Severing Ties: The Sect Regrets My Departure Chapter 29

"Regardless, what's done is done. What more is there to say?"

"Besides, weren't Gu Xiu's actions afterwards proof enough that our choice was correct?"

It was still Lu Qingyao speaking. She couldn't face Nian Zhaoxi's questioning, but she knew how to defend herself. "Perhaps we did indeed neglect Gu Xiu at the start, we did isolate him. That was indeed our fault. But does that mean Gu Xiu himself had absolutely no problems?"

"Eldest Senior Sister, look at what he did afterwards!"

"If he would go so far as to target us like this just because we neglected him, then I think our actions were completely justified!"

These words left Nian Zhaoxi utterly speechless. She instinctively looked towards Xu Wanqing and Qin Moran, hoping they might have a different perspective.

But to her disappointment...

"What Gu Xiu did afterwards was indeed very wrong," Xu Wanqing said, shaking her head.

Qin Moran even nodded. "I said it before: after what happened that day, I could never forgive Gu Xiu in this lifetime!"

Nian Zhaoxi suddenly felt a piercing heartache. Looking at her three junior sisters now was like looking at three strangers. It was as if, for the first time, she truly and clearly saw these women she had watched grow up.

Taking a deep breath, Nian Zhaoxi did not scold or question them loudly. After a moment of silence, she just said softly, "You say that what Gu Xiu did afterwards wronged you."

"Since that's the case, why don't we take a look."

"How exactly did Gu Xiu wrong you?"

As she spoke, Nian Zhaoxi prepared to activate the Heavenly Secrets Reincarnation Mirror to continue watching.

But what she didn't expect was...

"I have some matters to attend to, Senior Sister. Even if you insist I keep watching, I don't have time now. I need to help Little Junior Brother finish building the beast pens for the Beast Taming Art as soon as possible. I'll take my leave!"

With these words, Junior Sister Lu Qingyao was the first to flee, as if escaping a disaster.

Prompted by this, Xu Wanqing immediately stood up. "Senior Sister, that batch of pills I'm refining should be about done now. I need to go tend to them. As for what you mentioned... we can watch it next time."

The two women left one after the other. They didn't even give Nian Zhaoxi a chance to speak before they departed.

By the time Nian Zhaoxi reacted, two of the three were already gone.

Nian Zhaoxi knew they didn't dare to watch any further. Or perhaps, deep down, they already had a clear idea of what scenes were about to appear. Yet, despite guessing this, she couldn't stop them.

She could only turn her gaze to Qin Moran. "Fifth Junior Sister surely doesn't have something urgent too?"

"I..." Qin Moran frowned slightly. After hesitating briefly, she decided to be direct. "Eldest Senior Sister, I know what you want to say. You hope we can go with you to plead with Master, to have Gu Xiu return to the sect."

"I don't oppose this point, but I won't agree either."

"Since you already know what Gu Xiu once did to me, then you should also know that Gu Xiu destroyed my path. The grudge of a broken path—no matter what—I can never forgive him."

Her path of talismans had been completely stalled because of Gu Xiu. No matter what, she could not forgive him, nor could she feel the slightest bit of guilt.

Nian Zhaoxi understood this. But at this moment, she wasn't disheartened. Instead, she said, "I have always believed that Little Junior Brother must have had his own difficulties. Since Fifth Junior Sister feels Gu Xiu wronged you, why don't we use this Heavenly Secrets Reincarnation Mirror to see the truth of what happened then?"

"Senior Sister, is that necessary?" Qin Moran frowned again.

"It is necessary!" Nian Zhaoxi nodded with utmost seriousness. "I have always believed that Gu Xiu is not as despicable as you make him out to be!"

Qin Moran frowned deeply. Honestly, she didn't want to argue with her Eldest Senior Sister anymore. But this was Moshu Peak—her territory. Xu Wanqing and Lu Qingyao could find excuses to leave. Where could she go?

"This mirror can not only see the past but also answer inquiries posed to it. The Heavenly Secrets Reincarnation Mirror will provide answers based on the questions asked."

"Since Fifth Junior Sister believes Gu Xiu harmed you," Nian Zhaoxi continued while starting to activate a hand seal technique, "this time, I won't deliberately control the search for answers; I'll simply pose the question directly."

This was the greatest function of the Heavenly Secrets Reincarnation Mirror.

Inquiring of the Mirror!

Soon, brilliant light shimmered across the surface of the bronze mirror as Nian Zhaoxi began manipulating it to search for past events—to find the truth behind how Gu Xiu disrupted Qin Moran's Divine Invocation.

The scene quickly materialized.

However... to Nian Zhaoxi's surprise, the expected scene showing Gu Xiu disrupting the ritual did not appear. Instead, the scene in the mirror began rewinding, going back over five hundred years.

"Little Junior Brother, now that we're starting to learn about talismans, the first thing we must do is memorize all common Heaven and Earth Dao Rhythms."

"Then practice writing them continuously, and constantly seek enlightenment."

"This talisman compendium, I got it from Master. I specially copied one for you so we can study the path of talismans together. In the future, we'll both become talisman masters..."

The scene in the mirror showed a young Qin Moran and Gu Xiu. It was five hundred years ago, when Qin Moran began learning talismans and brought her little junior brother along.

Nian Zhaoxi was puzzled. She had asked why Gu Xiu disrupted Qin Moran's Divine Invocation. Yet unexpectedly, the mirror's response showed this.

What did it mean? Was there a connection between Gu Xiu disrupting the ritual and his first exposure to talismans?

Nian Zhaoxi didn't understand. And the scene in the mirror continued.

"Little Junior Brother, don't look at the back part yet. The talismans recorded there are all divine-grade rhythms from beyond the sixth rank. No matter how much you look at them now, it's useless. These divine-grade rhythms only manifest after Divine Invocation succeeds. Let's just study the front part."

"Little Junior Brother, why are you staring at those back rhythms again? Focus on learning the front ones."

"Little Junior Brother, we must progress step by step; we can't try to swallow a whole cow in one bite."

"..."

The two began their cultivation in the path of talismans, but for some reason, the young Gu Xiu didn't follow step-by-step from the beginning. Instead, he focused on those later divine-grade rhythms right from the start.

Qin Moran commented, "He was too impatient, wishing for instant success overnight. But cultivation most abhors aiming too high without a solid foundation. That's why he never made any real progress in talismans."

Nian Zhaoxi pursed her lips slightly. She felt Gu Xiu wasn't that kind of person, but the scene before her left her unsure how to argue.

Soon, the mirror's scene shifted again.

This time it showed the white-haired Gu Xiu; clearly, over five hundred years bad passed in the mirror—after Gu Xiu returned from the forbidden lands and lived on Zhuo Peak.

Yet... Gu Xiu was still looking at that same talisman compendium Qin Moran gave him in childhood, and he was still focused on those last few pages.

What was he doing?

Nian Zhaoxi felt somewhat confused.

"His cultivation was completely ruined by then; this should be when he started learning talismans on Moshu Peak," Qin Moran said coldly, her eyes filled with disdain. "No wonder he made zero progress in all these years—turns out he was still fixated on those later pages all along."

Nian Zhaoxi frowned slightly. She felt things weren't so simple and immediately had an idea—searching through her storage ring.

Earlier, when Gu Xiu's wooden hut on Zhuo Peak was dismantled, Nian Zhaoxi had collected all his belongings. After some rummaging, she quickly pulled out that very talisman compendium shown in the mirror—an introductory text recording numerous known talisman Dao Rhythms, handwritten by Qin Moran herself.

Nian Zhaoxi imitated Gu Xiu and flipped to those later pages.

Sure enough, just as Qin Moran said, they contained records exclusively of divine-grade Heaven and Earth Dao Rhythms—all rhythms beyond the sixth rank!

These rhythms were useless for ordinary people even if memorized; unless Divine Invocation succeeded, writing them repeatedly would be a futile effort! Even present-day Qin Moran writing them would be equally useless!

However... this compendium was quite comprehensive—not only listing many known talisman Dao Rhythms but also providing detailed explanations—especially regarding divine-grade rhythms beyond the sixth rank!

"So many distinctions among later divine-grade rhythms? Each divine-grade rhythm actually has special abilities?" Nian Zhaoxi expressed some surprise.

Qin Moran nodded. "Divine-grade rhythms are inherently unique; naturally, they differ from other rhythms!"

Her expression remained unpleasant—especially when looking at one particular rhythm!

Nian Zhaoxi looked down and noticed Qin Moran gazing at a divine-grade rhythm named 'Zha'!

Could this... be that divine-grade rhythm Fifth Junior Sister missed during her Divine Invocation back then?

"This aura..."

"This is Divine Invocation! Fifth Senior Sister is undergoing Divine Invocation!"

"Excellent! Excellent! Fifth Senior Sister finally gets her long-awaited chance!"

"Once successful—she'll step into an entirely new realm!"

While Nian Zhaoxi pondered, she saw the mirror-Gu Xiu speak up within the scene!

Glancing sideways revealed the original Gu Xiu carving wood sculptures inside his room earlier—suddenly sensing something—exclaiming excitedly with a face full of joy!

Nian Zhaoxi couldn't help feeling tense inside!

Because she knew... mirror-time... must have reached the moment of Qin Moran's Divine Invocation now!!

That meant... Gu Xiu would soon fall under the control of his Soul Dao Injury—descending into madness!!

Indeed!!

Just as she thought this, she saw the mirror-Gu Xiu, originally intending to leave the room and head straight towards Moshu Peak, suddenly groan muffledly, nearly stumbling!!

The Dao Injury torment had emerged!!

Gu Xiu suffered unbearable pain, clutching his head and rolling frantically on the ground!! Even... seemingly due to excessive agony, his eyes were no longer clear!! He was about to descend into madness!!

Just then, she saw Gu Xiu suddenly stand up and rush towards the door!!

But reaching the doorway, both hands suddenly gripped the doorframe with a deathly tight grip!!

His eyes flickered between clarity and madness, his mouth speaking with difficulty.

"Today is the most crucial moment for Fifth Senior Sister!!"

"I cannot go mad!!"

"I cannot go mad!!"

"I must control myself!!"

Saying this, he suddenly gritted his teeth!!

He slammed the door shut immediately, then pulled out chains, wrapping them around his own body!!

He... actually forcibly tried to bind and lock himself to prevent disrupting Qin Moran's Divine Invocation!!