CHAPTER 224: CHAPTER 22 ALIVE OR ALREADY DEAD

"There’s really nothing great about traveling these days, with Demon Evils rampant in the world. Once you encounter one during your travels, you might just end up losing your life."

Shen Changqing let out a deep sigh, looking forlorn. As he spoke, he was also constantly aware of Mo Zijin’s expressions. If he shows any sign of making a move, I’ll retreat immediately, he resolved.

However, after hearing what Shen Changqing said, the previously ferocious expression on Mo Zijin’s face gradually softened, returning to its original state. "Brother Shen speaks the truth; these days, with Demon Evils rampant, traveling is indeed very unsafe." He profoundly agreed with this.

"Speaking of which, you might not believe this, Brother Shen, but a few days ago, a Demon Evil suddenly appeared and was slain by yours truly with righteous Qi. Otherwise, the townspeople would have faced disaster!"

??? Shen Changqing’s mind was immediately filled with question marks. Righteous Qi? I know that righteous Qi can slay Demon Evils. But you’re a Calamity! How could you cultivate righteous Qi, let alone use it to slay Demon Evils? That’s utterly absurd!

Even though he found Mo Zijin’s words ludicrous, Shen Changqing kept his composure and did not retort, observing Mo Zijin’s serious demeanor. Whatever Mo Zijin says, let it be. If I say something wrong and provoke him into turning hostile, that would be problematic.

Nevertheless, from the words of this Calamity, it seems a Demon Evil did come here some time ago, Shen Changqing mused. Apparently, it failed to win Mo Zijin over and was instead slain by him. The Demon Evils that could reach Minor Hillock Mountain must be at least of the Grandmaster Realm. After all, two Earth Rank Demon Hunters are guarding the approach. Only a Grandmaster could possibly cross that line of defense.

But even so, the creature still died at Mo Zijin’s hands. So, Mo Zijin’s strength... Grandmaster Peak! To ensure a Grandmaster Realm Demon Evil couldn’t even escape, he must possess at least the strength of Grandmaster Peak.

Of course, his lower limit might be Grandmaster Peak, but the upper limit is hard to say. Regardless of the upper or lower limit, he’s not someone I can deal with. Realizing he couldn’t contend with Mo Zijin, Shen Changqing became even more cautious in his speech.

"Brother Mo, you are remarkable! I have heard that scholars capable of nurturing righteous Qi are few and far between. For you to slay Demon Evils with righteous Qi, you are sure to be a leading scholar in the imperial examinations, bringing honor to your ancestors easily."

"Haha, Brother Shen, you flatter me." Mo Zijin smiled slightly, obviously in a good mood.

Then, his smile faded slightly as he looked deeply at Shen Changqing. "Brother Shen, you are indeed a person of great talent, even having some understanding of righteous Qi. Your purpose for this visit can’t be just to seek me out, can it?"

"What does Brother Mo think my purpose for coming here is?" My heart skipped a beat, Shen Changqing thought, but he managed to ask calmly, showing no agitation.

"Purpose?" Mo Zijin shook his head slightly. "I’m not too clear about Brother Shen’s motives. But I am impoverished, so I believe there’s nothing here worthy of your envy, Brother Shen. Perhaps your visit is truly out of the friendship between us. Truth be told, I’ve met many people over the years, yet none have been as congenial as you, Brother Shen."

"I feel the same way, Brother Mo. Upon meeting you, I also felt we got along very well."

Mo Zijin’s current demeanor feels somewhat off, Shen Changqing thought. He didn’t let any of his concerns show, responding calmly. During the conversation, however, he remained secretly on alert. If he attacks, I must be able to respond instantly.

At that moment, Mo Zijin stood up. He walked to the entrance of the main hall, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed out at the darkening sky. His voice slowly deepened. "Recently, I have been contemplating a matter: what does it mean to truly live, and what does it mean to truly die?"

Alive! Dead! Upon hearing this, Shen Changqing’s expression changed slightly, his mind racing.

Before Shen Changqing could respond, Mo Zijin, who had been gazing outside, suddenly spun around. The gentle expression on his face had vanished, replaced by a grotesque, twisted visage. His black hair flew wildly as a dense Yin Evil Aura burst forth.

***

"Not good!" Wei Lan, who had been closely monitoring Minor Hillock Mountain, paled dramatically as she sensed the explosion of Yin Evil Aura.

There had been an outburst of Yin Evil Aura before, but it had vanished too quickly and wasn’t very intense, so she hadn’t acted rashly. Now, however, things were different. This Yin Evil Aura was far too intense compared to the previous one. For a moment, Wei Lan wanted to rush in immediately. But seeing only the eruption of Yin Evil Aura and no signs of a struggle, she forcefully restrained her impulse.

With Shen Changqing’s strength, even if he can’t defeat an immature Calamity, he certainly wouldn’t be defeated so quietly. I should wait a bit longer, lest I ruin his preparations, Wei Lan comforted herself. The situation is unclear; being too impulsive isn’t a good idea.

Just then, Zhang Hongyuan also sensed the Yin Evil Aura. He immediately left his tent, intending to head deeper into Minor Hillock Mountain.

"Demon Hunter Zhang!" Wei Lan’s voice called out.

"Demon Hunter Wei!" Zhang Hongyuan paused, a look of surprise on his face as he saw Wei Lan blocking his way.

The next moment, he spoke directly, "There has been an outbreak of Yin Evil Aura within Minor Hillock Mountain. I am worried something has happened, so I came to check. Does Demon Hunter Wei know what has occurred?" As he spoke, Zhang Hongyuan looked around Wei Lan but didn’t see Shen Changqing.

Wei Lan calmly said, "Lord Shen is communicating with the Calamity. Although the Yin Evil Aura has appeared, there are no signs of fighting. Demon Hunter Zhang, there’s no need to be anxious. Let’s wait and see."

"Lord Shen is communicating with the Calamity?" Zhang Hongyuan’s expression cleared. I was wondering why Shen Changqing wasn’t here. So, he’s inside the Calamity Domain.

Wei Lan looked towards the direction of the Domain again. "Demon Hunter Zhang, if you have nothing else to do, you can stay here. If Lord Shen and that Calamity fall out, we can join forces to cover Lord Shen’s retreat."

Zhang Hongyuan is strong, Wei Lan thought. Ordinary Grandmasters wouldn’t qualify to be the Defender here at Minor Hillock Mountain, especially since two Grandmasters fell before. Don’t be deceived by his ordinary appearance; this man is a powerful existence. Even if he’s not as strong as me, he wouldn’t be far behind.

Zhang Hongyuan heard this and, without refusing, simply nodded. "No problem."

「Inside the hall」

Mo Zijin suddenly revealed his true nature. An extremely dense Yin Evil Aura erupted from him, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet to freezing point. Faced with such an aura, Shen Changqing had no choice but to circulate his vital energy to resist it.

"Brother Shen, tell me, am I alive now, or am I already dead?" Mo Zijin’s face was ferocious, tinged with green, his black hair writhing like countless serpents. Combined with the dense Yin Evil Aura, he resembled a terrifying Great Demon Evil.

Confronted with this question, Shen Changqing forcefully steadied his mind. He sat motionless, simultaneously thinking of countermeasures. This Mo Zijin is clearly on the verge of losing control. I don’t understand. We were talking just fine; how did he suddenly turn hostile? But now isn’t the time to dwell on that. If I don’t resolve this, we’ll really end up fighting. And considering the strength Mo Zijin has shown, if we do fight, I’ll most likely be defeated.

At this thought, he coughed lightly, feigned contemplation for a moment, and then began his answer. "Brother Mo, your question is actually hard for me to answer—"

BOOM!

The Yin Evil Aura around Mo Zijin intensified, becoming even more ferocious. His pupils were completely overtaken by black, no trace of white remaining in his eyes.

"But I do understand one truth: ’I think, therefore I am.’ Brother Mo, whether you are dead or alive isn’t something you should ask me. You should ask yourself."

"’I think, therefore I am...’" Mo Zijin looked stunned. The fierce, twisted expression on his face stiffened, and the previously ferocious Yin Evil Aura calmed considerably.

It’s working! Shen Changqing felt a surge of confidence. He rose from his seat and walked over to Mo Zijin.

"If you believe you are alive, Brother Mo, then you are alive. If you believe you are dead, then you are indeed dead. So, what do you think, Brother Mo? Are you alive or dead?"

"’If I believe I am alive, then I am alive. If I think I’m dead, then I am dead...’" Mo Zijin murmured to himself. At that moment, his eyes regained their normal black and white clarity, though a puzzled expression appeared on his face. "So, am I alive, or have I already died?"

This question was directed as much at Shen Changqing as it was at himself.

Time trickled by.

After a long while, Mo Zijin looked at Shen Changqing and asked, "Then what about you, Brother Shen? Do you feel that you are alive or dead?"

"Of course, I am alive," Shen Changqing replied with a smile.

Hearing this, a look of relief spread across Mo Zijin’s face. "Yes, ’I think, therefore I am.’ Brother Shen feels he is alive, so he is alive. Therefore, if I think I am alive, then I am alive now... So that’s how it is—"

Having understood the crux of the matter, a smile emerged on his face. Unlike his past smiles, this time, the smile on Mo Zijin’s face felt more genuine to Shen Changqing.

Without a doubt, this Calamity has certainly undergone some changes I don’t know about. If Wei Lan were here, perhaps she would understand. But I don’t know much about Calamities, so I don’t grasp this change or how it truly came to be.

Mo Zijin, now back to normal, glanced at Shen Changqing, then looked towards the sky outside again. His voice became melancholic and vague. "Brother Shen, I never doubted my existence before. But later, my mind began to fill with many memories, gradually reminding me of many things—"