Shi Qingqian gazed at the Corrupted Corpse Forest, which had been dug three feet deep, her brow furrowed into a tight knot.
A hint of confusion touched her tense face, her trembling eyes revealing her inner panic.
Anyone who dared to look at Shi Qingqian’s expression at this moment would be shocked by the overwhelming panic. The Demon Lord of the Demon Realm, unparalleled, was in such a state of helpless fear.
In the swirling dust and smoke, the Demon Lord, who appeared so aloof, gradually had her eyes turn red.
The chilling red patterns at the corners of her eyes writhed together, oozing streaks of blood, adding a sinister and terrifying aura to Shi Qingqian’s otherwise cold face.
Jin Siliu, returning from a search, saw Shi Qingqian in a very disturbed state and exclaimed, “Little Master—”
As her panicked, trembling voice echoed in the rotting scent of the Corrupted Corpse Forest, the person she had called out to moved first.
Endless black mist billowed from the hem of Shi Qingqian’s skirt, her robes flapping in the wind as if she herself were about to be swept away by it.
The ground where the wind swirled gradually turned scorched black, looking as if the earth had been dug deep to reveal an abyss.
The person above the ‘abyss’ gradually ascended, floating above the black mist. Shi Qingqian formed a hand seal, her skirt billowing and rustling in the wind. The black mist below gradually gathered, forming a vortex that surged upwards, wanting to devour everything.
Threads of silver-glowing black mist shot out from the vortex, rapidly rushing outwards in all directions.
Even though the black mist did not touch Jin Siliu, she instantly felt a shock that struck directly at her heart. This was the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree.
The silver-glowing black mist was the dispersed Qingming demonic energy. Jin Siliu immediately had an undeniable command etched into her heart: Find A’Ling.
A’Ling’s image also appeared before her eyes in an instant. A’Ling in the black mist looked a little different from the A’Ling in her memory.
Seeing how composed and reserved A’Ling was now, Jin Siliu’s tears streamed down.
At the same time, she vowed in her heart to find A’Ling, to protect her A’Ling, even if it cost her life, she would not let A’Ling meet any harm here.
She had already searched the Corrupted Corpse Forest no less than three times. She didn’t understand why Little Master insisted A’Ling was here.
But now that Little Master had issued the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree, ordering all demons to search for A’Ling, she probably had doubts about whether A’Ling was currently in the Corrupted Corpse Forest.
Without a moment’s delay, Jin Siliu immediately led the demons in the Corrupted Corpse Forest to search for A’Ling outside the forest.
Any demon who disobeyed the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree would suffer the punishment of soul searing. Upon receiving the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree, the demons in the Demon Realm all mobilized, searching the Demon Realm for the woman named ‘A’Ling’.
On Mystic Crane Mountain, as Yang Xia, the physician, was treating a fallen and injured demon, she and the demon on the ground simultaneously felt a tremor. They had both received the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree.
Yang Xia was greatly surprised and exclaimed, “A’Ling is missing?”
The demon on the ground looked at her in surprise at her words. How did this cultivator-like medical cultivator know the contents of the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree? Could it be?
Her eyes widened. So this medical cultivator was also a demon. No wonder she was willing to heal the demons.
Knowing that the other party was a demon like herself, her guard dropped by more than half. She was curious who the person in the Demon Lord’s command was and asked Yang Xia, “Who is this A’Ling, and why is the Demon Lord looking for her at this time?”
After speaking, she seemed to have thought of something and added, “Is this person perhaps the one who made the Demon Lord use the Demon soul Crimson Phoenix Art back then?”
Yang Xia neither confirmed nor denied. She was anxious in her heart. How could A’Ling be in trouble now? That would mean Shi Qingqian wouldn’t be able to spare any effort for Mystic Crane Mountain.
They were in the same situation. The current state of Mystic Crane Mountain also prevented them from having the time to search for A’Ling.
The cultivators of Mystic Crane Mountain refused Elder Zeng’s explanation and insisted that these Mutated Beasts were created by the demon race, launching a deadly assault on the demons.
As for them, to prevent the situation from escalating, they were holding back their strength, not killing the cultivators as they did. The current situation was not good.
The indiscriminate attacks of the Mutated Beasts also caused the demon race to suffer many casualties, just like the cultivators of Mystic Crane Mountain.
If this continued, it would surely be a mutual destruction, and everyone would end up dying at the mouths of the Mutated Beasts.
The demons of Mystic Crane Mountain received the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree and communicated with each other, asking if they had seen a woman named ‘A’Ling’.
The remaining demons left in the Demon Realm were almost all low-level cultivators. Jin Siliu was anxious and utilized all the demons she could, assigning people to search for A’Ling everywhere in the Demon Realm.
She herself completely ignored her terrifying appearance and searched everywhere for A’Ling, determined to find her.
Shi Qingqian remained in the Corrupted Corpse Forest. After issuing the Qingming Demon Lord’s decree, she stopped in mid-air above the Corrupted Corpse Forest, looking down at the deathly aura emanating from the woods, still without seeing A’Ling’s figure.
She slowly descended, returning to the spot where she had emerged from the void. If A’Ling went missing after leaving the void, then this was the place where A’Ling disappeared.
Shi Qingqian slowly squatted down and traced the dust on the ground with her hand, as if trying to sense A’Ling’s aura. She picked up a pinch of soil and brought it to her nose, sniffing gently.
There was no trace of A’Ling on it, but Shi Qingqian stubbornly believed that A’Ling was here. This was a spiritual feeling; she instinctively felt that A’Ling had not left and was nearby.
A determined glint flashed in Shi Qingqian’s eyes. She gathered demonic energy in her palm, drawing a circle in the air, enclosing herself within it.
She was going to use herself as a sacrifice, her demon soul as the spiritual eye, to perform the Demon soul Seeking Master ritual.
Ten thousand silver lights suddenly erupted, as if to split the black mist swirling from the ground. With the might of thunder, they rushed rapidly from beneath Shi Qingqian’s feet towards the circumference.
Generally, once a master’s mark is etched onto a demon soul, the master can detect the demon’s location at any time. However, demons could not easily detect the master’s location.
Shi Qingqian did not know whether A’Ling was not seeking her because she was worried about her demon soul being injured, or because her current human body was restrained and unable to cast spells to find her.
Regardless of the reason, Shi Qingqian could not wait any longer.
Even though her search for A’Ling required using her demon soul as a sacrifice to seek the mark, which would cause her demon soul to endure the pain of being branded again.
Shi Qingqian’s vision turned white with pain, and she was in so much agony that she could no longer stand on her own legs. After struggling for a few steps, she still stumbled and fell to the ground.
She propped herself up with one hand, using the other to firmly hold her head, which felt like it was being torn apart. She closed her crimson eyes, focusing her entire being on sensing A’Ling’s location amidst the pain.
Nearby, just nearby.
Shi Qingqian suddenly opened her eyes, which were now blood red as if shedding tears of blood. In a haze of red mist, she saw a familiar figure walking towards her.
The darkness around A’Ling receded like a tide. The moment she saw the light again, she saw Shi Qingqian, who had collapsed in pain.
She hesitated. Seeing Shi Qingqian, whose body seemed unable to endure the pain, struggling to stand, A’Ling stopped. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she did not step forward.
Shi Qingqian looked up, seeing the person not far away, seeing her stiff body, seeing her frozen in place. A strange but extremely intense palpitation overshadowed the pressure brought by the pain.
Something must have happened.
Shi Qingqian struggled to get up from the ground, disregarding the searing pain of her demon soul. She stumbled a few steps towards A’Ling, and when she felt she could stabilize herself, she quickly ran to A’Ling’s front.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt anywhere? What happened just now? I was looking for you the whole time, were you here the whole time?”
Shi Qingqian’s questions came one after another. She had so many questions, and her anxiety intensified with A’Ling’s silence.
A’Ling allowed Shi Qingqian to pull her, checking her all over for any wounds. She heard Shi Qingqian’s voice, but the turmoil in her mind made her thoughts chaotic. She didn’t even know how to face Shi Qingqian.
She saw her person, heard her voice, but she could only see and hear. She could not extricate herself from the shock she had just experienced. She could only look at her like this, listening to her concern.
She wanted to say she was fine, but her dry throat felt as if it were clogged with cotton. Although cotton should be soft, in her dry throat, the strands of cotton felt more painful than a direct cut from a knife.
She was so uncomfortable that she couldn’t speak, only looking at the person in front of her, her appearance blurring through her tears.
Shi Qingqian’s brow furrowed deeply, looking at the person in front of her who seemed to have lost her soul, staring blankly. She just watched her, saying nothing, but tears streamed down her face.
What exactly happened? How did A’Ling become like this?
When they parted, she was as vibrant as a wild flower just blooming in the mountains, full of vitality and a unique passion.
Now, seeing her again, it was still the same person. She didn’t seem to have any injuries, but the unique vitality she carried seemed to have been drained away!
Who! Who took A’Ling away! What did they do to her?!
Shi Qingqian’s heartache mixed with anger, making her unsure how to care for the person in front of her.
She hugged her tightly. This time, she dared not step into the void again. She held her tightly and flew away from the Corrupted Corpse Forest, heading towards the Iron Pagoda not far away.
Shi Qingqian had completely forgotten her previous worries, forgotten that the arrangement in the Iron Pagoda was the same as before. She just wanted to quickly leave the Corrupted Corpse Forest that had caused A’Ling to become like this.
She just wanted to know what had happened to A’Ling.
This feeling of powerlessness, of knowing nothing and being unable to do anything for A’Ling, made her feel ten thousand times worse than the branding of her demon soul.
“It’s alright, A’Ling. Don’t cry, we’re going home.”
As they reached the Iron Pagoda’s barrier, Shi Qingqian waved her hand to open a corner of the barrier and walked in with A’Ling.
At the same time, within Mystic Crane Mountain, Gu Jingyang became flustered upon hearing from Yang Xia that A’Ling was missing.
How could A’Ling be missing? What was going on with Shi Qingqian? She was fine, so how could A’Ling be lost?
Was the Demon Realm some kind of maze? How could A’Ling, such a grown person, get lost in the Demon Realm?
After Gu Jingyang reinforced Yang Xia’s barrier, she ignored the fierce and clamoring Mutated Beasts outside and quickly took out her stone mirror. She had to confirm A’Ling’s condition first.
Thank heavens, this time, the stone mirror was unusually sensitive. After the scarlet bead lit up for a short while, she saw A’Ling in the mirror.
“A’Ling, what happened? Did you get separated from Shi Qingqian? Why is she looking for you?” Gu Jingyang’s eyes widened as she looked at the person in the stone mirror, seeing that her eyes seemed a little red, but she didn’t appear to be injured. She let out a relieved sigh.
At the same time, A’Ling took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm in her heart. She had just entered her former residence in the Demon Realm with Shi Qingqian and had not yet had time to calm her emotions when she received the stone mirror’s transmission from Gu Jingyang.
Worried that something had happened to Gu Jingyang, she quickly wiped away her tears. After a few rapid breaths, she looked somewhat normal and quickly activated the stone mirror.
Seeing Gu Jingyang in the mirror, although she looked a bit disheveled, she seemed to be in good spirits and had no injuries on her face. A’Ling breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m fine. I just got lost in the Demon Realm. What about you? Where are you now?” A’Ling asked with concern, shifting the topic back to Gu Jingyang.
If Gu Jingyang had only heard from someone else that A’Ling was just lost, she definitely wouldn’t have believed it. Although she was a bit foolish and naive in some matters, she was not someone who couldn’t find her way or tell directions.
Since A’Ling said so now, she probably didn’t want her to worry. Since the person had been found, the events that happened here could be discussed later.
Indeed, there was not much time to dwell on these matters.
Gu Jingyang glanced at the Mutated Beasts attacking the barrier, at the two groups of people fighting fiercely in the distance, and at the unrestrained attacks of the Mutated Beasts. The number of people still standing was decreasing.
If this continued, they would all perish. Gu Jingyang had already explained to both sides and even showed them that the ‘demons’ controlling the Mutated Beasts were ordinary people possessed by malevolent spirits. However, both sides were now blinded by bloodlust, and their hostility could not be stopped by her words alone.
Now, even the two Peak Masters, Ye Bingfeng and Jiang Qiuchun, no longer believed her words, thinking that her stance leaned towards protecting the demons.
“It’s not good. Mystic Crane Mountain and the demon race are not backing down from each other, let alone joining forces to resist the Mutated Beasts. Now, the Mutated Beasts seem to have been activated by blood, becoming even more ferocious. If this continues, I’m afraid Mystic Crane Mountain will cease to exist, and the demon race will be annihilated here.”
Gu Jingyang told A’Ling the current situation truthfully, neither exaggerating nor concealing.
She didn’t know A’Ling’s situation, so it was better to state the facts to help A’Ling make a choice. If the matter in the Demon Realm was more important, she should handle that first. If it was not as critical as the situation here, Gu Jingyang also hoped she would return soon and help her eliminate the Mutated Beasts and stop this futile battle between the demon race and Mystic Crane Mountain.
A’Ling’s expression turned solemn when she heard Gu Jingyang’s words. Thinking of the item in her hand, she said to Gu Jingyang in the mirror, “Wait for me. I have a way to prove that Dao Rong did this.”
If she could prove that these Mutated Beasts were created by Dao Rong, then the suspicion on the demon race would be lifted.
Gu Jingyang’s eyes flashed with surprise and joy. “Okay, A’Ling, I’ll wait for you to come back.”
A’Ling nodded, spun the scarlet bead on the stone mirror, and the mirror returned to its stone appearance. A’Ling put the item back into her Universe pouch and turned to look at Shi Qingqian, who had been silent beside her.
Shi Qingqian’s gaze had been on A’Ling the whole time. When A’Ling looked at her, their gazes met in the air, creating an invisible ripple.
This caused A’Ling’s heart to feel a pang, and the indescribable sense of oppression and dullness in her heart struck again.
The matters in her heart were too heavy, so much so that A’Ling didn’t even notice that the arrangement in the Iron Pagoda was the same as her previous life in the Demon Realm.
The doubt in Shi Qingqian’s eyes could not be concealed. Thinking about what A’Ling had just said to Gu Jingyang, that she had evidence to prove that Dao Rong was responsible for everything, where did that evidence come from?
Was it related to her disappearance this time? What exactly did A’Ling encounter?
Seeing her eyes flicker again, not even noticing the strangeness within the Iron Pagoda, Shi Qingqian felt that this matter must be significant and definitely related to her.
“What’s wrong? What did you see in the Corrupted Corpse Forest?” Shi Qingqian asked gently, with concern.
A’Ling opened her mouth. The emotions that had slightly calmed down while talking to Gu Jingyang churned again upon seeing Shi Qingqian’s face.
She saw Shi Qingqian’s brows furrowed due to her silence, and even her usually expressionless eyes were filled with concern for her. A’Ling felt even worse.
The dull ache felt like someone was slowly grinding a knife, drawing out blood bit by bit, welling up into her throat, making it unbearable, and she had to do something to relieve it.
She took a step forward, and that single step felt as if she had used all her strength.
A’Ling closed her eyes, not letting the tears that had already filled her eyes fall. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Shi Qingqian’s neck, stretching her neck, not even needing to confirm the location with her eyes.
She acted solely by her feelings, kissing the person in front of her, from the tip of her ear, kissing to the corners of her eyes. Her lips lingered slightly on the trembling eyelashes, then along the high-bridged nose, kissing down little by little.
It was as if she were measuring and painting with her lips, gentle and lingering, yet unforgettable.
When her lips finally passed the peaks and reached the other side, Shi Qingqian’s body trembled lightly. She felt as if the places A’Ling had kissed were bursting into flames, and finally, all the sparks fell onto her lips.
She had been waiting all along. The moment A’Ling’s lips landed on her lips, she immediately responded, seizing that scorching lip.
She didn’t know what A’Ling had experienced. She reached out and hugged A’Ling’s waist, her arms encircling her, her hands clasped together and exerting great force, almost lifting A’Ling’s feet off the ground.
She didn’t know what A’Ling was sad about. The faint light of the night pearls within the Iron Pagoda fell on her face. She closed her eyes tightly, looking like a lonely demonic beast seeking comfort.
Shi Qingqian kissed A’Ling’s lips forcefully. A’Ling responded eagerly and fiercely. Beneath their touching clothes, their hearts beat so powerfully yet chaotically within their chests.
Unlike A’Ling’s eager but intimate kiss in the secret room before, this kiss felt more like A’Ling’s desperate attempt to ease Shi Qingqian’s worries, which only made Shi Qingqian more worried and anxious.
A’Ling didn’t know what Shi Qingqian was thinking, nor did she know if her current actions were to comfort Shi Qingqian or to deceive herself.
Feeling the warmth from their touching bodies, A’Ling’s heart felt as if a large stone were pressing down on it. Shi Qingqian hugged her so tightly, her arms encircling her, her hands behind her back sticking to her body like a brand.
A warmth mixed with pain intertwined within her heart. After A’Ling vented the emotions that could not be spoken to anyone, she withdrew from Shi Qingqian’s lips and lightly touched her slightly trembling nose.
She pulled back slightly and suddenly smiled.
“You were startled, weren’t you? It’s okay, I just accidentally stepped into a phantom mist.”
As she spoke, she lightly wiped away a trace of moisture from the corner of Shi Qingqian’s lips and teased, “I don’t know if it’s yours or mine.”
These words, which should have made one’s face blush and heart flutter, caused Shi Qingqian’s uncontrollable heart to throb with pain at this moment.
A’Ling, acting as if she were oblivious, continued to smile and say, “Don’t worry, see? I came out fine.”
Shi Qingqian looked deeply at the person in her arms, who had a smile on her face but no trace of happiness. She simply looked at her for a long time and then asked in a low voice, “You can’t tell me?”
A’Ling’s smile froze on her face. She knew it. Her abnormality and her attempt to gloss over it with these words and actions would be difficult with Shi Qingqian.
She was just taking a gamble that Shi Qingqian would cooperate with her in this act.
Clearly, she had lost the gamble.
Since that was the case, A’Ling suppressed the pain that felt like a blade cutting through her heart, removed the smile from her face, and looked back, her gaze deep.
“What about you? Don’t you have anything to tell me?” A’Ling gave a wry smile, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes again. This time, she couldn’t hold back, and the dam broke.
Shi Qingqian’s brow twitched violently. Looking at A’Ling’s falling tears, her heart felt like a sudden downpour, with the sound of raindrops hitting everywhere, leaving her heart feeling wet.
She didn’t know if A’Ling’s question was about the same thing she was thinking, but remembering what she had hidden from A’Ling, her heart also felt a tight pain.
For a moment, the Iron Pagoda was silent, with only the rapid breathing of the two synchronized.
This time, neither of them spoke. They simply looked at each other, each guessing in their hearts what they were hiding from the other.
A’Ling sighed heavily in her heart. Her dull, aching heart could no longer return to its proper rhythm. She now knew what Shi Qingqian was hiding from her.
Recalling everything she had seen in the darkness, she saw Shi Qingqian’s mother’s plan after learning of Dao Rong’s scheme.
Premature labor, sending away the child, luring Dao Rong into the killing formation she had set up, desperately wanting to perish with Dao Rong, not hesitating to die to take away this true demon that could endanger the world.
Unfortunately, to protect Shi Qingqian, and to prevent her from being invaded by demonic energy, Demon Lord Shi Yu had already expended more than half of her cultivation during childbirth.
She then had Jin Siliu take people away and re-suppressed the demonic energy within her, which put the Demon Lord Shi Yu, who was in the weakest state after childbirth, in an even more dire situation.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have had to use herself as a sacrifice to set up a killing formation.
In this death, A’Ling did not see the golden phoenix rise into the sky. Thinking of the warning she had heard in the darkness, ‘Never let demonic energy enter the body,’ A’Ling felt a wave of melancholy.
Demon Lord Shi Yu, or perhaps the Goddess, had likely perished by now.
Did she regret it?
Perhaps not. When A’Ling saw her die, her eyes were filled more with guilt. The last words she spoke were of anger at herself for discovering it too late and not resolving Dao Rong in time.
Even though she used herself as a sacrifice, she couldn’t take away this demon that could endanger the world.
A’Ling had seen her look of regret when she gave birth to Shi Qingqian, and her tears had fallen then too.
She had sealed her demonic power into the Demon Lord’s Tears and handed them over to Jin Siliu. A’Ling had seen it all clearly. Demon Lord Shi Yu had probably not expected Jin Siliu to have a selfish thought and give the item to her.
That was why A’Ling had fallen into demonic ways in her previous life. The Demon Lord’s demonic power had likely mistaken her for Shi Qingqian, which was why it had protected her in the Chengtian Beiyu Cliff.
That was also why she was able to advance so rapidly on the path of cultivation.
Thinking of everything she had seen in that strange place, A’Ling slightly lowered her head to look at Little Wandering on her wrist.
Her previous premonition had indeed been correct. The demon core might only be useful from the tiger-headed spider in her Little Wandering.
In the past, she didn’t know that the Spirit Mountain Tiger-headed Spider was also one of the Goddess’s reincarnations. She only had a vague guess due to something feeling not quite right.
Now, these guesses had evidence.
The Ten Fiend Ghost Soul refined from Jin Zhuyue’s soul, the willing sacrifice of the Spirit Mountain Tiger-headed Spider’s demon core, the Demon Lord’s Tears shed in regret by Demon Lord Shi Yu, were all remnants of the Goddess’s reincarnations.
They were all the ‘monsters’ needed, except for ‘ghosts’.
In the past, A’Ling didn’t know that the Spirit Mountain Tiger-headed Spider in her hand was also one of the Goddess’s reincarnations. The whole affair felt like a missing piece. Now that she knew everything, all of this naturally made sense.
What ancient legends? What monsters and ghosts? This legendary ancient divine power was nothing more than these remnants left by the Goddess. This also included ‘ghosts’, her children.
Perhaps the Goddess in the past had also encountered such a situation of dying three times, perhaps she had also had children. These might all be things that Heaven’s will did not permit.
That was why there was this legend of gathering everything and possessing ancient divine power.
In reality, all of this was simply Heaven’s will wanting to eliminate divine traces, wanting to erase the Goddess’s proof of existence in the world.
While possessing that ‘divine power’, these things would surely perish together.
Shi Qingqian would die…
The moment A’Ling thought of this conclusion, her heart, which she had managed to stabilize with all her might, began to race again like a startled wild horse, wanting to break through the chest that contained it.
A’Ling understood why Shi Qingqian had said that the Ten Fiend Ghost Soul was with her at the Immortal Rainbow Platform back then.
So at that time, she had already resigned herself to death. No wonder she had even taken back the Demon Lord’s Tears from her body.
She knew about this legend and knew that she would die if she wanted to possess this power.
A’Ling stared blankly at Little Wandering in her hand. She hadn’t thought of taking the tiger-headed spider’s demon core. Did that mean she only knew about the legend but not the fundamental reason?
Dao Rong probably didn’t know either. If he did, he would have likely gone to get the tiger-headed spider’s sacrificed demon core long ago.
Since he could pretend to be a good person and deceive the tiger-headed spider and the beasts on Kai Yao Mountain, he would naturally not deceive only this once. It seemed he had many demon cores in his hands, all of which were ‘willingly’ sacrificed by the deceived beasts.
He probably disdained the demon core of this insignificant tiger-headed spider. Arrogant as he was, how could he have imagined that the Goddess’s reincarnation would be a small spider?
A’Ling snorted coldly. She really wanted to kill him!
The cold snort she involuntarily let out made Shi Qingqian’s eyes sharpen, but A’Ling, with her head lowered, didn’t notice. She was immersed in the surging anger in her heart.
A’Ling gritted her teeth tightly, recalling the horrific scene of Demon Lord Shi Yu being killed in reverse. While heartbroken, she was also glad that only she had seen it.
If Shi Qingqian had seen her mother’s final moments, being burned by Dao Rong’s flames and her soul scattered, how devastated she would be.
A’Ling, as an outsider, could not wait to rush into the scene and tear that scoundrel demon into a thousand pieces, and then burn his soul so that he would also feel the pain of a burning heart!
This was the first time A’Ling had ever wanted to kill someone so much. This hatred was a hundred times stronger than when she learned that Huo Zhen wanted to kill her.
Dao Rong was even more detestable and disgusting than Huo Zhen. She wished she could kill him with her own hands now, to avenge Demon Lord Shi Yu, Jin Zhuyue, the tiger-headed spider, Shi Qingqian, and all those who died because of the mutated Mutated Beasts caused by him.
But if she wanted to kill him, the prerequisite was Shi Qingqian’s death. How could she choose?
A’Ling’s heart turned completely cold. Her rage was instantly covered by a thick layer of frost.
The anger had not subsided, and the frost did not melt. It layered upon her heart, half roasting her, half freezing her.
A’Ling gave a wry smile. It was no wonder that only she had seen these things when they left the void. So ‘Heaven’s will’ wanted her to choose?
Did it want her to choose between one dying to save all?
But why!
What had Shi Qingqian done wrong!
A’Ling’s suppressed tears, along with the trembling of her body, fell to the ground like large raindrops.
Even though A’Ling’s head was lowered, Shi Qingqian could only see the top of her head. Even though A’Ling had tried her best to stifle her sobs, Shi Qingqian still noticed something was wrong immediately.
She forcefully turned A’Ling’s head up, looking at the two wet streaks on her face, with endless tears continuously falling from her eyes. Shi Qingqian panicked.
Was it because she hadn’t answered A’Ling’s question? What was A’Ling thinking about during her silence that made her cry so sadly?
Shi Qingqian was flustered and didn’t know what to do. She carefully wiped A’Ling’s tears. Not sure what A’Ling was crying about, Shi Qingqian could only ask hesitantly and anxiously, “What’s wrong?”
She thought that if it was because of her, as long as A’Ling stopped crying, she would agree to all of A’Ling’s requests.
Shi Qingqian didn’t expect that A’Ling’s first words would indeed be a request.
“Shi Qingqian, if I asked you to die, would you go and die without any hesitation?”
If a third person heard these words, they would definitely think that A’Ling was being excessive by relying on Shi Qingqian’s affection and had malicious intentions.
Shi Qingqian, however, was confused. She didn’t know why A’Ling had suddenly brought this up. But the answer to this question didn’t need much thought.
She didn’t know why A’Ling was asking this, but all she wanted now was for A’Ling to stop crying. She didn’t know what answer A’Ling wanted to hear. She couldn’t judge, so she could only reveal what was in her heart.
Shi Qingqian nodded and honestly said, “Yes.”
A’Ling’s eyes were filled with tears. She slightly shifted her gaze and gave a mournful smile.
Tears flowed down her cheeks. She didn’t wipe them away. The tears fell into the corner of her mouth. She gently licked it, and the bitter taste filled her mouth.
A’Ling mocked Heaven’s will in her heart. No wonder it chose her to know all of this.
She forcefully wiped another tear that was about to fall into her mouth and looked at Shi Qingqian with a deep gaze. “Then what if I don’t want you to die?”
Why should she sacrifice Shi Qingqian for someone else? And by what right did she get to decide someone’s life or death? Even if Shi Qingqian was willing to die for others, she was not willing.
Shi Qingqian’s brows furrowed deeply, forming a small mountain. A’Ling must have encountered many things. Looking at the suppressed grief in her obscure eyes, Shi Qingqian suddenly exerted force with her hands on A’Ling’s back, her ten fingers turning pale due to the exertion.
She pulled A’Ling closer by an inch without explanation, her hands behind her firmly encircling her waist to prevent her from leaving. She lowered her head and gently touched A’Ling’s forehead, restraining her strength.
This question did not require thought. After kissing A’Ling’s forehead, Shi Qingqian couldn’t help but lower her head and kiss the corner of her lips.
“I will live hard for you.”
Her voice carried a hint of joy and gentleness, as well as lingering love.
If A’Ling didn’t want her to die, she would naturally strive to live, to accompany A’Ling for a long, long time. Even if she died under unavoidable circumstances, as long as there was a shred of consciousness or spirit, she would accompany A’Ling until she perished.
She buried her head in A’Ling’s neck, feeling her rapid heartbeat, watching her messy hair float past her flushed cheeks in the air.
A’Ling’s eyes filled with tears again, flowing down her cheeks. She didn’t bother to wipe them. She bent her arm and pulled the head nestled in her neck forward, then kissed her again.
The affection in Shi Qingqian’s words was so profound that A’Ling didn’t know how to respond. She eagerly kissed the person who made her heart tremble.
After the surging kiss suppressed the pain and chaos in her heart, A’Ling released her, panting for a moment, then moved her lips to the side of her ear, pressing against the warm, beating skin, and uttered two determined words: “Let’s go.”
Shi Qingqian looked at A’Ling’s lips, which were flushed red like the sunset after the kiss, and asked with unsteady breath, “Where to?”
Once the turmoil and desire in her heart were opened, she didn’t want to go anywhere.
A’Ling looked straight into her eyes, her gaze firm and clear. She had detached herself from the previous agitation more quickly than Shi Qingqian and steadied her breathing. She said word by word, “Qiongdian.”
Shi Qingqian’s trembling heart sank abruptly upon hearing these two words.
“You—”
Before she could finish her sentence, she saw A’Ling’s flushed face curve into an icy smile. “I remember you said that Dao Rong is currently suffering from the backlash of the puppet technique. Then his strength must be greatly diminished now. Instead of waiting for him to recover and come to our door—”
A’Ling paused and continued, “Why don’t we go and kill him now!”
A’Ling uttered the words ‘kill him’ through gritted teeth. She now had only one thought in her mind and didn’t want to think about anything else.
If she could kill him, then Shi Qingqian wouldn’t have to die, and the world would be at peace.
As for what would happen if she couldn’t kill him, A’Ling had also thought it through. At worst, she would just die again.
A’Ling hugged Shi Qingqian tightly, burying her head in Shi Qingqian’s warm neck. Although she was also very reluctant to leave like this.
Thinking that this journey might be one of no return, her nose tingled with a sourness. A’Ling forcefully suppressed the sourness in her heart, sniffed, and mumbled, “Let’s go.”
Regardless of life or death, she had decided to face it together with Shi Qingqian.
Besides, what was there to fear about death? Hadn’t she died before!
The ceaseless downpour on Mystic Crane Mountain finally ceased miraculously as the sky began to whiten.
Gu Jingyang withdrew her protective shield. Saving some spiritual energy was good.
Yang Xia, seeing the sky brighten, felt a glimmer of hope. Everyone who had experienced the invasion of Mutated Beasts in the outer sect, along with Yang Xia, had the same expression. As the sky whitened, hope flickered in their eyes.
They hoped that the Mutated Beasts on Mystic Crane Mountain would also retreat at dawn, although they knew the hope was slim.
As expected, hope was quickly dashed.
When the torrential rain stopped and Mystic Crane Mountain was once again bathed in light, the beasts became even more excited.
They roared and once again attacked the three peaks in mid-air.
Now that daylight had come, the vision was also clearer. In the evening, they would accidentally injure their own kind, but now they wouldn’t.
Flying Mutated Beasts flapped their huge wings and swooped down, showing their sharp claws to the cultivators defending with their swords.
The falling cultivators left trails of blood in the air.
The river water in Goose Head River became even redder, containing not only the blood of cultivators but also that of demons.
Though their paths differed, their blood was all crimson.
The Mutated Beasts roared excitedly, as if invigorated by the streams of blood. The Mutated Beasts in the air, without anyone commanding them, all charged towards Summer Shadow Peak, as if they had seen that the defensive barrier there was the weakest.
Shan Lei watched the Mutated Beasts that blotted out the sky charging towards Summer Shadow Peak. The sheath of the Biyue Sword she tightly gripped in her palm was covered in cold sweat. Her cultivation was not yet at the Transformation Realm. Even with Shan Xinci’s Golden Core, she had not fully absorbed her power.
Being able to hold on until now was her limit. Shan Lei gathered all her spiritual energy, a sense of despair overwhelming her. She was afraid she couldn’t hold on.
Looking at the Mutated Beasts rapidly diving towards them, they had already controlled all the people who were possessed by malevolent spirits and appeared as ‘demons.’ These Mutated Beasts still seemed to have someone commanding them. These fake ‘demons’ were likely just a distraction.
She looked up at the sky. The person truly controlling these Mutated Beasts was likely up there.
Shan Lei regretted it. She should have revealed the truth earlier. Now it was too late.
Looking at the Mutated Beasts directly in front of her, a look of resolve for mutual destruction flashed in Shan Lei’s eyes.
Gu Jingyang felt that something was wrong. When she saw the Mutated Beasts roaring excitedly, as if communicating with each other, she had shouted for everyone to be careful. Seeing the Mutated Beasts heading towards Summer Shadow Peak, she also rushed over with her sword.
She formed a hand seal, activated her spiritual energy, and cast an attack sword array towards the group of Mutated Beasts. Streaks of sword light were like falling silver needles, rushing towards the Mutated Beasts.
But the Mutated Beasts, whose flesh and blood had all mutated into armor, did not dodge. They weaved through the sword light within the sword array. Even if they were injured on their armor plates, it did not stop their advance.
This was not good. With such a fierce impact, let alone the barrier of Summer Shadow Peak, she was worried that the entire Summer Shadow Peak would be smashed to pieces and collapse.
Just as Gu Jingyang was anxiously and desperately trying to find a solution, a golden light flashed before the barrier of Summer Shadow Peak.
Gu Jingyang watched in shock as the golden light, like the rising sun, erupted with power. The force of the explosion caused the charging Mutated Beasts, which were like lightning, to suddenly stop in mid-air, as if their path had been blocked by an invisible barrier.
Not only that, but a beam of purple light, like a newly drawn sword, stretched across the sky, in front of the suddenly halted Mutated Beasts. With the unstoppable momentum of thunder and lightning, it swept away the vast swarm of Mutated Beasts for tens of meters.
For a moment, the sky was filled with the cries and roars of Mutated Beasts.
A moment later, the golden light dispersed, revealing the two people within the light. Gu Jingyang heard a demon beside her, who was trying to approach and attack her, raise its hands and shout reverently at the figures in the sky: “Demon Lord! It’s the Demon Lord!”
They were likely referring to Shi Qingqian. Gu Jingyang shifted her gaze, glanced at Shi Qingqian, and then her gaze lingered solely on A’Ling, who had appeared from the void, holding Little Wandering, exuding an imposing aura.
At this moment, although the demons prostrated themselves and shouted for Shi Qingqian, Gu Jingyang felt that A’Ling beside her was even more dazzling.
And the dazzling person seemed to be somehow different. Gu Jingyang’s gaze remained fixed on the person in the air, her heart filled with doubt.
