Guo Gao’s eyes suddenly flashed. He stared at Wen Qingye, his voice growing hoarse. "Tell me, can I trust you?"

"Hahahahaha!"

Hearing Guo Gao’s words, Wen Qingye couldn’t help but burst out laughing, his laughter growing louder and more unrestrained.

Guo Gao stared, momentarily lost, at the young man laughing so freely before him. He didn’t know how much time passed before he finally collected himself and sighed. "You’ve never been betrayed, so of course you wouldn’t understand..."

Hearing Guo Gao’s words, Wen Qingye shook his head. His eyes grew distant and still as he gazed out at the vast, sweeping land before him, as if countless memories were surfacing in his mind.

"Do you know? Being betrayed isn’t the real tragedy. Do you know what is?"

Guo Gao asked instinctively, "What is?"

"It’s what comes after being deceived and betrayed," Wen Qingye said, turning to look at Guo Gao. "It’s losing that initial, precious trust that once existed between people."

The wind continued to blow.

HUMMM!

In that instant, Guo Gao’s mind went completely blank. He stared at the young man before him, a faint smile on his lips and eyes that outshone the stars.

He stood there, calm and carefree, with an air of tranquil grace.

All was quiet on the square platform.

After a long moment, Guo Gao tilted his head back, took a deep breath, and said softly, "Because he’s from the Taiyi Pavilion!"

"The Taiyi Pavilion?" Wen Qingye’s brow furrowed at the name, and a glint of killing intent flashed in his eyes.

Guo Gao’s body sagged, as if he had lost all strength. "For the last century, the Celestial Profound Sect’s power has been growing day by day. As the hegemon of the Eastern Profound Domain, the Taiyi Pavilion naturally grew wary and resentful. They’ve resorted to all sorts of unscrupulous methods. For example, they support Evil Sects within the nations under our sect’s influence, sow discord among the Four Great Ancient Countries, and infiltrate the Celestial Profound Sect with numerous experts."

"Among the Four Great Ancient Countries, the Dayan Dynasty is the most suspicious. I’ve long suspected they may have already defected to the Taiyi Pavilion."

As Guo Gao spoke, word by deliberate word, Wen Qingye’s frown deepened.

"The Taiyi Pavilion is just too powerful. I don’t know if there are Taiyi Pavilion agents on the other five peaks, but I’m certain there are none on Life Peak."

"Life Peak? Why is that?"

Guo Gao explained, "Life Peak is a place of death. It’s where those in the Celestial Profound Sect whose time is running out go into seclusion to cultivate. It’s full of masters, most of them struggling between life and death. Each time, Life Peak only hastily recruits a few disciples to guard the mountain, but within a month, there are hardly any of them left."

Wen Qingye nodded. ’Life Peak is filled with people on the verge of death. It’s inevitable that some would become extremely desperate, their personalities twisting, and do irrational things.’

"Is the future of my Celestial Profound Sect... is it really going to be ruined just like this?" Guo Gao rattled his chains wildly, his expression frenzied.

Beset by internal troubles and external threats, the Celestial Profound Sect was like a lone boat in a raging storm, liable to capsize at any moment.

Guo Gao knew that even if he told Wen Qingye all this, who would believe a mere Registered Disciple? Besides, if Wen Qingye were to speak of this, he would only be putting himself in mortal danger.

"Kid, do you know the technique for absorbing a Primordial Spirit?" Guo Gao’s eyes suddenly lit up as he looked at Wen Qingye.

"I do, but I won’t be absorbing your Primordial Spirit," Wen Qingye said with a small smile and a shake of his head.

Guo Gao was slightly taken aback. "Why not? I am a master of the Life and Death Realm. If you absorb my Primordial Spirit, you could definitely become a Life and Death Realm master yourself in less than fifty years."

Wen Qingye glanced at the chains before Guo Gao and said casually, "I’ll become a Life and Death Realm master on my own in less than three years. Why would I need to absorb your Primordial Spirit?"

Hearing Wen Qingye’s words, Guo Gao froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.

Watching Guo Gao laugh uncontrollably, Wen Qingye’s expression didn’t change. He kept his eyes on the chains and snorted. "Taiyi Pavilion... Hmph. Sooner or later, I’ll go to the Taiyi Cloud Sea. When I do, no matter how powerful or resourceful the Taiyi Pavilion may be, I’ll wipe them out completely."

Guo Gao’s lips parted, just as he was about to ask something, when Wen Qingye’s eyes lit up. "These chains are mixed with Ink Jade Stone. It’s been constantly absorbing your Primordial Qi. I’m afraid you don’t have long to live."

Ink Jade Stone was a peculiar type of gem that could absorb a person’s Life Force. After being bound by these chains for decades, Guo Gao was now living on his last breath.

And Ink Jade Stone happened to be one of the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures needed to cultivate the Five Elements Body Refining Technique.

Guo Gao said in surprise, "You even know about Ink Jade Stone?"

Wen Qingye shook his head and said with some regret, "Not only do I know about it, I can also break these chains. However, if I were to remove them now, the Ink Jade Stone would instantly absorb your last breath, and your life would be extinguished."

Only then did Guo Gao truly study the young man before him. From the very beginning, he had been unmoved by honor or disgrace, always calm and detached. Considering what he had just said, and his overall bearing, Guo Gao couldn’t help but feel a tremor in his heart.

Wen Qingye looked at the chains and said slowly, "This Ink Jade Stone... I have a use for it. It can help me achieve a breakthrough in one of my Martial Arts."

"Good, good, good! If you want it for a breakthrough, then take it!" Guo Gao said hurriedly. "I have only one request: save the Celestial Profound Sect! That’s all!"

Hearing this, Wen Qingye’s expression turned serious. "Once I take the essence from this Ink Jade Stone, you will die instantly. Are you sure about this?"

"Death? I’ve wanted to die for a long time," Guo Gao said with a sigh. "Regardless of your aptitude or your character, you are the only one I can trust now. After all, you are still a disciple of my Celestial Profound Sect."

"Good."

Wen Qingye nodded. ’There is no way to save him right now. For Guo Gao, who has endured decades of torture, death is perhaps the better option.’

He laid his hand on the chains. A steady stream of essence from the Ink Jade Stone slowly flowed into Wen Qingye’s body. He began circulating the Five Elements Body Refining Technique.

Guo Gao’s hands were locked tightly by the chains. Sensing death’s approach, he looked ahead with a hint of ease and tranquility. He chuckled softly. "A hundred years of glory, scattered in a single day... You must be careful of the Taiyi Pavilion... You have to go far... go far..."

His voice grew fainter and fainter, until it was barely a whisper.

A thread of pure Earth Attribute Essence slowly flowed through Wen Qingye’s body, coursing through his meridians, bones, blood, and organs.

CRACK! CRACK!

With every cycle of the Earth Attribute Essence, Wen Qingye felt an agonizing pain, as if his bones were being crushed. In no time, his forehead and back were drenched in sweat.

Even though he had already gone through the cultivation for the Five Elements Body Refining Technique once before, Wen Qingye still found the pain excruciating.

The agony of Body Forging was not something an ordinary person could endure. It was a test of one’s willpower. Even cultivators with exceptionally high cultivation would not choose a Body Forging technique. First, because the pain was unbearable, and second, because the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures required for it were too difficult to find.