Chapter 460: The Choice of Death

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"Zhuzhu!!!" 

Ning Rongrong was in a state of despair as she saw Zhu Zhuqing being blasted away and sent flying. She immediately ceased her attacks on Zeng Yi and ran towards Zhu Zhuqing.

"Zhuqing! Are you okay? Please be okay!" Ning Rongrong quickly reached the spot where Zhu Zhuqing fell, her voice filled with anxiety and urgency.

She looked anxiously at Zhu Zhuqing, who was lying in a pit on the ground, her appearance disheveled and miserable. The powerful impact had caused the ground to sink into a large crater, and Zhu Zhuqing lay on top of it, looking pale with tangled hair and a face devoid of color. Blood continuously flowed from her lips, which had turned purple. 

What terrified Ning Rongrong the most was the terrifying energy behind Zhu Zhuqing, so powerful that even her clothes were torn apart, leaving a circular hole behind.

"Zhuqing! Zhuqing! Wake up!" Seeing this, Ning Rongrong's mind went into a panic. She quickly ran to Zhu Zhuqing's side, kneed down, and held her in her arms, crying out in anguish, tears streaming down her reddened eyes.

Even though Zeng Yi's current state was not as powerful as before, the force contained in his attack was still enough to severely injure a Spirit Douluo. 

Although Zhu Zhuqing was extremely strong and, with Ning Rongrong's enhancement, had the temporary power to fight against a Spirit Douluo, the burst of power did not equate to her own cultivation level.

Regardless of how strong Zhu Zhuqing's battle prowess was, she was still only a Spirit Emperor with six spirit rings. Moreover, she was an assault-type spirit master, meaning her defense was weaker. Even with Ning Rongrong's defensive enhancement, she couldn't withstand such a terrifying blow with her delicate body without any harm.

Surviving such an attack that could severely injure a Spirit Douluo was already extremely fortunate.

But this was already the limit. Zeng Yi's merciless punch had already incapacitated Zhu Zhuqing, leaving her unconscious.

Ning Rongrong looked at Zhu Zhuqing's miserable state, her pale lips oozing blood, her weak and almost inaudible wheezing. Her vitality began to rapidly diminish, like a candle flame in the wind that could be extinguished at any moment.

"How could this happen? How could this happen?" Ning Rongrong tearfully looked at the unconscious Zhu Zhuqing, unable to believe her current condition.

Just moments ago, they were laughing and joking together. But now, Zhu Zhuqing lay dying in her arms.

Why did everything turn out like this?

Ning Rongrong cried helplessly, her heart filled with despair unlike anything she had ever experienced.

"Zhuqing, please wake up!" Ning Rongrong cried and pleaded, pouring her own spirit power into Zhu Zhuqing's critically injured body. She also took out some restorative medicines and administered them to Zhu Zhuqing.

At this moment, the situation was so dire that she couldn't afford to pay attention to the demon who was about to take their lives behind her.

Moreover, this demon was someone they were once so familiar with and loved dearly. This ending was heart-wrenching.

They had spent nearly five years searching for him! Finally, they found him, but he was no longer the person they knew!

And the price they paid just to see him was their lives.

Finally, with the aid of Ning Rongrong's medicines and spirit power, Zhu Zhuqing's condition stabilized, and her vitality began to recover. At least now, her life was no longer in immediate danger.

However, the threat of death had not disappeared.

Amid Ning Rongrong's sorrowful sobbing, an evil, cold, bloodthirsty, and ferocious laughter emanated from behind.

Terror struck, and death drew closer with every passing step.

Ning Rongrong held Zhu Zhuqing tightly, turned her head, and saw the demonic figure advancing step by step.

"Hehehe—"

He seemed unhurried to kill the two women before his eyes, taking slow steps as if toying with these helpless prey.

An evil laugh reached Ning Rongrong's ears. She stared at this unfamiliar and sinister face, anger building up within her.

"You bastard! How can you still laugh!" 

"Do you even know what you've done?! You fool, Zeng Yi!" Ning Rongrong angrily shouted and cursed at the approaching figure, tears streaming down her cheeks and falling onto the shattered ground.

Looking at Zeng Yi's appearance, in addition to anger, she felt an overwhelming sadness and heartache.

"Do you know how much effort Zhuqing and I put into finding you? How much hardship we endured! We finally managed to find you, but now you've become like this! And you want to kill us! Do you even know who we are, Zeng Yi?!" 

Ning Rongrong tightly embraced the unconscious Zhu Zhuqing, her gaze filled with grief, as she watched the slowly approaching Zeng Yi. She cried out in despair, shouting with sorrow.

While shouting, she discreetly took out a sword symbol and held it tightly in her palm.

"Why did you become like this? If you had just come back, returned to the sect, none of this would have happened! Please wake up, Zeng Yi!"

Ning Rongrong's desperate plea was like a gale, rushing towards the advancing Zeng Yi.

At that moment, he suddenly stopped in his tracks and froze in place. A bewildered expression flashed in his blood-red, murderous eyes.

Zeng Yi?

Who am I?

This thought began to emerge in his consciousness, gradually becoming pervasive.

Fragments of memories swiftly flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" 

His head started to ache, as if his mind was about to explode. The intense pain contorted his face.

He clutched his head tightly, letting out a scream of agony and despair towards the sky. The terrifying force unleashed by his scream shook the surroundings, like stormy waves rushing towards every direction.

Ning Rongrong was stunned. Witnessing Zeng Yi's transformation and witnessing his pain, a glimmer of hope rose within her.

Amidst Zeng Yi's excruciating headache, his bloodthirsty and ruthless emotions began to resurface, filling his mind and controlling his thoughts.

Fragments of memories were stained with blood, shattering in the end!

Amidst the agonizing pain and the blood-red eyes, tears of blood streamed down his face.

"Ahahaha— Kill! Kill! Kill!" 

The agonized screams turned into maniacal, cruel laughter and a bloodthirsty murderous intent exuded from him.

Ning Rongrong looked at the crazed Zeng Yi, his consciousness not having fully recovered, and felt a sense of despair settling within her.

The gaze of grief and despair met the blood-red eyes flickering within the pitch-black demonic wind.

"Please, don't come any closer."

Ning Rongrong sobbed, murmuring, pleading, her eyes filled with painful struggle.

"Please wake up, Zeng Yi!"

However, he could no longer hear her cries.

Despairing demonic winds surged forth, and the scent of death drew closer.

Ning Rongrong could no longer bear to witness this scene. She tightly held Zhu Zhuqing's body, buried her head, and in her struggling and hesitant gaze, a resolute look flashed before ultimately giving in to despair.

She activated her spirit power and crushed the sword symbol in her palm.

"I'm sorry, Zeng Yi!"

In the end, Ning Rongrong made a decision. She activated the sword symbol bestowed upon her by Sword Douluo Chen Xin, which would unleash an attack equivalent to a Sword Douluo's strength.

Chen Xin was a Rank 97 Titled Douluo, the number one attacking existence on the continent. What kind of concept was his single attack? 

As long as it wasn't from a Level 95 or above Super Douluo, his attack could severely injure ordinary Titled Douluos. Those with low spirit power and weak defenses might even perish!

After all, Sword Douluo Chen Xin's title meant he possessed the strongest attack on the continent!

At this moment, Ning Rongrong was left with only one choice.

On one side was herself and Zhu Zhuqing's lives, on the other was the life of the man they cherished, Zeng Yi.

Ning Rongrong knew that once she activated this sword symbol, Zeng Yi would likely not be able to withstand this attack and would die by her hand. But if she didn't do it, she and Zhu Zhuqing would die!

The only option was to save one side. This choice was known only to Ning Rongrong, and it brought immense pain.

But in the end, she made her choice.

She chose to protect herself and Zhu Zhuqing.

In an instant, the sky and earth began to change! Terrifying sword intent engulfed everything, suppressing the entire world.

An aura of terrifying spirit power rippled out, solidifying the air. The earth trembled, and the forces of heaven and earth converged, brewing an unparalleled strike!