Chapter 266 In the Years of My Life, Lin Feiran Will Never Wake Up Again
After exchanging a glance with Tong Ruxian, Lin Feiran gradually understood.
The faint glimmer of hope that Gu Yu had previously foreseen was right here.
Qiu Tong's account of Ru Xie failing to break through to the realm and dying suddenly—could it be because his mental state was not yet ready, yet he forcibly attempted to break through in his haste?
However, this conjecture can no longer be verified. Ru Xian from his previous life is dead. He will not be reborn like Qiu Tong. His life ended at that moment and will never come again.
Past life, present life, and a second chance.
These three words flashed through Lin Feiran's mind. She had heard them before, but at this moment, they evoked more complex feelings than ever before.
"It's good that you're alive, it's good that you're alive!"
Gu Yu saw her unfocused eyes gradually fixate on one spot, and she happily began to speak incoherently, but then quickly added more words.
"Didn't you break through to a higher realm? Why do you still look so listless?"
This was Mei Gu's first time treating Skywalker. She examined his pulse repeatedly, but found it difficult to discern the subtleties of the pulse, and hesitated.
“His body is different from ordinary people; he can only barely withstand spiritual energy. We will become stronger after we break through to the next realm, but he needs time to absorb the spiritual energy, so he will be temporarily weak... Is that right?”
Since Xue cannot speak, he can only nod in response.
Gu Yu breathed a slight sigh of relief, her gaze shifting several times as she looked at Ru Xian, before finally letting out a short sigh.
He had only just learned of the Skywalker's identity, and through this he understood why he was covered in runes.
Runes in the world originally originated from incantations. Although the two are now completely different, they still share the same origin. No wonder Ru Xian has such a deep understanding of runes, and was even able to use them to pull him back from the brink of death.
If it were someone else, they might have brought this up at this moment, but Gu Yu did not.
Since Ru Xian has never revealed a word over the years, besides concealing her identity, she must also be unwilling to look back.
As a friend, he will pretend that what happened today never happened.
"That's right!"
Grain Rain suddenly snapped back to reality.
As Mei Gu was administering the acupuncture, he quickly glanced back, then hurriedly pulled out a raindrop, wiping away the dust and smoke from the battle, and said to Lin Feiran.
"Damn it, all thunder and no rain! Luckily, I had this with me, and I still have one last drop. Let's get out of here while they're still fighting and can't pay attention to this!"
Lin Feiran pursed her lips slightly, glanced at Ao Xue in the crowd, and nodded, "Okay."
She was holding Ru Xian in her arms, and was about to pick her up when she heard Mei Gu exclaim softly. She immediately asked, "What's wrong?"
Mei Gu took a breath, looked up at the two of them, her throat moved slightly, and her hand, which was about to insert the needle, stopped halfway: "...suddenly, cold air came out of the needle. Could he be suffering from a cold disease?"
"What!" Gu Yu exclaimed, crouching down to look.
Zhang Siwo, who was not far away, picked up the iron hammer, walked over in a few steps, scratched his head and said, "There are no cultivators of his level who have contracted the cold disease yet. Could it be that I'm mistaken?"
Lin Feiran's eyes narrowed, and she immediately brushed aside his long hair hanging down to his chest, revealing the silver needles that were used to clear his spiritual energy.
A faint chill did indeed emanate from under the needle, and the long, condensed needle began to be covered with a light frost, resembling a cold-related ailment. However, she knew in her heart that this kind of illness was not something that could be contracted overnight.
Even a mortal like Orange Blossom only showed symptoms after enduring a long period of cold.
Ru Xian buried his face in her neck, his soft breath brushing against her, carrying his own coolness, making it hard to tell if it was cold air.
"Ru Xian, are you cold?"
His body temperature had never been high, and Lin Feiran couldn't tell whether it was just a normal chill or an overflowing cold.
Hearing their conversation, Ru Xian opened her eyes and struggled to reach out and touch her own pulse. After a moment, her lips moved slightly. Although she did not speak, she used the power of the Yin-Yang symbol to transmit her thoughts to Lin Feiran.
“This is not a cold-related illness. I have examined their pulses, and my pulse is different from theirs. I do not feel cold either.”
Lin Feiran repeated his words, and Mei Gu asked in surprise, "Then what's with this cold air? Is it something unique to Skywalkers after they've cultivated?"
Lin Feiran listened attentively to Ru Xian's reply, then said in a deep voice, "He said no."
Just then, another muffled thunder rumbled across the sky. Unlike ordinary thunder, it sounded dry and deliberate, as if it were deliberately reminding her. The next moment, Lin Feiran heard a familiar voice.
“I’ve said it before, I have nothing but these lives I hold in my hands.”
Right now, I've laid out my chips. If you agree to join the game, his life can still be at the gambling table. If you don't agree, what follows won't be this feigned chill.
Believe me, even if he were a cultivator at the Divine Travel Realm, he couldn't possibly escape the cold ailment.
Lin Feiran looked down at Ru Xian. After explaining, he closed his eyes and rested on her neck. His body was still surrounded by the faint light of his breakthrough, but he had no vitality that one should have after breaking through to the next level.
"Ah, since we're trying to lure you into this game, the stakes naturally need to be raised, right?"
The slightly languid voice continued, talking to itself.
"Do you see that icicle?"
Lin Feiran immediately looked up. Amidst the chaotic battle, magical light scattered everywhere. In this scene of chaos, the ice pillar appeared particularly tranquil and serene.
It brings eternal night.
Without the Dao Lord needing to speak, Lin Feiran filled in the rest of the sentence for him.
Several days after her master left, she finally returned, bringing with her this very news.
Previously, many sect cultivators had been stationed in the Northern Plains, studying the matter for a long time, and finally came to such a shocking answer. However, in their view, this ice pillar was not swallowed up, but rather obscured.
That's why they pursued the ice pillars day and night, trying to stop them, but to no avail.
The ice pillar was unaffected by spiritual energy and magic. Cultivators who were detached from spiritual energy were no different from ordinary people. Apart from chasing it, there was no other way to stop its wandering momentum.
"Humans are truly fascinating. They actually used it as a punishment from the heavens, and many years ago, they worshipped it daily, offering up prey to beg for the forgiveness of the heavens... Little Manman, humans are so interesting. What do you think will happen after the eternal night?"
The Dao Lord stopped there and didn't continue, instead saying...
"If you enter the game, I can keep it in place for fifteen minutes, no matter what method you can come up with, just for that fifteen minutes."
The fighting raged on before their eyes, his cool breath still lingered in their ears, and the thick, humid air permeated his words. They exploded in the sky with the sound of thunder, turning into a pale flash of lightning that instantly illuminated the area and the expressions on everyone's faces.
In the surrounding valleys, a few villagers who had stumbled upon this place were quietly retreating, not daring to disturb anyone.
Lin Feiran seemed to have fallen into the same silence as well. She was the only one in this world. Golden lightning kept flashing and gathering in her eyes, just waiting for her to speak and then make her judgment.
"I'll bet you."
With a deafening roar, the gathering rain clouds were obscured by the encroaching night sky, only to be instantly illuminated by electric light, casting a heavy, somber shadow below.
The Daoist Master laughed out loud, unsurprised.
“Little Manman, this is a series of interconnected traps. Bi Sheng and the others always thought they could take advantage of today's momentum to capture you and make you die, but I know all too well that people like you cannot be killed by ordinary methods.”
"As mentioned before, the ultimate stake in this gamble is your life."
In this first round, I bet with hailstones, and you bet with the spiritual vein. The stakes are on whether the spiritual vein will stay or leave; if Bi Sheng and the others take it, you'll lose.
"Don't accuse me of taking advantage of your misfortune. I gave you a quarter of an hour to apologize."
"Now, let's begin."
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Feiran felt a sudden chill between her brows. An invisible oath appeared deep within her divine altar, shimmering with an eerie light.
At that moment, Mei Gu, who was still receiving acupuncture to dispel the cold, exclaimed again, "The frost is gone again!"
Gu Yu watched helplessly as the frost disappeared. After a moment of speechlessness, she simply waved her hand and said, "Forget about this for now, let's escape first!"
He raised his hand to form a seal, and the reflection of Yulu City was immediately reflected in the raindrops. When he got up and led a few people into the city, he only scattered the raindrops and showed no sign of returning to the city.
"this……"
Zhang Siwo patted his shoulder, gesturing for him to look ahead. There, hidden by the crowd of believers, was a young man in a cloak coughing, glancing indifferently at them before looking away.
Zhang Si blew on the hammer and said, "From the moment you entered here, he blocked your return spell. Do you think they would let you escape a second time?"
"You practitioners of divination are all lacking in skill and have fragile bodies, but you have at least reached the Free and Unfettered Realm. You may stay here and look after Ru Xian!"
Before joining the battle, he picked up his hammer and glanced back at Lin Feiran: "Not long ago, we both dreamed of our grandmaster. He asked us to come here to help, but I didn't come for him."
Lin Feiran, you have the right to leave.
Zhang Siwo leaped away, his ancient hammer swirling among the many cultivators, accompanied by his triumphant laughter, unstoppable in his path.
She looked at Ru Xian, and he opened his eyes, saying in his mind, "I will wait for you."
Lin Feiran nodded, then pursed his lips, stood up, and slowly drew his sword from its sheath.
She could certainly escape, but she wouldn't have that opportunity again.
In the midst of the chaotic battle, the esoteric Buddhist monks finally cleared away all obstacles and attacked this place. The ice pillars rushing through the sky suddenly stopped, their sunlit sides reflecting rainbow light, while their shaded sides cast a deep shadow in this valley.
"Are you ready?" the Grandmaster suddenly asked.
"alright."
"...Do you believe me?"
"If even my master cannot be trusted, why should I draw my sword today?"
Lin Feiran gently closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, there was only a deep stillness in her eyes.
Her golden umbrella flew out like a hurricane, clearing a path ahead, and her figure followed closely behind. Her four-foot-long silver sword slashed through the dim light, like ribbons of moonlight drifting by.
Wherever the silver blade passed, the splashed blood was like roses under the moon, blooming and falling to the ground, then seeping into the deep soil, leaving only a decadent scene.
Lin Feiran drew her sword and entered the fray, no longer cowering under the protection of the others. Her appearance immediately attracted many members of the Secret Sect who were fighting nearby.
Although some were intimidated by her fierce offensive and hesitated to advance, many more believers succumbed to the allure of her achievements and surged toward her like a tidal wave.
Amidst the glint of swords and the brilliance of magical runes, wherever Lin Feiran passed, dazzling lights illuminated her path, revealing her location and allowing people to clearly see how she overcame numerous obstacles and forged ahead.
The hordes of followers surged in like a swarm of locusts, as if determined to overwhelm her with sheer numbers. Although Lin Feiran was not at a disadvantage, she was still injured in the relentless onslaught.
Amidst the chaos, she suddenly heard a shout and, out of the corner of her eye, saw Qiu Tong charging in with her sword.
She bit her lip tightly, blocking the cult members who rushed in with each move. A clear blue light flashed around her, already showing considerable sword prowess.
Elsewhere, Wei Changzai, having somehow broken away from Zhang Chunhe, also entered the arena with his sword. His Kunwu sword was covered in white frost, and as snowflakes blew past, large swathes fell as he turned and returned the sword. Tiny ice crystals, carried by the wind, rolled across Lin Feiran's blade, making soft, rustling sounds.
High in the sky, Xie Kanhua plucked the strings of his zither, his body like the moon in the wind, sometimes bright and sometimes dark, single-handedly restraining the two, Banshan and Fuyin.
In the empty valley, Li Changfeng seemed to have his inner turmoil resolved. He held only an ordinary iron sword, but the blade contained a gentle breeze. He moved through the crowd as if it were his own hand, restraining many disciples while still having the strength to block Pei Yu's swift sword.
Although Zhang Siwo was not good at fighting, his skills were profound and his cultivation was high. The spiritual light on his iron hammer surged, and with a whoosh, he could knock down a large number of esoteric sect members, and even many sect disciples fighting among them.
The three of them alone, along with the sect disciples who came to their aid, were almost enough to restrain most of the followers present. With Lin Feiran's intervention, the previous situation of having more people than others was showing signs of turning around.
Meanwhile, in the southeast, the sect leaders and elders of the various sects who had come were fighting against Bi Sheng and his group.
In terms of cultivation level, none of the people present could compare to Bi Sheng. With the help of A Cheng's incantation, Ao Xue's interference with her formation, and the intervention of Qi Chen and Ji Changying, the battle was intense yet very balanced, and it was impossible to determine a winner in a short time.
During the battle, Bi Sheng glanced at Ao Xue. The person opposite her understood and, after a burst of melodious zither music, pure white flames immediately ignited around them, and the magic array was activated. The next moment, she turned and left, heading straight for the brightest spot in the valley!
Seeing that things were not going well, Murong Qiudi was about to turn around and get out, but was stopped by a spiritual rope that Bi Sheng had spread out.
At the same time, Han Shan Jun picked up his brush and wrote a character. The huge rune moved forward over the spirit rope, but was stopped by A Cheng.
The sect leader of Taiji Immortal Sect, Mu Chun'e, immediately flew away on her sword. The formation instantly closed, and the flying sword was engulfed by the burning white flames in an instant, leaving only grains of iron filings.
"What a powerful spirit fire!"
Mu Chun'e spoke sternly, and the others also avoided her, not daring to get involved. They were also constrained here and unable to spare any help.
Lin Feiran had already reached the foot of the ice pillar in the crowd. She cut down another group of fanatical cult members, and couldn't help but stick her sword into the ground to rest for a while. But under the shadow of the overturning, a white light suddenly appeared.
A flash of lightning appeared beneath her feet, and she instantly moved several meters away. The moment she left, a fireball fell where she had been standing.
Pure white and immaculate, like downy feathers, it looked fluffy, yet it could burn away the corpse lying on the ground in an instant, as if no one had ever been there, leaving not a single ember.
Rather than burning, the flames engulfed the area.
The rootless fire is not fire; it does not burn, but only burns away all illusions, leaving behind the truest origin.
Living beings have no origin; once they are tainted, they will transform into the original spiritual energy and perish in the world.
Lin Feiran was not surprised by this. She looked up and saw Ao Xue moving rapidly towards them, her zither playing a clear, melodious tune, and shooting out beams of spiritual light that slashed like blades, as dense as a net.
Lin Feiran immediately dodged, and streaks of spiritual light brushed past her before embedding themselves deeply into the earth. However, they did not dissipate but were engraved on the ground, rapidly extending and connecting from all directions to form a magic array.
Such a complex and interconnected formation was completed in the blink of an eye. Lin Feiran had just dodged the last attack when the magic array she had formed immediately rose up and closed like a cage, trapping her inside. Thick bolts of lightning rolled through it and struck her fiercely!
Lin Feiran was somewhat surprised, but reacted very quickly. She immediately swung her sword and rose up. Three thunderous clangs were heard, and apart from a charred mess in the cage, her figure was nowhere to be seen.
Several meters away, she was already holding a golden umbrella, floating gracefully in mid-air.
Ao Xue didn't move, but suddenly smiled. The lightning she had unleashed instantly twisted into a giant dragon, which suddenly rose from the ground and struck straight away!
Three consecutive moves, each linked to the next, were a style of fighting that even Lin Feiran had never encountered before. She had no time to react and could only put her umbrella in front of her to block the thunder dragon's impact. However, Ao Xue was a whole realm higher than her, so how could she completely block such an attack at this moment?
Lin Feiran was immediately knocked back several feet, his tiger's mouth was still numb, his chest was shaking, and he tasted blood on his tongue.
Seeing this, Ao Xue chuckled, tossed the zither into the air, spun around and slapped it against the case. Instantly, a green light flew out of the case and landed in her hand.
Lin Feiran stood up and looked at it; it was indeed a long sword.
"You didn't expect that, did you? I'm a studious person who loves to try everything. People in the sect call me 'the heart of a musician and the courage of a sword.' I wonder how my sword compares to your refined and elegant swordsmanship!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she threw off the white velvet cloak she was wearing, revealing the tight-fitting clothes underneath. Then, with a light step, she swiftly arrived, sword in hand, her figure as graceful as a crane.
The sword reflects the person. Ao Xue's sword style is light and aloof, always taking the unorthodox approach, while Lin Feiran's is well-rounded. In comparison, one side naturally shows its weakness.
Lin Feiran flicked his sword with his other hand, and with a hum, the green longsword shattered and scattered all around.
"How dare you break my sword!"
Ao Xue had already suffered a setback at Lin Feiran's hands, so she naturally wanted to get revenge today. However, not only did she fail, but she also lost a fine sword, which fueled her anger and resentment.
She immediately raised her hand to summon the long zither, and was about to leap and pluck the strings when she saw Lin Feiran suddenly smile.
She sensed something was wrong and tried to turn and leave, but it was too late.
Lin Feiran suddenly plunged her sword into the ground, and the sword marks she had made during their confrontation lit up one after another, like a boundary line that imprisoned her in place.
The next moment, the scattered fragments of the green sword shot out like streaks of light, grazing the strings before she could dodge, emitting a piercing shriek. Before Ao Xue could completely evade, sword marks rose out of thin air, condensing into streaks of sword energy, which, along with a gale, repelled her step by step.
With each step, a rapid melody resounded, the last few notes piercing through her shoulders, causing blood to seep out.
She looked at him angrily, but Lin Feiran smiled as he drew his sword, swallowed the blood, and shook his hand: "I am also eager to learn, and I have learned a lot. I will return that move to you in full."
"court death!"
Ao Xue leaped into the air, gathering her strength once more to unleash a burst of white flames, which hurtled straight toward Lin Feiran!
Lin Feiran had no intention of continuing the fight. Her master had just discussed with her how to destroy the Heavenly Punishment. Now the time was right. The Heavenly Punishment had moved here and even stopped for a quarter of an hour. She had to seize the opportunity!
Ao Xue pursued closely behind, her fluffy white flames rapidly advancing. The other cultivators were wary, fearing they would be engulfed by the flames, and dared not approach, thus clearing a path for Lin Feiran.
She charged straight toward the ice pillar, holding her sword horizontally in front of her, using the gleaming blade to observe the trail of the white flames behind her in order to dodge them. However, the white flames were too fast, and even though she could react the instant she saw them, she still narrowly missed them.
After running several meters, multiple tears appeared on the black robe.
Ao Xue's control over the fireworks seemed to be limited. After repeatedly failing to catch up, the flames gradually shrank. Just as she was about to make a move, Bi Sheng's sharp gaze suddenly came from behind, sending chills down her spine.
A chill ran through her as she realized that her actions, focused solely on revenge and disregarding her mission, had already offended others. She dared not think of revenge any longer, immediately withdrew her spiritual fire, and began to ring the silver bell.
The surrounding esoteric monks paused upon hearing the bell, then pursed their lips, made a prayer gesture, and then, disregarding life and death, risked their lives to break through the restraints of Li Changfeng and his ilk and attack Lin Feiran!
Along the way, some people blocked his way while others broke through the encirclement. As a result, broken magical artifacts and limbs were scattered all over the ground. These filthy things piled up and actually surged around Lin Feiran like a tide.
She drew her sword and cleaved through wave after wave of attacks, dodging Ao Xue's relentless assault, her eyes fixed only on the suspended ice pillar.
Such an event takes only a quarter of an hour, and the path forward built on the weight of human lives seems to require only a quarter of an hour as well.
Silently, the icicle began to loosen. It flew in at an astonishing speed, shrouded in darkness, and was about to leave at the same speed, irretrievably.
"Lin Feiran."
"Lin Feiran..."
"Lin Feiran!"
A series of chaotic shouts came from behind her. Her breathing became heavier, but she did not turn around. She still held her sword and flew over the mountain of corpses and sea of blood in front of her, trying to catch up with this last moment.
When she was imprisoned here by a scheme, and her master rushed back from Beiyuan, the two of them had a very brief conversation that no one knew about.
"Feiran, I have something to tell you."
"What?"
"As night falls, the icicles of the northern plains will soon rise eastward, swallowing the daylight and bringing eternal night."
After much discussion in Beiyuan, they finally found the only way to destroy the object of divine punishment.
That method is so simple, requiring no complicated power, yet it is so difficult; currently, only Lin Feiran can do it.
However, the master said, "You have always had the right to choose. You can choose not to stay."
Lin Feiran neither answered well nor poorly; she reserved the right to do so.
When Ru Xian was seriously injured and needed to return to Yu Luo City, she chose to leave. Later, she chose to stay.
She wanted to stay here and stop the icicles before they completely swallowed the daylight, but as she stepped over the layers of people, her steps became heavy. Her black clothes were soaked, and her sword blade was covered in blood, making it difficult to slip.
The attacks came wave after wave, seemingly endless.
As she took a slow step, someone suddenly grabbed her arm from behind. Looking at the reflection of the sword, she saw a severed arm reaching out.
But behind this severed arm, one hand after another reached out, like the wriggling body of a centipede, seemingly wanting to devour her.
Behind her, all those who were chasing her, stopping her, and helping her arrived. They stepped across the pool of blood-red water, splashing water and piling up into walls of people, making her path increasingly difficult.
Finally, just as she leaped up, Ao Xue seized the opportunity to launch a sudden attack, knocking her to the ground.
With a loud thud, the first drop of rain fell.
Ao Xue stepped forward, her gaze inscrutable, and said softly, "Lin Feiran was born at noon on the Spring Equinox. Today is the perfect time. It's almost 1:15 AM. Would you like a bowl of longevity noodles?"
Lin Feiran hadn't celebrated her birthday in a long time and had almost forgotten that today was the Spring Equinox.
The birthday is approaching, which means the incantation is about to begin.
He died at the age of twenty.
Lin Feiran's eyes flickered slightly, then he turned over and stood up, drew the Golden Wave Sword, wiped the blood off the sword with his sleeve, and replied, "I should eat a bowl. After all, someone went to great lengths and condescended to learn how to make it. It would be a shame not to try it."
Ao Xue formed a hand seal, her gaze deepening: "Can you afford to eat?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly attacked. Lin Feiran immediately drew her sword to block, and the two began to fight. One of them wanted to go for the ice pillar, while the other blocked her. The battle became more and more intense, with the sounds of clashing swords and zithers clashing and neither of them could break free.
However, at this moment, the object of divine punishment had already begun to move again, carrying this night and heading east with an irreversible momentum.
Lin Feiran slightly opened his eyes, and the next moment, the magnificent ice pillar paused, as if it was being held back by something. Although it did not stop, its speed slowed down.
The two immediately looked over and saw that beneath the ice pillar, several members of the Goddess Sect who had rushed over had transformed into giant Kun, hovering in front of the ice pillar with their enormous bodies, desperately holding it back.
In order to leave Beiyuan, they paid a heavy price, their bodies covered in crisscrossing bloodstains, and they kept groaning, but they never stopped.
At that moment, everyone silently looked in that direction, their eyes filled with shock. The next moment, hundreds of pure white spiritual threads flew out from below, gently wrapping around the many giant Kun, tightening in the process, actually helping them stabilize their bodies and thus contributing to blocking the ice pillar.
Lin Feiran turned her head and saw that these spiritual threads were emanating from Xie Kanhua's pipa.
He held the object in his arms tightly with a blank expression, but the veins bulging on his forehead and hands revealed the strength he was using.
"Old Xie, I'm here to help you!" Zhang Siwo shook off the esoteric monks and stepped forward to help the giant Kun block the ice pillar.
Gradually, more and more people intervened, and the speed at which the ice pillar moved slowed down significantly, even showing a tendency to stop.
Lin Feiran stopped watching and stopped caring about how the people around him were fighting. He only focused on fighting Ao Xue and waiting for an opportunity to leave.
Suddenly, a great battle broke out, and rain began to fall in the air. Upon closer inspection, the rain was mixed with the blood spilled by the crowd.
"Lin Feiran."
"Lin Feiran!"
"...Lin Feiran."
The shouts continued, and Lin Feiran fought to the very end, when suddenly she felt the world in her eyes begin to turn upside down, and she seemed to be unable to distinguish anything anymore.
Looking up, one sees a fierce battle, dark clouds obscuring the sun, and everything unrecognizable.
Looking down, all I saw were mournful cries and corpses strewn across the fields, none of them able to return home.
In the blink of an eye, its true nature has been lost.
With a clang, she barely managed to withstand Ao Xue's full-force attack, and was then violently slammed backward.
She held the sword in one hand, stuck it into the ground, and used the other hand to brace herself against the ground, trying to stop her retreat. However, it was no use. Apart from grabbing a handful of fertile, moist soil, she still smashed it hard into the rubble.
With a splashing sound, the rainwater moistened the parched earth, releasing a nauseating, fishy smell.
She no longer had the energy to calculate how long until her birthday; perhaps it was approaching, or perhaps it was just because she was too tired from playing.
She never really liked killing, but she had no choice; she didn't like seeing such scenes either, but there was nothing she could do.
Sometimes, life is no different from that of grass, a realization she had long ago.
She looked up in a daze, gripped her longsword tightly, her gaze hazy and confused. All she could see was the deathly gray of the jagged rocks and the overlapping, indistinct shadows. But amidst all this, she spotted a striking, tender green.
That's the color of tender shoots breaking through the soil; it quietly adds a touch of life to this gray and white landscape.
For some reason, Lin Feiran chuckled softly. As she stood up, supporting herself with her sword, she brushed away the blood, flesh, and stone chips clinging to her body, summoned back the Golden Ripples Umbrella, and, under Ao Xue's equally wary and weary gaze, bent down and held the umbrella over the patch of green amidst the pattering blood rain.
There's no real reason, it's just that this color shouldn't be stained with blood and rain.
The vibrant rain fell, striking the umbrella, landing on the sword blade, and dripping onto eyelashes. The water splashed and broke into countless droplets, reflecting countless worlds, countless faces, and countless pairs of clear eyes.
At that moment, she paused slightly, and something suddenly appeared in her tired eyes.
She saw a wisp of pale mist emerge from the tender buds and drift towards the horizon.
She immediately looked up and saw that the end of the divine punishment object was no longer empty as before, but instead stirred up a vortex like an abyss. It was like a deep black crack that had been cleaved horizontally and was embedded in the center of the sky.
It absorbs the continuous flow of energy upwards, swirling like a sea above the sky, where the energy merges and then quickly dissipates.
In that instant, Lin Feiran suddenly understood something.
She turned her head and saw mortals hurrying by beneath the trees. A loud cry of a baby pierced the rain, but it withered away in an instant, and the vital energy surged upward, turning into a wisp among thousands.
In her dizziness, she closed her eyes, and countless unheard cries and sobs suddenly came. A gentle breeze blew past her ears, and withered buds turned into dry grass, which was uprooted by the wind and brushed past the fingertips holding her sword.
These things all happen in an instant.
A moment's change, a moment's universe, a wild grass, a Bodhi tree.
With eyes filled with compassion, one sees all living beings, and the endless sea in one's heart reflects the solitary, vast sky.
Thus, in the vast universe, in this boundless expanse, one still cannot bear to see the low-lying wild grass, the withered leaves of Bodhi trees, or the floating ants.
Lin Feiran opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of blood. The surrounding spiritual energy surged in like a river flowing backward, but the spiritual veins marked with the incantation became even more painful.
"She's breaking through to a higher realm! Make your move! Make your move!" Bi Sheng's stern shout echoed from the horizon.
Ao Xue snapped out of her daze and was about to make a move when she was suddenly stopped by a shard of ice and snow. She looked up and met a pair of calm, dark eyes.
Just as the crowd surged forward in an uproar, a figure in dark robes suddenly appeared beside Lin Feiran. At that moment, Zhang Chunhe, who had been watching from the sidelines, could no longer contain himself and stood up in shock.
"Grandmaster..."
"It's actually our grandmaster!"
"He's still alive! He's actually still alive in this world, right beside Lin Feiran!"
"Lin Feiran has received the true teachings of his master!"
Not only him, but all the disciples of the main sect and even the esoteric practitioners present were familiar with their master's true appearance, and they all looked at this place in shock.
At this critical moment, the grandmaster pointed his finger at her forehead with a gentle expression. The next moment, a pure golden spiritual vein spun out from his sleeve and entered Lin Feiran's brow.
...
Lin Feiran gained a body full of spiritual veins from heaven and earth.
Bi Sheng immediately let out a shrill cry: "You brat!"
Ao Xue dared not hesitate any longer and immediately attacked, but Lin Feiran had already successfully broken through to the next level. In just three sword strikes, the long zither in her arms was shattered. With the fourth sword strike, the blade grazed her neck, taking her life. The tip of the sword brushed past her earlobe, taking that cluster of rootless fire.
The next moment, she rushed towards the object of divine punishment like a bolt of lightning, blood constantly spilling from the corner of her lips, which she quickly wiped away.
She crossed the mountain of corpses on the ground, stepped onto the wall of people with spiritual threads, and leaped onto one of the giant Kun, flying swiftly towards the ice pillar with him.
All spiritual power is ineffective here, so what about spiritual energy?
She is the only one who can absorb spiritual energy instantly and release it in large quantities.
Just then, the ice pillar suddenly moved forward, knocking the surrounding giant Kun back several meters. Lin Feiran immediately leaped up, and the surrounding spiritual energy was attracted to her. Suddenly, streaks of white light appeared on her arm, illuminating her eyebrows and eyes.
"How dare you! How dare you!"
Just as she unleashed her spiritual storm, Bi Sheng finally found an opening and fired an arrow.
Lin Feiran had no way to avoid it, so she waited quietly. She heard an arrow fly by and suddenly felt a chill. She looked down and saw a silver arrowhead emerging from her heart. At the same time, a crack appeared on the ice pillar.
She released her grip with both hands and fell from mid-air into the lake. Before she was completely submerged, the ice pillar suddenly collapsed.
At that very moment, the jade pendant that symbolized Lin Feiran's life suddenly shattered in Bi Sheng's hand.
On her twentieth birthday, Lin Feiran will never wake up again.
Author's note: Look at the volume title, "In the Years of Survival," so Kobayashi definitely didn't die. [Pity][Pity]
P.S.: This is the final volume. I've exhausted all my energy writing this chapter. I'll update the next chapter tomorrow.
With a deafening roar, a blinding bolt of lightning pierced the sky, and countless ice shards mingled with raindrops as they fell, creating a particularly noisy scene amidst the deathly silence.
Everything happened so quickly and so unexpectedly.
The massive shockwave from Lin Feiran's spiritual outburst continued to spread, and everyone was still brandishing their spiritual weapons against each other. Even the giant Kun, which was bracing against the ice pillar, was burned by the intense spiritual power and was thrown back several miles.
At that moment, everyone turned to look, and saw that the enormous hand, which seemed to have emerged from the sky, shattered. Bi Sheng stood there stunned, his hands trembling, speechless as if he had lost his soul.
The next moment, she flew towards the sky like a madwoman, rapidly forming hand seals, and the scattered ice fragments immediately surged towards her.
Her eyes were bloodshot, and her body blazed with spiritual light as she murmured, "It can't break, it can't break, for the sake of the Dao Lord... the Dao Lord..."
Murong Qiudi and the others could not allow her to gather her forces. After weighing the options, they had no choice but to attack Bi Sheng first.
Everyone stared in shock at the scene of collapse, but only a few looked up at the rain.
The dark figure unleashing a spiritual storm was falling silently. Its originally tall figure appeared so youthful and insignificant in the rain.
So small that it's almost unnoticed.
In the drizzling, silent icy rain, a white figure had already streaked across the scene. He silently stepped over the accumulated blood on the ground and over the piles of dung. His usually spotless clothes now showed signs of disarray.
He covered his lips with one hand, his throat throbbing from the cold rain, a tickling sensation rising from his flesh and blood. He couldn't even cough, let alone speak, and could only stare intently at the figure in mid-air.
With her other hand raised amidst the shattered ice, the jade ring on her wrist transformed in an instant into a white bird with fluttering wings, rapidly soaring upwards.
He was still weak and not very fast. But when Lin Feiran stepped onto the back of the giant Kun, he had a premonition and took the initiative. At this moment, he was not far from the direction of the fall and the lake below.
A pale blue figure followed from behind, but before he could catch up, he was grabbed and taken back by another person.
So, under the rain and beside the mountain of corpses, only this white figure was chasing after them. He paid no attention to anyone else, only staring intently at the sky, scrutinizing every part of Lin Feiran.
Her clothes fluttered in the wind, her long hair obscured her face, her hands hung limply, her head tilted back, and that cold arrow gleaming in the rain.
Everything indicated that she had lost consciousness.
He simply lost consciousness.
Even a person who is usually calm and aloof could only have this one sentence lingering in their mind, and dared not think any further.
Today, amidst wind and rain, and with the spirits raging, everything happened so swiftly. The rammed creature, flying into the air, failed to reach Lin Feiran in time and could only watch helplessly as she fell into the lake from a few meters away.
But the next moment, the white figure that had been chasing after them leaped into the lake.
...
The surrounding area was filled with the rustling sound of rain hitting the leaves, and the sounds of clashing weapons gradually subsided. Wei Changzai was pressed to the spot by Zhang Chunhe.
He was like a real puppet, just standing there, his heartbeat almost silent, and bloodshot eyes gradually appearing in his usually clear eyes as he looked at the lake in a panic.
He was waiting, and so were the others.
Qi Chen looked at that scene with great trepidation, but then suddenly heard a suppressed cry of pain from beside him. He immediately turned his head and saw Ji Changying suddenly bend over and kneel on the ground as if she had been struck.
"What happened to you!" Qi Chen immediately stepped forward to support him, his expression horrified. "Were you injured when you fought with someone just now?"
Before Ji Changying could answer, he immediately lifted the mask he was wearing, lowered his head, covered his mouth, and coughed.
Strands of hair fell across his cheeks, glistening with raindrops. Pale blood trickled from between his fingers and dripped to the ground. The next moment, the crack on his face, which resembled the shattering of a porcelain doll, suddenly lengthened and deepened, instantly revealing a kind of inhuman and terrifying beauty.
Qi Chen immediately whispered, "What's wrong? Are you so anxious? Don't worry, Ru Xian's medical skills are extremely high. As long as he has a breath left, he can definitely save him!"
Before the words were even finished and the person in the lake had even emerged from the water, a clear, shattering sound brought everyone back to their senses.
A jade pendant at Bi Sheng's waist shattered instantly, emitting an echo like the cry of a phoenix.
Qi Chen looked at the scene, his brows furrowed, and his eyes showed a hint of disbelief. They had previously heard Bi Sheng say that there was a curse imprinted on this jade, and that if the jade broke, it would mean Lin Feiran's death.
He helped Ji Changying up and immediately looked at the lake, murmuring, "It shouldn't be..."
As the rain subsided, ripples spread across the lake's surface, revealing two figures, one in black and one in white. The figure in black was being held in someone's arms, like a sleeping child, resting quietly against a chest embroidered with gold patterns.
"..."
Wei Changzai stared at that spot, almost lost in thought. His fingertips twitched unconsciously, and his eyes burned with intense heat. He wanted to say "impossible," but found that he couldn't utter a sound.
Zhang Chunhe pointed out, "Changzai, she is already dead. You have overcome your emotional tribulation and are about to break through to the next realm."
Lin Feiran is dead.
Wei Changzai remained silent. He was unable to speak; all the sounds he heard turned into a sharp, long cry. The sorrow and emptiness in his heart swept over him like a tidal wave, and he could even feel his heart trembling.
But he remained standing there, and all the changes ultimately flowed into his burning eyes, turning into a single tear of blood that fell down.
Seeing that everything had settled down, Zhang Chunhe quietly looked at the devastation and the scattered rain, then stopped his magic, slowly closed his eyes, and the image of his master appearing just moments before flashed through his mind.
Presumably, when Lin Feiran broke into the Sword Realm and took away the Iron Khitan Book, her grandmaster was by her side.
The Grandmaster's consciousness still lingers in the mortal world, and the Grandmaster chose Lin Feiran...
Even as Wei Changzai was released from confinement and his mind was still in a state of confusion, he staggered forward, where Ru Xian had already carried Lin Feiran ashore.
But he didn't try to help, nor did he rush to leave. He simply carried Lin Feiran and walked step by step toward Gu Yu, who was standing there in a daze.
The implication that no rescue was intended is self-evident.
The willpower that had sustained him to move forward faded, and all his strength and reason vanished like quicksand. Wei Chang staggered and finally collapsed amidst the mountain of corpses, silently closing his eyes and fainting. A tear of blood dripped from his chin, mingling with the surrounding blood and disappearing from sight.
In mid-air, many cultivators were still fighting over the shattered Heavenly Punishment artifact. Seeing Lin Feiran die, the members of the Secret Sect stopped chasing after him and turned to help Bi Sheng and the others. In an instant, the surroundings suddenly became empty.
Gu Yu looked at the person carrying Lin Feiran and walking towards him step by step. His breath almost stopped. He looked sadly at Lin Feiran, who was quietly closing her eyes, swallowed, and then turned his gaze to Ru Xian's face. He was immediately choked.
He had never seen such an expression on Ru Xian's face before.
It was neither sorrow nor grief, but a blank and lifeless sense of loss.
He held the long, cold, silver arrow tightly between his fingers, almost breaking it, while his palm gently supported her weak neck and the back of her knees. She nestled against him, her long, snow-white hair cascading down to shield her from the drizzling rain.
They spent quite a while in the lake. Gu Yu couldn't help but think that Ru Xian must have been frantically treating and feeding Lin Feiran medicine at that time, and there were even obvious pill marks on the corners of her lips.
Like a hailstone, it emerged from the lake only after all hope had been lost.
Just as Gu Yu was about to speak, she heard an extremely hoarse voice as he stopped in front of her and Mei Gu.
He said, "Let's go back to Rainfall City."
The battle here continues, the sounds of gunfire still ringing out. The engulfing night continues to move slowly, and the sunlight gradually shifts. Lin Feiran's life has come to an end here, but nothing will stop here.
He looked at the person in his arms, his vision trembling and blurry at some point, but he still managed to wipe away a raindrop from the tip of her nose.
"It's always difficult to get her to go to bed on time. It's getting late, she should get some rest."
"Let's go back."
Gu Yu opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say. She could only look at the rain curtain, form a hand seal, and lead them and the giant Kun floating in the sky back to Rainfall City.
Dusk had fallen over the city. The returning members of the Goddess Sect swirled in the sky, receiving the baptism of spiritual medicine to heal their wounds. Gu Yu then dismissed Mei Gu and took Ru Xian back to the room where they had rested.
Ru Xian walked silently to Lin Feiran's bedroom, raised her hand and drove the silver arrow hard into the pillar. After cleaning the two of them with hand seals, she put her arm around them and leaned against the bed railing. The next moment, the doors and windows were closed, and their figures were locked in the room.
Gu Yu stood outside the door, his mind filled with complex emotions. He lowered his head slightly, feeling a slight sting in his nose and a heavy feeling in his heart. He sniffed and turned to leave.
To be fair, even without the relationship like that of Ru Xian, he himself liked Lin Feiran very much.
Children like her are rare in this world; their innocent hearts are precious. People of their level of cultivation, who wouldn't be delighted to see them?
He walked into the courtyard, his eyes already red, but then he heard a rustling sound behind him. He turned around and saw that the burly man was squatting outside the door, scratching at the door with his paws, trying to rush in, but to no avail.
It couldn't help but whimper a few times, but its tone didn't sound like sadness; rather, it seemed to be questioning why the hail wouldn't let it in.
It licked its paws, noticed someone watching it, turned around and saw Gu Yu staring blankly at it.
It had always had a good relationship with Gu Yu, so it jumped to his side in a few moments, pointed to the door, circled around and whimpered a few times, raised its front paws, and stood upright and firm, much like Lin Feiran, before tilting its head to look at Gu Yu.
It was asking him if Ru Xian was treating Lin Feiran's injuries.
The creature was clever, but it was still a spirit beast. It stayed with Ru Xian from beginning to end. Although it had fought with him many times, it still could not truly understand what death was.
It just thought that Lin Feiran would wake up tomorrow.
Thinking of this, Gu Yu could no longer hold back. He bent down and picked up the beast, tears streaming down his face, dripping onto its soft fur and splashing out a few drops of water.
He said in a trembling voice, "Lin Feiran will never wake up again."
The idiot tilted his head to look at him, twitched his ears, and then looked at the side room with a bewildered expression.
Gu Yu was still choking back tears: "I can still cry and vent, but what about Ru Xian? He can't even cry anymore."
The rascal no longer nestled in his arms, but struggled out, circled the room, and finally found a half-open window crack. He jumped up and squeezed in, unexpectedly landing right next to Lin Feiran's bed.
It perched on the windowsill, looking at the sleeping Lin Feiran with a puzzled expression. Then, it caught Ru Xian's gaze. Its tail tightened, and its ears drooped immediately. Thinking it had angered him, it leaped into the bed and went to Lin Feiran's side, wanting to seek her protection as before.
No matter what mistakes it makes, as long as Lin Feiran is there, it won't be punished; at most, it will just help him pound the flower juice.
But when it reached Lin Feiran's hand and nudged her palm with its nose, her hand slid down from its head as if powerless.
The hamster was very puzzled. It stuck out its buttocks and tried to push itself up a few more times, but its hands slipped down every time. The hamster's movements gradually slowed down. It remembered what Gu Yu had just said and slowly looked up.
Ru Xian sat there holding Lin Feiran, his eyes fixed on her hand. He seemed to be waiting for her reaction, but nothing came of it.
The idiot seemed to realize something, turned to look at Lin Feiran, blinked, slowly walked up to her, and pressed himself against her side, trying to warm her gradually cooling body.
Ru Xian's gaze appeared deep and calm, but upon closer inspection, the central turquoise pupil was constantly trembling wildly and rapidly, at a frequency that made it almost impossible to see.
But he still kept watching.
I watched like this all night, until dawn was breaking.
Rain falls in the city, yet it is always summer; the sunlight is always clear and brilliant.
As the first rays of dawn slanted through the window into the inner room, illuminating the two figures embracing, the dazzling sunlight instantly spread out, bathing everything in a dreamlike, radiant gold.
Ru Xian looked into his arms, where the person was still asleep with their eyes closed, even colder than him.
As the first rays of sunlight touched her face, his trembling eyes finally calmed down. He slowly closed his eyes, lowered his head, and gently kissed the corner of her eye: "If you're still tired, rest a little longer. I'll come find you after I've avenged you."
Hot water droplets fell onto her lips, the salty and bitter taste no different from the others.
"How do you want to take her life? You never like using excessive methods, but simply piercing her heart with an arrow isn't enough."
I'm not a kind person; I have a strong urge to kill. It's just that I don't like to show my ugly side in front of you.
"I had a strange dream not long ago. You weren't in the dream, nor was Chuncheng. I was all alone and failed to obtain the Cloud Soul Rain Grass. Later, in order to survive, I forcibly broke through to a higher realm, but I died suddenly."
Just like I told you before when I scared you, the spiritual veins will be severed, and flesh and blood will fly everywhere. It will be extremely ugly.
...It's a good thing you didn't see it.
Even after waking up, I couldn't help but wonder if this was all a dream.
"Lin Feiran, if there is an afterlife, will I meet you again?"
**
"Fei...Fei, Ran, slowly...slowly..."
In a bright and vast expanse of emptiness, a series of gentle calls suddenly came, but the voices were intermittent and indistinct, as if they came from the horizon, or as if they were right next to one's ear.
As Lin Feiran heard the call, she seemed to feel someone embrace her, and a cool spoon was placed against her lips, feeding her something little by little.
After a long time, Lin Feiran's sense of taste finally recovered somewhat, and she realized that what was slipping into her mouth was a medicinal herb.
After a long time, she could feel her five senses gradually returning, first hearing, then touch, and then taste and smell...
Finally, she regained her sight. What she saw was no longer a blank white, but gradually other colors appeared. A red light shone through her closed eyelids, like a guiding star.
Lin Feiran's consciousness began to struggle and churn. She knew she couldn't remain immersed in this state. Perhaps a long time passed, or perhaps only a moment, she finally sensed the location of her eyes. With a tremor of her eyelashes, she slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing that caught her eye was the white snow fluttering outside the window. She turned her gaze to the right.
Inside the not-so-large wooden house, Master, Zhang Siwo, Xie Kanhua, and a few others were huddled together by the bed. When they saw her open her eyes, they immediately waved their hands in front of Lin Feiran's eyes. When they saw that her gaze followed the movement, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
She was being embraced by someone, and judging from their clothing, the person embracing her from behind should be the Golden Wave Sword Spirit.
Zhang Si let out a sigh of relief and immediately sat down on the stool, the fatigue between his brows finally disappearing: "His eyes can move, which means he's regained his senses, he's alright!"
Murong Qiudi stepped forward, examined her eyes and spiritual veins, then bent down and patted Lin Feiran's head, saying gently, "I know you have many questions, but you are too weak right now and need to rest. We'll explain everything to you when you're feeling better, okay?"
Lin Feiran could feel her weakness, a feeling of exhaustion she had never experienced before. So she nodded, closed her eyes briefly, then raised her hands, crossed them, and made a bird-like gesture.
Murong Qiudi was somewhat puzzled, but her grandmaster immediately understood.
Are you asking about hailstones?
Author's Note: Yes, I just fell asleep for the last chapter and woke up for this one. I couldn't wait a minute, that's just how fast I am (X)
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