Chapter 9: The Truth

Gu Fei was many things—kind-hearted, modest, and once deeply devoted to Xun'er—but he was not a madman.

Though Xun'er's betrayal had wounded him, he would never resort to killing Xiao Yan. Some compassionate Gu Clan members approached Xun'er, their voices gentle with reason:

"Miss Xun'er, might this be a misunderstanding?"

"Brother Gu Fei would never harm anyone..."

Seeing the unanimous defense of Gu Fei, Xun'er's delicate foot stamped the ground in frustration, her eyes rimmed red.

"None of you believe me?" she cried, her voice trembling. "Gu Fei is jealous! He wants Xiao Yan dead!"

The words spilled out before she could stop them.

[Xun'er's Regret Detected: +100 Emotion Points]

But it was too late—spoken words were like spilled water, impossible to reclaim. Though her voice hadn't carried far, the Dou Qi lacing her words ensured Gu Fei heard every syllable atop his mountain.

Even the most patient man had limits.

Xun'er's baseless accusation solidified Gu Fei's resolve.

Today, she slanders me. Tomorrow, will she parade Xiao Yan through these very halls?

A cold smirk touched his lips as he glanced downward one last time. With deliberate indifference, he shut the window—no explanation, no defense.

Let her rage. Let her play the victim.

The accusations were beneath his dignity.

Silencing the noise with a wave of his hand, Gu Fei reactivated the soundproofing formations around his residence. Peace returned, broken only by the lingering fragrance of pills. He plucked a freshly forged Tier-7 Pill from the air, examining its luminous surface with quiet satisfaction.

Another success.

While Gu Fei immersed himself in alchemy, news of Xun'er's outburst reached Gu Yuan.

The clan leader's study was thick with tension as Xun'er stood before him, arms crossed, her pretty face twisted in defiance.

"You will reflect on your conduct," Gu Yuan said sternly, sealing the room with an immobilization formation even she couldn't breach. "Your theatrics today were unacceptable."

Xun'er responded with a glare, but Gu Yuan had already turned away.

"I will investigate this matter myself."

What he uncovered was irrefutable:

Gu Fei had no contact with outsiders for a month.

His mountain was impenetrable during the pill refinement.

Zero evidence tied him to any assassination plot.

The conclusion was undeniable—Gu Fei was innocent.

Yet Xun'er's stubbornness forced Gu Yuan to dig deeper. To his astonishment, the trail led to an unlikely culprit:

Gu Yao.

The main hall's torches cast flickering shadows as Gu Yao stood before Gu Yuan, his posture relaxed—almost amused.

"You admit to sending assassins after Xiao Yan?" Gu Yuan's voice was dangerously calm.

Gu Yao's lips curled. "That trash? Why deny it?"

His nonchalance hung thick in the air. To men like them, Xiao Yan's life held less weight than a speck of dust. Had Xun'er not forced the inquiry, Gu Yuan wouldn't have spared it a thought.

Yet the revelation took an unexpected turn.

"Your men failed," Gu Yuan observed. "Xiao Yan is alive."

A muscle twitched in Gu Yao's jaw. His subordinate's report replayed in his mind:

The boy should have died. But then—

A surge of terrifying aura.

A flash of golden light.

—and Xiao Yan vanished.

"Some meddling elder must have intervened," Gu Yao spat, crushing a jade cup in his grip. The thought of that weakling escaping his grasp ignited something feral in his chest. Next time, I'll skin him alive myself.

Locked in her gilded prison, Xun'er seethed.

The evidence meant nothing. Gu Fei's alibi? A fabrication. Her father's verdict? A betrayal.

It has to be Gu Fei's doing!

Her nails bit into her palms as she glared at the distant mountain peak. In her mind, Gu Fei's silence was proof of guilt—his indifference, a calculated cruelty.

She didn't notice the irony: the man she'd scorned for lacking ambition now stood accused of excessive vengeance. 

...

Within his quiet sanctuary, Gu Fei examined the Sea Strengthening Pill in his palm. The iridescent elixir pulsed with condensed energy—a flawless creation.

A month had passed.

The divorce's mandatory waiting period was over.

Time to see Gu Yuan.

As he donned his outer robe, a wry smile touched his lips. After today's revelations, even the Patriarch wouldn't dare justify forcing this farce of a marriage to continue.