The foot of Bingxuan Sect's mountain was a scene of devastation.
A crack over ten meters long marked where Long Fei's sword had struck.
But there were many more irregular, spiderweb-like fissures, long and narrow, shattered when Gu Qingfeng descended from mid-air. They were everywhere.
The leaders of various sects, families, and associations who had come to watch the spectacle had long since retreated over a thousand meters away. They stared wide-eyed, mouths agape, expressions shocked and horrified as they witnessed this unbelievable and chilling scene.
It was noon.
The sun blazed fiercely.
Yet at the foot of Bingxuan Mountain, a fierce wind howled.
The man in white robes stood there, his black hair dancing wildly in the gale, the hem of his white clothes fluttering sharply. His handsome face bore a cold expression, his eyes deep pools of silence.
He stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
Wordless, the aura of dusk naturally emanating from him cast the blazing sun in the colors of twilight, as if the sun might set at any moment, as if darkness could descend at any time.
That was truly the feeling.
Everyone felt it without exception.
No one knew why.
Opposite him.
Bingxuan Sect's Ancestor Zhu Xia still knelt on the ground, utterly despondent. A hand gripped the top of her head. The hand was bloody. It belonged to a woman—a woman with disheveled hair, in a wretched state, covered in blood. Her face was already unrecognizable, her features completely ruined, a bloody, mangled mess. Only a hint of panic could be seen in her eyes.
Panic mixed with fear, mixed with terror, but more than anything, anger—endless anger.
It was her.
The newly appointed Sect Head of Bingxuan Sect, Leng Yanqiu.
With one hand gripping Zhu Xia's head, she pointed viciously at Gu Qingfeng across from her and roared, "You surnamed Gu, you trash!
If you dare come any closer, I'll kill this old thing Zhu Xia!"
"Yanqiu, why are you still so deluded even now."
Zhu Xia knelt on the ground, murmuring expressionlessly, "Stop this. Kneel and beg for death…
Kneel and beg for death."
If it were before, even before Gu Qingfeng had appeared, if Zhu Xia had said these words, Leng Yanqiu would never have believed them. She would have mocked them, scorned them. But now she didn't think that way anymore, much less dared to mock or scorn.
She was afraid. Truly afraid!
She didn't want to die. Pointing at Gu Qingfeng, she roared at Zhu Xia, "Who is he!
Who exactly is he!"
"Who Young Master Gu is isn't important. What's important is that you've forgotten who you are. Stop this. Kneel and beg for death…" "You!"
Leng Yanqiu breathed rapidly, her tone becoming panicked. Especially when she looked at the silent, abyss-like Gu Qingfeng opposite her, she couldn't stop trembling. Immediately, she looked toward the distant Si Qianhua and pleaded, "Lord Qianhua, help me kill him."
In the distance, Si Qianhua's heart jolted. He glanced at Leng Yanqiu, then at the man in white robes, then lowered his head and did not respond.
"Lord Qianhua, as long as you help me kill him, from now on I, Leng Yanqiu, will be yours!"
It was useless!
Si Qianhua acted as if he hadn't heard, lowering his head in silence.
This was something Leng Yanqiu simply couldn't believe, couldn't accept. She screamed hoarsely, "Didn't you say you would lend me a hand?
Why won't you act?
As long as you kill him, I'm yours. Haven't you always wanted to have me?
Hurry up and act!"
Everyone's gaze fell upon Si Qianhua. Yet he still kept his head lowered, silent. Just as Leng Yanqiu's voice kept coming, he finally took a step forward. Everyone thought he would act, but to everyone's surprise, he merely took that one step forward. He did not raise his head, but instead bowed and cupped his hands, actually performing a Sage’s Salute toward Gu Qingfeng.
"Young Master Gu, this humble one has never had any designs on the Bingxuan Heart. Today, I came only to participate in Bingxuan Sect's celebration. Beyond that, I have no improper thoughts. I hope Young Master will be discerning and magnanimous!"
Witnessing this scene.
Everyone doubted their own eyes and ears.
Si Qianhua, the mysterious Hall Master of the Thousand Expeditions Hall of the Nine-Hua Alliance, rumored to be a reincarnated soul who had seized a body, not only performed a Sage’s Salute to Gu Qingfeng, but his words were also filled with the utmost respect toward Gu Qingfeng.
If even those hiding over a thousand meters away felt this way, how much more so for Leng Yanqiu, who had seen Si Qianhua as her savior.
When Si Qianhua performed the Sage’s Salute, her entire body trembled uncontrollably. She even forgot to breathe. Suppressing the shock in her heart, she screamed hoarsely, "Lord Qianhua, you are a reincarnated soul who seized a body! Killing him would be effortless for you, why!"
Why?
No one knew.
This question, everyone also couldn't understand. Although Gu Qingfeng's strength was bizarrely powerful, surely it shouldn't make a reincarnated soul like Si Qianhua so wary that he would perform a Sage’s Salute?
Was it just wariness?
No!
Everyone could see that Si Qianhua's attitude was definitely not merely wariness. In front of Gu Qingfeng, he didn't even dare raise his head, didn't even dare look at him.
And throughout this, the man in white robes, Gu Qingfeng, hadn't said a single word. He hadn't even glanced at Si Qianhua once. Even when Si Qianhua performed the Sage’s Salute, he paid him no heed.
Leng Yanqiu, unable to believe it, continued to scream frantically. But Si Qianhua never spoke another word. He still stood with hands cupped, bowing in the Sage’s Salute. As long as Gu Qingfeng didn't speak, he didn't dare lower his hands.
This scene made Leng Yanqiu, who had already begun to panic and fear Gu Qingfeng, even more panicked and afraid. Especially with Gu Qingfeng opposite her remaining utterly silent, the terror in her heart grew stronger and stronger. When her gaze met Gu Qingfeng's silent eyes, she could bear it no longer. Trembling, she spoke.
"I…
I've thought it through, I…
I'm willing to become your Dao companion, I'm willing!"
Gu Qingfeng merely looked at her, still offering no response, as if lost in thought.
"Ancestor!
Ancestor!
Quickly tell him, I'm willing to dual cultivate, willing to become his Dao companion!"
Zhu Xia knelt, her soul seemingly lost, her expression numb as she shook her head and murmured, "It's too late… everything is too late…
Yanqiu, ah, Yanqiu, from the very beginning, this old woman told you, the matter of dual cultivation isn't about whether you're willing or not. Even if you are willing, Young Master Gu would still have to nod in agreement!"
Zhu Xia seemed already despairing as she murmured, "Yanqiu, ah, Yanqiu, this old woman said you are not worthy of Young Master Gu, not worthy!
Let alone being his dual cultivation Dao companion, even being a maid by his side would be a heaven-sent fortune for you!"
"Young Master Gu had already agreed to help you unlock the Bingxuan mysteries, but you…
but why did you…
why were you so…
Alas!
All of this is your own doing…
Too late, everything is too late."
As she spoke, Zhu Xia, who had been kneeling on the ground, looked up at Gu Qingfeng again and said, "Young…
Master Gu, now that things have come to this, I know I am guilty. I have wronged Her Majesty, and even more so wronged you, Young Master. I beg you, Young Master, to take back the Bingxuan Heart within Yanqiu's body. I know Yanqiu has offended you. She deserves to die a hundred times over. I also know I have no right to beg for your forgiveness, but…
but I…
still wish to beg you to spare her life."
"I…
I will kowtow to you!
I'm kowtowing!
I beg you to spare Yanqiu's life!"
Zhu Xia knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.