What secrets did he truly hide, and why did those pair of sinister, scarlet eyes dwell within his body? Was he aware, or merely deceived…
Gu Junshi, lost in deep contemplation, lowered her long, dark lashes, casting shadows that veiled her usually indifferent yet imposing eyes.
Moreover, what was the trigger for its appearance? She recalled the ghost infant, in a state of extreme exhaustion after fainting, nearly falling into the Sword Cleansing Pool, only to be enveloped by spiritual energy and burst to death. It seemed to have teetered on the brink of life and death…
Perhaps, by attempting to create a killing opportunity on him again… she could draw out those "evil eyes."
She had not overlooked the moment it abruptly appeared; the "claws" of its malevolent aura were unrestrained. It had greedily and urgently sucked dry the surrounding vitality in an instant, causing all spirits to dim and perish. The area around the Sword Cleansing Pool fell into a vacuum, and even the Yellow Springs death energy within her body showed signs of collapse and leakage.
This crudely consuming, desperately devouring entity that could only grow stronger by filling itself could never be a symbol of justice or mercy…
Recalling the "Heavenly Gate" and the frigid, sealed Yin of the cultivation world, after the great slaughter war that erupted between the demon, devil, and spirit realms a thousand years ago, the "Gate of the Yellow Springs" had hidden itself. The Underworld vanished entirely from the six realms, leading to countless masterless wandering souls in the three realms, and no one could ascend thereafter.
Connecting these events with the pair of blood-red pupils within the Heavenly Gate… after repeating the beginning countless times, she had unknowingly gathered fragmented pieces of events that ordinary people would never encounter. This time, Gu Junshi had inadvertently captured a momentous event, one whose tail had not yet been cleaned up.
She thought that no matter what kind of existence the other party was, or what grand conspiracy they might be brewing with malicious intent, if they obstructed her ascension, she would not allow them to continue their rampant existence.
It's just… what role did this ghost infant play in all of this?
Gu Junshi's gentle gaze gradually deepened. She watched as if a dark abyss was staring, making the ghost infant, who could see nothing, feel a chill down its spine.
He could easily discern malice and kindness with his keenly honed senses since childhood, but this was the first time he had encountered such pure killing intent, devoid of any impurities, neither good nor evil.
He tilted his head, his ears straining to listen to the whistling wind echoing through the valley. His pale purple lips tightened into a thin line, and he took a step back with some unease.
Animal instinct made him sense the vast chasm in strength between him and the other party, like a difference between heaven and earth.
At this moment, the cold water of the Sword Cleansing Pool suddenly made strange "gurgling" sounds. Gu Junshi's expression shifted, and she retracted her gaze, turning towards it. She saw large areas of the emerald water boiling like hot water, with fist-sized "bubbles" erupting from the bottom. This was the spiritual energy nurtured by the sword pool becoming agitated.
Gu Junshi slowly turned around and stood firm, her expression somewhat solemn, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
She saw the emerald light of the pool receding inch by inch from the edge. A gust of wind, stirring the surface like a vortex, churned the water. The spiritual energy that had re-condensed around began to churn chaotically, as if being forcefully drawn and sacrificed in one direction.
At this time, the mixed lights of water, starlight, moonlight, and sword light were all being frantically absorbed by a dull, unadorned black sword embryo. It flew into the air within the whirlwind, gathering the spiritual power of heaven and earth to slowly temper its clumsy "outer shell." Shedding its mold, sharpening its edge, and cleansing itself, it gradually radiated brilliance. Mist and cold wind coiled around its form, exuding an extraordinary aura.
Did such an ordinary Sword Cleansing Pool nurture a congenital spiritual artifact?
Gu Junshi frowned. Such a grand display… her pupils reflected the light, clear as if washed. She murmured, "It should at least be a Heaven-tier spiritual artifact…"
Adhering to the traditional rules of the cultivation world, encountering an opportunity by chance was equivalent to it being freely given. She immediately cast a protective barrier to prevent the spiritual artifact's appearance from causing excessive disturbance and attracting the prying eyes and covetous desires of others.
But unexpectedly, the situation changed drastically. Thunder rumbled, and electric light, as cold and white as giant pythons, writhed and tumbled within the dark clouds. Then, a thick "white chain" descended with immense force, striking the sword embryo that was undergoing transformation.
Instantly, thunder shook the heavens, and the electric light flashed as bright as day. Of course, Gu Junshi's mere Golden Core barrier shattered like fragile paper. The intense light dispersed the pervasive darkness, illuminating the entire Nine Devouring Mountain.
Rarely, even Gu Junshi was stunned into silence.
Heavenly lightning… had fallen?
When a Heaven-tier spiritual artifact appeared, there would be celestial phenomena, but it would not warrant such a large-scale mobilization to attract heavenly lightning to help it refine and shed its "fetish," unless…
Could the spiritual energy from these eleven days create an "immortal artifact"?!
The probability of such an event occurring was as astronomically low as digging up a gold brick from a thatched hut.
Since all of this happened beyond Gu Junshi's expectations, it was natural that the Great Evolution Sect would not be able to conceal this commotion. She decided to strike first.
As the power of the heavenly lightning and the white lightning chain dissipated, and the immortal artifact was on the verge of completion, her hand was covered in a layer of blue-black flame, as if her skin had grown a layer of hard dragon scale armor.
However, the moment she touched the sword's body, it suddenly erupted with an incredibly sharp white sword energy, as if fiercely resisting and unwilling to fall into her hands, for it sensed a dark aura from her that it extremely disliked.
Gu Junshi, currently re-cultivating the path of immortality, had shallow cultivation and could not approach it directly for a time.
A long sword cry soared through the air, an unending sword cry formed by the convergence of countless sword intents in the world, piercing the firmament. The heavens and earth seemed to split apart, and the layered, overlapping clouds were instantly dispersed and scattered. The heavens and earth became clear, bathed in pure moonlight. The depleted pool was once again filled with surging spiritual power, as dark and emerald as a royal seal.
The immortal sword hovered in mid-air, being bathed by the gentle moonlight. Its body was as clear and lustrous as glazed glass, with glistening frost flowing in the emptiness. It was a sword of utmost purity and cleanliness.
Gu Junshi stared intently at this immortal sword, certain images flashing through her mind.
Suddenly, she remembered. No wonder, after receiving blessings for eleven days, the little devoted husband's first golden finger upon entering the immortal cultivation sect was a quasi-immortal sword!
As she stared at the immortal sword with complex, dark eyes, the ghost infant on the side suddenly shot forward like an arrow. Like a famished beast, it bit down on the sword's body and refused to let go.
Although the immortal sword had just emerged and its consciousness was still nascent, it instinctively felt its pure and flawless body had been violated. It immediately flew into a rage.
Gu Junshi frowned, "Let go of it. It doesn't belong to you."
She vaguely recalled that the sword spirit of this quasi-immortal artifact had extreme洁癖 (jié pǐ - germaphobia/obsessive cleanliness). Towards those with inferior spiritual roots and those who were "filthy and dark," it possessed a strong, unyielding resistance, to the point of preferring death.
But the ghost infant did not believe her. He held on with all his might, refusing to let go, even if it meant death.
If he wanted to become a powerful sword cultivator who could live as long as heaven and earth, he had to possess a formidable sword. He had no money to even buy an ordinary sword. His thoughts at this moment were largely the same as Gu Junshi's earlier thoughts: since he had encountered such an opportunity today, he would fight to the death to obtain it.
Although he was blind, he could sense all the intense changes around him. This was definitely not an ordinary sword. Possessing it would allow him to escape his weak, powerless, and humble circumstances. Therefore, his mind was filled with madness and obsession at this moment.