Pei Yu opened his eyes, first seeing a wisp of pale yellow candlelight.
His consciousness was hazy, his head still heavy and muddled. As he supported his forehead, he heard a familiar female voice: Then it is settled. The trip to the Ghost Tomb is of great importance, you must not be careless.
She paused slightly, and when she spoke again, her voice carried a thin, cold laugh: Once this succeeds, Pei Du will undoubtedly die. In the future, within the Pei family, who else can compete with you?
His scattered consciousness gradually gathered. Although it was still blurry, it allowed him to barely remember some things and vaguely understand his situation.
Pei Yu could confirm that before he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep, he was in the Langya Secret Realm.
Everything was all Pei Du's fault.
That brat had a tough life; after being pushed off the cliff by his father, not only did he not die, but he also fell into the demonic path, causing chaos in the cultivation world. As the heir of an aristocratic family, Pei Yu was naturally sent to the Ghost Tomb to participate in the encirclement and suppression, but returned in disastrous defeat, receiving countless cold stares from Pei Fengnan.
He had to get a chance to prove himself again, so upon hearing the news of the Memory Spirit's appearance, he rushed to the Eastern Sea as soon as possible.
What Pei Yu absolutely did not expect was that the Memory Spirit seemed to have ordinary cultivation, but was actually far above the vast majority of people. Deliberately luring them to the secret realm was to launch an indiscriminate massacre, which, compared to the purgatory-like scene in the Ghost Tomb that day, could be said to be even worse.
As for this moment, he should have had his divine sense swallowed by the Memory Spirit, and for some unknown reason, fell into the memories of the past.
His chaotic thoughts were not clear. Pei Yu calmed his mind and looked up, and sure enough, he saw Bai Wan and his past self.
The past him sat beside Bai Wan and yawned: I understand.
Pei Yu watched quietly, without making a sound.
Then the scene changed, the firelight dissipated, replaced by the boundless night.
This time he stood tall above the Ghost Tomb. Cold winds blew from all sides, carrying an uncomfortable, stale scent of blood. Overwhelming demonic creatures gathered here. He saw Pei Du draw his sword to meet the enemy, protecting him and Bai Wan behind him.
The effect of the Demon Attracting Incense is indeed not bad.
Amidst the sky-filling howls of the demonic beasts, Bai Wan's voice seemed almost inaudible, only the two of them could hear it: In this way, there is only the last step left.
This was a memory from a few years ago, and he did not remember it very clearly now.
Pei Yu inexplicably felt that his mother did not seem to have said this sentence back then, but he had no way to verify it, so he could only continue to watch.
The last step she mentioned was to forcefully stuff the pre-prepared demonic energy into Pei Du's body when Pei Fengnan rushed over.
In this way, the scene presented to everyone at that time would be Pei Du wrapped in demonic energy, wanting to put him and Bai Wan to death.
Sword shadows moved like dragons. Pei Yu looked at the figure holding a long sword on the other side, and a cold smile unconsciously appeared in his eyes.
To be able to relive this memory again, watching Pei Du fall step by step, from a proud son of heaven to mud that anyone could bully, was truly a joy to him.
The scene before him gradually coincided with his memory. Bai Wan sensed Pei Fengnan's approaching aura and secretly formed a hand seal.
Then the youth in the bloody battle suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood, and the horde of demons took the opportunity to fly forward. Blood splattered everywhere, demonic creatures howled madly. Amidst the chaotic scene, he saw Pei Fengnan strike out in anger, and Pei Du was blasted away by a palm strike.
The smile on the corner of Pei Yu's mouth became more obvious.
How high and mighty Pei Du used to be, but now he did not even have the strength left to stand, and could only barely support his body with the Zhanyuan Sword, looking extremely wretched.
Only at this moment in this memory did he truly trample Pei Du under his feet.
Even knowing that this was a memory, Pei Yu still could not help but step forward and punch the other party's cheek, letting his palm pass through the void, and let out a loud laugh from his throat: This is what you get for competing with me in everything! You want to fight? How could you possibly beat me! You are just a wild brat with no father or mother, and you deserve to stay in my Pei family?
The more he spoke, the more excited he became. The resentment accumulated over many years and the anger of being instantly killed during the encirclement and suppression all poured out together. He kicked again: Are you sad and upset now? There will be more torturous times in the future! Why don't you just die!
The Pei Du in front of him naturally would not hear it.
Exactly as in his memory, the sword aura in the youth's eyes had not faded, filled with pain, confusion, and a settled darkness he understood that this was a carefully planned scheme, and the people he had just desperately protected wanted to plunge him into a place of eternal damnation.
Pei Yu was in a great mood, turning sideways to look at Pei Fengnan on the other side of the cliff.
Next, it would be the time for Pei Du to fall off the cliff.
He could not wait to see that scene, but before Pei Fengnan could make a move, another voice suddenly came to his ear: Fellow Daoist Pei, Fellow Daoist Pei?
Pei Yu took a deep breath and hurriedly opened his eyes.
The Ghost Tomb, Pei Du, and Bai Wan had all disappeared.
He was leaning against a large tree, and standing in front of him was a pale-faced youth.
You are finally awake! Just now, thanks to Miss Xie slaying the Memory Spirit, everyone's divine sense was able to return your memories should be fine, right?
Perhaps seeing Pei Yu's unfocused gaze, the youth raised his hand and waved it in front of him: I am Sun Tianqing of the Sun family in Yunjing. We met before when we were fighting the Memory Spirit.
He opened his eyes?
On the other side, Xie Jingci came out of the woods, her voice very cold: I went to take a look at the place where the chaotic battle happened earlier. The Memory Spirit struck extremely ruthlessly, and there are no survivors.
Sun Tianqing's eyes darkened: Then now... only the three of us are left?
He seemed to think of something, frowned and looked around: Besides the Memory Spirit, there are other evil creatures in the secret realm, right? But now I can barely even stand up, and Miss Xie is also seriously injured. We can only rely on Fellow Daoist Pei's help.
Xie Jingci nodded: Without further delay, we should leave this place as soon as possible and head to the exit of the secret realm. Have all your divine senses returned to their places?
Mine is already fine.
Sun Tianqing grinned, could not hold back the severe pain, and coughed heavily a few times: Watching the memories in one's sea of consciousness completely from beginning to end always feels a bit weird right, Fellow Daoist Pei?
Pei Yu's gaze shifted: I actually think it was pretty good.
He spoke carelessly, and was about to leave the Langya Secret Realm, but heard Xie Jingci chuckle softly: Pretty good?
There was an indescribable weirdness in this laugh.
Pei Yu's heart stirred, and he naturally looked towards her, meeting the eyes of the female cultivator holding a long blade.
The reason Fellow Daoist Pei feels pretty good is because you saw your mother...
Xie Jingci stood in the shadows of the woods, her pupils dark and unclear. Perhaps because the wind suddenly rose, it made her voice equally cold. Although she wore a smile, it could make one's whole body go cold: Or is it because you could relive the scene of framing Pei Du in the Ghost Tomb back then?
A chill crept up his spine, and Pei Yu suddenly widened his eyes.
Very surprised?
Xie Jingci's right hand moved, revealing a round recording stone: Fellow Daoist Pei, could you have forgotten that the Sun family is a family of illusionists?
He suddenly looked at Sun Tianqing to the side.
What did she mean by this sentence? A family of illusionists? If it was about illusions, could it be
Pei Yu's heart jolted violently. "You... tricked me?"
Xie Jingci closed her right hand, concealing the recording stone in her palm. "We didn't dare set up too many scenes. If you noticed it was drastically different from reality, we would have fallen short of success at the last stage."
She had her own considerations.
Using the Memory Spirit to extract his memories and display them before everyone was never a foolproof plan from the very beginning.
What if she couldn't collect Pei Yu's divine sense in time? What if Pei Yu's memories weren't taken by the Memory Spirit? Or even, in the vast Langya Secret Realm, she might not have encountered Pei Yu at all.
With so many variables, she had to come up with a more reliable method.
It was a well-known fact that the Memory Spirit could steal memories.
After Pei Yu was attacked by it and fell unconscious, if he saw scenes similar to his past, he would subconsciously believe he was trapped in his own memories.
However, he would never expect that it was merely a man-made illusion.
By exploiting this habitual way of thinking, she could turn the tables on him.
The moment Pei Yu admitted he was seeing his past memories, he was doomed to lose everything.
"A recording stone is a good thing."
Xie Jingci curled her lips into a smile. "Illusionary realms will also be recorded in the recording stone. Once more people see it, Fellow Daoist Pei will probably have no way to defend himself, right?"
His right hand secretly clenched.
Suppressing his anger, Pei Yu's eyes were unreadably dark and ruthless. "What do you want?"
"By answering like this, are you admitting that you framed Pei Du?"
Her eyes flickered slightly. "I want..."
Before Xie Jingci could finish, a swift wind struck.
Pei Yu's attack was incredibly fast, launching a fierce assault straight at Xie Jingci!
Amidst the sudden murderous intent, a cold sneer appeared in the young man's eyes.
He was not the type to be subservient and allow himself to be slaughtered. Since Xie Jingci had caught his weakness, the best solution was to shut her mouth forever.
Only dead people cannot speak.
Thanks to the Memory Spirit slaughtering countless cultivators, only the three of them were left in this wretched place. He had just probed with his divine sense and confirmed that Xie Jingci and Sun Tianqing indeed had no spiritual energy at all. Instantly killing the two of them would be as easy as flipping his hand.
Zhanyuan was nowhere to be seen, but fortunately, Pei Yu still had his spiritual energy.
Seeing the white light shoot out like an arrow, surging menacingly toward her amidst the deadly silence of the forest, another stream of sword energy suddenly arrived.
As well as a gust of palm wind that he was all too familiar with.
The sword energy slashed his spiritual energy into dust, while the palm wind struck heavily against his back.
The mighty coercion of a superior surged forward, allowing no room for resistance. Pei Yu spat out a mouthful of blood, and in the next instant, his gaze shook violently.
He saw a scene completely beyond his imagination.
The surrounding forest dissipated bit by bit. When the last trace of green vanished, it was replaced by a clear blue sky and a vast expanse of beach.
Illusionist families. Illusionists.
So from the very beginning to the end, everything he had seen... was a fake.
They were not in the Langya Secret Realm at all, but rather situated on the shores of the East Sea. Moreover, there were not just the three of them nearby. Looking around, the area was filled with familiar faces from the cultivation world.
Xie Jingci had tricked him twice.
First, she lured him into admitting what he had done, and then she forced him to make a move, completely exposing his past actions. Even if the onlookers had not seen the real memories, his reactions alone were enough for them to understand everything.
Thinking back, there were actually many loopholes. For instance, with Sun Tianqing completely devoid of spiritual energy, it would be impossible for him to weave an illusion. Also, Xie Jingci had always been cautious; there was no need for her to tell him about the recording stone in advance. She could have just announced it to the public after leaving Langya.
But the situation was critical at the time, and Pei Yu simply had no time to think deeply. After all, she had already tricked him once, how could she trick him a second time right after?
He had been fixated on the images in the recording stone, never expecting the reality to be far worse. This time, he had personally put on a grand show in front of everyone.
Was Xie Jingci even human?!
"Senior Pei, you have seen everything just now."
Xie Jingci put away her smile and slightly raised her voice. "Pei Yu framed Pei Du at the Ghost Tomb, and now he has harbored murderous intentions toward me."
While inside the illusion, she had also been extremely nervous.
At that time, after the Memory Spirit died, Sun Luo quickly brought reinforcements to this place. Pei Du's spiritual energy and the Zhanyuan sword complemented each other; even with a disguise, his identity was easily seen through.
In a moment of desperation, she came up with this method. Utilizing a double illusion and cognitive blind spots, she broke through his defenses layer by layer and pressed him step by step. Without relying on the power of the Memory Spirit, she could still make Pei Yu expose himself.
Pei Du had saved the youngest son of the Sun family. By reason and emotion, both Sun Tianqing and Sun Luo would help her.
"Father... Mother!"
Realizing the source of the palm wind, Pei Yu unconsciously trembled. "You... you have to listen to my explanation! I..."
The words reached his lips, only for him to realize he couldn't think of any reason to explain.
"So," someone said hesitantly, "just like in the illusion, the demonic energy in Pei Du's body... was forcefully transferred into him by Madame Bai? Then in that case..."
In that case, what did their past righteous indignation amount to? A joke, or an irony?
The evil demon despised by everyone was actually an innocent victim from beginning to end. The Pei family, who boasted of being righteous, secretly harbored filth and treated them as playthings to be ordered around at will.
And they had become shameful accomplices played by Bai Wan.
This was a humiliation to the entire cultivation world.
"But," someone gritted their teeth, "Pei Du did severely injure many disciples of my sect."
A rogue cultivator sneered. "But it is a fact that you attacked him first without distinguishing right from wrong. If he hadn't fought back, he would be the one dead. If you were in that situation, would you be willing to die for no clear reason?"
The cultivation world was full of slaughter and conflict. If defeated in a head-on confrontation, one could only blame their own inferior skills.
Especially since many of them had besieged one person, only to be beaten back repeatedly; it was truly disgraceful.
"I think... he already showed mercy."
A young medical cultivator girl spoke with a timid voice. "That day at the Ghost Tomb, he could have killed us all with one strike, but he stopped halfway and hid in the abyss, disappearing without a trace."
Sun Luo raised her voice. "He also saved my younger brother!"
Sun Tianqing nodded repeatedly. "Right, right, right, he also saved my younger brother."
"He is also holding the Zhanyuan sword."
Someone whispered, "...That's the Zhanyuan sword."
As soon as these words came out, the surroundings suddenly fell silent.
Zhanyuan was a divine sword born with spiritual intelligence, submitting only to those who were absolutely pure and clean. Previously, when it was taken by Pei Yu, it couldn't exert its power no matter what. Yet now, it willingly allowed Pei Du to hold it. Who was good and who was evil was clear at a glance.
Pei Yu trembled all over, secretly clenching his teeth, not daring to look at the expressions of his father and mother.
Even with his head lowered, he could still feel the anger radiating from Pei Fengnan, surging like a tide and making his eyes uncontrollably hot.
If this were only a matter within the Pei family, it might not have caused a massive uproar, but now, the entire cultivation world was dragged into it.
Those who were severely injured by Pei Du, and those who were tragically devoured by demonic beasts in the Ghost Tomb... hundreds and thousands of grievances fell entirely upon their family in this brief moment.
If he and his mother hadn't framed Pei Du, and if Bai Wan hadn't incited the cultivators to go to the Ghost Tomb for a siege, many tragedies would never have happened in the first place.
Pei Yu wanted to cry.
...They were finished.
"Pei Du never did anything wrong, yet he was branded a demon and relentlessly hunted day after day."
A heavy weight in her heart finally seemed to settle. Xie Jingci cast a fleeting glance at the young man shielding her and took a deep breath. "Senior Pei, doesn't the entire Pei family owe him an apology?"
She paused, a faint smile gradually blossoming in her eyes. "And perhaps... they owe an apology to the entire cultivation world as well."
