"This is an ancient sacrificial array, incomparable to the Soul Refining Array. You cannot escape." Madam Luo finished chanting, holding the bone sword and looking at everyone. "As soon as I throw the bone sword, all of you will die instantly, bleeding from your seven orifices, and your souls will be refined by the array."

Madam Luo: "Gu Xu, if you regret it, the previous agreement still stands. You and Ruan Mingzhuo can face your deaths calmly, and I can spare these ordinary people."

He Wangyao was about to burst out cursing: "What kind of exchange is this?"

Tang Zhen gripped his magic sword tightly: "What if we disagree?"

He cannot sacrifice others to save himself.

Others shared the same view: how can evil and heretical sects have any integrity?

Gu Xu clenched his fist and suddenly said, "Fine, I'm willing to sacrifice my life and soul to save A-Zhi. But you must also promise me that you will release everyone."

He paused, then added slowly and deliberately, "Everyone was released, including Ruan Mingzhuo, Li Wenhe, He Wangyao, and Pei Di."

The deity immediately objected: "Why should I?"

Gu Xu: "Only by my voluntary sacrifice can the power of the twins be completely unified, and only then can the gods from beyond the heavens truly descend."

He looked at Mingzhuo with deep reluctance and longing in his eyes.

Even someone as strong as Mingzhuo can die in dreams.

Ancient altars, white silk threads, distant chanting—he had dreamt of these chaotic images time and again.

Even after waking up, I still feel palpitations and sadness. How could someone so incredibly talented die?

It was he who was tormented by fate. If he had accepted his fate from the beginning and stepped onto the altar to make a sacrifice, perhaps he wouldn't have had to pay such a heavy price.

After a moment of silence, Madam Luo suddenly said, "Alright, I promise you."

The most crucial element in the sacrificial ceremony is Gu Xu; the others are not the most important.

If all she wanted was the power of Mingzhuo... she turned her gaze to Cheng Jingru's back. Wouldn't someone with great fortune be the best candidate?

Cheng Jingru was startled. She was about to separate a thread to deal with Madam Luo, but it was blocked by the bone sword.

"You are only close to God, not a true god. You are not the only one who can manipulate the power of will."

The bone sword is formed from the bones of a deity. It is the largest and most complete sternum, twice the size of the one suppressed at Qingmen Temple, and contains dozens of times more divine power.

Dealing with a novice like Cheng Jingru is more than enough.

Cheng Jingru was furious, not expecting to be betrayed so quickly: "Madam Luo, I am..."

She wanted to say something more, but suddenly fell silent, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Divine punishment. The thought of this word sent a chill down her spine.

Madam Luo glanced at her indifferently and urged, "Hurry up, we're running out of time."

Gu Xu looked at Ming Zhuo one last time with lingering affection... He still felt regretful that the kiss in the bridal chamber hadn't been taken.

If he had known that life would still be so short, he should have abandoned all his reserve and calculations and pursued her passionately.

She is always exceptionally forgiving of herself, and would probably never slap herself and then tell herself to get lost.

He had been quietly scheming, planning for a gradual, willing, long-term, and promising future.

Their days are numbered.

Gu Xu turned and walked up to the altar, proceeding step by step toward Luo Zhi's ice coffin.

"Ah Xu!" He Wangyao hurriedly reached out to grab him.

Li Wenhe pursed his lips. "Zhuozhuo won't agree to you doing this."

Luo Wenxin's eyes glistened with tears: "Why did we have to go through something like this?"

Qiao Song felt very sad and silently patted Luo Wenxin's shoulder.

Tang Zhen and his group wanted to capture Gu Xu, but they soon found that their actions were much slower.

This formation is very strange; it's unknowingly absorbing everyone's life force and essence, and even ordinary people with poor health are starting to experience nosebleeds to varying degrees.

The formation had no effect on Gu Xu. He had already walked to the ice coffin and was looking at Luo Zhi inside.

The boy had beautiful features; when he looked at the other person, it was as if he were looking at his own reflection.

Gu Xu raised his hand and cut his wrist, blood gushing out and dripping into the ice coffin.

He thought coldly, wondering if all the blood in his body was enough to fill the ice coffin.

He Wangyao was on the verge of a breakdown. He shouted, "Madam Luo, are you out of your mind! Qiao Song said that you gave birth to such outstanding twins as Xu and Zhi, which is like winning the genetic lottery, but you don't cherish it! You sacrificed Xu to save Zhi, and then sacrificed Zhi to ask the gods to descend. So you're going to kill both of your sons?"

Madam Luo's eyes flickered slightly.

"What do you know?" She quickly regained her indifference. "It is an honor for A-Zhi that the gods are willing to descend upon her."

"Have you asked A-Zhi if he's willing?" He Wangyao paused for a moment as she spoke, wondering why there was an emphasis on the word.

He suddenly felt warm liquid flowing from his nose; was he starting to bleed?

It's probably an illusion; my consciousness is gradually being swallowed up by this formation.

He clenched his fists, remembering that Mingzhuo had drawn palm charms on the palms of all of them, so they could call upon her if needed.

But he stayed with the main group, thinking that with so many people, what was there to be afraid of? He never called out.

The talisman in her palm flickered faintly. He Wangyao paused for a moment, then tried to call out, "Boss, save me!"

Another flash of inspiration struck.

As if suddenly struck by inspiration, He Wangyao shouted several more times, "Boss, help! Boss, help! Boss, help!"

The deity looked at him strangely, wondering if he had been scared out of his wits and started talking nonsense.

He then sensed something and abruptly turned his head to look.

The white silk threads that wrapped Mingzhuo like a silkworm cocoon began to slowly melt, evaporating like snow and disappearing.

Mingzhuo closed his eyes, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he were lost in a dream.

She felt there was noise everywhere, so loud and noisy that it kept bothering her, giving her a headache and making it impossible for her to have any peace.

She didn't want to respond to those voices; they were so annoying. She just wanted to completely block them out and get a good night's sleep.

But in her daze, she sensed that Gu Xu was in danger.

She was furious. How could someone as pampered and privileged as Ah Xu bully him? It was too much!

Just as Ming Zhuo was about to wake up, he caught another voice in his ear, "Boss, help!"

She responded to the voice and suddenly opened her eyes!

"Yaoyao, your voice is too soft."

Cheng Jingru was slightly startled. How could this be!

He Wangyao was stunned, then burst into tears of joy, crying out, "Boss, save me! Ah Xu, he..."

Mingzhuo replied lazily, "I understand."

Although his voice was languid, his movements were swift. With a flick of his wrist, the peach wood sword flew out and quickly exchanged a few blows with the bone sword in Madam Luo's hand, interrupting the spellcasting.

She didn't even glance at Cheng Jingru before quickly leaping up the steps.

Inside the ice coffin, someone turned and looked back at him.

His eyes were as gentle as the spring breeze in March, and anyone who saw them couldn't help but want to get close to him.