She gently pushed Shen Sheng’s hand away. Wen Tian tilted her head, watching them with malicious amusement. “Shen Sheng, have you made your decision? Come over to me, and the South River will be safe. If you don’t, everyone will die. You know how many of the Divine Race the South River has saved. If it dries up, many, many more gods will die.”
She didn’t need Wen Tian to tell her that; Shen Sheng knew it well.
But if she went over, it would be a betrayal, and Jiang Wan would die.
No Anu, no Buyan and Buyu.
But who could guarantee Wen Tian would truly turn from evil?
Shen Sheng hesitated. She was like a stingy merchant, weighing her options, swaying left and right.
In that moment of hesitation, Jiang Wan pushed her downwards. Sang Xuan caught her.
Sang Xuan’s expression was tense as she looked at her.
Shen Sheng remembered the scene from the books: Jiang Wan betrayed and abandoned. Was it because of her?
Between the Heavenly Dao and all living creatures, and the one she loved—what should she choose?
Shen Sheng looked directly at Sang Xuan. “Do you believe Wen Tian would manage the South River well? She’s a Devil that slaughtered countless Divine Beings. Once she controls the South River, news will spread, and soldiers of the Devil Race will flock here. How will you fight when the Devil Race grows powerful?”
Sang Xuan’s mind was slow to catch up. A desperate, urgent look settled in her eyes as she gazed at Shen Sheng. “Why does she want you?”
“I don’t know. But I know she’s trying to divide you.” Shen Sheng’s lips curled in a sneer. “Wen Tian is deceiving you. Are you going to choose a cowardly, pathetic existence, or fight to the death?”
The water beneath their feet was incredibly murky. It was hard to imagine the once-holy water had become so filthy.
Sang Xuan looked hesitantly at Shen Sheng, then towards Fu Kong, who was directing. Huang Yun and Ruo Wu exchanged a glance and remained silent. Er Kong and the others watched the standoff in the air between Wen Tian and Jiang Wan. No one dared make a rash move.
Wen Tian suddenly attacked. Jiang Wan evaded, and the two clashed again.
Wen Tian, imprisoned for countless years, was no match for Jiang Wan. Or perhaps she deliberately held back. Soon, she fell towards the water’s surface.
Jiang Wan didn’t pursue. Wen Tian coughed up a mouthful of blood. The water surface churned, and filth surged towards the banks. Jiang Wan looked at the polluted water underfoot and tried to use magic to cleanse it.
Wen Tian sat on the water’s surface, mockingly laughing at her without restraint. “What if you clean it this time? What about next time? And the time after? You do this over and over. One day, your Spiritual Power will be exhausted. Jiang Wan, accept your fate. You’ve lost.”
“I don’t care about winning or losing.” Jiang Wan’s face was pale. She knew she was deceiving herself: just live one day at a time.
She looked towards Fu Kong and the others. “Suppress her back underwater.”
As soon as she spoke, the other gods refused. If Wen Tian emerged, the Devil Race would definitely return, and the mortal world would face a great catastrophe.
Jiang Wan faced them all. “Wen Tian is in the South River, so she will be dealt with by the South River. No need for anyone else to worry.”
“How can this be only the South River’s matter? She is an Evil Devil and should be executed immediately!”
“The South River intends to shelter an Evil Devil?”
“Hand her over! We will deal with her together!”
Shen Sheng opened her mouth, but the words died in her throat. Deal with her, my foot! They were clearly just going to kill her.
Jiang Wan also ignored the others’ words. She ordered people to guard the South River, pulling Shen Sheng along as she prepared to leave.
However, the Divine Race blocked her path back to Prajna City.
“What does Clan Leader Jiang mean by this? Leaving her alive will always be a threat. Hand her over.”
“Clan Leader Jiang, the power of your single clan is limited. Bring her out of the South River, and we can discuss how to deal with her together.”
“Clan Leader Jiang’s actions today suggest you are colluding with the Devil Race.”
Jiang Wan lowered her gaze, not facing them. Fu Kong spoke first, “We will give everyone a reasonable explanation. But Wen Tian can only be guarded by us.”
Saying this, they prepared to leave, but the other gods suddenly formed a formation against them.
Fu Kong said angrily, “You came prepared for this!”
“It is you, South River, who are suspicious and unrighteous first!”
“That’s right! The peace we finally achieved will be destroyed by you. How can we remain idle? Clan Leader Jiang, the Divine Race has always looked to you as an example, but what are you doing now?!”
Jiang Wan said, helplessly, “If you have the ability, go down and kill Wen Tian yourselves. The South River will not stop you.”
However, the crowd looked at her as if she were something filthy, scolding her one after another.
“You know that our divine power weakens inside the South River! You’re doing this on purpose! Deliberately shielding the Evil Devil!”
Jiang Wan gave a cold laugh. She raised her hand and whipped up the waves. The South River Water rose tens of thousands of feet, the murky water rushing towards them.
Disgusted by the filth, they raised their hands to block it, and Jiang Wan seized the opportunity to lead her people away.
Three days had passed since Wen Tian was sealed underwater.
The other gods wouldn’t leave, but they also didn’t dare enter the water. Within the South River, they were no match for Wen Tian either.
Shen Sheng sat by the stream, holding two red fruits. She took a bite of one, then the other, her cheeks stuffed full.
At that moment, Ruo Wu walked over and sat down beside her, a red fruit appearing in her own hand. She said, “This fruit tree was developed by Fu Kong. It’s called the Prajna Fruit. You’re eating the most of anyone.”
“It’s almost sickeningly sweet. Life is so bitter; at least let’s have something sweet. Wash it down with some cold water, and it’s fine,” Shen Sheng gave a bitter smile. She’d been thinking for three days and hadn’t come up with a decent solution.
What should they do?
Agreeing to Wen Tian’s terms would allow the Devil Race to surpass the Divine Race, maybe even rule the Three Realms. Then mortals would surely be affected.
If they didn’t agree, they couldn’t kill her, couldn’t release her, and would have to stand guard forever. But the other gods would never accept that.
If they told the truth, they also wouldn’t care about the South River’s survival. In their eyes, sacrificing the South River to kill Wen Tian and protect the Three Realms was the South River’s inevitable duty.
You couldn’t have your cake and eat it too.
So, for the past few days, Prajna City had been steeped in a low, oppressive mood.
Ruo Wu bit into the red fruit. “Young Miss, your thoughts are different. These past few days, the outside world has been pressuring us to hand over Wen Tian. Some even say you should be the one to go down with her. The Clan Leader refuses, saying you are not of the South River, and shouldn’t be the one to bear this burden.”
Shen Sheng asked her in return, “Do you want me to persuade Jiang Wan?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Ruo Wu chewed the fruit pulp.
“Even if you did, I wouldn’t go. Wen Tian is trying to break us apart from the start.” Shen Sheng lowered her head to look at the fruit in her palm. “If our lives could buy the South River’s eternal safety, we would do it without hesitation. But Wen Tian isn’t a Divine Being; she’s a Devil.”
“I know she’s a Devil,” Ruo Wu lifted her head, her brow clouded with worry. “But what can we do? No matter what we choose, it’s a dead end.”
Shen Sheng smiled bitterly, taking a large bite of the fruit. The juice was cloyingly sweet. She squinted, the sweetness spreading. “It is very difficult.”
“When the nest collapses, no egg remains intact,” Ruo Wu said helplessly. “Huang Yun and I… we’ve Formed a Contract.”
Shen Sheng blinked, surprised. “Weren’t you against forming one?”
“Doesn’t matter whether we did or didn’t. Just experiencing the taste of a Contract.” Ruo Wu smiled again, her expression gentle. “It’s… not bad.”
Shen Sheng remembered they had a child, the one who’d come to roll on the bed.
“You’re worried about your child, aren’t you?”
The smile on Ruo Wu’s face abruptly vanished. Shen Sheng said, “If you want to protect her, you need to find a way.”
“I can’t think of one. If the South River disappears, how could she possibly survive?” Ruo Wu chuckled mirthlessly.
Shen Sheng didn’t answer immediately. But Buyan and Buyu had survived.
The truth was, Jiang Wan had been sent to a thousand years in the future before the devastation. She was no longer in this time and space.
But Jiang Wan was still a South River Descendant… there was something that still didn’t add up.
Shen Sheng didn’t know how to explain this. “Why not send her out of Prajna City?”
“I won’t send her away,” Ruo Wu shook her head. “This is good. This is how it should be.”
“No, I’ve thought of a way. Seek shelter with the Demon Race.” Shen Sheng thought of Bu Jiuyue. The fact that she could survive to a thousand years later meant she must have a way.
However, Ruo Wu didn’t agree. “We are born Demigods. How could we seek shelter with the Demon Race?”
Ruo Wu appeared delicate and fragile, with a clear, refined beauty, but her nature was incredibly stubborn.
Shen Sheng didn’t press further.
Ruo Wu sat for a moment longer, then left. Before going, she picked two more Prajna Fruits.
Shen Sheng didn’t move, still sitting by the water. Her heart was burning up, so she jumped into the stream for a soak.
Jiang Wan hadn’t set foot outside the main hall for three days. Knowing a solution was impossible, she still clung to the hope of changing things.
Shen Sheng sat in the stream. Fish glided past her feet, slippery and ticklish. It was so soothing that she simply lay back, holding her breath and looking up at the sky.
Someone approached and tossed a Prajna Fruit into the water. Shen Sheng caught the fruit and turned her head. Jiang Wan, who had been frantically busy for three days, was strolling over.
