The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 226 Little Pearl, I Don't Blame You (Part 2)

The player's "Tan Yuan" faction is very mysterious in the original game, with an ancient heritage. It only enters the world during times of chaos and disappears at other times.

But in Gu Fangchen's current view, all of this unknown information has a clear direction.

The unsolved mysteries beyond the ending represent clues to the "preachers" provided to Gu Fangchen.

Therefore, the existence of the player's perspective also represents the force of a preacher.

Behind this lies the concept of "constancy and normalcy".

This is why Ning Caiyong said that "Master Hengchang" chose Gu Fangchen.

In other words, "Master Hengchang" was also a preacher, but judging from the information left by Ning Caiyong before he left, some of the preachers discovered that "the Way" was a parasite and chose to fight against it.

What Gu Fangchen heard and saw back then was the process of spreading the word.

The so-called true ending that Gu Fangchen achieved should actually be a bad ending, representing that the player has also become a new preacher, possibly having taken over the "Dao" from the "Master of Hengchang Dao".

Therefore, the props from "Tan Yuan" actually came from the preacher.

As everyone knows, magic must be used to defeat magic.

Gu Fangchen still didn't know what abilities this preacher who had taken over Gu Yuandao's body possessed, but he was certain that the other party did not have any power beyond the rules of this world.

Otherwise, there's no need to follow him all the way.

However, this guy's current level of strength is at least equivalent to that of the Grand Preceptor, so he absolutely cannot act rashly and must wait for the most suitable opportunity.

Although the [Blood Substitute Child] only requires one explicit condition to take effect.

That requires the blood of the two people who are the targets of the spell. As long as the blood of the two people is smeared on this porcelain doll, the spell that replaces the cause and effect between the two people can be activated.

Back then, Gu Fangchen did just that, switching the cause and effect between herself and the fifth-grade grandmaster controlled by Ning Songjun, transferring the fatal wound that was destined to kill her to the other party.

And now, how similar the situation is.

Gu Fangchen happened to have Gu Yuandao's blood on her hands.

However, the karma that the [Blood Substitute Child] can bear is ultimately limited. Killing a second-rank cultivator is its limit, and it can only be used once.

He originally intended to use it against Gu Yuye and Gu Yuandao, but unexpectedly it has now become a weapon against this preacher.

But this alone is not enough to completely kill the preacher.

The cause and effect replaced by Gu Yuandao's blood naturally belong to Gu Yuandao, not to any person possessing him.

Otherwise, Ning Songjun would have died directly back then.

Therefore, Gu Fangchen deliberately angered Banruo Lianyue, causing her to attack him and destroy his physical body once again.

On one hand, a sufficiently fatal injury is needed; on the other hand, it is to divert the preacher's attention, lure him to this Garuda Ruins, and use the formation that seals this ruin to seal the preacher's karma, so that he is completely bound to this body!
The reason why people cannot find Garuda is because of this large formation that relies on the "Boundless Spring".

This formation must have reached the first rank.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to make the entire Garuda seem to have completely disappeared from this world.

Only such a formation can completely seal off a cultivator whose strength is infinitely close to that of a first-grade cultivator.

It was at this moment that Gu Fangchen understood why Maha Wuliang had said that "he died in the celestial gnomon" and that his death was worthy.

It is very difficult to control a first-grade formation immediately in a normal way.

Even though this formation is now in ruins, it is still a genuine first-grade formation.

Therefore, he will use the "Past Cause Sundial" as the array eye, first set up the second-grade "Heavenly Dao Returns to Truth" array, reverse cause and effect, and give this first-grade array a result that must be activated, and then reverse the result to the cause, forcibly deduce the spiritual patterns, and drive it.

However, on the other hand, with his current level of divine cultivation, he is not qualified to set up a second-grade formation.

Therefore, he needs another springboard.

This springboard is the 108 demon-suppressing nails inside his body.

The Demon-Suppressing Nail itself is a good material for formations. Only in this way can a body with extremely high potential be shaped, and only then can there be a second-rank puppet like "Decadent Lord".

The essence of "refining magic" is to condense it into an array within the body, simulating the operation of the meridians and dantian. The spiritual energy is not absorbed, but rather "sealed".

So, if this "refining magic" is unfolded, it becomes an array capable of absorbing a massive amount of spiritual energy.

When Gu Fangchen absorbed the fire spirit energy of the mine protection array, he was actually far from reaching the upper limit of "magic refining," it was only the upper limit of his physical body.

Gu Fangchen's original body could not support such a huge amount of spiritual energy.

"Then let's abandon the physical body."

The moment Prajna Lotus Moon made her move, Gu Fangchen released the "demon nest" made of demon-suppressing nails within her physical body.

One hundred and eight golden rays scattered in all directions, piercing through the illusory lotus petals, the blood vessels and golden threads intertwined, dissipating like clouds in the wind.

Densely interwoven like warp and weft, in mid-air, it presented a fleshy hole that radiated outward from the center, every inch of it wriggling slightly, eventually converging into a rhythm like a heartbeat, like a demon god in the process of hatching.

"boom!"

The entire Garuda was sealed for five hundred years, and its past prosperity still retains a vast amount of spiritual energy.

At this moment, all of this spiritual energy was absorbed by the fleshy openings, like a whale swallowing its prey, and in the blink of an eye, it condensed together.

This is the first stepping stone.

Then, this spiritual energy entered the "Wangyin Tiangui" and, using it as the array's core, unfolded the "Tiandao Guizhen" (Returning to the True Nature of Heaven). As a universal key, it forcibly activated the array that sealed the entire Garuda.

This time, however, the target of the formation was the preacher on Gu Yuandao's body.

However, if the key doesn't match, forcibly unlocking it will naturally result in the key breaking along with the lock.

"Click..."

Cracks appeared on the "Wangyin Sundial", indicating that it was about to collapse completely.

The massive and complex formation covered the sky and the earth, rapidly shrinking towards Luo Song's location.

"not good!"

Luo Song's expression changed drastically, and he immediately turned and flew towards the exit.

Since that formation could seal the entire Garuda, it could naturally also seal him, who currently only has a second-grade cultivation level.

In the blink of an eye, he arrived at the stone gate, but the array had already completely sealed the entrance.

"I say, this door should be opened!"

Luo Song shouted a command, stretching out his hands and spreading them to both sides.

This is a supernatural power that only a second-rank Confucian scholar can use; "words become law." Even for a second-rank scholar, the consumption of this supernatural power is still enormous.

The greater the cause and effect, the greater the consumption.

Now, Luo Song is going to fight against a first-grade formation, which naturally drains his spiritual power almost instantly.

But the results were also very significant.

The stone gate, which had been completely still, suddenly parted, revealing a white void rift that split open to both sides as Luo Song moved.

Luo Song couldn't wait for the gap to completely separate. With a single thought, she darted towards it, attempting to pass through the rift.

But it was too late!
Luo Song charged forward headlong, only to feel a wisp of spatial power pass over her before hitting nothing and coming to a stop in mid-air.

His face was grim. He looked up and saw that the sealing formation had completely transformed into a prison, enveloping him.

He sealed his karma within this body!

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. In short, it occurred just as Gu Fangchen's physical body was on the verge of death, and when the formation was completed, his physical body also faced death.

At the same time, Prajna Lotus Moon also realized that Luo Song was there, and her pupils shrank instantly.

Gu Yuandao?
No, that's impossible. Gu Yuandao is only a fifth-rank cultivator, while this guy's aura is stronger than hers!

This leap in cultivation level is outrageous, and unlike Gu Fangchen, whose seemingly exaggerated progress is actually traceable at every step.

How could Gu Yuandao have suddenly broken through three major realms after just one month of solitary reflection?!
Even possession is impossible!

In a flash, Prajna Lotus Moon released her grip, and the lotus petals in mid-air slowly dissipated, causing a porcelain doll stained with blood to fall to the ground.

Two extremely strange blushes immediately appeared on the porcelain doll's face, and a smile appeared on her chubby face.

"Blood Substitution Technique," activated!

Luo Song's brow twitched, and in an instant he sensed the power emanating from a dimension equal to theirs.

Ning Songjun couldn't understand this power back then, but Luo Song was all too familiar with it.

This [Blood Substitute Child] embodies the Dao of "Constancy"!
The principle of "constancy" also includes transactions and exchanges.

The exchange of cause and effect is naturally included!

Luo Song felt that force pressing down on his eyelids, forcing him to blink.

He knew that if he blinked, the next moment he would be swapping injuries with Gu Fangchen.

"Gu! Fang! Chen!...You can forget about it!!!"

Luo Song struggled against the "Blood Substitution Technique," his eyes bloodshot and filled with veins. He looked up at Gu Fangchen's soul in mid-air, his face contorted in pain.

"Our Great Dao is one with the heavens for eternity, and our laws are eternal. How could we fear a mere death?!"

"If you want to use the power of 'constancy' to exchange cause and effect, then let's see if you can bear it!"

He knew the formation was complete and there was no way to reverse it, but he had only one mission: to send Gu Fangchen to her death.

If he hadn't known the effects of this "Blood Substitution Technique," he would have been caught off guard and definitely been tricked by Gu Fangchen.

But this time, Luo Song understood.

Therefore, his idea was simple: since there was no way to turn the tide, he would perish together with Gu Fangchen.

If he commits suicide at the moment of the exchange, then Gu Fangchen's exchange will be a death for a death, and her plan will fail!
Luo Song brought two fingers together and, with lightning speed, touched his forehead.

"Bang bang bang!"

The spiritual energy surged out, instantly destroying his upper, middle, and lower dantian, and then his meridians exploded, with blood spraying down like mist.

Luo Song's soul was annihilated in the blink of an eye, and all the vital organs of his body exploded at the same time, making him utterly dead.

His gaze dimmed instantly, and the moment he closed his eyes, the eerie porcelain doll appeared before him.

High in the sky in the distance.

Gu Fangchen remained expressionless as she watched him commit suicide, her expression unchanged.

I am neither afraid nor surprised.

Witnessing this scene, Prajna Lotus Moon, who was originally about to make a move, frowned. Her heart, which was originally shrouded in killing intent, was immediately covered by doubt.

Gu Fangchen isn't the type to give up easily...

From the first time she met this person, she knew that Gu Fangchen was shrewd and could easily manipulate others.

Therefore, she wanted to take advantage of Gu Fangchen's lack of vigilance and suddenly kill him.

But unexpectedly, judging from the sudden appearance of "Gu Yuandao", it seems that Gu Fangchen had already planned to kill her.

According to Gu Yuandao, Gu Fangchen wanted to use her fatal injury to trick Gu Yuandao.

So, did he not expect Gu Yuandao's suicide?
Why was there absolutely no reaction when the other person committed suicide...?

When Prajna Lotus Moon felt doubt and wariness.

Gu Fangchen also sensed the effect of the "Blood Substitution Technique," turned her head, suddenly smiled slightly at her, and shook her head, saying:

"Little Pearl, I don't blame you."

All of a sudden.

Prajna Lotus Moon's expression froze, and her whole body trembled violently.

Her real name is Mingzhu, a fact that no one else in the world knows.

Everything about her past was sealed away for five hundred years by the great array that covered the entire Garuda.

Even the law of cause and effect cannot interfere.

Even if Xu Fu were to calculate, he couldn't possibly know the specific events that happened five hundred years ago, let alone her real name.

How did Gu Fangchen find out?
The thought that had flashed through Prajna Lotus Moon's mind before resurfaced at this moment.

“I know very well…you are not Prajna Lotus Moon at all, right?”

"I feel like Her Highness looks familiar, and I'd like to confirm a certain mark..."

"The moon shines brightest in my hometown..."

"It's late and the dew is heavy. Let's go back. We can have a long talk all night after everything is over..."

this moment.

The scorching wind above Garuda seemed to freeze, slowing down to a very slow pace, and all sounds faded into the distance.

Prajna Lotus Moon felt a wave of dizziness and heard herself questioning sharply in a trembling voice:
"Who are you?! Who exactly are you! How do you know this name?!"

Gu Fangchen looked at her suddenly reddened eyes and shrugged:

"Actually, you should have the surname Gu, but I died too young and you were too young."

Prajna Lotus Moon was stunned.

Her whole body went numb, and even breathing felt like it was burning. Seeing Gu Fangchen's mind begin to blur, she finally snapped out of her daze and rushed forward with all her might.

"don't want!!!"

Prajna Lotus Moon reached out, only to grasp at empty air, and watched helplessly as Gu Fangchen's soul dissipated.

The "Blood Substitution Technique" took effect in the blink of an eye; Gu Fangchen and Luo Song exchanged their lives for each other, both perishing.

Prajna Lotus Moon fell to the ground, staring at her empty palms, her body stiff, her face a mixture of crying and laughing, as she murmured:
"Father... Father."

What did she do?
If Gu Yuandao hadn't suddenly appeared, then she would have killed Gu Fangchen with her own hands.

Five hundred years later, the person she thought she was going to resurrect was actually right in front of her, but she was constantly thinking about how to kill him!

Suddenly, Prajna Lotus Moon staggered to her feet, leaped into the air, and frantically searched through the ruins for the "Past Cause Sundial" that had fallen down after the formation completed its mission.

"Father... wait for me, I will bring you back to life, I will definitely bring you back to life!"

Holding the nearly shattered stone, she walked towards the "Boundless Spring." When she saw the red bloodstains spreading in the river, she froze again, and then tears streamed down her face, dripping onto the stone.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: Ahem... I was a little delayed, but I managed to update ahead of schedule (looking up at the sky).
(End of this chapter)