"No, Sister Roland has been killed by this villain!"

"Quick, kill him, we still have a chance to escape Granny’s punishment!"

"Yes, attack!"

The other women, upon seeing this scene, couldn’t help but turn pale with fright, their bodies ice-cold and legs shaky.

Fairy Roland has always been well-liked by Granny Mei Hua; now that she’s been killed, not only is Gu Yuan, the culprit, doomed to die, but they too might be implicated.

"Kill me?"

Gu Yuan’s expression was indifferent as he swept his long sword horizontally, releasing a five-colored sword light.

Seeing that these women were about to be slaughtered on the spot, just then, a jade pearl at one woman’s waist suddenly shone with a faint spiritual light, halting Gu Yuan’s sword. At the same time, an elderly woman’s voice emanated from within:

"Stop!!!"

"Little one, where possible, show mercy. For the sake of this old woman’s face, spare them this once, won’t you?"

"Granny Mei Hua?!"

Gu Yuan’s gaze focused on the jade pearl.

At that moment, a strand of flowing light emerged from the pearl, transforming into a faint human figure.

The figure was an image of a hunched old woman, with wrinkled skin and a robe black as night—she appeared quite aged, yet her eyes were bright as stars, radiant and penetrating, possessing an anomalous power that seemed to pierce the soul.

"It’s Granny!"

"Granny has come!"

"Granny, it’s this scoundrel, he killed Sister Roland..."

The other women, upon witnessing this, were both surprised and delighted.

"Indeed, it is I!"

The hunched old woman—Granny Mei Hua—spoke in a calm voice, disregarding the maids beside her, her gaze barely flickering over Gu Yuan, and yet showing a faint furrow.

Although she was merely a divine fragment, her perception was not weak, yet somehow she couldn’t discern Gu Yuan at all as a young man.

But he was merely a Golden Core Great Cultivator.

He appeared unremarkable, seemingly lacking any special qualities.

Nonetheless, whether it was Gu Yuan’s swordsmanship or the path he displayed, neither could be executed by an ordinary person.

"What, does Granny Mei Hua intend to avenge your maid?"

Facing Granny Mei Hua’s divine fragment, and even with Granny Mei Hua’s true body watching from afar, Gu Yuan stood leisurely against his sword, his expression calm, neither servile nor overbearing, full of confidence, without any sign of trepidation.

"Young one, how ruthless your methods are! My child Roland clearly pleaded with you for mercy, yet why wouldn’t you spare her?!"

Granny Mei Hua snorted coldly, her staff striking the ground in displeasure.

"Plead for mercy from me?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuan chuckled disdainfully: "If threatening me counts as pleading for mercy, then Granny Mei Hua, your reasoning is truly amusing... Besides..."

"Besides what?"

Granny Mei Hua’s face turned sour. The other women, meanwhile, also began to perceive something, each quietly retreating.

Even in Granny Mei Hua’s presence, this man showed no fear, full of confidence, and given Granny’s previous temperament, she should have acted long ago. Yet now there was no action, implying an underlying reason.

Regardless, it indicated that Gu Yuan was not someone they dared provoke.

Gu Yuan responded dispassionately: "Besides, she’s merely a Third Grade Golden Core, a worthless thing, yet dares to jump around in front of me, bossing me around, arrogant and domineering; I killed her, and she brought it upon herself."

A mere Third Grade Golden Core...

On hearing this, not only were Granny Mei Hua’s maids taken aback, but even Granny Mei Hua herself was somewhat stunned.

The surrounding divine thoughts also paused, seemingly startled by his words.

Golden Cores are divided into nine grades: those in the lower three grades possess average potential, with no hope of advancing further—this marks the lowest achievement among Pill Grades.

Upon reaching the middle three grades, one has prospects of ascending to the Yin Spirit Realm, and perhaps even a small chance at the Yang Spirit Realm.

Such achievements are already highly coveted by many.

Regarding the upper three grades, ascending each grade brings near-earth-shattering changes.

With Second or Third Grade Pill Formation, one’s prospects are vast, making future advancement to the Yin Spirit Realm almost certain.

As for the possibility of reaching the Yang Spirit Realm, it becomes more prominent. The First Grade Golden Core naturally requires no further mention, standing as a genuine Primordial Spirit Seed.

Roland’s achievement in Pill Formation of Third Grade was relatively impressive in the East Sea Cultivation Realm.

With Granny Mei Hua as her backing, she had a considerable hope of advancing to the Yin Spirit Realm, and even a small chance at the Yang Spirit Realm.

Yet such achievement, in Gu Yuan’s eyes, was deemed as worthless...

This was their first encounter with anyone labeling a Third Grade Golden Core Great Cultivator as worthless.

"Worthless?"

Granny Mei Hua’s old face twitched, unable to resist asking, "Then, according to you, what kind of person is not worthless?"

"At the very least, one must be a Second Grade Pill Formation, of course."

Gu Yuan replied.

A Second Grade Pill Formation is akin to touching the boundary of the Primordial Spirit True Immortal, possessing a faint possibility of immortality.

"Heh... Young one, such grand boasts you make!"

Granny Mei Hua’s face darkened, growing impatient: "Little one, just who are you?! Do you think this old woman dares not act against you?"

In her eyes, Golden Core Great Cultivators were mere ants, perhaps just slightly larger ants. Now, this ant had killed her favorite maid and dared to boast so arrogantly, which greatly unsettled her.

Gu Yuan’s face showed a faint smile, "Who I am isn’t important. What’s important is why you sent them to find me?"

"In the end, Roland’s death isn’t my fault; it’s yours for harboring ill intentions toward me from the start."

"Of course, you would never admit this. But no matter... Old lady, what’s your plan, just say it straight, because I can’t be bothered to waste words with you!"

When Gu Yuan spoke these words, Granny Mei Hua’s maids were in shock, incredulous that he would dare speak such things to Granny Mei Hua—it was truly brazen... how dare he?

"Good! Very good!"

Granny Mei Hua’s face was a mask of calm, she spoke coldly: "This is the first time I’ve encountered such a courageous young person... Fine, I’ll be straightforward. I sent Roland to you because I sensed a familiar aura from you, intending to ask you some things directly. Who could have predicted your excessive hostility, leading you to kill with no restraint..."

"A Yang Spirit cannot be insulted... Since you killed my child Roland, then you shall take one stroke of my divine technique; withstand it, and I’ll spare you this once, fail to do so, and it’s merely your bad luck."

"Familiar aura... A Yang Spirit cannot be insulted..."

Gu Yuan suddenly showed a trace of a cold smile: "Calling you a senior, you really consider yourself mighty?"