Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 622 - 622 621 The Kill of Consciousness 1

622: Chapter 621: The Kill of Consciousness 1 622: Chapter 621: The Kill of Consciousness 1 The raft entered the grounds of Three Rivers Prefecture, and the trio’s spirits somewhat relaxed; this area was already within the sphere of influence of North An.

Opponents might still appear, but they would not come in droves.

“Senior brother, Fufeng City is up ahead, do you want to go down for a look?” Lan Ting asked with concern.

Their relationship with each other had grown very familiar, and the two women knew that his hometown was in Fufeng City of Three Rivers Prefecture, a place he hadn’t returned to for dozens of years.

“You two sisters are so thoughtful.

You even went out of your way for this.

How much time has it been since I last came back?

Sixty or seventy years?”

Lan Re smiled slightly, “Sixty-seven years!

The last time senior brother you went back was to help with family affairs, and we didn’t get the chance to thank you.

Now the debt has only grown larger, and we don’t know how to repay it…”

Hou Niao said softly, “We don’t need to talk about these things among us, let alone owing a debt.

Hmm, how are things with the family now?

How is Lao Si’s branch developing?

Has the Treasure Gourd I left behind been opened?”

Lan Re pursed her lips and chuckled, “Uncle Wen Si’s line is developing very well; they have now joined the North An branch.

They have a long-lasting potential, but whether your Treasure Gourd has been opened or not, I’m not sure.

I dared not ask; I’m afraid asking would bring a host of troubles.”

As evening approached, the raft intentionally lowered its altitude, preparing to brush past Fufeng City from the air at low altitude; Hou Niao certainly wouldn’t eschew his duties for personal reasons, but the two women still hoped he could take a close look at his hometown.

Who could say for sure if there would still be such an opportunity after reaching Three Rivers Prefecture?

It was getting dark, and lights twinkled in the city.

Although it lacked the brilliance of a large city’s lights, the smattering of lights had a charm of its own.

The three of them stood before the raft’s window, feeling the lights wash over their faces at the deliberately slowed speed, along with the scent of countless mortal lives.

No one could sense that among the numerous lights, there was something that didn’t belong to the mortal world mixed in—it was a very clever Illusion Realm of mirage and fire, submerged within the city lights, seamless and integrated, luring cultivators into it unwittingly and inextricably.

The environment, the atmosphere, the mood, the past, the nostalgia…

All these inner elements formed an Illusion Realm born of one’s own mental barriers, so harmonious and natural that it seemed flawless.

No one could escape because what led them into the illusion was themselves!

The realm is born from the heart, and the scene arises from thoughts; all worries are born from the obsessions within the heart.

Even if you think they have passed, are forgotten, become history, they still exist.

A clever Illusion Realm preys on this principle, seducing people into blissful oblivion.

…Hou Niao never felt anything amiss, believing it to be just a reminiscence of the past, a sentiment stirred by memories—those people, those events, those memories that could never be extinguished.

As countless lights rushed towards him, it was as if they were shards of memories flying at him, compelling him to sink into them.

Slowly, he forgot his identity as a cultivator, the sense of fulfillment that came with a Flying Sword in hand, and his thoughts drifted back to a day decades ago that was deeply etched in his heart.

Only, what repeated in his memory was not what truly happened, but the outcome he was most afraid of deep inside…

His fear had not materialized then, but it had troubled him deeply, and still lay unresolved in his subconscious, leading him step by step into the abyss under the special circumstances and the deliberate guidance of someone with intentions.

In the real events that transpired, he was taken away by Daoist Chong Ling, but what he feared most at the time was being left in Fufeng City after killing someone in court, to be dealt with by the local government.

Just like now, his fear was reflected in the Illusion Realm…

…The time was midday, the sun blazing high, as he dragged his heavy fetters, trudging step by step along the long street; his hands were confined in heavy shackles, and etched in large characters on the Death Token on his back were the words: Criminal Hou Niao!

He had committed a crime, killing a man in court, an unforgivable offense; after his case had been reported up through the ranks, months later, he finally received the verdict, to be executed after autumn.

The time was now after autumn, and each year during this season, a large number of criminals would be sent to their rightful place.

On both sides of the long street were crowds of onlookers, who were always very excited at this time, as if celebrating a festival; whenever a criminal passed by, it would stir up noise in the crowd, whether it was cursing, crying, or just pure venting.

The criminals proceeding before him mostly received curses, rotten eggs, and any other thing at hand that could be thrown; but as he walked by, more often he was met with sympathetic gazes, and had it not been for the soldiers blocking the way, some would have uncontrollably offered him farewell wine to strengthen his courage.

But his heart was dead; what use was it?

Nothing could change the fact that once his head was off, people would eventually forget him and everything he had done for them here.

Without life, nothing had meaning.

No matter how long the long street was, there was an end, and in chains, he was forced down on his knees at the execution ground, lined up alongside a dozen prisoners condemned for heinous crimes.

Some wet themselves in terror, some stood proud and fearless, and others resigned themselves to fate.

He merely felt an unquenchable rage in his heart, cursing the heavens for injustice, cursing his bad luck; killing to pay for murder, repaying debts owed was fair, but he regretted that his promising life would end so abruptly, with no chance of turning around.

At this moment, he finally understood the reason behind his father’s actions.

To live by the law was to be prepared to die by it.

All the noise around him had receded into the distance; now the only thing he could hear was within a small space, only his strongly beating heart could prove he was alive.

He had hoped to take a shortcut on the Daoist Path by wielding his sword, but unexpectedly, he had placed himself into a dead end.

Was this worth it?

Maybe, maybe not!

But upon reflection, at the moment he killed a man in court, he wasn’t purely a man of the law!

He was just an opportunist on the path of cultivation, impure in his motives, with nothing to do with upholding justice!

So, under the Heavenly Dao, today’s first slash was not undeserved.

The hour had passed noon, the cannons boomed, a soldier grabbed the life plate behind a prisoner and called out his name; the executioner behind him raised both hands, a flash of the blade, and a head fell to the ground… followed by cheers from countless onlookers surrounding them.

One by one, blood splattered, permeating the yellow sand; even the courageous Hou Niao could not help but feel a chilling dread rise from his spine in such an atmosphere, feeling the steps of the Grim Reaper growing ever closer.

It was almost over, and he didn’t even have time to properly savor his imperfect life.

At that moment, the executioner standing behind him spoke in a voice so soft only the two of them could hear,

“Criminal Investigator, I am Hei San.

You once saved my life, and today I wish to lend you a hand; after my strike, I will cut only through the ropes and not your neck; when the rope is severed, you run as fast and as far as you can, and don’t look back, remember this!”