Chapter 99: Born of the Blood Formation, Existing within the Illusory Formation

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These tiny words had been firmly carved into the lower-right corner of the tombstone, several feet deep, as though they were giving voice to some long-buried sorrow. Even ten thousand years of wind and sand had failed to wear them away.

After being drawn to the tombstone for a moment, Yu Dao Yi looked to the right. Yao Yao was lying on the ground, while Xiao Qian, who had been unconscious before, now stood beside her, gazing up at the blood moon in the night sky.

“Yao Yao!” Yu Dao Yi shouted. If her chest had not still been rising and falling, he might have rushed forward without knowing what had happened.

“You took your time.”

Xiao Qian spoke slowly, but the voice was nothing like the lazy, childish one he had used during the day. It was heavy with age and gravity, even carrying a trace of ferocity.

“Who are you now?” Yu Dao Yi asked in a low voice, staring at Xiao Qian.

“Who? Who am I? I have wondered about that for a very, very long time. Heh. That boy is luckier than I am. He has a name, while I have never even possessed one.” Speaking as though to himself, answering his own question, Xiao Qian gave a mocking laugh.

“Are you insane? What did you do to Yao Yao?” Yu Dao Yi demanded, showing no concern for who—or what—the person before him truly was.

“She is fine. I merely rendered her unconscious for the time being. To me, she has always been special.”

Xiao Qian lowered his head and glanced at the breathtaking girl on the ground before continuing, “Do you know where this is?”

“This is the eye of the formation governing everything here. Beneath our feet lie the hundreds of men, women, and children from Peach Blossom Village. And beneath that tombstone lies Yao Yao.”

Before Yu Dao Yi could answer, Xiao Qian continued, “Surprised? Aside from those villagers, there are no further twists or difficulties. This is the place where you wish to bring everything to an end. Break that tombstone, and all of this will be over.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Yu Dao Yi asked cautiously.

“It is simple. I noticed you the moment you entered this place. I have appeared now because I wish to cooperate with you. With your pitiful strength, you cannot possibly break this seal. Yao Yao, although she is the eye of the formation, can indeed open it—but do you know how?”

A mocking smile tugged at Xiao Qian’s lips.

“How?”

A trace of confusion appeared on Yu Dao Yi’s face. He truly did not know what method Xiao Qian meant.

“Surely you did not really think that bringing Yao Yao here would be enough to open the blood formation?” Xiao Qian sneered.

“The blood formation is one thing, the illusion formation another. Yao Yao’s physical body is the eye of the blood formation, while her soul exists within the illusion. Without the correct method, the moment she leaves the illusion and enters the range of the blood formation’s eye, she will vanish, and her soul will be scattered beyond recovery.”

“That is why Yao Yao has instinctively resisted coming here all this time. The same goes for the villagers. Not one of them has ever come here—including me, as I am now.”

“I was born from the blood formation, yet I exist within the illusion. To lose the illusion’s boundaries is to lose my tangible existence. Thus, no matter how powerful I am, I cannot break the blood formation. I need your help.”

Xiao Qian spoke slowly, his gaze toward Yu Dao Yi growing increasingly fervent.

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“I think I understand. You want to get out, and I am currently your best vessel.” Yu Dao Yi raised an eyebrow, though the wariness in his heart did not lessen.

“Yes. Accept me. Let me enter your body, and you will temporarily gain my power. Then you can use brute force to break the blood formation.”

Xiao Qian’s voice grew more excited. After being trapped here for nearly ten thousand years, he had finally found a way out.

“Once the blood formation is gone, the Old Peach Tree will die immediately, and the illusion will collapse on its own. The people within it will be freed as well. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

“And you will hide inside my body. I am an outsider to this place, so even if the illusion vanishes, I will not be affected. As long as you remain within me, you can escape the calamity.”

The caution in Yu Dao Yi’s eyes deepened. Facing the being before him, he essentially had no means of protecting himself.

“Yes. I came into existence because of this blood formation. Once it is broken, I will not escape destruction either. But if I hide within your body, I can continue to exist through your flesh. Afterward, all you need to do is find a body suitable for me, and I can leave yours.”

Xiao Qian coaxed him patiently.

“So, in the blood formation, Yao Yao is the eye, while you are more like the spirit of the formation. Likewise, within the illusion, the Old Peach Tree used its own trunk as the eye, while its consciousness became the spirit.”

“This is a formation within a formation—the blood formation outside, the illusion within. Although the Old Peach Tree created the illusion, Baili Mo tampered with it and anchored it to the blood formation. Unless the blood formation is broken, nothing else matters.”

Yu Dao Yi spoke as though he had suddenly understood everything.

“That is one way to put it. Because the tree received nourishment from the blood formation, it reached the Nascent Soul stage at its peak. That was how it managed to create such an illusory world. However, its strength could only be used within the blood formation.”

“Because of Baili Mo, the existence of the illusion no longer depends on that tree demon. It has completely slipped beyond his control. Therefore, whether he lives or dies no longer affects the illusion. That is precisely why he has spent every day consumed by guilt.”

Xiao Qian showed no impatience. To him, the person before him was still far too inexperienced in every respect, and there were many things he could not escape.

“But I do not trust you. Even if everything you say is true, I will not agree to your plan.”

“That is understandable. But do you have any other choice?”

“There are always more solutions than problems. I can pin you to the ground and beat the answers out of you.”

Yu Dao Yi suddenly flashed a grin.

“I can separate that boy from my body and let him leave with the villagers.”

Xiao Qian paid no attention to the threat.

“Is that your compromise?”

“You could call it that.”

“Heh. Do you really think the world offers such a generous bargain? I have known them for only a few days. Do you think I would let someone like you enter my body for their sake?”

Yu Dao Yi pretended not to care.

“Fair point.”

Xiao Qian nodded, as though agreeing with him. His reaction left Yu Dao Yi at a loss.

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“But they may not matter to you. What about the people outside the secret realm?”

“Heh. What nonsense are you talking about?” Yu Dao Yi said, forcing himself to remain calm.

“You do not want to know? Very well. If you do not want to know, I need not tell you. But I can give you one piece of information: the killing formation outside began activating the moment you entered. How long do you think your people can hold out?”

Xiao Qian spoke calmly, as though he already had Yu Dao Yi exactly where he wanted him.

“You bastard! Explain yourself!”

Yu Dao Yi could no longer remain composed. Xiao Qian had successfully stirred his emotions.

“In any case, I followed Baili Mo for ten thousand years. I know at least something of his methods. I personally watched him set up the killing formation outside.”

Xiao Qian chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the sight of Yu Dao Yi growing frantic.

“You win.”

After a long while, Yu Dao Yi took one deep breath after another, struggling to digest the news. It meant that the slaughter outside the secret realm had already begun. Brother Eleven and Song Tianhan, who were waiting outside, might already have fallen into danger.

“Do not worry. The killing formation will not activate all at once. As the inheritance awakens, it will gradually grow stronger until an inheritor is chosen from among you. Only then will control of the killing formation be obtained, allowing it to end. If none of you succeeds, not one of the people outside will survive.”

Xiao Qian seemed to have anticipated this reaction and showed no surprise.

“Since you know all that, you must also know how to break the killing formation!” Yu Dao Yi glared at him, his anger impossible to conceal.

“Yes. As long as you agree to take me out, I can guarantee the safety of your people, whether or not you are the inheritor.”

“You calculated everything. Truly, ever since entering this secret realm, I have not guessed correctly even once. It is as though someone has been leading me around by the nose again and again!”

Yu Dao Yi knew that only thirty percent of what the being before him said could be trusted, but he could not afford to gamble. Perhaps it was because of the blood moon and blood-soaked night, but his impatience was growing stronger by the moment.

“Do not worry. My earlier promise still stands. That tree demon was remarkably capable—he created another consciousness within me. I will agree to separate that fellow from my body. Once the blood formation is broken, he and the villagers will be freed.”

“Wait. What about Yao Yao?” Yu Dao Yi suddenly remembered the girl lying nearby and turned to Xiao Qian.

“I suppose I forgot to mention it. I will take her with me.”

Xiao Qian said it as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

“What? What do you take me for—a bus? You think you can just climb aboard whenever you please?”