Zhu Xia had said all that needed to be said, and even some things that shouldn't have been said. Yet, Leng Yanqiu remained unwilling. No matter how she tried to persuade her, Leng Yanqiu stubbornly believed Gu Qingfeng was nothing but worthless trash, utterly unworthy of her.
In the end, with no other choice, Zhu Xia could only let her leave for now.
Returning to the stone chamber, Zhu Xia shook her head and sighed, looking utterly weary. The other two Seven-Color Envoys, Withered Leaf and Jin Ling, also appeared physically and mentally exhausted.
Withered Leaf, an old man with a kind and compassionate face, stroked his white beard and said helplessly, "It seems Yanqiu refuses to agree. What should we do?"
Although Withered Leaf and Jin Ling were also Seven-Color Envoys, like Wei Qing and Liu Piaopiao, their consciousness had been thrown into chaos five hundred years ago. Thus, they weren't entirely clear on many matters. However, having followed Zhu Xia all these years, they had learned some things.
They understood that Zhu Xia wanted Leng Yanqiu and Gu Qingfeng to become Dual-Cultivation Dao Companions for two main reasons: first, to help the Empress better escape her Karma, and second, to use this Karmic bond to grant Leng Yanqiu a great opportunity.
"Don't worry about Yanqiu's side. I have a way to convince her. What truly worries me is the Yunxia Sect..." Zhu Xia pondered for a moment. "Here's what we'll do. Tomorrow, you two accompany me to the Qingyang region to find Huode and Tude."
Withered Leaf and Jin Ling were puzzled. "Why find Huode and the others?"
"This matter shouldn't be rushed. I want to first ease the tensions between the Bingxuan Sect and the Yunxia Sect. At the same time, I want Gu... I want him to understand our sincerity. We'll use this chance to sound out his attitude..."
"Sound out his attitude?" Withered Leaf asked. "If he can form a Dao Companion bond with Yanqiu, not only would the Empress be freed, but he would be too. Surely he wouldn't refuse?"
"Even the Empress doesn't know if she can be freed, let alone him..." Zhu Xia closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said helplessly, "His existence is, after all, extraordinary. We must be cautious. We absolutely cannot force him, nor can we threaten him. When that person gets angry, he is especially terrifying. Before him, we are like ants... So, it's best to be careful in everything."
"Since we want him to understand our sincerity, why not go directly to him..."
"His stance is unclear. It's better for us not to have direct contact with him for now. Huode is a very important person, at least to him. We'll first make Huode understand our stance and sincerity, explain the pros and cons to him, and then have Huode go and persuade him. That would be much better than us going to speak."
...
Strange events had been happening one after another lately.
After disappearing for several days, the Yunxia Sect had reappeared. People in the surrounding regions originally thought the Yunxia Sect was doomed, given that Gu Qingfeng had previously killed members of both the Bingxuan Sect and the Nine-Hua Alliance at Crimson-Letter Manor. Yet, to everyone's confusion, neither the Nine-Hua Alliance nor the Bingxuan Sect had made a move.
Was that the only strange thing? Far from it.
The very next day, word spread that not only did the Bingxuan Sect not plan to attack the Yunxia Sect, but its Ancestral Patriarch even wanted Leng Yanqiu to form a Dual-Cultivation Dao Companion bond with Gu Qingfeng.
As soon as this news broke out, it exploded across the surrounding regions.
Everyone found it incomprehensible.
Leng Yanqiu was naturally gifted, possessing four bands of Natural Illusory Radiance and a nine-revolutions Golden Core. She was a heaven-favored daughter. Having fused with the Bingxuan Heart, a single thought from her could move nature itself.
What was Gu Qingfeng?
So what if his physical body was strong and his spiritual power strange? Not to mention comparing him to Leng Yanqiu, he couldn't even match the nine Direct Disciples and eighteen Chief Disciples of the Bingxuan Sect. After all, the foundations of the current Bingxuan Sect's nine Direct Disciples and eighteen Chief Disciples all contained the profound mysteries of the Bingxuan Heart, making them quite formidable.
Some said the Bingxuan Sect's Ancestral Patriarch was fulfilling the founder's last instructions. Others said Gu Qingfeng wasn't as simple as he appeared on the surface; his identity and background were likely connected to Crimson-Letter Manor. Otherwise, why would Old Sen kneel to him when he acted out at Crimson-Letter Manor? Perhaps it was also out of consideration for Crimson-Letter Manor's status that the Nine-Hua Alliance dared not rashly move against the Yunxia Sect.
What the truth actually was, no one knew. Those who heard about the matter were all discussing it.
...
The sun was setting in the west.
In the Spirit Seclusion Garden of the Yunxia Sect, Gu Qingfeng lay reclined on a rocking chair, basking in the sun and sipping wine.
He had been like this for several days now.
As for Ouyang Ye, on the day after she woke up, Gu Qingfeng had informed Ouyang Feiyue and let her take her away.
All this Karma business had been going on for so long that Gu Qingfeng was feeling a bit tired of it. He couldn't be bothered to deal with it anymore.
To be honest, this whole Yun Nishang affair had made him somewhat apprehensive about unknown Karma. Especially Yun Nishang's three-thousand-year scheme—cutting, mending, and finally burying her soul within the bloodline of a reincarnated girl, Ouyang Ye, incurring a body full of sin, all just to escape the so-called Karma.
Gu Qingfeng didn't fully understand it, but the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. Sometimes, thinking about it even gave him a creepy feeling. He figured it was best to just let things take their natural course, taking one step at a time.
Just as he was taking occasional sips of his wine, a man walked into the Spirit Seclusion Garden with a grin.
It was an old man.
A somewhat slovenly-looking old man.
It was Huode.
"Yo! Ancestor, having a drink, eh?"
Gu Qingfeng shifted his position, picked up a cup of wine, looked at Huode, and smiled. "What brings you here, you old codger?"
"What do you mean 'what brings me here'? What kind of talk is that!" Huode walked over with a grin, not standing on ceremony. He directly sat down on a nearby chair, picked up a cup of wine, and took a drink. "This is our Yunxia Sect. Why can't I come?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged, neither affirming nor denying.
"Kid Gu, the rumors are flying thick and fast outside. Have you heard?"
"Heard what?"
"About the Bingxuan Sect's Leng Yanqiu wanting to become your Dao Companion, of course."
"I've heard."
Although Gu Qingfeng hadn't left his residence for days, that didn't mean he was unaware of what was happening outside. Fei Kui had already informed him about the Bingxuan Sect's affairs yesterday. Moreover, he could more or less guess what the Bingxuan Sect was trying to do.
"What do you think about it..." Huode leaned in, seeing Gu Qingfeng remain silent. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "To be honest with you, that Ancestral Patriarch from the Bingxuan Sect, what's her name... Zhu Xia, came to see me. And... she told me everything about the matter between you and their founding ancestor."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng was quite surprised. He raised an eyebrow, looking at Huode with a puzzled expression. "She told you everything?"
"That's right. Everything about the Karma between you and the Bingxuan Sect's founder, Yun Nishang. She laid it all out. After hearing her, this old man finally understood the connection between our Yunxia Sect and their Bingxuan Sect. It really opened my eyes!"