Time intoxicates, and so does the human soul; even the strongest cultivator cannot withstand its overpowering force. However, there is still one uncertain exception.
Yu Sheng was stopped from drinking but felt neither anger nor impatience. He simply followed Zhan Xiaotian’s hand and put down his cup, releasing his grip. Zhan Xiaotian thought he had successfully persuaded Yu Sheng to stop drinking. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he suddenly saw his master unexpectedly shed his illusionary disguise, reverting to his original form. Taking advantage of Zhan Xiaotian's momentary daze, Yu Sheng swiftly reached out with his fair and slender hand, snatching away the cup that had originally belonged to him.
“Master…”
A cunning glint flickered in Yu Sheng's eyes, and a triumphant smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He poured the wine that his eldest disciple had only sipped into his own mouth, as if fearing it would be taken back if he delayed. His cheeks slightly puffed as he savored the wine, swallowing it slowly, sip by sip.
Zhan Xiaotian's hand, which was meant to stop him, froze in place. His gaze slid down to Yu Sheng's moist, soft lips and then fell onto the rim of the cup still stained with droplets of wine. Heat crept up his face, from his cheeks to his neck. The cup… the one he had just drunk from, the one his lips had touched…
It was uncertain whether Yu Sheng’s lips had coincided with where he had just sipped from, and in a moment of infatuation, the details became insignificant.
It didn’t matter that the cup was taken away; after all, he could always retaliate with a drink of his own.
Zhan Xiaotian, holding Yu Sheng's cup, inexplicably lifted it to his own lips, twisting the rim slightly with his fingertips, tilting his head back to drink it all down. The taste was indeed delightful, and the feeling of having taken advantage of the Ghost King was even better.
Yu Sheng waited for him to finish, narrowing his eyes and smiling at him. “How does it taste?”
“What?” Zhan Xiaotian hadn’t completely regained his composure and forced himself to calm down. “Ah, the wine… it’s pretty good.”
“Will it make you drunk?”
“How could I get drunk?” Zhan Xiaotian instinctively waved his hand. “Even if it’s time that intoxicates, it’s not enough.”
Yu Sheng licked his lips, resting his chin on one hand. “I’ve always been curious. The intoxication of time acts on the soul; if the soul is incomplete, does that mean it becomes ineffective?”
Zhan Xiaotian was stunned. “How do you know…”
Yu Sheng picked up the wine jug and refilled his cup, thinking how easy it was to test this out—just a casual remark revealed so much.
When the deity traveled through the mortal realm, he had split his own soul and body. If these three characters were indeed the personalities formed after that split, then Zhan Xiaotian naturally was more than just someone who couldn't die; he was a unique human without a complete soul.
He had previously only been curious about whether these three disciples were aware of their own situations, but it now seemed they were not completely ignorant.
Yu Sheng smiled and poured himself another cup, the intoxicating aroma making his breaths hot, the drunkenness seeping deep into his bones and then rising again, staining his eyes.
“Good disciple, let’s drink a few more cups together.”
“Master…” Zhan Xiaotian grasped the cup tightly. “What is your decision?”
Yu Sheng held up two fingers in front of him, gesturing. “It’s still a secret for now. You’ll know when the time comes.”
Zhan Xiaotian couldn’t extract an answer and drooped his shoulders in apparent disappointment, resignedly downing a cup and mumbling softly, “Master, why have you learned to tease me?”
“Tease you?” Yu Sheng’s cup dropped. “My dear disciple, you’re keeping secrets from me, and I’m not allowed to tease you?”
“I…”
Yu Sheng’s gaze darted. “Where’s your treasured sword? Show it to me.”
Zhan Xiaotian covered his back, his expression revealing a hint of pleading. “Master, it’s fine; you don’t need to worry about it.”
Yu Sheng reached into his robes and pulled out a golden flower, casually inserting it into the nearly empty wine jug. “You can ignore it, but you should take it back.”
“…” Zhan Xiaotian was left with no choice and finally took off the carefully hidden treasured sword, placing it in front of him. “Master, please don’t be angry.”
Angry? How could he still be angry?
Yu Sheng rarely displayed such a firm attitude. Ever since he returned to this shell, everything felt unusual. He wasn’t particularly worried about being noticed; if something was off, he would have time to act.
The treasured sword lay quietly on the table. Once the extra cloth covering was removed, it revealed a scabbard layered with various seals. No wonder it had been so quiet today.
Yu Sheng shook his head. “An ancient sword spirit shouldn’t be sealed off so carelessly. Xiaotian, this could make things worse.”
With that, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers, destroying all the seals.
Before using the newly acquired artifact and consuming those pills to split himself into three, he needed to ensure the three disciples were taken care of and handle the most pressing matters first.
For instance, Zhan Xiaotian’s sword spirit and Yin Wangzi’s inner demon.
Once the sword spirit was unsealed, it immediately became restless, the blade trembling and humming within its sheath. In the next moment, it suddenly drew itself out, flying into the air.
Zhan Xiaotian hurriedly made hand seals, desperately trying to suppress it, but his efforts yielded little results.
“How long did you seal it before?”
“Um… two or three days.”
Yu Sheng frowned and looked at him without saying a word.
Zhan Xiaotian said, “Well, actually, it’s been a while. At first, the seal was only a simple one. I wanted it to be a bit more settled, but recently it has become harder to control, and the seal has gotten thicker and thicker…”
Yu Sheng asked, “How many seals were there when you came to find me at the bottom of the cliff?”
Zhan Xiaotian glanced at the sword spirit running wildly around the room and replied in a low voice, “Not many, just three…”
With three seals, it could still cause such a ruckus later on; truly a legendary sword spirit.
Yu Sheng sighed and quickly opened a sturdy barrier to trap the sword spirit inside the room.
“Since you can’t suppress it anymore, just let it go completely.” Yu Sheng flicked his dust brush, and the white tail hairs stood up like the tail of a beast, chasing the chaotic sword spirit. “I’ll count to three, and then you withdraw your power.”
“Master! But what if it hurts you—”
“Do you want to hurt me?” Yu Sheng asked him loudly. “No matter how uncontrollable the sword spirit is, it only amplifies the desires in its master’s heart. The impulses and troubles it inherits are all directed at you, Xiaotian. Do you really want to hurt me?”
“No…” Zhan Xiaotian was momentarily flustered. “But…”
“One!”
Before he could respond, Yu Sheng gathered his spiritual energy on the dust brush and started counting.
“Two!”
“Three…”
Just as the last word escaped his mouth, the ground suddenly trembled, and it was too late to react to the anomaly or stop what he was doing.
Zhan Xiaotian finally withdrew his spiritual power suppressing the sword spirit, instantly breaking out in a cold sweat. Yu Sheng injected a pure stream of spiritual energy that bounced off the sword, suddenly shining brilliantly.
Unlike the suppression, the energy Yu Sheng released contained no attack power, mingled with a trace of medicinal energy, and was injected directly into the sword spirit’s body.
Instead of blocking it, it provided assistance.
The sword spirit was instantly replenished with a large amount of spiritual energy. After the brilliance faded, it directly transformed, gathering a blurry human form in mid-air.
“Master… How did it transform?!”
Zhan Xiaotian was both surprised and anxious, taking a big step to block the sword spirit from his master. “You… don’t do anything reckless…!”
Yu Sheng was speechless, thinking that if Zhan Xiaotian didn’t want to act recklessly, the sword spirit would naturally behave. Why was he blocking it now?
Upon closer inspection, the sword spirit’s temporary form was also that of a man, remarkably similar to Zhan Xiaotian in appearance and build, with only a slight difference in eye color and demeanor, clearly indicating that he was not a mortal but a spirit of the weapon.
The sword spirit and Zhan Xiaotian silently locked eyes for a moment, a smirk revealing a smile filled with mockery and disdain, coldly sneering, “Coward.”
Zhan Xiaotian exclaimed, “...Master, my sword spirit just called me a coward.”
Yu Sheng patted his shoulder, pushing him aside and stepping out from behind Zhan Xiaotian. “The transformation of the sword spirit is temporary. Don’t panic. Take this opportunity to face your issues directly.”
In simple terms, the sword spirit had become so incompatible with Zhan Xiaotian because it had been stifled for too long.
The world of cultivation is indeed remarkable; psychological issues can transform into other problems. Spirit determines matter, which is quite unique. Yu Sheng sighed inwardly and advised, “Xiaotian, this is your sword spirit, but it’s also another aspect of yourself. Try to accept and confront it; that’s how you’ll resolve the root of the problem. Now that the sword spirit has transformed, communication between you should be easier.”
His intention was to motivate the sword spirit, to give it the power to transform so that Zhan Xiaotian could have a heart-to-heart with his other self and resolve his psychological issues. This was certainly better than endless suppression and sealing.
The system had mentioned that splitting oneself using magical tools and elixirs carried risks. After careful consideration, Yu Sheng felt that since there were risks involved, they should deal with the immediate problems first before facing those risks, preventing the split self from becoming useless due to side effects.
On the other hand, this would also allow Zhan Xiaotian to experience the scene of ‘another self standing before him in opposition,’ warming him up for the integration.
With that thought, Yu Sheng couldn’t help but smile.
Another tremor reverberated from the ground beneath, and Yu Sheng glanced outside the barrier.
“It must be the Ghost King or Wen Jiu; one of them wants to get in.” Seeing that his master wasn’t angry, Zhan Xiaotian spoke truthfully, “Before I came in, I hid the Linglong Snail, which is hard to find. They should be close to locating it now.”
Yu Sheng raised a hand, poking a finger against his cheek, turning his face towards the sword spirit. “Then hurry up and properly comfort your sword spirit face to face.”
The sword spirit, wearing Zhan Xiaotian’s face, raised a hand as if to strike, but Zhan Xiaotian stepped back three paces, unarmed and ready to respond. However, he didn’t expect the sword spirit wasn’t going to hit him but instead unleashed a series of restrictions to bind him.
Usually, even without a seal, the sword spirit, while crafty, wouldn’t be able to overpower its master. Zhan Xiaotian was astonished that it could also cast restrictions. In a moment of distraction, he inadvertently let his guard down and found his feet bound.
Yu Sheng watched the spectacle from the side and shook his head. “Don’t forget, this isn’t an ordinary enemy; it’s a sword spirit connected to your mind. It knows your moves and style best. Don’t think about fighting it. Reflect on what exactly that suppressed side of you is; don’t oppose it. Once you begin to accept it, your sword spirit will transform…”
“Master…” Zhan Xiaotian broke into a cold sweat. “I can’t—”
He seemed to have something unspeakable, a conflicted and distressed look on his face. The more he followed Yu Sheng’s line of thought, the more unsettled he felt, breathing rapidly.
Zhan Xiaotian asked, “Isn’t there any other way?!”
Yu Sheng frowned. “You can’t think of resolving it through fighting. The sword spirit was just infused with a large amount of spiritual energy and medicinal power by me. Its strength is currently at its peak, as if it’s well-fed and on drugs, just to facilitate your heart-to-heart.”
That was close; he almost let slip the phrase ‘nursed it back to health.’
Another set of restrictions shot out, and the sword spirit remained focused, attacking fiercely, giving Zhan Xiaotian no chance to counterattack. This match was heavily in favor of the sword spirit; the outcome seemed entirely anticipated by the three of them.
After all, the sword spirit was bound to its master, and hurting the sword spirit would also result in backlash for Zhan Xiaotian. However, the sword spirit’s attacks on him consisted solely of restrictions, using the power Yu Sheng had just provided.
Yu Sheng shook his head again, feeling a mix of frustration and pity as he pounded his palm, “You, you, if you’re so resistant and disdainful of yourself, how do you expect the sword spirit to trust you? Xiaotian, I know this is hard, but you’re just a mortal. Don’t get stuck in your own head; relax a bit…”
He thought of the flower on the table, recalling the vibrant red heart that was incongruous with the metallic petals. He also considered the discrepancies between Zhan Xiaotian’s character and that in the original work.
Whether or not to restore Zhan Xiaotian's collapsed persona, he had to go through this. As of now, Xiaotian was still invincible, but the part of him that was close to being human had been overly suppressed and stifled, resulting in the sword spirit’s loss of control. If he didn’t face this issue in time, the next thing to go wrong would be his immortal existence.
Among the twenty-one petals, one was different from the others. To avoid it wilting, it had to be accepted and acknowledged, rather than hidden away and forced to conform with the other petals.
Yu Sheng watched the sword spirit’s relentless attacks and closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly feeling that this was fine.
Letting the sword spirit gain the upper hand temporarily was okay; since Zhan Xiaotian was unwilling to confront his other side, it was better to force that side to emerge, compelling him to see and understand.
He felt that the other side must be unfair, unjust, and selfish, which is something everyone possesses. Zhan Xiaotian was the leader of the Immortal Alliance, the highest-ranking person in the mortal realm. Expecting him to always be perfect like in the original work put immense pressure on him.
If the current Zhan Xiaotian still wanted to uphold the flawless image from the original work, and if the sword spirit represented the repressed, denied mortal aspect of himself, then occasionally swapping the active and passive roles between the two wasn’t such a bad idea. After all, it was only temporary.
Yu Sheng stood by, his thoughts racing, watching as the sword spirit transformed, exuding a flamboyant and slightly wicked demeanor, which suddenly lightened his heart.
He spoke to himself in his mind, addressing the system.
Yu Sheng: “Maybe it’s not him who’s wrong; it’s the unrealistic, inhuman persona from the original work. He’s a living, breathing person. What’s wrong with being imperfect? No one will blame him for not being perfect, yet he’s the one criticizing himself.”
The system remained silent, and Yu Sheng continued, “In fact, the issues he faces with the sword spirit and the heart demon of Yin Wangzi must have some other force aiding them, pushing them to revert to the ‘should be’ persona from the original work, catalyzing these problems.”
Finally, the system chimed in: “Maybe there is such a force. Just as the world might make a host the chosen one to avoid the apocalypse, this power’s influence is likely not as significant as the host thinks.”
Yu Sheng: “The last straw is often lighter than people imagine; it could be the lightest of all, but that doesn’t diminish its decisive role.”
After exchanging many thoughts, which in reality took only a moment, the system fell silent again. The sword spirit had already trapped Zhan Xiaotian in a formation and was now walking towards Yu Sheng.
Yu Sheng’s mind filled with questions. The sword spirit should have the strongest opinions about its master; why was it suddenly approaching him? Did Zhan Xiaotian still not accept his discontent with his master?
He had thought Zhan Xiaotian had already perfectly accepted the resentment of ‘feeling that his master was biased.’
Looking down, he saw that the formation under Zhan Xiaotian’s feet was a bright red, with countless chains binding him in place. However, on closer inspection, it wasn’t a particularly advanced type; it could be broken free from with a little time—there wasn’t much of a problem.
The sword spirit seemed to be less talkative, quite different from the playful Zhan Xiaotian. As it walked over, its red eyes seemed to hide a blade within.
Yu Sheng lifted his face to meet its gaze, secretly gripping his feather duster while maintaining a relaxed posture. “Are you sure you want to waste time on me? Your master needs you right now.”
The sword spirit tilted its head and smiled, “He indeed needs me—to replace him in doing something.”
Yu Sheng: ?
He revealed an expression of sudden understanding, then apologetically looked back, “Sorry, even though I’m the one who helped you take form, I can’t let you leave this barrier.”
The sword spirit stepped in front of Yu Sheng, unilaterally raising its hand to rest against the back of Yu Sheng’s head, its cold palm, reminiscent of a sword, pressed through his hair. “Leave? Xiaotian never thought of leaving his master even a step.”
With a loud ‘bang’, Yu Sheng’s back slammed against the inner side of the door, the inertia causing the back of his head to hit the door as well, but it fell into the soft palm. At the same time, the other hand fell beside his ear, almost shattering the wood as it forcefully closed the door with his body, firmly pinning it shut.
"I’m so jealous..." The sword spirit’s hoarse voice brushed against Yu Sheng’s ear, its breath cold. "The things they do to the master drive me nearly mad with jealousy, yet Xiaotian refuses to admit it... Since he’s unwilling to acknowledge it, let him watch everything closely."
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