After the Death Ceremony, I was Entangled by My Two Wives - Chapter 13

The temple was packed with…

“Heaven’s Wrath… what is that?” Ying Buran asked, gripping the stall owner’s shoulder and peering curiously at the fallen man, but not daring to approach further.

Before the stall owner could answer, they watched as the corpse visibly withered, shrinking rapidly until only skin clung to bone.

Ying Buran recoiled in horror, while the stall owner retreated cautiously, her fingers flying through calculations.

After a few breaths, she grabbed Ying Buran and fled, explaining as they ran, “We need to hide. Something strange is about to happen.”

Hearing this, Ying Buran instinctively crouched behind cover, watching the stall owner continue her calculations, too afraid to interrupt.

Moments later, a strange noise seemed to emanate from their previous location. Ying Buran tentatively poked the stall owner and pointed behind them.

The stall owner, having finished her divination, understood immediately. She cautiously peeked out from behind cover, and Ying Buran followed suit, mimicking her actions.

The skeletal remains outside, now reduced to mere skin and bones, suddenly began to struggle. With a grotesque twist, the upper torso forced itself upright, and the nearly severed skull snapped back into place. The empty eye sockets swiveled, scanning the surroundings.

Ying Buran immediately pulled the stall owner back inside to avoid being seen. At the same time, the stall owner sprinkled a fine powder over both of them.

“This masks our scent,” the stall owner whispered, her lips moving silently. “We don’t know if she can smell, but it’s better to be safe.”

Fortunately, Ying Buran had taught herself to read lips out of necessity, having always been too afraid to approach others. This skill allowed her to glean information from others, such as whether it was about to rain.

Ying Buran nodded to show she understood, pressing her ear against the wall to listen intently for any movement behind them.

Finding no one in the area, the skeletal figure began to move its stiff bones, inching forward with agonizing slowness.

Only when the sound had completely faded did the stall owner cautiously peek out again. She nodded to Ying Buran, who was still crouched below, signaling that the danger had passed. Both women finally exhaled in relief.

Ying Buran braced herself against the wall, trying to stand up, but her legs had gone numb from squatting for so long. She stumbled, nearly falling, before the stall owner caught her arm.

After a moment to regain her balance, Ying Buran stood up and said gratefully, “My legs went numb from squatting for so long… Thank you.”

The stall owner waved it off. “No problem, it was nothing. By the way, how about we introduce ourselves? Heavenly Evolution Sect, Qi Yiwen.” Qi Yiwen extended her hand, using her other hand to remove her mask, revealing a bright, cheerful smile.

“Flowing Cloud Sect, Ying Buran,” Ying Buran replied with a smile, shaking her hand before releasing it. She then removed her own mask.

Qi Yiwen leaned back against the wall and gestured for Ying Buran to sit down as well. “Finally, it’s over. I’ve calculated that there shouldn’t be any more trouble ahead. Oh, right, I remember you didn’t know what Heaven’s Wrath is, did you?”

Ying Buran nodded obediently, settling down to listen to Qi Yiwen’s explanation. From Qi Yiwen’s perspective, she looked like a well-behaved puppy waiting for its owner to feed it.

What is she thinking? Qi Yiwen rubbed her nose, dismissing the strange thoughts. She explained earnestly, “Heaven’s Wrath, as the name suggests, is a punishment inflicted by the heavens out of anger. Legend has it that it was triggered when the Human Race breached the Heavenly Barrier and gained the ability to cultivate, thus violating the heavens’ dignity and provoking their wrath. The initial symptoms are weakness and frequent illness, followed by gradual emaciation and loss of vitality. Eventually, all life force drains away, leaving victims as skeletal husks like the one we saw earlier. Once afflicted by Heaven’s Wrath, recovery is virtually impossible, even for cultivators.”

“If a cultivator is afflicted, they can only survive slightly longer than ordinary people. They first lose their spiritual energy, and only after that is completely depleted does their life force begin to drain.”

Ying Buran frowned deeply, clearly puzzled. “So the heavens intend to keep humanity forever suppressed?”

Qi Yiwen hadn’t expected Ying Buran to grasp the implications so quickly. She shook her head, admitting her own uncertainty. “I don’t know. There’s no definitive conclusion on this matter yet. What I just described is merely one hypothesis. The exact cause remains under investigation.”

“The conditions that trigger Heaven’s Wrath and whether it’s contagious are also unknown. Therefore, it’s best to avoid anyone exhibiting abnormal symptoms.”

“Understood. Thank you,” Ying Buran sighed. “Speaking of which, isn’t there any way to organize a response?”

Qi Yiwen shook her head, then nodded. “There is, but it’s only a temporary measure. This method is known only to the Sect Leaders of the Four Great Sects and their closest associates, and they’re the ones organizing it. I don’t know the specifics. Oh? My Senior Sister is contacting me. Want to add each other on the Heavenly Spirit Mirror?”

Ying Buran took out her Heavenly Spirit Mirror. “Sure!” Then she frowned. “But I don’t know how to add…”

“Let me show you… Like this, then this, and we’re connected! If you need to reach me, just tap here, then here. I’m off now. Stay safe here! Bye~” Qi Yiwen waved goodbye after successfully adding Ying Buran as a friend.

Ying Buran waved back, then sat down with her sword, waiting for Zhao Qingxun to arrive. Remembering Qi Yiwen’s instructions, she opened Zhao Qingxun’s profile and tried to contact her.

Since Zhao Qingxun had given her the Heavenly Spirit Mirror, Ying Buran had mostly kept it stored in her Storage Ring, rarely taking it out. She only had three friends on it, and this was the first time she had initiated contact with anyone.

After being separated, Zhao Qingxun didn’t immediately search for Ying Buran. Instead, she sent a message to Cheng Banxia and then slipped into the crowd.

Someone was following her, but thankfully, Cheng Banxia’s reply confirmed that Ying Buran wasn’t being tracked. This news brought Zhao Qingxun a wave of relief.

Zhao Qingxun tried to blend into the crowd, then seized an opportunity to slip away and hide. She planned to wait until her pursuer either left or revealed their true intentions before searching for Ying Buran.

When she looked up, she realized she had inadvertently entered the temple dedicated to the two pioneers who had established the path of cultivation.

The temple was deserted, and a thick layer of dust had settled, indicating it hadn’t been visited in a long time.

Zhao Qingxun waved away the dust, lit incense, and offered a respectful prayer before turning to face the entrance.

The area was sparsely populated, making it easy to spot anyone, whether they were tracking or being tracked.

After waiting for a while without any sign of movement, it seemed as if her pursuer had completely vanished.

Zhao Qingxun cautiously stepped forward, appearing unprepared, but secretly gathering spiritual energy in her hand.

As expected, the moment she stepped out, a flash of sword light pierced toward her. Zhao Qingxun, already prepared, retreated to evade the strike while simultaneously channeling her spiritual energy into a counterattack, forcing her pursuer back several steps.

Though the figure wore a mask and a black cloak, Zhao Qingxun recognized her instantly by her aura and the fluctuations of spiritual energy: “It’s you—the one who gave me the flower on the float.”

“It wasn’t even for you, yet you remember it so clearly. Is my flower still on you?” The pursuer quickly came to a halt, steadied her mask, and casually flicked her sword, her gaze fixed on Zhao Qingxun.

Did they track me through the flower? How did they discover Ying Buran’s special nature? Zhao Qingxun drew her own sword and summoned the flower from before with her other hand, then crushed it instantly.

The connection severed immediately. The pursuer clicked her tongue, abandoned the pursuit, and turned to leave, tossing back a parting remark: “Look at the Divine Statues behind you.”

The Divine Statues behind me? Zhao Qingxun first protected her eyes with spiritual energy before turning around, but saw nothing amiss. Then she remembered she had chosen this location herself, and the pursuer had only arrived recently, leaving no time for elaborate schemes.

So why tell me to look behind me?

Zhao Qingxun raised her head to gaze at the two Divine Statues, their faces long since obscured by time, and suddenly felt a pang of desolation and absurdity, though she couldn’t pinpoint its source.

Ah, that’s it. She remembered. This was a festival meant to commemorate them, yet she was the only one who had come to offer worship.

Since when had the Profound Gate stopped including ancestral worship in their celebrations? It was as if they were deliberately trying to conceal something.

Why? Zhao Qingxun suddenly realized that, somewhere along the way, the Profound Gate had drifted further and further from the righteous, benevolent institution she had always believed it to be—the one dedicated to punishing evil, promoting good, and benefiting humanity.

“Why? Because some hearts are burdened by guilt.” A soft laugh echoed as Zhao Qingxun turned around.

She immediately raised her sword and whirled around, but there was no one there. The only difference was that the eyes of one of the Divine Statues were glowing faintly. She remembered—this was the statue of the ancestor who had fallen to the Demonic Path.

Noticing Zhao Qingxun’s gaze, the statue’s eyes suddenly emitted a blinding light. Zhao Qingxun instinctively closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she found herself in an unfamiliar realm.

This was the ancestor’s Divine Consciousness Space. The power gap between them was so vast that even the residual formation left behind could pull her into this realm with a mere turn of her head.

Regardless, though this ancestor’s attitude was hostile and she had once opposed the Profound Gate, she had ultimately led humanity toward enlightenment. Zhao Qingxun bowed respectfully, clasping her hands in a formal greeting.

The figure turned, her face hidden in shadow, and crossed her arms, refusing the gesture. “We walk different paths. There’s no need for such formalities.”

“May I ask, Ancestor, what was the meaning of your earlier words?” Zhao Qingxun asked, maintaining her respectful demeanor as if oblivious to the Ancestor’s dismissive attitude.

The Ancestor clicked her tongue, her voice laced with mockery. “What meaning? The literal one, of course. They orchestrated our deaths with their own hands, so naturally they wouldn’t bother with pretenses anymore.”

Zhao Qingxun’s pupils constricted slightly, but she remained silent, standing quietly with a hint of defiance.

Sensing her stubbornness, the Ancestor chuckled again and continued, “Did you know? Heaven’s Wrath and the Heavenly Sacrifice were all lies—a fabrication concocted by a group of people to satisfy their own selfish desires. Heaven’s Wrath was a man-made disaster, and she died because of the Heavenly Sacrifice.”

These words struck Zhao Qingxun like a physical blow. She stood frozen in place, stunned for a long moment before regaining her composure. “Do you have any evidence?”

The Ancestor shrugged. “No. After all, I was framed and killed shortly after. How could I have gathered evidence? Believe it or not, it’s up to you. But if you persist, the regret will be yours alone.”

“Now get out. I’ve delivered my warning. I’ll be watching you—watching you walk the same path I did, only to be consumed by remorse in the end.”