The Black Lotus Eclipse - Chapter 4

“Who exactly are you?”

Zhuo Yuan was swift, ruthless, and precise as he seized my throat in a vice grip.

The blood in my body surged chaotically, my hands unable to move. Layers of seals descended, carrying the momentum to destroy the heavens and earth.

Panguan was so frightened he fell to the ground.

“Black Lotus Karmic Fire of the Demon Clan?

“Qing Wu, you!!!”

“Zhuo Yuan, let go of Qing Wu!”

Meng Po suddenly struck Zhuo Yuan with her palm, but her strength was too weak, and she was thrown back by Zhuo Yuan’s power. Already injured, Meng Po suffered further wounds-I seemed to hear the sound of her bones shattering.

“Let me go, Zhuo Yuan!” I shouted.

“Speak! What is your relationship with Cang Ming?”

“I don’t even know who Cang Ming is! I’m just a humble Yin Official by the Wangchuan Lake.”

Zhuo Yuan clearly did not believe me. My breath was cut off, and my body began to go limp.

The barrier above the Underworld instantly dissipated.

Yet Zhuo Yuan’s grip only tightened. At the brink of life and death, Meng Po used all her remaining strength to land a heavy blow on Zhuo Yuan. Panguan seized the chance to catch me, pulling me behind him.

Zhuo Yuan’s cold eyes were full of mockery: “Meng Po, Panguan, the Underworld dares to harbor members of the Demon Clan-how bold you are!

“Cang Ming was sealed by the Goddess Di Shu at the bottom of Yin Erosion Valley ten thousand years ago, thus preserving peace in the Three Realms for these millennia. Now that the Black Lotus Karmic Fire has emerged, do you realize the Three Realms will be plunged into misery and suffering? Can you bear this responsibility?”

Legend has it that ten thousand years ago, Cang Ming of the Demon Clan fell in love with a Goddess and willingly bowed his head in submission. But the Goddess, who pitied all beings, was most heartless to him.

What love was there? It was clearly the Goddess Di Shu seducing Cang Ming of the Demon Clan to save the Three Realms-how laughable.

Ha!

I burst out laughing.

These so-called God Clan of the Heavenly Realm regard all other beings as nothing. Rather than calling the Demon Clan evil spirits, it would be more accurate to say the God Clan cloak themselves in hypocrisy while committing the filthiest deeds.

Hearing my laughter, Zhuo Yuan’s anger flared again. He lashed out with the Nine-Section Whip, sending me flying into the air.

It is said that Zhuo Yuan’s Nine-Section Whip was crafted by the Goddess Di Shu from Cang Ming’s spinal cord, imbued with boundless power-a rare treasure of the Heavenly Realm.

As Di Shu’s beloved disciple, Zhuo Yuan naturally enjoyed the highest privileges.

In his previous life, he descended to the mortal realm as Le You to forge an Immortal Body, merely to search for Di Shu’s illegitimate daughter lost among mortals.

A filthy bunch of immortals.

The Nine-Section Whip began to devour my consciousness. In my daze, I heard-

Panguan shouted, “Immortal Venerable, you must not harm her! Qing Wu has grown up by the Wangchuan Lake since birth-how could she have any connection to the Demon Clan?

“There must be some misunderstanding in this matter. As for the Black Lotus Karmic Fire, I have only heard rumors, and you have never seen it yourself. How can you be so certain?”

Zhuo Yuan still would not listen. He wielded the Nine-Section Whip, constricting my body, churning my organs until I wished for death.

Meng Po struggled to rise again and again, only to collapse each time, her body curling up in pain on the ground.

I mustered all my strength to shout, “Meng Po, don’t!

“Don’t fight for me-I’m not worth it. You and Panguan should go back… Qing Wu is not afraid.”

The disparity in power was overwhelming; Meng Po was but an egg striking a rock.

Yet she stood up once more.

“Bah! I’ve lived so many years, and I can’t stand the hypocritical faces of you immortals from the Heavenly Realm!

“Even if I perish here today, so be it-I’ve lived long enough!”

Meng Po flew into the air, using her last bit of power to strike at the Nine-Section Whip, not moving back an inch.

“Good child, don’t cry!”

“Grandmother, don’t!”

“You call me grandmother, so I’ll act my age. It’s only right for a grandmother to save her granddaughter… Remember, never go to the Immortal Realm!”

Meng Po’s body gradually became translucent.

No!

“Zhuo Yuan, do whatever you want to me-kill me, torture me, I don’t care. Please, save grandmother.

“Zhuo Yuan, save grandmother! If you want to forge Le You’s Immortal Body, I’ll give it to you. Whatever I can give, I’ll give you!”

“Thud!”

The Nine-Section Whip scattered to the ground. I plummeted from the air, falling straight into Zhuo Yuan’s arms. He gazed at me with pity in his eyes: “Jing Chun, is it you?”