41: Chapter 41 Ambush!

The Lingxiao Heavenly Palace cut through the clouds, flying steadily towards the direction of the Daoxuan Immortal Sect.

The atmosphere on the deck had eased significantly compared to when they had just escaped the Grotto-Heaven.

Most of the Disciples sat cross-legged, seizing the time to regulate their breathing, reflecting on this life-or-death experience.

Gu Changsheng leaned against the ship's railing, watching the mountains and rivers recede below, saying nothing.

Gu Yi stood behind him, his figure motionless, his aura blending into the surrounding shadows.

Not far away, Liu Hanyan stood in silence; she had wanted to walk over several times, but every step she took felt exceptionally difficult.

In the end, with her chest heaving, she steadied her mind and walked over.

She stopped at a distance of three steps from Gu Changsheng and bowed towards his back.

"Gu... Young Lord."

A voice filled with a hint of hesitation rang out.

Liu Hanyan held her sword, standing three steps away from Gu Changsheng.

She had changed into a clean, simple white Daoist robe, and her originally loose dark hair had been tied up again. However, between her usually arrogant brows and eyes, there was a mix of gratitude and an indescribable emotion.

Gu Changsheng picked up his teacup, gently skimming off the foam without looking up.

"Are you leaving?"

Liu Hanyan pursed her lips, her fingers subconsciously stroking the patterns on the sword hilt.

"The reception flying ship of the Qingyun Dao Sect is just a hundred miles away. This trip to the Taixu Grotto-Heaven... had too many unexpected events, and I need to return to the Sect to report as soon as possible."

When mentioning the words "unexpected events," her gaze uncontrollably drifted towards Gu Changsheng.

Previously inside the Grotto-Heaven, Ye Kun's insane behavior, Gu Changsheng's overbearing methods, and that truth that overturned her perception had completely shattered the sense of right and wrong she had held for twenty years.

That playboy Young Lord, who had once been heinous in her eyes, was the only one who had reached out a hand during the desperate situation.

And that Ye Kun, who kept shouting about justice and whom she had regarded as her beloved, had turned around and tried to kill her.

Ironic.

Too ironic.

"Mm."

Gu Changsheng took a sip of tea, his expression calm.

"Then I won't see you off."

This tone, which sounded like an order to leave, made Liu Hanyan feel inexplicably stifled.

She bit her lower lip with her teeth, finally made up her mind, and took another half-step forward.

"Gu Changsheng."

This was the first time she had called him by his name directly, without the previous hostility or that sense of alienation that kept people at a distance.

"Hanyan will remember the grace of saving my life today."

"In the future, if there is any command, I, Liu Hanyan of the Qingyun Dao Sect, will never refuse."

After finishing, she took a deep look at Gu Changsheng.

In those eyes that were always aloof, there was an unprecedented watery luster; as the light shifted, it only reflected this indifferent man before her.

Gu Changsheng finally lifted his eyelids, looking at her with a smile that was not quite a smile.

"You'll remember it?"

"Then remember it well."

A wave of heat rose on Liu Hanyan's face.

She dared not linger, fearing she might say something else inappropriate, so she turned and rose on her sword, transforming into a streak of cyan light, disappearing into the depths of the sea of clouds.

Gu Changsheng watched the direction in which she disappeared, his fingertips gently tapping on the armrest.

"Young Lord, this woman..."

Gu Yi stopped what he was doing, his aura suddenly turning gloomy, his killing intent fully exposed.

"She knows too much; should this subordinate..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture.

Gu Changsheng waved his hand, the corners of his lips slightly raised, revealing a hint of playfulness.

"No need."

"Keeping her is more useful than killing her."

Although Ye Kun is dead, he is not the only Child of Luck in this world.

This woman is clearly a very good bait, and she will be useful in the future.

Luo Xiyao watched Liu Hanyan's receding figure, her eyes shifting, but in the end, she said nothing.

...

The flying ship sailed steadily for another half an hour.

Just when everyone thought they were safe and had completely relaxed.

A low, rumbling vibration resounded across the sky, and the entire Lingxiao Heavenly Palace shuddered violently. Having been struck suddenly, it was forcefully held in place by a massive power, coming to an abrupt halt in mid-air.

"What's going on!"

Song Yun was thrown off balance by the inertia, nearly falling over.

He steadied himself on the railing, looking outwards with suspicion and uncertainty.

He saw that the surroundings of the flying ship had, at some unknown point, been shrouded by a dark, starry sky that did not belong to the daytime.

Countless silver star-lines intertwined into an inescapable net, trapping the entire flying ship within it.

Every star-line exuded a sharpness capable of tearing apart the Divine Soul.

"It's a Formation! We've been trapped!"

A Disciple screamed in terror.

Song Yun's expression sank, becoming extremely grim.

"Absolutely impossible! This is the essential route back to the Sect, and there are Sect outposts every hundred miles; who would dare to set an ambush here?"

His words also asked the question on everyone's mind.

Gu Yi's figure appeared silently beside Gu Changsheng, a rare look of gravity appearing on his face.

"Young Lord, it is a replica of the ancient killing Formation, the 'Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Formation'."

"Although it is a replica, once this Formation is activated, it can draw upon the power of the stars in the Nine Heavens to slaughter everything."

"The person who set up this Formation has grand plans."

Luo Xiyao walked up quickly, her pretty face pale.

"We have only been out of the Taixu Grotto-Heaven for about an hour; how could our movements have been exposed so quickly?"

Her words awakened everyone.

"It's an inside traitor!"

"Someone leaked our movements!"

"Who is it? Who exactly wants to harm us?"

The Disciples of the Daoxuan Immortal Sect were in an uproar upon hearing this.

Amidst this chaos, Gu Changsheng finally turned around.

He glanced at the panicked fellow Disciples, his face expressionless.

"What are you panicking about?"

He spoke calmly, yet it made everyone quiet down.

He looked up at the canopy above, composed of starlight, the corners of his lips slightly raised, his expression playful.

"Hiding and skulking like a rat in a gutter is boring."

"You think you can kill me by setting up such a piece-of-trash Formation?"

His voice echoed within the space of the Formation.

"Is this little trick that can't be brought into the light all you're capable of?"

He paused, his gaze sharp, piercing straight through the layers of the Formation, landing on a certain point in the Void Realm.

"Am I right?"

"Shen Xinghe, Senior Brother."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire scene was shocked.

All the Disciples of the Daoxuan Immortal Sect shook violently and stood frozen in place.

Song Yun's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.

"Gu Senior... Senior Brother, what did you say?"

"Shen... Senior Brother Shen Xinghe?"

"This... this is absolutely impossible! Senior Brother is upright, has high prestige within the Sect; why would he do this?"

Who is Shen Xinghe?

The number one person among this generation of Disciples of the Daoxuan Immortal Sect!

The closed-door Disciple of the Peak Master of the Fifth Peak, he was humble, had profound cultivation, high prestige within the Sect, and was the object of admiration for countless Disciples!

How could he set an ambush here and harm his fellow Disciples?

Just as everyone was in doubt and uncertainty.

A burst of unbridled laughter came from outside the starry Formation.

"Hahahaha!"

"Junior Brother Gu, you truly didn't disappoint me!"

"To think you could guess it was me so quickly!"

Accompanied by the laughter, a young man wearing a starry Daoist robe appeared from the Void Realm.

His face was handsome, his temperament extraordinary; it was indeed the Senior Brother of the Daoxuan Immortal Sect, Shen Xinghe!

Seeing him appear, all the Disciples were shaken to their cores, unable to think for a moment.

It really is him!

A Disciple's lips trembled as he pointed at Shen Xinghe, his voice distorted.

"Senior Brother! You... why would you do this?"

"We are fellow Disciples! You set up such a lethal Formation; do you want to kill us all?!"

Another Disciple was full of grief and indignation.

"Harming fellow Disciples is the Sect's primary iron law! Senior Brother, by doing this, are you not afraid of the Sect Master and Elders unleashing their thunderous rage?!"

Shen Xinghe floated in mid-air, looking down at them from above.

There was not a shred of fellow-Disciple affection in those eyes, only the indifference of looking at dead objects.

Hearing that Disciple's questioning, the smile on his face became even more mocking.

"If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves for following Gu Changsheng! Because he blocked my path!"

"The position of Saint should have been mine! The future of the Daoxuan Immortal Sect should also be in my hands!"

"As for punishment?"

His expression seemed as if he had heard a huge joke.

"As long as I kill you all."

"Who would know that it was me?"

He spread his hands, that posture of holding the winning ticket, clearly showing that he had already played with everyone's lives in the palm of his hand.

"I will even feel sorry for you and personally set up cenotaphs for you."

"Tell me, am I not right?"

Once these words were spoken, all the Disciples felt a chill run through their bodies, their hands and feet stiff with cold.

He's crazy!

Senior Brother's mind has been corrupted by evil!

That Senior Brother, who was usually gentle and refined and highly respected, is actually such a vicious Devil Head!

Gu Changsheng looked at his self-righteous face and finally stood up straight.

He brushed off his robes, his expression revealing a hint of playfulness.

"Are you finished?"

Shen Xinghe's gaze was nailed to Gu Changsheng and never moved again.

"Gu Changsheng, I admit you are very strong, and your talent can be called a Prodigy."

"Unfortunately, you are too arrogant. In my Formation, even those in the Celestial Phenomenon Realm must die!"

"Today, I will let you know what it means that there is always someone better!"

He suddenly waved his hand.

"Zhou Tian Xing Dou, Spirit Refining, Soul Destruction!"