After All, I'm Her Brother

At that moment, everyone abruptly turned their gaze toward Gu Youwei.

Everyone knew that this peerlessly beautiful, icy woman had swept across the heavens with an Immortal Root and a primordial inheritance, achieving all she had today.

It was also because of the Immortal Root within her that the Heavenly Emperor had coveted it, turning the two against each other as mortal enemies!

But now, that old man was saying that Gu Youwei had no Immortal Root!!!

Then where had Gu Youwei's Immortal Root come from?!

At that moment, everyone seemed to come to a realization. They seemed to have guessed something.

Yet the conclusion of that guess left them utterly stunned!

They could not believe it!!

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!!"

Gu Youwei was incomparably agitated.

At that moment, she too seemed to understand something. The obscure and puzzling parts of the Heavenly Emperor's past were gradually unraveling in her mind.

Both possessed Immortal Roots, so why had Gu Changqing reached the twelfth level of Qi Cultivation in a single day after first encountering the Qi Cultivation Art?

Yet she, after an entire year, had not even been able to touch the threshold!

The Immortal Root was a supreme divine object—so why, even after she had died completely, had the Immortal Root within her still not awakened!

Gu Changqing had slain the White-robed Saint King by himself. The Immortal Root had still been there, so why had his Dao foundation shattered and his Immortal Root vanished two days later?!

Her entire body was trembling.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!!"

She shook her head like one possessed. Though she already had an answer in her heart, she still refused to believe it.

No—she did not dare believe it!

She stared fixedly at the scene in the mirror, as if she wanted an answer completely contrary to what she now believed!

Ye Chen was likewise immensely shocked at this moment, so much so that he had no time to spare Gu Youwei beside him a thought.

Every doubt pointed to that one answer.

Yet he still clung to the faintest shred of hope in his heart.

Impossible!!

That was an Immortal Root!!

Within the mirror.

Gu Changqing stood there blankly, his gaze vacant.

The old man's words echoed over and over in his heart.

An Immortal Root was a supreme divine object...

At a certain moment, a brilliant radiance suddenly bloomed in his eyes. In that instant, he seemed to comprehend something!

Yet the old man failed to notice the Young Heavenly Emperor's change. He merely continued speaking to himself.

"This old man is the Primordial Saint Venerable. In the battle of primordial times, my origin suffered grievous damage. There is no longer any hope for me to reach the supreme peak. Death itself means little to me. What I care about is that the world-shaking inheritance I created has no one to inherit it."

"Thus, I spent half my life traversing the myriad heavens and worlds, seeking a suitable successor to inherit my mantle. Seeing my lifespan drawing to an end, I had thought there was no one left in this world qualified to inherit my legacy."

"Yet who would have thought that the Heavenly Dao would favor me? When you fought the Saint King earlier, your divine might reached the border of the Supreme Realm, punching through the River of Time and Space and shattering a corner of the Immortal Realm. Only then did this old man arrive in this world."

"Immortal Roots, too, have their strengths and weaknesses. I roamed unhindered through the primordial era, yet I have never seen scenery like yours."

"Well? Are you willing to become this old man's successor? With this Immortal Root and my inheritance, before long, you will surely behold scenery even more magnificent than mine."

Divine radiance flickered in the old man's eyes.

It was as though he had seen, in the distant Ancient Times, a Young Emperor carrying his inheritance, looking down upon all living beings and suppressing the myriad spirits.

"You mean this Immortal Root is very special, right?"

Gu Changqing spoke at last, yet his question did not answer the old man's.

The old man was immensely satisfied with the youth before him and did not mind. He answered every question. "It is brimming with divinity! One of a kind throughout eternity!"

"Can it bring the dead back to life?" Gu Changqing stared at the old man with unwavering intensity.

Surprise flashed through the old man's eyes. Having swept through the myriad heavens and worlds, he naturally guessed something in that instant.

"You want to save her?"

The old man narrowed his eyes and examined the youth.

"Can it bring the dead back to life?" Gu Changqing asked once more.

"It can!"

The old man nodded. "Immortal Roots are already exceedingly rare in this world. They are products of the Heavenly Dao, extraordinary beyond measure. Even an ordinary Immortal Root can bring a dead person back to life. Yours is brimming with divinity, so naturally it can as well!"

A dazzling smile suddenly bloomed across Gu Changqing's face.

He stroked little Youwei's cheek. "If she receives my Immortal Root, can you take her as your disciple?"

Though the old man had already suspected as much, when Gu Changqing spoke those words, his pupils still contracted. "The Immortal Root is the foundation of its host. Removing it requires enduring endless agony—like falling into purgatory, like being carved by a thousand blades, like being gnawed by ten thousand ants."

"It's fine."

"With your current condition, extracting your Immortal Root means nine chances of death and only one of survival!"

"It's fine. If it can keep her alive, then it's worth it."

The old man drew a deep breath, seemingly still unwilling to give up. "Why must you do this?"

"Do you know how long the lifespan of a Saint Venerable like me is?"

"If you return with me to the Immortal Realm, you will surely become a Saint Venerable one day. In your life, you will meet all manner of people, and she—this little girl—is but a tiny corner of your long river of life."

"Why give up such a vast and wonderful life for her?"

The Young Heavenly Emperor took a deep breath and declared, "That is your long-cherished wish. My long-cherished wish is to protect her."

"Because—"

"I'm her brother."

The Young Heavenly Emperor smiled sadly.

After Mei Gongzi defused Cao Yuwei's attack this time, she did not rush to counterattack. She merely stood where she was.

Cao Yuwei's brows furrowed slightly. Was this little girl's perception truly so sharp? After he had forged armor from flames, he still had other means at his disposal. If Mei Gongzi had followed up with an attack, he was confident he could use that method to restrain her. But Mei Gongzi did not advance, forcing the ability he had poised to unleash to be interrupted.

The battle saber slashed out once more, its surging saber intent even stronger than before. Cao Yuwei moved with the blade, man and saber as one, charging straight at Mei Gongzi.

The Heavenly Secret Plume in Mei Gongzi's hand formed the Heavenly Mysterious Circle once again, and with an instant shift, she switched positions. While dissolving her opponent's attack, she also broke his lock-on. In the next instant, she was already elsewhere. A flash of golden-red light flickered across Cao Yuwei's body. Had she not evaded so swiftly, another ability would undoubtedly have descended upon her.

A battle of attrition! She seemed intent on wearing Cao Yuwei down.

Yet no one doubted the origin of this ability. After all, the Peacock Demon Race's greatest innate gift was Stellar Transposition. Her technique bore the same marvelous resemblance to Stellar Transposition.

After Mei Gongzi defused Cao Yuwei's attack this time, she did not rush to counterattack. She merely stood where she was.

Cao Yuwei's brows furrowed slightly. Was this little girl's perception truly so sharp? After he had forged armor from flames, he still had other means at his disposal. If Mei Gongzi had followed up with an attack, he was confident he could use that method to restrain her. But Mei Gongzi did not advance, forcing the ability he had poised to unleash to be interrupted.

The battle saber slashed out once more, its surging saber intent even stronger than before. Cao Yuwei moved with the blade, man and saber as one, charging straight at Mei Gongzi.

The Heavenly Secret Plume in Mei Gongzi's hand formed the Heavenly Mysterious Circle once again, and with an instant shift, she switched positions. While dissolving her opponent's attack, she also broke his lock-on. In the next instant, she was already elsewhere. A flash of golden-red light flickered across Cao Yuwei's body. Had she not evaded so swiftly, another ability would undoubtedly have descended upon her.

A battle of attrition! She seemed intent on wearing Cao Yuwei down.