At this very moment, in a place half an hour’s journey from the Wanbao Pavilion caravan, Nian Zhaoxi’s figure came to a halt.

As she looked around, her eyes were filled with anxiety. “According to the divination, Little Junior Brother should be right around here. Why haven’t I seen him for so long?”

Her face was etched with worry. Over the past few days, she had been relying on divination techniques to track Gu Xiu. Although Gu Xiu seemed to have his heavenly secrets obscured, making it impossible to pinpoint his exact location, Nian Zhaoxi had never completely lost his general direction.

Yet, precisely because of this pursuit, her heart sank deeper and deeper. She had seen many battlefields, many severed limbs and broken remains, countless corpses lying in pools of blood.

This made her increasingly concerned for Gu Xiu’s safety. Although she had confirmed back in the mountain cave that Gu Xiu had regained his cultivation and could use his self-created ‘Startling Swan’ sword technique… how long had it been since he recovered?

Without the support of spirit stone resources, even if he had restarted his cultivation, he absolutely could not be too strong. In such a situation, within this perilous Tianqi Mountain Range… an accident could happen at any moment!

Gritting her teeth, Nian Zhaoxi pressed forward again.

“Little Junior Brother, wait for me!”

“Please, please, please… don’t die!”

“Your Senior Sister will definitely come to save you soon!”

…

On the other side, within the Wanbao Pavilion caravan.

The demand voiced by the Nascent Soul cultivator caused the atmosphere to freeze.

“Senior!” Su Rumei hurriedly stepped forward. “If Senior has any instructions, please speak them to this humble girl.”

“You?”

“Hmm…”

“Scram!”

Before Su Rumei could finish, the Nascent Soul cultivator snorted coldly. Accompanied by the terrifying power of the Nascent Soul realm, Su Rumei felt as if struck by lightning. She staggered back several steps, blood spilling from her mouth.

This was a Nascent Soul cultivator! The gap of a major realm was such that even an angry snort was enough to inflict serious injury.

But how could Su Rumei retreat? Not bothering to wipe the blood from her mouth, she stepped forward again and bowed respectfully.

“Senior, this humble girl truly has no intention of offense. It’s just that my Wanbao Pavilion has never involved itself in conflicts between cultivators. The person inside the carriage is an honored guest of my Wanbao Pavilion!”

“If Senior has any matters, please state them clearly. If I can be of assistance, this humble girl will spare no effort to help!”

Her words were polite yet neither subservient nor arrogant.

How could the Nascent Soul cultivator fail to understand her meaning? Yet at this moment, his gaze remained fixed intently on the carriage where Gu Xiu was.

Is it him?

That person from five hundred years ago?

Just now, when his divine sense swept past, that familiar aura made his heart tremble violently. But… didn’t that person enter that forbidden land five hundred years ago with no chance of return?

Moreover, if he were truly still alive, his cultivation shouldn’t be this low!

Thinking this, the Nascent Soul mighty one took another step forward. “This Venerable One orders you to come out!”

The terrifying pressure of the Nascent Soul realm pressed down towards the carriage. The vehicle, inscribed with array patterns and talismanic scripts, immediately began to tremble violently.

At this moment, everyone in the caravan fell into panic. The might of a Nascent Soul cannot be scorned!

Many Qi Refining cultivators collapsed to the ground in fear. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators looked ashen-faced, not daring to breathe heavily.

“Senior…” Su Rumei gritted her teeth, about to speak again.

But the Nascent Soul cultivator cut her off coldly. “If you utter one more word, this Venerable One will slay you right here.”

Su Rumei spat out another mouthful of blood, staggering back.

But she quickly steadied herself. After gritting her teeth, a look of resolve flashed in her eyes as she stealthily extended her divine sense into her storage ring.

Inside was a great killing weapon capable of slaying late-stage Golden Core cultivators. She wasn’t entirely sure if it would be effective against the Nascent Soul cultivator before her—his strength was too great, his aura too steady!

But… even so, Su Rumei made a decision. She would protect Feng Bugui, even if it required paying a huge price!

However, right at this moment, Gu Xiu’s calm voice rang out from the carriage.

“If you wish to see me, you may come before my carriage.”

What?

Everyone present was stunned, unable to believe Feng Bugui would be so presumptuous. A Nascent Soul mighty one wants to see you, and you want him to come to you?

Are you joking???

But what left everyone even more incredulous was hearing Feng Bugui ask another question.

“Could it be… you don’t dare?”

Madness!

Madness! Madness!

Everyone felt that Feng Bugui had gone mad! This is a Nascent Soul mighty one! Such a figure can establish their own sect! Yet Feng Bugui dares to provoke such an existence?

Yet… what was surprising was that when the Nascent Soul mighty one heard these words, he did not fly into a rage.

Instead, his face filled with vigilance and suspicion.

“Is it really you?”

He did not step forward, seemingly unwilling to lower himself.

But… seeing this scene, Su Rumei couldn’t help but develop an illusion.

Could it be… this Nascent Soul mighty one… is actually afraid of the person inside the carriage?

Inside the carriage, Gu Xiu remained calm.

“It is me.”

“How can you be here?” The Nascent Soul mighty one sounded doubtful. “And what happened to your cultivation?”

“You guess,” Gu Xiu replied.

I guess…

The Nascent Soul mighty one frowned, clearly full of doubts, but he still did not rashly step forward, instead remaining rigidly in place.

For a moment, the scene fell into dead silence. In this atmosphere, the others didn’t even dare breathe heavily, but their hearts were filled with shock.

Feng Bugui… knows a Nascent Soul mighty one! Even… can make a Nascent Soul mighty one wary!!!

Who exactly is this Nascent Soul mighty one? And who exactly is this Feng Bugui???

Just then, Gu Xiu spoke again.

“That young girl used a sect secret technique, didn’t she?”

Hmm? Young girl? The others were confused.

“Yes,” replied the Nascent Soul mighty one without surprise, nodding. “You know her?”

“I do. We traveled together once.”

“Are you going to save her?” The Nascent Soul mighty one grew wary.

“No,” Gu Xiu answered.

“That’s not like your meddlesome nature from back then,” the Nascent Soul mighty one said suspiciously, his eyes growing even more vigilant.

To which Gu Xiu calmly replied, “Bowing my head once in homage to Tu Yangshuo; all worldly affairs are but passing clouds too illusory.”

All worldly affairs are but passing clouds…

The Nascent Soul mighty one pondered these words carefully. The vigilance in his eyes finally relaxed somewhat.

He glanced at the caravan, then looked at Su Rumei.

Just that simple glance made Su Rumei feel cold sweat break out on her back. She knew her preparations had been seen through! That glance was both a warning and a mockery.

“What about your senior sisters?”

“They don’t seem like they would separate from you?” asked the Nascent Soul mighty one.

Gu Xiu raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at the Nascent Soul mighty one without answering. His gaze was clear, his eyes calm.

Yet it was precisely this calm gaze that made the Nascent Soul mighty one look uncomfortable, as if Gu Xiu had seen through everything.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he couldn’t help but say.

Gu Xiu shook his head. “Let them leave first. You probably don’t want others to know who you are either, right?”

“Fine!” The Nascent Soul mighty one nodded and looked towards Su Rumei.

Su Rumei did not want to leave. However, facing the gaze of this Nascent Soul mighty one, she ultimately could only sigh. She bowed towards both men.

“If these two Seniors wish to reminisce privately, then this humble girl will not disturb further.”

“Senior, we will wait for you ahead.”

The latter sentence was naturally directed at Gu Xiu. She did not rashly call out ‘Feng Bugui’ because she knew it must be an alias; she feared causing unnecessary complications.

Gu Xiu obviously noticed this and gave her a slight smile. This smile put Su Rumei’s heart somewhat at ease. She immediately led the caravan onward, but in her heart, she had already decided: She must call for reinforcements!

Although she didn’t know Feng Bugui’s origins or what grievances existed between these two men, one thing was certain: These two were definitely not good friends!

After the caravan had gone far away, the Nascent Soul mighty one finally couldn’t hold back.

“So… you still haven’t answered me. Where are your senior sisters?”

“Lü Dongshan.”

“Hmm?” The Nascent Soul mighty one was taken aback; Lü Dongshan was his real name.

Then he heard Gu Xiu say, “You want to strike at me but aren’t sure if I’m hiding my cultivation base. There’s really no need for such probing.”

“You… I…” Lü Dongshan’s true thoughts exposed left him flustered for a moment.

Then he saw Gu Xiu ask, “It’s been five hundred years already. Could it be after all this time… you still don’t even have the courage to strike at me?”

These words… were like a sharp blade that completely tore open the fig leaf Lü Dongshan had wrapped around himself!

His aura suddenly surged violently! A fierce light shone in his eyes as he stared fixedly at Gu Xiu!

As if in the next second… he would transform into a ferocious beast choosing its prey…