Chapter 141: What Exactly Is Xiao Ran’s Intent?

"Yuanyuan, calm down. Seeing you like this breaks my heart. Rest assured, as long as I am here, no one will ever be able to harm you in the slightest!" Lan Bingxian grabbed the slightly hysterical Meng Yuanyuan and pulled her into his arms. He comforted the pitiful woman with deep tenderness, his heart feeling as though it were being sliced by a thousand knives at the sight of his beloved in such a state. If someone could peer directly into his chest, they would see that his heart, once whole, had been shattered into pieces, and Meng Yuanyuan’s sorrow was the culprit that had ravaged it so.

"Brother Lan, you should be worried about yourself right now. Yuanyuan is not in immediate danger of losing her life, but you are different. Since the King has issued such a ruthless ultimatum, he will surely follow through. What are we to do? We certainly cannot actually kill you!" Lan Wu looked at the friend who had endured trials and tribulations alongside her, speaking with profound helplessness. She truly did not know what to do. The King’s cultivation realm had reached a level of terror that surpassed all their imaginations; if he wanted someone dead, that person would never see the sun rise again.

"Even if he follows through, he must first see if he has the ability! To dare to take someone’s life right under my nose—he must be tired of living! In this life, the thing I despise most is those who think they are equal to the heavens. Living in this world isn't just about what he wants; he has to ask whether I allow it!" Speaking of that old geezer, Xiao Yin was full of resentment. Since he dared to play them in the palm of his hand, he should have the courage to bear the dire consequences. This grudge was now set in stone; Xiao Yin would never let him off!

"As Lan Wu said, Fu Youming’s cultivation is definitely above ours; victory through force is impossible. We must not be impulsive. Once a direct conflict starts, we are simply giving him a reason to finish us off. To escape the shackles of this demon and ensure everyone’s safety, we must devise a foolproof plan to defeat him with wisdom," Yu Shang said, looking at the deep blue sky, lost in thought. He could no longer tolerate Fu Youming’s arrogance and tyranny; it was time to teach that man a lesson.

"Allow me a bold hypothesis: Fu Youming’s painstaking efforts to bring Yuanyuan back to Youming Capital might be to resurrect her past life. Aside from this reason, I cannot think of any other explanation that makes sense of the whole affair." After studying Meng Yuanyuan for a long while, Xun Mishuang suddenly had a realization and explained slowly to the others who were at their wits' end. However, there was one thing she couldn't fathom: why would Fu Youming want to resurrect her past life? What torture could be more satisfying than having her soul scattered to the winds? Unless, deep down, he still harbored love for that woman.

"Even if his goal is to resurrect Yuanyuan’s past life, there is no need to take Brother Lan’s life as well! Even if it is to take revenge on her for being happier in this life than he was, it makes no sense. To put it bluntly, once Yuanyuan reverts to her past life, it means her current self will have vanished into thin air. What could be sadder than death, what could be more torturous than being separated by the veil of life and death? A clever person like the King wouldn't overlook such a vicious method. Why must he force Brother Lan to walk the path to the underworld?" Yan Xuesu was becoming increasingly confused. Why was the King so impatient to claim Lan Bingxian’s life?

"That is because to defy the heavens and resurrect the dead, the soul that has already reincarnated must sever its own earthly ties. Otherwise, even if a soul with lingering attachments is gathered into the body of the past life, it will not remain long and will surely break free again. At that point, trying to fuse the soul of the deceased into one would be even harder, and any slight negligence could cause both the body and soul to perish," Leng Huaiyi frowned and said softly to the others.

"I understand. To make Yuanyuan sever her earthly ties, the person she cares about most and cannot bear to leave must disappear. That way, she would have no reason to stay in this world. Only then could her past life be successfully resurrected. Fu Youming’s move is truly vicious!" Yin Boxuan finally understood why the four who emerged from Youming Capital were so fearful of Fu Youming, as if he were a demon. Now it seemed that even a bloodthirsty monster crawling out of hell was not as terrifying as him; that man had reached a truly chilling level of horror.

"Brother Yu, from start to finish, you haven't shared your thoughts. What is in your mind? Is it as Fu Youming said? Will you complete this inhumane task as promised, and personally kill the brother who has shared your joys and sorrows?" Xiao Yin looked at the silent Yu Xiaoran and asked loudly. He could sense the wavering in his heart. He was not as resolute as the others, who swore they would never harm their brothers. Suddenly, Xiao Yin had a bad premonition: perhaps Yu Xiaoran truly would be loyal to that old man and complete the task at any cost.

"I don't know either. Some things are not within my control! If I could, I would rather choose to have never known you. Then I could complete the task without blinking an eye. It’s just a pity that this time, I hesitated and even felt lost. I don't know what to do, what is right, and what is wrong." Yu Xiaoran spoke his thoughts candidly, but at the same time, he drew the resentment of the others.

"What do you mean by that? Does it mean you regret knowing us? Does it mean you might cooperate with that insane demon to kill the sworn brother you once pledged your life to, just to gain the favor of your so-called master?" Yin Boxuan was furious, grabbing Yu Xiaoran by the collar and shouting in a roar of unprecedented rage, even wanting to strike him in that moment.

"Brother Yin, calm down. This is not the time for us to turn on each other. Actually, Xiaoran’s thinking is not entirely wrong. We don't even know what burdens he has been carrying. We have no right to demand he abandon his own thoughts to align with everyone else. We all know what we have experienced from being strangers to becoming like brothers. Do we have to set aside our own will to respect each other's choices? Even if Xiaoran does carry out the King’s orders, we shouldn't hate him, because he was already a person of Youming Capital before this. This is indeed what he is supposed to do, isn't it?" Leng Huaiyi rushed forward, pushing aside the enraged Yin Boxuan, and spoke loudly to the others.

"Don't force him anymore. There are some things he doesn't want either. We entered the dark, sunless Youming Capital for various reasons and bowed to Fu Youming’s commands for various reasons. The pain and helplessness involved are beyond your imagination. Sometimes, for certain reasons, we are truly forced by circumstances. I beg you, for the sake of our past friendship, do not reproach him. If it were me, I would be just as torn. After all, the King holds reasons that force us to obey him." Seeing this, Yan Xuesu ran forward to protect Yu Xiaoran, bitterly pleading with everyone to spare her lover.

"Indeed, our situation is already dangerous enough. If we turn on each other, we are just saving Fu Youming the trouble. Moreover, I don't think Brother Yu has done anything wrong. On the contrary, it proves he truly treats us as brothers. Otherwise, he could have just brushed us off and then caught us off guard later. Who would be certain that Brother Lan would be safe then? But Brother Yu has been open with us, which is the best proof of his heart. Should we not stop doubting and criticizing him? After all, everyone has their own helplessness," Yu Shang also walked forward to soothe the crowd. Although he didn't know why Yu Xiaoran was wavering, he understood him well, as he had been in that position before.

"Actually, to be honest, when the King told me of this task, there was a moment I wavered and was almost tempted. The King is not as simple as we imagine. He knows what is in each of our hearts. He knows what we want and what can deal us a fatal blow. So, it is normal for Brother Yu to have such a reaction and struggle. Because long before we entered Youming Capital, the King had already controlled us. He holds things that could shatter us, and things we have yearned for our whole lives but never obtained. I don't know what pasts everyone had before entering Youming Capital, but I am certain that our lifelines are all in the King's hands. Can you say it is wrong to waver for these things?" Lan Wu also couldn't help but speak to the group. In truth, everyone was helpless; they should be understanding of each other.

"You are all right. In fact, everyone’s thoughts are correct. Some are torn by their tasks, some stand firm for their loyalty; no one can say their choice is wrong. In truth, this should have been a matter between me and Yuanyuan. From beginning to end, you were all innocent and should not have been dragged into this muddy water. Even if your final choices seem unbelievable to outsiders, I will understand you, because as you said, everyone is beyond their own control." Lan Bingxian looked at the friends arguing on his behalf and smiled. Truly, having these friends in this life was enough. There was no need to drag them down as he approached death. Lan Bingxian would look down on himself for doing so.

"You are wrong. This is not just a matter between you two; it concerns everyone present. Do you think that if everyone severs ties with you, they can escape Fu Youming’s control? That is simply impossible! The reason I insist on participating is that I know if we don't act before that old man, sooner or later, he will come to claim your lives. He will not spare anyone here, including the four of you—Leng, Yan, Yu, and Lan—who were once loyal to him. Everyone is his pawn and will be destroyed by him sooner or later. How can you say this has nothing to do with them?" Xun Mishuang said with displeasure. She hated those who sacrificed themselves for righteousness. He thought that if he just died, everyone would be at peace? He was wrong; they would only be left with guilt and wouldn't want to live on!

"That’s right. We all share a common enemy. This is just the first step in Fu Youming’s plan to rule the world. We have the responsibility and the duty—even if we don't make it sound so grand—to stop his reckless behavior for our own sakes. Only then will we have a chance to get rid of that demon and regain our freedom. So don't say this is just your affair. Publicly and privately, we are determined to handle this!" Yu Shang walked to Lan Bingxian’s side and said softly, but his tone was firm, leaving no room for refutation.

"I don't know what to say, I just suddenly feel that it is truly good to have known you all. As Brother Lan said, no matter what choices you make, I will understand, because I believe in the bonds between us and I also trust the decisions you will ultimately make." Meng Yuanyuan, now calm, smiled at everyone and said.