Aspiring To The Immortal Path

Three days later, Tang Jie arrived at the Verdant Cloud Domain.

He once more came down to that vast subterranean world. When he saw that the mountain was still the same mountain and the demon valley was still the same demon valley, he sighed in relief.

For some reason, Tang Jie could never relax when it came to Immortal Ji Yao. Every time he came, he felt like Immortal Ji Yao could have run away, even though that had never once happened.

Upon arriving, Tang Jie whistled.

The figure of Ice Phoenix emerged in the distance.

Her beautiful eyes twinkling with an enchanting light, she said, "You've come."

"Yes," Tang Jie answered. "I have some more questions concerning cultivation that I must trouble Senior with."

Ice Phoenix nodded. "Mm. But Master entered meditation a few days ago and might not wake up for a while. You may have to wait a few days."

"It's fine," Tang Jie replied.

This sort of thing happened frequently. Whenever Tang Jie came to the Verdant Cloud Domain, he would linger for a few days, and Ice Phoenix would keep him company.

Those were the happiest periods for Ice Phoenix. Being together with Tang Jie, with no one else in their world, was exactly like they were a married couple.

Of course, Tang Jie didn't know what Ice Phoenix was thinking. He treated Ice Phoenix like a little sister, and he treated these days of waiting as an opportunity to exchange pointers regarding cultivation. The large difference in cultivation meant that Tang Jie spent most of his time instructing Ice Phoenix.

He didn't know that this simple sibling relationship had been magnified into a romantic relationship between Immortals in Ice Phoenix's mind, so he didn't have his guard up.

Thus, for the next few days, Tang Jie took up residence in one of the buildings here, spending his days meditating and cultivating.

Ice Phoenix knew that he was preparing for his decisive battle with the Jewel Immortal Sovereign, so she didn't casually disturb him. But whenever Tang Jie stopped meditating, she would promptly appear and deliver fruits and snacks. Among them were valuable natural treasures that Ice Phoenix had traveled far to gather, and some were even the resources that Shentu Yuan and the others had gathered to help Ice Phoenix in her charge at Violet Palace.

While Tang Jie didn't pay attention to these small tokens of affection at first, he gradually realized that there was a problem.

Tang Jie concluded his day's meditation.

As he let out a turbid breath, the door creaked open.

Ice Phoenix entered with a bowl of fruits. "Big Brother Tang, you're awake? Your little sister just got these two Redtear Fruits a few days ago and hasn't finished them yet, so I brought them with me so that Big Brother can taste them with me."

Tang Jie saw the fiery-red fruits in the bowl and casually replied, "Redtear Fruits grow in the south, and they are said to have been created from some lovesick girl who was so heartbroken that she cried day and night, the tears congealing into the fruit. They are said to be so delicious that to eat them is to experience the most wondrous romance in the world, and they are a divine substance when it comes to spurring affection. It requires an extremely lovesick girl to fail to achieve her love and to weep so much that she starts to cry tears of blood, weeping and weeping until she dies. Only then can the fruit mature, a Redtear for a life! Little Sister can get your hands on such a fruit so easily?"

Ice Phoenix nodded. "Big Brother, you misunderstand. Your little sister didn't force anyone to create these Redtear Fruits. It was Shentu and the others who bought them for me. Master says that since I cultivate the Jade Lady Iceheart Mantra, this item can serve to temper my will. Other people regard it as only a delicacy, but for me, it can assist in my cultivation. Shentu and the others learned of this and went to get it for me."

"If that's the case, then Little Sister can eat this affection-spurring fruit. There's no need to give it to me."

Ice Phoenix's face fell. "While this fruit can spur affection, that's only to mortals. Could it possibly work on a Deification cultivator like Big Brother? I'm giving it to you simply because if people of opposite sexes consume it together, the fire of passion will be even more intense, so it will be an even greater trial to me and allow me to make more progress. I didn't think Big Brother would treat me like this…"

Her voice faded and began to gain a sobbing tone.

Tang Jie was rendered speechless.

Ice Phoenix inwardly rejoiced when she saw this. She was using the Redtear Fruits precisely so that she had a better reason to draw in Tang Jie. In the end, she was rather shy and was unable to get herself to speak directly, so she had come up with this idea.

Seeing that Tang Jie was saying nothing, Ice Phoenix went up and offered one of the Redtear Fruits. "Eat, Big Brother."

Tang Jie abruptly sighed. "Senior, is this the reason you're faking meditation?"

Ice Phoenix trembled.

A sigh traveled through the air. "In the end, you still managed to guess it, Tang Jie."

It was Immortal Ji Yao.

It turned out she hadn't been meditating at all.

"Tang Jie came here to seek instruction from Senior on his battle with Jewel. If Senior is not willing to offer your instruction, then Tang Jie will leave."

"Ah, forget it. Ask your questions."

Ignoring Ice Phoenix, Tang Jie began to ask his questions, and Immortal Ji Yao answered.

The question-answer session went by very quickly.

It wasn't long before Tang Jie was done with all his questions.

After digesting Immortal Ji Yao's words, Tang Jie rose and said, "Senior, thank you for your instruction. Tang Jie's confusions have been cleared away, so I must hurry back to prepare for my battle with Jewel and won't intrude on you any longer."

He walked around Ice Phoenix and moved toward the door.

Ice Phoenix dumbly stared at Tang Jie, momentarily at a loss for what to do.

Immortal Ji Yao's solemn voice rang out in her ear: "Silly girl, are you still thinking to miss out on this last chance? Muster up your courage!"

"But, Master…" Ice Phoenix muttered.

She could already feel a strong sense of estrangement from Tang Jie. Was there any point in coming forward at this time, just to confirm her defeat?

"There are no 'but's! If there's even the slightest sliver of hope, you can't give up!" Immortal Ji Yao's voice turned harsh. "Do what you want to do, and then even if you fail, you'll feel no resentment or remorse!"

These words, infused with a demonic tone, stabbed into Ice Phoenix's mind, and her body trembled as her eyes gleamed.

She muttered, "Yes, I can't give up like this!"

She turned around and shouted, "Tang Jie!"

Tang Jie turned to face Ice Phoenix.

His expression was grave.

"Tang Jie, I have something to say to you," Ice Phoenix shouted, gathering up her courage.

Tang Jie coldly looked at her. "You're sure? I hope that you consider it carefully first. Some words can't be taken back once said."

Ice Phoenix shivered, but she had been taught by Immortal Ji Yao for hundreds of years, and at that moment, her master's orders overcame all.

She shouted, "Yes, I've thought it over carefully! Tang Jie, I want to tell you that I like you and want to be your woman!"

She spoke loudly and with great energy.

But her great volume was just a cover for her extreme lack of confidence.

Tang Jie did nothing.

He calmly looked at Ice Phoenix. "Are you done?"

Ice Phoenix was dumbstruck. "I… I'm done."

She had imagined the reaction to her confession in countless ways: gleeful acceptance, tactful rejection, harsh rebuke. She had imagined so many possibilities, but not this one.

Tang Jie just looked at her and said, "Since you're done, I'm leaving."

He turned around.

"Tang Jie!" Ice Phoenix shouted, tears in her eyes.

She asked in a trembling voice, "Tang Jie, is this your position?"

Tang Jie looked back at her and shook his head. "In truth, you knew this was my position from the start. So why did you still have to do it?"

Ice Phoenix staggered back as if she had been struck by lightning. "I… I just didn't… want to give up."

Tang Jie sighed. "If you know that you can't get it, wouldn't it be better to give up on it earlier? As cultivators, we have long lives, and our ambitions are set on the Immortal path. Why should we trouble ourselves with the relationships between men and women? I will treat this matter as a joke, so let's put it aside."

'Put it aside'?

These words resounded in Ice Phoenix's mind.

Although she knew that her failure was certain, Ice Phoenix still had an unspeakable bitterness in her heart.

Tang Jie inwardly sighed. He also knew that he had hurt Ice Phoenix, but this was the best method he could think of that wouldn't provoke Ice Phoenix. If he showed a little hesitation, Ice Phoenix would never let him be, and if he harshly refused, she would be hurt even more. In the end, Tang Jie could only choose this. Although some emotional damage was unavoidable, at least her dignity could remain intact.

As her face darkened, Tang Jie slowly backed away.

It was best to leave her alone right now.

But what he didn't know was that Immortal Ji Yao's voice was once more ringing out in Ice Phoenix's mind: "Don't let him leave! You have to keep him here! Even if it's by force!"

"I can't let him leave," Ice Phoenix woodenly repeated.

These words served as a boost of energy, making up for the strength she had lost from Tang Jie's refusal.

Her eyes shining with a dazzling light, she muttered, "Right, I can't let you leave! Tang Jie, you stay right there! No matter what, I can't let you leave!"

She lunged forward, countless threads shooting out from her raised hands.

These were the Emotion Threads of her Jade Lady Iceheart Mantra.

Ice Phoenix cultivated an emotion-severing art, but the threads of emotion that were severed were not thrown away. Instead, they were stored deep inside, and they were now all being unleashed at Tang Jie.

Although Tang Jie didn't know what they were, he felt like they were very dangerous.

He didn't know the nature of this danger, but he was still angered by its existence, grunting, "Ice Phoenix, you're going too far!"

Boom! A shockwave radiated out from Tang Jie.

The Emotion Threads were pushed back before they could get close, sent back into Ice Phoenix's body. With them was a powerful blast of energy that sent Ice Phoenix flying.

The small building crumbled, and Ice Phoenix screamed as she was blasted away.

Tang Jie realized that he had struck back out of instinct and might have used too much power.

Although Ice Phoenix was at Soul Transformation, against this sort of attack from Tang Jie, a serious injury was unavoidable.

He was going to go over and see if she was okay, but then he considered that if he came forward now, Ice Phoenix would once more be unable to let go.

While she was heavily injured, she wasn't dead, so she could heal through her own abilities.

So he stopped and icily said, "I'm only permitting this once. If you try this again, I will sever our brother-sister relationship."

As Ice Phoenix had attacked him, Tang Jie spoke more harshly than ever before.

He turned and left.

Seeing Tang Jie show no consideration for her injuries shattered Ice Phoenix's heart.

"Tang Jie, you're really something else!"

She howled.

At that moment, all of her humiliation, suffering, and heartache erupted. All of the time she had spent protecting this underground world for Tang Jie, all of her attempts to earn his favor, her bold confession that had taken all her courage—what had she received in return for it? This brutal humiliation, being heavily injured and abandoned without another look.

Tang Jie, just what lets you treat me this way? What lets you disregard my affections? Why can Xu Miaoran have you? This world has been unjust to me!

All of these resentful thoughts gathered in her heart, and all the while, Immortal Ji Yao continued to whisper in her ear. Finally, Ice Phoenix's heart was filled with negative emotions like anger, envy, hatred, and sorrow.

Crack! Something deep down in her heart broke.

A black energy began to rapidly spread from her heart, quickly infecting her entire body, some of it even boiling out from her and coiling around her like black wisps of smoke.

Demonic energy rushed in from all sides, engulfing Ice Phoenix's body.

This time, she didn't reject it, instead crazily absorbing this demonic energy.

As this demonic energy surged in, her face began to change.

Her skin became as white as snow, but her eyes turned crimson, and a pair of massive black wings grew from her back.

"Awoooo!!!" Ice Phoenix let out a howl of anger and pain. "The world of humans is heartless, so I will become a demon! Tang Jie, you forced me to do this! One day, I will make you pay for what you did today!"