Chapter 347 174: Confession

Jiang Ran was stunned.

He couldn't help but look around.

"Did I just hear someone telling me to come out and die?

"Who's out there howling in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

"It's probably Xuanyuan One Slash."

Tang Huayi said, "The voice sounds a bit like his..."

"Xuanyuan One Slash? The people from the Blood Saber Hall are here?"

Jiang Ran was a little surprised.

"It's not just the Blood Saber Hall."

Tang Huayi said, "After you left with Miss Ruan... a few other things happened."

Just a moment ago, Dao Wuming had explained the affair of Lady Jinling and Mr. Yin Xian.

But he hadn't had time to say much else.

Now, as Jiang Ran casually pulled the needles from Feng Wu, Tang Huayi explained what had happened.

All the while, the sound of Xuanyuan One Slash taunting and cursing them from outside continued.

The old man's insults weren't very creative.

He just kept repeating phrases like "gutless rats" and "cowards hiding in your shells," over and over again.

Before Jiang Ran could even get anxious, Ning Jiuyuan flew into a rage. Her eyes turning bloodshot, she started to rush outside.

"How outrageous! He is a respected senior of the martial world! How can he curse a junior like this?

"Young Hero Jiang is at a critical moment in saving my junior brother! If he gets distracted by those curses, my junior brother's life will be on Xuanyuan One Slash's head!"

Dao Wuming glanced over, worried she might get into trouble, and followed her out along with Gu Shengyan.

Jiang Ran pinched a steel needle, twisting it slightly as he gradually pulled it from Feng Wu's head. He asked casually,

"Besides that object suspected to be a Celestial Thunder Pearl, has Thunderbolt Hall left any other traces?"

"No."

Tang Huayi shook her head.

"So, we can't be completely sure that people from Thunderbolt Hall are nearby?"

As Jiang Ran continued to pull out the needles, he kept observing Feng Wu's condition.

Seeing his dazed expression and the drool trickling from the corner of his mouth, he couldn't help but sigh.

'To think that Mr. Yin Xian and Lady Jinling actually dared to stick these things in their own heads...'

'It had to be said, they were probably already mad before any of this.'

"That's right."

Tang Huayi said, "However, the name 'Shocking God Saber' was spread by Thunderbolt Hall. They claimed to have business to attend to, but they've been lingering nearby. It would be hard to believe they have nothing to do with tonight's events."

"Mm."

Jiang Ran nodded and stopped letting his mind wander.

He removed all the steel needles from Feng Wu's head one by one.

Unfortunately, even after all that, Feng Wu did not regain his senses.

'His mind must have been destroyed by those needles long ago.'

'It seemed that Mr. Yin Xian's success in refining Lady Jinling into a "Grief" must have involved a great deal of coincidence.'

At this thought, he glanced at Tang Huayi.

"Tell me, can this 'Eternal Grief' truly grant immortality?"

"Impossible."

Tang Huayi pursed her lips. She knew that while Jiang Ran was ostensibly asking for her speculation, he was actually asking for the truth of the matter, so she answered honestly,

"According to my knowledge of the Demon Sect's Eighteen Celestial Demon Records, the technique for the 'Eternal Grief' does exist."

"However, the method is incredibly cruel."

"Throughout history, only one person has ever succeeded..."

"Oh?"

Jiang Ran nodded. "Was it the person buried here? But if so, why couldn't Lady Jinling and Mr. Yin Xian find it?"

"If a person is refined into a Grief, how can the body last for eternity?"

Tang Huayi raised an eyebrow.

Jiang Ran froze for a moment, then it dawned on him.

'It wasn't that Lady Jinling and Mr. Yin Xian failed to find the Grief when they came here... it was because the Grief hidden here had rotted away long ago.'

'That's why they only obtained the refinement method, but not the Grief itself.'

'Left with no other choice, they had to research it themselves...'

'In the end, they refined Lady Jinling into a Grief, but judging by the results, it probably didn't even work.'

'That must be why they resorted to all sorts of mechanisms to draw human blood to the stalagmite, which then dripped into the coffin and onto Lady Jinling's head.'

'After being filtered through this questionable "Grief" and then rolling over the Falling Star Pearl...'

'...only then did they create the "Spiritual Medicine" that allowed that Zhi'Er to barely survive, clinging to life inside the coffin.'

'However, if that's really the case, then even if Zhi'Er is alive, it's likely a fate worse than death.'

Thinking of this, Jiang Ran sighed.

"Let's go. We can't keep that senior outside waiting for too long."

He said, glancing at Luo Qingyi, "Qingyi, you carry Young Master Feng."

"Alright."

Luo Qingyi agreed and hoisted Feng Wu onto her back.

The group left the chamber, followed the tunnel, and soon reached the exit.

Just as they reached the entrance, they could hear Ning Jiuyuan furiously cursing out Xuanyuan One Slash.

"You old scoundrel Xuanyuan, you are utterly shameless! Young Hero Jiang is a god in human form; how dare you insult him like this? By cursing him, you've damaged your karmic virtue, which is why your disciple died young and you have no heirs!

"Even though the Blood Saber Hall is one of the Thirteen Gangs, there will be no one to inherit it in the future.

"After you die, the Blood Saber Hall will fade into obscurity! It's even more likely that because of your perverse actions today, the Blood Saber Hall will be besieged by all!

"The foundation you've spent half your life building will be turned to ash in the blink of an eye!"

"How dare you!"

Xuanyuan One Slash's face turned livid with rage.

"And who are you? To come before me and spew such nonsense!?"

"I am who I am, and I won't hide my name!"

Ning Jiuyuan shouted,

"Li Xiangzhu of Cuiyue Pavilion!"

"A fine Cuiyue Pavilion, a fine Li Xiangzhu!"

Xuanyuan One Slash laughed in fury.

"Tonight, I will kill this Jiang Ran! Tomorrow, I will go to Cuiyue Pavilion and slaughter your entire household!"

"Hahaha, come on then! If I were afraid of you, I'd be your bitch! And if you don't go, you're my son!"

Ning Jiuyuan laughed maniacally. "Or, to save yourself the trouble, you could just kowtow and call me 'Mother' right now! Then we can let this whole thing slide!"