As life reached its final moments, Ji Chen still rode his silver crane chasing the moon, racing against the sun.
He knew he wouldn't fall into the Dead Sea, for there was someone supporting him from behind.
He wasn't familiar with this person. It seemed bizarre—they had met only three days ago, yet it felt like they had been friends for a lifetime, soaring over mountains and rivers toward the ends of the earth.
Excruciating pain blurred Ji Chen's consciousness, his internal organs feeling severed by Array Lines.
He opened his eyes wide and saw pebbles, paper Flying Swallows, an afternoon pond, a swing by its edge, golden carriages and jade horses, towers filled with joyous songs.
Suddenly these transformed into poorly drawn Talismans, mocking whispers behind his back, wandering journeys, and endless conflicts.
Finally came the souls of the departed that couldn't be called back, the stars that couldn't be reached.
Past events drifted like smoke. He saw himself charging toward the heavenly barrier, like a bird crashing against a cliff.
Many years after his death, a cultivator named Wei Zhenyu came to White Phoenix Mountain, obtained his Formation Dao Inheritance and legacy, refined his Formation Arts, and made them his own.
That Wei Zhenyu actually claimed to be Song Qianji's successor.
Ji Chen thought vaguely, "He might deceive others, but not me, because Song Qianji is my friend."
"Wait, if I lived such a life, how could I have such a good friend? Am I trapped in someone else's illusion formation?"
As this thought emerged, icy lake water eagerly surged over him. Sinking to the lake bottom, he saw a massive stone glowing brilliantly and couldn't resist approaching for a closer look...
A sharp shout suddenly rang in his ears: "Get back here!"
Such a familiar voice. Ji Chen started—Brother Song is calling me?!
A powerful force broke through the water's surface, forcibly pulling him out.
The soul-drowning cold water rapidly receded. Ji Chen opened his eyes to see mountains encircling them, with night mist shrouding the lake.
The moon's faint trace hung in the sky, hidden among clouds.
"Brother Song? Are you... are you real?" Ji Chen gasped for air, staring straight at him as if unable to believe it. "Have we returned?"
"You've returned," Song Qianji said.
As his anger faded, overwhelming weariness surged. Even for him, entering illusionary worlds twice had pushed him to his limit.
Yet the moon's shadow was about to disperse, dawn approaching.
"Brother Song, are you injured?" Ji Chen felt both like crying and laughing. His soul had just returned to its place, his thoughts still sluggish.
"Time is urgent." Song Qianji briefly explained the situation. "There's something I need you to do."
Ji Chen laughed without hesitation: "Even if Brother Song asked me to die, I'd settle my younger sister first then do it immediately. I only worry Brother Song handles everything himself and never uses me."
He paused, surprised by his own words.
Knowing Song Qianji would never ask him to die, why would he speak so frivolously?
Had the memories from "that lifetime" left too deep an impression to shake off immediately?
Having grown accustomed to Ji Chen's nonsense in the illusionary world, Song Qianji didn't notice anything amiss. He directly took out an object:
"Take this jade box to Ziye Wenshu, then go help Little Meng drive people away."
Ji Chen reached for it, but the box didn't budge.
Only then did he notice Song Qianji's tight grip and grim expression.
What could be inside that was so precious? Though curious, Ji Chen had no intention of prying: "Does Brother Song have any message for Fellow Daoist Ziye?"
Song Qianji snapped back to reality and released his grip, saying only: "He'll understand when he sees it."
"Take care, Brother Song." With complex emotions, Ji Chen securely stored the jade box before turning and disappearing into the vast night mist.Before the figure had even vanished, Hua Wei Zhenren urgently urged, "Forget about the remaining three. It's hard to have everything in this world. Even if you were a great immortal, you couldn't save everyone... Hey, wait! Alright, at most choose one! Hurry up!"
He was also curious about how Song Qianji would choose.
Under the lingering moonlight, the three figures at the lake's center stood unaware and unconscious, like three ice sculptures shrouded in mist.
Among these three, Wei Zhenyu had the highest cultivation and the thickest luck, with the supreme treasure "Endless Fire" to protect his life. He had the greatest chance of breaking free from the Three Lives Stone on his own.
Though He Qingqing's cultivation was inferior to Wei Zhenyu's, her stubborn and resolute nature made her mental stability potentially equal to his.
The last was Miaoyan.
Song Qianji didn't dare claim to understand the Miaoyan of his past life, only knowing she was soft on the outside but strong within, burdened too heavily, always wishing she could live more lightly and freely.
In this life, Miaoyan had fallen into confusion because of the "Wind and Snow Array Entry Tune," destabilizing her mental state to the point where she wanted to become "He Yun" instead of remaining Miaoyan.
No matter how one looked at it, she was the least likely to save herself.
In the blink of an eye, Song Qianji had reached the lake's center.
Hua Wei Zhenren was puzzled: Had this person already made a decision in his heart, or had he contemplated for just a moment before making his choice?
He suddenly laughed, sarcastically mocking, "Well done, Song boy! I wondered why you weren't leaving—you still wanted to save the prettiest one! A hero finds it hard to pass through the beauty... Huh?!"
The "beauty" abruptly opened her eyes, her gaze sharp and focused.
Hua Wei Zhenren was utterly shocked.
"Song Qianji!" He Qingqing's fingers clawed out, grabbing Song Qianji's forearm with such force that he felt a slight ache.
Considering she had just regained her soul and was mentally unsettled, Song Qianji didn't stop her immediately. "How do you feel?" he asked.
But almost simultaneously, two voices rang out nearby:
"Let him go!"
The incident was too sudden. Song Qianji had just taken out his Talisman paper when He Qingqing woke up.
The three in the lake had regained their souls almost simultaneously.
Miaoyan and Wei Zhenyu were closest to each other. They instinctively glanced at one another, then simultaneously turned away, showing expressions of extreme coldness and disgust.
Song Qianji thought, Weren't you two cultivation partners in your past life? Were you an unhappy couple?
"Did you already see the Three Lives Stone, and that's why you treated me this way?" Miaoyan gave a sorrowful smile, turning to Song Qianji before suddenly raising her voice. "But she isn't me! I resent her. I resent that woman who betrayed you! She had the best in the world—why didn't she cherish it?"
So she had seen the past life. Song Qianji sighed softly. "Whether it is or isn't, what does it matter? The past tribulation is over. You still have a great life ahead—why cling to it?"
These words he had already advised He Yun. Speaking them again felt like a mountain falling, separating him from Miaoyan.
As Miaoyan stepped forward to approach, Wei Zhenyu coldly said, "Don't go near him."
Song Qianji suddenly spoke, "You should already know where the Wind and Snow Array Entry came from."
Miaoyan froze, as if recalling something, and actually stopped. She uttered a seemingly nonsensical phrase: "So the Wind and Snow Array Entry is the Tyrant's Armor Removal... Why cling to it?"
After speaking, she gave Song Qianji a deep look, turned, and swiftly vanished into the distance like a wandering spirit about to dissipate into nothingness.
Even after she disappeared into the night fog, the three still heard these words echoing repeatedly.He Qingqing said, "Senior Brother Song, in the future I will have vast lands and countless seeds for you to choose and cultivate. Would you be willing to join me? Together, we can create a new world..."
Had she seen the future? Song Qianji withdrew his arm and took two steps back: "The land I have now is enough for me to cultivate in this lifetime."
This was a clear refusal. No matter what promises of the future she offered, he rejected them.
"You don't believe I can achieve this?" He Qingqing asked.
Song Qianji replied gently: "You may seek refuge in Qianqu, but I will not help you seize power."
He Qingqing's face turned pale: "I don't believe it! You must have agreed to my proposal! Senior Brother Song, think again. I clearly saw us standing together..."
"Senior Brother, don't listen to her nonsense!" Wei Zhenyu finally seized the chance to interrupt, "Senior Brother has said he's unwilling. If you know what's good for you, shouldn't you leave now?"
He Qingqing sneered: "I don't know what's good for me? Then what about you? Besides using the tricks of inner chamber women to curry favor and play innocent before Song Qianji, what other skills do you possess?"
In the past, Wei Zhenyu would have righteously cursed, quarreled, and shifted blame without hesitation. But now he could only remain silent.
Because he remembered the fleeting illusions of the mortal world, feeling neither justified in his position nor confident in his stance.
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