Naturally, being torn in half was not a possibility for Gu Junshi. Her soul had merged seamlessly with her body, and she slowly opened a pair of deep, narrow eyes.
Liu Jiang Fusheng spread his arms, his robes billowing. His alluring physique, with broad shoulders and a slender waist, was close at hand. On the other side, Dan Ya, clad in elegant deep blue sleeves stained with ink, reached out with a graceful movement, his form like a vibrant spring willow, exuding a subtle fragrance.
She cast only a fleeting glance, then shifted her body and melted into her beloved husband's embrace.
Upon seeing her awaken midway, Liu Jiang Fusheng's beautiful eyes were filled with ardent affection. As he held her warmly in his arms, he finally understood the profound meaning of "lost and found."
Only then did he feel his empty, cold embrace regain its warmth.
Dan Ya, however, stood stunned and rigid. His hands reached out to empty air as she brushed past his shoulder like a light veil, vanishing without a trace. The sense of profound loss and emptiness contorted his expression into something terrifying for a fleeting moment.
The "distance" between them was merely a breath apart.
But soon, he regained his composure through sheer willpower.
Why... why was it that no matter how much he did, he couldn't earn even a single sideways glance from her?
Was she truly heartless, or was she only like this towards him?
"Ayi..."
Liu Jiang Fusheng couldn't resist burying his face in the delicate, fragrant warmth of her neck. His cool lips pressed against the curve of her neckline, nuzzling gently, not with desire, but with a heartfelt tenderness and affection.
"Ayi, Ayi..."
He kept calling her name, his chest heaving, his voice trembling with a choke that overflowed, carrying too many complex emotions.
She tilted her neck slightly. His urgent need to confirm her presence through such intimate contact was met with her calm demeanor and a faint smile, which she allowed.
However, she was not particularly adept at emotional displays. She simply looped an arm around his back, gently stroking his trembling form.
"Husband, you've returned."
The words made it sound as if he had merely gone out on an errand, rather than falling off a cliff and facing death.
Liu Jiang Fusheng paused, then tightened his embrace, responding with a swirl of emotions, "Yes, I've returned."
Liu Jiang Fusheng cast aside everything, indulging in intimate whispers with her, completely disregarding Dan Ya by his side.
Was this an uncontrollable surge of emotion, or... a deliberate assertion of ownership?
Gu Junshi had no inclination to pay attention to the unspoken rivalry brewing between Liu Jiang Fusheng and Dan Ya. Her gaze shifted to the other side—
Over there, Gu Er had already begun his massacre.
Gu Chuhao had never killed anyone before, but he was not a stranger to bloodshed.
His childhood had been harsh. His parents had died early, and for him and Gu Yi, two young children, survival meant fighting with all their might.
Fighting against the harsh environment, fighting against hunger and cold, fighting against the corrupted hearts of men...
At that time, Gu Yi was timid, crying all day long. She cried when she was bullied, cried when her things were stolen, even cried when she fell...
He wanted to protect her, but he was too young then. His emaciated frame could do little but fight desperately with others, making them fear and bully them less.
It was in such painful, arduous circumstances that he shielded Gu Yi, guiding her through their difficult upbringing.
Later, when Gu Yi saw him return injured every time he went out, she changed at some point.
She stopped crying.
In fact, her disposition turned particularly wicked. If any family offended her, she would not sleep through the night, using all sorts of means to exact revenge. During the day, she was often sharp-tongued, causing trouble, and engaging in petty theft. Eventually, her reputation became increasingly notorious.
When people from the surrounding villages mentioned her, they would shake their heads. So, despite her good looks, no family was willing to propose marriage.
But Gu Er did not dislike her. He bore the brunt of all the consequences for her actions. After all, she was his sister, and he had promised their parents he would look after her.
Having grown up in such an environment, Gu Er was naturally not just a dog guarding the home; he was also a wolf that hunted.
He, who would avenge any wrong.
Seeing that Dan Ya and Liu Jiang Fusheng chose to stay out of the matter concerning that mortal, Elder Jiu Li felt a degree of dissatisfaction in his heart, but he said nothing more.
He was not entirely devoid of humanity. He had merely been concerned that they had agreed to the Fei Jiang. If the Fei Jiang, such a wicked demon, went back on its word and did not spare Gu Yi in the end, their hesitant approach would lead to a complete loss of initiative, losing the beauty and the soldiers.
Now that the Fei Jiang had no more hostages, he called upon the disciples of the Day Yan Sect: "All of you, attack!"
As for Dan Ya and Liu Jiang Fusheng, he did not believe they could stand by and watch their fellow disciples perish.
Chen Daoshan's eyes darkened, and he cast a subtle glance at the Day Yan Sect's side. With two top disciples absent from the battle, and apart from Elder Jiu Li, who could still offer some assistance, the others, with their cultivation levels, were merely there to fill the ranks.
But there was no other option now, as the Fei Jiang, Gu Chuhao, had already reached them. He formed a hand seal and quickly summoned his signature weapon – the Tiger Leopard Star Axe.
A colossal axe emerged behind him. The wind rustled the iron chain suspension bridge behind, creating a clanging, turbulent sound, and a surging aura of killing intent spread outwards.
Dark, ferocious beasts coiled around the axe handle, extending to the axe head, exuding an imposing might, truly embodying the surging roar of charging tigers and leopards.
Gu Chuhao, however, did not use any weapons. His current Fei Jiang body was the best weapon. It had been transformed by the "Nirvana Pearl," making its bones like iron and its skin like bronze, along with a pair of sharp black claws capable of cutting stone and shattering weapons.
Chen Daoshan ascended a step, his tall frame unruffled by the wind. He swung the axe at the charging Gu Chuhao.
Spiritual energy converged from all directions into the center. A brilliant light streaked forward from the top of his head. The phantom image of a tiger and leopard surged like waves, charging forward to attack.
"Aargh—" A piercing cry pierced the eardrums. The black lines in Gu Chuhao's eyes spread to his cold, ashen-white cheeks. The black lines beneath his skin deepened, and he leaped into the air—in the next instant, a chilling black mist had already approached Chen Daoshan.
With a clang, sharp, hard teeth bit down on his great axe. The third-grade mid-tier spiritual weapon's spiritual light flickered unstably under his corrosive "devouring."
Their gazes met: one sharp and ferocious like a steel knife, the other dark and enraged. Sweat beaded on their foreheads as they continuously channeled spiritual energy.
Chen Daoshan, currently suppressed by the night enchantment of this place, could only unleash seventy to eighty percent of his strength. However, he was unwilling to be controlled thus. Though he appeared to be a steady and reliable person, his cunning thoughts were deeply hidden beneath the surface.
"Gu Chuhao, you are merely a disposable pawn raised by Qu Bei Qi. He never intended for you to return alive. Instead of blaming us, you should blame yourself for your poor judgment in choosing him as your master from the very beginning!"
These words were true. Gu Chuhao also knew of the scheme his master had played on him.
He, Gu Chuhao, would let none of those who owed him escape!
"Tch—"
A series of sword lights flashed and shot out from behind him. Gu Chuhao twisted his head, his teeth parting, and saw the people from the Void Gate and the elders and disciples of the Day Yan Sect united. They each unleashed their techniques, their spiritual energy surging, their lights blazing, their power escalating, directly attacking Gu Chuhao's weak points.
Seeing this, they were not a threat. On the contrary, a sinister grin spread across his purplish-black lips.