V2C107

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“Huh?” Zhu Yan froze for a moment and looked up at the Grand Master, “Are you helping me to heal my wounds? But you haven’t recovered from your own injuries yet!”

“I’m fine.” The Grand Master gazed into her bright eyes, with a heavy heart.

As they spoke, an attendant from the other side of the platform suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “The Great Priest is awake!”

“Master is awake!” Zhu Yan was ecstatic, and was just about to rush over. However, in that moment, the Grand Master suddenly raised his hand and pulled her back – as she turned around, Zhu Yan could see the warmth in the old man’s eyes once again completely vanishing, becoming cold and unforgiving as he stared at her with a chilling glare.

In a flash, Zhu Yan understood what he meant and couldn’t help but shudder.

“Remember, don’t play with the lives of your parents and your entire clan!” The Grand Master’s tone was cold and threatening, “Don’t forget what you promised me.”

Zhu Yan’s fingers trembled as she finally grasped the precious Jade Bone and headed towards the man laying on the terrace.

After a long journey through the Hell of Refinement, Shi Ying had just opened his eyes and was still feeling weak. He stared at the crowd that had swarmed around him in a slight trance, unable to remember what the current situation was, and why he was standing in this place – however, as soon as the young girl approached him, his consciousness suddenly became clear.

“Ah-Yan?” He looked at the person standing in front of him and fumbled in surprise, “Didn’t you… returned to the Royal Palace? Why did you come back here?”

Zhu Yan stared at him in silence, her lips moving slightly, desperately tempted to reply.

However, when Shi Ying noticed her bruised and battered face, he turned pale, and propping himself up, he asked grievously, “What happened, why are you injured? Who beat you up like this?”

“No… nobody, I’m okay.” Zhu Yan hurriedly shook her head and took a step back.

Her uncharacteristic retreat left him stunned. In that brief moment, Shi Ying’s consciousness gradually cleared up, quickly recalling all the things that happened on the route to the Hell of Ten Thousand Tribulations, and then looking at the person in front of him, his heart suddenly filled with mixed feelings, unable to express a single word.

As if fearing that she might lose her courage, the next moment, Zhu Yan suddenly gritted her teeth, raised her hand, straightened it out in front of him, and said loudly, “I… I am here to return this to you!”

Shi Ying upon seeing what she was holding in her palm, jolted. She was gripping the sparkling Jade Bone!

He lifted his eyes and looked at her with a painful enquire. Zhu Yan, however, immediately lowered her head, avoiding his gaze, and her voice stiffened like a straight wire; her arm remained there stiff, almost frozen, reaching out to him, motionless: “You can have it back.”

Shi Ying understood what she meant and instantly took a deep breath, as his eyes darkened, yet after only a moment of silence, he managed to control himself and spoke with a surprisingly calm voice: “Since it has been already given to you, there is no need to take it back.”

Hearing this reply, the corners of Zhu Yan’s mouth twitched, almost breaking out into a sobbing expression – Why he wouldn’t just take it? Still had to force her to say the hateful words after all…

She subconsciously glanced at the Grand Master, but the old man looked at her firmly from beyond the crowd, with a cold and resolute expression in his eyes, devoid of the slightest hint of relief. In his hands he was holding the decree that could have taken the life of her entire clan, making her submit under the weight of the menace of death.

There was no way out, it had to be said!

Zhu Yan turned her head to look at her Master, took a deep breath and opened her mouth with difficulty, “But I… I don’t want to keep it anymore! Every time I look at it, I will remember it was you who killed Yuan! I… I can’t get that day out of my mind, and I never want to see it again!”

“…” Shi Ying glanced upon her with a sudden look of incredulity.

His gaze sent a shudder through her body, as if his eyes were scalding, and the Jade Bone slid away from her palm in a dejected motion!

In a split second, Shi Ying raised his hand and caught the Jade Bone before it could hit the ground, gripping it hard – so hard that the tip pierced deep into his palm and a stream of blood sprang out.

“I understand – I shall take it back then.” Shi Ying looked at her steadily and fell silent for a moment, surprisingly his voice remaining calm, “So that’s how it is… you should have said so a long time ago.”

Zhu Yan was dumbstruck for a moment, and her heart felt like it was wracked by a knife. After finishing saying those few words, almost all her strength had been exhausted, and at this moment she did not know what else she should say, her mind went blank as she stood frozen in place, with her feet feeling as if they had been taken roots.

Shi Ying struggled to stand up, holding the Jade Bone she had dropped in his hand and looking at it, the corners of his mouth moved slightly; after a moment of silence again, he spoke, “In that case, let Chongming to send you back home.”

In response to his master, Chongming flew back from the deep valley and landed beside the two people, not knowing what was happening, but understanding that the atmosphere was just not right – looking at the two of them with his four eyes he started cooing, and actually refused to come forward.

The Grand Master, who was observing from the sidelines, spoke out to relieve the situation, “Chongming has just been injured and is not fit to fly ten thousand miles, so it is better to let my golden-pupil mythical beast send the Princess Zhu Yan back.”

“This is also good.” Shi Ying nodded towards his senior, “Most appreciated.”

The Grand Master nodded back, “No need to mention it.”

Zhu Yan starred in bewilderment at Shi Ying and the Grand Master reciprocating the courtesy, standing to the side, unable to open her mouth to say a word – her heart almost shattered when she saw the look in his eyes after she uttered those words. Yet as he was listening to those words, how could he actually remain as calm as ever?

Zhu Yan stared with a lifeless gaze at the man in front of her, his every expression, every movement, every word stabbed into her heart like a piercing knife, Zhu Yan’s entire body trembled and she had to use all her strength to control herself from bursting into tears at that very moment – right now, all he had to do was look at her and he would be able to notice her abnormality.

Yet he was already heading back, and no longer turned his head to look at her.

When the mythical beast soared up and once again and took off with the young Princess from the Red Clan, the Grand Master breathed a long sigh of relief and a complex expression appeared in his eyes, like after travelling a million miles putting down the burden from his shoulders and feeling a sense of relief.

Yes, everything was finally over.

When that sentence was spoken, something invisibly seemed to be cut off, so crisp and unforgiving. Ever since he was a child, Shi has always been distinguished by his pride and determination, preferring to be a broken piece of jade rather than an unbroken glass*. Since he has been rejected squarely, he will turn away and will never look back.

“But at least I fought hard! I exhausted all my strength!”

Those words were still ringing in his ears. That enthusiasm and power, bright and dazzling as the sun, surprisingly even his aged heart could not help but vibrate with it. The Grand Master’s expression turned pensive and sorrowful, and without making a sound he shook his head – Alas, foolish child, you have indeed exerted yourself. But you have no idea what you are fighting against. I don’t dislike you, it’s just that there are more important things in this world than your childish love…

The Grand Master was still lost in thought under the tree when the attendant ran over to report hurriedly, with a panicked voice: “Grand Master! The Great Priest… the Great Priest he has just suddenly vomited blood!”

“It’s alright.” The Grand Master, however, remained unfazed, he spoke faintly instead, “Go back to the temple first!” Once the turmoil had passed, the Jiuyi Temple returned to its usual tranquility, with morning bells and evening drums, prayers and chants, and everything proceeded as usual. After the attendants retreated to their respective duties, only two people remained in the Grand Hall, with two items neatly placed on the offering table: a jade slip and a bloody garment.

The divine robe, which was originally white as snow, became red, stained with countless splashes of blood.

“After walking through the Hell of Ten Thousand Tribulations, receiving the Heavenly Thunder Refining Body, and finally taking off this magic robe, you are also considered to have separated from the Jiuyi Sect.” The Grand Master’s eyes swept past the two items and said to Shi Ying behind him, “From now on, you can return to the earthly world and live the same life as an ordinary person.”

Shi Ying made no comment, just listened in silence.

“Although you have received the five thunderbolts of Heavenly Punishment, I have protected the Ocean of Qi for you and guarded your Primordial Spirit from dissipating – rest for a month at most, and you will continue to be the same as you used to be before.” The Grand Master continued, gesturing to the table, “Until a new candidate for the Great Divine Office is going to be selected, this jade slip can remain with you for now.”

*Variant of the Chinese proverb – 寧為玉碎不為瓦全, which means: “rather be a shattered piece of jade than an unbroken piece of pottery”.

Explanation of the meaning: the Jade is one of the most precious materials in Chinese history, in this case is compared with one’s honor and self-worth. The glass/pottery is just something you eat/drink from, is not something of big value, compared with a person who have lost their worth, hence “better to be a broken piece of Jade than a normal glass”.

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