Chapter 123 - 120: The Defiled Ziwei Star

Chapter 123: Chapter 120: The Defiled Ziwei Star

Countless thoughts rose and fell.

Jiang Chaosheng identified three possibilities.

First, it could be a Curse—a means of dealing with him and Daji.

The only question was what conditions would trigger it.

Second, this was an attempt at Enchantment.

As he and Daji drew closer to where the middle-aged scholar was hiding, Daji had begun to feel a sense of sorrow.

This was likely the middle-aged scholar’s doing.

Perhaps if he weren’t under the protection of Antique Shop Zero, he too would have felt the same profound sadness as Daji.

The scholar wanted to create the illusion that he and Daji were intimately acquainted with him.

He was using tired old tropes like past and present lives.

Once he gained their trust, he would surely employ some trick to trap them here for eternity.

Third, Daji and the scholar actually knew each other.

The young man in black, the one who looked so much like him, was Daji’s husband—the Human Emperor.

The reason Daji always called him ’husband’ was because of his strong resemblance to that Human Emperor.

As Jiang Chaosheng was still lost in thought, the middle-aged scholar before him stirred.

He slowly turned his head, his gaze fixed on Jiang Chaosheng with a wooden expression.

The next second, blood began to pour from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

Jiang Chaosheng immediately backed away, drawing the Penalty Fire Flintlock Gun from his waist.

The middle-aged scholar seemed to be clinging to a final shred of sanity as he spoke with great difficulty:

"Kill me."

Jiang Chaosheng’s brows furrowed.

’What kind of request is that?’

He was happy to oblige, firing a shot at the man.

The bullet sank into his body. Cracks began to spread across his skin, like porcelain on the verge of shattering.

Jiang Chaosheng fired again and asked:

"Who are you?"

The scholar’s face was a mask of conflict, as if he were suppressing something. He struggled to open his mouth:

"I... I am the lingering will of the Ziwei Star."

Jiang Chaosheng mentally filed away the name: Ziwei Star.

’The Ziwei Star must be one of the Deities, just like the Jing River Dragon King.’

’These ancient beings all seem to enjoy leaving a piece of themselves behind in the Human World.’

’If it’s not a lingering will, it’s a lingering grudge. If it’s not a grudge, it’s a remnant soul.’

Black energy began to roil across the scholar’s face.

"The Ziwei Star left me within the painted scroll... to guard..."

"But I never imagined there would be so much suffering in the Human World over these past millennia!"

"I’ve been corrupted by the overwhelming resentment and have become a Demon, a scourge upon the world."

"Quickly, kill me!"

"Kill me, and the innocent people trapped in the Eternal Corridor will be set free!"

Jiang Chaosheng stared at the scholar, his eyes flickering thoughtfully.

’Guard?’

’The Ziwei Star is definitely one of the Deities.’

’So what did the Ziwei Star leave its divine consciousness in the Eternal Corridor to protect?’

"Ugh..."

The cracks on the scholar’s body multiplied, and black energy burst forth from them.

"ROAR!"

The scholar’s eyes turned pitch-black, and he lunged at Jiang Chaosheng like a Fierce Ghost.

Daji’s gaze turned icy.

"Insolent!"

Just moments ago, the sight of the scholar had brought her to tears.

But now that he was trying to harm Jiang Chaosheng, Daji had transformed into a mother hen protecting her chick.

A sheet of Talisman Paper appeared in Daji’s hand, and she slapped it onto the scholar’s forehead.

The scholar froze for a moment, but his demonic power was undiminished.

"ROAR!"

Black energy surged violently, and the objects in the room began to disintegrate into dust.

The scholar now targeted Daji, his attacks ruthless and every blow delivered with savage power.

Daji, however, seemed to handle his onslaught with ease.

Her every dodge and parry, every single movement, was as graceful and captivating as the Startled Swan Dance.

Stream after stream of Talismans shot from Daji’s hands, gradually suppressing the black energy surrounding the scholar.

Jiang Chaosheng pulled the trigger of the Penalty Fire Flintlock Gun.

Bullet holes riddled the scholar’s body.

The impact expanded the existing cracks until, finally, his physical form shattered completely.

Now, a human silhouette wreathed in black smoke stood before Jiang Chaosheng.

Jiang Chaosheng could tell that this was no Ghost Soul.

It was the purest form of a deity’s divine consciousness, but it had been ensnared by countless strands of resentment.

It was like a white moth so covered in parasites that none of its original color was visible.

Jiang Chaosheng grabbed the Scythe of Death and shot forward with lightning speed.

As the Scythe of Death fell, the corrupted divine consciousness was instantly cleaved apart.

A pure, white silhouette of light emerged from within the corrupted consciousness.

His features were gentle. He bowed to Jiang Chaosheng.

His mouth opened and closed without a sound, but Jiang Chaosheng could read his lips:

"Thank you."

The next second, the luminous silhouette of the man dissipated.

Gradually, the pillars, the bed, and the draperies began to vanish, as if consumed by an invisible fire.

Jiang Chaosheng put away the Scythe of Death and the Penalty Fire Flintlock Gun.

"Let’s go back."

But even now, doubts lingered in Jiang Chaosheng’s mind.

’Who exactly was that person in the small painting, the one who looked so much like me?’

’The Human Emperor?’

’Which Human Emperor?’

’It was one thing to have Daji, the greatest beauty of the ages, as his consort, but to also have a close relationship with the Ziwei Star...’

’And most importantly...’

’That resemblance to me couldn’t just be a coincidence, could it?’

Jiang Chaosheng didn’t believe in coincidences.

Daji followed Jiang Chaosheng out of the room. She paused in the doorway, watching his retreating back.

She then turned and looked up at the small plaque above the door.

[Top-Rated Room]

Daji pressed her lips together and peered back into the room.

Darkness consumed the space. Everything was gone. It was a complete black hole.

Daji felt as if a piece of her heart had been carved out with a knife.

She gently placed a hand on her chest, suppressing the inexplicable, overwhelming flood of sorrow.

Suddenly, Daji’s eyes caught sight of something.

She hurried back into the dark room and picked up a small painting that had been concealed by the shadows.

Previously, the dark energy from the Ziwei Star’s corrupted consciousness had destroyed every furnishing in the room, yet it had spared this one small painting.

Daji had a feeling—a very strong feeling.

Even in its frenzied state, the Ziwei Star’s consciousness would rather have destroyed the entire Eternal Corridor than harm this little painting in the slightest.

In this pocket dimension, this small painting was the Ziwei Star’s most treasured possession.

Daji picked up the small painting, and the emptiness in her heart felt somewhat remedied.

She hurried after Jiang Chaosheng.

...

Five in the morning.

The rain had stopped.

As the first rays of sunlight touched it, the Yellow Talisman on Blue Hat’s forehead melted away like water.

He could move again.

Horrified, Blue Hat glanced from side to side.

The sky was already brightening, which helped to dispel some of his fear.

After a moment’s hesitation at the entrance, he ran into the Worker’s Department Store.

Red Hat was still in there.

"A-are you in there?"

Blue Hat called out, his voice trembling.

He heard the sound of someone crying.

Blue Hat recognized the voice. It was Red Hat.

He swallowed hard, mustered his courage, and crept cautiously toward the second floor.

At the far end of the second-floor hallway, Red Hat was leaning against a wall, simultaneously crying and laughing.

"Heh heh heh, I’m Lin Zhengying! All you Demons, get back!"

"You can’t see me, you can’t see me, none of you can see me!"

"Hahahahahaha! A Toad Spirit! It was really a Toad Spirit!"

Without a Compass, the things Red Hat encountered in the Eternal Corridor were vastly different from Jiang Chaosheng’s experience.

He had encountered a Demon. Fortunately, the soul of that Toad Demon had poor eyesight, and Red Hat had hidden himself well enough to avoid having his own soul devoured.

Of course, if Jiang Chaosheng hadn’t taken control of the Eternal Corridor, Red Hat would have been trapped for much longer. Even if he hadn’t been eaten, he would have starved to death.

Now, Red Hat was suffering a mental breakdown.

Blue Hat rushed over to him.

"Buddy, hey buddy, are you okay?"

Red Hat finally recognized Blue Hat’s face. Snot and tears streamed down his cheeks, and he opened his mouth wide but couldn’t utter a single word.

Blue Hat’s mind flashed back to the previous night.

If that mysterious couple hadn’t shown up last night, would Red Hat be dead now?

’Were they Demon Exterminators?’

’Or... Immortals?’

Blue Hat tried to recall the faces of the man and woman from the night before.

He remembered the woman’s face.

She was beautiful—heart-stoppingly so.

But the man’s face seemed to be shrouded in a fog; he couldn’t recall it clearly no matter how hard he tried.

Five words suddenly popped into Blue Hat’s mind.

’God’s face must not be seen!’

Blue Hat trembled.

’Could it be... that man was really a god??’

Blue Hat swallowed hard.

What happened tonight was a huge deal.

’An encounter with a god... that would go viral on any short video platform.’

Blue Hat quickly pulled out his phone and dialed his boss.

It wasn’t just to figure out how to deal with the strange events of the previous night.

He also had Red Hat in front of him, scared out of his wits. The boss would have to cover his medical expenses.