Chapter 788: Saving the World [Seeking Monthly Tickets]
When will I be able to snag this guy?
This is a difficult question to answer.
Seeing that the other person didn't answer, he remained silent for a long time, as if trying to bolster his courage. He took a deep breath before finally looking up to meet their gaze and softly asking, "Because I'm just one of the masses, you'll definitely be able to get me, right?"
He didn't know what he was nervous and anxious about.
Her hands, hanging at her sides, trembled uncontrollably.
That's natural; I won't abandon anyone.
Upon hearing the affirmative answer, he couldn't help but smile.
Seeing his reaction, the figure seemed to sigh softly, extending its hand, which radiated a gentle light, to lightly caress his chest. The fine, stabbing pain rooted in his chest was soothed by a vast and boundless vitality, and his body greedily absorbed this power, as if parched land had been nourished by rain.
He watched as the bloodstains on his chest disappeared completely.
Before the other person disappeared, he hurriedly asked, "Who are you?"
The other person laughed and said, "You know who I am."
He was puzzled.
Do you know who the other person is?
He wanted to ask more, but for some reason, his lips were pressed tightly together, and he couldn't utter a single word. He could only watch helplessly as the gigantic, luminous figure shrank until it vanished completely as a speck of light. Then, his foot suddenly slipped, and his body plummeted uncontrollably, the speed of his fall increasing rapidly.
Buzz—
The whole world fell silent for a moment.
He suddenly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Thirteen's enlarged face. Thirteen was also startled and let out a strange scream.
"She's awake! She's awake! She's awake!"
He propped himself up with his hands and blinked blankly.
What's wrong with me?
The white-haired old man rushed over upon hearing the commotion, his eyes filled with emotion. He looked up and saw that his teacher seemed much more haggard and aged. He blinked, raised his hand to his chest, and looked somewhat lost: "Teacher—Ayan's chest hurts so much!"
The white-haired old man stroked his forehead, which was still sweating profusely.
He murmured, "It's good that you're awake, it's good that you're awake."
They didn't press him about why he suddenly had a penetrating wound in his chest, nor did they ask what he experienced in his dream; they were simply relieved that he was able to wake up. Uncle Lin and Thirteen's sixth brother also arrived one after the other, the latter looking particularly pale, as if he hadn't slept for days.
"Uncle Lin, Brother Fang, are you still awake?"
Uncle Lin strode forward and patted him on the shoulder: "You were suddenly injured and unconscious for nine days, how were we supposed to sleep?"
"He's been unconscious... for nine days?"
Uncle Lin still feels lingering fear when he thinks about what happened that day.
He almost suspected Thirteen, after all, only Thirteen could have pierced Shao Bai's heart when he was completely unprepared, but after examining the wound, Thirteen was cleared of suspicion. The wound was a sword wound, and it had to be from a thin sword.
It was clearly not something Thirteen did suddenly losing control. Thirteen's condition was stable thanks to Shao Bai's daily Gu-making rituals, and the person surnamed Fang couldn't possibly have committed such a heinous act. It couldn't have been him or the old man either. This almost became an unsolved mystery…
Thankfully, Shao Bai woke up.
Uncle Lin hurriedly asked, "Shaobai, who hurt you?"
Shao Bai blinked blankly: "Nobody's here."
Uncle Lin couldn't believe it: "Nobody?"
Shao Bai nodded, pointed to his chest and said, "Suddenly it hurts so much here, and then a lot of blood flowed out."
Uncle Lin felt like his head was about to explode: "No one hurt you, how could you be injured? Did you see a ghost?"
Shao Bai sat on his sickbed, increasingly bewildered.
Given that Shao Bai was only six years old and couldn't get any complex information from him, Uncle Lin had no choice but to stop pursuing the matter and get new medicine to change his bandages. While removing the old bandages, he muttered to himself, "You Gongxi people are really unreasonable. He was stabbed in the heart and still came back to life. If it were an ordinary person, they would probably have drunk Meng Po soup by now."
The old man said, "After all, he is the High Priest."
Uncle Lin asked, "What happened to the High Priest?"
Can the high priest of the Gongxi tribe really fool the King of Hell?
The old man said calmly, "The high priest of the Gongxi tribe can communicate with the gods. As a divine messenger serving the gods, he is bathed in divine light and is naturally different from ordinary mortals. Rather than a human, he is more like a 'half-human.' Will a tree die if it is stabbed?"
This was the first time Uncle Lin had heard of this. Looking at the innocent-looking Shao Bai, he said, "Bathing in divine light? The Gongxi tribe's mystical practices are quite convincing. According to you, what is Shao Bai called now? A tree person? Or a vegetable?"
The old man ignored Uncle Lin's words and continued, "Even without this reason, Shao Bai still possesses the most precious Gu worm of the Gongxi tribe, with a vitality far surpassing that of ordinary people."
With all buffs maxed out, it's not easy to die.
However, this inexplicable injury also served as a wake-up call for him.
Shao Bai needs to grow up quickly, otherwise if his heart is stabbed again, he may not be able to survive with his current abilities.
At this moment, Uncle Lin exclaimed in surprise. Everyone looked in that direction and saw that there was no wound on Shao Bai's chest, only a complex circular pattern. Uncle Lin was very familiar with this pattern; it was the tribal crest of the Gongxi tribe, and Shao Bai also had it on his shoulder blades.
It is not usually visible; it only appears when the literary or martial energy in the Danfu is activated. The detail on Shao Bai's chest is slightly different.
"Did the back injury move towards your chest?"
Examine Shao Bai's scapula; the family lines are also present.
The old man said, "It's a good thing overall."
Uncle Lin: "..."
Why doesn't he believe it?
Now that the wounds were healed, there was no need for medicine. Uncle Lin cooked a large pot of blood-nourishing medicinal food for Shao Bai and watched him drink it all. He also collected the old, dirty bandages, washed them clean, and boiled them so they could be used again next time.
The old bandages were being dried when the old man came out leaning on his cane.
Uncle Lin said, "Are you still going to keep this from Shao Bai?"
The old man, though frail before, could walk briskly without a cane, but now he can barely walk a few steps without it. Even his best efforts to conceal it cannot hide the decaying aura of old age emanating from him. He won't live much longer.
Because of their limited cognitive abilities, young children cannot perceive it.
"He will know when the time is right."
Upon hearing this, Uncle Lin gave a mocking smirk.
The three of them had known each other for several years, and Uncle Lin had gradually figured out the old man's identity. He knew that this kind and amiable old man in front of Shao Bai had been involved in officialdom for decades and was ruthless in his actions. He had helped the Xin Kingdom destroy more than a dozen surrounding small countries.
It is said that in order not to leave any weaknesses for outsiders, he never married and had no children, and devoted himself to assisting the Xin Kingdom.
He was seen by outsiders as a heartless and ruthless loyal minister.
It is the sharpest killing blade in the hands of the King of Xin.
He has done everything from destroying a country and massacring a city to eliminating all traces of the enemy.
Now, however, he was willing to burn his remaining lifespan for a child of his own clan. Such selflessness truly left Uncle Lin speechless. However, Uncle Lin did not believe that the old man had suddenly changed his nature in his old age and become obsessed with doting on his grandchildren.
His kindness towards Shao Bai must have been for a purpose!
The old man didn't miss the sarcasm playing on Uncle Lin's lips, but calmly said, "After the Gongxi tribe was wiped out, I only received the news and rushed back. While sorting through the clansmen's belongings, I found a secret scroll in the old priest's room..."
Uncle Lin secretly perked up his ears: "Secret scroll?"
The old man said, "This secret scroll is related to Shao Bai."
Uncle Lin's eyes were full of the curiosity of a bystander.
The old man didn't keep him in suspense any longer and continued, "When members of the Gongxi tribe are six years old, they are sent to the tribal altar to test their aptitude. Shao Bai was no exception. However, as soon as he entered the altar, the old priest received a divine decree."
Uncle Lin: "A divine revelation? Are there really gods in this world?"
The old man said indifferently, "If you believe, it exists; if you don't believe, it doesn't."
What did the oracle say?
The old man said, "The oracle says that a deity will descend upon the world in the near future, at which time—the world will be at peace. Shao Bai will go to that person's side as a divine messenger to assist her!"
Uncle Lin scoffed, "A god-like figure saving the world?"
He doesn't believe it.
He said, "Only sentient beings themselves can save them."
If there truly are gods in this world, how could there be so much sorrow and despair, with all living beings sinking into despair? He scoffed at this idea.
The old man showed no displeasure at Uncle Lin's words: "I used to share your thoughts, disapproving of the Gongxi tribe's possession of treasures yet their seclusion, and of their indifference towards the gods they worshipped, who received offerings without any regard for their plight. However—after unexpectedly seeing that secret scroll, I had other ideas. Although the Gongxi tribe is a reclusive clan, they still come from the mortal world and are always concerned about it. The old priest once sought clarification from the gods..."
The questioning of the goddess wasn't limited to the elder and the two high priests, Ji Mo Can. The elder only realized the goddess was quite shrewd after reading numerous clan records, noting that the high priests she chose all had strong personalities. However, while the elder and Ji Mo Can chose to flee and pursue their ambitions in their own way, the other high priests couldn't abandon their clansmen and families, so they chose to close their eyes and remain indifferent.
Only the old priest was an honest man; he asked God directly.
God's answer was the same as Uncle Lin's.
The karmic obstacles of the mortal world are a vast sea of suffering, where all beings rise and fall. Only people themselves can save themselves; praying to gods is useless.
God can only offer a sliver of solace to all beings—if you believe, it exists; if you don't, it doesn't. Believe it or not, it's up to you! Upon seeing the secret scroll, the old man realized that it was no wonder the gods chose high priests who were all rebellious; the gods themselves did not follow the usual path.
Uncle Lin: "...Then what about a god descending to earth?"
The old man said with a half-smile, "Therefore, the goddess must step down from her altar and become one of the masses, a lamp that gathers like-minded flames in the darkness, so that the darkness that has shrouded the world for hundreds of years can be dispelled."
It is not God who saves the world, but the world who saves the world.
One lamp cannot dispel the darkness, but countless sparks can.
"Although my views on the so-called God have changed because of the secret scrolls, I still don't believe in Him. Does this guiding light have to be a God who has sacrificed himself for all living beings?" The rebellious old man had his own thoughts.
He assisted the then-ruler of the Xin Kingdom, who in his youth indeed possessed the qualities of a great ruler. However, the old man misjudged human nature. The ruler of Xin Kingdom, corrupted by power, status, beauty, and the passage of time, had long forgotten his true self, or rather, had completely torn off the mask of worldly morality, revealing his true colors! The old man watched helplessly as what he thought was a "lamp" went out.
At this point, he didn't have much time left.
The old man was unwilling to lose so easily.
It's as if all my hard work in my life has been a joke.
At the crucial moment, he encountered the divine messenger from the oracle.
When the old man was rescued by Ayan, his dwindling will to live reignited—he wanted to use Ayan, this divine messenger favored by the gods, to see the lamp, to see the scene of countless flames gathering in one place, tearing through endless darkness to usher in the light of day.
This was a one-sided bet between him and God, regardless of victory or defeat.
Upon hearing this, Uncle Lin remained silent for a long time.
He asked the old man, "Are you also that cluster of fire?"
The old man smiled and said, "Though I am old, the torch will be passed on."
Hmm, how can this not count?
Uncle Lin looked at the direction of the cave behind him, then at the old man: "Even so, Shao Bai has the right to know."
The old man clearly didn't want to be human. Knowing him as Lin Sishu did, Shao Bai's coming-of-age ceremony would probably be "unforgettable for a lifetime."
The old man didn't answer, and walked away with his cane.
Uncle Lin looked at the rows of old bandages hanging out to dry and muttered under his breath—why are there two more people, but not one of them can help him with the chores? He has to serve more people than he has!
A few days later, the old man and his party left the valley.
No one knows how that old guy managed to get Shao Bai a spot at a prestigious academy, and he also made connections with powerful figures, managing to get a spot at the Mountain and Sea Sacred Land from them. Unfortunately, they came at a bad time; only six months had passed since the last Mountain and Sea Sacred Land opened, and they'll have to wait for the next opportunity.
——
Because of the divine seal, both the good and evil thoughts were essentially sealed off, leaving them only able to fight with their fists to determine a winner. Adding to the chaos, heavenly lightning loomed, descending intermittently, and the good thought suffered a severe beating…
The thunder was powerful, and even evil thoughts were affected by it.
The final outcome—
Everyone watched the battle with bated breath, and Gong Xichou was also completely distracted.
He disappeared from the spot until the thunderclouds in the sky dissipated.
The others then came to their senses and rushed over.
Xun Zhen and the others arrived one after the other: "How is the lord?"
They rushed to Gong Xiqiu's side, who was standing on the edge of a giant pit, from which wafted the aroma of charred raw meat. Lingering lightning still crackled around the pit.
"Where is our lord?"
Gong Xichou raised his finger and pointed to a black mass at the bottom of the pit.
He said, "Don't go down yet."
The group could only suppress their anxiety and wait until the aura of the heavenly lightning at the bottom of the pit completely dissipated before leaping down. Before they could even reach the dark figure, the figure lying on the ground stirred. Her hands, raised above her head, emerged from the mud...
Snap!
The stone that had been used for leverage was crushed.
"My lord—"
After a while, the dark shadow wriggled slightly twice.
A jet-black head lifted up, and Shen Tang coughed several times, his mouth full of black dirt that was still steaming.
She coughed as she staggered to her feet.
He muttered, "What happened?"
Why did she have this déjà vu feeling that her body had been dismantled and reassembled, then thrown onto high-speed rail tracks and run over by hundreds of trains? She tried to look down, but a sharp pain shot through her neck, and her gaze was also strange.
Raise your hand and touch your eyelids—
The swelling of the left and right eyelids is different.
The left side looks like a chicken egg, and the right side looks like a goose egg.
Just then, her throat became unbearably itchy, and she coughed again, spitting out a mouthful of blackish ash. She instinctively ran her tongue along her gums; her teeth were chipped and loose, and the tip of her tongue keenly felt blood seeping out. She raised her hand to touch the corner of her mouth again; her cheek was swollen high…
Shen Tang: "...Is evil intent really this ruthless?"
|ω`)
Because of the previous chapter, I'd like to explain again. I have a bad habit of being lazy and like to hide Easter eggs for new books in older ones, hoping that old readers will find them amusing. Of course, these Easter eggs won't affect the reading experience for new readers (so there's no need to go back and read older books for them, since everyone is following "Retreat Emperor" and likes Tang Mei. But if you're curious about the Easter eggs, there are spoilers in the book review section; there's really only one). The hidden plot about the female lead's identity will be explained one by one as the story unfolds. (`) Sending love!
(End of this chapter)
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