Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

"Mianxue Qinghan... what fate awaits them?" Jingliu asked in a low voice.

She wasn't completely oblivious to what was happening around her, only immersed in the grief of losing her master.

Jingyuan would inform the merits and demerits of those involved in this calamity through the Jade Oracle.

All that is known at present is that Mianxue Qinghan followed her master into forbidden territory and was interrogated in the Youqiu Prison.

Regardless, they were elders with whom he had lived for thousands of years, and even more so, his master's...

As for Master… he's no longer here.

She knows him too well.

Once you decide to do something, you won't care about your reputation after death, and you won't care what others think of you.

"For them, the pain of losing Qi Zhimu is no less than yours, so... their fate is in their own hands."

His Chinese accent was complex, and then he changed the subject.

"The same goes for you. How you choose to walk your path in the future is up to you."

Having said that, she didn't linger any longer, and her figure quietly disappeared.

……

Jingliu found a secluded spot where no one would disturb him and examined the contents of the jade omen one by one.

A jade pendant used to indicate traces is carried by all Cloud Cavalry Guards when marching or on missions.

Its function is similar to that of a surveillance bird, recording in real time what happens within a certain range.

A jade tablet, a form of interrogation record, was used exclusively by the Ten Kings' Office.

Judging from its appearance, it should be the one used by the "Question" section to restore past images through a method similar to memory reading.

The last one is a regular jade tablet for recording written notes, similar to a personal notebook, which can be purchased anywhere.

She chose to open the jade clasp that indicated the presence of the jade first.

A view of towering mountain peaks came into view, with Hua standing with his back to Qi Zhimu, hands behind his back, in front of the cliff.

Qi Zhimu stood behind her, and his words made her frown.

He said he wanted to see the Origin Immortal...?

Hua: "Tell me first, what does she mean to you?"

she?

Or is it him?

Jing Liu was stunned, not quite understanding whether it referred to the Origin Immortals or...?

Then came a long silence.

Jingliu skillfully adjusted the angle of the jade buckle recording the image, and saw countless complex memories flashing through his master's eyes.

After a long while, she heard:

"I made a promise to Kagami on the day I agreed to her request, so I will not, and absolutely cannot, let her down."

His tone was firm, and Jing Liu's heart trembled. So the "she" the marshal was referring to was herself...

It turns out that her master cared about her far more than she had imagined, but what did her master mean by "betrayal"?

As Jing Liu continued watching, what he saw and heard became somewhat shrouded in mist.

But she quickly realized that Hua Ying had seen that his master had activated his Free Manifestation Body, which was why he asked him if it was worth it.

She remained silent.

"I hope that one day in the future you will pass away peacefully," Hua suddenly said.

"I will leave a sharp blade for that day."

"..."

Jingliu was immediately stunned.

Thinking of a certain possibility, he shakily took out the broken sword left by his master.

The words of my master on the day I received the sword still echoed in my ears.

Will I use this sword in battle from now on?

Perhaps the truth is... only this sword can kill him?!

Otherwise, how can we explain why the Zhanhui sword, which had remained sharp for hundreds of years, suddenly broke after his death?

It's as if... Zhanhui's life is deeply connected with his master.

Jingliu wants to know the answers, all the answers!

Continuing to follow the perspective of Hua handing over the jade pendant that revealed the trace to Qi Zhimu, the viewpoint arrives at Luofu, where they enter the Netherworld Prison and meet their target.

"I have a patient who has been in a coma for several years, and his vital signs are weakening at a strange and rapid rate."

"Her internal organs are constantly plundering the body's energy to maintain their own activity, just like parasites constantly absorbing the vital energy of the seven emotions and six desires from their host."

"You, who were once known as the Ghost Doctor of the Immortal Ship, do you know the root cause of this illness?"

"!!!"

Despite having some suspicions, Jingliu couldn't help but widen his eyes in shock.

So this is the truth behind her decades-long coma!

It turns out that Master sought out the Origin Immortal because he had exhausted all other options... and thus had no choice but to try to seek help from a hardened criminal imprisoned deep within the Netherworld...

They searched for renowned doctors for her, unwilling to overlook any possibility...

This…this…

Then, Jingliu heard the Origin Immortal describe the details of the illness, but did not clearly state the cure. Instead, he threw the question back to Qi Zhimu.

Having finally figured out the ins and outs of that period of coma, Jingliu felt a mix of emotions, but mostly he was moved.

Her master wasn't kind to her, but he never lacked concern for his disciple.

She saw the self-reproach in her master's eyes and felt a pang of pain in her heart.

It's not your fault. Your master is strict with you only because he wants you to become stronger and survive in the cruel battlefield.

You don't know that your disciple lacks a congenital elixir; no one else does.

It's really not your fault, Master...

The image in the jade buckle ends here, and the mirror turns and opens to record the jade omen.

I was stunned when I saw the first paragraph.

It turned out to be my master's diary.

…But who keeps a diary?

July 12th, Astrological Year 6300.

"It's expected that Jingliu couldn't complete the three thousand sword-swing practice. Tonight, we'll officially begin the medicinal bath body training."

"Current stage medication dosage: 20%".

"Medicine absorption: 74 minutes and 46 seconds, good effect."

After reading just a few lines of text, Jingliu looked bewildered.

A question that had puzzled me for many years but had gradually faded from my memory has now been answered.

It turns out that after she fainted at night, her master would give her a medicinal bath to strengthen her body. Although the specific effects are unknown, it must be related to her being full of energy when she woke up the next day.

Continuing to read, I found that there were daily records.

Even if ordinary people keep a diary, they rarely record it every day, right?

The content was almost entirely about her training status, medication dosage, and absorption time.

With Master's memory, it's unlikely he would forget these changes. Could it be that the Qi family has a rule for including them in their training of future generations?

With the question of finding a solution in mind, Jingliu continued reading.

July 28th, Astrological Year 6300.

"The Kagami-ryu school has interrupted its sword-swinging training for the first time, making it unable to complete the weighted long-distance run, which was expected."

"Current stage medication dosage: 26%, tolerance established, acupuncture to assist in extradition begins."

"Medicine absorption: 62 minutes and 37 seconds, good effect."

"I have some medical knowledge and have studied acupuncture. The reason I have ordered you to undergo this training is that I have a method to allow you to practice without any worries. Do not ask any questions."

Her master's words echoed in her ears, crystal clear.

At that time, she trusted that her master would not lie to her, and that the strict training was for her own good. So she simply gave up thinking and did whatever her master asked her to do.

Recalling that time, before Jingliu could calm down, the next two lines of text almost made her lose control.

"General Shafeng came to monitor whether I had any signs of falling into demonic possession, and I successfully concealed it."

"As time goes on, conventional methods will become insufficient to suppress it, and we may need to consider using forbidden techniques. This matter requires careful consideration."

"?!?!"

My master actually showed signs of demonic influence after the calamity in Cangcheng. How could this be...?

The meaning of Hua and Qi Zhimu's seemingly rambling conversation not long ago has finally become clear.

So this is the destiny that Master spoke of, the one with no other choice, because he already knew that he had one foot in the demonic abyss.

Once you fall into the clutches of evil, there is no turning back; it is tantamount to death. How can you even talk about revenge then?

"So that's why you said you wouldn't let your disciple down..."

I used to keep a diary because I was afraid of forgetting important things or details...