Even though Lu Ran agreed verbally, he continued to tightly embrace Gu Yunkai, repeatedly calling this name that had almost driven him to madness. He could even faintly hear sobbing: “Master… Master…”
Gu Yunkai was slightly taken aback but didn’t say anything. He just patted Lu Ran’s head, allowing him to vent his emotions.
When Ye Lingsha arrived with her subordinates, the entire palace had collapsed, and the area where the two were standing had turned into ruins.
However, when she saw Gu Yunkai standing in the rubble, she was utterly stunned.
Over the past few centuries, despite their Demon Sovereign trying countless methods and obtaining countless treasures, none had any effect. Nearly everyone in the Dark Palace believed that their Demon Sovereign had gone insane. But they never expected that this man had truly awakened now.
Moreover, he appeared almost unchanged from hundreds of years ago.
Gu Yunkai couldn’t help but move his wrist again and found that he couldn’t gather even a trace of spiritual energy. It was as if Lu Ran knew what he was thinking and said, “Master, don’t worry… just give it a little more time… I will definitely restore you to your previous state.”
Gu Yunkai didn’t seem concerned, but he looked at Lu Ran’s quite terrifying wounds and furrowed his brows, “You’re severely injured…”
Lu Ran, however, shook his head, “Master, there’s no need to worry. They’ll heal on their own in a short while.”
Gu Yunkai gaze steadied, and he asked, “How about the Sect Martial Uncle? How is he doing now?”
Lu Ran remained silent for a while, gazing at Gu Yunkai for a good half of that time before he spoke in a deep voice, “The Sect Martial Uncle… he passed away peacefully a hundred years ago.”
Gu Yunkai’s pupils twitched slightly, and while he was mentally prepared for the passage of so much time, everything should be different now.
Gu Yunkai gazed at the nearly ruined main hall of the demonic palace, remained silent for a long time, and then asked, “Do you still hate me?”
“I acted on my own and did all of this, but I never asked if you wanted any of it. Back then, I cast you down into the demonic realm and razed Red Cloud City. You’re right; if you hadn’t met me, your life would have been less troubled.”
Lu Ran’s gaze remained unwavering as he looked at Gu Yunkai, as if he wanted to etch this person into his heart. “What if I say that all of this was willingly done by your disciple?”
“As long as it’s for the Master, this disciple can endure all the pain… even relish it…”
Gu Yunkai turned to look at him for a long time, but all he saw was a gentle, tender gaze and a faint smile on Lu Ran’s face. It was hard to imagine that this was the same person who once killed without a second thought.
After a brief moment and seeing that Gu Yunkai still had no response, he smiled and said, “It’s okay, Master, you won’t understand.”
You won’t understand that there is still a kind of feeling in this world that can be like this, like drinking poison to quench one’s thirst, knowing it’s not right but still doing it.
But Lu Ran didn’t care about all of that. As long as this person was still standing in front of him, nothing else mattered.
*
Ye Lingsha, faced with the overwhelming amount of paperwork for the demon race, felt that her life was hopeless. For the past few hundred years, she had diligently taken care of affairs, but their esteemed lord has completely changed since the Battle of Red Cloud City. He had lost interest in expanding the empire and rarely inquired about internal demon affairs, leaving all of it to her.
Fortunately, Lu Ran was strong enough to keep the demon clans from engaging in large-scale infighting. In the past, the subordinate sects with ambitions might not have tolerated such an inactive Demon Sovereign.
When that person was still just a corpse, their Demon Sovereign spent his days with the lifeless body. Now that he had awakened, he wouldn’t leave his side for even a moment.
Gu Yunkai looked at the perfectly arranged dishes in front of him, with a full meal including four dishes and a soup, then turned to the radiant Lu Ran beside him, asking, “Did you make this?”
Lu Ran nodded, his dark eyes fixed on Gu Yunkai, their gaze gentle. “Master, please try it.”
Gu Yunkai’s expression shifted slightly as he picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the stir-fried bamboo shoots. In this world of cultivation, he hadn’t eaten such food in a long time. The bamboo shoots were tender, with a sweet and crisp taste. He smiled faintly and praised generously, “It’s very good.”
He had a cold and aloof demeanor, and even his lips had a faint color. When he smiled, it was like spring water breaking through the ice, making Lu Ran’s heart warm and his whole chest feel hot.
It even gave him a sense of déjà vu.
After finishing the meal, Lu Ran asked Gu Yunkai to wait for a moment, mentioning that he had something to give him.
Not long after, Gu Yunkai saw that Lu Ran had taken out a wooden box, a little over three feet long. The box was well-preserved and clean, with a seal written in a calligraphic style that showed no signs of aging.
“Mystic Frost…” Inside the box lay a long sword with a gleaming white blade, adorned with countless intricate Dao patterns. Gu Yunkai held it in his hands, a nostalgic expression on his face.
However, because there was no longer any spiritual energy within its master, even when Gu Yunkai held Mystic Frost, the sword remained motionless, showing no reaction. It looked like an ordinary, slightly antiquated iron sword.
Even though Gu Yunkai’s face showed no change, Lu Ran understood the immense gap a former supreme swordsman faced when they could no longer sense their own sword. Back in the day, Lu Ran had suffered greatly, and he could only imagine how unbearable it was for his master, who had such a proud nature.
However, during the battle of Red Cloud City, his master’s dantian had been shattered, and it could no longer hold any spiritual energy. He had done everything to maintain this trace of his soul, but if he were to truly rebuild his dantian like in the past, it would be an impossible task.
[Host, why hasn’t the mission been marked as completed yet?]
From System 2333’s perspective, the host has been thoroughly redeemed, so there’s no reason for the mission progress to remain incomplete.
[Perhaps he still doesn’t entirely believe that everything I’ve done has been solely for his benefit. After all, I’ve always been dedicated to eradicating evil and upholding justice, and he might think that my true motivation was more for the sake of the world.]
[Don’t worry, though. We’ll provide support soon. Some things are better said face to face.]
Since he had awakened, Lu Ran had been helping Gu Yunkai heal and restore his damaged soul every day. They had spent several days in this comfortable state, and now the opportunity had finally arrived.
On this particular morning, Lu Ran had left the demonic palace upon receiving some news. Soon after, an unexpected guest arrived.
The man was dressed in black attire, and he had a handsome appearance. However, his demeanor was distinctly different from Lu Ran’s charismatic and charming presence. In the cool night air, he exuded a somewhat sinister aura.
Gu Yunkai looked at the newcomer and was slightly surprised, as he had not expected to see this person here.
Duan Chongque’s sharp gaze swept over Gu Yunkai, and he grinned with apparent interest. “So, you really woke up… He actually did it. How fascinating…”
Gu Yunkai was unsure of what to make of his excited expression. As far as he knew, Duan Chongque had been quiet and uninvolved for the past few centuries, seemingly having given up any hope of reclaiming the title of the Demon Sovereign.
After all, with Lu Ran having eliminated the backlash of demonic energy, there was likely no longer anyone in this world who could be his match.
For some reason, Duan Chongque swiftly moved to Gu Yunkai’s side, grabbed his wrist, and examined his meridians. After a moment, he released his hand and frowned. “As I suspected, your dantian is completely shattered, with no trace of spiritual energy left. You’re just like a cripple.”
Gu Yunkai: “…”
Duan Chongque had originally come to see if this person was truly alive, but seeing the current situation, he had a change of heart and decided to finally clarify the question that had been nagging at him for hundreds of years.
“I’m quite curious to know if there’s anything really… between you and your disciple,” he said.
Over the past few centuries, while he had roamed through the mortal realm and the demon realm, the most common stories he heard were about the rumors of the grand battle that took place in Red Cloud City. These stories primarily revolved around the muddled and unmentionable details of the relationship between the Peak Master of the Cloud Crane and the traitorous demon sovereign.
He had initially considered these tales to be mere gossip and didn’t take them seriously. He knew who Lu Ran was, but he was also well-acquainted with the kind of person Gu Yunkai was. Currently, Gu Yunkai has a heavenly presence, so how could he possibly engage in such behavior?
However, he found that Gu Yunkai’s behavior during the Battle of Red Cloud City was far from rational. While Lu Ran was intimately aware of how Gu Yunkai treated him in the Demon Palace, it was unreasonable to accept that there was no underlying meaning to it, considering the way Lu Ran had behaved in the past.
When Gu Yunkai’s intentions and feelings were hidden from view, it was hard to decipher the truth. Duan Chongque could only come to his own conclusions based on what he had observed and the rumors he had heard.
Gu Yunkai, the Peak Master of Cloud Crane, had been a key figure during the battle, and his performance had been awe-inspiring. Nevertheless, what had truly stunned Duan Chongque was Gu Yunkai’s final choice: using his true spirit as a vessel to cleanse all demonic aura from his ancient demonic bloodline.
Duan Chongque had never believed that an Immortal like Gu Yunkai, who was said to be the one who cared for the world, would willingly make such a sacrifice. Human nature was inherently selfish, and it was natural for one to prioritize their own interests over those of others.
In the end, removing all traces of the enemy was what these orthodox Immortal sects had been doing for years. Therefore, Duan Chongque found himself puzzled by Gu Yunkai’s unexpected actions.
And, if Peak Master Gu genuinely has no romantic feelings for his disciple, why would he tolerate him until now? Given Gu Yunkai’s personality, he would likely prefer to stay as far away from his disciple as possible for the rest of his life.
It seemed that Gu Yunkai had sensed what Duan Chongque was thinking. He stood up, turned around, and said, “He joined my sect at the age of six. Although I spent most of my time in seclusion and had very little contact with him, I could still see that he has deep feelings for me.”
“Despite having a demonic bloodline, he has a pure and kind nature. Although I am aware that I cannot change his lineage, I also do not want to see him completely fall into the path of darkness.”
Upon hearing Gu Yunkai’s explanation, Duan Chongque raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Gu Yunkai, oh Gu Yunkai, should I call you compassionate or heartless? It’s a pity that your disciple loves you to the point of madness and the brink of turning into a demon. Yet, you seem to understand nothing.”
Gu Yunkai was briefly taken aback, then he whispered, “I understand.”
Duan Chongque couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t encountered something this intriguing in hundreds of years. He made a knowing sound and then asked, “What have you understood? I don’t believe it.”
Author’s Note: The author wants to remind everyone that consuming wild animals is not ethical. Please refrain from consuming wild animals.
Duan Chongque: Is that so? I don’t believe it… Haha!
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