After being sentenced to death, she came to her senses.

His silver robe was soaked in blood, with dark red spreading along the hem like plum blossoms fallen on snow, both alluring and chilling. A night breeze swept by, carrying the stench of blood mixed with the fragrance of bamboo leaves, creating a strangely poetic atmosphere of grim desolation.

He lightly touched the bamboo tips with his toes, his figure as swift as smoke, and in an instant he was between the two of them.

The flute music continued, but gradually softened, as if soothing the restless insects.

"You want to save her?" Shang Lingzhu glanced at him coldly, golden silkworm threads silently coiling around her fingertips. "In the battle for the title of Lord of the Tower, even if you come out alive, you will not be the final winner."

After the song ended, Gu Yuqing's eyes were calm and clear. "I don't care, especially since you didn't choose me anyway."

Gu Yuqing chuckled softly, spinning the jade flute in his palm.

“I don’t care.” He looked up, the moonlight making his pupils appear clear as glass. “Besides, you yourself didn’t choose me.”

Before he could finish speaking, Shang Lingzhu suddenly sprang up, her golden silkworm threads lashing out like a venomous snake's tongue, aiming straight for his throat.

Gu Yuqing twirled the jade flute in his hand, blocking the attack.

He was incredibly fast; Fang Xiaoran could barely catch his moves. Yet, she could still tell he had suffered severe internal injuries, which would be fatal, especially for someone without internal energy.

"Interesting. You and I are mother and son. You want to save her, but she wants to kill me. So you're going to commit matricide?" Shang Lingzhu raised her voice, but her attacks never stopped. In the gap between their fight, Fang Xiaoran launched a rapid attack, giving Shang Lingzhu no chance to catch her breath.

"It seems you are quite satisfied with the marriage your mother arranged for you back then."

Even though Shang Lingzhu was facing the two of them at the same time, she remained calm. There were experts lying in ambush all around. Fang Xiaoran had also been paying attention to these people. However, she was not alone. There were many people to deal with these people.

On the contrary, Shang Lingzhu is extremely troublesome. With the "Secret Scripture of Ten Thousand Gu", it is like adding wings to a tiger. Her Gu technique has reached its peak. If she is given another three to five years, perhaps no Po Village will be left.

Gu Yuqing didn't answer, but his actions were decisive and left no room for maneuver. Fang Xiaoran was quite surprised to see him like this. She didn't expect Gu Yuqing to appear at this time and help her.

However, it is not hard to see from their conversation that Gu Yuqing has become a pawn to be abandoned.

“That’s precisely why I can’t let you stay. Falling in love is your biggest weakness.” Shang Lingzhu’s fingertips twitched slightly, and red blood vessels snaked up from Gu Yuqing’s collarbone, coiling around his neck like venomous snakes.

His face paled, and a look of pain appeared in his eyes, but his expression remained unchanged. He held the jade flute horizontally, and the flute music rang out again.

Compared to his usual murderous voice, this flute melody was exceptionally pleasant to the ear. However, as the melody changed, the sound waves vibrated, and the surrounding Gu worms instantly turned into blood mist.

"You!" Shang Lingzhu was no longer composed, and became visibly violent. "Pure World Brahma Sound, I did not teach you the Gu technique, but you have learned this method of resistance. I want to see whether your Pure World Brahma Sound is more powerful or the Heart-Eating Gu will take your life first."

Gu Yuqing seemed not to hear, the flute music continued, his gaze swept over her indifferently, and a very faint cold smile appeared on his lips.

"When have I ever feared death?"

"Gu Yuqing!" Fang Xiaoran quickly stepped forward, shooting three silver needles from her fingertips toward Shang Lingzhu. This person was skilled in Gu techniques, but his movement skills might not be superior to hers.

Shang Lingzhu retreated hastily, but she was a step too slow. The silver needle grazed her shoulder, leaving a bloody mark, but Shang Lingzhu didn't care. Instead, she gave a cold smile, "Poison has no effect on me."

“I think so too, therefore, it’s not poison.” Fang Xiaoran smiled as well. It was a specially made sleeping potion; even a single drop could make her sleepy.

Shang Lingzhu's body trembled, and she stepped back, her hand instinctively gripping the edge of the table. Several chilling gusts of wind shot from all directions, presumably from the shadow guards protecting her. However, Fang Xiaoran was not unprepared either. Chu Qi and the others quickly made their move, and even Jiu Yuan and Mo Wen leaped down from the roof beam.

The battlefield was quickly divided, and in the end, it was still the two of them locked in a fierce confrontation.

This sleeping potion was developed by Fang Xiaoran using all her knowledge. It also has hallucinogenic effects, and even pain stimulation cannot wake her up. Shang Lingzhu is only feeling sleepy so far, which is enough to show how powerful she is.

Perhaps sensing the potency of the drug, a hint of seriousness flashed in Shang Lingzhu's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by ruthlessness.

She bit her tongue hard, the excruciating pain spreading through her mouth along with the taste of blood, but her vision continued to blur, and her limbs grew increasingly heavy.

"I underestimated you." Shang Lingzhu wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, sneered, and with a slight movement of her fingertips, the Heart-Eating Gu in Gu Yuqing's body continued to spread to various meridians. Crimson blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth and flowed down the jade flute.

"Then let's see who has the better control techniques. I've left more than just the Heart-Eating Gu in his body."

The bloodstains on Gu Yuqing's lips became increasingly glaring, the scarlet dripping down the jade flute and blooming into eerie flowers on the bluestone ground. His knuckles trembled slightly, yet he still held the flute steadily, his eyes churning with dark emotions, like a bottomless abyss.

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaoran's expression changed drastically. Seeing Gu Yuqing put away his jade flute and attack her instead, she quickly retreated and sighed helplessly, "You want to destroy him?"

“A puppet that doesn’t obey is useless.” Shang Lingzhu smiled, her beauty breathtaking, yet she was extremely dangerous.

Upon hearing this, Fang Xiaoran felt a surge of murderous intent, yet she couldn't bring herself to activate the Gu spirit implanted in Gu Yuqing's body.

Doing this would make it difficult for Gu Yuqing to withstand the backlash from the two types of Gu, and he might very well die here.

The reason Shang Lingzhu dared to be so unscrupulous was probably because she was certain that she wouldn't be able to do it.

Seeing a flash of cold light, Gu Yuqing was already close by. Fang Xiaoran gritted her teeth and finally activated the Gu spirit within his body.

If one were to be completely controlled by Shang Lingzhu, it would be tantamount to death.

Moreover, she believed that Gu Yuqing would not come rashly, nor could he be unaware of the Gu poison that Shang Lingzhu had planted in his body; he must have other tricks up his sleeve.

The moment the Gu Spirit was activated, Gu Yuqing abruptly stopped.

The dormant Gu spirit within the body suddenly erupted. In the meridians, two completely different Gu poisons tore and gnawed wildly. The scarlet of the Heart-Eating Gu and the dark blue of the Gu spirit fought like two evil dragons, tearing flesh apart inch by inch wherever they passed.

"Cough—!" He knelt on one knee, spitting out a mouthful of black blood onto the bluestone slab, and the jade flute fell to the ground with a "clang".

Seeing this, Fang Xiaoran felt a pang of heartache, but Shang Lingzhu did not stop. Instead, she caused all the Gu in Gu Yuqing's body to erupt at once. Fang Xiaoran had no choice but to use Gu Spirit to deal with it. The clash between the two caused great harm to Gu Yuqing. His meridians were broken inch by inch, and he felt excruciating pain all over his body. Cold sweat had already soaked his silver robe.

Gu Yuqing trembled all over, his silver robe soaked with cold sweat and blood. His broken meridians twisted and bulged under his skin, as if being gnawed by thousands of insects. He gritted his teeth, blood dripping from between his teeth down his chin, but he still forced himself to look up at Fang Xiaoran.

"Don't...stop..." His voice was hoarse, and he practically squeezed out the two words through clenched teeth.

Fang Xiaoran's fingertips trembled as the power of the Gu spirit clashed violently with Shang Lingzhu's Gu poison within Gu Yuqing's body, causing him excruciating pain with each collision.

Her eyes reddened, and she almost stopped.

But she knew that if she stopped, Shang Lingzhu would win. In the contest between Gu techniques, there was only life or death. At this moment, she had no way out.

If it were just her, she would gladly perish together with Shang Lingzhu.

But now Gu Yuqing is suffering this pain, which is something she doesn't want to see.

Her fingertips trembled, and her lips turned deathly pale. Compared to her inner struggle and reluctance, Shang Lingzhu's indifference and composure made her somewhat disbelieving, and even doubt whether Gu Yuqing was Shang Lingzhu's biological son.

Or perhaps this person was inherently cold-hearted, otherwise they wouldn't have been able to kill their friend.

Just then, Gu Yuqing suddenly reached out and grabbed the jade flute, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I haven't forgotten a single thing my mother taught me."

As soon as he finished speaking, he gritted his teeth and held the jade flute to his lips. The melodious and ethereal flute music rang out again, but this time his flute music was aimed at all the Gu, including Fang Xiaoran's Gu spirit.

At this moment, Fang Xiaoran realized what Gu Yuqing was about to do. Her pupils suddenly contracted, but her voice choked in her throat.

Gu Yuqing's flute playing was no longer clear and crisp, but carried an ancient and heavy rhythm, each note seemingly striking the depths of the soul.

The moment the sound waves spread, the Gu spirit within her body began to tremble violently.

"You want to kill all the Gu?!" Her voice trembled as she stared at him in disbelief.

"You'll die!" she gritted her teeth, trying to stop him, but Shang Lingzhu confronted her, and she couldn't move forward.

Gu Yuqing did not answer, but closed his eyes and played the flute. The sound became more ethereal and majestic. The blood vessels on his neck were still spreading, but his fingertips were as steady as a rock.

The blood mist spread out, quickly enveloping the surroundings.

A dark figure silently approached Shang Lingzhu. Before she could react, a knife was thrust towards her heart. Shang Lingzhu's eyes turned cold, and a jade clasp flicked from her fingertip, shooting out with such speed that it almost tore through the air, aiming straight for Fang Xiaoran's brow.

The surroundings were filled with blood mist, and the jade buckle was an extremely ingenious hidden weapon that was impossible to defend against. Fang Xiaoran hadn't even detected it, and by the time she felt the chill approaching, it was too late.

At the critical moment, Gu Yuqing turned his flute and quickly blocked the jade buckle. However, the jade buckle changed its trajectory and used the force to stab Gu Yuqing.

It turns out that the jade buckle was always aimed at him!

Although Gu Yuqing was fast enough, he was still seriously injured and could not avoid it.

"Pfft-"

The jade clasp was deeply embedded in his heart, and blood instantly soaked through his silver robe.

"You have a backup plan, but so do I."

Amidst the blood mist, Shang Lingzhu burst into laughter, completely oblivious to the excruciating pain emanating from her chest.

"Gu Yuqing!" Fang Xiaoran's eyes were bloodshot as she rushed towards him, but she couldn't catch him and could only watch his body slowly fall.

All the surrounding Gu worms were destroyed, and only Shang Lingzhu lay on the ground, laughing exceptionally beautifully.

Fang Xiaoran came to Gu Yuqing's side and immediately checked his injuries. Her hands were trembling. With years of medical experience, she knew clearly that he was beyond saving. The blow to his chest was too fatal, and coupled with the impact of the Gu worms, there was no way to save him.

With red eyes, she looked at Shang Lingzhu and fired three silver needles at the same time, piercing into her body. But Shang Lingzhu didn't care at all and just smiled. However, there was not a trace of happiness in her smile.

At this moment, a short but strangely familiar figure emerged from behind Shang Lingzhu.

"I have completed what I promised you."

Upon seeing him, Fang Xiaoran was utterly shocked. "You... are Xiao Qi?"