Standing behind Gu Xiu were two women.

One wore red robes and black armor, appearing heroic and valiant, like a female general who could rival any man. The other was dressed in white with snow-white hair, her features as exquisite as a painting. The only flaw was the profound sorrow that filled her eyes.

These two were none other than Ye Hongling and Nian Zhaoxi, who had just arrived in Cloud Firmament City.

Over the past few days, Nian Zhaoxi had been traveling with Ye Hongling. Although Ye Hongling consistently insisted that the junior brother Zhaoxi spoke of was not the same benefactor she had met before, her efforts had little effect.

Instead, Nian Zhaoxi remained silent throughout the journey, like a soulless walking corpse. Though Ye Hongling did not understand what had happened, seeing the other’s clearly poor state, she could only carefully guide her to Cloud Firmament City.

Hearing the call of “Junior Brother,” Ye Hongling merely glanced casually ahead. After hesitating for a moment, she softly advised, “Senior, please stop calling out. If your junior brother sees you, he will surely come looking for you immediately.”

Since entering the city, Nian Zhaoxi had called out “Junior Brother” more than once. At first, Ye Hongling thought Zhaoxi had actually spotted him. But later, she realized it was just a murmur born of despondency—as if trying to summon him back through sheer repetition.

This sight made Ye Hongling sigh deeply.

Beside her, Nian Zhaoxi responded to Ye Hongling’s advice with a bitter smile. “He won’t come back… He… he won’t see me…”

This left Ye Hongling bewildered. She could only offer comfort: “How could that be? Senior, you care for him so deeply. If he knew, he would be moved beyond words. Why would he refuse to see you? Why don’t we first find a place to stay? I also need to contact my sect.”

Receiving no response, Ye Hongling could only helplessly continue leading her forward.

Neither Ye Hongling nor the despondent Nian Zhaoxi noticed a middle-aged cultivator in a crane-feather cloak, holding a feather fan, who passed them by. From beginning to end, he appeared to be an ordinary passerby.

But in truth, he was none other than Gu Xiu.

Watching Nian Zhaoxi gradually walk away, occasionally still murmuring “Junior Brother,” with Ye Hongling by her side, Gu Xiu slightly furrowed his brow.

However, that was all—just a slight furrow.

A moment later, Gu Xiu withdrew his thoughts and leisurely returned to his Listening-to-Rain Pavilion.

Running into someone from the Azure Mystic Sacred Land was not entirely unexpected. It was a prestigious sacred land with many disciples; occasionally crossing paths in this remote corner of the Eastern Wasteland held no particular significance.

As for Nian Zhaoxi’s call… Gu Xiu paid it even less mind.

She was likely calling for Jiang Xun. And even if she were calling for him… so what?

As far as Gu Xiu was concerned, all ties and grievances with the Azure Mystic Sacred Land had long been severed.

Rather than pondering such trivial matters, it was better to consider how to avoid causing grand phenomena during his future talisman crafting. This was the most pressing issue at hand.

If every time he crafted a talisman it triggered the Homage of Ten Thousand Rhymes, his discovery would become an inevitability—something Gu Xiu did not wish to see.

Five years of battle in the Forbidden Realm and three years of tribulation within the sect had been painful, but they had allowed Gu Xiu to see the truth clearly. Rather than being a dazzling prodigy striving to rival the heavens, it was better to be an ordinary rogue cultivator—unnoticed, quietly earning spirit stones and resources while secretly improving his strength.

Returning to the Listening-to-Rain Pavilion, Gu Xiu tossed the takeaway meals he had brought to Xiao He. Paying no mind to the pitiable maid’s gratitude, he retreated directly to his room.

After activating the isolation formation, Gu Xiu took out the materials he had just obtained from Cheng Fushou and began his experiments.

“The Homage of Ten Thousand Rhymes occurs because the Heavenly Dao Rhyme has too strong an affinity for me—they all wish to surge in and be drawn out by me.”

“This affinity cannot be eliminated, but perhaps I can try to block the affinity from distant Heavenly Dao Rhymes—at least control this affinity within a certain range!”

Gu Xiu murmured to himself while slowly activating the Heavenly Book of Talismans, attempting to commune with the Heavenly Dao Rhyme bit by bit.

But after just a short attempt, Gu Xiu severed the connection.

He could not block it.

The Heavenly Dao Rhyme was fundamentally a force of rules. Unless Gu Xiu possessed the means to alter or shield against heavenly rules, he simply could not conceal himself from its affinity. He couldn’t even reduce its range of influence.

Gu Xiu was not discouraged. He immediately pondered again. “Since I cannot block the detection of Heavenly Dao Rhyme or even reduce its range of influence… perhaps I can try calming these Rhymes—making them less active?”

Thinking it through, he tried again.

This attempt made Gu Xiu’s eyes brighten.

It worked!

Under his efforts, the Heavenly Dao Rhyme still manifested quickly and still performed the Homage of Ten Thousand Rhymes. But compared to their previous frantic competition, they now began to grow somewhat calmer.

Although the effect seemed minor, at least the direction was correct!

Next, Gu Xiu continued his attempts.

Crafting talismans presented an opportunity for him to rapidly accumulate spirit stones and resources—it was worth investing time to perfect the process.

While Gu Xiu busied himself with these matters, elsewhere in the city, two women settled into an inn.

“Senior, I truly apologize. It’s said that something called the ‘Homage of Ten Thousand Rhymes’ has been occurring frequently lately, and Cloud Firmament City is suspected to be its source.”

“As a result, numerous factions have flooded into the city. Inn rooms are scarce; we can only make do by sharing a room.”

Ye Hongling spoke politely to Nian Zhaoxi, but Zhaoxi showed no reaction whatsoever. She merely sat by the window, gazing despondently outside.

Ye Hongling sighed inwardly.

This senior clearly possessed profound cultivation and should have been free and unfettered. Yet after spending several days together, Ye Hongling realized she was neither free nor unfettered. Instead, she seemed more like someone who had bound her own heart and fallen into an Inner Demon.

“Senior…” After some thought, Ye Hongling finally asked curiously, “Could you tell me about your junior brother?”

“My junior brother?” Nian Zhaoxi snapped back to attention.

Seeing her reaction made Ye Hongling sigh inwardly once more—indeed, only when mentioning that junior brother did this senior show any response.

“Yes! Senior, you are kind-hearted and treat your junior brother so well. He must be a very good person too—worthy of your deep concern.”

“My junior brother… is indeed a very good person… but I… am hardly kind-hearted…” Nian Zhaoxi replied gloomily.

Ye Hongling didn’t understand. “How can that be? Senior has been grieving so deeply for your junior brother; only someone deeply loyal would act this way.”

“Deeply loyal?” Nian Zhaoxi smiled bitterly. “I don’t deserve that.”

“Huh?” Ye Hongling was puzzled.

Nian Zhaoxi continued, her voice hollow.

“I once believed that what happened had nothing to do with me… but these past few days I’ve thought much and reflected deeply… finally realizing…”

“I am actually the one who caused all this!”

“I…”

“Am truly the villain!”