Chapter 96: Tree of Unity

Chapter 96: Tree of Unity

I wasn’t sure what correlation was with endless dark spaces and life changing revelations but there certainly was something in there.

The last I was in an endless dark abyss, I learnt that I had a soul twin, aka, the previous inhabitant of my body. This time, I got to know that the previous inhabitant was cut off during childhood. And that we’re the same person.

Does this officially mean that I have a personality disorder now? My other half even fits the criterias for a murderhobo as well.

I let random stray thoughts distract me for a moment, but I knew that it wouldn’t last. I could sense my other half, stirring within my soul, as I stared nervously at the flowing fog in front of me. The images hadn’t ended yet, and I wasn’t sure I had the courage to see any more of them.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes. It would be strange to do this alone. Not after everything I’d seen.

I focused my senses inwards, towards my core.Gently, I tried to call forth Lu Jie, and with surprising ease, the Gu filled core in my body left me, as the Gu manifested in a slightly darker haired version of me standing nearby.

“So we meet again,” Gu Jie said. Which is the nickname I should’ve given him a long time ago, but anyway.

“Strange circumstances and weird spirit places. Just as usual,” I replied with a smile. Gu Jie did not seem as cheerful.

I sighed. “Can you not tell that I’m trying really hard to not act bothered by everything? Just play along for once damn you.”

“And what? Pretend that... this didn’t happen? That we weren’t led astray and lied to for years. That the elder didn’t try to play games with both of us?” the boy said, his eyes changing colors as dark wisps of Gu licked his body.

“Whoa whoa, calm down Mr demon king. How did the Elder betray us? Didn’t he save our lives?” I asked the boy.

“He crippled us. And he could’ve cured our soul. Made us one again. We could’ve grown so much. We... I wouldn’t have had to suffer for so long. Even the old man—

“—Wait what? The old man knows? How?” I asked, baffled. Gu Jie regarded me for a moment, with the typical ‘shit I messed up’ expression of someone saying something they weren’t supposed to.

“The old man... is a powerful master. And his grandson turned into a powerful demon. Yang Shen, the fire demon of the west.”

I blinked, staring at Gu Jie in silence. “Of course he is. Why wouldn’t he be? Hidden masters everywhere, can’t catch a break these days,” I replied, as I worked on sorting my thoughts.

So the old man knew, and he was even aware that I possessed Gu.

Perhaps it really was time to confront Granny Lang and Old Man a bit more about their past once the tournament ended. There were too many tie ins by now for me to ignore things any longer.

“Do you think he would not, if he could? Do you truly believe that?” I asked Gu Jie.

“No,” the boy replied, glancing downwards.

“Exactly. I think they couldn’t. For whatever reason. We’d tried it ourselves and it didn’t work.”

“Because we’re not equal,” Gu Jie said, looking at me. “Because if we were ever to join our souls into one. I will be gone.”

I remained silent at his words. “I don’t think you’ll be gone. Merely a part of me instead.”

“Would it be the same? We’re so different, you and I. I don’t remember my past life. You did not live the life I did. We’re different people now. Can we ever truly be one?” Gu Jie asked.

I turned to face the cloud of Fog in front of me. “Only one way to find out.”

Glancing at Gu Jie, I stepped forward into the foggy cloud. The world faded in through the white fog, as I stepped ahead, into the white haze.

Tears poured down the young Lu Jie’s eyes, and I watched as a blood soaked mother held his sobbing close, calming him down.

I watched as she remained amidst the corpses, hiding, bleeding. As the night turned to day, and the demons made their way through.

I watched her take her last breath, as a cultivator arrived and she handed a sleeping, blood covered child to the man, before she joined the pile of corpses she hid in.

The images faded, plunging me into darkness. I stood in silence. There were no words that could do justice to what I had just seen. I could understand why Lu Jie didn't remember this. Anyone would suppress a memory like this.

I turned to face the boy.

“I... remember,” Gu Jie whispered.

Unable to hold myself back, I rushed over, and hugged him. I felt tears soaking my shoulder, wisps of Gu touching me from his body, as he weeped.

I consoled him, keeping him close as he processed whatever emotions he was going through. I could not share. I did not know these people. Yet my heart ached nonetheless at the tragedy I had just witnessed.

“So you see the truth.”

A voice rumbled through the darkness.

I turned, and saw a figure in the distance moving towards us. Something reached me from the direction, a presence that I’d been looking for.

“Twilight!” I exclaimed, as my bond to her snapped back in place.

“Chii!” Twilight exclaimed, as she headed towards me.

I stared blankly at the creature. It was as if a dragon had been merged with a deer. A strange yet magnificent creature that rode towards me with clacking hooves. A powerful aura of life emanated from the creature and I saw Twilight riding upon its antlers.

Twilight jumped into my arms and I cradled my little flower spirit, happy to see her again. In thanks, I turned to face the spirit when my eyes widened in surprise when I saw the eyes of the creature.

“You’re... the world spirit?”

“If you speak of the name you call us by, then yes. We are. But our name is Ki.” the creature said, snorting as it stomped its hooves.

A kirin! That’s what it was. I quickly bowed my head to the giant Kirin in front of me. “Apologies, Ki,” I said.

“Blessing! Life!” Twilight chimed, pointing towards the giant Kirin.

I suppose she wasn’t too wrong about that. I could feel myself growing more energetic, just being near the Kirin.

“Let us not tarry. The cycle needs mending, and we find you ready to proceed ahead. Follow us,” the kirin spoke, leaping into the air and rushing ahead. I looked behind at Gu Jie standing next to me, before we began to follow the creature.

My eyes were soon hanging upon a massive tree trunk with glowing branches rising further up ahead. Yet, the tree was broken, cracked from the center, with rotten roots infested with disease.

“What is that?” I asked, walking closer to the massive tree, as the Kirin slowed down.

“The tree of Unity. Or what used to be such,” the kiring spoke, gently brushing against the tree before looking towards me. “The one whose seed now grows within your soul.”

“...Excuse me?”