Chapter 103 Songsui Illusion (XI)

Jiang Gu pulled the person behind him and calmly met Jiang Xiangyun's teasing gaze. "Indeed, it's easy to talk about."

He untied a spirit pet pouch from his waist, and Jiang Xiangyun immediately sensed something was wrong. "Seventh Brother?"

“Wei Feng is my apprentice, so he’s practically a member of the Jiang family. Young Master, the Jiang family has always been loyal to their own people, regardless of right or wrong.” Jiang Gu smiled slightly, turned over the spirit pet pouch in his hand, and poured out a dusty beggar. “This Lu Liyu broke into Songsui Tower. Even if he gets out alive, you’ll probably have a hard time explaining it to the family head.”

Lu Liyu was tightly bound by the Fire Rope, with a stack of talismans pasted on her mouth. She first glared angrily at Jiang Gu, then turned to look anxiously at Jiang Xiangyun, but could only make muffled sounds.

Jiang Xiangyun tightened his grip on the sword, but his smile remained. "Seventh Brother, this is going a bit too far."

Lu Liyu forcibly bound him to a love contract. If Lu Liyu died in Songsui Tower, he would not survive either. But Jiang Gu must not know about this. He could only pretend to be calm on the surface, "I'm afraid even Young Master Songsui would look down on such a filthy demonic cultivator."

"As long as he's human, that's fine. My disciple isn't even human. If the divine artifact is damaged, the Jiang family will suffer a great loss." Jiang Gu's tone was serious. "Or is it that the eldest young master has truly been moved by this demonic cultivator's persistent pursuit?"

Jiang Xiangyun's smile almost faltered. "But in the end, Lu Liyu has no grudge against you, so Seventh Brother's actions are not appropriate."

"He tried to seduce my disciple through underhanded means; he only has himself to blame," Jiang Gu said coldly.

Upon hearing this, the other three people all looked shocked.

Wei Feng was eager to prove his innocence, "Master, I didn't!"

"I just saw he had good potential and was a good candidate for demon cultivation, so I wanted to snatch him as my disciple!" Lu Liyu finally removed the talisman from her mouth, cursing angrily, "I was only on the roof for a moment, who knew you two were hugging and embracing in the room! What kind of disciple sleeps in the same room as the master! I was just curious and took a few more glances—"

Jiang Gu discovered it and then used some underhanded tricks to stuff it into the spirit pet bag.

Jiang Gu's expression turned even colder upon hearing this. "You don't deserve it."

Lu Liyu was furious and turned to Jiang Xiangyun angrily, "Jiang Xiangyun, are you just going to stand by and watch?"

Jiang Xiangyun still wore a polite smile. "You asked for it."

Lu Liyu narrowed her scarlet eyes. "If I die—"

“If you die, I will give you a proper burial.” Jiang Xiangyun interrupted him, then turned to Song Sui, who had been silent all along. “Young Master Song Sui, in your opinion, which of these two people is more suitable to take your place at Song Sui Tower?”

Song Sui's gaze swept over Lu Liyu and Wei Feng, but finally landed on Jiang Gu.

Suddenly, everyone fell silent.

Wei Feng, being young and easily angered, instantly flew into a rage, "I think you're tired of living!"

Enraged, he summoned the Moon Gazing Sword and was about to charge forward when Jiang Gu swiftly grabbed his waist and pulled him back.

“Master!” Wei Feng frowned as he looked at him.

"You believe him just because he says so?" Jiang Gu scoffed, meeting Song Sui's gloomy gaze. "You've been inside this building for ten thousand years. If, as you say, this artifact can't last long without you, would the Jiang family just ignore it? Besides, this was already an artifact before you came in."

Song Sui was taken aback.

Jiang Xiangyun replied, "We'll let you see the Spirit Realm Princess once, and then you'll have to send the four of us out. Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite."

“I have become one with Song Sui Lou, and now that the essence of the divine artifact is exhausted, no one knows better than me!” Song Sui first argued, then changed his tone, “Let me see the Spirit Realm first! Even just a glimpse from afar is fine. I will send two people out first.”

Negotiation alone is not enough. Jiang Gu and Song Sui each have their own calculations, while Song Sui has no trust in the Jiang family. Jiang Gu restrains the restless Wei Feng and takes out the magic treasure Lingjing from the pile of ghost patterns.

The palm-sized scroll grew several times larger and then slowly unfurled in mid-air. The ink and wash paintings gradually appeared on the rice paper, with mountains and water forming a world of their own. In the center of the scroll, a woman's back was outlined with just a few strokes. Then, as if coming to life, the woman's portrait turned her head and looked out of the painting, revealing half of her face.

“Spiritual Realm…” Song Sui stared intently at the painting, muttering to himself in a daze.

The figure in the painting seemed to sense his presence and turned around completely. The ink-painted eyes seemed to be on the verge of tears as she reached out her hand towards him, but she could not break free from the constraints of the painting.

Song Sui took a few steps forward, but the scroll in mid-air suddenly closed, Jiang Gu coldly interrupting the lovers' reunion.

Song Sui glared at him resentfully. "Fine, which two of you will go first?"

Wei Feng thought to himself that he and his master should leave first, since the Spirit Realm was in their hands. But Jiang Gu pointed to Lu Liyu, while Jiang Xiangyun pointed to Wei Feng.

Jiang Gu and Jiang Xiangyun's eyes met, and they both saw the understanding in each other's eyes.

Whether it's Wei Feng towards Jiang Gu or Lu Liyu towards Jiang Xiangyun, no matter what the hidden reasons are, they cannot die in the Songsui Tower illusion. Jiang Gu and Jiang Xiangyun know the Jiang family's character all too well, and keeping these two people in the illusion will only hinder them.

It's better to get rid of something that's a burden than to keep it.

Song Sui disliked Wei Feng and Lu Liyu's two filthy primordial spirits from the start, and decisively took action. Countless fragments of illusion condensed into two large hands that grabbed Wei Feng and Lu Liyu, intending to throw them out of Song Sui Tower.

Just as they were about to leave, Lu Liyu suddenly launched an attack, her curved blade hurtling straight at Song Sui.

Song Sui was immediately enraged, "You cultivators are indeed all untrustworthy people!"

He suddenly vanished into countless points of light, and the surrounding illusion, which had been shattered, began to condense and compress wildly. Soon, Jiang Gu and the others were separated by countless independent illusions and lost contact.

Jiang Gu looked at the twisting, writhing black shadow and the blurry scenery in front of him, and decisively drew his sword.

Those shadowy figures were impossible to kill, yet they were omnipresent, like countless people whispering in his ear, each word a cold, sharp slur that pierced his ears:

"Do you want to ascend to heaven?"

"Jiang Gu, why did you choose the path of ruthlessness?"

"What are you angry about? You kept saying you were using Wei Feng as a tool to overcome your tribulation, but now you're actually treating him like a disciple?"

"Can you kill him?"

"You can't kill him, you're too soft-hearted."

“Wei Feng is different from Chi Xue, you know that.”

"You cannot ascend, Jiang Gu."

Jiang Gu sheathed his sword, lowered his eyes and focused his mind, ignoring these words. But a water mirror appeared before him, showing Wei Feng desperately fighting against those twisted black shadows, his expression fierce and crazed. Jiang Gu couldn't hear the voice in the water mirror, but judging from Wei Feng's actions, he must have been greatly stimulated.

Don't you want to save him?

"Aren't you two a Daoist couple?"

"Your little Daoist partner is in great danger right now, you're worried about him, aren't you? If you are worried about him, then hurry up and save him."

In the water mirror, Wei Feng's hands and feet were entangled by those dark figures, his clothes were torn, and his body was covered in wounds. He struggled and roared frantically but to no avail, until one of the dark figures transformed into Jiang Gu's appearance, bent down, cupped his face, wrapped his arms around his waist, and pretended to kiss him.

The water mirror in front of them suddenly vanished.

The voice was mocking and gloating, "Even though they are illusions, they can still give your little Daoist partner a good time—are you willing to let others touch him?"

Jiang Gu did not react at all.

"Jiang Gu, why don't you draw your sword!" Song Sui's ferocious and angry face appeared in mid-air.

Jiang Gu calmly met his gaze, "The entire Songsui Tower is your true form; any spiritual attack will only make you stronger."

Song Sui choked, then sneered, "You are indeed very clever, but what good is cleverness if you don't take action? You'll never get out of here!"

"Who says it can't be?" Jiang Gu sheathed the Crimson Snow Sword, suppressed all the distracting thoughts and desires in his mind, closed his eyes and took dozens of steps forward. The surrounding shadows and shouts instantly vanished.

In its place lies a space of unparalleled purity.

Beneath the rustling bamboo grove, a man in a blue robe knelt on a prayer mat. On a small table in front of him lay an incomplete chess game. His features were exactly the same as Song Sui's, but his expression and temperament were completely different. When he saw Jiang Gu enter, he showed no surprise and smiled faintly, "Young Master Jiang Gu, please."

Jiang Gu glanced at the prayer mat opposite him and knelt down.

Song Sui tucked his sleeves in and quietly gazed at the mess before him. "Very few members of the Jiang family can get into this place. I thought no one else would come in."

Clearly, the previous Songsui was still an illusion, and they were still in a dream world. Now, this is the true form of Songsui.

Trapped within the divine artifact for ten thousand years, yet still devoid of any malevolence or resentment, its primordial spirit remained calm and pure, radiating a faint glow—the cleanest and gentlest divine soul Jiang Gu had ever seen.

“That was how your predecessors imagined me,” Song Sui said with a smile. “After being trapped for ten thousand years, you must be feeling resentful.”

"Are you really willing to accept this?" Jiang Gu held a grudge, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Princess Lingjing is outside. You can go out and see her."

Song Sui laughed and said, "The Spirit Realm has already fallen, so it makes no difference whether you see it or not. Besides, my story with her is much simpler than they imagine; it was just a case of wanting but not being able to have her."

Jiang Gu said, "If that's really the case, then why did all the illusions outside shatter?"

“Then you’ll have to ask your little Daoist partner,” Song Sui said. “His aura is inherently incompatible with this divine artifact. If I may be so bold, I have never seen such a filthy and disgusting primordial spirit.”

Although Song Sui spoke politely, Jiang Gu knew that Wei Feng's primordial spirit was truly filthy, but being pointed out so directly by someone else still made him feel a little uneasy.

“What if we use Song Suixi?” he asked.

“Even if I use up all my Song Sui’s breath, I still can’t cleanse him in the slightest. I’m afraid he’s an evil being born that way.” Song Sui shook his head. “And even if you can get into this place, I can only give you one drop of Song Sui’s breath.”

A teardrop-shaped crystal slowly emerged from Song Sui's hand and floated in front of Jiang Gu.

"Besides purifying the soul and repairing the primordial spirit, Song Sui can also make people forget love and have peace of mind." Song Sui said calmly, "Although it seems that you don't need it, I still have to remind you that once you use Song Sui, you will have no more chance to have love in this world."

"..." Jiang Gu nodded perfunctorily.

What a useless piece of junk.