Chapter 1293

At this rate, in less than ten minutes, the Fusionists would be completely wiped out.

The icy seawater was steadily rising, already submerging Teacher Ye's knees. Yet, he seemed oblivious, remaining seated quietly. His body began to sway from side to side with the buoyancy, and had it not been for Old Wolf stabilizing him with his tail, he would have long since been swept away by the waves.

Splash—!! A bone-chilling wave crashed over them once more. This time, several more children, from the already dwindling group, were lost.

“Xiaohuan!! Ah Hai!! Niannian!!!” Old Wolf's eyes were bloodshot. He reached out, trying to grasp the children swept away by the waves, but could only touch emptiness. Mibo and He Chengxuan, standing nearby, were consumed by rage and despair. They had watched these children grow up and now could only helplessly witness them perish before their eyes. This feeling of powerlessness drove them nearly insane.

“Damn it!! I knew we shouldn't have come to the South Sea, shouldn't have come to the South Sea!!!” He Chengxuan's chest heaved violently. “Now look, we're all going to die here!!” He turned and clutched Teacher Ye's thigh, who was still sitting in the water, his voice trembling slightly: “Teacher Ye… If we don’t hurry… the children will really all be gone, Teacher Ye!!!”

At the lakeside pavilion, the words “I demand that Chen Ling, the Calamity of Mockery, never again set foot in the Human Realm” rang out. The moment they did, Chen Ling froze. Immediately after, his gaze towards Chu Changqing filled with renewed anger.

Teacher Ye was also startled, then spoke without hesitation: “Chen Ling is not an appendage of our Fusionists; I cannot agree to your demand.”

“I know… that’s why I’m not making this condition to you.” Chu Changqing's gaze shifted to Chen Ling beside him. Chu Changqing's meaning was crystal clear. He could allow the Fusionists into the city, but he couldn't bear all the risk himself. In exchange, he wanted to eliminate a greater threat to the Human Realm than the Fusionists: the Calamity of Mockery. If the Calamity of Mockery never entered the Human Realm again, it would mean humanity's six world-ending calamities would be reduced to five, significantly alleviating their pressure. Both Chu Changqing and the Alliance Council would likely agree to such a deal.

Chen Ling stared intently at him, remaining silent for a long time before speaking coldly: “If I promise not to enter the Human Realm, will you believe me?”

“Of course not.” Chu Changqing raised his hand, and a thumb-sized green worm crawled out from his sleeve. The worm's surface emanated a mysterious glow, so potent that even Chen Ling could sense its threatening aura. “This is a Vow Gu that I cultivated with immense effort,” Chu Changqing explained. “Lower your guard and swallow it whole. It will merge with your soul. Once you break your vow, it will destroy you along with your soul. I was tortured by you for so long, and I even merged with a part of you. I know you too well. My original purpose in cultivating it was to wait for the day I could use it to exact my revenge on you… So don't think of any way to block it, and don't assume you can escape its destruction… It was born to kill you.”

A biting cold wind swept across the lakeside pavilion, freezing a thin layer of ice over the previously rippling lake surface. The Crimson Performer stood silently, his gaze fixed on the tiny green worm in Chu Changqing's hand, as if only the howling wind remained in his ears. Chu Changqing was indeed well-prepared. Chen Ling had a premonition that once he swallowed this worm today, even suicide wouldn't free him. He couldn't imagine what Chu Changqing had endured at the hands of the Calamity of Mockery to be able to create such a thing specifically for him.

“You swallow it and leave the South Sea, and I'll let the Fusionists in… Or, we continue this standoff.” Chu Changqing looked into Chen Ling's eyes, adding, “You decide everyone's fate.”

Teacher Ye's brows furrowed tightly, and a struggle appeared on his pale face. He opened his mouth to say something but couldn't bring himself to speak. Ever since he decided to come to the South Sea, he had mentally prepared himself to pay any price, even kneeling and kowtowing, to secure a way out for the Fusionists. He understood his student; he knew Chu Changqing was inherently kind-hearted, and if he went this far, there was a high probability Chu Changqing would accept them. However, he hadn't anticipated that the price for Chu Changqing to accept the Fusionists would be Chen Ling.

While they were teacher and student, Chen Ling had helped the Fusionists too much, and Teacher Ye owed Chen Ling too much. Teacher Ye didn't want to involve Chen Ling. But on the other hand, the Fusionist children were in a life-or-death situation, and he couldn't directly refuse Chu Changqing and watch them die. After a long struggle, as if all his strength had been drained, he said hoarsely to Chen Ling: “Chen Ling… though I’ve taught you some things these past six months, I haven't been able to offer any substantial help. Instead, you've repeatedly stepped in to assist us. You owe the Fusionists nothing; it is we who owe you… Therefore, you don’t have to be burdened by us.” No one knew what pain and struggle Teacher Ye had endured to utter those words. Though he didn't explicitly say it, at that moment, he was undoubtedly pushing Chen Ling away.

Chu Changqing said nothing more; he simply watched Chen Ling quietly, awaiting his choice.

Chen Ling smiled. Without much hesitation, he calmly picked up the green worm: “Chu Changqing, you'd better pray this worm actually works… Otherwise, one day, I will make you pay.”

The Crimson Performer's robe billowed wildly in the biting cold wind. Under their watchful eyes, he slowly parted his lips and… swallowed the writhing green worm whole.

In truth, from the very beginning, Chen Ling hadn't cared about the condition Chu Changqing proposed; he had absolutely no interest in the Human Realm. He was a wanted fugitive in the Human Realm, the Calamity of Mockery, reviled by all. He would always have to be cautious there. So why should he insist on staying? If the Human Realm didn't welcome him, did that mean he had nowhere else to go? Of course not. Even if Chu Changqing hadn't brought it up, Chen Ling was too weary to go to other realms. He had long been utterly disillusioned with them. From the moment he accepted the Calamity of Mockery, he had stopped considering himself "human."

The only drawback to being unable to enter the Human Realm, for Chen Ling, was that he might no longer be able to easily see certain people, old friends. But to Chen Ling, this no longer mattered. After several 'slaying evil' incidents, Chen Ling and the Calamity of Mockery had merged too deeply. As Chu Changqing said, wherever he went now, he would bring disaster; anyone who came close to him would be affected. It was true for the Fusionists, for Han Meng, and for Xiaotao and Xiaobai. Perhaps Chu Changqing was right. Someone like him should stay away from everyone, find an uninhabited place to be alone. He deserved to be alone.

Chen Ling's rationality had already processed everything. He found countless reasons to convince himself to leave; he knew this choice was absolutely correct because he didn't want to harm those closest to him. Therefore, he swallowed the Gu worm without hesitation, giving himself no chance to regret it.

But... why... even after he had truly made his choice, did his heart still ache so intensely?

Jian Changsheng, Sun Bumian, Jiang Xiaohua, Han Meng, Bai Ye, Chu Muyun, Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister… As these familiar figures flashed before Chen Ling's eyes again, an indescribable pain surged in his heart. In the Boundless Realm, these people had been the motivation for his "character" to live, the anchor that allowed him to believe that "even a fictional actor can have a life of their own." And now, his very existence had become the source of disaster for them. If that was the case… then, from now on, there was no need to meet again, was there?

As the green worm entered his stomach, an aura of the Nine Monarchs violently erupted within Chen Ling's abdomen. The intense pain instantly turned his face deathly pale, and he doubled over in agony on the ground. He took a deep breath, and spoke hoarsely, enunciating each word:

“I, Chen Ling, swear… From this moment forth, I will never again step foot into the Human Realm for eternity. Otherwise… My soul will be scattered.”