Here, Huode was like a lonely ghost lost in the darkness, drifting through the vast expanse of the Great Desolate. His figure was ethereal and indistinct, flickering between reality and illusion, appearing and disappearing.
Gu Qingfeng strolled through the void as if taking a leisurely walk. With a single step, he traversed great distances, closely following behind Huode.
And so, the two of them vanished.
Like two shooting stars streaking across the night sky, they disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only the countless, dazzling, star-like myriad realms of the heavens, shimmering faintly within the Great Desolate.
The Great Desolate remained the vast, boundless Great Desolate.
It had never changed because of any person or any event.
It was so in the past, it is so now, and it will be so in the future.
Since ancient times, it has always been this way.
After Huode and Gu Qingfeng disappeared, an Xuantian Vessel slowly sailed over.
This was an antique-styled Xuantian Vessel. Though not majestic or imposing, it appeared exquisite and delicate. On its deck stood two women.
One was a stunning beauty dressed in red.
The other was an ethereally beautiful woman in white with an extraordinary aura.
They were none other than Immortal Li Xin and Upper Immortal Qingqing.
Even now, the two of them still did not know exactly what had happened. They only knew that moments ago, they had been cautiously answering Gu Qingfeng's questions when suddenly, Huode had burst forth like a madman. Then, they sensed a terrifying force erupting. What that terrifying force was, they did not know. The only thing they knew was that when this force erupted, all the formations on the Xuantian Vessel were shattered and dispersed.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, it was Gu Qingfeng who intervened and pushed their Xuantian Vessel far away. Otherwise, both of them knew they would have been instantly crushed to dust by that force.
As for why Huode, who had been perfectly fine, suddenly went mad,
what that terrifying force was,
what Gu Qingfeng and Huode had spoken about, and where they had gone—
neither of them had any idea.
"What exactly happened?"
Immortal Li Xin asked with a furrowed brow. Upper Immortal Qingqing merely gazed in the direction where Gu Qingfeng had disappeared, just gazing, and shook her head.
Immortal Li Xin pondered for a long time but could not figure out why Huode had suddenly gone mad, nor could she comprehend what that terrifying force was.
After a moment, she too raised her head and looked in the direction where Gu Qingfeng had disappeared, murmuring, "He...
is gone."
"Gone..." Immortal Li Xin uttered the words, and Upper Immortal Qingqing echoed them.
Whether it was their expressions, their eyes, or their tone, there was a certain complexity.
Within that complexity, there was some relief, some lingering fear, some reluctance, and some curiosity.
Ever since they began suspecting that Gu Qingfeng was You Di, the two of them had only one thought: to leave as soon as possible without offending Gu Qingfeng, the farther the better.
After finally confirming that Gu Qingfeng was indeed You Di, especially after witnessing his terrifying nature firsthand, they wanted to leave even more. They absolutely did not want to stay by the side of such a capricious entity as You Di, fearing that a single misstep might offend him, with unimaginable consequences.
They were truly afraid.
Even if Gu Qingfeng did not kill them, they dared not remain by his side.
Because they clearly knew that once the news of You Di's death and resurrection spread, it would inevitably stir up monstrous waves throughout the myriad realms of the heavens.
If possible, they did not even want to have the slightest connection with Gu Qingfeng, not even a tiny bit.
Because they also knew that Gu Qingfeng's existence threatened the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth and all living beings. Even the slightest association with him might bring about fatal disaster, even annihilation, and such annihilation might be something even their Changsheng Pavilion could not withstand.
To them, Gu Qingfeng's existence was like a plague god. Any connection with him, no matter what kind, could bring about utter destruction.
Now that Gu Qingfeng had left,
the stone that had been weighing on their hearts finally fell away. It was like seeing the moon after the clouds part, like finally witnessing the dawn after endless darkness, like snatching a life back from the hands of death. They felt relieved.
Logically, after feeling relieved, they should be happy.
However.
Neither Immortal Li Xin nor Upper Immortal Qingqing could feel any joy. It wasn't that they were worried Gu Qingfeng would return for them, nor were they worried about being connected to him in some way.
The real reason for their lack of joy was a sense of loss.
Yes.
Loss.
For some reason, as they gazed in the direction Gu Qingfeng had departed, both Immortal Li Xin and Upper Immortal Qingqing felt a very strong sense of loss in their hearts.
Why they felt loss, neither of them understood.
Immortal Li Xin seemed to be handling it better. Though she felt some loss in her heart, it was merely a pure feeling. However, the sense of loss in Upper Immortal Qingqing's heart seemed extremely intense, so intense it bordered on despondency. It felt as if when Gu Qingfeng left, he had also taken her spirit and vitality with him. Her heart felt hollow and empty, her absent-minded state as if her very soul had nowhere to settle.
Upper Immortal Qingqing even found herself fantasizing about how wonderful it would have been if Huode hadn't suddenly gone mad.
That way, she could have stayed with him a little longer.
Even with all the fear and trepidation, even if it ultimately brought great trouble upon her, she would have been willing.
Thinking of this,
Upper Immortal Qingqing was suddenly startled by her own thoughts. She quickly shook her head, trying to cast away this terrifying idea from her mind, thinking to herself: What's wrong with me?
How could I have such thoughts? He is You Di, the You Di who poses a great threat to the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth and all living beings. How could I...
Upper Immortal Qingqing's heart pounded wildly. She closed her eyes, continuously trying to dispel the thoughts in her mind. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm her turbulent heart.
"Heavens!
Aunt Li Xin, Senior Sister Qingqing, was that person just now...
truly You Di?"
At this moment, Jin Hua Popo and Qiao'er also emerged from the ship's cabin. Although they had been staying inside the cabin all along, it didn't mean they were unaware of what was happening outside. Precisely because they knew what had transpired, because they learned of Gu Qingfeng's identity as You Di, Jin Hua Popo had been so frightened that she obediently remained in the cabin, not daring to make any rash moves. Only after confirming that Gu Qingfeng had left did she bring Qiao'er out.
A person's reputation is like a tree's shadow.
The name of You Di shook the Great Desolate, known throughout the myriad realms of the heavens, unknown to none.
Even a three-year-old child knew of it, and Qiao'er was no exception. However, she simply couldn't believe that the unremarkable, ordinary-looking fellow with no discernible cultivation, who seemed playful and careless, was actually the legendary overlord of the ancient era who shook the Great Desolate—the Nine Nethers Emperor.
"Qiao'er, don't be afraid. You Di...
has already left..." Immortal Li Xin walked over, embraced Qiao'er, and stroked her hair to comfort her.
"Aunt, Qiao'er isn't afraid. Qiao'er just...
feels that guy doesn't look like You Di at all...
He's far from the You Di Qiao'er imagined. Aunt, is he really You Di?"