That night.
In the Void.
After Gu Qingfeng left, three figures appeared one after another.
One was a holy figure.
One was a gloomy figure.
And one was a radiant figure.
Each figure was more ethereal and profound than the last. They gazed in the direction Gu Qingfeng had departed, watching for a very long time. Finally, the gloomy figure spoke.
"He actually killed the avatar of the Bearer of the Immortal Edict."
The voice was as ethereal as the figure itself, yet it couldn't conceal the shock within: "Why? It seems the Immortal Edict wasn't for him."
The radiant figure responded: "Whether it was for him or not is irrelevant. What matters is that the Bearer of the Immortal Edict, not knowing his own limits, planted a Heart-Slaying Soul-Control Talisman on him."
"Just because of that?"
"Isn't that reason enough?"
The voice of the radiant figure was equally ethereal as it looked towards where Gu Qingfeng had vanished. "Otherwise, why do you think he deliberately used a method like the Slaughter Way? He was probing from the very beginning. Or perhaps it's better to say he was fishing. He was the angler, we were the fish. Unfortunately, the fish from the Immortal Edict overestimated itself and took the bait... and then he killed it."
"Killing the avatar of a Bearer of the Immortal Edict will bring great trouble. That bearer, having lost an avatar, will suffer a setback in spirit, and his true self will be implicated. He might have to go into seclusion. But he's not the only one in this world who has received an Immortal Edict."
"He doesn't seem to care, does he?"
The radiant figure tilted its head, pondered for a moment, then added: "Moreover... he seemed displeased with the Bearer of the Immortal Edict from the start. I suspect that even if that bearer hadn't planted the talisman on him, he probably would have been killed anyway."
"Compared to that foolhardy Bearer of the Immortal Edict," the gloomy figure looked at the radiant figure and laughed, "I think he dislikes you, the Bearer of the Heavenly Edict, even more. And... heh, he was fishing. What he truly wanted to catch was you. The probing was likely meant for you as well."
The radiant figure shrugged. "My Heavenly Edict isn't for him."
"Whether it is or not, only you know for sure."
The gloomy figure's smile seemed to deepen. "Besides, as you said, whether it's for him or not is irrelevant. What matters is that he dislikes your Heavenly Edict. Fortunately, you have self-awareness and didn't act. Otherwise... heh."
"If we're talking about who he dislikes the most," the radiant figure glanced at the holy figure not far away and chuckled, "with this Elder Sister here, how could it possibly be my turn?"
"I agree with that."
The gloomy figure replied, then also looked towards the holy figure.
The holy figure stood in the Void, swaying in the fierce wind like a white flame. It seemed fragile, yet no matter how strong the wind, it couldn't affect her.
"You've misunderstood. I am not here for him."
The radiant figure giggled. "Misunderstood? I haven't misunderstood. I know Elder Sister isn't here for him. I'm not either."
"I'm not either," the gloomy figure chimed in, then added: "None of us are... but is that question important? The Immortal Edict wasn't for him either, yet he still killed its bearer..."
"Do you know who he is?" the holy figure asked softly.
The radiant figure didn't even think before shaking its head. "No. Do you?"
"I don't know either. Do you?" the gloomy figure also asked.
The holy figure shook her head slightly and also answered with three words: "I don't know."
The three of them spoke one after another, truth and falsehood mingling. No one knew who was being truthful, who was being false.
"You... take care of yourselves."
The holy figure said this and was about to leave. The radiant figure immediately pressed: "Elder Sister, your words seem to carry hidden meaning. Why not speak plainly?"
"Those who wish to understand will understand. Those who do not wish to understand will never understand."
After leaving these words, the holy figure vanished into thin air.
"Why don't you chase after her and ask for clarity?" the gloomy figure inquired.
The radiant figure laughed. "I don't want to have the slightest connection with that Elder Sister. Not a bit, not a trace."
"Ha!" The gloomy figure laughed. "I thought you Bearers of the Heavenly Edict were fearless. I didn't expect there to be someone you fear."
"A Heavenly Edict is just a Heavenly Edict, not the Heavenly Dao itself. Moreover, that Elder Sister's edict is so special, so unique that among the Three Thousand Great Daos between heaven and earth, who wouldn't keep their distance upon seeing it?"
"Who could say otherwise?" The gloomy figure sighed softly. "So, what do you plan to do?"
"What do you mean, plan? I said my Heavenly Edict isn't for him."
"Ha! Whether it is or not, you know in your heart. What's more..." The gloomy figure smiled. "Even if you're not here for him, you're here for Nishang. Given the current situation, he is very likely involved in this matter concerning Nishang. You will inevitably face him again."
"So be it. At worst, I just won't get involved." The radiant figure adopted a nonchalant attitude, its tone filled with optimism. "Anyway, I'm not the only Bearer of the Heavenly Edict in this world. Let the others handle it."
"Even a Bearer of the Heavenly Edict can be afraid?" The gloomy figure seemed to seize every opportunity to mock the radiant one.
Not to be outdone, the radiant figure retorted: "If you're not afraid, you go ahead."
The gloomy figure was left speechless, unable to refute. After a moment, it said, "He annihilated the Immortal Edict's avatar right in front of us. His purpose was likely to make us wary."
"Who cares? We'll deal with it when the time comes. Hey, little Demon Edict, I'm off. Farewell."
The radiant figure bid farewell and also disappeared without a trace.
In the Void, only the gloomy figure remained, appearing even more somber and ethereal under the night sky. Looking in the direction where the radiant figure had vanished, it sneered disdainfully: "You filthy ****. Under your avatar transformation, you pretend to be as pure as a maiden in front of me. Do you think This Consort can't see what kind of trash you are? Damned Heavenly Edict, filthy ****, shameless!"
At this moment, she seemed like a different person. The previously somewhat flippant figure now became serious and grave. Gazing into the Void, at the night moon, recalling the white-robed man from earlier, she couldn't help but murmur: "He... who could he be?"
"He carries no aura of turbidity. Reincarnation, possession and rebirth, bloodline awakening, death and resurrection... none are related to him."
"Nor does he carry an aura of holiness. Immortal fate, demonic fate, Buddhist fate, the Nine Heavens, the Nine Nethers, Heaven, Hell, the Abyss, the Desolate Ruins, the Three Thousand Great Daos, the various edicts between heaven and earth... none are related to him either."
"Could it be he has long since returned to simplicity, where all is illusory? Is that possible? Heh..." The gloomy figure pondered, seeming to have a headache, and spoke with extreme helplessness: "He really looks like an ordinary person. So ordinary he couldn't be more ordinary... Yet this very ordinariness is filled with mystery, filled with the unknown..."
Sighing, the gloomy figure added: "This is truly a detestable feeling... It's been so long since I've felt this sense of wariness... So very long..."
After a moment of silence.
The gloomy figure slowly murmured to itself: "Nishang, oh Nishang, you've always been meticulous in your actions, your deduction skills unparalleled. Matters of bloodline revival are always full of variables, yet you chose to do this. Why? To hide from the Heavenly Dao? Heh, you said you wouldn't hide from the Heavenly Dao. Or to hide from It? This Consort also remembers you saying you wouldn't hide from It. Karma? I suppose it can only be Karma..."
"Only Karma would be worth you taking such a great risk."
"But I don't know if you are mending Karma, altering Karma, or severing Karma..."
"And this person, does he have any Karma with you or not..."
She didn't know.
The gloomy figure didn't know. She shook her head slightly, looked up at the night sky, and murmured: "I don't know what's so special about this world, why all of you have chosen this place... It's truly chaotic..."