At last, under the relentless assault, Gu Qingyuan finally lost consciousness.
Just before he passed out, his eyes still burned with humiliation and hatred, sharp as blades, as if he wished to cut Lu Xingyao into a thousand pieces.
All he got in return was a sneer filled with contempt.
Blood rushed to his head, and with his body too heavily wounded, his vision darkened. Right there on the dueling platform, Gu Qingyuan collapsed in front of the crowd.
The entire plaza fell silent again.
Everyone looked at one another, stunned. No one had expected it to end like this.
A quiet gasp swept through the crowd.
But now, when people turned their gaze toward Lu Xingyao, what showed in their eyes was no longer mockery or suspicion, but a mix of reverence and fear. Strength like his was terrifying.
"Gu Daoyou is truly stubborn," Lu Xingyao said with a regretful shake of his head. With a light leap, he stepped off the dueling platform.
The presiding elder from Wentian Sect looked like he had swallowed a bitter pill. His face turned an unhealthy shade of purple as he forced himself to announce the result.
His voice was barely above a whisper, as if he was afraid the others would hear.
Once the result was declared, the barrier formation dissolved.
Ye Chuxue immediately rushed up onto the platform, lifting Gu Qingyuan into her arms and hurrying to leave.
She was distressed, but more than anything, she felt humiliated. All she wanted was to get away from this place that now reeked of disgrace.
She had only taken a few steps when Song Wanníng's voice rang out.
"Junior Niece Ye, I heard Senior Brother Gu not only owed the sect quite a sum in spirit stones, but recently also used up a good number of precious pills from the sect's stores.
I imagine the sect can no longer afford to support him. If he finds himself with nowhere else to turn, tell him he's welcome to come buy pills from me."
She made sure to emphasize how much the sect had invested in this duel, subtly reminding the disciples of what had been wasted.
More importantly, her words also reminded the Sect Master: Gu Qingyuan had burned through a stash of top-grade pills… and for what result?
The Sect Master's expression turned foul. It felt like he had been forced to swallow a mouthful of sludge. Regret boiled in his chest.
Ye Chuxue's brows drew together. She gritted her molars in silence, her hatred growing deeper by the second.
She didn't reply, only tightened her grip and continued to walk away.
But just then, Song Wanníng gave a theatrical gasp.
"Oh, silly me. I forgot. Junior Niece Ye is an alchemist too. Why would Senior Brother Gu need to come to me for pills? I must be overthinking things again. Silly me…"
She chuckled into her hand.
Everyone knew she was mocking Ye Chuxue and Gu Qingyuan, but no one dared speak against her.
In fact, many were already thinking, if only Song Wanníng had fought in Gu Qingyuan's place, maybe this duel wouldn't have ended in such shame.
That unspoken thought showed plainly on their faces.
Ye Chuxue's gaze swept across them, catching every flicker of judgment. Her fury grew even harder to contain.
In the cultivation world, people always sided with strength. They praised the high and trampled the weak. She had long since grown used to it.
But this humiliation… she and her master would repay it double in the future.
She gave one last glance at Lu Xingyao, then turned to look at Song Wanníng seated above. Lowering her head, she left in a hurry.
They had arrived with pride and left in disgrace.
Which made Li Ruo absolutely delighted.
That'll teach them to show off, she thought. They sure made fools of themselves. She blinked her big round eyes and cheerfully offered a dried fruit to Song Wanníng. Song Wanníng smiled, glanced sideways at her, and winked. The two were clearly in a good mood.
The Sect Master caught sight of their interaction and nearly exploded.
No sense of propriety at all, he thought. No matter the grudge she held against Gu Qingyuan, she should have put the sect's honor first!
With a grim face, he turned to Lu Xingyao.
"Lu Daoyou, the duel is concluded. I will not insist that you stay. Please do as you wish." With that, he turned and left with a flick of his sleeve. He now had to worry about the fallout. Even the thought of it made his head ache.
As soon as he left, the remaining elders could no longer sit still. Faces red with shame, they made a swift retreat.
The shame from today would linger for years. Who knew how this story would be retold across the realm?
The elders gone, the disciples began to disperse too. But many turned to look back at Lu Xingyao as they chatted among themselves.
In no time, the plaza was almost empty. Only Song Wanníng, her disciples, and Lu Xingyao remained.
Lu Xingyao glanced at Song Wanníng, who looked completely at ease. He let out a helpless chuckle.
"This woman."
"My thanks, Song Daoyou, for letting me put on such a grand performance today," he said, his voice lowered, clearly implying something more.
Song Wanníng looked up, her expression innocent.
"Lu Daoyou speaks so strangely. I didn't do anything at all."
Lu Xingyao smiled indulgently.
"Mhm. You didn't do anything at all."
"Except maybe strip Gu Qingyuan down to his soul."
"Now that it's over, I won't stay any longer." Though he hated to leave, lingering here after offending Wentian Sect would only bring trouble to Song Wanníng.
Besides, he had already gotten his revenge on Gu Qingyuan. His anger had eased. More importantly, this heartless woman didn't seem to want him to stay anyway.
He cast her a resentful sideways glance, then looked toward Bai Yang. A warning flickered in his eyes. Then he turned and left in long, steady strides.
Bai Yang's expression shifted slightly, his lashes trembling.
He had been right. Lu Xingyao's feelings for Master were anything but ordinary. There was even hostility toward him.
But so what?
His master no longer held any love in her heart. No matter how much effort Lu Xingyao put in, it would all be for nothing.
"Alright, the show's over. Let's go home," Song Wanníng said as she wiped her hands and packed up the food.
She treated Lu Xingyao's departure with the same indifference as his arrival.
Only the curve of her lips gave away her good mood.
"Sis! Sis! Did you see how miserable Gu Qingyuan looked today?" The sword spirit bounced around in her sea of consciousness, practically puffed up with pride. It wished it could have gone out there and beaten him up personally.
Still, today was satisfying enough. Lu Xingyao had beaten Gu Qingyuan so hard he probably questioned the meaning of life.
Song Wanníng chuckled and began humming a tune.
Bai Yang paused in his steps and glanced at her several times.
His master clearly felt nothing for Uncle Gu now.
She had once loved him so deeply, yet let go as easily as if it were nothing.
If even a century-old bond could be discarded like that, what would happen if he continued to act out?
Would she abandon him too, just as completely?
Bai Yang frowned, lost in thought.
Back then, he had been blinded by Junior Sister Ye kindness.
But maybe it wasn't too late to change now.
What should he do to earn back his master's trust?
While his thoughts tangled into knots, Song Wanníng happily chatted with the sword spirit.
"In my last life, Gu Qingyuan's sword formations shook the four seas. Just the name Qingyuan Sword Sovereign was enough to inspire awe. People praised his innovation, how he combined swordsmanship with formations, and the terrifying power it unleashed."
"Later, he even compiled his techniques into manuals and left them in the sect's library. It became a legacy art passed down through generations."
For a cultivator, that was the highest recognition.
His strength and his status had once reached the heavens.
"I suffered at his hands several times after falling into demonhood. In the end, I even died trapped in one of those formations. You think I'd forget?"
Song Wanníng, once the feared villainess, had risen like a storm after entering the demonic path.