Gu Qinghe fell silent for a moment when Elder Li said that. If Elder Li was asking such a question, then it meant news of the Meridian Ice Curse affecting Yunxi had likely spread among the elders.
"How did you…?"
Elder Li smiled and stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the young man. "You may not know this, but I used to be her junior."
"When Senior Yunxi withdrew from the sect to become the Gu Clan's Second Madam, the Sect Master appointed me as the main elder of the Pill Refinement Hall," Elder Li explained.
He turned and looked toward the small pavilion above the pond on the third floor of the library.
The man took out a pill, crushed it, and sent its qi energy drifting forward as food for the koi fish in the pond.
"When I heard Senior Yunxi was afflicted by a curse, I did everything I could to find an antidote pill," Elder Li said. "Unfortunately, I failed."
Gu Qinghe stepped beside him. "There's a possibility… the Meridian Ice Curse can only be broken if we force the one who cast it."
Elder Li cleared his throat after finishing feeding the fish and turned to look at Qinghe again. "If that's the case, then you only need to suspect one person."
Gu Qinghe's eyes flickered sharply. He was curious who Elder Li would name. Even so, Elder Li was not reckless enough to speak bluntly.
That person was likely the main culprit. At present, their strength surpassed Elder Li's. That made it dangerous—for his status and his life.
"Who is it?" Gu Qinghe asked.
Elder Li sighed and gently patted Qinghe's shoulder. He still owed Gu Qinghe a favor for giving up the tournament champion spot to Li Xiaoman, even though Elder Li had already granted his request.
If Gu Qinghe had refused back then, Li Xiaoman would never have become champion.
"I will only help you once," Elder Li said firmly.
A blue qi light gathered at the tip of his right finger. With a swift motion, he pressed it against Gu Qinghe's forehead.
Gu Qinghe stiffened in shock as fragments of Elder Li's memories from the past flashed before his eyes.
The scenes moved quickly, but he clearly saw Wang Yunxi, Elder Li… and Grand Elder Lin Ruyue.
The memory stopped at a mysterious cave located in the winter region. Elder Li withdrew his hand, and Gu Qinghe's awareness returned.
"That is all I can do. It's a place Senior Yunxi often used to refine pills or cultivate."
"Only Wang Yunxi and I knew about it. Perhaps you'll find something there," Elder Li said.
Gu Qinghe memorized the location. It was clearly not the cave where he had cultivated and broken through to Core Formation.
It might be farther than where I cultivated before.
I should go there. Maybe Elder Li is right. Maybe there's valuable information about the Meridian Ice Curse there.
He cupped his hands and bowed his head in thanks.
Elder Li did not mind. In his view, Wang Yunxi's recovery now depended entirely on Gu Qinghe.
Only he could save her from the Meridian Ice Curse.
Gu Qinghe left the third floor and descended the stairs, drawing the attention of many disciples below.
Once outside the sect library, he summoned his sword and shot back toward the winter region at full speed.
His thoughts churned around the mystery of the curse's caster.
Since information about the curse was so difficult to obtain, Gu Qinghe suspected the culprit was a high-ranking elder with authority to erase records from the library.
His focus narrowed to three people: the Yin-Yang Sect Master, Grand Elder Ming, and Grand Elder Lin Ruyue.
However, he ruled out Lin Ruyue after learning of her friendship with Wang Yunxi.
She had even openly offered to help him break the Meridian Ice Curse. That was help he desperately needed.
That left two suspects: the Yin-Yang Sect Master and Grand Elder Ming.
Gu Qinghe flew through the snow-laden clouds for twelve hours, his cultivation eyes activated the entire time, searching for a location matching Elder Li's memory.
Finally, his gaze locked onto a rocky cliff far from the wooden hill house where he lived.
His flying sword stopped before what should have been the cave entrance. Gu Qinghe raised a finger, gathered qi light, and sent his sword thrusting forward.
The blade struck the cliff wall and activated a defensive formation inscribed with crimson runes.
Gu Qinghe's eyes widened.
He formed hand seals, summoning a golden bell to shield himself as a red laser shot out from the rune formation.
His body was blasted backward. The golden bell cracked and shattered, exploding and injuring him.
Gu Qinghe coughed up blood and wiped it from the corner of his mouth. He had retreated beyond the formation's attack range.
He raised his hand again. Golden qi gathered at his fingertip as the Heavenly Insight Path panel appeared before him.
[Heavenly Insight Path Technique]
[Detecting:]
[1x Earth-Tier Fire-Blood Suppression Formation]
[Desc:]
[Formation used to protect treasures, sects, or clans]
[Contains three formation cores controlling defense, offense, and reversal mechanisms]
[Conclusion:]
[1. Locate and destroy the three formation cores with equivalent-level techniques]
[2. Avoid direct confrontation with the formation's main attack]
[3. Cores regenerate if the cultivator moves too far away]
Gu Qinghe narrowed his eyes.
He had already reached Core Formation. Using Earth-grade techniques posed no real burden.
He formed hand seals from an Earth-grade technique he remembered. Three magical runes manifested behind him, transforming into enormous fire dragons.
Before attacking, he activated his cultivation eyes and studied the formation carefully.
His gaze traced the red runes. Then he cast a golden rune he had personally engraved, overlaying it onto the crimson formation.
The hidden cores were revealed.
Gu Qinghe thrust his hand forward. "Destroy!"
The three fire dragons roared and shot ahead, slamming into the three formation cores.
A violent surge of qi exploded outward, whipping up fierce winds, sending rocks flying and trees swaying.
BLAST!
The crimson rune formation shattered.
Gu Qinghe followed up with a sword strike, crushing the stone blocking the cave entrance where his mother once cultivated.
The massive rock split apart. He flew inside and entered a larger circular chamber.
A wooden table and cabinet stood there—empty and untouched.
The place was barren. Nothing but dust and wild grass remained.
Even so, something felt wrong.
His eyes could not see through what lay before him.
His attention shifted to the ground.
Not an ordinary cave floor—but faint traces of a formation, nearly destroyed.
Gu Qinghe narrowed his eyes and formed hand seals, channeling qi to repair it.
The formation atop a small altar was restored—and immediately activated.
It was not a defensive or offensive formation. It was a memory formation.
Cultivators could create simple formations like this to leave secret messages.
Blue runes spun, projecting an image of Wang Yunxi dressed in black-and-white robes. In the projection, she was sitting cross-legged, cultivating.
Suddenly an icy bolt of lightning shot in from the cave entrance.
Wang Yunxi stopped cultivating and summoned a defensive technique.
It shattered instantly.
The ice lightning struck her body. She coughed up blood as strands of her hair began turning white.
"Who… are you?!" Wang Yunxi demanded, staring forward.
A figure stepped in steadily, "You should have refused your engagement to Gu Zhen, Yun'er."
Gu Qinghe's eyes widened in shock. His hands trembled, and heat surged in his chest.
The one who attacked Wang Yunxi was the one who planted the Meridian Ice Curse.
"You?!"