Chapter 37
Jiang Liuya sat cross-legged, focusing her inner energy on her dantian.
A pale golden liquid flowed slowly within Lin Yuan's transparent body. A blurry human figure gradually took shape under the outline of the pale golden liquid. This new form bore some resemblance to the nascent soul within Jiang Liuya's core, except that its eyes were tightly closed, as if it were still asleep, or perhaps accumulating some kind of power.
At that moment, a powerful divine sense approached. The instant it pierced through the barrier, Jiang Liuya immediately sensed it. She had already witnessed the divine sense of Daoist Danxi before; it was as sharp and piercing as an ice blade. This time, however, it permeated her senses as gently as ripples on water.
Her sudden announcement of going into seclusion aroused suspicion in Daoist Danxi's heart.
If it wasn't an injury, then it might be an advancement. Daoist Danxi didn't understand the advancement of Gu cultivators, but as a type of evil cultivation, advancement was extremely difficult, requiring a huge price to pay each time. His brows furrowed tightly as he pondered what extraordinary encounters she had encountered in the Chaos Fragments that could trigger such a drastic change.
She was already at the Nascent Soul stage; if she advanced further, she would become a Deity Transformation cultivator. The fact that a Gu cultivator could reach the Deity Transformation stage was something that seemed to have never been heard of in this world before…
Filled with doubt and worry, Daoist Danxi decided to use his divine sense to investigate.
The moment Jiang Liuya's divine sense touched the barrier, she immediately put on a defensive stance. A thick fog rose from her dantian, making it impossible for the Dao Lord's divine sense to see the specific situation there.
However, the moment Danxi Daojun probed with her divine sense, she sensed an unprecedented aura. Within her dantian, there was a new divine sense. This new divine sense was rising at an astonishing rate; if it continued to develop at this pace, it might even replace Jiang Liuya's original soul and control this body in the near future.
Thinking of this, Daoist Danxi immediately appeared before Jiang Liuya.
"What does Daojun mean by this?" Jiang Liuya got off the couch, her eyes full of vigilance.
"If you continue like this, it's very dangerous; you might be possessed."
Possession? He's referring to Lin Yuan? It seems we've been discovered after all. Jiang Liuya thought to herself.
Now that we've been discovered, there's no point in pretending to be stupid.
"What does Daojun mean?"
Danxi Daojun remained silent for a long time, his expression seemingly filled with struggle.
"I want to help you remove the curse."
Jiang Liuya was stunned for a moment, then showed her anger.
Removing the Gu? The so-called "removing the Gu" refers to eliminating the Gu cultivator's natal Gu. The natal Gu is the foundation of a Gu cultivator's cultivation and is closely connected to their core essence; this would cripple the cultivator.
After a long pause, Jiang Liuya seemed to laugh in anger: "Does Daojun want my life?"
Danxi Daojun slowly walked up to her, and Jiang Liuya couldn't understand the emotions in his eyes.
He raised his left hand, palm up, and rotated his wrist slightly. Suddenly, a beam of green light shot out from his dantian. In an instant, a jade-like green vine appeared in his left palm.
The surface of the green vine faintly shimmered with purple light, exuding a breathtakingly powerful force; it was actually a divine-level magical artifact.
With his free hand, he gently took Jiang Liuya's hand and placed the magic artifact in her hand.
"This is my natal magic weapon, the Thunderstrike Jade Vine."
Jiang Liuya was somewhat bewildered, holding the natal magic weapon given to her by Daoist Danxi, unsure of what to do.
"This jade vine is for you; from now on, it will only obey you."
The jade vine, seemingly trying to please her, swayed and tickled her palm. Despite its soft and cute appearance, its power was undeniable. Jiang Liuya secretly probed the jade vine with her divine sense. It contained the power of heavenly lightning, yet simultaneously possessed a strong and vigorous life force. These two completely different yet powerful forces coexisted within one, truly a treasure. Under her gaze, the jade vine seemed eager to show off, instantly growing larger, transforming into a long, green whip, crackling with lightning, majestic and awe-inspiring, demonstrating itself as a powerful and handy weapon.
Jiang Liuya was increasingly confused about what Daojun Danxi was planning. Shouldn't he be settling scores with her now? Why would he be giving away his natal magic weapon?
"Why?" she asked, puzzled.
"You shouldn't have cultivated the Gu Dao." Daoist Danxi sighed softly and said slowly. With her talent, she should have shone brightly in the Dao of Alchemy.
"I will remove the Gu for you. The Jade Vine contains life force and can ensure your safety."
Was he genuinely trying to help her? He even paved the way for her subsequent injuries, ensuring her safety.
However, for her, giving up the Gu path, abandoning cultivation, and becoming a mortal was worse than death.
"I am deeply moved that Daojun cares about me so much, even though we are not related."
Jiang Liuya had a playful smile on her lips as she toyed with the jade vine in her hand, channeling spiritual energy to restore it to its original state, then coiling it around her fingers and fiddling with it.
Let's form a bond.
After a moment of silence, Daoist Danxi once again uttered a startling statement.
Jiang Liuya was taken aback again, then realized what was happening, and a slight smile appeared on her lips, tinged with a hint of teasing.
"Forming a contract, dual cultivation? Such a refreshing and unconventional terminology, truly befitting a Dao Lord."
Danxi Daojun's upright face flushed slightly, but his eyes remained firm.
"We form a soul pact, sharing life and cultivation."
Jiang Liuya's pupils trembled slightly.
Soul Contract is the highest level of contract between Daoist partners.
Why would Daoist Danxi want to form a soul contract with her? Daoist Danxi is a top-tier cultivator with profound cultivation, having already advanced to the Nascent Soul stage. She, on the other hand, is merely a Gu cultivator with an uncertain future, a being despised by the righteous path, and her cultivation is far inferior to his. Moreover, she carries karmic debts; if she cannot rely on the power of the Gu Venerable to undergo a complete transformation, she may perish at any time.
This seems like a terrible deal. What benefits could there be in forming a soul contract with her?
They had only known each other for a short time, and their brief time together was enough for him to become so devoted and infatuated with her.
Jiang Liuya shook her head slightly, her eyes revealing confusion and bewilderment.
Danxi Daojun's eyes were deep and thoughtful; these were the words he hadn't had time to say fifty years ago.
She was his beloved Daoist partner, the one he wanted to spend his life with.
It was my incompetence that caused her to suffer alone for so many years.
Fortunately, they met again.
Danxi Daojun reached out and grasped Jiang Liuya's hands, enveloping both of them.
Jiang Liuya was still lost in her own thoughts when this sudden intimate gesture left her feeling bewildered.
She immediately shook off Danxi Daojun's hand.
She shook her head slightly, opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.
"Can I trust you?" Jiang Liuya asked abruptly after a moment.
After all, people who easily trust others are always more likely to get hurt.
Danxi Daojun paused for a moment, then said in a low voice.
"If I am not sincere towards you, then let me die a horrible death."
Cultivation emphasizes cause and effect; every word spoken carries karmic consequences. This is especially true for orthodox cultivators, where broken vows can easily breed inner demons. Perhaps, Daoist Danxi truly acted out of sincerity, hence his reckless disregard for consequences. Jiang Liuya suddenly remembered the man in blue; she hadn't thought of him for a very, very long time. Who can love someone forever?
Compared to these illusory emotions, strength is the only thing that can always be relied upon.
During these ten days or so of seclusion, Jiang Liuya gradually noticed that Lin Yuan's divine consciousness was quietly awakening. Previously, she hadn't known that the awakening of a Gu Venerable would grant it sentience. What Daoist Danxi had said—that after awakening, the Gu Venerable could turn against its host and, through its consciousness, take control of its own body—was not impossible.
Jiang Liuya's mind flashed back to the moments she had spent with Lin Yuan. In dire straits, he helped her cleanse her marrow and rebuild her core essence, fought alongside her, and eliminated those enemies who had once harmed her.
Lin Yuan was not only her natal Gu, but also the only light she could grasp during that period of time.
She and Lin Yuan were inherently symbiotic; Lin Yuan fed on her essence and blood, while she relied on its power to achieve her goals step by step. Over the years, she and Lin Yuan had long since become one, inseparable in blood and flesh. Regardless of Danxi Daojun's motives, attempting to completely remove Lin Yuan from her body was nothing but wishful thinking.
No matter what, she could not give up Lin Yuan, nor could she give up the Gu Dao.
After speaking, Daoist Danxi set up the formation on his own.
This formation seems to be used to establish some kind of contract.
"This is the formation used to form the Soul Pact. We will form the pact now. From now on, we will live and die together. If you die, I will not be able to live either."
As he spoke, he pulled her into the center of the magic circle, intending to activate the magic circle that had formed the bond.
"Wait," Jiang Liuya immediately called out to stop her.
Her expression was indifferent, yet it conveyed a completely resistant attitude.
"If you are unwilling to form a pact with me, what will it take for you to believe me?"
Jiang Liuya gently shook her head and said, "Dao Lord, forming a Daoist bond requires more than just trust."
"They must love each other. Does the Daoist Master believe that trust alone is enough to form a bond and become Daoist partners?"
Her eyes were cold, as if she were merely a complete bystander.
Danxi Daojun looked somber. Love? They had once loved each other, but that love was now buried in the annals of time.
"Daojun, why don't you tell me about removing the Gu first? Lin Yuan has been in my Dan Yuan for so many years, and is closely connected to my flesh and soul. How does Daojun plan to remove the Gu?"
Danxi Daojun raised his right hand, palm facing up, and a jade bottle appeared in his palm.
"This is the Life-Creating Pill, which can protect your life." Without further ado, he shoved the jade bottle into Jiang Liuya's hand.
Then, he continuously took out various pills from his Qiankun bag.
"The Myriad Woods Protecting Meridians Pill strengthens the meridians and stabilizes all the meridians."
"The Purple Sun Heaven-Mending Pill can immediately fill the vacuum of the dantian after the Gu worm leaves the body."
...
Jiang Liuya's arms were stuffed full of jade bottles filled with pills. She sighed inwardly, thinking how wealthy this Daoist Danxi truly was.
"In addition, it is necessary to set up an array to allow your body to circulate spiritual energy with the outside world."
"Don't worry, I will make full preparations."
Jiang Liuya still clutched the jade vine given to her by Daoist Danxi. Spiritual energy flowed within it; this jade vine, carrying Daoist Danxi's aura, should allow her to freely enter and exit the barrier of Lingcui Peak. Having already obtained what she wanted, and with an unexpected bonus, it was time to leave Lingcui Peak and the Tianxuan Sect.
"Then I'll have to ask Daojun to make proper preparations so I can suffer less," Jiang Liuya said with a smile.
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