Section 5

Du Heng's complexion improved slightly, "Is Aunt Yue Ji doing well?"

If we part, in the next life, would you still be willing to like me again

Du Heng was taken aback, "What is the best?"

Du Heng scrutinized the tall, silver-haired man before him, who resembled a gentle breeze and bright moon, and indeed did not seem like someone who would easily yield, thus he nodded in trust.

Du Heng?" he asked in a daze.

The people you have consumed and those who are sacrificed are the same; they are all destined to die, with no distinction between them

This is the last sentence spoken by Li

In the end, there was still Du Heng, which was not enough, but it was truly wonderful

He was born as a deity, and no one has ever taught him what it means to truly live

If never being reborn can lead to being together with Du Heng the First, it is worth it

After thinking for a moment, he added: "He doesn't need to stab me with a knife either"

Du Heng gently sat down with his sleeves gathered, feeling a surge of restlessness and anger from being pressed by this person. He had only come to Yanqiu to be a guardian, and all he needed to do was protect the chosen Qingxuan. As for the inexplicable feelings that were about to arise, he had no obligation to respond, as he did not love her. While he was contemplating a rebuttal to the impending reproach, he noticed Bai Hanlu let out a sigh, saying, "This is for the best"

The next day, the rain maiden sent the livestock into the palace. The boy in the wooden cage was even fatter than when he was just bought, indicating that he had been well taken care of during this time. Bai Hanlu encountered her at the entrance of the Chaoling Pavilion with You'er. She showed no surprise at all, merely glancing at them blankly before brushing past. That glance made You'er feel extremely uncomfortable, burying his fox-like face in the young master's hair, and after a while, he asked: "Young master, do these little children really have to die?"

The little fox felt wronged, pouting its mouth high up.

Why should one smile

I will leave tomorrow. Bai Hanlu glanced at him and said, You can return to Qilin Valley and cultivate for a hundred years, and you will be able to forge a new physical body. After that, do not come to the mortal realm again

He can no longer speak, for his lips are no longer there

Du Heng looked at the smile on her face and felt as if his heart had been cleaved open by a sharp blade

It is I. Du Heng said, "Enough, I will leave."

Bai Hanlu looked at him with amusement, "Why didn't you hesitate when you used to eat people?"

When he turned around, Du Heng was sitting in front of the couch, her head lowered and silent.

Whether it is never to be reborn, or to be eternally separated from the celestial beings, whether one struggles in the flames of hell for a thousand years, or kneels before the Buddha in prayer for ten thousand years, as long as there are bonds, there will always be a day of reunion.

I am merely a businessman, motivated solely by profit, and I do not submit to anyone.

In just a few months, Du Heng will be alive again, with body heat, breathing, and the living Du Heng.

"Can't you see me? Aren't you supposed to see everything?" Du Heng said

He awkwardly turned his eyes away, not because he did not want to ask about the impending separation. He had instructed Zheng Kun to take care of her; she is now the empress who can command the clouds and rain from the throne, and it is likely that she is not living poorly. He has lived in Qilin Valley for over 2,000 years, growing up without ever leaving his hometown, and no one ever taught him what is right or wrong. Of course, no one taught him how to repay a debt. "She is a weak mortal, and naturally, she will face many hardships. Whether I ask or not, her life is likely to be filled with struggles. He has lived in Qilin Valley for over 2,000 years, growing up without ever leaving his hometown, and no one ever taught him what is right or wrong. Of course, no one taught him how to repay a debt. "She is a weak mortal, and naturally, she will face many hardships. Whether I ask or not, her life is likely to be filled with struggles. I have already chosen Qingxuan as the new master, yet she resents Qingxuan in every way. I have hurt her, but she has also hurt me; neither of us owes anything to the other." Du Heng looked at him with a calm gaze, "Therefore, I have no need to ask her, nor do I have any reason to ask her."

Before the dagger could fall, Li was momentarily stunned. Du Heng's half body was rapidly decaying, flesh and blood quickly turning to ashes. Bai Hanlu used the blood of the Soul Sealer as a seal, allowing it to attach to his half-corrupted flesh. However, that broken body could not sustain his spirit, and it would soon decay once more after a brief moment.

Whether it is sadness, anger, or resentment, any expression is acceptable, but one should never smile because of his matters

It is nothing much, she has resorted to forbidden techniques to bring you back to life. Bai Hanlu casually remarked, Tomorrow is the seventh day, the day of the living sacrifice, with forty-nine lives plus the contract with the demon, the accumulation of sins will surely shorten one's lifespan. She herself is already unfortunate, and it is a stroke of luck that she has managed to hold on until now. The deathly aura surrounding her is too heavy, and she has only a few days left to live

The fox confidently exclaimed loudly to the picture book: "How can it be the same? I am doing this to fill my stomach"

Bai Hanlu glanced at the semi-transparent Du Heng sitting on the tree branch, squinting as if lost in thought. He reached out to touch Jiang Li's hair, warmth continuously radiating from the top of her head. Jiang Li stared at Bai Hanlu's face and suddenly smiled, "You are truly wonderful." The little fox almost tumbled off the young master's shoulder, "Huh? What is so good about him?"

Why should we care

A few years ago, he thought that Sister Mochen's words were correct, that leaving was indeed the way of such mortals, but now, he vaguely feels that it may not be entirely accurate

Bai Hanlu held a pair of scissors and trimmed the candle flowers. It was already midnight, the perfect time to awaken the spirit. He cleansed his hands and took out a small glass bottle from his sleeve, biting his tongue to ignite the soul-calling incense. A thin wisp of smoke spread out, dispersing and then gathering again. When the incense burned out, the smoke coalesced into a translucent spirit.

Du Heng feigned ignorance, "Do you have a way to make Jiang Li see me?"

The land of Yanqiu, completely shrouded in hostility and demonic energy, lacks the favor of the Qilin deity, and it is feared that even the imperial lineage is on the verge of withering.

Is Jiang Li about to die? Mortals are truly fragile and greedy creatures; how could he die so easily, and does he really need her to save him? The sudden surge of anger compelled Du Heng to rush out, running all the way to the brightly lit Cangru Hall. Jiang Li had not yet rested; she was draped in a dark green peacock cloak, leaning over the desk. She was diligent regarding state affairs, but what was with that emaciated figure? Has Yan Qiu become so impoverished that even the Empress cannot afford to eat well?

Jiang Li could not hear anything, joyfully running off to see the livestock. Du Heng felt extremely uncomfortable; he was clearly right here, yet she could see nothing, her eyes only perceiving that disgusting shell. Jiang Li now resembled a madman, standing in front of the wooden cage, while the boys cried in terror at the blood pool and the half-human figure. She, as if unaffected, reached out to pat their heads in comfort.

Although she called him a detestable little monster, Kirin Tsukihime did not truly dislike him. She smiled at him and tugged at his hair, saying, "Little monster, with your temperament, you will inevitably suffer a great loss one day, and then I will come to watch your misfortune." Later, because her brother, Mianyu, fell in love with a mortal woman and was punished, Tsukihime publicly mocked the Heavenly Emperor in the celestial court, stating that it was better not to be a deity at all. She then descended to the mortal realm and never returned.

This is common knowledge; the souls of the divine race are trapped by the blood sacrifice of mortals. If mortals do not perish and the divine race destroys their physical bodies, their souls have nowhere to go, and most can only be trapped in the sea of consciousness. Bai Hanlu looked at him coldly, "However, the sea of consciousness is vast, akin to a universe, and finding a single soul is undoubtedly like searching for a needle in a haystack. Yet, Jiang Li easily released you, indicating that keeping you there was not her original intention.

Do not harm others any longer, the karmic obstacles you have created will prevent you from ever attaining rebirth

"Bai Hanlu does not deceive me"

The Moon Princess of the Qilin clan has been wandering in the mortal realm, having been disappointed with the Heavenly Emperor and her kin in Qilin Valley for several hundred years without returning. She is a person of noble status, yet she is gentler and more kind-hearted than others of her kind. When Du Heng was young, he often went to pick celestial fruits around her cave, and she would simply lean against a tree, smiling at him, calling out, "You annoying little monster, you have taken all the fruits. What will my guardian beast eat?"

Bai Hanlu continued, "A few months ago, I received a message from Miss Yueji, asking me to come to Yanqiu to find her nephew. She was a friend of my master, Bai Lian, during his lifetime, and I felt compelled to assist her in this matter."

At midnight, I will leave the bath and change clothes to arrive at Chaolin Pavilion

A child was about to be attacked, with a dagger poised at his neck, when suddenly his wrist was seized

Du Heng jumped down from the tree and said almost angrily: "Did I not say that I would ensure you have a good rebirth? Aren't all mortals like this? If this life is not lived well, there is still the next life. If you have lived a miserable life in this one, what is there to cling to?"

He has lived for thousands of years, guarding his pear garden in Qilin Valley, with only a few people he interacts with, and he never feels lonely. Yet, for these thousands of years, his heart has been like a still pond, undisturbed. Perhaps he has hurt others, but he has never been hurt by anyone, so he does not understand what pain is. He has never understood why some immortals do not undergo reincarnation, yet must endure the sufferings of worldly affairs. Xihai Xiaoliu once mocked him, asking, what is the difference between living one year like this and living ten thousand years?

He turned and sat down at the desk, staring blankly at the night outside

If there is no obsession, how can it be called love? In a state of madness, one pulls a child over and raises a dagger high.

There is, but I am afraid that your divine race cannot withstand it

Dressed in white, Jiang Li had not applied any makeup, and the orange glow of the palace lanterns illuminated her pale face, making it appear as if it were covered in gold leaf. The boys had been given some medicine, appearing dazed and confused. Jiang Li took a bronze dagger and called them over one by one. The blood of the offerings flowed into the lake, nourishing Fu Ji, and the flesh of the white bones would gradually grow.

Well, you do not care about her

Ah? Is this what you call good?

As she softened away from the knee, she instinctively reached out her hand. Du Heng found himself unable to resist the urge to touch her, yet in an instant, he completely detached from that skeleton. The framework shattered, and Li opened her arms wide, tightly embracing that skeleton.

The ritual takes place at midnight, when the demonic energy is at its peak. The demon goddess Fuji cannot escape from the boundless hell, and can only use the flesh and blood of a young boy as a medium to draw one of her souls into the mortal realm

Bai Hanlu stood in the courtyard, where several green bamboos in front of the corridor were gradually withering, and the water in the pond had turned into a murky black mass. All that could be heard were the wails of the vengeful spirits of the sacrificed boys, unable to escape the cycle of reincarnation, suffering in torment. You'er was extremely weak, curled up into a ball of fur and had already fallen asleep.

The soul returns, and the Qilin stirs the emotions of the mortal realm

It must be said that Du Huang's pair of sparkling eyes is quite captivating, yet she has a habit of looking at people askance, which adds a touch of sharpness and arrogance. "Who are you? How do you know that my spirit is trapped in the sea of consciousness of Jiang Li?"

Later, His Highness Mianyu was driven to despair by the mortal woman he loved, and now he cannot find his way back. Thus, Sister Mochen often advises not to pay any attention to those repugnant mortals, whose hearts are as foul as their insides.

Upon hearing these words, the person sitting in the tree revealed a hint of confusion in their gaze. The reason for their slow actions was that their right hand was of little use, and naturally, tasks performed with the left hand would be slower. Moreover, they were unwilling to rely on others for assistance. That hand had been rendered useless by Du Heng, and he could not forget the look of grievance and sorrow in her eyes when he had told her to let go.

He said, enough, I will leave. On that day, along with the books, when he said this, she witnessed with her own eyes his flesh suddenly decay into ash; a moment before, he was a living person, and in an instant, only a chilling skeleton remained. Those eyes that always looked at her with a cold, slanted gaze were now just two dark holes, leaving nothing behind for her

Du Heng lowered his head and thought for a moment, "Are you the one who is leaving? Are you speaking on her behalf?"

Du Heng walked up to her and said: "Let’s part ways, just like this. For all eternity to come, you shall never encounter me again. You have had enough, and so have I"

What you have is not love, but an obsession

Love with an obsession becomes a bond

At this time, it is the hour of the pig, and the palace has already imposed a curfew

After nightfall, Jiang Li left to take a bath and change clothes, and went to Chaoling Pavilion. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Bai Hanlu standing in the middle of the yard, looking up at the sky. Jiang Li also looked up, and the sky was a pitch-black and terrifying expanse, seemingly much lower than the starry sky of the old capital when she thought about it carefully. It seemed she hadn't looked up at the starry sky for a long time, which struck her as somewhat strange. "Eh, where are the stars?"

When Du Heng heard his name, his heart suddenly became restless, almost jumping out of his chest. He thought he would see Jiang Li, but Jiang Li stood at the door, glancing around a few times, then slumped his shoulders, resembling a lonely little bird.

The large eyes, wide open and devoid of any vitality, were a dull green, empty and lacking in anything at all

He suddenly pushed him away and shouted, "How can it be enough! Not enough! Not enough at all! You all have left, and I am the only one remaining. Is it too much to ask for my Du Heng?"

"That is why we need Du Heng to return," Jiang Li said, "This land needs him"

She slowly turned her head, her arms revealing a skeletal structure. Following the white bones, she gradually lifted her head, and Du Heng was half-kneeling beside her, a terrifying figure that was half human and half bone

Bai Hanlu raised an eyebrow, a smile that was neither fully a smile nor a frown, and said, "I thought you would ask about Jiang Li or your old turtle servant."

Suddenly, she caught a whiff of a familiar fragrance; it was the scent of Du Heng incense. It had not been burned in the palace for several years. She trembled, "... Du Heng?!" She dropped her pen and rushed outside, scattering the memorials all over the ground. The entrance to the hall was empty, with nothing there. The guards at the door were kneeling on the ground, and the wind swept in, bringing dust and sand to her face. She rubbed her eyes again and again, but there was nothing.