Chapter 103 103 Anchor Perhaps I should die like this. …
Early morning of October 2, the first year of Aura Recovery, Phoenix's bedroom.
Maybe I should just die peacefully like this.
After pretending to be Phoenix and connecting with [Destiny] for the third time, he thought this while lying on the bed.
A quarter of an hour later, Linghuang Mansion.
Phoenix slowly opened her eyes and tentatively turned over.
The white-haired bird demon lying outside immediately opened his eyes alertly and met Ning Changkong's somewhat surprised gaze.
As if confirming that the other party was safe and sound, but just woke up in the middle of the night, Bai Xian relaxed and said drowsily: "It's still early, sleep a little longer."
Under the night vision mode of the Phoenix, Ning Changkong noticed that the light and shadow in front of him changed - Bai Xian flapped his wings lightly twice, as if to coax him.
Ning Changkong lowered his eyes and saw the wings that Bai Xian was covering his body.
By the way, according to Phoenix’s report, Bai Xian recently particularly likes this sleeping position that protects the entire phoenix under his wings.
A certain bird demon always boasts that his wings are particularly suitable for being used as a quilt or something - in short, he does not do this out of fear of losing anything.
I really want to know if it’s warm to cover the wings with a blanket.
Ning Changkong whispered, "...Bai Xian."
Bai Xian's eyes were already closed, and he snorted in response.
Ning Changkong adjusted his sleeping position and poked the wings covering his body.
"Why do you always like to wake up the birds in the middle of the night?"
Bai Xian patted him twice with his wings, just like coaxing a child, "Go to sleep, go to sleep."
Ning Changkong still kept his eyes open, trying to imagine - imagine a warm bed, a safe bedroom, imagine a life where there seemed to be nothing to worry about, imagine a life where he could rest comfortably for several months and just be happy.
"Feeling uncomfortable?" Bai Xian seemed to feel Ning Changkong's gaze, and finally opened one eye and looked at him seriously.
"No." Ning Changkong replied.
...At least this body is not uncomfortable.
"It doesn't look like it." Bai Xian muttered and closed his eyes again.
Ning Changkong was thinking wildly: If it was him a month ago, if he suddenly woke up in the middle of the night, Bai Xian would probably be very worried about his condition.
It seems that over the past week or so, the health of Phoenix, played by Phoenix, has been improving, and Bai Xiancai didn't even think that she had an illness at night.
The bedroom fell into silence again.
Reason told Ning Changkong that he should go back now because there was still a lot of work to be done.
He should return to his body and continue recording valuable information about the devil, leaving more clues for the human side.
At worst, he could log into the account of "Anonymous User C4FE" and write a few more technical posts.
...He probably won't be able to stay in this mission world for too long, so he should seize every moment to accumulate chips, right?
Ning Changkong squinted his eyes, trying to identify the familiar yet unfamiliar furnishings of the master bedroom in Linghuang Mansion.
I was only away for a week, so why did everything feel like a lifetime ago, so beautiful and a little bit suspenseful?
Yes, suspended. A body without the sense of touch cannot experience the comfort of sinking into a soft mattress, nor can it feel the weight of the white wings covering its body.
I can't feel the warmth either.
In the pitch-black night, Ning Changkong wanted to confirm the fact that he was still alive. He didn't need the pain of burning himself to maintain his consciousness, but only needed someone else's response.
So he called out again: "...Bai Xian."
"What happened today?" Bai Xian folded his wings and sat up on the bed. He used his hands to comb Ning Changkong's hair, and his tone was full of concern: "Did you have a nightmare?"
Ning Changkong pulled the quilt and replied softly, "Yeah."
I had a dream... I was put into another body and had to control a strange machine.
It hurts really, really bad.
Thinking of this, he no longer wanted to go back. Anyway, returning to his body would mean continuing to endure the endless pain.
In the end, he said nothing and just silently pulled the quilt tighter.
"It's okay. Dreams are all fake. I'm here."
Bai Xian sat on the bed, seemingly not planning to sleep anymore, and was ready to stay by Feng Huang's side until dawn.
Ning Changkong stared at Bai Xian in a daze, and suddenly an idea came to his mind.
Why did Jin Wuyuan reappear in the world?
Most of the illusions were drawn back after the spiritual energy was revived, as the concentration of spiritual energy in the real world increased.
So what about Jinwuyuan?
Why did Jinwu Garden reappear at such a perfect time just after its spiritual energy had declined for a hundred years?
Jinwu Garden is the passage between the real world and Penglai. Its appearance has allowed Penglai, where the demons live, to reconnect with the human world, promoting exchanges between the two tribes and preventing the two tribes from becoming isolated and stagnant due to a thousand years of separation.
Even if the power of human practitioners is greatly reduced in the disaster of spiritual decline in the present world, the secrets of practice can still be preserved through Penglai.
Moreover, it just happened that these immortal species who had witnessed the afterglow of the mythical era missed the moment when [Heaven's Judgment] was opened, making the decline of spiritual energy an unsolved mystery.
Jinwu Garden is Feng Qingwu's old residence, as is Tongshan Fantasy. However, Tongshan Fantasy, which sealed the Phoenix Heart, has been away from the world for a long time, while Jinwu Garden returned early. Ning Changkong doesn't believe that Feng Qingwu didn't plan this.
Ning Changkong, who was lying on his side, arched towards Bai Xian twice and moved a little closer, as if he could feel the warmth coming from the other person.
Bai Xian, a phoenix attendant who had been sleeping in Jinwu Garden for a hundred years and awakened after Jinwu Garden was reconnected with the real world, what role did he play in Feng Qingwu's plan?
Ning Changkong felt that he could guess some of it.
——anchor point.
He is the anchor that pulls Jin Wuyuan back to the human world.
Feng Qingwu's anchor point.
...maybe it's also my anchor.
**
The dizziness of the soul returning to the body was magnified infinitely because of the weakness of the body. The whole world was spinning in his perception, and the feeling of weakness surged like a tide, almost drowning him.
He closed his eyes, trying to find a bit of peace in this chaos, so that he could briefly ignore the severe pain all over his body - he couldn't even determine where the pain was, because his entire body was aching.
But dizziness and panic followed me everywhere, my breathing became rapid, and every breath I took seemed to be trying to capture the last bit of oxygen in the air. Even fainting became a luxury.
A few days ago, the vitality that Phoenix had infused into him with the Nirvana Fire was exhausted after he once again connected with [Death], and his body became dilapidated again.
If this situation continues, Ning Changkong can foresee what he will face: his body will continue to operate under overload until it completely collapses, and then be repaired by the Nirvana Fire again, and this cycle will repeat over and over again, without end.
But like porcelain that has been broken repeatedly, even if it is carefully glued together after each break, the cracks can never completely disappear.
The same was true for his body. Ning Changkong could clearly sense that his body was slowly breaking down, as if it was decaying from the inside out. His body seemed to be dragged down by invisible lead blocks, and his movements became increasingly strenuous, and his physical strength was increasingly unable to support high-intensity combat and work.
So he thought dazedly: Why don't I just die like this?
As long as he can destroy [Heaven's Law], even if he dies and leaves the world, the mission seems to be able to be completed by relying on the power of the natives of this world.
That strange heart was beating at a weak and chaotic rhythm. The phoenix spiritual power was pumped from there to the whole body, but it was not enough to suppress the evil energy injected into the blood.
The pain from the evil energy corroding his internal organs was like red-hot wires piercing his blood vessels and nerves, bringing bursts of sharp pain.
He hadn't eaten for a long time, and his empty stomach became unusually active under the invasion of evil spirits, as if countless hands were tearing inside him. Every contraction was like a towel being tightened, bringing severe cramping pain.
Yes, the key to controlling [Destiny] is in my chest. So as long as I die and destroy my heart, doesn't it mean that the task of destroying [Destiny] is half completed?
Chu Qingge interrupted Ning Changkong's negative thoughts and tried to awaken his partner's will to survive: "Be rational. This only blocks a way to control [Tianran]. We haven't yet analyzed how to completely and fundamentally destroy [Tianran]."
Ning Changkong* muttered in a low voice, with a hint of doubt in his voice: "How do you know this is not the only way to control [Tianjue]?"
Chu Qingge explained: "From a rational point of view, Feng Qingwu has even planned for the revival of spiritual energy a thousand years later. He can't just pin the key to the revival of spiritual energy on a Tongshan illusion that may appear at any time and a small key in it."
Signals of pain and discomfort were transmitted through the nerve fibers, forming a constant background noise, and Ning Changkong's thoughts became somewhat confused.
We must analyze from the beginning...analyze Feng Qingwu's intention.
Why was Phoenix willing to sacrifice her own heart to forge a key?
He recalled Chi You's description of Feng Qingwu:
"He designed energy, forged machines, persuaded the gods, and caused the decline of spiritual energy... He went through so much trouble, retreating to advance, just for this day—"
"——As you said, after the spiritual energy is revived, a world where all people can live in equality regardless of their level of cultivation."
If the revival of spiritual energy is part of Feng Qingwu's plan. Ning Changkong thought: Then, even if we don't rely on the key provided by the Phoenix, in theory there should be other ways to control [Destiny]. "
Chu Qingge said: "Yes, although there is no conclusive evidence, these two keys... give me the feeling that they are more like a shortcut, rather than the only way."
Feng Qingwu seemed to be expecting someone to break into his Tongshan fantasy, take away the key belonging to [Destiny], and unlock the spiritual energy recovery. Perhaps this itself was a pre-arrangement -
Just as the spiritual energy overflowed from the burial ground of the gods and sank into the lake of fire, awakening the devil's resurrection; the Dragon Abyss fantasy also reappeared due to the accumulation of spiritual energy.
The Kiriyama illusion where the two keys are stored may reappear at some point as time passes and the concentration of spiritual energy accumulates.
However, the devil took a shortcut through Phoenix's information, forcibly opened the Kiriyama illusion in advance, and stole the key.
Really, if this key could see through the character of the controller, it would not have fallen into the hands of the devil, and there wouldn't be so many messed up things. Ning Changkong cursed in his heart.
Following this line of thought... Ning Changkong spoke up: "I still think something is fishy. It is ultimately unrealistic to rely on the Philosopher King to maintain order."
As I said before, the power of [divine judgment] is too strong and can have too great an impact. We cannot expect that people with good character and no selfish desires will always be able to control this power.
If what Feng Qingwu is pursuing is a world where all people are equal regardless of their level of cultivation after the recovery of spiritual energy...
Chu Qingge said lightly: "In order to make that ideal a reality, [Tian Luan] must be completely destroyed."
Ning Changkong understood her hint: If Feng Qingwu really paved a shortcut for manipulating [Tianran] and reviving spiritual energy, then he should also leave a shortcut for destroying [Tianran] and for mortals to achieve equality.
The key to this shortcut might be... another key, a copy of the Phoenix Spiritual Power.
Ning Changkong frowned: "But I always feel that there is some contradiction here. Can't it be designed so that after the spiritual energy is revived, [Destiny] will automatically be destroyed?"
Chu Qingge pondered for a moment and speculated: "Perhaps it is because there are too many variables in the future, and the deceased gods and phoenixes cannot fully predict it."
The Kiriyama illusion was opened early because of Phoenix's variables, and it may also appear early because of other unknown variables. The same is true for the burial place of the gods that carries the [Heavenly Judgment].
"If [Heaven's Will] is designed to automatically destroy itself when its spiritual energy is revived," Chu Qingge's voice revealed a trace of worry, "then when the spiritual energy is revived, if humans are not ready..."
For example, in feudal society, there were monks with great magical powers who broke into the burial ground of the gods. After several generations of research and exploration, they finally found a way to open the [Heavenly Judgment]...
Ning Changkong took over her words: "That will trigger another chaos like the mythical era, but this time there will be no intervention from the gods."
"Yes, if [Heaven's Judgment] is still in the hands of mortals, at least a certain order can be maintained by monopolizing cultivation resources." Chu Qingge concluded.
However, such an order may be a pro max version of feudal autocracy, which may not be good for ordinary people.
"Tsk, after all this talk, we are just adding more evidence to our previous guesses." Ning Changkong clicked his tongue and said helplessly, "You just want me to try the plan I mentioned before, right?"
The heart fragment left by the Phoenix, which truly inherited the Phoenix's power, had long been recognized by the two of them as the key to destroying [Destiny].
Chu Qingge responded calmly: "At present, it seems that there is no better way. Theoretically speaking, this plan may still succeed."
She said bluntly: "You are just afraid of pain and want to escape."
Ning Changkong lay on his back on the bed, his eyes slowly opening.
The third link to [Heaven's Will] was several hours ago, but the pain was still like a lingering cloud, shrouding his nerve endings.
His chest seemed to be pressed by an invisible weight, and every breath seemed to require a huge effort. His joints seemed to be filled with lead, and the fatigue that penetrated deep into his bones made him almost unable to sit up.
The most effective strategy they could think of was to completely burn the Phoenix Spiritual Power and ignite all the [Eliminations] connected to the [Tianlan] machine. In this way, [Tianlan] would be destroyed.
Taking this path means... continuing to endure this pain for a while.
He could only contact [Tianran] under the strict supervision of Baril. If he began to release the phoenix spirit power during the linking process, Baril would probably stop him quickly, and Ning Changkong was not sure that he could destroy [Tianran] in a short time.
So the next thing to do is to create an opportunity to divert Baril's attention.
Chu Qingge gently reminded: "How much of the formation that opens the Dragon Abyss Illusionary Realm in the Treasure Pavilion has been completed now?
Ning Changkong closed his eyes again and began to contact Phoenix.
——Perhaps what they need is a chaotic war.