Chapter 25 Red Lake

Golden light swirled at the bottom of Red Lake, transforming into schools of fish.

Gu Nanfeng silently watched the old man before him.

The words spoken by the Guang Ming Bi Lei were so unexpected that he didn't know how to respond.

"What, you don't want to marry?"

The old man asked with a smile.

"How could that be?"

Gu Nanfeng shook his head and said, "It's just that I'm very clear that the marriage between the Gu Clan and Guang Ming City is not that simple. It seems to be just a matter between two people, but it's definitely not just a matter between two people."

Marriage didn't just mean that he and Meng Xizhou could have a happy ending.

Gu Nanfeng knew there were too many obstacles between him and Meng Xizhou.

Precisely because Meng Xizhou was the future master of the Temple and he was the head of the Gu Clan, there were so many difficulties.

Behind him was the Gu family, Changye.

Once he chose to marry Guang Ming City... then what about the alliance with Central City? What about the two major camps that had already been divided?

"The current two major camps... will only consume the internal strength of the Five Continents."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei said softly, "Do you still want to see a second tragedy like the Ice Sea Ruins? If Xizhou and the Tower of Origin choose to retaliate, then the next to suffer heavy losses will be Changye, Central City."

"..."

Gu Nanfeng had personally experienced the disaster of the Ice Sea Ruins.

He had nothing to say about that matter.

The Divine Seat didn't know what happened in the depths of the Ice Sea, and even if he told the truth of that day, the Divine Seat might not believe him.

But one thing the Guang Ming Bi Lei said was right.

The situation in the Five Continents was becoming increasingly tense. The complete division of the two major camps, and the joining of the Storm Church, had brought the situation to a breaking point.

"I don't want to see tragedies, and I don't want to see war break out within the Five Continents."

Gu Nanfeng said frankly, "It's just that some things are beyond my control."

Not to mention that he was just the young master of the Gu family.

Even if he became Mr. Bai Shu, he would not be able to stop the torrent of this era with his own strength.

"So you should do something more."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei said, "The outbreak of the God War is not good for anyone. I will die, and won't Bai Shu?"

"Your attitude makes me wonder... who exactly has Changye's 'enemy' been in the past few years."

Gu Nanfeng responded politely, "If you really love peace as much as you show now, then why has the world become like this? Why did Changye uncover an entire 'Guang Ming City sleeper cell'? Why can hundreds of sleepers of many years be found on the borders of Beizhou?"

"..."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei was silent for a moment.

The old man said, "My intention today is not to argue with you about right and wrong. I just hope that the Gu Clan can consider another possibility. This possibility is good for you, and it is also good for Guang Ming City."

Gu Nanfeng said, "Of course I am willing to marry Meng Xizhou, but if the price is to eliminate the 'sins' Guang Ming City has committed against Dongzhou... I'm sorry, I can't agree to such a thing. Because I am not qualified to forgive the mistakes Gao Mao committed on behalf of those who died in Qingzhong."

Not long ago, Wu Tu betrayed Dongzhou and killed an elite team within the Tribunal.

The sleepers buried by Xizhou had done many "fortune-stealing" things over the years.

After the two major camps split.

These debts and grievances between the continents could no longer be clearly calculated.

These accounts seemed to be on Gao Mao's head.

But what could not be ignored was that behind Gao Mao... was the Guang Ming Bi Lei.

Gu Nanfeng had one more sentence he didn't say, which was that he couldn't forgive the Guang Ming Bi Lei's "indifference" on behalf of the people of Qingzhong.

Back then, he came to Guang Ming City to ask for a token emblem at the most critical moment in Dadu.

That token emblem helped Dadu solve the crisis of the "Wine God Throne" apostle.

He thought that the Guang Ming Bi Lei was helping generously.

But a long time later, Gu Nanfeng realized that something was wrong... He didn't expect that the Temple had been eyeing Song Ci's [Undead] identity for a long time!

Song Ci mistakenly became infected with the Guang Ming faith because of the token emblem he brought. If he went to Guang Ming City, he would likely encounter misfortune. Even if he stayed in Changye, he would lose the opportunity to reach the highest level.

Because of his mistake.

Song Ci lost the opportunity to become an apostle of Mr. Bai Shu.

He had felt guilty for these past few years.

A long time ago, Gu Nanfeng had believed in the "Name of Light" because Mr. Gu Changzhi was a hero of Dongzhou, and the Guang Ming Bi Lei was the teacher Mr. Gu Changzhi respected the most.

Such a person must also be a great hero, right?

Later, he realized that he was wrong.

It's just that some mistakes cannot be made up for.

Gu Nanfeng couldn't make it up to Song Ci, even if Song Ci said he didn't care... but he couldn't not care.

"You seem to have a lot of resentment towards me."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei sighed softly.

He said seriously, "If I told you that I'm about to die, and everything I'm doing now is to 'redeem' those mistakes I made during my life... would you believe it?"

Gu Nanfeng was stunned.

"A person's life will be filled with many, many things... some of these things are right, some are wrong."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei said slowly, "No one can only make the right choices in their life. The right and wrong of these things will be judged by later generations. I previously chose to be a 'spectator' on the other side of Red Lake, which led to the current two major camps. Now I want to do as much as I can before I die to make up for it, at least to avoid the outbreak of the 'God War' and let more people live."

Gu Nanfeng's eyes became complicated.

"The reason why I proposed the 'marriage' to you today."

"Because in a while, I will announce the successor to the Guang Ming Fire to the Five Continents."

The old man said softly, "Meng Xizhou will inherit the entire Temple. Once she becomes the 'Fire Seed Master', it won't be that simple for the Gu Clan to marry."

If the Guang Ming Goddess becomes the next Divine Seat.

Then how should he conduct himself?

In such an intensely turbulent situation, Gu Nanfeng's "Gu Clan Head" would seem insignificant compared to the "Guang Ming Bi Lei." The weight of the two could no longer be balanced.

The Empress of Beizhou never married in her life, partly because there were no men within the scope of the Five Continents that she could look up to.

Another reason.

Who was worthy of her?

The weight that the Fire Seed Inheritor had to bear was not something that mortals could share.

Marriage lost its meaning at this moment.

Gu Nanfeng took a deep breath, his voice a little hoarse, "The Guang Ming Fire is what she deserves."

"If I die and Meng Xizhou becomes the master of the Temple... then what can't be repaired between Xizhou and Changye?"

The old man tilted his head slightly and said with a smile, "Meng Xizhou, like you, resents me. I let Gao Mao do those things, which also hurt her... In a sense, she is also a victim of what the Temple has done over the years. Don't forget, she was still locked in the secret prison yesterday for six whole years."

These words made the lake in Gu Nanfeng's heart, which he had finally calmed down, ripple again.

He truly saw the hope of "peace."

If the Temple changed masters, then all conflicts could be resolved.

He stared blankly at the old man, the aging figure shrouded in radiance, making him unable to see clearly.

The Guang Ming Bi Lei's words were definitely not off the cuff.

Gu Nanfeng had always thought that this old man was letting everything happen... but now he thought of a deeper and farther possibility. All the suffering Meng Xizhou had experienced was seen by the Guang Ming Bi Lei, and perhaps this was part of the old man's plan.

Only such a "perfect victim" becoming the master of the Temple could perfectly resolve the conflict between Xizhou and Changye.

"I don't understand... I still don't understand..."

Gu Nanfeng murmured, "Why are you doing this?"

"I've already answered, I'm about to die."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei smiled and said, "The relationships I can't repair, Meng Xizhou can repair, and can repair perfectly..."

Gu Nanfeng shook his head, "The Gu family is insignificant before the Divine Seat's will."

"There are many things that even a god can't do."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei sighed softly, "If the Gu Clan is willing to merge with Guang Ming City, then some words in the Dongzhou territory can be said by the Gu Clan."

"Wait—"

Gu Nanfeng frowned and said, "What is the price of the marriage? Do you want the Gu Clan to cultivate believers for you?"

"Of course... not."

The old man smiled and said bluntly, "I'm already halfway into the grave, why would I care about those powers of faith?"

Gu Nanfeng reacted quickly, "So... there is indeed a price to the marriage?"

"Everything has a price."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei said sincerely, "But I don't want you to understand it that way... Regardless of whether this marriage is successful, I hope the Gu Clan can consider promoting the 'Awakening Act' in the Dongzhou territory. This is the second thing I wanted to talk to you about today. This matter is more important than marriage."

Gu Nanfeng stared intently at the Guang Ming before him.

"I know you don't understand, and I also know that Dongzhou successfully drove out the 'Awakening Act', and you spearheaded this."

The old man said calmly, "But the experiments in Sangzhou Cave have already proven the stability of the [Deep Sea] linking the mind. A large amount of source material from the Ice Sea has been attracted by Sangzhou Cave... Those transcendents who successfully awakened avoided the outbreak of 'black spots' along the coast of Nanzhou. The Storm Church did not encounter a 'collapse of order' crisis during the Divine Seat's absence. These data are enough to prove that the awakening experiment is controllable and stable."

"I'm sorry, the Awakening Act cannot be promoted in Dongzhou."

Gu Nanfeng said coldly, "The people of Dongzhou will not hand over their fate to the [Deep Sea]."

"Everyone in the world has already handed over their fate to the [Deep Sea]."

The old man standing in the radiance raised his arms and said softly, "Every inch of soil you walk on, every breath of air you breathe... is closely related to the [Deep Sea]. Transcendent beings need to rely on the 'mental network' to cultivate, ordinary people need to rely on the [Deep Sea] to live. Everyone has already handed over their fate."

"..."

Gu Nanfeng looked at the solemn and holy radiance, feeling a stinging sensation.

He frowned, "You... want to promote the 'Awakening Act'?"

"This is the only choice."

"Because... humanity's time is running out."

A large number of images poured out from the radiance. The old man's fingertips were entwined with billions of golden lights, and finally these images solidified...

A huge, broken land came into Gu Nanfeng's eyes.

"Thirty years ago, Gu Changzhi encountered an unprecedented source storm in the [Old World]."

"In order to stop this storm, he suffered incurable injuries... and died after returning to the Five Continents."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei said word by word, "Gu Changzhi tried to change the fate of the Five Continents with his life, but unfortunately, he failed. According to the latest calculations by the [Deep Sea], this unprecedented source storm has not dissipated... Ten years, twenty years, maybe shorter, maybe longer, but compared to the six hundred years of the Five Continents' history, these ten or twenty years are just a small wave, it is destined to reach the 'end'."

"At that time, everyone will face an unstoppable destruction."

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