At those words, Margaret’s delicate face instantly turned pale.
The sliver of hope in her heart that fragile light she had clung to was shattered completely by the old man’s words.
In her mind, she seemed to see her father swallowing the so-called celestial pill, not recovering, but transforming into a monstrous abomination. Terror, despair, and helplessness surged like a tide, drowning her whole being.
Qingzhu quickly crouched beside her, holding her trembling body, her own eyes red with grief.
Dustin stood quietly, watching everything unfold, offering no comfort.
Some truths had to be faced no matter how cruel they were.
Xuan Chengzi gazed at the desolate Margaret and sighed softly.
“Girl, it is not that I wish to deny your filial devotion, but fate itself mocks the hearts of men. To borrow the power of the Void Dragon is like drinking poison to quench thirst. Doing so would only hasten the breaking of its seal and when that happens, all beings of this world will suffer. Mountains will crumble, life will wither, and everything you wish to protect will cease to exist. That burden… is far too great for any one soul to bear.”
He paused, letting his eyes sweep over Dustin and the others.
“I, along with Bai Chan, Shen, and one other, am a guardian of this island’s seal. For generations, our duty has been to watch over it to ensure the Void Dragon never emerges.
“Your intrusion, though unintentional, has already stirred the seal’s unrest. Listen to an old man’s advice before you stray too deep into the core, leave this island. The herbs you have gathered if purified may cure mortal ailments. But to reverse death itself… that is a hopeless dream.”
The old Daoist’s words were sincere and heavy, like the final curtain being drawn back revealing the ultimate truth of Penglai Island and the cruel secret behind the Celestial Pill.
Now came the hardest question of all
To persist on the path that might bring calamity to the world in a desperate bid to save her father,
or to relinquish her last hope, bearing the eternal guilt of unfulfilled filial duty for the sake of the greater good?
Margaret lowered her head slightly, her shoulders trembling as she struggled inwardly like never before.
Her father’s kind smile…
Her mother’s dying plea…
The expectations of her people…
And the horrifying vision of the Void Dragon’s release and the world’s ruin all collided in her mind.
Dustin stood silently beside her, urging nothing, simply waiting.
He knew this decision could only be hers to make.
After a long silence, Margaret finally lifted her head. Tears still streaked her cheeks, but in her eyes, clarity and resolve had returned.
She looked at Xuan Chengzi, her hoarse voice firm, as though it had been reforged in flame.
“Senior, I understand your teaching.”
Margaret drew a deep breath and continued, each word steady and deliberate:
“As a daughter, I cannot forget the duty to save my father. But as one who bears a crown, I must also think of the people of the realm.
If I were to unleash such an evil power for my own selfish wish, bringing ruin upon the world even if my father recovered, he could never forgive me.
And I… would live in guilt for all eternity, a fate worse than death.”
Struggling to her feet, she bowed deeply to Xuan Chengzi.
“Thank you, Senior, for clearing the fog from my heart. I will give up my search for the Dragon Blood Bodhi.”
The moment those words left her lips, it was as though a mountain had been lifted from her shoulders
but in its place came a deeper, quieter sorrow.
“You can see beyond personal desire to the greater good,” Xuan Chengzi said softly, a glimmer of admiration and relief in his eyes.
“That is a rare and precious thing.”
Then his tone shifted slightly, carrying a hint of mystery.
“However… your father’s illness may not be entirely without hope.”
Margaret’s head snapped up, a faint light rekindling in her tear-filled eyes.
Xuan Chengzi turned his gaze toward the heart of the Jade Pool, where the spiritual energy was densest.
“The core of the Jade Pool is suffused with the purest essence of heaven and earth. Its waters can cleanse impurities and nourish vitality.
It cannot raise the dead but to prolong life, or ease a lingering illness there may yet be a sliver of hope.
“However…” his voice grew solemn
“that core area is also where the seal is weakest, and where the Void Dragon’s will most closely watches. It is perilous beyond measure.
“And remember I am not the only guardian of this seal. Bai Chan was defeated by you, the Mirage Spirit’s illusion broken but not all of us share the same view on these events…”
He did not finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.
The path ahead remained fraught with danger and uncertainty.
Margaret wiped her tears, her eyes now filled with unshakable resolve.
“Even if there is only one chance in ten thousand even if the way forward is through fire and death I am willing to try. Please, Senior, guide us!”
Xuan Chengzi looked at her, then at Dustin whose calm presence was as solid as a mountain.
At last, he raised his horsetail whisk and gestured toward the lake, where blue and crimson waters interwove.
“To reach the core, you must cross the Weak Water.
Upon it, even a feather cannot float, nor can a bird fly across.
Only with pure spiritual power or a rare sacred artifact can one briefly part the waters.
And beneath the surface…”
His voice trailed into a solemn hush.
“…lies the true trial.”
His words fell like a stone cast into the still lake, sending ripples that lingered long after.
The dread of the Void Dragon, the divisions among the guardians,
and the perilous hope that lay beyond the Weak Water
all of it weighed heavily on the hearts of those who had just made their fateful choice. - Marinien
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