kingnovel Chapter 665 The Way of the Common People
Chapter 665 The Way of the Common People
A sudden downpour began, accompanied by thunderous roars.
Jiang Liqian suddenly stood up, and the light of the Shitian Sword burst through the pavilion and soared into the sky.
She gripped the sword with both hands, and without further hesitation, slashed fiercely at the sky.
The rain stopped abruptly, the weeping willows vanished, and she returned to the endless Milky Way. All around her, the stars shone brightly, vast and boundless.
The world is vast, and humanity is insignificant.
Humans may be insignificant, but they can still shake the stars.
However, she still did not see Shi Yunyu here.
She gripped the sword hilt tightly, walking amidst the starry sky, feeling the starlight flowing around her, yet like smoke and dust, impossible to gather or grasp.
She walked and walked on, unable to remember how long she had walked—perhaps a day, perhaps a month, or perhaps many years had passed.
But the long journey through the stars did not diminish her unwavering belief. Even if she turned into withered bones and dust, her sword, upholding her heart, would remain steadfast.
In a hazy state, she seemed to suddenly hear the voice that had once questioned her again. The voice was distant and clear, ancient and mysterious, resonating in her soul with each note.
The voice asked her—child, why have you embarked on this long path of cultivation? Once this path begins, there is no end; joy is destined to be fleeting, while loneliness will be endless. Tell me, child, why do you cultivate the Dao? With what do you cultivate? What is your Dao heart?
This question again, this question again.
Jiang Li pursed her lips, and the myriad stars and rivers transformed into fragments of her memories, instantly flowing backward.
She saw herself plunge her sword into the ground, leading her fellow disciples to surround the rampaging demonic beasts, her eyes filled with contempt and arrogance: "They are nothing but mere evil beasts, daring to be presumptuous before us righteous ones, truly courting death!"
She saw the snow-covered landscape, the trees laden with icicles, and she and a group of young men and women gathered around a fire under a tree, watching the snowflakes fall and the icy lake crystal clear. Their laughter and chatter even brought a lively atmosphere to the once desolate Sword Peak.
She saw willow branches swaying, and flowers blooming in the sea of spirits. She and the boy sat together under the tree, with clouds rolling before them, the sun and moon shining brightly, and the splendor falling silently from above. Only their hands were tightly clasped together, as if time had shattered, and the mountains and rivers had collapsed. Yet he would still sit with her under the flowering tree, watching the sunrise and sunset, and the clouds drift and gather.
……
She saw a thatched cottage courtyard, chickens and ducks crowing, and someone holding a swaying lantern, standing in front of the small courtyard waiting for her to return. Her hair, disheveled by the wind and streaked with silver, had a large, beautiful hibiscus flower crookedly carved into the wooden hairpin inserted into her hair bun.
Her heart surged with emotion, and she rushed toward the dim lamp. The light instantly magnified, and she stared blankly at her shrunken hand. Looking up, she saw her mother beside her, her face filled with fear, holding her tightly. Her gaze swept down the mountain, where the emaciated, ragged villagers, like walking corpses, staggered along in the cold, gray world, heading toward the precipice of death.
She saw her younger self tugging at her mother's sleeve and whispering, "Mother, I want to save them."
Memories burst forth in an instant, and vanish in an instant.
She remembered, completely remembered everything. In her first life, she too was separated from her parents due to revenge from enemies. Her wet nurse took her and jumped into a well of mortals to escape their pursuit. It was then that she witnessed the cruelest and darkest side of this world: those pitiful people, no longer even considered human, displaced by natural disasters and man-made calamities, their bones piled up, devoured by wild dogs…
Her parents quickly found her and brought her back, but her Daoist heart was deeply engraved in her soul at that moment.
The common people suffer endlessly, all kinds of pain. Good and evil coexist, right and wrong are in chaos.
As the memories of everything around her faded, Jiang Li calmed her gaze and picked up the sword in her hand.
Good and evil, right and wrong, the way of all living beings, a single thought of gods and demons, walking alone.
She had made a grand vow to save them, and for this she was determined to cultivate immortality regardless of any hardship or danger. Now, it was time for her to fulfill her promise.
The heavy knot in my heart finally cleared up.
The Milky Way shattered, and the sky brightened.
[Ding! Master's inner demon backlash value has decreased by 90%, currently at 1%.]
Jiang Liqian suddenly opened her eyes, and the dust covering her body instantly dissipated.
She cast a cleansing spell on herself, slowly stood up while holding onto the wall, and walked outside.
At the entrance, someone stood in the shadows, waiting for her.
“Two hundred years,” Shi Yunyu turned around, looking at the surging spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from her body, his eyes suddenly shifting, “You’re about to ascend, congratulations.”
Jiang Liqian never expected that so many years would have passed after she entered the Karma Pavilion and came out again.
Where is Tian Qianzong? Where are the demons? Where are those who guarded the city? Are they... still alive?
Shi Yunyu saw the fear in her eyes and comforted her, saying, "Don't worry, each city has a city lord in charge and disciples from the immortal sects are helping. Although there are casualties, the cities we are defending have not been lost. The large number of people who migrated away have also survived in their new homes. So it's not all bad news."
Hearing him say that, she breathed a sigh of relief and then asked him, "You once said that when I came to find you again, you would tell me what 'human bones' are. Now the situation is urgent, so please don't be ambiguous and make me guess."
Shi Yunyu moved her lips, then suddenly turned around, making way for her to descend the mountain: "You haven't collected all ten divine artifacts yet. We'll wait until you have them all..."
“Shi Yunyu, tell me.”
The air fell silent.
He couldn't bear it.
That was true then, and it is true now.
He opened his lips, then sighed softly.
“These are the remains of your birth mother, Jiang Liqian.”
The bonds of life are the beginning of all things; the birth of life is the premise of all miracles.
The air suddenly froze, and then everything turned white, losing its color.
-
Jiang Liqian returned to Dongjun, the place where she was born.
Due to the demon invasion, this place is no longer as prosperous as before. The streets and alleys are less crowded, with most people passing by in a hurry and trembling manner. The once bustling shops are now deserted, and the entire Dongjun is shrouded in a tense atmosphere.
As Jiang Liqian walked here, she could still feel the peace and tranquility that had once existed. Someone had always been here, protecting the peace of this place.
The servants of the Jiang family opened the door, saw her at a glance, and immediately ran back excitedly to report to the head of the household and the lady of the house.
The head of the family quickly came out.
Even the most serious person, after such a catastrophe, will inevitably have tears welling up in their eyes and be overwhelmed with emotion when they see their daughter appear before them.
"Child, you've worked hard. Come in quickly, your mother is getting ready, she'll be here soon..."
She was surrounded by people as she entered the Jiang residence.
But her face was very pale, especially when she saw her father, whom she hadn't seen for many years, personally serving her tea and pastries. He wanted to pat her head, but remembering that she didn't like it, he restrained himself and withdrew his hand.