Nine Desolate Records

The day after the meeting at the Medicine King Hall, at 3:45 AM.

The morning mist was like gauze, and the firefly grass emitted its last faint glow in the herb garden. Lu Li stood in front of the Mingxin Hall, where Elder Gusong was already waiting, holding a blank bamboo scroll in his hand.

"The Heart-Stabilizing Technique," the ancient pine's voice drifted through the mist, "is neither a cultivation method nor a magic technique. It is a kind of 'contemplation,' contemplating the confluence of the three rivers, contemplating how the faint light of one's true nature remains undying amidst the waves."

As soon as you hold the bamboo slip in your hand, the engravings come alive on your palm.

Lu Li closed his eyes and focused his mind, his consciousness sinking into his body. He "saw" the Three Rivers: the crimson-gold river of the Yan Emperor's bloodline surging and burning, the dark blue-green current of the Prisoner's Origin surging in the depths, and the almost invisible silver-white light spots, belonging to "Lu Li's" will, flickering like a candle in the wind amidst the turmoil.

"Stand on the shore," Gu Song's voice echoed in my mind. "You are the observer, not the participant."

At first, it was difficult. Every surge of his primal energy felt like it was dragging him into an abyss, and every burning of his bloodline felt like it was melting him. But gradually, he found that subtle "point," both within his body and beyond the mundane world.

From this perspective, the collision of the two great rivers exhibits a pattern: the source surges upwards as the blood flows through the heart, and the heat of the blood, in turn, suppresses the expansion of the source.

They are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, in a dynamic balance.

"Now," Gu Song's voice rang out again, "guide the silvery-white light spots and let them sink into the confluence."

Lu Li concentrated all his attention on capturing those fleeting specks of will. He pushed one of them, letting it slowly sink into the vortex of crimson gold and cyan-black.

The moment the light touched the water's surface, the collision stopped.

Although it was only for half a breath, the violent energy tide did indeed freeze for a moment, like a drop of ice dew falling into boiling water.

"This is what it means to solidify the mind." Gu Song's voice was full of approval. "Use your true mind as an anchor to stabilize the sea of ​​delusions. Remember this feeling; it can give you three breaths of clarity at crucial moments."

Lu Li opened his eyes, and the reflection in the Mirror of Inquiry showed that the dark blue in his left eye had become "stable." That restless feeling that could have spiraled out of control at any moment had been put under invisible reins.

"The scale of humanity has not risen, but it will no longer fall easily." Gu Song looked at him. "Before each use of the source, silently practice this technique to keep your mind clear for three breaths."

Lu Li bowed respectfully, and the morning light finally pierced through the thin mist, shining into Mingxin Hall.

"Let's go to the Curse Pavilion," Gu Song suddenly said. "Elder Yin Jiuzhu is waiting for you."

The Cursed Pavilion is located at the deepest part of Apricot Grove Valley, backed by a black cliff. The pavilion itself is also black, and instead of wind chimes, bone pieces strung together with thin threads hang from the eaves, producing a crisp yet eerie clanging sound when the wind blows.

When Lu Li stepped into the pavilion, Yin Jiuzhu was standing with his back to him in front of a wall covered with dark red runes. The old man was still wearing a large black robe, with the hood covering most of his face, only his gray, swirling eyes slowly rotating in the shadows.

"Here it comes." Yin Jiuzhu's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper scraping. "Gu Song taught you the Heart-Stabilizing Technique, how to stand firm amidst the waves. And what I'm giving you..."

He turned around and took out a jet-black jade slip from his sleeve. The surface of the jade slip was as smooth as a mirror, yet it seemed to absorb all light; a single glance felt as if one's mind and spirit were being drawn into it.

"Soul-Locking Curse." Yin Jiuzhu handed over the jade slip. "This is your last chance to choose. When you realize you are about to completely succumb, crush it. The curse will forcibly seal your soul for three days. During this time, you will still be conscious, able to think, and able to sense, but you will not be able to control your body."

Lu Li took the jade slip; it was icy cold to the touch, as if he were holding a piece of ice that had been frozen for ten thousand years.

"And in three days?" he asked.

"The seal will be broken in three days." Yin Jiuzhu's vortex-like eyes stared at him. "At that time, you will face a real choice: to regain control of your body with your remaining will and continue on your path; or to give up resistance, let the Prisoner's Origin devour you, and become a monster completely."

He paused for a moment: "Of course, you might not even make it to the moment of decision. During these three days, your body will be in a state of 'suspended animation,' powerless to resist. If you encounter an enemy at this time, you will be like a fish on a chopping board."

Lu Li gripped the jade slip tightly: "Why did you give me this?"

"Because everyone who gets to where you are will eventually regret it." Yin Jiuzhu's voice carried a weariness born of worldly wisdom. "They'll regret not leaving themselves a way out while they still had a choice. The Soul-Locking Curse isn't a way out; it's just a mirror, allowing you to see who you really are before you completely lose yourself."

After saying that, he waved his hand, signaling Lu Li to leave.

As he reached the door, Lu Li suddenly turned back: "Has the elder ever seen... anyone like me?"

Yin Jiuzhu remained silent for a long time.

"I've met one," he finally said. "Thirty years ago, when Yun Potian came to me, he had a light in his eyes just like yours. At that time, he had just discovered the truth about 'blood sacrifice' and knew that his daughter might become a sacrifice. I gave him the same jade slip, but he refused it."

"And then?"

"He died later." Yin Jiuzhu's voice was completely calm. "He died on the way to investigate the truth, and his body was never found. Until three days ago, you came to the valley with his jade pendant and his daughter."

Lu Li gave the old man a deep look, then turned and left.

The bone fragments collided on the eaves, producing a cold and lonely sound.

Inside Courtyard No. 3 of the Yi-character compound, the light from the Soul Nourishing Pool had receded into a layer of milky white halo.

Shi Yong was asleep, slumped over the stone table, half a piece of dry rations still clutched in his hand. The dark lines on Lin Qingyuan's neck had receded to below his collarbone, their edges now clear and no longer undulating. Yun Jin's complexion had regained its color, and her breathing was deep and even.

There was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Mu Chen and Qing He led in a young disciple covered in mud, his clothes tattered, but his eyes shining. In the medicine basket he carried, seven evening primroses emitted a moon-white glow.

"I've been searching for Caoge, and I managed to catch the flowers at Baiyue Cliff last night." The young disciple grinned, revealing white teeth, and the claw marks on his arm were so deep that bone was visible. "I made it in time."

Mu Chen patted his shoulder: "Recognize him as a first-class merit, go and collect your medicine."

Fang Xun chuckled and walked away, his steps unsteady yet upright.

Mo Xuan and Elder Su arrived shortly after. Mo Xuan took the medicine basket: three herbs for refining pills and four for preparing medicinal baths. Elder Su examined Yun Jin's pulse, a look of relief on his face: "Her soul is ninety percent restored; she should awaken today. However, the backlash from the Eye of Delusion..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yun Jin opened her eyes.

Her pupils were a pure silver, yet veiled with a misty haze, a sign of impaired vision. She stared blankly at the ceiling, then slowly turned her head, her gaze landing on Lu Li's face.

"Lu...Li?" The voice was hoarse.

"it's me."

Yun Jin struggled to sit up, but Elder Su held her down: "Don't rush, you've been unconscious for four days."

"Father's notes..." she asked eagerly.

Lu Li nodded: "I saw it. 'Blood relatives as sacrifice, the anchor point is about to collapse.'"

Yun Jin's eyes dimmed, her silver eyelashes trembling slightly: "Father discovered that the Demon-Taming Plan requires 'blood relatives' as the most effective sacrifices. He suspects that my mother's death was not an accident... so he sent me to Mount Shu to continue his investigation."

She took a deep breath: "Later, he sent back his final message, saying that the seals on the nine anchor points require a 'grand sacrifice' every three hundred years, and the core offering must be 'someone with a blood connection to the anchor point's guardian.' He said that the next three hundred years are approaching, and someone is secretly collecting 'blood relatives' who meet the criteria..."

Her gaze fell on Lu Li's face, her misty eyes filled with pity: "The Yan Emperor's lineage are descendants of those who guarded the 'Tyranny' anchor point three thousand years ago. Xun Wenruo chose you not only because of blood ties, but also because you are a legitimate descendant, the most perfect key and sacrifice."

Lu Li was struck dumb.

The courtyard was deathly silent.

"Moreover," Yun Jin's voice was even lower, "Father suspects that the descendants of the guardians of the nine anchor points have all been marked. When the great sacrifice comes, they... will all be sacrificed."

Silence enveloped the courtyard.

After a long silence, Lu Li slowly spoke: "Three days from now, I will go to the Sword Tomb to keep my appointment with Senior Xuanji. Afterwards, I will go to Lin Yuan City to retrieve the Zhen Lin Dagger."

"Sword Tomb..." Yun Jin murmured, then suddenly frowned and pressed her forehead, "My eyes..."

Deep within the silver pupils, the mist suddenly churned. Not a worsening, but some deeper change; the mist began to swirl, forming two tiny vortexes in the center of the pupils, and deep within the vortexes, the faint light and shadow of stars annihilating and being reborn could be seen.

"This is..." Elder Su exclaimed in surprise as he took her pulse.

Mo Xuan stepped forward, his fingertips probing towards Yun Jin's brow with a silver light.

Yun Jin's body trembled violently, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, but her eyes grew brighter and brighter, not in a visual way, but with a kind of "insightful" light, as if they could penetrate flesh and see straight to the essence.

"The Eye of Truth... is evolving." Mo Xuan withdrew his hand, his expression complex. "The backlash from overuse has actually stimulated the transformation. Her Eye of Truth now might be able to see beyond disguises and energy flows... perhaps even see something more fundamental."

"What's more fundamental?" Shi Yong asked.

"A thread of cause and effect? ​​A fragment of fate? Or..." Mo Xuan paused, "the 'connection' of the prisoner's concept."

Yun Jin gasped for breath, the vortex in her eyes slowly calming. The mist remained, but a deep starlight had appeared in the depths of the vortex. She looked at Lu Li, her gaze seemingly able to penetrate his body and look directly at the dark blue-green source in his chest.

"I saw it..." she murmured, "Within you... there's not just violence. There's also a... very thin thread, connecting to some distant place. The thread is golden, warm... yet so sorrowful."

Lu Li's mind skipped a beat: "A wire? Where does it connect?"

Yun Jin shook her head and closed her eyes wearily: "It's too blurry... I can only sense the direction... It's in the north, very far north."

north.

Lu Li recalled the "Northern Snowfield" mentioned in Yun Potian's notes, as well as the stolen Tiger-Suppressing Dagger. And even earlier, there was that vague, murmured phrase in the prisoner's fragmented memories: "The...most...cold abyss..."

What does this line connect to?

The subsequent treatment proceeded smoothly.

Using the evening primrose-infused purification dew and Mo Xuan's Ink Jade Blade Technique, the core of fear that had been eroding Lin Qingyuan's body was completely removed. The moment the black tumor left his body, all the lines on his left arm vanished, leaving only a patch of slightly pale skin.

"The erosion has been removed, but the meridians and bone marrow need to be recuperated for a month." Mo Xuan sealed the tumor in a jade box. "Daily medicinal baths and acupuncture are essential and must not be neglected."

Lin Qingyuan nodded weakly but firmly: "Thank you, senior."

Three days later.

Lu Li stood in front of the teleportation array in Xinglin Valley. This was an underground grotto located at the deepest part of the valley, with complex earth vein runes carved all over the ground. In the center, three dark purple crystals, fragments of the earth vein core, were constantly rotating.

Elder Gusong personally manipulated the formation: "The teleportation point has been set to 'Fallen Maple Slope,' Yun Potian's secret stronghold back then. It's two hundred miles closer to the Sword Tomb from there than from Apricot Grove Valley. The formation can only last for ten breaths. Hold on tight."

Yun Jin and Lin Qingyuan stood to the side. Yun Jin's vision had recovered by 30%, at least enough to see the outlines of people, but the evolution of her Eye of Truth made her perception exceptionally sharp. She could "sense" the emotional fluctuations of everyone around her, and even vaguely glimpse fragments of the future.

Lin Qingyuan handed over a medicine pouch: "The valley has prepared wound medicine and antidote pills, as well as three improved versions of the 'Heart-Locking Pills,' which can temporarily suppress pain and keep you conscious during battle."

Shi Yong scratched his head and slammed the iron rod on the ground: "Brother Lu, I..."

"You stay here." Lu Li patted his shoulder and carefully put the Soul-Locking Jade Slip given to him by Yin Jiuzhu into his bosom. "Protect them and wait for me to come back."

Shi Yong nodded emphatically, the bronze-colored lines flashing across his arm.

Elder Gusong began chanting incantations. One by one, the earth vein runes lit up, the deep purple crystals spun faster, and the entire cave began to tremble. Intense spatial fluctuations enveloped Lu Li, distorting his vision.

At the last moment, he saw Yun Jin's misty yet deep eyes, as vast as the starry sea, Lin Qingyuan's clenched fist, and Elder Gusong's solemn gaze.

And that silent entrustment:

"The 20th, Sword Tomb. Xuanji is waiting."

The light swallowed everything.

Fallen Maple Slope.

This is a small valley nestled between two mountains, named for the "blood maple" trees that grow there year-round with their vibrant red leaves. It is late autumn now, and the maple leaves are as red as fire, burning brightly in the setting sun.

When Lu Li recovered from the dizziness of the teleportation, he found himself standing in front of a simple stone house. The stone house was half-embedded in the mountain wall, and an inconspicuous cloud pattern was carved on the lintel—the mark of Yun Potian.

Pushing open the door, the room was covered in a thin layer of dust, but the items were neatly arranged: a wooden bed, a stone table, and two wooden chests. Several yellowed maps hung on the wall, and an oil lamp with a half-burnt flame sat on the table.

The most eye-catching thing is the sword rack in the corner—it's completely empty, but the style of the sword rack is exactly the same as the racks that display ancient swords in the Shushan Sword Tomb.

Lu Li inspected the wooden crates. One contained clean clothes and dry rations, while the other was filled with various tools and talisman materials. At the bottom of the crate was a thin notebook, the title page of which read:

"In the tenth month of the year Guimao, the Northern Border Line was traced to this point. Anomalies were observed in the Cold Abyss, and the Tiger-Suppressing Dagger showed signs of movement. However, the Snowfield Royal Court's defenses were tight, preventing further penetration. This outpost is left for future use. —Yun Potian"

The Northern Frontier, the Frosty Abyss, the Tiger-Suppressing Dagger.

These three words reminded Lu Li of the "golden thread" Yun Jin had mentioned. The direction was also north.

He put away his notebook and went outside. The setting sun dyed the maple forest a sea of ​​blood, and the distant mountain silhouettes resembled lurking beasts in the twilight.

The Sword Tomb is three hundred li to the east.

The twenty-day agreement was more than enough time. But Xuanji's request for him to return was definitely not just for "cultivation." Something must have happened at the Sword Tomb that required the presence of him, "the one recognized by the Sword of Ceasefire."

Lu Li looked up at the darkening sky in the east.

Departing tomorrow morning.

At the same time, a very faint sound came from deep within the maple forest, the sound of a dead branch being broken by footsteps.

Not a beast.

are people.

And there's more than one.

He instantly collected the fragments, his figure gliding into the shadows of the stone house like a ghost, his right hand already resting on the hilt of the Dragon-Suppressing Dagger.

As night fell, the maple forest became eerily quiet.

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles away in Xinglin Valley, in courtyard number three of the Yi-character compound, Yun Jin suddenly awoke from a light sleep.

She covered her throbbing right eye, and deep within her silver pupil, the swirling vortex churned uncontrollably.

She "saw" it—

A burning maple forest.

Black figures surrounded the stone house from all sides.