C1459 He Had Expected This!

In the secret chamber within the forbidden area, Yu Yuan's frame quivered with overwhelming emotion. It dawned on him that for years, he had been misjudging his senior brother, Zhong Chichen. The malfunction of the Reincarnation Pill had postponed his reincarnation, and the absence of his heaven soul and earthly soul was likely a result of his senior brother's tireless efforts to protect him.

The reason he hadn't been informed was that, in his senior brother's eyes, he had become irrational. And indeed, that was the case. As malicious and nefarious thoughts swelled within him, he descended into darkness, straying further down an irreversible path. The poison pills he concocted and the toxic miasma he unleashed had claimed countless lives, prompting even the five great sects to resolve to eliminate him from the shadows.

His senior brother understood that reasoning with him in such a state was futile. He also recognized that this corrupted version of himself was not his true nature but a consequence of the "poison" that had altered him. Yu Yuan's thoughts then shifted to Lian Hu's words, recalling how after his senior brother's breakthrough to the Unbound Stage, he immediately declared seclusion, entrusting all sect affairs to Chu Yao.

Lian Hu had heard the inner voice of his senior brother, who wondered if, after their master and junior brother had succumbed, it was now his turn. The Circle of Spectral Rebirth etched into the rock wall was impervious to those of Lunar Spirit. In this chamber, they would not only be safe from the corrupting Yin Qi but could also cleanse it effortlessly, turning it to their advantage.

But since his senior brother had indicated otherwise, it meant that he and their master must be elsewhere, subjected to Yuan Qingxi's overwhelming infusion of foul Yin Qi into their bodies and souls. Yuan Qingxi and the Bloodbrawlers had set their sights on Hong Qi, his former self, with the intention of aiding his reincarnation, reviving him, and inducting him into the Bloodbrawlers for cultivation. At that time, Yuan Qingxi and the Bloodbrawlers already considered him one of their own. His master, it seemed, had previously reached an understanding with Yuan Qingxi, allowing him to keep watch over Yu Yuan and consenting to Yuan Qingxi's proposition.

However, it seems that after learning about the Bloodbrawlers' background or for some other reason, my master may have had second thoughts.

As a consequence of his change of heart, my master vanished, and it's highly likely that he met with some misfortune.

Before whatever befell him, he might have confided in his senior brother, asking him to protect me from the Bloodbrawlers' designs and to prevent me from being forced into their ranks after my reincarnation.

Thus, my senior brother tampered with the Reincarnation Pill in silence.

When my reincarnation went awry, the Bloodbrawlers suspected my senior brother's interference and turned their hostility towards him.

My senior brother realized that mere alchemy was no match for the Bloodbrawlers, so he forsook his pursuit of the pill in favor of seeking greater power, eventually breaking through to the Unbound Realm.

Upon reaching the Unbound Realm, he may have been deeply corrupted by malevolent forces, struggling to fend off the burgeoning dark thoughts within.

His so-called seclusion was likely an exit strategy to avoid succumbing to the same fate as me, transforming into another demon.

A whirlwind of speculation churned through Yu Yuan's mind, leaving him utterly disoriented.

"I've lived for many years, yet I've never heard of the Reincarnation Pill. This pill seems to have emerged during your master's time. I have reason to believe that both the Reincarnation Pill and the Circle of Spectral Rebirth were disclosed to your master by Yuan Qingxi."

Loong Jie let out a sly chuckle, his interest piqued as he peeled back the layers of mystery shrouding Yu Yuan's previous reincarnation.

The more he uncovered, the more intriguing the revelations became, fueling the lecherous dragon's curiosity.

"Auntie Nan, the Reincarnation Pill?" Yu Yuan sought confirmation.

Xia Nan, utterly bewildered by their conversation, was on the verge of a breakdown. She responded without hesitation, "In our Order of Healing, there was indeed no such thing as a Reincarnation Pill before. It truly was an invention of your master, and because the pill was so peculiar and eerie, we all doubted its feasibility."

"It seems that the Reincarnation Pill and the Circle of Spectral Rebirth are indeed intertwined," Yu Yuan acknowledged with a nod.

In that instant, another thought struck him.

He remembered someone — Mo Yan from the Devil Palace!

Mo Yan practiced a dark art known as the "Cycle of Life and Death Spell," a technique Yu Yuan had taken particular interest in during his time as Hong Qi.

He was well aware that Zhu Zhenlin had always possessed this dark art, capable of altering a person's innate potential for cultivation.

It was the Cycle of Life and Death Spell that allowed Mo Yan to shatter his own Lunar Spirit and revert to the Golden Sanctum state when he first condensed the Lunar Spirit.

From the Golden Sanctum, he could further purify his acupoints, enhancing his natural abilities and laying a strong foundation early on, which could potentially lead him to the Unbound realm or even to achieving a primordial spirit.

The destruction of the Lunar Spirit and the return to the Golden Sanctum for cultivation bore a resemblance to the concepts of reincarnation and rebirth.

It was akin to a diluted, less potent form of being reborn anew.

Zhu Zhenlin of the Devil Palace had been directly involved in the oppression of the Evil King, Yu Xi. He was the one who had seduced Yun Hao into betraying the Evil King.

Was Zhu Zhenlin's mastery of the Cycle of Life and Death Spell influenced by the secret techniques of the Bloodbrawlers?

It's likely that he had some past dealings with Yuan Qingxi of the Bloodbrawlers!

"Do you know about the Cycle of Life and Death Spell?" Yu Yuan abruptly inquired.

"The esoteric dark arts mastered by Zhu Zhenlin?" Loong Jie shook his head with a wry smile. "That dark art is not even in the same league as your rebirth. The Cycle of Life and Death Spell is merely a minor technique that can modestly enhance one's aptitude. It's hardly noteworthy."

"Your rebirth, on the other hand, is a complete metamorphosis, transforming you from someone incapable of cultivating into the prodigy you are today."

The lecherous dragon held the Devil Palace's Cycle of Life and Death Spell in low regard, and by extension, he had little respect for Zhu Zhenlin.

"Don't you see any resemblance between this dark art and the Circle of Spectral Rebirth?" Yu Yuan pressed.

Loong Jie paused, taken aback, and then lapsed into silence.

After a moment, he had a realization and said, "Are you suggesting that Zhu Zhenlin and Yuan Qingxi had contact with each other? Did he learn the secret of reincarnation from Yuan Qingxi, which led to his mastery of the so-called Cycle of Life and Death Spell?"

"There's a possibility," Yu Yuan responded.

He had yet to disclose the full truth about the Evil King, Yu Xi, an ancestor of the Yu family, who might have been a prominent figure within the Bloodbrawlers and served as Yuan Qingxi's master.

The revelation was too startling, and he needed additional time to confirm it.

"Chu Yao has left. Auntie Nan, could you please find him for me? I need to know one thing: where is my senior brother now?" Yu Yuan made his request.

He harbored no resentment towards his senior brother or his former disciple.

"I'll take care of it immediately!"

Xia Nan, aware of the multitude of secrets within the Order of Healing, felt overwhelmed.

Driven by her trust in Yu Yuan and concern for Zhong Chichen, she promptly got to her feet.

"Who would have thought the Bloodbrawlers were orchestrating so much behind the scenes?"

Loong Jie chuckled with a hint of disbelief, "It's truly bizarre. Why did the Bloodbrawlers pick you? I hope you don't mind my frankness, but as Hong Qi, you didn't exhibit any exceptional cultivation talent. You couldn't even make it into the sect, so why did the Bloodbrawlers take such an interest in you? Crafting the Reincarnation Pill and this concealed Circle of Spectral Rebirth are no small feats."

He sensed that there was more to the story.

Yu Yuan was equally puzzled.

After some contemplation, he speculated that perhaps the mark deep within his dominant soul from his first life made him, even as Hong Qi in his second life, exude a certain enigma.

While invisible to others, Yuan Qingxi and the Bloodbrawlers might have recognized something extraordinary.

Convinced that he was the prodigy the Bloodbrawlers were seeking, someone who could propagate their mystique, they facilitated his reincarnation to hasten the end of this life.

A sudden realization struck him, and he considered yet another possibility.

The immense phantom that had manifested in his first life, the consciousness of his original self...

Did the giant phantom ever manifest during Hong Qi's era?

In his time, the three souls of heaven, earth, and man were beyond compare to what they are now. Even if my first self had briefly awakened, it would have been impossible for the me of Hong Qi's era to notice.

If my first self had awakened and found that I was unable to cultivate, realizing it was an accident and a mistake...

I would have hoped for Hong Qi's era to end swiftly.

Knowing that the Bloodbrawlers were orchestrating my downfall, pushing me toward degeneration and rebirth as a mortal, I would have likely consented silently, perhaps even welcomed it.

Since Hong Qi's era was an error, it was best to transition through it quickly and move on.

This life, as Yu Yuan, marks a fresh start, filled with boundless hope and a future!

Whoosh!

Xia Nan returned, her eyes wide with astonishment. "Chu Yao said that Zhong is in the Rainbow Ocean!"

"The Rainbow Ocean!" Yu Yuan, Loong Jie, and Yin Xueqi exclaimed together.

The Rainbow Ocean is one of the Everlands' enigmatic forbidden areas, revered as the Terra Fiend's sanctuary and the cradle of the Bloodbrawlers!

Yu Yuan, during Hong Qi's lifetime, visited the Rainbow Ocean more than any other place!

Senior Brother Zhong Chichen had declared he was in seclusion at the Order of Healing, yet he was actually in the Rainbow Ocean!

"Zhong instructed Chu Yao not to seek him out, to forever avoid the Rainbow Ocean! Many years ago, the Order of Healing set a strict rule forbidding all herbalists from venturing there!" Xia Nan declared.

"It makes sense," Loong Jie agreed with a nod. "If he were in trouble, the Rainbow Ocean is indeed where he should be if he remained in the Everlands."

After a moment's hesitation, Xia Nan suddenly added, "The last time Zhong Chichen sent a message, he told Chu Yao that if you ever returned to the Order of Healing and inquired about his whereabouts, Chu Yao should reveal them. So, when I met Chu Yao, he was upfront about everything, holding nothing back."

"I knew it. Senior Zhong anticipated this day would come," Yin Xueqi said.

"Ultimately, I must venture into the Rainbow Ocean," Yu Yuan said, inhaling deeply.

"...