CHAPTER 81

  Ironblood Root

  LUO FAN

  — ? —

  ‘Tell him… I’m here.’

  The Corrupted Hero’s whisper echoed relentlessly in my mind, reverberating so violently that my head throbbed with pain.

  I moaned, clutching at my temples, trying to shut out the voice. It was just a dream. It had to be. I couldn't possibly be back in that cursed Training Ground.

  A firm hand on my shoulder jolted me awake. My breath hitched as I gasped, chest heaving. The Corrupted Hero’s voice still rang in my ears, lingering like a phantom.

  The room was dimly lit, the air carrying the faint, familiar scent of incense. The scent of the temple. My gaze darted around, disoriented, until I recognized the wooden beams above me, the simple furnishings. I was in a bed, a real bed. And beside me sat Tao Liu, his expression a mixture of relief and concern.

  “Are you alright, Priest Luo?” he asked gently.

  His voice—so steady, so human—shattered the lingering haze of my nightmare. My vision blurred as a surge of raw emotion overtook me. I was back. Truly back. Safe.

  I forced myself to sit up slowly, resisting the sudden, ridiculous urge to reach for him—to hold onto something solid, something real.

  “Did you have a nightmare?” he asked again.

  I nodded, swallowing hard, forcing a small, shaky smile while fighting back tears.

  His frown deepened. “What happened to you? Where have you been for the past seven months?”

  I opened my mouth, the truth clawing its way up my throat. I wanted to tell him everything, to unburden myself of the horrors I had endured. But the knowledge I carried was too dangerous. If word of the Ancient Training Ground spread, cultivators from every corner of the world would descend upon this temple, seeking its forbidden power.

  I hesitated, my mind warring with itself. But then, I reminded myself—Tao Liu was the caretaker of this temple, the last disciple of its former master. He would never allow his home, his master's resting place, to be desecrated by power-hungry cultivators.

  Taking a slow breath, I met his gaze. “Elder Tao,” I began, my voice still hoarse. “Do you still wish to regain the cultivation you lost?”

  Surprise flickered across his face, then confusion. “Priest Luo… why are you asking me that?”

  I held my breath as I watched him process my words.

  Finally, he sighed, shaking his head. “Even if I wanted to, my core was damaged beyond repair. I can no longer be implanted with another one. And at my age…” He chuckled wryly, though there was no bitterness in it. “Even reaching the third level again would be impossible. My time as a cultivator has passed.”

  His words struck me with sudden clarity. He had long accepted his fate. He had spent decades without cultivation, his body aging, his strength waning. He had found peace in the life he had now.

  And because of that… perhaps it was safe to tell him.

  After all, this was his temple. His home. He deserved to know what lurked beneath it.

  "Elder Tao," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "There’s something you need to know."

  Tao Liu’s brows furrowed slightly, his expression unreadable. "Please, go ahead, Priest Luo."

  I took a steady breath, knowing what I was about to say would shake him. "Elder Tao, are you aware that there is a graveyard beneath this temple?"

  His reaction was immediate. He stiffened, his eyes widening in shock. "You found the Sacred Ground?"

  "I did," I admitted. "But it’s not a sacred ground. It’s an Ancient Training Ground."

  A sharp gasp escaped him, his mouth parting in disbelief. "So the tales were true all along… Are you saying that you’ve been trapped there for the past seven months?"

  I nodded, the weight of the memory settling heavily on my shoulders. "It’s a miracle that I made it back at all. I did receive something in return, but no reward is worth the torment I endured. Every day in that place was a battle just to stay alive. I wouldn’t go back even if it meant restoring my cultivation to grandmaster level. I would rather grow old here with you."

  Tao Liu remained silent, his shock evident as he tried to process my words. Finally, he murmured, almost to himself, "My master and I searched for that place for decades… but we never found it."

  "There’s a hidden staircase behind the library wall," I explained. "It leads to an underground chamber."

  His frown deepened. "We found that chamber, but it was empty."

  "There should have been a stone tablet in the center of the room. When I touched it, the entrance revealed itself, and I was taken."

  Tao Liu’s lips parted, his expression shifting from confusion to realization. He was silent for a long moment before nodding slowly. "The old records say that the door only manifests for someone who is deemed worthy. It must have chosen you."

  I shook my head. "It’s no blessing, Elder Tao. It’s a curse. You were fortunate not to be chosen."

  His eyes darkened with unease. "Tell me about it. What did you see? What kept you trapped for so long?"

  So I told him everything—the grueling journey, the nightmarish creatures, the shadows that lurked in the depths, the necromancer who controlled the dead, and, most terrifying of all, the warning about the Corrupted Hero.

  Tao Liu listened without interruption, his body rigid with tension. When I finished, the curiosity that had once shone in his eyes had been replaced by something graver.

  "No matter how I try to imagine it differently," he finally said, his voice heavy, "everything you described reminds me of only one thing—the underworld."

  "I think it’s an extension of it," I agreed, my fingers tightening unconsciously around the blanket covering my lap.

  Tao Liu exhaled slowly, wiping the sheen of sweat from his brow. "You’re right… I was fortunate not to have found it."

  I met his gaze, my tone firm. "You must keep the children away from that door. No one can go near it. No one."

  His nod was solemn. "I will make sure of it." He reached over to the nightstand and picked up an object. "I found this with you."

  My gaze followed his hand, and my breath hitched at the sight of the key resting in his palm. A cold shiver ran through me. Just looking at it brought back the horror I had endured. I quickly averted my eyes. "I found that after defeating the Overlord," I muttered. "According to that mysterious voice, it unlocks another training ground… a far more difficult one."

  Tao Liu studied the key for a moment before setting it back on the nightstand. "And you’ve chosen not to continue?"

  I shook my head firmly. "I just wanted to come back. I’ll never go there again."

  His hand rested gently on my shoulder, his warmth grounding me. "It’s over now," he said, his voice steady. "And it wasn’t for nothing. You might have found the key to saving your own life."

  My chest suddenly tightened, and a sharp pang radiated through me. I could feel it—the imbalance of my qi. My dark core had absorbed too much essence from the necromancer’s death, and my light core was struggling to keep up.

  "I need to meditate," I said, wincing at the pain.

  "No need for that," Elder Tao interrupted, rising swiftly to his feet. "I’ll be back in a moment."

  I barely registered his departure. My mind was a whirlwind, the Corrupted Hero’s voice still ringing in my ears like an unshakable curse. I had always preferred solitude, but not now. Not when the echoes of that encounter still clawed at my sanity.

  "Elder Tao?" I called out, unable to stop myself.

  To my relief, the door creaked open, and Elder Tao returned, carrying a small vial of elixir. "This," he said, settling beside me on the bed, "was refined from the plant you were clutching when we found you. We purified it to remove any corrupted qi."

  My breath hitched. Now that I had reached level five, I could feel its essence resonating through me before even touching it.

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  "The Ironblood Root?" I whispered.

  He nodded. "Bing Hai remembered the book you had asked him to read before you disappeared. That’s how I knew you were searching for this herb. If the book was correct, this should stabilize your cores and protect you for a year."

  I took the vial with trembling hands. "But… who refined this?" I asked, knowing that only a high-level alchemist could extract the full potency of a legendary herb like the Ironblood Root.

  Elder Tao’s expression remained unreadable. "I’ll tell you later," he said simply. "Drink it."

  I hesitated for only a moment before lifting the vial to my lips. The liquid had an earthy, slightly bitter taste, but as it slid down my throat, warmth spread through me, soothing the turmoil within my cores.

  Elder Tao watched with satisfaction. "Don’t waste a drop. You need its full potency."

  Obediently, I drained the vial. The warmth settled deep in my chest, and I could already feel its effects taking root.

  "For a year, you’ll be safe from qi deviation and the White Vulture’s corrosion," Elder Tao assured me.

  I bowed my head, gratitude swelling in my chest. “Thank you, Elder Tao. But really, who refined the elixir? There aren’t many high-level alchemists in Xianru Empire that I know of.”

  A small, knowing smile tugged at his lips. “He told me you two have met before.”

  I frowned, sifting through the possibilities. "Could it be Xu Dong?" I asked, though I immediately doubted it. Xu Dong had barely reached level three when I last saw him.

  Before Elder Tao could answer, a firm knock sounded at the door.

  He smiled again as he stood. "That must be him."

  I tensed as the door opened, and a tall figure stepped inside, clad in pristine white robes. Immediately, I felt the weight of his presence, the unmistakable aura of a powerful cultivator.

  As he came closer, the broadness of his shoulders, the way he carried himself—it all struck a chord of familiarity.

  Then he stopped beside my bed, gazing down at me with an amused grin.

  "How was the elixir, Priest Luo?" he asked, his tone teasing.

  My breath caught. That voice.

  My eyes widened in shock. "Ma Huan?!"

  ? ? ? ? ?

  The steady drumming of rain against the temple roof filled the air with a rhythmic calm, harmonizing with the quiet focus of our game. Tao Liu and I sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, a chessboard spread between us.

  Outside, the scent of rain and bamboo mingled in the storm winds, a fragrance that brought a rare sense of peace, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.

  "Priest Luo," Tao Liu said casually as he placed a white piece on the board.

  I glanced up at him, only to realize that I could see his face more clearly than before—the deep lines etched into his skin, the dark circles beneath his eyes. Details that had once been a blur were now sharp and vivid. My vision was improving. The Ironblood Root was working. Perhaps the White Vulture was finally losing its grip on me.

  "What is it, Elder Tao?" I asked, moving my own piece.

  He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Did you happen to have any involvement with the Eternal Damnation Sect?"

  My hand froze midair. I had never told him about my connection to Ruan Yanjun or his sect, but after my disappearance, it was likely that some truths had come to light.

  "Why do you ask?" I returned cautiously.

  Tao Liu sighed, setting his hands in his lap. "While you were missing, hundreds of disciples from the Eternal Damnation Sect surrounded the island. They questioned me about you—where you had gone, whether I had hidden you. I told them the truth, that you had disappeared without a trace. But they didn’t believe me." He exhaled, his tone laced with lingering frustration. "They searched the entire temple. When they found nothing, they tore through the walls, ripped up the floors—probably looking for a hidden chamber where I might have concealed you. They combed through this island for six months, leaving nothing untouched. Only when there was nowhere left to search did they finally retreat."

  I stared at him, stunned. My eyes shifted to the hall around us. The walls looked new, their once-faded carvings now sharp and pristine. The floor, which had once been missing tiles and patched with wooden planks, was now smooth, polished marble. Two days ago, I had asked Tao Liu about the renovations, and he had simply said they were funded by a generous donor.

  "Elder Tao," I said slowly, realization dawning. "Was the Eternal Damnation Sect the generous donor you were referring to?"

  He nodded. "When they couldn’t find you, they decided to compensate me. The renovations were their way of making amends for the damage they caused." He studied me for a moment before adding, "I didn’t tell you earlier because you were still recovering. I didn’t want to burden you with unnecessary stress."

  I exhaled deeply, gripping the chess piece between my fingers. The idea of Ruan Yanjun’s people scouring this island, tearing apart this temple in search of me, was unsettling. How far had he gone in his search? How desperate had he been?

  "I did have dealings with the Eternal Damnation Sect," I admitted, placing another piece on the chessboard. "More specifically, with their sect leader. He was the one who implanted the dark core inside me."

  Tao Liu’s eyes widened in shock. "You mean… you have the Ancient Demonic Core?"

  I shook my head. "No. He told me that the Ancient Demonic Core cannot be passed down. What I received was only a fragment of its essence. My dark core is just like any other, only slightly stronger."

  He let out a breath of relief. "That’s good to hear. But then, why were they so determined to find you? What crime did you commit against them?"

  I hesitated. The memories of what had transpired before I arrived on this island resurfaced, memories I had no desire to relive. But for Tao Liu, I would speak of it one last time.

  "Sect Leader…" I paused, realizing I didn’t even want to say his name. Rewording my statement, I continued, "The sect leader made a deal with Emperor Gao of Silang. And knowing Emperor Gao’s reputation, I’m sure you can already guess what he wanted from me."

  Tao Liu stared at me, his expression unreadable. A long, heavy silence stretched between us before he finally gave a slow nod. "I see."

  "In my desperation to escape with my dignity intact, I took the marquis as a hostage and… mutilated him before I fled."

  His eyes widened in disbelief. "You—wait. What part did you…?"

  I met his gaze evenly. "That part, of course."

  His jaw dropped. A moment later, he cleared his throat. "Well… that explains why they were out for blood."

  "The sect leader was the one who handed me over to Emperor Gao," I continued. "I suspect he saw it as his responsibility to ‘clean up’ the mess I made and bring me back. That’s likely why they were so relentless in their search."

  Tao Liu exhaled, shaking his head. "It’s probably a blessing that you were taken by the Sacred Ground. Otherwise, they would have dragged you back to Silang and executed you by now."

  I nodded. "I agree. But that’s also why I shouldn’t stay here too long. If they return and find me, they’ll assume you’ve been hiding me and punish you for it. The children… they’d be left without anyone to care for them."

  "Don’t worry about the children," a voice cut in.

  I looked up to find Ma Huan strolling in with confident strides.

  "If anything happens to both of you," he continued, settling down beside me with a self-assured smile, "I’ll take those children under my wing. I’ll even make them my disciples."

  I frowned in response. Ever since learning that he was the one who refined the elixir I had taken, suspicion had gnawed at me. I had half-expected him to have poisoned me again. But four days had passed, and nothing had happened. The elixir had worked exactly as it should, and so, for now, I was giving him the benefit of the doubt.

  That didn’t mean I trusted him.

  If not for his son, I wouldn’t have even agreed to let him stay when Elder Tao asked me to decide on the matter.

  "Priest Ma," I said evenly, "what exactly is your purpose for coming here?"

  "Like I told you before, I have nowhere else to go," he replied smoothly. "A certain person who calls himself Qilin had paid me a fortune to deceive you. When I failed to deliver you to the ambush site, he, of course, wanted remuneration. And by remuneration, I mean my life." He gave a casual shrug, as if it were merely a business transaction gone wrong. "Fortunately, Sect Leader Ruan was—"

  "Do not mention that name again," I cut in, my voice calm but edged with warning.

  Ma Huan blinked at me in confusion before his lips curled in amusement. "Then I’ll call him the Devil," he said, unfazed. "The Devil was generous enough to grant me shelter in his school in Wun Empire. I thought I only needed to stay there until my son returned so we could head to Silang together, but then a business opportunity arose. The sect master made a deal with me to refine elixirs for the disciples in exchange for a sum I couldn’t refuse."

  He leaned back slightly, watching me with mild curiosity. "So, I stayed longer than I intended. Of course, when the light sects found out, they branded me a traitor. Not that I cared. At the time, my only priority was my son’s safety."

  His expression darkened slightly. "But now, with word of the Devil’s illness spreading across the continent, the Eternal Damnation Sect’s grip on Wun Empire is beginning to crumble. It’s no secret that Emperor An has long resented the Devil’s control over Wun’s sovereignty. With the sect weakened, there’s a strong chance he’ll seize the opportunity to drive them out entirely. That’s why I was advised to leave for Xianru before things take a turn for the worse. With my past affiliations with the Eternal Damnation Sect, none of the light sects would take me in. The South is the only refuge I have left."

  He finished his explanation, watching me carefully.

  I, however, was barely listening.

  Ruan Yanjun is ill?

  The words rang in my mind, discordant and absurd.

  I didn’t believe it. How could an immortal fall ill? Someone like him was immune to disease, practically invincible.

  Suspicion twisted inside me.

  No. This had to be another one of his deceptions.

  Perhaps he was feigning illness, testing Emperor An’s loyalty, setting the stage for something far more insidious.

  I exhaled, choosing to brush aside the information about Ruan Yanjun. It was irrelevant to me now.

  "Like you said, you’re safe here in Xianru," I said, leveling my gaze at Ma Huan. "So why choose this particular place to settle?"

  He grinned. "Priest Luo, do you even have to ask? I’m a light core cultivator. Xianru is dominated by dark core bearers. To them, I’m an outsider. An outcast. When I happened to meet Elder Tao by chance, and he told me about this dual-core temple, I realized it was the closest thing to a sanctuary I could find."

  He leaned in slightly. "I didn’t even know you were here. The moment I arrived on this island was the moment we found you unconscious at the temple door. Don’t you think it’s fate that brought us together?"

  I turned to Tao Liu, who had remained silent throughout the conversation. "Is that true, Elder Tao?"

  Tao Liu nodded. "It’s exactly as he said."

  I sighed again, while Ma Huan shot me a smug smile.

  "Priest Luo," he said, nudging my elbow as if we were old friends, "we’re in the same boat now. Both of us are being hunted. Why don’t we let bygones be bygones and help each other instead?"

  I narrowed my eyes, already wary of where this was going.

  "Think about it," he continued smoothly. "Your light core is weaker than your dark core now. If your qi deviates, I can fix it anytime. Elder Tao is frail. With my elixirs, I can extend his lifespan well past a hundred years. All for free. Just give me a small piece of land to build my laboratory, and I’ll be content. What do you say?"

  I turned back to Tao Liu, silently seeking his opinion.

  "It’s your decision, Priest Luo," Tao Liu said simply.

  I sighed yet again before shifting my gaze back to Ma Huan. "This is not my land. Like you, I came here for shelter. But since Elder Tao has given me the right to decide, I’ll grant you a trial period. You may stay within the premises for a year. After that, we’ll reassess the situation."

  I met his eyes firmly. "I can’t promise you a permanent place here. This sect is dedicated to dual-core cultivators. You’re a pure light core bearer. I hope you understand that."

  Ma Huan grinned. "Of course, Priest Luo. One year it is. I promise you, you won’t regret it. And while I’m here, the only name people will whisper is Priest Ma’s. No one will even remember that you’re hiding in this temple. You can rest easy under the shadow of a great alchemist."

  I ignored his arrogance. "While you’re here, will you continue refining elixirs for the Eternal Damnation Sect?"

  "How else am I supposed to earn a living?" he returned easily. "But don’t worry, Elder Tao and I have already agreed that I’ll donate thirty percent of my earnings to the temple."

  I nodded. "Good. I hope you’ll stay true to your word."

  Ma Huan chuckled, placing a hand over his chest. "Priest Luo, we’re all righteous people here. We don’t go back on our promises."

  I nearly rolled my eyes.

  With his pristine white robes and hair tied in a neat high bun, he certainly looked the part of a virtuous cultivator. If I hadn’t been deceived by him before, I might have actually believed it.