V2C73

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Dawn descended at last, but all appeared to have come to an end already.

After the barrier that enveloped Star Ocean Cloud Pavilion had shattered into ruins, a hazy rain started falling from the sky, silently dampening her head and face, as cold and wet as a dead body, lightly touching the ends of her hair with its fingers.

Zhu Yan was kneeling at the bottom of the ruined ground, with a hollow and bleeding heart, unable to voice a single cry, even her eyes were staring blank.

Above her head a cloud was lingering, hesitant, full of mist and sprinkling down a shower of raindrops.

Legend has it that sharks, unlike humans on land, do not have three souls and seven bodies. They emerge from the sea, and when they die, they do not return to the Yellow Springs, but only transform into clean clouds, rise into the sky, and fall back to the Blue Sea as rain, where they sleep in eternal peace beneath the stars and the everlasting wind.

Could this cloud above her head, at this very moment, be Yuan? Has he already returned between the sea and the sky? He once said that the life of a shark was long and that he would have to wait a long time to see Yao Yi’s reincarnation, but now, it was no longer possible for him to wait… All this was because of her. If it wasn’t for her, Yuan wouldn’t have died; if it wasn’t for her, Master wouldn’t have died either.

If she didn’t exist in this world, then none of this would have happened at all!

So why was she still alive then, why was she still standing there?

Zhu Yan sank to her knees with her hands covered in blood, bewildered by all this, her thoughts extremely slow and chaotic, and every thought she brought to her mind contained a piercing pain, her heart ripping through a sea of swords and knives, bruised and battered, never ceasing to bleed.

She remained frozen in place, her soul lost in agony. It wasn’t until the sound of human voices gradually filtered from above, apparently following the sunrise, that the commotion on that side of the building finally alerted the outside world, and a stream of passers-by began to gather around.

“What happened to the Star Ocean Cloud Pavilion? Why did it collapse all of a sudden?”

“Could it be that there was a misdirected artillery shot from the war ahead and it landed here?”

“Luckily this place was sealed off just a while ago, usually there are hundreds of people inside every day.”

“Hey, maybe there are still people in there! I just vaguely heard someone shouting a few times at the bottom…”

“Do you think so? Should we go down and take a look?”

The noise overhead grew louder and louder, people constantly gathered and some even tried to climb down from the ground floor. She ignored them all, not even bothering to think about what she was going to do if anyone were to see the scene; her mind was empty, she was just kneeling down like an empty stone into the spring beneath the ground.

Yes… it was time to end it. Yuan was dead, the Master was dead… everything was over. Why was she still alive? It was too painful to live. If everything ended at this moment, all this pain would also stop, isn’t it?

However, before the spectators could get a chance to climb down, a sudden clatter of horse hooves clamored on the ground, followed by a rebuke, the voice of a man ordering the onlookers to retreat immediately. The Primus troops that previously were chasing them from behind, have finally arrived and surrounded the ruined Cloud Pavilion.

The General Qing Gang was severely injured in the battlefield earlier, and the one who led the men in pursuit was the Governor of Yecheng, Bai Fenglin. Right then, when he saw the instant collapse of the Star Ocean Cloud Pavilion, he gasped in shock – how could the Cloud Pavilion collapse like that?

This could not be the result of the artillery bombardment, but the effect of a magic spell, right? But who would have the power to do that? Could it be… He didn’t see Shi Ying the entire day that day, could it be that he was personally standing down over there?

The leader of the Restoration Army that escaped the trap a moment before, was clearly running towards the direction of the Star Ocean Cloud Pavilion, wasn’t he seized by him, was he? Damn it, they had a tough fight up on the battlefield, but in the end, that bastard actually managed to steal the credit?

“Someone, hurry and go down there.” Bai Fenglin was secretly dissatisfied in his heart, but on the surface, he didn’t reveal any of his feelings, he just stared at the large bottomless pit on the ground and ordered, “Check if that remaining member of the Restoration Army is in there.”

“Yes!” The underlings dismounted from their horses and prepared to descend to the underground to take a look.

… It would only take another instant for them to realize that the Great Priest and the leader of the Restoration Army were dead in the same spot together, having Zhu Yan, the young Princess of the Red Clan, grieving by their side. Yet, in that very instant, suddenly everything went black above their heads!

Not good! Among them all, only Xuan Can, who had the highest cultivation level, was instantly alarmed and tried to resist by crossing his arms over his chest. However, the darkness expanded too quickly, and as soon as he moved his fingers, that power had already enveloped his head, shutting off all his senses.

No way? Who could possibly do this? Was it that Shi Ying guy? What was he trying to do?… As the darkness overwhelmed him, Bai Fenglin had only one last thought crossing his mind before he, like everyone else within a mile radius, instantly lost consciousness. The entire ruins of the Star Ocean Cloud Pavilion went silent, like a frozen monochrome picture.

The sound above her head undulated, changing as the situation became critical, but Zhu Yan did not react in the slightest. She just sat woodenly on her knees in the spring water beneath the ground, holding the broken blade in her hand and staring at the two dead people in front of her, with her heart wracked by a strong desire of death, her eyes empty, as if her soul had strayed away.

That was until someone descended from the sky and landed in front of her.

“Dear God…” she heard a gasp of shock coming from the person who approached, “is it still too late?”

Who was it? Who had arrived… Zhu Yan wondered sluggishly, and finally managed somehow to lift her head – in that moment she caught sight of a giant feathered head, with four blood-red eyes staring starkly at her.

“Four… Four-eyed Bird?” Her mouth rattled as her brain snapped off. That was Chongming! How could Chongming be here? Did it… have it seen the scene and was it going to… In that moment, she subconsciously turned her head away, shame, guilt, and grief all swarming up together engulfing her conscience. Zhu Yan raised her hand to cover her face, and unexpectedly wished that the earth would split open and swallow her up in that instant!

Chongming the Divine Bird looked at her, then at the dead man on the ground, as if in disbelief, then back at her, then again at the body of Shi Ying on the ground – and suddenly, the feathers all over its body snapped up!

A violent wave of shock entered its blood-red eyes and a slurred grunt escaped its throat as it stretched its neck to poke its head at Shi Ying, who was lying on the ground, calling out for its master with a shrill cry – however, the Great Priest only rolled slightly on a side as it was pushed by the bird’s beck, soundlessly.

In that instant, Chongming froze, all its feathers collapsed, and its four eyes became even more bloodshot, gazing maliciously at Zhu Yan, roaring dangerously with murderous intent in its eyes, almost dripping blood.

Zhu Yan didn’t dare to look at it, her entire body was trembling, as she just repeatedly muttered, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”

Chongming stared at her with a deadly gaze, and suddenly tossed his head up and exploded into a loud whistle, rushing forward and pecking at her with wild fury!

What? Was Chongming going to eat her to avenge its Master?

Zhu Yan drifted off into a trance, unwilling to move a muscle, and just sat on her knees in the spring beneath the ground, closing her eyes, with all thoughts at rest, letting the sharp giant beak fall upon her and devour her head in one gulp.

“Stop!” In that very moment, a deep, low voice shouted harshly.

Chongming’s peck landed on the magic barrier, and his entire body recoiled a step backwards.

“Chongming, stand back first.” A voice scolded in a muffled tone. Someone’s footsteps echoed through the surface of the water, approaching step by step, sounding extremely distant in her trance, like someone who was wading across from the other side. Who was it? Who could possibly appear here at this time?

As though a long reincarnation had passed, the footstep finally stopped in front of her, and after examining the whole situation with extreme disbelief, let out a long sigh, “How did the things come to this…”

Who was it? Zhu Yan raised her head in a trance and saw a black cloak draped in front of her, embroidered with cloud patterns, and the hands inside the cloak were long and bony with pale skin. She lifted her head straining along those hands and finally saw the person who appeared in front of her for the first time: It was an old man with silver hair like snow, holding in his withered fingers a pure black jade slip, almost identical to her Master’s, gazing at her with shock and sadness in his eyes.

If you loved my translations, help me to keep up with the good work!

Your contribution is highly appreciated, Thank you!

NOTE: This translation belongs to me. It is prohibited to copy / Re-translate / Re-distribute my translations without my prior permission. Thank you.

Like this:Like Loading...

Related