Guiying always remembered Gu Junshi's instructions, not to expose himself in front of "Mu Junshi."
Because he could not see entities with his own eyes, he did not know that the person who had assumed the alias "Mu Junshi" had now had her true identity revealed, her original appearance exposed.
He acted according to his past demeanor of "loyal obedience" towards her and brought her to the Black River. Simultaneously, he secretly sent a message to Gu Junshi.
Guiying did not know what "Mu Junshi" intended to do at the Black River at this time, but he guessed that things were certainly not simple. The more urgent and critical the moment, the more likely her abrupt actions were to contain her true intentions.
Upon arriving at the Black River, he saw that the usually calm and flowing Black River was now flowing with black liquid. The seemingly clear water surface was a deep, unfathomable black, and the surging river, as if boiled in a large pot, emitted billowing black mist, astonishing onlookers.
Was the Black River always like this?
Of course not.
Its unusual changes made Guiying's heart alert. His consciousness transformed into a lavish net, probing the Black River, but he could not find the reason for its transformation.
"Do you see it? The power of the seal is gradually weakening."
Ziying naturally sensed Guiying's actions but harbored no suspicion. Instead, she stared rapturously at the Black River, her eyes filled with the eagerness of harvesting ripe fruit.
When the Black River's commotion grew to the point of surging whirlpools, Guiying finally felt through his spiritual sense that an unusual power within the Black River was disintegrating, while simultaneously, a terrifying power that made his scalp tingle was reviving and strengthening.
His consciousness was abruptly repelled, and he dared not delve deeper.
"My Lord, is something sealed within the Black River?"
Guiying's dim gray eyes fell listlessly to the side, and he asked in surprise.
Likely feeling that everything was well within her grasp, Ziying's mood remained good despite her earlier misfortune. The surging river water mirrored her current state of mind.
She crouched down and scooped up a handful of Black River water. As the water left the river, it became clear and transparent, but in an instant, it turned into turbid gas and evaporated.
"I do not know what is hidden within here, but it is very important to me, and I must retrieve it and take it away."
Not knowing what it was, yet feeling it was important—this statement was contradictory, but Guiying discerned that she was likely telling the truth.
At this moment, a clear, melodious voice entered Guiying's ears: "Ask her if the weakening of the seal is related to the breaking of the Fengdu city protection barrier."
Guiying's spirit jolted, knowing Gu Junshi had arrived. He composed himself and relayed the question to Ziying as instructed.
Ziying stood up, shifting her intensely focused gaze from the Black River to him. "You are very clever. It is indeed related, but it is not a city protection barrier at all. Its existence is merely to serve Fengdu City as a prison, or rather, a formation core. Once it is destroyed, Fengdu Ghost City will be completely out of control."
Guiying was stunned into silence for a long time.
Simultaneously, a strange suspicion arose in his heart. He had always known that this "Mu Junshi" desired Fengdu, and for that, she did not hesitate to incite conflict between the four ghost cities and the outer three cities of the Immortal Alliance's stationed territory, leading to the current full-scale war between both sides, which had become unmanageable.
He had thought her goal was to profit from the ensuing chaos, but perhaps he had been mistaken. Perhaps her ambitions were not for Fengdu after all…
"Lord."
Guiying immediately connected with Gu Junshi in his mind.
As if knowing what he was about to say, Gu Junshi spoke first, "Assist her in obtaining what is within the Black River."
Guiying had always obeyed her words without question.
"Yes."
Guiying no longer hesitated and spoke directly to Ziying, "In that case, with the barrier broken, what should we do next?"
Ziying would not have summoned him at this time if it were merely because she was injured or because everyone in the Mu Mansion had gone to the Fengdu battlefield. More importantly, she needed his help.
To call it help was an understatement; she needed his selfless contribution.
This was also why she had continuously used her Evil Eye to hypnotize him, impersonating the person most important to him.
Everything was for this moment… his willing cooperation.
Ziying knew he could not see her face, so she had always disguised herself by making her voice and tone appear more benevolent.
"Ye Jin, that item is of great importance to me, but obtaining it requires your help. Therefore, now is the time to demonstrate your unwavering loyalty."
"My Lord, whatever your command, please speak it directly."
Since Gu Junshi had instructed him to help Ziying obtain that item unconditionally, he would not refuse. However, he did not wish to hear her shameless and coy words anymore; being direct was preferable.
Seeing his promptness, Ziying stopped beating around the bush. "I need your twin eyes, the ones that are Tianmang [heavenly blind]."
"My eyes?" Guiying was truly taken aback that she was asking for a pair of blind eyes. He touched his eyes, which were incapable of sight, and scoffed, "They are so useless, yet they must help my Lord?"
"They are naturally useless to you, but they are a part of the unsealing process." Ziying grasped his hand.
Seeing him remain motionless, Ziying assumed he was unwilling to gouge out his eyes. "Gu Ye Jin, this is something you were destined to complete from birth. You may not understand it now, but you will soon…"
"It is not unwillingness."
Guiying said calmly. He was indeed not regretting these useless, blind eyes; he was merely awaiting his Lord's instruction, and she had not objected.
"Good, I will give them to you."
*Plop—*
His two fingers, like sharp blades, dug into his eyes. At the moment of piercing, his entire body's muscles tensed from the pain, and his breathing became heavy, yet he managed to pull out his eyeballs in one go.
Ziying narrowed her eyes slightly. Although she did not feel the pain herself, she averted her gaze with a slight discomfort, unwilling to face this scene of self-mutilation directly.
After taking the two bloody eyeballs, she couldn't help but look at his eye sockets, which were now just black holes. Blood streamed down, his lips tightly pursed, yet they remained devoid of color. His somber aura was like that of a pale ghost, brutally murdered.
"Quickly stop the bleeding."
Having managed to utter a word of concern, Ziying paid no further attention to Guiying's condition. She had more important matters to attend to.
He could not see. His two eyeballs were transformed by Ziying's magic into two streams of red light that plunged into the Black River.
Meanwhile, Ziying's appearance had also drastically changed. The wound on her body, inflicted by the "Demon Breaking Arrow," continued to tear despite her strong regenerative abilities. However, as her formerly human face gradually transformed into a seductive one, with long, dark eyebrows and purplish-red pupils, the wound began to heal during her demonization process.
The Ziying of the past, no matter how one looked at her, appeared human. But now, she was a complete demon.
When she transformed into her true demonic form, the suppressed power surged within her instantly. Utilizing the power of the two "eyeballs," she began to stir up the waters. The turbulent Black River split from its center, its currents like knife cuts, smoothly surging upwards on both sides, hollowing out a large area in the middle.
In the center of the divided flow, a pitch-black token floated upwards.