Chapter 818: Pathological Changes
Seeing Qi Xia's calm and composed expression, Earth Snake naturally didn't look too pleased.
When he saw Qi Xia's outstretched hand, he was clearly a little angered: "What trick did you just pull?"
"I didn't move at all," Qi Xia said. "You did pique my curiosity. Can you control emotions just by touching someone?"
It wasn't just Qi Xia; even Earth Snake felt something was off.
He had clearly made direct contact with Qi Xia, yet the other three people separated by Qi Xia's palm had all been affected, while Qi Xia himself was completely fine.
He should have been feeling even more sorrow than the others.
Earth Snake took a step forward and reached out to grasp Qi Xia's hand.
The two of them stood there, hands clasped together for a long time, like businessmen who had just sealed a deal.
"Could it be you're just putting up a front?" Earth Snake asked. "Hold on a little longer, and you might end up sitting on the ground, pounding the floor and wailing in misery. Don't come crying to me if you make a fool of yourself."
"I'd actually like to see that version of myself," Qi Xia said. "How long do I need to hold on?"
After a few seconds, Earth Snake clearly sensed where the problem lay.
It felt as if he were holding onto a dead tree. Not only was he completely unable to transmit sorrow, but he couldn't even sense any emotion from the other person at all.
"What's going on...?" Earth Snake said incredulously. "You weren't like this before..."
"Since 'sorrow' doesn't work, how about trying 'joy'?" Qi Xia asked again.
Earth Snake shook his head helplessly upon hearing this. "Unfortunately, I can only control grief."
"Then turn up the intensity. Let me feel some sorrow," Qi Xia said. "I'm not some 'Master of Ten Thousand Methods.' Why isn't your technique working on me?"
"This isn't right..." Earth Snake muttered to himself, still holding Qi Xia's hand. "If you can't feel 'sorrow,' then how are you supposed to..."
Qi Xia waited for him to continue, but Earth Snake closed his mouth at that moment.
He withdrew his pale white, snake-skinned palm, thought for a moment, then stepped forward and spread his arms, giving Qi Xia a big hug.
Qi Xia was clearly resistant to this action. Before he could even take a step back, he was restrained by the powerful force before him.
Before he could say anything, he suddenly felt a sharp stab of pain deep in his brain. The pain was familiar; he had experienced it countless times in this very place.
Qi Xia slowly furrowed his brow. Though his head hurt badly, he still felt no sorrow.
After waiting for a long time, Earth Snake slowly released his embrace, looking at Qi Xia with a face full of disbelief.
"If you were the old you, being touched over such a large area by me right now... you'd be crying yourself breathless by now," Earth Snake said. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I see," Qi Xia nodded. "It seems you were very important to me before. After all, I needed to feel sorrow."
"Of course you need 'sorrow'!!" Earth Snake exclaimed, then reached out and ruffled Qi Xia's hair before continuing, "What was that force that just blocked me? What did you do to yourself?"
"Simply put, the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, and hypothalamus in my brain—the parts that control the emotion of sadness—have all undergone varying degrees of pathological changes," Qi Xia said. "This pathological change has conveniently made me forget the emotion of 'sorrow.' Even if the most important person in my life died right in front of me, I couldn't feel sad."
"Pathological changes...?"
As soon as these simple words were spoken, everyone in the arena except Qi Xia was filled with confusion.
The 'Land of Finality' was vastly different from the real world. No matter how many years passed, a healthy person entering this place simply couldn't get sick, and those who were already ill had no hope of being cured here.
The moment you stepped into this place, you were destined to remain in this state of perpetual wandering.
"How did you get sick?" Earth Snake asked.
Qi Xia gave a faint smile upon hearing this question. "Unfortunately, I'm in a bad mood, and I don't want to tell you."
"You..." Earth Snake was clearly getting angry, but his anger was mixed with other emotions. "Qi Xia... you little bastard... you goddamn son of a bitch... How did you end up with this illness? How could you possibly get sick in this place?!"
"What of it?" Qi Xia asked. "Maybe I just went with the flow and got it whenever I felt like it."
Earth Snake thought for a long time before answering, "Fine. I won't ask how you got sick. But without 'sorrow,' how is the 'Giant Bell' outside supposed to ring for you?"
"No, you're wrong," Qi Xia said. "A person with strong conviction will definitely make the Giant Bell tremble for them. But there are many ways to make the bell move. I've blocked one path, but I can still find another."
"What?"
"Haven't you ever felt this way?" Qi Xia said. "Everyone here wants to go up the mountain to see the sunrise, but they're all distracted by the river at the foot of the mountain, and eventually miss the sunrise. To reach that mountaintop, I'm going to spend decades draining the river dry, ensuring I'm not disturbed by anything. That way, if I want to see the 'scenery,' I'll have no choice but to go to the 'mountaintop.'"
Though Qi Xia didn't say it explicitly, Earth Snake understood the implication.
He had sealed off his own path to 'Echo' in order to seek a more powerful 'Echo.'
"You goddamn little bastard..." Earth Snake said. "Who told you the river at the foot of the mountain isn't worth seeing? That river is down there; many people can see it every day. But how many can see the sunrise on the mountaintop every day? Aren't you just going for the far and neglecting the near?! What if one day... you die on the way to chasing that scenery?!"
"How can the feeling of watching a river at the foot of a mountain compare to the majesty of the mountaintop?" Qi Xia slowly stood up. "If I'm not mistaken, you're the 'ferryman' on that river, aren't you?"
"I..."
"For a very long time, you've been taking me directly to that river. I have to admit, you saved me a lot of trouble," Qi Xia said. "But you've been away from the river for too long. The river has been drained by me."
"So what the hell are you trying to say, you goddamn little bastard?" Earth Snake also stood up. "I know how to get you to that river the fastest! I just need to touch you once, and you can see the scenery! But you insist on climbing the mountaintop. What, am I supposed to become a 'porter' from now on?!"
"No," Qi Xia shook his head. "You did a great job as a 'ferryman.' Now, I'd like to invite you to come up the mountain with me and see the view."
Everyone waited for Earth Snake's reply, but instead, he slowly turned around, picked up a rope lying nearby, and said, "Sorry, I'm a bit flustered. I think I'm going to go hang myself first."
"Great!" Chen Junnan shot up with a "whoosh." "Hanging yourself! Your young master here can help you with that! Doing it yourself sounds so tiring!"
He looked afraid the other might change his mind and grabbed Earth Snake's arm.
A few seconds later, Chen Junnan slowly turned his head back, tears in his eyes, and said, "Your young master is truly useless..."
Qiao Jiajin sensed something was wrong and hurried forward to pull Chen Junnan away. "Jun Nan Zai! You've been hit! Don't touch him!"
But before he could pull Chen Junnan away, he too slowly turned his head back and said, "I have failed Lord Guan..."
Seeing the two of them like this, Qi Xia and Qin Dingdong could only exchange speechless looks.