His earnest teachings were so sincere and earnest that not a trace of reluctance or pretense could be seen.
Even if it meant giving his life to her, Gu Zhong wouldn't hesitate for a second.
However, Gu Zhong was unwilling to be a mere puppet with a soul.
Even if she is still conscious and perceptive, she will never be the one to touch her beloved with her own hands.
Her soul was imprisoned, and she could only watch as her body was manipulated by wandering ghosts from who-knows-where, to kiss and embrace her beloved master.
The thought of it was unbearable for her; it was absolutely unacceptable.
So she began to use all her strength to break through the barrier in her sea of consciousness that separated her soul, and the result was unexpectedly as she wished.
She easily gained control of her body, but she could sense that the lingering spirit had not dissipated; it had merely slumbered in a corner of her consciousness, waiting for the opportunity to awaken again.
“Ah Chong…”
Looking into Gu Zhong's sorrowful eyes, Ling Yan was overwhelmed by a flood of conflicting thoughts and feelings of guilt.
They should have been one person, since there is only one Gu Zhong in each lifetime.
But they are not truly one person. When the lingering regrets of the past coexist with the present, how can one separate their emotions?
The situation in this life is more complicated than before.
Fortunately, thanks to the power of the origin, Gu Zhong's meridians have been reshaped, and his cultivation level has surged like a tidal wave.
Her efforts have paid off, and she is no longer the useless person who struggled to improve without any progress.
At the Integration Stage after a century, he deserves to be called the number one person of the new generation. He is a true prodigy of heaven and a genius in cultivation.
"From now on, your cultivation will be unimpeded. Congratulations..."
This is Lingyan's heartfelt congratulation and joy.
"Does Master really think that way?"
Gu Zhong lowered his eyes and stopped looking at Ling Yan, his hand gripping the sword at his waist tightly.
She could sense that this sword didn't actually belong to her.
Why do you say that?
Startled by his words, Ling Yan realized that Gu Zhong seemed to have imagined something, causing the misunderstanding between them to snowball.
"I do not wish to do as Master desires."
Suppressing his reluctance, Gu Zhong took the sword from his waist and held it in front of Ling Yan.
Perhaps due to the catalyst of respecting its origin, this spirit sword has also quietly undergone changes.
The originally plain and smooth sword blade now displays dark gold patterns, and its gleaming cold light exudes an awe-inspiring and inviolable sword intent, making it impossible for anyone other than its chosen master to approach.
After the spirit sword shed all its disguises, Lingyan finally recognized the familiar-looking sword.
This was the very sword that Gu Zhong had taken from her years ago because of a small bet.
I still remember when Gu Zhong asked for the sword, he was chased and beaten by this extremely temperamental spirit sword for half of the God Realm.
If she hadn't repeatedly assured Yanyun that she would protect Lingyan to the death, Yanyun would probably rather die than serve her as her master.
Recalling the comical sight of the once invincible God of War bowing and pleading with a sword, Ling Yan couldn't help but smile nostalgically.
"Master, this is her sword too, isn't it..."
Gu Zhong held the sword out to Ling Yan again, a surge of anger rising in her heart for the past that had unconsciously haunted her master.
"This is also your sword."
Lingyan did not accept Yanyun. She collected her thoughts and looked at Gu Zhong seriously, hoping that she could understand the unspoken meaning in her words.
"No, it's not mine."
At this moment, Gu Zhong was like a child throwing a tantrum because he didn't get attention, stubbornly sticking to his own ideas and refusing to budge an inch.
"Ah Chong... what are you going to do?"
Ling Yan sighed softly.
“Things that are not mine should naturally be returned.”
Suppressing his longing for the spirit sword, Gu Zhong repeatedly reminded himself that it wasn't his true feeling.
"Then what?"
Hearing the disgruntled sound of the sword in Gu Zhong's hand, Ling Yan patted the blade reassuringly.
The sword follows its master, but it's unclear which master it followed, hence its haughty nature.
When you don't want it, you despise it; but when you really don't want it, you get angry.
"Please forgive my impudence, Master, and allow me to leave."
Gritting her teeth, Gu Zhong finally defied her inner desires and uttered a sentence she thought she would never say.
"Gu Zhong, are you going to betray your master?"
Lingyan paused, her jade-like hand on the sword stilled, and looked intently at Gu Zhong.
Chapter 84 Astrologer and Defiant One (Thirteen)
================================
Betraying one's master is an irreversible act, something almost no one in the cultivation world dares to do.
This not only means losing the protection of one's sect and facing past enemies, but also the possibility of being hunted down by the sect itself.
Faced with Ling Yan's serious and cold questioning, Gu Zhong's conflicted and struggling heart became increasingly shaken.
She was already reluctant to leave, and if her master continued to treat her well as always...
The lingering resentment dormant deep within his consciousness stirred slightly, as if it were about to awaken in the next second.
This subtle change was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, making Gu Zhong involuntarily shiver and awaken him from his lingering desire for tenderness.
She absolutely could not tolerate her body being controlled by others, and she could not bear to watch Lingyan fall in love with someone else.
Since that's the case, Gu Zhong absolutely will not allow himself to appear before Ling Yan again until she has fought that lingering remnant to a complete victory.
Then let Master see through me, with those affectionate eyes, and remember someone who should have died long ago.
"Please grant my request, Master."
Gu Zhong lowered his waist even further, his voice deep and muffled.
"You're so kind..."
Lingyan gave a desolate laugh. At this moment, she was also in a state of utter confusion, not knowing how to face the situation, and her heart was filled with guilt and indebtedness.
While it is true that projecting past feelings onto the present is somewhat unfair to people in the present, it is still unfair to them.
Why is this guy so stubborn...?
There were clearly better ways; if only she had patiently listened to all her explanations...
"Lord Xingxuan, the Xingluo Sect has always shown no mercy to those who betray their masters!"
Unfortunately, at this very moment, there were still some clueless people who seized the opportunity to chime in.
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Gu Zhong, who was bowing, turned her head slightly and discovered someone she hadn't noticed before—someone who should have been a victim of her sword.
However, it's not too late to strike again.
Perhaps because she was about to do something outrageous, Gu Zhong broke free of all her mental constraints and became bolder in her actions.
With a thought, the smoke and clouds that had been locked in a stalemate between her and Lingyan suddenly unsheathed, completing Gu Zhong's command before anyone could react, and returned to its sheath.
The talkative senior sister surnamed Wu didn't even have time to let out a wail before she fell heavily to the ground, with only a thin line of blood on her neck indicating how she died.
"Senior brother! Look! The Star Luo Sect is really going too far!"
Because Yanyun was in the hands of Gu Zhong and Lingyan, Yunyao didn't know who had done it.
However, to kill their disciples in front of them at will was truly too arrogant and audacious.
Having learned from countless mistakes, she was finally a little smarter this time. Instead of directly attacking Lingyan, she sought help from Qingzhu.
"A talkative person deserves to die!"
"Kill them if you want, I'm no longer a member of the Star Luo Sect anyway..."
Ling Yan and Gu Zhong spoke at the same time, both wanting to take the blame upon themselves.
After all, this matter cannot be resolved peacefully unless all members of the Shangyin Sect present are killed to eradicate it completely.
Even though Gu Zhong had drained all their spiritual power, Ling Yan wasn't entirely confident that she could completely kill them.
Cultivators are all old turtles who have lived for many years, how could they not have some means of protecting their lives?
Lingyan thought to herself that it was always easier to resolve the matter by taking it upon herself than by leaving it to Gu Zhong.
"Gu Zhong, don't speak nonsense! Besides, when did I ever agree to let you leave the Star Luo Sect and stop being my disciple? Hmm?"
Ling Yan unleashed the oppressive aura of a Tribulation Transcending Realm cultivator, pressing down fiercely on everyone present.
At this point, what is needed is to create facts with strength and dispel the unrealistic ideas of some people.
“Lord Xingxuan, even if our disciples have made mistakes, they should not be dealt with in this way.”
Once we leave this secret realm, Qingzhu will definitely demand an explanation from you.”
Only Qingzhu was able to maintain her composure under such pressure, arguing with Lingyan with neither arrogance nor servility.
His temperament is indeed like that of a noble bamboo, which is an important reason why Lingyan has been able to maintain a good relationship with him.
After saying this, Qingzhu flicked her sleeve, and after a series of array fluctuations, all the Shangyin Sect members present disappeared, including the still warm corpse.
Lingyan used her divine sense to investigate, but there was no trace of anyone within a hundred miles. They must have used some kind of magic artifact that could teleport everyone together. As expected, she couldn't hold back the people from the Shangyin Sect today.
In the vast cave, only Gu Zhong, kneeling on the ground, remained, struggling to resist the oppressive aura she released.
Ling Yan quickly withdrew her oppressive aura, took two steps forward, and intended to help Gu Zhong up.
She immediately remembered that the little guy was still arguing with her about betraying his master, so she pretended to be reserved and put her outstretched hand back into her sleeve.