Book 16: Chapter 8: Everyone Can Make Their Own Choices
Book 16: Chapter 8: Everyone Can Make Their Own Choices
Several dozen Purgatory Mountain red robed Divine Adjudicators gathered above the place Zhang Ping previously jumped down from.
There were more than ten Purgatory Mountain cultivator slaves who were lowered through their chains into that giant face’s mouth, and then large steel wire nets were used to fish in those extremely deep waters.
The first group of fished up prey appeared before the eyes of this group of nervous and expectant Purgatory Mountain red robed Divine Adjudicators.
Even though they understood clearly that this prey might have some type of miraculous use for cultivators and that the cultivation of the newly risen Purgatory Mountain Patriarch who killed Great Elder Shentu Tong should have much to do with this giant human face and these prey, when they saw the things that appeared in the net clearly, the expressions of these Purgatory Mountain red robed Divine Adjudicators whose cultivation levels weren’t all that high all went exceptionally pale, to the extent where many of them even began to continuously vomit.
The things in the giant steel wire nets were all like giant struggling human parasites. Moreover, when these black long bugs had their bodies cut while struggling, the inner organs that spilled out from within were even more so like countless smooth nematodes, black, red and yellow colors pouring over the boiling hot rock.
Under the lead of the other red robed Divine Adjudicators, several lowest level red robed Divine Adjudicators forcefully endured their urge to vomit as they stored these black worms that carried countless nematodes within them into leather bags, and then left it to another group of red robed Divine Adjudicators to bring these bags back to Purgatory Mountain.
…
In Purgatory Mountain’s highest palace, a middle-aged Purgatory Mountain red robed Divine Adjudicator was kneeling on the ground.
He entered through this palace’s entrance by kneeling and crawling, simply not daring to even look at the body of the new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch seated on a Flame Titan.
He had already knelt on the ground for a long time, his entire body was already drenched in cold sweat.
However, that new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch still didn’t utter any sounds.
He didn’t understand what intentions this new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch had for summoning him, but he didn’t dare ask, didn’t dare utter any sounds.
After who knew how much time had passed, a wave of broiling heat drifted in front of him.
This was a thin black sheet of paper with many bright red words written onto it.
After clearly seeing the words on the paper, this Purgatory Mountain red robed Divine Adjudicator’s body that was already a bit numb instead began to continuously tremble.
Recorded on this thin sheet of paper was a Purgatory Mountain cultivation technique only those like the Great Elders had the qualifications of coming into contact with. He knew that this was something the new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch was bestowing upon him, but he didn’t know why he would receive this type of reward.
“Shentu Tong’s Tong Palace will belong to you from today forth.”
Zhang Ping who sat on the Flame Titan’s body began to speak. “I know you are named Qu Fan, the most ordinary out of all of Purgatory Mountain’s many disciples. Those seniors and juniors around you normally look down on you as well, always sending you to do their errands… I will give you an extraordinary opportunity, but you must also use your experience to let all Purgatory Mountain disciples know that in order to become powerful and obtain strength, it doesn’t all lie in aptitude or talent, but rather in whether or not you remain loyal to me, whether or not you will obtain the power I confer upon you.”
Zhang Ping’s voice was a bit tired. However, right now, in this spacious palace, it instead seemed exceptionally grand and dignified.
This ordinary Purgatory Mountain middle-aged Divine Adjudicator felt like he was receiving a divine gift, only feeling like this palace was even more beyond his reach, even more otherworldly.
…
Temporarily residing within some of East Forest Province Aleurites Town’s ordinary courtyards were some Green Luan Academy young cultivators, as well as the Fiend Race cultivators Lin Xi brought out from behind Great Desolate Swamp.
These Fiend Race Cultivators were about to welcome their first new year in Yunqin. Even though Aleurites Town was only an ordinary small town in Yunqin, all of this was a part of the true secular world, so it was full of novelty for them.
That was why under the help of An Keyi, these cultivators whose hair were dyed black through medicinal liquid oftentimes just wandered through the streets, taking in the ordinary emotions going all around them, carrying out a different type of mental cultivation.
A confidential letter from Purgatory Mountain was brought into this small courtyard, entering Qin Xiyue’s hands.
Even though Zhang Ping was now already Purgatory Mountain’s true patriarch, moreover all of the messages sent to Green Luan Academy were going through him, right now, no one in this world knew what kind of shocking power he possessed. In reality, apart from the Flame Titans, a lot of his hidden power had never been fully revealed to the world either. However, he was a Green Luan Academy student, their friend. For Gao Yanan, Bian Linghan and the others, his current attitude possessed extraordinary meaning.
However, despite this being the case, no one opened up this confidential letter, instead immediately delivering it into Qin Xiyue’s hands.
This confidential letter sealed with Purgatory Mountain’s unique volcanic seal was opened in Qin Xiyue’s hands.
Qin Xiyue calmly read through the contents of this sealed letter, and then she slowly raised her head, handing it to Bian Linghan who was closest to her, at the same time slowly saying, “He says he misses me… He will cross over Thousand Sunset Mountains before the great snow completely covers them, hurry back.”
Qin Xiyue’s words sounded extremely direct, extremely simple.
The words on the letter were also indeed extremely simple, only having these two lines.
The handwriting looked extremely slovenly, yet also carried exceptional weight, the brush itself seemed to have even dug grooves into the cowhide. That was why everyone could feel that this wasn’t the result of negligence from not enough attention, but rather because these words were too heavy and forceful, the brush even seemingly twisting in his hand.
With just these two simple lines, the tense and silent atmosphere in this room seemed to have been swept away in one go. When they thought of that dark skinned and steady bumpkin, almost everyone felt happiness for Zhang Ping and Qin Xiyue.
However, the only thing that brought Qin Xiyue happiness was just Zhang Ping’s safety.
She still carried a hint of hesitation, because she felt like Zhang Ping should have missed all of these friends who felt happy for him, yet Zhang Ping only said he missed her dearly. Perhaps these details were merely overthinking on her part, but she couldn’t empathize with Zhang Ping’s emotions at all, perhaps more of it only came from their relationship as ordinary fellow students. At the very least, this was how it was on her side.
That was why her current feelings were a bit contradicting… It was to the extent where she almost didn’t want these friends near her to feel like she shared anything special with Zhang Ping.
She looked into the distance through the window. Just like how she thought in that valley that day, since the two of them didn’t walk together after their past interactions, then the exact situation would have to wait until Zhang Ping returned to Yunqin, wait until he came.
…
A group of Auspicious Virtue carriages arrived in Aleurites Town.
Many townsmen took the initiative to help Auspicious Virtue’s fleet unload rice, soaps and other goods. The Auspicious Virtue employees in the carriage were beaming from ear to ear as they gave the little children who gathered some candies and toys. All of this didn’t seem any different from usual.
However, not even the shopkeeper of this Auspicious Virtue branch knew that Yunqin Empire’s most miraculous Auspicious Virtue Great Shopkeeper Chen Feirong was precisely within one of the carriages of this fleet.
This carriage which didn’t have Auspicious Virtue’s small flag ultimately stopped within an alley. Chen Feirong got out of the carriage alone, pushed open a small carriage entrance, and then walked inside. She smiled towards a green clothed youngster who was currently practicing the sword in the main hall, bowing gracefully and saying, “Long time no see.”
Lin Xi put away his longsword, saying with a slight smile, “It is fortunate that we can meet again.”
The sons and daughters of ruffians all enjoyed drinking wine because compared to ordinary people, their lives were filled with more joys and sorrows, more eternal partings. Walking with a sword on their backs, unknown when they will meet again, perhaps never again, this type of resolute yet free and at ease nature instead carried the most intense and true emotions.
Sometimes, words were already not enough to convey these types of emotions, so they might as well raise cups and drink.
Chen Feirong brought over a gourd of good alcohol.
As the clear and sweet fragrance of jasmine flowers spread through this small courtyard, the wintersweet flowers silently blossomed, and Chen Feirong raised the wine cup again in toast.
“What are we celebrating with this cup of wine?” Lin Xi asked with a smile.
“We’re celebrating this new world.” Chen Feirong also smiled. “At the same time celebrating my new life.”
Lin Xi looked at her eyes pensively.
Chen Feirong similarly looked into his eyes, asking, “You aren’t planning to immediately deal with the emperor?”
Lin Xi nodded and said, “That’s right.”
“However, now, you should already be able to help me get revenge at any time, help me deal with Rong Family.” Chen Feirong looked at him, quietly saying, “Perhaps even let me personally kill that father of mine?”
“Does this need to be done immediately?” Lin Xi looked at her, quietly asking, “Killing someone from the Chen Family, even wiping out all of Chen Family is indeed not all that difficult anymore.”
“I don’t want to kill him anymore.” Chen Feirong looked at Lin Xi, shaking her head with a slight smile.
Lin Xi asked calmly, “Why?”
“I don’t want to live in hatred anymore. Killing him won’t be able to make me forget my hatred, which is why I decided I won’t think about the grudge between us anymore. From today forth, I wish to only be Chen Feirong, become a completely new me.” Chen Feirong breathed in the slightly cold but fresh air, her eyes flickering with completely new brilliance. “The entire meaning of my entire past life was revenge, yet when I finally could get revenge, I instead wish to give up. Doesn’t this seem extremely loathful, making me seem extremely useless?”
Lin Xi chuckled and said, “It perhaps just feels like it is missing a bit of carefree joy.”
“Everyone can make their own choices. I chose to forgive him and to forgive myself.” Chen Feirong reached out a finger, lightly tapping the wine cup, mischievously wishing to play a tune. “Thank you for bringing me out from Dragon Snake Mountains, bringing me to where I am today, granting me the authority to choose.”
Lin Xi also picked up his chopsticks, tapping on the wine cup, wishing to play a proud tune, but he failed.
This was a bit embarrassing, but Lin Xi was still extremely happy.
Every single person could make their own choices… He approved of these words. At the same time, he also wished for every one of his friends at his side to live well, live brilliant lives because of his choices, and for all of his friends to be happy.
Chen Feirong stood up. She spread her arms and looked up at the sky, as if she wanted to bring the entire sky into her embrace. This type of child-like movement seemed a bit immature, yet she truly felt like she obtained a new life. From today forth, she would no longer be the previous Chen Feirong, but rather more like an entirely new child who had just descended upon this world.