The Tragic Tale of Gu Jin: Betrayal, Punishment, and Lost Love
On Wutong Island, in the Lingjuan Cave, there was a small divine shrine called Qingchi Palace, where the spiritual spring flowed and the bitter pond resided. Gu Jin, a minor god born in ancient times, claimed that he was not extraordinary. He believed that he was merely fortunate to have been born into a good life, surpassing others due to his favorable circumstances. However, despite his fortunate birth, Gu Jin's father died early, and his mother abandoned him. At that time, Gu Jin was only around a hundred years old, with a chubby and round body. He grew up through various trials and challenges, initially possessing a carefree and unrestrained nature. However, there were two things that troubled him the most: the name given to him by the ancient beings at his birth and the death of his father, Bai Jue.
In fact, Gu Jin's greatest mistake in his life was not mistaking the people on Wutong Island who spoke up for him as his protectors. His greatest mistake was considering this protective sentiment as a debt of life-saving grace. Thus, when Hua Shu mentioned her desire to witness the Fire Phoenix Jade belonging to the Little Phoenix Lord of the Feng Clan, Gu Jin ran to the birthplace of Feng Yin in Fengyin, disrupting the highly anticipated "Hundred-Year Nirvana" and causing the loss of Fengyin's three souls and seven spirits.
Gu Jin did not betray Hua Shu; as a result, he was punished with a nine-year confinement in the Forbidden Valley of the Daze Mountain. During this period, he held no grudges against Hua Shu. Instead, he confided his incessant thoughts of her to the Water Condensing Beast, A Yin. Gu Jin's affection for Hua Shu was initially too indulgent and tolerant, to the point that when he discovered his true feelings for A Yin instead of Hua Shu, A Yin found it unbelievable. Thus, when the Demon Lord Qingli possessed the Yao Clan's A Jiu and destroyed the Daze Mountain, and Hua Shu revealed that she had been given instructions by Gu Jin to punish A Yin with seven heavenly thunderbolts, A Yin did not question Hua Shu. At that time, she was disappointed and resentful towards Gu Jin, which led her to retaliate by demanding to be struck by Gu Jin's seven "Ninth Heaven Mysterious Thunderbolts." In the end, she perished, leaving Gu Jin with a lifetime of regret.
"I want you to watch me fade away into nothingness." A Yin released A Jiu, resulting in the destruction of Daze Mountain. Regardless of the truth, under pressure from the immortals, Gu Jin imposed the following punishment: A Yin, the female lord of Daze Mountain, privately released the Nine-Tailed Fox, Hong Yi. Effective immediately, she was banned from residing in the Phoenix Nest Palace and, half a month later, her immortal bones were removed, her immortal status stripped, and she was forbidden from entering the realm of immortals and demons.
However, Gu Jin was unaware that for A Yin, having her immortal bones removed and her immortal status stripped was not the most devastating punishment. It was an expression of Gu Jin's disbelief and lack of protection towards her. A Yin had repeatedly told him that A Jiu's destructive actions were a result of being possessed by the Demon Lord. If A Jiu were executed, the truth would never be revealed, and the true culprit would be the Demon Lord, not A Jiu. Unfortunately, Gu Jin ignored her explanation and was determined to punish A Jiu.
In fact, what truly dashed A Yin's hope was not the prospect of having her bones removed and her status stripped, but the words Gu Jin uttered when he carried her back to Qingchi Palace. In that fleeting moment when Gu Jin was about to step out of the hall, A Yin anxiously asked him, "And what about you? You're banishing me to Qingchi Palace, but what about you?" Therefore, when she learned from Hua Shu that she was the one chosen by Gu Jin to execute the sentence, A Yin was filled with sorrow and anger. She shouted loudly at Hua Shu:
"Seven heavenly thunderbolts can remove immortal bones. Once I've endured your punishment, I will no longer owe anything to the immortal clan. Hua Shu, show me how capable you are and do your worst!" A Yin reincarnated for a thousand years, and she remembered the memories of each lifetime. However, when she decided to seek help from Xiu Yan to seal away those thousand years of memories and Xiu Yan asked her if there was anything she regretted, she recalled the image of the young man in white, Yu Yu, whom she had seen in the Water Mirror five hundred years ago. So, shepaused her thoughts and decided to tell Xiu Yan about her tragic love story.
"A long time ago, I was known as A Yin, the female lord of Daze Mountain. I had a close relationship with Gu Jin, the god of Qingchi Palace. We shared a deep bond, and I believed that our connection was unbreakable. However, fate had different plans for us.
Gu Jin, in his misguided belief that he owed a debt of life-saving grace, made a grave mistake that led to the destruction of Fengyin and the loss of many lives. As a result, he was punished and confined in the Forbidden Valley for nine years. During his confinement, I stood by his side, supporting him and expressing my affection towards him.
But as time passed, I realized that my love for Gu Jin had transformed into something different. My heart started to gravitate towards another, a young man named Yu Yu. However, I couldn't bring myself to confess my feelings to Gu Jin, not wanting to hurt him or betray our friendship.
Tragedy struck when the Demon Lord Qingli possessed A Jiu, a member of the Yao Clan, and caused chaos and destruction. Hua Shu, who had been instructed by Gu Jin, sought to punish me with heavenly thunderbolts. In my despair and resentment towards Gu Jin's lack of trust in me, I demanded to be struck by the thunderbolts, ultimately leading to my demise.
In the end, I realized that my punishment was not the removal of my immortal bones or the loss of my immortal status. It was the loss of Gu Jin's belief in me, his inability to protect me and understand the truth behind A Jiu's actions. It was a heartbreaking realization that left me with a lifetime of regret.
Now, as I recount this tragic tale, I seek solace in sealing away my memories of those thousand years, hoping to find peace and perhaps a chance at a different destiny. But the memory of Gu Jin, the pain of lost love, will always linger within me."
And with these words, A Yin finished her tale, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and longing. Xiu Yan, understanding the depth of her pain, offered a comforting presence and a listening ear, knowing that some wounds take time to heal and some loves are destined to remain as bittersweet memories.
She is still A Yin, but she is no longer the same A Yin. For Feng Yin, her relationship with Gu Jin is nothing more than a fleeting encounter, of little significance. She has crossed the Naihe Bridge dozens of times.
Therefore, in the ghost realm, when Xiu Yan teased her, "You've returned from your tribulations, don't you want to catch up?" Feng Yin fearlessly replied, "Catch up? Your Majesty, that's quite difficult for me. I've reincarnated so many times that I can't count them on both hands. There are countless acquaintances of mine in this world. Whom should I catch up with? Tell me, in each lifetime, I have a few people who are dear to me, and it's improper to seek them out, but even if I do seek them out, it's still improper."
Gu Jin never imagined that after searching for A Yin for a thousand years, she would have no desire to see him, not even for a moment. She talked about him as if he were a stranger, her tone full of disgust. So, when Chang Que asked Gu Jin why he didn't recognize A Yin, Gu Jin answered with a bitter and desolate tone, "Chang Que, today I finally understand that I may have been an insignificant passerby in her thousand-year journey, no different from the people she meets in each lifetime."
What can I say to her? Revenge is not about showing someone how much you worry, how much you grieve, and how much you can't forget them. It's about treating them as a stranger, not caring, not being concerned. A Yin knows how to take revenge on Gu Jin. Wherever he hurts, she strikes. Her few words to Xiu Yan, her cold and indifferent attitude towards Gu Jin, have already wounded his soul, making him even more lonely and desolate than the Gu Jin who waited for A Yin's return a thousand years ago.