My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion

Chen Yi acted almost without thinking, his sword blade unsheathed in an instant.

Since he couldn't see, then there was no need to see! In barely half a breath, Chen Yi turned sideways, his sword intercepting in front of Donggong Ruoshu, releasing Sword Intent, causing ripples to rise and dust to swirl, strands of hair brushing her cheek.

In the panic, Yin Weiyin blinked his eyes, and when he reopened them, he saw Chen Yi's face twisted and pale, a muffled groan escaping his throat, his body standing unmoving like cast iron.

Pain pierced his forehead, Chen Yi didn't know where this agony came from; sharp as a silver needle piercing wet rice paper, desperately trying to penetrate his mind.

What was that?

It seemed as if his mind was melting inch by inch under the sharp spur, inflaming and swelling as if expanding multiple times, Chen Yi tried to focus his mind, in a daze, he could see some dragging light and shadows.

Chen Yi exerted himself to open the Heavenly Eye.

The water of Heart Lake boiled and surged, waves pushing aside on both sides, brilliant golden light illuminating his three souls and Seven Spirits, Chen Yi finally captured the pattern of the light and shadows.

Found it!

Chen Yi's hand plunged like a Jiao Dragon emerging from the sea, fiercely pulling the light and shadow down from mid-air!

The spot of light and shadow seemed entirely unprepared for being caught, its trajectory suddenly skewed, its form twisting as it was slammed towards Heart Lake, the lake surface bursting into a flood.

Above the undulating lake surface, Chen Yi with Heavenly Eye observed from above, ultimately "seeing" the appearance of this entity.

It was a hazy mass, its outline seemingly boundless, yet restricted to just a corner, you could imagine its face, perceive its existence, but you could never truly see it; more sensed than seen.

It's like when you're idle, always feeling as if someone is standing behind you.

Chen Yi's expression remained serene, concentrating on perceiving its presence.

Since its blood bar is exposed,

then eliminating it isn't difficult.

The only question is, how did it... come to be?

...…

"Holy Emperor, I don't understand, since you said you came from Dragon and Tiger Mountain, why do you recite things like 'virtue' and 'benevolence'?"

The stupid girl scratched her head, these days in this palace, she exchanged many words with this Holy Emperor; the latter seemed truly knowledgeable, as if he lived for thousands of years.

The Holy Emperor smiled and said, "Because those are the oldest things."

"Ah, then what about your Zhengyi Dao's 'freedom', 'ease'?"

"Naturally, those are also the oldest things." The Holy Emperor paused and then continued, "But Zhengyi Dao isn't, nor is Dragon and Tiger Mountain."

The stupid girl widened her eyes, clearly surprised the Holy Emperor would distance himself from Dragon and Tiger Mountain like that, her surprise deepened her confusion.

"You... don't like Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"

"Their world is too small, I once thought they were the most virtuous people, but I was wrong, so I left." The Holy Emperor's brow lowered, seemingly lost in recollection, eventually he asked softly, "Have you ever seen the former Dragon and Tiger Mountain?"

"...Was there anything different?"

"It was different; then there were many beings here," his voice exceptionally gentle, full of nostalgic recollection, "By the river, there were many houses, many smooth stones sunk at the bottom, dense woodland, often flocks of birds flying over rooftops, maybe it was too early a time, nobody could call each other's names.

Rivers crisscrossed the forests, flowing endlessly, then there were no distinctions between spring, summer, autumn, and winter, sometimes hotter, sometimes cooler, but one day it got so hot the water seemed to burn, suddenly someone said: 'Let's go see the sea!', so we found a few friends and traversed the mountains to the sea, watching fish jump to and fro in the water.

Then I would often walk to a higher diving platform, spread my arms and jump off, the wind flowing through my limbs, later Dragon and Tiger Mountain named it 'Demon Refining Abyss'."

Scene by scene crafted so vividly captured her imagination, the stupid girl listened intently, and as the last three words reached her ears, she was greatly surprised; this ghostly Demon Refining Abyss was indeed that kind of place before.

The Holy Emperor noticed the expression she had, and then asked, "Did you notice any differences between then and Dragon and Tiger Mountain now?"

Any differences? The stupid girl pondered, now Dragon and Tiger Mountain is a Cave Heaven Blessed Land, seventy-two halls arranged in order from the mountain foot to the mountain base, white-robed Taoists moving back and forth on mountain paths, exuding celestial transcendence...

Filled with a divine aura.

"Not quite... lively?" she replied uncertainly.

Clear mountains and rivers, ethereal immortal breeze,

yet lacking the liveliness the Holy Emperor described.

The Holy Emperor nodded slightly, gently stating, "This is Chu Land, the place with the most ghosts, many ghosts with known or unknown names gather here, the people here built many temples for us, we protected this region, and when there was war and famine, many people came here seeking refuge, bringing more ghosts, and soon after… Zhengyi Dao arrived."

The stupid girl thought of something, speaking out, "You mean cutting mountains and dismantling temples?"

On her way to Dragon and Tiger Mountain, she consulted Chen Yi about many things concerning it, one of its most famous actions was during Dragon and Tiger Mountain's founding, they cut mountains and dismantled temples, erased ghosts and gods' worship, finally cleansing this place, establishing the Taoist Ancestral Court.

"I heard they cleared bandits and exorcised demons, dismantled temples and killed ghosts, purified the living, did all great deeds."

"Great deeds?" The Holy Emperor smiled, seemingly acknowledging it, then suddenly asked, "Do you know what the Six Heavens Old Qi is?"