Chapter 120 (Chapter 120: The Protagonist's Annulment)

Chapter 120 (Chapter 120: The Protagonist's Annulment)

At midnight, the jade boat was still flying, the light shield formed by the magic array blocking out the fierce winds from the outside.

Lou Yuqing took a futon and sat down at the front of the cabin. Footsteps came from behind her, but she didn't turn around. She went straight to the point and said, "Fellow Daoist Gao, you can speak frankly if you have something to say."

Gao Xuexi's face stiffened, and she sat down next to her somewhat awkwardly, pondering how to start the conversation: "Actually, it's nothing serious, Fellow Daoist Lou, do you have someone you like?"

She didn't notice that two heads popped out of the cabin behind her, one was Si Nidie and the other was Si Nanren, both of them with pointed ears.

Upon hearing Gao Xuexi's question, a figure flashed through Lou Yuqing's mind. Her expression became slightly unnatural, and she confessed, "No."

She hadn't considered matters of the heart.

Gao Xuexi continued, "If one day your family wanted you to marry a stranger, would you agree?"

Lou Yuqing said decisively, "Although I haven't experienced such a thing, my answer is no. Are you being forced into marriage by your family?"

Gao Xuexi nodded: "Yes."

Now that things have come to this, there's nothing left to hide.

Si Nidie and Si Nanren exchanged a glance, both seeing the gossip in each other's eyes.

Gao Xuexi took a deep breath, carefully considered her words, and said, "From the day I was born, I was bound by an engagement. At first, I didn't know it until five years after I joined the Suyin Sect, when my family suddenly informed me of this."

"My first thought was to break off the engagement, but my parents wouldn't allow it, and neither would the clan leader, because my fiancé is an exceptionally talented cultivator with a rare and exceptional Heavenly Spiritual Root, who will at least be able to form a Golden Core in the future."

Gao Xuexi's tone was filled with deep resentment: "No matter how much I resist, it's all in vain. Only by hiding in the sect can I have a moment of peace."

Lou Yuqing felt deeply troubled.

The two families are clearly united by interests, which is something that Gao Xuexi, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, cannot contend with unless her cultivation level advances by leaps and bounds to gain a voice.

Heavenly Spiritual Roots are indeed rare. If Gao Xuexi were to marry, it would be a good choice. However, she yearns for the Great Dao and does not want to accept the family's arrangements.

Conflicts naturally arise.

Lou Yuqing stroked her chin and asked, "Are you planning to elope? Have you spoken with that male cultivator with the Heavenly Spirit Root, and what his thoughts are?"

Although I can't solve the other person's problem, I can at least offer her some advice.

Gao Xuexi's expression changed slightly, and she said with a strange look, "I've only met him once, on the day the engagement was called off."

"break off an engagement?"

Lou Yuqing felt she had triggered a key phrase and cautiously asked, "Did your fiancé say, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river'?"

"How did you know?" Gao Xuexi was certain she hadn't heard Lou Yuqing's thoughts. Could it be that the other party's supernatural powers had reached the point of blocking out others?

Si Nidie transmitted her voice to Si Nanren: "Wow, junior sister can actually repeat it word for word. Her gossip skills have improved again. I'll have her teach me a few moves another day."

Si Nanren: "..."

Lou Yuqing stood with her hands behind her back, adopting the air of a superior: "Let me guess again, is it because your fiancé's cultivation suddenly regressed and he became a cripple, that you were able to successfully annul the engagement?"

Gao Xuexi exclaimed in amazement, "You're absolutely right!"

Lou Yuqing looked Gao Xuexi up and down. If this were really a male-oriented underdog-to-hero story, she would definitely be the protagonist of the annulment incident, the kind who gets slapped in the face.

Gao Xuexi felt a chill run down her spine under her gaze and hesitated before asking, "Fellow Daoist Lou, what's going on?"

Lou Yuqing withdrew her gaze and coughed, saying, "I was thinking, you successfully broke off the engagement with Ran, but things have turned so tense. Will the outcome be bad?"

Generally speaking, a broken engagement is the beginning of the rise of a seemingly useless male protagonist, and also the beginning of the misfortune of a cannon fodder female supporting character.

As for the female supporting character who is cannon fodder, she will definitely look down on the male lead, and then her pride will be crushed by the male lead, either dying or being maimed.

Unexpectedly, Gao Xuexi did not show any disgust towards her former fiancé. Instead, she said with some unease, "I thought the matter was over, but then I found out that Lu Guange's parents had just passed away, and his family had embezzled all the compensation he was supposed to receive. He then went to Blackwater Ravine, and his fate is unknown."

She only wanted to annul the engagement and did not want to kill the other party, but Lu Guange's accident was inextricably linked to her, which made her unable to eat or sleep recently.

Lou Yuqing thought to herself, maybe he encountered an opportunity in the Blackwater Ravine, then greatly increased his cultivation, and returned as Long Aotian to seek revenge.

She thought so, but didn't say it aloud. After all, reality and novels are always different. Instead, she asked, "Fellow Daoist Gao, what do you mean?"

Gao Xuexi clutched her dress and said dejectedly, "Blackwater Ravine is extremely dangerous; even Golden Core cultivators could perish there. I want to know if he is still alive?"

If she waits until Lu Guange's situation improves before announcing the engagement, will things develop differently?

Is Lu Guange able to save his life?

Lou Yuqing glanced at her and said, "Fellow Daoist Gao, do you know what I cultivate?"

Gao Xuexi, puzzled, said, "Of course I know, you specialize in lightning-attribute magic."

“Yes, so you want to know if he’s alive or dead. Telling me won’t help. Why don’t we go find a fortune teller to tell us?” Lou Yuqing spread her hands.

She initially thought the other person was seeking comfort, but as they talked, they unexpectedly revealed their intention to have her fortune told, which was a bit outrageous.

Gao Xuexi was taken aback for a moment, then said, "I've looked for fortune tellers, but they can't figure it out."

Lou Yuqing offered a suggestion: "It's definitely because your skills aren't up to par. Why don't you ask the seniors in your sect for help and go to Blackwater Ravine to look for Lu Guange's whereabouts? It's more reliable to have family members help you."

Gao Xuexi shook her head: "I went to Blackwater Ravine with my master, but we didn't find any trace of Lu Guange."

Lou Yuqing: "..." It's probably all over.

The atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

Gao Xuexi bit her lip. If this matter wasn't handled properly, it could very well become a source of inner demons for her. It would be better to ask Lou Yuqing directly.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out of his throat.

This inexplicable force is really annoying.

Seeing that they had stopped talking, Si Nidie and her brother tiptoed into the cabin, but they didn't see Lou Yuqing glancing in their direction.

She noticed when they were eavesdropping, but Gao Xuexi was obviously unaware, sitting dejectedly next to her, lost in thought.

[Source: Gao Xuexi (1000 points)]

Lou Yuqing looked at the melon-eating panel, had a thought, and took a small bite of the melon that was served.

So, when Gao Xuexi was feeling discouraged, a familiar voice echoed in her ears.

Never underestimate a young person's potential!

[I forgot to mention this classic quote earlier]

Suddenly, many heads popped up at the cabin door. Besides Si Nidie and her brother, there were other law enforcement disciples who had come to join the fun.

Lou Yuqing clicks on the audio-visual image to listen to the live version.

A scene slowly unfolded in mid-air. Although she had only been there once, Gao Xuexi still recognized it as the Lu family's reception room.

As people moved about, the Lu and Gao families took their seats, while the only two standing were her and a young man in his twenties.

The elder of the Gao family said, "You must already know why we've come. Young friend Guan Ge's current situation will only delay our Gao family, so let's annul the engagement."

The tone seemed to be negotiating, but in reality, it left no room for argument.

With a flick of his sleeve, a storage bag flew to the young man: "The Gao family has wronged you, young friend Guan Ge. These cultivation resources are our compensation."

Lu Guange stood tall and proud, his blue robes clean and tidy, and declared in a resounding voice: "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, never underestimate a young man's potential!"

After saying that, he completely ignored the storage bag and left the reception room, as if he was oblivious to the elder of the Gao family's anger.

"Ungrateful."

Upon hearing the elder's words, Gao Xuexi's joy at breaking off the engagement was inexplicably diminished.

At the time, as someone involved, she did not notice Lu Guange's situation. Now, through the footage, she realized that his fists, clenched in his sleeves, were trembling.

Is he angry?

Gao Xuexi pursed her lips, as if she saw herself in the past, powerless to fight against her family. She was so unwilling, but no one helped her. Even her closest relatives were only thinking about their own interests.

Lu Guange lost all his cultivation and both his parents died. The Lu family treated him like a discarded child, and his uncles only wanted to exploit him. They were even more powerless than she had been back then.

He didn't want to stay in the Lu family and wait to die, so he risked his life to venture into the Blackwater Ravine to seek a glimmer of hope.

Gao Xuexi felt a mix of emotions. Although Blackwater Ravine offered many opportunities, it was also extremely dangerous, and the chances of Lu Guange still being alive were very low.

Just then, Lou Yuqing's inner voice rang out.

[The novel has truly become a reality!]

[Lu Guange received the inheritance of an ancient cultivator in Blackwater Ravine. Years later, he transformed into a Golden Core cultivator and returned to the Lu family to wreak havoc.]

That night, the Lu family was drenched in blood.

Gao Xuexi looked up abruptly. How could this be!

Si Nidie was shocked and almost fell over. She grabbed the cabin door next to her and asked, "Brother, did I hear that right? Lu Guange slaughtered his own people?"

Si Nanren said solemnly, "You heard me right."

The next moment, Lou Yuqing explained the reason.

As the saying goes, "Avenge wrongs and settle scores."

[Lu Guange's parents were murdered by his uncles, and he himself suddenly became a cripple, also at the hands of his uncles. No wonder he went mad.]

Once everyone understood, they lost all goodwill towards the so-called Lu family.

Si Nidie said indignantly, "With a disciple as talented as Lu Guange, the Lu family will rise sooner or later. But they ruined each other because of internal strife. They are really short-sighted."

Si Nanren nodded in agreement and said, "The Lu family should be a Golden Core family. Lu Guange has just reached the Golden Core stage, yet he is able to take on the entire family. His strength is terrifying."

Gao Xuexi and Si Nanren thought the same thing: with Lu Guange's power, he would definitely retaliate against those who humiliated him, and that would mean retribution against the Gao family, and her as well…

[Lu Guange's killing spree was so loud that it attracted the attention of the Gao family, so he killed the man on the spot.]

Before the Gao family could react, they came knocking and slaughtered the entire family.

Wait, something's not right, is it?

Lou Yuqing rubbed her eyes suspiciously, but the content on the panel remained unchanged: "..."

Shouldn't it be a display of domineering power, a resounding slap in the face to the Gao family?

Why would he start with such a brutal act as wiping out an entire family? Has Lu Guange turned to the dark side?

Si Nidie gasped, "How ruthless."

Si Nanren frowned. Killing his enemies was no problem, but involving innocent people made him wonder if the other party was blinded by rage.

Gao Xuexi's pupils contracted sharply, and then Lou Yuqing's inner voice continued to ring out, sounding like the voice of death.

The shocking news of Lu Guange's annihilation of two major families spread, and everyone went to investigate, only to find that no remains of any of them had been found.

Gao Xuexi was far away in the Suyin Sect. By the time she received the news, it was too late. She wanted to seek revenge on Lu Guange, but he had vanished without a trace.

[Until one day, Lu Guange led a large force to attack the Su Yin Sect, and everyone, including Gao Xuexi, died, their blood staining all the mountain peaks red.]

【this……】

Isn't this behavior definitely villainous?

Lou Yuqing felt increasingly uneasy as she looked at the information. She then checked the panel again: Gao Xuexi had been killed by Lu Guange with a single sword strike, and the Suyin Sect had disappeared from the continent.

Gao Xuexi's chest heaved violently, her eyes blazing with fury. The Suyin Sect had absolutely nothing to do with this matter; Lu Guange was utterly depraved!

While she was angry, she was also terrified. If things had continued as originally planned, wouldn't the ending have inevitably been a tragedy?

She must find Lu Guange, no matter what it takes!

"Fellow Daoist Lou, I suddenly remembered that my master has important matters for me to attend to. Farewell!" Gao Xuexi stood up abruptly, her face cold and icy, as if covered with a layer of frost.

Before Lou Yuqing could react, Gao Xuexi flew out of the jade boat and disappeared in front of her as a speck of light.

Lou Yuqing watched her retreating figure, unable to stop her in time.

There are actually many things she doesn't understand.

Why did Lu Guange massacre the Su Yin Sect? How did his cultivation level increase so rapidly? The Su Yin Sect is one of the Seven Sects; didn't the other sects intervene?

Could it be that they were too busy taking care of themselves at that time?

The thought popped into Lou Yuqing's mind, but she dismissed it. Her master was a Nascent Soul cultivator, and with him overseeing the Wendao Sect, nothing could possibly happen.

However, it seems that Master was injured once later.

Lou Yuqing's heart jumped again. The first piece of gossip she heard was about Zeng Changfeng, which said that Zeng Changfeng had stolen his master's healing pills, causing his cultivation level to plummet.

Master's injuries are definitely not simple; they must have damaged his very foundation. Otherwise, with the medical sage among them, he wouldn't have ended up like this.

Lou Yuqing made up her mind to return to the sect to see her master, buy his melons, and see what had happened to cause her master such serious injury.

Originally, after becoming a disciple, she wanted to know the whole story so she could warn her master to avoid this disaster, but because she didn't have enough "gossip points," she had to hold back.

After the price change from 100,000 points to 200,000 points, it's expensive, but she can afford it now.

After the Seven Sects Alliance Competition, she had not seen her master and hoped that he would have emerged from seclusion by the time she returned to the sect.

The magic array shield of the Azure Jade Boat suddenly showed an unusual phenomenon.

Lou Yuqing looked up and saw a communication talisman. She took it in her hand, and Ling Yunxiao's voice came from it: "Traces of demons have been discovered. Come to our aid immediately!"

Demonic cultivator?

Lou Yuqing's expression changed drastically.

Ling Yunxiao was on an overseas mission. A few days ago, he led his team to the Luoqi Mountains in the north to wipe out the monsters causing trouble. He specifically told her about it before leaving.

The highest cultivation level of the troublesome demonic beasts was the Golden Core stage, and he had also broken through to the Golden Core stage, so he could handle it completely. But now that there are demonic cultivators, who knows what kind of changes might occur.

Lou Yuqing called everyone out and said seriously, "We have received intelligence that demonic cultivators have appeared in the Luoqi Mountains. The matter of confiscating offerings in Gushan City is suspended. The priority is to capture the demonic cultivators. You all need to be prepared, understand?"

The disciples were startled for a moment, then immediately shouted, "Understood!"

Demonic cultivators commit numerous evils and deserve to be killed by everyone. Naturally, they would not allow the other party to cause trouble on the sect's territory.