Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
Lin Feng and Big Luo sat opposite each other. Big Luo seemed to begin sleep-talking, recounting all his experiences in the Void Battleground, including the things he learnt after regaining his memories.
As he narrated the events, Lin Feng did not interrupt him and merely listened quietly. After Big Luo finished speaking and looked at him with uncertain eyes, Lin Feng nodded and promptly replied, “Although I previously postulated that the Hades emperor had other reasons to select you for multiple Samsaras to get rid of the Spirit Sea’s Mana Traces, I think everything that has happened until now has proved my speculations right.”
Big Luo seemed slightly lost and in pain. “Actually, even though I’m not the true son of my parents, I’m still a Hades Beast.”
Lin Feng gazed at him calmly and said slowly, “I took you in as my disciple back then because of your background, and it was admittedly out of convenience, but I never expected that so many things would happen after that. That being said, now that we have a master-disciple relationship, I’ll protect you.”
“Your memories are incomplete at this point. Even though many things back then seemed contrary to your original intentions, they may have become baggages in your heart now. In all fairness, the sect and myself have benefitted from your actions, so that’s not much I can say. I’ll just tell you that I won’t object to any choice you make regardless of which path you wish to take.”
Lin Feng stared quietly at Big Luo, “I won’t force you to make a decision now either. At the same time, no one else would force you either.”
Big Luo’s eyes became clearer as he bowed towards Lin Feng. “Thank you, Master Lin. I don’t regret whatever happened in the past, I’m just unclear of my future path now.”
He let out a sigh, “I don’t wish to view the Hades Tribe as my enemy, but I don’t want to pit myself against the human world or this sect even more. But now with the ongoing conflict between both sides, I can’t deceive myself or anyone else and pretend that nothing is going on. I can’t ally myself with the Hades Tribe and become enemies of this sect and the Divine Lands. But regardless of the reasons I have, I have let my parents down since the start. I’ve foiled their plans and harmed the Hades Tribe. I’m still thankful for them for my birth and their kindness. I am Luo Yao, but I’m also the Big Luo Hades.”
Determination ignited in Big Luo’s eyes. He raised his head to look Lin Feng in the eyes. “I ultimately wish to give myself up to the Hades Tribe.”
Lin Feng looked at Big Luo. Naturally, he knew that what Big Luo meant by giving himself up was for him to take his own life, especially since Big Luo became set on his decision after this recent turn of events.
He has not regained his memories, and neither had he confronted the Hades Tribe directly before. But this time, he engaged in a ferocious showdown against the Yun Cheng Hades and the Ning Feng Hades in order to aid Wang Lin and Ning Wan’ge. They collided their swords and spears for the entire battle, and his support earned Wang Lin precious time, allowing Wang Lin to kill the Ning Feng Hades.
He blocked the Ning Feng Hades’ movements to protect Wang Lin, but he remained in the shadows when Wang Lin was butchering the Ning Feng Hades.
Back then, Big Luo descended into a coma after sustaining severe injuries from his battle against the Ning Feng Hades, hence being unaware of what had happened. However, after he learnt what had happened when he came to, his already conflicted and flurried emotions naturally became even heavier than before.
Lin Feng looked into Big Luo’s eyes. He could clearly see the steely determination in his eyes.
“I’m not saying this on impulse or out of mere pretense …” Upon hearing this, Lin Feng secretly let out a sigh.
It wasn’t easy to want to continue living in this world. One would be met with numerous troubles and obstacles. This not only applies for ordinary people but for cultivators as well. Cultivators merely face different problems due to their different mastery levels and environmental circumstances. If someone really wanted to die, he could easily do so if his grit was steely enough.
There are an unlimited number of ways for a person to end his life without a sound, without alarming anyone else, or without having anyone else interfering with his suicide. His death would not be interrupted by any unexpected turn of events.
People who make their suicide attempts known to everyone would still possess a strong will to live deep down in their hearts. They subconsciously wish for someone to stop them and help them solve the problem that is draining them of their will to live. Or else, they still bear grievances and unfulfilled wishes in their hearts.
If someone really wanted to end his life, he just needed a sturdy fortitude to suppress the fear of death, and it would be an unbelievably simple task.
But Big Luo was not hoping for Lin Feng to solve his problems for him.
After meeting his gaze, Lin Feng already sensed Big Luo’s intentions. Whatever he said was whatever he meant.
His confession stemmed from his respect for Lin Feng. He did not want to hide anything from Lin Feng.
Whether Lin Feng would stop him was not within his considerations. A man who truly wishes to die would have many ways to do so.
Lin Feng has the power to stop him. If Lin Feng wanted to, he could easily restrict Big Luo’s freedom and movements, but Lin Feng had no intention to do so. Forcefully keeping someone with the unwavering determination to die alive would just be retaining a walking corpse.
“You’ll choose and decide your future path for yourself. I wouldn’t interfere with what you do as long as you don’t do it on impulse and make your decision after deep and mature consideration.” Lin Feng gazed at Big Luo standing before him and smiled, “But before that, would you be willing to stay in our sect and leave your name in jade?”
Big Luo gasped with might and jerked his head up to look at Lin Feng.
Leaving his name in jade meant that Big Luo would officially enter the Celestial Sect of Wonders as Lin Feng’s Immediate Disciple, instead of being the Unofficial Disciple that he was now.
Although he was relatively unknown within the sect, Big Luo was now treated no differently from other Immediate Disciples. Lin Feng, Xiao Yi, Zhu Yi and the others, have never underestimated his abilities. However, if he does officially advance from an Unofficial Disciple to an Immediate Disciple, this piece of news would spread through the lands.
Judging by Lin Feng’s current status, accepting an Immediate Disciple would definitely draw the attention of the entire Grand Celestial World. Big Luo’s existence and background would naturally be known to the world.
Big Luo looked at Lin Feng and muttered softly, “Master Lin, I’m afraid this won’t be ideal for yourself and the sect …”
Lin Feng cracked a faint smile, shook his head and said, “I’ve already prepared for this long ago. I was just waiting for you to regain your memories and identify your own path.”
As he said this, he reached out his palm and grabbed the void space, and a lighted object appeared before Big Luo. It was a jade plaque.
There was only one jade plaque at the top with a ‘Zu’ character engraved on it. Big Luo knew that jade plaque symbolized Lin Feng. And below the ‘Zu’ plaque lay an entire row of jade plaques. There were nine in total, with the first eight being virtual images with the words ‘Yan’, ‘Yi’, ‘Ni’, ‘Lan’, ‘Ming’, ‘Ge’, ‘Che’ and ‘Huang’ each representing Xiao Yan and his fellow disciples. The actual jade plaques were in their possession.
The final ninth jade plaque was not an illusion but the actual object with a ‘Yao’ written on it.
Big Luo looked at that particular jade plaque, slightly bewildered for a moment. Back at the Void Battleground, his fervent wish was to officially enter Lin Feng’s sect as a disciple.
All these years, he was no different than an actual Official Disciple, but Lin Feng has never offered him the opportunity until today. Big Luo knew that Lin Feng has acknowledged him as his disciple long ago, and Lin Feng only wanted Big Luo to make the decision for himself after he regained his memories. That way, Lin Feng would not add to his troubles if Big Luo wished to leave the Celestial Sect for the Hades Tribe.
Lin Feng continued, “To be fair, a master would naturally not want a good disciple to take his own life, and no one in this world can force my disciple to take his own life either. My point of telling you these things is not to add to your dilemma. These are just things that you have the right to know. You don’t need to care about what the outside world thinks, you just have to follow your heart.”
“If you ultimately choose not to enter my sect, I won’t spread the news around to avoid your tribe criticizing you even further after you end your life. And if you do enter my sect, with the news of your induction spreading through the lands, you needn’t worry about the opinions and reactions of the rest of the Divine Lands’ human cultivation world. Let them talk to me instead.”
Lin Feng appeared calm as he met Big Luo’s gaze. Big Luo gradually got a hold of his emotions as his gaze became less flustered.
He bowed towards Lin Feng. “Thank you for your support Master, I won’t do anything that I’ll regret.”
Lin Feng’s expression remained unchanged as he heaved a gentle sigh. Before he spoke, he already knew that his words may not necessarily be able to persuade Big Luo, and may instead cause Big Luo to affirm his decision and strengthen his grit.
But as he mentioned himself earlier, Big Luo has the right to know these things. And even as someone with a deep connection with Big Luo, Lin Feng was not in the position to sway Big Luo’s decisions, and neither was Xiao Yan, Zhu Yi or the Hades Tribe.
Nothing in this world is ever predictable, with countless unfortunate twists of fate plaguing the mortal world. The Hades Emperor’s plans, Mo Yunzi’s unexpected changes, Lin Feng and Big Luo’s fortuitous encounter, the Hades Tribe’s return to the Greater World … All these coincidences contributed to the situation that Big Luo was currently stranded in.
And Big Luo’s dilemma was a result of his own personality. If someone else with a different personality was faced with the same circumstances, there would have been a drastically different result.
Big Luo bowed to Lin Feng and said with a steady voice, “Master, I’m elated to join your sect without any regrets. This is something that I’ve always dreamt about doing. As for my father and the Hades Tribe, I’ll still give up my life for them.”
“Since I’ve already decided to give up my life, please reconsider whether you still wish to broadcast the news of my induction to the world. There’s absolutely no need for me to trouble Master or the Celestial Sect any further. Leaving my name on the jade plaque would already mean the world to me.”
