The Human Emperor’s face was undoubtedly green.
He refused to admit it, but everyone else agreed that even if his face wasn’t green, his head certainly was.
The radiant light was unprecedented. Plum blossoms bloomed in pairs on flourishing branches, like kingfishers flying together, their twin blossoms perpetually intertwined with their stems.
If everything could be described in a single line of poetry, it would be: “A purple flute plays the moon, a phoenix soars; verdant sleeves dance in the wind, a colorful roc.”
Liu Jiang Fusheng and Gu Junshi stood facing each other, their affections intertwined, a perfect match made in heaven.
Liu Jiang Fusheng, having achieved his heart’s desire, displayed a tenderness and affection in his usually cold demeanor for the first time.
He did not shy away from a public declaration of his deep feelings: “My heart for you has never changed. I loved you in sickness, I loved you in pain, I loved you in joy, I loved you in sorrow, I loved you in anger. There was never a moment of cessation.”
Gu Junshi listened with her whole heart. The light descending from the sky landed on her shoulders, reflecting a glow that made her deep-sea eyes seem to be adorned with a layer of starlight. Her somber hue lessened.
“It is I who realized too late. Fortunately, you have always been waiting for me.”
“It is I who should be fortunate, to have finally waited for you.”
Just as everyone was marveling at the deep affection of this couple, who had seemingly mended their broken mirror, the two, who had been confessing their true feelings a moment ago, suddenly struck at the same time.
The spiritual energy waves exploded outwards, rippling layer upon layer, like ten thousand horses neighing. The clash of their two powers was like waves crashing against a cliff face, a spectacular, surging spectacle.
Everyone was stunned.
For the breathtaking aura was enough to show that this was no lover’s quarrel or playful spar.
What in the world were they doing?!
The palpable killing intent and the all-out struggle, even separated by a barrier, even from a great distance, the mere touch of a thin layer of their power sent shivers down their spines, making their hair stand on end.
The unyielding impact force pulverized everything on the high platform, yet both of them, without exception, chose to protect the positions of Le Bao and Gu Sizhou.
“You want to kill me?”
Liu Jiang Fusheng’s robes fluttered gently. He stood calmly, his eyes betraying no surprise.
Gu Junshi’s gaze was like the sky over Fengdu Mountain. Her gentle eyes harbored a captivating sharpness.
She retorted, “Don’t you do the same?”
A tacit understanding passed between them. Their eyes held no less affection, but their killing intent remained undiminished.
“It is rare that our thoughts align.”
Liu Jiang Fusheng sighed softly.
Ever since Gu Junshi learned that he possessed the memories of their past lives, she had vaguely sensed that his love was true, but so was his hatred.
Perhaps even he himself did not understand, at times, whether his love was greater, or the suppressed, hidden hatred.
He smiled slightly: “In the first life, before I died, you told me your true name. You said that if there was a next life, I could come seeking you for revenge.”
Gu Junshi recalled. Although it had been hundreds of years ago for her, and she couldn’t clearly remember what she had said to him, she had a vague impression of that sentence.
“Whether it is love or hate, let the entangled grievances of these past lives end today.”
Liu Jiang Fusheng’s eyes were filled with both sorrow and joy. He was like a clay sculpture pieced together after being shattered, its surface smoothed over the scars, but its interior irrecoverably broken.
“Good.”
—
“What is going on? Weren’t they just fine a moment ago? How did they suddenly start fighting?” Ru Lan was completely bewildered by this turn of events.
Lu Ziyin was also inexplicably surprised: “What does Liu Jiang Fusheng want to do? Can he even defeat Gu Junshi?”
Ru Lan and Yan Tianjiao looked at him speechlessly.
“What’s wrong with your pig brain? Is this the time to be talking about something like that?”
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen. Since they love each other, they surely wouldn’t bear to hurt each other.” Lu Ziyin fanned himself, looking as if he saw through everything.
As soon as he spoke, dark clouds dispersed, and a golden light flashed from the distance, landing behind them.
As the spiritual light faded, Cheng Hong appeared, clad in snow-white robes, his face gentle and serene.
“Brother?”
Ru Lan turned and rushed towards him with surprise.
“Why has the Buddhist Son come?” Lu Ziyin asked in astonishment.
Yan Tianjiao frowned strangely: “Weren’t you unwilling to attend this wedding?”
However, Cheng Hong had no intention of engaging in pleasantries with them. Instead, his expression was grave: “The demon army has begun large-scale movements. The spiritual springs in the Extreme West’s Qing Ling and the Blissful Heaven have all dried up, and a large number of spiritual plants and heavenly treasures have withered. I suspect the Celestial Demon is about to be born.”
They were all stunned.
“Do the sect leaders and elder stewards know about this matter?”
“Someone is investigating and reporting this matter.”
Yan Tianjiao’s mood was heavy: “The Celestial Demon draws strength from the resentful spirits. Whether the demon army kills or not, they will provide evil power to the Celestial Demon. Now, the only way is to find a way to resolve the accumulated resentful spirits and wandering souls of these past thousand years and cleanse the twenty-eight heavens.”
Lu Ziyin was troubled: “How can this matter be resolved? The Supreme Mansion says that it can only be resolved if the underworld reappears in the Six Realms, but this is not something that you or I can accomplish.”
Cheng Hong gazed into the distance, and after a long while, said, “There is one person who can accomplish it.”
“Who?” Ru Lan’s eyes widened.
Cheng Hong seemed extremely reluctant, but forced by the reality, he said, “Gu Junshi.”
“What do you mean? What does this have to do with her?” Lu Ziyin asked.
Cheng Hong raised his eyes and said calmly, “She can control death qi, which means she must have a connection to the underworld.”
The three of them were momentarily at a loss for how to react.
Cheng Hong’s words left them no choice but to believe. Not only because monks do not lie, but also because they trusted his character and believed he would not fabricate falsehoods.
Death qi.
Only those from the underworld could wield it, just as demonic qi could only be possessed by those from the demon realm or those who had entered demonic cultivation.
Just as they were looking at each other in speechless dismay, a fiery red light suddenly flashed past. Cheng Hong slightly turned his head.
“That scoundrel Human Emperor! He actually tied me up in a dark cave! He promised we’d get married today! You reneging, despicable villain!”
Before the red light could travel far, Cheng Hong pulled the peacock kasaya draped over him, transforming it into a Dharma robe and enveloping the red light.
“Sect Leader Wei.”
Cheng Hong chanted a spell, performing a immobilization technique, causing Wei Li to stiffen completely, unable to move.
“It’s you! What are you trying to do?”
Wei Li, seeing who was blocking him, had his silver hair fly up without wind. He gritted his teeth in anger.
Cheng Hong looked at him calmly, his pupils swirling like ink infused with gold, dignified and transcendent: “Sect Leader Wei, she still owes you a karmic debt. In order to successfully ascend, she will surely not stand idly by regarding your affairs.”
“What are you talking about?” Wei Li looked at Cheng Hong, his eyes sharp.
Cheng Hong’s eyes held compassion, but his actions were without any leniency.
He clasped his palms together: “For the sake of all living beings in this world, I can only inconvenience you temporarily.”
Saying this, and before Wei Li could object, he forcibly transformed Wei Li into his original fox form. With a flick of his wide sleeve, he summoned wind and drew him into the Qiankun Plate.