As Yan Shouyi watched the heavy tomb door close completely, he rested a hand on it, sighing softly.
He wasn't sure if his choice was the right one, but in the desperate situation moments ago, he hadn't had the luxury of overthinking.
All he knew was that by staying, he might still have a chance to leave, and Lin Zhitong would have a sliver of hope.
If he had left, he would never find the primordial Gu worm, and Lin Zhitong would be doomed!
Yan Shouyi had already lost Lin Zhitong once, and this time, he wouldn't give up, even if it cost him his life.
With that, he calmly turned around, looking at Jiang Wusheng, who sat upright in the coffin.
Jiang Wusheng had no arms, his skin was pale, and his facial muscles were slack. The eerie smile on his face was particularly chilling.
It was then that Yan Shouyi noticed something like a blood vessel extending from Jiang Wusheng's chest into Yang Li's mouth.
Yang Li was still conscious but unable to resist.
Something was continuously being injected into Yang Li's body through the tube.
"You got your wish."
Yan Shouyi approached Jiang Wusheng and said coldly, "I had my suspicions before, but only now am I completely certain. The general of Qing Jiang Kingdom… was my past life, wasn't he?"
When Yan Shouyi was young, his grandfather had told him that his past life was a general who had killed countless enemies, a true god of war enveloped in malevolent energy.
Even after reincarnation, the malevolent energy carried by the general's soul was earth-shattering.
The general of Qing Jiang Kingdom was indeed a god of war, and he resided within Yan Shouyi.
When Jiang Wusheng had awakened earlier and called out for both the general and the princess, Yan Shouyi had finally confirmed that his past life was the general of Qing Jiang Kingdom.
Jiang Wusheng maintained his smile, staring at Yan Shouyi as if he were a treasure he had longed for years and desperately sought.
Yan Shouyi continued to approach, saying, "I'm right here now. Why aren't you making a move? Didn't you want to kill me for revenge?"
Jiang Wusheng remained motionless.
This left Yan Shouyi puzzled. Jiang Wusheng had waited for so many years; if not for revenge, what else could it be for?
Just then, the ghostly figure behind Jiang Wusheng transformed into a stream of ghostly energy and floated before Yan Shouyi.
The ghostly energy coalesced, eventually taking the form of a middle-aged woman.
Her demeanor was elegant and dignified. Although her clothes were simple, she didn't look like an ordinary village woman. While her eyes lacked pupils, they were filled with affection as she looked at Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi remembered that when his grandmother passed away, he had just been born. His grandmother was only in her forties or fifties then, not yet an old woman.
Looking at his grandmother, who was so close, Yan Shouyi's heart faltered. "...Grandma?"
His grandmother nodded kindly. "Shouyi, you've grown up. You're a man now, a handsome young man, just like your father when he was young!"
In that instant, Yan Shouyi's defenses crumbled. He knelt before his grandmother, tears streaming down his face. "Grandma, it's all my fault. I caused you to be trapped in this dark, sunless Jianwang Tomb for nearly twenty years!"
"Silly child!"
His grandmother quickly reached out to help Yan Shouyi up. "How is this your fault?"
Yan Shouyi cried, "Grandfather has already passed away, and Father served ten years in prison. They never knew you were still alive. If they had known..."
They would have been immensely guilt-ridden.
Earlier, Yan Shouyi had felt fortunate that his grandfather had died without knowing his grandmother's soul was still in Jianwang Tomb. Otherwise, he would have died with regret, his soul unable to rest due to guilt.
His grandmother slowly shook her head, gently wiping the tears from Yan Shouyi's eyes. She comforted him,
"None of that matters anymore. Seeing you grow up healthy and well, I have no regrets in death."
Yan Shouyi felt even more overwhelmed. He had never had a mother or grandmother since childhood, and his father had been imprisoned early in life. He could only wander the martial world with his grandfather, relying on each other for survival.
Most of the time, he felt like a wild weed, uncared for and unloved, drifting through life with his grandfather.
It was only later that he realized his father had been watching him from prison.
And his grandmother had made a deal with the mountain god for his sake, willingly remaining in Jianwang Tomb as its guardian.
His loved ones had always been silently loving and protecting him.
This filled Yan Shouyi with warmth, yet also an indescribable sense of guilt.
Seeing Yan Shouyi weeping, his grandmother felt even more gratified.
Although she had missed his childhood and hadn't been there to witness his growth, Yan Shouyi had still become a responsible, upright, and strong man.
For a grandmother, this was the greatest wish imaginable.
Thus, his grandmother was deeply content.
She supported Yan Shouyi and said softly, "You're here now, and we'll have more time together from now on. But for now, we should focus on how to deal with Jiang Wusheng."
Yan Shouyi snapped back to attention instantly, quickly wiping away his tears. He didn't want to show his vulnerable side to an enemy.
He looked at Jiang Wusheng. "Grandma, what's going on with Jiang Wusheng?"
"Knowing you had entered Jianwang Tomb, I could only suppress Jiang Wusheng with all my might, which is why I couldn't help you earlier."
"But now, Jiang Wusheng has awakened. However, his physical body has been decaying for a thousand years, making him unable to contend with you. That's why he captured your friend, planning to take over his body!"
"He is currently powerless. You must kill him now, otherwise, if Jiang Wusheng completes the soul transfer... the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Hearing his grandmother's words, Yan Shouyi's expression turned serious. He immediately walked to the coffin, summoned his Soul Slayer Blade, and said coldly to Jiang Wusheng,
"I'll kill you now and take Grandma home!"
"Wait!"
His grandmother quickly stopped Yan Shouyi. "You need the primordial Gu worm. Before killing Jiang Wusheng, you must find out where it is!"
Yan Shouyi realized his mistake and sternly demanded, "Jiang Wusheng! Where is the primordial Gu worm!"
Jiang Wusheng smiled stiffly and turned his head to look at Yan Shouyi.
"Kill me, and you'll have to wait for the next life to meet the princess," Jiang Wusheng's tone was completely flat, devoid of any emotion, like a soulless robot.
Yan Shouyi's eye twitched. He immediately plunged the Soul Slayer Blade into Jiang Wusheng's shoulder. "Speak!"
Jiang Wusheng showed no sign of pain, only stating stiffly,
"You were the General of Qing Jiang in your past life, yet now you resort to taking advantage of someone in need. Is this still you?"
"He is he, and I am me."
"What a pity… I waited for a thousand years, only wanting to have another fight with you, to prove I wasn't a waste, to prove I still had value to Master. But all these years, all I've met is you, a brat who hasn't even weaned… How laughable! How laughable! I will not hand over the primordial Gu worm, unless… you fight me again!"
Yan Shouyi glared furiously at Jiang Wusheng. He desperately wanted to finish him off.
But Jiang Wusheng had planned everything from the start. The Ancient Shu Soul Devouring Poison Gu wasn't targeting Lin Zhitong, but him, Yan Shouyi!
More accurately, it was targeting the General of Qing Jiang!
After taking several deep breaths, Yan Shouyi calmed down.
He still had time. As long as he defeated Jiang Wusheng, he had a chance to save Lin Zhitong.
So, he said coldly, "Fine, I'll fight you. Get up!"
But Jiang Wusheng was currently immobile, let alone able to fight Yan Shouyi.
Jiang Wusheng then said, "Once I successfully complete the soul transfer…"
"You think I'm a fool?" Yan Shouyi sneered.
"It will only take three days…"
In three days, Jiang Wusheng could fully recover his strength.
But Lin Zhitong couldn't wait for three days.
Yan Shouyi couldn't force Jiang Wusheng and could only negotiate. "I'll give you one day. After one day, we'll have a fair duel!"
"No… I need two days…"
"After one day, Zhitong will die from your Ancient Shu Soul Devouring Poison Gu. If she dies, I will have no reservations. At that time, no matter how much you've recovered, I will gather everyone I can possibly mobilize to ensure your utter defeat, to scatter your soul… No, scattering your soul would be too kind. I will capture your soul and torture you in the most brutal ways imaginable, making your life worse than death, dooming you for eternity!"
This was the first time Yan Shouyi had uttered such threats, but it was out of necessity.
He truly had no more time.
Jiang Wusheng fell silent, seemingly contemplating how much strength he would recover in one day.
After a moment, Jiang Wusheng agreed:
"One day. After one day, I will find you."
"It's a deal."
"I have waited a thousand years, I will not break my word."
After Jiang Wusheng finished speaking, the sealed tomb door slowly opened.
Lin Zhitong and the others, waiting outside, had never expected to see Yan Shouyi so soon.
"Don't come in!" Yan Shouyi shouted.
What if everyone came in, and Jiang Wusheng closed the door again?
Hearing Yan Shouyi's voice, everyone stopped at the entrance, not daring to step further.
Yan Shouyi turned back to Jiang Wusheng and said, "You're quite a man of your word. I'll trust you this time. In one day, I'll be waiting for you on the northern mountain of Chenjia Village."
"Alright…" Jiang Wusheng replied numbly, still smiling.
Having set the time and place, Yan Shouyi turned back silently, his expression softening slightly.
"Grandma, I'll take you home."