Chapter 121.3 The Grand Finale (2)
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Pei Jing turned his inner vision to his dantian, only to find it empty. All the spiritual energy had vanished, and his Nascent Soul remained as a transparent and almost formless shell. However, his cultivation remained intact. After a moment of astonishment, Pei Jing attempted to draw energy into his body. The rolling power within the chaos flowed along his meridians and into his dantian. It was white, pure white, filling his Nascent Soul… the power of primordial chaos.
Pei Jing stared at his hands, and in a daze, he understood something. “Am I supposed to re-cultivate using the power of primordial chaos?”
He covered his face, and between his fingers, faint glimmers of water could be seen. He murmured softly, “I have to hurry… Chu Junyu is still waiting for me. He’s still waiting for me.”
At this moment, he still didn’t know what “Wuhen” truly meant.
But that didn’t matter anymore. The urgent task at hand was to get out first.
Obtain the power of primordial chaos and create the Primordial Swordmanship.
Sitting on the lotus platform, he lowered his head and saw the stone pendant hanging from his neck. His gaze became focused as he poured a handful of snow over it, calming the strange restlessness in his heart.
“Hair bonded, you and I, vowing to age until we die.”
Memories surged like a tide. The first thing that came to mind was the varying shades of bamboo in the corner of Xuyia Courtyard, much like Chu Junyu’s always calm and indifferent expression. His light-colored eyes matched the faint mist of the mountains, always giving a sense of aloofness and difficulty to approach.
They disguised themselves as young boys to each other, but it felt like they were truly young boys when they were together.
When did it reach the point where he could no longer control himself and found his gaze constantly fixed upon that reticent young boy?
They walked the path together through all four seasons, picking mountain camellias in spring and collecting mulberry leaves in summer.
Countless times, it was he who rambled on with his head in his hands, while the other listened in silence.
It wasn’t a heart-stirring encounter like a bridge broken by wind and snow or maple leaves weaving together. It was just the everyday twists and turns, teasing him to see a different expression, and he found joy in it for a long time.
On the mountain path, everything was clear.
The boy with a brown rope as a belt seemed to have an endless stream of words: “Can’t you say a few more words? It pains me to the core to maintain our ‘brotherly’ bond. Despite all the attention I receive at Yinghui Peak, I haven’t abandoned you. We remain close, and I talk to you every day. I am truly humbled beyond measure.” Holding a random twig he picked up, he pointed it at Chu Junyu and said, “And you, why don’t you take the initiative? Hesitation leads to defeat, don’t you know?”
Chu Junyu, with the appearance of a young boy, stuffed leaves into Pei Jing’s mouth.
“Like this, being proactive?”
Pei Jing: “???”
“Bleh.” Even though he sometimes liked to show off by holding a blade of leaf in his mouth, it didn’t mean he enjoyed eating it. “You’ll get beaten up if you keep doing that.”
Chu Junyu’s eyes, like shallow-colored glass, replied, “If you can survive until now, why would I get beaten up?”
He didn’t like that remark. Did the two have any connection? He survived until now because the people who wanted to beat him couldn’t defeat him, right?
Pei Jing: “What’s wrong with me? In our cohort, there are no female disciples, but if there were, you wouldn’t even fathom the level of popularity I could achieve. And even without female disciples, ask around: who at Yinghui Peak doesn’t secretly call me ‘Big Brother Zhang’?”
“Big Brother Zhang” was made up. Those petty guys probably called him Grandson Zhang behind his back. But it was just boasting, nothing more.
Chu Junyu: “So that’s why you were popular enough to go and work in the garden for three days.”
Pei Jing: “……” Heh.
On the first night they spent together, a night filled with thunder and lightning, Pei Jing, unable to sleep, sat up and started chatting with Chu Junyu. However, Chu Junyu didn’t bother hiding his annoyance and would rather close his eyes and listen to the sound of rain than pay attention to him. At that time, Pei Jing was probably a masochist, and despite Chu Junyu’s indifferent attitude, he stubbornly pursued him after enduring the cold treatment.
So, in the middle of the night, he rolled from the cold, hard floor onto the bed, right next to Chu Junyu.
Sensing that bone-chilling coldness, Pei Jing pretended not to notice and asked, “Brother Chu, are you afraid of thunderstorms?”
Chu Junyu’s eyelashes trembled, clearly trying to hold back.
Pei Jing casually said, “I used to not be afraid, but then one of the elderly villagers told me a legend, and now I’m a bit scared. They say there was a young man surnamed Pei in our village who was exceptionally handsome. One rainy day, he stood by the window, enjoying the rain, when the Queen Mother in the heavens noticed him and became infatuated. She struck him with a bolt of lightning, sending him flying up into the sky. Just like that, he disappeared.”
Chu Junyu’s eyelashes trembled vigorously, and he opened his eyes.
Pei Jing guessed he wanted to punch someone, but as he half-truthfully spoke, he injected a hint of genuine emotion and propped himself up next to Chu Junyu, whispering, “When I heard this story, for a long time, I couldn’t sleep alone on stormy nights. My mother used to say I was the most handsome in the village. If I were to suddenly disappear like that, it would be so pitiful.”
Chu Junyu took a deep breath and coldly said, “Shut up.”
Pei Jing felt pleased inside and acted all wronged. “But I’m scared!”
Chu Junyu: “Only fools get struck by lightning.”
Pei Jing: Nonsense! In this book, it’s because of my own handsomeness.
Chu Junyu closed his eyes again, his tone icy as he said, “Even if the heavens struck you with lightning, it would serve you right.”
Pei Jing: “……”
What should he do? This kid was becoming more and more amusing, even though many times he wanted to grab him by the mouth and give him a good beating.
Moonlight streamed through the window, and the young man in plain clothes turned his body. Outside, the rain pattered softly, while the clean and cool aura of the person beside him lingered.
Pei Jing buried his head, gazing at the sky’s reflection, and smiled, thinking that there were many days ahead.
Truly, there were many days ahead.
And as they playfully teased each other, in the end, they no longer knew who was teasing whom.
In the world where time stood still, a faint, hoarse laugh escaped from the young man. It was brief yet filled with a desolate quality.
Pei Jing couldn’t imagine what it would be like if Chu Junyu disappeared from his life.
The youth with aloofness, a touch of coldness, and a sharp tongue in the passage of time, would no longer exist in the vast universe.
The silver-haired youth who protected him countless times with strength and mystery, through spring, summer, autumn, and winter, would no longer exist.
The love at first sight.
The only budding affection. The only heart’s turmoil.
“Chu Junyu…” He struggled to suppress his hoarse voice and spoke in the empty world, “Wait for me.”
Tianyan City had turned into a living hell.
On an unknown day, the Sea of Reincarnation suddenly surged in reverse, unleashing a torrential flood. It submerged all the buildings and drowned all the livestock. What remained was only turbid water and trembling cultivators who huddled in the shadows, afraid to come out. A group of individuals emerged from the sea depths, relishing in devouring the cultivators’ essence, releasing the suppressed demons of thousands of years and unleashing a frenzy of slaughter.
A piece of driftwood leaned against the partially submerged city wall, its only remaining corner.
Just a wall away, the sound of claws tearing open bellies and gnawing on entrails could be heard.
Desperate cries and painful sobs hung heavy in the air, like dense dark clouds pressing down on the city, suffocating and chilling.
Taut like a sheet of paper, awaiting the grim reaper’s talons.
Qiao Mucai didn’t know how long he had been holding his breath here. The group of monsters had just emerged and seemed to be blind, still adjusting to the surrounding illusion. They could only rely on their senses to find the cultivators.
The unlucky person on the other side of the wall had accidentally been bitten by a water snake, and blood oozed out, attracting the attention of the monsters.
Qiao Mucai sat on a floating board, hugging his own legs, with a pool of blood behind him.
However, his mind was blank, unwilling to think about anything. His complexion was pale, with a heavy bluish-gray shade under his eyes. Amidst the chaotic thoughts, he began to piece things together. Why did he enter Tianyan City? Oh, it was to find his older brother. But what he eventually found was the decayed skeleton at the bottom of the lake, with a conical red agate pendant hanging around its neck, telling him that it was his brother. Did he enter alone? It didn’t seem like it…
He buried his head in his arms, afraid to take deep breaths or even cry.
Because even tears carried a trace of breath.
…It seemed like there was another companion, actually. Very powerful, very wealthy, and exceptionally handsome when drawing his sword. But now, he was probably hiding in some corner, waiting for death just like him.
No, Zhang Yiming wouldn’t die like this. Even if he died, he wouldn’t be in such a pathetic state.
Qiao Mucai had been pampered his whole life. He had thought that his journey to Zhuihun Palace was the greatest challenge of his life. However, in the blink of an eye, the harsh reality of fate was revealed, exposing its ultimate conclusion.
He was too exhausted, leaning his back against the cold, hard stone wall.
Suddenly, a deep purple light emitted from the sea floor, rippling across the water’s surface and stinging people’s eyes, causing tears to flow.
Qiao Mucai froze as the sound of the monsters chewing behind the wall seemed to stop. Soon, a trembling voice uttered low, fearful words.
Everything fell silent. The city submerged in the dead sea had no signs of life. The heavens and earth churned with swirling winds, and with a thunderous roar, the firmament split open.
Heavy rain poured down from the sky, like icy stones pelting against his body.
Qiao Mucai stared wide-eyed, unable to look away.
Amidst the backdrop of thunderous rain and purple light, a man emerged from the depths of the ocean. He was enveloped in a layer of black mist. The dense mist was impenetrable, like an unending night. His clothes appeared to be purple from below, but it didn’t matter. The man’s facial features were obscured by the mist, but his bone structure was distinct. It gleamed with a pale white hue, radiating a cold light. From a distance, he appeared as a skeleton in the fog. His arrival was accompanied by maniacal laughter, echoing jeeringly in people’s ears, louder than the thunder, deafening.
The sea fell into an unprecedented calm, and even the monsters dared not breathe.
The Lord of the Celestial Demons suddenly looked up to the sky and burst into laughter.
“I’m awake, I’m awake, hahaha, everyone will die! Ev-er-y-one—shall—die!”
With a crashing sound, a massive brown-spotted serpent emerged from beneath the deep sea, causing a mighty disturbance that swept through the heavens and earth.
Its mouth opened wide, revealing a ferocious fang, resembling a lightning bolt in the sky. Ji Wuyou’s eyes turned blood red, and after his demonic bones underwent complete transformation, he finally awakened fully. Standing atop the giant serpent, he looked down upon the despairing and wailing beings below. The satisfaction of his inner savagery reached its pinnacle.
This was who he truly was.
This was who he truly was.
No need for hypocritical righteousness and false benevolence.
Ji Wuyou narrowed his eyes, standing in the center of the world, gazing into the farthest reaches of the sky where a golden pillar of light emerged. With a grim smirk, his voice like coagulated blood on a rusty sword, he declared, “Following her command, I will destroy the Heavenly Ladder first, and then deal with all of you.”
The black serpent let out a resounding roar, piercing through the clouds and disappearing in an instant, as the purple light imploded.
Qiao Mucai instinctively raised his sleeve to shield his line of sight.
Then he heard a faint “hiss” in his ear, a soft sound that escaped from an elderly person hiding alongside him. But that sound froze the blood of both individuals. On the other side of the wall, the monster continued chewing, having finished its meal and now approaching to lick up the remains. However, as it was eating, it suddenly froze upon hearing the sound.
The appearance of the primitive demon was similar to that of a human, but it was pale and eerie. Staring at it for a second too long would make one’s scalp tingle. It placed its hand on the wall and leaned its head over, with the breath of the demon brushing against their backs.
Qiao Mucai stared blankly at the elderly person.
The elderly person was clearly also stunned in fear.
Sympathy arose within Qiao Mucai. The rain was pouring heavily, and the sound of the “hiss” might not be enough to lead the monster to their location.
So he reached out his hand, intending to make a gesture for the elderly person to remain silent and put his mind at ease.
However, in the instant his hand rose, a trace of ruthlessness flashed in the eyes of the elderly person.
The withered hand directly covered his wrist and forcefully pulled him towards his side.
Right into the presence of the primitive demon.
Qiao Mucai’s face turned pale, his eyes widened. Before him was a face covered in grayish damp laughter, a sinister smile. There were bits of flesh on its teeth, and its hair bore the marks of nails torn off during a desperate struggle.
The grim reaper was so close, and at this moment, Qiao Mucai’s heart contracted rapidly, his mind fell into complete silence, and his gaze became frozen and icy. His hand trembled, but he couldn’t muster any hatred now, only fear. This primordial demon grotesquely approached, smelling fresh prey and revealing its grinning teeth. Its fingers descended, reaching Qiao Mucai’s abdomen, its claws slowly extending.
It will tear me apart and devour me directly.
Qiao Mucai had an odd habit since childhood. When confronted with something frightening, his initial reaction was to cover his ears. It seemed that by covering his ears, the pain and fear would disappear, and safety would be assured. Now, on the brink of life and death, it made sense. He no longer wanted to endure or suppress the despair that had been building up for three days, and it finally burst forth.
“Aaaah!” He covered his ears and let out a scream! Tears streamed down his face. It was fear, but it was more than just fear.
Something cold pressed against his abdomen through his clothes. But it wasn’t the monster’s claws he had imagined. It felt like the tip of a sword.
A faint scent of fresh grass, not belonging to this polluted world, wafted over.
Crack.
The demon let out a pained sob, its rage unleashed — but its roar abruptly halted in its throat.
Qiao Mucai lifted his head in a daze.
It was a white robe fluttering in the desolate darkness, as pure as snow. The elderly person beside him was also dead, his cause of death unknown. Blood stained the water. The newcomer stepped on the elderly person’s head and stood on the top of the wall. The grass rope that had tied their hair came loose, and black hair fluttered in the wind and rain. With a tall and upright figure similar to a gleaming moonlit jade, the rainwater reflected on his face, while a chilling radiance surpassed that of the sword in his hand.
Qiao Mucai had already lost the ability to speak. It was difficult to believe, and fear seemed like a dream.
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