Chapter 33 Six Years Old
Chapter 33: Six Years Old
The current situation was actually within Luo He’s expectations.
He had been hiding for several days with Su Huanhuan’s cover, deducing Huoxin’s final disguise before finding this place.
If not for sensing Luo Hongyu’s remnant soul falling into the Netherworld, he might have chosen a more opportune moment to act.
But now, he naturally had no such luxury of choice.
As Huoxin said, he could use the red jade’s connection to find a way to rescue Luo Hongyu, but conversely, this would also be intercepted by Huoxin.
The situation had gone from urgent to even more desperate.
Huoxin now stood before Luo He in a completely defensive state.
She dodged nearly every one of Luo He’s attacks, and when she truly couldn’t avoid one, a ghost would fly out from her jade flute to block it for her.
No matter how talented Luo He might be, he was still just a Golden Core cultivator, and in a half-damaged state at that.
Meanwhile, Huoxin was a genuine Tribulation-stage ghost cultivator.
If she only wanted to defend, Luo He could hack at her all day without effect—she was merely dodging out of caution.
Huoxin moved like a butterfly in a sudden storm, dancing among the flashing swords, while leisurely saying:
“Little one, you’ve actually misunderstood something from the beginning.”
“It’s impressive that you can detect a ghost cultivator’s Heavenly Dao oath, but you’ve underestimated my methods.”
“True, high-level ghost cultivators pay a price when dealing with the living, but to some extent, this price can be weakened or even avoided.”
“You’ve figured out much, but unfortunately, you still don’t know enough.”
“I know you must have ways to deal with me, but as far as I’m concerned, if I focus solely on avoiding your attacks, you won’t even be able to touch the hem of my clothes…”
However, before Huoxin could finish, her eyes suddenly sharpened instinctively, as if sensing some dangerous presence.
But it was too late—a blinding golden light burst forth from between Luo He’s eyebrows.
The radiance illuminated the modest meditation courtyard, nearly causing Huoxin to lose control of her No Return Ferry mind-image.
“Immortal Source…”
True immortal energy was the perfect counter to malevolent spirits like her.
But where did he get such a thing?
Huoxin was instantly pinned in place by the immense pressure, yet continued thinking frantically.
This Immortal Source only had a stunning effect on her and couldn’t cause actual damage.
After all, her cultivation far surpassed Luo He’s. She would be bound by this energy and unable to move for just an instant before breaking free.
But Huoxin understood clearly that an instant was all Luo He needed.
In that moment when the Immortal Source manifested, Huoxin stood frozen, coldly watching as Luo He quickly closed the distance and thrust his sword at her.
The sword itself passed straight through, causing her no harm.
But she could feel something transferred through that sword, left within her soul.
A heart-piercing sensation, like being burned to ash, emanated from the depths of her soul.
How strange, how marvelous—this was the first time in her hundreds of years as a ghost cultivator that Huoxin had so vividly experienced the concept of “pain.”
It came so suddenly, so fresh, that it shocked Huoxin even more than the Immortal Source.
She clutched her chest where her soul-form resided, slowly backing away. Luo He stopped his pursuit, silently watching her.
Huoxin looked inward at her own soul.
Within her powerfully cultivated and refined soul body, a small flame had appeared from nowhere.
How peculiar—though it burned, using Huoxin’s essential soul power as fuel, what it transmitted was a biting cold.
That cold materialized, and in just a few breaths seemed to crawl throughout her entire body.
Wherever that coldness flowed, she felt her control over that part weaken.
The demonic flame from the Magic Relic, along with its killing energy—so that was it.
This truly was something that could kill her.
Such a cautious person, yet when it came to his own life and death, he showed such stark indifference.
“Hmm, well done, little one.”
“You know, it’s very difficult to make a ghost cultivator, especially one as powerful as me, die a second time.”
“It’s precisely because of our resistance to death that we’re subject to various balancing constraints by the Heavenly Dao.”
“And you, through various coincidences and your own calculations, have genuinely threatened my life.”
“This flame must be born from that magic seed, right? I didn’t expect it would be used on me.”
Huoxin spoke calmly as Luo He watched silently.
The dim, deathly aura of the killing energy had gradually covered her entire body.
“But unfortunately, it’s still not quite enough. It threatens my life, but isn’t sufficient to kill me outright.”
“However, your efforts weren’t in vain. I no longer have the strength to set deadly traps for you and Luo Hongyu.”
“So, I have a special reward for you.”
At that moment, two familiar presences approached from the distant sky.
“Luo He!”
That was Senior Sister Gu’s voice.
They had finally arrived.
Now, Luo Hongyu was charging forward with her sword, rushing toward Huoxin, continuously gathering spiritual energy into a giant sword behind her.
But neither Luo He nor Huoxin spared any attention for that.
They looked at each other, and in this moment, time seemed to slow down. The wind from the sword energy gently blew Luo He’s hair.
Huoxin gave Luo He a beautiful smile full of malice.
“My ghost name is Huoxin, ‘Bewildering Heart,’ because I love exploring those secrets hidden deep within people’s hearts.”
“But do you know what those two people you think you know so well were once thinking about?”
Ding dong.
Luo He seemed to hear the crisp sound of a water droplet falling into still water.
He vaguely realized that Huoxin’s presence suddenly became extremely weak, and an immensely powerful pulling force seemed to hook onto his heart.
An inexplicable constraint fell upon him and the approaching Gu Jing and Luo Hongyu. He felt as if someone was using a brush to gently write characters on his heart.
Then his vision blurred as his five senses were stripped away.
Everything returned to silence.
After the darkness persisted for an unknown time, when Luo He opened his eyes again, he was startled.
In his ears were the calls of unknown birds and beasts.
He smelled the fresh fragrance of grass and flowers.
Before him was a small courtyard with a grape trellis, upon which grew thin, lovely vines.
Beside the yard was a delicate wooden cabin, and further away, on the mountainside, one could faintly see a corner of a magnificent hall.
This was a mountain peak—one he knew intimately, having lived there for decades.
This place was called Zhishui Peak, home to the Tianzhen Sword Sect’s Master Luo Wenshui and his beloved daughter.
“Look, how beautiful everything is here.”
Huoxin’s voice came from somewhere distant in this space, pulling Luo He’s thoughts back.
“Oh, don’t be nervous. This is a dream, a harmless beautiful dream.”
“Both Gu Jing and Luo Hongyu are playing roles they once fantasized about in this dream.”
“As we all know, beautiful dreams are captivating. Right now, their consciousnesses are wandering here, unable to escape on their own.”
“So you must help them, clear-minded little one, who is also the protagonist of this beautiful dream. Luo He, hehe.”
Suddenly, the sound of lively, petite footsteps approached.
Accompanied by a voice both familiar and strange to Luo He:
“Are you Luo He? Hmm… you don’t look anything like Senior Sister Gu.”
He turned around to see a spirited girl in a white dress, holding a wooden sword, raising an eyebrow as she looked at him.
This was Luo Hongyu at six years old.
…