The Word of Heaven

Chapter 281: Demon Seeding
Dusk covers the earth, and the setting sun is tired of loving the world.

There was dead silence in the blood-like afterglow.

The voice resounded throughout Cangzhou and echoed in the evening breeze, like a morning bell or an evening drum, lingering for a long time.

The drowsy and decaying aura that came with the approaching night suddenly dissipated at this moment, becoming extremely fresh.

Freshness comes from life.

It is the fear of death that is engraved in people's hearts and cannot be erased.

Countless civilians raised their heads and looked towards the tall building in the direction of the voice. They saw the man in black seemingly hanging in the sky, competing with the setting sun. They thought it was an illusion.

Why does that supposedly tiny figure seem to touch the sky at this moment?

After a moment of silence, people finally realized that this was true and began to react.

That would be no different from real war.

People standing on the long street, in the restaurant, and living in the alleys began to flee in all directions.

The porcelain bowl in the beggar's hand fell to the ground and broke into dozens of pieces, the soy sauce was hastily knocked over by the merchant, the baby in the cradle sniffed the overflowing fragrance, but the crying was no longer cherished by the mother... With the tall building as the center, the ignorant people living here are like water drops on a lotus leaf, rushing in all directions, and then melting into the water, disappearing without a trace.

Why die when you can live? The tremendous courage needed to die has already dissipated before it can be aroused by those who are willing to do so.

In just a short period of time, the entire Cangzhou became empty, with only a few pages of waste paper, a little smoke and dust, and the shop door that had not been closed in time left on the long street.

The whole city seemed to die at this moment.

Gu Zhuo looked down at the scene quietly, without any emotion in his eyes.

The evening breeze is still cold, but it still contains that real and lively meaning that has never dissipated.

In the houses, behind the windows, and under the earthen walls, countless pairs of eyes filled with curiosity, awe, fear, and yearning did not disappear as the world left, but remained on Gu Zhuo, unwilling to leave for a moment.

……

……

Cangzhou has never been the Cangzhou of ordinary people.

In a noble mansion in Dongcheng, a nun wearing a thick cloak sat opposite Nan Zong. They took their eyes off the tall building and spoke again.

Nan Zong's thick eyebrows were slightly wrinkled, and his pale face was flushed with a sickly red, and it was unclear whether it was fanaticism or something else.

The nun sitting opposite him was naturally the imperial teacher.

Her voice couldn't be gentler, and it was filled with unconcealed sympathy: "How could I have imagined that the Demon Lord would be such a person?"

Nanzong glanced at the nun and said nothing.

The Imperial Master closed his eyes and said softly, "If possible, I really don't want to see what happens next."

Nan Zong remained silent.

The broad iron sword that was famous all over the world was right beside him, ready for him to strike at any time.

Many years ago, he was regarded by the world as the best swordsman after Nirvana. From that day on, loneliness seemed to wash over him like a tide, and could never be dispelled.

This is not a description, but his true feeling, because the loneliness comes from the Yishui River.

He was well aware that he was still a long way from achieving enlightenment, and he didn't know when he would be able to step onto the island in the middle of the river and fight a sword duel with the true grandmaster.

The reason why he named himself Nanzong and let the world call him Nanzong of Kendo had nothing to do with arrogance or self-confidence, but was just to remember a fact.

——The Yi River has long been standing on top.

In front of the Weiyang Palace, he abandoned Qingxiaoyue at the cost of being seriously injured and returned to the human world. He saw Yishui Taishang fighting against the White Emperor with infinite will.

Even though he did not see the actual scene with his own eyes, just the slight traces revealed by the sword light were enough to make him immersed in it and feel that his trip was worthwhile.

However, after Nan Zong witnessed the old man's death...

The Imperial Master's voice sounded again, interrupting his thoughts.

"Unfortunately, there is no way today will have a truly pleasant outcome."

Compassion for all beings, merciful, unable to bear to see rivers of blood...all these words can be applied to her at this moment, without any hypocrisy in them.

She looked at Nan Zong and said, "I would like to ask you not to draw your sword for the time being."

Nan Zong looked at her.

The Imperial Master said seriously, "I hope to find a possibility for peace, so you are the first person I need to convince."

Nan Zong remained silent.

"Perhaps you will think I am hypocritical because I asked Zhao Qi to help deal with the Demon Lord."

The Imperial Master paused and said, "I will not deny that this is something I have done, but this does not conflict with my current decision. I am willing to try any problem that can be resolved peacefully."

At this point, Nan Zong finally spoke: "How do you want to try?"

The Imperial Master said, "Negotiate."

"Since the Demon Lord has shown his goodwill, I would like to use this goodwill to negotiate with him."

As she spoke, she smiled, stood up and walked out.

As she passed a winter tree in the courtyard, she saw flowers in full bloom.

The Imperial Master seemed to have some feeling. He picked the flower casually, took a step forward, stepped onto the invisible stairs, and climbed up the steps.

This is the first big figure to stand up in Cangzhou today.

Nan Zong didn't even look at it.

He stretched out his hand and grasped the iron sword that was chilled by the winter wind. He felt that women were really troublesome.

When he thought that it was because of a woman that Gu Zhuo had put himself in such a desperate situation today, he felt even more puzzled.

Thinking again and again that Wang Ji's death was inextricably linked to Gu Zhuo's rescue of Bai Nanming, he once again felt that this was really wrong.

Since it's not right.

That makes sense to draw the sword.

……

……

While Nan Zong was welcoming his guests, Zhao Qi did the same.

The person who came to see him was not anyone else but Wei Qingci.

As everyone knows, the current leader of the Yishui Sword Sect has a very bad temper and lacks the sharpness that a swordsman should have.

Just like everyone knew why he came all the way to Cangzhou.

——Wait a minute before coming back.

Therefore, Zhao Qi was puzzled.

"Why don't you draw your sword?" he asked. "Stand before me instead."

Wei Qingci said: "I was entrusted by someone."

Zhao Qi's expression remained unchanged, and he said, "I don't quite understand what you mean."

Wei Qingci was silent for a moment, looked out the window at the western sky, and said, "This is the judgment of the Master."

Zhao Qi said: "Then I don't understand even more."

"On the way to Cangzhou, the Demon Lord never stopped for a moment, and was always carefully calculating the outcome of this battle."

Wei Qingci repeated in an objective tone: "In his opinion, you will be the biggest variable today."

Zhao Qi said calmly: "Should I feel honored for this?"

Wei Qingci did not answer this question because he did not want to make enemies with him.

After Wang Ji left, the first and most important thing Yi Shui had to learn was to keep a low profile.

Fortunately, the only thing he truly realized in the years since he became the head of the sect happened to be to keep a low profile.

"The reason why the Master made this judgment... is because you have seen the Demon Lord once."

Wei Qingci said seriously: "In front of Weiyang Palace, while you were hesitating."

Zhao Qi laughed, ignoring the second half of the sentence, and asked, "Master, do you not like the look in my eyes?"

Wei Qingci was silent for a while, then said, "He thinks that you are very likely unwilling to see the Demon Lord die, and is even willing to take action for this."

Zhao Qi smiled and asked, "Am I crazy?"

"Don't you understand yet?"

Wei Qingci still avoided answering, shook his head, and said: "For the Master, the only important thing is to ensure that the Demon Lord can be killed, and the people who stood up today are enough to accomplish this, so you can be an outsider."

Zhao Qi suppressed his smile, and asked curiously, "What about you?"

"You came all the way to Cangzhou just to serve the imperial court as a dog and make me an outsider?"

He said, “Is this an interesting thing?”

Wei Qingci was silent for a long time, then shook his head and said, "Of course this is boring, but it is meaningful."

Zhao Qi said, "Is it more important to be meaningful than interesting?" "Of course."

Wei Qingci's voice was firm and serious: "Because I am the head of Yishui, the meaning is always more important than the intention."

Zhao Qi said no more.

Wei Qingci stood up and walked out of the study.

Halfway through the walk, he suddenly stopped and said, "And I am very satisfied with this arrangement."

"Reason?" Zhao Qi asked.

"No matter what, the Demon Lord is the person that our master risked his life to save. If conditions permit, I really don't want to take action against him. That would be no different from betraying one's master and ancestors." Wei Qingci said without looking back.

Zhao Qi looked at his back and said, "This is really boring."

The remaining sound dissipated with the wind.

At the same time, the sword intentions connected into a formation, like a surging river flowing around the city.

Zhao Qi was in the middle of the water.

The sword cultivators who came with Wei Qingci were like stones sinking to the bottom of the river, silent and tough.

Jianfeng never deviated because of facing the first person under the Immortal Realm, and he always stood firm and steadfast.

Even though Zhao Qi and Pei Jinge did not participate in that battle, they are still at their peak at this moment, and it is still extremely difficult to break the formation.

It has nothing to do with Wei Qingci.

Related to the royal sacrifice.

This is the legacy he left for Yishui.

Zhao Qi remained silent.

He raised his head and looked towards the sky in the north, his gaze passing through layers of bricks and tiles and falling on Gu Zhuo.

After a moment, he closed his eyes and began to think about something.

——Who will stop Pei Jinge?

……

……

All these complicated and ulterior motives of the conversation actually happened in the blink of an eye.

It was as if everything had been rehearsed in advance.

The Chief stood on the official road outside the city, quietly looking at the seemingly arrogant figure, without any emotion in his eyes.

"I didn't expect you to come and stop me again."

Pei Jinge's voice came from behind: "Last spring, I remember something exactly like that happened."

The Sizhu said calmly, "The difference is that he stood up."

Pei Jinge asked: "So how confident are you now?"

The Director did not answer this question, but said, "In Jiluo City, I am sure he was unwilling to kill ordinary people. So it is not surprising that he made this choice today in order to prevent the past from happening again."

Pei Jinge's lips curled up slightly, and he smiled casually, saying, "So you will let the national teacher go to him with compassion, talk to him about the safety of all living beings, and let him commit suicide."

The Sizhu said: "Of course he won't agree."

Pei Jinge said: "But whether you agree or not, as long as it really happened, that's enough."

When she said this, her smile was full of mockery and she didn't even try to conceal her disdain.

Things like momentum are always most afraid of falling into nothing and being ignored.

"You are so unscrupulous. I really don't know whether to say that you are too cautious or that you attach too much importance to a person like him who is not even at the Guiyi realm..."

Pei Jinge's voice was full of emotion: "It seems that it will be difficult for him to survive today."

The director thought for a moment and said, "Please apologize to Her Royal Highness the Princess for me."

Pei Jinge suddenly changed the subject: "But I don't think everything today will go as you wish."

The boss didn't say anything, nor did he refute.

The body is like a dead tree, it is difficult to see spring again, and the heart dies even earlier and rots into ashes.

Now he only cares about whether he can kill the Demon Lord.

According to previous deductions, Gu Zhuo had no choice but to negotiate when faced with the goodwill shown by the Imperial Master.

It’s not because of the truthfulness of the good intentions, but the realm of the national teacher himself that allows this conversation to happen.

The outcome of the conversation doesn’t matter, as long as Gu Zhuo is forced to speak up and respond to the first sentence, that’s enough.

That’s what the boss thought.

At this moment, Pei Jinge's voice sounded again, with a few mocking voices.

"Do you really think that a useless imperial master who was pushed out is qualified to stand in front of him?"

It seems to confirm the correctness of this sentence.

Gu Zhuo drew his sword.

……

……

As the sun sets, the world is shrouded in twilight.

Suddenly, the sky became dark and the earth became dark.

The light in the eyes of countless people disappeared, as if night had arrived early and the stars were hidden behind the scenes.

However, this darkness is not absolute, and the edges seem to be burning with fire.

The next moment, many people remembered those two words.

--eclipse.

A sword light rose from it.

The sword light was also pitch black, with the edges burning fiercely, like a flowing sea under the night sky.

The national teacher who climbed up the stairs in the sky came face to face with the sword.

In her perception, the sword did not have a specific shape at all, but when she looked at it, the sword took on a real side.

This stark contrast made her Zen mind become restless and she almost lost it.

So she held on.

The state teacher's eyes showed compassion again, he held the flower-picking seal and flicked the sword light seemingly casually.

If she was not mistaken, this should be the legendary Daosheng, the supreme magic of Xuandu.

However, no matter how brilliant this method is, as long as it is known, it is nothing to be afraid of.

At this moment, the Imperial Master and Gu Zhuo were separated by about a hundred battles.

After she breaks this sword of life, Gu Zhuo will no longer have the chance to attack.

Her entry into the realm of enlightenment was enough to force the Demon Lord to calm down.

This was what Director Si had said to her beforehand, and it was also her own judgment.

The next moment, the sword light came.

As expected, the national teacher's fingertips casually fell on the sword tip with ease, preventing it from moving forward even an inch.

The darkness on the flying sword retreated like a tide and disappeared in an instant, and Cangzhou City once again welcomed the gorgeous sunset.

It was as if everything before was an illusion.

The Imperial Master was smiling.

Gu Zhuo looked calm.

The Imperial Master looked at Gu Zhuo, his eyes filled with compassion that had turned into pity, and he said gently, "Please hurry up and die, or else I will have to let many people be buried with you today..."

The words stopped abruptly.

She suddenly opened her eyes wide, listening to the true words she had spoken in disbelief, the compassion in her eyes had disappeared.

Gu Zhuo no longer looked at her.

……

……

On the shore of the East China Sea, in Changle Temple.

The abbot faced the sea and sighed deeply.

That sword was never Daosheng's, but Yingxu's most proud means - planting demons.

(End of this chapter)