If Yun Nishang truly awakened five hundred years ago...
If Hongxiu from five hundred years ago was truly Yun Nishang...
Then all of this...
Gu Qingfeng stood still, his stern face no longer relaxed, turning serious and grave. His brows furrowed slightly, and his deep, dark eyes seemed to gaze into the distance as if lost in thought, recalling the events of his youth.
He still vaguely remembered that Hongxiu was once a direct disciple of the Yunxia Sect.
Outstanding, with exceptional aptitude and unparalleled comprehension, she could master almost any immortal art at first glance. Coupled with her delicate beauty and serene temperament, back then, there wasn't a single male disciple who didn't admire Hongxiu—Gu Qingfeng was naturally no exception.
Gu Qingfeng remembered that he was just a menial laborer for the Yunxia Sect at the time. By chance, he met Hongxiu, and with just one glance, he was captivated. It was truly love at first sight, unforgettable ever since. Closing his eyes, his mind was filled with Hongxiu's image—unable to be driven away or dispersed. Even now, memories of Hongxiu remained sealed deep within the recesses of his consciousness.
To win Hongxiu's affection, the young and reckless Gu Qingfeng spared no effort. Righteous or wicked, every means imaginable was employed—even those that shouldn't have been. One could say he left no stone unturned. Fortunately, he ultimately won the goddess's heart.
In Gu Qingfeng's memory, Hongxiu had a gentle temperament, occasionally playful, occasionally dignified.
At that time, her bloodline likely hadn't awakened yet.
Thinking carefully, if there was any karma between himself and Yun Nishang, then this was the only connection.
In other words, the karma between himself and Yun Nishang stemmed from Hongxiu.
Could this be the so-called 'cause' within karma?
It must be.
Aside from this, Gu Qingfeng truly couldn't think of any other intersection between himself and Yun Nishang.
The only thing that puzzled him was: why did Yun Nishang go through reincarnation and bloodline awakening? What was her ultimate goal?
What was her relationship with the Founding Patriarch of the Yunxia Sect? After awakening in the identity of Hongxiu, was her encounter with him mere chance or coincidence?
Or was it something else?
Gu Qingfeng pondered that Yun Nishang must be playing some grand scheme or laying out a karmic trap.
Perhaps she had awakened once five hundred years ago, accidentally encountered him, and created a 'cause born of misunderstanding.'
If that were truly the case, then he was merely caught up in it.
If not, then this matter was far more serious.
Gu Qingfeng hoped that the karma between himself and Yun Nishang was only caused by Hongxiu. He hoped so, otherwise...
He shook his head.
Gu Qingfeng didn't continue dwelling on it and asked, "You said Hongxiu disappeared after fusing with the Yanyang Heart?"
"Yes!"
Although Huode didn't fully understand what Gu Qingfeng wanted to know, he answered honestly. "This old man still remembers back then, after you were expelled from the sect, Hongxiu was heartbroken and lost her appetite. Over this matter, she nearly killed Water Virtue, Earth Virtue, and the others—and almost killed this old man too."
Huode reminisced about the events of five hundred years ago, tilting his head back to take a swig of wine. "Back then, it was also this old man's fault for speaking out of turn. To console her, I said you had fused with the Yanyang Heart and would have great fortune in the future, so she needn't worry. But what happened?
Hongxiu snatched the Yanyang Heart right out of this old man's hands without a word."
"When this old man found her, that girl seemed to be in the process of fusing with the Yanyang Heart. Before this old man could figure out what was happening, she became like a different person—eyes blood-red, aura overwhelming, mind unclear, spouting nonsense. As for what she said, this old man can't remember clearly either. Anyway, she said a bunch of incomprehensible things and then vanished...
Vanished without a trace."
Recalling the scene of Hongxiu fusing with the Yanyang Heart, Huode still felt a lingering fear. He took another sip of wine and continued, "This old man searched for a long time but couldn't find her. Later, as your reputation grew and your strength increased, a few of us fellow disciples discussed it. Afraid you'd seek revenge, saying we drove Hongxiu mad..." Huode's face showed self-reproach. "We feared that with old and new grudges combined, you might wipe out the Yunxia Sect in a fit of rage, so we had no choice but to lie and tell you Hongxiu had married...
Don't hold it against us, kid."
Hold it against him?
The matter was so long ago; Gu Qingfeng naturally wouldn't hold a grudge. He simply sat back in the chair, pinching the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes to rest.
"Come to think of it, there was something strange."
Huode frowned, thinking for a moment. "After Hongxiu disappeared back then, it started snowing heavily outside. Then, our Yunxia Sect's Spiritual Vein suddenly became exceptionally vigorous. You know, by the third generation, the Yanyang Heart had inexplicably lost its power, and the source of our sect's Spiritual Vein was gradually drying up...
The Yanyang Spiritual Energy contained in the Spiritual Vein grew weaker by the day."
"What about it?"
Gu Qingfeng asked, puzzled.
"That's the strange part. When you fused with the Yanyang Heart, this didn't happen. But when Hongxiu fused with it, it did. At the time, this old man specifically went to check the Spiritual Vein Source. It had become very eerie, different from before—though this old man can't quite say how."
"You mean Hongxiu went to your Spiritual Vein Source after fusing with the Yanyang Heart?"
"She must have. Because this old man found the Yanyang Heart inside the Spiritual Vein Source."
"Take me to see the Spiritual Vein Source."
Spiritual Energy was a good thing.
Like the spirit of life, it could nurture many resources.
Spirit Stones were.
Spirit Crystals were.
Spiritual Veins were too.
In this world, almost every sect occupied a Spiritual Vein, because only by occupying one could they set up formations to envelop the sect with a continuous flow of Spiritual Energy.
This was true before the Calamity.
After the Calamity, heaven and earth were reborn, and Spiritual Energy became a hundred or a thousand times denser than before. Spiritual Veins in this world also became widespread.
In the current era, not only sects occupied Spiritual Veins—some manors, even gangs, and even families occupied one.
Spiritual Veins contained endless Spiritual Energy. To mine it and utilize it properly, formations had to be set up. The eye of the formation was the so-called Spiritual Vein Source, which almost every sect, manor, gang, or family possessed.
The Yunxia Sect's Spiritual Vein Source was located beneath Yanyang Peak.
This was the main peak of the Yunxia Sect and its very foundation.
Yanyang Peak contained many stone chambers, typically reserved for the sect head and council elders to meditate in seclusion. If disciples performed exceptionally well, the sect might also reward them with access.
Following Huode into Yanyang Peak, Gu Qingfeng descended all the way down and soon entered a hall.
The hall was ancient and simple.
At the front were tablets honoring the successive sect heads of the Yunxia Sect. Usually, a place like this would have a statue of the Founding Patriarch—or at least a portrait. But here, there was neither a statue nor a portrait—not even a memorial tablet.
"I heard the Founding Patriarch forbade setting up a memorial tablet for him, so..." As Huode spoke, he casually formed a hand seal. Light flashed, and a stone door slowly opened.