The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 352 - 209: The Final Moment

Ever since leaving Shallow Water Village, how many troubles had she invited by her busybody nature? Having experienced so much, couldn’t she learn her lesson?

Let it be, let it be.

She sighed deeply, resignedly, in her heart, then gently extended her arms—

Before the infant could touch the ground, she gathered it into her embrace!

In that instant, she could almost hear Changtian’s helpless sigh.

The infant’s mother cried tears of joy. She rushed forward, took her baby from Ning Xiaoxian’s hands, and tearfully thanked her incessantly.

All Ning Xiaoxian could do was wave her hand listlessly and turn to leave.

The ground quaked more and more violently, causing most mortals to lose their balance and fall. The Qishou carried Ning Xiaoxian, soaring into the sky and overlooking the chaos in Spring City.

After barely twenty breaths, the earthquake suddenly stopped, plunging the area into a strange, eerie silence, but such quietness felt even more terrifying.

Indeed, after the time it took to finish a cup of tea, the ground began to emit terrifying noises again: along the ten-mile long street of Spring City, the ground split like opened bread, leaving a giant fissure! The gap grew wider and wider, and finally, at the widest point, it could fit several carriages side by side.

Many people couldn’t escape in time and fell down screaming, never to be heard from again.

But now, Ning Buxian didn’t want to watch anything anymore. Biting her lip, her face pale, it took her a long time before she asked hoarsely, "In the last several dozen reincarnations, did I always save that infant?"

Changtian sighed softly and said, "Yes."

This here was an endless cycle of reincarnation. Maybe in a time long, long ago, that child had already died.

She only felt bitterness in her mouth, and after a considerable pause, asked him, "If I do not save the child in my next reincarnation, could this dilemma be broken?"

Changtian was silent for a long time before he softly replied, "In the past several dozen times, you asked the same question."

Now, whatever was said was too late.

Finally, the earthquake stopped. The huge fissure on the main street of Spring City, like the instigator of this reincarnation dilemma, split its giant mouth and silently mocked her.

"Let’s go back," she said gently, patting the back of the Qishou.

There were still three hours left.

With a heavy heart, she began to search slowly around Spring City. But with the earthquake only just over, what could be considered normal? The night had fallen, the city was ravaged, people were fleeing in all directions; how could she find one tiny, inconspicuous anomaly among them?

She felt physically and mentally exhausted.

How could she resolve such a disoriented yet imminent crisis?

Ning Xiaoxian slowly walked back to the God Demon Prison and took a seat outside the wooden hut on a long chair. Whenever she felt down, she liked to sit here for a while.

In front of her, this small garden was full of vitality; exotic flowers and plants competed to show off their splendor. Even the inconspicuous Spring Blossoms and Autumn Fruits in the corner bore little white flowers, with a few buds gently swaying in the wind.

How much effort had she devoted to this garden? With such a long journey ahead for her and Changtian, how could they afford to be delayed by this damned cycle of reincarnation?

But in another two hours, it would be midnight. When it came, she would be mercilessly stripped of her memories, restarting from scratch, re-experiencing the anxiety, confusion, and helplessness of this whole day.

"Why did I save that child?" Her complexion pale, she murmured, "Changtian, I regret it so much."

All he could say was, "It’s alright, it’s not your fault." She was always too tender-hearted.

There was no medicine for regret in this world, but there was in this cycle of reincarnation. Yet she always yielded to her soft heart, every single time...

She stared blankly at the garden for a while, then curled up into a small ball on the long chair, burying her head in her knees.

Changtian couldn’t see her face, but he could see the tears flowing from the gaps between the fingers covering her face.

How could he console her?

Having gone through seventy-five cycles of reincarnation, he knew that any words at this time were too trivial.

Whether she was joyful, or in pain, or hesitant, time would not stop. As she sat there in a daze, the hourglass of time secretly trickled away another handful of sand.

Only 15 minutes were left until midnight. What could she do in such a short time?

Ning Xiaoxian stood up, went inside to wash her face, combed her disheveled hair, and straightened her clothes. Changtian silently watched her; he didn’t ask why she was making these futile gestures, for in another 15 minutes, everything would start over again.

The people of the Infinite Sword Sect had already been sent to the upper layers. She walked slowly into the bottom level and saw Changtian still sitting quietly in the Demon Transformation Spring, looking at her.

He was always waiting for her here, but she had let him down.

He said softly, "Come here."

Ning Xiaoxian lightly leaped over the Demon Spring and sat on the Black Stone Chair next to him, slowly lying down on his lap.

He reached out and gently stroked her hair. She had just cried, her eyes still red and swollen, looking at him with an expression both fragile and helpless, eliciting a sense of compassion.

He couldn’t help but extend his slender fingers, gently brushing over her cheek, feeling the soft smoothness of her skin.

Ning Xiaoxian parted her red lips, managing with difficulty to squeeze out a slight smile: "Changtian, are you very disappointed in me?"

His golden eyes focused intently on her, seeming tender and affectionate: "Not at all. You have tried your best."

"Should I really not have tried to save that baby?"

"...I don’t know. Even if you had stood by and done nothing, it might not have been the key to breaking out of this, right?"

He really knew how to comfort people.

She smiled faintly, her gaze unfocused: "I’ve tried. Every single detail, I’ve tried them all, not just this time, but the previous seventy-four times as well. The key to breaking out can only be this child." She sighed softly: "If I write a note, can it be left for the next reincarnation of myself?"

"No. You’ve tried it several times already."

She lowered her head in dejection, leaning forward into his embrace, and then burst into loud cries, crying so heart-wrenchingly and unabashedly, as if to pour out all the hardships and grievances accumulated along the way, wanting to be rid of them completely. In the depths of her heartache, she even used his Black Robe to wipe her tears and snot.

Changtian could only give a wry smile.

In the past, she had never lost her composure like this in front of him. In front of such a handsome man, any woman would hope to maintain a bit of restraint, to leave a good impression on the one she cherished, wouldn’t she?

But what did it matter? No matter how disheveled, how mad she became, all she needed to do was wait for the time of an incense stick to pass, and whether it was troubles or pain, nothing would remain. The March sunlight would still illuminate that room, and that damned magpie would still come to wake her up.

Changtian too would always be with her, from beginning to endless end.

Her shoulders heaved, crying even more sorrowfully, beginning to convulse. Changtian patted her back with pity, holding her even tighter.

Soon, everything would have to start from zero again.

After crying for a little while longer, her voice gradually subsided. She buried her head in Changtian’s chest, seemingly very exhausted: "In the next reincarnation, tell me about the baby earlier, okay?"

"Okay."

"Changtian, I’m sorry!"

"Why apologize? Even if you never make it out of this cycle of reincarnation, I will always be with you."

"Forever?" Ning Xiaoxian gave a miserable smile, "This is the cycle of Reincarnation. You can’t draw Spiritual Energy here, and one day you will disappear. Then... it will just be me, all alone."

She hung her head low, only sensing as if Changtian lightly chuckled, then he gently said: "That won’t happen."

"How much time is left?"

He turned his head to look at the huge hourglass in the corner, where time was mercilessly flowing away: "Twenty breaths left."

Only so little time was left. In the last twenty breaths of the previous seventy-four reincarnations, was she also filled with sadness and despair? The instigator behind this Reincarnation Dilemma, playing with everyone’s emotions so cruelly, was truly unforgivable!

"If I find out who is behind all of this, I will make them... regret it until death!"

She gnashed her teeth and said icily, then hugged him even tighter, whispering in his ear: "Changtian, if I find that person, I will make them regret it until death!"

"You must help me!"

"I will."

Her eyes and petite nose were still red, but she snorted with laughter, speaking in a charming tone: "Changtian has always been the best to me!"

This girl, has she lost her mind? At this time, he should coddle her, indulge her. He kissed her forehead lightly, then looked at the hourglass.

Ten breaths to go.

The bright sunshine was about to arrive, and all her sorrow and pain now would vanish.

Suddenly, she murmured quietly in his embrace, so softly that even with his hearing, he couldn’t catch it. "What did you say?"

She leaned close to his ear, her breath nearly touching his ear: "I said, I won’t sit around and wait for death, I always have to give it a try. Don’t blame me, okay?"

Her voice was coaxing and soft, like that of lovers. He was just about to speak, but in the next instant, all he felt was a piercing coldness.

He grunted dully. In his incredulous gaze, Ning Xiaoxian took a step back, lightly jumping away from his side, leaping to the edge of the Demon Transformation Spring. Her eyes still brimming with tears, but the Dagger Tusk was already in her palm, its pointed blade facing the ground, with golden blood dripping from the blade.

"Are you insane?" Anger flared in his eyes, along with profound sorrow. After having been companions for more than half a year, she had actually struck at him with such malice? The God Demon Prison sensed his rage, the entire Black Stone Forest Prison began to shake, the ground turning swamp-like.

"Right, I am insane." Ning Xiaoxian lifted her red lips, her smile carrying a resolute air, "If I do not lose my mind, how can I break this cycle?"

She raised the Tusk towards him, coldly saying: "You are not Changtian! Hmph, you even imitate his blood color very well."

"Nonsense!" He gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with grief and rage, "Stop being willful. You can start over again, but I cannot. Without my help, what will you do?" (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation tickets and Monthly Tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)