The Green Ox Ghost had a bull's head and horns, but its body was made of insect and spider-like legs, appearing monstrous and ferocious.
Because he was speaking with Gu Er, it had shrunk its body. However, it still stood over five zhang tall, its body long and wide, giving it an unapproachable presence compared to ordinary humans.
"Yes!"
Gu Er, showing no fear, insisted, "Let me pass!"
The Green Ox Ghost gazed at him deeply, its dry, unpleasant, rough voice accompanied by a hiss, "You will die."
This was a definitive statement.
It was convinced that with Gu Er's current strength, not only could he not contend with a demon god, but he wouldn't even be able to survive within the demon god's attack range.
"Does this old man fear death?" Gu Er's pale golden eyes shone brightly. He arrogantly lifted his head, looking directly at the air. "It's just death."
The Green Ox Ghost, certain of the sincerity in his words, nodded with satisfaction. "As expected of our King's brother. Gu Zhu, please proceed."
The title "Gu Zhu" solidified Gu Er's position among these underworld specters and ghostly beings. His sincere and life-risking familial affection for Gu Junshi had earned him their recognition and respect.
It stepped aside, and the other specters, in a show of respect, shrunk their massive forms before him, then retreated to form a line, creating a passage for him.
Gu Er stared blankly for a long moment, his thoughts cycling back and forth on the phrase "our King's brother," a mixture of bitterness and sweetness filling him with indescribable emotions.
He lowered his eyelids slightly.
His lips seemed sewn shut as he spoke, his words muffled, "I..."
Perhaps he wasn't her brother, but...
But...
Gu Er's gaze flickered, and he suddenly clenched his fist.
But she recognized him, and he had long since recognized her!
Regardless of whether it was true or not, he now only wanted to stand by her side, to face the enemy with her.
Just as they had always been, never abandoning each other as siblings.
"Then I will go with you!"
At this moment, Tan Ya, who had been silent, spoke up.
The Green Ox Ghost also glanced at him. Its eyes were unlike human eyes with clear black and white, nor were they like beastly cold vertical pupils. Instead, they were pure green without pupils, appearing like two deep and clear heliodor stones up close, and like two swirling, mind-capturing green abysses from afar.
It nodded, "Possible."
After a moment's hesitation, Ru Lan impulsively shouted, "I'm going too!"
The people from the Dayǎn Sect hesitated, then looked at Tan Ya. "Then we will all go together."
However, this time the Green Ox Ghost did not grant permission as readily. It scanned them and flatly refused, "You cannot."
...Not yet.
Wait a little longer, just a little longer.
It hoped everything would eventually come to fruition, that everything would eventually be in time.
"Why?!"
The others were confused.
But the Green Ox Ghost did not answer them. Instead, it looked towards the Human Emperor and Cheng Hong, its green eyes, which seemed to hold countless secrets, conveying a profound meaning.
Gu Er flew through the air, but he discovered that his earlier thoughts were indeed too naive.
He had wanted to fight alongside Gu Junshi, to be her shield and her spear, to block blows for her and slay enemies for her.
But when he arrived at the battlefield, he found that he could not get close. Before he even reached the edge of the deep pit, he was already struggling to breathe under the pressure of the violent air currents surrounding him.
He was a Hanba, and possessed an immortal body, but his senses had been cultivated for a long time. He could perceive the cold, heat, pain, and itchiness that ordinary people could.
He gritted his teeth, and at first, he moved forward step by step, desperately trying to push his way in.
"Tsk, it's just malevolent energy, isn't it? I, Gu Chuhao, don't believe it can eat me!"
But later, the joints of his knees were cut, his joints were squeezed and bent, and he could no longer even walk upright.
But he was such a stubborn person, he simply crawled on the ground, wriggling his body to get in.
"Who told you to come!"
Dust swirled around the edge of the deep pit, and a deep, cold, reproving voice suddenly sounded from behind Gu Er.
He recognized it, his eyes widening for a moment, then he turned his head in surprise and joy.
"Sis—"
Before he could even finish calling out "Sis," his eyes had already started to water uncontrollably.
He quickly explained, "I... I was worried about you, so I came to see."
Gu Junshi's figure was blurry behind the dust and fog. She strode closer to him.
Gu Er heard her footsteps, a rustling sound, and his heart pounded. He forgot to swallow his saliva.
This was the first time Gu Er had been so far from her since she became the Underworld King. He raised his neck in anticipation, then retracted it slightly, feeling a moment of intimacy mixed with apprehension.
He felt that she had changed considerably.
Before, he knew his sister was powerful, a genius far surpassing the "prodigies" spoken of by the world.
But now, he truly understood that his sister was not some unattainable existence that others spoke of. A more accurate description of her would be "terrifying."
Her power was awe-inspiring.
"Did the Green Ox Ghost send you?"
Gu Er, hearing her words, was surprised, "You know?"
Gu Junshi rubbed her forehead with a hint of a headache. Seeing his wide-eyed foolishness, she paused, "You... you should know by now."
Gu Er's gaze involuntarily drifted to the lower left.
"What?"
Gu Junshi raised an eyebrow. "Stop pretending to be stupid. You've always been like an idiot in front of me. If you keep pretending, you'll really become one."
Seeing that he could not deceive her, Gu Er decided to give up all pretense. "Sis, I don't know what happened. I believe that as long as I ask, you will definitely not lie to me. You didn't need to go to such lengths to deceive such a fool as me..."
His hands rested on the ground, and he clenched his fists. "We'll talk about future matters later. For now... I recognize you. Do you recognize me?"
He mustered all his courage, raised his head, his eyes red like a rabbit's, filled with stubbornness and grievance.
The dust and smoke grew thinner and more diffuse, and Gu Junshi's face became clearer.
She walked up to Gu Er. The hem of her black and gold embroidered robe brushed the ground, its darkness so profound that even sunlight could not leave any trace of variegation.
"From this moment on, you are my brother, Gu Junshi."
Gu Er was overjoyed at first, but after savoring her words, he became dissatisfied.
"Then before this, weren't I?" he grumbled indignantly.
Even his way of expressing anger was so timid. He couldn't help but despise himself, thinking that he would probably never escape from his sister's influence in this life.
Although his voice was quiet, Gu Junshi heard it clearly.
"Before, you saw me as whoever you wished, and you were their brother. Now that you have seen me clearly, yet your feelings have not changed, then from this day forward, you are my true brother, Gu Junshi. I am not a substitute for anyone, nor do I wish to be sentimental. Therefore, Gu Chuhao..."
She raised her sleeve and squatted before him, lowering her solitary gaze, a gaze forged by the tempering of wind and frost.
"It is you who misjudged people, and thus you have no right to complain any further."
Gu Er stared at her blankly. This was the first time he had heard her speak like this. She never liked to explain too much to others, and sometimes her words were so cryptic that they left others in a daze.
But now, she was seriously telling him.
She was telling him the reason.
And for the first time in front of him, she was revealing her true feelings.
If anyone else had said these words, it would have been considered overly sentimental, and after clearing up misunderstandings, they might have hugged and cried to show their deep sibling affection. But she simply stated them plainly, and yet, it moved Gu Er to tears.
He suppressed the urge to cry, and immediately expressed his loyalty, "...You are also my real sister. I am not stupid. Everything you have done for me, I remember it all."
Gu Junshi smiled, then stood up.
"You should leave."
"Go where?" he instinctively replied, but then quickly realized, "Sis, are you alright? What do you mean 'should leave'? I came here to find you!"
Gu Junshi tilted her head, glancing at him playfully. "Do you really think the demon gods are like the kittens and puppies we used to deal with? You wouldn't even be able to touch their edges before being annihilated by the heavenly powers. Hurry back."
She moved forward, her voice fading into an ethereal whisper, leaving no trace.
"I will have the specters of the underworld protect you. As long as I am alive, you will be fine."
Gu Er, hearing this, was naturally unwilling, but he couldn't even get up to crawl. "No, I've already come—"
Before he could finish his protest, he was astonished to find his entire body floating uncontrollably, like a fallen leaf carried by the wind.
"Sis, what's going on? What did you do to me?" he yelled angrily.
"Do you know why the Green Ox Ghost let you come?" Gu Junshi, no longer visible, her voice reached Gu Er's ears clearly. "Go back and tell him, I don't need it."
Gu Er did not understand the meaning of her words, but he had no chance to speak again, for he soon found that he could not think of anything, tilted his head, and lost consciousness.
When Gu Er regained consciousness, he found himself standing safely outside the heavenly pit, with Tan Ya standing beside him.
"How is this possible..."
He and Tan Ya had not gone far.
He quickly grabbed Tan Ya. "What's going on? Why are we here?"
Tan Ya was also stunned for a moment, then asked Gu Er, "Did you just see Gu Junshi?"
Gu Er's eyes flickered. "I, I should have seen her... but..."
Tan Ya understood.
"She stopped us beforehand."
Tan Ya let out a long sigh, but the blockage in his chest remained.
"She never intended for us to interfere. She wouldn't even allow us to get close."
"She's taken so many heavy blows from the demon god. Will she really be alright?" Gu Er was anxiously pacing.
Tan Ya chuckled at his words. "She should be fine. After all, she still had time to bother with us."
As soon as he uttered these sarcastic words, the surrounding murky dust was swept away by a howling wind.
They stood alert, raising their shields. Before they could assess the situation, their peripheral vision caught sight of a figure leaping from the deep pit into the air.
This person was Gu Junshi.
She was unharmed, but not entirely unscathed.
The demon god seemed to have been waiting for her. It knew Gu Junshi's strength better than anyone. If she were to die so easily, why would it have possessed the body of a ghost infant to deal with her?
Clapping its hands, the demon god did not hesitate to praise, "Very good, very good. You are truly a receptive and gifted individual. A newly ascended immortal, yet you can withstand my demonic energy attacks. Even the high immortals of the upper realms might not be able to achieve this."