The Hehuan Sect cultivates alchemy; my senior sister helps me refine alchemy throughout the world.

Feng Xiaotian collapsed to the ground, tears blurring his vision. The emotions that had been building up for thousands of years finally burst forth at this moment.

"Brother Jiuzhou..." His voice was hoarse, "Do you know, when I saw you fall that day, I regretted it! I regretted it so much I wanted to kill myself!"

Seeing his appearance, Feng Jiuzhou stepped forward, squatted down, and reached out to help Feng Xiaotian, but Feng Xiaotian pushed him away.

"Don't touch me!" Feng Xiaotian roared. "Do you know how many years I've waited for you? Do you know how many days I've thought about why you only have eyes for her, why you can never see me!"

The room fell silent as soon as those words were spoken.

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the two people on the platform in disbelief.

Shen Yifei's heart was racing. "I fucking guessed right! This old pervert really does have a story, a story between two men!"

Feng Jiuzhou was also startled by these words. "Xiaotian, what are you talking about?"

"What did you say? Don't you understand what I'm saying?" Feng Xiaotian's smile was more like a grimace. "I like you. From the first moment I saw you, I liked you! I've followed you for thousands of years, not for some damn Phoenix Clan, but for you, Feng Jiuzhou!"

Feng Jiuzhou stood there, stunned, his face filled with shock, unable to utter a word for a long time.

He never expected that the person he treated like a brother would have such thoughts about him.

The Phoenix Clan members below the stage were in an uproar, with discussions rising and falling, making it more than ten times more lively than before.

The Dharma protectors and elders on the stage were all stunned by Feng Xiaotian's words.

The four guardians were utterly astonished. They couldn't believe that the person they had followed so loyally actually... actually liked men.

The four of them shuddered simultaneously, exchanged glances, and saw the deep fear in each other's eyes.

Shen Yifei stood beside Feng Qingyin and muttered softly, "Princess, are you aware of this?"

Feng Qingyin shook her head, equally bewildered. "I never knew the Grand Elder had such feelings for Father... He only said he was utterly loyal to Father..."

"Completely loyal? That's certainly a high level of loyalty."

Feng Jiuzhou remained silent for a moment, looking at Feng Xiaotian's tear-streaked face, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He cultivated and fought alongside Feng Xiaotian, believing they were the best of brothers, partners who would share life and death.

He never imagined that Feng Xiaotian would have such feelings for him.

"Xiaotian," Feng Jiuzhou's voice was deep, "get up..."

Feng Xiaotian didn't get up. Instead, he raised his head, his eyes blurry with tears, and looked at Feng Jiuzhou. "Tell me, did you ever... even the slightest... feel that way about me?"

The audience was silent.

Feng Jiuzhou remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "Xiaotian, in my heart, you will always be my best brother, my partner in life and death. As for anything else... I have never thought about it."

"Never thought... never thought..." Feng Xiaotian murmured, repeating the words, then suddenly burst into wild laughter, his laughter filled with desolation. "For thousands of years, I've guarded you for thousands of years, and all I get in return is 'never thought'!"

He suddenly stood up, pointed at Feng Jiuzhou, and said, "Do you even know why I became the clan leader? It's not for power; I want you to see that I, Feng Xiaotian, am not just a lackey who can only follow you around! I am also someone who can stand on my own!"

Looking at his deranged state, Feng Jiuzhou felt an indescribable pain in his heart. "Xiaotian, you have always been a capable person. In all these years, which of the Phoenix Clan's affairs did you not handle? I have long planned to officially pass the position of clan leader to you in a few years, and I will retire behind the scenes to enjoy a peaceful life."

Feng Xiaotian froze, his bloodshot eyes widening in shock. "You... what did you say?"

"I told you, I've been planning to give you this position for a long time." Feng Jiuzhou gave a bitter smile. "Do you think I really coveted this position that much? I'm tired and want to rest. You've always been the person I trust the most. I feel at ease entrusting the Phoenix Clan to you."

Upon hearing this, Feng Xiaotian felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and his whole body trembled violently.

"You...you're going to give me your seat?" His voice trembled. "Why didn't you say so sooner? Why..."

"I hadn't even had a chance to say it yet," Feng Jiuzhou shrugged. "Who knew you'd make your move so quickly? That jar of wine almost made me die."

Feng Xiaotian's face turned from white to red, then from red to green, and finally he spat out a mouthful of blood, swaying precariously.

He clutched his chest, gave a bitter laugh, and said, "It's too late...it's all too late...I've already done it, there's no going back..."

He raised his head and looked at Feng Jiuzhou, his eyes filled with despair. "Brother Jiuzhou, I'm so sorry. When I poisoned you and saw you fall, I knew that I could never turn back for the rest of my life."

Seeing him like this, Feng Jiuzhou felt bad too. "Xiaotian, let it go. I can forgive and forget. You are still the Great Elder of the Phoenix Clan."

"Let bygones be bygones?" Feng Xiaotian shook his head. "Do you think your clan can let bygones be bygones? Do you think I can let bygones be bygones? What's done is done, and what's wrong is wrong."

He whirled around, looking at the thousands of Phoenix Clan members below the stage, and proclaimed loudly, "Fellow clansmen! Feng Xiaotian is guilty! He poisoned the clan leader, imprisoned the princess, forged the imperial seal, and attempted to usurp the throne! Such crimes are unforgivable!"

The crowd below the stage erupted in uproar, whispering amongst themselves.

Feng Xiaotian turned to Feng Qingyin and bowed deeply. "Your Highness, I am so sorry. I held you when you were little and watched you grow up... yet I did this to you... I dare not ask for your forgiveness, I only ask that you govern the Phoenix Clan well in the future."

"Elder, you..."

"Your Highness, you don't need to try to persuade me." Feng Xiaotian interrupted her, then turned to Feng Jiuzhou, "Brother Jiuzhou, I'll repay what I owe you in this life in the next."

After saying that, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped his own crown!

"Xiaotian! No!" Feng Jiuzhou shouted, trying to stop him, but it was too late.

With a loud "bang," Feng Xiaotian's skull shattered, and blood flowed down his cheeks.

He swayed twice and fell to the ground with a thud, his eyes still open, looking in Feng Jiuzhou's direction, a bitter smile on his lips.

Feng Jiuzhou quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and reached out to check his breath; he was no longer breathing.

He sighed, reached out and closed Feng Xiaotian's eyes, "Xiaotian, why are you doing this to yourself..."

Feng Jiuzhou stared at Feng Xiaotian's corpse in silence for a long time.

Shen Yifei stood to the side, watching the farce come to an end, feeling somewhat uneasy.

He had originally planned to have a great battle with Feng Xiaotian, then expose his conspiracy in front of the entire clan, and finally refine him into a human pill so that he could eat it himself and increase his cultivation level.

As a result, this old pervert committed suicide.

He committed suicide because of unrequited love.

What the hell is going on here?

"Father..." Feng Qingyin walked to Feng Jiuzhou's side and called out softly.

Feng Jiuzhou came to his senses and handed Feng Xiaotian's body to the disciple beside him, saying, "Give him a proper burial, with the respect due to a clan elder."

The disciple was stunned for a moment, but still called a few people to carry Feng Xiaotian's body away.

Feng Jiuzhou turned around and looked at the four guardians and twelve elders on the stage.