Chapter 33 - At the Age of Six
The current situation was actually also within Luo He's expectations.
He had hidden for several days under Su Huanhuan's cover, deduced Huoxin's last worn skin, and finally found this place.
If it weren't for sensing through Luo Hongyu's remnant po-soul that she had fallen into the Netherworld's predicament, he might have chosen an even more suitable time to make his move.
But now, naturally, it was no longer up to him to choose that much.
Just as Huoxin had said, he could use the red jade's connection to find a way to get Luo Hongyu out; but conversely, this would also be intercepted by Huoxin.
The situation changed from racing against every minute and second to racing even more against every minute and second.
Huoxin, before Luo He at this moment, was in a state of complete defense.
She nearly dodged every one of Luo He's attacks; if it was truly unavoidable, a ghost soul would fly out from the jade flute to block it for her.
No matter how outstanding Luo He's talent was, he was, after all, only a Golden Core stage cultivator, and even in a half-crippled state at that.
And Huoxin was a genuine, bona fide Tribulation Passing ghost cultivator.
If she only wanted to defend, Luo He could hack at her body without any effect; it was just that out of her cautious nature, she still had to dodge.
Huoxin was like a butterfly in a gusty wind and driving rain, dancing gracefully amidst the sword light. At the same time, she said leisurely:
"Little fellow, actually, you've misunderstood one point from the very beginning."
"It's certainly good that you could sense the ghost cultivators' Heavenly Dao Great Oath, but you've rather underestimated my methods a bit too much."
"It's true that high-level ghost cultivators will indeed pay a price for using methods against living people, but this price, to a certain extent, can also be weakened or even avoided."
"You've thought of many things, but unfortunately, what you know is still not enough."
"I know you definitely have a method to deal with me in your hands. But for me, as long as I wholeheartedly want to avoid your attacks, you wouldn't even be able to touch the corner of my clothes..."
However, before Huoxin's voice had fallen, her eyes sharpened instinctively, as if she had sensed some dangerous aura.
But it was already too late; a dazzling golden light burst forth from between Luo He's eyebrows.
That light illuminated this not-too-large, not-too-small Zen courtyard, actually making Huoxin's Crossing of No Return mind-scape almost unable to be maintained.
"Immortal Source..."
The aura of a True Immortal, for a sinister ghost entity like her, was the ultimate restraint.
But where did he get such a thing?
Huoxin was instantly suppressed in place by an immense pressure, but she was still thinking ceaselessly.
This Immortal Source only had a deterrent effect on her and couldn't cause any actual harm.
After all, her cultivation was by no means comparable to Luo He's; she would be bound by this aura for an instant, unable to move, but she would soon be able to break free.
But Huoxin understood very clearly; she knew that Luo He only needed this one instant.
In this instant that the Immortal Source was revealed, Huoxin stood stunned in place, coldly watching Luo He swiftly press forward towards her and deliver a sword strike towards her body.
The sword itself passed straight through, not causing her any impact.
But she could feel that something had passed through that sword and remained within her spiritual soul.
A heart-piercing, scorching sensation, as if it would burn her to ashes, came from the depths of her spiritual soul.
Too strange, too wondrous. This was, in the several hundred years since Huoxin became a ghost cultivator, the first time she had so vividly experienced the concept of 'pain'.
It came so suddenly, so fresh, that it shocked Huoxin even more than that Immortal Source had.
She clutched the chest of her spiritual soul form and slowly retreated; Luo He did not pursue further, merely watching her quietly.
Huoxin looked inward at her own spiritual soul.
Within her spiritual soul, which she had cultivated and condensed to be incomparably powerful, a small cluster of flame had appeared at some unknown time.
Truly strange. It was clearly burning, using Huoxin's original source soul power as fuel, yet what emanated from it were wisps of icy coldness.
That icy coldness materialized, and in just a few breaths, it seemed as if it would crawl all over her entire body.
Every inch that trace of icy coldness flowed past, she felt her ability to control that part weaken somewhat.
The demonic flame of the Demonic Sarira, and also the malevolent qi—so that was it.
This was indeed something that could kill her.
Such a cautious and careful person, yet at this moment, regarding his own life and death, he actually had such a completely opposite, indifferent attitude.
"Mm, you've done very well, little fellow."
"Do you know, for a ghost cultivator, especially a powerful ghost cultivator like me, to die a second time is very difficult."
"And it is precisely because of our characteristic of being difficult to kill that the Heavenly Dao imposes various checks and balances on us."
"And you, because of various coincidences and opportunities, as well as your own thinking and assessment, have truly threatened my life."
"This flame must have been spawned by that Demonic Seed, right? I didn't expect it would actually be used on me."
Huoxin spoke faintly; Luo He watched quietly.
The gray, deathly aura of the malevolent qi had already gradually crept all over her entire body.
"But it's a pity, it's still a little bit off. It threatened my life, but it's still not enough to kill me directly."
"However, what you did was not a futile effort either. I now no longer have the spare energy to set up a killing move against you and Luo Hongyu."
"Therefore, I have a special reward for you."
And just at this moment, from the distant sky came two auras incomparably familiar to Luo He.
"Luo He!"
That was Senior Sister Gu's voice.
They had finally arrived.
At this moment, the one rushing at the forefront, holding a sword and charging this way, was Luo Hongyu. She charged straight towards Huoxin, a giant sword of spiritual energy continuously condensing behind her.
But neither Luo He nor Huoxin spared even a trace of attention there.
They looked at each other. At this moment, the flow of time seemed to have been slowed down; the gale of sword qi slowly stirred Luo He's hair.
Huoxin, facing Luo He, revealed a beautiful smile filled with malice.
"My ghost name is Huoxin, precisely because I most enjoy exploring the unknown secrets within people's hearts."
"Then do you, in turn, know, those two people whom you think you are already incomparably familiar with, what things they were once thinking in their hearts?"
Ding dong.
Luo He seemed to hear the clear sound of a drop of water falling into a water surface.
He vaguely sensed that Huoxin's aura suddenly became extremely listless; a tremendously strong pulling force seemed to have hooked his heart.
An unspoken restraint was imposed upon him and upon Gu Jing and Luo Hongyu, who were rushing over from not far away. He felt as if someone was using a writing brush to gently write characters on his heart.
Afterwards, his vision blurred completely; his five senses were stripped away.
Everything returned to silence.
Not knowing how long the darkness had lasted, when Luo He opened his eyes again, he was stunned for a moment.
By his ears, there were the calls of unknown birds and beasts.
He smelled the fresh fragrance of new grass and flowers.
Before him was a small courtyard. In the courtyard was a grapevine trellis, upon which thin yet cute vines climbed.
Beside the courtyard was an exquisite small wooden cabin. A little further, at the position of the mountainside, a corner of a towering great hall could be faintly seen.
This was a mountain peak, a mountain peak he was incomparably familiar with, where he had lived for several decades.
This place was named Still Water Peak; it was the place where the Tianchen Sword Sect's Sect Master, Luo Wenshui, and his beloved daughter resided.
"Look, ah, how wonderful everything here is."
Huoxin's voice came from a distant part of this space, pulling Luo He's thoughts back.
"Oh, don't be nervous. This is a dream, a harmless, beautiful dream."
"Be it Gu Jing or Luo Hongyu, they are both playing a role in this dream that they once fantasized about."
"As everyone knows, beautiful dreams are always captivating. Right now, their consciousnesses are both wandering here, unable to break free from it on their own."
"So, you have to help them, little clear-headed fellow. You are also the protagonist of this beautiful dream, Luo He, hehe."
Suddenly, the sound of small, lively footsteps came.
Accompanying it was a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar to Luo He:
"Are you Luo He? Mmm... you don't look like Senior Sister Gu at all."
He turned his head and saw a girl with a valiant air, dressed in a white skirt and holding a wooden sword, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
This was Luo Hongyu at the age of six.