The deviation from the original plot has finally rejoined, and Liu Jiangfusheng has evidently recovered most of his memories. Will he choose to become the arrogant Dragon Ascendant, admired by men and desired by women, as he did in the original plot, or will he continue to be her devoted, pampered husband?
Gu Junshi chuckled wryly, unhurriedly. Her pupils, deep and unfathomable like ink pools, made her anticipate their "first" meeting after he regained his memories.
But before that…
Recalling the sword techniques he used against Yan Tianjiao in Phantom Peak, and after experiencing several realms, coupled with his effortless grace in handling Lang Ci previously, she was curious to test the extent of his current strength.
Her thoughts shifted in an instant, her gaze turning, sharp as an eagle's, to a martial arts stage.
"Guiying."
A faint yet commanding clear voice pierced Guiying's mind like a fine thread.
Guiying's pupils on the martial arts stage paused slightly.
That voice, which he hadn't privately contacted in a long time, sounded again, and the air around him seemed to freeze. He could clearly hear his own heartbeat.
He wasn't sure if it was nervousness or the suddenness of it.
These days, to avoid anyone discovering his connection with the Venerable Master, and because he had been too impulsive in joining forces with Liu Jiangfusheng, Danya, and the demon race, he worried about causing trouble for the Venerable Master. Thus, he had once again hidden himself very deeply in the shadows, never initiating contact with her, or even with others. He knew that if the Venerable Master had something to assign, she would come find him.
"Venerable Master."
At this moment, Guiying was in a match against a disciple from the Seven Luminaries Sect. This disciple was not weak, but Guiying could clearly sense the opponent's strength. Therefore, he was not worried and could even fight while taking the opportunity to reply.
The Venerable Master seeking him at this time must mean there was something to be ordered.
Gu Junshi said, "Challenge Liu Jiangfusheng next, and defeat him with all your might."
Guiying paused, then for a long time, his mind couldn't analyze the purpose of her words. So he directly asked, "Venerable Master, do you mean… I can use the Ghost Nether Killer move this time?"
The silence from the other side lasted for a moment before a single word was uttered: "Can."
Guiying's breath tightened, and he blurted out in disbelief, "Venerable Master, but if I use the Ghost Nether Killer move, I, I might not be able to control myself and stop..."
"Guiying, I promised you that I would let you pursue what you desire on the Newcomer Ranking. So, do whatever you want."
Her words made Guiying's heart surge, like a calm lake rippling with waves.
He had always believed that the Venerable Master's heart was only biased towards Liu Jiangfusheng, as she had warned him before at the Great Harmony Sect.
Now that she said this, was it for him, disregarding Liu Jiangfusheng's life or death, or had something happened between them?
They were husband and wife.
In this world, they should be the closest of beings.
Guiying knew this.
However, the "Gu Yi" in his eyes was completely different from the Gu Yi in the eyes of the world. She was so powerful and mysterious. He believed that what he saw was the real her, and what others saw was just a disguise.
Therefore, he had once secretly speculated that perhaps the Venerable Master's feelings for Liu Jiangfusheng were just an act, that she hadn't truly fallen for him. After all, he didn't even know who his wife was, and if she kept things from him, it was either because she didn't trust him or didn't care about him.
He despised himself for such extreme thoughts but couldn't help but speculate about the private relationship between this couple.
If that were the case, he could seize this opportunity without any burden.
He had longed to fight Liu Jiangfusheng with all his might for a long time.
And now, this opportunity was presented clearly before his eyes, and he had received the Venerable Master's permission. He had no more reservations.
"Your command."
His Adam's apple bobbed, a surge of heat burned from his chest to his mouth, and the blood in his entire body grew hot.
Impatiently, he no longer held back his strength, quickly finishing off his opponent from the Seven Luminaries Sect, and then flew onto the martial arts stage where Liu Jiangfusheng was located.
There were six martial arts stages, and each victory would automatically elevate the stage by one level, arranged in a tiered manner. The winner could only challenge the next level. If someone won two consecutive matches, raising the stage by two levels, those below could not challenge across levels. They could only challenge the two below them to reach the same stage before challenging.
Currently, Liu Jiangfusheng had just won a match, defeating Lang Ci from Immortal Perch Cave, and had moved up one stage.
As for Guiying, because his opponent was a body cultivator whom he was adept at countering, he had moved up one stage earlier than everyone else, thus being on the same first tier as Liu Jiangfusheng.
He leaped onto the opponent's martial arts stage, clearly adopting the posture of a challenger.
The black-clothed youth had a face with sharp, defined features, and his cold, star-like eyes were covered with a layer of dim, ashen color. His slightly tight-fitting black robe showcased his perfect physique, but the absence of his arms was regrettable.
"Martial Uncle, please guide me." The youth's voice was calm and undisturbed.
Seeing Guiying, Liu Jiangfusheng, who had been gazing blankly into the wind, showed a flicker of emotion. The watery hue at the corners of his eyes, like blooming deer eyes, was pure. However, when these eyes stared at someone for too long, they gave an alluring yet terrifying illusion, as if lurking in the dark depths of the sea. His voice was leisurely as he said, "So it's nephew Guiying."
Guiying's ears twitched. He inexplicably felt that the other party's tone was somewhat strange, as if he had met someone he should know but was meeting for the first time.
But he didn't overthink it, assuming Liu Jiangfusheng disdained him as an opponent. Guiying said flatly, "Martial Uncle, the outcome will not be the same as before this time."
Although Liu Jiangfusheng had temporarily decided to be Gu Junshi's "good little rabbit," in front of others, he was a black wolf disguised in white rabbit fur, specializing in tricking "prey" that delivered themselves.
Liu Jiangfusheng adapted well, treating himself as an elder, and said warmly, "Nephew, Martial Uncle is also looking forward to what surprise you can bring."
What did these words mean?
Was he looking down on him?
Guiying's jaw clenched suddenly, and he said coldly, "Martial Uncle, aren't you being too arrogant?"
Liu Jiangfusheng innocently and deceptively replied, "Martial Uncle is encouraging you, nephew. Please don't misunderstand."
This way of speaking passive-aggressively was infuriating.
Because no matter how you replied, you would be trapped within his rhetoric.
Guiying's forehead twitched, and the strangeness in his heart deepened. After holding back for a long time, he asked, "You… what's wrong with you?"
The Liu Jiangfusheng of the past, apart from the Venerable Master, was polite and distant to everyone else. He never spoke to anyone first, nor did he bother to chat with others like this specifically to provoke them.
Liu Jiangfusheng seemed not to understand his words, his face blankly asking, "Nephew, what are you talking about?"
Guiying: "..."
Had he suffered some kind of shock?
It turned out his guess was correct. After recovering some of his memories, Liu Jiangfusheng was indeed stimulated by the experiences he had suffered during his amnesia, leading to psychological distortion and cynicism, making him want to vent his frustrations on anyone.
Coincidentally, Guiying ran into him before he could put on his "rabbit" disguise.
Guiying didn't want to waste any more words with this abnormal Liu Jiangfusheng. He tilted his head back, and a thin layer of spiritual energy appeared on his body, quickly opening up all twelve meridians and the eight extraordinary meridians.
A colossal transparent "Giant Spirit" reappeared behind him. It was as sturdy as a reclining mountain, much stronger than the "Giant Spirit" Guiying had seen when he first displayed "Giant Spirit Treasure Book."
Because they already understood each other's strength, Guiying did not intend to probe step by step, but instead unleashed his full strength from the very beginning without reservation.
Liu Jiangfusheng looked up at the surging "Giant Spirit" behind Guiying, his eyes curving in good humor. But the next moment, he thought again and maintained the frosty, aloof, and noble demeanor of his beloved wife during his amnesia.
His shift from warmth to coldness was as swift as sunshine turning into winter's chill. He sighed softly, "Competing with Martial Uncle in spiritual pressure, nephew, what were you thinking?"
Wearing a white robe as elegant as snow, he made a flick of his sleeve, and a substantial, almost palpable spiritual pressure erupted from him, sweeping towards Guiying like an army on the march.
Guiying felt his neck being constricted, his breath struggling. The "Giant Spirit" behind him twisted, letting out unstable, painful groans like electrical waves, and its form began to struggle to maintain its fullness.
He widened his ashen eyes and shot a glare at Liu Jiangfusheng. Liu Jiangfusheng merely tilted his head slightly and breathed out two words as lightly as a feather: "Kneel."
The "Giant Spirit," as if restrained by an invisible force, slammed its knees onto the ground with a "bang!" The force shook the mountain rock of the martial arts stage, causing stones to crack and fall.
This scene not only stunned those watching from the stands but even Gu Junshi gradually restrained her usual expression, staring at him intently.
He had actually learned "Spiritual Might"!
Guiying felt the "Giant Spirit" lose its connection to him. It had been scattered by Liu Jiangfusheng's spiritual pressure with a single move. The impact on his heart was significant, and his face turned pale and ashen, but he would not give up so easily.
His ashen eyes, now tinged with ice, fell upon the air. Gritting his teeth, he injected spiritual energy to materialize a pair of transparent arms.
He unhesitatingly plunged his "palms" into his abdomen. The blood dripping from his body fell drop by drop, eventually slowly forming a small pool of blood. Then, something in the air began to mutate – it surged, leaped, and weaved...
A silent and invisible blood-colored "wall" extended outwards, and the surrounding environment began to change. All vision from outside the martial arts stage was completely obscured by the blood-colored "wall."
At this moment, only Liu Jiangfusheng and Guiying were inside the "Ghost Nether Barrier" created by Guiying's own essence blood.
The next second, countless densely packed figures flew towards Liu Jiangfusheng. Each of these figures was Guiying, and yet none of them were.
Because he had activated the Ghost Nether Killer move – "Shadow Split."
"Shadow Split" was a shadow technique, where shadows differentiated from Guiying. Each of them possessed Guiying's cultivation level. Depending on the caster's strength, they could split into two, then four, and so on, continuously deriving hostile shadows.
Elbows, knees, fingers, and toes, all transformed into bone swords, served as weapons. They attacked Liu Jiangfusheng from all angles, trapping him.
But the next second, Liu Jiangfusheng activated his spiritual energy, channeling it through his entire body, unleashing the "Eight Desolations Six Harmonies Art – Profound Star Sword Rain!" Perhaps this was no longer Profound Star Sword Rain, but another altered form of the Eight Desolations Six Harmonies Art.
His application of spiritual energy and combat transformations were completely different from when he was in a state of amnesia.
Light swords flowed around his body, forming a light shield that blocked the numerous forms of Guiying.
Clang—
Clang—
Constant collisions against the defense.
Guiying directly unleashed the third move of the Ghost Nether Killer move – "Blood Sea Surging."
The blood surging from the ground stuck to him, consuming him little by little. Liu Jiangfusheng was pulled into the blood sea.
Guiying gasped for breath.
But the next second, the blood beads in the blood sea dispersed. Guiying wanted to jump away, but saw Liu Jiangfusheng raising his sword to cut through everything.
He took a few steps forward and kindly reminded, "Nephew, if you stop here, then it's Martial Uncle's turn."
The next second, sword light flashed before his eyes.
The simple sword moves brought boundless killing intent.
"Guiying, lend me your body for a moment."
A divine sense was injected into his body. At this moment, Liu Jiangfusheng was already extremely close, and that sword was about to pierce Guiying's chest. The Liu Jiangfusheng before his amnesia always held back, but the Liu Jiangfusheng who had recovered his memories had no such benevolence.
The more benevolent his expression, the more ruthless his actions.
But "Guiying" turned its hand, the Giant Spirit infused its body, and intercepted the light sword. However, without even blinking, bone spurs swiftly attacked.
In an instant, "he" transformed into three forms, without any hesitation or delay, flowing like water. Even Liu Jiangfusheng felt that "his" combat had been elevated.
He narrowed his eyes, the sword body flowed, and with a wave, countless light swords pierced forward.
"He" blocked with the Giant Spirit, twirling the light swords and transforming, "Shadow Split" and "Bone Refinement into Sword." His fingers plunged into his chest.
But his sword reached "his" chest a step faster.
He stared at "Guiying," and the other party also looked at him.
At that moment, those ashen eyes seemed to hold a different kind of feeling.
"Nephew, did you show mercy?"
Gu Junshi's lips curved into a slight smile, "If I made a move, the sword behind you would likely have pierced me first, wouldn't it?"
Liu Jiangfusheng's expression gradually changed.
He realized that the person before him might not be Guiying...
The next second, Guiying regained consciousness.
His whole body trembled.
He had still lost.
This time, he lost wholeheartedly and without complaint.
It wasn't admiration for Liu Jiangfusheng, but for the Venerable Master.
She had personally demonstrated it to him. Holding his trump cards, she could fight Liu Jiangfusheng to a draw, while he... he was far behind.
He jumped off the martial arts stage.
Thus, Liu Jiangfusheng's martial arts stage rose higher.
Meanwhile, Ru Lan and Lu Ziyin had also finished their matches.
Before Guiying lost, Ru Lan had lost.
Lu Ziyin, that guy who played dumb to catch the tiger.
Now, the martial arts stages were gradually revealing their contenders. Liu Jiangfusheng had won two consecutive stages, Cheng Hong had won two consecutive stages, Lu Ziyin had won one stage, while Dan Ya and Yan Tianjiao were still undecided.
Currently remaining were Liu Jiangfusheng, Cheng Hong, Dan Ya, Yan Tianjiao, and Lu Ziyin.
Liu Jiangfusheng was up against Dan Ya, while Cheng Hong and Lu Ziyin.