Chapter 84
Shen Lijun clenched his fists.
His gaze was sharp enough to pierce flesh as he stared at Gu Qinghong, who was currently wrapped up in a tender reconciliation with Xiao Siwen.
This man was truly despicable.
Not only had he ruined his own reputation, but he had dragged Shao Qiuyan down with him.
And that informant wasn't any better.
Shao Qiuyan and Gu Qinghong clearly had no such relationship, yet that person had deliberately twisted the truth and spread rumors without the slightest concern for her situation.
If Shen Lijun ever found out who it was, he definitely wouldn't let them off easily.
As for whether Xiao Siwen could see through Gu Qinghong's deception and respond rationally...
Shen Lijun had very little hope.
This woman had long since been completely manipulated by Gu Qinghong. Her possessiveness toward him ran deep.
If she heard such rumors, she would inevitably assume Shao Qiuyan was the problem—that Shao Qiuyan had designs on her man.
If things developed that way, the consequences would be extremely unfavorable for Shao Qiuyan.
Meanwhile, Gu Qinghong could practically feel Shen Lijun's burning stare drilling into his back. Yet he remained focused on soothing Xiao Siwen.
He knew exactly what mattered most.
As long as Xiao Siwen believed him, all of Shen Lijun's provocations would amount to nothing.
Fortunately, his efforts paid off.
After a round of sweet words, patient persuasion, and flawless acting, Xiao Siwen finally smiled again.
"I'll forgive you this time."
She poked his chest lightly.
"But if it happens again, I won't let you off so easily."
The words sounded stern, the tone was anything but.
"There won't be a next time."
Gu Qinghong immediately seized the opportunity.
"How could I make the same mistake twice?"
He paused before adding in an aggrieved voice, "If anyone says something suspicious to you again, at least give me a chance to explain first. Otherwise..."
He deliberately left the sentence unfinished.
Xiao Siwen quickly shook her head. "No. I won't."
Then she shot Shen Lijun a furious glare.
"This is all his fault! If he hadn't deliberately tried to drive a wedge between us, we wouldn't have argued today!"
Ever since she and Gu Qinghong had gotten together, he had always treated her attentively. They had never even had a serious argument before.
Yet today, because of Shen Lijun, they had nearly quarreled.
The more Xiao Siwen thought about it, the angrier she became.
Her glare practically sparked.
The surrounding disciples watched with great enthusiasm.
Cultivation was tedious.
Entertainment like this was rare.
Not far away, Si Nidie couldn't wait to hear what came next.
When she glanced toward her junior sister, she found Lou Yuqing wearing an indifferent expression. But beneath that calm exterior, there was a faint trace of anger.
Si Nidie blinked.
What exactly did Junior Sister know?
Lou Yuqing took a deep breath and silently calmed herself.
Nearby, Gu Buqi glanced at his little disciple. He could vaguely guess what was bothering her.
He wanted to comfort her.
Unfortunately, the mysterious restriction prevented him from doing anything.
All he could do was quietly observe.
At the same time, Ling Yunxiao was observing both Lou Yuqing and Gu Buqi.
The more he watched, the stranger it felt.
Senior Brother Gu's concern for Junior Sister Yuqing seemed unusually intense.
What exactly was their relationship?
For once, Ling Yunxiao's thoughts were in complete disarray.
Perhaps he should investigate Gu Buqi—just to put his mind at ease.
After all, he had been away on missions most of the time lately and rarely stayed within the sect.
If...
The thought stopped there.
Because he suddenly realized he didn't want to imagine the possibility.
The rest of the crowd, however, remained fully invested in the spectacle.
Shen Lijun lifted his chin and declared righteously, "What does this have to do with me? If your relationship were truly upright and honest, none of this would've happened."
He had no intention of accepting the blame Xiao Siwen was trying to dump on him.
"You shameless bastard!"
Xiao Siwen cursed furiously.
Unfortunately, the attack was completely ineffective.
Shen Lijun merely snorted. "Utterly foolish."
Xiao Siwen instantly raised a finger. "You—!"
Before she could continue, Gu Qinghong stepped in front of her.
"Leave this to me."
Then he looked at Shen Lijun.
"Sisi and I will discuss everything concerning Senior Sister Shao ourselves. There's no need for your interference."
His tone sharpened. "Instead, let me offer you some advice. Senior Sister Shao only has her fiancé in her heart. Why are you still indulging in such delusions?"
Xiao Siwen froze.
Surprise appeared first, then delight.
Although Gu Qinghong had already explained himself, she still harbored some resentment toward Shao Qiuyan.
Now, hearing that Shao Qiuyan already had someone she loved deeply, the last traces of her hostility vanished.
Shen Lijun's expression instantly darkened.
"Then let me give you some advice." His voice turned icy. "If you walk by the river often enough, eventually your shoes will get wet. One day, your wolfish ambitions will be exposed. And besides—"
He stared directly at Gu Qinghong. "That person is already dead. You're nothing more than a substitute. You never should've become involved with Qiuyan in the first place."
A substitute?
The smile on Xiao Siwen's face froze.
At the same time, Gu Qinghong's heart sank.
This was bad.
Shen Lijun had become so enraged that he'd thrown caution to the wind and revealed the very thing Gu Qinghong least wanted exposed.
He had only just managed to pacify Xiao Siwen. Now all that effort was about to go up in smoke.
"Gu Qinghong!"
As expected, Xiao Siwen immediately pulled her sleeve free and demanded,
"What does he mean by that?!"
For a brief moment, embarrassment flashed across Gu Qinghong's face.
It disappeared almost immediately.
"Sisi." He sighed helplessly. "That's only his interpretation. I've known Senior Sister Shao for barely a few days. How exactly does that make me a substitute?"
Unexpectedly, the moment those words left his mouth—snickers erupted all around him.
Gu Qinghong turned around.
Every disciple present was looking at him with the same expression.
Do you really think anyone believes that?
A chill swept through him.
What was wrong with these people?
Hadn't they already enjoyed enough excitement today?
Xiao Siwen's expression flickered uncertainly.
Emotionally, she wanted to believe Gu Qinghong but rationally...
Shen Lijun's words were beginning to make sense.
Seeing her hesitation, Shen Lijun immediately delivered another devastating blow.
"You probably don't know this."
He looked directly at Xiao Siwen.
"Gu Qinghong bears a slight resemblance to Qiu Yan's fiancé."
The implication couldn't have been more obvious.
The substitute theory wasn't baseless at all.
Xiao Siwen's breathing grew heavier. She stared at Gu Qinghong in disbelief.
Gu Qinghong hurriedly defended himself. "Sisi, I truly know nothing about being a substitute!"
Shen Lijun let out a cold laugh.
"You say you didn't know?" His eyes were full of disbelief. "Then why weren't you even remotely polite when Qiuyan handed you a bottle of high-grade Spirit Gathering Pills?"
He didn't wait for an answer before continuing. "Besides, she's had substitutes before. Every one of them knew exactly what they were from the start, and every one of them accepted the benefits without hesitation."
His gaze lingered on Gu Qinghong.
"So tell me, why should you be any different?"
The surrounding disciples immediately nodded.
Exactly. That made perfect sense.
Gu Qinghong nearly exploded.
This mad dog had struck precisely where it hurt.
His situation was becoming increasingly difficult. The calm composure he'd maintained at the beginning was rapidly crumbling.
Beside him, Xiao Siwen pressed relentlessly.
"You accepted Spirit Gathering Pills from her? You'd only just met, and she gave you something that valuable? Is that true?"
Gu Qinghong's head was starting to ache.
At this point, his only option was to steer the discussion toward Senior Sister Shao herself.
Fortunately, she wasn't here. He could always smooth things over later—
"It's true."
A clear, melodious female voice suddenly descended from above.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
A female cultivator rode down from the sky atop a flying sword, landing gracefully before the crowd.
"Qiuyan!"
Shen Lijun's eyes lit up.
Shao Qiuyan usually avoided him. It had been a long time since he'd seen her appear openly like this.
Unfortunately, his excitement was short-lived.
Shao Qiuyan's cold gaze swept right past him without stopping. It landed directly on Xiao Siwen.
"I gave him the Spirit Gathering Pills because he somewhat resembles my deceased fiancé."
She spoke calmly. "Not because he was a substitute. If there's anything you don't understand, you may ask me directly."
She had heard every single one of Lou Yuqing's thoughts from beginning to end.
Previously, she had never thought there was anything wrong with using a substitute as emotional comfort.
Now, however, she suddenly realized her mistake.
The substitute had his own lover.
Failing to clarify the situation created enormous risks. She had never intended to interfere in Xiao Siwen's relationship.
Her requirements for a substitute had always been simple.
After investigating Gu Qinghong and finding no obvious problems, she hadn't given it much thought.
Who could have predicted that his character was so vile?
Not only did he climb upward by relying on women—he discarded them once they lost their usefulness.
What difference was there between such a person and a beast?
Thinking about the future she had originally been destined to walk...
Thinking about how she would have endured Gu Qinghong's deception...
Shao Qiuyan felt as though countless claws were tearing through her heart.
Fortunately, she already knew the predetermined ending. All she needed to do was find another substitute and diverge from the original path.
She wasn't lacking cultivation resources. Nor was she particularly attached to any substitute.
Changing course would simply make her feel much better.
Just as she prepared to resolve Xiao Siwen's misunderstanding—Lou Yuqing finally looked at the real Shao Qiuyan standing before her and couldn't help revealing her genuine thoughts.
[If we're ranking the biggest victims in all this gossip... Shao Qiuyan would definitely be near the top.]
Shao Qiuyan: ?
She couldn't understand.
Even if people later exposed the rumors about her affair with Gu Qinghong, the worst consequence should've been damage to her reputation within the sect.
How much worse could it possibly get?
Shen Lijun immediately perked up. His eyes locked onto Lou Yuqing.
What happened to Qiuyan afterward? Could it really be connected to Gu Qinghong?
The thought filled him with fury. He stopped bothering to hide his hostility and glared directly at Gu Qinghong.
The look in his eyes suggested he might kill him if given sufficient reason.
Meanwhile, Gu Qinghong had no energy left to pay attention to Shen Lijun.
The moment Shao Qiuyan personally revealed everything, he understood that his escape route had been cut off.
Still—Senior Sister Shao had denied the substitute accusation.
Perhaps...
Perhaps he could still use that to his advantage.
At the same time, Xiao Siwen stepped forward with undisguised hostility written all over her face.
"So you're Shao Qiuyan?"
Her eyes were full of vigilance.
"Gu Qinghong is my man. What exactly do you mean by giving him Spirit Gathering Pills? If he needs pills, I'll give them to him. You don't need to concern yourself with that."
Si Nidie was genuinely astonished.
She suddenly had the overwhelming urge to crack open Xiao Siwen's skull and see what was inside.
At a moment like this, she was still protecting Gu Qinghong?
Love really was a terrifying thing.
To everyone's surprise, Shao Qiuyan accepted responsibility immediately.
"You're right." She nodded slightly. "I didn't think it through carefully enough. From now on, I won't have any further contact with Gu Qinghong. You can rest assured."
Xiao Siwen froze.
Gu Qinghong looked up sharply in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Lou Yuqing's expression darkened.
[Why are you apologizing to Xiao Siwen? She's one of the people who ruined your life.]
Shao Qiuyan's gaze flickered.
[Xiao Siwen is narrow-minded by nature, especially when it comes to women connected to Gu Qinghong.]
[The moment she discovered your relationship with him wasn't entirely ordinary, she marched straight to Luoxue Peak and pinned all the blame on you.]
[Your reputation plummeted overnight.]
[You tried your best to defend yourself. Your master even pressured people behind the scenes.]
[But no one can silence gossip. After all, your feelings toward Gu Qinghong were indeed unusual.]
[And just like that, the real culprit conveniently disappeared from the story.]
Lou Yuqing's cold gaze landed directly on Gu Qinghong.
Shao Qiuyan frowned slightly.
The words made her uncomfortable, but they weren't entirely unexpected. Even so, none of this was enough to prove Xiao Siwen had actually murdered her.
Had she done something even worse later on?
Beside her, Shen Lijun's anger surged. He had always known this couple wasn't made of good stuff.
They took every benefit for themselves while Qiuyan bore all the consequences.
What kind of ridiculous arrangement was that?
Meanwhile, Lou Yuqing's thoughts continued.
[At that point, Gu Qinghong had already begun neglecting Xiao Siwen.]
[Using the incident as an excuse, he tried to break things off amicably and use the opportunity to get closer to Shao Qiuyan.]
[After all, even though Shao Qiuyan's reputation had suffered, she still possessed an enormous amount of cultivation resources.]
[And those resources were exactly what Gu Qinghong wanted.]
The crowd's expressions grew uglier and uglier.
Then came the next revelation.
[But Xiao Siwen refused to leave. In a fit of anger, she ran into the Demon Mountain Range.]
[To maintain his image, Gu Qinghong could only chase after her and keep trying to persuade her to return.]
[The two eventually had a vicious argument. Xiao Siwen even slapped him.]
[That slap reminded Gu Qinghong of all the humiliations he'd suffered in the past. And at that moment, an evil thought took root in his heart.]
A chill swept through the crowd.
Lou Yuqing's voice remained calm.
Too calm.
Which only made it more terrifying.
[He lured Xiao Siwen into a place infested with demonic beasts. Then he stood there and watched as she was torn apart.]
[After returning to the sect, he claimed she had died at the claws of demonic beasts and everyone believed him.]
The entire arena fell silent.
Not even the wind seemed willing to make a sound.
[When Shao Qiuyan learned about Xiao Siwen's death, she was consumed by guilt. She believed she was responsible.]
[Because of that, she tried to compensate Gu Qinghong even more, hoping to atone for her supposed sin.]
Everyone was stunned.
Boom!
A muffled impact rang out.
Gu Qinghong doubled over and collapsed to the ground clutching his stomach. His face twisted with pain as he glared at Shen Lijun.
"Senior Brother! You attacked me without warning! If this reaches the Enforcement Hall, you'll be punished!"
Shen Lijun answered with a cold laugh. "Good. Because I'm hitting you."
He rolled up his sleeves and lunged forward.
Another punch flew.
Naturally, Gu Qinghong wasn't willing to stand there and take it. He sprang to his feet and narrowly dodged.
Xiao Siwen rushed forward, trying to break up the fight.
Unfortunately, her cultivation was far too weak to be useful.
Nearby, Shao Qiuyan watched everything in silence.
For the first time in her life, she felt genuinely foolish. She couldn't believe she had been deceived so thoroughly.
Couldn't believe she had fallen for it.
Doubt gnawed relentlessly at her heart.
On the other side, Si Nanren and the law enforcement disciples exchanged glances.
Technically, they were obligated to intervene whenever sect rules were broken.
The problem was, these crimes hadn't happened yet. So how exactly were they supposed to enforce rules against future offenses?
Ling Yunxiao's eyes flickered.
"Let them vent."
His voice was calm.
"Captain Wei knows right from wrong. He won't blame us for looking the other way."
Si Nanren nodded immediately. "Exactly. Besides, we're not on duty today."
He crossed his arms. "If we're not on duty, then we're not law enforcement disciples. Today we're just ordinary disciples watching a fight."
Si Nidie clicked her tongue.
Her brother's shameless logic was truly reaching new heights.
Then she turned back toward Gu Qinghong with an expressionless face.
This man didn't deserve to be a disciple of the Wendao Sect.
Whether it was murdering a fellow disciple or murdering his own wife—either crime was enough to condemn him.
Among everyone present, however, the person who sympathized most with Xiao Siwen was Shi Xiuxiu.
After all, she had nearly died at her husband's hands as well.
If not for Senior Sister Lou's guidance, she might not have survived.
Now that Gu Qinghong's true face had been exposed, Xiao Siwen should have a chance to escape her fate and start over.
But... Xiao Siwen was stubborn.
Painfully stubborn.
Unless she personally witnessed the truth, she probably wouldn't give up.
If only she could hear Senior Sister Lou's thoughts. That would make everything much easier.
Especially since there didn't seem to be any direct evidence from the future.
Thinking of this, Shi Xiuxiu frowned.
"Stop hitting him!"
Seeing Gu Qinghong being beaten from beginning to end, Xiao Siwen turned desperately toward the crowd.
"Please help Brother Qinghong! I'll pay spirit stones!"
Not a single person moved. Nobody was charitable enough to help a scumbag.
Shi Xiuxiu was about to speak.
She wanted to persuade Xiao Siwen before it was too late.
Then Lou Yuqing's voice echoed again.
[Good! Beat him to death!]
[Actually, it'd be even better if Xiao Siwen got beaten too!]
Shi Xiuxiu froze.
Huh?
Then came the explanation.
[This woman carries Nightmare Clan blood.]
[Not only did she survive the Wraith Mountains, she actually benefited from the disaster and reconstructed her body.]
[After her cultivation succeeded, she went looking for Gu Qinghong and demanded an answer. She wanted to know whether he had ever truly loved her.]
Lou Yuqing nearly laughed.
[That part always cracks me up.]
[Does love really matter that much?]
[The man personally shoved you into a monster's mouth and your first thought isn't revenge? It's asking whether he loved you?]
[Speechless.]
The crowd was equally speechless.
Then Lou Yuqing continued.
[Naturally, this phoenix man said exactly what Xiao Siwen wanted to hear.]
[To save himself, he pushed all the blame onto Shao Qiuyan.]
[And just like that, Shao Qiuyan became the target of all Xiao Siwen's hatred.]
Shao Qiuyan's expression slowly darkened.
A bad feeling began creeping up her spine.
[Poor Shao Qiuyan knew absolutely nothing.]
[After being lured outside the sect by Gu Qinghong, she was trapped inside a formation by Xiao Siwen.]
[She spent the remainder of her life trapped in endless nightmares until her vitality was exhausted.]
The crowd collectively inhaled.
[There truly is no limit to how tragic things can become. She was only trying to do a good deed.]
[In the end, she lost her life. Even all the resources inside her storage pouch were stolen.]
[Heartless doesn't even begin to describe it.]
Shao Qiuyan stood frozen. Her fingers tightened around her sword.
Shen Lijun's eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
Meanwhile, Lou Yuqing's frustration grew stronger.
[If only Shao Qiuyan's master had managed to catch those two.]
[Unfortunately, Xiao Siwen had help from the Nightmare Clan. She escaped Gu Qinghong's pursuit and got away.]
[Damn it!]
Lou Yuqing's expression turned colder and colder.
[These two lunatics should've just kept tormenting each other.]
[Dead or alive, who cares?]
[Why did they have to drag innocent people into their mess just to feel important?]
Shi Xiuxiu fell silent.
The sympathy she had felt moments ago evaporated completely.
Xiao Siwen had actually murdered Shao Qiuyan.
How ridiculous her earlier thoughts seemed now.
Advise Xiao Siwen?
Please.
She'd be lucky if Xiao Siwen didn't stab her in the back for meddling.
The disciples who had previously pitied Xiao Siwen were equally horrified. They hurriedly withdrew their sympathy.
People really were impossible to judge by appearances.
"Brother." Si Nidie cracked her knuckles. "I want to hit someone."
Si Nanren nodded. "Me too."
The siblings exchanged a glance.
Spiritual energy quietly began circulating through their bodies.
At that exact moment, Shao Qiuyan drew her sword.
A terrifying pressure erupted from her, descending upon the arena like a mountain crashing from the heavens. She raised her blade and casually swept it through the air.
A brilliant arc of sword light flashed past.
Thud.
Gu Qinghong crashed to the ground.
Clutching his throat, he let out a miserable scream as blood seeped through his fingers.
The entire arena fell silent.
Someone swallowed audibly.
Even Shen Lijun's furious tirade came to an abrupt halt.
He turned toward Shao Qiuyan, opened his mouth, then found himself unable to say anything.
"He's not dead."
Shao Qiuyan's voice remained as calm as ever.
Then she swung her sword again.
This time, the target was Xiao Siwen.
The instant her blade moved, her aura locked onto the woman completely. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to dodge.
A flash of sword light streaked through the arena.
Moments later, Xiao Siwen followed directly in Gu Qinghong's footsteps.
The crowd instantly understood.
If they had endured what Shao Qiuyan had endured—they wouldn't have tolerated it either.
Only Lou Yuqing remained confused.
[Why did Shao Qiuyan suddenly attack these two lunatics?]
Shao Qiuyan paused.
A headache immediately began to form.
She had been so furious that she'd acted purely on instinct. After all, with her master there, she had never worried about the consequences.
Only now did she remember something crucial.
From Lou Yuqing's perspective, she shouldn't know any of this.
Fortunately, Shen Lijun reacted quickly.
"You don't need to resist!"
He immediately pointed at the pair, his expression righteous and his tone full of conviction.
"Qiuyan and I already know you're Nightmare Clan spies. We originally intended to keep watching you and gather more evidence before making a move."
His voice suddenly sharpened.
"But you've gone too far. We can't tolerate this any longer."
The more he spoke, the more confident he sounded.
"Come with us to the Enforcement Hall immediately!"
Gu Buqi raised an eyebrow.
It was a rather clumsy excuse.
Somehow, it still worked.
Shao Qiuyan immediately caught on and nodded.
"That's right. We were investigating Nightmare Clan infiltrators." She lowered her sword and glanced at the surrounding disciples. "We've disturbed our fellow disciples and the members of the Hundred Spirits Sect. That was our fault."
Gu Qinghong was both furious and shocked.
"Senior Sister Shao!" he blurted out. "Slandering fellow disciples is a serious crime! I've never even seen a Nightmare Clan member. How could I possibly be their spy?!"
Everyone knew the Nightmare Clan's reputation.
Their methods were ruthless, and they stood in direct opposition to righteous sects like the Wendao Sect. Worse still, they had repeatedly attacked cities under the sect's protection.
Any disciple found colluding with them would be executed without exception.
Shao Qiuyan remained completely unruffled.
"That will be determined by the elders of the Enforcement Hall." Her gaze shifted to Xiao Siwen. "There's no doubt that she possesses Nightmare Clan blood. As the person closest to her, you naturally cannot avoid suspicion."
Gu Qinghong's expression changed instantly. "Stop making things up!"
Despite the injury to her throat, Xiao Siwen still glared at Shao Qiuyan with undisguised hatred.
"If I were really a member of the Nightmare Clan, how could I have entered the Wendao Sect? My father is an outer-sect elder!" Her voice grew sharper with every word. "You attacked me because of a personal grudge. I'll make you pay for this!"
Then Lou Yuqing suddenly remembered something.
[Xiao Siwen's father...]
[Right.]
[Not long ago, he awakened his Nightmare Clan bloodline and secretly reestablished contact with his clansmen.]
[He was probably too obvious about it. Shen Lijun noticed because he's always been paying attention to Shao Qiuyan's substitutes.]
Instantly understanding the cue, Shen Lijun jumped in without missing a beat.
"Xiao Siwen, your father has already confessed!" he declared, pointing at her with absolute conviction. "You're a member of the Nightmare Clan as well. Your bloodline simply hasn't awakened yet!"
Xiao Siwen froze completely.
Meanwhile, Lou Yuqing finally relaxed.
[Good.]
[If they're all caught together, I won't have to worry about these scumbags escaping.]
Then her expression darkened again.
[Honestly, Xiao Siwen's father is even worse than she is.]
[He's a complete traitor.]
[The sect nurtured him for years.]
[The moment his Nightmare Clan bloodline awakened, he immediately sold the sect out.]
[Did he forget? The very clan he calls his people once drove him out because his bloodline hadn't awakened. They nearly got him killed.]
[If not for his secret assistance, Xiao Siwen never would've erased all the evidence.]
[Shao Qiuyan would've at least received justice after death.]
[Ungrateful wretches like this really do belong together.]
[No wonder the Nightmare Clan disgusts me.]
The arena fell into eerie silence.
Whether they were disciples of the Wendao Sect or the Bailing Sect, nobody knew what to say anymore.
The revelation was simply too shocking.
Before anyone could recover from it, a beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping Gu Qinghong and Xiao Siwen.
The next moment, both of them vanished without a trace.
A majestic voice echoed throughout the arena.
"You may all disperse."
The crowd immediately understood.
The sect's higher-ups had intervened.
The tense atmosphere that had gripped the arena finally eased, and countless disciples quietly let out breaths they hadn't realized they were holding.
Only Gu Buqi knew exactly who the speaker had been.
Meng Zonghan.
The Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall.
The moment the Nightmare Clan had been brought up, he had known this matter would not be simple.
Outwardly, Gu Buqi remained as calm as ever.
Privately, however, he had already instructed Meng Zonghan to arrest everyone connected to the case.
Soon enough, the truth would reveal itself.