Chapter 1483: Chapter 522: You’re Wrong, I Am the Other Shore (Part 3)

Among them, it involves his Imagined Creations.

Bodhi Tree, Fatty Hu, Formless Wind, Salted Fish, these four are his Imagined Creations, and also a detachment of his Heavenly Nature.

But currently in his possession, there are only the Bodhi Tree and the Salted Fish.

If he wants to reach the Other Shore, all four Imagined Creations must be reclaimed to complete his Heavenly Nature.

But this is not the main reason, the real cause lies in the Heavenly Nature corrupted by Hel and the divine nature she devoured.

Hel corrupts herself with his Heavenly Nature, but this itself is a mutual act; he, too, is invisibly corrupted by Hel’s Heavenly Nature.

The Daoist refers to it as "Heavenly Nature" or "Primordial Spirit", while the Buddhist names it "True Self" or "Dharma Nature".

Eternally constant, unchanging, neither born nor destroyed, neither increased nor decreased, neither tainted nor pure.

Yet when his divine nature was devoured by Hel, breaking his usual Heavenly Nature’s constant state.

Whether this is good or bad is hard to tell; perhaps the saying "fortune and misfortune come hand in hand" fits best.

Ji Jingqiu later examined himself and discovered all this originated from that time on Yanfu State, where Marshal Ji set a trap for him.

That time, Marshal Ji’s trap was solely to have him usurp Hel’s Divine Foundation.

How did he answer Marshal Ji that time?

Something like the path was different, so they could not seek together.

That battle was his first time joining forces with Hel without reservation; Hel spared no cost in expending her own existence, forcefully descending in the Divine Country, and augmenting it upon him.

Through this Divine Country, he saw many things, illusions coexisting with reality; he even saw all living beings, heaven and earth, void, universe, and even the True Self, nature, and divine nature within Hel!

And this was the beginning of it all.

Afterwards, Ji Jingqiu had reviewed and found that Marshal Ji’s intentions were actually more than that.

In Marshal Ji’s machinations, even if things didn’t go as he wished, Ji Jingqiu’s choice that day would inevitably leave an important "mark" in Hel’s heart, like... a seed of trust?

Yet all that followed was absolutely not arranged by Marshal Ji.

Was it Master Mu?

Or was it Hel’s own choice?

Ji Jingqiu chose not to delve deeply.

"Stop playing," he said flatly, "I can’t hold on much longer, and I will never stand idly by as the Bitter Sea manifests into the world, causing the final apocalyptic strength of the Bitter Sea is not what I seek."

"Can’t you just bow your head and admit defeat? Just drop your gaze, and you won’t see the suffering of all beings," Hel said softly, "As long as you bow your head, with the Investiture of the Gods, transcendence is just around the corner. Even just watching the Bitter Sea unfold may help you break that critical barrier, seeking the right in wrongs, and realize the Dao now."

Ji Jingqiu gazed into her eyes, and said word by word:

"In my whole life, I never bow my head!"

They stared at each other, neither giving in, seeing their own reflection in each other’s eyes.

In Hel’s eyes, Ji Jingqiu saw this scene—

The depths of the Bitter Sea.

In this piece of heaven and earth, it seems that no living creatures remain.

Whether it was the once flourishing Mu Shitian who suppressed the Bitter Sea or All Saints from the Netherworld who were forced into it, all had vanished without a trace, leaving only a god with the head of a man and the body of a snake in slumber.

She opened her eyes under Ji Jingqiu’s gaze, stretched lazily, and slowly stood up, the Bitter Sea Water sliding off her skin, remarkably untouched, uncorrupted by the Bitter Sea!

While in Hel’s eyes, what she saw in Ji Jingqiu was his entire life.

As Ji Jingqiu said, his life never bowed, starting from fighting against the Evil Poison Disease!

Hel suddenly asked, "Ji Jingqiu, have you ever been grateful for your childhood self who believed in the Divine?"

Ji Jingqiu was stunned, not expecting Hel to suddenly ask such a question.

After hesitating for a moment, he nodded:

"Lying on a sickbed, even if the Gods couldn’t hear, for the patient itself, it was a kind of spiritual support. If there was a response from the Divine, it would have been even better."

"I truly was grateful for believing in the existence of the Divine at that time, to get through the toughest periods."

"Additionally... I once really hoped that there was indeed a God who would respond to me when I needed it the most."

Hel stared into his eyes: "Is this the reason why you are responding to living beings at this moment?"

Ji Jingqiu remained silent for a long time, then said: "’God’ eventually responded to me, so I also chose to respond to the world." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"You’re referring to He Donghuang?" Hel remembered the day Ji Jingqiu reversed the innate.

Ji Jingqiu smiled: "Actually, I just wanted to try and see what it feels like to support others."

Hel took a deep breath and said:

"Ji Jingqiu, do you know what will happen next?"

"I have devoured all your divine nature, and along with you, have seen the Other Shore. The next step, I will take your Divine Dao Fruit Position, and then..."

Ji Jingqiu interrupted Hel:

"Don’t speak as if you’re certain you’ll win over Dou Mu; she’s more challenging than you think."

Hel narrowed her eyes, her expression a bit dangerous, yet her gaze deepened, like an ancient well.

She said coldly: "The reason I can stand above you witnessing the Other Shore, is because I have engulfed your Heavenly Nature. If I attain the Dao, you’ll never have a chance to see the Other Shore again!"

"You’re perching on my head," Ji Jingqiu said calmly, "The Other Shore is not what I seek. If you have the ability, just take it."

Hel suddenly burst out in rage: "Ji Jingqiu, do you think this is child’s play? I’m seizing your Dao path!"

Ji Jingqiu steadily looked at her, saying: "The Fire House of the Three Realms, even saving oneself leaves no time, let alone saving others to save oneself."

"Do you want to save me?" Hel asked coldly.

"It’s you, but not just you," Ji Jingqiu said softly, "Dou Mu wants all beings to lift the Heavenly Court, thereby collectively witnessing the Other Shore World, but how can all beings who are lifting the Other Shore ever reach the Other Shore themselves?"