Chapter 1969 - 1969: The Road to Liberation Is also a Dead End? (2)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
He gazed at the chaotic Fallen Abyss in the distance, his eyes held a hint of reminiscence as he sighed:
“There are always people with similar beginnings of fate who come together, only to be separated again due to various worldly reasons.”
“I don’t like partings, so I created a s.p.a.ce, a manifestation of my childhood dream.”
“Unfortunately, those who have left can never return.”
“Perhaps, this is what it feels like to have a ‘home.’ It’s good now, at least I have people to protect.”
Home…
Xu Xiaoshou felt a tug at his heartstrings and suppressed his emotions. He raised an eyebrow and teased with a smile, “Rare to see you caring about anyone other than your teacher.”
“Heh, who in this world can be without attachments?” Xiao Kongtong spread his hands, “Maybe that’s why my Emotionless Sword Technique couldn’t be perfected, but I suspect the fault lies in the technique, not me.”
Xu Xiaoshou chuckled in response.
And he dared question its prestige?
“An intriguing thought.’
He offered neither affirmation nor denial, his gaze s.h.i.+fting toward Fallen Abyss.
Xu Xiaoshou was visiting Fallen Abyss, one of the Nine Extreme Grounds, for the first time.
Yet, he could discern its unique terrain, chaotic energy, and disordered Path Principles.
This place was more fearsome than the other extreme grounds.
And the path Xiao Kongtong had taken to get here was no random choice. After visiting various extreme grounds, he had intentionally stopped here.
“Enough idle talk. Shall we continue fighting, or…
“You still want to fight? I’ve got nothing more to teach you!”
Xiao Kongtong glared at him and gestured towards Fallen Abyss, saying, “There are two paths here—one leads to the Inner Island, and the other, while on the way to the Inner Island, could take you through the chaotic s.p.a.cetime and perhaps out of Abyss Island.”
“s.p.a.ce-Time Transition?” Xu Xiaoshou mused.
“Yes, it’s a handy escape skill, at least that’s what I think,” Xiao Kongtong pointed ahead to the bottomless pit in the void, “Jump down, and you’ll be free.
Could he be more specific? Was it freedom from life or the predicament of Abyss Island?
He really did not want to misunderstand his words and end up jumping to his death!
“How do I jump?”
“Once you’ve made up your mind, just use your feet.”
What kind of answer was that?
Xu Xiaoshou held back his instinctive retort as he suddenly grasped what Xiao Kongtong meant.
Jumping down from here would mean leaving Abyss Island behind, and everything that followed would no longer concern him.
Whether it was Bazhun’an or Dao Qiongcang’s schemes.
Or the people, objects, and opportunities on this island. All would be irrelevant to him.
“Sky City” sounded mystical in legends because it rarely descended, an occurrence that happened only once in a century.
Having set foot on the island himself, Xu Xiaoshou had witnessed the true existence of the foundational roots of Saint Ascension.
At least, Ye Xiaotian had left with a semi-saint.
Compared to the other opportunities on the island, this was just a drop in the ocean.
What was truly awe-inspiring was that aside from such opportunities, survival on the island for ordinary people was thousands of times harder than achieving sanctification.
Xu Xiaoshou contemplated as he looked back.
The people he had encountered on this journey, or rather, demi-saints!
If he were to relive the journey to Abyss Island, he might not even make it to this point.
Perhaps one wrong move could lead to total defeat in a crucial moment, like his encounters with Jiang Buyi or Number Two.
The cost of defeat was undoubtedly death.
As evident in the cases of the demi-saint Jiang Buyi and the Divine Oracle Number Two, one lost his life and the other his consciousness.
This was the apparent consequence of defeat.
And for those who emerged victorious…
Xu Xiaoshou looked around, unable to discern any signs of life in Fallen Abyss. He did not even consider this a victory. In the end, he had not even figured out what Bazhun’an was up to.
If he were to flee now, would that make him a deserter?
“I’m quite tired, to be honest.”
Xu Xiaoshou looked back at Fallen Abyss, feeling conflicted.
He enjoyed the adventure, having been “imprisoned” for far too long in the past.
But if this adventure came at too high a cost, he realized that he, too, valued his life.
Risking his life for the sake of adventure seemed rather foolish.
“Do you know what he’s thinking?” Xu Xiaoshou abruptly asked.
He did not specify who “he” was, but he believed Xiao Kongtong knew exactly whom he was referring to.
In response, Xiao Kongtong shook his head with a somewhat puzzled look, “I don’t know.”
“Do you still want to stay here?” Xu Xiaoshou asked once again.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Xiao Kongtong did not answer. He only smiled and rubbed his teacher’s face, then gave it a playful pinch.
His amus.e.m.e.nt seemed to come from engaging in some “disrespectful” activities in his teacher’s form.
Xu Xiaoshou understood.
He looked toward Fallen Abyss again.
Within Fallen Abyss, chaotic energy swirled like a boiling pot of stew, with various ingredients added to it.
From this chaos, the power of numerous saint calamities and emperor tribulations could be detected.
“I’ll see you off, then head back,” Xiao Kongtong took a step forward, gesturing for Xu Xiaoshou to jump.
“No need,” Xu Xiaoshou lowered his head, his brows relaxing as he declined.
“Why?” This time, it was Xiao Kongtong who appeared surprised.
He could tell that Xu Xiaoshou was truly exhausted by this point.
He should not have dragged him into this mess… Xiao Kongtong even felt that the pressure his teacher put on Xu Xiaoshou was too much.
The best course of action now was to send Xu Xiaoshou away, allowing him to return and face whatever came next alongside his teacher.
Xu Xiaoshou, by staying alive, could prove to be of even greater use in the future..