In another room of the inn, Gu Qingyuan finally regained consciousness under Ye Chuxue’s care.

His face was pale, a bitter smile surfacing as he said to Ye Chuxue, "This has been hard on you."

His formal tone made Ye Chuxue’s heart falter. Her expression paused for a moment before she replied, "It was nothing. Didn’t you also take care of me for so long, Master?"

After helping Gu Qingyuan drink some water, she sat awkwardly to the side, unconsciously fiddling with the hem of her dress.

Gu Qingyuan’s earlier rash behavior made it impossible for the atmosphere between them to return to what it once was.

But Gu Qingyuan quickly broke the awkward silence. He took out the inner core from his Storage Bag and placed it in Ye Chuxue’s palm.

"This is...?"

"The inner core of a Fifth-rank Demon Beast. It’s enough for you to advance to the Early Stage Golden Core!"

Gu Qingyuan’s eyes were filled with heartache. Chuxue’s Cultivation had previously been smooth sailing, and she had reached Foundation Establishment far ahead of her peers.

But at some point, her Cultivation had begun to stagnate, and even showed signs of regressing due to her injuries.

He felt very guilty about this.

’As her master, I’ve been derelict in my duties, and I even nearly forced myself on her...’

Therefore, he didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret about using both inner cores on Chuxue. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Fifth-rank?"

Hearing this, Ye Chuxue was stunned. Feeling the surging power in her hand, she was deeply shaken.

Meeting Gu Qingyuan’s concerned gaze, she could no longer hold back the tears welling in her eyes and threw herself at him.

In the entire world, the person who treated her best was her master—and only her master.

...

For several days, Song Wanning had been unable to find any news of Ye Chuxue. Just as she was preparing to leave, a powerful, oppressive force suddenly descended from the sky.

Her brow furrowed, and she walked out the door with Mo Yuan, who was deliberately disguised, to look up at the sky.

Tribulation clouds were gathering, and an endless pressure bore down on the inn.

"Whoa, who’s undergoing a tribulation?"

"Someone in our inn is breaking through!"

"Looks like a Golden Core Tribulation, right?"

"Probably. This Heavenly Tribulation doesn’t look too powerful."

"..."

Most of the people in the inn poured out, murmuring amongst themselves as they stared at the Heavenly Tribulation.

Other Cultivators on the street also ran out. After all, the spectacle of someone undergoing a tribulation wasn’t a common sight.

If the person failed their tribulation, there might even be a chance to scavenge something, so naturally, no one wanted to miss it.

Song Wanning frowned as she looked at the sky, an inexplicable unease settling in her heart.

As she was pondering, a figure flew out from an inn window and landed on the roof.

At the same time, the inn’s Defensive Arrays all activated.

Seeing that familiar figure, Song Wanning’s face instantly darkened.

An uncontrollable wave of malice rose from the depths of her heart, causing the Demonic Qi inside her to nearly spiral out of control.

She stared fixedly at the figure. Although she had been prepared, seeing Ye Chuxue not only unharmed but even breaking through to the Golden Core Stage all at once, her heart was thrown into turmoil.

For a moment, she wanted to ask, ’What was the point of all my effort?’

But she quickly calmed down.

’As the chosen Heavenly Dao’s Son, it’s natural that Ye Chuxue wouldn’t fall so easily.’

’But if she can get up once, I can knock her down again.’

’One day, I will utterly destroy the Heavenly Dao’s plans!’

At the same time, Mo Yuan, who was at her side, also recognized Ye Chuxue.

Back then, he had failed to snatch the Elixir Pills and was instead castrated by Ye Chuxue. She had also left him covered in wounds, from which he took a long time to recover.

He had never dared to forget such a deep-seated grudge and was constantly thinking about getting his revenge on her.

To think that she would actually appear here!

Demonic Qi surged from Mo Yuan’s body. His clenched fists cracked, and his eyes were filled with hatred.

He grabbed Song Wanning’s arm and pulled her back into the inn.

"Senior! Let’s hide for a bit!"

"Hm?"

Song Wanning didn’t object and followed him into the inn.

They had just found a corner to stand in when, a second later, Gu Qingyuan appeared at the inn’s entrance.

Though his face was pale, his aura was imperious as he stood there like a protective family member on guard duty.

When the surrounding Cultivators saw his Nascent Soul Stage Cultivation, their voices quieted considerably, and they regarded him with great apprehension.

’So that’s how it is!’

’Gu Qingyuan certainly moves quickly. Even with his own Divine Soul damaged, he still prioritized his disciple’s breakthrough.’

’Such true love! A real rarity in this world!!!’

Song Wanning’s eyes darkened, and she added this debt to Gu Qingyuan’s account.

Beside her, Mo Yuan’s expression was also ugly. "To think she has a Nascent Soul Cultivator protecting her. Her luck is good. I wonder what her status is!"

’She was able to spend a fortune in Spirit Stones to buy the Heavenly Yuan Nourishing Heart Pill. Her status can’t be low.’

The moment he voiced the question, Song Wanning replied coldly, "That person is Ye Chuxue, a True Disciple of the Heavenly Inquiry Sect."

He was stunned. "Senior, you actually know her?"

"Yes."

Song Wanning nodded. "That man is my former fiancé, and Ye Chuxue is his precious little disciple."

"What?"

Mo Yuan’s heart sank heavily. "Senior... are you Song Wanning... True Monarch Song?"

’We’ve been together for so long, and I’ve only ever called her Senior, never daring to ask for her name.’

’To think she is the famous Alchemy Master from the Heavenly Inquiry Sect, Song Wanning.’

The story of how Gu Qingyuan had transferred his affections and fallen in love with his disciple had spread far and wide, and many people had sighed in regret over it.

After all, the bond between Song Wanning and Gu Qingyuan had lasted for a hundred years, yet it couldn’t compare to a mere disciple.

However, at this moment, Mo Yuan wasn’t concerned with Song Wanning’s identity, but with the fact that Gu Qingyuan was her former fiancé!

The fiancé who had been loved by Song Wanning for a hundred years.

An emotion called jealousy quickly filled his chest. A strange red glint appeared in the depths of his eyes, and he nearly ground his molars to dust.

Just then, the Heavenly Tribulation descended, its roar drowning out Song Wanning’s quiet affirmation.

That gentle Heavenly Tribulation fell as if it were a child’s game, light and understated.

Ye Chuxue handled it with ease, not looking flustered in the slightest.

Thinking back to the "Nine Heavens Divine Thunder" she had faced, Song Wanning really wanted to spit at the Heavenly Dao.

The Golden Small Sword was also cursing with rage, itching to rush up and start a fight with it.

Song Wanning soothed it for a moment as various thoughts flashed through her mind. She narrowed her eyes slightly, trying to come up with a way to stop Ye Chuxue from successfully passing her tribulation.

’But I don’t dare to rashly interfere with a Heavenly Tribulation. If the Heavenly Dao finds the slightest opportunity, it will strike me down with lethal force!’

Just as she was worrying, Mo Yuan, at her side, suddenly spoke in a gloomy voice, "Senior, I have a plan. I wonder if you would be willing to lend me a hand?"

"What plan?"

Song Wanning looked at him.

"I have a life-and-death feud with Ye Chuxue. She almost killed me back then!"

"Now she dares to undergo her tribulation right in front of me? Naturally, I can’t let her succeed!"

Mo Yuan’s face was dark. Ye Chuxue was not only his enemy, but Song Wanning’s enemy as well.

’Therefore, I cannot let this person go!’

’And that Gu Qingyuan, who dared to betray Senior’s deep affection—he deserves to die too!’

He leaned in close to Song Wanning’s ear and revealed his entire plan.