Chapter 260: Chapter 227: The Hongzhong Sounds, Daoist Ancestor’s Seal!

A line of blood appeared on the youth’s neck.

He stared at the person before him in disbelief, yet he could no longer utter a single sound.

But all the hatred, the animosity, the venom in his eyes… had been utterly wiped clean.

His gaze grew utterly pure, leaving behind only a single emotion—fear!

Chu Huaixu stood up, his face scarcely showing any change in expression.

“What a fine seedling of an Evil Cultivator.”

Before he swung his sword, he did only one thing: he looked over all the wounds on his body and that severed palm.

He thought, as long as the other had eyes, he ought to see how badly he was wounded in order to slay evil.

If the other had a conscience, he should know that his left palm was severed because of him.

Yet this youth saw nothing, noticed nothing.

So, the answer was perfectly clear.

“Fucking Evil Cultivators! So many sinister tricks!”

“In such a short time, they’ve tainted this pure, innocent, good-hearted boy—with evil! He’s fallen onto the path of evil! Becoming a would-be Evil Cultivator with no Cultivation yet!”

“Hmph! Dare sow chaos to my Daoist heart!”

“Root out evil, cut off all trouble—he must die!”

Chu Huaixu randomly found a pretext in his heart, threw the blame on these Low Tier Evil Cultivators, and instantly his mind was set at ease.

He sheathed his sword, dragging his heavily wounded body, and walked out.

He kept walking until he reached the edge of the town, where he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Self-awareness returned; Chu Huaixu’s eyes fell into bewilderment, then clarified to lucidity.

“This Illusion Realm Array can actually seal and suppress even the Heart Sword?” As he returned to normal, this thought echoed in his heart.

No wonder the Dao Ancestor is the Dao Ancestor.

“But what am I supposed to do now?”

“Can it really be so simple—just kill a few Evil Cultivators and it’s over?” He was a bit puzzled.

Yet in the next instant, he suddenly felt the world spin around him.

When Chu Huaixu opened his eyes once more, he was standing again at the same spot just outside the town.

“I am a Daoist Outer Sect Disciple, sent down the mountain to hunt demons, and have traced the Evil Cultivators’ trails.”

Everything seemed locked in endless cycle, yet he apparently took no notice.

He stepped into the town, soon hearing waves of startled cries and shrieks.

Chu Huaixu began to perform his Body Technique, darting swiftly toward the source of the noise.

But this time, what he saw was no longer three Evil Cultivators.

Only the man with the hooked nose remained.

Chu Huaixu gazed at the scene, his face showing no hint of surprise—as if utterly ignorant of what was happening.

He merely looked at the corpse on the ground, frowned at the hooked nose, and said, “You have chosen the way to die!”

The sword left its sheath; the fight began.

In a distant corner, the youth crouched, clutching his parents’ corpses to his chest.

Chu Huaixu wielded the Clear Wind Sword Formulas, slashing toward the hooked nose.

The hooked nose held a curved saber, its blade a dark violet hue.

The longsword and curved saber clashed; instantly, Chu Huaixu forced him back a step.

“Evil Cultivators really have shaky foundations. All they care about is a shortcut—their Cultivation is flimsy!” he mocked aloud.

“Ignorant Daoist brat, killing you will do!” A trace of ferocity crossed the hooked nose’s eyes, though inwardly, he was plotting his escape.

Damn it, fate’s absolutely rotten today—ran straight into a Daoist.

He knew well that, though his Realm was slightly higher, he would never be a match for a Daoist Disciple.

For Evil Cultivators like him, bullying disciples from small sects was one thing.

But disciples from Major Sects—solid roots, deep heritage—he dare not provoke.

Once more they exchanged blows; Chu Huaixu spotted an opening, leapt forward, and with his left hand, struck out a palm.

His palm smashed into the hooked nose’s shoulder with a sound of bone-cracking; the man was thrown clean across the way.

But with that, the Evil Cultivator lay closer to the youth hiding in the corner, falling mere steps away.

“Damn, one careless move—botched it!” Chu Huaixu cursed inwardly.

Sure enough, the hooked nose immediately lunged for the youth.

Chu Huaixu, as before, hurled his Spirit Sword.

With all his strength, he unleashed his Body Technique, planting a foot on the nearby high wall, propelling himself forward.

The curved saber struck the Spirit Sword behind, knocking it away—then the blade swept through the air in a twisted arc, slashing at Chu Huaixu as he raced near.

His chest split open by the blade, but with his right hand he seized the Evil Cultivator’s wrist, then channeled his Spiritual Power, wrenching it fiercely!

“Crack—!”

Pain shot through, and with the brutal twist, the hooked nose could no longer grip the curved saber—it tumbled down.

Chu Huaixu kicked at the saber while it hung in midair; it flew forward, cleaving clean through its owner’s left leg.

“Aaaaah—!”

A scream of agony erupted.

This Daoist Outer Sect Disciple was ruthless indeed; he seized the chance and slammed a palm down on the hooked nose’s crown.

The Evil Cultivator’s body instantly went limp—dead at once.

Having finished, Chu Huaixu glanced at the wound on his chest, confirmed it was no trouble, and strode forward.

The injury wasn’t all that serious.

He looked at the youth, just as before, and spoke: “Don’t be afraid, I am of the Daoist Sect. Are you all right?”

“Why!” The youth looked up at him, suddenly screaming in rage, voice torn and desperate.

“Why did you come only now…”

“…”

“You killed them!” said the youth, uttering the same words as before.

Chu Huaixu looked into his eyes, then glanced at the shallow gash on his own chest.

He walked forward two steps, his gaze turning ice-cold.

“What’re you babbling about?!”

“You dumb shit!”

“Smack—!” He raised his hand and struck the youth hard, knocking him out cold, then choosing not to linger, left the town without another look.

…

…

The third cycle began—sure enough, it had started again.

Chu Huaixu entered the town yet one more time, as though each time marked a new beginning.

Only this time, he encountered five Evil Cultivators.

“Shit, that was reckless!” he thought.

Time to run!

“How strange—why do I rush in to kill evil with so little caution?”

It was as if that place was somewhere he was destined to go.

Chu Huaixu made his judgment: if lives couldn’t be saved, he would return for reinforcements—instead of dying here out of impulse.

“After all, Evil Cultivators advance by devouring Spiritual Embryos and others’ Cultivation. Charging in like this is basically delivering myself as tonics for them.”

That’s not slaying demons from the mountain.

This was just helping the Evil Cultivators grow stronger!

Screw it, I’m out!

As he tried to retreat, two more Evil Cultivators emerged from lurking corners behind.

“Hilarious—ran into the Evil Cultivator army!” Even Chu Huaixu had to admit defeat.

No escape, then fight to the death!

The seven Evil Cultivators seemed intent on toying with him, repeatedly stabbing at the youth, then watching as Chu Huaixu hastily tried to come to the rescue.

“Hahahaha!”

Laughter rang out in the alley from the Evil Cultivators.

In the end, he fell before the youth, slaughtered by their hands—his Spiritual Embryo and Cultivation consumed.

In the moment before death, the final sight in his eyes was the youth’s gaze.

But this time, that gaze held nothing but fear and despair.

For Chu Huaixu, who temporarily held no memory of the previous cycles, a trace of guilt stirred within.

—I did my best.

And so the new cycle began once more.

Each loop would bring forth new circumstances.

Chu Huaixu would choose a new response.

And finally, meet a different ending.

Fourth cycle, fifth… up to the ninth.

Chu Huaixu entered the town nine times in all.

Across those nine times, he slapped the youth three times, raised his sword twice.

The other four loops held their own variety.

In the third cycle entering the town, he died before the youth. In the fifth, he managed to escape—wasn’t cornered by the Evil Cultivators.

…

…

Meanwhile, Han Shuangjiang too entered the Illusion Realm.

Her circumstances mirrored those of Chu Huaixu.

Also at the town’s edge, also entered to purge evil.

The only difference: she confronted female Evil Cultivators, and the person she had to save was a girl.

But just like the youth, this girl, every time Han Shuangjiang saved her, overflowed with hatred—so intense it nearly burst out.

Within nine cycles, facing ever-changing situations, Big Ice Cube made a chain of different choices.

Nine loops, nine endings.

Yet she never once drew her sword against the girl.

“Boom—!”

At the same time, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang felt a sharp pain in their heads.

Suppressed memories surged like a tidal wave.

The nine cycles of experience were shoved into their minds.

Meanwhile, before the great hall of Wenda Peak, not far off stood a small pavilion—in which hung a massive Hongzhong bell.

The bell was engraved with a giant ’Dao’ character. The Daoist Sect didn’t bother naming it, just called it the Dao Bell.

Right at that moment, the Dao Bell began to ring.

Its toll echoed over all of Wenda Peak, bringing the Daoist Sect’s high elders to their feet and out the hall.

“Why is the Dao Bell ringing?”

“This is… Daoist Ancestor’s Seal!”

What startled Xiang Yan and the others most—the Hongzhong bell rang three times in total.

“Three bell chimes—that means… [Three-Character Seal]!”

Everyone immediately deduced that Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, inside the Daoist Ancestor Secret Realm, had encountered a stroke of fortune.

“So, who has obtained the Daoist Ancestor’s Seal, who earned the [Three-Character Seal]?”

As they speculated wildly, the Hongzhong bell rang again—three more chimes.

This made it clear at once—both youngsters had gained the blessing! Both received the Daoist Ancestor’s Seal!

“All Three-Character Seals, even we only have Two-Character Seals.” Xiang Yan and company could not help but marvel, smiles on their faces.

Their Daoist Ancestor’s Seals were obtained after becoming True Disciples, upon entering Junzi Temple.

The Dao Ancestor gathers the Power of All Things, transforming it into three thousand Dao Seals—left behind for future generations.

Every Daoist Disciple who enters Junzi Temple may receive the Daoist Ancestor’s Seal once.

And each generation’s Observatory Master may grant one more seal, which must be a [Three-Character Seal]!

“Just wonder—what three characters did Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang get?”

…

(ps: First update—asking for monthly votes!)

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