# 2008
Chapter 2008: Nothing
"Wu Quan!!"
The young Shen Qingzhu was trapped inside the Eastern Emperor Bell, his eyes bloodshot. Though he didn't know what was happening outside, Wu Quan was alone in the reversed flow of time—within seconds he would turn to ash. And outside, there was the 【Key to the Gate】!
He desperately tried to lift the Eastern Emperor Bell, but it remained immovable as a mountain... He took a deep breath, a resolute light flickering in his eyes.
He reached beneath his large cloak and a Coat of Arms fell into his palm. With his current ordinary human body, if he directly used "Ghost God Guide" to forcibly awaken the Forbidden Ruins, there might still be a chance to open the Eastern Emperor Bell!
He absolutely could not let that child face the 【Key to the Gate】 alone!
Just as he was about to刺入 the "Ghost God Guide" into his body, the bronze giant bell covering him let out a buzz, and then a corner was forcibly lifted!
Light from the outside world came in, causing Shen Qingzhu—who had grown accustomed to the darkness—to instinctively squint. A cloaked figure stood calmly outside the Eastern Emperor Bell, lifting the massive bell with one hand.
Shen Qingzhu narrowed his eyes, unable to see the eyes hidden in the shadow. The young man毫不犹豫 grabbed the Straight Blade beside him and charged toward the cloaked figure!
The cloaked figure stood calmly in place without any intention of dodging.
The Straight Blade stopped at his neck.
"Who... are you?!" Shen Qingzhu roared.
"What do you think?" The cloaked figure glanced at the blade mere inches away. "Put down the sword. An attack of this level can't kill me."
Shen Qingzhu stared at those gray eyes for a long while before slowly吐出 three words:
"An Qingyu?"
Beneath the black cloak, that exhausted face neither denied nor confirmed.
His gaze turned toward a certain direction. Shen Qingzhu frowned, as if remembering something, and also turned to look. His eyes slightly contracted.
Beside the Eastern Emperor Bell, a pool of scarlet blood stained the earth.
"Wu Quan!!"
Shen Qingzhu's body trembled. He疯狂般 ran in that direction, his footsteps splashing drops of blood. He lifted the lifeless figure lying in the crimson pool.
But that figure had already ceased breathing... On that稚嫩的面庞, a faint pale smile lingered at the corner of his lips, as if relieved, as if satisfied.
"Wu Quan..." Shen Qingzhu cradled the cold corpse, his pupils continuously trembling...
He followed the trail of blood, seeing at a corner of the Eastern Emperor Bell, a simple sketch drawn in blood, crooked and扭扭... 稚嫩的像是孩子的作品。
It was a blood-colored umbrella.
Shen Qingzhu stood frozen like a sculpture.
The wide Crimson Cloak fluttered in the wind,
On the young face, guilt and sorrow seemed to be crushed into tears, buried in the wind.
"I shouldn't have brought him here..." Shen Qingzhu's voice was hoarse. "...I killed him."
"This was his own dream, and it was his destiny." A black-clothed figure walked over slowly. "From an无人问津的坏小孩 in the orphanage, to a Great Xia hero who struck the Eastern Emperor Bell... you created him."
"No, I didn't create him... he created me!" Anguish surfaced in Shen Qingzhu's eyes. "If not for him, after that fire... there would have been no Shen Qingzhu left in this world."
Upon hearing these words, An Qingyu's eyes slightly narrowed.
"So... you knew all along?"
Shen Qingzhu remained silent.
He sat like a statue in that pool of blood for a long while before carefully lowering the cold corpse. The crimson cloak had been soaked through with blood...
He turned back, those bloodshot eyes tightly locked onto An Qingyu.
"You... you'd better give me an explanation."
"I'm sorry, I can't." Beneath the black cloak, An Qingyu closed his eyes. "Everything I'm doing and saying now can be heard by Him... Though some things have already been exposed, there are more important matters that haven't been completed."
Shen Qingzhu paused.
"Then let me rephrase... have you ever betrayed us?"
In An Qingyu's still gray eyes, a ripple stirred. He was like a burden-bearer walking alone through darkness, head bowed, silent for a long while...
"No."
Upon hearing this answer, the tension and gloom in Shen Qingzhu's eyes suddenly dissolved...
He sighed,苦笑着 said,
"If Lin Qiye could hear this answer... he would be very happy."
An Qingyu raised his head, gray eyes gazing into the depths of the sky. "The Eastern Emperor Bell has sounded... he'll be back soon."
"By the way, where is the 【Key to the Gate】?"
"I used the power of the Third Covenant to temporarily suppress Him... but I can't hold on long."
"Third Covenant?" Shen Qingzhu frowned, then as if remembering something, "【故往归来】? You're also part of '【故往】'... So that's how it is. You foresaw this step long ago??"
"The 【Key to the Gate】 wants to descend into this timeline through my body, and I, am simultaneously assimilating His power... He has omniscience and omnipotence, and so do I."
"Then why don't you just kill Him directly?"
"The 【Key to the Gate】 cannot be killed. He always stands above the river of time. Even if you grind this body of mine to dust, He can immediately create a new 'me' in the past... But likewise, as long as I don't die, a portion of His authority remains with me, and He can no longer create another 'me' to replace the current 'me'...
In short, killing the 【Key to the Gate】 is not that simple... alone, I cannot do it."
Shen Qingzhu listened to this roundabout explanation, seemingly unable to comprehend it for the moment, but he didn't intend to ask more. He just nodded calmly,
"So, do you need my help?"
"...Yes."
"How?"
An Qingyu gazed at the young Shen Qingzhu, slowly raising his palm. A ball of gray fog scattered behind him, and then that massive Gate of Truth was凭空勾勒而出!
The black-cloaked An Qingyu stood before that heaven-reaching gate, like a ruler commanding all things, an ancient oppressive force radiating outward!
In his eyes, a complex emotion flashed.
"Do you... trust me?"
"Yes." Shen Qingzhu answered without hesitation.
"Good." An Qingyu nodded slightly. "Now, I'm going to kill you."
Upon hearing this answer, Shen Qingzhu was stunned, then, as if remembering something, a sudden gleam of light flashed in his eyes.
"Like how you killed Cao Yuan?"
"Mm."
Shen Qingzhu looked at the Gate of Truth standing in the mist. After a moment, the corner of his lips slightly rose... He opened his arms. The wide Crimson Cloak gradually disappeared into the surging gray fog!
"Okay." Shen Qingzhu closed his eyes, answering calmly,
"My life is in your hands... Vice Captain."