The whole family is insanely eavesdropping on my thoughts Chapter 549
Chapter 549: The Fusion of the Heart
The old cultivator, clad in ceremonial robes, knelt upon the ground.
With a light sweep of his hand across the earth, he murmured, “This… is the blood of the divine.”
A heavy silence fell over the crowd, their hearts struck as if by thunder. The blood of a god…
Lu Chao Chao took a deep breath before turning away to leave.
Xie Yu Zhou’s small face had turned deathly pale. Clutching the wooden fish in his arms, he pressed his lips tightly together, not uttering a single word.
A-Man’s body throbbed with pain. Even though she had sealed off her sense of pain, the agony still gnawed at her.
Lu Chao Chao pondered for a moment before saying, “Zhu Mo, take A-Man back to Northern Zhao.”
A-Man shook her head frantically. “I’m not leaving! Wherever you are, I will be!”
Yet, after a moment’s thought, she realized that Chao Chao was about to undertake something monumental. Staying would only hold her back. Reluctantly, she muttered, “Then… I’ll wait for you at home.”
“Take A-Wu as well,” Zhu Mo added knowingly, understanding Lu Chao Chao’s intent.
A-Wu wanted to refuse, but recalling her current circumstances, she merely nodded lightly.
If needed, she could always sneak into the Upper Realm under the guise of Feng Wu.
Zhu Mo carried them away, soaring into the clouds and passing through the boundary to reach the mortal realm.
Above the mortal world, a thin, translucent barrier shimmered, shielding humanity from the dangers beyond.
Lu Chao Chao reached out to touch the barrier lightly, and instantly, a powerful heartbeat resounded within her chest—thump, thump!
For the first time in years, she felt the sensation of a heart beating within her. The unfamiliarity made her uncomfortable.
She hunched over, pressing a hand to her chest.
“Chao Chao, if you fuse with your heart, your chances in the Upper Realm will be far greater. Why not try?” Xie Yu Zhou suggested softly.
Lu Chao Chao was silent for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Draped in a crimson dress, the young girl stood atop the black dragon’s head, her hands overlapping in intricate seals, her fingers moving so swiftly they left afterimages in the air.
Behind her, a phantom image flickered into existence.
“It’s real! There’s really a phantom! I thought I was imagining things before!” A-Man gasped, covering her mouth in astonishment.
Everyone was equally shaken, staring at the enormous shadow looming behind the petite girl.
The phantom wavered between existence and nothingness, yet its presence carried an overwhelming sense of dominance.
Feng Wu, who had been standing tall, suddenly found herself unable to meet its gaze, bowing her head instinctively.
What… was this phantom?
It felt ancient, powerful beyond reckoning.
But the urgency of the situation left no time for questions.
The crimson mark on Lu Chao Chao’s forehead reappeared as her hands pressed against the barrier. It let out a deep hum of resonance.
The once-placid sea began to churn violently. Schools of fish leaped from the water in panicked chaos.
Beneath the waves, the very ocean floor trembled, sending monstrous waves crashing towards the sky, howling with a ferocious force.
A vast energy surged through the mortal realm. The earth quaked, forests shuddered, and flocks of birds took flight in terror. Beasts bolted from their dens, fleeing wildly.
Mountains split apart, deep and fearsome chasms appearing in their wake.
From the abyss, a monstrous roar echoed forth.
No one knew what lay imprisoned beneath the earth.
The land cracked apart, trees collapsed, boulders tumbled, and villagers at the mountain’s foot staggered, shouting in alarm. “The earth dragon is turning over! Run!”
The village chief banged his bronze gong, rallying everyone to seek safety.
The entire mortal world was experiencing the same upheaval.
…
Southern Kingdom’s Imperial Palace
Glazed tiles crashed down from the rooftops as palace attendants fled in terror. Some knelt upon the ground, fervently praying for divine mercy.
Courtiers rushed to protect Lu Yan Shu, escorting him away.
“The earth dragon stirs… The mortal world faces calamity.”
“Regent Lu, you must take shelter at once!” Civil and military officials, having just left court, had no time to escape the palace.
Lu Yan Shu gazed skyward. A delicate web of light seemed to be enveloping the world.
Was it an illusion?
“Look at the land!” cried one official, falling to his knees, his legs giving way beneath him. Words failed him, and all he could do was prostrate himself in helpless worship.
Moments ago, the world had been teeming with vibrant spring growth—lush green grass, blossoming flowers, life in full bloom.
Now…
It was as if the earth’s very essence had been drained. Every blade of grass, every petal, withered into brittle husks, lifeless and bleak.
A chilling, deathly stillness spread across the land.
Lu Chao Chao felt the heart beginning to detach from the mortal realm.
Beneath her palms, she sensed its rhythmic pulse—thump, thump, thump.
Even before it had returned, the heart emanated boundless vitality.
A faint smile graced her lips.
A luminous orb of light rested in her grasp, yet as it neared her chest, cries of terror echoed in her ears, images of panic flashing before her eyes.
Looking down, she saw the chaos in the mortal world—towering waves, terrified citizens fleeing in all directions, gripped by horror.
The Heart of Northern Zhao had not yet fully severed its ties to the world, and already, such catastrophe had unfolded.
She hesitated.
“Hurry! It’s almost completely detached! If you don’t stop now, the mortal world will collapse!” Xie Yu Zhou was nearly jumping with urgency.
Lu Chao Chao raised her hand and lightly tapped the glowing orb. The light nuzzled against her palm, as if reluctant to part.
“Old friend… this time, it really is farewell,” she murmured.
With a flick of her fingers, the orb shot downwards, streaking back into the mortal world.
“No! Come back!” Xie Yu Zhou nearly lunged forward to catch it.
The orb melted into the land, mending the devastation it had wrought.
Wherever the light passed, golden fields revived, wilted flowers blossomed anew, and vitality surged back into the world.
As the last glimmer of light was absorbed into the land, Lu Chao Chao closed her eyes.
The heart had completely fused with the mortal realm.
Silence reigned among them.
After a long pause, Xie Yu Zhou rasped, “This was no mere Heart of Northern Zhao… It was the very heart of the mortal world.”
“It upholds all life here. If removed, the world would crumble.”
Tears welled in Xie Yu Zhou’s eyes, though he knew not how to console Chao Chao.
Yet when he turned, he found her beaming, radiant with joy.
“Why are you crying?”
“If it can sustain all beings, then it’s worth far more than serving as my heart.”
“I admit, I wanted it back. But if taking it meant destroying this world, I could never do it.” Just as before, she could never stand idly by as the Three Realms collapsed.
Not in the least discouraged, the young girl stood with unwavering resolve.
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation