Peak Master Gu did not take action. If he did, it would certainly lead to success, but he was an alchemist who rarely left his abode. Although he could hide his presence, others might eventually become aware of his actions, so he dispatched three Core Formation masters.

  These three Core Formation masters were deathsworn servants he had raised. In essence, they were cultivators he had manipulated from infancy to become his most obedient slaves. Even if they were captured, they would never reveal his secrets. Even if their captors tried to extract information, the deathsworn servants would sooner commit suicide than reveal anything.

  In truth, Peak Master Gu also had three grandmaster-level deathsworn servants, but he wouldn’t deploy them lightly. The process of grooming these deathsworn servants from youth had damaged their potential. Someone who could have easily become a Nascent Soul grandmaster could only reach the Core Formation Realm if he was lucky, but Peak Master Gu didn’t think it was a pity. After all, only those who overcame the Immortal Ascension Heavenly Tribulation could truly be counted on.

  No amount of saints or venerables could affect the overall situation on Dragonsleep Planet.

  Peak Master Gu waited for his three deathsworn servants to return. Of the three deathsworn servants, two had polished cores, while one had a tempered core. Even if that lass had a heavenly spiritual root, he didn’t think she would be the opponent of three Core Formation masters, especially since this was her first time leaving the Dragon Spine Mountain Range.

  However, when the time his deathsworn servants should have returned passed with none of them in sight, Peak Master Gu felt an ominous premonition. He hesitated, wondering if he should dispatch more deathsworn servants, but he curbed his impulses.

  Although he ordered his deathsworn servants to attack from as far away as possible, the battle should still have caused a minor commotion. If anyone investigated, they should have been able to discern some clues about the truth. Only if he did not intervene would he be able to free himself of any suspicion.

  As Peak Master Gu expected, news soon reached him that some perpetrators had attacked a disciple of the Rising Dragon Sect right outside their doorstep. This naturally infuriated the Rising Dragon Sect, and they dispatched elders to investigate. The attacked disciple remained unnamed, but it was easy for those who wanted to know to find out.

  The situation seemed odd to Peak Master Gu. Logically speaking, his deathsworn servants should not have failed. The reason he was so confident was that no immortal stepped forward to claim Daoyi as their disciple. Because of this, she shouldn’t have many protective treasures. Even if her venerable-level master doted on her, they should not have been able to afford to arm her too heavily. He had also armed his deathsworn servants to prepare against any accidents like this.

  However, the deathsworn servants still failed.

  “Did an immortal already notice her, but not show themselves in order to temper her more?” If that were the case, then it would be much more troublesome.

  Luckily, his son was not in a hurry. Gu Longyu had not yet stripped two of his three spiritual roots, so he still had time. Peak Master Gu waited. He waited for Daoyi’s injuries to heal and for the incident to blow over before taking action.

  During this time, the Rising Dragon Sect investigated the battlefield but found little to no clues. When Peak Master Gu ordered the three deathsworn servants to take action, he had already prepared contingencies on the off chance they failed.

  Tianyi also returned. Upon learning what had happened, he loudly expressed his dissatisfaction. Influenced by his young disciple, the Dragon Roar Peak Master also urged the Punishment Hall of the Rising Dragon Sect to investigate the truth more quickly. Ultimately, their investigation still turned up nothing.

  Two years later, Daoyi prepared to descend the mountain for tempering again. Unlike before, she had reached the Polished Core Stage, officially leaving the early Core Formation Realm. Nor was she alone. Tianyi decided to accompany her this time. He had already surpassed the Polished Core Stage and entered the Tempered Core Stage.

  Peak Master Gu only snorted. So what if Tianyi had a mutated heavenly lightning spiritual root? He was still merely a Core Formation master. Even if he became a transcending mortality ant, he would have only evolved from an ant to a dog. Even if he was one of those rare saints that could fight immortals, Peak Master Gu knew plenty of immortals who would be happy to teach the youngling a lesson.

  Still, he erred on the side of caution.

  He waited long after Tianyi and Daoyi left the Rising Dragon Sect’s immediate area—over a month—before dispatching four peak Core Formation masters and one of his Nascent Soul grandmaster deathsworn servants. He didn’t worry about finding the childhood sweethearts, as he had prepared months in advance.

  When disciples left the Dragon Spine Mountain Range to temper themselves, they were eligible to receive a bundle of useful items. It included pills, and who was in charge of the Rising Dragon Sect’s pill allotment? Dragon Horn Peak.

  Peak Master Gu had tampered with the pills given to Tianyi and Daoyi. Now, they acted as transmitters, allowing his deathsworn servants to pinpoint the direction of the childhood sweethearts.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  It should have been enough. Fighting above one’s realm was not unheard of. It was especially common within minor stages of a realm, but as cultivation levels increased, cases of a cultivator fighting above their cultivation base by one major realm became incredibly rare. For a Core Formation master to fight a Nascent Soul grandmaster, he must be at the peak Core Formation Realm, while the Nascent Soul grandmaster must be at the early Nascent Soul Realm.

  So, it shocked Peak Master Gu to the core when Tianyi and Daoyi returned safely. Of course, he had targeted only Daoyi. The primary goal was to capture Daoyi, and the deathsworn servants only needed to hold Tianyi long enough for the Nascent Soul grandmaster deathsworn servant to focus on Daoyi. Yet both of them returned.

  Not only that, they even managed to capture one of the deathsworn servants!

  Peak Master Gu was shocked. He couldn’t figure out why the two had succeeded. Was the mutated heavenly spiritual root really so powerful? Or was it the two’s own talents?

  However, Peak Master Gu was unwilling to give up. To capture Daoyi, he had already lost seven Core Formation masters and one Nascent Soul grandmaster deathsworn servant. He knew that investing more might not be worth it, but he had already paid so much without getting anything in return. He really was unwilling.

  It was at this moment that Gu Longyu made a suggestion.

  “Why not frame Daoyi for a crime and have her executed?”

  Peak Master Gu immediately shook his head. “If it were an ordinary disciple, that would be easy. But she has a heavenly water spiritual root. Unless she truly committed a major crime, she would only be imprisoned at most.”

  “That’s not what I mean, Father. Just have her captured on trumped-up charges and give the illusion that she will be executed. As long as that boy with the heavenly lightning spiritual root feels that it’s the truth, he will definitely take action to save her. As childhood sweethearts, I believe he won’t stand by and watch her die,” Gu Longyu said. “After fleeing, we can openly take action against them.”

  Peak Master Gu hesitated. It wasn’t that Gu Longyu’s scheme was impossible, but that he couldn’t manage everything without exposing himself. Even if Tianyi and Daoyi really defected because of this, his reputation would plummet, and he would face harsher scrutiny.

  He looked at Gu Longyu’s confident face. After a moment, he steeled his heart. As long as his son could reach the Immortal Realm, it would all be worth it. All the other peak masters would definitely let bygones be bygones.

  Peak Master Gu never considered the possibility of what would happen if Tianyi or Daoyi reached the Immortal Realm. In his eyes, even possessing a mutated lightning spiritual root only granted a slightly higher chance.

  He immediately started implementing the scheme. To keep Tianyi and Daoyi from noticing, he only began showing signs when the duo left the Dragon Spine Mountain Range. It was small at first, a rumor here and there, but soon, voices of suspicion began to rise.

  Most immortals ignored this, finding it nonsensical. If the Punishment Hall captured disciples or elders based on rumors alone, the sect would have long been shrouded in chaos.

  Then the accidents happened. They were minor, but each occurrence deepened the sect’s suspicion of Daoyi. Of course, Peak Master Gu knew that the immortals didn’t have much suspicion and that it was only the mortals who suspected her.

  It was in such an atmosphere that Daoyi returned. Many cast unfriendly and suspicious gazes at her.

  Striking while the iron was hot, Peak Master Gu orchestrated another accident, one with greater consequences. Calls for Daoyi’s capture and trial soon reached their peak, and the Punishment Hall acted.

  Peak Master Gu knew that the immortals never considered executing Daoyi. Or rather, once they discovered it, they felt it was part of a huge scheme. They had their suspicions, of course, but more of it was about the perpetrators behind the scenes.

  Soon, rumors of Daoyi’s execution reached the ears of every member of the Rising Dragon Sect. Peak Master Gu didn’t do much; he just had someone start a small rumor. Even he was surprised by how fast the ember flared into a raging inferno.

  After thinking about it, he didn’t find it strange. Because of their suspicions, the Punishment Hall guarded Daoyi closely, not letting anyone get close to her. To the outside eye, it was a verdict, not protection.

  However, that wasn’t enough. Peak Master Gu had someone whisper into Tianyi’s ear, riling him up. He tried to contact his master, the Dragon Roar Peak Master, but his master only told him not to worry about it. In Tianyi’s eyes, Daoyi’s death should have been a foregone conclusion.

  Peak Master Gu thanked the goddess of fate that Tianyi had become the Dragon Roar Peak Master’s disciple and not someone like the Rising Dragon Sect Master. Although far from uncommunicative, the Dragon Roar Peak Master could be rather taciturn in some aspects.

  It was in this situation that Peak Master Gu opened the forbidden door to Tianyi, instilling the thought of rescuing Daoyi and fleeing. It could also be considered a form of elopement.

  Peak Master Gu paved the way for Tianyi, allowing him to successfully reach Daoyi and break her out. Unfortunately, Tianyi held back and did not kill anyone in the way, but it was nothing he couldn’t fix.

  Soon, the entire sect was in an uproar. Their strongest genius, Tianyi, had rebelled to save the criminal Daoyi. Soon, rumors that both of them were spies sprung up among many other unsavory hypotheses. Peak Master Gu had no hand in this.

  No matter the truth, the Rising Dragon Sect had no choice but to list Tianyi and Daoyi as traitors. They dispatched enforcers to capture the duo. Yes, capture.

  The upper echelon still had its suspicions. Everything seemed too coincidental, like a big setup. So they wanted to capture Tianyi and Daoyi to protect them. Of course, if the rumors were true, they would not be softhearted.

  It didn’t matter to Peak Master Gu. He had already achieved his goal. He sent his remaining two nascent soul grandmasters and nine core formation masters deathsworn servants. With such a powerful force, he didn’t believe Daoyi could escape.

  Yes, he never considered eliminating Tianyi. Even if Tianyi was exonerated, Daoyi would have already fulfilled her purpose, and he was confident he could hide the truth.

  The only thing that surprised Peak Master Gu was his son’s request. Gu Longyu wanted to join the hunt. Considering all the accidents before, Peak Master Gu rejected him, but his son was adamant. Helpless, he could only give him more treasures.

  Not long after, Gu Longyu left the Rising Dragon Sect to chase down Tianyi and Daoyi. Unlike his father, he never intended to leave Tianyi alive.

  “Let the chase begin!”

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