Ch 133: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

The moment Ling Zhi turned his focus on Zhou Yunxuan, she felt paralyzed, like a fish on a chopping board with nowhere to run. She knew Ling Zhi’s nature—he was an utterly selfish madman who cared for no one. Even as his disciple, if she didn’t speak the truth, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her in the next second.

With no choice, Zhou Yunxuan revealed the Fate-Swapping Ritual that Ling Zhi had perfected in her past life. She then feigned dizziness, intending to retreat upstairs to escape the suffocating fear she felt.

Ling Zhi mulled over the details of the ritual and frowned. “You used this to swap fates? This technique is flawed.”

“What?” Zhou Yunxuan was momentarily stunned before grabbing Ling Zhi’s sleeve in disbelief. “You’re saying this ritual is flawed? That’s impossible! What’s the flaw?”

Ling Zhi raised his hand and flung her aside, displeased with her disrespectful behavior. “If you can’t learn to respect your master, I don’t mind teaching you how to.”

Zhou Yunxuan quickly bowed her head. “I’m sorry, Master. I was too anxious.”

With a cold snort, Ling Zhi explained, “This ritual—you completed it yourself? It does work to swap fates, but both parties will inherit each other’s calamities, and the difficulties will be amplified.”

Zhou Yunxuan’s mind raced. Since her rebirth, she had expected smooth sailing with her newfound fortune. Yet, even before the Xie family began draining her luck, she had faced suspicions of bullying Shen Yunxuan, damaging her reputation. Later, the Xie family imprisoned her, planning to replace her with another woman. Reflecting on her past life, she remembered meeting Shen Yunxuan one year after her marriage, confirming it was Shen Yunxuan herself. But in this life, she had been thrown into the basement less than a year after marrying into the family.

She had indeed inherited Shen Yunxuan’s calamities—amplified.

If she had known that both their fates carried significant disasters and that the ritual would magnify them, she never would have gone through with it. A surge of panic filled her. In her past life, Shen Yunxuan had suffered terribly, meaning unknown calamities still lay ahead. She deeply regretted her decision once again.

But then she thought of something else. “Shen Yunxuan’s life seems perfectly smooth. Her cultivation, reputation, status, and network are all improving. There’s nothing bad about her situation. Could you have made a mistake?”

“You’re questioning me?” Ling Zhi glared at her coldly. “Last time, when my two foolish senior brothers hunted her down, they nearly razed Idle Cloud Temple to the ground. Was that not a calamity? She said that if not for everyone praying for her, she would’ve died on that mountain. I believe her.”

“But she also gained incredible opportunities. Who else could reach foundation establishment so quickly? Forget quickly—there hasn’t been a single foundation establishment in years. Otherwise, you wouldn’t still be stuck at the peak of Qi Refining!” Zhou Yunxuan blurted, her jealousy seeping through. She didn’t want to hear Ling Zhi defend Shen Yunxuan, but her words inadvertently triggered his suspicion.

Ling Zhi narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. “How do you know I’m at the peak of Qi Refining? And how are you so familiar with matters of the metaphysics world? Where did you learn all this?”

“I… I was born with Yin-Yang eyes. It’s different from others—”

“I asked where you learned this!” Ling Zhi stepped closer, his voice carrying an oppressive force.

Zhou Yunxuan gritted her teeth and replied, “Xie Hengchen told me. He knows Xuan Qing and Xuan Yang, but I don’t know where he learned about you.”

Ling Zhi didn’t believe her. Xuan Qing wished he didn’t exist, and Xuan Yang kept his presence hidden from outsiders. If anyone knew his cultivation level, it could only be former disciples of the Xuantian Sect or members of SAD. Either way, Zhou Yunxuan’s private contact with such people could only mean betrayal.

Suddenly, Ling Zhi grabbed Zhou Yunxuan by the neck. “You’re planning to kill the donkey after the millstone, huh? First, you had me take care of the Xie family for you, and now you’re conspiring with others to get rid of me. That way, all the benefits go to you, while you stay clean and uninvolved. I really underestimated you.”

Zhou Yunxuan’s eyes widened in terror. “No… I didn’t… I swear…”

She never expected Ling Zhi to suspect her of collusion. While she did plan to eliminate him eventually, it wasn’t now. She hadn’t achieved her ideal life yet, and having a cultivator as her weapon was far too advantageous to lose. Why would she target him now?

But how could she explain herself? Should she confess that she was reborn?

Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind. “It’s Shen… Yun… Xuan!”

Ling Zhi threw her to the ground. “Explain!”

“Cough, cough…” Zhou Yunxuan lay on the ground, coughing violently. After a long moment, she looked up, trembling with fear. “Before joining the show, I apologized to Shen Yunxuan and begged her to tell my fortune. She told me all of this. She said I would meet a benefactor who would save me. I didn’t understand at the time. Later, when I ran into you on the road, I remembered her words and decided to save you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have helped a stranger. I swear I didn’t conspire with anyone to harm you. If I’m lying, may lightning strike me and condemn me to eternal suffering!”

Ling Zhi stared at her for a long moment and finally believed her. He had previously calculated that Zhou Yunxuan would assist him and knew she had sought out Shen Yunxuan. Her pale expression after meeting Shen Yunxuan had caught his attention. Moreover, as someone who had sworn herself as his disciple and was now partially part of the metaphysics world, her oath carried weight. If she dared swear such a thing, it was likely true.

Ling Zhi continued his questioning, “What else did Shen Yunxuan say?”

Zhou Yunxuan remained silent, causing Ling Zhi to demand harshly, “Do you want to experience the brink of death again?”

Terrified, Zhou Yunxuan shuddered and quickly said, “She didn’t say anything about you! She only mocked me, saying that the fate I stole was exactly the one she didn’t want. She said her original fate prevented her from cultivating, but she unexpectedly obtained a technique for rapid cultivation. After acquiring my fate, she was finally able to cultivate, which is why she advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage so quickly. As for my previous fears about my Yin-Yang eyes, she said she didn’t care at all—her cultivation technique was powerful enough to ignore such things.”

“What cultivation technique?” Ling Zhi pressed.

“I don’t know! She told me I was incapable of cultivation, that I would never be part of the Taoist sects in this life. She said all of this just to torment me, to take revenge on me for swapping our fates without her consent…”

“A rapid cultivation technique?” Ling Zhi grew more and more convinced. Spiritual energy was scarce, and the entire metaphysics community struggled with cultivation. He himself had resorted to countless unorthodox methods to reach the peak of Qi Refining. So how had Shen Yunxuan reached Foundation Establishment in just a few months? She must have obtained an incredible opportunity!

Ling Zhi abruptly turned and left—he had to obtain that technique. There was no way he would let such a treasure slip away.

After he was gone, Zhou Yunxuan’s terrified expression vanished. She got up, sneered, and scoffed. She had killed Ling Zhi in her past life, and she could do it again in this one. She had planned to keep him around for a while longer, but if he was this volatile and posed a threat to her safety, she would simply use Shen Yunxuan to get rid of him.

In fact, she should thank Ling Zhi for giving her such a great idea.

Ling Zhi was formidable, deeply versed in dark arts, and possessed a Hundred Ghost Banner, filled with vengeful spirits. If he could seriously injure Shen Yunxuan, wouldn’t that finally rid her of her jealousy and resentment?

They both swapped fates, so why was Shen Yunxuan thriving while she suffered? Didn’t the Fate-Swapping Ritual have flaws that doubled disasters? Then she would personally send Shen Yunxuan a catastrophe. If she was miserable, then Shen Yunxuan should suffer too.

Meanwhile, Shen Yunxuan was refining the immense faith energy she had received. The dating show’s rising popularity and its constant high-profile incidents meant more and more people were watching. As more people placed their faith in her, she accumulated a vast amount of faith energy. These days, aside from recording the show, she focused entirely on cultivation—she hadn’t even had time to stream.

With her growing cultivation, her perception abilities had also heightened. As she meditated, a sudden sense of danger surged through her. She immediately accelerated her cultivation, refining all of the belief energy she had gathered. At last, she advanced to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment!

Shen Yunxuan ended her session, took a deep breath, and smiled. After a quick calculation, she realized that her previous good deeds had offset her bad karma, but now that her accumulated merit had been used up, misfortune was returning. This was her tribulation.

Already prepared, she picked up her phone and immediately donated 30 million yuan to charity. Then, she sent a message in her fan group:

【Ran into a little trouble. Hoping for everyone’s blessings! [Kitten bowing emoji]】

The moment she sent the message, a brocade box on her table suddenly fell to the floor, revealing the wooden comb inside.

Shen Yunxuan’s face darkened. That comb was the artifact where Xianglan’s spirit resided for centuries. If it had fallen on its own, something must have happened to Xianglan!

She rushed out the door and sought out Idle Wanderer, asking about Xianglan’s whereabouts.

The Daoist said, “Fang Qianqian mentioned that Idle Cloud Temple has started construction on your residence today, so Xianglan went to oversee it.”

Idle Cloud Temple.

Once completed, the temple’s new layout would form a protective formation, but it was still under construction and completely unguarded.

Shen Yunxuan’s heart pounded. This attack was meant for her! Since she was staying at SAD, no one could directly harm her—so they had gone after Xianglan instead.

Xianglan was suffering an undeserved calamity, all because of her. If anything happened to Xianglan, she wouldn’t forgive herself.

Idle Wanderer couldn’t help, so he immediately informed Mao Ximing. For safety, Mao Ximing invited his master, Taoist Bai He, to accompany them to Idle Cloud Temple.

By the time Shen Yunxuan arrived at Idle Cloud Temple, she saw Ling Zhi restraining Xianglan with a Spirit-Binding Rope, preparing to attack the unconscious Fang Qianqian.

“Stop! You’re after me—let them go!” Shen Yunxuan shouted fiercely, sending a powerful palm strike his way.

Ling Zhi dodged quickly and laughed like a madman. “You really are powerful—you sensed danger this fast? Is this the great fortune you received?”

Shen Yunxuan frowned. “What fortune? Any Foundation Establishment cultivator can sense danger. Didn’t your master teach you that?”

Ling Zhi’s face twisted in rage. “Don’t mention that worthless ‘master’! What kind of master was he? He never truly taught me anything. Why would he tell me that?” His expression darkened before shifting into a sneer. “No, wait—you almost fooled me. Xuan Qing and Xuan Yang never had such keen perception. If they did, how could you have so easily taken them down?”

He narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. “They’ve been in the Foundation Establishment stage for years, yet you, who just recently reached it, have already surpassed them. Clearly, you not only have a unique cultivation technique—you have many other secrets as well.

I came here for the right reason after all!”

Shen Yunxuan could see the greed in his eyes. After hearing his words, she instantly understood.

“You’ve been deceived, haven’t you?”

Ling Zhi laughed. “Are you trying to say that Zhou Yunxuan tricked me? Hahaha, you two are hilarious. She set a trap for you, and you set a trap for her. No wonder you both succeeded in swapping fates. You know, the Fate-Swapping Ritual only has a 10% success rate—you two were just a breath away from dying together.”

Shen Yunxuan felt a chill run down her spine. She had barely managed to survive and be reborn, and if the ritual had failed, she would have died because of Zhou Yunxuan. That woman was insane. She provoked Ling Zhi, couldn’t handle him, and then threw her into the fire.

But this wasn’t the first time Zhou Yunxuan had done such a thing. She hadn’t changed at all.

Ling Zhi smirked. “If she tricked me, I should actually thank her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have discovered your secret. Maybe she doesn’t know how you cultivate so quickly, but I’m sure of one thing—you’ve obtained some kind of hidden technique. Just like me—if I hadn’t found my own secret method and gained my own fortune, how could I have surpassed my two senior brothers?”

He tightened the Spirit-Binding Rope, watching Xianglan’s pained expression with amusement. “Shen Yunxuan, this is your disciple, isn’t it? If you don’t want her soul to be destroyed, hand over your cultivation technique and all your secrets.”

Xianglan was in excruciating pain, like her very soul was being torn apart, but she still managed to stammer, “Go… go… don’t… worry about me…”

Ling Zhi snorted and yanked the rope even tighter, making Xianglan scream in agony.

At the same time, Shen Yunxuan threw a Thunderburst Talisman at Ling Zhi and charged forward like a sword, aiming straight for the Spirit-Binding Rope.

Sensing the danger, Ling Zhi instantly retreated toward the back mountain. The Thunderburst Talisman exploded, tearing through his flesh and collapsing the half-built temple framework. Shen Yunxuan pressed forward relentlessly and finally, as she reached the back mountain, she slashed through the Spirit-Binding Rope. She then grabbed Xianglan and swiftly dodged Ling Zhi’s counterattack.

Ling Zhi’s face darkened. “You actually risked your life, willing to get hurt, just to save her?”

Shen Yunxuan had no other way. To ensure she could rescue Xianglan before Ling Zhi killed her, she had used herself as a weapon. By channeling her Foundation Establishment power, she destroyed the Spirit-Binding Rope—but in the process, she was also injured. Still, she had succeeded in saving Xianglan.

She placed Xianglan into a Soul-Nurturing Jade and stored it in her pendant. “Someone as selfish as you could never understand human emotions. You want to know my secret to fast cultivation? Fine, I’ll tell you. The reason I can cultivate so quickly is because I have emotions. Everything I give is from the heart. You lack that. That’s why you’ll never reach Foundation Establishment in this life.”

Ling Zhi’s expression turned ice-cold. He immediately pulled out a magical artifact and lunged at Shen Yunxuan.

As she counterattacked, she suddenly realized she had been tricked—Ling Zhi had used this as a distraction while he activated the Hundred Ghost Banner, transforming the entire area into a Ghost Domain!

By the time Mao Ximing and Daoist Bai He arrived, they saw the entire Idle Cloud Temple and the back mountain enveloped in a Ghost Domain.

Mao Ximing panicked. “Master, what do we do? Why is something like this appearing now?”

Daoist Bai He’s expression was grave. “Report to Minister Zhou immediately and request additional reinforcements. We also need to contact Elder Chengying—he and his wife are the only ones who have fought against the Hundred Ghost Banner before.”

Mao Ximing clenched his teeth. “I’ll try to reach them! The Elder won’t refuse to help me!”

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned. Elder Chengying and his wife were likely in seclusion. No matter how many calls Mao Ximing made, how many messages he sent, or how many metaphysical transmission methods he used—he received no response.

The situation was dire.

Thankfully, Minister Zhou responded quickly, deploying all available personnel from SAD. The police were also called in, and Idle Cloud Temple and the back mountain were sealed off once again, prohibiting any unauthorized entry.

Meanwhile, Shen Yunxuan’s fan groups, which numbered in the hundreds, had all received her last message asking for blessings. Many had asked what was wrong, but when no further updates came, people started getting worried.

They called out to her repeatedly, but there was no response. Some began praying in silence, while others rushed to Idle Cloud Temple—only to find that, just like last time, the temple had been destroyed, the back mountain was sealed off by police, and Shen Yunxuan was missing once again.

Coincidentally, Aunt Li was live streaming at the time. Someone left a comment asking about Shen Yunxuan. Aunt Li, who was mid-broadcast, immediately called someone, only to go pale before hurriedly ending the stream.

This reaction confirmed to everyone that something had happened to Shen Yunxuan.

No one knew what was going on, but the only thing they could do was pray. The situation quickly became a trending topic.

As always, some skeptics doubted the authenticity of the situation.

[This has to be fake. Who goes missing TWICE in the same place under the same circumstances? Do they think we’re idiots? At least change the script.]

[What kind of new scam is this? Is she emotionally manipulating her fans? Otherwise, what could possibly be the point of this?]

[It’s obviously for clout. Look, she’s trending #1 again, even beating real news stories. Can we stop reporting on this? Whether she’s alive or dead, what does it have to do with us?]

[Exactly. She’s just a fraud pretending to be a spiritual master. This whole thing is turning into a cult.]

But of course, her supporters fought back. There was no need for arguments—they simply listed all the cases Shen Yunxuan had predicted with pinpoint accuracy, attaching official police announcements as proof.

As more people read through the evidence, skeptics gradually began to understand the full context. Many started believing that Shen Yunxuan was truly gifted.

With that realization, a new theory emerged.

[Last time she disappeared, it looked like she was undergoing a tribulation. Did she succeed back then? And now… is she facing another tribulation?]

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆

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