Chapter 186: But That Person Is Also All Living Beings
The Lingxiao Sect was annihilated, the Bixia Sect was severely injured, and only the Zhao family remained untouched.
Ming Zhaoshuang and others would naturally not let it go.
And it was the same old tactic.
They first took a few high-cultivation individuals as whetstones for them, and handed the rest over to Sang Biao to deal with. Within a few days, they had annihilated the Zhao family.
Precisely because of this, Ming Zhaoshuang increasingly discovered the imbalance of the Thirty-Six Heavens.
It was called a sect war, but in reality, only the few with the highest cultivation could take charge. Those with low cultivation were all tools for maintaining formations, cannon fodder sent to die, and the sect never treated these people as humans.
No wonder the Heavenly Prodigies always obtained the most resources; after all, the sect’s honor and disgrace ultimately depended on them.
After these few days of bloody battles, her cultivation and combat skills, along with those of Ming Chenxing and others, had greatly improved, which was much faster than normal cultivation.
It’s no wonder Cheng Zhaoyang’s cultivation speed was so fast. For five years at Demon Quelling Pass, she spent almost every day in such an environment, so even with the most meager resources, she could cultivate faster than everyone else.
It’s just that this kind of cultivation opportunity is both cruel and rare.
Originally, after dealing with the Zhao family and dividing their resources, the Ao Tian Sect was going to host a celebration party and have fun with everyone.
But Ming Zhaoshuang did not attend.
Because she had more important things to do.
She had now entered the Nascent Soul Stage, and with the boost from the Virtual Soul Realm, her Soul Power Cultivation could reach the Spirit Transformation Stage.
According to the system’s prediction, if she didn’t force it, she could unlock the seal under her control.
Of course, she still couldn’t understand how to break that seal, but back in the Great Sui Secret Realm, someone had already told her the method to break it.
Ming Zhaoshuang’s soul body floated, stepping into her Sea of Consciousness.
The night sky was vast and distant, with the faint light of stars illuminating the path beneath Ming Zhaoshuang’s feet; it was ethereal yet solid.
Her Sea of Consciousness was now much larger than before.
Yet, she still couldn’t see the system’s appearance clearly. The only thing she could see was the spiritual power hanging high above her head, emitting a chilling aura that made one feel fearful, yet also gentle.
The system said, “Host, do you really want to open this seal?”
Ming Zhaoshuang walked closer slowly and said, “If I am truly an Innate Dual Spiritual Root, then there is only one path: to open it.”
The system couldn’t help but persuade, “The cultivation speed of a Dual Spiritual Root will be one-third slower than a Single Spiritual Root. Furthermore, if their relationship is not balanced, it is very likely to hinder your cultivation. Therefore, many Dual Spiritual Roots choose to cultivate only a single spiritual root.
“Host, you are already very good with a single spiritual root.”
Ming Zhaoshuang’s cultivation speed was not an issue, but if she were accustomed to cultivating the Ice Spirit Root, would she be able to adapt to other spirit roots?
Especially if Ming Zhaoshuang were truly an Innate Dual Spiritual Root, she might also embark on the same path as Feng He, abandoning her Dao and re-cultivating. In that case, there would be no need to prematurely unveil this seal.
Back then, the person who sealed Ming Zhaoshuang’s Innate Dual Spiritual Root must have had a reason.
Ming Zhaoshuang remained noncommittal. She tilted her head up and looked towards a part of her Sea of Consciousness, as if seeing through the layers of obstruction to the system’s true form.
She said, “If it were you, wouldn’t you also choose the same path as me?”
Ming Zhaoshuang’s voice was calm and clear: “You all want me to walk the path you have arranged, a safe and natural one, requiring no effort. You will then, like the Heavenly Dao, send me heavenly materials and earthly treasures, paving a broad and smooth road for me. The Heavenly Dao towards Qin Feilong, and you towards me, are no different.”
The system was speechless and stammered, “Host, I’m sorry, but… I didn’t intend to force you.”
She would not force the path Ming Zhaoshuang wanted to take.
If she wanted to destroy the heavens, she would help.
If she wanted peace, she would not interfere.
It’s just that what Ming Zhaoshuang said was true: her actions were indeed very similar to the Heavenly Dao; both were pushing Ming Zhaoshuang step by step into the position they desired.
Therefore, the system was so bewildered. She often doubted herself: by doing this, wasn’t she becoming the next Heavenly Dao?
Should one really sacrifice one person for the sake of all living beings?
But that person is also part of all living beings.
Ming Zhaoshuang let out a light laugh: “I understand what you mean, and we don’t intend to resist. After all, the path you’ve paved for me is truly good, very good. I am willing to walk this path and follow your wishes to become the person you want me to be.”
This was why she was led by the system in the early stages. Compared to the Heavenly Dao, the system was not unreasonable.
Every step the system took was for her own good, without any malice.
“You haven’t done anything wrong. On the contrary, I am very grateful that you chose me.”
You chose me to contend with the Heavenly Dao.
Within Ming Zhaoshuang’s Sea of Consciousness, it was pitch black, with stars like scattered dots. She looked at the system, her eyes clear and bright, calm and resolute, like the ancient, high-hanging bright moon, gently descending, scattering flowing light.
Ming Zhaoshuang smiled and said to the system, “Since I have received your heartfelt effort, accepted your benefits, and received your kindness, I will, as you wish, walk this path and grow into the person you hope me to be. But my willingness to walk this path does not mean I will tread it smoothly according to your plans.”
“I am someone who accepts what comes and finds peace, and also someone who will not turn back until they hit a wall. Since I have already reached this point, I will not stop. Even if I end up shattered into pieces or with a dismal end, I will still choose to push forward.”
Ming Zhaoshuang reached out, and the Fushuang Sword appeared, cutting open her palm, causing blood to flow.
“Indeed, I don’t understand this seal, and in the later stages, someone else will surely unlock it for me, so I don’t need to do it myself. But this is not what I want to see.”
“I want to break this seal. I don’t want to be trapped in ignorance. I want to be the master of my own life. I want to control my own fate.”
The Heavenly Dao wanted her to live a lonely life, confined within a cage.
How could she possibly fulfill the Heavenly Dao’s wishes?
Similarly, others wanted her to be mediocre and ordinary, only seeking contentment.
She was unwilling to fulfill their wishes either.
She only wanted to follow her heart and walk a path of her own.
Saying this, she dripped her blood onto the seal.
A stinging sensation struck her, and snow-white spiritual flow surged into Ming Zhaoshuang’s body, transforming into cold snowflakes.
But her gaze was tinged with splendor, bathed in moonlight, yet it remained unchanged.
“Perhaps I will eventually have to take the same path as Feng He, undergoing blood exchange and marrow cleansing, abandoning my Dao and re-cultivating. But that doesn’t mean unlocking the seal beforehand is meaningless. Even if it lowers my cultivation speed and hinders my cultivation degree, at least before I choose to abandon my Dao and re-cultivate, I can come into contact with the spirit root that should not have appeared.”
“My cultivation of it and balancing it is not like pulling up seedlings to help them grow, nor is it unnecessary. Instead, it is paving the way for my future.”
This way, when she abandons her Dao and re-cultivates later, she won’t feel so troubled by the extra spirit root.
Just like that Gu Diao talisman, the system originally thought it was unnecessary. After all, Ming Zhaoshuang would eventually return to the Setting Sun Mountain Range and learn her true identity, so why bother with such a trip, wasting a trump card that was already available?
But for Ming Zhaoshuang, it was worth it.
She at least learned whose bloodline she was from, at least learned that the Setting Sun Mountain Range was not as peaceful as she had understood it to be.
And she at least learned of the Phoenix Pool’s existence and saw her future.
She liked this clear and resolute feeling.
Ming Zhaoshuang spoke her last words to the system: “System, the path you’ve given me is good, but I have my own path to walk.”
The system paused and stopped speaking.
As Ming Zhaoshuang’s blood splashed down, her spiritual flow began to seep into the seal, slowly extending along the seal’s marks into blood-red patterns.
The seal seemed to sense her call, humming and trembling.
And within her blood, it gradually vanished.
Li Yukai’s blood could break Sang Biao’s seal; why not hers?
Especially since she was Zhen Hanliu’s daughter, while Li Yukai was merely of the imperial family’s bloodline, he couldn’t compare to the purity and closeness of her, the one who set up the formation.
Finally, white light surged, and spiritual flow permeated everywhere.
The seal shattered inch by inch, and snowflakes cascaded down. An icy and chilling aura swept through her Sea of Consciousness, and frantically surging spiritual flow filled her vision.
At the end of this seal, she saw a person.
Her father, Zhen Hanliu.
