None could answer.

None could answer Jiang Wang, and for good reason. Who could possibly answer a warrior who had returned from the Labyrinth, snatched back from the jaws of a nine deaths, one life ordeal? Who could bear to deliver a crueler truth than he had already faced?

Elder Su, though long accustomed to the parting of life and death, could not help but sigh. “I can administer a single needle for her. What words you wish to speak, what unfinished regrets… simply settle them.”

From his sleeve, he produced a silver needle as fine as an ox’s hair. “To recall the soul and restore life is beyond this old man’s ability,” he explained. “But this needle stirs the dream, allowing a glimpse of the return light.”

The return light – the final flicker of life.

The world-renowned Twelve Needles of the Eastern King, a truly secret transmission, are spoken of thus: Break Pattern, Break Array, Suspend Life, Scorch Blood, Shatter Heart, Crack Eye, Fix Soul, Suppress Soul, Stir Dream, Shift Life, Return Origin, Cross Calamity. The Cross Calamity Gold Needle of Qi’s Gold Needle Sect was, to a large extent, inspired by the Cross Calamity Needle, but their paths had already diverged.

To allow the already exhausted “lamp oil” that was Zhu Biqiong to briefly awaken was already a shocking feat.

Yet Jiang Wang… how could he accept this? He had journeyed from the Star Moon Plain to Linzi, from Linzi to Huai Island, even venturing deep into the Labyrinth, enduring relentless blood battles. Was it all for this inevitable outcome?

He half-squatted down, beside Zhu Biqiong, gently helping to straighten her curled form. He watched as Elder Su’s Stir Dream Needle slowly twisted into her Spirit Platform…

Suddenly, he could no longer contain himself. Without rhyme or reason, he roared up at Chong Xuan Sheng, like a furious, maddened lion. “What have you been doing?! If you couldn’t take her away to cleanse her sins, couldn’t you at least find a way to treat her, send some medicine? You couldn’t even do that? Aren’t you supposed to be matchless in wisdom and strategy? Aren’t you supposed to be peerlessly clever? Where is your brain? Where are your methods?”

Chong Xuan Sheng remained silent. Fourteen, encased in heavy armor, shifted slightly, likely intending to retort, but was suppressed by Chong Xuan Sheng’s large, fleshy hand.

Jiang Wang knew, deep down, that his outburst was unreasonable. No matter how one looked at it, this matter couldn’t be blamed on Chong Xuan Sheng. But the stifling frustration, the boundless rage, sought no other outlet. Only towards Chong Xuan Sheng, his closest friend, could he direct such fury.

At this moment, he felt a weak strand of power gently tug at his sleeve. He lowered his head and saw Zhu Biqiong looking at him. She gazed at him with those tired, withered, dry eyes.

“You don’t… you’re scary like this,” she moved her lips and said.

Jiang Wang pursed his lips, suppressing the torrent of resentment in his heart and belly. He asked, “How do you feel?”

Zhu Biqiong stared directly at him, not blinking once. Her eyes were weak, her lips chapped. “I knew I would see you again, no matter how long I had to wait.”

Jiang Wang didn’t know what else to say. He could only hold Zhu Biqiong’s hand and repeat, “I’ll find a way, there’s definitely a way. I’ll save you.”

But Zhu Biqiong shook her head. Because it was so strenuous, her movement appeared incredibly firm. “Don’t save me anymore,” she said. “Living… is very hard.”

“This world is very strange. It’s not what I thought it would be. I’m unwilling… to stay any longer.”

In Zhu Biqiong’s heart, what was this world originally like? Was it without deception, without false feelings? Would the people she trusted most never harm her? What kind of warm world had her sister, Zhu Suyao, once painted for her?

Jiang Wang could only remain silent. Including Chong Xuan Sheng, including Jiang Wuyou… they too were all silent. These people, their initial concern for Zhu Biqiong’s life and death, was solely because of Jiang Wang. After all, they had witnessed firsthand the immense effort Jiang Wang had poured into this matter, and they remembered it in their hearts.

However, at this very moment, witnessing this scene and this situation, they too felt an unavoidable injury to their spirits!

“Don’t…”

Zhu Biqiong looked foolishly at Jiang Wang, unwilling to shift her gaze even a little in these last moments. “Don’t lose your temper because of me again, don’t hate the Diaohailou. I’m just a very ordinary, very useless person. I… don’t resent anyone.”

Don’t lose friends, don’t provoke powerful enemies. This simple, clumsy girl, in her own way, had given Jiang Wang her life’s advice.

“I know…” Jiang Wang asked her, “Do you have any unfinished wishes?”

“Wishes…”

Zhu Biqiong wandered for a moment, likely truly thinking very seriously. Finally, she said, “If possible, can you bury me with my sister?”

She closed her eyes with some effort. “I miss her so much…”

Zhu Biqiong’s sister, Zhu Suyao, had perished in the Tianfu Secret Realm. After experiencing so much, perhaps only by Zhu Suyao’s side could she feel a sense of security.

“You can,” Jiang Wang said without hesitation. He lifted his head and glanced at Chong Xuan Sheng.

Chong Xuan Sheng simply said, “You go directly to Tianfu City. I’ll arrange the other matters.”

Jiang Wang then picked up Zhu Biqiong and walked directly towards the edge of Tianya Terrace. As he passed by Chong Xuan Sheng, he said in a low voice, “Sorry.” He apologized for his earlier, unreasonable outburst.

Chong Xuan Sheng merely glanced at Ji Shaoqing, who had been watching the entire scene with a cold eye, and said, “We actually came to find Miss Zhu, four times, but were blocked each time by this conscientious genius of the Diaohailou.” He understood Jiang Wang’s mood, but of course, he also felt a sense of grievance. He heavily emphasized the words “conscientious performance of duty.” He didn’t blame Jiang Wang, but it was impossible not to resent Ji Shaoqing.

Jiang Wang turned his head and looked at Ji Shaoqing’s face, only asking, “Name?”

“This humble one is Ji Shaoqing.” Ji Shaoqing showed not the slightest fear. Instead, he very politely cupped his hands and said amicably, “That matters have reached this state is something no one wished to see. But it was Brother Ji’s duty, and I could only sigh in helplessness. Alas, Brother Jiang, please don’t take offense.”

From the storage box, a soft sound emerged. This sound was incredibly faint, incredibly weak. But for some unknown reason, it was chillingly frigid! Only Jiang Wang knew that the set of life-slaying nails hidden deep within the storage box was becoming restless. This set of artifacts, crafted personally by Nan Yao Lian Que from the beaks of Yan Xiao, was specifically forged to nail Dong A. From the moment of their creation, they were born for pure slaughter.

Lian Que regarded them as inauspicious, believing them to be harmful to the harmony of the heavens. Since nailing Dong A, they had remained dormant in the storage box. This trip to the Labyrinth had been spent entirely in slaughter from beginning to end. And now, at this moment, because of the sudden surge of killing intent towards Ji Shaoqing… Jiang Wang’s present killing intent was so intense that it had aroused them.

Suddenly hearing this sound, Ji Shaoqing, who had been watching the show with a cold eye and remained indifferent, couldn’t help but twitch his eyelids!

But Jiang Wang said nothing more. Holding Zhu Biqiong, he took a single step out of Tianya Terrace, and amidst the whipping sea wind, swiftly returned to the Eastern Domain!

The continuously appearing and disappearing Qing Yun imprints extended into the extreme distance, like a heavenly path of no return.

However, everyone knew, he would return.