Chapter 46 Never Forget Me

The following day, the Grand Competition of Talents officially began.

The huge circular training ground was bustling with noise, and flags of various sects fluttered in the wind.

On the high platform, elders from various sects sat upright, looking down at the young talents below who were about to engage in a fierce battle.

As the senior disciple of the Sword Sect, Jun Xiangbei's first opponent was a disciple from a small sect.

The result was no surprise. He didn't even draw his sword. With his pure sword intent and movement skills, he forced his opponent off the stage within a few moves and easily advanced.

The entire process was fluid and graceful, her demeanor cool and aloof, drawing gasps of amazement and admiration from the stands.

Gu Yunqing sat in the area reserved for Sword Sect disciples, resting her chin on her hand. She seemed to be wholeheartedly cheering for her master, but in reality, she was completely unmoved and even wanted to laugh a little.

From his perspective after his memories returned, this level of competition was like children playing.

After all, he had used the alias Qiu Zangxue to fight against top players.

Gu Yunqing's attention was mostly focused on observing Jun Xiangbei.

Hmm, the way Master coldly "invited" someone off the stage was quite cool.

Especially his sword energy, which was controlled perfectly, only repelling the enemy without harming anyone, consistent with his "righteous" style.

A few lines of comments scrolled through Gu Yunqing's live stream chat:

"The Lord God is awesome, defeating the enemy in one move."

"This strength is truly befitting of his status as the senior disciple of the Sword Sect."

"Gu Yunqing's eyes sparkled when she looked at her master~"

"Am I the only one who thinks Gu Yunqing seems to be spacing out?"

"Because I'm thinking about when Jun Xiangbei will realize this is an illusion," Gu Yunqing said with a smile.

These words shocked everyone present.

The chat in Gu Yunqing's live stream was flooded with even more comments, mostly questions:

"Gu Yunqing can see the comments now? Have you regained your memories?"

"This isn't right, is it? How come my memories are returning now?"

"It seems this illusion is about to end."

Those who enter the Tower of Refining the Heart will lose their memories and then acquire an identity that matches their experiences.

Inside this Heart Refining Tower, the player's live stream will remain open, but they will only be able to see the live stream comments after realizing that this is an illusion and regaining their memories.

Once the first person regains their memories, the illusion will end within a day.

The viewers in Gu Yunqing's live stream were still in shock:

"It hasn't been long, and you've already noticed something? Gu Yunqing's mental strength is definitely very strong."

"It's over, I lost my bet. I bet that Jun Xiangbei would be the first to discover it was an illusion."

"What's the point of betting on odds of 1:1? I'm betting that he'll be the last one to discover the illusion, with odds of 1:100."

"Those in front who want to send money, just say so. How could the God of War be the last to discover the illusion?"

"Exactly! If Jun Shen isn't the first, then he must be the second!"

Gu Yunqing glanced at the discussion in the live stream, a slight smile playing on her lips, and said:

"Shall we make a bet? I bet Jun Xiangbei will be the last one to discover the illusion."

When players communicate with the live stream, the NPCs inside the instance will not notice anything unusual.

Just then, something unexpected happened!

Suddenly, countless twisted and eerie runes lit up the ground, and scarlet light shot into the sky, instantly forming a protective array that covered the entire central area.

A powerful, chaotic, and negatively charged mental interference force spread like a tide, instantly engulfing every player within the formation.

"Ugh—!"

"Kill! Kill you all!"

"The treasure is mine! Nobody can take it from me!"

Screams, roars, and the clash of weapons erupted almost simultaneously!

The effects of the formation were immediate.

Many cultivators with weak wills had their eyes instantly bloodshot, their reason consumed by a frenzied desire to kill and deep-seated fear, and they began to attack those around them without regard for anything else.

Normally, there might have been camaraderie among fellow disciples or gentlemanly friendship, but now, under the influence of the formation, all of that has turned into naked hostility and bloodthirsty instinct.

The formation instantly turned into a bloody inferno!

The moment the formation was activated, Gu Yunqing clearly sensed that this was the mechanism of the Heart Refining Tower illusion.

This is not real killing, but an extreme test of mental fortitude, simulating reactions under dire circumstances.

All those trapped in the formation, their mutual attacks, became part of this grand "drama," watched by countless "spectators."

He sneered inwardly, but on his face, he perfectly feigned extreme terror, as if he were stunned by the sudden turn of events and the frenzied atmosphere around him, standing frozen in place.

Almost at the same moment he showed a look of horror, an irresistible force grabbed his wrist and pulled him sharply backward.

You are heading north.

The instant the formation was activated and the surrounding cultivators began to lose control, Jun Xiangbei's first reaction was not to protect himself or to observe the formation's core, but to unhesitatingly pull the "troublemaker" who was closest to him and the only one he cared about to his side.

"Buzz—"

A clear, melodious sword cry rang out, and a chilling sword aura erupted from Jun Xiangbei's body, instantly forming a pale blue protective shield that firmly protected him and Gu Yunqing within it.

This protective shield not only blocked the indiscriminate sword strikes from the irrational cultivators outside, but also, to a certain extent, resisted the pervasive spiritual erosion.

Gu Yunqing, still "shaken," leaned against Jun Xiangbei's side, her hands instinctively gripping his clothes tightly at his waist, her fingertips turning slightly white from "fear."

He could clearly feel the tension in Jun Xiangbei's body.

The chat in Gu Yunqing's live stream was still scrolling, discussing what he had just said:

"What does this mean? Gu Yunqing, what are you trying to do?"

"Let's gamble. The God of War will definitely not be the last to discover the illusion."

"It feels like the God of War is about to be played like a dog..."

"Holy crap! What's going on?!"

"This formation is so evil, it's driving people mad and causing them to go on a killing spree?"

Jun Xiangbei's expression was more solemn than ever before. He maintained the sword energy shield with one hand, gripped the sword hilt tightly with the other, and his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's as he quickly scanned the chaotic scene around him.

He tried to find the pattern or weakness of the formation in this crimson and madness.

However, this formation does not seem to have a physical core, or rather, its core is the pervasive spiritual power and the rules that guide the killing itself.

It does not allow destruction, only struggle, sinking, or... adapting within it.

"Master... what should we do? They... they've all gone mad..." Gu Yunqing buried her face in Jun Xiangbei's shoulder, her voice trembling with sobs.

However, from that unseen angle, his eyes were calm and clear, even scrutinizing, as he observed Jun Xiangbei's every subtle reaction under such extreme pressure.

"Don't be afraid, calm your mind and guard your spirit." Jun Xiangbei's voice was deep and steady, carrying a reassuring power.

As he spoke, he flicked his wrist, and the sword light flashed out like a dragon, easily forcing back two cultivators who were trying to break through the protective barrier and whose eyes were bloodshot. He controlled the force very well, only repelling them without killing them.

But this is clearly not a long-term solution.

The slaughter within the formation intensified, the stench of blood spreading and stimulating everyone's senses.

More "mad" cultivators surged in like a tide, attacking everything that could move, including Jun Xiangbei's seemingly impregnable "fortress".

Jun Xiangbei's sword aura shield began to ripple slightly under the intense attacks, and the spiritual power he needed to output was also increasing.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but his figure protecting Gu Yunqing remained unshaken, like a reef in a raging torrent.

Looking at his tightly pursed lips, slightly furrowed brows, and eyes that reflected the surrounding bloodshed yet still tried their best to remain clear, Gu Yunqing's playful and manipulative thoughts quietly faded away.

This guy... is really serious about protecting "her".

Even under immense pressure himself, his priority remained the safety of his "weak" apprentice.

Viewers in Jun Xiangbei's live stream expressed feeling safe and secure.

"Jun Xiangbei's protection was amazing; he pulled people up and activated his shield immediately."

"He only repelled them, he didn't kill them, he's so gentle."

"Gu Yunqing feels so safe hiding behind him, but is he really that weak?"

"Gu Yunqing, who came from the live stream next door, realized it was an illusion."

"Ah, this? No wonder this formation suddenly appeared; it turns out this illusion is about to end."

"But why is Gu Yunqing still pretending to be weak and helpless? What is he trying to do?"

The viewer left a comment and returned to Gu Yunqing's live stream, ignoring the shock and speculation of the viewers in Jun Xiangbei's live stream.

Just then, an exceptionally sharp attack came from the side and rear.

He was a body cultivator who wielded a heavy hammer; he had clearly lost his mind completely, his eyes bloodshot.

With a single, powerful blow, the hammer struck straight at Jun Xiangbei's back!

This attack was far more powerful than the previous ones; if it hit, the sword energy shield would likely shatter instantly.

Jun Xiangbei was facing the enemy in front of him when he sensed the danger behind him. It was too late to turn around and block.

In the blink of an eye, Gu Yunqing's pupils contracted slightly.

He could have easily moved "casually" or used a tiny bit of force to affect Jun Xiangbei's center of gravity, allowing him to avoid the attack.

But he didn't.

At that critical moment, Gu Yunqing made a choice that even surprised himself—instead of dodging or making any small movements, he seemed to be frightened, letting out a short scream, and hugging Jun Xiangbei's waist even tighter, shrinking his whole body into his arms, as if trying to embed himself into his protection.

This action, seemingly born of extreme fear and dependence, subtly slowed Jun Xiangbei's turn to react by a mere half-beat.

"Clang—!"

Jun Xiangbei hastily parried with his sword, the heavy hammer striking the blade with a deafening roar.

The immense force made his arm go numb, his blood surge, and he even tasted a metallic sweetness in his throat.

The sword energy shield flickered violently, barely managing to stay intact.

He groaned and staggered half a step, but still held Gu Yunqing firmly in his arms, preventing her from being hit in the slightest.

"Master!" Gu Yunqing looked up, her face truly pale with fright, her eyes instantly welling up with tears, her voice trembling with sobs, "Are you alright?"

He saw a tiny trickle of blood seeping from the corner of Jun Xiangbei's mouth.

For some reason, Gu Yunqing felt that her decision just now might have been a little cruel to Jun Xiangbei.

Jun Xiangbei quickly suppressed his surging blood and qi, shook his head, and turned his gaze back to the frenzied battlefield outside, his eyes even colder and more determined than before.

"It's nothing," he replied briefly, gripping his sword even tighter.

In that instant, feeling the violent trembling and complete dependence of his "disciple" in his arms, an unprecedented anger and an even stronger protective instinct almost overwhelmed his usual composure.

He cannot fall, he cannot let her get hurt in any way.

Looking at the glaring red at the corner of his mouth and those icy eyes burning with a determined flame, Gu Yunqing's scheming and playful thoughts completely vanished.

He silently circulated the faint spiritual energy within his body, not for any other purpose, but to subtly help Jun Xiangbei stabilize his somewhat disordered breathing and repair the insignificant yet real internal organ tremors.

He was still acting, playing a weak woman who depended on her master.

But at this moment, his performance contained a trace of sincerity that even he himself was not clear about.

Within the formation, the slaughter continued.

In that small area supported by sword energy, something was silently changing.

Gu Yunqing's pure teasing and manipulation were slightly melted away by the glaring red mark on Jun Xiangbei's lips and his unwavering protection.

The change was subtle, and even he himself was not fully aware of it.

Seeing Jun Xiangbei get hurt and try his best because of him, I felt that there was no longer just the pleasure of watching a show, but a bitter feeling that was hard to describe.

But he didn't show it on his face, still perfectly playing the role of the frightened, dependent "good disciple".

He was even "chatting and laughing" with the viewers in the live stream in his mind, as if the bloody hell in front of him was just a realistic holographic movie.

People in Gu Yunqing's live stream urged him to break the deadlock:

"Holy crap! Lord Jun is injured! There's blood at the corner of his mouth!"

"It's heartbreaking to see! Gu Yunqing, are you still watching?! Quickly think of something!"

"Didn't he regain his memory? Use your brain to break this deadlock!"

Gu Yunqing chuckled inwardly, her thoughts racing as she responded to the comments: "What's the rush? The show is just getting started. Don't forget our bet; I bet he'll be the last one to realize this is an illusion."

His tone carried a detached ease, as if Jun Xiangbei's bitter battle had nothing to do with him.

"What kind of time is this to be gambling!"

"If Jun Xiangbei exhausts his spiritual power or is seriously injured and leaves the illusion, then you will lose."

"You'll regret it if you mess things up!"

"Gu Yunqing, you're such a joker! Are you really going to make a fool of Jun Shen like a dog? (laughing and crying at the same time.jpg)"

"Don't worry," Gu Yunqing said with a hint of nonchalant slyness, as if she were talking about the weather.

“I know what I’m doing. Besides, don’t you think it’s interesting to see someone as aloof and cold as snow showing such a different side of himself to protect me, who is ‘fragile and helpless’? The contrast is quite something.”

However, contrary to his relaxed tone, his body keenly sensed Jun Xiangbei's increasingly rapid breathing and gradually heavy panting.

The pale blue sword aura shield was noticeably dimmer than before. Under the increasingly dense and frenzied attacks, it swayed violently like a lone boat in a storm, as if it would shatter completely at any moment.

The power of the formation seemed to be intensifying relentlessly.

The scarlet light writhed like a living thing, and the power of mental erosion became even more viscous and cold, frantically drilling into everyone's sea of ​​consciousness, tearing reason to pieces.

More and more cultivators descended into utter madness, roaring and their eyes filled with nothing but bloodlust. They even began to instinctively join forces, targeting Jun Xiangbei, who was still able to remain conscious and put up effective resistance, as their primary objective to eliminate.

Pressure came from all directions, like a noose that was constantly tightening.

"Sizzle—"

A cunning and ruthless sword aura finally found a tiny gap in the flow of energy within the protective shield, burrowing in like a venomous snake. It not only tore through Jun Xiangbei's moon-white sleeves but also left a longer bloody gash on his arm, which was gripping the sword hilt tightly. Blood instantly seeped out, staining the area red.

Jun Xiangbei didn't even groan; his sword strikes suddenly accelerated like a storm, the sharp sword light weaving into a net that instantly forced the attacker and several crazed cultivators around him back several steps.

But his movements froze for a moment as a result, and the light of the shield flickered violently again, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

"Master!" Gu Yunqing's voice was filled with undisguised anxiety and trembling this time.

Despite his taut senses and repeated self-reminders that this was just an illusion and that the injury or even "death" was not real, he remained rational.

But watching Jun Xiangbei repeatedly risk his life because of him, and constantly adding new scars to his body, the feeling of having his heart squeezed by an invisible hand was not pleasant.

The spiritual energy he secretly channeled intensified silently, like a gentle stream attempting to nourish his nearly parched meridians and help him stabilize this precarious situation.

"It's alright." Jun Xiangbei's voice was still trying his best to remain steady, but how could the exhaustion and weakness he was forcibly suppressing escape Gu Yunqing's eyes?

The sweat on his forehead was no longer fine, but gathered into streams, sliding down his cold yet undeniably pale profile and dripping onto the ground mixed with dust and blood.

Jun Xiangbei's spiritual energy was being consumed at an unprecedented rate. In order to deal with the seemingly endless waves of madness, he also had to devote most of his attention to maintaining the protective shield against the all-pervasive spiritual erosion.

This is double, or even several times, the burden for him.

Gu Yunqing could clearly feel that Jun Xiangbei's hand holding the sword had knuckles that were deathly white from excessive force, and was even trembling slightly.

His back, which was always as straight as a pine tree, bent slightly with a stubborn curve after being hit hard once again.

It is beyond our capabilities.

These four words, like a cold alarm bell, rang loudly in Gu Yunqing's mind, echoing with a chilling resonance.

This can't go on any longer.

Although the bet was interesting, and observing Jun Xiangbei's reaction in dire straits was extremely valuable, he couldn't just stand by and watch Jun Xiangbei be "weared out" in this illusion.

Especially... the root of all this is to protect him, this "burden".

A mix of guilt, anxiety, and a vague sense of heartache began to spread in his heart, overshadowing his initial cynicism.

Just as Gu Yunqing was struggling with a mental battle, her reason clashing fiercely with some unfamiliar impulse, considering whether to risk slightly "revealing" her strength or try to break the deadlock in a more covert way, the situation took another fatal turn.

The three tall body cultivators, who were clearly from the same sect and worked together in perfect harmony, seemed to have a brief period of "madness" in their instinctive coordination, and regarded Jun Xiangbei, who was the strongest and had resisted the longest, as the biggest threat and "prey" that had to be eliminated first.

They formed a triangular formation, like three moving hills, and launched a devastating attack simultaneously.

A figure in front wields a giant axe the size of a door panel, and with a wailing sound that tears through the air, he brings it down with the force of splitting a mountain.

On the left, a man wielded a chain hammer weighing over a thousand pounds, drawing a deadly arc that completely blocked any space for maneuvering on the left.

The man on the right had his fists glowing with a thick, earthy yellow light, like cannons firing, aimed directly at Jun Xiangbei's knees, intending to cripple his mobility.

The three attacked together, their angles were tricky and complementary, and their power was unparalleled, almost blocking all conventional escape routes and blocking angles!

This is a decisive situation!

A trace of extremely solemn light finally flashed in Jun Xiangbei's icy eyes.

He had to concentrate all his remaining mental and spiritual energy to deal with the situation.

The longsword in his hand emitted a clear yet mournful tremor, its sword strokes drawing an incomprehensible and complex trajectory. The chilling sword energy bloomed like an ice lotus, layer upon layer, simultaneously meeting the deadly attacks coming from three directions.

This is the Sword Sect's most advanced defensive sword technique – "Azure Lotus Guards the Heart," but for him at this moment, using it would be almost an exploitative drain on his spiritual power and mental strength.

"boom--!!!"

The giant axe and the sword energy collided first, producing a deafening roar, and the shockwave exploded outwards as if it were a tangible force.

The chain hammer slammed down almost simultaneously onto the already thin sword aura shield, producing a piercing, metallic scraping sound that sent chills down one's spine.

Although Jun Xiangbei's skillful and profound footwork had largely deflected the heavy force of the two fists that were slamming down on his lower body, the remaining impact was still like a heavy hammer, slamming hard into his calves and causing his already somewhat unstable lower body to sway violently.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

This is a minor flaw that inevitably arises from our all-out effort to deal with what lies ahead!

A sword light, as cold, cunning, and incredibly swift as a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, silently pierced out from a blind spot completely obscured by the massive figures and attacking aura of the three body cultivators in front!

The target was incredibly precise, aimed directly at Jun Xiangbei's vulnerable back, exposed by his slight lapse in concentration as he focused on the attack from the front.

This sword strike was ruthless, decisive, and perfectly timed.

It came from a tall, thin swordsman who had been lurking like a ghost on the edge of the chaotic crowd, patiently waiting for his chance.

His eyes were cloudy, filled with a frenzied killing desire fully unleashed by the formation, but this almost instinctive sword strike revealed his formidable ruthlessness and precise timing.

Jun Xiangbei was using all his mind and remaining spiritual power to neutralize the combined attack of the three people in front of him. The old power had just been used up and the new power had not yet been generated, so his body was in a delicate state of stagnation.

He seemed... completely unaware of this deadly sneak attack that came from an absolute blind spot.

Or perhaps his extraordinary intuition caught a faint sense of crisis, but his physical exhaustion and sluggish reaction left him no time to take any effective action.

The aura of death, cold, viscous, and with a rusty, metallic smell, coiled around him instantly like a real venomous snake, locking onto his heart.

At this moment, all of Gu Yunqing's calculations, all her jokes, all her bets, and all her rational analysis were crushed and vanished by this sudden and naked threat of death.

His mind went blank, and he didn't even have time to think about whether this was a completely safe illusion or reality.

Could that venomous sword truly be fatal? After Jun Xiangbei's "death," would he merely exit the illusion without suffering any actual damage?

An uncontrollable impulse, like a volcanic eruption, overwhelmed all reason and dominated his entire being.

He knew it was an illusion, and he knew that even if he died, it would only be a withdrawal from reality.

He even subconsciously felt that if he could "save" Jun Xiangbei through this, it might leave a deeper mark on his frozen heart, which would greatly benefit him in gaining "attention" in the future...

But at this moment, these thoughts have all become vague and distant background noise, pale and powerless.

In that instant, what drove his body was a reaction he himself had never anticipated or understood, a reaction that transcended all calculation and acting—an almost instinctive response.

He couldn't let Jun Xiangbei get hurt, he couldn't watch him fall in front of him.

Absolutely not.

"Master, be careful!"

A resolute voice suddenly ripped through all the noise on the battlefield.

Just as Jun Xiangbei was thrown off balance by the immense impact from the front, the tip of the poisoned sword, imbued with chilling killing intent, was about to touch the back of his robe—at the critical moment!

Gu Yunqing suddenly broke free from Jun Xiangbei's arm, which had been protecting him like the strongest shackles but was now slightly loose due to exhaustion.

The movement was as fast as lightning, decisive without the slightest hesitation, carrying a sense of unwavering resolve.

He was like a moth drawn to a raging flame, or a young beast guarding a precious treasure.

Regardless of anything else, he turned his entire back towards that cold, deadly sword.

"Pfft—"

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh was clearly audible, even drowning out the surrounding noise.

An extremely realistic, soul-tearing pain instantly exploded from the back of Gu Yunqing's chest, engulfing his entire body.

The effect of simulating pain in the illusion of the Heart Refining Tower is unparalleled.

Gu Yunqing clearly felt the cold sword blade pierce his chest and bones, and felt warm blood gushing out from the wound like a flood breaking through a dam, quickly soaking through the clothes on his back, sticky and scalding.

His body was thrown forward by the enormous impact and penetrating force, as if all his strength had been instantly drained away in that moment.

"Ugh...!" Gu Yunqing let out a suppressed groan, tinged with the metallic scent of blood.

The expected fall did not occur.

A pair of trembling, almost out-of-control arms gripped him tightly the moment he collapsed, with a force that threatened to crush him, yet was also filled with endless terror.

You are heading north.

The instant that piercing cry of "Master, be careful!" rang out, and the moment that familiar figure resolutely lunged towards him from behind, Jun Xiangbei's heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and stopped beating.

He watched helplessly as the poisoned sword pierced the body of his "disciple," who always wore a cunning smile, always tried to get close to him, but now used his frail back to build a flesh and blood barrier for him.

Time seemed to freeze and shatter completely at this moment.

Meanwhile, Qiu Zangxue, under Gu Yunqing's orders, stopped those who wanted to take the opportunity to eliminate Jun Xiangbei.

"Pfft—"

Under Qiu Zangxue's twin blades, the head of the player who killed Gu Yunqing flew off.

The surrounding attackers were all repelled by Qiu Zangxue, who cleared a safe area for Jun Xiangbei.

Jun Xiangbei instinctively turned around and caught the body that slumped down, as light as a feather.

He looked down and saw Gu Yunqing's face, which had instantly lost all color.

Those eyes, which were always bright and sparkling, sometimes cunning and sometimes dependent, were now half-closed in pain, their long eyelashes trembling fragilely like a butterfly with broken wings.

Blood was constantly oozing from the corner of his mouth, staining his fair chin and Jun Xiangbei's white shirt, spreading out in a shocking red.

And those eyes, which were always as clear and cold as a frozen pool, reflecting the wind, snow and sword light, turned completely crimson the moment they saw the condition of the person in their arms.

It wasn't the insane crimson color influenced by the formation, but rather a color mixed with boundless panic, overwhelming rage, and a kind of despair akin to the collapse of faith.

A feeling called "panic," which Jun Xiangbei had never experienced before, was like the most potent poison, instantly eroding his limbs and bones, causing his arm holding Gu Yunqing to tremble uncontrollably.

It trembled even more violently than when it faced all previous attacks.

"Yun...Qing...?" Jun Xiangbei spoke, his voice hoarse and broken, carrying a tremendous panic and helplessness that he himself was unaware of.

He even forgot to address his apprentice as "disciple," a name that he may have subconsciously no longer regarded merely as that of an apprentice, but which he blurted out.

Gu Yunqing was held tightly in his arms, and could clearly feel the frantic and chaotic beating of his heart in his chest, like a drum, and could feel the enormous force of his arms that were holding him so tightly that they almost crushed his bones, and the uncontrollable trembling.

The excruciating pain surged like waves, and her consciousness began to blur, but a strange sense of satisfaction and... amusement rose within Gu Yunqing.

interesting.

That's so interesting.

He looked into Jun Xiangbei's eyes, which were completely bloodshot and filled with unprecedented panic. He saw that on that handsome face, which was always frozen, cracks appeared for the first time, a sign of impending "collapse".

This aloof and ethereal senior disciple of the Sword Sect, whose emotions are difficult to discern, and who is also an elusive protagonist in the original work, is now revealing such vivid and intensely "human" emotions precisely because of him.

This made Gu Yunqing feel that the trip was worthwhile, more so than any victory or bet.

He managed to twitch the corners of his mouth, trying to smile, but this only triggered an even more violent cough, and more blood gushed from his mouth, staining Jun Xiangbei's fingers as he tried to wipe it away.

"Cough...cough cough..." With each cough, his body convulsed from the excruciating pain, and his face grew paler, as if his life force was rapidly slipping away.

Jun Xiangbei frantically tried to cover his bleeding wound and tried to channel spiritual energy into him, but found that no matter how much spiritual energy he channeled, he could not restore this broken body.

At this moment, all I can do is helplessly feel the warmth of the life in my arms gradually cooling down.

This feeling of powerlessness was driving him almost insane.

"Don't...don't speak...hold on..." Jun Xiangbei's voice was filled with an unprecedented plea, his eyes, filled with immense sorrow, fixed on Gu Yunqing.

It was as if simply watching him like this could hold onto his fading life.

Gu Yunqing seemed not to hear his pleas, or rather, he was taking advantage of this last moment.

He stopped coughing, gathered the last bit of strength in his body, raised his eyes, which were somewhat unfocused due to the pain and blood loss, and looked straight into Jun Xiangbei's scarlet eyes.

Then, Gu Yunqing curled the corner of her mouth into a smile.

A bloodstained smile, tinged with mockery, farewell, and endless complexities.

This smile, in stark contrast to his near-death state, was both eerie and terrifying.

In the instant Jun Xiangbei was completely stunned by his smile, his mind going completely blank—

With her last remaining strength, Gu Yunqing suddenly raised her head and brought her close to Jun Xiangbei's slightly parted, cold lips, which were trembling with fear and pain.

A light, fleeting kiss, heavy with the stench of blood.

It felt like a feather brushing past, yet it was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Jun Xiangbei's pupils suddenly dilated to their maximum size. All his thoughts and all his senses were completely taken over in that instant by this sudden kiss, which carried the aura of death.

My thoughts were shattered by that kiss.

He even forgot to breathe.

The whole world was reduced to the fleeting, warm, rusty, and sweet touch on the lips, and to the pale, blood-stained face before him, which held a deadly, alluring smile.

After Gu Yunqing finished the kiss, it was as if the last bit of strength in her body had been drained away. She fell heavily back into Jun Xiangbei's arms, barely breathing, as if she would completely dissipate at any moment.

But his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, like stars in their final moments, carrying an all-knowing and almost cruel emotion, fixedly on Jun Xiangbei's completely dazed face.

Gu Yunqing moved her blood-stained lips, and with a barely audible yet clearly defined breath, uttered her last words:

“Master… Jun Xiangbei… I am not a woman…”

"Don't be angry... Remember me... Never forget me..."

He paused, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth again, his eyes gleaming with a cunning provocation, yet also concealing a faint, inexplicable expectation.

"...not as...a disciple..."

Before she could finish speaking, Gu Yunqing's raised hand, the hand that had "accidentally" touched Jun Xiangbei's sleeve countless times and had been held by him, but was now stained with her own blood, finally fell limply to the ground.

Those incredibly bright eyes slowly and completely closed.

All life seemed to come to an abrupt end at that moment.

The viewers in Gu Yunqing's live stream were shocked, thinking that Gu Yunqing was crazy.

"You don't need to sacrifice so much to beat us!!!"

"He kissed him?! He kissed Jun Xiangbei?!"

"A forced kiss before death? Gu Yunqing, you're a real monster."

"Not as an apprentice? What does that mean?"

"A bet? He definitely did this because of the bet, to leave Jun Xiangbei with psychological trauma."

"Gambling with your life? While death in this illusion isn't actually death, the feeling is real. This person is insane!"

"I don't believe it. The look in his eyes when he lunged out just now didn't seem like he was acting."

"But he was clearly joking with us..."

"It's over, Jun Xiangbei seems to be... completely shattered."

At the moment of her body's "death," Gu Yunqing's consciousness was pulled away from the illusory body by an invisible thread.

The excruciating pain, the smell of blood, Jun Xiangbei's scarlet, terrified eyes, and the icy touch on his lips... all the sensory experiences receded like the tide.

The illusion of the Refining Heart Tower blurred and dissipated before his "eyes".

His consciousness returned to a safe space outside the Refining Heart Tower.

And in that still bloody and chaotic core of the illusionary array.

Jun Xiangbei remained motionless, still tightly embracing Gu Yunqing.

He looked down at the person in his arms, who had completely lost all life, his face pale and serene, and at the glaring, slightly congealed dark red at the corner of his lips.

Jun Xiangbei recalled Gu Yunqing and his last smile, which carried a hint of mockery and farewell.

And... on my lips, there was that cold, bloody, brand-like sensation.

"No...as a disciple..."

These five words, like the most vicious curse and the most tender spell, echoed and exploded repeatedly in his blank mind.

"Buzz—"

The already tattered sword aura shield around him finally shattered completely, turning into specks of light that dissipated into the air.

But Jun Xiangbei seemed completely unaware.

The frenzied killing continued all around, and Qiu Zangxue, under Gu Yunqing's orders, was still protecting Jun Xiangbei, who had fallen into despair.

Jun Xiangbei was completely unaware of all this, only holding the gradually cooling and stiffening "corpse" in his arms tightly, as if holding the only remaining but already shattered treasure in the world.

All the panic, anger, and despair in his eyes had settled, transforming into a deeper, almost deathly emptiness.

A trace of crimson blood silently slid down from the corner of his tightly pursed lips.

Jun faced north but felt no pain.

The illusion of the Heart Refining Tower continues to operate.

But for Jun Xiangbei, some things had already changed completely the moment Gu Yunqing's hand fell, the moment he was kissed, and the instant the words "not as a disciple" were uttered.

Gu Yunqing, whose consciousness had returned, slowly "opened" her eyes in the safe space outside the Refining Heart Tower, a smile that no one could see on her lips.

It seems... he won the bet?

But what about the price of this victory, and that inexplicable emptiness in my heart?