Chapter 155

Li Bu Yu had suppressed Zong Ming He's corpse at Diancang Peak, making Zong Zi Heng feel mad and disgusted. But after calming down and thinking carefully, many suspicions sprang to the surface.

Even if Li Bu Yu hated Zong Ming He to the core, the person whose core had been dug up will have deep resentment and would most certainly come back to haunt. Who would place such an ominous object at their doorstep? Not to mention that thousands of cultivators living on Diancang Peak, wouldn't Li Bu Yu be afraid that someone would find it by mistake?

With such doubts, Zong Zi Heng made up an excuse to ask Zong Zi Xiao about the Big Dipper Zhengji Demon Binding Formation. After all, there would be no one in this world who knew more about the ‘Yellow Emperor's Yin Fu Heavenly Secret Scripture’ than Zong Zi Xiao. If he had not studied this book intensely during his ten years of wandering the world, he would not have been able to find the Xuanyuan Heavenly Secret Talisman that had been buried for millions of years.

"Why are you asking about this formation?" Zong Zi Xiao asked suspiciously.

"I remembered the last time I talked with Lao Wu, he said he had seen it in folklore when he was out traveling. Such an evil formation, and that cultivator had placed it in the backyard of his house, it really boggles my mind." Zong Zi Heng said in an indifferent manner, "Wouldn't that formation reduce the blessings of the person who cast it and increase his karma?"

"Yes and no. The world doesn't know enough about this formation."

"What does that mean?"

"Is the one being suppressed a person of great wealth or profound cultivation?"

Zong Zi Heng was shocked, "I didn't ask about that. I was just chatting with Lao Wu, so he probably doesn't know either."

"The most vicious thing about that formation is not only does it torture the people in the formation, but it can also suck the fate of the people in the formation, causing feng shui to flourish and people to prosper in the place where the formation is located." Zong Zi Xiao played with his big brother's hair, "However, prices have to be paid for all evil arts. Ordinary people dare not to try them."

Zong Zi Heng clenched his fist secretly.

"It seems that this person who cast the spell is an expert and has studied the Heavenly Secret Scripture quite well." Zong Zi Xiao sneered, "Unfortunately, he is not destined to end up well, it only depends on whether he will pay in this life or the next."

Zong Zi Heng gazed at Zong Zi Xiao, "What about you?"

Zong Zi Xiao raised his eyebrows.

"That spell caster only used one of the formations and had to suffer karmic retribution. You know the evil spells in that forbidden book like the back of your hand and even used the Heavenly Secret Talisman. Have you ever thought about what price you will have to pay?" At the end of his speech, Zong Zi Heng's breathing was already unstable. The killings Zong Zi Xiao had made and the disobedience to the Heavenly Dao, he probably would not be able to pay it back in this life or the next.

Zong Zi Xiao hooked his lips into a smile, but there was only coldness in his eyes, "Is big brother concerned about me?"

"I want to advise you to stop ..."

"It's too late." Zong Zi Xiao revealed a wicked smile, "I mobilized the Yin soldiers and acted against the heavens. I slaughtered Wuyun Sect and did thousands of killings, what good ending can I have? That's why I need that immortal core that can help me break the boundary. Only by cultivating the Great Dao and transcending reincarnation can I be free from the bondage of karma."

Zong Zi Heng laughed mockingly, "So you are also afraid of going to hell."

"I'm not afraid of going to hell, I just want to stay wherever you are."

Zong Zi Heng's heart choked. Zong Zi Xiao looked at him with a deep and burning gaze, as if there was inexhaustible love. How could there be a look in the world that was mixed with male desire and childish dependence at the same time, like a fierce beast asking cruelly and innocently, "Can I eat you up?"

Zong Zi Heng slowly turned his face away, yet Zong Zi Xiao grabbed his chin and turned it back: "Big brother, we are destined to live and die together. Wherever you go, I will go."

That frank vow, and the lust that seemed to pour out of his eyes made Zong Zi Heng realize that perhaps Zong Zi Xiao was about to say something to him, something more intense, more undisguised, more blunt. The imagined confession that was to come made him so flurried that he didn't know how to face it. Even though he had understood exactly what this twisted desire of Zong Zi Xiao for him was since long ago, but as long as no one said it, they could still pretend.

A strong urge came to his lips, but it was hard to spit it out. Zong Zi Xiao opened his mouth, his throat dry as if it was sealed by some spell. The words he wanted to say were the words he didn't want to say. The face he loved so much reflected in his eyes, yet he remembered the blood spurting from his mother's tragic death in front of him.

He bit his lip and his eyes became red.

The stirring in Zong Zi Heng's heart had not yet ceased, but the words he waited for were like a bucket of cold water poured down on him.

"If you want to sit firmly on your throne, you should help me to reign over the immortal cultivation world for a long time." Zong Zi Xiao said in a coarse voice, "We too will be together for a long time." A long time, that would be enough.

Zong Zi Heng lowered his eyes and suddenly felt his heart ache extremely.

---

Before sunset, Zong Zi Heng saw Zong Ming He's corpse in an extremely hidden natural cave at Diancang Peak.

In the center of the ancient and evil formation, a half-decayed corpse lay flat on its back, and each point in the formation was connected to the stone wall by a wrist-thick iron chain, creating a crisscrossing net trap. Only a formation like this could suppress a patriarch-level cultivator with deep resentment.

Zong Zi Heng gasped as his body trembled.

It had been ten years. He had never thought that after ten years, he would see his own father again in this way. The man he had hated most in his life, but now that he had watched this man turn into an evil spirit, he did not know what he felt in his heart. He had neither father-son love nor pity for Zong Ming He, but as a descendant of the Zong Clan and as Emperor Zong, he had to defend the dignity of his family.

Li Bu Yu stood aside and looked coldly at the evil formation he had laid with his own hands.

"How do you undo this formation?"

"You have to cut the iron chain first, and then unseal it." Li Bu Yu said indifferently, "Emperor, releasing him at this time will definitely alert Zong Zi Xiao."

Zong Zi Heng furrowed his brows.

In a holy place of spiritual cultivation like Mount Shu, where thousands of cultivators had gathered, the Yang energy was so strong that no evil spirits would dare to come near in a ten-mile radius, and if there were, they would simply be collected before they could stay and cause trouble. Once Zong Ming He was released, with his cultivation level and the accumulation of grievances during these ten years, he would soon be detected. At that time, how would he explain Zong Ming He's identity? And what would Zong Zi Xiao do if he knew the truth? He said, "A spell can be cast to suppress his resentment."

"But with his cultivation, the two of us can't ensure that everything is foolproof. If we leak a little bit, others can muddle through, but I'm afraid that Zong Zi Xiao ..."

Zong Zi Xiao not only had a high cultivation level, but he was also holding the Heavenly Secret Talisman in his hand and was extremely sensitive to Yin energy and grievance. If he had sensed an evil spirit at Mount Shu, he would definitely not ignore such a bizarre matter.

Zong Zi Heng said in a cold voice, "Then what should we do?"

"We can only wait until Zong Zi Xiao has left ..."

"You still want to fool me?" Zong Zi Heng looked at Li Bu Yu with eyes hardened with ice, "When we return to Daming, you will be able to get away with your crimes in this huge world!"

"Bu Yu does not dare to think so." Li Bu Yu said gloomily, "I have promised the Emperor. As long as the Emperor does not tell Zong Zi Xiao the truth and spare Wuliang Sect, I am willing to go to Consort Shen's tomb to apologize for my offense with my death."

Zong Zi Heng was silent for a moment, "Leave it to your uncle. After the seal is lifted, I will arrange for someone to escort his body back to the Zong Clan's imperial cemetery."

"My uncle doesn't know about it. It's best if this matter is left to me ..."

"You don't have time for that."

Li Bu Yu froze, "What the Emperor means is ..."

"You are to go with me to Zhangyang and fulfill your promise."

"... When."

Zong Zi Heng looked at him coldly: "Now."

Li Bu Yu paled abruptly, "Emperor, if I ... you go to Zhangyang, how will you explain it to Zong Zi Xiao?"

"There’s no need to explain to him." Zong Zi Heng's gaze was hollow as he looked ahead, with only a barely pieced together and glued soul left beneath his intact shell. He couldn't hold on much longer. He couldn't let Zong Zi Xiao dig up his golden core, so all he could do was run away, like he had done when he escaped from Zong Ming He.

Before he left Daming, he had already had this plan in mind. Zong Zhong Ming will be the heir from the Fifth Prince, and all the clansmen had made their arrangements, and their subordinates had been disbanded where they should be. Now that he had moved his mother's tomb to a safe place, he did not feel worried anymore. Jiuzhou is vast. If he deliberately hid, perhaps Zong Zi Xiao wouldn't be able to find him forever.

Even if he was to die, he would not let Zong Zi Xiao have his core. He did not want Zong Zi Xiao to become Zong Ming He, nor did he want Zong Zi Xiao to have infinitely inflated ambition and power.

Li Bu Yu instantly understood Zong Zi Heng's intention. A fine sweat seeped out from his forehead, and his eyes quickly rolled as he hid his trembling hands in his sleeves, "Since the Emperor has already made up his mind, Bu Yu does not dare to disobey."

"You don't dare to disobey?" Zong Zi Heng sneered, "If Zong Zi Xiao had not come that day, I probably would have lost at Mount Shu."

Li Bu Yu could not hide his sadness as he let out a bitter laugh, "The Emperor has really overestimated me. Even though the Emperor wants me dead, I couldn't bear to kill you."

Zong Zi Heng did not believe him at all and only said, "I will give you your last decency."

There was sadness and hatred in Li Bu Yu's eyes as he bowed deeply, "Many thanks to the Emperor."

----

Edited on 5 May 21 (Emzie)

 

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