“So, can you let him go?” the fox spirit pleaded again.
“I’m afraid not.”
“Why!?” The fox spirit looked incredulous. “There’s no deep hatred between you. He never intended to harm you, and if you let him go, you’ll receive the treasure of the fox clan and the secret to becoming a god. Isn’t that enough?”
“Because I hate being lied to the most! Everyone who has ever lied to me is dead. He’s no exception.”
Wait a minute...
There’s one person who lied to me the most and isn’t dead yet... Pu Yao!
Oh, right, Pu Yao isn’t human, so that doesn’t count.
“Just because he lied, he has to die?”
“Exactly!”
The fox spirit’s face turned ashen, but she still refused to give up. “If you let him go, I’ll do anything you ask. Don’t you like visiting the Heavenly Fragrance Tower for women? I’m still a virgin. I’m willing to serve you as a slave, wholeheartedly!”
“Cough... cough...” Gu Qingfeng suddenly coughed twice and spoke righteously, “Don’t talk nonsense. I go to the Heavenly Fragrance Tower to temper my Dao heart. How else do you think I achieved this level of strength?
I, Gu Qingfeng, am not someone who lusts after beauty!
However, I’m not heartless either. Seeing how sincere you are...”
“Su Mei! You can’t agree to this!” Qiu Qianren suddenly roared.
“You’re being foolish! Today, I kidnapped Gu Qingfeng in front of everyone. The emperor will surely be furious. Do you think the Great Yan Dynasty won’t uncover the truth of this matter?
In a few days, I’ll be hunted across the world. Even if I don’t die today, I won’t live much longer. And without becoming a Peerless King, I have no hope of revenge. What’s the point of living!”
“Hehe...” Qiu Qianren laughed bitterly. “This must be fate. At least the legacy has emerged, and the world will know the Ageless Pill is real. It’s a way to clear my ancestor’s name.”
“No! I don’t want you to die!” The fox spirit, Su Mei, said with tears streaming down her face.
“Uh... let me interject for a moment.” Gu Qingfeng suddenly interrupted their emotional exchange and said to Qiu Qianren, “Actually, you don’t need to clear your ancestor’s name because the Ageless Pill never existed. It’s all a lie.”
Qiu Qianren was stunned, then furious. “Gu Qingfeng! You’ve inherited my ancestor’s legacy, yet you slander him! You’re a despicable villain!”
“Tsk tsk tsk, another brainwashed fanatic. Let me enlighten you before you die.” Gu Qingfeng said as he took out the Heavenly Demon Scroll.
“Here, this is the so-called Divine Refining Method. Take a look and you’ll understand.”
Swish!
Gu Qingfeng openly unrolled the scroll for the two of them to see.
He wasn’t worried about them learning the life-sacrificing technique because without the Heavenly Demon Scroll as a medium, it was impossible to connect with the Life Demon.
Both of them were captivated by the legendary Divine Refining Method and stared intently.
A moment later.
Qiu Qianren’s face turned deathly pale, as if all the blood had been drained from his body. Not only that, it seemed as if his bones had been removed too.
He could no longer withstand the pressure and collapsed to his knees.
His expression was blank, and he kept muttering, “No... this can’t be! How could this be! My ancestor was the greatest alchemist in the world! The Qiu Family is the greatest alchemical family in the world! It’s all a lie! Hahaha...”
Qiu Qianren began to laugh maniacally, but as he laughed, tears streamed down his face.
“So everything I’ve sought in my life... was all a lie! Why is this happening! Ahhh!!!” Qiu Qianren began to punch the ground frantically, one punch after another... Even as his skin was torn by the sharp stones, even as blood flowed and his white knuckles were exposed, he didn’t stop.
The ground was pounded into a small pit, mixed with blood and tears.
At that moment, he seemed to have gone mad, his face a mix of crying and laughing, repeating over and over, “It’s all a lie! It’s all a lie! Ugh...”
Qiu Qianren, overwhelmed by rage and despair, began to vomit blood.
Su Mei looked at him with heartache, wanting to say something but unable to utter a single word.
The feeling of having one’s beliefs shattered was worse than death.
Gu Qingfeng frowned slightly, thinking, *Is it really that serious? It’s just a false reputation, and not even your own. Why take it so hard?*
Su Mei, who seemed to sense Gu Qingfeng’s confusion, sobbed softly and explained, “It’s not just the reputation he’s upset about. It’s also the lives of his entire family.
After Qiu Yulong died, countless people tried to enter the Jade Dragon Secret Realm, but all failed. Over time, some with ulterior motives turned their attention to the Qiu Family.
They believed the Qiu Family must have the Ageless Pill and the complete Divine Refining Method, and that the Jade Dragon Secret Realm was just a decoy.
After all, what ancestor wouldn’t leave their legacy to their descendants?
From that point on, the once prosperous Qiu Family was constantly hunted. Former allies who had sought the Ageless Pill turned into enemies. The more they had once desired to befriend the Qiu Family, the more they now sought to destroy it.
Fortunately, the Qiu Family still had some strength. Though many died, they managed to survive by going into hiding to escape their enemies.
But no matter how vast the world is, it’s no match for human greed. After years of hiding, the Qiu Family was eventually discovered.
And the ones who found them were the Spirit Medicine Mountain!”
“Spirit Medicine Mountain!?” Gu Qingfeng was slightly surprised. “Didn’t Gu Chen, the Alchemy King of Spirit Medicine Mountain, say the Divine Refining Method was fake? Why is he involved too?”
Mentioning Spirit Medicine Mountain, a hint of hatred flashed in Su Mei’s eyes. “Gu Chen is no saint either. While he publicly claimed the Divine Refining Method was fake, he was the most active in secretly searching for the Qiu Family!
He said the Divine Refining Method was fake to elevate his own status by discrediting Qiu Yulong, and to deceive others into giving up their search for the Qiu Family, so he could claim it all for himself.
And that’s exactly what happened. Spirit Medicine Mountain found the Qiu Family because many believed Gu Chen’s words as the Alchemy King and gave up their search. Only Spirit Medicine Mountain persisted, searching for decades!”
“Damn, this Gu Chen is something else!” Gu Qingfeng exclaimed. “What happened next?”
“After that, the entire Qiu Family was secretly captured and subjected to inhumane torture, forced to reveal the secrets of the Ageless Pill and the Divine Refining Method. Only he managed to escape.”