Split Zone No.13

“I know it’s because Miss Ah Shen deactivated her split symbol.” Jie Pa looked over and reached out a hand towards me as he said so.

“I apologize for that, Miss Ah Shen.” He smiled politely.

Taking his hand, I stood up and said, “It’s okay. Let’s not beat around the bush here. What are your requests, Jie Pa? I’ll help you with it as long as you’re willing to accept my help.”

“You’re in a precarious situation now, Miss Ah Shen. Your heart has been taken away by Nie Zun and you’ve also deactivated your split symbol. You might not feel it, but you’re even weaker than an ordinary human being right now.”

It isn’t that bad...

But it’s true that I feel tired if I move around too much... And the empty space in my chest seemed to hurt for no reason... My vision seemed to be getting blurry as well...

I held all of this in with gritted teeth. I didn’t know if it was caused by the seal on my back, but I felt a chill spread across my spine.

“What’s wrong, Ah Shen?” Jiao S rushed over to support me.

I sat on the ground, leaning against Jiao S’s shoulder. This felt familiar, and it reminded me of somebody else.

When Song Lu thought that Yu Liang was dead, she leaned against me like this, heartbroken. Why did this appear in my head at this moment?

I guess... I still cared...

Exhaustion overwhelmed me all of a sudden and a tear dripped onto Jiao S’s hand. Surprised by my tears, Jiao S grabbed me. “What’s wrong? Stop scaring me like this.”

She was so anxious, but I couldn’t speak as I was choking on my tears.

Jie Pa frowned, bending down to reach for the split symbol on my ankle.

His gaze darkened as he spoke. “Miss Ah Shen, you’re in a dangerous situation right now. You’re already weakened, and your will to live has suddenly decreased. Without MF and a heart, you shouldn’t be in a place where there are huge ripples of MF. Their actions from before would definitely have hurt you.”

“She’s the only one who can save my woman. She can’t die.” Cang Ming walked over to me, unsmiling as he held onto his sword of light.

Si Luo blocked his way. “Didn’t you hear the healer? MF might hurt her, so I’d suggest for you to think twice about doing anything. Bian Ying can’t be saved if she ends up dying.”

Cang Ming smirked. “Do you think I’m someone who can be threatened? Do you know why you’re not able to stay in the Gate of Heaven eventually? It’s because you have emotions, something that a soul splitter shouldn’t have. You have emotions like humans do, what you call kindness and sympathy. These are things that will weaken you. Though you’re still strong now, you’re no longer the Si Luo whom everyone looked up to years ago.

“Do you still think that you’re that saint of heaven? I’m going to take her with me now, and I don’t think you’d dare stop me since you’ll be hurting her if you use MF. You’d better think twice.”

Though his words were a challenge, they made Si Luo stay his hand. However, it couldn’t stop Nie Zun. Cang Ming was enshrouded in deadly black fog just a moment later.

I spat out a mouthful of blood right at that moment.

A look of worry flashed past Jie Pa’s eyes and he shouted at Nie Zun, “Are you mad? You’re hurting Ah Shen!”

The fact that he called me Ah Shen instead of Miss Ah Shen was proof that Jie Pa was really anxious.

A sense of relief overcame me. At least Jie Pa was still himself.

Nie Zun did not heed Jie Pa’s words as he addressed Cang Ming. “Her heart is with me now. You really don’t want it? From what I understand, the heart is equivalent to the second personality. Even if she dies, you might still be able to summon her second personality as long as her heart can still beat.”

I couldn’t believe that Nie Zun actually said something like this. Tamping down that bloody taste in my throat, I looked up at Nie Zun as I tried to make out his expression.

Cang Ming lifted that sword of light back onto his shoulder as he turned to Nie Zun. “She won’t understand this even if you’re doing it for her. You should be like me and trap her right beside you. Do you think that women nowadays would be moved by things that you do for them?”

Nie Zun smiled. “Like you? Like how you trap Bian Ying by your side and not care even if she looks more and more upset day by day? Are you sure that Bian Ying is staying by your side because she loves you, and not because she’s trying to protect Ta Lai? You’re really funny, Cang Ming.”

I’ve never heard Nie Zun say something so harsh to anyone. I wondered what nerve Cang Ming touched that made him say that.

Cang Ming’s smile stiffened at this.

With a hand still on my split symbol, Jie Pa said to Nie Zun, “Give her heart back. This can’t go on. She can’t hold out for much longer like this.”

We made eye-contact with each other as Nie Zun glanced over, but he looked away a split second later. “I can’t return it yet.”

“Why?” Jie Pa asked with a deep frown.

Cang Ming smirked. “Because he’s trying to protect her. I’ll take her away immediately once he returns her heart. Du Yue wouldn’t let her go even if I don’t do anything. And Huai Du would think of all ways and means to get to her even if Du Yue lets her go.

“But Nie Zun, do you think that I’ll give up on this rare opportunity just because you took her heart? Aren’t you naïve?”

Nie Zun spoke calmly, “Oh, I’m curious. What are you guys going to do with her when she’s literally of no use without her heart?”

A light glinted in Cang Ming’s eyes. “I’ll kill her if she’s of no use.”

Nie Zun smirked. “Although her body will deteriorate without a heart, she won’t die as long as her consciousness is still in the Split Zone. Do you think that those from the Gate of Ghost are the only ones who know this?”

Stunned, Cang Ming asked, “How did you know that?”

Nie Zun casually took his hands out of his pockets as he said, “I know many things, things that you are aware of and things that you aren’t. Whatever it is, taking the heart away will separate it from the body of consciousness, and the split symbol that belongs to that body of consciousness is equivalent to a useless mechanism. They won’t die even if a splitting key is inserted in it.

“She’s of no use to you dead or alive when she’s without a heart and without her second personality. Furthermore, she won’t be able to do any harm now that she has deactivated her split symbol. If you’re trying to save your woman, I’ll advice you to just come at me, and we’ll see if you really have the ability to take what you’re here for.”

Cang Ming’s smile was replaced by a serious expression. “I guess I’ve underestimated many people. What do I do, Si Luo? If I guessed right, you’re already at your limits. You’re only able to do this now because she’s here and both your MF resonated with each other.”

Cang Ming might have turned a little wary of Nie Zun as he suddenly shifted his focus to Si Luo.

That flame on Si Luo’s forehead seemed to glow as he smiled. “That’s right, I guess I’m also about to die...”

He sounded a little gloomy, but a trace of a smile still hung on his lips. It looked like he was just talking about the facts of life instead of talking about how he would be dying soon.

Jiao S spoke in a low voice beside me. “I’m going to kill everyone else if you die. If you die here in the Gate of Heaven, I’ll flatten the entire Gate of Heaven. If you’re killed by someone from the Gate of Ghost, I’ll make the Gate of Ghost disappear from the Split Zone forever.”

There was no hesitation in her words. She was resolute.

Cang Ming looked at her with slight interest. “Your woman talks big. I’ll really feel like killing him if you say that, just to see if you have the ability to wipe out the Gate of Ghost.”

Jiao S smirked. “You can try.”

“Miss Ah Shen, leave with me. We’ll get out of here temporarily,” Jie Pa said as he adjusted his glasses, as if he had already thought of what to do next.

I shook my head. “No, I’m not going. It’ll be a release if I really end up dying here. Thanks for the thought, Jie Pa, but believe me when I say that I won’t die that easily even without a heart or MF.”

Looking at Jie Pa’s worried expression, I realized I looked just like a damsel in distress who couldn’t defend herself. How could I not let them worry like this?

I struggled to sit up. I called out softly, “Protect me, Piercer.”

I didn’t carry high hopes of being able to summon Piercer successfully, but in a miraculous turn of events, Piercer shone with a bright violet light before she appeared in human form right beside me.