Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1096: A verdict

~5 minute read · 1,157 words
Previously on Dual Cultivation God Returns...
Hong Xinyi learned more about Wu Long's past and his reuniting with Ye Ling, Wu Mengqi, and Liang Yuhan. She became enraged upon hearing about the ritual involving Hong Ye and Hong Yue but was reassured when Wu Long explained he had rescued them and dealt with the perpetrators. Wu Long then revealed Hong Ye had become his woman and confessed he was still working on making Hong Yue his as well, much to Hong Xinyi's surprise. Later, Hong Xinyi inquired if Wu Long thought he could reunite with people from his past life, like Old Brother, and he promised to find a way if one existed.

After a brief pause, Wu Long resumed narrating his journey, finally reaching the events that transpired after Hong Xinyi plummeted from the Spatial Rift wormhole. He concluded his account by saying, "...so that's all I know about Fairy Xun."

He considered inquiring about her fate but decided to grant her a moment to absorb the information he had shared.

Though Hong Xinyi was aware her cultivation had plummeted to the Mortal Transcendence Realm, hearing Wu Long confirm this, and understanding it was a permanent state rather than a temporary setback, affected her profoundly, especially while her mind was already reeling from other overwhelming emotions and thoughts she had been partly ignoring.

Yet, her recovery from these revelations was remarkably swift, mirroring Wu Long's own rapid adjustment upon awakening as a youth in the Body Transformation Realm.

The only detail not fully reconciled was the reappearance of her midnight blue hair, a consequence of her diminished cultivation. She mused over this, idly twirling a strand of her long braid while seated on Wu Long's lap, his gaze fixed on her attentively. He noticed when she set aside these deeper contemplations, at least for the moment, unwilling or unable to fully process them.

Her attention then drifted to the silver clasps securing her braids. It was evident that their most crucial components were missing, leaving only the base pieces attached to her hair. The same was true for the accessory on her other braid.

"I suppose it’s a blessing in disguise that all my possessions are gone," she sighed, shifting her focus to the loss of her belongings. "I wouldn't be able to use them with my current cultivation level anyway, not for a long time to come... not to mention they would pose a serious hazard if they materialized in the Boundless Profound World. Still, finding replacements for these will be a hassle..."

"Not entirely," he chuckled, raising the end of her other braid and examining the remnants of the Spiritual Treasure he recognized well. "As I mentioned, I now lead a Sect, and we have Forging Dao Masters. While their skills might not meet your current standards, we can craft something with similar functionality. Retractable blades are the simplest task. Embedding spatial rings for throwing knives and needles is also feasible. As for the rest... we'll achieve it with time and further effort."

"Thank you," she replied with a grin, acknowledging that she couldn't afford to be overly discerning about her equipment given her circumstances. She was already grateful for the prospect of obtaining custom-made items from scratch.

"So..." Wu Long observed that she had finished processing the implications of his words and finally posed his question, "...this time, it's your turn to answer the same question. What happened?"

A shift occurred in her eyes, and she spoke with a voice laced with cold, potent killing intent, "I intended to strike down that treacherous, ungrateful scoundrel who falsely calls himself your Disciple. I was going to gut him like the pig he is."

"You went after Jun Shaoshan?" His eyes widened, a torrent of emotions – surprise at her audacity, shock at her failure and severe injuries, and intense fury mixed with a darker, more powerful murderous intent – flashed within him at the thought of his former Disciple daring to inflict such harm upon Hong Xinyi.

"Of course, I did... that slimy, despicable wretch. Did you hear his words regarding Lust Cultivation, the very path you worked tirelessly to eradicate? And he spoke those words while invoking your name!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with rage. "He betrayed you and tarnished your esteemed title!"

"Heh, more than you realize," Wu Long responded with a dark laugh. He hadn't even disclosed to her that Jun Shaoshan was responsible for revealing his location during his Heavenly Tribulation preparation. He added with a grin, "But I suppose you are far more reckless than I initially believed. To pursue him for such a reason, especially in your compromised state... you should have remained hidden and kept a low profile for much longer."

"As if I would let that scumbag escape after all that," she retorted haughtily, puffing out her lips in a pout.

His gaze softened with amusement as he chuckled. However, the intensity in his eyes returned as he grew serious once more, "That being said, for you to have ended up in such a condition... he has indeed become significantly more powerful than before..."

"He did, but that's not precisely why I failed," she clarified, a flicker of confusion in her eyes as she recounted the morning's events. Her voice grew uncertain. "I nearly succeeded with a surprise ambush, but an unknown man intercepted my blade with his bare hand... or rather, two fingers. He didn't seem to employ any techniques or exert any effort whatsoever, as if no strength was required at all. He materialized as if from thin air, with no trace of presence or warning, just as my strike was about to land... I've never encountered anything like it."

Wu Long's eyes widened. Even at the peak of his power, blocking a full-powered blow from Hong Xinyi would have demanded considerable effort, and he certainly couldn't have achieved it with such apparent ease. "Was it a trap?"

Perhaps a meticulously arranged formation or other preparations could obscure one's presence from Hong Xinyi, potentially even presenting an illusion. Still, it seemed a long shot, especially against her.

"No," she replied, shaking her head. "That scumbag who calls himself your Disciple was caught completely off guard as well. He nearly soiled himself... maybe he actually did, I don't know~"

She ended with a shrug, but for a fleeting moment, a satisfied smile graced her lips as she recalled the sheer terror on Jun Shaoshan's face, facing imminent death from an unexpected strike.

Her expression and tone shifted back to somberness as she continued, "But he seemed to know the man who stopped me. After that, the latter did nothing at all. Instead, I had to fight that scumbag – a fight I couldn't win and was even overwhelmed. When I attempted to retreat, more people arrived. From that point onward, I was pursued and hunted for several hours."

His jaws clenched upon hearing the latter part. Recognizing the glint of the God of Slaughter in his eyes, she smiled and gently caressed his cheek. "Now that I'm here, I'm glad it happened. Otherwise, who knows if and when I would've been able to see you again..."

The look in his eyes softened, and he leaned in to kiss her, a kiss she eagerly received and returned.

However, this did not alter the verdict already delivered in his mind, sealing the fate of every single individual who had participated in that chase and hunt against Hong Xinyi.