Chapter 84

The inner prison of the Wuji Palace was set up by the ancestors of the Zong clan to imprison only those Zong clan's children and female family members who had broken the laws of the country, but now it was nothing but an empty shell.

In the dusty dungeon, the smell of mold and decay was like a condensed cloud that hung over every corner. With every breath swallowed, it makes one's chest tight and nauseous.

Zong Zi Heng woke up in excruciating pain, and the thick smell of mold and blood was all that he breathed in. He tried to get up, but the quivering of even one finger caused unrelenting pain.

He knew what was in store for him when he decided to return to Wuji Palace after carrying out an order, but he couldn't just walk away, and he finished the hundred lashes with full consciousness.

After being thrown into the inner prison, he passed out and woke up several times, and he had no idea how much time had passed. When he was awake, he thought of Zong Zi Xiao, wondering if his Xiao Jiu had managed to escape, how his injuries were, and if he was grieving now. His younger brother, whom he had loved for fourteen years, had lost everything overnight and would have to face a treacherous life alone from now on.

Will he be able to take care of himself? Will he be diligent in his training? What will he do when he is sad? Will anyone know if he feels hot or cold? What will he ... think of hims?

Zong Zi Heng remembered the look on Zong Zi Xiao's face when he said "hate" to him. The momentary pain penetrating his heart was so intense that it even overshadowed the bloody whip marks on his back.

He wondered if they would ever see each other again in this life, and if he would ever have the chance to explain himself.

Perhaps it would be better not to see him at all.

In the quiet and deserted dungeon, there was a sudden sound of footsteps.

Zong Zi Heng could tell who was coming by the footsteps. He endured the pain, barely holding himself up, and sat in a pile of blood, looking at his father.

Father and son were looking at each other through the bars. It was as if a natural moat had been built in between.

After staring at each other for a long time, Zong Ming He spoke, "I always regretted having to you."

Zong Zi Heng looked at him blankly.

"If you hadn't been born before my first son, why would I have owed Li Xiang Tong? It’s been so many years, yet I’m still accused by Wuliang Sect from time to time."

Zong Zi Heng laughed coldly.

"But it really wasn't your fault." Zong Ming He said, "At times I have felt that I’ve treated you ungenerously.”

Once upon a time, Zong Zi Heng had imagined that Zong Ming He could feel a bit guilty towards him, but now that he heard it, there were no ripples in his heart.

"Unfortunately, you have never been a sensible and obedient son." Zong Ming He shook his head, "I had thought of passing the throne to you, if you hadn't let them go."

Zong Zi Heng laughed mockingly, "Even if I hadn't let them go, you also wouldn’t let me go." For Zong Ming He, there were far more important things than the Crown Prince, and that was keeping the secrets that were enough to destroy the Zong clan.

"Then why did you come back? Because of your mother?" Zong Ming He's gaze deepened: "Being this soft-hearted, who do you exactly resemble? If you had left, based on your skills, I'm afraid no one could really catch you."

"Now it makes no difference whether you catch me or not. Lu Zhao Feng has run away and you killed Chu Ying Ruo, he will definitely reveal your true face to the world."

"He wouldn't dare." Zong Ming He said with confidence.

"..."

"Because that bastard didn't escape with him, just that his whereabouts are unknown. He must have thought that the bastard was captured by me, so he wouldn't dare to make a rash move."

"What ..." Zong Zi Heng said anxiously, "Where is Xiao Jiu?"

"I will find him."

Zong Zi Heng pondered for a moment, "No, you won't be able to find him." Zong Zi Xiao was smart and was a decent cultivator, so he could surely escape with his life.

Zong Ming He said angrily, "You let him go, there will be great danger in the future. You’re a stupid fool who’s unable to accomplish anything but are liable to spoil everything!"

Zong Zi Heng sneered, "You will never find him."

Zong Ming He asked grimly, "You already knew Lu Zhao Feng's identity and knew everything when you were in the underground palace. What have you been plotting for such a long time?"

"I wasn't plotting anything."

"Not plotting anything? Then how could Shen Shi Yao have known about that bastard’s birth? You really thought those inferior words could deceive me? You harmed him on one hand, but at the same time you couldn't bear it and want to save him. So indecisive, so ridiculous.”

Zong Zi Heng nodded slightly. He too found it ridiculous. He raised his head and looked straight at his father, "I indeed can't let go of my brother's love, and you? When you were digging up uncle's golden core, did you ever think that he was your own blood brother?"

Zong Ming He was stunned and his eyes began to dodge.

"Five years ago in Gutuo Town, when you instructed Yan Shu to dig up my core, did you remember that I was at least your own son?"

Zong Ming He's nose wrinkled and his face flashed with a hideous look, "Everything I did was to preserve my Zong clan's state power! There have been three generations in the Daming Zong Clan. Three full generations! Not a single person has broken through to the eighth Chongtian! Various forces are stirring and increasingly disregarding the Zong clan. If we continue like this, the ancestral foundation will end in my hands!"

Zong Zi Heng calmly asked, "Aren't you afraid of retribution for your evil deeds?"

"Retribution? I don't care about going to hell after death or entering the path of the beast in the next life!" Zong Ming He revealed a twisted smile, "As long as I cultivate to Mahayana*, I will be able to become an immortal after death and transcend the six paths of reincarnation!"

"What makes you think you can attain the Dao just by eating human cores?"

"My elder brother's core has already helped me break through to the eighth Chongtian of the Zongxuan Sword. If the human core didn't have such a miraculous effect, how would it attract people to advance wave upon wave, and how would the core stealing demonic cultivators kill endlessly?" Zong Ming He narrowed his eyes, "As a son of the Zong clan, this is the most useful way for him to serve the clan."

Zong Zi Heng gritted his teeth, Zong Ming He's cruelty and shamelessness made him feel the desire to kill.

"So do you." Zong Ming He let out a soft breath, his voice suddenly becoming gentle, "Do you know, Zi Heng, that your core, can help Father reach the Mahayana stage?"

"You have mediocre talent, and you practice this dehumanizing and perverse evil path. You still want to attain immortality?" Zong Zi Heng said with hatred, "Dream on!"

"No, so long as there is your core, it is really possible." Zong Ming He said in a trembling voice, "There is a legendary immortal pill that can transform the bones of those who take it and increase their cultivation greatly. This immortal pill is called - the Absolute Human Emperor."

Zong Zi Heng's eyes glared straight.

"For this immortal pill, one needs to take the golden core of a person who possesses an imperial destiny and refine it with the Shen Nong Ding." A gut-wrenching fervor radiated from Zong Ming He's face, "Although I am honored as the Human Emperor, I did not reincarnate from heaven. The Luo Shui Jade Armor does not make mistakes. It once predicted that you, only you possess the imperial destiny. Your core is the Absolute Human Emperor."

Zong Zi Heng felt his hair standing on one end, his body subconsciously moved back. Zong Ming He's greedy eyes were as if he was about to break through the bars and eat him alive in the next instant.

It turned out that his biological father had always desired the golden core in his stomach. No wonder he was the least favored, yet he had the most powerful cultivator of the Zong clan as his teacher. No wonder Zong Ming He never gave him good swords or magical weapons, but he has the same amount of immortal pills and tonic medicines that other royal sons have. No wonder Zong Ming He easily agreed to use the Shen Nong Ding to forge a sword for Xiao Jiu. No wonder ...

The real father who gave him life and raised him to adulthood, from the beginning to the end, treated him as a living vessel to feed the core. Always planning to open his own stomach and intestines, while his mother used every strategy and committed horrendous crimes. Just to raise him to the throne, but did not know that this was a dead end since the beginning.

Zong Zi Heng could no longer tell if he was in hell or on earth.

Zong Ming He took a deep breath and seemed to calm down. He stroked his lapel and said in a persuasive tone, "Zi Heng, you and I are after all father and son. So long you are honest and obedient, I will not kill you. What happened to Zi Mo was also done by Shen Shi Yao, right? You will take your core to compensate for my first son’s life."

"You're crazy. Zong Ming He, you, are, crazy."

"Everything that is needed to refine the core with Shen Nong Ding has been prepared, and we will be departing for Kunlun soon." Zong Ming He looked at his eldest son with a little bit of pity, "After this is done, I will send you and Shen Shi Yao out of Daming and settle down somewhere to ensure that you will be clothed and fed for the rest of your lives. But if you ever sabotage me again, or say anything nonsensical, don't blame me for not showing any mercy."

"Persisting in evil brings you self-destruction. You'll get what's coming to you, Zong Ming He."

Zong Ming He gave Zong Zi Heng one last look, like he was looking at a fish on a chopping board, before brushing his sleeves and leaving.

Zong Zi Heng could no longer support his body and collapsed to the ground, his hollow eyes filled with a deep, bottomless despair.

Inexplicably, he recalled a conversation they had five years ago in Gutuo Town when they were exorcising the evil spirits. Zong Zi Xiao innocently said that after death they would both refrain from drinking Meng Po Soup and be brothers again in the next life.

He knew that Zong Ming He would never leave him alive, and he’s afraid that he and Xiao Jiu would really have to meet again in the next life.

----
PS: let's go back to the present life in the next chapter~~~

 

Mahayana*---is a Buddhist term which roughly means the “great vehicle”. In wuxia novels, it's used to describe a level of cultivation that is extremely high. Either close or having reached nirvana/immortality. In this case, it is the highest level

 

Edited on 4 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

 

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