Chapter 951: Chapter 197: Do Not Lose Close Friends, Do Not Make Powerful Enemies
No one could answer.
No one was able to answer Jiang Wang, as to why this had happened.
Who could respond to a warrior who had fought back from the Lost World, narrowly escaping death? Who had the heart to give him a cruel answer?
Old Su, though accustomed to partings of life and death, could not help but sigh, "I can administer a single needle to her. If there’s anything you wish to say, any lingering regrets... it’s time to address it."
From his sleeve, he took out a silver needle, as fine as an ox hair, and explained, "The soul cannot be reclaimed nor life reversed by me. However, this needle, named Startling Dream, can bring back a momentary glimmer of life."
This momentary glimmer is precisely the final moment of life.
The renowned Eastern King’s Twelve Needles, profoundly secret techniques, are respectively called: Pattern Sever, Broken Formation, Life Suspend, Blood Burning, Heart Shattering, Eye Splitting, Soul Stabilizing, Soul Subduing, Startling Dream, Life Shifting, Returning to Origin, and Overcoming Calamity.
The Overcoming Calamity Golden Needle of Qi Di Golden Needle Gate is largely inspired by the Overcoming Calamity needle, yet the approach has evolved differently.
Being able to briefly rouse Zhu Bijing, whose "oil" had run out, was already an astonishing feat.
But how could Jiang Wang be content with just this?
He had hastened from Star Moon Plain to Linzi, from Linzi to Huai Island, and even ventured deep into the Lost World, battling relentlessly.
Was it all to welcome this unchangeable outcome?
He half-knelt down beside Zhu Bijing, gently stretching out her coiled body as he watched Old Su’s Startling Dream needle slowly penetrate the spirit platform...
Suddenly, he could no longer contain himself.
Without reason, he burst out in a roar, directing his fury at Zhongxuan Sheng like an enraged lion, "What good are you! If you can’t carry her away after cleansing her sins, can’t you just try to heal her, send some medicine, can’t you manage even that? Aren’t you unparalleled in wisdom? Aren’t you extremely smart? Where’s your brain? Where are your solutions?!"
Zhongxuan Sheng remained silent.
Shisi, clad in heavy armor, shifted as if to object but was silenced by a large hand pressing down on him.
Jiang Wang himself knew that his outburst was unreasonable. It was not Zhongxuan Sheng’s fault, after all, but with his frustration and rage finding no outlet, he could only unleash it on his closest friend, Zhongxuan Sheng.
It was then that he felt a weak force tugging at his sleeve.
He looked down to see Zhu Bijing gazing at him.
With those tired, withered, drought-stricken eyes, she was looking at him.
"Don’t... you’re scaring me," she said, her lips quivering.
Jiang Wang pursed his lips, suppressing the full weight of his frustrations as he asked, "How do you feel?"
Zhu Bijing stared blankly at him, her eyes unblinking.
Her gaze was weak, her lips cracked, "I knew I would see you again, no matter how long it took."
Jiang Wang didn’t know what to say anymore. He simply held Zhu Bijing’s hand, repeating, "I will find a way, there must be a way. I will save you."
But Zhu Bijing shook her head; because it took so much effort, it seemed very determined.
"Don’t save me," she said. "Living... is too hard."
"This world, it’s so unfamiliar. It’s not what I expected. I don’t want... to stay any longer."
What had Zhu Bijing’s world been like in her heart? Was it one without deceit, without false emotion, where those she trusted most would never hurt her?
What kind of warm world had her sister Zhu Suyao painted for her?
Jiang Wang could only remain silent.
So could Zhongxuan Sheng, Jiang Wuyou... they all could only remain silent.
Those among them who had initially cared about Zhu Bijing’s life and death had only done so because of Jiang Wang.
After all, they had seen with their own eyes how much effort Jiang Wang had put into this matter and remembered it in their hearts.
However, at this moment, witnessing this scene, they couldn’t help but feel devastated!
"Don’t..."
Zhu Bijing looked foolishly at Jiang Wang, unwilling to divert her gaze even slightly in the final moments, "Don’t get angry because of me anymore, and don’t hate the Diao Hai Building. I’m just a very ordinary, very useless person. I... I don’t resent anyone."
Don’t lose friends, and don’t provoke powerful enemies.
This pure and clumsy girl, in her own way, gave Jiang Wang her life advice.
"I understand..." Jiang Wang asked her, "Do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
"Wishes..."
Zhu Bijing zoned out for a moment, probably thinking very seriously.
In the end she said, "If possible, could you bury me with my sister?"
She struggled to close her eyes, "I miss her so much..."
Zhu Bijing’s sister, Zhu Suyao, had perished in the Heavenly Abode Secret Land. After experiencing so much, perhaps only by Zhu Suyao’s side could she have a little sense of security.
"Yes," Jiang Wang said without any hesitation.
He looked up, taking a glance at Zhongxuan Sheng.
Zhongxuan Sheng simply said, "You go directly to Heavenly Mansion City, and I’ll arrange the rest."
Jiang Wang then picked up Zhu Bijing and headed directly outside of the End of the World Platform.
As he passed by Zhongxuan Sheng, he said softly, "I’m sorry."
He was apologizing for his previous baseless ranting.
Zhongxuan Sheng just glanced at Ji Shaoqing, who had been watching the whole time, and said, "We actually came looking for Miss Zhu. We came four times but were always stopped by this diligent genius from the Diao Hai Building."
He understood Jiang Wang’s feelings, but of course, he had his grievances. He put particular emphasis on the words "diligent genius." He didn’t blame Jiang Wang, but he couldn’t be entirely without complaints about Ji Shaoqing.
Jiang Wang turned his head, looking at Ji Shaoqing’s face, and simply asked, "Name?"
"I am Ji Shaoqing." Ji Shaoqing was not at all afraid, instead politely clasping his hands and amiably said, "No one wished to see things turn out this way. But given my duties, I could only lament in vain. Ah, Brother Jiang, please don’t take offense."
Ding!
A light sound emanated from the storage box.
This sound was extremely faint and weak.
But for some reason, it was chilling and stern!
Only Jiang Wang knew that it was the set of Killing Life Nails deep within the storage box, eagerly anticipating action.
These magic artifacts, fashioned from the beak of Yan Xiao and personally forged by Nan Yao’s Lian Que, were made exclusively to kill Dong Ah. From their very creation, they were designed for pure slaughter.
Lian Que deemed them inauspicious, believing they harmed the harmony of heaven. After using them to kill Dong Ah, they had since laid dormant in the storage box.
This journey to the Lost World had been filled with slaughter from the start to the finish. Now, because of the sudden murderous intent towards Ji Shaoqing, Jiang Wang’s killing intent was so intense that it triggered them.
Hearing this sound, Ji Shaoqing, who had been watching coldly and indifferently, couldn’t help but twitch!
But Jiang Wang said nothing more, only holding Zhu Bijing and stepping off the End of the World Platform, racing back to the Eastern Region amidst the howling sea wind!
The Qingyun Marks, appearing and then disappearing, extended into the far distance, like an eternal heavenly path that never looked back.
However, everyone also knew that he would come back again.
