Chapter 91: Guarding Heaven's Pass pt. 12

Lin Changming caught the sound of rain and his expression drastically changed, as a frightening conjecture arose in his heart. The heavy rain in this small town was proof of the River God's survival. Now, with just one word from Jiang Linzhai, the downpour had reappeared. Could it be that Jiang Linzhai was actually the one parasitised by the River God?

Jiang Linzhai stepped into the temple. Lin Changming said, "I don't understand, if you killed him from the start, why did things still turn out like this?"

But Jiang Linzhai wouldn't answer him. Lin Changming, forced to keep retreating and seeing death approach again, suddenly had an idea. He struck the altar where the corpse was laid with a palm.

The force pushed Jianyi's body towards the ground. Jiang Linzhai immediately went to support it. Lin Changming took the opportunity to hold the corpse's back and said, "If you don't tell me the truth, I'll have to find out for myself!"

Based on his previous experiences, as long as the two of them simultaneously touched the disciple's belongings, Lin Changming could see the scene before the disciple's death. He guessed that touching the disciple's body would also work, so he struck Jian Yi's corpse with a palm. As expected, he really saw what happened before Jian Yi's death.

That day—

Rain poured down like a net, enveloping the entire small town in gloom. Jiang Linzhai and Jianyi disguised themselves as brides and entered the River God Temple in a bridal sedan chair. They found the mad Head Swordsman there and successfully killed him.

Jian Yi sheathed his sword and said to Jiang Linzhai, "Shifu, it's a good thing we came in time. If the River God had continued devouring people so recklessly, it would have been difficult to clean up."

Jiang Linzhai had just fought a fierce battle with the Head Swordsman, and his sword was covered in blood. He gently flicked off the blood, "It's all because of the Ming family causing trouble. Later, you must burn this body to avoid more complications."

Jian Yi said, "Yes, Shifu. But this Head Swordsman was indeed the strongest in the city, and verydifficult to kill. It's a pity he was parasitised by the River God and ended up like this."

Jiang Linzhai cleaned his sword and sheathed it. By the dim light of the temple's silver lamps, he glanced at the corpse on the ground. "The Ming family always selects officials based on cultivation rather than character. This Head Swordsman was arrogant and reckless in the city, not even realising when he was parasitised. He’s not worth pitying. Be careful when disposing of the body; the River God, without a host, will try to find another host, like hiding in someone’s sleeve."

Jian Yi patted his own sleeve and laughed, "I have the Fire Fish embroidered by Shizu, no evil spirits can harm me."

The River God, which had just parasitised the Head Swordsman, was severely wounded by Jiang Linzhai and was now in a weakened state somewhere in the temple. Jiang Linzhai had also placed a sealing spell at the entrance to prevent the River God from escaping.

Jian Yi took out a talisman and burned it to use as a light. The rain outside continued to pour as he patiently searched through the blood.

Dīdā.

A few drops of blood fell into the pool. Jianyi realised belatedly that the blood was coming from him. He looked at his hand, and in the dim light, he saw a black line running from his palm to his wrist.

Jiang Linzhai was watching the rain when he suddenly heard Jian Yi’s cry of pain. He immediately turned around and rushed to Jian Yi's side in two steps. Jian Yi's face was pale, and he was clutching his forearm tightly. "Shifu, it's in me!"

Jiang Linzhai quickly rolled up Jian Yi’s sleeve, revealing several black worms burrowing into his flesh. Jiang Linzhai commanded, "Hellfire!"

The hellfire instantly flared up, burning the worms off. The places where the River God had parasitised would form unhealable wounds, and this forearm was likely a lost cause. Jiang Linzhai swiftly sealed three spiritual points on Jianyi's body, his expression calm. "It's alright. As long as we guard your spiritual acupoints, your qi will remain stable."

However, Jian Yi endured the excruciating pain and said, "No, Shifu, there's more on my back..."

Jiang Linzhai yanked off Jian Yi's outer robe and saw countless black worms writhing on his neck. Jian Yi, drenched in sweat, stumbled back a few steps, falling among the corpses. He trembled all over, clutching his arms, and shouted, "It's too late, Shifu, it's already crawled to my chest..."

Usually calm and stoic, even when beaten, Jian Yi was now rolling in the pool of blood, his face contorted with agony. Jiang Linzhai tried to seal his chest, but it was too late.

Jian Yi's body convulsed as black lines crisscrossed his face. He cried out, "Shifu, Shifu—"

Jiang Linzhai pressed down on Jian Yi, using his spiritual energy to forcibly expel the River God. The excruciating pain caused Jian Yi's sweat to trickle into his eyes. Amidst his screams, his expression began to change.

"It's raining," he said, "I want rain to flood the entire city."

Jiang Linzhai grabbed Jian Yi's face and saw the River God in those familiar eyes.

The River God laughed hoarsely, "Hehe, what a finely cultivated body, so young yet brimming with spiritual energy. Shifu, haha, Shifu, Jiang Linzhai, we've become master and disciple!"

Jiang Linzhai said, "Get out of this body."

The River God replied, "I was quite content in the Head Swordman's body until you drove me out. Now I have nowhere else to go, so I'll have to borrow your disciple’s. Can you hear the rain outside? That's my doing. I want you to watch as I drown this entire city!"

The rain outside roared louder, pouring down even harder. The river surged violently, truly threatening to flood the city. The distant cries of the townspeople reached them, some calling for help, others praying to the gods.

Jiang Linzhai suddenly lifted the River God, but the River God showed no fear. "You want to kill me? Can you? I am your disciple, Shifu."

Jiang Linzhai said, "I will count down from three."

"If your heart is really that hard, why are your hands shaking?" The River God caressed his own face, as if savouring being Jian Yi. "Every time I possess someone, I first look into their past. Turns out, you raised me, Shifu. You are harsh on the outside but soft-hearted. When I was sick, you stayed up all night to take care of me. You carried me..."

Jiang Linzhai said, "Three."

"...carried me to pick the Wuyou flowers. We took the flowers to Shizu's table. She was very happy. It was one of the few times she smiled during her illness." The River God lowered his hand, almost transforming back into Jian Yi. "You taught me how to open my mind, led me on the path of cultivation. The sword I use was forged by you. You once said..."

Jiang Linzhai said, "Two."

"You said you never liked us, that we were just burdens, but we liked you, Shifu," the River God said. "You passed out drunk in the flower field, and we watched over you. Do you know how much we admired you? You are the best swordsman under heaven, Shifu—"

Jiang Linzhai drew his sword. He was the best swordsman under heaven, capable of killing with a single strike. Blood spurted out, warm and wet, splashing over him, staining half of his body.

Jian Yi fell backwards, and Jiang Linzhai caught him. He was no longer the River God; he had become Jian Yi again. Jian Yi looked up at Jiang Linzhai, blood still flowing from his throat.

Shifu.

He called out silently.

Shifu.

Jiang Linzhai did not respond, blood dripping from his chin. He covered Jian Yi's eyes.

When Jiang Linzhai took over as the head of the sect, Jiang Sigu had once told him something he thought he had forgotten, but in fact, he remembered it clearly.

Jiang Sigu had said, "Anyone who guards the mountains and seas has a Heavenly Gate to keep. This gate is not in the sky but in the heart. Kid, now that you have become the head of the sect, you are one of the Four Mountains. You may not understand now, but one day you will realise that to guard this Heaven's Gate, you must make a choice."

What choice?

Jiang Linzhai hadn't understood then, but now he did. The choice was to kill his own disciple for the so-called greater good.

But his Shifu never said the choice would be this hard.

At this moment, the silver lamps in the temple flickered, and the fingers of the supposedly dead executioner twitched. He, no, it, suddenly climbed up from the ground, almost laughing out loud.

"There really are people like you in this world," the River God said. "Your sword is so fast, without a moment's hesitation. But do you know, there are no living people in this city."

The wind blew out the silver lamps with a rush, and the blood on Jiang Linzhai's face had not yet dried. His throat felt parched, and he could hear the River God laughing, but he didn't believe it, because he could still hear cries outside the temple—

The River God said, "Those are your disciples crying."

Jiang Linzhai got up and walked out. He stumbled at the door, nearly dropping his sword. The torrential rain pounded down, causing him physical pain, but he still didn't believe it—

The River God said, "You think you've saved innocent people? Haha! What you saved were all puppets. The puppets tore your disciples apart and trampled on them in the streets. You heard it, didn't you? The one called Wu-Mei cried the loudest. They were all calling for you, 'Shifu, Shifu... Where was Shifu? Shifu was killing Da-Shixiong!"

Jiang Linzhai started running, but the steps were too slippery, and he fell, tumbling all the way to the bottom. Rain, endless rain, pouring down from the sky! The rain blurred his vision and soaked his face. He drew his sword again, but the River God seemed unkillable, everyone here was the River God.

The River God said, "Shifu is a complete waste." 

Jiang Linzhai's swordplay became erratic like a drunken man wildly slashing in the rain. He killed those innocent-looking "people," trying to find proof they were human, but they all turned into paper figures when they fell.

Paper figures, all paper figures!

Jiang Linzhai staggered forward, reaching the drainage ditch, where Si-Di lay. He suddenly bent over, as if struck in the stomach, kneeling beside the ditch and vomiting.

Shifu.

Jiang Linzhai muttered, "Shifu, save me, I made the choice."

He didn't cry, he had a heart of stone and never cried. But as the rain streamed down, he wiped his face and found it covered in blood.

What guarding the mountains and seas? What Heaven's Gate? None of that mattered to him. The River God was right, he was a complete waste.

Shifu.

Jiang Linzhai clutched his head, "Don’t be noisy."

Shifu.

Jiang Linzhai choked with sobs said, “Don’t call.”

Shifu.

Jiang Linzhai lost his voice and wept.

Jiang Langjun went mad like this, he was possessed. He wandered on that path, unable to change the ending or return to the beginning, trapped here, repeating the cycle over and over.

Lin Changming finally knew the whole truth of that day, and so did Ming Zhuo and Luo Xu. They saw Lin Changming lay Jian Yi’s body to rest and say to Jiang Linzhai, “The River God has committed atrocities, Jiang Lang-jun, Jian Yi is dead, and the only person left in this city who could be possessed by the River God is you. So, I’m sorry, but I have to kill…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Linzhai killed him first. But he was used to it by now; it was just a matter of wiping his neck and opening his eyes again. So, as soon as he opened his eyes—

Luo Xu’s soul shuddered, and he woke up from the sin investigation. As he woke, Ming Zhuo also awoke.

“Examine Sins isn’t finished yet,” Ming Zhuo’s silk blindfold fell off, and he grabbed it, shoving it into Luo Xu’s hands, “But my spiritual energy has run out, you need to drink the Water of Illumination and kiss me again!”

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