Chapter Forty-Four: Souls Lost on Kunlun

“What are you playing…” Mingzhong’s voice was deep and somber.

I paused, lifting my gaze to him…

His sudden question startled me, and my mind wandered—I actually thought of my master! His voice was so similar to my master’s!

I steadied my thoughts and forced a calm, “‘Snow Flurries Over Kunlun.’ Would you like to learn it?” The more I could talk and stall him, the better.

“A thousand years ago, I saw you,” Mingzhong said. His voice was so much like my master’s, yet his tone exuded venom and malice, tinged with a restlessness and insecurity my master never possessed.

The last time he kidnapped me, I was dressed as an immortal maiden; now, as an immortal lord, he seemed confused.

I smiled faintly, feigning mystery, “What do you think?”

“If you are a woman, surrender and come with me to the Netherworld. I’ll spare your life when I cleanse the Jade Pure Realm in blood,” Mingzhong declared.

“And if I’m a man?” I asked.

“If you’re a man, then I’ll settle all accounts with you—old and new!” His voice was cruel.

Take me to the Netherworld? To be cast into the molten pool and forged into a magical artifact! Truly, enemies cross paths when least expected. Words would not sway him, so I resolved to strike first.

Channeling immortal arts, I pressed the strings with my left hand, and my right plucked two rapid rolls, summoning six Concord Swords. In an instant, five unsuspecting Nether soldiers were felled to the ground. Mingzhong, wielding his bone whip, easily deflected my swords, unharmed.

“I’d like to play the zither with you, and settle these accounts!” I smiled coldly.

“Useless thing!” Mingzhong spat, swinging his black bone whip at me. My left hand wove spells, my right fused the force of the strings, playing the mode “Chimes of Cold Mountain” to counter his whip. The clash sent tremors through my body—his strength was formidable, as expected!

He spun and leapt, striking several times in succession, his movements as fluid as ink, wild and free.

“His fighting style is beautiful, reminiscent of my master wielding the Dragon Abyss Sword…” Even in battle, I was distracted. My zither and sword lagged, and I received a blow to my arm, the skin split open at once! Already wounded by Bai Ze, the pain worsened, my arm trembling.

In haste, my left hand slammed all the strings, channeling every ounce of magic into them. My right hand, executing a rolling technique, played the zither to launch zither-swords against his relentless attacks. The direct confrontation left my arm in agony, immortal veins shaken, my breath increasingly disordered by his whip.

His magic was too strong; I was no match for him. Especially in such a head-on clash, with no chance to dodge or feint. The seven-stringed zither could only be used from a stationary position—if one’s immortal power was vast, one could hold off armies alone, but for me, it was barely manageable. To weave and tangle with him, I’d need more agile weapons like swords or knives, but none were at hand.

“How long must I wait for Master and the senior brothers?” I fretted.

Mingzhong noticed my weakness and intensified his assault. The zither-sword shattered under his blow. I shifted from offense to defense, channeling all my power into a barrier against his attacks.

Straining to maintain the shield, I anxiously hoped Master and the brothers would arrive soon…

Unable to break the stalemate, Mingzhong unleashed several more blows, then suddenly hurled a golden seal. It expanded in midair, shining with dazzling light, and bore down on me. Seeing disaster, unable to evade, I gritted my teeth and raised the Concord Zither to meet it.

A thunderous crash—my Concord Zither was cleaved in two by the golden seal, falling into the depths of the Chasing Immortals Cliff. The barrier shattered, and the force of the seal struck me, sending me sprawling, blood gushing from my mouth. Mingzhong summoned a glittering Immortal-Binding Rope, tying me up.

Struggling to untie the rope with spellcraft, I failed repeatedly, panic rising. I had learned every type of Immortal-Binding Rope from Master, none ever defied my skill. Could this be—the Chaos artifact “God-Binding Lock” that Dongfang Mo once spoke of?

Mingzhong glared fiercely, tossing a threat: “Enemy! I’ll deal with you when I return!” With that, he moved to enter the Jade Pure Realm.

No! I couldn’t let him go now! The brothers hadn’t arrived, likely unprepared, and Master was still absent. Mingzhong’s magic was overwhelming, and with the golden seal, even Master’s crafted Concord Zither was shattered—my brothers were no match for him.

If we were enemies, then today I would entangle him to the end!

I sneered, “A mighty Nether God, resorting only to stolen artifacts to harm me. Your Nether spells can’t even touch me! If you have courage, untie me and fight!”

“Provocation,” Mingzhong answered coldly, raising his leg to leave.

“You can’t even best a little immortal sentry, yet dare show your face in the Jade Pure Realm. No courage, no cunning—it’s no wonder your elder brother despises you! Even Nether ghosts mock you! That’s why you hide behind a mask, isn’t it?” I recalled hearing in the Netherworld that Mingbo would snatch away the women Mingzhong captured, guessing Mingzhong couldn’t stand up to him, and used it to provoke him.

Mingzhong spun around, grabbing my collar with a thud.

“Who do you say despises me?”

So that’s it—he fears Mingbo’s tyranny outwardly, but inwardly they are truly at odds! Realizing I’d hit a nerve, I pressed on with what I’d heard and seen in the Netherworld.

“Your elder brother! You’re no match for him, always outmaneuvered, forced to give whatever he wants! You claim to be wise and brave, but forever live under his shadow!”

Mingzhong slammed me to the ground, his voice chilling, “A clever provocation! Today, I’ll do nothing else but fight you!” With that, he lashed me viciously.

Though I possessed an immortal body and the Kunlun Dragon Seal from the Jade Pure Realm, Mingzhong’s power was overwhelming—every strike split my flesh, pain searing into my bones! “Master, has my Heart-Linked Feather failed to reach you? If you don’t come soon, I truly can’t hold on.” Gritting my teeth, I groaned, dodging vital spots as best I could.

“Coward! Dare you untie me and fight?” I shouted fiercely.

Mingzhong hauled me up, forcing me to kneel. His power was immense; I struggled in vain.

“No need to provoke me—since I’ve caught you, you won’t escape. Tell me: who is stronger, him or me?” Mingzhong demanded, voice chilling.

“You! You have the courage of ten thousand, wisdom and valor, master of both pen and sword, renowned far and wide… Handsome, dashing, elegant… My admiration for you is as endless as the Kunlun Mountains, as vast as the celestial river…” I gathered every possible word to buy time.

“Enough nonsense!” Mingzhong kicked me, continuing up the mountain.

Seeing I couldn’t stop him, I cried, “Yet for all your greatness, you still let your brother take your women! He steals them and you dare not protest? Or did she simply look down on you, thinking you inferior?”

Mingzhong slowly turned, his gaze venomous, his aura sinister and chilling.

He walked behind me, leaning close to my ear with a malicious laugh, “If I don’t want to give her to him, he won’t get her no matter how he tries!”

His proximity sent my heart pounding—this voice, unmistakably my master’s… Was I so desperate for rescue that my mind was playing tricks?

In that daze, Mingzhong cast a spell, striking my back to seal my immortal body. Instantly, his bone whip transformed into a black rope, which he wrapped twice around his hands, then around me… I jolted awake, crying out, “What are you doing?”

“To kill you!” Mingzhong growled, yanking outward with both hands. My throat was seized, cutting off my breath—

The frigid aura of the bone whip seemed to freeze my blood, my heart plunged into icy despair…

In the Jade Void Palace, Fifteenth Brother received the messenger bird and the warning of a sneak attack. He immediately ordered everyone into battle readiness, swiftly organizing the brothers to defend the realm and protect the Hall of Deification and the Hundred Beasts Garden.

Eleventh Brother stood nearby, hands clasped behind his back, relaxed, “Fifteen, could it be that Uncle Master is again advising Master to stage a drill, testing us? Last time, the initiation was just such a trick. But why a bird this time, not a Radiant Crane?”

“What if it’s real? Deception is common in war; every alert must be treated seriously! Have you seen Little Brother?” Fifteen appeared anxious, not seeing me.

“He said he went to the back mountain to plant trees early,” Eleventh replied.

“Then hurry and call him back! If anything happens, how will I answer to Master? Go find him! No—I'll go with you!” Fifteen and Eleventh rushed straight toward the Valley of Memories.

Meanwhile, Lu Xue was in her chamber, biting her lip, arms wrapped around herself, writhing in pain. She crashed into the table and tumbled to the window. Using spellcraft, she bound herself to a beam with an Immortal-Binding Rope, sweating profusely, enduring the agony in silence.

At Chasing Immortals Cliff, I convulsed in agony, unable to break free, desperately clawing at the iron grip of the bone whip around my throat. My hands and feet were bound by the God-Binding Lock, my immortal body sealed. Each attempt to breathe produced only a rasping “gurgle,” no air entering. The more I struggled, the tighter Mingzhong twisted—the bone whip constricted ever more…

“Who is better? Tell me! Say it!” Mingzhong screamed hysterically.

How could I speak…

If only I could summon a sword to sever the God-Binding Lock, or strike Mingzhong—there would be hope. I tried, as in the Slaughtering Immortals Formation, to call the Black Crystal Sword, but it was useless.

“Who is stronger!” Mingzhong’s eyes were bloodshot and wild, his hands tightening.

My throat was crushed, chest near bursting, pain, struggle, grievance, hope… all tangled together, with the familiar yet sinister laughter behind the mask…

“Master… Fei’er may never see you again…”

Consciousness faded, my heart seemed torn apart…

Snow began to fall on Chasing Immortals Cliff. Gazing at the summit, I seemed to glimpse again that elegant immortal in azure robes… that dignified deity with hands clasped behind his back… that victorious warrior in battle gear leaping from the cliff…

A tear slid from the corner of my eye, and my body slackened…

“Master… until we meet again in another life…”