Chapter 158 - 155: A "Dao Discourse" with Ye Sheng

Ye Sheng said, "No matter how great the name, sometimes it’s ultimately nothing but a void!"

He sighed as he spoke, and with his pale complexion, he looked somewhat pitiful.

It came back to the same thought: ’I never would have expected Ye Sheng to be like this.’

By the square’s gate, the crowd’s clamor continued. The bizarre singing, just like the bizarre foot-binding, was just as contagious.

A group of men with different vocal ranges pinched their throats, mimicking a woman’s coquettish voice. Amidst the cries of pain, they sang in high pitches: "Binding feet, oh, binding feet. You see a foot being bound, but do you know I’m binding a trial? If I don’t bind this trial, I’m just a worthless wife. Once I’ve bound this trial, I’m a Golden Lotus..."

"Oh, my love, my love, the silk ribbons bind me day after day, just as you cling to me night and day. Alas! Once you enter the door of foot-binding, you’ll never be free again..."

Interspersed were various cries of pain: "Ah! Help!"

"Let me go! It hurts so much! SOB... It wasn’t me who wanted you to bind your feet! Help, help!"

"Don’t come any closer, stay away! Ah, go to hell!"

SHIING!

In the crowded throng, someone was the first to draw their sword.

Fresh blood splattered, and several people were stabbed to death.

Outside the square’s gate, the Innate Martial Artists of the City Patrol Department grew anxious. One of them, hand on their weapon, eagerly asked, "General Guo, the people inside have started fighting. Shouldn’t we make a move too?"

Another chimed in, "Yes, General. What’s the point of us holding back? The killing inside will only get worse. It would be better for us to kill a few of them first to intimidate these foolish masses. We have to stop this from escalating and getting completely out of control."

General Guo, holding her Red Tassel Spear, furrowed her fine brows. She had a pretty, apple-like face that, at first glance, looked sweet even when she wasn’t smiling.

Her figure was also rather slender. Compared to the tall and imposing Yan Zhu, she was a completely different type.

Song Ciwan’s gaze fell upon her. She saw General Guo hold the spear steady in her right hand, but her left hand suddenly formed a blade-hand and chopped toward the empty air in front of her.

With this chop, a powerful sonic boom suddenly erupted. A shadow of her palm shot out, creating a terrifying, wave-like sound as it rumbled forward.

The congested crowd ahead had no time to react before they were struck by the palm shadow, which surged toward them like a relentless, churning tidal wave!

"Aaargh!" someone screamed.

Others were sent flying backward and landed on the ground without even having a chance to scream, making no further sound.

It was unclear whether they were unconscious or dead.

Still others scrambled up from the ground instantly and shouted, "Run! Run for your lives! Guo Yama has gone crazy!"

The Innate Martial Artists at her side didn’t even have a chance to act, watching helplessly as the crowd that had been madly jamming the square’s entrance moments ago instantly scattered deeper into the square.

The Soldiers of the City Patrol Department, standing in formation, cheered at once: "The General is mighty!"

General Guo’s sweet, pretty face remained taut as she slowly withdrew her hand.

The other Innate Martial Artists standing beside her couldn’t help but gulp and take a small step back as they stared at her delicate, slender little hand.

One of them worked up the courage to speak: "General, what you just used... was that the Guo Clan’s Supreme Skill, the Overturning Rivers and Seas Palm? To think you’ve already mastered such a Supreme Skill. This subordinate is in awe!"

Another chimed in, "General, since you’ve mastered such a Supreme Skill, why didn’t you use it sooner? It would have been better than letting this chaos spread..."

General Guo turned her head and said in a crisp, cold voice, "I acted just now because I received a message from inside. Did you all really think I struck because I couldn’t hold back any longer?"

As she spoke, she raised her left hand again.

The Innate Martial Artist who had questioned her had just taken a step back when he saw a shimmering Communication Talisman held loosely in General Guo’s palm. Indeed, it was a new message from a Communication Talisman.

The Innate Martial Artist’s retreat halted abruptly. He just stood there, shoulders hunched, and gave an awkward laugh.

Song Ciwan and Ye Sheng, who had been watching this scene, both fixed their gazes on General Guo’s hand. Ye Sheng’s expression suddenly changed slightly. "This is bad. Could it be they’ve fallen for Princess Chunshui’s trap?"

Song Ciwan didn’t know what led Ye Sheng to this conclusion. She only saw him make a move with his feet and spread his arms. A phantom image of giant, feathered wings flashed behind his back for an instant. He had already changed direction, floating away toward the depths of Bright Moon Square.

This was Ye Sheng’s Supreme Skill: The Roc Takes Flight with the Wind.

Throughout all of Cangling County, this Speeding Technique was just as famous as Ye Sheng himself.

It was said that its speed was so great it could rival a Divinity Transformation expert.

Ye Sheng had just taken the initiative to befriend the Black-clothed Blade Master played by Song Ciwan. On the surface, he was humble and polite, but at this moment, the pride of a disciple from a famous clan was inadvertently revealed.

He was extremely fast and showed no intention of waiting for Song Ciwan.

It was obvious that if Song Ciwan couldn’t keep up with him this time, their recent befriending would be meaningless.

Song Ciwan shook her head and smiled. With a light tap of her feet, she executed the Grasshopper technique at the Returning to the True Level. Her entire body seemed to transform into an elf of the night.

The elf cut through the night sky, creating almost no sound of wind, and lightly floated up beside Ye Sheng.

Ye Sheng turned his head, his eyes shining brightly, and said in seeming surprise, "Brother Lu, you kept up!"

Song Ciwan smiled. "If I didn’t keep up, wouldn’t it be a shame to miss out on this grand event?"

Ye Sheng laughed as well. "But what does it matter if we see it? You and I are in the Otherworld, after all. No matter how much we see or know, we can’t affect the real world in the slightest."

"Just like right now, I know where Princess Chunshui’s true body is, but I can’t tell anyone in the real world."

"I believe the members of the City Patrol Department might be deceived by Princess Chunshui, but I am equally unable to warn anyone in the real world."

"I’ve personally seen Princess Chunshui wreak havoc in Bright Moon Square. Countless people have died in the square, their blood dyeing the lanterns red, yet I can’t save a single person."

"Among them, there are surely many who are not innocent, but there must also be many whose crimes don’t warrant death, and even more who are suffering a completely undeserved disaster."

"I am completely powerless against it all. Brother Lu, tell me, what’s the point of witnessing this ’grand event’?"

"We can’t do anything."

...

Ye Sheng’s speed was extremely fast, but his words came out slowly and deliberately.

His tone wasn’t vehement. Instead, it carried a well-cultured gentleness. Yet every word he spoke was clearly a question directed at the deepest part of his own heart.

Song Ciwan realized it at once. These words must have echoed in Ye Sheng’s heart countless times!

He seemed to be asking Song Ciwan, but perhaps he wasn’t truly expecting her to provide an answer.

Because in his eyes, Song Ciwan was clearly in the exact same predicament!

Perhaps he was just seeking a sense of resonance, or maybe he wanted to hear a different perspective.

Song Ciwan, following him like a shadow, immediately posed a question in return: "Brother Ye, are you saying this because you’re unwilling to accept it? Unwilling to accept that... you’re usually the protagonist, but today you can only be a supporting character?"