CHAPTER 148: 148 - WORLD OF MIND

Qingyi woke up to a gentle breeze caressing his black hair.

He felt long, delicate fingers run across the muscles of his chest as his face sank between two huge, heavy and soft snowy peaks.

"Ugh..." He sniffed, inhaling a sweet, bewitching fragrance he knew well.

Opening his eyes, he saw a lush green world in front of him.

As far as the eye could see, there were hills, forests, streams, snow-white clouds and even a few floating islands.

They were now in the shade of a tall fruit tree next to a temple extremely similar to the Temple of the Lightning Spirit, but much more magnificent.

"Are you awake?" Ruxue asked, bringing her face close to his.

"Yes." Qingyi nodded and left the beauty’s arms, his confused eyes meeting hers.

"What is this place? We’re not back in the sect, are we?"

"This is my world of mind. It’s still far inferior to my original world of mind, but it’s better than that damn absolute darkness I felt when I entered here."

"A world of the mind? Like a sea of mind?" Qingyi’s eyes widened.

Was that all fake?

No... how could something like that be reproduced so vividly? It had to be real.

"It’s similar, but not the same." She shook her head as she stood up too, her enormous breasts swaying heavily under the thin fabric.

"Worlds of the mind are rare, even in the heavenly heavens. It takes more than simply being at the peak of cultivation.

I only have a world of mind because my creator imbued it during the creation of my blade.

Honestly, it’s a miracle that I can even maintain it for more than the next few months without needing a ton of spirit crystals. If I bring anyone else in here, it could collapse completely."

Ruxue’s last words immediately captured Qingyi’s attention.

"Is it possible to bring other people here? How many?"

"It depends on my power level. At my peak, millions. Now... no more than a few dozen, but space is still very unstable."

"I see..." Qingyi scratched his chin, his eyes focusing on the temple.

"That’s the place where we used to put the temple’s talents to grow faster.

With the density of lightning Qi here being very high, it’s like a paradise for them," Ruxue explained, noticing Qingyi’s interested gaze.

He couldn’t stop his mind from filling with ideas. This place had so much potential. Unfortunately, there was no time for that.

"How do I get out of here?" he asked.

"Hm... it’s like moving your fingers, just do it."

Qingyi couldn’t help raising an eyebrow at that vague explanation, but in the end, he just followed it.

Closing his eyes, he tried to follow the instructions. After a few failed attempts, he finally felt his mind being pulled.

The cool, pleasant breeze accompanied by Ruxue’s sweet perfume was replaced by the stale, smelly air of the cave.

Qingyi forced his aching body to stand, picking up the Heaven-Defying Thunder Sword and looking up.

He could hear heavy footsteps and the shouts of soldiers.

The guard sent from Icy Flower City seemed to have arrived.

"Argh... damn... did I die?" Juechen’s pained voice echoed as he forced himself up.

His eyes focused on Huntao’s fallen figure before finally settling on Qingyi.

Apparently, he was alive.

"What happened? Where’s Ruhu? And that damned old woman?" Juechen asked.

"We killed her," Qingyi replied.

"Luckily, I had a talisman with the master’s power. Unfortunately, Ruhu couldn’t resist."

"Crap!" Juechen gritted his teeth, jumping into the dry lake and kneeling over Ruhu’s body.

Ruhu was an annoying bastard and Juechen would be lying if he said his heart was heavy over his death.

He had already completed hundreds of missions in the sect, but this was the first time a disciple under his command had died. That’s what made him feel so bad.

"Qingyi..." He stood up. "I won’t question you about Ruhu’s death, but did you find out anything about what they wanted to do with so many people?"

"Yes... they were trying to summon a demon, a true demon." Qingyi said, noticing a look of confusion appear on Juechen’s face.

Fortunately, Juechen didn’t ask any more questions, he just approached Huntao and picked him up.

"I’ll report your deeds to the sect master. You will receive a reward to match."

***

"The footprints end here, my lord," one of the soldiers reported to the officer Qingyi and his group had met when they arrived in the city.

"Shit... keep looking, they can’t be far." The officer’s words died in his throat as he felt the ground beneath his feet give way.

With a startled gasp, he jumped away, watching a powerful hand emerge from the snow, grabbing where it could and dragging a powerful body out.

It was Qingyi and Juechen, who were carrying the unconscious Huntao and Ruhu’s corpse.

As soon as they left the cave, the snow collapsed completely, revealing the interior.

"Young master Juechen!" The officer approached, noticing the blood-soaked clothes of the sect disciples.

He looked over them, his stomach turning the moment he saw inside.

"They’re all dead. We didn’t make it in time, I’m sorry," Juechen said, slapping the trembling officer on the back.

The man lowered his head, gritting his teeth before ordering: "Prepare ropes and ladders! We must at least recover the bodies of our own!"

Juechen and Qingyi didn’t stay there much longer.

They had accomplished their mission and now it was time to finally return to the sect.

The journey back was silent.

Huntao had suffered severe damage to his meridian and was cultivating in a separate carriage while Qingyi and Juechen went in the other.

It wasn’t long before the snowy forests were replaced by tundra and soon by lush, dense green forests.

After a few more days of travel, they finally reached the sect.

Ruhu’s corpse being taken away by the sect naturally caused quite a stir.

Ruhu was not only one of the most talented disciples, but also the apprentice of one of the most powerful elders.

His death came as a shock to everyone.

Qingyi just ignored those looks, saying goodbye to Juechen and paying a brief visit to Feiyan before going to the girls in the temple.