As Liu Jiang Fusheng obtained the clue for passing the trial, roaring sounds of varying degrees echoed from other directions, like a massive avalanche, shaking the earth and mountains.
Liu Jiang Fusheng glanced over and guessed the reason, but his expression was indifferent, showing little concern, even though one of them was his senior sister from the same sect who was in danger.
Taking out the treasure-hunting rat, which refused to stay in the "Najié" (storage ring), he spread the beast skin flat with one hand and scanned the words on it.
Silver, Flower, Iron, Tree.
Four words.
Four words with unclear meanings.
They could be scenery or they could be objects. After he read them, the beast skin turned into nothingness at his fingertips.
If it were scenery, then in the actual scenery of the First Illusory Realm, there was no such thing as "silver flower iron tree." This was a desolate valley with glaciers. Everywhere he looked were ice surfaces that never melted, covered in silver. Where were the flowers and trees?
Therefore, it must be figurative.
If it were a description of an artistic conception, then "silver" and "iron" would be adjectives, and "flower" and "tree" might not be literal flowers and trees. This meant he had to find places that resembled "silver flower" and "iron tree."
But if considered from the perspective of character decomposition and decryption, these four characters contained gold and wood from the Five Elements, so the place to find would be in the direction of gold and wood…
While contemplating, Liu Jiang Fusheng walked forward silently. His hairband fluttered gently in the light breeze, and his ink-black hair was as vibrant as ever. His aura was growing stronger. He had just fought with a demon beast, yet he showed no signs of pressure or fatigue. His back, in the deep, hidden sea mist, seemed even more ethereal than the frozen mist of the river.
Gu Junshi glanced at him, seeing his steady and determined steps. Did he know the answer?
"Why are you looking at me?"
Perhaps it was because her gaze had lingered for too long, Liu Jiang Fusheng lowered his bright and shining eyes. His gaze held too many unfathomable insights.
The "treasure-hunting rat" blinked its gem-like eyes, then shook its white whiskers and nudged its small head against his snow-white, clear jawline… gently rubbing.
The soft, warm fur brushed against his cold, sharp jaw. He was stunned for a moment. This gentle, caring gesture broke through his defenses. In an instant, the icy, purposeful look in his eyes, still lingering from the battle, softened.
He shifted his gaze and suddenly said, "...You are not bonded with me, yet you willingly follow me. You stayed by my side through this fierce battle without leaving. In a moment of crisis, I didn't know what to call you. How about I give you a name?"
A name?
Gu Junshi was greatly surprised.
She remembered that Liu Jiang Fusheng was naturally cold and indifferent, rarely interested in external matters. When his immortal sword was still called "Immortal Sword" for several years, she knew he was not the type to bother naming things around him. He probably thought that if the immortal sword was called "Immortal Sword," that was enough and it didn't need a new name.
It was Gu Junshi, as the mistress, who, seeing the immortal sword "obedient" and sensible, and incidentally learning that Liu Jiang Fusheng had always called it "Immortal Sword" without even giving it a proper name, had given it a name according to the original plot—Bai Luo.
Now, he was showing differential treatment by wanting to name the treasure-hunting rat. Was it truly out of gratitude for its selfless help in the previous dangerous situation?
Squeak~
She nodded, agreeing on behalf of the treasure-hunting rat.
"Then let's call it Gu Xiao Yi."
Gu Junshi: "..."
He was calling the treasure-hunting rat what?
Liu Jiang Fusheng seemed to have already decided on the name, and asking it was merely a polite gesture. The outcome would not change the fact that the treasure-hunting rat was designated to be called "Gu Xiao Yi."
"From now on, you'll be called Gu Xiao Yi, alright?"
Gu Junshi didn't nod this time, but she didn't feel much aversion either.
However, for a moment, her cold, piercing eyes shot into his. But the other party was as clear as water, appearing calm without any superfluous expression, so she instantly reverted to a deep, boundless darkness.
The name he chose… was interesting.
Was this a test for it?
Gu Junshi was smiling, though the treasure-hunting rat was just a rare beast and could not express human emotions.
Perhaps it was because she had lived for too long. Except for the first life which had some ups and downs, the remaining repeated lives had been too boring.
To speak of her previous interest in Liu Jiang Fusheng, it was more of a hormonal attraction. There might have been some affection, after all, she had interacted with him so many times. But any further admiration for him as a person was gone.
Because in her eyes, his personality and behavior were too well-behaved, like a cat that had been tamed to the point of losing its wildness. He was beautiful, but lacked the essential flavor. She also had the inherent flaws of humans. When one person no longer posed a challenge to another, the attraction between the sexes naturally diminished.
Therefore, even though she wanted to use him to enter the Path of Sentiments, she remained stagnant, stuck at the threshold.
Now, his current demeanor had piqued her curiosity about him.
So, he also had this kind of subtle, hidden aggression.
She was sensitive and bold in seeking verification.
When did he change?
It must have been that day, after she brought Gu Er to find Yuandao and returned. She discovered that something seemed to be missing from him, yet something else had been added. Like a mirror hidden in a deep box, the deeper he hid it, the more she wanted to explore those secrets.
Her little husband, no, it should be Liu Jiang Fusheng now. She was looking forward to what he would be like when he truly grew up, and even looked forward to what he would be like if he recovered his memories and became the Liu Jiang Fusheng from the original plot.
Perhaps she was overthinking it. She thought she wanted the meek little husband who was obedient to her in every way, making it easier for her to control everything from behind the scenes, allowing her to achieve her goals step by step according to her own plan.
But this "little husband" was not the real Liu Jiang Fusheng. A monotonous person with no past could only present a shallow persona, thus failing to engage her.
So, to break the current stalemate, should she return his memories to him?
Gu Junshi was contemplating what to do.
"Do you like this name?"
He curled his ice-jade-like index finger and gently stroked her thin, soft ear.
That spot was covered with nerve endings, sensitive and fragile.
Uncontrollably, the "treasure-hunting rat's" eyes lazily narrowed, with a hint of enjoyment and impatience, a blush rising in them.
Squeak~
The pupils of his eyes darkened, like the deep sea churning with unfathomable darkness. He reached out and lifted it, preparing to do something, when a clear voice suddenly came from behind: "Fellow Daoist Liu Jiang ahead, have you seen my junior sister?"
Liu Jiang Fusheng paused, turned his face, and his peripheral vision caught sight of Ru Lan, who was dressed in a pale pink flowing robe. Her eyes were bright, and her teeth were white. She smiled with pursed lips. If anyone else saw her, they wouldn't feel at all disturbed or annoyed.
No, in Liu Jiang Fusheng's eyes, her appearance at this moment was an eyesore.
Ru Lan had just dealt with a demon beast and hadn't suffered much damage. At a critical moment, she saw through the opponent as an illusionary being and obtained the clue for passing. She happened to sense the spiritual energy fluctuations from different directions and assumed that others were also in similar situations.
So, she rushed towards the closest location and saw this junior disciple of the Dayan Sect. It happened that things were also settled on his side.
As she hurried over, she saw the damaged environment. This Dayan Sect disciple must have encountered some formidable demon beast. The scale of destruction and the commotion were truly not small.
"I have not."
With just two simple words, he raised his hand in a salute and turned to head directly forward.
Ru Lan saw that even with such a cold demeanor, he remained as handsome as ever, exuding an irresistible charm that made one lose their soul. Even though she had someone in her heart, she couldn't help but be moved a little.
She knew of this person called Liu Jiang Fusheng. Even without deliberately inquiring, after the "Minor Competition," his reputation had spread like wildfire.
Heavenly spiritual root.
Dubbed the genius among geniuses, such a rare person who might appear only once in a hundred or a thousand years could not but be discussed with great interest.
He had reached a height that others, hailed as geniuses, took decades or even longer to achieve, yet he had only spent three years.
Jealousy?
Sometimes, perhaps the gap is too vast. Some disciples don't even have the courage to be jealous.
But for Ru Lan, who was listed among the top ten most competitive geniuses in the freshman rankings, her thoughts were different. What if he had a heavenly spiritual root? It was merely a slightly stronger spiritual root than theirs, but that didn't signify everything.
The cultivation world was full of examples of geniuses falling. Besides spiritual roots, there were many more private competitions.
Therefore, besides her brief shock at his possession of a heavenly spiritual root, what made her interest linger and not fade was… it was rumored that he came from the mortal realm and had a mortal wife. He was the pinnacle of genius, while his wife was a cultivation waste. Such a couple was unprecedented in the cultivation world, but this pair was unbreakable.
It was said that when he came to the "Newcomer Rankings," he brought his wife along.
She followed him and asked curiously, "Fellow Daoist, is your wife named Gu Yi?"
Liu Jiang Fusheng's eyes narrowed, and he stopped.
Why did she suddenly ask about Ah Yi?
"It seems so."
Ru Lan saw him stop and didn't rashly approach, also stopping. She smiled, "I have no ill will towards you. I just met her once by chance. I heard Master Cheng Hong say that although she will never be able to cultivate spirituality in her life, your wife is very suited for Buddhist cultivation."
Cheng Hong?
Liu Jiang Fusheng's beautiful, feather-like eyelashes covered his eyes.
He knew him.
He was judged as the number one person on the newcomer rankings by the Void Gate.
He truly lived up to his reputation. This time, he directly secured a spot in the final round, not participating in the eight-peak competition with the fifty disciples like them.
When did he meet Ah Yi?
He even wanted Ah Yi to go and cultivate Buddhism with him?
For some reason, Liu Jiang Fusheng felt a chill all over his body, his thoughts in a tangled mess like a net, tightening with every turn.
After she returned from outside, she hadn't told him anything. She never proactively talked about her matters with him…
So, in her eyes, what did he count for?
At this moment, the tightening net reached his heart. He felt as if his heart was being twisted by a knife, yet he smiled, a very cold smile.
…What did he count for?
Because Liu Jiang Fusheng was facing away from Ru Lan, she couldn't see his expression at this moment. Seeing his lack of reaction, she continued, "Fellow Daoist Liu Jiang, your mortal wife, do you intend for her to spend only a few decades with you in this life, or do you plan for her to become a Buddhist cultivator and live a long life without being by your side?"
She was truly curious about this answer. She thought that Gu Yi meeting Cheng Hong was something she must have told Liu Jiang Fusheng. After all, who could resist the temptation of eternal life? Therefore, she didn't know what kind of emotional turmoil Liu Jiang Fusheng was experiencing upon hearing this news for the first time.
Ru Lan's romantic life was not going smoothly, very much not smoothly. Therefore, she felt a bit resentful towards those "lovers." Of course, she wasn't a bad person, but she wanted to know how strong their feelings were. Compared to life and death, compared to self-preservation, compared to gains and losses, was she more important, or was the other person more important?
Liu Jiang Fusheng finally spoke at this moment.
"My wife can only be with me in this life."
Ru Lan was stunned, then a cold smile curved her lips, "Is that so? To satisfy your selfishness, you would rather let her sacrifice just to be with you for these brief decades? It seems you don't love your wife as much as the rumors say."
Her words did not affect Liu Jiang Fusheng. Why should he explain himself to an outsider?
Ru Lan saw that he did not answer and did not seem particularly angry, just a little disappointed.
Although she couldn't bear to see lovers end up together, she also wanted someone to tell her firmly that true love that lasts until death truly existed in this world.
Fine, other matters were none of her concern. The more urgent matter now was to find that damned girl.
She must not go find Yan Jiujiao. That ruthless fellow would not show her any mercy!
"Ru Lan spoke out of turn. Since Fellow Daoist Jangsheng has not seen Junior Sister, I shall take my leave."
She did not follow him but turned to look for someone else.
Gu Junshi was so close to Liu Jiang Fusheng that she saw all his changes clearly after Ru Lan arrived and spoke those words.
She didn't tell him about meeting Cheng Hong not because she wanted to hide it, but because she simply didn't take the matter seriously.
She would never cultivate Buddhism. If Cheng Hong knew what path she was cultivating, he would probably avoid her like the plague.
After Ru Lan's interruption, Liu Jiang Fusheng seemed to have shut himself off. He no longer interacted with the treasure-hunting rat as before. He seemed lost in thought, moving forward solely on instinct.
They arrived in a sunken deep valley. The ice walls on all sides were tall and steep, and the ice waterfalls hung like silver rivers cascading into the ice valley. Underfoot was a lake of ice.
Silver, Flower, Iron, Tree.
East represents wood, West represents metal. This was a directional guide.
The ice lake mirror reflected the surrounding scenery. The sky was blue, with white clouds drifting. The ice surface was rich in scenery, with peculiar changes, like clusters of thick clouds.
"It's time to go to the second realm."
Liu Jiang Fusheng took out his spirit sword and directly stabbed it into the ice surface. The cracks grew larger and larger.
Gu Junshi did not expect him to destroy the exit of this illusory realm.
He looked at the gem-like eyes of the treasure-hunting rat.
"Don't look at me like that…"
He pulled it into his embrace. Gu Junshi's vision went dark, and she only heard his light voice whisper, "Otherwise, I will want to destroy this entire realm."