A horse ambled leisurely into the private garden.
It was a sacred white dragon-horse.
Two people rode on its back.
One was a man in white robes who appeared carefree and unrestrained.
The other was a petite, delicate-looking maiden holding a treasured sword.
They were none other than Gu Qingfeng and Xiao Jinr.
"Well, well, quite lively here today," Gu Qingfeng said with a faint smile as he jumped down from the white horse, carrying Xiao Jinr in his arms.
"Elder Sister Qianqiu, what brings you here?" Xiao Jinr seemed somewhat surprised upon seeing Nalan Qianqiu.
"What do you think brings me here?"
Nalan Qianqiu was dressed in magnificent attire, her expression solemn, her aura imposing, and her tone rather icy.
At this moment, Xiao Jinr resembled a little girl who had done something wrong, lowering her head in apology. "I'm sorry, Elder Sister Qianqiu. Jin'er shouldn't have sneaked out alone."
"Sneaking out from home all by yourself without even saying a word—do you still have me as your elder sister in your eyes?"
Just as Nalan Qianqiu was about to scold Xiao Jinr, Gu Qingfeng walked over and directly sat down on a stool inside the pavilion. "I'm the one who asked Xiao Jinr to come find me. So, what? Do you have a problem with that?"
Nalan Qianqiu did not turn around but remained with her back to Gu Qingfeng, speaking indifferently. "How would this humble woman dare to have any opinions about Lord You Di?"
"Good that you don't."
Gu Qingfeng tilted his head back and took a swig of wine, then glanced at Jin'er. "Jin'er, didn't you say you missed the old days in the Great Northwest? Since we're back, why not have your Aunt Feiyue take you around to see the sights?"
"Come, Jin'er, Auntie will take you to look around."
Feiyue seemed to understand the underlying meaning in Gu Qingfeng's words. She was about to lead Xiao Jinr away when the girl first looked at Gu Qingfeng, then at Nalan Qianqiu, a hint of worry in her expression. She opened her mouth as if to say something but ultimately remained silent and followed Feiyue out.
Once Xiao Jinr had left, Nalan Qianqiu felt extremely uncomfortable, especially with Gu Qingfeng behind her, drinking in silence. This made her, who normally exuded an aura of authority without needing to show anger, feel somewhat nervous inside.
If possible, she truly did not want to see Gu Qingfeng.
The reason was simple.
She found Gu Qingfeng detestable, intimidating, and frightening all at once.
What she detested was his character—she couldn't stand his conduct. Back in the Great Desolate, he was always fooling around, either teasing some Empress of this Great Dao or seducing some Empress of that Great Dao. He was notoriously promiscuous, fickle and faithless. Especially how he had betrayed the sincere affection of her junior sister, Su Hua, which made Nalan Qianqiu particularly loathe Gu Qingfeng.
Of course.
Beyond detestation, what she felt more toward Gu Qingfeng was intimidation and fear—she even harbored some psychological shadows regarding him.
Because back when Gu Qingfeng was burning the Nine Heavens, he had once struck her. If not for the intervention of her eldest senior sister, Cang Yan, her life might have been taken by Gu Qingfeng that day.
As a member of Langya Blessed Land, with her eldest senior sister being Cang Yan, the Lord of Langya who shook the Great Desolate, and her junior sister being the renowned Saintess Empress, Nalan Qianqiu herself was a noble Empress of the Immortal Dao. One could say that the Three Thousand Great Daos all had to show her some face; no one dared to provoke her. Having never been struck since childhood, that beating by Gu Qingfeng was the first and only time.
That incident had always weighed on Nalan Qianqiu's mind; even now, thinking about it made her tremble with anger.
However.
She also knew that Gu Qingfeng's existence was far too terrifying. So, despite her inner fury, she dared not say anything in front of him.
"What's the matter, Sister Qianqiu? Still holding a grudge over something that happened so long ago?"
Hearing Gu Qingfeng bring up the past, Nalan Qianqiu snorted coldly and said nothing.
"Back then, after all, we didn't really know each other..." Gu Qingfeng had just begun when Nalan Qianqiu instantly turned around, glaring at him furiously. "You dare say we didn't know each other? Back in that secret realm, was I traveling with a ghost? When you were being pursued by experts of the Immortal Dao in that secret realm, wasn't it me who stepped in to resolve it for you?"
"Sister, you weren't helping me back then—you were helping those few from the Immortal Dao. If you hadn't stepped in, I would have killed them long ago."
"You! You surnamed Gu! You truly excel at twisting black and white!"
"What? Isn't that how it was? With my abilities back then, killing a few Immortal Dao lackeys was as easy as squashing ants."
"Those pursuing you back then weren't Immortal Dao lackeys—they were Immortal Dao Law Enforcers!"
"In your eyes, they were Immortal Dao Law Enforcers; in my eyes, they were just a few ants."
"Fine! Fine! Fine!"
Nalan Qianqiu's face changed color with anger. Glaring at Gu Qingfeng, she gritted her pearly teeth and said in a low voice, "Even if that's the case, you still say we didn't know each other?"
Recalling the events of that time, Nalan Qianqiu felt both rage and grievance. She shouted, "Back when you were opposing the Nine Heavens, I merely stepped forward to advise you a couple of times, and you actually attacked me! Not only did you beat me severely, you... you even wanted to kill me!"
"Sister, you know how it was back then. I'm such an honest person—I never provoked your Nine Heavens. It was your Nine Heavens who kept hounding me, determined to finish me off. I was bullied so badly by your Immortal Dao that I went mad, my consciousness blurred. I fought until the heavens darkened and the earth overturned, until my eyes were red with killing, and I don't even remember what happened afterward."
"You don't remember, but I remember clearly! I'll never forget what you said to me back then, pointing at me. In front of so many people, you called me a little woman and told me to get lost. You said if I didn't leave, you'd kill me and slaughter our entire Langya..."
"Did that really happen?" Gu Qingfeng looked at Nalan Qianqiu with confusion. "I don't remember that at all."
"Don't play dumb with me!"
Beside them, Huode had initially been curious about whether there was some grudge between Gu Qingfeng and Nalan Qianqiu. Only now did he understand—it turned out Gu Qingfeng had nearly killed Nalan Qianqiu back then. No wonder Nalan Qianqiu was so furious upon seeing Gu Qingfeng.
Although Huode didn't know the details of that past event, from Nalan Qianqiu's account, it seemed Gu Qingfeng had been at war with the Nine Heavens Immortal Dao, and when Nalan Qianqiu stepped in to mediate, she almost got killed by Gu Qingfeng.
Based on Huode's understanding of Gu Qingfeng, this was absolutely something he would do.
He knew better than anyone that once Gu Qingfeng's killing intent was unleashed, he would recognize neither kin nor friend.
Forget acquaintances without deep ties—even those with connections wouldn't be spared.
Huode had experienced this deeply himself. Back when Gu Qingfeng was about to destroy the Immortal Dynasty, Huode had tried to dissuade him. Not only did he fail to stop him, but he also nearly got killed by Gu Qingfeng. Since then, whenever Gu Qingfeng went on a killing spree, Huode would stay as far away as possible, never getting involved again.