Jin Yun Falls, The Man Whose Name Alone Brings Despair
Jin Yun Falls, The Man Whose Name Alone Brings Despair
727 Xian’er’s Scheme: Let the Snipe and Clam Fight While the Fisherman Profits — Please Subscribe
Ancient trees stood lush and verdant, mountain peaks towering majestically.
Mist coiled everywhere, nebula-like clouds drifting through the air.
Numerous vines sprawled like vicious serpents across the mountain slopes, spreading over a vast expanse.
They cast down countless dark shadows.
In the distance, exotic beasts from ancient eras let out hissing roars.
In the silent night, these sounds were all the more distinct, startling the birds, beasts, venomous snakes, and insects nearby into scattering in every direction.
The terrain here was remarkably open. According to geographical records, this was a place where spiritual qi had accumulated.
Over these countless years, it had nurtured something extraordinary.
Jin Yun, the ancient freak of Purple Cloud Valley, was currently leading numerous followers, standing atop a mountain.
Stars hung low over the vast plains, the moon surged along the great river’s flow — within the tranquility lurked a few traces of danger.
His pupils seemed forged of gold, glittering and dazzling, with runes flickering one after another within his eyes, exuding a terrifying aura that made hearts palpitate.
It had to be said, he was indeed very powerful. Just this abyss-deep, ocean-vast aura alone was enough to intimidate many of the younger generation.
In the era when he had emerged, the name Jin Yun suppressed the entire world — no one of his generation could rival him.
Later, due to his sect’s judgment that he could see no hope of becoming immortal in that era, they sealed him within divine source, to await emergence in the current age.
Jin Yun had rarely taken action, and seldom displayed his true strength before the world.
But the likes of the King of Six Crowns Jun Yao and the Phoenix Lady did not dare underestimate him, believing he would be a great threat.
“This faint trace of purple mist... so this is pill qi. What kind of Immortal Pill could it be, to have existed since ancient times? Merely being sealed here caused this entire basin to evolve into a blessed land.”
Jin Yun murmured to himself, his gaze brilliant, staring fixedly at the basin ahead. Then his figure transformed into a divine rainbow and descended toward it.
The reason he chose to act at night was his sense that the pill qi here would become even more obvious during the day.
That intensely dense purple mist would only grow clearer — eventually, any Cultivator would notice the purple aura soaring skyward from this place.
Of course, there was another reason: to avoid prolonged delays breeding complications, and to prevent others from beating him to the prize.
“Daren, shall we wait for you here?”
Jin Yun’s figure descended from the mountaintop, striding across the broad plain, tree shadows swaying all around him.
The several experts behind him could not help but speak up, having no intention of following Jin Yun deeper inside.
In a land of fortuitous opportunity like this, as followers, their best course was to guard the outside, preventing anyone else from entering.
Hearing this, Jin Yun nodded. “Then wait for me here. I’ll retrieve what’s inside and come out.”
He was very confident, holding great assurance in his own strength, and did not believe there was any danger here.
Moreover, within this entire cave-dwelling estate, he was the first to discover the abnormality of this place.
Soon, Jin Yun’s figure vanished ahead, stepping into the depths of the basin.
It was evident that long ago, this place had been a complex of palaces and halls. There were still many broken walls and ruins, old trees and shattered towers, all steeped in the vicissitudes of ages. Around the plaza, collapsed pillars could be seen, carved with strange runes.
Vines intertwined, crawling over the pillars and walls, with broken tiles scattered everywhere.
Relying on his golden pupils, Jin Yun quickly determined the source of the pill qi and headed toward a certain collapsed hall.
He sensed that it was an alchemy chamber — perhaps the place where this estate’s original owner had refined pills.
Jin Yun’s followers all remained where they were.
“It seems he really has gone inside. He’s even chosen a fitting burial ground for himself.”
Meanwhile, not far from Jin Yun’s current position...
A faint, indistinct figure seemed fused with heaven and earth itself, walking forward unhurriedly. The many Cultivators standing guard nearby did not detect his presence or aura in the slightest.
It was Lan Yifei, Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance, his expression calm and serene — yet at this moment he resembled a reaper come to harvest lives.
He was absolutely certain of Jin Yun’s whereabouts, because from the very beginning, he had left his own mark upon Jin Yun.
Though an ancient freak, in his eyes Jin Yun was merely prey.
Fortunately, the one Jin Yun faced was not Gu Changge — otherwise his despair would run even deeper.
With such thoughts, Lan Yifei’s pace was neither hurried nor slow as he headed straight for the ruins ahead, intending to take Jin Yun’s Source there.
He understood Gu Changge’s plan. By now, nearly every orthodoxy in the Beyond was targeting Gu Changge, framing him as the true Successor of Demonic Arts.
Lan Yifei, who knew the truth, was actually quite speechless about it all. He couldn’t tell whether it was sheer coincidence or some design of the Will of Heaven that made everything align so perfectly.
Of course, Gu Changge would certainly never admit to it.
That was why he had ordered Lan Yifei to come here and take the Sources of those Young Prodigies — to create the appearance of the true Successor of Demonic Arts actively revealing himself and provoking the various orthodoxies.
After all, at this very moment, Gu Changge was still within the Absolute Yin Heaven, seeking a way to break the deadlock for all living beings under heaven.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Young Prodigies were falling victim to the Successor of Demonic Arts. In this way, wouldn’t the rumor that Gu Changge was the Successor of Demonic Arts collapse on its own?
Everything calculated without a single flaw, all held within his grasp, everyone reduced to his chess pieces... it truly sent chills down one’s spine.
Lan Yifei shook his head gently, his gaze calm. He had already sensed Jin Yun’s aura and was closing in fast.
Why did this feel like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?
And at that moment, even Lan Yifei completely failed to notice...
In another direction among these ruins, a young woman, cold and ethereal as an immortal, was watching his figure with some astonishment — seemingly not expecting that besides herself, someone else had come to this place.
The girl’s figure was slender, dressed in a flowing immortal gown with wide sleeves. Her face was lustrous and delicate, her features breathtakingly beautiful, her gaze cold and proud, wreathed in a chill that warned strangers to keep their distance.
Though not yet fully grown, she already possessed the kind of beauty that could topple kingdoms.
“Silly Xianer, it’s obvious this guy has ill intentions toward the one who went in first.”
The Big Red Bird on the girl’s shoulder gave her a sidelong glance, its beak emitting a childish, girlish voice, quite disdainful.
“Why do I feel like I’ve seen this guy before? When was that...?”
The girl was none other than Gu Xianer, who after leaving Peach Village had been coaxed all the way here by the Big Red Bird.
Her delicate brows furrowed. Her figure concealed in the shadows, she made not the slightest sound. She found Lan Yifei very familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
But for the moment she couldn’t recall, so she temporarily set the doubt aside and quietly followed behind.
In truth, she had been here for quite some time already — arriving even a bit earlier than Jin Yun.
But not long after she arrived, Jin Yun showed up, and Gu Xianer instinctively found a place to hide, planning to watch how things unfolded.
Her current strength was actually quite formidable; she simply rarely contended with her peers.
So she wasn’t afraid of Jin Yun, nor of Lan Yifei who arrived afterward, detecting her aura.
Speaking of which, Gu Xianer herself was rather depressed about this — she couldn’t find anyone to fight her to verify her own strength.
Among the younger generation of the Beyond, scarcely anyone didn’t know her identity. Who would dare fight her?
Never mind the younger generation — even the older generation, and even some ancient existences, had heard of her affairs and knew that Gu Changge doted on her immensely.
The last person who dared covet Gu Xianer was the successor of the Purple Mansion.
Unfortunately, afterward, along with the immortal orthodoxy behind him, he was annihilated by Gu Changge’s forces, erased from history ever since.
The matter shook the entire Beyond, stirring up monstrous waves at the time.
Even earlier, the ancient Sea King Palace clan, for offending Gu Xianer, had its seas sealed for hundreds of thousands of years.
From then on, all of the younger generation, upon learning Gu Xianer’s identity, retreated without exception.
Back at the True Immortal Academy, there had been many suitors who showed admiration for her.
Unfortunately, they were all frightened off later. Even when they happened to see her, they didn’t dare take a second look, terrified of inviting calamity upon themselves.
Although Gu Xianer hated trouble, now she couldn’t even find a single opponent — which truly left her depressed and helpless.
All of this was Gu Changge’s fault. His might was too terrifying, leaving no one daring to provoke her, Xianer.
“Forget it. Let’s just see what these two are up to, being all sneaky and mysterious.”
Gu Xianer carefully concealed her aura, following behind Lan Yifei into the ruins ahead, planning to join the excitement and see whether she could play the fisherman profiting from the snipe and clam’s fight.
From the Big Red Bird’s mouth, she had learned that this place very likely hid an Immortal Pill from ancient times.
Though she didn’t know what kind of Immortal Pill it was, anything connected to the word “immortal” couldn’t be simple.
However, before Gu Xianer had gone too deep inside, the expression on her small face changed slightly. Her whole body seemed to break out in goosebumps, a bone-chilling sensation washing over her.
“Could this be...”
Her expression instantly grew grave. Beneath her sleeves, several small artifacts glimmered with hazy light, ready to be summoned at any moment.
“Don’t act rashly. Stay put for now — those two haven’t noticed you yet.”
At this moment, the Big Red Bird on her shoulder also tensed up.
Its childish voice carried a few traces of nervousness.
“Could this person be the true Successor of Demonic Arts?”
“If I just capture him, wouldn’t that clear that guy Gu Changge’s name?”
Gu Xianer nodded, her expression returning to calm as she murmured to herself, many plans flashing through her mind. Then, heeding the Big Red Bird’s words, she decided to watch and wait, hiding in the shadows.
“Lan Yifei... that low-key Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance.”
“It seems the identity you’ve been hiding is far from simple.”
At that moment, deep within the ruins, Jin Yun — who had been searching for the alchemy chamber — suddenly blazed with light in his golden pupils, fixing his stare on Lan Yifei as he slowly materialized behind him, and spoke coldly.
He was no fool; naturally he could sense the strange aura now emanating from Lan Yifei.
It made his heart palpitate with unease, as though his entire being was being suppressed...
# 728 Jin Yun Falls, The Man Whose Name Alone Brings Despair — Please Subscribe
Who was Jin Yun? In his era, he had suppressed everyone of the younger generation; none was his match.
So in the very first instant, he sensed the unusual aura coming from Lan Yifei.
Before this, Lan Yifei had never drawn his attention.
In his view, this Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance was merely a low-key Young Prodigy, gentle and easygoing before others, with considerable attainments in the musical arts.
But Jin Yun never imagined he would encounter Lan Yifei under circumstances like today’s.
The other party had clearly been following him for a long time, concealing his aura all along, only revealing himself now.
As for his purpose — one hardly needed to think to guess it.
“Greetings, Daoxiong Jin Yun.”
Lan Yifei’s expression was indifferent, his blue robes fluttering gently in the moonlight. His refined, scholarly face carried a trace of transcendence, appearing utterly natural.
He paid no heed to Jin Yun’s wary, shocked expression, his whole being exuding an otherworldly detachment.
As if he had come here merely to do some trivial, insignificant task.
“It seems all of us underestimated you. You are the one hiding deepest of all. No wonder you kept such a low profile.”
Jin Yun was no ordinary man either. He quickly suppressed the palpitations in his heart and spoke coldly.
As an ancient freak of Purple Valley, he naturally had a Dao Protector at his side. But now, that Quasi-Emperor-level protector had not made the slightest sound.
This made his heart sink involuntarily, sensing that today he was likely doomed.
Never mind finding that alchemy chamber — even escaping this cave-dwelling alive had become a luxury.
Lan Yifei paid no mind to Jin Yun’s words, merely saying softly, “Daoxiong Jin Yun, if you would...”
“Don’t take offense—I had no choice in the matter.”
Jin Yun’s brows furrowed, somewhat puzzled by what Lan Yifei meant by those words, which seemed to carry a few traces of helplessness and frustration.
But at this moment, he had no time to think it over. He merely said coldly, “If you want to take my Source, then by all means, come and try.”
Lan Yifei nodded slightly and said, “Fellow Daoist Jin Yun, you are no match for me. You’d best not make any pointless resistance. Why not simply hand over your Source? Perhaps you could at least leave yourself an intact corpse.”
He spoke very calmly, as if he were merely stating some trivial matter.
But to Jin Yun’s ears, these words were nothing short of humiliation, and his expression turned unsightly to the extreme.
“Enough nonsense. I’d like to see just what capabilities you, the Successor of Demonic Arts, actually have.”
He let out a low shout, and brilliant golden light suddenly burst forth from his golden pupils, taking the form of two divine swords that rang with metallic clangs, capable of slaying all things.
Two cross-shaped Dao swords, as if condensed from rules and order itself, contained peerless sharpness that caused the void to collapse directly.
Any ordinary Young Prodigy facing this move would absolutely turn pale with shock, unable to withstand it.
But Lan Yifei was no ordinary man. His expression remained composed as his sleeves spread open, hazy clear light spreading out, a great momentum of heaven and earth descending, as if the creation of the world was evolving around him, separating chaos itself.
An endless, nearly inexhaustible supply of magic power emerged, suppressing the Nine Heavens above and plunging down to the Yellow Springs below, reaching everywhere without limit.
As the possessor of the True Dao Source Physique, this extremely mysterious constitution displayed unimaginable mighty power at this moment.
This terrifying might made Jin Yun’s expression change, forcing him to resort to other means to fight back. He guessed that Lan Yifei himself possessed some kind of fearsome physique.
But what unsettled him most was that Lan Yifei had yet to use anything related to the Taboo Demonic Arts. He knew how terrifying those arts were—otherwise they wouldn’t be feared by every orthodoxy and power in the Beyond. Even now, merely speaking of them made people’s faces change.
Soon, the two began battling deep within these ruins, their figures flickering, swift as wind and thunder, nearly impossible to track, as if they had merged into the void itself.
The place became a blur, light and shadow interweaving, runes flickering in and out of sight.
The violent fluctuations seemed as if they would overturn heaven and earth, flipping everything upside down.
Jin Yun in particular—his entire body seemed about to ignite, every strand of him gleaming gold as if cast from pure gold.
A golden Dao domain evolved countless rules, sinking and floating around him, continuously expanding and surging forward.
Lan Yifei had long been prepared for this. He spoke indifferently, “Don’t bother trying to attract anyone’s attention. I have completely sealed off this place. Tonight, no one can save you. Nor can you let the fluctuations of this place leak out.”
Hearing these words, Jin Yun’s heart sank once more, but his wealth of life-and-death experience told him he could not afford the slightest carelessness now.
Even without using the Taboo Demonic Arts, Lan Yifei was an extremely terrifying enemy, far beyond what any ordinary Young Prodigy could compare to.
Golden light burned like a scorching sun, heavy and majestic, with thousands upon thousands of golden rays like swords and sabers slicing through the air, slaying all things and directly collapsing the void.
His entire being seemed to transform into a great golden sun, the aura of utmost yang and utmost rigidity filling heaven and earth, capable of suppressing all evil demons.
This was the forbidden secret art of Purple Valley—even those of the older generation might not be able to perform it.
Yet at his age, Jin Yun wielded it with perfect mastery, even able to turn the rules of utmost yang and rigidity into a golden ocean of order here, with millions of strands of rules surging, about to weave into a golden divine net.
Lan Yifei remained utterly transcendent, his robes fluttering, the great momentum of heaven and earth descending with every gesture, Dao and technique united, connected with heaven and earth, suppressing and killing forward like a banished immortal descending to the mortal world. Every move contained indescribable Dao charm, his magic power nearly inexhaustible.
All kinds of extremely terrifying forbidden killing arts and ancient heavenly techniques evolved in his hands, separating yin and yang, capable of splitting open heaven and earth.
Though the two were merely of the younger generation, the fluctuations of their battle were enough to make the scalps of all older-generation experts tingle and tremble without end.
All manner of world-shaking, epoch-dazzling ultimate techniques evolved here, splitting the universe, breaking the cosmos.
Had Lan Yifei not prepared in advance and sealed off everything in the surroundings, the aura and fluctuations here would absolutely have spread far and wide.
A golden pagoda, seemingly condensed from the primordial essence of the universe, emerged above Jin Yun’s head, radiating dazzling golden light as it smashed toward Lan Yifei.
But Lan Yifei’s assault remained fierce. He flicked his finger, evolving a giant bell that rang out with a dong, sending ripples that knocked back the pagoda in the sky.
After the two had exchanged several hundred moves, Jin Yun finally could hold out no longer. He spat out a mouthful of blood, severely wounded.
Utterly unwilling to accept it, his hair disheveled, golden blood seeped from his body.
“So this is your strength...”
Jin Yun stared at Lan Yifei in the distance, his golden pupils nearly splitting apart, practically roaring, filled with unwillingness.
He had never imagined that Lan Yifei would defeat him without even using the Taboo Demonic Arts. They were at the same cultivation realm, yet he was no match for the man.
At this moment, he even felt the invincible Dao Heart he had always held firm cracking apart with a kacha.
Lan Yifei’s aura had only shifted slightly; he was not wounded like Jin Yun.
He stood calmly in the distance, looking at Jin Yun with tranquility. “I already told you, Fellow Daoist Jin Yun—you are no match for me. Why insist on struggling so bitterly?”
At this moment, Jin Yun seemed to have figured everything out. His face was filled with a miserable smile. “I never thought that after living into this era, abandoning my old friends, abandoning my former beloved, abandoning my kin and my shifu, I would still end in such a crushing defeat, unable to achieve the Dao and become an immortal, failing their expectations.”
“If time could start over, I would want to return to the ancient past, back to the era that belonged to me, accompanying my friends and beloved. Even if I became a handful of dust, never to reach the peak again, never to find the Celestial Path... I would accept it willingly.”
He had been incomparably proud. Before this, he had never believed anyone of the younger generation besides Gu Changge could be his match.
Even the likes of the King of Six Crowns, Jun Er, and the Sky Emperor’s daughter—he held none of them in his eyes.
But who would have thought that such a low-profile Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance would possess such terrifying strength?
And this was without him even using the Taboo Demonic Arts.
Jin Yun smiled miserably, his face ashen, all will to fight gone.
Though he still had quite a few life-saving treasures, in his view there was no longer any need to bring them out.
He had not only lost—he had lost completely, without any leeway or chance.
Hearing these words, Lan Yifei fell silent. He knew this was the sign of Jin Yun’s Dao Heart shattering—the invincible Dao Heart he had always held had collapsed.
In truth, in his view, these were thoughts that many of the ancient freaks sealed away until now would come to have.
They had thought that upon reviving in this golden age, they could stand at the peak, walk toward the immortal Dao, achieve supreme realms, and sweep across heaven and earth invincible.
But who knew this brilliant golden age would be even crueler?
Prodigies were like ants and weeds, merely chess pieces or leeks for certain people, harvested at will.
Was Jin Yun not strong?
In his era, he had been a king among peers, unrivaled under heaven, admired and feared by countless people.
“If not for circumstances beyond my control, I truly would have liked to share tea and discuss the Dao with you, Fellow Daoist—how carefree and unrestrained that would have been.”
Thinking of his own situation, the corners of Lan Yifei’s mouth couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile and a trace of melancholy.
“What do you mean by that?”
Jin Yun froze. He had assumed Lan Yifei would come take his Source at this moment, but unexpectedly, Lan Yifei also wore a look of helpless melancholy, as if harboring many unspeakable difficulties—as if none of this had been his own will.
He seemed to have some kind of hidden suffering.
Lan Yifei looked at Jin Yun, his expression gradually calming. “I am merely a fish. No matter how I struggle, I cannot escape my predetermined course. Flowers bloom and fall; water flows on as ever.”
He dared not say more. Because of certain circumstances, he could not reveal anything about Gu Changge.
At this point, in Lan Yifei’s eyes, Jin Yun was already a dead man.
Saying a little more didn’t really matter.
Hearing these words, Jin Yun felt his head explode with a hong, as if struck by something. He stood frozen in place, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.
A terrifying chill rushed straight to the crown of his head. Even he couldn’t help but shudder, his hair standing on end.
He was no fool—naturally he could understand the meaning behind Lan Yifei’s words.
Lan Yifei was saying that he too was merely being controlled by someone, that everything he did was not his own will, that he had no choice.
But who was Lan Yifei?
The Chosen One of the Immortal Dao Alliance, an immortal orthodoxy—someone who could one day inherit the Immortal Dao Alliance, stand at the very peak of the Beyond, and control the life and death of billions of domains and endless living beings.
With such a status, who could use him, control him?
Jin Yun dared not think deeper. He only felt his whole body turn cold. The waters of the Beyond ran far deeper than he had ever imagined—unfathomable.
“Who is the real Successor of Demonic Arts?” he couldn’t help asking Lan Yifei, his tone urgent.
But Lan Yifei only shook his head gently and sighed. “He is someone... whose name alone would drive you to despair.”
He could not reveal too much, nor was there any need to.
“Could it be... him?”
Jin Yun’s eyes suddenly went wide. A figure flashed through his mind like lightning, filling him with terror to the extreme.
His very soul felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, nearly suffocating him.
The next moment, a black light flew out from beneath Lan Yifei’s sleeve, like the seed of some plant, instantly piercing through Jin Yun’s abdomen, penetrating skin and organs, finally taking root in his Spiritual Sea.
He didn’t even have time to scream. His entire being seemed to wither, all his strength devoured completely.
“The timing is just about right.”
Lan Yifei had been calculating the time all along. Seeing this, he gently closed his eyes, as if unable to bear it.
Although earlier he had obtained half of the Taboo Demonic Arts from Su Qingge and had tried cultivating it, only by experiencing it firsthand could one understand the terror of this forbidden art.
If not for having no choice, he would not have been willing to do this.
Before long, the black light rooted inside Jin Yun’s body flew back beneath Lan Yifei’s sleeve, falling silent and still.
He sighed softly, intending to turn and leave this place.
But then, as if thinking of something, Lan Yifei glanced up at the heavenly palace above, his brow slightly furrowed.
“From beginning to end, Jin Yun’s Dao Protector never appeared. It seems I worried too much. Since he had planned all this long ago, everything was already within his calculations.”
Thinking this, his heart felt even more powerless.
Even without him, Changge likely had other arrangements and plans.
“You need only focus on doing your own part. The gongzi arranged everything long ago.”
A figure dressed in black, hidden within the darkness, suddenly appeared beside Lan Yifei, his tone indifferent and calm, seemingly devoid of any emotion.
Without a doubt, this was a True Daoist—and it was he who had just dealt with Jin Yun’s Dao Protector.
Hearing this, a bitter smile appeared at the corners of Lan Yifei’s mouth. He said no more, and quickly vanished from this place along with the black-clothed figure.
He understood that even if he had done nothing, Jin Yun would likely have died miserably here tonight anyway—or perhaps some other Young Prodigy would have.
Even without being present, Gu Changge could still control everything, manipulate everything.
Not long after Lan Yifei left this place, Gu Xianer, who had been hiding somewhere in the shadows using a special artifact to conceal her aura, finally walked out in extreme shock, as if unable to believe what had just happened before her eyes.
“Da Hong, what... what exactly did I just witness?” she couldn’t help murmuring to the big red bird beside her, as if talking to herself.