Hanji Peak.
A thousand-fathom lonely peak, perpetually shrouded in snow.
The world was a landscape of infinite white.
However, on this snowy canvas where time seemed to have frozen, a tiny, imperceptible “crease” was quietly smoothed out.
There was no spiritual light, no sound, and not even the flow of air was disturbed.
Like snow naturally caving in or light slightly shifting, a small figure “melted” out without a hint of presence, standing at the edge of a flat, snow-covered ice rock at the peak’s summit.
It was Qian Yu.
She stood on the snow, yet the powder did not sink even half an inch, as if she were lighter than a feather.
She was bathed in the blizzard, yet the raging wind and snow naturally calmed around her, forming an absolutely peaceful and warm invisible domain.
No longer could the elements bury her into a “snow fox” as they had in the past.
This was — the cultivation of a Semi-Saint.
Where the mind goes, the body follows. Rules recede, and all things fall silent.
Just half a month ago, she had successfully received the cultivation left behind by her Master.
The dreamlike growth in her power had once caused Qian Yu to fall into a state of emptiness.
She could not understand that if a lifetime of cultivation could be obtained so easily, then what was the point of the world’s people waking up early and working late, risking their lives to cultivate?
It took several days for her to finally break free from that void.
Just as the income of Spirit Stones she used to earn by working on Sect missions for several years was merely a small tip Nalan Yunyan would toss aside, the Cultivation World was likely just an “Arabian Nights” version of unfairness.
Things that Rogue Cultivators wouldn’t even dare to write in a fantasy novel were simply a daily occurrence for those at the top.
Earlier this morning, before Qian Yu could decide what to do next, her intuition suddenly stirred.
Immediately, she arrived at Hanji Peak.
A Semi-Saint’s perception of Providence and destiny allowed her to sense that Gu Qinghan, as a Child of Destiny, might be encountering some calamity.
In the past, Qian Yu would never have actively participated in troublesome matters — especially those involving a Child of Destiny — unless they directly concerned her, regardless of how great the benefits were.
Back then, her strength was too weak.
Any small wave was enough to capsize her.
Not to mention, the countless beatings and setbacks on her path of growth had taught her that only by reducing her presence could she suffer less.
But now…
The power left by her Master, a strength that allowed her to “go anywhere in the world,” had quietly dissolved the suppressed personality and shrinking instincts deep within her soul.
It gave her the confidence to truly act according to her own heart.
For example, right now — Gu Qinghan had saved her once, so if the other party was in danger, she would save her in return.
As for things like the enemy’s revenge or interfering with the destiny of a Child of Destiny and incurring Karma, they could go talk to her Fox Sky-Prison Palm and her Semi-Saint cultivation.
In this world, aside from the few remaining Saints, a Semi-Saint was the strongest existence.
Qian Yu also knew the locations of several major Opportunities.
Once she finished saving Gu Qinghan, she could go collect them.
Surging power flowed quietly through her body.
What Qian Yu felt was not a racing heart or a vanity-driven urge for her enemies or the entire world to know of her existence.
What she felt was only a type of… “security,” a sense that she could finally stop and rest for a while, and eventually do the things she wanted to do.
Her gaze penetrated the crystalline snow and layers of ice, easily seeing through the formations that could briefly block a Venerable’s attack to witness the scene currently unfolding in Gu Qinghan’s Cave Residence.
Qian Yu frowned slightly.
The Gu Qinghan of this real world did not seem to have been “reborn.”
Her soul lacked that sense of sediment from two overlapping lifetimes.
She was still that “White Lotus” who seemed cold but was surprisingly simple-minded.
Lacking the icy scheme and suspicion tempered by betrayal, her defenses were practically fragile when facing someone’s sudden, dark calculation.
Look at this. Even without Qian Yu’s betrayal, this simple, black-haired girl had still been set up by another female disciple she had once helped.
Inside the Cave Residence, Gu Qinghan lay powerless on her cold table made of ice and snow.
On her left cheek, a hideous wound stretched diagonally from the corner of her eye to her jaw, grinning open.
The flesh was turned out, and blood meandered down her pale skin, dripping onto the flawless floor and blooming into eye-catching red plum blossoms.
She hadn’t fainted.
A vicious drug had paralyzed her body and scattered her Spiritual Power.
Even moving a single finger was difficult, yet it left her consciousness clear, forcing her to experience the constant, dripping pain of the blood.
The current Gu Qinghan had clearly not reached Qian Yu’s level of indifference toward pain — the kind where one could watch their own wrists bleed while singing little tunes and daydreaming.
The sensation of her cheek being sliced open was truly painful, and she wasn’t one to disregard her own appearance.
However, at this moment, more than the pain, Gu Qinghan felt mostly confusion and sorrow as she gazed at Zhong Yu.
This Outer Disciple was a Junior Sister she had once risked her life to save from the claws of a berserk Yao beast.
Now, Zhong Yu was heartlessly slashing at her with a poisonous dagger.
She didn’t understand why.
“What are you looking at?! Do you think I’m wrong?!”
Noticing Gu Qinghan’s gaze, the Outer Disciple Junior Sister named Zhong Yu suddenly shrieked.
Her voice echoed in the empty, cold Cave Residence, sounding exceptionally piercing.
“Wipe that disgusting look off your face!”
The Emerald Green Dagger in Zhong Yu’s hand was still dripping blood.
She panted heavily, her chest heaving, her face a twisted mask of pleasure, madness, and a deeper layer of fear.
She took a step forward, the blade almost touching the intact half of Gu Qinghan’s face again.
“Yes! You saved my life in Black Wind Valley! Without you, I would have been torn to shreds! I was grateful to you! I really was!”
A hideous grin emerged, mixing with her distorted expression.
“But then what? You gave me a Rejuvenation Pill, saw that my injuries were stable, and then turned and left. You went back to your Hanji Peak to be a True Disciple. What about me?!”
“I was still that Outer Disciple with garbage talent, no background, and no Spirit Stones. Not a single point of my contribution was withheld, and not a single difficult task was missed.”
“Even… even because I was associated with you, those Inner Disciples who already bullied me started bullying me even harder!
“They said: ‘Oh, isn’t this the lucky girl Senior Sister Gu thinks so highly of? Why are you still mining here? Go beg your Senior Sister Gu to give you something good.’
“So you tell me, what was the point of saving me?
“Since you were going to save me, why didn’t you save me all the way and make me a True Disciple like you, someone no one dares to bully?!”
The frantic voice echoed through the Cave Residence.
Looking at the female disciple who was shaking all over — whether from excitement or anger — the confusion and sorrow in Gu Qinghan’s heart grew.
“Later, didn’t you come to me and borrow many Spirit Stones and Elixirs? With those, even if you couldn’t become an Inner Disciple, you should have been able to stand out among the Outer Disciples and stop others from bullying you.”
“That’s right! You did lend me many Elixirs.”
Zhong Yu’s voice suddenly spiked, carrying a sob of total breakdown.
“But last time! When I came back last time, you just looked at me and said, ‘In the end, cultivation must rely on one’s own diligence. Elixirs and external objects should not be overly relied upon…’ And then you refused me!”
“You just lightheartedly shut me out. Do you know that was the only time I was closest to becoming an Inner Disciple? You ruined it all!”
“And to think, before that day, I was thinking you really were a good person, the greatest benefactor of my life.”
Gu Qinghan’s eyelashes trembled, and her lips moved, but she still said nothing.
She only averted her gaze.
Was it just because of that?
Just because of one refusal, all her previous kindness ceased to exist?
Should she still reach out to help people in need in the future?
“See, you’ve stopped talking! Ultimately, the reason you didn’t lend me Spirit Stones back then was just because you thought I was a piece of trash that couldn’t be helped. You looked down on me and thought helping me was a waste, didn’t you?”
“I really misjudged you!”
Gu Qinghan fell into silence.
In the face of Zhong Yu’s fragile self-esteem, this silence became the ultimate insult.
Resentment burned like fire, and she raised the dagger in her hand.
Simply slashing Gu Qinghan’s face was no longer enough to satisfy her.
She wanted to drag this forever clean, forever lofty Senior Sister Gu completely into the mire, letting her taste the flavor of being beneath others, forced to wait for charity.
“When that happens, I’ll be the one to play the good person!”
Zhong Yu raised the knife, aiming straight for Gu Qinghan’s lower abdomen — where the Dantian Qi Sea was located.
The blade fell!
Just as the faint blue tip was about to touch Gu Qinghan’s robes, a very soft click of the tongue, carrying undisguised annoyance, abruptly sounded in the Cave Residence.
“Tsk. It turns out the me in another plotline was actually this ugly…”
Zhong Yu froze.
The blade stopped mid-air.
She pushed with all her might, only to find she could not move it a single inch further, as if she were stuck in an inescapable swamp.
She turned around.
At the entrance of the Cave Residence, at some unknown point, another person had appeared.
A small stature, bare feet, snow-white long hair, and fluffy fox ears and a tail.
It was Qian Yu.
She had actually arrived long ago, but her thoughts had been scrambled by Zhong Yu’s hysterical words, making her think of those stories where she was the one who slashed Gu Qinghan’s face.
Her Master said that was a dream of hers that had failed last time, but Qian Yu never imagined that the failed version of herself could be this hideous.
A so-called “vile person” was nothing more than this.
“Whatever, I’m annoyed just looking at you. You should just pass away sooner,” Qian Yu spoke.
Her voice was not loud; in fact, it was somewhat lazy.
“Huh? Since when did a stray dog like you dare to interfere in my business?”
Zhong Yu was stunned for a moment, but then she grinned as if suddenly realizing something.
“I remember now. Aren’t you that Qian Yu?”
Zhong Yu was pleasantly surprised rather than alarmed.
Several days ago, when Tang Qiurou was assigning her tasks, she had specifically mentioned Qian Yu in addition to Gu Qinghan.
She was told that after handling Gu Qinghan’s matters, she should go and torture this Half-Yao to death.
To that end, she had even been granted a talisman specifically designed to deal with Qian Yu.
Zhong Yu had originally intended to save it, but now, Qian Yu had appeared of her own accord.
Moreover, her words were lazy, showing no reverence toward a Senior Sister who was about to become an Inner Disciple.
Zhong Yu could not tolerate that.
She immediately summoned a Residual Gold Talisman and ignited it, her killing intent rising alongside her mockery.
“Watch closely. This is the power of a True Disciple that you’ll never see in your entire life!”
“Why is it that everywhere I go, there’s a villain like you who talks more than they attack? Is the author out of ideas and using you to pad the word count?”
In the next moment, Qian Yu raised a small hand and gently snapped her fingers.
Zhong Yu’s figure, along with the talisman she viewed as a treasure, completely vanished from the world.