"Get off...get off...break free..."
However, her pleasure did not last long before she felt a chill on her chest. Xia Xiange looked down and realized that she had not escaped the heart-piercing sword after all; it was just that the system had taken the hit first.
Whether it was the power of the sword itself or Gu Zhong's ability, the soul, which did not belong to this world, was pierced through along with the body, suffering the pain of being burned by endless karmic fire, which was much more painful than the soul whip of the system.
At this moment, Xia Xiange still had the leisure to compare the strengths and weaknesses of Gu Zhong and the system in her mind.
"Xuanhu, you are truly disappointing."
At the same time, Gu Zhong appeared in front of her, his cold words filled with distrust and an attitude of "I knew it."
—Xuanhu? Who is she calling? Does she know me?
One question after another arose in Xia Xiange's mind, but she never had the chance to ask them.
Time doesn't allow it, and the system won't allow it either.
The black mist and demonic energy that had been roaming the entire area seemed to be summoned by something. After pausing for a moment, it all came toward Xia Xiange—or rather, toward the system on Xia Xiange's soul.
"Break away from the world!"
The system seemed to have been restored to normal, and a piercing mechanical voice announced its return.
The next second, Xia Xiange's physical body in this world collapsed and scattered like a loosely gathered sand dune.
Gu Zhong reached out to grab the strange thing on Xia Xiange's soul, but he was too slow, and it escaped along with Xia Xiange's soul.
However, it wasn't entirely without gain; at least he learned what the culprit who had been targeting him for the past few lifetimes truly was.
Something that doesn't resemble a living being can possess a divine soul, control demonic energy, and freely traverse the world.
The veil of the mastermind behind the scenes has been lifted to some extent. Gu Zhong's intuition tells him that their entanglement and struggle are far from over, and they will meet again someday.
Even though Xia Xiange had left, the black hole of demonic energy at the top still existed, and its rotation speed was getting faster and faster, as if something was brewing inside.
Gu Zhong looked at it with a solemn expression, then at Ling Yan who was slowly waking up, a hint of struggle appearing on his resolute and composed face.
"Gu Zhong?"
Lingyan was genuinely surprised for a moment at the fact that her soul had not left this world, but the instant she saw the scene clearly, she understood.
Gu Zhong is back.
The invincible God of War from the divine realm has returned.
Although it is unknown how she descended here with only half of her remnant soul, the oppressive aura that she exudes over this entire world is something only a true Gu Zhong could possess.
"Ayan..."
Gu Zhong's hesitation did not last any longer. She strode towards Ling Yan with a cheerful expression, her eyes filled with the joy of cherishing a lost treasure and the delight of a long-awaited reunion.
"Gu Zhong, I'm sorry..."
An apology, uttered after ten thousand years, churned within my heart for a long time before finally being uttered with great difficulty.
"Ayan, you know I've never blamed you."
Gu Zhong gently tidied her messy hair. But the more she said this, the more uncomfortable Ling Yan felt.
"My time is running out. Take care of yourself, and... there's something strange about Xuanhu, be careful."
Gu Zhong didn't give Ling Yan any more time to reminisce. She glanced at the black hole above again, where something dangerous seemed about to descend upon the world.
If there was anything about Gu Zhong that Ling Yan deeply resented, it was her sense of responsibility that she could never let go of, even in death, yet it was also what made her feel deeply reliable and trustworthy.
Whether it's a god or a human, there are always contradictions.
Lingyan knew that descending into a small world in the form of a true god was not an option, otherwise the world would collapse due to its inability to withstand the pressure.
Moreover, the black hole left by Xia Xiange exudes an ominous and dangerous aura that even she finds ominous, and only Gu Zhong can close it now.
However, if he did that, Gu Zhong would have to leave completely ahead of schedule.
"You...go..."
Having shed his naivety and childishness, even though he was reluctant to leave this moment, he knew what the best choice was.
A brief separation is only for a better reunion.
See you in the next world.
With a soft laugh, Gu Zhong leaned down and gave her a final, gentle kiss as a farewell.
The deity, whose body shimmered with light, plunged into the black hole without hesitation.
The collision of light and darkness bursts forth with the most dazzling brilliance, only to vanish into nothingness in the end.
Melodious music drifted from the heavens, and a golden ladder appeared in the clouds, replenishing the world with the once-severed spiritual energy.
"Spiritual energy has returned, the path to immortality has opened!"
It is unknown how future generations will judge this act of salvation by a being destined to destroy the world.
So-called divine prophecies are nothing more than the wild guesses of ants regarding the ways of Heaven.
Whether it will destroy the world or save it, who can say for sure?
No one's destiny should ever be defined by others.
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Author's Note:
This world is over, yay! (Due to plot requirements, there wasn't a single car scene, sob sob, I'll try to make up for it in the next world.) The next world starts tomorrow!
Dear little angels, please add my sister's novel next door, "After the Villain Killed the Protagonist," to your pre-order if you're interested!
This novel will be available for purchase on November 29th, with 10,000 words published that day. Chapters 26 and later will be available for purchase directly. Please show your support! Thank you everyone! Mwah!
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#TheFollowingStorms of Our Time
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Chapter 95 The Newly Rich CEO and the Fallen Heiress (Part 1)
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"Ten million for the first time!"
The small, crowded room was filled with a sweltering atmosphere, and people whispered among themselves in twos and threes, creating a faint buzzing sound.
The fan at maximum speed on top not only failed to cool the room, but instead stirred up the waves of heat coming in from outside the window even more evenly.
The greasy-bellied man, who had loosened his suit and tie, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, muttering curses under his breath. It was unclear whether he was dissatisfied with the sweltering weather or the numbers the judge on the platform was calling out.
The man in sunglasses, wearing a short-sleeved jacket, leaned back lazily, tossed aside the number plate in his hand, and nonchalantly blew a bubble from his chewing gum.
"Ten million, the second time!"
The judge, wearing a white curly wig, raised his gavel high.
A bell rang out, its sound echoing throughout the hall, and everyone present glared angrily at the back row.
A burly man in a suit stood up apologetically, pulled out a bulky mobile phone from his waist, walked to the door to answer the call, and kept glancing nervously at the judge on the bench, as if afraid that the gavel would fall.
After hanging up the phone, the burly man's expression softened considerably, and the tension faded from his face, though it was unclear what was said on the other end.
"Ten million for the third time! Sold!"
As the final gavel fell, the outcome was decided. He let out a long sigh of relief, tucked his mobile phone back into his belt, and strode out of the auction hall with his head held high.
"The auction of Yaozhong Technology Company has been completed, and the successful bidder is No. 136."
The judge read out the transaction results expressionlessly and proceeded to the next auction item in an orderly manner.
"I don't know who was so stupid as to spend ten million to buy such a lousy company."
The gangster wearing a thick gold chain crossed his legs and spoke sarcastically with an air of self-importance.
"So much money, wow, enough to buy a luxury house in the new district center."
"We're both creditors, why not take advantage of the price difference and instead spend this extra money unnecessarily? What's the point?"
"Alright, then we'll get our share of the money!"
"With so much debt and so many people, how can we possibly distribute it all?"
Seeing someone voice their dissatisfaction, many onlookers joined in the discussion, whether they genuinely felt the company wasn't worth the price or were simply envious of someone who could afford such a large sum of money.
"But speaking of which, did the Gu family really just collapse like that?"
Someone asked a question, and the entire room fell silent.
"That's right, Gu Chao jumped off a building, dragging his wife and, supposedly, an enemy. He fell from the top of the Central Building and landed right in the middle of the Champs-Élysées. A bus drove into the middle of the road, and the unfortunate passengers were terrified."
"Poor Miss Gu... That young man from the Yang family, he's ruthless!"
"These days, bankruptcy is a very common occurrence. Be careful, everyone, we might be next."
As if they could glimpse their future fate from the Gu family's downfall, everyone sighed with emotion and couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow.
Sitting behind them, a woman wearing a beige trench coat, sunglasses, and a sun hat silently put her number 136 paddle into her crocodile-skin handbag, stood up, and walked towards the auction hall door.
The clattering of high heels startled the crowd who were enthusiastically discussing the Gu family, drawing their attention to her. They were immediately captivated by her alluring figure and the only visible feature: her fiery red lips.
"Huh? Who's this woman? I've never seen her before."
"She doesn't seem like a young lady from one of our old sects. They've recently opened up, so maybe she's from inside?"
"Tch—there?"
Stepping out of the hall, which reeked of smoke, sweat, and strong body odor, Lingyan took a deep breath of fresh air—though it was still sweltering, it was much better than inside.
——
Now, at the turn of the century, amidst dramatic changes, new ideas are clashing with old traditions as the tide of reform and opening up intensifies, giving rise to countless blue oceans and opportunities in all industries and fields.
With the return of Hong Kong Island to China, capital from the mainland has poured into this golden development area. No longer satisfied with just a small island, Hong Kong capital is gradually exploring the mainland, seeking more opportunities for development.