However, the answer from the other party shattered her self-deceptive illusion.
"···"
Lingyan closed her eyes, unwilling to ask any more questions about the cause of this catastrophe in the divine realm, about the soldiers who fought and died, and about the immortals and gods who died tragically after falling into demonic possession.
Don't you want to know?
Gu Zhong's voice rang out leisurely, carrying endless malice, as if it came directly from her mind.
Ling Yan suddenly opened her eyes, looking at Gu Zhong pleadingly, unwilling to confirm the most unbearable guess in her heart.
"Ayan, are you thinking of me?"
A lover's whispers in your ear, with a seductive tone, yet like the whispers of a demon, stirring up evil thoughts and anger within you.
She glared angrily, seemingly unable to comprehend why Gu Zhong had suddenly changed his demeanor.
Could it really be Gu Zhong who orchestrated the demon invasion, slaughtered the gods, and killed her closest relatives?
No, Gu Zhong has always been proud and competitive. He deeply hates the demon race and cherishes all living beings in the world. How could he possibly befriend a tiger?
Yes, the God Emperor slaughtered her entire clan, and now is the perfect time for revenge. How could the flames of vengeance burning in her heart be easily extinguished? As long as she can kill the God Emperor, there is nothing she cannot do.
Deep inside, two voices were arguing and fighting, tearing at her reason and soul.
The red that filled her eyes gradually deepened, turning into pure black, slowly eroding her pupils and the whites of her eyes.
—Yes, it's me.
Gu Zhong's voice rang in her mind again, filled with smugness and arrogance, shattering her last struggle.
Lingyan raised her hand, letting out an angry, mournful cry, and reached towards Gu Zhong's chest.
The only way to exterminate the Asura race is to rip out their hearts.
The smoke and clouds trembled wildly in Gu Zhong's hand. The sword's cry sounded so mournful at this moment, as if it was shouting and trying to say something, but Gu Zhong held it down firmly, preventing it from escaping even an inch.
—I want to believe her.
A faint sigh, like a clear stream, flowed through her muddled thoughts; it was her own voice.
Ling Yan's hand suddenly stopped in front of Gu Zhong's chest, no longer moving forward. She raised her head and looked directly at Gu Zhong, her brows and eyes full of struggle, as if something was breaking free from its restraints.
Her right hand seemed to have gained consciousness and still wanted to move forward to complete what it was supposed to do. Lingyan quickly grabbed it with her other hand and tried to control herself to back away, but all of these movements seemed so difficult.
Her eyes churned with a dark red and black hue, as if a territorial battle was raging.
Gu Zhong, however, stood frozen in place, waiting for the final verdict.
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Author's Note:
I originally planned to finish it with two updates today, but I messed up the writing later (I just finished writing materials for two days after becoming a corporate slave, and my thoughts are all messed up). I will definitely finish it tomorrow!
Chapter 160 The Supreme God and the God of War (Part 20)
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"It's not Gu Zhong!"
An idea suddenly popped into her mind, and following the instruction, Lingyan shouted it out.
As the words fell, everything around them was instantly covered with dense fine lines, including Gu Zhong, who, like shattered glass, scattered into sand in the next second.
The illusion faded, and the hazy world that felt shrouded in a thin mist became clear.
"Ayan!"
Gu Zhong rushed to Ling Yan's side, his face full of anxiety and concern, no longer showing the indifference and evil she had just seen.
Lingyan hesitated before reaching out and timidly placing her hand on Gu Zhong's chest. Thankfully, his heart was still beating strongly.
"I'm sorry... Gu Zhong, I'm so sorry..."
Tears had soaked her cheeks without her realizing it, and Lingyan's face was filled with lingering fear. She herself didn't know why she kept apologizing.
“Ayan, this is not your fault. Demonic energy entering the body will make people unable to see all the truth. This was not your intention.”
Gu Zhong shook his head, looking helpless, truly unsure how to pull the little god out of his rut.
"What deep affection and loyalty..."
A crisp round of applause came from the side, and the two of them finally looked away from each other and at the troublemaker who had spoken up at the wrong time.
The alluring and beautiful woman watched this spectacle with a face full of sarcasm.
"Xuanhu."
Gu Zhong stepped forward, gripped the smoke and clouds tightly, and stood ready for battle.
"What a pity, it was just a little short..."
The expression on Xuanhu's face turned to regret and remorse.
Lingyan and Gu Zhong both knew what she was talking about. Gu Zhong, the executioner who slaughtered her entire clan, was almost killed by the man she deeply loved.
"Was everything that happened today part of your plan?"
Gu Zhong questioned in a deep voice.
Xuanhu straightened her clothes, which were slightly disheveled from the previous battle with the immortals and gods, lowered her eyes, and shook out a golden thread from her sleeve.
"It's just an example of using their own methods against them."
"Xuanhu..."
Ling Yan stepped forward and stood on the same line as Gu Zhong, her gaze filled with pain and reproach as she looked at her former best friend.
"...Little Smoke".
Xuanhu looked at this little god, one of the few in the divine realm who was willing to give her warmth, and a hint of wavering and guilt flashed in her originally resolute and unwavering eyes.
"If someone plotted to slaughter your entire clan for their own selfish desires, would you hate them?"
She asked the question, seemingly seeking some kind of validation.
"···hatred."
Lingyan couldn't say she didn't hate it, because she was now in that situation herself.
Two of her closest relatives died at the hands of this friend whom she regarded as another elder sister. She was forced to raise the knife against her deranged clansmen. All that she suffered was so painful and despairing.
This is an irreconcilable and deep-seated hatred.
If Gu Zhong was the culprit, she could be ruthless enough to kill him, let alone Xuan Hu?
However, what did Xuanhu do wrong back then to face such a tragic situation, with his entire clan perishing and being trapped in a corner by his enemies, losing his freedom for tens of thousands of years.
What did Gu Zhong do wrong again? She bears the infamous name of the Heavenly Fiend, and the truth is deliberately concealed, all to hone her into a butcher's knife to be wielded against other races, thus committing even greater mistakes.
In the end, all these realms will be intertwined with hatred and manipulated by others.
"I know you hate Father—"
The one who was truly wrong, the one who committed these heinous crimes, was the God Emperor—the seemingly majestic and righteous God Emperor, who also showered her with endless love and whom she regarded as her father.
But at least until the realm of gods faced danger, he never forced her to do anything.
"I know you hate Gu Zhong—"
Although Gu Zhong was merely a sword to be wielded at that time, the crime of killing was ultimately committed by her own hands and could not be absolved.
But this was her lover, a member of the Asura clan who could empathize with Xuanhu. Gu Zhong might also have wanted to raise his sword against the gods, but because of the beliefs he had once sincerely upheld and his concern for Lingyan, he chose to escape and give up.
"But what did Sister Shaojun do wrong?"
However, the young lord was such a refined and elegant person.
She would always coax Lingyan into cultivating with gentle words, search for treasures from all realms for her relatives' birthdays, and stay in the Chaos Palace day and night, fearing that Xuanhu would be bored. So why did she have to die at the hands of her closest friend?
"What crime have those gods and immortals in the divine realm committed?"
They were completely unaware of the treacherous schemes and plots of the gods, but in fulfilling their duty and responsibility to guard the divine realm, most of them ended up with their souls and spirits destroyed.
Therefore, Lingyan couldn't help but resent it. She could understand Xuanhu's pain and anger, but she couldn't forgive her cruelty and ruthlessness.
Upon hearing Ling Yan's question, Xuan Hu's expression cracked for a moment, and his face gradually darkened.
"The entire realm of gods is wrong."
She uttered these words in a hoarse voice, her disgust no longer able to be concealed.
"All living beings in the myriad realms have their own predetermined destiny. The Three Realms, situated above all living beings, gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and enjoy the offerings of all things. However, due to the continuity of cause and effect, everything must eventually be returned."
Gods are pure and good, demons are evil and wicked. Gods and demons are mutually restraining, coexisting and perishing together. Tens of thousands of years ago, the divine realm should have sacrificed itself to the demon realm, perishing together to restore peace and tranquility to all realms, dispersing spiritual energy to nourish the heavens.
However, some people are selfish and unwilling to give up this supreme power, and are greedy for this extremely boring divine realm.
For tens of thousands of years, the position of God Emperor has never changed. Have you ever questioned it?
Enough—how could he let you know that those who occupy the throne will inevitably perish within a ten-thousand-year cycle?
The God Emperor, and the entire God Realm, survived only by using evil magic to trample on the corpses of countless living beings.
That's all for now—
The black fox explained in a low voice that this was probably the longest sentence she had ever spoken in her life, filled with endless sorrow and indignation, as well as a bittersweet regret.
—In this long narrative, there is not a trace of a lie.
Lingyan and Gu Zhong exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
The truth, which they had never known before, was suddenly laid bare before them, disturbing their peace of mind.
Who is right and who is wrong? Should the sword in hand be raised or lowered?
Lingyan's already wavering resolve began to falter, and for a moment she was at a loss for what to do.
For the divine realm, for family and friends, for the purgatory before us, we should fight to the death in anger.
For the dead, for the myriad realms blessed by the annihilation of gods and demons, for the greater good, we should raise our flags and shout for justice.
As for Gu Zhong, there was already a rift between the God Realm and her, but Xuan Hu regarded her as an enemy, so naturally they would fight to the death.