newbobooks Chapter 447 Going to Death
Chapter 447 Going to Death
Lin Zhuxuan felt as if something had hit him hard in the chest, causing a mixture of sourness and heat to surge.
He suppressed his turbulent emotions and without hesitation, turned around and pushed through the panicked crowd, stumbling but rushing towards the core sacrificial area of Xiangsheng River, in the direction of Lu Wensheng and others.
He knew that any hesitation at this moment would be a blasphemy to the heavy sacrifices he had made.
Lin Zhuxuan was terribly anxious. He had rehearsed countless worst-case scenarios in his mind the entire way he ran: corpses strewn across the ground, the monks routed, the sacrifice completed, a devastating flood...
However, when he finally broke through the barrier of the chaotic crowd and rushed into the core area filled with blood and ashes, panting and with disheveled hair, the scene before him stunned him instantly, and he almost forgot to breathe!
The expected disastrous defeat didn't unfold! Far from being crushed, the monks seized control with lightning speed! Those high-ranking dignitaries, usually high and mighty, were now limp as mud, tied to the ground like pigs and sheep to be slaughtered.
Lu Wensheng, Wu Feipeng and others stood solemnly in the middle, giving orders with confidence. The air was not filled with despair, but a tense atmosphere as if the situation was being turned around forcefully!
He... actually caught up?
When the two sides met, no one exchanged further pleasantries.
Lin Zhuxuan's chest was still heaving violently, his hair was disheveled, and his clothes were stained with dust from running. He was still gasping for breath, but his eyes were already locked on Lu Wensheng.
There was no need for words. The blood in the air, the bound dignitaries, the surging black waves in the distance, and the solemn yet calm look in Lu Wensheng's eyes that showed he was in control of the overall situation, had already told the whole story.
"You can go now, I'll stay here."
Lin Zhuxuan's voice was hoarse from running, but extremely clear.
Xiao Yan and Li Qinghuan turned their heads almost at the same time, and their eyes met briefly in the air.
There is no need to say much, that look shows understanding, determination, and the calmness after the dust has settled.
Xiao Yan took a deep breath, suppressed the sob in his throat, and straightened his back: "We will stay too."
Li Qinghuan just nodded slightly, his eyes distant and firm, as if he was penetrating the chaos before him and looking towards some kind of eternal destination.
The unspoken words are self-evident - staying means perishing together with this altar and this surging Xiangsheng River, with the soul scattering and no reincarnation.
"They..." Wang Yanzhi's lips moved as he looked at the three people who were destined to die, his eyes full of pity and questioning.
Yu Shuoyang grabbed his arm, pursed his lips, shook his head heavily, and there was a restraining look in his eyes - the answer was cruel, why bother asking again?
Lin Zhuxuan looked at Xiao Yan and Li Qinghuan's unwavering attitude, and the last trace of uncertainty in his heart disappeared.
The three people's eyes met again. There were no lofty words, no sorrow, only a tacit understanding of relief flowing in each other's eyes.
Thousands of words are expressed in this silent smile.
Lin Zhuxuan straightened his disheveled clothes and bowed deeply to Lu Wensheng, Wu Feipeng, and all the cultivators present. His voice was steady and serious: "Now it's our turn to contribute. Everyone, take care!"
Lu Wensheng and the others looked solemn and without any hesitation, they all bowed solemnly in return to the three heroes who were about to die.
After the ceremony, everyone said no more words, turned around and quickly joined the fleeing crowd like an arrow, some used their skills, some jumped on their horses, and galloped towards the relatively safe city.
Time was running out. The Xiangsheng River was like an awakening ancient beast. The muddy river water carried broken wood and debris, roaring against the river bank with a deafening roar. The originally sturdy river guardrails around it had long been torn and swept away by the violent river water, leaving behind a messy gap.
Xie Qingwu was about to catch up when he suddenly turned his head sharply and looked back.
Lu Wensheng didn't move immediately. His gaze fell heavily on the three figures standing in the center of the altar. Deep in his eyes surged an extremely complex, indescribable emotion, which was definitely not just pity or respect...
The look was too deep and too heavy, it hardly looked like he was looking at someone who was about to die, but more like he was confirming a predetermined outcome.
"What are you thinking?"
Xie Qingwu couldn't help but speak out, trying to capture the ripples of Lu Wensheng's emotions, but he only encountered an unfathomable fog - speaking of which, these three people were about to be scared to death, and Lu Wensheng didn't say something righteous?
Hearing the voice, Lu Wensheng slowly withdrew his gaze and turned towards him. The corners of his lips seemed to twitch ever so slightly, and the complex emotions in his eyes instantly disappeared, leaving only his usual calmness, even with a hint of deliberate understatement: "Guess."
Xie Qingwu: “…” So he hated the Riddler the most! — And even more hateful, why couldn’t he read Lu Wensheng’s mind?! This felt like scratching an itch through a shoe, so suffocating!
On the altar——
The strong wind blew cold rain and a strong fishy smell towards us. The huge stone platform under our feet trembled slightly under the impact of the flood, like the dying heartbeat of a giant beast.
The surging black waves were only a few feet away from the highest point of the altar, and the turbid water foam was even enough to wet shoes.
"You're going to die. Are you scared?" Lin Zhuxuan's voice sounded unusually calm amid the sound of wind, rain and waves.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his blue shirt rustling in the strong wind, a few strands of scattered white hair at his temples sticking to his cheeks, but his eyes penetrated the misty water vapor and looked at the lead-gray, oppressive sky, revealing an almost transcendent calmness.
Xiao Yan swallowed subconsciously, his Adam's apple rolled, and a clear gulp sound came out.
He looked at the river water beneath his feet, which was rising like the entrance to hell and churning with black foam. The icy air seemed to be able to freeze his bones. A chill rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, making his legs and feet feel weak and he could hardly stand.
He took a deep breath of the damp and cold air mixed with the smell of death, and forced himself to straighten his not-so-broad chest in an attempt to dispel the overwhelming fear.
However, his voice had a slight tremor that could not be completely concealed, but it also revealed a unique stubbornness and calmness:
"How can I not be afraid?"
He paused, as if gathering up his courage, or as if mulling over the impending end. Then, an almost tragic and heroic spirit broke through the shackles of fear, and his voice suddenly rose, drowning out the roar of the wind and waves.
"However, the world is vast, how can I bear to see the myriad phenomena of the world? I know right from wrong calmly!"
These words were so powerful that Lin Zhuxuan and Li Qinghuan both looked at them sideways.
The three of them met eyes, and were stunned at first. Then, an indescribable emotion mixed with relief, admiration, sadness and extreme freedom surged in their eyes.
Lin Zhu laughed loudly, his laughter was clear and melodious, piercing through the wind and rain; Li Qinghuan also stroked his beard and smiled, his laughter was low and rich; even Xiao Yan himself was infected by this strange atmosphere, grinning, revealing a smile with tears in his eyes but extremely happy.
An indescribable surge of emotion surged in my chest—how could this be a wail of fear? It was clearly the final cry of life.
Behind him, the already crazy Wei Liang and the bound dignitaries seemed so insignificant.
Wei Liang had disheveled hair and was laughing wildly and muttering to himself at the surging river, looking like a madman.
Those bound dignitaries cried and screamed, struggled in vain, cursed or begged with tears streaming down their faces, their ugly appearances exposed.
The pouring rain, the cold fire on the high platform, and the silvery "fishing line" in the sky passed through these three upright bones, leaving a faint red mark, which then tended to dissipate in the moment when the fog surged.
The cold rain mercilessly whipped the altar, like a dirge played by heaven and earth for this sacrifice.
They are like solitary, silent travelers wandering along the bleak riverbank, flapping their wings only once in their lives to overlook the vast sky.
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(The symbols of the four people at the center of the formation are revealed)
1. Emperor Wei Liang: A symbol of the alienation of power
The rotten cornerstone on the altar of power symbolizes the alienated nature of feudal imperial power.
As one of the core elements of the formation, Wei Liang symbolizes the collapse of the power system. His greed for life represents the hypocrisy of the feudal imperial power's "mandate from heaven." The more he fears losing power, the more he uses the lives of others to fill the gap in his desires, ultimately turning the formation into a weapon that devours itself.
When the ruling class transforms "protecting the country" into "protecting their own lives", the foundations of civilization will be hollowed out from within.
2. Marquis Xiao Yan: A Metaphor for the Glitzy Times
The spiritual emptiness beneath the flashy appearance.
Beneath Xiao Yan's dandy appearance lies his morbid pursuit of a "good reputation", symbolizing the schizophrenia of the scholar-official class.
He used poetry, wine and romance to cover up his inner emptiness, which seemed brilliant but was actually empty. He deliberately wrote bad poems, and the ink stains revealed the collective hysteria of the aristocratic class in the last days.
It symbolizes the hypocrisy of the scholar-official class: using poetry, wine and romance to cover up spiritual emptiness, and using self-proclaimed nobleness as a fig leaf for indulgence.
3. The Great Scholar Li Qinghuan: A Concrete Representation of the Cultural Dilemma
The spark of awakening in the moral dilemma symbolizes the spiritual fission of intellectuals.
His persistence in studying the classics and his struggle against death reflect the value dilemma of Confucian culture in troubled times. His struggle is not only a reverence for morality, but also a soul-searching question on whether "love" should include himself.
The turbid survival instinct and the clear moral introspection form a vortex, just like the water of the Yellow River that both carries mud and gives birth to civilization.
When scholars stop being the gravekeepers of classics and become icebreakers of reality, civilization can complete the transformation from survival to rebirth.
4. The Noble Character of Lin Zhuxuan: The Embodiment of Pure Faith
As the only person in the eye of the formation who is willing to embrace death, his existence itself is the simplest interpretation of "sacrifice one's life for righteousness".
Its vitality is manifested in its devotion of "turning into spring mud to protect flowers", and it also hides its determination of "I will go forward even if there are thousands of people against me".
His existence embodies the true guardian of civilization, who must be rooted in the soil as flexibly as a bamboo, and pierce the sky as straight as a bamboo joint.
The setting of the Four Symbols Formation's center coincides with the philosophical framework of "Heaven-Earth-Man-Tao": Lin Zhuxuan represents the belief in Heaven's Way, Wei Liang symbolizes the power of the earth's veins, Xiao Yan reflects the world's vanity, and Li Qinghuan carries the cultural tradition.
It is also power-culture-morality-belief.
Wei Liang's corruption lacks Lin Zhuxuan's faith, and Xiao Yan's emptiness lacks Li Qinghuan's thoughts... When the instinct of greed for life encounters the obsession with seeking the truth, when hypocrisy and vanity encounter sincerity and character, the vibration of the formation is actually the self-renewal of the civilization gene.
The setting is in line with the "Book of Changes" saying "When you are in trouble, you must change; when you change, you will succeed" - only by allowing different spectra of human nature to collide in the eye of the array can civilization break through the cyclical rise and fall and complete the spiral rise.
(The four characters at the center of the formation are actually representatives I chose for the chaotic world. I didn’t think too much about it when I started writing, and then it just came out like this. Hahahaha. I made up some very profound things based on my own ideas. Yes, I made them up. I’m just addicted to writing about these contradictions.)