Chapter Eighty-Seven: The Deity

I stepped back into the city, the scene before me painfully chaotic and tragic, stinging my eyes. Countless beasts emerged from the ground like bamboo shoots, baring their bloody fangs at the people hiding among the ruins. They rushed forward to tear and devour them. Those who weren't consumed stumbled and limped around, and if they accidentally touched the lingering embers of the "heavenly fire" on the ground, they turned to ash in an instant.

This way of dying felt eerily familiar.

My mind suddenly churned, my brain throbbing with pain as images flickered through my head: Qiong Yun Sect... fire qilin... death upon contact.

So it was... the flames spewed by that demonic qilin were exactly like the heavenly fire unleashed by Quanyou and his allies? It turned out... he had deliberately given me a chance to let him revive, and he had bet on it correctly.

I was still a pawn. I truly regretted not eliminating this scourge immediately back then. I foolishly believed that although he was ruthless, he had some genuine feelings for me. No, I was truly naive. His true feelings were all for Chiming Ghost God Daiying.

And I was merely a tool to awaken the Chiming Ghost God.

How laughable. Truly laughable.

I couldn't suppress the urge to press my hand against my head, curling my lips in self-mockery, only to find that I didn't even have the strength to force out a laugh.

A myriad of emotions churned within me, leaving me speechless, my fingers clawing at my scalp beneath my disheveled hair, clenching tightly, my teeth grinding together.

But I didn't know who these emotions were directed at.

The one I should hate, the one I should be angry at... was myself.

A heart-wrenching roar echoed, and a strange fragrance filled my nostrils. This cool scent dispelled the lingering stench of blood and resentment, clearing my mind.

With a thud, a beast fell to the ground, its lantern-like yellow eyes losing their luster.

"The entire city is filled with the scent of illusionary blood that weakens your will. Use your power to protect yourself, and you'll be fine," a familiar voice said. I looked up to see a figure in a stunning bright yellow dress, as radiant as sunlight.

I stared blankly at that striking figure, "Huaying?"

She turned her head slightly and asked indifferently, "Do you want to live?"

Of course, I did. Even though I still didn't understand the reason, didn't know why my heart longed to live on… Actually, Daiying was right. She was the main soul. Without her, I would be reduced to ashes.

I nodded, trying to force my stiff neck to move.

"Is choosing between life and death so difficult now? Why was it so straightforward when Qianqian asked you before? You don't even know why you want to live. Are you worthy of those who sacrificed for you?"

I understood everything she said. I understood it all!

But in the depths of this abyss, no matter how I struggled, my spirit remained weak. My body wouldn't move despite my efforts, sinking deeper into the mire with every attempt. What could I do? How could I rise up? As a mortal Qingyue, it was like this... and even as an immortal, it was no different!

Just like now, the sound of blades slicing through flesh still worried me, fearing I'd fall into another inescapable abyss, forever silent in the chaos.

"If your efforts yield no results, it means you're not trying hard enough, understand?" Huaying seemed to see right through me, speaking as she stood before me, driving away the beasts, her jade hands stained with blood.

At that moment, I recalled the ghost who signed a contract with me and changed her name to "Qianqian."

The one who, for some unknown reason, would sacrifice everything for you, save you... inexplicably good to you, inexplicably...

"If you don't understand why they treat you so well, shouldn't you pull yourself together, break free from this predicament, and spend your life solving this mystery? Snap out of it, Qingyue!" Of course, Huaying must have used mind-reading.

After all, why was she in this state?

Maybe it was Quanyou who orchestrated all this to watch me fall again, to savor my despair. It wasn't impossible. After all, his true feelings were always for Daiying.

"Really...? Shouldn't you have more confidence in yourself?" Huaying suddenly laughed, biting her finger and scattering blood into the air. Countless blood-red flowers sprouted, their vines halting the beasts' advance, the crimson glow enveloping her bright yellow dress, making her look like a budding rose.

"If Qingyue the Immortal isn't enough, let's add Huaying the True Demon..." Huaying's voice grew weaker as the crimson flowers faded, becoming transparent, until a dark red orb emerged, shooting straight into my forehead.

...It wasn't just pure demonic energy but a deep, serene power that filled the void within me, awakening my dormant veins. My cultivation surged, yet I felt no hint of chaos in the energy.

Huaying... she refined herself into an elixir to boost my cultivation?

While I was still in doubt, a clear female voice emanated from the faintly translucent light shield, "This is just a temporary loan. I'm quite fond of my life. Remember to return it when you're done."

"Hey! Do you still not know what you need to do? This Molten Heart is a karma created by the Chiming Ghost God, bringing ruin and suffering to all living beings. If you can extinguish the Molten Heart, you will gain the recognition of the heavens, save countless lives, and achieve immense virtue. You will become a deity!"

Huaying's words jolted me awake.

I couldn't help but mutter, "A deity?"

Huaying emphasized sternly, "Yes, a true deity."

If I became a deity, would I be able to save those I wish to save and change the things I want to change? Could I, like Qingwu, personally alter fate?

Immediately, I cast a protective barrier around Huaying, summoned my spirit sword, and flew towards the Molten Heart in the sky.

The high temperature scorched my exposed skin, and the closer I got to the Molten Heart, the more I sweated. Soon, the sweat evaporated instantly in the terrifying heat, only for more to pour out again. I feared that I would be dried out before reaching the Molten Heart.

Even with my protective aura, it was useless. Damn it...!

I had to conjure a large stone platform beside me and gather icy energy to fend off the heat.

The moment I summoned the cold, my fingers were scorched by the intense heat.

I was astonished.

This "heavenly fire" burns water and ice. Without sufficient cultivation, I wouldn't even be able to protect myself for long.

Feeling helpless, I descended a bit, using my energy to adjust my internal breath and regain my strength.

"Why did you come down? Why aren't you going up? Why aren't you going up!" A sharp female voice pierced my eardrums. I knew this voice very well—Linglu.

Her hair was disheveled, a gold hairpin precariously perched on top, matching her current unstable form. Her once delicate face was now marred, her eyes bloodshot with madness, her bridal gown bright red and undamaged, making her look terrifying. She hobbled towards me like a ghost, dragging a broken leg.

I withdrew my aura, looking at her suspiciously, "Why are you here?"

She remained silent, thrusting a cold palm into my shoulder. Her brows furrowed, and she spat out a mouthful of crimson blood.

This cold energy wasn't an attack but rather soothed my parched and overheated blood. She was returning all the cultivation she had taken from me?

The cold energy gradually weakened in her hand. She fell to the ground, yet stubbornly kept her arm extended, refusing to collapse completely. With a crack, her arm broke.

"I learned from that woman that you can save my senior brother, right? I returned all the cultivation I took from you. You can save him, can't you?" She lifted her head, streaks of tears cutting through the grime and blood on her face, her voice hoarse, "Qingyue, you can save him, right? And also...!"

She then spat out a blue light, which landed in my hand, transforming into an ice lotus.

"This is a fragment of an ice lotus that my senior brother found and forcibly restored, consuming half his life's power... I'm giving it back to you... Please save him, okay?" She gasped in pain, speaking in broken sentences, her eyes becoming cloudy.

I silently propped her up against the stone railing and infused her with some spiritual energy for protection.

As I turned away, I heard her using all her strength to give a haunting warning, "If you can't do it, I will become a deity myself to save him... no matter the cost..."

I closed my eyes, clenching my fists tightly.

"Don't worry... I won't let you bear this burden alone."

She laughed mockingly, a sound filled with bitterness, unwillingness, and a barely perceptible... relief.