Those inside Wang Yunxi’s room were stunned into silence. Their attention soon shifted toward Gu Qinghe.
Before this, they had known him as a useless young master—soone unreliable and unworthy of his clan’s na.
But now, everything had changed. If what Wang Yunxi said was true, then Gu Qinghe had undergone a transformation none of them had ever expected.
Amid their conversation, Gu Qinghe suddenly felt a tight pain in his chest. His head spun, and his body grew weak.
He dropped to his knees and coughed up blood into his hand.
"Qing’er?" Yunxi called out in panic.
This must be the aftereffect of the battle with Lin Ruyue. I used too much qi to destroy the formation cores.
Wang Yunxi quickly ford hand seals and directed her qi forward. The energy slowly flowed into Gu Qinghe’s body.
Through her perception, she could see that Gu Qinghe’s qi had been heavily depleted, and his body was injured.
"You... you’re hurt?"
Gu Qinghe forced himself to stand, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips.
"I’m fine, Mother. May I cultivate here at the Wang Clan residence?"
"Of course. You may, Qing’er."
He nodded and followed Wang Yunxi as she guided him further inside.
They arrived at the back garden of the Wang Clan residence, where a large tree stood tall.
Gu Qinghe observed the surroundings and imdiately sensed the abundant flow of qi gathering in that place.
"You can cultivate and recover here," Wang Yunxi said.
"This... is a good place," Gu Qinghe replied.
Yunxi smiled warmly as she looked at him. For a brief mont, his expression carried a sense of composure and authority.
As a Core Formation cultivator, Gu Qinghe now carried himself like a true expert.
He sat cross-legged beneath the tree, forming hand seals as qi began to flow steadily into his body.
He activated a common cultivation technique, not the Silent Yin Extraction thod.
His eyes closed as his body relaxed, allowing the qi to circulate and replenish him.
Wang Yunxi watched for a mont before sitting beside him and cultivating as well.
Many mbers of the Wang Clan noticed the two of them in the back courtyard.
So grew curious about Gu Qinghe’s abilities, especially after hearing rumors that he had completely changed.
Still, the news that Wang Yunxi’s ridian Ice Curse had been broken was far more important.
It was a cause for celebration within the Wang Clan.
They no longer had to worry about her lifespan being eroded by the Yin-based curse.
***
Three days later.
The Wang Clan decided to hold a tea gathering and invited all the patriarchs of the other clans in Hongsu City.
That night, lanterns lit up the area, stretching from house to house and from tree to tree.
Wooden tables were arranged across the front courtyard as guests arrived one after another.
mbers of the Wang Clan gathered, drinking tea and chatting among themselves.
Wang Yunxi attended the gathering—but Gu Qinghe did not.
"We’re glad to see you’ve recovered so quickly, Miss Wang Yunxi," soone from another clan said.
Wang Yunxi smiled gently and thanked them, but her attention kept drifting toward the back courtyard.
Gu Qinghe was still there, cultivating alone.
She had recovered within a single day.
But Gu Qinghe showed no signs of recovering anyti soon.
So elders had suggested waking him from his cultivation, but Wang Yunxi refused.
He needed as much ti as necessary to recover, and she had no intention of disturbing him.
In the back courtyard, several Wang Clan mbers approached and saw Gu Qinghe still sitting cross-legged in ditation.
They could feel the powerful qi gathered within his body—a Core Formation cultivator’s presence.
"What if we test his strength? I doubt he’s the one who cured Lady Yunxi," one of them said.
"Better not. He’s a Core Formation cultivator. He could defeat us easily."
"There are five of us and only one of him. We won’t kill him—just injure him a little."
One of the n ford a hand seal, and a flying sword materialized from his qi.
With a forward motion, he launched the attack toward Gu Qinghe.
Gu Qinghe sensed the threat instantly.
His eyes snapped open, and he raised two fingers, forming a protective spell that blocked the incoming sword.
The sword collided with his barrier and exploded with a loud crash.
Wang Yunxi heard the explosion and narrowed her eyes.
That sound had clearly co from the back courtyard.
Gu Qinghe’s gaze turned cold. Golden qi gathered at his fingertips as a wave of pressure descended upon the five Foundation Establishnt cultivators.
They dropped to their knees and coughed up blood, overwheld by his power.
"You... tried to kill ?!"
"No, Young Master Gu, we were just—"
"Liars," Gu Qinghe said coldly, increasing the pressure.
The five of them collapsed further, coughing blood again.
"We were just... testing your strength," the man admitted.
Gu Qinghe narrowed his eyes before withdrawing the pressure.
They finally regained the ability to move, though their bodies were still weak.
"Thank you for your rcy, Young Master Gu."
"Wait," Gu Qinghe said.
"You said you wanted to test my strength?"
The man quickly tried to correct himself, claiming it was just a joke and a reckless act.
Gu Qinghe raised his hand.
A golden orb of soul energy ford at his fingertips and shot forward, entering the man’s dantian instantly.
The man froze, his eyes widening in shock.
"Let you be the witness that you will never surpass my power."
Inside the man’s dantian, Gu Qinghe’s soul energy transford into a massive golden primordial soul.
It grasped the sea of dantian in its hand, while the man’s own soul could only stare in terror.
"How is this possible? You’re only Core Formation... how do you already possess a primordial soul?!"
"AAAHHH!"
The man scread as the primordial soul’s gaze locked onto him.
Gu Qinghe withdrew his soul essence, releasing the man from the illusion.
"Junior sincerely apologizes. I was disrespectful," the man said, kowtowing repeatedly.
Not long after, Wang Yunxi arrived with several elders.
The five clan mbers imdiately turned and bowed.
Wang Yunxi demanded an explanation for the explosion.
"It’s nothing serious. They ca seeking guidance from ," Gu Qinghe said.
"Is that true?"
"Y-Yes, Lady Yunxi," the man replied, not daring to contradict him.
Wang Yunxi sighed in relief and dismissed them from the courtyard.
Now, only she, Gu Qinghe, and two Wang Clan elders remained.
"Have you recovered, Qinghe?" Yunxi asked.
"Yes. My qi has been sufficiently restored," Gu Qinghe replied.
"That’s a relief," she said softly.
She invited him to join the celebration that night.
However, Gu Qinghe stood up and walked toward her.
"My purpose in coming here is fulfilled. You’ve been freed from the ridian Ice Curse—that’s enough."
"The relationship between the Wang Clan and the Gu Clan isn’t good right now. It’s better if I leave."
"You’re leaving?"
"Yes," Gu Qinghe replied. "There are matters I need to handle."
Wang Yunxi fell silent for a mont before lifting her head.
"Let co with you."
Gu Qinghe raised his hand and gently placed it on her shoulder.
He then knelt and bowed three tis before her—a gesture of farewell.
"My path of cultivation is dangerous. I can’t put you at risk."
"But I’ll be fine, Mother. I promise."
He stood up.
Wang Yunxi could no longer hold back her emotions. She stepped forward and embraced him tightly.
"Be careful, Qing’er. If there’s anything you can’t handle, co back to the Wang Clan. I will help you."
Reviews
All reviews (0)