“Wei-shu, was that really Princess Qingluo just now?” Wei Xian’er approached curiously, covering her mouth in disbelief as she looked toward the direction Zhao Qingluo had disappeared.

She had never truly grasped Wei Tu’s position.

But Zhao Qingluo’s status—being born into the Zhao family, she knew that well.

Zhao Qingluo wasn’t just noble-born, the direct daughter of Zhao Tinghai, but also supremely talented—a true heir apparent among the Zhao clan’s generation, a bona fide Golden Core seed.

Even her father Wei Fei, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, hadn’t been able to meet Zhao Qingluo face-to-face. As for her? She had only ever glimpsed Zhao Qingluo from afar in a crowd.

Yet now, her “Wei-shu” appeared to be on remarkably close terms with Zhao Qingluo. It was hard to believe.

“Mother was right. Wei-shu and Princess Qingluo do have an unusual relationship…”

As a young maiden herself, Wei Xian’er could clearly see the subtle affection Zhao Qingluo had shown earlier.

“We’re just old acquaintances,” Wei Tu said casually after glancing at her.

Wei Xian’er, feeling a mix of reverence and nervousness about Princess Qingluo, nodded like a pecking chick and didn’t press further.

…

Two days later.

Wei Tu departed from Mount Qiyue and began his journey toward Cicada Cry Cliff.

“Qingluo, aren’t you going to see him off?” In the midst of drifting clouds, Zhao Tinghai stood beside Zhao Qingluo, gazing out at the departing figure and softly asked his daughter.

As someone who had lived through his own share of youth, he could easily see the feelings Zhao Qingluo had for Wei Tu.

If not, he wouldn’t have considered leveraging a marriage arrangement before the Cloud Ze Secret Realm expedition to tie Wei Tu to the Zhao clan.

He would never joke with his daughter’s future.

Besides, even if he wanted to, he no longer held that power—as Zhao Qingluo’s cultivation grew, even as father and clan patriarch, he could no longer dictate her path.

“No need,” Zhao Qingluo withdrew her gaze and shook her head.

“This time, I helped him because he’s saved me multiple times. That debt must be repaid. And besides, I’m about to form my core.”

“Settling this karma is good for my state of mind.”

Her tone was calm and deliberate.

However, Zhao Tinghai didn’t let the matter drop.

He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Qingluo, I’ve seen how much you’ve changed over the years. I can more or less guess why.”

“After all you’ve been through, you’ve grown more restrained and thoughtful. But at your core, you’re still the same—unyielding, strong-willed.”

Zhao Tinghai, as the head of a Golden Core family, could see through her personality clearly.

“Being strong-willed is a good trait for a cultivator. That’s why I’ve never intervened. Despite being a bit headstrong, you’ve always acted within reason and never brought disaster to the clan.”

“As for offending a few rogue cultivators or minor figures, that’s no big deal.”

“But in relationships between men and women… being too headstrong can be a problem.”

“Wei Tu may seem calm and steady, not at all like you on the surface, but deep down, he’s just like you—a man with strong pride.”

“If he weren’t like that, he wouldn’t have made it this far as a rogue cultivator.”

Zhao Tinghai stopped there, leaving the message implicit.

As clan head, he hoped Zhao Qingluo would stay emotionally detached and put the clan first.

But as her father, he didn’t want her to live out her days alone on Mount Qiyue.

His meaning was already very clear—

In terms of personality, Wei Tu and Zhao Qingluo might seem different, but at their core, they were cut from the same cloth. Which meant—if they wanted to be together, one of them would have to change.

Because two people like that wouldn’t just naturally blend.

The implication?

If Zhao Qingluo really wanted to walk alongside Wei Tu, she’d need to ease up a little. Stop being so unyielding.

After all… they say a woman pursuing a man is like a layer of gauze.

After listening, Zhao Qingluo’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Father, since you say Wei Tu and I are the same kind of person, then surely you know what someone like him values most—his path.”

Her words were calm.

But Zhao Tinghai was momentarily stunned.

He knew all too well—men like Wei Tu, rogue cultivators who made it this far, were the type who’d never let emotional entanglements get in the way of their Dao.

They might cherish affection, but they’d never be bound by it.

And now, Zhao Qingluo had used his own logic to counter him.

She had made it clear—she too was that kind of person.

“You’re about to go into seclusion to form your core… Looks like I really don’t need to worry about you,” Zhao Tinghai chuckled and stroked his beard.

Just now, when he’d tried to nudge Zhao Qingluo toward saying goodbye to Wei Tu, it wasn’t just about playing matchmaker.

More importantly, he wanted her to resolve any lingering thoughts—so she could face the upcoming Golden Core tribulation with a clear heart.

After all, the Golden Core realm tested not only cultivation but the heart’s resolve.

Even more than Foundation Establishment, it was easy to encounter inner demons during this breakthrough.

…

Zhao Tinghai’s conversation with his daughter was something Wei Tu knew nothing about.

After leaving the Qiyue Zhao Clan, he didn’t stop along the way and instead headed straight for Cicada Cry Cliff, where he had been assigned to garrison.

Cicada Cry Cliff was right on the frontline of the righteous-demonic battlefield.

So, once he was a little over a hundred li away from the area, Wei Tu stopped using the Huangyan Boat to travel. Instead, he disguised himself and traveled closer to the ground, cautiously making his way toward Cicada Cry Cliff.

Along the way—

Just as he expected—

He ran into several skirmishes between righteous cultivators and demonic cultivators.

But Wei Tu didn’t intervene. He simply stayed hidden until both sides had exhausted themselves in battle. Only then would he emerge and continue on his path.

He didn’t know any of those people, and he wasn’t going to risk his life for strangers.

In times like these, hot-blooded cultivators usually didn’t live long.

Those demonic cultivators might seem unremarkable on the surface, but who knew if some of them weren’t “second-gen” demonic cultivators with powerful connections?

For disciples of the immortal sects, killing such people might count as a major merit.

But for rogue cultivators like Wei Tu, it could mean nothing but trouble.

So, Wei Tu had already made up his mind: keep a low profile, avoid unnecessary fights, and endure the ten years of conscription as uneventfully as possible.

The journey remained uneventful—

Until he was about ten li from Cicada Cry Cliff. That’s when he sensed a wave of combat fluctuations ripple toward him.

He sent out the Wind-Cleaving Eagle to investigate.

Roughly four li ahead, in a mountain valley, five Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators were attacking a colorfully dressed young woman and a man in Daoist robes.

Wei Tu recognized the woman. He had seen her twice before. She was the same cultivator surnamed Guan from the Tai Xuan Sect.

The first time was when she helped him redeem a Foundation Establishment Pill at Tai Xuan Sect and, on Kou Hongying’s account, allowed him to rent a second-tier cave dwelling on Danqiu Mountain for free during his Foundation Establishment.

The second time had been in the Cloud Ze Secret Realm, at Dragon Bone Forest, where she’d confronted two disciples from Green Bamboo Mountain.

“What a coincidence,” Wei Tu muttered to himself. A thought of intervening arose in his heart.

Unlike most strangers, this cultivator surnamed Guan had once shown him kindness. They could be considered acquaintances.

Plus, this area was quite close to Cicada Cry Cliff. That meant this Guan cultivator was very likely another stationed garrison cultivator, just like him.

Helping her now might bring him tangible benefits.

—The intelligence Zhao Qingluo had given him about Cicada Cry Cliff was already two years old and not up to date.

At this moment, Wei Tu still didn’t know who the current stationed cultivators at Cicada Cry Cliff were.

And lastly—

Based on his current strength, combined with the power of the Wind-Cleaving Eagle, he judged that he could definitely change the tide of battle.

Not to mention his hidden strength.

“This area’s already sealed with a barrier array. With Old Man Xi’s divine sense, he won’t be able to sense what’s happening from Cicada Cry Cliff…”

“Guan Zhenying, Shen Changfeng, stop wasting effort. Just surrender already—it’ll be better for all of us.”

“Join the Demonic Cult and who knows? You two might even have a shot at forming your Golden Cores!”

The lead demonic cultivator, clad in a blood-red robe and exuding mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, laughed coldly. His tone was both menacing and seductive.

Shen Changfeng seemed a little tempted by the offer.

But right then, Guan Zhenying spat on the ground and snapped, “Don’t even think about it! We’re not ignorant of your demonic tricks. Any cultivator who surrenders to you ends up as nothing more than alchemical fodder!”

“If that’s the case, we’d rather die fighting!”

That one sentence—

Snapped Shen Changfeng back to clarity. He gritted his teeth and continued channeling his sun-wheel artifact, barely holding back the attacks from the surrounding demonic cultivators.

But even with their determination, the two of them couldn’t hold out much longer. They were badly wounded and falling back rapidly under the onslaught of the five demonic cultivators.

“Fair Lady Guan, you’re different from those useless traitors who joined us. You’re young, beautiful, and curvaceous…”

“If you surrender and become my concubine, serve me well, maybe I’ll spare your life.”

The blood-robed demonic cultivator offered once more, trying both fear and desire.

He could tell Shen Changfeng was wavering. As long as he could break Guan Zhenying’s will, this ambush would be a perfect victory.

After all, most female cultivators weren’t above leveraging their looks to survive.

But right at that moment—

Several beams of sword light shot out from beyond the valley, streaking toward the demonic cultivators like bolts of lightning.

A voice followed in the wind—

“Fair Lady Guan, I already sent a message to Senior Xi for help a quarter-hour ago. He should be on his way right now—won’t be long at all!”

The moment the demonic cultivators heard that, their expressions changed.

If Cicada Cry Cliff really had dispatched reinforcements, not only would they fail to kill Guan Zhenying and Shen Changfeng, but they might even get hunted down by righteous cultivators themselves.

Still—

The demonic cultivators weren’t so easily rattled by Wei Tu’s bluff. They didn’t panic or flee.