Chapter 935: The God Who Tells Stories

Outside the ten-thousand-mile bamboo forest, a clear breeze arose; the crimson bamboo swayed in the wind, and the rustling sound that echoed out was not the music of the heavens, yet it surpassed the music of the heavens.

And the roaring in Fuxie's mind rose and fell in tandem; in his world, it became a part of this heavenly music, spreading through his entire body. Wherever it passed, every region of his physical form trembled, and his thoughts were also rapidly dissipating.

But this speed of dissipation was not fast, which gave him some time to recall this journey.

The Ten-Mile Sands represented the desert he went to; the Hundred-Mile Marsh represented the swamp he fled through; the Thousand-Mile Grave was that bald mountain resembling a grave mound; the Ten-Thousand-Mile Forest was what lay before his eyes; the nursery rhyme witnessed his entire path.

It seemed that from the moment he stepped into the desert, everything about him was within the nursery rhyme woven by the other party; this was a bizarre divine authority.

Its name was Story.

The thoughts in Fuxie's mind, upon realizing this divine authority, were completely lost; his mind was a blank slate, his gaze vacant, and he fell into a kind of ethereal stupor, staring at the Ten-Thousand-Mile Forest before him, staring at the god standing in front of him.

The other party's figure was infinitely large, as if it controlled everything and was omniscient of all.

He himself seemed to have become a character in a story, gazing at the creator.

He could not think, because a character's thoughts are all bestowed by the storyteller.

He could not move, because a character's actions are also given by the storyteller.

Even fear and horror were lost; to a certain extent, this storyteller could be considered merciful.

At this moment, this merciful Yu Yu Liuchen raised his right hand and hooked it lightly; immediately, a tearing sound echoed. The great sword that had grown into Fuxie's body behind him was instantly severed from his flesh and flew up slowly. Amidst clumps of disgusting flesh and blood sliding off in mid-air, it revealed the dim bubbles and the ruined tower within.

"Oh? There's still someone here?"

The corners of Yu Yu Liuchen's mouth curled up.

The moment the voice rang out, Xu Qing, who was inside the ruined tower, stood up silently, walked out of the ruined tower, and took a step out of the bubble. When he appeared, he was already in front of Yu Yu Liuchen.

"Greetings, Senior." Xu Qing lowered his head.

Yu Yu Liuchen's appearance was not within his expectations. He had thought that someone might save him, but no matter how he analyzed it, Yu Yu Liuchen could not possibly be among them.

Even though this person had previously cooperated with and assisted the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor when the latter fell, the feeling given to Xu Qing—whether in behavior or thought—was bizarre and fickle. Joy, anger, kindness, and evil were all within a single thought, impossible to fathom.

"Isn't this the successor of the Sword-Wielder?"

Yu Yu Liuchen wore a smile that was not quite a smile.

Xu Qing collected his thoughts and bowed respectfully.

"For the grace of saving my life, Senior, Xu Qing will keep it in mind."

Yu Yu Liuchen smiled, raised his right hand, and waved it. Immediately, stalks of bamboo flew over and assembled into a bamboo table before him. On it were placed five teacups, and a stove appeared out of thin air to the side, with an old teapot being heated by flames upon it.

There was water in the teapot, which began to boil. Then, five streams of water flew out and landed in the five teacups respectively. Immediately, a fragrance overflowed and spread out.

After doing this, Yu Yu Liuchen sat cross-legged and picked up the teacup in front of him to take a sip.

"You say you will keep it in mind—is that with your current divinity, or with the dimming humanity that is about to be lost?"

Xu Qing thought for a moment, took a blank bamboo slip from his storage bag, and carved six characters on it with his right hand: "Yu Yu Liuchen, has great grace."

Afterward, Xu Qing put the bamboo slip back into his storage bag and looked at Yu Yu Liuchen before him.

"I will remember it with this object."

Yu Yu Liuchen raised an eyebrow, revealing a playful intent, and scrutinized Xu Qing for a few moments.

"Interesting. Then sit down and drink some tea."

Xu Qing did not hesitate at all; he sat to the side and picked up the teacup to drink it in one gulp. The scalding tea flowed down his throat and exploded in his body, forming a heatwave. In an instant, it extended throughout his entire body and even impacted his mind, churning up all of Xu Qing's memories from childhood to the present.

These memories emerged in Xu Qing's heart like pictures.

He saw Shi Wushuang City, saw the misery of his childhood, saw the silence after his first kill, saw the death of Master Bai, saw the camaraderie of Seven Blood Eyes...

... saw the distortion when he faced Prince Ziqing, saw the figures of the old Palace Master Kong Brother Liangxiu and the Sword-Wielding Great Emperor...

And he even saw Immortal Zixuan, saw Linger, saw the Eldest Brother...

Yet, these experiences that belonged to him, all these pictures, now felt indescribably strange, as if he were watching someone else's life.

The joys and sorrows within could hardly stir his heart at this moment.

Until the next instant, under the heatwave of the tea, the colors of these memory pictures became increasingly vivid, and the joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness leaping within them became increasingly distinct.

Finally, they were infinitely magnified, becoming one heavenly thunder after another, exploding continuously.

Boom!

Xu Qing's whole body shook; he felt joy!

Boom!

Xu Qing's mind surged; he felt terror, followed by anger, followed by horror, followed by sadness.

All kinds of human emotions and desires returned in this instant.

The world before his eyes was no longer the same as before; it had gained color.

Xu Qing suddenly raised his head, his breathing rapid, his expression no longer as calm as before. He felt the humanity he had once been forced to suppress rising.

It reached a new balance with the divinity he had deliberately magnified, and consequently, a killing intent toward Fuxie erupted uncontrollably in his heart, causing Xu Qing to turn his head abruptly and look at the sluggish Fuxie to the side, his eyes filled with intense murderous intent.

But soon, he took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze, looked toward Yu Yu Liuchen in front, stood up, cupped his fists, and bowed again.

But soon, he took a deep breath, withdrew his gaze, looked toward Yu Yu Liuchen in front, stood up, cupped his fists, and bowed once more.

Yu Yu Liuchen drank some tea and spoke indifferently.

"There is no need to thank me. I came here mainly because I was curious."

Xu Qing hesitated, thoughts turning in his mind; he could not quite grasp what the other party was curious about.

"I was curious about what state a person composed of Upper Desolate flesh and blood would be in. Before you, this had never appeared."

Yu Yu Liuchen looked at Xu Qing.

"So I came."

"And in fact, even if I hadn't come, the person coming to save you would have arrived soon."

"So, you don't need to thank me; I don't want to form karma with you."

Xu Qing was silent, looking at the three extra cups on the bamboo table besides his own and Yu Yu Liuchen's.

"But come to think of it, your affair this time is very interesting..."

Yu Yu Liuchen smiled and waved his hand toward the sluggish Fuxie.

Fuxie's body trembled, his perception recovered, and his body regained the ability to move. His pupils contracted, and horror and terror returned along with it.

Fu Fu Xie's body trembled, his senses returned, and his ability to move was restored; his pupils contracted, and shock and terror returned along with them.

After doing this, Yu Yu Liuchen continued speaking leisurely.

"Although Fuxie's pair of scissors is not bad, it cannot escape my eyes; how could it escape the eyes of that Empress of your human race? What's more, your Master did not let out a single sound from beginning to end."

"But you might not know... during the days you were missing, the human race and the Yan Yue jointly issued a decree. The momentum was extremely grand, completing a perfect linkage that unified the will of the Eastern Wanggu Eastern Realm, deterred other regions, and also deterred the Holy Lands that had descended upon your Eastern Realm. At the same time, using the excuse of searching for you, they reasonably arranged troops and strategic layouts. The arrangements in some places... even I find them a bit unclear."

【But you might not know... during the days you were missing, the human race and the Flame Moon jointly issued a decree, with immense momentum, completing a perfect coordination that unified the will of the Eastern Eastern Wanggu Realm, deterred other regions, and also deterred the Holy Lands that had descended upon your Eastern Realm. At the same time, using the search for you as a pretext, they reasonably arranged their military forces and strategic layout; the arrangements in some places... even I cannot see clearly.】

Xu Qing heard the hidden meaning in Yu Yu Liuchen's words and sighed.

As for Fuxie, upon hearing this, his breathing became noticeably more rapid.

"I think the next action of that Empress of your human race should be to use your affair as a reason, and as a reason to prevent similar things from happening, to reasonably and domineeringly disperse all the Holy Lands of the Eastern Realm after showing her might! With such means, she can initially purge the Eastern Realm at a very small cost. No wonder the Sword-Wielder chose to fulfill her."

【I think the next move of that Empress of your human race should be to use your situation as a reason, and the prevention of similar incidents as a pretext, to reasonably and domineeringly drive away all the Eastern Realm Holy Lands after demonstrating her deterrent power! With such methods, she can initially purge the Eastern Realm at a very small cost; no wonder the Sword Holder chose to fulfill her.】

"It's just hard on you, though. This journey has been full of twists and turns. As expected, gods are all heartless. How miserable, miserable, miserable."

Xu Qing felt helpless and looked at Yu Yu Liuchen.

"Senior's words are profound..."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yu Liuchen laughed happily. He was deliberately trying to sow discord, for no other reason than that it was interesting.

But soon, he could not laugh anymore.

Xu Qing spoke earnestly: "But Senior, this junior's perspective is not that small... If it is truly as Senior says, then I believe even more that my Master has everything under control."

"Is it possible that Senior's appearance is also within my Master's expectations!"

Xu Qing looked at Yu Yu Liuchen and said softly.

Yu Yu Liuchen blinked. Xu Qing's words made him feel it was not so interesting anymore, so he became thoughtful.

Just at this moment, madness appeared in Fuxie's eyes. Taking this opportunity, he suddenly erupted with a boom, his cultivation base and aura exploding entirely. Regardless of the cost, regardless of his Dao blood, regardless of everything, he retreated at full speed.

The Great Emperor scissors above his head also appeared abruptly and snipped rapidly toward himself.

With a snap, it seemed to cut through the void.

Fuxie's body vanished abruptly.

Xu Qing watched with cold eyes, while Yu Yu Liuchen to the side did not even glance at it, speaking indifferently.

"Kid, let me tell you a story."

"In the story, there was a cultivator named Fuxie. He walked through the Ten-Mile Sands, walked through the Hundred-Mile Marsh, walked through the Thousand-Mile Grave, arrived at the Ten-Thousand-Mile Forest, and then got lost. Then, relying on luck, he shifted back, and finally, to show his gratitude, he decided to explode, bloom like a flower, and then drank a cup of my tea."

Just as Yu Yu Liuchen finished speaking, in the place where Fuxie had just disappeared before him, the void twisted, and Fuxie's figure—now tattered, even weaker, and with his cultivation base on the verge of collapse—reappeared.

The moment he appeared, Fuxie looked at the scenery and the people, which seemed to have no change from when he left a month ago. His expression became even more horrified, and his terror became overwhelming once again.

A month ago, after he cut the karma here, he had spared no cost to explode the source of the scissors in exchange for a shift.

He finally escaped this place, and in the following month, he experienced numerous life-and-death situations and walked through countless regions, until... he returned here again.

Trembling at this moment, he looked at Yu Yu Liuchen. Without the slightest hesitation, his body let out a roar, and he actually chose to self-destruct.

This was the only way to escape he could think of now.

But the next instant, when he regained consciousness, the scene before his eyes was still not the picture he had imagined. What he saw was still the bamboo forest, still Xu Qing, still Yu Yu Liuchen...

He had not awakened at the intended location, but had awakened here.

Yet the next instant, when he regained consciousness, the scene before his eyes was still not the image he had envisioned; what he saw was still the bamboo

forest, still Xu Qing, still Yu Yu Liuchen...

He had not awakened at the predetermined location, but had woken up here.

"Drink the tea."

Yu Yu Liuchen spoke indifferently.

Fu Fu Xie stared blankly at the teacup before him, trembling in despair as he picked it up and drank it down in one bitter gulp.

At the same time, the distant horizon suddenly turned gray, as if transforming into sludge, and as it spread in all directions, a ceremonial procession composed of countless mud figures, carrying a shrine, walked toward this place.

In the procession, Chen Chen Erniu looked exhilarated and full of joy, waving at Xu Qing.

"Little Ah Qing, Senior Brother is here!"

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