet remained steady and calm, diligently practiced martial arts, and was respectful and filial to him.

He had long noticed that his youngest daughter was fond of Chen Hua and secretly approved, intending to arrange their marriage once she reached the appropriate age.

Seeing the empty room and his daughter’s distraught appearance, Uncle Chen Si’s heart sank abruptly, he bent down to pick up the scattered letter and read it carefully.

After reading the contents, his expression fluctuated dramatically, then carefully stored the cultivation technique and the porcelain bottle with the Longevity Spirit Pills, sighing:

"I did not expect this second child to have such an immortal fate; surely, it’s the benevolent Immortal Master who slew the evil Daoist, recognizing his talent and guiding him onto the immortal path."

Chen Ling’Er stood with her head lowered, she took a long time to lift her misty eyes, her voice as quiet as a mosquito, carrying suppressed sobs and faint hope:

"Father, will Second Brother... come back in the future?"

Uncle Chen Si raised his eyes to gaze at the cloud-covered mountains outside the window, eyes full of age and despondency, slowly shook his head:

"Ling’Er, immortals and mortals are different paths, like clouds and mud apart."

"By the time your Second Brother returns after success, you and I will have long turned to dust in the wild, forget about him."

Upon hearing these words, the last spark of hope in the girl’s eyes completely extinguished, growing even more forlorn.

Uncle Chen Si gazed at his daughter’s forlorn appearance with a heart full of pity, but helpless, gently supported her shoulder, and slowly turned to leave the wooden house.

After they left.

In the dim shadow corner of the courtyard.

Space rippled gently like water waves, Chen Hua slowly emerged from the void in his blue robe.

Hiding in the dark, every word spoken by the father and daughter, and the undisguised love and despondency in the girl’s eyes, fell completely before him.

His eyes revealed a faint sigh, his heart softened for a moment.

After so many years of companionship, how could he not understand the girl’s clear and pure affection?

"It’s not that Second Brother is heartless, it’s just that immortals and mortals are different, better not to meet..."

After a moment of emotional turmoil,

Chen Hua’s eyes cleared away all distractions, returning to a state of cold clarity.

His form dissolved into a light blue smoke, blending into the mountain breeze, heading towards the distant mountains, the vast immortal path, further and further away.