For a moment, Ye Hongling’s gaze towards Gu Xiu shifted. However, facing her intense look, Gu Xiu suddenly shielded the storage bag in his hand as if guarding a treasure.

“Let’s get this straight first. Even though you landed the killing blow, I played a part in luring him. So, of the contents in this storage bag, I deserve at least half!”

Ye Hongling: “…”

“It’s fine. I don’t want the storage bag. If you need it, you can have it all,” Ye Hongling said, feeling somewhat helpless.

She saw Gu Xiu immediately break into a smile. “The Tiance Mansion truly possesses vast resources and great wealth. In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony.”

As he spoke, he happily pocketed all three storage bags without a shred of hesitation.

Ye Hongling: “…”

Good heavens, can I ask you not to speak?

Every time he opened his mouth, the image of a reclusive master shattered, replaced instantly by a petty, worldly rogue cultivator!

Gu Xiu clearly misunderstood her silence. Seeing her still staring at him, he offered an explanation. “Don’t keep looking at me like that. There’s no antidote in these storage bags. It seems the person who ordered the hit was worried from the start that you might kill the assassins and take the cure.”

“I know…” Ye Hongling sighed, changing the subject. “What do we do next?”

It was, of course, a rhetorical question. The pursuit wasn’t over; naturally, they had to continue their escape.

Immediately, the two plunged back into the forest, beginning a new round of flight. This time, however, both increased their speed. Along the way, Gu Xiu occasionally signaled Ye Hongling to change direction before continuing their swift escape.

During this frantic journey, Ye Hongling noticed another peculiar thing about Gu Xiu.

He rarely used spiritual power. Or rather, every time he used it, the amount was extremely minimal—just enough to achieve the desired effect.

Not a single shred was wasted!

This discovery shocked Ye Hongling immensely.

One shouldn’t underestimate this skill. In fact, the deeper one’s cultivation became, the more one understood a fundamental truth: the hardest part of cultivation wasn’t just accumulating power, but the application and control of it.

This technique was known as ‘entering the subtle’—Perfection!

Only those with ample experience who had achieved extreme control over their own spiritual power could reach such a level.

Thinking back to Gu Xiu’s actions inside the cave earlier… to be honest, Ye Hongling hadn’t sensed any spiritual power fluctuations from him at all. This could only mean one thing.

It wasn’t that Gu Xiu didn’t use spiritual power when he acted. Rather, every time he struck, his control over his energy reached the level of Perfection—not a single wisp of spiritual energy spilled out!

Unconsciously, Ye Hongling glanced at Gu Xiu again.

Just who… is this person?

…

Meanwhile, at the Qingxuan Holy Land.

Moshufeng Peak.

Qin Moran looked at Nian Zhaoxi with a face full of helplessness. “Senior Sister, you want me to plead for leniency for Gu Xiu? I truly cannot do that.”

“Gu Xiu has already left. He even signed the Spirit Contract of Renunciation. That means he has no ties or connection with our Qingxuan Holy Land anymore. We cannot force the issue.”

Ever since discovering that the formation at Gu Xiu’s residence wasn’t the Earth Fiend Soul-Binding Formation but the Dispersal and Soul-Dissolving Formation, Senior Sister Nian Zhaoxi had latched onto Qin Moran.

Her demand was singular: She hoped Qin Moran would plead with their master, Guan Xuelan, to allow Gu Xiu to return to the sect. She even wanted the sect to step in, find Gu Xiu, and protect him.

But how could Qin Moran possibly agree to such a request?

Yet, Senior Sister seemed determined and kept pestering her relentlessly, as if trying to wear her down.

Like now. Faced with Qin Moran’s blunt refusal, Nian Zhaoxi persisted. “Fifth Junior Sister, among us, you were the closest to Gu Xiu back then. Moreover, you are well-read in poetry and literature and understand many principles.”

“When you reason things out, Master is sure to listen to you.”

“If you are willing to speak up, you can definitely convince Master. Even though he signed the Spirit Contract of Renunciation, we could have him sign a Spirit Contract of Return.”

This was the method Nian Zhaoxi had devised.

She realized her own influence was too weak; overturning their master’s decision alone would be difficult. But if she could bring others along—especially Junior Sister Qin Moran, who was most skilled at logical debate—then it would surely have an effect.

It was just a pity…

Qin Moran shook her head again and said firmly, “Senior Sister, let me be clear: it is impossible for me to plead for Gu Xiu with Master.”

“Why?”

“Because… because I also hope Gu Xiu leaves the sect. Or rather… I am very glad that Gu Xiu is no longer clinging to the Qingxuan Holy Land.”

“Wh-what?” Nian Zhaoxi was stunned, finding the statement unbelievable.

As for Qin Moran, she gritted her teeth and decided to lay everything out. “I know Senior Sister will surely say that since I had a good relationship with Gu Xiu before, I should hope for his return now that he’s gone.”

“Isn’t that so?” Nian Zhaoxi asked.

“Of course not,” Qin Moran shook her head. “I’ve said before that back then, I was too young and naive. I was deceived by Gu Xiu.”

“And even if I wasn’t deceived…”

“Five hundred years have passed. I haven’t changed… but Gu Xiu has long since changed. He is no longer the person who was kind to everyone back then—who treated us like family and would sacrifice everything for the sect.”

These words made Nian Zhaoxi frown involuntarily. She retorted, “Junior Sister… have you forgotten? We just saw that Dispersal and Soul-Dissolving Formation set up by Gu Xiu earlier.”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Qin Moran replied.

“Well then!” Nian Zhaoxi argued on principle. “If Gu Xiu had no heart for the sect… why would he set up such a formation in his own residence—a formation that is practically suicide?”

“He was willing to forgo reincarnation for the sake of the sect—to martyr his soul! How could such a person have changed?” Nian Zhaoxi argued forcefully.

She didn’t understand why her junior sisters harbored so much hostility towards Gu Xiu; she hoped to persuade them with all her might.

It was just…

“Senior Sister… I don’t deny the existence of the Dispersal and Soul-Dissolving Formation… but there is actually an issue with it. Especially one part—if you look carefully—you can see it was sabotaged.”

“If Gu Xiu truly used this formation… dispersing his cultivation and dissolving his soul would indeed happen… but it would no longer benefit the sect; it would merely annihilate his own soul.”

“So… it’s very likely that while Gu Xiu once had intentions of repaying the sect… he actually changed his mind,” Qin Moran said, enunciating each word.

Nian Zhaoxi couldn’t help but frown as well.

Indeed… that Grand Formation had been deliberately sabotaged at its most crucial point… causing its final function of bestowing blessings upon the sect to be lost.

“Don’t you think that’s odd?” Nian Zhaoxi thought for a moment and said, “If Gu Xiu truly changed his mind… why keep the function of annihilating his soul? Shouldn’t he have destroyed the formation outright?”

“Who knows? What if he wanted to die tragically within our sect… using his soul power to curse us?” Qin Moran shook her head dismissively.

Nian Zhaoxi opened her mouth to refute, but Qin Moran spoke first.

“Senior Sister… you simply don’t know what Gu Xiu did to me. Otherwise… you would understand why I hold so much hatred towards him!”

Huh?

Nian Zhaoxi was stunned. She looked at Qin Moran incredulously, realizing that the current Qin Moran possessed not an ounce of gentleness or refinement, nor any trace of her usual scholarly temperament.

On the contrary… her eyes were filled with resentment!

Her body radiated intense killing intent!

“Senior Sister… you stay up there in your Wen Tian Pavilion every day… aloof from worldly affairs… and now you even blame me for not cherishing past sentiments.”

“But have you ever considered this: if all that happened was Gu Xiu’s cultivation falling… how could I possibly look down on him for just that?”

“Am I that kind of person?” Qin Moran asked sharply, her gaze making Nian Zhaoxi feel uneasy.

“Fifth Junior Sister…”

“Senior Sister… do you know,” Qin Moran cut her off, her gaze burning intensely.

“That Junior Brother whom you’ve been searching for so desperately lately…”

“That Junior Brother who would seemingly destroy himself for the sake of the sect…”

“He also once…”

“Destroyed me…”