The punishment area was solemn. Mo Ran’s spiritual core fragments were continuously dug out, one after another.

     Piece after piece.

     He endured it with all his might. It was one thing to pay for his crimes, but another to show weakness. He did not want to cry out in front of Mu Yanli, who was like a rock.

     The pain was too deep, causing him to sink into a sea of suffering.

     Suddenly, he heard a voice that exploded in his head like spring thunder.

     “Mo Ran!”

     Impossible. How can it be?

     How can it be him…?

     It must be because he was in too much pain that he began hallucinating, and his consciousness was blurred.

     “Mo Ran!!”

     The voice gradually grew louder. It was almost like someone was shouting and yelling in alarm. A strong wind blew in the sky, and Mu Yanli’s hand also stopped.

     Mo Ran trembled and used all his strength to raise his head—

     He saw his god riding the dragon and swooping down from the sky.

     He saw his god’s white robes fluttering, looking like a banished immortal.

     As he got closer, the face beside the soaring dragon’s horn became clear, and Mo Ran’s heart suddenly throbbed in pain. It was more painful than being stabbed by the dagger.

     He saw his god crying. Chu Wanning… was crying.

     “Shi…zun…”

     The wound on his chest was bleeding profusely. Mo Ran struggled to get up, the shackles clanging.

     Chu Wanning jumped down from the giant dragon, and the moment he landed in front of the punishment platform’s barrier, the candle dragon turned into a dazzling golden light and returned to the talisman.

     “Yuheng!”

     “Shizun!”

     “Yuheng Elder!”

     Everyone in the viewing area of Sisheng Peak stood up, and people from several other sects also stood up in shock. Even the commoners were shocked. “Is this the legendary Beidou Immortal?”

     “It’s Mo Ran’s master!”

     “Wasn’t it said that they severed all ties?”

     Chu Wanning’s eyes were originally only red, but when he saw the blood and spiritual core fragments on the silver plate, he broke down.

     His throat was hoarse, and he wanted to speak, but before he could, he was choked with sobs.

     “You… can’t do this to him…”

     There was an uproar in the crowd.

     “What is he saying?”

     “Is he crazy? Mo Ran is a heartless murderer.”

     Every word was like a sharp knife cutting Chu Wanning’s heart, and every accusation was like an awl sinking into Chu Wanning’s chest.

     It hurt so much.

     Chu Wanning looked at the man inside the Tianyin Pavilion barrier—the man who silently gazed at him with moist black eyes, the man whose heart was cut open and spiritual core was shattered.

     The man who didn’t know he’d been wrongly accused as he was condemned by thousands of people.

     So stupid.

     Chu Wanning’s lips quivered, and his entire body trembled.

     He placed his hand on Tianyin Pavilion’s transparent barrier and sobbed. “The judgment is wrong… The judgment is wrong…”

     Don’t stab him with your dagger, stab me.

     Stab me…

     Everyone said that Emperor Taxian-Jun was ruthless and that Mo Weiyu was heartless.

     In his previous life, everyone condemned him in speech and writing and couldn’t wait for him to die. In this life, he was uneasy day and night, unable to escape the condemnation in his heart.

     But who knew the truth?

     Mu Yanli seemed to be anxious. After the initial shock, she immediately raised the sharp dagger. Blood dripped from the tip of the dagger, and it glistened.

     Mo Ran muttered, “Don’t look.”

     With a pang, the dagger pierced his heart again, and blood gushed out.

     Chu Wanning’s pupils suddenly shrank. After a long while, his hoarse voice rang out: “Don’t—!!!”

     Golden light flashed, and strong winds surged.

     Tianwen answered the call, and the whip struck down. The dozens of elite disciples who maintained Tianyin Pavilion’s barrier were unable to withstand the blow. They vomited blood and kneeled on the ground. The barrier collapsed in an instant. In a dazzling light, Chu Wanning wielded his shimmering holy weapon and flew straight towards the center of the punishment platform.

     “Someone wants to take the prisoner!”

     “Chu Wanning wants to take the prisoner!”

     Mu Yanli immediately put the remaining spiritual core fragments into her qiankun pouch, then ordered sternly, “Stop him!”

     “Yes, Pavilion Master!”

     The golden waves of Tianyin Pavilion disciples surged forward and directly collided fiercely with Chu Wanning’s spiritual energy. The cultivators on the spectator stand were stunned. They had never seen Chu Wanning like this before—

     Crazed and sorrowful.

     He no longer had any sense of reason.

     Seeing that Chu Wanning was getting closer and closer, Mu Yanli cursed in a low voice. Her eyes flashed with coldness, and she finally dug out the last piece of the shattered spiritual core and put it in her qiankun pouch. Then her robe fluttered, and she turned to exchange blows with Chu Wanning.

     “Chu-zongshi, you really want to save him? You have to think this through carefully. If you take this step, you will be condemned for all eternity, and both you and him will have to bear the consequences!”

     The sword light reflected Mu Yanli’s almond-shaped eyes as she stared at him.

     Tianwen encircled Mu Yanli’s sword, and in an instant, streaks of light flew in all directions.

     Chu Wanning bit out every word. “Then let me accompany him!”

     My official record is neat and tidy—the record of a hero.

     But I only want to be with you, be it lying in the tyrant’s legend or rotting on the demon list, it’s all okay.

     I do not want future generations to regard me as a god and you as a ghost when they speak of us. I do not want future generations to write that you and I turned against each other and became enemies.

     If I can’t clear your name.

     Mo Ran, Mo Weiyu, Emperor Taxian-Jun.

     I am willing to be scorned with you for all eternity.

     Hell is too cold.

     Mo Ran, I will die with you.

     As the clouds gathered, the gleaming light and shadow blinded everyone.

     The audience was even more shocked. In the chaos, they only heard “Clang! Clang!” and Tianwen suddenly broke the chains binding Mo Ran.

     Mo Ran immediately collapsed and fell into Chu Wanning’s warm embrace.

     His blood dyed his white robes red in an instant.

     Mo Ran, who hadn’t shed tears since the beginning and had never choked up even when his heart was cut open, finally faltered at this moment. His hands trembled as he lifted then dropped them.

     He wanted to hold Chu Wanning so much but also wanted to push Chu Wanning away. He fervently hoped to never be separated from Chu Wanning but also deeply wanted everything about Chu Wanning to be good, forever clean, unrelated to his own filth.

     So, he didn’t know whether to hug him or separate from him.

     His hands trembled for a long time before he finally carefully held Chu Wanning’s back.

     Mo Ran cried.

     He said, “Shizun… why don’t you blame me…? Why do you still want to save me…?”

     Chu Wanning only felt his heart ache terribly. He hugged the person in his arms tightly, no longer caring about the gazes of the people around him. There were so many things he wanted to say, but he didn’t know what to say first.

     “I’m so dirty… I’ll dirty you too…” Mo Ran said softly. His words were filled with blood. The more he cried, the sadder he became. The man who never showed weakness in front of anyone had no armor anymore in Chu Wanning’s arms. “But I’m also afraid that you won’t want me anymore… If even you don’t want me anymore, then I really don’t know where to go…”

     It was clearly Mo Ran’s spiritual core that was broken and his heart that was pierced—

     But at this moment, Chu Wanning actually felt as if his heart was also broken, as if it were being torn apart and bloodied by torment.

     It turned out that every muscle and bone were closely connected.

     A large group of cultivators from Tianyin Pavilion surrounded them, tightly trapping them and bearing down on them step by step.

     Chu Wanning’s white robes were stained with blood. He held Tianwen in one hand and Mo Ran in the other.

     Many of the black-and-white rights and wrongs of the world were actually not easy to explain clearly.

     There were too many self-righteous people.

     There were too many schemes and evil intentions.

     So, Qu Zi hugged the sand, and Miluo wept. Wu Mu contained injustice, and the wind and waves left a legacy of hatred.

     They could still be repaid their innocence, but what about the other young people with loyal hearts? Not every injustice could be revealed, and there were also people who were black to the core and never had a chance to reverse their situation.

     Chu Wanning hugged Mo Ran and said softly, “Don’t be afraid. I won’t leave you behind.”

     “Shizun…”

     “I will always be with you in life or death. I will bring you home.”

     Without the healing spell, Mo Ran’s consciousness became more and more dim, and his heart became more and more painful. But when he heard this, his entire body shook. Then his lips moved, and tears rolled down his cheeks, but he smiled.

     “You treat me so well. My basket is full… I’m very happy…” He paused, and his voice gradually faded away.

     “Shizun, I’m so tired… I’m cold…”

     Chu Wanning’s body trembled imperceptibly. He used even more strength to continuously pass his spiritual power to Mo Ran, but it was useless.

     Just like at the peak of Mount Kunlun in the previous life, when Emperor Taxian-Jun held his dying body and tried to save his life—

     It was useless.

     Chu Wanning was very afraid. His phoenix eyes were wet and red, and tears rolled down silently. He turned his head and kissed his damp forehead, saying hoarsely, “Don’t sleep. Tell me, what basket?”

     The faces of those nearby were full of vigilance, disdain, contempt, coldness, wariness, loathing, and disgust.

     But so what?

     Nothing mattered anymore.

     Reputation, dignity, life.

     For two lifetimes, he watched Mo Ran fall into the abyss, and he was helpless. He only felt pain—felt like such a failure.

     He had come too late.

     Mo Ran was breathing faintly. His consciousness was fading, more blood was flowing, and his body was getting colder and colder. He said softly, “I only have a small basket… There is a hole in the basket… It’s empty… I’ve been fishing for a long time…”

     He subconsciously wanted to curl up.

     His blue and white lips moved slightly as he whimpered.

     “Shizun… my heart hurts.”

     “Hold me, I beg you.”

     Chu Wanning’s heart ached, and he kept saying, “I’ll hold you. It won’t hurt anymore. It won’t hurt anymore.”

     But Mo Ran could no longer hear it. Mo Ran’s consciousness was already scattered.

     It was so messy.

     He was like the helpless child who had insufficient food and clothing in the woodshed many years ago. He was like the child who knelt beside his mother’s rotting corpse in the mass grave and cried bitterly.

     He was like the Emperor Taxian-Jun who could never return to the past.

     He was like the lonely figure under Heaven-Piercing Tower.

     He was like the Mo-zongshi who walked alone with his sword and waited for him to return to the world.

     He was like the man who curled up on the bed on a rainy night, his pillow wet.

     “I’m in so much pain… It’s really painful…”

     “Shizun, have I paid everything back? Am I clean now?”

     It was getting more and more blurry.

     “Shizun.”

     In the end, the little disciple, the young man, the demon, and that tyrant choked with sobs, and slowly, his voice was like a cloud of smoke.

     “It’s getting dark. I’m so scared… I want to go home…”

     Chu Wanning had been listening to him the whole time, and at this very moment, he was already crying uncontrollably.

     Mo Ran, Mo Ran, why are you so stupid?

     What is paid off? What is clean…?

     I’m the one who owes you.

     No one knows the truth, and even your own memory has been erased.

     But I finally know—

     I finally know that you were only my disciple for a few months, but you used two lifetimes to protect me.

     You carried all the curses, accusations, misunderstandings, and scorn.

     You were forced to become crazy, mad, bloodthirsty, and stained.

     If it weren’t for you, the person kneeling on this platform today would be me, and the person whose heart would be ripped out… would also be me.

     It was Emperor Taxian-Jun who used his own soul to protect Yuheng of the Night Sky.

     From then on, he had fallen into darkness forever.

     And he would stay in the light forever.

     It was all wrong.

     At this moment, the elite disciples of Tianyin Pavilion were like cheetahs that had been circling for a long time. Finally, their sharp claws tore through the air, and over a hundred people pounced on them!

     The golden light of Tianwen was so intense that it blazed white, so white that it was blinding.

     “Kill them!”

     “Stop them!”

     Chu Wanning closed his eyes.

     They were besieged on all sides, and the sound of killing shook the sky—

     The surrounding people attacked together, and in the bloody light of the sword shadows, Chu Wanning’s eyes suddenly snapped open! Then he lowered his hand and opened his fingers. In an instant, a strong wind swirled around him as he shouted, “Huaisha, come!!”