The Villainous Senior Brother Doesn't Want to Wash White [Transmigration] - Chapter 27

Ji Yanqing also saw the jade pendant within the Lotus Secret Casket. It was made of the exact same material as the one in the Fox Demon’s hand. Combined with the story the Fox Demon had told earlier, it wasn’t hard to guess what had actually happened in the past.

He believed that upon seeing this pendant, the Fox Demon must have found his answer.

Sure enough, just as Ji Yanqing thought, the Fox Demon’s eyes widened. His hands trembled as he picked up the jade from the casket, saying in shock: “So… there were actually three jade pendants!”

Ji Yanqing: “???”

The moving sentiment Ji Yanqing had been feeling vanished instantly. It took him a good moment to adjust his emotions before he looked at the Fox Demon with a helpless, yet meaningful expression: “Do you still not understand? That person back then… was Ling Yunjian himself.”

“That person… was Ling Yunjian? How is that possible? He and I were always rivals. I wanted his heart, and he wanted my fox-sword…”

It was as if the Fox Demon had been suddenly enlightened by Ji Yanqing. He murmured that it was impossible, but his tightening grip on the jade betrayed his true feelings.

Past memories returned to his mind one by one. The fact that the man could appear so timely to save him, and that the man knew his preferences so well—as if they had known each other for a lifetime—everything seemed to point toward a single answer.

“…Where is the Clear Sword Heart?”

For a moment, the Fox Demon couldn’t accept the reality. After his initial panic, he suddenly thought of a problem and asked hesitantly.

Ji Yanqing didn’t answer directly this time. Instead, he asked back: “Have you… never heard your own heartbeat?”

The Black Fox tribe has no hearts and, naturally, no heartbeats.

Ever since Ji Yanqing met this Fox Demon, he had been able to faintly sense a heart beating within him. Originally, he thought it was a bug in the Secret Realm’s design, but now it seemed it wasn’t a bug at all—because long ago, this Fox Demon had already possessed a heart.

Seeing that the Fox Demon still looked completely clueless, Ji Yanqing grew anxious.

He blurted out: “You blockhead! That Clear Sword Heart you’ve been searching for has been in your chest this whole time!”

“Back then, Ling Yunjian gave his Clear Sword Heart to you and went to reincarnate. Afterward, he cultivated to become a Golden Immortal, yet for some reason, you remained trapped in this Secret Realm.”

As Ji Yanqing said this, he felt something was slightly off.

No matter how talented a sword cultivator Ling Yunjian was, if he had reincarnated and started over, his cultivation speed would have been impossibly fast.

Furthermore, regarding this Fox Demon—if he wasn’t a mere illusion, and since Ling Yunjian cared for him, why would Ling Yunjian leave him trapped here even if he later met with misfortune? And if he was an illusion, why would Golden Immortal Yunjian design such a Secret Realm in the first place?

“I…”

The Fox Demon clutched his head in pain. The agony of memories flooding his mind and the tearing sensation of his soul merged together. After a long while, he finally lowered his hands.

“I remember now.”

As the Fox Demon spoke, the naivety in his tone had vanished. The gaze he turned toward Ji Yanqing was like a deep, tranquil ancient well.

Meeting such a gaze, Ji Yanqing’s heart tightened.

In all his time in this world, Ji Yanqing had only seen such a gaze on one other person: his Master, the Sect Leader of the Qingmen Sect, Qin Shu—who had already survived four Heavenly Tribulations and was only two steps away from becoming a Golden Immortal.

The Fox Demon smiled slightly and said to Ji Yanqing, “However, you got one thing wrong. The one who became a Golden Immortal wasn’t Ling Yunjian, but the ‘blockhead’ you mentioned.”

Ji Yanqing: …Great Immortal, have mercy!

Due to the side effects of the Incense Jade Bell, Ji Yanqing currently only had the cultivation of the Spirit Severing stage, while the being before him was a Golden Immortal capable of casually building a city like Yunjian.

And this Golden Immortal seemed a bit vengeful. Ji Yanqing’s vision went dark; he felt a sudden urge to kneel and beg for forgiveness.

Fortunately, Golden Immortal Yunjian—or rather, the Fox Demon—still remembered the favor Ji Yanqing had done by helping him, and he didn’t dwell on the “blockhead” comment.

He stood up and walked outside. Everywhere he went, the originally dilapidated Secret Realm was instantly repaired. Although Ji Yanqing didn’t move, the surrounding scenery shifted continuously until, finally, the Fox Demon stopped in the Sword Immortal Hall.

The hall they were in was exactly as Ji Yanqing had first seen it, with the portrait of Ling Yunjian being worshipped with incense.

Looking at the familiar face in the painting, the Fox Demon sighed and spoke slowly: “I thought that by using Ling Yunjian’s name to build a city, I could draw him here sooner.”

Now that his memories and part of his cultivation were restored, the Fox Demon’s voice sounded like a true powerhouse. Ji Yanqing didn’t dare move a muscle; he stood obediently to the side and listened to the Fox Demon tell his story.

“To open that Lotus Secret Casket, I worked tirelessly on my cultivation. Before I knew it, I had passed five Heavenly Tribulations. Yet even then, I couldn’t cross that final threshold.”

After coming to this world, Ji Yanqing had learned about the requirements for becoming a Golden Immortal. After five tribulations, a cultivator still needs to pass the final and most difficult hurdle: the Decay of the Dao Heart.

If a cultivator’s Dao heart is firm, they can achieve the status of Golden Immortal in one leap, becoming a supreme being free from decay and tribulation.

If they have an obsession in their heart, they might unfortunately perish and have their soul reincarnate. In severe cases, they might go to the other extreme: falling into madness.

The Fox Demon clearly belonged to the former.

“Before that Decay of the Dao Heart arrived, I already sensed it. I thought I couldn’t let go of the past, couldn’t let go of that Clear Sword Heart. So, I spent another five hundred years constructing this Secret Realm.”

Five hundred years to build a dungeon instance? You really were bored.

And I bet this Secret Realm was the start of all the trouble.

Given the previous lesson, Ji Yanqing naturally didn’t dare voice these thoughts, but the Fox Demon seemed to guess what he was thinking and continued: “But I didn’t expect that while refining this realm, I would gradually become immersed in it and lose my past memories. Not only did I ultimately perish due to the Decay of the Dao Heart, but even my soul became trapped here… and even…”

At this point, the Fox Demon’s voice carried a hint of apology: “I even allowed this place to be exploited.”

Ji Yanqing understood his feelings. Acting as an NPC for several hundred years only to have his painstakingly built Secret Realm turned into a trap by Meng Xingchen to lure sword cultivators was indeed a massive failure.

However, Ji Yanqing kindly offered some comfort: “Ahem, don’t blame yourself too much. Anyway, it’s all over now. Since you’ve recovered your memories and cultivation, Meng Xingchen is nothing to you.”

Ji Yanqing originally thought that with this Golden Immortal by his side, everything would be easily resolved. To his surprise, the Fox Demon shook his head: “I cannot do it.”

“During these years, my soul has become increasingly unstable. Just now, to open the Lotus Secret Casket, I overextended myself significantly. Thank you for helping me find the Clear Sword Heart. I… am probably about to leave.”

The Fox Demon spoke with a touch of sorrow, looking at Ji Yanqing with gratitude in his eyes.

He continued: “I will use the last of my True Qi to open a path for you to leave. Oh, and as a token of my thanks, besides that spiritual sword, I want to give you one more thing.”

As the Fox Demon spoke, a lamp glowing with golden light appeared once again before Ji Yanqing.

Ji Yanqing’s eyes widened, and he blinked frantically to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

However, reality proved he wasn’t; before him indeed sat the Golden Light Retroactive Glazed Lamp.

Is there no end to this lamp?!

Are you really not taking revenge on me on purpose?!

The Fox Demon had no idea how large Ji Yanqing’s psychological shadow regarding this lamp was. He explained patiently: “This lamp can guide you at a critical moment.”

Looking at the glazed lamp before him, Ji Yanqing took a deep breath. Thinking that he might still need this lamp to leave the Secret Realm, he restrained the urge to smash it then and there.

“Go now. Your companions are waiting for you in the passage.”

Once the Fox Demon finished speaking, his figure gradually became transparent. A passage slowly appeared before Ji Yanqing.

Ji Yanqing took two steps forward, then turned back to look at the Fox Demon. Sure enough, he saw the fox’s figure dissolve into clusters of white light, like silver butterflies dancing away, scattering and vanishing completely. The final cluster of light was a vibrant red; it circled around Ji Yanqing for a long time before slowly fading away, much like a heart gradually ceasing to beat.

Ji Yanqing stared at that red light for a long time. Only when it had completely vanished did he snap out of it, pick up the two jade pendants from the ground, and walk toward the passage.

Just as the Fox Demon had said, after walking a few steps, Ji Yanqing saw Liu Ningyun and the newly awakened Liu Ziyi.

Seeing that Ji Yanqing had finally returned, a hint of joy appeared in Liu Ningyun’s eyes, and he turned to greet him.

But at that moment, Ji Yanqing suddenly felt something. His footsteps froze, and his expression became solemn.

“What is it?” Sensing something was wrong, Liu Ningyun asked.

“It’s nothing. Let’s get out first.”

Ji Yanqing’s expression had returned to normal. He shook his head at Liu Ningyun’s inquiry, but his heart was filled with unease.

What he had just felt was… Demonic Qi.

It was exactly the same as the demonic energy he had sensed on Qi Ye three years ago.

As the exit of the passage drew closer, Ji Yanqing’s grip on the spiritual sword tightened, and the feeling of dread grew even stronger.

On Qi Ye’s side… what on earth happened?