Gu Junshi: "..."
Didn't he claim he would sever all ties with her?
Now that it was truly severed, he was the one in a hurry.
"You want to use Fengdu as a betrothal gift?" Liu Jiang Fusheng, with the Phoenix Fire Azure Flame within him, slowly floated into the air. The space of the secret realm began to show cracks of collapse under his power, and simultaneously, the area of bleeding on his chest continued to expand.
The wound on Gu Junshi's body, which had almost healed, was torn open again.
With this excruciating pain, he tried his best to maintain his sanity, which was on the verge of being cuckolded, and let out a light laugh.
He stared at the Human Emperor, his pupils condensing into sharp points, exuding an oppressive aura. But after a moment, he suddenly broke into a smile and said, word for word, "Just try and see if you can snatch it from my hands."
The Human Emperor sneered, "A wolf cub pretending to be weak, finally showing its fangs now?"
If the Human Emperor wanted to take Fengdu to appease Gu Junshi, then Liu Jiang Fusheng would shatter his plans. He had never been lenient with such a person who was determined to steal another's partner, or rather, he was already very accustomed to it.
The person he fancied was always destined to be radiant, never to be hidden in the shadows.
"Pretending to be weak?" Liu Jiang Fusheng seemed amused, his gaze from above like ice cave amber, "Why would I need to pretend? I stand right before you, letting you probe and scrutinize, yet you cannot see through me. If your skills are inferior, you should admit defeat."
"A good Heavenly Spirit Root, indeed possessing a unique superiority. Your eloquence is also quite good," the Human Emperor praised, clapping his hands. His demeanor was not that of a verbal spat between rivals, but rather like someone cheering on the other's smugness.
Liu Jiang Fusheng, however, remained composed. Even with the turmoil in his heart, he did not make a move in front of Mr. Gu Junshi.
"Human Emperor, I hope next time we meet, you can still be like this."
Like what?
Still confident, or still… claiming to be Gu Junshi's fiancé in front of Liu Jiang Fusheng?
Perhaps, it also included other meanings. Both knew it in their hearts but did not voice it, yet it was all evident in the clash of their gazes, sharper than any sword.
Liu Jiang Fusheng no longer had the mood to play the tragic love game with Gu Junshi. This was because the other party seemed to have suddenly hesitated and weighed for a long time, finally making a decision. Her attitude was clear, her actions decisive, and all progress came to an abrupt halt.
Since that was the case, his continued presence would be futile.
A hint of sickly beauty bloomed on his paper-pale face. The paler his face, the more tempestuous his tone, smooth and shapeless yet entangling and binding, "Gu Junshi, I told you, not everything begins and ends with you. When it comes to us two, your unilateral decision to stop doesn't count. As long as I want to continue, you must accompany me."
His figure flashed, breaking through the barrier, entering the bamboo pavilion, and taking Gu Sizhun away.
"Mother—"
A startled cry gradually faded. Gu Sizhun struggled with genuine emotion, but he could not resist Liu Jiang Fusheng's insistence on taking him.
Gu Junshi immediately pursued, but then she heard Liu Jiang Fusheng say, "Sizhun is my child, and he is someone I raised with my life. If you want him to be someone else's stepson, wait until I'm dead."
This single sentence made Gu Junshi halt her pursuit.
She primarily lacked the standing to do so.
The Human Emperor slowly followed. He was quite pleased to be rid of two, no, three bothersome people.
He walked behind Gu Junshi in a good mood, his gaze deep and profound as he stared in the direction Liu Jiang Fusheng had left, murmuring like a flirtation, "What I've given you, no one can take away."
Gu Junshi, however, looked at him indifferently, "Human Emperor, you're too invested in your role."
The Human Emperor paused at her calm, cold, and aloof gaze, then straightened up and said nonchalantly, "Why do you always shatter my illusions? It doesn't matter who you marry, why can't it be me?"
Gu Junshi gazed at him quietly, and after a moment, she asked, "If one day I ascend to immortality and leave the Twenty-Eight Heavens, what about you?"
The Human Emperor, manifested by an evil soul and bearing the sin, could never withstand the ninety-nine heavenly tribulations of ascension, no matter how he cultivated in the future. If Gu Junshi truly ascended, then she and the Human Emperor would be separated by the distinction between human and immortal, with no chance of reunion.
But the Human Emperor nonchalantly replied, "Then as long as you are in the cultivation world, I will have you for that day. I will not regret it, nor will I repent."
Gu Junshi did not take these words to heart. She believed that when he finally broke the seals on his body and recovered all his memories, he would realize that he had found the wrong person.
—
The barrier outside Fengdu was subjected to the persistent attacks of the immortal sect disciples. Various sects repeatedly bombarded it. The ghost cultivators within the barrier, fearing the city's protective barrier would be shattered, also exerted their strength to resist.
Speaking of which, the ghost kings of the Four Great Ghost Kings did not know when the protective barrier of Fengdu had come into existence. It simply appeared out of nowhere, and whenever the city of Fengdu was in peril, it would activate for its protection.
The ghost cultivators of Fengdu unanimously believed it to be a "protective barrier," as in their understanding, once this barrier was activated, people inside the city could go out freely, but those outside Fengdu could not enter. Was this not guarding or sheltering Fengdu?
Therefore, no one had ever truly doubted the true purpose of the "protective barrier's" existence.
However, the demon tribe knew this matter clearly, as it was of great importance to them.
The Mu residence waited quietly, watching this tug-of-war to see who would finally break the stalemate.
They hid in a secluded corner, looking up. They saw several powerful figures suddenly appear in the sky above the city's black ink-colored horizon.
These were the patriarchs of the major immortal sects who rarely emerged from seclusion. They waved away their juniors, cleared the space, and jointly applied pressure to Fengdu's barrier. The protective barrier of Fengdu finally shattered, and the ghost cultivators below were sent flying and fell to the ground by the backlash, shocked and panicked.
However, the Four Great Ghost Kings were fearless. They seemed to possess a confident and powerful reliance and directly ordered the ghost cultivator generals to march out in full force.
The ghost city of Fengdu had the natural protection of Yin energy. It was the closest barrier to the underworld. It was said that a long time ago, Fengdu was split from the underworld and later became independent from the outside world. But by its nature, it was distinct from the cultivation world. It existed between immortal, human, and divine, yet was not of demon, ghost, or underworld.
On the other side, the moment the protective barrier was destroyed, Ziying, who was heavily injured in the Mu residence, immediately summoned Gu Yejin.
Gu Yejin had recovered his memories and naturally would not obey "Mu Junshi" as he had before. However, when he arrived and smelled the strong scent of blood, he was greatly surprised, especially upon learning that "Mu Junshi" was injured by Hua Jie, whom everyone looked down upon.
As soon as Ziying saw Gu Yejin, she grabbed him. Disregarding her painful injuries, her pale face covered in cold sweat, she commanded, "The protective barrier has been broken. Take me to the Black River quickly."