“Kill Gu Xiu!”

The moment these four words were spoken, even Lu Qingyao was stunned. Immediately afterward, she instinctively reached out and covered Yuchi Chunlei’s mouth.

“Second Senior Sister, how dare you say such a thing? If others heard this, it would be a huge disaster for our Qingxuan Sacred Land! Even if I think the same way, we can’t actually say it out loud!”

She was frightened. As the youngest, she was doted on by everyone, which made her speak and act without restraint. But even she wouldn’t dare to openly say such words!

Second Senior Sister was still that Second Senior Sister—direct and straightforward, unable to hide anything!

“Relax, relax, let go quickly!”

“But you can’t say that kind of thing again.”

“I have restrictions here; no one else can hear. It’s fine.”

“Really?”

“Of course it’s true!”

Seeing Yuchi Chunlei answer so confidently and noticing the active restrictions, Lu Qingyao finally let go. However, her eyes grew fervent.

“I always thought you were my favorite Senior Sister, and now I find I really didn’t like the wrong person.”

“Let me tell you secretly,” she whispered. “My thoughts are exactly the same as yours!”

“I’ve long wanted to kill Gu Xiu. If he weren’t so lucky, he’d have died long ago. They say disasters live for a thousand years; someone like him is exactly that kind of disaster!”

Lu Qingyao was filled with indignation, feeling that Gu Xiu’s survival was the greatest regret in the world.

A year ago, she had used beast-taming methods, trying to have Gu Xiu die under the jaws of a spirit beast, pretending it went out of control. Unfortunately, it failed.

No one discovered it at the time, but Master Guan Xuelan saw through it. She didn’t speak of it publicly but scolded Lu Qingyao severely in private. Since then, Lu Qingyao hadn’t dared to speak of killing Gu Xiu again.

However… just when she thought she had found a kindred spirit, Yuchi Chunlei shook her head without hesitation.

“I’m not the same as you.”

“How are we different?” Lu Qingyao asked curiously.

Yuchi Chunlei replied, “I’m doing it for the sect, to forge artifacts for our Junior Brother.”

Huh? For the sect? To forge artifacts for Junior Brother? So that’s why she wants to kill Gu Xiu?

Lu Qingyao felt strange. “Does Senior Sister plan to refine Gu Xiu into a weapon?”

“What are you thinking?” Yuchi Chunlei rolled her eyes. “Setting aside the fact that refining a living person is only effective if they’re willing, just consider Gu Xiu’s body—his cultivation is ruined, his meridians and bones damaged. Even if we refined him, it would just hold us back.”

Lu Qingyao nodded subconsciously. That seemed reasonable.

“I’m thinking about what Eldest Senior Sister said about the fortune source,” Yuchi Chunlei explained.

Lu Qingyao still didn’t understand.

“Regardless of whether what Eldest Senior Sister said is true, or whether this fortune source actually exists, since the Seven Yin Evil Lightning has appeared, there’s definitely something wrong.”

“If it really is because Gu Xiu took away the fortune source that all this happened…”

“Then tell me. If we kill Gu Xiu, won’t the fortune source come back?”

At this point, Lu Qingyao suddenly saw the light.

Yes! Regardless of whether that fortune source is real or fake. As long as Gu Xiu dies, won’t it return?

It’s just…

“That damned Gu Xiu—we don’t even know where he is now. Otherwise, we really could give it a try,” Lu Qingyao said regretfully.

She said “give it a try.”

What they would try was naturally killing Gu Xiu to see.

Whether the fortune source existed or whether it would return wasn’t certain. But… all they would lose is Gu Xiu’s insignificant little life. There wouldn’t be any real loss.

Just as these words left her mouth, a bolt of thunder suddenly struck down from the sky above.

The next second, Lu Qingyao spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Junior Sister! What’s wrong?” Yuchi Chunlei was startled and hurriedly supported her.

But Lu Qingyao shook her head, got up in panic, and quickly flew toward her Spirit Beast Peak.

There, one of her meticulously raised Mountain-Shattering Lions was lying on its back with all four legs in the air, its entire body pitch-black. A wisp of black smoke was slowly rising from it.

This scene made Lu Qingyao’s eyes nearly burst with rage.

Her heart felt as if pierced by a knife!!!

…

While Lu Qingyao was grieving over her Mountain-Shattering Lion, in Yunxiao City’s southern district, within the small courtyard of Tingyu Residence.

Gu Xiu was sitting cross-legged in the training room. Piled before him were numerous cultivation manuals and secret techniques.

These were all personally delivered by Mou Xingsheng after arriving in Yunxiao City.

He truly was ambitious. After discovering Gu Xiu’s strength was even more terrifying than imagined—especially seeing Su Rumei from Wanbao Tower trying to befriend him—he had been constantly thinking of ways to win Gu Xiu’s favor.

His intentions weren’t pure.

However… for Gu Xiu, it didn’t matter.

Although these manuals weren’t high-grade, they made up for it in sheer quantity. At this moment, he was in his Dantian Qi Sea, meticulously copying each of these manuals onto the Nameless Ancient Tome.

This seemed tedious, but only Gu Xiu knew that this process made one feel as if they were achieving enlightenment on the spot!

Every time he wrote down a manual, Gu Xiu experienced a sense of clarity. It even deepened his understanding of the Dao.

This feeling was indescribable. Like an extremely difficult problem suddenly becoming clear. Moreover, for Gu Xiu, this feeling was continuous!

His speed was fast. One book, two books, three books…

When nearly a hundred various low-quality techniques had all been written on the Nameless Ancient Tome and begun merging, the cultivation technique circulating within Gu Xiu’s body also continuously evolved.

Finally, when he fully comprehended the last manual, a flood of insights emerged.

The technique that had already reached Mysterious-rank peak instantly erupted with golden light.

The next moment, the fusion was complete!

A brand new cultivation technique named “Profound Dao Technique Formula” appeared beside the Nameless Ancient Tome.

This was an Earth-rank cultivation technique!!!

Almost instantly, Gu Xiu felt his speed of absorbing and converting spiritual energy increase by more than tenfold!

Without hesitation, he grabbed a spirit stone beside him. A powerful suction force appeared. The spirit stone turned into powder in an instant!

After completely absorbing it, Gu Xiu’s realm broke through once more.

Qi Refining Layer Eight!

It was only a small improvement, but it made Gu Xiu’s eyes brighten with pleasant surprise.

The Nameless Ancient Tome truly could merge techniques! And his own technique truly could keep improving!

Gu Xiu felt great anticipation. If his technique climbed from Earth-rank to Heaven-rank, or even higher… what kind of technique would that be?

The future looked promising!

While Gu Xiu’s cultivation advanced, on another side, Nian Zhaoxi—who remained stationed within the Tianqi Mountain Range—was anxiously watching Ye Hongling, who had been placed under the “Guard Like Mountains” secret technique.

Ye Hongling’s eyebrows were trembling slightly.