He Is Him, and I Am Me!

A cluster of flame runes took shape in an instant! "Six Yang Absolute Seal!" Dozens of fiery points of light drove like awls deep into Li Guanqi's body, completely suppressing his rampaging primal energy! Feeling Li Guanqi's aura stabilize, Gu Changsheng let out a long breath. Meng Jiangchu arrived immediately after within the Great Xia Sword Sect. Seeing Meng Wanshu's domain torn apart, his brow furrowed. Looking at the four figures covered in wounds, he barked sternly, "Nonsense! "What on earth are you all doing?!" Gu Changsheng sighed as well, glancing at Meng Jiangchu before speaking. "Enough, Old Meng, say no more. "The boy's internal power has been sealed by me. Everyone calm down." Meng Jiangchu sighed, breathing a sigh of relief only after verifying that their injuries were merely superficial. After this clash, all of them were thoroughly shaken, especially Meng Wanshu, Ye Feng, and the others. Even though none of them had fought to kill, Gu Li's incomparably vast spiritual power had shown them just how terrifying a talisman master could be. That battle... had burned through resources faster than throwing spirit stones away... Yet it was undeniable that a talisman master's combat was ever-changing and unpredictable. Concealing a few utility talismans among tens of thousands of inscribed talismans could produce completely unexpected results. Moreover, the more precious inscribed talismans unleashed even more horrific power. Not to mention that Gu Li had recently attained enlightenment in the Dao, making his methods even more unfathomable. Falling silent, everyone lowered their hands. Clutching his shoulder, Gu Li looked at the wounded group and said apologetically, "I'm sorry..." None of them said much in reply. Gu Li took a deep look at Meng Wanshu, a chill running down his back as the wind blew against his cold sweat. He could sense just how terrifyingly powerful this woman was... That inexplicable sense of pressure was even more overwhelming than what Li Guanqi gave him. If Li Guanqi was a prodigy, then Meng Wanshu was a monster. From beginning to end, Meng Wanshu had not shifted her feet an inch, yet the sole sword wound on him had been inflicted by her. Moreover, she had held back the entire time while suppressing the surging energy within Li Guanqi and fending Gu Li off at the same time. Gu Li took a deep breath to settle his inner turmoil. Lu Kangnian said in a heavy voice, "Everyone, let us take this to the Deliberation Hall." With that, Lu Kangnian walked over to Li Guanqi, checked on him, and finally relaxed. As Ye Feng walked past Gu Li, he said, "Let's go. What are you standing there dazed for?" Gu Li was taken aback. He had thought that after what just happened, they would be standing on opposing sides. Perhaps noticing his confusion, Ye Feng murmured, "At most, we just have different stances and thoughts. We're not enemies." Gu Li's heart eased, and he silently nodded, following them as they flew toward the hall. At the summit of Tianjian Peak, the Great Xia Sword Sect's main hall was exceptionally magnificent, its golden glazed tiles gleaming under the sunlight. The heavy doors shut. The aura and pressure of two Mahayana realm experts left no room for anyone to pry, so they didn't even bother setting up a boundary barrier. Lu Kangnian did not sit at the head of the hall either, instead taking a seat on the same side as Meng Jiangchu and Gu Changsheng. On the other side sat Meng Wanshu, Ye Feng, and the others. Gu Changsheng glanced at Gu Li, sighed, and said, "Speak. What is going on?" Hearing this, Gu Li hid nothing and recounted everything from start to finish. When his words fell, not only Gu Changsheng, but even Meng Jiangchu fell silent. Everyone knew what an independent Void Spirit implied. It meant that Li Guanqi's breakthrough into the Body Integration Realm had been inherently dangerous in the first place, and no matter how he tried to repair it, a flaw in his divine soul still remained. Even if he could continually suppress this hidden danger, once he reached the peak of the Body Integration Realm, he would either have to never break through for the rest of his life, or... the Void Spirit would still have to die. Gu Changsheng had known about Gu Li and Li Congxin becoming sworn brothers, but had merely thought of it as child's play. He never expected it to turn into this. Both Gu Changsheng and Meng Jiangchu could understand Gu Li, and could also understand Meng Wanshu. This matter... Meng Jiangchu sighed, looked at Meng Wanshu, and said, "Guanqi himself probably wants to keep him, doesn't he?" Meng Wanshu looked at her father, hesitated for a moment, but still nodded. "I understand his thoughts, but... "Doing this puts him in danger. I would rather he fuse with the Void Spirit!" Ye Feng and Cao Yan remained silent. They felt the exact same way as Meng Wanshu. If the existence of the Void Spirit threatened Li Guanqi himself, they were even more unwilling to see Li Guanqi dragged down by it. Just like today's situation—even Meng Wanshu alone had struggled to suppress Li Guanqi's power. Ye Feng would never allow such a thing to happen again! Gu Li furrowed his brows tightly, looking at them, and said heavily, "Old Li wants Li Song to live!! Have you ever considered that?!" Gu Changsheng also barked angrily, "Enough! We are doing this for his own good!!" Gu Li, who had been holding back, shot to his feet, glaring at his father and roaring, "For his own good?! "Hahahaha! What a great 'for his own good'!! "None of us has the right to make decisions for Li Guanqi!! "Is what you call 'for his own good' truly what he wants?! "If he wanted Li Song dead, Li Song would have died long ago!!! "That's precisely why I, Gu Li, hold Li Guanqi in such high regard!!" Speaking with mounting agitation, Gu Li's shoulders trembled uncontrollably. He turned to glare at Meng Wanshu, Ye Feng, and the others, his eyes seemingly asking, *Do you really understand him...?* Meng Wanshu looked somewhat uncomfortable; she understood all these principles as well. Yet when it came to Li Guanqi, she would never allow anything that could harm him to exist! Gu Changsheng said with a cold face, "Hand over the Void Spirit." The bluestone pavers under Gu Li's feet shattered. He burst through the hall doors and stepped into the void, his voice ringing with resolve: "You want me to hand him over? Fine! "Tell Li Guanqi to say it to me in person!!" His resonant words struck like iron on stone. Gu Li glared at everyone inside the hall, suddenly feeling a helpless sensation of standing against the entire world. His brow twitched, and he raised a hand to tear open the void. A white-haired young man in red robes stepped slowly out of Gu Li's domain. He peeled off one precious inscribed talisman after another from his body and handed them back to Gu Li beside him, then gently patted Gu Li's shoulder. A look of relief appeared on his handsome face. He turned toward the hall and declared with proud composure: "There is no need for any of you to worry. "I, Li Congxin, will simply go to my death." Boom! Instantly, the life force within Li Congxin began to drain rapidly. Gu Li roared, "Li Song! Have you lost your mind?! "If you throw your life away, what did everything I just did mean?! "If you die, how is Li Guanqi supposed to face any of them?! "He was willing to risk everything for you—why can't you wait until he shows up?!" Suddenly! The drain of life force within Li Congxin came to a dead halt, and began to replenish at an unimaginable speed. Everyone turned toward the white-robed figure atop the frozen peak. A pale Li Guanqi teleported into their midst, slapping Li Congxin on the back of the head. He cursed in a low voice, "If you die, I'll be very sad." Turning around, he opened his arms and embraced Gu Li, saying softly, "Thank you." Looking toward the figures at the entrance of the hall, he spoke with solemn gravity: "This is the last time I will say this. From now on, no one is permitted to scheme for Li Congxin's death. "From the moment I broke through, Li Congxin became Li Congxin. He is not my Void Spirit, nor can I control him in the slightest. "He is him, and I am me. "Even if you force him to die now, he cannot mend my divine soul. "Because from the moment I underwent the heavenly tribulation, he became an independent person. "This loss of control had nothing to do with him either. It wasn't caused by his awakening, but by a resonance of qi." Li Guanqi's words carried tremendous weight, making his stance unmistakably clear. Helpless, Meng Jiangchu sighed and said bluntly, "Fine. Since you know what you're doing, we'll listen to you. "Still... a flawed divine soul cannot be left unaddressed. We still need to find a solution."