Chapter 1462: Chapter 654: A Dream of Nanke (Part 2)
The scene shakes, he eagerly steps forward to help, but is pushed away disdainfully by Ding Hui.
"..."
That disdainful gaze seems to deeply affect the person in the memory. With a turn, he sees... his master hiding at the doorway, secretly watching everything unfold without truly leaving.
The scene dims and brightens again.
Zhang Baomian sees himself lying on the bed, tightly bound.
"Mas, Master?!"
The scene struggles violently.
He clearly feels the sharp blade slicing open his chest, and the person smiling while handing over the blade is surprisingly... the young girl Ding Hui!!
"Master, can this work? How can humans and demons combine? Why not delve deeper into the Demon Martial Artist’s approach?"
The young girl Ding Hui, like a curious child, is exceptionally talkative when facing her master.
"Xiao Dinghui, you don’t understand. I’ve invested so much material into your senior brother. Through sedimentation, his body will absorb some demon components, merging with them, and gradually transform his constitution... Ah! Don’t worry, Xiao Dinghui is meant to inherit my legacy, unlike your senior brother. He’s merely a piece of material."
In the scene, Zhang Baomian sees Ding Hui showing a sweet smile.
"I knew Master loves me the most! Master, seeing you so exhausted pains me. Why don’t I take over the knife? Master can just instruct from the side. I really envy my senior brother, having such a marvelous constitution. For ordinary people like us, even consuming demon materials won’t have any effect."
This might be the first time the memory hears praise from Ding Hui’s mouth, but it’s... very subtle.
The main knife changes hands, ignoring the memory’s sharp screams, slicing open the stomach to observe inside, repeatedly cutting open the heart and lungs, inserting insects and ants, even draining blood, cutting flesh, and then step-by-step sewing and repairing.
Zhang Baomian, as an observer, feeling everything within the memory, gradually understands what the Serpent Corpse Human meant by "almost" and what they lacked.
He doesn’t know how much time has passed, maybe a month, maybe two months, but he notices the young girl Ding Hui’s hair has grown a bit longer.
Then, disputes arise.
"Master, your method is wrong! This path won’t work! With Duan Qianqiu’s constitution, he can never become the perfect human-demon fusion!"
"Say that once more! Duan Qianqiu is the most suitable candidate I’ve searched a lifetime for! How could I be wrong! I’ve researched a lifetime, and you think you understand better than a child! Keep feeding! If one worm isn’t enough, then ten, if ten aren’t enough, then a hundred or a thousand! Feed Duan Qianqiu entirely with demon components, and he shall become!"
"He will die."
"So what if he dies? Compared to my research, his sacrifice is worthwhile!"
"Master, I agree with this idea, but unfortunately, even if he’s fed to death, he can’t become what I desire."
"Impudent! Ding Hui, what do you know! I’ve walked more paths than you’ve eaten salt! In merely two months, what could you learn, what could you understand! Just follow my instructions!!"
"...Serpent Corpse Human, you’ve disappointed me greatly."
"Get out! Get out!!!"
Eyelids, eyelids are extremely heavy.
The scene darkens again, then reopens.
Zhang Baomian sees the Serpent Corpse Human’s corpse lying on the ground and Ding Hui with a blank expression undoing the iron lock for him.
"You’re free."
She leaves this one sentence, then turns to leave.
"Where are you going?"
"None of your business."
"Can you take me with you? I... have nowhere to go."
The young girl stops, and under the expectant gaze of the memory, she turns back with a sweet smile.
"That’s your own problem, senior brother."
After speaking, she turns and leaves.
"You hold no value for me anymore. I’ve thoroughly researched your constitution, and with it, you will never meet my expectations."
This seems to be the memory’s last encounter with her.
Next, quick memory flashbacks ensue.
Because of his constitution, he was noticed by the Jiuyao Organization and became Hui Yao.
He split into another being, which is... the person now known as Zhang Baomian!
He is weakening, tormented by Jiuyao’s research and the former Serpent Corpse Human’s nurture, leaving him utterly wounded, which is why he had to split into this new self.
He desires rebirth through fire, wishes to reincarnate.
But unfortunately... it seems to have failed.
Zhang Baomian slowly opens his eyes.
In front, hugging a tumor, is the tense-looking Ding Hui.
At this moment, Zhang Baomian’s feeling is very strange.
Clearly, in the previous second, he had been interacting with the young girl Ding Hui.
Suddenly in the next second, Ding Hui has transformed into a mature woman, seemingly traversing a long period of time, appearing before him in another form.
"What happened to you? Why did you let that guy escape?"
Bloodthirsty child?
You should ask, why did this memory come at such an inappropriate time? Otherwise, you would have torn that thing into fragments already!
Zhang Baomian shows a rather menacing expression.
That’s right, he’s still him! He’s still Zhang Baomian!
Even if he inherited memories and powers.
Even if he gained everything from Hui Yao.
He is still Zhang Baomian, an independent Zhang Baomian.
Those memories are like a fleeting glimpse into someone else’s life, mere spectators, not transforming him into another person.
Thus, Hui Yao is likely truly, completely dead.
And he finally understands what Hui Yao said, what Ding Hui spent her life pursuing, after all.
"The Ten Major Families have nurtured something incredible."
Zhang Baomian said vaguely, at that time, he only had a partial understanding of these matters.
Now that he has received Hui Yao’s memories, he fully understands.
Understands Hui Yao’s feelings for Ding Hui and what the Ten Pillars truly are.
"Who are you taking me to see?"
Ding Hui asked puzzled.
"It’s not important anymore."
Those few months of experience, for Hui Yao, seem to be a complete epitome of life, the most important time.
But for the Ding Hui in front of him, she might not even remember this old acquaintance anymore.
Although Zhang Baomian did not turn into Hui Yao, his state of mind did undergo some subtle changes.
But that’s all.
He only wants to live happily! To wash away all the humiliation of the past, make the Zhang Family pay the price, and make life joyful!
"I have to go; Thunder City is no longer safe, if you want to leave, do it soon."
With that, Zhang Baomian turned and left.
Such decisive action stunned Ding Hui on the spot.
She faintly felt something strange about Zhang Baomian after his lament, but she wasn’t familiar with him, so couldn’t pin down the source, she hurriedly said.
"Wait, could you take me to An Mansion? Diao Deyi is at An Mansion, and I’ll be safe there."
Zhang Baomian suddenly stopped, turned back and smiled at her.
"That’s your own problem."
Bang.
Under flickering thunder.
Ding Hui looked at the smile, as if suddenly returning to a long-ago afternoon of betrayal against a teacher.
But it was only a moment, the next second, Zhang Baomian was already gone within a few jumps.
Ding Hui confusedly shook her head, shaking off the daze in her mind.
That mentor from an unknown rank, after killing them, she didn’t feel anything.
The more specific memories were already blurred, only the inheritance received at the time, experiences, researched techniques, and methods remained, still used today.
Pressing down her thoughts, Ding Hui began to think about more practical issues.
What should be done?
That bloodthirsty thing was only repelled and might come again following the scent of the tumor.
With her strength, she couldn’t deal with that thing.
But to abandon the tumor, abandon this now hard-won Defiled Blood Clone Demon’s body, and the opportunity to complete the array...
Ding Hui was unwilling.
As she hesitated...
"Ding Hui!!"
Suddenly, a voice arose from behind.
Diao... Deyi?!
Ding Hui turned back excitedly.
Sure enough, in the distance, she saw Fang Yu carrying someone, rushing over anxiously.
He probably saw the situation over at the Rebel Army’s stronghold.
Ding Hui showed a gentle expression.
This is an expression she had never shown to Duan Qianqiu many years ago.
"Mr. Diao! Lord Ding!"
From another side, a woman appeared next. It was... Lu Qiaochun carrying Song Zhenrong.
And Song Zhenrong on Lu Qiaochun’s back was unconscious, his injuries unknown.
...
