The holy Angel Holy Light struck Yu Xiaogang, yet he could not feel a shred of warmth at this moment. Things had reached this point, and he had nowhere left to retreat. He didn't know what else to say, and he figured Qian Renxue wouldn't believe him anyway; in the end, his life was still in danger.
In his desperation, Yu Xiaogang thought of a potentially viable explanation. Enduring the pressure exerted by Qian Renxue's Angelic Might, he spoke with great difficulty.
"I—I will speak."
Seeing that Yu Xiaogang had relented, Qian Renxue withdrew her Angelic Might for a moment and said in a cold tone.
"You had better not lie to me, otherwise I will make sure you wish for death but cannot find it!"
Hoo—hoo—hoo—
After taking deep breaths to alleviate the feeling of suffocation from just moments ago, Yu Xiaogang began.
"I truly don't know the specific reason, but there was indeed a somewhat inexplicable situation that occurred a few days ago that seems relevant now."
He wore a look of recollection as he continued.
"I remember it was three or four nights ago. I was meditating in the guest room when, for some reason, a sudden wave of malice overcame me. I remember feeling very angry and jealous at the time, and I had a strong urge to destroy something. But after I smashed a few ornaments in the room, that emotion quietly receded."
Speaking to this point, he cast an envious glance at Qian Renxue and Yun Ming, then said with a self-deprecating laugh.
"At first, I thought it was just my obsession with being stuck at the level thirty bottleneck acting up, so I didn't pay it much mind. But looking back now, it's been so many years that I'd already given up hope; how could I have suddenly lost control during meditation? So, it must have been the influence of Dong Er's divine power at the time."
Qian Renxue could tell his envy was genuine, but she wouldn't concern herself with his personal emotions. If what Yu Xiaogang said was true, the sudden onset of negative emotions could indeed have been caused by the influence of Bibi Dong's divine power.
"And then?", Qian Renxue asked, pressing for more.
Yu Xiaogang shook his head.
"There was no 'then.' Nothing similar happened afterward. It was just that in the two days that followed, Dong Er's mood became increasingly low, as did her complexion, and then later..."
Stopping there, Yu Xiaogang looked toward the place where Bibi Dong had vanished, his stiff face revealing just the right amount of sorrow.
Qian Renxue felt a surge of irritation upon hearing such a meager account from Yu Xiaogang. With such vague information, what could she possibly learn?
"Is that all? Think carefully again.", Ya Li said.
"That is all there is, ah—"
Yu Xiaogang let out a miserable shriek as flames surged upon the giant hand of divine power held by Qian Renxue, the Holy Fire beginning to scorch Yu Xiaogang's body and soul. She stared at him and said coldly.
"If you have a clear conscience, then why did you run earlier?"
She was the Angel God, not the Rakshasa God; she could not directly hear the conspiracies and calculations in the depths of Yu Xiaogang's heart. She could only use her mind to weigh the possibilities in his words. This interrogation-style questioning was her final resort.
"I was afraid. Of you.", Yu Xiaogang was so pained that his mind was reeling, but he still forced himself to provide a reason.
The statement was a bit far-fetched, but if one insisted, it didn't seem entirely problematic; it was a passable explanation.
Qian Renxue: "Repeat what you just said."
"Alright..."
Facts proved that people could improve; compared to the last time he was interrogated by Qian Renxue, where Yu Xiaogang had laid his cards on the table immediately, this time, while enduring the scorching of the Holy Fire, he was already capable of weaving lies.
After hearing Yu Xiaogang repeat himself, Qian Renxue looked at the man engulfed in flames and fell silent. Yun Ming also remained quiet, the shadow of a Mobius Strip flickering in the depths of his eyes.
Amidst his agony, Yu Xiaogang noticed Qian Renxue's expression. Although she looked displeased, it was a good sign—his goal had been achieved. It didn't matter if Qian Renxue's face was grim; the fact that she didn't attack again after he finished speaking meant she had likely accepted his story to some extent. As long as there was an explanation, he had a hope of survival.
Yu Xiaogang's plan was simple, and he had thought it through clearly. He didn't actually need to fabricate a story that was too detailed, and in fact, he couldn't afford to be too specific; this vague, flimsy explanation was just right. Firstly, if he withheld information, he would likely be finished anyway. Secondly, without Bibi Dong having caused any major commotion, it would be suspicious if a mere Soul Grand Master knew too much about the anomalies of a god. Therefore, he only needed to provide a hint of an abnormality and give himself a reasonable excuse; Qian Renxue would fill in the rest herself, and his own weakness would serve as his protective umbrella.
Of course, this plan couldn't guarantee his survival, and what Qian Renxue's final reaction would be remained unknown, but at least it gave him a chance to live.
After burning him for about three to five minutes, she looked up at Yu Xiaogang, whose skin was already charred, and with a shift of her gaze, the Holy Fire receded.
The light patterns in Yun Ming's eyes dissipated, and his gaze toward Yu Xiaogang held a hint of amusement. To be honest, he had made it up quite well. If not for the fact that he had used his space-time ability to view the footage of the room from the previous few days and seen something, he might have been fooled too. However, Yun Ming didn't intend to expose him now, because it no longer mattered; he had already foreseen Yu Xiaogang's future.
Qian Renxue looked deeply at Yu Xiaogang and asked a question that seemed somewhat inexplicable. Her tone was calm.
"Do you love my mother?"
"I love her. I truly... love her."
"Xiao Xue, I... know you must be... having a hard time right now. I am the same... but Dong... Dong Er would definitely want you to let go."
Yu Xiaogang's intermittent response not only answered the question but also turned the tables to comfort Qian Renxue. He was feeling quite excited now; did Qian Renxue's ability to speak calmly mean she believed him, and he could survive! He fantasized about this in his heart, and then he heard Qian Renxue's reply.
"Since that is the case, then you should go and keep her company. Don't let her be lonely."
Yu Xiaogang nodded subconsciously, but once he understood the meaning, his heart trembled. Go and keep Bibi Dong company?!! Heaven and Hell, they were separated by only a single thought!
"I, ah—"
He wanted to retort, but the Holy Fire ignited once more, far more fiercely than before. His subsequent words were replaced by screams, and he could no longer speak.
Wh-why.
There were no words, but Qian Renxue still saw the question in Yu Xiaogang's eyes.
Qian Renxue was willing to answer his final question before death.
"Isn't it you who said you love her?"
"If you love her, of course you must go and keep her company."
Qian Renxue likely didn't believe that Bibi Dong's death was caused by Yu Xiaogang, because Yu Xiaogang was truly too weak—a world of difference separated him from her mother and her. But that was only a probability. When not acting on emotion, Qian Renxue was a ruthless person who would rather kill the innocent than let a culprit go. Therefore, no matter how silver-tongued Yu Xiaogang was today, as long as a shred of suspicion remained in Qian Renxue's heart, he was destined to die.
Hearing this reasoning, Yu Xiaogang was stunned. He wanted to curse, but his Houlong had already been scorched to ruin by the Holy Fire, and he could no longer open it.
"Goodbye."
Qian Renxue bid her final farewell as the Holy Fire surged, completely engulfing Yu Xiaogang and reducing him to ashes.
Yu Xiaogang had calculated the logic, but he had failed to penetrate the cold heart of a god. Having been a failure his entire life, perhaps dying at the hands of a god could be considered a fortunate end. Although he hadn't escaped, wasn't this, in a way, an ascension? It was just that Yu Xiaogang certainly wouldn't see it that way.
Glancing at the smoldering remains of Yu Xiaogang, Yun Ming spoke up.
"Congratulations on your successful revenge. Although Yu Xiaogang was not the mastermind behind the death of Bibi Dong, he was indeed the executor."
Qian Renxue froze for a moment.
"What did you say?"
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: DaoistReader