The corner gives the wooden martial arts master, whose martial arts are equivalent to a harem.

Gu Chuanhen looked at Diao Chan, who had returned to her original form. This self of Bajiquan, who had just displayed a microscopic particle state, was now still in the same human form he had first met.

Even though she didn't collapse to the ground in utter defeat, just standing there seemed to have exhausted a third of her energy.

Like a candle flickering in the wind, its faint flame gradually extinguished, yet it still persists in burning.

Gu Chuanhen said calmly, "You've lost."

"You didn't win either," Diao Chan sneered.

After they finished speaking, the two looked at each other. Although they had fought to the death before, they were now able to calm down and have a proper talk.

"Didn't win? It doesn't matter, as long as I don't lose." Gu Chuanhen looked indifferent, not caring about winning or losing at all.

He didn't mention bringing Diao Chan back to Bajiquan. He rationally felt that defeating Diao Chan didn't mean she would submit. Besides, it wasn't him who defeated Diao Chan, but rather Xuanhuang Gong.

If this problem isn't addressed now, it's like planting a time bomb for the future. After all, Diao Chan is an indispensable part of Bajiquan's essence, and ultimately, the three bodies must be unified. If the legacy issues aren't properly resolved, then this problem will take root in the subconscious and become an even bigger problem.

Therefore, he wanted to have a proper conversation with Diao Chan.

Through communication with his ego and superego in Bajiquan, Gu Chuanhen already knew the reason that led him to this world.

The old problem is that he didn't practice Bajiquan. But frankly speaking, it's because Gu Chuan regretted not spreading his knowledge more evenly.

Although his bias caused complications, Gu Chuanhen admired the style of Bajiquan.

She only targeted herself, making herself undergo trials, rather than recklessly fighting the Great Sage to prove her powerful martial arts.

It's like when a wife catches her cheating husband in the act, she doesn't make things difficult for the unsuspecting mistress but only scolds and beats the cheating husband.

Of course, the above is still just a metaphor. Although they may look similar, they cannot be generalized.

Why make things difficult for martial arts practitioners? Just make things difficult for those who practice martial arts. Fortunately, Gu Chuanhen is a responsible person, and he handled this trial quite well.

However, this incident also brought Gu Chuanhen a greater sense of reality and served as a wake-up call.

He knew that he would definitely have more martial arts transformations in the future, and all sorts of problems would inevitably arise. He wasn't afraid of problems, but he was afraid of internal strife.

Internal strife will only damage harmony. These martial arts skills cannot leave the body before they can manifest in the outside world. They can only remain trapped inside the body. When they see each other every day, their anger will inevitably intensify, which may lead to even more troublesome problems.

Therefore, he needs to do a good job of mediating various issues.

This feeling is like a male protagonist in a harem novel who has a soul. What does it mean to have a soul? It means that this kind of male protagonist in a harem novel can solve any problems in the harem in a timely manner. Even if he can't solve them in time, he won't let them escalate. After solving the problems, he can make the entire harem become wings to carry him away. This situation is very harmonious and doesn't seem to cause high blood pressure, which is a good thing.

A soulless harem novel's male protagonist is merely a womanizer, using the harem only as a tool to relieve his desires after satisfying his own selfish urges. This kind of harem novel isn't necessarily bad, but I generally only read it as a story about a royal uncle rather than as a genuinely entertaining tale.

"Tsk? The more I think about it, the more I feel like I'm building a harem? Although martial arts training and emotions can't be equated, this harem vibe is really weird."

Gu Chuanhen thought to himself with resentment.

Then I'll make the martial arts you're about to master male?

"...Then let's forget about it, I don't think it's necessary."

After considering the situation, Gu Chuanhen felt that it was indeed unnecessary.

All martial arts skills are within his body. If there were male martial arts skills within him, then this situation would be truly unnecessary.

Ha, you see, you're not happy about making martial arts masculine.

He closed the private chat window with Gala for the time being, not intending to extend the discussion on this issue.

He continued to look at Diao Chan.

This id lady still maintains her upright posture.

"Diao Chan, I think some problems can be solved through communication," Gu Chuanhen said sincerely.

Diao Chan looked at Gu Chuanhen with a mocking gaze, naturally aware of Gu Chuanhen's arrogance.

"Are you referring to the matter of Shennongjia not practicing for me?" She deliberately brought up this reason.

Gu Chuanhen nodded: "Yes, that's right."

"But I don't actually think there's anything wrong with what you did. If you want to practice martial arts, then practice martial arts. You can practice with whomever you want."

Huh? What's going on here? Gu Chuanhen, who still lacked emotional experience, was caught off guard by these words.

Isn't that how it works? Shouldn't the normal situation be that we communicate well and everyone is happy? Isn't that how it works?

Diao Chan chuckled, "What? Surprised?"

"The ego sees things differently from us. Our core problem is that they don't train us, but the ego is different."

Only then did I realize I had spoken up to remind him.

A single word awakened him from his dream; the ancient legend of regret finally understood.

"Since you don't think there's anything wrong with what I did, then why..." Gu Chuan's angry words were not finished.

Diao Chan rudely interrupted Gu Chuanhen's words.

"Then why don't I return to my original form? That's what you're asking, right? But—"

"In reality, for me, the me who is here right now is the real me. In other words, I believe that the me in the present moment is myself, rather than some kind of entity like Fangzhiwo."

"You cannot ask me to 'return' to the version of myself that you believe me to be."

"I, Diao Chan, am who I truly am."

Diao Chan succinctly expressed her thoughts in just a few words.

The ancient legend says that he felt his head was as big as a bucket.

What's going on? Is this really how visual novels are played? Or not? It's certainly gratifying to see Bajiquan's affection level skyrocket, but so the real problem is waiting for us here?

He felt that he should find some time to play some visual novels after he got back to broaden his horizons.

"So, you mean that no matter what, you don't want to go back to Bajiquan as it is?"

Diao Chan remained silent, only nodding slightly.

"If I am to 'return to my so-called non-self,' then I might as well die." Then, Diao Chan said softly, "I don't want to be bound by the superego and the ego anymore. The problem is that simple."

Then she said.

"But I also know that you want Fang Zhi to be whole, so you definitely want me to go back."

"But if you want me to go back, you might as well just kill me. At least in the last moment of my life, I lived for myself and died as myself."

"Anyway, in my current state, I won't live much longer. However, you can at least do me a favor, which is to kill me with your own hands. Dying at your hands wouldn't be such a bad ending for me."

Having said that, she fell silent, only looking at Gu Chuanhen.

Four boxes appeared before his eyes.

[A. Forcefully uniting the original self of Bajiquan, Diao Chan, with the two bodies.]

[B. Letting the true self of Bajiquan, Diao Chan, die.]

C. Grant her wish and kill her.

[Note: There are still ten minutes until Diao Chan is completely eliminated.]

Even if you haven't eaten pork, you've still seen pigs run. This is an essential element that Galgames, or rather, many games, must experience—choice.

These three choices were generated based on Diao Chan's words.

Although it's a time-limited option, there's still plenty of time, right?

"You know me, I don't know what to do, what do you think?"

【"..." I realized I had fallen silent.

"Now you know me." Da Sheng Pi Gua rarely referred to Bajiquan by its real name.

If simply addressing someone as Bajiquan shows familiarity, then using their real name signifies that what they are about to say is serious and earnest, indicating that they want Bajiquan to know that they have taken their words to heart.

"You have to bring her back. After all, she is your three bodies. If you don't bring her back, you won't be complete, at least not as a human being. If your human martial arts are not complete, you will no longer be yourself."

"Or you could try to regenerate a new self to complete your identity as a 'human being,' but—if that new self merges with your three bodies, can you still truly be considered yourself?"

As Da Sheng Pi Gua finished speaking, he looked at Gu Jieyi again.

The look in his eyes seemed to suggest that Gu Jieyi should persuade his mother.

But Gu Jieyi just shook his head.

The Great Sage Splitting the Hanging Arrow was slightly surprised.

"Jieyi, what do you mean by that?"

Gu Jie smiled.

"Mommy, you are one of the three aspects of Mother, and also my mother. I will not overstep my bounds. If we want to solve this problem, Mother has to figure out what to choose herself. If she listens to our advice, she may be able to solve a problem now, but she will definitely regret it later."

"I don't want my elderly mother to regret making the wrong choice."

The Great Sage Pi Gua stared intently at Gu Jieyi for a moment, then laughed.

"She truly is my daughter."

Then He said.

"Ancient grievances are passed down; only by helping me will you understand my plight."

The pressure is now on Gu Chuanhen's side.

But Gu Chuanhen remained silent along with Diao Chan. Fang Zhi also remained silent.

Then, someone finally spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Actually, the choices in games are limited. The developers only provide a few options, and you have to choose from them. But in the real world, there are no such limitations."

The real world doesn't list out options from A to Z in such a categorized way.

The ancient legend tells of a sorrowful, long lament.

Then he shook his head: "I won't choose any of the options A, B, or C, because I think I have a better solution."

"Know me, don't worry about it anymore. You won't lose your true self," he said gently to Fang Zhiwo, who had already appeared beside him.

Hearing Gu Chuanhen's soft voice, Diao Chan let out a barely perceptible sigh, then asked with disappointment.

"Hmph, as expected, you still side with Fang Zhiwo rather than me, Diao Chan. Is it because deep down you believe I am not a practitioner of Bajiquan?"

Gu Chuanhen looked intently at Diao Chan and approached her.

Each word was spoken slowly with each step.

"No, I believe you also practice Bajiquan, but you are not the only one who knows me from the King of Bajiquan. You are you, you are Diao Chan, you are the new Bajiquan, you are the demonic martial art representing the fierce side of Bajiquan."

Xuanhuang Gong is right. The character for "human" consists of two strokes, one left and one right. These strokes represent the intertwining of good and evil, and the coexistence of immortals and demons. If we say that divinity represents the superego and demonic nature represents the id, then the aspect where divinity and demonic nature intersect is the self of human nature.

Without divinity, man becomes demon; without demonic nature, man loses his desires as motivation. Therefore, neither can be missing.

These three bodies uniting as one represent humanity. To become a human king, one must allow the superego to override the id.

Now the ego has returned to its original state, and the demonic id within you is not dead yet. Since you are not dead, the connection still exists. With the connection, it means that the superego has overwhelmed the id.

In this way, I am still the King of Man, and my divinity and humanity are one, connected only with my true self. Therefore, I am neither a god, nor an immortal, nor a demon, but simply a divine being.

The perfect man has no self, the divine man has no merit, and the sage has no name.

The elusive nature of the ego allows one to drastically diminish selfish desires in the spiritual world, retaining what one desires and letting go of what one doesn't. This process of oscillation between wanting and not wanting refines one's spiritual world, ultimately leading to complete transcendence of material things, achieving non-action and detachment from self-interest—this is the state of a divine being, free from striving.

His views were completely different from those of the Great Sage's Divine Skill, but the intention behind martial arts is ultimately a matter of personal interpretation, and the outcome is ultimately up to individual judgment.

"Therefore, my choice is neither to kill you nor to revert you to your original form, but to make you the new Bajiquan."

Next, I will let your new Bajiquan reside within my body.

In this way, I won't worry about you causing any major trouble like you did in this world, because I, along with Zhiwo, Jieyi, and Dasheng Pigua, will keep you in check.

Gu Chuanhen made his choice. But he also waited for Diao Chan to make hers.

So, what do you think?

Diao Chan looked at Gu Chuanhen as he reached out his hand, her smile lingering on her face.

"Hmm, so it seems you don't want to miss out on hearing the pronouncements of this madwoman of a powerful woman, do you?"

"You could say that if you die, who will fill in the gaps in my knowledge of the Madwoman's Strongman Language?"

Even though he was filled with resentment, he smiled.

"To be honest, it's not bad to hear the words of a strong person once in a while."

After he finished laughing, Diao Chan also extended her hand.

The touch of their palms caused Diao Chan to transform into a stream of light, which flowed back into Gu Chuanhen's body along the contacting hands.

The trend of impending doom has been contained, and a positive turn of events has been achieved.

"Thank you for your choice, Chuanhen."

The unnamed Bajiquan, or perhaps Diao Chan, speaks to you with a smile.

Although this magical warrior was unpredictable, her gratitude when it came was genuine and heartfelt; she sincerely thanked you for your respect and for rescuing her.

"No need to be so polite." Gu Chuanhen stretched his muscles.

The trial is complete, but since this trial was not a normal martial arts breakthrough, there is no cutscene.

If you want to see the CG, you can complete a normal "Martial Arts Breaking Through the Void" event.

In addition, all subsequent private announcements for you will be released after you return to the main world.

Both guaranteed rewards have been upgraded and will also be sent after you return to the main world.

Are you going to return now? Or stay here for a while longer?

Gu Chuanhen thought about it for a moment.

"Will I be able to come back in the future?"

[Yes, you can, but when you return then, it will only be your true form.]

"So what will happen to my body now?"

It will become a permanent trial card, which is also one of the rewards.

This trial card lasts for three minutes and can only be used once per world. However, if it is not used within a world, the duration will accumulate.

"I see. Then I have no problem. As for returning, I'll have to wait a bit. I still need to leave some legacy here," Gu Chuanhen said with a smile.

"After all, nothing is absolute. If we can keep the King of Eight Extremes here, we can overcome any difficulties and obstacles in the future more quickly."

"In short, it's better to be prepared."