Chapter 75: Huang Yan’s Choice—A Moment of Impulse, No Regret?

“Scum like him must never become Phoenix Yan’s Dao companion!”
Though seething with anger, Ling Tian did not lose his reason. He knew that, since ancient times, to catch a thief you must have the stolen goods, to expose an affair you must see them together. Without concrete evidence, there was nothing he could do to Ye Long.

He took out the Memory Stone and recorded Ye Long’s deeds.
Another dozen days passed, and outwardly, Phoenix Yan and Ye Long’s relationship only seemed to grow better, while Ling Tian found himself more and more an outsider.

That night, Ye Long finally made his promise to Phoenix Yan, gazing at her with deep affection.
“I want to be responsible for you, for a lifetime. May I have that chance, Fairy?”

This turn of events came even swifter than Ling Tian had anticipated.
Phoenix Yan hesitated at Ye Long’s words.
She truly hadn’t thought this through. Everything had already exceeded her expectations. She never imagined Ling Tian could endure so much, showing no intention of apologizing. If only he had admitted fault for that day’s events, bowed his head and apologized, she would have accepted him without a second thought. But why did he remain unmoved?

Phoenix Yan pressed her lips together, silent.

“You cannot agree to him, you must not! Do you know what he’s done behind your back?”
“I have the proof right here.”

Ling Tian, seeing this, could not hide it any longer. If he delayed further, it would be too late. From his storage ring, he took out the Memory Stone, which recorded Ye Long bringing women back and his nights of debauchery.

“Phoenix Yan, I was wrong, I truly know I was wrong. I swear, from now on, I will love only you. I will never contact those women again!”
Ye Long’s face darkened instantly; he did not try to explain himself, but admitted everything.
Anyone with discerning eyes could see how egregious his behavior had been.
To argue would only increase their disgust; what harm in admitting it?
After all, when these things happened, he and Phoenix Yan hadn’t had any real progress—so what of it?
It could not be said that he was unfaithful!

“You claim to be a virtuous monk, yet what have you done? Spying on others’ private lives—is this the conduct of a true ascetic?”
Phoenix Yu, seeing the indecent scenes in the Memory Stone, did not question Ye Long first, but turned her accusation on Ling Tian.

“I did it because…”
Ling Tian’s words halted on his lips. He could not continue.

“Because of what?”

Phoenix Yan fixed her stubborn gaze on Ling Tian, as if she already guessed his thoughts, pressing him relentlessly.
She wanted him to admit it with his own lips!

“Heh, I know—you call yourself a virtuous monk and cannot stand his behavior. But if you truly cared for the world, wouldn’t you just deliver him from his sins?”
“Yes, he has done wrong. But, Master, with your profound Buddhist practice, have you never heard—‘to err is human’?”

Seeing Ling Tian remain silent, Phoenix Yan laughed bleakly, her tone edged with sarcasm.
Her words pierced Ling Tian’s heart inch by inch like a dagger.
Pain, such pain!

Yes, if he could have delivered Ye Long from his sins, wouldn’t that have ended everything?
The thought filled him with immense anger.
No matter what Ye Long had done, he and Phoenix Yan were acquainted—how could he let her fall into the fire pit?

Ling Tian wanted to use the excuse of ridding the world of evil to kill Ye Long.

A low hum—
He didn’t act. Within his sea of consciousness, the broken black sword trembled lightly, restoring him to clarity.

As he looked at the scene before him anew, his gaze grew unfamiliar.
He remembered—everything came back to him!

His name was Ling Tian, and he had accompanied Phoenix Yan—no, Xiao Ling’er—to obtain that so-called treasure!
They had clearly still been in the first trial—so why had the scene changed?
Could this be the second trial?

The sword’s abnormality did not escape Ling Tian.
It seemed, if not for the broken sword, he would have remained trapped in this illusory but all too real dreamscape.

Yes, Xiao Ling’er and the others’ memories had been sealed for some reason, replaced by new, fabricated memories.
Their behavior had changed as a result.

He hadn’t expected to become such a lovesick fool.
If not for the sword, he might have already started fighting Ye Long!

What, then, did this second trial test?
And how was he to progress?

Ling Tian pondered for a moment and understood.
This trial was no arbitrary invention; otherwise, the drama would not be so over the top.
Unless, the original owner had experienced this very thing!

Since that was so, things could not progress as they just had.
Otherwise, he would not pass.

Having understood, Ling Tian looked at Phoenix Yan again, his eyes now calm.
“It seems you’ve made your choice. No regrets?”

Phoenix Yan saw his indifferent demeanor, as if he no longer cared for her at all.
Out of spite, she turned to Ye Long with a smile more bitter than tears.
“Fellow Daoist Ye Long, I accept. You may choose the time.”

She forced the words out with all her strength, her heart utterly resigned.
Ye Long was overjoyed.

Ling Tian, still affected by the false memories, felt a vague discomfort.
Suddenly the scene shifted.

It was Phoenix Yan’s wedding day. The examiner, as if to increase the difficulty, purposely left Ling Tian on the sidelines as a bystander.

On Ye Long’s wedding day, he was drunk, kicked open the door, and lifted Phoenix Yan’s red bridal veil.

Beneath it, her face was vacant, her eyes dull, all vitality gone.
No more tears, just dry streaks on her cheeks—a pitiful sight.

“Damn it, you little whore! On our wedding day, you put on this face for whom?”

Ye Long, irritated, slapped her hard.
With such force, Phoenix Yan nearly collapsed onto the bed, yet remained numb.

“I always knew you had something with that monk—but so what? You drove him away yourself! Let me tell you, I lust only for your body. You’re nothing but my plaything!
He was right—I’ve never been a man of virtue!”

As he spoke, he moved to take her.
Blood-tinged tears welled in Phoenix Yan’s eyes—a sight to break the hardest heart.

“Scum! Stop! I said, stop right now!”

Watching from the sidelines, Ling Tian could no longer restrain himself. He burst through the barrier and seized Ye Long, pummeling him furiously.

Phoenix Yan covered her mouth in shock at Ling Tian’s sudden display of strength.

The battle raged—heaven and earth seemed to shatter.
In the chaos, Phoenix Yan was knocked unconscious.

With dawn, Ling Tian stood tall, covered in blood and tattered robes, a bitter smile on his lips.

“I’ve won—but what a pity…”