This time, Gu Yuan felt truly ashamed due to Xun'er's unreasonable behavior. Reflecting on everything Xun'er had done and how he had sided with her, forcing Gu Fei to delay the divorce, his scalp tingled with regret. He shook his head, unable to reconcile the two any longer.
He presented the evidence he had personally gathered, along with his conversation with Gu Yao, to Xun'er. Her face turned slightly red as she realized she might have wronged Gu Fei. However, being stubborn, she refused to admit her mistake, letting out a dissatisfied snort before walking away.
At the hall's entrance, she coincidentally bumped into Gu Fei, who was rushing over. Once a couple, their meeting now was marked by Xun'er's discontent and Gu Fei's complete indifference. Xun'er stopped, biting her lip as if wanting to speak. But Gu Fei brushed past her without a glance, as if she wasn't even there.
Gu Yuan noticed the commotion at the door and sighed, taking a sip of tea. Gu Fei, standing tall and resolute in the hall, spoke little, leaving Gu Yuan lamenting the unfortunate fate between him and Xun'er. Gu Yuan solemnly asked again, "Are you truly determined to divorce Xun'er?"
Gu Fei nodded. "Yes."
Gu Yuan tried one last time. "No regrets?"
Gu Fei hesitated for a moment.
Xun'er feels anticipation, Emotional Value +50
For reasons she couldn't explain, despite being ignored by Gu Fei, Xun'er stubbornly stood at the door, not leaving. Gu Fei, with his back to her, fell into a brief silence. Unexpectedly, Xun'er felt a strange emotion rising within her. Could it be that Gu Fei was reconsidering?
She wasn't just some toy to be called and dismissed at will, but if Gu Fei were to change his mind, she might reluctantly accept it. Arms crossed and cheeks puffed, she stewed over it, only to hear Gu Fei's cold voice.
"No regrets."
Xun'er's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Gu Fei's back.
Just as Gu Yuan was about to speak, Xun'er interrupted him, rushing forward to stand before Gu Fei.
"Are you… are you really going to divorce me?"
Only then did Gu Fei finally spare her a glance. He looked down at Xun'er, his eyes devoid of the tenderness and love they once held.
"What else?"
Xun'er froze, tasting the bitterness of regret for the first time.
Xun'er feels regret, Emotional Value +10
Gu Fei turned to leave, but she grabbed his sleeve. He looked back at her, his face devoid of emotion, only to see her tears for the first time. Xun'er seemed just as surprised by her tears, confused as she wiped them away. Her beautiful, tear-filled eyes would soften any man's heart, but not Gu Fei. He coldly pulled his sleeve from her grasp, waiting politely for her to speak.
"I… I won't see Brother Xiao Yan again. Can we not get divorced, Brother Gu Fei?"
Gu Fei's expression turned complicated. How long had it been since Xun'er last called him "Brother"? This rare occurrence was now used to plead to him to not divorce her. Whatever feelings he had left for her were completely crushed by her own hand.
"No. Xun'er, you need to understand, this was never about me."
Gu Fei turned away and slowly walked toward the door. His voice drifted back.
"Don't bother begging me anymore."
Though Gu Fei was physically close, Xun'er felt as if she could no longer reach him.
Xun'er feels regret, Emotional Value +200
Xun'er feels sadness, Emotional Value +200
Xun'er collapsed into an ancient wooden chair, her eyes brimming with clear sorrow.
"Father, did I really do something wrong?"
Gu Yuan glanced at her deeply but said nothing as he left, his sleeves billowing behind him.
The events in the grand hall quickly spread. Xun'er's capriciousness was condemned by many young members of the Gu clan, while sympathy grew for Gu Fei, who bore his suffering with grace.
Such an outstanding man like Brother Gu Fei, and Xun'er broke his heart.
However, many of the women in the Gu clan soon saw this as an opportunity. With Gu Fei divorced from Xun'er, didn't this mean they had a chance now? Which girl hadn't fantasized about such a handsome and talented man late into the night?
In the following days, whenever Gu Fei left his mountain, he found himself surrounded by many women. Granddaughters of elders brought him flowers, childhood friends invited him on outings, and even some women older than him sought his company. They all found various excuses to approach him.
Gu Yan feels affection, Emotional Value +1
Gu Ting feels affection, Emotional Value +1
Similar feelings kept pouring in during these days. One day, while Gu Fei was cultivating on his mountain, several ancient elders personally visited him, bringing along two or three petite, shy young women. The girls occasionally peeked out from behind the elders, their eyes shining as they looked at him.
Even if Gu Fei were slow, he'd have realized by now—they were trying to set him up.
One elder affectionately patted his hand, speaking to him about personal matters, subtly praising his granddaughter's beauty and strength. Gu Fei had never feared anything before, but the intense stares from the elders and young women, as if they were admiring a rare treasure, made him uneasy.
Finally, after sending them away, Gu Fei let out a long sigh. Though they meant well, he wasn't comfortable with it. So many beauties, they didn't worry he might overindulge.
After days of this, Gu Fei understood that these people had their eyes on him as a prized catch. However, despite the persistent "attacks," Gu Fei never agreed to anyone's advances. Right now, his only focus was on becoming stronger.
But remaining in the Gu Realm was too safe. Apart from Xun'er, there was no one else with high enough luck to provide his system with emotional value. In other words, Gu Fei found it challenging to grow stronger while staying in the Gu Realm.
He could cultivate peacefully in the Gu Realm. After all it was rich in resources, and with his grandfather Gu Lie being a highly respected figure in the clan, Gu Fei's future would undoubtedly be bright if he committed to hard work.
But having experienced the system's power, Gu Fei couldn't be content with staying in one place to cultivate. He longed to quickly grow stronger, to gain the power to rival the top experts. To do this, he needed to seize opportunities—opportunities that only his system could provide, like a god that could do anything with enough emotional value.
After much consideration, Gu Fei finally decided to head to the North-Western region.