Super Combat Soldier

Chapter 974: Chapter 973: The Setting Sun Is Boundless, Yet Night Draws Near

[Three million words now, the book is fat, go ahead and devour it, and don’t forget to introduce your friends to read it too!]

The Chaos Qi within the ”Holy Heaven Prison” is extraordinarily strong. Outwardly, it is indestructible, and inwardly, it is unbreakable. This most primal power of heaven and earth gave birth to the fundamental power of the entire Martial Arts World. It is truly powerful and miraculous; the mysterious power it contains is almost beyond exploration and cannot be fully known.

Using the Chaos Qi of the ”Holy Heaven Prison” to break the physical defects of Little Shitou, allowing him to condense the Martial Arts True Power within his Dantian. Only then could Little Shitou truly begin to cultivate Martial Arts True Power and practice Martial Arts Divine Skill. Otherwise, he would not be able to embark on the path of martial cultivation.

By controlling the pressure of the Chaos Qi to its lowest, Ye Tianchen helped Little Shitou endure all the pressure. Only then did he wrap Little Shitou in Chaos Qi with Divine Thought and brought him into the ”Holy Heaven Prison,” hoping Little Shitou could condense the Martial Arts True Power within his Dantian with the unique mysterious power of Chaos Qi. This was the only way Ye Tianchen could think of.

Unexpectedly, just as Little Shitou was wrapped in the Chaos Qi and entered the ”Holy Heaven Prison,” Little Shitou’s Grandpa, Village Chief Shi, suddenly fainted to the ground. This surprised Ye Tianchen, whose powerful Divine Thought probed out, making him frown. Grandpa Shi’s life essence energy was rapidly depleting. Could it be that he’s already at the end of his life and won’t live to see Little Shitou come out of the ”Holy Heaven Prison”?

Ye Tianchen quickly brought Little Shitou into the ”Holy Heaven Prison” and absorbed it into his body, not wanting Little Shitou to know something happened to Grandpa Shi. Otherwise, it would only distract Little Shitou, preventing him from focusing on overcoming his physical defects.

”Grandpa Shi, Grandpa Shi...” Ye Tianchen helped Grandpa Shi to the side, anxiously calling out.

Buzz!

Ye Tianchen’s right hand trembled, slowly channeling a stream of Martial Arts True Power, injecting it into Grandpa Shi’s body. He certainly would not stand by and watch this elderly man pass away. This was a kind and benevolent elder and the only blood relative Little Shitou had left. Ye Tianchen could empathize with the feeling of having no kin, no home. It was too bleak, which is why he didn’t want Little Shitou to experience it too.

However, when Ye Tianchen injected his powerful Martial Arts True Power into Grandpa Shi’s body, hoping to seal the frantically depleting life essence energy, he found that he simply couldn’t do it. He could feel that, within Grandpa Shi’s body, the remaining life essence energy was rapidly diminishing. Even if he could stop it, he could not prevent the weakening of the life essence energy. Grandpa Shi truly was at the end of his life, making it very difficult to save him.

”Watching those around me pass away, how much longer must I endure this pain?” Ye Tianchen tightly clenched his teeth and said.

”Tianchen, let me do it. Maybe I have some way.” Zhang Ruotong appeared here, her physique extremely special. What exactly it was, Ye Tianchen did not know, but he knew that Ruotong’s physique was very powerful and had a mysterious force. Her physique not only allowed her to heal injuries quickly but also enabled her to sense when someone’s life was nearing its end. Otherwise, Zhang Ruotong wouldn’t know about Ye Tianchen and Grandpa Shi’s situation here.

Ye Tianchen saw Zhang Ruotong walk over and nodded, saying, ”Grandpa Shi’s life essence energy loss is severe; just do your best. Some things, at least for now, we can’t stop.”

”Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the most fundamental laws of this world. Who doesn’t wish for Eternal Life? Unfortunately, heaven does not grant us this opportunity, so the only thing we can do is fight against fate, to fight with our lives,” Zhang Ruotong shook her head and said.

Zhang Ruotong walked up to Grandpa Shi, crouched down, placed her hand on Grandpa Shi’s chest, and slowly closed her eyes to feel Grandpa Shi’s physical condition. When Zhang Ruotong opened her eyes, she looked at Ye Tianchen, shook her head, and said with some sadness, ”There’s no way; Grandpa Shi is naturally aging. Whether it’s his physical condition or life essence energy, both have reached their limits. I have no way, and I don’t think anyone else has any other way...”

”This...” Ye Tianchen’s heart sank, he tightly clenched his fists. For the first time, since he reincarnated to Earth, he felt helpless once again, facing the aging and passing of those around him. That feeling of helplessness and powerlessness was more painful than losing one’s life. This is what ordinary people say: those who have passed have already gone, but the living have to endure the pain of never seeing those who have passed again. The living are the ones who suffer the most.

Originally, he thought Zhang Ruotong might have a way. After all, she was the granddaughter of Divine Doctor Ghost Hand Zhang Yide, having followed him for so many years, she must have been skilled in medical arts. Plus, with Zhang Ruotong’s unique physique, as long as someone wasn’t completely gone, she had the means to save them. However, she shook her head and said there was no way. If even she says so, then Grandpa Shi...

”Tianchen, I know you’re heartbroken, we’re all the same, but what can we do?” Zhang Ruotong shook her head, speaking painfully.

”How much time does Grandpa Shi have left?” Ye Tianchen took a deep breath and asked.

”Three days, at most I can keep him alive for three more days.” Zhang Ruotong lowered her head and thought for a moment before speaking.

”Alright, I’ll be back in three days...”

After Ye Tianchen finished speaking, he disappeared. Zhang Ruotong watched his departing back, sighed, she understood Ye Tianchen, she loved Ye Tianchen, knowing that although Ye Tianchen was sometimes oblivious to romance, sometimes a bit cold, and didn’t talk much, he knew what he should and shouldn’t do, what he should strive for and fight for, he was a very charming man, otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many women who loved him, who loved him silently.

Three days passed. On the third day, Grandpa Shi sat on an old stone bench in the ruins of Desolate Stone Village. All the people of Desolate Stone Village gathered, all standing in front of Grandpa Shi, each with a hint of sadness on their faces. They all knew that Grandpa Shi was going to pass away, he didn’t have much time left. This was his last farewell to everyone. Apart from Little Shitou and Ye Tianchen, all the members of Desolate Stone Village were present, watching silently, waiting silently, hoping for a miracle, and waiting for Grandpa Shi to say his last words, to bid farewell to everyone.

”Cough, cough...” Grandpa Shi coughed a few times, blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. Standing beside him, Zhang Ruotong hurriedly wiped it away. At the same time, Zhang Ruotong saw that Grandpa Shi’s eyes were already somewhat dazed, only a final breath remained, only a final bit of essence energy hadn’t dissipated. When this last breath fell, Grandpa Shi would be completely gone, never to be seen again.

”Is everyone here?” Grandpa Shi asked weakly.

”Everyone is here, only Tianchen and Little Shitou haven’t returned!” Zhang Ruotong said.

”Little Shitou, I can’t see him break the curse of his physique and return. Brother Ye is a good person. I know he’s gone to find a way for me, but... birth, aging, illness, and death, no one is willing, no one wants to walk this path, yet what can one do? Everyone must take it. I’m not afraid, I just want to see our Desolate Stone Village grow, to see five children disciples become Martial Arts Experts, protecting the village!” Grandpa Shi said with some reluctance.

The villagers of Desolate Stone Village, hearing the words of the old village head, couldn’t help but shed tears, and clenched their fists, feeling helpless, watching the old village head pass away, never to be seen again. This sense of melancholy and reluctance could be felt by anyone, yet was unavoidable.

Zhang Ruotong shed tears, turning away so others wouldn’t see. She had tried her best, even using her own origin power to sustain Grandpa Shi’s life, but when a life naturally reaches its limit, apart from Immortality, apart from the Immortal Elixir, is there anything else that can save him? No, no one can achieve that. This is the sorrow of the world; no matter your power or status, no matter if you’re a heavenly prodigy, no matter if you dominate the world, in the end, you must abide by the laws of birth, aging, illness, and death, no one can escape the fate of ultimately turning into a handful of dust.

Trembling, his whole body shaking, Grandpa Shi forced himself to stand. He seemed to feel it, felt that life was coming to an end. He had held on for so many years, if it weren’t for Little Shitou being so young, perhaps a few years earlier he wouldn’t have been able to hold on and would have passed away. Now, he’s truly reached a point where he can’t sustain anymore. He really wanted to watch Little Shitou grow up, to see the day when Little Shitou would wander the world, but he couldn’t, really couldn’t...

Zhang Ruotong hurried to support Grandpa Shi, but he signaled with a wave of his hand to stop her. He wouldn’t let Zhang Ruotong support him, he wanted to stand up by himself. Everyone watching felt heartbroken, as if a dagger pierced their hearts. Such an old man, who had worried about the entire Desolate Stone Village all his life, a kind and gentle elder, his life was coming to an end. Apart from silently bidding farewell, silently shedding tears, what else could they do? Want to act but unable to do anything, this is life’s helplessness.

Grandpa Shi stood up, his eyes weakly open, only a slit remained, at any moment he could collapse, at any moment he could pass away, but he persisted, silently persisted, desperately persisted, looking towards the distance, watching the last ray of setting sun on the horizon, just like his life, coming to an end...

The sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it’s near dusk! (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) for recommended votes, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)