Jiangshan Fengwuzhi

Chapter 348 Persistence
With their hands clasped tightly together, Pei Nian continued to hold onto Gu Jingnian tightly.

Many times, Eunuch Xu thought they wouldn't be able to hold on any longer, but they persevered for much longer than he had expected.

He didn't understand what they were doing it for. In his opinion, they would eventually give up anyway, so they might as well let go sooner rather than later and suffer less.

"Say your goodbyes," said Eunuch Xu, stroking his hair behind his ear. "I advise you not to push yourselves too hard; at least you can die with some dignity."

He spoke softly, yet his voice easily reached Pei Nian and Gu Jingnian's ears.

Pei Nian immediately shook her head.

"No farewells."

She gazed intently at Gu Jingnian, her eyes seeming to hold a thousand unspoken words.

Without needing to say a word, Gu Jingnian immediately understood her intentions.

Pei Nian's insistence was not because she believed they could escape. She knew she couldn't hold onto Gu Jingnian forever. She refused to let go so that she could fall with him.

She wanted to hold on until the vines binding her could no longer bear the weight of the two of them and threw her into the abyss filled with monsters.

Rather than being hung here watching Gu Jingnian being torn apart and devoured, she would rather die with him.

There were too many missed opportunities between them. Unlike those virtuous and gentle women who could "follow their husbands wherever they go," she also had her own ambitions. She couldn't give Gu Jingnian a long and happy life together. So, since they couldn't share a bed in life, if they could share a grave in death, it would be enough to leave no regrets.

With this stubborn thought in mind, Pei Nian refused to let go no matter what. She insisted on holding on until the very last moment, and insisted on being able to hold Gu Jingnian together before she died.

Gu Jingnian understood what she was thinking, but he looked into her eyes and shook his head.

"I can heal myself, and I might not die even if I fall. Let go."

"Do not."

"They didn't want to kill me!"

"Do not."

Pei Nian was exceptionally stubborn and refused to let go.

Her stubbornness was such that her gaze was like a magnet, making it impossible for Gu Jingnian to look away; her devotion was like a rock, making it impossible for Gu Jingnian to waver.

He smiled slightly and agreed to her request.

for a long time.

Perhaps it was because Pei Nian's will was too strong that she actually succeeded.

"Since you won't let go, then let's die together."

Finally, Eunuch Xu's patience ran out, and he let out a cold snort.

He served in the palace his whole life and was the most patient, but in the end, he couldn't outlast the stubborn Pei Nian.

"They've dragged this out long enough. Send them down."

Muttering to himself, Eunuch Xu raised his hand and gently touched the vine that was entwined around Pei Nian.

As if understanding his words, the vines swayed twice and released Pei Nian.

The two fell downwards.

The leeches below opened their mouths wide, emitting a strong, fishy smell from their gaping maws.

Pei Nian's eyes lit up with a smile, because she and Gu Jingnian were still holding hands.

Looking down at everything below, she thought to herself, "See? Persistence pays off."

Just as they were about to fall into the leech's gaping maw, suddenly, a beam of light flashed, turning into countless points of light.

Xu Gonggong looked shocked, turned around, and muttered, "What happened?"

The next moment, another beam of light illuminated the entire cave as if it were daytime.

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On another high platform, four stone pillars stand tall.

"Little girl, since you've accompanied this old man all the way here, then see me off on my final journey."

As Xun Yan spoke, he cut A-Wan's wrist, dragged her to a stone pillar, and smeared her bleeding wrist on the first stone statue.

The stone statue is a nine-headed serpent, and it is so lifelike that it seems as if it might leap up at any moment to devour someone.

After Ah Wan's blood was smeared on it, it actually moved. A thin layer of stone shell peeled off its body, revealing the snake scales and flesh inside.

It was still very small, only half the size of a human, with nine mouths agape, filled with a thirst for blood.

"hiss--"

As soon as the sharp roar began, the earth shook violently.

The dark earth below shattered, and a bright light burst forth from the ground.

Like a blade of light, it slashed fiercely at the cliff above, and large and small stones fell like rain.

The light blade transformed into a floating curve, which then dispersed in an instant, turning into a sky full of stars that drifted down.

Another blade of light rose from the ground. The stone platform swayed precariously.

Xun Yan has stopped applying blood to the male viper.

He dragged A-Wan toward the next stone pillar.

This kind of heavy work was very stressful for his old body. He glanced back and saw Wei Chan still standing in the center of the stone platform, lost in thought.

He then did not ask the proud princess for help, and struggled to drag Ah Wan to another stone pillar on the swaying platform.

The stone pillar is carved with a phoenix, with long tail feathers, outstretched wings, and lush colorful tassels on its head.

When the blood was smeared on the stone sculpture, a fire suddenly broke out.

The phoenix's cry shook the heavens, and the ground cracked open again, with the light blades growing denser and denser, as if they were going to shred everything in the entire cave.

The darkness was completely dispelled, and the countless tiny starlight illuminated the entire cave, making it brighter than daytime.

The platform shook even more violently.

Wei Chan was still staring in astonishment at the scene before her when she was knocked to the ground and fell heavily onto the chisel marks, the pain almost making her cry.

She tried to get up, but the floor shook violently, causing her to fall back down several times.

A mournful scream came from afar, and several giant bats struggled in the air, being sucked down by a powerful force towards the furnace below.

Then came all sorts of strange beasts, but Wei Chan had no interest in watching them. The various roars around her only made her feel annoyed and confused.

But she soon discovered that she didn't feel a strong suction force on the platform; otherwise, they should have been the first to be sucked into the furnace.

It seems that old man Xun Yan was not lying; this stone platform is indeed the safest place here.

Below, a bright light shone, emanating from the enormous furnace, which began to vibrate incessantly.

A wisp of red light overflowed from the furnace, meandering upwards along the chisel marks on the ground, and finally flowing into the blood pool in the center of the stone platform.

The tips of the two stone spikes in the blood pool then began to glow red.

Wei Chan didn't know what it was and wanted to ask Xun Yan, but she was shaken so badly that she couldn't even stand up.

"Princess!" Xun Yan cried out instead, "Quickly, come and help me!"

Xun Yan had dragged A-Wan to the vicinity of the third stone pillar, where the violent shaking made it even more difficult for them.

Wei Chan didn't know what the difference was between pulling out two stone pillars and four stone pillars; she thought it might just be a matter of absorbing more or less spiritual energy.

Now that the furnace has started running, judging from Xun Yan's appearance, it's uncertain whether he can finish smearing the remaining two pillars. Wei Chan then felt that she could start absorbing the energy first.

She struggled to her feet, lifted her bare feet (which had already been stripped of their shoes and socks), gritted her teeth, and stomped on the splinter on the ground.

"puff."

A stinging sensation came over her, and Wei Chan was in so much pain that she almost cried.

But the pain subsided quickly; a warm current flowed into the acupoints on the soles of her feet, relieving her pain.

Strangely, she felt that the half of her body standing on the stone spikes became more stable. No matter how much the stone platform shook, she would not be knocked over, as if she had become one with the stone platform and, through the stone platform, merged with this world.

Great.

Wei Chan was overjoyed. She glanced at Xun Yan again and thought that if Xun Yan stopped smearing blood on the stone statue, she would step on the stone spikes with her other foot and enjoy the fruits of the refining all to herself.

At the same time, blood flowed from the soles of her feet, pooling in the water beneath her feet, flowing down the chisel marks until it entered the furnace.

The spiritual energy emanating from the furnace wafted above her blood.

Gradually, the pool filled with half the blood.

The male serpent and phoenix that had been resurrected on the pillar smelled the scent of the blood pool and became even more excited, constantly roaring and crying out.

The male viper's nine heads stretched out toward the blood pool, frantically trying to come this way, its body writhing incessantly.

The phoenix flapped its wings, trying to take flight.

They kept pulling upwards, little by little, until the entire stone platform tilted because of them.

"Princess, no!"

Xun Yan was still struggling to drag A-Wan when a sudden change occurred. He turned his head and saw that Wei Chan had already stepped on the stone spikes, so he quickly spoke up.

"No! If we land now, the platform will collapse! Princess, come help me! We must have all four beasts flying together..."

Wei Chan didn't believe him at all, thinking he was just trying to trick her into going back.

The platform, no longer swaying, began to crumble further.

Suddenly, a loud cracking sound rang out, and a blinding light shone so brightly that people couldn't open their eyes.

It was as if the underground spirit-gathering jade vein had been broken, and the overflowing spiritual energy filled the entire cave, leaving only a vast expanse of white as far as the eye could see.

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(End of this chapter)