The Mandate of Heaven Cannot Be Defied

The carriage traveled through the night.

After putting down the Luoshan Token that had just sent out a message, Gu Chengyin looked down at the fairy in his arms.

Lin Qingyan maintained the same posture, her forehead resting against the hollow of his shoulder, her entire body curled up in his embrace.

Her breathing had steadied, no longer as fragmented and trembling as before, but her fingers were still tightly gripping his lapels.

Gu Chengyin did not move, continuing to hold Lin Qingyan in his arms.

He let the carriage carry them through the sleepless night of Luodu.

Until faint voices could be heard from outside the carriage.

"Lord Jingzhe, Junior Preceptor Gu, we have arrived." The driver's voice was very respectful.

The carriage came to a halt.

Gu Chengyin looked down at the fairy in his arms and called out softly,

"Little Aunt."

There was no response.

Lin Qingyan's eyelashes drooped, resting motionlessly against her lower eyelids.

Was she asleep?

Gu Chengyin furrowed his brows slightly and called out again,

"Lin Qingyan."

Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly opened her eyes.

Meeting Gu Chengyin's gaze, she did not look away.

"Are we here?"

Lin Qingyan's voice was a bit hoarse, carrying the weakness of someone who had overdrawn their strength.

Gu Chengyin nodded.

"We have arrived at the Celestial Master Mansion."

Lin Qingyan lowered her eyelashes and, using Gu Chengyin's arm for support, slowly sat up.

After sitting up straight, she paused, as if waiting for a wave of dizziness to pass.

"I am fine now."

Gu Chengyin did not say anything; he simply stood up first and lifted the carriage curtain.

Outside, it was brightly lit.

The cultivators of the Celestial Master Mansion were lined up in two rows outside the gates.

Starting from the main entrance, they extended along the bluestone pathway all the way to the end of sight.

Everyone wore uniform celestial master robes with jade plaques hanging at their waists, their hair tied up high and secured with identical sandalwood hairpins.

No one was whispering to each other.

No one was looking around.

They simply stood there with lowered eyes, hands folded in front of them, waiting for the people in the carriage with the most standard posture of respectful welcome.

Gu Chengyin stepped down from the carriage first.

Standing by the shafts, he turned back and reached out his hand into the carriage.

Relying on his support, Lin Qingyan stepped out of the carriage, her footing still somewhat unsteady.

But it was much better than just now at Fanlou.

After steadying herself, she raised her eyes and swept her gaze over the two rows of cultivators.

The moment her gaze swept past, those cultivators bowed their heads even lower.

No one dared to look her directly in the eye.

This was awe.

It was a heartfelt awe that came from witnessing the judgment that had just torn across the night sky.

The name of Jingzhe of the Celestial Master Mansion had circulated in the Great Luo cultivation world for decades.

Starting from when she formed her Golden Core, from every time she struck, every enemy she slayed, every time she made her opponents tremble at the mere mention of her name.

This title had long been branded into the soul of every cultivator in the Celestial Master Mansion.

But a title was ultimately just a title.

It was nowhere near as shocking as seeing it with one's own eyes.

Tonight, the commoners of Luodu saw the lightning that tore through the night sky.

Tonight, these cultivators of the Celestial Master Mansion saw exactly whose hands that lightning bloomed from.

Fighting three against one.

Was this merely a Golden Core?

Gu Chengyin supported Lin Qingyan as they stepped onto the pathway.

No one spoke.

There was only the subtle sound of footsteps stepping on the bluestone, and the rustling of robes fluttering in the night wind.

They walked through the pathway, passed through the main gate of the Celestial Master Mansion, and crossed the first and second courtyards.

Finally, they stopped at a spacious open plaza.

This was the inner plaza of the Celestial Master Mansion.

It was paved with large, solid blocks of white marble, each polished so smoothly it could reflect a person's image.

Twelve stone pillars stood around the plaza, their tops carved with Daoist runes. Faint fluctuations of spiritual energy flowed through them, serving as the array cores for the mansion's grand protective formation.

The center of the plaza was completely empty.

Only the night wind swept through the empty space, carrying a faint, whimpering sound.

Lin Qingyan came to a halt.

She let go of Gu Chengyin's hand and took something out from her robes.

Gu Chengyin looked down.

It was a tiny, pagoda-shaped artifact.

It was pitch-black all over, neither metal nor jade; its material was unidentifiable.

It was only about three inches tall, resting in her palm like a delicate toy.

Holding the object, Lin Qingyan gently tossed it toward the empty center of the plaza.

The object flipped three times in the air.

Then it began to grow larger.

It began to grow.

It was as if an invisible hand was layering it up; in one breath it grew a foot taller, in three breaths it grew ten feet, and in five breaths...

A familiar precious pagoda suddenly appeared right in the middle of the plaza.

The Heart-Calming Pagoda.

This was Lin Qingyan's natal artifact.

It was her sanctuary.

Lin Qingyan turned her head.

Her gaze passed over Gu Chengyin and landed three steps behind him.

An old man was standing there.

Gu Chengyin followed her gaze.

It was unknown when the old man had appeared.

He stood there wearing a dusty gray old robe, his graying hair tied up with an ordinary wooden hairpin.

He had a lean and clear face, with three strands of long beard under his chin fluttering gently in the night wind.

He was looking at the suddenly materialized Heart-Calming Pagoda, complex emotions in his eyes.

Lin Qingyan withdrew her gaze and looked at Gu Chengyin.

"I need to rest and recover for the night."

"During this time, Elder Qiu will protect you in my stead."

Hearing this, Gu Chengyin turned to face the old man, cupping his hands and bowing deeply.

"I will have to trouble Elder Qiu."

A glimmer flashed in Elder Qiu's eyes as he smiled and waved his hand.

His smile was very warm, like a neighborly elder looking at a polite junior.

"It is merely lifting a finger."

"Jingzhe, rest well."

He looked at Lin Qingyan and gave a slight nod.

"I will take good care of Junior Preceptor Gu."

Lin Qingyan said no more, turning around and walking toward the Heart-Calming Pagoda.

Gu Chengyin stood in place, watching her walk up to the pagoda's doors.

Then her figure disappeared into the darkness beyond the doors.

The pagoda doors slowly closed.

Gu Chengyin stared at the tightly shut doors, not looking away for a long time.

Meanwhile, Elder Qiu had stepped up beside him at some unknown point.

With one hand behind his back and the other stroking his long beard.

He was also looking at the Heart-Calming Pagoda, the complex emotions in his eyes not yet fully dissipated.

"To think that Jingzhe has actually become even stronger."

Elder Qiu turned his head and looked at Gu Chengyin.

Those eyes, steeped in the passage of time, were now full of emotion.

"Truly worthy of being her biological younger sister."

Gu Chengyin did not reply; he remained standing there motionless, his hands clasped behind his back.

But from all directions, countless figures had silently emerged.

Forming an encirclement, they trapped Gu Chengyin within.

Killing intent permeated the air.

Only then did Gu Chengyin let out a sigh and say,

"Elder Qiu, isn't this a bit too hasty?"

Standing beside him, Elder Qiu replied without a care,

"Forgive me, Junior Preceptor Gu, but the mandate of heaven is truly hard to defy."

Gu Chengyin continued to stare at the Heart-Calming Pagoda, speaking without even turning his head,

"Elder Qiu, don't you wonder why I dared to come here alone?"

Hearing these words, a solemn expression appeared on Elder Qiu's face; this was also his greatest doubt.

A man's reputation precedes him.

Just like the deterrent power of Jingzhe of the Celestial Master Mansion, Gu Chengyin was no ordinary person.

This man's name could be said to be thunderously famous throughout the officialdom of Great Luo.

For such a stunningly brilliant figure, since he could see through the ambush at Fanlou...

...it was impossible for him not to know that the Celestial Master Mansion of Luodu had received a secret edict from Emperor Luo.

The contents of the secret edict were very simple: kill Gu Chengyin at an opportune moment.

Yet even so, Gu Chengyin still accompanied Lin Qingyan here.

Moreover, he came completely alone.