Three centuries prior, Cao Guofeng and Gu Yunyang had indeed agreed to a duel. They fought fiercely for an entire day and night, ultimately reaching a stalemate. They then resolved to keep the battle a secret between them, swearing never to speak of it. Should either achieve a breakthrough, they would arrange a rematch.

Cao Guofeng, ever true to his word, had never mentioned the engagement to a soul. Yet now, he heard the very tale recounted by Gu Yunyang’s own grandson! Furthermore, the outcome, which was a perfect draw, had been twisted into a humiliating narrative of him kneeling, begging for mercy just to survive—what sort of tale was that to pass off as fact? If such a story truly spread, would he have any way to live down the shame?

He couldn't help but slightly turn his head, his gaze fixed upon Gu Yunyang, laced with derision.

Gu Yunyang’s old face flushed crimson. “Brother Cao, you must not misunderstand! There is no such thing! It’s all that little beast making up nonsense, spouting lies…”

What kind of man was Cao Guofeng, and what depth of life experience did he possess? The moment he observed Gu Yunyang’s demeanor, he understood a great deal. He realized that their agreed-upon battle had likely long been spun by Gu Yunyang as a glorious achievement to boast about to his juniors. Even if the result wasn't as utterly disastrous as Gu Feiyu described, it certainly wasn't good.

His face instantly turned as cold as ice, nodding repeatedly: “Good! Good! Good! Good brother! Good friend! You’ve raised your descendant well! Very good… I, Cao Guofeng, have lived for several hundred years, but today I truly have opened my eyes… I never imagined the Gu family held such power in the Illusionary Prefecture. For so many years, this old man has truly been ignorant, genuinely a frog at the bottom of a well…”

A look of genuine distress suddenly crossed Gu Yunyang’s aged face. He was utterly bewildered by this turn of events; how could his grandson know of such a secret, known only to the two principals, himself and Cao Guofeng?

There was no possibility of Cao Guofeng leaking it, and if it were leaked, it certainly wouldn't be in such a sacrilegious manner. The fault must lie with him, yet in his memory, he distinctly recalled never mentioning the matter to anyone!

The truth was, it was a coincidence. One day, after drinking heavily, this old man casually mentioned his great battle with Cao Guofeng in front of several younger relatives. Being drunk, Old Master Gu naturally embellished the outcome slightly, transforming the draw into a slight advantage for himself.

Alas, where there is smoke there is fire; through the repeated embellishments of the younger generation, the story became increasingly exaggerated, ultimately reaching its current form! It was precisely because of this misunderstanding that Gu Feiyu believed Mo Junye, who was supported by Cao Guofeng, could not afford to offend him, leading him to confront the Young Master Jun with such bravado. In his mind, even if Cao Guofeng eventually stepped in to settle the score, his own grandfather would stand as backup, so why would he take Young Master Jun’s warning seriously!

Seeing Cao Guofeng furious to the point of rage, Gu Yunyang, who knew he was in the wrong, immediately vented all his frustration onto his hapless grandson. With a flash of movement, a sharp slap echoed; he had brutally struck Gu Feiyu across the face: “Monster! What nonsensical rubbish are you spewing, you brute! Hurry and apologize to Master Cao and his disciple!”

This slap, though outwardly delivered with sharp clarity and great force, was actually done with minimal effort. Though framed as a reprimand, at its core, it was merely a warning, intended to give both parties a chance to de-escalate.

But what no one expected was that following the crisp smack, Gu Feiyu’s frozen, hysterical expression suddenly turned blank. Then, his previously ferocious and ashen face suddenly went deathly pale. Immediately after, he threw his head back and, with a poof, spewed out a large mouthful of blood!

The scattered blood misted like smoke, instantly enveloping a space nearly ten feet wide. Then came a gasp, followed by a heavy, vibrant clot of blood ejected forcefully upward, striking the ceiling with a thwack before splattering everywhere!

Gu Feiyu, choking on blood, trembled violently, staggered twice, and then abruptly pitched backward, falling heavily to the ground with a thud. His legs convulsed, yet the torrent of blood gushing from his mouth did not cease.

He was utterly unconscious!

The Young Master Gu, who moments before had been swaggering and invincible, now lay teetering on the brink of death, his survival hanging by a thread!

This sudden turn of events truly shocked everyone present. The two old men forgot their personal feud. Gu Yunyang immediately darted forward, catching his grandson, and checking his pulse, his face contorted in alarm!

Gu Feiyu’s meridians were in a bizarre state, fluctuating wildly: sometimes strong, like the resonant clang of a massive bronze bell, and other times as faint as a thread, barely detectable. His vital energy was in a state of pronounced collapse; there was a clear danger that he could hemorrhage and die at any moment.

From the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, encompassing both the upper and lower Dantians, all his Profound Qi was in utter chaos, like a tangle of hemp rope that had been trodden upon by a donkey for three days—intricately knotted and impossible to untangle.

Such bizarre symptoms were not found even in masters of Profound Qi cultivation, nor in those gravely ill beyond recovery. Not even a terminally ill person would suffer this degree of deterioration!

Even if one suffered a Qi deviation during cultivation, plunging into an abyss of eternal doom, it seemed unlikely to result in the terrible state Gu Feiyu was now in. Even with the Saint Emperor’s power, there was no immediate way to offer aid…

What in the world was happening?

He thought and thought until his mind went blank, still utterly unable to make sense of it.

“What exactly is going on?” Gu Yunyang muttered, then suddenly realized something. He looked up, his gaze sharp, fixing on Miao Xiaomiao and Jun Moqiu, asking with a chilling tone, “What exactly is going on?!”

The exact same phrase, repeated. The first was a genuine question directed inward; the second was imbued with intense hostility, aimed at the man and woman before him. Old Master Gu was clearly convinced that before the two of them arrived, someone in the tavern must have inflicted some incredibly strange, insidious harm upon Gu Feiyu…

As for the other person—the one with the Ethereal Body constitution, currently pitifully weak—though the principal party involved, the nature of this dark strike was so peculiar that no ordinary master could have executed it. That young fellow surnamed Mo certainly didn't possess such ability. Therefore, the only possibility lay with Miao Xiaomiao.

Considering further: his grandson had been relentlessly pestering Miao Xiaomiao for years. Gu Yunyang was perfectly aware of this one-sided infatuation. Could it be that the girl, driven to desperation by his constant pursuit, had conceived murderous intent? Using today’s opportunity to strike lethally, she intended to draw in that young man Mo, implicating Cao Guofeng as well, ultimately escalating into an irreconcilable feud between the Gu family and the Seven Saint Emperors, while she remained completely unscathed?

Was this the plan?

Old Master Gu thought it over and over, and the more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed. The look in his eyes as he regarded Miao Xiaomiao grew increasingly hostile. If not for Miao Xiaomiao’s exceptional background and powerful backing, Gu Yunyang would have already seized her!

Miao Xiaomiao blinked. She was an intelligent woman and instantly grasped the implication of Old Master Gu’s words, even fully understanding the thoughts churning in his mind as he spoke. Noticing the fierce glare directed at her, she couldn't help but feel a wave of shock.

This was truly a case of ‘sitting at home, disaster strikes from afar!’ What did this have to do with me? It was your grandson who harassed me daily until I was utterly fed up, and I haven’t said a word. Now he gets injured in some unknown way, and you try to pin it on me?

A surge of anger instantly rose in Miao Xiaomiao’s heart, yet her expression remained calm. She replied faintly, “Old Master Gu asks an odd question. How could we possibly know what happened? Just a moment ago, we saw Young Master Gu aggressively shouting and making a scene. How could he suddenly end up like this? This… what exactly happened?”

Miao Xiaomiao’s words were functionally meaningless; not only did they offer no explanation, but she had also thrown Gu Yunyang’s question right back at him in the final sentence.

Although she understood the underlying circumstances, she had not yet realized that Gu Feiyu’s injury had reached a life-threatening severity. In truth, if Gu Feiyu’s life hadn't been in such immediate danger, Gu Yunyang might not have dared to treat someone of Miao Xiaomiao’s stature in such a manner!

But the situation had reached an impasse. Miao Xiaomiao’s Tai Chi movement, pushing the question back, infuriated Gu Yunyang to the point of near explosion, yet he dared not fully erupt due to her status. He let out a heavy snort and focused all his energy, circulating his Profound Qi to heal his grandson, even neglecting Cao Guofeng beside him. Miao Xiaomiao, upon first seeing Gu Yunyang, had intended to explain the entire sequence of events to at least clear her own name; however, seeing Gu Yunyang immediately assume an aggressive, accusatory posture filled her with intense revulsion!

That old man Gu has quite the airs, she thought. On what grounds are you questioning me? Neither your status nor your position grants you the right to interrogate me like this! Precisely for this reason, unwilling to lower her stance, she choked back the words she was about to speak…

At the same time, she felt a flicker of confusion: Didn't Gu Feiyu seem perfectly fine just a moment ago? How could he suddenly be in such a state, looking near death? This change was too bizarre, wasn't it? A simple slap, delivered without malice or Profound Qi, shouldn't result in such a severe injury…

Little did she know, and in fact, neither did anyone present, that Gu Feiyu was indeed gravely wounded, his life in constant peril!