Ch.190: Heart Pierced By a Hundred Swords; Savage Ghost Takes Form
TW: Violence
Why were they all staring at him like that?
Suddenly, Xie Lian heard a whisper from the side, “So similar..”
“It’s not just similar… it’s the exact same!”
“Is it really him?”
Someone bluntly asked, “You are… that prince?”
Out of habit, Xie Lian started to say, “I’m not…”
Yet, before he could finish, he realized that the white silk that he used to cover his face had been undone. In this moment, the thing that had him completely tied down was that exact white silk. His face was now fully exposed in front of the crowd before him.
Xie Lian’s heart felt as if it was dangled by a single thread, but he steeled himself and met those gazes.
He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but he saw a tinge of suspicion stirring inside the looks that they gave him. But, at least, perhaps due to the imminent danger at hand, those eyes didn’t bear any hatred or anger as he had feared. However, in the next second, a wave of inhuman howls sounded from outside the temple.
Xie Lian whipped his head around and discovered that the source of the howl came from the face diseased infectees that he had previously been knocked down. They had somehow regained their footing and their number increased in folds. Hand in hand, they circled outside of the Crown Prince temple while chanting. One couldn’t tell if they were performing a horrifying ritual or whether if they were purely dancing as the crazed demons they were. The crowd inside the temple huddled together in absolute terror. A young child broke out in cries and the parents took him into their arms while covering his eyes and ears. Every face in the room was stricken with horror, “What do we do? What do we do?”
“Would these people be able to break in…”
“Even if they don’t charge in, since they’re so close, would we also get infected?… What will we do if we accidentally get infected?!”
Xie Lian fought against his bindings but wasn’t able to loosen it in the slightest. It seemed that this white silk had already been tampered with and had probably been injected with spiritual power. With veins visibly seen on his forehead from the continuous struggle, he roared, “White
No-Face!”
No response came, instead an icy cold hand patted his head. Xie Lian froze, goosebumps rising. The scene that he saw as he turned his head made him paralyzed.
No wonder the people below him were giving him strange stares — not only was his face exposed, but White No-face was also seated right behind him, in the darkness.
In front of such an eccentric character dressed in white robes, no one dare to let out a single breath, let alone move carelessly. As a result, White No-Face barely regarded them as anything and under everyone’s watchful eyes, he helped Xie Lian up.
Xie Lian came up to a sitting position from where he laid. Sitting on top of the altar, it seemed as if he was a bound living statue. Aside from moving his eyes and neck, he wasn’t able to do anything else.
Although the situation was beyond eerie, the howling face disease infectees outside were more terrifying. The attention of the crowd below quickly returned to the disfigured creatures outside.
Someone muttered, “…From what I heard, I’ve heard anyone living within the same district can infect each other, this disease spreads exceedingly fast! Being this close in proximity, it’s inevitable!”
At the thought that they would soon fall victim to the horrifying plague, a sea of despair filled the temple. One person suggested, “Why don’t a few of us go out and knock down some of these disfigured creatures and create an opening for the rest of the folks to escape?”
However, aside from whether they would even be able to kill so many freaks, anyone that went forth would certainly be infected with the face disease. This was a primary example of sacrificing one’s life to save others. With such an obvious fate, who would willingly volunteer? No one would.
Xie Lian would, if he could. However, he was being restrained by White No-Face at the moment.
Although he could knock down seven or eight of them at a time, but with seventeen or eighteen of them, it would be hard to stop them all. There would bound to be one that would break through and rush into the Crown Prince temple. As for trying to kill White No-Face? He would be a fool to consider that.
However, they needed someone to calm everyone down. Xie Lian gathered his composure and spoke calmly, “Everyone, please don’t do anything rash! It won’t spread that fast, we still have time to think of a solution.”
But just by saying “It won’t spread that fast” won’t be enough to convince them fully.
Surprisingly, the one who lifted the despair was none other than White No-Face. He stated icily,
“There is a way to get rid of and cure the face disease.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the crowd of people snapped their heads up, “It can be cured? How?!”
Xie Lian felt his heart stop. White No-Face mused leisurely, “Why don’t you ask His Highness? His Highness knows the method.”
All of a sudden, the hundred pairs of eyes zoomed in on Xie Lian. The sharpness of the gazes made him instinctively recoil, but he was blocked by White No-Face, who shoved him forward instead. He could hear the hopeful voices of a few, “Your Highness, do you really know?”
Before Xie Lian could answer, someone else shouted excitedly, “I’ve heard from somebody that he does know!”
There were also some with suspicion, “If he knew, then why did the capital still…? Unless, he knew but didn’t tell anybody?”
“Prince, please hurry up and tell us, yea?”
Xie Lian denied immediately, “I don’t know!”
However, White No-Face insisted, “You lie.”
Fueled by anger, Xie Lian wanted to rebuke but was afraid that it would instead drive White No-face to leak more information. Though deep down, he had a feeling that no matter if he denied it or not, White No-Face would say it regardless. After struggling for a while, he admitted defeatedly, “There’s…no way. It’s useless!”
After a pause, the sea of people started to stir, “What do you mean useless? How would we know it’s useless if you don’t even tell us?”
A drop of cold sweat slid down from his forehead. Xie Lian thought, “I really can’t say it…”
He mustn’t!
If the truth should ever come to light, then it’ll all be over and done for!
Within the crowd, someone had finally become fed up and jumped to their feet, “We’re already on the doorstep of death, what is there to keep hidden? Unless you want all of us to wait here like sitting ducks until we die?”
In a gentle voice, White No-face offered, “Then, let me tell you.”
“Be quiet!” Xie Lian yelled.
Naturally, his shout didn’t carry a single ounce of threat, and White No-Face ignored him and continued, “Do you know what kind of people within the capital were the least likely to be infected with the face disease?”
The crowd watched him attentively, although afraid to get close, they couldn’t help but ask, “Wh-what kind?”
White No-Face answered, “Soldiers.”
It’s over.
White No-Face continued on, “Why is it that it’s the soldiers? Because they all did this one thing.
Yet, this thing, isn’t done by normal citizens, and that’s why the citizens got infected with the face disease.”
The crowd widened their eyes. Holding onto their breaths, they inquired, “and that thing is…?”
Xie Lian lunged in his direction, but at most, it was just an effort. Laughing, White No-Face shoved him back. “What is it you ask?”
“Manslaughter.” He hummed.
It’s over!!!
He actually said it. On top of the altar, Xie Lian’s heart felt cold as ice. After the initial shock, the people repeated in disbelief, “….manslaughter? You have to kill to be immune? You have to kill in order to be cured?”
“It must be a lie!”
Unfortunately wasn’t, it wasn’t. It wasn’t a lie!
This was the ultimate truth. Xie Lian had verified it himself. The hand stained with blood, the one that ended a life, was immune to the face disease.
Nobody had expected this to be the answer to gaining immunity. Dumbstruck, they chattered among themselves, “How can this be?”
“I always thought it was odd since the beginning, but I really haven’t heard of anyone in the army getting infected with the face disease! I’m afraid that it’s the truth!”
“It’s the truth!”
“But doesn’t that mean, in order to prevent being infected, we have to go kill someone first?”
“Who do we kill?”
The person who posed the question immediately got lectured, “what do you mean ‘who do we kill’? Don’t tell me you actually want to kill?”
The man didn’t dare to say anything more. However, these hundred pairs of eyes that were previously filled with simply terror and nothing else now contained many other emotions. Some with curiously, some with suspicion.
This was the situation that Xie Lian feared. Once the cure for face disease had been exposed, one thing would inevitably happen.
The killing of one another.
This was the sole reason that Xie Lian had kept the secret to himself after finding out the way to gain immunity. As long as you kill, then you’d be safe from the disease — perhaps the majority of people would be able to control themselves, but there would bound to be someone who would be desperate enough to take the risk. Once the first blood had been spilled to prevent the disease, it would soon be followed by a second, then a third…
As more and more were following suit, the world would be thrown into chaos. If that was the result, it would be for the better to guard it firmly and not let anyone know.
Xie Lian smiled wryly, “Now you understand why I said this method is useless.”
The crowd was silent. Xie Lian sighed and gathered his spirit. With a gentle tone, he soothed, “No matter what, please stay calm and don’t act rashly, or else, you’ll play right into this creature’s hands.”
Among the crowd, there was a couple that looked of noble status. With a child wrapped within her arms, she wailed, “How did it turn out like this? Why did it come to this point? Why does it have to be us of all people? We never did anything wrong!”
A nearby person snapped back, “Cry cry cry, what are you crying for? All you know is cry and cry! No one here did anything wrong! You think you’re the only unlucky one?”
The wife retorted angrily, “What, you’re not even going to let people cry?”
“What’s the use of crying to the point that it turns into a nuisance? You might as well shut your mouth!”
It was unbelievable that a fight could break out for such petty reasons. With everyone on the edge of an emotional breakdown, a small touch would set fire immediately. Xie Lian was quick to pacify, “Stop arguing! Stay calm! Only a calm mind will bring the solution!”
However, the more he tried to calm the crowd, the more agitated they became, “Stay calm? How can we be calm in this sort of situation? If you’re so calm, why don’t you think of something? Let’s see what you got!”
“…” Xie Lian was silenced by the question. What kind of solution was there?
None!
He dug his mind desperately for an answer of something, even to the point of where he felt as if his mind was on the verge of exploding, he wasn’t able to think of any way to resolve the situation in front of him!
Suddenly, he felt a pinch on the side of his cheek. A hand cupped his face and twisted it to face the audience below the altar. Xie Lian widened his eyes in confusion. An icy cold voice sounded behind him, “Who to kill? Upon seeing this face, do you still not know who to kill?”
“…”
With such a question being asked, not only did the movement stop from below the altar, but even the ring of ghost fires that hung from above had halted.
White No-Face reminded them softly, “Did you forget? He is a god. Which means…”
Before he could hear the rest, Xie Lian felt a wave of coldness washed over his chest.
Stunned, he gazed down and saw the tip of a pitch black sword pushing out from his abdomen.
The blade was long and slender, its body coloured as deep as black jade. The ridge reflected the light in the form of a crisp silver line. The cold steel was every bit as dangerous and icy as the coldest winter night. It was without a doubt, a rare and treasured sword. The exact kind that Xie Lian would wrack his brains on obtaining and never let it leave his grasp.
Unable to move his gaze from it, the tip of the sword started to slowly inch back until it disappeared from his abdomen once again. “— His body … is immortal.” White No-Face finished.
Before anyone had the chance to react, White No-Face has tossed the blade towards them.
CLANG! The point pierced the ground and stood tilted before the numerous pairs of eyes, its thick, frigid aura slowly seeping out.
A gush of blood rushed up his throat and the ball of ghost fire flew to him as if trying to cover his wound. Xie Lian choked on the blood and grimaced, “You..You!”
There were lights dancing in front of his vision, and as if suddenly enraged, the ghost fire shot straight at White No-Face. However, the ghost caught it effortlessly and held it captive within his palm. “Take a good look.” He said.
In the next second, with his other hand, he yanked Xie Lian’s face to face him, “What about me? Aren’t you the one who proclaimed that you wanted to save the common people?”
Xie Lian reasoned, “But, But I-I…”
But he never thought that under this type of situation, he would use this sort of method to save people?!
Below the altar, there were already people who were scared to tears by the bloody scene, but there were also others who still daringly watched on, “…He…would he really not die?!”
“It’s true… take a look, there’s barely any blood….he’s still alive, still alive and breathing just as before!”
Xie Lian was racked by another intense, painstaking cough. Someone clarified, “So in other words, even if we kill him, he wouldn’t die?!”
“That’s great!”
The one who cheered got scolded, “Great? What’s so great about this?”
The scolded person said quietly, “Since he wouldn’t be able to die…then don’t we now have a solution?”
“But to stab someone, that’s too…”
“But he’s a god! Even if he’s stabbed, he still wouldn’t die! We’re just common folks here. If we were to get infected with the face disease then our fates are sealed!”
Watching the struggle unfold, White No-Face mocked, “The common people are here waiting for you to save them. Please, go ahead.”
Flames of anger lit up in Xie Lian’s eyes. “The only way to save the common people is to eradicate a twisted monster like you!”
White No-Face sneered, “What’s the matter? Your Highness, didn’t you confidently say that you won’t be able to die? You couldn’t possibly be scared now? Since you won’t be able to die, then sacrifice yourself and relieve others of their sufferings. Isn’t that a delightful thing?”
Xie Lian spat, “Was this your plan all along? You think that everyone in the world is as sadistic as you?”
True to his words, the expressions of the people below weren’t the ecstatic ones that people wore at the thought of being rescued, instead, it was hesitation. There were conflicting thoughts and none of them were able to land on the same opinion. Yet, at the same time, no one dared to pull out the black blade. As if reading his mind, White No-Face laughed out loud. He shook his head disapprovingly and sighed, “Stupid child, foolish child.”
Xie Lian turned away his head and refused to let the other pat him. He barked, “Get lost!”
White No-face pitied, “You think they don’t want to do it? Wrong, it’s not that they don’t want to, it’s solely because no one wants to be the first, that’s all.”
“Ahhhhh!”
There was a painful cry that erupted from under the altar. The noble looking wife from before cried, “My child, my child!”
The child in her arms wailed uncontrollably as bumpy dark spots started rising from his chubby arm. The people around them immediately backed away, leaving an empty gap in between.
“This is bad, the kid is infected!!!”
There was an emptiness in the couples’ eyes. The two exchanged a look and jumped to their feet. They walked to the front of the altar, pulled out the black sword from the ground and held it within the child’s hands. Grimacing, they lunged at Xie Lian.
“…!”
The black blade was exceedingly sharp, for when Xie Lian felt the excruciating pain explode from his abdomen, the couple had already pulled out the sword, dropped it to the ground with a loud clang while continuously apologizing, “Sorry…our child is still young, there was really…no other way. Sorry, sorry, sorry….”
As they tried to atone for their actions wearing ashened expressions, they bowed many times in front of Xie Lian before returning to the crowd with their child. With thick layers of blood clogging up his throat, Xie Lian was about throw up until he heard White No-Face snicker beside him.
He forced down the mouthful of blood and hissed, “What are you laughing at? You think that you got what you wanted? This was all forced by you!”
The ghost fire within the ghost’s hand flickered even more fiercely. Taking his time, he explained, “Humans need force in order to reveal their true selves.”
Among the hundred, there was now one person who wasn’t afraid of the face disease anymore.
Seeing the dark prints slowly fading away from the child’s arm, the people around them swallowed heavily in silence.
After a long while, under the dead silence, a young man finally stepped out.
With thick skin, he walked towards the altar. He bowed several times with his hands clasped in front of him and begged, “I’m sorry. I don’t want to do this. I really don’t want to do this, but I don’t have any other way. I recently just got married, my mother, my wife, they’re still at home, waiting for me…”
Word by word, he couldn’t continue any further, so he shut his eyes, raised the sword and thrust it towards Xie Lian.
However, because his eyes were closed, the sword tilted to the side and punctured Xie Lian’s side instead. When he opened his eyes and realized that the spot wasn’t fatal, in a moment’s panic, he pulled out the weapon frantically and with trembling hands, he stabbed again!
Xie Lian, who had gritted his teeth to prevent any sounds from coming out, let out nothing more than a small whimper after the two consecutive jabs. A stream of fresh blood seeped out from the side of his lips.
It’s true that he won’t die. However, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t feel the pain from the wounds.
The sound of every inch of flesh that had been tangled by the weapon, the feeling of every bone being scraped made him crazed and wishing for death just to be relieved of the torture. When it came to this, he was no different than a mortal.
When the second person finished his business, he stepped down as well, but this time, without giving a single bow. The expressions he wore on his face was a mixture of regret and joy from the deed he committed. It was hard to say which was more. Once he retreated back to the group, the silence returned.
Not long after, a few more people looked as if they wanted to stand up with reasons of their own. However, before they could rise, a person interrupted, “I can’t stand this anymore.”
The crowd turned to the direction of the voice and Xie Lian too lifted his head. The one who spoke was actually the buff street performer. He scolded, “Are you honestly doing everything this monster tells you to do? From what I see, he’s just babbling nonsense. Even if it was true, just because he can’t die doesn’t mean that this isn’t murder!”
The bystanders around him advised him, “Buddy, wake up, everyone here is about die!”
The street performer defended, “Aren’t I here too? Wouldn’t I die too? But did I do anything?”
That shut a few up, but split second after, someone accused, “A person like you probably don’t have any elders or children in your family right? Every man for himself, but a lot of us here have a family to look after, how can we be compared to you?”
The street performer pointed at the couple that were the first ones to go up and said, “It’s true that I don’t have a wife and son, but if I had, even if I had to die, I would never let my son see me resort to using those methods, let alone to guide him hand-in-hand in doing it. If your child grows up to be a criminal, it’s the parents who are to be blamed. If you’re that eager, why not let your child take a stab at you?”
The wife had a full face of misery, “Don’t curse my son! If you want to curse, curse at me instead!” The husband was furious, “Have you lost your mind? You want my son to kill his own mother and father? How immoral!!”
The street performer probably didn’t understand what the word meant and retorted, “Killing is still killing! At least it can be said as courage if you let your son kill you. Speaking of which, why don’t you guys might as well go for the strange creature in the mask?”
Upon hearing that, White No-Face burst out in laughter. The crowd was scared and furious.
Their fear went towards the monster and their anger was directed at the street performer. They lowered their voices and chided, “You..! Shut your mouth!”
What if they had accidentally angered the monster?
The street performer understood immediately, “Oh, so you don’t have the balls to kill the big evil guy, and instead choose to stab another?”
Unable to suffer through the humiliation from a meer brute any longer, a person challenged, “This buddy has been preaching endlessly, and here I thought he might be someone special. Looking at him now, with a ghastly face that’s devoid of blood, I’d say he probably has a couple days left at most and that’s why he dares to criticize us all without a care in the world. If you’re so righteous, why don’t you sacrifice yourself to help us fellas here.”
The street performer corrected, “I don’t want to sacrifice myself, but neither does everyone else. Who does? Do you? Do you? But at least, I won’t stab anyone.”
Someone said, “But he’s different.”
“How so?”
“He’s a god! To save the common people — he said so himself. Also- Also, he can’t die!”
The street performer was about argue back, but Xie Lian couldn’t hold back any longer. He coughed weakly and called out, “B-buddy! Hey buddy!”
He opened his mouth, but as a result of the stabs prior to this, the sound that came out was many folds fainter. The street performer whipped his head around and Xie Lian’s voice was filled with gratefulness, “Thank you! But… it’s okay.”
If he continued, then he’d probably get beaten up. Xie Lian recalled that all the grave internal wounds that this man carried was due to their competition in the past. Guilty at heart, he added, “Thank you! The boulder shattering injuries that you received from before, has it healed?”
“Ah? What are you saying! How can I be hurt? Boulder shattering is my life skill!” The buff man exclaimed proudly.
Seeing that the man refused to lose face even in this situation was practically the same as if spitting out a mouthful of blood while saying “I’m completely fine.” Xie Lian wanted to laugh.
Suddenly, a person pointed at the street performer and screamed, “It’s spreading! It’s spreading!”
Xie Lian was stunned, and as was the street performer. Following the direction of the finger, the street performer touched his face, and as expected, he felt something uneven.
The people around him immediately distanced themselves. Xie Lian opened his mouth, wanting to call over the street performer. But to do what? To stab him with the sword too?
The words were lost in his throat.
In the moment of his hesitation, the street performer stroked his face several more times before dashing out of the temple. Seeing the event unfold, Xie Lian called after him, “Where are you going? Come back! If you don’t treat it, it will spread!”
But the man ran even faster and hollered back, “I’m not coming back! If I said I won’t do it, then I won’t do it…”. Soon after, his figure disappeared. The disfigured creatures around the temple somehow knew that the man was now one of them and thus didn’t block his path. Xie Lian continued to call out, until he wasn’t able to see his shadow anymore. The people below the altar muttered, “It’s over, he’s gone!”
“That stupid idiot! It will spread regardless where you go, it’s already too late! He’s already infected!”
“He.. couldn’t possibly have gone down the mountain to kill, right?”
However, the words that the buff man said prior to his departure held the people in the temple at bay. Time has passed and no one went up to pick up the sword. The situation was momentarily paused.
Xie Lian couldn’t tell if he felt joy, hesitation, or fear, but most importantly, he didn’t know what to do next. As he was fighting to clear his mind, someone stood up. “Can I say something?”
It was a middle aged man. Xie Lian looked up and found the man to be somewhat familiar, but he couldn’t recall where their paths had crossed. While trying to remember, the man announced, “In all honesty, he had tried to rob me before!”
“…”
It was that guy!!!
The crowd was shocked, “Rob?”
“Isn’t he a prince? Isn’t he a god? To commit robbery?”
The guy confirmed, “It’s the absolute truth.”
“So? What do you actually want to say?”
“Nothing else. I just want to remind everyone that he had tried to steal!” The man crouched down again after he finished his statement.
The temple fell into a solemn silence again after the outburst. With that single statement, it had planted a seed of darkness within their hearts.
To steal….
Suddenly, another howl came from under the altar. Someone shrieked, “My leg, my leg! It’s… feels strange!”
Again?!
To their surprise, it wasn’t only one person. At the same time, another person cried, “Me too! My back! Someone please help me take a look on my back!”
No one dared to come close to the two, leaving the two having to inspect themselves. One rolled up their pant leg while the other took off his top. After taking a clear look at the state of their bodies, the rest of the people started screaming in fear.
The faces on these two people’s bodies have gained complete shapes!
“How did it grow that fast?!”
“Did you guys forget? We already spent quite a long time in here!”
“But how did they not notice?!”
“It’s not grown in an obvious place and it’s only a bit itchy. How would I know that it’d turn to this!”
“It’s over, it’s over. We probably already have it growing on us.”
“Quick! Everyone do a checkup! Take a good look at your body!”
It was pure chaos inside the CrownPrince Temple. Screams pierced through the air upon inspection. As expected! There were already quite a lot of people that had faces appearing all over their bodies, it’s just that they haven’t noticed them before. Now that they’ve taken a look, they realized that these new faces were completely developed with all five facial features!
As if knowing the situation, the disfigured creatures outside the Prince Temple danced even wilder hand-in-hand. Yet, inside, a thick fog of dread spread rapidly in all directions. Xie Lian’s heart pounded non-stop like it was about to break through his chest.
From what he remembered, the face disease takes a while to spread, why is it spreading so fast now?
White No-Face, it must be White No-Face!
He snapped his head to the direction of the cold-eyed spectator that had initiated all this. Before he could open his mouth, someone shot up. Panting heavily, the person with reddened eyes criticized, “You…you’re a god, you’re a prince, yet you dare to commit robbery?”
Xie Lian was dumbfounded, not understanding why the man brought up that incident out of all things, and replied, “I…”
The man cut him off sharply, “We pray to you, and what did you do? Rob! What did you bring? A plague!”
He brought the plague?
Shock was written across Xie Lian’s face, “….Me? It’s not me?! I only…”
They’ve finally arrived at the point where the people’s patience had reached its absolute limit.
With red colouring the rim of their eyes, the hundred people surrounded him. The one that was closest pulled out the leaning black sword from the ground. Xie Lian stopped breathing.
The man grasped the black sword shakily while mumbling, “You…You need to ask for forgiveness right? You need to atone for your sins right?”
The dark blade emitted a terrifying aura, and Xie Lian’s fear had soared the peak.
There were so many people, if every single one of them were to stab him with this sword, what would he become at the end of all this?
Aside from the thought of being punctured countless times and leaving nothing but thousands of holes and an indistinguishable pile of flesh, there was something else that he feared even more.
He felt that if he was to let them do what they wanted, there was something in his heart that would never return to its original state.
Unwilling to think any further, Xie Lian couldn’t help but to cry out for help, “Hel-”
Yet, before the phrase “Help me” could leave his throat, that same icy black blade was thrust into his body once again. Xie Lian widened his eyes in horror.
The razor sharp sword was then roughly pulled out. The next person followed without second wasted, and the next stab was practically shoved into the same spot. The sound locked in Xie Lian’s throat finally broke free and a painful long scream tore through his body.
The scream was so piercing that the people around him felt goosebumps. There were some who closed their eyes and turned their faces away, “…Don’t let him cry out. Let’s speed this up and get the job done fast!”
Xie Lian felt someone had muffled his mouth and restrained his hands and feet. The person ordered, “Hold him down and don’t let him fall. Also, don’t stab in the wrong spot, if it’s not fatal, it doesn’t count!”
“Line up one by one, no cutting the line! I told you guys not to cut, I was here first!”
“Which area is fatal? How would I know if it counts or not?”
“Whatever you do, just aim it at the heart, throat, and abdomen!”
“If you’re not sure if you stabbed in a fatal area, just do it again!”
“No way! If you get more than one turn, where would others stab?”
The initial hesitation and reluctance reduced to nonchalance. The more time that has passed, the more fluid their movements became. The endless in and out movements of the sword, Xie Lian’s eyes were wide open and fat droplets of tears rolled down his face. Deep inside his heart, there was a voice that was silently screaming and howling.
Help me.
Help me, help me, help me.
Help me, help me, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help, help me!!!!
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts….. it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS!!!!!
Why can’t I die.
WHY CAN’T I DIE?!!!
He wanted to wail with the most tragic sound, but he couldn’t find one word in his throat for it probably had already been sliced through. He wanted to go wild from the pain. It was as if he was suffering all the pain from multiple lifetimes and that from now on, he wouldn’t be able to feel any other pain. He couldn’t see anything, the world was pitch black other than the ball of fire that was burning furiously from nearby. It grew brighter and stronger. Yet, within the palm of White No-Face, it wasn’t able to escape.
He couldn’t hear his own heartbreaking scream but instead, he heard the sound of another heart-wrenching wail and it seemed as if it came from that ring of flames. Although it didn’t come from him, but the pain that he could hear was the same as his, as if he was the one that had made that sound.
In the end, he wasn’t able to hang on to his sanity any longer. There was mumbling in his throat, and his consciousness completely shattered. At the same time, an explosion blew from within the Crown Prince Temple and a wave of raging flames gushed out.
“AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
There was a mixture of high and low pitched screams. The scorching fire roared, lighting everything in flames, making it impossible for anyone to escape. The ghost fire flickered vividly.
In an instant, the hundred living bodies that resided inside the Crown Prince Temple were burned to hundred sets of charcoal black bones!
When the flame gradually subsided and regathered, that original small ball of ghost fire had already vanished. In its place stood a vaguely shaped silhouette of a young man.
The youth dropped down to his knees in front of the scorched black surface of the altar. He bent over deeply, clutching his head with both of his hands, and bellowed in immense and devastating pain.
He didn’t dare to look at what had become of the person lying on the altar, because what laid there didn’t look human anymore.
Bones and skulls alike scattered across the interior of the Crown Prince Temple. White No-Face cackled uncontrollably as he turned around and exited the temple. The rage of fire didn’t only stop at just this Crown Prince Temple, even the frenzied disfigured creatures outside had turned to piles of dried corpses and waste. As if blind to it, White No-Face walked past these charcoal ash like remains.
This entire forest, no, this entire mountain trembled and mourned in agony!
Countless black shadows flew up to the sky. They were the souls that were scared witless of this now lifeless land and were scrambling to escape. A strong gust of wind scattered them in all different directions. Above the Crown Prince Temple, a gigantic layer of black cloud was rumbling in restlessness. Slowly rotating, it resembled a colossal demonic eye.
This was the birth of a malicious creature, the signs of a savage ghost taking form!
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