Chapter 352 – Qian Rongzhi’s Recollection (1/2)

“So… you can’t be happy… I see now.” Black Lotus sighed gently and took pity on her.

Originally, he had thought it was a deeper plan from Gu Yanying, using some kind of artifact to resist the Heart Cleansing Technique of Clear Ripple. However, the answer he received was surprisingly simple. Even the Heart Cleansing Technique of Clear Ripple was unable to wash away her pain that was like pitch-black sludge.

Actually, he had witnessed similar situations in the past, but most people who resisted the technique ended up killing themselves very soon. Even if they continued to live, they would be tortured endlessly by their own pain, becoming no different from zombies, dull and unable to focus. Since they were unable to break free from it, death became their best salvation.

“Then why do you still want to live?”

“Why? Why?” Qian Rongzhi lowered her head and murmured. Suddenly, she smiled and tidied up her hair. “Perhaps it’s just because I refuse to die.”

Having reached this stage, any hard work would be futile. Her fate was in the hands of others. However, she felt no fear at all. Just like what Black Lotus had said, death was not a particularly bad option for her.

Black Lotus said sincerely, “Rongzhi, I really do want you to live…”

“No, don’t even think about that!” The White Lotus Mother screamed.

“Then the issue right now is, what am I supposed to do to let you live? I might not be an Altar Lord anymore, but I can’t disobey the White Lotus Mother’s orders.”

“Black- Lotus- who’s- side- are- you- on?” The White Lotus Mother stressed every single word as she kicked Black Lotus’s calf furiously. Black Lotus laid his hands out helplessly.

Qian Rongzhi raised her head. Through the cracks between the green leaves, sunlight twinkled like stars. Her figure was reflected in the serene stream, standing aloof from the world, as if everything happening right now no longer had anything to do with her.

She had done what she could. The rest was up to fate.

Black Lotus pondered for a while before suddenly smiling. He raised a finger and said, “People always say there is no perfect outcome, but if you look closely, you’ll always be able to find a way.”

Afterwards, he crouched down and said to the White Lotus Mother, “Holy mother, will you be satisfied if you just kill her like this? It’ll basically be salvation for her instead.”

The White Lotus Mother said, “Do you really think I’ll kill her so easily? I will make her go through all the cruel tortures in the world, until she sobs and begs me, until her mind is broken. Then I’ll kill her.”

Qian Rongzhi’s lips curled into a sneer. Sobbing and begging? Mind broken? Do you want me to act it out for you right now?

Black Lotus seemed to grasp the crux of the matter. He smiled. “Yes, cruel torture. Do you still remember that?”

Black Lotus opened his hand at Qian Rongzhi. A translucent piece of amber sat within the palm of his hand. A tiny snake, as thin as a strand of hair, was sealed with the amber. It was incredibly small, but its gorgeous colours were enchanting.

Qian Rongzhi asked, “This is?”

“This comes from the Mist province.”

“A Snake gu?” Qian Rongzhi frowned. The Mist province was also known as the Myriad Mountains. Although Great Xia had already reigned over it for all these years, it was still an uncivilized and undeveloped place. The path of cultivation of savages differed drastically from those practiced in the central lands. The arts of shamanistic gu were one of the strangest methods to kill people in the world. It had made a name for itself.

“That’s right.”

“You want to kill me with this?”

“I heard from a friend that real gu is not for killing people. Instead, it’s to make living people feel like they’d be better off dead.”

Qian Rongzhi’s eyes lit up. Since it was for making living people feel like they would be better off dead, that meant she could live.

“Though, this gu is called a gu of burden. For the past three hundred years, it was believed to be a gu of death, as no one had ever survived once afflicted by it. They would all die from the agonising pain. Even the most cold-hearted, toughest man would become as frail as a child once they were afflicted by this gu.”

The White Lotus Mother’s smile grew even wider. It was innocent yet cruel. Even Qian Rongzhi experienced chills from it.

Black Lotus continued, “Only afterwards did people discover that this gu did not cause death. It did not even cause any harm at all. All the people who died to the gu died by suicide. If you can endure the pain, you’ll benefit tremendously from it instead. There had even been a cult that had arisen from it, worshipping the snake as their holy snake.”

Qian Rongzhi stepped through the stream and made her way forward. She reached towards the Snake Burden gu without any hesitation at all. Pain? She had always been a very tolerant person.

Black Lotus closed his hand instead. His face sank. “Do you really plan on living like this? Once the gu is planted, it will never go away. It will be bound to you forever, which is why it’s called a burden.”

“I don’t think I have any other choice.” Qian Rongzhi sneered.

Black Lotus stared at her deeply. “I suddenly regret this slightly. If you choose death, I will give you a swift one. You won’t feel any pain at all.”

The White Lotus Mother said unhappily, “Black Lotus!”

Black Lotus bowed seriously. “No matter how unhappy you are with this, I can’t just let you do this. Slaughter and death have always been unavoidable, but humiliation and abuse are not things we should do. If you insist on this, then please kill me first!”