Zixiao Sword Sect, Law Enforcement Hall.

In front of the hall, a young man was kneeling, while hundreds of disciples outside fought to get a glimpse of what was happening inside. The Daoist Canghe, standing at the top, looked at the young man kneeling below with a regretful gaze. His tone was gentle as he spoke.

“Gu Han, do you realize your mistake?”

On one side, before the kneeling young man could speak, a petite female cultivator anxiously said. She was Gu Han’s junior sister and also one of the witnesses.

“Senior Brother, just admit your mistake. The error you made this time is enough to get you expelled from the sect. Don’t worry, as long as you admit it, the Sect Master will definitely forgive you.”

“That’s right, Senior Brother Gu, we know you didn’t do it on purpose.”

The disciples standing on both sides spoke in unison, trying to comfort him.

Listening to the chatter around him, Gu Han slowly snapped out of his trance. A trace of confusion flashed in his eyes as he looked around. But when he glanced at the crowd, everyone felt a chill run down their spines, their hair standing on end.

That gaze...

Could this really be their revered senior brother?

So terrifying.

He couldn’t believe it had come to this day. As he organized the memories in his mind, Gu Han couldn’t help but smile bitterly, standing up and looking at Daoist Canghe.

“I admit my mistake.”

In his past life, even though he fought till death to deny it, he was eventually punished. In this new life, he no longer cared about being right or wrong.

Canghe was a peak-level cultivator in the Void Realm. But at that moment, when he saw Gu Han’s cold gaze, he felt an overwhelming sense of danger. When he heard Gu Han admit his mistake, for some reason, he felt a sense of relief in his heart.

“Good. Since you admit your mistake and considering your past merits, I will not punish you too severely. This time, it was not intentional, so I will send you to the Wujian Gorge for seven days.”

The Wujian Gorge was where Zixiao Sword Sect punished disciples who made serious errors. It was a place filled with violent winds and thunder, used both for punishment and body tempering.

However, body tempering in such a place was unimaginable pain, and normally, no fool would choose to use thunder to refine their body.

Gu Han had grown up in the sect and was exceptionally talented. Not only did he far surpass his peers in magic arts, but even his physical strength was among the best.

For him, this punishment was inconsequential.

Hearing that it was only seven days in the Wujian Gorge, Gu Han froze for a moment. In his previous life, his punishment was the Zixiao Divine Thunder, which took half a year to recover from, and his cultivation had even regressed.

“Senior Brother, that’s great.”

Hearing that it was such a light punishment, a young girl beside him was so happy that she almost jumped up. She pushed away the disciple blocking her and hugged Gu Han’s arm.

Feeling the warmth from her arm, Gu Han turned his head, then suddenly pulled his arm away and threw her aside.

“Senior Brother, you...”

Ruo Siwei fell to the ground, momentarily forgetting to get up. She looked at her senior brother with disbelief.

Ever since they were children, Senior Brother had always treated her with utmost care. He would always agree to whatever she wanted, and even if punished by the Sect Master, he would be happy to bear it.

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But now, Senior Brother actually rejected her?

Even when she was hurt, he would worry about her.

Gu Han didn’t care about Ruo Siwei. He didn’t even notice her eyes were red. Even if he had noticed, he wouldn’t have been moved. After all...

He had already been deeply hurt by her.

“Daoist Canghe, I have harmed a fellow disciple and disregarded the sect’s rules. According to the sect’s regulations, my cultivation should be abolished and I should be expelled. By shielding me like this, what is the point of the sect's rules?”

Gu Han’s tone was calm, but those words struck like a thunderclap in the ears of the disciples, even causing Ruo Siwei’s eyes to widen in shock.

What does this mean, Senior Brother?

Isn’t the light punishment enough?

Before she could understand, she saw Gu Han kneel on one knee, presenting the red dragon from his waist with both hands.

“I have grown weary of the killing and fighting among cultivators. This mistake was mine. I ask Elder Canghe to revoke my cultivation.”

He had initially wanted to say "this lord" but remembered that in his previous life, he had nearly lost control when saying that, so he corrected himself.

“Madness!”

Daoist Canghe snapped out of his daze and slammed the desk. In an instant, everyone felt an immense pressure from the Void Realm, causing their faces to turn pale.

But this pressure was nothing to Gu Han. If this level of pressure could harm him, then he didn’t deserve to be called the Trickster Ancestor.

“Gu Han, the sect treats you as an extraordinary talent. This mistake was not intentional, so your punishment was lightened. Do not take advantage of this.”

Daoist Canghe scolded angrily.

Gu Han was the sect’s most talented disciple in a thousand years. He had grown up in the sect, and everyone knew his character. This was definitely not something he did intentionally, so they were giving him special treatment.

But now...

What was he doing?

Anger, dissatisfaction?

“Yes, Senior Brother, don’t act recklessly. Quickly admit your mistake to Elder Canghe,” Ruo Siwei said cautiously, tugging at his sleeve, her tone desperate.

Gu Han glanced at the young man standing in the crowd, moved a few steps to the right, distancing himself from Ruo Siwei.

Bai Fan, in this life, everything you do has nothing to do with me.

“I am not acting recklessly. I just want to live as an ordinary person now.”

In his past life, he fought for his master, for his senior sister, for the sect, but what did he get in return? He was attacked by them and died miserably.

He had been a powerful cultivator before. In this life, he just wanted to live a quiet, peaceful life as an ordinary person.

Upon hearing that Senior Brother truly wanted to become an ordinary person, all the disciples were shocked.

“How is this possible? Senior Brother actually wants to live as an ordinary person? He was the one who had the greatest chance of becoming an immortal.”

“Did we really wrong Senior Brother? Did we let him down?”

“Of course, we wronged him! Who is Senior Brother? We all know that even disciples from other forces would help, let alone disciples from our own sect.”

“That’s right, I traveled with Senior Brother Gu once. He was dependable, always leading the charge in battle and staying behind during retreat. I’ve always believed Senior Brother could never do something like this.”

Listening to their discussions, Bai Fan’s heart trembled.

He never expected Gu Han’s prestige in the sect to be this high.

These voices naturally reached Elder Canghe’s ears as well. He had suspected whether the evidence was wrong, but now, seeing Gu Han’s attitude, he no longer had any doubts—this evidence must be fake.

Thinking this, he immediately spoke seriously.

“Junior Nephew, I will find new evidence to clear your name. You should no longer mention leaving the sect, or else Elder Qingyue will surely be disappointed in you.”

Elder Qingyue was Gu Han’s master, who had raised him since he was young.

All sect disciples knew that no matter how powerful Gu Han was in the sect, he was always obedient to Elder Qingyue and never dared to contradict her.

Master?

Gu Han thought of her disappointed gaze, but it didn’t pierce his heart. He was already numb.

“As for Master, I will speak with her personally. But please, Elder Canghe, do report my withdrawal from the sect. I will bear all the consequences.”

After saying that, he threw the red dragon on the ground and walked toward the Wujian Gorge.

Elder Canghe had watched him grow up, even tugging on his beard when he was young. If he didn’t go to the Wujian Gorge, it would put him in a difficult position.

Gu Han walked out of the Law Enforcement Hall, and all the disciples stepped aside to avoid him.

Bai Fan didn’t move. He stood there quietly and softly said, “Senior Brother, you are forcing Master into a difficult position.”

To announce one’s departure from the sect in public wasn’t just Gu Han’s personal matter—it would also reflect poorly on his master’s ability to manage.

Gu Han shook his head.

“You don’t need to call me Senior Brother anymore.”

After that, he left without looking back.

In his past life, he had fought with Bai Fan for thousands of years, questioning who was the true demon. Both of them knew what had happened.

But the world refused to believe him and chose to believe the one standing before him.

Now, he would see.

In this life, Bai Fan slaughtered cities to refine spirit pills, instigated a war between humans and demons to use blood to refine souls, and used all cultivators as a furnace to help him ascend.

Who would come to stop him now?