Chapter 119: Chapter 119: Fate’s Beginning and End
"But what?" Ji Chen was taken aback.
"Buzz..."
Suddenly, the space not far ahead trembled slightly, and then, a graceful silhouette slowly emerged.
This was an unparalleled beauty, dressed in a purple dress, and it was none other than Qu Luoning.
But the moment he saw her, Ji Chen couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly.
Because he discovered that Qu Luoning, at this moment, was already different from the person he once knew.
The present her, not only had a completely different aura and demeanor, but also, her once jet-black hair was now as white as snow.
"Junior Sister."
Si Ruyan was the first to react, directly greeted her, and brought Qu Luoning into the crowd.
"What’s going on here?"
Ji Chen frowned, stood up, and walked towards Qu Luoning.
Now, with her white hair and youthful face, her hair tied with a silver crown, she still looked gallant, not losing the peerless splendor of the past.
"Mr. Ji."
Seeing Ji Chen approaching, Qu Luoning spoke softly, greeting him, but her face was all cold as frost, giving off an aura that kept people at a distance, making Ji Chen feel very unfamiliar.
Ji Chen raised his hand, wanting to touch her white hair, but Qu Luoning stepped back, frowning as she said, "Please show some respect."
Surprised by her reaction, Ji Chen froze for a moment, then furrowed his brow tightly.
For some reason, Ji Chen only felt that she had completely become a different person, no longer the Qu Luoning he knew.
All around, those present also noticed something unusual.
Knowing that there was likely an unusual relationship between Ji Chen and Qu Luoning, they couldn’t help but be a bit surprised.
This was obviously beyond their expectations.
However, they seemed to know something, looking at Qu Luoning and then at Ji Chen, they couldn’t help but sigh.
"Ji Brother, the Kunlun Taiyin Lineage follows the Path of Emotionlessness..."
Just as Ji Chen wondered why Qu Luoning was treating him as a stranger, he heard Ye Yunge whisper to him.
Path of Emotionlessness?
Listening to Ye Yunge’s explanation, Ji Chen furrowed his brow even more.
The Path of Emotionlessness, also known as the Path of Emotion Cutting.
Clearly, Qu Luoning’s current appearance of white hair and youthful face indicated that she had likely entered the Path of Emotionlessness.
It’s said that those who cultivate this lineage will turn white-haired overnight, including changes in aura and demeanor, as if they have completely become a different person.
After hearing this from Ye Yunge, Ji Chen couldn’t help but tremble inside.
He looked at Qu Luoning, remained silent for a long while, then smiled and said, "Since you’ve chosen this path, I can only wish you to reach the pinnacle of the grand path in the future."
His smile and words seemed tinged with helplessness, yet also a hint of reluctance.
He recalled the passionate night at the Drunken Ink Residence not long ago, when the two of them had pledged to spend their lives together. Upon learning that Qu Luoning would be enshrined as the Kunlun Profound Lady, Ji Chen had felt happy for her several times.
But how could he have anticipated that when they met again now, all of the past had become but an illusion.
"Thank you."
Qu Luoning spoke, still with that indifferent demeanor, making it seem as if they had never known each other.
Ji Chen stood calmly in place, not speaking, and after exchanging a glance with her for a moment, he finally looked away, turning to Si Ruyan, "Sorry, I drank a few more glasses, I’m a bit tipsy, I’ll take my leave now, farewell."
With that, Ji Chen turned to leave.
"Take this."
Right then, Qu Luoning spoke again, and with a wave of her jade hand, a crystal bottle appeared, floating in front of Ji Chen, "This is Kunlun’s ’Celestial Saint Dew,’ an extremely rare healing elixir in the world, it should be able to help with your grand path injury."
She exchanged a glance with Ji Chen, remained silent for a moment, then spoke again, "Let it serve as my atonement to you, let the past be the past."
Looking at the Jade Crystal Bottle in his hand, Ji Chen fell silent, memories of the fifteen years spent with Qu Luoning at the Saint’s Dojo surfaced in his mind.
Fifteen years of shared hardships, and now they could dissipate so lightly like smoke; this is the Path of Emotionlessness.
"Atonement, huh..."
Ji Chen smiled wryly, once again meeting Qu Luoning’s gaze, then the Jade Crystal Bottle in his hand suddenly exploded, the Celestial Saint Dew inside exposed to the air, evaporating completely on the spot, not a single drop remained.
"As fate begins and ends, our encounter is but a dream, from now on, we owe each other nothing, as if we’ve never met."
Leaving behind these words, he no longer hesitated, turning around and leaving.
Si Ruyan stood up, personally escorting him, and followed Ji Chen out of the bamboo forest.
On the mountain path, as they walked, Si Ruyan couldn’t help but speak, "Are you really leaving, sir?"
Ji Chen replied, "There’s nothing left worth staying for, I’m already severely injured by the grand path, with not much time left. My visit to Kunlun today was actually to say goodbye to her, and now, there’s no more attachment..."
Hearing this, Si Ruyan fell into silence, knowing that Ji Chen must be feeling terrible inside.
A moment later, Si Ruyan spoke again, "The Kunlun Taiyin Lineage, also known as the Path of Emotionlessness, actually has another name, ’Celestial Calamity.’
"Throughout history, in Kunlun, everyone who practiced the Path of Emotionlessness chose to sever their past, precisely because those who practiced the Ancient Taiyin Scripture would be plagued by ’Calamity,’ a calamity that could even affect everyone around the cultivator."
"Many only know that the former Emperor Ye was once a disciple of Kunlun, but they don’t know that the reason Emperor Ye left Kunlun was also related to this Path of Emotionlessness..."
Si Ruyan revealed these secrets of old, and Ji Chen then learned that the former Emperor Ye was once in love with the Kunlun Saintess of that time, but unfortunately, she too eventually took the Path of Emotionlessness.
Emperor Ye was heartbroken and ultimately chose to leave Kunlun.
But it’s worth mentioning that the present Ye Family is actually descended from Emperor Ye and the Kunlun Saintess of that time.
Because before choosing the Path of Emotionlessness, the Saintess and Emperor Ye had a child.
Few know about these matters, treated as top secret, with only a few records within Kunlun.
Even the Ye Family is completely unaware of this.
"The Celestial Calamity is irreversible, and if one does not cut off emotions, the calamity could even affect future generations."
"Junior Sister is in such a state now also out of necessity, the cleaner she severs the past with you, the more it shows she doesn’t want you to be implicated. Unfortunately..."
Here, Si Ruyan suddenly fell silent.
"Unfortunately, what?" Ji Chen looked at her.
"Back then, when Junior Sister was cultivating the Path of Emotionlessness, she had struggled several times within, finding it hard to sever the matter with you, and your grand path injury might have been caused by this."
Ji Chen was stunned, feeling that this was sheer nonsense.
The grand path injury was caused when he was struck by the Celestial Tribulation during his transcending, how could it possibly be due to being implicated by Qu Luoning’s calamity?
"Don’t doubt it, sir. The Celestial Calamity is much more fearsome than you imagine. The night you endured the Nine Dragon True Tribulation, that was the time Junior Sister was struggling multiple times over your matter while cultivating the Path of Emotionlessness; the timing was just too coincidental, it’s hard to say your grand path injury has nothing to do with her."
Hearing this, Ji Chen couldn’t help but furrow his brow, "So this is the atonement she was referring to earlier..."