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Chapter 546: I Am Very Calm Right Now
News of the Yuezhuo hidden realm's collapse spread through the entire Demon Realm like a thunderclap.This time, of the tens of thousands of cultivators who had gone into the hidden realm seeking fortune, only a handful had managed to come out alive, barely one in ten yet one particular thing spread like wildfire, igniting everyone's desire: the demon core had been successfully carried out of the hidden realm.
In an instant, countless cultivators were frantically searching for that demon core's whereabouts.
After all, this demon core's cultivation level was at least Ascension-realm or above.
It was even possible that its original owner had once touched upon that legendary, long-lost third realm.
A treasure of this caliber was an irresistible temptation even to Ascension-realm cultivators and beyond the demon core, there were also those searching everywhere for news of a particular man but as more and more news trickled, fragment by fragment, into the ears of Tushan Jingci and Little Green, their hearts sank lower and lower with each report.
At last, after repeated verification by Tushan cultivators, they arrived at the final conclusion, that Xiao Mo had remained within the hidden realm until the very last moment, until the realm collapsed entirely.
This meant not only that Xiao Mo was dead.
It was possible that even his soul had dissolved along with the hidden realm's annihilation.
As for why Xiao Mo had held on within the hidden realm until the end, the surviving cultivators offered every kind of story.
Some said Xiao Mo had died in a greedy contest over the demon core, undone by his own avarice.
Others said Xiao Mo might have been controlled by some eerie presence within the hidden realm, unable to act of his own will.
Because they themselves had been controlled while inside.
In truth, deep in her heart, Little Green had a persistent suspicion that Xiao Mo's death could not be separated from Tushan's involvement.
Though she had no concrete proof in hand, she felt it was very likely the doing and design of that Grand Elder of Tushan, Tushan Meng.
If her sister learned that Elder Brother Xiao's soul had dissolved entirely...
Little Green did not dare think any further.
She knew her sister's nature all too well.
If her sister found out, she would go mad and even without a shred of proof, her sister would not hesitate to bring the full force of the Four Seas down on Tushan, leveling it to the ground, whatever the cost but Tushan was deeply entrenched in the Demon Realm, occupying every advantage of position and timing.
Tushan Meng herself was a cultivator at the late stage of the Ascension realm.
Add to that Tushan's ten-thousand-year mountain-protecting formation and the accumulated fortune of the entire fox clan's generations, and within Tushan's own territory she stood like a saint holding this small world steady, her cultivation able to climb to the very peak of the Ascension realm, nearly matching her sister's own strength.
If her sister truly threw the full might of the Four Seas against Tushan, in the end the outcome could well be uncertain, a fight where even survival was not assured and beyond all that, Elder Brother Xiao no longer even had the chance for reincarnation, having dissolved entirely into the world.
At that point, would her sister still have any reason left to keep living?
Elder Brother Xiao was her sister's entire world but could she truly go on concealing this from her sister forever, letting her carry a hope that could never come true, searching on day after day, year after year?
Little Green's heart was consumed with conflict, as though torn in two.
She did not know what the right course of action truly was but she knew clearly that she needed to return to the Four Seas first.
…
"Young Miss, Elder Tushan Hongxia has returned from Quicksand City. The Grand Elder says a clan assembly is to be held in the great hall, and asks that you attend without fail."
That day, Yueshi came up to Moon Spirit Mountain and spoke slowly.
And beneath the hundred-zhang-tall Moon Spirit Tree, a young woman knelt quietly.
Ever since learning of Xiao Mo's death, the young woman had knelt beneath this tree day and night, her face raised, gazing up at Tushan's sacred tree in a daze.
Without a word.
Without eating or drinking.
Without moving at all like a statue that had lost its soul.
Just as Yueshi was thinking of how to console her Young Miss, the young girl beneath the tree finally spoke slowly. "Elder Sister Yueshi, tell me, how exactly did Xiao Mo die?"
Her voice was so calm it seemed less a question than a murmur to herself.
"Xiao Mo was never the kind of person who coveted treasures. He never once asked me for anything."
"And Xiao Mo was cautious by nature, careful in his thinking. He would never recklessly contend with others or act rashly."
"Most importantly, I told Xiao Mo repeatedly not to go into the hidden realm."
"I saw the list of cultivators sent from Quicksand City with my own eyes, and Xiao Mo's name was not on it at all."
"So why did Xiao Mo go anyway? Could it truly be, as Elder Hongxia claims, that he simply went of his own accord?"
"Young Miss..."
In truth, Yueshi understood full well what her Young Miss's words meant to imply but how could she possibly say it to her Young Miss directly? What proof did she have in her own hands?
Seeing Yueshi say nothing further, Tushan Jingci did not press the matter.
She rose slowly from beneath the tree, smoothed her dress, clasped both hands before her, and walked toward Yueshi step by step, her stride steady and composed, entirely unlike the light, easy manner she had once carried.
"Elder Sister Yueshi, I know what you are worried about."
As she passed Yueshi, her voice drifted softly back over her shoulder, so calm it was almost painful to hear.
"Do not worry. Right now..."
"I am very calm."
Moon Spirit Peak, outside the Tushan great hall.
Tushan Hongxia was already standing outside the hall, waiting for the future Holy Woman.
"You have worked hard these past months at Quicksand City." Tushan Meng walked to Hongxia's side and gave her shoulder a pat. "Though I am afraid I need to trouble you a little further right now."
"It is nothing, Grand Elder." Tushan Hongxia gave a wry smile and shook her head. "After all, it was my failure to keep watch over Xiao Mo, letting him go to the hidden realm. I should offer the Holy Woman my proper apology."
"Good that you understand." Tushan Meng gave a small smile and walked into the hall.
Tushan Hongxia remained outside the hall, waiting for Tushan Jingci.
Even as one of Tushan's ten Grand Elders, she now had to "beg forgiveness" from the future Holy Woman.
About one incense stick's time later, Tushan Hongxia, who had been waiting outside the hall the whole while, finally saw Tushan Jingci approaching, composed and dignified.
Without a trace of arrogance, Tushan Hongxia stepped forward immediately and gave Tushan Jingci a bow, calling out respectfully, "Holy Woman... regarding..."
But just as Tushan Hongxia was about to explain, the moment she raised her head, her voice cut off abruptly.
The young girl's eyes were calm as autumn waters.
Deep as the Nine Serenities, cold as a mountain of ice.
Even as an immortal-realm cultivator, Tushan Hongxia found herself unable to move even a fraction, unable to say another word, before this Nascent Soul-level junior.
Tushan Jingci gave Tushan Hongxia a light, indifferent glance, then drew her gaze away and continued walking forward.
She left Tushan Hongxia standing alone where she was, taking a long while to come back to herself.
Watching her retreating figure, Tushan Hongxia understood.
That innocent girl from before no longer existed.