Chapter 63 Annie, Jiang Xue, Ming Shu, and Yun Jin were ultimately too young…

Ming Shu and Yun Jin were ultimately too young to match Ling Long.

Qin Wenxue coughed up blood, struggling to support himself. His body was unsteady, and he drifted like smoke, like a fallen flower. The Chongming sword hummed incessantly. Qin Wenxue drew his sword and charged forward. He pulled Yun Jin and Ming Shu behind him to avoid the whirlwind of the silver spear. Then he twirled his sword, and the wind and snow rushed down, surging towards Linglong.

Qin Wenxue's eyelashes frosted over, and she coughed up another mouthful of blood. Chongming landed on the ground with a thud. Mingshu watched as everything in front of him slowed down, and he saw Qin Wenxue kneel down. A heart-wrenching pain shot through his chest, and he screamed, tears streaming down his face.

Yun Jin turned around abruptly, her eyes wide with shock, and saw Ming Shu lying on the ground, trembling, looking extremely pitiful. Her heart almost broke.

Ming Shu and Qin Wenxue were both injured or crippled. It was also his fault for being lazy in his cultivation; otherwise, he wouldn't be such a burden, constantly holding them back.

Yun Jin, holding the Three Thousand Guests sword, stood firm against Linglong in a life-or-death battle. She bled profusely, her wounds gruesome, staining her neat and clean blue attire crimson. Ani's spear was invincible, forcing Yun Jin into a retreat. Her eyes were resolute, and despite being covered in blood, her hand never relaxed for a moment when swinging her sword.

Linglong chuckled softly, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Yun Jin. He said in a deep voice, "You're luckier than me; you've found two loyal subordinates."

He spoke lightly, but his attack was truly deadly. Yun Jin was no match for Linglong, and with a soft thud, Ani pierced her chest. At that moment, her ears became acute; she heard the splashing of blood and the gushing sound. Ani circled her chest once. In Yun Jin's mind, a taut thread suddenly snapped, emitting a sharp pain like a short knife cutting flesh.

It hurt so much that her vision went black for a moment, and she coughed up blood. But Linglong's attack did not weaken. Annie was invincible. She saw the dazzling silver light of the spear tip and her blood-stained face on the spearhead. In an instant, she flipped up and rushed towards Annie again, standing in front of Qin Wenxue.

The expected pain did not come. A flower mark identical to Qin Wenxue's appeared on Yun Jin's forehead, and the Heart Protection Mantra flashed with golden light, instantly blocking Ani's attack. Yun Jin's injuries and pain were transferred to Qin Wenxue.

In an instant, Yun Jin was fully revived, while Qin Wenxue was even more frosty, his black hair flowing wildly. The wind and snow around him were fierce, making it impossible for anyone to get close.

Before Yun Jin could even process the shock in her eyes, she heard Qin Wenxue let out a muffled groan. Blood dripped from her fingers onto the ground. His gaze was calm as he looked at her gently, as if silently saying, "Leave this place."

“Your Majesty…” Yun Jin sobbed, and seeing Qin Wenxue’s disheveled appearance, she finally shed tears. She gritted her teeth, took a deep breath, and stood up unsteadily, like a majestic general, her back straight and her eyes resolute.

Yun Jin's lips moved as she muttered something. Few, scattered sparks rose from her body, like flickering flames on ashes, just a little more ignition needed to ignite and engulf this endless darkness.

The Three Thousand Swords vibrated, and ripples of sword energy spread outwards. Yun Jin gripped the hilt and deftly slashed her palm. A torrent of blood flowed down the sword, and was eventually absorbed by the Three Thousand Swords. Instantly, the Three Thousand Swords emitted a blinding red light, and the source of fire ignited the extinguished flames. A surge of heat rolled in, and flames swept across, filling the entire Path of Lost Life.

Qin Wenxue was surrounded by the heatwave, like a sword being forged in a furnace, kneeling silently, her red hair ribbon hanging silently to the ground, trembling and fluttering in the fire wind, like a flamboyant spider lily in the wind.

This scene was absolutely beautiful, perfectly showcasing Qin Wenxue's stunning appearance. The Chongming Sword swept out a sharp blade of light, and the flames, carrying the dust and smoke of the Misty Path, pierced towards Linglong in one fell swoop.

Linglong was forced back outside the ancestral hall, and coughed up a mouthful of blood. He stared fiercely at Yun Jin, as if he were looking at a dying person, wishing he could cut her into a thousand pieces.

Wusheng turned into a dazzling crimson, with golden light shimmering within it. Qinwenxue, like a phoenix reborn from the ashes, descended into the world in crimson flames.

The Path of Reincarnation was originally a dark place, but the three thousand guests were domineering and unreasonable. Flames swept through every corner, illuminating the ground in a bright red light. Choking smoke began to spread in the air, and crackling and popping sounds of wood being burned by the flames rang out one after another, like the sound of wood cracking and exploding after being set on fire.

Gradually, a whimpering, ghostly murmur emerged from the ground. The sound was incredibly irritating and unsettling, becoming increasingly pronounced as the flames rose.

The cycle of rebirth seemed to have broken through the entrance to the underworld, with ghostly cries rising and falling, a chilling, malicious, and painful chorus, like many restless vengeful spirits lurking here, ready to devour the human world in an instant stimulated by bloodshed.

Ming Shu gasped for breath, blinked listlessly, and stood up with a trembling body. He tossed his hair, scratched his ear with his paw—it was so itchy, so irritating. He wished he could dig three feet into the ground and exterminate those howling ghosts.

A violent and impulsive thought rose from the bottom of his heart. Wisps of black energy faintly emanated from his body. The flower ornament on his forehead was like a jewel covered in dust, its light dim and lifeless. His gaze toward Linglong was obscure and complicated.

Linglong wiped the blood from his lips, looked at the red on his fingers, and suddenly burst into wild laughter, like a madman. His eyes suddenly turned fierce, like a bloodthirsty wolf. He pointed his silver spear at Qin Wenxue's heart and roared through gritted teeth, "I'm going to kill you!"

The original name of the Ani Gun was Jiang Xue. Linglong found this divine weapon in Luo Qingchuan, which is an extremely remote mountain peak on the Zhaoyao Continent. It is a vast expanse of ice plains covered with snow all year round. In order to protect Peach Blossom Valley, Linglong traveled through mountains and rivers and overcame countless hardships to reach this desolate place.

The Crimson Snow, a creature with a spirit, is entirely silver-white. It is planted on the highest mountain in Luoqingchuan, where it has been tempered by lightning and thunder. In Luoqingchuan, it is like a stabilizing needle, protecting all living beings. The mountain is covered with a flower, which is tiny with five petals, as exquisite and translucent as red snow. It grows alongside the Crimson Snow. When Linglong takes the Crimson Snow, the red snow withers instantly and never grows again.

He felt it was a great pity that the Red Snowflake was the only flower in the entire continent that could cure the cold poison. He had discovered it by chance when he arrived in Luoqingchuan covered in wounds. At that time, he was on the verge of death, his demon core was invaded by the cold air, and he could not activate his spiritual power. He was about to freeze to death at the foot of the mountain.

When viewed from a distance, the red snowflakes seemed to melt into the white snow. The entire mountain resembled a large tree with red and white blossoms, like a peach tree, with lush branches and a vast, overcast canopy that blocked out the sun. Linglong's heart stirred, and a secret mix of sweetness and bitterness welled up within him. He climbed for three days and three nights at the foot of the mountain, and just as his spiritual consciousness was about to dissipate, he encountered a red snowflake.

The red snow was warm, as red and as intense as fire. Linglong thought he was hallucinating, but as his numb limbs gradually melted and the last trace of coldness on his fingertips was taken away, he revealed a smile of relief. He heard the rushing sound of blood flowing in his veins, and his heart felt like it was being violently pounded. The silver spear on the mountaintop stood tall and straight, its silvery light dazzling and radiant against the backdrop of the red snow. In just one glance, he was captivated.

When he returned to Peach Blossom Valley, he was still somewhat disheveled, his hair messy and his clothes disheveled. The peach trees swayed their towering branches and leaves, welcoming their friend home, and also feeling heartache for his many wounds.

He remained silent about the hardships and dangers he had encountered along the way, and smiled happily and peacefully at the peach blossoms. His smile was as gentle as a spring breeze, even more radiant than the bright peach blossoms. Peach Blossom Valley was able to survive for 158 years amidst the flames of war, leaving behind a few pure bloodlines, all thanks to Linglong and that silver spear that pointed straight to the sky.

The gun was created to protect the world, but now it is pointed at the very people it once protected.

One thought can turn you into a demon, another into a Buddha.

Xianhua Xinzun did not break his promise to his old friend, nor did he want to betray the foolish dreams of his youth.

It was not his intention to fight Qin Wenxue, but Linglong's inner demons had already taken hold, so he was willing to do so.

The piercing ghostly screams on the road to the lost soul grew louder, and the candlelight in the ancestral hall flickered and was about to go out. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and a large bulge even appeared at the bottom of the ancestral hall. Looking through the crack, it seemed as if countless things were climbing up from the ground. Those sharp and terrifying rotting corpses and bones were like cockroaches that could not be killed.

Not only were they not killed, but they also continued to disgust people. The Three Thousand Guests were really careless. They burned down the layer of restrictions on the ground, and the fire went straight to their lair, enraging the group of starving ghosts. Ming Shu looked at the layers of white bones surging in the mass grave and felt ashen-hearted. He closed his eyes, and even Yun Jin's panicked expression at this moment could not stir any waves in his heart.

He wished he could stab the mass grave, kill the three thousand guests, and finally stab himself to death.

Once the sinister thought appeared, he couldn't help but think deeper. This place was where everything began for him. He was mutually reinforcing and restraining with the malevolent energy suppressed under the ancestral hall. His mission in life was to guard the ancestral hall until all the malevolent energy dissipated and the tormented souls slept in peace. But countless people died in the war between immortals and demons.

When will that resentment dissipate? When will those souls be willing to let go of the pain and resentment of their unjust deaths and enter the cycle of reincarnation?

He guarded Qianli Bay for 558 years. He grew from a puppy who would stumble when he crossed the threshold into a white fox with long arms and legs. He grew from one tail to five tails, so that when he slept, he could not only be used as a pillow but also as a blanket.

He had already endured a long and lonely life. If he had not seen the prosperity of the world, if he had not had freedom, if he had not met such wonderful Qinwenxue and Yunjin, he would have been willing to stay here and suffer, even if he died, he would be buried under the ancestral hall and sleep with the souls of those who wailed in the mass grave.

Heaven granted him the ability to be undaunted by malevolent forces, granted him an endless and long life, and granted him a soul as pure as a child's. Unfortunately, it also granted him the seven emotions and six desires, and a heart that yearned for the mortal world.

He thought, "This shouldn't be... How could he be so selfish and cowardly? Those rotting corpses and bones were not his own choice. They turned into ugly and terrifying forms to wreak havoc on the world. They were probably just ordinary mortals who worked from sunrise to sunset, were born, grew old, got sick and died. Their lives were no more than a hundred years. Their greatest wish was for their families to be happy... When they died, they might have hoped to see their loved ones again in the next life. That was just a tiny, insignificant wish. The resentment and hatred were growing and rotting every day, making them rotten and hideous."