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May 26 - May 27, 2024
“The power to end the world, but with a heart as gentle as a flower.”
The state preceptor stared hard at him. “I’ve seen your future, and it’s pitch black.” Xie Lian looked him straight in the eyes. “You must be mistaken. I only like to wear white.”
Upon a closer look, the two sides of the small shrine doors were written with the verses, “Body in the abyss, heart in paradise.” As it turned out, this was a Shrine of the Crown Prince.
And yet Xie Lian felt the sincerest of them all was this child who looked barely over thirteen, and who had probably been barred entry to those fancier golden temples simply because of his humble clothing and had no choice but to pay his respects at this simple shrine.
“I’m suffering! Every day, I want to die. Every day, I want to kill everyone in this world, and then myself! I’m living in agony!”
“What should I live for in this world? What does it mean to live?”
To his surprise, a voice from above suddenly broke through the silence. “If you do not know how to live on anymore, then live for me.”
“I have no answer to the question you asked. However, if you do not know the meaning of your life, then make me that meaning, and use me as your reason to live.”
“Thank you for your flower! It’s beautiful—I like it very much!”
Lang Ying nodded. “I get it. Before we came here, your people were the ones stealing, but once we arrived, we became the thieves…”
Jun Wu gazed at him, then sighed. “You cannot save everyone.” Xie Lian slowly straightened up. “I won’t know until I’ve tried. Even if the heavens say I must die, if that sword doesn’t pierce my heart and nail me dead to the ground, then I am still alive, and I will struggle till my last breath!”
No father in the world wanted his son to see his failures. Every father wanted his son to see him as the greatest.
“Believe in me…!” He clenched his fists and cried, “Your belief will grant me greater power. With this power I promise I will shield Xianle with my life and protect the common people. Please believe in me!”
“I don’t want anything, and I don’t need anything. The only thing I want is for the Kingdom of Xianle to cease to exist. I need it to disappear.”
That’s strange. I saved people and protected people because they were innocent and didn’t deserve death. Everything I’ve done was only done after serious consideration, and every choice was made after much struggle. Yet why does it all sound so laughable coming from another’s mouth? Why does it sound like I’ve achieved nothing, that everything I’ve done is such a…failure?
Because the Kingdom of Xianle was destined to fall. Since you reached out your hand and flipped the board, there will surely be another hand to set right all the game’s upset pieces.”
“Be it a hand or something else, I don’t care—the people I protect will never become its pawn.”
“The faces growing on those people are dead souls from Yong’an. Some are those who died on the battlefield, but the majority are those who died in the drought.”
Not only had the people stopped believing in him, even he could no longer believe in himself.
“Your Highness! Do you hear me?! In my heart, you are god! You are the only god, the one true god! Do you hear me?!”
In the midst of pouring tears, he cried: “I won’t forget! “I will never forget you!”
“Don’t rejoice so soon. I can’t do anything to you, but there’s someone who can.”
The Red Demon Torched the Temples of Thirty-Three Gods and the Heavens Could Do Fuck-all About It, or Crimson Rain Sought Flower Strung Up the Martial and Civil Gods and Slapped Them Around With But One Hand,
Then he found himself caught by a pair of strong arms. One hand circled his waist, and the other grasped his chin. In the next second, something cold and soft covered his lips.
Of all the crazed brushwork Xie Lian had ever witnessed, none could measure even halfway to Hua Cheng’s wild script, a wildness that carried a wicked whirlwind of malevolence.
San Lang has a good foundation, the flair of a master, a daring spirit that conquers the world…”
“I do want to write well, but there’s no one to teach me, and I don’t know if there are any tricks to the art.”
“Don’t worry, this gege is a good person.” “Nah, I’m a very bad person.” Hua Cheng replied. Although that was what he said, he flicked his hand and a tiny silver butterfly flipped out of his sleeve; fluttering its little wings, it flew errantly toward Guzi. Guzi’s inky little eyes bulged as he stared in fixated wonder at the tiny silver butterfly, and he reached out to try to catch it in spite of himself.
“Depends. If nothing’s going on in Ghost City, I’ll stick around to play for a few days.
Hua Cheng took another bite and beamed. “Gege did his best.”
After all, who in the world could truly build such a heart of stone and feel not a single ripple of fear?
“Nothing,” Xie Lian replied. “I said, ‘Two months? If it’s still standing in seven days, then it’ll be a real miracle.’” “…” Hua Cheng’s lips curved slightly, but that smile quickly faded.
But who could’ve known that it would wait for over half a year? In that half a year, Xie Lian experienced not a single joyous occasion!
“San Lang, you said it’s full of outrageous mistakes. How so?” Hua Cheng scooted over to him; they were now sitting much closer than before. Hua Cheng pointed at a few names. “These are wrong.” Xie Lian looked at the names closely; all of them were known to be lawless, malevolently evil tyrants. “How do you know?” “Because I killed them,” Hua Cheng said.
“Every profession has its own specialists. Lord Water Master would surely have borrowed another’s expertise for this investigation.” Xie Lian asked Shi Qingxuan, “May I inquire who actually put the scroll together?” After some hesitation, Shi Qingxuan replied, “Ling Wen.”
After seeing the vast sea, no water can compare; Scattered from the peak of Mount Wu, there are no other clouds; Many times I’ve passed through the flowers, yet I spare them no glance; For half my fate is in cultivation, and the other half, in you.
