Chapter 72 Confession

The provocation from the alternate personality Yan Kongshan was like a drop of water thrown into a boiling oil pan, instantly igniting the raging fury of the Flame Demon projection.

It abandoned the inefficient mental attack, its massive body churning the lava lake, and countless boulders burning with raging flames crashed down on the three of them like meteors.

The temperature in the entire core area soared again, the air distorted, as if even space itself was about to be ignited.

"Well done!" The alternate personality Yan Kongshan laughed wildly. Instead of retreating, he charged towards the area with the highest concentration of meteorites. The blood-red chains around him vibrated violently, and he smashed several smaller meteorites with his body, creating a relatively safe passage for the two people behind him.

He caught even larger meteorites in various contorted ways, each impact causing severe damage to his body, yet he seemed oblivious, continuing to yell, "Didn't you eat? Are you trying to tickle me?!"

[Holy crap, Kongshan is awesome! (voice cracks)]

[You bunch of opportunists, that's what you call "Brother Shangkongshan," unlike me who slid down to my knees from the very beginning.]

[Jun Shen and Yun Qing, hurry up and unleash your attacks! Don't let Kong Shan get beaten up for nothing.]

There's absolutely no need to remind them.

Just as Yan Kongshan drew all the firepower, Jun Xiangbei made his move.

He transformed into a streak of light, his icy sword energy condensing into a nimble ice dragon that bypassed the falling meteorites and hurtled straight towards the core of the Flame Demon projection—the massive, violently pulsating fireball.

Wherever the sword energy passed, even the magma was briefly frozen.

Gu Yunqing was not idle either. After his mental strength broke through to S-level, he felt that the whole world had become clearer.

He no longer needed to expend a lot of energy to maintain Yan Kongshan's acting and mental resistance, and he fully mobilized his excess mental energy.

Gu Yunqing's eyes were sharp as an eagle's as she quickly analyzed the energy flow trajectory and attack pattern of the Flame Demon projection.

"Brother Bei, the energy node is weakest at 30 degrees to the upper left!"

"Kongshan, move three steps to the right to avoid the upcoming explosive impact!"

Jun Xiangbei's sword stance adjusted slightly according to Gu Yunqing's words. The ice dragon slammed into the node that Gu Yunqing pointed to at a tricky angle. The Flame Demon projection let out a painful howl, and the flames around it dimmed.

At the critical moment, Yan Kongshan dodged a wide-range explosion brewing by the Flame Demon projection with a clumsy but effective roll.

The three's teamwork reached its peak at this moment.

The battle lasted for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

After Yan Kongshan was pulled back from the brink of death by his own healing abilities countless times, only to rush back to "seek death" again, Jun Xiangbei finally seized the last flaw that Gu Yunqing had predicted.

The Ice Dragon Sword Qi was as precise as a scalpel, completely piercing through the core fireball of the Flame Demon projection.

"roar--!"

With a deafening roar filled with resentment, the enormous projection of the fire demon, like a punctured balloon, instantly lost control of its energy and dissipated, eventually transforming into countless sparks and streams of pure energy that slowly dissipated into the scorching air.

The violent energy in the core area also subsided considerably.

[System Notification: Congratulations to players Gu Yunqing, Jun Xiangbei, and Yan Kongshan for successfully defeating the final boss, the Flame Demon Projection, in the [Molten Heart] dungeon. Dungeon cleared. Rewards being calculated...]

[I beat the game! Awesome!]

[Congratulations to the three of you!]

I'm already looking forward to the battle for glory.

The beam of light from the dungeon's completion enveloped the three, and a familiar teleportation sensation washed over them.

As the light faded, the three had returned to the entrance of the Molten Core dungeon. The normal outside temperature brought a refreshing coolness to their still-existing lava hellscape.

As Yan Kongshan, the alternate personality, seemed to have dissipated his manic aura as he was no longer in the fight. The madness in his eyes receded like a tide, replaced by the familiar timidity and cowardice of the main personality.

He glanced at the marks on his body, which, despite the treatment, still left him looking disheveled. Then he looked at Gu Yunqing and Jun Xiangbei, whose expressions remained calm. His face flushed, and he lowered his head, saying softly, "Mr. Gu, Mr. Jun... I... I've held them back again..."

After saying that, without waiting for the two to respond, he turned into a streak of light and left, which was actually taken back by Gu Yunqing.

Only Gu Yunqing and Jun Xiangbei remained at the scene. A moment of silence fell over the atmosphere.

Jun Xiangbei looked at Gu Yunqing, his eyes churning with complex and indescribable emotions.

He seemed to be carefully choosing his words, his voice lower and slower than usual: "Yun Qing."

Gu Yunqing looked at him. Before entering the dungeon, Su Meichuan's words to him had already given him a premonition.

Jun Xiangbei's tone was solemn, as if he had made up his mind: "Perhaps I have found the answer I have been searching for."

He stared intently at Gu Yunqing, his usually calm eyes now clearly reflecting her image: "About feelings, about 'truth'."

Gu Yunqing's heartstrings twitched slightly, but she maintained a perfectly composed expression, even revealing a smile of happiness for the other person: "Really? That's wonderful, congratulations, Brother Bei."

His tone was sincere, as if he were genuinely pleased for his friend.

Seeing his oblivious, or rather, deliberately avoiding look, Jun Xiangbei felt a surge of unfamiliar, restless emotion rising in his chest, an emotion that had been lingering ever since the Refining Heart Tower.

His hand, which was at his side, twitched slightly, and a rare look of grievance and confusion appeared on his face.

Jun Xiangbei suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Gu Yunqing's wrist.

The movements were somewhat hasty, but not forceful, conveying an air of authority yet also a cautious demeanor.

Gu Yunqing was slightly taken aback, but did not immediately break free.

“Yun Qing,” Jun Xiangbei’s voice was even lower, with an almost candid frankness, “I have some things I must tell you now.”

Jun Xiangbei's eyes were fixed on Gu Yunqing, his emotions surging within them almost overflowing:

"It was because of you that I understood what it means to be moved and what it means to care. It was also because of you that I broke through the 'first law' that had always bound me."

He looked into Gu Yunqing's eyes, which always seemed to hold calculation and aloofness, and said clearly, word by word:

"Yun Qing, is there anything... you want to say to me?"

Gu Yunqing's heart skipped a beat. He knew, of course, what Jun Xiangbei wanted to hear.

All of this was within his guidance and calculation.

But when this pure and passionate emotion was laid bare before him, when he saw the undisguised expectation and trepidation in Jun Xiangbei's icy eyes, he found that his usual tricks of feigning indifference and changing the subject seemed to be somewhat difficult to use.

Gu Yunqing hesitated, which was uncharacteristic of her.

“Brother Bei,” Gu Yunqing looked away and gently pulled her wrist away. Jun Xiangbei subconsciously loosened his grip, but his gaze still followed her closely.

Gu Yunqing took a deep breath, looked at Jun Xiangbei again, her face showing an almost helpless yet extremely serious expression, "I heard it. And... I understand."

He paused, and under Jun Xiangbei's expectant gaze, slowly said, "However, the 'Battle of Glory' is imminent, and for me and for my guild, it is a matter of great importance, and I cannot afford to be distracted."

"Could we discuss everything in detail after the 'Battle for Glory' is over?"

He neither agreed nor refused, but simply requested a postponement.

But for Jun Xiangbei, who was just beginning to experience romantic feelings, this was already a clear signal.

Gu Yunqing's lack of direct denial implies that he was not entirely unaffected.

The disappointment in Jun Xiangbei's eyes flashed by, but was quickly replaced by a more determined light.

He nodded, regaining his usual composure, but beneath that composure seemed to lie something different. "Okay."

Jun Xiangbei responded, his voice regaining its composure, "Then after the War of Glory."

A subtle understanding was reached between the two.

"I'll go back and consolidate my cultivation first," Gu Yunqing said.

"Hmm." Jun Xiangbei nodded. "I also need to prepare. The battle for glory... see you on the field."

See you on the field.

After bidding farewell to Jun Xiangbei, Gu Yunqing returned to her personal space almost immediately.

Isolated from the noise of the outside world, he let out a long sigh of relief, temporarily suppressing the chaotic emotions in his mind.

Now is not the time to dwell on these things.

Strength is the fundamental element.

Gu Yunqing focused her mind and calmed herself, letting her consciousness sink into the system.

Should the character 'Yan Kongshan' be made a permanent card?

"yes."

A dark red light shone in the pure white space, and countless fine runes, symbolizing the "lock-in" rule and the "dual personality" characteristic, flowed and condensed, eventually transforming into a card with a special texture, which fell into Gu Yunqing's hand.

The front of the card features a double-sided image of Yan Kongshan.

On one side is the primary personality, cowering with knees drawn up and a timid look in their eyes; on the other side is the secondary personality, laughing wildly with head held high and surrounded by blood-red chains.

The back of the card features intricate dark red patterns and feels slightly cool to the touch.

[The alternate account 'Yan Kongshan' has been successfully fixed. Current available alternate account cards: 4.]

Almost the instant the card solidified, Gu Yunqing felt a subtle change occur in her mental consciousness once again.

The sluggishness caused by forcibly bearing the core rules of the fourth identity completely disappeared, and the flow of mental energy became more smooth and free, as if some final piece of the puzzle had been completed.

The S-level mental strength realm has been completely stabilized, and even made some subtle progress.

Gu Yunqing felt that her thinking speed, perception range, and control precision of energy had all reached a completely new level.

Maintaining four Macaques for regular activities at the same time, although I can still feel the mental burden, it is no longer the oppressive feeling of being on the verge of the limit, but has become a "weight" that can be endured and can be further optimized as proficiency increases.

With a thought, Gu Yunqing summoned three more cards that floated beside him: the mysterious and transcendent Zhuge Jin, the fierce and unyielding Qiu Zangxue, and the lazy and unfathomable Wu Jueji.

In addition, Yan Kongshan, who possesses both extreme survivability and tactical value, has been added.

With this, the core team he had meticulously built for the "Battle for Glory" was finally complete.

"The team name... let's call it 'Wanxiang'," Gu Yunqing murmured to herself, her eyes gleaming with confidence.

All-encompassing and ever-changing, it perfectly suits his combat system centered around his disguise.

Without taking much rest, Gu Yunqing directly controlled the four alternate identities, following her main body, to the "Battle of Glory" registration area in the central region of the Pure White World.

The registration area was packed with people, and the atmosphere was both lively and tense.

The giant light screen continuously scrolled through the information of the teams that had already registered, and many well-known guilds and solo powerhouses were prominently listed.

【“Palace of Gods” Team – Captain: Sylvie…】

【“Guild of Light” Team – Captain: Elena…】

【"Mechanical Heart" Team - Captain: Codename "Engineer"...】

【“Shadow Council” Team – Captain: Battle Maniac…】

[“Healer Guild” Team – Captain: Mu Xiu…]

[...]

【“Guardians Guild” Team – Captain: Albatross, Teammate: Su Meichuan…】

Gu Yunqing saw the guild that Jun Xiangbei belonged to, but he was not among the participants in that guild.

Jun Xiangbei's name did not appear on any team roster.

Gu Yunqing calmly guided the avatars through the crowd to the registration point.

He took out his identity document, and at the same time, Zhuge Jin, Qiu Zangxue, Wu Jueji, and Yan Kongshan also took out their identity documents.

The group of five, all of whom were at the height of their fame, instantly attracted a lot of attention from those around them.

Team name: 'Wanxiang'.

"Captain: Gu Yunqing."

Team members: Zhuge Jin, Qiu Zangxue, Wu Jueji, Yan Kongshan.

He entered the information.

The system's light swept over him and the four cards, confirming that everything was correct.

[Team 'Wanxiang' has successfully registered. We wish all players great success in the 'Battle for Glory'!]

The moment the registration was completed, Gu Yunqing could feel countless gazes, some curious, some scrutinizing, and some wary, falling on him and his "team members".

He calmly accepted these gazes, his heart unmoved, filled only with surging fighting spirit and boundless anticipation for the future.

Feeling the four cards floating in his sea of ​​consciousness and the S-level spiritual power flowing through his body, Gu Yunqing knew that he had already grasped the cards that were enough to stir up the storm in this grand feast where powerful figures gathered.

"The battle for glory..." he repeated the name in a low voice, a determined smile curving his lips.

In this grand event, he not only wants to win, but also wants his and his aliases' "legend" to be "seen" by more people in this highly anticipated battle.

The battle for glory was opened by him, "Wanxiang"!