Chapter 1275: Don't Forget, Who Gave You This Life

It was originally just a chat session where honesty was exchanged for life.

As they talked, Shui Gui suddenly exposed Yan Wang's Tianren Wuxui, launching a deadly attack without hesitation.

Tai Xu harnessed the Shui Xi Aoyi, combined with the Cimian Zhimen.

The Ban Sheng-level Tianren Wuxui didn't even have time to react before being controlled on the spot.

This sudden turn of events was unforeseen by anyone.

But...

Was it really an accident?

Not quite—it was just normal execution.

Once again, the group of middle-aged and older Lian Ling Shi on Xukong Dao recalled one of the peak fears they had felt in their era.

"Yu Mo Great Demon King..."

There are no wrong names, only fitting nicknames.

The title of "Great Demon King" was no joke!

Yu Mo had dominated the high-end forces of Sheng Shen Dian Tang decades ago, back when he was still in the youth generation, even younger than Yu Ling Di.

At that time, Dao Qiong Cang had painstakingly studied Tianji Shu, hadn't yet ascended to the Ten Venerable Seats, and hadn't achieved fame in a single battle.

Yet, Sheng Shen Dian Tang suddenly produced this youngest-ever Aoyi-level Lian Ling Shi, who nearly overshadowed all the talents on Gui Zhe Sheng Shan.

Even the six department heads who rose to prominence in that era combined couldn't match a single finger of this Great Demon King.

In terms of strategy, combat power, and talent...

He had it all!

In their youth, figures like Ye Xiao, Teng Shan Hai, Wang Da Chui, and Yi Deng couldn't even catch a glimpse of the Great Demon King's shadow.

The one who stood alongside them in fame wasn't the Great Demon King himself, but his bloodline descendant, Yu Ling Di.

This highlighted the issue.

He was in a league of his own!

Nothing compared to it.

By all logic, if Yu Mo had just settled down for a few more years, he could have achieved Ban Sheng status.

Even as a newly ascended Ban Sheng, he could have ended the long dominance of the veteran Ban Sheng, Lian Ling Zhi Guang Yan Wuse.

After all, once he attained Dao, he would be the Ban Sheng of Shui Xi Aoyi, invincible in the world!

But alas, this ultimate genius soon met his match due to his sharp edges, facing an even more monstrous prodigy.

One reached for the heavens,

But ultimately couldn't compare.

The details of that battle were known to few, even Sheng Shen Dian Tang was left in the dark. All that was heard was that it was a direct one-on-one duel, and the result was Yu Mo being torn to pieces, with even his Yu Hai Shen Ji destroyed.

The story of the Great Demon King ended prematurely, cut short by the Eighth Sword Immortal.

Yet, while a person's power can be ended, the legends they leave behind do not.

Yu Mo's only bloodline, Yu Ling Di, once again mastered the Shui Xi Aoyi.

True to his father's name, he was equally groundbreaking, equally talented.

At a young age, he secured a seat among the six department heads—a position typically held by his father's generation—and he earned it fair and square.

But throughout his life, he chased his father's shadow, never getting the chance to surpass it. That was the brief yet glorious past of the "Yu Mo Great Demon King."

He had "fallen" once.

Now, donning that half-golden beast mask,

He returned from "falling," just like the Eighth Sword Immortal.

If dominating Xukong Dao was merely the work of someone under the alias "Shui Gui," people might find it surprising.

After all, few had heard of Shui Gui.

But once they remembered he was the former "Yu Mo Great Demon King," with decades of accumulation and now in Tai Xu,

Then the value of this Tai Xu was entirely different from the so-called Zhudao or Tai Xu on Xukong Dao.

For him to defeat a newly ascended Ban Sheng with Tianren Wuxui was more than enough—it was entirely normal.

As long as the Cimian Zhimen, the root of chaos on Xukong Dao, was in his hands, dealing with a weakened Ban Sheng wouldn't require extra effort.

If it did, then he wouldn't be Yu Mo Great Demon King—he wouldn't even match Yu Ling Di!

High above the Fallen Abyss, Yan Wuse watched the brief battle unfold and saw Shui Gui strike Yan Wang with thunderous force, which stirred some thoughts in his heart.

Yu Mo had become Shui Gui, but at his core, he was still that same Yu Mo.

Sheng Shen Dian Tang had raised him, so the justice ingrained in his bones couldn't be erased, even after death and rebirth.

As evident now.

If not for justice, why would he attack someone like Yan Wang from the dark forces without a shred of mercy?

"Yu..."

Yan Wuse started to speak but stopped, not because he didn't want to, but because he was too weak to even offer advice.

"Call me Shui Gui."

From behind Tianren Wuxui, Shui Gui's form, condensed from blood water, pushed the golden beast mask forward and spoke coldly:

"I think you've misunderstood something. Everything I'm doing now has absolutely nothing to do with Sheng Shen Dian Tang."

"So, put away your pitiful sense of empathy. My attack on Yan Wang isn't driven by any false sense of justice."

Yan Wuse's lips parted, but he couldn't utter a word.

Though they were so close, he felt an unbridgeable chasm between them, making parallel paths impossible.

At that moment, Tianren Wuxui was still struggling.

No one craved life more intensely than he did.

How could he die so inexplicably in this sudden twist?

Yet, after Shui Gui entered his body, it was as if he had been possessed by a spectral beast, making even his thoughts sluggish.

Even trying to form seals was painfully slow.

The moment he moved, Shui Gui, formed from the blood water at the back of his head, noticed and leaned in, whispering with a low laugh:

"When you contracted the Xue Shi Zhu, you should have considered it, right?"

"The root of calamity, the guide to death... The first person it most wants to lead to death is always the one who wields it."

"So, you might squirm a bit, but your time is up."

Beneath the mask, Tianren Wuxui's eyes filled with bloodshot veins.

He tensed his entire body, desperately trying to expel Shui Gui from within, but it was futile!

A soft sound rang out—"Sizzle!"

A sharp pain pierced his chest.

The Yu Hai Shen Ji, just as it had pierced Yan Wuse before, now thrust through Tianren Wuxui's body and into Shui Gui's blood hand, formed from Tianren Wuxui's own blood water.

"Farewell."

With a single strike, the spear cleaved down from the top of his skull.

In that instant, the killing intent radiating from Shui Gui was so real it was undeniable.

If no one stopped this, Tianren Wuxui would truly be gone!

"Shui Gui Qianbei—"

From atop the dragon head, Xu Xiao Shou could no longer hold back, letting out a loud cry.

He gripped his sword tightly, ready to unleash Heart Sword Technique: All Under Eyes Are Demons the moment Shui Gui refused to stop. Tianren Wuxui couldn't die!

Half of the life Xu Xiao Shou still had to roam Xukong Dao belonged to Tianren Wuxui. That favor, even though Xu Xiao Shou had repaid it, he couldn't forget.

But his Heart Sword Technique never got the chance, because as soon as he called out "Shui Gui Qianbei," the Yu Hai Shen Ji halted steadily above Tianren Wuxui's head.

It was a hair's breadth from life and death!

Behind Tianren Wuxui, beneath the golden beast mask, Shui Gui's lips curved into a smirk, as if he had anticipated this interruption.

He turned his head toward Xu Xiao Shou.

"Speak."

What to say?

Did he really need to say it?

In that moment, Xu Xiao Shou had no idea what Shui Gui was thinking.

Since Yu Ling Di had been him all along, he should know that Tianren Wuxui wasn't an enemy.

From inside Zui Yi Dian, outside it, and even here in the Fallen Abyss,

Tianren Wuxui had assisted from the shadows countless times. This man shouldn't die.

Had Shui Gui lost his mind?

But witnessing everything unfold and feeling the chilling black rain on his skin,

Xu Xiao Shou knew that even if everyone else went mad, Shui Gui wouldn't become as foolish as his junior sister.

So...

Did this action have some deeper meaning?

Xu Xiao Shou didn't know Shui Gui well.

Beyond the powder-purple stripes, his vengeful nature, and the fact that he had the entire Xukong Dao game under his control, there was little else.

What truly made Xu Xiao Shou feel a hint of awe toward Shui Gui wasn't just his patience or cunning.

It was also some words he had nearly forgotten.

He recalled, deep beneath the sea, when discussing the plan to slay the saint—that is, to kill Jiang Biyi—Shui Gui had boastfully said:

"Even the Eight Venerable An had to speak sweetly to persuade me to come out of seclusion. What does he think he is?"

Back then, Xu Xiao Shou thought Shui Gui was too arrogant, too self-assured.

Now, thinking back, that "he" had already met his saintly demise for speaking without respect.

So, the first half of Shui Gui's statement was probably not an exaggeration.

His emergence might truly have been "invited" by the Eight Venerable An.

The Eight Venerable An likely issued commands to the saints of the black and white lineages,

But for Shui Gui, it was pleas and persuasion—which inversely proved how formidable Shui Gui was. Thus, every word he'd said, every action he'd taken, including his current thoughts and deeds, all needed reevaluation.

If one simply assumed Shui Gui's intentions were as shallow as they appeared,

Then the fate of someone like Yan Wuse would likely be the end for anyone trying to guess Shui Gui's mind.

Facing Shui Gui's gaze, which was half-smile and enigmatic from afar, Xu Xiao Shou pondered and pondered, but couldn't decipher the deeper meaning behind this move.

Still, he couldn't stand by and watch Tianren Wuxui die, so he tried to speak:

"Shui Gui Qianbei, could you give me some face... well, do me a favor and let him go?"

"Alright."

To everyone's surprise,

Before Xu Xiao Shou could finish,

Shui Gui smiled and nodded in agreement!

In that instant, everyone was left baffled by the downpour.

Even Xu Xiao Shou felt his head swell again, utterly perplexed.

"Are you handing him over to me to deal with, or just letting him go?"

Shui Gui's blood-red upper body dangled upside down behind Tianren Wuxui's head, like a true specter, his faint smile eerily unpredictable.

On Zui Yi Dian, a certain Tai Xu watched intently, shivered, and nudged the person beside him, whispering:

"Brother, what was that line you mentioned about the night cat's Shui Gui—the one circulating in their organization?"

"Um... 'Shui Gui smiles, and life hangs in the balance'?"

"That's it! That line belongs to the real Yu Mo Great Demon King, not some fake Shui Gui from the night cats!"

"He's too terrifying..."

Even Xu Xiao Shou couldn't fathom Shui Gui's thoughts, but at that moment, he forced himself not to dwell on it.

At least, he and Shui Gui were on the same side, both as Sheng Nu.

There might be verbal jabs on the surface—after all, Shui Gui was insufferable—but he wouldn't harm his own.

Throughout, Shui Gui's actions had been covertly protecting him.

Shui Gui was the omnipresent backup that the Eight Venerable An had promised!

"No need to hand him over. Just spare his life—he still has a use."

Xu Xiao Shou had no intention of taking on the decaying body; he wanted to live longer.

"Oh, he still has a use..."

Shui Gui nodded thoughtfully twice.

He propped up his surging blood-red upper body and leaned close to Tianren Wuxui's trembling head, whispering softly:

"Did you hear that? You still have some use, so you get to live a little longer."

Pausing, he shifted his blood water form to right in front of Tianren Wuxui's mask. Seemingly unafraid of the San Yan Tong, he murmured in a voice only they could hear:

"Remember

Yesterday, and remember today."

"No matter how messed up your people or your future become, don't forget—it was I who gave you this life!"

With a bang,

As soon as he finished, Shui Gui gripped the Yu Hai Shen Ji and burst out from behind Tianren Wuxui, reforming his shape.

He suddenly kicked downward.

The Shui Xi Aoyi array diagram flashed brightly, seemingly sweeping over everyone's heads on Xukong Dao, only to instantly converge at Shui Gui's feet, focusing on a single point.

"Get out of here."

It exploded with a boom.

Tianren Wuxui's body, as tough as a Xukong Servant, was blasted away by the terrifying condensed Shui Xi Aoyi energy, hurtling into the misty, rain-soaked unknown.

His body was sent flying,

But the Ban Sheng Bitan originating from Jiang Biyi remained suspended in the air.

Shui Gui grasped the second Ban Sheng Bitan, swiftly severing its faint connection to Tianren Wuxui with a wave of his hand.

The original owner of this Ban Sheng Bitan was already dead.

Tianren Wuxui hadn't fully converted it yet; he still relied on the Xue Shi Zhu as his Ban Sheng foundation, so his bond with Jiang Biyi's Ban Sheng Bitan wasn't deep.

Shui Gui erased the link faster than he had with Yan Wuse's!

After all, he hadn't even fully dispelled the connections in Yan Wuse's Ban Sheng Bitan yet!

The black, heavy rain poured down relentlessly.

Amid the ruins, Tianren Wuxui struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with sheer horror.

He wasn't horrified by Shui Gui's insolence.

Nor by the fact that Shui Gui had struck him fiercely but ultimately let him go.

What echoed in Tianren Wuxui's mind was that soft, low voice—the words only he could understand:

"Remember yesterday, remember today..."

Standing in the rain for a moment, Tianren Wuxui took a deep breath before looking up at the sky.

Shui Gui had reformed his shape, holding the golden beast mask and waving his hand as he said:

"The Ban Sheng Bitan that's mine will always be mine."

"If you Yan Wang want it, fine—bring something of equal value and have Huang Quan come exchange it himself."

"But remind him: when he comes, he should cleanse any Cimian Zhimen power from his body first, or I can't guarantee I won't swallow both him and the treasure."

"As for you..."

Though Shui Gui was clearly addressing Tianren Wuxui, he didn't even lower his head, just smiled faintly:

"Today's humiliation—feel free to seek revenge anytime."

Arrogant!

In the midst of the storm, everyone could almost feel the suffocating oppression.

Yet, Tianren Wuxui vanished without a trace.

Watching Shui Gui's lofty demeanor, Xu Xiao Shou felt an inexplicable irritation, but then he suddenly understood something.

Shui Gui and the Eight Venerable An were cut from the same cloth!

Both were the type to look down from on high, blessed with talent, strength, and pride!

Their words might sound like nonsense or utter folly to those who didn't know them.

But to them, every sentence was plain truth.

Those not on the same level couldn't comprehend this superiority, because they'd always see themselves as relatively inferior.

The Eight Venerable An had rarely been in a lower position since his debut, so his way of speaking was equally obnoxious.

Shui Gui... as Yu Mo Great Demon King, had almost never been in a lower position either, so he was just as detestable.

Yet, no matter how obnoxious or detestable they were,

Anyone they'd confidently defeated in the same timeframe of cultivation couldn't surpass them.

Thus, their air of superiority made sense.

This was completely different from Jiang Biyi's reckless path to doom!

"Of course, it's also easy for them to capsize in a ditch..."

Xu Xiao Shou shook his head and chuckled.

After all, it was only "almost."

These two had indeed capsized before!