Chapter 76: Epilogue (III)

Shen Jie’s eyes narrowed as his black robe fluttered, and he flew forward to meet his opponent.

The two powerful figures clashed, with Xie Changzhou dealing with Shen Jie while also using his divine energy to stop the evil spirits that were closing in from all sides.

Only he could handle the evil spirits. If any disciple of the sect encountered them, they would only end up being entangled to death.

Master Dingyuan sighed, about to fly forward and help Xie Changzhou against Shen Jie. Suddenly, a long whip came at him with killing intent, as if intending to cut him in half at the waist.

He quickly dodged and recognized the person as Lian Heng.

“Lian Heng?” he asked.

Devil Lord Lian Heng wielded his long whip, and his green eyes were cold and ruthless. “Old bald donkey,” he said.

Master Dingyuan shook his head helplessly. “So, the Demon Lord and the Devil Lord are truly allies.”

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As he fought against Xie Changzhou, the demonic patterns on his pale face gradually appeared, making him look even more ruthless.

Xie Changzhou’s strength was like a chasm compared to Shen Jie’s.

Even though Shen Jie had swallowed the demon core and successfully entered the later stage of crossing the tribulation, he still struggled against Xie Changzhou.

He even had the energy to deal with the evil spirits attacking his disciples. Shen Jie’s bloodshot eyes were filled with dark patterns as he became more and more ruthless with his attacks, provoking Xie Changzhou with every word.

“Do you look like a disciple of the righteous sect now, Xie Changzhou? You’ve really changed.”

“Don’t you want to know what happened when Sui Ning saved me? We spent three days in the ice room, and she healed me,” he said before Xie Changzhou’s sword suddenly came down on him.

Shen Jie quickly dodged, but the sword still cut off a strand of his hair, which drifted down through the air.

Shen Jie’s face darkened, but he suddenly laughed when he saw Xie Changzhou’s even colder eyes.

“Sui Ning saved me. She risked her life to protect me from Ji Zhiwu and Guan Liuzhuo while I was being hunted. For those three days, she led me on a run for my life,” he explained.

Xie Changzhou raised his sword to strike again, and his godly power poured out, forcing Shen Jie back a few steps. His pale face was cut by the sword, leaving a bloody mark.

Xie Changzhou looked coldly at Shen Jie, and his words dripped with a sarcastic, murderous intent.

“You’re too delusional. She did it for me, not you. Do you really think she cares about you at all?”

“Shen Jie, you’re not even worthy of looking at her.”

Shen Jie’s lips tightened, and his eyes grew darker as his demonic energy surged.

“Shen Jie, in this world, Ningning only cares about…

Before Xie Changzhou could finish, his spirit suddenly shook, and his face changed abruptly.

He couldn’t believe it, but he carefully listened to make sure he wasn’t mistaken.

“Ningning…”

Was she giving birth?

Wasn’t she only eight months pregnant? How could she suddenly go into labor?

The marriage contract within his soul told him that Sui Ning was in a very bad state at this time, experiencing immense pain, and her divine power was gradually returning.

Xie Changzhou’s face was filled with panic. If she went into labor now, then everything he had done would be in vain.

After her divine power returned along with her memories, how could he save her?

He trembled with long eyelashes, holding Du Wang’s hand tightly, and his breath was stagnant.

Shen Jie narrowed his eyes. Shen Jie narrowed his eyes. Over the years of battling wits and courage with Xie Changzhou, even in near-death situations, he always wore that lifeless expression.

What happened?

Thinking of something, Shen Jie’s pupils shrank. “Something happened to Sui Ning?”

As his words fell, Xie Changzhou’s consciousness seemed to be awakened. He suddenly looked towards him, his glazed eyes slightly red and filled with killing intent.

Shen Jie was stunned and then saw Xie Changzhou wielding a sword towards him, his whole body filled with murderous intent, as if he wanted to directly kill him.

He used almost all of his cultivation to resist, feeling his meridians shaken by his sword’s intent.

He was thrown several tens of meters away, but he saw Xie Changzhou charging towards him, almost not giving him any breathing room.

The demon generals stepped forward to protect him, allowing Shen Jie to adjust himself. His eyes were cold, and his emotions were complicated.

It wasn’t his imagination. Xie Changzhou seemed to be very anxious suddenly, as if he wanted to kill him at all costs.

What was he afraid of? What would happen if he delayed?

Was it… related to Sui Ning?

The demon generals in front of him only blocked Xie Changzhou for a moment, but in the blink of an eye, he had killed them all.

Xie Changzhou approached him with cold eyes, and his pressure made his spine numb.

Shen Jie gritted his teeth and quickly met him.

***

Sui Ning tightly held Tang Tang’s hand, her forehead showing veins, her slender neck tilting back, and her face full of cold sweat.

Her consciousness was confused, not knowing how long had passed. Her mind was heavy, and she could only think of Xie Changzhou.

“Xie Changzhou, Xie Changzhou…”

She kept murmuring softly with her abdomen in pain and her divine power slowly returning, causing her meridians to boil and surge.

She seemed to hear Xie Changzhou’s soft voice in her ear: “Ningning, don’t be afraid.”

“Ningning, I will protect you.”

“Ningning, let’s live well with our child in the future.”

Sui Ning shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The space around them shook for a moment, and then it seemed to stabilize as if being forcibly held down. Sui Ning’s consciousness was already a bit unclear.

Tang Tang was anxious, and the shaking of the space meant that a battle was taking place outside.

Before Xie Changzhou left, he called her over and asked her to take care of Sui Ning, leaving a barrier to fend off evil spirits and battle from the outside world.

He had always protected the barrier well, and no matter how chaotic it was outside, inside the barrier was always peaceful.

Now that the barrier was shaking, it meant that something was attacking it while Xie Changzhou was distracted. But he quickly restrained it.

Tang Tang knew very well what it was.

Evil spirits.

Her face suddenly became anxious. Only Xie Changzhou could deal with evil spirits, but now there were only evil spirits outside. He had to deal with them alone while also finding time to deal with Shen Jie.

Sui Ning was about to give birth, and if the barrier didn’t hold until she gave birth…

She simply couldn’t imagine what would happen. Sweat soaked the hair on Sui Ning’s forehead, and her once bright and clear eyes were now foggy and hazy, and she was on the brink of losing consciousness.

Tang Tang knew exactly what would happen when she passed out during childbirth.

She desperately injected her spiritual energy into Sui Ning’s body, hoping to restore her consciousness.

“Ningning, don’t sleep; Jianzun is still waiting for you.”

“Ningning, wake up!”

She called out to her softly, but Sui Ning’s confused mind couldn’t hear her.

She recalled everything, including memories belonging to Yanheng and memories belonging to Sui Ning.

She saw countless memories that didn’t belong to her.

Those were Ji Hu’s and Xie Changzhou’s memories.

She saw Ji Hu alone behind Yanheng for 30,000 years, saw Yanheng and Ji Hu accompany each other for tens of thousands of years, saw Ji Hu’s appearance as a scattered cultivator with white hair after Yanheng’s death, and saw Ji Hu willingly make a deal with the Heavenly Dao for Yanheng’s sake.

She also saw Xie Changzhou sitting alone in a room, his white robes soaked with blood from his chest, and drops of blood falling like broken threads. A delicate bell shone brightly in his slender hand.

It was the soul bell he had made with his own blood as Xie Changzhou’s engagement gift.

She also saw Xie Changzhou kiss her cheek countless times while she slept, whispering words of love to her.

She saw too many things she didn’t know.

In the end, the last image shattered Sui Ning’s heart, and she felt as if she had been thrown into an icy wasteland, the piercing cold making her shudder.

She saw Xie Changzhou standing alone in the void, with a blood-red crack behind him, countless dark green ghost fires crawling out of it, and ferocious evil spirits screaming and biting his body. Xie Changzhou’s face was dimly illuminated by the ghost fire, and he spoke coldly to the void, “You have not kept your promise; I have no power to kill you, but you must ensure Ningning’s safety.”

“If possible, send her away.”

“If you can’t do it, take good care of her for me.”

His divine power suddenly strengthened, and under the radiant light, the evil spirits roared and were firmly suppressed by his divine power.

She saw Xie Changzhou fall backwards without hesitation, bringing the escaping evil spirits down with him. The bloody and cold crack behind him closed, sealing him and the evil spirits in the Wanhua Abyss.

“No!! Xie Changzhou!”

She cried and ran towards him, her voice hoarse and her face full of despair.

“Xie Changzhou, Xie Changzhou!!”

She woke up suddenly, and Tang Tang’s anxious gaze met hers.

The pain in her abdomen intensified, and Sui Ning bit her lip hard, suppressing the sound of her breaking.

Tang Tang: “Sui Ning, hold on for a little longer.”

Sui Ning’s mind was filled with the image of Xie Changzhou sacrificing himself to the Wanmo Cavern.

She knew clearly that it was not a dream.

That was Xie Changzhou’s ending.

It was his responsibility for her.

“Xie Changzhou…”

Veins popped on her forehead, and she gritted her teeth with all her might.

It was almost too late…too late to go.

She trembled and reached for her protruding belly. “Save him…”

Come out quickly; let me go save him.

Child, if you really came to save your father, come out quickly.

Let me go save him.

As if sensing her cries, she felt her meridians gradually widen, and a powerful warmth flowed towards her dantian, gradually flowing towards her lower abdomen.

Her dantian became more and more turbulent, gradually surging.

That was divine power.

At the moment of intense pain, Sui Ning felt like she was about to break apart. It was as if a thousand daggers were cutting into her, and the piercing pain made her break out in a cold sweat.

Something was drawn out of her body, and the excruciating pain gradually subsided.

She heard Tang Tang’s surprised voice, but she was powerless; her mind was blank.

Tang Tang quickly cleaned up the aftermath and used a healing spell on Sui Ning, then brought the child to her side.

Sui Ning heard a faint sound and turned her head to look at her.

She was too small; her crying voice was weak, like a little kitten crying.

Sui Ning’s tears suddenly fell. She couldn’t feel any divine power fluctuating in the child.

How could she not understand?

During the month she shared a room with Xie Changzhou, she had not noticed the child’s existence until she realized that her memories were lost. It was then that the child suddenly appeared and made her aware of her presence.

Both Sui Ning and Xie Changzhou were divine beings. How could their child not have divine power?

Her memories returned during that time, probably because of this child. The child unconsciously used her own divine power to protect her mother, and she knew everything.

Sui Ning suddenly saw red because she was still too young—not yet a month old—and her divine body was not yet fully formed.

All of her memories and all the truths that Sui Ning saw were given to her by the little child.

Clearly, they were the children of two gods, and Xie Changzhou’s body was the divine jade, the bone of the Creator God. Her divine power should have been better than that of her parents.

But all her divine power was given to her mother.

She became an ordinary mortal.

Sui Ning’s cry trembled as she pressed her small forehead against the child. “Do you want to save your father?”

“Mother will go to save him. Mother will.”

Sui Ning wiped away the tears from her face and handed the child to Tang Tang.

Tang Tang met her eyes and nodded slightly as she accepted the child. “You go, Sui Ning.”

Sui Ning put on her coat; her divine power returned, and the child had given all of her divine power to Sui Ning.

She could clearly sense the figure of a long sword gradually appearing in her dantian, the sword body shining white, and the long sword emitting a terrifying aura.

That was the demon-slaying sword. It disappeared when she fell ten thousand years ago.

It had been hidden in her soul and sealed in her dantian.

Now that she had become a god, she could finally summon it again.

Sui Ning walked into the courtyard and looked up at the sky, and the morning sun still hung high. The intense sunlight made it difficult for her to open her eyes.

The appearance of the peaceful years seemed as if nothing had happened. Xie Changzhou still wanted to create an illusory dream for her.

She conjured the demon-slaying sword, her brows cold, and slashed it forward.

The barrier in front of her shattered bit by bit, revealing the desolate and decaying world outside.

Evil spirits howled and pounced on her. Sui Ning raised her hand to restore the barrier, protecting Tang Tang and the child behind her.

Her blue robe fluttered as she flew away, and all the evil spirits that came at her were killed.

Her beautiful face was filled with coldness as she headed towards the distance.

***

Xie Changzhou’s moves were ruthless, striking at Shen Jie’s lifeline.

Shen Jie’s body was already marked with several wounds from his sword, and his black robe was dripping with blood. Coldness emanated from his whole body.

Xie Changzhou’s black hair fluttered behind him; his elegant face was stern; and his aura was extremely low. His moves were fierce and filled with killing intent.

Shen Jie was forced into a corner by him, and the wounds on his body multiplied. Dark red patterns appeared in the depths of his eyes, as if blood was about to drip out.

His demonic aura surged, and when he was slammed to the ground by Xie Changzhou once again, his killing intent could no longer be restrained.

Dark patterns surged in his blood-red eyes, and his demonic aura grew thicker. A blood-red crack slowly opened behind him.

Xie Changzhou’s expression turned cold, and his majestic true qi struck towards Shen Jie but was blocked in front of him.

His eyes grew colder. “Shen Jie, your mind is being controlled!”

Shen Jie’s lips curled into a sinister smile, and extreme paranoia filled his blood-red eyes. The blood-colored demon gradually emerged.

He turned to Xie Changzhou and chuckled lightly. “Ji Hu.”

Xie Changzhou’s gaze immediately chilled, and the fierce intent of Du Wang Sword surged. His divine power was released without reservation.

More evil spirits gradually crawled out of the crack behind him, screeching as they pounced towards Xie Changzhou, crashing into his divine power barrier and turning into flying ashes.

The evil spirits were countless; one after another pounced on Xie Changzhou, almost overwhelming him. 

He had extremely low aura pressure all over his body, and with a single swing of his sword, he slayed all the evil spirits. 

Xie Changzhou looked at Shen Jie and said, “Gui Ba.”

Gui Ba’s face was against Shen Jie’s, and the smile on his lips became even more sinister. “Ji Hu, I thought you were just an immortal, but I didn’t expect you to be the divine bone of the Creator.”

Xie Changzhou remained silent, and his eyes were cold and indifferent. He didn’t say a word and charged towards Gui Ba with his sword. 

The two fought fiercely, their figures moving so fast that residual images appeared.

Gui Ba kept saying in a cold voice, “Yanheng, oh, I forgot, she’s now called Sui Ning.”

Xie Changzhou was silent and became even more ruthless with his attacks. 

“What about Sui Ning? Haven’t you married her?” 

“Do you want me to say it? My demonic bone is quite disappointing; it seems to have some interest in her.”

Xie Changzhou’s eyes and eyebrows became completely cold, and he shouted, “Shut up, you’re not worthy of mentioning her!” 

He rushed towards Gui Ba, who quickly dodged and suddenly stopped, as if he saw something, and froze.

“Yanheng?”

His eyebrows furrowed in rare surprise, and his cold voice carried astonishment.

Xie Changzhou was stunned; his hand holding the sword paused, and he suddenly turned to look behind him. 

Not far away, Sui Ning was dressed in a blue dress, her long black hair slightly messy.

Her beautiful face was pale, with dark pupils that were red and swollen, as if she had just cried. She seemed fragile and weak.

Her once bulging belly was now flat, and Sui Ning held the demon-slaying sword in her hand, facing the evil spirits that surrounded her.

“Sui Ning…”

His voice trembled, never expecting to see her again.

She summoned the demon-slaying sword, and her divine power returned. Her memories also came flooding back.

Xie Changzhou suddenly felt anxious, wanting to rush to her side, but Gui Ba blocked his way.

“Ji Hu, do you want to save her?”

He sneered as more and more evil spirits surrounded Sui Ning, and the demons rushed forward, attempting to kill her.

Xie Changzhou’s glassy eyes turned slightly red with anger.

“Gui Ba, you’re asking for death!”

His eyes and eyebrows were cold, and his divine power blew through his robes as he commanded, “Limitless Sword Formation, rise!”

Du Wang transformed into several long swords in the void, but in an instant, countless long swords were erected in the air, all pointing directly at Gui Ba.

With his divine power, the Limitless Sword Formation exhibited tens of times more power than before, howling towards Gui Ba.

The swords attacked in unison, carrying an overwhelming killing intent and piercing through the demonic energy that protected Gui Ba’s body.

Gui Ba quickly dodged, but he was still pierced through by several Du Wang sword shadows within his sword formation.

He was a demon god, and besides the demon-slaying sword, no one could kill him. However, Xie Changzhou could severely wound him.

If he were severely injured, the evil spirits that he had devoured earlier would immediately take over his body and, in turn, devour his consciousness.

Gui Ba hurriedly tended to his injuries, and in a flash, he disappeared under the protection of the demon generals.

He was worried that Xie Changzhou would catch up and wound him again, but to his surprise, Xie Changzhou didn’t even look at him. His entire focus was on Sui Ning, who was approaching.

Seeing Gui Ba, who had blocked his path, escape, Xie Changzhou flew towards Sui Ning.

A stern sword light suddenly split open the thick, green, ghostly fire in front of him, and a powerful pressure swept through, killing all the surrounding evil spirits and demon generals.

Xie Changzhou was startled and met Sui Ning’s gaze.

Her eyes were slightly red, and even though her expression seemed blank, it somehow made him feel that she was crying.

She was very upset.

“Sui Ning—”

He reached out to embrace her, but her sword stood in front of him, blocking his path.

Xie Changzhou’s voice was dry and hoarse. “Sui Ning…”

Sui Ning’s eyes were slightly red, and her voice was low and weak from the exhaustion of childbirth just moments ago. “Xie Changzhou.”

Xie Changzhou remained silent, his gaze warm and gentle, filled with caution.

Tears fell from Sui Ning’s eyes, and she rushed into his arms. “Xie Changzhou, you jerk!”

He gently held her, his divine power protecting them both, and whispered in her ear, “Sui Ning, I’m sorry.”

Sui Ning held onto his waist. “Xie Changzhou, it’s a daughter.”

His back stiffened, and with his trembling hand holding onto her waist and his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, his mind went blank.

“I was in so much pain; I really was just in so much pain…”

“Ningning…”

“I’m sorry, Ningning, I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, Ningning…”

She tightly buried herself in his arms. “You have to make it up to me. Protect me and our daughter for generations to come.”

He wanted to promise her. He desperately wanted to hold her and say he was willing.

But he couldn’t bring himself to speak.

Suddenly, Sui Ning pushed him away, wiping away her tears. Her beautiful face was filled with determination.

“I know what you’re going to do. You’re going to erase my memories, afraid that I’ll come after you if I remember?”

“Are you trying to die for me? But I won’t let you die.”

“Xie Changzhou, I won’t let you die.”

Xie Changzhou was stunned, looking at Sui Ning in front of him.

Sui Ning remained calm, taking his hand. “Xie Changzhou, I won’t die, and you can’t die either. We have many, many years ahead of us.”

“Why must saving the world always come with sacrifice? Why do we have to die in order to save the people?”

“If the heavens want to destroy us, then we will fight against the heavens.”

As her words fell, heavy clouds suddenly flashed with lightning, thundering loudly as if expressing anger and protest.

Sui Ning looked up, a cool smile on her lips, her dark and clear eyes filled with sarcasm.

Xie Changzhou’s heart raced. She was so slim and small, barely reaching his shoulder, yet she stood in front of him, willingly defying the heavens for him.

He could never not like her, especially Sui Ning.

No matter how many times it happened, he would fall in love with her.

Xie Changzhou croaked and said, “Okay.”

He squeezed Sui Ning’s hand and laughed lightly. The smile on the corner of his lips was relaxed and happy.

It was the only genuine laugh he had had in months.

She was his Sui Ning, his Ningning.

The two chased after the disappearing Gui Ba.

Thousands of demons covered Gui Ba as he took the opportunity to heal his wounds.

Two sharp sword lights slashed over .Gui Ba trembled and quickly dodged to the side.

As he just dodged, the demons in front of him were hit by the sword light and exploded into black mist, causing waves of spiritual energy to spread out.

Gui Ba looked coldly at the two of them and said, “Jihu, Yanheng.”

Sui Ning frowned and said, “My name is Sui Ning, and he is Xie Changzhou. Have you been alive for tens of thousands of years, and your brain has rusted?”

Gui Ba laughed lightly. The smile on the corner of his lips had just risen, but suddenly it froze.

Sui Ning unexpectedly charged at him with her sword, catching him off guard.

“Yanheng!” Gui Ba roared in anger.

Sui Ning’s eyes were cold as she wielded her sword to strike at him.

The protagonist was always talkative, but when facing a cunning person like Gui Ba, there was no need for words.

Gui Ba’s demonic energy surged as he fought Sui Ning, and Xie Changzhou rushed forward to help her fight off the evil spirits and demons constantly attacking them.

In the distance, the devil Lord Lian Heng and Master Dingyuan were still fiercely fighting. Lian Heng saw the situation on the side of Gui Ba and the demon army, and his eyes turned cold, thinking about going over there.

Master Dingyuan stopped him and said, “Devil Lord, your opponent is me.”

Lian Heng’s face darkened, and he pulled out his whip and lashed out at him.

From time to time, bloody cracks appeared in the air, and evil spirits crawled out from inside, roaring and rushing towards the disciples.

The disciples of the sect suffered heavy casualties, and the demon generals and demon soldiers were also severely injured.

Gui Ba was constantly wounded by the sword intent of the two people, and he already looked heavily injured.

When he was pierced through the arm again by Sui Ning’s sword intent, the wounds all over his body were corroded by the demon-slaying sword, and blood dripped down from them.

Gui Ba’s consciousness was somewhat chaotic, and his face suddenly became panicked. “No, no.”

“No, it’s not possible.”

“No–“

Suddenly, ghostly flames ignited all over his body, and the flames flickered, illuminating his pale face.

He looked ferocious and roared towards Sui Ning.

The evil spirit had taken over his consciousness.