Gu Suying didn’t dare look back. She ran and ran, though she hadn’t gotten far before she ducked into the corner of an alley, watching Han Ziqing’s carriage grow smaller and smaller in the distance. Even after it had vanished entirely from sight, she kept staring in that direction.

Nothing had ever humiliated her more than what had just happened.

If she had sunk to such depths and still kept hoping for a day of reversal, still kept waiting for Xuanyuan Lige — the one who had sent her away from Liuxian Island back then — to return…

Then today, she had utterly lost all hope. Was there anything more painful than watching the woman you envied most living such a wonderful life?

She was consumed with jealousy, driven half-mad by it!

And just now — to think she had actually gone begging from the very woman she envied most of all — she was mortified beyond words!

All her jealousy, all her resentment, surged up at once, all together!

Gu Suying’s eyes practically blazed with fire in the open air. She hated it — hated this feeling of humiliation with everything in her, and hated even more having witnessed with her own eyes how well Han Ziqing was still living.

She and Jun Beiyue had come back for the newly-risen-power ranking battle, hadn’t they — and Han Ziqing’s future would only grow more glorious, gaining ever more honor, while she herself could only sink into slavery, unable to return home, mocked and ridiculed by everyone.

“No…”

Suddenly, Gu Suying cried out, nearly losing all reason as she tried to chase after them. She didn’t want to watch Han Ziqing living so well — and yet she couldn’t help wanting to see exactly what she was up to.

At last, just as she could no longer restrain herself from chasing after them, someone behind her caught her by the arm.

“Second Young Miss Gu — it’s been a while.”

The moment those words were spoken, Gu Suying froze stiff. That voice — she would never forget that voice as long as she lived!

It was him. The one who had given her hope when she had nowhere else to turn — and the one who had then pushed her into a bottomless abyss!

Gu Suying whipped around, fierce as a raging lioness, and snarled, “Xuanyuan Lige, does this young lady look like she’s ‘been well’? I’ve sunk to this state entirely because of you!”

If it hadn’t been for Xuanyuan Lige’s instigation, she never would have gone to expose Jun Beiyue’s secret birth before the Da Zhou imperial court, and she never would have had “slave” branded onto her face by Han Ziqing!

She could have listened for the right opportunity, let her mother secretly smuggle her over to the Longyuan Continent — she could have started fresh there!

“It’s all your doing, all because of you, you liar!”

Gu Suying went half-mad, striking and kicking at Xuanyuan Lige. He stepped back several paces, a flash of impatience crossing his eyes. “Had your fill of madness yet?”

Only then did Gu Suying stop, and said coldly, “Save me, or you won’t be able to stay on Liuxian Island either!”

She might be a lowly outcast now, but she still had it in her to get Xuanyuan Lige driven out of Liuxian Island!

She had scraped by, barely surviving. At first her mother had still been able to sneak her food and clothing in secret, but later her father found out and put her mother under house arrest. From then on she’d had to fight even the dogs for scraps, scavenging through slop buckets just to survive — living through such hardship not to watch Han Ziqing’s glory, but waiting for Xuanyuan Lige.

“Close your mouth, and come with me,” Xuanyuan Lige said flatly, not even sparing her a glance before turning to walk away.

Gu Suying followed behind him, and only after a long while did she finally calm down enough to notice something was off — Xuanyuan Lige seemed to be ill, considerably thinner than before. Judging by that back alone, if he hadn’t been carrying the demonic zither on his back, a strong gust of wind might well have blown him clean away.

“What’s wrong with you?” Gu Suying couldn’t help but ask.

Xuanyuan Lige acted as though he hadn’t heard, and kept walking.

“You’re sick — and not lightly, either?” Gu Suying asked again. Xuanyuan Lige was her only hope, after all, so of course she had to show some concern.

But Xuanyuan Lige still didn’t answer, only walking faster.

“Where are you taking me? The newly-risen-power ranking battle — the Qinse Valley people only ever watch, they never participate!” Gu Suying reminded him. On Liuxian Island, the Qinse Valley was the only place Xuanyuan Lige could rely on — yet the direction he was walking wasn’t toward Qinse Valley at all!

No matter what Gu Suying asked, Xuanyuan Lige never answered. His frame looked frail, yet his steps showed no trace of illness at all, leaving Gu Suying utterly unable to figure out what exactly was wrong with him.

Soon, the two of them vanished into the winding alley — a passage that led toward the three great clans. No one could say for certain where Xuanyuan Lige was actually headed.

Meanwhile, Ziqing and Jun Beiyue had already arrived at the Gu residence atop Liuxian Mountain.

Everything at the Gu estate remained as it had been, except the whole household seemed considerably quieter and more subdued now.

In the main hall, faced with the sudden arrival of Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing, Patriarch Gu sat fidgeting uneasily in the seat of honor.

“Beiyue, you — how could you—!”

“Oh dear, why didn’t you say something sooner? I would have gone down the mountain to receive you!”

Ever since Jun Beiyue and Han Ziqing had left, Patriarch Gu had been counting down the days to their return — for no other reason than the newly-risen-power ranking battle drawing closer with each passing day.

He was anxious, yet dared not press too hard — after all, he had once shown favoritism toward Gu Meiting and Gu Suying, and had once tried to squeeze Ziqing out. He was uneasy, worried she might hold a grudge and, with a few words whispered in Jun Beiyue’s ear, change his mind — thereby deciding the fate of the entire Gu clan!

Fortunately, Han Ziqing hadn’t done that — instead, she had come here together with Jun Beiyue!

Registration had opened today, and it was already night now — registration had already closed. If the two of them hadn’t arrived today, who knew what storm would have broken out on Liuxian Island tomorrow!

Throughout the Gu clan’s history, they had always been the very first family to register!

After more than ten days adrift at sea, Ziqing needed rest. She only exchanged a few pleasantries with Patriarch Gu, and seeing that Madam Gu wasn’t present, asked nothing further, simply sitting to the side, chin propped on her hand, dozing lightly. She left all Gu clan matters to Jun Beiyue — she wasn’t even eligible to compete in the ranking battle anyway.

Better to save her energy and properly study Lishang, properly puzzle out the secret of the Fusang tree.

Back then, the old man from the Poison Den had said the Fusang divine wood could be used to build ships — but shipbuilding had absolutely nothing to do with the song Lishang!

Could it be that this particular clue was the exception?

Lonely Island, Lonely Island — it should be an island. Could it be that only a ship built from Fusang wood could sail there?

The old man from the Poison Den had spoken in vague riddles, and even the clues Jun Beiyue had gathered were far from clear. This matter really needed careful thought.

“Since there are still two days left and we’ve missed being first, we might as well go last. Compile the list of registrants from every clan — let me see it,” Jun Beiyue said, taking the initiative to discuss the ranking battle. This left Patriarch Gu greatly relieved — his wife and the Gu clan had once both been the center of his world, but now that his wife had thoroughly disappointed him, only the Gu clan remained.

Whoever it was, so long as they had the Gu clan’s interests at heart and were willing to contribute, he would support them unconditionally.

“Everything is yours to decide. Whatever you need, just say the word.”

Jun Beiyue said nothing further, taking Ziqing’s hand and heading toward the ancestral hall. Patriarch Gu hesitated for a moment, wanting to follow, but in the end held back.

But just as Jun Beiyue and Ziqing stepped out the side door, from the main entrance came Madam Gu’s delighted voice. “My lord, look who’s here!”