Chapter 157 Powerless The underground cave is cold and bright, with clusters of torches hanging high on the steep stone magnificent altar stands in front of a deep, dark cave, engraved with various ancient totems, including the shining sun and moon, prayers of all people, and complex ancient patterns that look like flowers. At this time, Liu Po ​​knelt on the ground like a devout believer, communicating mentally with the existence that sheltered the tribe in the dark cave. On a wooden platform not far away, Feng Ying looked depressed, watching all this quietly. Behind her, there were four tribesmen wearing black robes and covering their faces, responsible for guarding her safety. a long time. Liu Po ​​stood up, kowtowed towards the cave, slowly stood up, left the altar, and ran straight to the platform. "Mother-in-law, when does the ceremony begin? Is my father awake?" Realizing that she might never be able to leave here again, Feng Ying did not resist, but just asked the old man about Wu Gensheng's condition. "woke up." Feeling that the Qi Bureau that had been set up in the wooden house had been dissolved, Liu Po ​​did not pay too much attention to it. All her energy was now focused on this most suitable container.

"The ceremony will take place in three days." Granny Liu stretched out her withered hand, held Feng Ying's wrist, and said earnestly, "It's hard for you, child." "This is the fate of our clan. Unless it is absolutely necessary, Grandma doesn't want you to be a vessel and coexist with our ancestors." "But without the blessing of our ancestors, the curses from foreign races would have made us disappear in the long river of history long ago." Grandma Liu had a kind face. She comforted the anxious Feng Ying with gentle body movements and words. "Mother-in-law, can you please let me see my father?" Feng Ying begged desperately and almost knelt down. Considering that the emotional fluctuations of the container might affect the progress of the ceremony, Liu Po ​​rubbed Feng Ying's head and smiled faintly: "Well, mother-in-law will do it, you don't have to worry." "You also have to promise mother-in-law that you will do your best, okay?" "Whether the tribe can continue to live, or even get rid of the curse, depends on whether you can achieve symbiosis with your ancestors." "I hope that the shadow that has shrouded our tribe for a thousand years will be lifted on you. If your aunt knew about this, she would be proud of you." Dealing with a teenage girl was very easy. Liu Po's words quickly calmed Feng Ying down. "Okay, I'll try my best." "Relax, grandma is looking after you." Liu Po ​​let go, turned around slowly, and left behind a sentence that made Feng Ying look forward to it. "I will go discuss this with the elders of the clan. Whether it goes smoothly or not, mother-in-law will bring your father to you." "Thank you!!!" Feng Ying said gratefully. Liu Po ​​walked out of the cave along the tunnel. She did not seek consultation with the elders as agreed, but went to the wooden house where Wu Gensheng was first with caution.

"Squeak!" When Liu Po ​​pushed open the door, Li Muxuan seemed like a frightened bird, and his speech sounded a little unnatural. "You are here?" "Come and see the master." Liu Po ​​looked at Wu Gensheng lying on the bed and said meaningfully, "Master, why are you closing your eyes and not saying anything?" As the ceremony approached, she had to be on guard against the two of them, fearing that they would lose control and cause trouble, affecting the arrival of the ancestors. "." The situation is more desperate than imagined. Hearing the old voice, Wu Gensheng slowly opened his eyes and woke up. The other party did not give him any chance to resist. They arrived almost the moment he was relieved. "Goddess Liu, where is Ying'er?" "Cave." The old woman told him truthfully: "In three days, the ceremony will begin." Upon hearing this, Wu Gensheng was not overly surprised, as the situation was just as he had predicted. "Didn't we agree that there would be another five years?" "The ancestor can't bear it any longer and wants to come out and get some fresh air." Wu Gensheng suppressed the anger burning in his chest, and his voice gradually deepened: "Then could you please take me to see her?" "You can go in." Grandma Liu raised a sinister smile, "Don't say that I'm unkind, but let me be frank with you. If the baby fails, you will stay underground with her." "If you succeed, you can leave Southern Xinjiang safely. I and the other elders in my tribe will not make things difficult for you." "." Wu Gensheng remained silent. He had no choice. Having lived here for a period of time, he was very clear about the strength of Liu Po ​​and the other elders. Even if he and Li Muxuan resisted together, the outcome would only be two more corpses. At this moment, his heart was broken. He had no other choice. All his thoughts and contemplations were in vain. An old monster like Liu Po, who is cautious and cunning to the extreme, will not give them any chance to struggle. "Have you thought about it?" Seeing Wu Gensheng hesitate, Liu Po ​​urged him impatiently. Wu Gensheng stood up with difficulty, pulled Li Muxuan's arm, and said: "And he can carry me." "When you get down there, watch your mouths. It's best to know when to stop saying or doing things you shouldn't do."

"Otherwise, even if I agree to let you go, others may not be willing to do so." Li Muxuan squatted down and lifted Wu Gensheng onto his back. He changed his previous impulsive behavior and obeyed Liu Po's request. "Don't worry, the headmaster and I won't cause any trouble for you." "Come with me." Liu Po ​​walked out of the wooden house and led the two of them through the jungle behind the tribe and into the underground cave. A quarter of an hour later, they arrived at the platform in front of the altar. When Feng Ying, who was looking forward to it, saw Wu Gensheng's haggard appearance, her eyes turned red and she rushed over. "father!" "Hey Ying'er" Wu Gensheng spoke weakly and was too weak to stand. He was supported by Li Muxuan and Feng Ying who came rushing over. Liu Po ​​gave the four clan members who were in charge of guarding the place an order: "There is nothing for you to do here. In three days, notify the elders to come over." "Yes, I will take my leave first." Those tribesmen retreated one after another, and Liu Po ​​sighed slightly, without saying anything more, walked down the platform, and went to the altar to meditate. Even though she had her back to a few people, she was not afraid of them running away. "Boom!!!" As Liu Po ​​raised her crutch, the rock walls of the cave changed. Ferocious faces emerged, like evil spirits and fierce gods, and their eyes fell on the platform. "Dad, you're finally okay!!" Feng Ying hugged Wu Gensheng tightly, her tears gradually soaking her clothes on her shoulders. "Oh, my baby is suffering." Wu Gensheng stroked the girl's back, feeling very ashamed and guilty. As a father, he had no ability to protect his child, and he had not even fulfilled his promise to his wife. "do not Cry." "Dad brought you some little things on this trip." Wu Gensheng reached into his arms tremblingly, took out a "devouring capsule" that had been kept by Liu Po ​​before, and opened it immediately. There are more than a dozen kinds of items, including rattles, string puppets, wooden horses, boats carved from walnuts, music boxes, etc. Feng Ying choked with sobs and tears, and was speechless for a long time. She didn't know what to say. She especially wanted to spend more time with her father. Soon, Wu Gensheng took out a canvas and dye from the sac, looked at Feng Ying's appearance, grabbed the paintbrush, and slowly painted. The more he painted, the clearer his memory became. In a trance, he saw the charm of his wife in his daughter. His eyes became moist and his heart was filled with bitterness. After several hours, an oil painting was completed, and Feng Ying's appearance was forever recorded on the canvas. "Master, your painting is so realistic."

Li Muxuan was stunned. He had known that this was an oil painting when he was studying under Mr. Dongshan in the school, but he did not expect Wu Gensheng's skills to be so superb. The girl on the canvas has eyes like deep springs, a smile as warm as the spring sun, her black hair tied into two long braids that hang down in front of her shoulders, she wears a purple dress with silver ornaments, and has a very pretty face. Hearing Li Muxuan's praise, Feng Ying couldn't hold back her curiosity and moved closer to take a look. Looking at the canvas that was like a mirror, she was stunned for a moment, and was very happy, smiling with dimples on her face. "Dad, when did you become so powerful?" "I learned it from an old foreigner. I thought it was interesting at the time, so I wanted to learn it and draw some beautiful pictures for our Ying'er every day." Wu Gensheng suppressed the sadness in his heart. He still chatted with Feng Ying with a smile and shared his experiences of learning skills. “I wish I could draw, too.” Feng Ying stared at Wu Gensheng with her lively eyes and said with emotion: "I can draw you like this." "Hey, silly kid, as long as you have the intention." "There's this foreign thing called a camera out there that takes gray pictures." Having said that, the second half of the sentence weighed as heavy as a thousand pounds, and Wu Gensheng could hardly hide his loneliness. He had originally wanted to take photos with his daughter, but he never had such an opportunity again. If the ritual fails, Feng Ying will die; The ceremony was successful, but Feng Ying was no longer 'Feng Ying'. What was the meaning of it all? "Dad, when I become mature, will you take me to visit the city?" Perhaps it was because she saw her father's loss that Feng Ying comforted him in this way. However, she didn't know that the so-called "symbiosis" was a lie from Liu Po ​​from the beginning to the end. There is no symbiosis, only death. Either the physical body cannot withstand the transmission and collapses and dissipates, or the physical body is robbed and the consciousness is annihilated. Wu Gensheng pinched Feng Ying's cheek, enjoying this moment of peace and warmth. Although he knew that the hope was slim, he couldn't avoid those gentle eyes and replied hoarsely, "Good father will wait for you." This self-deceiving lie relieved his pain to a certain extent, and even made him forget his sorrow. All he wanted to do and could do now was to spend more time with his daughter. Li Muxuan clenched his fists several times and thought about saving people, but the stone statue above his head gave him a suffocating feeling of oppression. As long as he took action, he and the head of the sect would never be able to leave. "Forget it, Xiao Li, go take a rest." Wu Gensheng put his right hand on Li Muxuan's shoulder. He knew that resistance was pointless, and he didn't want to let this young man lose his life in vain. Half of Feng Ying's bloodline, along with her mother's, comes from this southern Xinjiang clan, which was cursed thousands of years ago. Without the protection of the so-called "ancestors", no one can survive. As a vessel, Feng Ying's sacrifice was an inevitable twisted fate. (End of this chapter)