Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

Chapter 219: Chapter 204: Backstab (2)

"With Yuann Tong’s personality, she’ll surely weep with gratitude. It might even be enough to make the Yin Yang Seed mature in one go."

Zhu Ju took the Spirit Talisman, looking thoughtful.

"Senior."

He lifted his head, a greedy look spreading across his face.

"After Yuann Tong is gone, can I really have you?"

"Of course!" Princess Consort Yuann giggled, swaying her body. "As long as you don’t mind this ruined body of mine, I will certainly offer myself to you."

"I won’t, I won’t." Zhu Ju’s face was feverish with excitement as he stepped forward, reaching for Princess Consort Yuann’s sleeve.

"Not so fast," Princess Consort Yuann said, lightly dodging him.

"Wait until you’re done playing with Yuann Tong. I’ll be waiting for you."

"Alright, alright," Zhu Ju said, his expression eager.

"Rest assured, Senior. This junior will make that Yin Yang Seed mature as soon as possible. Then, I will ask for your favor."

「Several years later.」

「In the great hall.」

The scene conjured by the Treasure Pearl froze, Zhu Ju’s eager, greedy, desire-filled gaze fixed before her.

"No!"

Zhou Yuantong clenched her teeth, staring daggers at Princess Consort Yuann.

"This is an Illusion Technique!"

"Why lie to yourself?" Princess Consort Yuann chuckled softly.

"You know very well that your Master is not versed in Illusion Techniques. Besides, are you sure an Illusion Technique so realistic it could pass for the real thing even exists?"

"You..." Zhou Yuantong’s body trembled.

"You used a Bewitching Technique to seduce my husband! With the Bewitching Technique of a Dao Foundation Cultivator, there’s no way Zhu Ju could have resisted."

"My dear disciple," Princess Consort Yuann sighed.

"If a Bewitching Technique could help a Yin Yang Seed mature, the Joyful Sect would have long since dominated the world and become invincible."

"Think carefully. Has this Zhu Ju never shown any flaws in front of you?"

"My husband and I love each other deeply. What flaws could there be?" Zhou Yuantong took a step back, her eyes turning red.

"Don’t even think about tricking me!"

"Oh?" Princess Consort Yuann raised an eyebrow.

"It seems his acting is even better than I imagined. Or perhaps, you’re just too naive, completely blinded."

"Fine, fine!"

She waved her hand gently.

"As your Master, I’ve done all I can. The choice is yours."

「Outside the great hall.」

A figure stumbled out.

Zhou Yuantong stared lifelessly in the direction of her Cave Mansion. Her lips trembled as her hands formed a Seal Technique.

She had never lost faith in Zhu Ju; she had given him everything she had without reservation.

But now...

Qii Yao’s cautious reminder and Princess Consort Yuann’s illusion had quietly created a crack in her defenses.

"Reveal!"

With a pull of the Spell, the scene inside the Cave Mansion appeared before her eyes.

As the master of the Cave Mansion, she held control over its Array, which included the ability to observe everything within it at any time.

Zhou Yuantong had never ’spied’ on Zhu Ju before. She felt it was immoral; the two of them should trust each other.

This was the first time.

「Inside the Cave Mansion.」

Zhu Ju was packing, carefully putting away various personal items, his expression as gentle as ever.

’I was right!’

’My husband wouldn’t lie to me.’

A glint appeared in Zhou Yuantong’s beautiful eyes, and a faint smile touched her lips.

’No matter who it is, no one can shake the bond between us. After spending all our days and nights together for so many years, how could I not know what kind of person he is?’

She took a deep breath, about to dispel the Magic, when she saw Zhu Ju’s expression suddenly change inside the Cave Mansion.

He then strode quickly to the guest room, grabbed the rabbit in the corner, and with a vicious look, slapped down hard on it.

SPLAT!

The rabbit exploded into a shower of blood and gore.

"I’ve put up with you for so long. Feeding you, taking care of you every day... From now on, I never have to pretend in front of her again."

Zhu Ju’s face twisted into a savage sneer.

"You’re just a rabbit, and you made me waste so much effort!"

"Even more detestable than your master!"

?

A blank look washed over Zhou Yuantong’s face. The man in the vision was so familiar, yet he felt like a complete stranger.

Husband...

Zhu Ju?

You...

What is real? What is fake?

*

*

*

"Tianhui Mountain is just ahead."

Zhu Ju looked up at the mountain peak before them, his expression distant, as if tinged with reluctance or regret.

"Yes."

Zhou Yuantong nodded.

"No matter how slowly we walk, we were bound to arrive eventually."

"Indeed."

With his hands behind his back, Zhu Ju walked with Zhou Yuantong on the narrow mountain path, speaking unhurriedly.

"Do you remember a story I once told you?"

"What story?"

"Liang and Zhuu."

"I remember." Zhou Yuantong’s steps faltered slightly as she nodded and recited:

"I ask the world, what is this thing called love? A pledge of life and death, without regret. Fated not to grow old together in this life, we wait for the next to rekindle our love. If we cannot be together in life, we shall follow in death, walking the path to the underworld side by side. As a pair of butterflies, we shall dance, our love eternal and unceasing."

"The love between Liang Shanbo and Zhuu Yingtai is so moving. Will we be like them in the future?"

"No," Zhu Ju said, shaking his head.

"Those two couldn’t see their circumstances clearly. From the very beginning, it was destined to be a tragedy."

"Only by going with the flow can one have a smooth journey."

"If you don’t have the power to change your environment, then don’t even think about resisting. That will only bring harm to yourself and others."

"..." Zhou Yuantong opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Is it wrong to love someone?"

"In this world, what is ever absolutely right or wrong?" Zhu Ju turned and looked at her.

"There is only what should be done and what shouldn’t."

"Found them!"

Ding Gui had not hidden her aura. Following the Joyful Sect’s Secret Technique, the two of them arrived before a grove of osmanthus trees.

A grove of osmanthus trees,

A thick fragrance drifting on the air.

Ding Gui sat cross-legged before an unremarkable grave mound. Her hair was completely white, her head was bowed, and an aura of death hung about her.

"Senior Sister Ding."

Zhu Ju spoke.

"We meet again."

"...It’s you." Ding Gui looked up. She was no longer the brawny woman she once was, but rather slender and quite comely. However, her face was lined with wrinkles, and her full head of white hair added to her world-weary appearance.

"I never thought the one sent to hunt me down would be you."

"It’s not surprising," Zhu Ju said.

"As far as I know, the Joyful Sect loves this kind of arrangement—sending someone close to the traitor to carry out the mission. It both tests a disciple’s loyalty to the Sect and serves as an opportunity to temper their will."

"Yes," Ding Gui nodded.

"The Demon Dao has always operated this way."

"But..."

"My name is Songx Zhi. My husband’s surname was Ding. We both particularly loved osmanthus flowers, so I changed my name to Ding Gui."

"Senior Sister Songx." Zhu Ju cupped his hands in a salute.

"Do you have any last words?"

"What is there left for us to say?" Songx Zhi shook her head, took a Jade Scroll from her person, and set it down.

"This contains my insights from many years of Artifact Refining. I suppose you and I were fated to meet. I’ll leave this for you."

"After I die..."

She pressed her lips together and spoke seriously.

"Could you bury me here?"

"It would be my undeniable duty." Zhu Ju nodded. He had long seen that she was not long for this world, gravely injured and on the verge of death.

"Senior Sister, do you have any descendants who need looking after?"

"There’s no need," Songx Zhi shook her head.

"If it’s possible..."

"You should leave the Demon Sect if you can. But as a Furnace Tripod for a Core True Inheritance disciple, I’m afraid you won’t get that chance."

"COUGH, COUGH!"

Songx Zhi knelt and coughed weakly, blood spewing from her mouth. Her aura grew fainter and fainter, the light fading from her eyes.

"Husband..."

"I’m coming to join you."

"In the underworld, we will still be together."

She mumbled these words, forcing her body to collapse onto the grave mound. She closed her eyes and breathed her last.

"Songx Zhi betrayed the Sect and fled, likely because she learned her husband had been killed. That’s why she escaped Wind Moon Valley," Zhu Ju said slowly.

"For a husband and wife to rest eternally here... they didn’t live their lives in vain."

"Indeed," Zhou Yuantong said, her voice filled with emotion.

"To share a final resting place as husband and wife... a life not lived in vain."

"Husband, if I were to die, could you bury me under an apricot tree? I love apricots, they’re so sweet and sour..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a sharp blade pierced through her back and out her chest, the blood-soaked tip emerging from her heart.