Immortal Creation.

Chapter 674 But Fate

Forget Chuanhe.

In the Nine Netherworlds, beyond the reach of the living, the River of Oblivion, the lifeblood of the underworld, has flowed through countless reincarnations.

It is the river that washes away sins, it is oblivion, it is rebirth, it is neither good nor evil, it is the cycle of the Way of Heaven.

Joy, anger, sorrow, happiness, love, hate, and grudges; unforgettable memories and deep-seated obsessions... are all regarded as "impurities" of the soul, mercilessly extracted, washed, and dissolved by the waters of the River of Oblivion.

This is the shedding of dust, this is baptism.

This is what happens after death; this is the welcoming address in the underworld.

The river churned and swelled, and in the spray of the waves, there was a baby's face, a hillside covered in wildflowers, and a tragic farewell...

There is also golden ecstasy, deep blue sorrow, crimson rage, and pale green jealousy...

Countless memories and boundless emotions surge, collide, merge, and settle in the river.

They became the mineral deposits of the River of Oblivion, marking the countless joys and sorrows of all living beings.

It is beyond the reach of ordinary people to mine or touch; it is the most magnificent monument in the world!
The cleansed souls, light as a feather, floated to the surface and drifted to the shore. There, bewildered and innocent, they stepped into a new world, both outwardly and inwardly.

Forgetting is both an end and a beginning.

The long River of Oblivion flows ceaselessly across the dark and vast land of the underworld, without end. New souls, each carrying its own weight, constantly fall into the river, sinking, struggling, being cleansed, becoming lighter, rising, and drifting…

With its ancient torrent, it washes away the past of souls, carrying away joys and sorrows, and also the proof of existence. It surges silently, the pulse of the underworld, the cornerstone of reincarnation. Before this river, even the most magnificent epics, the most unforgettable emotions, are ultimately nothing more than... a speck of dust at the bottom of the river, a wisp of smoke on the surface.

The River of Oblivion, a place of restarting, a place of returning to zero.

Even as a tributary, the River of Oblivion retains its power.

Ning Zhuo was eventually swallowed by a tributary of the River of Oblivion; he fell into it and could not extricate himself.

The waters of the River of Oblivion were bone-chillingly cold, the terrifying chill seeping into his very soul. A violent force relentlessly ravaged his spirit, attempting to tear apart his memories and emotions, forcibly stripping, washing, and cleansing them away!
"No, I can't forget, and I shouldn't forget!" Ning Zhuo glared angrily in the river, gritting his teeth.

He struggled desperately, using his magic to try and break free from the water and fly out of the River of Oblivion.

In vain!

His body became extremely heavy, and he plummeted heavily to the bottom of the water, as if he were bound with the anchor of a giant ship.

The cruel and cold reality will not change because of his anger and persistence.

Memories and emotions blurred, about to be stripped away, washed away, and left him in the next moment.

At the critical moment, the Buddha's Heart Demon Seal shone brightly in his dantian, suppressing his soul.

His entire soul was enveloped in radiance, resisting the mighty power of the tributary of the River of Oblivion!
Those memories and emotions that were deeply ingrained in him surged up at this moment, becoming exceptionally vivid.

Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Little Ningzhu knelt by the bed, crying and pleading.

Before she died, Meng Yaoyin told him: "You must secretly practice mechanical arts and wait for the opportune moment when the Lava Immortal Palace is born. Seize this opportunity and rise to power!"

……

Auntie feigned concern, repeatedly coaxing, "Little Zhuo, be good, take it out and let your auntie keep it safe... I'll give it back to you when you grow up..."

……

In the empty house, where echoes could be heard, all valuables, and even traces of the mother's existence, had been completely removed.

In the corner, the ancient books of the organization were worn out from being read countless times by Xiao Ningzhuo, who could recite them from memory.

hiss!
He gasped and quickly pulled his small hand back.

His finger split open, bleeding profusely, and Ning Zhuo was in so much pain that tears streamed down his face.

But he persevered and successfully assembled his first mechanical puppet.

……

At the stall outside the school, little Ningzhuo stared longingly at the intricate mechanical toys, his eyes filled with undisguised desire and envy.

Ning Ji, dressed in fine clothes and eating delicacies, walked by and cast a disdainful sneer.

……

Sun Lingtong stuffed a brand-new mechanical toy into his arms, and a pure, radiant smile instantly burst forth on Ning Zhuo's childhood face.

That smile brightened his gloomy childhood.

……

"My sadness, my forbearance, and my warmth shaped me as a child. Without them, what would I be?"

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth and desperately poured his magical power into the Buddha Heart Demon Seal to unleash its power.

He was unwilling to give up these things, so much so that his body sank deeper and deeper.

Beside a tributary of the Wanchuan River, Luo Si, his face filled with urgency, couldn't help but urge Qing Chi: "General Qing, now is not the time to hesitate! The young master is sinking!"

Qing Chi's eyes were bloodshot, his heart was in turmoil, and he couldn't make up his mind—"What memory or emotion should I choose as bait?"

The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and wildflowers climbed the fence.

Little Qingchi, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, chased after a butterfly, giggling all the while. She accidentally tripped and fell on her bottom, tears welling up in her eyes.

The weeds parted, and a little boy named Jiaoma ran over. He wasn't much taller than her, his little face tense, his expression full of concern: "What happened? Did you hurt yourself?"

He clumsily pulled out a faded handkerchief and carefully wiped away her tears. He also took out a sweet treat he had been saving for a long time and couldn't bear to eat, and put it into her mouth.

"Qingqing, be good, don't cry." The childish voice was full of heartfelt care.

This vivid memory is like a painting thrown into water, blurring and fading. The sweet taste of sugar, the smell of sunlight on the soil, the slight pain of a bruised knee, and the sense of security brought by that clumsy little figure... are all pulled out and quickly detached from Qingchi.

Qing Chi let out a muffled groan, feeling as if a piece of his heart had been ripped out, leaving a painfully empty void. Hot tears welled up without warning, instantly blurring his vision as they dripped down.

Her heart was filled with regret, but when she saw Ning Zhuo struggling in the tributary, her gaze became firm again.

"Xiao Ma, childhood isn't the most important thing. Don't blame me, I have to pay these prices!"

However, when the bait was thrown in, Ning Zhuo was not caught at all.

Ross's expression changed: "Could it be that the bait isn't enough?"

The radiance of my Buddha-heart Demon Seal has built a dam for Ning Zhuo's soul.

The constant impact and collision of the River of Oblivion caused the precious seal to tremble slightly within Ning Zhuo's divine sea.

Under Sun Lingtong's guidance, Ning Zhuo acquired the skill of theft.

He sneaked in and put the stolen money into the homes of the poor.

As soon as he landed after climbing over the wall, Xiao Ningzhuo was startled to see Sun Lingtong standing in front of him, arms crossed, toes lightly touching the ground, watching him with a leisurely air.

Ning Zhuo immediately looked embarrassed, as if he'd been caught red-handed: "B-Boss..."

Sun Lingtong: "What did you do?"

Ning Zhuo lowered his head: "I... I saw these people were pitiful during the day, so I wanted to help them."

Sun Lingtong snorted: "How many families did you help?"

Ning Zhuo answered truthfully.

Sun Lingtong snorted again: "You've helped quite a bit, haven't you? I told you before, we're thieves."

Ning Zhuo: "But, but before my mother passed away, she told me that I should be kind and help others as much as possible. She wanted me to be a good person..."

Xiao Ningzhuo's voice was weak, but it also showed a kind of persistence.

Sun Lingtong smiled knowingly and said, "Then let's wait and see what happens."

After some time, the poor families who had been "sponsored" by Ning Zhuo quietly made a fortune and lived a prosperous life.

Ning Zhuo secretly observed them and was very happy to see their happy smiles, no longer worried about their hard times.

But the good times didn't last long, and conflicts soon arose in these families.

Some families quarreled over the sudden windfall, destroying any harmony between brothers and fathers. Some heads of households began indulging in lavish meals and wasteful spending, frequenting gambling dens and brothels. Others flaunted their wealth, attracting malicious individuals who, whether through flattery or extortion, quickly turned from riches to poverty.

Even more surprisingly, the cultivators from the city lord's mansion almost found Ning Zhuo, the thief, by following the clues.

In the end, Ning Zhuo was so frightened that he apologized to Sun Lingtong: "Boss, thank you so much! Otherwise, I would have been discovered and thrown into jail."

Sun Lingtong gave a smug snort, stood on tiptoe, and patted Ning Zhuo's big head: "Now do you realize that you did something stupid?"

"Being a chivalrous hero isn't so easy."

"Most people cannot hold onto sudden wealth; it will only become a disaster."

Ning Zhuo, with his precocious wisdom, immediately nodded. Only a very small number of families, in silence, planned and used their resources, and their situation slowly improved. The vast majority of poor families, however, were worse off than before. Some even cursed at the air in their homes, lamenting why money no longer appeared out of thin air.

Sun Lingtong pointed to herself: "If you want a real change in your life, it starts with yourself, not with a sum of money from elsewhere!"

"There is a reason why they are poor and suffer."

"Some people deserve wealth, and some deserve poverty. Those who can truly change don't need your money to improve themselves; they just need more time."

Ning Zhuo nodded: "I understand, boss."

Sun Lingtong, however, revealed a serious expression: "No, you don't know."

"We all live together; some are poor, some are rich, some are heroes, and some are thieves."

"Snakes have their own way, and rats have their own way. Since these identities exist in reality, they all have meaning and deserve to live."

"We're thieves, little brother."

"This is how we survive!"

“If we don’t become thieves, if we don’t hide ourselves, we’ll live a pretty terrible life. What do you think your uncle and aunt would do to you if they knew what you were capable of?”

"Don't you still want to fight against the City Lord's Mansion? Do you have the power? Do you dare to openly and honestly challenge them with swords and spears?"

"We are weak, so what should we do to achieve our goal?"

Ning Zhuo thought of his mother's last words, his eyes dimmed, but his tone became firm: "Follow the path of thieves."

Sun Lingtong smiled and said, "Hehe, that's more like it!"

……

On the balcony.

Zhu Xuanji instructed Ning Zhuo: "Roads are made by people walking on them!"

"...Just like Li Leifeng...that's why he is so respected."

"In fact, everyone has a scale, constantly measuring others and things. Those who carry heavy burdens and bring warmth to others are the ones who radiate light."

"You too have been illuminated by this light! Li Leifeng has already shown you the way."

Ning Zhu remained silent, then looked directly into Zhu Xuanji's eyes without flinching.

"Lord Zhu, people are different."

"But I am ultimately just a person in the audience."

Do you know what it feels like to steal the leftover pastries from the guests?

“I’m from the bottom class, I’ve been since I was a child.”

"Although my surname is Ning, I have never felt that I am noble."

"I am despicable."

"I'm a thief!"

"I am a person who scavenge food from the garbage."

"I'm not afraid of getting dirty, I'm only afraid of not having enough to eat."

"No one can truly help me. Humans are lonely, and it is impossible for a person to fully understand another."

"Most of the time, I can only rely on myself."

"The path I've chosen is my own decision!"

Ning Zhuo's performance of the puppet show "Fang Qing's Injustice" was deeply moving, especially during the crucial moments!

He understood what Zhu Xuanji meant.

Zhu Xuanji advised him to turn himself in and get back on the right path.

"Can I really walk this path?" Ning Zhuo asked himself. He truly longed to be illuminated by the firelight.

But fate...

Haha, fate—it always forces people to their doom and leaves them with no choice!
Qingchi was in tears.

The fishing line remained taut, truthfully conveying the harsh weight of reality to her.

Ning Zhuo was still sinking. The bait they had used was definitely not enough.

"Then what is left of my memories that I can let go of?" Qing Chi was in so much pain that he could barely breathe. "These are the things I have."

Summer night.

In the damp, dark marshland, rare moonlight spilled into the courtyard. The night breeze stirred the old locust tree in the yard, causing its branches and leaves to sway gently.

Qingchi, however, was slumped over the table, sighing and looking troubled as he worked on his homework.

A night breeze carried the scent of locust blossoms from the open window, along with the clean smell of soap from the boy's sleeve.

Qing Chi suddenly looked up and saw a charred face peeking out of the window.

The girl exclaimed in surprise, "Little Ma!"

Jiao Ma said anxiously, "Keep your voice down! Do you want me to get kicked out by your father again?"

The girl quickly covered her mouth: "Xiao Ma, come help me! I'm going crazy from all this homework!"

Jiao Ma gave a helpless yet gentle smile: "I knew you couldn't handle it..."

A thousand-year-old cold pool.

In this adventure where two people team up, they are on the verge of escaping.

Jiao Ma was unfortunately infected by the cold, and was almost completely frozen. His magical power became sluggish, and his consciousness quickly became blurred.

"Xiao Ma!" At the critical moment, Qing Chi disregarded his own safety and turned back to rescue her.

She transferred the power that had been protecting her own heart meridian to Jiao Ma's body. The latter was covered by a thin layer of faint blue flames.

Jiao Ma managed to catch his breath and barely opened his eyes.

Despite being in dire need of his own life, Qing Chi still managed to send a telepathic message: "Xiao Ma, wake up, don't sleep!"

"Wake up, you big idiot!"

"Listen! Don't sleep! Hold on! If anything happens to you, I, Qingchi... will never live alone again!"

Spurred on, Jiao Ma gritted his teeth and widened his eyes.

Both of them struggled against the icy water, swimming upwards. The burning passion in their hearts, like a tempered blade, broke through their former restraint and propelled them to overcome the final obstacle and emerge from the water.

(End of this chapter)