Eternal Life by Daily Divination - Chapter 412 - 239: Slaying Nie Wushuang, Yingyao’s Core Formation
“Wushuang’s Storage Pouch…”
He clutched the Storage Pouch tightly, trying to find the trace of another person on it.
But he came up empty!
“Who was it! Who in the world was it?!”
Nie Yu roared at the sky, his voice filled with fury, his gaunt old face contorting in a grimace.
This Storage Pouch was his last clue.
Aside from this, all the other treasures inside the Storage Pouch that he had marked had long been discarded.
…
Li Chang’an had been extremely cautious.
He had discarded many treasures—even those without Nie Yu’s mark—if he felt they were even slightly suspicious.
He found overlooked treasures from time to time, so there was no need to risk himself for a few paltry items.
After doing all this, Li Chang’an had the Evil Soul take him on a wide detour through the Black Dragon Mountain Range. They exited from a different direction and returned to Changqing Mountain.
「That night.」
Deep within his grotto-abode, Li Chang’an took out the Venerable Soul Banner and tossed out Nie Wushuang’s soul.
“Daoist Nie, we meet again.”
“Li Chang’an, it really was you!”
Nie Wushuang glared at him, his face filled with rage.
Even now, he still couldn’t accept that he had been defeated by Li Chang’an!
“Li Chang’an, if we’d had a fair fight, I would have definitely slain you! But you, you despicable coward, you actually hired a Golden Core expert to attack!”
His resentful tone reminded Li Chang’an of Sima Rui.
Back then, after his death, Sima Rui had also thought Li Chang’an had hired an outsider to deal with him—and that this outsider was Nie Wushuang himself.
But now, Nie Wushuang had also become one of the countless souls.
It had to be said that fate was a funny thing.
“Daoist Nie, your accusations are misplaced.”
Li Chang’an’s expression was placid, his tone detached.
“Your grandfather is also a Golden Core expert. He once planned to attack me. If we’re being honest, he’s the truly despicable one.”
Hearing this, Nie Wushuang froze.
He opened his mouth as if to retort, but he didn’t know what to say.
Because Li Chang’an was right.
Back then, outside Changqing Mountain, if not for Mo Qingxue, Nie Yu would have definitely attacked!
After a moment, Nie Wushuang sidestepped the issue and said angrily, “Li Chang’an, at least my grandfather would have attacked me head-on, but the Golden Core expert you hired used a sneak attack! Which senior is so shameless that they would ambush a Foundation Establishment junior like me?”
“JIE JIE JIE, little Nie, it was I who ambushed you!”
A strange cackle rang out.
Following that, the Evil Soul emerged from the Venerable Soul Banner, wreathed in billowing black mist.
Soul Power surged from its body, releasing a Tier Three aura.
Nie Wushuang trembled as he felt this aura.
“This… This is… a Tier Three Main Soul!”
He never would have imagined that Li Chang’an hadn’t hired any Golden Core senior. Li Chang’an himself possessed Tier Three strength!
In other words, even if they had fought fairly, Nie Wushuang still wouldn’t have stood a chance.
He was merely a Golden Core Seed from a Golden Core Influence. How could he possibly contend with a true Golden Core-level power?
“Li Chang’an, you… Just who are you? How do you possess a Tier Three Main Soul? Are you a Celestial Pride from one of the Demonic Sects?”
Even at this moment, Nie Wushuang still couldn’t accept that he had lost to a Loose Cultivator like Li Chang’an.
If Li Chang’an were a Celestial Pride from a Nascent Soul Sect, he might have felt a little better about it.
But Li Chang’an replied calmly, “You’re overthinking it, Daoist Nie. I’m just a simple Loose Cultivator, not some Celestial Pride from a Sect.”
Though the words were simple, they completely shattered Nie Wushuang’s inner defenses, bringing a look of anguish to his face.
After a long moment, he remembered another question.
“Li Chang’an, how did you know my whereabouts? Did someone in the Sect betray me?”
The timing of the attack had been too perfect; it seemed as if Li Chang’an had been tracking his every move.
Nie Wushuang couldn’t help but suspect that someone had betrayed him.
But what he couldn’t figure out was that besides himself and his grandfather, only Ye Mengxian knew about this trip to the Blood Stone Secret Realm.
Ye Mengxian would never betray him.
However, Li Chang’an’s detached words once again shattered his hopes.
“Daoist Nie, the reason I knew your whereabouts was, of course, Ye Mengxian.”
“Impossible!”
Nie Wushuang’s expression turned grim as he refused to believe it.
“She doesn’t even know you! How could she possibly betray my location to you?”
“She is merely one of my Puppets. Her words and actions are all at my command. There is no ’betrayal’ to speak of.”
“What?”
Hearing this, Nie Wushuang froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.
The woman he had admired for all these years was nothing more than a Puppet controlled by Li Chang’an!
He knew in his heart that at this point, Li Chang’an had no reason to lie.
This cruel truth only deepened his anguish.
“How could this be… How could this be…”
Nie Wushuang collapsed to the ground, muttering under his breath, his expression dazed.
The strength he had prided himself on was worthless, his ideal future Dao companion was just a Puppet, and his entire life felt like a joke.
’Why is this guy so fragile?’
Li Chang’an frowned.
He didn’t want Nie Wushuang to break down on the spot, as he still wanted to ask about the origin of the Geng Metal Sword Array.
…
「Meanwhile.」
Inside the Ten Thousand Swords Sect’s stronghold in Yellow Crane Immortal City.
Ye Mengxian was also being interrogated.
Across from her were two Golden Core Masters.
One of them, of course, was Nie Wushuang’s grandfather, Nie Yu.
The other was also a Golden Core expert from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, named Wang Xuanjian.
This was the man who had made a move at Mo Qingxue’s Core Formation Ceremony to test her strength.
“Mengxian, are you certain you didn’t tell anyone else about this trip?”
Wang Xuanjian asked patiently, his expression gentle.
“Grandmaster Wang, I can swear on my Dao Heart that I never told a third person about this!”
Li Chang’an controlled Ye Mengxian, making her speak with a sincere tone and give a solemn promise.
Wang Xuanjian said kindly, “There is no need for that. I believe you. Go and get some rest. Heal your injuries soon, and make sure no internal damage remains.”
“Thank you, Grandmaster Wang.”
Ye Mengxian gave her thanks and turned to leave.
Only Nie Yu and Wang Xuanjian remained in the room.
Wang Xuanjian sighed. “Brother Nie, this matter should have nothing to do with Mengxian.”
“I know!”
Nie Yu understood, of course. After all, he had been watching Nie Wushuang and Ye Mengxian’s every move.
No matter how he looked at it, there was nothing suspicious about Ye Mengxian.
She was in the canyon at the time, targeted by that Tier Three Earth Rock Python, and had nearly lost her life.
She and Nie Wushuang had no deep-seated hatred for each other—in fact, there were even hints that they might become Dao companions. It was impossible that she would use her own life as bait.
“Brother Nie, could the Red Flame Sect have done this?”
Wang Xuanjian voiced his suspicion.
Years ago, in the Ancient Sect Ruins, Nie Wushuang had killed a Golden Core Seed from the Red Flame Sect, which resulted in him being hunted by a Golden Core expert.
It was that very incident that ignited the long-simmering grievances between the Three Great Sects, sparking a war that has continued to this day.
“The Red Flame Sect…”
Nie Yu’s expression was grim as he mulled it over.
Just then, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power above Yellow Crane Immortal City began to stir, gathering frantically toward Yellow Crane Mountain.
This phenomenon was far more terrifying than a Foundation Establishment breakthrough.
The Spiritual Qi in a ten-li radius was almost instantly drained dry!
“A ten-li Celestial Phenomenon! Someone is undergoing Core Formation!”
The two exchanged a look and hurried outside, their gazes fixed on Yellow Crane Mountain.
In the Yellow Crane Mountain Lineage, there were only two Golden Core Seeds currently ready for Core Formation.
One was Pei Yingyao.
The other was Xiahou Hong’s eldest son, Xiahou Qian.
“Who could it be?”
