Atop the cliff, the moonlight flowed like silver water.
Gu Changyuan and Feng Jiuli stood face to face once more, their palms pressed firmly together.
This time, Gu Changyuan did not hesitate for a single second.
He circulated the Heaven-Burning Art with all his might. Golden-red flames erupted from his body, even more blazing and overwhelmingly tyrannical than before.
The flames were not merely a manifestation of his spiritual energy, but the physical embodiment of his sheer will.
He was going to protect Feng Jiuli.
He would not let her die.
"The Heaven-Burning Art..."
Sensing that terrifying power, a flash of profound shock crossed Feng Jiuli's eyes.
This power was far greater than she had imagined.
It wasn't just assisting the formation of the Soul Pact; it was... actively incinerating the very laws of the Heavenly Dao.
He is using the Heaven-Burning Art to fight against the Heavenly Dao... she thought to herself.
This man... is truly insane.
But she didn't stop him.
Because she knew this was their absolute last and only chance.
She too pushed the Divine Phoenix Art of the Nine Li to its absolute limit. A sacred, pale golden light surged from her body, completely intertwining with Gu Changyuan's flames.
The two distinct powers fused once again.
This time, the speed of their fusion was exponentially faster.
The overbearing, tyrannical power of the Heaven-Burning Art forcefully gathered the Origin Energy of Heaven and Earth, providing boundless, sufficient energy for the Soul Pact's formation.
RUMBLE—!
Deafening thunder echoed in the sky once more.
The Heavenly Dao had sensed the Heaven-defying power of the Heaven-Burning Art and initiated its violent backlash.
Bolt after bolt of terrifying heavenly lightning plummeted from the firmament, striking directly at the two figures on the cliff.
But this time, the lightning strikes failed to reach them.
The golden-red flames formed an impenetrable, blazing barrier, completely blocking every single bolt of heavenly lightning on the outside.
"He who burns the heavens incinerates all, including destiny itself."
Gu Changyuan silently recited the mantra of the Heaven-Burning Art within his heart.
He felt his soul seamlessly merging with Feng Jiuli's.
It was a bizarre, profoundly wondrous feeling.
He could vividly feel her deep-seated fear, her profound unease, her hidden fragility.
She was terrified of being betrayed, terrified of being abandoned, terrified of losing absolutely everything all over again.
Yet, despite all that, she still chose to trust him.
Feng Jiuli...
He called out softly within his heart.
I will not betray you.
I will not abandon you.
I will protect you.
At the exact same moment, Feng Jiuli felt Gu Changyuan's true intentions.
That raw, unfiltered feeling left her somewhat at a loss.
She had lived for thousands of years, yet no one had ever spoken such words to her.
Even her closest kin had never genuinely cared about her.
All they valued was her supreme talent, her divine bloodline, her absolute utility.
But Gu Changyuan was different.
What he valued... was her, the person herself.
Gu Changyuan...
She called out softly in her heart.
You are the first person... who has ever made me want to trust.
The two souls completely intertwined and fused within the void.
The golden-red flames and the pale golden light coiled tightly around each other, forming a dazzling pillar of light.
This pillar was infinitely brighter and more terrifyingly powerful than before.
It pierced straight through the dense clouds, reaching the highest heavens.
The world changed its colors; the sun and moon lost their brilliance.
"It's done..."
Feng Jiuli felt the vile erosion of the forbidden curse completely halt.
The Soul Pact... was a success.
The pillar of light gradually dissipated, and the world returned to an eerie calm.
Gu Changyuan and Feng Jiuli opened their eyes simultaneously and looked at each other.
Their palms were still pressed together, but a bizarre, mystical rune had appeared right at the center of their palms.
The rune was golden-red, dancing wildly like a blazing flame, yet taking the elegant form of a soaring phoenix.
"This is..."
"The mark of the Soul Pact," Feng Jiuli said softly. "From this moment onward, our souls are permanently bound together."
Gu Changyuan looked at the mark on his palm, his feelings remarkably complex.
From now on, his life and Feng Jiuli's life were entirely tethered together.
If one died, the other would suffer catastrophic injuries.
If one experienced intense emotional fluctuations, the other would feel it vividly.
And most importantly, they could never, ever lie to one another.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
"Much better." Feng Jiuli stretched her stiff body slightly. "The forbidden curse has been utterly suppressed, and a portion of my strength has finally returned."
She sensed the surging spiritual energy within her body, a flash of pleasant surprise crossing her eyes.
"The Ninth Level of Qi Condensation."
"Even better than I expected."
Gu Changyuan nodded.
He too could feel the profound changes within Feng Jiuli.
Since the Soul Pact was formed, he could clearly and vividly perceive her emotions.
Right now, her emotions were... relief, and a profound trace of... gratitude?
"You're feeling grateful to me?" he asked.
Feng Jiuli froze for a second before a faint trace of awkwardness surfaced on her pale face.
"You... you can sense my emotions?"
"I can." Gu Changyuan nodded. "Very clearly."
Feng Jiuli fell utterly silent.
She had completely forgotten that once the Soul Pact was forged, both parties could constantly perceive each other's emotional state.
This meant that from now on, she could never hide her true thoughts in front of Gu Changyuan again.
"This... is a bit troublesome," she whispered.
"You'll get used to it," Gu Changyuan said lightly. "It's not like I can hide my emotions from you either."
Feng Jiuli looked at him and remained silent for a long moment.
Then, she let out a very soft, genuine sigh.
"True."
"We are now... allies."
"No," Gu Changyuan shook his head.
Feng Jiuli was slightly taken aback. "Not allies?"
"Not just allies," Gu Changyuan looked deeply into her eyes and said with absolute seriousness. "We are two people bound by life and death."
"From this moment onward, your enemies are my enemies, and your sworn foes are my sworn foes."
"I will help you take your revenge, and you will help me take mine."
"We are..." He paused for a second, seemingly searching for the perfect word. "...Companions."
Feng Jiuli stared at him, a strange, vibrant light flashing in her eyes.
Companions.
It had been a very, very long time since she had heard that word.
Ever since she was ruthlessly betrayed by her closest kin, she had sworn never to trust anyone again.
But now, there was a man standing right in front of her, telling her with absolute sincerity that he was willing to be her companion.
"Gu Changyuan."
"Mm?"
"I, Feng Jiuli, never owe anyone."
Her voice was cold and clear, yet it carried an indescribable, earth-shattering weight.
"You saved my life; I will repay you with a lifetime."
"From this day forward, your enemies are my enemies, and your sworn foes are my sworn foes."
"I will help you take your revenge, and I will help you return to the absolute pinnacle."
"This is my absolute promise."
Gu Changyuan looked into her eyes. He saw profound sincerity, he saw immovable resolve, and he saw an indescribable, piercing warmth.
He knew Feng Jiuli was completely serious.
With the Soul Pact formed, they were physically incapable of lying to one another.
Every single word she spoke came straight from the deepest depths of her soul.
"Alright," he nodded, the corners of his mouth turning up into a sharp, genuine smile.
"Then it's a promise."
The moonlight flowed like silver water, spilling across the desolate cliff.
The two stood shoulder to shoulder at the edge of the precipice, overlooking the churning sea of clouds beneath their feet.
From this day forward, their destinies were inextricably intertwined.
Bound by life and death, sharing both glory and disgrace.
"Gu Changyuan."
"Mm?"
"Did you feel..." Feng Jiuli frowned slightly. "When the Soul Pact was forming, did it feel like something was... a bit different?"
Gu Changyuan thought back for a moment and nodded.
"Yes."
"Right at the moment of formation, I sensed a bizarre, extraordinary power."
"That power didn't come from you, and it didn't come from me. It came from... the Soul Pact itself."
Feng Jiuli fell silent.
She had sensed that exact same power.
It was incredibly faint, yet overwhelmingly ancient and unfathomably mysterious.
It was as if the Soul Pact itself was hiding some kind of terrifying, heaven-shaking secret.
"Perhaps we are overthinking it," she finally said. "The Soul Pact is an ancient contract passed down from the Primordial Era; it's perfectly normal for it to hold some profound mysteries."
"Perhaps," Gu Changyuan nodded.
But a deep premonition stirred within his heart.
That power was absolutely not simple.
Perhaps, on a certain day in the future, it would awaken once more.
"Let's go," he said. "Back to the cave to rest."
"Starting tomorrow, we need to prepare for the next step of our plan."
Feng Jiuli nodded.
"Alright."
The two turned around and walked back toward the cave.
The moonlight cascaded over them, stretching their shadows long across the ground.
From this day forward, they were no longer completely alone.
They had a companion, they had someone to rely on, they had someone they could absolutely trust.
Although the road ahead was endlessly long and surrounded by terrifying enemies, they were no longer afraid.
Because they knew that no matter what happened, there would always be someone standing firmly by their side.
This was the true meaning of the Soul Pact.
Not just a bond of life and death, but a true resonance of the heart.
On the cliff, the night breeze brushed past.
The sea of clouds churned, and the moonlight flowed like water.
A brand-new chapter had officially begun.