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Chapter 56: Gu Baiyi's Doubts
🕑 Added 2025-04-07 09:16:18 +0000 UTCThe sky over the martial arena was dark and overcast, heavy with the promise of an impending storm.
All eyes were fixed on the center of the stage.
It was unclear whether Mei Lixue had cast a silencing spell or if the crowd was simply too stunned to speak, but the eerie silence was suffocating.
Then, without warning, a black sword shot through the air, slicing through the stillness like a bolt of lightning.
The blade carried an unmistakable aura of lethal intent, cleaving straight toward Mei Lixue’s face.
Sitting beside Ji Rong, Liu Ningxue recognized the sword instantly and couldn’t help but call out, “Master!”
The sword’s presence was sharp and tangible. Ji Rong turned her gaze toward the wielder, her heart skipping a beat in surprise.
The newcomer was clad in a blue Daoist robe, his expression solemn, posture as upright as a bamboo stalk reaching into the clouds.
It was none other than Elder Si Lü, Ye Yizhou.
After listening to Mei Lixue’s words, Ye Yizhou offered no defense for Mei He. Instead, he leaped into the air and brought his sword down toward Mei Lixue with a powerful strike—"Mountain Breaker."
Mei Lixue watched the sword hurtling toward her and spoke indifferently, “Ye Yizhou, do you defy the will of the heavens?”
But Ye Yizhou’s grip remained firm, his sword strike unwavering.
Ji Rong was shocked. Ye Yizhou was undoubtedly a formidable cultivator, but if he truly killed the Saintess of the Divine Sect, he would be hunted to the ends of the earth.
However, just as Mountain Breaker was about to strike Mei Lixue, it came to an abrupt halt.
Because someone had stepped in front of her.
Dressed in red, the figure barely lifted their sword, yet countless lotus petals burst into bloom, forming an impenetrable barrier in midair.
Ye Yizhou’s brow furrowed deeply. He knew he couldn’t break through this barrier.
Though his cultivation was far superior to Gong Yu’s, Mountain Breaker was a technique meant to cleave through mountains, and Gong Yu was never within those mountains to begin with.
In other words, he had never considered Gong Yu as an opponent, which meant he could not unleash the full force of his sword intent.
Ye Yizhou looked at Gong Yu, his voice filled with confusion. “Why?”
The onlookers weren’t sure what Ye Yizhou’s question meant, but Gong Yu understood perfectly.
She sheathed her sword, her face devoid of expression. “The Saintess of the Divine Sect represents the will of the heavens. What she says is true.”
Ye Yizhou’s expression remained unchanged. “And what is the truth?”
“The truth is that Senior Sister Mei brought the Seed of the Heavenly Demon back to Wanjian Sect years ago and has been hiding it ever since.”
Ji Rong was dumbfounded. By the story’s original setup, Gong Yu and Mei He were as close as sisters. Why was she siding with Mei Lixue?
More importantly, in the game, this scene never included Gong Yu at all.
Then again, Ji Rong could understand why.
In the game’s storyline, when the protagonist’s true identity was exposed by Mei Lixue, the sect competition wasn’t taking place. There was no large-scale confrontation like this.
She recalled that, at the time, the protagonist had merely been sparring in the martial arena when Mei Lixue suddenly arrived.
The situation had unfolded so rapidly that Ye Yizhou hadn’t even appeared, let alone Gong Yu.
If not for the original character’s inherent villain status, forcibly written into the plot as the one who pushed the protagonist off a cliff, she might not have been involved in this major event at all.
With this realization, Ji Rong turned her gaze toward Ye Yizhou, only to find that his expression remained unchanged after hearing Gong Yu’s words.
He simply looked at Mei Lixue calmly and asked, “So? Where is the Seed of the Heavenly Demon?”
“Elder Ye, shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” Mei Lixue’s voice was cold. “Even if you try to hide it, I have my own ways of finding it. Besides, if the Seed of the Heavenly Demon remains undiscovered, Sect Master Mei will have to stay in the Divine Sect indefinitely. You might want to reconsider your stance.”
Ye Yizhou’s expression did not waver. “Reconsider what? What happens in Wanjian Sect has nothing to do with your Divine Sect.”
Mei Lixue shook her head. “Do you still not understand? Eradicating the Heavenly Demon isn’t a matter of the Divine Sect, it is a decree of the heavens.”
Ye Yizhou replied, “Even if the heavenly decree declares that the Heavenly Demon has descended and is within the sect, as long as they have joined Wanjian Sect, they are my disciple.”
“My disciples of Wanjian Sect are not yours to discipline.”
His steady voice echoed through the arena, stirring the disciples of Wanjian Sect. One by one, they rose, ignoring Mei Lixue’s oppressive presence, and shouted:
“Elder Ye is right! Wanjian Sect answers to no one!”
“Stop acting like you can order us around! Get out of the martial arena!”
“Divine Sect, leave the arena!”
Standing at the center of the stage, Mei Lixue frowned at their defiance.
Before she had left, Sect Master Feng had warned her that this mission might not be easy, but she had not expected the people of Wanjian Sect to be so stubborn.
Yet, among all those who stood up, Ji Rong remained seated.
Because she had seen someone standing at the entrance of the martial arena.
The first light of dawn painted the sky, the morning sun rising steadily.
Ji Rong followed the trail of falling plum blossoms with her gaze. At the end of the path stood a tall figure dressed in violet.
Her hand, gripping her sword, trembled slightly.
If she wasn’t mistaken, that person was…
Banners fluttered across the martial arena. Standing amidst the scattered red petals, Gu Baiyi held her Hanshui Sword, silently observing everything.
She saw everything, yet it seemed as though she saw nothing at all.
A moment later, her eyes met Ji Rong’s.
Gu Baiyi blinked in surprise, then smiled faintly, saying nothing.
Perhaps it was the lingering effect of last night’s Bamboo Leaf Green wine, but seeing Gu Baiyi standing in the corner sent a shiver down Ji Rong’s spine.
Then, realization struck her.
Damn it. Why was the protagonist here? Was she trying to get herself killed?
….
At the break of dawn, Gu Baiyi awoke.
She sat up, looked around her familiar room, and began her morning routine, washing up, practicing her sword techniques.
After finishing her training, she had breakfast and cleaned her dishes.
Then, she sat down to read, flipping through a book she had been halfway through.
As she organized the freshly laundered clothes, she found something tucked away at the bottom of the basket, a bloodstained ice gauze cloth. She froze for a moment.
It was the cloth Ji Rong had torn from her robe to bandage her wound back in the secret realm.
Even after countless washes, the stain remained, a faint, lingering red on the once-pristine fabric.
Gu Baiyi was silent for a long time before carefully folding the cloth and placing it atop her garments.
She shut the cabinet door and sat on the bedside, absentmindedly tracing the contours of a purple jade pendant in her palm. Her gaze drifted to the two Kunlun slave masks resting nearby.
She recalled the deafening fireworks in Tianshui City, the solemn yet eerie dance.
The crowd pressed in, the warmth of her senior sister’s hand in hers as they slipped through the throng, finding their way to the city walls.
Below, the lights of ten thousand homes flickered.
It felt like, with just one more step, warmth would finally be within reach.
At that moment, Senior Sister stood beside her and asked, "Why don’t you pray to the gods and Buddhas?"
She had considered it. But when she thought back on her past, she couldn’t help but scoff, "What use are gods and Buddhas? What you desire isn’t necessarily what you’ll receive. Praying to them is no better than relying on yourself."
However, Senior Sister simply stared at her and said calmly, "How do you know you won’t receive it if you don’t even try?"
She looked at Ji Rong, momentarily stunned.
For an instant, she wanted to say—
Senior Sister, I don’t pray to gods or Buddhas. If I only pray to you… would you answer me?
But the scene before her was too beautiful, the fireworks dazzling in the sky. So, in the end, she simply smiled and swallowed the words that had risen to her lips.
After all, she didn’t want to ruin the moment.
After a long pause, Gu Baiyi came back to her senses. She looked at the purple jade pendant in her hand and gently placed it back on the table.
Then, she picked up her sword and pushed open the door.
Sunlight streamed in.
…
The air in the training grounds was tense with drawn swords and locked gazes. Ye Yizhou and Mei Lixue stood at odds, a fierce battle on the verge of breaking out.
Just as the situation reached its breaking point, footsteps suddenly echoed from the entrance.
Mist curled in the air as someone stepped forward through a path littered with fallen red leaves.
Gu Baiyi, her dark hair flowing, lifted her head and looked toward Mei Lixue, who stood on the high platform.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, Mei Lixue lowered her eyes and saw the woman in purple standing beneath the stage.
A moment later, Mei Lixue’s brows gradually relaxed, and a faint smile even appeared on her lips. She said to Gu Baiyi, "You’re finally here."
To the onlookers, such an expression on Mei Lixue’s usually stern face seemed almost eerie.
But Mei Lixue wasn’t smiling for herself, only because Gu Baiyi’s arrival once again proved that the will of heaven was always right.
Yet, Gu Baiyi didn’t look at Mei Lixue again. Instead, she turned to Ye Yizhou and bowed deeply. "Many thanks, Elder Ye, but the one the Saintess seeks is me. This matter has nothing to do with Wanjian Sect or Sect Master Mei."
Ye Yizhou’s brows furrowed slightly, about to retort, when Gu Baiyi suddenly set down her sword, dropped to her knees, and said, "This disciple has committed grave sins and is unworthy of being part of Wanjian Sect. I ask Elder to expel me from the sect."
Expelled from the sect?
Hearing those words, Ye Yizhou’s anger flared. He said in a low voice, "Stand up."
Gu Baiyi, however, remained kneeling, her head bowed. She spoke softly, "Elder Ye, think of Sect Master Mei."
Ye Yizhou froze.
Deep down, he already knew, Gu Baiyi was undoubtedly the person Mei Lixue had been searching for.
Now, with this act, she was trying to sever her ties with Wanjian Sect, shouldering all the blame alone to protect Mei He.
And that infuriated Ye Yizhou even more. Since when did Wanjian Sect need to sacrifice its disciples to protect its sect master?
Absurd.
But then, he reconsidered. If it were just Mei Lixue, the Divine Sect wouldn’t be a real threat. However, behind her stood Feng He, the number one cultivator on the Cultivation Ranking.
Unless the Sword Saint returned to life, no one could defeat him.
While Ye Yizhou was deep in thought, Gu Baiyi had already pressed her forehead to the ground in a formal kowtow.
During the disciple initiation ceremony, bowing before a respected elder symbolized officially becoming a sect member. But when a disciple committed a grave offense, kneeling in such a manner signified cutting ties with the sect, never to return.
Seeing Gu Baiyi’s unwavering determination, Ye Yizhou could only stare at her, speechless.
Even if his heart burned with anger and unwillingness, there was nothing he could do. Any reckless action now would put everyone in danger.
Ye Yizhou understood the stakes, but the disciples didn’t. At that moment, someone stood up and shouted angrily, "Senior Sister Gu is one of us! She has always been kind and has never done anything wicked. Why should she be expelled?"
"That’s right! This isn’t fair!"
Mei Lixue stood in the center of the stage, her voice indifferent. "Because she is a Heavenly Demon Seed. That alone is enough reason for all of you to kill her."
Heavenly Demon Seed?
The disciples’ outraged expressions froze. Some even wondered if they had misheard.
Ji Rong watched coldly from the sidelines, thinking, "Heavenly Demon Seed? What nonsense. This is just a fabricated excuse, and Mei Lixue is acting like it’s divine law."
Mei Lixue, however, was pleased with their reaction and continued, "You all live so freely now, but a hundred years ago, in the darkest of times, no one had the luxury of sitting here watching duels. Back then, the sects couldn’t even bury their dead fast enough, let alone engage in friendly sparring."
"If not for the divine mandate, if not for everyone working together to eradicate the Heavenly Demon Seed, do you think you’d have the privilege of standing here and shouting today?"
A long silence followed. The disciples' fiery indignation slowly faded, their resolve wavering.
They looked at Gu Baiyi, standing alone, and one by one, they sat down, swallowing their words.
Watching the scene unfold, Ji Rong grew anxious. "Why did the heroine come here? If she just turned and left, wouldn’t that be better for everyone?"
Gu Baiyi didn’t know what Ji Rong was thinking. She simply lifted her head and smiled at Mei Lixue. "Senior, I know you’re looking for me. But I came anyway."
Mei Lixue looked at her with a detached expression. "Why?"
Gu Baiyi replied, "Because I have a question for you."
"Speak."
"I want to ask… why does the will of heaven decree that I must die?"
A hush fell over the training grounds.
Even Mei Lixue’s expression flickered with uncertainty.
No one had ever questioned why the will of heaven acted as it did. The will of heaven was absolute, its every decree was unquestionable.
Yet, at this moment, the woman before her looked straight at her and asked, with utmost seriousness, "I may have been born as a demon, but I have never committed unspeakable evil. I am not a wicked person."
"So tell me, why does the will of heaven refuse to tolerate my existence?"
