RPAGF Chapter 178 Salvation
Chapter 178 Salvation
As the four ventured deeper into the ancient battlefield ruins, a strong and pungent stench of blood assaulted their nostrils, as if an invisible hand were gripping their hearts.
Xu Xiaoxiao instinctively covered her mouth and nose, her brows furrowing into a deep frown, her face full of disgust and confusion: "This is the smell of blood, why is there such a strong smell of blood?" Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes revealed a hint of unease.
Lan Ji also covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and a trace of fear flashed in her eyes: "This smell makes me feel uneasy." Her voice was soft, but it trembled slightly due to nervousness.
Jiang Jingzhi's expression was grave, his eyes revealing vigilance. He slowly drew his sword, the blade gleaming coldly: "Everyone, be careful."
Mu Zhusheng also quickly prepared for defense, gripping the talisman tightly in her hand, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.
The four approached each other, cautiously walking step by step toward the source of the bloody smell. The ground beneath their feet seemed to be soaked in the bloody stench, and with each step, they could feel the brutality and cruelty of the war.
Finally, they saw an altar. This altar stood out conspicuously in front of the barrier. On the altar was a pool of blood, which was still churning and emitting heat, as if it had just experienced a brutal massacre.
"What...what's going on?" Xu Xiaoxiao's voice was filled with shock and anger. Her body trembled slightly, her hands clenched into fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms. The scene before her eyes ignited a raging fire in her heart, and her eyes turned red with anger.
Jiang Jingzhi stepped forward and supported Xu Xiaoxiao's trembling shoulders. His face was terribly gloomy, and his eyes were full of anger and grief: "Too cruel." His voice was low and suppressed, as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.
Mu Zhusheng looked at the pool of blood, her brows furrowed, her eyes revealing deep worry: "This pool of blood contains strong resentment, constantly impacting the barrier. I'm afraid that's why the barrier between the two worlds has weakened."
His words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.
Lan Ji covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes. She simply couldn't imagine what kind of cruel person could do something so heinous.
"Is all this blood from innocent people?" Her voice was choked with sobs, filled with pity and sorrow.
Xu Xiaoxiao took a few steps forward, getting closer to the pool of blood, wanting to see the secret within.
When she saw the scene in the pool of blood, she was stunned. Then, her body trembled violently, and tears streamed down her face: "These...these are all newborn babies! How could they do this to these innocent lives?" Her voice was heart-wrenching and filled with anger.
Jiang Jingzhi stepped forward and gently pulled Xu Xiaoxiao behind him. His eyes revealed determination and resolve: "We must find out the truth. We cannot let these innocent lives be sacrificed in vain."
He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force, and the anger in his heart had reached its peak.
Looking at the blood pool, Mu Zhusheng pondered for a moment before saying, "This is very likely related to the grudges between the demon race and the human race, or perhaps it is intricately connected to that conspiracy that has not yet been uncovered." A hint of worry was revealed in his eyes, knowing that the complexity of the matter was far beyond imagination.
Lan Ji wiped away her tears, a resolute glint in her eyes: "We can't let these bad guys succeed, we must stop them." Her voice, though choked with sobs, was full of strength.
Xu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down: "Senior Brother, what should we do next?" Her eyes revealed a hint of confusion, but more so a firmness and determination.
Jiang Jingzhi looked at the blood pool and the barrier before him, and after a moment of thought, said, "Let's observe the situation of this blood pool and barrier first, and see if we can find a way to break through it. At the same time, we must be careful of the surrounding movements to prevent enemy attacks." His voice was calm and steady, as if lighting a lamp for everyone in the darkness.
The four of them surrounded the blood pool and the altar, observing carefully. They discovered that the resentment in the blood pool seemed to be fighting against the barrier. Each impact caused the barrier to tremble slightly. The area around the altar was covered with strange runes that emitted an eerie light, as if telling a secret that no one knew.
Xu Xiaoxiao squatted down and carefully observed the runes, trying to find some clues. Suddenly, she noticed that the light of one of the runes flickered, as if it was conveying some kind of information to her.
"Senior Brother, look at this rune, something seems off," she said, pointing to the rune.
Jiang Jingzhi and the others immediately gathered around and carefully examined the rune. After some research, they discovered that the rune seemed to be related to an ancient sacrificial ritual, the purpose of which was likely to destroy the barrier.
"If their goal is to destroy the barrier, then once the barrier is broken, the human race and the demon race will probably fall into another great war," Mu Zhusheng said worriedly.
Jiang Jingzhi's expression grew even more serious: "We absolutely cannot let this happen. We must find a way to stop them as soon as possible."
His eyes revealed unwavering conviction, as if declaring to this ancient battlefield filled with bloodshed and intrigue that they would never back down.
"Senior Brother, can we purify these vengeful spirits?" Looking at the blood, Xu Xiaoxiao thought of how many vibrant lives were thrown into the water, and how painful that must have been.
“These vengeful spirits can be helped to be reborn, but only those with Buddhist roots can recite the Rebirth Mantra to send them to their next life,” Jiang Jingzhi said after a moment’s thought. He was not a Buddhist and therefore could not recite it.
Xu Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up, and she grabbed her senior brother's hand, "Senior brother, I want to try it."
When Jiang Jingzhi heard that Xu Xiaoxiao wanted to try to exorcise the vengeful spirits, he was worried, but seeing the determination and compassion in his junior sister's eyes, he couldn't bear to refuse.
He reached into his storage ring, fumbled around for a moment, and took out an ancient scripture. The cover of the scripture was yellowed and the corners were worn, clearly indicating that it had been through many years.
"This was given to me by a wandering monk when I was traveling. He said it might come in handy someday, and I never expected it would actually be useful today." Jiang Jingzhi gently handed the scripture to Xu Xiaoxiao, his eyes full of concern and advice.
"Xiaoxiao, it is not easy to deliver vengeful spirits. You may encounter many dangers in the process. You must be careful. If you feel any discomfort, stop immediately."
Xu Xiaoxiao nodded solemnly and took the scriptures with both hands. She gently opened them and found that the obscure Sanskrit characters were as clear and easy to understand as familiar words in her eyes. A strange sense of intimacy welled up in her heart, as if these scriptures had already resonated with her soul.
"Senior Brother, I can understand these scriptures!" Xu Xiaoxiao looked up in surprise, her eyes sparkling.
Jiang Jingzhi was slightly taken aback, then revealed a relieved smile: "It seems that this is a predestined fate. You are destined to be with Buddhism, and perhaps you can truly succeed in helping these pitiful vengeful spirits to be reborn in a better realm."
Xu Xiaoxiao took a deep breath to calm her excited emotions, then slowly walked to the center of the altar, sat down, adjusted her breathing, held the scriptures in her hands, and began to recite them softly.
At first, her voice was a little hesitant, but as she recited the scriptures, her voice gradually became fluent and steady, as if an invisible force was guiding her.
As Xu Xiaoxiao chanted, the surrounding air seemed to change. The originally strong and pungent smell of blood gradually faded away, replaced by a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. The pool of churning blood also slowly calmed down, no longer emitting chilling heat.
Suddenly, Xu Xiaoxiao felt as if her consciousness was being pulled by a powerful force, and she was plunged into a strange space.
A light mist filled the space, obscuring everything around her. Just as she was feeling a little lost, the mist gradually dissipated, and small figures appeared before her eyes.
Xu Xiaoxiao looked closely and saw that it was a group of adorable children. Their faces were filled with innocent smiles as they laughed happily at her. The blood and pain from the blood pool were gone from these children; instead, they were pure and peaceful.
"Thank you, sister," a little boy said in a clear voice, his voice like heavenly music echoing in the space.
“You…” Xu Xiaoxiao’s eyes welled up with tears. She wanted to say something, but found that something was stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t speak for a moment.
“Sister, we know you’re here to help us.” A little girl with a ponytail stepped forward and took Xu Xiaoxiao’s hand. “We’ve been trapped here for so long. We were so scared and lonely.”
Xu Xiaoxiao gently stroked the little girl's head, tears welling up in her eyes: "I'm sorry we're late, but it's alright now. I'll send you to be reincarnated so you can start a new life."
The children gathered around, their little hands holding Xu Xiaoxiao's, their faces full of trust and reliance. Looking at these lovely children, Xu Xiaoxiao felt a surge of warmth and strength in her heart.
She picked up the scripture again and began to recite it aloud. This time, her voice was more resolute and full of power.
As the scriptures were chanted, the children's bodies gradually became transparent, and their smiles became increasingly blurred, but their eyes were filled with gratitude and reluctance to part.
"Sister, we will remember you."
"Sister, I hope everything will be well for you in the future."
The children's voices echoed in Xu Xiaoxiao's ears. As she watched the children gradually disappear into the mist, she felt a pang of reluctance, but even more so, a sense of relief.
She knew she had succeeded; these poor little lives could finally escape their suffering and embark on a new life.
"Go in peace. I hope you will have a happy and fulfilling life in your next life," Xu Xiaoxiao said softly, tears glistening in her eyes.
When Xu Xiaoxiao opened her eyes again, she found herself still sitting in the middle of the altar. Everything around her had returned to normal. The pool of blood had dried up, and there was no longer any churning blood or strong smell of blood. The barrier was no longer trembling and had become calm and stable.
Jiang Jingzhi, Mu Zhusheng, and Lan Ji anxiously surrounded her. When they saw that she had woken up, all three of them breathed a sigh of relief.
"Xiaoxiao, you're finally awake!" Jiang Jingzhi's voice was filled with anxiety and concern. "How are you feeling? Are you hurt?"
Xu Xiaoxiao stood up, a relieved smile on her face: "Senior Brother, I'm alright. I saw those adorable children; they've already passed through the Path of Rebirth."
Upon hearing this, all three showed expressions of surprise and delight.
"That's wonderful!" Mu Zhusheng exclaimed excitedly. "Junior Sister, you're amazing!"
Lan Ji stepped forward and took Xu Xiaoxiao's hand: "Xiaoxiao, you have done a great thing. Those poor little lives can finally rest in peace."
Deep within the demon realm shrouded in blood-red mist, in a majestic yet sinister palace, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Inside, demonic shadows loomed, and flickering candlelight illuminated the ferocious yet wary faces of the demons.
Demon Lord Ao Qiong suddenly stood up from his throne, a hint of shock, anger, and confusion flashing in his deep eyes.
He was surrounded by black demonic energy, like a dark vortex that distorted the surrounding air.
"Something's not right!" His voice was low and hoarse, as if it came from the deepest hell. "The aura of that altar is so chaotic; something terrible seems to have happened!"
The demons inside the hall looked at each other, their eyes filled with unease. They knew that the altar located on the site of the ancient battlefield was a secret stronghold that the Demon Lord had painstakingly set up over hundreds of years.
Its purpose was to take advantage of the special environment of the ancient battlefield, use the blood and resentment of those innocent lives to weaken the barrier between the human and demon races, and pave the way for the demon race's future large-scale attack.
A black-robed demon general stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and respectfully said, "Demon Lord, could it be that someone has discovered the secret of the altar and tampered with it?"
Ao Qiong's face grew increasingly grim. He snorted coldly, "Hmph, that ancient battlefield ruins, with its crisscrossing sword energy and soaring resentment, are places ordinary people avoid like the plague. Who could possibly have such audacity?" He pondered for a moment, then waved his hand.
"Whoever it is, send men to investigate immediately! If anyone dares to ruin our demon race's important affairs, they will be made to die a horrible death!"
Thus, a team of elite demon soldiers quickly assembled and, led by a high-ranking demon general, transformed into streaks of black light, rushing toward the ruins of the ancient battlefield.
At this moment, at the ruins of the ancient battlefield, Xu Xiaoxiao successfully exorcised the vengeful spirits and was immersed in relief and joy with Jiang Jingzhi and the others. The once bloody and terrifying altar had now returned to peace, the dried-up blood pool no longer emitted a nauseating odor, and the surrounding air had become fresh.
"We've finally done something good," Xu Xiaoxiao breathed a sigh of relief, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.
Jiang Jingzhi looked at his junior sister with satisfaction in his eyes: "Yes, but we can't let our guard down yet. The conspiracy behind this has not been fully exposed, and there may still be danger."