His voice rang out.
Zhang Wei and the others heard it and all looked towards the room where they were confined.
Just moments ago, while Zhang Wei and Cao Yushan were talking.
Old Mr. Wang had approached Tang Pi.
He had told Tang Pi his name, and to his surprise, Tang Pi actually knew him. It wasn't surprising, really, as Old Mr. Wang didn't realize how far his reputation had spread, especially since Grandpa Tang had also served in the military.
Upon learning of Old Mr. Wang's arrival, Tang Pi, disregarding everything else, hurried to offer him a seat.
However, before Grandpa Tang could say much more, Old Mr. Wang, without wasting time, knowing that Grandpa Tang's life was drawing to a close, spoke directly:
"Tang Pi, do you still wish to find a successor?"
"Yes, of course I do, Mr. Wang De, I..." Grandpa Tang was about to plead, to ask for just one more day to search.
But Old Mr. Wang's voice cut in first.
As soon as he received Grandpa Tang's reply, Old Mr. Wang smiled and looked at him:
"Then I will share half my life with you. Stop killing people. Honestly, I don't want the art of shadow puppetry to be lost either. It's an art of our Great Xia, a treasure of the people."
At these words.
Grandpa Tang was stunned. The next moment, he was so shocked that he stood up, refusing, and speaking the same words as before.
It was at this moment.
Old Mr. Wang's voice came:
"Why can't my life be used? I'm old, over ninety years old, and I don't have many years left. But I know my life is resilient. With the good deeds I've accumulated over the years, people say my life can be counted as two."
"I've heard about your Five Elements Life Extension. I've also inquired. Using my life, it can indeed substitute for two lives."
He looked at Grandpa Tang with a smile:
"I'm old, I've calculated it, and I don't have many years left to live. All I can do now is bask in the sun. Now, to use my life, to contribute it, so that the folk art of our Great Xia has a chance to be passed down, I think it's much more worthwhile than basking in the sun."
"Brother Tang, I know you killed to prevent shadow puppetry from being lost, but killing is wrong. So, promise me, if you use my life to find a successor, then for the remainder of your life, you will accept legal punishment. The law is unmerciful, but the law also has compassion. This is the punishment I proposed to the judicial team. Can you agree?"
At his words.
Grandpa Tang vehemently shook his head, forcefully trying to drive Old Mr. Wang away:
"No! Absolutely not! I cannot use your life to extend mine. Leave, I won't find a shadow puppetry successor."
Facing Old Mr. Wang's intention to use his own life to extend his.
This shadow puppetry elder, whose hands were stained with the lives of over ten people, gave up. He no longer sought the successor he had yearned for.
In his heart.
Shadow puppetry could not be lost, but Old Mr. Wang was even more important than the loss of shadow puppetry. He did not want the successor of shadow puppetry to be continued with such bloodshed, preferring it to be lost.
"Brother Tang, I..."
How could Old Mr. Wang not understand Tang Pi's thoughts? He reached out, grasped his hand, and gently tried to dissuade him.
His thoughts were the same as Tang Pi's. Shadow puppetry was a national treasure of the people, and it could not be lost. The only difference was that he didn't believe his own life was more precious than the loss of shadow puppetry.
However.
Grandpa Tang interrupted Old Mr. Wang:
"Mr. Wang De, don't say anymore. Leave, I won't search..."
Just as he was about to refuse.
His face suddenly turned pale, and he collapsed in pain. His complexion, already ravaged by illness, instantly became even more deathly pale.
"Brother Tang!"
Old Mr. Wang's expression changed. Without a second thought, he rushed to help the fallen Grandpa Tang.
It was at this moment.
Zhang Wei and the others rushed in upon hearing the commotion. As soon as they entered, they saw Grandpa Tang's condition.
Not good!
Zhang Wei and the others changed color.
As ghost exorcists, they understood much more than Old Mr. Wang, especially Zhang Wei, whose strength was the greatest. He immediately recognized the signs of death on Grandpa Tang's face, knowing that the elder was about to die, and the life extended by killing had reached its end.
"Alas."
Zhang Wei sighed and explained the situation to Old Mr. Wang.
Without any hesitation.
Old Mr. Wang's kindly demeanor vanished, and he asked Cao Yushan in a deep voice:
"When will Chief Commander Sheng arrive?"
Cao Yushan shook his head:
"No, Chief Commander Sheng is still on his way. Even if he rushes here, it will be half an hour later. It's too late."
Hearing this, Zhang Wei asked:
"Old Mr. Wang, what are you talking about? Can Chief Commander Sheng save the elder?"
Afterward.
After Cao Yushan's explanation, Zhang Wei finally understood.
Recently, the jade slip for grafting merits that Zhang Wei had sent to the Wei Dao Division had indeed yielded results. They had developed a method to unilaterally graft a portion of a person's merits onto another. However, this kind of grafting was extremely costly and could only be performed by the True Dragon Guards.
And for Tang Pi, Old Mr. Wang had personally summoned Chief Commander Sheng. He intended to not only give half his life to Tang Pi but also to transfer a portion of his merits to him to offset his karmic retribution and avoid the price of the Five Elements Life Extension.
This way, Tang Pi could find a successor and teach shadow puppetry without any burden.
Now, upon learning that Chief Commander Sheng could not make it, Old Mr. Wang said gravely:
"It's too late. The merits can be grafted later. First, give my life to Tang Pi."
Cao Yushan shook his head:
"No, Old Mr. Wang. Without someone of Chief Commander Sheng's caliber, if you perform the Five Elements Life Extension, the life you give to Tang Pi will be your entire life. That means you will die. No, I cannot do this."
"Nonsense!!"
Old Mr. Wang roared. At this moment, he was like his old self during his days of military campaigns, his kindness replaced by sternness.
"I don't have many years left to live, why should I care if I die? It's more important to save someone now, to preserve an old craftsman of a folk art. Mr. Cao, if you respect me, then immediately! Right now! Do it!!"
With his words.
As if knowing Cao Yushan wouldn't act, Old Mr. Wang directly picked up the shadow puppetry scissors beside him, intending to end it himself.
But the next second.
A hand reached out and stopped Old Mr. Wang's hand holding the scissors.
It was Zhang Wei.
Zhang Wei stopped Old Mr. Wang, glanced at the dying shadow puppetry elder, then at Old Mr. Wang who was still about to commit suicide. He couldn't help but say leisurely:
"I thought I was ruthless enough to myself, but Mr. Wang, one of you gives up shadow puppetry and doesn't want a hero's life, while the other gives up his own life for shadow puppetry. You are truly extreme. If either of you dies here, we juniors will be ashamed to death."
With his words.
He reached out to Cao Yushan:
"Mr. Cao, give me the modified jade slip for grafting merits."
"Huh? Zhang Wei, you want to use grafting? No, your strength is great, but no matter how strong you are, you haven't reached the True Dragon Guard level. You can't do it... Hiss?!!!"
At this moment.
Not only Cao Yushan but also Lin Tong, Lu Lianxue, and the others were stunned. Feeling Zhang Wei before them, it was like a dream.
[Ding! Used one-time ability card 'Buddha or Demon in a Single Thought'!]
As the system prompt sounded, the place seemed to descend into an apocalypse. Fierce winds raged, not only the entire detention center trembled but the earth also shook. Even the buildings near the detention center swayed violently, and the clear sky above changed color.
At this moment.
As the immense power surged from Zhang Wei, sweeping over Cao Yushan and the others, this area also experienced earthquakes and shifting winds and clouds!
"True... True Dragon Guard?!"
Cao Yushan was stunned, his mind felt like it was at high altitude, suffocating. He lost the ability to think, his eyes filled with absolute shock.
True Dragon Guard.
There was no mistake.
He felt it from Zhang Wei. The unparalleled strength that only a True Dragon Guard possessed.
Facing the usually kind Grandpa Tang, who, for the sake of shadow puppetry, did not hesitate to kill to extend his life and find a successor, committing acts that were unforgivable by law.
Facing the benevolent Old Mr. Wang, who, to save a life, was willing to end his own.
In a single thought.
The two elders made decisions that were the complete opposite of their lifelong conduct.
In response.
Zhang Wei directly used the ability card, 'Buddha or Demon in a Single Thought,' gaining three thousand years of cultivation and reaching the True Dragon Guard level.
However, there was no time to savor how powerful the True Dragon Guard was.
Zhang Wei beckoned, and the jade slip in Cao Yushan's hand flew into his. In an instant, he scanned the contents of the jade slip, and immeasurable Buddha light erupted from Zhang Wei's eyes.
At this moment.
He was like the Tathagata Buddha descending from the West, immeasurably sacred, his power equal to the heavens.
He pulled Old Mr. Wang and Grandpa Tang to him.
With the two on his left and right.
With his supreme might, reversing yin and yang, he forcibly stopped Grandpa Tang's receding life. His sacred power was truly as if to prove the legend, "If the King of Hell wants you to die at the third watch, I dare to keep you until the fifth."
Immediately after.
This place felt like the netherworld, bone-chillingly cold, as if reaching the other side of the Yellow Springs.
At this moment.
Zhang Wei's aura changed, becoming majestic like a demon, dominating heaven and earth. All evils upon seeing it would prostrate themselves, and even the Bridge of Helplessness would boil.
Following the series of operations according to the jade slip.
He looked directly at Old Mr. Wang's merit, which shone like a great sun.
With a wave of his hand.
Boom!!! —
With a deafening roar.
Before the shocked eyes of Cao Yushan and the others, Zhang Wei actually tore open a portion of Old Mr. Wang's merit with his bare hands, and even severed half of Old Mr. Wang's life. His terrifying power was like a demon from the netherworld, his hands holding life and death, yin and yang, with everything at his command.
Then, in a mysterious way, Zhang Wei grafted the merit and life onto Grandpa Tang.
Instantly.
Grandpa Tang's deathly pale complexion visibly regained its rosy hue.
Lu Lianxue and the others saw it and couldn't help but rejoice, knowing that Grandpa Tang's life had been extended, possessing the remaining half of Old Mr. Wang's lifespan.
Thinking of this.
They couldn't help but look at the aged Old Mr. Wang again. Grandpa Tang's life had been extended, but Old Mr. Wang... Huh?!
Boom!!
An invisible, colossal sound erupted at this moment. Except for Zhang Wei, their pupils contracted, and they looked at Old Mr. Wang in disbelief.
They saw it.
Old Mr. Wang's merit, which had been like a great sun, now had a corner shaved off. But the next moment, everything changed. The great sun of merit, as if expanding with heat, not only had the shaved corner replenished but had even grown a bit larger.
This situation left Cao Yushan and the others stunned, and they couldn't help but look at Zhang Wei.
"Zhang Wei, what is this?"
They had all noticed the change in Old Mr. Wang's merit. Zhang Wei's expression had not changed from beginning to end, as if he had foreseen this situation.
At this moment.
Zhang Wei, like a demon, looked at them and said with a smile:
"In ancient times, the Buddha cut his flesh to feed the eagles. Old Mr. Wang's selflessness today is also a great merit."
Leveraging the immense power gained from 'Buddha or Demon in a Single Thought,' Zhang Wei saw more clearly than anyone else. As early as when he took Old Mr. Wang's merit, he had sensed that Old Mr. Wang's merit was soaring, and he had also understood the reason.
Simultaneously.
Zhang Wei looked at Old Mr. Wang. Perhaps it was due to the power he possessed, perhaps it was the uniqueness of the jade slip's technique, or perhaps it was because he personally took Old Mr. Wang's merit, establishing a connection with him. He saw not only Old Mr. Wang's merit but also glimpsed other things in the mist...
That was about Old Mr. Wang's future.
Seeing this.
A smile spread across Zhang Wei's face. He didn't tell anyone else that such heavenly secrets were not to be revealed. However, it didn't matter even if he didn't say it, because Old Mr. Wang's future was bright.
Not only Old Mr. Wang.
He had also glimpsed some heavenly secrets about Grandpa Tang.
Subsequently.
Zhang Wei walked towards the shadow puppetry box, which was emitting a faint glow and had begun to develop rudimentary intelligence.
He pointed a finger at the shadow puppetry box.
At that moment.
His fingertip shone with immeasurable light, as if an immortal were patting his head and tying his hair to gain longevity. With one finger, he completely enlightened the shadow puppetry box, giving it true sentience and the ability to transform. At the same time, he whispered a sentence, conveying a message that only he could hear to the shadow puppetry box:
"Don't ask me why I enlightened you. Heavenly secrets must not be revealed."
...
Epilogue.
Several years later.
Old Mr. Wang passed away peacefully, his later years filled with happiness and contentment.
In the same year.
The shadow puppetry elder Tang Pi, who had half of Old Mr. Wang's lifespan, also passed away. With Old Mr. Wang's life, he had finally found a successor for shadow puppetry. However, he did not enter reincarnation. To atone for his sins, he became a ghost for the Wei Dao Division.
He, along with the sentient shadow puppetry box, exorcised ghosts for the Wei Dao Division for a hundred years.
After a century.
The shadow puppetry elder Tang Pi completed his atonement and entered reincarnation, undergoing judgment from the King of Hell in Fengdu.
That day.
An elder with immeasurable merit appeared in the Hall of the King of Hell.
Even the King of Hell showed him respect, not for any other reason but for the elder's immeasurable merit, which deserved a bow and a greeting from the King of Hell himself.
The elder smiled and bowed to the King of Hell:
"Junior Immortal Wang De greets King Yama, I implore..."
It was Old Mr. Wang. He had come, not forgetting the shadow puppetry elder Tang Pi from a hundred years ago, to plead for him.
Brilliant light surged.
The shadow puppetry box beside Grandpa Tang, like a hundred years ago, radiated light. However, this time, with Zhang Wei's enlightenment from a hundred years ago, it had transformed into a child, who knelt before the King of Hell, imploring him to forgive his master's sins and voluntarily atone for him.
The pleas of the person of merit and the sentient object, considering his hundred years of atonement as a ghost in the mortal world, led the King of Hell, under the Book of Life and Death, to cross out the shadow puppetry elder Tang Pi's sins and pardon him.
Finally.
The shadow puppetry elder Tang Pi, embracing the shadow puppetry box that had accompanied him his entire life, entered reincarnation amidst the light of reincarnation.
...