Ye Tiancheng couldn't quite believe it even after seeing it with his own eyes. After all, dark energy was cunning. It could feign death on the surface and then reappear to wreak havoc when they weren't paying attention.
"We can pour gasoline now."
Ye Tiancheng's gaze gradually turned fierce. It wasn't enough yet; the corpse had to be destroyed.
The blood contract had lost its effect. Regardless of how Ouyang Xunuo's corpse was damaged, it wouldn't affect Liu Lanying. They could finally act freely according to their own wishes without having to consider so much.
"Alright, I'll go get the gasoline now."
He turned and retrieved the gasoline from the car, then poured it over Ouyang Xunuo's body before taking out a lighter.
"This bastard can finally die completely. After doing so many bad things, he won't have a good time even in hell. Those wronged souls will surely settle the score with him."
Those killed by Ouyang Xunuo had endured inhuman torment and pain before their deaths. Their vengeful spirits would surely remember the hatred they held for Ouyang Xunuo. Now that Ouyang Xunuo's soul had left his body, it was time for them to seek revenge. This was an excellent opportunity.
Ye Tiancheng used a wisp of true qi to ignite the lighter's flame, and then Fatty threw the lighter directly into the large pit, onto Ouyang Xunuo's body.
Due to the gasoline, flames instantly shot up three meters high. Ouyang Xunuo's body also began to burn fiercely, making crackling sounds.
"Brother Ye, this is so satisfying. Ouyang Xunuo was arrogant for so long, and now he smells like roasted meat. He's completely kicked the bucket."
Fatty was so exhilarated that he almost burst out laughing. Ye Tiancheng also felt a lot more relaxed. He wasn't the kind of fool who would pity bad people. Now that Ouyang Xunuo was dead, it was truly satisfying, and it could be considered a case of evil receiving its just deserts.
After burning for a few minutes, the corpse turned into a blackened mass. No one could resurrect Ouyang Xunuo anymore, as he had become a skeleton, a charred husk that would rot away completely after being buried, with no possibility of rebirth. The world would no longer have the person known as Ouyang Xunuo.
After handling everything, Ye Tiancheng and Fatty got into the car and left. Their grievances with this great villain were finally settled.
Upon returning to the hospital, Ye Tiancheng stayed by Liu Lanying's bedside. He now knew that Liu Lanying's life was uncertain and that he could use his true qi to protect her as much as possible.
It was impossible for someone so severely injured to recover instantly. Ye Tiancheng didn't have many demands; he only had one: to save Liu Lanying's life. As long as she lived, there was still hope.
Ye Tiancheng had been severely depleted recently, his eyes red like a rabbit's. He was currently gazing at Liu Lanying.
The first time he saw this girl, she was so youthful and vibrant. Back then, Liu Lanying was competing with others for the position of village chief. She dressed very simply but possessed an unyielding spirit. The aura she exuded clearly showed her charisma. In such a situation, it indeed gave people a refreshing feeling. He knew that this girl had stubbornness in her bones, an innate pride that couldn't be faked but radiated naturally.
Yet, even such a stubborn woman, when injured, had become an ordinary person, a weakling who needed saving.
As Ye Tiancheng frowned, he suddenly heard the cry of a phoenix. The phoenix was in its transformed state and did not appear before Ye Tiancheng in its actual form.
Perhaps it was to avoid causing a commotion. After all, the phoenix existed only in legends. If ordinary people saw it, they would surely be terrified. Only those who cultivated could truly see it.
This must be the telepathic connection between master and disciple. Although Lin Xue was in a deep sleep, she still had a trace of consciousness. After all, Lin Xue's consciousness was dormant, not unwilling to wake up. She must have sensed the difficulty Ye Tiancheng was facing and quickly sent the phoenix to save this unfortunate man, a man lost in despair, unable to solve his problems, who now desperately needed help.
The phantom of the phoenix circled Liu Lanying several times, then emitted a powerful spiritual energy, which was meant to save Liu Lanying.
Ye Tiancheng was at his wit's end. He had done everything he could, but he was still unable to save this pitiful woman before him. Now, he could only seek help from others.
The phoenix, an ancient divine beast, possessed immense spiritual power, and through his cultivation during this period, it had accumulated quite a bit. This was the perfect time to use it to save someone.
As the saying goes, saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda. This was a great deed.
The phoenix left without a word after saving the person. Ye Tiancheng watched the phoenix fly away, still not quite reacting.
After all, in Ye Tiancheng's memory, the phoenix always appeared and disappeared without a trace, but it always brought news of Lin Xue. This time, it deliberately didn't speak, which meant Lin Xue didn't want anyone to know, so she would continue to remain in slumber.
Sometimes, being awake wasn't a good thing. Living in chaos was, in fact, a form of fortune.
"Brother Ye."
Ye Tiancheng was still lost in thought. The phoenix's arrival had disrupted his thoughts, filling his mind with worries about his cursed and pitiable disciple. He didn't know when Lin Xue would be willing to wake up. Ye Tiancheng longed to hear his disciple's voice, even if it was just a few simple words. Hearing Lin Xue's voice would be a comfort.
While he was completely engrossed in thinking about his disciple, he suddenly heard Liu Lanying's voice. Ye Tiancheng snapped back from his daze, suddenly becoming a little excited.
"Liu Lanying, you're awake!"
"En, where am I?" Liu Lanying coughed several times frantically. "Cough, cough, cough, I feel a bit weak all over."
"It's alright, it's good that you're awake."
Ye Tiancheng didn't want to bring up the matter of her jumping off the building. Thinking about those memories wouldn't do Liu Lanying any good, so he would let her think about it herself. At least she would have some time to buffer, rather than experiencing immediate pain.
"I remember now! What about Ouyang Xunuo now?"
Liu Lanying didn't want her sacrifice to be in vain. It was incredibly difficult for someone to gather the courage to jump off a building. She had never felt so heartbroken.
"It's nothing now. Ouyang Xunuo has been killed by Fatty and me. His body has been destroyed, and he will never appear in this world again. Your sacrifice was worth it, but I forbid you from doing this again. Do you know how worried I was about you?!"
At that time, Ye Tiancheng didn't know that Liu Lanying had escaped danger and could return to his side. By the time he discovered the truth, it was already half an hour later.
After telling Liu Lanying to rest well, Ye Tiancheng stepped out and ran into Fatty, who looked visibly uneasy.
"What's wrong?"
Because he knew Fatty too well, if Fatty's butt twitched, Ye Tiancheng would know how much he needed to defecate. Naturally, he understood what had happened.
"The blood contract hasn't been broken. Liu Lanying will also leave this world, it's just been delayed. A force prevented it, but Liu Lanying's physical condition will continue to worsen. From now on, she won't even be able to absorb true qi."
The terrifying truth that Fatty revealed almost struck Ye Tiancheng down. He had never imagined that everything he thought was over was merely his own assumption, and nothing had truly ended.
"Is there no way to resolve this?"
"If what's recorded in the ancient books is true, there's no way to resolve it. The blood contract simply cannot be broken; it can only be delayed. The reason Liu Lanying was fine after Ouyang Xunuo's death was because the contract's effect was delayed, but it will continue."
Fatty had already checked the ancient books. The things recorded in these books had been verified countless times, so there shouldn't be any major discrepancies. Even if there were differences, they would likely be minor, not significant.
Hearing these words, Ye Tiancheng, who was in the hospital corridor, almost collapsed to the ground. He felt utterly dazed.
"How could this happen? Why does fate like to play jokes on me so much? I thought I had saved her, I thought the phoenix had appeared, and that the ancient divine beast could reverse everything, but in the end, I still have to lose the person who is important to me."
Ye Tiancheng had long had a premonition that Liu Lanying might not survive, but he was unwilling to believe it. He had been trying to deceive himself, creating a false sense of peace. However, as the facts unfolded, self-deception was ultimately useless.
But what was written in the books wasn't necessarily accurate. Before leaving the ward, Ye Tiancheng had clearly seen everything. Liu Lanying was fine; her mental and physical condition were much better than before. How could she possibly die?
Sometimes, ancient records weren't always accurate. Ye Tiancheng comforted himself this way, then decided to think in a more positive direction.
"No, worrying about the impossible is useless now. I need to cultivate, I need to find a way to actively gain more true qi so that I can protect her. I can transfer all my true qi to Liu Lanying, and I can definitely save her life."
Ye Tiancheng refused to believe the reality. Thus, he could only put all his hopes on a long shot. When the problem truly arose, the only thing he could do was believe that a miracle would happen.
"Okay, Brother Ye, I'll go to that forest to slay demons and eliminate monsters too. My shovel can also gather true qi. We'll transfer it all to Miss Liu then. Until the last moment, neither you nor I will give up. We will join forces to save Miss Liu's life."
Looking at Ye Tiancheng's determined eyes, at that moment, the two brothers seemed united in purpose. This was also good; at least they still had hope instead of falling into despair, an abyss that would make it impossible to breathe.
They each busied themselves. For a day and a night, each of them rested for less than two hours. They were extremely tired but did not slack off.
The next morning, around nine o'clock, Ye Tiancheng suddenly woke up from an anxious nightmare. Liu Lanying had jumped off a cliff. The feeling of losing a close friend was unbearable. Ye Tiancheng screamed and woke up from his dream, only to realize it was just a dream.
However, even so, Ye Tiancheng broke out in a cold sweat. He felt unwell all over, as if he were sick.
"Mr. Ye, you should get up quickly. Go and see, Miss Liu's condition seems to be not very good."