Chapter 116: Departure
Jun Mo’s family of three were currently warming the dragon eggs together. Upon hearing the knock, they opened the door and let Ning Ke in.
Niao Niao asked, “Big Brother, what favor do you want Big Father to help you with?”
“Send me away from here.”
“But Friend Lou is still absorbing the Godhead. At the very least, it will take half a month…”
Ning Ke explained, “I mean, send only me away.”
As soon as he said this, the family of three in the room were all stunned.
Qing Ru asked, “Little Friend A-Ke, have you told Friend Lou about your departure?”
Ning Ke shook his head and said, “We each have things we need to do. It’s time for our paths to diverge.”
“But, shouldn’t you at least say a proper goodbye before leaving?”
Ning Ke gave a bitter smile. “If I say goodbye, he won’t let me go.”
Niao Niao pressed her small hand onto the back of Ning Ke’s. Through it, she could feel Ning Ke’s emotions.
There was pain, bitterness, and reluctance, but even more so, there was a sense of finality.
Knowing that Ning Ke’s mind was made up, she said to Jun Mo, “Big Father, help Big Brother leave. This is Big Brother’s own choice.”
Seeing this, Jun Mo could only agree.
Qing Ru also gave a sigh. He didn’t know what had happened between Lou Yunxiao and Ning Ke.
But seeing Ning Ke’s expression, he knew the young man was determined to leave; even without their help, he would likely find his own way out.
It was better to do Ning Ke a favor and send him off.
However, thinking of something, he spoke to Ning Ke again. “Little Friend A-Ke, before you go, I wish to perform a divination for you. Would you be willing?”
Previously, when Ning Ke had awakened his Time Domain, Qing Ru had wanted to read his fortune. After all, someone who could awaken a Time Domain was no ordinary mortal; they were bound to influence the world’s fortune and direction.
Hearing this, Niao Niao also shook Ning Ke’s hand and said, “Big Brother, our Nüwa Clan has the ability to divine the future. Let Little Father perform a reading for you so you can avoid some unnecessary detours!”
Ning Ke was taken aback. Meeting Niao Niao’s sincere gaze, he lowered his eyes and said, “Then I shall trouble Senior Qing Ru.”
Qing Ru took out the Kuitian Mirror.
The mirror was opaque on both sides, made entirely of brass, and looked extremely ancient.
“Little Friend A-Ke, place both hands upon it and input a strand of your divine sense.”
Ning Ke complied. Qing Ru then made a hand seal and wiped it across his own eyes, pausing at his temples. When he opened his eyes again, his pupils had turned an ashen white, focusing intently on the mirror’s surface.
Faintly, some chaotic substance could be seen flowing across the mirror, but it could not be seen clearly by anyone other than Qing Ru.
After a long while, Qing Ru lowered his hands. His face was pale, and his expression was heavy.
When he looked at Ning Ke, his eyes were filled with sympathy and sorrow.
He opened his mouth but struggled to find the words.
“Little Father? What’s wrong?” Niao Niao asked. “Did you not see Big Brother’s future?”
“…That’s right, I didn’t see it,” Qing Ru replied, coming back to his senses. He patted the Kuitian Mirror and said, “This mirror seems to be broken. There were only some blurry images; I couldn’t tell what happens in the future at all.”
“How could it break for no reason?” Niao Niao pouted and patted the mirror as well. “Stupid mirror, choosing the most critical moment to stop working!”
“If it’s broken, then forget it.” Ning Ke took out a copy of the Qingxin Sutra from his storage bag.
After a moment’s thought, he also handed over the Hongyun Sword to Qing Ru and said, “I’m leaving without saying goodbye. When Lou Yunxiao asks, please tell him that I have gone off to eliminate the Mo alone and that we shall meet again if fate allows. If he ever has demonic thoughts in the future, tell him to recite this Qingxin Sutra alongside the Buddha Lotus Lamp to find relief. As for this sword, return it to him for me. Tell him that the Twin Swords belong to him to begin with; I do not want it.”
The Hongyun Sword buzzed and vibrated, but Ning Ke held it down.
“Hongyun, be good.”
The sword finally stopped trembling, having clearly understood his meaning.
Qing Ru accepted the sutra and the Hongyun Sword. Seeing Ning Ke about to leave with Jun Mo, he couldn’t help but stand up and offer a warning.
“Little Friend A-Ke, the rest of your life will be perilous. Take care.”
Ning Ke turned back. “Thank you for the warning, Senior.”
Then, he pushed open the door and left.
Meanwhile, Qing Ru rubbed his eyes, recalling the images he had seen.
The world was in ruins, and that person stood amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, covered in wounds.
Imprisoned, humiliated, condemned, and misunderstood.
Finally, he sacrificed himself to heaven, his soul and body ceasing to exist.
Though they were only simple images, each one was a premonition of the future.
This person’s fate was too tragic. So much so that he didn’t dare tell Ning Ke.
He didn’t want to add to the young man’s worries.
After all, even divined futures have a chance of being changed; they are not absolute. And he sincerely prayed that Ning Ke’s destiny could be altered.
…
Ning Ke stood in the courtyard, his gaze resting on the room where Lou Yunxiao was.
He could see the spiritual energy frantically surging into the room.
Clearly, the process of Lou Yunxiao absorbing the Godhead was going smoothly.
He didn’t need Ning Ke’s help.
And after this, Lou Yunxiao would possess the absolute ability to protect himself. Even if he encountered a Great Mo, he would be able to retreat safely.
So, choosing to leave now was appropriate.
Ning Ke knew he was escaping.
Escaping those feelings, escaping his exposed identity, and escaping Lou Yunxiao.
After all, he could feel a moment of relief when he responded to Lou Yunxiao’s feelings. His heart had been pounding wildly at the chance to speak the truth.
It had been screaming for him to embrace Lou Yunxiao, to accept him.
But because of that, he was all the more pained.
The person who killed Auntie Bai was him. Even though he had his reasons, his hands were the ones that had done the deed.
He could not convince himself to embrace Lou Yunxiao with these hands without any reservation.
Furthermore, his ending was destined to be his departure.
So even if he accepted, what then? It would be nothing more than a fleeting dream. When the dream ended, everything would shatter.
Thus, Ning Ke decided to use those few lines of confession to stall Lou Yunxiao, allowing him to absorb the Godhead in peace while he himself left alone before his identity as the Yao Venerable was exposed.
After all, as long as he was the Yao Venerable, Lou Yunxiao would maintain a certain distance and wouldn’t be so kind to him, let alone force him to admit to feelings that shouldn’t exist.
So tonight was the burial of “Older Sister,” “A-Ke,” and “Ming Xin.”
From now on, these three would never appear before Lou Yunxiao again.
“Little Friend A-Ke, the entrance is open. Follow me.”
Jun Mo reminded him from the side.
Ning Ke snapped back to reality and took one last look at that room.
He stepped into the open spatial portal and never looked back…
Recommended Reads
