This Damned Thirst for Survival

Chapter 154 - The Rose

Fear, murderous intent, hatred, these are the sources that give rise to malice.

Jiang Luo feels good when he thinks of the look of hatred or fear that will rise up in his face.

How then can the predestined be led to rise up against him in murder or hatred? Or to raise fear?

Jiang Luo suddenly said, "You touched the dementor pendant on purpose."

The smile on the Predictor's lips remained the same, "I just think you have some misconceptions about me."

His words were tantamount to an admission.

The eyes of the predestined man were gentle as he gently explained, "Since you want to see the real me, let you do so, and I hope that this opportunity will also clear up any misunderstandings you may have about me."

Jiang Luo's eyes rolled as he became a little more interested, "You knew I was pretending?"

The predestined man smiles and does not say anything.

"A predestined man is indeed a predestined man," Jiang Luo raised his hand to give him a round of applause, and simply stopped pretending and said curiously, "So why don't you break me down?"

"Because you did hurt Chi You," said the Fatalist, without haste, "and whatever you did, whether you hurt him with all your might, or whether you made him willingly and seriously wounded by you, I saw only results that satisfied me - -he had a broken arm because of you."

"It's good enough," he said, "it's good enough to do more than I expected."

Jiang Luo tugged at his lips and smiled perfunctorily.

Oblivious, the predestined man asked again, "Don't you want to become a god?"

His words were soft and distant, as if they could enter from the ears to the brain, and one could not help but believe in his words, as if in God, "Since you can open the Yin-Yang Ring, it means that you have a thirst for power beyond life and death. And the power of God will be beyond your imagination and mine."

"Immortal, powerful, fed by millions," the predestined man locked eyes with Jiang Luo, "turning his hand to the clouds, turning his hand to the rain. Turning the world around, above all people."

"Countless people will yearn for you, and your thunderbolts and rains will be to them all a gift from God, don't you like it?"

No one can resist such a temptation.

The "immortality" alone is enough to make people's hearts flutter. No one knows how long he has lived, but his face is still young and handsome, like a young man in his 20s or 30s. Who could refuse such a condition when he could maintain his youthful face and never die at the same time?

Jiang Luo knew that the Fates were compelling him, but his heart was still beating fast.

"If you kill the culprit who will destroy the occult world afterwards, you will receive enough merit and faith and will become a pseudo-god like me," the predestined man looked tenderly at Jiang Luo, "There is only one step between pseudo-god and god, don't you want to become stronger?"

"I think," Jiang Luo said honestly, "that what you say tempts me, Predestined One. It sounds like it would be simple; all I have to do is kill Chi You and I'll be a pseudo-god, and even if I am a pseudo-god, I'm still on top of the world."

His hands were propped up on the pointed corners at either end of the tripod incense burner, "Not to mention I had a grudge against Chi You, 'I' was designed by you to kill him with a forbidden technique, of course he wanted to torture and retaliate against me after his death, we were born to die and live, no one could spare anyone, but by accident, we had a relationship."

Jiang Luo's tone was flat, as if he was speaking from the perspective of an onlooker, his fiery red dementor pendant hanging in his ear as he spoke, "So, you took me to Xiaoquan Pond to prevent me from having feelings for Chi You and killing him because of this accident, in order to wash away my possible feelings for Chi You. So you took me to Xiaoquan Pond to wash away any feelings I might have had for Chi You. Washing away the filth was fake, washing away my weakness for him was real, wasn't it?"

The predestined man smiled quietly at him.

His smile is like a breeze, a bright moon, clear and unadulterated. He neither admits nor denies it, as if Jiang Luo's thoughts don't affect him in any way.

Jiang Luo was also unconcerned and continued, "Looking at it this way, it would only be to my advantage if I killed Chi You."

"But ......"

If Chi You were to die, the world would become a dull and boring place for Jiang Luo.

A longer life would be useless and would only prolong this inanity.

The evil thoughts that had previously affected his sanity were right.

How can killing evil spirits be enough?

It's only fun to keep the evil spirit and keep tormenting each other with him.

Killing Chi You alone was enough to snap Jiang Luo out of his predestined man's compulsion.

There is no substitute for Chi You to tickle Jiang Luo's fancy.

Not the fatalist he now most wants to kill, and not Feng Li, whom he loathes.

No one but Chi You.

Chi You is Jiang Luo's prey, and not even the predestined can touch his prey.

"You just said that gods don't kill people, that you won't kill me ......" The corners of the dark haired youth's lips slowly curled up into an odd smile as he lifted his steps to the Cebuano and clasped his arms, "Cebuano, then I'll be blunt. "

He looked directly into the light-coloured eyes of his host and narrowed them, "My goal now is to stop you from becoming a god, so here's the deal, I'll give you a chance to kill me."

He craned his neck, his slender neck exposed to the eyes of the host, his aorta completely uncovered, his bulging pulse striking, "If you don't kill me, then wait until I kill you."

There was finally a slight change in the expression of the fatalist, "You can't kill me."

Jiang Luo ha ha laughed, "Whether I can kill you or not, as long as you don't kill me, I will do everything I can to stop you from becoming a god."

The predestined are thrust into a dilemma.

Jiang Luo's unexpected move forced him into a dead end. Either the Fatekeeper does not kill Jiang Luo, and Jiang Luo will prevent the Fatekeeper from becoming a god. Either the Predestined Man kills Jiang Luo, but as soon as he does, and Jiang Luo dies, he still cannot become a god, and the prophecy is unbroken.

More than three minutes have passed in the interior, but Jiang Luo has not yet gone out.

After a long time, the predestined finally smiled, "It was I who underestimated you."

Jiang Luo's eyes burned, "You won't kill me?"

"I will not kill you," the host smiled faintly, "God, how can you kill."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Jiang Luo felt the familiar dizziness descend and he knew he was leaving the inner sanctum of the predestined man.

Jiang Luo takes one last look at the incense burner, which is carved with the character 'Buddha' in seal script on the front.

Buddha ......

There was Siddhartha Mani who cut his flesh to feed the eagle and sat down to become a Buddha, and there was the Bodhisattva who fed the tiger with his body. Is this the goodness sought by the predestined?

Does he think that by doing the ultimate good, he will become a god?

Jiang Luo lost consciousness and the next time he opened his eyes again, he was back in Xiaoquan Pond.

The hot water pattered, the fatalist was still holding his arms, and as they locked eyes, Jiang Luo suddenly curled his lips, as sure and soft as if he were speaking a prophecy, "Fatalist, if you don't kill me, you'll regret it."

The predestined man looked at him tolerantly, as at a naughty child, "You will change your mind."

He stepped back and helped Jiang Luo out of the water, "Since the spring is no longer working for you, there's no need to soak in it. Let Ji Yaozi teach you some other things and you can still become stronger."

Jiang Luo listened quietly and asked again, "What if I don't change my mind?"

"I don't force people," the Fatalist laughed helplessly twice as he looked back at Jiang Luo and said gently, "If you're still willing to come back to the mountain when you're done with the trial, that means you want to do your part for this metaphysical community, but if you won't come back, I won't give you a hard time. "

He sighed, "It's just a shame that your friends are going to die in the middle of the holocaust."

Jiang Luo's smile slowly fades and his face slowly becomes expressionless.

*

As soon as Jiang Luo and the fatalist emerged from the spring pool, they were greeted by Feng Li's vaguely angry words, "Why did you force yourself to go down to the spring when you weren't feeling well?"

Jiang Luo turned his head away with a cold face and was silent.

Feng Li didn't seem to need his answer either, his gaze moving to the palm of the predestined man's hand holding Jiang Luo's wrist, a look that looked like it was going to freeze the predestined man's hand into ice.

The fatalist felt something, and after looking thoughtfully at Feng Li for a moment, he suddenly spoke, "Heavenly Master, it is time for you to go down."

Feng Li raised his eyes to meet his, his expression cold, "What does the Fatalist mean by that."

"The old celestial master is old and does not have much time left to live," the host advised slowly, "you should also go back and spend more time with him instead of spending time here with me."

Feng Li's face remained unchanged as he turned the jade trigger finger in his hand and after a moment said, "Good."

"But there is no need for the predestined to take much trouble," he said faintly, "I will go, and my pupil will not stay here any longer; I will take him with me."

The predestined man said, "He will remain on the mountain."

Feng Li sneered, the tip of his blade aimed vaguely at the Fatalist, "Fatalist, Jiang Luo is my disciple."

"Celestial Master," said the host, "and what am I to you?"

Feng Li chokes slightly, his face hardened.

It was as if he was forcing himself to hold back killing intent and rage, and he could not say anything else.

"I will speak to the old celestial master to explain why," said the host, "and you will go down the mountain on your own."

Feng Li quickly calmed down, "Before I go, I have to explain a few things to Jiang Luo, the fatalist, let go of your hand."

The predestined man let go of his hand and Jiang Luo walked over to Feng Li. Feng Li sank his face and led Jiang Luo outside. After a few minutes, he spoke in a deep voice, "That water cannot be soaked much, otherwise it will not be good for you."

Jiang Luo was in a flat mood, "I can't do anything about it."

Feng Li's brow furrowed slightly with a slight stern tone, "What great things can you do if you yourself are not your own master?!"

Jiang Luo thought it was funny how Feng Li's desire to be in control didn't say this when he was having an attack on him.

He changed his tone from good to bad and said, "Yes."

For the rest of the journey, neither of them spoke. Feng Li was in a very bad mood and the deep depression on his face was frightening. Jiang Luo didn't want to say anything to him either, so after walking for a while, Feng Li said again, "You ......".

Jiang Luo listens quietly.

But Feng Li closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were profoundly sober, "You follow Ji Yaozi and learn his psychic skills well."

Jiang Luo nodded his head, "I know, disciple."

Feng Li said, "I'm about to go down, what else do you want to ask?"

"Sir, there is one thing that I am actually curious about." Jiang Luo .

Feng Li: "Hmm?"

Jiang Luo smiled, "If you, sir, saw a strong ghost with a strong grievance, and that ghost happened to need your help, and after you helped him, he would grow into a powerful ghost later. What would you do?"

"If I can control him, then I will take him for myself and turn him into my god," Feng Li said without hesitation, rather coldly, "If not, then I will kill him while I can."

Jiang Luo said, "How would you turn him into a god?"

Feng Li glanced at him, "Since you said that the resentment is extremely strong, you can't forcefully subdue it, otherwise there will be a danger of devouring the master. Then approach him first. Since he is a resentful ghost, he must have someone who wants to take revenge. After avenging him, take the opportunity to gain his trust and refine him into a style god."

"So that's how it is," Jiang Luo realized, "Thank you, sir, I understand."

So in the original, Chi You is pretending to be weak in order to lower Feng Li's guard and make him think he can control him. Feng Li's approach to Chi You may also have been to turn Chi You into a god.

It's no wonder Feng Li watched coldly as Chi You tormented the original, a son of the Feng family, to death.

It's all because Chi You is worth more than the original.

Jiang Luo picks up his lips.

Having spent so much time with Feng Li 宿命人, he suddenly missed his little buddy a little .......

*

On the same day, Feng Li descended the mountain.

Jiang Luo, as his pupil, saw him off and returned to his room in a good mood.

Upon returning to his room, Jiang Luo saw a budding rose in a vase on the table.

It's winter, but this rose is in full bloom. There are droplets of crystal dew on the rose and the whole house seems to be tinged with the ambiguous and understated scent of roses.

Jiang Luo narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth already raised high ahead of him. He walked lightly to the table, took the rose out of the vase and gently sniffed at the tip of his nose.

The hot, pungent, dark scent comes in like a tidal wave.

Rose petals hid the smile on the dark-haired youth's lips as his pretty phoenix eyes dropped slightly towards the tabletop.

A white card is pressed beneath a vase of flowers.

Jiang Luo lifted his hand and drew the card out, which turned twice in his fingers to reveal a line on it.

[Starting today, I'm going to be on a wild goose chase for you. See you tonight. -- Chi You

"A crazy quest?" Jiang Luo raised an eyebrow and muttered to himself, "What kind of quest is called crazy? Sure it's not for me to die?"

He grunted and threw the rose on the bed casually, taking the lighter again and burning the card.

"Why does everything I burn come to you, what's the rationale?" He let out a "tsk", "But you should look pretty good after this one burns through and returns to its rightful owner, right?"

"It's a shame I can't see it."

The card became dusty and Jiang Luo blew gently, sending the layer of dust that had fallen from his hand flying to the floor. Satisfied, he wiped his hands and looked back at the roses on the bed when he had to formally ask a question.

Chi You How did you get this rose in?

This was the residence of Taoist Master Wei He, and both the Host and the Master of Heaven had just been there, but no one had noticed the difference.

He was puzzled when he heard a wailing sound from the door. Jiang Luo looked back and saw the ginseng spirit, covered in sludge, walking slowly in while crying.

Jiang Luo realised that the little ginseng was not in the house and he asked curiously, "Where have you been?"

"Daddy, I'm possessed," the little ginseng looked up at him pitifully, one muddy step at a time, "I was just playing under the covers, and I don't know what happened, but I especially wanted to go out and have a look. I walked all the way from here to the front door and found this rose. I don't know what I was thinking, but when I saw it I yanked it back like a man possessed and sent it to the bottle with a grunt. I even pinched myself hard and cried out tears for the rose as water, look Papa, I pinched myself so much."

Jiang Luo looked to where it was pointing, but the ginseng was white and fat, leaving no scars. He touched his nose and coughed sheepishly, but knew what was wrong with the ginseng spirit.

Dog stuff.

He cursed the fact that he was chasing someone and threatening to manipulate a child into tending to this rose.

*

Feng Li had not even reached the bottom of the hill when he was stopped by a beautiful looking monk.

The monk folded his hands in front of his chest, spinning a string of Buddhist beads in his hand, and said politely, "Master Tian, my master has an invitation."

Feng Li's eyes narrowed slightly, " Ge Wuchen ?"

The monk smiled faintly, not saying yes or no, but reaching out and pointing to the south, he said repeatedly, "Master Tian, my master would like to invite you to meet him."

Feng Li asked, unperturbed, "Who is your master?"

Ge Wuchen smiles but does not say anything.

Not even willing to say who it was was really insincere, and Feng Li was unwilling to waste time with them. He was about to pass Ge Wuchen when the monk smiled and said, "Heavenly Master, don't you want to know some of the secrets of your father, the Fatal Man?"

"Or maybe it's something that the Old Master hasn't told you yet, something that the Old Ones are keeping in their hearts to take to their coffins," the monk said in an unhurried tone, certain that Feng Li would be interested, "something that your half-brother Ji Yaozi knows all about, but you You don't know anything. For example, why your father wanted to cleanse you of your seven emotions and six desires, or why he gave Ji Yaozi a Yuan Tianzhu ...... or why he took a fancy to your disciple Jiang Luo."

"If the Master of Heaven is interested in all this, then why not delay some effort and come with me on a journey."

Feng Li stopped dead in his tracks.

After a moment, he turned around, his eyes obscure, oppression sinking in, "Lead the way."