Chapter 1897 A world of difference
Only after the mirror image disappeared did Situ Haokong inexplicably breathe a sigh of relief.
A wave of frustration washed over him, almost overwhelming him.
When did he, the dignified sect master of Nine Dragons Valley and a powerful figure in the late stage of the Feather Transformation Demon Sect, fall to such a state?
Why should one be so obsequious and cautious towards a righteous young man who is hundreds of years younger than oneself?
A month ago, if someone had told him that he would treat a righteous cultivator this way, he would have slapped the person to death, thinking that the person was delusional.
But his current situation forces him to face reality.
The battle in the Taiyin Mountains not only severely injured him, but also completely shattered his arrogant and unyielding spirit.
He finally understood that the gap between himself and Lin Jichen was not only in cultivation level, but also in their Dao heart.
Lin Jichen's words, "Neither human nor ghost, neither dragon nor not dragon," echoed in his mind day and night like a curse, causing him to deeply doubt the path he had pursued all his life.
The Nine Dragons Demon Art he cultivated was originally based on the cultivation methods of the dragon race, using his physical body to simulate the might of the dragon in pursuit of ultimate power.
But in Lin Jichen's eyes, his cultivation was nothing more than blindly imitating others, and he would never become a true strongman.
These words were like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in his heart.
From then on, his cultivation began to inexplicably decline, and his originally stable late-stage Feather Transformation realm became precarious.
He tried countless methods, but could not remove this poisonous thorn; instead, the cracks in his Dao heart grew larger and larger.
No one knew that this seemingly imposing leader of the Demonic Sect was currently suffering the pain of his strength rapidly declining.
Only he himself knew that a damaged Dao heart was fatal to a strong person, and if this continued, his strength would continue to decline.
As a result, Nine Dragon Valley will lose its status as a super sect.
If those rival sects or forces he offended in the past knew that Situ Haokong's strength had been greatly reduced, they would definitely come to take revenge.
That is why he had to do his best to complete the task assigned to him by Lin Jichen, in order to prevent the other party from taking action again on the grounds that he had failed to perform his duties well.
He had also considered mobilizing the entire Nine Dragons Valley to besiege and wipe out Lin Jichen, who was lying in ambush, and to avenge his previous humiliation.
But the idea only lingered in his mind for a moment before he nipped it in the bud.
He doesn't dare to gamble!
Lin Jichen's strength is unfathomable. In the battle at Taiyin Mountain Range, his opponent clearly did not go all out.
Moreover, Lin Jichen has now become the leader of the three races, and the human race, ghost race, and demon race all obey his orders. If he were to make a move rashly, it would be tantamount to making an enemy of the entire Eight Desolations.
At that time, let alone revenge, Nine Dragon Valley will probably be reduced to ashes in an instant.
"Sigh..." Situ Haokong sighed heavily in his heart, his eyes filled with helplessness and resentment.
After the mirror image disappeared, the atmosphere on the summit of Dragon Realm Mountain became somewhat awkward.
Situ Haokong stood there, unsure of what to say.
He was afraid that Lin Jichen would settle scores later, and even more afraid that this woman would speak ill of him in front of Lin Jichen. After thinking it over, he took out a bulging spirit stone bag from his storage bag and handed it to the woman.
This spirit stone bag is made of top-quality animal hide, embroidered with intricate spirit-gathering array patterns. The bag is filled with top-grade spirit stones, at least 100,000 of them.
This is a considerable fortune for any cultivator.
"Cough cough."
Situ Haokong cleared his throat and forced a stiff smile.
"Miss, what happened just now was indeed my fault. I hope you will be magnanimous and not hold it against me. This small gift is nothing but my compensation. I hope you will put in a good word for me with Sect Leader Lin later."
The woman glanced at the spirit stone bag in his hand, her eyes showing no emotion whatsoever. Instead, she curled her lip and unceremoniously pushed the spirit stone bag back.
“Take it back. I wouldn’t dare accept your things. Who knows what kind of bad ideas you’re plotting? You and your son Situ Zhao are both wicked to the core. I don’t want to get tainted by the bad luck of your Nine Dragons Valley for no reason.”
"Do you know my son?"
Upon hearing this, Situ Haokong showed a surprised expression.
"Of course I know him, how could I not?"
The woman nodded, a look of reminiscence on her face, her gaze distant, as if lost in memories.
“Back when Fellow Daoist Lin took me to Dragon Realm Mountain to search for the Azure Scale Pool, Situ Zhao was among them. At that time, he was quite arrogant, relying on his status as the young sect master of Nine Dragon Valley to bully people everywhere. I never expected that in just over a year, everything would have changed. Your son is gone, and now it's your turn to be the father here, having to watch other people's faces.”
Although her words were somewhat sarcastic, they also revealed a hint of melancholy.
That trip to the Dragon Realm remains vivid in her memory to this day.
At that time, Lin Jichen had only just entered the Enlightenment Realm. His cultivation was not top-notch, but he had already shown extraordinary courage and strength.
They ventured deep into the Dragon Realm, encountering countless dangers along the way.
Throughout the journey, Lin Jichen remained calm and composed, leading her out of danger on several occasions. His composure in the face of peril left a deep impression on her.
She still remembered that before parting, Lin Jichen generously gave her an Yinglong egg.
However, after her trip to the Dragon Realm ended, she returned to the Beast Taming Sect to cultivate in seclusion and train Yinglong. The two never saw each other again.
In the blink of an eye, more than a year has passed.
She never expected that when she heard Lin Jichen's name again, he would have become the new leader of the Sword Sect.
His strength broke through to the Feather Transformation Realm, and he became the leader of the Eight Desolations and Three Realms, leading the three races to fight against Zhu Jiuyin, becoming the most dazzling existence in the entire Eight Desolations.
As for herself, although she was not weak either, being the young lady of the Beast Taming Sect, and her cultivation had broken through to the Enlightenment Realm, she was still worlds apart from Lin Jichen.
Thinking of this, the woman couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions, including admiration for Lin Jichen's rapid growth and a touch of indescribable disappointment.
She looked down at the white zell at her feet, gently stroking its fur, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes.
The fierce winds still howled atop Dragon Realm Mountain, creating an awkward atmosphere.
Of course, it was Situ Haokong who felt awkward.
After all, just a second ago he was acting like a big shot and even wanted to kill the woman in front of him, but the next second he took the initiative to back down and apologize.
"Don't misunderstand, Situ Zhao isn't actually my son. He's an adopted son, not my biological son. He deserved to die."
Situ Haokong could only sever ties with Situ Zhao.
The woman ignored him, instead looking up at the sky, her pale golden eyes sparkling with anticipation.
She knew Lin Jichen would arrive soon, and actually, she was quite nervous...
Lin Jichen, who was just a disciple of the Sword Sect at the time, met her, the young lady of the sect.
Now, more than a year after they last met, their identities are worlds apart.
...
