Lao Qin interrupted Zhu Lian’s words, “Xie Zhuo and Master Ji truly succeeded. The inner walls of the City of Immortals trapped the evil spirits, while the outer walls contained the malevolent energy. Even if some malevolent energy leaked into the world, it could only infect and create easily identifiable malevolent spirits.”
Lao Qin looked at me, his expression clear and firm: “Xie Zhuo didn’t just ‘vainly attempt’ as he claims; he truly succeeded.”
Hearing these words, the emotions in my heart were complex and difficult to express.
The City of Immortals was established by Xie Zhuo and Master Ji.
That’s why Xie Zhuo could find the location of the City of Immortals in the blizzard, why he could take me in, and why he could open the gates of the inner city.
Back then, he contained the malevolent spirits, and now he had eliminated all malevolent energy.
He saved me, and he saved the human world, more than once…
Yet only now did I learn one page of the truth.
“He succeeded?” Zhu Lian gave a cold laugh, “Didn’t I still escape with the evil god’s soul?”
“And then Xie Zhuo pursued you throughout the world.” I connected these events: “Until five hundred years ago, you fled to Kunlun, and Xie Zhuo followed. He battled with you, and then sealed you here in Kunlun…”
Listening to my words, Zhu Lian seemed to think of something. He opened his mouth, but then closed it without speaking. He smiled and just nodded: “Yes…”
“He was also severely injured, and then he… met me…”
“Yes…”
Zhu Lian smiled with a playful expression: “The evil god’s soul was in my body, sealed together with me. Although the evil god’s power was weak, it could still know everything that happened to you through the external malevolent energy. Do you know how happy the evil god and I were the day you and Xie Zhuo formed your blood oath?”
I remained silent.
Zhu Lian said: “My body could never contain the evil god’s power. Only in Xie Zhuo’s body could the evil god truly return. Before you came along, Xie Zhuo had no weaknesses. All the members of his tribe had been killed by him. He had no attachments, concerns, or lingering affections for the human world…”
But…
“But then you appeared.”
I appeared…
“And Xie Zhuo had a weakness.”
He had attachments, concerns, and lingering affections.
And also things he couldn’t bear to part with, fears of loss, and the desire to protect.
“To make Xie Zhuo become the vessel for the evil god, we needed to erase his consciousness, destroy his soul, drive him insane, and make him give up resistance. Five hundred years ago, the evil god and I sought countless opportunities to let malevolent energy enter his body, but Xie Zhuo never left any gap for us. However…”
Zhu Lian smiled so warmly and happily, “You did…”
I did…
I was a guard of Kunlun, I had to patrol, stand watch, train…
I loved gatherings, spicy food, and drinking wine…
I had a bad temper, often got angry, and when things were busy, I often had trouble sleeping.
“Kunlun was truly wonderful, giving you your true nature, giving you so many vulnerabilities to exploit.” Zhu Lian’s voice, cold as a snake, coiled around my ears. “Xie Zhuo always tried his best to maintain Kunlun’s goodness. The malevolent energy we couldn’t give to him, we could give to you. For five hundred years, day and night, how much malevolent energy did Xie Zhuo draw from your body to protect you?”
So, at the City of Immortals, when Xie Zhuo bit my neck, he did it so naturally. This was something he had done countless times behind my back.
So, all those annoying “the ground is cold,” “don’t eat spicy food,” “drink less wine” were his unspoken worries and concerns.
So, during those five hundred years, by my side, he learned to fear, to be nervous, to be cautious.
“As malevolent energy accumulated in his body, the evil god would struggle with Xie Zhuo in his dreams every night.” Zhu Lian spoke with some regret, “I always looked forward to the day when the evil god would tell me that Xie Zhuo had given up resistance, that his consciousness had failed, that his soul was unguarded. But he never did. Even now, he died, but never surrendered.”
“If we were to talk about the time we came closest to our goal, perhaps… it was that night when you two separated.”
Hearing this, I felt as if the blood in my entire body was flowing backward.
“He was just one step away from going insane.” Zhu Lian sighed, seeming even more regretful, “I never expected that after he brought you back, he would eliminate all the malevolent energy in the world. How ironic that the vessel the evil god created to defy heaven and return to the world became the only being who could defeat him.”
I silently raised my hand and looked at my wrist.
My wrist was completely bare. The red cord that had been tied there for five hundred years was long gone.
Zhu Lian tilted his head, studying my expression. Gradually, his eyes showed sadness: “You’re so devastated, and Xie Zhuo can’t even see it. What a pity.”
I felt as if my heart had been violently seized. After the pain came indescribable anger.
I raised my head, looked at Zhu Lian, and using my spiritual technique, pulled him over with one move, grabbed his neck, and tightly gripped his throat.
“Good! Kill me!” Far from being afraid, Zhu Lian laughed loudly, “Kill me! Xie Zhuo wouldn’t kill me! Today, let it be you, whom he protected all his life, who kills me! Do it! Act!”
“Jiu Xia…” Lao Qin spoke in a deep voice from the side, “Xie Zhuo didn’t kill him… because he promised the person who gave him life.”
I looked at Lao Qin.
Was he talking about Xie Zhuo’s mother?
That woman from the Snow Wolf tribe.
Who was also Zhu Lian’s mother.
“Even if he slaughtered the entire world, he would not kill Zhu Lian.” Lao Qin sighed, “Xie Zhuo never broke his promises.”
Yes, Xie Zhuo never broke his promises.
Not to me, not to anyone.
I remained silent for a long time, then let go.
Zhu Lian now seemed to have no spiritual power left. He sat on the ground, his hair disheveled, his appearance disheveled. He covered his neck, coughing continuously.
I didn’t look at him again and turned to leave the lava cave.
Outside, the wind of Mount Kunlun blew gently. Walking in the sunlight, I felt that everything around me was so unreal.
The snow on Kunlun had melted, flowers had bloomed, vitality was everywhere, and brightness filled my eyes.
Summer was coming.
I heard footsteps behind me. It was Lao Qin. Looking at the vitality before me, I spoke hoarsely:
“I always thought Kunlun was a utopia, but now I know that Kunlun was never a utopia. It was Xie Zhuo who made it into one…”
“Jiu Xia.” Lao Qin said, “Zhu Lian wanted to make you sad, so he told you these things, but I brought you here because I wanted you to know what Xie Zhuo did to protect you.”
“You can’t take advantage of the fact that he can’t see you anymore and waste the protection he once gave.”
“He didn’t just want to protect your life; he wanted you to always be like the blazing flames of summer, never seeing gloom or feeling cold.”
Lao Qin’s voice was soft, but it entered my heart.
“I understand.” I lowered my head, looking at my empty wrist, “I understand…”
My life was exchanged for Xie Zhuo’s life.
I had to protect myself and this world in his place…