"Gu He, I protected you today in the Snake-People Tribe only because you are an Elder of my Cloud Mist Sect. I have treated you with respect solely because you are an Elder of my Cloud Mist Sect!"
"The relationship between you and me is strictly that of a Sect Master and a Sect Elder!"
"Nothing more!"
Yun Yun tightly held Chen Yang's hand, her gaze cold as she looked at Gu He.
"Sect Master... I..."
With a sword pointed at his head, Gu He didn't feel much chill in his heart, but at this moment, every word from Yun Yun felt like a knife stabbing into him.
He, Gu He, had become famous as a youth. Throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire and even parts of the surrounding regions, who didn't know the name of Pill King Gu He?
He could have served as an honorary president in the Alchemist Guild, spending his days enjoying Alchemy. However, a meeting with Yun Yun many years ago had caused his heart to become completely captivated by her.
Later, when Yun Shan personally recruited him to join the Cloud Mist Sect, he didn't hesitate for a moment.
After years of being together, he originally thought he was the man closest to Yun Yun's heart. Who would have thought that today... "I just learned from Yun'er that Elder Gu He also came for the Snake-People Tribe's Heavenly Flame, is that so?" Chen Yang pointed his sword at Gu He, asking despite already knowing the answer.
"Yes!" Gu He remained silent for two and a half seconds, glanced at the Long Rainbow Sword's blade, which seemed stained red with blood, and answered softly.
"Then you can go back!" Chen Yang waved his hand, and the Long Rainbow Sword flew back into its sheath and was stored in his storage ring. Then, he turned and took Yun Yun's hand, leading Xiao Yan toward the Snake-People Tribe's temple city.
"Yun Yun, you are the Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect. Today, you aren't prioritizing the Sect's interests but are siding with an outsider instead. Aren't you afraid the Old Sect Master will punish you?" Between the woman he secretly loved and the Heavenly Flame, Gu He chose the Heavenly Flame, even going so far as to bring up the missing Yun Shan to pressure Yun Yun.
*Clang!*
Just then, the ring of a sword sounded again. By the time Gu He reacted, he saw Yun Yun holding her strange longsword, with green Dou Qi swirling around the blade, the tip of the sword only half an inch from his brow.
He could clearly feel his Soul trembling because of this sword.
"Gu He, what right do you have to interfere in my business?"
"Who I associate with and who I help to seize the Heavenly Flame is my concern."
"Besides, Teacher passed the position of Sect Master to me long ago. I am the current Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect."
"Don't try to use Teacher to pressure me."
"As for today's journey, it would be best if you left immediately. Otherwise, if you fall in the Snake-People Tribe, I will simply kill Yue Mei with a strike of my sword to avenge Elder Gu He, which would still uphold the Cloud Mist Sect's reputation for benevolence!"
"What do you think, Elder Gu He?!!!"
Yun Yun's voice was loud and clear, audible to everyone around. Hearing this, Yan Shi and Feng Li both wanted to flee. If Yun Yun really killed Gu He, would any of them survive?
Meanwhile, Yue Mei was completely stunned.
Wait, why am I involved in this? Who did I offend?
Hearing this, a helpless bitter smile flashed across Gu He's lips. He finally closed his eyes, leaving the choice to Yun Yun.
Seeing Gu He offer his neck for slaughter, Yun Yun sneered and sheathed her sword. She spread her Dou Qi Transformation Wings and flew above Chen Yang.
Chen Yang smiled and ignored Gu He. He spread his Dou Qi Transformation Wings and flew into the sky along with Xiao Yan, who was using a Flying Dou Technique, leading Yun Yun toward the Snake-People Tribe's temple city.
"Everyone, that Mister Chen Yang is a Peak Dou Huang expert, just like Her Majesty our Queen!" After Yue Mei finished speaking, she turned and chased after Chen Yang and the others.
*Gulp...*
As Yue Mei left, Gu He finally opened his eyes, looking bitterly in the direction where Yun Yun had departed.
"Old He, are... are you alright?"
Yan Shi landed and looked at Gu He, asking with concern.
"I originally... originally thought that after obtaining the Heavenly Flame and being promoted to a Seventh-Rank Alchemist, I would propose marriage to Yun Yun... I just didn't expect... Sigh..."
Gu He sighed. Thinking of Chen Yang's Peak Dou Huang strength and the youth beside him who could wound him in a single strike, he shook his head and turned to fly back toward the Jia Ma Empire.
Seeing Gu He fly away, Feng Li and Yan Shi glanced at each other, waved to the remaining four Dou Lings, and left together.
"Peak Dou Huang..."
"Sect Leader Yun seems to have found a good match..."
Although Yan Shi and Feng Li were on good terms with Gu He, objectively speaking, Yun Yun was only in her twenties, while Gu He was already in his forties. He only didn't look old because he had reached Dou Wang at an early age, but he still appeared to be in his thirties.
Meanwhile, Chen Yang looked to be twenty at most, or perhaps he had reached Dou Huang at twenty. Such a young Dou Huang expert must have a powerful force behind him, and his potential to become a Dou Zong in the future was definitely greater than that of the likes of Yun Shan or Jia Xingtian.
Thus, Gu He's unrequited love for Yun Yun could only end without a result... In the sky, Yun Yun and Chen Yang flew slightly slower. After all, although Xiao Yan could wound Gu He in one move, he was only an eight-star Great Dou Master.
"Brother Yang, Sister-in-law, why does that Gu He look like he's only in his thirties? He doesn't match the description of an old man that people in the Jia Ma Empire usually give."
Yun Yun covered her mouth and chuckled upon hearing this. Her Wind Affinity Dou Qi blocked out the wind noise generated by their flight.
"He only looks younger; he's actually in his forties!"
"Besides, Gu He is a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, known as the Pill King. Many Alchemists in the Jia Ma Empire spend their entire lives without being able to break through to the fourth rank. If it were known that Pill King Gu He is only in his forties, those Alchemists in the Jia Ma Empire would probably die of shame!"
Yun Yun explained.
"Calling it self-deception is one thing, but it's also a way of survival; there are always people who are willing to live in a world of illusions!"
Chen Yang looked at Xiao Yan and added his own explanation.
"Hmm..."
Combining both his lives, Xiao Yan had lived longer than Chen Yang. He naturally understood these principles; it was just that his years of living on the Fighting Qi Continent had somewhat assimilated him into its culture.
"Let's not talk about Gu He. On the other hand, Xiao Yan, I haven't seen you for nearly a year, and your strength has improved so quickly." Yun Yun looked at Xiao Yan curiously, somewhat amazed.
"My actual strength is only that of an eight-star Great Dou Master. I can only use that move from earlier once in a short period!" Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and said with a smile.
"An eight-star Great Dou Master..." Yun Yun had completely given up on Nalan Yanran's Three-Year Agreement.
"Yun'er, I haven't seen you for nearly a year. Have you been well..." Seeing Yun Yun's mood gradually relax, Chen Yang began to chat with her.
"I've been fine. Aside from cultivating every day, I handle Sect matters and occasionally teach Yanran. Life is quite fulfilling. After your year of adventure, I suppose you're about to break through to Dou Zong?" Yun Yun could feel that Chen Yang's strength was even more formidable than it had been a year ago.
"It's close..." Chen Yang nodded. The two began to share their mutual longing... Seeing this, Xiao Yan took the initiative to fly a bit further away, not wanting to eavesdrop on their private conversation.
Well... mainly because if I stay close, I'll probably be forced to witness their public displays of affection!
...The three of them flew for about half an hour before they saw the towering Snake-People Tribe temple city in the distance.
The Snake-People Tribe soldiers on the ground, along with the Dou Wang level Hua She Er and other snake-people, were all standing by in full battle readiness.
"Your Excellency, for you to intrude upon my Snake-People Tribe, does the Jia Ma Empire intend to go to war with us?" Hua She Er spread her Dou Qi Wings and took flight, looking at Chen Yang's group of three and shouting loudly.
By this time, Chen Yang's group had already flown over the city walls and officially set foot in the Snake-People Tribe's temple city.
[Ding!]
[Detected that the strongest individual in the Snake-People Tribe's temple city is Queen Medusa, with the strength of a Peak Dou Huang. The host's strength is being upgraded to One-Star Dou Zong!]
*Swish...*
Inside Chen Yang's body, all energy silently completed its transformation in an instant. Correspondingly, his Physical Body strength and Soul Power also underwent a metamorphosis.
Then, Xiao Yan, Yun Yun, and the snake-people of the Snake-People Tribe clearly saw the Dou Qi Wings behind Chen Yang slowly disappear, yet he remained steadily standing in mid-air... "Walking on air!"
"A... a Dou Zong!!!"