Chapter 191: Encountering a Clear Day Chapter 168: The Heavenly Mother Sheds Tears (Middle Volume · Complete)

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Shaowei

Liu Qi

The girl in Choose Yi Zhu Chang carried the snow-white-haired person and walked through the fire, her clothes stained with blazing flames as she ran, like a Zhuque Bird born with flame feathers.

Amid countless startled sounds, Shaowei heard nothing; she ran to where Liu Qi was, set Jiang Fu down, and hurriedly extinguished the flames on Jiang Fu's Daoist Robe.

Watching this scene, Liu Qi heard an extremely untimely voice in his heart: the situation had erupted suddenly, the situation had changed drastically, on this altar above and below it was simply in an instant in chaos throughout the land, and at such a critical moment, she saved the important person but only ran back to his side—was it trust? Was it protection?

Being trusted and protected by her, the pain also became no longer sharp; Liu Qi knelt and crawled two steps, leaning closer to her.

Yu Si Wu's heart was shaken, yet he still immediately brought people to extinguish the fire on Huali's clothes.

On this altar, the Great Witch God was an existence beyond all scrutiny, and no one would lightly question her actions; and before everyone could react, she had already rescued the person inside the Plague God Statue. Until now, seeing all her actions clearly, voices of questioning and accusation finally erupted among the shocked officials.

"Why did the Witch God save the demonic Daoist!"

"Rushing and colliding with the Great Sacrifice of Rain Prayer, what does the Sixth Prince intend to do!"

Enduring the burning pain, Liu Qi faced the crowd and shouted loudly: "Chi Yang was secretly switched; this is an innocent substitute, not a demonic Daoist deserving death!"

Liu Cheng's face showed astonishment, and he and a group of royal relatives and officials all looked at the person being protected in front by the Great Witch God as she checked their breath and pulse.

"How is he not Chi Yang? Is that not Chi Yang himself!"

"Similar body shapes are common, and faces can be altered... but how could the appearance of that white-haired ghost be fake?"

"How could there be any possibility of switching?"

"It is a female body!" Yu Si Wu immediately said: "This person is of a female body, absolutely not Chi Yang!"

The Wu Nu gathered to one side also chimed in to testify: "A female body!"

Among the officials it immediately became even more chaotic; they ordered Palace Maids to come forward to inspect, but a Royal Clan member boldly speculated: "... That demonic Daoist is thin and delicate; could he originally be a female body, merely deceiving the world with a male appearance!"

An official retorted: "The Xiuyi Shu has interrogated for many days; how could they not distinguish female from male!"

"A demonic Daoist is a demonic Daoist; with so many evil methods, who knows what illusion-concealing arts were used before or now!"

The Palace Maids had brought back the confirmation result; Du Shulin, the Taiwei standing beside Liu Cheng, ignored the noisy guesses and only looked at the suddenly appearing Sixth Prince, asking: "Since the Sixth Prince came already determining this person is fake, may I ask where the true Chi Yang is?"

Liu Qi: "Commander He is already thoroughly investigating this matter; results will be available soon!"

When leaving the capital, Liu Qi had already informed He Pingchun to go investigate; this matter was discovered in time, and whoever could switch Chi Yang temporarily would certainly not be an ordinary person among the Xiuyi Shu. As long as He Pingchun acted fast enough, results would soon be known.

"How long is soon? The Great Sacrifice absolutely cannot be delayed..." An official was anxious beyond measure, and Guo Shi also showed an anxious expression; Du Shulin quickly had the Xiuyi Shu and Imperial Guard responsible for escorting the demonic Daoist come forward to answer.

The Imperial Guard only escorted the procession and knew nothing; while those Xiuyi Shu all said: "... We personally saw the demonic Daoist taken out of the prison cell and bound into the Plague God Statue! At that time, the Vice Commander personally inspected him! No replacement was discovered!"

Voices clamored in confusion, officials anxiously discussed and negotiated, the common people began to grow restless, while Shaowei, sitting on the ground, protected the faintly breathing Jiang Fu in front of her, slowly raised her head, and looked at the surging crowd.

Great falls and great rises, great losses and great gains; a person is like a boat in a vast ocean. Amid this spinning of heaven and earth, Shaowei forcibly condensed her chaotic thoughts into a single point. As the one being schemed against, no one could understand the malice here more clearly than she. Therefore she made a deduction: Chi Yang is here!

He cannot live; wherever he flees, he cannot live. His body has been trapped and killed until only a last spark remains. Thinking about it now, this was also one of the chips in his scheme. Because everyone knew he was going to die and had no need to escape or be rescued, his accomplice Yi Ming has also been exposed and committed suicide...

An unexpected disappearance was not to escape, but to switch.

The switch was not to save his life, but to shatter her will, to make her bear the guilt of personally killing Jiang Fu... Therefore he absolutely would not die far away at the end of his life; he must watch all this happen!

Shaowei did not yet know what other accomplices Chi Yang had besides Princess Yi Ming, but since the switch could be completed, that person must have the power to deceive heaven and could certainly help Chi Yang come here!

Her gaze swept over the restless crowd, looking at one face after another, all different. No, not in the crowd. A dying person with a strange face hiding in the crowd was not feasible. Not in the crowd, yet never having left this cursed sacrifice...

Sweat scorched by the fierce fire slid down from above her brow bone and shattered onto the altar before her. Shaowei lowered her eyes for a moment, then suddenly raised her head, wanting to speak, but still could not make a sound. This was caused by the residual Cold Poison in her body, exhausted from the Array, rushing upward and blocking her meridians when she witnessed the corpses in the Array.

Shaowei did not hesitate. She extended a hand, took the Witch Bell from Yu Si Wu's waist, gripped the bell handle, and heavily struck it against the altar ground.

For a moment the bell sound shook greatly, echoing through the altar. The gold-copper Witch Bell under the girl's hand buzzed and split apart, like shattered gold splashing, breaking the barrier of deceiving heaven.

Yu Si Wu was astonished at this inconceivable force. Liu Qi instantly understood: "The Witch God guides; Chi Yang may be hiding in the altar's cellar..."

Because of his injuries, his voice was low. Yu Si Wu came back to himself and loudly repeated: "The Witch God guides; Chi Yang may be hiding in the altar's cellar!"

The echoing bell sound had already shaken everyone. Hearing this, they all looked down below the altar.

At every Great Sacrifice, besides offering sacrifices to the Heavenly Emperor and various gods, they also sacrificed to the Earth Only. Offerings to heaven were placed above; offerings to Earth Only were placed into the altar's cellar, called the "Burial" rite. The Lingxing Terrace was built by the Former Emperor back then specifically for the Rain Prayer Sacrifice. At every Rain Prayer Great Sacrifice, besides burying the offerings, they would also bring out the Horse-slaying Imperial Blade used by the Former Emperor in his campaigns, to suppress the descending yin evil qi.

When the current emperor established the Xiuyi Shu, to highlight its distinction, he specially placed this blade inside the Xiuyi Shu, intending to slay and suppress all the demons and monsters of the nation.

This blade normally presided over the Xiuyi Shu. Only during the Rain Prayer Living Sacrifice would it be brought out, placed in the cellar, until sweet rain was granted and the god-rewarding rite was completed, before it could be brought out again. This afternoon, ahead of the procession, this blade was personally escorted here by the Vice Commander of the Xiuyi Shu and placed into the cellar.

But during the sacrifice, opening the altar's cellar and entering to search was an unprecedented precedent...

An official suggested in a low voice that this matter was suspicious and concerned something major; it should be reported to His Majesty for the Son of Heaven to decide.

Another official said anxiously that the Great Sacrifice could not be delayed. Missing the hour would offend the gods of Heaven and Earth. If there were evil consequences, who could bear responsibility?

Liu Cheng subconsciously also thought he needed to request instructions from Imperial Uncle. But the messenger would have to return to the city and then leave again; by then it would be dawn... Would Imperial Uncle think him too useless? Even think that he had delayed the Great Sacrifice?

Before leaving the palace, Imperial Uncle had said to leave all sacrifice matters for him to decide.

Liu Cheng struggled against the cowardice in his heart, looked at the girl sitting on the ground protecting an unknown person, then looked at Liu Qi standing guard to one side. This scene was actually especially glaring, as if they were the ones on the same path...

Liu Qi even dared to directly rush and interrupt the sacrifice. Did he, the Crown Prince, not even have the courage to deal with unexpected events?

Clenching his fingers beneath the wide Ritual Robe, Liu Cheng shouted loudly: "If there truly is a demonic Daoist hiding in the altar's cellar, allowing him to disturb the sacrifice is truly a great disrespect and great insincerity toward the ancestors of Heaven and Earth! I transmit my order: immediately open the cellar and enter to inspect!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Imperial Guard below immediately carried out the order.

Rui Ze turned his head to look at his nephew; in this moment he actually felt a sense of strangeness.

The Imperial Guard arrived before the cellar door, first prostrated to apologize, then entered to inspect.

The Imperial Guard carried torches, stepping down the earthen stairs. The stifling fishy smell and strong wine scent from the livestock tribute items assailed their noses, and there seemed to be the rotten bone aura left from previous sacrifices, inspiring awe and unease.

But at this moment, a faint, barely audible sigh spread out.

Several Imperial Guards followed the sound and looked. Holding the torch closer, they saw that beside the stone platform holding the Horse-slaying Blade, there was actually a figure sitting cross-legged leaning against it. This person had disheveled white hair, a pale and eerie face, one eye wrapped in bandages. Though his breath was weak, he was not flustered.

"Quick... the demonic Daoist is here!" Facing this eerie scene, the Imperial Guard shouted loudly to bolster his courage, then dared to step forward, subdue the person, bring him out of the cellar, and ascend the altar platform.

Numerous firelights swayed in the wind, and a second demonic Daoist actually appeared above the altar; the crowd erupted in uproar, the commoners falling into chaos: "Why are there two demonic Daoists!"

"Audacious Chiyang, hiding in a cellar, what are you plotting now!" Guo Shi interrogated in a stern voice: "Who helped you escape, quickly confess your accomplices!"

Chiyang, who was said to be escorted by two Imperial Guards but looked more like he needed their arms supported to stand, had his tattered Daoist robe fluttering on his body, yet he revealed a smile, tilted his head back and said: "What accomplices, what escape; if I escaped, why would I not go far?"

Like a final flash of lucidity, his eyes were crystalline bright, fixedly gazing at the person before the Great Shaman God, smiling as he said: "I am for me, she is also for me; chaos divides into two polarities, one yang one yin, only because this altar's heaven-earth spirit power separated me, making one qi rise, one qi sink... yin and yang two selves coexist, where is there any talk of escape!"

Atop the altar there was first great silence, then great chaos — what mad ravings, what ghost talk!

However this demonic Daoist's body already had many evil matters; being pressed onto this altar, was it not precisely because of the plague god Chiba saying, the evil array harming people?

Atop the mountain peak, the sacrificial fires danced wildly, instinctively amplifying the faith in ghosts and gods in everyone's hearts.

Liu Cheng, after a moment of astonishment, muttered: "Demonic words confusing the masses; if it is so, why would the Shaman God protect..."

His words unfinished, he only heard that demonic Daoist speak again: "The Shaman God intruded into my Refining Clarity Soul-Capturing Array, and has now become my believer!"

All around were greatly shocked, countless gazes converged toward that maiden Shaman God — could it be she truly fell under the array's beguilement? So that is why she made abnormal movements? Besides this, this Tai Puzhe has not spoken a single word since appearing today.

After his astonishment, Guo Shi said as if lost in thought: "If that array truly has something strange... the Sixth Prince also seemed to have lingered in the array for a long time..."

— The first two people to intrude suffered beguilement, therefore they would have the strange act of jointly destroying the Great Sacrifice?

While people's thoughts varied, only that Chiyang demonic Daoist laughed loudly, his voice like a curse:

"Moreover heaven and earth as furnace, creation as work, yin and yang as charcoal, myriad things as copper! Even if my flesh body undergoes soldier-dissolution today, however myriad transformations, never having an end, transforming into strange things, what is there to fear! — My three hun and six po have already scattered among believers, there will naturally be someone to inherit my will, assist my return!"

He exhausted all his strength to proclaim these words; finishing, he sprayed blood from his mouth, like a true curse-casting, nailing these words into this heaven and earth.

"... Evil thoughts undying, demonic words confusing the masses, nothing but incitement and slander! If you believe it, you have fallen for this demonic Daoist's intrigue!" Among the imperial clan children, Liu Ming shouted loudly, but all around people's hearts were in turmoil.

Chiyang's lower jaw was covered in fresh blood, his two arms were held up, his back hunched, smiling as he looked toward where the Shaman God was, his eyes full of fervent hope placing great expectations.

He does not leave, it is not wanting to leave, it is unnecessary to leave, it is that he must personally watch with his own eyes, personally listen with his own ears; even if she luckily perceives, he also cannot let the matter rest!

Although it is said to be far off, she should have on this sacrifice promoted by her witnessed her master burned alive, then belatedly realized what she did... a heavenly mechanism destroyed from within, how else to save this world?

Only a pity, just missed by a little, just a little more and it would have succeeded!

So she at this moment still has a chance to choose...

Put down that master who is similarly regarded as demonic and ominous, prove she has not been beguiled, let her master and him be burned to death together, but she certainly cannot bear it...

Then flee!

Flee carrying her master, abandon all the trust the world gave the Great Shaman God, bear this inexpressible crime, flee into this world that would rather wrongly kill those who are different, guarding the ill fortune in her arms, hide far away!

Chiyang's eyes full of expectation, like an obsessive snake, flicking its bright red tongue.

Popular resentment already burning boiling, loudly shouting to burn the demonic Daoist and his avatar.

Unlike the commoners who deeply believe in ghosts and gods, many people on the altar harbored doubts, but the foundation of the sacrifice is heaven's will and people's hearts, and this matter is too suspicious; if not appeased, it will inevitably invite greater criticism, and even be used by those with ulterior motives to incite the commoners to rebellion... such matters have been seen time and again throughout history!

"Truly the world is uneven, monsters all emerge..." an official said: "That person and Chiyang are born exactly alike, both have evil ghost faces, inauspicious people, they will inevitably bring calamity."

Chiyang heard this and laughed lowly, look, Shixiong, see, this is the world he lives in!

"The Great Sacrifice cannot be delayed further, unknown and ominous, they should be burned together as sacrifice to heaven..."

Some fear the demonic, some do not wish to expand the disaster, some want to use this as a political blade.

Rui Ze looked toward the injured Liu Qi...

If this confirms the demonic Daoist has something strange, and burns that unknown person, then at that time death leaves no counter-evidence, the crime of obstructing the Great Sacrifice cannot be offset...

As for Huali, he observed that between her and Liu Qi there seemed to be something unusual; she was originally not an easy person to control, taking advantage of this matter, sparing her life, also good to let her see her own position more clearly.

Officials urged in chorus, there were already commoners with unknown ulterior motives making extreme remarks; Liu Cheng bearing the pressure, walked toward the Great Shaman God.

Shaowei looked at Jiang Fu before her.

She is the Baili Youyi who prophesied the heavenly mechanism, but in the world's eyes the Baili National Preceptor is a man, no one would believe her. And the Emperor would not publicly admit it, otherwise it would be negating the auspicious words of the National Preceptor's immortal transcendence.

Now Jiang Fu is just a person of unknown origin; in such a frenzied sacrifice, anyone could be used as a living sacrifice; an innocent person can be pressed onto the altar just by matching a suitable Eight Characters, let alone an ominous person with the same strange appearance as the demonic Daoist.

Killing people using the pretext of ghosts and gods has never been without drawbacks; since she entered the capital, she used the name of ghosts and gods to deceive, strengthened the power of ghosts and spirits; today's situation on this altar is the result of Chiyang's calculation, and also seems like the backlash from her lack of reverence.

But Shaowei does not intend to argue right or wrong; if this calamity was brewed by her, she has no complaints, she is willing to bear it.

Shaowei silently embraced the person in her arms tightly.

"Tai Puzhe, hand over this person of strange appearance." Liu Cheng walked before her, said in a low voice: "As for the Tai Puzhe matter, I will do my best to explain to Imperial Uncle."

He does not know who the person protected by the Tai Puzhe is, but this person certainly has a connection with Chiyang, and the situation compels, the masses are enraged, those with ulterior motives are mixed among them... the consequences of this, no one can bear.

Him doing this is also to protect her, lest she fall into deeper entanglement... when she was in that array, she was indeed very abnormal.

Seeing the maiden still holding tightly without letting go, Liu Cheng persuaded again: "Tai Puzhe, please listen to my one word..."

Shaowei silently looked toward Liu Qi.

Liu Qi imperceptibly nodded at her.

Go, first kill Chiyang, prove she is not his so-called filthy believer, then take the people she saved and leave.

As for him, no need to worry for him, he can still shield for her.

Who can improvise and every time escape unscathed, but as long as the result is worth it, at this moment he thinks it is very worth it.

Liu Qi revealed a trace of calm smile.

A voice rang in Shaowei's heart, she will definitely be unable to forget this person for her whole life.

She must first take the life-hanging-by-a-thread Jiang Fu away, she must seize the Imperial Guards' blades, must end Chiyang's life, this place is mountain forest, is her sweeping-all-before-her battlefield, she is determined to go, no one can stop her.

But she will certainly come back.

She can go, but cannot be forced by others; at this moment a strand of very unconvinced qi in her heart, also laid down a very deep qing; she wants to let those who today pushed waves to aid the surge due to private thoughts not dream of peace; Chiyang after death also not think of closing his eyes; the more he wants to destroy her, the more she will grow strong, the more she will bite and shatter his Dao.

Liu Cheng felt an indescribable power gathering, he could not help but retreat, looked at the Imperial Guards on left and right, signaled them to step forward and seize the person.

Shaowei with both arms holding Jiang Fu, bent one knee wanting to rise, qi and blood already boiling, gradually entering attack state; Liu Qi also silently changed to single-knee kneeling stance.

However at this moment, Liu Ming rushed over, spread arms blocking before Shaowei: "The Great Shaman God never misjudges; the person the Shaman God wants to protect, how can good and evil, right and wrong be judged by appearance alone! If there is indiscriminate killing, that would anger heaven!"

She does not believe the Shaman God would be beguiled; the person the Shaman God protects with her life must be extremely important; if she watches without caring, it would be betraying her own grief of losing kin; she once said she would repay gratitude!

Liu Ming's words awakened Yu Si Wu; she knelt prostrate before Huali, loudly said: "The Shaman God will not misjudge; should first burn the demonic Daoist, then have His Majesty decide!"

Several Wu Nu also knelt down, boldly echoing: "The Wu God has never made a wrong judgment!"

Qingwu, who served beside Prince Liang, also nearly spoke out, but then desperately held it back; in her excitement and tension, she thought of a more cautious use for herself — if these people were unwilling to let Jiang Sister go, Younger Sister must take Eldest Sister away, then she... then she would take Prince Liang hostage!

A spy can become an assassin when necessary; she was willing to be an assassin for Jiang Sister. Though she was weak, she had a copper hairpin, and could still subdue an old, paralyzed Prince Liang!

Silent protection rose around her body; Shaowei looked at Yu Si Wu and the others. Because of Jiang Fu's existence, she had always been fairly skilled at discerning true hearts even hidden beneath lies and interests of honor and disgrace. She would remember them; one day she would surely repay them.

Chiyang watched this scene mockingly, and did not believe that these lowly people alone could reverse the situation.

"Whether the Wu God would make a mistake, this Si Wu and Sixth Prince surely know better than outsiders." Guo Shi reminded with a half-smile: "How the previous Wu God of outstanding ability died — have you all forgotten?"

The hearts of those who still had an impression of this matter were struck with alarm bells: The Wu God can also err, and the Wu God's errors often bring great calamity.

Shaowei had no intention of listening further; she had already prepared to attack, but a voice that seemed to descend from the heavens, clear and powerful, firmly restrained her:

"The Wu God may err, but Tianji certainly will not err!"

Liu Ming and Liu Cheng and the Imperial Guard blocked her front; Shaowei could not see the newcomer, and only concluded she was hallucinating again.

A woman dressed in a jade-green curved-hem robe was supported by a maidservant, about to ascend the altar. The Imperial Guard were just about to force her back, but seeing Madam Shentu arrive accompanied by Lu Hou, they hastily lowered their weapons and saluted.

That woman immediately ascended the altar. Liu Cheng subconsciously asked: "Madam is..."

"I am Feng Zhu of Lu Hou Fu! My son is known to all as Tianji!"

The woman limped yet also pushed away the maidservant, rushed over swiftly, passed through the crowd, and threw herself before the dazedly sitting girl, weeping loudly: "This is my daughter Shaowei, this is precisely my daughter Shaowei!"

She looked again and again at the altar below; it truly was her Qingniang, her Qingniang had grown to look like this now!

Zhan Zhan, who had guided the way, circled back and forth. Madam Shentu approached supported, and asked gently: "Zhu'er, are you certain?"

"Mother, this is Qingniang, this is!" Feng Zhu's tears fell like pearls; her hands grasped the girl's wrist, yet had no need to examine the wounds there, merely repeating her affirmation.

"Good." Madam Shentu supported the greatly shaken Lu Hou, facing the crowd's astonished gazes, declared word by word: "My daughter Feng Zhu gave birth to a daughter outside, yet had her birth date stolen by a scheming person who impersonated her! Now my daughter has recovered from illness, and would absolutely not mistake her own flesh and blood — the Great Wu God is precisely my daughter's bloodline, a child of my Feng Family, the true Tianji Incarnation!"

Liu Cheng stopped breathing in disbelief.

Liu Qi looked at the still dazed Shaowei; Shaowei, Shaowei... he finally learned her name, from the mouth of the one who named her.

Shaowei felt as if in a dream; why would Mother come? Didn't Mother not want her anymore?

At this moment she only saw Mother's tearful eyes, only heard Mother say to her: "Mother came late, Mother woke too late... Qingniang don't be afraid, don't be afraid!"

Seeming able to perceive Shaowei's uncertainty, Feng Zhu's tears fell like rain; a hand trembled as it caressed her daughter's icy face: "It was you who protected Mother first, time and again; only then could Mother come to protect you. This is only right. You fear nothing; speak it out. You can speak now, you can speak now..."

Can I speak now?

Shaowei stared blankly.

Shaowei had also once thought: if Ming Dan refused to admit it even to death, how would she prove she was her? She did not care about the identity of Tianji, but her heart was blank; inside she did not know how to exist, nor how to prove her own existence.

If she were of ordinary birth, she would not need to seek this proof; but she was not. She was the accursed spawn in Mother's mouth; she was born guilty, and this sin only Mother could pardon!

Thus the answer also appeared at this moment — in this world, as long as Mother acknowledges her, she can exist!

Mother gave birth to her; her body came into being.

Mother acknowledges her; her soul exists.

From now on, no one can deny her; she herself cannot either!

Feng Zhu's tears still fell; she urged: "Qingniang, quickly tell them, tell them who you are!"

Her Yuan Shen seemed shattered and then newly irrigated and born; Shaowei's chest Qi surged; that layer of vocal obstruction was finally broken. She opened her mouth; a stream of fresh blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. Holding back tears, she choked out loudly:

"My name is Shaowei! The person before me is my mother Feng Zhu, who gave birth to me and raised me, the Creator; the person I protect is my Shixiong Jiang Fu, who saved me and taught me, the Savior of the World!"

Finishing her words, she turned her head to look at Chiyang, word by word: "I am Tianji; obey my command, burn and slaughter the demonic Dao! Any who disobey will surely suffer divine punishment!"

This voice was as clear as a newborn's cry reborn, seemingly with the power to pierce clouds and shatter heaven. All people in the four directions were horrified; the person Shaowei held also trembled slightly, her snow-white eyelashes fluttering.

Yan Mian had approached at some unknown time; at this moment he looked at Feng Zhu protecting the girl, and saw her eyes held tears yet were clear. She nodded lightly at him.

Yan Mian suppressed his tears, raised his hand, and solemnly requested orders: "Your Highness, we must follow Tianji's command."

Liu Cheng finally came to his senses; in his great shock, he again did as usual, subconsciously looking toward his maternal uncle, but saw his uncle staring at the flower fox's location with an utterly incredulous expression, having forgotten further reaction.

Guo Shi likewise could not react in time; looking at the people still protected by the Wu God, he knew he could no longer move. By this point, whether Tianji was true or false, as long as the matter involved Tianji, it was no longer something they could decide in their place.

Liu Cheng had already looked at Chiyang, and ordered: "Burn the demonic Dao! To thank Heaven and Earth!"

Chiyang's face no longer showed the sickly smile from before; he began to struggle, yet it was destined to be futile. He did not fear death, but he absolutely refused to die like this... he had schemed to this extent, yet variables kept emerging. This Heavenly Way was actually so unjust; he was loyal to the Heavenly Way, yet the Heavenly Way so indulged variables, abandoning him without care!

In his struggle, he saw Shixiong turn awake, slowly turning her head to look at him. That gaze was extremely faint, without pity, nor hatred.

Chiyang suddenly collapsed into loud laughter.

Bound upon the copper pillar for burning evil, great flames coiled around him; he still laughed loudly, yet was choked into tears: "Heaven gave birth to me — for what purpose? Empty boiling and frying, only pointless torment!"

Amidst the swirling fire and smoke, that demonic Dao raved madly, unknown to whom he spoke: "... I never killed you, so it doesn't count as settled! Between you and me, don't ever think of being settled!"

These words were like an entangling curse that would not let go even in death.

The cursed person gave no response at all, not even a reaction. Jiang Fu half-opened her weak eyes, while those red eyes above looked at her white hair.

Jiang Fu's eyes curved slightly; with weak breath she said: "I already said, don't let you pull it out... Look, you've scared Master's hair all white."

Shaowei's tears gushed like a spring as she retorted: "It wasn't me who pulled it out; you're still stubbornly lying. I..."

Before she finished speaking, the howling wind blew up that white hair, brushing past her tearful eyes.

Hot tears, separated by light hair, splashed onto Jiang Fu's face. Jiang Fu slowly blinked her own tear-filled eyes, and said softly: "Little ghost... I'm sorry."

Shaowei suddenly wailed loudly.

Feng Zhu caught her own wildly flying sleeves, haphazardly wiping her daughter's tears.

Snow-white hair is the net that captures the soul.

Mother's clothes are the banner that summons the soul.

In this ritual, she was finally no longer a fraud; today a divine spirit truly descended — a true divine spirit arrived.

A huge evil ghost nearly pried open her heart's door; this heart door tore open, yet outside the door were Mother and another Mother.

Never-before-known safety surrounded Shaowei.

Today on this altar, her heart held great terror. This feeling of being unable to lose insight for even a moment, or else immediately plunging into the abyss, was so terrifying. The instant she saw Liu Qi, she understood everything. Her heart held ten thousand parts relief, yet also endless fear, regret, self-blame: Why could she not perceive everything? She was stupid to this extent — truly deserved to die to the utmost!

But now she existed, suddenly possessing many things to receive her, and this reception was far more solid than the earth behind the soil; she finally dared to accept with peace of mind that she was not omnipotent, that she could not always be flawless, that she did not have the ability to always retreat unscathed, nor did Jiang Fu, nor Liu Qi, nor Mother back then—but together they could!

Jiang Fu listened to that crying she had once praised, feeling only that the cold illness in this voice had been resolved, that the hard, stubborn stone burst forth with ten thousand zhang of light, no longer a single color, as if it could mend the sky.

This stubborn little ghost finally understood that one person could never finish all the world's affairs, that power was not controlling all of Shi Jie, that heavenly secrets were merely mortal flesh and blood, but those influenced by her would now gather around her, as at this moment; the power of collective thoughts made the heavenly secrets become stars, hanging high in the Divine Sky, illuminating the human world.

Accepting that she was not omnipotent did not mean she would therefore fall into weakness, but rather possess a stronger heart and soul; a courage never before had—safe, flourishing, inexhaustible—burst forth because of this, and Shaowei, crying more and more, felt her whole body filled with gall, her courage soaring to the sky.

She looked at Liu Qi supported by the shaman, thinking in her heart that she wanted a rain to end this sinful drought, to wash away the dust that those around her had stained their shoulders with for her sake.

So she raised her face to look at the Divine Sky, feeling the movement of wind and clouds, and uttered the first prayer of this ritual:

"Flames burn away evil, wicked spirits are swept clean! With this demonic path, offer it to Jiu Tian! By my command, divine generals arrive swiftly, the Earl of Wind drives the wind, the Master of Rain brings the rain! Whoever delays shall be struck by Lei Zhe!"

Such a rare prayer, almost like driving and kidnapping divine spirits, was truly shocking to the heart and ear, making those present tremble with fear, and the crowd stopped their clamor.

The sound of heavenly secrets shook the six directions, wild winds rose on all sides, and unconsciously everyone looked up, only to see Lie Que striking the void, thunder rising in the universe, the Heavenly Mother shedding tears, and a great rain pouring down.

Volume Two ends here.

The end of Volume One was Shaowei beginning to run for love; the end of this volume is the harvest of running.

Shaowei is not all-around excellent in everything; the ending of this volume was rewritten several times, finally choosing to give Shaowei free and complete growth, rather than being bound by any label to become overwhelmingly strong. To be honest, writing this is a bit risky, but it is what I want to write. From now on, Shaowei will become more solid.

(Because it is eight thousand characters! So it is late, written from yesterday to today, revised again and again, please don't mind, please don't mind!)

(Some details will be written in flashbacks later; placing them in this chapter would affect the story's pacing, everyone see you in the next volume.)