Chapter 97 Songsui Illusion (Part 5)

Moreover, because Jiang Gu had imprinted a mark on Wei Feng's primordial spirit, he could sense Wei Feng's primordial spirit as soon as the little dog in his hand used its spiritual power.

The scruffy little dog in front of him, on the verge of death, was still tilting its head and drooping its ears, trying its best to heal his wounds.

Perhaps it was because the memories of the past awakened his long-extinguished conscience, or perhaps because it wasn't part of his plan to truly destroy Wei Feng's soul, Jiang Gu exerted force and decisively snapped Wei Feng's neck.

The small dog with its mottled fur went limp instantly, yet the soft texture of its fur and the warmth of its body remained. Jiang Gu casually tossed the corpse to the ground, where it mingled with the countless other corpses. His fingers, hidden in his wide sleeves, unconsciously rubbed together a few times, his expression inscrutable.

With a "crack" sound as the illusion shattered, the corpses on the ground all turned into specks of light and vanished before Jiang Gu's eyes.

Meanwhile, outside the illusion.

Jiang Zhuan looked at Jiang Gu's indifferent face in the water mirror and scoffed: "I heard that he raised a garden of spirit beasts in the mountains of the Jiang family. In the illusion of refining his Dao heart, the thing he cared about most was a dog. Just like his father, he is unlikely to achieve great things."

Jiang Yinzhong's expression was somewhat solemn. He did not respond to Jiang Zhuan's words, but instead looked at the beggar-like person in Jiang Xiangyun's water mirror and slowly asked, "Is this person named Lu Liyu a demonic cultivator?"

In the illusion, Lu Liyu wore a tattered robe, and his disheveled hair was braided with several small braids adorned with skulls. His messy hair obscured his face, revealing only his scarlet eyes. He squatted on a sword, laughing sinisterly and strangely, while Jiang Xiangyun's sword remained at the side of his neck, hesitant to strike.

Even though there were piles of corpses behind him.

“Father, please calm down. This Lu Liyu is indeed a demonic cultivator, but Xiang Yun has absolutely no feelings for him. It was only a few years ago that he was unfortunately bound by a love contract with this scoundrel, which cannot be broken no matter what. If he is killed, Xiang Yun will also lose his life.” A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Jiang Zhuan’s eyes as he cupped his hands and said, “Now that Father has come out of seclusion, I was just about to report this matter to you and ask for your help. Xiang Yun’s future on the Wangyue Continent will absolutely not involve him with these lowly demonic cultivators.”

Jiang Yinzhong looked at Jiang Gu, who had already entered the second layer of the illusion, and then remained silent.

Jiang Zhuan slowly lowered his hand, looking at Jiang Gu in the water mirror, a shadow flashing across his face. "Father, even if Jiang Gu has the ability to wash away his mixed spiritual roots, there is a world of difference between a single spiritual root and a pure innate spiritual root. He can barely catch up with Xiang Yun now, but once he steps into the True Immortal Realm, he can only stop there."

Jiang Yinzhong chuckled: "Do I need you to teach me?"

"Father, please calm down." Jiang Zhuan was about to kneel down when he was gently lifted up by a surge of spiritual energy.

“Xiang Yun is the Jiang family heir in my mind, both in terms of talent and character. Otherwise, I would not have gone to great lengths to send him to Wangyue.” Jiang Yin said solemnly, “Back then, I only mentioned Jiang Yuan casually because I admired his talent. As it turns out, he was not very useful. It is not a waste that Jiang Gu can protect Xiang Yun.”

Back then, during the internal competition within the Jiang family, Jiang Yinzhong merely told Jiang Yuan, who had won the championship, that he was capable of great use. However, once he went into seclusion, Jiang Yuan's branch of the family was wiped out. If Jiang Yinzhong hadn't happened to emerge from seclusion when Jiang Gu came back, he probably wouldn't have been able to enter the Jiang family's gate.

However, these are all things of the past, and the father and son have long since tacitly agreed not to mention them.

"I understand, son." Jiang Zhuan looked at Jiang Xiangyun, who had fought desperately to kill the demonic cultivator. "But Father, what is this second illusion?"

“It is easy to reforge one’s Dao heart with memories intact, but it is difficult to overcome one’s inner desires by relying solely on instinct when one loses memories.” Jiang Yinzhong looked at the two boys in the water mirror. “Children are pure and boys are passionate. In the second illusion, they have to overcome the desires in their hearts, some of which they may not even be aware of themselves.”

He paused, then looked at Jiang Zhuan, "Zhuan'er, do you know how many people perish on the second level each time?"

Jiang Zhuan shook his head.

“Every time the Jiang family patriarch succeeds, there are a hundred candidates, all of whom are the best in Pingze Continent. Only a handful can survive.” Jiang Yin said solemnly, “As human beings, the hardest thing to overcome is desire.”

Xiang Yun devoted himself to cultivation and never indulged in any unrestrained behavior.

Jiang Yin shook his head. "Ascension itself is the greatest desire."

——

The secret territory of Songsui.

Jiang Gu looked at his reflection in the water mirror, a young man, and couldn't quite remember what he was doing.

"Ah Shi, what are you doing? Your father is calling you." A gentle female voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

Jiang Gu turned his head sharply and saw a woman of exceptional beauty standing at the door, dressed in a moon-white dress, smiling. He instinctively opened his mouth and said, "...Mother?"

Gu Qinghui walked behind him, tied his hair up, and affectionately pinched his cheek. "Go quickly, or your father will punish you."

"Okay." Jiang Gu nodded, picked up the sword on the table, stood up, and flew into the sky on his sword.

The cold wind made him feel a little dazed. He keenly sensed that something was wrong, but all his senses vanished when he saw Jiang Yuan.

Jiang Yuan was an extremely handsome man. He was also dressed in a moon-white robe, standing in the forest with his hands behind his back. Bamboo leaves fell on his shoulders. He casually brushed them away and gave Jiang Gu a gentle smile, "A Shi."

Jiang Gu took a step forward uncontrollably, but then stopped abruptly, instinctively gripping the sword in his hand in a defensive stance.

Jiang Yuan smiled and put his hand on his shoulder. "Little Lin was slacking off during practice again yesterday, so I punished him by making him do horse stance. Are you going to go and keep him company?"

Jiang Gu followed his gaze and saw Jiang Lin, who looked like a young boy, angrily practicing a horse stance in front of a boulder. His narrow, fox-like eyes lit up when he saw Jiang Gu. "Jiang Gu! You come here!"

A fluffy white tail drooped down from the boulder behind him, swaying leisurely for a few moments. Jiang Gu's heart stirred, and he looked up to see the enormous Chi Xue. It lazily yawned, gave him a haughty and reserved look, and wagged its tail.

“The three of them are inseparable, they can’t be separated.” Gu Qinghui appeared out of nowhere, took Jiang Yuan’s arm, and smiled at Jiang Yuan as he turned around: “A Shi, go find them quickly.”

Jiang Gu took two steps forward, then suddenly drew his sword and turned around. The sword flashed, and Gu Qinghui and Jiang Yuan, who were smiling at him, suddenly widened their eyes. Their heads slowly separated, and they fell into a pool of blood.

"Jiang Gu, are you crazy! They are your parents!" Jiang Lin shouted as he rushed over from behind.

Jiang Gu didn't even turn his head, and stabbed him through the neck with his sword.

Blood splattered onto the snow-white, fluffy fur.

Jiang Gu lowered his eyes and saw Chi Xue squatting at his feet. It was neither too close nor too distant. It did not panic or attack him, nor did it question him about the reasons. It seemed to unconditionally support all his decisions.

Jiang Gu gripped the sword hilt, his fingers twitching slightly, as if he wanted to reach out and touch its ears. Even though these fake things were dangerous, he only moved the slightest bit. The next moment, the beautiful and majestic spirit beast fell into a pool of blood.

He still couldn't remember what he was doing, but subconsciously he knew that no one would call him Ah Shi anymore, and he knew that he had no friends and would never have a spirit pet he truly liked again.

Jiang Gu believed in himself more than what he saw before him.

Sure enough, the corpses in front of him all turned into streams of light. Then the scene changed, and the surrounding environment became a dark and dilapidated room. Sparse moonlight shone in through the broken windows, and he saw Wei Feng.

His memories were still not back; he only knew that Wei Feng should be his apprentice, but when the other leaned down to kiss him, he suddenly became uncertain.

The boy's lips were just a hair's breadth away from touching him, but he stopped.

His bright eyes were fixed on Jiang Gu, as if trying to identify him. A dark, sticky ghost mark tentatively touched the back of his ear. As if confirming something, it excitedly wrapped around his neck. The next moment, Wei Feng held the back of his neck and kissed him.

Jiang Gu then realized he couldn't move; this wasn't his illusion, but Wei Feng's.

But as long as he puts in his best effort, he will definitely find a way to escape. Jiang Gu frowned, but was disturbed by the familiar aura on the boy, and his hand, which was preparing to make a killing move, paused for a moment.

In just half a breath, the master in the illusion gained the upper hand.

Wei Feng's kiss was awkward and inexperienced, yet it was reckless and impulsive. He desperately drew air from Jiang Gu's chest, and the ghost patterns on his body wriggled and wrapped around Jiang Gu. He seemed to be obediently holding Jiang Gu's neck, but the ghost patterns were rampant, tearing Jiang Gu's clothes into a mess. The scent of Huanmengxiang filled the entire narrow room.

Jiang Gu channeled his spiritual energy, forcefully breaking through the blocked meridians in his body. The spiritual energy in his hand transformed into a dagger, piercing Wei Feng's heart from behind. The bright red, scalding blood poured onto Jiang Gu's neck, staining half of his face red and scalding the Vermilion Bird Goddess with outstretched wings at the corner of his eye with a faint golden hue.

Wei Feng's breath hitched.

He could clearly feel his life slipping away, but he still uncontrollably raised his hand and pressed his cold fingertips against the Vermilion Bird God at the corner of Jiang Gu's eye, rubbing it lightly.

He grinned at Jiang Gu, complaining in a spoiled tone, "Master, it's all because this illusion is too powerful... I can't even tell if it's you or my own illusion... It's all Huan Mengxiang's fault..."

As he said this, he lowered his head and licked away the blood from Jiang Gu's lips.

A hot, urgent sound rang in his ears. Just as Jiang Gu was about to draw his sword, he heard Wei Feng cry out, "Master, it hurts so much!"

Jiang Gu's blood-stained hand paused slightly, and the breathing beside him suddenly stopped. Wei Feng lay lifeless on top of him, one hand still tightly gripping the hand that wasn't holding the knife.

Jiang Gu released the dagger, lay down in the cold moonlight holding a mangled corpse, then placed his palm on the back of Wei Feng's neck, erasing the few ghostly markings that were about to disappear. His voice was cold, but his brows were furrowed, "Fool."

Of course it will hurt.