He sighed and said, "The tree roots here are mainly for nurturing the Spiritual Fusion Secret Technique. This technique allows the Supremes of the ancient world, who have adapted to the real world, to master the Candle Light Law. Of course, the tree roots foster more than just this. For instance, during the birth of the Spiritual Fusion Secret Technique, the Spirit Coffin Secret Technique also emerged."

At this point, he suddenly glanced at the young man.

Gu Jianlin instinctively grew nervous, fearing the old man might notice something.

"What's the matter?"

Su Youzhu wasn't aware that he had mastered the Heavenly Person's Breathing.

"The so-called Spirit Coffin Secret Technique allows a person to embark on both the Path of Heaven and the Evolution Path simultaneously, although the conditions for this are extremely harsh. Currently, on Earth, out of seven billion people, it's lucky if even one person can achieve this. Back then, Gu Ci'an and Tang Zijing broke in and took the Spirit Coffin Secret Technique from me."

Thinking about the past, Xu Fu was filled with mixed emotions: "They were two tenacious little fellows whom I deeply admired. Gu Ci'an followed the traces of the Vermilion Bird to enter, while Tang Zijing was here to save someone."

Gu Jianlin vaguely knew who needed to be saved.

Su Youzhu curiously asked, "When did the Vermilion Bird Venerate come in?"

Xu Fu was silent for a moment, then shook his head.

"I don't know either. At that time, I was suppressing myself, falling into slumber."

He candidly said, "When I awoke, I was already controlled by It."

Gu Jianlin and Su Youzhu exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.

"Senior, there's something suspicious about this situation."

He asked in a deep voice, "Back in the Qilin Immortal Palace, a strange being emerged. That thing disguised itself as Gu Ci'an and committed a massacre in the Underwater Palace. I want to know what that could be."

Su Youzhu added, "Even a Ninth Rank Taiyi God would get injured by it."

Xu Fu was slightly taken aback, "Now that you mention it, I did sense it at the time. In the first level of the Qilin Immortal Palace, indeed, something was massacring wildly, and It seemed to have succumbed to extreme madness. The Kui Dragon Ancestor was injured by that thing then and was forced to conduct a ritual."

"After the ritual failed, the Kui Dragon Ancestor had no choice but to risk building a Dragon Nest deep within the Sea of Eternal Life. This was a last resort because the Candle Dragon Venerable would inevitably arrive here, and It would likely meet a dire fate then."

"And the Vermilion Bird Venerate was Its only hope."

So that's how it was.

Gu Jianlin suddenly understood, that ghostly thing could even defeat the Primordial Ancestor.

The closer he got to the truth, the more perplexed it became.

Su Youzhu suddenly asked, "Then was 'Xu Fu's Record' left by you?"

Xu Fu's face subtly changed, and he hurriedly said, "You must not touch that thing; it's a trap! The Qilin Venerable initially controlled me and left a hidden passage that could directly transport someone to Its front. Without exception, those who entered the depths of the tomb were all devoured by It."

Su Youzhu was shocked, thinking that it was pure luck she survived that Supreme's presence.

She realized that the Supreme of the ancient world wasn't worried about being trapped.

Foolish Pharmacist Old Thief!

"What's wrong?"

Gu Jianlin knew what she feared and deliberately asked.

"Nothing, nothing at all."

Su Youzhu feigned calmness, but her heart was racing.

Ha.

Gu Jianlin thought this silly female sacrifice.

"Next, I have something else to discuss."

Xu Fu pointed to the pile of burning ashes: "The roots of the Candle Light Divine Tree were destroyed because they were pierced by a broken blade. The batch of people who entered just now has all been teleported out, and having died in the Illusion Realm, they naturally won't survive when they return outside. But the thing is, the origin of that broken blade isn't ordinary, and I couldn't discern what it was."

Gu Jianlin asked suspiciously, "A broken blade?"

That broken blade was no longer here.

"Was this Old Master Si's backup plan? The Think Tank let him in, no doubt for that so-called lady."

Su Youzhu mused for a moment, "Skylark, that's her codename, the most mysterious member of Dusk."

"In any case, whoever it is, this person's origins are not simple and must be handled cautiously. As for your friends, they've all been sent out and are all fine, each having their fortuitous encounters. Even the two Divine Servants of the Qilin Clan have both advanced." Xu Fu looked around, eyes filled with reminiscence.

"A cataclysm is imminent; the Vermilion Bird Venerate's ambitions are vast, and I still don't know what It intends to do. The Candle Dragon Venerable is about to ascend the pinnacle of violence, and then no one will be able to stop It. The Qilin Venerable has vanished without a trace, shrouded in mystery. Everything revolves around the Candle Light Divine Tree, which is crucial. Humanity must ascend to uncover its secrets! You must take what happened here outside and inform the Guardians of the human world."

He sighed, "Although the Emperor is no longer here, he has successors. The current Order Guardians are indeed talents of the ages, unparalleled through time, unmatched. I believe that with the Heavenly Personification, even if the Supremes of the ancient world were to break the rules of the real world, it would not completely overthrow human civilization."

"Although my Emperor is gone, his legacy can prosper, which is a blessing for the human world. In the end, it's your young people who will protect this world. We old folks need to hold on as long as possible, then bow down so you can step up."

"It is my fortune to have met such outstanding young individuals like you."

Rumbling.

The world burst forth with the sound of collapse.

Time and space shattered like a mirror, reflecting countless illusory scenes.

This was the effect of the Vermilion Bird Venerate's authority, causing chaos as it was about to dissipate.

Su Youzhu suddenly froze.

Because, in the fractured mirror of time and space, it reflected a young girl with short black hair at ear length, wearing a heavy down jacket, carrying a Tachi, and frolicking in the snow.

Suddenly, a head of a living corpse emerged from the snow, grinning fiercely at her.

The little girl was immediately frightened to tears, sitting in the snow howling.

The man snapped his fingers, causing the living corpse's head to explode abruptly, then laughed heartily with his hands on his hips.

The more the girl cried, the more cheerfully the man laughed.

Finally, the man put the girl on his shoulders and marched into the depths of the wind and snow.

Gu Jianlin silently watched this scene, smiling silently.

Su Youzhu covered her mouth with her hand, as those sealed memories roared like wind and snow, moistening her eyes.

"This is my last gift to you. Gu Ci'an must have been someone very important to you, right? Back then, he almost exhausted himself to remove his curse. Even though he's no longer here, you are his legacy. As long as you live and remember him, he hasn't completely disappeared."

Xu Fu turned to face the young man and woman, smiling warmly: "I am also about to reach the end of my life. Thank you for coming here, for rescuing me."

Gu Jianlin remained silent for a moment, then softly said, "Thank you, senior. When I return, I will compile your stories and let the world know that you were never a traitor to the human world; you are a hero."

Su Youzhu, holding his hand, bowed deeply with him.

"A hero..."

Xu Fu laughed silently, but his cloudy eyes became moist, and he softly said, "I apologize for the bad things I did to you. Hmm... could you help me go to Lishan and offer a stick of incense to the Emperor?"

He raised his aged face, his voice tinged with a hint of pleading.

Gu Jianlin and Su Youzhu nodded vigorously: "Of course."

Xu Fu smiled happily, his gaze towards them becoming increasingly gentle.

With a great roar, the world collapsed.

Su Youzhu also turned into a faint shadow and gradually dissipated.

In the last moment, Gu Jianlin felt something in his hand; it was an object resembling a Luminous Pearl, circulating with mysterious light, clearly not a mundane item.

Xu Fu gave him a deep look but did not explain what it was.

The old man laughed three times into the sky, his voice aged yet so joyful.

He finally broke free from two millennia of imprisonment, dying with freedom and dignity.

"Your Majesty, I'm coming to meet you."

As the world disintegrated, he shattered into countless glimmering fragments.

Loyal to the Emperor.

Upholding justice for the human world.

In his final moments, Xu Fu did all he could.