One person: He secluded himself for eighty years and cured Tian Jinzhong.

Chapter 73 The Moment of Awakening: Master Ma, Time to Step Down

The inner world, above the crumbling city of Biyou.

Su Wuxian's hands appeared gentle.

But with an irresistible will, it pressed down on the forehead of the giant Ma Xianhong.

"Dual-wielding hands, blue hands, soul stripping".

This move is not an external attack, but a direct strike to the soul.

"Buzz!!!"

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

But deep within everyone's soul, a crisp "click" sound was heard.

It's like some kind of connection has been forcibly severed.

The giant Ma Xianhong's originally crazed, bloodshot eyes lost focus in that instant.

His massive body froze.

Immediately afterwards, countless streams of blue light surged out from his body; these were the obsessions and spiritual power of everyone who had been forcibly absorbed and fused by the Body Cultivation Furnace.

"No...don't..."

Ma Xianhong's voice was no longer the roar of a god, but had returned to the voice of that somewhat stubborn and helpless young man:

"Don't take it away...it's perfect..."

"This is my only... proof..."

"Silly boy."

Su Wuxian hovered before him, looking at the Dharma image that was crumbling inch by inch, a trace of pity flashing in his eyes:

"This isn't perfect, it's a prison."

"Do you think you're the god of this world?"

"No, you're just the... battery of this furnace."

Su Wuxian flicked his finger lightly.

"break!"

Rumble!!!

The enormous Dharma image completely collapsed, turning into countless red fragments, like a beautiful, desolate snowfall.

The cracks in the sky spread rapidly, and the entire inner world began to peel away like a shattered mirror.

"Everyone!"

Su Wuxian turned around and shouted to the crowd below who were looking up:

"The dream is over!"

"Remember, don't move around when your eyes are open, or your soul might get disoriented!"

White light.

Endless white light engulfed Biyou City, the school, and the false prosperity and peace.

......

In the real world, at Biyou Village Square.

"call--!!"

"Cough cough cough!!"

A violent cough and wheezing broke the deathly silence of the night.

The people who were lying on the ground suddenly sat up at almost the same time.

Like someone rescued from drowning, they greedily inhaled the cold, real air.

"Awake...you're awake?"

Zhang Chulan touched his face, then looked around at the familiar ruins and the lingering dust:

"Holy crap... that dream was so exhausting!"

"Amitabha."

Xiao Zizai took off his glasses and wiped the fog off.

He glanced at his hands; although they were unstained with blood, he could feel the sensation of reality.

"Reality is better...it may be a bit dirty, but it's got flavor."

Wang Ye collapsed to the ground, looking at the moon in the sky, and weakly waved his hand:

"I can't take it anymore, I need to rest for a couple of days... I've been so caught up in my dreams being a spendthrift that I've almost forgotten I know Feng Hou Qi Men."

Old Meng rushed towards Chen Duo immediately.

Chen Duo was sitting quietly on the ground, her eyes still somewhat confused.

"Duo'er! Are you alright?"

Old Meng asked anxiously.

Chen Duo blinked and looked at Su Wuxian standing not far away.

Then, she looked down at the pink sweatshirt she was wearing, which was a little dirty but still authentic.

"fine."

She said softly:

I want to eat ice cream.

Old Meng was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears: "Buy it! Let's go buy it right now!"

And in the very center of the square.

That is, the location of the self-cultivation furnace.

At this moment, the once invincible cultivation furnace had been completely blasted into a pile of scrap metal, still emitting black smoke and crackling with electric sparks.

Amidst the ruins, Ma Xianhong knelt on the ground.

His black armor was completely shattered, revealing his tattered clothes underneath.

He propped himself up with his hands on the ground, staring blankly at the pile of scrap metal, his eyes empty like a dead man's.

"It's ruined..."

"It's all destroyed..."

"My life's work... my ideal..."

"Pat-pat, pat-pat."

Footsteps sounded.

A pair of cloth shoes stopped in front of him.

Ma Xianhong slowly raised his head and saw Su Wuxian looking down at him.

This time, he showed no anger, no roaring, only deep despair and confusion.

Why...?

Ma Xianhong's voice was hoarse, and tears mixed with dust streamed down his face.

"Su Wuxian...why?"

"I just want to help them... I just want everyone to be able to take control of their own destiny..."

Was I wrong? Was I really wrong?

Su Wuxian looked at him without mocking him or kicking him when he was down.

He crouched down, picked up a still-burnt screw from the rubble, and tossed it in his hand:

"Little Ma, your initial intention may not have been wrong."

"But your mistake is that you are too arrogant."

"You think you're a savior who can make decisions for everyone."

"But have you asked them?"

Su Wuxian pointed to the villagers around him who were waking up, looking bewildered and frightened:

"Did you ask them if they were willing to lose themselves in order to become stronger?"

"Did you ask Chen Duo if she was willing to become that so-called Gu-body Holy Child?"

"You didn't ask anyone."

"And what you call your ideal, is it really your thought?"

"You're just following your sister's lead."

When the word "older sister" was mentioned, Ma Xianhong shuddered.

"My sister... she's doing this for my own good! She's the only one who understands me!"

"Yeah?"

Su Wuxian threw the screw in front of Ma Xianhong:

"Have you ever wondered why there's something in the core of your cultivation furnace that can control people's minds?"

"Do you know that's a pair of perfect hands?"

"And why hasn't your sister shown up since your failure?"

Is there any possibility...?

Su Wuxian leaned close to Ma Xianhong's ear and whispered:

"You and these puppeteers you created, are actually... no different?"

boom!

These words struck Ma Xianhong like a bolt from the blue.

puppet?

Am I... a puppet?

Countless forgotten fragments of memory began to flash back in his mind.

My hazy childhood memories are filled with images of my older sister, always just her back to me, and those inexplicable "instructions" that pop into my head...

"Aaaaaaah!!!"

Ma Xianhong clutched his head and let out a painful roar.

His Dao heart shattered completely.

"Alright, stop howling."

Su Wuxian slapped Ma Xianhong so hard that it dislocated his jaw.

Su Wuxian stood up and clapped his hands:

"You should wake up."

"Now you should have your sister's assassin come to pick you up. We'll need you to play the long game and catch the big fish later."