Could it be that Long Mie was still alive?
Looking at Shen Zhen's painting, Gu An couldn't help but have such a thought.
From Annihilation God Emperor's memories, it was true that both he and War Court had relentlessly hunted down the Long Clan. Yet, no matter how thorough their efforts were, there always seemed to be survivors who managed to escape.
By the time Long Qing emerged, Annihilation God Emperor had grown wary and had begun monitoring from the shadows.
Could it be that Long Mie had been secretly protecting the descendants of the Long Clan?
As Gu An pondered this, he raised his hand and gently placed it on Shen Zhen's shoulder.
Shen Zhen suddenly snapped back to reality. Instinctively, she turned her head to see Gu An's face and let out a sigh of relief.
She spoke, "I think I just fell into some kind of illusion. I saw a person… He was staring at me the entire time. It was terrifying."
As she spoke, her gaze returned to her painting. For the first time, there was a hint of fear in her eyes.
Gu An asked, "What else did you see?"
Shen Zhen began describing the illusion she had experienced.
Below the towering mountain in the painting was a vast sea of blood, with white bones floating up and down—an utterly horrifying sight. That blood sea made her extremely uncomfortable, so much so that she couldn't bring herself to depict it in the painting.
The blood-clad figure standing atop the mountain peak exuded an overwhelming sense of desolation. Though she had not seen this person's past, she could feel the immense hatred he carried—hatred as deep as a sea of blood. He was utterly alone, with no one to rely on.
Listening to her describe the feelings Long Mie had evoked, Gu An sighed inwardly.
It seemed the karmic entanglements of the Long Clan had yet to be fully resolved.
When Shen Zhen finished speaking, Gu An teased, "Looks like even your comprehension of the Dao can lead to inner demons. You should be more careful in the future."
Shen Zhen nodded, though she felt a bit puzzled inside.
She had painted this while looking at Gu An. In other words, the man in the painting might be connected to him in some way.
Seeing that Gu An didn't want to discuss it, she refrained from asking further.
Over the years, she had painted many scenes inspired by Gu An. Through this, she had come to realize that his origins were anything but ordinary. Because of that, she chose not to pry too much, lest she bring him trouble.
After chatting for a while, Gu An turned and walked back to his room.
He still needed to carefully review Annihilation God Emperor's memories and decide when to take action against War Court.
War Court had been founded by his reincarnation, yet now it had been taken over and used as a tool for wicked deeds. He had to resolve this karma himself.
Shen Zhen watched as Gu An disappeared into his room. Then, her gaze returned to the painting, and her expression became somewhat strange.
"That's odd… Why does he look a little like Gu An?"
She muttered to herself, a bold thought suddenly emerging in her mind.
Could the man in the painting be one of Gu An's past lives?
The moment she considered this, an inexplicable feeling welled up inside her.
Gu An was always kind to those around him, never raising his voice, always willing to shoulder even the most catastrophic burdens for others. Yet, behind that kindness, had he endured a life of suffering beyond imagination?
Shen Zhen had always thought Gu An was extraordinary, someone who could save others and bring warmth to those around him. But as her own cultivation grew, so did her admiration for him.
Time and time again, Gu An shattered her previous understanding of him.
Shen Zhen gazed at the man in the painting, her expression becoming dazed once more.
The vast desert stretched endlessly, and fierce winds roared like raging beasts. Amidst the storm of sand and dust, an ancient temple stood in eerie silence.
Zhang Buku, his white hair tied neatly behind his head, stepped forward and pushed open the heavy temple doors. Entering the dimly lit Buddha hall, he carefully shut the door behind him.
Inside, the Shen Yi Realm Lord and the Shen Yi Ghost Kings sat cross-legged in different corners, their faces pale, their auras weak. The Shen Yi Realm Lord himself was covered in bloodstains, his wounds terrifying to behold.
One of the Shen Yi Ghost Kings, named Zhen Liudao, opened his eyes with difficulty and asked in a weak voice, "Did you find anything?"
Zhang Buku shook his head and replied, "Nothing but endless desolation. No signs of life. The sun above grows hotter by the hour. If this continues, we'll all be burned to death."
At his words, the Shen Yi Ghost Kings all opened their eyes.
"It's over… We're doomed."
"I told you before! Chasing after so-called immortal fate is a fool's errand! It was reckless!"
"What use is saying this now?"
"Master, say something! Are we just going to sit here and wait for death?"
"That fiend must be lurking in the shadows, waiting for us to be too weak to fight back! If we fall into his hands, our fate will be worse than death by sunlight!"
The hall quickly descended into chaos as the Shen Yi Ghost Kings began voicing their fear and frustration.
Zhang Buku, having grown accustomed to their bickering, paid them no mind. Instead, he lifted his gaze to the massive Buddha statue at the back of the hall. Layers of dust covered its surface, making it appear ancient beyond measure.
Since stepping foot into this temple, Zhang Buku had felt uneasy. Even though the Shen Yi Realm Lord and the Shen Yi Ghost Kings had already examined the statue and found nothing unusual, he still couldn't shake his discomfort.
It felt as if someone—or something—was watching him. And the gaze was filled with malice.
Noticing Zhang Buku's unsettled expression, the Shen Yi Realm Lord spoke. "Are you alright?"
Zhang Buku turned to him and shook his head. "I'm fine. But I think whoever lured us into this place did so for a reason. If they wanted us dead, they wouldn't need to wait—right now, we're already no match for them."
The hall fell into silence as the Shen Yi Ghost Kings exchanged glances.
Zhang Buku took a deep breath and continued, "Everyone, on our way here, you all saw the severed Buddha heads scattered across the desert. It felt as though someone had intentionally placed them there, guiding us to this temple. Perhaps… our only chance of survival lies within these walls."
Hearing this, the Shen Yi Ghost Kings immediately stood up and began looking around the temple.
The Shen Yi Realm Lord also seemed to find logic in his words and began observing their surroundings more carefully.
A heavy silence soon enveloped the hall.
Time passed.
One by one, all their gazes fell upon the massive Buddha statue.
Nijiu You, one of the Shen Yi Ghost Kings, suddenly tensed and asked, "Do any of you feel… like something is off?"
His voice shattered the silence, and the others quickly began murmuring, describing the unease growing within them. Speaking out seemed to help alleviate their fear, if only slightly.
Zhang Buku's pupils suddenly constricted as he focused on the Buddha statue's eyes.
The statue was so massive that its head nearly touched the ceiling, which was shrouded in darkness, making its face barely visible. But Zhang Buku could see it—its eyes were smiling.
A chill ran down his spine.
Something was very, very wrong.
Moments later, the Shen Yi Ghost Kings also fell silent. One by one, they realized what Zhang Buku had seen.
The Buddha statue was smiling.
A sinister, twisted smile.
And it was staring at them.
Unconsciously, they huddled together, shoulder to shoulder.
The Shen Yi Realm Lord took a deep breath, keeping his composure as he addressed the statue. "May I ask which senior is present here? If we have disturbed you, we humbly ask for your guidance toward a path of survival."
The moment his words fell, the Buddha statue's eyes curved even further, its smile growing eerily wide.
"You seek immortal fate?"
A chilling voice echoed through the hall, sending shivers down their spines.
"Immortal fate is right here."
A low, sinister chuckle followed. The Shen Yi Ghost Kings clenched their fists and pressed closer together, their wariness reaching its peak.
The Shen Yi Realm Lord steadied himself and asked, "If that is so, then we do not need the immortal fate. Might senior allow us to leave instead?"
"That, of course…"
The voice deliberately dragged out its words, only to suddenly burst into a deafening roar—
"IS NOT POSSIBLE!"
The overwhelming force of the sound sent tremors through the temple, causing the Shen Yi Ghost Kings to tremble in fear.
The Buddha statue's gaze finally locked onto Zhang Buku, its smirk growing colder. "I am the Buddha Immortal. My revival requires an immense amount of blood and flesh. However, I do not wish to be reborn… So, I shall choose one among you to inherit my legacy."
One of the Shen Yi Ghost Kings hesitantly asked, "And what of the rest of us?"
The Buddha Immortal turned to him with a grin filled with malice.
"The rest? Why, the chosen inheritor will consume all of you, of course."
The hall fell deathly silent.
Zhang Buku felt his body tense under the Buddha Immortal's gaze. A terrible realization struck him—the Buddha Immortal was toying with them. He had no intention of granting anyone a way out.
And worse still, Zhang Buku had a sinking feeling that he was about to be chosen as the so-called inheritor. If that happened, he would become the target of everyone else's desperation and fear.
"The karma of Annihilation God Emperor has suddenly vanished…" The Buddha Immortal muttered, seemingly talking to himself. "I wonder who killed him? Regardless… it seems I have found my opportunity."