The Human Emperor's true name was not "Human Emperor." As for what it was, he refused to say. Over the long river of time, everyone who knew him perished, and thus no one remembered his name.
Upon awakening, his mind was chaotic, controlled by the resentment and malevolent aura within him. This was due to his obsession with revenge after death, forging a perverse, wicked body with the power of negative karma and soul devouring.
Now that she had destroyed that corrupted flesh and evil husk, only a soul remnant and its vengeful bones remained. As long as he cultivated diligently at the "Gate of the Underworld," he would soon be able to recast a pure, dark冥体 (Míng Tǐ - Nether Body).
Speaking of the "Gate of the Underworld," it was with its power that the Human Emperor had been able to shed the flesh entangled with evil thoughts in his past life, transforming into a skeletal frame.
However, Gu Junshi had sensed it, and he no longer possessed the "Gate of the Underworld."
The Human Emperor of this life surprisingly did not have the "Gate of the Underworld."
This meant that no matter how many times she reincarnated, the "Gate of the Underworld" would no longer be possessed by the Human Emperor along its original trajectory. From the moment he passed the "Gate of the Underworld" to her, it would only follow her, whether in the heavens above or the earth below, or any temporal rewind.
Alternatively, perhaps he had only borrowed the benefits of the "Gate of the Underworld" for cultivation and had never truly gained its recognition.
There was only one "Gate of the Underworld" in existence. And she, having become its true owner, was immune to any interference from any realm or temporal rewind.
After the Human Emperor transformed into a mere skeleton, he recalled many past events. Only the face of A Miao in his memory lacked specific features, as if veiled by frosted glass, yet he remembered their time together with clarity.
They were childhood sweethearts, they were innocent playmates, they promised each other a lifetime.
Ultimately, they... turned into sworn enemies.
But he couldn't recall the reason for their descent into an irreconcilable state of hostility.
After a long silence, the Human Emperor, his body a pale, stark white skeleton, suddenly asked her, "A Miao, why did you commit suicide?"
His two hollow eye sockets gazed at her. When he was still, an undeniable imperial aura emanated from him.
He still believed she was the reincarnation of "A Miao." Though she had changed, the familiar, fitting sense he felt convinced him he had not mistaken her.
The Human Emperor gradually came to understand many past events, his consciousness no longer muddled. He realized that it was "A Miao" who, with that peculiar dark blue flame power, had dissolved the backlash of karma that had entangled him.
Gu Junshi was contemplating the word "suicide."
To help him sever his affections and extinguish his love, she naturally needed to make him utterly and completely disappointed in "Nan Weng Miao," helping him to see through all these illusory emotions.
The current Human Emperor was not at his peak cultivation. Having lost three-quarters of his power, he was likely equivalent to a "Ghost King."
However, even so, if he were to go mad, she still wouldn't be able to subdue him.
Therefore, these feelings had to be extinguished slowly, and love had to be cut off bit by bit. If he were to go berserk from too much stimulation, it would also be troublesome.
She didn't know why the "A Miao" in his mind had committed suicide, but she understood him, knowing what he wanted to hear.
Guilt?
Regret?
Lingering affection?
Unfortunately, whatever he wanted to hear, she would deliberately not say.
Regarding Nan Weng Miao digging out her brother's heart to kill him, turning her back on her brother, and then committing suicide, from a domineering CEO's perspective, it was: "Your imperial brother was ugly and stupid, not even comparable to you. A Miao, thinking of spending her life with such a person, enduring the harem, lost her mind for a moment and committed suicide."
Upon hearing this, the air seemed to freeze.
The Human Emperor stood still, silent for a long time.
Gu Junshi did not rush, slowly waiting for him to process it.
Unexpectedly, he suddenly asked doubtfully, "Didn't you not remember what happened in your past life?"
Gu Junshi's expression faltered, ... Careless.
But she had always possessed exceptional self-control over her expressions, quickly recovering her composure and calmly stating, "Yes, I don't remember."
So, she had been fabricating everything, but what of it, her expression seemed to say.
The Human Emperor stared at her for a while, then suddenly burst into laughter, his two slender bony arms holding his abdomen.
"A, A Miao, hahaha... So, so it turns out, you were this kind of person, hahaha..."
Gu Junshi watched him laugh and fool around expressionlessly, her pupils dark and unfocused. A scene eerily similar, he would often laugh at her for no reason back then.
If she happened to glance back at him, he would laugh.
If she annoyed him by turning away, he would also laugh.
Sometimes, if she said something out of the blue, he would abandon his monarchical demeanor of measuring talent with a jade ruler and laugh uncontrollably, pounding the ground.
So, she called him a mood-maker, spontaneous and manic, repressed yet joyful.
When he finished laughing, he held up a bone finger, brought it close to his skull, and his voice, low and hoarse, carried a trembling amusement, "Since you don't remember past events, it doesn't matter. But you must know that you owe me, and I must collect. You owe me a life, so repay it to me in this lifetime."
Gu Junshi looked at him, "You want to kill me?"
She didn't believe he had searched for Nan Weng Miao for so many years just to kill her himself.
As expected, the Human Emperor denied her assumption.
The skeletal frame brazenly declared to her, "I want you to bear me a son."
...This was his so-called repayment of a life? A repayment of a new life?
Gu Junshi hadn't expected his obsession with Nan Weng Miao to lead him to want to marry and have children with the "A Miao" who had the enmity of digging out his heart and killing her brother in a past life?
Seeing her silence and contemplation, he assumed she was hesitating and said, half coaxing, half threatening, "This is my obsession. Once you fulfill it for me, I will dissipate from this world. If you refuse, and I die because of you, my lingering resentful soul will forever torment you, through life after life."
He intended to dissipate and perish after fulfilling his "dying wish"?
Foolish.
Gu Junshi was eager to see if he would still harbor such naive and amusing thoughts once he recovered the three missing parts of his body, removed the soul-piercing nails, and regained all his memories.
But before that, she had to somewhat diminish his obsession with Nan Weng Miao.
Thus, Gu Junshi, as "A Miao," coldly and heartlessly refused, "You're nothing but a skeleton now, so stop harboring these fantastical ideas."
"Give me some time, and I will soon regain my human form." The Human Emperor stroked his lustrous white bones, which emanated a soft glow, full of confidence.
Gu Junshi's eyes held malice, her lips curving into a slow, cutting smile, "Unfortunately, you've come too late in this life. I am already married."
The Human Emperor's skull, now a hollow bone cavity, had no features. Thus, upon hearing this, he jolted violently, but it was impossible to tell what expression he should have had.
Yet, judging by his unsteady breathing, the shock he received was immense.
"What did you say? You are married?!"
Gu Junshi's eyes were like ice shards, "Naturally. Did we sign an agreement to remain widows for each other, where if you didn't come, I would never marry?"
The Human Emperor: "..."