Wang Qinghe turned to the side, raised his hand again, and blocked a golden sword attack from someone else.

A second explosion erupted across the city sky, filling it with golden smoke as the citizens began to panic.

The battle above Gu Sheng City was becoming more and more alarming.

Wang Qinghe remained unharmed. A stream of qi light appeared at his fingertips before he casually waved his hand to the side, dispersing the smoke that blocked his vision.

The man leaped backward and landed beside the cultivator who had attacked Qinghe earlier.

He had escaped Qinghe’s cultivation pressure, but his body was still injured.

As the smoke cleared, Wang Qinghe was still standing in the sky. Their attacks had not even managed to scratch his robe.

"You? Who are you?!" the man shouted. He was a Mid Core Formation cultivator.

"Stop!" someone shouted.

The two men turned around and looked toward a woman flying out from the Gu Clan residence.

She flew toward Wang Qinghe while standing atop her flying sword.

"Qinghe?" Gu Yanxue asked.

"You’re still alive?"

The two men were instantly shocked. They looked forward again and finally realized that the man they had fought was none other than Gu Qinghe.

Gu Qinghe had disappeared for more than twelve years and never returned to Gu Sheng City.

Gu Zhen had been somewhat worried about him, but Madam Gu’s Second Wife had been even more concerned about Gu Qinghe.

"Forget my question. Your cultivation has reached Mid Nascent Soul. That’s impressive!" Yanxue said.

"Thank you, Sister Yanxue."

"Is my mother here?" Wang Qinghe asked.

Gu Yanxue nodded. She explained that Gu Zhen had rescued Wang Yunxi from the Wang Clan.

The people from the Demonic Abyss Sect Alliance would never be able to hurt her again.

The fight came to an end. Gu Yanxue and Wang Qinghe flew together toward the Gu Clan residence.

Gu Yanxue noticed that the blue robe Wang Qinghe wore looked identical to the robes of the Wang Clan.

Qinghe’s personality and demeanor had also changed compared to before. He was much colder, more serious, and more decisive.

That made Gu Yanxue feel restrained around him.

She did not even dare to speak casually anymore because the difference in their cultivation levels had become far too great.

They arrived at the Gu Clan residence, a place rich with spiritual qi. Many cultivators were training in the front courtyard.

When Gu Yanxue arrived, they immediately stood up and respectfully bowed to her.

"A lot has changed in the Gu Clan. We’ve started accepting disciples from outside the clan to better protect Gu Sheng City," Yanxue explained.

Wang Qinghe did not respond and simply continued walking beside Yanxue into the Gu Clan residence.

The door opened, and a woman in a blue dress stepped out from inside her room.

The man looked ahead and saw his mother’s face again after twelve years apart.

Wang Qinghe quickly walked toward Wang Yunxi before kneeling directly in front of her.

"Mother, your son has returned," Wang Qinghe said.

Wang Yunxi became emotional. Her eyes turned watery as she tried to hold back her tears.

She helped Wang Qinghe stand up, both her hands gently holding his hands and cheeks.

"I’m happy you’re safe, Qing’er," Wang Yunxi said softly.

She then looked at the robe Wang Qinghe was wearing. "Your robe? Why does it look like the Wang Clan’s?"

Wang Qinghe fell silent for a moment before giving a faint smile. He gently held Wang Yunxi’s hands.

"I’m no longer Gu Qinghe. I’m Wang Qinghe now."

"W-What?" Wang Yunxi exclaimed in shock and emotion.

Gu Yanxue froze with wide eyes. She stepped forward and grabbed Wang Qinghe’s arm roughly.

"What do you mean you left the Gu Clan?!" Yanxue shouted.

Wang Qinghe disliked her attitude. His eyes glowed gold as he unleashed cultivation pressure onto Gu Yanxue.

Gu Yanxue, who was still only at Peak Core Formation, instantly became powerless.

She dropped to her knees with her head lowered.

"Qinghe?!" Gu Yanxue shouted.

"Ever since Wang Yunxi recovered, I already intended to leave the Gu Clan. My disappointment in all of you started the moment you cast Wang Yunxi out and let her suffer in the Wang Clan!"

"I became even more disappointed after you decided to ally yourselves with those demonic cultivators," Wang Qinghe said.

"You... you don’t understand our situation at all, Qinghe!" Gu Yanxue shouted.

"We were forced to cooperate because we couldn’t fight against them."

"No," Wang Qinghe replied, "You cooperated because you were afraid your clan would be destroyed."

Just as Wang Qinghe continued intimidating Gu Yanxue, a burst of qi erupted and neutralized the cultivation pressure around her.

Wang Qinghe turned and looked toward the main hall. The doors opened, and a man walked out with cultivation at Mid Nascent Soul.

It was not Gu Zhen. It was Gu Yanxing.

"Yanxing?"

"I’m impressed. You disappeared for twelve years and returned as a Mid Nascent Soul cultivator," Gu Yanxing replied.

He quickly stepped in front of Gu Yanxue, shielding her while telling his younger sister to recover herself.

Gu Yanxing’s eyes locked onto Wang Qinghe, staring at the man whose strength had now reached the same level as his own.

"What Gu Yanxue said is true. We can’t defeat them. They have two Soul Formation cultivators and one Soul Transformation cultivator."

"Only a fool would recklessly oppose them," Gu Yanxing said.

"Did you forget... that the Gu Clan in Gu Sheng City is only a branch family?" Wang Qinghe asked.

"What do you mean?"

"If you truly wanted to fight them, you should have asked the Main Gu Family for help." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"They clearly have enough cultivation resources and experts to rival the Demonic Alliance," Wang Qinghe explained.

Gu Yanxing fell silent for a moment. Gu Yanxue did as well. Wang Qinghe had already guessed it.

They did not want to resist because they were too ashamed to ask the Central Gu Family for help.

"I won’t argue about your decisions because my status is now Wang Qinghe," Wang Qinghe said.

"However, I came here to take my mother with me."

"You want to bring Madam Gu back to the Wang Clan?" Yanxue asked.

"Yes. That is the safest place for her," Wang Qinghe replied.

"HAHAHA!"

"Go ahead, Qinghe," Yanxing said.

"I don’t know what happened to you. But bringing Wang Yunxi back to the Wang Clan will only lead to her death."

Wang Qinghe stayed silent for a moment and gave a faint smile, realizing they knew nothing about the Wang Clan’s current situation.

If they knew the truth, they would probably beg Wang Qinghe to do the same thing in Gu Sheng.

"Let’s go, Mother."

"A-Alright."

Wang Qinghe and Wang Yunxi left the Gu Clan residence. Gu Yanxing and Gu Yanxue also walked outside, watching them leave.

"Why is Qinghe so confident about bringing Wang Yunxi back to Hongsu?"

"There’s only one way to find out. We go there and see for ourselves."