Chapter 72 Departure As the words fell, a deathly silence descended. ...
After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.
All eyes were on Gu Zhinan, eager to see what choice this person at the center of the storm would make.
Li Sha deliberately chose this time to cause trouble, which was clearly a provocation against Song Wenzhuo, Qingyuan Sect, and the cultivation world.
However, the relationship between Yan Nanqiu and Gu Zhinan was already unpredictable, and no one knew what choice he would make.
Li Sha wasn't in a hurry. He dared to come to Qingyuan Sect alone to cause trouble, so he must have a way to protect himself. But that didn't mean Li Sha was happy to face this group of righteous cultivators, especially with Fu Yunshu, the number one cultivator in the world, present.
"Your Highness, please think it over carefully," Li Sha smiled wickedly. "Anyway, if my lord does not obtain the Nine-Turn Essence Pill in three days, we cannot guarantee Yan Nanqiu's safety."
After saying that, he quickly disappeared.
With things escalating to this point, there was no need for the initiation ceremony to continue, and everyone dispersed early.
At night, Fu Yunshu, Yin Lisheng, and several peak masters gathered on the main peak to discuss matters.
The atmosphere inside the main council hall was so heavy it was almost palpable. The candlelight crackled, and everyone present wore uncertain expressions.
The festive red silks from the daytime ceremony, still in place, now appear particularly glaring, like a silent mockery of the interrupted ceremony.
Ning Xuexi was the first to break the silence. Her face was frosty, and her voice was filled with undisguised anger: "What's there to discuss? What does Yan Nanqiu's life or death have to do with my Qingyuan Sect? It's better if the demons fight amongst themselves and all of them are wiped out! Why should we use the pills that our grandmaster uncle painstakingly refined to save a demon? Besides..."
Her sharp gaze swept over Gu Zhinan, who remained silent with his head down. "You even designated Gu Zhinan to deliver it. Who knows if this guy will come back alive? And then our Qingyuan Sect will have no face left in the cultivation world."
Ye Xiuzhu frowned and said in a deep voice, "Junior Sister Ning's words are not without reason. The Nine-Turn Condensation Pill is extremely precious. Senior Brother Gu has been searching for materials for many years, and Grandmaster Uncle has spent a lot of effort to refine it. Now, it is going to be used to save a demon prince who is our enemy. It is unreasonable and illogical. What's more, what if there are other conspiracies behind this?"
After a moment of silence, Du Zhun spoke up, "This matter concerns the reputation of our sect. During the day, Li Sha publicly declared that Senior Brother Gu and Yan Nanqiu had a deep past relationship. If Senior Brother Gu really goes to the Demon Realm to save Yan Nanqiu now, wouldn't that confirm those unsavory rumors in the eyes of others? At that time, Qingyuan Sect will lose face and become a laughing stock in the entire cultivation world."
Wen Xun sat to the side, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the table.
He looked at Gu Zhinan, the Sword Peak Master who was always as cold and hard as iron, but at this moment he seemed to have lost all his strength. His clenched fists were white at the knuckles, and his lips were pressed into a pale line. He did not say a word from beginning to end.
Sitting beside Gu Zhinan, Song Wenzhuo remained silent. His face was expressionless, but his usually gentle and smiling eyes were now as black as ink, churning with emotions that no one else could understand.
Fu Yunshu listened calmly as the peak masters expressed their opinions. Yin Lisheng stood behind him, but his gaze kept involuntarily falling on his master's aloof profile, his heart filled with worry.
He and Yan Nanqiu had a long-standing friendship, and seeing the other party in such a miserable state, Yin Lisheng was not a cold-hearted person, so how could he remain unmoved?
But he also understood that this matter was of great importance, and that one wrong step could plunge Qingyuan Sect into an abyss. He could not cause trouble for his master or the sect.
Seeing that Gu Zhinan remained silent, Ning Xuexi's anger flared even more, and she raised her voice: "Gu Zhinan! Say something! What exactly is your relationship with Yan Nanqiu that makes you hesitate so much? Don't forget your current status, whose heart is truly with you?!"
At this moment, Song Wenzhuo spoke slowly, his voice somewhat hoarse, yet carrying a strange calmness:
"Let him go."
"What?!" Ye Xiuzhu jumped up, his face filled with disbelief. "Wen Zhuo, are you crazy?!"
Ning Xuexi's eyes reddened with anxiety: "Sect Master! Do you know what you're saying? You're telling him to use the Nine-Turn Essence Pill, which he painstakingly refined, to save that fiend Yan Nanqiu? Are you crazy or am I crazy?"
Song Wenzhuo ignored everyone else, his gaze remaining fixed on Gu Zhinan's face. He slowly stood up, walked to Gu Zhinan, leaned over, and placed his hands on the armrests of Gu Zhinan's chair, trapping him between himself and the chair. The two were extremely close, their breaths audible.
“Gu Yuan,” Song Wenzhuo’s voice was low and calm, yet carried an undeniable power, “look at me.”
Gu Zhinan was forced to look up, gazing into Song Wenzhuo's deep eyes. Gone was the usual gentleness; only a cruel clarity and... a desperate gamble remained.
"You want to go, don't you?" Song Wenzhuo asked, not as an interrogation, but as a statement.
Gu Zhinan's Adam's apple bobbed; he wanted to deny it, but under that all-seeing gaze, he crumbled completely. He closed his eyes and nodded almost imperceptibly.
Even without regaining his memories, he could vaguely guess that his obsessive desire for the Nine-Turn Essence Pill was definitely related to Yan Nanqiu.
Although he didn't know how things had come to this point, Gu Zhinan had a premonition that he had to go.
“I won’t stop you, but…” Song Wenzhu grabbed his collar, their noses touching, “This is the last time. Even if our marriage ceremony isn’t officially completed, you are already my man, Song Wenzhu. After this, if you still have someone else in your heart, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
Gu Zhinan swallowed hard. He had never seen Song Wenzhuo so domineering and forceful before; he was always gentle and polite.
"Wen Zhuo!" Ning Xuexi stamped her foot anxiously. Ye Xiuzhu and Du Zhun also looked disapproving. Wen Xun frowned, hesitant to speak.
Song Wenzhuo seemed not to hear. He straightened up, took a step back, and distanced himself from Gu Zhinan. His gaze swept over everyone in the hall, finally landing on Fu Yunshu.
"Grandmaster Uncle, fellow disciples," Song Wenzhuo's voice regained its usual composure, but it was tinged with a resolute weariness, "This matter arose because of Gu Yuan, and it should be resolved by him. If any accidents occur, my husband and I will bear the responsibility."
Fu Yunshu chuckled: "I'm not dead yet, it's not your turn, you two juniors."
He turned to look at Gu Zhinan and said calmly, "You should set off immediately, or you might not make it in time."
After Gu Zhinan left, Song Wenzhuo, who had been so assertive just moments before, slumped wearily in his seat, rubbing his temples.
"Sect Master, are we just going to let him go like this?" Du Zhun was still somewhat unwilling.
Song Wenzhuo shook his head: "They say you learn from your mistakes. Countless times I've regretted letting him go down the mountain alone to gain experience back then. How could I make the same mistake again?"
“Grandmaster Uncle,” Song Wenzhuo looked at Fu Yunshu, “I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you to make the trip yourself.”
“It’s alright,” Fu Yunshu nodded. “Li Sheng, come with me. Aren’t you also worried about your friend?”
Yin Lisheng was stunned. He thought he had suppressed his minor emotions well, and that such a small matter was insignificant compared to many important matters. He did not expect that Fu Yunshu would still notice it.
Feeling a sweet warmth in his heart, he readily agreed, "Yes."
Fu Yunshu and Yin Lisheng also left, leaving Ye Xiuzhu and the others somewhat bewildered.
Du Zhun spoke first: "Sect Master, what exactly is going on?"
Song Wenzhuo explained, "When I returned from Youxu that day, I began to investigate Yan Nanqiu. For the past few decades, he has been using the alias Qiu Nan in Qingyuan Sect and has basically not been to any other places. However, 'Yan Nanqiu' has committed a lot of evil deeds over the years, so there must be something fishy about this."
"After Yan Ji was imprisoned, the whereabouts of the five demon generals became unknown. Everyone thought that Yan Nanqiu had killed them, but over the years, from Luo Yun to Li Sha, it has been proven that they are not only alive and well, but have also been plotting something behind the scenes. Was Yan Ji really imprisoned before? Who is the true ruler of the demon race?"
"Thinking about it this way, Yan Nanqiu's rise to power back then was indeed strange," Wen Xun also analyzed. "Yan Ji controlled the Demon Clan for many years and had many subordinates. How could Yan Nanqiu, a powerless crown prince who lived under his nose, turn the tables and kill Yan Ji in one fell swoop?"
Song Wenzhuo said, "Gu Yuan absolutely has to go on this trip."
"We can't just let him go alone like that!" Ning Xuexi said anxiously.
Song Wenzhu chuckled: "Isn't your grandmaster uncle with you?"
“And who said I’m not going?” Song Wenzhu blinked. “The Demon Clan is in turmoil. Isn’t this the best time to attack the Demon Clan? Let’s convene a meeting with the other major powers. They should still be here by now.”
The Demon Realm is shrouded in darkness.
There is no distinction between day and night here; it is perpetually shrouded in an eerie light that blends scarlet and dark purple. The air is filled with the pungent stench of rotting corpses and blood.
Gu Zhinan concealed his aura, and like a shadowy figure, silently infiltrated Yin'an City, a major stronghold of the Demon Clan. This place was once the central hub of the northern Demon Realm, one of the most prosperous and well-informed places in the Demon Realm.
He changed into an inconspicuous gray-black cloak, concealing his face in the shadow of the hood. Then he found a dilapidated tavern on a street corner and went inside. The tavern was smoky and filled with the stench of cheap demonic liquor and sweat. Gu Zhinan chose a corner seat, ordered the cheapest liquor, and silently listened to the conversations of the demons around him.
"Have you heard? Security at the Blood Abyss has been tightened again, they say it's to prevent a prison break..."
"Breakout? Who dares to break into the Blood-Weeping Abyss? That's a net laid out by His Majesty the Demon Lord himself!"
"Hehe, that's hard to say. Our Crown Prince, though now a prisoner, was quite shrewd back in the day. Who knows if he still has a former lover..."
"Hahaha, you don't really think that Gu Zhinan from the Qingyuan Sect will come to save him, do you?"
"Who knows? What if?"
"Doesn't His Highness the Crown Prince also have half human blood? Perhaps they might come to his rescue out of consideration for their shared race?"
"Hmm? His Highness the Crown Prince has human blood? Where did you hear that?"
Gu Zhinan paused. Yan Nanqiu's mother was human? Could his interactions with her be related to this?
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Author's Note: My update schedule was a bit irregular due to a cold and fever, but I've adjusted my sleep schedule today. Updates will resume between 8 PM and 10 PM from today onwards. I'll be updating more frequently starting tomorrow. [kissing emoji]
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