A hundred miles outside the Zixiao Sword Sect, as Gu Han was traveling, he suddenly stopped. His once carefree expression vanished, replaced by a somber silence.


    He didn''t say a word and simply bypassed the figure before him.


    The cold moonlight poured down, as if leaving tiny spots of light in the mortal world. The originally proud and aloof Qingyue now resembled a snow-capped lotus on a mountain, but when she saw Gu Han disregard her, her expression turned melancholic, and she couldn''t help but speak.


    "Han~"


    Gu Han halted his steps and spoke in a low voice, "Master, this is the last time I’ll address you as such. From now on, our bond will be severed."


    "You may take back my cultivation whenever you wish, but as for my life, leave it to Senior Sister."


    At present, his cultivation had been sealed. Even though he had the experience from his previous life, Qingyue was in the Life and Death Realm, and to undo the seal and abolish his cultivation, he would have to walk the same path he did in his previous life.


    He was tired, and he no longer wanted to continue cultivating.


    Qingyue looked at Xiao Che in disbelief. "The evidence was given to me by Siwei, and now, haven''t you cleared your name? You would sever our master-disciple relationship over something like this?"


    "The Han I knew wasn''t like this."


    Gu Han raised his gaze to the cold moonlight.


    "That''s right. The old Gu Han was like a dog to you, obedient, never like Junior Sister, who clings to you and acts spoiled, or like Senior Sister, who constantly stays by your side asking for guidance."


    "Have you not seen all I''ve done over the years? Didn''t you even question anything, just believing Junior Sister without a second thought?"


    "No," Qingyue quickly replied, feeling as though she had been pricked by a needle. She hurriedly tried to explain.


    "Causing harm to sect disciples is a grave crime, and the evidence is irrefutable. If I don''t hand it over to the Law Hall personally, with how you denied everything earlier, the sect may even increase your punishment."


    Gu Han smiled.


    "That evidence was submitted by Junior Brother and Junior Sister, and it''s all just testimonies, without a shred of real evidence. Is this what you call irrefutable?"


    "Even if the deceased disciples were partly devoured by the demon beasts, some of their bodies were still brought back, weren''t they? My swordsmanship is all taught by you."


    "If you were to look carefully, wouldn''t you recognize it?"


    These questions left Qingyue silent. Xiao Che had always been good to Siwei, and Siwei clung to Xiao Che as well. She had assumed there was no falsehood in that bond.


    So, she just wanted to resolve this matter quickly.


    Seeing Qingyue fall silent, Gu Han sneered. "I’ve discarded the sect’s jade butterfly, so don’t bother me anymore. Let me live as a common man for the rest of my life."


    With that, he turned and continued walking toward the Great Zhou.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    As she watched Gu Han disappear into the forest, Qingyue felt a rising fear in her heart, as if she had lost something important. It seemed that if she truly allowed him to leave, their master-disciple relationship would be completely severed.


    "Although I failed to investigate properly, you’re still my disciple. If you want to leave, I disagree."


    Before Gu Han could react, he suddenly felt his strength leave him, his body stiffening, unable to move.


    "What do you want to do?" he asked, his voice filled with anger.


    "Take you back to the sect," Qingyue said coldly, and with that, she rose into the air, flying toward the sect. Gu Han was sealed with spiritual power, and no matter how much he struggled, it was in vain.


    On Baijun Peak, Siwei and Bai Fan stood before a cliff, anxiously pacing back and forth.


    "Junior Brother, do you think Senior Brother will forgive me?"


    "Don’t worry, Senior Brother has always cared for you. We were under an illusion, so it’s hard to tell what’s real. This isn''t your fault," Bai Fan reassured her.


    "That''s right, Senior Brother will definitely forgive me."


    She had caused Senior Brother to be angry before, but every time, he would just smile it off. As long as she acted spoiled, he would always forgive her.


    Siwei spoke with determination, but as she thought back to Senior Brother''s gaze in the Law Hall, a feeling of unease rose in her heart.


    At that moment, two lights appeared in the sky, heading directly toward Baijun Peak. Upon recognizing who it was, Siwei’s face lit up with joy.


    "Senior Brother!"


    Gu Han, who had just regained his balance, ignored her voice, turning to Qingyue and asking, "Can I leave now?"


    Since he couldn’t leave, he might as well keep his distance from these people.


    "They’ve been waiting here all night. They must be here to apologize," Qingyue replied as she lifted the seal.


    "Any misunderstandings between senior siblings can be cleared up with a conversation."


    Now that the seal had been lifted, Gu Han was too lazy to stay, even less inclined to listen to their words.


    Looking at the brother who ignored her, Siwei felt a bit down, but she still believed that Senior Brother was only angry for a moment. He would surely forgive her. She quickly stepped in front of him and took out a blood-red sword, revealing a smile.


    "Senior Brother, this is your Chi Long."


    Chi Long was Senior Brother’s first sword, his only sword, the one his master had gifted him when he was young and that he had cherished carefully.


    She believed that when he had thrown it away, he had been consumed by anger, a rash act born out of impulsiveness.


    Seeing the Chi Long, Gu Han’s expression softened for a moment. In his past life, the Chi Long had always been by his side. Even when no one believed him, Chi Long was like his most trusted brother, always by his side.


    He would often look at Chi Long and reminisce about the past.


    But...


    Chi Long had ultimately been severed, destroyed by the very person who had gifted it to him, by the master he had revered.


    Thinking about those memories, a surge of hostility erupted from Gu Han, but it quickly dissipated into calmness.


    "Throw it away. I will never practice swordsmanship again."


    After saying this lightly, Gu Han turned and left.


    "Senior Brother..."


    Siwei wanted to speak, but Qingyue stopped her.


    "Don’t go over. It might hurt you."


    "Hurt?" Siwei wanted to retort, but when she saw her master''s serious expression, she lowered her voice.


    "Senior Brother would never hurt me."


    Qingyue didn’t speak. At that moment, she too was shocked. The hostility Gu Han had just exuded almost made her use her spiritual power. What did that mean?


    It meant she had felt danger.


    If Siwei had approached just now, Qingyue had no doubt that Gu Han would have acted, and it would have been a lethal strike.


    She couldn’t understand why Gu Han had so much resentment and hostility.


    She had made a mistake this time and caused Xiao Che to suffer unjustly, but based on his previous temperament, he would have only been upset, perhaps sulking. But now... what was this?


    It was as if she realized something, and Qingyue’s expression grew darker.


    Han...


    Could his Dao heart have been damaged?


    This was not a baseless guess.


    The old Xiao Che had been respectful toward her, indulgent toward Junior Sister, and kind to everyone. But now...


    He was willing to abandon his cultivation, wanted to leave the sect, and even showed hostility toward them.


    These things made her doubt her actions.


    Looking at the Chi Long in Siwei''s hands and thinking of her own deeds, Qingyue fell silent. The people she loved the most, the ones she wanted to protect with her life, didn’t trust her and instead placed all the blame on Xiao Che.


    Bai Fan, who had been silent all this time, looked at the two lost in thought and couldn''t help but clench his teeth.


    Gu Han was indeed difficult to deal with.


    He did nothing but change his attitude toward them, and it had such a huge impact.