Chapter 141
Chapter 141: What Wrong Has She Done?
When Guan Zhuang’s words fell, the surroundings fell into silence.
Shi Zi Chu’s thoughts wandered for a moment.
Speaking of the recollection mirror, it reminded her of many parts of the story.
Guan Zhuang, the Buddhist disciple of the Bodhi Sect, born with the bones of a Buddha and a compassionate heart, had fallen into the hands of the female protagonist. Though he did not go mad with love, in the later chapters, he sacrificed everything to save the female protagonist, who had been tainted by demonic energy. He broke his Buddha bones and shattered the recollection mirror, ultimately passing away in an unknown place, leaving a scar in the female protagonist’s heart, like a speck of cinnabar.
Pulling her thoughts back, Shi Zi Chu glanced at the pure and compassionate Buddhist disciple behind her. With a gentle tone, she asked, “Does Buddhist disciple have conclusive evidence?”
The poison was not hers, nor was the fire set by her—her hands were clean.
“Daoist Pei does not understand the medicinal arts,” Guan Zhuang replied slowly, “Daoist Shi is indeed decisive in her actions, but as for right or wrong, I do not believe Daoist Shi has done anything wrong.”
Was it wrong for Shi Zi Chu to want to live?
No.
Was Shi Zi Chu bad?
Yes, for she had even killed innocent children.
But did she truly err?
From her perspective, what was her mistake?
Moreover, the powerful heavenly tribulations she faced were the punishment of the heavens themselves.
Guan Zhuang’s last words made Shi Zi Chu turn to look at him.
Looking at his face, as serene as a Bodhisattva, her voice, warm and soft, seemed to come from the heart: “Buddhist disciple truly has a compassionate heart.”
Guan Zhuang’s expression remained calm. “Daoist Shi, if you agree, I have a way to prevent the white lotus on your wrist from disappearing.”
The double-petaled white lotus was a medium connecting the Ten Thousand Visions Realm to the cultivation world. Even though Venerable Xing Lan had modified it, now that the Ten Thousand Visions Realm had fallen into slumber, the lotus had fulfilled its mission and would soon vanish.
Shi Zi Chu, feeling the white lotus bracelet through her sleeve, found herself slightly moved. After all, it had been with her for a lifetime in the Ten Thousand Visions Realm, and she was reluctant to see it disappear.
“Buddhist disciple, may I see the recollection mirror?” she asked.
The Bodhi Sect was always mysterious. While everyone knew that the Buddhist disciple’s life-bound artifact was the recollection mirror, no one really knew what it looked like.
She was curious.
Without hesitation, Guan Zhuang took out his life-bound artifact.
It was an oval-shaped ancient mirror, its surface smeared and unable to reflect anything, plain and unremarkable.
Having learned her lesson, Shi Zi Chu did not rashly touch it but peered at it with curiosity.
Suddenly, the surface of the mirror rippled with circles, and its once-gray surface darkened to the point where she could not see her hand in front of her face. It grew as dark as a black hole, as though it might swallow her whole.
For a moment, her peach blossom eyes grew cold.
When her soul had been trapped by the female villain system in a narrow, dark, and silent space, unable to reclaim her body, she had either cultivated her soul force in the dark or watched the system torment her body. Though she was not afraid of the dark, she disliked this particular kind of darkness.
Guan Zhuang looked at the recollection mirror, then cast a surprised glance at Shi Zi Chu.
The recollection mirror could not reflect her past?
“What’s wrong?” Shi Zi Chu asked, noticing Guan Zhuang’s astonished gaze, feeling curious herself.
Guan Zhuang spoke slowly, “The recollection mirror cannot show Daoist Shi’s past.”
Shi Zi Chu’s expression showed a hint of surprise, quickly followed by a trace of unease.
Guan Zhuang reached out and took back the recollection mirror.
Moments later, the mirror returned to its usual state.
After storing his life-bound artifact, he spoke, “Perhaps this monk is not well-versed in such matters. I will investigate further when I return…”
“I’ve agreed to Buddhist disciple’s request,” Shi Zi Chu’s gentle voice interrupted Guan Zhuang’s words.
Guan Zhuang raised his eyes.
Shi Zi Chu gave a slight smile. “I agree to help Buddhist disciple solve this matter.”
Before she could finish speaking, she turned her head and called out softly, “Mother.”
In an instant, a gust of wind swept through, and a graceful figure appeared a few steps away.
“Qing Qing, the azure luan sword has recognized Chu Zhi Rou as its master.” The lady walked up to Shi Zi Chu, her gaze filled with concern as she looked at her bloodied and disheveled daughter. “How did you get so injured?”
When Qing Qing arrived, she had subdued all the dangers in the tomb, so it didn’t make sense for Qing Qing to have been hurt like this!
Shi Zi Chu stepped forward and embraced her mother, speaking in a soft, comforting tone, “It’s fine now.”
The azure luan sword had a spirit of its own. Shi Zi Chu had been unable to reclaim it, so she had taken all the other heavenly treasures from the coffin as a substitute.
The growing azure luan sword was like a beast that devoured gold. Although Chu Zhi Rou had lost her spatial storage ring, in order to cultivate the sword to the divine rank, the sword itself carried the necessary heavenly treasures.
Unfortunately, in the end, it had all benefited her, the vicious female antagonist.
As for the blood stains on her, she had deliberately splattered blood from a few spirit beasts to make her situation seem more tragic.
Seeing the azure luan sword acknowledging its master, a hint of disappointment flashed in Guan Zhuang’s eyes.
With the azure luan sword recognizing its master, the biggest beneficiaries this time were likely the Jade Void Sect and the Ye Clans.
The lady tenderly stroked Shi Zi Chu’s head.
Parting would eventually come. Reluctantly, the lady released her daughter and placed a pair of silver bangles in her hand. “I’ve often heard that a mother gives her daughter a pair of silver bangles. Though they are not valuable, they represent a mother’s love for her daughter.”
The lady gently took Shi Zi Chu’s wrist and slipped the bangles onto it.
Shi Zi Chu held a butterfly jade pendant in her right hand, hanging by her side.
With affectionate tenderness in her eyes, the lady gazed at Shi Zi Chu, deep sorrow flowing in her gaze. “I’ve prepared many beautiful dresses for Qing Qing, but now she will never see them.”
Shi Zi Chu gave a small smile, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
There would be another chance.
No sooner had the lady disappeared than other vicious ghosts, yet to be exterminated, began to rampage.
Guan Zhuang, who had just been about to speak, suddenly found himself caught in a whirlwind again.
“Zi Yuan!”
With a slash, a spirit sword struck down a rampaging vicious ghost. Shi Zi Chu recalled her life-bound sword, and with a swift sweep, she cleaved through several more vicious ghosts.
With the death of the lady, the uncontrolled vicious ghosts fell into a berserk state.
Guan Zhuang quickly drew his staff, performing a physical exorcism.
The group that had been dragged to the tomb returned one after another to Water Road Village, their dizziness still not fully subsided when the sharp claws of the vicious ghosts reached them.
While dealing with the vicious ghosts, Shi Zi Chu and Guan Zhuang also had to keep an eye on the returning cultivators.
“Azure Luan! Go!”
A sharp command rang out, and the azure luan sword, with its extraordinary sword qi, sliced through the air.
The cultivators, who were caught in the frenzy of the vicious ghosts, had no time to notice.
Crack! Crack!
The sudden sound of something cracking, like eggshells breaking, rang out.
Before anyone could react, the secret realm vanished in an instant.
The desolate Water Road Village appeared before everyone’s eyes.
Compared to the barren village, the back mountains were lush and green, trees growing thickly.
With the disappearance of the secret realm, the cultivation levels that had been suppressed by its rules were instantly restored.
The vicious ghosts that had not yet been killed scattered in all directions.