Before the Heart-Picking Willow could answer, his face quickly distorted. He raised his hand and held his head in pain. He opened his mouth and made a silent scream.
Although he couldn't make a sound, his ferocious expression and bulging eyes seemed to make people hear a heart-wrenching scream.
Help.
Help!!!!
His lips twisted into an unimaginable arc, and veins of blood quickly covered his entire eyeball. If it weren't for the four chains binding him, he would have already flown up and committed suicide in a fit of rage.
"I beg you … hurry … destroy me …"
It seemed that the time limit for the Heart-Picking Willow to recover his mind was up. The Heart-Picking Willow struggled in pain, but it was useless. A black gas rushed out of the Sword Pool and constantly attacked the body of the Willow in the pool. For a time, the iron chains clanged and sparks splashed.
Chu Wanning saw that the situation had changed. He quickly waved his sleeve and blocked his disciple behind him. With a fierce face, he asked the Heart-Picking Willow, "How can I save you?"
Although the Heart-Picking Willow moved slowly, he could drive the molten iron of the Sword Pool to form the Ancient Book of Cangjie in an instant.
"I am about to lose my consciousness. At that time, you will be hurt, not my heart.
I can't help you with the rest, and I can't tell you in detail.
I can only tell you the spells I know. Please be careful … "
The molten iron suddenly changed.
"There are three spells I am good at.
First, Dream of Nanke.
This is the Illusion Spell. The victim will get what he wants in a deep sleep, and the dream will last forever. Because of this, even if someone's spiritual power is strong enough to perceive that this is an illusion, he will still be willing to indulge in it and never wake up.
Second, Confusion Spell. It uses the greed in people's hearts as a lure to make them kill each other.
Third, Mind Picking Spell … "
However, at this time, his spiritual power had been used to the extreme. He couldn't move the molten iron to form more words.
He had no idea what kind of ability the Heart Extraction Technique was.
The Heart-Picking Willow struggled for a while and suddenly burst out a bloody mist. He couldn't move the molten iron, but he still used his finger to touch the blood that burst out. He stared at Chu Wanning with his twitching eyes. His eyes were bulging, and he was extremely unwilling.
"Shizun!" Seeing that Chu Wanning was about to step forward, Xue Meng hurriedly pulled him back. "Don't go, I'm afraid it's a trap!"
Heart-Plucking Willow couldn't say anything. She just dangled her blood-stained finger. Suddenly, tears flowed out of her eyes.
Chu Wanning: "… You want me to go?"
Heart-Picking Willow nodded slowly.
"…"
"Master!"
Xue Meng wanted to stop him again, but Chu Wanning shook his head at him. He walked forward alone to the edge of the Sword Forging Pool and extended his hand.
Heart-Picking Willow seemed to be quite moved. He looked deeply at Chu Wanning and struggled to wave the arm with flesh hanging on it, as if he wanted to salute. Then, he endured the great pain and grabbed Chu Wanning's hand. He trembled as he wrote in the other's palm:
Draw lots, break the nightmare …
Don't … lose … your … mind …
Nightmare … break … calamity … exterminate!!
Before the last word could be written, the Heart-Picking Willow suddenly collapsed like a pile of mud. It fell back into the boiling Sword Forging Pool and disappeared.
At the same time, there was a huge bang. A huge wave of scarlet red water suddenly surged from the Sword Pool. The surging iron water split the air, and nine dragon-shaped pillars of fire rose from the ground. Chu Wanning was forced to retreat by this terrifying wave. The light of the flames illuminated his pitch-black eyes.
Suddenly, four lots appeared from the molten iron pillars and hung high in the air.
Shi Mei remembered what Heart-Picking Willow had told him when he was awake. He hurriedly said: "Is this … the drawing lots that Heart-Picking Willow mentioned?"
Seeing him come closer, Chu Wanning stopped him: "Don't touch it, all of you go behind me."
Shi Mei: "Master …"
"With me here, it will be fine." Chu Wanning said: "You can't take the risk. Wait until I'm done drawing lots, then you can come back."
These words were said indifferently, as if there were no fluctuations of emotion, but Mo Ran's heart moved when he heard it.
For some reason, the Chu Wanning in front of him suddenly overlapped with the emotionless person in his previous life who coldly watched his disciple die.
If he could say such words, how could he watch his disciple die without doing anything in his previous life?
Mo Ran suddenly felt that he seemed to have never understood Chu Wanning as a person.
He couldn't help but murmur: "Master …"
Chu Wan-ning didn't pay any attention to them. He raised his hand and took one of the talismans. The talisman was made of light yellow jade. He flipped through both sides of the talisman and murmured, "Hmm?"
"What's wrong?" Xue Meng asked.
Chu Wanning said: "There's not a single word on this lot."
"How can that be?" Xue Meng said curiously: "Then I'll try."
The four lots were drawn.
Xue Meng and Shi Mei's situation was exactly the same as Chu Wanning's. There were no words on the jade pieces. Mo Ran flipped over his lot and suddenly opened his eyes:
"Ding Guyu?"
The other three immediately looked at him. Xue Meng frowned: "What's Ding Guyu?"
Mo Ran poked his lot: "It's written here."
Xue Meng leaned over to take a look and suddenly said angrily: "Bah!
You've read all the words you can recognize, haven't you? "
"… … It's Blood Drop Hourglass." Chu Wanning suddenly said.
He could recognize most of the words in the ancient book of Cangjie. If there were words he wasn't sure about, he wouldn't say nonsense. Therefore, since he said it was Blood Drop Hourglass, he wouldn't make a mistake.
Mo Ran was stunned: "What does Blood Drop Hourglass mean?"
Chu Wanning shook his head: "I don't know."
However, as if to answer them, a muffled rumble suddenly came from the high dome of the Shen Wu Warehouse. A huge hourglass fell from the sky, mottled with copper rust.
But unlike the other hourglasses, there was a cross-shaped copper frame on top of it. No one knew what it was for.
Chu Wanning looked at the hourglass and then looked down at the lot in Mo Ran's hand.
Blood Drop Hourglass.
In a flash, he suddenly understood what the so-called "drawing lots" meant.
Chu Wanning's expression changed instantly. He shouted: "Mo Ran, throw that lot away!"
Although Mo Ran didn't know what Chu Wan-ning meant, he subconsciously obeyed her order without a second thought.
But he didn't know if he didn't throw it away. Once he threw it away, Mo Ran found that the lot was attached to his palm by some unknown force. He couldn't get rid of it.
Chu Wanning cursed secretly. He rushed forward and was about to exchange his lot with Mo Ran's.
Unexpectedly, the rusty copper hourglass suddenly stretched out dozens of sharp thorns and attacked Mo Ran!
"Get out of the way!"
"Shizun!!!"
"Shizun!"
In an instant, blood splattered everywhere. At the critical moment, Chu Wanning pushed Mo Ran away with his palm. The thorns were like arrows piercing through the forest, piercing Chu Wanning's flesh.
Mo Ran was now in his youth form. Naturally, he couldn't withstand Chu Wanning's attack. He was pushed back and fell to the ground.
But the sound of flesh tearing was so clear and terrifying. Xue Meng and Shi Mei's distorted voices were so sharp and piercing.
It was impossible.
How could it be …
That was Chu Wanning. That was Chu Wanning who beat him and scolded him. That was Chu Wanning who, for his own power, cruelly watched as his disciple died in front of him. That was Chu Wanning who coldly said, "Bad character, hard to cultivate". That was …
Mo Ran looked up.
In the chaos, he saw that person's blood splattered three feet away. Sharp and dense thorns pierced through that person's back and came out from the front of his clothes. The thorns were precisely where he had received the ruthless blow from the ghost emcee.
Before the old injury healed, his fascia was torn again, and his flesh was mangled.
That was … that was Chu Wanning who used his own body to protect him in the coffin. Even when his body was pierced by sharp claws, he endured and didn't make a sound …
That was Chu Wanning who hid under the stone bridge and secretly released a formation to shelter everyone from the wind and rain but didn't dare to show his face.
That was Chu Wanning who, in his previous life, clumsily went to the kitchen to make Shi Mei have the mood to eat after his death.
That was the person he was most familiar with. That had a bad temper, a bad mouth, was afraid of bitter medicine, and coughed when eating spicy food.
That was the person he often couldn't remember to care about. He gnashed his teeth in hatred, but he also felt that she was very pitiful …
Chu Wanning.
Wanning …
"Shizun!!!" Mo Ran shouted hoarsely. He scrambled to get closer to Chu Wanning. "Shizun!!!!"
"Your lot …" Chu Wanning raised his trembling hand. His face was deathly pale, but his eyes were still fierce. "Give it to me …"
In the palm he extended to Mo Ran, he spread out the blank lot he had drawn. Because of the pain, his arm trembled slightly, and he slowly raised it with difficulty.
Chu Wanning's eyes were very bright, very determined, and covered with a layer of moisture.
"Quick, give it to me!"
Mo Ran didn't even have time to get up. He knelt and crawled to Chu Wanning. He looked at the horrifying wound that had flipped open his flesh and blood in bewilderment.
"No … Shizun …"
"Shizun!!"
Xue Meng and Shi Mei wanted to come over, but Chu Wanning seemed to have a resentful expression. He waved down a barrier, repelling the two of them.
Then he shouted sternly, "Heaven's Inquisition!!!"
Heaven's Inquisition responded and cut off the dozens of sharp vines that pierced Chu Wanning!
However, those vines were not ordinary objects. Chu Wanning could clearly feel them devouring his spiritual energy in his flesh and blood.
There was no other way. He could only grit his teeth and raise his hand to grab the broken vines. He steeled his heart and pulled the vines out!
In an instant, blood gushed out!
Chu Wanning threw the broken vines away. He gasped for breath and pressed on his spirit meridians and acupoints to stop the blood loss for now.
Then, he glared at Mo Ran with a pair of bright black eyes and said hoarsely, "Give it to me."
"Shizun …"
"Give me your lot in exchange!
I'll give it to you! "Chu Wanning said sternly.
Mo Ran finally understood what the so-called "Blood Dripping Hourglass" meant.
The ruthless method that the North Star set up a million years ago was very similar to the method he used to torture Chu Wanning in his previous life.
Sure enough, regardless of whether it was gods, devils, humans, or ghosts, when they were vicious, the idea of digging out one's heart was very similar.
Blood Dripping Hourglass.
It was to use human blood to replace fine sand and flowing water, and pour it into the hourglass to measure time.
When the human blood was drained, the time was up.
In his previous life, when he was crowned as the Emperor Ta, didn't he use Chu Wanning as the hourglass? He wanted Chu Wanning to personally watch him step on the heads of the immortal sects, and wanted Chu Wanning's blood to run dry in front of him?
However, in this life, before the North Star set up the Blood Dripping Hourglass.
Chu Wanning was willing to take the initiative to exchange his lot for his own safety. He was willing to walk on the bronze rack for him. He …
Mo Ran's heart was in chaos.
He couldn't even think.
How could this be …
How could this be!
The copper hourglass didn't hit its target and didn't bind its target. It waved its vines again, preparing for the second wave of attacks.
Chu Wanning looked at him, and the light in his eyes trembled slightly.
He was in so much pain that his face was pale. He panted slightly, "Mo Ran, you … listen to me. Hurry up and give it to me."
"…"
"Hurry up …" Chu Wanning's face was as pale as fresh snow under the moon, "… Don't tell me you want me to block the second wave of attacks for you?!"
"Master …"
The vines pounced on them again.
Mo Ran raised his hand at that moment, and Chu Wanning reached out his hand without hesitation.
Unexpectedly, just as their palms were about to touch, Mo Ran's eyes flashed with a bright light. He quickly retracted his hand and blocked the defenseless Chu Wanning behind him. At the same time, the second wave of vines arrived. Mo Ran met it head-on. The young man's body was instantly engulfed by the vines and pulled in front of the copper hourglass.
"Mo Ran!!"
Dozens of willow vines coiled around him and tied him tightly to the cross.
Mo Ran turned his face and glanced at Chu Wanning. His lips moved.
Chu Wanning's eyes widened.
Mo Ran's voice wasn't too loud, but he heard it clearly. There was no mistaking it.
Mo Ran said, "Master, I'm really not … bad habits are hard to change …"
So, can you not give up on me?
— —
However, he couldn't say the second half of the sentence.
In his previous life, he didn't say it. In this life, it was already too late.
Whether Chu Wanning gave up on him or not, he didn't see it as important anymore.
He just didn't want to owe this person anything.
He was very stupid. He already couldn't figure out his feelings for Chu Wanning. He didn't want to be more confused because of this.
In this life, Mo Ran thought, the only person he cared about, the only person he cared about, was Shi Mei.
The reason why he didn't want to exchange with Chu Wanning was because he didn't want to receive this person's kindness for no reason. He just didn't want …
He didn't want to see Chu Wanning bleed dry again.
He, Mo Weiyu, wasn't a stubborn stone. The happiest thing in his life was that someone was willing to treat him well.
If it was just a little bit better, he would be able to smile from ear to ear.
If it was just a little bit better, then even if he had to die, he would be willing.
In the midst of the dense vines, a dazzling sharp sword suddenly appeared.
That sword looked like a divine weapon. Although it was simple and unadorned, there was a sense of heroism that hit the face.
There were two ridges on the left and right. The teeth of the sword head were like thorns. The sword case was thin and narrow, inlaid with a relief sculpture of a bull's head and a dragon's body. The decorations were complex. The body of the sword flowed with a blue radiance.
Mo Ran only had time to see the two words "North Star" on the sword. He didn't even have time to see the whole "Upper Palace" before this sword, which belonged to the God of Weapons, pierced straight into his ribs.
Blood flowed out in an instant, converging into an hourglass.
At the same time, a curtain of water suddenly fell from the Divine Armory, separating Mo Ran and Chu Wanning from each other.
Everyone was blocked by this sudden torrent.
Shi Mei shouted, "Mo Ran!!
Mo Ran — —! "
The turbulent water veil obscured their vision, making it impossible for them to see Mo Ran's situation clearly. Chu Wanning tried to break through the water several times, but he was pushed back again and again by the violent current. In the end, his entire body was drenched. His dark brows pressed down on his anxious face, and his lips were pale and miserable.
Chu Wanning said in a hoarse voice,
"Mo Ran — —!"
His voice wasn't loud, but it was trembling badly.
He didn't notice it himself, but Shi Mei was suddenly shocked. He looked sideways at him, only to see that his usually calm and composed master was in a sorry state. His long and thick eyelashes were trembling, and there was a trace of uncontrollable concern in his expression.
Seeing that he had called Tianwen over, his brows were full of ruthlessness, like a bowstring that was stretched to the limit.
Shi Mei felt uneasy. He pulled him back and shouted, "Shizun, don't go!
You can't go in! "
Chu Wanning shook his hand and ignored him. His eyes were as sharp as a knife. He silently propped up a barrier and insisted on going forward.
But the water curtain contained Jin Chengchi's Heaven and Earth spiritual energy. Not only could it not be penetrated, but it was as sharp as ten thousand arrows, directly piercing into his muscles and bones.
He was seriously injured before, and now he was hit by such a strong impact. He couldn't stand. Although he held his chest and tried to endure, he couldn't help it. He knelt down on one knee with a pale face. The wound on his back was torn, and bright red blood flowed out.
Shi Mei couldn't tell whether it was splashed water or tears on his face. He said miserably, "Shizun!
You — — why did you do this … "
"What do you mean why did I do this?
If the person behind the water curtain was you, or Xue Meng, "Chu Wanning said sternly," I would … "
He was in so much pain that he frowned and couldn't continue speaking.
But at this time, a sword light suddenly came out from behind the water curtain. It tore the powerful barrier in half like cutting tofu.
The sword light was unusually fierce, and the location was exactly where Shi Mei was standing. Seeing that it was about to hit him, Chu Wanning suddenly waved his sleeves and used all his spiritual energy to set up a barrier to protect Shi Mei. He used too much spiritual energy and coughed out a mouthful of blood.
A high-pitched and clear male voice slowly rang out, reverberating in the Divine Martial Library:
"I am the God of War, Gou Chen Shang Gong. You rascals trespassing into the Shen Wu Forbidden Area, how frivolous!"