Dead silence permeated Daoist Ran Deng's whole body.
The withered body looked like an ancient tree that had been drained of all its vitality in an instant.
Only the last bit of soul fire that refused to be extinguished remained in a pair of deep-set eye sockets, flickering in the endless abyss of despair.
Three Lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man...Eight Sceneries Palace Lantern is in the hands of Taiqing Laozi, Treasure Lotus Lamp is missing...Purple Gold Alms Bowl is dead...
Every bit of information was like a cold chisel, tearing holes into his Daoist heart that still had some luck.
He tightly held the Prayer Beads in his hand, and Prayer Beads made a slight "clucking" sound.
Are you going to give up on the path of killing corpses just like that?
Like Minghe, he experienced the painful "Break and Then Establish" and burned countless Yuanhui's hard work.
To bet on a Earthly Dao Opportunity who may not be completely compatible with his Dao of Nirvana and whose future is unknown? He is not willing to give in! He really is not willing to give in!
Minghe's pain but faint breath of new life lingered around him like a silent taunt or a tempting poisonous bait.
Queen Mother of the West stared silently, as if waiting for his final decision, or paving the way for her own next inquiry.
Time passed little by little, and every breath seemed to be stretched out and full of suffering.
Finally, Ran Deng suddenly raised his head, and in those almost deathly gray eyes, a light of determination that was almost paranoid, mixed with despair and final madness suddenly burst out!
He no longer looked at Minghe, nor at Queen Mother of the West, but turned all his eyes, with a desperate plea, to Lord Wanshouyuan sitting high on Banana Leaf.
"Sage!" Ran Deng's voice was as hoarse as an old bellows, but it was extremely clear. Every word seemed to have been exhausted, "I have a request... I have a request!"
Lord Wanshouyuan's eyes fell calmly, without urging or judging, just waiting quietly.
Ran Deng took a deep breath, as if to suppress all the frustration and unwillingness in his chest, and said word by word:
"The poor man cut off Good and Evil Corpses and placed his trust in Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern and Purple Gold Alms Bowl.
As Sage said, these two treasures are not of the same origin, and Purple Gold Alms Bowl is even more of a dead end.
However...Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern is the 'Earth Lamp' of 'Three Lamps of Heaven, Earth, and Man'! The 'ground' lamp!"
He repeatedly emphasized the word "Earth Lamp", and the paranoid light in his eyes became more intense:
"The name of this lamp 'Earth Lamp', does... does it mean that it has an inextricable and inseparable connection with Earthly Dao and the land of Great Virtue Carrying Things?
Is the corpse that Pindao cut off with 'Earth Lamp'... is it easier to integrate with the power of Earthly Dao than other corpse-cutting objects?"
This thought was like the last straw that a drowning man grasped, growing crazily in his desperate heart.
Since "Earth Lamp" and Earthly Dao are related in terms of "status".
So, by keeping the Corpse God cut out from this lamp, can we use it as a link to create some kind of connection with the newly established Earthly Dao?
Or even... take this as an opportunity to gain recognition and blessing from Earthly Dao?
It is much more realistic than giving up completely, or trying to seize the "Heaven Lamp" in the hands of Laozi, or looking for the illusory "Man Lamp"!
As for the Corpse God that Purple Gold Alms Bowl had cut out from the dead end... Ran Deng had a fierce look in his eyes.
Since it is useless and a drag, then... discard it! Only keep the corpse chopped by "Earth Lamp"!
In this way, he does not have to completely give up all the results of the corpse-killing journey.
And I can get rid of the burden of the "error" Purple Gold Alms Bowl.
You can also use "Earth Lamp" as a bridge to try to establish contact with Earthly Dao.
Maybe in the future, with the blessing of Earth Dao Destiny, there will be another opportunity to solve the problem of Three Corpses Unification, or... find a new way to combine Earthly Dao with Earthly Dao?
This idea undoubtedly brings great luck and self-comfort.
Even a logically forced connection.
But in a desperate situation, it became the only compromise that Ran Deng could think of that seemed to be able to balance "preserving part of the corpse-killing results" and "catching up with Earthly Dao Opportunity"!
The risks are still huge and the road ahead is still unclear, but at least... he feels like he is still "struggle" rather than "giving up".
He bowed deeply to Lord Wanshouyuan, his forehead almost touching the ground, and his voice trembled with a desperate tone:
"I'm so brave, I beg Sage for mercy!
Can... can I use Supreme Divine Ability like I used Fellow Daoist Minghe?
Destroy the corpse that Pindao killed with the "hopelessly homologous" Purple Gold Alms Bowl - Pindao's Good Corpse - so that it can return to its origin and become the spiritual treasure itself?
And Pindao used 'Earth Lamp' Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern to cut out Evil Corpse, please Sage... allow him to keep it!"
He paused and raised his head, his eyes full of pleading and a hint of humble hope:
"I know that this request may be abrupt, but I also know that even if only 'Earth Lamp' remains, the road ahead will still be difficult.
However... this lamp is also named 'Earth Lamp', or Earthly Dao Destined.
I would like to use 'Earth Lamp' Evil Corpse as a guide to try to understand Earthly Dao's Principle of Great Virtue and Nirvana, work for Earthly Dao, and accumulate merit.
I just hope... I just hope that in Earthly Dao, I can find a chance to escape from the shackles and continue on the path!
It's better than... it's better than being like this now, with nowhere to go or retreat, just sitting there and waiting to die!"
Ran Deng's words vividly displayed his inner struggles, calculations, luck, and final humble prayers.
He didn't want to be completely "broken", so he chose "half-broken".
He couldn't bear the potential value of "Earth Lamp", so he tried every means to get involved with "Earthly Dao".
He was afraid of the unknown pain ahead, so he chose this path that seemed to be a compromise, but in fact might be more complicated.
Minghe listened clearly on the sidelines, with a hint of understanding and a touch of ridicule flashing in his bloody eyes.
Sure enough. This Ran Deng, after all, is still reluctant to let it go, and wants to have it both ways. How can there be such a good thing in the world?
However, he had to admit that Ran Deng had the idea of "retaining Earth Lamp Corpse God to tie Earthly Dao".
Although far-fetched, it can be regarded as an alternative way of thinking in desperate situations.
However, it is not clear whether this "tie" is a blessing or a curse, an opportunity or a deeper bondage.
Queen Mother of the West's eyes moved slightly, thoughtfully.
The choice of Ran Deng provided her with a reference for another way of thinking - not to completely give up the path of killing corpses, but to try to combine it with Earthly Dao.
Maybe... this is also a possibility? She couldn't help but listen more carefully, waiting for Lord Wanshouyuan's response.
Lord Wanshouyuan listened quietly to Ran Deng's request, his face still showing no joy or sadness.
Regarding Ran Deng's complicated mentality of wanting and wanting, trying to find hope in the cracks, he seemed not surprised, nor did he have any praise or criticism.
His eyes stayed for a moment on Ran Deng's face full of prayer and anxiety.
And as if penetrating through him, he saw the Spirit Coffin Palace Lantern that was burning Netherworld Ghostfire faintly, and the Purple Gold Alms Bowl that was intertwined with Buddhist light and secular thoughts.
After a while, Lord Wanshouyuan slowly spoke, his voice still calm:
"Purple Gold Alms Bowl, there is indeed no homologous thing, so using it to kill corpses is ultimately a wrong approach.
If you want to cut off this wrong path and retain the fate of 'Earth Lamp', this is your own choice."
He did not evaluate the quality of this choice, but stated the facts and confirmed Ran Deng's request.
He did not confirm or deny whether the name "Earth Lamp" had a deeper connection with Earthly Dao.