Chapter 244- The Black-Bellied Demon Cultivator’s Senior Brother VS The Righteous Young Junior Brother (9)
After the fragments of past worlds gradually faded, the scene before Mu Jin returned to the reality he was in. Standing in front of him now was a tall figure.
The figure was dressed in a dark robe, with long silver hair, sharp brows, and starry eyes. Two golden dragon horns adorned his head, revealing his true form as Qiong Qi.
However, the lover who had always gazed at him with affection now looked at him without the usual depth of feeling.
“Qiong Qi” stared into Mu Jin’s eyes and said with some apology, “I’m sorry, Mu Jin. Even though we’ve been together through so many worlds, my memories were sealed at that time. Thank you for saving me, but I’m sorry, I don’t love you.”
Seeing that the man’s every gesture mirrored the one in his memories, Mu Jin ignored the words spoken. Instead, his eyes greedily traced every inch of the man’s form. He was not looking at the illusion before him but was using it to see his beloved.
Mu Jin could not recall exactly what the figure said afterward, but it was mostly despondent and unloving remarks. Initially, hearing the figure say that he didn’t love him, Mu Jin felt an overwhelming surge of anger and pain, nearly causing him to vomit blood. For him, no one or nothing was more important than the person he loved deeply.
This was his lover, the one he had silently yearned for countless years. He had no doubt that if the man ever spoke such words to him, he would go mad and perhaps do something irreversible.
Yet, facing the illusion before him, Mu Jin quickly regained his composure. Once he realized the figure was merely an illusion, his heart felt no further turmoil.
He knew he harbored an obsession in his heart; he wanted to possess the other person completely. However, he also deeply loved his lover and was willing to change for him, absolutely unwilling to harm him.
Most importantly, he firmly trusted his lover. Since they were in love, he should not harbor any doubts about his beloved. If he truly doubted, it was better not to be together. This was Mu Jin’s principle.
He could also feel jealous, believing that no one in the world could compare to his own man, and fearing that someone might take him away. He would wish to lock him by his side, confining him so that he could only see himself.
But at the same time, Mu Jin was confident—confident that his lover would only love him, would only belong to him, and would never betray their relationship.
This might sound contradictory, but human nature is inherently full of contradictions, and a lasting relationship must be built on mutual trust. Therefore, Mu Jin had always been wary of schemes and deceptions, but he remained steadfast in his trust in his lover’s heart.
After taking one last deep look at the man before him, although Mu Jin wanted to gaze longer at his lover’s exquisite beauty, he knew that time was precious. So, reluctantly, he waved his hand and watched as the illusion before him dissipated completely.
Naturally, what Mu Jin saw in his surroundings was unknown to others. In reality, everyone saw different scenes on the Ascending Zongyun Ladder, and these scenes were a test of their resolve. The illusions each person experienced were related to their own experiences. What Mu Jin saw was a reflection of his inner self—a manifestation of his worries about the most important person in his life. The Ascending Zongyun Ladder merely magnified these concerns.
After seeing the illusion before him dissipate, Mu Jin noticed that the mist-covered steps of the Ascending Zongyun Ladder had reappeared. Taking a deep breath and thinking about how he would soon be reunited with his lover, he steeled himself to continue climbing.
Just as he was about to move upward again, he heard a groan from nearby. Turning his head, Mu Jin saw a young man, not far off, who had fallen to the ground.
The young man was struggling to get up, sweat beads forming on his forehead. It seemed he had also just overcome the illusion, but his reaction was far from as composed as Mu Jin’s.
The young man had a handsome face and appeared to be in his early twenties. Despite his youthful appearance, there was a persistent shadow in his eyes.
More importantly, since Mu Jin was not originally from this world, he could sense certain special souls and auras. He felt a powerful force being suppressed within the young man before him.
With the knowledge provided by the system 003, Mu Jin quickly realized that this young man who had fallen was Mu Shaoyuan, the male lead of this small world.
If it were anyone else, Mu Jin might not have concerned himself with such matters. After all, everyone encountered various situations while climbing the Ascending Zongyun Ladder. Despite bearing a heavy weight, Mu Jin had only faced this single illusion, which he considered to be quite fortunate.
However, the experiences of those climbing the ladder were not the same for everyone. The male lead, chosen by the Heavenly Dao, naturally faced more trials than others, which were meant to temper his mind.
Mu Jin remembered that, according to the original plot, the male lead ultimately killed his lover. Although this was an inevitable result of the plot’s direction, Mu Jin knew that, despite his lover’s lack of malice, he was indeed an undercover agent for the demon cultivators. While he might find the male lead unappealing in the end, he would not harbor hatred towards him.
Especially since the protagonist is actually a righteous person who genuinely believes that Ning Yizhou poses a threat to the righteous path, his actions have always been upright and honorable.
Apart from being exposed as a spy for the demon race, most of the harm Ning Yizhou suffered was inflicted by others. While Mu Jin is willing to hold the demon cultivator responsible for infusing demonic energy into Ning Yizhou’s body, he would not hold a grudge against the male lead, whose death could potentially cause the collapse of the small world.
Understanding that showing a certain degree of kindness now might benefit the future, Mu Jin decided to approach the young man, extending his hand to him since he was close by.
The young man, taken aback by Mu Jin’s gesture, did not refuse the help. After all, Mu Jin’s youthful appearance could easily endear him to others.
Especially with those large, moist cat-like eyes and his innocent face, even though his expression was serious, he still gave off a warm and approachable vibe. It was clear that Mu Shaoyuan felt the same way.
Although Mu Shaoyuan had previously undergone the spiritual root test and did not need to climb the Ascending Zongyun Ladder with others, many outside people were unaware. However, those from the cultivation families knew that the Ascending Zongyun Ladder was a type of magical artifact.
The Ascending Zongyun Ladder not only tests those seeking entry into the immortal sect for their spiritual roots, but it can also help cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage solidify their cultivation and even overcome inner demons.
After his sect was annihilated, Mu Shaoyuan has struggled to move on. Despite his diligent cultivation and progress, he knows that a mental barrier might become a future bottleneck and affect his further cultivation.
For Mu Shaoyuan, advancing his cultivation and increasing his strength is of utmost importance.
Only with powerful strength can he avenge his family and his sect, and bring justice to those who died unjustly.
However, he never imagined that the illusions seen on the Ascending Zongyun Ladder would be even more terrifying than he had anticipated. On that fateful day, demon cultivators attacked, slaughtering his entire sect in a single night, causing chaos and panic.
His father found him and hurriedly urged him to escape while holding off the attackers. He remembered the fear he felt, the blood everywhere, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness that haunted him.
In the illusion, he witnessed that scene again, even more vividly than before. He was like a spectator, watching his once happy home being destroyed step by step, and his beloved father being killed by a sword.
The sudden fear and anger nearly drove him mad, but fortunately, the Illumination Stone he had consumed protected his mind at the critical moment. It allowed him to regain his composure and overcome his inner demons, even feeling that his cultivation had progressed further.
When he regained his senses, the first thing he saw was the young man standing in front of him with a serious expression. Who was this person? He looked very young, not even eighteen, yet he was charming and delicate.
From his clothes, it was obvious that he was an ordinary person. Growing up in the immortal sect, Mu Shaoyuan had never seen a cultivator dressed in such plain, coarse cloth.
“Hey, are you alright?” Mu Jin asked with a frown when he noticed that the male lead was staring at him in a daze.
Mu Shaoyuan turned back and realized that staring at someone for too long was inappropriate. He quickly shook his head and said softly, “I’m fine, thank you.”
He reached out and took Mu Jin’s hand to stand up. Mu Jin noticed Mu Shaoyuan’s chapped lips and frowned slightly. He then took off his backpack, rummaged through it, and selected the smallest of the remaining oranges to give to Mu Shaoyuan.
Seeing the large oranges in Mu Jin’s backpack and the tiny one handed to him, Mu Shaoyuan twitched his mouth. He thought it was quite something that Mu Jin had specifically picked out such a small orange from among so many large ones.
“These were originally meant for my benefactor, but since you look quite uncomfortable, I’ll give one to you,” Mu Jin explained earnestly.
Mu Shaoyuan was momentarily stunned by Mu Jin’s words but accepted the orange. Despite growing up in the immortal sect and having been the young master of the Duankong Sect, he was not an arrogant person and lacked the pretentious airs of a spoiled second-generation cultivator.
At that moment, he was indeed very thirsty. Eating an orange, even without any spiritual energy, would be a comforting experience for him. So he accepted Mu Jin’s kindness without hesitation and even sat down to rest for a while.
Watching the young man beside him also sit down and drink from his water pouch, Mu Shaoyuan took a bite of the sweet orange and asked, “Did you also experience an illusion just now?”
Mu Jin nodded and then turned his head to look at the seemingly endless Ascending Zongyun Ladder with some frustration, wondering when he would finally finish and see his beloved.