“Come back!”

Not long after dismissing her subordinate, Su Rumei waved her hand again, calling the person back. She asked in a low voice, “Have you thoroughly investigated Feng Bugui’s background?”

“This…” The subordinate hesitated.

Su Rumei raised an eyebrow. “What, still can’t find anything?”

“Yes…” The subordinate smiled bitterly. “This Feng Bugui seems to have appeared out of thin air. Where he came from, where he’s going, which sect he belongs to, or who his associates are—we haven’t been able to uncover any of it.”

“We couldn’t even find the slightest trace regarding the name ‘Feng Bugui’ itself.”

Couldn’t find anything? Su Rumei frowned.

Wanbao Pavilion didn’t mind doing good deeds and forming connections. But to survive for so many years, it certainly didn’t rely solely on charity. At the very least, investigating backgrounds and probing origins was standard procedure.

And yet… they actually couldn’t find anything about this Feng Bugui at all?

Seeing her frown, the subordinate bowed his head in shame. “It is this subordinate’s incompetence. Please punish me, Manager Su!”

“This isn’t your fault,” Su Rumei shook her head. “He claims to be a rogue cultivator heading to Yunxiao City, which suggests he hasn’t been one for long. As for the name ‘Feng Bugui’…”

“It’s likely just an alias.”

“Bugui… No return.”

“Unfettered like the wind, yet never returning.”

“The meaning is quite clear. He should be a disciple who left some sect, a rogue cultivator who doesn’t want to be tied to his past.”

“Since he intends to hide it, it’s normal that we can’t find anything.”

Su Rumei hadn’t become a manager at Wanbao Pavilion solely by relying on her cultivation; more importantly, she relied on her sharp intellect.

However, the subordinate found her analysis somewhat amusing. “Manager Su, a minor cultivator at the fourth level of Qi Refining—even if he left a sect, it’s just an insignificant matter, right? Did he really need to create an alias?”

“Insignificant?” Su Rumei shook her head. “If he were truly an insignificant nobody, he wouldn’t have remained unshaken when faced with a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Ren Qing.”

“If he were truly insignificant, it would be impossible for him to enter the state of ‘Dao Enlightenment’ at this cultivation level.”

“This person is likely not insignificant at all, but rather very special!”

These words made the subordinate pause. “Then Manager Su, what should we do next… should we still take him along?”

“Why wouldn’t we?” Su Rumei countered.

“Well… his origins are unclear. He might bring us trouble.”

“Trouble?” Su Rumei smiled. “I think not only should we take him along, but we should also treat him with courtesy. After his Dao Enlightenment ends, arrange a private carriage compartment for him.”

Ah? The subordinate was stunned.

A private carriage compartment—that was a privilege reserved for those at least at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining! Was a fourth-level cultivator qualified for that?

“Wanbao Pavilion forms connections with heroes, not cowards. For ordinary folk, perhaps no special consideration is needed.”

“But this person is extraordinary. Even if he isn’t a hero yet, he is definitely not common. If we don’t befriend him now, are we supposed to wait until he rises to prominence and then struggle to curry favor?”

“As for his cultivation level…” Su Rumei glanced towards the carriage. “Do you really dare to be certain that after Dao Enlightenment, he will still be at the fourth level?”

These words made the subordinate realize the truth.

Right! Although the primary benefit of Dao Enlightenment lies in establishing one’s Dao Heart, that nine-extreme vortex was constantly absorbing spiritual energy!

With such a terrifying absorption speed, what level could he advance to?

Those who experience Dao Enlightenment during Qi Refining are rare; those at the fourth level are unheard of. Often when higher-level cultivators experience it, they break through at least one minor stage. And a minor Qi Refining cultivator doesn’t have that large of a Dantian.

That would probably mean an incredibly terrifying improvement!

…

Meanwhile. Qingxuan Sacred Land, Moshu Peak.

Facing Nian Zhaoxi’s impassioned interrogation, Qin Moran and the other two women looked extremely awkward. They lowered their heads, staring at their toes, unable to utter a single word.

They had always believed that it was Gu Xiu who had changed.

But… at this moment, looking at the scenes within the Heavenly Secrets Reincarnation Mirror, they understood that for Gu Xiu, it was probably them who had changed.

For a fleeting moment, a trace of doubt arose in their hearts.

Is this… really us?

How could we have become like this?

Clearly, in the mirror five hundred years ago, they were crying their eyes out as they watched Gu Xiu enter the forbidden land, praying for his safe return. But why, when he truly returned, did everything change?

Where exactly did things go wrong?

“Speak!”

“Junior Sisters, why have you suddenly fallen silent?”

After her bitter accusations, Nian Zhaoxi calmed down slightly, but her words still left the three women speechless.

“I… I at that time…”

Finally, Xu Wanqing spoke first. This powerful alchemist was now flustered, not even daring to meet Nian Zhaoxi’s gaze.

She lowered her head and stammered, “I just… didn’t want Little Junior Brother to feel sad…”

Didn’t want Little Junior Brother to feel sad?

Nian Zhaoxi almost laughed in anger.

“Is that your reason? What would Little Junior Brother feel sad about? Why would he feel sad?”

“Senior Sister…” Qin Moran hesitated before speaking up.

“This… is actually Gu Xiu’s fault.”

What???

Gu Xiu’s fault?

Nian Zhaoxi stared at Qin Moran as if seeing a monster. She couldn’t understand. How could Qin Moran say such a thing? Clearly, they were the ones in the wrong!

“I know when Gu Xiu first returned, we indeed neglected him. But from another perspective, is Gu Xiu really completely blameless?”

Qin Moran pursed her lips and continued, “Senior Sister, Gu Xiu entered the forbidden land for five hundred years! A full five hundred years!”

“In those five hundred years, every time we talked about him, we would cry uncontrollably!”

“We lost our appetite daily and worried constantly.”

“In the end, there was no other way; we could only convince ourselves that Gu Xiu was already dead. That was how we managed not to break down completely!”

These words made Xu Wanqing and Lu Qingyao nod repeatedly in agreement. Even Nian Zhaoxi could empathize.

“And then,” Qin Moran continued, “Little Junior Brother arrived.”

“We poured all our longing for Gu Xiu onto Little Junior Brother. We gave everything meant for Gu Xiu to him.”

“To put it bluntly, we treated Little Junior Brother as Gu Xiu’s substitute!”

“This was actually very selfish.”

“Senior Sister, have you ever thought about what it feels like to be treated as someone else’s substitute? And if Gu Xiu returned, what kind of blow would that be for Little Junior Brother?”

Nian Zhaoxi frowned slightly, roughly understanding Qin Moran’s meaning.

They had treated Jiang Xun as Gu Xiu’s substitute. And later feared that after Jiang Xun realized this, he would feel heartbroken.

But…

“So, is this why you isolated Gu Xiu?”

Understanding was one thing, but accepting it was another.

“Don’t you think this is ridiculous?”

“Just because you didn’t want Little Junior Brother to feel sad about being a substitute, you treated Gu Xiu like that?”

“You were all concerned about Jiang Xun, but did you forget everything Gu Xiu once did for you? Did you forget everything he sacrificed for our sect?”

This series of questions was met with silence.

Before, they hadn’t felt anything was wrong, but now, hearing Nian Zhaoxi ask this, the three of them didn’t know how to answer.

They… couldn’t answer this question.