Chapter 96 A Final Reunion The silk thread, precisely and gently, wrapped around Jiang Geyun's hand...

The deity before me is clearly someone who doesn't care about the so-called living beings and the world, yet he speaks of "saving the world" with such self-righteousness.

Jiang Geyun stared at him silently for a while.

Ignoring other factors, just looking at the behavior of Su Heng and Yuan Tian Shenjun, anyone would mistakenly judge which one is the one who wants to save the world, right?

Although from Su Heng's perspective, he was undoubtedly on the right path, the path of "saving" all living beings.

She didn't speak, and the young man wasn't in a hurry.

When discussing certain topics, he would reveal obvious joking and madness, but most of the time, the young man maintained a calm and leisurely state, truly like an enlightened and compassionate immortal.

Is "attaining enlightenment" real? Is it compassion...?

When she first saw the statue of Yuantian Shenjun in the mountain villa, she was moved by the appearance of the statue and felt that this deity looked much more simple and unassuming, as if he would not ask believers for money.

Now it seems that what they want is probably more than just money.

“If,” Jiang Geyun slowly began, “you want me to do something to him, you must at least let me see him again, right?”

The young man smiled enigmatically and said, "That was originally what I was thinking, but your cooperation, A-Yun, has made me a little worried."

Completely unable to move, Jiang Geyun asked helplessly, "What are you worried about?"

The young man said, “Perhaps, Ayun thinks he is more important than this world, and is determined to go with him. At the crucial moment, she turns around and stops me, the ‘good person’ who is determined to save the world, and helps that—the big villain, right? Help him achieve his goal, instead of helping me save this poor world.”

Upon hearing the term "major villain," Jiang Geyun's expression changed slightly.

After thinking it over and over, she asked quite seriously, as if she had made up her mind: "So where did you learn these kinds of words, like 'transmigration into a book' and 'major villain'? Aren't you a native immortal here?"

"There are countless fantastical tales and legends, with plots of traveling through worlds, the dead coming back to life, making up for regrets, and subverting good and evil. These stories have been written to death for thousands of years. But, just by changing the wording, I can make A-Yun believe in me so much. It's quite worth it."

His smile remained compassionate and gentle, yet Jiang Geyun sensed a hint of mockery in it.

The promised resurrection of the dead, lottery numbers, unparalleled beauty, time reversal, and eternal health...

It was all a lie, as expected. The only real reason he wanted to kill her was when the deadline arrived. His ability to make empty promises was comparable to that of a capitalist.

Although she didn't really care and never believed it at all.

No, absolutely not.

He was right. The "system's" understanding of another world did indeed make Jiang Geyun believe in the "transmigration" for a long time.

It wasn't until recently, when she abandoned the "system" along with her heart, that she finally glimpsed the contradiction within.

Even so, Jiang Geyun still found it hard to believe that He had been planning for so long in order to save the world from Su Heng.

Even from seeing His followers in temples or hearing various rumors about Him, without actually meeting him, Jiang Geyun was already certain that this guy seemed closer to an evil god.

Most of the immortals here are like this, and Chao Wujiu doesn't seem like a normal character either. Even Zheng Yi, Yao Ji, and Hua Biezhi, who haven't become immortals yet but have gone further down this path, are not very normal.

If the person before you attained enlightenment through some means of saving the world, then so be it; it would be perfectly normal for such a person to step forward at such a time.

But no matter how you look at it, he is far removed from the image of a saint.

Therefore, there is only one answer.

—Stopping Su Heng would definitely bring Him greater benefits, which is why He has spent so much time and energy planning this.

And this must be closely related to the opportunity that led to His enlightenment.

Only for this reason could a celestial being from the clouds, who has no interest in money or power, have been plotting this for so long.

What exactly is it?

Knowing why He stopped Su Heng, one can naturally deduce more, and even... knowing His weakness from this, defeating Him is not impossible.

To find a solution to a problem, the first thing to do is to clearly define the problem itself.

Think about it quickly, Jiang Geyun.

As I pondered, a chill crept up my throat.

The young man pressed Shouzhuo against her throat and whispered, "So, will you do this?"

With just this one touch, the thought of keeping oneself simple was conveyed.

The usually lazy and listless Dagger was now extremely active, with a flood of emotions—grievance, anxiety, anger, unease, concern—rushing into Jiang Geyun's mind.

Jiang Geyun wanted to shake her head to clear her mind, but she was held firmly in place and couldn't move at all. She could only forcefully tilt her head back and reply, "What do you mean... do you mean choose him?"

“Yes,” He said, “I almost forgot about this possibility. It’s really dangerous. Although A-Yun is someone I carefully selected and would never act so irrationally, I’m so worried… I don’t know to what extent your relationship has changed you.”

Jiang Geyun said in a deep voice, "You've seen everything we've done, System."

He laughed and said, "The human heart is unfathomable."

...Was the emphasis on "heart" intentional?

Jiang Geyun sighed and said, "You told me to kill him and believed I would do it. Then you started to doubt me and said I would destroy the world with him. I haven't said anything from beginning to end, but you're questioning me like this. What can I say?"

The dagger was too close, and as she spoke, her throat bobbed, and countless times she felt that Shou Zhuo was about to slit her throat.

Given the sharpness of his simplicity, this is not a difficult task.

However, things didn't turn out that way. Despite saying all that, her neck remained completely unharmed.

“Okay,” He said slowly.

Just as Jiang Geyun was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard Him continue, "Now tell me, Ayun, if I bring you to Su Heng, what are you going to do?"

Jiang Geyun glanced at the dagger still at her neck and said helplessly, "What's the use of me saying this now? In the end, what I do is still up to me. Besides, you're already like this, how can I go against you?"

“This is the third time,” He said.

Shouzhuo conveys an emotion of near despair.

But it meant nothing; He dismissed it with a casual remark.

A red mark appeared, followed by a stinging pain.

The young man said, "Don't avoid the topic."

It's been discovered.

Jiang Geyun felt a slight dampness in her palms, unsure whether it was cold sweat or blood from her wound.

She didn't want to answer the question directly.

It seemed like the two were just having a casual conversation, but with so many strange and mysterious forces in this world, one couldn't just say whatever came to mind.

The power of words is greater than we imagine.

Therefore, although she had a vague idea in her mind, she was unwilling to answer it directly and wanted to avoid the questions from His mouth.

Regardless of knowing about the other world, whether it was piecing together her soul, creating a system and hiding it within her body, or controlling Yunling Manor and even every temple, it all demonstrates that He is not someone to be trifled with.

Even if He seems kind, and even if He reveals many of her flaws—that sentence, "The reason I discovered these things is because I want to tell you the truth," is not a simple cover-up. When talking to Him, one can never be too cautious.

His tone was so relaxed that it gave her the wrong impression for a moment. In fact, He was never an easy person to get along with.

She almost began to doubt whether her guess was wrong, and whether the person in front of her really had no way to kill her.

It seems there's no room for maneuver now...

Jiang Geyun carefully chose her words and said, "Of course I don't agree with Su Heng's idea. As you wish, I will stop him."

He smiled.

A moment later, He withdrew his guard from her throat, as if all the previous coercion and danger had been nothing more than a boring game.

"Great, let's go."

...

What……?

Before Jiang Geyun could even ask a question, the force that had pinned her to the pillar vanished instantly.

The release from restraints was so abrupt that her body went limp and she fell forward.

In that extremely brief instant of landing, the ground changed its appearance.

The salt lake was once called the "Mirror of the Sky".

Below it is a salt base, and above it is a water surface. When the weather is good, the entire sky is reflected on the water surface. Because of the presence of the salt base, people can walk in it as if walking among the clouds, hence the name "Sky Mirror".

There is some similarity here.

However, the base was pure black, the water surface was crimson red, and the smell of rust and sulfur filled the air.

The sky does not exist; looking around, black and red mists intertwine, stretching endlessly, the darkness without end.

The wailing, the shrill curses, the incoherent babbling... all rang in her mind at once, far more terrifying than the birdsong.

This is the deepest, most profound nightmare.

As she landed, before Jiang Geyun could react and see her surroundings clearly, a thick, dark red liquid rapidly climbed up her clothes, and a torrent of icy coldness mixed with countless negative emotions tried to rush into her body.

However, the next moment, the liquid receded quickly as if it had been scalded by something, the whole process resembling a drop of detergent dripping down, the stain scattering everywhere.

Jiang Geyun stood up blankly.

...Is this the Sea of ​​Sin?

...

In an empty courtyard.

This courtyard was already remote and deserted, with few people passing by. Logically speaking, no one should have known about the fight and conversation just now.

But the instant after the two people disappeared from the courtyard, looking through the door that had been opened due to their fight, a glimpse of a white robe could be vaguely seen.

Actually, the clothes were not pure white.

As the light shimmers, one can see layers of intricate dark patterns, reflecting complex and dazzling colors. Rather than being a white garment, it's more accurate to say that people's vision can only barely perceive it as "white."

The person inside the room stood silently in the shadows by the door, gazing at the empty courtyard outside.

For a long time, he did not look away.

...

Earlier.

Jiang Geyun had just arrived in Yingzhou when she saw Bailong again in her dream.

In the space filled with hazy clouds and mist, Jiang Geyun sat down on the ground and looked up at the white dragon lying beside her, whose huge body did not give people a sense of oppression.

He always seems to appear when she encounters hidden danger. Is it a coincidence, or a warning?

Jiang Geyun did not speak immediately, but sat quietly for a while.

"There are so many things to think about lately," she finally spoke, her voice carrying a hint of weariness, as if she were casually complaining, yet also stating a heavy truth, "It's so hard."

Bai Long did not interrupt her.

Jiang Geyun continued, her voice lower: "If this matter cannot be resolved, I'm afraid I won't be able to help you tell stories anymore."

Play the victim card first.

Bai Long did not respond directly.

It seems that He had some understanding of her thoughts.

Jiang Geyun didn't care.

She wasn't lying, so it wouldn't be a problem if Bai Long noticed. Rather, it would be more surprising if He didn't notice. This was never a strategy; it was mixed with the most genuine sense of powerlessness.

She was still looking up at Him.

After a moment of silence.

Bai Long said, "You can make a request. Just tell me where you want to go or who you want to see."

Jiang Geyun was taken aback.

After asking the questions, this was her first reunion with Him. She hadn't told any stories yet. So this wasn't something that could be exchanged, and it wasn't necessary to tell enough stories?

Setting aside the joking around in her mind, Jiang Geyun pondered for a long time.

Places I want to go, people I want to see...

What kind of answer is He expecting?

A name almost slipped out, but she forcibly suppressed it; parting ways with him was her choice after all.

Time flows on in silence.

Bai Long was very patient and did not urge her, waiting for her decision.

In the end, Jiang Geyun shook her head, "No need."

Bai Long cautioned, "That's not a place you can just go to whenever you want. Are you sure?"

It seems she guessed right.

Jiang Geyun's lips curved into a very faint smile.

She said, "Yes, I think I probably won't need to trouble you, senior. There..." She paused, her tone tinged with a strange certainty, "Someone will 'send' me there."

“You have many choices,” Bai Long said, turning to Tu Lan. “You still hold the reins of that little fellow in Tu Lan’s life. His destiny is to kill the wolf and become king by stepping on bones. With his destiny, joining him is not a bad choice.”

“Yunling Manor is also a good place to hide. It is a natural place to escape the tide of death in the gap between life and death. All the past has been settled. According to the new manor owner’s personality, he will take you in.”

"I have met some members of the Pei family. They are learned and knowledgeable. Given your talents, it is not impossible for them to become your retainers and provide you with protection."

“Or that princess, I’ve met her too. She’s similar to you. She was destined to die young, but through a stroke of luck, she exists in a state of neither life nor death, with a part of her soul residing in another being. Although because of this incompleteness, she is destined to be ineligible for the throne of the mortal realm, her ability to control the Xuandu Supervisor demonstrates her extraordinary nature. Moreover,” the white dragon’s voice remained calm, “she cares about you a lot, and there are some questions she hopes you can answer for her.”

“Besides, there are Chao Wujiu, Mu Jin, Zhang Jing…” Bai Long concluded, “You actually have many choices.”

Jiang Geyun listened quietly, her face showing neither sudden joy nor struggle of weighing the pros and cons; she simply smiled.

So many other suggestions...

It seems that what she wants to do is not easy in Bai Long's eyes.

Jiang Geyun said, "I know, thank you, senior."

Thank you for listening carefully to these stories and for showing her the way at this time.

However, indicating something is one thing, whether or not one actually goes is another.

"More than that, senior, although I don't need you to take me anywhere, I don't want to miss this opportunity. Just like last time, I'll ask you a question, how about that?"

Without waiting for His answer.

Jiang Geyun raised her head and looked directly into Bai Long's eyes, as if trying to discern some clues from that unfathomable stillness. "What is the real reason that you have come to see me time and time again and helped me when I was in trouble?"

She began to suspect Bai Long's identity.

She wasn't surprised that the white dragon could discover her existence and pay special attention to her, but she didn't know what the white dragon's mentality was in repeatedly descending into her dreams. Was it a casual move, a belated sense of responsibility, or... something else?

She worried that an overly direct search would disturb this clearly extraordinary being, who seemed unwilling to get too involved in the world, and cause Him to leave and never be seen again.

After all, He seems to be very good at leaving.

A brief silence spread through the clouds and mist.

Then, Bai Long's voice rang out again, with an unchanging composure: "I never hide anything; what I tell you is the truth."

There was no perfunctory response, no evasion, and no deeper explanation.

It's that simple and direct.

That's always been the case.

“…I understand.” She said softly. Then, she composed herself, became more solemn, and asked softly, “I have not yet asked your name, senior.”

Let's ask him anyway, after all, she may never have the chance to see him again.

"No worries in the morning," said the white dragon.

Jiang Geyun looked up in surprise.

The clouds dispersed; tonight, He did not listen to her story.

...

At this moment, in the empty courtyard.

A man in white stood inside the door.

He knew that the sea of ​​sin, which was a collection of obsessions and dead souls, was about to be stirred up by external forces and undergo a change. Before the real storm swept across the world, He had already sensed the earliest and faintest signs.

But He did nothing.

There were no warnings, no interventions, and not even the slightest expression of worry or anticipation.

Just quietly, like an observer who has witnessed countless cycles of rise and fall, watching the beginning of all this, watching how the wheel of fate rolls over its predetermined path.

*

The "base" beneath your feet is clearly solid when you step on it, but with each step, you get the illusion that you might sink in at any moment and be swallowed up by the boundless crimson and pitch black below.

The air was thick with the mixed smell of rust and sulfur, and deeper still, there seemed to be a nauseating, rotten sweetness mixed in. Countless distorted, discordant sounds poured directly into the mind, not through the ears, but as if the soul was being forced to listen to the lament of this sea of ​​death.

Jiang Geyun steadied herself, turned around abruptly, and looked warily at the divine lord who then appeared leisurely.

In this nightmarish environment, His plain clothes and compassionate smile appeared all the more eerie.

As always, He paid no attention to her tense demeanor, casually flicked his sleeves, and followed a few steps behind her with ease, as if strolling leisurely in his own courtyard.

That's so pretentious...

Jiang Geyun stared at the young man without saying a word.

Whether He saw through her thoughts or not, He chuckled, His voice easily piercing through the chaotic murmurs and reaching her ears:

"Why are you so nervous, Ah Yun? This place may be a bit filthy, but isn't it the perfect place for us to be honest with each other?"

Jiang Geyun pursed her lips and did not answer, but instead raised her senses to the extreme.

—Damn it, Shouzhuo is still in His hands!

Just as she was at her wit's end, a glimmer of light suddenly appeared from the impenetrable darkness and red mist ahead.

The light was initially extremely faint, like a candle flickering in the wind, yet it carried a strange and undeniable sense of stability, coming from a great distance and slowly reaching towards her.

Jiang Geyun seemed to sense something and looked into the distance along the line formed by the light.

Thanks to this light, the chaos in the small area was dispelled, and the outline of the lantern bearer was faintly visible.

He wore brocade robes and had ink-black hair. His face remained handsome, but his brows and eyes carried an undisguised weariness that seemed out of place in this filthy place, as well as a deeper sense of calm that seemed to have settled down.

It felt incredibly familiar, just like the day of the imperial procession, when His Highness the Crown Prince rode on horseback, looking as precious and noble as ever.

It's Su Heng.

He carried a simple, antique-style lamp in his hand. The lamp body seemed to be carved from some kind of warm jade, emitting a soft yet firm light.

Even more strangely, an extremely thin yet incredibly clear golden thread of light extended from the lamp flame, like a living thread, precisely and gently wrapping around Jiang Geyun's wrist, with the other end firmly tied inside the lamp.

It was thanks to this wisp of light that he was able to find her accurately in this sea of ​​evil that could devour all senses.

He stopped and gazed at her from afar.

The only flame, which even the boundless darkness could not shake, flickered for a moment.

Before she could even grasp the meaning of what was happening before her, Jiang Geyun's gaze softened unconsciously.

Behind her, the God King stopped in his tracks.

As He looked at the lamp, at the thread of light connecting the two of them, the compassionate and serene smile on His face faded for the first time, replaced by a scrutinizing look that was a mixture of surprise and amusement.

He clicked his tongue softly and said, "A grand gesture indeed."

Su Heng walked slowly, seemingly not fast, but he arrived in front of the two in just a few breaths, his gaze fixed on Jiang Geyun the whole time.

The two stared at each other for a long time, or perhaps only for a moment.

He shifted his gaze to the rest of her body, from the subtle red marks on her cheeks and neck to the slightly disheveled sleeves pierced by flower petals.

His eyes darkened slightly.

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Author's Note: I almost didn't finish this chapter in one go! Oh dear, I realized I really wanted to write a purely intimate scene with the young couple, but I needed to explain all the details of the story, and I really didn't want to break the chapter again. With that in mind, I'm determined to finish it! [Sprinkling flowers]

I'll try to write the next chapter in one go, finishing the main story (there will be an epilogue, so the main story will finish relatively early). If that fails, it will be split into two chapters at most, which will be quite long, so the earliest I can update is Friday. I'm letting everyone know in advance~