Chapter 180: End of Engagement Ceremony

“What do you think now? Do you still think I’m lying to you, or is it someone else?” Wei Chen asked.

Yun Feng looked back and forth between his master and Wei Chen. He was still reluctant. Doubt had begun to form, but a life-saving grace was not something he could easily dismiss.

Seeing that Yun Feng remained hesitant, Youqi decided to end it. This farce had gone on long enough.

“Bring him in. We will send him where he belongs,” Youqi said.

The two black-armored warriors nodded and dragged the master’s soul away, intending to take him to their flying ark and use the array there to transport him to the Underworld.

“No! No! I won’t go! I won’t! You unfilial disciple! Are you going to watch your master be dragged away by his enemies?” the master roared, playing the emotional card.

And it worked. Yun Feng gritted his teeth, stood up, and pointed his sword at the two warriors, who looked at him indifferently before glancing at Youqi for orders.

They could easily knock him out, but since Wei Chen, one of their agents, was operating in the mortal world, they could not act too harshly.

Youqi sighed, then asked, “Boy, how does your cultivation technique work? Is it something like this?”

“The soul is a vessel, finite and bound by flesh. To transcend, one must open the Seven Soul Gates, allowing the Void Qi of Heaven and Earth to enter and dissolve the rigid structures of the self. Do not resist the emptiness. Do not close what has been opened. When your original soul has fully hollowed…”

Hearing this, Yun Feng was shocked. How did this woman know his cultivation technique? It was not word for word, but it was dangerously close.

Youqi continued, “If I am not mistaken, the mantra would be: ’I am empty. I am open. Let the one who understands heaven fill me.’ And the final part should be: ’Only then will the immortal spark descend, and your rebirth be complete.’ Am I right?”

With his technique laid bare, Yun Feng looked at his master in disbelief.

“Master… she… she’s lying, right? Why does she know about the Heavenly Body Technique you taught me?” Yun Feng asked, filled with doubt.

“It’s…” The master tried to respond, but Youqi did not give him the chance. She struck while the iron was hot.

“It’s not that I know your exact technique. This kind of method is the core approach used by death-cheater souls to take over another body.”

“They need the host to willingly open their soul so they can wear it like a protective shell, deceiving the heavens so they are not struck down for their abominable existence. If you do not believe me, look carefully at your master. His shell was burned by the radiance of that heavenly tribulation spark.”

Youqi finished and waited as the shell began to crumble.

Like dried paint flaking off a wall, the righteous and determined facade slowly fell apart.

Piece by piece, the image of a dignified and domineering swordsman disintegrated, revealing something ghastly beneath.

A green and red soul, marred by heavy death qi and malicious intent, emerged. The face twisted into something entirely different, a rat-like figure ready to flee at the first sign of danger, its eyes filled with malice, anger, and cowardice.

It was the complete opposite of the master Yun Feng remembered.

Seeing this, Yun Feng fell to his knees. His sword dropped to the ground. This was more than betrayal. It shattered everything he had believed in.

“Master… why…” Yun Feng asked in disbelief.

The master’s eyes filled with anger. “You fool! I told you not to come to this man’s engagement! And look what happened! You are the cause of your master’s downfall, you unfilial brat!”

“Hey, why are you the one getting angry? You wanted to use this guy as your vessel, and now you’re blaming him? He even tried to protect you,” Wei Chen retorted.

“He didn’t try hard enough! He should have run the moment I told him to, but he didn’t! If that is not unfilial, then what is? I gave him strength! I raised him from despair! What is wrong with him giving his life to me?” the master ranted, no longer bothering to hide his true nature.

“Man… I never thought I would meet a piece of sh*t like you in my life. You really opened my eyes,” Wei Chen said.

“Heh! You have no right to mock me! You were just lucky! Why don’t you try being born in a slum before you lecture me?” the master shot back.

“Stop spouting crap. If everyone born into hardship had to become a jerk like you, this world would have ended long ago,” Wei Chen said as he stepped forward.

“I won’t deny that hardship tempts people to become selfish, and that they may do anything to survive, even killing or stealing. I won’t judge that. But you should not feel proud or smug about it like you do.”

“I mean…. look. Even if someone is born as a young master or becomes the patriarch of a great sect, if they choose to act like a prick with no upbringing, they will still act like one.”

At this remark, Ximen Hao and many others in the area flinched as they felt the unintended collateral damage.

“Enough… take him away,” Youqi said, cutting straight to the point.

The master was dragged toward the Underworld Palace’s flying ark. The two warriors quickly used their spiritual power to lock down the soul and sped off, preventing him from saying anything that might further irritate others.

Yun Feng collapsed, sitting listlessly on the ground. He did not want to believe that the master he had trusted with his life had actually been plotting against him all along, and that the one he had seen as an enemy was, in fact, reasonable.

Yes, he knew that the main reason was because Brother Wei had changed Ximen Hao, but still… the memories of his interactions with his master… were all of them fake?

“Am I… am I such a fool?” Yun Feng questioned himself.

Seeing Yun Feng like this, Wei Chen sighed. He walked over and placed a hand on Yun Feng’s shoulder.

“Buddy… you’re not in the wrong here. The one who used your filial piety and righteousness against you is the one at fault. You’re just… unlucky,” Wei Chen tried to console him, but it did not seem to help much.

Seeing this, he gestured toward Xiao Mei and pointed at the listless Yun Feng, signaling her to take over. He knew that a Heaven’s Chosen like Yun Feng would not feel much better being consoled by another man.

I mean… if it were him and a muscular guy in spandex trying to comfort him, he would not feel better either. He would probably feel a chill run down his spine instead. But it would be a different story if it were a beautiful girl.

Yeah, consoling a Heaven’s Chosen should be a girl’s job.

As he expected, Yun Feng responded. Although still downcast, he followed Xiao Mei to sit with her in a more secluded place.

Wei Chen could only hope the guy would not make a mess of things. It would be very awkward if a janitor later found… a smear of latex glue on the floor.

With the conclusion of this incident, people began to excuse themselves and say goodbye to Mo Jue. They needed to return, as the guests who had come were all high-ranking representatives. They had to go back to report or plan their next moves based on the information they had gained today.

Some carefree individuals, like Hua Zuixian, chose to stay. He even tried to drag Mo Jue into having a drink with him.

Wei Chen returned to the Underworld with Youqi to obtain the artifact used to detect hidden death-cheater souls, especially cautious cases like Yun Feng’s former master.

Unknown to him, Ximen Hao, who was still at the venue, was trying to find him to ask some questions. When he failed to do so, he had no choice but to return to his estate in the city and wait for Wei Chen to come back.

…

In Mo Xingyao’s private courtyard, she invited Dream Butterfly to share a meal with her. The two women chatted like sisters, moving from everyday topics to cosmetics, and eventually to their man.

The conversation naturally drifted toward Wei Chen… and their future. After that, it returned to the main matter.

“Sister Yaoyao, you invited me here. Is there something you need from me?” Dream Butterfly asked. Her heart was uneasy about what might come next. She feared that Mo Xingyao, as his future wife, would not want her anywhere near Wei Chen again.

This was what she feared the most, and it showed clearly on her face.

Seeing her expression, Mo Xingyao could not help but smile and chuckle.

“Don’t be afraid. It’s not a bad thing. It might even be the opposite,” Mo Xingyao said with a mischievous smile.

“Huh… wha… what is it, Sister Yaoyao?” Dream Butterfly asked nervously.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep