556 Divine Purification! (Part 2) Through Life and Death! Arriving on a Crane! (Otaka, Ushio)
Updated: 2014-01-13 21:35:31 Word Count: 3377
At this point, there was no turning back. Suppressed and powerless to resist, the Great Demon King finally had to admit that he was no match for Mu Yunhe. But isn't that how it is among humans? The baseness and flaws of human nature, those who are always arrogant, always self-righteous, always only able to see the darkness in others but forgetting that they themselves are also crows.
When others give him chances, when others forgive him repeatedly, when others back down time and again with tolerance and understanding, you press on relentlessly. You lack humility and modesty; you don't know the importance of forgiveness and kindness; you don't understand that others' tolerance and forbearance have limits. Your pushing your luck isn't a sign of skill, but rather ignorance—the tragic root of your demise!
The Great Demon King finally felt fear, finally understood that Mu Yunhe's talk of mutual destruction wasn't just empty words, and finally experienced terror in the face of death. But it was too late. Even if he begged for mercy, he was doomed! This was the consequence of his constant underestimation of others and overestimation of himself! Since ancient times, the arrogant and conceited have inevitably suffered humiliation and defeat!
"It's too late, it's all too late!" Mu Yunhe sighed compassionately, whether out of compassion for the world or lament for himself. He looked down upon the world in the light, upon the devastation and ruins, upon the corpses and demons roaming the land.
Those nearly transparent soul hands slowly rose, reaching towards the trembling Demon King. Within the light, Mu Yunhe's voice seemed to descend from the dark clouds, sacred and inviolable: "You must die!"
"No! I am the supreme ruler of the demon race! I can exchange the demon race for everything, just please spare me, I really know I was wrong, please don't kill me." The Great Demon King screamed, he was already unable to move, terror made his soul tremble, he prostrated himself on the ground, he didn't even dare to look up at Mu Yunhe, but Mu Yunhe's approach made him afraid and desperate.
But opportunities won't always be around you, especially since you're a sinner!
Mu Yunhe's pure eyes looked at the Great Demon King without the slightest hesitation, untouched by any worldly dust. When his hand finally touched the Great Demon King's head, all the light around him exploded at that moment, rushing rapidly in all directions. Wherever the light covered, all dark creatures were instantly frozen in place, unable to move. When the light covered the entire capital city, everything, people and things, stood still, and time itself stopped at that moment!
The Great Demon King suddenly raised his head, his face becoming exceptionally clear at that moment, but also shattering into pieces! His soul broke apart like fragments!
Within the capital city, which was entirely covered in light, all the demons of the Dark Legion shattered in that instant after being frozen.
Bang bang bang!!
Almost the instant the light exploded, all the still, dark creatures, crystal clear, shattered into nothingness! In an instant, the light became even denser and heavier, lasting for more than ten minutes.
The light was so bright that people could not see anything, as if they were standing in the sun at that moment, surrounded by light, peace, tranquility and joy from all directions!
Whose chanting echoes from the sky? Solemn and solemn! A unified and sacred chanting continues, in words incomprehensible to the people, seemingly purifying all darkness and evil, seemingly taking away all sins, chanting with compassion. Countless people sing in the sky, and in the light, people are filled with shame and tears stream down their faces as they listen to that compassionate and merciful chanting.
It seems that the most hidden secrets and darkness, filth and corruption, sins and bloodshed in their hearts are all illuminated in this chanting, in this light, leaving them no way out, no place to hide, all laid bare before the light. They can only repent, only shed tears, only worship with reverence and awe.
"In the light, darkness shall never exist again. In the light, joy and peace shall endure. In the light, I purify with my soul, I take away all darkness and sin, leaving you with eternal peace and tranquility!"
A gentle voice rang out in the light, a voice of compassion and tolerance, the servant of the gods purifying everything with his soul, the last words Mu Yunhe left in this world.
Within the light, a mournful wail echoed, the cries of the world weeping.
In the light, there was no trace of Mu Yunhe, not even a trace of him. His soul had transformed into these lights that dispelled the darkness. Not a single shadow of the dark demon remained.
In the light, Luo Zhiheng smiled faintly, her eyes, which had been straining from staring, finally closed slowly. The light enveloped her, and at this moment she was not alone, because her Yun He was all around her, omnipresent!
As the intense light that had filled the capital city finally faded, people remained in a daze for a long time. Throughout the city, whether outside or inside, everyone who was alive knelt on the ground, weeping uncontrollably. Perhaps they vaguely knew that this light had saved them from the demons' slaughter; perhaps they vaguely knew that this light had been bought with the soul of their priest, and that when this light faded, their priest would be gone forever.
So they didn't want to get up, so they didn't want to open their eyes. The pitying and gentle voice of Mu Yunhe still filled their ears, echoing, drifting away, its lingering sound fading away...
Bird feathers blocked my eyes, and the roars of tigers and howls of wolves rang out continuously, along with the neighing of horses and the mournful cries of all beasts!
The city walls are mottled and the ruins are broken. This half of the country, which was once a beautiful landscape, is about to collapse. The mountains and rivers grieve together!
Beneath the gray city walls, only Luo Zhiheng stood out from the crowd, alone. One hand was pressed against her abdomen, her face as pale as if the recent light still lingered on her skin. She opened her eyes, stubbornly staring at the spot where Mu Yunhe had disappeared, unsure whether the scattered lights were a hallucination or real.
Her steps were stiff, yet she moved involuntarily, obsessively and stubbornly heading towards the colorful specks of light. The specks of light seemed to linger, reluctant to leave her, flying towards her. Luo Zhiheng's vision blurred, becoming increasingly white; she could no longer make out the specks of light, wondering if they truly existed, or if they were her Yun He.
Before her hands could even touch the points of light, her stiff legs could no longer move. Yet she stubbornly stared at the lively points of light, and finally, her hand, which had been pressing on her abdomen, slowly lifted up.
Tick-tock—
Amidst her mournful cries, the liquid dripping from her hands seemed utterly insignificant. Yet, the crimson gradually accumulated beneath her feet, paving her way stiffly as she walked, a trail of crimson accompanying her!
"Yunhe, is that you? If you are still here, can you hear me? There are so many things I want to say to you, but I'm sorry, I've kept too much hidden and I don't know where to begin. I just think that my coming here must be God's arrangement, just to meet you, just to fall in love with you."
Luo Zhiheng walked and talked in a daze, her voice light and lively, just like when they first met, carrying a sense of pride, an unspeakable sense of arrogance and rebelliousness. She walked slowly, and she spoke slowly, perhaps no one could hear her, but that didn't matter, she only wanted to say those words to Mu Yunhe.
“My name is Luo Zhiheng, but I am not Luo Zhiheng. I came here and met you. We argued, we schemed against each other, we pretended to be nice to each other but actually did not, and we couldn’t stand each other. You looked down on me for not being a girl’s modesty, and I looked down on you for being withdrawn, gloomy and awkward. But along the way, I felt so sorry for you, so sorry for everything about you.”
“I’m so glad that everything I’ve shown you is the real me. When everyone else was in love or hate with me because of Luo Zhiheng, only you were the most direct and genuine when facing my joys and sorrows. Four years, I had four years that belonged only to Mu Yunhe. Whether we were together or apart, you were always there for me.”
“Yunhe, in our life-and-death bond, it always seems like I’m a step behind, but aren’t you the one who’s weaker than me? I love your pure and innocent eyes the most, I love your knowing-it-all-knowing-nothing-but-pretending-to-know-it-all-knowing-it, I love how you risk your life to be by my side to protect me in my most critical moments, even though you also need protection and to stand up for me, even though you’re being questioned. But you’re always there.”
"It's too late to say anything, but Yunhe, I'm so sorry, so apologetic. I never told you, I never had the chance to tell you..."
Luo Zhiheng stumbled and nearly fell, finally too exhausted to walk any further. Her face was deathly pale, her delicate skin so pale you could see the veins beneath. She swayed, her eyelids heavy and barely able to open, struggling to see the brilliant light so close to her eyes. A desperate light in her eyes broke through her despair, and then her body collapsed heavily to the ground.
"Yunhe, we once... had a child, the child Yunhe longed for..." With a sorrowful and weary murmur, Luo Zhiheng finally succumbed to exhaustion and despair, closing her eyes. Her bloodied hand fell to the ground, blood gushing from her abdomen quickly pooling around her waist. Looking around, a delicate dagger lay on the ground; her path was a trail of blood, a horrifying sight!
"Heng'er!!" The cries of her loved ones were so heart-wrenching. The points of light danced violently around her, but she ultimately could not open her eyes again.
Amidst the grief, it seemed as if celestial music was gently blowing, its sound capable of soothing the sorrowful heart. Suddenly, the cry of a crane rang out in the clearing sky, and with a whoosh of flapping wings, a pure white crane flew steadily in. A person on the crane waved their sleeve, and all the light spots surrounding Luo Zhiheng fell into the palm of the newcomer.
557 A toothless, adorable old man! The relationship between Loge and Mu Yunhe!
Updated: 2014-01-14 19:39:07 Word Count: 4822
The person on the white crane did not come down, but the white crane swooped down directly from the sky, kicking up a cloud of dust. In the sand and gravel, one could vaguely see the person on the white crane roll up their wide linen sleeves, wrapping up Luo Zhiheng's body and taking her on the white crane. In the blink of an eye, the white crane let out a cry, flapped its wings, and flew away quickly.
"Who is that?!" King Shi roared in shock and anger, his confusion lasting only a moment before he gave chase.
Loge, however, looked surprised and uncertain. After thinking for a while, he seemed to have thought of something, and his expression became one of disbelief. He then chased after them, followed by Pharaoh and the others, and then Luo Zhiwu and the others.
Not far from where they had just left, among the crowd prostrate on the ground, a woman raised her head, her face filled with shock and disbelief as she stared at the departing white crane. Her lips trembled, her hands clenched, and she murmured, "Impossible! He's still alive? He's changed his appearance? How could this be?!"
With each sentence the woman spoke, her eyes widened slightly, until finally, her eyes were filled with intense rage and despair.
"It's him! It really is him! No matter what he looks like, it can't be wrong. Did I miss him again?" The woman was none other than Sun Yunyun, who had been distraught for days. Hearing them call Luo Zhiheng's name, she realized that these were the people who had been the best to Luo Zhiheng when she was alive, and they would never call her wrong.
Therefore, it can only be that Mu Yunhe deceived her! Luo Zhiheng is not dead at all!
Then what about her repeated suicidal thoughts? What about her longing day and night? What about her expectations and waiting?
Luo Zhiheng, you really are something! No matter what you are like, you can make her so unable to calm down and so crazy! Sun Yunyun tried to breathe. Even though the purification that just happened was so wonderful, so wonderful and so sacred, it could not erase the evil, dark desire for revenge that was growing in Sun Yunyun's heart at this moment.
She could endure the pain of unrequited love. But to love someone and yet suffer alone while the one she loved never even remembered her existence—this love she had given for four whole years! She squandered the best years of her youth, severed ties with her family and relatives, and gave up all her promising futures, all for him, all for Luo Zhiheng!
If he were dead, she could let it go. But he's still alive! Yet he died for another man! How could she not care when she's so infatuated with him! Sun Yunyun's eyes were bloodshot, a faint darkness flickering in them, even if it was just a fleeting glimpse, even if no one saw the dark light in her eyes.
Because she couldn't have it, she would never give silently again. Luo Zhiheng, since you couldn't see her sacrifices and waiting, since you treated her devoted heart as a joke, then whether you live or die, you will pay the price!
——
The group chased the white crane all the way to General Loge's mansion. As they arrived one after another, they were all astonished by what they saw and were unsure whether they should go in or not.
This person took Luo Zhiheng away. We don't know if he's friend or foe, but he seems to be even more powerful than the already dead Demon King. If he's an enemy, why did he come to Loge's house? Doesn't he know that's like walking into a trap? If he's a friend, why did he take Luo Zhiheng away without even saying goodbye?
Loge seemed to already know something, but still wasn't sure. He entered the mansion first. Just like outside, everyone in the General's Mansion was kneeling on the ground, each with tears streaming down their face. The entire courtyard seemed to have been washed clean by the rain, exuding vitality and freshness.
Upon suddenly seeing Loge's figure, the wet nurse kneeling at the second door was truly stunned. Then, a mixture of surprise and guilt overwhelmed her. She prostrated herself on the ground and choked out, "Young master, you've finally returned. It's my fault for not taking good care of Miss, causing her to die young."
"It's my fault, please, Master, execute me!" Qi Wan also kowtowed heavily and wept beside her.
Seeing the old people in the mansion and Luo Zhiheng's maid, Luo Ge felt sad, but now was not the time to talk about this. He said in a calm voice, "Let A Wu talk to you in detail. Please step aside, I have important things to do."
The wet nurse didn't press the matter; she tactfully stepped aside. But then she noticed a group of anxious and serious-looking people following behind Loge, all of whom were important figures from the Mu Dynasty. The wet nurse's expression turned serious.
After taking a few steps, Loge suddenly asked, "Did you see anyone left in our manor?"
The wet nurse quickly shook her head.
The expressions on everyone's faces grew increasingly grave. Everyone knew that the wet nurse was a highly skilled martial artist, one of the best in the world. Yet, she hadn't sensed anyone entering, even though they had clearly seen the person land in the general's mansion on a white crane. Just how skilled must this person be?
Loge immediately ordered his men to search everywhere, while he led them to what he considered the most likely location. This place turned out to be Loge's courtyard. As soon as they pushed open the gate, they were astonished to see a magnificent crane, pure white with a crimson head, standing in the center of the courtyard.
The white crane appeared exceptionally arrogant, its gaze coldly fixed on the group. It seemed to despise their inability to catch it, or perhaps it was annoyed by their intrusion. However, it was clear the crane knew they were coming and didn't attack. When its small, dark eyes circled back and saw Loge, it finally let out a dismissive cry, its voice filled with impatience.
Seeing the white crane's human-like expression, everyone's faces darkened. They even wondered if they were overthinking things. What could a white crane possibly do to them? How dare it look down on them?
Unlike the arrogant indifference of the white crane and the silence and resentment of the others, Loge was genuinely delighted to see this white crane. He couldn't help but step forward, but the white crane suddenly raised its voice and cried out, flapping its wings with intense hostility.
"Is it trying to keep us away?" King Shi frowned, his face showing signs of paleness and anxiety. "If they won't let us in, I'll storm in! Ah Heng must have been abducted into this room by that person. We can't wait any longer."
Loge quickly stopped the King: "Don't be impulsive! The people in this room are..."
"Hmph!" A low, aged snort interrupted Log's words, followed by a somewhat sarcastic voice: "Little brat, what a big mouth you have! I've lived for hundreds of years, and this is the first time I've ever heard of someone trying to kill me. Even if your mother came in person, she wouldn't dare use the word 'old mother' in front of me! Who do you think you are?"
The contemptuous tone at the end, the high-pitched suffix carrying a hint of amusement—was it mockery, or simply a sense of amusement? But none of that mattered. What mattered was the man's attitude, so utterly nonchalant, as if he didn't take these experts before him seriously at all.
The King's eyebrows shot up, and he roared angrily, "You old geezer, get out here! How dare you mention my mother, the Queen Mother, so casually? And who are you to talk about her like that! Hand over my daughter!"
"Your daughter? Isn't this Xiaoyun'er's wife?" A strange voice came from the room.
Those outside were even more puzzled by the words of the person inside. "Little Yun'er?" This meant… Mu Yunhe?! Was the person inside really not an enemy? The tension in everyone's hearts finally eased slightly. But then they heard the person inside slowly say, "Originally, I only considered rescuing this little girl out of consideration for Little Yun'er, but since this little girl is the daughter of you, you witch, then I will kill her. To die by my hand, you should all go back and celebrate with firecrackers."
These absurd words made everyone outside tense and terrified.
The Princess wished she could bite off her own tongue. What if many people were harmed because of her? The Princess was never one to be easily swayed by emotions, but she had never willingly bowed her head and admitted her mistakes to anyone, except for the Poison Saint Lou Yun. Yet, at this moment, she spoke without hesitation for Luo Zhiheng: "Please don't! Luo Zhiheng is not my daughter, and she is indeed Mu Yunhe's wife. I was blind just now. Please, sir, show mercy. You can kill me without batting an eye. I only beg you, sir, if you can truly save Luo Zhiheng, please help me."
The sight of Luo Zhiheng collapsing, with her blood everywhere, still horrifies the Prince. As long as Luo Zhiheng survives, making her apologize is nothing.
There was a moment of silence in the room, and just as everyone's hearts were in their throats, the door suddenly opened. Everyone instantly became alert, and there stood an old man with a hunched back, leaning on a black cane, dressed in hemp clothing, with white hair and straw stuck in his hair, standing in the doorway.
The old man's appearance immediately conjured images of an old beggar. Yet, he was dressed neatly and cleanly, his head slightly raised, revealing a ruddy face and eyes that couldn't conceal his wisdom and depth. The old man was beardless, and his smile was quite charming. A sense of warmth emanated from him instantly; even if the king had just harbored malice, upon seeing him now, he would only perceive him as a kind and approachable old man.
The funniest thing was that the old man gave them a big smile, and that smile was toothless!
Looking at the old man's mouth, where almost all his teeth had fallen out, the single tooth remaining on his pink gums seemed exceptionally precious, as if telling the story of his age and the vicissitudes he had experienced.
Seeing such an elderly man, no one could feel nervous or hateful. But Loge, as if struck by lightning, cried out in a loud voice, his usually steady voice now clearly filled with excitement, "Master! It really is you!"
Everyone was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized something, and their expressions changed drastically. They stared at Loge with strange looks, their jaws practically dropping to the floor in astonishment. How could Loge have such a master?
"Loge, what the hell did you call him?!" General Murong asked, his mouth twitching slightly.
"Master, this is my master!" Loge was still so excited that he was completely oblivious to the shock of the others.
The others, as if they had seen a ghost, closed their jaws and looked at each other in disbelief.
Loge hurriedly stepped forward and knelt solemnly and respectfully before the old man. His gloomy eyes softened with tenderness and excitement: "Your unfilial disciple greets Master! Master, I have searched for you so hard all these years."
As he spoke, Loge kowtowed three times deeply to the old man, his eyes red and moist. He thought back to more than twenty years ago; if his master had still been by his side then, Heng'er would not have died, and Heng'er would not have lost his mother at birth. With his master's abilities, he could surely have saved Heng'er.
But unfortunately, his master wasn't by his side at that time. Loge felt heartbroken and filled with remorse whenever he thought about it. Yet, each time he felt guilty about his emotions; his master was always traveling the world, it was normal for him not to be by his side, so how could he blame him? Therefore, when Loge saw his master again many years later, he was ashamed to face him.
The old man smiled toothlessly, his wrinkles widening as he laughed, making him look exceptionally kind and adorable: "You don't need to feel guilty. No one is to blame for what happened back then; it was all fate. Even if I were here, I couldn't defy destiny. If your wife had been alive back then, there wouldn't be a Luo Zhiheng today. It's just karma; you should let it go. Get up."