Responsibility and Sacrifice
Yuan Qiong Du is young again on his sect’s mountain when his senior sister finds him lying on the ground, having refined another rank three Gu. He is unhappy because he dislikes cultivating refinement path. She tells him of clues to a Gu Master inheritance that she found in the study of her father, who is also his master, and he solves the poem clue at once. In a cave they find a fire path inheritance called will flame, made by someone with his master’s name. Yuan Qiong Du is extremely surprised. ch. 1952
His master arrives with the sect uncle and admits that he set the inheritance up in his youth. The sect uncle explains that the master loved fire path in his youth but gave it up because the sect’s water path inheritance needed an inheritor. He calls passing down every Gu Immortal inheritance their responsibility. The master lets the two keep what they found, and the senior sister, who cultivates wood path, gives it to Yuan Qiong Du. ch. 1952
Yuan Qiong Du opens his eyes inside Heaven Overseeing Tower, having fainted from a backlash during refinement. As the only Gu Immortal refining Gu, he fears that most of fate Gu’s restoration has very likely been lost. Instead a lump of fire has taken his place, and fate Gu lies in it half a step from complete recovery. It is his will flame, taken from his master’s inheritance and developed to immortal level beside refinement path. He guesses he activated it unconsciously, as it has often replaced him in emergencies. He calls it a responsibility and smiles that he has not disappointed his master. ch. 1952
His injuries are too heavy to continue, so he uses the last of his life and willpower to reinforce the flame. The will flame becomes extremely stable, fate Gu moves past the final step and achieves complete recovery, and Yuan Qiong Du dies. Like his master, his senior sister and countless seniors before him, he has given his life to build Heavenly Court’s foundation. The will flame dissipates. ch. 1952
On the quiet top floor of the tower, Cong Yan laughs weakly that Yuan Qiong Du has finished his task and it is their turn. Che Wei answers that in their state even transmitting voices is troublesome, let alone activating the tower. Cong Yan says his remaining immortal essence can activate his trump card. Che Wei, his close friend, understands and begs him not to absorb the injuries, or he will die at once. Cong Yan asks what there is to fear in death, since their companions are fighting outside and the defensive line is on the verge of collapsing. ch. 1952
He tells Che Wei that Che Wei is the stronger and will create his own path, which Cong Yan looks forward to but will not see. A light blue radiance covers Che Wei, whose body begins to recover while Cong Yan’s worsens. Cong Yan dies, and Che Wei, still severely injured, crawls toward fate Gu with all his strength. He pours in all his immortal essence and prays it activates. ch. 1952
