Chapter 281: The Big Identity Reveal?

However, Shui Miao wasn’t entirely convinced.

A lot had happened, and Shui Miao had learned a valuable lesson: to survive, one must not easily trust others.

Looking at Shui Miao, Ye Xian continued, “Big brother, I know these words are hard to believe. Wait until I help you recover your golden body, and everything will become clear. Moreover, those god-kings who framed us fear our resurgence and have sent down their primal spirits to the mortal realm. If we brothers want to survive, we must unite, locate these primal spirits, and eliminate them one by one.”

Ye Xian’s intentions were very clear—he wanted Shui Miao’s forgiveness and to join forces with him to rise again.

Originally, Shui Miao had planned to lead a group to seize the Nine Cauldron Furnace from the Yellow Springs Sect.

But now, after Ye Xian’s words, Shui Miao had become brothers with the Yellow Springs Patriarch instead. This sudden shift in identity left Shui Miao momentarily unable to accept it.

In his heart, Shui Miao worried—if everything Ye Xian said was true, then all would be well. But what if it were all lies? Wouldn’t he then be used?

Shui Miao remained silent, uncertain whether to believe or doubt.

The stone cave was unusually quiet, and Shui Miao stood there, silently lost in thought.

“Big brother,” said Ye Xian, “to show my sincerity, I’ll hand over the Nine Cauldron Furnace to you for safekeeping.” With a wave of his hand, a massive cauldron, over nine meters in both height and diameter, appeared on the stone platform. Its surface was a deep yellowish-black, adorned with nine thick, multicolored divine dragons that looked lifelike and vivid. However, the furnace lacked the Holy Flame Spirit.

Shui Miao looked at the cauldron, then at Ye Xian, before suddenly walking over and gently touching it.

At this moment, if Shui Miao truly wanted the cauldron, all he had to do was channel his immortal energy to store it in his Holy Origin Ring.

But accepting the cauldron would complicate matters.

Ye Xian didn’t really want to give it away—he only offered it to gain Shui Miao’s trust.

Ye Xian was taking a gamble, betting that Shui Miao wouldn’t actually take the cauldron.

He knew his former elder brother well—generous and upright, never one to seek petty gains.

But how else could Shui Miao test Ye Xian’s sincerity? A faint smile touched Shui Miao’s lips, and suddenly, he channeled his immortal energy, pulling the cauldron into his Holy Origin Ring.

However, Shui Miao wasn’t entirely convinced.

Many events had taught him a principle: to survive, one must not easily trust others.

Looking at Shui Miao, Ye Xian continued, “Big brother, I know these words are hard for you to believe. But once I help you recover your Golden Body, everything will become clear. Moreover, those Divine Kings who framed us are afraid we might make a comeback. They’ve all sent their primordial spirits down to the mortal world. For us brothers to survive, we must join forces, track down these spirits, and eliminate them one by one.”

Ye Xian’s intention was crystal clear: he wanted Shui Miao’s forgiveness so they could work together and rise to power again.

Originally, Shui Miao had planned to take a group of people to the Yellow Spring Sect to seize the Nine Cauldrons Alchemy Furnace.

But after hearing Ye Xian’s words, Shui Miao found himself unexpectedly regarded as a brother by the Yellow Spring Patriarch. This shift in identity was something Shui Miao struggled to accept.

He worried: if everything Ye Xian said was true, then so be it. But what if it was all a lie? Wouldn’t he just be being used?

Shui Miao remained silent, unsure whether to believe or not.

The stone cave was eerily quiet as Shui Miao lowered his head in deep thought.

“Big brother, to show my sincerity, I’ll entrust the Nine Cauldrons Alchemy Furnace to you.” With a wave of Ye Xian’s hand, a massive alchemy furnace, over nine meters tall and equally wide, appeared on the stone platform. The furnace was entirely dark yellow, adorned with nine vividly crafted, multicolored divine dragons, each as thick as a waist. However, aside from the furnace itself, there was no sign of the Fire Saint’s spirit.

Shui Miao glanced at the furnace, then at Ye Xian, before suddenly walking over and touching it with his hand…

If Shui Miao wanted the furnace now, all he had to do was channel his immortal power and store it in his Saint Ring.

But if he really took it, things would become complicated.

Ye Xian didn’t actually intend to give away the furnace; he merely wanted to win Shui Miao’s trust.

He was gambling, betting that Shui Miao wouldn’t take it.

Ye Xian knew his former big brother well—he was magnanimous and never one to take advantage of others.

But if he didn’t accept the furnace, how could he gauge Ye Xian’s sincerity? A faint smile touched Shui Miao’s lips as he suddenly channeled his immortal power and stored the furnace in his Saint Ring.

At that moment, only one pill remained in Shui Miao’s dantian.

“…”

Seeing Shui Miao actually take the furnace, Ye Xian felt a pang of loss, as if his insides had been ripped out.

Big brother has changed!

The thought naturally surfaced in Ye Xian’s mind. But he quickly comforted himself: no one else knew how to use the Nine Cauldrons Alchemy Furnace except him. Shui Miao might have taken it, but it would be useless to him. Moreover, without an ample supply of Fire Saint’s spirit, once they gathered the herbs, Shui Miao would have no choice but to return the furnace.

With his pills nearly depleted, Shui Miao sensed that something seemed to be refining inside the Nine Cauldrons Alchemy Furnace.

Under his mental command, the furnace inside the Saint Ring opened. The temperature inside was extremely high, filled with countless Fire Saint’s spirits. Among them, three blood-red pills were being refined and condensed by the spirits.

Shui Miao breathed a sigh of relief inwardly—he no longer had to worry about lacking Saint Spirit energy to repair his immortal power sphere.

“This furnace is indeed impressive. Ye Xian… third brother Ye Xian…” Shui Miao had his own calculations. Regardless of past lives, in this life, Ye Xian had alleviated his urgent needs and saved his life. For that alone, calling him “third brother” wasn’t a loss. After a pause, Shui Miao continued, “Let’s forget the past. From now on, we’ll cooperate well.”

“Big brother, does this mean you’ve forgiven me?” Ye Xian asked, slightly emotional.

Shui Miao nodded and sighed awkwardly. “Let’s not talk about that anymore. Tell me, do you know what my name used to be?”

“You were called Hei Ming, and I was Huang Mei. Our titles were our names. We were both born from the natural energy of the immortal realm. It’s said that beings born from natural energy have exceptionally good fortune, which is why we were so powerful.” Ye Xian was quite talkative, revealing much in one go. “But you had the best luck, big brother. Second brother was the craftiest, and I was the most cautious.”

“So I was called Hei Ming!”

Shui Miao licked his lips in confusion, wondering inwardly: Could it be that my past life was like Sun Wukong from *Journey to the West*, born of heaven and earth, naturally formed? This is just too unbelievable! If Ye Xian is spouting nonsense, one day I’ll refine him into a pill to put an end to his tall tales.

Even after giving away the Nine Cauldrons Alchemy Furnace, Shui Miao still didn’t believe him. Ye Xian frowned. “Big brother, you still don’t trust me?”

“No, no…”

Shui Miao quickly waved his hand, making up an excuse. “It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just that the name feels very familiar.”

“Of course it’s familiar—it was your name in your past life,” Ye Xian said earnestly.

Shui Miao nodded and changed the subject. “What about the Life Goddess? I remember you telling me that if I dual-cultivated with her, I would break through quickly?”

“Absolutely. Back then, you were infatuated with her, and we thought that was your goal. But we didn’t expect you to genuinely fall for her. Now, the woman her spirit has reincarnated into is your friend. If you dual-cultivate with her just once, you’ll know whether I’m telling the truth.” Ye Xian’s expression was sincere, completely unlike someone fabricating a story or telling lies.

But how could something like this be tested so casually?

Shui Miao had to admit that Ye Xian’s words had stirred something in him.

Sensing that the pills in his dantian were depleted, Shui Miao secretly mobilized the Fire Saint’s spirit and the three pills inside the Saint Ring’s furnace to replenish his immortal power sphere. At the same time, he deliberately engaged Ye Xian in conversation. “Then what about the Black Dragon God? If the Heavenly Court dealt with us, there’s no reason they wouldn’t go after him, right?”

“He’s far too cunning. Even if the Heavenly Court were to suppress him, he wouldn’t end up as wretched as us. But he’s a master of schemes. I suspect he’s already uncovered your presence and is employing every trick in the book to hinder and trouble you. He might even go so far as to create numerous enemies for you and stir up discord—that’s his forte.” Ye Xian glanced at Shui Miao and suddenly smiled with ease. “But big brother, you needn’t fret. Thanks to your magnanimous nature, you forged many strong friendships in the immortal realm, the divine realm, the Heavenly Court, and beyond in the past. For you to have come this far, I’m certain they’ve been aiding you behind the scenes. Otherwise, as a mere mortal, you could never have cultivated to the first level of the Black Hole.”

“I do have a few friends, and I’ve encountered some benefactors. But I don’t know if they’re the ones you’re referring to.” Shui Miao’s thoughts churned, and he asked, “Third brother, do you remember if I knew a middle-aged scholar who transcended the three realms?”

“A middle-aged scholar who transcended the three realms!” Ye Xian’s heart stirred, and he quickly transformed into the appearance of a middle-aged scholar. “Did he look like this?”

“Yes, that’s him!”

Shui Miao was excited. The person Ye Xian had transformed into was indeed the middle-aged scholar.

Ye Xian heaved a deep sigh. “So it’s him! His name is Bai Liang. Born during the Ming Dynasty, he was an extraordinary man, proficient in both astronomy and geography. He once assisted the Water Dragon Emperor, Chen Youliang, in his quest for the throne before aligning with the Golden Dragon Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, and being appointed Marquis of Heavenly Surveillance, responsible for locating auspicious sites for the royal family. He achieved immortality after discovering a supreme spiritual site. In the immortal realm, you befriended him during his time of hardship, when he was often bullied by others. You aided him in his cultivation, and he eventually transcended the three realms. From that moment on, he revered you as a parent. I never imagined he would be so loyal, remembering your kindness and secretly supporting your cultivation. No wonder your abilities have progressed so remarkably!”

“No way…”

Shui Miao was stunned. This was just too incredible. If what Ye Xian said was true, how remarkable must he have been in his past life?

For some inexplicable reason, Shui Miao suddenly felt that he couldn’t possibly be the Black Nether God.

He buried this thought deep in his heart and, after a pause, asked again, “What about the thousand-year-old female ghost, Lady White, who used to live here? Do you know her? By the way, your disciple Zhang Yuan should have mentioned her to you.”

“Are you talking about Bai Susu?”

Ye Xian transformed again, taking on the appearance of the thousand-year-old female ghost. “Did she look like this?”

“Dammit! That’s her!”

Shui Miao was excited again. He hadn’t expected Ye Xian to be so incredible, knowing everyone.

“Her?”

Ye Xian frowned. “You didn’t know her in your past life. She was an ordinary mortal disciple of the White Feather Divine King. She’s a pitiful woman who abandoned everything for love. However, the man she loved was a kid your past life quite admired.”

“A kid? Which kid!?”

Shui Miao scratched his head, surprised that this was also connected to him.

“He’s quite powerful now. He’s the Spirit Commander of the immortal realm, leading heavenly soldiers and generals in battles against the demon world.” Ye Xian sounded somewhat dismissive; such a minor figure was like a child in his eyes back in the day.

“Good grief, so that’s how it is!!”

Shui Miao felt a series of realizations dawning on him, as if clouds were parting to reveal the moon.

Ye Xian’s words were becoming increasingly convincing.

After a moment of contemplation, Shui Miao thought of his grandfather, Xiong Ying. Since his grandfather had been his启蒙 teacher, Shui Miao wondered if he too might be a Divine King or someone of significant lineage. Channeling his immortal energy, he gradually transformed into the likeness of his grandfather, Xiong Ying. “Third brother, do you recognize this old man?”

“This individual… he seems somewhat familiar. He might be an extraordinarily powerful and remarkable figure!” Ye Xian furrowed his brow, deep in thought. “In your previous life, you most desired to become his disciple. Unfortunately, he was elusive and never took on any apprentices.”

“Who is he? Who exactly is he!?”

Shui Miao felt like strangling Ye Xian. This guy was too much—always speaking in half-truths, trying to keep him in suspense!

…

Seeing Shui Miao actually take the cauldron, Ye Xian felt a pang of loss, as if his very insides had been ripped out.

He’s changed!

A thought naturally arose in Ye Xian’s mind—his big brother had changed. But he quickly reassured himself. After all, no one else could use the Nine Cauldron Furnace except him. Even if Shui Miao took it, it would be useless without the Holy Flame Spirit. When the time came to refine herbs, Shui Miao would have no choice but to bring the cauldron back out.

As his immortal pills were nearly gone, Shui Miao sensed something being refined inside the Nine Cauldron Furnace.

Under his mental command, the furnace opened within the Holy Origin Ring. The temperature inside was extremely high, filled with numerous Holy Flame Spirits. Alongside them, three blood-red pills were being refined and concentrated by the spirits.

Shui Miao exhaled in relief—no need to worry about replenishing his immortal energy core anymore.

“This cauldron is indeed impressive, Ye Xian… Ye Xian, my third brother…” Shui Miao had his own thoughts. Regardless of their past lives, in this life, Ye Xian had saved him in a moment of crisis. For that alone, calling him “third brother” was no loss. Pausing, Shui Miao continued, “Let’s forget the past. From now on, let’s cooperate well.”

“Big brother, does this mean you’ve forgiven me?” Ye Xian couldn’t help but feel a little excited.

Shui Miao nodded, then sighed awkwardly, “Let’s not talk about that. Tell me, do you know what my name was before?”

“You were called Hei Ming, and I was Huang Mei. Our titles were simply our names. We were all born naturally from the primordial energies of the Immortal Realm. It’s said that naturally born beings like us have extraordinary fortune, which is why we became so powerful. But you, big brother, had the best luck. Second brother was the slyest, and I was the most cautious,” Ye Xian explained, revealing a lot at once.

“So my name was Hei Ming!”

Shui Miao licked his lips, puzzled. Could it be that, like the Monkey King from Journey to the West, he too had been born from nature itself? That seemed utterly unbelievable. This Ye Xian was just making things up. If everything he said turned out false, Shui Miao would turn him into a pill one day—just to shut him up.

Ye Xian had even given away the Nine Cauldron Furnace, yet Shui Miao still didn’t fully trust him. Ye Xian frowned slightly, “Big brother, you still don’t believe me?”

“No, no, no…”

Shui Miao quickly waved his hands, making up an excuse, “It’s not that I don’t believe you—it’s just that the name feels strangely familiar.”

“Of course it feels familiar—it was your name in your past life,” Ye Xian said earnestly.

Shui Miao nodded and changed the subject, “Then what about the Life Goddess? I remember you told me that if I dual-cultivated with her, I’d break through quickly?”

“Of course! Back then, you were infatuated with her, and we all thought that was your motive. But we never expected you actually fell in love with her. Now, the woman who is her reincarnated primal spirit is your friend. Just one session of dual cultivation with her, and you’ll know if I’m telling the truth,” Ye Xian said with a sincere expression, not at all like someone telling a lie.

But how could something like this be tested so casually?

Despite himself, Shui Miao had to admit—he was starting to feel tempted.

Feeling his immortal pills were completely depleted, Shui Miao secretly channeled the Holy Flame Spirits and the three pills from the furnace in his Holy Origin Ring to replenish his immortal energy core, while deliberately continuing the conversation with Ye Xian, “Then what about the Black Dragon God? The heavenly court went after us—why wouldn’t they go after him too?”

“He’s too cunning. Even if imprisoned by the heavenly court, he wouldn’t have suffered as much as we did. He’s full of tricks—I suspect he already discovered you and has been using various means to suppress and harass you, even creating enemies for you and sowing discord. That’s his specialty,” Ye Xian said, then suddenly added with a relaxed smile, “But big brother, you don’t need to worry. Your generous nature made you many good friends in the Immortal Realm, Divine Realm, Heavenly Court, and beyond. I believe there must be people secretly helping you, or else, with your mortal body, you could never have reached the first level of the Black Hole Realm.”

“I do have a few friends and benefactors, but I don’t know if they’re the ones you mean,” Shui Miao mused, then asked, “Third brother, do you remember if I ever met a middle-aged scholar who had transcended the Three Realms?”

“A middle-aged scholar who transcended the Three Realms!” Ye Xian’s heart stirred. Immediately, he transformed into the image of a middle-aged scholar, “Was it someone like this?”

“Yes! Exactly him!”

Shui Miao was excited—the person Ye Xian had transformed into was indeed the scholar.

Ye Xian sighed deeply, “So it was him! His name is Bai Liang. He was born in the Ming Dynasty, a remarkable man who knew both the heavens and the earth. He once helped the Water Dragon Emperor, Chen Youliang, in his rise to power, and later joined the Golden Dragon Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang as the Imperial Feng Shui Master, seeking auspicious geomantic sites for the royal family. He became an immortal after discovering an exceptional spiritual vein. Back in the Immortal Realm, you met him when he was in a very difficult situation, constantly bullied by others. You helped him cultivate, and together you transcended the Three Realms. From then on, he revered you like a savior. I never expected him to be so loyal and grateful, secretly helping you cultivate. No wonder your cultivation has advanced so rapidly!”

“No way…”

Shui Miao was stunned. This was just too incredible. If what Ye Xian said was true, he must have been incredibly powerful in his past life!

For some reason, Shui Miao suddenly felt he couldn’t possibly have been Hei Ming.

He kept this thought to himself and asked again, “Then do you know a female ghost named Bai Niang, who lived here a thousand years ago? By the way, your disciple Zhang Yuan should have told you about her.”

“Do you mean Bai Susu?”

Ye Xian changed his form again, now appearing as the female ghost, “Was she someone like this?”

“Exactly! That’s her!”

Shui Miao was excited once more, amazed at how knowledgeable Ye Xian was.

“She…” Ye Xian frowned slightly, “You two didn’t know each other before. She was a mere mortal disciple of the Baiyu God-King, a pitiful woman who gave up everything for love. However, the man she loved was actually a child whom your past self greatly admired.”

“A child? Which child!?”

Shui Miao scratched his head, surprised that this was connected to him again.

“He’s quite powerful now—he’s Ling Shuai of the Immortal Realm, the commander leading heavenly soldiers in battle against the demon world,” Ye Xian said with some disdain. Back then, such a figure had been just a child in his eyes.

“Wow! So that’s how it was!!”

A sudden clarity washed over Shui Miao’s heart, as if the clouds had parted to reveal the moon.

Ye Xian’s words were becoming increasingly convincing.

After a moment of contemplation, Shui Miao thought of his grandfather, Xiong Ying. Since his grandfather had been his cultivation mentor, Shui Miao suspected he too might have been a powerful god-king in a past life. So, channeling his immortal energy, he transformed into the image of his grandfather, Xiong Ying, and asked, “Third brother, do you recognize this old man?”

“This person… this person seems to resemble a very, very powerful figure,” Ye Xian said, furrowing his brow in deep thought. “Your past self greatly desired to become his disciple, but he was like a dragon—seen only in glimpses, never staying long enough to take on a student.”

“Who is he? Who exactly is he!?”

Shui Miao almost wanted to strangle Ye Xian. The man was so frustrating—always speaking in half-truths, leaving him hanging like this.