On the way back, Gu Can glanced sideways at the lifeless form of Chu Xiaoyi in Qin Lu’s arms. His expression was heavy.

He knew Qin Lu treated these mortals with unusual care—perhaps excessively so. The fact that he had insisted on saving every servant during their escape from Wuji Market was proof enough.

“Brother Qin,” Gu Can said, his voice low. “How do we handle this?”

“I’ll handle it,” Qin Lu replied, eyes fixed straight ahead.

“How can that be? We survived Wuji Market together. Your enemy is my enemy. Say the word, and I’ll be the vanguard to wipe out the Tao Family!” Gu Can thumped his chest, face flushed with martial fervor.

Qin Lu shook his head gently. “No. Don’t be impulsive. I will do this myself.”

He tightened his hold on the cold body and accelerated, striding toward his estate.

Xiaoyi had been dead before he even reached the Tao residence. Tao Xi, upon realizing Gu Can was involved, had merely infused a wisp of spiritual energy into her corpse to fake a trace of life, hoping to buy time.

Qin Lu’s attempts to heal her had been futile from the start.

Staring at the pale, youthful face frozen in death, a chaotic storm of rage and grief swirled in Qin Lu’s chest.

He reached the mansion gates.

“Immortal Master… this…” Steward Chen stared in shock at the burden in his master’s arms. Behind him, the servants gasped, grief dawning on their faces.

“Xiaoyi is dead,” Qin Lu said flatly.

He passed the body to the trembling steward. “Buy a coffin. Prepare her properly. Let her depart with dignity.”

“…Yes.” Tears streaked down Chen’s face as he bowed. To him, Xiaoyi was like a junior family member. He had taught her the rules of the house, watched her grow. To lose her overnight was a heavy blow.

“Wuwu…”

Soft sobbing broke out among the servants.

Qin Lu, his heart a tangled mess of emotions, flicked his sleeves and marched to his cultivation chamber, his expression a mask of ice.

Inside, he sat on his meditation cushion and exhaled a long, shuddering breath, forcing himself to calm down. He closed his eyes.

This grudge must be avenged.

That was the only certainty.

Even in a world that treated mortals like livestock, he would not tolerate such brutality against his own people. Violated and murdered—Xiaoyi deserved justice.

Tao Xi had to die. Regardless of his backer.

But revenge required calculation. He was no longer a hot-blooded youth who believed that spilt blood solved everything. The consequences of a rash attack were too severe.

Kong Mengli.

The name hung over him like a blade.

The mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator famous for her tragic devotion. She had abandoned her sect for love, marrying a man named Tao. When she went into seclusion to breakthrough, her husband, frantic with worry, had died searching for her.

For over a decade, she had played her zither on the city walls, mourning him.

Tao Xi was her husband’s kin.

Killing him meant incurring the wrath of a grieving, powerful cultivator.

“If I act rashly,” Qin Lu whispered, “she won’t just kill me. She’ll slaughter everyone in this house. Feng Xi, Steward Chen… none will survive.”

He needed a plan.

Whoosh~

A faint fluctuation in the courtyard air triggered his [Heavenly Eye Technique]. Someone was approaching.

Qin Lu relaxed slightly as he recognized the aura.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Gu Yue entered. Dressed in white, her expression was serene but her eyes were sharp. She sat down opposite him.

“Xiao Can told me everything,” she said. “What is your plan?”

Qin Lu looked at her flawless face. “I’ll handle it. No need to drag you down with me.”

Gu Yue’s brows knitted. “Aren’t we friends?”

Qin Lu remained silent.

She stood up, pacing the room. “The Gu Family motto is ‘Chivalry First.’ I cannot stand by while a friend suffers. Besides… to me, you are more than just a friend. I must intervene.”

She turned to him, eyes blazing. “Kong Mengli is strong. Even with my secret arts, I can’t defeat her. But I can stall her. Here is the plan: you go kill that Tao bastard. I will intercept Kong Mengli when she comes for revenge. Then, you take everyone on the spirit boat and flee the market. We escape together.”

Qin Lu stared at her, stunned.

He knew Gu Yue was bold, but this… proposing to fight a senior cultivator and uproot her entire life for his sake? It warmed the cold void in his chest.

This was the same fierce loyalty she had shown Li Qingdu. Back then, he had felt a pang of jealousy. Now, being on the receiving end, he understood the weight of her friendship.

“Thank you,” Qin Lu said softly. “But no. We don’t need to fight Kong Mengli. I have a method to kill the boy without drawing her ire immediately.”

“You do?”

“Yes. A secret technique. Just wait.”

Gu Yue studied him for a long moment, then nodded. “Fine. But remember—if things go wrong, call me.”

“I will.”

She left as quietly as she arrived.

Qin Lu sat alone for a moment, the warmth in his eyes fading back into the cold resolve of a killer. He stood up and walked briskly toward Feng Xi’s room.