Xue Meng let out a wretched cry as he pounced towards Shi Mei. But it was too late. Hua Bi'nan was like the King of Hell, the God of Death. He flew through the air and grabbed Shi Mei's neck from behind.
"Shi Mei!"
"Shi Ming Jing!"
The Elders at the Peak of Life and Death, as well as Xue Meng, all turned their heads. Hua Bi'nan had already brought Shi Mei with him on his sword and rose into the air. Under the bright moon in the sky, he coldly looked down at the chaotic crowd below.
Xue Meng was about to go crazy. She stepped on Dragon's Den and chased after Hua Binan, but halfway through, she was forced to stop by the Killer Bees that Hua Binan threw out. Unable to deal with them, she could only fall back to the ground and stagger.
Hua Bi'nan held Shi Mei's neck, his slender finger wearing the Spirit Snake Ring slowly stroking his opponent's throat. Suddenly, with a clang, a long spike shot out from the Spirit Snake Ring, flashing with a cold light.
"The Eye Healing Technique is extremely difficult to learn." Hua Bi'nan said slowly. "This little friend is so young, and he is not Lonemoon's disciple. To be able to use the Eye Healing Technique so skillfully, he must be very talented."
How could the people fighting on the ground not notice his actions?
For a moment, whether it was Xue Zhengyong, Mo Ran, or even Chu Wanning in front of the barrier, they all clearly saw Shi Mei being captured by Hua Bi'nan.
Mo Ran's eyes suddenly narrowed. In his anger and anxiety, he saw a ghostly red light flash. It actually forced Huang Xiaoyue and more than ten people back several feet. A few unlucky people were even directly knocked off the cliff of the Spirit Summoning Platform. In the boundless sea of clouds, they fell without even making a sound as they were swallowed up.
"Hua Bi'nan! Let him go! "
Shi Mei's face was pale. He lowered his head to look at Mo Ran and Xue Meng.
He pursed his lips and finally said, "Go help Master. Don't worry about me."
"Shi Mei!"
Chu Wanning stood in front of the array, his face as white as a sheet. His hands trembled uncontrollably, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. His heart was in his throat.
Shi Mei's gaze turned and landed on him. There was a trace of sadness in his eyes.
"Master …"
"What a coincidence." Hua Binan was stunned for a moment, then smiled, "I just casually grabbed and caught Grandmaster Chu's disciple?"
Chu Wanning...
"That's no wonder. She's already accomplished so much at such a young age." Hua Binan wasn't stingy with her praise. "She's such a good disciple. As a teacher, don't you feel bad for her?"
. "Hua Bi'nan. If you hurt him, I'll make you pay for it!"
"So you're saying that Grandmaster doesn't intend to do anything today?" Hua Bi'nan smiled and whispered into Shi Mei's ear, "Did you hear that? Between saving you and sealing the array, he chose the latter."
Shi Mei closed his eyes. His lips trembled, but he didn't say a word.
Hua Bi'nan laughed loudly, "If that's the case, I feel sorry for this little friend. You've become a disciple of Master, but you value righteousness more than your disciple's life. Shi Ming Jing, you're really pitiful."
The wind whistled around them. No one answered for a long time.
Perhaps it was because his life was hanging by a thread, but Shi Mei slowly opened his eyes in the silence. He said, "Master, I'm sorry."
...
. "I know … You all remember that I did some things because of my own selfish desires. Even now, I'm not sure if those things were right or wrong … I don't deserve to be Master's disciple. There are many times when I can't sacrifice my life for righteousness … "
"Shi Mei …"
On the high platform, Xue Meng heard him say this and couldn't help but think of the night when Chu Wanning died. Huaizui ordered them to go to the underworld to save their master, but Shi Mei hesitated and didn't agree quickly.
Mo Ran thought of the bowl of wontons that year. He thought of the inn, when Shi Mei bowed and told him apologetically that the bowl of wontons was made by Chu Wanning.
What about Chu Wanning?
Chu Wanning thought of Jin Chengchi's request for the sword. Shi Mei lamented that he couldn't obtain Shen Wu.
Other than that, he couldn't think of any other regrets.
Shi Mei had always been gentle, perfect, and obedient. He was like a new snowfall in the cold winter, pure white and without a speck of dirt. Therefore, even the slightest bit of dust on the snowy ground, or even the slightest bit of blooming plum blossom, would be particularly eye-catching.
Whether it was his mistakes, his hesitation, or his occasional selfishness, they were all so clear and unforgettable.
But he was also a very ordinary person. He was not a stone statue or a silk painting. He also had his own personal feelings.
But no one really understood him.
For Xue Meng, Shi Mei was a friend. He felt that this friend should follow him, accompany him, support him, and support him.
For the former Mo Ran, Shi Mei was the object of admiration. He felt that this object of his should be holy, tolerant, warm, and flawless.
For Chu Wanning, Shi Mei was his disciple. He was gentle, approachable, and had a tolerance and forbearance that Chu Wanning envied and admired.
At this time, they suddenly realized that all this time, Shi Mei had been Xue Meng's close friend and follower. He had been Mo Ran's Zhusha Mole and later Mosquito Blood. He had been Chu Wanning's most inconspicuous and unremarkable disciple.
The only thing he hadn't been was himself.
Hua Bi'nan laughed coldly. "Do you have any last words?"
"Hua Bi'nan, let him go!"
"Don't hurt him!"
"Don't hurt him, that's easy." Hua Bi'nan said, "If all of you surrender and wait for death, I naturally won't take his life."
"… …"
The formation in front of Chu Wanning's eyes flickered. It was obvious that the formation had reached a critical moment. Whether it would be sealed or explode would depend on this move. He didn't withdraw the strength in his hand, but it was trembling slightly.
This wasn't the World of Ghosts and Souls. The choice was made in a flash, and there was no time to think further.
This was like placing a knife on his disciple's neck, giving him hesitation, letting him see with his own eyes, making him feel unbearable pain.
Hua Bi'nan lifted his chin slightly and chuckled. "What do you think? The formation has been opened, so you can fight again. But if this knife falls, it will be extremely difficult to come back to life. Grandmaster, you must think carefully. "
At this time, Shi Mei spoke.
His voice wasn't very loud, but it was still clear.
"Actually, I don't like eating candied haws."
"… …" Hua Bi'nan lowered his head and stared at him, as if he didn't understand what he meant.
Shi Mei didn't cry. Shi Mei actually smiled slightly as he looked at his close friend, old friend, and master on the ground.
"I don't like eating candied haws, but Young Master, when we were young, you always asked me to help you eat it. What I want to cultivate the most is the Boundary Technique. Unfortunately, Master thinks that I'm not talented enough and isn't willing to teach me too much. I … …" His gaze fell on Mo Ran. "Mo Ran, I actually know what you wanted to say that day when Caidie suppressed the sky."
Mo Ran was suddenly stunned and looked at him blankly.
Shi Mei still smiled gently and peacefully. "… … But after Master came back, you never finished the sentence that you didn't say. In the restaurant, I saw the two of you eating together. When I looked at your eyes, I knew that you would never say the second half of the sentence again. "
Mo Ran: "… …"
"I'm actually very envious of Young Master, and I … I'm also very envious of Master," Shi Mei said softly. "Can you not think that I'm annoying because of my envy … …"
"I've never thought that you were annoying before!" Xue Meng shouted anxiously. His eyes couldn't help but redden. "I, I didn't know that you don't like candied haws. I really didn't know … … Shi Mei! Shi Mei! "
Hua Bi'nan was already impatient. He grabbed Shi Mei by the neck and stared at Chu Wanning. He said sternly, "I'll count to three. If you don't stop, I'll destroy him!"
"No!" Xue Meng turned around in a panic and shouted anxiously at Chu Wanning. "Master, please stop first! We can't watch something happen to Shi Mei in front of us! Just stop! "
"One."
The trembling of Chu Wanning's fingers went from almost undetectable to clearly visible to everyone.
He looked at Shi Mei. His usually sharp phoenix eyes met with his usually gentle peach blossom eyes. His phoenix eyes moistened.
"Two!"
"Bang — —"
At this moment, blood splattered everywhere.
Xue Meng and Mo Ran's shouts were like sharp swords that pierced through the roof. "Shi Mei!!!"
"… … You don't have to count to three." Blood dripped down. Shi Mei raised his hand and covered his eyes.
He hadn't cried from the beginning to the end.
But at this moment, blood flowed out from his eyes through the gaps between his fingers and trickled down his cheeks.
When Hua Bi'nan counted to two, he ran straight into the cold spike that Hua Bi'nan had placed in front of him and brushed past it. Hua Bi'nan was shocked. He wanted to pull back his hand, but the spike deviated by a few inches. The sharp blade that was originally going to cut Shi Mei's neck brushed past his eyes. In an instant, both of his eyes were gone!
"Under Yu Heng's command, no one has ever surrendered, nor … has he ever been … weak."
"Shi Mei!"
"Shi Mei!!!"
His voice split the clouds.
Chu Wanning's heart was also greatly shaken. He had already used all of his strength. Now that he saw his disciple destroy his own eyes with blood flowing out of his face, his hands couldn't help but soften. The formation suddenly backfired at this moment. A wave of spirit energy violently surged out from the crack and hit him squarely in the chest, sending him flying several meters away.
Chu Wanning violently coughed up a mouthful of blood, but he didn't have the time to take care of himself. He turned his hand and tried to repair the formation, but it was too late. Hua Bi'nan was stunned for a moment, then laughed loudly. He grabbed Shi Mei's collar and pulled him up. His eyes flashed with joy.
"I didn't expect you to be so useful. It seems that it would be a pity if I killed you. "
"Hua Bi'nan, what are you going to do?!"
Hua Bi'nan didn't answer. He only glanced at Xue Meng, then turned his gaze to the mysterious black barrier that was rapidly cracking open. He smiled and said, "This formation has been combined with the efforts of so many people. It's finally going to open. Everyone, this is the first time I've opened this formation in my life. I'm just giving it a try. I don't know what will happen next. "
As he spoke, he quickly lowered his sword and brought Shi Mei down to the entrance of the Soul Summoning Platform. When he disappeared in front of the entrance, he threw out a final sentence to the crowd.
"You guys stay here and have fun. This Jiao Mountain is so grand. It's not a bad thing to use it as a burial ground."
Almost at the same time, a deafening sound came from the sky. The Spirit Array was like ink spilled on a piece of paper, quickly spreading out and swallowing half of the sky in the blink of an eye. Even the moon was covered by the darkness behind it.
"What's going on!"
"What kind of formation is this?!"
"Is it the Ghost World's Sky Fissure?"
"But this isn't the color of the Heaven and Earth in the Ghost World!"
The people who were fighting fiercely just now were like grasshoppers on the same boat. They all looked up at the dark crack in the sky vigilantly.
Perhaps this couldn't be called a crack. Above the Soul Summoning Platform, half of the sky had cracked. Dull and rapid vibrations came from the bottomless darkness.
Huang Xiaoyue's face was sallow. Her nostrils flared, and she said, "This is … Is there a monster coming out from behind? Why is there such a big commotion? "
Mo Ran took the lead and stood at the front with the Ghost Sword in his hand. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed across the night sky.
Rumble —!
Heavenly Thunder Space Break!
"It's cracked!!"
"There's something behind! Something's coming out! "
"Is it a malicious ghost?!"
Xue Meng saw that Mo Ran and Chu Wanning were too close to the dark crack. He wiped the tears from his face and was about to run toward his cousin and master. However, he was grabbed by Xue Zhengyong and pulled behind him.
"Father!"
"Don't go! Stay here!"
"I don't want to! I want to stay with master and my brother! "
Xue Zhengyong's eyes were unprecedentedly sharp. He didn't allow Xue Meng to refuse. "Do you want to die?! Do you know — "
The rest of his words fell like dry twigs. He was stunned and didn't say anything else.
Xue Meng cried.
He wailed, "Father, I want to help them. Shi Mei has been taken away. I can't hide behind you and watch them get hurt! Please!! "
Before Xue Zhengyong could reply, green smoke and lightning hissed from the center of the pitch-black formation. A layer of smoke and clouds surged out from within.
When they got closer, they saw that it was a group of black-clothed cultivators with masks on their faces!
They stepped on their swords and descended from the sky amidst the thunder and lightning. It was impossible to tell which sect they belonged to or where they came from. The man in the lead wore a luxurious cloak embroidered with gold and silver threads. He wore a hood and a ferocious silver-gray mask that covered his face. He stood in the air with his hands clasped behind his back. Wind blew in all directions and clouds gathered around him. Even though he didn't say a word, he emitted an immeasurable murderous aura.
"What the hell is this?"
Xue Zhengyong was stunned.
The others who hadn't seen much of the world couldn't say a word. They just stared blankly at the sky.
Was it a ghost?
But no, there was no such ghost.
More and more people flew out of the black clouds on their swords. There were dozens of people, hundreds of people … In the end, they stood in the clouds and were on par with the cultivators on the ground. There were almost a thousand of them!
Xue Zhengyong shuddered. After a while, he gathered his breath and shouted, "Are you a human or a ghost? Why don't you tell us who you are?! "
"…" The man in the lead rolled his eyes. When his gaze fell on Xue Zhengyong, there was a meaningful look in his eyes.
"Say something! Do you understand what we're talking about? "Xue Meng also shouted.
The man didn't say anything. He paused for a moment and raised a pale and slender hand.
Then, he waved his hand and spoke concisely.
"Kill."