Chapter 93: Hell in the Pot (Part 2)

Back then, when Qi Xiaoxiao went up to the heavens to overthrow the Porcelain Pot Three Venerables, she did not go alone. Instead, she traveled with a group of cultivators who had also secretly trained. One could tell from the murals on the gate when entering Pot City—the smaller cultivators depicted beside the sword-wielding girl were them.

With multiple people to help, success was possible. Otherwise, for a girl who had only cultivated for ten years to challenge those three immortals alone would have been impossible. Even so, victory was extremely difficult.

Difficulty in victory meant sacrifices were inevitable. In the end, among that group, probably only Qi Xiaoxiao survived.

When they had come over earlier, one was illiterate and the other barely knew characters, so neither had looked closely at the inscription. After the woman reminded them, they finally examined it carefully.

The upper half of the stone tablet recorded the legendary tale, while the lower half listed names of varying lengths, neatly arranged—the nearly hundred who had sacrificed themselves. This tablet stood at the connection between Hell, the Heavenly Palace, and the human world, a symbol of bygone days and a memorial to the departed. No wonder someone came to offer flowers.

The name the woman pointed to was Qiu Ling, and beside her in the list was Qiu Shui. The woman had just said they were twin sisters, and with such similar names, it made one wonder if the other was her. Out of curiosity, Shang Shan asked, “Qiu Shui, is that you?”

The woman said, “It is.”

But weren’t the names on this tablet those of the deceased? Puzzled, Shang Shan asked, “Did you and your sister go to the heavens together?”

Qiu Shui pursed her lips in a soft smile and shook her head as she lowered it. “My constitution is frail and weak, unfit for heavy tasks and even harder to cultivate. Naturally, I had no chance to ascend. She was different from me—from childhood, she was lively and clever, always taking care of me. In the end, she shouldered the great responsibility… My good little sister.”

When she mentioned her frail constitution, Shang Shan’s gaze involuntarily drifted to the woman beside her and immediately received an unceremonious glare, forcing her to look away quickly. She then turned to Qiu Shui ahead of her. Indeed, her face was pale, her frame slender, her cheeks slightly sunken—it was the look of someone in poor health. Forget cultivating; simply staying alive long-term was no easy feat.

Tan Que comforted the distraught Lingdang and sighed. “You two must have had an incredibly close bond. Back in my village, there was a pair of twins who held hands all day and went everywhere together, like shadows.”

“Yes, we depended on each other for survival, grew up together, looked after one another, and grew accustomed to each other’s company. Seeing her name all alone here fills me with reluctance…” Though it was an incredibly hard stone tablet, Qiu Shui caressed it with exceptional gentleness, as if afraid to use force, and sighed. “To stay by her side was always what I wanted most. Now, I can only do it this way.”

Silence fell in the courtyard again. Mu Qian Tan crossed her arms, her fingertip tapping unconsciously. “So it was just the two of you in your family?”

Qiu Shui said, “Now… only me remains.”

Mu Qian Tan said, “So from the start, it was just you two, and you said you depended on each other for survival. In that situation, did your sister have to force her way into the Heavenly Palace, knowing the risks were enormous? So many people went up— one more or one less wouldn’t matter. The so-called honor of being carved on a tablet and remembered by others is the cheapest thing there is. Death is the only reality. She got her glory, leaving you alone in the world. Was it worth it?”

In her impression, this Qiu Shui was just roadside cannon fodder to advance the plot, and the book hadn’t detailed the Qiu twins’ backstory. After hearing a few words from her, Mu Qian Tan couldn’t help but think more, furrowing her brows.

Stepping forward to save the people of Pot City from the Three Venerables’ oppression was fine, but charging ahead without considering her own situation, prioritizing grand righteousness over family and abandoning her only frail kin—it was so irresponsible. Mu Qian Tan found it hard to empathize with such brainless self-sacrifice.

Her words were a bit harsh, and paired with her emotionless expression, they sounded even colder. Yet Qiu Shui did not mind. After a moment of silence, she softly said, “Our parents both died at the hands of the Three Venerables.”

So like Qi Xiaoxiao, it was revenge… No wonder then.

“I believe in the battle to overthrow the Three Venerables, Xiao Ling also contributed her part, as did everyone. We all gave our all and exchanged it for the peace we have now.” Qiu Shui looked over calmly, gently refuting her. After speaking, her expression turned to one of reminiscence. “I often dream of her. She says she has no regrets and that she misses me. When I wake up to an empty side, I always feel lost.”

She reached out and grasped the green jade pendant at her neck, her gaze drifting far away. “Sometimes I get dazed and feel like she’s still here, not far from me, waiting for me to join her.”

Mu Qian Tan slightly raised one brow, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.