The Ancient Gods' Whisper-Chapter 980 - 458: Going Home

At the break of dawn, Su Youzhu bent down in front of the tombstone and offered a bouquet of fresh flowers, tidied up the weeds growing in the soil, and arranged the offerings neatly.

Gu Jianlin silently watched her busy figure, and couldn’t help but notice how meticulous girls can be, making even tomb-sweeping seem orderly and methodical. Especially when she clasped her hands in silent mourning, the morning light fell on her delicate, fair face, creating a peaceful aura of times gone by.

During this process, he discovered something rather mysterious.

Su Youzhu was very familiar with this routine.

She even did it better than him.

"When the teacher used to bring you here, I watched from the side."

Su Youzhu said expressionlessly: "So I remember it very clearly."

Gu Jianlin chuckled silently, knelt in front of the tombstone, looked at the name on it, and clasped his hands together.

When he came here on Tomb-Sweeping Festival day, he was filled with confusion and a desire for truth. At that time, he knew nothing about this world, as if lost in the pattering rain.

But now he holds a sword, and his eyes burn with blood and fire.

And he knows clearly who his enemies are, who his foes are.

Hatred is the world’s best driving force; it can keep you from ever being lost.

"The ones you wanted to protect back then, I’ve kept them safe for you."

Gu Jianlin said softly, "The tasks you didn’t finish, I’ve completed for you. From now on, those who suffered because of their fall from grace are all saved, and your comrades have seen the light of day again. Including the truth of the Blood Moon Slaughter Incident, which is now clear. Those who deserve to die, I won’t spare any."

"The curse of the Vermilion Bird Clan, looking back now, seems related to the Third Law. I don’t know why you were so unlucky to be chosen by an Ancient Supreme. Yet, I have no right to judge you because apparently, I’m much the same. Our family is truly cursed."

He chuckled silently, reaching out to gently stroke the tombstone: "But rest assured, I won’t let mom get involved either, just like you told me back then, a man’s duty is to protect the most important women in his life. If possible, I’ll end the curse of the Vermilion Bird Clan with me."

Su Youzhu slightly turned her gaze to him, her clear and bright eyes hiding well-concealed warmth.

Because it’s been a long time since Gu Jianlin was this relaxed.

He is the kind of person burdened with many worries, habitually keeping everything inside.

No matter how great the pressure, he won’t tell anyone.

Only facing the dead can he truly open up and speak his mind.

"Speaking of which, you should’ve let me encounter the Transcendent sooner. Otherwise, now I’d already be a demigod, and things wouldn’t be as troublesome as now; when in doubt, just chop things with a knife."

"Turns out Sixth Rank is such an easy thing, you must have lived like a fool all these years, right?"

"Youzhu was your student, yet you hid it from me for so many years, really rather excessive. You should’ve let her appear sooner, so we could gang up and call you names when we’re bored."

"Turns out the President was such a great person, I’m really envious you could work with her for so many years."

"Old Gu, the President is gone, this world betrayed her."

Gu Jianlin’s eye emotion surged, he said in a low voice: "I tried to save her, but couldn’t."

A breeze rustled through the branches and leaves of the trees.

Su Youzhu reached out to touch his hair: "It’s okay, you’ve done very well."

In fact, this was what Gu Jianlin truly wanted to say, a hurdle in his heart he could never cross. He harbors immense anger and grievance but has no one to confide in, can only come to this silent graveyard.

After a long time, a ray of morning light descended, illuminating the tombstone with a faint glow.

Gu Jianlin suddenly asked: "Youzhu, do you have anything you want to ask?"

Since returning from the Ancient God Realm, the two siblings hadn’t opened up to each other for a long time.

Su Youzhu rested her chin in her hand, her platinum short hair falling over her forehead, her eyes calm like water in the morning light: "There were many things I wanted to ask you, but you’ve already been giving me answers with your actions."

"Why don’t I speak, and you listen."

She turned her head, a smile unfurling like thawed ice at her lips: "The person chosen by Qilin Venerable must be you, right? If I’m not mistaken, when the teacher last entered Qilin Immortal Palace, she reached some kind of deal with that Black Supreme. But I don’t know when you acquired that power?"

Gu Jianlin recalled the events from four months ago, explaining softly: "On Tomb-Sweeping Festival day, I received a package with no sender. Inside that strange package, there was only a mask, a Qilin Mask."

Su Youzhu was slightly taken aback.

"After I put on that mask, I obtained that power. I even went to the delivery station afterwards, yet even the old delivery guy Lao Zhang I remembered had disappeared, people said he never existed, do you remember?" Gu Jianlin didn’t mention impersonating Qilin Venerable, mainly for fear of scaring her.

Su Youzhu grew up with him, was very familiar with that old neighborhood, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t recall: "I don’t remember there being a Lao Zhang at your delivery station."