Duan Chongque was in shock as his powerful attack was effortlessly stopped by Lu Ran. Lu Ran’s strength and control over magic were far beyond anything he had encountered before. With a flick of his wrist, Lu Ran disintegrated the black sword in Duan Chongque’s hand into worthless pieces of scrap metal.
Duan Chongque couldn’t hide the disbelief on his face.
Duan Chongque swung his sword once again with tremendous force, splitting the ground open to create a massive chasm. The walls were shaken and collapsed due to the powerful shockwaves.
Lu Ran endured this attack without uttering a sound, not even a groan. He immediately erected a barrier, shielding himself and placing it over Gu Yunkai. The surrounding wind howled, causing his robes and long hair to flutter wildly. In the next instant, Lu Ran swiftly moved in front of Duan Chongque. Without hesitation, Duan Chongque thrust his demonic sword towards Lu Ran, but Lu Ran’s wrist turned, and he grasped the sword’s blade with two strong currents of dark energy. With a gentle flick of his other hand, the pitch-black sword disintegrated inch by inch into useless fragments right before Duan Chongque’s eyes.
Duan Chongque’s expression revealed his utter shock.
The strength of these two individuals is overwhelmingly powerful. Outside the sleeping chamber, the surrounding magic cultivators dared not approach, standing at the entrance, exchanging nervous glances, afraid that they might be blown away again by accident.
Now, both of them have no weapons in their hands, and they no longer engage in back-and-forth combat. Instead, they directly clash head-on using their formidable magic.
The roof of the sleeping chamber was forcefully lifted by the intense magic of the two, and a mixture of flying sand and shattered stones exploded into a blinding white light, accompanied by a deafening roar. Meanwhile, Fu Qingzhou had dealt with a magic cultivator who had somehow been drawn here. He simply took a step forward, and his sword swiftly darted towards this side like lightning.
Gu Yunkai only heard the whistling of the wind in his ears. He looked up and saw Fu Qingzhou being lifted away by this powerful gust, unable to get close to the battlefield, and sighed softly in his heart.
It’s not that his combat abilities are lacking, but rather that Lu Ran’s performance is beyond the ordinary.
Fu Qingzhou persisted, and his sword performed a few flashy maneuvers in the air before stabilizing. His sword hovered over the sleeping chamber, and with just one glance, he spotted the two figures at the center of the battlefield. One of them had their back to him, black hair and black clothes billowing in the wind, creating a mysterious aura, and an intense aura of magic surrounded their body.
Duan Chongque couldn’t evade in time and was caught off guard by Lu Ran’s magic, getting knocked back and colliding with a stone pillar inside the hall. He immediately spat out a mouthful of blood.
Lu Ran stood with his arms crossed in front of him. “Still not willing to admit defeat?”
However, there was no hint of panic in Duan Chongque’s eyes. Instead, he displayed a confident smile, as if victory was assured. “Lu Ran, don’t you want to know why, despite your rapid progress over the past hundred years, you still can’t break through?”
Lu Ran remained expressionless. “Oh?”
Duan Chongque was momentarily taken aback by Lu Ran’s complete lack of reaction, but he pressed on with determination. “Why don’t you ask your esteemed master? He should know best. But I never expected the mighty Demon Sovereign to be so loyal. After all, it was Master Gu Yunkai who personally banished you from the Demon Realm all those years ago, and yet you still protect him so fiercely. I believe Master Gu should indeed be unforgettable in some aspects…”
Before he could finish speaking, Lu Ran’s eyes turned completely crimson, his body radiating surging dark energy. However, the pressure around him remained remarkably low. Duan Chongque found his throat constricted, choking and turning red in the face, but a triumphant smile played on his lips.
Lu Ran’s eyes darkened, and he had a growing sense of unease. Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind him say, “Stop! Or I’ll kill him!”
As this command echoed, the surrounding magic and the howling wind gradually subsided. Fu Qingzhou finally got a clear view of the person in the center. However, when he saw the familiar face that he thought he would never see again, he could hardly believe his eyes.
“Senior Brother…”
How could Senior Brother be here… and moreover…
Lu Ran found himself in a dilemma as the magic cultivator behind him had one hand gripping Gu Yunkai’s neck and the other positioning him as a shield. “Let us go, or I’ll kill this person.”
Before Fu Qingzhou could make sense of it all, he saw Gu Yunkai fall into the hands of the magic cultivator who had entered alongside him, and it became clear that he had likely been manipulated by someone.
Indeed, it was a well-prepared move. Lu Ran, seeing Gu Yunkai in the hands of the magic cultivator, reluctantly released his grip. However, his body continued to seethe with surging dark energy, leaving Duan Chongque’s internal organs all but dislodged.
“Still not letting go?!”
The magic cultivator, petrified under Lu Ran’s intense crimson gaze, trembled and almost pushed Gu Yunkai away. Fortunately, Gu Yunkai, the hostage, cooperated perfectly, sparing the magic cultivator from further anxiety.
Lu Ran’s expression turned menacing, and outside the hall, the other magic cultivators, realizing that the situation had reached a deadlock, were beginning to push their way inside, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of the situation. Fu Qingzhou, observing this, subtly tugged at the clothing of one of the magic cultivators and blended into their ranks, all the while suppressing his inner turmoil. “Senior Brother… Master…”
Lu Ran’s eyes grew ominously dark, and he turned his icy gaze to the side, issuing a cold command, “Get out.”
The magic cultivators who hadn’t entered yet, including Fu Qingzhou, were forcefully expelled once more.
“Give me the sword…” Duan Chongque, supporting his injured arm, stood beside Gu Yunkai.
Without hesitation, Lu Ran raised his hand and tossed his concealed blade away. His face remained calm, but beneath his sleeve, his tightly clenched fist revealed bulging veins. “Release him, and I can let you go.”
Duan Chongque shook his head, smiling, “Do you know why I came here today? It would be in the best interest of Demon Sovereign to let us go, or else, with Master Gu’s spiritual power sealed, I believe killing him would be as easy as pie.”
Lu Ran’s pupils had now completely turned crimson. “Do you think that if you kill him, you can leave this place alive?”
“Then it’s up to our Demon Sovereign to decide.” He wore an expression of absolute confidence. Without waiting for Lu Ran’s response, he launched a sudden attack, swiftly picking up Gu Yunkai and making his escape.
Lu Ran stood in place, on the verge of giving chase, but suddenly recalled Duan Chongque’s earlier words.
His gaze darkened slightly, and he looked at the sleeping chamber now reduced to ruins. Many things that had once seemed ordinary now appeared suspicious.
Back in the Demon Realm, why had his Master been so eager to banish him upon discovering his cultivation of demonic power, instead of allowing the Sect Master of the Floating Light Sect to pass judgment?
No matter what Duan Chongque might know, if he dared to target Gu Yunkai, he deserved to die!
Fu Qingzhou, witnessing his Master being abducted, then turning to see Lu Ran, who was brimming with a murderous aura, was deeply puzzled. However, this was the Demon Palace, not a place he could linger for long. But in that moment of hesitation, he sensed an icy and merciless gaze locked onto him.
Step by step, a figure approached him, someone who had perished alongside him a hundred years ago. Finally, a tall figure stood before him, emanating an aura as if frozen in time. The “Senior Brother” that Fu Qingzhou had intended to utter got stuck in his throat.
…
Although Duan Chongque had successfully abducted Gu Yunkai, he had also sustained severe injuries. To remain concealed, he took refuge in a small town within the vicinity of the Red Cloud City.
While this place was close to the Demon Palace, it fell under Duan Chongque’s jurisdiction, making it relatively safe.
Duan Chongque placed Gu Yunkai down and discovered that Gu Yunkai had fallen into a deep unconsciousness. His eyes were tightly shut, his face and lips were pale, and his breathing was weak.
Duan Chongque, however, had no concerns. Gu Yunkai had used his own cultivation to suppress the demonic energy within Lu Ran’s body. At the time, Gu Yunkai had believed that his advanced cultivation would be more than enough to handle the situation. But now, with Lu Ran’s formidable power, if he couldn’t eliminate Lu Ran, there would come a day when his Dantian would completely shatter due to the backlash from the demonic energy.
Duan Chongque actually looked forward to that day and wondered what choice Gu Yunkai would make. He never truly believed in human nature, especially in the case of Gu Yunkai, the hypocritical Peak Master of the Cloud Crane Peak, who preached righteousness and morality while being the most selfish of them all…
Or rather, he was very curious about how Lu Ran, the seeker of truth, would react… that would undoubtedly be quite interesting…
As soon as Gu Yunkai regained consciousness, he sensed a faint and fleeting spiritual energy wandering within his Dantian, though it was incredibly weak. He immediately assumed a meditative posture and attempted to guide the spiritual energy within him. However, it was as if a broken faucet, with the flow of energy intermittent and unreliable.
He examined his Dantian and was shocked to find it empty, a desolate void where his spiritual energy once resided.
[Host, I have good news and bad news for you. The good news is that the male protagonist has managed to remove the restrictions on you. However, the bad news is that your young disciple has fallen into the hands of the male protagonist.]
[Oh.]
[…Host, aren’t you worried about what the male protagonist might do to him?]
[Rest assured, as long as he can endure, I will be able to rescue him very soon.]
[But what if he can’t endure?]
[…Hehe, don’t worry, that won’t happen.]
“Master Gu, I’ve come in.”
Duan Chongque pushed aside the curtain and entered, his hands behind his back. However, he still held one hand up, and suddenly, a sharp sword’s whistle approached. His vision blurred, and a pure white longsword was now held at his neck.
Duan Chongque was, after all, the formidable former Demon Sovereign. His recovery abilities were indeed exceptional. After a night in seclusion, he showed no signs of the battered appearance from the previous day. However, he hadn’t expected Gu Yunkai, who had been at death’s door just yesterday, to recover so quickly.
Nevertheless, he didn’t believe Gu Yunkai would harm him. “Is this how Master Gu treats his savior?”
Gu Yunkai’s gaze remained cold, and he arched an eyebrow in an ambiguous manner. His words, when he finally spoke, were icy, “I can assist you.”
Duan Chongque burst into laughter, as if everything was going according to his expectations. When he saw Gu Yunkai yesterday, the latter was dressed only in innerwear, disheveled, which must have given him some insight into what Lu Ran, who had coveted his master for over a century, had done. However, given Gu Yunkai’s proud nature, he could never submit to someone in such a manner. The grievances and favors between them were not something to be shared with outsiders. “I knew Master Gu is a clever person. Rest assured, as long as we remove Lu Ran and help me regain control of the Demon Realm, I can sign a truce agreement. Then, the realms of immortals and demons can coexist harmoniously, without war for a century.”
After hearing this, Gu Yunkai summoned Mystic Frost sword, uttered a curt “Thank you,” and promptly left without any hesitation.
Duan Chongque made no attempt to stop him. He believed that, given Gu Yunkai’s nature, he would never jeopardize the safety of the entire Floating Light Sect just because of his momentary soft-heartedness. Furthermore, he had made a decision a hundred years ago, and he had faith that the current Gu Yunkai would not disappoint him.
…
As soon as Gu Yunkai left the border between the Demon Realm and the Human Realm, he heard news of recent provocations by the Demon Realm against the Floating Light Sect. What’s more, the demons had been cunning and devious, launching sneak attacks on the Floating Light Sect during the Sect Master’s cultivation.
He didn’t hesitate any longer and immediately summoned Mystic Frost to fly towards the Floating Light Sect.
[Host, what are you going back for this time? Shouldn’t you first go to rescue your young disciple?]
[Going back now would be suicide, wouldn’t it? I’ll just pretend not to know… Besides, I believe Lu Ran won’t harm his young disciple. After all, he’s a kind-hearted child!]
[…]
In just three hours of flying on his sword, Gu Yunkai arrived at the Floating Light Sect. He saw the sect nestled amidst a sea of ethereal mist and clouds, with its peaks scattered in a picturesque manner. Amidst countless mountains, there were occasional celestial cranes darting downward.
From above, he could already see the main peak of the Floating Light Sect, Cyan Cliff Peak, in a state of chaos. Several of the side halls had been reduced to ruins, bearing the marks of battles and fires. However, on the square in front of the main hall of Cyan Cliff Peak, there were still many people gathered. They wore the disciples’ attire of various peaks. As Gu Yunkai ascended the stairs of Cyan Cliff Peak, the disciple guarding the gate recognized him and rushed to salute.
Gu Yunkai knew that news of his disappearance had been suppressed. He raised his hand to stop them and said, “I wish to see the Sect Master.”
Cyan Cliff Peak’s square had always been a gathering place for gossip. Before Gu Yunkai even arrived, he overheard hushed conversations among the crowd.
“Have you heard? Sect Master Gu didn’t go into seclusion; he was actually abducted. Think about it, Sect Master Gu had just come out of seclusion. How could he possibly choose to seclude himself again during such a critical moment? There’s definitely something fishy about this.”
“Where did you hear this from? It’s impossible! Sect Master Gu’s cultivation is so high; there are very few who could match him. Besides, if someone had broken through the Cloud Crane Peak’s barrier, how could we not know at all?”
“Have you not felt the increasing audacity of the Demon Realm recently? There are even rumors that the Demon Realm has changed hands long ago. That demon leader is incredibly powerful, even Duan Chongque isn’t his match. They’ve been provoking our sect’s affiliated clans multiple times… I think the situation is dire, and a major battle may be inevitable. In such a critical moment, don’t you find it suspicious that Sect Master Gu chose to go into seclusion?”
“…”
Just as the disciples were heatedly debating, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, “It’s Sect Master Gu.”
Following the source of the voice, the noisy crowd immediately fell into a solemn silence. The man had an appearance as cold and pure as the snow at the summit of a high mountain. He wore white robes that radiated a serene brilliance. Although he had a tranquil demeanor, every disciple on the square instantly became as quiet as chickens. It wasn’t that Gu Yunkai was particularly terrifying; it was just that they couldn’t explain why, but a deep sense of reverence and respect arose from their hearts. Involuntarily, they maintained silence upon seeing him.
Gu Yunkai proceeded straight to the main hall of Cyan Cliff Peak. Along the way, a disciple seemed startled by his presence and hastily saluted.
Gu Yunkai’s expression was worried, and he immediately asked, “How is the Sect Master now?”
“The demons invaded, and the Sect Master forcibly broke through the barrier to leave. Right now, Master Meng is tending to his injuries,” the disciple replied.
Gu Yunkai nodded and stepped directly into the main hall. By this time, Chi Xingzhao had finished tending to the Sect Master’s injuries. As soon as he entered, he was met with Meng Xueting’s pleasantly surprised eyes. “Yunkai.”
Seeing him return safely, Chi Xingzhao reached out to check his condition for any abnormalities, but apart from a slight sluggishness in his spiritual energy, she found nothing else wrong.
“Yunkai, where have you been all this time? Both Master and Senior Brother were very worried about you. Qingzhou has also been concerned about your well-being.”
It wasn’t that they were too trusting; after all, Gu Yunkai was used to going his own way, and his whereabouts were often unpredictable. Moreover, no one could have imagined that someone could silently take away the Peak Master of Cloud Crane Peak from the Floating Light Sect without a trace.
Gu Yunkai understood her concerns and spoke softly, “I’m fine, please don’t worry, Senior Sister. How is the Sect Master doing now?”
Meng Xueting’s expression remained solemn, and his worry deepened. “He forcibly broke through the barrier, causing his true qi to flow in the opposite direction. However, it’s not a major issue, Yunkai. But I have another question for you.”
Gu Yunkai’s brow twitched slightly, and he replied respectfully, “Please, Uncle, go ahead.”
“Do you know who injured the Sect Master?” After asking this question, Meng Xueting noticed a slight change in Gu Yunkai’s expression, which made him raise an eyebrow inexplicably. It was as if he had a bad premonition, a feeling that something had already gone far beyond his control…
As expected, in the next moment, Meng Xueting saw a young man with a cool demeanor standing in front of him. He took a step forward, holding Mystic Frost, and then knelt heavily on the stone steps.
Chi Xingzhao was taken aback by his actions and hurriedly asked, “Yunkai, what are you doing?”
Meng Xueting, seeing his reaction, furrowed his brow even tighter. “It seems you knew long ago why that villain is still alive. Didn’t you say that he had fallen in the battle in the Demon Realm?”
The young man stood tall, holding Mystic Frost, and kept his eyes lowered.
Chi Xingzhao, standing nearby, seemed as if she couldn’t understand what they were talking about at all.
“It’s okay; this matter is not your fault. That villain probably still harbors resentment for what happened back then. I don’t know where he gained such cultivation, but it’s likely that he won’t let this go. I never expected that the menace threatening the Three Realms was actually someone my Floating Light Sect had nurtured with our own hands. It’s truly absurd…”
Meng Xueting had intended to say more, but when he glanced at Gu Yunkai still kneeling on the steps, he stopped and spoke slowly, “You may rise now; we can discuss this matter further.”
Gu Yunkai lowered his head but spoke decisively, as if breaking a precious gem into pieces, “Yunkai is guilty. In the battle in the Demon Realm, I protected and shielded a disciple under my command for personal reasons, which has now caused a grave mistake and implicated Sect Master, who is gravely injured. I ask Senior Uncle to punish me.”
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