Chapter 133: Parting IV

Chapter 133: Parting IV

With a sharp "clack," Ji Yiyi's heart skipped a beat, causing her to tremble and drop the Scale of Heart Protection on the ground.

Reacting swiftly, she stepped on the scale with her foot, hiding it under her shoe. She then bent down to pick up the basket and turned around slowly, saying, "I didn't give him the Scale of Heart Protection. I just felt sorry for him and gave him some water." As she looked closely, she saw that her father was standing right beside Ji Shu. She exclaimed in shock, "Father!"

Her father strode forward, grabbed Ji Yiyi, and revealed the scale hidden under her shoe.

Ji Yiyi was utterly alarmed. "Father, why are you...?"

Her father replied, "You're my daughter, and I know your character well. I knew you would come looking for Shen Yuan. I followed you since you left the house. You're being foolish, daughter. Didn't you hear the Chief say that the whole family will be held accountable and executed together? —"

Ji Yiyi retorted, "Then why didn't Father help me hide it?!"

"Once tomorrow passes and Shen Yuan's hair strand hasn't turned white, do you think you can keep it a secret?"

As the father and daughter spoke, Shen Yuan watched from the side. He saw Ji Yiyi's father quietly take out a sharp blade, aiming it at the back of her neck. He cried out, "Don't! —"

It was too late.

Ji Yiyi's warm blood splattered across Shen Yuan's cheek. Her severed head rolled to the ground, eyes wide open in a deathly unseeing gaze, fixated on him.

In that instant, a buzzing sound resonated in his ears, a relentless cacophony.

"She was the only one who still believed in me!!! ——"

After that, Shen Yuan forcefully pulled out the wooden stakes that had grown into his flesh.

He then lost consciousness, only to awaken to find the dragon clan slaughtered. In his hand was a whip made of dragon sinews.

Each strand was still warm and pulsating with life, weakly wriggling.

Startled, he flung the dragon sinew whip away, collapsing onto the ground.

Once his emotions settled, he managed to stand up.

Battered and wounded, he occasionally coughed, each time spitting out fresh blood without fail.

One always has a keen sense of when their final moments are approaching. Shen Yuan was no different.

Considering he and Xiang Yan had ascended to godhood, they were no longer afraid of death. Any severe injury could be recovered from, yet Shen Yuan was coughing blood daily, perpetually lethargic and weak, unable to regain his health.

That Soulforging Stone was truly formidable.

The fact that he was still alive likely meant that Ji Yiyi's Soulforging Stone hadn't pierced his heart. With only one heart keeping him alive, losing it would mean genuine death.

What happens when a god dies?

Just like ordinary people, they cross the River of Forgetfulness, erasing their past and becoming trapped in the Sea of Rebirth, endlessly cycling through reincarnation. What else could happen? Perhaps in his next life, hearing about Shen Yuan's tale and outcome, he might clap his hands and laugh, "He got what he deserved!"

Forgetting is indeed a blessing. Gods envy mortals for their ability to forget, going to great lengths to erase certain memories, which led to the invention of Memory Imprint Pearls. They stored memories while also absorbing those that were forgotten.

But if he were to forget the unjust accusations imposed on him and release his obsession with purity and corruption, would that be for the better or worse?

Scanning his surroundings, he couldn't locate Ji Yiyi's corpse anywhere. He had no idea where it had gone. Even performing the simple act of giving her a proper burial was beyond him; all he found was that scale that had protected his heart.

He walked over, picking it up in a daze.

Soaked in dragon's blood, the protective scale had become stained.

Disregarding cleanliness, his clothes were already tattered from the Clear Source Whip's lashes, stained with a mix of his own and others' blood.

He carefully wiped it clean with his sleeve. Just as he managed to do so, another cough splattered fresh blood onto it.

Looking at the blood he had just coughed up, his eyes instantly welled up with tears, shimmering in their orbits. Pouting, he whined pitifully, "I've dirtied it again—"

Once more, he meticulously wiped it clean.

When it was finally spotless, he placed it around his neck.

"Eldest Brother?—"

Dian Shan's voice suddenly echoed from behind, causing Shen Yuan to flinch and turn his head.

Dian Shan was Shen Yuan's twin, but he was born with intellectual disabilities. Normally, he was silent and foolish, yet strangely lucid and vicious when tormenting Shen Yuan. Now, he had returned to his usual dim-witted demeanor.

"Eldest Brother not only sank the two East Sea islands but also slaughtered the entire East Sea Dragon Clan."

With a seemingly dull expression, Dian Shan's words pierced through Shen Yuan's heart like knives. Shen Yuan was certain that Dian Shan was feigning idiocy.

The malevolent energy within him surged into his mind, compelling him to clutch his head in a desperate attempt to suppress his violent urges.

After a moment, he abruptly lifted his head, glaring at Dian Shan with bloodshot eyes. The Dark Sin energy swirled chaotically around him, giving the impression of a devilish specter freshly crawled out from the underworld – even more terrifying than any fiend.

Yet, Dian Shan showed no fear; instead, he clapped and laughed, "Eldest Brother is a Demon God! A Demon God!"

He was deliberately provoking Shen Yuan, who was already struggling to keep the malevolent energy in check, let alone control his emotions. With a swift movement, Shen Yuan reached out, seizing Dian Shan's throat, gradually tightening his grip as his curved nails pierced into the flesh.

Dian Shan's brow furrowed subtly. Struggling for breath, he gasped, "Mother loved Dian Shan dearly, which is why she passed the Jiu Li imperial treasure to me after our tenth birthday celebration... You aren't Mother's child. You're the reincarnated soul of the Demon God Yu Yuan. Twenty years ago, you survived Wang Wanhe's two Purple Heaven Lightning strikes, thus taking refuge in Mother's womb, attempting to be reborn... Mother has never favored you. She gave birth to you while you were still dormant, intending to take your life..."

Shen Yuan had lived for twenty years, indeed sensing the strange treatment he received. Before Chi Zi'e revealed his true identity, he had never imagined himself to be the reincarnation of a Demon God. "B-But, Mother could have killed me right then and there. W-Why wait until now?..."

"Who knew you could withstand Wang Wanhe's two Purple Heaven Lightning bolts? Father and Mother declared to the world that you no longer existed beforehand. Yet, you proved resilient, not only reincarnating in Mother's womb but also implicating me in becoming an idiot!" Despite being choked by Shen Yuan, Dian Shan showed no fear as he spat fiercely, "For the past twenty years, not a day went by when Father and Mother didn't wish to kill you! Now, they finally have their chance – to do so justifiably and ensure you're remembered as a villain for eternity... Such is the rightful fate for a Demon God."

Tears welled up in Shen Yuan's eyes as he shook his head repeatedly, denying the accusations, "No, it's not like that... I-I never did those things..."

Dian Shan delivered the final blow, "Look at yourself now. Even if you claim you're not a Demon God or that those deeds weren't yours, I doubt even an ant would believe you! And look at the Eastern Sea's Azure Dragon clan – you wiped them out completely. Can you still say you never did it?"

Hearing this, Shen Yuan's heart jolted, and he slowly released his grip on Dian Shan.

Free from constraint, Dian Shan's feet touched the ground. He rubbed his sore neck and, with a twinkle in his eye, continued, "How about I give my elder brother a chance? If you tell our mother about what I, Lord Wang, and the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan have done to you these past few days, and if she believes you, then I'll admit my mistake and clear your name. But if she doesn't believe you... I've heard that Jiu Li has been searching for you all over the world. You should know what might happen if you suddenly appear."

Shen Yuan's health was already declining like the setting sun. If he didn't return to Jiu Li, he would find an isolated place to rest in peace.

Why would Dian Shan be so kind? The journey to Jiu Li was fraught with danger; he wouldn't even get the chance to cling to life for a few more days.

But he was furious! Indignant! He was willing to take full responsibility for what he had done to the Azure Dragon Clan, even if it meant death. Yet, before this, he had done nothing. The one who sank the island wasn't him—why was he being treated this way? !

"Alright," Shen Yuan acknowledged Dian Shan's proposal with a clear mind.