Chapter 17: Let Time Stand Still A Little Longer
Feng Shi clicked his tongue, thinking to himself: The last time I saw such a scene was the last time.
This popularity was a bit exaggerated; did chasing stars also trend in the cultivation world?
He patted the shoulder of an excited male cultivator beside him: “Dare I ask this fellow daoist, who is this Three Hundred and Fifty-One? Does he have some extraordinary qualities?”
Upon hearing his words, the surprise in the other party’s eyes almost overflowed: “You don’t know?”
“Three Hundred and Fifty-One’s fame has already been established. I’ve watched every one of his matches. Within ten moves, the opponent is bound to lose! You actually don’t know?”
Feng Shi stretched the smile on his face: “My news is blocked.”
The male cultivator seemed to smile at him with a bit of disdain, then continued: “I heard he is already a Golden Core cultivator. In my opinion, the top scorer of this Grand Trial is none other than him!”
“But I heard Four Hundred and Ten isn’t bad either. This battle situation can be considered interesting, hey.”
After Feng Shi finished listening to him, the smile on his face faded. He looked at the two on the stage, and a moment later, sighed helplessly.
Golden Core stage… Then it seemed he couldn’t enter the inner sect with Feng Zhun this year…
What a pity.
“Hey! It’s starting! Look quickly!” The person beside him bumped Feng Shi excitedly.
Feng Shi responded with a sound and watched the battle seriously.
The young man called Three Hundred and Fifty-One had already gone up to the arena. Feng Zhun faced him as if facing a formidable enemy, bowing seriously to the other party.
Unexpectedly, the other party just sneered and spoke casually: “Start quickly, don’t waste my time.”
Feng Zhun was stunned, then took a step back.
The battle gong sounded. Feng Zhun attacked first, using a very steady probing method, but was easily dodged by that black-clothed youth.
Watching the other party’s ease, Feng Shi thought this is bad and moved past the crowd to stand a bit closer to the front.
Having missed a move, Feng Zhun stopped probing. He raised his sword, channeled his Qi, turned, and swung out a streak of silvery-white sword light.
However, the black-clothed youth raised his hand, neutralizing that imposing sword light with minimal effort. Then, with strange footwork, his trajectory hard to distinguish, he arrived behind Feng Zhun.
Feng Shi’s heart tightened, his eyes chasing the figures on the stage.
“Not playing with you anymore, trash.” The black-clothed youth hooked his lips, gathering a mass of intense black spiritual energy in his palm, speaking disdainfully.
“What?” Feng Zhun was somewhat incredulous, his sword momentum not yet retracted.
Before he could turn around, he felt a huge force striking from behind, hitting his shoulder and back.
The vigorous spiritual power penetrated his internal organs, snapping all the meridians in his body so easily.
Feng Zhun only felt a burst of severe pain attack from within his body.
The black-clothed youth raised his head arrogantly, looking askance at Feng Zhun, then leaned close to his ear and whispered: “Trash! Can’t figure out why those people wanted to compare you with me. Clearly just a piece of trash!”
The words were full of sarcasm, every sentence stabbing the heart.
Standing on the spot, Feng Zhun suddenly felt a stinging pain rise in his heart, a hundred times worse than the pain of broken meridians. The sword in his hand fell to the ground weakly.
The black-clothed youth defeated the enemy in two moves and left dashingly with a flick of his sleeve.
His movements were too fast; everyone didn’t react for a moment.
Below the stage was first strangely quiet, followed by deafening cheers, until that figure walked far away.
On the stage, Feng Zhun crashed to the ground under the severe pain in his body.
Feng Shi’s pupils contracted, and he flew onto the high platform.
Below was all cheering for the black-clothed youth. Only after a while did someone finally notice Feng Zhun.
“Eh? Look at that Four Hundred and Ten, he seems not doing too well…”
“Doesn’t that make Three Hundred and Fifty-One rule-breaking then?”
“Who cares! Damn it, if I had this strength, I’d dare to walk sideways too!”
“Exactly!”
The people below only cared about watching the excitement; no one cared about the life or death of a young man.
Feng Shi stood on the stage, watching two inner sect Medicine Peak disciples treating Feng Zhun.
The blow just now, which seemed not heavy, made it so Feng Zhun could never stand up again. Upon careful examination, all his meridians were broken; he wouldn’t live long!
Feng Shi’s mind buzzed.
Soon, the two disciples stood up carrying Feng Zhun.
Feng Shi raised his hand numbly, pressing on one of their shoulders, unwilling to give up, asking with a weak tone: “This Senior Sister, how is my friend exactly?”
The female cultivator’s forehead was covered in sweat. Hearing this, she shook her head and apologized: “No hope. He is injured too heavily. Even if Master came, I’m afraid she would be powerless to reverse the situation…”
Hearing this, Feng Shi went cold all over, his eyes turning red.
His throat choked for a long time before he asked coldly and stiffly: “Then how will that person just now be dealt with!?”
The female cultivator was stunned by the shout, then said timidly: “I… I don’t know.”
Don’t know?
Feng Shi looked at Feng Zhun in front of him, who had started vomiting blood and was still enduring pain, clenching his jaw tight.
Just then, Feng Zhun seemed to sense his gaze. He raised his hand with difficulty and grabbed the corner of his clothes: “Feng… Shi…”
Feng Shi suppressed the emotions in his heart, hurriedly took the person over, half-held him in his arms, and asked softly: “What is it?”
The other party answered him after a while, but it was a question: “Am I… am I… trash…?”
With every sentence he spoke, he spat a mouthful of blood. Too much blood was spat out; the warmth covered Feng Shi’s chest. When the wind blew, it was bitingly cold.
Feng Shi’s throat hurt from the lump in it, his eyes sour: “No! You are more amazing than me, than many people here!”
Listening to this, Feng Zhun smiled. His young, thin face was ash-gray, covered with cold tear tracks: “I, knew it… then… I… want, want… to go to Lingyu Peak… can, can I go…”
Feng Shi rolled his throat, biting hard on the soft flesh inside his mouth, trying hard to maintain the stiff smile on his face. Only when he tasted the sweet fishiness in his mouth did he say: “Can, definitely can! Next year, I’ll wait for you!”
But Feng Zhun closed his eyes and shook his head.
“There is no… next year… I… have no… next year…”
After speaking, he reached out, felt around in his bosom with difficulty, then stuffed the token engraved with Four Hundred and Ten into Feng Shi’s hand: “You go back… tell… tell my parents… I’m not… going back, passed the exam… okay?”
Feng Shi held his hand, unable to say that sentence for a long time: Go back and say it yourself.
In the year they had known each other, today was the time Feng Zhun spoke the most to him.
Feng Shi turned his head, almost unable to hold back.
Just then, Feng Zhun’s body suddenly convulsed violently. Feng Shi panicked and called out: “System! Qingqing!”
The panel popped out at the sound.
Qingqing froze time, looking at Feng Shi silently.
Feng Shi looked up, pleading: “Qingqing, do I… have any way…”
【Please restrain your grief, Host.】 Qingqing shook its head.
Feng Shi stared at it blankly for a moment. Suddenly, he lowered his head, his tone calming down: “Actually there is a way, right?”
Qingqing was silent again.
“It’s because I don’t have enough points, right?”
Qingqing could only comfort in a small voice: 【Host has done your best…】
【Life always has to experience many regrets. Not everyone can be saved by you, and not everyone can accompany you to the end.】
【Parting in life and death is the norm of life.】
Feng Shi understood the principles, but at this moment, powerlessness and self-blame were like maggots attached to bones, endlessly tormenting him.
A young man with a bright future, striving forward, had his life harvested casually by someone who didn’t care. Everything had to come to an abrupt end here.
Words of yesterday could only remain in yesterday forever.
This was no longer something that could be settled with a “what a pity”!
Feng Shi tightened his grip on the blood-stained token in his hand. His eyes were red, but he began to slowly restrain his emotions.
After a long time, he looked at Qingqing and said in a deep voice: “Since it’s so.”
In the solidified time, death was also paused.
“Just let time stand still a little longer.”
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