The blood-drenched peach bounced back, retreating into the mist, then peeked halfway out again, glancing at Meng Qi with one “eye,” before quickly hiding once more.
The sash loosened, and Meng Qi dashed forward with somersault steps, moving so fast that ordinary eyes couldn’t trace his figure. Gu Xiaosang was no slower, her steps blooming like lotus flowers, with white petals lifting her feet, nearly teleporting.
The two exchanged no words, no sighs, like an arrow-struck rabbit, they darted forward with a “whoosh,” perhaps soon to be pursued by Law Bodies!
They zipped past the rumbling Pool of Exile, its bottom unknown how many “drowned” immortals and deities had sunk into it. Perhaps they had fallen in when the Ninth Heaven shattered, and without anyone pulling them out, their immortal bones and Law Bodies faded away, leaving them unable to fly, and in panic, they perished within!
Glancing sideways at the Pool of Exile, Meng Qi couldn’t help but transmit his voice to Gu Xiaosang: “The water of the Pool of Exile can wash away immortal bones and Law Bodies. If we could carry a flask of it, it could serve as a last-resort weapon in critical moments.”
The peaches of immortality can be plucked and consumed, and the water of the Pool of Exile should also be scooped away.
“The water of the Pool of Exile won’t enter ordinary vessels. Items inscribed with seals, talismanic scripts, or martial cultivation wills will be ‘cleansed’ into mundane objects. Only a purification vase made from the Jade of the Celestial Court of old can collect it, but even that is marked as ‘unavailable’ in the Six Dao records,” Gu Xiaosang explained briefly while fleeing.
Even if such a jade vessel truly existed, since the Pool of Exile is unaffected by external forces, one must personally scoop the water with the bottle, making it extremely dangerous. Even the slightest contact could lead to unimaginable consequences. Only with ample time could one attempt it.
The white cloud-solidified path ahead gradually widened, the mist thinning, covering only above and the horizon. After a moment of silence, Meng Qi suddenly spoke, “Miss Xiaosang, do you know about the beloved of the ancient ‘Mad King’ Gao Lan?”
“Why bring this up? Could that mysterious Law Body be him?” How intelligent Gu Xiaosang was. Meng Qi had barely hinted, yet she had already guessed that the Human Emperor’s Sword might have fallen into Gao Lan’s hands, considering his sudden appearance back then, stealing Meng Qi and the True Emperor’s Seal, seemingly aiming for the Dragon Platform.
Concerning life and death, Meng Qi didn’t hide the truth: “It’s possible, or perhaps another Law Body. Either way, we can’t just wait to die. If it’s another Law Body and we’re about to be caught, we’ll imitate ‘Xi’ and leap off the path, gliding downward and gambling on luck. But if it’s truly him, we might try to approach through his ‘madness.'”
Meng Qi didn’t know whether Gu Xiaosang understood, but he clearly remembered Gao Lan’s “split personality”—one deeply emotional, the other cold and indifferent. If he could somehow switch personalities, Meng Qi at least had some rapport with him, rather than being forced to gamble with his life.
Gu Xiaosang’s voice carried a hidden smile: “Husband, it seems you and the Mad King have quite a bond through the True Emperor’s Seal.”
We’ve already sworn eightfold oaths of brotherhood… Meng Qi found the situation bittersweet, but now he could only treat a dead horse as a living one.
Gu Xiaosang didn’t waste time. She slowed her pace, as if recalling and organizing her thoughts: “Gao Lan once slaughtered the Changle aristocratic families due to his beloved’s fate. Starting from that, it’s indeed possible to awaken the sorrow buried deep within him, transforming him back into the ‘Mad King.'”
She chuckled softly: “Gao Lan’s beloved was named Yan Ran, a concubine-born daughter of the Changle Yan family. She was sent to the Shuimoyuan nunnery from childhood to study Buddhism and martial arts, remaining with her hair. She became the senior disciple of her generation at Shuimoyuan, gifted, peerlessly beautiful, kind-hearted, compassionate, and never letting emotion cloud her judgment. She was renowned throughout the Northern Zhou dynasty, admired by countless martial artists of the time.”
Her tone carried a hint of mockery, as if unconvinced.
Meng Qi sensed something odd: “Could it be Yan Ran was insincere?”
Gu Xiaosang didn’t slow down, smiling: “Yan Ran was indeed exceptional. Otherwise, how could she catch Gao Lan’s discerning eye? But she was merely a pawn in someone else’s hands. Even if true feelings arose, they would dissipate when fate ran its course.”
“Fate runs its course, and she dissipates…” Meng Qi’s heart sank. “Could she have been the incarnation of the Xuan Nu?”
Gu Xiaosang still smiled: “Others would never know this secret, but I have controlled the Xuan Nu’s successor for quite some time and have uncovered many hidden truths. Yan Ran’s incarnation has already ‘died,’ so the Xuan Nu didn’t hide her identity.”
It really was… Meng Qi couldn’t help but silently mourn for his eccentric older brother in his heart. He had loved so deeply, only to find out his beloved was merely an incarnation drawn by fate, destined to vanish when their karmic connection ended. If it had been himself, even without going mad, he might have become obsessive or depressed. And Gao Lan cultivated the “Multitude’s Treasure Body,” a cultivation method prone to madness, with unpredictable emotions, hence his title, the Mad King.
The most hated were those who treated others’ emotions as mere cultivation tools!
Ahead, a fork in the road appeared, both paths leading deeper into the mist. Without hesitation, Gu Xiaosang turned left, transmitting voice to Meng Qi:
“We’re still heading to the Hall of Three Lives!”
…
Three swords and two knives overwhelmed the Dharma King of Salvation, who could no longer hold on, dissolving into the void, swiftly retreating, chasing Meng Qi and Gu Xiaosang’s footsteps, planning to snatch some treasures to avoid returning empty-handed.
Gao Lan’s sword hung diagonally, his sleeves fluttering, as he stepped beyond the path of thunder and fire, bypassing the Demon-Slaying Platform from the side, entering the Pool of Exile’s range.
Han Guang stood with his hands behind his back, as if returning to his own courtyard, with illusory ripples swirling around him. He gazed deeply at the Human Emperor’s Sword, his steps condensing space, as if accelerating time.
The Han family of the previous dynasty had tried every means but failed to obtain the Human Emperor’s Sword, only managing to replicate the True Emperor’s Seal. Otherwise, the Han family might still rule today, even suppressing the top aristocratic families!
The two Law Bodies naturally moved at incredible speeds, reaching the fork in a few breaths. Han Guang hesitated slightly: “Left.”
Although the traces were erased and covered in mist, he inexplicably sensed something from the Celestial Emperor’s techniques, prompting him to choose the left path.
Gao Lan nodded solemnly, saying nothing, stepping leftward.
After just a few steps, his gaze suddenly froze.
Han Guang sensed something amiss, noticing purple lightning forming words within the mist:
“Drawn by fate, departing when fate ends—spoken so easily, yet if emotions were so easily severed, where would the mortal world come from?”
It sounded like a woman softly recounting her inner pain.
“Drawn by fate, departing when fate ends…” Even Han Guang, with his intelligence, felt puzzled by the cryptic message, unsure of its purpose. “It sounds like the rhetoric of the Su Nu Sect. Could they be connected, using bewitching words to confuse us?”
“Hmph,” Gao Lan snorted, growing colder. “Trivial tricks, despicable and deserving death.”
They continued forward a bit further when the two Law Bodies encountered another line of purple lightning words:
“I am me, not her. I often feel my uniqueness, so why is there another ‘her’? I don’t want to become ‘her.’ I have things I cherish and uphold!”
The words were chaotic yet carried an undeniable sense of fear, panic, and determination. Even though Han Guang didn’t understand their meaning, he could feel the speaker’s emotions.
It was genuine emotion, the charm of heart imprinting.
Gao Lan halted, his gaze fixed on the words. He had always sought reasons for “her,” trying not to let his feelings fall into emptiness, but no reason had ever been as convincing as this.
Only when one wishes to deceive oneself can one be deceived by others!
“You are you, she is she…” Gao Lan whispered suddenly, still cold, his face hidden behind a mask.
Han Guang, a man of great insight, immediately recalled Gao Lan’s past and sensed something amiss. Though he didn’t understand the words’ meaning, he guessed they were targeting Gao Lan’s inner vulnerability.
After a moment’s consideration, he directly said, “Don’t fall for it.”
Han Guang didn’t mention anything about embracing the world or women being like clothes, to avoid touching Gao Lan’s “heart wound” and inadvertently aiding the enemy.
Gao Lan coldly replied, “I know my limits.”
Without hesitation, he passed the words of purple lightning, resuming his pursuit alongside Han Guang. Ahead, more messages formed from electric discharges appeared, but he ignored them all.
Embracing the world, a heart of iron!
After a while, a partially collapsed palace appeared ahead, divided into left, center, and right sections. The left and right halls were nearly completely destroyed, while the central one was half-collapsed. A plaque lay before the hall, resting in the mist, revealing several seal script characters:
“Hall of Three Lives.”
Without entering, Gao Lan raised his hand, and the Human Emperor’s Sword soared, summoning illusions of multitudes and landscapes, converging into a sword beam that swept forward to trigger hidden defenses and prevent ambushes.
Crack! The central hall split in two, its hidden defenses dissipating. Yet Gao Lan’s control was extraordinary. When the sword beam reached the mirror inside the hall, it deftly veered around, avoiding damage to the treasure.
At that moment, brilliant purple lightning pierced the mirror, causing its surface to radiate brilliant light, illuminating the surroundings.
Gao Lan held the Human Emperor’s Sword horizontally across his chest, while Han Guang, flanked by the Demon Subduing Hand on his left and a gleaming long blade on his right, blocked the incoming light.
However, within their vision and minds, scenes from the past emerged, and fragments of bygone days flashed before their eyes in an instant.
Han Guang strode forward calmly, his will growing firmer with the flood of memories. He sensed that Meng Qi and Gu Xiaosang were trying to flee toward a nearby collapsed hall, where even the solid white clouds had vanished, floating aimlessly, uncertain where they led!
“Hmph!” He snorted coldly. Instantly, Meng Qi and Gu Xiaosang felt the colors around them fade, turning black and white. Though they seemed unchanged, the intangible white clouds were unreachable, even their thoughts seemingly frozen.
Suddenly, a hand blocked Han Guang’s path, halting his attempt to unleash the Yama’s Hand, as if even the frozen flow of time had been shattered.
Alert and astonished, Han Guang turned to his side, seeing Gao Lan half-turned, blocking him.
Gao Lan’s voice was deep with nasal resonance, tinged with sorrow, barely holding back: “Third brother, let’s not kill each other. This is your second brother, Han Guang.”
The wind blew, and silence fell all around. Except for Gao Lan himself, Meng Qi, Gu Xiaosang, and Han Guang all wore slightly dazed expressions.
…
Boom!
The formation shattered, and purple mist soared into the sky.
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