Bitter Realm: Have the Four Realms been united today?

Chapter 9 The Calamity, the Voice in My Mind

The Soul Burial Emperor turned his gaze to Yue Tianji, his crimson eyes filled with confusion.

"This technique is far too insidious; why would the strategist choose to use it to test us?"

If one only wants to observe the boy's character, the blood-drawing technique is sufficient.

Yue Tianji slowly rose, his posture composed.

"Thank you, Soul Emperor, for not exposing my true nature in front of that young man."

"My intention in proposing to take blood was not to test his character."

At this point, he glanced at Mu Yunzhishu with a seemingly casual look.

The latter's expression froze instantly, and he quietly took half a step back, hiding behind Ling Shuangjie's figure.

"I took the opportunity of taking his pulse to examine him again, but I still could not detect even the slightest trace of power within his body."

"The suggestion to use bloodletting was also intended to force them to reveal the truth."

"However, I did not expect that Xuanming knew nothing about cultivation, and later even offered to hand over the blood of origin that is crucial to a cultivator's achievement."

"Left with no other choice, I had to use the blood refining technique to put the boy's life in danger in order to force out the power within him."

Upon hearing this, the Soul Burial Emperor frowned slightly, his face showing worry: "Was the strategist injured by that power?"

He leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable forcefulness.

"Come here, let me heal your wounds."

Yue Tianji lowered his head again, his posture still respectful.

"I am unharmed. It is the fault of the Heavenly Observer that has caused the Soul Emperor such worry!"

"Is your action, sir, intended to deepen that young man's guilt towards the Soul Emperor?" Mu Yunzhishu spoke up at the opportune moment.

"I was not hindered by any force when I cast the spell," Yue Tianji explained calmly to everyone.

"I observed that he firmly believed that the Soul Emperor was 'injured' because of him, and his guilt was evident in his words."

"I went along with it, pretending to be injured to deepen his guilt."

"This move, even if it cannot immediately force them to reveal the source of their power, will at least make it difficult for them to be wary of us in the short term, so that we can investigate further."

The Soul Burial Emperor nodded slightly, a thoughtful glint in his crimson eyes: "Strategist, how much truth and how much falsehood do you think that young man spoke?"

Yue Tianji's gaze was deep. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "This boy is simple and honest, grateful and repaying kindness. He is not a scheming person."

Several attempts to probe him yielded no results, and his behavior remained normal. It now appears that he truly does not know the origin of his power, nor is he knowledgeable about cultivation, which aligns with his stated background and origins without any discrepancy.

He changed the subject, bowed and said, "Soul Emperor, I will consider other ways to investigate this matter concerning the young man."

"The Battle Hall and the Demon Cave are no longer a concern. The Huang Army will soon advance into the north. I will go and deal with this matter first."

"Hmm." The Soul Burial Emperor nodded, his gaze sweeping to his left and right.

"On the day of Ling Shuang, Ce Shu, you should go back too."

"Yes, Soul Emperor! This subordinate takes his leave!"

Ling Shuangjie and Mu Yunzhishu responded in unison, bowed, and then turned and left the council hall.

Outside the hall, under the corridor, Mu Yunzhi watched Yue Tianji's calm and composed white figure heading straight for the study, and a strange feeling rose in her heart that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"There are still many things about that young man that we don't understand. Why didn't you ask him further earlier?"

"Enough! Perhaps I'm overthinking it, or perhaps you feel that the northward march of the Huang army is more important right now."

He shook his head, suppressing his doubts, and turned to leave.

Inside the side room, the candlelight flickered, casting Xuanming's shadow on the cold, desolate floor.

He sat alone at the table, holding a plain white teacup in his left hand, the water in the cup rippling slightly.

He stared intently at the shimmering water in the cup, carefully moving the plain white teacup in front of his face, trying to piece together a complete picture.

The cup opening is too small, resulting in a fragmented view; each movement only allows you to capture unfamiliar details.

Pale skin.

Pale lips.

A pair of distant and bewildered eyes.

Is this face... his?

It seems so, yet it also seems not.

"Hehehehe!"

A low laugh came from behind, and Xuanming immediately looked as if he had encountered some danger, his eyes filled with fear.

Strangely, there was no one else in the room besides the boy.

Don't you think you're ridiculous?

"I've lived for seventeen years, yet I don't even know what I look like. I'm like a rat hiding in a gutter."

"Shut up, I'm not!"

"Heh, do I need to remind you, Li..."

"Shut up!" Xuanming suddenly growled as if he had heard some terrifying words, and he covered his ears with both hands, looking pained.

"Academician Li must have had the worst luck in his life to run into such an ingrate! Why wasn't it you he stabbed back then?"

"Just give them money! Will you die from going hungry? You might want to die, but you're dragging Academician Li into this!"

The sharp, familiar curse did not come from the outside world, but exploded from the depths of his mind.

Each sound, each word, was like a poisoned ice pick, piercing his most painful nerves.

"It's all your fault! If Academician Li were still here..."

"Get out! You ingrate! Just being in the same air as you makes me sick!"

"Hey! Let him go! This is bullying! If you don't let go, I'll call the teacher... Are you alright?"

"Oh, it's you. What bad luck! If I'd known it was you, you ungrateful wretch, I wouldn't have bothered with you. This is how Academician Li was killed."

Why don't you just die?

"A jinx! Anyone who gets close to you will be cursed!"

"You scourge! You ungrateful wretch! Die! How dare you still live!"

The sounds grew louder and more frequent, eventually merging into a torrent that nearly overwhelmed his reason.

His vision began to blur, and a chilling sense of despair spread from his limbs and bones, binding him tightly.

Just then, that deep and seductive voice rang out again, drowning out all the noise and clearly penetrating Xuanming's ears.

"Do you see that lamp?"

His gaze involuntarily drifted to the table, and through the gaps in the lampshade's pattern, landed on the flickering flame.

"Smash it!"

"Once you knock it over, all the suffering will end."

"You will no longer bring disaster to anyone, and no one will call you an ingrate anymore!"

An irresistible impulse drove Xuanming.

He slowly released his hands from his ears, and his right hand, as if drawn by an invisible thread, trembled as it reached out towards the warm yet deadly light source.

At the same time, a faint, almost imperceptible glow seemed to appear on his forehead.

His aura became extremely unstable.

An invisible, restless heat permeated the air.

"Yes, that's the candle. If you knock it over, you'll gain eternal peace."

Xuanming pulled the lampshade away, revealing the rapidly flickering flames inside.

Xuanming's fingertips drew closer and closer to the leaping flames.

The intense heat had turned his index finger red, but he seemed oblivious to the pain and continued to approach the flames.