Chapter 97 The Azure Sea Falls: In the End, She Was Destined to Be the One Who Killed Her Lover...

A moment of silence.

Before Jiang Geyun realized it, the person behind her quickly retreated, and in the blink of an eye, they had already created a considerable distance between themselves and the two of them.

However, His escape was of no use.

Something invisible swept past Jiang Geyun. She only vaguely sensed that it was extremely powerful and incredibly sharp. If it were aimed at her, it could probably shred her in an instant!

The dark red hellish realm is no longer peaceful.

Centered on the nimble and agile deity, countless vine-like things extended out, attempting to block the attack from the invisible entity.

The wind howled fiercely, stirring up bursts of sound in this deepest, most mysterious place that had perhaps been quiet for millions of years.

Jiang Geyun frowned, unsure whether she should turn around and check the battle situation, so she could respond if things went wrong.

But right now, both the things beneath her feet and the smells in the air greatly diminished her strength.

It was already quite an achievement for her to remain sober.

If it weren't for the fact that she had been deeply affected by the sea of ​​sin in her past life, which had given her some resistance, and that her current body was far superior to what it used to be, she would have long since lost her mind and been dragged into the depths of this profound, terrifying, and indescribable place, never to emerge again.

As Jiang Geyun struggled to overcome her discomfort, Su Heng came to her, and as he approached, the lamp also drew closer to her.

Given the distance between them, she shouldn't have felt anything, but the lamp was truly miraculous, dispelling the discomfort in her mind and body.

Even medicines are subject to the principle of "illness comes like a landslide, but recovery is like pulling silk from a cocoon." No matter how effective they are, they still need some time to take effect. But as soon as the light came close, the irritability, dizziness, and pain in her mind disappeared instantly, leaving only clarity.

Jiang Geyun looked up thoughtfully.

Is this what they call a "big spender"?

It really works well.

Su Heng walked to within about half a meter of her and stopped moving forward.

Behind her, something that was neither liquid nor solid was broken again and again, like a gale killing slender bamboo. In the distance, waves surged in layers, but by the time they reached her feet, they were just tiny ripples.

Su Heng reached out to her and gently touched the scars on her face.

There was no actual contact, but for a moment, Jiang Geyun still felt a slight itch on her cheek.

She coughed lightly and took the initiative to start the conversation: "You've arrived."

Su Heng said gently, "I've come to take my wife home."

It was still the same gentle and dignified tone and demeanor that Jiang Geyun knew best, seemingly unmoved by anything. But she could clearly see that he was suppressing something.

She opened her mouth to ask, but instinctively suppressed the question.

The sound of breaking has changed, and the texture is no longer the same as before.

It looked like something that was both soft and hard was being torn into pieces.

Jiang Geyun was secretly alarmed and decided not to turn around. Letting the voices behind her continue, she forced herself to say, "I thought that was the last time we would see each other."

Su Heng understood and said, "I know. Otherwise, my wife would not have let go of the past so easily."

What do you mean by "she wouldn't let go easily if it weren't for this"? She hasn't let go yet! It's just that there are more difficult things to deal with, so she's temporarily not mentioning it!

Just as Jiang Geyun was about to say something, Su Heng continued, "Therefore, I thank Him, but I also feel that He really... deserves to die."

The first half of her sentence had a pitiful tone, and in a daze, the young man in blue seemed to reappear before her eyes.

As he spoke the latter half of the sentence, his voice weakened, but his intense, suppressed emotions surfaced. A chilling, terrifying rage was revealed only in the glimpses of his eyes and tone, yet it still made her shudder.

This was the first time she had faced him directly when he was truly angry.

Even though she wasn't the person this emotion was directed at, subconsciously, she still couldn't help but want to take a half step back.

But the person in front of me is not someone else.

Jiang Geyun thought for a moment and then stepped forward.

She reached out and lightly touched his brow with her index finger.

It's only natural that people would feel extremely uncomfortable and resistant to having such a crucial and fatal area controlled by someone else.

But he seemed to be comforted by something; after a moment of stunned silence, his eyes softened considerably.

Jiang Geyun gently smoothed his brow and said softly, "...I knew you knew what I meant back then."

Su Heng didn't say a word, lowered his head and let her do as she pleased, only moving the lamp in his hand closer to her.

Jiang Geyun glanced down unintentionally and stopped moving.

After a short while, she said, "This lamp looks very familiar."

It was clearly the same lamp she used that day in Zhudu, Lianzhou, when she went to "rescue" Su Heng.

She had just picked up that lamp casually, and had long forgotten its design. If she had to choose a lamp, the one that held the white-clad ghost was the one that left the deepest impression on her.

That was at least how it used to be.

Su Heng nodded and said, "The appearance is just a matter of a single thought and will not affect its function. Does my wife want it?"

This kind of treasure... it's hard for her not to want it!

But this isn't the right occasion.

She shook her head and said, "Is it okay for you to talk to me like this? What about the rest..."

Only then did Jiang Geyun realize that the long, teeth-grinding sound had disappeared sometime earlier.

She widened her eyes and turned to look.

The sea of ​​sins behind him was no different from the seas of sins in other places.

If we had to be precise, the "ground" is indeed higher, but this slightly higher area is also decreasing at a visible rate.

Whether it was corpses or something else, they were all devoured by the sea of ​​evil.

—The Heavenly Lord of Destiny, died just like that?

The first feeling that welled up in her heart was naturally one of exhilaration. She could finally ignore any external forces and properly "discuss" things with Su Heng. Then came shock. She knew that the person in front of her was incredibly powerful, but seeing it with her own eyes was different from just knowing. So fast, and so ruthless...

After a moment of contemplation, the initial pleasure quickly dissipated.

She turned around, and Su Heng's eyes showed neither joy nor sorrow.

Sure enough, this matter won't end so easily.

“Why do you look so haggard?” she said. “You’re not like me, always… well… always running around and working hard…”

Towards the end, she couldn't help but look away.

Thinking about it carefully, the so-called "tireless travel" is all thanks to the person in front of me. It's really embarrassing to say this to their face...

Su Heng smiled faintly, his tone nonchalant: "I've taken care of some things, my wife need not worry."

Just as Jiang Geyun was about to ask "What is it?", the person in front of her changed the subject and said, "My lady, are you tired from the journey?"

He asked casually, as if she had just returned from a spring outing in the countryside.

It's always like this.

Looking at his seemingly calm face, Jiang Geyun suddenly felt a mischievous urge to tease him.

She gave a soft "hmm" and said with a slightly exaggerated complaining tone, "Tired, how can I not be tired? Being deceived, being chased, and having to be on guard against certain people suddenly appearing... It's exhausting."

As she spoke, she secretly observed his reaction.

Su Heng's eyelashes trembled almost imperceptibly.

He paused for a moment, then lowered his voice further and slowed, "Now... is it working well for you?"

He didn't specify whether something was suitable or not, but Jiang Geyun already understood. The question was strange and serious, as if he were asking whether a peerless divine weapon was suitable for her.

Jiang Geyun couldn't help but lower her head abruptly. After a while, she raised her head, covering her lips with her hand, but a smile still lingered in her eyes.

She lowered her hands and gently placed them on her chest.

A steady, powerful beat could be heard coming from there.

--"Um."

Upon receiving her response, Su Heng's eyes darkened, and the taut lines of his jaw seemed to soften slightly. The hand holding the lamp tightened slightly, and the golden thread connecting the two swayed gently.

"That's good," he said.

Perhaps it was because the lamp was so magical that it gave her a slight sense of security in the most dangerous and treacherous place in the world.

But this peaceful, illusory dream quickly vanished.

Not far from the two, a vine rose from the "ground". It was still in the shape of a vine, but it was not a real branch. Instead, it was made of an unknown substance that already existed in the Sea of ​​Sin, as if it were made from the local materials.

The "vines" climbed upwards, turning from one into several, dancing and intertwining together to form a small, withered tree.

On the dead wood, murky black liquid surged and churned, making gurgling sounds. After a while, a blackbird of the same material as the dead wood stood on a withered branch, looking at the two people from afar.

It was like some kind of ominous sign from the sky.

Jiang Geyun watched this thing come into being, feeling no surprise, only helplessness.

Upon seeing the blackbird appear, she murmured, "Lord Yuantian..."

"No," came a cold, desolate voice.

Jiang Geyun turned her head and looked at Su Heng, whose eyes had turned several degrees colder.

Noticing Jiang Geyun turn her head, his expression softened. After a pause, he said in a different tone, "Compared to the so-called 'Heavenly Lord of Destiny,' calling him 'Heavenly Stealer' might be more appropriate. He alters destiny and covets starlight. In the art of theft and transformation, the Five Gods are nothing more than his students."

Jiang Geyun nodded and said, "...I see."

She had only recently suspected that this guy had a problem, so it was normal that she didn't know him as well as Su Heng.

Thinking about it this way, it's no wonder that Su Heng always had some disapproval or even disdain when he heard the name of this deity in the past.

“Geyun,” Su Heng suddenly looked into her eyes with great seriousness and said, “The Sea of ​​Sin is a graveyard for all souls, and it best reflects the purity and turbidity of this place. You have personally witnessed how corrupt this world has become. What do you think?”

how……

There is no peace in the three realms, it is like a burning house.

It is filled with suffering, how terrifying!

She didn't answer, but Su Heng already understood.

He lowered his voice and said, "That's why I want to make changes, to liberate people from their physical bodies, and to divide them according to the purity or impurity of their souls. The impure will sink into the sea of ​​sin, while the pure will live long and be free in the world."

When he said this, it didn't sound like the tone that Jiang Geyun knew those who promoted fallacies, heresies, and extreme views usually used. He didn't pretend to be profound, nor did he show any impassioned emotions.

He was conveying his thoughts to her very, very seriously.

Jiang Geyun looked at him silently.

Su Heng continued, "Perhaps it seems a bit extreme to you, Ge Yun, but... a method that isn't extreme enough can't bring about real change, right?"

“In the past, Yao and Shun abdicated to their sons, and Yu and Qi passed the throne to their sons. At the beginning, they all had the ambition to bring peace and prosperity to the world. However, the lessons of the past are not far off. Whenever there is change, it will eventually be devoured by the old ghosts. The Great Zhou was no exception. Those who possessed virtue and talent either disappeared in the torrent or changed course halfway. One cycle ends and another begins, going on without end. What is the benefit of such a cycle?”

Such is the cycle of history; all changes will eventually be overtaken by the ghosts of the past. Idealists will disappear and change; one cycle ends, and then the next begins.

She found it difficult to answer the question of how to solve the dilemma of "the dragon slayer becoming the dragon himself".

She turned her face again to look at the blackbird beside her.

The creature flapped its wings, appearing quite relaxed and carefree, as if the "death" it had just experienced had no effect on it.

The blackbird cried out twice.

It was clearly birdsong, yet the two people present simultaneously grasped its underlying meaning.

"Foolish child, foolish child."

He's faking it again.

Jiang Geyun clicked her tongue inwardly.

"Using killing to stop killing, a noble name of 'rebirth'," said the black thrush. "Ah Yun, I have a question for you: if that's the case, why did Cheng Jiao stay in the Sea of ​​Sin?"

Jiang Geyun froze.

He did not use any reasoning to confront him.

For example, such killing is truly unacceptable. Regardless of the final outcome, the ongoing debate about whether an unjust law is still law is enough to keep going back and forth for a long time. This is also the question that has been swirling in her mind for days.

He simply said, if all evil people gather in one place, what about the souls of the dead?

"Of the billions of souls here, how many were caught in circumstances beyond their control, and how many had extenuating circumstances? He struck down with a single stroke, indiscriminately. Was this salvation, or... another form of destruction?"

The blackbird spread its wings, and behind it lay the vast sea of ​​evil that had once swallowed it without a trace, now seemingly serving as a backdrop to its existence.

"As for me, I never presume to create, I only 'replace' and 'correct.' If Su Heng succeeds, he himself will become a new and more powerful 'old ghost,' initiating the next cycle you fear. But if it were me..."

“I can take his place and take over this unfinished reform. At that time, I will allow you to personally wield the yardstick of good and evil, to restore order and make an exception for your old friend and for every soul in this sea of ​​sin that you feel should not be succumbing to it.”

"Saving the world and saving your friends at the same time, isn't that a great deal?"

Jiang Geyun turned to Su Heng without saying a word.

He sighed softly, “I was born to be connected to this place. I thought that since this place has tormented me to this extent, I should investigate it thoroughly and retaliate against it. That’s how I got this opportunity. I have a deep understanding of this place, so I know…”

“Deep into the sea of ​​sins will bring the most extreme pain, let alone picking out one’s soul within it. I know my wife is soft-hearted, but Cheng Jiao is not the only one who is ‘born at the wrong time’.”

Hearing him say that, Jiang Geyun felt a slight resentment. If he was willing to lie to her, he could do these things with her, and that would be fine. But he didn't. He didn't make any promises he couldn't keep.

Jiang Geyun closed her eyes and opened them after a while.

She tiptoed closer to Su Heng and whispered, "If I want to delve deeper into the Sea of ​​Sin, what should I do, and what will happen?"

Su Heng stared at her intently for a long time before covering her eyes with his palm.

Darkness descended upon me.

Then, something lit up.

...

Su Heng withdrew his hand.

Jiang Geyun's eyelashes trembled, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

The blackbird did not stop the interaction between the two, and seemed to be enjoying the show from the sidelines. It probably had some idea of ​​what kind of answer Jiang Geyun would get for her question.

That is something that no one, not even an immortal, could tolerate or accept.

In the end, Jiang Geyun still only had two choices.

Kill Su Heng, or "go with him".

Jiang Geyun, having shaken off the terrifying image she didn't want to recall, looked at the black thrush with a languid expression and said, "This deity is quite talkative."

The blackbird stopped moving and stood on the branch.

He was looking at her, and he was looking at her too, waiting for a choice.

As expected...

wrong.

Why would the deity give her a choice?

From the initial planning to today, He has sacrificed so much. Even as an immortal with countless incarnations, He can afford this time and endure this wait...

But since He values ​​this matter so much, how could He allow another person's choice to determine how things will unfold?

If Jiang Geyun were to do this, she would render all other choices meaningless, leaving only the single path leading to her goal. Only in this way could she justify such a meticulous plan and demonstrate that she had put her mind to it.

Is the God-King a brainless being?

Although she had cursed this guy countless times in her mind out of spite, and thought that being "brainless" was nothing, she thought seriously, how could he be like this?

That's very wrong.

Now she is facing a choice, and everything seems to be just a matter of her decision, so why does she feel so...uneasy?

Why... does she feel no sense of freedom to "choose" at all, as if no matter what she chooses, it won't change anything crucial?

Of course, it could be explained that her feelings for Su Heng were deep, and no matter what choice she made, she was destined to lose him, or that her feelings for him caused her to have such emotions.

But she didn't think the reason behind it was that simple.

what else?

Is there anything else she hasn't figured out?

"Stealing the Heavens"...

"steal".

She understood.

Jiang Geyun lowered her head, making no move in response to the sudden realization that had crossed her mind, seemingly caught in a deep dilemma.

Option 1: Kill Su Heng and let the world continue as it was originally.

What benefits would it bring to the deity?

Of course there is; this is the situation He is striving to create.

Not to mention how cruel this was for her.

With Su Heng dead, He had no more scruples, so how could He possibly care about Jiang Geyun as He claimed?

He will surely seize and steal everything from Su Heng even faster than she does; that's his forte.

For Jiang Geyun, this was a dead end.

Unless she is extremely naive and willing to sacrifice everything, preferring to let this obviously evil person survive and gain greater power, in order to preserve the world as it is.

But who can be sure what this deity won't do afterward? Does He really want to "save the world"?

After making such a great sacrifice, what He ultimately asks for depends on His conscience?

—That thing doesn't even exist.

So, option two, join forces with Su Heng to deal with the current god and "change" the world together with him?

It seems like a stopgap measure.

She could resolve the immediate predicament and then gradually persuade him later.

Furthermore, given that the greatest threat, the Divine Lord, has been eliminated, and there's no need to worry about whether Su Heng's death will benefit the Divine Lord, then... she could also die with him.

With just a little thought, she could understand the clues.

Is the deity treating her like a fool?

Having witnessed her past, it must be hard for Him to think this way.

Even with the deepest contempt, even though the enlightened ones here are somewhat... cough, somewhat brainless, it's all quite reasonable.

But just as she had thought before, this matter was so important to the God, how could He so easily let her choose, knowing that she would most likely not do as He wished?

unless……

Unless, option two also allows Him to achieve His purpose.

A chill ran down my spine.

Even this wondrous lamp could not dispel it.

—Because He is the "Stealing Heaven" God.

He has endless incarnations, enough to make today's choice repeat itself countless times. It's just that she couldn't bear it anymore and chose to kill Su Heng, which was clean and decisive. But even if she endured it to the end...

Could it be that He could not steal everything from Su Heng?

Like Pei Xueyi, one day, someone else comes into her life and she doesn't even realize it. That's the most despairing situation.

Yes, He cannot contend with Su Heng now, but what about next time, or the time after that? What if she is influenced and attacks without her knowledge?

At present, what seems like two completely different paths are actually all due to Him, all due to His destination.

Jiang Geyun looked at the blackbird, her gaze deep and thoughtful.

Su Heng suddenly grabbed her hand.

He always had a slightly low body temperature, like some kind of cold-blooded animal, and this was even more pronounced now, making Jiang Geyun wonder if he was really still alive.

Otherwise, why does she seem to be in even worse shape than after she had her heart removed...?

“My lady, don’t worry,” Su Heng said gently. “Don’t overthink it, I will handle it.”

Jiang Geyun was somewhat absent-minded, thinking to herself, "These words sound so familiar."

Yes, he once said that.

But……

Jiang Geyun heard herself speak, "Can...my husband solve this too?"

She could hardly recognize the voice; it was so dry, so...confused.

Su Heng was resolute. He held her hand tightly and said, "Since I know what it is, I naturally know how to deal with it. Don't worry, my wife, let's go home."

even so.

She could trust him, but that would mean accepting his theories. Even so, considering the most terrifying possible outcome, how could she possibly let go of her worries?

Both paths lead to dead ends.

From the moment she came into this world, she was destined to be pushed into this place, destined to become the tool for killing her lover.

There is no room for maneuver.

...

Really?

Jiang Geyun gripped her clothes tightly.

Her heart, which she had always thought would beat steadily and could not possibly be abnormal, was now pounding fiercely.

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Author's Note: "The three realms are without peace, like a burning house, filled with all kinds of suffering, truly terrifying." This is from the Lotus Sutra.

Don't worry, everyone! I'm currently writing a lot and will release the next chapter as soon as possible!

I'll keep you in suspense for a moment and give you a brief hint. Also, the combined title of the two chapters is "Azure Sea and Bright Mirror," which is something I've been thinking about for a while now, and I can't bear to part with it!