AUOF - 133

Rushing back to Luoyu Palace, the two carefully placed Sang Sang onto the bed.

The Spirit-Locking Candles would temporarily deprive her of consciousness. She would awaken in three days at the earliest, or seven days at the latest.

To prevent any accidents, Sang Ning set up an impenetrable seal throughout the entire Luoyu Palace.

They didn’t have much time to spare. Ji Hengyu asked, “Where is the Spirit-Asking Stone?”

“Follow me.”

Sang Ning led the way.

Tianze River had a forbidden area that only the royal family could enter—Jiwangchuan.

Jiwangchuan was a burial ground for souls.

Over the years, all deceased kings would have their soul tablets erected in Jiwangchuan. After death, their residual souls would return to the Spirit-Asking Stone.

The two entered Jiwangchuan. The atmosphere here was dark and solemn.

There were no shadows from trees, no wind in the forest. Dark soul tablets floated in the void, each adorned with a soul-calling bell. Whenever a living person approached, their presence would force the bells to clang. They walked west, accompanied by the soul bells, crossed a lake, and ascended a hundred steps made of soul bones, which led to the altar where the Spirit-Asking Stone resided.

The altar was surrounded by eight spirit-guarding pillars, simultaneously adorned with unbreakable layers of boundary seals.

Sang Ning, being of royal blood, used his own blood to activate the boundary seal, leading Ji Hengyu inside. As Sang Ning’s palm touched the surface, the outline of a stone gradually appeared in the center.

It wasn’t as large as Ji Hengyu had imagined.

It was about the size of two fists, with a deep fracture along its edge. The stone itself was reddish-brown from inside out, and it emitted a magnificent, yet chilling, faint glow.

Ji Hengyu gazed intently at the stone.

It seemed to possess some power, drawing Ji Hengyu’s consciousness towards it.

—He couldn’t look any longer.

Ji Hengyu silently recited a mental discipline, closed his eyes, and averted his gaze.

“When did it appear?”

Sang Ning pondered for a moment, then replied, “Over five thousand years ago? It’s been here since Tianze River was formed.”

The Spirit-Asking Stone witnessed the birth and rise of the demon race.

Both demon cultivators and past demon gods deeply believed in the power bestowed by the Spirit-Asking Stone.

Ji Hengyu’s gaze, however, darkened.

Sang Ning asked, puzzled, “Is something wrong?”

Ji Hengyu didn’t answer directly. He turned to leave: “Follow me.”

With confusion, Sang Ning followed his footsteps.

Ji Hengyu joined his index and middle fingers, forming golden runes in the air. As the imprints took shape, he silently recited a spell, tearing open a portal in the sky. Ji Hengyu gestured for Sang Ning to step through.

A cold wind assaulted them from outside the portal. They stood atop the clouds, looking down at the landscape below.

On all sides, boundless ocean waves stretched out. Amidst them stood winding mountain ranges, bone-white and undulating, encircling the center of the sea.

Sang Ning carefully looked around and exclaimed in horror, “This is—?!”

“That’s right.” Ji Hengyu nodded, “Tianshan Prison.”

The once divine mountain range of Tianshan was utterly destroyed after the arduous battle with Yen Jiuying.

“What did you bring me here for?”

Ji Hengyu pointed at the position of Tianshan Prison’s “heart.” “Do you know what that is?”

Sang Ning shook his head, unsure.

Ji Hengyu said, “It’s its heart.” He continued, “Yen Jiuying was originally a wisp of Yanmosha from the primordial chaos. People’s evil desires birthed it. Later, those evil desires accumulated into a heart, which also gave the malevolence a form.”

Connecting the previous events, Sang Ning immediately understood, “You mean... the Spirit-Asking Stone is Yen Jiuying’s heart?”

Ji Hengyu neither confirmed nor denied it.

All the evil desires in the world are inseparable from greed, anger, ignorance, wrath, sorrow, fear. Evil desires produce evil consequences, and evil consequences devour human hearts. Even if the Heavenly God severed its nine heads and destroyed its physical body, as long as its heart remained, it would have a vessel to hide in. Even a minuscule trace of malevolent evil could bring it back to the human world.

Sang Ning and Ji Hengyu were still dazed as they returned through the portal.

For five thousand years, the Sang clan had painstakingly nourished this spiritual stone, gaining spiritual power that made them unmatched. Now, he was being told... this was actually a remnant heart of an ancient demon god?

It took him a moment to process. He pointed his long spear at the Spirit-Asking Stone, his eyes filled with a fierce glare that was difficult to meet. “If I destroy it, will my sister be alright?”

Ji Hengyu sighed, “Don’t you understand yet?”

Sang Ning looked at him.

Ji Hengyu said, “After Yen Jiuying died, this heart was merely a vessel to temporarily hold its residual breath. It could only serve as a hiding place, so Yen Jiuying needed a more suitable, more powerful vessel, which is—a body.”

Sang Ning felt a chill down his spine upon hearing this.

He suddenly recalled that the Spirit-Asking Stone would choose a demon god and imbue all spiritual power into that person. According to Ji Hengyu’s words, the so-called power was actually... Yen Jiuying’s soul??

Previous demon gods could not bear the world-destroying cultivation of Yen Jiuying’s soul, so they all suffered backlash and perished in the end. And what returned to the Spirit-Asking Stone was not the soul of the deceased demon god, but Yen Jiuying itself!!

Sang Ning’s pupils trembled, the sudden truth making his fingertips shake uncontrollably.

In other words... every time Sang Sang lost control before, it was actually Yen Jiuying’s doing. It was trying to seize Sang Sang’s physical body and use her to gain even more powerful malevolent energy, to grow its nine heads again?!

Sang Ning couldn’t believe it. He desperately wanted to see disbelief on Ji Hengyu’s face, or hear him refute something.

But Ji Hengyu said nothing, which made Sang Ning’s heart plummet to rock bottom.

He didn’t care, he lunged forward and grabbed Ji Hengyu’s wrist: “What will happen to Sang Sang? Tell me, what will happen to her?”

Ji Hengyu slowly looked into Sang Ning’s eyes.

He opened his mouth, speaking each word distinctly: “Yen Jiuying has already grown seven bodies. When all nine bodies are complete...”

Ji Hengyu couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence, but Sang Ning understood.

He stumbled back two steps, his dazed eyes filled with defeat.

His gaze was hollow, and he murmured blankly—

“That’s my sister...”

“My sister, whom I’ve watched grow up since she was little.”

“I promised Mother that I would take care of her no matter what.”

They were siblings born of the same bloodline; flesh and blood intrinsically linked from the womb.

Sang Ning would rather it be himself, the one chosen, the one to die, be him.

Suddenly, Sang Ning seemed to realize something, his gaze fixed on Ji Hengyu.

His eyes probed ceaselessly, and finally, Sang Ning seemed to grasp some subtle anomaly, “You have a way.” It wasn’t a question, but an assertion, “You came so urgently to find me, it’s certainly not just to tell me the truth. So... you actually have a way.”

Ji Hengyu remained silent.

He did have a way, but this method couldn’t achieve a perfect outcome. It was destined to be a dead end of life and death.

“Using the Spirit-Asking Stone as a medium, transfer Yen Jiuying’s soul from Sang Sang’s body to mine, and then... you kill me.”

At first, Ji Hengyu thought of forcing Yen Jiuying back into the Spirit-Asking Stone, then destroying both the soul and the heart.

But Yen Jiuying had already grown seven heads, and the already damaged Spirit-Asking Stone could not fully contain the current Yen Jiuying...

In that case, there was only one solution—find another physical body to contain the soul.

One only needed to seize that instant to deliver a fatal blow, and both the Spirit-Asking Stone and Yen Jiuying would be annihilated. This was the most comprehensive method Ji Hengyu could conceive.

Jiwangchuan was utterly silent.

If this were any other time, Sang Ning would surely think he had gone mad.

The clear, ethereal soul bells suddenly chimed loudly, rattling throughout Jiwangchuan, mirroring Sang Ning’s turbulent emotions at that moment.

He quietly gazed at Ji Hengyu for a long time. The man was silent, calm, and expressionless. Not just now, but he had been prepared for a long time, having already thought of this outcome the moment he saw the truth, or even before finding him.

Sang Ning suddenly showed a hint of a smile, an inexplicable smile, for reasons he couldn’t quite grasp.

Sang Ning took a deep breath, as if relieved, and sat directly on the steps, looking up at the soul tablets suspended in the misty light. Ji Hengyu hesitated for a moment, then sat down beside him.

“Sang Sang first mentioned you to me five years ago.” Sang Ning said, “She spoke of how good you were, how genuinely you treated her, but to me, it sounded ridiculous. There are many troubles in the mortal world, who would genuinely treat someone well for a lifetime? Yet she was determined to be with you.”

“Mm.” Ji Hengyu didn’t refute, lowering his eyes and saying, “I also believe I’m not worthy.”

Not worthy.

These were the two words Ji Hengyu said most often about himself.

Not worthy of her goodness; even less worthy of her affection.

A woman as good as her, he was unworthy, and others were even less so. What was she worthy of? The moon in the sky, the sea on earth, the myriad mountains and valleys, freedom and ease. Only she could not be confined to one place, revolving around one person.

But she said—

He was the moon within reach; the mountains embraced in her arms.

Thinking of those past memories, Ji Hengyu’s eyes gradually softened with warmth, and his lips curved into a smile involuntarily, then the smile faded, settling into melancholy.

Suddenly, Sang Ning stood up and forcefully plunged his Dragon Roar Spear into the altar.

“Sang Sang and I are blood-siblings, born of the same lineage. If one must be chosen to die, it should be me.” Sang Ning rarely showed Ji Hengyu such a cheerful and clean smile. “Consider it done; I acknowledge you as my brother-in-law. It’s just a pity there’s no wine, otherwise, we’d have two cups.”

Ji Hengyu frowned, “Sang Ning...”

Sang Ning knew what he was about to say and waved his hand, stopping his words. “I am absolutely not playing the hero. It’s just that you possess the Quexie Chihan Sword, which once killed Yen Jiuying, and I share the same bloodline as Sang Sang. In terms of possibility, I am the more suitable one.”

Ji Hengyu’s unsaid words were thus forcefully blocked by him.

Sang Ning was right. Once Yen Jiuying was forced out, if it couldn’t return to Sang Sang’s body, it would inevitably choose a physical body with a similar aura to Sang Sang. Sang Ning was undoubtedly the best choice.

Sang Ning turned his back to Ji Hengyu and walked out step by step.

Compared to his previous hesitation and gloom, he now felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted, his expression filled with ease.

Sang Ning looked up at the soul tablets hanging in the dense mist, like stars.

Soon, there would be a place for him here, but... his sister would never have to come again.

Thinking of this, Sang Ning’s eyes curved, and he smiled.

The perpetually cold and damp Jiwangchuan seemed to suddenly part its clouds and give birth to radiance.