âGu Ji and Shen Fuxin both shot odd glances at Tang Jiansheng.â
âHeâs not the Great LordâXuehen has long turned to ash. How could he be revived? You really are mad!â
Ye Shou stepped forward and looked down from above: âGods are powerful, but not omnipotent. Falling means fallingâno one, not even I, can resurrect a god. Of course, I eventually changed my mind and came to see you one last time, but I didnât come here to waste words.â
âIâll ask you only one thing: do you admit your wrongs?â
Tang Jiansheng, kneeling on the auspicious cloud, suddenly opened his eyes and stared at Ye Shou in disbelief!
He was a clever manâotherwise he wouldnât have become a god.
He heard the implication plainly: confess and there was a good chance to live; refuse and he would die.
To Tang Jiansheng, it was not a complex choice. Only by living could he preserve infinite possibilities!
So he bowed his head and kowtowed, declaring loudly, âYour Grace, I, Tang Jiansheng, admit my wrongs!â
In just eleven commanding words, uttered with solid force and sincere attitude, Ye Shouâs lips twitched upward, and the chill in his gaze thawed slightly. He then turned his eyes toward Gu Ji and Shen Fuxin.
âLetâs make a deal. I roughly know why you seek vengeance against Tang Jiansheng. But as I said, gods cannot be revived. Since heâs gone, why cling to this so stubbornly? Iâll give you a choice: spare Tang Jiansheng, come back with me, and Iâll appoint each of you as an elder of Jiyue Pavilion. Youâll gain supreme authority. How does that sound?â
Gu Ji couldnât help but laugh.
Over the past ten thousand years, Jiyue Pavilionâs renown in the Immortal Realm had only grown, its strength vastly increased, making it one of the three mightiest divine alliances. For now, becoming an elder was a guarantee of profitâjust the title alone would cow many divine clans!
Yet Gu Ji did not accept. She asked instead, âAnd if we refuse? What then?â
Ye Shou remained silent but rubbed his fingertips together.
The answer was obvious: refusal meant death.
Perhaps Gu Ji and Shen Fuxin had grown strong, but before him they still fell short.
Shen Fuxin pressed a hand to Gu Jiâs shoulder and whispered, âSister, what do you think we should do?â
Gu Ji turned and, seeing Shen Fuxinâs determined gaze, smiled radiantly.
His question hadnât been entirely sincereâwith that murderous intent nearly overflowing from his eyes, he was no liar!
Gu Ji shook her head and sighed, âSince you call me sister, then Iâll give you the chance.â
âThank you, sister!â
Shen Fuxinâs eyes softened instantly.
But Tang Jianshengâs expression was grave.
âChance? What chance? A choice?â
The next moment, a piercing pain flared in his chest. Tang Jiansheng looked down in horror to see a brilliant red higanbana blooming at his heart!
The Jiyue Pavilion elder fell on the spot.
Gu Ji stepped before Ye Shou, poised for battle.
Indeed, Shen Fuxinâs âwhat to doâ truly meant: who would kill Tang Jiansheng, and who would stop this pavilion lord.
She had never abandoned this vow of vengeance in ten thousand yearsâeven if she died here, she would take Tang Jiansheng with her!
Nothing could alter Shen Fuxinâs deepest obsession.
Ye Shou watched Tang Jianshengâs body dissipate and scoffed.
He spat three words: âWas it worth it?â
âWorth it!â
Gu Ji and Shen Fuxin answered in unison, unwavering.
...
A moment later, in Chu Geâs village in the Immortal Realm.
Gu Ji slowly opened her eyes and gazed up at the bright sky, bewildered.
This place was so familiar, as if she had seen it before.
But why was she â§ NĐŸvĐ”Iight â§ (Original source) here? Hadnât Jiyue Pavilionâs lord Ye Shou just killed her?
She looked down at her bodyâthere were no wounds.
Sitting up, she heard a melodious flute outside, and memories flooded her mind.
Yesâthis was Chu Geâs village.
She had been tormented by her inner demons and had come here seeking release.
Waitâwhat had happened before? Was it all a dream?
Noâimpossible! Ye Yu had been so real, as had Shen Fuxin, Tang Jiansheng, and Ye Shou.
They could not be figments of her imagination!
But if so, how had she returned here?
Just then, Gu Ji spotted a jar of wine beside her and froze.
On it were two palm prints.
Trembling, she placed her hand on the smaller printâit fit perfectly!
Tears gushed uncontrollably, yet she laughed out loud.
It was realâthis jar proved it all!
When she and Ye Yu married, they had nearly drained the wine, leaving only this jar. The next day she meant to finish it but Ye Yu stopped her, saying it would serve as a memento, and pressed his handprint onto it. Touched, she did the same.
This jar was the best testament to their love.
Now Gu Ji was certain that Ye Yu, and Shen Fuxin and Tang Jiansheng, truly existed.
Though she did not know her current situationâreborn as if from scratchâthis was fine. In this life she would protect Ye Yu, and never again let that bastard Tang Jiansheng lay a finger on him!
But first and foremost, she had to escape this prison!
The flute music continued, and Gu Ji snapped, âBlow all you wantâChu Ge, let me out!â
The next moment, Chu Ge appeared before her, holding his flute in one hand, the other behind his back, looking impossibly cocky.
âDemons of the heart still bind you. Setting you free now would only harm you. Better let me continue dispelling your demons. Focus your mind, still your breath!â
He raised the flute to his lips, intending to play again, when a lionâs roar shattered the divine seal formation and prison. Even the jade flute in his hand cracked with fissuresârendered useless!
Gu Ji dashed forward, grabbed Chu Ge by the throat, and hoisted him high.
âTell me where Ye Yu is, or youâll die.â