Chapter 749

The timeline was pulled back.

Pulled back to Zhao Zixun's final strike, the moment the black water columns fully withdrew from the Nine Abyss, Xiao Jiu chased after something and hurriedly left, leaving Shan Shan to enter the depths of the Nine Abyss to help.

The multicolored phoenix rose from above the depths of the Nine Abyss, and as it swept past the Wangchuan River, clumps of Nirvana fire shot out, chasing after something below.

Xiao Jiu had chased a great distance, but suddenly stopped in the skies above the Nether Realm.

She hovered in midair for a long time, continually gazing toward a certain direction to the west, reluctant to leave.

When Liu Junyan came over, she noticed Xiao Jiu's complexion was especially poor and worriedly said, "Xiao Jiu, what's wrong?"

Xiao Jiu shook her head and asked, "Did Zhao Zixun and Fu Wan leave safely?"

"Mm, they should already be on the Reincarnation Platform now," Liu Junyan said. "Xingchen and the mystic cat have returned, they helped a great deal, Xiao Jiu—Shan Shan brought someone up from the depths of the Nine Abyss; she wants to see you one last time."

Xiao Jiu understood: "It's Wuling, right?"

Liu Junyan hummed: "Wuling has repeatedly asked Shan Shan to send her back to Wufu Town; Xiao Jiu, shall we go back too?"

The earth-shaking struggle in the Nine Abyss ultimately ended with a fairly satisfactory conclusion.

By the time Xiao Jiu and Liu Junyan returned together to Dang Pu, Shan Shan was already guarding Wuling inside Dang Pu.

Wuling's condition was poor; her whole body was wrapped in a black shaman's robe, trembling incessantly.

Only when Xiao Jiu approached her side did she remove the shaman's hat, revealing her face.

Wuling's appearance was terrifying; half her body was skeletal, the other half was bloodless white, and large patches of lividity had already appeared on her skin.

In a sense, Wuling had already died.

What was keeping her last breath alive was likely some kind of gu technique or witchcraft.

She still had an unfulfilled wish that needed to be entrusted to Xiao Jiu.

Xiao Jiu crouched down, wanting to take Wuling's hand, but Wuling dodged: "Xiao Jiu, don't touch me; corpse poison has already formed on my body, I don't have much time left, I have something to say to you."

She, through the fabric, took out a small, square silver box from her person and placed it before Xiao Jiu, saying: "Xiao Jiu, inside is a gu insect; I originally intended to leave it to my clansmen, but I cannot return, now I wish to pawn this gu insect to our Dang Pu— a live pledge, for a term of ten years, keep this matter confidential, treat it as if I had already died before you went to the Zàng Qū."

"During these ten years, if any of my disciples or descendants sense the presence of this gu insect and come to redeem the pledge, then that person shall inherit my mantle; if after the ten-year term no one comes to claim it, this gu insect will be left to you, Xiao Jiu."

Wuling had returned before.

On that land that gave her birth and nurture yet also made her love and hate it, she left hope for her clansmen and established her own power there.

What Wuling left behind is certainly not merely a gu insect; it also includes her gu techniques and the forces under her command.

Xiao Jiu felt sorrowful; she was reluctant to part with Wuling.

Xiao Jiu came to Wufu Town at age six; there were people who treated her selflessly, but they were few.

The teahouse owner's wife counts as one.

She had practically watched Xiao Jiu grow up, and in later events she also helped Xiao Jiu a great deal.

Such a warm-hearted person, yet after enduring many trials, ultimately still had to leave.

Xiao Jiu took the opportunity while fetching the Pawn Ticket and ink, brush, paper, and inkstone to wipe the tears from her eyes, take a few deep breaths, and barely manage to suppress her overwhelming sorrow.

She orderly filled out the Pawn Ticket, signed it, and pressed her handprint.

After all procedures were completed, the silver box was stored in the vault, and Wuling finally let out a long sigh.

Her pupils had begun to dissipate.

Wuling, I will use Lamp Oil to ferry you into reincarnation, okay?

After Wuling was controlled by the Phoenix Eagle, under its threats she not only fed the gu worms in the gu vat with her own blood,

but also sacrificed her own soul to the gu vat.

This is why half of her body had become skeletal.

Because her soul was no longer whole.

She……had already died.

The soul imprisoned in her corpse had also been sacrificed halfway.

Even if she had created no karmic obstacles in this life, her incomplete soul could only end up scattered and lost.

Wuling knew all too well what her fate would be; she refused: "Xiao Jiu, my three hun and seven po are already half gone; even if you use Lamp Oil to ferry me, in my next life I would merely be a fool—I don't want to live like that."

Xiao Jiu's tears finally could not be held back and fell.

Wuling smiled and said, "Silly girl, don't cry; I still have after‑arrangements to entrust to you."

Xiao Jiu hurriedly asked, "Tell me, what do you need me to do? I will certainly manage it."

"After I die, cremate me," Wuling said. "Scatter my ashes directly into the Pearl Plate River, facing the teahouse; those years I ran the teahouse were the happiest of my life."

Xiao Jiu nodded firmly: "All right, I will certainly do it."

Wuling drew another deep breath; this was already the final flicker of life.

"Xiao Jiu," Wuling said haltingly, "I'm sorry, I really wanted to help you, but my abilities are limited; I once saw it in the depths of the Nine Abyss—you… you must have seen it too, right? It… it is something we must not touch."

Wuling's words had not finished when she breathed her last.

Everyone present let out a sigh.

Grief, reluctance, and also doubt.

Li Qingying couldn't help but whisper, "Xiao Jiu, who did you see? Who must not be touched?"

Xiao Jiu did not answer Li Qingying's question, merely saying, "Handle Wuling's after‑arrangements exactly as she wished, and do it quickly."

Li Qingying then stopped asking and went to contact the crematorium.

Xiao Jiu's mood was poor; not only because of Wuling's death, everyone understood that.

Even when Liu Junyan went to ask her alone, Xiao Jiu still refused to say another word, and everyone felt helpless.

Until Xingchen brought the mystic cat to Dang Pu.

This was Xingchen's first return to Dang Pu since his birth.

Although he had not been born long ago, he had already grown into the appearance of a youth.

Zàng Qū's Spiritual Qi, together with the temple's incense, is very nourishing.

Everyone excitedly surrounded Xingchen, wanting to speak, but his monk-like appearance and attire, along with the aloof aura all over him, made them dare not act rashly.

It was Xingchen who spoke first: 'Where is my mother?'

'She's asleep.' Liu Junyan quickly interjected, 'She's very tired, her mood is also bad; she just fell asleep in a daze—I'll go wake her…'

Xingchen stopped them: 'Don't go disturb her; she isn't asleep, but is struggling at the brink of falling into her inner demon—I'll go see her…'