Chapter 359 Willing to Go!!
Geluotan's voice was heavy.
"This is no ordinary wound, which cannot be healed by any elixir or repaired by any formation. It is like... like a poisoned nail deeply driven into the body of the world. Even if it is pulled out with great effort, the nail hole remains, and the poison has spread through the muscles and corroded the bone marrow."
A commotion broke out in the crowd.
"High Priest!" someone shouted, "Is there no way to resolve this? Even with the combined power of our entire cultivation world, we cannot purify this black energy?"
Geluo Tan slowly shook his head. "If it were just surface filth, it might be possible to purify it by exhausting all the power in the world. But this black energy is already intertwined and symbiotic with the fortune of this world. Forcibly separating it will only accelerate the collapse of the world."
Huali clenched her fists.
Ao Bai gently wrapped his tail around her arm.
"It's okay, we'll find another way."
The joints of the rosewood turned white from the force applied.
If the five cards can be fully activated, these dark energies may be purified.
But... she couldn't do it.
She could not accept, and absolutely could not do, the opportunity presented by the lighting of the fifth star.
"Then what do we do?" an elder asked in a deep voice, expressing the unspoken thoughts of everyone.
"The answer is already in your hearts."
The old priest, who had observed the stars for a thousand years, slowly swept his gaze over each elder and sect leader below the platform.
These people are the backbone and pillars of the cultivation world today.
His eyes were deep, filled with an indescribable compassion and sorrow, as if he could see through these people the rise and fall of the sect and the millennium of heritage they represented.
"Fellow Daoists," the old priest changed his form of address, speaking slowly and deliberately, each word carrying immense weight:
“When wounds penetrate to the root, they need to be filled, tempered, and reborn with the power of the root. Ordinary repairs are futile. The most primal, most intense, and purest spiritual power is needed as fuel to be thrown into this hole of destruction.”
"Then... it can be completely burned off and smoothed out."
He paused for a moment: "Given the current state of this world, only those with high cultivation levels—that is, our generation... will sacrifice themselves for the cause."
He spoke those four words very slowly and with great emphasis.
"Only by transforming one's own fortune and spirit into the purest energy can one fill the abyss and dispel the dark energy."
Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, Geluotan's voice softened slightly. It carried a calm born of exhaustion, along with boundless anticipation and a faint glimmer of hope.
His gaze passed through Rongxing and Huali behind the crowd, pierced through Linfeng County, and looked towards the distant future.
"Only in this way can we... fight for a clean and renewed future for our next generation."
The words fell.
Dead silence.
A deathly silence, more thorough and heavier than ever before, enveloped the entire Yunshang Yinyu.
The pattering rain seemed amplified infinitely, striking my heart with a cold, dense sound, like a lament.
Every sect leader and every elder initially showed extreme shock and disbelief, which quickly turned into immense grief and struggle.
Some people instinctively shook their heads, their lips trembling, but no sound came out.
Some people clenched their fists so tightly that their nails dug into their palms, and they didn't even notice the blood seeping out.
Someone closed their eyes...
They are the leaders of their sect, the guardians of their heritage; who wouldn't value their life?
Who wouldn't want to see their sect continue?
This sudden declaration, demanding the collective sacrifice of the elite forces of their entire era, was tantamount to presenting them with the cruelest choice.
Huali suddenly looked up.
The color drained from his face.
She guessed that it might come at a huge price, and even thought that she might have to give up everything, but she never imagined... it would be "everything" like this!
The silence continued.
The sound of rain was incessant.
Time seemed to have passed for a long time, yet it also felt like it had only been a moment.
An elderly sect leader, with white hair and beard and wearing an old Taoist robe, slowly and with great difficulty took a step forward.
His steps were unsteady, his voice hoarse and broken, yet it carried an inexplicable strength that sustained him.
"...If...if this crippled body...can truly...save future generations from suffering..." He choked up, barely able to continue, but finally gritted his teeth and said heavily, "...I...am willing to go!"
Like the first stone thrown into a calm lake.
Another resolute female elder stepped forward, her eyes red with tears. "The legacy... cannot be broken in our hands... If our deaths can usher in an era of lasting peace, I... will have no regrets!"
Tang Yu wiped away his tears, vigorously rubbed his daughter's head, and stepped forward, his voice firm and resolute: "That's right! Rather than lingering on in misery and watching the world wither, let's burn this broken body to light up the future... I'm going!"
"I'm willing to go!"
"I'm willing to go!"
......
One voice after another, hoarse, tragic, or resolute, rose and fell.
The initial shock and resistance, after a brief period of silence and struggle, eventually transformed into a heavy, tearful acceptance.
This was not an easy nod, but a choice made after going through the most intense inner turmoil and torment.
The gazes of all the sect leaders and elders involuntarily turned behind them. It was as if they were piercing through the rain curtain and seeing, in the distance, the still young faces of those within the sects, full of hope for the future.
The peach blossoms at the foot of the mountain bloom year after year, the rays in the North Sea leap and fall, the starry sky in the desolate desert of the far west... They have witnessed, enjoyed, and fought against all these magnificent sights.
A deep sense of longing and relief quietly emerged.
Their lives have already been extraordinary; they have witnessed the world's most magnificent scenery and experienced countless grudges and affections.
But what about those greenhorns and unlucky guys behind them?
Those cowards who don't even dare to fly on a sword when they first start out, and those promising talents in their prime with pure hearts.
They have not yet truly witnessed the magnificence of heaven and earth, nor the vastness of the path...
Are we to deprive them of even the chance to grow, and force them to struggle and wait to die in this desperate world that is gradually being swallowed by black energy and whose spiritual power is depleted?
No! Absolutely not!
There will always be someone to shoulder this burden when the sky falls and the earth collapses... They are already the oldest generation, if they don't shoulder it, who will?
Are we going to make these kids shoulder the burden?
They may not be perfect, and they may have their own calculations and desires, but their sense of responsibility to the survival of the entire cultivation world, to their elders, and to the strong ultimately prevailed.
Geluo Tan withdrew his gaze from the disciples of the Astrological Observatory, "Fellow Daoists, this old man is also willing to go!"
His voice pulled everyone back to reality from their somber mood.
The old priest's tone was calm, yet it carried a hint of decisiveness, as if he wanted to transform all his reluctance and grief into the power to act.
"In that case, we must act immediately."
His gaze swept over the crowd like lightning. "The black energy is spreading faster than we imagined. We don't have much time left."
Geluo Tan turned slightly to look at Luoshenshu, which had appeared next to Huali.
"I sensed the Luo Shen Book and determined the approximate locations of the ten black energy source cores." He waved his hand, and the faint outline of a continent immediately appeared on the vast star map.
It has ten glaring, constantly wriggling and spreading dark red dots.
"These ten source cores are interconnected in terms of their aura. They must be purified or sealed simultaneously for the treatment to be effective."
“If we destroy them one by one, the remaining sources will quickly replenish them, and there may even be a backlash.”
These words made everyone's expressions even more solemn.
This means they must act separately, but must also act together at the agreed-upon time.
"Upon arrival, please do not venture too far. This area is likely guarded by powerful demons or mutated creatures corrupted by black energy, and may even form a natural maze."
"First, we need to find the core... then use our strongest power to communicate with the laws of heaven and earth, and use our cultivation and soul to transform into... pure essence, and then refine and purify it."
After he finished speaking, he glanced at everyone again and said, "If no one has any objections, then let's set it for 3:45 AM tomorrow, when the morning star is at its brightest, and launch the attack simultaneously."
"The remaining time... is left for you all to arrange matters within the sect."
After speaking, Geluotan slowly bowed to the crowd and performed an extremely ancient and solemn Taoist bow.
Straightening up, the old priest smiled and said, "Fellow Daoists, this journey will take you far across mountains and rivers, and across vast starry skies..."
"May all of you have a clear and pure heart, and see a clear and bright world."
"This old man... and you all... will meet again in the next life."
At first, the old sect leader raised his hand and laughed loudly, "Good! Old ghost Geluo Tan, take it easy on your way to the Yellow Springs, we'll discuss the Dao with you then!"
"Fellow Daoists, I shall proceed ahead!"
Take care, everyone!
"Take care of yourself!"
Just as Geluotan's eyes were starting to sting, a slightly chubby sect leader suddenly jumped out, "Hey, wait! Don't rush to say goodbye yet!"
"Since we're all going to die anyway, then Geluotan, tell me your story. Three hundred years ago, during that treasure hunt in the secret realm, you confidently told me, 'Today is the auspicious day to venture southeast; there will surely be a great opportunity.' As a result, I excitedly headed southeast and crashed headfirst into an ancient trapping formation. I ate fasting pills for three months before being pulled out, and I didn't see a single opportunity. Were you deliberately setting me up?"
"I called you out on Xianbo, but instead your brainless fans gave me a good scolding."
The sudden revisiting of old grievances stunned everyone, and even the solemn atmosphere in the air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Geluo Tan's face instantly tensed up, and he stroked his beard with a slightly guilty look. "Ahem! Bringing up old, trivial matters again!"
"The divination clearly indicated 'There will be a scare in the southeast, but no real danger; you will ultimately gain something.' You only focused on the 'gain,' forgetting the 'scare' and the 'danger.' Who can you blame for that?"
The old priest tried to maintain his composure, "Besides, didn't you manage to master most of the sect's long-lost 'Mindfulness Technique' during those three months? Isn't that a great opportunity?"
The fat sect leader has never seen such a shameless person!
"How can that be the same! It's because I have high comprehension, what does it have to do with your broken divination? You bullshit charlatan, you've never been accurate in small matters!"
"Bullshit! My astrology is unparalleled in the world!" Geluo Tan retorted, puffing out his beard and glaring at him.
"Pfft..."
"Hahaha......"
The crowd was initially taken aback, but then couldn't help but let out a low, suppressed laugh.
However, behind these weathered elders, the younger disciples, including Tang Wanwan, were already in tears.
"Why...why can I still laugh..."
In her view, this was clearly the most tragic moment in the world, and there was not a trace of absurdity about it.
Mu Chen clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh.
Looking at these familiar figures, he felt a disorienting sense of disorientation in the scene before him.
Can--
Only those who have lived through long years truly understand the taste of it all.
I long to buy osmanthus blossoms and share wine, but it will never be like the carefree days of my youth.
The fat sect leader chuckled in exasperation and then waved his hand, "Fine, fine, I can't win an argument with you in this lifetime. When we get down there and see my master, you'll be in for a world of hurt!"
Everyone transformed into streaks of light and flew away.
Geluo Tan stood quietly in front of the stage, looking at his unfortunate apprentice with tears streaming down his face, rolled his eyes in disgust, and sighed silently.
*
The courtyard was quiet, with rain dripping monotonously from the eaves.
The ancient tree's lush leaves shone brightly after being washed by the rain, yet they also exuded a heavy, oppressive greenness that weighed heavily on one's heart.
Huali stood under the eaves, leaning against the cold wooden pillar, letting her light-colored dress get soaked by the rain.
She slowly raised her hand, and five cards appeared one after another in her palm.
"Ao Bai, what... should I do?"
The five stars on the water-themed card are dazzling and eye-catching.
Ao Bai remained silent for a moment, then suddenly transformed back into his giant beast form, gently encircling Hua Li on his furry belly.
"Initially, these five cards were completely modeled after the Universal Form. But unexpectedly, they have now changed from the initial affinity to requiring powerful primal energy to light up the fifth star."
"I'm afraid Huanyu knew this too, which is why it killed Qiran when Zhanli was critically injured and on the verge of death, and the four and a half stars lit up. It felt that this was not going to be accomplished."
"The cards carry the attributes corresponding to the luck element. The first four stars can be lit up through missions, that is, training, or favorability, but the fifth star requires a more powerful source."
"And the moment a person of destiny unleashes their most powerful primal force is when they die."
Karin's body stiffened abruptly!
No! Absolutely not!!
But the next second, Geluo Tan's words, the elders' resolute departure, and Tang Wanwan's wailing—all these images rushed through her mind, intertwining and colliding.
A profound, almost suffocating loneliness enveloped her.
She couldn't just sit and wait to die... she had to do something!
Just as these emotions reached their peak—
Tick-tock.
A very faint sound, unlike the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, suddenly rang out.
It was as if a full, heavy drop of water had fallen into the puddle behind her.
Hua Li was startled and straightened up from Ao Bai's body.
Is it just my imagination?
The sound of the rain seems... different.
It was no longer a chaotic tapping, but rather a strange rhythm.
It felt like being touched by an invisible hand, with a cold yet familiar pull.
The air, thick with moisture, had lost its fresh, rainy scent and instead carried a hint of...deep-sea atmosphere.
An inexplicable feeling of palpitation gripped Huali.
She turned around abruptly.
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