405: Jacket Scene

After entering the temple, Chu Ying observed his surroundings and found it empty; at least, he couldn't spot any 'opportunities' at a glance.

"Since it hides the secrets of the Void Spirit Realm or the No Return Land, it can't be this simple."

Chu Ying narrowed his eyes, then suddenly stomped his foot, all his strength concentrated on his toes and transferred to the ground.

The next instant, the ground collapsed with a rumble, revealing a dark, bottomless abyss, and Chu Ying fell straight down as if weightless.

This dizzying sensation made Chu Ying very uncomfortable. He didn't know how long he had been falling, but he felt as if he had finally reached the bottom.

When he steadied himself and looked at the surrounding scenery with a frown, his brows furrowed even tighter.

"Is it an illusion?"

All around were extremely dilapidated ruins. In the center of his vision, he could see a tall, blood-red cross, and on it was a charred white skeleton.

It looked as if it had endured a great fire, but the bones had not been reduced to ash.

In the distance, people dressed in white mourning clothes and with white cloths on their heads gathered around a large fire pit, chanting strange melodies.

As Chu Ying was wondering, an old man in white mourning clothes appeared in front of him, he knew not when.

"The guest has finally arrived. We welcome you greatly," the old man's voice was calm, carrying a magical quality that soothed the mind.

Chu Ying's expression was calm. He had already determined that he had either fallen into a Secret Realm or an illusion, but no matter what, only by interacting with the 'people' here could he hope to escape.

"Why do you call me a guest?" Chu Ying asked.

"Hehe, the guest is a hero who can endure the fearless pain of Bar Hiel, so naturally, you are our guest."

The old man spoke calmly, leading Chu Ying through the ruins.

Through his conversation with the old man, Chu Ying couldn't help but feel both apprehensive and astonished. Was this place an illusion or a real minor world?

The dilapidated ruins and the crumbling temple he saw belonged to a sect called "Ao Jing" in the Vast Sky.

This sect once worshipped a Siming of the Ancient Heavenly Court, named "Bar Hiel," who controlled pain and achieved enlightenment through it.

Later, Siming Bar Hiel rebelled against the Heavenly Court, fell into darkness and evil, and joined the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

The Ao Jing Sect, which originally worshipped Bar Hiel, was met with hostility and suppression throughout the Vast Sky, becoming dilapidated and declining.

They could still borrow Bar Hiel's power, but they had long since sacrificed all their pain, becoming servants controlled by Bar Hiel.

"So, Ao Jing became the Incarnation of that Painful Siming?"

Chu Ying's eyes widened in surprise. If so, why would it appear in the No Return Land? Was it also brought out of the River of Time by the Black Tortoise?

The old man smiled meaningfully at Chu Ying.

At this moment, Chu Ying suddenly realized that he had appeared on that blood-red cross, and his body was being burned by a strange fire!

Looking at the old man from before, his smile grew even calmer: "Guest, you are the one chosen by Bar Hiel, but we do not worship Bar Hiel. We only obtain His power. We worship Gu God."

The other people dressed in white mourning clothes and white headscarves also gathered around. There were old and young, men and women.

Chu Ying suddenly noticed that beneath the white robes these people wore, their bodies were covered in wounds, bloodied flesh, scabs, or burn marks.

"Is there a difference? I don't know."

Chu Ying wasn't particularly concerned about his current situation, as he had no premonition of danger. Or rather, even if his situation seemed unfavorable, it couldn't threaten his life.

"Gu God has long mastered the Way of Pain and became the new Heavenly Court Siming countless years ago."

"We sacrifice pain to gain Gu God's power."

"And you, dear guest, you are chosen by Bar Hiel, you are of the darkness."

The old man said calmly, "Now, we will perform the most painful ritual for you. It can infinitely magnify your pain, allowing you to make a choice yourself: whether to believe in our god or to fall into the darkness of Bar Hiel."

Chu Ying felt speechless.

How did he get chosen by that Bar Hiel?

He had heard the term Siming before, in the Tongtian River, when he saw the scene of the Ancient Celestial Empress. He wondered if Gu God or the so-called Bar Hiel were among those Siming he saw wearing what looked like immortal official hats.

"So what?"

Chu Ying retorted. Although his body seemed to be burning in that great fire, and these people in white mourning clothes were performing some painful ritual on him,

To be honest, he felt nothing at all, because the pain had been transferred away.

This wasn't the kind of pain from ordinary injuries; if it were, it wouldn't count as a side effect.

But Chu Ying felt nothing, which showed that these people were also performing a so-called sacrifice on him, so it must be a side effect.

"We are suppressing a wisp of Bar Hiel's soul, and you are Bar Hiel's chosen successor. We cannot let you be controlled by him."

"Therefore, please sacrifice all your pain, ascend the cross of God, and become a believer of Gu God."

Chu Ying couldn't hold back. He really wanted to say that he actually felt nothing.

Had his own pain been sacrificed? Or was it the pain of those targets to whom his side effects were transferred?

The great fire burned Chu Ying's body to a charred black.

At the same time, the Ao Jing Sect members in front of him each held a yellow booklet in their hands, muttering strange and incomprehensible words.

Then, under Chu Ying's gaze, these people also began to sacrifice themselves, or rather, sacrifice their pain.

Some set themselves on fire, some first tore open their chests and then burned from the inside out, and some even dug out their internal organs, as if roasting them.

The smell of char and strange meat wafted through the air.

Chu Ying couldn't help but frown. Are these people... still human? Why do they seem so abnormal?

Are they not afraid of pain? He only felt nothing because the side effects were transferred. How did these people do it?

And soon Chu Ying realized his earlier thought was wrong.

Some began to wail, their faces contorted in agony, veins bulging.

Others screamed heartbreakingly, rolling frantically on the ground, seemingly trying to extinguish the flames on their bodies.

However, once the pain sacrifice began, it had to be completed; it could not be stopped.

Chu Ying watched these Ao Jing Sect members, from initial ease, to pain, to unbearable agony, and finally to numbness, or unconsciousness, or even dying directly in pain.

Their pain seemed to have exchanged for a very considerable and terrifying power.

The old man who had spoken to Chu Ying earlier stood up. Although his entire body was burned until only half remained, he reignited the flames on the cross binding Chu Ying.

This time, the flames turned a dark, eerie green.

"Guest, we have paid a great price for you."

"But since you can be chosen by Bar Hiel, it is worth it if you transfer to Gu God's command."

The old man spoke with a deep, meaningful gaze.

Chu Ying twitched the corner of his mouth, offering no response. He was indeed not in mortal danger, nor did he feel any pain.

But he seemed unable to use his power, which was why he could only remain quietly on this cross.