Chapter 207 End. What you long for will surely come to pass…
Everything in this world is in balance. If we want to awaken humanity, we must exchange it with humanity.
Ying Yao realized this. When even the gods had no other choice, this might be the only solution. So even though he had faced death almost every time he experienced that world, he resolutely returned and retrieved the most dangerous stone mother from that world.
The Reincarnation Space allows you to return to worlds you've experienced before, but the conditions are extremely strict. First, you must have experienced more than fifty worlds yourself, and second, you must obtain the relevant items.
This item only increases the frequency of returning to a certain world. In other words, you might run out of items without actually unlocking the world you want to return to.
Ying Yao wasn't very lucky; it took him more than a dozen attempts to finally unlock the Stone Mother World he wanted to visit.
This is why, even though he had noticed something was wrong with Nanmen Jue, he didn't stay by her side to be ready to deal with any unexpected situations.
He realized that Nanmen Jue wouldn't tell him the truth, so he went directly to Crow.
The moment the crow opened its mouth, Ying Yao knew he was right; the matter Nanmen Jue was hiding was no small thing.
Instead of stopping Nanmen Jue, he considered how to bring her back once she truly lost her humanity.
He didn't believe that Nanmen Jue would willingly be a high and mighty god!
Terra looked at Ying Yao thoughtfully, "How...did you manage to contact Him?"
Ying Yao took out a stone shaped like a heart. Everyone present was either a god or someone who stood at the pinnacle of human evolution. When the stone was taken out, everyone couldn't help but cover their heads.
My body felt heavy, my mind went blank, and only a strong desire to release something took center stage.
This is the power of the Stone Mother; it stirs up desires and emotions in people's hearts, first driving them mad, and then, when the emotions are completely absorbed, all that remains are walking corpses controlled by desires.
These walking dead are even more terrifying than zombies. In the ordinary zombie world, zombies have no brains and cannot think, but humans whose emotions have been absorbed are still human. They have normal thinking and normal intelligence. Without emotions, the human world is a purgatory.
Nobody wants to experience a world like that.
"It's that world." Zhou Yiming said in a low voice, "I've always wanted to get information about that world, but my people either haven't been able to find it or haven't returned."
His gaze toward Ying Yao was complex. Ying Yao was the strongest among the group of Jin Ming, a fact that was hard to deny. He knew how effective Ying Yao would be when he acted alone without any restraint.
Even Yingyao faced such danger in obtaining this stone mother; it's likely that if it weren't for him, the others wouldn't have been able to return alive.
Mo Gui remained silent. He squatted down and said, "Brother Ying Yao, you should let me help you."
No matter what they said, Ying Yao ignored them completely. All his attention was focused on the crow, watching it take away the Stone Mother, and closing his eyes to sense something.
"How is it?" As soon as the crow opened its eyes, everyone eagerly gathered around.
“I need to contact her using divine means first, and this process may take a few days,” the crow said. “You can all go back now. The master of the Reincarnation Space has now become Nanmen, and she has opened up access. You can all go home now.”
Silence.
Previously, everyone was so focused on Nanmen Jue's situation that they didn't have time to consider the anomalies in the current reincarnation space, which is why they were the last to realize it.
"The cycle of reincarnation... is over?" Wei Chongru said in a daze.
"Can we go home now?" Ji Chengying hadn't even reacted yet.
“All the worlds of reincarnation are gone. What remains now is this space we are in.” The raven suddenly laughed, its tone devoid of emotion. “It’s fortunate that this is the Mother Goddess’s property, so I can continue to stay here. If this were the South Gate’s domain, I wouldn’t be able to stay here.”
He looked up at the writhing flesh and blood in the culture tank. "With her current mindset, she can't even understand why I insist on this, but I can't forget that I have to fulfill 'Nanmen Jue's' wish. This is the only thing she asked of me, and I must do it."
This was the first time that people as human beings had experienced what the words "loss of humanity" meant.
Nanmen Jue was willing to lose himself to bring Nanmen Yu back into the cycle of reincarnation, but now she might easily destroy everything he has painstakingly worked for.
Ying Yao's blank eyes flickered, and he said in a hoarse voice, "You helped her, thank you."
“I helped her with more than just this, and you don’t need to wedge it in,” the crow said curtly.
The crowd was somewhat taken aback, thinking that the unfathomable god was angry, but the crow said again:
"I want her back. I want her to come and say thank you to me in person."
...
As everyone dispersed, even Mo Gui was forced back to the real world; he still had his brother and parents to comfort.
Only Ying Yao stayed behind. One reason was that his injuries were too severe, and he could no longer use the main god Xiu Fu, so he could only recuperate slowly. The other reason was, of course, his own choice.
Everyone left the reincarnation space, and even Zhang Zhi was taken back to the real world by Terra. In the huge hall, only 404 still had a breath, containing a god, a living person, and a doll.
When Yu Wanyan heard that she was to be taken back to the real world, she immediately showed a disgusted expression and then refused outright.
She's still inside a BJD doll-like body, but she can already move on her own. It's thanks to the crows that she's able to help. After all, the crows have to guard the formation here, and Ying Yao has to recover from his injuries, so no one has the time or inclination to take care of her.
Despite claiming to be recuperating, Ying Yao didn't actually go to his room to lie down. Instead, he sat on the array, leaning against the culture tank, his pale face looking like a ghost in the fluorescent light.
Yu Wanyan ran over, looked up at the human who was now far too big for her, and then plopped down next to him.
“If I were you, I would just smash this culture tank.” Yu Wanyan said out of the blue. “If you ask me, no one’s feelings are as strong as the person in the tank’s reaction to her.”
Ying Yao didn't even lift his eyelids. "You want to attack a god?"
Yu Wanyan choked, glancing furtively at the crow not far away. The crow was focused on doing something with the formation, completely ignoring the two of them.
Yu Wanyan rolled her eyes and said, "To be honest, I don't understand why you are all so sad. Nanmen Jue is not dead. She just exists in a different form."
Ying Yao finally lifted his eyelids and glanced at her. His gaze was indifferent, neither angry nor cold, as if Yu Wanyan's words were nonsense and not worth paying attention to at all.
“Even though she’s not by my side anymore, the thought that she’s become a god, and that I can see her whenever I look up at the sky, doesn’t that make me feel at ease?” Yu Wanyan didn’t seem afraid of his anger and continued, “She was a good person. Isn’t it good that someone like her became a god? With her watching over us, the Reincarnation Space was gone, and those people were saved. Yet you all want her to come back.”
"Are you saying that we are all selfish?" Ying Yao asked, his tone devoid of emotion.
“I didn’t say that,” Yu Wanyan shrugged. “I was just stating a fact.”
"You've been finding excuses to pester her, do you have the right to talk to me now?" Ying Yao said calmly.
“Back then, she was still a human being!” Yu Wanyan said. “When she was a human being, everyone had a chance to compete. Why should that person be you and not me? But now that she’s a god, it’s fair. Nobody has a chance anymore, but you’re still not satisfied.”
Ying Yao finally looked at her properly.
"What's wrong?" The baby scratched her face with her little hand.
“She was born as a human being, and emotions are something she should have. She didn’t give them up willingly; they were taken away from her. Isn’t it only natural to return what’s taken away to its rightful owner?” Ying Yao said. “She is a person, not a trophy you’re chasing. Don’t let me hear you talk about her in that tone again.”
Yu Wanyan rested her chin on her hand, pursed her lips, and muttered, "Why pretend to be so affectionate when the person isn't even here?"
“Besides,” Ying Yao said, “I am indeed selfish.”
...
On the third day, the crow and Nanmenjue made contact.
Others could not hear the communication between the gods, but judging from the raven's expression after it opened its eyes, the outcome of this communication did not please Him.
"The formation is ready. I'll throw the Stone Mother over there today," the crow said fiercely.
Ying Yao's eyes dimmed, which meant that things were indeed the outcome they feared most: Nanmen Jue no longer recognized them.
She still remembered them, had memories of being with them, but even if they died right in front of her, it wouldn't earn her a single glance.
The gods are all-loving, yet they are also heartless.
Ying Yao glanced at the culture tank again; the flesh and blood inside had already grown into a human shape.
Xiao Jue, don't you want to see your sister walk out of here with your own eyes?
I don't believe you don't want to see this.
...
What do you mean by "no response"?
Standing in front of the culture tank, Ying Yao asked in a calm tone.
The raven said, "I'm certain the Stone Mother has already taken effect on the South Gate, but she hasn't returned yet."
He raised his eyes and met Ying Yao's gaze. Both of them appeared calm, but their eyes held an explosive madness.
Nanmen Jue used the stone mother, but did not return.
This shows that the stone mother is not effective.
How could it not work? Is God's emotion really so indifferent?
The aura emanating from the two of them was so terrifying that Yu Wanyan didn't dare to approach them at all. She took two steps back and ran out to contact Mo Gui.
"Come quickly and save Nanmen Jue's sister!" she shouted in that direction.
This wasn't an excuse she made up on purpose. She saw the look in Ying Yao's eyes when he looked at the culture tank at the end, and it really looked like he wanted to devour the developing Nanmen Yu.
Ying Yao has probably gone mad!
Mo Gui arrived quickly and also contacted the others. When everyone returned to the Reincarnation Space, they all felt as if they had been transported to another world.
They received the news and knew that Ying Yao was now a dangerous person. They looked at him and saw him sitting blankly on the ground, without any sign of rioting or spirit.
Seeing him like this, it's not hard to guess what happened.
"It failed, didn't it?" Terra asked softly.
“I don’t believe it,” Ying Yao suddenly said.
He suddenly stood up, and everyone instinctively became wary. He strode towards the crow, grabbed its wing, lifted it up, and looked it straight in the eye.
"If there really is no other way, how could you still be so calm?"
"Ying Yao! Calm down!"
Mo Gui and Wei Chongru rushed forward, one grabbing Ying Yao tightly and the other snatching the crow back, respectfully placing it back on the ground.
"I'm sorry, he's gone mad, please forgive him." Wei Chongru smiled ingratiatingly, but his eyes dimmed. "However, if even the Stone Mother couldn't help, is there really... no way?"
He worried that Crow might quit in a fit of anger or even kill Ying Yao, but Crow didn't react at all, whether he was arrested or asked to leave.
"The Crow God?" Wei Chongru called out to Him uneasily.
The name was inappropriate, but the raven didn't seem to care. It just stood there, cold, proud, and indifferent, much like the image of a god in human imagination.
“Now Nanmen and I are the same kind.” He suddenly said, “Human life is short, only a hundred years at most, but our time is long. As long as I stay with her long enough, she will eventually get to know me again and accept me.”
These words were unexpected, and everyone fell silent.
“I don’t need to fight for this short-term gain like you do, yes,” said the crow. “I don’t need to… I’m useless.”
"What's going on? Our ally has betrayed us?" Wei Chongru asked anxiously, but Mo Gui grabbed him.
Mo Gui stared at the crow, shook his head solemnly, and said, "He is saving himself."
Wei Chongru was taken aback.
“He is too deeply bound to Sister Jue. Sister Jue has lost her humanity, and it’s already amazing that He can control himself and not go crazy.” Mo Gui smiled bitterly. “To be honest, I was quite worried about this before… As it turns out, my worries were not unfounded.”
Everyone watched in silence as the crow muttered to itself, desperately trying to convince itself, as if it were possessed.
Ying Yao walked to the culture tank without saying a word. The others understood his meaning. Although they felt that if the god wanted to go crazy, their efforts to stop him would be futile, they still stepped forward to prevent any possible consequences.
The crow spent half a day brainwashing itself, then suddenly stopped making noise, immediately putting everyone on high alert.
He raised his head, and his expression had returned to normal.
“There is one last way,” He said, “the way that is not a way.”
The others exchanged glances, and Terra asked, "Have you changed your mind?"
The crow closed its eyes, and the omnipotent god finally revealed a hint of weariness.
“There was never a second choice,” He said softly, “because the South Gate would not have chosen this outcome.”
Everyone was moved.
It turns out that even the highest gods can truly consider a person's needs and stand completely in her shoes, even if it causes them immense pain.
The last method the raven suggested was prayer.
Becoming a believer in God and having one's heart heard by the heavens has always been the only way for mankind to communicate with God.
It sounded ridiculous, but despite the murmurs rising and falling in everyone's throats, no one could actually get the question out.
“Nanmen is not a god who ignores human voices. As long as you call her name and provide her with a strong enough anchor, she can hear you,” the crow said. “The more determined you are, the greater the impact on her. This method can only be used by you; I cannot do it.”
"What should one say when praying?" Zhou Yiming asked.
“You can say whatever you want,” said the crow.
“We understand,” Terra nodded. “Is there a frequency requirement? Will she find it annoying if it happens too often?”
A hint of a smile seemed to appear on the crow's fluffy face. "It would be great if she found it 'annoying'."
Everyone suddenly realized.
After receiving their new missions, everyone left one by one, leaving only one person, one god, and one doll in the room.
Ying Yao stared at the nearly formed figure in the incubator, "What...is she doing now?"
The universe is so vast and empty, and God's lifespan is so long, what would she do?
“She’s reshaping those destroyed, cyclical worlds,” Wu Ya replied.
Ying Yao was slightly taken aback. He hadn't thought of this before. Upon hearing this, the corners of his stiff mouth turned up slightly.
“It’s something she would do.” He lowered his head. “It’s precisely because she’s that kind of person that I can’t bear to let her lose those feelings; they are the most important things to her.”
What the crow said was exactly what he was thinking.
If everything is as Nanmen Jue wishes, then even if he is heartbroken to death, he will not force her to come back.
He had selfish motives, but those motives were so insignificant when it came to her. He didn't, and none of them had any right to force Nanmen Jue to do anything she didn't want to do.
But she didn't want this to happen; she clearly didn't want it to be like this.
Ying Yao looked down at his hands, which were trembling slightly, and clenched them firmly into fists.
...
When Nanmen Yu walked out of the culture tank, Ying Yao knelt down beside him with his eyes closed.
She walked up to him, soaking wet, and he simply opened his eyes and glanced at her indifferently.
"Long time no see," Nanmen Yu said.
Ying Yao nodded, stood up, and walked out.
"Where are you going?" Nanmen Yu asked.
"Let's change rooms," Ying Yao said.
“Now that I’m out safe and sound, you don’t need to stay here anymore, right? You actually can’t stand being in the same room as me,” Nanmen Jue said definitively. “Ying Yao, you hate me.”
Ying Yao's cold, hard body swayed slightly, but he didn't utter a sound.
"You think I killed the person you love?" Nanmen Yu's voice became hoarse. "You're right, I did kill her."
“If someone has to be held responsible for the whole thing, it’s the former God. He’s dead. Xiao Jue killed him with her own hands.” Ying Yao didn’t turn around. “Your life was something she went through a lot of trouble to get back. I hope you can cherish it.”
Ying Yao strode away, leaving Nanmen Yu behind. The viscous nutrient solution flowed down her newborn body, making this woman, who had always been cold and tough, appear so fragile.
Yu Wanyan stood beside her, looking at her, "You and Nanmen Jue really look alike."
“Where does it resemble her?” Nanmen Yu asked, then immediately shook her head. “No need to tell me. I will ask her slowly. If she doesn’t respond to me in one day, I will ask her for two days. If she doesn’t respond to me in two days, I will ask her for two years. If she doesn’t respond to me in two years, I will keep asking her.”
“Over the years, I have never listened to her seriously, so it is only natural that she does not want to respond to me now.”
Yu Wanyan shook her head and muttered softly, "These people are all crazy. Nanmen Jue, can you hear me?" Then she closed her eyes and continued to mutter to her divine sense.
Time moves slowly, yet steadfastly forward; in the blink of an eye, two years have passed.
Without any special regulation, the flow of time inside and outside the space is the same. Ying Yao occasionally returns to reality, but he will come back in a couple of days. Nanmen Yu, on the other hand, has been living in 404 all along. Crow seems unaware that he is also a god and has been staying here.
As for the others, they come in once every one to two weeks to gather information and check on Ying Yao and Nanmen Yu.
Time passed by little by little, and each day was peaceful. Everyone knew that someone was protecting their world.
Talking to Nanmen Jue has become a habit for everyone. They can call her name and say a few words in their hearts anytime. Over time, it feels as if she is really by their side and has never left.
The crow told them that Nanmen Jue had already brought back most of those reincarnation worlds, and there were far fewer people in His space, as they had all been released back.
However, the people sent back were not strictly divided according to the different worlds. Instead, everyone signed up freely according to the conditions of each world, and many familiar people chose the same world.
The body that had been prepared for He Ting came in handy. Crow boldly sent his body and Yu Wanyan into that world together, with Yu Wanyan personally transferring him there.
Everything went smoothly. When Yu Wanyan returned, she said that He Ting had woken up and was adapting well to her new body.
Furthermore, after Qin Yehan and the others learned about Nanmen Jue's situation, they also joined the prayer team without hesitation.
This action reminded the raven, who then notified all the worlds saved by Monsieur Namcha Bard, so that everyone might chant her name.
Anchor points are increasing, and links are becoming stronger, but the silent star in the universe seems unmoved. She floats there quietly, listening to everyone's voices and doing her own thing.
When the group gathered in the space again, they looked at each other and all showed worried expressions.
"Has Ying Yao not come out yet?" Nanmen Yu asked.
In the third year, Nanmen Yu returned to reality. She went back to her post and, with the knowledge she had gained in the reincarnation space, she was promoted rapidly and soon became one of the nation's leading experts, saving many lives.
This is the fifth year.
Starting from the fourth year, Ying Yao has not appeared in front of anyone. It has been almost two years since anyone has seen him.
If the crow hadn't said he was safe, Mo Gui would have been tempted to kick the door down.
Of course, this is still the door to the reincarnation space, and he couldn't kick it open even if he wanted to.
"Let him go." Nanmen Yu took a sip of her drink. The only difference between her and the past few years was that she had developed a habit of drinking. "He's dying, I'll save him."
No one dared to say anything more. The relationship between Ying Yao and Nanmen Yu had been quite delicate over the past two years. They couldn't be said to hate each other, but they had never sat down and had a proper conversation.
I had heard that they used to be very good friends, but no one had ever seen them interacting amicably.
After Nanmen Yu silently finished her drink, she squatted down on the table and stood up.
"I'm going back now," she nodded to everyone, "Please make yourselves at home."
Nanmen Yu was the busiest person among them, and since there was nothing else to do, everyone said their goodbyes.
Nanmen Yu took two steps, and the entire space suddenly trembled.
Everyone looked up alertly, and before they realized what was happening, the crow tumbled and scrambled out.
Ying Yao's room was very spacious. The large room had no windows or lights, only a large cushion.
He usually kneels on the cushion with his head bowed and his hair reaching his shoulders, completely obscuring his face.
How long has it been since he last stood up from here...? He couldn't remember.
I have so much to say every day, but sometimes I forget what I'm going to say after saying the first sentence. Some things seem like I've said them many times, but it also seems like I haven't had a chance to say them yet.
"Xiao Jue, I think... I feel a little dizzy." Ying Yao said softly, "Eating and drinking are troublesome things, but if I don't do them, I won't have the strength to talk. Wait for me a moment."
He braced himself against the ground with both hands, trying to stand up. The once invincible Chairman Jin Ming's knees buckled, and he knelt down on the ground again.
"If you saw me now... no, you'd better not look, I don't look good now."
Ying Yao stared blankly at the ground, a surge of long-standing resentment and exhaustion welling up inside him, a bitter taste rising within him. He took a few deep breaths, a faint blush creeping onto his thin face.
Overwhelmed by a profound sense of powerlessness, he slowly bent down, pressed his forehead to the ground, and choked out a sob.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Jue, I'm so sorry..."
"What's there to apologize for?"
The voice he hadn't forgotten in five years rang out behind him. Ying Yao was startled, then closed his eyes wearily. Tears hanging on his eyelashes fell from his nose and into the ground.
"You fell asleep quite quickly today, but your voice sounds clearer than before. Is it because I'm closer to you?"
"Yes, it's very close."
Ying Yao was completely stunned. He suddenly raised his head, but dared not turn around.
Someone gently grasped his shoulder, squeezing a bone through the fabric.
"Ying Yao," Nanmen Jue said, "you look quite handsome with a beard, but you're too thin. Let's go eat, okay?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Wow, this story really got me stuck in the middle! After going through so much trouble, I finally figured out what was causing the problem. I'll try my best to fix it in the next book!
That's all for the main text. I'll write another episode to explain the follow-up. I'll post it as soon as I finish writing it in the next couple of days. My head is spinning from coughing.
Love you all, muah muah muah!
Part Two: The extra chapter might have to wait a few days. I was hospitalized early this morning due to an infection and needed an IV drip...
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