Chapter 273 - The Scum Is A Spirit

"So, you also know them, too." Jing Kang said with the corner of his lips curled up. 

How can I not know? I've watched anime before I became a transmigrator! Qi Ling thought as he forced himself not to roll his eyes. "I know, but I don't know how to make them!" he said as he gritted his teeth. "This is the art from a foreign land... damn you, Jing Fu! I knew I should've killed you back then!" he said as he gnashed his teeth in anger, still trying to be in character to not expose himself as a transmigrator. 

"You don't have to." Jing Kang said, his voice many degrees colder. "He's already dead." he told him.

"What?!" Qi Ling said as he stared at Jing Kang in shock. 

"The one you're seeing... and the one I'm seeing... he's only his shikigami." Jing Kang said. His voice is low. 

Lei Ling stared at Jing Kang's back in aghast. He turned to Cheng Sheng and the others, but saw they remained silent. Jing Rui's eyes are bloodshot because of both tears and anger. Jing Cheng patted his clenched fists on his side, trying to comfort him. It was only just last night they have known Jing Fu was actually dead. Jing Kang deceived them all, especially the Jing Clan and the Righteous Alliance, making them believe his father is still alive. 

However, they understood. Jing Kang deceived them to protect himself, as well as his father's secret of using shikigamis. 

"What are you saying..." Qi Ling said as he gaped at Jing Kang. "Even though you hated your father for abandoning you and your mother for Alliance, you don't have to curse him to die!" he told him. 

"As I've said, he's already dead." Jing Kang repeated, his face is full of indifference. "Do you remember when he's gone missing before I was born?" he asked, his voice slow as if afraid Qi Ling wouldn't understand his words. "He searched far and wide for a gift to give to me and his wife. Then, he wandered to a foreign place. There, he learned of a forbidden art." he explained as dark marks appeared on his arm. "Shikigami is partly a demonic cultivation, since you trap spirits inside the paper to summon them later, binding a contract between you two." he said as he took out more talismans. 

The talismans floated in front of Jing Kang before they turned to house servants. So, his servants are... Lei Ling thought as he looked at the familiar 'people' that took care of him before. Then, he looked at Jing Kang in shock. He – he thought as his lips quivered and his eyes reddened. 

"The gift my father found for me is this - " Jing Kang said as he took out another talisman and it turned to Jing Fu. " - his shikigami." he said and smiled while his tears fell. "He accidentally turned himself into a shikigami." he said, his voice is hoarse. 

Jing Kang, you... Lei Ling thought when he remembered Jing Kang said before that it was only him, his father and their servants living in the Jing manor. If they were all shikigamis, the servants, as well as his father, then... he was living alone in that cold and empty place. He felt his heart broke at this epiphany. 

They didn't know, Jing Kang's heart is emptier than the manor. He lost his mother… he also lost his father. Even his servants are just spirits. 

"Damn that Jing Fu... why didn't he tell us this important information?!" Qi Ling said. If he should've known, he could've created a shikigami of himself so that he could escape from this situation! 

"How can he give to you the gift he risked his life for, just to gift to his son?" Jing Kang asked Qi Ling as he smiled at him. But, it was a smile full of irony. "Don't you know why my father entered the Alliance?" he asked him. 

"W-what?" Qi Ling asked. He has always been wondering this. Jing Fu should have a high position in the Jing Clan, so why would he wanted to go to the Alliance? 

"It is to root out a traitor." Jing Kang answered. "Qi Ling… it is you." he said and looked at him in the eyes. 

Qi Ling's eyes widened in shock. "You - !" his breath was caught in his throat. He looked at Jing Kang in disbelief. Jing Rui, as well as Su Yuan and Pai Lie were shocked. 

Only Zheng Fu Gong's expression didn't change. 

"The Alliance asked the Jing Clan for their help." Jing Kang said. "My father was chosen, and he just happened to have the same talent as you." He said before he paused. "Well, is it really a coincidence, Qi Ling?" he asked as he stared at Qi Ling's sweating face. "Or is it, you just happened to have the same talent as him?" he smiled, but it was more of a sneer. "I remember, it was at the same time my father entered the Alliance that you showcased the same talent as him, right?" he said. "Then, in the blink of an eye, you became a talisman master. Now, I wonder how you did that." he smirked. "I don't sense a demonic qi from you, but I am sure you're in the same league as the demonic cultivators!" he told him as he raised his talismans. The shikigamis also assumed a fighting stance. 

"Hahaha... hahahahaha!" Qi Ling laughed. "Don't lump me in with those disgusting demonic cultivators, brat!" he said as he swung his sleeve and Jing Kang was hit by an unknown force! 

"UGH!" Jing Kang cried as his body flew and his back hit the Shapeshifting Blanket! 

"Jing Kang!" they all cried as they took a step forward. They saw Jing Kang's is bleeding and he was coughing blood. 

"Stop." Cheng Sheng said as he raised an arm, blocking them from advancing. 

"Cheng Sheng!" they all turned to him. 

"This is his fight. Don't disgrace his will." Cheng Sheng told them. 

They fell silent and turned to see the shikigamis turned back to mere ordinary papers. "No way…" they muttered under their breath as their eyes widened from what they have seen. 

Jing Fu was standing tall in front of the fallen Jing Kang. He blocked Qi Ling's attack. 

"Er ge…" Jing Rui's eyes reddened when he saw his brother's face. 

"Fa... ther..." Jing Kang called as he watched Jing Fu slowly disappearing. 

"NO!" Lei Ling cried as his tears fell. He wanted to touch the barrier and go inside, stopping Jing Fu from disappearing. Once Jing Fu disappears, Jing Kang would totally be left alone in that cold and empty manor! "NO!!!" he screamed as he fell on his knees. 

"ER GE!!!" Jing Rui called. 

As if he heard him, Jing Fu turned and smiled at Jing Rui. "Ah Kang..." he called as he turned to Jing Kang. "I may have failed to protect your mother for the last time, but I am glad I had the chance to protect you for the first time." he said and smiled as he touched Jing Kang's head before he turned to a paper. If Jing Fu hadn't blocked for Jing Kang, Jing Kang would've been hit directly and he had died. 

"Father..." Jing Kang called as he weakly picked up the paper. The 'Fu' character was written on it. This was the first, as well as the last, time Jing Fu had protected him since he was born. 

Jing Kang... Lei Ling silently watched Jing Kang. Jing Kang… he closed his eyes and cried. 

Li Tian's eyes reddened, and Chen Han hugged him. Feng Mo and Zuo Zhe are crying. Sun Yi closed his eyes and leaned on Wu Yuan's chest. 

"No…" Jing Rui cried. Jing Cheng hugged him, while Jing Bai lowered his head. Zheng Yi patted Jing Bai's back to comfort him. 

"He's a good father." Fei Yin said in a hoarse voice. Cheng Sheng didn't answer, but his eyes are red from holding back his tears. 

Qi Ling, who didn't know everyone was watching them inside the Shapeshifting Blanket, looked at his hand in disbelief. I still have some power left by the system?! His eyes widened in shock. Then, his courage grew as he grinned. He looked at Jing Kang who was slowly rising on the ground. "You think your father chose the Alliance over his pregnant wife? How do you think your father reconciled with your grandfather? How do you think he gained a position in your clan?" he asked. 

Zheng Fu Gong who heard this frowned. Pai Lie and Su Yuan also had an ugly expression on their face as they glared at Qi Ling. 

"I told you, you shouldn't have cursed for your father to die." Qi Ling said. "It's because your grandfather used him... forced him to join the Alliance so that the Jing Clan and the Zunjingde Sect can gain more prestige and power!" he said as he looked at Jing Kang. His eyes flashed with an evil glint.