Yan Hu no longer felt the pain. He continued speaking, "Mother, today it’s Third Brother who’s dead, tomorrow it will be Fourth Sister! The elders and disciples of Penglai Island may all die at her hands. Mother, please stop!"
For Fourth Sister, for Penglai Island, things couldn’t go on any longer!
Sima Xin had already lost her daughter, her husband, and now her son. Her eyes were wide open, almost bulging out of their sockets.
She yelled, "Everyone, get back!"
Jiang Chongliang, knowing that the mother and son had something to discuss, instructed the elders and disciples to leave, setting up a protective formation around them so that their conversation wouldn’t be overheard due to their heightened emotions.
Sima Xin was satisfied with this and grabbed Yan Hu by the collar, her voice harsh as she said, "Do you know why I refused to give up the Glassy Bottle to save your Third Brother? It’s because I must protect Penglai Island’s foundation for your father’s sake!"
She looked at the towering Spirit Tree.
Under the moonlight, the tree’s leaves glistened with a silvery glow, shining brightly.
She forced Yan Hu to look at it too, then continued, "Without this Spirit Tree, who would want to join Penglai Island? I’m afraid that the elders and disciples would betray us and leave!"
She understood these cultivators’ intentions all too well.
Yan Hu’s eyes reddened.
Ever since he discovered that the spiritual energy he had been cultivating came from others’ inner elixirs and bones, he had sworn to stay loyal, but his heart remained uneasy.
"Mother, their departure might be their only chance at survival," Yan Hu said. "Now she is completely mad, and it’s not just our family that is in danger, but the entire Penglai Island."
"Shut up!" Sima Xin roared, "They joined Penglai Island, cultivating with the Spirit Tree’s energy for all this time. They are responsible to stay with us, for better or for worse! A’Hu, our family has no way back. Even if we return the Glassy Bottle to her, she will not let us go. On the contrary, she killed your elder sister, your father, and your Third Brother. If we forget this vengeance, how can we face them?!"
Her breathing was rapid, and she appeared the mad one, not Yan Hu.
"Mother... please calm down for a moment," Yan Hu said, afraid for her.
Sima Xin shoved his hand away and staggered back a few steps, then suddenly clutched her chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Mother!" Yan Hu rushed over to support her.
Sima Xin, weak and fragile, leaned against her son’s chest.
Yan Hu felt her pulse and his face changed drastically.
Her pulse was chaotic, and there were signs of a heart demon!
He quickly supported her and used his spiritual power to suppress her heart demon.
However, no matter how much spiritual energy he infused into her, it only served to slightly suppress the turmoil in her heart but could not eliminate it entirely.
Sima Xin’s face turned pale, and in a feeble voice, she said, "A’Hu, don’t you understand by now? She first humiliated your father’s corpse, which made me lose my balance, and then sent your Third Brother’s corpse to me. I’ve lost my husband and son. I am unable to stabilize my heart. She did all this to make me give in to a heart demon and destroy myself."
Yan Hu’s lips turned white. "She... she’s so cruel. Mother, you will pull through this. You’ve been cultivating for a thousand years, you’re a powerful cultivator!"
The wind howled harshly.
Sima Xin shook her head lightly. "There’s no way out now. I’ve lost my true path, my meridians are severely damaged. Not only is it hard to advance in cultivation, but I will gradually weaken until I fall."
For a cultivator, this was an incredibly frustrating fate.
It was like a patient suffering from an incurable disease, helplessly watching their power and life slip away day by day, with no strength to fight back.
"Mother..." Yan Hu, who had previously felt some guilt toward Nanli, now, upon seeing Sima Xin in this state, felt nothing but hatred for her!
Why did it have to come to total destruction?!
Three lives from their family weren’t enough?!
She was a god, why couldn’t she show even a little mercy and just let things be?
Sima Xin seized her son’s hand and desperately pleaded,
"A’Hu, your Fourth Sister’s talent is not high, her cultivation is only built with elixirs and pills. Now she only has you to rely on. Do you want to lose your family?"
"Wake up! If she doesn’t die, we will!"
Yan Hu’s expression hardened, no longer with any trace of guilt, only with fury.
"Mother, I understand," he said, his voice full of resolve. "Since she is so vicious and ruthless, I will never let her go unchecked. I will not allow her to harm my family any longer!"
She felt somewhat better, and after glancing once more at the Spirit Tree, she said, "She must have already discovered the secret of the Spirit Tree. She will undoubtedly bring Cinian and the others to raid us, to retrieve the Glassy Bottle."
Yan Hu’s face became grim. "Dealing with Zen Master Cinian alone is already difficult, and with his disciples, it’s uncertain whether we can withstand them. Penglai Island may not be able to hold up."
He hadn’t even factored in Nanli yet.
He wasn’t sure how strong she was now.
Penglai Island and Jialan Celestial Mountain were quite far apart. If Nanli did lead an assault, Qingwu might not arrive in time.
Sima Xin was not anxious. She immediately used the Telestone to contact Qingwu.
She had made up her mind: there would be no turning back. She would take half of Penglai Island’s forces and strike at the Human World!
With the blood of the Chu family, she would honor the memory of her loved ones!
After laying out her brilliant plan, Qingwu was silent for a moment, then said, "Lady Sima, your idea is indeed excellent, but unfortunately, my brother Buxiu and I had sworn an oath to the Dao of Heaven. Neither we nor our disciples are allowed to step foot in the Human World or the Three Kingdoms. If we do, the consequences are unimaginable."
Sima Xin was stunned, her chest heaving as her blood surged again.
She nearly spat out another mouthful of blood.
"How could you be so foolish, cutting off your own escape route?"
Qingwu sighed helplessly. "At that time, Buxiu was in their hands, and we had no other choice."
"Do you mean to sit here and wait to die?!" Sima Xin demanded, clutching her chest in anger.
"Lady Sima, please do not worry. Their side used the Transfer Talisman, but the Upper Realm’s formations are strong. The Transfer Talisman cannot break through. I’ve already reinforced the formation. Even with their powerful talismans, they can’t leave the Upper Realm unless they reach the Deity Forming stage. Otherwise, they’ll be forced to leave through Jiuzhou Town, the only exit from the Upper Realm." Qingwu explained in a calm, assured tone.
"Master’s meaning is..." Sima Xin immediately softened her tone when she heard this.
"Whether it’s Nanli, Cinian, or even Chu Yang and Shandu, they are all trapped in the Upper Realm. If we can capture one of them, we will seize the initiative," Qingwu continued. "I have already sent the elders and disciples of Jialan Celestial Mountain to capture them. Lady Sima, Penglai Island and House Sima must not stand idly by."
Sima Xin agreed immediately.
She narrowed her eyes, her voice growing cold. "Now there are only the three factions’ Spirit Trees left. You should have Master Ji prepare himself."