Chapter 80: Separated

Three days later

Blood River Tower, Southern Courtyard Training Ground

Although no one knew why the final evaluation had been moved up by ten days, the apprentice disciples were all prepared and ready. They found their group members and stood together in small clusters, waiting for the elders atop the platform to give the command. Their fists clenched, hearts pounding with excitement, for this moment was the culmination of seven years of effort and hardship.

The platform before them was two fathoms high and a yard wide, with three people standing atop it. By their attire, it was clear that the two flanking figures were true disciples from the Eastern Courtyard, while the elder in the center, clad in plain white robes with a long beard reaching his chest, appeared aged yet stood perfectly straight, his face brimming with vigor—one glance was enough to sense that his strength was unfathomable.

This elder was none other than the third most powerful figure on the surface of Blood River Tower—Grand Elder Kou Zhenghua.

Kou Zhenghua smiled with satisfaction as he surveyed the hundreds of disciples below the platform. This group was only half the size of previous years, but their strength had advanced dramatically. Especially the dozen or so from the Heaven Class, whose cultivation had reached the seventh or eighth layer of Bone Tempering, with four or five already entering the Marrow Refining stage.

Though they had just stepped into Marrow Refining, it was no small feat—never before had such a thing occurred in previous generations.

“The quality of this cohort rivals that of the Azure Dragon Ambassador’s year,” Kou Zhenghua mused silently.

Below, Gu Fanshuang and Su Bai stood together, fingers tightly intertwined, turning to meet each other’s gaze. Su Bai suddenly pulled a funny face, making Gu Fanshuang laugh.

“Relax. We’ve overcome so many obstacles. This last step—we’ll get through it just the same,” Su Bai whispered.

He was now at the ninth layer of Marrow Refining, while Gu Fanshuang possessed the strength of the third layer. They had studied previous years’ evaluations and gained a deeper understanding of their abilities—confident they could win with ease.

As the three sticks of incense before them burned out, it was time for the Grand Elder to announce the details of the evaluation.

Taking a scroll from a disciple nearby, he unfurled it and read aloud: “This final evaluation is very simple. You need only return to the sect within half a year using the map provided. Your final score will be determined by your route and the time taken.”

He then turned to the disciple at his left and instructed quietly, “Distribute the maps to the corresponding participants.”

Everyone waited in silence as the two true disciples handed out maps. The moment each received theirs, they eagerly began to pore over them.

When Su Bai got his map, he opened it for a quick look, then immediately closed it.

Gu Fanshuang noticed and asked, “What’s wrong? Is there a problem with the map?”

Su Bai frowned, deep in thought, not even hearing Gu Fanshuang’s question.

“What’s the matter?” Gu Fanshuang nudged Su Bai with her elbow, pressing him.

“Oh—no, it’s nothing. I was just considering how best to pass the evaluation. Each mission is different, so it’s wise to prepare ahead,” Su Bai replied, finally coming to his senses, putting the map aside and smiling at Gu Fanshuang.

Gu Fanshuang saw through his little ploy and immediately held out her hand. “Let me see.”

“Uh, let’s look at it when we set out,” Su Bai said, dodging her request.

“Hurry up!” Gu Fanshuang’s expression turned icy as she issued an ultimatum.

Su Bai, embarrassed, handed over the map.

Gu Fanshuang opened it and her delicate brows furrowed. “Why… why are we going there?”

The map marked a destination in the Bingzhou region, thousands of miles away.

“From the northern border back to the southern heart of Shengzhou—is that even possible in half a year?” Gu Fanshuang murmured.

Su Bai added, “And we have no funds, nor are we allowed to use the resources of our families or the sect.”

They exchanged glances, both seeing the gravity of the situation reflected in each other’s eyes. The difficulty of this final evaluation was far too high. For most disciples, who possessed only Bone Tempering strength, traversing the empire’s vast expanse would be a challenge even for those at the Concentration stage.

The empire’s lands were broad and full of countless strange and capable people—no one could predict what might happen on a journey of ten thousand miles.

“I’ll go ask the elder,” Su Bai declared, striding toward the platform, with Gu Fanshuang close behind.

But before they could approach, the Grand Elder swept his hand, and a fragrant breeze washed over them.

They were startled—“Soul Capturing Incense!”—but before they could hold their breath, the incense, strengthened by the elder’s deep internal power, had already penetrated their bodies.

Su Bai and Gu Fanshuang exchanged one last look, then collapsed to the ground along with the others.

“Take them to their assigned places,” the Grand Elder said, smiling from the platform. “I hope one or two of you will become earth-shattering figures.”

With that, he turned and leaped away, his movements light and ethereal, vanishing into the distance.

Half a month later, a carriage sped along the road, bouncing and rattling with two people sprawled inside.

“This is so annoying! Who gets assigned to a wilderness like Bingzhou? Soul Capturing Incense only lasts half a month—looks like I’ll have to give them sleeping drugs,” complained the driver.

“Stop whining. We’re already in Qingzhou. A few more days and we’ll be there,” said a plain-looking woman beside him.

The driver was Lu Hao, an inner disciple from the Eastern Courtyard, and the woman was E Ye Liu. Tasks like these usually fell to those ranked near the bottom among inner disciples.

Over the past half month, Lu Hao and his companion had gone through eight horses. The cost of all those animals would be reimbursed by the sect, but handing over the silver pained him nonetheless.

After E Ye Liu took over driving, Lu Hao prepared the drugs to give to the two passengers.

He lifted the curtain and kicked Su Bai. “It’s all your fault. I’ll be late getting back, and the sect will definitely dock my reimbursement!”

He considered searching them for silver, but remembered they wouldn’t have any, and was even more annoyed.

His gaze fell on the woman—Gu Fanshuang. Though her face was covered with a bamboo hat, the summer heat caused her to sweat even in sleep, her thin clothing unable to conceal her figure.

“At first I didn’t notice how shapely she was, and that old hag E Ye Liu won’t let me take a good look. Heh heh.”

Lu Hao slowly lifted the veil from Gu Fanshuang’s hat. When he saw her true face, he was utterly captivated.

“She’s stunning. I’ve never seen a girl as beautiful as this,” Lu Hao marveled, his heart stirring with other intentions.

“Maybe I should…”

“Have you finished giving them the medicine?” E Ye Liu interrupted his daydream.

“Oh, almost! Almost!” Lu Hao hurriedly administered the drugs, then reluctantly closed the curtain and went out to relieve E Ye Liu.

Not far down the road, Lu Hao chatted with E Ye Liu. “Hey, who is that girl?”

“Don’t even think about her,” E Ye Liu warned. She knew what kind of man Lu Hao was—always after pretty junior sisters.

“Oh? Why not?” Lu Hao asked, puzzled.

“She’s from the Gu family. You know the Gu family—it’s way out of our league. We’re thirty and still stuck at the half-step Heart Protection stage. We’ll never be chosen by a great clan like hers. My advice: give up on it,” E Ye Liu said, glancing at him with a warning.

Lu Hao glanced furtively at Gu Fanshuang inside the carriage, tempted. But E Ye Liu was right: if he took advantage now, he couldn’t survive the Gu family’s wrath. It wasn’t worth dying for a woman.

But the lamb was right before him—how could he resist?

After traveling dozens of miles, Lu Hao suddenly clutched his stomach and groaned, “E Ye Liu, quick, come here!”

E Ye Liu was resting inside, annoyed at his call. “What is it?”

“My stomach hurts—come drive!”

Lu Hao’s voice sounded genuine. Seeing E Ye Liu wasn’t coming, he pressed more urgently, “Are you deaf or what? I called you out—can’t you hear me?”

“I’m coming, don’t rush me!” E Ye Liu replied, taking over the reins.

Just as she was about to ask why Lu Hao hadn’t gotten out, she felt a sharp pain in her neck and lost consciousness.

Lu Hao had struck her from behind, knocking her out.

With E Ye Liu fully unconscious, Lu Hao entered the carriage, drooling as he gazed at Gu Fanshuang.

He carefully lifted her veil, pressed his face to hers, and inhaled her scent like an addict tasting his first fix after days without.

“Heh heh heh, little beauty, looks like today I get to enjoy something special,” he murmured.

He hoisted Gu Fanshuang out of the carriage. With the surrounding mountains and forests, he plunged in without hesitation.

“Whew!” He ran until he was out of breath, finally laying the unconscious Gu Fanshuang on the ground.

“Beauty, your brother is here!” Lu Hao muttered. “As long as I don’t take your virginity, anything should be fine.”

Lu Hao, impatient, began stripping off his clothes, not noticing Gu Fanshuang’s hand stirring.

On the other side

E Ye Liu gradually awakened, unsure how long had passed. When she realized Lu Hao and Gu Fanshuang were missing, she froze in place.

Then she cursed loudly, “Lu Hao! Are you trying to get me killed?”

“Calm down! Stay calm. But Gu Fanshuang disappeared on my watch—what am I supposed to say? It’s all Lu Hao’s fault! Why did you have to mess with that kind of woman? Are you insane?”

“Forget it—if Gu Fanshuang dies, I’ll just say she perished during the evaluation. As for Lu Hao, I’ll claim he left midway to visit a brothel. I don’t care—I don’t care!”

After much internal struggle, E Ye Liu could think of no solution. Suddenly, her eyes fell on Su Bai inside the carriage.

“If this guy reports back that Gu Fanshuang didn’t participate in the evaluation with him, won’t I be in trouble?”

Hands trembling with anxiety, E Ye Liu drew her sword, about to kill Su Bai, but stopped.

“No! If I kill him here, the patrols will discover it and I’ll never clear my name,” she worried.

After much deliberation, she noticed the map in Su Bai’s arms and slapped her thigh. “Got it! I’ll seal his internal power. Without any skills, he could never survive in Bingzhou, even if he had ten lives.”

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. She took out a pill from her pouch—dark and foul-smelling.

Raising Su Bai, she fed him the pill and water, watching him swallow.

“Using the Power-Sealing Pill on someone like you is a waste, but my life is more important. Just die in Bingzhou—don’t come back.”

She then drove the carriage crazily toward Bingzhou.

Back to Gu Fanshuang

She was now fully dressed, and beside her lay a corpse—Lu Hao.

Lu Hao, in his impatience, had forgotten to drug her, and the rough jostling while carrying her woke Gu Fanshuang early.

The moment she awoke, she sensed danger. Just as Lu Hao began unbuttoning her clothes, Gu Fanshuang stabbed a short dagger from her sleeve into his temple. He collapsed instantly, blood gushing forth.

After dressing, Gu Fanshuang surveyed her surroundings, her brows furrowing. “Where am I? The map is with Ming Li—should I head north to find him or south back to the sect?”

She was caught in a dilemma.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in Dayan Sect

“Master! A letter has arrived.”

“Oh?” Xi Menghe took the letter.

Upon reading it, he burst into laughter. “Ha ha ha! Ming Li, Ming Li—I’ll finally catch you!”

Elsewhere, in Blood River Tower

Liu Yingxiu sat in his private courtyard in the Northern Wing, with a subordinate bowing to receive instructions.

“You’re going to Zhanzhou. You must ensure Gu Fanshuang’s safety. She’s the candidate favored by the higher-ups—be cautious and protect her well.”

“Yes, sir! I will do my utmost!”

“Go,” Liu Yingxiu waved his hand.

After giving orders, Liu Yingxiu reclined in his chair, content. “It seems the Head Inspector is pleased with this year’s disciples. Perhaps he’ll help me break the Thousand Path Shackle.”

While Liu Yingxiu was hoping to win Chu Shanhai’s favor through Gu Fanshuang, he had no idea that Su Bai and Gu Fanshuang were now in mortal peril.