Chapter 101: Chapter 97: Either She Dies, or I Kill Her
At that moment, Gu Xiaofang showed his loyal side.
"Without you, Brother Fei, I’d probably be long dead. If there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word."
Without a single thought for the consequences, Gu Xiaofang laid out all the tasks in front of Du Youqian for him to choose from—every mission the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall had recently posted that no one had claimed, as well as all those that hadn’t even been processed and announced yet.
Du Youqian already had a plan.
’He wanted to pick a job with good pay, easy work, and a short commute...’
’Whoops, wrong script.’
’He needed to pick a place that would give him a legitimate reason to get far away from the Holy Blood Sect’s Blessed Land. It had to be somewhere relatively safe, where he wouldn’t have to worry about attacks from all sides or get into constant fights. A place where he could lie low and focus on his Cultivation for at least a year, allowing him to smoothly break through to Foundation Establishment.’
Furthermore, the mission had to be special in a way that he couldn’t be arbitrarily reassigned before it was over.
At the very least, an Inner Disciple like Xi Mengran shouldn’t be able to pull a few strings and have him recalled.
After a long time spent deliberating, Du Youqian finally made his choice...
"Are you sure about this mission?" Gu Xiaofang scratched the back of his head, looking a little awkward. "This mission is just too... Brother Fei, seriously, it’s not worth it. It’s all hard work with no perks. It’s the kind of post they send people with no connections to."
Du Youqian smiled faintly. "I’m just using this Sect mission as a chance to lie low for a while. I’ll come back once I reach Foundation Establishment. I don’t need to worry about perks."
’Besides, the key thing was that he had seen a word in the mission description he never thought would appear.’
’It was quite interesting.’
Gu Xiaofang had a sudden realization. "Oh, right, I was thinking about it all wrong. Brother Fei, just take the mission and leave. Don’t come back. Only Inner Disciples and above have Life Soul Plates made by the Sect, which can be used to track their location at any time. You’re just an Outer Disciple. Even if you run away, no one will come after you."
Du Youqian looked at him and couldn’t help but laugh. "If I ran, wouldn’t you, the one who issued me the mission, be implicated?"
"Heh, how much trouble could I get into? I didn’t know you were planning to run. I was just issuing a mission normally, what’s wrong with that!"
Du Youqian said lightly, "Our Holy Blood Sect has quite a few Soul Searching Secret Techniques."
Gu Xiaofang’s face paled slightly, but he put on a brave front. "We’re just small fry. Who would be bored enough to waste their time performing a Soul Search on me?"
Du Youqian dropped the serious expression and clapped him on the shoulder with a smile. "Don’t worry, I’ll definitely be back on time. I won’t cause you any trouble."
Gu Xiaofang said anxiously, "Don’t, Brother Fei! What are you coming back for? Do you want to fall into that woman’s hands again?"
"If I come back, it will be to take back what is rightfully mine. Since she wants to use me as a Furnace Cauldron, according to the Sect’s rules, I have the right to challenge her. The strong get stronger, and the winner takes all. That’s the Holy Blood Sect for you. Xiaogu, after I’m gone, you must practice your Cultivation diligently. This is a dog-eat-dog place. If you don’t strengthen yourself, you’ll be devoured and turned into resources and sustenance for others."
"I understand!" Gratitude shone in Gu Xiaofang’s eyes. "I know you’re saying all this for my own good, Brother Fei. I’ll work hard! When you come back to challenge that woman and take her status as an Inner Disciple, I’ll be there to witness your moment of glory!"
’Uh, isn’t Xiaogu being a little dramatic? "Moment of glory"... Du Youqian was so embarrassed he felt like he could carve a whole new apartment out of the floor with his toes.’
After accepting the mission, Du Youqian took the Task Jade Token and hurriedly left the Holy Blood Sect.
While Xi Mengran was in seclusion trying to break through to the Foundation Establishment Third Layer, he had to rush to his destination, present his credentials, and finalize everything to prevent any unexpected complications.
As for Gu Xiaofang, Du Youqian had naturally considered his safety and thought it through carefully.
’The conclusion: Gu Xiaofang would be fine.’
’Because if anyone came to investigate, they would find that Gu Xiaofang had followed all the proper procedures.’
’He had requested the mission himself, and Gu Xiaofang had only assigned it to him after confirming he was qualified.’
’Even if Xi Mengran was unreasonable and wanted to take her anger out on someone, Gu Xiaofang was still working as an assistant for another Inner Disciple.’
’Even if only for the sake of face, that Inner Disciple wouldn’t easily hand Gu Xiaofei over to a fellow Inner Disciple like Xi Mengran for punishment.’
’To be sure, Du Youqian had even performed a Divination for Gu Xiaofang. The result was the "Tai" hexagram, which indirectly confirmed his judgment.’
~~~~~~~~~~
"Long have I been trapped in a cage; now, I return to nature once more!"
After leaving the Holy Blood Sect’s Blessed Land, Du Youqian felt as light as a swallow. His Divine Soul was clear and bright, and it was as if his entire being had been elevated.
He couldn’t resist the urge to roar at the sky, releasing all the frustration he had accumulated.
For the past four years, Du Youqian had been under airtight surveillance.
While he had managed to keep his composure, remaining neither haughty nor humble, neither rash nor impatient...
...the accumulated stress and negative Emotions hadn’t just disappeared.
They had simply been suppressed deep within his heart.
But now, all that tension and repression were finally, completely released.
Looking back in the direction of the Holy Blood Sect, Du Youqian finally managed a calm and confident smile. "I will be back. I’ve endured for four years, and I’ll endure for one more. But I will return here. I’m not coming back to prove how amazing I am, but... Hiss, ’how did that line go again?’ In any case, this grudge between me and Xi Mengran can only end with one of our deaths. Either she dies, or I kill her. There is no third possibility."
Having escaped his confinement, Du Youqian was in a completely relaxed state.
He was even in the mood to make jokes.
Next, he ran to a nearby Marketplace, took out the few Spirit Stones he had carefully saved over the years, and bought the cheapest Flying Spiritual Artifact, flying straight for Soul-shaking Mountain.
’Of course, the first thing to do was to unearth the treasure vault he’d left behind in his previous life!’
He paid his respects to Long Ruzhen and Elder Tao and checked on the growth of the peach tree.
As he smoothly unearthed the priceless treasures, Du Youqian had a strange feeling.
’It felt like playing a New Game+ in some life long, long ago, inheriting all the equipment and skills from the first playthrough.’
’It was a little weird, but mostly, it felt awesome.’
A Top Grade Flying Sword, a Top Grade Attack-type Magic Tool, a Top Grade Defense Spiritual Artifact, a Top Grade Magical Artifact Flying Boat, a Spiritual Artifact...
Three Dragon Kui Purple Extreme Pills, three Celestial Demon Sacrifice Pills, and a number of Clover Rejuvenation Pills and Five-Flower Qi Storage Pills.
And the main prize was a precious Foundation Establishment Pill.
There was also 500 Spiritual Jade...
Du Youqian instantly recovered the net worth of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator.
"Time to report for duty."
Before leaving, however, Du Youqian couldn’t resist secretly going to check on the Sanxiao.
’No, they were three middle-aged people now.’
Liao Minmin’s Cultivation was still at the Qi Cultivation Early Stage; she hadn’t made much progress.
The boy with a tiger in his heart, if he remembered correctly, should be 32 this year. His Martial Arts had not yet broken through to the Innate realm, but he was not far from it.
As for Du Yuhuan, she was the same age as Liao Minmin.
In this world, many people were already grandmothers at her age.
Yet she was still unmarried, living alone. Her Martial Arts, however, were a cut above her younger brother’s.
