The male supporting character was actually myself.

"Aunt Xia, I'm not leaving." Seeing this, Yan'er suppressed her anger, grabbed her hand, shook it, and said coquettishly, "I finally got to leave the sect and get some fresh air. I want to relax and revisit this place!"

She didn't dare to speak well of Xingzhou directly, since Aunt Xia had received a token from the elders to leave the sect this time, and she had to obey Aunt Xia's orders, otherwise she would be forcibly teleported back, and it would be even more difficult to sneak out to see Xingzhou again.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen shook his head and sighed, "You still remember that lecherous guy, don't you? Back then, you were young and got taken advantage of, and you thought he was a good person and got deceived. Now that you're grown up and the next sect leader, you should have some ability to distinguish right from wrong."

Gu Xingzhou is not a trustworthy person!

"Since I'm helping you all the way, I might as well tell you everything I know. Once you understand the situation, you can decide how to handle it and prevent things from getting even more out of control."

Regardless of whether they wanted to listen or not, the little demon cat perched on the treetop and began to recount the grudges of the Gu family eighteen years ago, continuing all the way to Gu Xingzhou's current situation.

“Now the imperial court has dispatched Ling Qiye, an eighth-level expert and detective from the Department of Investigation and Statistics, to conduct the interrogation. He is known for his impartial enforcement of the law and never lets a bad person go unpunished or wrongs an innocent person.” After Jiang Chen finished speaking in one breath, he patiently advised, “If you ask me, you should stop being so angry and looking for trouble everywhere.”

Why not advise your brother Xingzhou to go to the yamen to confront the case in court and clear his name according to the trial procedures of the Great Sui Dynasty?

The theft of the Gu family's treasure vault and the widespread dissemination of account books confirm that Gu Xingzhou was indeed framed. With Ling Qiye overseeing the case, justice will surely be served. You can monitor the entire process and raise any objections if you suspect any favoritism or abuse of power, to prevent anyone from using this as a pretext for false accusations.

Gu Xingzhou has done nothing wrong and has nothing to be ashamed of;

The government, however, was determined to uphold justice and clear his name;

You can't just forcefully interfere and cause harm to innocent people, can you?

If you listen to my advice and take legal action, that's fine; but if you insist on being unreasonable, ignoring evidence and facts, and wantonly want to vent your anger for your Xingzhou brother by killing innocent people, I will show no mercy.

"At worst, I'll fight and wipe out your Heavenly Dao Sect to eliminate a threat to the world. It's not like I haven't done something like that before."

As he spoke, he gave Yan'er a meaningful look.

The other person suddenly became agitated, feeling a tightness in their chest as if something terrifying was about to awaken.

A pair of blood-red, ferocious eyes suddenly opened and appeared in her mind. Yan'er took a deep breath and began to silently recite the Heart-Cleansing Mantra. After a moment, she suppressed her turbulent emotions and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She has been unable to refine the remnant soul of a terrifying beast that is being suppressed within her body. Through years of entanglement, she has learned that the demon race has many terrifying and powerful demons with extraordinary abilities, and that many demon gods have been reincarnated and are seeking refuge.

This little demon cat looks like it has just been weaned, yet it can arouse the ferocious beast's intent to attack. It is very likely that it is the reincarnation of a terrifying demon!

Coupled with the implied threat in the other party's words, Yan'er couldn't help but feel terrified.

Suppressing even a wisp of the remnant soul of a nine-tailed fox demon is difficult enough for the Heavenly Dao Sect; if they were to make an enemy of a mysterious reincarnation of a powerful demon...

She dared not think any further. Fortunately, the other party seemed to only want to maintain peace in the human world and did not seem to be too hostile for the time being, so it was best not to antagonize them.

"Now that we know the whole story from our senior, Yan'er has no reason to kill innocent people indiscriminately." As the next sect leader, she was a bit arrogant but not really stupid. She immediately performed the sword salute and said respectfully, "As long as the court of the mortal world enforces the law impartially and does not wrong Brother Xingzhou, we will never interfere in mortal affairs."

"Okay, meow~ When guests are guests, we'll do as the host does. If you follow the rules, I won't make things difficult for you on purpose."

Jiang Chen raised his head, showing his acceptance of being addressed as "senior," and waved his hand, saying, "Then come with me. I know where Gu Xingzhou is hiding."

Since you're at least somewhat polite, let me offer one more piece of advice: there are plenty of talented young men out there. Gu Xingzhou, that lecherous playboy who's obsessed with every pretty girl he sees, is not good enough for you.

Forget about past relationships and don't overthink things. Think things through and listen to the advice of those more experienced. Girls, never let love make you blinded by it, or you'll be the one who gets hurt.

"Thank you for your guidance, senior." Yan'er replied softly, a little unconvinced in her heart.

Aunt Xia didn't know why the young lady had suddenly changed her way of addressing the little demon cat, but she knew that the cat's unique physique meant that the sect had some special methods to cultivate her as the next sect leader.

For such a proud and aloof young lady to be so respectful, this demon cat, which I can hardly fathom, must have a great background!

The trip to the mortal realm, which she hadn't taken seriously at first, took an unexpected turn as soon as she arrived at her destination, causing Aunt Xia to become extremely vigilant.

On the one hand, they must be wary of the strange behavior of the mysterious demon cat;

On the one hand, we must be wary of that lecherous Gu Xingzhou's designs on the young lady;

We must also be constantly careful not to let the young lady rekindle her old flame with someone else!

Otherwise, as the next sect leader, it would be a great pity for Miss Yan'er of the Heavenly Dao Sect to fall in love with an ordinary extraordinary person with average talent. It would be a mismatch and would not be able to help her take over the Heavenly Dao Sect in the future.

If we could have the opportunity to kill Gu Xingzhou in one fell swoop and leave no future trouble, that would be excellent...

After collecting Mo Yu's body, the group, completely unlike their arrogant arrival, all restrained their auras and obediently followed the little demon cat into the dense forest.

Chapter Thirty-Four: We Shouldn't Be Here...

"Phew!" Gu Xingzhou exhaled a breath of stale air as he finished his cultivation.

The elixir left by my beautiful master was an incredibly powerful treasure. Just a few drops were enough for me to refine for a long time. In just two hours, my cultivation level stabilized after advancing to the second level.

If I can refine the entire bottle of elixir, I should be able to successfully advance to level four or five!

Such a precious item, it's a pity there's only such a small bottle.

The thought pained him deeply. It wasn't just the loss of the beautiful woman he could have held in his arms for life; he had also lost a treasure trove! If the other person could casually produce such a high-grade elixir, they must possess even greater treasures, such as Heaven-level cultivation techniques, or even magic weapons, spiritual treasures, or sacred artifacts…

"Those who betray me will never have a good end. Beautiful Master, you wait, one day I will get you..." He slammed his right fist into his left palm, muttering to himself.

Yan'er and her fellow cultivators, who happened to be nearby with the demon cat, naturally had excellent hearing. The words "beautiful master" sounded like a thunderclap to Yan'er's ears. Could it be that what the demon cat said was true?

The kind and honest Xingzhou brother of yesteryear has long since fallen in love with another beauty and was ruthlessly abandoned by her because of his frivolous behavior and words.

“Miss, leave the negotiations to me. You just need to observe and listen.” Aunt Xia was even more dissatisfied with the lecherous young man who had taken liberties with her young lady at such a young age. Therefore, she lowered her voice and said, “After we settle the matter in Junxi Town, the most important thing is for us to return to the sect and cultivate as soon as possible.”

Yan'er nodded obediently without saying a word, while secretly hoping for the best.

What if the demon cat misunderstood Xingzhou? How could someone as honest and simple as him...? Perhaps there's more to the "beautiful master" story!

The little white cat took the initiative to cover up Gu Xingzhou's wild aura, trying its best to ensure that it wouldn't force everyone to become less intelligent.

"Who goes there?" When Gu Xingzhou heard footsteps, he turned around and found a group of more than ten people standing less than five steps away from him. He was immediately terrified.

Could it be a master hunter sent from Kyoto to pursue us?

Otherwise, how could they have approached me so quietly?

If they had attacked just now, I would probably be completely dead! Is this the strength of the experts in Kyoto? It's terrifying!

"We are members of the Heavenly Dao Sect." Aunt Xia stepped forward and said bluntly, "Back then, my young lady temporarily stayed at the Gu family in Junxi Town and was taken care of by them. We heard that my young lady's old friend Gu Xingzhou was framed, so we came to investigate the reason."

She didn't introduce her young mistress and even covered him with her body, afraid that this boy would deceive her mistress again with sweet talk.

Let's put aside the matter of youthful indifference for now, and pursue it again after this matter is settled and Miss has renounced worldly desires.

"Yan'er?" Gu Xingzhou was stunned for a few moments before he reacted and was overjoyed. "Did Yan'er send you to help me?"

The image of that delicate and beautiful figure from years ago flashed through his mind, and he trembled with excitement. "How is Yan'er now? I haven't been able to contact her for so many years. I... I miss her so much!"

The halo shone brightly, and even the fluffy little ball couldn't hide the wisp of light that enveloped Yan'er, who was protecting Aunt Xia behind her. Her cheeks immediately flushed, and she took a small step forward to reveal herself, saying softly, "Thank you for your concern, Brother Xingzhou. I am doing very well now, and my cold constitution is no longer acting up."

The little tagalong has transformed into a beautiful young woman. Gu Xingzhou stared at her familiar yet unfamiliar face, momentarily losing his composure and forgetting all about his beautiful master.

Yan'er is so beautiful!

The bright moon in the sky must be overshadowed by her beauty, and it hides away because it doesn't want to be outshone by her.

All the flowers in the mountains and forests would be ashamed to look at this face and would lower their heads, too ashamed to bloom at the same time.

His mind was now filled with images of Yan'er, who had grown into a great beauty. It seemed as if his actions of climbing through the window into the room years ago were all on her, and the lingering feeling of her warm touch made him restless.

“Miss, let’s take care of business first.” Aunt Xia was furious at his lecherous gaze. She stepped between the two and said coldly, “The sooner we find out the truth and clear Young Master Gu’s name, the sooner we can return to our sect. This place is not a place for us to stay for long.”

With his gaze blocked, Gu Xingzhou finally took a proper look at the woman in palace attire. He thought to himself that although this beautiful woman was beautiful, she had no human touch and seemed much harder to fool than Yan'er's gluttonous personal maid back then.

"It's getting late, why don't we find a place to rest?" He looked past Aunt Xia and peered behind her, then made an excuse. "Yan'er, you must be tired from your journey. I just escaped from those scheming bastards. Let me explain the whole story first, shall we?"

"Aunt Xia..." Yan'er tugged at her arm from behind and whispered sweetly.

Aunt Xia thought about it and realized that she had already heard the story from the demon cat. Now she should listen to what Gu Xingzhou had to say. She shouldn't just listen to one side of the story to avoid affecting her judgment.

She paused for a moment and nodded, saying, "In that case, let's rest here for now and make plans after dawn. Yu Yan, take some people to prepare a place for rest; Miss wants to rest in the mountains."

The others obeyed and quickly cleared a small, clean, and empty campsite using their swords and magic. Before long, the two, separated by the wary Aunt Xia, sat in front of the campfire and reminisced.

In front of his elders, Gu Xingzhou naturally dared not mention the incident of climbing out the window back then, so he picked out some trivial matters to talk about, so that Yan'er could once again reminisce about the happy and carefree days when they were childhood sweethearts.

"Little Cat, you're right!" Jiang Chen hid his figure in the grass a little further away, and soon he heard Hong Luo transmit his voice secretly: "That girl really has the aura of a nine-tailed fox, but there should still be a divine artifact suppressing the remnant soul in her body. The nine-tailed fox is currently in a state of not yet awakening."

I need to find a way to awaken the Nine-Tailed Fox so I can communicate with her and discuss how to help him escape!

Jiang Chen lowered his voice and asked, "What can I help you with?"

Hong Luo sat cross-legged in the Soul-Nourishing Jade, her face slightly flushed. "I need more spiritual herbs. To use the demon race's secret technique to awaken the Nine-Tailed Fox, I need a lot of spiritual power. In my current state... it's really a bit difficult..."

She felt extremely ashamed upon hearing this, as she had relied entirely on the little demon cat for help ever since she met it.

Although the little demon cat put forward corresponding conditions, he kept making empty promises and didn't even explain the situation in the demon realm in detail.

Now that she can cultivate in the Soul-Nourishing Jade, she still needs to obtain more spiritual herbs. She twisted her hands together and whispered in a very low voice, "If... if we can awaken the Nine-Tailed Fox, we will definitely know more about the demon race."

Don't let his arrogant demeanor fool you; he's actually very vengeful and will definitely repay any kindness shown to him. You helped him, so he certainly won't treat you unfairly! Wait... wait until we return to the demon realm, with the Nine-Tailed Fox protecting you, you can practically walk around like a madman!

"Sounds like a sure thing." Jiang Chen pulled out a bunch of bottles and jars and stuffed them all into the Soul Nourishing Jade. "Senior, see if this is enough. If not, I have more here."

Hong Luo was stunned when she saw the large number of red and green bottles that had appeared in her cultivation space, all filled with spiritual herbs with amazing spiritual energy.

This little demon cat... it's so extravagant!

"I'll make preparations right away. At the latest, we should see initial results within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!" Hong Luo was stunned for a moment before hurriedly starting to mobilize spiritual energy to set up the soul-guiding array.

Jiang Chen looked at the spiritual liquid in the large wooden tub, earthenware basin, and even the bathtub in the space, and couldn't help but sigh while rubbing his forehead with his paw.

"Hehehe~" The little white cat smiled shyly, its face slightly flushed, and scratched its paws as it whispered to Tong, "The production of those bottles is too high. I think it's too inefficient to handle a bunch of small bottles. The bathtub can hold more, right? We can slowly transfer them into the bottles when needed..."

Its voice grew softer and softer as it spoke, until finally it jumped up and meowed, "I'm going to fill the bottle right now, host, wait and see my invisible meow claws!"

While waiting for Hong Luo to contact the Nine-Tailed Fox, Jiang Chen lay in the grass and checked the small jade bottle in his system space, seeing the elixir increase by 1, 1, 1...

The night was deeper.

After Jiang Chen exposed Gu Xingzhou's despicable intentions in advance, Aunt Xia kept a close eye on his every move.

Yan'er, mindful of her status, dared not overstep her bounds in front of her elders, even though she was surrounded by their aura and her heart was stirring with longing. The two chatted like old friends who hadn't seen each other for years, occasionally reminiscing about things they could remember from their childhood, before falling into an awkward silence.

Remembering the advice of the demon cat senior, Yan'er, who listened more and spoke less, soon felt that she had lost interest in the trip.

Years have passed, and the only thing Gu Xingzhou can talk about more about is the childish things they did together as kids, playing house in the mud. Apart from the fact that the Gu family treated them badly, it was all just trivial matters in Junxi Town.

The thought that he had never even been to Yiqin City made Yan'er feel that the image of the all-knowing Xingzhou brother in her mind suddenly collapsed.

When I casually mention something trivial and commonplace in the sect, he makes a big fuss and exclaims in amazement. Although I feel some pity for him, I think that he is really shallow and boring.

Without realizing it, the two people who used to talk about everything had stopped having anything in common.

This was completely contrary to her beautiful expectations before coming to Junxi Town. Different living environments had subtly separated her and Gu Xingzhou into two worlds where they were difficult to communicate with and did not understand each other.

He was puzzled by his own aversion to daily cultivation, believing that the sect's willingness to dedicate itself to nurturing him was more important than anything else;