Chapter 730: The Ascension Realm Bought With Your Life, I Don't Want It

“A while ago, when Gui Ning and I were healing you, we discovered a Dao Pill in your body that had condensed all of your Dao fortune. Inscribed upon it was the entire scripture of the *Great Dream of Yellow Millet*.”

“It was only then that I realized what you were doing.”

“If I’m not mistaken, ever since you began your cultivation journey in this life, you’ve been trying to use your own body as a Pill Furnace, refining this Dao Pill day and night.”

“On your wedding day, you knew Jing Ci would come. You also anticipated that she would strike you. By having Jing Ci kill the one she loved with her own hands, you ensured there would be nothing left to hinder her from reaching the Ascension Realm.”

“And as you lay dying, the very first thing you did was use the River of Time to protect the Dao Pill inside you, all while having it constantly radiate its Dao essence.”

“You wanted us to find the Dao Pill in your corpse. You intended for Jun Meng to consume it. That way, the Dao Pill, which carries your own Great Dao, would fuse with her. The *Great Dream of Yellow Millet* inscribed upon it would also nourish her body. Even without subsequent dual cultivation with you, it wouldn’t be impossible for her to reach the Ascension Realm.”

“Am I right?”

“That’s right…” Xiao Mo gave a faint, resigned smile. “If I had died this time, it might have been for the best.”

“Sigh…” Daoist Yun Xi sighed heavily, her gaze falling on Xiao Mo’s face, heavy with concern. “But Xiao Mo, what if you had actually died? Have you ever considered that even then, Jun Meng might not have consumed that Dao Pill?”

“…” Xiao Mo lowered his head, silent.

“Do you have any idea how Jun Meng felt after she learned about the Dao Pill inside you?” Daoist Yun Xi gazed out the window, a look of pity in her eyes. “Jun Meng was sitting right here at the time. She just sat numbly by your bed, staring at you without moving a muscle…”

“I could even feel that if we hadn’t been able to save you, Jun Meng… she probably would have…” Daoist Yun Xi shook her head, trailing off.

But Xiao Mo knew what Daoist Yun Xi had left unsaid.

“I’ve said what needed to be said. I have to make a trip to the Human Alliance. I’ll be gone for about half a year. Xiao Mo, focus on your recovery.” As she finished speaking, Daoist Yun Xi stood and slowly walked out of the room.

“Xiao Mo, you’re always like this…”

After Daoist Yun Xi left, Xiao Mo, alone in the room, found Jun Meng’s words from that day echoing endlessly in his mind.

‘I know…’ Xiao Mo murmured to himself, gazing out the window. ‘But Daoist Yun Xi… how much time do the two of them really have…?’

…

「A month passed quietly.」

Over the past month, Liu Shui had diligently tended to Xiao Mo’s daily needs.

With Daoist Yun Xi away, Gui Junmeng’s skill in Alchemy was the highest in the Seeking Immortal Temple. As a result, she had to spend most of her time in the alchemy hall, refining healing Elixirs for Xiao Mo.

But aside from Alchemy, Gui Junmeng would also often brew his medicinal soups and sponge him down.

However, ever since Gui Junmeng had run off angrily that day, Xiao Mo sensed that Jun Meng was trying to avoid him.

Whenever he tried to say something to her, Jun Meng’s face would turn red, and she would quickly walk out, seemingly afraid to hear even a single word from him.

If there was no escape, Jun Meng would simply cover her ears, blocking out all sound. She would just blink her beautiful, fox-like eyes at Xiao Mo, as if to say, ‘I’m not listening, I’m not listening.’

Only when Xiao Mo fell silent would she finally lower her hands.

Watching her act this way, Xiao Mo felt rather helpless, not knowing what to do.

「Soon, another month had passed.」

The great war between the Human Race and the Demon Race gradually lost its earlier intensity. The Demon Alliance had clearly slowed its offensive.

According to intelligence gathered by the Human Alliance, this was apparently because Tushan was in the process of setting up some kind of Grand Array.

There was no confirmed information regarding the purpose of this Grand Array.

What was certain, however, was that Tushan was pouring immense quantities of Spirit Stones and Heavenly and Earthly Treasures into its construction—it was a project built with the full might of Tushan!

Four months had passed since Xiao Mo had woken up.

Xiao Mo was now able to get out of bed and move around a bit.

But he was still a long way from being well enough to return to the front lines.

To fully recover from his injuries would likely take another five or six years.

One day, after brewing his medicinal soup, Gui Junmeng entered Xiao Mo’s room as usual.

As she watched, Xiao Mo downed the bitter concoction in one go.

Gui Junmeng picked up the empty bowl and turned to leave.

But today, Xiao Mo wasn’t going to let her slip away again.

“Jun Meng, there’s something I need to talk to you about.” Xiao Mo reached out and gently took Gui Junmeng by the wrist, his tone gentle yet firm.

“I… I still have things to do. I… I should go… We can… we can talk later…” Gui Junmeng’s voice was laced with nervousness and anxiety, as if she were desperate to leave the room that very instant.

Gui Junmeng struggled, trying to pull her hand free from his grasp.

But a moment later, Xiao Mo’s grip only tightened. He had no intention of letting go.

“It’s alright. It’s just a few words. It’ll be over quickly and won’t keep you long,” Xiao Mo said gently.

“Can… can I choose not to listen…?” Gui Junmeng asked, her head bowed. Her trembling, fox-like eyes held a plea and a heart-wrenching vulnerability.

“I think… you should listen,” Xiao Mo replied, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

With a slight tug, he pulled Gui Junmeng down to sit beside him.

But by then, Gui Junmeng had already used her Spiritual Power to seal her hearing, refusing to listen to a single sound.

Xiao Mo and Jun Meng had practiced dual cultivation for so long, and with their wedding ceremony all but complete, their Daos had nearly merged into one. Naturally, he could clearly sense that Jun Meng had blocked her hearing.

Xiao Mo smiled, picked up a brush and paper, and wrote, “If you refuse to listen, then I’m not letting you leave today.”

Gui Junmeng read the line Xiao Mo had written. She pursed her thin lips as if sulking and lowered her head even further, but she stubbornly kept her hearing sealed.

The room fell into a deep silence, so quiet they could almost hear each other breathing.

Xiao Mo was in no hurry. He simply watched Gui Junmeng, taking in her conflicted expression and her long eyelashes that fluttered like the wings of a butterfly.

It was the first time he had ever seen Jun Meng be this stubborn.

But he knew in his heart that some things simply had to be said, once and for all.

After they remained at a stalemate for two hours, Gui Junmeng finally moved.

She clenched her fists tightly. The room’s flickering candlelight reflected in her fox-like eyes, as if she had come to a decision. Gently, like someone knocking on a door, she tapped twice on the back of Xiao Mo’s hand.

Seeing Gui Junmeng relent, Xiao Mo breathed a silent sigh of relief.

“Jun Meng, do you remember the questions you asked me on the day I woke up?” Xiao Mo began slowly, organizing his thoughts.

At the mention of what had happened, Gui Junmeng’s body trembled slightly, and she instinctively wanted to seal her hearing again.

In the end, however, she held back.

“It’s true. Just as you suspected, on our wedding night, I never intended to make it out alive.”

Xiao Mo’s voice was calm and matter-of-fact.

“Once Jing Ci killed me, she would be able to enter the Ascension Realm free of all attachments. And by consuming the Dao Pill I had formed, you would have a great chance of ascending to the Great Dao as well. To me, that was the perfect outcome—the best of both worlds.”

“But Xiao Mo…”

Gui Junmeng looked up, cutting him off.

She gripped her sleeves so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

“Never mind what Jing Ci thinks. Did you ever once consider me?”

“I don’t want to reach the Ascension Realm if it’s bought with your life!”