Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

Xie Daoyun's words struck Xie Xiaoyi's heart like a hammer blow, causing a sudden surge of murderous intent to erupt from his already weakened body.

The murderous aura was undisguised, sweeping straight towards Xie Daoyun.

Xie Daoyun didn't seem to care, a faint smile playing on his lips, his tone perfectly calm:

"What's wrong? Feeling choked up after hearing all this? Feeling like I've been used as a pawn from beginning to end, and that makes you uncomfortable?"

Suppressing his anger and resentment, Xie Xiaoyi asked, word by word, "Senior, I won't ask anything else, I'll only ask you one question."

"Go ahead and ask."

"My master, Hua Tianyi, and my aunt entered the Primordial Illusionary Realm. Does this have anything to do with you?"

Xie Daoyun shook his head slightly, his tone firm: "It has nothing to do with me. This matter has absolutely nothing to do with me."

Seeing that Xie Xiaoyi's murderous intent had not diminished, he slowly explained:

"I have been trying to help you reincarnate, and I have calculated your place of rebirth countless times, but I have never found a trace of you..."

Perhaps you committed too many killings in your past life, slaughtering three great vassal kings and ten thousand armored soldiers. Your sins have obscured the secrets of heaven, which is why we cannot find you.

Until that time in Qingjiang City when you and Su Mubai questioned each other about swords, I personally witnessed you use the Sword Eight, Laughing at the Mortal World.

Only then, from your sword aura and the faint trace of Ancestral Dragon True Qi, did I confirm that you are Xie Mo, the reincarnation of Mei Xingyao.

By then, Hua Tianyi had already died.

As for Xie Lingyun being banished to the Primordial Illusionary Realm, it was because you bullied the female disciples of the Kunlun Heavenly Sword Sect.

On the contrary, I deduced that Cui Juqing would seek revenge on you after becoming an Earth Immortal, so I sent Daoist Ninghua to the East Sea to help you!

Xie Xiaoyi asked with some skepticism, "So, does that mean I should thank you, senior?"

Seeing his sarcastic expression, Xie Daoyun's tone softened: "No need for thanks."

"To tell you the truth, that Ancestral Dragon True Qi within you was something I deliberately directed into the celestial phenomena using the Qiankun Technique, disrupting the star chart."

"When the celestial phenomena change, the Imperial Observatory will naturally observe the unusual phenomena, which is why there is that commentary: 'The First Emperor reappears and shakes the nine heavens; a sword's dragon roar shakes the dynasty.'"

"My original plan was to use this prophecy to put you in complete opposition to the entire dynasty, and then use your exceptional swordsmanship talent to sever Wang Jiling's destiny."

"I timed it perfectly. You were around forty years old, when you would have reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship. I was there to guide you..."

At this point, Xie Daoyun shook his head slightly, a hint of unease in his expression:

"But I didn't expect that Xie Lingyun would be forced into the Primordial Illusion."

This incident brought out your true nature and your hatred ahead of time.

"Because of the Zhenguo Sword, the conflict between you and Wang Jiling erupted prematurely, forcibly bringing forward my original plans."

Xie Xiaoyi sat on the wooden couch, and a murderous aura suddenly surged from his body.

Xie Daoyun glanced at his trembling fingers, smiled faintly, and saw through his thoughts at a glance:

"If I'm not mistaken, in the short time I've been talking to you, you've already tried to kill me three times."

Xie Xiaoyi paused slightly, not expecting to be noticed; his gaze was quite sharp.

"Your insight is remarkable, but being used as a pawn to manipulate others... it's truly infuriating!"

Xie Daoyun smiled and hummed in agreement, then continued, "Becoming a pawn in my hands, you will naturally feel resentful and hateful!"

But put aside your hatred for now, let me make things clear with you today—

If I hadn't used the Ancestral Dragon Essence to protect your remnant soul and help you forcibly reincarnate, you wouldn't have had the chance to live in this world at all.

Back then, you exhausted your own life force and forcibly broke into the Earth Immortal Realm at the cost of your life, only to kill all the experts under the command of the three vassal kings and slaughter ten thousand armored soldiers, your soul scattered and only a wisp of breath remaining.

If I hadn't intervened, you would have long since vanished from the world.

I essentially saved your life too, so in that sense, neither of us owes the other anything; we're even.

Xie Xiaoyi remained silent for a moment, pondering Xie Daoyun's words repeatedly in his mind—

The other party used him, but if it weren't for this person protecting his remnant soul back then, he would have been completely destroyed long ago, without even the chance to be reincarnated.

His master and aunt's affairs had nothing to do with him, so when you think about it, no one really owes anyone anything.

After thinking it through, he relaxed and his tone became much calmer: "Senior is right."

You used me to manipulate celestial phenomena and scheme against Wang Jiling's fortune, but you did indeed save my life. So, let's call it even.

Xie Daoyun chuckled, his tone becoming even more gentle: "Now that you've figured it out, then focus on recovering from your injuries."

There are still more than seventy days until Prince Jian emerges from seclusion. During this time, you should just focus on recuperating.

Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaoyi suddenly recalled his previous conversation with Xie Lingyun and asked in confusion:

"By the way, senior, why did Wang Zijian insist on waiting eighty-one days before challenging me to a duel?"

Xie Daoyun stood up, gently patted his shoulder, then walked to the window of the wooden house, gazing at the sea and sky, and slowly spoke:

"A celestial being banished to the mortal realm, not an ordinary being fallen from the earth; possessing the bones of an immortal and a body transcending the mortal world."

Once struck by lightning, his immortal foundation was shattered, his immortal essence dissipated, and his divine essence was in turmoil. His body needed to undergo nine cycles of rebirth to gather the immortal essence scattered throughout the world.

Only in this way can the banished immortal stabilize his primordial spirit, rebuild the foundation of his mortal body, and regain most of his cultivation.

Xie Xiaoyi understood a little: "Nine times nine equals one, exactly eighty-one days?"

Xie Daoyun nodded with his back to him: "These eighty-one days are a necessary condition for his immortal body to be consolidated again, and also a buffer period for mortal karma."

If he were to be born prematurely, his divine essence would be unstable, his cultivation would plummet, and it would certainly backfire.

Only by firmly guarding one's primordial spirit and enduring this cycle of rebirth can one, in the form of a banished immortal, return to the mortal realm to seek you out and settle this karmic debt.

So that's how it works...

Xie Xiaoyi shuddered at the thought of the power of Wang Zijian's finger strike.

"Senior! What realm will Prince Jian reach after eighty-one days?"

Xie Daoyun gently stroked the beard on his chin.

"The realm of celestial immortals is definitely unattainable. When a banished immortal is demoted to the mortal realm, their celestial immortal cultivation will be suppressed and dissipated by the Heavenly Dao."

At that time, his cultivation level should be between the Unity of Heaven and Man and the Celestial Immortal realm, and his physique will definitely be at the Unity of Heaven and Man realm.

Is this the state of harmony between humanity and nature?

Then wouldn't I be the same as him...?

Xie Xiaoyi was overjoyed: "If he were at the Unity of Heaven and Man realm, I might be able to fight him."

As soon as he finished speaking, he focused his mind and tried to test the depth of his internal energy.

No matter how he tried to activate his inner energy, he couldn't move the true energy in his meridians at all; it was completely unresponsive.

This sudden turn of events caught Xie Xiaoyi completely off guard, and a huge wave of shock surged through his heart.

"Senior, I... I can't mobilize my internal energy. No matter what I do, I can't get it up. It's like I'm completely useless."