"Sorry, Xiao Huo..."
Lu Cheng's eyes were filled with apology:
"More than ten years ago, I set up this chess game, and within it, the price for triggering the final winning move was my own death. So, I'm sorry..."
Xiao Huo: "..."
Do I have to die too? Me?!!
"You bastard..." Xiao Huo's fiery, lively eyes stared fixedly at Lu Cheng, teeth gritted, but seeing the apology and sincerity in his eyes, she helplessly shook her head.
With things having reached this point, was there any path of retreat for me? Oh well, never mind.
"Xiao Huo, I still need to trouble you with one thing..."
"You bastard, you've already caused me enough trouble; what else do you want from me?" Xiao Huo said angrily.
She was truly furious.
She had been quietly cultivating in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well when a human male suddenly broke in, shattered her peace, forcibly abducted her, and turned her into his martial soul. Through all these years of being together, she was the one who understood his heart the best. No matter how much he sank into being an evil soul master or how foul his reputation was in the outside world, she never once regretted her choice. On the contrary, she was glad for her decision, even feeling a touch of sympathy and pity for this figure, along with a hint of admiration and love.
We agreed to become gods together, so what is the meaning of you suddenly cutting yourself down?
Just for that woman?
"After I die, I will undergo self-disintegration, but I have left a way for you to survive. My Martial Soul will detach from my body and merge with Ma Xiaotao, and you can become her Martial Soul, and you won't dissipate..." (Equivalent to the Martial Souls in the Douluo Dalu III era; if the host dies, it can be transferred to another Soul Master).
"You…" Xiao Huo was stunned for a moment.
Although she didn't have to die, she was going to be given away like an object.
"This is the only way I could think of to let you live a little more comfortably."
Lu Cheng said with complex eyes.
"You..." Xiao Huo's red lips parted slightly, and she let out an angry, cold snort: "What kind of person do you take me for?"
"Am I an object? Can you just send me away whenever you want?"
Lu Cheng's eyes were stunned: "Then you..."
"I'll just die with you, that's all."
Xiao Huo said proudly.
Looking at the bewildered young man, her eyes were a bit misty. After all, you are the only master I have ever recognized in this life...
Lu Cheng curled the corners of his lips, his face becoming increasingly pale.
The pupils that had been stained with blood at some unknown time slowly faded. This was the first time he had used his blood pupils, and also the last.
The surrounding frozen and stagnant time slowly began to flow again. In the distance, a blood moon crashed onto his chest. His figure recoiled violently, and the killing blow pierced through his entire body.
Like a torn sack, he shot backwards towards the ground below.
Rumble!
A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering sound rang out.
The continuous mountain range trembled.
Ancient trees were snapped at the waist one after another, and it was unknown how far he had crashed before the sound finally slowly ceased.
"Huff, huff..."
Zhang Lexuan looked at this scene blankly, panting heavily, and landed on the top of an ancient tree.
Did he get hit? An illusion? Or was it real?
She had been abused countless times before. Every time she felt she could completely crush that bastard, he would appear playfully from behind and kick her two miles away.
After hesitating for a while, she swallowed a few elixirs to recover her soul power, circulated her cultivation technique on the spot to rest for a moment, and then headed towards the place where Lu Cheng had fallen.
Passing through a forest, she arrived by a small stream.
That figure lay quietly on the soft sandy ground, as if dead.
"You... Hey, Lu Cheng!"
Zhang Lexuan's eyes were filled with astonishment.
She walked forward in a few steps, examining Lu Cheng, whose clothes were tattered and who had a bone-deep wound on his chest. For a moment, she was stunned. In her memory, that figure had never been so disheveled.
But feeling his weak aura, it didn't seem fake.
"What, are you reluctant to see me die?"
Lu Cheng opened his eyes, full of exhaustion and fatigue. His aura was already like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to extinguish at any moment.
He forced himself to sit up, leaning against a large rock, looking at Zhang Lexuan. At this moment, he seemed like a different person. The original image of an arrogant, overbearing, gloomy, and murderous Evil Soul Master had completely disappeared, and instead, a trace of gentleness was mixed in the depths of his eyes.
This reminded Zhang Lexuan of the Lu Cheng from many years ago.
A figure who was doting, gentle, and warm towards her, allowing her to easily lean into his embrace and forget all her troubles.
"What kind of trick are you trying to pull again?" Zhang Lexuan's willow eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Her eyes softened for a moment but quickly carried killing intent again.
Did this person know he was at the end of his rope and want to play the emotional card to launch a surprise attack on her?
The young girl had long since lost trust in Lu Cheng.
She was no longer the ignorant young girl from back then who would only hug his arm and cry bitterly; countless years of trials of blood and tears had allowed her to grow into who she was today.
"You've grown taller, thinner... and even more beautiful."
Lu Cheng had a smile on his lips, examining the beauty's face. What a big change...
"Back then you were a follower, but now, you are a figure who can stand on your own."
"Come over here, a dying man. Why are you so afraid?"
Lu Cheng curled his lips and gently patted the side of his body.
"..."
For some reason, seeing this scene, Zhang Lexuan's heart, which had been sealed for a long time, was touched once again.
The beauty bit her red lips lightly.
At this moment, she didn't feel the pleasure of revenge but rather felt her heart twitching, aching a little.
She hesitated for a moment but still stared coldly at Lu Cheng, cautiously sitting not far from him.
"If you have any last words, say them..."
"Mu En was indeed killed by me, and I orchestrated it single-handedly. For so many years, I have only had one wish: to kill them, to kill everyone from that night."
Seeing the young girl still on guard, Lu Cheng smiled, leaned back completely against the rock, looked at the sky, and spoke slowly.
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Zhang Lexuan frowned, her eyes somewhat bewildered.
"He is not the true culprit who killed your entire family."
A crimson figure floated out from Lu Cheng's body. Her beautiful eyes glanced at the weak Lu Cheng, then glanced at the bewildered Zhang Lexuan, and she spoke.
"On the contrary, Mu En is..."
Xiao Huo snorted coldly, looking at Lu Cheng, who wanted to say something but stopped: "Since you are unwilling to say it, then let me say it."
"The incident back then was a trap set by Mu En in collusion with the Holy Spirit Cult for your Lu and Zhang families, with the goal of coercing you and Lu Cheng to go to Shrek Academy, becoming two helpless chess pieces, and completely defecting to Shrek."
"Speaking of which, it wasn't just you and him; back then, Mu En only chose him, and you were also on the list of those to be killed."
"Mu En wanted him to have no attachments so that he could better serve Shrek. If he hadn't sensed something amiss back then and guaranteed your life by falling into the Holy Spirit Cult himself, heh..."
Zhang Lexuan's pupils trembled.
She eyed Lu Cheng, her expression turning cold.
"Is this your true purpose? Lu Cheng, even on the verge of death, you are still stubborn. Your methods of bewitching people's hearts are as strong as ever, heh..."
"If you don't believe it, recall that night back then," Xiao Huo sneered.
"If it weren't for his full protection, you would have likely died at the hands of those two Evil Soul Masters long ago. The reason they didn't kill you was because Lu Cheng was Mu En's target, and the reason they kept chasing you was because Mu En wanted you dead."
"Wake up, silly girl. Do you really think Mu En is some kind of kind senior? He is close friends with Long Xiaoyao and an old flame of Ye Xishui. To this day, they all still keep in touch."
Notes:
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