Though everyone could see Xu Zhenguan's extraordinary potential from his performance, his manner of speech and behavior made it clear that he must have come from a humble background, and that Gu Fangchen had shown him the grace of recognition.
Over the past few days, there had been no shortage of those whom Xu Zhenguan had previously defeated, now acting under orders from their family elders, reaching out to him with offers of olive branches.
Yet Xu Zhenguan, no matter what promises or benefits were placed before him, remained unmoved and wholly loyal to Gu Fangchen. That alone spoke volumes about his character.
A man like this, steadfast and resolute, could serve as a deathsworn, but could never be bribed away.
Those of the Dugu clan could only look on with envy at Gu Fangchen's ridiculous luck, wondering where on earth he had managed to find such a capable subordinate.
"All right, it's getting late. Today's sparring will end here. Later, I will personally examine your lessons."
Dugu Xia rose to her feet and glanced at several younger clan members whispering among themselves below the stage. Her words immediately drew a wave of quiet groans, though they still bowed respectfully and answered in unison.
Those juniors ranged from about eleven or twelve years old to nearly Gu Lianqian's age, still students in the clan's private school, practicing their cultivation.
The reason Dugu Xia had agreed to host the dueling platform at the Dugu estate itself these days was precisely so that the younger generation could broaden their horizons.
Opportunities to witness a live challenge streak across the Lesser Heaven List were rare, and such a chance should never be missed.
Anyone who could challenge Gu Fangchen was, without exception, a formidable cultivator. Watching combat of this level at their age would benefit their cultivation immensely.
Besides, this was an excellent chance to raise the reputation of the Dugu clan of Gushu...
There had been so many challengers these past few days that they had to line up for their turn.
However, as Xu Zhenguan grew stronger with each battle, the number of challengers had visibly decreased in the last two days.
Dugu Xia waved for servants to escort the defeated challengers away and dismissed the clan juniors before turning toward Gu Fangchen.
"Has the Heir Apparent uncovered any clues regarding the matter from back then? If you require assistance, the Dugu clan will lend its full support."
"I also feel some guilt about that year's incident. I wish to do something, however small, for the Princess Consort."
Ning Caiyong shook her head gently and stepped forward to steady her uncle, her voice soft:
"Uncle, you give yourself too much blame. That year's incident was meticulously planned by the Demonic Sect. Even the august Northern Garrison Prince was unaware. How could the Dugu clan's guards be faulted?"
Dugu Xia paused, sensing the hidden meaning in her words. But at this point, anyone could see that Gu Fangchen and Gu Yuye were at complete odds.
For Ning Caiyong to accompany Gu Fangchen to Gushu now was already a clear declaration of where her loyalties lay.
Judging by her tone, even if no formal break had yet occurred, it was only a matter of time.
Dugu Xia sighed deeply in his heart. His sister had been unworthy, passing away early and leaving behind these two children, raised in Sword Pavilion... Yet in the end, their surname was Ning, and their hearts were not one with his clan.
If the truth of that old affair were ever brought to light, it would not end peacefully.
Gu Fangchen folded his fan and smiled toward Dugu Xia.
"I appreciate Granduncle's concern, but I've already sent my men to the Sky-Eye Division. I imagine it won't be long before we uncover the truth."
Dugu Xia froze, frowning slightly with unease.
"This... I too once sent people to the Sky-Eye Division, but back then, the Demonic Sect had already slain all stationed members. There were no witnesses left."
"Though the Sky-Eye Division possesses the Heaven-Penetrating Eye, I fear it will be impossible to investigate after so long!"
"Ah, Granduncle, that's not quite right. Though the members of the Sky-Eye Division may have died, their eyes did not. Not only did they not die, but they still glare quite vividly."
Gu Fangchen shook his head slowly, tone calm and almost playful.
"Although the chief inspector of that Sky-Eye Division post indeed perished, the Division recently discovered that, before dying, he managed to leave behind one of his eyes. As long as we can locate the place where it was buried, we'll naturally be able to reconstruct the truth."
Hidden within his sleeve, Dugu Xia's hand clenched tight.
"There's still such a thing..."
Gu Fangchen continued as if to himself.
"I didn't believe it at first, but the Sky-Eye Division swears it's true. They must have some degree of confidence."
His smile widened.
"I had thought this journey to Gushu would take at least ten or fifteen days, but it seems the truth may reveal itself much sooner. Truly, 'wear out iron shoes seeking it in vain, yet find it effortlessly at last.' Don't you agree, Granduncle?"
Dugu Xia released his hand, feigning a look of relief.
"If that's so, I can rest easy. You and your mother should take time to enjoy yourselves in Gushu these few days. It's early summer now; the noble young ladies often gather to tour the Jiangling River aboard pleasure boats. You're of age, go see if any catch your fancy. Then we can choose a good bride for you."
He glanced kindly at Ning Caiyong.
"Was it not aboard such a pleasure boat that your mother first caught the Prince's eye?"
Ning Caiyong lowered her gaze, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and smiled faintly.
"That was long ago, Uncle. Why bring it up now, to make me a laughingstock in front of the child?"
"No, no, I won't bring it up again..."
Dugu Xia sighed wistfully.
"When one grows old, one loves to reminisce. How the years fly by... Back then, your mother too was a lively girl. Since you've not visited for so many years, I've gathered some of her old belongings..."
Hearing this, Ning Caiyong's expression softened slightly. She looked toward Gu Fangchen again.
Though Gu Fangchen remained guarded against his granduncle, with Ding Xingfeng nearby to watch over things, there was little the Dugu clan could do to harm Ning Caiyong. He left them to their reunion and returned with Xuexiang to a nearby courtyard.
The dueling platform wasn't far, so he wasn't worried about being found out.
"Heir Apparent."
As they passed through a corridor, a servant came toward them and knelt respectfully at the side.
Gu Fangchen suddenly paused, narrowing his eyes.
"I don't recall seeing you among the Dugu servants before."
The man's expression changed instantly. Without hesitation, he drew a handful of poisoned needles and flung them toward the two.
Xuexiang froze, too stunned to react.
Those poisoned needles were physical attacks, and naturally passed harmlessly through Gu Fangchen's soul-formed body.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
The needles sliced through his figure, but with a thought, Gu Fangchen blocked those aimed at Xuexiang. His expression turned cold, eyes glaring in wrath, manifesting the Vajra Wrath Aspect, and he fixed the assassin with a killing gaze.
This was a visualization technique recently gained from the Sky-Eye Division, an "Indestructible Vajra" intent, a method of suppression and execution.
Of course, that supposed "eye" had little to do with the Division; it was actually from another quest line within the game world. He was merely using it to bluff the Dugu clan.
Still, with the Sky-Eye Division under his control, fabricating a few visualization scrolls was no trouble.
The servant froze under Gu Fangchen's glare, eyes wide with horror, almost ready to have his soul scattered outright.
But being a trained deathsworn, he immediately triggered the seal embedded in his mind, regaining a moment of clarity. With a desperate bite, he detonated his dantian and meridians to activate his final mechanism.
"Boom!"
The man perished instantly, his body exploding from within into a pile of pulpy flesh.
"Snap!"
The poisoned needles Gu Fangchen had stopped midair suddenly burst apart, scattering golden phosphorescent dust laced with faint shimmering mist in all directions.
The mist shimmered in five hues, beautiful, almost mesmerizing.
Gu Fangchen's pupils constricted sharply. He recognized it at once,
"Golden Hairpin Fall"!
Indeed, it was a poison, but not a lethal one, even to ordinary folk. Its antidote was simple.
Its name, aside from its color, came from its nature:
"Golden Hairpin Fall, falling into the mortal world."
This was... a potent aphrodisiac!
Whoever devised this assassination method was truly a genius!
Gu Fangchen's mouth twitched; he was speechless.
No wonder such a substance could be openly brought into the Dugu estate, it affected both men and women. Many decadent young nobles used it for pleasure.
Fast-acting, effective.
Among noble circles, it was far from rare; no one would even question its origin.
Normally, "Golden Hairpin Fall" wouldn't kill. Its mechanism was to stimulate the three dantian centers, upper, middle, and lower, linking them to unleash both spirit and vitality in a single explosive surge.
As long as the excess was expended, the victim would survive unharmed.
Only by suppressing it would one risk crippling the dantian or even exploding outright.
But the problem was, the middle dantian was the heart, the center of blood circulation, the seat of the solar flame.
For an ordinary person, it would simply cause an accelerated heartbeat, flushed blood, and frenzied lust.
But Gu Fangchen was no ordinary person.
He still carried within him an unrefined Heart-Poison Mark,
A toxin rooted directly in the heart!
He had long suppressed its eruption using Flower-Grasping, keeping his blood and energy subdued and calm.
That was also why Ning Caiyong had always forbidden him from reckless indulgence.
If he ever lost control, he could die.
Thus, his earlier remark, that whoever devised this method was a true talent, was no exaggeration.
The "Golden Hairpin Fall" itself was harmless, but it served as a catalyst to ignite the Heart-Poison Mark!
And crucially, "Golden Hairpin Fall" was one of the few poisons that affected both body and soul.
Those poisoned would feel spiritually elated, capable of battling for seven days and nights.
Gu Fangchen was now in a soul state, only a wisp of consciousness, but it was still his own thought. With his current cultivation, he couldn't sever it without harming himself.
To shield Xuexiang from harm, his divine sense had directly touched the poisoned needles.
When the needles exploded, the mist also reached her.
The lovely young maid blinked at the dazzling golden haze, dazed and confused.
"Your Highness! Are you all right?" she cried, rushing to his side, wanting to check him yet too afraid to touch him.
Gu Fangchen was, of course, fine.
His Demon Refinement Method body had already begun refining the poison. For him, any toxin that could inflict pain was nourishment.
The only issue was that, once refined, its effects became permanent, like the venomous blood in his veins.
And what good would it do to have "Golden Hairpin Fall" as a permanent buff?
Sure, it strengthened vitality, but to have it constantly active? That was excessive.
Still, to prevent the Heart-Poison Mark from exploding and killing him, he had no choice but to refine it.
He would just seal it away somewhere and release it only when needed.
Gu Fangchen glanced at his maid, whose face was flushed scarlet.
"I'm fine... are you?"
Xuexiang blinked in confusion.
"Me? I... I feel kind of hot. So hot! Your Highness, I'm so hot!"
Her face and neck turned crimson, sweat pouring from her fair skin and instantly steaming off into mist mixed with her heavy breaths.
It had just rained in Gushu; the air was cool and damp. Yet she was radiating heat like she'd stepped into a furnace.
Her mind clouded; her eyes glowed bright and feverish as she looked at him, desperate for contact, any comfort.
But she remembered, her master carried an illusion spell and could not be touched.
So she stood there, trembling and panting, tears glimmering in her eyes.
"Your Highness... what do I do? I'm so hot!"
The sight of her, drenched, flushed, trembling, was like a rain-soaked puppy yearning for its master's touch yet afraid to dirty his robes.
Gu Fangchen glanced at the corpse nearby, then calmly set up a simple illusion barrier and sent word to Xu Zhenguan to handle cleanup.
Turning to the room beside them, he said softly:
"Come inside. My body is cold. If you hold me, you'll feel better."
He extended a hand.
Xuexiang, drenched and trembling, reached out, then hesitated.
"But... Your Highness, the illusion array-"
"I'll teach you to make another later," Gu Fangchen smiled. "It's fine. The goal's already achieved. The Dugu clan, fearful of exposure, will surely agree to the Path of Emotion's cooperation."
"And... the Academy's people should be arriving soon."
"When I enter the Tower of Literature and Martial Valor, they'll have no time to question whether I'm real or not. Go slowly, don't trip."
But before he finished speaking, Xuexiang's willpower completely crumbled.
She clasped his hand and pressed close.
So cold!
The contrast in temperature made her gasp; she clung to him, murmuring incoherently, rubbing against his icy skin, her gaze hazy.
Truly soothing, as the Heir Apparent had promised.
Though only a thought projection, at the Realized Intent Realm Gu Fangchen could manifest physically at will.
Only duration differed.
Still, he was now a disembodied soul,
In other words... a ghost.
Thus his "body" carried no warmth. To her fevered touch, he was pure frost.
Letting her hold him was enough to restore her clarity, just enough for her to walk to the room.
As she clung to him, the mirage array around him dissolved, his figure turning faint, semi-transparent.
Xuexiang, sticky with sweat, led him inside and shut the door.
His body continued to fade, like an erasing image.
That was why he needed the mirage spell, to conceal this half-corporeal state.
Without it, he'd look like a wandering spirit.
Xuexiang, overwhelmed by the heat, began tearing at his clothes, her movements clumsy but determined. She straddled him, biting at his buttons, desperate to strip away the cold fabric.
Gu Fangchen sighed and flicked her forehead lightly.
"Look up."
Her soaked clothes dripped; she hesitated a beat before raising her flushed face.
Gu Fangchen leaned down and kissed her.
Xuexiang, parched and fevered, eagerly returned the kiss, swallowing his cool breath as if it were life itself.
A shiver ran through her; she felt coldness seeping through her body, her mind clearing slightly before clouding again.
Moments later, she found herself lying back on the bed, shoes kicked off, her wet silk socks gently pulled away.
Head tilted back, eyes closed tight, she clung to the youth above her, feeling the chill spread across her burning skin. Her heart thundered wildly, on the verge of bursting.
The icy sensation sobered her somewhat, then shame washed over her face.
"Mm... Your Highness, I... I need to relieve myself..."
"Then go."
She whimpered softly, writhing weakly, but her wrists were pinned above her head, helpless.
When she arched her back, she instead clung tighter to him, as though wanting to merge with him entirely.
When she finally regained a sliver of sense, she gasped in fright,
The Heir Apparent's figure had vanished!
"Your Highness?!"
"I'm here."
His voice echoed beside her ear, his breath tangible.
Xuexiang lay amid the disheveled sheets, blushing crimson, her gaze filled with wonder.
She could feel him there, close and real, yet she could no longer see him.
"This is... hm... hard to explain to you," Gu Fangchen murmured. "Just relax. I'm here."
From his perspective, things were just as strange.
His divine sense had almost completely merged into her soul, only one step away from full integration.
The Divine Path was mysterious indeed.
A god-cultivator could exist indefinitely without a body, even conceive offspring through spiritual union, giving rise to countless myths.
Thus, even spiritual fusion could... resolve the problem.
Though now, as only a single thought fragment, it would take perhaps a dozen such fusions to fully cleanse the poison.
Gu Fangchen steadied his will, then sank entirely into Xuexiang's unguarded soul.
Their essences intertwined, mind with mind, spirit with spirit.
Xuexiang bit her lip, shivering under the unseen touch.
She could feel everything she ought to feel, though no one else was in the room.
Burying her face in the pillow, she covered her flushed stomach with trembling hands.
...
Ying Liangxin crouched in the corner, watching cautiously as the young man suddenly leapt onto the bed to meditate.
Just moments ago, Gu Fangchen had spoken of freeing her, yet in the next instant, his body flushed red, veins bulging, as if struggling not to lose control.
Thankfully, instead of attacking her, he forced himself to sit in meditation.
Seeing this, Ying Liangxin's heart clenched.
"Golden Hairpin Fall?"
The realization chilled her to the bone.
Yet Gu Fangchen, true to his word, made no move toward her.
Little did she know, all peace in this world exists only because someone bears the weight behind it.