The End

The fog forest had been disturbed.

And in the most brutal way possible.

That terrifying pressure—only just vanished—had suddenly reappeared, without warning.

At this point, Gong Changqian understood perfectly.

He had been tricked.

What evil beast would lower its aura when facing prey so much weaker—then suddenly emerge at such a critical moment?

Just as he’d broken through his state of mind, paving the way for future cultivation advancement—the sudden reversal, on top of existing injuries, overwhelmed him.

Rage surged—another mouthful of blood spat out.

All vines activated—attacking like mad.

“WHO! WHO IS DOING THIS TO ME!”

He screamed wildly, drawing his sword and hacking at the vines.

But every time one was severed, it rooted into the earth and regrew.

Eyes red with fury, Gong Changqian plunged his sword into the ground—channeling all his spiritual energy.

A blade erupted from him—slicing through every vine and tree within range.

“Just this? Dare to scheme from the shadows?
Dare you face me in a fair fight!”

This area was dangerous—but no match for a Golden Core cultivator.

But then—despair.

An attack came—from nowhere.

A claw shadow—silent, yet carrying the Sovereign-level beast’s power capable of tearing space.

It carried the damp, rotten-leaf scent of the fog forest—mixed with the beast’s unique foul, savage stench.

Gong Changqian didn’t have time to question if it was real.

He tried to dodge—but no body technique worked.

The strike landed perfectly.

He felt like thousands of steel needles pierced him at once.

His defensive aura shattered like paper.

Pain from scattered spiritual energy raced through every meridian.

Strands of leaking qi were drawn toward him—like a thousand snakes rising from their pit.

Thorns on the vines pierced his flesh—sucking his spiritual energy like parasites.

He struggled—briefly.

Then the vines wrapped around him completely.

Gong Ning stood outside the forest, coldly watching his suffering.

You want to play schemes from the shadows?

Who do you think you’re playing against?

You want a fair fight?

Can you even handle it?

Beside her, Lu Yunling sensed something… different about her Master.

She always knew her Master was kind—genuinely kind.

But deep down, she never lacked evil thoughts.

She simply chose not to use them.

Wouldn’t use them lightly.

But when she did act—she made sure her enemy fell into eternal damnation.

Now, perhaps influenced by the purple mist and Yuan Gu Hua, her Master seemed… almost demonic.

Her usually clear, gentle eyes now glowed faint blue-white—tinged by the purple mist, like stained glass.

The soft curve of her brows now lifted slightly—forming a sharp, nearly seductive angle—adding a chilling, dark allure to her presence.

“Let’s go. Time to clean up.”

When Gong Ning appeared before Li Shuqin, she knew it was over.

Li Shuqin immediately activated a detection artifact—sending pulses outward.

After a long silence, responses slowly came.

The correct choice in front of a Sovereign-level threat: survival first.

First to appear—Zangfeng Hall and Sword-Steering Hut.

The Zangfeng Hall elder approached—a broad man with thick arms, clearly forged by years at the anvil.

“What was that aura?”

Li Shuqin glanced subtly at Gong Ning, answering smoothly:
“A Sovereign-level evil beast. It passed through.”

The Sword-Steering Hut elder asked, “Why did it appear?”

“Unknown.”

Xingjian Abbey and Punishment Sword Division emerged.

“Was anyone injured?”

This time, Gong Ning answered:
“We found six unconscious disciples from Tianjian Pavilion—some injuries, but alive. However…”

She led them to the edge of the fog forest.

The Soul-Devouring Vines were calm again—coiled on trees, dormant.

On the ground lay a gaunt figure—hair white, skin clinging to bone—terrifying to behold.

“This is…”

“Tianjian Pavilion’s Elder Gong Changqian.

He was attacked by the beast—and drained by these vines.

Likely…”

Everyone saw it instantly.

His dantian was shattered.

His sea of qi dried up.

Meridians severed.

Only a breath remained.

Ruined.

His entire life—ruined.

Even those who felt pity thought—it would’ve been better if we never found him. Let him die quietly. Spare him the pain.

But seeing him, they couldn’t leave him.

Several elders combined efforts—lifting him, using pills to stabilize his last breath.

Li Shuqin sighed.
“Trial failed. Return. Report to the sect.”

The six Tianjian Pavilion disciples woke.

Elders comforted them—telling them what happened to their elder.

To everyone’s surprise—they weren’t sad.

They were furious.

Each wanted to tear Gong Changqian apart, piece by piece.

Morning: full of ambition.

Night: crushed.

The story spread across Xuantian Peak—then to every sect.

A Sovereign-level evil beast appeared in Luoxia Abyss.

Tianjian Pavilion’s elder abandoned his disciples and fled.

Six disciples fainted from pressure—but survived due to low cultivation.

The elder was attacked, wandered into the fog forest, and had his cultivation drained.

Was it justice served? Or cause for celebration?

“Perfect.”

Back at the pavilion, Jiang Yuyao gazed at the evening clouds, sighing.
“Everything went exactly as you planned.
Even with variables, you adapted flawlessly.
Perhaps no one in this world has more clever malice than you.”

Gong Ning smiled, sipping her bitter tea.

No. Still too bitter.

She truly couldn’t drink this anymore.

“Just clever thinking.
With enough time and preparation, anyone could do it.”

“But how many have your courage?”

Jiang Yuyao was in high spirits.

Since drifting apart from Gong Ning, she’d never seen this side of her.

After the incident months ago, she’d feared Gong Ning’s Dao heart was broken.

But during the last mission, she realized Gong Ning hadn’t changed.

And now—she saw her original self again.

“Still… you really left him alive?”

“How could I?”

Gong Ning took a sip of water, swished it, then gently spat it out, brushing hair from her ear.

“Just letting him experience it longer.

Rebuilding might be hard—but not impossible.”

“Then why not finish him?”

“People live in the world they perceive.

Close their eyes—gone.

Too easy.

And I believe… Tianjian Pavilion won’t let him live anyway.”

Inside Tianjian Pavilion, Gong Chengyun stared coldly at the broken man before him.

“Do you know what you’ve done?! How dare you abandon your disciples?!”

One unspoken thought: If you were going to run—why not kill the disciples first?
Spare the Pavilion this shame?

But Gong Changqian only stared blankly—into nothing.

He couldn’t answer.

At Golden Core level, spiritual energy was the foundation of the body—pervading every cell.

Its rapid collapse damaged his core.

Most functions were gone.

“The sect investigated. No trace of any beast. The disciples didn’t see anything! I ask you—what really happened?”

Gong Changqian remained silent.

He could still think.

But he was trapped in his own world—lost in memories of past glory.

With effort, he could respond to the outside.

Maybe, after healing, return to normal.

But two hundred years of cultivation.

Three breakthroughs in state of mind.

Lost in such a foolish way.

How many could endure that?

Gong Chengyun roared—grabbed his hair—then recoiled, disgusted, and threw him down.

Seeing the man didn’t even cry out in pain, Gong Chengyun finally shook his head.

He tossed a white silk ribbon onto Gong Changqian.

The meaning was clear.

But then—he paused.

A fool wouldn’t understand.

Yet Gong Changqian picked up the ribbon—struggled to stand—and limped away, under Gong Chengyun’s stunned gaze.

One day later, he was found dead in his home.

The scene was grotesque.

The ribbon tied to a door handle.

Him kneeling—head caught in the noose.

Enough to suffocate.

Another day passed.

Gong Ning read Tianjian Pavilion’s official statement.

Gong Changqian, overwhelmed by fear during the trial, abandoned his disciples—then committed suicide in shame.

Happy ending.

All rejoice.

Even the rice tasted better.

But because of this, Xuantian Sword Sect gained another trend.

Same sect. Same family.

One disciple fled.

One stood firm—unhesitating.

One, even for non-disciples, blocked a demoness to shield others.

The latter, of course, was Gong Ning.

An old story, now revived—made priceless by contrast.

And with Lu Yunling’s transfer to Heart-Sword Hall, every sect began scheming—how to transfer their disciples to Heart-Sword Hall.

Opposite to Tianjian Pavilion—her reputation soared higher than ever.