Su Hua paid no heed to anyone. She simply stood there in mid-air, as if shrouded in mist and smoke, her peerlessly beautiful face etched with an incredibly complex expression. Deep within her beautiful eyes was profound shock.
That shock was as if she had witnessed the heavens and earth merging—unbelievable, impossible to accept, impossible to comprehend.
She had reincarnated solely to pursue her own karma.
All these years, she had been relentlessly searching, never giving up. Even when everyone said Monarch Chixiao had been reduced to ashes by the Immortal Dao's Judgment, she did not abandon her quest. She continued searching. To that end, she had visited the place where Monarch Chixiao was born, the places where he secluded himself in cultivation—everywhere Monarch Chixiao had been, she retraced his steps, all to better understand her own karma.
The deeper her understanding grew, the more she felt it was impossible for Monarch Chixiao to have been annihilated by the Immortal Dao's Judgment.
Finally, nine years ago.
In the Great Northwest.
She learned that the Monarch Chixiao she had been desperately searching for was none other than Chiyan Young Master Gu Qingfeng.
Though she was shocked, angry, and felt wronged...
More than anything, she was excited, thrilled.
Because she had far, far too many heartfelt words she wanted to say to Monarch Chixiao, far too many emotions she wanted to express, and far too many questions for which she sought answers from him.
It all came too suddenly, so suddenly she had no psychological preparation. She didn't even have time to speak before the Monarch Chixiao she had sought so desperately was Judged once more—and this time, it was by the so-called Divine Verdict of the Gods.
The Sacred Judgment was the most terrifying Judgment between heaven and earth.
Even a fearsome Lord of the Great Dao, if subjected to the Sacred Judgment, would be reduced to ashes.
Throughout the ages, from the Primordial Era, the Ancient Era, to the Antiquity Era, all those subjected to the Sacred Judgment—be they Lords of the Great Dao or demons of ten thousand generations—without exception, were utterly annihilated, not even granted the chance for reincarnation.
If it were not so, the Sacred Judgment would not be hailed as the Verdict of the Gods.
Su Hua knew that no matter how great Monarch Chixiao's abilities were, he could not survive the Sacred Judgment. Even if he had condensed such inconceivable creations as the Myriad Beings' Floating Pagoda and the Ten Thousand Phenomena Paying Homage, even if he had nurtured a terrifying existence like an Ancient Taboo, it would not change the outcome. Even merging with the legendary Blood of the Primordial Sin from the Era Without Dao would be of no avail, for it was the Sacred Judgment that had ended the Era Without Dao itself.
Monarch Chixiao was dead.
Utterly extinguished.
Su Hua had witnessed it with her own eyes.
Though she wished Monarch Chixiao were still alive, it was merely a wish. She knew it was impossible.
Monarch Chixiao's death struck her a heavy blow, so heavy she lost her purpose in life.
She had reincarnated solely to seek her karma.
Now that her karma was dead, Su Hua lost all meaning in her existence.
For nine years, Su Hua drifted in uncertainty.
Until one day, she suddenly received a message talisman from Tang Manqing. The talisman said a Chiyan Young Master Gu Qingfeng had arrived in Yanluo Nation.
At first, Su Hua did not believe it and paid it no mind.
But as days passed, she could bear it no longer.
Tang Manqing's message talisman echoed in her mind like a demonic whisper, unsettling her heart and inexplicably kindling a sliver of hope deep within.
In the end.
She decided to come to Yanluo. For no other reason than to make herself completely give up hope.
Yes.
Completely give up hope.
Because she simply did not believe Gu Qingfeng was still alive.
Only by completely giving up hope could she regain her strength.
Arriving in Yanluo.
Arriving at the foot of Coiling Dragon Mountain.
Gazing at the man in white robes present here.
Su Hua's mind went completely blank.
She did not doubt whether she was seeing things.
She had no need to doubt.
With just one glance, she knew that man in white robes was none other than the Monarch Chixiao she had desperately pursued for nearly a century.
He was alive.
He was not dead.
How could he possibly be alive?
How could he possibly not be dead?
She had clearly seen with her own eyes him being reduced to ashes by the Sacred Judgment. How could he...
Why.
Just why.
Su Hua did not know.
At this moment, she had no mind to ponder this unbelievable, inconceivable question. Her thoughts were a complete mess, her consciousness in disarray.
Whether it was excitement.
Or thrill.
Or something else.
Su Hua truly did not know.
Within the scene.
The people from the Immortal Dynasty, the Four Great Families, and the Seven Great Sects were all filled with righteous indignation, their faces flushed red as they continued to incessantly recount Gu Qingfeng's crimes, hoping Immortal Su Hua would step forward to seek justice for them. To that end, many had even knelt down.
When Su Hua appeared, Tang Manqing and Liu Yue were the first to rush over. However, they were not there to recount Gu Qingfeng's crimes or seek any justice; they wanted to clarify Gu Qingfeng's identity.
Nine years ago, Immortal Su Hua had said Gu Qingfeng was dead.
If he truly was dead, then who was this person now?
This person claimed to be Monarch Chixiao. Was he truly? If not, why did two ancestors, Tang Laoguai and Ancestor Xuanze, and two reincarnated powerhouses, Wan Huaiyu and Qin Hao, all kneel before him and address him as Monarch?
Just what was going on?
Neither Tang Manqing nor Liu Yue knew. Their minds were completely muddled, urgently wanting to understand.
It wasn't just the two of them who wanted to clarify Gu Qingfeng's identity. Tang Yunhao and his wife, as well as the over three hundred Chixiao people including Hei Fo, Hei Shui, and Elder Mei, all wanted to understand Gu Qingfeng's identity.
In their minds, something must have happened in the Great Northwest nine years ago that they were unaware of.
And Immortal Su Hua must have been involved in the events of nine years ago. Otherwise, she would not have publicly announced Gu Qingfeng's death.
In other words.
If anyone knew Gu Qingfeng's identity, that person must be Immortal Su Hua.
"Sister Su Hua, please tell me, is he Chiyan Young Master Gu Qingfeng?"
Tang Manqing's inquiring voice rang out. Those within the scene who had been recounting Gu Qingfeng's crimes also fell silent. They too wanted to know just who this mysteriously, eerily identified person with such terrifying power was.
Su Hua nodded, her gaze fixed on Gu Qingfeng within the scene, and replied, "He is Gu Qingfeng."
"But...
Nine years ago, didn't you say he was dead?"
"I thought he was dead. For nine years, I believed it. Even now, I dare not believe he is still alive..." Su Hua's voice was complex, impossible to tell whether it held joy or sorrow, grief or happiness, as if all emotions were mingled within.
"Sister Su Hua, if he is indeed that Chiyan Young Master Gu Qingfeng from the Great Northwest nine years ago, then did he truly merge with a remnant consciousness of the Monarch?
Does that mean his claim to be Monarch Chixiao is a lie?"
"He did not merge with any remnant consciousness of the Monarch. His claim to be the Monarch is not deceiving you."
Su Hua's words left everyone somewhat unable to comprehend.
Since this person was Chiyan Young Master Gu Qingfeng and had not merged with the Monarch's consciousness, why was his claim to be the Monarch not that of a fraud?
Everyone looked at Su Hua, hoping for an answer.
"Gu Qingfeng is merely his name in the Current Era. In the Antiquity Era, his surname was Gu, his given name Tianlang, and his Daoist title was Chixiao."