Looking at this harmless Little Junior Brother, it was hard to imagine.
This was the same man from the Illusory Realm—the villain who had stolen his opportunities, deceived the entire Qingxuan Holy Land, and, to achieve his goals, had even forced the deaths of or used as blood sacrifices all his senior sisters and his Master, one after another.
But Gu Xiu understood that everything in the Illusory Realm... was probably real!
Because according to the events that unfolded later in the illusion, after he returned to the sect, his repeated falling outs with his Master and senior sisters, and even the unbearable pain of his Dao injuries flaring up at midnight each day, were all the handiwork of this Little Junior Brother.
Even before Gu Xiu had returned, he was already plotting.
"Little Junior Brother? Why do you care about him?"
Before Gu Xiu could respond, an extremely rude remark came from the side.
"A cripple like him remaining in our Qingxuan Holy Land is a disgrace to our name and a drag on our development. If I were him, I wouldn't go so far as to kill myself for the sect's sake, but I would at least leave to fend for myself."
The speaker was none other than his Seventh Senior Sister, the very one who had just framed him in the Zongmen Hall.
Lu Qingyao!
With Guan Xuelan absent, Lu Qingyao made no effort to hide her disgust for Gu Xiu. It was as if she wasn't looking at the senior brother who had once cared for her most, but at a mortal enemy.
Jiang Xun, however, spoke up for Gu Xiu. "Senior Sister, although Senior Brother Gu's cultivation is crippled, he is still my senior brother..."
"A man like him doesn't deserve to be your senior brother!" Lu Qingyao cut Jiang Xun off. "Junior Brother, you're just too kind. You must remember, kindness should be reserved for good people. Towards a worthless villain like Gu Xiu, you must not show the slightest bit of goodwill, or you'll only end up hurting yourself."
"But, Senior Sister... sigh..." Jiang Xun seemed to want to persuade her further, but in the end, he could only let out a helpless sigh and say apologetically to Gu Xiu, "Senior Brother, please don't mind her."
Gu Xiu had heard such words many times before. To be honest, he used to think Jiang Xun was a genuinely good person.
But hearing them now...
Gu Xiu only felt a wave of nausea.
Because all of this was nothing more than Jiang Xun's acting.
Gu Xiu ignored the duo putting on a show and simply fixed his gaze on the object in Jiang Xun's hands.
"Are you holding something of mine?"
"Ah?" Jiang Xun froze, clearly not expecting Gu Xiu's sudden coldness, but he still managed a smile. "I saw this bamboo rod of yours, Senior Brother, and thought it was quite unique, so I took it to have a look."
Gu Xiu raised an eyebrow. "Are you done looking?"
"Ah?"
"If you're done, can you return it to me?"
"Well..."
Jiang Xun stared, dumbfounded, and looked down at the rod in his hand.
It was a very ordinary-looking green bamboo rod, emerald green from end to end. At first glance, there was nothing special about it.
But in truth, this Green Bamboo Rod was an item that had emerged from the Forbidden Land with Gu Xiu back when he was guarding it. It seemed to possess the power of some principle; no matter how it was damaged, it would eventually restore itself out of thin air.
When Gu Xiu had first returned to the sect, they had studied the rod for a long time. In the end, they found it had no other function besides self-regeneration and tossed it back to him.
At the time, Gu Xiu didn't know what it was for either. Since he was in charge of raising the immortal fowls, he simply used it as a herding stick. The fact that it would repair itself after breaking made it quite handy.
Only after seeing the Illusory Realm did Gu Xiu know.
This thing's true purpose wasn't for herding poultry. It was a sealed divine artifact!
Only...
Jiang Xun seemed reluctant to part with it. "I heard that you brought this item back from that terrifying Forbidden Land, Senior Brother. It's quite miraculous. I was bold enough to hope I could borrow it for a while. I was wondering if you might..."
"No," Gu Xiu shook his head without hesitation.
"Ah?"
"I don't like other people touching my things. I've used this bamboo rod for a long time; I've grown attached to it."
"But..."
Jiang Xun was still unwilling and cast a pleading look at Lu Qingyao beside him.
Lu Qingyao did not disappoint him and immediately snapped, "Gu Xiu, it's just a worthless bamboo stick! The fact that Little Junior Brother has taken a fancy to it is a blessing for the stick. Don't you be ungrateful!"
"Worthless or not, it's my thing." Gu Xiu arched an eyebrow, ignoring Lu Qingyao, and stared deeply at Jiang Xun.
"If I give it to you, you may take it."
"But if I don't..."
"You cannot snatch it."
As he spoke these words, a monstrous killing intent erupted from Gu Xiu's eyes.
His cultivation had indeed long since dissipated.
But during his five hundred years in the Forbidden Land, Gu Xiu had lived through slaughter every single day. Though he no longer had a shred of cultivation, that killing intent could never be erased.
It was etched into his very bones!
Now, unleashed without restraint, even someone like Jiang Xun, who was blessed by the Dao's rhythm and possessed extraordinary talent, was momentarily stunned.
Seizing the moment of his distraction, Gu Xiu reached out and snatched the bamboo rod back.
"Gu Xiu, what are you doing?" Lu Qingyao was the first to react, glaring at Gu Xiu with fury.
"How dare you?"
"How dare you direct your killing intent at Junior Brother?"
"How dare you snatch away something Junior Brother likes?"
Lu Qingyao's words were laced with murderous intent. As she spoke, the terrifying pressure of a Golden Core Cultivator billowed out from her, completely undisguised, as if to engulf Gu Xiu entirely.
However...
Unfortunately for her, when it came to killing intent, Gu Xiu feared no one.
And as for spiritual pressure...
To be honest, even though his cultivation was crippled, the mere pressure of a Golden Core cultivator, to Gu Xiu, was nothing special.
Facing the furious Lu Qingyao, Gu Xiu just gripped the Green Bamboo Rod tightly, his gaze calm as he met hers without flinching.
"This is my thing."
"Your thing? Don't you know that the entire sect must now do everything in its power to provide Junior Brother Jiang with all resources and artifacts? He is now taking back what should rightfully be his. Are you trying to harm our sect's prodigy?" Lu Qingyao demanded.
This heavy accusation made Gu Xiu frown.
But even so, Gu Xiu did not yield. "This Green Bamboo Rod, I will not give it to anyone, and especially not to him."
"Are you not afraid of death?" Lu Qingyao said with hatred.
Gu Xiu replied, calm and composed, "Do you dare kill me?"
"You..."
Just as Lu Qingyao was about to say more, Jiang Xun stepped in to mediate.
"Senior Sister, let it go."
"I was just curious about the Green Bamboo Rod, I had no intention of forcing him. Since Senior Brother likes it so much, I don't want it anymore. We mustn't harm the fellowship between us!"
His words gave Lu Qingyao an out.
She truly didn't dare to kill Gu Xiu. Fratricide was a great taboo, and besides, Gu Xiu was, in his own way, a hero of the Qingxuan Holy Land. A little disrespect was one thing, but if she were to actually strike him down on the spot, the reputation of the Qingxuan Holy Land would be ruined.
"Hmph! Gu Xiu, look at you, and then look at Jiang Xun. The difference between you is clear!" Gritting her teeth, Lu Qingyao cursed under her breath, then turned to Jiang Xun.
"Junior Brother, don't worry. I'm going to find Master right now!"
"As long as we have an order from Master, let alone a worthless bamboo stick, even if you wanted the entire bamboo forest on Gu Xiu's Zhuo Peak, he wouldn't dare stand in your way!"
Jiang Xun said, "That's... it's the thought that counts, Senior Sister. I don't need the Green Bamboo Rod..."
Lu Qingyao snorted. "What do you mean you don't need it? Some people have no manners. I need to teach him a lesson!"
With that, she mounted an auspicious cloud and turned to leave, clearly on her way to ask for Guan Xuelan's decree.
Jiang Xun didn't dare delay. He quickly took out a flying sword, tossed a "My apologies, Senior Brother, truly, I'll go persuade Senior Sister Lu right now, please don't mind her," at Gu Xiu, and then mounted his sword to chase after her.
Watching Jiang Xun disappear completely, Gu Xiu couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement.
Incredible!
That acting was truly incredible!
If he hadn't been watching closely enough to vaguely discern the glimmers of contempt and hatred in Jiang Xun's eyes, he might have actually believed that this Little Junior Brother wasn't a bad person.
But...
As the two of them vanished into the distance, Gu Xiu withdrew his gaze and looked down at the Green Bamboo Rod in his hand.
This Green Bamboo Rod.
In the Illusory Realm, it had revealed a terrifying ability.
Heavenly Fishing!
This was an opportunity that had originally belonged to him, but he had later given it to Jiang Xun.
And now...
The opportunity was back in his hands!
But now was not the time to study the Green Bamboo Rod. He hurried into his house and his eyes immediately fell upon an ancient tome on his desk.
He quickly tucked it into his robes.
This was Gu Xiu's second great opportunity.
It had also come from the Forbidden Land.
And similarly, upon his return to the sect, he had handed it over immediately.
But also similarly, after the sect had studied it and deemed it useless, they had thrown it back to him.
With both great opportunities now in his possession, Gu Xiu picked up a brush and paper.
He began to write on the paper.
He wrote slowly, one character at a time. It took him the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to write the final character.
And at that very moment, a powerful pressure descended upon Gu Xiu inside the house.
Guan Xuelan's cold voice followed.
"Gu Xiu."
"Do you know your crime?"
In the past, Gu Xiu would have been panic-stricken and terrified.
But this time, hearing those words, Gu Xiu felt not the slightest ripple in his heart. He calmly picked up the paper and walked slowly out of his wooden hut.
He immediately saw Guan Xuelan standing outside his courtyard gate, her brows tightly furrowed.
Behind Guan Xuelan were Jiang Xun and Lu Qingyao.
Jiang Xun still wore that sickeningly apologetic expression, while Lu Qingyao was staring at him with a look of smug mockery.
It was as if she were saying, "See? This is what you get for offending me!"
Gu Xiu didn't feel angry. He just thought of Lu Qingyao's miserable end in the Illusory Realm and found it somewhat amusing.
The Heavenly Dao... its cycle is truly just!
"Gu Xiu, you're still smiling!"
For some reason, Lu Qingyao found Gu Xiu's faint smile deeply unsettling. She turned to Guan Xuelan and said, "Master, Gu Xiu is just jealous of Little Junior Brother! He's an envious person and should be severely punished!"
Envious?
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Gu Xiu found it even more amusing. In the three years since his return from the Forbidden Land, Gu Xiu had never been jealous of his Little Junior Brother; on the contrary, he had always wanted to help him selflessly.
And now, just because he was unwilling to give him this Green Bamboo Rod, he was suddenly envious?
But Gu Xiu said nothing, merely looking at Guan Xuelan, wanting to see how his own Master would decide.
She was his benefactor and teacher, after all. It would be a lie to say he held no expectations.
It was just a pity...
"Gu Xiu, as a senior brother, you should be supporting your junior brother. Yet you act out of jealousy towards Jiang Xun and deliberately cause this incident."
"As your Master, I am very disappointed in you."
Proofreader: Peter Pan