Perhaps he was tired of the constant fighting and killing of his past.
Perhaps it was the confusion and aimlessness after having everything stripped away by the Heavenly Dao.
Or perhaps he was genuinely bored.
Gu Qingfeng hoisted a hoe and began clearing a patch of wasteland, musing to himself that a pastoral life didn't seem so bad. Finding a Dao companion, the man tilling and the woman weaving, living carefree for a lifetime, maybe having a child or two... upon careful thought, such days truly sounded delightful.
Before long, a stretch of wasteland was cleared. Gu Qingfeng then borrowed some seeds of Fire Pearl Grass from Wang Dashan and began planting them with practiced air. At first, he was a bit clumsy, but after some careful guidance from Wang Dashan, he gradually got the hang of it.
Who would have thought cultivating a Spirit Field involved so many intricacies? How to plant the seeds, how to irrigate the Spirit Field, how to turn the soil, how to care for the sprouts after they germinated—all required skill.
"Gu Qingfeng?"
Just as he was planting seeds in the Spirit Field, hearing someone call his name, Gu Qingfeng looked up. A girl with a ponytail, tall and slender, dressed in a cyan robe, had approached without him noticing.
"Oh, isn't this Junior Sister Ouyang?"
When Wang Dashan saw Ouyang Ye, he quickly called out "Senior Martial Sister." Ouyang Ye was an inner disciple, an unattainable existence for a laborer like him. After greeting her, he returned to tending his own Spirit Field.
"Gu Qingfeng, you... what are you doing here!"
Seeing Gu Qingfeng bent over, planting seeds in a patch of wasteland, Ouyang Ye was greatly surprised. "Why are you cultivating a Spirit Field?"
"Bored, just playing around."
Gu Qingfeng rolled up his sleeves, glanced at her, and asked, "What brings you here? Don't tell me you cultivate Spirit Fields too?"
"I came specifically to find you!"
Since the rumors had spread, Ouyang Ye had been ordered by her master to enter seclusion. However, she hadn't been idle during that time, constantly inquiring about Gu Qingfeng's whereabouts. Hearing that he had come to the Red Leaf Valley today, she had sneaked over.
"Find me for what?"
"Haven't you heard those rumors these past two days..." "What rumors?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head. After arriving at the Yunxia Sect, he had been staying in the Spirit Seclusion Garden on the Rear Mountain. He truly knew nothing about any rumors.
"Now everyone outside is saying you failed Foundation Establishment, were driven out by your family, and then came seeking refuge with me..." "Just that trivial matter? Let them talk."
"You say it lightly! Now the entire Yunxia Sect knows. My master even scolded me over it."
"Girl, how should I put this? From the very beginning when you asked me to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan, didn't you hope they'd believe it?"
"I did hope... they'd believe it... but... but I didn't expect things to blow up this big. Forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I explained. You've been at Elder Huode's place this whole time. Did the old man... do anything to you?"
"What could he do to me?"
"He didn't ask you to test some formation for him?"
"No, he didn't."
"Really?"
Ouyang Ye knew Elder Huode was always researching formations and often recruited disciples to test them for him. In her mind, someone like Gu Qingfeng—a Foundation Establishment failure whose body had become exceptionally robust, a so-called 'waste physique'—would be the perfect test subject for the old man.
How come Gu Qingfeng said the old man hadn't asked him to test formations?
Had the old man's hobbies changed?
"Hey, Gu Qingfeng, I advise you to find an opportunity to leave soon."
"Why's that?"
"If the old man hasn't asked you to test formations yet, he must have some scheme. Not long ago, he was complaining that the disciples' bodies were too weak,simply couldn't withstand Formation... Now that he has such a good test subject like you, he definitely won't let you go."
"Got it."
Seeing the girl was about to say more, Gu Qingfeng waved his hand, indicating he knew what he was doing.
"How about I send you away right now?"
Ouyang Ye tried asking again.
"I told you, girl, don't worry about Huode. I'm fine. You don't need to worry."
"Damn it! The problem isn't just Elder Huode. Now the entire Yunxia Sect sees you as Young Lord Chiyan, saying you came seeking refuge with me... Sooner or later, someone will say unpleasant things to you, even insult your character... I know it's all my fault... I shouldn't have asked you to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan, but now... now even if I say you're not him, they won't believe me!"
The more Ouyang Ye thought about it, the more she regretted it. She deeply regretted ever finding this guy to impersonate Young Lord Chiyan. If not for that, none of this would have happened. All she wanted now was to send him away, firstly to avoid him becoming the old man's lab rat, and secondly because she feared people in the Yunxia Sect would say terrible things to Gu Qingfeng.
What surprised Ouyang Ye was that even after she voiced her concerns, this guy still acted completely nonchalant, saying he simply didn't care.
"You... why on earth won't you leave! I'm thinking of your good! Did Elder Huode promise you something? Did the old man say he has a way for you to continue cultivating? Let me tell you! He's lying to you. He just wants you to test his formations... Don't believe him."
Gu Qingfeng stood up, patted the dirt off his hands, looked at Ouyang Ye's anxious face, and said helplessly, "Girl, I know what you mean. But I have some business to attend to in the Yunxia Sect. I'll leave naturally once it's done. At that point, even if you begged me, I wouldn't stay."
Indeed, upon returning to the Yunxia Sect this time, he had originally planned to just catch up with Huode. But during their reminiscing, he learned the old man's cultivation had hit a snag, causing his progress to stagnate. Gu Qingfeng figured he'd help him break through, as a way to repay Huode's past kindness. Once that was settled, he would depart. As for where to go, he didn't know and couldn't be bothered to think about it. He certainly wouldn't stay in this damned Yunxia Sect.
Grabbing another handful of seeds, he started planting again in the Spirit Field. "As for those rumors, you really don't need to worry. I've lived most of my life; would I really care about such things? Besides, I'm not actually Young Lord Chiyan. What's there to care about?"
"You!"
Ouyang Ye was fuming inside. Just as she was about to try persuading him again, a stern voice suddenly came from behind.
"Junior Sister!"
Hmm?
Ouyang Ye turned around. A woman was walking over. She appeared to be around thirty, wearing bright, colorful clothes, but her face was etched with clear anger. She scolded, "When Master left, she told me to watch over your seclusion. I was only gone for a moment, and you sneaked out? If Master finds out, you'll be in for it."
"Senior Martial Sister... I..." Looking at her senior martial sister, Ouyang Ye felt guilty.
"Greetings, Senior Martial Sister Siru."
Wang Dashan walked over, slightly bowing his head in greeting. He recognized this woman—Tan Siru, also an inner disciple.
Tan Siru ignored Wang Dashan. When her gaze fell upon Gu Qingfeng standing beside Ouyang Ye, she asked suspiciously, "Junior Sister, who is he?"
Before Ouyang Ye could respond, Tan Siru seemed to realize something, her expression suddenly changing sharply. She demanded harshly, "Is he that Young Lord Chiyan, Gu Qingfeng?"
Oh no!
Ouyang Ye knew her senior martial sister's temperament. Seeing that she had recognized Gu Qingfeng, Ouyang Ye feared she would say something awful. She quickly ran over, saying, "Senior Martial Sister, let's go. I'll return to seclusion now."
"I ask you, are you that Young Lord Chiyan, Gu Qingfeng?"
Tan Siru remained unmoved, her cold gaze fixed on Gu Qingfeng.
"That's right, I am."
After finishing planting the seeds in his hand, Gu Qingfeng casually sat down on the ground. He pulled out a jug of wine from his storage bag, took a sip, and asked, "What about it?"
"Since you failed Foundation Establishment, why come seeking refuge with my junior sister!" Tan Siru began berating Gu Qingfeng the moment she saw him. "Failing Foundation Establishment means your cultivation path is utterly finished. And you still dare dream of becoming Dao companions with my junior sister? I tell you, wishful thinking!"
"And don't you dare hope Elder Huode can help you re-establish your foundation and cultivate again. I tell you, it's impossible! Abandon that notion right now."
Ouyang Ye knew her senior martial sister would say unpleasant things, but when she tried to get Tan Siru to leave, it was useless. Tan Siru stared fixedly at Gu Qingfeng, sneering.
"Hmph! Don't think just because you can play that 'Monarch's' tune you dare call yourself a musical prodigy. What a joke!"
"Hmph! If you know what's good for you, leave the Yunxia Sect immediately. Otherwise..."
Gu Qingfeng continued drinking by himself, took a sip of wine, squinted his eyes to look at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Otherwise what?"
"Otherwise I'll make sure you regret ever coming here!"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head slightly, chuckling in amusement. "Alright then, when the time comes, I'll try 'regretting it'..."
"Still talking back!" Tan Siru was about to make a move to teach him a lesson when Ouyang Ye shouted loudly, "Senior Martial Sister, what are you doing! Enough already!"
"Junior Sister, you're still protecting him even now?"
Ouyang Ye shouted angrily, "So what if I am? I want to! This is my business. You'd better not interfere!"
"You!" Tan Siru was so angry her chest heaved. She snorted coldly and snapped, "Fine! Protect him then. Let's see how Master deals with you when she returns!"
With that, Tan Siru left in a fury.
Watching her senior martial sister leave, Ouyang Ye offered an apologetic look. "Hey, Gu Qingfeng, my senior martial sister is just like that. Don't take it to heart."
Gu Qingfeng shrugged. As he had said, having lived most of his life, how could he get angry over such trivial matters.
"I told you someone would definitely say unpleasant things to you. See... Please, just leave. It's all my fault. As long as you're willing to leave the Yunxia Sect, I'll definitely make it up to you. I'll do anything you ask, okay?!"
Gu Qingfeng stood up, stretched lazily, and said, "Alright, I'll go back and have a word with Huode."