After the Sacrifice (Modified and Remade)

My dear readers, I apologize for the mess when posting and some delays. I started translating this work because I enjoyed reading another translator's post before. I've always wanted to write a story of my own, I have about 20 stories that I've written, but I've never managed to finish them and that's why I've never posted any. I suffer from depression and I tend to have constant bouts of discouragement, but I always try to do something consistent to get my head out of the gutter and not end up doing anything crazy.

That's why I enjoy translating this work and reading your comments, but a week ago I entered another spiral of discouragement, since I'm unemployed this has been happening for a while and I'm really afraid of hurting my mother, especially if I don't pass this test, so I'm trying hard to study.

I won't stop translating this work, in case you think I'm taking a hiatus. No, I just want to vent, to see if it cheers me up a bit and I can continue to endure another month of discouragement and sadness.

Enjoy today's chapters, kisses.

-x-X-x-

**Chapter 87: After the Sacrifice**

"Ever since I was caught by you, I've been in trouble!"

"You found me, didn't you?"

"I don't want to fight anymore. Instead of being killed later, I might as well choose how I want to go."

"Now that you've advanced and need a Soul Ring, I'll sacrifice myself for you. I hope you'll treat my Soul Ring and soul bone well!"

Amid the massive fluctuations of Soul Power, Xiao Tao, who had originally been bound and trapped on the ground, stood up and slowly walked toward Gu Ziyi.

A pink energy connected her body to his.

Bang bang bang—

As for Bibi Dong, Yu Long, and Li Chanfei, without the sacrificial energy link that Xiao Tao released, they were pushed back by the immense residual energy impact she unleashed.

Gu Ziyi and Xiao Tao were now alone in this space.

"Sacrifice..."

"This is actually the legendary sacrifice of a Soul Beast..."

"No wonder there's such a strong energy field repelling us..."

Yu Long, who had been pushed back, couldn't help but exclaim in shock after stabilizing himself.

"So it's a sacrifice. No wonder she was able to break free and force us to retreat. It makes sense if it's a sacrifice!"

Li Chanfei was also somewhat surprised by the situation. Initially, she had been worried about Gu Ziyi's safety, but she felt relieved upon realizing that Xiao Tao had offered herself as a sacrifice.

Since the sacrifice of a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beast is irreversible, and the beast voluntarily chooses the target, it becomes impossible for it to harm the Soul Master during the process.

"She actually chose to sacrifice herself. Isn't the little brother benefiting greatly now?"

"This is a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Ring!"

Bibi Dong also stabilized herself under Li Chanfei's protection, her eyes wide as she watched Xiao Tao walking toward Gu Ziyi.

"Sister Fei, the little brother won't be in danger in this situation, right?"

Although happy for her little brother, Bibi Dong was still concerned upon seeing the Soul Beast approaching Gu Ziyi.

"Probably not. A hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Ring is already rare. It's even rarer for such a Soul Beast to voluntarily sacrifice itself to a Soul Master. Furthermore, once the beast chooses to sacrifice itself, it's irreversible, and no one can stop the process."

Yu Long looked at Gu Ziyi's figure with envy in his eyes.

To receive a sacrifice, which requires the beast's voluntary choice, and from a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beast, was something only spoken of in legends. He never imagined he would have the chance to witness this scene firsthand.

'It would be amazing if I could also get a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Ring...'

"But His Highness is only at Level 40 right now. Is there really no problem?"

However, Li Chanfei was also a bit concerned at this moment.

"Yes, the little brother is only at Level 40. Can he really withstand the energy of a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Ring?"

After hearing Li Chanfei's words, Bibi Dong became even more worried about the situation.

"Probably not... I hope not..."

After hearing Li Chanfei and Bibi Dong, Yu Long's expression also changed to one of slight panic.

He had no knowledge of how this situation might unfold!

But no matter how he thought about it, Gu Ziyi, being only at Level 40, wouldn't be able to handle the immense energy that a hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Ring contained.

"What should we do? What can we do?"

"Sister Fei, is there any way to interrupt the sacrificial ritual?"

Bibi Dong's expression instantly turned anxious upon hearing Yu Long's uncertain tone.

"There's no way for us to stop it from the outside; we can't even get close. With this kind of energy field surrounding them, even a Title Douluo coming here personally wouldn't be able to approach, let alone interrupt this ritual!" 

Li Chanfei clenched her hands lightly and looked anxiously at Gu Ziyi in the distance. She too was worried about him. 

Gu Ziyi wasn't just her little man, but someone who could help her cultivate, and he was also one of the Pope's disciples. 

If anything happened to him, it would be a difficult situation for his two protectors. 

"We must believe in His Highness. He'll surely be fine." 

At this moment, Yu Long's eyes also showed panic, but he could only pray for Gu Ziyi's safety. 

"Little brother..." 

When Bibi Dong heard them, she could only bite her lower lip and look intently at Gu Ziyi in the distance, full of concern for him. 

… 

At this moment, Gu Ziyi was also very surprised. 

He never expected that the 100,000-year-old Soul Beast he had accidentally captured would choose to sacrifice itself at this moment. 

Feeling the continuous flow of sacrificial energy being transmitted into his body, urging him to absorb it, Gu Ziyi did not choose to comply. 

Although surprised initially, he quickly calmed down, rejecting the idea of absorbing Soul Rings from Soul Beasts. 

It wasn't that he truly disliked Soul Rings from Soul Beasts, but they posed significant disadvantages for him, making him refuse the idea of absorbing one. 

Even if it was a 100,000-year Soul Ring! 

If he absorbed even a single Soul Ring from a Soul Beast, his self-condensing Soul Rings would no longer improve in quality through cultivation. 

Thus, after overcoming his initial shock, Gu Ziyi's first instinct was to resist. 

As a result, the sacrificial energy merely surrounded the surface of his body without being absorbed and caused no harm to him. 

"Stop! I don't need your sacrifice!" 

Feeling the energy increasingly enveloping his body, Gu Ziyi looked at Xiao Tao, the 100,000-year Soul Beast, and firmly told her to stop. 

"What?" 

Xiao Tao, still in the sacrificial process, was immediately stunned upon hearing Gu Ziyi's words, a doubtful expression on her face as she wondered if she had misheard. 

"I said stop your sacrifice. I don't need it!" 

Gu Ziyi repeated firmly. 

"You... how can you not need it? Didn't you just advance to Level 40?" 

"You have an open slot for a Soul Ring now. I'm sacrificing myself for you. This is a 100,000-year Soul Ring. Why don't you want it?" 

Hearing Gu Ziyi confirm that he didn't want her sacrifice, Xiao Tao grew more anxious than anyone else, hurriedly trying to persuade him. 

Because she was already in the sacrificial process, this kind of ritual was irreversible, meaning she couldn't simply stop it whenever she wished! 

In other words, she was already destined to die, but if Gu Ziyi didn't accept her sacrifice, he would be fine, and she wouldn't be able to drag him to the grave with her! 

This was something she never anticipated when deciding to sacrifice herself. She couldn't imagine a Soul Master rejecting the voluntary sacrifice of a 100,000-year Soul Beast. 

This was a 100,000-year Soul Ring and a 100,000-year Soul Bone! 

"Because I know you're not being so kind out of concern, and I'm only at Level 40 right now. The energy from a 100,000-year Soul Ring is beyond my capacity to absorb, even if you're offering yourself voluntarily." 

Gu Ziyi looked at her with cold eyes. After calming down, he realized Xiao Tao's true intentions. 

At this moment, he felt a lingering fear. Thankfully, he could refuse the sacrifice. Otherwise, this would have been an incredibly dangerous situation.

It seems he had been somewhat distracted recently and did not expect the 100,000-year Soul Beast to use the sacrificial process to kill him after his level breakthrough. 

"No... that's definitely not the case..." 

"As long as it's a Soul Ring that a Soul Beast chooses to sacrifice on its own initiative, there's no way a Soul Master cannot absorb that Soul Ring." 

"And a 100,000-year Soul Ring can also grant two soul skills. If you add the soul bone, that makes four soul skills for your use!" 

Xiao Tao did not expect Gu Ziyi to realize her intention. Her pupils immediately shrank slightly, and she quickly began to question and persuade him. 

She had already initiated the sacrifice and could not stop it at all, so she had to find a way to make him accept her sacrifice. 

'Damn it, there are still people who can resist the temptation of a 100,000-year Soul Ring!' 

'Is this kid even a Soul Master?' 

Xiao Tao cursed Gu Ziyi again in her heart. 

She couldn't understand it and was simultaneously a bit shocked by his resilience. 

"No need, you'd better stop!" 

Gu Ziyi was completely immune to the temptation. 

"..." 

Looking into his serious eyes, Xiao Tao was bewildered. 

'How can people like this exist on this continent!' 

Gu Ziyi did not accept her sacrifice. Not to mention that the other people present here had no open slots for a Soul Ring. Even if any of them did, she wouldn't be able to transfer her target. 

"But... but I can't stop the ritual..." 

"Why won't you accept my sacrifice? You can't let me die in vain like this!" 

Xiao Tao looked at Gu Ziyi with a sad expression, tears welling up in her eyes. 

If temptation failed, she could only appeal to his sympathy. 

"It's not a waste. You'll return to nature after your sacrificial energy dissipates—that's a contribution too!" 

"Besides, don't you still have a soul bone?" 

Gu Ziyi just smiled faintly, remaining unmoved. 

"Damn you, bastard!" 

"Even if you keep my soul bone, I can still leave you with the two most useless soul skills I have..." 

After realizing that Gu Ziyi truly had no intention of accepting her sacrifice, Xiao Tao instantly changed her expression and cursed Gu Ziyi angrily. 

"So you can still choose which soul skills to leave behind after your sacrifice. It doesn't matter. The soul skills contained in 100,000-year soul bones can't be that inferior, no matter how useless the skill may be!" 

Gu Ziyi's eyes gleamed slightly as he heard this. He hadn't expected a 100,000-year Soul Beast to be able to take the initiative to choose which Soul Skills to leave behind. 

He thought only Soul Beasts who sacrificed themselves could do that! 

"..." 

"Damn you, bastard!" 

"I curse you to die a horrible death in the future..." 

Upon hearing Gu Ziyi's words, Xiao Tao completely lost her composure. She said nothing more and directly rebuked him. 

At this moment, Xiao Tao's feet began to transform into pieces of peach blossom petals and started to dissipate. 

It wouldn't be long before her entire body completely disappeared due to the sacrifice. 

"Ahhh... I'm about to completely disappear. If you don't decide to accept my sacrifice before then, my 100,000-year Soul Ring will truly dissipate. Don't you think that's a waste?" 

"Seriously, I'm not lying to you. The Soul Ring offered through sacrifice can be absorbed regardless of the Soul Master's level. Don't waste my Soul Ring—it's something I've worked hard for all my life." 

After her feet had completely turned into petals and vanished, Xiao Tao looked frantically at Gu Ziyi and spoke again, trying to persuade him to accept her sacrifice. 

"No, my Soul Rings are all self-condensed. I don't need Soul Rings from Soul Beasts, even if they're 100,000-year Soul Rings." 

Looking at Xiao Tao, who was gradually disappearing, Gu Ziyi shook his head. 

To be honest, he thought it was a pity for the other party to vanish like this. He had initially wondered if there was a chance to bring her into his cultivation chamber. 

But there was no longer any chance now. 

"What? You condense your own Soul Rings?" 

… 

(End of Chapter)

N/E: Dear Readers, I have untranslated the chapter due to several errors, I hope there are not so many errors now.

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