CHAPTER 1197: CHAPTER 1194: DARING TO SEEK TRUTH

Bai Yu and Jin Ling had their souls return to their bodies. After three or five breaths, Jin Ling’s fingers twitched first, then her long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.

Then Bai Yu also woke up.

The two of them seemed like they had just awakened from a long nightmare, suddenly jolted awake, and sat up.

Upon seeing Yang Fei right next to them, their faces immediately showed an expression of horror and vigilance.

"Brother Bai Yu, Sister Jin Ling, are you okay?" Xiao Guangwu and Wang Cheng hurried forward, calling to the two of them.

Bai Yu and Jin Ling seemed only then to notice the two junior brothers from the Flame Moon Sect, their expressions slightly changed as they looked around.

Noticing that Yang Fei seemed to lack murderous intent, the two were still uncertain, with a hint of fear and timidity in their eyes.

Ye Wuya, standing by, sighed quietly.

He knew Yang Fei’s puppet refining techniques over the past few years. Bai Yu and Jin Ling’s souls had been trapped in the world within the Soul Binding Rope, weakened to such an extent in just five years. It could take thirty to fifty years to cultivate back, which was a huge blow to them, directly affecting the heights they could reach in the future.

Too harsh!

The key point was, even though their souls had returned, the two showed no trace of hatred or resentment towards Yang Fei, but were full of fear and dread, even their former pride as cultivators vanished.

Xiao Guangwu and Wang Cheng were also extremely astonished, feeling both sorry for their senior brother and sister, and secretly angry.

This Yang Fei was too despicable, torturing the two of them from Flame Moon Sect to such an extent.

"Bai Yu, Jin Ling, it seems your sect elders from Flame Moon Sect value you greatly, willing to spend a hefty sum to rescue you. Now you’re free," Yang Fei said to the two of them.

Upon hearing Yang Fei’s words, Bai Yu and Jin Ling were overjoyed. The latter looked eagerly at Yang Fei and asked, "Re...really, you’re letting us go?"

Yang Fei chuckled, "When have I ever gone back on my word?"

Jin Ling hurriedly thanked him, "Th...thank you, many thanks for sparing our lives."

Bai Yu’s mouth twitched, glancing at Yang Fei, then at Xiao Guangwu and Wang Cheng beside him. Perceiving that they were still within the Earth World, he chose to remain silent.

After recovering from the immense terror, his heart was filled with deep hatred towards Yang Fei.

Over the past five years, his and Junior Sister Jin Ling’s souls were trapped in the world within the Soul Binding Rope, continually worn down, suffering great losses.

The key point was that Yang Fei often frightened them, saying he would refine them into spiritual puppets.

Within the world of the Soul Binding Rope, there were four chaotic consciousness clusters. With Bai Yu and Jin Ling’s insight, they could naturally discern that these were divine soul powers whose self-awareness had been erased through special means.

They didn’t have to think to know that they were the souls of several late-stage Foundation Establishment friends from the Southern Domain who had previously fallen into Yang Fei’s hands.

To avoid being refined into spiritual puppets, Bai Yu and Jin Ling, in that special world of the Soul Binding Rope, were stripped of everything, revealing all their secrets to Yang Fei, drained of their value.

Yang Fei couldn’t care less what Bai Yu and Jin Ling thought.

These two, even when they previously held the Mixed Element Bell, weren’t a match for him. Now, after being tormented so, he wasn’t afraid of them encountering him later; it didn’t matter even if they harbored resentment.

He said to Xiao Guangwu and Wang Cheng, "So, people are unscathed, right?"

Xiao Guangwu and Wang Cheng’s mouths twitched furiously.

He calls this unscathed?

Well-formed late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were tortured to such a state, their primordial spirits suffering such trauma and torment. Whether they could recover in the future was unknown.

However, the two couldn’t refute.

Because Bai Yu and Jin Ling’s bodies were intact, and they had woken up, mentally... compared to normal people, indeed unscathed.

The two of them could only nod.

Yang Fei said, "Since that’s the case, we’re even. You can take them away now."

Xiao Guangwu took a deep breath, clasped his fists at Yang Fei, and said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Yang, for your mercy. Farewell."

"Please," Yang Fei knew he had already sufficiently offended the Flame Moon Sect. He wasn’t afraid of their hatred and waved his hand nonchalantly.

Xiao Guangwu and Wang Cheng quickly left, taking Bai Yu and Jin Ling with them.

Ye Wuya sighed, shaking his head, "Bai Yu and Jin Ling were both outstanding among the Foundation Establishment stage in the Flame Moon Sect. Especially Bai Yu, who was well-regarded by many Core Formation masters of the sect. Now, after encountering such a disaster and ending up like this, many Core Formation masters in the Flame Moon Sect probably have complaints against you."

Yang Fei laughed heartily, "What complaints? Brother Ye, just say they hate me to the bone."

Ye Wuya gave a bitter smile.

I thought you didn’t realize it.

Yang Fei patted his shoulder and said, "I’ve killed most people from the Flame Moon Sect, and I’ve long since hopelessly offended that Master Li Yang; I don’t expect to reconcile with the Flame Moon Sect in the future."

Ye Wuya faintly frowned and said, "In the Cultivation World, offending a sect far stronger than you is not a wise move."

Yang Fei nodded, "I understand, but my character doesn’t allow me to be a pushover. I can’t just offer my right cheek when slapped on the left to appease others’ anger, can I? Cultivation is not only about pursuing immortality but also about living freely. If one becomes a cultivator who only knows how to swallow grievances and suffer humiliation everywhere, what joy is there even if one achieves immortality? A real man should live standing tall, with freedom and vengeance, doing what they want when opposed."

Hearing Yang Fei’s words, Ye Wuya felt as if a thunderbolt had enlightened him, his mind buzzing.

He stood there in a daze, murmuring, "Cultivation, cultivation, is for longevity, for freedom and ease, to act spontaneously, to cultivate not being humiliated, living freely..."

Yang Fei, seeing him murmuring, nodded and said, "Exactly, it’s about cultivating freedom, that’s the meaning of immortality."

Ye Wuya understood this logic, and he’d heard similar words before.

But at this moment, standing by Yang Fei’s side, hearing him speak these heartfelt words, feeling that unruly and defiant spirit of Yang Fei, never yielding or bowing to any formidable opponent, Ye Wuya felt his own mindset resonate and synchronize with Yang Fei’s profound mindset.

In an instant, his former hesitation and prudence dissolved, shifting him towards decisiveness and resoluteness.

A powerful and magnificent aura slowly emerged from within Ye Wuya.

Yang Fei suddenly felt a tightening inside, a sense of oppression and vigilance arising like never before, and he looked towards Ye Wuya in amazement.

"A master, a real master, is called so because they dare to be earnest, dare to pursue the truth of their own path. I... understand now!"

Ye Wuya’s voice shifted from excitement to firmness as he spoke, and with his last three words, the imposing aura on him reached its peak, completely transforming his demeanor and presence.