79: It would be a pity to keep the people who are chasing after the master alive.

As Xuan Yangzi landed, his gaze swept over Ling Xu, who was slumped on the ground.

When he sensed the Peak Saint Realm aura emanating from the other party, his eyes suddenly narrowed: "Good heavens! Peak Saint Realm? And he was suppressed so easily by you?"

A tempest raged in his heart—he had just broken through to the Middle Stage of the Saint Realm, and there was still a significant gap between him and a Peak Saint.

This person was suppressed with such ease, what Realm was Gu Changge in?!

Xuan Yangzi secretly glanced at Gu Changge, who stood calmly beside him, his mind in a jumble.

Didn't he say before that there was only a small difference in cultivation between him and us?

But how could this "small difference" allow him to effortlessly control a Peak Saint?

No... perhaps what he said back then wasn't "a little bit," but "a whole lot"?!

As this thought emerged, the more he thought about it, the more shocked he became... Gu Changge seemed oblivious to his thoughts, raising a hand to pat his back, his tone calm yet penetrating, each word striking Ling Xu's heart.

"This person is named Ling Xu, an Elder of Lingxiao Holy Land in the Central Region."

"Hiss... Lingxiao Holy Land? Central Region?"

Xuan Yangzi frowned sharply, subconsciously repeating the names.

"Too far, never heard of it. How did a Holy Land from the Central Region get involved with Purple Bamboo?"

He had known Daoist Zizhu for many years and had never heard of him having any connection with a Central Region Holy Land.

Then Gu Changge recounted to Xuan Yangzi how Daoist Zizhu had snatched a Chaos Realm Crystal in the Central Region, was hunted by various Holy Lands, and fled to the Eastern Region.

"Outrageous!"

After listening, Xuan Yangzi could no longer contain his fury, slamming his thigh. The Middle Stage Saint Realm pressure suddenly erupted, making the surrounding Purple Bamboo leaves rustle loudly.

If it weren't for the Formation on Zizhu Peak, which could isolate all aura fluctuations, this pressure alone would have been enough to flatten everyone in the entire Azure Profound Sect.

"The Central Region Holy Lands are truly bullying people too much! Treasures belong to the virtuous; since the Chaos Realm Crystal was obtained by Daoist Zizhu, it is his Opportunity!

You Holy Lands, high and mighty, sanctimonious, ganged up to hunt a Loose Cultivator, even crossing billions of miles to the Eastern Region, have you no shame?!"

The more he spoke, the angrier he got, pointing at Ling Xu on the ground, his voice trembling.

"You Lingxiao Holy Land are truly not good people! Daoist Zizhu was already severely injured and had to flee to the Eastern Region, and you still wouldn't let him go?"

Ling Xu was so terrified by his rage that he trembled all over, shrinking on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.

Xuan Yangzi still wanted to curse, but Gu Changge gently tugged his sleeve.

"Senior Brother, calm down."

"Since someone has actively delivered himself to our doorstep, it's a good Opportunity to kill him to vent your anger—and incidentally, to see what it feels like to kill a Peak Saint."

Gu Changge's tone was calm, as if he were discussing whether to pick a Spirit Fruit, his fingertips idly caressing the armrest of the bamboo chair.

Xuan Yangzi was stunned by these words, subconsciously looking at Ling Xu on the ground, his brows furrowing even deeper.

"Kill him? This is a Holy Land Elder, and a Peak Saint Realm cultivator! There aren't many such figures in the entire Xuanhuang Great World; wouldn't it be too much of a waste to just kill him?

And if Lingxiao Holy Land finds out, they might send even stronger people..."

He hadn't finished speaking when the Eternal Heavens Pride Tower next to them suddenly clicked open.

Xiao Ruobai rushed out, wielding the Nine Heavens Dragon Soul Halberd, its tip still stained with the residual Qi of the phantom. He was about to shout, "Great Emperor Chixiao, I'll remember you!"

He then heard the words "Peak Saint Realm" and "kill him," and instantly froze in place. The halberd shaft clanged to the ground, making the soil in the spirit field jump.

He blinked hard, then rubbed his burning ears, staring at Ling Xu on the ground, his voice trembling slightly.

"Ma-Master? Senior Martial Uncle? You just said... Peak Saint Realm? Like, the kind of Peak Saint Realm who can shatter half of Xuan Province with one palm? And you want to kill him?"

As he spoke, he crouched down next to Ling Xu, curiously examining him—this old fellow looked withered, not at all like the legendary Peak Saint who could overturn rivers and seas.

Before Gu Changge could speak, he looked up and scratched his head: "That's not right, Master. Our Azure Profound Sect doesn't even have a King Realm cultivator. How can we kill a Peak Saint? Did I hear things?"

Gu Changge glanced at him, then casually waved a gentle force, sending him back into the Tower like a little chick.

"Adult matters, children shouldn't interrupt. Go in and practice twenty more matches."

The Tower door slammed shut with a bang, and Xiao Ruobai's somewhat aggrieved shout came from inside.

"Master! I was just asking! A Peak Saint Realm! At least let me take another look!"

Ling Xu listened to Xiao Ruobai's shouts, then looked at Gu Changge's calm demeanor, and a wave of despair surged from his feet to his head.

He suddenly remembered something, fumbling frantically at his storage ring, his fingernails turning white from scratching, his voice tinged with a whimper.

"Fellow Daoist, spare my life! I have treasures! I'll give you all my treasures! Don't kill me!"

Then, a spiritual light flashed wildly from his fingertips, and several items emanating rich Spiritual Qi clattered to the ground.

A heart-protecting mirror embedded with stardust shimmered, a jade bottle containing liquid spiritual power surged with a golden glow, and a half-bone fragment inscribed with ancient runes faintly emitted Dao Rhyme.

"These are all Saint-Grade treasures I've collected! And this!"

He then tremblingly pulled out a dark golden token, the words "Lingxiao" on it particularly striking.

"This is a Holy Land Elder token! It can mobilize all outer resources! I'll give them all to you! All of them!"

He stared intently at Gu Changge's face, not even daring to breathe loudly, fearing the other party would refuse.

But Gu Changge merely glanced at the treasures on the ground, his fingertips still idly caressing the armrest of the bamboo chair, his tone carrying a hint of mockery.

"Are you stupid? If I kill you, won't all these treasures still be mine? Why would I need to bargain with you?"

This sentence was like a basin of ice water, instantly extinguishing Ling Xu's hope.

He trembled all over, cold sweat streaming down his spine, his mind racing. He suddenly shuffled two steps on his knees, his voice changing pitch.

"I'm useful! I'm still useful! I'm a Peak Saint Realm cultivator! I can fight! I can go to Lingxiao Holy Land and be a spy for you!"

As he spoke, he secretly glanced up at Gu Changge, his fingers tightly clutching the corner of his clothes—this was his last chance; if he was rejected again, he would truly be doomed.

Xuan Yangzi's eyes suddenly lit up. He quickly tugged Gu Changge's sleeve, his fingertip subconsciously pointing towards Ling Xu, his voice extremely low.

"Gu Changge, how about... we use Soul-Seizing Technique to control him? Keep him as a spy; he could both probe Lingxiao Holy Land's secrets and deliberately spread false information to mislead them.

If we kill him now, and the Holy Land can't find him, they might send even stronger people to investigate, which would be even more troublesome!"

As he spoke, his eyes were full of anticipation, thinking "this plan could work," and he secretly glanced at Ling Xu.

He felt that this Peak Saint could finally be put to some use, instead of being completely wasted.

When Ling Xu heard "Soul-Seizing Technique" and "spy," the light in his originally despairing eyes instantly flared, and his breathing became rapid.

"Yes! I'm willing! I'll definitely obey! Please..."

"Senior Brother's words sound reasonable, but..."

Gu Changge's voice slowly rang out, but then abruptly changed, and the force beneath his foot suddenly intensified!

"Crack—"

A crisp sound of bone cracking was particularly jarring on Zizhu Peak. Ling Xu's Dantian was instantly crushed into dust, and the remaining Saint pressure receded like a tide.

He was like a broken rag doll from which all strength had been drained, collapsing on the ground, coughing up blood, the light in his eyes instantly freezing.

Xuan Yangzi's words caught in his throat. His mouth, which had just opened, hadn't closed yet when he saw a wisp of green light flash from Gu Changge's fingertip, too fast for anyone to clearly see its trajectory.

Ling Xu didn't even have time to utter a final "spare my life" before his body turned into a sky full of ashes, leaving behind only the pile of Saint-Grade treasures on the ground, still glowing with an unheeded spiritual light.

"The person who hunted Master, keeping him would be the real waste."