Chapter 78
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Gong Wei immediately stepped forward, only to see Xu Shuangce’s soul slightly entering the body, his arm muscles tense for a moment before relaxing. “Indeed worthy of Eastern Heaven, the soul’s power is very strong. Just integrating half of it already caused a reaction…” Xuan Jinghe couldn’t help but sigh, “In the past, I had the honor of seeing Eastern Heaven several times in the heavens, and I felt that this senior was the strongest deity among the three realms. Now it seems that it is indeed the case. As long as the God returns to his original position, the chaos caused by the Northern Wall will surely be resolved.”
It takes time for the three souls, seven souls, and seven meridians to fully integrate into the corpse. Gong Wei looked at the faint golden soul shadow in the air, with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
After a while, he sighed lightly and turned his gaze to Xuan Jinghe. “What do you mean by saying your life is not long? Whose blood is this?”
“…,” Xuan Jinghe remained silent for a moment before saying, “It’s the Ghost Crown Prince’s.”
Yuchi Rui had originally walked to the edge of the altar and was about to dip his little finger into the blood pool when he heard this. He quickly retracted his hand and put it behind his back. “Could this be some kind of imprisonment formation?!” Anyone who saw the blood pool would think it was a cruel imprisonment formation, but unexpectedly, Xuan Jinghe shook his head. “The blood pool itself is just for sustaining life. The real imprisonment formation is here.”
He slightly lifted his sleeve, revealing on his slender arm crimson tattoos depicting beautiful and enchanting flowers, winding and blooming, with delicate strokes. It can be imagined that the skin covered by the robe is also filled with these things.
Gong Wei exclaimed, “Blood Mandala….”
“The Ghost Crown Prince is eloquent and insightful, unable to show the slightest weakness before him, otherwise he will be easily manipulated and exploited. Therefore, from the first day of the Guiyuan’s establishment, I have been very vigilant, trapping him in the deepest chaos space of the underworld, preaching the Dao through the void for an hour every day, and ignoring him for the rest of the time.”
When Xuan Jinghe spoke here, his teeth tightened slightly. “For thousands of years, the Ghost Crown Prince has always been obedient and repentant, showing no signs of change. It wasn’t until a hundred years ago that I finally believed he had repented slightly, so I allowed him to temporarily escape and return to the Twelve Mansions of the Guiyuan…”
Gong Wei said slowly, “You shouldn’t have done that. Qu Xie does not know the word repent.”
Xuan Jinghe nodded. “Looking back now, it’s too late for regrets. It was at that moment that he planted the fatal Blood Mandala on me.”
For someone as strong-willed as Xuan Jinghe, it was simply impossible for the mastermind of the War of Annihilation to gain his trust, but the Ghost Crown Prince managed to disguise himself as gentle and perfect for nine thousand years, without a single flaw, anomaly, or imperfection; and then, when he finally escaped, he completely turned the tables, seizing control of the situation with thunderous force, demonstrating the terrifying nature of his character and methods.
He is the embodiment of the darkest aspects of human nature, as well as a master of manipulation.
“He trapped me here, unable to speak or leave, and the Blood Mandala on my body will continuously absorb my blood until it drains me to death.” A hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of Xuan Jinghe’s lips. “But the Ghost Crown Prince is actually afraid of my true death, so he set up this pool of blood to sustain my life day after day.”
Yuchi Rui still stared at the blood pool, unable to help asking, “Why?”
“Because I didn’t surrender directly.”
Xuan Jinghe raised his hand and pointed to the tiny golden laurel leaf that suddenly appeared on the forehead of the Ghost Crown Prince’s divine body on the distant black jade high seat, then disappeared in a flash.
“This is…”
“Life and death together.” Xuan Jinghe’s voice was bone-chillingly cold. “The moment the Blood Mandala was activated, I used all my strength to cast this symbol, which can imprison his divine body within a hundred paces of me. At the moment of my death, this divine body will also turn to ashes, completely disappearing.”
Although he had already known from witnessing the War of Annihilation that Xuan Jinghe was a tough guy, seeing it with his own eyes made him sigh and admire him even more. Yuchi Rui couldn’t help but be speechless.
“The Ghost Crown Prince can mold a physical body to operate in reality, but if his divine body is reduced to ashes, the power of his soul will also be greatly reduced.” Xuan Jinghe smiled bitterly. “Moreover, although I have been unable to seek help from the heavens for the past hundred years, if I die, the heavens will still sense it, and then his actions will not be able to be concealed.”
Gong Wei stood in front of the huge altar, his eyes filled with sorrow, and said, “We will find a way to keep you from dying.”
But Xuan Jinghe shook his head slowly. “I actually… don’t really want to live anymore.”
Even when he broke every bone in his body and turned himself into a soldier with his own hands, he didn’t show such exhaustion and despair. But now, he was so tired that it was hard to hide it. “The Blood Mandala on my body will corrode my skin until it completely rots away, so I have to change my skin every once in a while… In the past hundred years, I have changed nine times. I have learned not to speculate on where the Ghost Crown Prince finds new skin.”
Even Gong Wei’s expression changed with astonishment, and Yuchi Rui exclaimed, “Change skin?!”
“The more I change, the faster my skin is corroded. The last skin lasted for four years, but this one is already almost rotten in less than two years.” Xuan Jinghe took a deep breath, and his voice trembled imperceptibly, “The daily torment is pure agony, and I just want to be free. If I bestow my godhead upon the Eastern God, at least I can see the Ghost Crown Prince be subjugated before I die. Even if I fall into reincarnation, I can leave with a smile.”
Gong Wei hoarsely said, “Xuan Jinghe…”
At this moment, the golden shadow in the air had almost completely entered the body, and the huge crack in Xu Shuangce’s chest had completely healed, leaving only a faint scar.
Gong Wei tightly closed his eyes, trembling, and said, “I can’t do that…”
Xuan Jinghe asked, “Why can’t you?”
“…”
“If we let the Ghost Crown Prince go this time, it will only bring endless disasters in the future. The initial intention of the Northern Wall is actually kind, but a slight flaw in his heart has been infinitely incited and magnified, eventually turning into an irreversible situation today. How many immortals will be influenced by the Ghost Crown Prince after they ascend in the future? In this world, there is no such thing as an absolutely flawless Dao heart.”
Gong Wei’s shoulders trembled slightly, and he finally said with difficulty, “…No, Xuan Jinghe. I can’t do that because on Xu Bai’s body, I have selfish motives….”
Xuan Jinghe was somewhat surprised and stunned, and said softly, “Is it so?”
He looked at Xu Shuangce, who was quietly floating nearby, and then at Gong Wei. After a long time, a hint of a smile appeared in his clear eyes. “Having selfish motives will bring pain, but it will also bring a lot of joy, anticipation, and courage. In this way, having selfish motives is not necessarily a bad thing.”
Gong Wei looked up, as if a sour and hot liquid was flowing back into his throat.
Xuan Jinghe stared at him, a faint watery light flashing in his clear eyes. “Please don’t be sad for me. If I am fortunate enough to cultivate an immortal fate in my next life, I will cultivate the Dao diligently and meet you again.”
A cold wind swept through the hall from somewhere. On the high black jade seat, the divine body of the Ghost Crown Prince suddenly emitted a crimson light.
Gong Wei immediately turned to look, and Xuan Jinghe said, “His incomplete soul is coming back!”
Yuchi Rui’s first reaction was to draw his sword, but Xuan Jinghe stopped him. “It’s useless. That seat is his barrier, and no external force can penetrate it, not even heavenly thunder.”
Despite the imminent danger, Yuchi Rui was extremely unwilling. “…Can’t we try?”
Xuan Jinghe said, “Your divine power is suppressed to the limit in the Guiyuan. Once you are involved in a battle, it will be difficult to escape. It is not wise. The priority is still the Northern Wall God and the World Ending Soldier Puppet.”
He raised his hand to signal Yuchi Rui to calm down, then opened his palm.
Gradually, a faint golden light gathered in his palm, forming a bright rotating light ball that became brighter and more dazzling, while Xuan Jinghe’s complexion became paler and more painful. As the light ball rose higher and left his palm, Xuan Jinghe grasped his sleeve tightly with his other hand to endure the pain, his face contorted in a spasm, and cold sweat streamed down his cheeks.
The clear and bright godhead crossed the altar, illuminating the deep hall as bright as day, until it reached Xu Shuangce’s side, and suddenly turned into a dazzling light curtain!
In that radiant curtain, Xu Shuangce gradually regained the true appearance of the Eastern God from nine thousand years ago. His ivory-white robe, bordered with deep black, billowed up, extending intricate and sacred enchantments. No Way Out trembled violently within the platinum scabbard, as soon as Gong Wei released his grip, it flew out like a shooting star, hovering by Xu Shuangce’s side, emitting a clear and melodious dragon-like roar!
After the godhead merged into Xu Shuangce’s body, Xuan Jinghe let out a long breath of exhaustion and relaxed.
For a hundred years, he had been trapped in the blood pool, his divinity repelling everything around him, so he had endured immense pain every moment. Now that his divinity had disappeared, he could finally find temporary peace, feeling somewhat relieved. “It may take several days for the godhead to fully recover. By then, we can respectfully welcome the return of the Eastern God. It would be a great fortune to witness the greatness of the predecessor with our own eyes!”
Gong Wei’s eyes were bloodshot, and he said softly, “We will definitely meet again…”
Xuan Jinghe smiled and replied, “Naturally, what regret is there in life and death leading to reincarnation?”
The Ghost Crown Prince on the black jade seat in the distance emitted an increasingly intense red light. Xuan Jinghe waved his sleeve, and a silent crack opened under his feet as a strong wind rose!
“The Ghost Crown Prince is coming back. It’s inevitable to encounter him on the way back, so it’s better to take a detour from the bank of the San Tu River. Fortunately, you have scattered his soul, and now he is at his weakest. He can’t leave this palace.” Xuan Jinghe bowed deeply to Gong Wei for the last time, and when he stood up again, his complexion had become much paler due to the rapid invasion of the Blood Mandala throughout his body after losing his divinity. However, his expression was comfortable and calm. “The culprit will certainly be subdued. I hope you and the predecessor take care!”
Gong Wei held Xu Shuangce’s cold and drooping hand and hoarsely said, “Take care!”
As a strong wind suddenly rose, they both felt weightless, and suddenly fell into a huge space crevice!
After the three disappeared, the crack immediately closed, and the deep hall returned to silence, showing no signs of any difference.
Xuan Jinghe stared at the direction they left for a long time, his eyes flashing with hope and nostalgia. After a while, he finally closed his eyes and let out a long breath.
The barrier on the black jade seat moved, and the Ghost Crown Prince opened his eyes. His severely damaged soul had finally returned.
“Cough, cough, cough…”
Silver blood spattered continuously from the Ghost Crown Prince’s mouth, and it took a long time for him to barely calm down. Returning to his own palace, where his divine power was strongest and his control was greatest, allowed him to recover a little. He gasped for a moment, got up, broke through the barrier, and came out layer by layer, descending the nine steps of the black jade, crossing the hall, and climbing onto the altar, stepping on the blood pool water to come to Xuan Jinghe, who was motionless. He knelt down in front of him and said softly, “Master, I’m back.”
Xuan Jinghe closed his eyes slightly, like a deep but indifferent statue.
The Ghost Crown Prince reached out and picked up a few strands of Xuan Jinghe’s long hair, rubbing them between his fingers for a moment before looking up and saying, “Why do I feel the presence of outsiders in this hall?”
Xuan Jinghe remained silent.
“It doesn’t matter.” The Ghost Crown Prince smiled, leaned forward, and whispered in Xuan Jinghe’s ear. His voice sounded like that of a sweet and passionate young lover, but each word was chilling, “――Even if Gong Wei came, he couldn’t take you away from this blood pool. Do you remember what I often said to you when I was trapped in the depths of the Yellow Springs before?”
“…”
“For nine thousand years, the daily motivation for me to survive was you.”
The young and powerful fingers slipped from Xuan Jinghe’s hair, cherished and careful, until the tips of the hair were kissed at the lips. “All for the day when I can see your current appearance with my own eyes.”
As he stood up, Xuan Jinghe’s lips curled slightly.
The Ghost Crown Prince immediately noticed, stopped in his tracks, squinted his eyes, as if sensing something, and then said softly after a moment, “Master, do you have something happy? It doesn’t look like it at all.”
Xuan Jinghe retorted, “Why don’t you guess?”
“…” The Ghost Crown Prince stood there with flickering eyes, unable to find anything wrong even after spreading his senses throughout the entire hall inch by inch.
The more normal it seemed, the heavier his heart sank until all his senses were completely withdrawn from all directions and focused on Xuan Jinghe in front of him. His expression suddenly changed, and he reached out and pressed his fingertip against Xuan Jinghe’s brow.
“Master,” the Ghost Crown Prince’s expression, which always carried a lazy smile, completely changed, and even after being hit by the heavenly tribulation, his eyes at this moment couldn’t describe his gaze, “where is your godhead?”
Xuan Jinghe smiled and said, “With my current appearance, you probably won’t be able to admire it for long.”
The Ghost Crown Prince grabbed his clothes with one hand and said sharply, “Where did they go?”
Xuan Jinghe raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you guess?”
The Ghost Crown Prince wasted no time and turned around to fly towards the sky, but just as he reached a height of a hundred steps, a brilliant golden laurel leaf suddenly appeared on his forehead――the binding spell of “life and death together” was instantly activated.
Bang!
The Ghost Crown Prince landed instantly, shattering the black jade tiles with one foot!
His soul had just been scattered by Gong Wei, making it impossible for him to leave his divine body, and his divine body couldn’t leave this huge palace either. He was trapped here alive!
The Ghost Crown Prince fiercely dug his ten fingers into his palm, then suddenly disappeared on the spot. The next moment, he appeared in the blood pool, his palm overflowing with blood, gripping Xuan Jinghe’s occiput, forcing him to lean towards himself, their foreheads almost touching. “Do you think I’m helpless?” he said, each word dripping with icy contempt.
Xuan Jinghe stared back at him without any emotion in his eyes.
“No one can take you away from here, not even death—” The Ghost Crown Prince’s expression was chilling, his voice quiet but menacing, “—because I am the Death God.”
He lifted Xuan Jinghe’s chin, lowered his head, and kissed him forcefully.
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