Chapter 565: Truth Behind Ximen Xuanji’s Face

The strange energy was continuously flowing out of that spatial rift.

Seeing this, they speculated that the strange energy might have originated from another great spiritual realm or a small world, entering Myriad Ghosts Grotto through the spatial rift before spreading into the Mystic Jade Realm.

Based on this theory, they discussed the situation and decided to destroy the opening of the spatial rift first, then find a way to eliminate all the strange, evil energy within Myriad Ghosts Grotto.

What they had not anticipated was that using an ordinary method to destroy the spatial rift would attract those monsters.

One of the creatures poked its head through the opening. After discovering them, it used both arms to tear the rift wider and forced its way out, attacking them. As they resisted and fought back, even more monsters began crawling out of the spatial rift.

Their numbers continued to increase, and the opening grew larger as the creatures tore at it from within.

Worse still, the cultivators could not find the monsters’ vital points or land any truly effective attacks. Eventually, the creatures became too powerful for them to withstand. They had no choice but to retreat while fighting.

Others they encountered along the way had also tried to help, but their attacks had been ineffective. It was not until they encountered Xiao Shou and the others that the situation finally changed.

"That is what happened," Murong Wan explained. Unlike when they had first met over a month ago, she no longer possessed the fearless confidence of an inexperienced young man. Her voice was hoarse as she continued, "We kept retreating from the far northern region while fighting those monsters. It felt as though an incredibly long time had passed, but we still don’t know exactly how long we’ve been fighting or how many more creatures have crawled out of that rift. I’m afraid Myriad Ghosts Grotto has already become a living hell."

"There is one more thing. Our journey to the northern Ghost Emperor region was far too smooth. We didn’t encounter a single Ghost Emperor, nor did we see even a few fragments of lingering souls. That was completely abnormal. I suspect it was also related to that strange, evil energy."

At that moment, Ximen Xuanji, who had been unconscious, suddenly spoke up. No one knew when he had regained consciousness.

Hearing his voice, Murong Wan was overjoyed.

"Young Master Xuanji, you’re awake! Are you all right? Why did you become so angry while fighting those monsters? Huh? Your face looks a little different from usual."

Hearing this, Xiao Shou immediately shrank behind Tushan Shanhe, feeling guilty and unsure how to apologize. Then he reconsidered. It wasn’t his beloved disciple who had changed Ximen Xuanji’s face, but some ’thing’ that had possessed his disciple. Perhaps it was the strongest ghost in Myriad Ghosts Grotto! Why should he apologize on behalf of something that wasn’t his beloved disciple?

Influenced by modern ideas, Xiao Shou believed that ghosts were especially good at possessing people, which was how he reasoned through the situation.

However... if the Supreme Star Lord ever learned that someone had mistaken him for a ghost, the consequences would certainly be interesting!

Tushan Shanhe watched Xiao Shou hide behind him over such a small matter and couldn’t help finding it amusing. He really had no idea how someone with such a temperament had survived in a brutal cultivation world like the Heaven Origin Realm.

Which cultivator hadn’t done something ruthless and merciless? Besides, Ximen Xuanji’s soul had been completely healed. Even if his appearance had changed a little, there was no reason to feel guilty. Xiao Shou could have killed him to silence him, and even that wouldn’t have been something worth feeling guilty about.

Meanwhile, Ximen Xuanji, unaware that the powerful Tushan Shanhe beside him was thinking that killing him would be nothing to feel guilty about, slightly stirred his spiritual consciousness.

The first thing he noticed wasn’t his face, but the strange change in his spiritual consciousness. Normally, using it always came with a frustrating sense of resistance, as though part of it refused to obey his commands. This time, however, it responded smoothly and freely, without the slightest hint of that familiar resistance.

How had this happened?

Without revealing anything on his face, he turned his spiritual consciousness toward his own appearance. When his current face became clearly reflected in his mind, his reaction wasn’t fear. Instead, he felt an immense sense of relief.

Ximen Xuanji had never told anyone that, ever since he could remember, he had felt that his face wasn’t truly his own.

He had always felt that the face would eventually devour him and completely erase his existence. Although the power associated with that face had granted him extraordinary talents, earning him the favor of the powerful figures in the Ximen Kingdom and the title of the most handsome man in the Mystic Jade Realm, he had always been afraid of it.

That was why, when he met Fu Young, he had set aside the arrogance expected of someone from the Ximen Clan and treated him with unusual warmth.

He had suspected that Fu Young was someone like himself, someone threatened by that face.

He had never expected the face to disappear so inexplicably after he lost consciousness.

Was this his true appearance?

Although he looked more ordinary than before, that was perfectly fine. In fact, he preferred it that way. He had never been happy about being called the most handsome man in the Mystic Jade Realm.

Nor had he ever felt proud of the countless female cultivators who admired him because of that face. He was willing to return to an ordinary appearance if it meant he no longer had to live under the threat of being consumed by it.

What truly mattered was the heart, not one’s appearance.

Now that he had finally been freed, what would happen to Fellow Daoist Fu?

As these thoughts passed through his mind, Ximen Xuanji gently touched his face without answering Murong Wan’s questions.