Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

Five years later, the Wei River and Zongshan Mountain remain the same, but everything has changed.

After Xie Lingran rightfully entered the Weishui Sect, he established his prestige within the sect by virtue of his profound cultivation, and gradually stripped Chen Yuncheng of all his power by using his superb methods, thus becoming the true leader of the Weishui Sect.

After taking power, Xie Lingran immediately launched sweeping reforms.

He ruthlessly squeezed all his disciples' cultivation time, forcing them to abandon their regular training and travel around to explore dangerous secret realms and collect rare and precious materials for him. He also forced countless disciples to work day and night, confined in the alchemy room to refine strange pills of unknown purpose for him.

Any disciple who harbored dissatisfaction, complained in private, or showed the slightest disobedience was dealt with ruthlessly by Xie Lingran without exception.

However, Xie Lingran was also decisive and efficient, and anyone who was dissatisfied with him was dealt with by him one by one.

The most tragic thing is that Chen Yuncheng, who was in a high position, was completely unaware of all this chaos. He was blinded by the illusion and thought that the sect was thriving under Xie Lingran's leadership.

Not only that, Xie Lingran was even more unscrupulous, misappropriating the sect's accumulated resources that had been built up over a hundred years.

The sect's treasury was becoming increasingly empty, and everyone knew perfectly well that he was using these resources not for the sect's development, but to secretly prepare for some unspeakable secret, all to fulfill his own enormous ambition.

Chen Qiuyu saw all of this.

Over the past five years, she has witnessed the decline of her sect and the suffering of her fellow disciples, filling her heart with sorrow and helplessness.

As dusk settled, the evening breeze rustled the fallen petals in the courtyard.

Chen Qiuyu, dressed in an elegant blue dress, sat alone in the quiet courtyard.

Five years of trials and tribulations have transformed the once bright and radiant young girl into a quiet and reserved individual.

Her personal maid stood to one side, watching the increasingly oppressive atmosphere of the sect and her gloomy master, and finally couldn't help but speak in a low voice:

"Miss, the sect leader's reforms are too harsh. The disciples are suffering every day, and countless people have died. The treasures in the treasury are being constantly misappropriated, and the sect is already on the verge of collapse. If this continues, the Weishui Sect will be completely destroyed sooner or later! You are the sect leader's wife, please persuade him."

Even a maid could see it, so how could she not?

Chen Qiuyu's fingers gently touched the cool stone railing, and she shook her head softly, her voice weak and powerless: "I can't persuade her."

"He has never cared about the Weishui Sect or his fellow disciples and the common people; all he cares about is his own ambition for hegemony. To him, my words and advice are nothing but the insignificant words of a woman, utterly meaningless."

The maidservant said urgently, "But you are his wife! You have a say in the rise and fall of the sect! Are we just supposed to watch the sect be destroyed and everyone suffer for nothing?"

"The right to speak?" Chen Qiuyu gave a low, self-deprecating laugh, a laugh tinged with sadness. "I'm nothing more than an accessory in a transaction. Five years ago, I couldn't stop his scheming; five years later, I still can't stop his reckless behavior."

Just as the atmosphere in the courtyard was somber, a cool night breeze blew by.

The maid tensed instantly, looking around warily: "Who?!"

No one answered.

The next instant, a tall and elegant figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the night.

It was Gu Hanfeng.

Chen Qiuyu was stunned for a moment.

Five years have passed since we last met. The boy of yesteryear has shed his naivety and transformed into a composed and cool young man.

His figure became increasingly tall and slender, but the gentle sincerity in his eyes had completely faded away, leaving only a cold and stern demeanor that had weathered many storms.

Gu Hanfeng's gaze remained fixed on her for a long time.

The woman before him had changed a lot; she was no longer the gentle and bright junior sister who used to smile at him.

A myriad of emotions quietly welled up in his heart.

It turns out that in the past five years, he has changed more than just one person.

The courtyard was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

After a long silence, Gu Hanfeng spoke first, his voice low and calm, revealing no emotion: "What happened back then, you were forced into it, weren't you?"

There were no unnecessary pleasantries, no sentimental expressions of reunion, only straightforward inquiries.

The day has finally come, Chen Qiuyue thought to herself.

"Yes."

Chen Qiuyu gave his answer, five years late, in a barely audible voice.

She looked up at Gu Hanfeng, her eyes filled with tears, yet her expression was resolute:

"Gu Hanfeng, I admit that I was forced by my father back then, and I had no choice in the matter. But five years have passed, and everything has changed."

"In these five years, as Xie Lingran's wife, I have long been inextricably linked to this place and to him."

"The feelings we shared in the past were a youthful connection, but that's all in the past. Now, I can't possibly abandon everything and leave with you."

"Now, I'm telling you the truth so that you can let go of your obsession. After all, some things are better left unsaid; we don't necessarily need to pursue a perfect ending, do we?"

She has her own responsibilities now. Even though she had many hardships back then and still has regrets in her heart, she can't go back to the past.

Gu Hanfeng's gaze darkened slightly, a pang of bitterness passing through his heart, but he had expected it.

Just then, a deep voice came from the night sky.

"You want to take her away?"

The night wind howled, and the clouds obscured the moon.

Xie Lingran, dressed in a dark brocade robe, arrived under the cover of night.

He stood under the night sky, his gaze fixed on Gu Hanfeng in the courtyard, his eyes filled with indescribable emotions.

Unbeknownst to anyone, after five years of companionship, he had long since changed his original intentions.

Although his initial decision to marry Chen Qiuyue was based on considerations of self-interest.

But after five years of living together day and night, he didn't know when it started, but he actually fell in love with her.

He had already fallen deeply in love with Chen Qiuyu.

No matter how much he denies it, this is an undeniable fact.

Moreover, this love had somehow become intense and extreme, making him unable to tolerate anyone coveting it, and even more unable to accept that Gu Hanfeng, this lingering ghost of the past, would reappear in his and Chen Qiuyu's world.

"Gu Hanfeng," Xie Lingran's voice was icy cold, her killing intent already revealed, "five years ago I spared your life, it was luck on your part. Today you still dare to set foot on the Wei River, you are courting death."

Before she finished speaking, Xie Lingran exuded a powerful aura.

Xie Lingran's cultivation level is unfathomable, making him a top expert in the Central Continent with overwhelming combat power.

Gu Hanfeng had been lying low for five years. Although he had not deliberately cultivated, his mind was now clear and his cultivation level had far surpassed that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.

A fierce battle between the two was about to break out.

After several fierce exchanges, Gu Hanfeng staggered back several steps, his longsword digging heavily into the ground to barely support his body. His chest heaved violently, his breathing was disordered, and he looked disheveled, as if he had fallen into a disadvantageous position.

However, Xie Lingran did not let his guard down. He knew that Gu Hanfeng must have been prepared for coming five years later.

As expected, Gu Hanfeng, who was seriously injured, sneered, and then an inexplicable supreme pressure swept over him.

In an instant, the earth shook and the sky was turned upside down.

Amidst the turmoil, an elderly man with white hair and an ethereal appearance slowly appeared, stepping into the air.

He was a guest of honor at the grand wedding ceremony five years ago.

Any disciple or elder of the Weishui Sect who recognizes his identity will die at his hands.

"Ha... I wondered why he dared to come knocking on my door; turns out you've got your backing!"

The old man smiled, stroked his white beard and hair, and said:

"Young Master, since you don't agree to my plan, I will naturally have to find another way."

Just then, a panicked cry interrupted their argument.

"Lingran...what's wrong? What happened?"

Chen Yuncheng rushed over and, seeing the devastation and the dead and wounded all around the sect, and the two people facing off in mid-air, he was filled with confusion and fear. He hurriedly asked Xie Lingran for the reason.

But instead of an answer, he was met with a flash of silver sword light.

With a "splat!" sound, blood soaked through Xie Lingran's clothes.

The once mighty ruler, Chen Yuncheng, the patriarch of the Weishui Sect, had his head fall to the ground and died on the spot.

"That noisy old man."

Of course, amidst the earth-shaking tremors, Chen Qiuyu did not witness anything he did.

At this moment, Xie Lingran was severely injured. Looking at the old man beside Gu Hanfeng, he knew that the situation was hopeless.

But he would never let go of Chen Qiuyu.

His gaze slowly fell on Gu Hanfeng again:

"Gu Hanfeng, why don't you consider how Qiu Yu would view you if she knew that her biological father died at your hands?"

Gu Hanfeng raised his eyes, coldly staring at his despicable appearance:

"You are even more shameless than I imagined."

Xie Lingran had no intention of arguing any further. He endured his injuries, darted to Chen Qiuyu's side, and pulled her into his arms, ignoring her struggles.

Before leaving, he took one last look at Gu Hanfeng:

"My people, even if the sect is completely destroyed, it's not your place to covet them."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took the person in his arms and leaped into the air, disappearing into the vast night sky in the next moment.

Gu Hanfeng roared, "Damn it! How could he be so fast!"

The old man looked thoughtfully in the direction Xie Lingran had left.

......

No one knows what happened in the Weishui Sect that night. All that is known is that from that day on, the sect leader Chen Yuncheng died a violent death, and the Weishui Sect, which had been powerful for a century, was completely destroyed overnight and turned into dust in history.