Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

The moment the words left his mouth, Gu Hanfeng and the old man moved in unison, one on the left and one on the right, launching a fierce attack on Xie Lingran from both sides.

Faced with the combined attack from two directions, Xie Lingran remained calm, instead revealing a contemptuous smile:

"Ha! Today, I will use your two blood to clear my path, to take that crucial first step towards my ascension to the throne!"

After saying that, he leaped away to avoid their attack, but their offensive would not stop there.

Thus, the three clashed repeatedly on the snow-capped peak at a speed as fast as a blur. If an ordinary cultivator were here, they probably wouldn't even be able to see the three's moves clearly.

Amidst the chaotic battle, Gu Lengyue turned to look at Shen Wei, who was bound by chains in the formation.

At this moment, the boy's eyes were tightly closed, his pale face was bloodless, and fine beads of cold sweat kept seeping from his forehead and slowly sliding down his chin.

The Dragon Imprisoning Formation continuously drained the power from his body, transferring it to Xie Lingran, but the pain and weakness had to be borne by Shen Wei.

Looking at the boy's pained expression, she gently bit her lower lip, as if she had made up her mind.

The girl slowly lowered her hands, completely severing the life force of the evil dragon that was continuously being channeled into the formation and suppressing Shen Weixie.

Shen Wei instantly sensed that the power within his body was constantly recovering, and his pale face regained some color. However, as long as the formation was not dispelled, his power would continue to be drawn out for Xie Lingran's use until it was exhausted.

Even so, he still looked up at the girl in front of him, a bitter smile on his face, his voice low and hoarse:

"I knew you wouldn't let me die so easily at the hands of these people."

Gu Lengyue stepped forward, silently replicating Xie Lingran's hand gestures that she had just memorized, while responding to the young man:

"Of course, I've said it before, your life can only belong to me."

"Then I... ah!"

The moment the first restraining chain snapped free, for some reason, Shen Wei felt intense pain and couldn't help but let out a short cry of agony.

But he quickly recovered from his pain, looked at the worried girl, and finished what he hadn't said:

"Then I'll keep my life for you; no one but you can take it away from me."

Gu Lengyue smiled sadly and said nothing.

"Before that, could you tell me exactly what the current situation is?"

The Dragon-Trapping Array set up by Xie Lingran was extremely ingenious. Each of the four chains corresponded to a unique set of spells. Relying on the five array eyes in the upper and lower parts of the array, the array circulated endlessly, locking Shen Wei's power tightly while continuously extracting his cultivation for Xie Lingran's use.

As she broke through the formation, she revealed without reservation her background, Gu Hanfeng and the old man's long-hidden schemes, and Xie Lingran's ultimate ambition that she had been suppressing until now.

After hearing the whole story, Shen Wei felt a sudden sense of clarity, but also a sinking feeling in his heart.

Behind this lies a complex and intricate web of entanglements.

Moreover, all three of them are highly skilled and ruthless, and none of them are easy to deal with.

Fortunately, they were currently engaged in infighting and fighting, which was their only chance to catch their breath, and Gu Lengyue seized this opportunity.

"Once the chains are completely broken, you should escape quickly. All three of them will kill you, and whoever wins will endanger your life."

Shen Wei glanced at the three people fighting. He saw Xie Lingran fighting alone against Gu Hanfeng and the mysterious old man with her bare hands. Her moves were fierce and domineering, and she was not at a disadvantage at all.

He had already made up his mind that today he would settle all grudges and entanglements, whether it was his own hatred or the debts involving Gu Lengyue, they should all come to an end here.

But seeing the girl's concerned eyes, he swallowed back what he was about to say and looked at her softly, asking:

Will you come with me?

Gu Lengyue shook her head.

"Then I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm staying, both for you and for myself."

"Since the sword I gave you is broken, then I will become your sword!"

The girl was stunned by what Shen Wei said, but she did not stop what she was doing.

With a clang, the last chain came off completely, and Shen Wei's feet finally touched the ground after a long time. He let out a long sigh and felt the long-lost freedom.

At this moment, the formation also quietly failed, and the power that had been continuously flowing into Xie Lingran suddenly disappeared.

However, at this moment, the outcome of the battle between the three had already been decided. The old man was seriously injured and collapsed to the ground, his breath weak; Gu Hanfeng was covered in wounds and looked disheveled, unable to fight any longer.

The moment Xie Lingran sensed the continuous power gradually disappearing, she paused and turned around abruptly.

When he saw all the chains in the formation fall off and Shen Wei regain his freedom, his eyes instantly blazed with fury.

"Gu Lengyue!" This was the first time Xie Lingran had addressed the girl by her full name. "My daughter—you have disappointed me greatly. From standing by indifferently just now to betraying me now, you have been so foolish."

The wind and snow ruffled Xie Lingran's hair, and his once handsome face, now weathered by time and made even more resolute and cold, revealed an undisguised weariness and sadness.

"I did make mistakes in the past, and I never argue about that, nor have I ever asked for your forgiveness. I only ask that you understand your own mission and do what you should do. As for whether you hate or resent me in your heart, I have no power to interfere."

"But now..."

Gu Lengyue sneered, looked up at Xie Lingran high in the sky, and interrupted him:

"What mission? If it weren't for your self-righteous and ridiculous mission, those people wouldn't have died..."

Xie Lingran looked surprised:

"You actually remember?"

"How could I not remember?" Gu Lengyue's eyes reddened as she spoke, each word distinct. "If it weren't for your unrealistic fantasies, I could have lived a normal life! It was you who destroyed all of this!"

"All of this is for the greater good of humanity's rise and fall! Leng Yue, this shows disrespect to those who sacrificed themselves for this cause!"

Xie Lingran frowned, her tone stern and stubborn.

"For the sake of humanity? Does that mean those who died didn't belong to humanity...? Can they be sacrificed and discarded at will?!"

Despite being severely injured and struggling to breathe, Gu Hanfeng couldn't help but sneer, his tone dripping with contempt:

"The rise and fall of humanity? Hah, Xie Lingran, you're just using the name of righteousness to satisfy your fanatical lust for power!"

He supported his broken body, staring intently at the other man: "From the moment I first saw you, I saw through your utterly hypocritical nature!"

Feeling misunderstood, Xie Lingran's expression twisted, but she forcibly suppressed the urge to argue, trying her best to keep her tone steady:

"Ha, no matter how you slander or criticize me, I will do what I set my mind to, no matter the cost!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his gaze, his icy eyes landing on Shen Wei, his killing intent palpable.

"Boy, possessing power far exceeding your capacity, the feeling of living in constant fear must be unpleasant, right? Today, I will personally take action to end this unease for you!"