The "Heavenly Way" within Liu Jiangfusheng's body differentiated into a remnant consciousness, transforming into a crimson-gold swimming dragon that coiled above his head, its whiskers swaying, its vertical pupils majestic.
"Look, even if she admits she likes you, what of it? All of this is merely so she can ascend, to achieve what she desires. For that, she can easily abandon you."
Liu Jiangfusheng replied with a calm expression, "I told you, I understand her better than you do."
"Then kill her. You are no match for her now, but with me here, she shall not presume to be arrogant."
The "Heavenly Way" clearly harbored deep resentment towards Gu Junshi. After a cold, venomous gaze at her for a moment, it transformed into a dragon's body, revolving around Liu Jiangfusheng like a halo of light.
Immortal energy flowed like water around him, radiance merging and finally condensing into a slender neck that pressed against his throat. Liu Jiangfusheng's cultivation surged, his divine countenance sculpted, his skin fair and delicate, exuding a faint, ethereal fragrance like flowers in the moonlight, bringing him infinitely close to the image of an immortal.
"Heh heh..." At this moment, the inner demon Li Sheng also emerged.
His eyebrows were slender as if meticulously drawn, his red lips curved into an exaggerated smile, filled with a chilling madness.
"You and I are one. Your thoughts, your desires, your wishes, I am privy to them all."
The inner demon leaned closer to his face, but his gaze was fixed on Gu Junshi. With a flick of his robes, crimson intent surged, and he, along with the "Heavenly Way," entered Liu Jiangfusheng's body.
"Ughhh—"
What was the feeling of light and darkness being absorbed into the body simultaneously?
Conflict, confrontation, and slaughter.
Liu Jiangfusheng furrowed his brows, veins bulging on his forehead, his teeth clenched tightly.
His silver eyes were as clear and bright as the moon, yet his dark, long eyebrows and crimson lips lent him an aura akin to a demon god.
Liu Jiangfusheng finally ceased suppressing his true self. He seemed to be in irredeemable pain, his gaze split like a cold half-moon and a hazy crimson.
"You know, how long have I waited for this day... In that hellish death from which there was no escape, more than just my hope was buried in oblivion; my former self was too."
The first time he died, he was heartbroken and sorrowful, unable to rest in peace.
The second time he died, he was filled with resentment and confusion, only wanting to understand.
The third time he died, he no longer wished to know why; he only wanted to escape this predicament. He had thought that as long as Gu Junshi held even a sliver of kindness towards him, he could overlook everything...
The fourth time he died, he would rather have truly died then than continue this fate.
The fourth time, the fifth time... He had completely given up on seeking salvation. When he could finally face that desperate situation, it meant he no longer needed any redemption.
He would even kill the one who made his heart "live" again, the one who had caused him to endure for hundreds or thousands of years to regain his past tranquility.
Now, no matter how much love he received, it could no longer save him.
His peace could only be regained through a more tragic and decisive method.
Gu Junshi's hair fluttered before her forehead, her long, deep eyelashes glinting with a light. She held Wuxiang, which, at her will, transformed into a long, curved scythe, its hook seamless, exuding a flowing sharpness that froze the air three feet deep.
Liu Jiangfusheng's killing intent was genuine, but was Gu Junshi's any less so?
He stepped forward and asked her, "I remember you once said that if one day you were to kill me, it would be because you had fallen in love with me."
Gu Junshi also stepped forward, "Yes."
"But how can there be such selfish love in this world?" Liu Jiangfusheng said with a hollow laugh.
Gu Junshi remained silent for a moment before replying, "Perhaps you can understand it as... love is fulfillment. Only after sacrificing love can everything usher in ideals."
"You always have your reasons. Anything can be placed above your liking for me. Such cheap liking..."
Liu Jiangfusheng did not believe her at all, thinking her perception of "liking" was mere self-deception.
"Then have you ever regretted treating me that way? Me, who had lost all memory, yet only knew to trust you foolishly?"
Gu Junshi lowered her eyes slightly.
Her answer was the same as it had been before.
She did not wish to be a discarded chess piece of the Heavenly Way, like "Gu Yi," nor a stepping stone. She wanted to break free from the constraints of the cage; she wanted to soar towards a higher, more expansive sky. Thus, her love was indeed selfish and cheap.
However, she did not say it directly as she had before: "What if I regret it, or what if I don't?"
Liu Jiangfusheng curled his lips, saying hatefully, "If you don't regret it, it means you never loved me."
Gu Junshi stared at him, her throat tight, her voice rough and hoarse, "You don't believe me, so you deny my words. Even if we love each other, there is still no trust between us. Love, for me, is like a beautiful landscape; it can shake the heart, but it cannot become a scene in daily life."
Liu Jiangfusheng's heart ached at her words. He asked mockingly, "What do you mean by that?"
In other words, there were too many things separating them. They could know and love each other, but they could not stay together.
"Fusheng, I didn't understand the weight of affection before; you taught me that. You don't need to doubt this. I stand here now. Whatever you are owed, come and take it. Your hatred, your resentment, I will accept it all."
Liu Jiangfusheng's eyes reddened, his heart feeling as if it had been carved by a thousand knives.
"This is you... doing the most cruel things, yet being as forthright as the most innocent person."
"Precisely, kill her—seize the passage to the underworld." The Heavenly Way echoed sternly.
It tightened its grip on Liu Jiangfusheng. His pupils flickered for a moment, and with a swift movement, he appeared before Gu Junshi.
As Gu Junshi looked up, she raised her hand to block.
Screech—Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, large waves of shimmering light scattering. Gu Junshi stood her ground, her feet sinking three inches into the ground, while Liu Jiangfusheng descended with a slash. The impact of their respective powers created a vividly divided scene.
Behind Gu Junshi was a vast expanse of darkness and gloom, while Liu Jiangfusheng was bathed in ethereal green light.
These contrasting colors made their battle scene starkly defined. She, representing mysterious black, and he, a radiant jade-green, were like the night and day that could only alternate but never coexist.
"Even if you obtain the Gate of the Underworld, you cannot claim it as your own," she narrowed her eyes and said calmly.
"Do you think by saying that, I will believe you?"
The Heavenly Way's voice resonated deeply, and from empty space, a "dragon claw" with hardened, scaled tips extended, clamping onto Gu Junshi's neck.
"For these myriad souls, you must die!"
Gu Junshi's expression remained unchanged. She countered by turning her weapon. The long scythe vaporized, transforming into mist. With a twist, Wuxiang in her hand became a slender female sword, weaving fluidly around the "dragon claw."
Deathly qi flowed from Gu Junshi's body onto the sword's hilt. The "dragon claw" was immediately eroded by a corrosive aura and dissipated.
At this moment, Liu Jiangfusheng brought his sword horizontally, the wind slicing through layers of resistance, arriving with extreme speed and steadiness.
Gu Junshi turned her head. The wind from behind lifted her back, her robes fluttering like lotuses blooming on a summer night, yet her frame remained unyielding. She extended a finger, and the sword's tip met an invisible barrier, unable to advance another inch.