Chapter 64
Chapter 71: Things Have Changed
Although Zhao Gou was taken away by Ji Suying, they didn’t leave Jing Shui City right away. The reason Ji Suying came to Jing Shui City was that there was an opportunity waiting for her—the legendary Weak Water.
It was said to be a celestial substance that had fallen from the Heavenly Realm. Ji Suying wanted to use this drop of Weak Water to sharpen her rusty ancient fierce sword.
Utilizing Weak Water would undoubtedly result in a much stronger blade than what she had achieved previously with Starstone. Therefore, she was determined to obtain it. Fortunately, there were no hiccups this time. Since mortals couldn’t recognize its value, she easily got her hands on it.
With the Weak Water secured, Ji Suying finally took Zhao Gou and left. However, along the way, her curiosity got the better of her.
“I’ve heard of your reputation. In a sense, it’s well deserved that you’ve become an elder!”
Hearing this, Zhao Gou’s heart sank.
“Miss Ji, if I told you that was a misunderstanding, would you believe me?”
Ji Suying nodded thoughtfully.
“Upon further reflection, it does indeed seem like a misunderstanding. You’ve never laid a hand on them, and you’ve treated countless patients. If it really were you, you’d likely be gone by now!”
Zhao Gou felt deeply touched.
“Finally, someone understands me! Finally, someone acknowledges me!”
“Miss Ji, you’re absolutely right! I’ve been pondering who’s been scheming against me.”
With a hint of emotion, Zhao Gou added, “If the Qinglian Sect really wanted to throw me out as bait, I wouldn’t hold any grudges! But come on, don’t mess with my medical skills! This is my way of saving lives! Smearing my name like this is driving me insane!”
Zhao Gou gritted his teeth in frustration, and Ji Suying simply chuckled.
She thought it was quite humorous that people Zhao Gou had treated all exploded, but it had nothing to do with him. This was because in his previous life, Zhao Gou had indeed walked the path of medical mastery, and even she had received his treatment at one point.
However, she puzzled over one thing.
“In your previous life, Zhao Gou had such a significant role. Is it possible that someone deliberately wanted to blacken his name, making him a target for all the world’s scorn to upset his heart for the Dao?”
Ji Suying pondered.
But Zhao Gou was in high spirits.
Finally, someone recognized that those deaths had nothing to do with him, and it was Ji Suying no less, who was quite a reputable figure in the Qinglian Sect.
To vindicate his medical skills, Zhao Gou couldn’t help but hope Ji Suying would clarify things when she returned to the sect.
He turned to Ji Suying, saying, “Miss Ji, though it was all misunderstandings, and indeed someone has been plotting against me, I have never given up on the path of medicine!”
“Just right, I’ve recently comprehended a new medical technique. Would you like to try it out?”
Ji Suying smiled slightly, “No thank you, I trust you!”
Zhao Gou shook his head vigorously.
“No, no, no! You are my kindred spirit in this world; I must show you!”
His eyes brimmed with earnestness.
Sighing, Ji Suying said, “Fine, how will you demonstrate it?”
Zhao Gou jumped up excitedly, “My latest divine skill can treat any illness without even touching the patient!”
As he spoke, Zhao Gou’s body began to glow with a green light that illuminated the entire Jing Shui City.
His expression turned serious as he explained to Ji Suying, “This technique I’ve grasped, I’ve named it Universal Salvation!”
The moment he finished speaking, the green radiance enveloped every person in Jing Shui City.
Ji Suying was taken aback because she distinctly remembered that Zhao Gou had only mastered that technique a long time later. So why was he able to use it now?
But before she could digest her shock, “Boom, boom, boom…”
The entire Jing Shui City exploded.
Not a single person escaped.
The explosive blood turned the city into a river of crimson.
As for the people, they were directly reduced to ashes.
The sounds of rushing blood echoed, while Zhao Gou maintained his Universal Salvation pose, yet Jing Shui City had transformed into a stillness void of life.
Ji Suying stared at a dog head rolling at her feet, falling into silence.
The scene was eerily quiet, terrifyingly so.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Ji Suying finally turned and walked away, her steps quickening.
Zhao Gou remained silent, trailing behind her without a word.
——
At that moment, they had just left when Lin Wudao wandered through the now desolate Jing Shui City.
“Pfft…”
Lin Wudao coughed up a mouthful of blood.
“What kind of method is this? I’ve suffered severe injuries; my soul feels unstable!”
His eyes were filled with fear as he thought to himself.
“Well, thank goodness Zhao Gou didn’t target me back then. There’s no stopping that kind of power.”
“Splash~”
At that moment, the Shadow Guard emerged from the river of blood.
“Hmm? You survived?”
Lin Wudao was surprised.
The Shadow Guard also appeared shaken, “My lord, during his divine technique, I wasn’t illuminated by his light, so I managed to avoid most of it!”
Lin Wudao nodded.
“Support me!”
He reached out a hand, and the Shadow Guard hurried to steady him.
Together, they walked down the empty streets, only stained with blood.
Lin Wudao swallowed hard, “What did Zhao Gou call that technique?”
The Shadow Guard replied, “He called it Universal Salvation!”
Just as he finished, a hole burst open in the ground, and a swarm of dead snakes and rats were washed away by the blood, flowing past the two of them.
Lin Wudao stared at the Shadow Guard, “Universal Salvation?”
The Shadow Guard confirmed, “Yes, that’s what he said—Universal Salvation!”
Lin Wudao scanned the surroundings, falling into a heavy silence for what felt like an eternity, then nodded.
“Maybe, it truly is Universal Salvation!”
The Shadow Guard looked on in bewilderment.
——
This day brought heavy rain.
A cultivator wearing a hat and rain cloak strolled down to the riverside with a fishing rod and basket.
Before long, he had arrived at his favorite fishing spot.
Setting his belongings down, he prepared his fishing tackle, baited the hook, and cast out the line.
After finishing up, he glanced over at an older fisherman nearby.
“How’s the haul?”
The older fisherman chuckled and nodded, “Not bad! Though there are two big fish lurking around that are tough to catch!”
The middle-aged fisherman surveyed the area before responding, “Unexpectedly, my Clean River Carp turned into Poison Giant Fish!”
The older fisherman widened his eyes in disbelief, “Healing Spirit Fish morphed into a Giant Venomous Fish?”
The middle-aged man nodded gravely.
The older fisherman stared at him for a moment.
Suddenly, the middle-aged man pulled out a crystal ball.
As the light of Universal Salvation spread through Jing Shui City, staining it in blood mist, the fisherman could only swallow hard.
“What do we do next?”
The middle-aged man felt troubled.
“I have no idea! I don’t even dare to get close; you cannot imagine—after the Universal Salvation was invoked, in an instant, really only in an instant, an entire city vanished.”