"Elder Sister Handong, my dear sister, please don't talk about dragging me down anymore."
Ouyang Ye hated hearing Han Dong say such things the most. She spoke with utter nonchalance, "I've heard enough, I'm sick of it! Besides, if you hadn't saved me a year ago, I might have died long ago..." "And over this past year, you've helped me countless times. Without you, I might have died too!"
Han Dong had always felt lonely and helpless until she met Ouyang Ye. She no longer felt like she was alone in the world; life seemed to have gained much more color. For this, her heart was always grateful to this good younger sister.
"So you see, we're sworn sisters bound by life and death! As your younger sister, how could I stand by and watch you in trouble without helping?"
Ouyang Ye walked over and took Han Dong's hand, speaking with great seriousness and solemnity, "Moreover, your current situation can only be temporarily stabilized by finding someone to continue impersonating that fellow Gu Qingfeng. Otherwise, how will you deal with those old fogies at Yao Yue Palace, and how will you face your master?"
"You know your master's condition. How overjoyed she was when she learned you and that fellow Gu Qingfeng were Dao cultivation partners. If you tell her now that Gu Qingfeng is a fake, she'd probably..." Noticing a subtle change in Han Dong's coldly beautiful expression—a hint of sorrow—Ouyang Ye tactfully didn't continue. Instead, she shifted the topic, "Most importantly, right now, only by impersonating Gu Qingfeng can we temporarily hold off those old fogies at Yao Yue Palace. I know you're worried the truth will be exposed, making things even more troublesome later. But it hasn't been exposed yet! Plans can't keep up with changes; who knows what might happen?"
"The longer we drag this out, the better for us. Isn't Aunt Xue still helping us? Once Aunt Xue recovers a bit more, our situation will be even more optimistic. By then, even if we have to confront those old fogies at Yao Yue Palace head-on, we won't have anything to fear!"
"But..." Han Dong wanted to say something but was interrupted by Ouyang Ye.
"Elder Sister Handong, don't worry. I know those old fogies at Yao Yue Palace already suspect whether Gu Qingfeng is real or fake. But, hehe, let them investigate all they want. I've already spoken with the senior elders of the Chixiao branch at Fengyun Branch, and also with Old Man Huode. I mentioned it to him earlier, and the old man said if we need help, just ask. If those old fogies at Yao Yue Palace really stir up trouble, we can just have Old Man Huode come over, that's all."
Han Dong had never worried about the fake Gu Qingfeng being exposed; she only worried about dragging more people down. She had tried to dissuade Ouyang Ye, but it was useless. Ouyang Ye was determined to help to the end, leaving Han Dong truly at a loss.
"Right now, our most urgent task is to find someone to continue impersonating that fellow Gu Qingfeng as soon as possible. But damn, this person is really hard to find! Who should we pick? Damn it! Who should we pick... Let me think carefully..." Ouyang Ye crossed her arms and paced back and forth in the garden. Suddenly, she stopped abruptly and exclaimed with delight, "I've got it! Hahaha! How could I forget him! That fellow is absolutely the most suitable candidate to impersonate Gu Qingfeng! Hahahaha! Truly, when the boat reaches the bridgehead, it will straighten naturally; heaven never seals off all exits... Hahaha!"
Perhaps too excited, Ouyang Ye laughed unrestrainedly.
Seeing Han Dong's bewildered expression, Ouyang Ye excitedly ran over and said, "Elder Sister Handong, this time in the Peach Blossom Secret Realm, inside an ancient cave dwelling, I met a fellow called Lao Jiu. He's quite easygoing, and you know what? That fellow's demeanor is really similar to Gu Qingfeng's. His speech and bearing also carry a casual air, equally indifferent about everything. And... the most coincidental thing is, Lao Jiu is also at the Golden Core cultivation stage... Hahaha!"
The more she thought about it, the more excited and agitated she became. Ouyang Ye continued, "Elder Sister Handong, you know what? In the cave dwelling, I almost mistook him for Gu Qingfeng several times. The feeling he gave me was really... really too similar to that fellow Gu Qingfeng."
Han Dong slightly furrowed her willow-leaf brows. She and Ouyang Ye had split up during their time in the Peach Blossom Secret Realm, so naturally, she didn't know who this Lao Jiu Ouyang Ye mentioned was. Ouyang Ye, for her part, held nothing back, recounting everything that happened in that interconnected cave dwelling in detail. Not only that, she also dumped out all the storage bags she had scavenged during this cave dwelling expedition.
Looking at the hundreds of dazzling storage bags on the ground, even the usually cold-natured Han Dong couldn't help but show a shocked expression.
A Golden Core cultivation stage rogue cultivator?
And he had several storage bags snatched by people from Hunyuan Sect?
And he was thoroughly familiar with the cave dwelling's structure? To repay Ouyang Ye's kindness, he opened the central cave dwelling, letting Ouyang Ye pick up hundreds of storage bags? Not only that, he finally opened the Cave Dwelling Eye and even... even wanted to gift Ouyang Ye a Cloud-Color Sword containing the profound mysteries of the Great Perfection of the Nine Nines and possessing spirituality?
This...
Han Dong had never encountered such bizarre and strange events before. No! To be precise, she hadn't even heard of such things. She couldn't imagine under what circumstances a Golden Core cultivation stage rogue cultivator would give away hundreds of storage bags and a Cloud-Color Sword.
Wait!
What about the Cloud-Color Sword?
Mentioning that Cloud-Color Sword, Ouyang Ye immediately sank into melancholy, clutching her chest. Even now, thinking about it made her chest ache faintly—a feeling of physical pain, also one of regret. She wished she could slap herself a few times and sighed.
"Don't even mention it, I'm dying of regret. When that fellow offered it to me, I thought he was trying to trap me... So I didn't dare take it... But who knew there was no trap at all? He, damn him... really wanted to give it to me... Ah... Sigh! This young lady has never met such a good person in eight lifetimes!"
Han Dong also couldn't understand and asked, "Yeye, is that Lao Jiu you mentioned really just a Golden Core cultivation stage rogue cultivator?"
"Well... that's what he said himself. I don't really believe it either. I've never seen such a generous rogue cultivator. Forget rogue cultivators, even those aristocratic noble families aren't as generous as him! No! No one would be that foolish."
"He has no aura of destiny on him? Neither a reincarnation nor a rebirth?"
"Elder Sister Handong, I admit I can be a bit careless sometimes, but I do know whether someone has an aura of destiny or not. That Lao Jiu really only has the pure aura of a Golden Core cultivator."
"This..." Han Dong fell into deep thought. Ouyang Ye's experience was simply unheard of. Just as she was pondering, Ouyang Ye suddenly let out an exclamation.
"Yeye, what's wrong?"
Ouyang Ye seemed to have suddenly remembered something and said, "Back in the Peach Blossom Secret Realm, I was so focused on coming back with you that I forgot about him. Damn it! I still need to trade with him for that Cloud-Color Sword!"