Chapter 75 Like a gentle spring breeze and nourishing rain, a long silence fell within the palace…
A long silence fell over the hall.
It all happened so fast that everyone thought they had just dreamt it. But when they saw Yao Xu still kneeling there, and Yao Qi who had truly vanished, they belatedly realized that it was all real.
A priest suddenly spoke up: "The late Emperor is no longer here, won't the capital be thrown into chaos?"
Upon hearing this, Yao Xu straightened up and was about to speak when He Sheng said, "Chaos, chaos, chaos! All you ever do is create chaos! Are you a god or a three-year-old? Can't you live without someone in charge?"
"I'm telling you right now, nothing will go wrong!"
Wuchen also stepped forward and said, "Wasn't what Prince Liangxu said clear enough just now?"
"As celestial officials, you should all be dutiful in your duties, whether the Emperor is present or not. Now is a critical time, and you should all work together. If anyone dares to take this opportunity to cause trouble, Wuchen will not forgive them!"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.
Although the incident happened suddenly, and although they might seem frivolous at times, they all knew in their hearts what they should and shouldn't do when faced with matters of principle. They'd been living comfortably for too long; it was time for a change. Otherwise, wouldn't they seem useless?
This matter is not simple.
Everyone had a premonition that a tough battle was about to begin.
Yan Chao snapped out of his daze, glanced at Yao Xu who had returned to normal, sighed softly, and then looked at Feng Xi, saying, "You have to stay, right?"
Although it was a question, the tone was very certain.
Feng Xi gently grasped her hand and said, "I'll stay and help him. Regardless of the truth of our matter, he's the one who's suffering the most after what happened. No matter what Yao Qi did, Yao Xu will always be my brother."
Yan Chao smiled and said, "You're right, this is how we should be." She patted Feng Xi's hand reassuringly and added, "I need to go find my father. He must know about something this big."
Feng Xi said, "Then I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Fu Ye suddenly said, "I was just about to go find Fan Yu. How about I escort this young lady down to the mortal realm?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Chao turned to her with a smile and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Lady Qiu Shen."
Before leaving, Feng Xi and Yan Chao exchanged a few more words of advice and then parted ways.
The two remained silent throughout the journey. Fu Ye only glanced at Yan Chao casually at the beginning. It wasn't until they had safely landed in an open area that Fu Ye seemed to...
As if summoning her courage, she asked, "May I ask what your name is?"
Yan Chao paused for a moment, then laughed and said, "Yan Chao. The Yan Chao of 'I say autumn is better than spring'."
Fu Ye seemed somewhat surprised and murmured, "Sheng Chunchao... what a good name."
A moment later, Fu Ye suddenly took Yan Chao's hand and said, "Can I ask you for a favor?"
Yan Chao said, "What?"
Fu Ye said excitedly, "I would like to ask you to convey a message to Lord Spring God on our behalf."
The Spring Goddess she was referring to was naturally the Spring Goddess Mingqi.
"What did you say?"
"Although the four of us come from different backgrounds and have different thoughts, there is one thing we all have in common after we became disciples of our master and became gods: we all hope to become like Lord Spring God. He is our original aspiration for becoming gods."
Yan Chao opened her mouth, but suddenly didn't know what to say. Her eyes stung, and tears welled up in them.
She had thought that those who still remembered the Spring God's Prayer were few and far between, like the dilapidated Spring God Temple of Shi Yue. She never imagined that she would receive such an unexpected surprise today.
Upon reflection, the bitterness outweighed the joy.
After a long pause, Yan Chao said, "Thank you. I will definitely pass on the message to him."
As Yan Chao watched Fu Ye leave, she had just taken a step when a rapid "crackling" sound exploded in her ears.
It's MoMo.
Mo Mo flapped its wings anxiously, calling out incessantly. The more Yan Chao listened, the more grim his expression became.
Something happened at Chunshanlou.
The once bustling Chunshan Tower was still bustling today. The long street in front of Chunshan Tower was already completely blocked by a dark mass of people. Some were holding hoes, some were clutching carrying poles, some were holding torches, and there were even a few thugs carrying short knives. They all looked terrified and angry, as if they wanted to skin Chunshan Tower alive.
"Come out! Those in charge, come out!"
"Hand over the scourge that possesses the power of all spirits!"
"Get out here and explain yourself! Don't hide inside like a coward!"
"Your Chunshan Tower is harboring a demon; are you trying to kill us all?!"
......
The main gate was tightly shut, but the building was brightly lit, and the atmosphere was heavy. The workers were holding brooms, stools, and even spatulas, while Jin Qi, holding sticks in both hands, led several tall and burly men to block the door.
With Yujia gone, they must not afford to lose their composure.
"You're talking nonsense! We at Chunshanlou are all honest and law-abiding citizens!"
Shafulu, his neck stiff, shouted, "The power of all spirits has long since vanished from the world; you shall not slander us here!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a voice came from outside the door.
"What's all this noise about?"
The latch was removed.
"Squeak—"
The gate was wide open.
Yan Chao stood alone on the steps in front of the door. His figure appeared somewhat thin in the chaotic crowd, but at this moment, he felt exceptionally at ease.
Everyone fell silent.
Yan Chao's gaze remained calm as he slowly swept over the crowd, and he asked, "What brings you all here?"
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
"Your Spring Mountain Pavilion harbors a scourge imbued with the power of ten thousand spirits!"
"It's all over the place! All spirits have appeared, and all living beings will perish!"
"Hand over the person right now! Otherwise, we'll burn Chunshan Tower down to the ground today!"
Yan Chao raised an eyebrow and said, "The power of all spirits? Rumors circulating in the streets? Where did you all hear this news? What evidence do you have to prove that this person is in my Spring Mountain Pavilion?"
Everyone paused for a moment, then started talking all at once:
"That's what everyone says! Old Zhang from the dock heard it himself from the wandering Taoist priest!"
"That was calculated by Wang the Half-Immortal from the west of the city! He said the calamity star is in the southeast, and if it's not your Chunshan Tower, where is it?!"
"What evidence do you need? There's no smoke without fire! Your Chunshan Pavilion is always good at deceiving people, but isn't the master of Chunshan Pavilion still a mystery to this day?!"
Yan Chao listened to these baseless accusations, but he understood perfectly. Yao Qi had barely died, and yet people were already coming to Chunshan Tower to cause trouble.
Yan Chao said, "Zhang Laosan? Wang Banxian? Could you please invite them to come forward and confront me face to face?"
No one answered.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd pointed at Yan Chao and said, "I've seen the manager before, you're not the manager of Chunshan Tower! Could it be that the manager is the scourge who possesses the power of ten thousand spirits?!"
These words sparked outrage among the crowd.
"Stop wasting your breath on her! Search! We'll know once we find out!"
"Yes! Search the building!"
Someone threw a stone first, which hit the doorframe with a dull thud. As if on cue, the crowd roared and surged toward the door!
Seeing this, the men shouted and, steeling themselves, tried to step forward to stop them.
Yan Chao's eyes sharpened, and he was about to make a move—
Amidst the extreme chaos of pushing, shouting, and colliding, two dark figures flashed past! With incredible speed and a clear target!
One was the most vicious thug who had just been shouting for violence, and the other was Sha Fulu, who had lost both legs!
The two dark figures, one on each side, moved with cunning skill, precisely seizing their targets by the back of the neck under the cover of the crowd. The thug and Sha Fulu didn't even utter a sound before collapsing to the ground, where the figures easily grabbed them, lifting them like chicks, and quickly retreated in the chaos, disappearing in no time.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye, and almost no one noticed in the chaos!
But Yan Chao saw it.
Yan Chao shouted, "Stop!" Ignoring the chaotic crowd in front of the door, he leaped up and chased after the two dark figures.
The other party was clearly very familiar with the city's alleyways, deliberately choosing dark and secluded spots to move through at an astonishing speed. As dawn broke, the houses thinned out and the terrain rose. In the distance, a high mountain appeared.
Tianjia Mountain!
Yan Chao followed the two dark figures into the forest of Tianjia Mountain.
A flood of questions arose in her mind: Who incited the people to besiege Chunshan Tower? Why did someone come knocking on her door so soon after Yaoqi's incident? Yaoqi's every word and action pointed the power of all spirits toward her; who had discovered her secret?
Suddenly, Yan Chao felt her feet slip and the ground go black. In the next instant, everything went black and she lost consciousness completely.
When she opened her eyes, she felt a dull pain all over her body, her vision blurred, and her limbs went limp. She had been drugged without realizing it.
Yan Chao quickly looked around. The light was dim, the rock walls were rough, and water droplets dripped from the ceiling from time to time. Not far away, Sha Fulu and the thug were tightly bound with hemp rope, lying on the ground, their mouths stuffed with rags, emitting muffled groans. When Sha Fulu saw that Yan Chao was awake, the fear in his eyes subsided a little, while the thug kept twisting and turning, trying to break free.
A series of footsteps sounded, neither hurried nor slow.
A man emerged from the shadows and stopped a few steps away from Yan Chao. He wore an inconspicuous gray cloth shirt, looked to be in his thirties, and had an ordinary face—the kind of face that would blend into a crowd and go unnoticed. But as Yan Chao stared at him, despite his unfamiliar face, there was an inexplicable familiarity in his eyes that sent chills down her spine.
When the thugs saw the newcomers, they struggled even more fiercely.
The man ignored him and turned to Yan Chao, a smile playing on his lips but not reaching his eyes. He said, "Awake? You were captured and brought here today. Whether you can get out alive..." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the two bound figures on the ground before finally settling back on Yan Chao's face. "It all depends on this young lady's decision."
Yan Chao pursed his lips and remained silent.
The man seemed satisfied with her silence and continued, "You can only save one of these two." He pointed to Shafulu and the thug. "For someone like you, who possesses the power of all spirits, this choice should be easy, right?"
These words were like a thunderclap; they finally exploded.
Shafulu's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Yan Chao. The thug was stunned for a moment, then burst into even louder whimpers; though his mouth was gagged, his cursing couldn't have been clearer. His gaze towards Yan Chao instantly shifted from anger to fear and resentment, as if she were the source of all this misfortune.
Yan Chao sneered. So this whole charade was just a ploy to lure her here.
“When I was very young, I made up my mind that I would never be threatened by anyone.”
"You said you could only save one, but I insist on saving two."
The man raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh? You're quite the talker. But you're barely able to save yourself, how can you possibly help them?"
Yan Chao took a deep breath, mustered all his strength, and shouted with his head held high, "Mo Mo—!"
The man's expression changed slightly. In the instant he split into two, Mo Mo transformed into a large bird and suddenly shot down from above the cave.
"Crack! Crack!" Two very faint cutting sounds.
The ropes binding Shafulu and the thugs snapped instantly. Even the rags in their mouths were torn open.
Once free, the thug paused for a moment, then scrambled and crawled toward the cave entrance without looking back, muttering curses under his breath: "Witch! She really is a witch!"
Sha Fulu stood there, looking at the broken rope, then at Momo hovering in mid-air, and finally at Yan Chao's calm face.
Yan Chao didn't even look at the two of them, and hurriedly ordered, "Take them away! Quickly!"
MoMo understood, and with one paw holding a person in its mouth, it kept its eyes on Yan Chao and refused to leave.
"Listen to me, take them home!"
As Sha Fulu was being led away, he turned back to look at Yan Chao. The thug also glanced at him subconsciously.
In that instant, a single, unwavering thought flashed through their minds simultaneously—
She is the owner of Chunshan Tower!
Only the two of them remained in the cave.
The man wasn't angry; he looked at Yan Chao calmly, just staring at him without saying a word. It was rather eerie.
Yan Chao asked, "Who exactly are you?"
The man replied, "It doesn't matter whether those two people live or die. The person I'm looking for is you."
Yan Chao asked, "What are you going to do?"
The man didn't answer, but continued to say to himself, "You must have had a hard time all these years, right? You've witnessed the contempt and resentment of the world, and even when you attained enlightenment, you had to hide your identity. But you really are a ruthless person."
"In order to fully master the power of all spirits, you did not hesitate to draw the lightning of ascension into your body. After that, you would be struck by lightning every now and then, but you would cover it up with sleep. The calmer you appear on the surface, the more pain you suffer inside."
"In these six hundred years, you have 'died' many times over."
Yan Chao smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to know me so well. What else? Why don't you tell me everything?"
The man was somewhat surprised by Yan Chao's reaction and laughed, "You're quite calm. Well, after being struck by lightning so many times, your current situation is really nothing."
Yan Chao couldn't help but roll his eyes and said, "You don't need to tease me if you're not going to tell a story."
Upon hearing this, the man simply sat down opposite Yan Chao and said, "Then let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a blacksmith with exceptional talent..."
The man was of humble birth and had no opportunity to display his talents, but fortunately, he gained the appreciation of the king. The king never bound him by the formalities of ruler and subject, and instead held him in high regard. From the moment he followed the king, the blacksmith swore an oath to be loyal to the king for life, until death.
He devoted himself to improving his skills, seeking neither power nor wealth, but only wishing to work with the king to benefit the people.
But the loyalty of only one person is not enough.
Other countries had tried to bribe the blacksmith with huge sums of money, even threatening him with his wife and unborn child. The blacksmith and his family refused to yield. Instead of pursuing the matter further, they turned their attention to the blacksmith's subordinates.
The blacksmith's apprentices, driven by wicked intentions, were bribed by a foreign power to steal the blueprints. This transformed the mechanical robots meant to benefit the people into killing machines used to slaughter civilians! Furthermore, through merchants from both countries, they allowed a plague to spread rapidly! They even poisoned the blacksmith's tea intended for the king!
However, they did not expect that the plague would infect their own people, so they used this to incite the people and blame all the blame on the king and his people.
But what wrong have they done?!
Later, the king went mad and was killed by his close friend. The country collapsed, and the people suffered terribly. People regarded them as venomous snakes and wanted to exterminate them.
The blacksmith went mad. His hair was disheveled, and he repeatedly kowtowed towards the palace until his vision was obscured by blood. Finally, between lucidity and delirium, he coughed up black blood and died of poisoning. But his resentment ran deep after his death, and this resentment manifested itself in his newborn son.
He wants revenge! He wants everyone who hurt them to pay with their lives!
At this point, the man's expression became even more distorted. Yan Chao broke out in a cold sweat and said, "You are...?"
The man said, "I...who am I...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Yan Chao witnessed an extremely bizarre and terrifying scene:
The man's face instantly transformed into countless faces! Men, women, young and old. Among them was even the venomous sorcerer Jin Xin! And even Mu'er, the guide they had met at the tavern!
Suddenly, the man raised his hand and waved it, instantly pinning Yan Chao to a stone pillar. Four thick, sharp stone nails pierced through her limbs, and blood gushed out instantly. The intense pain made her scream out involuntarily.
The man said, "Everyone says that the chaos among all spirits was caused by His Majesty! Today, I will use the power of all spirits to avenge His Majesty! To avenge Yun Huai!"
A wisp of black energy pierced through Yan Chao's body. Yan Chao's pupils constricted sharply; she could clearly feel something draining from her body. Large beads of sweat dripped down her back, and she felt as if every part of her body was being torn apart. Even worse, her mind was filled with flashbacks to everything the man had experienced over the years, vividly feeling his despair, his pain, his hatred. These memories mingled with her own, and she gradually lost all sense of direction; her head felt like it was about to split open!
"ah--!!!"
Suddenly, the black mist dissipated, and the man spat out a mouthful of black blood, exclaiming in astonishment, "What did you do to yourself?!"
Yan Chao lazily raised his eyelids, gave a faint smile, and said, "Didn't you say I'm a ruthless person? So I placed a restriction within my body. Once someone tries to steal it, they will be trapped by the restriction, and both of us will suffer!"
The man yelled, "Are you out of your mind?!"
Yan Chao smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment."
Before he could finish speaking, a loud bang rang out, the stone wall behind the man exploded, and a flash of silver light cleaved him in two at the waist.
"Yan Chao!!!"
It is Feng Xi.
Feng Xi flashed to Yan Chao's side. The moment she saw Yan Chao, her heart ached terribly. She immediately cast a spell to stabilize her injuries and said, "Chao Chao, I'm sorry I'm late."
Yan Chao leaned against him, gave a weak smile, and then fainted.
When he looked up again, Feng Xi's face was contorted with rage. The lotus shadow transformed into a whip, lifting the man's body high into the air before slamming him down! The lotus shadow then transformed into a blade, slicing the man's body into a bloody mess!
The man's eyeballs rolled a few times on the ground, then suddenly snapped upwards. Immediately afterward, the mass of flesh miraculously reformed!
"Hahahahahahahahahaha! You can't kill me!!!"
Feng Xi suddenly remembered Uncle He, whom he had met at the Snow Mountain Temple, and said, "No matter what you are, you will not live today!"
The man said, "Since you're here too, then give me your power of all spirits!" With that, the man transformed into a wisp of black smoke and surged toward Feng Xi.
Feng Xi hugged Yan Chao tightly and dodged swiftly, but the black mist was even faster! Strangely, neither magic nor weapons could destroy it. The black mist seemed to be continuously absorbing Feng Xi's power!
After several exchanges, Feng Xi realized that this thing was neither human, nor god, nor ghost, and gradually found himself at a disadvantage. The black energy seized the opportunity and unleashed all the power it had just absorbed at him. Feng Xi shuddered, but still held Yan Chao tightly in his arms.
Just as he was about to give up, a beam of white light descended from the sky, cleaving the stone cave in two and revealing the daylight. Feng Xi and Yan Chao were steadily supported by a pair of hands. Feng Xi recognized the person and exclaimed, "Uncle Ming Qi?"
Ming Qi said, "Child, don't be afraid, I'm here." After saying that, Ming Qi looked at the unconscious Yan Chao, then at the man who had turned back, and said coldly, "If you want revenge, come with me to see someone first." Without waiting for the man's reply, Ming Qi led the two of them towards the mountaintop.
On the empty mountaintop, a few more people arrived: Yaoxu, Miqing, Hesheng, Fanyu, Fuye, and Wuchen.
Upon seeing the two injured people, Yao Xu hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Uncle Mingqi, what happened to them?"
Ming Qi said, "I was hurt by an old friend."
Yao Xu asked, puzzled, "What old friend?"
The man arrived as soon as she finished speaking.
Yao Xu immediately became alert and asked, "Who are you?"
The man suddenly became confused again, opened his mouth, but didn't know how to answer.
Ming Qi looked at Mi Qing and said, "Child, he is Yun Huai's man."
Mi Qing asked, "What... what's going on?"
Ming Qi sighed and said, "Please wait a moment. I need to introduce you to someone who has been waiting for far too long." With that, Ming Qi raised his arms high, and a nine-story tower suddenly appeared on the empty ground. On the wooden top, the words "Purification Tower" were clearly written.
After a century of trials and tribulations, it has finally seen the light of day again.
Feng Xi was startled; it turned out that what he had seen that time was not an illusion.
Immediately afterwards, an extremely powerful magical force was unleashed from Ming Qi's palm, causing sand and dust to rise, and everyone was forced to retreat by this powerful force.
Yao Xu asked, "Uncle Mingqi has been retired for many years, so why does he still possess such powerful magic?"
A moment later, the tower collapsed with a crash, and a figure appeared in the mist. The person was dressed intact, but his hair was disheveled with streaks of silver. His face was weathered, and his beard was thick, yet it could not conceal his refined and elegant demeanor.
When the man saw Ming Qi, his eyes first lit up with joy, but then sadness welled up inside him. He said, "My friend, it's been a long time."
Ming Qi said, "It's been a long time."
That person was Mi Zhen.
When Mi Zhen saw Mi Qing, he was stunned for a moment. When he saw the unfinished jade ring at her waist, a few tears welled up in his eyes, and he said carefully, "Child, you have suffered all these years."
Mi Qing slowly stepped forward, her voice trembling as she asked, "Are you my father?"
Mi Zhen opened his arms and smiled, "Qingqing, my child, I am your father."
Mi Qing's tears instantly burst forth, and she rushed towards Mi Zhen, nestling tightly in her father's arms.
Everyone was shocked; Mi Zhen was still alive!
Mi Zhen picked up the jade ring, gently stroking it with her fingertips, and said, "Child, your mother has always been by your side."
It turns out that Yu Zhi died years ago, but her obsession ran deep. Thanks to Yun Xiang's sachet protecting her, she unexpectedly gave Mi Qing a chance to live. Yu Zhi's soul resided in the jade ring, nourishing Mi Qing and ultimately enabling her to be born safely a hundred years later. This jade ring has always been by her side.
Mi Qing sobbed uncontrollably, "Mother..."
Wuchen suddenly spoke up: "What exactly is going on?"
Ming Qi said, "All of this stemmed from Yan Xiao's greed..."
Back then, Yan Xiao was highly regarded by the late Emperor, and his words and actions were admired by all. However, when it came to matters of self-interest, all his words became empty promises. Therefore, even after he became the Heavenly Emperor, the number of people who truly trusted him was very small. Moreover, the late Emperor's reliance on him was also feigned; he had been using him from beginning to end.
After learning the truth, Yan Xiao's former enthusiasm was completely extinguished, and he became twisted. In public, he was six parts lenient and four parts authoritative, but behind the scenes, he was plotting to wipe them all out. His desires grew ever stronger; he wanted to be the only one left in the world, so that no one would dare to look down on him.
However, he liked Mingqi and Yaoqi very much and wanted to bring them under his command.
He somehow acquired evil magic, triggering the power of all spirits. Because Mi Zhen accidentally discovered the clues, and Yan Xiao's attempts to persuade him failed, he allowed the plague to rage, using it as an opportunity to incite chaos among the spirits and shift all the blame onto Mi Zhen. Not only that, he had long foreseen Feng Yi's unruly nature, so during the outbreak of chaos, under the guise of providing support, he sent Fang Zhi to guide ghosts to break through the boundary, forcing Feng Yi to sacrifice himself.
Fortunately, the four had a tacit understanding, and Yaoqi discovered the evidence left behind by Mizhen. However, Mizhen was insane and had lost his mind. Yu Zhi's death awakened his sanity, but a mortal body simply could not withstand the meager power of the myriad spirits. Yaoqi could not bring himself to harm his close friend, and the cause of this turmoil was still unclear. So, Yaoqi, together with Mingqi and the wisp of soul consciousness left behind by Fengyi, sealed Mizhen in the Purification Tower, waiting for the truth to come to light.
Yao Xu asked in astonishment, "If that's the case, then why do I...he possess the power of ten thousand spirits? And what's the deal with the Heavenly Ranking?"
Ming Qi said, "Child, don't blame your father. He had no choice."
"Yaoqi personally killed Yanxiao, who was devoured by the power of all spirits, but we do not know where the power of all spirits came from. In order to investigate the truth, he had to convict Yunhuai, sealing her off on the surface but protecting her in reality. All the gods have fallen, leaving only the two of us. In order to restore order as soon as possible, Yaoqi became the Heavenly Emperor. From then on, he embarked on a path of no return."
"Yaoqi knew the road ahead would be fraught with danger. He had lost his wife and did not want his child to be in danger, so he had no choice but to abandon him. But he did not expect that his son would still come back."
"As for the Heavenly Millet Ranking, it was originally created by Yao Qi, and the three of us met through him. At that time, we were just traveling through mountains and rivers, solving strange cases, and never thought of becoming gods. But after the chaos of all spirits, the Heavenly Millet Ranking suddenly developed sentience and possessed the power of all spirits, and was not under Yao Qi's control. Yao Qi came up with a plan to draw the power of all spirits to himself and use the Heavenly Millet Ranking to find a destined person in the world, so as to find out the truth. I never expected that this destined person would be our child."
Yao Xu suddenly realized something and said, "Then what he said in Tiandu, could it be...?"
Ming Qi said, "For the past few hundred years, he has been suffering from the backlash of the power of all spirits. When you arrived, he was already nearing his end. As for my magical power, it all comes from Yao Qi's faith."
"Back then, because Yan Chao possessed the power of all spirits, I feared he might cause trouble, so I went into seclusion to investigate the truth. Knowing his difficulties, I personally raised four children to help him. We never saw each other, but we missed each other. In the end, we could never meet again."
Yao Xu knelt down abruptly, saying, "So he wasn't... he really wasn't..."
Mi Zhen stepped forward and said apologetically, "Child, I'm sorry. It's all because of me."
Fan Yu suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Master? You're my master?!"
Ming Qi said, "I am He Dian."
Upon hearing this, the four were astonished. The Spring God they had always revered was actually their master! They rushed forward and excitedly called out, "Master!"
Ming Qi said with satisfaction, "Children, you have done very well all these years."
Before he could finish speaking, the man who had been silent suddenly rushed towards Mi Zhen like a madman, shouting, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Seeing this, Mi Qing stopped him and asked warily, "What are you doing?!"
Mi Zhen stroked Mi Qing's arm and said gently, "It's alright. Father recognizes him." He turned to look at the man and said sorrowfully, "Gongshu Ming, Gongshu Ming, how could you have turned yourself into this?"
The man looked at Mi Zhen with a blank expression; he clearly didn't remember the name. But he recognized Mi Zhen. Suddenly, he knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly to Mi Zhen, crying out excitedly, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed! I deserve to die... Your Majesty, you are back! Yun Huai is saved! The people are saved!"
Everyone fell silent.
Mi Zhen helped him up, holding his arms tightly in both hands, and said, "I'm sorry. I've made you suffer all these years. I'll resolve your resentment." As she spoke, a halo of light surrounded Mi Zhen, and her body gradually dissipated within it. The man also gradually calmed down within the halo.
Mi Qing was shocked and exclaimed, "Father, what's wrong with you? Why am I like this?!"
Mi Zhen looked at Mi Qing, his eyes filled with reluctance, and said, "My child, your father must go. Your father should have died long ago; I have only survived until now thanks to the help of my dear friend. Fortunately, I can see you one last time, but your father feels guilty and cannot stay with you any longer..."
Mi Qing clutched Mi Zhen's clothes tightly, crying out in anguish, "I won't listen!!! We've only just recognized each other, why are you leaving me?! I already have no mother, I can't be without a father too!"
Mi Zhen fought back tears and said, "Qingqing, your father and mother will always be by your side."
He Sheng suddenly asked, "Master! How are you feeling?"
Ming Qi's body also began to dissipate. Yet he remained perfectly calm. He returned to Yan Chao's side, looking at her wounds, and tenderly stroked her head. With his remaining magic, he returned the power the man had absorbed to both of them.
Yan Chao was still unconscious.
Mingqi held her hand and said, "You're such a silly child. All these years, you must have been in so much pain. I've always known, and I even know you were prepared to perish together with everyone else. But how can a child go before their parents..."
"Xiao Chao, you are your parents' good child, and our eternal pride."
Ming Qi pulled Feng Xi and Yan Chao into his arms and said solemnly, "Little Xi, from now on, you will walk this road together."
Tears welled in her eyes, and Feng Xi said in a trembling voice, "Okay, I promise you."
Mi Zhen and Ming Qi gradually disappeared, looking at the children with reluctance.
The reunion was too short, the regrets too many, and there are still countless words in my heart.
Finally, they vanished in a ray of light. Only their last words echoed in the air:
"The power of all spirits coexists with the Way of Heaven; only by having one mind and a single thought can one overcome Heaven."
At the same time, a shower of flowers fell on earth.
People flocked to the streets, excitedly basking in this rare and precious shower of flowers. They sang and danced in the rain, their joy and happiness overflowing.
Someone in the crowd said, "Could this be a blessing from some deity in heaven?"
Upon hearing this, everyone looked up to the sky and bowed in gratitude.
They will never know that it was the Spring God's final blessing to all living beings.
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Author's Note: Finally, an update! [laughing and crying emoji]
After much deliberation, I've decided to combine two chapters into one, as I couldn't think of a suitable title for the penultimate chapter, but the content won't be shortened. So, the next chapter will be the final chapter of the main story! Sorry for the inconsistent updates during this final stage; I apologize for keeping you all waiting!
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