He didn't understand. Jingheng found a comfortable position and lay back on the dry straw. Though he didn't understand, he had a hunch about something.
"Fengzhu Qingluan of the Twelve Cities of the Demon Tribe."
"You do know." The person on the other side seemed thrilled, but Jingheng denied his interpretation, offering his own guess instead: "Only Fengzhu Qingluan of the Twelve Cities of the Demon Tribe can undergo nirvana. Does 'your birth' imply rebirth through nirvana?"
Qingluan paused for a moment before laughing. "You in the Celestial Realm seem to know quite a bit about our demon realm."
"I'm no longer part of the Celestial Realm," Jingheng said.
These words came out instinctively, but he felt no regret as they left his lips.
Qingluan fell silent, then asked, "Why do you say that?"
"I follow the Celestial Way, but the Celestial Way has no boundaries. Fortune and misfortune, virtue and vice, are part of the fate of all beings. If someone claims to be a god but uses the god's name to commit evil, that's not the Celestial Way; it's personal desire."
"You have quite a clear understanding, but there's a hint of resentment in your words. You resent the Celestial Realm," Qingluan said firmly. "You're smart, but still a bit naive. If I were you, I wouldn't share such thoughts with others, or you'll attract trouble and lose your life for no reason."
So, Qingluan had already figured out that he was Jingheng.
Jingheng shook his head but didn't argue. He wasn't sure why he revealed so much of his thoughts. Perhaps it was because he hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time, but he shouldn't have done that.
Qingluan coughed a few times, then said, "It's fate that we met today. If you manage to escape, could you deliver a message to Si Gui for me?"
"What is it?"
"Tell him that Qingluan has never betrayed anyone in this life."
"Just that?"
The message seemed ambiguous, but it was someone else's business.
Qingluan coughed a few times, seemingly contemplating, and then reluctantly said, "There's nothing more."
"Are you very weak right now?" Jingheng asked.
"It's just a problem with my nirvana."
"And what happens then?"
Jingheng felt a sudden tightness in his chest, but Qingluan seemed relaxed, replying, "The soul returns home."
As he spoke, Jingheng furrowed his brows. He didn't know much about Qingluan, only that he was one of the Twelve City Lords of the demon realm, but now it seemed he was someone with a clear sense of right and wrong. This brought a twinge of sadness, but it also reminded him of his past life.
"The soul returns home." Even if his soul hadn't been torn apart by vengeful ghosts, his home wouldn't accept him.
He was always meant to be a rootless wanderer.
Jingheng clenched the key in his hand and said, "If I can get out, I'll definitely deliver the message to Si Gui."
Qingluan softly thanked him, and Jingheng raised his arm to look at the dark marks on his skin. In the distance, he saw a faint blue fire creeping through the prison corridors. As the flame touched his palm, it felt as cold as spring water.
In an instant, the blue flame coalesced into a small, blue-glowing orb in his hand. As he looked at it, Qingluan's words about the "soul returning home" echoed in his mind. As the orb's light faded, another light emerged. At first, it was like a tiny worm crawling, but as it lengthened, a symbol took shape before him. Jingheng recognized it as a character from the demon realm, though he couldn't fully decipher it. He tried to trace the symbols with his fingers, and more characters appeared, eventually forming a complete cultivation technique.
Jingheng looked at the words and recalled hearing that before one could activate the spirit orb, one had to recite a technique to protect their vital organs. He struggled to ask Qingluan, "Is this your spirit orb?"
Qingluan replied with a light tone, "Not exactly. If you help me, I'll give you this. Consider it a trade. Once you've completed the task, you'll possess my power."
"And if I fail?"
"This is the seed of nirvana; it will take your life."