Chapter 876 One Game Decides Death...

Chen Huai'an fell.

I can't hear any sound, and I can't see any light.

There was only endless, suffocating cold.

It was as if I had been thrown into a bottomless well, where apart from the icy well water, there was only thick, impenetrable darkness.

Am I dead?

He wanted to ask, but no sound came out.

Countless fragmented images spun wildly before his eyes like a revolving lantern.

He saw the sunset over Luoxia Peak, as red as a slightly flushed rouge.

That silly girl, Li Qingran, practiced her sword swings three thousand times, so exhausted she fell asleep with her head on his lap. A gentle breeze blew peach petals onto her eyelashes. His blue robe was damp with drool; his lap felt slightly heavy, but his heart was as still as the sunset that day, never wanting to set.

He saw a wisp of wine aroma wafting from the crack in the door behind Jiange Mountain.

The stingy pavilion master, who usually broke spirit stones in half, grumbled and swore as he poured his century-old treasured "Drunken Immortal Brew" into his broken wine jug. The shadows that day were long. The wine was strong, burning the throat, like the heart hidden beneath Su Qinian's curses.

He saw painted boats gently rocking on the river where the spring water was bluer than the sky.

Xu An, the eldest disciple of Lingyun Peak, stood at the bow of the boat reciting poetry, like a peacock spreading its tail feathers. Just as he was getting into the swing of things, Zhen He kicked him into the middle of the river. Splash! Water splashed everywhere, startling a flock of gulls and egrets. The unrestrained laughter and curses shattered the reflections on the river.

Those warm, vivid memories, like dull knives, cut into his broken soul.

Soon, the style changed.

In the chaos, a giant wielded an axe in the darkness, cleaving the sky in two.

Under the Bodhi tree, he sat cross-legged, facing three Taoists whose faces he could not see, their voices resounding like the grandest bells and drums.

And that monkey.

The monkey kneeling on the ground, its eyes filled with tears.

"Master..."

"Go," he said to himself, his voice aged and authoritative. "If you cause trouble in the future, I won't forgive you!"

The image is shattered.

On the Execution Platform, ten thousand immortals were slain; before the Lingxiao Palace, a single sword severed a spine.

at last.

Freeze the image of that enormous, all-consuming black hole.

boom!

The feeling of falling stopped abruptly.

Chen Huai'an found himself sitting in a pure white light.

There is no sky here, no up or down.

There was only a futon, and opposite me... another version of myself.

That "Chen Huai'an" was dressed in a spotless white robe, with long hair flowing like a waterfall, and his eyes and brows exuded an otherworldly air.

He was as perfect as a meticulously sculpted statue, without any flaws.

Looking back at myself.

His clothes were tattered, he was covered in blood, had lost an arm, and was blind in one eye.

늀 looks like a beggar crawling out of a mud pit.

He felt that the 'Chen Huai'an' in front of him was very familiar. This Chen Huai'an was covered with magical treasures, and the material of his clothes was luxurious and precious. However, the way he was surrounded by jewels was completely different from any 'Chen Huai'an' in his memory.

He is not Bai Jian.

껩 is not Chen Yuan.

He is very familiar with it.

But he didn't know why it felt familiar.

It seems... this 'Chen Huai'an' has always been by his side.

"You lost."

The perfect "Chen Huai'an" spoke.

His voice was gentle and warm, carrying a high-minded compassion.

Chen Huai'an lowered his head and looked at his mutilated hand.

"yes."

His voice was hoarse, filled with deep weariness.

"I lost."

There was no explanation, no resentment.

Because the result is placed here.

"Feel sorry."

He spoke to himself, and to the spirits who placed high hopes on him.

"I failed... to win."

Chen Huai'an, dressed in white, fiddled with a folding fan, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

Does an apology help?

Splash—

The surrounding white light suddenly distorted.

One after another, illusory figures emerged from the light.

First was the Ancestral Dragon, whose enormous body was covered with scars from the chains of stars, its horns were broken, and its eyes were weeping blood.

"waste!"

The ancestral dragon roared, its voice filled with rage and hatred.

"I entrusted my bloodline to you, and placed the hopes of all my people in your hands, and this is how you repay me? Lying here like a dead dog?"

Next came a white-robed sword immortal.

The longsword in his hand was broken, his white clothes were stained with blood, and his eyes, which were once filled with arrogance, were now filled with only disappointment.

"Rotten wood cannot be carved."

"I told you to learn swordsmanship, and what have you learned? You can't even break that old man's tortoise shell. Do you think you're worthy of wielding a sword?"

And then.

They were blurry figures.

That is the inheritor of the Dragon Soul.

They surrounded Chen Huai'an, pointing and whispering, their spittle seemingly capable of drowning the world.

"Too weak."

"a shame."

"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have chosen you in the first place."

"You're a jinx; whoever runs into you is doomed."

Every word he uttered was like a heavy hammer blow, striking Chen Huai'an's spine.

He trembled and lowered his head even further.

He wanted to argue, he wanted to roar.

But it felt like my throat was filled with stones, and I couldn't say anything.

Because they are right.

He pooled the strength of everyone, but ultimately failed to break the deadlock.

The powerful Muscle Man was unaware that even the Star of Muscle Man had been pierced through.

All of this is because of his incompetence.

Are you tired?

Another Chen Huai'an walked up to him, squatted down, and stretched out a clean, white hand to gently stroke his blood-stained hair.

The movements were as gentle as if comforting an injured pet.

"Look at you, what a mess you've made of yourself."

"Since it's so tiring, since it hurts so much..."

His voice was deep and seductive: "Why don't you... leave it to me?"

Give me your body, give me your soul.

“I can help you take revenge, I can help you kill all those false gods, I can let you…be free.”

Chen Huai'an raised his head, his single eye filled with confusion.

relief?

Yes... If we hand it over to him, wouldn't I no longer have to carry these burdens?

Does this mean I no longer need to listen to those accusations?

His eyes began to glaze over.

He slowly raised his hand, wanting to grasp that fair hand.

"bring it on."

The smile in Chen Huai'an's eyes grew wider and wider.

"Sleep now, fall asleep, the pain is gone."

The moment just before fingertips touch.

Buzz.

A small, icy hand suddenly reached out from the void and tightly grasped Chen Huai'an's blood-stained hand.

The hand was small and even trembling slightly.

But it held on so tightly, so forcefully.

늀 is like a drowning person grasping at the last straw.

Chen Huai'an was startled.

He turned his head blankly.

He saw a blurry white figure gently embrace him from behind.

Her pretty face, streaked with tears, pressed tightly against his scarred back.

His tears were scalding hot, instantly piercing through his numbness.

"Master..."

The voice was soft, tinged with tears, yet clearer than any accusations.

"You didn't lose."

"As long as the sword remains in my hand, as long as my heart is not dead..."

"We did not lose."

That's... Li Qingran.

That silly girl who collapsed on the stage, coughing up blood.

Her voice pierced through the fog of inner demons, crossed the boundary of death, and landed on Chen Huai'an's heart, which was on the verge of death.

Thump!

My heart started beating again.

"Master, it was you who taught me."

"A swordsman's spine can be broken, but it cannot be bent."

If you're tired, take a break.

"But please..."

She hugged him even tighter, as if she wanted to give him her life.

"...Don't abandon Qingran."

boom!

In Chen Huai'an's single eye, the flame that was about to be extinguished instantly reignited.

yes.

He also has apprentices.

He still has that silly girl waiting for him.

If he surrenders here, if he falls silent here, turning into nothingness...

Who will protect her?

"roll!!!"

Chen Huai'an abruptly withdrew his hand, letting out a roar that shattered the void.

Click.

The surrounding figures who were criticizing him—the Ancestral Dragon, the Sword Immortal, the Dragon Soul Successor…—shattered inch by inch like a mirage with this angry roar.

The other Chen Huai'an was forced back several steps, his gentle expression vanishing instantly, replaced by a cold look of astonishment.

"you……"

"Nozomi hasn't lost yet."

Chen Huai'an stood up unsteadily.

He was still in a sorry state, and still covered in wounds.

But his broken spine stood straight at that moment.

Like a broken sword that still points to the sky.

"There's still one fool waiting for me..."

Chen Huai'an wiped the blood from his face and, facing the other Chen Huai'an, gave a smile that was uglier than crying, yet incredibly arrogant.

"I... I won't die!"

"You chose Lord Nobunaga! It wasn't Lord Nobunaga who chose you!"

"Lord Natsume has done his utmost, giving it his all. Lord Natsume has done nothing wrong!"

"Before, it was Lord Nō who risked his life to survive for you all! He wanted to... turn the world upside down!"

"But now... Lord Natsume is doing it for himself!"

"For her!"

A sword, entangled with chaotic energy, appeared in Chen Huai'an's hand.

He pulled back with his hand.

Click—!

The realm is shattered.

The white light dissipated.

The heavens will reappear.

It was still that empty space.

It was still a futon, and there were two people.

But Chen Huai'an in white was no longer a high-ranking deity, but sat cross-legged, quietly watching him.

His eyes changed.

It is no longer pity, but a complex examination.

"interesting."

The man in white looked at Chen Huai'an, then glanced at the void behind him—where a trace of Li Qingran's aura seemed to linger.

"The word 'love' is the most misleading thing."

"But it is... the sharpest whetstone."

He pointed to his own face, then pointed to Chen Huai'an's face.

"Look, who do I look like?"

Chen Huai'an narrowed his eyes.

Nine-tenths like myself.

And there's one more point... that detached, extreme aura, so much like the white sword that plays chess while sitting on a cloud.

"Who are you?"

"I am you."

The man in white smiled, a smile that carried a hint of helplessness and a hint of expectation.

"I am Zhongshi."

“껩 is your… tribulation.”

"Time and fate."

Zhong Shi waved his sleeve.

Buzz.

The void between the two suddenly collapsed, transforming into a chessboard with nine horizontal lines.

There are no chess pieces on the chessboard.

Because they themselves are pawns.

"Since your inner demons can't hold you back."

Zhong Shi looked at Chen Huai'an, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.

"Then let's see who's the best."

"If you beat me, you can go back."

"We lost..."

He didn't continue.

Because he lost, Chen Huai'an will never exist again.

"Come on!" Chen Huai'an said without wasting any words.

He took a step forward and placed it directly on the center position of the chessboard.

His body transformed into a sword, his spirit soaring to the heavens.

"One round..."

"Death!"

…

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