Chapter 851: The Last of Resentment

It could even disguise itself.

Under the protection of the Spirit Lamp's invisibility spell, the four moved rapidly forward. This supernatural ability could also conceal their aura, so even though they brushed past oncoming monster hordes, they did not attract their attention. This allowed them to avoid pointless battles. He Jing's only goal in entering the secret realm was the Grand Cauldron.

However, even with their invisibility, some monsters occasionally cast suspicious glances in their direction. These were leader-level monsters with strong spiritual perception. Even without seeing or smelling them, they still sensed that something was amiss. Fortunately, they were all heading east and were too lazy to stop and investigate.

He Lingchuan and Qiu Hu's journey was also relatively uneventful, despite some close calls. They also brushed past several groups of monsters, but He Lingchuan had already taken out the Bo Mountain Lord's hide and draped it over both of them, making them invisible to the monsters. Coincidentally, both groups had resorted to invisibility spells.

Qiu Hu had surprisingly little curiosity, but at this moment, he couldn't help but ask, "Is He Chunhua truly your father?"

"By blood, yes."

The moment He Lingchuan turned his head, he saw the sympathetic look in Qiu Hu's eyes, which Qiu Hu hadn't had time to hide. The Soul-Devouring Mirror in his arms also sighed, exclaiming, "It's rare to see you express such genuine emotion!" This master was as cunning and sly as a ghost, yet his dramatic break with his father was so moving that even the mirror was slightly touched.

He Lingchuan offered no explanation, just a slight smile. "I've long known he would make a sacrifice to the gods. I came back this time to resolve that hidden danger. You don't need to worry."

Qiu Hu had nothing to worry about; He Lingchuan's maturity and resolve far surpassed his peers—otherwise, Qiu Hu wouldn't have chosen him as his lord. "No," he replied, "I'm afraid you'll go soft."

"In your opinion?"

Qiu Hu shook his head. "I wouldn't dare say."

"Evasive," He Lingchuan chuckled. "Then I'll rephrase the question: If this were your father, what would you do?"

"Cut him down with one stroke," Qiu Hu replied without hesitation. "If he shows no benevolence, I'll show no righteousness."

That was truly a typical Qiu Hu answer.

"You lost both parents at a young age and never lived with them, which is why you're so unyielding," He Lingchuan observed. Qiu Hu was naturally tough and resilient and never minded his origins, so He Lingchuan didn't hesitate to poke at his old wounds. "What if it were Old Man Bai, who adopted you for many years?"

Qiu Hu's lips pressed into a thin line. After the Rongshan Sect found the young Qiu Hu, they first entrusted him to the Bai family village at the foot of the mountain. Old Man Bai and Qiu Hu had a father-son bond. He Lingchuan's analogy truly made him hesitate for a moment.

Yet he couldn't ignore his young lord's question, so Qiu Hu thought while stealthily moving. After a moment, he said, "If Old Man Bai dared to treat me like that, it would mean his self-interest far outweighs any care for me!"

He Lingchuan thought Qiu Hu had made a good point. Whether to sacrifice one's own son to the gods ultimately came down to a choice: to value the son more, or to value the benefits gained from sacrificing to the gods more? Everything has value, and ultimately, the value of all things can be compared. This is called a trade-off.

"And then?"

"That's how it should be," Qiu Hu replied without a flicker of emotion. "All beings are like this; how can I expect him to be an exception? The primary nature of all living beings is self-interest. But!" His voice was low and firm: "No one has the right to take my life, not even Old Man Bai. Therefore, if he dared to do such a thing, first, I would repay his nurturing kindness by sparing his life. Then, I would give him a sum of gold and silver to support him in his old age. Finally, I would sever one of his hands as punishment, severing all ties forever!"

His plan was to settle things by addressing three aspects: the kindness of his upbringing, the father-son relationship, and the hatred of betrayal.

He Lingchuan smiled. "That's quite a plan." This young man certainly had guts. Although emotions are the most complex things in the world, as long as one is willing to wield a swift blade and act ruthlessly, they can still be decisively resolved. He Chunhua, for example, had put this into practice himself.

But what about He Lingchuan? He was a lone soul from another world, and there was no nurturing kindness or father-son affection between him and this nominal father, He Chunhua. Since there was no kindness or affection, there was certainly no talk of the pain or hatred of betrayal. He Lingchuan viewed He Chunhua only as an opponent, holding a grievance but no hatred.

On the contrary, after several life-and-death experiences and gaining extensive knowledge in the demon kingdom, he found himself, as an observer, understanding He Chunhua's actions even more. This man was more resolute and decisive than most people in the world. Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with minor details. What are these "minor details"? They are the prices you must pay.

No matter how much He Chunhua loved this son, how guilty he felt towards He Lingchuan's original body, or how his conscience tormented him at night, making him toss and turn—when it was truly time for the sacrifice, he would not hesitate for a moment. Is it enough to be fearless in the face of hardship and unyielding in spirit to achieve great things? No, it's not enough; one must also be ruthless. Ruthless to others, and even more ruthless to oneself. In such a life-and-death struggle, those who only seek comfort and safety will ultimately become either someone else's tools or the price someone else pays. Before being crushed into dust, they will cry out, "Why?" oblivious that their fate was long sealed and their demise was merely an inevitable progression.

Qiu Hu asked him, "What do you intend to do?"

"If He Chunhua manages to leave the Coiling Dragon Secret Realm alive, then we'll discuss it," He Lingchuan said. He had more pressing matters at hand. "To me, he is already useless."

All the pretense and elaborate maneuvering with He Chunhua previously had been solely to make him directly summon Naraka Heaven's avatar in the Coiling Dragon Secret Realm. Since his goal had been achieved, He Lingchuan simply scolded him and left, not even bothering to give him another glance. With monsters everywhere and only Zhao Qinghe by his side, He Chunhua's survival was entirely up to fate.

If He Chunhua survived, the scathing rebuke He Lingchuan delivered during their break would likely haunt him for the rest of his life. As long as He Chunhua still believed He Lingchuan was his eldest son, or even if He Lingchuan merely insisted he was the original body and hadn't been replaced, the so-called "Zhong Shengguang's possession" would no longer be a valid excuse for summoning a god. The act of "sacrificing his eldest son for his own selfish desires" would then become a sharp thorn in He Chunhua's heart. He might escape death, but not suffering. If He Chunhua could survive and leave the Coiling Dragon Secret Realm, He Lingchuan hoped this would be his "living punishment" from now on—the torment his conscience would endure in the dead of night. His understanding of He Chunhua did not mean he liked the man or his methods. He hoped He Chunhua would deeply feel the truth of "summoning a god comes with a price." This price would manifest in every aspect of his life.

The word "useless" sounded incredibly cold-blooded. Yet, hearing it, Qiu Hu felt relieved. The calmer the young lord was, the more rational and trustworthy his decisions would be.

After bypassing two more groups of restless monsters, they finally reached the Red General's Tomb. The surrounding buildings had been flattened over a century ago, leaving the Red General's Tomb standing alone in a half-acre clearing. But behind the tomb...

He Lingchuan's gaze swept over the area, his pupils constricting slightly, and he signaled Qiu Hu to hide. Both were incredibly patient. They lay prone in the shadow of a ruin for dozens of breaths. Seeing that it was quiet ahead, Qiu Hu gestured a question: Should they proceed? The legendary treasure was likely just ahead.

He Lingchuan gently waved his hand, pointing diagonally behind the tomb. What was there? Under the light of the lightning overhead, Qiu Hu strained his eyes, but saw nothing. Only a patch of dilapidated buildings. But he trusted He Lingchuan's judgment and remained prone.

Under the cover of the Bo Mountain Lord's hide, He Lingchuan's eyes were thoughtful as he gestured to Qiu Hu: "Danger."

Qiu Hu's expression subtly changed. As a gust of wind blew from ahead, he suddenly raised his nose and sniffed lightly twice. A faint scent of blood came on the wind. He quietly leaned forward and discovered a small, dark stain on the sand beside the tomb, barely visible in the night. Which unfortunate souls had died here earlier? Just a step away from the Red General's Tomb! This confirmed He Lingchuan's warning: this open space indeed concealed hidden dangers.

But how long would they have to wait? He Lingchuan wasn't anxious, and neither was Qiu Hu. When hunting demonic beasts in the mountains, Qiu Hu could go two days and two nights without eating, sleeping, or moving. Both regulated their breathing and slowed their heartbeats to avoid detection.

Several more flashes of lightning streaked across the sky, dyeing the Coiling Dragon Secret Realm a blood-red hue. Huh? Blood red? He Lingchuan looked up at the sky and was startled to see the dome world once again flickering with lightning and rumbling with thunder. The giant red shadow still moved through the clouds, but its speed was slower than before, and it seemed to be struggling as it twisted and turned. What was slowing its movement? Was it Naraka Heaven's avatar?

However, he found no trace of Naraka Heaven's avatar. Instead, a faint red light flickered within the cloud mass, which, though weak, did not escape his notice. That red light seemed to accompany the giant red shadow, persisting for a long time. What was happening? He Lingchuan had an ominous premonition. Naraka Heaven's avatar had appeared in the dome just moments ago, indicating it had indeed rushed headlong into the trap He Lingchuan had set. But before the giant red shadow could display its power, the avatar had suddenly vanished. Where had that thing gone? As an external god, could it truly have a hiding place within the Grand Cauldron's world? This was not part of He Lingchuan's plan. Not being able to see its ultimate fate made him very uneasy. Where exactly had things gone wrong?

Furthermore, the giant red shadow had been roaming the dome for a long time, visible to everyone in the Coiling Dragon Secret Realm. This meant that the anomaly had not been corrected. This indicated that the Grand Cauldron was very busy. It had to maintain the Coiling Dragon Secret Realm, connect to the Grand Cauldron lid, contend with adventurer teams and horned beasts running rampant, and search for the missing Naraka Heaven. And let's not forget, it also had another vast and intricate Coiling Dragon world to maintain. Perhaps there were also troubles He Lingchuan was unaware of, which it had to deal with promptly. But how could he intervene in what was happening above the dome? At best, he could only squat there and worry helplessly.

Never mind. He and the Grand Cauldron each had their own challenges to overcome. He should focus on playing out this immediate situation first. He Lingchuan circulated his qi and regulated his breathing, forcibly calming his mind. This time, as he sank into meditation and inner sight, he immediately felt a difference.

He felt the original body's emotions for the last time: resentment, satisfaction, nostalgia, and sadness. These gradually transformed into a sense of release. After all, He Lingchuan had fulfilled all his promises to it; he had not only confronted He Chunhua face-to-face but also thoroughly scolded him, releasing the last of its resentment and unwillingness. He Lingchuan also fulfilled its request to spare He Chunhua's life, thus preserving the last shred of father-son affection.