Immortal Mortal Chapter 1224: If There Was Something Eternal

"Then what transpired next?" Qu You was completely captivated by Cen Shuyin’s tale. Upon witnessing Cen Shuyin’s sudden silence, she couldn’t refrain from posing the question.

Cen Shuyin appeared lost in thought, her gaze fixed on something behind Qu You. In that moment, that very thing seemed to eclipse everything else in importance.

...

The instant Mo Wuji arrived, a sense of unease washed over him. He discovered himself completely cut off from his Mortal World. Moreover, his Dao will felt significantly restrained in this place.

However, Mo Wuji swiftly dismissed these concerns. The reason was the sight of a beautiful face, etched with profound sorrow and glistening with tears.

Her eyebrows remained as finely arched as when he first encountered her, long and exquisite. Though streaked with tears, her eyes possessed a depth that seemed capable of piercing the very soul. Her nose, sharp and reminiscent of fine jade, presented a masterpiece of natural artistry – utterly flawless...

"Wuji..." Cen Shuyin whispered. A powerful urge surged within her to rush into Mo Wuji’s arms, to confess the immense hardship of her wait and the exhaustion of her endless search. She yearned to demand why he had ventured into the Soul Condensing Immortal Pond seeking her essence, leaving her estranged from him for so many years.

If given the chance to relive those moments, she would have chosen to close her eyes and remain by Mo Wuji's side in peaceful idleness, rather than endure tens of thousands of years of separation.

Even without a complete soul, she could still feel Mo Wuji’s proximity.

Yet, her entire being felt weak, failing her. Despite having attained Unity God Level 7, she lacked the fortitude to stand.

Qu You turned her head, her eyes falling upon Mo Wuji as he approached. It felt surreal, as if a dream had coalesced into reality. The very person they had been discussing had materialized before them.

A wave of melancholy and disappointment washed over Qu You. Instead of acknowledging Mo Wuji, she quietly lowered her head and withdrew. If escape were possible, she would have vanished into the distance.

She understood with stark clarity that this moment was not hers to share; she was merely a bystander.

"Wuji..." Cen Shuyin finally managed to rise. Before she could even take a step, Mo Wuji was already before her.

Mo Wuji’s impulse was to reach out, to draw Cen Shuyin into a firm embrace. Yet, his hands hesitated.

Prior to locating Cen Shuyin, such complexities hadn't occupied his mind. Now, with her presence, the reality of his existing marital bond surfaced with undeniable weight.

Han Qingru was still immersed in her cultivation within his Mortal World, and here stood Cen Shuyin. Initially, he had believed he could navigate the emotional landscape between Han Qingru and Cen Shuyin. Now, he recognized his own inadequacy in managing these affairs.

"Wuji..." Unhesitatingly, Cen Shuyin surged into Mo Wuji’s embrace. Her tears instantly soaked his shoulders. Within her heart, this day had been anticipated for an immeasurable duration.

"Forgive me, Shuyin." Mo Wuji felt a profound dryness in his throat.

Beyond the remorse for the prolonged search, a deep-seated guilt gnawed at him. He grappled with how to articulate the circumstances to Cen Shuyin. Could he possibly explain that Han Qingru’s life would have been forfeit had he refused her at that crucial juncture?

Furthermore, could he truthfully claim that he harbored no affection whatsoever for Han Qingru?

Cen Shuyin, lost in the overwhelming emotion, did not register Mo Wuji’s words. Her heart thrummed with an ecstatic rhythm, threatening to leap from her chest. Simultaneously, a fiery warmth began to suffuse her entire body.

Her mind replayed every word of her narration to Qu You, each sentence a vivid catalyst, unlocking a cascade of cherished memories.

Previously, she had relinquished all else in fervent pursuit of cultivation. In her worldview, romantic love was akin to snowflakes melting under the sun – a fleeting phenomenon destined to vanish.

She was celebrated as the most beautiful maiden within the entire Heaven Seeking Palace, perhaps even across the entirety of Zhen Xing. Yet, she had never yielded to any admirer's advances, nor had she ever entertained the notion of seeking a Dao companion.

This passive stance persisted until the fated day she encountered Mo Wuji, until the day their paths intertwined, and until the day her heart irrevocably fell for Mo Wuji...

Driven by a blend of gratitude and profound obligation, she shielded Mo Wuji from a fatal strike. Fueled by love’s ardor, she sacrificed her own life essence, propelling Mo Wuji through the void and embarking on an exhaustive search across the boundless cosmos for him...

Her devotion had finally found its echo. Only Mo Wuji had braved the perilous Thorny Wind Gate for her; only Mo Wuji had sought the elusive Underworld Heart Flower and ventured into the depths of the Soul Condensing Immortal Pond on her behalf; and only Mo Wuji would dare to penetrate this perilous domain for her sake!

In that profound realization, she finally grasped that an eternal truth existed in this universe. No, it wasn't the Dao. It was love. The Dao bore its scars, but love remained untouched, enduring eternally.

...

"It is indeed a primordial trap array!" Luo Xu exclaimed, his voice resonating with emotion as he stood before the swirling abyss of reddish-brown spatial energy. Though he lacked Mo Wuji’s spiritual eye to perceive the primordial Dao runes, his sharp discernment recognized the aura of an array born at the very dawn of creation. This implied that anyone, Mo Wuji included, who dared to enter this trap would find no escape. It was a place only someone like Luo, perhaps the most ancient being in the cosmos, could discover.

"Dao Friend Luo, our success now rests upon your shoulders," Tai Luan declared, bowing respectfully with clasped fists. This primordial trap array, while capable of ensnaring any opponent, also served as an ultimate defensive formation. One could enter to vanquish Mo Wuji, but leaving afterward was an entirely different matter, one Tai Luan admitted he couldn't answer.

Luo let out a faint chuckle. "With over a hundred of the universe's peak experts gathered here today, I shall require everyone's assistance to refine this primordial array. Once refined, Mo Wuji will be nothing more than a meal served on a platter."

Fo Ti frowned, his fists clasped. "Dao Friend Luo, we acknowledge your formidable strength, perhaps even supremacy in this universe. However, to refine such an array would surely demand millions of years, wouldn't it?"

Luo responded with calm composure, "Dao Friend Fo Ti, if you discovered this place, what would be your course of action?"

Fo Ti chuckled, answering, "I would refine it, naturally, however..."

Before Fo Ti could finish, Luo raised a hand to halt him. "I discovered this location five million years ago. Yet, the time needed for its complete refinement is still insufficient. I require everyone’s help. I have already refined ninety-nine percent of this area. Soon, I shall erect a grand refinement array and finalize the process. At that moment, Mo Wuji will be within my grasp, and all of us can strike together..."

"While Mo Wuji may be potent, is it truly necessary for all of us to attack him simultaneously?" God Emperor Ming Yue inquired indifferently. He recalled that a mere nail from his person had nearly claimed Mo Wuji’s life, thus he didn't hold Mo Wuji in high regard. Surely, with two Sages like Grand Desert and himself, Mo Wuji could be effortlessly eradicated, let alone the hundred gathered.

Luo seemed unfazed by this remark. He laughed heartily. "Dao Friend Ming Yue speaks the truth. However, this individual possesses an escape technique known as Earth Shrinking. Our concern is not Mo Wuji himself, but his potential escape."

Had he not needed everyone's collective power, Luo would have likely slapped Ming Yue and berated him, thinking, 'Who do you think you are? A single strike from Mo Wuji could obliterate you.'

...

Mo Wuji and Cen Shuyin were lost in the joy of their reunion. Qu You, however, felt an unsettling premonition. Her heart was pounding erratically. Initially, she had attributed this feeling to Mo Wuji's presence. Yet, after two hours, she realized it had nothing to do with him. This was a distinct sense of impending danger.

The feeling was peculiar, as if the very ground they stood on was about to erupt or transform into a personal prison.

"Big Brother Mo..." Qu You, unable to bear the mounting unease any longer, interrupted Mo Wuji and Cen Shuyin, who were seemingly oblivious to their surroundings.

Mo Wuji jolted awake and immediately released Cen Shuyin’s hand. He spoke with a touch of awkwardness, "Qu You, thank you for staying by Shuyin’s side all these years."

Qu You’s face grew pale. A stark realization dawned upon her: Mo Wuji harbored no romantic feelings for her.

"Ah... Sister Qu You..." Cen Shuyin finally awoke, still holding Mo Wuji's hand tightly. She knew, however, that such an display was inappropriate in front of Qu You.

"Big Brother Mo, I sense something is amiss with this place. It feels as though it might explode. Simultaneously, it feels like it’s becoming someone’s personal cage. No, it feels like it's being refined..." Qu You finally made the connection. Becoming someone’s personal cage—didn't that imply someone was refining it?

Mo Wuji’s expression turned grim as he calmed himself. Before Qu You could finish, Mo Wuji’s face contorted with alarm. "You are correct. He is here. This trap was laid by him. He was waiting for me to enter so he could eliminate me."

When he had first arrived, Mo Wuji hadn't sensed the refinement of this space. Now, the sensation was unmistakable. Someone was refining this primordial trap array, and the process was nearing its conclusion.He knew instinctively that Luo was the one fortifying this domain. Once Luo successfully completed this process, his escape would be impossible, irrespective of his own strength.