The master was away, so it was inconvenient for everyone to use the Guangling Sect's main hall at will. They all gathered in the side hall to talk. No one opposed Gu Pinglin's decision. They only discussed arranging the personnel to stay and go. Gu Pinglin left most of the cultivators he had received along the way, and Nanzhu also left most of the guards with Jiang Wu. As everyone knows, there are many outer alchemy disciples in Penglai. In the environment of Duyin Land, which consumes a lot of energy, these guards can't play a big role in breaking the formation. Going there will only increase casualties, so it's better to stay and help Jiang Wu.
Among those who stayed behind, Jiang Wu was the only Inner Alchemy Master. He knew that he had a heavy responsibility, so he saluted Gu Pinglin with a serious look and said, "Master, rest assured. As long as I am here, I will do my best to hold them back."
Gu Pinglin waved his hand and said, "I have something else to tell you later. Let's talk later."
Jiang Wu understood and stepped aside.
The two Su disciples were worried and stepped forward to ask for help: "We have low cultivation bases, but we are willing to die for the cultivation world and avenge our sect. Although Sect Master Gu has good intentions in leaving us here, you are outnumbered after all. Even if you can meet up with Jade Palace Master and the others, wouldn't Wanfa Sect be unprepared? It's very dangerous to go to Changming Mountain, so why not take us with you? Maybe we can do our best."
The other practitioners also echoed.
Gu Pinglin stopped them: "I have my own arrangements over at Changming Mountain. We have enough manpower, and we will be able to successfully break the formation this time. You guys staying behind in Guangling Sect is really a great help to us. If the Wanfa Sect attacks, Jiang Wu will arrange for you to evacuate to reduce unnecessary casualties."
When they heard him clearly say that the formation had been broken, everyone was very surprised. Some cheered with joy, while others frowned with worry.
Someone said loudly: "In this case, we will definitely do our best to help Master Jiang hold back the Wanfa Sect, and we will wait for your good news."
Nanzhu finished the arrangements here, turned sideways to look at Ji Qiniang, and ordered: "Miss Yang, you stay with the lady."
The woman next to Ji Qiniang stepped forward and agreed, "Yes."
Ji Qiniang said, "I don't need to stay."
Nanzhu's face darkened when she heard this, and she said coldly: "You are in this state now, and you will be a burden if you go. Who will take care of you?"
Ji Qinnan just kept silent.
"It's inappropriate for you to follow in. What exactly do you want to do?" Nanzhu suppressed her anger and said in a low voice, "There aren't many people left in Penglai. Isn't it enough to make trouble?"
Everyone noticed this and fell silent at the same time. Ren Reng stepped forward to persuade them: "Let's talk it over. I think Madam is also worried about the South Island Master."
Bu Shuihan treated Qu Lin very well. Seeing Nan Zhu like this, he couldn't help but frown: "The affairs of the Ji family have nothing to do with Madam. When the South Island Master asked to marry me..."
"Junior brother!" Jiang Wu hurriedly pulled him away, smiled bitterly, and whispered, "Please don't say a few words about Penglai's family affairs, so as not to ruin the friendship between Master Gu and the South Island Master."
Bu Shuihan realized that he had said something wrong and sighed.
Nanzhu was not in a position to lose her temper in public, so she immediately smiled and said, "I was anxious for a moment, I'm sorry to have made you laugh."
"It's inevitable that a couple will argue."
"When the world of cultivation is at peace and the South Island Lord has a son, I will definitely come and ask for wine."
…
Everyone tactfully changed the subject. Nanzhu smiled and said politely. Ji Qinnan watched quietly for a while, then turned and left. Yang Gu looked at Nanzhu and immediately followed him out after he signaled.
Qi Wan'er hesitated for a moment, then turned to Yao Feng and said, "Brother Yao, Sect Master Gu has arranged something for us. Your injury hasn't healed yet, so why don't you go back to your room and rest?"
Yao Feng looked at the door and said "hmm".
The two of them walked out side by side. Qi Wan'er immediately quickened her pace. Yao Feng did not say anything and followed him silently. Not long after they walked, they saw Ji Qinnan and Yang Gu standing on the corridor.
Aunt Yang said: "The island owner is worried about the lady. The lady is pregnant now. Even if she doesn't look at others, she should look at her belly..."
Ji Qinnan remained unmoved, as if she hadn't heard anything.
Qi Wan'er slowed down her pace and suddenly said in a loud voice: "Brother Yao, we have to leave tomorrow morning. Is your injury serious?"
Yao Feng was stunned by the question. He looked at the two people over there awkwardly, then looked at him and pursed his lips.
Seeing Ji Qiniang and the other two looking over here, Qi Wan'er coughed lightly and winked, "Brother Yao?"
Yao Feng said helplessly: "I'm fine."
Qi Wan'er immediately said, "How can it be okay? Duan Liu said that you need to regulate your breathing more. I will protect you." After saying that, he pretended to see Ji Qiniang and the others, with a look of surprise on his face, and stepped forward to clasp his fists: "Madam Nan, Master Yang."
Yang Gu returned the greeting, but Ji Qinnan just nodded coldly and turned away.
Qi Wan'er was a little embarrassed to be treated so coldly for the first time in her life, but she still tried to persuade him: "I think what the Island Master said just now makes sense. Madam's cultivation is not enough, so it is really not appropriate for her to go..."
"Penglai's family affairs do not need outsiders to interfere," Ji Qiniang interrupted him, "Miss Yang, go back to your room."
Qi Wan'er knew that it was not polite to persuade her privately, so she wanted to drag Yao Feng along to avoid misunderstandings. However, she did not expect that she would not listen to the end. Qi Wan'er hit a snag and could not say anything more. She watched her leave and suddenly felt a headache. She turned around and said, "Why are women like this? I was clearly talking to her in a nice voice, but she refused to listen!"
Yao Feng pursed his lips.
Qi Wan'er paced back and forth twice, and realized it herself: "Could it be that she is still angry and doesn't want to see me?"
Yao Feng coughed lightly: "Maybe."
"Women like to get angry," Qi Wan'er never gets angry with women, she smiled awkwardly, "I just want to advise her. She hasn't even formed her inner elixir yet, it's too dangerous to go with her. If she runs into the Ji family, which side will she stand on? She's caught in a dilemma, and if she really becomes a burden, the South Island Master will probably blame her again, alas." He sighed and explained, "The Wanfa Sect wants to control Penglai Island. If I had agreed to marry her, she wouldn't have married to Penglai, and maybe the Ji family wouldn't have cooperated with the Wanfa Sect..."
Yao Feng asked: "Do you regret it?"
"Of course not," Qi Wan'er waved her hand and said decisively, "I just want to concentrate on swordsmanship. I didn't like her in the first place, and it wasn't Qi who asked for the marriage." He hesitated: "I just feel that I left at the beginning. I'm afraid that she was married to Penglai because of this reason. I feel a little guilty."
Yao Feng patted his shoulder and whispered, "The South Island Master will protect her."
Qi Wan'er waved her hand and smiled: "Well, I just wanted to persuade her. I shouldn't have meddled in other people's business."
.
Everyone here dispersed, and Gu Pinglin left Jiang Wu to give some instructions before leaving the hall. As guests, it was naturally inconvenient for them to occupy the host's residence, so they all took the initiative to settle in the guest house. The guest rooms of Guangling Sect were different from those of other sects. They were scattered throughout the bamboo forest, either in small courtyards or small buildings, and were very elegant. When he came last time, Zhou Qiu was grateful to him for saving Guangling Sect, and specially arranged the best guest room, not far from Liushui Tower, with the sound of water and bamboo, and the environment was beautiful and secluded. Gu Pinglin did not go anywhere else this time, and still chose this place.
The green bamboo turned into ghost bamboo, and the sound was a bit eerie.
Gu Pinglin took out the night-shining pearl and placed it on the lampstand. He used the Water Purification Technique to remove the dust and was about to go to bed to rest when he heard the sound of a zither. Gu Pinglin walked to the window and saw a few lights on in the small attic in the distance opposite.
Gu Pinglin closed the window, set up a barrier, and sat cross-legged on the bed. He had given up on the breakthrough twice, and his physical condition had been damaged. He had been busy in recent days and had no time to recuperate. He could only use the Qi of Creation to heal his injuries every night.
As soon as he started to practice, the sound of the piano pierced through the barrier like a sharp sword and went straight into his ears.
Gu Pinglin almost lost his energy due to the sudden interruption. He stopped immediately, closed his eyes and sat quietly for a while, then he opened the window with his palm and flew out.
Palace lanterns fluttered under the eaves, the door of the small attic was wide open, the bright pearl light was cold, and the sword king in white was sitting in front of the peony screen, bowing his head and playing the piano.
The strings of the zither broke, and a black bamboo leaf was bounced away and fell to the ground.
Duan Qingming was not annoyed, and picked up the two broken strings: "Master Gu, why did you come here to break my zither?"
Gu Pinglin appeared at the door: "It's dirty and disturbing, that's the truth."
"Isn't it nice to listen to?"
"It's a provocative voice, and I never think it's pleasant to hear it."
Duan Qingming said "Oh" and said, "Then why did you learn it in the first place?"
"Hmm?" Gu Pinglin reacted and his face looked unhappy. "How many times have you sneaked into Lingxin Sect?"
"Not much. You only tried it about ten times, and when you found that you had no talent, you wisely gave up." Qin Ji slid to the wall silently, and Duan Qingming stood up. "Besides, I'm not sneaking in, I'm walking. No one can stop me wherever I go, not to mention that the Lingxin Sect is almost the same with or without defense."
Gu Pinglin hummed: "Thank you for caring about me so much."
Duan Qingming walked to the door and said, "I have feelings for you. It feels like a long time since I last saw you. It is only natural for me to visit you."
Gu Pinglin remembered clearly that the disciples of Lingxin Sect were often bullied by the disciples of Xuanming Sect. He was young and hot-tempered, and he planned to teach a disciple of Xuanming Sect a lesson, but was interrupted by the sound of the zither. The situation was stronger than the person, so he swallowed his anger and found the zither learner that night. At that time, the two had only met a few times, and the saying "one day without seeing is like three years" was clearly nonsense. Gu Pinglin frowned and said, "Duan Qingming, the situation has changed, and there is no point in repeating the provocation."
"It only sounds like provocation, what a pity."
"what else?"
Duan Qingming said, "Protection. You paid me to hire you, so of course I have to protect you at all times. The purpose of the Sword King Pavilion's business is to satisfy customers and make them feel that their money is well spent. I will do my duty to make you understand that your low-level barrier is useless."
"I don't need protection right now," Gu Pinglin refused decisively, turning around to leave, "I'll leave tomorrow morning."
"Departure or return?"
Gu Pinglin paused when he heard this: "Of course we are leaving."
Duan Qingming said slowly: "Set out and then return. Did you really take over Mount Paektu just to use it as a base?"
Gu Pinglin turned around and looked at him, calmly: "Is there any other function?"
"Maybe, the Baitou Mountain Spirit Eye plays a big role," Duan Qingming raised his eyebrows slightly, and the tips of his eyebrows seemed to be blooming with peach blossoms. "Just now, I found that my previous guess seemed to be wrong. Your game was indeed ingenious. Whether Lu Zhiren can see through it is the key to his success." The light in his black eyes gradually grew brighter, and he looked at Gu Pinglin intently: "It's a pity that we are now friendly brothers, and it's less interesting."
Gu Pinglin asked: "Do you want us to be enemies?"
Duan Qingming stepped out of the door, and the two of them were almost only one step away from each other. He lowered his head slightly: "Do you want to?"
Gu Pinglin said decisively: "I never expected it."
"Yes, you envy and admire me," Duan Qingming grabbed his wrist and pulled it up, "How does it feel to take advantage of the feelings of someone you admire, Gu Pinglin? Do you enjoy it?"
Gu Pinglin said: "I didn't..."
Duan Qingming said, "Of course you won't. Who will win if a person with emotions takes advantage of a monster that controls people's hearts?" He chuckled, "In this new life, I, your senior brother, have been good to you and saved your life. Don't you really regret it these decades? You said that your obsession is with me. Even if you kill me, you don't seem to have made much of a breakthrough."
There are no secrets in the eyes of smart people. Gu Pinglin's heart tightened.
"What is your obsession?" His hands were a little cold, like the temperature of a poisonous snake, but his black eyes were filled with a strange yet familiar fire that made people uncomfortable. "You probably think that you are enduring like this to stabilize me and prevent me from cooperating with Lu Zhiren."
Gu Pinglin immediately said: "You..."
"You admire me," the man in front of him stopped him from speaking, "I completely believe what you say. You won't choose Lan Feiyu to detoxify you. Just like now, will you tolerate and compromise with anyone else besides me?"
Gu Pinglin interrupted calmly: "You are wrong. I will compromise with anyone at this time." He paused for a while and then said: "Of course, I don't need to compromise with others."
Duan Qingming smiled, his voice carrying a hint of amusement: "It's late at night, Master Gu should rest." He let go of her hand, turned slightly, and stepped aside half a step.
Gu Pinglin looked at him and said, "That's right." Then he walked into the door, turned around the screen, sat cross-legged on the large couch, and closed his eyes: "Since you are here, I have to disturb you."
After a moment, the edge of the couch beside him sank slightly, and there was a rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other. Someone lay down behind him, but that gaze seemed to have become solid and remained glued to him.
"I didn't ask you to occupy my bed to practice."
"Master, this is a good intention," Gu Pinglin said without opening his eyes, slowly clasping his hands together, "Thank you for protecting me."
"Can the Creation Technique be practiced in a place like this where the spiritual energy is cut off?"
"It's for healing."
The person behind him didn't say anything else.
Feeling that the gaze was still on him, and even had a bit of interest, Gu Pinglin simply blocked out the external sensation, circulated his internal energy, and spent the night in peace.
.
"Is Pavilion Master Duan here?"
"Who is this girl?"
"We don't know either. She refused to say anything. Just now when we went to the Bamboo Sea for inspection, we saw that she seemed to be being chased, so we brought her in. She heard that Master Gu was here, so she insisted on seeing him. But Master Gu was not in the room, so she wanted to see Pavilion Master Duan."
"Bu Daxiu is here!"
…
The next morning, just as Gu Pinglin finished his training, he heard a commotion coming from the Liushui Building outside.
Beside him, Duan Qingming was still half lying on the couch reading a book, with no intention of getting up at all.
Gu Pinglin got up from the bed and walked out the door.
Bu Shuihan was leading a crying woman up to the attic, followed by two Penglai guards. Bu Shuihan said as he walked, "No need to look for Junior Brother Gu, just look for Master Qi Thirteen. Do Master Qi and his family live here? Never mind, it's the same if you look for Junior Brother Duan, Junior Brother Duan!"
The woman suddenly stopped crying: "Wan'er is here?"
Gu Pinglin called her, "Miss Qi."
Qi Yanfeng looked disheveled, with blood, dust and leaves on his clothes. His right hand was still tightly grasping the sword, and it was obvious that he had been through a tough battle.