Chương 108: Woman, You Are So Selfish

Zhao Lian'er ground her teeth but didn't move. She knew Fang Cheng well. She had devoured countless Land Gods and picked up fragments of memory about him from their minds. She was also good at reading people. She could tell that Fang Cheng was no longer the indiscriminate glutton he used to be. He would only savor perfect food. And her black lotus was not perfect. It was missing one step. But that one step...

"I will never take it. You will never get it. You will never taste it. Hahahaha!" Zhao Lian'er laughed wildly, a sense of indescribable pleasure rising in her heart. At this moment, she finally revealed her true self, the one hidden beneath that fragile exterior. She had finally dropped the mask and exposed the darkness and madness she had suppressed for so long.

"Hahaha, Fang Cheng, Fang Cheng, if you have the guts, kill me now. Are you willing? Can you bear to? Hahaha, no. Of course you're not willing. Of course you can't bear it.

"But I will never become an immortal. I will never, ever take that step. I won't even break through to the Ninth Realm. I will stay stuck at the Eighth Realm for the rest of my life!"

"No, no, no!" Fang Cheng was about to cry. His delicacy was so disobedient. So heartbreaking.

"Woman, you are so selfish."

"You damn woman, so cruel. How can you be so cruel!"

"No! My dearest, most beautiful girl, you have to learn to sacrifice. You have to have the spirit of martyrdom. Everyone dies eventually, but your death would be heavier than Mount Tai!"

"Don't ask me who Mount Tai is. That's not the point. The point is, Lian'er, you must bravely take this step. As they say, if you hear the truth in the morning, you can die at peace that evening. Think of the celestial immortals above. How wonderful, how pure they are. How can you miss this chance?" Zhao Lian'er curled her lips into a cold smile and stared at Fang Cheng mockingly.

"That's all you've got. You can only fool yourself. Trying to fool me? Hahaha, I will never give you that chance. Hahahaha..."

"Damn woman!" Fang Cheng was furious. His wings turned into hands, and he grabbed Zhao Lian'er by the throat, roaring in rage.

"You won't do it yourself? Fine, fine, fine. I'll make you willing. I'll stuff those damned creatures into your belly and force-feed you until you become an immortal! Hahaha, I'm such a good person. Dear Lian'er, you should thank me.

"No, no, as a good person, I never ask for thanks. But if you're truly grateful and can't help but turn yourself into a delicacy for me, hahaha, then I'll have no choice but to eat you. Hahaha..." Fang Cheng laughed happily, his form shifting with his laughter. He was a maggot in the soil, wriggling through the earth, providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for the crops. He was a lark in the trees, holding a twig in his beak, singing of spring's arrival.

He was a running goat on the grassland, lowering his head to nibble on tender grass, pulling up the whole plant, roots and all, chewing and swallowing. He kept changing, growing bigger and more grotesque, his eyes gleaming with bloodlust, his long tongue licking his lips, his gaze full of greed, as if he had spotted a plump, fragrant roasted sweet potato. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Come on, Fang Cheng. Hahaha, do you think I'm afraid?" Zhao Lian'er laughed even more maniacally, her lips twisted to the extreme. Never underestimate a woman who has lost her mind, because they never needs a reason.

"Come on, Fang Cheng. Show me how you can help me. Come on, help me achieve immortality. Hahaha, and when I do, I'll explode right in front of you! Have you ever seen fireworks blooming in the night sky? Have you ever seen a fireball rising and exploding in midair? I'll have them bloom with me, right before your eyes. Hahahaha..." Zhao Lian'er threw her head back and laughed wildly, her eyes filled with resolve. You want to eat me? Haha, dream on. I'd rather explode than let you taste me!

"No!" Fang Cheng was really crying now. He was truly afraid. Tears streamed down his face. Listen to this woman. She wants to explode. She wants to blow herself up! What a demon. What a complete madman! As a child raised by farmers, how could you waste food like this? Think of your parents, working in the fields under the sun and wind, sweat soaking their backs. And you...

"Mother, my mother. Lian'er, you are my mother. I am your little lamb. Baa, baa, baa. The little lamb is hungry. It wants to eat. It wants milk. Wuwuwu..."

"Lord, my lord. You came from the light. I am the lamb in your arms. You are my shepherd. Come, kill me. Let me die in your place. Let me burn on the cross. Let me be worshipped for all eternity!" Fang Cheng knelt before Zhao Lian'er, clutching her leg, sobbing, begging her not to die, begging her to kill him instead. Zhao Lian'er froze. At that moment, she was lost. Who was going to kill whom? Was she going to kill him? Who was he? What was she supposed to kill?

Those ugly ants, or this strange creature clinging to her leg and crying?

"No, no, no. You are my child. The lamb I raised. How could I let you die in my place?" Tears welled in Zhao Lian'er's eyes. She wiped them away and gently stroked the back of Fang Cheng's head, her voice soft and soothing. An overwhelming maternal instinct flooded her. In that moment, she was a great mother.

"No, no, no. Mother, my mother, my lord. You must live. Spread the gospel of the celestial realm to the suffering masses. Free them from their misery. Redeem their souls. Let the wicked find peace in their graves!

"This is the great mission for which you descended to the mortal realm. Have you forgotten?" Fang Cheng looked up at Zhao Lian'er, his voice laced with seductive demonic power, his eyes full of longing and greed. Zhao Lian'er stared blankly and murmured, "Yes... yes. You're right. This is my duty. I am here to save this miserable world, to save these numb and ignorant mortals. I must live!"

"Yes!" Fang Cheng nodded emphatically. Zhao Lian'er continued, "I will live. I will cultivate hard. I will achieve immortality!"

"Haha, that's wonderful, Mother." Fang Cheng clapped happily.

"Then... how do I become an immortal?" Zhao Lian'er asked, lost. Fang Cheng smiled and pointed at the lotus Dharma Manifestation behind her.

"Simple. Send your lotus out. Fly it to those sinful cities. Let it shine with holy light. Let those filthy people feel your mercy. Let them repent, pray to you, worship you, beg to be devoured by you!"

"The lotus... fly out and release light and heat?" Zhao Lian'er hesitated. Fang Cheng urged her, "Yes! Fly the lotus out, high up. Let everyone who sees it die. Swallow those bastards into your belly. Absorb their life essence. Hahaha, hurry, hurry. I can't wait. Please, Mother, send the lotus out!" Fang Cheng clutched his stomach, his face twisted in pain, as if he hadn't eaten for a thousand years. Zhao Lian'er looked at him with pity. Hunger was the most painful torment in the world. She knew it well.

But, wuwuwu...

"Child, my child. I'm scared. I'm so scared. Wuwuwu..."

"Mother, you are God's apostle. The great shepherd of mortals. What is there to be afraid of?"

"I don't know. I'm just scared. Wuwuwu..." Zhao Lian'er sobbed. Fang Cheng shrugged.

"Fine. You stay here. I'll go catch those sinful bastards myself. As they say, poor kids grow up fast. Mother, I'm off!" He was about to take off when Zhao Lian'er grabbed him.

"No, my child. Let me do it." Fang Cheng rolled his eyes.

"My dear mother, I think you're better off being a coward. Don't go, okay? Listen to me. Don't go looking for death again." Just then, from the nine heavens above, a bone-chilling, terrifying laugh echoed down, like a demon crawling out of the deepest abyss, filled with endless bloodlust and evil.

"Stop fighting. Let me do it. Hahahaha!!!"