One More Slash

“The Stone Spirit… destroyed? That’s impossible!”

Every cultivator who had encountered the terrifying, despair-inducing Stone Spirit froze in disbelief upon hearing Forgotten Self’s remnant soul announce its destruction.

The Stone Spirit was a monstrosity beyond their comprehension. Even if they had all banded together, they wouldn’t have been able to leave so much as a scratch on it.

“It must’ve malfunctioned.”

“Exactly! Didn’t Forgotten Self’s remnant soul say it was due to ‘unknown reasons’? If someone really destroyed it, could they be stronger than Forgotten Self himself, the master of this entire Mystic Realm? That’s absurd!”

“If such a powerful figure exists, what are we even worth in comparison?”

***

Meanwhile, Gu Feiyan stared, slack-jawed, as the once-unstoppable Stone Spirit was obliterated by a blinding explosion, reduced to nothing but dust. She couldn’t close her mouth in shock.

Beside her, Liu Ying had already fainted from fright.

—

“How’s that? Pretty cool, right?” Qin Gou raised an eyebrow, flashing a grin.

Thanks to his precise control over the Divine Speed Boots’ self-destruction, the blast had been directed entirely at the Stone Spirit. Qin Gou and Gu Feiyan, positioned on the opposite side, were relatively unscathed.

—

“That artifact… it must’ve been precious,” Gu Feiyan said, her eyes red as she finally regained her composure.

Qin Gou scratched his nose and chuckled. “It was alright. It only stuck with me for a few centuries.”

Gu Feiyan shot him a glare. “Even now, you’re joking.” Her bright eyes dimmed with sorrow. “If only you’d used it earlier, your arm wouldn’t have—”

“Don’t be silly,” Qin Gou interrupted, gently stroking her silky hair. “At that range, if I’d detonated the artifact, I couldn’t have guaranteed your safety. Losing my arm was a small price to pay. There was no other choice.”

Gu Feiyan’s gaze softened as she stared at him. “There was another choice. Even if I’d been injured by the explosion, the artifact wasn’t targeting me. At worst, I’d have been gravely wounded. That way, your arm—”

“Too risky,” Qin Gou cut her off again, his tone firm. “I couldn’t do it.”

Gu Feiyan froze, her voice trembling with emotion. “Idiot! Why are you so good to me?!”

Qin Gou’s expression turned serious.

“Because I want to wake up next to you.”

“Ugh!” Gu Feiyan’s face turned bright red as she huffed, “You’re impossible!”

“Alright, alright. Let’s focus. Can you help me find my arm? I might be able to reattach it,” Qin Gou said, coughing awkwardly to change the subject.

With the gray mist cleared by the explosion, Gu Feiyan quickly found Qin Gou’s severed arm.

—

“Do you really think you can reattach it? I’ve heard of rare elixirs that can regenerate limbs, but they’re incredibly expensive. Once we return to the sect, I’ll ask Father to find some for you,” Gu Feiyan said, holding the arm out to him with concern.

“Just watch,” Qin Gou said confidently. He stored the severed arm in his spatial ring for preservation, then took out a small porcelain jar. Pouring its white liquid onto his wound, he watched as a new arm, smooth and white as jade, grew from the stump.

—

“What is that?” Gu Feiyan asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Think of it as a prosthetic. It’s not as flexible as my original arm, but it’ll do for now. Even with those rare elixirs, regeneration takes time, and we can’t afford to waste any right now,” Qin Gou explained, flexing his new arm.

Suddenly, both Qin Gou and Gu Feiyan felt a powerful sense of weightlessness. Supporting each other, they found themselves transported to a grand hall.

—

Around them, about a dozen other cultivators wore the same bewildered expressions. These were the survivors of the gray mist maze.

At the center of the hall stood a magnificent jade statue of an elder holding a bronze mirror. His crane-white hair and youthful face were lifelike. It was clear this was Forgotten Self, the master of the Mystic Realm.

—

“Senior Sister Gu!” Hu Le called out, rushing over to join them.

Gu Feiyan glanced around and asked, “Hu Le, where’s your brother, Hu Yin?”

Hu Le lowered his head, his massive frame trembling. His eyes were red as he gritted his teeth. “Hu Yin is dead.”

“What happened?” Gu Feiyan’s eyes turned icy as she pressed him for answers.

Hu Le clenched his jaw, his face dark with anger. “We found each other early on and teamed up. Later, we came across the injured Second Young Master. He suggested we work together. But before we could even decide, he attacked us…” Hu Le’s voice trailed off as he glared at a particular direction.

Gu Xunhe and Gu Yinjiao approached, their faces twisted into mocking smiles.

***

“Little Sister, you look hurt. Need some healing pills? I’ve got plenty,” Gu Xunhe said, his hands clasped behind his back. Chen Dayi followed closely behind him.

Gu Yinjiao’s right arm was bandaged but still oozing blood, indicating it hadn’t fully healed.

“Are you planning to fight me here, Big Brother?” Gu Feiyan asked coldly, her gaze sharp.

“Of course not,” Gu Xunhe replied, exchanging a sly grin with Gu Yinjiao.

Glaring at Qin Gou, Hu Le, and the unconscious Liu Ying, Gu Yinjiao laughed. “Little Sister, you’re lucky to have so many teammates survive that dreadful maze. I’m positively green with envy.”

“You’re trying to eliminate my teammates to reduce my chances of claiming the inheritance, aren’t you? They’re all sect disciples!” Gu Feiyan exclaimed, disbelief in her voice.

Gu Xunhe and Gu Yinjiao merely smirked, saying nothing.

—

At that moment, Qin Gou stepped forward, his smile dripping with malice. “Yinjiao, you little brat. Looks like you’ve already forgotten the beating I gave you. Want me to cut you down again?”