74 Day 73: The Scum Is Clever (1/2)
Lowest Realm.
”Papa. Papa.” The child called. ”Why are they fighting?” he asked his father.
Mu Xie held his son tight and smiled at his sickly wife. ”Don't look. Just close your eyes.” He told his son, Mu Jie.
”Mn.” Mu Jie answered and nodded.
Mu Xie looked around and his heart ached as he looks at the red sky and red air with the smell of rustic iron.
Yes. The sky is red because of too much bloodshed in this land. Even the air they breathe is the smell of the other people's blood.
We can't stay here longer. He thought as he looked at his wife when she coughed. He bit his lip and transferred a gentle flow of dark energy to her body to quell the rampaging dark energy on her blood.
They all are already born like this the moment they woke up. The dark energy in their blood is boiling, making them feel hatred and all other unpleasant feelings towards others and so killing started.
But, there are exceptions. Like him and his elder brother. It must be because of their high mental fortitude to tolerate this scene every day, as well as their blood boiling, and so they are still sane.
Well, he is still somewhat sane. He once lost his sanity and bore a child with a woman who tried to kill him. And the woman became his wife, and their child is Mu Jie.
”Xie.” A voice called. ”I finally found the mythical pass to the other realms.”
Mu Xie turned and saw Mu Jun. They're actually not brothers. Everyone that lives in the Lowest Realm is surnamed Mu.
”Thanks!” Mu Xie said, delighted, as he carried Mu Jie and helped his wife stand up. ”Let's go.” He said.
Mu Jun nodded. ”Yes.” He said, then lowered his head.
”What's wrong?” Mu Xie asked when he saw Mu Jun is low spirited as they walked towards the place that connects the two realms.
They're going to escape from this hell.
”Xie.” He called and glanced at Mu Xie's wife when she coughed. ”I don't think she'll get through the portal.” He said.
”What do you mean?” he asked.
Mu Jun took a deep breath and raised his hand in front of the swirling mass of air. Mu Xie's eyes went wide when he saw sparkling particles come out of Mu Jun's body and went to the portal.
”What's that?” he asked, looking at the sparkling particles in the air.
”A part of my soul.” Mu Jun answered.
Mu Xie looked at him.
”This portal eats qi. So, if you want to pass, you had to...” he said and stopped when Mu Xie's wife coughed blood and fell on her knees.
Mu Xie immediately helped her up. ”Don't worry.” He told her. ”We'll definitely get to the middle realm.” He said.
She coughed. ”I... won't last long...” she said. ”But, I want to see a different sky.” She said and smiled as she coughed again.
”Jun...” Mu Xie called and looked at Mu Jun.
Mu Jun nodded and they helped her up. ”I'll help. For the sake of your child.” He said and smiled at the young Mu Jie.
He patted Mu Jie's head.
They've crossed the realm and arrived in the middle realm. Their soul's strength was halved, but it was Mu Xie's wife who was affected much. The moment she stepped foot on the middle realm, long enough to see the vast blue sky and inhaled the clean, fresh air, she fainted.
Mu Xie carried her while Mu Jun carried Mu Jie. They looked for a house to stay in and found one deep in the forest.
”Our blood had dark energy, and there's none of it here in this realm.” Mu Jun said one day when he looked around the place. He saw a group of houses and asked for food to bring home.
The good – natured people gave him some.
”She won't last long if she'll stay in here.” Mu Jun told Mu Xie.
”Then what should we do?” he asked and sighed as he fixed his sleeping wife's hair. Mu Jie is playing on the corner.
It was a long while before Mu Jun answered. ”We'll replace the dark energy in her blood with pure energy.” He answered.
Mu Xie's eyes went wide, shocked. ”What are you... ” he said, but fell silent when he saw Mu Jun's serious face. ”Is that possible?” he asked and looked at his wife.
”I think so.” Mu Jun answered. ”Like we could feed ourselves with dark energy, I think we're also capable of feeding from pure energy.” He explained.
Mu Xie looked at him. ”How can you say this?” he asked.
”I...” Mu Jun said. ”I've been going back and forth from here to there.” He answered and lowered his head.
Mu Xie's eyes went wide, shocked. ”What?!” he said.
Mu Jun looked at him. ”How do you think can I helped her cross the realm if I haven't given some of my soul's qi to her for her to pass?” he asked.
Mu Xie didn't answer.
”Leave this to me.” he told him. ”I promise I'd find a cure, not only for her, but for you and Mu Jie.” He said and looked at the child in the corner.
”Where will you find it?” Mu Xie asked. ”... highest realm?” he asked.
Mu Jun didn't answer.
Mu Xie sighed and lowered his head. ”Thanks.” He told Mu Jun.
Mu Jun nodded. He patted Mu Jie's head and turned to Mu Xie. ”I'll be back.” he told him.
”You never returned, Jun. Never.” Mu Xie said as he glared at Mu Jun who's behind Chen Sheng.
Yes. Chen Sheng jumped in just in time before the malevolent energy could hit Mu Jun and Fei Huang who was still in Mu Jun's arms.
”Uncle!” Fei Lin called from behind them, covering Xi Ling and himself.
”Sheng!” Fei Yin called.
”Yin – er?!” Fang Wen called when he heard his disciple's voice.
”Brother Fei?!” Li Tian called.
”Brother Fei finally woke up?” Feng Mo said and sighed, relieved. He smiled at Wu Bai who's now awake. ”Welcome back.” he told him.
”I'm back.” Wu Bai said and hugged Feng Mo. ”How's master?” he asked and looked at the massive pure qi energy protecting them all from the massive malevolent energy coming from Mu Xie. ”He really has finally woken up.” he said, serious.
”Yes.” Feng Mo said as they watch the two types of energy pitting against each other.
Since Chen Sheng's power just woke up, it is unstable. But, that instability is made up by its intensity and so Chen Sheng is holding his own against Mu Xie who was born in the land full of malevolent energy.
”Step aside!” Mu Xie said, glaring at Chen Sheng who's like a sturdy wall protecting them all from Mu Xie. ”You're of no use to me now! Step aside - !” he told him.
Chen Sheng didn't answer. Mu Xie gritted his teeth. He was about to speak when a voice spoke.
”Father!” it was Mu Jie's voice, calling Mu Xie.
”Dad?” Mu Xin said, surprised. ”Dad! You're... still alive...?” he asked. His tears fell.
”I'm not.” Mu Jie answered.
Mu Xin's eyes went wide.
”I'm sorry.” he told him.
”No...” Mu Xin cried.
”Jie – er!” Mu Xie called to Mu Jie and tried to grab Mu Jie's soul, but his hand just passed through. ”How - ?” he asked.
”This soul of mine is not corrupted by the dark energy.” Mu Jie said.
Mu Xie looked at him.
”It is Ah Shan's last wish to you, right?” he asked and turned to Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng didn't answer.
”What is he saying?” the others asked, puzzled.
Mu Jie smiled and turned to Li Shan's body. ”Ah Shan...” he said, then lowered his head. ”He must've explained myself to you...” he said, then smiled. A bitter smile. ”Can I ask for one wish, too, like him?” he asked Chen Sheng.
”Speak.” Chen Sheng said.
”What are you two talking about?!” Mu Xie asked, mad, as the malevolent energy became stronger.
But, the pure qi energy got stronger, too.
”Can you... in our next life... can you – ” Mu Jie said and looked at Chen Sheng. He opened his mouth and smiled.
Chen Sheng stared at Mu Jie's soul for a long time before it finally vanished. He lowered his head. ”I will.” He said as the pure qi energy became stronger and finally devoured the malevolent energy.
Their eyes went wide, shocked, as they closed their eyes because of the blinding light.