Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

As soon as Gu Hanfeng finished speaking, Shen Wei stopped suppressing his spiritual energy.

The faint evil dragon aura that had been present in his chest seemed to be nourished instantly and began to throb violently.

Shen Wei now felt as if he was filled with inexhaustible power.

He gripped his longsword tightly and charged forward like an arrow released from a bow. The sharp sword whistled through the air as it aimed directly at Gu Hanfeng's face.

Gu Hanfeng seemed to have no intention of fighting him, and in the face of Shen Wei's attacks, he only dodged.

His movements were unpredictable, always keeping his distance from Shen Wei, neither retaliating nor lingering in battle, making him appear quite strange.

After several exchanges, Shen Wei's attacks became increasingly fierce, and his sword intent grew ever more sharp.

He kept a close eye on Gu Hanfeng's every move and finally caught a weakness in his opponent.

As Gu Hanfeng dodged to the side, his body faltered slightly, and he lost his balance.

A glint flashed in Shen Wei's eyes. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, he suddenly raised his longsword high. The black sword, imbued with immense sword intent, pressed down fiercely from top to bottom, aiming straight for Gu Hanfeng's shoulder!

"Ugh... Ah!"

A painful howl escaped Gu Hanfeng's lips as the black sword slashed fiercely at his shoulder, instantly staining his moon-white brocade robe with blood.

Although it did not injure any vital organs, it was enough to disrupt his steps and make him stagger.

Gu Hanfeng retreated a few steps, sword in hand, but Shen Wei immediately caught up, giving him no chance to catch his breath.

To Shen Wei's surprise, Gu Hanfeng showed no intention of fighting back and turned to flee!

Shen Wei was stunned. Even if Gu Hanfeng was no match for him, he wouldn't be so quick to run away.

But he quickly regained his senses, a resolute glint in his eyes, and accelerated again, giving chase.

He would never let Gu Hanfeng escape easily. Today, he would definitely find out the truth about Gu Hanfeng's resurrection and settle the score from back then.

With a swift movement, Gu Hanfeng transformed into a streak of light and sped rapidly into the depths of the forest at an astonishing speed.

Shen Wei dared not slack off in the slightest. He circulated his spiritual power and followed closely behind. The two figures disappeared into the vast snow forest one after the other.

After the two figures completely disappeared, Qiu Wuhen and Zhang Jingchu slowly walked out.

The two had been using a secret technique unique to Jingyuwei to conceal their aura and tracks, but this method of concealment is easily exposed under the careful examination of a high-level cultivator.

But just as Shen Wei landed, Gu Hanfeng arrived. The two were so focused on each other that they didn't notice their presence.

"......"

"Gu Hanfeng is actually still alive."

"So the body we had in the yard was a fake?"

"So, the corpse we saw in the Gu family's courtyard was a fake?"

He turned to look at Zhang Jingchu, his tone full of doubt.

"have no idea."

Zhang Jingchu gently shook her head, her tone resolute, "But I can confirm that the body that fought with Shen Wei at the Gu residence and ultimately fell to the sword was that one. Those wounds were definitely not faked, and the aura was completely consistent with Gu Hanfeng's."

Qiu Wuhen frowned and began to think carefully.

Zhang Jingchu was right. The wounds and sword marks on the corpse in the Gu family back then were clear, and the aura was flawless. It was by no means easy to fake.

But now Gu Hanfeng is standing right in front of us, what method did he use to escape? Did he fake his death to escape, or was it that the one who fought Shen Wei from beginning to end was not the real Gu Hanfeng?

Just as Qiu Wuhen was lost in thought, Zhang Jingchu suddenly spoke, her tone carrying a hint of seriousness:

"Did you notice Shen Wei's behavior?"

She stroked her chin, paused for a moment, and then continued speaking.

"I had sensed something was off before, but after getting closer, I realized that the demonic energy on him was indeed unusual. It was completely different from the demonic energy of ordinary demonic cultivators, mixed with a strange and malevolent aura, which was extremely sinister."

"Let's stop talking about this now and hurry up and catch up, or we really won't be able to catch up with them in a moment."

"Too......"

The two moved swiftly, following the scents of Shen Wei and Gu Hanfeng, and quickly caught up.

******

I don't know how many days I've been walking alone in this unfamiliar place.

Looking at the vast expanse of snow, the beautiful, cool face under the hood lifted up and found that snowflakes had started to fall from the sky again without her noticing.

"Why are there so many snowy days this year?"

She murmured softly.

Snowflakes landed on her delicate and pretty face, instantly melting away as they touched her skin.

Transforming into tiny water droplets, they slid down her smooth, fair forehead, across her delicate, straight nose, and over her thin, cherry-petal-like lips, finally seeping into her body, bringing a slight coolness.

Now that her cultivation has deepened, she is no longer the little girl she once was, and naturally she can no longer fear the cold of winter.

Even so, she still dislikes weather that brings coolness, such as rain or snow.

People are always easily reminded of past memories by a certain feeling.

It's like there's a thin thread connecting them, something you don't usually notice, but once you touch it, those deeply buried memories will surge back.

She recalled her childhood, when she lived in a remote mountain village, relying on her mother for survival.

She was born with a cold constitution, especially in the dead of winter when the biting wind would seep into the dilapidated thatched hut, and her small body would always shiver from the cold.

Only when her mother held her tightly in her arms would the chill fade slightly, replaced by a faint warmth from her mother's embrace.

However, when she was gently nestled in her mother's arms, absorbing that faint warmth, she would occasionally notice that her mother's body seemed to be trembling slightly.

My mother was also afraid of the cold.

By the time I figured this out, my mother had been dead for a long time.

Later, she moved to the Gu residence, where Gu Hanfeng treated her well.

They had the best of everything, and even on rainy, snowy, or cold winter days, they had a fireplace to keep them company.

Coldness seemed to have vanished from her world.

But only Gu Lengyue herself knew that the coldness had never truly disappeared; it was simply hidden deep in her heart.

Even later on, on sunny days, her body would involuntarily tremble.

Although she moved into the Gu family mansion and had relatives in name only, she never truly integrated into the family.

Watching her brothers and sisters in the mansion playing and laughing together so intimately, she could only feel bewildered.

She couldn't understand what this feeling of intimacy was like.

Until that night, she met that person.

The cold moonlight spilled into the courtyard. His clothes were soaked in blood, and he was surrounded by a strong killing intent. His eyes were dark and unfathomable, like a demon who had returned from hell.

Clutching the jade pendant Gu Hanfeng had left her, she huddled in a corner, trembling. Her trembling, of course, was not due to fear.

For some reason, as I watched that person brandishing a sword in the crowd, blood splattering all over the courtyard.

A feeling suddenly arose in the girl's heart.