258: Turning point

The Heavenly Flame Forbidden Land, located in the extreme west of the Buddhist Domain, was shrouded in a layer of karmic fire all year round, devoid of any signs of life, like a swan song in the Buddhist realm.

Suddenly, a shooting star streaked across the sky, and Wang Chen and Yu Xiyan arrived one after the other above the Heavenly Flame Forbidden Land.

"Is this the Forbidden Ground that Seals the Ghost Buddha?"

"Indeed. It is truly laughable that monastics would have such severe punishments."

After finishing, Wang Chen reminded Yu Xiyan, "I have already told you the method to break through the Heavenly Dao rainbow Qi. Once Revered Master comes out of seclusion, everything in the Buddhist Domain will belong to..."

Before he could finish, Yu Xiyan interrupted him directly, "I am not interested in anything in the Buddhist Domain. I only want to know where Bai Xinian is. If the person you brought me to find is not her, you should know what the consequences will be."

Wang Chen replied, "Please rest assured, Empress. In the entire Buddhist Domain, there is only one person from outside the realm; it must be the one you are looking for."

Yu Xiyan was silent for a long moment, then raised her hand and manifested the Sato Pestle.

Accompanied by a flash of the Blood Linglong on her forehead, the Sato Pestle emitted an extremely blinding Buddhist light.

The Buddhist light illuminated Yu Xiyan for a moment, and her pupils, originally filled with resentment, suddenly became extremely clear.

"What... am I doing?"

In an instant, countless memory fragments flashed through her mind, swirling rapidly like a revolving lantern.

Finally, it fixed on a scene in a seaside village, during the season when the begonia flowers bloomed, the moment she met Shen Zhao again.

"Shen Zhao, it has been a long time."

Yu Xiyan, having let go of imperial power and wealth and wanting only to teach and educate, happened to meet Shen Zhao, who was traveling through the Tianwu Continent for the last time before his Ascension.

"Ha."

The two, entangled for nine lifetimes, set aside their prejudices for the first time and spoke honestly to each other.

Shen Zhao rubbed his nose and asked, "It's been ten years. How are you doing now?"

Yu Xiyan smiled faintly, "As you can see, I am no longer the Yintian Empress, nor am I some lovestruck fool who can't live without you. After experiencing so much, I have finally realized that everything I pursued was merely due to obsession. All I wanted to pursue was a sense of tranquility. Unfortunately, I went further and further down the wrong path, harming too many people, even my own kin."

At this point, Yu Xiyan smiled freely, "However, now that I have let go of everything, I realize that pursuing this tranquility is actually so easy. These children are willing to come to the Begonia Courtyard where I live to listen to me teach, and I feel an unprecedented peace from them."

As she spoke, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her face full of intoxication.

Shen Zhao nodded, "Seeing that you are doing well, I am relieved. Being able to meet you again this time can be considered fulfilling my last wish."

Yu Xiyan asked, "Are you leaving now?"

Shen Zhao pointed to the sky, "I have an agreement with an old drunkard in the Heavenly Domain. In a while, I will go to the Upper Realm."

Yu Xiyan said, "Then congratulations. You are about to achieve Ascension and become a saint, attaining immortality."

When she said this, her expression remained calm. But her hanging arm and the knuckles of her palm were twitching slightly.

"Immortality? If you get slashed in the head, you'll still die."

Shen Zhao replied with a smile, then said seriously, "Xiyan, the grievances and entanglements between us should be wiped clean, right?"

Yu Xiyan smiled softly, "Yes, they were wiped clean long ago. Actually, I have never hated you. If I must blame someone, I can only blame my own stupidity. If it weren't for me, this situation wouldn't have happened. For the rest of my life, I will atone for everything I have done in my past and present lives. I also wish you happiness."

Shen Zhao nodded, "Seeing you like this now, I am relieved. By the way, Yun Ying asked me to pass this on to you."

As he spoke, he took out the bright phoenix splendor.

"Yun Ying said, if I have the chance to meet you again, I should thank you. It was you who saved the billions of lives in the Southern Domain."

But Yu Xiyan did not reach for the sword, "I was merely trying to suffer less torment of conscience, so I did what I could to help. I am no savior. Besides, my cultivation is completely destroyed, and this sword is filled with painful memories for me. Better not."

Unexpectedly, as soon as these words were spoken, Shen Zhao's expression changed slightly, but he quickly covered it up and stuck the bright phoenix splendor into the ground, "It is just an abandoned sword that has been cleansed. You can just keep it as a memento."

After finishing, he looked at the begonia flowers drifting in the distance, "Did you plant all of these?"

Yu Xiyan followed Shen Zhao's gaze, "Yes, I don't know when it started, but I began to love the feeling of begonia flowers blooming and drifting all over the sky."

Shen Zhao smiled faintly, then said to Yu Xiyan, "It is getting late, and I should be going. Take care."

After saying this, Shen Zhao was about to leave.

"Shen Zhao!"

Suddenly, Yu Xiyan called out to him.

Shen Zhao stopped and looked back, "Is there anything else?"

"You... we..."

Yu Xiyan stammered for a moment, then finally gathered the courage to ask, "Can we be friends? The most ordinary kind."

Shen Zhao raised his hand and replied, "Of course."

Hearing the reply, Yu Xiyan couldn't help but clench her jade hand.

"Can we meet again in the future?"

"Haha, I'm afraid that's difficult, unless you can go to the Heavenly Domain. However, as long as you consider me a friend, then we are friends. I'm off."

After saying this, Shen Zhao leaped up, turned into a streak of light, and disappeared into the horizon.

Once Shen Zhao left, Yu Xiyan sighed softly, glanced at the bright phoenix splendor, and turned back to the school...

"That was me after I had turned over a new leaf. At that time, I had truly let go and decided to spend the rest of my life in Begonia Village. But why..."

Seeing this scene in her memory, Yu Xiyan's eyes gradually filled with confusion.

The next moment, the memory fragments pieced together, returning to the past again.

That night, the sounds of killing were endless, and all the villagers of Begonia Village were slaughtered by evil cultivators.

When Yu Xiyan regained consciousness, she found herself kneeling in the center of the corpses, her hands stained with blood.

Raising her eyes again, everything before her was blood-red. The once warm and peaceful Begonia Village had now become a mass grave.

The blood on the bright phoenix splendor sword dripped onto the ground, drop by drop.

"No, it wasn't me..."

At this moment, Yu Xiyan collapsed. Had she actually killed these villagers she lived with day and night with her own hands?

But why, why was this memory blank?

Suddenly, she thought of the side effects of the Lost Dream Heart Sutra; using it too many times would make one irritable and cause memory gaps.

At this moment, Yu Xiyan was desperate. She immediately grabbed the bright phoenix splendor and slashed it across her own neck.

"At that time, had I actually died? Then why am I still alive?"

Yu Xiyan blankly recalled the situation that day, and suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her head.

"No, I must have missed something. There must be..."

Seeing that Yu Xiyan was taking a long time to act, Wang Chen couldn't help but anxiously urge, "Empress, what are you doing? Hurry up and strike!"

"Get lost!"

Yu Xiyan roared directly, sending Wang Chen flying backward, spitting blood on the spot.

Afterward, she clutched her head, turned around, and flew off into the distance.