Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 224: Killing Su Qingzi, fate is at stake (please vote)

Suddenly, a terrifying fiery tornado rose from around Gu Guanqi, soaring straight into the sky.

It was a vortex of flames, ten feet high, spinning wildly in the void. Wherever the flames passed, space seemed to be scorched and distorted, and the sky seemed to instantly turn into dusk, with half of the sky reflecting a scorching crimson.

Gu Guanqi floated in the void, his white robes fluttering, his long hair flowing, and flames swirling around him, like a legendary fire god.

At the same time, behind him, a gigantic phoenix phantom slowly emerged, its fiery wings unfurling, flowing with molten lava-like flames.

Gu Guanqi unleashed a sword strike, and the phoenix's wings instantly spread and closed. In that instant, the towering fiery tornado suddenly solidified, transforming into a vast and boundless torrent of fire, like a celestial river pouring down.

At that moment, it seemed as if only that crimson light remained between heaven and earth.

The moment the torrent of flames crashed into the golden core cage, it unleashed a tremendous roar, as if the void itself trembled.

The golden core cage shattered instantly, turning into countless golden fragments, which were then swept up by flames and burned to ashes in mid-air.

However, the momentum of that sword strike had not yet subsided. The torrent of flames transformed into a roaring phoenix, plummeting straight down from the sky and slashing down at Su Qingzi, who was still ascending below.

Su Qingzi's pupils shrank suddenly.

He suddenly clasped his hands together, and the immense power of the Golden Core rapidly condensed around him, transforming into a huge phantom of a Golden Core that was over ten feet wide.

The golden elixir was perfectly round, like a sun fallen to earth, completely protecting him within it.

The next instant, a flaming sword fell.

"boom"

A deafening explosion ripped through the air, turning the entire sky a blinding crimson. Countless cracks appeared on the surface of the golden core phantom.

"BOOM!!"

The illusory image of the golden core shattered with a roar, turning into countless golden fragments of light that dissipated into the flames.

Su Qingzi spat out a mouthful of blood and fell straight down from the sky, crashing heavily onto the square of the Four Directions Sword Sect.

"Bang!"

With a loud bang, the ground shook violently.

Centered on the point where Su Qingzi fell, the ground shattered, and rubble and dust shot into the sky, leaving a deep crater several meters wide.

The surrounding houses shook violently in that instant, the walls cracked, and several nearby houses collapsed with a crash, sending bricks and broken wood flying like rain.

Smoke and dust billowed up, obscuring the sky and shrouding the entire square in a gray-yellow chaos.

Gu Guanqi's gaze sharpened, and without the slightest hesitation, he brought his sword down again.

But in that very instant, "Hehehehehehe————"

A strange laugh erupted from the deep pit, extremely piercing, as if hundreds of voices were simultaneously screaming and echoing endlessly between heaven and earth.

At the same time, a figure suddenly rushed out of the deep pit; it was Su Qingzi.

His facial features became distorted again, sometimes contracting and sometimes expanding, as if countless faces were vying to peek out from beneath his face.

He shouted wildly, "I am the Crimson Heaven Demon King! I am immortal! Ahahahaha—Gu Guanqi! You can't kill me!"

You can never kill me!

Suddenly, wisps of corpse immortal energy surged around him, instantly transforming into a powerful tornado that protected him in the center.

The corpse immortal energy surged wildly, soaring straight into the sky.

"No one can kill me! No one can kill me! I am invincible—hehehehe—"

The laughter echoed eerily.

Gu Guanqi floated in the air, his white robes fluttering slightly in the wind, and calmly said, "The Crimson Heaven Demon King is immortal because he has no physical body. As for you—"

Gu Guanqi didn't say much. The reason why the Crimson Heaven Demon King almost left him helpless was that the Crimson Heaven Demon King's spiritual body was attached to the Corpse Immortal Qi, and he couldn't erase the Corpse Immortal Qi, so it was difficult to kill the Crimson Heaven Demon King.

But Su Qingzi is different. Su Qingzi is not a spiritual entity. He hides in the Corpse Immortal Qi. Unlike the Crimson Heaven Demon King, Gu Guanqi does not need to erase the Corpse Immortal Qi. He only needs to pass through the Corpse Immortal Qi.

Immediately, he pointed his Autumn Water Sword forward.

At the tip of the sword, a thin, hair-like crimson sword light condensed. The light was so fine that it seemed as if all the sharpness in the world had been compressed into that barely visible ray.

A sword separates two worlds.

The sword is drawn.

In that instant, a line of blood-red light pierced through the sky, passing through the surging corpse immortal energy silently.

"puff!"

With a very soft, muffled sound, Su Qingzi's maniacal laughter abruptly stopped.

Blood gushed from a small wound on his forehead.

Immediately afterward, Gu Guanqi appeared above the Corpse Immortal Qi Tornado. He raised his right leg and unleashed a sweeping attack with a powerful "Divine Wind Howl".

The Wind God Leg technique, imbued with sharp wind blades, unleashed a howling, surging gale.

"Boom!"

The corpse immortal energy suddenly collapsed under the impact of the gale, and the airflow scattered in all directions.

Su Qingzi flew backward and crashed to the ground. His face was still contorted, and blood was streaming from his forehead. Suddenly, he got up and roared, "Don't kill me! Don't kill me! I'm not the Crimson Demon King, don't kill me—"

As he shouted, he turned and ran, transforming into a streak of light as he sped towards the mountain gate.

Shrinking the earth to an inch.

Each step traversed space at incredible speed.

"snort."

Gu Guanqi snorted coldly and suddenly stretched out his right hand.

A massive surge of demonic energy erupted, transforming into an invisible domain that began to spin wildly, creating a terrifying suction force.

Heavenly Demon Force Field.

Su Qingzi's body froze for a moment, and then he was pulled backward. He struggled desperately to break free, but the suction force from the Heavenly Demon Force Field grew stronger and stronger, dragging him up.

His body flew backward uncontrollably, as if an invisible hand had grabbed the back of his neck and was rapidly pulling him closer to Gu Guanqi.

Just then, Gu Guanqi leaped up, his figure like a white rainbow, falling straight down from the height.

Then he extended his palm, and golden light suddenly shone brightly from his palm.

Tathagata's Divine Palm, Tathagata's Nirvana.

That palm strike, imbued with boundless Buddhist power, seemed to topple the heavens, pressing down on Su Qingzi's crown.

"boom!!"

Su Qingzi felt as if she were being crushed by a mountain. Her legs were driven directly into the ground, and then her knees sank into the soil. She continued to sink, and in the blink of an eye, she was completely buried in the ground, with only her head sticking out.

Fresh blood gushed from all seven orifices simultaneously.

In the void, bursts of Buddhist chants resounded.

"Om Mani Padme Hum" The immense Buddhist power poured down from Gu Guanqi's palm, transforming into countless fine golden Buddhist seals of "卍" characters, which surged into Su Qingzi's sea of ​​consciousness, rapidly transforming the various spiritual wills within Su Qingzi's sea of ​​consciousness.

A moment later, Su Qingzi's face suddenly relaxed, her eyes cleared, and she shouted urgently, "The Golden Core Path—my Golden Core Path—it's really done—it's really done—I've really completed the Golden Core Path—"

Before he could finish speaking, his eyes glazed over, and then in the next instant, his head shattered, splattering brain matter and blood everywhere.

At this moment, Xu Zhiwei, Shen Qingqiu and others rushed over and breathed a slight sigh of relief upon seeing Su Qingzi's tragic death.

"What a pity," Xu Zhiwei said, taking a sip of wine from his gourd. "The Golden Elixir Path is a very innovative and valuable path of cultivation. However, for over a hundred years, the Heavenly Sect has been unable to complete it to its full potential."

Now that Su Qingzi has taken that step, but with his death, the Golden Core path has regressed. What a pity!

Gu Guanqi waved his hand and said, "Heroes in this world are as numerous as carp crossing a river. Every era has its own geniuses who will forge their own paths. Therefore, this world is not lacking in this Golden Elixir Path."

"That's true," Xu Zhiwei nodded and said, "Geniuses are constantly emerging in the world. If we lose this Golden Core cultivator, perhaps a Silver Core cultivator will appear in a few years."

Gu Guanqi said, "Compared to the Golden Core Path, I'm more concerned about the Heavenly Gate that Su Qingzi mentioned earlier, the one that prevents people from becoming immortals. It protects the mortal realm and prevents people from becoming immortals. What kind of force is this? Weiwei, your Heavenly Dao Sect has a long history. Think carefully, do you really have absolutely no recollection of it?"

Xu Zhiwei shook her head and said, "Really not. With my status, I can browse through all the collections of the Heavenly Dao Sect. I have indeed browsed through many Daoist texts. With my memory, I will never forget what I have read. However, I have absolutely no memory of the Heavenly Dao Sect."

Not a single word.

Gu Guanqi frowned slightly.

He was indeed somewhat concerned about this Heavenly Gate, because he also had the path to ascension, and who knew that one day he might acquire a powerful martial art and advance to the immortal realm of this world.

He was also worried that this mysterious Heavenly Gate might have some treacherous methods, and might suddenly jump out at a crucial moment to launch a surprise attack on him.

This Su Qingzi is a cautionary tale. He was a cultivator who had achieved the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Dao, but he was driven mad by the people of Tianmen.

With Gu Guanqi's martial arts skills, he was not worried about fighting people head-on. However, the world is vast, and all sorts of unpredictable methods are constantly emerging. Before he could figure out where his opponent came from, he didn't even know how to defend himself.

"Watching the game," Shen Qingqiu said at this moment, "the Heavenly Dao Sect has no relevant records, but I know a place where there might be records of this."

"Where?" Gu Guanqi asked.

"The Imperial Academy," Shen Qingqiu said, "Although the Great Qian Dynasty has been established for less than three hundred years, the documents left by the previous dynasty have been preserved, and the previous dynasty has also preserved and organized the documents of the dynasty before that—and so on. The information that the court has is actually very comprehensive."

Furthermore, every dynasty, after establishing its rule, would extensively integrate information, resulting in a relatively comprehensive and extensive collection. While the Imperial Academy might not have many martial arts manuals, it certainly possessed the most complete collection of strange tales and popular legends in the entire country.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "That makes sense. I'll wait until you've finished dealing with things here, and then we'll go back to the capital together to investigate at the Imperial Academy."

"Don't wait for me," Shen Qingqiu said. "I don't have anything major to do right now. It's just a handover of some matters, nothing serious, but I can't get away for a while and definitely can't leave right now."

The existence of this mysterious Heavenly Gate has a huge impact on you. With your talent, it won't be long before you reach the realm of immortals. If you don't understand this Heavenly Gate, it will be very troublesome.

There's no such thing as a thief who can be thieved for a thousand days, only one who can guard against thieves for a thousand days. The sooner we understand this Heavenly Gate, the sooner we can prepare. This Su Qingzi case is a bloody lesson in this regard.

Gu Guanqi thought for a moment, nodded slightly, and said, "That works too."

Shen Qingqiu said, "We are both still young, and there is plenty of time in the future. Let's not be greedy for this little bit of time together."

"Alright," Gu Guanqi said, "Then I won't wait for you and will head back to the capital first—"

Just then, Xu Zhiwei suddenly moved closer, nudged Gu Guanqi with her shoulder, and whispered, "I'm not greedy for this little bit of time together, but there's no rush, is there? Let's stay in Baiyi City for a couple more days. I know two wineries in Baiyi City that have rare and fine wines!"

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow and said in a low voice, "Is it really just about drinking? No other motives?"

Xu Zhiwei chuckled and said, "Of course I'm also after my husband's body. You can't just leave right after letting me experience the pleasures of the bedroom, that wouldn't be very kind to me. Don't you also like one-on-two situations? Such a good opportunity, aren't you going to cherish it?"

Shen Qingqiu, standing to the side, couldn't help but recall the scene from last night. Her cheeks immediately flushed slightly, and she quickly tugged at Xu Zhiwei, whispering, "What nonsense are you talking about? This kind of thing, you—oh dear, you—"

Xu Zhiwei winked at Shen Qingqiu, then put her arm around his shoulder and said, "What are you afraid of? We're so familiar with each other. Anyway, these kinds of things always happen again and again. Let's continue tonight. If we cooperate, we'll definitely beat him. I just didn't have any experience yesterday, but tonight—"

Shen Qingqiu covered Xu Zhiwei's mouth and said, "I know you're a carefree person, but can you not be so carefree? You should keep this kind of thing to yourself a little, my god, you're not allowed to say anything more!"

Xu Zhiwei blinked, indicating that she would not say anything more.

Shen Qingqiu then withdrew his hand and said, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's deal with things here first, and then this matter can be considered over."

Xu Zhiwei sighed and said, "My business isn't over yet. I still have to seal all this corpse immortal energy. After that, I have to take the Shangqing Jade Hairpin, the Yuqing Dao Sword, and the Taiqing Dharma Robe back to the Tianyi Sect. Then I'll have to spend a lot of time slowly eliminating this corpse immortal energy."

Shen Qingqiu asked, "Can't we just leave this corpse immortal energy alone?"

"Definitely not," Xu Zhiwei said. "To put it nicely, it's called Corpse Immortal Qi, but to put it bluntly, it's Corpse Qi, and a particularly dense kind of Corpse Qi at that. If it were to drift outside, it could easily cause a plague."

Shen Qingqiu said, "If a plague is going to break out, then it definitely needs to be dealt with."

Xu Zhiwei nodded, and without saying anything more, immediately began to use her methods to gather and seal the scattered corpse immortal energy into those artifacts.

Shen Qingqiu went to gather people to collect the corpses of the Four Sword Sects, and at the same time, sent someone to notify the government.

It wasn't until the afternoon that the group returned to Baiyi City.

Gu Guanqi stayed in Baiyi City for another two days.

In the past two days, Shen Qingqiu has basically not handled any official business and has been spending the whole time with Gu Guanqi. As for Xu Zhiwei, she stayed in Baiyi City precisely for Gu Guanqi's sake.

The three of them lived a very fulfilling life.

Afterwards, Shen Qingqiu's official duties could no longer be delayed, and Xu Zhiwei was also worried about the leakage of the Corpse Immortal Qi, so it was not convenient for her to stay any longer. Gu Guanqi was also thinking about the Heavenly Gate, so after the three of them spent two days and two nights shamelessly together, they reluctantly parted ways.

Shen Qingqiu returned to Yanzhou City, Xu Zhiwei returned to Tianyi Sect, and Gu Guanqi went to the capital.

Gu Guanqi did not delay along the way. He set off in the afternoon, stayed overnight at an inn along the way, and successfully returned to the capital the next day at noon.

Upon returning to the capital, he went directly to the Imperial Academy.

He had been to the Imperial Academy before; it was there that he first met Wen Shuyi on their blind date.

That time, Wen Shuyi left a deep impression on him. She was the most demure woman he had ever met. Just sitting there, just one glance from her, made people feel that the whole world had become quiet.

Wen Shuyi possesses a peculiar ability: even in a bustling urban area, her presence creates a sense of peace and tranquility, making the surroundings feel like a painting.

When Gu Guanqi arrived at the Imperial Academy, he casually inquired with someone and learned that Wen Shuyi was teaching in the study.

He then went directly to the study.

As soon as he arrived outside the study, he heard the sound of students reciting in unison. He walked a little closer and saw Wen Shuyi standing quietly by the podium through the window.

When I saw Wen Shuyi again, she was still the same, as if I were looking at a painting, quiet and gentle.

Gu Guanqi stopped outside the study without disturbing it.

Wen Shuyi noticed someone was watching her and looked up slightly.

The moment she saw Gu Guanqi, a subtle joy flashed in the depths of her eyes, followed by a faint smile and a slight nod.

Gu Guanqi nodded in agreement.

Wen Shuyi did not come out, but continued teaching.

Gu Guanqi found a stone bench outside and sat down, becoming a student who secretly studied outside the classroom.

It must be said that Wen Shuyi's reputation as the most talented woman in Tianzhou, and even her reputation as the most talented woman in Qian Kingdom, is truly well-deserved. Her talent is unparalleled, and even her teaching level is extremely high.

When she lectured, she always used the simplest and clearest language to explain the content thoroughly and clearly. Moreover, she had a very effective teaching method that made it easy for students to understand. Therefore, Gu Guanqi listened to the lecture attentively.

Wen Shuyi didn't stop until the school bell rang, then she came out carrying her books. As she stepped out the door, she couldn't resist and quickened her pace, her eyes filled with joy and anticipation as she approached Gu Guanqi. "Guanqi," she said, "did you come all this way just to see me?"

Seeing Wen Shuyi's expectant eyes, Gu Guanqi said naturally and frankly, "Yes, it's been a while since we last met, so I wanted to come and see you."

Wen Shuyi suddenly felt her heart racing. She quickly lowered her head, took a deep breath to calm herself, and then raised her head again, saying, "I—I actually wanted to see you—but I heard that you are staying at Governor Shen's house, and I thought it would be inconvenient, so I didn't want to bother you."

Gu Guanqi said, "You won't be able to see me even if you go. I went out recently and just got back today."

Wen Shuyi quickly said, "You just got back and you've come to see me?"

"Yes," Gu Guanqi nodded and said.

Wen Shuyi lowered her head slightly again, but the joy on her face was impossible to hide. She whispered, "Then—then can you wait for me a little longer?"

"Oh? I have another class in a bit—well, that's alright, I can talk to the dean and ask another teacher to cover for me."

"No need," Gu Guanqi said. "I'm not busy today, so it's a good opportunity to listen to Mr. Wen's lecture."

Wen Shuyi said, "Then why don't you go in and listen? — Perfect timing, there are two students in the study who couldn't come today because of family matters, so there are empty seats."

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"Is it appropriate?" Gu Guanqi asked.

"Yes, that's fine," Wen Shuyi said. "If you're outside, I'll be distracted, but if you're in the study, I can concentrate on teaching."

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly, cupped his hands, and said, "Well then, student Gu Guanqi greets Mr. Wen!"

Wen Shuyi blushed slightly, then cooperated and said, "How dare you joke around with me like this, sir? Hold out your hand and let me show you my ruler."

Gu Guanqi immediately adopted a serious expression and said, "This student knows he was wrong."

"Hmm," Wen Shuyi nodded, feigning a cool and aloof demeanor, and said in a serious tone, "To err is human, to forgive divine. Considering this is your first offense, I won't punish you. Don't let it happen again!"

"Thank you, Mr. Wen." Gu Guanqi bowed.

Wen Shuyi glanced at Gu Guanqi, pursed her lips slightly, then looked away and asked, "How long do you plan to stay in the capital this time?"

Gu Guanqi said, "It won't be long, I still have some things to take care of."

He originally planned to return to Yunzhou to find Tang Batian after Shen Qingqiu's matter was over, and then go to Shenji Sect with Tang Batian to forge weapons.

But now, this matter has to be put on hold. He needs to go to the Tianshan Sect first. After all, the Tianshan Sect Leader Leng Lingxi's advanced matchmaking event is not over yet, and there is still a Primordial Body-Breaking Formless Sword Qi waiting for him.

In addition, Leng Lingxi also promised to arrange for disciples of the Tianshan Sect to help him cultivate.

Therefore, he valued the trip to the Tianshan Sect more than the forging of weapons. Moreover, he had previously met Li Wentian, the leader of the Shenji Sect, at the Tianyi Sect, who promised that he could come at any time and personally forge weapons for him.

With Li Wentian's assurance, Gu Guanqi was naturally in no hurry.

At this moment, Wen Shuyi felt a little disappointed when she heard that Gu Guanqi would be leaving soon, but she quickly composed herself and said, "You are the leader of the martial arts alliance of the three states, and you are also in charge of Qizhou now. It's normal that you can't stay long because you are busy with affairs."

Gu Guanqi smiled but didn't say anything more.

He wasn't interested in power or influence, so he always acted as a hands-off manager, with nothing really going on. The only thing he did busy himself with was finding a partner through blind dates.

Afterwards, the two chatted about other things, and as they talked, the bell in the academy rang again, signaling the start of class.

Following Wen Shuyi's arrangement, Gu Guanqi entered the study and truly became Wen Shuyi's student, attending a complete lesson.

After a class ended, Wen Shuyi took Gu Guanqi for a stroll around the Imperial College.

As they strolled along, Gu Guanqi noticed that Wen Shuyi was genuinely happy. Not wanting to spoil her joy, he refrained from asking about her desire to borrow books from the Imperial Academy's collection. Instead, he decided to spend the day with Wen Shuyi and visit the collection tomorrow.

Wen Shuyi is usually an extremely quiet person, but today she was unusually talkative and kept looking for topics to talk about.

After strolling around the Imperial College, the two had a meal together.

After we finished eating, it was already dark.

Gu Guanqi then took his leave, and Wen Shuyi saw him off as he left the Imperial Academy.

The two chatted as they walked out of the Imperial College. Wen Shuyi was clearly in low spirits, and several times she seemed about to say something but then stopped.

Upon arriving outside the Imperial Academy, Gu Guanqi took the initiative to ask, "Shuyi, is there something you want to tell me?"

Wen Shuyi raised her head slightly. The night breeze gently brushed past, lifting the strands of hair on her forehead. She looked at Gu Guanqi quietly, her eyes filled with a hint of resentment and a hint of expectation.

But she hesitated for a moment, then shook her head slightly and said, "It's nothing, I just wanted to ask how many days you plan to stay in the capital this time? Are you staying at Governor Shen's house the whole time?"

Gu Guanqi thought for a moment and said, "I'm not sure exactly how long it will take, but it certainly won't be very long. As for where I'll stay, I have a house in the East City."

Shen Qingqiu wasn't home, and Gu Guanqi had no interest in staying at Shen Qingqiu's house. When he first came to the capital, Wei Tanjin, the supervisor of the Eastern Depot, had arranged accommodation for him. Later, after Zhang Jiexi's rebellion ended, Emperor Zhao Mingce bought the house and gave it to him. He had never lived there before, but this time he planned to stay there.

"So, are you free tomorrow?" Wen Shuyi asked. "The lotus garden in the southern suburbs has recently opened. How about we go check it out together?"

Gu Guanqi could sense it; Gu Guanqi could sense it. Wen Shuyi's real question wasn't this one. For some reason, she didn't ask the question she truly wanted to ask.

He didn't delve into it further, nodded slightly, and said, "Okay."

Wen Shuyi's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Then I'll come find you tomorrow morning."

"Okay," Gu Guanqi replied, "I live in Tianxing Garden in Liyu Lane, Dongcheng."

"Yes, I've got it," Wen Shuyi said.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll be going now."

Wen Shuyi quickly said, "Let me see you off a little further—"

Before she could finish speaking, Wen Shuyi saw a middle-aged man carrying an umbrella walking out of the blue stone alley next to her. The man was dressed in a simple blue robe and had a very refined and scholarly air about him.

"Master?" Wen Shuyi asked in confusion, "What are you doing here? It's not raining, why are you carrying an umbrella?"

The refined middle-aged man was none other than Pei Guanxuan, the Imperial Preceptor and Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.

Pei Guanxuan walked over, still holding the umbrella, and smiled slightly, "I heard that Alliance Leader Gu came to the Imperial Academy, so I came to see him. But seeing you with Alliance Leader Gu, I thought I shouldn't disturb your time together, so I waited here."

After saying this, Pei Guanxuan made a Daoist bow with one hand and bowed slightly, saying, "I am Pei Guanxuan, greetings to Alliance Leader Gu."

Gu Guanqi returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said, "So it's the Imperial Advisor in person. I've heard so much about you!"

Pei Guanxuan glanced at Gu Guanqi, then at Wen Shuyi, and chuckled, "I hope I didn't disturb you by waiting here?"

Wen Shuyi blushed slightly, subconsciously glancing at Gu Guanqi before turning to Pei Guanxuan and saying, "Master, please don't joke around. Alliance Leader Gu and I were just taking a stroll!"

Pei Guanxuan joked, "I didn't say anything, it's just that you have something on your mind!"

Wen Shuyi blushed immediately and buried her head in her hands, remaining silent.

Pei Guanxuan smiled, then looked at Gu Guanqi and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, why don't we go inside the Imperial Academy and have a chat?"

Gu Guanqi asked with some doubt, "Does the Imperial Advisor offer any guidance?"

Pei Guanxuan shook his head slightly and said, "How could I possibly give any guidance to Alliance Leader Gu! I have long admired Alliance Leader Gu's divine might, and today I am finally fortunate enough to meet him, so I would like to say a few words to Alliance Leader Gu."

However, it is rather impolite of me to keep holding up an umbrella, so I would like to invite Leader Gu back to the Imperial Academy. Firstly, to put away the umbrella as a sign of courtesy, and secondly, to extend the hospitality of a host by offering Leader Gu a cup of tea.

Gu Guanqi asked in confusion, "Why does the Imperial Advisor insist on holding an umbrella?"

Pei Guanxuan said, "Because I am meeting you, Alliance Leader Gu. The karma on your body is too complicated right now, and the capital is a place where dragons and tigers gather. If I meet you, it will be too easy to get involved in karma that I cannot handle."

This umbrella is a special magical artifact that allows me to avoid the karmic consequences affecting you. Furthermore, the Imperial Academy is a special place, untouched by karma; if I meet you there, I will be free from any karmic entanglement.

"Then please!" Gu Guanqi said.

"please!"

Pei Guanxuan invited Gu Guanqi to enter the Imperial Academy once again.

Once inside the Imperial Academy gates, Pei Guanxuan indeed folded his umbrella, cupped his hands, and said, "Excuse me!"

"You're too kind, Imperial Preceptor," Gu Guanqi waved his hand and asked, "What did you mean when you said that the karma surrounding me is chaotic?"

Pei Guanxuan said, "It's just that the cause and effect are complicated. Before meeting Alliance Leader Gu, I couldn't imagine that a person could bear so much cause and effect."

Yes, I cultivate the art of observing qi. In my eyes, the workings of the world and the growth of all things are causes and effects, some large, some small, some long, some short.

"Short. But, Alliance Leader Gu has too many karmic ties, and they are all major karmic ties, all of which I cannot see clearly or understand. Once others are involved, it will be difficult for them to extricate themselves."

Gu Guanqi chuckled, "Doesn't that mean whoever comes into contact with me will be unlucky!"

"No," Pei Guanxuan said, "Cause and effect are the natural order. Meeting is the result, getting to know each other is the result, the past is the cause, and many things are predetermined by cause and effect."

However, my personal situation is unique. I am a recluse, able to see cause and effect, and naturally unwilling to get involved in them, especially in this rapidly changing era. I have already made plans to withdraw from the world, so I am unwilling to accept the cause and unwilling to touch the effect.

Gu Guanqi asked in surprise, "The Imperial Preceptor wants to withdraw from the world? Why is that?"

Pei Guanxuan sighed and said, "Because they know the general trend but have no power to change it, they are unwilling to see the suffering of the world but are helpless, so they can only run away."

Gu Guanqi looked puzzled and was about to ask a question.

But the three of them had already arrived at a small courtyard.

Pei Guanxuan invited Gu Guanqi into the courtyard, and then led them to a pavilion where he lit a lantern.

Wen Shuyi then picked up the teapot on the table and poured a few cups of tea.

The three then took their seats.

Gu Guanqi asked, "What was the general trend that the Imperial Advisor just mentioned?"

Pei Guanxuan pondered for a moment, then said, "Heaven's mandate lies with the barbarians; bloodshed will ensue in the Central Plains!"

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